1. Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa as king and strengthened his position against Israel.
2. He stationed troops in the fortified cities of Judah, in the Judean countryside, and in the cities which Asa had captured in the territory of Ephraim.
3. The Lord blessed Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early life and did not worship Baal.
4. He served his father's God, obeyed God's commands, and did not act in the way the kings of Israel did.
5. The Lord gave Jehoshaphat firm control over the kingdom of Judah, and all the people brought him gifts, so that he became wealthy and highly honoured.
6. He took pride in serving the Lord and destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah.
7. In the third year of his reign he sent out the following officials to teach in the cities of Judah: Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.