Who was Joahaz in the Bible?

Joahaz was the father of Joah, who served as a royal secretary during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. His son Joah was responsible for managing the funds for the temple repairs (2 Chronicles 34:8).

Why is Joahaz mentioned in the Bible?

Joahaz is mentioned to establish the lineage and credibility of his son, Joah, a key official. His mention highlights the organized administration under King Josiah during a major religious reform and restoration project.

What was Joahaz's role in the temple repairs?

Joahaz himself had no direct role; his significance comes from being the father of the official in charge. His son, Joah, was the secretary who supervised the financial collection and distribution for renovating the temple (2 Chronicles 34:8-13).

Joahaz

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleKingFather

Joahaz was the father of Joah, who served as King Josiah's secretary during the temple repairs (2Ch.34.8).

Joahaz

Biography

Joahaz is known from Scripture solely as the father of Joah, the recorder who served under King Josiah during the pivotal temple restoration of 621 BC (2 Chronicles 34:8). His name, a variant of Jehoahaz meaning "Yahweh has grasped" or "Yahweh holds fast," suggests a family with genuine Yahwistic devotion deeply woven into their identity. Although Joahaz himself plays no active role in the biblical narrative, his significance lies in having fathered a son who occupied a position of senior administrative importance at the court of one of Judah's greatest reforming kings, a position that placed his son at the center of the most consequential religious event of the late monarchic period.

Significance

Joahaz illustrates one of Scripture's recurring patterns: a parent whose primary recorded contribution is raising a child who serves God faithfully in a consequential role. His son Joah stood at the administrative center of Josiah's reformation, the event that culminated in the recovery of the Torah scroll and a sweeping national covenant renewal before God. The biblical mention of Joahaz by name, even though he himself held no prominent recorded office, reflects the Chronicler's conviction that parentage and lineage carry theological meaning in the covenant community. His legacy is his son's faithfulness, a reminder that godly parenting participates across generations in God's unfolding redemptive purposes.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 34:8

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]

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