Jeriah

Biblical Record

Jeriah appears three times, all in 1 Chronicles. When David divided the duties of the Levites by family late in his reign, Jeriah was listed first in the Hebronite line, which descended from Kohath the son of Levi.

• 1 Chronicles 23:19; 24:23: He appears as the firstborn and chief among the sons of Hebron. His brothers are listed with him: Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
• 1 Chronicles 26:31–32: In the fortieth year of David's reign, the genealogies of the Hebronites were searched, and "there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead" (1 Chronicles 26:31). Here Jeriah (spelled "Jerijah" in the KJV) appears as chief of the Hebronites. According to verse 32, his brethren included 2,700 men of valor, all heads of fathers' houses. David made them rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, "for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king" (1 Chronicles 26:32).

Beyond these references, Scripture records no individual deeds or words of Jeriah.

Significance Within Scripture

Jeriah belongs to the lists in which Chronicles sets out the temple service and administrative organization of David's later years. His family was responsible for both religious and royal affairs east of the Jordan River, a region far from the sanctuary. This is often taken to show that the role of the Levites was not confined to service within the sanctuary. Jeriah is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• The meaning of "son": Hebron was a brother of Amram, the father of Moses and Aaron. It is therefore unlikely that Jeriah, who lived in David's time, was Hebron's literal son. Many commentators understand "the sons of Hebron" to mean descendants of the Hebronite family or representatives of that house. First Chronicles 26:31 likewise reads "among the Hebronites."
• Textual issue: The Hebrew text of 1 Chronicles 24:23 is known to lack the name "Hebron." Several translations supply the name in conformity with 23:19.
• Distinguishing the name: Jeriah is a different person from Irijah, the captain of the ward mentioned in Jeremiah 37:13.

In the Korean Church

Jeriah is rarely treated on his own in sermons or Sunday school. His is usually a name encountered while reading through the Bible, in the genealogies and lists of duties in 1 Chronicles.