II Chronicles 17, Jehoshaphat, Great-great-grandson of Solomon

The date is about 870 BC, one hundred years after the death of David. Judah has, since then, been ruled by Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah and Asa. We now come to Asa's son Jehosphaphat.

2 Chronicles 17: 1-2, Strengthening the border

Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. He 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.

Jehoshaphat concentrates on strengthening cities along the border with Israel (Ephaim.)

2 Chronicles 17: 3-6, YHWH is with him

The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
 

In his early years, Jehoshaphat is committed to following YHWH. He does not follow Baal or Asherah and removes Asherah poles and idols in the high places.

We will learn in 2 Chronicles 20:31 that Jehoshaphat reigned for 25 years. To make this fit into a timeline of ancient history, this requires a 3-year coregency, overlapping another king's reign. Since 2 Chronicles 16:12-13 describes a significant 3-year foot injury that eventually kills his father Asa, it is likely that Jehoshaphat reigned in Judah during those last three years.

2 Chronicles 17: 7-10, Teachers sent out

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. With them were certain Levites--Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah--and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They 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. 

The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war with Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat goes as far as sending people out to the towns of Judah, to promote the Law of Moses. The teachers include leading officials of the kingdom, along with some Levites. The Chronicler reports that this devotion to YHWH is frightening for the surround kingdoms and they leave the southern kingdom of Judah alone.

2 Chronicles 17: 11-19, Tribute

Some 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 became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem.

Their enrollment by families was as follows: 

   From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000: 

   Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men; 

   next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; 

   next, Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered himself for the service of the LORD, with 200,000.
   From Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
   next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.

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

The Philistine and Arabs (bedouins people southwest of Jerusalem?) pay tribute to Judah. Jehoshaphat keeps an experienced fighting force in Jerusalem and the fortified towns nearby. Commentator Payne says that the enrollments above (300000, 280000, 200000, 200000, 180000) is best translated as "chiefs" (alluwph) in place of "thousands" (eleph).

Most of the material in this chapter does not appear in 1 Kings and so is apparently from a source long since lost. The Chronicler, focused on restoring correct worship in Jerusalem after the exile, will expand on examples of the "good kings" like Jehoshaphat, while hurrying through the history of some of the apostate kings.