1 Josafá, filho de Asa, foi o seu sucessor e fortaleceu-se contra Israel.
2 Posicionou tropas em todas as cidades fortificadas de Judá e pôs guarnições em Judá e nas cidades de Efraim que seu pai, Asa, tinha conquistado.
3 O Senhor esteve com Josafá porque, em seus primeiros anos, ele andou nos caminhos que seu pai Davi tinha seguido. Não consultou os baalins,
4 mas buscou o Deus de seu pai e obedeceu aos seus mandamentos, e não imitou as práticas de Israel.
5 O Senhor firmou o reino de Josafá, e todo o Judá lhe trazia presentes, de maneira que teve grande riqueza e honra.
6 Ele seguiu corajosamente os caminhos do Senhor; além disso, retirou de Judá os altares idólatras e os postes sagrados.
7 No terceiro ano de seu reinado, ele enviou seus oficiais Bene-Hail, Obadias, Zacarias, Natanael e Micaías para ensinarem nas cidades de Judá.
8 Com eles foram os levitas Semaías, Netanias, Zebadias, Asael, Semiramote, Jônatas, Adonias, Tobias, Tobe-Adonias e os sacerdotes Elisama e Jeorão.
9 Eles percorreram todas as cidades do reino de Judá, levando consigo o Livro da Lei do Senhor e ensinando o povo.
10 O temor do Senhor caiu sobre todos os reinos ao redor de Judá, de forma que não entraram em guerra contra Josafá.
11 Alguns filisteus levaram presentes a Josafá, além da prata que lhe deram como tributo, e os árabes levaram-lhe rebanhos: sete mil e setecentos carneiros e sete mil e setecentos bodes.
12 Josafá foi se tornando cada vez mais poderoso; construiu fortalezas e cidades-armazéns em Judá,
13 onde guardava enorme quantidade de suprimentos. Também mantinha em Jerusalém homens de combate experientes.
14 A lista desses homens, por famílias, era a seguinte: De Judá, líderes de batalhões de 1. 000: o líder Adna, com 300. 000 homens de combate;
15 em seguida, o líder Joanã, com 280. 000;
16 depois, Amasias, filho de Zicri, que se apresentou voluntariamente para o serviço do Senhor, com 200. 000.
17 De Benjamim: Eliada, um guerreiro valente, com 200. 000 homens armados com arcos e escudos;
18 Jeozabade, com 180. 000 homens armados para a batalha.
19 Esses eram os homens que serviam o rei, além dos que estavam posicionados nas cidades fortificadas em todo o Judá.
1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3 And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim, 4 but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5 Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; 8 and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9 And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Jehovah with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.
10 And the fear of Jehovah fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11 And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats. 12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. 13 And he had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. 14 And this was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand; 15 and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand; 16 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto Jehovah; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17 And of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; 18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for war. 19 These were they that waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.