Dictionary Home / J

Jotham

biblical_name theological_term standard

A biblical personal name borne by more than one individual, especially Jotham king of Judah and Jotham son of Gideon.

At a Glance

Biblical proper name; not a theological concept in itself.

Key Points

Description

Jotham is a biblical personal name borne by more than one individual. The two best-known are Jotham son of Gideon (Jerubbaal), who spoke the parable of the trees against Shechem in Judges 9, and Jotham king of Judah, whose reign is summarized in 2 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 27. Scripture presents these as historical persons, but the name itself is not a doctrine or theological category. A clear entry should therefore function as a proper-name/disambiguation page rather than a theological-term article.

Biblical Context

In Judges 9, Jotham son of Gideon speaks from Mount Gerizim after Abimelech's rise to power, using the parable of the trees to warn Shechem. In 2 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 27, Jotham king of Judah is presented as a comparatively faithful ruler in the royal line of David.

Historical Context

The name appears across different historical settings in Israel's narrative: the period of the judges and the later monarchic period of Judah. The biblical text uses the same name for distinct persons, so context is essential for identification.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Jotham functions as a standard Hebrew personal name. Like many biblical names, it identifies a person rather than conveying a doctrinal meaning in the text itself.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew יוֹתָם (Yōtām), a personal name.

Theological Significance

Indirect rather than doctrinal. Jotham's narratives highlight wisdom, leadership, covenant accountability, and the consequences of rebellion, but the name itself carries no standalone theological doctrine.

Philosophical Explanation

As a proper name, Jotham is an identifying label, not an abstract concept. Its interpretive task is historical and literary: to distinguish persons and follow the narrative context accurately.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not confuse Jotham son of Gideon with Jotham king of Judah. This entry should not be read as a doctrinal term or allegorical symbol; it is a historical name used for multiple individuals.

Major Views

There is no major doctrinal debate attached to the name itself. The main editorial issue is disambiguation among its biblical referents.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Avoid deriving doctrine from the name itself apart from the historical narratives in which each Jotham appears.

Practical Significance

A clear Jotham entry helps ordinary Bible readers distinguish the persons named Jotham and locate the relevant passages without confusion.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Jotham

↑ Top