The King Who Fixed the System.

וַ֠יָּשָׁב יְהוֹשָׁפָ֨ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֧ה אֶל־בֵּית֛וֹ בְּשָׁל֖וֹם לִֽירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem.

וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־פָּנָ֗יו יֵה֣וּא בֶן־חֲנָ֘נִי֮ הַחֹזֶה֒ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֔ט הֲלָרָשָׁ֣ע לַעְזֹ֔ר וּלְשֹׂנְאֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תֶּאֱהָ֑ב וּבָזֹאת֙ עָלֶ֣יךָ קֶּ֔צֶף מִלִּפְנֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

[2] But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord ? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord .

אֲבָ֕ל דְּבָרִ֥ים טוֹבִ֖ים נִמְצְא֣וּ עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־בִעַ֤רְתָּ הָאֲשֵׁרוֹת֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַהֲכִינ֥וֹתָ לְבָבְךָ֖ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִֽים׃

[3] Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם ס וַיָּ֜שָׁב וַיֵּצֵ֣א בָעָ֗ם מִבְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֙בַע֙ עַד־הַ֣ר אֶפְרַ֔יִם וַיְשִׁיבֵ֕ם אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

[4] Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord , the God of their fathers.

וַיַּעֲמֵ֨ד שֹֽׁפְטִ֜ים בָּאָ֗רֶץ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת לְעִ֥יר וָעִֽיר׃

[5] He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הַשֹּֽׁפְטִ֗ים רְאוּ֙ מָֽה־אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים כִּ֣י לֹ֧א לְאָדָ֛ם תִּשְׁפְּט֖וּ כִּ֣י לַיהוָ֑ה וְעִמָּכֶ֖ם בִּדְבַ֥ר מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

[6] and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord . He is with you in giving judgment.

וְעַתָּ֕ה יְהִ֥י פַֽחַד־יְהוָ֖ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם שִׁמְר֣וּ וַעֲשׂ֔וּ כִּֽי־אֵ֞ין עִם־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עַוְלָ֛ה וּמַשֹּׂ֥א פָנִ֖ים וּמִקַּח־שֹֽׁחַד׃

[7] Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

וְגַ֣ם בִּ֠ירוּשָׁלִַם הֶעֱמִ֨יד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֜ט מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֣ם וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים וּמֵרָאשֵׁ֤י הָאָבוֹת֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפַּ֥ט יְהוָ֖ה וְלָרִ֑יב וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[8] Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem.

וַיְצַ֥ו עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֤ה תַעֲשׂוּן֙ בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה בֶּאֱמוּנָ֖ה וּבְלֵבָ֥ב שָׁלֵֽם׃

[9] And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord , in faithfulness, and with your whole heart:

וְכָל־רִיב֩ אֲשֶׁר־יָב֨וֹא עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם מֵאֲחֵיכֶ֣ם׀ הַיֹּשְׁבִ֣ים בְּעָרֵיהֶ֗ם בֵּֽין־דָּ֣ם׀ לְדָם֮ בֵּין־תּוֹרָ֣ה לְמִצְוָה֮ לְחֻקִּ֣ים וּלְמִשְׁפָּטִים֒ וְהִזְהַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתָ֔ם וְלֹ֤א יֶאְשְׁמוּ֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וְהָֽיָה־קֶ֥צֶף עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְעַל־אֲחֵיכֶ֑ם כֹּ֥ה תַעֲשׂ֖וּן וְלֹ֥א תֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃

[10] whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt.

וְהִנֵּ֡ה אֲמַרְיָ֣הוּ כֹהֵן֩ הָרֹ֨אשׁ עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם לְכֹ֣ל דְּבַר־יְהוָ֗ה וּזְבַדְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־יִשְׁמָעֵ֜אל הַנָּגִ֤יד לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְכֹ֣ל דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם חִזְק֣וּ וַעֲשׂ֔וּ וִיהִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִם־הַטּֽוֹב׃ פ

[11] And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord ; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!”