Elishaphat is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Elishaphat was one of the captains of hundreds whom Jehoiada the priest brought into covenant with himself in the seventh year of Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne of Judah. He is identified in Scripture as “Elishaphat the son of Zichri.” He appears only once in the King James Bible, in 2 Chronicles 23:1, where he is named alongside four other captains: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah.
The setting was one of grave danger and political upheaval. Queen Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, had seized the throne after her son’s death and had sought to destroy the royal line of David. Jehoiada the priest, however, had preserved Joash, the rightful heir, and in the seventh year he strengthened himself and gathered these captains to covenant with him. Elishaphat was among those who pledged themselves to Jehoiada in this conspiracy, binding themselves together to overthrow Athaliah and restore the throne to Joash.
Scripture records nothing further of Elishaphat beyond his inclusion in this covenant. He did not act alone but took his place among a company of leaders who risked their lives to see the rightful king restored. His part was that of a faithful captain who answered the call of the priest and stood with the others in the covenant that led to the downfall of Athaliah and the coronation of Joash.
The Name
The name Elishaphat is a Hebrew name that appears to be composed of two elements: “Eli,” meaning “my God,” and “shaphat,” meaning “he judges” or “judges.” Taken together, the name is commonly understood to mean “my God has judged” or “God is judge.” This meaning is well established from the Hebrew components of the name, though it does not appear elsewhere in Scripture as a personal name. The name itself carries a testimony of trust in God’s righteous judgment.
A Closing Thought
Elishaphat’s single appearance in Scripture reminds us that faithfulness is often recorded in a single line. He did not seek prominence; he simply stood with the priest and the other captains in a dangerous hour, when the throne of David hung by a thread. His name, “my God has judged,” quietly testifies that God is the one who vindicates the right and brings down the proud. We may never know the full weight of what Elishaphat risked, but we know he was counted among the faithful. God remembers those who stand with His purposes, even when the world does not.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 2 Chronicles 23:1 — And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into coven…