猶大王約沙法
1亞撒的兒子約沙法繼位，他發憤圖強對抗以色列。 2他派兵駐守猶大所有的堅城，又把守備軍安置在猶大和他父親亞撒所征服的以法蓮各城邑。 3耶和華與約沙法同在，因為他效法他祖先大衛起初所行的，沒有尋求巴力， 4只尋求他父親的上帝，遵行祂的誡命，沒有效法以色列人的行為。 5因此，耶和華鞏固他的王位，所有的猶大人都向他進貢，他極有財富和尊榮。 6他專心遵行耶和華的道，剷除猶大境內的邱壇和亞舍拉神像。
7他在執政第三年委派官員便·亥伊勒、俄巴底、撒迦利雅、拿坦業和米該亞到猶大各城教導民眾， 8與他們同去的還有利未人示瑪雅、尼探雅、西巴第雅、亞撒黑、示米拉末、約拿單、亞多尼雅、多比雅和駝·巴多尼雅，還有祭司以利沙瑪和約蘭。 9他們帶著耶和華的律法書，走遍猶大各城鎮教導民眾。 10猶大周圍的列國都懼怕耶和華，不敢與約沙法爭戰。 11一些非利士人向他進貢禮物和銀子，阿拉伯人也給他送來公綿羊和公山羊各七千七百隻。
12約沙法日漸強大，在猶大境內修建堡壘和儲貨城， 13在猶大各城儲備大量物資。他又在耶路撒冷屯駐精兵， 14其人數按宗族記在下面。
猶大族有千夫長押拿，率領精兵三十萬； 15其次是千夫長約哈難，率領軍兵二十八萬； 16其次是自願事奉耶和華的細基利的兒子亞瑪斯雅，率領精兵二十萬。 17便雅憫族有勇士以利雅大，率領手持弓箭和盾牌的軍兵二十萬； 18其次是約薩拔，率領全副武裝的軍兵十八萬。 19以上都是服侍王的軍兵，不包括王派去駐守猶大各堅城的軍兵。
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
1Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
7In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
12Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14Their enrollment by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000:
Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men;
15next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
16next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.
17From Benjamin:
Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
18next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.
19These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
