Meaning & History
Yehoyaqim is the original Hebrew form of the name Jehoiakim, meaning "Yahweh raises up" in Hebrew. Derived from the roots yeho (referring to the Hebrew God) and qum ("to raise"), this name carries a theophoric element central to Israelite onomastics. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of a king of Judah who reigned from 609 to 598 BC, as recorded in 2 Kings 23:34–24:6 and 2 Chronicles 36:4–8.
Yehoyaqim was born Eliakim but was renamed by Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt after being placed on the throne. His reign was marked by political upheaval, including vassalage under Egypt and later Babylon. He is often criticized for oppressive policies and idolatry, leading to prophetic condemnation, notably from the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 22:13–19, 26). He was the eldest son of King Josiah, whom many Chronicler texts describe as a just king, and the father of King Jehoiachin, who succeeded him briefly before the Babylonian exile.
Etymology
The name Yehoyaqim explicitly includes the divine name Yahweh, highlighting a pattern of theophoric names in ancient Judah where parents invoked God's attributes. The verbal root qum suggests restoration or elevation, possibly reflecting hope for divine intervention. Medieval Jewish grammarians noted that the name could be parsed as yeho (Yahweh) + yaqim (he raises) -> Yahweh raises up.
Historical and Cultural Significance
As the name of both a biblical king (Jehoiakim) and later the basis for the feminine Jecoliah and other forms, Yehoyaqim served as a reminder of Yahweh's role in restoring Judah from distress. Though its use declined after the post-exilic period, coptic liturgy retained the ethnic form. Its lineage through the biblical lists in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 1:11) reinforced its significance as part of messianic genealogy.
Joachim of the New Testament (father of the Virgin Mary) was a later Greek adaptation rather than a direct line of the king. He is known through apocryphal books (e.g., the Protoevangelium of James) and honored in Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions.
Notable Bearers
- Yehoyaqim (Jehoiakim) of Judah: last of the Davidic kings before the Babylonian Exile (2 Kings 23–24).
Variant Forms
- Jehoiakim (English Bible)
- Jokin (Basque)
- Joaquim (Portuguese)
- Quim (Portuguese diminutive)
- Ximo or Chimo ( Catalan)
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Joachim (given name)