NETHANIAH nĕth’ ə nī ə (נְתַנְיָה, H5992, נְתַנְיָהוּ, gift of Jehovah). 1. Father of Ishmael, murderer of Gedaliah who had been made governor by Nebuchadnezzar (KJV). He is mentioned in 2 Kings 25:23, 25, and in a series of vv. in Jeremiah 40 and 41 as the father of Ishmael. Jeremiah 41:1 adds a bit of information: “...Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah....” The jealousy of the exiled royalty against one who had been loyal to Jeremiah seems to supply the motive for the crime, as well as his subserviency to the hated conqueror.

2. A chief singer in the days of David (1 Chron 25:2, 12).

3. A Levite whom Jehoshaphat sent to teach in the cities of Judah (2 Chron 17:8).

4. Father of Jehudi whom the princes of Judah sent to Baruch, the amanuensis of Jeremiah (Jer 36:14).