Who is King Jehoshaphat in the Bible?

Quick facts

Father: King Asa, 2Ch 20:31
Mother: Azubah, 2Ch 20:31
Predecessor: King Asa, 2Ch 17:1
Succession: 4th king
Length of reign: 25, 2Ch 20:31
Successor: Jehoram of Judah, 2Ch 21:1
Age when made king: 35 years, 2Ch 20:31
Kingdom: Kingdom of Judah
Reign: 873 BC – 849 BC
Age when he died: 60 years
Morality: good, 2Ch 17:3
Biblical history: 2Ch 17, 18, 19, 20

Jehoshaphat becomes king

Jehoshaphat, the son of King Asa, was 35 years old when he began to reign and he reigned in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. When he assumed the throne, he walked in the ways of good kings such as David and Asa. God was with Jehoshaphat because He did not seek the Baals but sought the God of his fathers and walked in His commandments.

God established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat. The fear of God fell upon all the neighboring kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 goats and 7,700 rams. Therefore, Jehoshaphat became great and had great riches and honor. However, he could not take the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. (2 Chronicles 20:24-34)

When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried in Jerusalem and his son Jehoram became a king in his place. Unfortunately, King Jeroham of Judah, unlike his father, practiced idolatry and was evil in the sight of God. (2 Chronicles 21:1)

Jehoshaphat allies with Ahab

Jehoshaphat befriended Ahab and even made his son marry Ahab’s daughter. One day, Jehoshaphat visited King Ahab in Samaria. After giving Jehoshaphat a befitting welcome, King Ahab persuaded him to join in a war against the Syrians at Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat requested that they should enquire of the Lord before heading out to war. King Ahab sent for the 400 prophets of Baal and enquired. They were all with one voice, saying “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

However, when Jehoshaphat insisted on hearing from a prophet of God, King Ahab sent for Prophet Micaiah and enquired of him. Micaiah told them that, should Ahab go to the war, he would die. But Ahab did not listen and persecuted the prophet.

At the battle, King Ahab smartly disguised himself and appeared like an ordinary soldier, leaving the enemies to mistake the royally dressed Jehoshaphat for King Ahab. Now the king of Syria had commanded his army captains to target the king of Israel and kill him. The Syrians, mistaking Jehoshaphat for King Ahab attacked him and nearly killed him but Jehoshaphat cried out, and God helped him by causing the Syrian forces to stop pursuing him when they realized he was not the king of Israel. Anyway, King Ahab was killed in the battle by a random arrow.

When Jehoshaphat returned from the battle to Jerusalem, Prophet Jehu, the son of Prophet Hanani, was sent by God to sharply rebuke him for aiding the wicked king of Israel in war. (2 Chronicles 18:1-34)

Jehoshaphat’s reforms

Jehoshaphat traveled all over his kingdom and caused all his subjects to serve the Lord (2 Chronicles 19:4).

Because his heart was devoted to God, he removed the Asherah poles and some of the high places from his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 17:6)

He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of his kingdom. In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of families, to be judges to settle disputes. He cautioned the judges to avoid corruption and, for God’s sake, judge fairly. He made the Levites officers of the courts he set up and made Amariah (the chief priest) and Zebadiah (the governor of the house of Judah) overseers of the courts. (2 Chronicles 19:1-11)

In the third year of his reign, he sent some officials, Levites, and priests to teach the Law of Moses in all the cities of his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 17:7-9).

God delivers the Kingdom of Judah from invasion

Over time, an army of Moabites, Ammonites, and some Meunites rose to invade Jehoshaphat’s kingdom. When Jehoshaphat heard that this vast army had come as far as Hazazon-tamar, he feared, sought the face of the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout his kingdom. The people gathered – men, women, and children – to seek God’s help. Then God spoke through Jahaziel the Levite, to encourage them and told them to go out and face the enemy the following day and they would win the war without a fight.

Early the following morning, Jehoshaphat goes out into the wilderness of Tekoa to battle with singers leading the way, praising the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

While they sang, the Lord turned the enemies against one another. The Ammonites joined the Moabites to destroy the Meunites of Mount Seir, and when they were done, they destroyed one another. (2 Chronicles 20:1-22)

The Jehoshaphat and Co came to find all the enemies dead in the wilderness, leaving behind a great quantity of spoils. It took three days for them to collect the spoils. On the fourth day, Jehoshaphat and his people held a special thanksgiving service for God in the Valley of Beracah.

Jehoshaphat’s gold trading venture fails

Jehoshaphat wanted to trade in gold. So he built a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber that would travel to Ophir to trade. However, King Ahaziah of Israel, son of Ahab, took an interest in the business and became his partner.  Then Prophet Eliezer prophesied against King Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with King Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and could not embark on the trade expedition. (2 Chronicles 20:35-37 and 1 Kings 22:48-50)

Major events during the reign of Jehoshaphat

  • Jehoshaphat allied with Ahab to fight against the Philistines at Ramoth-gilead. (2 Chronicles 18:1-34)
  • Jehoshaphat brought many religious reforms. (2Ch 19:4, 2Ch 17:6, 2Ch 19:1-11, 2 Ch 17:7-9)
  • Jehoshaphat and King Ahaziah’s gold trade venture failed because the ships they built for the purpose could not sail. (2 Chronicles 20:35-37 and 1 Kings 22:48-50)
  • Jehoshaphat joined King Joram of Israel to go to war against King Mesha of Moab. (2 Kings 3:4-27)
  • God delivered the Kingdom of Judah from the alliance of Moabites, Ammonites, and some Meunites. (2 Chronicles 20:1-22)

Jehoshaphat’s achievements

  • He put soldiers in the fortified cities for defense and he set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that King Asa his father had captured.
  • He built fortresses and store cities and he had large supplies in the cities of Judah.  
  • He built a large military of 1160000 soldiers besides the soldiers he put in the fortified cities. His commanders from the tribe of Judah were Adnah, Jehohanan, Amasiah, Eliada, and Jehozabad (2 Chronicles 17:1-19).
  • He turned all his subjects to the Lord. (2 Chronicles 19:4)
  • He removed the Asherah poles and some of the high places from his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 17:6)
  • He rid the kingdom of the rest of the homosexuals who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa. (1 Kings 22:46)

Weakness and failure of Jehoshaphat

  • He could not get rid of all the high places that the previous kings built and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. (1 King 22:43 and 2 Chronicles 20:33)
  • His alliance with the house of Ahab – first with King Ahab and with his two sons, Ahaziah and Jehoram – was something that God hated and rebuked him for.

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