יִרְאִיָּיה (yir.iy.yah)
yir.iy.yah
Irijah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Yiriyah appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, identifying a man active during the final years of Judah’s monarchy. He is the son of Shelemiah, who served as a captain of the guard and was responsible for arresting the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:13-15). This brief mention places Yiriyah directly within the turbulent political and religious conflicts surrounding the fall of Jerusalem.
Etymologically, the name means "Yahweh sees" or "Jehovah sees me." It shares a root with the verb yāraʾ, meaning to fear or revere, suggesting a theological awareness of divine oversight. While the text does not elaborate on Yiriyah’s personal faith or motives, his family’s role in suppressing prophetic voices highlights the intense pressure faced by those speaking against the state during this critical historical period.
As a proper noun, Yiriyah serves as a marker of lineage rather than a theological concept. His inclusion in the biblical record underscores the human dimension of Jeremiah’s ministry, illustrating that the prophet’s opposition came not just from kings or priests, but from officials within the royal guard structure. The name itself remains a reminder of the belief that God observes these historical events.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Yiriyah means 'Yahweh sees.' It appears in the Bible only twice, identifying a captain of the guard who arrested the prophet Jeremiah at Benjamin’s Gate. His father Shelemiah also held this position, showing that this family served the royal military structure during Judah’s final days.
When Irijah accused Jeremiah of defecting to the Babylonians, the prophet denied it, but Irijah did not listen. This moment highlights the danger prophets faced from officials within their own government. The name serves as a reminder that God observes these events and the people involved in them.
For believers today, this brief mention underscores that God sees justice even when human authorities act unjustly. It offers comfort that no action or word goes unnoticed by Him, regardless of the political turmoil surrounding it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Irijah1×
- Irijah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִרְאִיָּיה֙1×
- יִרְאִיָּ֔יה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 37:13
When he was in Benjamin’s gate, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are defecting to the Chaldeans!”
This verse identifies Irijah as a captain of the guard who actively seizes Jeremiah, demonstrating his role in enforcing royal orders against the prophet.
-
Jeremiah 37:14
Then Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.” But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
Here Irijah refuses to listen to Jeremiah’s denial and brings him before the princes, showing his commitment to the accusation despite the prophet's protest.