Who was Benaiah in the Bible?

Benaiah was the father of Jahaziel, a Levite and prophet from the sons of Asaph. He is mentioned briefly during the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:14).

Why is Benaiah significant in the Bible?

His significance comes from being the father of Jahaziel, who delivered a crucial prophecy from God to King Jehoshaphat before a major battle. This highlights how God often works through family lines and lesser-known individuals.

What key event involved Benaiah's family?

His son, Jahaziel, prophesied God's victory for Judah against a vast enemy army, telling the king, 'Do not be afraid or discouraged... for the battle is not yours, but God’s' (2 Chronicles 20:15). This event is a key moment of divine deliverance.

Benaiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLevite

Benaiah in 2 Chronicles 20:14 is the father of Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, during the reign of King Jehoshaphat

Benaiah

Biography

This Benaiah was a Levite of the sons of Asaph and the father of Jahaziel, who delivered a remarkable prophetic oracle during the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:14). When a vast coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites threatened Judah, Jehoshaphat called a national fast and sought God. It was Jahaziel, Benaiah's son, upon whom the Spirit of the LORD came in the assembled congregation, proclaiming that the battle belonged to God and that Judah need not fight. Though Benaiah himself plays no active role in the narrative, his lineage through Asaph connects his family to the great tradition of temple musicians and prophetic singers established by David.

Significance

Benaiah's significance lies primarily in being the father of Jahaziel, through whom one of Scripture's most memorable assurances of divine deliverance was spoken. His Asaphite lineage is theologically meaningful: the sons of Asaph were closely associated with prophetic worship in Israel's temple tradition (1 Chronicles 25:1–2), and their heritage continued to produce vessels through whom God's word came to His people. Benaiah reminds readers that faithful, often unnamed, parents who maintain their family's connection to worship and covenant community may produce children through whom God accomplishes extraordinary acts, a truth that resonates across the full arc of redemption history.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 20:14

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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