יְהוֹצָדָק
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤑𐤃𐤒
Yehotsadaq
H3087 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: 'Yahweh has made righteous' or 'Yahweh is righteous.' The name is borne by a postexilic Israelite priest, specifically the father of Joshua (Yehoshua‘), who served in the period following the Babylonian exile. The component elements convey the idea of divine justification or righteousness, expressing either a theological assertion about Yahweh's nature or a hope/statement that Yahweh causes righteousness (often understood in the context of restoration, justification, or vindication).
Semantic Range
personal name, Yahweh has justified, Yahweh is righteous, Yahweh makes righteous, the priest Jehozadak/Josedech
Root / Etymology
A compound theophoric name formed from יְהוֹ (abbreviated form of the tetragrammaton, Yahweh) and צָדָק (derived from the root צדק, meaning 'to be just, righteous'). Hence, the name means 'Yahweh has made righteous' or 'Yahweh is righteous.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
יְהוֹצָדָק appears primarily in postexilic texts (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah) identifying the father of Joshua the high priest. The name's construction is typical of Second Temple period priestly names that invoke Yahweh and emphasize righteousness or divine approval, reflecting theological priorities of the era. The form יוֹצָדָק (Yotsadak) sometimes appears as a variant, omitting the theophoric prefix, likely a result of Aramaizing or dialectical simplification. English versions such as 'Josedech' (e.g., in KJV, following Greek Ἰωσεδέκ) reflect Septuagint transliteration and do not reproduce the full theophoric meaning of the original. The name does not denote a tribal or clan identity, but is associated with priestly and temple leadership. The chronological placement and genealogical references (notably in postexilic and genealogical texts) indicate symbolic importance for continuity and legitimacy of the priesthood after the exile.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יְהֹוָה and צָדַק; Jehovah-righted; Jehotsadak, an Israelite; Jehozadek, Josedech. Compare יוֹצָדָק.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צדק (ts-d-q) — to be just, to be righteous, to act rightly
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H139 | אֲדֹנִי־צֶדֶק | righteousness |
| H3136 | יוֹצָדָק | Yah Is Righteous |
| H6659 | צָדוֹק | to Righteous-one |
| H6662 | צַדִּיק | the just one |
| H6663 | צָדַק | I will declare right |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3087-02 |
יְהוֹצָדָ֛ק | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous | 7 |
H3087-01 |
וִ/יהוֹצָדָ֣ק | vihotsadaq | HC/Np |
and Jehozadak | and Yahweh-has-made-righteous | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3087-02 |
Haggai 1:1 | יְהוֹצָדָ֛ק | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
Haggai 1:12 | יְהוֹצָדָק֩ | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
Haggai 1:14 | יְהוֹצָדָק֙ | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
Haggai 2:2 | יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק | yehotsadaq | HNp |
of Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
Haggai 2:4 | יְהוֹצָדָק֩ | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
Zechariah 6:11 | יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-02 |
1 Chronicles 5:40 | יְהוֹצָדָֽק | yehotsadaq | HNp |
Jehozadak | Yahweh has made righteous |
H3087-01 |
1 Chronicles 5:41 | וִ/יהוֹצָדָ֣ק | vihotsadaq | HC/Np |
and Jehozadak | and Yahweh-has-made-righteous |