Jehoahaz
(whom the Lord sustains). The son and successor of jehu, reigned 17 years, B.C. 856-840, over Israel in Samaria. His inglorious history is given in ( 2 Kings 13:1-9 ) Throughout his reign, ver. ( 2 Kings 13:22 ) he was kept in subjection by Hazael king of Damascus. Jehoahaz maintained the idolatry of Jeroboam; but in the extremity of his humiliation he besought Jehovah, and Jehovah gave Israel a deliverer—probably either Jehoash, vs. ( 2 Kings 13:23 ) and 2Kin 13:25 Or Jeroboam II., ( 2 Kings 14:24 , 25 ) Jehoahaz, otherwise called Shallum, son of Josiah, whom he succeeded as king of Judah. He was chosen by the people in preference to his elder (comp. ( 2 Kings 23:31 ) and 2Kin 23:36 ) brother, B.C. 610, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. Pharaoh-necho sent to Jerusalem to depose him and to fetch him to Riblah. There he was cast into chains, and from thence he was taken into Egypt, where he died. The name given, ( 2 Chronicles 21:17 ) to Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram king of Judah.
Jehoiada
(Jehovah knows). Father of Benaiah, David’s well-known warrior. ( 2 Samuel 8:18 ) 1Kin 1 and 2 passim ; ( 1 Chronicles 18:17 ) etc. (B.C. before 1046.) Leader of the Aaronites, i.e. the priests; who joined David at Hebron. ( 1 Chronicles 12:27 ) (B.C. 1053-46.) According to ( 1 Chronicles 27:34 ) son of Benaiah; but in all probability Benaiah the sons of Jehoiada is meant. Probably an error in copying. ( 1 Chronicles 18:17 ; 2 Samuel 8:18 ) High priest at the time of Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne of Judah, B.C. 884-878, and during the greater portion of the forty-years reign of Joash. He married Jehosheba; and when Athaliah slew all the seed royal to Judah after Ahaziah had been put to death by Jehu, he and his wife stole Joash from among the king’s sons and hid him for six years in the temple, and eventually replaced him on the throne of his ancestors. [ Athaliah ] The destruction of Baal-worship and the restoration of the temple were among the great works effected by Jehoiada. He died B.C. 834. Second priest, or sagan, to Seraiah the high priest. ( Jeremiah 29:25-29 ; 2 Kings 25:18 ) Son of Paseach, who assisted to repair the old gate of Jerusalem. ( Nehemiah 3:6 )
Jehonadab
(whom Jehovah impels) and Jon’adab, the son of Rechab, founder of the Rechabites, an Arab chief. When Jehu was advancing, after the slaughter of Betheked, on the city of Samaria, he was suddenly met by Jehonadab, who joined with him in “slaying all that remained unto Ahab.” ( 2 Kings 10:15-17 )
Jehoram
(whom Jehovah has exalted). Son of Ahab king of Israel, who succeeded his brother Ahaziah B.C. 896, and died B.C. 884. The alliance between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, commenced by his father and Jehoshaphat, was very close throughout his reign. We first find him associated with Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom in a war against the Moabites. The three armies were in the utmost danger of perishing for want of water. The piety of Jehoshaphat suggested an inquiry of Jehovah, thorough Elisha. After reproving Jehoram, Elisha, for Jehoshaphat’s sake, inquired of Jehovah, and received the promise of an abundant supply of water, and of a great victory over the Moabites; a promise which was immediately fulfilled. The allies pursued them with great slaughter into their own land, which they utterly ravaged and destroyed most of its cities. Kirharaseth alone remained, the there the king of Moab made his last stand. An attempt to break through the besieging army having failed, he resorted to the desperate expedient of offering up his eldest son, as a burnt offering, upon the wall of the city, in the sight of the enemy. Upon this the Israelites retired and returned to their own land. ( 2 Kings 3:1 ) ... A little later, when war broke out between Syria and Israel, we find Elisha befriending Jehoram; but when the terrible famine in Samaria arose, the king immediately attributed the evil to Elisha, and determined to take away his life. The providential interposition by which both Elisha’s life was saved the city delivered is narrated ( 2 Kings 7:1 ) ... and Jehoram appears to have returned to friendly feeling toward Elisha. ( 2 Kings 8:4 ) It was soon after these vents that the revolution in Syria predicted by Elisha took place, giving Jehoram a good opportunity of recovering Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians. he accordingly made an alliance with his nephew Ahaziah, who had just succeeded Joram on the throne of Judah, and the two kings proceeded to occupy Ramoth-gilead by force. The expedition was an unfortunate one. Jehoram was wounded in battle, and obliged to return to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds. ( 2 Kings 8:29 ; 9:14 , 15 ) jehu and the army under his command revolted from their allegiance to Jehoram, ( 2 Kings 9:1 ) ... and hastily marching to Jezreel, surprised Jehoram, wounded and defenseless as he was. Jehoram, going out to meet him, fell pierced by an arrow from Jehu’s bow on the very plot of ground which Ahab had wrested from Naboth the Jezreelite; thus fulfilling to the letter the prophecy of Elijah. ( 1 Kings 21:29 ) With the life of Jehoram ended the dynasty of Omri. Eldest son of Jehoshaphat, succeeded his father on the throne of Judah at the age of 32, and reigned eight years, from B.C. 893-2 to 885-4. As soon as he was fixed on the throne, he put his six brothers to death, with many of the chief nobles of the land. He then, probably at the instance of his wife Athaliah the daughter of Ahab, proceeded to establish the worship of Baal. A prophetic writing from the aged prophet Elijah, ( 2 Chronicles 21:12 ) failed to produce any good effect upon him. The remainder of his reign was a series of calamities. First the Edomites, who had been tributary to Jehoshaphat, revolted from his dominion and established their permanent independence. Next Libnah, ( 2 Kings 19:8 ) rebelled against him. Then followed invasion by armed bands of Philistines and of Arabians, who stormed the king’s palace, put his wives and all his children, except his youngest son Ahaziah, to death, ( 2 Chronicles 22:1 ) or carried them into captivity, and plundered all his treasures. he died of a terrible disease. ( 2 Chronicles 21:19 , 20 )
Jehoshaphat
(whom Jehovah judges.) King of Judah, son of Asa, succeeded to the throne B.C. 914, when he was 35 years old, and reigned 25 years. His history is to be found among the events recorded in ( 1 Kings 15:24 ; 2 Kings 8:16 ) or in a continuous narrative in ( 2 Chronicles 17:1 ; 2 Chronicles 21:3 ) He was contemporary with Ahab, Ahaziah and Jehoram. He was one of the best, most pious and prosperous kings of Judah, the greatest since Solomon. At first he strengthened himself against Israel; but soon afterward the two Hebrew kings formed an alliance. In his own kingdom Jehoshaphat ever showed himself a zealous follower of the commandments of God: he tried to put down the high places and groves in which the people of Judah burnt incense, and sent the wisest Levites through the cities and towns to instruct the people in true morality and religion. Riches and honors increased around him. He received tribute from the Philistines and Arabians, and kept up a large standing army in Jerusalem. It was probably about the 16th year of his reign, B.C. 898, when he became Ahab’s ally in the great battle of Ramoth-gilead, for which he was severely reproved by Jehu. ( 2 Chronicles 19:2 ) He built at Ezion-geber, with the help of Ahaziah, a navy designed to go to Tarshish; but it was wrecked at Ezion-geber. Before the close of his reign he was engaged in two additional wars. He was miraculously delivered from a threatened attack of the people of Ammon, Moab and Seir. After this, perhaps, must be dated the war which Jehoshaphat, in conjunction with Jehoram king of Israel and the king of Edom, carried on against the rebellious king of Moab. ( 2 Kings 3:1 ) ... In his declining years the administration of affairs was placed, probably B.C. 891, in the hands of his son Jehoram. Son of Ahilud, who filled the office of recorder of annalist in the courts of David, ( 2 Samuel 8:16 ) etc., and Solomon. ( 1 Kings 4:3 ) One of the priests in David’s time. ( 1 Chronicles 15:24 ) Son of Paruah; one of the twelve purveyors of King Solomon. ( 1 Kings 4:17 ) Son of Nimshi and father of King Jehu. ( 2 Kings 9:2 , 14 )
Jehu
(the living). The founder of the fifth dynasty of the kingdom of Israel, son of Jehoshaphat. ( 2 Kings 9:2 ) He reigned over Israel 28 years, B.C. 884-856. His first appearance in history is when he heard the warning of Elijah against the murderer of Naboth. ( 2 Kings 9:25 ) In the reigns of Ahaziah and Jehoram, Jehu rose to importance. He was, under the last-named king, captain of the host in the siege of Ramoth-gilead. During this siege he was anointed by Elisha’s servant, and told that he was appointed to be king of Israel and destroyer of the house of Ahab. ( 2 Kings 9:12 ) The army at once ordained him king, and he set off full speed for Jezreel. Jehoram, who was lying ill in Jezreel, came out to meet him, as it happened on the fatal field of Naboth. ( 2 Kings 9:21-24 ) Jehu seized his opportunity, and shot him through the heart. ( 2 Kings 9:24 ) Jehu himself advanced to the gates of Jezreel and fulfilled the divine warning on Jezebel as already on Jehoram. He then entered on a work of extermination hitherto unparalleled in the history of the Jewish monarchy. All the descendants of Ahab that remained in Jezreel, together with the officers of the court and the hierarchy of Eastward, were swept away. His next step was to secure Samaria. For the pretended purpose of inaugurating anew the worship of Baal, he called all the Bailouts together at Samaria. The vast temple raised by Ahab, ( 1 Kings 16:32 ) was crowded from end to end. The chief sacrifice was offered, as if in the excess of his zeal, by Jehu himself. As soon as it was ascertained that all, and none but, the idolaters were there, the signal was given to eighty trusted guards, and sweeping massacre removed at one blow the whole heathen population of the kingdom of Israel. This is the last public act recorded of Jehu. The remaining twenty-seven years of his long reign are passed over in a few words, in which two points only are material:—He did not destroy the calf-worship of Jeroboam:— The transjordanic tribes suffered much from the ravages of Hazael. ( 2 Kings 10:29-33 ) He was buried in state in Samaria, and was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz. ( 2 Kings 10:35 ) His name is the first of the Israelite kings which appears in the Assyrian monuments. Jehu son of Hanani; a prophet of Judah, but whose ministrations were chiefly directed to Israel. His father was probably the seer who attacked Asa. ( 2 Chronicles 16:7 ) He must have begun his career as a prophet when very young. He first denounced Baasha, ( 1 Kings 16:1 , 7 ) and then, after an interval of thirty years, reappeared to denounce Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab. ( 2 Chronicles 19:2 , 3 ) He survived Jehoshaphat and wrote his life. ch. ( 2 Chronicles 20:34 ) A man of Judah of the house of Hezron. ( 1 Chronicles 2:38 ) A Simeonite, son of Josibiah. ( 1 Chronicles 4:35 ) Jehu the Antothite was one of the chief of the heroes of Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag. ( 1 Chronicles 12:3 )
Jehubbah
(protected), a man of Asher, son of Shamer or Shomer, of the house of Beriah. ( 1 Chronicles 7:34 ) (B.C. perhaps about 1450.)
Jehucal
(able), son of Shelemiah; one of two persons sent by King Zedekiah to Jeremiah to entreat his prayers and advice. ( Jeremiah 37:3 ) (B.C. 589.)
Jehud
(praised), one of the towns of the tribe of Dan, ( Joshua 19:45 ) named between Baalath and Bene-berak.
Jehudi
(a Jew), son of Nethaniah, a man employed by the princes of Jehoiakim’s court to fetch Baruch to read Jeremiah’s denunciation, ( Jeremiah 36:14 ) and then by the king to fetch the volume itself and read it to him. vs. ( Jeremiah 36:21 , 23 ) (B.C. 605.)
Jehudijah
(the Jewess). There is really no such name in the Hebrew Bible as that which our Authorized Version exhibits at ( 1 Chronicles 4:18 ) If it is a proper name at all, it is Ha-jehudijah, like Hammelech, Hak-koz, etc.; and it seems to be rather an appellative, “the Jewess.”
Jehush
(to whom God hastens), son of eshek, a remote descendant of Saul. ( 1 Chronicles 8:39 )
Jeroboam
(whose people are many). The first king of the divided kingdom of Israel, B.C. 975-954, was the son of an Ephraimite of the name of Nebat. He was raised by Solomon to the rank of superintendent over the taxes and labors exacted from the tribe of Ephraim. ( 1 Kings 11:28 ) he made the most of his position, and at last was perceived by Solomon to be aiming at the monarchy. He was leaving Jerusalem, when he was met by Ahijah the prophet, who gave him the assurance that, on condition of obedience to his laws, God would establish for him a kingdom and dynasty equal to that of David. ( 1 Kings 11:29-40 ) The attempts of Solomon to cut short Jeroboam’s designs occasioned his flight into Egypt. There he remained until Solomon’s death. After a year’s longer stay in Egypt, during which Jeroboam married Ano, the elder sister of the Egyptian queen Tahpenes, he returned to Shechem, where took place the conference with Rehoboam [ Rehoboam ], and the final revolt which ended in the elevation of Jeroboam to the throne of the northern kingdom. Now occurred the fatal error of his policy. Fearing that the yearly pilgrimages to Jerusalem would undo all the work which he effected, he took the bold step of rending the religious unity of the nation, which was as yet unimpaired, asunder. He caused two golden figures of Mnevis, the sacred calf, to be made and set up at the two extremities of his kingdom, one at Dan and the other at Bethel. It was while dedicating the altar at Bethel that a prophet from Judah suddenly appeared, who denounced the altar, and foretold its desecration by Josiah, and violent overthrow. The king, stretching out his hand to arrest the prophet, felt it withered and paralyzed, and only at the prophet’s prayer saw it restored, and acknowledged his divine mission. Jeroboam was at constant war with the house of Judah, but the only act distinctly recorded is a battle with Abijah, son of Rehoboam, in which he was defeated. The calamity was severely felt; he never recovered the blow, and soon after died, in the 22d year of his reign, ( 2 Chronicles 13:20 ) and was buried in his ancestral sepulchre. ( 1 Kings 14:20 ) Jeroboam II., the son of Joash, the fourth of the dynasty of Jehu. (B.C. 825-784.) The most prosperous of the kings of Israel. He repelled the Syrian invaders, took their capital city Damascus, ( 2 Kings 14:28 ) and recovered the whole of the ancient dominion from Hamah to the Dead Sea. ch ( 2 Kings 14:25 ) Ammon and Moab were reconquered, and the transjordanic tribes were restored to their territory, ( 2 Kings 13:5 ; 1 Chronicles 5:17-22 ) but it was merely an outward restoration.
Jezebel
(chaste), wife of Ahab king of Israel. (B.C. 883.) She was a Phoenician princess, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians. In her hands her husband became a mere puppet. ( 1 Kings 21:25 ) The first effect of her influence was the immediate establishment of the Phoenician worship on a grand scale in the court of Ahab. At her table were supported no less than 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Eastward. ( 1 Kings 16:31 , 21 ; 18:19 ) The prophets of Jehovah were attacked by her orders and put to the sword. ( 1 Kings 18:13 ; 2 Kings 9:7 ) At last the people, at the instigation of Elijah, rose against her ministers and slaughtered them at the foot of Carmel. When she found her husband east down by his disappointment at being thwarted by Naboth, ( 1 Kings 21:7 ) she wrote a warrant in Ahab’s name, and sealed it with his seal. To her, and not to Ahab, was sent the announcement that the royal wishes were accomplished, ( 1 Kings 21:14 ) and on her accordingly fell the prophet’s curse, as well as on her husband, ( 1 Kings 21:23 ) a curse fulfilled so literally by Jehu, whose chariot-horses trampled out her life. The body was left in that open space called in modern eastern language “the mounds,” where offal is thrown from the city walls. ( 2 Kings 9:30-37 )
Josibiah
(to whom God gives a dwelling), the father of Jehu, a Simeonite. ( 1 Chronicles 4:35 )