Anthothijah is a figure known solely through the meticulous genealogical records of the tribe of Benjamin preserved in the Book of Chronicles. His purpose in the biblical text is to establish the lineage of important leaders who lived during the time of the nation’s spiritual and physical restoration after the Babylonian exile.
🧬 The Lineage of Jerusalem
Anthothijah is listed as a patriarch in the line of Benjamin, specifically in the family that returned to settle in and around Jerusalem. This entire section of Chronicles is dedicated to showing who was living in Jerusalem and who was qualified to hold tribal and priestly offices.
He is identified as the father of two sons, Iphedeiah and Penuel, and the son of Shashak:
“And these are the sons of Shashak; Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel, and Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, And Hananiah, and Elam, and Anthothijah, And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak.” (1 Chronicles 8:24-26, KJV)
In this particular enumeration, Anthothijah is counted among the sons of Shashak, but the subsequent phrase clearly identifies Iphedeiah and Penuel as his sons, confirming his position as a crucial generational link in this extended family tree.
🏛️ Connection to Anathoth
The similarity of the name Anthothijah to the famous Benjamite priestly city of Anathoth is striking. Given that these lists often group families by their traditional place of residence, it is highly likely that Anthothijah and his descendants were part of the families who held the original inheritance near the city of Anathoth.
This connection places him within the region that was historically important for its priestly heritage and its role in the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah.
🔑 Significance in Restoration
Anthothijah’s inclusion in the final, careful record of the tribes confirms that his family line of Benjamin survived the exile and returned to re-establish their presence in their ancestral territory.
His name, related to “answers to prayer,” is a subtle but fitting reminder that the entire process of the restoration of Jerusalem and the repopulation of the land was viewed by the returning exiles as the fulfillment of God’s promises—an answer to the prayers of the faithful who had lamented their desolate city.