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2 Chronicles 17

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Jehoshaphat Establishes His Rule 1–2

1
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. ​
2
And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

Jehoshaphat’s Piety and Prosperity 3–6

3
And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; ​
4
But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5
Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance. ​
6
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. ​

The Teaching Ministry in Judah 7–9

7
Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. ​
8
And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. ​
9
And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. ​

Foreign Nations Honor Jehoshaphat 10–11

10
And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. ​
11
Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats. ​

Military Might and Organization 12–19

12
And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. ​
13
And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.
14
And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. ​
15
And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.
16
And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour. ​
17
And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
18
And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.
19
These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 17

Verse 1

strengthened himself against Israel — Chazaq, to be strong, in the reflexive form, with Israel named as the quarter he guarded against. Verse 2 shows how, with forces placed in the fenced cities. Kings had said of Asa and Baasha, ‘there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days’ (1 Kings 15:16). His name, Jehoshaphat, means ‘the LORD has judged’.

Verse 3

the first ways of his father David — ‘First’ is rishon, former. The verse sets walking in David’s ways against seeking ‘unto Baalim’, the plural of Baal. ‘Sought’ is darash, the verb for seeking the LORD in 14:4, 14:7 and 12:14. ‘The LORD was with’ him is the phrase used of Joseph in Gen 39:2.

Verse 5

the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand — Kun, to make firm, is the verb of 12:1, ‘when Rehoboam had established the kingdom’, and of 12:14, ‘prepared not his heart’. Here the LORD is the one who makes the kingdom firm. ‘Riches and honour in abundance’ are repeated at the opening of the next chapter (18:1).

Verse 6

his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD — Gabah, to be high, is the verb of Uzziah’s heart ‘lifted up to his destruction’ (26:16) and Hezekiah’s (32:25). Here the height is ‘in the ways of the LORD’. The high places and groves are taken away, yet 20:33 adds that ‘as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers’.

Verse 7

to teach in the cities of Judah — Five princes go out, and with them nine Levites and two priests (v.8), sixteen teachers in all. Lamad, to teach, is the root of ‘learn’ in Deut 31:12, where the people gather ‘that they may hear, and that they may learn’. In 15:3, Israel’s earlier days are described as ‘without a teaching priest, and without law’.

Verse 8

Levites… and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests — Teaching the law belonged to the tribe of Levi: ‘They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law’ (Deut 33:10). Aaron’s sons were told ‘that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes’ (Lev 10:11). Nine Levites are named here, with the two priests.

Verse 9

the book of the law of the LORD — The same title is used when Hilkiah finds ‘a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses’ (34:14). ‘Went about’ is sabab, to make a circuit, the verb used of Samuel’s yearly round to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh (1 Sam 7:16). The teachers carried the book through every city of Judah.

Verse 10

the fear of the LORD fell — Pachad, dread, as at 14:14, where it fell on the cities round about Gerar, and at 20:29. Here it covers ‘all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah’, and they ‘made no war’. Prov 16:7 states the principle: ‘When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.’

Verse 11

seven thousand and seven hundred rams — The same number is given for the he goats, 7,700 of each. ‘Tribute’ is massa, literally a burden, something carried. The Philistines whose cities Asa had spoiled (14:14) now bring silver, and the Arabians come as ‘the kings of Arabia’ had come to Solomon with gold and silver (9:14).

Verse 12

castles, and cities of store — ‘Waxed great exceedingly’ joins halak, to go on, with gadal, to grow: he kept on growing. ‘Cities of store’ (miskenoth) are the storehouse cities Solomon built (8:4, 6), and the same word is the ‘treasure cities’ Israel built for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses (Ex 1:11).

Verse 14

according to the house of their fathers — The muster follows the wording of Num 1:2, ‘by the house of their fathers’. Five commanders are listed in vv.14–18: Adnah with 300,000, Jehohanan 280,000, Amasiah 200,000, Eliada 200,000 and Jehozabad 180,000. The total is 1,160,000, twice the 580,000 of Asa (14:8).

Verse 16

who willingly offered himself unto the LORD — Nadab, to offer willingly, is the verb of Judg 5:2, ‘when the people willingly offered themselves’, and of 1 Chr 29:9, ‘they offered willingly to the LORD’. Of the five commanders in vv.14–18, only Amasiah the son of Zichri is given this description.

Verse 19

These waited on the king — Sharat, to serve in attendance, is the word used of Joshua as Moses’ ‘minister’ (Ex 24:13). The 1,160,000 of vv.14–18 attended the king, and the garrisons set ‘in the fenced cities throughout all Judah’ were additional to them, as v.2 had said: ‘forces in all the fenced cities of Judah’.