Son of Asa, king of Judah.
Jehoshaphat
Named in 67 verses across 5 books, first in 1 Kings 15:24.
יְהוֹשָׁפָטJehoshaphat
ἸωσαφάτJehoshaphat
The name means “the Lord is judge.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Jehoshaphat Written by AI
Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa and became king of Judah at the age of 35. He reigned for 25 years in Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father Asa. He removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah and sent officials to teach the Book of the Law throughout the land. Jehoshaphat became very wealthy and held great honor. He allied himself with Ahab, king of Israel, through marriage and military campaigns. After a prophet rebuked him for helping the wicked Ahab, Jehoshaphat continued to seek the Lord. When faced with a vast army of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites, Jehoshaphat prayed for deliverance, and the Lord caused the enemy forces to destroy each other. He enjoyed peace for the remainder of his reign. Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the City of David, and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
This entry is on the name Jehoshaphat, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.
Jehovah-judged. (1.) One of David’s body-guard (1 Chr. 11:43).
(2.) One of the priests who accompanied the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:24).
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(3.) Son of Ahilud, “recorder” or annalist under David and Solomon (2 Sam. 8:16), a state officer of high rank, chancellor or vizier of the kingdom.
(4.) Solomon’s purveyor in Issachar (1 Kings 4:17).
(5.) The son and successor of Asa, king of Judah. After fortifying his kingdom against Israel (2 Chr. 17:1, 2), he set himself to cleanse the land of idolatry (1 Kings 22:43). In the third year of his reign he sent out priests and Levites over the land to instruct the people in the law (2 Chr. 17:7-9). He enjoyed a great measure of peace and prosperity, the blessing of God resting on the people “in their basket and their store.”
The great mistake of his reign was his entering into an alliance with Ahab, the king of Israel, which involved him in much disgrace, and brought disaster on his kingdom (1 Kings 22:1-33). Escaping from the bloody battle of Ramoth-gilead, the prophet Jehu (2 Chr. 19:1-3) reproached him for the course he had been pursuing, whereupon he entered with rigour on his former course of opposition to all idolatry, and of deepening interest in the worship of God and in the righteous government of the people (2 Chr. 19:4-11).
Again he entered into an alliance with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, for the purpose of carrying on maritime commerce with Ophir. But the fleet that was then equipped at Ezion-gaber was speedily wrecked. A new fleet was fitted out without the co-operation of the king of Israel, and although it was successful, the trade was not prosecuted (2 Chr. 20:35-37; 1 Kings 22:48-49).
He subsequently joined Jehoram, king of Israel, in a war against the Moabites, who were under tribute to Israel. This war was successful. The Moabites were subdued; but the dreadful act of Mesha in offering his own son a sacrifice on the walls of Kir-haresheth in the sight of the armies of Israel filled him with horror, and he withdrew and returned to his own land (2 Kings 3:4-27).
The last most notable event of his reign was that recorded in 2 Chr. 20. The Moabites formed a great and powerful confederacy with the surrounding nations, and came against Jehoshaphat. The allied forces were encamped at Engedi. The king and his people were filled with alarm, and betook themselves to God in prayer. The king prayed in the court of the temple, “O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us.” Amid the silence that followed, the voice of Jahaziel the Levite was heard announcing that on the morrow all this great host would be overthrown. So it was, for they quarrelled among themselves, and slew one another, leaving to the people of Judah only to gather the rich spoils of the slain. This was recognized as a great deliverance wrought for them by God (B.C. 890). Soon after this Jehoshaphat died, after a reign of twenty-five years, being sixty years of age, and was succeeded by his son Jehoram (1 Kings 22:50). He had this testimony, that “he sought the Lord with all his heart” (2 Chr. 22:9). The kingdom of Judah was never more prosperous than under his reign.
(6.) The son of Nimshi, and father of Jehu, king of Israel (2 Kings 9:2, 14).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- 1 Kings 15:24
And Asa rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David, and his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.
- 1 Kings 22:2
However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel,
- 1 Kings 22:4
So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
- 1 Kings 22:5
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
- 1 Kings 22:7
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
- 1 Kings 22:8
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
- 1 Kings 22:10
Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
- 1 Kings 22:18
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
- 1 Kings 22:29
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
- 1 Kings 22:30
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
- 1 Kings 22:32
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
- 1 Kings 22:41
In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah.
- 1 Kings 22:42
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
- 1 Kings 22:44
Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
- 1 Kings 22:45
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
- 1 Kings 22:48
Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
- 1 Kings 22:49
At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
- 1 Kings 22:50
And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place.
- 1 Kings 22:51
In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years.
- 2 Kings 1:17
So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.
- 2 Kings 3:1
In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years.
- 2 Kings 3:7
And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
- 2 Kings 3:11
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
- 2 Kings 3:12
Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
- 2 Kings 3:14
Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.
- 2 Kings 8:16
In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat succeeded his father as king of Judah.
- 2 Kings 12:18
So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. So Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.
- 1 Chronicles 3:10
Solomon’s son was Rehoboam: Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
- 2 Chronicles 17:1
Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 17:3
Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals,
- 2 Chronicles 17:5
So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10
And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
- 2 Chronicles 17:11
Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.
- 2 Chronicles 17:12
Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah
- 2 Chronicles 18:1
Now Jehoshaphat had an abundance of riches and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
- 2 Chronicles 18:3
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:4
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:6
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
- 2 Chronicles 18:7
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
- 2 Chronicles 18:9
Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.