שֵׁרֵֽבְיָה (she.re.ve.yah)
she.re.ve.yah
Sherebiah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Sherebiah, meaning "Jehovah has scorched" or "burned by God," appears seven times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily within the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. It identifies a specific Levite who played a key role during the post-exilic restoration of Jerusalem.
First mentioned in Ezra 8:18, this Sherebiah was among the leaders who returned with Ezra. He assisted in the public reading of the Law and later signed the covenant agreement recorded in Nehemiah 10:12. His name serves as a historical marker for the faithful Levites who helped reestablish religious life after the Babylonian exile.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Sherebiah means "Jehovah has scorched" or "burned by God." This is not a picture of destruction, but of purification. In the aftermath of exile, this Levite helped lead the people back to Scripture. He was among those who stood with Jeshua and Bani to make sure the crowd understood the Law (Nehemiah 8:7). His life reminds us that God’s presence is a refining fire, burning away what does not belong so that His truth can take root in our hearts.
When we face seasons where old habits or false beliefs are being stripped away, it can feel uncomfortable. Yet this word points to a holy purpose. Just as Sherebiah helped restore religious life in Jerusalem, God uses these refining moments to align us more closely with His will. We do not need to fear the heat of His presence; instead, we can trust that He is making us ready for the work He has called us to do.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sherebiah4×
- and/ Sherebiah2×
- to/ Sherebiah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה2×
- שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֤ה1×
- שֵֽׁרֵבְיָ֜ה1×
- לְ/שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֣ה1×
- וְ/שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֛ה1×
- וְ/שֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה\׀1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 8:7
Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place.
This verse highlights Sherebiah’s active role in helping the people understand the Law, showing that faithful leadership involves teaching and clarifying God's word for others.
-
Ezra 8:18
According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;
Here Sherebiah is introduced as a man of discretion brought by God’s hand, illustrating how divine guidance often works through specific, capable individuals in times of restoration.
-
Nehemiah 9:5
Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
In this moment of corporate worship, Sherebiah joins the Levites in calling the people to bless Yahweh, demonstrating that understanding God's word naturally leads to praise and reverence.