Bible Dictionary
Iddo
Iddo is the name of several biblical men, including Levites, military officers, a royal ancestor, a priest, and a prophet or seer whose writings recorded events in the reigns of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah.
Definition
Iddo is the name of several biblical men, including Levites, officials, a priest, a royal descendant, and a prophet or seer. The name is variously explained as “timely,” “lovely,” “beloved,” or “adorned.”
Biblical Usage
Among those called Iddo are a Gershonite Levite, a ruler of Manasseh, the father of Solomon’s officer Ahinadab, and the grandfather of Zechariah. Iddo the seer supplied records concerning Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah and is associated by some with Oded.
Historical Background
The name belongs to several periods and settings, including David’s administration, Solomon’s reign, the return from Babylon, and the priestly community under Zerubbabel. One Iddo was a leader at Casiphia who helped provide Levites and temple servants for Ezra.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(1.) Timely (1 Chr. 6:21). A Gershonite Levite. (2.) Lovely. The son of Zechariah (1 Chr. 27:21), the ruler of Manasseh in David’s time. (3.) Timely. The father of Ahinadab, who was one of Solomon’s purveyors (1 Kings 4:14). (4.) Lovely. A prophet of Judah who wrote the history of Rehoboam and Abijah (2 Chr. 12:15). He has been identified with Oded (2 Chr. 15:1). (5.) Lovely. The father of Berachiah, and grandfather of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 1:1, 7). He returned from Babylon (Neh. 12:4).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(timely or lovely).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>id'-o:</p><p>(1) ('iddo (?[~'adhadh, "to be strong"), "hap," "happy" (?), Ezr 8:17): The "chief at the place Casiphia," who provided Ezra with Levites and Nethinim, the head of the Levitical body or school, said to be one of the Nethinim or temple slaves, but perhaps an "and" has slipped out, and it should read: "his brethren and the Nethinim." 1 Esdras 8:45,46 has "Loddeus (the King James Version "Saddeus"), the captain who was in the place of the treasury," keceph meaning silver. Septuagint has "in the place of the silver (en argurio tou topou) .... to his brethren and to the treasurers."</p><p>(2) (yiddo, "beloved," or "loving," 1Ch 27:21): Son of Zechariah, and captain of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, under David.</p><p>(3) (yiddo, "beloved," or "loving," Ezr 10:43): One of those who had taken foreign wives. Another reading is Jaddai, the King James Version "Jadau." In 1 Esdras 9:35 "Edos" (the King James Version "Edes").</p><p>(4) (`iddo', "timely," 1Ki 4:14): Father of Abinadab, Solomon's commissary in Mahanaim in Gilead.</p><p>(5) (yiddo, "beloved," or "loving," 1Ch 6:21): A Gershomite Levite, son of Joah, called Adaiah in verse 41; ancestor of Asaph.</p><p>(6) (ye`do (Kethibh ye`di), or `iddo, "decked," "adorned"): Seer (chozeh) and prophet (nabhi), the Chronicler's "source" for the reign of Solomon (2Ch 9:29): "The visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat"; and for the reign of Rehoboam (2Ch 12:15): "The histories of Iddo (`iddo) the seer, after the manner of (or, "in reckoning") genealogies"; and for the reign of Abijah (2Ch 13:22): "The commentary (midhrash) of the prophet Iddo" (`iddo). He may have been the prophet who denounced Jeroboam (1Ki 13), who is called by Josephus and Jerome Jadon, or Jaddo. Jerome makes Iddo and Oded the same.</p><p>(7) (`iddo, "timely," Zec 1:1): Grandfather (father, according to Ezra) of the prophet, Zechariah. See also Zec 1:7; Ezr 5:1; 6:14 (`iddo'). In 1 Esdras 6:1, "Addo."</p><p>(8) (`iddo', "decked," "adorned," Ne 12:4,16): A priest who went up with Zerubbabel (12:4); one of the priestly clans which went up (12:16); perhaps same as (7).</p><p>Philip Wendell Crannell</p>