Who was Pelatiah in the Bible?

Pelatiah was a descendant of King Solomon, listed in the genealogy of the royal line of Judah found in 1 Chronicles 3:21. He was the son of Hananiah and a grandson of Zerubbabel, who led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem.

Why is Pelatiah mentioned in the Bible?

Pelatiah is mentioned to preserve the genealogical record of King David's line, which was crucial for Israel's history and for the future messianic promise. His inclusion in 1 Chronicles 3 connects the royal lineage from Solomon to the post-exilic period.

Are there any stories about Pelatiah in the Bible?

No, there are no specific stories or key events recorded about Pelatiah's life. His mention is purely genealogical, serving to document the continuation of David's royal family line after the Babylonian exile.

Pelatiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleKing

Pelatiah, a descendant of King Solomon mentioned in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3.

Pelatiah

Biography

Pelatiah was a descendant of King Solomon through the royal line of Judah, recorded in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3:21. He appears in the post-exilic generations of the Davidic house as a son of Hananiah, who was a descendant of Zerubbabel, the leader of the first wave of returning exiles. Pelatiah and his brother Jeshaiah are listed among those who carried forward the Davidic lineage during the period of Persian hegemony over Judah, when the descendants of David no longer held royal power but remained recognized as the legitimate heirs of the ancient dynasty. His name, meaning "the LORD has delivered," reflects the continued faith of the Davidic family in God's saving purposes even during a time when the monarchy lay dormant and the promises to David appeared unfulfilled.

Significance

Pelatiah's place in the Davidic genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3 serves the Chronicler's larger theological purpose of demonstrating that God's covenant with David endured beyond the catastrophe of exile. Every generation recorded in this lineage, including Pelatiah's, represents evidence that the promise of an eternal Davidic throne (2 Samuel 7:12-16) was being quietly preserved through history. His name, "the LORD has delivered," functions as a confession of faith from within the royal family itself, affirming God's redemptive character even when no Davidic king reigned. Pelatiah thus stands as part of the genealogical bridge between the historical Davidic monarchy and its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, through whom all of God's promises find their definitive expression.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 3:21

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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