7422. Ramyah

Lexical Summary

Ramyah: Deceit, Treachery, Slothfulness

Original Word: רמְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Ramyah
Pronunciation: rahm-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (ram-yaw')
KJV: Ramiah
NASB: Ramiah
Word Origin: [from H7311 (רוּם - exalted) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. Jah has raised
2. Ramjah, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Ramiah

From ruwm and Yahh; Jah has raised; Ramjah, an Israelite -- Ramiah.

see HEBREW ruwm

see HEBREW Yahh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as remiyyah and from Yah
Definition
"Yah has loosened," an Isr. with a foreign wife
NASB Translation
Ramiah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

רַמְיָה proper name, masculine (properly ׳י hath loosened?); — one with foreign wife Ezra 10:25, Παμιά(ς).

I, II. רָמָה see רום. רִמָּה see II. רמם

Topical Lexicon

Biblical Occurrence

Ramiah appears one time in the Old Testament. Ezra 10:25 lists him among “the descendants of Parosh” who had taken foreign wives after the return from exile. When confronted by Ezra, this group pledged to “put away” those wives in obedience to the Law (Ezra 10:3-4, 10-12).

Historical Context

The event takes place during the ministry of Ezra, about eight decades after the first return under Zerubbabel. The community had rebuilt the temple but had drifted from covenant faithfulness, particularly through intermarriage with peoples who did not share Israel’s covenant with the Lord (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Ezra’s grief and public confession sparked corporate repentance. Ramiah’s name is preserved in the official register compiled by the elders (Ezra 10:14). Recording these names served both legal and spiritual purposes: it verified compliance with the covenant decision and stood as a memorial warning to future generations.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

1. Covenant Purity. Ramiah’s inclusion underscores the gravity of marrying outside the faith community when such unions lead to idolatry. The reform illustrates the priority of covenant fidelity over personal preference, a theme echoed in Malachi 2:11 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.
2. Corporate Responsibility. Although the sin was individual, the remedy involved communal confession and accountability. Ramiah’s generation models how shared repentance can restore communal holiness (Nehemiah 9:2-3).
3. Grace within Judgment. The drastic solution of sending away wives and children (Ezra 10:44) highlights the seriousness of sin, yet the narrative moves toward restoration, not annihilation. Ramiah’s compliance shows the possibility of renewed fellowship when sin is confronted.

Lessons for Today

• Personal Names, Personal Choices. Even a single-verse individual like Ramiah reminds readers that every believer’s choices affect the wider body. Hidden compromise eventually enters the record.
• Leadership and Scripture. Ezra’s authority rested on the written Law (Ezra 7:10). Modern ministry must likewise appeal to Scripture when confronting cultural pressures.
• Hope after Failure. Ramiah’s family failed, yet their willingness to obey points to God’s readiness to forgive repentant sinners (1 John 1:9).

Related Names and Themes

Parosh family lines reappear in Nehemiah 7:8 and 12:3, linking Ramiah to earlier and later generations of temple workers. Thematic parallels include the purging of foreign influence under King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30) and the separation enacted by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13:23-27). Together these passages form a consistent biblical witness to the call for holiness among God’s people.

Forms and Transliterations

רַ֠מְיָה רמיה ram·yāh Ramyah ramyāh

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 10:25
HEB: מִבְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֡שׁ רַ֠מְיָה וְיִזִּיָּ֤ה וּמַלְכִּיָּה֙
NAS: of Parosh [there were] Ramiah, Izziah,
KJV: of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah,
INT: of the sons of Parosh Ramiah Izziah Malchijah

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 7422
1 Occurrence

ram·yāh — 1 Occ.