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2 Crônicas 17

BLIVRE · Chapter 17/36

1E reinou em seu lugar Josafá seu filho, o qual prevaleceu contra Israel.

2E pôs exército em todas as cidades fortes de Judá, e colocou gente de guarnição, em terra de Judá, e também nas cidades de Efraim que seu pai Asa havia tomado.

3E foi o SENHOR com Josafá, porque andou nos primeiros caminhos de Davi seu pai, e não buscou aos baalins;

4mas buscou o Deus de seu pai, e andou em seus mandamentos, e não segundo as obras de Israel.

5Por isso o SENHOR confirmou o reino em sua mão, e todo Judá deu presentes a Josafá; e teve riquezas e glória em abundância.

6E animou-se seu coração nos caminhos do SENHOR, e tirou os altos e os bosques de Judá.

7Ao terceiro ano de seu reinado enviou seus príncipes Bene-Hail, Obadias, Zacarias, Natanael e Micaías, para que ensinassem nas cidades de Judá;

8E com eles aos levitas, Semaías, Netanias, Zebadias, e Asael, e Semiramote, e Jônatas, e Adonias, e Tobias, e Tobadonias, levitas; e com eles a Elisama e a Jorão, sacerdotes.

9E ensinaram em Judá, tendo consigo o livro da lei do SENHOR, e rodearam por todas as cidades de Judá ensinando ao povo.

10E caiu o pavor do SENHOR sobre todos os reinos das terras que estavam ao redor de Judá; que não ousaram fazer guerra contra Josafá.

11E dos filisteus traziam presentes a Josafá, e tributos de prata. Os árabes também lhe trouxeram gado: sete mil e setecentos carneiros e sete mil e setecentos bodes.

12Ia pois Josafá crescendo altamente: e edificou em Judá fortalezas e cidades de depósitos.

13Teve ademais muitas obras nas cidades de Judá, e homens de guerra muito valentes em Jerusalém.

14E este é o número deles segundo as casas de seus pais: em Judá, chefes dos milhares: o general Adna, e com ele trezentos mil homens muito esforçados;

15Depois dele, o chefe Joanã, e com ele duzentos e oitenta mil;

16Depois este, Amasias filho de Zicri, o qual se havia oferecido voluntariamente ao SENHOR, e com ele duzentos mil homens valentes;

17De Benjamim, Eliada, homem muito valente, e com ele duzentos mil armados de arco e escudo;

18Depois este, Jozabade, e com ele cento e oitenta mil preparados para a guerra.

19Estes eram servos do rei, sem os que havia o rei posto nas cidades de guarnição por toda Judá.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, becomes king and follows the faithful ways of David, strengthening the kingdom militarily and sending leaders and priests to teach God's law throughout the cities of Judah. His faithfulness brings prosperity, international respect, and security to the kingdom.

Explanation

Jehoshaphat stands out for combining defensive military strength with a remarkable investment in religious education: he sends officials, Levites, and priests to systematically teach God's law throughout the cities of Judah, one of the earliest biblical examples of an organized nationwide program of religious education. The result of this combination of faith and practical wisdom is that 'the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah,' bringing peace through respect and reputation, not only through armed conflict. This chapter shows a model of leadership that understands that a nation's true strength comes both from its capacity for defense and from its internal spiritual and moral soundness.

Fun facts

  • Jehoshaphat's initiative of sending teachers of the law throughout the kingdom is considered by scholars one of the earliest historical examples of an organized system of state-sponsored public religious education.
  • The gifts brought to Jehoshaphat by the Philistines and Arabians, including thousands of rams and goats, show how his reputation for strength and faithfulness earned him recognition and tribute even from peoples historically hostile to Israel.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Crônicas 17:1Jehoshaphat takes the throne after Asa and quickly strengthens himself militarily against the northern kingdom, Israel.
  2. 2 Crônicas 17:2Jehoshaphat stations troops throughout the fortified cities of Judah and keeps garrisons even in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
  3. 2 Crônicas 17:3God is with Jehoshaphat because he follows David’s early example and does not seek out the Canaanite gods called the Baals.
  4. 2 Crônicas 17:4Jehoshaphat seeks the God of his father and follows His commandments, instead of imitating the religious practices of the northern kingdom.
  5. 2 Crônicas 17:5Because of this faithfulness, God establishes the kingdom firmly in Jehoshaphat’s hand; all Judah brings him gifts, and he accumulates wealth and prestige in abundance.
  6. 2 Crônicas 17:6With his heart lifted up in the ways of the Lord, Jehoshaphat goes further than Asa had gone and also removes the local shrines and the sacred poles from Judah.
  7. 2 Crônicas 17:7Jehoshaphat organizes a team of officials, Levites, and priests to travel through the cities of Judah teaching the law to the people, carrying the actual book of the law as their reference. It is a rare kind of educational initiative organized by a king, closer to a traveling mission than to anything typical of the period.
  8. 2 Crônicas 17:8Along with the officials sent to teach, several Levites and two priests travel as well, forming a large team dedicated entirely to this teaching mission.
  9. 2 Crônicas 17:9This team travels through all the cities of Judah, carrying the Book of the Law of the Lord and teaching the people directly from it.
  10. 2 Crônicas 17:10The fear of the Lord spreads through the kingdoms neighboring Judah, and none of them dares to declare war against Jehoshaphat.
  11. 2 Crônicas 17:11Even the Philistines bring Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabians give him thousands of rams and goats — a sign of the respect and power he has gained.
  12. 2 Crônicas 17:12Jehoshaphat grows stronger and stronger, building fortresses and store cities throughout Judah.
  13. 2 Crônicas 17:13He carries out major building projects in the cities of Judah and gathers in Jerusalem a contingent of valiant, experienced soldiers.
  14. 2 Crônicas 17:14The list of commanders and their armies, with numbers adding up to hundreds of thousands of men, paints a picture of Judah’s military strength under Jehoshaphat — as always with these lists in the book, such high numbers are debated among scholars of the ancient text.
  15. 2 Crônicas 17:15After the commander Adnah comes Jehohanan, leading two hundred eighty thousand men — one more entry on the list of Jehoshaphat’s military forces.
  16. 2 Crônicas 17:16Amasiah, who dedicated himself voluntarily to the service of the Lord, commands two hundred thousand valiant men — a detail that highlights his religious motivation.
  17. 2 Crônicas 17:17From the tribe of Benjamin, Eliada leads two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield.
  18. 2 Crônicas 17:18Closing out the list, Jehozabad commands one hundred eighty thousand men ready for war.
  19. 2 Crônicas 17:19These were the soldiers in direct service to the king in Jerusalem, not counting those Jehoshaphat had already stationed throughout the fortified cities of Judah.

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