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Jaakan 

The meaning of Jaakan is "he twists" 

​JAALA 

The meaning of Jaala is "little goat; mountain goat​" Jaala is the name of a family of temple servants who returned to Jerusalem after their exile (Ezra 2:56) (Nehemiah 7:58).​
The meaning of D is "" ​

​JAANAI (Janai)

The meaning of Janai is "God has answered" ​A chief of a family descended from Gad (1 Chronicles 5:12)​​

​JAARESHIAH (JARESHIAH)

The meaning of Jaareshiah is "whom Jehovah makes fat; Jehovah will nourish" Son of Jeroham. He was a chief of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:27) and lived in Jerusalem.​

​JAaSIEL (JASIEL)

The meaning of Jaasiel is "God's work" The son of Abner (1 Chronicles 27:21) (1 Chronicles 27:21), One of David's body-guard, one of the mighty men of the armies.  ​

​JAASU (JAASAU)

The meaning of Jaasu is "deed; act; work; doing; making" A son of Bani and is mentioned among the men who had married and would divorce their foreign wives during the purge of Ezra (Ezra 10:37).​

​JAAZANIAH (​JEZANIAH)

The meaning of Jaazaniah ​is "May God hear" 
  • Jaazaniah son of Azzur was a leader of Israel and a false prophet whom the prophet Ezekiel sees in a vision of iniquitous elders standing at a gate of the Temple, falsely telling the people that Jerusalem will not be destroyed (Ezekiel 11:1). Son of Azur, and one of the princes who devised mischief and gave wicked counsel to the people (Ezekiel 11:1).​
  •  Son of Hoshaiah, a Maachathite, and a captain among those left in the land by the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:23).
  • A Rechabite, son of Jeremiah: he refused to drink wine, and was blessed for his obedience to his forefathers (Jeremiah 35:3).
  • Son of Shaphan, and leader of the seventy elders who were seen in a vision by Ezekiel offering incense to idols (Ezekiel 8:11).

​JAAZIAH 

The meaning of Jaaziah is "The strength of the Lord" He's mentioned under the descendants of Merari, the son of Levi, and the father of Beno, Shoham, Zaccur and Ibri (1 Chronicles 24:26-28).​

​JAAZIEL 

The meaning of Jaaziel ​is "May the Lord strength" A Levite harp player who accompanied the Ark when it was removed from the house of Obededom (1 Chronicles 15:18) (1 Chronicles 15:20) (1 Chronicles 16:5)​

​JABAL 

The meaning of Jabal is "Which glides away; stream" Jabal, a descendant of Cain, was the son of Lamech and Adah, and the brother of Jubal, half-brother of Tubal-cain and Naamah. He is described as the "ancestor of all who live in tents and raise livestock (Genesis 4:20).​

​JABBOK  

The meaning of Jabbok is "empty itself or from a sound imitating the noise of water flowing over pebbles." ​

​JABESH 

The meaning of Jabesh-Gilead is "dry" Jabez Jabesh-Gilead was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible primarily in connection with King Saul battles against the Ammonites and Philistines (Judges 21:10) (1 Samuel 11:1) (1 Chronicles 10:11).

​JABEZ 

The meaning of Jabez is "he makes sorrowful​; sorrow" Jabez is implied to be ancestor of the Kings of Judah, although not explicitly included in the lineage. Jabez's birth is difficult; for this reason, his mother names him Jabez ​(1 Chronicles 4:10)​. Jabez also established a religious institution for the Levite children of Zipporah. Jabez's most important action is to conquer new territory with divine sanction (1 Chronicles 4:10).

JABIN 

The meaning of Jabin is "God has built; Perceptive, discerner​" A king of Hazor at the time of the entrance of Israel into Canaan (Joshua 11:1 -4), whose overthrow and that of the northern chiefs with whom he had entered into a confederacy against Joshua was the crowning act in the conquest of the land (Joshua 11:21-23).​

​JABNEEL 

The meaning of Jabneel is "Building of God​" A town marking northwestern boundary of tribal territory of Judah in land of Philistines  (Joshua 15:11) (Joshua 19:33). Uzziah took the town, called by the shortened Hebrew form Jabneh, from the Philistines (2 Chronicles 26:6).​

​​JACHAN (JAKAN)

The meaning of Jachan is "Afflicting; troublous" These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz (1 Chronicles 5:13).

​JACOB 

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The meaning of Jacob is "someone who seizes; he who follows upon the heels of one, be behind" Jacob, later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites. Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebecca after 20 years of marriage, when Isaac was 60 years of age (Genesis 25:20). When the time came for Rebecca to give birth, the firstborn, Esau, came out covered with red hair, as if he were wearing a hairy garment, and his heel was grasped by the hand of Jacob, the secondborn  (Genesis 25:26). The boys displayed very different natures as they matured. "... and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27). Esau returned to his twin brother Jacob, famished from the fields. He begs Jacob to give him some "red pottage" (Genesis 25:29), Jacob offers Esau a bowl of lentil stew in exchange for Esau's birthright (Genesis 26:33), the right to be recognized as firstborn son with authority over the family, and Esau agrees. Thus Jacob acquires Esau's birthright. Later Jacob uses deception, motivated by his mother Rebekah, to lay claim to his blind father Isaac's blessing that was inherently due to the firstborn, Esau (Genesis 27:15) (Genesis 27:19). Jacob in an elaborate deception through which Jacob pretends to be Esau, in order to steal from Esau his blessing from Isaac and his inheritance. When Esau learns of his brother's thievery, he is livid and begs his father to undo the blessing. Isaac responds to his eldest son's plea by saying that he only had one blessing to give and that he could not reverse the sacred blessing. Esau is furious and vows to kill Jacob (Genesis 27:41). Jacob flees to a distant land to work for his uncle Laban (Genesis 28:5). Esau marries at the age of forty to two Canaanite women, Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite (Genesis 36:2). Esau was also known as Edom, the progenitor of the Edomites who were established to the south of the Israelites. They were an ancient enemy nation of Israel (Psalm 137:7). But the prophecy of Obadiah insists on the literal "violence done" by Esau "unto your brother Jacob" when the Edomites "entered the gate of my people..., looted his goods..., stood at the parting of the ways to cut off the fugitive,... delivered up his survivors on his day of distress"(Obadiah 10:13-14). ​​

​JADA 

The meaning of Jada is "Wise" Son of Onam  brother of Shammai, and grandson of Jerahmeel by his wife Atarah (1 Chronicles 2:26) (1 Chronicles 2:28) (1 Chronicles 2:32).​

Jaddai (JADAU)

The meaning of Jaddai is "beloved; lovely" A son of Nebo,  among the men who married and divorced their foreign wives (Ezra 10:43).​

​JADON 

The meaning of Jadon is "thankful; God will judge" Jadon the Meronothite was one of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem in the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:7)​

​JADDUA 

The meaning of Jaddua is "known" 

​JAEL 

The meaning of Jael is "Wild mountain goat" The heroine that delivers Israel from the army of King Jabin of Canaan. The Israelite army had been called to battle by God. Barak, the leader of the army, needed some spiritual support to approach the army. He insisted that Deborah, the prophetess and God-appointment judge in Israel, go with him. Deborah prophesied that because of his weak faith, God would give victory through the hand of a woman. The Canaanite army was strong, and had 900 iron chariots. On the day of battle, God caused it to start raining. All the chariots got stuck in the mud. Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army fled from the battle on foot (Judges 4:17). While running away, he found refuge in the tent of a woman (Judges 4:18), Jael. He fell asleep and while he slept, she killed him (Judges 4:21). ​

JAGUR 

The meaning of Jagur is "Fearing; Quarreling; Lodging" A city on the southern border of Judah (Joshua 15:21).​

​JAHATH 

The meaning of Jahath is "Broken in pieces, descending" 

​JAHAZ 

The meaning of Jahaz is "Quarrel, dispute" A town where Sihon was defeated, in the borders of Moab and in the land of the Ammonites beyond Jordan, and north of the river Arnon (Numbers 21:23) (Deuteronomy 2:32). It was situated in the tribe of Reuben, and was assigned to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 13:18) (Joshua 21:36). Here was fought the decisive battle in which Sihon was completely routed, and his territory came into the possession of Israel. This town is mentioned in the denunciations of the prophets against Moab (Isaiah 15:4) (Jeremiah 48:34).​

​JAHZEIAH​ (JAHAZIAH)

The meaning of Jahzeiah is "whom Jehovah beholds; beholden of Jehovah; revelation of Jehovah" Son of Tikvah, he was one of those who were appointed by Ezra to find out which of the returned Jews had taken foreign wives (Ezra 10:15).​

​JAHAZIEL 

The meaning of Jahaziel is "God sees; God looks" 
  • A Kohathite Levite, the third son of Hebron (1 Chronicles 23:19).​
  • A Benjamite chief, one of the heroes of Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:4) (1 Chronicles 24:23).
  • A priest  in the reign of David, who accompanied the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:6).
  • The son of Zechariah, a Levite of the family of Asaph (2 Chronicles 20:14-17). He encouraged Jehoshaphat against the Moabites and Ammonites.
  • The "son of Jahaziel" was the chief of the Bene-Shecaniah who returned from Babylon with Ezra. (Ezra 8:5)

​JAHDAI 

The meaning of Jahdai is "Whom Jehovah directs; Snake charmer" Either a concubine or a descendant of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:46-47). Six sons of Jahdai are Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph (1 Chronicles 2:47).​

​JAHDIEL 

The meaning of Jahdiel is "The unity of God; sharpness of God; revenge of God" A family head of the half-tribe of Manasseh at the time of Israel's deportation to Assyria (1 Chronicles 5:24).​

​JAHDO 

The meaning of Jahdo ​is "I alone; his joy; his sharpness of wit; his newness" He is mentioned in a genealogy of Gad, the seventh son of Jacob and the first one of Zilpah, who became the ancestor of the tribe of Gad of Israel. Jahdo is a son of Buz and the father of Jeshishai (1 Chronicles 5:14).​

​JAHLEEL 

The meaning of Jahleel is "God waits" Jahleel is the third son of Zebulun, who is the tenth son of Jacob and sixth of Leah (Genesis 46:14). Jahleel is also one of the sixty-six who came to Goshen, and his brothers are Sered and Elon (Numbers 26:26).​

​JAHMAI 

The meaning of Jahmai is "whom Jehovah guards; warmth of Jehovah" Son of Tola and grandson of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:2).​

​JAHZEEL (JAHZIEL)

The meaning of Jahzeel is "God hasteth; God divides" Jahzeel is a son of Naphtali, the sixth son of Jacob and the second son of Bilhah, and he is one of the sixty-six proto-Israelites who move to Goshen (Genesis 46:24) (1 Chronicles 7:13). He becomes the patriarch of his own sub-clan of the Jahzeelites (Numbers 26:26).​

​JAHZERAH 

The meaning of Jahzerah is "whom God leads back" The son of Meshullam, and father of Adiel (1 Chronicles 9:12).​

JAIR 

The meaning of Jair is "he's enlightened; he shines" Jair was a man from Gilead of the Tribe of Manasseh, east of the River Jordan, who judged Israel for 22 years, after the death of Tola, who had ruled of 23 years (Judges 10:3). Yair had thirty sons, who rode thirty ass colts, and controlled 30 cities in Gilead which came to be known as Havoth-Yair (Judges 10:4) (1 Chronicles 2:22). Yair died and was buried in Camon, and after his death there were 18 years of infidelity to the God of the Israelites and oppression at the hands of their Philistine and Ammonite neighbour (Judges 10:6-10).​

​JAIRUS 

The meaning of Jairus is "God enlightens" Jairus in the Bible was the father of a 12-year-old girl whom Jesus raised from the dead. Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue of Capernaum. Jairus came to Jesus, pleading with Him to come lay His hands on his only daughter, who was near death. (Mark 5:22) He humbled himself before Jesus, falling down at His feet (Luke 8:41). Jairus expressed faith in Jesus’ ability to heal his child, and Jesus began to follow him home (Mark 5:23–24). As Jesus walked with Jairus, they had to press through a large crowd. In the Bible the description is that “the crowds almost crushed him” (Luke 8:42). In the midst of the crowd, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the hem of his robe, saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed” (Mark 5:28). As Jesus was speaking to the woman, some people from the house of Jairus arrived and told Jairus that his daughter was dead and there was no need to trouble Jesus anymore (Mark 5:35). Jesus overheard the news and gave Jairus two commands and a promise: “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed” (Luke 8:50). The child is not dead but asleep” (Mark 5:39). The mourners turned into scoffers, laughing and making fun of Jesus. Undeterred, Jesus went into the house, taking with Him Jairus and his wife, along with Peter, James, and John (Luke 8:51). Jesus entered the room where Jairus’ daughter lay. He took the dead girl by the hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mark 5:41). Immediately, the girl’s spirit returned (Luke 8:55), and she got up and began walking around (Mark 5:41).  Jesus then commanded Jairus to give his daughter something to eat but not to tell anyone about the miracle (Luke 8:55–56).​

​JAKAN 

The meaning of Jakan is "He that troubleth; ​A wise troubled man" One of relatives of the seven chief men of the tribe of Gad (1 Chronicles 5:11-14)​

​JALAM (​JaALAM)

The meaning of Jalam is "to be hidden" A son of Esau, mentioned as the 2nd son by Oholibamah (Genesis 36:5) (Genesis 36:14) (Genesis 36:18) (1 Chronicles 1:35)​​

​JALON 

The meaning of Jalon is "Calm​" The last-named of the four sons of Ezra, of the tribe of Judah, and apparently of a family kindred with that of Caleb (1 Chronicles 4:16-18).​

​JAKEH 

The meaning of Jakeh is "blameless" The father of Agur, the author of the sayings. A sage of Arab descent and a compiler of a collection of proverbs (Proverbs 30:1)​

​JAKIM 

The meaning of D is "Raised up" 

​JAMBRES 

The meaning of Jambres is "Poverty, bitter, a rebel" Jannes and Jambres are the names given to magicians mentioned in the Book of Exodus, the two were in league with "Belial", who would later be personified as the devil (Exodus 7:10-12). ​

​​JAMES ​(JESUS’ BROTHER)

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​The meaning of James is "supplanter; substitute" Jesus came from a big family. James was a son of Mary and Joseph and therefore a half-brother to Jesus and brother to Joseph, Simon, Judas, and their sisters (Matthew 13:55-56).  James is mentioned a couple of times, but at that time he misunderstood Jesus’ ministry and was not a believer (John 7:2-5). James becomes one of the earliest witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). He then stays in Jerusalem and forms part of the group of believers who pray in the upper room (Acts 1:14). From that time forward, James’ status within the Jerusalem church begins to grow. James is still in Jerusalem when the recently converted Saul arrives to meet with him and Peter (Galatians 1:19). Several years later, when Peter escapes from prison, he reports to James about the miraculous manner of the escape (Acts 12:17). When the Jerusalem Council convenes, James is the apparent chairman (Acts 15:13-19). He is also an elder of the church, called a “pillar” in Galatians 2:9. Later, James again presides over a meeting in Jerusalem, this time after Paul’s third missionary journey. It is believed that James was martyred about A.D. 62. James is traditionally believed to be the author of the Book of James (James 1:1), and he became known as a pillar of the early church along with Peter and John. Some early Christian writings also refer to James the Just as a bishop of Jerusalem. James’ speech at the Jerusalem Council in (Acts 15:14-21) reveals his reliance on Scripture, his desire for peace within the church, his emphasis of grace over the law, and his care for Gentile believers, although he himself ministered almost exclusively to Jewish Christians.

​James son of Alphaeus "THE less"

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The meaning of James is "supplanter; substitute" James, son of Alphaeus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus (Matthew 10:3), and one of three people named James mentioned in the New Testament. He is distinguished from the other James in the Bible by his father’s name Alphaeus. James, son of Alphaeus, is also called “James the Less” (Mark 15:40). The word less should be understood to mean “little” or “younger.” Some Bible versions call him “James the Younger”. (Mark 2:14) has an interesting detail that some connect with James son of Alphaeus: when Jesus calls Matthew (Levi) to follow Him, Levi is described as “the son of Alphaeus.” Some scholars take this to mean that Matthew and James were brothers. This is unlikely, however, because Scripture elsewhere clearly identifies two sets of brothers who followed Jesus: Peter and Andrew (John 1:40), and James and John (Mark 3:17). No such link is ever drawn between Matthew and James. The lack of information about James the son of Alphaeus is a lesson in itself. This James was just as much an apostle as were Peter and John. He will sit on a throne in Jesus’ earthly kingdom (Matthew 19:28) with as much authority and honor as the other apostles. His name will be engraved in a foundation of the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14). James will not be considered “less” in eternity because he was faithful to his calling on earth. 

​JAMES SON OF ZEBEDEE "THE GREATER"

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​The meaning of James is "supplanter; substitute" The son of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 4:21), ​James is styled "the Greater" to distinguish him from the Apostle James "the Less", with "greater" meaning older or taller, rather than more important. James the Great was the brother of John the Apostle. The Synoptic Gospels state that James and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow him (Matthew 4:21-22) (Mark 1:19-20). James, along with his brother John and Peter, formed an informal arrangement among the Twelve Apostles. Jesus allowed them to be the only apostles present at three particular occasions during his public ministry, the Raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37), Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1) and Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). James and John asked Jesus to grant them seats on his right and left in his glory. Jesus rebuked them, asking if they were ready to drink from the cup he was going to drink from and saying the honor was not even for him to grant. The other apostles were annoyed with them (Mark 10:35–45). James and his brother wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan town, but were rebuked by Jesus. (Luke 9:51-56). "Herod the king" had James executed by the sword. (Acts 12:2).

​JAMIN 

The meaning of Jamin is "right hand" 

​JAMLECH 

The meaning of Jamlech is "Reigning; asking counsel" A "prince" or chief of the tribe of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:34).​

Janai (Jaanai) 

The meaning of Janai is "God has answered" ​A chief of a family descended from Gad (1 Chronicles 5:12)​

​​JANiM (JANuM)

​The meaning of Janim is "asleep" A city in Judah, a location mentioned only in Joshua, which places it in the hill-country of Judah, somewhere near Beth-tappuah (Joshua 15:33).​

​JANNA 

The meaning of Janna is "God is gracious" The father of Melchi and son of Joseph, named as the sixth in ascent from Christ on his mother's side (Luke 3:24).​

JANOAH 

The meaning of Janoah is "Quiet; calm; Resting" A town on the north-eastern border of Ephraim, in the Jordan valley (Joshua 16:6) (Joshua 16:7). It was taken by the king of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29).​

​JANUM (JANiM)

The meaning of Janum is "asleep" A city in Judah, a location mentioned only in Joshua, which places it in the hill-country of Judah, somewhere near Beth-tappuah (Joshua 15:33).​

​JAPHETH 

The meaning of Japheth is "may he extend; beautiful" One of the three sons of Noah, saved from the Flood through the Ark (Genesis 9:18). Following the Flood, Japheth is featured in the story of Noah's drunkenness. Ham sees Noah drunk and naked in his tent and tells his brothers, who then cover their father with a cloak while avoiding the sight; when Noah awakes he curses Canaan, the son of Ham, and blesses Shem and Japheth (Genesis 9:20–27)​

​JAPHIA 

The meaning of Japhia is "Enlightening; appearing" 

​JAPHLET 

The meaning of Japhlet is "Delivered; banished" A son of Heber, son of Beriah, son of Asher, the eighth son of Jacob and second son of Zilpah (1 Chronicles 7:32-33). Japhlet becomes the father of Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath.​

​JARED (JeRED) 

The meaning of Jered is "Ruling, coming down; to descend"

​JARESIAH (JAARESHIAH​)

The meaning of Jaareshiah is "whom Jehovah makes fat; Jehovah will nourish" Son of Jeroham. He was a chief of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:27) and lived in Jerusalem.​

JARIB 

The meaning of Jarib is "opponent; adversary" A son of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:24). One of the chiefs sent by Ezra to bring up the priests to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:16). Among the sons of the priests who had married foreign wives (Ezra 10:18).​

​JARMUTH 

The meaning of Jarmuth is "Fearing; seeing; throwing down; death" 
  • A Levitical city of the tribe of Issachar, given to the Gershonites within the territory of the Tribe of Issachar (Joshua 21:29). 
  • its king, Piram, was one of five kings who formed an alliance to attack Gibeon in response to Gibeon making a treaty with the Israelites led by Joshua, who had recently conquered the cities of Jericho and Ai (Joshua 10:2-5). ​

​​JASHaR (JASHER) 

The meaning of Jashar is "“victorious; upright" An ancient Israelite collection of poems quoted in various books of the Old Testament (Joshua 10:13) (2 Samuel 1:18).​

​JASHOBEAM 

The meaning of Jashobeam is "dweller among the people; to whom the people turn" Jashobeam was a Benjamite from Hakmon, called the Hachmonite (1 Chronicles 11:11). One of David's chief heroes who joined him at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:6). He was the first of the three who broke through the host of the Philistines to fetch water to David from the well of Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23:13-17). ​

​JASHUB 

The meaning of Jashub is "to return; a returning" 

​JASIEL (​JAaSIEL)

The meaning of Jasiel is "God's work" The son of Abner (1 Chronicles 27:21) (1 Chronicles 27:21), One of David's body-guard, one of the mighty men of the armies.  ​

​JASON 

The meaning of Jason is "healer; the Lord is salvation" Jason of Thessalonica was a Jewish convert and early Christian believer (Acts 17:5–9). His house in Thessalonica was used as a refuge by the apostles Paul, Silas, and Timothy (Acts 17:5). Paul referred to Jason, Lucius and Sosipater as his "countrymen" (Romans 16:21). ​

​JATHNIEL 

The meaning of Jathniel is "Gift of God" Jathniel is the fourth son of Meshelemiah, son of Asaph of the Korah branch of the Levites (1 Chronicles 26:2). This family was assigned the duties of gatekeeper during the reign of king David.​

​JATTIR 

The meaning of Jattir is "A remnant, excellent" A town in the hill country of Judah, mentioned in conjunction with Shamir and Socoh (Joshua 15:48), one of the cities given to the "children of Aaron the priest" (Joshua 21:14) (1 Chronicles 6:57).​

​JAVAN 

The meaning of Javan is "Ionian" Javan was the fourth son of Noah's son Japheth​ (Genesis 10:2) (1 Chronicles 1:5)

​JAZER 

The meaning of Jazer is "Assistance, helper" A city east of the Jordan River, in or near Gilead, inhabited by the Amorites. It was taken by a special expedition sent by Moses to conquer it towards the end of the Israelites' Exodus journey from Egypt (Numbers 21:32). It was occupied by the children of Gad, which tribe it was allotted as a Levitical city to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 21:38-40). In the time of David it seems to have been occupied by the Hebronites, who were descendants of Kohath (1 Chronicles 6:66). It was chosen as one of the stations by David's officers who were sent to number the children of Israel (2 Samuel 24:4-6) ​

​JAZIZ 

The meaning of Jaziz is "Brightness, departing" The Hagrite who was over David's flocks (1 Chronicles 27:31)​

​JEAThERAI 

The meaning of Jeatherai ​is "Pertaining to remnants; he will abound of yah" A son of Zerah (1 Chronicles 6:21) ​

​JEBEREkIAH (JEBEREchIAH)

The meaning of Jeberekiah ​is "Jehovah blesses" The father of the Hebrew prophet Zechariah and son of Iddo​ (Zechariah 1:1) but probably not the prophet by the same name. In Isaiah 8:2, he is referred to by the longer form of the same name (Isaiah 8:2)

​JEBUS 

The meaning of Jebus is "Treading under foot; manger" This was the name of a Canaanite city which stood on Mount Zion (Joshua 15:8) (Joshua 18:16) (Joshua 18:28). The siege of Jebus occurred when the Israelites, led by King David, besieged and conquered the Canaanite city of Jerusalem, then known as Jebus ​​(2 Samuel 5:6) (1 Chronicles 11:4). The Israelites gained access to the city by conducting a surprise assault, and Jebus (or Jerusalem) was subsequently installed as the capital city of the United Kingdom of Israel under its initial name as the City of David.​

​JEBUSI 

The meaning of Jebusi is "trodden hard; fastness; the waterless hill" A member of a Canaanite people living in and around the ancient city of Jebus on the site of Jerusalem.​

​JECAMIAH (JEkAMIAH)

The meaning of Jecamiah is "Establishing; revenging; of the Lord" 

​JECOLIAH 

The meaning of Jecoliah is "Perfection of the Lord; power of the Lord" Wife of Amaziah king of Judah, and mother of Uzziah. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king (2 Kings 15:2) (2 Chronicles 26:3). 

​JEDAIAH 

The meaning of Jedaiah is "Jehovah knows; invoker of the Lord" A priest of ancient Israel after the order of Aaron, during the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 9:10). Jedaiah led the second of the 24 priestly divisions.​

JEDIAEL 

The meaning of Jediael is "The scienceof God​; knowledge of God​" One of the sons of Benjamin, whose descendants numbered 17,200 warriors (1 Chronicles 7:6) (1 Chronicles 7:10) (1 Chronicles 7:11). A Shimrite, one of David's bodyguard (1 Chronicles 12:20)​

​JEDIDAH 

The meaning of Jedidah is "beloved of the Lord; friend of God." Jedidah was the mother of Josiah, the King of Judah. (2 Kings 22:1) She was the wife of king Amon of Judah and a daughter of Adaiah of Boscath, a town in the Kingdom of Judah.​

​JEDIDIAH 

The meaning of Jedidiah is "beloved of the Lord"  In the Hebrew Bible, Jedidiah was the second or "blessing" name given by God through the prophet Nathan in infancy to Solomon, second son of King David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:25)​

​JEDUTHUN 

The meaning of Jeduthun is "to praise" 
  • A Levite whose son or descendant Obed-Edom was a gatekeeper at the time David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:1).​
  • A Levite of the family of Merari, and one of the three masters of music appointed by David. (1 Chronicles 16:41-42) (1 Chronicles 25:1-6) His office was generally to preside over the music of the temple service. Jeduthun's name stands at the head of Psalms 39, 62 and 77, indicating probably that they were to be sung by his choir. Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. (1 Chronicles 16:42).

​JEGAR-SAHADUTHA 

The meaning of Jegar-sahadutha is "Heap of witness" The Aramsean name given by Laban as a Syrian to the mound of stones erected as a memorial of his league with Jacob, whereas the latter styled it (Genesis 31:47)​

​Jehallelel

The meaning of Jehallelel is "he shall praise God; who praises God; glorifying God; make a glad shout to God" 

​JEHDEIAH 

The meaning of Jehdeiah is "Joy together; one Lord" 

​JEHEZEKEL (JEHEZKEL)

The meaning of Jehezkel is "whom God makes strong; whom God holds fast; God will strengthen" A priest to whom the twentieth lot fell for service in the Temple, in David's reign (1 Chronicles 24:16).​​

​JEHIAH 

The meaning of Jehiah is "The Lord liveth" A doorkeeper for the ark at the time of its establishment in Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 15:24)​

​JEHIZKIAH 

The meaning of Jehizkiah is "Jehovah strengthens" Son of Shallum, one of the heads of the tribe of Ephraim in the time of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:12). ​

​JEHOADDAN 

The meaning of Jehoaddan is "Pleasure, or time, of the Lord" Wife of Joash king of Judah, and mother of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:2) (2 Chronicles 25:1)​

​JEHOAHAZ (JOAHAZ)

The meaning of Joahaz/Jehoahaz ​is "Yahweh has held" There are three kings named Jehoahaz in the Bible. Two were kings of Judah, and one was king of Israel.
  • Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) son of Jehoram, king of Judah (841 BC) was the youngest son of Jehoram, and is called “Azariah”. The difference is due to the fact that Ahaziah is a variant of Jehoahaz in Hebrew. The people made him king of Judah since all his older brothers had been killed (2 Chronicles 21:17) (2 Chronicles 22:1). Although he ruled in the southern kingdom, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) was actually a grandson of Ahab and Jezebel of the northern kingdom, and he followed in the sins of Ahab (2 Chronicles 22:3–4). Upon the suggestion of his advisors, Jehoahaz helped his uncle, King Joram of Israel, fight against Hazael king of Aram (2 Chronicles 22:5–6). Joram was injured in the battle, and Jehoahaz went to visit him. During the visit, Jehu showed up on his mission to wipe out the entire house of Ahab. Jehu killed Joram, all of Jehoahaz’s relatives who were there, and, after a chase, Jehoahaz himself (2 Chronicles 22:7–9). So, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) was buried after only one year on the throne of Judah.​
  • Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel (814—798 BC). He reigned for seventeen years over the northern kingdom Israel. “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit” (2 Kings 13:2). About a century earlier, Jeroboam I had led the rebellion that split the kingdom into two. After the split, Jeroboam sought to keep the people in his northern kingdom from traveling to the southern kingdom to worship God in Jerusalem. So Jeroboam set up two golden calves in the north: one in Bethel, and one in Dan. In this way, Jeroboam led the people into idol worship. Ruling about one hundred years later, Jehoahaz persisted in this sin of idolatry. Interestingly, Jehoahaz’s father, Jehu, had destroyed the worship of Baal in Israel. But he did not keep God’s law with all his heart or turn away from the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:28–31). Still, for destroying the house of Ahab, God promised Jehu that his sons would rule to the fourth generation. Jehoahaz was the second in that dynasty. Because Jehoahaz worshipped idols and caused Israel to continue in the idolatry of Jeroboam, God began to reduce the size of Israel, allowing Hazael and Ben-Hadad of Aram to overpower them (2 Kings 13:3, 32). After experiencing Aramian oppression for a period of time, Jehoahaz finally relented and “sought the LORD’s favor” (2 Kings 13:4). God graciously raised up a deliverer, who freed the Israelites from Aram, so that they were able to live in their own homes again (2 Kings 13:5).
  • Jehoahaz son of Josiah, king of Judah (609 BC). Although he was the fourth son of Josiah, Jehoahaz was made king over Judah once his father died (2 Kings 23:31) (2 Chronicles 36:1). Also known as Shallum (1 Chronicles 3:15), Jehoahaz only reigned for three months in Jerusalem before being deposed by Pharaoh Necho. The pharaoh installed Jehoahaz’s brother, Eliakim (aka Jehoiakim) as king and deported Jehoahaz in chains. Jehoahaz later died in Egypt (2 Kings 23:31–35). This third and final Jehoahaz also “did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his predecessors has done” (2 Kings 23:32). The sins of the last Jehoahaz are especially tragic because his father, Josiah, had been an exceptionally good king. Josiah had found the Book of the Law, renewed the covenant, torn down the high places of idol worship, destroyed the priests of false gods, reinstituted the Passover, and turned to the Lord “with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25). But his son Jehoahaz did not follow in his steps.

​JEHOASH (joash)

The meaning of Jehoash is "Yahweh has given" There are two kings with the name Joash (or Jehoash) in the Bible: one a king of Judah (reigned 835–796 BC) and the other a king of Israel (reigned 798–782 BC).
  • Jehoash was the twelfth king of the ancient northern Kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 13:10), and the son of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:9). Jehoash was sinful and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh for tolerating the worship of the golden calves, yet outwardly at least he worshiped God. When he ascended the throne, the Kingdom of Israel was suffering from the predations of the Arameans, whose king Hazael was conquering land controlled by Israel. Later in his reign, Jehoash led the men of the Kingdom of Israel in the defeat of king Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:8) (2 Kings 14:11). Jehoash utterly defeated Amaziah at Beth-shemesh, on the borders of Dan and Philistia. Jehoash then advanced on Jerusalem, broke down a portion of the wall, and carried away the treasures of the Temple and the palace (2 Chronicles 25:23). Jehoash took Amaziah as a prisoner. Amaziah's defeat was followed by a conspiracy that took his life. Jehoash also took hostages to assure good conduct.​
  • King Joash of Judah first comes on the scene when Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, whom Jehu had killed, took charge of Judah. Athaliah killed all of the royal family she could find in Judah in order to secure the throne for herself. However, Athaliah missed one of her grandsons—the infant Joash. The evil queen’s sister rescued young Joash and his nurse, and the child was hidden for six years in the temple while Athaliah reigned in Judah (2 Kings 11:1–3). In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada revealed Joash to the captains of the guards. The priest made an agreement with them to provide protection to the temple and the rightful king, and Jehoiada brought Joash out into public and anointed him as king (2 Kings 11:4–12). The people of Judah rejoiced over Joash’s appointment. Upon hearing the noise of the ceremony, Queen Athaliah rushed to the temple, crying, "Treason! Treason!” By Jehoiada’s command, Athaliah was captured by the guards, removed from the temple, and put to death (2 Kings 11:13–16). “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people” (2 Kings 11:17). The people tore down the temple of Baal, watchmen were set over the Lord’s temple, and, at the age of seven, Joash took the throne (2 Kings 11:18–21). The tragedy of King Joash of Judah is that, after his mentor and guardian, Jehoiada, died, he began listening to wicked advisers. Joash revived Baal and Asherah worship in Judah (2 Chronicles 24:17–19). God sent prophets to warn Joash, but he did not listen to them. Finally, the prophet Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, brought God’s word to Joash, but the king callously ordered the son of his old friend to be stoned to death (2 Chronicles 24:19–22).

​JEHOHANAN 

The meaning of Jehohanan is "Grace, or mercy, or gift, of the Lord" 

​JEHOIACHIN (CONIAH) (JECONIAH)

​The meaning of Jehoiachin is "Strength of the Lord; May the Lord establish" Was a king of Judah who was deported as part of the Babylonian captivity (Esther 2:6) (1 Chronicles 3:17). He is also listed in the genealogy of Jesus, in Joseph’s family line (Matthew 1:12) (2 Kings 24:6). The curse of Jeconiah is found in (Jeremiah 22:23-25).

​JEHOIADA 

The meaning of Jehoiada is "Yahweh knows" a prominent priest in the kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash (2 Samuel 8:18). Jehoiada became the brother-in-law of King Ahaziah as a result of his marriage with princess Jehosheba.​

​JEHOIAKIM 

The meaning of Jehoiakim is "established by God" Jehoiakim was the eighteenth and antepenultimate King of Judah from 609 to 598 BC. He was the second son of King Josiah (1 Chronicles 3:15) and Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. After Josiah's death, Jehoiakim's younger brother Jehoahaz (also known as Shallum) was proclaimed king, but after three months Pharaoh Necho II deposed him, making Eliakim king in his place. When placed on the throne, his name was changed to "Jehoiakim" (2 Kings 23:36).​

​JEHOIARIB 

The meaning of Jehoiarib is "Yahweh contends" Jehoiarib was the head of a family of priests, which was made the first of the twenty-four priestly divisions organized by King David (1 Chronicles 9:10)​​ (1 Chronicles 24:7)​​

​JEHONADAB 

The meaning of Jehonadab is "Jehovah is willing" 

​JEHONATHAN 

The meaning of Jehonathan is "God has given" 

​JEHORAM (joram)

The meaning of Jehoram is "To cast; Elevated; Jehovah is exalted" 
  • The son of King Jehoshaphat, and he ruled in the southern kingdom of Judah from 853 to 841 BC. He reigned for four years with his father and another eight years on his own in Judah (2 Kings 8:16–17). Although Jehoshaphat had been a good and godly king, Jehoram did not follow in his father’s footsteps. He married Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab (and sister of Ahab’s son Joram), and he became an evil ruler. But, in spite of King Jehoram’s wickedness, God kept his covenant with David and refrained from destroying Judah (2 Kings 8:19). Sadly, God’s mercy had no effect on Jehoram’s behavior. He led his kingdom into idolatry and lewdness, and he caused both Edom and Libnah to revolt against Judah (2 Chronicles 21:8-1). So God sent word through the prophet Elijah that, because Jehoram had led the people into sin, there would be a devastating attack on Jehoram’s house and Jehoram himself would be struck with an incurable bowel disease (2 Chronicles 21:14–15). As part of God’s judgment, the Philistines and Arabs “attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest​
  • The son of the wicked King Ahab, and he ruled in the northern kingdom of Israel from 852 to 841 BC . Jehoram, also called Joram, took the throne of Israel in the second year of his brother-in-law’s reign in Judah, and he was just as corrupt. He certainly had a poor example in his father. Ahab had turned the people to idolatry, leading them away from the true God of their fathers to the worship of his wife Jezebel’s god, Baal. The consequences of Ahab’s choices carried into his son’s reign. Ahab had previously taken control of Moab and forced the people to pay tribute, but, when Joram took the throne, Moab rebelled, forcing Joram into war (2 Kings 3:4–5). King Joram called for help in the battle from King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, and the combined armies set out on a march through the wilderness toward Moab (2 Kings 3:8). Along the way, they ran out of water. Jehoshaphat made inquiries and discovered that Elisha, a prophet of God and Elijah’s successor, was nearby. Elisha was brought before the kings, and Joram asked for help from God. Elisha wanted to refuse Joram, but he agreed to help for Jehoshaphat’s sake (2 Kings 3:14).

​JEHOSHAPHAT (JOSAPHAT)

The meaning of Jehoshaphat is "Yahweh is judge, has judged" Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa, and his mother was Azubah (1 Kings 22:41), and the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah, in succession to his father. His children included Jehoram, who succeeded him as king. Jehoshaphat ascended the throne at the age of thirty-five and reigned for twenty-five years (1 Kings 22:42). In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent out priests and Levites over the land to instruct the people in the Law, an activity which was commanded for a Sabbatical year (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). Later reforms in Judah instituted by Jehoshaphat appear to have included further religious reforms (2 Chronicles 19:1-3), appointment of judges throughout the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 19:5) and a form of "court of appeal" in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 19:8-11). 

JEHOSHEBA 

The meaning of Jehosheba is "Yahweh is an oath" She was the daughter of King Jehoram of Judah, sister to King Ahaziah of Judah and wife of Jehoiada the priest (2 Kings 11:2) (2 Chronicles 22:11). ​

​JEHOVAH 

The meaning of Jehovah is "the Eternal One; the Unchangeable One; the One Who was; and is; and is to come" Jehovah is the proper name of the God​. ​

​JEHOZABAD 

The meaning of Jehozabad is "The Lord's dowry, having a dowry" 
  • A servant of King Jehoash of Judah. According to 2 Kings 12:21 (22), he was a son of Shomer, but 2 Chronicles 24:26 makes him "son of Shimrith the Moabitess."
  • A Korahite doorkeeper, son of Obed-edom (1 Chronicles 26:4).
  • A Benjamite, one of King Jehoshaphat's warriors (2 Chronicles 17:18).​

​JEHU

The meaning of Jehu is "He is God" He was a commander of chariots for the king of Israel, Ahab, and his son Jehoram, on Israel's frontier facing Damascus and Assyria. Ahab, son of King Omri, was eventually killed in a war with Assyria; during Jehoram’s rule, Jehu accepted the invitation of the prophet Elisha, Elijah’s successor, to lead a coup to overthrow the dynasty of Omri (2 Kings 9:1). The prophetic party, headed by Elisha, was an old adversary of the royal house, as shown by the stories of Ahab and Elijah (I Kings 17–19). ​

​JEHUCAL (JUCAL) ​

The meaning of Jehucal ​is "Strengthened Of The Lord" Son of Shelemiah, one of two persons sent by King Zedekiah to Jeremiah to entreat his prayers and advice. (Jeremiah 37:3) (Jeremiah 38:1). ​

​JEHUD 

The meaning of Jehud is "Praising, conferring​" A town in the lot of Dan named between Baalath and Bene-berak (Joshua 19:45).​

​JEHUSH (JEUSH)

The meaning of Jeush/ Jehush is "He that is devoured" 

​JEKABZEEL 

The meaning of Jekabzeel is "God Will Assemble; God gathers" One of the "uttermost cities" of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South (Negeb) (Nehemiah 11:25). ​

​JEKAMEAM 

The meaning of Jekameam is "uprightness" One of the four sons of Hebron, son of Kohath, son of Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah (1 Chronicles 23:19). The Levites were Israel's tribe of priests and temple servants, which were organized according to the families.​

​JEKAMIAH 

The meaning of Jekamiah is "Establishing; revenging; of the Lord" 

Jekoliah (Jecoliah)

The meaning of Jekoliah is "Perfection of the Lord; power of the Lord" Wife of Amaziah king of Judah, and mother of Uzziah. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king (2 Kings 15:2) (2 Chronicles 26:3). ​

​JEKUTHIEL 

The meaning of Jekuthiel is "Hope, or congregation, of the Lord" One of three sons of the mysterious Jehudijah and her husband Ezrah (1 Chronicles 4:18), and his son is named Zanoah.​

​JEMIMA 

The meaning of Jemima is "dove" The oldest of the three beautiful daughters of Job, named in the Bible as given to him in the later part of his life, after God made Job prosperous again. Jemima's sisters are named as Keziah and Keren-Happuch (Job 42:14). ​

​JEMUEL 

​A son of Simeon (Numbers 26:12) (1 Chronicles 4:24). The name occurs also in the form "Jemuel" (Genesis 46:10) (Exodus 6:15).

​JEPHTHAH 

The meaning of Jephthah is "To open; to release" Jephthah, having been born illegitimately, is driven out by his half-brothers and takes up his dwelling in Tob, east of Gilead. "Outlaws collected around Jephthah and went raiding with him." (Judges 11:3). The elders of Gilead ask him to be their leader in the campaign against the Ammonites (Judges 11:9), but he holds out for a more permanent and a broader position, and the elders agree that, provided Jephthah succeeds in defeating Ammon, he will be their permanent chieftain (Judges 11:9).​ On behalf of Israel as a whole and in reliance on the might of God the Judge, Jephthah challenges the Ammonites. Jephthah swears an oath (Judges 11:29-31). The victorious Jephthah is met on his return by his only child, a daughter (Judges 11:34). Jephthah tears his clothes and cries, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low!" but is bound by his vow. And so Jephthah "did with her according to his vow that he had made and sacrifices his daughter (Judges 11:39-40). Later, Jephthah was forced to fight against the Ephraimites, who refused to aid him in his struggle against the Ammonites. The story is remembered for the killing of the fugitive Ephraimites who were identified by their accent; they said the Hebrew word shibboleth as sibboleth. "At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell" (Judges 12:5–6). 

​JEPHUNNEH 

The meaning of Jephunneh is "He that beholds" 

​JERAH 

The meaning of Jerah is "God  has seen" A son of Joktan (Genesis 10:26) (1 Chronicles 1:20). The progenitor of a tribe of southern Arabia​

​JERAHMEEL 

The meaning of Jerahmeel is "He will obtain mercy of God; God pities; May God have compassion; May God pity; Moon from God" 

​JERED (​JaRED)

The meaning of Jered is "Ruling, coming down; to descend"

​JEREMAI 

The meaning of Jeremai is "My height; throwing forth waters" One of the men of Israel who had married, and subsequently divorced foreign wives (Ezra 10:33).​

​JEREMIAH 

Picture
The meaning of Jeremiah is "the Lord exalts" Jeremiah the prophet lived in the final days of the crumbling nation of Judah. He was, appropriately, the last prophet that God sent to preach to the southern kingdom, which comprised the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Jeremiah, who was only about 17 when God called him (Jeremiah 1:4-5), had great inner turmoil over the fate of his people, and he begged them to listen. He is known as “the weeping prophet,” because he cried tears of sadness, not only because he knew what was about to happen but because, no matter how hard he tried, the people would not listen. Furthermore, he found no human comfort. God had forbidden him to marry or have children (Jeremiah 16:2), and his friends had turned their backs on him. So, along with the burden of the knowledge of impending judgment, he also must have felt very lonely. God knew that this was the best course for Jeremiah, because He went on to tell him how horrible conditions would be in a short time, with babies, children, and adults dying “grievous” deaths, their bodies unable to even be buried, and their flesh devoured by the birds (Jeremiah 16:3-4). The people of Israel had become so hardened by the numbing effects of sin that they no longer believed God, nor did they fear Him. Jeremiah preached for 40 years, and not once did he see any real success in changing or softening the hearts and minds of his stubborn, idolatrous people. God had delivered His people from bondage in Egypt, had performed miracles before them, and had even parted the waters of the sea for them. In spite of all these displays of God’s power, they returned to the false practices they had learned in Egypt. God finally turned them over to their idolatry, saying, “Go ahead, then; do what you promised! Keep your vows!” (Jeremiah 44:25). Jeremiah became discouraged. He sank into a quagmire where many believers seem to get stuck when they think their efforts are not making a difference and time is diminishing. Jeremiah was emotionally spent, even to the point of doubting God (Jeremiah 15:18), but God was not done with him. ​

JEREMOTH 

 The meaning of Jeremoth is "Elevation, High Places Rain Of Death" 

​JERIAH 

The meaning of Jeriah is "taught by God" » A descendant of hebron (1 Chronicles 23:19) (1 Chronicles 24:23), Jeriah was in charge of the temple when David handed over his power to Solomon.​

​JERICHO 

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The meaning of Jericho is "fragrant" Jericho is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world. In the Bible, Jericho is best known as the location of an astonishing miracle God performed. Jericho was the first city conquered by Israel after crossing the Jordan River and occupying the Promised Land (Joshua 5:13) (Joshua 6:23). Before the battle of Jericho, God gave Joshua specific instructions for the men of war to march in silence around the city once each day for six days (Joshua 6:2-3). The priests were to walk with them, blowing ram’s horns and carrying the ark of the covenant as a sign of God’s presence among them (Joshua 6:4-5). On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times. At the appropriate signal, the priests were to blow their trumpets, and the people were to give a mighty shout (Joshua 6:8-9). They did exactly as Joshua commanded, and on the seventh day the walls of Jericho crumbled. The soldiers went in and took the city, destroying it completely (Joshua 6:15-16). Only Rahab, a prostitute, and her family were spared (Joshua 6:17). Jesus said in His parable that the good Samaritan “went down from Jerusalem to Jericho” (Luke 10:30). Jericho thrived as a fertile, spring-fed oasis. In the Old Testament, it was often called the “City of Palms” for its abundance of palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3) (Judges 1:16) (Judges 3:13) (2 Chronicles 28:15). Strategically located as a border city, ancient Jericho controlled important migration routes between the north and south, and the east and west. Eventually, the town became part of the allotment of the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:12) (Joshua 18:21). After the destruction of Jericho, Joshua placed a curse on anyone who might rebuild the city (Joshua 6:26). Jericho remained unoccupied until the time of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, about 500 years later. Then Joshua’s word was fulfilled when Hiel of Bethel rebuilt the city, at the cost of the lives of two of his sons (1 Kings 16:34). Jericho is mentioned briefly in the book of Judges, which says that Jericho served as a provincial outpost for Eglon the King of Moab who held Israel under tribute for 18 years (Judges 3:13). King David sent word for his mistreated delegates to remain in Jericho until their beards regrew (1 Chronicles 19:5). Jericho was Elisha’s miraculous purifying of a spring (2 Kings 2:19–22). During the reign of Ahaz, a group of prisoners was spared, clothed, fed, and cared for at Jericho (2 Chronicles 28:15). Jericho was the capture of King Zedekiah after fleeing the Chaldean army (2 Kings 25:2–7) (Jeremiah 39:5) (Jeremiah 52:8). Jericho’s inhabitants after the return from exile under Zerubbabel was 345 (Ezra 2:34) (Nehemiah 7:36). These “son of Jericho” participated in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Jericho played a minor role in the ministry of Jesus. The Lord healed two blind men near the city of Jericho (Matthew 20:29–34). He also encountered Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, while passing through Jericho (Luke 19:1–10). When Jesus dined in the home of Zacchaeus, He was probably visiting one of the finest houses in Jericho. The gospels seem to indicate that Jericho, an affluent city in Christ’s day, had many beggars (Matthew 20:29–34) (Mark 10:46–52) (Luke 18:35–43). ​

​JERIEL 

The meaning of Jeriel is "God has seen" A descendent of Jacob through his son Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:2).​

​JERIMOTH 

The meaning of Jerimoth is "He that fears or rejects death" A son of Becher (1 Chronicles 7:7). A Benjamite and one of David's Mighty Warriors (1 Chronicles 12:5).​

​JERIOTH 

The meaning of Jerioth is "Kettles, breaking asunder" One of the first two wives of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:18).​

​JEROBOAM 

The meaning of Jeroboam is "He that opposes the people" Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephraim, a servant of King Solomon’s, and the son of a widow. He later became the first king of the divided northern kingdom of Israel. Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.” (1 Kings 11:26). Jeroboam was a skilled worker, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he placed Jeroboam over the labor force of the tribes of Joseph (1 Kings 11:28). One day, the prophet Ahijah approached Jeroboam with a prophecy. The prophet tore a new cloak into 12 pieces and said, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes’” (1 Kings 11:31). The idol worship of the Israelites caused God to divide the kingdom (1 Kings 11:33). After this, “Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, and stayed there until Solomon’s death” (1 Kings 11:40). Following Solomon’s death, Solomon’s son Rehoboam became king and foolishly threatened to make life more difficult for the people of the land (1 Kings 12:14). This led to a rebellion against Rehoboam, and the ten northern tribes crowned Jeroboam as their king (1 Kings 12:20). The division predicted by Ahijah came to pass (1 Kings 12:15). Jeroboam had been promised great blessings and a continuing dynasty if he would follow the Lord (1 Kings 11:38). However, Jeroboam did not obey the Lord. Instead, he had two golden calves made for the people to worship in the northern kingdom and made priests and celebrations for them. King Jeroboam was confronted by an unnamed prophet from Judah (1 Kings 13:1–10). Later, the prophet Ahijah pronounced a severe judgment on Jeroboam and his family because of Jeroboam’s blatant rejection of the Lord (1 Kings 14:10–11). Jeroboam reigned over the northern kingdom of Israel for 22 years, and then “he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.

​JEROHAM 

The meaning of Jeroham ​is "cherished; one who finds mercy" 

Jerub-Baal

The meaning of Jerub-baal is "The Lord Contends; Baal Contends" Gideon earned the title Jerubbaal (or Jerub-Baal) after he defeats the Midianites and destroyed his family's altar of Baal (Judges 6:32) (Judges 7:1). ​

JERUB-BESHETH (JERUBBESHETH)

The meaning of Jerubbesheth ​is "Let shame contend, he will contend with shame" ​

​JERUEL 

The meaning of Jeruel is "Fear, or vision of God"  A wilderness, where Jehoshaphat met and defeated the children of Ammon and Moab. (2 Chronicles 20:16). Jahaziel prophesied that King Jehoshaphat should meet the hordes of Moabites and Ammonites, after they had come up by the "ascent of Ziz," "at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel"​​

​JERUSALEM 

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The meaning of Jerusalem is "city of peace" The city of Jerusalem is situated on the edge of one of the highest tablelands in Israel, south of the center of the country, about thirty-seven miles east of the Mediterranean Sea and about twenty-four miles west of the Jordan River. The first biblical reference to Jerusalem is found in the story of Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek, King of Salem (Genesis 14:18–24). The actual name Jerusalem first occurs in Joshua (Joshua 10:3). Later, David marched on Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6–10), and he “captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David” from the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:7). At that time, Jerusalem became the capital of Israel. It was in Jerusalem that Solomon built the temple and his palace (1 Kings 6–7). In 586 BC the Babylonians destroyed the temple and the city and deported the Jews to Babylon (2 Kings 24–25). After the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem, they rebuilt the temple, completed in 516 BC under Zerubbabel (Ezra 6). Under Nehemiah’s leadership the walls were rebuilt in 444 BC (Nehemiah 6). 

​JERUSHA 

The meaning of Jerusha is "a possession" Jerusha was the mother of King Jotham of Judah (2 Kings 15:33) (2 Chronicles 27:1)​

JEShAIAH (JESAIAH)

The meaning of Jeshaiah is "man of Jah; salvation of Jehovah" 

​JESHEBEAB 

The meaning of Jeshebeab is "Sitting, or captivity, of the father" A descendant of Aaron, who was assigned priestly duties in the time of king David. These duties were assigned according to lots, and the fourteenth lot fell to Jeshebeab (1 Chronicles 24:13).​

​JESHER 

The meaning of Jesher is "Right, singing" The first of the three sons of Caleb by Azubah​ (1 Chronicles 24:13).​

​JESHIMON 

The meaning of Jeshimon is "desert; barren waste" 

​JESHISHAI 

The meaning of Jeshishaiis "Ancient Of The Lord; white Haired" The son of Jahdo and the father of Michael (1 Chronicles 5:14).​

​JESHUA 

The meaning of Jeshua is "saviour; the Lord is my salvation" 

​JESHURUN 

The meaning of Jeshurun is "Beloved one; “upright one" Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel. It can refer to the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:15) (Deuteronomy 33:26), the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 33:5), or the Patriarch Jacob (whom an angel renamed Israel in (Genesis 32:29)​. 

​JESIMIEL 

​The meaning of D is "The Lord establishes" A​ Simeonite chief of the family of Shimei (1 Chronicles 4:36).

​JESSE 

The meaning of Jesse is "King; God exists" Jesse was the son of Ohed, the grandson of Boaz and Ruth, the father of King David (Ruth 4:17), and thus an important part of the lineage of Christ, the Son of David (Matthew 22:42). Jesse takes the stage with his eight sons (1 Samuel 16:1-5). The prophet Samuel invites Jesse and his family to a sacrificial feast, but Jesse only brings his seven oldest sons, including Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah; all seven were rejected by God as king (1 Samuel 16:6–10). Jesse had chosen to leave David, his youngest son, to tend the sheep. However, it is this lowly shepherd boy whom, to the probable surprise of both Jesse and Samuel, God directs Samuel to anoint as the chosen king (1 Samuel 16:11–13). Although it is David’s kingship that typifies and anticipates the reign of the Christ-King, Jesse’s name still receives mention in a couple prophecies of the Messiah. In Isaiah, Jesse is mentioned as the stump from which a Branch (Christ) would come forth to be a banner for all peoples; to this banner all nations would rally (Isaiah 11:1–3) (Isaiah 11:10) (Jeremiah 23:5). Furthermore, Micah identifies Bethlehem—the little town of Jesse—as the source of the King of all kings (Micah 5:2). The Branch from the root of Jesse would eventually spring forth and bear everlasting fruit.​ 

JESUS (JESUS CHRIST)​ (JESUS OF NAZARETH​)

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The meaning of Jesus is "Savior; to rescue; to deliver" Virtually all modern scholars agree that Jesus existed historically. Jesus has been acclaimed as the greatest religious leader who ever lived, as being the most influential person to have lived on our planet, and as being unique to the degree that no one can be compared to Him. The debate begins with the discussion of Jesus’ full identity. Almost every major religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet or a good teacher or a godly man. But the Bible tells us that Jesus was infinitely more than a prophet, a good teacher, or a godly man. So, who did Jesus claim to be? Who does the Bible say He is? First, He is God in the flesh. Jesus said “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30). At first glance, this might not seem to be a claim to be God. However, look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement. They tried to stone Him “for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood Jesus’ statement as a claim to be God. In the following verses, Jesus never corrects the Jews or attempts to clarify His statement. He never says, “I did not claim to be God.” When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one”, He truly was claiming equality with God. In (John 8:58) Jesus claims pre-existence, an attribute of God: “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” In response to this statement, the Jews again took up stones to stone Jesus (John 8:59). In claiming pre-existence, Jesus applied a name for God to Himself—I AM (Exodus 3:14). The Jews rejected Jesus’ identity as God Incarnate, but they understood exactly what He was saying. Other biblical clues that Jesus is God in the flesh include (John 1:1), which says, “The Word was God,” coupled with (John 1:14), which says, “The Word became flesh.” Thomas the disciple declared to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), Jesus does not correct him. The apostle Paul describes Jesus as “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The apostle Peter says the same, calling Jesus “our God and Savior” (2 Peter 1:1).​ God the Father bears witness of Jesus’ identity as well: “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” (Psalm 45:6). Old Testament prophecies such as (Isaiah 9:6) announce the deity of Christ: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Jesus had to be both God and man. As God, Jesus could satisfy God’s wrath. As a man, Jesus had the capability of dying. As the God-man, Jesus is the perfect Mediator between heaven and earth (1 Timothy 2:5). Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ. As He proclaimed, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 
The Gospels
The four canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are the foremost sources for the life and message of Jesus. But other parts of the New Testament also include references to key episodes in his life, such as the Last Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Acts of the Apostles refers to Jesus' early ministry and its anticipation by John the Baptist. Acts says more about the Ascension of Jesus than the canonical gospels do (Acts 1:1-11). In the undisputed Pauline letters, which were written earlier than the Gospels, Jesus' words or instructions are cited several times (1 Corinthians 7:10–11) (1 Corinthians 9:14) (1 Corinthians 9:14) (1 Corinthians 11:23–25) (2 Corinthians 12:9). Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels, from the Greek "together" and "view", because they are similar in content, narrative arrangement, language and paragraph structure, and one can easily set them next to each other and synoptically compare what is in them. The Synoptics emphasize different aspects of Jesus. In Mark, Jesus is the Son of God whose mighty works demonstrate the presence of God's Kingdom. He is a tireless wonder worker, the servant of both God and man. This short gospel records few of Jesus' words or teachings. The Gospel of Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's will as revealed in the Old Testament, and the Lord of the Church. He is the "Son of David", a "king", and the messiah. Luke presents Jesus as the divine-human savior who shows compassion to the needy. He is the friend of sinners and outcasts, come to seek and save the lost. This gospel includes well-known parables, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. ​The prologue to the Gospel of John identifies Jesus as an incarnation of the divine Word. As the Word, Jesus was eternally present with God, active in all creation, and the source of humanity's moral and spiritual nature. Jesus is not only greater than any past human prophet but greater than any prophet could be. He not only speaks God's Word; he is God's Word. In the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals his divine role publicly. Here he is the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the True Vine and more. In general, the authors of the New Testament showed little interest in an absolute chronology of Jesus or in synchronizing the episodes of his life with the secular history of the age. As stated, the Gospels do not claim to provide an exhaustive list of the events in Jesus' life (John 21:25). The accounts were primarily written as theological documents in the context of early Christianity, with timelines as a secondary consideration. 
Birth
Jesus was Jewish, born to Mary, wife of Joseph (Matthew 1:1-16) (Luke 3:23-38). Matthew and Luke each describe Jesus' birth, especially that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem in fulfillment of prophecy.  Both accounts state that Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary, his betrothed, in Bethlehem, and both support the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18), according to which Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb when she was still a virgin. At the same time, there is evidence, at least in the Lukan Acts of the Apostles, that Jesus was thought to have had, like many figures in antiquity, a dual paternity, since there it is stated he descended from the seed or loins of David. By taking him as his own, Joseph will give him the necessary Davidic descent. In Matthew, Joseph is troubled because Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant (Matthew 1:19-20) but in the first of Joseph's four dreams an angel assures him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, because her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  In Matthew, wise men or Magi from the East bring gifts to the young Jesus as the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1). They find him in a house in Bethlehem. Matthew focuses on an event after the Luke Nativity where Jesus was an infant (Matthew 2:1–12). In Matthew Herod the Great hears of Jesus' birth and, wanting him killed, orders the murders of male infants in Bethlehem under the age of 2. But an angel warns Joseph in his second dream, and the family flees to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14), later to return and settle in Nazareth with the death of Herod the Great (Matthew 2:15-23). In Luke Mary learns from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child called Jesus through the action of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:31–38). When Mary is due to give birth, she and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Joseph's ancestral home in Bethlehem to register in the census ordered by Caesar Augustus. While there Mary gives birth to Jesus, and as they have found no room in the inn, she places the newborn in a manger (Luke 2:1–7). An angel announces the birth to a group of shepherds, who go to Bethlehem to see Jesus, and subsequently spread the news abroad (Luke 2:8–20). Joseph and Mary have their baby circumcised on the eighth day after birth, and name him Jesus, as Gabriel had commanded Mary (Luke 2:21). 
Family & Early Years
Jesus' childhood home is identified in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew as the town of Nazareth in Galilee, where he lived with his family. Although Joseph appears in descriptions of Jesus' childhood, no mention is made of him thereafter. His other family members being his mother, Mary, his brothers Joseph, Judas and Simon and his unnamed sisters are mentioned in the Gospels and other sources. Jesus' maternal grandparents are named Joachim and Anne in the Gospel of James. The Gospel of Luke records that Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-36). Jesus and John the Baptist would be second cousins through the belief that Elizabeth was the daughter of Sobe, the sister of Anne.The Gospel of Mark reports that at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus comes into conflict with his neighbors and family. Jesus' mother and brothers come to get him (Mark 3:31-35) because people are saying that he is crazy (Mark 3:21). Jesus responds that his followers are his true family (Mark 3:33-34). In the Gospel of John, Jesus and his mother attend a wedding at Cana, where he performs his first miracle at her request (John 2:1-11).  Later, she follows him to his crucifixion, and he expresses concern over her well-being (John 19:25-27). 
First Temple Visit
Jesus is called a carpenter but it could cover makers of objects in various materials, including builders (Mark 6:3). When Jesus is presented as a baby in the Temple in Jerusalem per Jewish Law, a man named Simeon says to Mary and Joseph that Jesus " “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against (Luke 2:28-35). When Jesus, at the age of twelve, goes missing on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his parents find him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions, and the people are amazed at his understanding and answers; Mary scolds Jesus for going missing, to which Jesus replies that he must "be in his father's house" (Luke 2:41-52). 
Baptism
The gospels describe Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, and the temptations he received while spending forty days in the Judaean Desert, as a preparation for his public ministry. Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John in the River Jordan. John rightly recognized that the sinless Son of God needed no baptism of repentance, and that he was certainly not worthy to baptize his own Savior. But Jesus answered John’s concern by requesting baptism "to fulfill all righteousness," meaning that He was identifying Himself with sinners for whom He would ultimately sacrifice Himself, thereby securing all righteousness for them (2 Corinthians 5:21). In humility, John obeyed and consented to baptize Jesus (Matthew 3:13–15). As Jesus came up out of the water, “heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17). The accounts of Jesus' baptism are all preceded by information about John the Baptist. They show John preaching penance and repentance for the remission of sins and encouraging the giving of alms to the poor as he baptizes people in the area of the Jordan River around Perea and foretells the arrival of someone "more powerful" than he (Luke 3:16). 
Early Ministry
The Gospels depict two distinct geographical settings in Jesus' ministry. The first takes place north of Judea, in Galilee, where Jesus conducts a successful ministry, and the second shows Jesus rejected and killed when he travels to Jerusalem. Often referred to as "rabbi", Jesus preaches his message orally. Notably, Jesus forbids those who recognize him as the messiah to speak of it, including people he heals and demons he exorcises. John depicts Jesus' ministry as largely taking place in and around Jerusalem, rather than in Galilee. Jesus' divine identity is openly proclaimed and immediately recognized. The ministry of Jesus can be divided into several stages. The Galilean ministry begins when Jesus returns to Galilee from the Judaean Desert after rebuffing the temptation of Satan. Jesus preaches around Galilee, and his first disciples, who will eventually form the core of the early Church, encounter him and begin to travel with him (Matthew 4:18–20). This period includes the Sermon on the Mount, one of Jesus' major discourses, as well as the calming of the storm, the feeding of the 5,000, walking on water and a number of other miracles and parables. It ends with the Confession of Peter and the Transfiguration. As Jesus travels towards Jerusalem, in the Perean ministry, he returns to the area where he was baptized, about a third of the way down from the Sea of Galilee along the Jordan River (John 10:40-42). The final ministry in Jerusalem begins with Jesus' triumphal entry into the city on Palm Sunday. During that week Jesus drives the money changers from the Second Temple and Judas bargains to betray him. This period culminates in the Last Supper and the Farewell Discourse.
The Apostles
Near the beginning of his ministry, Jesus appoints twelve apostles. In Matthew and Mark, despite Jesus only briefly requesting that they join him, Jesus' first four apostles, who were fishermen, are described as immediately consenting, and abandoning their nets and boats to do so (Matthew 4:18–22) (Mark 1:16–20). In John, Jesus' first two apostles were disciples of John the Baptist. The Baptist sees Jesus and calls him the Lamb of God; the two hear this and follow Jesus. In addition to the Twelve Apostles, the opening of the passage of the Sermon on the Plain identifies a much larger group of people as disciples (Luke 6:17). Also, in Luke Jesus sends 70 or 72 of his followers in pairs to prepare towns for his prospective visit (Luke 10:1–16). They are instructed to accept hospitality, heal the sick, and spread the word that the Kingdom of God is coming. In Mark, the disciples are notably obtuse. They fail to understand Jesus' miracles, his parables (Mark 4:13), or what "rising from the dead" means (Mark 9:9-10). When Jesus is later arrested, they desert him.
Teachings & Miracles
Jesus teaches extensively, often in parables, about the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, The Kingdom is described as both imminent (Mark 1:15) and already present in the ministry of Jesus (Luke 17:21). Jesus promises inclusion in the Kingdom for those who accept his message (Mark 10:13-27). He talks of the "Son of Man", an apocalyptic figure who will come to gather the chosen. Jesus calls people to repent their sins and to devote themselves completely to God. He tells his followers to adhere to Jewish law, although he is perceived by some to have broken the law himself, for example regarding the Sabbath. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matthew 22:37-39). Other ethical teachings of Jesus include loving your enemies, refraining from hatred and lust, turning the other cheek, and forgiving people who have sinned against you. In the gospel accounts, Jesus devotes a large portion of his ministry by performing miracles, especially healings. The miracles can be classified into two main categories: healing miracles and nature miracles. The healing miracles include cures for physical ailments, exorcisms, and resurrections of the dead. The nature miracles show Jesus' power over nature, and include turning water into wine, walking on water, and calming a storm, among others. Jesus states that his miracles are from a divine source. When his opponents suddenly accuse him of performing exorcisms by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, Jesus counters that he performs them by the "Spirit of God" (Matthew 12:28) or "finger of God", arguing that all logic suggests that Satan would not let his demons assist the Children of God because it would divide Satan's house and bring his kingdom to desolation; furthermore, he asks his opponents that if he exorcises by Beel'zebub, "by whom do your sons cast them out?" In Matthew , he goes on to say that while all manner of sin, "even insults against God" or "insults against the son of man", shall be forgiven, whoever insults goodness (or "The Holy Spirit") shall never be forgiven; they carry the guilt of their sin forever (Matthew 12:31–32). In John, Jesus' miracles are described as "signs", performed to prove his mission and divinity. When asked by some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees to give miraculous signs to prove his authority, Jesus refuses, saying that no sign shall come to corrupt and evil people except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Also, in the Synoptic Gospels, the crowds regularly respond to Jesus' miracles with awe and press on him to heal their sick. In John's Gospel, Jesus is presented as unpressured by the crowds, who often respond to his miracles with trust and faith. One characteristic shared among all miracles of Jesus in the gospel accounts is that he performed them freely and never requested or accepted any form of payment. The gospel episodes that include descriptions of the miracles of Jesus also often include teachings, and the miracles themselves involve an element of teaching. Many of the miracles teach the importance of faith. In the cleansing of ten lepers and the raising of Jairus's daughter, for instance, the beneficiaries are told that their healing was due to their faith.
Last Week in Jerusalem
In the Synoptics, the last week in Jerusalem is the conclusion of the journey through Perea and Judea that Jesus began in Galilee. Jesus rides a young donkey into Jerusalem, reflecting the tale of the Messiah's Donkey, an oracle from the Book of Zechariah in which the Jews' humble king enters Jerusalem this way (Zechariah 9:9). People along the way lay cloaks and small branches of trees (known as palm fronds) in front of him and sing part of Psalms (Psalms 118:25-26) Jesus next expels the money changers from the Second Temple, accusing them of turning it into a den of thieves through their commercial activities. He then prophecies about the coming destruction, including false prophets, wars, earthquakes, celestial disorders, persecution of the faithful, the appearance of an "abomination of desolation", and unendurable tribulations (Mark 13:1-23). Jesus warns that these wonders will occur in the lifetimes of the hearers (Mark 13:28-32). Jesus comes into conflict with the Jewish elders, such as when they question his authority and when he criticizes them and calls them hypocrites. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, secretly strikes a bargain with the Jewish elders, agreeing to betray Jesus to them for 30 silver coins (Matthew 26:14) (Matthew 27:5). 
Last Supper
The Gospel of John recounts of two other feasts in which Jesus taught in Jerusalem before the Passion Week. In Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. This potent sign increases the tension with authorities, who conspire to kill him (John 11). Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus' feet, foreshadowing his entombment. Jesus then makes his Messianic entry into Jerusalem. The cheering crowds greeting Jesus as he enters Jerusalem add to the animosity between him and the establishment. The Last Supper is the final meal that Jesus shares with his twelve apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper is mentioned in all four canonical gospels; Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians also refers to it (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). During the meal, Jesus predicts that one of his apostles will betray him (Matthew 26:22-24) (John 13:26–27). Despite each Apostle's assertion that he would not betray him, Jesus reiterates that the betrayer would be one of those present. Jesus then takes bread, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you". He then has them all drink from a cup, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood," (Luke 22:19-20). The Christian sacrament or ordinance of the Eucharist is based on these events. In all four gospels, Jesus predicts that Peter will deny knowledge of him three times before the rooster crows the next morning. In Luke and John, the prediction is made during the Supper (Luke 22:34) (John 13:38). Jesus also predicts that all his disciples will desert him (Matthew 26:31–34) (Mark 14:27–30). The Gospel of John provides the only account of Jesus washing his disciples' feet after the meal (John 13:1-17). John also includes a long sermon by Jesus, preparing his disciples (now without Judas) for his departure (John 17:6-18). Chapters 14–17 of the Gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse and are a significant source of Christological content.
Betrayal
Jesus and his disciples go to the garden Gethsemane, where Jesus prays to be spared his coming ordeal. Then Judas comes with an armed mob, sent by the chief priests, scribes and elders. He kisses Jesus to identify him to the crowd, which then arrests Jesus. In an attempt to stop them, an unnamed disciple of Jesus uses a sword to cut off the ear of a man in the crowd. After Jesus' arrest, his disciples go into hiding, and Peter, when questioned, thrice denies knowing Jesus. After the third denial, Peter hears the rooster crow and recalls Jesus' prediction about his denial. Peter then weeps bitterly (Luke 22:34) (John 13:38). Jesus does not pray to be spared his crucifixion, as the gospel portrays him as scarcely touched by such human weakness (John 18:1–11). The people who arrest him are Roman soldiers and Temple guards. Instead of being betrayed by a kiss, Jesus proclaims his identity, and when he does, the soldiers and officers fall to the ground. The gospel identifies Peter as the disciple who used the sword, and Jesus rebukes him for it. 
Arrest & Trial
After his arrest, Jesus is taken late at night to the private residence of the high priest, Caiaphas, who had been installed by Pilate's predecessor, the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus. Jesus is taken to the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, where he is mocked and beaten that night. Early the next morning, the chief priests and scribes lead Jesus away into their council (Matthew 26:57) (Mark 14:53) (Luke 22:54). Early the next morning, the chief priests and scribes lead Jesus away into their council. Jesus is first taken to Annas, Caiaphas's father-in-law, and then to the high priest (John 18:12–14). During the trials Jesus speaks very little, mounts no defense, and gives very infrequent and indirect answers to the priests' questions, prompting an officer to slap him. Jesus' unresponsiveness leads Caiaphas to ask him, "Have you no answer?" (Matthew 26:62). The high priest then asks Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus replies, "I am", and then predicts the coming of the Son of Man (Mark 14:61). This provokes Caiaphas to tear his own robe in anger and to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. In Matthew and Luke, Jesus' answer is more ambiguous "You have said so" (Matthew 26:64) "You say that I am" (Luke 22:70). The Jewish elders take Jesus to Pilate's Court and ask the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to judge and condemn Jesus for various allegations: subverting the nation, opposing the payment of tribute, claiming to be Christ, a King, and claiming to be the son of God. The use of the word "king" is central to the discussion between Jesus and Pilate. Jesus states, "My kingdom is not from this world", but he does not unequivocally deny being the King of the Jews (John 18:36). Pilate realizes that Jesus is a Galilean, and thus comes under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (Luke 23:7–15). Pilate sends Jesus to Herod to be tried, but Jesus says almost nothing in response to Herod's questions. Herod and his soldiers mock Jesus, put an expensive robe on him to make him look like a king, and return him to Pilate, who then calls together the Jewish elders and announces that he has "not found this man guilty". Observing a Passover custom of the time, Pilate allows one prisoner chosen by the crowd to be released. He gives the people a choice between Jesus and a murderer called Barabbas.  Persuaded by the elders (Matthew 27:20), the mob chooses to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Pilate writes a sign in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that reads "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (abbreviated as INRI in depictions) to be affixed to Jesus' cross (John 19:19-20), then scourges Jesus and sends him to be crucified. The soldiers place a crown of thorns on Jesus' head and ridicule him as the King of the Jews. They beat and taunt him before taking him to Calvary, also called Golgotha, for crucifixion (John 19:16-18). 
Crucifixion
After the trials, Jesus is led to Calvary carrying his cross; the route traditionally thought to have been taken is known as the Via Dolorosa. The three Synoptic Gospels indicate that Simon of Cyrene assists him, having been compelled by the Romans to do so. Jesus tells the women in the multitude of people following him not to weep for him but for themselves and their children (Luke 23:27–28). At Calvary, Jesus is offered a sponge soaked in a concoction usually offered as a painkiller. According to Matthew and Mark, he refuses it. The soldiers then crucify Jesus and cast lots for his clothes. Above Jesus' head on the cross is Pilate's inscription, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews". Soldiers and passersby mock him about it. Two convicted thieves are crucified along with Jesus. In Matthew and Mark, both thieves mock Jesus. In Luke, one of them rebukes Jesus, while the other defends him. Jesus tells the latter: "today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The four gospels mention the presence of a group of female disciples of Jesus at the crucifixion. In John, Jesus sees his mother Mary and the beloved disciple and tells him to take care of her (John 19:26-27). Roman soldiers break the two thieves' legs to hasten their death, but not those of Jesus, as he is already dead. Instead, one soldier pierces Jesus' side with a lance, and blood and water flow out (John 19:33-34). The Synoptics report a period of darkness, and the heavy curtain in the Temple is torn when Jesus dies, and an earthquake breaks open tombs (Matthew 27:51–54). In Matthew and Mark, terrified by the events, a Roman centurion states that Jesus was the Son of God. On the same day, Joseph of Arimathea, with Pilate's permission and with Nicodemus's help, removes Jesus' body from the cross, wraps him in a clean cloth, and buries him in his new rock-hewn tomb. On the following day the chief Jewish priests ask Pilate for the tomb to be secured, and with Pilate's permission the priests place seals on the large stone covering the entrance (Matthew 27:62–66). 
​Resurrection
The Gospels do not describe the moment of the resurrection of Jesus. They describe the discovery of his empty tomb and several appearances of Jesus, with distinct differences in each narrative. In the four Gospels, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb on Sunday morning, and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Matthew 28:1). ​The tomb is empty, with the stone rolled away, and an angel of the Lord came down from heaven (Matthew 28:2-3) The women are told that Jesus is not here and that he is risen (Mark 16:5-6) (Matthew 28:5-6) (Luke 24:4-6). In Mark and Matthew, the angel also instructs them to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee (Mark 16:7) (Matthew 28:7). In Luke, Peter visits the tomb after he is told it is empty (Luke 24:12). In John, he goes there with the beloved disciple (John 20:2-8). Matthew mentions Roman guards at the tomb (Matthew 28:7), who report to the priests of Jerusalem what happened. The priests bribe them to say that the disciples stole Jesus' body during the night (Matthew 28:11-15). The four Gospels then describe various appearances of Jesus in his resurrected body. Jesus first reveals himself to Mary Magdalene​ (Mark 16:9) (John 20:14-17), along with "the other Mary" in Matthew (Matthew 28:9-10), while in Luke the first reported appearance is to two disciples heading to Emmaus, (Luke 24:13-31). Jesus then reveals himself to the eleven disciples, in Jerusalem or in Galilee. (Mark 16:14) (Matthew 28:16-17) (John 20:19-23). Jesus eats and shows them his tangible wounds to prove that he is not a spirit (Luke 24:36-43). He also shows them to Thomas to end his doubts (John 20:24-29), Jesus commissions the disciples to spread the gospel message to all nations, He tells Peter to take care of his sheep (), this was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead (John 21:14-16). 
Jesus' Ascension
Jesus' ascension into Heaven is described in Luke (Luke 24:50–53) (Acts 1:1–11), and mentioned in 1 Timothy (1 Timothy 3:16). In the Acts of the Apostles, forty days after the Resurrection, as the disciples look on, "he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight". 1 Peter states that Jesus has "gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God" (1 Peter 3:22). The Acts of the Apostles describes several appearances of Jesus after his Ascension. In Acts, Stephen gazes into heaven and sees "Jesus standing at the right hand of God" just before his death (Acts 7:55). On the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul is converted to Christianity after seeing a blinding light and hearing a voice saying, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (Acts 9:5). Also in Acts,  Jesus instructs Ananias of Damascus in a vision to heal Paul (Acts 9:10–18). The Book of Revelation includes a revelation from Jesus concerning the last days of Earth (Revelation 1:1-7). 

​JETHER 

​The meaning of Jether is "surplus; excellence" 
  • The oldest of Gideon's seventy sons, who was asked to kill the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna who had been captured by Gideon. Being still young at the time, he did not have the confidence to carry out his father's request, so Zebah and Zalmunna called on Gideon to perform the deed himself (Judges 8:20–21). 
  • The father-in-law of Moses, called elsewhere Jethro or Jothor (Exodus 4:18).
  • The father of Amasa, David's general (2 Samuel 17:25) (1 Kings 2:5) (1 Kings 2:32).
  • The sons of Ezrah (1 Chronicles 4:17). His sons were Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara (1 Chronicles 7:38)

​JETHETH 

The meaning of Jetheth is "Giving" Duke of Edom, a descendant of Esau (Genesis 36:40) (1 Chronicles 1:51).​

​JETHRO 

The meaning of Jethro ​is "Eminent; Excellence; Abundant" Jethro was the father-in-law of Moses and father of Zipporah. Jethro is first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus (Exodus 2:16) where he is described as “a priest of Midian.” He is also referred to as Reuel (Exodus 2:18), which could indicate the equivalent of a last name. ​The name Reuel means “friend of God.” When Moses was on the run from Pharaoh, after having killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:12), he found himself in Midian by a well (Exodus 2:15). Jethro’s seven daughters were shepherdesses who came to the well to water their sheep. However, some men chased the women away, and Moses came to their defense (Exodus 2:17). In gratitude for Moses’ care of his daughters, Jethro invited him for dinner (Exodus 2:20). Over the course of time, Jethro gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses for a wife, and they had two sons (Exodus 2:21) (Exodus 4:20). Moses stayed with the Midianites for forty years until God called to him from the burning bush (Exodus 3:1). Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, gave him his blessing to return to his people in obedience to God (Exodus 4:18). Moses had sent Zipporah and their sons back to Midian, rather than take them to Egypt, perhaps due to the dangers he would face in leading an entire nation out of slavery (Exodus 18:2-3). Moses clearly trusted Jethro to take good care of his family and use wisdom in knowing when to reunite them. Jethro brings Zipporah and the children to Moses at Sinai. The relationship between Moses and Jethro was always cordial (Exodus 18:7–8), and Jethro offers some fatherly advice when he sees the overwhelming responsibility facing his son-in-law (Exodus 18:13–27). Moses takes Jethro’s advice on how to delegate authority: “Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said” (Exodus 18:24). Moses then sends Jethro back to Midian with his blessing (Exodus 18:27).

​JETUR 

The meaning of Jetur is "Order, succession, mountainous" One of the twelve sons of Ishmael (Genesis 25:15) (1 Chronicles 1:31). The Reubenites waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab (1 Chronicles 5:18-20). ​

​JEUEL 

The meaning of Jeuel is "God hath taken away; God heaping up" 

​JEUSH (​JEhUSH)

The meaning of Jeush/Jehush is "He that is devoured" 

​JEW 

The meaning of Jew is "from the Kingdom of Judah" During the Exodus, the name was given to the Tribe of Judah. Originally, God’s chosen people were known as the Hebrews. Later, after they settled in the Promised Land and formed a nation, they were known as the Israelites. The term “Jew” did not come into use until after the ten northern tribes were exiled to Assyria and Judah was exiled to Babylon. The term “Jew” did not come into use until after the ten northern tribes were exiled to Assyria and Judah was exiled to Babylon. In the later stages of the captivity (Esther) and in the early stages of the return to the land of Israel (Ezra and Nehemiah) (Ezra 4:23) (Ezra 5:1) (Nehemiah 2:16) (Nehemiah 4:1), the tribe of Judah was dominant. The word Jew developed as a shortening of the word Judah. But the word Jew was used as a descriptor for more than just the tribe of Judah. The dominance of the tribe of Judah in the return to the Promised Land resulted in all of the Israelites, people from all 12 of the tribes, being referred to as “Jews.”​

​JEZANIAH 

The meaning of Jaazaniah is "May God hear" also called Jezaniah.
  • Jaazaniah son of Azzur was a leader of Israel and a false prophet whom the prophet Ezekiel sees in a vision of iniquitous elders standing at a gate of the Temple, falsely telling the people that Jerusalem will not be destroyed (Ezekiel 11:1). Son of Azur, and one of the princes who devised mischief and gave wicked counsel to the people (Ezekiel 11:1).​
  •  Son of Hoshaiah, a Maachathite, and a captain among those left in the land by the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:23).
  • A Rechabite, son of Jeremiah: he refused to drink wine, and was blessed for his obedience to his forefathers (Jeremiah 35:3).
  • Son of Shaphan, and leader of the seventy elders who were seen in a vision by Ezekiel offering incense to idols (Ezekiel 8:11).

JEZEBEL 

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The meaning of Jezebel is "may God give seed" “Jezebel” is a name synonymous with evil; she is the epitome of the wicked woman. So infamous is her name that, to this day, no one names their baby daughter “Jezebel.” Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, a priest of the cruel, sensuous, false god Baal. Ethbaal, the priest-king of Tyre who murdered his own brother to take over the throne, was hardly a good father figure. But Jezebel followed in her father’s footsteps and was herself a power-hungry murderess who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted. The king of Israel at the time was Ahab, a weak, self-pitying man who abdicated his authority to his bride, the princess Jezebel. In spite of God’s laws forbidding idolatry and the worship of any god but the Lord, Ahab married this princess (1 Kings 16:30-32) who brought to Israel with her hundreds of priests of lewd Baal worship, a cult that tended to destroy manhood and drag womanhood into shame. One of her first acts was to order the extermination of the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4) (1 Kings 18:13) and set up altars to Baal. So pervasive was her idolatrous influence in Israel that Jesus later used her name to refer to a woman who led the church at Thyatira into immorality and the worship of false gods (Revelation 2:20). Jezebel’s strongest enemy was the great prophet Elijah, who defied her and opposed her evil rule. First, he pronounced the punishment of God upon Israel in the form of a drought which lasted three years (James 5:17). This culminated in a contest on Mount Carmel between the powers of Israel’s true God and the Baals. After the 450 priests of Baal and 400 priests of Asherah spent the day beseeching their gods with wailing and self-mutilation to end the drought, all to no avail, Elijah prayed to his omnipotent God who responded by accepting the sacrifice, having the false prophets slaughtered, and providing an abundance of rain (1 Kings 18:16-46). Instead of acknowledging the awesome power of the one true God, Jezebel was enraged and vowed to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-2). Elijah fled from her wrath to the wilderness (1 Kings 19:3-8). In the meantime, Jezebel was proving herself to be the greedy, murderous, evil woman she truly was. A righteous man named Naboth owned a vineyard next to Ahab’s palace. Ahab offered to buy the vineyard, but Naboth, honoring God’s command to keep inheritances within the family, rightly refused to sell. Ahab became “sullen and angry” and went home to sulk on his bed. Jezebel ridiculed him for his weakness and told him to cheer up for she would get the vineyard for him. She plotted with two lying scoundrels to have Naboth falsely accused and denounced, then put to death. Then she calmly declared to Ahab that the vineyard was his (1 Kings 21:1-16). As with all who defy the Lord, Jezebel’s end was not a pretty one, although it was more gruesome than most, perhaps as an object lesson to all who set themselves up against the one true God. Her doom was sure, having been prophesied by Elijah (1 Kings 21:23). Even as she saw her death approaching, she remained defiant to the end, painting her face and adorning herself in queenly garments. She looked out the window and shouted her defiance to Jehu, the next king of Israel who came to take his throne (2 Kings 9:30-37). Jehu commanded her to be thrown out the window to her death, where she was trampled by the horses’ hooves and almost entirely consumed by dogs. Her thirty years of tyranny over Israel had ended.

​JEZER 

The meaning of Jezer is "Island of help" The third son of Naphtali, (Genesis 46:24) (Numbers 26:49) (1 Chronicles 7:13) and father of the family of Jezerites.​ 

​JEZRAHIAH 

The meaning of Jezrahiah is "God will shine" Jezrahiah was the leader of the chorus at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 12:42). He belonged to the tribe of Levi.​

​JEZREEL 

The meaning of Jezreel​ is "to sow; God will sow" 
  • Jezreel was a city in the plain, or valley, of Esdraelon. The area surrounding the city was also called the Valley of Jezreel. The city of Jezreel has a long and varied history and figures prominently in many Bible events, most of them violent. King Jehu ordered that the heads of King Ahab’s 70 sons be placed in heaps at the gate of Jezreel (2 Kings 10:1–11). Ahab’s queen, Jezebel, met her death by being thrown from a window of the palace of Jezreel, and it was there that her body was eaten by dogs (2 Kings 9:30–35). Jezreel was the scene of the phony trial of Naboth, who owned a vineyard near Ahab’s palace and who was murdered by Jezebel for his refusal to give his land to Ahab (1 Kings 21:1–23). The Valley of Jezreel was the scene of some important battles as well: the victory of Barak over Sisera (Judges 4); a victory of Gideon over the Midianites, the Amalekites, and their allies from the east (Judges 6-8); the victory of the Philistines over Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31); and the Egyptians’ victory over King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29).
  • Jezreel is also the name of a son of the prophet Hosea, so named because God had declared that He would avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu (Hosea 1:4–5).​

​JIDLAPH 

The meaning of Jidlaph is "He that distills water" A son of Nahor with Milcah (Genesis 22:22). He is the brother of Bethuel and thus the uncle of Laban and Rebekah.​

​JOAB 

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The meaning of Joab is "praise Jehovah" The nephew of King David and the commander of his army. Joab was the son of Zeruiah, a sister of king David (1 Chronicles 2:15-16). Joab had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was killed by Abner in combat, for which Joab took revenge by murdering Abner against David's wishes and shortly after David and Abner had secured peace between the House of David and the House of Saul (2 Samuel 2:13) (2 Samuel 3:21) (2 Samuel 3:27). After Joab led the assault on the fortress of Mount Zion, David made him captain of his army (2 Samuel 8:16; (2 Samuel 20:23) (1 Chronicles 11:4-6) (2 Samuel 18:15). He led the army against Aram, Ammon, Moab and Edom. He also colluded with David in the murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11:14-25).​ Joab played a pivotal role as the commander of David's forces during Absalom's rebellion. Absalom, one of David's sons, rallied much of Israel in rebellion against David, who was forced to flee with only his most trusted men. However, David could not bring himself to harm his son, and ordered that none of his men should kill Absalom during the ensuing battle. However, when a man reported that Absalom had been found alive and caught in a tree, Joab and his men killed him (2 Samuel 18:1-33). Hearing of David's grief over the reported death of Absalom, Joab confronted and admonished David. The king followed Joab's advice to make a public appearance to encourage his troops (2 Samuel 19:1-8). David later replaced him as commander of the army with David's nephew, Amasa (2 Samuel 19:13). Joab later killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-13) (1 Kings 2:5). Joab and other commanders began questioning David's judgment (2 Samuel 24:2-4). As David neared the end of his reign, Joab offered his allegiance to David's eldest living son, Adonijah, rather than to the eventual king, Solomon (1 Kings 1:1-27). On the brink of death, David told Solomon to have Joab killed, citing Joab's past betrayals and the blood that he was guilty of. Solomon ordered Joab's death by the hand of Benaiah (1 Kings 2:29-34). Hearing this, Joab fled to the Tent of the Tabernacle and told Benaiah that he would die there. Benaiah killed Joab there and thereby replaced him as commander of the army. Joab was buried in 'the wilderness' (1 Kings 2:34).

​JOAH 

The meaning of Joah is "God is his brother" 

​JOAHAZ (​JehOAHAZ)

The meaning of Joahaz/Jehoahaz ​is "Yahweh has held" There are three kings named Jehoahaz in the Bible. Two were kings of Judah, and one was king of Israel.
  • Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) son of Jehoram, king of Judah (841 BC) was the youngest son of Jehoram, and is called “Azariah”. The difference is due to the fact that Ahaziah is a variant of Jehoahaz in Hebrew. The people made him king of Judah since all his older brothers had been killed (2 Chronicles 21:17) (2 Chronicles 22:1). Although he ruled in the southern kingdom, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) was actually a grandson of Ahab and Jezebel of the northern kingdom, and he followed in the sins of Ahab (2 Chronicles 22:3–4). Upon the suggestion of his advisors, Jehoahaz helped his uncle, King Joram of Israel, fight against Hazael king of Aram (2 Chronicles 22:5–6). Joram was injured in the battle, and Jehoahaz went to visit him. During the visit, Jehu showed up on his mission to wipe out the entire house of Ahab. Jehu killed Joram, all of Jehoahaz’s relatives who were there, and, after a chase, Jehoahaz himself (2 Chronicles 22:7–9). So, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah) was buried after only one year on the throne of Judah.​
  • Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel (814—798 BC). He reigned for seventeen years over the northern kingdom Israel. “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit” (2 Kings 13:2). About a century earlier, Jeroboam I had led the rebellion that split the kingdom into two. After the split, Jeroboam sought to keep the people in his northern kingdom from traveling to the southern kingdom to worship God in Jerusalem. So Jeroboam set up two golden calves in the north: one in Bethel, and one in Dan. In this way, Jeroboam led the people into idol worship. Ruling about one hundred years later, Jehoahaz persisted in this sin of idolatry. Interestingly, Jehoahaz’s father, Jehu, had destroyed the worship of Baal in Israel. But he did not keep God’s law with all his heart or turn away from the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:28–31). Still, for destroying the house of Ahab, God promised Jehu that his sons would rule to the fourth generation. Jehoahaz was the second in that dynasty. Because Jehoahaz worshipped idols and caused Israel to continue in the idolatry of Jeroboam, God began to reduce the size of Israel, allowing Hazael and Ben-Hadad of Aram to overpower them (2 Kings 13:3, 32). After experiencing Aramian oppression for a period of time, Jehoahaz finally relented and “sought the LORD’s favor” (2 Kings 13:4). God graciously raised up a deliverer, who freed the Israelites from Aram, so that they were able to live in their own homes again (2 Kings 13:5).
  • Jehoahaz son of Josiah, king of Judah (609 BC). Although he was the fourth son of Josiah, Jehoahaz was made king over Judah once his father died (2 Kings 23:31) (2 Chronicles 36:1). Also known as Shallum (1 Chronicles 3:15), Jehoahaz only reigned for three months in Jerusalem before being deposed by Pharaoh Necho. The pharaoh installed Jehoahaz’s brother, Eliakim (aka Jehoiakim) as king and deported Jehoahaz in chains. Jehoahaz later died in Egypt (2 Kings 23:31–35). This third and final Jehoahaz also “did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his predecessors has done” (2 Kings 23:32). The sins of the last Jehoahaz are especially tragic because his father, Josiah, had been an exceptionally good king. Josiah had found the Book of the Law, renewed the covenant, torn down the high places of idol worship, destroyed the priests of false gods, reinstituted the Passover, and turned to the Lord “with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses” (2 Kings 23:25). But his son Jehoahaz did not follow in his steps.

​JOANNA 

The meaning of Joanna is "God is gracious" Joanna was one of several women in the Bible healed of “evil spirits and diseases” by Jesus Christ (Luke 8:2). After being healed, Joanna accompanied Jesus and the twelve disciples on their travels from town to town and helped support the Lord’s ministry. As the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod Antipas’ household estate, Joanna was a woman of means and influence. Along with Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and others, Joanna helped provide food and supplies for the missionary troupe from her own wealth (Luke 8:1–3). She was present at Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Later, Joanna returned with other women who had prepared spices and burial ointments to anoint Jesus’ body (Luke 23:55–56). Upon discovering the empty tomb, Joanna and the others ran to report the news to the apostles (Luke 24:10).​

JOASH (JEHOASH) 

The meaning of Joash is "God has given; given by the Lord" There are two kings with the name Joash (or Jehoash) in the Bible: one a king of Judah (reigned 835–796 BC) and the other a king of Israel (reigned 798–782 BC).
  • Jehoash was the twelfth king of the ancient northern Kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 13:10), and the son of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:9). Jehoash was sinful and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh for tolerating the worship of the golden calves, yet outwardly at least he worshiped God. When he ascended the throne, the Kingdom of Israel was suffering from the predations of the Arameans, whose king Hazael was conquering land controlled by Israel. Later in his reign, Jehoash led the men of the Kingdom of Israel in the defeat of king Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:8) (2 Kings 14:11). Jehoash utterly defeated Amaziah at Beth-shemesh, on the borders of Dan and Philistia. Jehoash then advanced on Jerusalem, broke down a portion of the wall, and carried away the treasures of the Temple and the palace (2 Chronicles 25:23). Jehoash took Amaziah as a prisoner. Amaziah's defeat was followed by a conspiracy that took his life. Jehoash also took hostages to assure good conduct.​
  • King Joash of Judah first comes on the scene when Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah, whom Jehu had killed, took charge of Judah. Athaliah killed all of the royal family she could find in Judah in order to secure the throne for herself. However, Athaliah missed one of her grandsons—the infant Joash. The evil queen’s sister rescued young Joash and his nurse, and the child was hidden for six years in the temple while Athaliah reigned in Judah (2 Kings 11:1–3). In the seventh year, the priest Jehoiada revealed Joash to the captains of the guards. The priest made an agreement with them to provide protection to the temple and the rightful king, and Jehoiada brought Joash out into public and anointed him as king (2 Kings 11:4–12). The people of Judah rejoiced over Joash’s appointment. Upon hearing the noise of the ceremony, Queen Athaliah rushed to the temple, crying, "Treason! Treason!” By Jehoiada’s command, Athaliah was captured by the guards, removed from the temple, and put to death (2 Kings 11:13–16). “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people” (2 Kings 11:17). The people tore down the temple of Baal, watchmen were set over the Lord’s temple, and, at the age of seven, Joash took the throne (2 Kings 11:18–21). The tragedy of King Joash of Judah is that, after his mentor and guardian, Jehoiada, died, he began listening to wicked advisers. Joash revived Baal and Asherah worship in Judah (2 Chronicles 24:17–19). God sent prophets to warn Joash, but he did not listen to them. Finally, the prophet Zechariah, son of the priest Jehoiada, brought God’s word to Joash, but the king callously ordered the son of his old friend to be stoned to death (2 Chronicles 24:19–22).

​JOATHAM (JOTHAM)

The meaning of Jotham is "perfection of Jehovah" Jotham was the eleventh king of Judah (2 Kings 15:32), and son of King Uzziah and Jerusha, daughter of Zadok. Jotham was 25 years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for 16 years. Ahaz his son succeeded him as king. Jotham fought wars against Rezin, king of the Arameans (2 Kings 15), and Pekah, king of Israel (2 Kings 15:37).​​

​JOB 

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The meaning of Job is "Persecuted" The life of Job demonstrates that humans are often unaware of the many ways God is at work in the life of each believer. Job was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1). He had ten children and was a man of great wealth. One day Satan presented himself before God and God asked Satan what he thought of Job. Satan accused Job of honoring God only because God had blessed him. So, God allowed Satan to take away Job’s wealth and his children. Later, God allowed Satan to afflict Job physically. Job grieved deeply but did not charge God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22) (Job 42:7–8). Job’s friends were certain that Job must have sinned in order to deserve punishment and argued with him about it. A younger man, Elihu, attempted to speak on God’s behalf before God, Himself, answered Job (Job 38—42). Job responded to God’s discourse in humility and repentance, saying he had spoken of things he did not know (Job 40:3–5) (Job 42:1–6). God told Job’s friends that He was angry with them for speaking falsehoods about Him, unlike Job who had spoken truth (Job 42:7–8). God told them to offer sacrifices and that Job would pray on their behalf and God would accept Job’s prayer. Job did so, likely forgiving his friends for their harshness himself. God restored Job’s fortunes two-fold (Job 42:10) and "blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part" (Job 42:12). Job lived 140 years after his suffering. Job never lost his faith in God, even under the most heartbreaking circumstances that tested him to his core. Though depressed enough to curse the day of his birth (Job 3:1–26), Job never cursed God (Job 2:9–10) nor did he waver in his understanding that God was still in control. When Job’s wife suggested he curse God and die, Job replied "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10). Job’s plight, from the death of his children and loss of his property to the physical torment he endured, plus the harangue of his so-called friends, never caused his faith to waver. He understood that man’s days are ordained (numbered) and they cannot be changed (Job 14:5). ​

​JOBAB 

The meaning of Jobab is "praise Jehovah​" One of the sons of Joktan, and founder of an Arabian tribe (Genesis 10:29).​

​JOCHEBED 

The meaning of Jochebed is "YHWH is glory" A wise woman who was righteous and God-fearing. She is identified as Shiphrah, one of the Hebrew midwives who saved the newborn baby boys from Pharaoh. By merit of her good deeds, she gave birth to the three leaders of the Exodus generation: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Exodus 6:20) (Numbers 26:59).​

​JOED 

The meaning of Joed is "Jehovah is witness" A descendants of Benjamin, son of Pedaiah (Nehemiah 11:7). ​

​JOEL 

The meaning of Joel is "Jehovah is the Lord; the Lord is God" Joel was an Israelite prophet, the second of the twelve minor prophets. He is mentioned by name only once in the Hebrew Bible, as the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1). Joel was originally from Judah/Judea, and was called by God to minister to the southern kingdom of Judah. Joel may have been a priest of the tribe of Levi, given his passion for temple sacrifices (Joel 1:9) (Joel 2:13-16). However, his familiarity with pastoral and agricultural life (Joel 1:13-14) (Joel 2:17) suggests he probably wasn’t a Levite. ​

​JOELAH 

The meaning of Joelah is "Lifting up, profiting, taking away slander" A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag while he was banished from the presence of Saul (1 Chronicles 12:7)​

​JOEZER 

The meaning of Joezer is "He that aids" One of David's Benjamite recruits at Ziklag, though perhaps a Judean (1 Chronicles 12:6).​

​JOGBEHAH 

The meaning of Jogbehahis "An exalting, high" A city in Gilead assigned to Gad and fortified by that tribe (Numbers 32:35). It lay on the line along which Gideon chased the Midianites (Judges 8:11),​

​JOGLI 

The meaning of Jogli is "Passing over, turning back, rejoicing" Father of Bukki, a Danite chief (Numbers 34:22).​

​JOHA 

The meaning of Joha is "Who enlivens or gives life" 

​JOHANAN JEHOVAH IS OR HAS BEEN GRACIOUS.

The meaning of Johanan is "God is gracious"
  • Son of Azariah and grandson of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, and father of Azariah (1 Chronicles 6:9) (1 Chronicles 6:10) 
  • Son of Elioenai, the son of Neariah, the son of Shemaiah, in the line of Zerubbabels heirs. (1 Chronicles 3:24)
  • The son of Kaereah, and one of the captains of the scattered remnants of the army of Judah, who escaped in the final attack upon Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. After the murder of Gedaliah, Johanan was one of the foremost in the pursuit of his assassin, and rescued the captives he had carried off from Mizpah. (Jeremiah 41:11-16) Fearing the vengeance of the Chaldeans, the captains, with Johanan at their head, notwithstanding the warnings of Jeremiah, retired into Egypt.
  • The first-born son of Josiah king of Judah. (1 Chronicles 3:15)
  • A valiant Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:4)
  • A Gadite warrior who followed David. (1 Chronicles 12:12)
  • The father of Azariah, an Ephraimite in the time of Ahaz. (2 Chronicles 28:12)
  • The son of Hakkatan, and chief of the Bene-Azgad who returned with Ezra. (Ezra 8:12)
  • The son of Eliashib, one of the chief Levites. (Ezra 10:6) (Nehemiah 12:23)
  • The son of Tobiah the Ammonite. (Nehemiah 6:18)​

​JOHN ​​THE APOSTLE

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The meaning of John is "Yahweh has been gracious; graced by God" The Apostle John is the author of five New Testament books: the gospel of John, the three short epistles that also bear his name (1, 2, and 3 John) and the book of Revelation​​. John was part of Jesus’ “inner circle” and, along with Peter and James, John was given the privilege of witnessing Jesus’ conversation with Moses and Elijah on the mount of the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). His importance in the twelve grew as he matured, and after the crucifixion, he became a “pillar” in the Jerusalem church (Galatians 2:9), ministered with Peter (Acts 3:1) (Acts 4:13) (Acts 8:14), and finally was exiled to the island of Patmos by the Romans, where he received from God the majestic visions that comprise the book of Revelation. John is the brother of James, another of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Together, they were called by Jesus “Boanerges,” which means “sons of thunder,” and therein we find a key to John’s personality. Both brothers were characterized by zeal, passion and ambition. In his early days with Jesus, at times John acted rashly, recklessly, impetuously, and aggressively. We see him in Mark 9 forbidding a man to cast out demons in Jesus’ name because he was not part of the twelve (Mark 9:38-41). Jesus gently rebuked him, saying no one could cast out demons in Jesus’ name and then turn around and speak evil of Him. In Luke 9, we see the brothers wanting to call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans who refused to welcome Jesus. Again, Jesus had to rebuke them for their intolerance and lack of genuine love for the lost (Luke 9:51-54). John’s zeal for Jesus was also influenced by his natural ambition, as seen in his request (through his mother) that he and his brother be seated on Jesus’ right and left hands in the kingdom, an incident that caused a temporary rift between the brothers and the other disciples (Matthew 20:20-24). In spite of these youthful expressions of misdirected passion, John aged well. He began to understand the need for humility in those who desired to be great. John’s is the only gospel that records Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-16). Jesus had enough confidence in the young man to turn the care of His mother over to him, a charge John took very seriously. From that day on, John cared for her as if she were his own mother (John 19:25-27). In the opening of the book of Revelation, which he received from the Holy Spirit during this time, he referred to himself as ‘your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). He had learned to look beyond his earthly sufferings to the heavenly glory that awaits all who patiently endure. John was passionately devoted to the proclamation of truth. No one in Scripture, except the Lord Jesus, had more to say about the concept of truth. His joy was proclaiming the truth to others and then watching them walk in it (3 John 4). His strongest condemnation was for those who perverted the truth and led others astray, especially if they claimed to be believers (1 John 2:4). His passion for truth fueled his concern for the sheep who might be deceived by false teachers, and his warnings about them take up much of 1 John. He had no qualms about identifying as “false prophets” and “antichrists” those who tried to pervert the truth, even proclaiming them to be demonic in nature (1 John 2:18) (1 John 2:26) (1 John 3:7) (1 John 4:1-7).  John is also called the “apostle of love.” In his own gospel, he refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23) (John 20:2) (John 21:7) (John 21:20). He addresses his first epistle to a group of believers “whom I love in the truth” and exhorts them to “love one another” by walking in obedience to Jesus’ commands (2 John 1:1) (2 John 5-6).

​JOHN ​​THE baptist

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​The meaning of John is "Yahweh has been gracious; graced by God" ​John the Baptist was an ascetic Jewish prophet known in Christianity as the forerunner of Jesus. John preached about God's Final Judgment and baptized repentant followers in preparation for it. John’s adult life was characterized by devotion and surrender to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. John’s voice was a "lone voice in the wilderness" (John 1:23) as he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah to a people who desperately needed a Savior. He is one of the most significant and well-known figures in the Bible. While John was known as "the Baptist," he was in fact the first prophet called by God since Malachi some 400 years earlier. John’s coming was foretold over 700 years previously by another prophet (Isaiah 40:3–5). John’s birth was miraculous. He was born of elderly parents who had never been able to have children (Luke 1:7). The angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah, a Levitical priest, that he would have a son, news that Zechariah received with incredulity (Luke 1:8-10). Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to John. At the circumcision ceremony, Zechariah said about his son, “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; / for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him” (Luke 1:76). John was related to Jesus, as their mothers were relatives (Luke 1:36). In fact, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus, he also told her about John. When Mary was carrying Jesus in her womb, she visited Elizabeth, and John leapt in his mother’s womb for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice (Luke 1:39-45). As an adult John lived a rugged life in the mountainous area of Judea, between the city of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. He wore clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, the typical garb of a prophet. His diet was a simple one—locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). John lived a simple life as he focused on the kingdom work set before him. John the Baptist’s ministry grew in popularity, as recounted in (Matthew 3:5–6): "People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." The general opinion of John the Baptist was that he was a prophet of God (Matthew 14:5), and many people may have thought that he was the Messiah. This was not his intent, as he had a clear vision for what he was called to do. John says, "You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.'" (John 3:28). John was merely a messenger sent by God to proclaim the truth. His message was simple and direct: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). He knew that, once Jesus appeared on the scene, John’s work would be all but finished. He willingly gave up the spotlight to Jesus, saying, "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30). Perhaps there is no greater example of humility than what is seen in both Jesus and John (Matthew 3:13–15). Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John in the River Jordan. John rightly recognized that the sinless Son of God needed no baptism of repentance and that he was certainly not worthy to baptize his own Savior. But Jesus answered John’s concern by requesting baptism "to fulfill all righteousness," meaning that He was identifying Himself with sinners for whom He would ultimately sacrifice Himself, thereby securing all righteousness for them (2 Corinthians 5:21). In humility, John obeyed and consented to baptize Jesus (Matthew 3:13–15). As Jesus came up out of the water, “heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17). Later, King Herod put John the Baptist in prison. Herod had married the former wife of his brother, Philip. John boldly spoke out against this marriage, much to the dislike of Herodias, Herod’s new wife (Luke 3:19–20) (Mark 6:17–20). While John was in prison, he heard of all the things Jesus was doing. In what seems to be a moment of doubt, John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask if He truly was the Messiah. Jesus responded by telling the men to tell John what they saw and heard—prophecies were being fulfilled. Jesus never rebuked John; rather, He gave evidence that He was the promised Savior (Matthew 11:2-6) (Luke 7:18-23). Jesus then spoke to the crowd about John, saying he was the prophesied messenger who would come before Messiah (Matthew 11:10) (Luke 7:27) (Malachi 3:1). Jesus also said, "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11) (Luke 7:28). John the Baptist’s ministry, as well as his life, came to an abrupt end at the hand of King Herod. In an act of unspeakable vengeance, Herodias plotted with her daughter to have John killed. Herodias’s daughter danced for Herod and his dinner guests one night, and Herod was so pleased that he said to her, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you” (Mark 6:22). The girl consulted with her mother before she answered that she wanted the head of John the Baptist on a platter (Mark 6:25). Herod had been afraid of John, “knowing him to be a righteous and holy man” (Mark 6:20), and so was loath to kill the prophet, but he had promised to give the dancing girl whatever she asked. Since John was already in prison, it was a simple thing to send the executioner to behead John, which is exactly what happened (Mark 6:27–28). John was entrusted with a unique ministry, yet we, too, are called upon to share the truth of Jesus with others (Matthew 28:18–20) (John 13:34–35) (1 Peter 3:15) (2 Corinthians 5:16–21). We can follow John’s example of faithful and obedient trust in God as we live and proclaim His truth in whatever life circumstances God has given us.

​JOIARIB 

The meaning of Joiarib is "Chiding of the Lord; multiplying of the Lord " 

​JOKDEAM 

The meaning of Jokmeam is "Let The People Arise; Let The People Be Established​" A city of Judah, named with Maon, Carmel and Ziph (Joshua 15:56). It probably lay to the South of Hebron.​

​JOKIM 

The meaning of Jokim is "That made the sun stand still" A Judahite, descendant of Shelah (1 Chronicles 4:22).​

​JOKMEAM 

The meaning of Jokmeam is "Confirmation, or revenge, of the people" A town in Mt. Ephraim assigned to the Kohathite Levites (1 Chronicles 6:68).

​JOKNEAM 

​The meaning of Jokneam is "Possessing, or building up, of the people." A royal city of the Canaanites taken by Joshua and described as "in Carmel" (Joshua 12:22), in the territory of Zebulun, and allotted to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 21:34).

​JOKSHAN 

The meaning of Jokshan is "An offense, hardness, a knocking" A son of Abraham and his wife or concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:2), whom he wed after the death of Sarah. Jokshan had five brothers: Zimran, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah; as well as two half brothers: Ishmael (Ismail) and Isaac. Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan (Genesis 25:3). ​

​JOKTAN 

The meaning of Joktan is "Small dispute; contention; disgust​." Joktan was the second of the two sons of Eber​​. He descends from Shem, son of Noah (Genesis 10:25). Joktan's sons were Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab (Genesis 10:26–29). 

​JONADAB 

The meaning of Jehonadab is "Jehovah is willing​" 
  • A son of Shimeah, the nephew of David, and friend of Amnon (2 Samuel 13:3-5). His age naturally made him the friend of his cousin Amnon, heir to the throne. He gave him the fatal advice for ensnaring his sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:5-6). Again, when, in a later stage of the same tragedy, Amnon was murdered by Absalom, and the exaggerated report reached David that all the princes were slaughtered, Jonadab was already aware of the real state of the case. (2 Samuel 13:32-33). 
  • A son of Rechab, a Kenite, descended from Hobab the brother of Moses. He was at the head of the Rechabites in the time of Jehu, and seems to have given them a command to abstain from wine (2 Kings 10:15) (1 Chronicles 2:55) (Jeremiah 35:6-10)

JONAH 

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The meaning of Jonah is "Dove" The son of Amittai, is a prophet from Gath-hepher of the northern kingdom of Israel, one of the twelve minor prophets. Jonah is the central figure of the Book of Jonah, which details his reluctance in delivering God's judgement on the city of Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-2). Jonah rose up in rebellion. Not being one to put up with that which was not to his mind, he fled to Joppa and got himself a passage on a ship bound for Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction from Nineveh (Jonah 1:3). God rolled over Jonah with a vengeance, causing a violent storm to threaten the safety of his ship and its crew. After Jonah's confession to the sailors that the storm was Gods vengeance against Jonah, the sailors threw him overboard, and the huge fish sent by God promptly swallowed him up (Jonah 1:17). At this point Jonah has now found himself in a situation worse than anything he could have imagined, but like Jacob, he has by now awakened to the fact that God is with him wherever he ends up, in obedience or disobedience. The result is a beautiful prayer of faith rising up from the belly of the great fish (Jonah 2:1). Salvation comes from the LORD” (Jonah 2:8-9). In response to this prayer of contrition and faith, on his Creator’s orders, the fish then vomits up Jonah (Jonah 2:10). Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time (Jonah 3:1). He finally arrives at Nineveh and strides vengefully through the city announcing doom and destruction on the people in forty days because of their wickedness and their ignorance of the Lord and His ways (Jonah 3:2-4). He then retires to a flimsy shelter he builds for himself, probably on a hill overlooking the city, and waits for the fireworks to start (Jonah 4:5). To his utter chagrin, the people repent and get right with the Lord (Jonah 3:5-10). This does not suit our friend Jonah at all and he flies into a fury at God and lets Him have no small piece of his mind (Jonah 4:1-3). God’s answer is to cause a leafy gourd to grow up to help protect Jonah from the blazing sun, for which Jonah is somewhat sullenly grateful, and then to promptly remove it the next day! His reply to Jonah’s bitter complaints about this is that if Jonah can have so much compassion on himself for his loss of comfort in spite of being aware of what a faulty child of God he is, then how much more compassion will Almighty God have on a people who are utterly ignorant of right from wrong (Jonah 4:9-11).

​JONATHAN 

The meaning of Jonathan is "God has given, gift of God"
  • The eldest son of King Saul of the Kingdom of Israel, and a close friend of David (1 Samuel 18:1–3). Jonathan protected David and helped him to escape Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2). Since David was married to Jonathan’s sister Michal, Jonathan was also David’s brother-in-law. Jonathan was not much like his father. Jonathan was known for his deep love, loyal friendship, and faith in God, while Saul repeatedly showed foolishness, pride, and disobedience to God (1 Samuel 13:8–13) (1 Samuel 14:24–30) (1 Samuel 15:1–34). God eventually rejected Saul’s kingship and replaced him with David (1 Samuel 16:11–13). Jonathan was faithful to the Lord and positioned himself against his father politically, because he knew that God had chosen David to be the next king. He made a covenant with the house of David and therefore recognized David’s family, rather than his own, as the chosen line of kingship (1 Samuel 20:16). Saul also insulted both Jonathan and his mother (1 Samuel 20:30) ​
  • The son of Gershom, grandson of Moses. He was of the tribe of Levi and is notable for being the priest hired to lead idol-worship in the tribe of Dan during the chaotic time of the judges (Judges 18:3–4) (Judges 18:30).

​JOPPA 

The meaning of Joppa is "beautiful" Joppa was the main port of the coast before the Israelis constructed the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. It was through Joppa that the timber for Solomon’s temple arrived from the forests of Lebanon (2 Chronicles 2:8–9) (2 Chronicles 2:16). Joppa was also the port through which timber came for the rebuilding of God’s temple, authorized by King Cyrus of Persia and overseen by Ezra and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:7). Joppa is the city to which Jonah fled after the Lord told him to go to Nineveh (Jonah 1:1–3). Joppa is notable as the home of Simon the tanner. Simon the tanner housed Peter while Peter ministered to believers in Joppa (Acts 9:32–43). His house was “by the sea” (Acts 10:4-6). Joppa was also the home of Tabitha, also called Dorcas, whom Peter raised from the dead (Acts 9:36–43). When the Roman centurion Cornelius sent a delegation to find Peter, they found him in Joppa.​

​JORAH 

The meaning of Jorah ​is "first rain; autumn rain​" It's the name of one of the family heads of whom the family returned from the Babylonian exile, during the wave headed by Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:18).​

​JORAM 

The meaning of Joram is "To cast; Elevated; Jehovah is exalted." 
  • The son of King Jehoshaphat, and he ruled in the southern kingdom of Judah from 853 to 841 BC. He reigned for four years with his father and another eight years on his own in Judah (2 Kings 8:16–17). Although Jehoshaphat had been a good and godly king, Jehoram did not follow in his father’s footsteps. He married Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab (and sister of Ahab’s son Joram), and he became an evil ruler. But, in spite of King Jehoram’s wickedness, God kept his covenant with David and refrained from destroying Judah (2 Kings 8:19). Sadly, God’s mercy had no effect on Jehoram’s behavior. He led his kingdom into idolatry and lewdness, and he caused both Edom and Libnah to revolt against Judah (2 Chronicles 21:8-1). So God sent word through the prophet Elijah that, because Jehoram had led the people into sin, there would be a devastating attack on Jehoram’s house and Jehoram himself would be struck with an incurable bowel disease (2 Chronicles 21:14–15). As part of God’s judgment, the Philistines and Arabs “attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest​
  • The son of the wicked King Ahab, and he ruled in the northern kingdom of Israel from 852 to 841 BC . Jehoram, also called Joram, took the throne of Israel in the second year of his brother-in-law’s reign in Judah, and he was just as corrupt. He certainly had a poor example in his father. Ahab had turned the people to idolatry, leading them away from the true God of their fathers to the worship of his wife Jezebel’s god, Baal. The consequences of Ahab’s choices carried into his son’s reign. Ahab had previously taken control of Moab and forced the people to pay tribute, but, when Joram took the throne, Moab rebelled, forcing Joram into war (2 Kings 3:4–5). King Joram called for help in the battle from King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, and the combined armies set out on a march through the wilderness toward Moab (2 Kings 3:8). Along the way, they ran out of water. Jehoshaphat made inquiries and discovered that Elisha, a prophet of God and Elijah’s successor, was nearby. Elisha was brought before the kings, and Joram asked for help from God. Elisha wanted to refuse Joram, but he agreed to help for Jehoshaphat’s sake (2 Kings 3:14).​​

​JORDAN river

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The meaning of Jordan is "to go down; descend" The Jordan River runs along the border between Jordan, the Palestinian West Bank, Israel and southwestern Syria. The river holds major significance in Judaism and Christianity. According to the Bible, the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:2) and Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it (Matthew 3:5–6) (Mark1:5) (Luke 3:3) (John 1:28). The Jordan is referred to as the source of fertility of a large plain, said to be watered like "the garden of the LORD" (Genesis 13:10). Jacob crossed it and its tributary, the Jabbok, on his way back from Haran (Genesis 32:11) (Genesis 32:23–24). Opposite Jericho, it was called "the Jordan of Jericho" (Numbers 34:15) (Numbers 35:1). The Jordan has a number of fords, and one of them is famous as the place where many Ephraimites were slain by Jephthah (Judges 12:5–6). In the plain of the Jordan, between Succoth and Zarthan, is the clay ground where Solomon had his brass-foundries (1 Kings 7:46). he Jordan appears as the scene of several miracles, the first taking place when the Jordan, near Jericho, was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 3:15–17). Later the two tribes and the half tribe that settled east of the Jordan built a large altar on its banks as "a witness" between them and the other tribes (Joshua 22:10) (Joshua 22:26). The Jordan was crossed by Elijah and Elisha on dry ground (2 Kings 2:8) (2 Kings 2:14). The prophet and wonder-worker Elisha performed two miracles at the Jordan: he healed Naaman's leprosy by having him bathe in its waters (2 Kings 5:14), and he made an axe head lost by one of the "children of the prophets" float, by throwing a piece of wood into the water (2 Kings 6:6). The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptised unto repentance (Acts 19:4). The prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah which names the Jordan (Isaiah 9:1–2) (Matthew 4:15).​​ Jesus crossed the Jordan during his ministry (Matthew 19:1) (Mark 10:1), and of believers crossing the Jordan to come hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases (Matthew 4:25) (Mark 3:7–8). When his enemies sought to capture him, Jesus took refuge at the river in the place John had first baptized (John 10:39–40).

​JORIM 

The meaning of Jorim is "may Jehovah exalt" The son of Matthat and father of Eleazar, maternal ancestors of Jesus​​ (Luke 3:29)

​JOSABAD (JOZABAD)

The meaning of Josabad is "Having a dowry" 
  • A captain of the thousands of Manasseh, who deserted to David before the battle of Gilboa. (1 Chronicles 12:20). ​
  • A Levite in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 31:13)
  • A chief Levite in the reign of Josiah. (2 Chronicles 35:9)
  • A Levite, son of Jeshua, in the days of Ezra (Ezra 8:33) Among those who returned with Ezra and had married foreign wives. He is probably identical with Jozabad the Levite, (Nehemiah 8:7) and with Jozabad who presided over the outer work of the temple. (Nehemiah 11:16) 
  • A priest of the sons of Pashur, who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:22).

​JOSAPHAT (JEHOSHAPHAT​)

The meaning of Josaphat is "Yahweh is judge, has judged" Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa, and his mother was Azubah (1 Kings 22:41), and the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah, in succession to his father. His children included Jehoram, who succeeded him as king. Jehoshaphat ascended the throne at the age of thirty-five and reigned for twenty-five years (1 Kings 22:42). In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent out priests and Levites over the land to instruct the people in the Law, an activity which was commanded for a Sabbatical year (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). Later reforms in Judah instituted by Jehoshaphat appear to have included further religious reforms (2 Chronicles 19:1-3), appointment of judges throughout the cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 19:5) and a form of "court of appeal" in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 19:8-11). ​

JOSEPH (HUSBAND OF MARY)

​The meaning of Joseph is "Jehovah shall add; may God add" The husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus (Matthew 1:16).  Joseph obeys the direction of an angel to marry Mary (Matthew 1:19-21). Following the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Joseph is told by an angel in a dream to take the family to Egypt to escape the massacre of the children of Bethlehem planned by Herod, the ruler of the Roman province of Judea (Matthew 2:12-14). Once Herod has died, an angel tells Joseph to return but to avoid Herod's son, and he takes his wife and the child to Nazareth in Galilee and settles there (Matthew 2:19) (Luke 2:39). The last time Joseph appears in person in any of the canonical Gospels is in the narrative of the Passover visit to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus is 12 years old. Jesus speaks to both Mary and Joseph of "my father," meaning God, but they fail to understand (Luke 2:41-51).

JOSEPH (JACOB'S SON)

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The meaning of Joseph is "Jehovah shall add; may God add" Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, lived in the land of Canaan with ten half-brothers, one full brother, and at least one half-sister. He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's eleventh son. (Genesis 30:23-25). His father loved him more than any of the others and gave him a colored cloak (Genesis 37:3). When Joseph was seventeen years old, he shared with his brothers two dreams he had: in the first dream, Joseph and his brothers gathered bundles of grain, of which those his brothers gathered, bowed to his own. In the second dream, the sun (father), the moon (mother), and eleven stars (brothers) bowed to Joseph himself. These dreams, implying his supremacy, angered his brothers (Genesis 37:1–10) His brothers were jealous of him (Genesis 37:11) and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:12–35). He was taken to Egypt and eventually became steward to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials (Genesis 37:36) (Genesis 39:1).​ Later, Joseph became Potiphar's personal servant, and subsequently his household's superintendent. Potiphar's wife Zuleika tried to seduce Joseph, which he refused. Angered by his running away from her, she made a false accusation of rape, and thus assured his imprisonment (Genesis 39:1–20). The warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners (Genesis 39:21-23), and soon afterward Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker, who had offended the Pharaoh, were thrown into the prison (Genesis 40:1-4). Both men had dreams, and Joseph, being able to interpret dreams, asked to hear them (Genesis 40:7-9). Joseph interpreted the dreams. The cup-bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph (Genesis 40:23). After two more years, the Pharaoh had a dream (Genesis 41:1). When the Pharaoh's advisers failed to interpret these dreams, the cup-bearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was then summoned, and he interpreted the dream as seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. He advised the Pharaoh to store surplus grain (Genesis 41:3-15). Following the prediction, Joseph became Vizier and put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt (Genesis 41:41), under the name of Zaphnath-Paaneah, and was given Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, to be his wife (Genesis 41:45). During the seven years of abundance, Joseph ensured that the storehouses were full. In the sixth year, Asenath bore two children to Joseph: Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 41:50). When the famine came, it was so severe that people from surrounding nations came to Egypt to buy bread. In the second year of famine Joseph's 10 half brothers were sent to Egypt to buy goods (Genesis 42:1) (Genesis 42:3). When they came to Egypt, they stood before the Vizier but did not recognize him as their brother Joseph (Genesis 42:6), who was now in his late 30s; but Joseph did recognize them and did not speak at all to them in his native tongue of Hebrew (Genesis 42:8). After questioning them, he accused them of being spies. After they mentioned a younger brother at home, the Joseph demanded that he be brought to Egypt as a demonstration of their veracity. This was Joseph's full brother, Benjamin (Genesis 42:15). Joseph placed his brothers in prison for three days. On the third day, he brought them out of prison to reiterate that he wanted their youngest brother brought to Egypt to demonstrate their veracity (Genesis 42:18). The brothers conferred amongst themselves speaking in Hebrew, reflecting on the wrong they had done to Joseph. Joseph understood what they were saying and removed himself from their presence because he was caught in emotion. When he returned, the Vizier took Simeon and bound him as a hostage (Genesis 42:22-24), Then he had their donkeys prepared with grain and sent the other brothers back to Canaan. Unbeknownst to them, Joseph had also returned their money to their money sacks (Genesis 42:25–28). The remaining brothers returned to their father in Canaan and told him all that had transpired in Egypt (Genesis 42:29).​ They also discovered that all of their money sacks still had money in them, and they were dismayed. Then they informed their father that the Vizier demanded that Benjamin be brought before him to demonstrate that they were honest men. With Reuben and Judah's persistence, they persuaded their father to let Benjamin join them for fear of Egyptian retribution (Genesis 43:15). Upon their return to Egypt, the steward of Joseph's house received the brothers. Then he brought the brothers into the house of Joseph and received them hospitably. When the Vizier (Joseph) appeared, they gave him gifts from their father. Joseph saw and inquired of Benjamin, and was overcome by emotion but did not show it. He withdrew to his chambers and wept. When he regained control of himself, he returned and ordered a meal to be served (Genesis 43:16). That night, Joseph ordered his steward to load the brothers' donkeys with food and all their money. The money they had brought was double what they had offered on the first trip. Deceptively, Joseph also ordered the steward to put his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. (Genesis 44:1) (Genesis 44:2). The following morning the brothers began their journey back to Canaan. Joseph ordered the steward to go after the brothers and to question them about the "missing" silver cup. When the steward caught up with the brothers, he seized them and searched their sacks. The steward found the cup in Benjamin's sack, just as he had planted it the night before (Genesis 44:4). This caused a stir amongst the brothers. However, they agreed to be escorted back to Egypt. When the Vizier (Joseph) confronted them about the silver cup, he demanded that the one who possessed the cup in his bag become his slave. In response, Judah pleaded with the Vizier that Benjamin be allowed to return to his father, and that he himself be kept in Benjamin's place as a slave. Judah appealed to the Vizier begging that Benjamin be released and that he be enslaved in his stead, because of the silver cup found in Benjamin's sack. (Genesis 44:17). The Vizier broke down into tears. He could not control himself any longer and so he sent the Egyptian men out of the house. Then he revealed to the Hebrews that he was in fact their brother, Joseph (Genesis 45:1-3). Then he commanded them to go and bring their father and his entire household into Egypt to live in the province of Goshen, because there were five more years of famine left. So Joseph supplied them Egyptian transport wagons, new garments, silver money, and twenty additional donkeys carrying provisions for the journey. (Genesis 45:4–28). Thus, Jacob (also known as Israel) and his entire house of seventy (Genesis 46:27) gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt.  As they approached Egyptian territory, Judah went ahead to ask Joseph where the caravan should unload. They were directed into the province of Goshen and Joseph readied his chariot to meet his father there (Genesis 46:29). It had been over twenty years since Joseph had last seen his father. When they met, they embraced each other and wept together for quite a while. His father then remarked, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive." (Genesis 46:29-31). Afterward, Joseph's family personally met the Pharaoh of Egypt (Genesis 47:7). The family was then settled in Goshen (Genesis 47:11). Joseph's father was 147 years old and bedridden. He had fallen ill and lost most of his vision. Joseph was called into his father's house and Israel pleaded with his son that he not be buried in Egypt. Rather, he requested to be carried to the land of Canaan to be buried with his forefathers. Joseph was sworn to do as his father asked of him (Genesis 47:27–31). Joseph lived to the age of 110, living to see his great-grandchildren. Before he died, he made the children of Israel swear that when they left the land of Egypt they would take his bones with them, and on his death his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:22–26). The children of Israel remembered their oath, and when they left Egypt during the Exodus, Moses took Joseph's bones with him. (Exodus 13:19) The bones were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor (Joshua 24:32), which has traditionally been identified with site of Joseph's Tomb, before Jacob and all his family moved to Egypt. Shechem was in the land which was allocated by Joshua to the Tribe of Ephraim, one of the tribes of the House of Joseph, after the conquest of Canaan.

​JOSHAH 

The meaning of Joshah is "Being; forgetting; owing" Son of Amaziah, a family chief in the genealogy of Simeon, the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the patriarch of one of the tribes of Israel (1 Chronicles 4:34).​

​JOSHAVIAH 

The meaning of Joshaviah is "The seat, alteration, or captivity of the Lord" One of two sons of Elnaam, and he and his brother Jeribai became two of David's mighty-men (1 Chronicles 11:46).​

​JOSHBEKASHAH 

The meaning of Joshbekashah is "A Seat In A Hard Place, He Returns A Hard Fate" One of the sons of Heman, and leader of the seventeenth division of Temple musicians (1 Chronicles 25:24) (1 Chronicles 25:31).​

​JOSHUA

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The meaning of Joshua is "Jehovah is salvation" Joshua was Moses' assistant in the books of Exodus and Numbers, and later succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelite tribes in the Book of Joshua. He was charged by Moses with selecting and commanding a militia group for their first battle after exiting Egypt, against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Exodus 17:8–16), in which they were victorious. He later accompanied Moses when he ascended Mount Sinai to commune with God (Exodus 24:13), visualize God's plan for the Israelite tabernacle and receive the Ten Commandments. Joshua was with Moses when he descended from the mountain, heard the Israelites' celebrations around the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:17), and broke the tablets bearing the words of the commandments. However, when Moses returned to the mountain to re-create the tablets recording the Ten Commandments, Joshua was not present, as the biblical text states "no man shall come up with you" (Exodus 34:3). ​Joshua was identified as one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore and report on the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:15-17), and only he and Caleb gave an encouraging report, a reward for which would be that only these two of their entire generation would enter the promised land (Numbers 14:22-24). God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses as leader of the Israelites along with giving him a blessing of invincibility during his lifetime (Joshua 1:1-9). ​Joshua led the conquest of Canaan. At the Jordan River (Joshua 3:1), the waters parted, as they had for Moses at the Red Sea. The first battle after the crossing of the Jordan was the Battle of Jericho (Joshua 5:12-14). Joshua led the destruction of Jericho, then moved on to Ai, a small neighboring city to the west. However, they were defeated with thirty-six Israelite deaths. The defeat was attributed to Achan taking an "accursed thing" from Jericho; and was followed by Achan and his family and animals being stoned to death to restore God's favor (Joshua 7:25). Joshua then went to defeat Ai (Joshua 8:1). The Israelites faced an alliance of five Amorite kings from Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. At Gibeon, Joshua asked the LORD to cause the sun and moon to stand still, so that he could finish the battle in daylight (Joshua 10:12-14​). When he was "old and well advanced in years" (Joshua 23:1-2), Joshua convened the elders and chiefs of the Israelites and exhorted them to have no fellowship with the native population, because it could lead them to be unfaithful to God (Joshua 23:7–8) (Joshua 23:12–13). At a general assembly of the clans at Shechem, he took leave of the people, admonishing them to be loyal to their God, who had been so mightily manifested in the midst of them. As a witness of their promise to serve God, Joshua set up a great stone under an oak by the sanctuary of God. Soon afterward he died, at the age of 110, and was buried at Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash (Joshua 24:29–30).

​JOSIAH 

The meaning of Josiah is "God supports and heals" Josiah was the 16th king of Judah who instituted major religious reforms by removing official worship of gods other than Yahweh. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years (2 Kings 22:1). ​

​JOSIPHIAH 

The meaning of Josiphiah is "Increase of the Lord, the Lord's finishing" The father or ancestor of Shelomith, who returned with Ezra. (Ezra 8:10)​

​JOTHAM (​JOATHAM)

The meaning of Jotham is "perfection of Jehovah" Jotham was the eleventh king of Judah (2 Kings 15:32), and son of King Uzziah and Jerusha, daughter of Zadok. Jotham was 25 years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for 16 years. Ahaz his son succeeded him as king. Jotham fought wars against Rezin, king of the Arameans (2 Kings 15), and Pekah, king of Israel (2 Kings 15:37).​​

​JOZABAD (JOSABAD)

The meaning of Jozabad is "Having a dowry" 
  • A captain of the thousands of Manasseh, who deserted to David before the battle of Gilboa. (1 Chronicles 12:20). ​
  • A Levite in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 31:13)
  • A chief Levite in the reign of Josiah. (2 Chronicles 35:9)
  • A Levite, son of Jeshua, in the days of Ezra (Ezra 8:33) Among those who returned with Ezra and had married foreign wives. He is probably identical with Jozabad the Levite, (Nehemiah 8:7) and with Jozabad who presided over the outer work of the temple. (Nehemiah 11:16) 
  • A priest of the sons of Pashur, who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:22).

​JOZACHAR 

The meaning of Jozachar is "Remembering; Remembered" One of the two servants who assassinated Jehoash, the king of Judah, in Millo (2 Kings 12:21). He is called also Zabad (2 Chronicles 24:26).​​

​JOZADAK(JEHOZADAK)

The meaning of Jozadak​ is "God had justified" He was the son of the high priest Seraiah at the time of the Babylonian exile (1 Chronicles 6:14-15). He was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II, and probably died in Babylon.​ He was the father of Joshua, who returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2). 

JUBAL 

The meaning of Jubal is "stream; ram's horn" Jubal is Lamech's 2nd son by Adah, and a descendant of Adam's 1st son Cain (Genesis 4:21). Jubal was the inventor or master of 2 classes of musical instruments, and is called the father of all who play them. ​

​JUCAL (JEHUKAL)

The meaning of Jehucal ​is "Strengthened Of The Lord" Son of Shelemiah, one of two persons sent by King Zedekiah to Jeremiah to entreat his prayers and advice. (Jeremiah 37:3) (Jeremiah 38:1). ​

​JUDAH (JUDEA)

The meaning of Judea is "The praised one" Judea is a Greek and Roman adaptation of the name "Judah", which originally encompassed the territory of the Israelite tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It had once been part of the ancient kingdom of Israel ruled by kings David and Solomon. Judea, where the New Testament says Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1). Jacob prophesies a great future for this community in the book of Genesis (Genesis 49:8-10). After Jesus was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, the chief priests and elders conspired to kill him. They brought him before Pilate, the governor of Judea at the time (Matthew 27:11). ​

​JUDAS (not Iscariot)

​The meaning of Judus is "praised" Judas the apostle is identified in the gospels as “not Iscariot.” So Jesus chose two men by the name of Jude (or Judas) to be among the twelve disciples (John 14:22) (Acts 1:13).

​JUDAS (JUDAS ISCARIOT)

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​​The meaning of Judas is "a person who betrays another; traitor​; a man from Kerioth" Full name being Judas Iscariot, better known as just Judas. He was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane by kissing him on the cheek and addressing him as "master" to reveal his identity in the darkness to the crowd who had come to arrest him (Matthew 26:14) (Matthew 26:47) (Mark 14:10) (Mark 14:42) (Luke 22:47) (John 13:18). The Gospel of Mark gives no motive for Judas' betrayal (Matthew 26:14) (Mark 14:10), but does present Jesus predicting it at the Last Supper (John 13:2) (John 13:26). The Gospel states that Judas committed the betrayal in exchange for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). It was ​also suggested that he was possessed by Satan (Luke 22:3) (John 13:27). After learning that Jesus was to be crucified, Judas attempted to return the money he had been paid for his betrayal to the chief priests and committed suicide by hanging (Matthew 27:1–10). The priests used the money to buy a field to bury strangers in, which was called the "Field of Blood" because it had been bought with blood money (Acts 1:18-19). His place among the Twelve Apostles was later filled by Matthias.

​JUDEA (​JUDAH)

The meaning of Judea is "The praised one" Judea is a Greek and Roman adaptation of the name "Judah", which originally encompassed the territory of the Israelite tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It had once been part of the ancient kingdom of Israel ruled by kings David and Solomon. Judea, where the New Testament says Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1). Jacob prophesies a great future for this community in the book of Genesis (Genesis 49:8-10). After Jesus was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, the chief priests and elders conspired to kill him. They brought him before Pilate, the governor of Judea at the time (Matthew 27:11). ​

​JUDITH 

The meaning of Judith is "from Judea; She will be praised" Judith is one of Esau's wives (Genesis 26:34)​

​JUDE (JUDAS)

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The meaning of Jude is "praised"  Jude was a half-brother of Jesus and brother of James, leader of the first Jerusalem church. This Jude was the son of Mary and Joseph and would have been raised as a brother to Jesus Christ (Mark 6:3). This Jude is the author of the New Testament book by that name. He identifies himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” (Jude 1:1). Jude was among the siblings of Jesus who, at first, did not believe His claims to be the Messiah (John 7:3–5). At one point, they along with Mary waited outside the place where Jesus was teaching in order to bring Him home with them (Matthew 12:46–47). Their purpose was “to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind’” (Mark 3:21). It was most likely after the resurrection that Jude and his brother James came to understand that their half-brother, Jesus, was indeed the Son of God. It was that shift in perspective that motivated Jude to define himself not as “the brother of the Messiah” but as “a servant of Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). Although not one of the twelve apostles, Jude was a leader in the early church. He begins his letter with a deep concern about believers abandoning the faith and turning to false teachers (Jude 1:3–4).

​JULIA 

The meaning of Julia is "God's peace for the weary" A Christian woman at Rome to whom Paul sent his salutations (Romans 16:15), supposed to be the wife of Philologus.​

​JULIUS 

The meaning of D is "" The centurion of the Augustan cohort, or the emperor's body-guard, in whose charge Paul was sent prisoner to Rome (Acts 27:1) (Acts 27:3) (Acts 27:43). He entreated Paul "courteously," showing in many ways a friendly regard for him.​

​JUNIA 

The meaning of Junia is "Youth" A Christian in the first century known from Paul the Apostle's letter to the Romans. Of the twelve members that Paul describes in this chapter as having contributed the most to the church, seven were women whereas five were men. Among those women were Junia (Romans 16:7). ​

​JUSHAB-HESED 

The meaning of Jushab-hesed is "whose love is returned; requited love; returner of kindness" A descendant of king Solomon and son of Zerubbabel the leader of the great return of Jews from Babylon (1 Chronicles 3:20).​

​JUSTUS 

The meaning of Justus is "Just or upright" One of several Jewish Christians in the church at Rome mentioned by Paul the Apostle in the greetings at the end of the Epistle to the Colossians (Colossians 4:11). ​

​JUTTAH​

The meaning of Juttah ​is "Turning away​" A Levitical city in the mountains or hill-country of Judah (Joshua 15:55) (Joshua 21:16) (1 Chronicles 6:59). Its modern name is Yutta, a place about 5 1/2 miles south of Hebron. It is supposed to have been the residence of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and the birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1:39).​