Who was Amaziah in the Bible?

Amaziah was a Levite from the family of Merari, the son of Hilkiah, who served during the reign of King David. As a Levite, his role was to assist in the worship and service of the Tabernacle (1 Chronicles 6:45).

What did Amaziah the Levite do?

The Bible records Amaziah as one of the Levites appointed by King David to help bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He served alongside other Levites in the musical worship before the Ark (1 Chronicles 15:21).

Why is Amaziah mentioned in 1 Chronicles?

Amaziah is listed to document the organized priesthood and worship structure established by King David. His mention highlights the importance of the Levitical families in maintaining proper worship and service to God in Israel.

Amaziah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLeviteSon

Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, was a Levite of the family of Merari during the time of David.

Amaziah

Biography

Amaziah son of Hilkiah was a Levite belonging to the clan of Merari, one of the three great Levitical families, who served during the organizational reforms of King David's reign (1 Chronicles 6:45). The Merarites were assigned responsibilities related to the structural elements of the tabernacle, the frames, crossbars, posts, and bases, as well as later roles in temple music and service. Amaziah's name, meaning "the LORD is mighty" or "strength of Yahweh," reflects the pious naming customs of Levitical families. Though no individual narratives survive for him, his place in the Merarite genealogy locates him within the cultic infrastructure that supported Israel's worship life across generations.

Significance

As a Merarite Levite serving under the organizational structure David established, Amaziah belonged to a clan whose work sustained the physical apparatus of Israelite worship. The Chronicler's meticulous recording of Levitical genealogies (1 Chronicles 6) reflects the conviction that the ministry of the sanctuary was not accidental or informal, it was a divinely ordered inheritance passed through specific families. Amaziah's inclusion in this record affirms that even those whose roles are structural and supporting, rather than priestly or prominent, are remembered by Scripture. This speaks to a theology of vocation in which all legitimate service to God, however modest, is honored in the divine accounting of covenant faithfulness.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 6:45

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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