Jerijah

Head of the Hebronites

Also known as: Jeria, Jerias

The united kingdomPriestLeaderc. 1000 BC

Jerijah (also known as Jerijah from Hebron) was a Levite of the Hebronite clan who served under King David. He was appointed head of the Hebronites and given responsibility for important administrative and religious tasks on both sides of the Jordan.

Family

Key events

Registration of the Hebronites

In David's fortieth year as king, capable men were found among the Hebronites under the leadership of Jerijah in Jazer in Gilead.

31Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was chief, according to the genealogies of the Hebronites by their families. In the fortieth year of David's reign a search was made, and men of great ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead.
לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִי֙ יְרִיָּ֣ה הָרֹ֔אשׁ לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִ֥י לְתֹלְדֹתָ֖יו לְאָב֑וֹת בִּשְׁנַ֨ת הָֽאַרְבָּעִ֜ים לְמַלְכ֤וּת דָּוִיד֙ נִדְרָ֔שׁוּ וַיִּמָּצֵ֥א בָהֶ֛ם גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל בְּיַעְזֵ֥יר גִּלְעָֽד׃ ‬

Appointment as head of the Hebronites

Jerijah was identified as the head of the Hebronites according to their clans and families, and was placed in a prominent leadership position.

31Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was chief, according to the genealogies of the Hebronites by their families. In the fortieth year of David's reign a search was made, and men of great ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead.
לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִי֙ יְרִיָּ֣ה הָרֹ֔אשׁ לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִ֥י לְתֹלְדֹתָ֖יו לְאָב֑וֹת בִּשְׁנַ֨ת הָֽאַרְבָּעִ֜ים לְמַלְכ֤וּת דָּוִיד֙ נִדְרָ֔שׁוּ וַיִּמָּצֵ֥א בָהֶ֛ם גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל בְּיַעְזֵ֥יר גִּלְעָֽד׃ ‬
32His relatives, capable men, numbered two thousand seven hundred heads of families. King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter concerning God and for the affairs of the king.
וְאֶחָ֣יו בְּנֵי־חַ֗יִל אַלְפַּ֛יִם וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת רָאשֵׁ֣י הָאָב֑וֹת וַיַּפְקִידֵ֞ם דָּוִ֣יד הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עַל־הָראוּבֵנִ֤י וְהַגָּדִי֙ וַחֲצִי֙ שֵׁ֣בֶט הַֽמְנַשִּׁ֔י לְכָל־דְּבַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וּדְבַ֥ר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פ ‬

Administrative responsibility east of the Jordan

King David appointed Jerijah and his brothers, 2,700 capable men, over the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to oversee all matters concerning God and the king.

30Of the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives—one thousand seven hundred capable men—had charge of the affairs of Israel west of the Jordan, for all the work of the LORD and the service of the king.
לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִ֡י חֲשַׁבְיָהוּ֩ וְאֶחָ֨יו בְּנֵי־חַ֜יִל אֶ֣לֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵא֗וֹת עַ֚ל פְּקֻדַּ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מַעְרָ֑בָה לְכֹל֙ מְלֶ֣אכֶת יְהוָ֔ה וְלַעֲבֹדַ֖ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
31Of the Hebronites: Jerijah was chief, according to the genealogies of the Hebronites by their families. In the fortieth year of David's reign a search was made, and men of great ability were found among them at Jazer in Gilead.
לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִי֙ יְרִיָּ֣ה הָרֹ֔אשׁ לַֽחֶבְרוֹנִ֥י לְתֹלְדֹתָ֖יו לְאָב֑וֹת בִּשְׁנַ֨ת הָֽאַרְבָּעִ֜ים לְמַלְכ֤וּת דָּוִיד֙ נִדְרָ֔שׁוּ וַיִּמָּצֵ֥א בָהֶ֛ם גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל בְּיַעְזֵ֥יר גִּלְעָֽד׃ ‬
32His relatives, capable men, numbered two thousand seven hundred heads of families. King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter concerning God and for the affairs of the king.
וְאֶחָ֣יו בְּנֵי־חַ֗יִל אַלְפַּ֛יִם וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת רָאשֵׁ֣י הָאָב֑וֹת וַיַּפְקִידֵ֞ם דָּוִ֣יד הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עַל־הָראוּבֵנִ֤י וְהַגָּדִי֙ וַחֲצִי֙ שֵׁ֣בֶט הַֽמְנַשִּׁ֔י לְכָל־דְּבַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וּדְבַ֥ר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פ ‬

Registration of the Hebronites under David

The Hebronites were mustered and registered in the fortieth year of David's reign, and Jerijah led a significant group responsible for religious and civil affairs.

19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
בְּנֵ֖י חֶבְר֑וֹן יְרִיָּ֤הוּ הָרֹאשׁ֙ אֲמַרְיָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֔י יַחֲזִיאֵל֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י וִֽיקַמְעָ֖ם הָרְבִיעִֽי׃ ‬

Division of service among the Levites

As part of David's organization of the Levitical service, Jerijah and his relatives were counted as the first among the sons of Hebron and given specific duties.

23The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. [^fn] [^fn]: The Hebrew text here reads simply "and the sons of, Jeriah..."; the name Hebron is supplied from the parallel list of Levite families.
וּבְנָ֖י יְרִיָּ֑הוּ אֲמַרְיָ֙הוּ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י יַחֲזִיאֵל֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י יְקַמְעָ֖ם הָרְבִיעִֽי׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (3)