Nethaniah נְתַנְיָ֫הוּ
Father of Ishmael
Who is Nethaniah in the Bible?
Nethaniah was the father of Ishmael, a man of royal descent who assassinated Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor of Judah following Jerusalem's fall in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:23, 25; Jeremiah 40:8, 14, 15; 41:1-18). After murdering Gedaliah, Ishmael fled to the Ammonites, taking captives with him. Nethaniah himself appears only in biblical records through his son's actions, serving as the father of one of the most significant assassins in Judah's post-exilic history, an event that destabilized the newly appointed Babylonian administration in Judah.
Biography
Nethaniah was the father of Ishmael, a man of royal blood who assassinated Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonians over Judah after the fall of Jerusalem (2Ki.25.23,25; Jer.40.8,14,15; 41.1-18). Ishmael's mother was the daughter of Elnathan, an official in Jerusalem (2Ki.24.8). After the murder of Gedaliah, Ishmael fled to the Ammonites. Nethaniah is only mentioned in reference to his son Ishmael.
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 2 verses
- 2 Kings 25:23
"When all the commanders of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite,..."
- 2 Kings 25:25
"In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah."
Jeremiah 5 verses
- Jeremiah 40:8
"they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite—they and their men."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 40:14
"and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 40:15
"Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he said. “No one will know it. Why should he take your life and scatter all the people of Judah who have gathered to you, so that the remnant of Judah would perish?”"
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 41:1
"In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 41:2
"Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land."
Study Jeremiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נְתַנְיָ֫הוּ |