Ἰωσείας G2502
Josiah, king of Judah known for religious reforms, ancestor of Jesus in Matthew's genealogy
Josiah ascended Judah's throne at age eight and became one of its most reforming kings. When the Book of the Law was rediscovered during temple repairs, he led a sweeping spiritual renewal, destroying idols, restoring Passover, and renewing the covenant (2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35). His devotion and humility before God's word set him apart, though his death in battle against Pharaoh Neco cut short his reign. Matthew includes him in Jesus' genealogy (1:10-11), honoring this king who 'turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might' (2 Kings 23:25).
Senses
1. sense 1 — The name appears in Matthew 1:10 and 1:11, marking both his descent from Amon and his fatherhood of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. The Hebrew יֹאשִׁיָּה ('YHWH supports' or 'YHWH heals') becomes Ἰωσείας in Greek. Multilingual renderings (French 'Josias', German 'Josia') maintain the traditional form. His placement in the genealogy, just before the exile, reminds readers that even profound repentance and reform could not avert the judgment Judah's long idolatry had earned. 2×
AR["وَ-يُوشِيَّا", "يُوشِيَّا"]·ben["যোশিয়", "যোশিয়;"]·DE["Josia"]·EN["Iōsias"]·FR["Josias"]·heb["יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ"]·HI["योशिय्याह-को", "योशिय्याह-ने"]·ID["Yosia", "Yosia;"]·IT["Giosia"]·jav["Yosia", "Yosia;"]·KO["요시아-는", "요시아-를"]·PT["Josias"]·RU["Иосию", "Иосия"]·ES["Iōsías"]·SW["Iōsías"]·TR["Yoşiya"]·urd["یوسیاہ", "یوسیاہ-نے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Ἰωσείας (-σίας, Rec.), -ου, ὁ (Heb. יֹאשִׁיָּה), Josiah: Mat.1:10-11 † (From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)