Joash

whom Jehovah bestowed.

who despairs or burns

(to whom Jehovah hastens, i.e. to help), contracted from JEHOASH.

1. Son of Ahaziah king of Judah (B.C. 884), and the only one of his children who escaped the murderous hand of Athaliah. After his fathers sister Jehoshabeath, the wife of Jehoiada the high priest, had stolen him from among the kings sons, he was hidden for six years in the chambers of the temple. In the seventh year of his age and of his concealment, a successful revolution, conducted by Jehoiada, placed him on the throne of his ancestors, and freed the country from the tyranny and idolatries of Athaliah. For at least twenty-three years, while Jehoiada lived, his reign was very prosperous; but after the death of Jehoiada, Joash fell into the hands of bad advisers, at whose suggestion he revived the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth. When he was rebuked for this by Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, Joash caused him to be stoned to death in the very court of the Lords house. ( Matthew 23:35 ) That very year Hazael king of Syria came up against Jerusalem, and carried off a vast booty as the price of his departure. Joash had scarcely escaped this danger when he fell into another and fatal one. Two of his servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed and in the fortress of Millo. Joashs reign lasted forty years, from 878 to 838 B.C.
2. Son and successor of Jehoahaz on the throne of Israel from B.C. 840 to 825, and for two full years a contemporary sovereign with the preceding. ( 2 Kings 14:1 ) comp. with 2Kin 12:1; 13:10 When he succeeded to the crown the kingdom was in a deplorable state from the devastations of Hazael and Ben-hadad, kings of Syria. On occasion of a friendly visit paid by Joash to Elisha on his death-bed, the prophet promised him deliverance from the Syrian yoke in Aphek, ( 1 Kings 20:26-30 ) He then bade him smite upon the ground, and the king smote thrice and then stayed. The prophet rebuked him for staying, and limited to three his victories over Syria. Accordingly Joash did defeat Ben-hadad three times on the field of battle, and recovered from him the cities which Hazael had taken from Jehoahaz. The other great military event of Joashs reign was the successful war with Amaziah king of Judah. He died in the fifteenth year of Amaziah king of Judah.
3. The father of Gideon, and a wealthy man among the Abiezrites. ( Judges 6:11 ) (B.C. before 1256.)
4. Apparently a younger son of Ahab, who held a subordinate jurisdiction in the lifetime of his father. ( 1 Kings 22:26 ; 2 Chronicles 18:25 ) (B.C. 896.)
5. A descendant of Shelah the son of Judah, but whether his son or the son of Jokim is not clear. ( 1 Chronicles 4:22 )
6. A Benjamite, son of Shemaah of Gibeah, ( 1 Chronicles 12:3 ) who resorted to David at Ziklag.
7. One of the officers of Davids household. ( 1 Chronicles 27:28 )
8. Son of Becher and head of a Benjamite house. ( 1 Chronicles 7:8 )

JOASH (1)

jo'-ash (yo'ash, "Yahweh is strong" or "Yahweh has bestowed"; Ioas):

(1) Father of Gideon, of the clan of Abiezer and the tribe Manasseh (Judges 6:11,29,30,31; 7:14; 8:13,19,32). Gideon declares (Judges 6:15) that the family is the poorest in Manasseh, words similar to those of Saul (1 Samuel 9:21), and not to be taken too literally. Joash would be a man of standing and wealth, for Gideon was able to command 10 servants to destroy the altar and the Asherah (Judges 6:27,34), and also to summon the whole clan to follow him. Further, the altar that Joash had was that used by the community (Judges 6:28), so that he would be the priest, not only of his own family qua paterfamilias, but also of the community in virtue of his position as chief. When Gideon destroyed the altar and the Asherah or sacred pillar by it, Joash refused to deliver his son to death, declaring that Baal, if he was a god, should avenge himself (compare Elijah in 1 Kings 18).

(2) Called "the king's son" (1 Kings 22:26; 2 Chronicles 18:25; compare Jeremiah 36:26; 38:6), or, less probably, "the son of Hammelech," the Revised Version margin; perhaps a son of Ahab. Micaiah the prophet was handed over to his custody and that of Amon by Ahab.

(3) A Judahite, descendant of Shelah (1 Chronicles 4:22).

(4) A Benjamite recruit of David at Ziklag. Commentators read here, "Joash the son of Shemaiah (or Jehoshamai), the Gibeathite" (1 Chronicles 12:3).

(5) In 2 Kings 11:2, etc. = Jehoash, king of Judah.

(6) In 2 Kings 13:9, etc. = Jehoash, king of Northern Israel.

David Francis Roberts

JOASH (2)

(yo`ash, "Yahweh has aided"):

(1) A Benjamite, or, more probably, a Zebulunite (1 Chronicles 7:8).

(2) One of David's officers; Joash was "over the cellars of oil" (1 Chronicles 27:28).