2 Chronicles 17:1-19 GNT

[1] Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa as king and strengthened his position against Israel. [2] He stationed troops in the fortified cities of Judah, in the Judean countryside, and in the cities which Asa had captured in the territory of Ephraim. [3] The LORD blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early life and did not worship Baal. [4] He served his father's God, obeyed God's commands, and did not act the way the kings of Israel did. [5] The LORD gave Jehoshaphat firm control over the kingdom of Judah, and all the people brought him gifts, so that he became wealthy and highly honored. [6] He took pride in serving the LORD and destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah. [7] In the third year of his reign he sent out the following officials to teach in the cities of Judah: Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. [8] They were accompanied by nine Levites and two priests. The Levites were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and the priests were Elishama and Jehoram. [9] They took the book of the Law of the LORD and went through all the towns of Judah, teaching it to the people. [10] The LORD made all the surrounding kingdoms afraid to go to war against King Jehoshaphat. [11] Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat a large amount of silver and other gifts, and some Arabs brought him 7,700 sheep and 7,700 goats. [12] So Jehoshaphat continued to grow more and more powerful. Throughout Judah he built fortifications and cities, [13] where supplies were stored in huge amounts. In Jerusalem he stationed outstanding officers, [14] according to their clans. Adnah was the commander of the troops from the clans of Judah, and he had 300,000 soldiers under him. [15] Second in rank was Jehohanan, with 280,000 soldiers, [16] and third was Amasiah son of Zichri, with 200,000. (Amasiah had volunteered to serve the LORD.) [17] The commander of the troops from the clans of Benjamin was Eliada, an outstanding soldier, in command of 200,000 men armed with shields and bows. [18] His second in command was Jehozabad with 180,000 men, well-equipped for battle. [19] These soldiers served the king in Jerusalem, and in addition he stationed others in the other fortified cities of Judah.