Nehemiah 12:6 — Word Study
WLCשְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה וְיוֹיָרִ֖יב יְדַֽעְיָֽה׃
BSAShemaiahShᵉmaʻyâh [heard by God] JoiaribYôwyârîyb [Jehovah contends] JedaiahYᵉdaʻyâh [known by Jehovah]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה | Shemaiah | Noun proper masculine |
| וְיוֹיָרִ֖יב | and Joiarib | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| יְדַֽעְיָֽה׃ | Jedaiah | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| KJV | Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| ASV | Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah. |
| YLT | Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| WEB | Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
| BBE | Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, |
Where they part company is in the transliteration of the names — see How Translations Differ.
A straightforward list of names without additional clauses or modifiers.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Ellicott & 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 12:6
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 Priestly Lineage in Nehemiahgenerated
Nehemiah 12:6 lists the names of priests who returned from exile, highlighting their roles in the restoration of worship in Jerusalem. This verse is part of a broader genealogy that emphasizes the importance of priestly lineage and service in the post-exilic community. The names mentioned here, including שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה and יוֹיָרִ֖יב, are significant for understanding the continuity of the priesthood and its function in the restoration of the temple worship, as seen in Nehemiah 11:10 and 1 Chronicles 9:10.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 11:10 | From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib; Jachin; |
| 2 | 1 Chronicles 9:10 | From the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, and Jachin; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְדַעְיָֽה, ye.Da'.Yahgenerated
The name שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה (Shemaiah) means 'heard by God', indicating a person who is favored or acknowledged by God. It is a proper masculine noun, appearing frequently in the Old Testament, often associated with prophets and significant figures in Israel's history.
The name יוֹיָרִיב (Joiarib) means 'Jehovah contends', which suggests a divine role in disputes or conflicts. This name is also a proper masculine noun and is linked to several individuals, including a priestly leader during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The name יְדַעְיָֽה (Jedaiah) means 'known by Jehovah', reflecting a close relationship with God. This name is also a proper masculine noun and is connected to various priests and leaders in the biblical narrative.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse is straightforward, consisting of a simple list of names. The finite verb is absent, as this is a nominal clause that presents the names directly.
The names are presented in a noun phrase format, indicating their significance as part of the priestly lineage without additional commentary.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Nehemiah 12:6 lists three names of Israelites: Shemaiah, Joiarib, and Jedaiah. These names represent important figures in the priestly lineage, showing the continuity of priestly service after the return from exile.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
These names represent key individuals in the priestly lineage, emphasizing their roles in the restoration of worship in Jerusalem.
The priestly lineage is crucial for understanding the continuity of worship practices and the restoration of the temple after the exile.
These names are linked to various individuals in the Old Testament, including prophets and priests, highlighting their significance in Israel's history.
The list of names reflects the importance of heritage and community in the post-exilic period, showing how God preserved a faithful remnant.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be 'heard by God' in your own life?
- How can understanding the priestly lineage deepen your appreciation for worship?
- In what ways can you see God's hand in the continuity of faith throughout history?
- How can you honor the legacy of those who have come before you in your spiritual journey?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Nehemiah 12:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMiamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Nehemiah 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) And Joiarib.—The “and” begins the list of those who did not seal the covenant. See a like “and” in Nehemiah 12:19.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Nehemiah 12 →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
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Tyndale line
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah.
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah;
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, and Ioiarib, Iedaiah,
Strictly literal
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shema'yah, and Joyarib, Jed'ayah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
From the Latin
Semeia, and Joiarib, Idaia, Sellum, Amoc, Helcias,
Simplified
Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
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 שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה וְיוֹיָרִ֖יב יְדַֽעְיָֽה׃, and the Septuagint agrees with the names, though it does not provide a direct translation.
שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה וְיוֹיָרִ֖יב יְדַֽעְיָֽה׃
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 12:6
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.
שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה (Shma`yah) means 'Jah has heard' and refers to a name associated with numerous individuals in the Old Testament, particularly prophets and Levites. The entries highlight its use for a prophet during King Rehoboam's reign and various descendants, including those in the time of Jeremiah and Nehemiah. Notably, it is mentioned in contexts involving both true and false prophets.
שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה(וּ) n.pr.m.
prophet, Rehob.’s time
Jer.’s time
a prophet’s father
descendant of Zerub.
in Simeon
in Reuben
Levites
companions of Ezra
of Neh.
priests
a prince
base
H8098 שְׁמַעְיָ֫ה(וּ), שְׁמַעְיָה, שְׁמַעְיָהוּ
8098 Shma`yah shem-aw-yaw'
or Shmamyahuw {shem-aw-yaw'-hoo}; from 8085 and 3050; Jah has
heard; Shemajah, the name of twenty-five
Israelites:--Shemaiah.
see HEBREW for 08085
see HEBREW for 03050
שְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ (she.ma.yah) — Shemaiah.
A prophet living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.12.22
§ Shemaiah = "heard by Jehovah"
1) a prophet of the Lord in the reign of king Rehoboam of Judah
2) the Nehelamite, a false prophet in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
3) father of Delaiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
4) an inhabitant of Kirjathjearim and father of Urijah, a prophet of the Lord in the time of the prophet Jeremiah
5) a Judaite, son of Shechaniah, father of Hattush, and descendant of Zerubbabel
6) a Simeonite, father of Shimri
7) a Reubenite, son of Joel and father of Gog
8) a Merarite Levite, son of Hasshub in the time of Nehemiah
9) a Levite, son of Galal and father of Obadiah
10) a Levite and head of the family of the sons of Elizaphan who were commissioned to bring the ark to Jerusalem in the time of David
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
she-ma'-ya, she-mi'-a (shema`yah (in 2Ch 11:2; 17:8; 31:15; 35:9; Jer 26:20; 29:24; 36:12, shema`yahu), "Jahveh hears"): The name is most frequently borne by priests, Levites and prophets.
(1) Codex Vaticanus Sammaias; Codex Alexandrinus Samaias (2Ch 12:5,7). A prophet who, together with Ahijah, protested against Rehoboam's contemplated war against the ten revolted tribes (1Ki 12:22-24 = 2Ch 11:2-4). He declared that the rebellion had divine sanction. The second Greek account knows nothing of Ahijah in this connection and introduces Shemaiah at the gathering at Shechem where both Jeroboam and Rehoboam were present; it…
Shemaiah
Whom Jehovah heard. (1.) A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:22-24).
(2.) Neh. 3:29.
(3.) A Simeonite (1 Chr. 4:37).
(4.) A priest (Neh. 12:42).
(5.) A Levite (1 Chr. 9:16).
(6.) 1 Chr. 9:14; Neh. 11:15.
(7.) A Levite in the time of David, who with 200 of his brethren took part in the bringing up of the ark from Obed-edom to Hebron (1 Chr. 15:8).
(8.) A Levite (1 Chr. 24:6).
(heard by Jehovah). A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam. (1 Kings 12:22; 2 Chronicles 11:2) (B.C. 972.) He wrote a chronicle containing the events of Rehoboam’s reign. (2 Chronicles 12:5,15) The son of Shechaniah, among the descendants of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:23; Nehemiah 3:28) A prince of the tribe of Simeon. (1 Chronicles 4:27) Son of Joel, Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:4) (B.C. after 1706.) Son of Hasshub, a Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 9:14;
1. A prophet of Israel, by whom God forbade Rehoboam to endeavor to coerce the ten tribes back to their allegiance, and called the king and his court to repent at the invasion of Shishak. He is said to have written the history of Rehoboam’s reign, 1Ki 12:22-24 2Ch 12:5-8,15.
2. A Levite, who made a registry of the twenty-four priestly classes, 1Ch 15:8,11 24:6.
3. A false prophet among the exiled Jews in Babylon, who opposed the prophet Jeremiah, and incurred divine judgments on himself and his family. For his name, Nehelamite, a dreamer, Jer 29:24-32.
יוֹיָרִיב (Yowyariyb) refers to Joiarib, a name associated with several individuals from the tribe of Levi during the Exile and Return period. The name means 'Jehovah contends.' Notably, Joiarib was the head of the first of the 24 priestly courses in David's time and is mentioned in connection with Ezra and Nehemiah.
יְהוֹיָרִיב, יוֹיָרִיב n.pr.m. (י׳ pleadeth, or contendeth)
name of a priestly family
teacher in Ezra’s time
a Judaite
base
H3114 יְהוֹיָרִיב, יוֹיָרִיב
3114 Yowyariyb yo-yaw-reeb'
a form of 3080; Jojarib, the name of four
Israelites:--Joiarib.
see HEBREW for 03080
יוֹיָרִיב (yo.ya.riv) — Joiarib.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.9.10;
father of: Jedaiah (H3048); also called Jehoiarib at 1Ch.9.10;
Also named: ye.ho.ya.riv (יְהוֹיָרִיב "Jehoiarib" H3080H)
§ Joiarib = "Jehovah contends"
1) the head of the 1st of the 24 courses of priests in David's time
2) a teacher in the time of Ezra
3) a Judaite in the time of Nehemiah
יוֹיָרִיב (yo.ya.riv) — Joiarib.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.8.16
§ Joiarib = "Jehovah contends"
1) the head of the 1st of the 24 courses of priests in David's time
2) a teacher in the time of Ezra
3) a Judaite in the time of Nehemiah
יוֹיָרִיב (yo.ya.riv) — Joiarib.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.5;
son of: Zechariah (H2148W);
father of: Adaiah (H5718M)
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Joiarib
(whom Jehovah defends) = Jehoiarib. (1.) The founder of one of the courses of the priests (Neh. 11:10).
(2.) Neh. 11:5; a descendant of Judah.
(whom Jehovah defends.) A layman who returned form Babylon with Ezra. (Ezra 8:16) (B.C. 459.) The founder of one of the courses of priests, elsewhere called in full JEHOIARIB. (Nehemiah 12:6,19) A Shilonite --i.e. probably a descendant of Shelah the son of Judah. (Nehemiah 11:5) (B.C. before 536.)
chiding, or multiplying, of the Lord
יְדַעְיָה (Yedaiah) means "Jehovah has known" and refers to a name associated with several individuals in the Old Testament, particularly priests. The name is derived from the roots for 'know' and 'Jah' (a form of Jehovah). It is linked to multiple figures, including a priest in Jerusalem and a man who returned with Zerubbabel, as noted in various passages.
יְדַעְיָה n.pr.m. priestly name
base
H3048 יְדַעְיָה
3048 Ykda`yah yed-ah-yaw'
from 3045 and 3050; Jah has known; Jedajah, the name of two
Israelites:--Jedaiah.
see HEBREW for 03045
see HEBREW for 03050
יְדַעְיָה (ye.da.yah) — Jedaiah.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.9.10;
son of: Joiarib (H3114)
§ Jedaiah = "Jehovah has known"
1) a priest in Jerusalem
2) a man who returned with Zerubbabel
3) a ruler of the priests in the days of Jeshua
4) a post exilic priest
5) one honoured by Jehovah, perhaps one of the above
יְדַעְיָה (ye.da.yah) — Jedaiah.
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.7
§ Jedaiah = "Jehovah has known"
1) a priest in Jerusalem
2) a man who returned with Zerubbabel
3) a ruler of the priests in the days of Jeshua
4) a post exilic priest
5) one honoured by Jehovah, perhaps one of the above
יְדַעְיָה (ye.da.yah) — Jedaiah.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.12.7
§ Jedaiah = "Jehovah has known"
1) a priest in Jerusalem
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Jedaiah
(1.) Invoker of Jehovah. The son of Shimri, a chief Simeonite (1 Chr. 4:37).
(2.) One of those who repaired the walls of Jerusalem after the return from Babylon (Neh. 3:10).
(3.) Knowing Jehovah. The chief of one of the courses of the priests (1 Chr. 24:7).
(4.) A priest in Jerusalem after the Exile (1 Chr. 9:10).
A Simeonite, forefather of Ziza. (1 Chronicles 4:37) Son of Harumaph; a man who did his part in the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:10) (B.C. 446.)
the hand of the Lord; confessing the Lord