Maaseiah
The Priest Who Supported the Reformation
Tunnetaan myös nimellä: Maaseiah, Maaseya, Machseja
Maaseiah is a name that appears several times in the Old Testament and refers to different individuals. The most prominent Maaseiah was a priest who actively participated in Ezra's reforms after returning from exile in Babylon, and who was among those who had taken foreign wives and had to send them away. The name means 'work of the Lord' and is borne by several priests, Levites, and leaders in Israel.
Avaintapahtumat
Among the Priests Who Had Taken Foreign Wives
Maaseiah was one of the priests who had married women from the surrounding peoples and had to commit to sending them away as part of Ezra's reform.
18Among the descendants of the priests, these were found to have married foreign women: from the sons of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers—Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ מִבְּנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹשִׁ֖יבוּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיּ֑וֹת מִבְּנֵ֨י יֵשׁ֤וּעַ בֶּן־יֽוֹצָדָק֙ וְאֶחָ֔יו מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ וֽ͏ֶאֱלִיעֶ֔זֶר וְיָרִ֖יב וּגְדַלְיָֽה׃
19They pledged themselves to send away their wives, and being guilty, they presented a ram from the flock as their guilt offering.
וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ יָדָ֖ם לְהוֹצִ֣יא נְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם וַאֲשֵׁמִ֥ים אֵֽיל־צֹ֖אן עַל־אַשְׁמָתָֽם׃ ס
Participation in the Reading of the Law
A Maaseiah stood at Ezra's right hand when he read the law to the people by the Water Gate, which showed his prominent position among the people.
4Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
וֽ͏ַיַּעֲמֹ֞ד עֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר עַֽל־מִגְדַּל־עֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ לַדָּבָר֒ וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֣ד אֶצְל֡וֹ מַתִּתְיָ֡ה וְשֶׁ֡מַע וַ֠עֲנָיָה וְאוּרִיָּ֧ה וְחִלְקִיָּ֛ה וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖ה עַל־יְמִינ֑וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאל֗וֹ פְּ֠דָיָה וּמִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל וּמַלְכִּיָּ֛ה וְחָשֻׁ֥ם וְחַשְׁבַּדָּ֖נָה זְכַרְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּֽם׃ פ
5Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, for he stood above them; and as he opened it, all the people stood up.
וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י כָל־הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־מֵעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כָל־הָעָֽם׃
6Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people lifted their hands and answered, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הַגָּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן ׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֻּ֛ לַיהוָ֖ה אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
7And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—the Levites—explained the Law to the people while they remained in their places.
וְיֵשׁ֡וּעַ וּבָנִ֡י וְשֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה ׀ יָמִ֡ין עַקּ֡וּב שַׁבְּתַ֣י ׀ הֽוֹדִיָּ֡ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה קְלִיטָ֣א עֲזַרְיָה֩ יוֹזָבָ֨ד חָנָ֤ן פְּלָאיָה֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מְבִינִ֥ים אֶת־הָעָ֖ם לַתּוֹרָ֑ה וְהָעָ֖ם עַל־עָמְדָֽם׃
Contribution to the Dedication of the Wall
Maaseiah participated in the dedication of Jerusalem's wall under Nehemiah's leadership, a significant event for the rebuilt community.
41and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets,
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים אֶלְיָקִ֡ים מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה מִ֠נְיָמִין מִיכָיָ֧ה אֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֛י זְכַרְיָ֥ה חֲנַנְיָ֖ה בַּחֲצֹצְרֽוֹת׃
42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang out, with Jezrahiah as their director.
וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֨ה וּֽשְׁמַֽעְיָ֜ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֧ר וְעֻזִּ֛י וִֽיהוֹחָנָ֥ן וּמַלְכִּיָּ֖ה וְעֵילָ֣ם וָעָ֑זֶר וַיַּשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ הַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔ים וְיִֽזְרַחְיָ֖ה הַפָּקִֽיד׃
Father of Seraiah and grandfather of Baruch
In the book of Jeremiah, a Maaseiah is mentioned as the father of Neriah and grandfather of Baruch, to whom Jeremiah wrote, and of Seraiah, who was tasked with delivering a message to Babylon.
12and I gave the deed to Baruch son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, of the witnesses who had signed the deed, and of all the Judeans sitting in the courtyard of the guard.
וָאֶתֵּ֞ן אֶת־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֗ה אֶל־בָּר֣וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּה֮ בֶּן־מַחְסֵיָה֒ לְעֵינֵי֙ חֲנַמְאֵ֣ל דֹּדִ֔י וּלְעֵינֵי֙ הָֽעֵדִ֔ים הַכֹּתְבִ֖ים בְּסֵ֣פֶר הַמִּקְנָ֑ה לְעֵינֵי֙ כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בַּחֲצַ֥ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃
59This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster.
הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה ׀ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא אֶת־שְׂרָיָ֣ה בֶן־נֵרִיָּה֮ בֶּן־מַחְסֵיָה֒ בְּלֶכְתּ֞וֹ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ בָּבֶ֔ל בִּשְׁנַ֥ת הָרְבִעִ֖ית לְמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׂרָיָ֖ה שַׂ֥ר מְנוּחָֽה׃
Temple guard during Jeremiah's time
Maaseiah, son of Shallum, served as a gatekeeper in the temple and played a prominent role as a priest in Jerusalem during the prophet Jeremiah's time.
4and I brought them to the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, the man of God. It was next to the chamber of the officials, above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.
וָאָבִ֤א אֹתָם֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־לִשְׁכַּ֗ת בְּנֵ֛י חָנָ֥ן בֶּן־יִגְדַּלְיָ֖הוּ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֙צֶל֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ת הַשָּׂרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִמַּ֗עַל לְלִשְׁכַּ֛ת מַעֲשֵׂיָ֥הוּ בֶן־שַׁלֻּ֖ם שֹׁמֵ֥ר הַסַּֽף׃
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, with this message:
הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה בִּשְׁלֹ֨חַ אֵלָ֜יו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֗הוּ אֶת־פַּשְׁחוּר֙ בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּ֔ה וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֧ה בֶן־מַעֲשֵׂיָ֛ה הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
Governor of Jerusalem during Josiah's reforms
A Maaseiah served as the city governor in Jerusalem during King Josiah's religious reforms and contributed to restoring proper worship.
8In the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz the recorder to repair the house of the LORD his God.
וּבִשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ לְטַהֵ֥ר הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהַבָּ֑יִת שָׁ֠לַח אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֜הוּ וְאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיָ֣הוּ שַׂר־הָעִ֗יר וְ֠אֵת יוֹאָ֤ח בֶּן־יֽוֹאָחָז֙ הַמַּזְכִּ֔יר לְחַזֵּ֕ק אֶת־בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
9They went to Hilkiah the high priest and handed over the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites who guarded the thresholds had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.[^1]
[^1]: The written Hebrew text reads "the inhabitants of Jerusalem"; the traditional reading is "and they returned to Jerusalem."
וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אֶל־חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ ׀ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֗וֹל וַֽיִּתְּנוּ֮ אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף֮ הַמּוּבָ֣א בֵית־אֱלֹהִים֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָסְפֽוּ־הַלְוִיִּם֩ שֹׁמְרֵ֨י הַסַּ֜ף מִיַּ֧ד מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה וְאֶפְרַ֗יִם וּמִכֹּל֙ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִכָּל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן *וישבי **וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרֽוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
Mainittu Raamatussa (25)
1. Aikakirja 15:181. Aikakirja 15:201. Aikakirja 24:182. Aikakirja 23:12. Aikakirja 26:112. Aikakirja 28:72. Aikakirja 34:8Esran kirja 10:18Esran kirja 10:21Esran kirja 10:22Esran kirja 10:30Nehemian kirja 8:4Nehemian kirja 8:7Nehemian kirja 10:9Nehemian kirja 10:26Nehemian kirja 11:5Nehemian kirja 11:7Nehemian kirja 12:41Nehemian kirja 12:42Jeremia 21:1Jeremia 29:21Jeremia 32:12Jeremia 35:4Jeremia 37:3Jeremia 51:59