Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy
Joah, the son of Asaph, served as King Hezekiah's secretary during the Assyrian invasion.
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Joah, the son of Asaph, was a high-ranking official in King Hezekiah's court, serving as the king's secretary. He is mentioned in the context of the Assyrian invasion of Judah during Hezekiah's reign. When the Assyrian envoys came to Jerusalem to demand the city's surrender, Joah was one of the three officials sent by Hezekiah to meet with them (2Ki.18.18; Isa.36.3). Along with Eliakim and Shebna, Joah sought to negotiate with the Assyrians and asked them to speak in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, so the people on the wall would not understand (2Ki.18.26; Isa.36.11). After the Assyrian envoys delivered their threatening message, Joah and his colleagues reported back to Hezekiah, tearing their clothes in distress (2Ki.18.37; Isa.36.22).
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6 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3098
Then they called for the king. And Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them.
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, along with Shebnah and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak with us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
Then Hilkiahʼs son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaphʼs son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, went out to him.
Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
Then Hilkiahʼs son Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the scribe, and Asaphʼs son Joah the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they relayed to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.