יְהוֹעַדִּין
Jehoaddin or Jehoaddan, an Israelitess
Definition
יְהוֹעַדִּין (Yᵉhôwʻaddîyn) is a proper noun referring to a woman named Jehoaddin or Jehoaddan, an Israelite queen mother. She is identified as the mother of King Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:2, 2 Chronicles 25:1). The name appears in two variant forms in the biblical text, but both refer to the same historical person. As the mother of a king, she held the influential position of 'gebirah' or queen mother in the royal court of Judah.
Biblical Usage
This name is used exclusively in two parallel passages describing the lineage of King Amaziah. In 2 Kings 14:2, she is called יְהוֹעַדִּין (Jehoaddin), while in 2 Chronicles 25:1, she is called יְהוֹעַדָּן (Jehoaddan). Both references serve the same purpose: to identify Amaziah's mother as part of the standard formula for introducing a new Judahite king's reign. The variation in spelling may reflect different textual traditions or dialectical differences in recording the name.
Etymology
The name derives from the Hebrew elements יְהוֹ (Yᵉhô), a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (H3068), and either עָדַן (ʻādan, H5727) meaning 'to delight' or 'pleasure,' or possibly from a related root. Thus, the name means 'Yahweh delights' or 'Yahweh is pleased.' It is a theophoric name, common in Judah, expressing a positive relationship between the individual (or the parents who named the child) and God.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not central to major doctrines, it exemplifies the Judahite practice of using Yahweh-based (theophoric) names, reflecting personal or familial devotion. Her role as queen mother (gebirah) connects to the biblical theme of maternal influence in the Davidic line, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). Understanding her name ('Yahweh delights') subtly contrasts with the narrative of her son Amaziah, whose reign ended in failure and assassination, highlighting that a godly name does not guarantee a godly legacy.
As the mother of a king (gebirah), Jehoaddin held a position of significant honor and potential influence in the royal court of Judah, though the biblical text does not detail her actions. The variation in her name's spelling between the books of Kings and Chronicles is not unusual for ancient transcriptions of personal names. It underscores that precise vocalization was sometimes fluid, though the core meaning and identity remained consistent.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper name. Other queen mothers in the Davidic line include: מַעֲכָה (Maʿăḵâ, H4601) — mother of King Abijah/Asa; and נְעַמָּה (Nᵉʿammâ, H5279) — mother of King Rehoboam.
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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