Jehoiada
Encyclopedia
Jehoiada in the Hebrew Bible
, was a prominent priest during the reigns of Ahaziah
, Athaliah
, and Joash
. By his arranged (by King Ahaziah
) marriage with the princess Jehosheba
(alternately Jehoshabeath), he became the brother-in-law of King Ahaziah . King Ahaziah died shortly thereafter in battle at Megiddo and the throne was usurped by Queen Athaliah
.
About ninety years old at the time of this marriage to the young princess, he was instrumental in the staging of the coup that dethroned and killed the ultra wicked Queen Athaliah. Jehosheba and Jehoiada had rescued the infant King Joash
from Athaliah's slaughter of the royal children. For six years, they hid the sole surviving heir to the throne within the temple. Jehoiada guided much younger King Joash in a righteous rule for about 35 years which included restoration of the temple . Jehoiada is also noteworthy for the national covenant that he made "between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people" .
Jehoiada lived 130 years and was buried very honorably among the kings in the city of David . Jehoiada's son, Zechariah
, was later martyred by king Joash. Jehoiada's name doesn't appear in the list of the Zadokite dynasty in (6:4-15 in other translations).
Josephus
mentions Jehoiada in his Jewish Antiquites Book 9, Chapter 7 as "high priest,""How Athaliah reigned over Jerusalem for five [six] years, when Jehoiada the high priest slew her," although Josephus does not mention a Jehoiada in his High Priest list (Antiquities of the Jews
10:151-153).
According to the medieval chronicle Seder Olam Zutta
(804 CE), Jehoiada was the High priest
.
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
, was a prominent priest during the reigns of Ahaziah
Ahaziah of Judah
Ahaziah of Judah was king of Judah, and the son of Jehoram and Athaliah, the daughter of king Ahab of Israel. He is also called Jehoahaz ....
, Athaliah
Athaliah
Athaliah was the queen of Judah during the reign of King Jehoram, and later became sole ruler of Judah for six years. William F. Albright has dated her reign to 842–837 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele's dates, as taken from the third edition of his magnum opus, were 842/841 to 836/835 BC...
, and Joash
Jehoash of Judah
Jehoash or Joas , sometimes written Joash or Joás , was the eighth king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, and the sole surviving son of Ahaziah. His mother was Zibiah of Beersheba ....
. By his arranged (by King Ahaziah
Ahaziah of Judah
Ahaziah of Judah was king of Judah, and the son of Jehoram and Athaliah, the daughter of king Ahab of Israel. He is also called Jehoahaz ....
) marriage with the princess Jehosheba
Jehosheba
Jehosheba , or Josaba, was the sister of King Ahaziah of Judah and the wife of Jehoiada, the High Priest of Judah. According to 2 Kings 11:2, she saved and hid her infant nephew Jehoash from the massacre ordered by his grandmother Athaliah...
(alternately Jehoshabeath), he became the brother-in-law of King Ahaziah . King Ahaziah died shortly thereafter in battle at Megiddo and the throne was usurped by Queen Athaliah
Athaliah
Athaliah was the queen of Judah during the reign of King Jehoram, and later became sole ruler of Judah for six years. William F. Albright has dated her reign to 842–837 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele's dates, as taken from the third edition of his magnum opus, were 842/841 to 836/835 BC...
.
About ninety years old at the time of this marriage to the young princess, he was instrumental in the staging of the coup that dethroned and killed the ultra wicked Queen Athaliah. Jehosheba and Jehoiada had rescued the infant King Joash
Jehoash of Judah
Jehoash or Joas , sometimes written Joash or Joás , was the eighth king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, and the sole surviving son of Ahaziah. His mother was Zibiah of Beersheba ....
from Athaliah's slaughter of the royal children. For six years, they hid the sole surviving heir to the throne within the temple. Jehoiada guided much younger King Joash in a righteous rule for about 35 years which included restoration of the temple . Jehoiada is also noteworthy for the national covenant that he made "between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people" .
Jehoiada lived 130 years and was buried very honorably among the kings in the city of David . Jehoiada's son, Zechariah
Zechariah ben Jehoiada
Zechariah Ben Jehoiada was the son of Jehoiada, the high priest in the times of Ahaziah and Jehoash of Judah .After the death of Jehoiada, Zechariah boldly condemned both king Jehoash and the people for their rebellion against God...
, was later martyred by king Joash. Jehoiada's name doesn't appear in the list of the Zadokite dynasty in (6:4-15 in other translations).
Josephus
Josephus
Titus Flavius Josephus , also called Joseph ben Matityahu , was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of...
mentions Jehoiada in his Jewish Antiquites Book 9, Chapter 7 as "high priest,""How Athaliah reigned over Jerusalem for five [six] years, when Jehoiada the high priest slew her," although Josephus does not mention a Jehoiada in his High Priest list (Antiquities of the Jews
Antiquities of the Jews
Antiquities of the Jews is a twenty volume historiographical work composed by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in the thirteenth year of the reign of Roman emperor Flavius Domitian which was around 93 or 94 AD. Antiquities of the Jews contains an account of history of the Jewish people,...
10:151-153).
According to the medieval chronicle Seder Olam Zutta
Seder Olam Zutta
Seder Olam Zutta is an anonymous chronicle from 804 CE, called "Zuṭa" to distinguish it from the older Seder 'Olam Rabbah. This work is based upon, and to a certain extent completes and continues, the older chronicle...
(804 CE), Jehoiada was the High priest
Kohen Gadol
The High Priest was the chief religious official of Israelite religion and of classical Judaism from the rise of the Israelite nation until the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem...
.