Ἰωρείμ
Jorim
Definition
Ἰωρείμ (Jorim) is a proper masculine noun used exclusively in the New Testament to identify an individual in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. It appears only in Luke 3:29, where Jorim is listed as a son of Matthat and the father of Eliezer. As a genealogical entry, the name serves to connect Jesus' lineage back through King David to the patriarchs, specifically within the line traced through Nathan, a son of David. The name itself is of Hebrew origin, and its inclusion functions solely to establish a historical and ancestral link.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the New Testament, in Luke 3:29. It appears in the context of Luke's detailed genealogy of Jesus, which works backward from Jesus to Adam. Jorim is one name in a long list of ancestors, and its usage is purely for genealogical record-keeping within that specific literary structure.
Etymology
The name Ἰωρείμ (Iōreim) is a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew name, likely derived from the Hebrew name 'Yoram' (יוֹרָם), meaning 'Yahweh is exalted.' It is imported directly into the Greek text of Luke's Gospel to preserve the ancestral name within the genealogy.
Semantic Range
While the name Jorim itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion in Luke's genealogy (Luke 3:23-38) is theologically significant. It contributes to the demonstration of Jesus' genuine humanity and his legal descent from King David, fulfilling Old Testament messianic promises (e.g., 2 Samuel 7:12-16). Understanding that this is a specific, historical person underscores the Gospel's claim that Jesus' incarnation occurred within real human history and a specific family line.
In first-century Jewish culture, genealogies were of paramount importance for establishing lineage, tribal identity, inheritance rights, and in this case, messianic claims. The preservation of a name like Jorim, likely for many generations, highlights the cultural value placed on ancestral records. For Luke's original audience, a detailed genealogy validated Jesus' credentials as the Messiah descended from David.
There are no direct synonyms, as this is a unique proper name. Other names in the same genealogical list serve a similar function but refer to different individuals (e.g., Ἀδμίν (Admin, G78), Ἀρνί (Arni, G689)).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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