Bible Commentaries

And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

And Jehoshaphat his son reigned. — See 1 Kings 15:24 .

And strengthened himself against Israel. — Or, Upon Israel; i.e., upon that part of it which was subject to him.

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And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

And he placed forces. — See 2 Chronicles 17:19 .

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And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

Because he walked in the first ways of his father David. — Who during his trouble kept himself free from scandalous and reproachful practices, innocent from the great transgression. Psalms 19:13 David rectior fuit in servitio quam in regno, saith Gregory.

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But sought to the [LORD] God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

And not after the doings of Israel. — Who in his days did evil as they could, under that nonsuch, Ahab. But Jehoshaphat was not corrupted with their ill neighbourhood.

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Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.

And he had riches and honour in abundance. — Herein he came near unto Solomon in his greatest flourish.

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And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

And his heart was lifted up. — Not with pride, as 2 Chronicles 32:25 , but with undaunted courage and disengaged zeal, such as made him come off roundly and readily in the ensuing reformation: he was more forward and forth putting than his father Asa, "not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

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Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, [even] to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

He sent to his princes to teach in the cities of Judah. — Teaching princes there are not many, such as were David, Solomon, George, prince of Anhalt, …, but these were sent with the teaching Levites to countenance and bear them out in this visitation general, and perhaps to punish the opposite and obstinate, if any such. Junius readeth the text thus, He sent with his princes, these Levites for the teaching. Or, the princes taught the people the law of the land; the priests and Levites the law of God: both did mutually help one another. So a Danish king of this land made a law, that at the general court of every shire the bishop of the diocese should accompany the sheriff, that the one might countenance God’s law, the other man’s. In Scotland, in their General Assembly, the king had his commissioner or substitute, to see that nothing was concluded to his prejudice. Queen Elizabeth once in her progress through Suffolk, observing that the justices of that county who came to meet her had every man his minister next to his body, said she wondered not that that county was so well governed, where she saw that the word and sword went so lovingly together. Speed.

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And they taught in Judah, and [had] the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

And had the book of the law of the Lord with them. — They taught not traditions, human inventions, or unwritten verities. All their doctrines came cum privilegio, and were Scripture proof.

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