Pethahiah
פְּתַחְיָה/peth-uh-HY-uh/
“Yahweh opens or freed by Yahweh”
Summary
Pethahiah is the name of three men in the Old Testament: a priestly leader, a Levite under Ezra, and a counselor of Artaxerxes.
☩Chief Priest
One Pethahiah was head of the nineteenth course in David's division of the priests. This organization arranged the priestly service in rotating shifts.
Key verses:1 Chronicles 24:16
☩Levite Under Ezra
Another Pethahiah was a Levite who put away a foreign wife at Ezra's direction and later participated in the public confession and covenant renewal under Nehemiah.
Key verses:Ezra 10:23Nehemiah 9:5
☩King's Counselor
A third Pethahiah, son of Meshezabeel, served as King Artaxerxes' counselor in matters concerning the Jewish people.
Key verses:Nehemiah 11:24
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Pethahiah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VIII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Pethahiah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Pethahiah," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).