2. Six cities of refuge set aside for unintentional manslayers (20:1-9)

3. Assignment of forty-eight Levite cities, thirteen of these being priestly cities (21:1-42)

E. With assignments of territory made, Jehovah’s promises to Israel fulfilled (21:43-45)

XII. Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh return to inheritance E of Jordan after being admonished and blessed by Joshua (22:1-9)

A. Build an altar, causing tribes W of Jordan to plan military action against them for unfaithfulness (22:10-12)

B. Issue over altar settled peaceably when tribes E of Jordan reveal purpose of altar to be a memorial of faithfulness to Jehovah (22:13-34)

XIII. Joshua assembles Israel’s older men, heads, judges and officers, admonishing them to carry out Jehovah’s word (23:1-16)

XIV. Joshua convenes all Israel at Shechem, reviews with them God’s dealings and encourages them to serve Jehovah; Israelites renew covenant to do God’s will (24:1-28)

XV. Death of Joshua, burial of Joseph’s bones at Shechem and death of Eleazar the high priest (24:29-33)

See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 42-46.

JOSIAH

(Jo·siʹah) [let (or, may) Jehovah give; or, Jehovah heals].

1. Son of Judean King Amon by Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah. (2 Ki. 22:1) Josiah had at least two wives, Hamutal and Zebidah. (2 Ki. 23:31, 34, 36) Of his four sons mentioned in the Bible, only the firstborn, Johanan, did not rule as king over Judah.—1 Chron. 3:14, 15.

After the assassination of his father and the execution of the conspirators, eight-year-old Josiah became king of Judah. (2 Ki. 21:23, 24, 26; 2 Chron. 33:25) Some six years later Zebidah gave birth to Josiah’s second son, Jehoiakim. (2 Ki. 22:1; 23:36) In the eighth year of his reign, Josiah sought to learn and to do Jehovah’s will. (2 Chron. 34:3) It was also about this time that Jehoahaz (Shallum), Josiah’s son by Hamutal, was born.—2 Ki. 22:1; 23:31; Jer. 22:11.

During his twelfth year as king, Josiah began a campaign against idolatry that apparently extended into the eighteenth year of his reign. Altars used for false worship were torn down and desecrated by burning human bones upon them. Also, sacred poles, graven images and molten statues were destroyed. Josiah even extended his efforts as far as the northern part of what had once been territory of the ten-tribe kingdom but had been desolated because of the Assyrian conquest and subsequent exile. (2 Chron. 34:3-8) Evidently Zephaniah’s and Jeremiah’s denunciations of idolatry had a good effect.—Jer. 1:1, 2; 3:6-10; Zeph. 1:1-6.

After King Josiah completed cleansing the land of Judah and while he was having Jehovah’s temple repaired, High Priest Hilkiah found the “book of Jehovah’s law by the hand of Moses,” doubtless the original copy. Entrusted by Hilkiah with this sensational find, Shaphan the secretary reported on the progress of the temple repair work and thereafter read the book to Josiah. On hearing God’s word, this faithful king ripped his garments apart and then commissioned a five-man delegation to inquire of Jehovah in his behalf and in behalf of the people. The delegation went to the prophetess Huldah, then dwelling in Jerusalem, and brought back a report to this effect: ‘Calamity will come as a consequence of disobedience to Jehovah’s law. But because you, King Josiah, humbled yourself, you will be gathered to your graveyard in peace and will not see the calamity.’—2 Ki. 22:3-20; 2 Chron. 34:8-28; see HULDAH.

Subsequently Josiah assembled all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, including the older men, the priests and the prophets, and read God’s law to them. After this they concluded a covenant of faithfulness before Jehovah. Then followed a second and evidently a more intensive campaign against idolatry. The foreign-god priests of Judah and Jerusalem were put out of business, and Levite priests who had become involved in improper worship at high places were deprived of the privilege of serving at Jehovah’s altar. The high places built centuries earlier during Solomon’s reign were made completely unfit for worship. In fulfillment of a prophecy uttered about three hundred years previously by an unnamed man of God, Josiah pulled down the altar built by Israel’s King Jeroboam at Bethel. Not only at Bethel but also in the other cities of Samaria the high places were removed, and the idolatrous priests were sacrificed on the altars where they had officiated.—1 Ki. 13:1, 2; 2 Ki. 23:4-20; 2 Chron. 34:33.

Still in the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah arranged for the celebration of the Passover, on Nisan 14. It transcended any Passover that had been observed since the days of the prophet Samuel. Josiah himself contributed thirty thousand passover victims and three thousand cattle.—2 Ki. 23:21-23; 2 Chron. 35:1-19.

About four years later Josiah became father to Mattaniah (Zedekiah) by his wife Hamutal.—2 Ki. 22:1; 23:31, 34, 36; 24:8, 17, 18.

Toward the close of Josiah’s thirty-one-year reign (659-c. 629 B.C.E.) Pharaoh Necho led his armies northward to fight the “king of Assyria,” that is, the Babylonian conqueror of Assyria, at Carchemish. For a reason not revealed in the Bible, King Josiah disregarded a divine warning and tried to turn the Egyptian forces back at Megiddo but was mortally wounded in the attempt. He was brought back to Jerusalem in a war chariot and died either en route or upon arrival there. Josiah’s death brought much grief to his subjects. “All Judah and Jerusalem were mourning over Josiah. And Jeremiah began to chant over Josiah; and all the male singers and female singers keep talking about Josiah in their dirges down till today.”—2 Chron. 35:20-25; 2 Ki. 23:29, 30.

Although three of Josiah’s sons and one grandson ruled as kings over Judah, none of them imitated his fine example of turning to Jehovah with all his heart, soul and vital force. (2 Ki. 23:24, 25, 31, 32, 36, 37; 24:8, 9, 18, 19) This also indicates that, although Josiah’s efforts had removed the outward appendages of idolatry, the people generally had not returned to Jehovah with a complete heart. Consequently future calamity was certain.—Compare 2 Kings 23:26, 27; Jeremiah 35:1, 13-17; 44:15-18.

2. “Son of Zephaniah” residing at Jerusalem after the exile. (Zech. 6:10) Probably the same as Hen.—Zech. 6:14.

JOSIPHIAH

(Jo·si·phiʹah) [Jehovah adds].

A member of the paternal house of Bani whose son Shelomith, as head of the paternal house, went to Jerusalem with Ezra in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:1, 10.

JOTBAH

(Jotʹbah) [pleasantness].

The home of Haruz, Judean King Amon’s maternal grandfather. (2 Ki. 21:19) Jotbah is often identified with modern Khirbet Jefat, about nine miles (c. 14 kilometers) N of Nazareth.

JOTBATHAH

(Jotʹba·thah) [possibly, pleasantness or goodness].

A well-watered wilderness encampment of the Israelites. (Num. 33:33, 34; Deut. 10:7) Its exact location cannot be determined. However, ʽAin Tabah, located in a swampy depression about twenty-four miles (c. 39 kilometers) N of Ezion-geber, has been suggested as a possible identification.

JOTHAM

(Joʹtham) [may Jehovah complete].

1. A descendant of Judah designated as a ‘son’ of Jahdai.—1 Chron. 2:47.

2. Youngest son of Judge Gideon (Jerubbaal) residing at Ophrah. (Judg. 8:35; 9:5) After Gideon’s death, Abimelech, his son by a slave girl, murdered all his half brothers, that is, all but Jotham, who had concealed himself. Thereafter, when the landowners of Shechem made Abimelech their king, Jotham stationed himself atop Mount Gerizim and, by means of an illustration involving trees, pronounced a prophetic malediction upon the landowners of Shechem and Abimelech. Subsequently Jotham fled and took up residence at Beer.—Judg. 9:6-21, 57.

3. Son of Judean King Uzziah (Azariah) by Jerusha(h) the daughter of Zadok. (2 Ki. 15:32, 33; 1 Chron. 3:12; 2 Chron. 27:1; Matt. 1:9) After Uzziah was struck with leprosy when he became angry at the priests because of being reproved by them for unlawfully invading the temple and attempting to offer up incense, Jotham began caring for the kingly duties in his father’s stead. But apparently not until Uzziah’s death did twenty-five-year-old Jotham begin his sixteen-year rule (777-c. 762 B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:5, 7, 32; 2 Chron. 26:18-21, 23; 27:8.

In the time of Jotham certain Gadites were enrolled genealogically, and Isaiah, Hosea and Micah served as prophets. (1 Chron. 5:11, 17; Isa. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1) Although his subjects engaged in improper worship at high places, Jotham personally did what was right in Jehovah’s eyes.—2 Ki. 15:35; 2 Chron. 27:2, 6.

Much construction work was done during Jotham’s reign. He erected the upper gate of the temple, did considerable building on the wall of Ophel, also built cities in the mountainous region of Judah, and fortified places and towers in the woodlands.—2 Chron. 27:3-7.

But Jotham did not enjoy a peaceful reign. He warred with the Ammonites and finally triumphed over them. As a result, for three years they paid a yearly tribute of a hundred silver talents (c. $142,359 in modern values) and ten thousand cor measures (c. 62,000 bushels or 2,200,000 liters) both of wheat and of barley. (2 Chron. 27:5) During Jotham’s reign the land of Judah also began to experience military pressures from Syrian King Rezin and Israelite King Pekah.—2 Ki. 15:37.

At his death Jotham was buried in the city of David, and his son Ahaz, who had been about four years old when Jotham became king, ascended the throne of Judah.—2 Chron. 27:7–28:1.

Since Jotham ruled only sixteen years, the reference at 2 Kings 15:30 to the “twentieth year of Jotham” evidently is to be understood to mean the twentieth year after his becoming king, that is, the fourth year of Ahaz. The writer of the Kings account may have chosen not to introduce Jotham’s successor Ahaz at this point because of yet having to supply details about Jotham’s reign.

[Picture on page 969]

Seal inscription reading “[Belonging] to Jotham”

JOURNEY

The word “journey” is often used in the Bible to designate a general distance covered. (Gen. 31:23; Ex. 3:18; Num. 10:33; 33:8) The distance covered in a day depended on the means of transport used and the conditions and terrain encountered by the traveler. An average day’s journey on land was perhaps twenty miles (32 kilometers) or more. But a “sabbath day’s journey” was far less. (Matt. 24:20) Acts 1:12 indicates that a “sabbath day’s journey” separated Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Probably because of reckoning from two different starting points, Josephus gives this distance once as five furlongs (3,037 feet; 925 meters) and another time as six furlongs (3,645 feet; 1,110 meters). Rabbinical sources, on the basis of Joshua 3:4, indicate a “sabbath day’s journey” to be 2,000 cubits (2,917 feet; 890 meters).

JOY

The emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; state of happiness; exultation. The Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible for joy, exultation, rejoicing and being glad express various shades of meaning, different stages or degrees of joy. They variously denote gladness, basis or occasion for joy, dancing as with joy, spinning around with pleasurable emotion, exulting or leaping with exuberant joy, and glorying or vaunting oneself (in something).

JEHOVAH GOD AND JESUS CHRIST

Jehovah is called “the happy God.” (1 Tim. 1:11) He creates and works with joy for himself and his creatures. What he brings about makes him joyful. (Ps. 104:31) He wants his creatures likewise to enjoy his works toward them, and to enjoy their own work. (Eccl. 5:19) Since he is the Source of all good things (,Jas. 1:17), the chief enjoyment for all intelligent creatures, both mankind and angels, is in coming to know him. (Jer. 9:23, 24) King David said: “Let my musing about him be pleasurable. I, for my part, shall rejoice in Jehovah.” (Ps. 104:34) He also sang: “The righteous one will rejoice in Jehovah and will indeed take refuge in him; and all the upright in heart will boast.” (Ps. 64:10) The apostle Paul urged Christians to take joy at all times in their knowledge of him and his dealing with them, writing to them: “Always rejoice in the Lord [‘Jehovah,’ in some Hebrew versions]. Once more I will say, Rejoice!”—Phil. 4:4.

Jesus Christ, who was the intimate One of Jehovah, knows him best (Matt. 11:27) and he is able to explain Him to his followers. (John 1:18) Jesus is therefore joyful, being called “the happy and only Potentate.” (1 Tim. 6:14, 15) Out of love for his Father he is eager to do always the things that please Him. (John 8:29) Therefore, when the task of coming to earth, suffering and dying was set before him, in order that he might vindicate Jehovah’s name, “for the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame.” (Heb. 12:2) He also had great love for and joy in mankind. The Scriptures, personifying him in his prehuman existence as wisdom, represent him as saying: “Then I came to be beside [Jehovah] as a master worker, and I came to be the one he was specially fond of day by day, I being glad before him all the time, being glad at the productive land of his earth, and the things I was fond of were with the sons of men.”—Prov. 8:30, 31.

Jesus desired his followers to have the same joy, telling them: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.” The angels had joy at the creation of the earth. (John 15:11; 17:13; Job 38:4-7) They also view the course of God’s people, taking joy in their faithful course and especially exulting when an individual turns from his sinful ways to the pure worship and service of God.—Luke 15:7, 10.

What makes God joyful

Jehovah’s heart can be made glad by his servants because of their faithfulness and loyalty to him. Satan the Devil has constantly challenged the rightfulness of God’s sovereignty and the integrity of all those serving God. (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5; Rev. 12:10) To them apply the words: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply