Jehoshaphat

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 3min
 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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1. Son and successor of Asa king of Judah, B.C. 914 to 891. He sought God, walked in the “first” ways of David, and took away the high places and groves out of Judah. God established the kingdom in his hand, and the fear of the Lord fell upon the kingdoms around. God gave him peace, and the Philistines and the Arabians brought him presents. He increased in riches, and was strengthened greatly. He not only feared the Lord himself, but he sent Levites and priests throughout all Judah, to teach the people (2 Chron. 17:1-121And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 4But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. 7Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. 9And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 10And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats. 12And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. (2 Chronicles 17:1‑12)). He erred, however, in making alliance with idolatrous Israel, and in allowing his son to marry Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He went with Ahab to war against Ramoth-gilead, and nearly lost his life, but God delivered him (1 Kings 22; 2 Chron. 18). He was rebuked by Jehu the seer, who said, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” Then he sought the Lord, and set his heart to bring all his people to fear the Lord (2 Chron. 19).
After this, the men of Moab and of Ammon, a great multitude, came against Jehoshaphat. He turned to the Lord, proclaimed a fast, and prayed for help in the house of the Lord, where the Lord had set His name, pleading that He was their God, who had given the land to the seed of Abraham His friend, pleading also His response to the prayer of Solomon. He was at once assured by a prophet that the battle was not theirs, but God’s, whose name they had invoked: they should see the salvation of the Lord. Jehoshaphat and all the people fell down and worshipped the Lord, and the next morning they marched toward the enemy singing. They had no need to fight, for the enemy destroyed one another, and there was much spoil. Praise was given to Jehovah. Subsequently the king, forgetting what was due to the name of the Lord, associated himself with the wicked Ahaziah king of Israel in sending ships to Tarshish. This action was condemned by the prophet Eliezer, and his ships were wrecked (2 Chron. 20). He is called JOSAPHAT in Matthew 1:88And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; (Matthew 1:8).
In Jehoshaphat there was a heart true to Jehovah, and a desire to bring his subjects to the true worship of God, but his history was marred by his inconsistently allying himself with the ungodly and idolatrous kings of Israel. The faithfulness of the Lord in chastening Jehoshaphat is very marked, and in not allowing him to be in a false position which practically denied the name of the Lord.
3. Son of Paruah, and a commissariat officer of Solomon (1 Kings 4:1717Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: (1 Kings 4:17)).