Jehoshaphat (Person)

The fourth king of Judah, reigning from 872 to 848 BC. He was the son and successor of King Asa, who ruled from 910 to 869 BC.

Jehoshaphat became king at the age of 35, and he ruled for 25 years. During his reign, he worked to maintain the stability of the Davidic dynasty, the royal family line of King David (1 Kings 22:41–42). Jehoshaphat was a contemporary of King Ahab of Israel, who reigned from 874 to 853 BC. Jehoshaphat’s first year as king was the fourth year of Ahab’s reign. He also lived during the reigns of Ahab’s son Ahaziah who ruled from 853 to 852 BC and Ahab’s younger son Jehoram who reigned from 852 to 841 BC, who became king after Ahaziah died without children (2 Kings 1:17).

The Chronicler, the person who wrote the books of Chronicles, holds Jehoshaphat in high regard, comparing him to other good kings like Hezekiah and Josiah. Jehoshaphat’s success as a king was largely due to his religious policies. He continued the religious reforms started by his father, Asa. Because of this, the Lord strengthened the kingdom under his rule. The people of Judah brought him gifts, and he became very wealthy and honored (2 Chronicles 17:1–5). The Chronicler also praised Jehoshaphat’s courage for removing the high places (sites of pagan worship) and the Asherim (wooden symbols of the Canaanite goddess Asherah) from Judah (2 Chronicles 17:6). Additionally, Jehoshaphat shut down all the temples used for prostitution (1 Kings 22:46).

Jehoshaphat changed his father Asa’s foreign policy. Asa had fought against Baasha, the king of Israel, who had taken control of the throne after wiping out the family of Jeroboam I (the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel). The two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, had fought over their border. But Jehoshaphat ended this conflict and made peace with the king of Israel (1 Kings 22:2). To secure this peace, he allied with Ahab, the king of Israel, by arranging the marriage of his son, Jehoram, to Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chronicles 18:1–2). Because of this alliance, Jehoshaphat joined Ahab in battle against Aram at Ramoth-gilead (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18). He also allied with Ahab’s younger son Jehoram in a campaign against Mesha, the king of Moab (2 Kings 3:4–27).

Jehoshaphat also made domestic reforms. He sent officials—Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach the law in the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7–9). He organized how the tribute (tax or gifts) from surrounding nations was used to strengthen Judah. These nations recognized Jehoshaphat’s strength and God’s presence with him. They did not attack Judah but instead brought him tribute. He used these resources to fortify (strengthen) the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:10–13). Jehoshaphat also reorganized the army and made plans to defend the kingdom. He had a standing army in the capital and placed soldiers in the fortified cities. His organization focused on the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (2 Chronicles 17:14–19).

A prophet named Jehu criticized Jehoshaphat for making alliances with Ahab (2 Chronicles 19:1–3). Jehoshaphat took this rebuke seriously and ruled wisely afterward. He removed most of the Asherim from the land and dedicated himself to seeking God. He regularly traveled through the land, from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, encouraging the people to follow the Lord. Jehoshaphat appointed judges in each fortified city of Judah and instructed them to judge fairly as representatives of the Lord. He also appointed Levites, priests, and family leaders to handle cases related to worship and to resolve disputes among the people (2 Chronicles 19:4–11).

Jehoshaphat placked military forces in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured (2 Chronicles 17:1–2). The prophets did not approve of his alliances with Phoenicia and Israel and they were ultimately dangerous. But they brought a period of peace and prosperity to his kingdom. Jehoshaphat was respected by the neighboring Philistines and Arabs (2 Chronicles 17:10–13), and the nation of Edom also submitted to him. He won a significant victory over the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites at En-gedi (2 Chronicles 20:1–30). In an attempt to be like Solomon, Jehoshaphat built ships at Ezion-geber to trade with Tarshish, but this venture was not successful (2 Chronicles 20:35–37).

Jehoshaphat died at around 60 years old and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king after him (2 Chronicles 21:1). Jehoshaphat’s name is listed in the family list of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:8).

The son of Ahilud who was David and Solomon's “recorder” (a term that may mean an official historian or a spokesman for the king) (2 Samuel 8:16; 20:24; 1 Kings 4:3; 1 Chronicles 18:15).

The son of Paruah and one of Solomon’s 12 officials who collected food from the people for the king’s household. Each of them collected enough food for one month of the year. Jehoshaphat was the officer over the tribe of Issachar (1 Kings 4:7, 17).

The son of Nimshi and the father of Jehu, who destroyed the dynasty of Omri and became king of Samaria from 842 to 815 BC (2 Kings 9:2, 14).

The King James Version spelling of Joshaphat in 1 Chronicles 15:24, a priest during David’s reign. See #2 (above).