2 Chronicles 17 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~873-870 BC, the opening years of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, son of Asa
Location
Judah, its fortified towns and the storage cities of Ephraim that Judah still held, with the royal court in Jerusalem
Audience
Jews after the exile, whose community was being rebuilt around public reading and teaching of the law of Moses, seeing a king who had done the same
Situation
Jehoshaphat secures his borders against the north and then sends officials, Levites, and priests on a teaching circuit through every town of Judah carrying the book of the law. His reputation grows until neighbouring peoples send tribute, and the chapter closes with a muster roll of his commanders and troops.
Key Background
A travelling commission to teach the law is unusual in the ancient world, where religious texts were normally kept by priests at central shrines rather than explained to villagers, and it anticipates the later synagogue practice of local instruction. The Philistines to the west and Arab tribes to the south sending silver, rams, and goats reflects the normal tribute system, where weaker neighbours bought protection and trade access with livestock and metal. The very large troop figures follow the conventions of ancient royal records, where army numbers functioned as a statement of a king's standing as much as a headcount, and the Hebrew word behind thousand can also mean a unit or clan contingent.
son became king in place and against Israel.
He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and placed throughout the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the of his ancestor David and did not seek out the
Instead, he out the God of his father and followed his commands, rather than the of
So Yahweh the kingdom firmly in his hand. All of Judah brought to Jehoshaphat, and he gained both great wealth and honor.
His to the ways of Yahweh grew even stronger, and he also removed the and the from Judah.
In the third year of reign, he — Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah — to in the cities of Judah.
With them were the — Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah — and the Elishama and Jehoram.
They taught throughout Judah, carrying the of the of with them. They went through all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
The of fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
Some of the brought Jehoshaphat gifts and a load of silver as tribute. The also brought him flocks — seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
Jehoshaphat grew increasingly powerful. He built and in Judah.
He had in the cities of Judah, and battle-ready warriors in Jerusalem.
Here is their by From Judah, the commanders of thousands — Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand battle-ready warriors;
next to him, Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred eighty thousand;
next to him, Amasiah son of Zikri, who for with two hundred thousand battle-ready warriors.
From Eliada, a battle-ready warrior, with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;
next to him, Jehozabad, with one hundred eighty thousand equipped for war.
These were the ones the besides those Jehoshaphat had stationed in the fortified cities throughout all of Judah.