The King Who Invested in What Actually Mattered.

וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּ֑יו וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֖ק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place and strengthened himself against Israel.

וַיִּ֨תֶּן־חַ֔יִל בְּכָל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה הַבְּצֻר֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּ֤ן נְצִיבִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְעָרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָכַ֖ד אָסָ֥א אָבִֽיו׃

[2] He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.

וַיְהִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כִּ֣י הָלַ֗ךְ בְּדַרְכֵ֞י דָּוִ֤יד אָבִיו֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א דָרַ֖שׁ לַבְּעָלִֽים׃

[3] The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,

כִּ֠י לֵֽאלֹהֵ֤י אָבִיו֙ דָּרָ֔שׁ וּבְמִצְוֺתָ֖יו הָלָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[4] but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel.

וַיָּ֨כֶן יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֧וּ כָל־יְהוּדָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לִיהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־ל֥וֹ עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֖וֹד לָרֹֽב׃

[5] Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.

וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ לִבּ֖וֹ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְע֗וֹד הֵסִ֛יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֥וֹת וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים מִיהוּדָֽה׃ פ

[6] His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord . And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

וּבִשְׁנַ֨ת שָׁל֜וֹשׁ לְמָלְכ֗וֹ שָׁלַ֤ח לְשָׂרָיו֙ לְבֶן־חַ֙יִל֙ וּלְעֹבַדְיָ֣ה וְלִזְכַרְיָ֔ה וְלִנְתַנְאֵ֖ל וּלְמִיכָיָ֑הוּ לְלַמֵּ֖ד בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

[7] 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;

וְעִמָּהֶ֣ם הַלְוִיִּ֗ם שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֡הוּ וּנְתַנְיָ֡הוּ וּזְבַדְיָ֡הוּ וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֡ל ׳וּשְׁמִרִימוֹת׳ ״וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת״ וִֽיהוֹנָתָן֩ וַאֲדֹ֨נִיָּ֧הוּ וְטֽוֹבִיָּ֛הוּ וְט֥וֹב אֲדוֹנִיָּ֖ה הַלְוִיִּ֑ם וְעִמָּהֶ֛ם אֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וִֽיהוֹרָ֖ם הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

[8] and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

וַֽיְלַמְּדוּ֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְעִ֨מָּהֶ֔ם סֵ֖פֶר תּוֹרַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּסֹ֙בּוּ֙ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַֽיְלַמְּד֖וּ בָּעָֽם׃

[9] And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

וַיְהִ֣י׀ פַּ֣חַד יְהוָ֗ה עַ֚ל כָּל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָֽאֲרָצ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיב֣וֹת יְהוּדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָֽט׃

[10] And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

וּמִן־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים מְבִיאִ֧ים לִֽיהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט מִנְחָ֖ה וְכֶ֣סֶף מַשָּׂ֑א גַּ֣ם הָֽעַרְבִיאִ֗ים מְבִיאִ֥ים לוֹ֙ צֹ֕אן אֵילִ֔ים שִׁבְעַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ וּשְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת וּתְיָשִׁ֕ים שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ פ

[11] Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.

וַיְהִ֧י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט הֹלֵ֥ךְ וְגָדֵ֖ל עַד־לְמָ֑עְלָה וַיִּ֧בֶן בִּֽיהוּדָ֛ה בִּירָנִיּ֖וֹת וְעָרֵ֥י מִסְכְּנֽוֹת׃

[12] And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built in Judah fortresses and store cities,

וּמְלָאכָ֥ה רַבָּ֛ה הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאַנְשֵׁ֧י מִלְחָמָ֛ה גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[13] and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.

וְאֵ֥לֶּה פְקֻדָּתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם לִֽיהוּדָה֙ שָׂרֵ֣י אֲלָפִ֔ים עַדְנָ֣ה הַשָּׂ֔ר וְעִמּוֹ֙ גִּבּ֣וֹרֵי חַ֔יִל שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אָֽלֶף׃ ס

[14] This was the muster of them by fathers' houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 mighty men of valor;

וְעַל־יָד֖וֹ יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן הַשָּׂ֑ר וְעִמּ֕וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם וּשְׁמוֹנִ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃ ס

[15] and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;

וְעַל־יָדוֹ֙ עֲמַסְיָ֣ה בֶן־זִכְרִ֔י הַמִּתְנַדֵּ֖ב לַיהוָ֑ה וְעִמּ֛וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם אֶ֖לֶף גִּבּ֥וֹר חָֽיִל׃ ס

[16] and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the Lord , with 200,000 mighty men of valor.

וּמִ֨ן־בִּנְיָמִ֔ן גִּבּ֥וֹר חַ֖יִל אֶלְיָדָ֑ע וְעִמּ֛וֹ נֹֽשְׁקֵי־קֶ֥שֶׁת וּמָגֵ֖ן מָאתַ֥יִם אָֽלֶף׃ ס

[17] Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield;

וְעַל־יָד֖וֹ יְהוֹזָבָ֑ד וְעִמּ֛וֹ מֵאָֽה־וּשְׁמוֹנִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא׃ ס

[18] and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war.

אֵ֖לֶּה הַמְשָׁרְתִ֣ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ מִלְּבַ֞ד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ בְּעָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר בְּכָל־יְהוּדָֽה׃ פ

[19] These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.