יְזַנְיָה
𐤉𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤄
Yezaneyah
H3153 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name: Jezaniah. The name likely means 'Yahweh listens' or 'Yahweh hears.' Used as a proper name for at least one Israelite individual in the post-monarchic period. The root idea is of listening or hearing, attributed to Yahweh in theophoric personal names.
Semantic Range
personal name; Yahweh hears; Yahweh listens; variant spelling with or without -hu suffix; post-monarchic Israelite leader
Root / Etymology
From the root אזן (ʾ-z-n), meaning 'to hear, to listen,' plus the theophoric suffix יה (Yah), a shortened form of the divine name. The form יְזַנְיָה (Yezanyah) is a probable variant or contracted form related to יַאֲזַנְיָה (Ya’azanyahu), both built from the same morphological elements. Root: אזן.
Historical & Contextual Notes
יְזַנְיָה (Yezanyah) is attested as a personal name in post-monarchic, early Persian period texts (e.g., Jer 40:8; 42:1), referring to an Israelite leader after the fall of Jerusalem. The theophoric suffix indicates veneration of Yahweh as the national deity. Both יְזַנְיָה and יְזַנְיָהוּ appear in the biblical text; the difference is due to variation with or without the suffixed הוּ ('-hu'), which further lengthens the theophoric ending (Yahu). The translation 'Jezaniah' in many English Bibles reflects a convention for rendering the name into English but does not capture the meaning. The meaning, 'Yahweh listens' or 'Yahweh hears,' is only visible when considering the underlying Hebrew roots. Note that personal names with the root אזן are rare but follow a common pattern of theophoric Israelite names. In some English translations, 'Jezaniah' may be rendered 'Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah.' No evidence suggests that the name was used for Judahites or Judeans distinctively. Usage is confined to the remnant Israelite leadership post-destruction of Jerusalem.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or יְזַנְיָהוּ; probably for יַאֲזַנְיָה; Jezanjah, an Israelite; Jezaniah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אזן (ʾ-z-n) — to hear, to listen, to give ear
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H238 | אָזַן | I will cause to listen |
| H239 | אָזַן | and he listened attentively |
| H240 | אָזֵן | your broad-blade |
| H241 | אֹזֶן | their ear |
| H244 | אׇזְנִי | the Oznite |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3153-01 |
וִֽ/יזַנְיָ֖ה | vizaneyah | HC/Np |
and Jezaniah | and Yahweh listens | 1 |
H3153-02 |
וִֽ/יזַנְיָ֨הוּ֙ | vizaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Jezaniah | and Yahweh listens | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3153-02 |
Jeremiah 40:8 | וִֽ/יזַנְיָ֨הוּ֙ | vizaneyahu | HC/Np |
and Jezaniah | and Yahweh listens |
H3153-01 |
Jeremiah 42:1 | וִֽ/יזַנְיָ֖ה | vizaneyah | HC/Np |
and Jezaniah | and Yahweh listens |