Jehoshaphat’s Reforms
2 Chronicles 19Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate YHWH? Because of this, wrath is on you from before YHWH. Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”
Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to YHWH, the God of their fathers. He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, “Consider what y’all do, for y’all do not judge for humankind, but for YHWH who is with y’all in the judgment. Now may the fear of YHWH be on y’all. Y’all must watch carefully and do it, for there is no injustice, partiality, or bribery with YHWH our God.”
Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of the fathers’ households of Israel to give judgment for YHWH and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. He commanded them, saying, “Y’all must do this in the fear of YHWH, faithfully and with a whole heart. Whenever any controversy comes to y’all from y’all’s brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, y’all must warn them, so that they will not be guilty toward YHWH, and so wrath come on y’all and on y’all’s brothers. Y’all must do this, and y’all will not be guilty. Amariah the chief priest is over y’all in all matters of YHWH, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. Also the Levites will be officers before y’all. Y’all are to be strong in your duties, and may YHWH be with those who do good.”