RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Joshua Jovianus
tradition. Another and somewhat variant report appears in II Chron. xxxv. 22 sqq., according to which the remonstrance of Necho takes the form of an oracle from God, makes Josiah put on a disguise, and when wounded has him carried to Jerusalem- with the implication that he died there (on holy ground?); the Chronicler tells also of a lament of Jeremiah for Josiah and a collection of dirges in his memory, with which Jer. xxii. 10 and Zech. xii. 11 may be brought into connection, perhaps as indicating a yearly memorial celebration.
(E. Kautzsch.)
Bibliography: The pertinent sections in the literature mentioned under Ahab; the articles in the Bible dictionaries; the literature under Hexateuch, since the discussions of Deuteronomy and of the Pentateuch involve discussions of Josiah's reform and its legal basis.
JOST, yest, ISAAK MARCUS: German Jewish historian; b. at Bernburg (23 m. s. of Magdeburg) Feb. 22, 1793; d. at Frankfort Nov. 22, 1860. He studied at the Samson school at Wolfenbiittel, at the gymnasium at Brunswick, and at the universities of Gottingen and Berlin (Ph.D., 1816), became principal of the Bock school in Berlin in 1826, and in 1835 was called to the Jewish Realschule (Philanthropin) at Frankfort. His principal works are, Geschichte der Israeliten seit der Zeit der Maccabaer bis auf unsere Tage (10 vols., Berlin, 1820-47); Allgemeine Geschichte des israelitischen Volkes (2 vols., 1831-32); a German translation of the Mishnah, with Hebrew commentary (6 vols., 1832-34); and Geschichte des Judenthums und seiner Sekten (3 vols., Leipsic, 1857-59). He also prepared school text-books, wrote political tracts in the interest of Judaism, made many contributions to the Jewish press, and to almanacs and year-books, edited the Israelitische Annalen, 1839- 1841, and, in collaboration with Michael Creizenach, edited Zion, 1841-42. He holds high rank as historian, though he has been criticized for his rationalistic attitude toward the narratives in the Talmudic sources.
Bibliography: JE, vii. 296-297, where further literature is given.
JOTHAM, jo'tham: 1. The youngest son of Gideon (Jerubbaal), who alone escaped the massacre of the Gideon family by his half-brother Abimelech, uttered his famous parable of the trees which sought a king, and then fled to Beer (Judges ix. 5-21).
2. Tenth king of Judah, son and successor of Uzziah. His dates, according to the old chronology, are 756-740 B.C., according to Peake (DB, ii. 789) 751-735 b.c. Confusion in the chronology of Israel is marked about this period, since II Kings xv. 30 assigns to Jotham at least twenty years, while data from the Assyrian annals allow only twelve years for his reign and that of Ahaz. It is supposed that the regnal years accredited to Jotham include those of his regency during his father's disability. Of his reign little is reported in the Book of Kings except that he " built the higher gate of the house of the Lord." The Chronicler adds that he built much of the wall of Ophel, also eities and fortresses; and that he sub-
dued the Ammonites and imposed a heavy tribute upon them. The Book of Kings notes also that in his days the coalition between Syria and Israel against Judah began to be effective, the object being apparently to force Judah into the combination against the Assyrians, who were beginning to press heavily upon the Mediterranean region. The time seemed ripe for such plans, since Tiglath-Pileser was at the time engaged in the East. The great prophet of the times was Isaiah, and the picture in Isa. ii. 5 indicates that, in spite of apparent prosperity in the land, the internal conditions were not favorable. (E. Kautzsch.)
Bibliography: 1. The commentaries on Judges, particularly those by Moore and Budde.
2. Sources are: II Kings xv. 5, 32-38; II Chron. xxvii. Consult the pertinent sections in the literature given under Ahab, and the articles in the Bible dictionaries.
JOVIANUS, jo"vi-a'nus, FLAVIUS CLAUDIUS:
Roman emperor; b. at Singidunum (the modern Belgrade, Servia) about 331; d. at Dadastana, Bithynia (125 m. e.s.e. of Constantinople) in the night between Feb. 16 and 17, 364. Taking part in the campaign against the Persians, as ranking officer of the palace troops, in the crisis following the death of Julian he was hastily elected emperor by the army in sight of the enemy, June 27, 363. The fact that Jovian was a Christian and had withstood attempts during the reign of Julian to render him apostate seems to have played no part in his election. The newly elected emperor, in view of the military and political situation of the time, was induced to conclude an inglorious peace with the Persians, giving up to them the eastern outskirts of the empire, including the important city of Nisibis. On his return from the East at Antioch Jovian publicly stated his attitude in regard to the controversies in the Church. He took the side of the Nicene party and their leader Athanasius, urging the latter in a written appeal to resume his episcopal see at Alexandria and asking to be remembered in his prayers. He commanded Athanasius, who visited him at Antioch, to issue a new statement of the orthodox creed, and thus his authority certainly influenced the controversies regarding the nature of Christ, although he tried to hold aloof from them officially. His aim was to restore matters as they were before the reign of Julian, and so he replaced on the army standards and on the coins the monogram of Christ, recalled the bishops from exile, renewed the privileges of the Church and of the clergy, widows, and virgins, and restored the donations of corn. He imposed the death penalty on whosoever married a virgin or a widow who had taken the vows, even with the woman's consent, and forbade the inheritance of their parents' property by the children of such an union. Yet he also showed much tolerance toward pagans. Victor Schtjltze.
Bibliography: V. Schultze, Geschichte des Unterganges des griechisch-romischen Heidentums, i. 176 sqq., Jena, 1887; H. Richter, Das westromische Reich, pp. 168 sqq., Berlin, 1865; H. Schiller, Geschichte der romischen Kaiserzeit, ii. 344 sqq., 1887; Gibbon, Decline and Fall, ii. 506, 517 sqq.; Neander, Christian Church, ii. 87-89 et passim; Schaff, Christian Church, iii. 60; the literature under Jovinianus, and De la Bleterie, Hist, de I'empereur Jovien, 2 vols., Amsterdam, 1740.
Joviniam Jubilee