Lexical Definition
אֲמַרְיָה ʼĂmaryâh (am-ar-yaw') Amariah N:N-M-P
or prolonged אֲמַרְיָהוּ ʼĂmaryâhûw (am-ar-yaw'-hoo); from אָמַר and יָהּ; Jah has said (i.e. promised)
Amariah.
- § Amariah = "Jehovah speaks" or "Yah(u) has promised"
- Amarjah, the name of nine Israelites
1) Zadok's grandfather
2) a head priest's son in Solomon's time
3) a chief priest under Jehoshaphat
4) Hezekiah's son, great-grandfather of Zephaniah
5) a Levite in Ezra's time
6) a Levite under Hezekiah
7) a priest in Nehemiah's time
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| אֲמַרְיָ֖ה | Amariah | Ezra.10.42 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.42
Brown-Driver-Briggs
אֲמַרְי֫הוּ אֲמַרְיָה proper name, masculine (Yah(u) hath promised, compare Palmyrene אֶמרשמשא Sabean יתעאמר) long form only 1Chr 24:23; 2Chr 19:11; 2Chr 31:15.
1. a Levite 1Chr 23:19; 1Chr 24:23 (in David's time), compare 1Chr 5:33* (twice in verse); 1Chr 6:37*; Ezra 7:3 see also
2. 1Chr 5:37* (twice in verse); also
3. Ezra 10:42.
4. chief priest under Jehosh. 2Chr 19:11.
5. Levite under Hezekiah 2Chr 31:15.
6. son of Hezekiah & great-grandfather of Zephaniah Zeph 1:1.
7. a priest Neh 10:4*; Neh 12:2; Neh 12:13.
8. a man of Judah Neh 11:4.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| 1 Chronicles | 5:33* · 5:37* · 6:37* · 23:19 · 24:23 |
| 2 Chronicles | 19:11 · 31:15 |
| Ezra | 7:3 · 10:42 |
| Nehemiah | 10:4* · 11:4 · 12:2 · 12:13 |
| Zephaniah | 1:1 |
Profile
Male • Returned divorcee • Israelite who agreed to put away his foreign wife
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Amariah was one of the Israelites who had married a foreign woman and agreed to put her away during Ezra's reforms. (Ezr.10.42)
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.42;
- only referred to as Amariah אֲמַרְיָה.
Amariah is mentioned in the context of Ezra's reforms in Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian exile. Ezra, a priest and scribe, was deeply troubled upon learning that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples and adopted their practices. (Ezr.9.1-2)
Ezra saw this intermarriage as a violation of God's commands and a threat to the purity and identity of the Israelite community. He prayed and confessed the sins of the people, acknowledging their unfaithfulness to God. (Ezr.9.3-15).
In response to Ezra's prayer, the people assembled and agreed to make a covenant with God to put away their foreign wives and children. (Ezr.10.1-5) A proclamation was issued, calling all the exiles to gather in Jerusalem, and those who refused to come would forfeit their property and be excluded from the community. (Ezr.10.6-8)
Amariah is listed among the Israelites who had married foreign women and pledged to put them away. (Ezr.10.42) This action was part of a larger effort to purify the community and restore obedience to God's laws.
The mention of Amariah in this context highlights the importance of maintaining the purity and identity of the Israelite community, especially in the face of foreign influences.
All entries for Amariah: אֲמַרְיָה