Jecoliah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Jecoliah was the mother of King Uzziah of Judah. She is mentioned in the genealogical record of the kings of Judah, where the inspired historian regularly notes the name of each king’s mother alongside the length and character of his reign. Her single appearance in Scripture comes in 2 Chronicles 26:3: “Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.”
The setting of her brief mention is the accession of Uzziah, also called Azariah, to the throne of Judah. Her son came to power at the age of sixteen and reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem, one of the longest reigns of any king of Judah. Jecoliah is identified simply as being “of Jerusalem,” which places her within the capital city of the southern kingdom. Beyond this notice, Scripture records nothing else of her life, her family, or her deeds.
What Scripture says of her is therefore limited but not without significance. She is named as the mother of a king whose reign stands as one of the more notable in Judah’s history. The text says nothing of her character or her faith, nor does it attach any word of praise or blame to her name. She appears only in this one verse, a quiet line in the record of a king, remembered chiefly because she gave birth to and raised the man who would sit on David’s throne for more than half a century.
The Name
The name Jecoliah appears to be of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is often understood along the lines of “Yahweh is able” or “the LORD has prevailed,” from elements related to divine strength or capability. Some reference works render it similarly, connecting it to the power or ability of God. It should be noted, however, that the precise etymology is not entirely certain, and scholarly suggestions vary somewhat. What can be said with confidence is that the name is a theophoric name, meaning it incorporates a reference to God (the shortened form of the divine name), as was common among Hebrew names of that era. Beyond this general observation, no meaning should be pressed too firmly.
A Closing Thought
Jecoliah’s life is summed up in a single line, yet that line is not insignificant. She is remembered as the mother of a king, and her name is preserved in Scripture long after her own days ended. Most of us will never be recorded in a royal chronicle, but every life quietly shapes the lives that come after it. The faithfulness of a parent, the prayers offered in obscurity, the ordinary days of raising a child—these are often unseen, yet God does not forget them. Jecoliah’s one verse reminds us that even a brief mention in God’s book is an eternal remembrance.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 2 Chronicles 26:3 — Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.