{
  "id": "dict_002980",
  "term": "Joah",
  "slug": "joah",
  "letter": "J",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Joah is a Hebrew biblical personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament, including officials and Levites.",
  "simple_one_line": "Joah is a biblical name, not a doctrine or theological concept.",
  "tooltip_text": "A Hebrew personal name used for more than one Old Testament man.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Hezekiah",
    "Levites",
    "Biblical names",
    "2 Kings"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Hezekiah",
    "Levites",
    "biblical personal names",
    "genealogies"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Joah is an Old Testament personal name borne by more than one man, appearing in historical and Levitical contexts rather than as a theological term.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A biblical Hebrew name shared by several Old Testament figures.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "A real biblical headword, but not a doctrine.",
    "Refers to more than one man in Israel’s history.",
    "Used in royal, historical, and Levitical settings."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Joah is a Hebrew personal name shared by more than one Old Testament man, including figures mentioned in royal and Levitical contexts. It is best treated as a biblical name entry rather than a theological concept.",
  "description_academic_full": "Joah is a biblical personal name borne by several different men in the Old Testament. The name appears in historical and genealogical settings, including references to a recorder in Hezekiah’s court and to Levites associated with temple-related service and reform. Because Scripture uses the same name for more than one individual, the main interpretive task is identification from context rather than doctrinal synthesis. As a result, Joah belongs in a biblical-person-name category, not a theological-term category.",
  "background_biblical_context": "The Old Testament frequently records people by name in royal, military, and Levitical settings. Joah appears among such figures, including an official in Hezekiah’s administration and men listed in genealogical or ministerial contexts. The name therefore functions as part of Israel’s historical record rather than as a teaching term.",
  "background_historical_context": "In the ancient Near East, names often carried family, covenant, or theological significance, and repeated names across generations were common. Biblical readers must therefore pay attention to context, because a single name may refer to more than one person.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Within ancient Israel, names were often tied to family identity, tribal memory, and covenant life. Joah fits this pattern as a personal name preserved in historical and genealogical lists, showing the Bible’s concern for real individuals within the covenant community.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "2 Kings 18:18, 26, 37",
    "1 Chronicles 6",
    "2 Chronicles 34"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Other Old Testament references to men named Joah in historical and genealogical material"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew יוֹאָח (Yô'āḥ), a personal name used by more than one Old Testament individual.",
  "theological_significance": "Joah has no direct doctrinal meaning of its own, but it illustrates the Bible’s careful preservation of named individuals within redemptive history.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a proper name, Joah points to a particular person or persons rather than to an abstract concept. Its significance is referential and historical, not conceptual or doctrinal.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not assume every occurrence of Joah refers to the same man. Identify the individual from the surrounding context, genealogy, or historical setting.",
  "major_views_note": "Readers and commentators generally agree that Joah is a shared biblical name and that context determines which individual is meant in each passage.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry should not be turned into a doctrinal claim. It is a biblical name entry, not a theology topic.",
  "practical_significance": "Biblical name entries help readers track people accurately, follow the historical flow of Scripture, and avoid confusing one individual with another.",
  "meta_description": "Joah is a Hebrew biblical personal name borne by several Old Testament men, including officials and Levites.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/joah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/joah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}