יְדִידָה
Jedidah, an Israelitess
Definition
Jedidah is the name of the mother of King Josiah of Judah, mentioned only in 2 Kings 22:1. The name is a feminine proper noun meaning 'beloved' or 'darling,' derived from the Hebrew root for love and affection. As the mother of a significant reforming king, her name is recorded in the royal genealogy, highlighting her role in the Davidic line. No other meanings or biblical references exist for this specific name.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 22:1, to identify the mother of King Josiah: 'Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.' It functions solely as a personal name within a historical, genealogical context.
Etymology
Jedidah (יְדִידָה) is the feminine form of the Hebrew word יְדִיד (yᵉdîyd, H3039), which means 'beloved,' 'darling,' or 'friend.' It is directly derived from the root ידד (y-d-d), associated with love and affection. The name shares a conceptual connection with the name David (דָּוִד, dāwiḏ, H1732), which also relates to belovedness.
Semantic Range
While primarily a personal name, Jedidah's connection to the root for 'beloved' subtly underscores themes of divine favor and covenant love within the lineage of Judah. As the mother of Josiah, a king noted for his righteousness and religious reforms (2 Kings 22-23), her name may symbolically reflect the Lord's cherished relationship with the Davidic line, even during periods of national decline. Understanding its meaning enriches the perception of God's ongoing, loving commitment to His promises through specific individuals.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. Giving a daughter the name Jedidah ('Beloved') expressed parental affection and hope. Its use in a royal genealogy indicates it was a recognized personal name, and recording the mother's name (less common than the father's) in 2 Kings 22:1 may signal Jedidah's own notable lineage or the importance of Josiah's reign.
יְדִיד (yᵉdîyd, H3039) — The masculine form, meaning 'beloved' or 'friend,' used as a descriptive term (e.g., Deuteronomy 33:12). דּוֹד (dôwd, H1730) — A term for beloved, often used in romantic contexts like the Song of Solomon. אָהַב (ʾāhaḇ, H157) — The primary verb 'to love,' representing the action rather than the state of being beloved.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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