3192. Yotbah
Lexical Summary
Yotbah: Jotbah

Original Word: יָטְבָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Yotbah
Pronunciation: yoht-BAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yot-baw')
KJV: Jotbah
NASB: Jotbah
Word Origin: [from H3190 (יָטַב - well)]

1. pleasantness
2. Jotbah, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jotbah

From yatab; pleasantness; Jotbah, a place in Palestine -- Jotbah.

see HEBREW yatab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from yatab
Definition
"pleasantness," a city probably in Judah
NASB Translation
Jotbah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
יָטְבָה proper name, of a location (pleasantness) city probably in Judah 2 Kings 21:19, site unknown.

Topical Lexicon
Name and Meaning

Yotbah (commonly rendered “Jotbah”) is most likely derived from the Hebrew verb for “to be good” or “to be pleasant,” suggesting a place characterized by goodness or beauty.

Scriptural Occurrence

The name appears once in the Old Testament: “Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah.” (2 Kings 21:19). Though the mention is brief, it anchors the locality to the royal genealogy of Judah.

Geographical Considerations

1. Southern Judah or the Negev: Because the text links Jotbah to a woman married into the royal court of Jerusalem, many scholars place it within Judah’s southern territories, perhaps in the Negev highlands.
2. Connection with Jotbathah: Numbers 33:33-34 and Deuteronomy 10:7 record Israel’s wilderness encampment at Jotbathah. The consonantal similarity raises the possibility that Jotbah was a shortened or later form of the same site, located in the Arabah valley south of the Dead Sea (modern Yotvata).
3. Alternative Edomite Link: Some view Jotbah as a frontier town reclaimed from Edom during the reigns of Uzziah or Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:7-10; 2 Chronicles 25:11-12), which would explain its integration into Judahite territory by the time of Manasseh and Amon.

Historical Setting

Amon ruled circa 642-640 BC, during a period of deep spiritual decline in Judah. His father Manasseh had promoted idolatry; Amon continued this apostasy (2 Kings 21:20-22). The reference to Jotbah therefore marks the hometown of a queen mother whose son perpetuated national unfaithfulness. The chronicling of her origin underscores the prophetic assessment that the nation’s sin was pervasive, extending even to families linked to places once known for “goodness.”

Relationship to the Royal Household

The biblical historians consistently note the mothers of Judah’s kings (2 Kings 8:26; 14:2; 22:1) to highlight covenant blessings or failures transmitted through family lines. Meshullemeth of Jotbah figures in this pattern. While there is no direct censure of her, her son’s wickedness contrasts sharply with the implied meaning of her birthplace, creating a literary irony that underscores Judah’s moral collapse.

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. The Reach of God’s Evaluation: Even obscure locales and seemingly incidental details fall under divine scrutiny, affirming that “nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13).
2. Heritage and Responsibility: Jotbah’s mention beside Meshullemeth’s name reminds readers that lineage grants influence but not righteousness. Each generation must choose covenant faithfulness (Ezekiel 18:20).
3. Hope for Restoration: If Jotbah does connect to Jotbathah—an encampment where Israel found “streams of water” (a traditional understanding of the name)—the contrast between refreshing provision and later apostasy points to the Lord’s ongoing desire to bring His people back to spiritual vitality (Isaiah 44:3).

Connections with Other Biblical Passages

Numbers 33:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:7 – Potential earlier references to the same region under the longer form Jotbathah, noted for abundant water.
2 Kings 21:1-26 – The broader narrative of Manasseh and Amon sets Jotbah within the context of Judah’s darkest hour before Josiah’s reform.
2 Chronicles 33:21-25 – Parallel account emphasizing Amon’s guilt and the people’s complicity, highlighting how far the nation had fallen from the ideal suggested by a name meaning “pleasant.”

Practical Application for Today

Believers are cautioned that a godly heritage or “pleasant” surroundings do not guarantee faithfulness. Genuine devotion requires continual personal commitment. Churches and families should therefore cultivate environments that not only remember past blessings but also actively uphold obedience to the Word, lest they, like Amon, squander a legacy meant for good.

Summary

Though mentioned only once, Yotbah serves as a strategic marker in the biblical story, tying a remote locality to the spiritual state of Judah’s monarchy. Its legacy challenges God’s people to treasure their heritage, recognize the peril of complacency, and seek ongoing renewal in the Lord.

Forms and Transliterations
יָטְבָֽה׃ יטבה׃ yā·ṭə·ḇāh yāṭəḇāh yateVah
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
2 Kings 21:19
HEB: חָר֖וּץ מִן־ יָטְבָֽה׃
NAS: the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
KJV: the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.
INT: of Haruz at of Jotbah

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3192
1 Occurrence


yā·ṭə·ḇāh — 1 Occ.

3191
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