1. When his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him, he made himself stronger against Israel

2. by stationing troops in all the fortified towns in Judah and by garrisoning Judah and the towns of Ephraim which his father Asa had captured.

3. Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's earlier days and did not have recourse to Baal,

4. but sought Yahweh, the God of his father, following his commandments and not behaving as Israel did.

5. Because of this, Yahweh put him in secure control of the kingdom, while all Judah gave Jehoshaphat presents until ample riches and honour were his.

6. He was so enthusiastic about obeying Yahweh that once again he abolished the high places and sacred poles in Judah.

7. In the third year of his reign he sent his leading men-Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to give instruction in the towns of Judah.

8. With them went the Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah and Tobijah, the Levites; Elishama and Jehoram the priests went with them.

9. They gave instruction in Judah, having with them the book of the Law of Yahweh, and went round all the towns of Judah instructing the people.

10. A panic from Yahweh seized all the kings of the countries surrounding Judah, as a result of which they did not make war on Jehoshaphat.

11. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and a load of silver and the Arabs brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred he-goats.

12. Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built fortresses and storage towns in Judah.

13. He accumulated ample supplies in the towns of Judah. He also had warriors, outstanding men, in Jerusalem.

14. According to family, this is how they were classified: Over the commanders of the thousands of Judah was General Adnah, who had three hundred thousand outstanding men;

15. Under him was General Jehohanan, who had two hundred and eighty thousand;

16. Under him was Amasiah son of Zichri, who had volunteered for Yahweh and who had two hundred thousand outstanding men;

17. That outstanding soldier, Eliada, represented Benjamin, and he had two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield;

18. And under him Jehozabad, who had one hundred and eighty thousand equipped for war.

19. These were in attendance on the king, apart from those whom the king had stationed in the fortified towns all over Judah.





“O passado não conta mais para o Senhor. O que conta é o presente e estar atento e pronto para reparar o que foi feito.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina