Urijah, 1
Uri´jah (flame of Jehovah), high priest of the Jews in the time of King Ahaz. He received from this young prince, who was then at Damascus, the model of an altar which had there engaged his attention, with orders to make one like it at Jerusalem. It was his duty to refuse compliance with this dangerous order; but he made such haste in his obedience that the altar was completed by the time Ahaz returned; and he afterwards went so far in his subservience as to offer upon this new and unauthorized altar the sacrifices prescribed by the law of Moses (2Ki 16:10-12). He was probably not so fully aware as he ought to have been of the crime and danger involved in this concession to a royal caprice, being a transgression of the law which fixed the form of the Mosaical altar (Exo 27:1-8; Exo 38:1-7); for he appears to have been in intention a good man, as he is one of the ’faithful witnesses’ chosen by Isaiah (Isa 8:2) to attest one of his prophecies.
Urijah, 2
Urijah, a prophet, son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim in Judah, who, in the time of Jehoiakim, uttered prophecies against Judea and Jerusalem, of the same tenor as those which Jeremiah was commissioned to deliver. Menaced with death by the king, Urijah sought refuge in Egypt; but Judea was at that time subject to Pharaoh-Necho, who had no interest in protecting a proscribed fugitive who foretold the conquests of the Babylonians. He was therefore delivered up on the demand of Jehoiakim, who put him to death, and ordered him to be buried dishonorably in one of the graves of the meanest of the people (Jer 26:20-21).
1. A high-priest in the time of king Ahaz. He is called a faithful witness by Isaiah, Isa 8:2 ; but erred in constructing and using at the king’s request an altar unlike that prescribed in the law, Exo 27:1-8 ; 38:1-7; 2Ki 16:9-12 .\par 2. A faithful prophet, from Kirjathjearim in Judah, in the time of Jehoiakim. He confirmed the predictions of Jeremiah against Judah; and having fled to Egypt for refuge from the enraged king, and been sent back by Pharaoh-necho on demand, he was wickedly slain and dishonorably buried, Jer 26:20-23 . Compare 2Ki 24:4 .\par
Uri’jah. (light of Jehovah).
1. Urijah, the priest, in the reign of Ahaz, 2Ki 16:10, probably the same as Uriah, 2.
2. A priest of the family of Koz or Hakkoz, the same as Uriah, 3.
3. One of the priests who stood at Ezra’s right hand, when he read the law to the people. Neh 8:4. (B.C. 458).
4. The son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim. He prophesied in the days of Jehoiakim, B.C. 600, and the king sought to put him to death; but he escaped, and fled into Egypt. His retreat was soon covered; Elnathan and his men brought him up out of Egypt, and Jehoiakim slew him with the sword and cast his body forth among the graves of the common people Jer 26:20-23.
(See URIAH.)
[Uri’jah]
1. One who stood by the side of Ezra when he read the book of the law. Neh 8:4.
2. Son of Shemaiah: he prophesied against Jerusalem and the land, and then fled into Egypt, but was sent for by Jehoiakim and put to death. Jer 26:20-23. See URIAH Nos. 2 and 3.
See URIAH, URIJAH.