Lexical Summary Yezanyah or Yezanyahu: Jezaniah Original Word: יְזַנְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jezaniah Or Yzanyahuw {yez-an-yaw'-hoo}; probably for Ya'azanyah; Jezanjah, an Israelite -- Jezaniah. see HEBREW Ya'azanyah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as Yaazanyahu, q.v. NASB Translation Jezaniah (2). Topical Lexicon OverviewJezaniah (יְזַנְיָה) is identified in the prophetic narrative of Jeremiah as one of the Judean military commanders who survived the Babylonian conquest of 586 BC. He is named twice (Jeremiah 40:8; 42:1), each time in company with other leaders wrestling with the political, military and spiritual fallout of Jerusalem’s fall. Historical Setting After the city and temple were destroyed, Nebuchadnezzar installed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the remnant left in the land (Jeremiah 40:5). Various guerrilla‐style captains who had evaded capture regrouped in the countryside of Benjamin and Ephraim. Jezaniah stood among this cadre, sharing both their military background and their concern for Judah’s future under Babylonian dominion. Allegiance to Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:8) “They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their men” (Jeremiah 40:8). 1. Declaration of loyalty. By presenting themselves at Mizpah, Jezaniah and the other captains acknowledged Babylon’s appointment of Gedaliah and signaled a willingness to pursue stability rather than rebellion. Petition to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 42:1-6) “Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, approached” (Jeremiah 42:1). 1. Seeking divine counsel. The group asked Jeremiah to obtain “the way we should walk and the thing we should do” (42:3). Their request shows recognition of prophetic authority after decades in which such counsel had been scorned. Relationship to Parallel Texts In 2 Kings 25:23 a similar figure appears under the name Jaazaniah (יַאֲזַנְיָה), listed with the same leadership circle. The consonantal similarity and identical historical context have led many to view this as the same individual, with the differing father’s name (Maacathite vs. Hoshaiah) possibly reflecting descent, adoption or clan affiliation. The narrative coherence of Jeremiah and Kings testifies to a single historical event recorded through complementary witnesses. Ministry and Spiritual Significance 1. Submission to divinely permitted authority. Jezaniah’s initial support for Gedaliah illustrates that obedience to God can involve cooperation with foreign powers when such submission aligns with prophetic direction (Jeremiah 27:12). Lessons for Today • Verbal assent to God’s guidance must be matched by steadfast action, even when His path seems counterintuitive. Conclusion Jezaniah stands as a multifaceted figure—initially cooperative, later wavering—whose account reinforces the timeless call to trust and obey the revealed word of the Lord, regardless of geopolitical pressure or personal apprehension. Forms and Transliterations וִֽיזַנְיָ֖ה וִֽיזַנְיָ֙הוּ֙ ויזניה ויזניהו vizanYah vizanYahu wî·zan·yā·hū wî·zan·yāh wîzanyāh wîzanyāhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 40:8 HEB: ק) הַנְּטֹפָתִ֗י וִֽיזַנְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־ הַמַּ֣עֲכָתִ֔י NAS: the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son KJV: the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son INT: Ephai the Netophathite and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite Jeremiah 42:1 2 Occurrences |