Joiada

JOIADA. - Among the biblical figures of this name, two deserve special mention.

1) A priest, son of Benaiah, counselor of King David together with Abiathar, after the death of the traitor Ahithophel (1 Chron. 27:34). He in turn had a son named Benaiah, who was among the commanders of the troops (1 Chron. 27:5) under the same king, and among the most authoritative supporters of Solomon for the succession to the throne (cf. 1 Kings 1). Some think that in both cases it is a question of the same person: J. son of Benaiah. But the reasons adduced to justify the inversion of the names in the biblical text are not convincing.

2) High priest at the time of Queen Athaliah (842-836 B.C.) and of Joash king of Judah (836-797 B.C.; 2 Kings 11-12; 2 Chron. 22-24). Since Athaliah (v.), after the death of King Ahaziah, had massacred all the descendants of royal lineage to secure the throne for herself alone, J. saved, with the help of his wife Jehosheba (v.), the young Joash, son of Ahaziah, and raised him secretly in the Temple until the age of 7. He then presented him to the nation and had him proclaimed king, deposing the impious queen Athaliah, who was executed by the people. He remained constantly at the side of the young king, and assisted him with his wise counsel in the work of religious and political restoration; as long as J. lived, Joash behaved well: he demolished the temple and the images of Baal that had been erected by Athaliah, and renewed the covenant between Yahweh and Israel; he also restored the normal service of the Temple, whose restoration he promoted. J. died at the age of 130, and was buried in the tombs of the kings. After his death King Joash changed his conduct and gave himself over to idolatry; Zechariah (v.), son of J., who dared to reproach him publicly, was stoned in the court of the Temple (2 Chron. 24:20-25).

Gaetano Stano