J
JACOB [ja´-cub] (he supplants) — a twin son of Isaac and Rebekah who later became known as Israel (Gen. 32:28). His brother was Esau.
He was named Jacob because when he was born, “he was holding on to Esau’s heel” (25:26). Jacob took his brother’s birthright (25:29–34), his father’s blessing (27:1–29), and his father-in-law’s flocks and herds (30:25–43; 31:1).
JAIRUS [ja-i´-rus] — a leader at a synagogue whose daughter was raised from the dead by Jesus (Mark 5:21–23, 35–43).
JAMES — the name of five men in the New Testament. The two best known are:
1. James, the son of Zebedee, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. In lists of the twelve apostles, James and his brother John are always mentioned with two other brothers, Peter and Andrew. These four men fished together on the Sea of Galilee. The first thing Jesus did when he began his public ministry was to ask them to follow him (join him in ministry) (Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20).
2. James, the son of Alphaeus. This James was also one of the twelve apostles. In each list of the apostles, he is the ninth one mentioned (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).
JAMES, EPISTLE OF — a New Testament book filled with practical, straightforward teaching. Every chapter is full of examples and reminders written to make Christians want to be more like Jesus.
JAPHETH [ja´-feth] — one of Noah’s three sons (Gen. 5:32; 6:10; 1 Chron. 1:4). Japheth and his wife were two of the eight people who entered the ark and were saved from the destructive waters of the Flood (Gen. 7:7; 1 Pet. 3:20).
JEBUSITES [jeb´-u-site] — the people who first lived in the city of Jebus (Judg. 19:10–11; 1 Chron. 11:4–6). Jebus is an ancient name for Jerusalem.
JEHOIACHIN [je-hoy´-a-kin] (the Lord establishes) — the son of Jehoiakim (2 Chron. 36:8–9; Ezek. 1:2). Jehoiachin was a bad king just like his father. He wasn’t able to do much though, because he was only king for three months. Nebuchadnezzar’s armies took over Jerusalem, and when the city surrendered, Jehoiachin was exiled to Babylonia (2 Kings 24:6–15).
JEHOIADA [je-hoy´-a-dah] (the Lord knows) — the name of six men in the Old Testament, but the best known was a priest who helped hide the young king, Joash, from the wrath of Queen Athaliah (2 Kings 11:1–12:16; 2 Chron. 22:10–12).
JEHOIAKIM [je-hoy´-a-kim] (the Lord raises up) — an evil king of Judah. The prophet Jeremiah predicted the things that would happen to him.
JEHORAM [je-ho´-ram] (the Lord is exalted) — was the name of the fifth king of Judah, the ninth king of Judah, and a priest sent by King Jehoshaphat to instruct the people in the law (2 Chron. 17:8). Both of the kings were also called Joram.
JEHOSHAPHAT [je-hosh´-a-fat] (the Lord is judge) — a son of Asa who became king of Judah after his father (1 Kings 15:24).Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 20:31), from about 873 B.C. to about 848 B.C. There were also four other men in the Old Testament named Jehoshaphat.
JEHU [je-hu] (the Lord is He) — the eleventh king of Israel (2 Chron. 22:7–9). Elisha the prophet anointed Jehu as king. There were also four other men named Jehu in the Old Testament.
JEREMIAH [jer-e-mi´-ah] (the Lord hurls) — the name of nine men in the Old Testament. The best known was the prophet Jeremiah who wrote the Book of Jeremiah. He prophesied during the rulerships of the last five kings of Judah.
JEREMIAH, BOOK OF — a major prophetic book of the Old Testament. The book is named for its author and main character, the great prophet Jeremiah. He faithfully delivered God’s message of judgment even though everyone was against him and didn’t want to hear what he had to say.
Jeremiah’s greatest lesson was his idea of the new covenant (31:31–34). A new covenant between God and His people was necessary because the people had broken the old covenant. No matter how many times God allowed the old covenant to be renewed, the people still continued to break the promises they had made to God. Jeremiah saw and understood that a new type of covenant was needed between God and His people. This covenant would be one of grace and forgiveness instead of a covenant of rules engraved in stone.
King Jehu of Israel bows before Shalmaneser III of Assyria, in this obelisk, or stone monument, discovered in ancient Assyria.
The mound of ancient Jericho, believed by many archaeologists to be the oldest settlement in Palestine and possibly the oldest city in the ancient world.
A woven tapestry that portrays the prophet Jeremiah, from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy.
JERICHO [jer´-ik-o] — one of the oldest cities in the world. Because the Israelites obeyed God, He gave them a victory at Jericho under the leadership of Joshua by causing the walls of the city to fall down.
JEROBOAM [jer-o-bo´-am] (let the kinsman plead) — the name of two kings of the northern kingdom of Israel:
1. Jeroboam I, the first king of Israel (1 Kings 11:26–14:20). He was the son of Nebat and Zeruah. He reigned over Israel for twenty-two years (1 Kings 14:20).
2. Jeroboam II, the fourteenth king of Israel, who reigned for forty-one years (793–753 B.C.). He was the son of Joash (or Jehoash), the grandson of Jehoahaz, and the great-grandson of Jehu (2 Kings 13:1, 13; 1 Chron. 5:17). The Bible says that Jeroboam “did what the Lord says was wrong” (2 Kings 14:24).
JERUB-BAAL [je-rub´-ba-al] (let Baal plead) — a name given to Gideon by his father after he destroyed the altar of Baal at Ophrah (Judg. 6:32).
JERUSALEM [je-ru´-sa-lem] (city of peace) — a sacred city and the capital of Palestine during Bible times. Jerusalem is still a great city even today.
JERUSALEM, NEW — the holy city described by John in Revelation 21–22. This city is not built by human hands; it is a heavenly city built and provided by God Himself (Rev. 21:2).
An artist’s sketch of what Jerusalem might have looked like in New Testament times. The beautiful temple built by Herod appears within the square wall structure in the foreground.
Traditional site of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River at the beginning of His public ministry (Matt. 3:13–17).
JESSE [jes´-se] (meaning unknown) — the father of King David (1 Sam. 16:18–19) and an ancestor of Jesus. Jesse was the father of eight sons—Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea (Shammah), Nethanel, Raddai, Ozem, Elihu, and David—and two daughters, Zeruiah and Abigail (1 Chron. 2:13–16).
JESUS CHRIST — the Son of God born to the Virgin Mary. Jesus was born to fulfill God’s eternal plan of salvation. He lived a perfect life so He could be the perfect sacrifice. The Old Testament is full of prophecies about His coming. The New Testament is the story of His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
JETHRO [je´-thro] (his excellency) — the father-in-law of Moses (Exod. 3:1). He was also called Reuel (Exod. 2:18), Hobab (Judg. 4:11; Num. 10:29).
JEWS — a name first used to describe the people living in Judah (when the Israelites were divided into the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah). After the Babylonian Captivity, all the descendants of Abraham were called “Jews.”
In the New Testament the word is used to describe all Israelites. People who were not Jewish were called Gentiles.
The modern city of Jerusalem, showing the Dome of the Rock and the hill on which Solomon’s temple was built. The hill in the distance is the site of the Mount of Olives.
A menorah, or seven-branched lampstand, symbolizes Judaism and the Jewish state of Israel.
JEZEBEL [jez´-e-bel] (there is no prince) — the name of two women in the Bible:
1. The wife of Ahab, king of Israel, and the mother of Ahaziah, Jehoram, and Athaliah (1 Kings 16:31). Jezebel was a mean woman. She bullied her husband into worshiping false idols and since he was king, the rest of the nation also worshiped false idols.
2. A prophetess of Thyatira who convinced Christians “to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols” (Rev. 2:20). John probably called this woman “Jezebel” because her bad behavior reminded him of Ahab’s horrible wife.
JEZREEL [jez´-re-el] (God scatters) — a common name in the Old Testament. There was a man from the tribe of Judah named Jezreel (1 Chron. 4:3), the prophet Hosea called his oldest son Jezreel (Hos. 1:4), and there were two cities and a valley called Jezreel.
JOAB [jo´-ab] (the Lord is father) — one of the three sons of Zeruiah (David’s half-sister) (2 Sam. 2:13; 8:16; 14:1; 17:25; 23:18, 37; 1 Kings 1:7; 2:5, 22; 1 Chron. 11:6, 39; 18:15; 26:28; 27:24). He was the “general” or commander-in-chief of David’s army (1 Chron. 11:6; 27:34).
JOASH, JEHOASH [jo´-ash, je-ho´-ash] (the Lord supports) — the eighth king of Judah. He was a son of King Ahaziah (2 Kings 11:2) by Zibiah (2 Kings 12:1). Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 24:1), from about 835 B.C. until 796 B.C.
The Sea, or Lake, of Galilee, scene of many of Jesus’ miracles and teachings (Matt. 14:13–33).
An excavated area in ancient Jerusalem known as The Pavement, identified by some scholars as the place where Pilate rendered judgment against Jesus (John 19:13).
Titles of Christ
Name or Title
Significance
Biblical Reference
Adam, Last Adam
First of the new race of the redeemed
1 Cor. 15:45
Alpha and Omega
The beginning and ending of all things
Rev.21:6
Bread of Life
The one essential food
John 6:35
Chief Cornerstone
A sure foundation for life
Eph. 2:20
Chief Shepherd
Protector, sustainer, and guide
1 Pet. 5:4
Firstborn from the Dead
Leads us into resurrection and eternal life
Col. 1:18
Good Shepherd
Provider and caretaker
John 10:11
Great Shepherd of the Sheep
Trustworthy guide and protector
Heb. 13:20
High Priest
A perfect sacrifice for our sins
Heb.3:1
Holy One of God
Sinless in His nature
Mark 1:24
Immanuel (God With Us)
Stands with us in all life’s circumstances
Matt. 1:23
King of Kings, Lord of Lords
The Almighty, before whom every knee will bow
Rev. 19:16
Lamb of God
Gave His life as a sacrifice on our behalf
John 1:29
Light of the World
Brings hope in the midst of darkness
John 9:5
Lord of Glory
The power and presence of the living God
1 Cor. 2:8
Mediator between God and Men
Brings us into God’s presence redeemed and forgiven
1 Tim. 2:5
Only Begotten of the Father
The unique, one-of-a-kind Son of God
John 1:14
Prophet
Faithful proclaimer of the truths of God
Acts 3:22
Savior
Delivers from sin and death
Luke 1:47
Seed of Abraham
Mediator of God’s covenant
Gal. 3:16
Son of Man
Identifies with us in our humanity
Matt. 18:11
The Word
Present with God at the creation
John 1:1
Another man named Joash was the thirteenth king of Israel. He was the son of King Jehoahaz and the grandson of King Jehu. He was also called Jehoash (2 Kings 13:10, 25; 14:8–17) and he reigned in Samaria for sixteen years (2 Kings 13:9–10).
There are six other men named Joash in the Old Testament.
JOB [jobe] — the third son of Issachar, and founder of a tribal family called the Jashubites. This man was also called Jashub (Num. 26:24; Gen. 46:13; 1 Chron. 7:1).
There is another man named Job and he is the main character in the Book of Job. This man was very faithful to God during some very difficult times. He lost everything—his money, his health, and his family—and he still praised God. He didn’t understand why those things happened to him, but he trusted God anyway. God blessed him by giving him much more than he ever had before.
JOB, BOOK OF — an Old Testament book that deals with the question: Why do bad things happen to good people? The Book of Job is the same type of book as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. These books are called Books of Wisdom, because there is so much we can learn from them.
The Book of Job teaches us to trust God in every situation. Sometimes when we are hurting, we aren’t going to understand the reason why. The Book of Job also teaches us that God is good, just, and fair in everything He does. God always helps us through our problems and makes things right when we are faithful to Him and trust Him.
This ancient papyrus fragment, written in the Greek language, contains verses 1–14 of the first chapter of John’s Gospel. It dates from about A.D. 200.
A mosaic of the prophet Joel, who prophesied about the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the latter days (Joel 2:28).
Traditional tomb of the apostle John in the Church of St. John at Ephesus.
JOEL [jo´-el (the Lord is God) — an Old Testament prophet and the author of the Book of Joel. He was a citizen of Jerusalem and he spoke a lot about the priests and their duties (Joel 1:9, 13–14, 16).
JOEL, BOOK OF — a short prophetic book of the Old Testament.
The Book of Joel shows that a message from God can come in the form of a natural disaster. Joel describes the terrible invasion of locusts and teaches us that the Lord can use a natural disaster to remind people that they need Him and they need to be obedient to Him.
JOHN THE APOSTLE — the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. Before Jesus called him to be one of His twelve disciples, John was a fisherman (Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20). His mother was probably Salome (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40), who may have been a sister of Mary (John 19:25), the mother of Jesus.
JOHN THE BAPTIST — the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Mary, the mothers of John and Jesus, were probably related (Luke 1:36). When John was older, he preached about the coming of the Messiah (Jesus). He warned the people to be careful how they lived and to change their evil ways. Jesus came to John to be baptized in the Jordan River. Herod killed John the Baptist by cutting off his head.
Remains of Machaerus, fortress of King Herod, where John the Baptist was beheaded, according to the Jewish historian Josephus.
JOHN, EPISTLES OF — three letters written by the author of the Gospel of John.
Like the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John are about love, truth, sin, the world, life, light, and the Holy Spirit. John teaches that we must obey God and ask for forgiveness from our sins. He also warns people to stay away from false prophets.
JOHN, GOSPEL OF — the fourth Gospel of the New Testament. The first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) mainly talk about the miracles Jesus did and His teachings. The Gospel of John is different. It provides important information about Jesus’ life. John doesn’t use difficult words, but his words are very symbolic.
JONAH [jo´-nah] (a dove) — the prophet who was swallowed by a big fish because he refused to obey when God told him to go to Nineveh and tell the people to repent.
JONAH, BOOK OF — a short Old Testament book that shows God’s love for all people. The book is named for its main character, the prophet Jonah. An important lesson in the Book of Jonah is that God can use people who do not want to be used by Him.
But the greatest lesson is that God wants to show mercy and grace to everyone in the world. He loves everyone. The Hebrew people were supposed to preach this message of God’s love to the whole world (Gen. 12:1–3), but they forgot their purpose and decided that God only loved them and that His blessings were only for them. The Book of Jonah shows how wrong they were and that God’s love is for everyone.
Traditional tomb of Joseph at Shechem (Exod. 13:19).
JONATHAN [jon´-a-than] (the Lord has given) — the name of fourteen men in the Old Testament, but the best known was the oldest son of King Saul and a close friend of David (1 Sam. 14:1).
JOPPA [jop´-pah] (beautiful) — an ancient city on the Mediterranean Sea about thirty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem.
JORAM [jo´-ram] (the Lord is exalted) —the name of four men in the Old Testament, but the best known was the tenth king of Israel who was killed by Jehu (2 Kings 8:16–29; 9:14–29). He was the son of Ahab and Jezebel. He became king after his brother, Ahaziah. He was also called Jehoram (2 Kings 1:17). He was king for twelve years and even though he wasn’t a good king, he did stop people from worshiping Baal, a false god (2 Kings 3:3).
JORDAN [jor´-dan] (descending, flowing) — the name of the longest and most important river in Palestine (Josh. 1:2; Mark 1:9).
JOSEPH [jo´-zef] (may he add) — the name of several men in the Bible. The two best known are:
1. The eleventh son of Jacob (Gen. 30:24), who was sold into slavery and later had an important job with Egyptian government. The story of Joseph’s life is found in Genesis 37–50.
2. The husband of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus (Matt. 1:16–24; 2:13; Luke 1:27; 2:4).
JOSHUA [josh´-u-ah] (the Lord is salvation) — the man who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He had been Moses’s helper and Moses chose him to take his (Moses) place.
Joshua was born in Egypt. He went through the great events of the Passover and the Exodus with Moses and all the Hebrew people who escaped from slavery in Egypt with God’s help. In the wilderness of Sinai, Moses took Joshua with him when he went into the mountains to talk with God (Exod. 24:13). Moses also gave Joshua a special place at the tabernacle. Joshua had to stay there while Moses was gone to talk with God (Exod. 33:11).
JOSHUA, BOOK OF — an Old Testament book that tells about the conquest and division of the land of Canaan by the Hebrew people. The book is named for its main character, Joshua, who was the leader of Israel after Moses.
Joshua warned the people against worshiping false gods and encouraged them to remain faithful to God. He was setting a good example for his own people as well as future generations, when he said: “As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).
JOSIAH [jo-si´-ah] — the sixteenth king of Judah. He was the son of Amon and the grandson of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:23–23:30). Josiah ruled for over thirty years. It was a time of peace, prosperity, and reform (good changes). King Josiah truly wanted to please God, and the kingdom of Judah was very happy while he was king. It was hard to believe that a wicked king like Amon could have such a godly son. This shows how amazing God’s grace really is.
Another man named Josiah was a captive who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon during the time of Zechariah (Zech. 6:10).
JOSIAS [jo-si´-as] — another name for Josiah.
JOT — the English meaning of the Greek word iota (Matt. 5:18, NKJV). Jot is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. The word is used to describe something that seems to be small and unimportant (trivial).
JOY — a positive attitude or pleasant emotion; delight (Ps. 94:1). Many kinds of joy are mentioned in the Bible, even the wicked experience joy in their triumphs over the righteous. Words used to describe different levels of joy are gladness, contentment, and cheerfulness.
JUBILEE [ju-ba-lee] — a Jewish event that happened every fifty years (Lev. 25:8–55).
The Jubilee year began with a blast from a ram’s horn on the Day of Atonement. This was a time of joy and freedom. It was the beginning of a year for doing good and showing mercy.
JUDAH [ju´-dah] (praise) — the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. His descendants were called the tribe of Judah (Gen. 29:35; Num. 26:19–21; Matt. 1:2). David and his family were from this tribe.
There were six other men named Judah in the Old Testament, and Judah was also the name of a place.
JUDAS [ju´-das] (praise) — the name of six men in the New Testament:
1. One of the four brothers of Jesus (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3; Juda, KJV).
2. One of the twelve apostles of Jesus—also called Thaddeus—but not Judas Iscariot (John 14:22).
3. Judas of Galilee, who led a revolt against Rome (Acts 5:37).
4. After the apostle Paul was converted, he stayed in Damascus with a man named Judas (Acts 9:11).
5. A disciple who belonged to the church in Jerusalem. He was chosen along with Silas to go with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch.
JUDE [jood] (praise) — the author of the Epistle of Jude. Jude is an English form of the name Judas.
Events and Judges
Years
Israel serves Cushan-Rishathaim (3:7, 8)
8
Peace following Othniel’s deliverance (3:7–11)
40
Israel serves Moab (3:12)
18
Peace follows Ehud’s deliverance (3:12–30)
80
Sham gar delivers Israel from Philistines (3:31)
1
Israel serves Canaan (4:1–3)
20
Peace following deliverance by Deborah and Barak (4:1–5:31)
40
Israel serves Midian (6:1–6)
7
Peace following Gideon’s deliverance (6:1–8:35)
40
Abimelech, king of Israel (9:1–57)
3
Tola’s career (10:1, 2)
23
Jair’s career (10:3–5)
22
Israel serves Ammon and Philistia (10:6–10)
18
Jephthah’s career (10:6–12:7)
6
Ibzan’s career (12:8–10)
7
Elon’s career (12:11, 12)
10
Abdon’s career (12:13–15)
8
Israel serves Philistia (13:1)
40
Samson’s career (12:1–16:31)
20
JUDE, EPISTLE OF — the last of the letters of the New Testament, and the next to the last book of the Bible. Jude is a short, powerful epistle (letter) written by a man who refused to let negative influences destroy the church. Jude writes to defend his faith (v. 3) and he reminds people to watch out for false prophets (v. 12). He tells believers to study the teaching of the apostles (v. 17) and to stay strong in God’s love (v. 21).
JUDEA [ju-de´-ah] — the Greco-Roman name for the land of Judah. Judea is first mentioned in Ezra 5:8 (NKJV) as part of the Persian Empire. The word “Judea” comes from the adjective “Jewish,” a word that was used to describe the Babylonian captives who returned to the Promised Land. Most of them were from the tribe of Judah.
JUDGE — when used as a noun it is a public official who helps interpret the laws (Ezra 7:25; Matt. 5:25); when used as a verb it means to discern (know) or criticize (Gen. 15:14; Matt. 7:1).
JUDGES, BOOK OF — a historical book of the Old Testament that covers a period of over three hundred years. The book is named after military leaders (called “judges”) that God used to save His people from their enemies. Twelve of these leaders are mentioned in the book.
The Book of Judges points out the need for an eternal deliverer or a savior. The deliverance of the human judges never lasted for very long and was never complete. Some of the judges had problems and weren’t focused on what was best for the people. The Book of Judges leads us to Jesus Christ who is the judge (Ps. 110:6), King, and Savior of His people.
JUDGMENT — knowing the difference between good and evil. God judges people and their actions according to the standards of His law. Judgment can also be used as a word for the punishment given out to the people who bring about God’s wrath and condemnation (John 5:24).
JUST — right, fair (Gen. 6:9, NKJV; Rom. 1:17, NKJV).
JUSTICE — the practice of what is right and just. Justice (or “judgment,” KJV) specifies what is right, not only based on laws, but also by what makes for right relationships, harmony, and peace.
JUSTIFICATION — the process by which sinful human beings are made acceptable to a holy God.
JUSTIFIED — to be made right (Gal. 2:16, NKJV).