Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 17:2
He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes King Jehoshaphat’s immediate administrative actions after ascending the throne, following his father Asa’s death and his own initial consolidation of power against Israel.
The words — The Hebrew uses חַיִל (cha-yil) for "troops" or "army" and נְצִיבִים (ne-tzi-vim) for "garrisons" or "commanders," both paired with the verb יִתֵּן (yi-ten), meaning "he put" or "he stationed."
The thread — The narrative echoes Rehoboam’s earlier fortification efforts in Judah (2 Chronicles 11:5, 11) and contrasts with Asa’s religious purification of captured territory (2 Chronicles 15:8).
Why it lands — The passage records a king’s strategic consolidation of military control across Judah and former Ephraimite holdings, requiring the reader to observe how royal authority is physically established before spiritual alignment is noted.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And 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.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 15:8 When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.
- 2 Chronicles 11:5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 11:11 He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.