2 Chronicles 17:1-6 Meaning: Strengthened for God
1Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel.
2He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
3Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals,
4but sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not in the ways of Israel.
5Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance.
6His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh. Furthermore, he took away the high places and the Asherah poles out of Judah.
1And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
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.
3And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
4But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
6And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
1And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
2And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
3And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim,
4but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance.
6And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
1And Jehoshaphat his son reigneth in his stead, and he strengtheneth himself against Israel,
2and putteth a force in all the fenced cities of Judah, and putteth garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had captured.
3And Jehovah is with Jehoshaphat, for he hath walked in the first ways of David his father, and hath not sought to Baalim,
4for to the God of his father he hath sought, and in His commands he hath walked, and not according to the work of Israel.
5And Jehovah doth establish the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah give a present to Jehoshaphat, and he hath riches and honour in abundance,
6and his heart is high in the ways of Jehovah, and again he hath turned aside the high places and the shrines out of Judah.
1And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
2And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had taken.
3And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, for he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baals;
4but he sought the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5And Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave gifts to Jehoshaphat; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
6And he took courage in the ways of Jehovah; moreover, he removed the high places and Asherahs out of Judah.
Meaning in one sentence
Understand why Jehoshaphat fortified against Israel and how his faithfulness to God brought blessing in 2 Chronicles 17:1-6.
Context
The Chronicler writes long after these events, to a people returning from exile, reminding them that kings who sought the Lord prospered. Jehoshaphat comes to the throne after his father Asa's mixed legacy. The northern kingdom of Israel has drifted into Baal worship under Ahab. Immediately, Jehoshaphat takes steps to secure his borders, placing troops in fortified cities and even in towns his father had captured from Israel. But the narrator's emphasis shifts quickly: the real strength of Jehoshaphat's reign was not military but spiritual. 'Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat', that is the key to everything that follows. The chapter then describes how he removed the high places and sent teachers through the land with the book of the law.
Key Words
Three Hebrew phrases give us the inner shape of this passage. The verb for 'strengthened himself' (hithchazzeq) is the same word used when Jonathan went to David and 'strengthened his hand in God' (1 Samuel 23:16). It means more than building walls, it means taking courage in God before acting. Jehoshaphat's defensive moves grew from trust, not from fear.
Then we read he walked 'in the first ways of his father David.' The word for 'first' (rishonim) points to David's early faithfulness, before his great falls. It is a deliberate choice to return to an earlier pattern of devotion, to begin again. Jehoshaphat did not copy everything his father Asa did later; he went back to the best example.
Finally, 'his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.' The word gavah often means pride in a bad sense (as in Uzziah's later downfall). But here it is positive: his heart was encouraged, made bold to serve God. The context makes the meaning clear. It is the kind of lifting that comes from walking closely with God, not from looking down on others.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have noticed a tension between this passage's claim that Jehoshaphat 'took away the high places' and the note in 1 Kings 22:43 that the high places were not removed. The Cambridge Bible for Schools points out that the Chronicler seems to include contradictory traditions. Some Protestant commentators suggest Jehoshaphat removed the most prominent idolatrous sites but the people continued offering at others. Others, like Matthew Henry, see this as a progressive reformation: he did what he could, and God honored his intentions. Catholic readers might see an example of working within imperfect circumstances. The Targum (an ancient Aramaic paraphrase) adds that 'the Word of the Lord was Jehoshaphat's Helper.' All traditions agree that the central point is God's presence with a king who sought Him.
A common misunderstanding
Readers sometimes assume that 'his heart was lifted up' means Jehoshaphat became proud, because the same Hebrew phrase elsewhere describes arrogance (2 Chronicles 26:16). In fact, the context here is positive: his heart was encouraged or emboldened in God's ways. The NIV translates it 'His heart was devoted,' and older Bibles note 'was encouraged.' The danger is to miss the writer's point: wholehearted zeal for God is a gift, not a fault.
Living This Out
Jehoshaphat's first act was to secure his kingdom against the wrong kind of influence. Israel had abandoned God, and he needed boundaries. This week, you might ask what influences you need to strengthen yourself against, not out of hostility but to preserve your devotion. Then notice the pattern: he sought God before he acted. Prayer came before the military preparations. You can start your day the same way: before you tackle your list, seek the Lord. Finally, Jehoshaphat didn't just remove wrong things; he had the Law taught in all Judah. So after you clear space, fill it with something good, Scripture, fellowship, worship. That is how the kingdom gets established.
Main takeaway: Seeking the Lord with a whole heart is the foundation for any work God blesses and establishes.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jehoshaphat became king and made his country strong. But the most important thing he did was to love God and not worship pretend gods. God was with him because he obeyed.
For ages 9, 12
Jehoshaphat started his reign by protecting his kingdom and getting ready for trouble. But the writer of Chronicles wants us to see something deeper: his real strength came from following God. He walked in the same path as David did when David was young and faithful. Jehoshaphat also tore down places where people worshipped false gods. His heart was encouraged in God's ways. You can do the same by deciding to follow God first, even when other people are making bad choices.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jehoshaphat strengthen himself against Israel?
The northern kingdom under Ahab had turned to Baal worship and was potentially hostile. Jehoshaphat needed to secure his borders. But the Chronicler shows that his spiritual faithfulness was the real source of strength, not just military readiness.
What does 'his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord' mean?
In most places the phrase means haughtiness, but here it is positive: he was encouraged, emboldened, and devoted to God's ways. The context clarifies that this is a good kind of lifting, like taking courage in God.
Did Jehoshaphat really remove the high places?
This passage says he did, but 1 Kings 22:43 says the high places were not taken away. Many Christians see this as a tension within Scripture. Jehoshaphat likely removed the worst idolatry, but some local shrines persisted. The Chronicler may be emphasizing his good intentions and partial success.
How does Jehoshaphat's later alliance with Ahab fit with his early faithfulness?
Chapter 18 shows Jehoshaphat making a compromising alliance with Ahab despite his good start. This warns us that even a godly beginning can be followed by a bad decision. The passage invites us to stay the course and not let early faithfulness give way to later compromise.
What can we learn from Jehoshaphat's example?
Seek God first, walk in the best patterns of faith you know, and take practical steps to protect your devotion. God honors a heart that wants to follow Him, even when the results are not perfect.
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