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יוֹיָדָע

𐤉𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤏

Yoyada

H3111 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ידע to know, make known, reveal

Definition

A personal name meaning 'Yahweh knows' or 'Yahweh has known.' The name יוֹיָדָע denotes an individual whose life or reputation is characterized by being known or acknowledged by Yahweh. Used as a proper name for at least two individuals in the Hebrew Bible, most notably a leader among the returnees in the post-exilic community. The formation highlights a declarative or affirmational relationship between the named individual and the deity.

Semantic Range

Yahweh knows, Yahweh has known; personal name for post-exilic Israelite individuals; variant of Yehoiada; affirmed by or acknowledged by Yahweh

Root / Etymology

From the root ידע (y-d-ʿ), meaning 'to know,' prefixed by the theophoric element יוֹ (Yo‑), a contracted or variant form of יהו (Yeho-), itself a short form of יהוה (Yahweh). יוֹיָדָע is thus a shortened, perhaps dialectal, or variant form of the more common יְהוֹיָדָע (Yehoiada). The construction expresses the idea 'Yahweh knows' or 'Yahweh has known.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

יוֹיָדָע appears as a variant of the more common name יְהוֹיָדָע (Yehoiada) in post-exilic genealogical lists (e.g., Nehemiah). The contraction or variant use of the theophoric prefix is typical of late biblical Hebrew, especially in names. Both forms carry the same essential meaning and likely refer to the same underlying individuals or family lines, though spelling preferences may reflect dialect, temporal, or scribal variation. English translations sometimes render the name as 'Joiada' in later books (Nehemiah), while in earlier periods (e.g., Kings and Chronicles), the fuller form 'Jehoiada' prevails. The term 'Jew' as a translation for post-exilic 'Judean' is sometimes associated with such names in later English versions, but in biblical usage, יוֹיָדָע designates a personal name among the returnee community rather than a religious or ethnic identifier. The use of the name in the post-exilic period reflects continued reverence for the theophoric naming tradition, even as forms shift.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a form of יְהוֹיָדָע; Jojada, the name of two Israelites; Jehoiada, Joiada.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ידע (y-d-ʿ) — to know, to make known, to reveal

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1668 דָּא Know!
H1843 דֵּעַ Know!
H1844 דֵּעָה perceptive knowledge
H1845 דְּעוּאֵל God Knows
H1847 דַּעַת by his knowledge

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3111-02 יֽוֹיָדָע֙ yoyada HNp Joiada Yahweh knows 4
H3111-01 וְ/יוֹיָדָע֙ veyoyada HC/Np and Joiada and Yahweh-knows 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3111-02 Nehemiah 3:6 יֽוֹיָדָע֙ yoyada HNp Joiada Yahweh knows
H3111-02 Nehemiah 12:10 יוֹיָדָֽע yoyada HNp Joiada Yahweh knows
H3111-01 Nehemiah 12:11 וְ/יוֹיָדָע֙ veyoyada HC/Np and Joiada and Yahweh-knows
H3111-02 Nehemiah 12:22 יוֹיָדָ֤ע yoyada HNp Joiada Yahweh knows
H3111-02 Nehemiah 13:28 יוֹיָדָ֤ע yoyada HNp Joiada Yahweh knows
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