יוֹאָחָז
Joachaz, the name of two Israelites
Definition
Yoachaz (or Jehoahaz) is a proper name meaning 'Yahweh has seized' or 'Yahweh has held.' It refers to two distinct Israelite kings in the Old Testament. The first is Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, who reigned as king of Israel (the northern kingdom) for seventeen years (2 Kings 13:1). His reign was characterized by evil, continuing in the sins of Jeroboam. The second is Jehoahaz, son of King Josiah of Judah, who reigned for only three months before being deposed by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt (2 Chronicles 36:1-4). This latter figure is also called Shallum in Jeremiah 22:11.
Biblical Usage
The name is used exclusively for these two kings in the historical books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. In 2 Kings, it refers to the northern king of Israel (2 Kings 13:1-9, 22). In 2 Chronicles, it refers to the southern king of Judah, the son of Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:8, 36:1-4). The usage pattern shows the name's association with royal figures during periods of national decline and foreign oppression for both kingdoms.
Etymology
The name יוֹאָחָז (Yôwʼâchâz) is a contracted form of the longer name יְהוֹאָחָז (Yᵊhôwʼâchâz, H3059), which combines the divine name Yahweh (יהוה) with the verb אָחַז (ʼâchaz, H270), meaning 'to seize, grasp, or hold.' Thus, the name signifies 'Yahweh has seized/grasped,' likely implying God's sovereign choice or holding of the individual. It is a theophoric name, common in Judah and Israel, affirming Yahweh's active role.
Semantic Range
The name and the stories of the kings who bore it highlight themes of divine sovereignty and covenant consequences. Both kings reigned during times of national sin and judgment. Their short, troubled reigns—especially the Judahite Jehoahaz's rapid deposition—illustrate the outworking of God's warnings for covenant disobedience (2 Kings 17:7-23; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21). The name itself, 'Yahweh has seized,' stands in ironic contrast to their political powerlessness, pointing to God's ultimate control over kingdoms and history.
In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried significant meaning, reflecting parental hopes or circumstances. A theophoric name like Jehoahaz publicly identified the bearer (and by extension, the royal house) with Yahweh. The fact that both kings bearing this name presided over declining, subjugated kingdoms adds a layer of historical poignancy. The dual usage for kings in both the northern and southern kingdoms also reflects the shared onomastic (naming) traditions of the divided monarchy.
יְהוֹאָחָז (Yᵊhôwʼâchâz, H3059) — The longer, fuller form of the same name. אָחַז (ʼâchaz, H270) — The root verb meaning 'to seize,' from which the name is derived.
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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