19 4 After Jehoshaphat was rebuked by the Prophet, he called again the people to the honoring of the Lord. 5 He appointed Judges and minsters, 9 and exhorteth them to fear God.
1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned [a]safe to his house in Jerusalem.
2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, [b]Wouldest thou help the wicked, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore for this thing the wrath [c]of the Lord is upon thee.
3 Nevertheless good things are found in thee, because thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
4 ¶ So Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and returned and went [d]through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them again unto the Lord God of their fathers.
5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the strong cities of Judah, city by city,
6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye execute not the judgments of man, but of the Lord, and he will be [e]with you in the cause and judgment.
7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you: take heed, and do it: for there is no [f]iniquity with the Lord our God, neither (A)respect of persons, nor receiving of reward.
8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the Priests and of the chief of the families of Israel, for the judgment and cause of the Lord: and they [g]returned to Jerusalem.
9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart.
10 And in every cause that shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in your cities, between [h]blood and blood, between law and precept, statutes and judgments, ye shall judge them and admonish them that they trespass not against the Lord, that [i]wrath come not upon you and upon your brethren. This shall ye do and trespass not.
11 And behold, Amariah the Priest shall be the chief over you in all matters of the Lord, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, a ruler of the house of Judah, shall be for all the [j]King’s affairs, and the Levites shall be officers [k]before you. Be of courage, and do it, and the Lord shall be with the [l]good.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 19:1 Hebrew, in peace.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 He declareth that the wrath and judgment of God is over all such that support the wicked, and rather show not in deed that they are enemies to all such as hate the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2 Hebrew, wrath from the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 19:4 He visited all his country, and brought his people from idolatry to the knowledge of the true God.
- 2 Chronicles 19:6 Both to preserve you, if you do justly, or to punish you, if you do the contrary.
- 2 Chronicles 19:7 He will declare by the sharpness of the punishment, that he hateth all iniquity.
- 2 Chronicles 19:8 The Priests and Levites, which should judge matters according to the word of the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 19:10 That is, to try whether the murder was done at unawares, or else on set purpose, Num. 35:11; Deut. 4:41.
- 2 Chronicles 19:10 Meaning, that God would punish them most sharply, if they would not execute justice aright.
- 2 Chronicles 19:11 Shall be chief overseer of the public’s affairs of the Realm.
- 2 Chronicles 19:11 They shall have the handling of inferior causes.
- 2 Chronicles 19:11 God will assist them that do justice.