2 Chronicles 17

The meaning of the Hebrew word for “defensive stations” isn’t clear in this context. Many translate the word as “garrison.” Some speculate that it could mean villages and communities without protective city walls. Perhaps Jehoshaphat posted a large company of soldiers in walled cities, with smaller units assigned as guards and messengers in open areas, especially throughout northern Judah and the tribal territory of Benjamin.

These poles may have been trees or poles meant to represent trees, as symbols of a Canaanite fertility goddess known as Asherah, goddess of motherhood. She was the love interest of Baal. He was chief god of the people who lived in Canaan, now known as Israel and Palestinian Territories. People worshiped Asherah with sacred poles described as repulsive and obscene. But we’re left to guess how the people used those poles in worship.

Surprise. People assigned to lead the mobile ministry of telling everyone about God and his laws were not priests, Levites, or ordained preachers. They seem to have been laypeople the king trusted. But he equipped these lead evangelists with priests and Levite associates who, presumably, helped them prepare and deliver their messages.

Some speculate that Jehoshaphat’s third year may have been his first year as sole king. It’s possible that he served as king during the final years of his father, Asa, who was struggling with a foot illness that became critical.

What book? That’s the question. The most common guess is that it was the five anonymous books attributed to Moses, which are the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Another guess could be just Deuteronomy. It concisely summarizes some of the most important teachings and laws. Whatever it was, it seems to have been an early edition of what became part of the Jewish Bible and part of the Christian Old Testament.

By the time we finish adding the numbers, it seems the king has a standing army in Jerusalem of 1.1 million men. That would fill about 16 average professional football stadiums of 70,000 souls each. Scholars suggest two solutions they say would help these numbers make sense. One approach: Translate the word for “clan” into “unit.” So, instead of someone commanding 300,000 soldiers, they commanded 300 units. A unit may have been just two or three. Those numbers would add up to more sense, some say. Another approach: Reinterpret verse 19 and suggest that this was the entire army. It may have been headquartered in Jerusalem but assigned temporary duty throughout Judah’s territory.