נֵרִיָּה
𐤍𐤓𐤉𐤄
Neriyah
H5374 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Neriyah is a personal name meaning 'Yahweh is my lamp' or 'Yahweh gives light.' The name is formed theophorically, expressing either divine endowment of illumination or metaphorical guidance. In the Hebrew Bible, it refers specifically to an Israelite man, most notably the father of Baruch and Seraiah contemporaneous with the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem.
Semantic Range
personal name 'Yahweh is my lamp,' 'lamp of Yahweh,' name of an Israelite individual, metaphorical for divine guidance or enlightenment
Root / Etymology
Compound of the noun נֵר (ner, 'lamp, light') + יָהּ (Yah, a shortened theophoric form of the divine name YHWH). The root ניר (N-Y-R) means 'to shine, to be bright, to give light,' and the noun נֵר derives from this root. The form -יָה or -יָהוּ (-yahu) is a theophoric suffix referencing YHWH. Thus, the name means 'Yahweh is my lamp' or 'lamp of Yahweh.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Historically, נֵרִיָּה appears only in the book of Jeremiah (Jer 32:12; 51:59, 63) as the father of Baruch (Jeremiah's scribe) and Seraiah. The use of theophoric names combining a term for light with the divine name was not uncommon in the late monarchic and exilic periods, reflecting both affirmation of Israelite religious identity and hope for divine guidance during times of crisis. The form נֵרִיָּהוּ (Neriyahu) represents a fuller version, exhibiting the Western Semitic -yahu ending favored in the Kingdom of Judah, especially in official or monumental contexts. English translations typically render the name as 'Neriah,' but this can mask its theophoric and metaphorical resonance. The term 'Jew' in English Bibles for Baruch or Seraiah (Neriyah's sons) is anachronistic in the context of the late First Temple period and refers in the Hebrew text specifically to individuals from Judah (Judahite) or inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or נֵרִיָּהוּ; from נִיר and יָהּ; light of Jah; Nerijah, an Israelite; Neriah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ניר (n-y-r) — to shine, to be bright, to give light
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4500 | מָנוֹר | like a plow-yoke beam |
| H5214 | נִיר | Plow up! |
| H5215 | נִיר | freshly plowed ground |
| H5369 | נֵר | Ner |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5374-01 |
נֵרִיָּה֮ | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah | 7 |
H5374-02 |
נֵרִיָּ֤הוּ | neriyahu | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my Lamp | Neriyah | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 32:12 | נֵרִיָּה֮ | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 32:16 | נֵרִיָּ֖ה | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 36:4 | נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 36:8 | נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה | neriyah | HNp |
of Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-02 |
Jeremiah 36:14 | נֵרִיָּ֤הוּ | neriyahu | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my Lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-02 |
Jeremiah 36:32 | נֵרִיָּהוּ֮ | neriyahu | HNp |
of Neriah | Yahweh is my Lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 43:3 | נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה | neriyah | HNp |
of Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-02 |
Jeremiah 43:6 | נֵרִיָּֽהוּ | neriyahu | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my Lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 45:1 | נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |
H5374-01 |
Jeremiah 51:59 | נֵרִיָּה֮ | neriyah | HNp |
Neriah | Yahweh is my lamp | Neriyah |