יְהוֹרָם
Jehoram, the name of a Syrian and of three Israelites
Definition
Jehoram (יְהוֹרָם) is a proper name meaning 'Yahweh is exalted' or 'Yahweh has raised up.' It refers to four distinct individuals in the Old Testament: 1) Jehoram, son of Ahab and king of Israel (2 Kings 3:1), who reigned during the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. 2) Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat and king of Judah (2 Kings 8:16), whose reign was marked by apostasy. 3) A son of Toi, king of Hamath (2 Samuel 8:10), a Syrian ally of David. 4) A Levite in the time of David (1 Chronicles 26:25). The name is sometimes shortened to Joram (e.g., 2 Kings 8:21).
Biblical Usage
The name appears 25 times, primarily in the historical books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and 1-2 Samuel. It is used to identify specific kings of Israel and Judah, a foreign ally, and a Levite. In narrative contexts, it distinguishes between the Israelite king Jehoram (son of Ahab) and the Judean king Jehoram (son of Jehoshaphat), often in accounts of war, prophecy, and political alliance (e.g., 2 Kings 3:6, 8:29). The shortened form 'Joram' is used interchangeably, especially in the story of Jehu's coup (2 Kings 9:15-24).
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhōvâ, H3068), the covenant name of God, and רוּם (rûm, H7311), meaning 'to be high, exalted, or raised up.' Thus, it literally means 'Yahweh is exalted' or 'Yahweh has raised.' It is a theophoric name, common in Israel, expressing devotion to Yahweh. The variant יוֹרָם (Yôrâm, H3141) is a shortened form with the same meaning.
Semantic Range
As a theophoric name ('Yahweh is exalted'), it reflects the Israelite practice of acknowledging God's sovereignty in personal identity. The contrasting lives of the kings who bore this name—one in Israel (involved with the prophets) and one in Judah (noted for wickedness)—highlight the biblical theme that bearing God's name does not guarantee faithfulness. The name serves as a reminder that exalting Yahweh is the true calling of His people, a standard against which these historical figures were measured.
In ancient Israel, names often carried significant meaning and were thought to reflect character or destiny. 'Jehoram' is a royal name, indicating parents' hope that the child would be raised up or exalted by Yahweh. The use of the divine name (Yahweh) in it signifies covenant identity. The existence of both a Syrian and Israelite with this name may indicate cultural exchange or the recognition of Yahweh's authority beyond Israel in certain diplomatic contexts.
יוֹרָם (Yôrâm, H3141) — A shortened, alternate form of the same name, used interchangeably in the biblical text.
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.
Full methodology & sources →