AZARIA (Heb. ’Azarjah[ú] “Jahweh helps”). — Name of numerous biblical figures (from 25 to 30), of whom the most important are:
1) A., Achimaas (v.), was a minister of Solomon, and was probably the immediate successor of his grandfather Sadoe in the high priesthood (I Reg. 4:2; I Par. 6:9-10 [Masoretic text 5:35 ff.]; verse 10ᵈᵉ is misplaced and must refer to the first A.), which Achimaas seems not to have exercised. Another A. (son of Johanan), his descendant, was the father of Amaria (ibid. 6:10-11), high priest under King Josafat (II Par.
19:11); he seems to have been high priest under King Asa. A third A. was high priest under Ozia, whom he forcefully prevented from offering incense in the sanctuary (ibid. 26:16-20), and a fourth under Ezechia (ibid. 31:10-13).
2) Prophet, son of ’Ódéd, who, after King Asa of Judah’s victory over Zara (Zerah) the Ethiopian, threatened him with severe punishments and promised him a great reward, according as he would break or maintain the theocratic covenant (II Par. 15:1-8); the discourse of the prophet A. develops this theme in the spirit of Iudc. 2:11-23 and Neh. 9:5-37.
3) A., one of Daniel’s three companions, deported with him to Babel and educated there at the court (v. ANANIA, 3), where he received the Babylonian name Abed-Nebo (Vulgate: Abdenago, v.).
The beautiful prayer of A. (Dan. 3:25-45) is a deuterocanonical passage, absent from the present Hebrew text; in the Septuagint and Vulgate it precedes the Canticle of the Three Young Men. In the name of his entire people, A. humbly confesses that God’s severe judgment upon Israel is due to the sins committed (vv. 25-33), recalls the divine promises to Abraham, in contrast with present sufferings (vv. 34-40), and implores divine mercy and help, so that Jahweh’s glory may shine forth in Israel’s restoration and its oppressors may be humbled (vv. 41-45). Various passages of this sublime prayer have entered the Roman Missal and Breviary; vv. 39-40, in particular, form part of two of the most evocative invocations of the Ordinarium Missae (G. E. Closen, Dalla preghiera di A. [Dan. 3, 39-40], in Incontro con il Libro sacro, Italian translation, Brescia 1943, pp. 144-52).
4) Name assumed by the archangel Raffaele (Tob. 5:18; 6:7; 9:1) from the time when he offered himself to Tobia to lead his son to Rages (v. ANANIA, 2). This name, with its etymological meaning, expresses the “help of God,” embodied in the angel sent to the pious exile.
5) Two of the five centurions of the royal guard who, under the leadership of the high priest Jojada, Atalia (v.), killing her outside the Temple precinct and proclaiming the child Joas king of Judah (II Par. 23:1-21; cf. I Reg. 10:4-12).
6) Son of Osaia: he was one of the military leaders of Judah who came to Masfa to see Godolia (Ier. 40:7-14). After the collapse of Jerusalem (586 B.C.), he accused Ceremia of deceiving the people by dissuading them from emigrating to Egypt; he was among those who dragged the prophet himself, together with his secretary Baruch, into Egypt (Ier. 43:2-6). He is identified with “Jezonia” of Ier. 42:1 (and, apparently, of 40:8).
7) Military commander who, together with Giuseppe, son of Zaccaria, was placed in charge of the defense of Jerusalem by Giuda Maccabeo. Disobeying the prohibition against attacking the enemy, they sought to conquer Jamnia; but Gorgia, in a sortie, defeated them, killing approximately 2,000 men (I Mach. 5:18-19, 56-62); a tragic consequence of their disobedience and presumption (ibid. 5:61-62).
8) For the king of Judah, son of Amasia, V. OZIA.