Hoshama
Hoshama was a descendant of Jeconiah, the exiled king of Judah, according to the genealogy in 1 Chronicles.
Biography
Hoshama was a member of the royal Davidic line, listed in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3:18 as one of the sons of Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin), the king of Judah who was deported to Babylon in 597 BC. His name means 'whom the Lord has heard,' a name of hope embedded in a genealogy shaped by exile. Hoshama appears alongside six brothers, Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, and Nedabiah, forming part of the exilic branch of David's lineage. Though no individual deeds are attributed to him in Scripture, his place in the Davidic genealogy was significant, as this lineage carried the covenant promises God had made to David regarding an enduring dynasty.
Significance
Hoshama's significance lies not in his individual acts but in his position within the unbroken chain of Davidic descent preserved through the Babylonian exile. The Chronicler's meticulous preservation of this genealogy through the darkest period of Israel's history reflects a theological conviction: God's covenant with David had not been annulled by exile. The Davidic line to which Hoshama belonged would eventually lead to Zerubbabel and, through centuries of providential preservation, to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:12). Hoshama thus represents one link in the genealogical thread that carried messianic hope through catastrophe, bearing silent witness that God's purposes are not thwarted by human failure or national disaster.
Verse Appearances (1)
1 Chronicles
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]