List of minor Hebrew Bible figures, L–Z

For other minor Hebrew Bible figures, see List of minor Hebrew Bible figures, A–K. For minor figures in the New Testament, see List of minor New Testament figures.

This article contains persons named in the Bible, specifically in the Hebrew Bible, of minor notability, about whom little or nothing is known, aside from some family connections. Here are the names which start with L-Z; for A-K see there.

L

Laadah

Laadah (Hebrew: לאדה) is one of the sons of Shelah, son of Judah (son of Jacob) in 1 Chronicles 4:21.

Laadan

See Libni

Ladan

See Libni

Lael

Lael (Hebrew לָאֵל "belonging to God") was a member of the house of Gershon according to Numbers 3:24. He was the father of Eliasaph. Neither of these is named in the Gershonite list in 1 Chronicles 23:7–11.

Lahmi

Lahmi, according to 1 Chronicles 20:5, was the brother of Goliath, killed by David's warrior Elhanan. See also Elhanan, son of Jair.

Laish

This entry is about the individual named Laish. For the city Dan, known also as Laish, see Dan (ancient city).

Laish is a name which appears in 1 Samuel 25:44 and 2 Samuel 3:15, where it is the name of the father of Palti, or Paltiel, the man who was married to Saul's daughter Michal before she was returned to David.

Lapidoth

Lapidoth was the husband of Deborah, the fourth judge of Israel, according to Judges 4:4.

Letushim

Letushim appears as a son of Dedan according to Genesis 25:3.

Leummim

Leummim (Hebrew: לְאֻמִּים) was the third son of Dedan, son of Jokshan, son of Abraham by Keturah (Genesis 25:3).

Libni

Libni (Hebrew לִבְנִי) was a son of Gershon of the house of Levi according to Exodus 6:17 and Numbers 3:18. He was born in Egypt. His descendants are referred to as the 'Libnites'. The first born son of Gershon is named as Laadan (or Ladan) in 1 Chronicles 23:7–9.

Likhi

Likhi son of Shemida is listed in a genealogy of the tribe of Manasseh. He is mentioned only in 1 Chronicles 7:19.

Lo-Ammi

Lo-Ammi (Hebrew for "not my people") was the youngest son of Hosea and Gomer. He had an older brother named Jezreel and an older sister named Lo-Ruhamah. God commanded Hosea to name him "Lo-Ammi" to symbolize his anger with the people of Israel (see Hosea 1:1–9).

Lo-Ruhamah

Lo-Ruhamah (Hebrew for "not loved") was the daughter of Hosea and Gomer. She had an older brother named Jezreel and a younger brother named Lo-Ammi. Her name was chosen by God to symbolize his displeasure with the people of Israel (see Hosea 1:1–9).

M

Maacah

Maacah was the youngest son of Nahor and his concubine Reumah, he is only mentioned in one verse in the Bible which is Genesis 22:24.

Maadai

Maadai, son of Bani is found in Ezra 10:34, in a list of men recorded as having married foreign women.

Maadiah

Maadiah appears in a list of priests and Levites said to have accompanied Zerubbabel in Nehemiah 12:5.

Maai

Maai (Hebrew: מָעַי) was a musician who was a relative of Zechariah, a descendant of Asaph. He is mentioned once, as part of the ceremony for the dedication of the rebuilt Jerusalem wall (Nehemiah 12:36), where he was part of the group that processed southwards behind Ezra. His name is omitted in the Septuagint translation of the passage, as are the names of five other relatives of Zechariah mentioned in the same verse. The name is otherwise unattested. Blenkinsopp suggests that Maai is a diminutive nickname. Mandel proposes its Hebrew origin means "sympathetic".

Maaseiah

Several men called Maaseiah (Hebrew מַעֲשֵׂיָה or מַעֲשֵׂיָהוּ maaseyah(u) "Work of YHWH") are mentioned in the Bible:

• One of the Levites whom David appointed as porter for the ark 1 Chronicles 15:18, 1 Chronicles 15:20
• One of the "captains of hundreds" associated with Jehoiada in restoring king Jehoash to the throne 2 Chronicles 23:1
• The "king's son", probably one of the sons of king Ahaz, killed by Zichri in the invasion of Judah by Pekah, king of Israel 2 Chronicles 28:7
• One who was sent by king Josiah to repair the temple 2 Chronicles 34:8. He was governor (Heb. sar, rendered elsewhere in the Authorized Version "prince," "chief captain", chief ruler") of Jerusalem.
• The father of the priest Zephaniah Jeremiah 21:1, 37:3
• The father of the false prophet Zedekiah Jeremiah 29:21
• a priest, the father of Neriah Jeremiah 32:12, 51:59
• The son of Shallum, "the keeper of the threshold" (Jeremiah 35:4) "may be the father of the priest Zephaniah mentioned in [Jeremiah] 21:1; 29:25; 37:3".
• One of the sons of Jeshua who had married a foreign wife during the exile (Ezra 10:18).

Maasiai

Hebrew for "Worker of Yahweh", one of the priests resident at Jerusalem at the Captivity 1 Chronicles 9:12

Maaz

Maaz was one of the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel. His brothers were: Jamin and Eker. He is mentioned briefly in 1 Chronicles 2:27.

Maaziah

• Head of the twenty-fourth and final priestly course in David's reign, 1 Chronicles 24:18.
• Also, a priest named in Nehemiah 10:8.

Machbanai

Hebrew for "Clad with a mantle", one of the Gadite heroes who joined David in the wilderness 1 Chronicles 12:13

Machbena

Machbena or Machbenah, according to the only mention of him, in 1 Chronicles 2:49, was the son of Sheva the son of Caleb.

Machi

Machi of the tribe of Gad was the father of Geuel, a scout sent to Canaan prior to the crossing of the Jordan River according to Numbers 13:15.

Machnadebai

Machnadebai is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible only once, in Ezra 10:40, where the name appears in a list of people alleged to have married foreign women.

Magpiash

Magpiash, according to Nehemiah 10:20, was one of the men who signed a covenant between God and the people of Yehud Medinata.

Mahalath

1. Mahalath, one of the wives of Esau, and a daughter of Ishmael (Genesis 28:6–9). Thought to be the same as Basemath of Genesis 36.
2. Mahalath, a daughter of Jerimoth, son of David and Abihail, granddaughter of Jesse, the first-named wife of king Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 11:18. She had three children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.

Mahali

Mahali (also Mahli) was a son of Merari of the house of Levi according to Exodus 6:19, born in Egypt.

Mahath

Hebrew for "Grasping"

• A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah (different from Elkanah the father of Samuel) 1 Chronicles 6:35
• Another Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:12)

Mahazioth

Heb. "Visions", a Kohathite Levite, chief of the twenty-third course of musicians 1 Chronicles 25:4,1 Chronicles 25:30

Maher-shalal-hash-baz

Maher-shalal-hash-baz ("Hurry to spoil!" or "He has made haste to the plunder!") was the second mentioned son of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 8.1–4). The name is a reference to the impending plunder of Samaria and Damascus by the king of Assyria. The name is the longest personal name in the Bible.

Mahlah

Mahlah is the name of two biblical persons:

• One of the daughters of Zelophehad, who with her four sisters brought a claim regarding inheritance before Moses. (Numbers 26:33, 27:1–11, 36; Jo. 17:3–6)
• A child of Gilead's sister Hammolecheth and great-granddaughter of Manasseh. She had two siblings, Ishhod and Abiezer. (1 Chr. 7:18–6)

Mahol

The father of four sons 1 Kings 4:31 who were inferior in wisdom only to Solomon.

Malcam

For the deity sometimes called Malcam, Malcham, or Milcom, see Moloch.

Malcam (King James Version spelling Malcham) son of Shaharaim appears only once in the Hebrew Bible in a genealogy of the Tribe of Benjamin.

Malchiel

Malchiel (Hebrew מַלְכִּיאֵל "my king is God") was a son of Beriah the son of Asher, according to Genesis 46:17 and Numbers 26:45. He was one of the 70 persons to migrate to Egypt with Jacob. According to 1 Chronicles 7:31, he was the ancestor of the Malchielites, a group within the Tribe of Asher.

Malchishua

Heb. "King of help" or "King of salvation", one of the four sons of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:33). He perished along with his father and brothers in the battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:2).

Malchiah

Malchiah (Hebrew: מלכיהו malkiyahu "God is my king") son of the king (Jeremiah 38:6), owner of the pit into which Jeremiah was thrown

Mallothi

A Kohathite Levite, one of the sons of Heman the Levite (1 Chronicles 25:4), and chief of the nineteenth division of the temple musicians 1 Chronicles 25:26

Malluch

There are two biblical figures named Malluch

• A Levite of the family of Merari 1 Chronicles 6:44
• A priest who returned from Babylon (Neh. NIV),(Ezra 10:29),(Ezra 10:32)

Manahath

Manahath is one of the sons of Shobal. His brothers names were: Ebal, Shepho, Onam, and Alvan (Genesis 36:23).

Maon

According to 1 Chronicles 2:45, Maon was a member of the clan of Caleb, the son of Shammai and the father of Beth Zur.

Marsena

Marsena appears in Esther 1:14 as one of seven Persian and Medean princes. Marsena also advised King Ahasuerus. See also: Carshena. There exists the presumption that both counselors have Persian names.

Mash

Mash was a son of Aram according to Genesis 10:23. In Arabic traditions, Mash is considered the father of Nimrod (not Nimrod bin Kush bin Kanan), who begot Kinan, who in turn begot another Nimrod, and the lattermost's descendants mixed with those of Asshur (i.e. Assyrians). Tse Tsan-Tai identifies his descendants with the indigenous peoples of Siberia.

Massa

Hebrew word meaning tribute or burden, one of the sons of Ishmael, the founder of an Arabian tribe (Gen. 25:14); a nomadic tribe inhabiting the Arabian desert toward Babylonia.

Matred

Matred, according to Genesis 36:39 and 1 Chronicles 1:50, was the mother-in-law of the Edomite king Hadad II.

Matri

Matri, of the Tribe of Benjamin, was an ancestor of Saul according to 1 Samuel 10:21. Matri's clan, or the family of the Matrites, was chosen, and, from them, Saul the son of Kish was chosen to be king. The family of the Matrites is nowhere else mentioned in the Hebrew Bible; the conjecture, therefore, is that Matri is probably a corruption of Bikri, i.e. a descendant of Becher (Genesis 46:21).

Mattan

Mattan (Mathan in the Douay–Rheims translation) was a priest of the temple of Baal in Jerusalem who was killed during the uprising against Athaliah when King Azariah's remaining son, Jehoash, was appointed king of Judah (2 Kings 11:18).

Mattattah

Mattattah (KJV: Mattathah) was one of the descendants of Hashum mentioned in Ezra 10:33 along with Mattenai, Zabda, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei who married foreign wives.

Matthanias

Two men called Matthanias are mentioned in 1 Esdras, one each mentioned in 1 Esdras 9:27 and 9:31. In both passages, the parallel text in Ezra 10:26 and 10:30 contains the name Mattaniah.

Mehetabeel

Mehetabeel ("Whom God benefits" or "God causes good") was the father of Delaiah, and grandfather of Shemaiah, who joined Sanballat against Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:10).

Mehetabel

Mehetabel ("מהיטבאל") ("Whom God benefits" or "God causes good") was the wife of Hadad, one of the kings of Edom (Genesis 36:39).

Mehir

Mehir son of Chelub appears in a genealogy of the Tribe of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4:11.

Mehujael

Mehujael as depicted in the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493).

In Genesis 4:18, Mehujael (Hebrew: מְחוּיָאֵל – Məḥūyāʾēl or מְחִיּיָאֵל‎; Greek: Μみゅーαあるふぁιいおたηいーたλらむだ – Maiēl) is a descendant of Cain, the son of Irad and the father of Methushael. The name means "El (or) the god enlivens."

Mehuman

Faithful, one of the eunuchs whom Ahasuerus commanded to bring in Vashti (Esther 1:10).

Persian "مهمان signifies a stranger or guest"

Melatiah

Melatiah the Gibeonite is a person who, according to Nehemiah 3:7, was responsible for rebuilding a portion of the wall of Jerusalem after the end of the Babylonian captivity.

Melech

King, the second of Micah's four sons 1 Chronicles 8:35), and thus grandson of Mephibosheth. Also related to a southwest Asian god, see Melech

Melzar

Probably a Persian word meaning master of wine, i.e., chief butler; the title of an officer at the Babylonian court Daniel 1:11, Daniel 1:16 who had charge of the diet of the Hebrew youths. Daniel had a providential relationship of "favour and tender love" with Melzar (Daniel 1:9).

Merab

"Merab" redirects here. For the (unrelated) masculine given name, see Merab (given name).

Merab was the elder of Saul's two daughters (1 Samuel 14:49). She was offered in marriage to David after his victory over Goliath, but does not seem to have entered heartily into this arrangement (1 Samuel 18:17–19). She was at length, however, married to Adriel of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley, about 10 miles south of Bethshean (Beit She'an), with whom the house of Saul maintained an alliance. She had five sons, who were all put to death by the Gibeonites on the hill of Gibeah (2 Samuel 21:8). Merab is also a common feminine name in Israel.

Meraiah

A chief priest, a contemporary of the high priest Joiakim (Neh 12:12).

Meraioth

• Father of Amariah, a priest of the line of Eleazar (1 Chronicles 6:6–7), (1 Chronicles 6:52). It is uncertain if he ever was the high priest.
• A priest who went to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:15). He is called Meremoth in Neh 12:3.

Meremoth

A priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:3), to whom were sent the sacred vessels (Ezra 8:33) belonging to the temple. He took part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 3:4).

Meres

Meres is listed in Esther 1:14 as one of seven officials in the service of Ahasuerus.

Meshelemiah

A Levite of the family of the Korhites, called also Shelemiah (1 Chronicles 9:21),(1 Chronicles 26:1–14) He was a temple gate-keeper in the time of David.

Meshillemoth

Two men called Meshillemoth (in one case spelled Meshillemith) are mentioned in the Bible.

• The father of Berechiah, a member of the Tribe of Ephraim during the time when Pekah was king.
• A priest, the son of Immer. He is called "Meshillemoth" in 1 Chronicles 9:12.

Meshullam

See Meshullam

Meshullemeth

The wife of King Manasseh of Judah, and the mother of King Amon of Judah (2 Kings 21:19).

Methusael

In Genesis 4:18, Methusael or Methushael (Hebrew: מְתוּשָׁאֵל – Məṯūšāʾēl) is a descendant of Cain, the son of Mehujael and the father of Lamech.

Mezahab

The father of Matred (Gen 36:39),(1 Chronicles 1:50), and grandfather of Mehetabel, wife of Hadar, the last king of Edom.

Miamin

See Mijamin

Mibhar

A Hagarene, one of David's warriors (1 Chronicles 11:38); called also Bani the Gadite (2 Samuel 23:36).

Mibsam

• One of Ishmael's twelve sons, and head of an Arab tribe (Gen 25:13).
• A son of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:25).

Mibzar

Mibzar was an Edomite clan (possibly named after an eponymous chieftain) mentioned in Genesis 36:31-43.

Michael

Michael (is the masculine given name that comes from Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל (Mīkhāʼēl, pronounced [miχかいaˈʔel]), derived from the question מי כאל mī kāʼēl, meaning "Who is like God?") is the name of 8 minor biblical individuals besides from the Archangel Michael.

• Michael of the house of Asher was the father of Sethur, a scout sent to Canaan prior to the crossing of the Jordan River according to Numbers 13:13.
• Michael was the oldest son of Izrahiah, a descendant of Issachar according to 1 Chronicles 7:1-3
• Michael was the 6th son of Beriah the head of the family of those living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath of the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:16)
• Michael was a chief Gadite in Bashan. (1 Chronicles 5:13)
• Michael was a Manassite and one of David's mighty warriors in Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 2:20)
• Michael was an ancestor of Asaph as the son of Baaseiah and the father of Shimea as a Gershonite Levite. (1 Chronicles 6:40)
• Michael was the father of Omri, the leader of the tribe of Judah and the time of David. (1 Chronicles 27:18)
• Michael was one of the sons of King Jehoshaphat who was killed by Joram his brother in the process of being king. (2 Chronicles 21:2–4)

Michaiah

Two men called Michaiah (Hebrew: מיכיה Mikayah "Who is like Yah?") are mentioned in the Bible:

• Michaiah, son of Imri (q.v.)
• Michaiah, the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan (Jeremiah 36:11), who heard Baruch's reading of the oracles of YHVH to Jeremiah, and reported to king Johoiakim

Michri

"Prize of Jehovah" or "Selling", a Benjamite, the father of Uzzi (1 Chronicles 9:8).

Mijamin

Three men called Mijamin (also spelled Miamin, Miniamin, Minjamin) ("from the right hand") are mentioned in the Bible:

• The head of the sixth of twenty four priestly divisions set up by King David. (1 Chronicles 24:9)
• A chief priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:5), who signed the renewed covenant with God. (Nehemiah 10:8) In the time of Joiakim his family had joined with that of Moadiah, and was led by Piltai. He was also called Miniamin. (Neh 12:17)
• A non-priestly Mijamin son of Parosh is mentioned in Ezra 10:25 as one of those who divorced a gentile wife, and sacrificed a ram in atonement.

Mikloth

1. An officer under Dodai, in the time of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 27:4).
2. A Benjamite (1 Chronicles 8:32),(1 Chronicles 9:37), (1 Chronicles 9:38).

Milalai

A Levitical musician (Neh 12:36) who took part in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.

Miniamin

See also: Mijamin

Miniamin (or Mijamin) was one of the agents appointed under Kore in the time of King Hezekiah to distribute a share of the plenty to the priests in the Levitical cities of Judah (2 Chronicles 31:15.

Minjamin

See Mijamin

Mishael

Two men called 'Mishael (Hebrew מִישָׁאֵל 'Who is like God (El)?') are mentioned in the Bible:

Mishael was a son of Uzziel of the house of Levi according to Exodus 6:22, born in Egypt. He was a nephew of Amram and a cousin of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses. He and Elzaphan were asked by Moses to carry away Nadab's and Abihu's bodies to a place outside the camp. (Leviticus 10:4)

Mishael was one of the three Hebrew youths who were trained with Daniel in Babylon (Dan. 1:11, 19). He and his companions were cast into and miraculously delivered from the fiery furnace for refusing to worship the king's idol (3:13–30). Mishael's Babylonian name was Meshach.

Mishma

Mishma, son of Simeon (1 Chron. 4:25–26).

Mishmannah

(Hebrew מִשְׁמַנָּה) one of the Gadite heroes who gathered to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:10).

Mithredath

(Hebrew: מִתְרְדָת; Greek: Μιθραδάτης; Latin: Mithridates) The Hebrew form of the Persian name Mithridates meaning 'given/dedicated to the sun'.

• The "treasurer" of King Cyrus (Ezra 1:8).
• A Persian officer in Samaria (Ezra 4:7).

Moab

Moab was the son of Lot and his eldest daughter. He became the father of the Moabites (see Genesis 19:36–37).

Molid

(Hebrew מוֹלִיד)

• A son of Abishur of the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:29).

Moza

(Hebrew מוֹצָא)

• One of the sons of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:46).
• The son of Zimri, of the posterity of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:36–37),(1 Chronicles 9:42–43).

Muppim

Muppim (Hebrew מֻפִּים) or Shuphim was the eighth son of Benjamin in Genesis 46:21 and Numbers 26:39.

Mushi

Mushi (Hebrew מוּשִׁי) was a son of Merari of the house of Levi according to Exodus 6:19, born in Egypt.

N

Naam

Naam was one of the sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh. (1 Chronicles 4:15) His brothers were Iru and Elam.

Naaman

Naaman is the fifth son of Benjamin in Genesis 46:21, but the son of Bela and therefore the grandson of Benjamin according to Numbers 26:38-40 and 1 Chronicles 8:4 He is not mentioned among the sons of Bela in 1 Chronicles 7:7.

Naarah

According to the Hebrew Bible, Naarah was one of the two wives of Ashur the son of Hezron which bore Ashur: Ahuzam, Hepher, Temeni and Haahashtari according to 1 Chronicles 4:6.

Naboth

Naboth was a minor figure known for owning a vineyard that king Ahab wished to have for himself. When Naboth was unwilling to give up the vineyard, Ahab's wife Jezebel instigated a plot to have Naboth killed. See 1 Kings 21.

Nadab

Nadab is the name of 4 biblical individuals

• A son of Aaron and a High Priest mentioned many times in the Hebrew Bible.
• Nadab a King of Israel and a son of Jeroboam I assassinated by Baasha of Israel. He is mentioned in 1 Kings 14:20, 15:25, 15:27, 15:31.
• A son of Shammai and brother of Abishur mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:28.
• A son of Gideon mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:36.

Naharai

Naharai (or Nahari) the Beerothite is listed in 2 Samuel 23:37 and 1 Chronicles 11:39 as one of David's Mighty Warriors.

Nahath

Three men called Nahath appear in the Bible.

• Nahath, son of Reuel, son of Esau appears in a genealogy of the Edomites, found in Genesis 36:13 and repeated in 1 Chronicles 1:37. According to the Encyclopaedia Biblica', this Nahath is probably the same figure as the Naham of 1 Chronicles 4:19 and the Naam of 1 Chronicles 4:15.
• A Nahath appears in the ancestry of Samuel according to 1 Chronicles 6:26 (verse 11 in some Bibles).
• A Nahath appears in a list of Levite supervisors in the time of Hezekiah, in 2 Chronicles 31:13

Nahbi

Nahbi, the son of Vophsi of the house of Naphtali, was a scout sent to Canaan prior to the crossing of the Jordan River according to