Jehosaphat is a proper noun, traditionally a biblical name referencing a king of Judah. In modern usage, it appears as a formal or exclamatory given name or quotation, and is encountered in historical or religious contexts. It is pronounced with multiple syllables and distinctive stress, often used in literary or ceremonial contexts rather than everyday speech.
"Jehosaphat is mentioned in the ancient records as a king who sought guidance from the prophet."
"The pastor cited Jehosaphat as an example of steadfast faith during the sermon."
"In the novel, the scholar pronounced Jehosaphat with careful inflection to honor the character's heritage."
"You might see Jehosaphat used in liturgical settings or in biblical quotations."
Jehosaphat is an anglicized form of the Hebrew name יְהוֹשָׁפָט (Yehōshaphat), composed of two elements: Yehōshaphat means ‘Yahweh has judged’ or ‘Jehovah has judged.’ The root Yehō is the element of the Tetragrammaton used for God, and shaphat means ‘to judge’ or ‘to govern.’ The name appears in the Hebrew Bible as a king of Judah and sometimes appears in later liturgical or literary references. In English, the spelling Jehoshaphat crystallized in the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate translations, with transliterations such as Iēsōsaphat in Greek and Jehosaphat in Latin, eventually becoming Jehosaphat in Early Modern English texts. The pronunciation in English stabilized into jeh-HO-saf-at or jeh-HO-suh-fat in various dialects, with the stress commonly falling on the second or third syllable depending on recitation tradition. The form has appeared consistently in religious and historical literature since the medieval period, maintaining ceremonial resonance in modern times. First known uses can be traced to biblical manuscripts and later English translations during the 1st millennium CE; through the Reformation and beyond, the name persisted in liturgical use, sermon references, and biblical commentary, preserving its sacred linguistic heritage.
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Words that rhyme with "Jehosaphat"
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Pronounce it as jeh-HO-zə-fat (or jeh-HO-sə-fat), with primary stress on the second syllable. In IPA: US dʒɪˈhoʊzəfæt, UK dʒəˈhoʊzəfət, AU dʒɪˈhoːzəfət. Start with the J sound as in 'jar,' then a short 'eh' or 'uh' in the first unstressed syllable, boom into a clear long 'o' in HO, then a soft schwa in zə, and finish with fat. If you’ve heard a variant, it’s usually due to regional vowel length and rhoticity; aim for consistent clarity on the -fat ending.
Common errors include flattening the second syllable so it sounds like jeh-HO-zaf-at with a weak middle vowel, and misplacing stress on the first or last syllable. Another frequent mistake is pronouncing the 'ph' as an f when it should be z-ə as in zayin-ə, and not elongating the initial 'J' or turning it into a hard 'g' sound. Correct by stressing the second syllable, articulating a clear z sound for -z-, and finishing with a crisp -at.
US tends toward dʒɪˈhoʊzəfæt with a slightly reduced first vowel and a rounded, long 'o'; UK often uses dʒəˈhoʊzəfət with a schwa in the first unstressed syllable and a lighter final -ət; in Australian English you’ll hear dʒɪˈhoːzəfət with a slightly more open ːo and a non-rhotic or weak rhotic quality depending on speaker. The key differences are vowel quality (US diphthong vs. UK/AU more centralized) and rhoticity.
It combines multi-syllabic structure with an unusual consonant sequence and a 'z' sound between syllables, plus potential vowel reductions. The stress pattern on the second syllable is crucial; misplacing it changes the word’s cadence and rhythm. Additionally, the 'ph' is not a hard 'f' here but a voiced fricative component in the -zə- portion, so accuracy requires deliberate lip and tongue positioning for sibilant and affricate transitions.
In Jehosaphat, the cluster resembles z-ə as in 'za' rather than a plain 'f' sound. The 'ph' here results in a voiced affricate quality tied to the -z- segment, so think 'z' sound immediately following the long 'o' vowel: je-HO-zə-fat. The important bits are the 'z' leading into the schwa and the crisp final -at.
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