2 Chronicles 17 (Divrei HaYamim Bet) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99442 Chronicles, Chapter 17
Yehoshafat reigns in place of Asa, walks in the first ways of David and seeks the God of his father, takes away the high places and groves, sends princes, Levi’im and priests to teach the book of the Torah of Hashem in Yehudah, receives presents and tribute, and has great armies of Yehudah and Binyamin.
17:1And Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
אוַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּ֑יו וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֖ק עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
17:2And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Yehudah (Judah), and set garrisons in the land of Yehudah, and in the cities of Efrayim (Ephraim), which Asa his father had taken.
בוַיִּ֨תֶּן־חַ֔יִל בְּכָל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה הַבְּצֻר֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּ֤ן נְצִיבִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּבְעָרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָכַ֖ד אָסָ֥א אָבִֽיו׃
17:3And Hashem was with Yehoshafat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Be’alim (Baalim);
גוַיְהִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כִּ֣י הָלַ֗ךְ בְּדַרְכֵ֞י דָּוִ֤יד אָבִיו֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א דָרַ֖שׁ לַבְּעָלִֽים׃
17:4But sought to the God of his father, and walked in His commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
דכִּ֠י לֵֽאלֹהֵ֤י אָבִיו֙ דָּרָ֔שׁ וּבְמִצְוֺתָ֖יו הָלָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
17:5Therefore Hashem stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Yehudah brought to Yehoshafat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
הוַיָּ֨כֶן יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֧וּ כָל־יְהוּדָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לִיהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־ל֥וֹ עֹֽשֶׁר־וְכָב֖וֹד לָרֹֽב׃
17:6And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Hashem: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Yehudah.
ווַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ לִבּ֖וֹ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְע֗וֹד הֵסִ֛יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֥וֹת וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים מִיהוּדָֽה׃
17:7Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-Chayil (Ben-hail), and to Ovadyah (Obadiah), and to Zecharyah (Zechariah), and to Netan’el (Nethaneel), and to Michayahu (Michaiah), to teach in the cities of Yehudah.
זוּבִשְׁנַ֨ת שָׁל֜וֹשׁ לְמָלְכ֗וֹ שָׁלַ֤ח לְשָׂרָיו֙ לְבֶן־חַ֨יִל֙ וּלְעֹבַדְיָ֣ה וְלִזְכַרְיָ֔ה וְלִנְתַנְאֵ֖ל וּלְמִיכָיָ֑הוּ לְלַמֵּ֖ד בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃
17:8And with them he sent Levi’im (Levites), even Shema’yahu (Shemaiah), and Netanyahu (Nethaniah), and Zevadyahu (Zebadiah), and Asah’el (Asahel), and Shemiramot (Shemiramoth), and Yehonatan (Jehonathan), and Adoniyahu (Adonijah), and Toviyahu (Tobijah), and Tov-Adoniyah (Tob-adonijah), Levi’im; and with them Elishama and Yehoram (Jehoram), priests.
חוְעִמָּהֶ֣ם הַלְוִיִּ֗ם שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֡הוּ וּנְתַנְיָ֡הוּ וּזְבַדְיָ֡הוּ וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת (כתיב ושמרימות) וִֽיהוֹנָתָן֩ וַאֲדֹ֨נִיָּ֧הוּ וְטֽוֹבִיָּ֛הוּ וְט֥וֹב אֲדוֹנִיָּ֖ה הַלְוִיִּ֑ם וְעִמָּהֶ֛ם אֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וִֽיהוֹרָ֖ם הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃
17:9And they taught in Yehudah, and had the book of the Torah of Hashem with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Yehudah, and taught the people.
טוַֽיְלַמְּדוּ֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְעִ֨מָּהֶ֔ם סֵ֖פֶר תּוֹרַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּסֹ֨בּוּ֙ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַֽיְלַמְּד֖וּ בָּעָֽם׃
17:10And the fear of Hashem fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Yehudah, so that they made no war against Yehoshafat.
יוַיְהִ֣י ׀ פַּ֣חַד יְהוָ֗ה עַ֚ל כָּל־מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָֽאֲרָצ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיב֣וֹת יְהוּדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א נִלְחֲמ֖וּ עִם־יְהוֹשָׁפָֽט׃
17:11Also some of the Pelishtim (Philistines) brought Yehoshafat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arvi’im (Arabians) brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
יאוּמִן־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים מְבִיאִ֧ים לִֽיהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט מִנְחָ֖ה וְכֶ֣סֶף מַשָּׂ֑א גַּ֣ם הָֽעַרְבִיאִ֗ים מְבִיאִ֥ים לוֹ֙ צֹ֕אן אֵילִ֔ים שִׁבְעַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ וּשְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת וּתְיָשִׁ֕ים שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃
17:12And Yehoshafat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Yehudah castles, and cities of store.
יבוַיְהִ֧י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֛ט הֹלֵ֥ךְ וְגָדֵ֖ל עַד־לְמָ֑עְלָה וַיִּ֧בֶן בִּֽיהוּדָ֛ה בִּירָנִיּ֖וֹת וְעָרֵ֥י מִסְכְּנֽוֹת׃
17:13And he had much business in the cities of Yehudah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
יגוּמְלָאכָ֥ה רַבָּ֛ה הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וְאַנְשֵׁ֧י מִלְחָמָ֛ה גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
17:14And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Yehudah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.
ידוְאֵ֥לֶּה פְקֻדָּתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם לִֽיהוּדָה֙ שָׂרֵ֣י אֲלָפִ֔ים עַדְנָ֣ה הַשָּׂ֔ר וְעִמּוֹ֙ גִּבּ֣וֹרֵי חַ֔יִל שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אָֽלֶף׃
17:15And next to him was Yehochanan (Jehohanan) the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand.
טווְעַל־יָד֖וֹ יְהוֹחָנָ֣ן הַשָּׂ֑ר וְעִמּ֕וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם וּשְׁמוֹנִ֖ים אָֽלֶף׃
17:16And next him was Amasyah (Amasiah) the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto Hashem; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.
טזוְעַל־יָדוֹ֙ עֲמַסְיָ֣ה בֶן־זִכְרִ֔י הַמִּתְנַדֵּ֖ב לַיהוָ֑ה וְעִמּ֛וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם אֶ֖לֶף גִּבּ֥וֹר חָֽיִל׃
17:17And of Binyamin (Benjamin); Elyada (Eliada) a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
יזוּמִ֨ן־בִּנְיָמִ֔ן גִּבּ֥וֹר חַ֖יִל אֶלְיָדָ֑ע וְעִמּ֛וֹ נֹֽשְׁקֵי־קֶ֥שֶׁת וּמָגֵ֖ן מָאתַ֥יִם אָֽלֶף׃
17:18And next him was Yehozavad (Jehozabad), and with him a hundred and eighty thousand ready prepared for the war.
יחוְעַל־יָד֖וֹ יְהוֹזָבָ֑ד וְעִמּ֛וֹ מֵאָֽה־וּשְׁמוֹנִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא׃
17:19These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Yehudah.
יטאֵ֖לֶּה הַמְשָׁרְתִ֣ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ מִלְּבַ֞ד אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ בְּעָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר בְּכָל־יְהוּדָֽה׃
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Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 1, 2, 13 and 14; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Commentary
- Our full 2 Chronicles commentary, written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith, is on its own page.
- Quiz
- Written by Benei Avraham for young readers (about 11 and up). Every answer is in the chapter on this page. Answers and scores are kept only in this browser (local storage) and can be cleared with Start over.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.