1Ki 22:2-50; 2Ch 17:1-21:1
Josaphat (Heb. Yehôshâfât and Yôshâfât “Yahweh has judged”; Gr. Ií‡safát). 1. Son of Ahilud and high court official under David and Solomon (2Sa 8:16; 20:24; 1Ki 4:3). 2. Son of Parua and steward of Solomon, in Issachar (1Ki 4:17). 3. Fourth king of the southern kingdom of Judah. He reigned 25 years (c872-c848 BC; 2Ki 8:16; cf 1:17; 2Ch 20:31). There are reasons to believe that he was associated with his father Asa (Matt 1:8) on the throne during the last years of Asa’s reign, as Asa suffered from his feet. In turn, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram was co-regent on the throne towards the end of his father’s reign. Jehoshaphat reigned only about 17 years. He is described as a good king, who did not serve foreign gods, although many of his subjects still worshiped in the high places, which had not been removed (1Ki 22:43; 2Ch 17:3). In his 3rd year he sent princes, Levites, and priests throughout Judah to teach the people the principles of God’s Law (2Ch 17:7-9), and God blessed him for this cause. He was able to make peace with Israel and also gain the respect and favor of neighboring nations, some of whom sent him gifts (1Ki 22:44; 2Ch 17:11). It was unfortunate that he associated his house with that of Omri of Israel, by taking Athaliah, the idolatrous daughter of Ahab, as a wife for her son (2Ki 8:18). See Chronology (V, B). While visiting Ahab after the Battle of Qarqar (853 BC), Jehoshaphat was goaded by the Israelite king to aid him in a campaign to recapture Ramoth Gilead from the Syrians. The campaign failed and in the battle Ahab was mortally wounded, but Jehoshaphat escaped (1Ki 22:1-38; 2Ch 18:1-34). Jehoshaphat’s fraternization with the wicked king of Israel was severely rebuked by the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani (2Ch 19:1, 2). Returning from the north, Jehoshaphat continued the religious and judicial reforms begun by his father (1Ki 22:46; 2Ch 17:6). He also instituted a judicial body in Jerusalem to act as the country’s supreme court (2Ch 19:4-11). Later, during his reign, the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites united to invade Judah from the south. Jehoshaphat sought God for deliverance and the Lord answered his prayer. The enemies began to fight each other and in a bloody fight they destroyed each other, to the point that “no one” escaped (2Ch 20:1-30). It was probably this disaster that gave Jehoshaphat access to the Edomite stronghold of Ezion-geber, apparently not occupied by Judah since the time of Solomon. Ahaziah of Israel joined him in a business to build ships for commercial purposes. But the ships were shipwrecked, presumably by a storm. Ahaziah seems to have suggested a second attempt, but Jehoshaphat did not accept the idea, because he had been rebuked by the prophet Eliezer for joining with the evil king of Israel (1Ki 22:48, 49; 2Ch 20: 35-37). Later he allied himself with Jehoram, another son of Ahab, in a campaign against Moab, which was somewhat successful (2Ki 3:4-27). Jehoshaphat was buried in the royal tombs in Jerusalem (2Ch 21:1). See Joram 3. 4. Son of Nimsi and father of Jehu, king of Israel (2Ki 9:2,14). 5. Mitnita, one of David’s mighty men (1Ch 11:43). 6. Priest who blew the trumpet before the ark of God when David brought it to Jerusalem from the house of Obed-edom (1Ch 15:24). 7. Valley of Jehoshaphat (Heb. êmeq Yehôshâfât) mentioned in Jl. 3:2, 12 as the place where God would gather the pagans for judgment. In the time of Eusebius (4th century AD), the term was applied to the Kidron Valley, which is between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. However, there is no evidence that this valley was ever called “Valley of Jehoshaphat” 661 in ancient times. It is more likely that since Jehoshaphat means “Yahweh judges,” or “Yahweh has judged,” Joel used the term as a description of how God would treat the enemies of ancient Israel. These texts have also been applied to God’s final judgment on the wicked.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
(Heb., yehoshaphat, Jehovah is judge). The Hebrew term it appears in abbreviated form in 1Ch 15:24 as Joshaphat. in gr. it is Jehoshaphat (Mat 1:8).
1. A priest who blew the trumpet before the ark of the Lord (1Ch 15:24).
2. A chronicler in the time of David (2Sa 8:16; 2Sa 20:24).
3. An officer of the commissary located in the territory of the tribe of Issachar (1Ki 4:17).
4. King Asa’s son and successor on the throne of Judah (c. 871-850 BC, 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 17-20). Jehoshaphat was the second of the five kings of Judah who were noted for his devotion to God; those who followed him were Joash, Hezekiah and Josiah. He removed from Judah the high places and the ritual Asherah trees (2Ch 17:6), although he apparently was not able to prevent the people from using certain high places in the worship of the Lord (1Ki 22:43). He sent princes, priests, and Levites to instruct the people in the law of the Lord (2Ch 17:7-9). Because of Jehoshaphat’s devotion, the fear of the Lord fell on the surrounding nations and even the Philistines and the Arabs paid tribute to him.
Jehoshaphat made the great and almost fatal mistake of associating himself with the wicked King Ahab; So much so that his son Joram married Athaliah, who was as wicked as her mother Jezebel.
5. The son of Nimsi and father of Jehu, who destroyed the house of Ahab (2Ki 9:2, 2Ki 9:14).
6. One of David’s mighty men (1Ch 11:43).
7. A priest and trumpeter in David’s day (1Ch 15:24).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Yahweh is Judge).
1- King of Judah, 870: (1 R.22, 2 Chr.17).
2- Valley of Jehoshaphat, is the place of the Final Judgment, according to Joe 3:2-12. Christian tradition identifies it with the Kidron Valley, between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
(The Lord is judge). Name of people from the OT.
1. Official of the times of Kings David and Solomon. He was a chronicler (2Sa 8:16; 2Sa 20:24; 1Ki 4:3).
. King Solomon’s official who ruled over the tribe of Issachar (1 Kings 4:17).
. King of Judah. Son of †¢Asa. His mother was Azuba (1 Kings 22:42). † œHe walked in the first ways of David his father, and did not seek the Baals † (2Ch 17: 3). He ruled for twenty-five years at the time of Israel’s kings Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram (#3). He reorganized the army, thereby increasing its power (2Ch 17:2, 2Ch 17:12-19), and received great support from the people (2Ch 17:5). He began a reform of religion, education and justice. He † “swept away… from the land… the Sodomites †, who exercised † œsacred † prostitution (1Ki 22:46). “He removed the high places and the Asherah images from the midst of Judah” (2Ch 17:6) and sent princes, priests, and Levites “to teach in the cities of Judah … having with them the book of the law of the Lord” (2Ch 17:7-9). “He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of Judah,” instructing them how to do a good job, separating civil from religious trials, with a court of appeal in Jerusalem (2Ch 19:5-11).
He did not continue his father’s policy against the N kingdom, but made an alliance with him (1Ki 22:44-45). This alliance was confirmed by the marriage of Joram, son of J., with †¢Athaliah, sister of †¢Ahab (2 Kings 8:26). Thus, we see him together with Ahab trying to reconquer Ramot de Gilead, where the king of Israel dies and J. was about to lose his life (1 Kings 22). J. wanted to reopen the route to the Indian Ocean, and started a project “to build ships to go to Tarshish”. He did not want to give † ¢ Ahaziah, son of Ahab, a share, but God was opposed to this undertaking and the ships broke up (1Ki 22:48; 2Ch 20: 35-37). On the other hand, he accompanied Joram, son of Ahab, on an expedition against the Moabite king †¢Mesa (2Ki 3:4-27). For a long time the neighboring countries did not dare to attack J. and gave him tribute, especially the Arabs and the Philistines (2Ch 17:10-11). The Edomites were subjugated (1Ki 22:47). But eventually an alliance of Moabites, Ammonites, and Syrians formed and came against him. J. cried out to God, ordering “some to sing and praise Jehovah … while the armed people went out.” As they praised God, he confused the enemies, who attacked each other. J. and his army had only to strip the dead, and they returned to Jerusalem † œwith psalters, harps and trumpets †. Thus peace was confirmed for Judah (2Ch 20:1-30). J.’s reign was thus one of great prosperity. His alliance with Israel included the Phoenicians, since Israel was an ally of Tyre. United these three countries, trade flourished and security increased.
4. Father of the king of Israel †¢Jehu (2Ki 9:2).
. One of David’s mighty men (1Ch 11:43).
. Priest who in David’s time was one of those who “blew the trumpets before the ark of God” (1Ch 15:24).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, BIOG VALL REYE ESCA HOMB HOAT
see, ATALÍ A, JOí S, JORAM
vet, = “Jehovah has judged.” (a) King of Judah, son and successor of Asa. He appears to have been associated on the throne with his father in his 37th regnal year, Omri’s 11th year (1 Kings 16:28, 29, LXX), reigning alone five years later, around 871 BC ( 1 Kings 22:41, 42; 2 Chron 17:1). He reigned twenty-five years, if the period of co-regency with Asa is included. He was 35 years old at the start of his reign. His mother was called Azuba daughter of Shihi (1 Kings 22:42). He was a pious king, worshiping Jehovah, not seeking the Baals (cf. 1 Kings 22:43; 2 Chron. 17:3), although the people continued to sacrifice on the high places (1 Kings 22:44). Therefore, God bestowed great prosperity on the king. Jehoshaphat took steps to instruct the people in Jehovah’s Law through the cities of Judah (2 Chron. 17:7-9). The terror of the Lord fell on neighboring kingdoms, and the Arabs and Philistines became tributaries of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 17:10, 11). He placed garrisons in the strong cities of his kingdom (2 Chron. 17:12-19), and made peace between Israel and Judah, who had been at war with each other since the time of Rehoboam, marrying his son Joram to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. This was an imprudent union that would bring dire consequences (see ATALÍ A, JOí S, JORAM; cf. 1 Kgs. 22:45; 2 Kgs. 8:18, 26 and 2 Kgs. 11). However, he finally made the high places disappear from Judah, and centralized the worship of God in Jerusalem, according to the Law (2 Chr. 17: 5, 6), also destroying the Sodomites (1 Kings 22:47) . Allied with Ahab, he fought the Syrians to recapture the city of Ramoth Gilead for Israel. Ahab died in that battle. Jehoshaphat was rebuked for his unholy alliances by a prophet named Jehu (2 Chron. 19:1). Later, God intervened on his behalf by providentially destroying the league of Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites that had formed against him (2 Chron. 20). Later, showing his propensity for alliance with the house of Israel, he undertook a business enterprise together with Ahaziah; God disrupted his plans by destroying the ships they had prepared in…