2 ChroniclesChapter 17

+ Secondary text Original text ← Previous Next →Contribute

Jehoshaphat his son became king in his place, and he grew strong against Israel.

He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David and did not seek the Baals.

Instead he sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, not following the practices of Israel.

So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great wealth and honor.

His heart took courage in the ways of the LORD, and he went on to remove the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials—Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah,

and with them the Levites Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

They taught in Judah, having with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went around through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

The terror of the LORD was upon all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

Some of the 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.

Jehoshaphat kept growing greater and greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah,

He had much property in the cities of Judah, and in Jerusalem fighting men, mighty warriors.

This was their muster by their fathers' houses: from Judah, commanders of thousands—Adnah the commander, and with him three hundred thousand mighty warriors;

next to him Jehohanan the commander, and with him two hundred eighty thousand;

next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, who volunteered himself to the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty warriors.

From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty warrior, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

next to him Jehozabad, and with him one hundred eighty thousand equipped for war.

These were the men who served the king, besides those the king had stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

Lookup

Summary2

Chapter 17

Main Theme: Jehoshaphat’s faithfulness to the Lord and Judah’s blessing with strength, wealth, and peace.

Content: King Jehoshaphat strengthened Judah militarily by placing troops in fortified cities and in the Ephraimite towns his father had conquered. He walked in the early ways of David, sought God, and removed the high places and Asherah poles from the land. In his third year, he sent leaders, Levites, and priests to teach the people from the Book of the Law of the Lord. The fear of God fell upon neighboring nations so that they did not wage war against him; instead, they brought tribute, and Jehoshaphat became powerful with an army of over one million men.

Key Words/Images:

The Ways of David – Jehoshaphat followed David’s early example in faithfulness to God, rather than Israel’s idolatry.
Teaching the Law – An organized effort by leaders, Levites, and priests to spread knowledge of God’s Word throughout Judah.
The Fear of the Lord – God’s protection manifested as surrounding nations dared not attack.
Tribute from the Nations – The Philistines and Arabs brought gifts and livestock as signs of Jehoshaphat’s power and God’s blessing.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for 2 Chronicles 17

People

King Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah from approximately 873–849 B.C. and was one of the most successful kings after the division of the kingdom. His name means "the Lord judges" and reflects his parents' piety. The chapter highlights that he followed "the early ways of David" (verse 3), an expression suggesting an idealized early period in David's reign, before his moral decline. Jehoshaphat inherited a kingdom already strengthened under his father Asa, and he built upon this stability.

The chapter mentions five officials (Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah), nine Levites (Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah), and two priests (Elishama and Joram) who were sent out to teach the people. This represents a unique organized teaching campaign in ancient Israel, showing how royal authority took responsibility for the religious instruction of the people.

Places

"The cities of Ephraim" (verse 2) refer to areas in the northern kingdom that Asa had conquered during war against Baasha king of Israel (2 Chron 16:1–6). That Jehoshaphat stationed garrisons there shows that Judah at this time controlled border regions within the territory of the northern kingdom. This demonstrated Judah's strength and required a military presence to maintain control.

Events and Customs

The teaching journey in verses 7–9 is unique in the Old Testament. That the king sent officials together with Levites and priests to teach "the Book of the Law of the Lord" in all the cities of Judah represents an early form of organized religious education. This pattern—cooperation between royal administration and religious leaders—was unusual in the ancient Near East, where religious instruction was typically limited to temple circles.

The tribute from the Philistines and Arabs (verse 11) shows Jehoshaphat's regional influence. That Arab tribes brought 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats as tribute reflects their nomadic economy based on livestock herding. Such tribute relationships were common in the ancient Middle East and signaled political submission without full incorporation into the kingdom.

Key Terms

The expression "his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord" (וַיִּגְבַּהּ לִבּוֹ בְּדַרְכֵי יְהוָה, verse 6) uses a Hebrew phrase that usually carries a negative meaning ("proud heart"). Here, however, it is used positively to describe religious zeal and courage to carry out reforms. This is a rare positive use of this formulation in the Bible.

"Biranjot" (בִּירָנִיּוֹת, verse 12), translated as "fortresses" or "strongholds," is a Persian loanword that some scholars believe indicates a later editing of the text. Others argue that the word may have been in use earlier in Semitic languages.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The large army numbers in verses 14–18 (totaling over 1.1 million soldiers) have been the subject of much discussion. Some scholars suggest that the Hebrew word "elef" (אֶלֶף) here may mean "military unit" rather than "thousand," which would yield more realistic figures. Others view the numbers as symbolic expressions of Jehoshaphat's great military strength in the chronicler's theological presentation.

People27

See all people →

Key words8

Jehoshaphat — A king of Judah who is regarded as a righteous ruler and the son of Asa. He strengthened his nation through religious reform and military expansion.
Judah — An Old Testament kingdom in the southern part of Israel, named after the tribe of Judah. The kingdom consisted mainly of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
The law of the Lord — A reference to God's instructions, commands, and statutes given to the Israelites through Moses. This includes the Ten Commandments and other laws described in the books of Moses.
Teachers — Individuals sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the people the law of the Lord. Their role was to spread knowledge about God and His commands to promote justice and godliness.
Fear — In this context, fear refers to reverence and awe for God. It involves recognizing His authority and power, as well as a willingness to obey His commands.
Enemies — The nations and peoples who were in conflict with Judah. During Jehoshaphat's reign, the enemies were kept at bay because of his godliness and God's protection.
Wealth — Material resources and prosperity that Jehoshaphat and his people enjoyed during his reign. The wealth was a sign of God's blessing and support.
FORTRESSES — Fortified buildings or structures built to protect an area from hostile attacks. Jehoshaphat strengthened the fortresses in Judah as part of his military strategy.