Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

URIAH

1. Hittite who joined the people of Israel, became a leader in David’s army, and was listed among the king’s mighty men (2 Sm 23:39; 1 Chr 11:41). Uriah’s wife was Bathsheba, with whom David committed adultery while Uriah was fighting the Ammonites. Upon learning that she was pregnant, David summoned Uriah to Jerusalem, hoping that Uriah would sleep with his wife and consider himself the child’s father. However, Uriah slept in the servants’ quarters because he was unwilling to enjoy the comforts of home while his companions were at war. The second night David again tried to entice him to sleep with his wife. Even after falling into a drunken stupor, Uriah still could not be persuaded to go home; instead, he spent the night at the palace. To deepen the intrigue, David sent Uriah back to the battle, ordering him positioned at a vulnerable place, where he was killed (2 Sm 11; Mt 1:6).

2. Priest who built an altar at Jerusalem in imitation of an Assyrian model at King Ahaz of Judah’s request (2 Kgs 16:10-16).

3. Priest who was the father of Meremoth. Meremoth weighed the silver, gold, and vessels for the temple (Ezr 8:33) and built portions of the Jerusalem wall during the days of Nehemiah (Neh 3:4, 21).

4. One of the men who stood to Ezra’s right when Ezra read the law to the people (Neh 8:4). He is perhaps the same man as #3 above.

5. Priest whom Isaiah took as a witness (Is 8:2). He is perhaps the same man as #2 above.

6. Prophet and Shemaiah’s son from Kiriath-jearim. Uriah enraged King Jehoiakim by prophesying against Judah and Jerusalem. Fearing for his life, Uriah fled to Egypt but was eventually abducted and brought back to King Jehoiakim, who subsequently put him to death (Jer 26:20-23).