Azariah
Azariah was the son of Ethan, a descendant of Judah (1 Chr 2:8).
Biography
This Azariah was a son of Ethan, belonging to the tribe of Judah and listed in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 2:8. He appears as a member of the Zerahite branch of Judah, a family line that traced its descent from Zerah, one of the twin sons born to Judah and Tamar. Ethan, his father, is likely identified with Ethan the Ezrahite, the legendary wise man referenced in 1 Kings 4:31 and the title of Psalm 89. If this connection holds, Azariah was the son of a man renowned throughout the ancient world for his wisdom, though himself remembered in Scripture only as a name in the tribal rolls of Judah's descendants.
Significance
Azariah's place in the Zerahite genealogy of Judah, preserved in 1 Chronicles 2, demonstrates the Chronicler's meticulous concern for maintaining a complete account of the tribe from which the Davidic messiah would come. Even names without attached stories serve the theological purpose of establishing continuity from the patriarchal promises to their ultimate fulfillment. If his father Ethan is indeed the sage and psalmist, then Azariah belongs to a family whose contribution to Israel's wisdom tradition was immense. His presence in the genealogy serves as a reminder that God's redemptive history is carried forward not only by heroes but by the faithful continuity of whole family lines across generations.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
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]