Seraiah שְׂרָיָהוּ
Officer under Gedaliah, son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite
Who is Seraiah in the Bible?
Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, was a military officer who served under Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor of Judah following Jerusalem's fall in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8). After the destruction of the city and the exile of many inhabitants, Seraiah joined other officers in pledging allegiance to Gedaliah at Mizpah, helping to maintain order among the remaining population. His presence in the historical record illustrates the complex leadership structures that emerged during the Babylonian occupation and the efforts to stabilize Judah in the aftermath of conquest.
Biography
Seraiah, mentioned in 2Ki.25.23 and Jer.40.8, was an officer who served under Gedaliah, the governor appointed by the Babylonians over Judah after the fall of Jerusalem. He was the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, indicating his origin from Netophah, a town in Judah. After the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and exiled many of its inhabitants, they appointed Gedaliah as the governor to oversee the remaining people in the land. Seraiah, along with other officers and their men, came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and pledged their allegiance to him. However, Gedaliah was later assassinated by Ishmael, a member of the royal family, leading to further unrest and instability in the region.
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In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 1 verse
- 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,..."
Jeremiah 1 verse
- 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."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | שְׂרָיָהוּ | šĕrāyāh | Serajah , the name of nine Israelites |