Jehohanan
Jehohanan was the father of Ishmael, one of the military leaders who supported Jehoiada in his coup against Athaliah.
Biography
Jehohanan was the father of Ishmael, one of five military commanders who allied with the high priest Jehoiada in the daring coup that overthrew the usurper Queen Athaliah and restored the Davidic line by crowning the young Joash as king of Judah (2 Chronicles 23:1; 2 Kings 11:4). The commanders recruited Levites and heads of Israelite families throughout the country, stationed troops strategically around the young king, and executed the plan with precision. Though Jehohanan himself is identified only by his paternal relationship to Ishmael, his son's willingness to risk his life for the Davidic covenant line reflects a household marked by commitment to legitimate Yahwistic kingship against the claims of an illegitimate usurper.
Significance
Jehohanan's significance lies in the pivotal role his son Ishmael played in preserving the Davidic dynasty at its most vulnerable moment. When Athaliah seized the throne and attempted to eliminate every member of the royal seed, Jehoiada's conspiracy, in which Ishmael son of Jehohanan was a key instrument, protected the line through which the messianic promises would ultimately be fulfilled. The restoration of Joash as rightful Davidic king was thus a redemptive-historical event of the first order, ensuring the continuity of God's covenant with David (2 Samuel 7). Jehohanan's household, as part of this action, participated unknowingly in the preservation of the messianic lineage.
Verse Appearances (1)
2Chr
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]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]