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. 10And [1]the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats. 12And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. 13And he had many works
of Jehoshaphat's procedure; and this is the view of some commentators (so Kittel and Benzinger). But close examination of the language of both passages reveals strong characteristics of the Chronicler's style and spirit; and it seems safer to conclude that, while there may possibly have been some tradition connecting Jehoshaphat with such reforms, this account in Chron. is essentially due to the Chronicler and reflects the situation of his own times.
9. the book of the law of the LORD] The Chronicler of course meant by this the Pentateuch as we have it. If, however, these verses are drawn from an old source (see the previous note) then the reference in the original may have been to one of the earlier codes embedded in the present Pentateuch.
10—13 (no parallel in 1 Kin.). The Greatness of Jehoshaphat.
10. the fear of the LORD] Cp. xx. 29; Gen. xxxv. 5.
11. some of the Philistines] See the following note, and also xxvi. 6 (note).
the Arabians] Cp. xxi. 16. The term is here used to signify the desert tribes, in particular those on the south and south-west of Judah. It would be specially impressive to the contemporaries of the Chronicler, because by that period an Arabian people, the Nabateans, had established a powerful state to the south of Judah. On the other hand the Philistines would of course be familiar from the references to them in Sam. and Kin. The tradition that tribute was received from them and from some desert tribes may possibly be correct, especially if Zerah's army was Arabian (xiv. 8, note) and if Asa's victory over him is historical.
flocks] Cp. 2 Kin. iii. 4.
12. castles] Heb. bīrāniyyōth; cp. xxvii. 4 (same word); and xxvi. 10 ("towers"). Such small castles or towers lie scattered along the pilgrim-road from Damascus to Mecca at the present day to make the way safe. See Introd. § 7, p. xlviii.
cities of store] Cp. xi. 11, 12.
- ↑ Or, a terror from the LORD
