¶ Jehoshaphat Establishes Righteous Kingdom
A reading from the book of Second Chronicles.
🔇 Silence
Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.
Therefore the Lord established a kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asharim out of Judah. In the third year of his reign, he sent his officials Benhel, Obadiah, Zachariah, Nethanel, and Micah. To teach in the cities of Judah, and with them the Levites, Shimeah, Nethanel.
Zebediah, Asahel, Shimiramoth, Jehanathon, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobaduniah, and with these Levites, the priests, Elishema and Jehorim. And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities, and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah. Yet soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem, This was the muster of them by fathers' houses. Of Judah, the commanders of thousands
Adna the commander with 300,000 mighty men of valor. And next to him, Jehohanan, the commander with 280,000. And next to him, Amasiah, the son of Zikri, a volunteer for the service of the Lord, with two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. of Benjamin, Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with twenty thousand men armed with bow and shield. and next to him Jehosabad, with a hundred and eighty thousand armed for war,
These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor.
¶ Ahab's War and Micaiah's Prophecy
and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. After some years he went down to Ahab into Mary. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth Gilead. Ahab King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat King of Judah, will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first for the word of the Lord. And the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them Shall we go to battle against Ramoth Gilead or shall I refrain? And they said, Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?
The king of Israel said to Jezevat There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, by Caiah, the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, Bring quickly Mika, the son of Imla. Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes.
And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. And Zedekiah, the son of Kenna, made for himself horns of iron and said, Thus says the Lord, with these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed. And all the prophets prophesied so and said, Go up to Ramoth Gilead and triumph. The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.
And the messenger who went to summon Maia said to him, Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favourably. But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak. And when he had come to the king, the king said to him Ma Cah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain? And he answered, Go up and triumph, they will be given into your hand. But the king said to him,
How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, These have no master, let each return to his home in peace. And the king of Israel said to Josh, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? Said Therefore hear the word of the Lord and
I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord saying I will entice him. The Lord said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
And he said, You are to entice him, and you shall succeed. Go out and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a lion spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you. Then Zedekiah, the son of Kenna, came near and struck Makaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you? And Mekiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.
And the king of Israel said, Seize Mekah, and take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son, and say, Thus says the king. Put this fellow in prison and feed him with meagre rations of bread and water until I return in peace. And Mekaiah said, If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said, Hear all you peoples,
¶ Battle of Ramoth Gilead, Ahab Dies
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth Gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robe. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.
As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel. So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him. For as soon as the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate.
Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded. And the battle continued that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. Then at sunset he died.
¶ Jehoshaphat Rebuked and Judicial Reforms
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. But Jehu, the son of Hananai the seer, went out to meet him, and said to King Josh. Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.
Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, Consider what you do, for you judge not for man, but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you.
Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes. Moreover, in Jerusalem, Josh had appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem, and he charged them, Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart.
Whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, Then you shall warn them that they may not incur guilt before the Lord, and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebediah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters.
And the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright.
¶ Judah Faces Invasion, Jehoshaphat Prays
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Some men came and told Josh, A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea, and behold, they are in Hazazan Tamar, that is in Gedeon. Then Joshaphat was afraid, and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord. From all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, and said, O Lord, God of our fathers Are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand of power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel?
and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, and they have lived in it, and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you. For your name is in this house, and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.
And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Sea, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt. And whom they avoided and did not destroy. Behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. Oh my god! Will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
Meanwhile, all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
¶ Divine Victory and Judah's Triumph
And the spirit of the Lord came upon Jehaziel, the son of Zechariah, son of Beniah. Son of Jel, son of Matiniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat. Thus says the Lord to you, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours, but God's Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz.
You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.
Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord, and the Levites of the Korithites and the Korahites. stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Dakoa.
And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed. And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire as they went before the army and saying Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.
And when they began to sing in praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Amon, Moab, and Mount Seah, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Amon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Sir, they all helped to destroy one another.
When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground, none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them in great numbers goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil. It was so much.
On the fourth day they assembled in the valley of Beraka, for there they blessed the Lord. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Berkah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the ram of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.
¶ Jehoshaphat's Final Acts and Misstep
Thus Josh reigned over Judah. He was thirty five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azuba, the daughter of Shilha. He walked in the way of Asa his father, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. The high places, however, were not taken away. The people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers.
Now the rest of the Acts of Jehoshaphat from first to last are written in the chronicles of Jehu, the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. After this, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, joined with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who acted wickedly. He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshus, and they built the ships in Isaiah. Then Eli Ezir, the son of Dodavehu, of Marisha, prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying,
Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made. And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshus.