← H3091 H3093 →

יְהוֹשָׁפָט

𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤐𐤈

Yehoshafat

H3092 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שָׁפַט to judge, to govern, to execute justice

Definition

Proper noun; personal name meaning 'YHWH has judged' or 'YHWH establishes justice.' The name is used for multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible, most prominently the fourth king of the Judahite monarchy after the division of the united kingdom. It is also used as a place name, specifically for the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a location referenced in prophetic literature associated with divine judgment.

Semantic Range

(1) personal name 'YHWH has judged'; (2) title of kings or officials; (3) designation of a valley associated with divine judgment; (4) general use as a theophoric statement of divine justice

Root / Etymology

Compound of the theophoric element יְהֹוָה (YHWH, the personal name of the god of Israel) and the verb שָׁפַט (shaphat, to judge). Thus, יְהוֹשָׁפָט is a causative or declarative formation: 'YHWH has judged' or 'YHWH establishes justice.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name יְהוֹשָׁפָט appears most notably as the Judahite king (1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 17–20), known for religious reforms and military alliances. Other bearers are lesser-known individuals primarily within genealogical lists. The Valley of Jehoshaphat appears in Joel 3:2,12 as a symbolic or possibly geographical site of divine assembly and judgment; its exact ancient location is uncertain and likely symbolic, later tradition associating it with the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem. The English rendering 'Jehoshaphat' follows the KJV transliteration, but this does not convey the meaning of the name, which connects agency of judgment or justice explicitly to YHWH. This specificity distinguishes it from יוֹשָׁפָט (Joshaphat), a less common name with a similar but non-theophoric structure. The use of the name for both persons and places highlights its theological connotation and its integration into Israelite naming practices during the monarchic period, reflecting royal ideology and conceptions of divine legitimacy and justice.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יְהֹוָה and שָׁפַט; Jehovah-judged; Jehoshaphat, the name of six Israelites; also of a valley near Jerusalem; Jehoshaphat. Compare יוֹשָׁפָט.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

שפט (sh-p-ṭ) — to judge, to govern, to execute justice

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H478 אֱלִישָׁפָט El has judged
H4941 מִשְׁפָּט according to your ruling
H8196 שְׁפוֹט Pronounce judgment!
H8199 שָׁפַט in his being judged
H8200 שְׁפַט judging ones

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3092-04 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged 67
H3092-03 וִ/יהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט vihoshafat HC/Np and Jehoshaphat and YHWH-has-judged 10
H3092-01 לִ/יהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט lihoshafat HR/Np of Jehoshaphat to YHWH-has-judged 6
H3092-02 וְ/יהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט veyhoshafat HC/Np and Jehoshaphat and YHWH-has-judged 1

Occurrences in Scripture

84 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3092-03 2 Samuel 8:16 וִ/יהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט vihoshafat HC/Np and Jehoshaphat and YHWH-has-judged
H3092-03 2 Samuel 20:24 וִ/יהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט vihoshafat HC/Np and Jehoshaphat and YHWH-has-judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 4:3 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 4:17 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 15:24 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 22:2 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 22:4 יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 22:4 יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙ yehoshafat-2 HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 22:5 יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
H3092-04 1 Kings 22:7 יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט yehoshafat HNp Jehoshaphat YHWH has judged
← H3091 Hebrew Lexicon H3093 →