Shaphat

Shaphat is best known as a father. When the LORD tells Elijah whom to anoint as prophet, the word is “Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah.” Elijah finds him “plowing with twelve yoke of oxen” and casts his mantle upon him. Later, a servant of the king of Israel speaks of “Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.” The same name belongs to another man, who was over the herds in the valleys in 1 Chronicles 27. Start with 1 Kings 19 to watch the call happen.

4 verses

1 Kings

1 Kings 19:16

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

1 Kings 19:19

So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

2 Kings

2 Kings 3:11

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 27:29

And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Judge. (1.) One of the spies. He represented the tribe of Simeon (Num. 13:5).

(2.) The father of Elisha (1 Kings 19:16-19).

(3.) One of David’s chief herdsmen (1 Chr. 27:29).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(judge). 1.The Simeonite spy, son of Hori. (Numbers 13:5) (B.C. 1490).

(1.) The father of the prophet Elisha. (1 Kings 19:18,19; 2 Kings 3:11; 6:31) (B.C. before 900.)

(2.) One of the six sons of Shemaiah in the royal line of Judah. (1 Chronicles 3:22) (B.C. 350.)

(3.) One of the chiefs of the Gadites in Bashan. (1 Chronicles 5:12) (B.C. 750.)

(4.) The son of Adlai, who was over David’s oxen in the valleys. (1 Chronicles 27:29) (B.C. 1020.)