Ἰωσίας

Iōsías

G2502 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Proper name; Josiah, a historical figure who was king of Judah. In Greek usage, the term refers specifically to this royal person, deriving ultimately from the Hebrew original. The semantic scope is as a personal name with reference to this individual.

Semantic Range

Josiah, proper name of a Judean king; used only as a personal name for this biblical figure

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew יֹאשִׁיָּה (Yo'shiyyahu), meaning 'Yahweh supports' or 'Yahweh heals.' The Greek form Ἰωσίας follows the transliteration patterns of the Septuagint for rendering Hebrew names.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Ἰωσίας appears in the Septuagint as the name of the well-known king of Judah, and is subsequently adopted into the Greek of the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 1:10-11) where it denotes the same historical person in genealogical contexts. The Greek rendering follows the Septuagint conventions for transliterating Hebrew names, often simplifying or adapting them to Greek phonology and morphology. The name Ἰωσίας is used solely for the Israelite/Judean monarch and does not have alternate meanings or broader semantic application in Greek sources. Standard English translations render the name as 'Josiah.' The identity of Ἰωσίας/Josiah as a Judean king anchors the term’s only contextual use in biblical literature; the word does not serve as a common noun.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin (יֹאשִׁיָּה); Josias (i.e. Joshiah), an Israelite:--Josias.

Root Family

Ἰωσίας (Iōsias) — personal name, Josiah, king of Judah

Root Ἰωσ- personal name, Josiah, king of Judah

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2502-02 Ἰωσίας iosias N NOM M SG Josiah Josiah Iosias 1
G2502-01 Ἰωσίαν iosian N ACC M SG Josias Josiah Iosias 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2502-01 Matthew 1:10 Ἰωσίαν iosian N ACC M SG Josias Josiah Iosias
G2502-02 Matthew 1:11 Ἰωσίας iosias N NOM M SG Josiah Josiah Iosias