Maaseiah
“Work of Jehovah”
Summary
Maaseiah, meaning 'work of Jehovah,' was a common name borne by at least sixteen different men in the Old Testament, including priests, Levites, military officers, and officials from the time of David through the post-exilic period.
☩Notable Individuals Named Maaseiah
The name appears frequently in Scripture, particularly in the exilic and late monarchic periods. Among the most notable bearers were: a Levite musician who played the psaltery under David when the ark was brought to Jerusalem; a captain of hundreds who helped restore young King Joash to the throne; a military officer under King Uzziah; a 'king's son' slain in the Israelite invasion during Ahaz's reign; the governor of Jerusalem under Josiah who helped repair the Temple; and the father of Zephaniah the priest who was sent by King Zedekiah to inquire of Jeremiah.
☩Post-Exilic Period
Several priests named Maaseiah appear in the post-exilic records. Four men of this name—three of them priests—divorced their foreign wives at Ezra's command. Others assisted Ezra when the law was read publicly, participated in sealing the covenant with Nehemiah, or served as musicians at the dedication of Jerusalem's walls. The frequency of this name in the lists of returning exiles and covenant signers, often coinciding with names from David's original 24 priestly courses, suggests these names were either hereditary in families or applied to the families themselves.
☩Ancestor of Baruch
One Maaseiah (spelled Mahseiah, meaning 'whose refuge is Jehovah') was the father of Neriah and grandfather of Baruch and Seraiah, two persons of note to whom Jeremiah entrusted important messages. If this is the same as the governor of Jerusalem under Josiah, as the date and rank suggest, then this family held considerable influence in Judah's final decades.
Related Verses25 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Maaseiah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. V (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Maaseiah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 3.James Orr (ed.), "Maaseiah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).