17:1 亞撒的兒子約沙法接續他作王，奮勇自強，防備以色列人，
17:2 安置軍兵在猶大一切堅固城裡，又安置防兵在猶大地和他父亞撒所得以法蓮的城邑中。
17:3 耶和華與約沙法同在；因為他行他祖大衛初行的道，不尋求巴力，
17:4 只尋求他父親的上帝，遵行他的誡命，不效法以色列人的行為。
17:5 所以耶和華堅定他的國，猶大眾人給他進貢；約沙法大有尊榮資財。
17:6 他高興遵行耶和華的道，並且從猶大除掉一切邱壇和木偶。
17:7 他作王第三年，就差遣臣子便亥伊勒、俄巴底、撒迦利雅、拿坦業、米該亞往猶大各城去教訓百姓。
17:8 同著他們有利未人示瑪雅、尼探雅、西巴第雅、亞撒黑、示米拉末、約拿單、亞多尼雅、多比雅、駝巴多尼雅，又有祭司以利沙瑪、約蘭同著他們。
17:9 他們帶著耶和華的律法書，走遍猶大各城教訓百姓。
17:10 耶和華使猶大四圍的列國都甚恐懼，不敢與約沙法爭戰。
17:11 有些非利士人與約沙法送禮物，納貢銀。阿拉伯人也送他公綿羊七千七百隻，公山羊七千七百隻。
17:12 約沙法日漸強大，在猶大建造營寨和積貨城。
17:13 他在猶大城邑中有許多工程，又在耶路撒冷有戰士，就是大能的勇士。
17:14 他們的數目，按著宗族，記在下面：猶大族的千夫長押拿為首率領大能的勇士─三十萬；
17:15 其次是，千夫長約哈難率領大能的勇士─二十八萬；
17:16 其次是，細基利的兒子亞瑪斯雅〈他為耶和華犧牲自己〉率領大能的勇士─二十萬。
17:17 便雅憫族，是大能的勇士以利雅大率領拿弓箭和盾牌的─二十萬；
17:18 其次是，約薩拔率領預備打仗的─十八萬。
17:19 這都是伺候王的，還有王在猶大全地堅固城所安置的不在其內。
ehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem. 14 Their enrollment by families was as follows:
From Judah, commanders of units of 1,000:
Adnah the commander, with 300,000 fighting men;
15 next, Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000;
16 next, Amasiah son of Zikri, who volunteered himself for the service of the Lord, with 200,000.
17 From Benjamin:
Eliada, a valiant soldier, with 200,000 men armed with bows and shields;
18 next, Jehozabad, with 180,000 men armed for battle.
19 These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.
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亞撒的兒子約沙法接續他作王，敬畏上帝！所以，上帝繼續賜福於猶大，使猶大繼續強盛。
這也提醒今日教會，要敬畏上帝，上帝才會大大使用教會，使教會成為萬民之福！正如保羅所說：「上帝能照著運行在我們心裡的大力充充足足地成就一切，超過我們所求所想的。但願他在教會中，並在基督耶穌裡，得著榮耀，直到世世代代，永永遠遠。阿們！」(以弗所書3:20-21)
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