2 Chronicles 19

¹Jehoshʹaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. ²But Jehu the son of Hanaʹni the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshʹaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord. ³Nevertheless some good is found in you, for you destroyed the Asheʹrahs out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.”

⁴Jehoshʹaphat dwelt at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people, from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Eʹphraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. ⁵He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, ⁶and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord; he is with you in giving judgment. ⁷Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed what you do, for there is no perversion of justice with the Lord our God, or partiality, or taking bribes.”

⁸Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshʹaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. ⁹And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: ¹⁰whenever a case comes to you from your brethren who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or ordinances, then you shall instruct them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brethren. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. ¹¹And behold, Amariʹah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiʹah the son of Ishʹmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters; and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!”