The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 3

Merrill C. Tenney, Moisés Silva

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9780310876984
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Reference

Revised edition. Volume 3 of 5. The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible has been a classic Bible study resource for more than thirty years. Now thoroughly revised, this new five-volume edition provides up-to-date entries based on the latest scholarship. Beautiful full-color pictures supplement the text, which includes new articles in addition to thorough updates and improvements of existing topics. Different viewpoints of scholarship permit a wellrounded perspective on significant issues relating to doctrines, themes, and biblical interpretation. The goal remains the same: to provide pastors, teachers, students, and devoted Bible readers a comprehensive and reliable library of information. • More than 5, 000 pages of vital information on Bible lands and people • More than 7, 500 articles alphabetically arranged for easy reference • Hundreds of full-color and black-and-white illustrations, charts, and graphs • 32 pages of full-color maps and hundreds of black-and-white outline maps for ready reference • Scholarly articles ranging across the entire spectrum of theological and biblical topics, backed by the most current body of archaeological research • 238 contributors from around the world

J

This capital from the 11th or 12th cent. A.D. depicts the beheading of James.

J (Jahwist) yah’wist. An abbreviation for Yahwist (German Jahwist); it is used (along with D, E, and P) to designate one of the supposed sources of the PENTATEUCH, according to the Documentary Hypothesis.

Jaakan jay’uh-kan (

[not in NIV]). KJV Jakan. Son of EZER and grandson of SEIR the HORITE; he probably became the progenitor of a clan in EDOM (1 Chr. 1:42 NRSV, following MT). On the basis of some Hebrew MSS and the parallel passage (Gen. 36:37), many scholars emend ya⁽ăqān to wa⁽ādqān (“and Akan”; cf. NIV). See also BEEROTH-BENE-JAAKAN and BENE JAAKAN.

Jaakanite jay-a’kuh-nit. See BEEROTH-BENE-JAAKAN.

jay-uh-koh’buh

H3621, “[God] protects”; see JACOB). A clan leader in the tribe of SIMEON (1 Chr. 4:36). He is listed among those whose families increased greatly during the days of King HEZEKIAH and who dispossessed the Hamites and Meunites near GEDOR (vv. 38 – 41).

Jaala jay’uh-luh (

H3606, variant

H3608, “mountain goat”). Also Jaalah. A servant of SOLOMON whose descendants returned from the EXILE (Ezra 2:56 [KJV, NRSV, “Jaalah”]; Neh. 7:58; 1 Esd. 5:33 [KJV, “Jeeli”; NRSV, “Jaalah”]).

Jaalah jay’uh-luh. See JAALA.

Jaalam jay’uh-lam. KJV form of JALAM.

Jaanai jay’uh-ni. KJV form of JANAI.

Jaar jay’uhr (

H3625, “forest”). The name of a place that, along with EPHRATHAH, was associated with the ARK OF THE COVENANT (Ps. 132:6; KJV, “the wood” [cf. LXX]). Jaar is generally regarded as a (poetic) short form of KIRIATH JEARIM (meaning “town of forests”), where the ark remained twenty years before DAVID brought it to Jerusalem. Some believe that the name was applied to a wooded area in the environs of Kiriath Jearim. It is possible that in this passage Ephrathah does not refer to BETHLEHEM specifically, but to a larger area that extended as far N as the border between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

E. RUSSELL

Jaare-Oregim jay’uh-ree-or’uh-gim (

H3629, “forests of weavers” [but scribal error suspected]). Father of Elhanan; the latter is described as the killer of GOLIATH the Gittite (2 Sam. 21:19). Jaare-Oregim is apparently called JAIR in the parallel passage (1 Chr. 20:5). For possible solutions to the discrepancies between these two verses, see ELHANAN.

Jaareshiah jay’uh-ree-shoi’uh (

H3631, “Yahweh plants”). KJV Jaresiah. Son of Jeroham and descendant of BENJAMIN; he is listed among the heads of families who lived in Jerusalem (1 Chr. 8:27).

Jaasau jay’uh-saw. KJV form of JAASU.

Jaasiel jay-ay’see-uhl (

H3634, “God makes [or carries out, or treats well]”). KJV Jasiel. (1) Son of ABNER (SAUL’S cousin); he was made an officer over the tribe of BENJAMIN during the reign of DAVID (1 Chr. 27:21).

(2) A MEZOBAITE, mentioned last among David’s mighty warriors (1 Chr. 11:47). Some scholars emend “Mezobaite” to “from Zobah.” It has also been suggested, but without good reason, that this Jaasiel is the same as #1 above.

Jaasu jay’uh-soo (

H3632 [Qere

], possibly “[God] treats well”; see JAASIEL). KJV Jaasau. One of the descendants of Bani who agreed to put away their foreign wives (Ezra 10:37).

Jaazaniah jay-az’uh-ni’uh (

H3280, variants

H3279 [Jer. 35:3; Ezek. 11:1] and

H3471 [Jer. 40:8], “Yahweh listens”; see JEZANIAH). The name appears on a number of ancient archaeological remains, showing that it was common in OT times.

(1) A military commander identified as “the son of the Maacathite”; he was among the officers who went to MIZPAH to join GEDALIAH, the governor appointed by the Babylonians after the fall of Jerusalem (2 Ki. 25:23; Jer. 40:8 [KJV, NRSV, “Jezaniah”]). It is usually thought that Jaazaniah belonged to the family that descended from MAACAH, CALEB’S concubine (1 Chr. 2:48), but there are other possibilities. Some speculate that this is the Jaazaniah whose name is inscribed on a seal discovered in Mizpah (modern Tell en-Naṣbeh; see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings, AB 11 [1988], 326).

(2) Son of Jeremiah (not the prophet), a leader of the RECABITES, whose loyalty to their ancestral precepts the prophet JEREMIAH used as a lesson to his own countrymen (Jer. 35:3).

(3) Son of Shaphan and, apparently, a prominent elder in Jerusalem at the time of the EXILE; he is the only one mentioned by name among the seventy elders of Israel whom EZEKIEL, in a vision, saw offering incense to idols (Ezek. 8:11).

(4) Son of Azzur; he and Pelatiah son of Benaiah were leaders of the people in Jerusalem at the time of the exile, and Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy against their sin (Ezek. 11:1).

Jaazer jay’uh-zuhr. KJV alternate form of JAZER (Num. 21:32; 32:35).

Jaaziah jay’uh-zi’uh (

H3596, “Yahweh nourishes”; see JAAZIEL). Son of MERARI and grandson of LEVI; he is not mentioned in most of the genealogies (e.g., Exod. 6:19), but only in a list of Levitical families that served during the time of DAVID (1 Chr. 24:26 – 27). The Hebrew text is difficult, however, and some regard it as a later gloss (e.g., KD, Chronicles, 259 [on 23:23]).

Jaaziel jay-ay’zee-uhl (

H3595, “God nourishes”; see JAAZIAH). One of the Levites who played the lyre when the ARK OF THE COVENANT was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:18; called AZIEL in v. 20; some also identify him with the first JEIEL listed in 16:5).

Jabal jay’buhl (

H3299, possibly “[God] leads” or “wanderer”). First son of LAMECH by ADAH; he was “the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock,” meaning probably that he originated the profession of herding animals, which often required the nomadic lifestyle of constant travel in search of pasture (Gen. 4:20). The word for “livestock” (miqneh H5238), which more generally means “possessions,” may be a wordplay on the name of his ancestor CAIN (qayin H7803). Less likely is the suggestion that the name Jabal alludes to ABEL, the first shepherd. See also JUBAL.

Jabbok jab’uhk (

H3309, prob. “overflowing”). A river in TRANSJORDAN (Nahr ez-Zerka, “river of blue”), about 60 mi. in length and, next to the YAR-MUK River, having the greatest drainage area in that region. It is a perennial stream, deriving from the 28 – 32 in. of rainfall annually. Its average fall is c. 80 ft. per mi., cutting a deep valley or gorge through the E JORDAN Valley escarpment. The source lies in the vicinity of modern Amman (ancient RABBAH of AMMON, and Hellenistic Philadelphia), from whence it swings eastward and northward, forming a large loop before wending westward to the Jordan Valley. The lower gorge is under sea level to a point 7 mi. E of the rift, at an elevation of more than 2,000 ft. below the Gilead Plateau to the N and the Amman Plateau to the S. Colorful oleanders line most of its banks in the hill country. After emerging into the Jordan Valley near Tell Deir ⁽Alla (prob. ancient Succoth), it meanders across the Ghor before joining the Jordan River near ed-Damiyeh (biblical Adam).

The Jabbok River valley looking W.

The loop N of Amman formed the W boundary of the Ammonites at the time of the conquest (Num. 21:24), and the contained area was settled by the tribe of GAD, as far W as present es-Salt. The western part of the river formed a physical and political boundary between the two parts of GILEAD (Deut. 3:12, 16; Josh. 12:2 – 6), and also divided the kingdoms of SIHON and OG. Nelson Glueck found numerous occupation sites in the Wadi ez-Zerka in his surveys, and several biblical cities were located on, or near, its course. The specific ford referred to in Gen. 32:22 has not been identified, but the nearby site called Peniel (v. 31) is probably Tell edh-Dhahab esh-Sherqiyeh, about 8 mi. E of the Jordan; see PENUEL (PLACE). (See D. Baly, The Geography of the Bible [1957], 229; E. Orni and E. Efrat, Geography of Israel [1964], 91 – 94; Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography, rev. ed. [1979], 34, 38, 327.)

M. H. HEICKSEN

Jabesh jay’bish (

H3314, “dry”). Father of King SHALLUM of Israel, who murdered King ZECHARIAH and usurped the throne (2 Ki. 15:10, 13 – 14). However, since the name Jabesh (yābēš H3315) is also a short form of JABESH GILEAD, the expression “son of Jabesh” may mean “a native of Jabesh [Gilead].”

S. BARABAS

Jabesh Gilead jay’bish-gil’ee-uhd (

H3316, “dry place of Gilead”; also referred to simply as

H3315). A city in N TRANSJORDAN (see GILEAD). The first mention of Jabesh Gilead comes at the end of a long story beginning in Jdg. 19 and continuing to the end of ch. 21. Briefly told, a Levite and a concubine, after spending some time with her people in BETHLEHEM, made their way N. They stopped for the night in GIBEAH, where an old man entertained them. In the course of the night, the Levite yielded to the sadistic cravings of the men of Gibeah and gave to them his concubine. In the morning she was dead on the doorstep, so the

Jabbok River.

Levite dismembered her and sent the parts around the country. This incident started a war between BENJAMIN (of which Gibeah was a part) and the other Israelite tribes. The battle was indecisive for a while, but finally the Benjamites were defeated and almost completely annihilated. Because no one from Jabesh Gilead had fought against Benjamin, the Israelites went and slaughtered all but 400 eligible virgins in the city, and these were given to 400 surviving soldiers of Benjamin for wives. The 200 others were given permission to seize girls as they danced at the annual SHILOH festival (Jdg. 21:23). Apparently the town of Jabesh was repopulated by neighboring Gileadites.

The next episode centering on Jabesh is recorded in 1 Sam. 11, where the Ammonite NAHASH attacked the town. The only peace treaty acceptable to Nahash was that he gouge out one eye from each man of Jabesh. During the week of deliberations the citizens requested help from SAUL, the newly crowned king. He mustered the forces of Israel at BEZEK, marched all night, attacked Nahash early in the morning, and by noon had the enemy scattered. Because of this, Saul gained the allegiance of Jabesh Gilead and all Transjordan. Its inhabitants showed their devotion to Saul by giving him an honorable burial when, after his and JONATHAN’S defeat and death on Mount GILBOA, their decapitated bodies were hung on the wall of BETH SHAN. The valorous gesture involved an all-night walk and a crossing of the Jordan by the men of Jabesh Gilead (1 Sam. 31:8 – 13; 1 Ch r. 10:8 – 12).

When DAVID came to power, one of the first things he did was to commend, congratulate, and bless the brave men of Jabesh Gilead for what they had done for Saul (2 Sam. 2:4 – 6). Later, David had the bones of Saul and Jonathan removed from Jabesh Gilead and buried in the land of Benjamin with KISH, Saul’s father (2 Sam. 21:10 – 14).

Modern Wadi Yabis, which enters the Jordan from the E about 25 mi. S of the Sea of Galilee, bears the same name as this ancient town. One might well expect to find Jabesh Gilead on this river. Since the often correct Onomasticon of EUSE-BIUS locates it c. 6 mi. S of PELLA (Ṭabaqat Faḥil), the double mounds of Tell el-Meqbereh and Tell Abu Kharaz are favored by some (N. Glueck, The River Jordan [1946], 159 – 69, and AASOR 25 – 28 [1951]: 211 – 23). Both of these have produced surface pottery of the period of Saul and stand near enough to the Jordan—in fact, on the edge of the valley itself—to fit well the story of the recovery of Saul and Jonathan’s bodies. Most scholars, however, prefer Tell el-Maqlub, farther up the Wadi Yabis, about 7 mi. E of the Jordan (cf. Y. Aharoni, The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography, rev. ed. [1979], 127 – 28). It has been objected that such a location is too far from Beth Shan (about 13 mi. SE of this city) to allow for the events described in 1 Sam. 31:11 – 13, but it is quite possible that the men of Jabesh Gilead on that occasion traveled a good part of the day as well as all night to retrieve the bodies (see ABD, 3:594).

R. L. ALDEN

Jabez (person) jay’biz (

H3584, derivation uncertain). A man in the line of JUDAH noted for his honorable character (1 Chr. 4:9 – 10). In this passage, the genealogy is interrupted with the following information: “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez [ya⁽bēṣ], saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain [bĕ⁽ōṣeb].’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” (The wordplay on his name requires a transposition of the consonants b and ṣ; the meaning “pain” must be regarded as a popular etymology.) This abrupt introduction of Jabez, who had not previously been mentioned, is puzzling. Some speculate that he may have been a son (or brother) of Koz (v. 8; it has even been suggested that in this verse the name Hazzobebah [haṣṣōbēbâ] is a corruption of Jabez). A few scholars have further speculated that Jabez was the founder of the town by the same name. See JABEZ (PLACE).

Jabez (place) jay’biz (

H3583, derivation uncertain). A city in JUDAH, perhaps near ...

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