Original Word: יָקִים
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yaqiym
Pronunciation: yah-KEEM
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-keem')
KJV: Jakim
NASB: Jakim
Word Origin: [from H6965 (קוּם - arose)]

1. he will raise
2. Jakim, the name of two Israelites

Jakim

From quwm; he will raise; Jakim, the name of two Israelites -- Jakim. Compare Yhowyaqiym.

see HEBREW quwm

see HEBREW Yhowyaqiym

Word Origin
from qum
Definition
"He lifts up," two Isr.
NASB Translation
Jakim (2).

יָקִים proper name, masculine (he lifteth up; compare Sabean proper name יהקם Hal¹⁵¹); — Ιακειμ, A (Deuteronomy 24:12) Ελιακειμ:

1 Benjamite 1 Chronicles 8:19.

2 Levite 1 Chronicles 24:12.

Name and Meaning

Yaquim embodies the idea of God’s power to “raise up” or “establish.” In Scripture a personal name is never a mere label; it frequently becomes a lens through which the reader perceives the Lord’s redemptive purpose. The two bearers of this name signal different but complementary arenas in which the Lord raises up His servants: the civic life of a tribe and the liturgical life of the sanctuary.

Biblical Occurrences

1. 1 Chronicles 8:19 – listed among the sons of Jeroham of the tribe of Benjamin.
2. 1 Chronicles 24:12 – named as the twelfth priestly division in David’s organization of the sons of Aaron.

Place within the Benjamite Genealogy

Benjamin’s genealogy in 1 Chronicles 8 stretches from the patriarchal period into the early monarchy, showing that the Lord preserved even the smallest tribe after the trauma of Judges 19–21. By including “Jakim” in the record of post-exilic returnees, the Chronicler testifies that God indeed “raised up” descendants of Benjamin when survival looked impossible. The name, situated among ordinary clansmen, underscores that divine faithfulness is worked out in everyday families, not only through celebrated heroes such as Saul, Jonathan, or Mordecai.

Role in the Priestly Divisions

1 Chronicles 24 presents David, “full of days, riches, and honor,” setting the house of God in order for Solomon’s reign. Verse 12 assigns “the twelfth to Jakim.” The rotation system kept the sanctuary continually staffed while preventing burnout and favoritism. By receiving a full lot, the division of Jakim is placed on equal footing with the more famous courses of Jehoiarib or Abijah (Luke 1:5). This parity foreshadows the New-Covenant priesthood of all believers: every course, however unheralded, must be ready when called, confident that “God is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown for His name” (Hebrews 6:10).

Theological and Ministry Significance

1. Preservation and Restoration: Both references appear in passages concerned with continuity—genealogies after exile and priestly organization before the Temple was built. Yaquim therefore becomes a quiet witness that the Lord resurrects institutions (tribe, priesthood) that seem fractured.
2. Order in Worship: The twelfth course illustrates that worship which pleases God is orderly (1 Corinthians 14:40) and sustained across generations, qualities indispensable to congregational life today.
3. Hidden Faithfulness: Like many biblical names that flash by quickly, Jakim’s obscurity reminds the reader that God’s account advances through faithful servants who rarely make headlines. The ministry of presence, punctuality, and reliability in the service of God is itself a testimony that He “raises up” laborers for His harvest (Matthew 9:38).

Practical Applications

• Encourage unnamed volunteers: their steady service is as essential as that of public leaders.
• Teach church officers to plan for future generations; David’s scheduling of Jakim’s course models strategic foresight.
• Strengthen assurance in seasons of decline: the God who raised up Jakim’s line will preserve His people today.

וְיָקִ֥ים ויקים לְיָקִ֖ים ליקים lə·yā·qîm leyaKim ləyāqîm veyaKim wə·yā·qîm wəyāqîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts