Jerahmeel

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

JERAHMEEL (‘May El have compassion!’) 1. A non-Israelite clan in the extreme S. of Palestine, with which David cultivated friendly relations during his exile (  1 Samuel 27:10;   1 Samuel 30:29 ). After Saul’s death the Jerahmeelites formed part of the little principality over which he reigned in Hebron. How indistinct the recollection of them was appears from the various forms assumed by their name in MSS of the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] : Jesmega, Isramelei, Aermon, Israel, Jeramelei . Subsequently they were considered to have been a Judahite clan (  1 Chronicles 2:9; 1Ch 2:25 ff.,   1 Chronicles 2:35-42 : here Jerahmeel is Caleb’s elder brother; the list of his descendants in   1 Chronicles 2:35-42 is of later origin than   1 Chronicles 2:9;   1 Chronicles 2:25-27 and brings them down to the Chronicler’s day). We have no historical or other records connected with these names, save that Molid (  1 Chronicles 2:29 ) is a town mentioned elsewhere (  Joshua 19:2 ,   Nehemiah 11:26 ). 2. LXX [Note: Septuagint.] and Old Lat. read ‘Jerahmeel’ at   1 Samuel 1:1 as the name of Samuel’s grandfather. In all probability the Jeroham of MT [Note: Massoretic Text.] is an abbreviated form, like Jacob for Jacob-el , or the Yarkhamu found in a Babylonian list of Hammurabi’s time. 3. One of the three men ordered by Jehoiakim to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch (  Jeremiah 36:26 ). AV [Note: Authorized Version.] follows Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] ( filio Amelech ), calling him ‘son of Hammelech’: RV [Note: Revised Version.] , with LXX [Note: Septuagint.] , ‘the king’s son.’ He was a scion of the royal house, but not necessarily a child of Jehoiakim. 4. In a list of Levites (  1 Chronicles 24:20-31 ) drawn up considerably later than that in   1 Chronicles 23:6 ff., Jerahmeel’s name is added as son of Kish (MT [Note: Massoretic Text.] ‘sons’: the text is in a confused state). There must at the time have been a division of Levites called after him, and not, as previously, after Kish.

J. Taylor.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Hezron's firstborn ( 1 Chronicles 2:9;  1 Chronicles 2:25-27;  1 Chronicles 2:33-42). His descendants occupied southern Judah. David pretended to Achish he had invaded them, but finally he sent them presents of the Amalekite spoil ( 1 Samuel 27:8;  1 Samuel 27:10;  1 Samuel 30:29). The Geshurites, Gezrites, and Amalekites dwelt close to southern Judah, so that David's march against them seemed a march against southern Judah. The Negeb or S. land lies between the mountains of Judah and the Arabian desert ( Joshua 15:19-21). The Kenites occupied the wilderness of Judah S. of Arad ( Judges 1:16). The Negeb of Jerahmeel lay S.W. of Arad, the quarter from which David would pretend to attack them, setting out from the Philistines. It is now er Rakhmah, a corruption of Jerahmeel. The wady er Ramail and Beard, er Ramail, S.E. of Arad, are traceable to the same name. The Negeb of Caleb meets the Jerahmeelite land, as its northern frontier.

2.  1 Chronicles 24:29;  1 Chronicles 23:21.

3. Hammelech's son sent by king Jehoiakim to apprehend Baruch and Jeremiah, "but the Lord hid them" ( Jeremiah 36:26;  Psalms 31:20;  Psalms 83:3;  Isaiah 26:20). Not as margin "son of the king," for he at this time (the fifth year of his reign) had no grown up son; Jeconiah was then but 11 years old ( 2 Kings 23:36, compare  2 Kings 24:8).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Jerah'me-el. (Mercy Of God).

1. First-born son of Hezron, the son of Pharez, the son of Judah,  1 Chronicles 2:9;  1 Chronicles 2:25-27;  1 Chronicles 2:33;  1 Chronicles 2:42, and founder of the family of Jerahmeelites.  1 Samuel 27:10. (B.C. before 1491).

2. A Merarite Levite, the representative of the family of Kish, the son of Mahli.  1 Chronicles 24:29. Compare  1 Chronicles 23:21. (B.C. 1014).

3. Son of Hammelech, who was employed by Jehoiakim, to make Jeremiah and Baruch prisoners, after they had burnt the roll of Jeremiah's prophecy.  Jeremiah 36:26. (B.C. 505).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Son of Hammelech ( Jeremiah 36:26 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Jerahmeel'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/j/jerahmeel.html. 1897.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The son of Kish. ( 1 Chronicles 24:29) His name is a compound of Racham, mercy; El, God. There were others of this name. (See  1 Chronicles 2:25, etc.  Jeremiah 36:26. And there was a prince so called.  1 Samuel 27:10; 1Sa 30:29)

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Hezron, a descendant of Judah.  1 Chronicles 2:9-42 .

2. Son of Kish, a Merarite.  1 Chronicles 24:29 .

3. Son of Hammelech and an officer of Jehoiakim.  Jeremiah 36:26 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Chronicles 2:9 1 Chronicles 2:42 1 Samuel 27:10 Jeremiah 36:26 1 Chronicles 24:29

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Jerahmeel

(Heb. Yerachme '''''Ë''''' L'' ', יְרִחְמְאֵל , Loving God or Beloved by God), the name of three men.

1. (Sept. Ι᾿Ραμεήλ and Ι᾿Ερεμεήλ v.r. Ι᾿Εραμεήλ .) First born of Hezron, brother of Caleb, and father of Ram (not Aram), of the tribe of Judah ( 1 Chronicles 2:9;  1 Chronicles 25:26). B.C. ante 1658. His descendants were called JERAHMLEELITES (Hebrew Yeracnhe Ë li', יְרִחְמְאֵלַי , Sept. Ι᾿Εριμιήλ and ῾Ιεριμιήλ v.r. ῾Ιερεμεήλ ,  1 Samuel 27:10;  1 Samuel 30:29).

2. (Sept. Ι᾿Ραμαήλ v.r. ῾Ιεραμεήλ .) Son of Kish, a Levite whose relationship is undefined otherwise (2 Chronicles 24:29). B.C. apparently 1014.

3. (Sept. ῾Ιερεμιήλ v.r. Ι᾿Ερεμεήλ a.) Son of Hammelech (q.v.), one of the two persons commanded by Jehoiakim to apprehend Jeremiah and Baruch, who providentially escaped ( Jeremiah 36:26). B.C. 605.