Jehoshaphat יהושפט
king of Judah for twenty-five years; he sent teachers of Torah through the towns
Jehoshaphat became king at thirty-five and reigned twenty-five years. In his third year he sent officers through the towns of Judah together with Levites and priests, and they «taught in Judah, having the book of the Lord's Torah with them, and went about through all the cities of Judah and taught the people» (2 Chronicles 17:7–9). He also set judges in every fortified city with the words: «Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord» (19:6).
The other half of his record came out worse: he allied himself by marriage with the house of Ahab, marrying his son Jehoram to Athaliah, Ahab's daughter, and went with Ahab to war at Ramoth-Gilead, where he nearly died. The prophet Jehu son of Hanani met him with: «Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?» It is this marriage that will lead, a generation later, to Athaliah destroying the royal line. AM 3022–3047 traditionally, 870–848 BCE academically.
On the timeline
Sources
Tanakh
- Melachim I (1 Kings) 22 — the alliance with Ahab and the war for Ramoth-Gilead
- 2 Chronicles 17:7–9 — those sent to teach Torah through the towns of Judah
- 2 Chronicles 19:5–7 — judges in every fortified city and his charge to them
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.