Who was Azrikam in the Bible?

Azrikam was a descendant of King David through the line of Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah), a king of Judah. He is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:13).

Why is Azrikam significant in the Bible?

Azrikam's significance lies in his place in the royal lineage of David, which connects directly to Jesus Christ. His inclusion in Matthew's genealogy shows God's faithfulness in preserving the messianic line despite Israel's exile.

What do we know about Azrikam's life?

The Bible does not record any specific events from Azrikam's life. He is mentioned only in genealogical lists, indicating his role was primarily as a vital link in the ancestry of Jesus.

Azrikam

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon of neariah

Azrikam was a descendant of David through Jehoiachin.

Azrikam

Biography

Azrikam was a descendant of the royal Davidic line, appearing in the post-exilic genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3:23 as one of the sons of Neariah. Neariah was himself a son of Shemaiah, who descended from Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah who led the first return of exiles and whose lineage continued the Davidic bloodline into the post-exilic era. Azrikam, along with his brothers Elioenai and Hizkiah, represents the continuation of David's royal family during a period when Israel had no king and the Davidic throne lay dormant. The name Azrikam, meaning "my help has arisen," may reflect messianic hope embedded in the naming practices of families who believed the Davidic promise was not extinguished by exile.

Significance

Azrikam's place in the post-exilic Davidic genealogy carries profound theological significance: it demonstrates that the royal line of David survived the Babylonian exile and continued to produce descendants into the Persian period. This was not a trivial matter, God had promised David an eternal dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16), and the survival of that line was the guarantor of Messianic hope. Each generation recorded in 1 Chronicles 3 after the exile represents a link in the chain that would ultimately lead to Jesus of Nazareth, the son of David who fulfilled the covenant promise completely. Azrikam's existence in the genealogical record is thus a quiet but vital testimony to God's faithfulness in preserving the royal line through history's most turbulent seasons.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 3:23

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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