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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Uriah (Urijah)


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Uriah (Urijah) Uriah

The name Uriah (sometimes written as Urijah) is assigned four times in the Bible, but most famously to the Hittite husband of Bathsheba (who although a Hittite has a Hebrew name and is committed to Israel, as per 2 Sam 11:11). When king David finds himself attracted to Bathsheba, he sends Uriah to war and impregnates his wife. When a series of loathsome cover-ups attempts fail, David has Uriah killed. Following an elaborate condemnation by Nathan the prophet, the first son of David and Bathsheba dies after seven days. Their second child they name Solomon.
Uriah is not only remembered as one of David's most lamentable victims, but also as one of his most honored Mighty Men (2 Sam 23:35). In response to his contrition, David writes Psalm 51.
Later Scriptures make mention of two priests named Uriah, one during the reign of king Ahaz (2 Ki 16:10), and the other in the time of Ezra (Ezr 8:33).Jeremiah mentions a prophet named Uriah during the reign of king Jehoiakim (26:20), although his name is spelled with an additional waw: Uriah.

The name Uriah consists of two parts. The first part comes from the verb or ('or 52), to be or become light. This word is also the source of the names Ur, Urim and possibly the Hebrew name for the Nile. Some derivatives: or ('or 52a) means light, and or ('ur 52d) means flame. ora ('ora 52b) is a feminine form of the word light (as such also used to mean joy) and also the name of a certain herb ('ora as used in 2 Ki 4:39); possibly a very spicy or otherwise inflaming herb, or simply endowed with bright blossoms, etc. TWOTOT lists the Urim as 52e. The word for luminary, whether lamp or celestial body, is maor (ma'or 52f).

The second part of the name Uriah is yah, which is the commonly accepted abbreviated form of YHWH, which is YHWH, the Name of the Lord.

The name Uriah means Flame Of Yah or My Light Is Yah.



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