Who was Shemaiah in the Bible?

Several individuals in the Bible bore the name Shemaiah, so it was presumably common among the ancient Jews. The name signifies “heard by the Lord” or “the Lord has heard.” Some of the Shemaiahs in Scripture played significant roles in the biblical narrative.

The first notable Shemaiah was a prophet during the reigns of Jeroboam and Rehoboam. He is first mentioned in 1 Kings 12:22: “But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God.” Shemaiah prophesied at the brink of a civil war between Israel and Judah after the kingdom had split, as recounted in the entire chapter. Rehoboam had already assembled an army when Shemaiah spoke on behalf of God, “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing’” (1 Kings 12:23–24). Rehoboam wisely listened and called off the attack. Thus, Shemaiah was instrumental in preventing a war. His prophecy is reiterated in 2 Chronicles 11:2–4.

The second Shemaiah was also a prophet, but he played a very different role. His name appears in Jeremiah 29:24, where the Lord denounces him for opposing Jeremiah. Through Jeremiah, God instructed the exiles in Babylon to “build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:6–7). In the following verses, God warns against false prophets. Shemaiah was a false prophet who urged the Israelites in Babylon to disregard Jeremiah (verses 24–28). For his actions, God condemned him (verse 32).

The next influential Shemaiah was a Levite during the time of King Hezekiah. The king before Hezekiah had defiled God’s temple (2 Chronicles 28:24). Hezekiah set out to cleanse and restore God’s house. Shemaiah was among the Levites and priests tasked with purifying the temple (2 Chronicles 29:4–5, 12–14). In this role, Shemaiah participated in a reform that pleased God. Another Levite named Shemaiah lived during King David’s time and helped transport the ark (1 Chronicles 15:8, 11).

Other Shemaiahs in the Bible include those mentioned in genealogies (1 Chronicles 3:22; 4:37). During Nehemiah’s time, a priest named Shemaiah took part in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:6, 18).

In their various ways, all the Shemaiahs in the Bible played pivotal roles in Israel’s history, whether for good or bad.