2 Chronicles 17:7-9 Meaning: A King Who Sent Teachers
7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
8and with them Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
9They taught in Judah, having the book of Yahweh’s law with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
7Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben–hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
8And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob–adonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
9And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
8and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
9And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Jehovah with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.
7And in the third year of his reign he hath sent for his heads, for Ben-Hail, and for Obadiah, and for Zechariah, and for Nethaneel, and for Michaiah, to teach in cities of Judah,
8and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijath, and Tob-Adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
9And they teach in Judah, and with them is the Book of the Law of Jehovah, and they go round about into all cities of Judah, and teach among the people.
7And in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethaneel, and Micah, to teach in the cities of Judah;
8and with them the Levites: Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.
9And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of Jehovah with them; and they went about through all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jehoshaphat send princes, priests and Levites to teach God's law? Discover the meaning of this unusual team and what it asks of us today.
Context
Jehoshaphat was a good king in a hard time. He walked in the ways of his father David, removed the pagan altars, and sought the Lord. God blessed him with peace and wealth. Then, in the third year of his reign, he did something no king had done before. He sent a team throughout Judah to teach the people God's law. The team included five princes, nine Levites, and two priests. They took the Book of the Law with them and went to every town. This was not a one-time event or a lecture tour. It was a deliberate plan to make sure every person in Judah knew what God required. The chapter shows that Jehoshaphat cared as much about the people's spiritual health as he did about fortresses and armies.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words stand out in these verses. The first is shalach, translated as “he sent.” It carries the idea of a king sending his representatives with full authority. Jehoshaphat did not just hope the people would learn; he personally dispatched leaders to make it happen. The second is lamad, the word for “teach.” In Hebrew, this verb appears in a form that means intensive, repeated action. This was not a lecture but ongoing instruction, carried out city by city. The third word is torah, the “law” of the Lord. Torah means more than rules, it means instruction, teaching, direction. The team carried this book as their guide. They taught the people how to live well before God. Each word reminds us that knowing Scripture is not accidental. It takes leaders who send, teachers who persist, and a book that shows the way.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have noticed the unusual mix of princes, Levites, and priests in this passage. John Wesley and others in the Methodist tradition saw the princes as judges who taught the civil law, while the Levites handled temple matters and the priests focused on moral and religious instruction. Baptist commentator John Gill pointed out that the priests were meant to “keep knowledge” and teach the law, as Malachi says. The Anglican Cambridge Bible notes that this is the first record of a king sending official teachers throughout the land. Some commentators, like Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, suggest the princes were there to see that the work got done, not to teach themselves. Across traditions, readers agree that Jehoshaphat’s plan covered every part of life, civic, ritual, and moral, so the whole nation would know God’s word.
A common misunderstanding
Some people read this passage and think the princes were only sent as administrators, not as actual teachers. They imagine the priests and Levites did all the instruction while the princes oversaw the logistics. In fact, the text says plainly that the princes were sent “to teach in the cities of Judah.” The Hebrew verb lamad applies to all of them. These were leaders who taught God’s law alongside the religious teachers. Jehoshaphat saw no division between leading the people and teaching them God’s word.
Living This Out
You are probably not a king or a prince. But you do have people around you who need to know what God says. This week, look for one small way to share the instruction of the Lord. It could be reading a verse with your child, telling a friend what you learned in church, or praying Scripture over a situation at work. You do not need a title to teach. You need the Book and the willingness to go where you are. Start with one person in one town, or one kitchen table.
Main takeaway: God's law is not meant to stay in one place; it is meant to be carried by leaders and teachers into every part of the community so all can know how to live.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
King Jehoshaphat wanted everyone to know God’s rules. He sent teachers to every town. You can learn God’s word too. Ask a grown-up to read the Bible with you today.
For ages 9, 12
Jehoshaphat didn’t just send priests, he sent princes, too. Why? Because knowing God’s law is for everyone, and teaching it is everyone’s job. You don’t have to be a pastor to share what the Bible says. You could read a verse aloud at dinner or tell a friend a story about Jesus. When you share God’s word, you are doing exactly what these teachers did.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jehoshaphat send princes to teach instead of just priests?
Princes represented civil authority. By including them, Jehoshaphat showed that God's law applied to every part of life, not just worship. They also helped make sure the people listened and obeyed.
What was the 'book of the law of the Lord' they carried?
Most scholars believe it was the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, especially the instructions Moses gave. Copies were rare, so the teachers brought one with them to read and explain.
Did this teaching mission actually work?
Yes. The very next verse says that fear of the Lord fell on the surrounding nations, and Judah had peace. When the people knew God's law, the whole kingdom grew stronger.
How is this different from how Israel normally learned the law?
Earlier, priests were supposed to teach the people, but that often happened only at festivals or in Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat sent teachers to every city, it was an intentional, nationwide effort to make sure no one was left out.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study