throne. (2 Ki. 14:29) However, there was a gap of eleven years between Jeroboam’s death and the six-month rule by Zechariah, the last of Jehu’s dynasty. Possibly because Zechariah was very young or for some other reason, his kingship was not fully established or confirmed until some eleven years after his father’s death.

JEROHAM

(Je·roʹham) [may he be compassionated].

1. Father of Elkanah and grandfather of Samuel; descendants of the Levite Kohath.—1 Sam. 1:1, 19, 20; 1 Chron. 6:22, 27, 34, 38.

2. A Benjamite of Gedor whose two “sons” were named among David’s “helpers in the warfare” while he was at Ziklag under Saul’s restrictions.—1 Chron. 12:1, 2, 7.

3. Father of Azarel the prince of the tribe of Dan under King David.—1 Chron. 27:1, 22.

4. Father of Azariah, one of the army chiefs who helped Jehoiada install Jehoash as king.—2 Chron. 23:1, 11.

5. A descendant of Benjamin whose six named “sons” became heads of families living in Jerusalem. (1 Chron. 8:1, 26-28) Possibly the same as No. 3.

6. Benjamite forefather of Ibneiah, who lived in Jerusalem after the exile. (1 Chron. 9:7, 8) Possibly the same as No. 2.

7. Father or forefather of Adaiah, a priest who lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.—1 Chron. 9:3, 10, 12; Neh. 11:4, 12.

JERUBBAAL

(Jer·ub·baʹal) [let Baal make a legal defense against him].

The name given to Gideon son of Joash the Abi-ezrite after he had torn down his father’s altar to Baal and the wooden sacred pole by it; then on an altar built to Jehovah, Gideon sacrificed a bull belonging to his father, using the pieces of the sacred pole as fuel.—Judg. 6:11, 25-27.

Early next morning the men of Ophrah, on discovering what had been done, were highly incensed. Accordingly they inquired, and finding that Gideon had done this thing, demanded that he be put to death. Gideon’s father Joash took the side of Gideon, saying: “Will you be the ones to make a legal defense for Baal to see whether you yourselves may save him? Whoever makes a legal defense for him ought to be put to death even this morning. If he is God, let him make a legal defense for himself, because someone has pulled down his altar.” The Bible account continues: “And he began to call him Jerubbaal on that day, saying: ‘Let Baal make a legal defense in his own behalf, because someone has pulled down his altar.’”—Judg. 6:28-32.

Gideon is called Jerubbesheth at 2 Samuel 11:21.—See GIDEON.

JERUBBESHETH

(Je·rubʹbe·sheth) [let the shameful thing make a legal defense against him].

The name of Judge Gideon found at 2 Samuel 11:21. Evidently this is a form of Jerubbaal, the name given to Gideon by his father Joash when Gideon pulled down the altar of Baal. (Judg. 6:30-32) Some scholars believe that the writer of Second Samuel replaced baʹʽal with the Hebrew word for “shame” (boʹsheth) in order not to use the name of the false god Baal as part of a proper name.—See GIDEON.

JERUEL

(Je·ruʹel) [possibly, founded by God].

A wilderness apparently situated somewhere between the cities of Tekoa and En-gedi. Its exact location and extent are today unknown.—2 Chron. 20:2, 16, 20.

JERUSALEM

(Je·ruʹsa·lem) [possession (or foundation) of twofold peace].

The capital city of the ancient nation of Israel from about the year 1070 B.C.E. onward. Following the division of the nation into two kingdoms (997 B.C.E.), Jerusalem continued as the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. Throughout the Scriptures there are more than eight hundred references to Jerusalem.

NAME

The earliest recorded name of the city is “Salem.” (Gen. 14:18) Whereas some try to associate the meaning of the name Jerusalem with that of a West Semitic god named Shalem, he apostle Paul shows that “peace” is the true meaning of the latter half of the name. (Heb. 7:2) The Hebrew spelling of this latter half suggests a dual form, hence “twofold peace.” In Akkadian (Assyro-Babylonian) texts the city was called Urusalim (or Ur-sa-li-im-mu). On this basis some scholars give the meaning of the name as “City of Peace.” But the Hebrew form, which logically ought to govern, apparently means “Possession [or foundation] of twofold peace.”

Many other expressions and titles were used in the Scriptures to refer to the city. The psalmist on one occasion uses the earlier name, Salem. (Ps. 76:2) Other appellations were: “city of Jehovah” (Isa. 60:14); “town of the grand King” (Ps. 48:2; compare Matthew 5:35); “City of Righteousness” and “Faithful Town” (Isa. 1:26); “Zion” (Isa. 33:20); and “holy city” (Neh. 11:1; Isa. 48:2; 52:1; Matt. 4:5; the name “El Kuds,” meaning “Holy City,” is still the popular name for it in Arabic).

LOCATION

Jerusalem’s importance and greatness were not due to its geographical situation as a port or river city or trade center, nor due to fertile surroundings. Comparatively remote from principal international trade routes, it lay on the edge of an arid wilderness (the wilderness of Judah), its water supplies being limited.

Nevertheless, two internal trade routes did intersect near the city. One ran in a N-S direction along the top of the plateau forming the ‘backbone’ of ancient Palestine and this route linked together such cities as Dothan, Shechem, Bethel, Bethlehem, Hebron and Beer-sheba. The second route ran in an E-W direction from Rabbat-Ammon, cut through torrent valleys to the Jordan River basin, ascended the steep Judean slopes, and then wound down the western slopes to the Mediterranean coast and the seaport town of Joppa. Additionally, Jerusalem was centrally located for the whole area of the Promised Land, hence appropriate for a state administration center.

Lying about thirty-five miles (c. 56 kilometers) inland from the Mediterranean Sea and some fifteen miles (c. 24 kilometers) due W of the northern end of the Dead Sea, Jerusalem rests among the hills of the central mountain range. (Compare Psalm 125:2.) Its altitude of about 2,550 feet (c. 777 meters) above sea level made it one of the highest capital cities in the world. Its “loftiness” is mentioned in the Scriptures, and travelers had to ‘go up’ from the coastal plains to reach the city. (Ps. 48:2; 122:3, 4; Isa. 2:1-3) The climate is pleasant, with cool nights, an average annual temperature of 63° F. (c. 17° C.) and an annual rainfall of about twenty-four inches (.6 meter), the rain falling mainly between November and April.

Despite its height, Jerusalem does not stand up above the surrounding terrain. The traveler gets a full view of the city only when quite close. To the E the Mount of Olives rises 2,640 feet (c. 805 meters) high, on the N side Mount Scopus reaches 2,712 feet (c. 827 meters), and the encircling hills on the S and W rise as high as 2,657 feet (c. 810 meters); hence these elevations are all more than one hundred feet (c. 30 meters) above the small plateau on which Jerusalem stands.

In times of war, this situation would seem to constitute a serious disadvantage. Any drawback, however, was compensated for by the city’s being surrounded on three sides by steep-walled valleys: the torrent valley of Kidron on the E and the Valley of Hinnom on the S and W. A central valley, apparently referred to by Josephus as the Tyropean (or “Cheese-makers’”)