Josaphat is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Josaphat, also known as Jehoshaphat, was the fourth king of Judah, noted for his religious reforms. In the King James Bible, he appears only once, in the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. The verse reads, “And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias” (Matthew 1:8). This places Josaphat within the royal line of Judah, standing between his father Asa and his son Joram, and ultimately within the ancestry that leads to Jesus the Messiah.
The setting of this single appearance is not a narrative scene but a genealogical record. Matthew opens his Gospel by tracing the lineage of Jesus back through the kings of Judah, demonstrating that Jesus is the promised descendant of David and Abraham. Josaphat is named as one link in that chain. The source note tells us he was the fourth king of Judah and that he was known for his religious reforms, though Matthew’s Gospel does not elaborate on these deeds. The KJV text itself gives no further information about his life, character, or reign.
What Scripture says of Josaphat in this passage is simply that he was begotten by Asa and that he begat Joram. He is presented as a historical figure whose place in the lineage matters for the Gospel’s purpose: showing that God’s promises were carried forward through generations, including through kings whose stories are recorded elsewhere in the Old Testament. In Matthew’s account, Josaphat is not remembered for his reforms but for his role in the family line of the Savior.
The Name
The name Josaphat is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jehoshaphat, which is well established in meaning. It comes from the Hebrew elements *Yahweh* (the divine name) and *shaphat* (to judge), and it means “Yahweh has judged” or “the LORD judges.” This meaning is clearly recoverable from the Hebrew roots and is consistently recognized in biblical name studies. The KJV uses the Greek form “Josaphat” in Matthew’s genealogy, reflecting the Greek text of the New Testament, while the Old Testament typically uses “Jehoshaphat” for the same king.
A Closing Thought
Josaphat appears only once in the King James New Testament, tucked inside a list of names that many readers skim past. Yet his presence there is a quiet reminder that God’s faithfulness often works through ordinary generations, through people whose stories we may never fully know. Josaphat was a king remembered for reform, but in Matthew he is simply a link in the chain that led to Christ. There is comfort in that. Our own lives may feel like single verses in a long genealogy, but God weaves every faithful life into His greater story of redemption.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: New
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Matthew 1:8 — And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;