Who was Maaseiah in the Bible?

Maaseiah was a priest who served during the reign of King Joash of Judah. He is specifically noted for assisting in the coronation of the young king after the overthrow of the usurper Queen Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:1).

What did Maaseiah do in the Bible?

His primary recorded action was supporting the high priest Jehoiada in the successful plot to crown the rightful heir, Joash, and remove the idolatrous Athaliah from power. This event restored the Davidic line of kings in Judah (2 Chronicles 23).

Why is Maaseiah significant?

Maaseiah represents the faithful priests who upheld God's covenant by ensuring the throne was returned to a descendant of David. His role was crucial in a pivotal moment of political and religious restoration for the kingdom of Judah.

Maaseiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMalePriest

Maaseiah, a priest, assisted in the coronation of King Joash during the reign of Athaliah (2Ch.23.1).

Maaseiah

Biography

Maaseiah was one of several courageous commanders who conspired with Jehoiada the high priest to overthrow the usurper Queen Athaliah and restore the rightful Davidic heir, the young prince Joash, to the throne of Judah. As recorded in 2 Chronicles 23:1, Maaseiah son of Adaiah was among the five military leaders whom Jehoiada summoned into a sacred covenant. Together they secretly gathered the Levites and clan leaders from across Judah to Jerusalem, where they orchestrated a carefully planned coup during a changing of the temple guard. This bold action preserved the Davidic dynasty at its most vulnerable moment, when Athaliah had murdered nearly the entire royal family to seize power for herself after her son Ahaziah's death.

Significance

Maaseiah's participation in the restoration of King Joash represents one of the most theologically significant military actions in the Old Testament. Athaliah's attempted annihilation of the Davidic line directly threatened God's covenant promise that David's descendants would reign forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16), a promise that pointed ultimately toward the Messiah. By risking his life to support Jehoiada's plan, Maaseiah helped preserve the messianic lineage at a critical juncture. His courage demonstrates that God often works through faithful human agents who are willing to act decisively against tyranny, and that the preservation of God's redemptive plan sometimes depends on ordinary people choosing extraordinary obedience.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 23:1

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources