Bible Word Study
יַחְזֵרָה
Yachzêrâh · Jachzerah, an Israelite
יַחְזֵרָה
Jachzerah, an Israelite
Definition
Yachzêrâh (Jachzerah) is a proper name of an Israelite, specifically a priestly descendant of Aaron. He is listed in the genealogy of the priests who returned from exile and served in the Temple during the post-exilic period. The name appears only in 1 Chronicles 9:12, where he is identified as the son of Meshullam, a chief officer in the house of God. As a proper name, it carries no other distinct meanings or senses in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively as a personal name in the Old Testament. It occurs only once, in 1 Chronicles 9:12, within a genealogical list detailing the lineage and duties of priests and Levites who resettled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. The context is administrative and historical, recording the re-establishment of the priestly service.
Etymology
The name Yachzêrâh likely derives from the Hebrew root חָזָה (ḥāzâ, H2372), meaning 'to see' or 'to behold,' possibly implying a sense of vision or divine insight. It may be related to the noun חֲזִיר (ḥăzîr, H2386), meaning 'pig' or 'boar,' but this connection is uncertain and the name is more plausibly understood as a theophoric name meaning 'May [God] see/protect' or similar. Its exact derivation remains somewhat ambiguous.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its appearance in the priestly genealogy of 1 Chronicles 9 underscores the biblical theme of God's faithfulness in preserving the priestly line and the continuity of worship. It highlights the importance of maintaining proper lineage and order in Israel's worship, especially after the disruption of the exile, pointing to God's restoration of His people and their religious institutions. In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried significant meaning, reflecting hopes, divine attributes, or circumstances. As a priestly name, Yachzêrâh would have been borne by someone belonging to a privileged, sacred class responsible for Temple service and mediating between God and the people. The recording of such names in genealogies was vital for establishing priestly legitimacy and inheritance rights. Meshullam (H4918) — A more common contemporary priestly name meaning 'recompensed' or 'friend.' Azariah (H5838) — A frequent priestly name meaning 'Yahweh has helped.'
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]