Why is Joshua called “Jesus” in Hebrews 4:8 in the KJV?

Answer

In the King James Version, Hebrews 4:8 states, “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day” (emphasis added).

In the New International Version, the same verse reads, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day” (emphasis added). Most other English versions of this verse also mention Joshua and not Jesus.

Hebrews 4:8 clearly refers to the Old Testament figure of Joshua, the son of Nun. The preceding verses had discussed Moses, the wilderness journey, and the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land (Hebrews 3:16-19). Despite the focus on Joshua in the passage, the KJV uses the name Jesus.

However, Hebrews 4:8 is not the sole instance in the New Testament where Joshua is referred to as “Jesus” in the KJV. In Acts 7:45, Stephen mentions his “ancestors under Joshua” bringing the tabernacle into the Promised Land (NIV, ESV, NKJV, NASB, et al., emphasis added). Yet, according to the KJV wording, the tabernacle was “brought in with Jesus” (emphasis added).

So, why the name variation? Why does the KJV use “Jesus” in the New Testament instead of “Joshua,” even though it is clearly referring to the Old Testament leader Joshua?

The explanation lies in the fact that Jesus and Joshua are essentially the same name, just in different languages. The Greek form (in English) is Jesus, while the Hebrew form (in English) is Joshua. Both versions of the name carry the meaning “The Lord Is Salvation.”

In the Old Testament Hebrew, Joshua’s name is יְהוֹשׁוּעַ or, transliterated into English, Yehoshua, a variation of Yeshua. This is the origin of the English name Joshua. However, when the Hebrew name is translated into Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament, it becomes Ἰησοῦς, which transliterates to Iēsous. This is where the English name Jesus comes from.

Jesus. Thus, Yeshua and, correspondingly, Joshua and Jesus all mean “Yahweh Saves” or “The Lord Is Salvation.”

The same type of linguistic transformation occurs today with names. For instance, a man named Jorge can opt to use the English version of his name, George. Both Jorge and George represent the same name but in different languages. If Jorge were to travel globally, his name might change to Giorgio, Yuri, Jurgen, Juris, Jerzy, Gorka, or Seòras, depending on the country he visits. Regardless of the variation in his name, he remains the same individual. Similarly, the Old Testament Joshua remains unchanged, even if referred to by his Greek name, Jesus.

For some reason, the translators of the King James Version selected the Greek version of Joshua’s name, Jesus, which leads to some confusion in Hebrews 4, as the author of Hebrews is comparing Jesus with Joshua in that chapter. Other translators have opted for the Hebrew form, Joshua, which clarifies the distinction. The Old Testament Joshua guided God’s people into the Promised Land, offering them a temporary, physical rest, but only Jesus can provide us with an enduring, full, and spiritual rest.