יוֹרָם
𐤉𐤅𐤓𐤌
Yoram
H3141 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'YHWH is exalted' or 'YHWH raises.' Used as the proper name of several individuals in the Hebrew Bible, notably including a king of Israel, a king of Judah, and an officer of the Aramean (Syrian) army. The name signifies the exaltation or raising of YHWH in figurative or literal senses, but is used strictly as a masculine given name.
Semantic Range
personal name meaning 'YHWH is exalted' or 'YHWH raises up'; used for kings of Israel and Judah and other Israelite or Aramean men; contracted theophoric name; proper masculine noun
Root / Etymology
The name יוֹרָם is a contraction of יְהוֹרָם (Yehōrām), itself formed from יהו/יו (a theophoric element referring to YHWH) and רָם (ram, ‘exalted,’ ‘high’). Thus, the full meaning is ‘YHWH is exalted’ or ‘YHWH raises up.’ The contraction loses the initial he from יְהוֹ-, a common feature in the formation of Israelite personal names.
Historical & Contextual Notes
During the monarchic period, יוֹרָם/יְהוֹרָם was borne by both a king of Israel (son of Ahab) and a king of Judah (son of Jehoram), reflecting the theophoric practices in personal naming among Israelite and Judahite elites. A third bearer appears as a military official (2 Kings 8:21). The name occurs mostly in historical narratives (Kings, Chronicles), and the use of the contracted form יוֹרָם is more frequent in the narrative sections, while יְהוֹרָם can appear in genealogies or introduction sections. Occasionally, translation traditions render the name as 'Joram.' Later usage (Second Temple period and onward) preserves the name in genealogical lists, but its primary referents are within the monarchic era. English renderings as 'Joram' can obscure the theophoric element YHWH present in the Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a form of יְהוֹרָם; Joram, the name of three Israelites and one Syrian; Joram.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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רם (r-m) — to be high, rise, be exalted
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3141-03 |
יֽוֹרָם | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted | 15 |
H3141-01 |
לְ/יוֹרָ֤ם | leyoram | HR/Np |
of Joram | to YHWH-is-Exalted | 3 |
H3141-02 |
וְ/יוֹרָם֩ | veyoram | HC/Np |
and Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
20 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3141-03 |
2 Samuel 8:10 | יֽוֹרָם | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-01 |
2 Kings 8:16 | לְ/יוֹרָ֤ם | leyoram | HR/Np |
of Joram | to YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:21 | יוֹרָם֙ | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:23 | יוֹרָ֖ם | yoram | HNp |
of Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:24 | יוֹרָם֙ | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-01 |
2 Kings 8:25 | לְ/יוֹרָ֥ם | leyoram | HR/Np |
of Joram | to YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:28 | יוֹרָ֣ם | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:28 | יוֹרָֽם | yoram-2 | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:29 | יוֹרָ֨ם | yoram | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |
H3141-03 |
2 Kings 8:29 | יוֹרָ֧ם | yoram-2 | HNp |
Joram | YHWH-is-Exalted |