Jehoshaphat

thumb|King Jehoshaphat, from the Stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral#Rose|north rose window of Chartres Cathedral thumb|Abijah of Judah|Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat, by [[Lucas van Leyden]] Jehoshaphat (; alternatively spelled Jehosaphat, Jehosophat, Josaphat, or Yehoshafat; ; ; ), according to the Hebrew Bible, was the son of Asa, and the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah, in succession to his father. His children included Jehoram, who succeeded him as king. His mother was Azubah. Historically, his name has sometimes been connected with the Valley of Josaphat.

== Reign == thumb|Statues of Kings Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah at El Escorial, Spain 2 Chronicles chapters 17 to 21 are devoted to the reign of Jehoshaphat. First Kings treats him more briefly: 1 Kings 15:24 mentions him as successor to Asa, and 1 Kings 22:1–50 summarizes the events of his life. The Jerusalem Bible states that "the Chronicler sees Asa as a type of the peaceful, Jehoshaphat of the strong king". According to these passages, Jehoshaphat ascended the throne at the age of thirty-five and reigned for twenty-five years. He "walked in the ways" of his father or ancestor, King David. He spent the first years of his reign fortifying his kingdom against the Kingdom of Israel. His zeal in suppressing the idolatrous worship of the "high places" is commended in 2 Chronicles 17:6.