Who was Jeiel in the Bible?

Jeiel was a Levite who served during the reign of King Josiah. He is noted for his generosity in providing animals for the king's great Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 35:9).

What did Jeiel do for King Josiah's Passover?

Jeiel, along with other leaders, generously donated thousands of animals from his own flocks to be used as sacrifices. This provision was crucial for the massive Passover celebration King Josiah organized to restore proper worship (2 Chronicles 35:7-9).

Why is Jeiel's story significant?

Jeiel's actions exemplify faithful stewardship and wholehearted support for religious revival. His generosity helped enable one of the most notable Passover observances since the time of the prophet Samuel, highlighting how individuals contribute to corporate worship (2 Chronicles 35:18).

Jeiel

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLevite

Jeiel was one of the Levites who generously provided animals for King Josiah's Passover celebration.

Jeiel

Biography

This Jeiel was one of the Levites who contributed generously to King Josiah's great Passover celebration, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 35:9. Alongside Conaniah, Shemaiah, Nethanel, Hashabiah, and Jozabad, he provided thousands of animals for the Passover offerings, a contribution that enabled the people of Judah and Israelite remnants to observe the festival on an extraordinary scale. The Chronicler notes that no Passover like it had been kept since the days of Samuel, underscoring the historical magnitude of the occasion. Jeiel's willing generosity as a Levitical leader stands as an example of the kind of sacrificial giving that made Josiah's reforms not merely a royal mandate but a nationwide covenant renewal embraced at the institutional level.

Significance

Jeiel's generous contribution to Josiah's Passover (2 Chronicles 35:9) illustrates the critical role that faithful Levitical leadership played in sustaining Israel's liturgical life. The Passover was Israel's foundational memorial of redemption, the event through which God delivered his people from Egypt and constituted them as a covenant nation. Levites who provided the means for its celebration participated in the perpetuation of Israel's core theological identity. Jeiel's liberality reflects the principle that true renewal requires not only royal initiative but willing, sacrificial participation from those entrusted with spiritual leadership, a model with enduring relevance for communities seeking authentic corporate worship and covenant fidelity.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 26:11

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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