יְהוֹשֶׁבַע (ye.ho.she.va)
ye.ho.she.va
Jehosheba
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
The name Jehosheba, meaning "Yahweh has sworn," identifies a royal woman in the turbulent period of the divided monarchy. She was the daughter of King Joram and Queen Athaliah of Judah, making her a princess by birth. Despite her lineage, she played a critical role in preserving the Davidic line when her mother seized power and murdered her own family members.
According to 2 Kings 11:2, Jehosheba acted with courage during this crisis. As the sister of the slain heir Ahaziah, she secretly rescued his infant son, Joash, hiding him in the temple under the protection of her husband, the high priest Jehoiada. The Chronicler records an alternate spelling for her name, Jehoshabeath, in 2 Chronicles 22:11, but both forms point to the same historical figure who safeguarded the future king from Athaliah’s purge.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Jehosheba means "Yahweh has sworn," a reminder that God’s promises endure even when human power crumbles. In a time of terror, when her mother Athaliah sought to destroy the royal line, Jehosheba acted with quiet courage. She did not wait for permission or safety; she simply rescued the infant Joash and hid him in the temple. Her actions show that faithfulness often looks like simple, brave obedience in the face of overwhelming odds.
This story encourages us when we feel powerless against injustice or fear. Jehosheba’s life reminds us that God preserves His people through ordinary acts of love and protection. We do not need to be leaders or warriors to make a difference; sometimes, just safeguarding what is precious to God is enough. Her hidden work ensured the future of the Davidic line, showing that God sees and honors faithful hearts even in secret.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Jehosheba1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְהוֹשֶׁ֣בַע1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 11:2
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
This verse captures Jehosheba’s decisive action in rescuing Joash from Athaliah’s purge, highlighting her role as a protector of the Davidic covenant.