2 Chronicles 19

1 Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

2 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 the LORD? Because of this, wrath is on you from before the LORD.

3 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.”

4 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 the LORD, the God of their fathers.

5 He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

6 and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for the LORD; and he is with you in the judgment.

7 Now therefore let the fear of the LORD be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.”

8 Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of the fathers’ households of Israel to give judgment for the LORD and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem.

9 He commanded them, saying, “You shall do this in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty toward the LORD, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty.

11 Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good.”

Around 2 Chronicles 19

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

2 Chronicles 19 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Jehoshaphat comes home in peace, but he does not come home unchallenged. Jehu the son of Hanani meets him with a question that stings: “Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate the LORD?” There is wrath on him for this. Yet Jehu also names what is good in him, that he put away the Asheroth and set his heart to seek God.

The king answers by going back to work. He goes out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brings them back to the LORD. Then he appoints judges in every fortified city of Judah, and he gives them a charge. They do not judge for man but for the LORD, and the LORD is with them in the judgment. There is no injustice with the LORD, no favoritism and no bribe. In Jerusalem he sets up a higher court of Levites, priests and heads of families, with Amariah the chief priest over matters of the LORD and Zebadiah over the king’s matters. His last word to them is “Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good.”

Background

Jehu the son of Hanani is the son of the Hanani who rebuked Asa in chapter 16. Jehoshaphat’s reform of the courts is one of the best-known acts of his reign. The charge to the judges is short and plain, and it ties fair judging to the character of God. It follows his mistake in chapter 18, so the chapter shows a king who is corrected and then acts.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 2 November 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes