וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָט בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו וַיִּתְחַזֵּק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל

Yehoshafat his, Asa’s, son reigned in his stead, and he fortified himself in his reign against Israel.

וַיִּתֶּן־חַיִל בְּכָל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה הַבְּצֻרוֹת וַיִּתֵּן נְצִיבִים בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וּבְעָרֵי אֶפְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר לָכַד אָסָא אָבִיו

He positioned forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and appointed officials of guard units in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, border areas that Asa his father had captured.

וַיְהִי ה' עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָט כִּי הָלַךְ בְּדַרְכֵי דָּוִיד אָבִיו הָרִאשֹׁנִים וְלֹא דָרַשׁ לַבְּעָלִים

The Lord was with Yehoshafat, because he followed the early ways of his father David and did not seek the Be’alim.

כִּי לֵאלֹהֵי אָבִיו דָּרָשׁ וּבְמִצְוֹתָיו הָלָךְ וְלֹא כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל

Rather, he sought the God of his father, and followed His commandments, not like the actions of the Kingdom of Israel.

וַיָּכֶן ה' אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּתְּנוּ כָל־יְהוּדָה מִנְחָה לִיהוֹשָׁפָט וַיְהִי־לוֹ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד לָרֹב

The Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought tribute to Yehoshafat, as a sign of their subservience and loyalty; and he had wealth and honor in abundance.

וַיִּגְבַּהּ לִבּוֹ בְּדַרְכֵי ה'וְעוֹד הֵסִיר אֶת־הַבָּמוֹת וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִים מִיהוּדָה

His heart was elevated, he glorified himself and he courageously walked in the ways of the Lord; moreover, he surpassed his father’s deeds, as he removed the shrines and the sacred trees from Judah. The service of God at private altars as well as the worship of idols had reemerged, and it became periodically necessary to remove the remnants of those practices.

וּבִשְׁנַת שָׁלוֹשׁ לְמָלְכוֹ שָׁלַח לְשָׂרָיו לְבֶן־חַיִל וּלְעֹבַדְיָה וְלִזְכַרְיָה וְלִנְתַנְאֵל וּלְמִיכָיָהוּ לְלַמֵּד בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה

In the third year of his reign, he sent his princes, his ministers: Ben Hayil, Ovadya, Zekharya, Netanel, and Mikhayahu, to teach Torah in public as representatives of the government, in the cities of Judah;

וְעִמָּהֶם הַלְוִיִּם שְׁמַעְיָהוּ וּנְתַנְיָהוּ וּזְבַדְיָהוּ וַעֲשָׂהאֵל וּשְׁמִירָמוֹת וִיהוֹנָתָן וַאֲדֹנִיָּהוּ וְטוֹבִיָּהוּ וְטוֹב אֲדוֹנִיָּה הַלְוִיִּם וְעִמָּהֶם אֱלִישָׁמָע וִיהוֹרָם הַכֹּהֲנִים

with them were the Levites, who were apparently professional teachers: Shemayahu, Netanyahu, Zevadyahu, Asael, Shemiramot, Yehonatan, Adoniyahu, Toviyahu, and Tov Adoniya the Levites, and with them were Elishama and Yehoram the priests.

וַיְלַמְּדוּ בִּיהוּדָה וְעִמָּהֶם סֵפֶר תּוֹרַת ה' וַיָּסֹבּוּ בְּכָל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְלַמְּדוּ בָּעָם

They taught in Judah, and with them was a scroll of the Torah of the Lord; they circulated throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.

וַיְהִי פַּחַד ה' עַל כָּל־מַמְלְכוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹת יְהוּדָה וְלֹא נִלְחֲמוּ עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָט

Fear of the Lord was upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, and they did not wage war against Yehoshafat.

וּמִן־פְּלִשְׁתִּים מְבִיאִים לִיהוֹשָׁפָט מִנְחָה וְכֶסֶף מַשָּׂא גַּם הָעַרְבִיאִים מְבִיאִים לוֹ צֹאן אֵילִים שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וּתְיָשִׁים שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת

The Philistines would bring to Yehoshafat tribute and silver by load. Also the Arabians would bring him flocks: Seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. Although the surrounding nations were not entirely subjugated to Yehoshafat, they treated him as the greatest of the kings, and each of them brought him gifts, in his own manner.

וַיְהִי יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֹלֵךְ וְגָדֵל עַד־לְמָעְלָה וַיִּבֶן בִּיהוּדָה בִּירָנִיּוֹת וְעָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת

Enjoying political security, Yehoshafat was free to execute reforms in the country and develop the state both spiritually and materially: Yehoshafat was growing steadily greater, ever upward; and he built strongholds, small, fortified cities, and storehouse cities, which functioned as warehouses, treasuries, and armories, in Judah.

וּמְלָאכָה רַבָּה הָיָה לוֹ בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וְאַנְשֵׁי מִלְחָמָה גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

He had great works and production in the cities of Judah, and he could also call upon men of war, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem.

וְאֵלֶּה פְקֻדָּתָם לְבֵית אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם לִיהוּדָה שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים עַדְנָה הַשָּׂר וְעִמּוֹ גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אָלֶף

This was their reckoning, their total sum, according to their patrilineal houses: For Judah, there were commanders of thousands: Adna the commander, and with him were three hundred thousand mighty warriors;

וְעַל־יָדוֹ יְהוֹחָנָן הַשָּׂר וְעִמּוֹ מָאתַיִם וּשְׁמוֹנִים אָלֶף

next to him was Yehohanan the commander, and with him were two hundred and eighty thousand;

וְעַל־יָדוֹ עֲמַסְיָה בֶן־זִכְרִי הַמִּתְנַדֵּב לַה' וְעִמּוֹ מָאתַיִם אֶלֶף גִּבּוֹר חָיִל

next to him was Amasya son of Zikhri, who volunteered his services or his property to the Lord, and with him were two hundred thousand mighty warriors. Apparently, these massive divisions were primarily reserve units. It was the custom in Israel to include in the army rolls anyone who could handle a weapon, although in practice only a few regiments were in active service.

וּמִן־בִּנְיָמִן גִּבּוֹר חַיִל אֶלְיָדָע וְעִמּוֹ נֹשְׁקֵי־קֶשֶׁת וּמָגֵן מָאתַיִם אָלֶף

And from Benjamin: Elyada, who was a mighty warrior, and with him were two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

וְעַל־יָדוֹ יְהוֹזָבָד וְעִמּוֹ מֵאָה־וּשְׁמוֹנִים אֶלֶף חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא

alongside him was Yehozavad, and with him were one hundred and eighty thousand mobilized soldiers.

אֵלֶּה הַמְשָׁרְתִים אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ מִלְּבַד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעָרֵי הַמִּבְצָר בְּכָל־יְהוּדָה

These were those who served the king besides those men whom the king positioned in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. The Kingdom of Judah enjoyed peace, as Yehoshafat continued in his father’s ways, seeking to strengthen and elevate his subjects both spiritually and materially.