Original Word: יוֹאָשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yow'ash
Pronunciation: yo-AHSH
Phonetic Spelling: (yo-awsh')
KJV: Joash
Word Origin: [a form of H3060 (יְהוֹאָשׁ - Joash)]

1. Joash, the name of six Israelites

Joash

Or Yoash (2 Chron. 24:1) {yo-awsh'}; a form of Yhow'ash; Joash, the name of six Israelites -- Joash.

see HEBREW Yhow'ash

Word Origin
the same as Yehoash, q.v.

Overview

The personal name Joash occurs roughly forty-seven times in the Old Testament and is borne by at least eight distinct individuals spread across the tribal families of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim–Manasseh, and the northern kingdom of Israel. The contexts range from royal courts to rural homesteads, from the early judges period through the divided monarchy. Together these references illustrate recurring themes of covenant faithfulness, the perils of syncretism, and the sovereignty of the LORD in raising up leaders for His purposes.

Joash, King of Judah (2 Kings 11–12; 2 Chronicles 22:10–24:27)

• Preservation and Coronation. As an infant, Joash escaped Queen Athaliah’s murderous purge through the guardianship of Jehosheba and the priest Jehoiada. Hidden six years in the Temple precincts, he was publicly crowned at age seven, accompanied by covenant renewal between king, priesthood, and people (2 Kings 11:17).
• Early Reform. “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days that Jehoiada the priest instructed him” (2 Kings 12:2). His chief achievement was financing and supervising the repair of Solomon’s Temple. A dedicated chest for freewill offerings (2 Kings 12:9–16) displays both administrative wisdom and popular support for true worship.
• Later Apostasy. After Jehoiada’s death, the king abandoned the LORD, tolerated idolatry, and silenced prophetic correction. When Jehoiada’s son Zechariah prophesied against the nation, Joash consented to his stoning “in the courtyard of the house of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 24:21).
• Downfall. The nation’s spiritual collapse produced political weakness. Hazael of Aram raided Judah; Joash surrendered Temple treasures to buy temporary relief (2 Kings 12:17–18). Finally, disgruntled servants assassinated him. Chronicles stresses divine retribution for the shedding of innocent blood.
• Significance. Joash’s reign warns that borrowed spirituality—dependent on external mentors rather than personal conviction—cannot sustain lifelong obedience. The shattered Temple courtyard where Zechariah fell mirrors the fractured covenant relationship of an unfaithful king.

Joash (Jehoash), King of Israel (2 Kings 13–14; 2 Chronicles 25)

• Succession and Setting. Son of Jehoahaz, Joash inherited a kingdom humbled by Aramean oppression.
• Promise of Victory. On Elisha’s deathbed the prophet declared, “You will strike down Aram at Aphek until you put an end to them” (2 Kings 13:17). Joash’s half-hearted compliance—striking the arrows only three times—limited the scope of victory (2 Kings 13:18–19). Yet the LORD graciously granted three successful campaigns, reclaiming Israelite cities (2 Kings 13:25).
• Conflict with Judah. Amaziah of Judah provoked war; Joash’s parable of the thistle and cedar (2 Kings 14:9) exposed Amaziah’s pride. Israel routed Judah at Beth-shemesh, breached Jerusalem’s wall, and seized gold, silver, and hostages (2 Kings 14:13–14).
• Evaluation. The narrative repeatedly notes that Joash “did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat” (2 Kings 13:11). Military success did not equal covenant fidelity.
• Theological Thread. God’s compassion toward a wayward northern king, prompted by Elisha’s prophetic intercession, highlights divine mercy within judgment (2 Kings 14:26–27).

Joash the Abiezrite, Father of Gideon (Judges 6–8)

• Household Context. Living in Ophrah of Manasseh, Joash owned an idolatrous altar to Baal and an Asherah pole.
• Gideon’s Nighttime Destruction. After Gideon toppled these cultic symbols, townsmen demanded his death. Joash’s decisive reply turned the tables: “If Baal is truly a god, let him contend for himself” (Judges 6:31). Gideon thus received the nickname Jerub-baal, “Let Baal contend.”
• Impact. Joash’s shift from syncretistic landowner to defender of the LORD’s deliverer marks a household revival that parallels Israel’s larger deliverance from Midianite oppression.

Other Individuals Named Joash

• Joash of Shemaah the Gibeathite, one of the Benjamite archers who defected to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3).
• Joash, son of Becher, listed among the heads of Benjamin’s clans (1 Chronicles 7:8).
• Joash, overseer of the royal storehouses of oil under David’s unified monarchy (1 Chronicles 27:28).
• Joash, descendant of Shelah through Jokim, noted among post-exilic Judean colonists (1 Chronicles 4:22).
• An additional Joash appears in the mixed genealogies of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:12) and possibly among those connected with Jerahmeel (textual variants place the name in some manuscripts).

Though minor, these entries underscore the name’s popularity and demonstrate its spread across tribal boundaries and occupational roles—from military service to civil administration.

Patterns and Theological Reflections

1. Deliverance Motif: Whether through Gideon’s household purge of Baalism or Elisha’s promise of victory to the northern king, Joash figures stand at turning points where the LORD rescues His people.
2. Dependency on Godly Counsel: Both royal Joashes thrived when guided by faithful mentors (Jehoiada; Elisha) and drifted when those voices fell silent. Scriptural writers thereby affirm Proverbs 11:14, “Victory is won through many counselors.”
3. Covenant Accountability: Assassination ends both kings named Joash—illustrating the biblical principle that covenant unfaithfulness eventually invites divine and societal judgment.
4. Hope beyond Human Failure: Even amid apostasy, God preserved David’s line through infant Joash, prefiguring His ultimate commitment to keep messianic promises (2 Samuel 7:13). The preservation of the royal seed amid murderous intrigue foreshadows the greater preservation of the promised Messiah.

Practical Implications for Faith and Ministry

• Spiritual heritage demands personal ownership; borrowed zeal fades when mentors depart.
• Reform must reach the heart, not merely the structures of worship. Restored temples or reclaimed cities cannot substitute for covenant obedience.
• God’s mercy persists amid human shortcomings, offering renewed opportunity to return to Him.
• Leadership that begins in humility must guard against pride (Amaziah) and complacency (Judah’s Joash) to finish well.

Key References

Judges 6–8; 2 Kings 11–14; 2 Chronicles 22–25; 1 Chronicles 4:22; 1 Chronicles 7:8; 1 Chronicles 12:3; 1 Chronicles 27:28.

וְיוֹאָ֗שׁ וְיוֹאָ֧שׁ ויואש יֹאָ֣שׁ יאש יוֹאָ֔שׁ יוֹאָ֖שׁ יוֹאָ֛שׁ יוֹאָ֡שׁ יוֹאָ֣שׁ יוֹאָ֤שׁ יוֹאָ֥שׁ יוֹאָ֨שׁ יוֹאָֽשׁ׃ יוֹאָשׁ֙ יואש יואש׃ לְיוֹאָ֖שׁ לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ ליואש lə·yō·w·’āš leyoAsh ləyōw’āš veyoAsh wə·yō·w·’āš wəyōw’āš yō’āš yō·’āš yō·w·’āš yoAsh yōw’āšInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts