Atomic Bible

High priest during the reign of Zedekiah

Seraiah

Named in 5 verses across 5 books, first in 2 Kings 25:18.

שְׂרָיָהוּSeraiah

The name means “prince of the Lord.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
Azariah
Children
Jehozadak, Ezra
People
Tribe of Levi

About Seraiah Written by AI

Seraiah, mentioned in 2 Kings 25:18 Chronicles 2 Kings 6:14, Ezra 7:1, Nehemiah 11:11, and Jeremiah 52:24, was the high priest during the reign of King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile. As the high priest, Seraiah held the highest religious authority in the land and was responsible for overseeing the temple services and religious practices. He was also a descendant of Aaron, as evident from the genealogical records in 1 Chronicles and Ezra. Tragically, after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, Seraiah was captured and executed by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the Babylonian guard, at Riblah. His death marked the end of the line of high priests serving in the first temple.

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 Seraiah, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Soldier of Jehovah. (1.) The father of Joab (1 Chr. 4:13, 14).

(2.) The grandfather of Jehu (1 Chr. 4:35).

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(3.) One of David’s scribes or secretaries (2 Sam. 8:17).

(4.) A Netophathite (Jer. 40:8), a chief priest of the time of Zedekiah. He was carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon, and there put to death (2 Kings 25:18, 23).

(5.) Ezra 2:2.

(6.) Father of Ezra the scribe (7:1).

(7.) A ruler of the temple (Neh. 11:11).

(8.) A priest of the days of Jehoiakim (Neh. 12:1, 12).

(9.) The son of Neriah. When Zedekiah made a journey to Babylon to do homage to Nebuchadnezzar, Seraiah had charge of the royal gifts to be presented on that occasion. Jeremiah took advantage of the occasion, and sent with Seraiah a word of cheer to the exiles in Babylon, and an announcement of the doom in store for that guilty city. The roll containing this message (Jer. 50:1-8) Seraiah was to read to the exiles, and then, after fixing a stone to it, was to throw it into the Euphrates, uttering, as it sank, the prayer recorded in Jer. 51:59-64. Babylon was at this time in the height of its glory, the greatest and most powerful monarchy in the world. Scarcely seventy years elapsed when the words of the prophet were all fulfilled. Jer. 51:59 is rendered in the Revised Version, “Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain,” instead of “was a quiet prince,” as in the Authorized Version.

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

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Where the Bible names him

  1. 2 Kings 25:18

    The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

  2. 1 Chronicles 6:14

    Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak.

  3. Ezra 7:1

    Many years later, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

  4. Nehemiah 11:11

    Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God;

  5. Jeremiah 52:24

    The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.