13 He had much property in the towns of Judah; he had forces of armed men, great and strong, in Jerusalem.
And Azmaveth, the son of Adiel, was controller of the king's property; Jonathan, the son of Uzziah, had control of all store-houses in country places and in the towns and little towns and strong places; Ezri, the son of Chelub, had authority over the field-workers and farmers; Shimei the Ramathite was responsible for the vine-gardens; Zabdi the Shiphmite was responsible for the produce of the vine-gardens and for all the stores of wine; Baal-hanan the Gederite was responsible for the olive-trees and the sycamore-trees in the lowlands; and Joash for the stores of oil; And Shitrai the Sharonite was responsible for the herds in the grass-lands of Sharon, and Shaphat, the son of Adlai, for those in the valleys; Obil the Ishmaelite had control of the camels and Jehdeiah the Meronothite of the she-asses; The flocks were in the care of Jaziz the Hagarite. All these were the controllers of King David's property.
And he put up towers in the waste land and made places for storing water, for he had much cattle, in the low hills and in the table land; and he had farmers and vine-keepers in the mountains and in the fertile land, for he was a lover of farming. In addition, Uzziah had an army of fighting-men who went out to war in bands, as they had been listed by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. The heads of families, the strong men of war, were two thousand, six hundred. And under their orders was a trained army of three hundred and seven thousand, five hundred, of great strength in war, helping the king against any who came against him. And Uzziah had all these forces armed with body-covers and spears and head-covers and coats of metal and bows and stones for sending from leather bands. And in Jerusalem he made machines, the invention of expert men, to be placed on the towers and angles of the walls for sending arrows and great stones. And his name was honoured far and wide; for he was greatly helped till he was strong.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 17
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
Here begin the life and reign of Jehoshaphat, who was one of the first three among the royal worthies, one of the best that ever swayed the sceptre of Judah since David's head was laid. He was the good son of a good father, so that, at this time, grace ran in the blood, even in the blood-royal. Happy the son that had such a father, to lay a good foundation in him and for him. Happy the father that had such a son, to build so wall upon the foundation he had laid! Happy the kingdom that was blessed with two such kings, two such reigns, together! In this chapter we have,
Thus was his prosperity the reward of his piety and his piety the brightest grace and ornament of his prosperity.
2Ch 17:1-9
Here we find concerning Jehoshaphat,
2Ch 17:10-19
We have here a further account of Jehoshaphat's great prosperity and the flourishing state of his kingdom.