Uriah אוּרִיָּה
Priest during the reign of King Ahaz
Who is Uriah in the Bible?
Uriah was a priest who served during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah in the eighth century BCE (2 Kings 16:10-16). When King Ahaz encountered a pagan altar in Damascus and desired to replicate it in Jerusalem, he commissioned Uriah to construct a copy based on the foreign model. Uriah faithfully executed the king's orders, building the new altar and helping to implement changes to temple worship that displaced the bronze altar ordained by God's law. His cooperation with Ahaz's religious innovations exemplifies the spiritual compromise and syncretism that marked this period of Judah's history, and he is also mentioned by the prophet Isaiah as a witness to his messianic prophecy (Isaiah 8:2).
Biography
Uriah was a priest who served during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (2Ki.16.10-16; Isa.8.2). When Ahaz visited Damascus to meet with the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser, he saw a pagan altar that impressed him. Ahaz sent a model of the altar to Uriah, instructing him to build a replica in Jerusalem. Uriah faithfully followed the king's instructions and built the altar. Upon Ahaz's return, the king made offerings on the new altar and modified the temple's ritual to accommodate it, displacing the bronze altar prescribed by God. Uriah's compliance with the king's orders, despite their departure from proper worship, reflects the religious compromise and syncretism that characterized Ahaz's reign. The prophet Isaiah mentions Uriah as a witness to his prophecy about the coming Immanuel (Isa.8.2), suggesting that Uriah was a recognized figure in Jerusalem's priestly community.
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 4 verses
- 2 Kings 16:10
"Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. On seeing the altar in Damascus, King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a model of the altar and complete plans for its construction."
- 2 Kings 16:11
"And Uriah the priest built the altar according to all the instructions King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, and he completed it before King Ahaz returned."
- 2 Kings 16:15
"Then King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, “Offer on the great altar the morning burnt offering, the evening grain offering, and the king’s burnt offering and grain offering, as well as the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings of all the people of the land...."
- 2 Kings 16:16
"So Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had commanded."
Isaiah 1 verse
- Isaiah 8:2
"And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses—Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”"
Study Isaiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אוּרִיָּה |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | אוּרִיָּה |