1Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa as king and strengthened his position against Israel. 2He stationed troops in the fortified cities of Judah. He also put troops in the Judean countryside, and in the cities that Asa had captured in the territory of Ephraim. 3Jehovah blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father’s early life and did not worship Baal. 4He served his father’s God. He obeyed God’s commandments, and did not act the way the kings of Israel did. 5Jehovah gave Jehoshaphat firm control over the kingdom of Judah. The people brought him gifts, so that he became wealthy and highly honored. 6His heart was devoted to the ways of Jehovah. He destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah. 7In 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. 8With them were the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, Tob Adonijah, and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9They taught in Judah. They had the Book of Torah the LawJehovah’s Teachings with them when they taught the people in all the cities of Judah. 10All the kingdoms around Judah were afraid of Jehovah. As a result, they did not wage war against Jehoshaphat. 11Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as taxes. The Arabs also brought him flocks: seven thousand and seven hundred rams and seven thousand and seven hundred male goats. 12Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful. He built fortresses and cities where supplies were stored in Judah. 13He stored large supplies of food in the cities of Judah and an army of professional soldiers served him in Jerusalem. 14The following is a breakdown of these soldiers. They are listed by families. Judah’s regimental commanders were Commander Adnah with three hundred thousand fighting men, 15next to him was Commander Jehohanan with two hundred and eighty thousand men. 16There was Amasiah, Zichri’s son, who volunteered to serve Jehovah with two hundred thousand fighting men. 17From Benjamin there was the fighting man Eliada with two hundred thousand armed men with bows and shields. 18Next to him was Jehozabad with an army of one hundred and eighty thousand armed men. 19These were the men who served the king in addition to those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout Judah.