Gedaliah

About Gedaliah Written by AI

Gedaliah is mentioned in Ezra 10:18 as one of the priests who had married foreign women during the Babylonian exile. After the return from exile, Ezra, a scribe and priest, led a reform movement to address the issue of intermarriage between the Israelites and the surrounding nations (Ezra 9:1 to 2). Ezra called for a assembly of all the returned exiles in Jerusalem, where he confronted them about their unfaithfulness and urged them to separate themselves from the foreign wives (Ezra 10:10 to 11). Gedaliah, along with several other priests, was found guilty of this offense (Ezra 10:18). In response to Ezra's call for repentance, Gedaliah and the others pledged to put away their foreign wives and offered a ram from the flock as a guilt offering (Ezra 10:19). This incident highlights the importance of maintaining religious and ethnic purity among the Israelites, especially for the priests who were responsible for leading the people in worship and obedience to God's law.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Gedaliah, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Made great by Jehovah. (1.) the son of Jeduthum (1 Chr. 25:3, 9). (2.) The grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and the father of Cushi (Zeph. 1:1). (3.) One of the Jewish nobles who conspired against Jeremiah (Jer. 38:1). (4.) The son of Ahikam, and grandson of Shaphan, secretary of king Josiah (Jer. 26:24). After the destruction of Jerusalem (see ZEDEKIAH), Nebuchadnezzar left him to govern the country as tributary to him (2 Kings 25:22; Jer. 40:5; 52:16). Ishmael, however, at the head of a party of the royal family, “Jewish irreconcilables”, rose against him, and slew him and “all the Jews that were with him” (Jer. 41:2, 3) at Mizpah about three months after the destruction of Jerusalem. He and his band also plundered the town of Mizpah, and carried off many captives. He was, however, overtaken by Johanan and routed. He fled with such of his followers as escaped to the Ammonites (41:15). The little remnant of the Jews now fled to Egypt.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.