Neriah

Biblical Record

Neriah appears only in the Book of Jeremiah. None of his own words or deeds are recorded. Scripture refers to him only in the phrase "the son of Neriah," which accompanies the names of his sons.

• Father of Baruch: Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah, is repeatedly called "Baruch the son of Neriah" (Jeremiah 32:12, 32:16, 36:4, 36:8, 36:14, 36:32, 43:3, 43:6, 45:1). Jeremiah 32:12 introduces Baruch as "the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah," which shows that Neriah was the son of Maaseiah.
• Father of Seraiah: Jeremiah 51:59 introduces Seraiah, who went to Babylon with King Zedekiah in the fourth year of his reign, as "the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah." The Korean Revised Version renders Seraiah's office as "chief chamberlain." Baruch and Seraiah are therefore understood to have been brothers.

Scripture says nothing about the dates of Neriah's birth and death, his occupation, or his life.

Significance in the Bible

The name Neriah serves mainly in genealogical notation to distinguish his sons from others who bore the same names. Because a single family produced both Baruch, a scribe who recorded and read aloud the prophet's words, and Seraiah, an official who served close to the king, scholars surmise that the family belonged to an educated, literate class. This, however, is an inference drawn from the text. Neriah is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretations and Debates

• Meaning of the name: The Hebrew name is commonly interpreted as "the LORD is my lamp (light)."
• Extrabiblical tradition: The apocryphal Book of Baruch (Baruch 1:1) traces Baruch's genealogy back beyond Maaseiah. Jewish rabbinic tradition also preserves an account that counts Neriah among the priest-prophets descended from Rahab. Neither appears in the canonical text, and Protestantism does not regard them as part of the biblical record.
• Archaeological evidence: In the late twentieth century, a clay seal impression (bulla) reportedly inscribed "Berekhyahu (Baruch) son of Neriah, the scribe" was made public. The artifact was at times presented as evidence confirming the existence of Baruch and his father, but the possibility of forgery was later raised, and its authenticity remains disputed.

In Korean Churches

Neriah is rarely treated as a sermon topic in his own right. He is usually mentioned only briefly, through the phrase "Baruch the son of Neriah," in sermons on Baruch, expository preaching on Jeremiah, or Bible studies.