🔼The name Jehoaddah: Summary
- Meaning
- Whom Yahweh Adorns, Yah Has Adorned
- Etymology
- From (1) יהו (yahu), the name of the Lord, and (2) the verb עדה ('ada), to pass by or to adorn.
🔼The name Jehoaddah in the Bible
Jehoaddah is another name of Jarah, son of Ahaz, son of Micah, son of Merib-baal, son of Jonathan, son of king Saul (1 Chronicles 8:36).
🔼Etymology of the name Jehoaddah
The name Jehoaddah consists of two elements:
The first part is the name יה (Yah) = יהו (Yahu) = יו (Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton; the name of the Lord: YHWH.
The second part of our name looks like it has to do with the word group עדה:
עדד
Root עדד ('adad) describes a repeated passing by or over, or a repeated encountering. Noun עדה ('idda) describes any well-worn item.
Verb עדה ('ada I) means to advance or pass on. Nouns עד ('ad) and ועד (w'ad) describe the difficult concept of a future era advancing upon the now, or else the prey or booty upon which a predator advances. The conjunction עד ('ad) or עדי ('ady) means "as far as" or until.
The same verb, namely עדה ('ada II) is used to mean to adorn or ornament oneself — that is: to have items approach the canvas of one's bulk in order to testify of some social rank or perhaps the trade or order one belongs to. Noun עדי ('adi) means ornamentation: fancy or declarative things worn on one's body or clothes.
Verb יעד (ya'ad) means to meet, habitually and repeatedly rather than incidentally. Noun עדה ('eda) means congregation or some other joint collective. Nouns מועד (mo'ed), מועד (mo'ad) and מועדה (mu'ada) describe a place (or time) of meeting.
Verb עוד ('ud) means to return and repeat. Noun עוד ('od) denotes an addition, repetition or continuance. Nouns עד ('ed), עדה ('eda), עדה ('eda), עדת ('edut), עדות ('edut) and תעודה (te'uda) all mean witness or testimony in various nuances, and verb עוד ('ud) means to bear witness.
🔼Jehoaddah meaning
For a meaning of the name Jehoaddah, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Whom Yahweh Adorns. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes The Lord Will Adorn (Him). BDB Theological Dictionary cites Gesenius, who read Yah Hath Adorned, but deems this dubious.
Etymologically, the name Jehoaddah comes perhaps from a cognate language and may mean Yah Is Equipment, Hath Carried Off Spoil or Hath Deposed, or even Hath Numbered. A Hebrew audience, however, would have probably interpreted the name Jehoaddah the same way Gesenius did.