3170. Yachzerah

Lexical Summary

Yachzerah: Return, go back

Original Word: יַחְזֵרָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yachzerah
Pronunciation: yahk-zeh-RAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yakh-zay-raw')
KJV: Jahzerah
NASB: Jahzerah
Word Origin: [from the same as H2386 (חֲזִיר - swine's)]

1. perhaps protection
2. Jachzerah, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Jahzerah

From the same as chaziyr; perhaps protection; Jachzerah, an Israelite -- Jahzerah.

see HEBREW chaziyr

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as chazir
Definition
an Isr. priest
NASB Translation
Jahzerah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

יַחְזֵרָה proper name, masculine a priest 1 Chronicles 9:12 (for which אַחְזַי (q. v.) Nehemiah 11:13), see now also Ryle on Nehemiah 11:13.

יְחִיאֵל, יְחִיאֵלִי, יְחִיָּה see below חיה.

Topical Lexicon

Scriptural Occurrence

1 Chronicles 9:12 places Jahzerah in the priestly register of those who resettled Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile: “…Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.”

Context in Chronicles

The chronicler is recounting how priests, Levites, and temple servants re-established public worship when Judah returned from captivity (1 Chronicles 9:1–34). By mentioning Jahzerah, the text underlines that legitimate priestly descent—traced with meticulous precision—was essential for restoring altar ministry and safeguarding doctrinal purity (see Ezra 2:59-63).

Genealogical Significance

Jahzerah belongs to the house of Immer, one of the twenty-four priestly divisions organized by David (1 Chronicles 24:14). His placement between Meshullam and Adiel reinforces two truths:

1. God preserves covenant lines even through judgment and exile.
2. Spiritual service is rooted in heritage yet authenticated by faithfulness in each generation.

Priestly Line of Immer

The Immer family produced men who stood at critical junctures in Israel’s history:
• Pashhur, an Immerite, served in Jeremiah’s day (Jeremiah 20:1-2).
• “Mighty men of valor” from Immer repaired the walls under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:29).

Jahzerah’s name links post-exilic temple ministry to this storied lineage, illustrating continuity between pre-exilic judgment, Babylonian captivity, and restoration.

Role in Post-Exilic Worship

The priests named in 1 Chronicles 9 ensured daily sacrifices, maintained ritual purity, and taught the Law (Malachi 2:7). Jahzerah, though mentioned only once, embodies three core themes of the restoration era:
• Reconstituted worship around the rebuilt temple (Ezra 6:15-18).
• Reaffirmed covenant identity through accurate record-keeping (Nehemiah 7:5).
• Renewed commitment to holiness amid surrounding paganism (Nehemiah 13:29-30).

Theological Reflections

1. Providential Preservation – Jahzerah’s appearance testifies that God “keeps covenant and loving devotion to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
2. Individual Worth – Even a single-mentioned name in Scripture demonstrates divine recognition of every servant’s contribution (Hebrews 6:10).
3. Continuity of Promise – His lineage points to the ultimate High Priest who secures eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Lessons for Contemporary Believers

• Cherish spiritual heritage yet pursue personal faithfulness; a name on a register is meaningful only when matched by obedience.
• Uphold sound doctrine and reverent worship, understanding that God values structure and accountability within His church.
• Remember that hidden or short-lived ministries, like Jahzerah’s recorded life, still advance God’s redemptive plan and will be honored at Christ’s judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Forms and Transliterations

יַחְזֵ֛רָה יחזרה yachZerah yaḥ·zê·rāh yaḥzêrāh

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 9:12
HEB: עֲדִיאֵ֧ל בֶּן־ יַחְזֵ֛רָה בֶּן־ מְשֻׁלָּ֥ם
NAS: the son of Jahzerah, the son
KJV: the son of Jahzerah, the son
INT: of Adiel the son of Jahzerah the son of Meshullam

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3170
1 Occurrence

yaḥ·zê·rāh — 1 Occ.