¹¹ and so you can teach^(A) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(B)”

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a](A) 5} Love^(B) the Lord your God with all your heart^(C) and with all your soul and with all your strength.^{(D) 6} These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.^{(E) 7} Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.^{(F) 8} Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.^{(G) 9} Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.^(H)

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges

⁴ Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁵ He appointed judges^(A) in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. ⁶ He told them, “Consider carefully what you do,^(B) because you are not judging for mere mortals^(C) but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. ⁷ Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice^(D) or partiality^(E) or bribery.”

⁸ In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites,^(F) priests^(G) and heads of Israelite families to administer^(H) the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. ¹⁰ In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord;^(I) otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.

¹¹ “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage,^(J) and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

³ He said to the Levites, who instructed^(A) all Israel and who had been consecrated to the Lord: “Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.

⁷ The Levites^(A)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed^(B) the people in the Law while the people were standing there.