1 Kings 22:46

And the remnant of the Sodomites which remained in the dayes of his father Asa, he tooke out of the land. 1 Kings 22:46 (KJV)

This verse is part of the historical account of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa and ruled over Judah from approximately 873 to 849 BC. According to 1 Kings 22:46, Jehoshaphat removed the remnant of the sodomites from the land. The term “sodomites” in this context refers to male cult prostitutes associated with pagan worship, known in Hebrew as qedeshim. These individuals were involved in religious practices that violated Mosaic Law (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13), which prohibited such activities as abominations against God’s design for human sexuality.

Asa, Jehoshaphat’s father, had previously taken steps to remove idolatrous practices from Judah (1 Kings 15:12; 2 Chronicles 15:16), but some remnants of these practices persisted into Jehoshaphat’s reign. By eliminating the remaining sodomites, Jehoshaphat continued his father’s reforms, demonstrating a clear commitment to upholding God’s commandments and maintaining spiritual purity in the kingdom. This decisive action underscores the broader biblical emphasis on leadership accountability in enforcing divine standards and preserving covenant faithfulness.

The passage therefore highlights two intertwined themes: the necessity of removing cultic sexual immorality that corrupts worship, and the responsibility of a king to enforce the law of God for the benefit of the nation. Jehoshaphat’s removal of the sodomite remnant serves as a concrete example of how a ruler can act to protect the community from practices that are expressly condemned in the Law, thereby safeguarding the holiness of Israel and honoring the covenant relationship with the Lord.