Jahaziel
Levite and warrior in David's army
Also known as: Jachaziel, Jahzeel, Jahziel
Jahaziel was a Levite from the descendants of Korah who served as a brave warrior during King David's time. He was among the skilled warriors who joined David in Ziklag. The name Jahaziel also appears in other contexts in the Bible, notably as a Levite who prophesied during King Jehoshaphat's reign.
Family
Key events
Among David's warriors in Ziklag
Jahaziel was among the skilled warriors from the sons of Korah who joined David while he was in Ziklag, fleeing from King Saul.
1These are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still confined because of Saul son of Kish. They were among the mighty men who helped him in battle,
וְאֵ֗לֶּה הַבָּאִ֤ים אֶל־דָּוִיד֙ לְצִ֣יקְלַ֔ג ע֣וֹד עָצ֔וּר מִפְּנֵ֖י שָׁא֣וּל בֶּן־קִ֑ישׁ וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ בַּגִּבּוֹרִ֔ים עֹזְרֵ֖י הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
2armed with bows and able to shoot arrows or sling stones with either the right hand or the left. They were kinsmen of Saul, from Benjamin.
נֹ֣שְׁקֵי קֶ֗שֶׁת מַיְמִינִ֤ים וּמַשְׂמִאלִים֙ בָּֽאֲבָנִ֔ים וּבַחִצִּ֖ים בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת מֵאֲחֵ֥י שָׁא֖וּל מִבִּנְיָמִֽן׃
6Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;
אֶלְעוּזַ֤י וִירִימוֹת֙ וּבְעַלְיָ֣ה וּשְׁמַרְיָ֔הוּ וּשְׁפַטְיָ֖הוּ *החריפי **הַחֲרוּפִֽי׃
Service as a Levite
As a Levite, Jahaziel had a role in the service at the sanctuary, highlighting the connection between the tribe of Levi and worship in Israel.
16These are the men whom David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest there.
וְאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶעֱמִ֥יד דָּוִ֛יד עַל־יְדֵי־שִׁ֖יר בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה מִמְּנ֖וֹחַ הָאָרֽוֹן׃
17They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they carried out their service according to the order laid down for them.
וַיִּהְי֨וּ מְשָׁרְתִ֜ים לִפְנֵ֨י מִשְׁכַּ֤ן אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵד֙ בַּשִּׁ֔יר עַד־בְּנ֧וֹת שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיַּעַמְד֥וּ כְמִשְׁפָּטָ֖ם עַל־עֲבוֹדָתָֽם׃
Prophecy under Jehoshaphat
A Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, a Levite from the descendants of Asaph, was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and prophesied encouragement to King Jehoshaphat and Judah as they faced a vast enemy army.
14Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
וְיַחֲזִיאֵ֡ל בֶּן־זְכַרְיָ֡הוּ בֶּן־בְּ֠נָיָה בֶּן־יְעִיאֵ֧ל בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָ֛ה הַלֵּוִ֖י מִן־בְּנֵ֣י אָסָ֑ף הָיְתָ֤ה עָלָיו֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ הַקָּהָֽל׃
15He said: "Listen, all Judah and you who live in Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says to you: Do not be afraid or dismayed because of this vast horde, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ כָל־יְהוּדָה֙ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לָכֶ֗ם אַ֠תֶּם אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֙תּוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֨י הֶהָמ֤וֹן הָרָב֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָכֶ֛ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה כִּ֥י לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be coming up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley, facing the wilderness of Jeruel.
מָחָר֙ רְד֣וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הִנָּ֥ם עֹלִ֖ים בְּמַעֲלֵ֣ה הַצִּ֑יץ וּמְצָאתֶ֤ם אֹתָם֙ בְּס֣וֹף הַנַּ֔חַל פְּנֵ֖י מִדְבַּ֥ר יְרוּאֵֽל׃
17You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions, stand firm, and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you."
לֹ֥א לָכֶ֖ם לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בָּזֹ֑את הִתְיַצְּב֣וּ עִמְד֡וּ וּרְא֣וּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת֩ יְהוָ֨ה עִמָּכֶ֜ם יְהוּדָ֣ה וִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֔תּוּ מָחָר֙ צְא֣וּ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיהוָ֖ה עִמָּכֶֽם׃
Jehoshaphat's victory after the prophecy
Following Jahaziel's prophetic word, Jehoshaphat and the people went out with praise, and the Lord gave them a miraculous victory without their having to fight.
20Early in the morning they set out for the Desert of Tekoa. As they started out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and you who live in Jerusalem! Trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand firm; trust in his prophets, and you will succeed."
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֵּצְא֖וּ לְמִדְבַּ֣ר תְּק֑וֹעַ וּבְצֵאתָ֞ם עָמַ֣ד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שְׁמָע֗וּנִי יְהוּדָה֙ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם הַאֲמִ֜ינוּ בַּיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם֙ וְתֵ֣אָמֵ֔נוּ הַאֲמִ֥ינוּ בִנְבִיאָ֖יו וְהַצְלִֽיחוּ׃
21After consulting the people, he appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him in the splendor of holiness as they went out ahead of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his mercy endures forever."
וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וַיַּעֲמֵ֤ד מְשֹֽׁרֲרִים֙ לַיהוָ֔ה וּֽמְהַֽלְלִ֖ים לְהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּצֵאת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הֶֽחָל֔וּץ וְאֹֽמְרִים֙ הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
22As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
וּבְעֵת֩ הֵחֵ֨לּוּ בְרִנָּ֜ה וּתְהִלָּ֗ה נָתַ֣ן יְהוָ֣ה ׀ מְ֠אָֽרְבִים עַל־בְּנֵ֨י עַמּ֜וֹן מוֹאָ֧ב וְהַר־שֵׂעִ֛יר הַבָּאִ֥ים לִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיִּנָּגֵֽפוּ׃
23The Ammonites and Moabites turned on the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them; and when they had finished off the men of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
וַ֠יַּֽעַמְדוּ בְּנֵ֨י עַמּ֧וֹן וּמוֹאָ֛ב עַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הַר־שֵׂעִ֖יר לְהַחֲרִ֣ים וּלְהַשְׁמִ֑יד וּכְכַלּוֹתָם֙ בְּיוֹשְׁבֵ֣י שֵׂעִ֔יר עָזְר֥וּ אִישׁ־בְּרֵעֵ֖הוּ לְמַשְׁחִֽית׃
24When the men of Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness and looked toward the vast army, they saw only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
וִֽיהוּדָ֛ה בָּ֥א עַל־הַמִּצְפֶּ֖ה לַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־הֶ֣הָמ֔וֹן וְהִנָּ֧ם פְּגָרִ֛ים נֹפְלִ֥ים אַ֖רְצָה וְאֵ֥ין פְּלֵיטָֽה׃
Levitical Music Ministry
Jahaziel is also mentioned among the Levites appointed to serve with music in the house of the Lord during David's organization of worship.
4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:
וַיִּתֵּ֞ן לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן יְהוָ֛ה מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתִ֑ים וּלְהַזְכִּיר֙ וּלְהוֹד֣וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
5Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second to him, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; and Asaph sounded the cymbals.
אָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וֽ͏ִיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ׃
6The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
וּבְנָיָ֥הוּ וְיַחֲזִיאֵ֖ל הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים בַּחֲצֹצְר֣וֹת תָּמִ֔יד לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
Return from Exile
A man named Jahaziel is also listed among those who returned from Babylon with Ezra, showing the name's continued use in Levitical families.
5of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
מִבְּנֵ֥י שְׁכַנְיָ֖ה בֶּן־יַחֲזִיאֵ֑ל וְעִמּ֕וֹ שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ ס