Lexical Summary Berekyah or Berekyahu: Berechiah or Berechiah Original Word: בֶּרֶכְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Berachiah, Berechiah Or Berekyahuw {beh-rek-yaw'-hoo}; from berek and Yahh; knee (i.e. Blessing) of Jah; Berekjah, the name of six Israelites -- Berachiah, Berechiah. see HEBREW berek see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom barak and Yah, see Yeberekyahu Definition "Yah blesses," the name of several Isr. NASB Translation Berechiah (11). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Theological Significance The name Berechiah means “Yahweh has blessed,” a confession that every good gift flows from the covenant LORD. The recurrence of the name among priests, Levites, civil leaders, and prophets underscores how the blessing of God permeated all spheres of Israel’s life and ministry. Berekiah in the Davidic Family Line (1 Chronicles 3:20) Registered among the seven sons of Zerubbabel, Berechiah stands in the post-exilic continuation of David’s royal house. His inclusion demonstrates that, even after the exile, the promise to David’s line was being carefully preserved. Scripture records no acts of this Berechiah, yet his quiet presence in the genealogy witnesses to God’s fidelity in maintaining a remnant for the eventual advent of the Messiah (Matthew 1:12–13). Berekiah, Ancestor of the Chief Musician Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:39; 9:16) In the chronicler’s temple roster Asaph is introduced as “son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea” (1 Chronicles 6:39). Through his son, Berechiah contributed to the Psalter, for Asaph composed Psalms 50 and 73–83. That the Spirit-inspired songs of Asaph were rooted in a house called “Yahweh has blessed” is a reminder that authentic worship arises from lives already touched by divine grace. Berekiah the Gatekeeper during the Ark’s Ascent (1 Chronicles 15:17, 23) When David moved the Ark to Jerusalem, Berechiah and Elkanah were appointed to guard the entrance of the tent. Their ministry protected the holiness of the procession and illustrated that access to God requires both joy and reverence. Their faithful service set a pattern later echoed in the New Testament charge, “guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:14). Berekiah among the Reforming Levites (2 Chronicles 28:12) In the crisis provoked by King Ahaz’s apostasy, “Berechiah son of Meshillemoth” joined leading Levites who confronted returning Israelite soldiers, insisting that captives be released and sin repented of. Their stand turned potential national guilt into a moment of mercy, proving that courageous obedience by a few can stay the Lord’s discipline on many. Berekiah and the Rebuilding of Jerusalem’s Wall (Nehemiah 3:4, 30; 6:18) During Nehemiah’s reconstruction, Berechiah is cited three times as father of Meshullam, a tireless worker who repaired two wall sections and whose home became a nexus of family alliances. The text notes, “for many in Judah were bound by oath to him” (Nehemiah 6:18), showing how Berechiah’s household exerted sanctifying influence in a politically tangled environment. Berekiah, Father of the Prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1, 7) The opening of Zechariah’s prophecy roots his message in his father’s name: “The word of the LORD came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo” (1:1). The blessing imbedded in the father’s name frames the book’s call to repentance and its expansive visions of future glory. While the New Testament sometimes abbreviates the prophet as “son of Iddo” (Matthew 23:35), the fuller Old Testament title keeps Berechiah’s blessing in view, linking father and son in a lineage of faithful proclamation. Doctrinal and Practical Reflections 1. Covenant continuity: Whether kingly descendant, Levite, gatekeeper, or prophet’s father, each Berechiah testifies that God’s blessing spans generations and offices. Summary Berechiah appears eleven times, designating at least six individuals whose lives touch royal lineage, temple worship, prophetic ministry, civil reform, and national restoration. Their shared name becomes a chorus: Yahweh indeed blesses those who fear Him, and through such vessels He advances His redemptive purposes from David’s house to the rebuilt Jerusalem and beyond. Forms and Transliterations בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔הוּ בֶּֽרֶכְיָ֑הוּ בֶּֽרֶכְיָֽה׃ בֶּרֶכְיָ֖ה בֶּרֶכְיָ֖הוּ בֶּרֶכְיָ֣הוּ ברכיה ברכיה׃ ברכיהו וּבֶֽרֶכְיָה֙ וּבֶרֶכְיָ֤ה וּבֶרֶכְיָ֧ה וברכיה be·reḵ·yā·hū be·reḵ·yāh berechYah berechYahu bereḵyāh bereḵyāhū ū·ḇe·reḵ·yāh ūḇereḵyāh uverechYahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 3:20 HEB: וַחֲשֻׁבָ֡ה וָ֠אֹהֶל וּבֶרֶכְיָ֧ה וַֽחֲסַדְיָ֛ה י֥וּשַׁב NAS: Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah KJV: and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, INT: and Hashubah Ohel Berechiah Hasadiah and Jushab-hesed 1 Chronicles 6:39 1 Chronicles 9:16 1 Chronicles 15:17 1 Chronicles 15:23 2 Chronicles 28:12 Nehemiah 3:4 Nehemiah 3:30 Nehemiah 6:18 Zechariah 1:1 Zechariah 1:7 11 Occurrences |
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