Josaphat

Josaphat is a given name and, in some contexts, a place-name. It is a Latinized form of the Hebrew Yehoshafat, traditionally meaning “Yahweh judges.” The spelling Josafat, Josafat, or Josafat are variants used in different languages and historical sources.

In the Hebrew Bible, Jehoshaphat was a king of the Kingdom of Judah, reportedly ruling in the late 9th century BCE. He is depicted as pursuing religious reforms to restore the worship of Yahweh, strengthening Judah’s defenses, and forming an alliance with the northern kingdom under Ahab. The period includes notable political and military maneuvering and a famous alliance with Israel that is described in biblical narrative.

The name also appears in biblical geography as the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a location in the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem. In Christian tradition, this valley is associated with future judgment and the gathering of the nations, and it features in various liturgical and devotional contexts.

Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych (1580–1623) is a prominent figure associated with the name. He was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishop of Polotsk who promoted church unity with Rome and faced martyrdom amid anti-union tensions. He was canonized by the Catholic Church in the 19th century, and he is venerated in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic communities. His life has inspired churches and religious institutions named in his honor.

Today, Josaphat remains in use as a personal name in Eastern European and Christian communities. The spelling variants Josafat and Josafat are encountered in historical texts and translations, reflecting linguistic and regional differences in the name’s transmission.