Jehoshaphat(josaphat)
“Jehovah judges”
Summary
The fourth king of Judah after the division of the kingdom, known for his godliness, judicial reforms, and public instruction in God's law, yet criticized for his unwise alliances with the wicked kings of Israel.
☩Character and Reforms
Jehoshaphat, whose name means 'Jehovah judges,' was the son of Asa and succeeded him as king of Judah at age thirty-five, reigning twenty-five years (c. 873-848 BC). He 'walked in the first ways of his father David' and 'sought to the Lord God of his fathers, and not unto Baalim.' His heart was 'lifted up in the ways of the Lord,' and he removed high places and groves from Judah, though the people still sacrificed on some high places because they had 'not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.' In the third year of his reign, he sent princes, Levites, and priests throughout Judah to teach the people from the book of the law—a remarkable program of national religious education. The fear of the Lord fell on surrounding nations, so that they made no war against him; Philistines and Arabians brought tribute.
☩Judicial Reforms
Jehoshaphat personally toured his kingdom 'from Beersheba to mount Ephraim' to bring the people back to the Lord and to observe conditions firsthand. Recognizing defects in local administration of justice, he appointed judges in every fortified city with this charge: 'Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment... let the fear of the Lord be upon you; for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.' In Jerusalem, he established a supreme court composed of Levites, priests, and chief fathers for appeals and difficult cases, with Amariah the chief priest presiding over religious matters and Zebadiah over civil matters. His injunction to this court—'Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good'—embodied the theocratic principle that human courts act as God's representatives.
☩Unwise Alliances
Despite his piety, Jehoshaphat made the tragic mistake of seeking alliance with the idolatrous house of Ahab, allowing his son Jehoram to marry Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He accompanied Ahab to battle at Ramoth-gilead against Syria, where he nearly lost his life when Ahab's cowardly disguise strategy drew the enemy's attack upon Judah's king. Though delivered, he was rebuked by the prophet Jehu: 'Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.' Later, he joined with wicked King Ahaziah of Israel in building ships at Ezion-geber for the Tarshish trade; the prophet Eliezer warned that 'because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works,' and the ships were wrecked. The consequences of his alliance with Ahab's house plagued Judah for generations through the murderous Athaliah.
☩Victory Through Praise
When a vast coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and others from beyond the Dead Sea invaded Judah, Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast and gathered all Judah to seek the Lord. His prayer acknowledged God's covenant faithfulness and power, pleading the dedication of Solomon's temple as a house where cries for help would be heard. The Spirit came upon Jahaziel, who declared: 'Be not afraid nor dismayed... for the battle is not yours, but God's. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle... stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord.' The next morning, Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army, praising God; as they sang, the Lord set ambushments against the enemy, who turned on each other and were utterly destroyed. The spoil was so vast that three days were required to gather it, and the valley was named Berachah ('blessing'). This remarkable victory demonstrates faith's true strategy: worship preceding warfare, praise becoming the weapon.
Related Verses84 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Jehoshaphat," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Jehoshaphat," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Jehoshaphat," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Jehoshaphat," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).