2Ch 17 | TNotes | STEP | 17:1 Including a two-year co-regency with his father, Asa, Jehoshaphat reigned from 872 to 848 BC . • The last years of Asa’s reign were characterized by conflicts and oppression, so Jehoshaphat needed to consolidate power within Judah to restore peace and stability. Israel had been an enemy during Asa’s days, but Jehoshaphat soon entered into an alliance with Ahab (18:1-2 ).

17:1 ^a Including a two-year co-regency with his father, Asa, Jehoshaphat reigned from 872 to 848 BC.

• The last years of Asa’s reign were characterized by conflicts and oppression, so Jehoshaphat needed to consolidate power within Judah to restore peace and stability. Israel had been an enemy during Asa’s days, but Jehoshaphat soon entered into an alliance with Ahab (18:1-2 ^b).
Summary for 2Chr 17:3-4: 17:3-4 ^c For the first time, the Chronicler compares Judah’s practices with those of northern Israel, showing his awareness that the Baal cult from Tyre had been introduced into northern worship (see 1 Kgs 16:31-32 ^d).
Summary for 2Chr 17:5-6: 17:5-6 ^e The word translated gifts is usually translated “tribute,” such as conquering kings required of their vassals (e.g., Judg 3:15-18 ^f), but forced tribute is hardly the sense intended here. The people of Judah voluntarily made Jehoshaphat very wealthy. As with Uzziah (2 Chr 26:16 ^g) and Hezekiah (32:25 ^h), riches often result in pride. However, Jehoshaphat was deeply committed to the ways of the Lord. He was not proud of his own achievements; instead, his courage led him to remove idolatrous worship from the kingdom. Jehoshaphat established control within his kingdom by practicing righteousness and faithfulness to God.
Summary for 2Chr 17:7-9: 17:7-9 ⁱ Jehoshaphat carried out the Lord’s requirement to know the law (Deut 5:1 ^j; 17:18-20 ^k), commissioning five royal officers, nine Levites, and two priests to instruct the people in the book of the covenant. Levites frequently functioned as teachers during the Second Temple period as well (Neh 8:7 ^l).

• Some versions omit Tob-adonijah; it appears to be a scribal error of repetition.
Summary for 2Chr 17:10-11: 17:10-11 ^m The fear of the Lord among the surrounding kingdoms resulted in tribute to Jehoshaphat, an action that was intended to buy peace. Peace is one indicator of divine favor (cp. 14:2-6 ⁿ).

• The Arabs were probably the desert tribes living south of Judah in territory next to the Philistines.
Summary for 2Chr 17:12-19: 17:12-19 ^o Jehoshaphat’s international status, building enterprises, and army characterized his great rule. Archaeological excavations have revealed a line of highway forts in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea dating to his time.

• The number of troops in his army—totaling more than a million in Jerusalem—seems unreasonably high. Because the leaders were based on tribal divisions (17:14 ^p), it is possible that the term translated as “thousand” (’elep) should instead be translated as “squad” or “platoon,” a much smaller military unit. The totals might also include reserve divisions that served on rotation (see 1 Chr 27:1-15 ^q). The number of troops credited to Jehoshaphat is approximately triple those of Abijah (2 Chr 13:3 ^r), Asa (14:8 ^s), Amaziah (25:5 ^t), and Uzziah (26:11-15 ^u). It is comparable to the number of warriors at the time of David’s census (1 Chr 21:5 ^v), when soldiers from the northern tribes were counted. A large army was an indication of God’s blessing.