I apologize the late posting. I did not get to sleep until after 3:00 a.m., and really needed more sleep than I got, rising at 8. Since then, I've catered to the dog, made some whole-grain blueberry muffins, brewed the coffee and lo! It's after 10:00.
Yesterday we concluded our walk through Galatians - - such a wonderful book. This morning, I found myself wondering where to go next. In so doing, I came across the Nave's Topical Bible Index on biblehub.com. Seeing this reminded me of my late paternal step-grandmother, Eloise ... Weezie to those who knew her. The grandkids called her "Wing Wing". She was magnificent!
Wing Wing passed away suddenly while I was across the country in school. I was bereft with grief, as I didn't get to say good-bye. But, after her death, her hairdresser brought a leather-bound Nave's Topical Bible to my mother. She said that Wing Wing had told her about the Bible and had given it to her for safe-keeping until she could give it to me at Christmas time. It was one of the most precious Christmas presents I've ever received. I still love and miss her, but am comforted that I will see her again.
So, in the electronic version of Nave's, I thought it would be fun to look for an interesting topic to explore. The Bible is such a treasure! I've studied it for years, but there is still so much to learn. In the Nave's index, I saw the name "Uzziel", and thought, "Who dat?" (Good morning, NOLA Saints fans!) I hope you'll be as intrigued as I am by what I found.
There are actually 5 Uzziels mentioned in the Bible. The etymology of the name is "My Strong God". "El", the last part is short for "Elohim", which is the plural form of "God", and the first part, "Uzz", means "strong". In the middle is a short character that indicates possessive (where the "my" comes from). So, there you go. (These are not listed in truly chronological order.)
#1
The first Uzziel mentioned in the Bible is found in Exodus 6:18; Leviticus 10:4; Numbers 3:19, 27. He is the grandson of Levi - - - yes, THE Levi, the progenitor of the Levitical line, the tribe of Levi, the priests of the Jewish people. He had 3 brothers, of which Amram was the eldest.
19 The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
27 To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans.
#2
A second Uzziel was from the tribe of Simeon, and was a mighty warrior. We read in 1 Chronicles 4:41-43 that he led 500 men to battle at Mount Seir, where he and his brothers destroy the last of the Amalekites.
41These, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42From them, from the sons of Simeon, five hundred men went to Mount Seir, with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, as their leaders. 43They destroyed the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.
#3
A third Uzziel is found to be a contemporary of Nehemiah and Ezra. He was a talented goldsmith who worked on the rebuilding of the ("second") Temple, during and after the return of the Jewish remnant to their land after the Babylonian captivity. This man was an artist and a restorer. We find him mentioned in Nehemiah 3:8.
Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a member of the goldsmiths' guild, worked on the section adjacent to him.
NET Bible
#4
A fourth Uzziel was the grandson of Benjamin (the youngest of the 12 sons of Jacob). Benjamin's son, Uzziel's father, was named Bela. We find mention of him in 1 Chronicles 7:7 - - -
The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families--five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.
Like Uzziel the Simeonite, this Uzziel lived up to his name. He was a mighty man of valor.
#5
The fifth and final Uzziel found in Scripture was a musician in the court of King David. See
1 Chronicles 25:4-5 - -
As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
One of 17.... I guess he had find some way to distinguish himself from that crowd, and prophecy and music seemed to be "the family business". This last Uzziel is also mentioned in 2 Chronicles 29:14-15 as one whose descendants were called upon in Hezekiah's day to "cleanse the temple". Hezekiah ruled about 275 years after David.
14and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.15They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the LORD.…
This shows that his family endured in faithfulness to God for several generations. All of these Uzziels used their God-given talents to honor Him, each in his own way. What a blessing!
Well, this has been a strange and uncharacteristic post, has it not? But, it's good to "change it up" every now and then.
Father, thank you for the good gifts you pour out on us, including those particular talents you have equipped us with so that we can glorify You in our time here. Your infinite creativity and variety are amazing! Do a mighty work in each of us, Lord, to advance Your kingdom and make famous the matchless name of Your Son, Jesus, our Saviour. It's in His name I pray, amen.
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