Jehoshaphat is the son of King Asa. He was twenty-five years old when he began his rule in Jerusalem. He started his reign strengthening himself against Israel, placing soldiers in all the cities of Judah, fortifying them, and set up garrisons in land the Judah. Seeing that he was following in the ways of David, God placed the fate of his kingdom in his hands.

All of Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat and great riches and honor as well. He learned the Book of the Law and went about the cities of Judah and taught the people of God’s Law. When his conquest started he had an army of 1,160,000.

Because of a marriage he formed an alliance with Ahab who was the current King of Israel. He had a feast with him in Samaria, at which they plotted a war against Ramoth-gilead. There he would be protected by God but Ahab would die.

He would reform Judah the Levite clan by appointing priests and heads of families to Israel to give judgments before the Lord and to decide disputes. Unfortunately he would side with Ahaziah the new King of Israel, who was a wicked man. He built ships to do battle with Tarshish but they would meet a watery grave. That loss would prove to be the end of his rule. He would be buried with his fathers in city of David.