3153. Yezanyah or Yezanyahu
Lexical Summary
Yezanyah or Yezanyahu: Jezaniah

Original Word: יְזַנְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yzanyah
Pronunciation: yeh-zan-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yez-an-yaw')
KJV: Jezaniah
NASB: Jezaniah
Word Origin: [probably for H2970 (יַאֲזַניָה יַאֲזַניָהוּ - Jaazaniah)]

1. Jezanjah, an Israelite

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 Origin
the same as Yaazanyahu, q.v.
NASB Translation
Jezaniah (2).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Jezaniah (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.
2. Pledge to gather scattered Judah (40:11-12). Their cooperation fostered an environment where refugees felt safe to return, harvest wine and summer fruit, and reestablish life in the land.
3. Contrast with Ishmael’s treachery (40:14; 41:1-3). Jezaniah’s approach differed sharply from Ishmael’s assassinating ambitions, illustrating the divergent responses among Judah’s survivors.

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.
2. Solemn vow of obedience. “Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God” (42:6). Their promise underscores human accountability when God’s will is made known.
3. Subsequent failure. Despite their oath, the captains rejected Jeremiah’s instruction to remain in Judah and instead led the remnant into Egypt (43:2-7). Jezaniah’s name therefore becomes a cautionary reminder of the danger of professing submission while harboring distrust of God’s word.

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).
2. The test of delayed obedience. His later defection to Egypt reveals how external compliance can unravel when personal security appears threatened. True faith endures beyond immediate circumstance (Habakkuk 2:4).
3. Leadership influence. As a commander, Jezaniah’s decisions affected “all the people, from the least to the greatest” (Jeremiah 42:1). Leadership carries weighty responsibility; when leaders err, the flock suffers (James 3:1).

Lessons for Today

• Verbal assent to God’s guidance must be matched by steadfast action, even when His path seems counterintuitive.
• National crises amplify the importance of godly counsel; ignoring it compounds judgment.
• The remnant motif in Scripture highlights God’s unwavering commitment to preserve a people for Himself, yet the obedience of that remnant is pivotal in experiencing blessing rather than further exile.

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 wîzanyāhū
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman'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
HEB: בֶּן־ קָרֵ֔חַ וִֽיזַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־ הוֹשַֽׁעְיָ֑ה
NAS: of Kareah, Jezaniah the son
KJV: of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son
INT: the son of Kareah Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3153
2 Occurrences


wî·zan·yāh — 1 Occ.
wî·zan·yā·hū — 1 Occ.

3152b
Top of Page
Top of Page