Yeho'addan is the Hebrew form of Jehoaddan, a feminine name meaning "Yahweh delights" from the components (yeho, referring to the Hebrew God) and (ʿaḏan, meaning "to delight"). In the Hebrew scriptures, specifically the Old Testament, Yeho'addan is listed as the wife of King Joash of Judah and the mother of his successor Amaziah (2 Kings 12:20-21, 2 Chronicles 24:26-27).
Etymology
The name is uniformly spelled Yəhoʿaddān in the Masoretic Text, reflecting the theophoric element Yeho- which invokes the name of God (Yahweh). The root 'adan (עדן) means "to delight" or "enjoy", giving the full meaning "Yahweh delights" or "Yahweh is delightful." The root connects to the divine name Yahweh, which likely derives from the Hebrew verb hawa (הוה) meaning "to be, to exist."
Notable Bearers
Yeho'addan is uniquely known as the queen consort of King Joash of Judah in the 9th century BC. Her son Amaziah later ruled Judah from 797 to 768 BC. The biblical account emphasizes that she approved of Joash's early piety—and possibly his later descent into idolatry, though her own influence is not explicitly condemned.
Cultural Significance
The name exemplifies the Old Testament pattern of theophoric names combining God's names with attributes. It appears only in the few Bible verses naming her, serving a genealogical role in the succession narrative of Judah. Scholars sometimes link 'adan to earthly delight, related to Eden (literally "delight"), but the name predates the formation of the Masoretic tradition.
- Meaning: Yahweh delights
- Origin: Hebrew
- Type: Feminine given name
- Usage: Hebrew Bible (oldest recorded)