נֵרִיָהוּ (ne.riy.yah)
ne.riy.yah
Neriah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Neriah, meaning "lamp of Jehovah," belongs to a man mentioned ten times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily within the book of Jeremiah. He is identified as the son of Mahseiah and the father of two significant figures: Baruch, the scribe who recorded Jeremiah’s prophecies, and Seraiah, the official appointed by King Zedekiah to carry warnings to Babylon.
While Neriah himself does not speak in the text, his presence anchors the narrative of Judah’s final days. His home served as a gathering place for prophetic activity, most notably when Jeremiah dictated his scroll to Baruch (Jeremiah 32:12). The name itself evokes the image of divine guidance or illumination, fitting for a family closely associated with the transmission of God’s word during a time of national crisis.
Historical records highlight Neriah’s role as a patriarch in a lineage deeply involved in the political and spiritual struggles of Jerusalem. His sons carried out critical missions that shaped the historical account of the exile, making Neriah an important, if quiet, figure in the biblical story of judgment and hope.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Neriah means "lamp of Jehovah," a fitting title for a family whose life illuminated the path of God’s word during Jerusalem’s darkest hours. Though he never speaks in Scripture, his home became a sanctuary for prophecy when Jeremiah dictated his warnings to Baruch. This quiet presence reminds us that faithfulness often happens behind the scenes, in the ordinary spaces where we welcome truth into our lives.
His sons carried critical messages—one recording God’s words, the other delivering them to distant lands. Their obedience shows how divine guidance travels through human hands. When you feel small or unseen, remember that your willingness to listen and share what you learn matters deeply. God uses ordinary people to carry extraordinary light into dark places.
Trust that He illuminates your path even when the future seems uncertain. Like Neriah’s family, you are part of a story larger than yourself, where every act of faithfulness contributes to His greater purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Neriah10×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֵרִיָּה֮2×
- נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה2×
- נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה2×
- נֵרִיָּהוּ֮1×
- נֵרִיָּֽהוּ\׃1×
- נֵרִיָּ֤הוּ1×
- נֵרִיָּ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 36:4
Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all Yahweh’s words, which he had spoken to him, on a scroll of a book.
This verse establishes Baruch as the scribe who physically recorded Jeremiah’s prophecies, highlighting Neriah’s role in enabling the preservation of God’s word.
-
Jeremiah 32:12
and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
Neriah’s home served as the setting for a legal transaction that symbolized hope and restoration during Judah’s collapse, anchoring the narrative in tangible reality.
-
Jeremiah 51:59
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief quartermaster.
Seraiah, Neriah’s other son, was entrusted with a solemn mission to Babylon, showing how the family’s influence extended into political spheres during exile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Neriah mean?
Who were Neriah’s sons?
Why is Neriah important if he never speaks in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (10 verses across 1 books)
Jeremiah 10 verses
and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel…
Jeremiah 32:16Now after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to Yahweh, saying,
Jeremiah 36:4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all Yahweh’s words, which he…
Jeremiah 36:8Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book Yahweh’s…
Jeremiah 36:14Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying,…
Jeremiah 36:32Then Jeremiah took another scroll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the…
Jeremiah 43:3but Baruch the son of Neriah has turned you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put…
Jeremiah 43:6the men, the women, the children, the king’s daughters, and every person who Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had…
Jeremiah 45:1The message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the…
Jeremiah 51:59The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with…