☀️
← Back to Lexicon
H683 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אֲצַלְיָהוּ
Atsalyahu
Proper noun, masculine
Azaliah (Whom the LORD has reserved/Noble)

Definition

The Hebrew name Atsalyahu (H683) is a compound name meaning "whom the LORD has set aside" or "the LORD is noble." It refers to Azaliah son of Meshullam, who was the father of Shaphan the scribe — the man who found the Book of the Law during King Josiah's temple repairs.

Usage & Theological Significance

Azaliah's significance lies in his son Shaphan, the royal scribe instrumental in one of the Old Testament's most dramatic moments: the rediscovery of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22). The name — "whom the LORD has reserved" — is fitting for a family God set apart for this critical moment in Israel's history. God reserves people across generations for His purposes, a chain of faithfulness that often works invisibly until His appointed time.

Key Bible Verses

2 Kings 22:3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city.
2 Kings 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.'
2 Kings 22:10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, 'Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.' And Shaphan read it before the king.
2 Kings 22:11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.

Related Words

External Resources

🌙
☀️