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Matthew George Easton

Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition (1897) · 3,964 entries on site

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Jehoaddan

Jehovah his ornament, the wife of King Jehoash, and mother of King Amaziah ( 2 Kings 14:2 ).

Jehoahaz

Jehovah his sustainer, or he whom Jehovah holdeth. (1.) The youngest son of Jehoram, king of Judah ( 2 Chr. 21:17 ; 22:1 , 6 , 8 , 9 ); usually Ahaziah (q.v.). (2.) The son and successor of Jehu, king of Israel ( 2 Kings 10:35 ). He reigned seventeen years, and followed the evil ways of the house of Jeroboam. The Syrians, under Hazael and Benhadad, prevailed over him, but were at length driven out of the land by his son Jehoash (13:1-9, 25). (3.) Josiah’s third son, usually called Shallum ( 1 Chr. 3:15 ). He succeeded his father on the throne, and reigned over Judah for three months ( 2 Kings 23:31 , 34 ). He fell into the idolatrous ways of his predecessors (23:32), was deposed by Pharaoh-Necho from the throne, and carried away prisoner into Egypt, where he died in captivity (23:33, 34; Jer. 22:10-12 ; 2 Chr. 36:1-4 ).

Jehoash

Jehovah-given. (1.) The son of King Ahaziah. While yet an infant, he was saved from the general massacre of the family by his aunt Jehosheba, and was apparently the only surviving descendant of Solomon ( 2 Chr. 21:4 , 17 ). His uncle, the high priest Jehoiada, brought him forth to public notice when he was eight years of age, and crowned and anointed him king of Judah with the usual ceremonies. Athaliah was taken by surprise when she heard the shout of the people, “Long live the king;” and when she appeared in the temple, Jehoiada commanded her to be led forth to death ( 2 Kings 11:13-20 ). While the high priest lived, Jehoash favoured the worship of God and observed the law; but on his death he fell away into evil courses, and the land was defiled with idolatry. Zechariah, the son and successor of the high priest, was put to death. These evil deeds brought down on the land the judgement of God, and it was oppressed by the Syrian invaders. He is one of the three kings omitted by Matthew (1:8) in the genealogy of Christ, the other two being Ahaziah and Amaziah. He was buried in the city of David ( 2 Kings 12:21 ). (See JOASH [4].) (2.) The son and successor of Jehoahaz, king of Israel ( 2 Kings 14:1 ; comp. 12:1; 13:10). When he ascended the throne the kingdom was suffering from the invasion of the Syrians. Hazael “was cutting Israel short.” He tolerated the worship of the golden calves, yet seems to have manifested a character of sincere devotion to the God of his fathers. He held the prophet Elisha in honour, and wept by his bedside when he was dying, addressing him in the words Elisha himself had used when Elijah was carried up into heaven: “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.” He was afterwards involved in war with Amaziah, the king of Judah ( 2 Chr. 25:23-24 ), whom he utterly defeated at Beth-shemesh, on the borders of Dan and Philistia, and advancing on Jerusalem, broke down a portion of the wall, and carried away the treasures of the temple and the palace. He soon after died (B.C. 825), and was buried in Samaria ( 2 Kings 14:1-17 , 19 , 20 ). He was succeeded by his son. (See JOASH [5.].)

Jehoiada

Jehovah-known. (1.) The father of Benaiah, who was one of David’s chief warriors ( 2 Sam. 8:18 ; 20:23 ). (2.) The high priest at the time of Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne of Judah. He married Jehosheba, or Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram ( 2 Chr. 22:11 ), and took an active part along with his wife in the preservation and training of Jehoash when Athaliah slew all the royal family of Judah. The plans he adopted in replacing Jehoash on the throne of his ancestors are described in 2 Kings 11:2 ; 12:2 ; 2 Chr. 22:11 ; 23:24 . He was among the foremost of the benefactors of the kingdom, and at his death was buried in the city of David among the kings of Judah ( 2 Chr. 24:15 , 16 ). He is said to have been one hundred and thirty years old.

Jehozabad

Jehovah-given. (1.) The son of Obed-edom ( 1 Chr. 26:4 ), one of the Levite porters. (2.) The son of Shomer, one of the two conspirators who put king Jehoash to death in Millo in Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 12:21 ). (3.) 2 Chr. 17:18 .

Jeroboam

Increase of the people. (1.) The son of Nebat ( 1 Kings 11:26-39 ), “an Ephrathite,” the first king of the ten tribes, over whom he reigned twenty-two years (B.C. 976-945). He was the son of a widow of Zereda, and while still young was promoted by Solomon to be chief superintendent of the “burnden”, i.e., of the bands of forced labourers. Influenced by the words of the prophet Ahijah, he began to form conspiracies with the view of becoming king of the ten tribes; but these having been discovered, he fled to Egypt ( 1 Kings 11:29-40 ), where he remained for a length of time under the protection of Shishak I. On the death of Solomon, the ten tribes, having revolted, sent to invite him to become their king. The conduct of Rehoboam favoured the designs of Jeroboam, and he was accordingly proclaimed “king of Israel” ( 1 Kings 12 : 1-20). He rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of his kingdom. He at once adopted means to perpetuate the division thus made between the two parts of the kingdom, and erected at Dan and Bethel, the two extremities of his kingdom, “golden calves,” which he set up as symbols of Jehovah, enjoining the people not any more to go up to worship at Jerusalem, but to bring their offerings to the shrines he had erected. Thus he became distinguished as the man “who made Israel to sin.” This policy was followed by all the succeeding kings of Israel. While he was engaged in offering incense at Bethel, a prophet from Judah appeared before him with a warning message from the Lord. Attempting to arrest the prophet for his bold words of defiance, his hand was “dried up,” and the altar before which he stood was rent asunder. At his urgent entreaty his “hand was restored him again” ( 1 Kings 13:1-6 , 9 ; comp. 2 Kings 23:15 ); but the miracle made no abiding impression on him. His reign was one of constant war with the house of Judah. He died soon after his son Abijah ( 1 Kings 14:1-18 ). (2.) Jeroboam II., the son and successor of Jehoash, and the fourteenth king of Israel, over which he ruled for forty-one years, B.C. 825-784 ( 2 Kings 14:23 ). He followed the example of the first Jeroboam in keeping up the worship of the golden calves ( 2 Kings 14:24 ). His reign was contemporary with those of Amaziah ( 2 Kings 14:23 ) and Uzziah (15:1), kings of Judah. He was victorious over the Syrians (13:4; 14:26, 27), and extended Israel to its former limits, from “the entering of Hamath to the sea of the plain” (14:25; Amos 6:14 ). His reign of forty-one years was the most prosperous that Israel had ever known as yet. With all this outward prosperity, however, iniquity widely prevailed in the land ( Amos 2:6-8 ; 4:1 ; 6:6 ; Hos. 4:12-14 ). The prophets Hosea (1:1), Joel (3:16; Amos 1:1 , 2 ), Amos (1:1), and Jonah ( 2 Kings 14:25 ) lived during his reign. He died, and was buried with his ancestors (14:29). He was succeeded by his son Zachariah (q.v.). His name occurs in Scripture only in 2 Kings 13:13 ; 14:16 , 23 , 27 , 28 , 29 ; 15:1 , 8 ; 1 Chr. 5:17 ; Hos. 1:1 ; Amos 1:1 ; 7:9 , 10 , 11 . In all other passages it is Jeroboam the son of Nebat that is meant.

Joash

Whom Jehovah bestowed. (1.) A contracted form of Jehoash, the father of Gideon ( Judg. 6:11 , 29 ; 8:13, 29, 32). (2.) One of the Benjamite archers who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:3 ). (3.) One of King Ahab’s sons ( 1 Kings 22:26 ). (4.) King of Judah ( 2 Kings 11:2 ; 12:19 , 20 ). (See JEHOASH [1].) (5.) King of Israel ( 2 Kings 13:9 , 12 , 13 , 25 ). (See JEHOASH [2].) (6.) 1 Chr. 7:8 . (7.) One who had charge of the royal stores of oil under David and Solomon ( 1 Chr. 27:28 ).

Jozachar

Jehovah-remembered, one of the two servants who assassinated Jehoash, the king of Judah, in Millo ( 2 Kings 12:21 ). He is called also Zabad ( 2 Chr. 24:26 ).

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