Joash
“Jehovah is strong or whom Jehovah hastens to help”
Summary
A Hebrew name meaning 'Jehovah is strong' or 'whom Jehovah hastens to help,' borne by eight different men in the Old Testament including two kings—one of Judah who repaired the Temple, and one of Israel who visited the dying Elisha.
☩King of Judah
Joash (also called Jehoash) was the only surviving descendant of Solomon's line when his grandmother Athaliah attempted to destroy all the royal seed after Ahaziah's death. As an infant, he was hidden in the Temple for six years by his aunt Jehosheba, wife of the high priest Jehoiada. At age seven, Jehoiada orchestrated a revolution that placed Joash on the throne and executed Athaliah. During Jehoiada's lifetime, Joash did what was right, zealously repairing the Temple that had fallen into disrepair. However, after Jehoiada's death, the king yielded to corrupt princes who led him back to idolatry. When Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, prophetically rebuked this apostasy, Joash commanded that he be stoned in the Temple court. This ungrateful murder was later referenced by Jesus (Matthew 23:35). Divine judgment came through a Syrian invasion; Joash bought off Hazael with Temple treasures, was wounded in battle, and ultimately assassinated by his own servants after a reign of forty years (878-838 BC).
☩King of Israel
Another Joash was king of Israel, son and successor of Jehoahaz, reigning for sixteen years (840-825 BC). Though he continued in Jeroboam's sinful ways, he showed respect for the dying prophet Elisha, weeping over him and calling him 'the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof'—the same words Elisha had used of Elijah. Elisha directed Joash to shoot an arrow eastward and then to strike the ground with arrows; when Joash struck only three times, the prophet rebuked him, declaring he would defeat Syria only thrice rather than utterly destroying them. These victories came to pass, and Joash recovered the cities that Hazael had taken from Israel. He also defeated Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh, broke down Jerusalem's wall, and plundered the Temple and palace treasures.
☩Father of Gideon
Joash of Ophrah was an Abiezrite chieftain of the tribe of Manasseh and father of Gideon the judge. Though he had an altar to Baal and an Asherah pole on his property—conforming to popular idolatry during the Midianite oppression—he defended his son when Gideon destroyed these objects. His witty response to the angry townsmen revealed either growing faith or shrewd pragmatism: 'Will you plead for Baal? If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because someone has broken down his altar.' He thereby gave Gideon the surname Jerubbaal, meaning 'let Baal contend against him.'
☩Other Individuals
Several other men bore this name: a son of Ahab who held some subordinate jurisdiction as 'the king's son' and had custody of the prophet Micaiah; a descendant of Shelah who 'had dominion in Moab'; a Benjamite warrior who joined David at Ziklag, skilled in using both right and left hands; a son of Becher in the tribe of Benjamin; and an official in charge of David's royal stores of oil.
Related Verses58 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Joash," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Joash," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Joash," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).