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Discover the meanings of thousands of Biblical names in Abarim Publications' Biblical Name Vault: Neariah

Neariah meaning

Neariah in Biblical Hebrew
נעריה
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Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Neariah.html

🔼The name Neariah: Summary

Meaning
Child Of Yah
Etymology
From (1) the verb נער (na'ar), to be young, and (2) יה (yah), the shortened name of the Lord.
Related names
• Via נער (na'ar): Naarah, Naarai, Naaran, Naarath, Shinar
• Via יה (yah): See the 'browse by form' menu for a long list of yah-names.

🔼The name Neariah in the Bible

There are two men named Neariah in the Bible:

  • A son of Shecaniah mentioned among the descendants of king Solomon (1 Chronicles 3:22).
  • A descendant of Simeon, the second son of Jacob and Leah, and one of the four sons of Ishi, who went to war with the people of Mount Seir in the days of king Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:42).

🔼Etymology of the name Neariah

The name Neariah consists of two elements, the final one being יה (Yah) which is an abbreviated form of the Tetragrammaton יהוה, YHWH, or Yahweh.

The second part of our name comes from the root group נער:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary
נער

The verb נער (na'ar) has three major nuances. Its core meaning is to be to be young, but it may also mean to growl and to shake or shake loose. Noun נער (na'ar) means a scattering and noun נערת (ne'oret) refers to a kind of plant-product that involved beating and scattering. These words occur just a few times in the Bible. Much more common are the words that have to do with being young.

Noun נער (na'ar) means young one or child of both sexes. The feminine version of this word, נערה (na'ara), commonly refers to a marriageable but unmarried young woman. Nouns נער (no'ar), נעורים (ne'urim) and נערות (ne'urot) mean youth or early life.

— See the full Dictionary article —

🔼Neariah meaning

For a meaning of the name Neariah, NOBSE Study Bible Name List seems to go with the rare nuance of verb נער (na'ar) and reads Yahweh Drives Away. A more proper use of this word would render our name the meaning of Yahweh Shakes Loose.

Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names goes with the core meaning, and figures that the word that means boy can also mean servant, and reads Servant Of The Lord. Better would be Boy Of The Lord. Even more precise is Child Of Yah.

BDB Theological Dictionary does not translate the name Neariah but does list it under the root נער (na'ar).