Nehemiah 10:2 — Word Study
WLCשְׂרָיָ֥ה עֲזַרְיָ֖ה יִרְמְיָֽה׃
BSAuponʻal to sealchâtham NehemiahNᵉchemyâh governorTirshâthâʼ sonbên HacaliahChăkalyâh ZedekiahTsidqîyâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שְׂרָיָ֥ה | Seraiah | Noun proper masculine |
| עֲזַרְיָ֖ה | Azariah | Noun proper masculine |
| יִרְמְיָֽה׃ | Jeremiah | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
| KJV | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
| ASV | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
| YLT | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
| WEB | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
| BBE | Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, |
The translations agree on the names listed in this verse, with no significant variations.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing the names of three leaders, emphasizing their importance in the context.
4 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott, Barnes, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Nehemiah 10:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Sealing of the Covenantgenerated
Nehemiah 10:2 lists the names of leaders who were part of the covenant renewal process after the return from exile. This passage emphasizes the importance of these individuals in the restoration of Israel's community and its commitment to God's law. The names mentioned here are part of a larger list that includes other leaders, highlighting the collective effort in this significant moment of Israel's history.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 3:23 | Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. |
| 2 | Nehemiah 11:11 | Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God; |
| 3 | Nehemiah 12:1–33 | Now these are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שְׂרָיָ֥ה, se.ra.Yahgenerated
The name שְׂרָיָ֥ה (Seraiah) means 'Jehovah is ruler' and is associated with several notable figures in the Old Testament, including a scribe during King David's reign and a chief priest during the Babylonian exile. The parsing as a proper masculine noun indicates it refers to a specific individual rather than a common noun.
Seraiah's role in Israel's history is significant, as he represents leadership and authority during a pivotal time for the nation. The various individuals named Seraiah throughout Scripture reflect the name's importance and its use across different generations.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which lists the names as Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with a main clause that lists the names of three individuals: שְׂרָיָ֥ה, עֲזַרְיָ֖ה, and יִרְמְיָֽה׃. This noun phrase serves as the subject of the sentence, emphasizing the significance of these leaders in the sealing of the document.
The Hebrew word order places the names at the forefront, highlighting their importance as key figures in the covenant renewal.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the names directly, using καὶ for 'and', indicating a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew names without additional interpretation. This choice shows a commitment to preserving the original names as they are significant in their historical context.
The lack of additional commentary or alteration in the names suggests a respect for the original Hebrew text and its meaning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 10:2 lists the names of three leaders: Seraiah, Azariah, and Jeremiah. These individuals were significant figures who played important roles in the history of Israel, particularly during the time of the covenant renewal after the exile.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The individuals are Seraiah, Azariah, and Jeremiah, who were leaders involved in sealing the covenant document.
Seraiah means 'Jehovah is ruler' and is associated with several important figures in Israel's history.
Azariah means 'Jehovah has helped' and is the name of many Israelites, including a king of Judah and a friend of Daniel.
Jeremiah means 'whom Jehovah has appointed' and refers to a major prophet and author of the book of Jeremiah.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn from the leaders mentioned in this verse about the importance of community commitments to God?
- How do the names Seraiah, Azariah, and Jeremiah reflect God's involvement in the lives of His people?
- In what ways can we honor the legacy of these leaders in our own commitments to God?
- How does understanding the historical context of these names enrich our reading of Nehemiah?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 10:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySeraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) Seraiah.—The family name of the high-priestly house to which Ezra and Eliashib belonged, one of whom—probably Ezra—affixed its seal.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 10 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe names are not personal, but designate families. The seal of the high-priestly house of Seraiah was probably appended either by Ezra or Eliashib, both of whom belonged to it.
Read Albert Barnes on Nehemiah 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible2. Seraiah is called in Nehemiah 11:11, “the ruler of the house of God,” and Keil supposes he signed the document in place of the high priest. Azariah is probably a clerical error, or corruption of Ezra.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Nehemiah 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Tyndale line
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah;
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Ieremiah,
Strictly literal
— Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
(10:3) [Then] Serayah, 'Azaryah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
From the Latin
Saraias, Azarias, Jeremias,
Simplified
Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists the names as שְׂרָיָ֥ה עֲזַרְיָ֖ה יִרְמְיָֽה׃, and the Septuagint matches these names directly, showing agreement between the two witnesses on this verse.
שְׂרָיָ֥ה עֲזַרְיָ֖ה יִרְמְיָֽה׃
3 of the 3 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Nehemiah 10:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שְׂרָיָה (Srayah) refers to a name meaning 'Jah has prevailed.' It is associated with several individuals in the Old Testament, including a secretary of David and a chief priest during the Babylonian exile. The entries highlight various Seraiahs, including a Levite and a Simeonite, indicating a broad usage of the name across different contexts.
שְׂרָיָה(וּ) n.pr.m. (י׳ persisteth)
secretary of David
chief priest
a captain
son of Kenaz
name in Simeon
Levite name
companion of Zerub.
father of Ezra
one sealed
priest
officer of king Jehoiakim
base
H8304 שְׂרָיָה(וּ), שְׂרָיָה, שְׂרָיָהוּ
8304 Srayah ser-aw-yaw'
or Srayahuw {ser-aw-yaw'-hoo}; from 8280 and 3050; Jah has
prevailed; Serajah, the name of nine Israelites:--Seraiah.
see HEBREW for 08280
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׂרָיָהוּ (se.ra.yah) — Seraiah.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17;
father of: Elihoreph (H0456) and Ahijah (H0281); also called Shavsha at 1Ch.18.16; Sheva(Ketiv: Sheya) at 2Sa.20.25; Shisha at 1Ki.4.3;
§ Seraiah = "Jehovah is ruler"
1) the scribe or secretary of David
2) son of Azariah, father of Jehozadak, and the chief priest in the reign of king Zedekiah of Judah and at the time of the capture of Jerusalem
3) son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite and one of the men who went to Gedaliah, the governor over Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, and gave their oath to serve the king of Babylon
4) a Judaite, son of Kenaz, brother of Othniel, and father of Joab
5) a Simeonite, father of Josibiah and grandfather of Jehu
6) a people of the province who returned from exile with Zerubbabel
6a) maybe the same as 10
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
se-ra'-ya, se-ri'-a (serayahu, "Yah hath prevailed"; Septuagint Saraias, or Saraia):
(1) Secretary of David (2Sa 8:17); in 2Sa 20:25 he is called Sheva; in 1Ki 4:3 the name appears as Shisha. This last or Shasha would be restored elsewhere by some critics; others prefer the form Shavsha, which is found in 1Ch 18:16.
(2) A high priest in the reign of Zedekiah; executed with other prominent captives at Riblah by order of Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 25:18,21; Jer 52:24,27). Mentioned in the list of high priests (1Ch 6:14).…
Seraiah
Soldier of Jehovah. (1.) The father of Joab (1 Chr. 4:13, 14).
(2.) The grandfather of Jehu (1 Chr. 4:35).
(3.) One of David’s scribes or secretaries (2 Sam. 8:17).
(4.) A Netophathite (Jer. 40:8), a chief priest of the time of Zedekiah. He was carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon, and there put to death (2 Kings 25:18, 23).
The king’s scribe or secretary in the reign of David. (2 Samuel 8:17) (B.C. 1043.) The high priest in the reign of Zedekiah. (2 Kings 25:18; 1 Chronicles 6:14; Jeremiah 52:24) (B.C. 594.) The son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite. (2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8) The son of Kenaz and brother of Othniel. (1 Chronicles 4:13,14) Ancestor of Jehu a Simeonite chieftain. (1 Chronicles 4:35) One of the children of the province who returned with Zerubbabel. (
The Hebrew word עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (*Azaryah*) means 'Jah has helped' and is a personal name associated with numerous figures in the Old Testament, including kings, priests, and Levites. It is derived from the roots meaning 'to help' and 'Yah' (God). The entries highlight various individuals named Azariah, including a king of Judah and a friend of Daniel, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה n.pr.m. (י׳ hath helped); Azariah
king of Judah
officer of Sol.
id. prophet
sons of Jehosh.
priests
Levites
a temple captain
wall-builder
one with Zerub.
12:33.
Ephraimite
name in Judah
base
H5838 עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ, עֲזַרְיָה
5838 `Azaryah az-ar-yaw'
or mAzaryahuw {az-ar-yaw'-hoo}; from 5826 and 3050; Jah has
helped; Azarjah, the name of nineteen Israelites:--Azariah.
see HEBREW for 05826
see HEBREW for 03050
עֲזַרְיָ֫הוּ (a.zar.yah) — Azariah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.4.2;
son of: Ahimaaz (H0290H);
father of: Johanan (H3110J)
§ Azariah = "Jehovah has helped"
1) son of king Amaziah of Judah and king of Judah himself for 52 years; also 'Uzziah'
2) the godly friend of Daniel who Nebuchadnezzar renamed Abednego; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king's table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord
2a) also, 'Abednego' (H5664 or H5665)
3) son of Nathan and an officer of Solomon; perhaps David's grandson and Solomon's nephew
4) a prophet in the days of king Asa of Judah
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Azariah
Whom Jehovah helps. (1.) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 2:8).
(2.) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest (1 Chr. 6:9; 1 Kings 4:2) in the days of Solomon. He officiated at the consecration of the temple (1 Chr. 6:10).
(3.) The son of Johanan, high priest in the reign of Abijah and Asa (2 Chr. 6:10, 11).
(4.) High priest in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:17-20). He was contemporary with the prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Joel.
(whom the Lord helps) a common name in Hebrew, and especially in the families of the priests of the line of Eleazar, whose name has precisely the same meaning as Azariah. It is nearly identical, and is often confounded, with Ezra as well as with Zerahiah and Seraiah. The principal persons who bore this name were-- Son of Ahimaaz. (1 Chronicles 6:9) He appears from (1 Kings 4:2) to have succeeded Zadok, his grandfather, in the high priesthood, in the reign of Solomon, Ahimaaz having died before Zadok. (B.C. About 1000.) [AHIMAAZ] A chief officer of Solomon’s, the son of Nathan, perhaps David’s grandson. (1 Kings 4:5) Tenth king of Judah, more frequently called Uzziah. (2 Kings…
A king of Judah, 2Ki 15:1-7. In 2Ch 26:1-23, and elsewhere, he is called Uzziah. He began to reign at sixteen years of age, B. C. 806. The first part of his reign was prosperous and happy; but afterwards, presuming to offer incense in the temple, he was smitten with leprosy, and continued a leper till his death, 2Ch 26:16- 23. This name was very common among the Jews, and was borne by many briefly referred to in Scripture.
יִרְמְיָ֫הוּ (Yirmyah) refers to Jeremiah, meaning 'whom Jehovah has appointed.' He is primarily known as a major prophet from a priestly family in Anathoth, authoring the book of Jeremiah. The name also applies to several other individuals, including a man from Libnah, a Gadite warrior, and priests during the time of Nehemiah. The entries suggest a diverse range of figures associated with this name.
יִרְמְיָ֫ה(וּ) 147 n.pr.m. (? י׳ looseneth, sc. the womb ?)
proph., son of Ḥilḳiah, of priestly family in ‛Anathôth
of Libnah, father of Josiah’s wife
Gadite, David’s time
Manassite
Benjamite
Gadite
priestly name
base
H3414 יִרְמְיָ֫ה(וּ) (? י׳ looseneth, sc. the womb ?) . proph., son of Ḥilḳiah, of priestly family in ‛Anathôth
. of Libnah, father of Josiah’s wife
. Gadite, David’s time
. Manassite
. Benjamite
. Gadite
. priestly name
3414 Yirmyah yir-meh-yaw'
or Yirmyahuw {yir-meh-yaw'-hoo}; from 7311 and 3050; Jah will
rise; Jirmejah, the name of eight or nine
Israelites:--Jeremiah.
see HEBREW for 07311
see HEBREW for 03050
יִרְמְיָ֫הוּ (yir.me.yah) — Jeremiah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.23.31;
father of: Hamutal (H2537)
§ Jeremiah = "whom Jehovah has appointed"
1) the major prophet, son of Hilkiah of the priestly family in Anathoth; author of the prophetic book bearing his name
2) a man of Libnah and father of Hamutal the wife of king Josiah
3) a Gadite who joined David at Ziklag
4) a Manassehite, one of the mighty men of valour of the Transjordanic half tribe of Manasseh
5) a Gadite and warrior of David
6) a warrior of David
7) a priest who joined Nehemiah in the covenant ceremony
8) a priest also in the time of Nehemiah; maybe same as 7
9) father of Jaazaniah the Rechabites
יִרְמְיָ֫הוּ (yir.me.yah) — Jeremiah.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.5.24
§ Jeremiah = "whom Jehovah has appointed"
HNpm — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Jeremiah
Raised up or appointed by Jehovah. (1.) A Gadite who joined David in the wilderness (1 Chr. 12:10).
(2.) A Gadite warrior (1 Chr. 12:13).
(3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:4).
(4.) One of the chiefs of the tribe of Manasseh on the east of Jordan (1 Chr. 5:24).
(5.) The father of Hamutal (2 Kings 23:31), the wife of Josiah.
(6.) One of the “greater prophets” of the Old Testament, son of Hilkiah (q.v.), a priest of Anathoth (Jer. 1:1; 32:6). He was called to the prophetical office when still young (1:6), in the thirteenth year of Josiah…
Seven other persons bearing the same name as the prophet are mentioned in the Old Testament:-- Jeremiah of Libnah, father of Hamutal wife of Josiah. (2 Kings 23:31) (B.C. before 632.) 2,3,4. Three warriors --two of the tribe of Gad-- in David’s army. (1 Chronicles 12:4,10,13) (B.C. 1061-53.) One of the "mighty men of valor" of the transjordanic half-tribe of Manasseh. (1 Chronicles 5:24) (B.C. 782.) A priest of high rank, head of the second or third of the twenty-one courses which are apparently enumerated in (Nehemiah 10:2-8; 12:1,12) (B.C. 446-410). The father of Jazaniah the Rechabite. (Jeremiah 35:3) (B.C. before…
One of the chief prophets of the Old Testament, prophesied under Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, and also after the captivity of the latter. He was born at Anathoth, of the race of the priests, and was destined of God to be a prophet, and consecrated for that object before his birth, Jer 1:1,5. At an early age he was called to act as a prophet, B. C. 628, in the thirteenth year of King Josiah. This good king no doubt cooperated with him to promote the reformation of the people; but the subsequent life of the prophet was full of afflictions and persecutions. Jehoiakim threw his prophetic roll into the fire, and sought his life. Zedekiah was kindly instructed by him, and warned of the woes impending over his guilty people, and of their seventy years’ captivity, but to no purpose. The fidelity of the prophet often endangered his life…
exaltation of the Lord