Lexical Summary Yiriyyah or Yiriyyayh: Yiriah or Yirijah Original Word: יִרְאִ יָּיה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Irijah From yare' and Yahh; fearful of Jah; Jirijah, an Israelite -- Irijah. see HEBREW yare' see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raah and Yah Definition "Yah sees," an Isr. of Jeremiah's time NASB Translation Irijah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs יִרְאִיָּיה֯ proper name, masculine see below ראה. יָרֵב, יְרֻבַּ֫עַל, יָרָבְעָם, יְרֻבֶּ֫שֶׁת see below ריב. יִרְאִיָּיה proper name, masculine (read יִרְאִיָּה; ׳י seeth); — officer, Jeremiah's time, Jeremiah 37:13,14, Σαρουια(ς). Topical Lexicon Name SignificanceIrijah (Yirʾiyyah) appears only in Jeremiah 37:13–14. His name, incorporating the divine covenant Name, underscores the irony that one identified with the LORD can nevertheless act against His revealed will. Biblical Account While Jerusalem was under Babylonian siege, Jeremiah left the city to attend to property in Benjamin. At the Benjamin Gate “the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested Jeremiah the prophet and said, ‘You are deserting to the Chaldeans!’” (Jeremiah 37:13). Ignoring the prophet’s denial, Irijah brought him before the officials, leading to his confinement in the house of Jonathan the scribe and later in the courtyard of the guard. Role in Jeremiah's Ministry 1. Testing of the Prophet Irijah’s arrest exposed Jeremiah to further suffering, proving the authenticity of his calling amid hostility (compare Jeremiah 20:1–2; 26:8–11). 2. Validation of the Message The event illustrated Judah’s refusal to heed God’s word, confirming Jeremiah’s warnings that unrepentant leaders would oppose the LORD’s messenger. 3. Providential Catalyst Confinement generated new opportunities for ministry, including Jeremiah’s audience with Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:17–21) and oracles of hope from prison, demonstrating how God overrules opposition for greater redemptive purposes. Historical Background The incident occurred circa 588 – 587 B.C. during the last siege of Jerusalem. After Babylon temporarily withdrew to confront Egypt, royal officials feared defections. Gate captains such as Irijah enforced security, reflecting the charged political climate where loyalty was questioned and prophetic counsel was politicized. Theological Themes • Authority versus Revelation Civil duty must yield to God’s word. Irijah honors state security yet contradicts divine instruction communicated through Jeremiah. • Discernment Judging by appearances, Irijah misread Jeremiah’s intentions. Scripture calls believers to “test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). • Persecution of the Righteous Irijah personifies the broader biblical motif of God’s servants suffering unjustly, foreshadowing opposition faced by Christ and His apostles. Practical Applications • Align with Scripture even when unpopular. Legacy Although only briefly mentioned, Irijah’s confrontation with Jeremiah warns of zeal uninformed by revelation and urges every generation to pair covenant identity with covenant obedience. Forms and Transliterations יִרְאִיָּ֔יה יִרְאִיָּיה֙ יראייה yir’îyāyh yir·’î·yāyh yiriYaihLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 37:13 HEB: פְּקִדֻ֔ת וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יִרְאִיָּ֔יה בֶּן־ שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֖ה NAS: whose name was Irijah, the son KJV: [was] there, whose name [was] Irijah, the son INT: of the guard name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah Jeremiah 37:14 2 Occurrences |
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