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Jaazaniah

biblical_person_name theological_term standard

Jaazaniah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament. It is not a theological term.

At a Glance

A Hebrew personal name shared by multiple Old Testament men.

Key Points

Description

Jaazaniah is a Hebrew personal name borne by several men in the Old Testament, so its meaning in a Bible dictionary depends on which individual is in view. One Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, appears in Ezekiel 8:11 among the elders shown engaging in idolatrous worship in the temple vision. Another appears in Jeremiah 35:3 as Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habaziniah, among the Rechabites. A further official connected with the remnant of Judah after Jerusalem's fall is likely the same person elsewhere called Jezaniah (2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8; 42:1; 43:2). Because this is a personal name and not a theological term, it is best handled as a biblical name/disambiguation entry rather than as a doctrinal heading.

Biblical Context

The name Jaazaniah appears in settings tied to Judah's decline, exile, and the prophetically interpreted crisis of covenant unfaithfulness. Ezekiel uses it in the context of idolatry exposed in the temple vision, while Jeremiah places the name in narratives about the Rechabites and the remnant left in the land after Jerusalem's destruction.

Historical Context

These references belong to the late monarchic and exilic periods of Judah, when leaders, officials, and surviving communities were forced to respond to national judgment. The overlapping names and titles reflect the importance of family identity, office, and careful historical distinction in the Old Testament records.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In the Hebrew Bible, the same personal name may be borne by more than one man, and similar or variant spellings can appear across related passages. Readers should distinguish individuals by genealogy and context rather than assuming every occurrence refers to one person.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Jaazaniah is a Hebrew personal name. English translations may preserve slightly different transliterations in related passages, including the form Jezaniah for one of the men involved.

Theological Significance

The name itself carries no doctrinal teaching. The biblical settings in which it appears do, however, highlight idolatry, judgment, remnant leadership, and the need for faithful obedience.

Philosophical Explanation

This entry is primarily a matter of historical identification, not theological abstraction. The main interpretive task is to distinguish individuals who share a name and to read each reference in its own narrative context.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not merge every occurrence of Jaazaniah into one person without textual warrant. Also distinguish the name Jaazaniah from the related spelling Jezaniah where the context suggests a variant form rather than a separate individual.

Major Views

Most readers treat the Ezekiel, Rechabite, and post-fall Judahite references as distinct individuals, though the official named in 2 Kings 25:23 and Jeremiah 40–43 is commonly identified with the name form Jezaniah.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No doctrine should be built on the name itself. Any theological application must come from the passage in which the name appears, not from speculative meaning attached to the name alone.

Practical Significance

The entry reminds readers to handle biblical names carefully, to notice context, and to avoid flattening distinct people into one combined figure. It also shows how Scripture records both unfaithful and faithful responses to judgment.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Jaazaniah

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