Zebadiah (son of Ishmael)

Biblical Record

Zebadiah appears only once, in 2 Chronicles 19:11. King Jehoshaphat appointed judges in every fortified city of Judah. In Jerusalem he appointed some of the Levites, the priests, and the heads of the families of Israel to handle matters of the law of the LORD and disputes among the people (2 Chronicles 19:4–11). The king placed Amariah the chief priest over "all matters of the LORD," and "Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah," over "all the king's matters." The Levites were to serve as officers before them. Scripture records nothing about Zebadiah's birth, his other activities, or his death.

Significance in Scripture

In the passage describing Jehoshaphat's reorganization of the judicial system, Zebadiah is the official responsible for practical administration, named alongside the chief priest. This section does not appear in the account of Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings and is found only in 2 Chronicles. The New Testament does not mention him.

Interpretation and Discussion

• Many commentators read the distinction between "matters of the LORD" and "the king's matters" as a division of responsibility between religious affairs and royal or administrative affairs. Some cite this distinction as a starting point for reflecting on the distinction between the roles of religion and the state. The text, however, does not specify the precise scope of either sphere.
• Several people named "Seubadya" appear in the Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul). These include a son of David (2 Samuel 3:4), a Levite whom Jehoshaphat sent to teach the people (2 Chronicles 17:8), and a son of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:2). All of them are distinct from the subject of this article. Individuals distinguished by different names in English Bibles (Zebadiah and Shephatiah) are all rendered "Seubadya" in the Korean Revised Version.
• He is also distinct from the prophet Zephaniah, whose name is similar in Korean.

In the Korean Church

Sermons or Sunday school lessons devoted specifically to Zebadiah appear to be rare. He is generally mentioned only in passing in treatments of passages on Jehoshaphat's reforms.