CHAPTER XVII.

=1‒6.= THE CHARACTER OF THE REIGN.

The reign of Jehoshaphat is one of the most interesting sections of Chronicles If these chapters, xvii.‒xx., be compared with the references to Jehoshaphat in Kings (viz. 1 Kings xxii. 1‒35, 41‒50), it will be seen that much new material appears in Chronicles (chapter xvii., and xix. 1‒xx. 30), with the result that the prosperity and piety of this king are greatly enhanced. As to the historical value of the Chronicler’s account, see the head-notes to the various sections below.

¹And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

=1.= _And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead_] These words are from 1 Kings xv. 24. All the rest of this chapter is without any parallel in Kings.

²And 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.

=2.= _the cities of Ephraim_] Compare xv. 8.

³And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim;

=3.= _in the first ways of his father David_] Omit _David_ (so LXX.), the person referred to being _Asa_ (1 Kings xxii. 43). Asa’s _first ways_ (chapters xiv., xv.) were good, his latter ways (chapter xvi.), according to the Chronicler, were evil.

_unto the Baalim_] Baal is not a proper name, but a title meaning “Lord,” which was given to false gods generally. Israel might not call Jehovah, “My Baal” (_Baali_), Hosea ii. 16, 17. See the note on 1 Chronicles viii. 33.

⁴but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

=4.= _after the doings of Israel_] Compare xiii. 8, 9.

⁵Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.

=5.= _brought ... presents_] Probably congratulatory gifts at his accession; compare 1 Samuel x. 27.

_riches and honour_] Compare xviii. 1.

⁶And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.

=6.= _furthermore he took away_] But in xx. 33 = 1 Kings xxii. 43 it is said that the high places were _not_ taken away. It is remarkable that the contradiction finds an exact parallel in what is said of Asa (see xiv. 3 and xv. 17 = 1 Kings xv. 14). How can the presence of these curious contradictions be explained? It is held by some that the Chronicler in both cases has incorporated contradictory traditions, and that “such discrepancies did not trouble the Hebrew historian.” To the present writer it seems more probable to suppose that _only_ xiv. 3 and xvii. 6 (the statements that the high places _were_ removed), are from the Chronicler himself; the passages which assert the contrary, viz. xv. 17 (= 1 Kings xv. 14) and xx. 33 (= 1 Kings xxii. 43) being later additions. They were added by someone who, troubled by the divergence between Kings and Chronicles, judged it desirable to supplement or correct the Chronicler’s words by adding a more or less exact transcription of the summaries of the reigns of Asa and Jehoshaphat as recorded in Kings. If xv. 17 and xx. 33 are later additions, it is evident that the Chronicler asserts the same reform to have been made in two successive reigns. But this is not a serious difficulty. He may easily have supposed that the removal of the high places (i.e. the discontinuance of worship at these local sanctuaries) was but a partial success, an official rather than an actual reform; and one suspects also that the phrase for the Chronicler was largely conventional: a reform with which all “good” kings should presumably be credited.

_the Asherim_] See note on xiv. 3.

=7‒9= (no parallel in 1 Kings). JEHOSHAPHAT’S PROVISION FOR TEACHING THE LAW.

⁷Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Benhail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; ⁸and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. ⁹And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.

=7‒9.= These verses state that Jehoshaphat was not content with the usual reforming measures of a pious king (verse 6) but proceeded to confirm his people in loyalty to Jehovah by sending leading laymen, Levites, and priests, to teach the Law throughout the land. If verses 7‒9 be compared with xix. 4‒11 the two passages will at once be seen to be so closely similar that they may well be variations of the same tradition. Still the description in xix. 4‒11 is fuller and suggests arrangements of a permanent character; and, whilst xvii. 7‒9 deals with _teachers_ of the Law, xix. 4‒11 deals with administrators of it (_judges_). It is argued with force that this single or dual tradition is entirely unhistorical (so Wellhausen and Torrey). Certainly the arrangements for the judiciary and for instruction in the Law correspond with conditions _circa_ 100 B.C. (see Schürer, _Geschichte_³, II. 176‒179), conditions which probably in the Chronicler’s day were partly existent and which he may have hoped to see more fully realised. That he should wish to ascribe the institution of such a system of instruction and justice to an early date is also agreeable to his habit of thought; and for such a purpose Jehoshaphat was obviously most suitable: a good king, whose name denoted “Jehovah is judge.” Mark further the similarity of the conclusion of each reform: “And the fear of the LORD was on all the kingdoms of the lands ...” (xvii. 10 and