3298. Yaareshyah

Lexical Summary

Yaareshyah: Yaareshyah

Original Word: יַעֲרֶשְׁיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Ya`areshyah
Pronunciation: yah-ah-resh-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (yah-ar-esh-yaw')
KJV: Jaresiah
NASB: Jaareshiah
Word Origin: [from an unused root of uncertain signification and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. Jaareshjah, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Jaresiah

From an unused root of uncertain signification and Yahh; Jaareshjah, an Israelite -- Jaresiah.

see HEBREW Yahh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Jaareshiah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

יַעֲרֶשְׁיָה proper name, masculine Benjamite 1 Chronicles 8:27, Ιασαραια, A Ιαρασια, ᵐ5^L Ιερσια.

עשׂב (√ of following; meaning dubious; compare Assyrian ešêbu [bear fruit], II. I, causative (Dl^{Pr 87}), išbu, perhaps = H; Arabic is be dry, but fresh, juicy herbage; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew, compare ᵑ7 עִסְבָּא, Syriac , Palmyrene עשביא).

Topical Lexicon

Biblical setting

Jaareshiah appears once in Scripture, within the long Benjamite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 8. The Chronicler records: “Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham” (1 Chronicles 8:27). The list gathers leading households of Benjamin that settled in Jerusalem, underscoring the tribe’s continued presence alongside Judah after the exile and during the restoration of Temple worship.

Genealogical placement within Benjamin

• Ancestry: Jaareshiah is the fifth-named son of Jeroham (1 Chronicles 8:26-27).
• Lineage: The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 8 links these sons back through Abihud, Elpaal, and ultimately to Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son.
• Location: By residing in Jerusalem, Jaareshiah’s clan shared responsibility for defending the city and supporting priestly and Levitical service (compare 1 Chronicles 9:1-3). The enumeration of their names highlights God’s faithfulness in preserving every tribe.

Theological themes and significance

1. Divine inheritance. The name Jaareshiah conveys the idea that “Yahweh establishes an inheritance.” In the Chronicler’s context, the survival of Benjamite families in Jerusalem after national collapse testifies to the Lord’s unbroken promises concerning the land and the tribes (Genesis 35:24; Deuteronomy 33:12).
2. Covenant continuity. Chronicles was written to reassure the post-exilic community that they still stood in the unbroken stream of God’s redemptive plan. Jaareshiah’s brief mention helps stitch the tribe of Benjamin—so closely tied to King Saul—into the account now centered on the Davidic monarchy and Temple worship.
3. Corporate identity in worship. The families listed around Jaareshiah supplied “valiant men” (1 Chronicles 8:40) and gatekeepers (1 Chronicles 9:21-24). Thus, even obscure household heads contributed to the functioning of sanctuary life, illustrating Paul’s later principle that “the body is not one part but many” (1 Corinthians 12:14).

Historical insights

• Post-exilic readership: For returned exiles who wondered whether their fragmented family lines still mattered, the Chronicler’s preservation of names such as Jaareshiah affirmed their heritage and participation in God’s unfolding plan.
• Political balance: The retention of Benjamites in Jerusalem tempered any tendency toward tribal exclusivism, reminding Judah that the restored community was broader than the Davidic tribe alone.
• Scribal precision: The Chronicler’s careful transcription of otherwise unknown individuals reflects the high value Scripture places on every covenant participant, echoing the Shepherd who “calls his own sheep by name” (John 10:3).

Lessons for ministry today

1. God remembers the unnoticed. Jaareshiah has no recorded exploits, yet his name is permanently inscribed in God’s Word. Faithful believers who never receive public acclaim may take comfort that their labor “in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
2. Heritage matters. Churches that preserve genealogies of faith—baptism records, missionary stories, testimonies—mirror the Chronicler’s goal of strengthening identity and encouraging perseverance.
3. Tribes in unity. The inclusion of Benjamin within Jerusalem anticipates the New Testament vision of the church as one new humanity (Ephesians 2:14-22). Ministry that bridges ethnic, cultural, or denominational lines honors this ideal.

Foreshadowing and New Testament connections

• Benjamin and the apostle Paul. Paul, “a Benjamite” (Romans 11:1), draws on his tribal heritage when discussing God’s irrevocable gifts. Jaareshiah’s preservation in Benjamin’s line reinforces Paul’s argument that God’s call persists despite national judgment.
• The book of Life. Obscure names recorded on earth preview the heavenly registry. Revelation 21:27 speaks of those “written in the Lamb’s book of life,” assuring believers that divine memory surpasses human forgetfulness.

Conclusion

Though mentioned only once, Jaareshiah embodies enduring biblical truths: God safeguards His people’s inheritance, values every individual, and weaves lesser-known lives into the broader tapestry of redemption.

Forms and Transliterations

וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָ֧ה ויערשיה veyaareshYah wə·ya·‘ă·reš·yāh wəya‘ărešyāh

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 8:27
HEB: וְיַעֲרֶשְׁיָ֧ה וְאֵלִיָּ֛ה וְזִכְרִ֖י
NAS: Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zichri
KJV: And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri,
INT: Jaareshiah Elijah and Zichri

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3298
1 Occurrence

wə·ya·‘ă·reš·yāh — 1 Occ.