Iddo is the name of more than one man, and the name appears mostly in the background. A seer called Iddo wrote visions that the Chronicles point back to when telling of Solomon and of Rehoboam, a reminder that records of those reigns were kept by prophets. Later, the prophet Zechariah is called “the son of Iddo,” and he and Haggai encouraged the Jews who were rebuilding the temple. Another Iddo was the chief at Casiphia, where Ezra sent for ministers for the house of God. Look at Ezra 5 and 6 to see the builders encouraged, then Ezra 8 for the man at Casiphia.
5 verses
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
(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).
William Smith, 1884
(timely or lovely).
(1.) The father of Abinadab. (1 Kings 4:14)
(2.) A descendant of Gershom, son of Levi. (1 Chronicles 6:21)
(3.) Son of Zechariah, ruler of the tribe of Manasseh east of Jordan in the time of David. (1 Chronicles 27:21) (B.C. 1014.)
(4.) A seer whose "visions" against Jeroboam incidentally contained some of the acts of Solomon. (2 Chronicles 9:29) He appears to have written a chronicle or story relating to the life and reign of Abijah. (2 Chronicles 13:22) (B.C. 961.)
(5.) The grandfather of the prophet Zechariah. (Zechariah 1:1,7)
(6.) The chief of those who assembled at Casiphia at the time of the second caravan from Babylon. He was one of the Nethinim. (Ezra 8:17) comp. Ezra 8:20 (B.C. 536.)