Lexical Summary Iddo: Iddo Original Word: עִדּוֹ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Iddo Or iiddowo {id-do'}; or tiddiy {id-dee'}; from adah; timely; Iddo (or Iddi), the name of five Israelites -- Iddo. Compare Yiddow, y'diy. see HEBREW adah see HEBREW Yiddow see HEBREW y'diy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as iddah Definition "timely," the name of several Isr. NASB Translation Iddo (10). Brown-Driver-Briggs עִדּוֺ, עִדֹּא, עִדּוֺא proper name, masculine Iddo; — 1 father of an officer of Solomon עִדֹּא 1 Kings 4:14; ᵐ5 Αχελ, A Σαδωκ, ᵐ5L Αχιαβ 2 grandfather of prophet Zechariah עִדּוֺ Zechariah 1:1, עִדּוֺא Zechariah 1:7; ᵐ5 Αδδω. 3 a Levite עִדּוֺ 1 Chronicles 6:6; ᵐ5 Αδει, ᵐ5L Αδδω. 4 a priestly name עִדּוֺא van d. H. Ginsb (Baer עִדּוֺ) Nehemiah 12:4; ᵐ5 א etc. Αδαιας; also עדיא Nehemiah 12:16 Kt (עֲדָיָא?), Qr עִדּוֺא; ᵐ5 א τῷ Αδδαι, ᵐ5L τῳ Αδαια. 5 a seer עִדּוֺ הַחֹזֶה2Chronicles 12:15 = הַנָּכִיא עִדּוֺ2Chronicles 13:22, ᵐ5 Αδ(δ)ω; = יֶעְדּוֺ2Chronicles 9:29, Ιωηλ(δ). עֹדֵד see עוד. Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture The name “Iddo” is borne by at least five distinct individuals who appear a combined ten times in the Old Testament (1 Kings 4:14; 1 Chronicles 6:21; 2 Chronicles 12:15; 2 Chronicles 13:22; Ezra 5:1; Ezra 6:14; Nehemiah 12:4; Nehemiah 12:16; Zechariah 1:1; Zechariah 1:7). These references span the united monarchy, divided monarchy, exile, and post-exilic eras, revealing an enduring lineage of service to the covenant community. Iddo the Seer in Judah Twice in Chronicles a prophet or “seer” named Iddo is cited as a contemporary source for royal history: This Iddo served during the earliest days of the divided monarchy (circa tenth–ninth centuries B.C.). His prophetic writings—now lost—were sufficiently authoritative for the Chronicler to cite them as historical sources. The titles “seer” and “prophet” underscore a ministry of insight and proclamation: he both recorded genealogy (thereby preserving covenant identity) and interpreted royal events (thereby upholding covenant faithfulness). Iddo in the Time of Solomon In Solomon’s administrative list appears “Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim” (1 Kings 4:14). Mahanaim, east of the Jordan, was a strategic frontier district. The mention suggests that this Iddo, though otherwise unknown, had the standing to place his son over royal revenues. The appointment illustrates the breadth of Solomon’s bureaucracy and the prominence of Iddo’s family within it. Iddo the Levitical Ancestor A Gershonite lineage records: “Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son” (1 Chronicles 6:21), where some manuscripts read “Zerah (or Zehraiah) his son of Iddo.” Here Iddo is an early Levitical forebear, reinforcing the tribe’s hereditary temple service. The chronicling of his name situates him within the sacred duties prescribed for Levi, and preserves continuity between pre-exilic worship and the post-exilic restoration chronicled later in Ezra–Nehemiah. Iddo and the Post-Exilic Priesthood When Zerubbabel returned from Babylon, one priestly house was headed by Iddo (Nehemiah 12:4). In the generational lists compiled by Nehemiah, Zechariah appears as the chief of that house in the next generation: “of Iddo, Zechariah” (Nehemiah 12:16). The priestly family sustained its identity through exile and into temple reconstruction, modeling covenant perseverance. Iddo and the Prophet Zechariah Ezra twice identifies “Zechariah son of Iddo” as one of the two prophets who stirred the returned exiles to resume building the Second Temple (Ezra 5:1; 6:14). Zechariah himself writes, “The word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo” (Zechariah 1:1, 1:7). In this case Iddo is likely the grandfather, Berechiah being Zechariah’s father. Whether Iddo lived to return from exile or remained in Babylon, his spiritual legacy is evident: his grandson becomes a major voice calling post-exilic Judah to covenant renewal and Messianic hope. Literary Contributions and Lost Works Scripture explicitly credits the seer Iddo with written records—“the records… concerning genealogies” and “the treatise.” While the texts themselves are not extant, their citation testifies to Israel’s prophetic historiography, in which inspired messengers documented God’s dealings with His people. That inspired canonical authors could reference them confident of their reliability demonstrates the Spirit’s superintendence over both the spoken and written word. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Continuity of Prophetic Witness: From the united monarchy through the post-exilic era, the various bearers of the name illustrate how God raises successive generations to guard the covenant. Lessons for Today • The prominence of otherwise little-known servants like Iddo reminds the Church that faithfulness, not fame, marks true significance in God’s economy. Forms and Transliterations וְעִדּ֥וֹ ועדו לְעִדֹּ֥וא לעדוא עִדֹּ֖א עִדּ֑וֹא עִדּ֣וֹ עִדּ֥וֹ עִדּ֥וֹא עִדּֽוֹ׃ עִדּוֹא֙ עדא עדו עדו׃ עדוא ‘id·dō ‘id·dō·w ‘id·dōw ‘iddō ‘iddōw idDo lə‘iddōw lə·‘id·dō·w leidDo veidDo wə‘iddōw wə·‘id·dōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 4:14 HEB: אֲחִֽינָדָ֥ב בֶּן־ עִדֹּ֖א מַחֲנָֽיְמָה׃ NAS: the son of Iddo, [in] Mahanaim; KJV: the son of Iddo [had] Mahanaim: INT: Ahinadab the son of Iddo Mahanaim 1 Chronicles 6:21 2 Chronicles 12:15 2 Chronicles 13:22 Ezra 5:1 Ezra 6:14 Nehemiah 12:4 Nehemiah 12:16 Zechariah 1:1 Zechariah 1:7 10 Occurrences |