Overview
The Bible addresses shemaiah across 37 verses, drawn from the Old Testament. These passages cluster most in Jeremiah, 1 Chronicles and Nehemiah. Closely related themes include Levites, the, Nethaneel, Dedication and Jerusalem. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jeremiah, David, Abiathar and Zadok.
Key Bible verses about shemaiah
Old Testament
1 Chronicles
And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.
And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah;
And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.
Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:
And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. principal: Heb. house of the father
Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth,
Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.
The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.
2 Chronicles
And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small: next: Heb. at his hand set: or, trust
Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. gave: Heb. offered
Ezra
And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.
And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.
And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Nehemiah
After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:
And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. sang: Heb. made their voice to be heard
Jeremiah
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:
Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, Nehelamite: or, dreamer
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD. rebellion: Heb. revolt
Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
People in the Bible and shemaiah
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying shemaiah for yourself
- Begin with 1 Chronicles 3:22, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Jeremiah, 1 Chronicles and Nehemiah each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Jeremiah, David and Abiathar and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Levites, the, Nethaneel, Dedication and Jerusalem.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about shemaiah?
The Bible addresses shemaiah across 37 verses, drawn from the Old Testament. These passages cluster most in Jeremiah, 1 Chronicles and Nehemiah. Closely related themes include Levites, the, Nethaneel, Dedication and Jerusalem. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jeremiah, David, Abiathar and Zadok.
How many Bible verses are about shemaiah?
The Bible references shemaiah in 37 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention shemaiah?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is 1 Chronicles 3:22: “And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with shemaiah?
Jeremiah, David, Abiathar, Zadok and Asa.
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