Jokim Whom Jehovah has set up, one of the descendants of Shelah (Ch1 4:22).
Jokmeam Gathering of the people, a city of Ephraim, which was given with its suburbs to the Levites (Ch1 6:68). It lay somewhere in the Jordan valley (Kg1 4:12, R.V.; but in A.V. incorrectly "Jokneam").
Jokneam Gathered by the people, (Jos 19:11; Jos 21:34), a city "of Carmel" (Jos 12:22), i.e., on Carmel, allotted with its suburbs to the Merarite Levites. It is the modern Tell Kaimon, about 12 miles south-west of Nazareth, on the south of the river Kishon.
Jokshan Snarer, the second son of Abraham and Keturah (Gen 25:2, Gen 25:3; Ch1 1:32).
Joktan Little, the second of the two sons of Eber (Gen 10:25; Ch1 1:19). There is an Arab tradition that Joktan (Arab. Kahtan ) was the progenitor of all the purest tribes of Central and Southern Arabia.
Joktheel Subdued by God. (1.) A city of Judah near Lachish (Josh. 15, 38). Perhaps the ruin Kutlaneh, south of Gezer. (2.) Amaziah, king of Judah, undertook a great expedition against Edom (Ch2 25:5), which was completely successful. He routed the Edomites and slew vast numbers of them. So wonderful did this victory appear to him that he acknowledged that it could have been achieved only by the special help of God, and therefore he called Selah (q.v.), their great fortress city, by the name of Joktheel (Kg2 14:7).
Jonadab =Jehonadab (1.) The son of Rechab, and founder of the Rechabites (q.v.), Kg2 10:15; Jer 35:6, Jer 35:10. (2.) The son of Shimeah, David's brother (Sa2 13:3). He was "a very subtle man."
Jonah A dove, the son of Amittai of Gath-hepher. He was a prophet of Israel, and predicted the restoration of the ancient boundaries (Kg2 14:25) of the kingdom. He exercised his ministry very early in the reign of Jeroboam II., and thus was contemporary with Hosea and Amos; or possibly he preceded them, and consequently may have been the very oldest of all the prophets whose writings we possess. His personal history is mainly to be gathered from the book which bears his name. It is chiefly interesting from the two-fold character in which he appears, (1.) as a missionary to heathen Nineveh, and (2.) as a type of the "Son of man."
Jonah, Book of This book professes to give an account of what actually took place in the experience of the prophet. Some critics have sought to interpret the book as a parable or allegory, and not as a history. They have done so for various reasons. Thus (1.) some reject it on the ground that the miraculous element enters so largely into it, and that it is not prophetical but narrative in its form; (2.) others, denying the possibility of miracles altogether, hold that therefore it cannot be true history. Jonah and his story is referred to by our Lord (Mat 12:39, Mat 12:40; Luk 11:29), a fact to which the greatest weight must be attached. It is impossible to interpret this reference on any other theory. This one argument is of sufficient importance to settle the whole question. No theories devised for the purpose of getting rid of difficulties can stand against such a proof that the book is a veritable history. There is every reason to believe that this book was written by Jonah himself. It gives an account of (1.) his divine commission to go to Nineveh, his disobedience, and the punishment following (Jonah 1:1-17); (2.) his prayer and miraculous deliverance (Jonah 1:17-2:10); (3.) the second commission given to him, and his prompt obedience in delivering the message from God, and its results in the repentance of the Ninevites, and God's long-sparing mercy toward them (Jon 3:1); (4.) Jonah's displeasure at God's merciful decision, and the rebuke tendered to the impatient prophet (Jon 4:1). Nineveh was spared after Jonah's mission for more than a century. The history of Jonah may well be regarded "as a part of that great onward movement which was before the Law and under the Law; which gained strength and volume as the fulness of the times drew near." Perowne's Jonah.
Jonas (1.) Greek form of Jonah (Mat 12:39, Mat 12:40, Mat 12:41, etc.). (2.) The father of the apostles Peter (Joh 21:15) and Andrew; but the reading should be (also in Joh 1:42), as in the Revised Version, "John," instead of Jonas.