Joah is a name given to several men who served in the background of the story. One was a recorder, or keeper of records, under King Hezekiah, and was sent with Eliakim and Shebna to speak with the Assyrian commander at the wall of Jerusalem. They asked him to speak in the Syrian language, so the frightened people listening would not understand. Another Joah, a recorder too, helped Josiah repair the house of the LORD. A third was a Levite in a family list. See 2 Kings 18 for the scene at the wall.
4 verses
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
Jehovah his brother; i.e., helper. (1.) One of the sons of Obed-edom (1 Chr. 26:4), a Korhite porter.
(2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 6:21), probably the same as Ethan (42).
(3.) The son of Asaph, and “recorder” (q.v.) or chronicler to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18, 26, 37).
(4.) Son of Joahaz, and “recorder” (q.v.) or keeper of the state archives under King Josiah (2 Chr. 34:8).
William Smith, 1884
(whose brother (i.e. helper) is Jehovah).
(1.) The son of Asaph,a nd chronicler or keeper of the records to Hezekiah. (Isaiah 36:3,11,22) (B.C. 776.)
(2.) The son or grandson of Zimmah, a Gershonite. (1 Chronicles 6:21)
(3.) The third son of Obed-edom, (1 Chronicles 26:4) a Korhite, and one of the doorkeepers appointed by David. (B.C. 1014.)
(4.) A Gershonite, the son of Zeimmah and father of Eden. (2 Chronicles 29:12)
(5.) The son of Joahaz, and annalist or keeper of the records to Josiah. (2 Chronicles 34:8) (B.C. 623.)