Jehoshaphat,

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Jehoshaphat
     Jehovah-judged. (1.) One of David's body-guard (1 Chr. 11:43).
     
       (2.) One of the priests who accompanied the removal of the ark
     to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:24).
     


       (3.) Son of Ahilud, "recorder" or annalist under David and
     Solomon (2 Sam. 8:16), a state officer of high rank, chancellor
     or vizier of the kingdom.
     
       (4.) Solomon's purveyor in Issachar (1 Kings 4:17).
     
       (5.) The son and successor of Asa, king of Judah. After
     fortifying his kingdom against Israel (2 Chr. 17:1, 2), he set
     himself to cleanse the land of idolatry (1 Kings 22:43). In the
     third year of his reign he sent out priests and Levites over the
     land to instruct the people in the law (2 Chr. 17:7-9). He
     enjoyed a great measure of peace and prosperity, the blessing of
     God resting on the people "in their basket and their store."
     
       The great mistake of his reign was his entering into an
     alliance with Ahab, the king of Israel, which involved him in
     much disgrace, and brought disaster on his kingdom (1 Kings
     22:1-33). Escaping from the bloody battle of Ramoth-gilead, the
     prophet Jehu (2 Chr. 19:1-3) reproached him for the course he
     had been pursuing, whereupon he entered with rigour on his
     former course of opposition to all idolatry, and of deepening
     interest in the worship of God and in the righteous government
     of the people (2 Chr. 19:4-11).
     
       Again he entered into an alliance with Ahaziah, the king of
     Israel, for the purpose of carrying on maritime commerce with
     Ophir. But the fleet that was then equipped at Ezion-gaber was
     speedily wrecked. A new fleet was fitted out without the
     co-operation of the king of Israel, and although it was
     successful, the trade was not prosecuted (2 Chr. 20:35-37; 1
     Kings 22:48-49).
     
       He subsequently joined Jehoram, king of Israel, in a war
     against the Moabites, who were under tribute to Israel. This war
     was successful. The Moabites were subdued; but the dreadful act
     of Mesha in offering his own son a sacrifice on the walls of
     Kir-haresheth in the sight of the armies of Israel filled him
     with horror, and he withdrew and returned to his own land (2
     Kings 3:4-27).
     
       The last most notable event of his reign was that recorded in
     2 Chr. 20. The Moabites formed a great and powerful confederacy
     with the surrounding nations, and came against Jehoshaphat. The
     allied forces were encamped at Engedi. The king and his people
     were filled with alarm, and betook themselves to God in prayer.
     The king prayed in the court of the temple, "O our God, wilt
     thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great
     company that cometh against us." Amid the silence that followed,
     the voice of Jahaziel the Levite was heard announcing that on
     the morrow all this great host would be overthrown. So it was,
     for they quarrelled among themselves, and slew one another,
     leaving to the people of Judah only to gather the rich spoils of
     the slain. This was recognized as a great deliverance wrought
     for them by God (B.C. 890). Soon after this Jehoshaphat died,
     after a reign of twenty-five years, being sixty years of age,
     and was succeeded by his son Jehoram (1 Kings 22:50). He had
     this testimony, that "he sought the Lord with all his heart" (2
     Chr. 22:9). The kingdom of Judah was never more prosperous than
     under his reign.
     
       (6.) The son of Nimshi, and father of Jehu, king of Israel (2
     Kings 9:2, 14).
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Jehoshaphat, the Lord is judge