יוֹזָכָר
Jozacar, an Israelite
Definition
Jozacar is a proper name given to an Israelite in the Old Testament. The name means 'Yahweh has remembered' or 'Jehovah-remembered,' signifying a divine act of remembrance or favor. In the biblical record, Jozacar is specifically identified as one of the two servants of King Joash of Judah who conspired against and assassinated him (2 Kings 12:21). This single narrative occurrence defines his identity and role within the history of the Judean monarchy.
Biblical Usage
The name Jozacar is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 12:21 (2 Chronicles 24:26 records the same individual but uses the variant name 'Zabad'). It appears in the historical narrative describing the tragic end of King Joash's reign. The usage is strictly as a personal identifier for one of the king's conspirators, with no other contextual applications or patterns in other books.
Etymology
The name Jozacar (יוֹזָכָר, Yôwzâkâr) is a compound Hebrew name derived from two elements: the theophoric element 'Yo-' (a shortened form of Yahweh, H3068) and the verb 'zakar' (זָכַר, H2142), meaning 'to remember.' Thus, the name literally translates to 'Yahweh has remembered.' It belongs to a common class of Hebrew names that express faith in God's attentive care and action.
Semantic Range
While the individual Jozacar plays a negative role in the biblical narrative, his name carries significant theological weight. It reflects the foundational Israelite belief in a personal God who remembers His covenant and His people (e.g., Genesis 8:1, Exodus 2:24). The irony of a man named 'Yahweh has remembered' participating in regicide highlights the complex interplay between divine providence and human moral failure in the historical books.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive and carried meaning about character, destiny, or divine action. A name like Jozacar, invoking Yahweh's remembrance, was likely given with hope for God's blessing and protection upon the child. The act of conspiring against a king, anointed by God, was considered a grave offense against both the monarchy and divine order.
Zabad (זָבָד, H2066) — The variant name for the same individual recorded in 2 Chronicles 24:26. Jehozabad (יְהוֹזָבָד, H3075) — Another name with a similar theophoric ('Yeho-') element, meaning 'Yahweh has bestowed.'
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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