Lexical Summary Yehosheba: Jehosheba Original Word: יְהוֹשֶׁבַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jehosheba From Yhovah and shaba'; Jehovah-sworn; Jehosheba, an Israelitess -- Jehosheba. Compare Yhowshab'ath. see HEBREW Yhovah see HEBREW shaba' see HEBREW Yhowshab'ath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Yhvh and shaba Definition "the LORD is an oath," wife of Jehoiada the priest NASB Translation Jehosheba (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יְהוֺשֶׁ֫בַע, יְהוֺשַׁבְעַת proper name, feminine (׳י is an oath; compare אֱלִישֶׁבַע) — daughter of Joram of Judah, & wife of Jehoiada the priest; יְהוֺשֶׁבַע 2 Kings 11:2 (ᵐ5 Ἰωσαβεε, Ἰωσαβεθ); = יְהוֺשַׁבְעַת2Chronicles 22:11 (twice in verse) (ᵐ5 Ἰωσαβεε). יְהוֺשַׁבְעַת see foregoing. Topical Lexicon Name and Significance Jehosheba bears a compound name that joins the covenant name of the Lord with a verb of solemn promise, reminding readers that the God who swears is the God who keeps. Her very identity anticipates the steadfast loyalty she will display toward the covenant line of David. Historical Setting The events involving Jehosheba unfold in the dark days following the death of King Ahaziah of Judah (circa 841 BC). The northern kingdom had long been plagued by dynastic violence, but now a similar crisis erupts in Judah when Athaliah, the idolatrous daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, seizes the throne and begins exterminating the male heirs of David (2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22–23). Family Connections Jehosheba is a daughter of King Jehoram of Judah, half-sister to the slain King Ahaziah, and thus an aunt to the endangered royal offspring. Her marriage to Jehoiada the high priest unites royal blood with priestly calling—a providential alliance that equips her for the lifesaving mission ahead. The Act of Deliverance “Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So they hid him from Athaliah, and he was not killed” (2 Kings 11:2). Risking her own life, she removes the infant Joash from the slaughter and shelters him in a concealed chamber of the temple precincts for six years. Her intervention preserves the only surviving male descendant of David, maintaining the unbroken line that the Lord had pledged would culminate in the Messiah (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89:3-4). Consequences for the Davidic Covenant The survival of Joash safeguards God’s promise that “your house and your kingdom will endure before Me forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Jehosheba’s courage therefore becomes an indispensable link in redemptive history, keeping open the lineage that leads to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:6-16; Luke 3:23-31). Foreshadowing of Priest-King Unity By birth a princess and by marriage joined to the high priest, Jehosheba embodies the meeting of crown and miter later perfected in the person of Jesus, the ultimate Priest-King (Hebrews 7:1-2). Her role in protecting Joash prefigures the union of royal and priestly offices that will converge in the Messiah. Ministry Lessons 1. Covenant loyalty may require hidden, costly obedience. Key References 2 Kings 11:1-3; 2 Chronicles 22:10 – 23:3 (parallel account, Jehoshabeath); 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89:3-4; Matthew 1:6-16; Hebrews 7:1-2. Legacy in Later Tradition Jewish midrash celebrates Jehosheba’s bravery, while early Christian writers cite her as an exemplar of providential faithfulness. She stands alongside Esther and Rahab as a woman whose decisive action preserved the messianic hope for future generations. Forms and Transliterations יְהוֹשֶׁ֣בַע יהושבע yə·hō·wō·še·ḇa‘ yehoSheva yəhōwōšeḇa‘Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 11:2 HEB: וַתִּקַּ֣ח יְהוֹשֶׁ֣בַע בַּת־ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־ NAS: But Jehosheba, the daughter of King KJV: But Jehosheba, the daughter of king INT: took Jehosheba the daughter of King 1 Occurrence |
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