Neri is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Neri was a descendant of David who is mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospel of Luke. He appears in the ancestral line that traces Jesus’ lineage backward from Joseph, His legal father, all the way to Adam. Neri is listed as the son of Melchi and the father of Salathiel, placing him in the period of Israel’s history following the Babylonian exile, since his grandson Zorobabel (Zerubbabel) was a leader of the returning exiles.
The setting of Neri’s appearance in Scripture is entirely within this genealogical record found in Luke chapter 3. The Gospel writer presents a carefully ordered list of names demonstrating that Jesus, through His legal descent from Joseph, could be traced back through the royal line of David. This mattered greatly to first-century Jewish readers, for whom messianic expectations were tied to David’s house. Neri thus occupies a small but real place in the chain of generations that God preserved across centuries.
Scripture says nothing else about Neri beyond his name appearing once in this list. We are told only that he was “the son of Neri” in relation to Salathiel, and that he himself was “the son of Melchi.” No deeds, words, or personal circumstances are recorded. His significance lies not in anything he accomplished but in his position within the lineage through which God brought the promised Messiah into the world.
The Name
The name Neri is understood to derive from the Hebrew root *ner*, meaning “lamp” or “light,” and it may be a shortened form of names such as Neriyah, meaning “Yahweh is my lamp” or “my light is the LORD.” This connection is reasonably well established, since the Hebrew word for lamp appears frequently in the Old Testament and related names are attested elsewhere in Scripture. It should be noted, however, that the precise form and original vocalization of this particular name in the Greek text of Luke are debated among scholars, so the meaning is offered with appropriate caution rather than absolute certainty.
A Closing Thought
Neri’s life is summed up in a single line of a genealogy—a man remembered only as a link in a chain. Yet that chain carried the promise of the Savior to the world. Most of us will never be famous or widely remembered, but faithfulness in ordinary places still matters in God’s purposes. Like a small lamp burning in a long corridor of years, Neri played his quiet part in a story far larger than himself. God’s great works are often built through unnamed, unnoticed lives—and yours may be one of them.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: New
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Luke 3:27 — Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,