{
  "id": "dict_003013",
  "term": "Joram",
  "slug": "joram",
  "letter": "J",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Joram is a biblical royal name used for more than one king in the Old Testament, including a king of Israel and a king of Judah.",
  "simple_one_line": "A royal name shared by two Old Testament kings.",
  "tooltip_text": "Biblical name used for more than one king, including rulers in Israel and Judah.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Jehoram",
    "Ahab",
    "Ahaziah",
    "Elisha",
    "2 Kings",
    "2 Chronicles"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Jehoram",
    "kings of Israel",
    "kings of Judah",
    "divided monarchy"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Joram is a biblical name borne by more than one Old Testament ruler. In Bible dictionaries, it is best treated as a person-name entry that helps readers distinguish the kings of Israel and Judah who are associated with this name.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Old Testament royal name shared by at least two kings.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Used for more than one historical person",
    "Most often refers to the king of Israel, son of Ahab",
    "Also used for the king of Judah, son of Jehoshaphat",
    "Overlaps in some passages with the form Jehoram"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Joram is a biblical royal name used for multiple Old Testament figures, especially Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, and Joram/Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. The entry should be read as a disambiguation aid for historical narrative texts rather than as a theological concept.",
  "description_academic_full": "Joram is a personal name used in the Old Testament for more than one ruler. The name is associated especially with Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, and with the king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, who is at times also called Joram. Because the same name overlaps across related kingdom narratives, readers need to pay attention to context, genealogy, and whether a passage is describing the northern kingdom or Judah. This entry serves as a biblical person-name reference to help distinguish those historical figures.",
  "background_biblical_context": "In the royal histories, the name Joram appears in the period of the divided monarchy. One Joram ruled in Israel during the era associated with Elijah and Elisha, while another is tied to Judah’s Davidic line through Jehoshaphat. The overlapping naming conventions can make the narratives harder to follow without context.",
  "background_historical_context": "The divided kingdom period often features repeated names within royal families, which creates confusion for modern readers. Joram is one example of a dynastic name used in both Israel and Judah. Ancient Near Eastern naming patterns commonly reused names within a house or lineage.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Jewish readers of the Hebrew Bible would have encountered these overlapping royal names within the narrative flow of Kings and Chronicles. The distinction usually depends on the surrounding historical setting rather than on the name itself.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "2 Kings 1–9",
    "2 Chronicles 21"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "2 Kings 3",
    "2 Kings 8",
    "2 Chronicles 22"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "The Hebrew name underlying Joram is related to Jehoram and is rendered in overlapping ways across English translations. Context determines which individual is in view.",
  "theological_significance": "Joram itself is not a doctrinal term, but the narratives attached to the name contribute to the Bible’s presentation of covenant accountability, royal failure, and God’s providential governance over Israel and Judah.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a person-name entry, Joram illustrates a basic interpretive principle: identical labels do not always identify the same referent. Biblical reading often requires careful attention to narrative context, chronology, and lineage.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not assume every occurrence of Joram refers to the same king. In some passages the related form Jehoram is used, and in royal narratives the distinction between Israel and Judah is essential. Avoid building doctrine from the name itself.",
  "major_views_note": "Most treatments recognize Joram as a shared royal name and distinguish the Israelite and Judean rulers by context. The main issue is not doctrinal debate but textual and historical identification.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry should remain descriptive and historical. It should not be used to assert extra-biblical speculation or to flatten the distinction between the two kingdoms.",
  "practical_significance": "For Bible readers, this entry helps reduce confusion when following the books of Kings and Chronicles. It encourages close reading and better understanding of the historical storyline.",
  "meta_description": "Joram is a biblical royal name used for more than one Old Testament king, including rulers in Israel and Judah.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/joram/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/joram.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}