Joshua
/ˈdʒɒʃuə/
noun
Origin
Hebrew
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ — Yahweh is salvation
Overview
Meaning Now
- A masculine given name of Hebrew origin.
- A major figure in the Hebrew Bible, successor to Moses and leader of the Israelite tribes during the conquest of Canaan.
Literal older meaning
The Lord is salvation
Language path
Hebrew → Koine Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yəhōšuaʿ)
Earliest period
Biblical period
Journey
Joshua is a foundational figure in the Abrahamic religions. In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Joshua details his leadership in the military campaigns that led to the Israelite settlement of Canaan. The name shares an etymological root with the name Jesus (Yeshua).
Evolution
- Biblical Hebrew
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ
“Yahweh is salvation”
- Post-Exilic Hebrew
יֵשׁוּעַ (Yēšūaʿ)
“Salvation”
Shortened form used in later books of the Hebrew Bible.
- Koine Greek
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
“Joshua/Jesus”
- Late Latin
Iosua
“Joshua”
- Middle English
Josue
“Joshua”
Connections
Word parts
Yhwh
root
The Lord
yšʿ
root
to save/salvation
Related across languages
Aramaic
יֵשׁוּעַ (Yēšūaʿ)
Salvation
Greek
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Jesus
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.