PETHAHIAH (pĕth'a-hī'a, Heb. pethahyâh, Jehovah opens up)

The head priest of the nineteenth course of priests during David’s reign (1Chr.24.16).A disobedient Levite who, in Ezra’s time, married a foreign woman (Ezra.10.23). Most scholars identify him with the one named in Neh.9.5.Meshezabel’s son who descended from Zearah from the tribe of Judah. He was the counselor for King Artaxerxes “in all affairs relating to the people” (Neh.11.24).

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PETHAHIAH pĕth’ ə hī’ ə (פְתַחְיָה). 1. The ancestor of a postexilic priestly family (1 Chron 24:16).

2. A Levite who was among those induced by Ezra to put away their foreign wives (Ezra 10:23; 1 Esd 9:23; KJV, ASV Apoc., PATHEUS, păth’ ə ŭs).

3. A Levite (Neh 9:5); perhaps the same as 2.

4. Son of Meshezabel; he advised Zerubbabel in matters “concerning the people” (Neh 11:24).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

(Pethachyah, "Yah opens up"):

(1) Chief of the 19th course of priests (1Ch 24:16).

(2) One of the Levites having "foreign wives" (Ezr 10:23; Ne 9:5; "Patheus" in 1 Esdras 9:23).

(3) Son of Meshezabeel, descendant of Judah, who was "at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people" (Ne 11:24).