Jehošāfāts valda pār Jūdu
1 Pēc tam sāka valdīt viņa dēls Jehošāfāts, viņš pretojās Israēlam. 2 Viņš izvietoja karaspēku visās Jūdas cietokšņu pilsētās, bet pulkus viņš izvietoja Jūdas zemē un tajās Efraima pilsētās, ko bija ieņēmis viņa tēvs Āsa. 3 Kungs bija ar Jehošāfātu, jo viņš darīja, kā agrāk bija darījis viņa tēvs Dāvids, un nesekoja baāliem, 4 viņš sekoja sava tēva Dievam, pildīja viņa pavēles un nedarīja kā Israēls. 5 Un Kungs nostiprināja viņa valsti. Visi jūdi deva nodevas Jehošāfātam, un viņš iemantoja lielu bagātību un godu. 6 Viņa sirds tiecās pēc Kunga ceļa, turklāt viņš izdeldēja Jūdas augstieņu altārus un ašēras.
7 Savas valdīšanas trešajā gadā viņš sūtīja augstmaņus, lai tie māca Jūdas pilsētās: Ben-Hailu, Obadju, Zeharju, Netanēlu un Mihu. 8 Un kopā ar tiem levītus: Šemaju, Netanjāhu, Zebadjāhu, Asā-Ēlu, Šemīramotu, Jonatānu, Adonījāhu, Tobījāhu un Tob-Adonīju – levītus, un kopā ar tiem arī priesterus Elīšāmu un Jehorāmu. 9 Viņi mācīja Jūdā, un tiem līdzi bija Kunga bauslības grāmatas. Viņi ceļoja pa visām Jūdas pilsētām un mācīja ļaudis.
10 Un Kunga šausmas nāca pār visām zemes valstīm, kas ir ap Jūdu, un tie nekaroja ar Jehošāfātu. 11 Taču daži filistieši Jehošāfātam kā cieņas apliecinājumu pienesa meslus un sudrabu. Arī arābi viņam deva sīklopus – septiņus tūkstošus un septiņus simtus aunu un septiņus tūkstošus un septiņus simtus āžu.
12 Jehošāfāta varenība augtin auga. Jūdā viņš uzcēla cietokšņus un noliktavu pilsētas. 13 Jūdas pilsētās un Jeruzālemē viņš veica lielus darbus, un viņam bija karavīri, vareni spēkavīri.
14 Tie pulcējās pēc savām dzimtām: Jūdas virsnieki pār tūkstošiem, virsnieks Adna ar trīs simti tūkstošiem varonīgu karavīru, 15 nākamais virsnieks bija Jehohānāns ar divi simti astoņdesmit tūkstošiem, 16 nākamais bija Amasja, Zihrī dēls, kas Kungam kalpoja brīvprātīgi, kopā ar viņu bija divi simti tūkstoši varonīgu karavīru. 17 No Benjāmina: Eljāda ar divi simti tūkstošiem varonīgu karavīru, bruņotu lokiem un vairogiem, 18 nākamais bija Jehozābāds ar simts astoņdesmit tūkstošiem, kas bija bruņoti karam. 19 Šie kalpoja ķēniņam, neskaitot tos, ko ķēniņš bija izvietojis nocietinātajās pilsētās visā Jūdā.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
1 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king and strengthened his defenses against Israel. 2 He assigned troops to the fortified cities in Judah, as well as to other towns in Judah and to those towns in Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3-4 When Jehoshaphat's father had first become king of Judah, he was faithful to the Lord and refused to worship the god Baal as the kings of Israel did. Jehoshaphat followed his father's example and obeyed and worshiped the Lord. And so the Lord blessed Jehoshaphat 5 and helped him keep firm control of his kingdom. The people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, but even after he became very rich and respected, 6 he remained completely faithful to the Lord. He destroyed all the local shrines in Judah, including the places where the goddess Asherah was worshiped.
7 In the third year of Jehoshaphat's rule, he chose five officials and gave them orders to teach the Lord's Law in every city and town in Judah. They were Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. 8 Their assistants were the following nine Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. Two priests, Elishama and Jehoram, also went along. 9 They carried with them a copy of the Lord's Law wherever they went and taught the people from it.
10 The nations around Judah were afraid of the Lord's power, so none of them attacked Jehoshaphat. 11 Philistines brought him silver and other gifts to keep peace. Some of the Arab people brought him 7,700 rams and the same number of goats.
12 As Jehoshaphat became more powerful, he built fortresses and cities 13 where he stored supplies. He also kept in Jerusalem some experienced soldiers 14 from the Judah and Benjamin tribes. These soldiers were grouped according to their clans.
Adnah was the commander of the troops from Judah, and he had 300,000 soldiers under his command. 15 Jehohanan was second in command, with 280,000 soldiers under him. 16 Amasiah son of Zichri, who had volunteered to serve the Lord, was third in command, with 200,000 soldiers under him.
17 Eliada was a brave warrior who commanded the troops from Benjamin. He had 200,000 soldiers under his command, all of them armed with bows and shields. 18 Jehozabad was second in command, with 180,000 soldiers under him. 19 These were the troops who protected the king in Jerusalem, not counting those he had assigned to the fortified cities throughout the country.