Joatham is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Joatham is another name for Jotham, the son of Uzziah and king of Judah. He appears in the New Testament only in the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded by Matthew, where the line of descent is traced from Abraham through David down to Joseph, the husband of Mary. In that genealogy, Joatham stands between his father Ozias (Uzziah) and his son Achaz (Ahaz), forming one link in the long chain of generations through which God preserved the royal line of David.
The source note tells us that Joatham was known for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. This sets him apart from several of the kings who surrounded him in the genealogy: his father Uzziah, though a good king for much of his reign, ended in pride and leprosy, and his son Ahaz was among the most wicked kings of Judah. Joatham, by contrast, is remembered as a man who walked uprightly before God.
His appearance in Matthew’s Gospel is brief—a single verse—yet it carries real weight. Matthew wrote his genealogy to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the rightful heir of David’s throne. Joatham’s name, tucked into that list, is a quiet testimony that God’s purposes moved forward through ordinary generations, through men and women who lived and died and were remembered chiefly because they belonged to the line that would one day bring forth the Savior.
The Name
The name Joatham is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jotham, which appears in the Old Testament. The Hebrew name is generally understood to mean “the Lord is perfect” or “the Lord is upright,” built from elements referring to Yahweh and to perfection or completeness. This meaning is well established and fits the character noted in the source: a king remembered for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The Greek spelling Joatham is simply how the name came into the New Testament text, and it points back to the same Hebrew king.
A Closing Thought
Joatham’s life is a reminder that faithfulness often goes unnoticed by the world but never by God. He is remembered in Scripture not for great conquests or grand monuments, but for doing what was right in the Lord’s eyes. Most of us will not be famous or powerful, and our names may never appear in any record but a few. Yet the quiet, steady obedience of a single life matters in ways we cannot see. Joatham played his part in a story far larger than himself, and so do we when we walk uprightly before God.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: New
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Matthew 1:9 — And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;