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Ever hear someone exclaim: Jumpin' Jehosaphat!
I think it is from a Biblical reference to the valley of Meggido or the low plain of Jehoshaphat, which is described in the Revelation as Armageddon. Possibly that's why it is "jumpin'"?
Ever hear of it? Have any ideas?
My first post... glad to have a place to go to like this. Love the podcast!
Hi Sylvia, and welcome to the forum!
The phrase "Jumping Jehoshaphat" isn't used much these days. Take a look at this Google Ngram chart of usage patterns in published books:
http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Jumping+Jehosaphat
For the etymology of that phrase, from what I've read, it is indeed religious in origin. Couldn't find it on any of my favorite etymology sites, but did find this on AnswerBag:
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/190396
This would be a good question for Grant, who is the etymology expert around here. He watches these threads, and might just jump in with some more info.
The Oxford English Dictionary gives no etymology but has this:
orig. U.S.
A biblical name (2 Sam. viii. 16, etc.) used interjectionally as a mild expletive. Freq. jumping Jehoshaphat.1857 S. A. Hammett Sam Slick in Texas xxiv. 161 ‘Jehosophat!'‥‘Easy over the stones, Joe,' ses I.
1866 M. Reid Headless Horseman vi. 39 Geehosofat! what a putty beest it air!
1866 M. Reid Headless Horseman xviii. 100 By the jumpin" Geehosofat, what a gurl she air sure enuf!
1876 W. Besant & J. Rice Golden Butterfly II. xiii. 195 Great Jehoshaphat!‥can"t you see when a gentleman is on the stump?
1898 J. D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 123 ‘Oh, Jehosephat!' cried the old man, with a chuckle.
1935 G. Heyer Death in Stocks iv. 41 ‘Great jumping Jehoshaphat!' he exclaimed. ‘Who did it?'
1972 Guardian 16 Dec. 10/1 Why Jeehosophat, Houston, you surely have hit the jack-rabbit on the head.
Thank you to you both! This is a thoroughly enjoyable information retrieving system! I look forward to further investigations!
Sylvia