3167. Yachzeyah

Lexical Summary

Yachzeyah: Jahaziah

Original Word: יַחְזְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yachzyah
Pronunciation: yahk-zeh-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yakh-zeh-yaw')
KJV: Jahaziah
NASB: Jahzeiah
Word Origin: [from H2372 (חָזָה - see) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. Jah will behold
2. Jachzejah, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Jahaziah

From chazah and Yahh; Jah will behold; Jachzejah, an Israelite -- Jahaziah.

see HEBREW chazah

see HEBREW Yahh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from chazah and Yah
Definition
"Yah sees," an Isr.
NASB Translation
Jahzeiah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

יַחְזְיָה proper name, masculine (Yah sees) a prince of the restoration Ezekiel 10:15.

Topical Lexicon

Biblical Occurrence

“Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.” (Ezra 10:15)

Historical Context

The verse belongs to Ezra’s account of the post-exilic reform in Jerusalem (Ezra 9–10). On discovering widespread intermarriage with pagan wives, Ezra led the returned community in confession and covenant renewal. A proposal was advanced that each offender should send away his foreign wife and children to preserve covenant purity. While the assembly overwhelmingly embraced the plan, a small group stood in opposition—headed by Jonathan and Jahzeiah.

Role within the Ezra Narrative

1. Voice of Dissent: Jahzeiah represents the minority that “opposed this.” Scripture offers no further detail about his motives, yet his stance records that the reform was not universally accepted.
2. Contrast with Ezra’s Leadership: Ezra’s grief, prayer, and reliance on the Law (Ezra 9:3–4; 10:3) underscore covenant fidelity, whereas Jahzeiah’s resistance forms a narrative counterpoint, highlighting the necessity of wholehearted obedience.
3. Memorialized by Name: Though mentioned only once, Jahzeiah’s inclusion corroborates the chronicler’s meticulous preservation of historical particulars, emphasizing that even marginal figures have a place in the inspired record.

Theological Observations

• Covenant Purity: Deuteronomy 7:3–4 and Exodus 34:15–16 prohibit alliances that lead to idolatry. Ezra’s generation faced the same danger, making separation essential for true worship (Ezra 9:1–2, 14). Jahzeiah’s objection, whatever its rationale, illustrates the perennial tension between divine standards and human sentiment.
• Accountability: Public listing of dissenters reminds readers that spiritual reforms often reveal hearts. Resistance to correction can stem from misplaced compassion, fear of social upheaval, or reluctance to submit to Scripture.
• Community Holiness: The episode stresses that holiness is a collective responsibility; a single faction’s refusal could jeopardize corporate blessing (compare Joshua 7; Haggai 2:14).

Ministry Lessons

1. Reform Requires Resolve: Leaders must anticipate opposition, even from respected individuals, when implementing biblical correction.
2. Clear Scriptural Basis Guards Against Division: Ezra anchored action in the Law, providing a foundation stronger than personal preference.
3. Pastoral Sensitivity and Firmness: Genuine reformation blends grief over sin (Ezra 9:3–4) with decisive steps to rectify it (Ezra 10:5–8). Contemporary ministry similarly balances compassion with fidelity to God’s word.
4. Record-Keeping and Transparency: Naming supporters and opponents alike demonstrates honesty before the congregation and before God.

Related Persons and Locations

• Jonathan son of Asahel—Jahzeiah’s ally in dissent.
• Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite—figures who “supported them,” indicating that opposition crossed tribal and vocational lines.
• Jerusalem—the setting of the assembly, symbolizing the center of covenant worship to which purity concerns were inseparably tied.

Legacy and Significance

Jahzeiah’s brief mention serves as a cautionary marker: even among God’s people, not all submit readily to revival. His appearance validates the historical reliability of Ezra and illustrates that Scripture candidly records both compliance and resistance. For readers today, his stance invites self-examination—will we align with reforms grounded in God’s word, or stand with those who “opposed”?

Forms and Transliterations

וְיַחְזְיָ֥ה ויחזיה veyachzeYah wə·yaḥ·zə·yāh wəyaḥzəyāh

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 10:15
HEB: בֶּן־ עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל וְיַחְזְיָ֥ה בֶן־ תִּקְוָ֖ה
NAS: of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son
KJV: of Asahel and Jahaziah the son
INT: the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3167
1 Occurrence

wə·yaḥ·zə·yāh — 1 Occ.