Who was Jehoshaphat in the Bible?

Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehu, who later became a powerful king of Israel. He is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament as the son of Nimshi (2 Kings 9:2, 14).

Why is Jehoshaphat significant in the Bible?

His primary significance is through his son, Jehu, whom God anointed to destroy the house of the wicked King Ahab. Jehoshaphat's lineage connects to this major prophetic act of judgment in Israel's history (2 Kings 9:1-10).

What key events involve Jehoshaphat in the Bible?

The key event is the anointing of his son, Jehu, as king. The prophet Elisha sent a young prophet to Ramoth-gilead specifically to anoint 'Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi' to be king over Israel (2 Kings 9:1-6).

Jehoshaphat

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleKingFather

Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehu, who became king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat

Biography

Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi (2 Kings 9:2), is known in Scripture primarily as the father of Jehu, the military commander whom the prophet Elisha anointed as king over Israel. When Elisha's servant sought out Jehu among the army commanders at Ramoth-gilead, he addressed him as 'Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi' (2 Kings 9:2), indicating that Jehoshaphat himself was known but that Jehu's identity was further secured by naming his grandfather Nimshi as well. Beyond his paternal role, Scripture records nothing of Jehoshaphat's own deeds or character. He stands in the genealogical background of one of Israel's most dramatic episodes, the violent purge of the Omride dynasty.

Significance

Jehoshaphat's significance lies entirely in the son he fathered. Jehu's anointing and subsequent actions fulfilled multiple divine prophecies, including the judgment on the house of Ahab foretold by Elijah (1 Kings 21:21–24). Through Jehoshaphat's lineage, God's word of judgment came to pass in one of the Old Testament's most violent and theologically charged episodes. Jehoshaphat thus illustrates that ancestry carries consequence, that the children born to us may become instruments of divine purposes far exceeding their parents' own historical footprint.

Verse Appearances (2)

2Kgs

2Kgs 9:2 2Kgs 9:14

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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