November 10, 2023
Question: What is the meaning and origin of the name ‘Yeshua’?
The English name Jesus derives from the Late Latin name Iesus, which transliterates the Koine Greek name Ἰησοῦς Iēsoûs.
The name יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua, is a form of the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Yehoshua, and spelled with a vav in the second syllable. The Hebrew spellings for earlier names often contracted the theophoric element Yeho- to Yo-. Thus, יהוחנן, Yehochanan, contracted to יוחנן, Yochanan.
Yeshua is a Hebrew name derived from the verbs “to rescue” and “to deliver.” During the Second Temple period, this name was common among Jews, and the Hebrew Bible mentions several individuals named Yeshua, also referred to by their full name, Yehoshua (Joshua). This name appears in post-Exilic biblical books (such as Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles) and was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. However, Haggai and Zechariah prefer the spelling “Joshua.”
According to Strong’s Concordance, the name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is connected to the verb “to deliver” or “to rescue” as written “She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).
The name ישוע occurs in the Hebrew of the Old Testament refers to Joshua son of Nun, the successor of Moses, as leader of the Israelites. The name Yehoshua consists of two parts: “Yeho-” and “shua”. “Yeho-” (יְהוֹ) is another form of יָהו, “Yahu” standing for the name of God, יהוה. “Shua” (שׁוּעַ) is a noun meaning “a cry for help” or “a saving cry”, referring to a shout given when in need of rescue.
The name Yehoshua comes from the root ישע, yod-shin-ayin, meaning “to deliver, save, or rescue”. According to Numbers 13:16, the name of Joshua son of Nun was originally Hosheaʿ (הוֹשֵעַ), and the name Yehoshuaʿ (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) is usually spelled the same but with a yod added at the beginning. “Hosheaʿ” comes from the root ישע, yasha, yod-shin-ayin. Why did Moses add a letter to Hoshea’s name?
When Moses changed Hoshea’s name to Yehoshua, he infused him with new energy and a higher level of divine protection. The name Yehoshua is actually an acronym for “Kah Yoshiacha,” which means “Yah will save you.” With the addition of the letter “yud” at the beginning of his name, the Spirit’s protection became even more powerful. This is a testament to the deep mystical understanding of the divine presence in our lives and the potential for transformation that lies within us all.