JEHOSHAPHAT, Sylvester Hassell Asa’s son Jehoshaphat succeeded him, and he proved another worthy son of the house of David. One of his first acts was to conclude peace with Israel, which had been broken for sixty years. There had been trouble and war, more or less, existing between the two kingdoms from B.C. 975 to 915. This wise and virtuous king suppressed it altogether.
He was zealous for the cause of God. He did more than others before him—he became a preacher—a public instructor in the law of the Lord. He went to the extent of his dominion exhorting the people to obey God, keep his law inviolate, and worship the God of their fathers exclusively. And he established judges throughout his territories, from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, in the various fenced cities, he exhorted them to discharge their duties in the fear of the Lord.
He not only went himself, but he commissioned others to go and teach the people in the knowledge of the Lord and remove ignorance from their minds. “He sent five princes, accompanied by nine Levites and two priests, to teach in the cities of Judah: and the taught in Judah, and had the book of the law with them, and went about all the cities of Judah and taught the people.
This was in advance of anything ever before done in Judea, and seemed pointing to the spread of the gospel under the Christian dispensation. Our blessed Savior both preached His own gospel in the cities and villages of Palestine, and called and qualified his disciples to do the same thing.
Jehoshaphat was unfortunate in agreeing to make an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel, and with Ahab’s son and grandson—Ahaziah and Joram. It was no advantage to Israel and great disadvantage to Judah. He was greatly blessed of the Lord, however; he strengthened his kingdom, and had an army, prepared for war, numbering one million, one hundred and sixty thousand men—seven hundred and eighty thousand of Judah and three hundred and eighty thousand of Benjamin.” (Hassell’s History ppg 125, 126)