יַחֲזִיאֵל
Jachaziel, the name of five Israelites
Definition
Yachaziel (יַחֲזִיאֵל) is a Hebrew proper name meaning 'beheld of God' or 'God sees.' It is borne by five different individuals in the Old Testament. Most are Levites or priests, such as a Kohathite Levite in the time of David (1 Chronicles 23:19) and a priest who sounded the trumpet before the ark (1 Chronicles 16:6). The most notable is the Levite Jahaziel, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came to prophesy victory and encouragement to King Jehoshaphat and Judah before a great battle (2 Chronicles 20:14).
Biblical Usage
The name appears six times across 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, and Ezra. It is used exclusively for male individuals, primarily within priestly or Levitical lineages serving in temple worship or leadership. For example, it identifies a Benjamite warrior who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:4), several Levitical officials in David's organization of temple service (1 Chronicles 16:6, 23:19, 24:23), a prophetic Levite (2 Chronicles 20:14), and a leader of the returning exiles (Ezra 8:5).
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: the verb חָזָה (chazah, H2372), meaning 'to see, behold, or perceive,' and the noun אֵל (el, H410), meaning 'God.' Thus, it literally translates to 'God sees' or 'beheld of God,' reflecting a theophoric name that acknowledges God's attentive presence and vision.
Semantic Range
The name Yachaziel embodies the biblical theme of God's active sight and care for His people. Most significantly, the Jahaziel of 2 Chronicles 20:14 becomes a vessel for divine revelation, demonstrating that God 'sees' the plight of His people and responds with prophetic assurance and intervention. This reinforces the doctrine of God's providence and His commitment to guide and deliver those who seek Him, especially in times of national crisis.
As a theophoric name containing 'El' (God), it was common in ancient Israel to embed divine names or attributes into personal names, reflecting faith and identity. The variety of individuals bearing this name—from warriors to priests to prophets—shows it was not restricted to a single family or tribe, though its meaning consistently pointed to a relationship with a God who sees.
Other theophoric names with 'El': יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el, H3478) — 'God strives'; אֱלִיעֶזֶר (Eli'ezer, H461) — 'My God is help'; יוֹאֵל (Yo'el, H3100) — 'Yahweh is God'.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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