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Gemariah

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âš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)

Gemariah, son of Shaphan, served as a scribe and court official who intervened to prevent King Jehoiakim from destroying the scroll of Jeremiah's prophecies; he is also identified in some textual traditions as the son of Hilkiah and an envoy sent by King Zedekiah to Babylon.

What is the meaning of Gemariah in the Bible?

Gemariah, son of Shaphan, served as a scribe and court official who intervened to prevent King Jehoiakim from destroying the scroll of Jeremiah's prophecies; he is also identified in some textual traditions as the son of Hilkiah and an envoy sent by King Zedekiah to Babylon.

SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding Gemariah's role clarifies the political tensions within the Judahite court regarding prophetic messages and highlights the internal opposition to royal policies that rejected divine warnings, providing context for the narrative of Jeremiah's conflicts with the monarchy.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Genealogy & Community Insight: When reading, notice how the lineage and actions of Gemariah reveal God's preservation of family clans and community records across generations.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Gemariah in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Gemariah clarify?

Source Attribution & Provenance

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.

How to Cite This Entry

"Gemariah." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/gemariah/
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