יְהוֹשַׁבְעַת (ye.ho.shav.at)
ye.ho.shav.at
Jehoshabeath
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 Jehoshabeath, appearing in 2 Chronicles 22:11, is an alternate spelling for the more common form Jehosheba (Strong’s H3089). It identifies a woman of the tribe of Judah during the divided monarchy, specifically as the daughter of King Joram and Queen Athaliah. The name itself carries the meaning "Jehovah is an oath," reflecting a theological declaration embedded in personal identity.
Scripture records her as the sister of Ahaziah and the wife of Jehoiada the high priest. Her historical significance lies in her role during the usurpation by her mother, Athaliah. As the sources note, she is the one who secretly rescued the infant Joash from the royal massacre, hiding him in the temple to preserve the Davidic line. The variation between Jehoshabeath and Jehosheba illustrates how proper names were sometimes adapted in different biblical books while referring to the same individual.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Jehoshabeath means "Jehovah is an oath." In 2 Chronicles 22:11, this woman steps into a moment of extreme danger to protect the future of God’s people. When her mother, Queen Athaliah, sought to destroy the royal family, Jehoshabeath acted in secret. She hid the infant Joash, preserving the Davidic line against all odds.
Her story reminds us that faithfulness often looks like quiet courage. It does not always require a loud voice or a public stage. Sometimes it means making a hard choice to protect what is sacred when everyone else is looking away. Her actions show how God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways to keep His promises alive.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Jehoshabeath2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְהוֹשַׁבְעַ֨ת1×
- יְהוֹשַׁבְעַ֣ת1×
Key Verses
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II Chronicles 22:11
But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him.
This verse records her specific act of rescuing Joash, showing how the meaning of her name—Jehovah is an oath—is fulfilled through her faithful preservation of the royal heir.