Lexical Summary Yeberekyahu: Jeberechiah Original Word: יְבֶרֶכְיָהוּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jeberechiah From barak and Yahh: blessed of Jah; Jeberekjah, an Israelite -- Jeberechiah. see HEBREW barak see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom barak and Yah Definition "Yah blesses," the name of several Isr. NASB Translation Jeberechiah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יְבֶרֶכְיָ֫הוּ proper name, masculine (= יְבָרֶכְיָהוּ s. Yah blesseth Ges§ 27, 3) father of a Zechariah in Isaiah's time Isaiah 8:2; usually in abbreviated form as following: בֶּרֶכְיָה 1 son of Zerubbabel 1 Chronicles 3:20. 2 a Levite gruard of the ark 1 Chronicles 9:16; 1 Chronicles 15:23. 3 father of Meshullam, one of Nehemian's chiefs Nehemiah 3:4,30; Nehemiah 6:18. 4 father of the prophet Zechariah Zechariah 1:1 = בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ Zechariah 1:7; בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ also 5 father of Asaph 1 Chronicles 6:24; 1 Chronicles 15:17. 6 Ephraimite chief2Chronicles 28:12. בֶּרֶכְיָה, בֶּרֶכְיָהוּ see יְבֶרֶכְיָהוּ above. ברם (compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Jeberekiah (יְבֶרֶכְיָהוּ, transliterated Yeberekyahu) bears a theophoric construction that celebrates divine favor: “Yahweh blesses.” Names ending in “-iah” were common in Judah, expressing covenant loyalty to the LORD at a time when surrounding nations invoked other deities. Biblical Occurrence The name surfaces a single time in the Old Testament: Isaiah 8:2. There the prophet records, “And I will take to myself faithful witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah”. Nothing else is stated about Jeberekiah himself; all we know is that he fathered Zechariah, one of the two men Isaiah selected as legal attestants to the prophetic writing concerning Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Historical Setting Isaiah 8 lies in the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (circa 735 – 732 BC) during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. Assyria’s looming threat led Ahaz into political intrigue and spiritual compromise (2 Kings 16). Against this backdrop Isaiah produced a written prophecy and registered it in the presence of “faithful witnesses.” Uriah embodied the priestly class; Zechariah son of Jeberekiah appears to have been a reputable lay noble or court official. Their signatures would anchor Isaiah’s words as legal testimony in Judah’s archives, proving that the foretelling preceded the fulfillment. Theological and Ministry Significance • Divine Verification. By providing sworn witnesses from both religious and civil spheres, God underscored that His word is objective and publicly verifiable, not private mysticism (compare Deuteronomy 19:15 and 2 Corinthians 13:1). The obscure yet trustworthy Jeberekiah thus participates in safeguarding prophetic integrity. • Covenant Continuity. A name extolling “Yahweh’s blessing” embedded in Isaiah’s narrative reminds readers that despite national apostasy under Ahaz, covenant faith remained alive in some households. Jeberekiah’s family illustrates a remnant devoted to the LORD even when royal policy drifted. • Legacy through Offspring. Scripture often spotlights fathers only to highlight the faithfulness of their children (for example, Jesse in relation to David). Jeberekiah’s primary biblical contribution is that he reared a son competent to serve as Isaiah’s “faithful witness.” The episode echoes Proverbs 20:7: “The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.” Lessons for Contemporary Believers 1. Faithfulness need not be prominent to be pivotal. Jeberekiah’s unnoticed life nevertheless shaped history by producing a dependable witness. Related Names and Distinctions Scripture lists several men named Berechiah/Berekiah (“Yahweh blesses”), but none is explicitly identified with Jeberekiah. The spelling with an initial yod (י) in Isaiah 8:2 distinguishes him in the Hebrew text. Summary Although mentioned only once, Jeberekiah stands behind a decisive moment in salvation history. His son Zechariah attested Isaiah’s prophecy, ensuring that future generations could verify the authenticity of God’s warning and promise. Through a single verse, the Holy Spirit points to an otherwise unknown father whose quiet faithfulness became a conduit of divine blessing and proof that “the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Forms and Transliterations יְבֶרֶכְיָֽהוּ׃ יברכיהו׃ yə·ḇe·reḵ·yā·hū yəḇereḵyāhū yeverechYahuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 8:2 HEB: זְכַרְיָ֖הוּ בֶּ֥ן יְבֶרֶכְיָֽהוּ׃ NAS: and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. KJV: and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. INT: and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah 1 Occurrence |
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twist a rope of two strands).