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Discover the meanings of thousands of Biblical names in Abarim Publications' Biblical Name Vault: Joshaphat

Joshaphat meaning

Joshaphat in Biblical Hebrew
יושפט
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Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Joshaphat.html

🔼The name Joshaphat: Summary

Meaning
Yah Has Ruled, Yah Governs
Etymology
From (1) the verb שפט (shapat), to judge or govern, and (2) יו (yu), an alternate of יה (yah), the shortened name of the Lord.
Related names
• Via שפט (shapat): Elishaphat, En-mishpat, Jehoshaphat, Shaphat, Shephatiah, Shiphtan
• Via יה (yah) and יו (yu): See the 'browse by form' menu for a long list of yu-, yah- and yahu-names.

🔼The name Joshaphat in the Bible

The name Joshaphat (a contracted form of the name Jehoshaphat) is assigned to one or two different men in the Bible. The first Joshaphat is a Mithnite, mentioned among the mighty-men of David (1 Chronicles 11:43), who may or may not be the same as Joshaphat number two, a Levite trumpeter mentioned among the musicians who serenade the Ark as David transports it from the house of Obed-edom of Gath to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:24).

🔼Etymology of the name Joshaphat

The name Joshaphat consists of two elements:

1) The name יה (Yah) = יהו (Yahu) = יו (Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton; the name of the Lord: YHWH.

2) The ubiquitous verb שפט (shapat), meaning to judge, or rather: to govern:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary
שפט

The verb שפט (shapat) means to judge or govern. Nouns שפט (shepet) and שפוט (shepot) mean judgment in the penal sense. Noun משפט (mishpat) denotes a ruling in a general sense; an ordinance or even custom or manner.

— See the full Dictionary article —

🔼Joshaphat meaning

For a meaning of the name Joshaphat, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names suggests The Lord Judges. BDB Theological Dictionary reads Yah Hath Judged and NOBSE Study Bible Name List has the similar Yahweh Has Judged.