Bible Word Study
נֵרִיָּה
Nêrîyâh · Nerijah, an Israelite
נֵרִיָּה
Nerijah, an Israelite
Definition
Nerijah is the name of a significant figure in the book of Jeremiah, specifically the father of Baruch and Seraiah. Baruch served as the faithful scribe and companion to the prophet Jeremiah, writing down his prophecies (Jeremiah 36:4, 32). Seraiah was a quartermaster who went with King Zedekiah to Babylon (Jeremiah 51:59). The name itself means 'light of Yahweh' or 'lamp of the LORD,' reflecting a common Hebrew naming convention that incorporates the divine name. All biblical occurrences refer to this same individual, the father, and no other meanings or persons are associated with the name in Scripture.
Biblical Usage
The name Nerijah appears exclusively in the book of Jeremiah, always in the context of identifying his sons, Baruch and Seraiah. It is used to establish their lineage and credibility. For example, Jeremiah 36:4 introduces Baruch as 'Baruch the son of Nerijah,' and Jeremiah 51:59 identifies Seraiah similarly. The usage is consistently patronymic, serving to connect these key supporting characters to the prophetic narrative of Jeremiah.
Etymology
The name Nerijah (נֵרִיָּה) is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'nêr' (נִיר, H5216), meaning 'lamp' or 'light,' and 'Yah' (יָהּ, H3050), a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (the LORD). Thus, the name means 'Yahweh is my light' or 'lamp of Yahweh.' An alternate, longer form of the name, Neriyahu (נֵרִיָּהוּ), also appears, incorporating the full divine name. This follows a common pattern of Hebrew theophoric names expressing trust in or attribute of God.
Semantic Range
While the name Nerijah itself is not a central theological term, its meaning—'light of Yahweh'—is profoundly symbolic. In the context of the dark days of Judah's exile prophesied by his son's master, Jeremiah, the name points to God as the source of hope and guidance. Furthermore, Nerijah's role as the father of Baruch highlights God's providence in providing faithful helpers for his prophets. Baruch, the scribe, was instrumental in preserving God's word (Jeremiah 36), demonstrating how God works through families and partnerships to accomplish his purposes. In ancient Israel, names were often descriptive and carried significant meaning, frequently invoking the name of God (Yahweh). Nerijah is a classic example of a theophoric name, identifying the individual or family with their faith. Being identified by one's father ('son of Nerijah') was the standard way of establishing personal identity, lineage, and social standing. This patronymic was crucial for establishing the credibility and background of Baruch and Seraiah in the official and prophetic circles recorded in Jeremiah.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]