And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah ,.... A considerable number of soldiers, to defend them should they be attacked: and set garrisons in the land of Judah : on the frontiers and borders of it, to protect it: and in the cities of Ephraim ; soldiers to keep garrison there: which Asa his father had taken ; see 2 Chronicles 15:8 . read more
The cities of Ephraim - This conquest from the kingdom of Israel is referred to, 2 Chronicles 15:8 ; but when it was made we do not know. read more
Spiritual fortification. Jehoshaphat did well to "strengthen himself against Israel." One that ought to be in the closest possible relationship to us but that is formally separated from us and that is likely to be jealous of our power is most to be feared by us. The avowed enemy is not so hostile as the envious rival, as the unfriendly "neighbour." And there was nothing of untrustfulness in this procedure of the king's. Had he gone to Syria as his father did ( 2 Chronicles 16:2 ) for... read more
The accession of Jehoshaphat. I. THE DATE OF HIS CORONATION . 1 . The thirty-fifth year of his age. He was thus born in the sixth year of Asa's reign ( 2 Chronicles 16:14 ), during the ten years of quiet. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi ( 1 Kings 22:42 ). A man of mature years when he ascended the throne, he was better qualified to bear the load of responsibility his father's decease had, in God's providence, cast upon him. 2 . The fourth year of Ahab... read more
The first chapter of Jehoshaphat's career. Although to the end Jehoshaphat was neither an unfaithful king nor an unfaithful man, and certainly no apostate, yet the first chapter of his career reads the best. The mounting of the sun was fine, but clouds hung about the noonday sun, and the setting was not a sky of perfect western glory. The unfolding of the bud looked towards a perfect flower, but some blight seemed to visit it, and some worm was in the fruit. The three chief features of... read more
He placed forces ; literally, he gave ( Genesis 1:17 ) forces, or a force, or host, or army: חַיִל ( Exodus 14:28 ; 2 Samuel 24:2 ). And set garrisons ; again literally, he gave garrisons ( נְאִיבִים ) ; i.e. either the persons "set over," prefects or officers ( 1 Kings 4:19 ), or the military garrison itself "stationed" ( 1 Samuel 10:5 ; 1 Samuel 13:3 ). A village in Judah also had the name Nezeb ( Joshua 15:45 ). In the cities of Ephraim (see 2... read more
2 Chronicles 17:2. And set garrisons in the cities which Asa had taken We do not read of any cities which Asa took; but Abijah his father possessed himself of several, which Asa kept and took for his own, 2 Chronicles 13:19. And, it appears, Jehoshaphat put such forces in them as might secure them to himself. read more
The reign of Jehoshaphat (17:1-20:37)Jehoshaphat carried on the reform that Asa began, by destroying all the Baal shrines that remained in Judah (17:1-6; cf. 15:17). Positively, he educated the people in the law of God by forming an official group of instructors whom he sent around Judah’s towns and villages. The group consisted of civil leaders, priests and Levites (7-9). He also fortified Judah’s defences and enlarged its army, so that neighbouring countries feared to attack it... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 17:1-9
Here we find concerning Jehoshaphat, I. What a wise man he was. As soon as he came to the crown he strengthened himself against Israel, 2 Chron. 17:1. Ahab, an active warlike prince, had now been three years upon the throne of Israel, the vigour of his beginning falling in with the decay of Asa's conclusion. It is probable that the kingdom of Israel had, of late, got ground of the kingdom of Judah and began to grow formidable to it; so that the first thing Jehoshaphat had to do was to make his... read more