Whom did Josaphat send to teach in Juda, and what did they take with them?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

In his third year he sent five named princes with nine named Levites and two priests. They carried the book of the Lord’s law and went through all Juda’s cities to instruct the people.

Chapter breakdown

The heading introduces Josaphat’s reign, instruction of his people and numerous forces.

Asa’s son Josaphat succeeded him and grew strong against Israel. He placed soldiers in all Juda’s fortified cities and garrisons in Juda and the cities of Ephraim taken by his father Asa. The Lord was with him because he walked in the first ways of David his father, trusting the God of his father rather than Baalim and keeping his commandments rather than Israel’s sins. The Lord established the kingdom in his hand. All Juda brought him presents, and he acquired immense riches and much glory. Taking courage for the Lord’s ways, he removed the high places and groves from Juda.

In his third year Josaphat sent princes Benhail, Abdias, Zacharias, Nathanael and Micheas to teach in Juda’s cities. With them went Levites Semeias, Nathanias, Zabadias, Asael, Semiramoth, Jonathan, Adonias, Tobias and Thobadonias, and priests Elisama and Joram. They had the book of the Lord’s law with them, went throughout all Juda’s cities and instructed the people.

Fear of the Lord came on all kingdoms of the lands around Juda, and they dared not make war against Josaphat. The Philistines brought presents and silver tribute. The Arabians brought cattle:7,700 rams and as many he-goats,7,700.

Josaphat grew exceedingly great. He built houses like towers and walled cities in Juda and prepared many works in its cities. He had warriors and valiant men in Jerusalem.

The account numbers the houses and families of the men. Among Juda’s army captains, Ednas the chief had 300,000 most valiant men. After him came Johanan the captain with 280,000, then Amasias son of Zechri, consecrated to the Lord, with 200,000 valiant men. Eliada, valiant in battle, had 200,000 armed with bow and shield; Jozabad had 180,000 ready for war. All these were at the king’s hand, besides others he had placed in walled cities throughout Juda.

The story inside

The chapter begins with Josaphat’s succession and placement of troops in Juda and the Ephraim cities Asa had taken. It connects the Lord’s presence with his walking in David’s first ways and keeping the commandments rather than trusting Baalim. Presents, wealth and removal of high places precede the third-year teaching mission. The account names each teacher and the book they carry, then records fear among neighboring kingdoms, gifts from the Philistines and flocks from the Arabians. Buildings and works lead into a roster of commanders and their numbers. The final qualification distinguishes those at the king’s hand from additional men in the walled cities.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The teaching mission preserves three groups and every name: five princes, nine Levites and two priests. Their shared task is instruction through all Juda’s cities with the book of the Lord’s law. The account does not describe a curriculum, an assessment of learning or a judicial system. The third-year date belongs to this mission.
2
The chapter gives specific relationships between trust and events. The Lord is with Josaphat because he walks in David’s first ways, and fear of the Lord keeps surrounding kingdoms from making war. The gifts are then recorded without saying all were voluntary, that former enemies became treaty allies or that every gift was caused by the teaching tour. The rams and he-goats each number 7,700.
3
The military figures remain attached to their commanders: Ednas 300,000; Johanan 280,000; Amasias 200,000; Eliada 200,000; Jozabad 180,000. It is Amasias son of Zechri who is called consecrated to the Lord, not an added description of every man with him. Eliada’s men carry bows and shields. The listed men are at the king’s hand in addition to the city forces, so their numbers are not the total of every garrison.

Test your recall

Josaphat succeeds Asa → he places troops in Juda and the Ephraim cities Asa took. He walks in David’s first ways and keeps the commandments → the account says the Lord is with him. His heart takes courage for the Lord’s ways → he removes high places and groves. He sends the named teachers with the law book → they go throughout Juda’s cities and instruct the people. Fear of the Lord comes on surrounding kingdoms → they dare not make war against him.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 45750–45753
2 Paralipomenon Chapter 17 Josaphat’s reign: his care for the instruction of his people: his numerous forces.
Lines 45755–45773
17:1. And Josaphat his son reigned in his stead, and grew strong against Israel. 17:2. And he placed numbers of soldiers in all the fortified cities of Juda. And he put garrisons in the land of Juda, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 17:3. And the Lord was with Josaphat, because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and trusted not in Baalim, 17:4. But in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel. 17:5. And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Juda brought presents to Josaphat: and he acquired immense riches, and much glory. 17:6. And when his heart had taken courage for the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda.
Lines 45775–45785
17:7. And in the third year of his reign, he sent of his princes Benhail, and Abdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael, and Micheas, to teach in the cities of Juda: 17:8. And with them the Levites, Semeias, and Nathanias, and Zabadias, and Asael, and Semiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonias, and Tobias, and Thobadonias Levites, and with them Elisama, and Joram priests. 17:9. And they taught the people in Juda, having with them the book of the law of the Lord: and they went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people.
Lines 45787–45793
17:10. And the fear of the Lord came upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat. 17:11. The Philistines also brought presents to Josaphat, and tribute in silver, and the Arabians brought him cattle, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and as many he goats.
Lines 45795–45799
17:12. And Josaphat grew, and became exceeding great: and he built in Juda houses like towers, and walled cities. 17:13. And he prepared many works in the cities of Juda: and he had warriors, and valiant men in Jerusalem.
Lines 45801–45818
17:14. Of whom this is the number of the houses and families of every one: in Juda captains of the army, Ednas the chief, and with him three hundred thousand most valiant men. 17:15. After him Johanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand. 17:16. And after him was Amasias the son of Zechri, consecrated to the Lord, and with him were two hundred thousand valiant men. 17:17. After him was Eliada valiant in battle, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield. 17:18. After him also was Jozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready for war. 17:19. All these were at the hand of the king, beside others, whom he had put in the walled cities, in all Juda.