Bible Dictionary
Oshea
Oshea, or Hoshea, was the original name of Joshua son of Nun. Moses changed it to Joshua, meaning “the Lord saves” or “the Lord is salvation.”
Definition
Oshea, or Hoshea, was the original name of Joshua son of Nun. Moses changed the name from Hoshea, meaning help, to Joshua, meaning help of Yahweh or Yahweh is salvation.
Biblical Usage
The change of name is recorded when Moses sent the spies into Canaan and distinguished Joshua among them.
Historical Background
The supplied material treats Oshea as an earlier form of the name Joshua and directs the reader to Joshua for the fuller entry.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(salvation). [Joshua]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>o-she'-a, o'-she-a (the Revised Version (British and American) "Hoshea" (Nu 13:8,16)): The original name of Joshua, the son of Nun, changed by Moses (Nu 13:16) from Hoshea (hoshea`, "help") to Joshua (yehoshua`, "help of Yahweh").</p><p>See JOSHUA.</p>