death to Jesus. Warned in a dream that Herod was seeking to find the child to destroy it, Joseph heeded divine instructions to flee with his family to Egypt.—Matt. 2:1-15.

After the decease of Herod, Jehovah’s angel again appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying: “Get up, take the young child and its mother and be on your way into the land of Israel.” However, hearing that Herod’s son Archelaus was ruling in his father’s stead, he feared to return to Judea, and “being given divine warning in a dream, he withdrew into the territory of Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city named Nazareth.”—Matt. 2:19-23.

Each year Joseph and Mary attended the Passover celebration at Jerusalem. On one occasion they were returning to Nazareth when, after covering a day’s distance from Jerusalem, they found that the twelve-year-old Jesus was missing. Diligently they searched for him and finally found him at the temple in Jerusalem, listening to and questioning the teachers there.—Luke 2:41-50.

The Scriptural record is silent on the extent of the training Joseph gave to Jesus. Doubtless, though, he contributed to Jesus’ progressing in wisdom. (Luke 2:51, 52) Joseph also taught him the carpenter trade, for Jesus was known both as the “carpenter’s son” (Matt. 13:55) and as the “carpenter.”—Mark 6:3.

Joseph’s death is not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures. But it seems that he did not survive Jesus. Had he lived beyond Passover time of 33 C.E., it is unlikely that the impaled Jesus would have entrusted Mary to the care of the apostle John.—John 19:26, 27.

9. A half brother of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) Like his other brothers, Joseph at first did not exercise faith in Jesus. (John 7:5) Later, however, Jesus’ half brothers, doubtless including Joseph, became believers. They are mentioned as being with the apostles and others after Jesus’ ascension to heaven, so they were likely among the some 120 disciples assembled in an upper room at Jerusalem when Matthias was chosen by lot as a replacement for unfaithful Judas Iscariot. It appears that this same group of about 120 received God’s spirit on the day of Pentecost in 33 C.E.—Acts 1:9–2:4.

10. A wealthy man from the Judean city of Arimathea and a reputable member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Although a good and righteous man who was waiting for God’s kingdom, Joseph, due to his fear of unbelieving Jews, did not openly identify himself as a disciple of Jesus Christ. However, he did not vote in support of the Sanhedrin’s unjust action against Christ Jesus. Later, he courageously asked Pilate for Jesus’ body and, along with Nicodemus, prepared it for burial and then placed it in a new rock-cut tomb. This tomb was situated in a garden near the place of impalement and belonged to Joseph of Arimathea.—Matt. 27:57-60; Mark 15:43-46; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-42.

11. One put up along with Matthias as a candidate for the office of oversight vacated by the unfaithful Judas Iscariot. Joseph, also called Barsabbas (perhaps a family name or merely an additional name) and surnamed Justus, was a witness of the work, miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, Matthias, not Joseph, was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot before Pentecost of 33 C.E. and came to be “reckoned along with the eleven apostles.”—Acts 1:15—2:1.

12. A Levite surnamed Barnabas and a native of Cyprus. (Acts 4:36, 37) He was a close associate of the apostle Paul.—See BARNABAS.

JOSHAH

(Joʹshah) [Jehovah’s gift].

One of the Simeonite chieftains who, in the days of King Hezekiah, conquered a portion of territory from the Hamites and Meunim in order to have more pasture ground.—1 Chron. 4:24, 34, 38-41.

JOSHAPHAT

(Joshʹa·phat) [Jehovah has judged].

1. One of David’s loyal warriors; a Mithnite.—1 Chron. 11:26, 43.

2. A priest and one of the seven trumpeters who accompanied the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 15:24, 25.

JOSHAVIAH

(Josh·a·viʹah).

A leading warrior in David’s army; son of Elnaam.—1 Chron. 11:26, 46.

JOSHBEKASHAH

(Josh·be·kashʹah).

Head of the seventeenth group of musicians at Jehovah’s house; a son of Heman.—1 Chron. 25:1, 4, 9, 24.

JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH

(Joʹsheb-bas·sheʹbeth).

The head one of David’s three most outstanding mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:8) At 1 Chronicles 11:11 he is called Jashobeam, which is probably the more correct form. There are other scribal difficulties with the text in 2 Samuel 23:8, making it necessary for the obscure Hebrew in the Masoretic text (which appears to read, “He was Adino the Eznite”) to be corrected to read “He was brandishing his spear.” (NW) Other modern translations read similarly. (AT, JB, Mo, Ro ftn., RS) Thus Samuel is made to agree with the book of Chronicles and with the construction pattern in this section of material. It is “the three” that are being discussed, but to introduce another name, Adino, makes four. Additionally, each of the three mighty men has one of his deeds credited to him, so if the overpowering of the 800 were attributed to someone else, there would be no deed credited here to Josheb-basshebeth (Jashobeam).—See JASHOBEAM No. 2.

There is a possibility that the deed ascribed to Josheb-basshebeth at 2 Samuel 23:8 is not the same as that mentioned at 1 Chronicles 11:11. This may explain why the Samuel account speaks of 800 slain, whereas the Chronicles account refers to 300 slain.

JOSHIBIAH

(Josh·i·biʹah) [Jehovah sets, or causes to dwell].

A Simeonite whose descendant joined a territory-expansion campaign.—1 Chron. 4:24, 35, 38-41.

JOSHUA

(Joshʹu·a) [Jehovah is salvation].

1. Son of Nun; an Ephraimite who ministered to Moses and was later appointed as his successor. (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:9; Josh. 1:1, 2) The Scriptures portray Joshua as a bold and fearless leader, one who was confident in the certainty of Jehovah’s promises, obedient to divine direction and determined to serve Jehovah in faithfulness. His original name was Hoshea, but Moses called him Joshua or Jehoshua. (Num. 13:8, 16) The Bible record, however, does not reveal just when Hoshea came to be known as Joshua.

LEADS FIGHT AGAINST AMALEKITES

In 1513 B.C.E., when the Israelites encamped at Rephidim shortly after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt’s military might at the Red Sea, the Amalekites launched an unprovoked attack on them. Joshua was then appointed by Moses as commander in the fight against the Amalekites. Under his able leadership, the Israelites, with divine assistance, vanquished the foe. Subsequently Jehovah decreed ultimate annihilation for the Amalekites, instructing Moses to make a written record about this and to propound it to Joshua.—Ex. 17:8-16.

SERVES AS MOSES’ ATTENDANT

Later, at Mount Sinai, Joshua, as Moses’ attendant, likely was one of the seventy older men who were privileged to see a magnificent vision of Jehovah’s glory. Thereafter Joshua accompanied Moses part way up Mount Sinai but apparently did not enter the cloud, since Moses alone was commanded to do so. (Ex. 24:9-18) Both he and Moses remained on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights.