Original Word: איּרִיָּה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Uwriyah
Pronunciation: oo-ree-YAH
Phonetic Spelling: (oo-ree-yaw')
KJV: Uriah, Urijah
Word Origin: [from H217 (אוּר - fire) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. flame of Jah
2. Urijah, the name of one Hittite and five Israelites

Uriah, Urijah

Or (prolonged) Uwriyahuw {oo-ree-yaw'-hoo}; from 'uwr and Yahh; flame of Jah; Urijah, the name of one Hittite and five Israelites -- Uriah, Urijah.

see HEBREW 'uwr

see HEBREW Yahh

אוּרִיָּה proper name, masculine (flame of Yah or my light is Yah see יָהּ).

1 Hittite husband of Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11:3f; 2 Samuel 23:39.

2 priest in reign of Ahaz Isaiah 8:2; 2 Kings 16:10f.

3 priest in time of Nehemiah Ezra 8:33; Nehemiah 3:4,21; Nehemiah 8:4.

אוּרִיָּ֫הוּ proper name, masculine (flame of Yahweh or my light is Yahweh see יהוה) a prophet slain by Jehoiakim Jeremiah 26:20.

Overview of Usage

The name איּרִיָּה (Strong’s 223) appears about thirty-nine times across the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament. Each occurrence refers to a man whose life intersects crucial moments in Israel’s story, ranging from the reign of David to the post-exilic community. Together these references illustrate the weight Scripture places on personal fidelity, priestly integrity, prophetic courage, and covenant hope.

Key Individuals Named Uriah

1. Uriah the Hittite – A Model of Soldierly Integrity (2 Samuel 11–12; 23:39; 1 Chronicles 11:41)

• An elite warrior in David’s mighty-men roster, Uriah embodied covenant loyalty to the king and to Yahweh’s cause.
• His refusal to enjoy domestic comforts while the Ark and the army were in the field exposes David’s moral lapse. “By the life of your soul, I will not do such a thing!” (2 Samuel 11:11).
• David’s sin, compounded by Uriah’s murder, became a watershed moment that elicited prophetic confrontation (Nathan) and set the pattern for repentance and divine chastening in 2 Samuel 12.
• The narrative underscores God’s impartial justice: even a king is accountable when he wrongs a faithful servant.

2. Uriah the Priest under King Ahaz – Compromise in Worship (2 Kings 16:10-16; Isaiah 8:2)

• Commissioned by Ahaz to replicate a pagan altar from Damascus, Uriah cooperated with unauthorized cultic innovation.
• His acquiescence illustrates the danger of priestly capitulation to political pressure, foreshadowing later reforms under Hezekiah and Josiah.
• Isaiah lists him as a reliable witness to the prophet’s ministry (Isaiah 8:2), reminding readers that even compromised leaders may be summoned to testify to God’s word.

3. Uriah the Prophet – Courage unto Death (Jeremiah 26:20-23)

• Prophesied “against this city and this land” in language similar to Jeremiah’s.
• Fled to Egypt when Jehoiakim sought his life but was extradited, “struck down with the sword, and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people” (Jeremiah 26:23).
• His martyrdom heightens Jeremiah’s trial scene, revealing the cost of prophetic faithfulness and the lengths to which rebellious rulers will go to silence truth.

4. Post-Exilic Priests and Leaders (Ezra 8:33; Nehemiah 3:4, 21; 8:4; 12:12, 42)

• Bearers of the name served in temple administration, wall-rebuilding, and covenant renewal.
• Their presence signals continuity between pre-exilic and restored worship, affirming that the Lord preserved priestly lines despite exile.

Historical and Theological Themes

• Light versus Darkness – The name means “Yahweh is my light,” a recurring motif in the lives it marks. Uriah the Hittite’s integrity, the priest’s exposure to foreign idolatry, and the prophet’s illuminating rebuke each dramatize the struggle between divine light and human darkness.
• Faithfulness and Accountability – God vindicates the faithful (Uriah the Hittite’s name endures in Scripture’s honor roll) and judges the unfaithful (David’s household turmoil; Ahaz’s downfall).
• Prophetic Suffering – Uriah the prophet stands in the line of martyred witnesses, pointing ahead to ultimate vindication in the Messiah who also suffered outside the camp.

Ministry Significance

• Integrity under Pressure – Uriah the Hittite challenges believers to maintain unwavering loyalty even when leaders fail.
• Guarding Worship – The priestly Uriah warns ministers not to substitute cultural trends for biblical patterns.
• Courageous Witness – The prophet Uriah reminds preachers and teachers that fidelity to God’s message may invite persecution but serves a greater redemptive purpose.

Related Passages for Study

2 Samuel 11; 12:9-10

2 Kings 16:10-16

Isaiah 8:2

Jeremiah 26:20-23

Ezra 8:33

Nehemiah 3:4, 21; 8:4; 12:12, 42

א֣וּרִיָּ֔ה אֽוּרִיָּ֔ה אֽוּרִיָּ֖ה אֽוּרִיָּ֗ה אֽוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֽוּרִיָּה֙ אוּרִיָּ֖ה אוּרִיָּ֗ה אוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אוּרִיָּ֛ה אוּרִיָּ֜ה אוּרִיָּ֜הוּ אוּרִיָּ֣ה אוּרִיָּ֤ה אוּרִיָּ֥ה אוּרִיָּ֧ה אוּרִיָּ֨ה אוּרִיָּֽה׃ אוּרִיָּה֙ אוריה אוריה׃ אוריהו וְאוּרִיָּ֧ה ואוריה לְא֣וּרִיָּ֔ה לאוריה ’ū·rî·yā·hū ’ū·rî·yāh ’ūrîyāh ’ūrîyāhū lə’ūrîyāh lə·’ū·rî·yāh leUriYah uriYah uriYahu veuriYah wə’ūrîyāh wə·’ū·rî·yāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts