יְהוֹסֵף
Jehoseph (i.e. Joseph), a son of Jacob
Definition
יְהוֹסֵף (Yᵉhôwçêph) is the full, formal Hebrew name for Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob and first son of Rachel. It is a theophoric name meaning 'Yahweh has added' or 'may Yahweh add,' expressing gratitude for God's provision of a child. This specific spelling appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Psalm 81:5, where it poetically refers to the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) in the context of God's deliverance from Egypt. The more common, shortened form of the name is יוֹסֵף (Yôçêph, H3130), used throughout the narratives of Genesis, Exodus, and beyond.
Biblical Usage
This word is used a single time in the Old Testament, in Psalm 81:5. Its usage is poetic and liturgical, functioning as a solemn, formal reference to the patriarch Joseph and, by extension, the tribes descended from him (Ephraim and Manasseh). The psalmist uses this fuller, more reverent form to evoke the covenant history of Israel, specifically God's testimony and law established during the Exodus when Joseph's descendants were a leading tribe.
Etymology
The name יְהוֹסֵף is a compound name, derived from two elements: the divine name יְהוֹ (Yaho, a short form of Yahweh) and the verb יָסַף (yāsap̱, H3254), meaning 'to add,' 'increase,' or 'do again.' It is the elongated, explicitly theophoric variant of the more common יוֹסֵף (Yôçêph, H3130). The name's meaning, 'Yahweh has added,' directly reflects the context of Joseph's birth in Genesis 30:24, where Rachel gives thanks to God for removing her disgrace and granting her a son.
Semantic Range
The name יְהוֹסֵף theologically underscores God's faithful provision and addition to His covenant people. Its single biblical occurrence in a psalm of remembrance highlights Joseph as a key figure in salvation history—the one preserved by God to save his family (Genesis 45:5-7) and thus ensure the survival of the Israelite tribes. Understanding this fuller form enriches reading by connecting the individual patriarch directly to Yahweh's active role in fulfilling promises, and it serves as a poetic reminder in worship of God's past deliverance.
In ancient Israelite culture, names carried significant meaning and often recorded a theological truth or a circumstance of birth. The use of the divine element (Yaho) in a personal name was an act of piety and identification, publicly associating the individual and their family with Yahweh. The shift from the narrative form (Yôçêph) to this formal, liturgical form (Yᵉhôwçêph) in Psalm 81:5 reflects a ceremonial or poetic context where the full weight of the name's covenantal meaning was invoked.
יוֹסֵף (Yôçêph, H3130) — The standard, shortened form of the name Joseph, used hundreds of times throughout the biblical narrative.
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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