Hebrew · Strong's H1436
גְּדַּלְיָה
(ge-dal-YAH)
proper noun
Gedaliah is a Hebrew masculine proper name meaning "Yahweh is great" or "Yahweh has shown himself great."
The name Gedaliah appears in the Old Testament referring to several different individuals. The most prominent of these is Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, who was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as governor over the remnant of Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. His appointment represented a fragile hope for the Jewish people remaining in the land, a hope that was tragically cut short. Other individuals bearing this name include a musician in the time of David, a grandfather of the prophet Zephaniah, and several officials in the kingdom of Judah. The repetition of this name across different periods and contexts suggests a common and favored name among the Israelites, reflecting a theological confession about God's greatness. The instances of this name reflect the faith of parents who named their children with an affirmation of God's character, even in times of national upheaval The story of Gedaliah son of Ahikam serves as a poignant reminder of the volatile political landscape during the Babylonian exile and the challenges faced by those left in Judah. His brief governorship, marked by efforts to establish peace and order, ultimately ended in assassination, plunging the remaining Jewish community into further despair and dispersal. This narrative highlights themes of leadership, trust, and betrayal within a people grappling with the consequences of divine judgment and foreign domination.
Common English renderings
- Gedaliah
- Gedalia
- Gedalyah
Key verses
"because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land."
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"Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men."
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"And Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you."
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"But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah."
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"Now while he was not yet gone back, Go back then, said he, to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people; or go wheresoever it seemeth right unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a present, and let him go."
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"Now when all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;"
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Related words