Meaning
What does Jumping Jehoshaphat mean?
Jumping Jehoshaphat is a popular mild oath, similar to Gee Willikers or Geez Louise, used as an exclamation of surprise, bewilderment and astonishment.
Origin
What's the origin of Jumping Jehoshaphat?
“Jumping Jehoshaphat”, like many other minced oaths, originates from the 19th century, at which point in history, humanity was in awe of the many ways they may evade invoking the forbidden names of sacred figures.
Although the exact date and location concerning the origin of “Jumping Jehoshaphat” is not known, it was most certainly created in the mid 1800’s.
The phrase itself refers to the biblical king of Judah, King Jehoshaphat, who appears in the Book of Kings.
Spread & Usage
How did Jumping Jehoshaphat spread?
“Jumping Jehoshaphat” gained popularity in the 20th century, especially due to the influence of Loony Tunes, where the phrase is frequently uttered by Yosemite Sam, also known from one of the earliest records of the phrase Hold my beer in popular culture.
It was brought out from the darkness of forgotten memories in 2015, when it was included in an episode of the YouTube series Red vs. Blue, uploaded to the platform on March 8th, by Rooster Teeth Animation.
External resources
- Csmonitor.com – Who is Jehoshaphat and why is he jumping?