Illustration created for this project.

Jehoshaphat

A godly king of Judah who sent teachers of the Law through the land.

Role: King of Judah

Lived: c. 908 BC – c. 848 BC

Belonged to: Genealogy of Jesus, Kings of Judah, Tribe of Judah

Tribe/lineage: Judah

Born: Jerusalem

What we know — and how we know it

Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1 Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1

Life, role & deeds

BibleA faithful king who nonetheless allied himself with Ahab of Israel, joining the disastrous battle at Ramoth-gilead.

1 Kings 22:1–4, 41–44

↳ Ahab

ScholarlyNo text outside the Bible names Jehoshaphat, but his kingdom's dealings with the house of Omri — a marriage alliance and joint campaigns against Aram and Moab — belong to a period when Israel under Omri and Ahab is richly attested in Assyrian and Moabite inscriptions.

Placed by ties to the attested house of Omri

↳ Ahab

Where in scripture

1 Kings

1 Kings 22:43

Family

In their own words — 3 recorded sayings

“And he said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead to make war? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are: my people as your people, my horses as your horses. Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Let us now get directions from the Lord.” — 1 Kings 22:4-5

“But Jehoshaphat said, Is there no other prophet of the Lord here from whom we may get directions?” — 1 Kings 22:7

“And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is still one man by whom we may get directions from the Lord, Micaiah, son of Imlah; but I have no love for him, for he is a prophet of evil to me and not of good. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.” — 1 Kings 22:8

Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).