Lexical Summary Zabbay: Zabbay Original Word: זַבַּי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zabbai Probably by orthographical error for Zakkay; Zabbai (or Zaccai), an Israelite -- Zabbai. see HEBREW Zakkay NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as zebub Definition an Isr. NASB Translation Zabbai (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs זַבַּי proper name, masculine (Palmyrene זבי VogNo. 28 (but this perhaps = loricatus, compare  lorica) **on Palmyrene זבי (probably abbreviated from ... זבד), see Lzb265 Cooke273, 291; connection with above √ uncertain) — Jew in Ezra's time Ezra 10:28; ᵐ5 Ζαβου(θ); compare also Nehemiah 3:20 Kt (ᵐ5 Ζαβου etc., but Qr זַכַּי; see זַכָּ֑י Ezra 2:9 = Nehemiah 7:14). Topical Lexicon Name and Placement in Scripture Zabbai appears twice in the post–exilic historical books. In Ezra 10:28 he is listed among the “sons of Bebai” who had taken foreign wives, and in Nehemiah 3:20 he is the father of Baruch, one of the wall builders. Both references place the name squarely within the fifth–century BC restoration community. Zabbai in Ezra’s Purity Reforms (Ezra 10:28) The return from Babylon saw many Judeans intermarry with surrounding peoples, threatening covenant distinctiveness (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Ezra confronted this compromise. When the catalogue of offenders is read, the appearance of “Zabbai” underscores that even respected returnee families such as the house of Bebai were not exempt from sin. The willingness of the guilty to confess and “put away their wives” (Ezra 10:11) demonstrates genuine repentance. Zabbai therefore stands as a sober reminder that holiness begins with honest self-assessment, yet also as a testimony to divine mercy: the line of Bebai was not cut off but purified for future service. Zabbai in Nehemiah’s Wall Reconstruction (Nehemiah 3:20) Nehemiah 3 records thirty-eight individual workers and forty-two sections of wall. Baruch son of Zabbai receives singular commendation: “Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest” (Nehemiah 3:20). The adverb “zealously” (ḥārēn nikkēn) is applied to no other worker, indicating unusual fervor. The father’s name therefore becomes permanently linked with exemplary diligence in corporate ministry. In a setting where many families labored side by side (Nehemiah 3:12; 3:23), Zabbai’s household models intergenerational cooperation—the father’s reputation enhanced through the son’s faithfulness. Historical Context 1. Return and Resettlement: The family of Bebai returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:11) and later with Ezra (Ezra 8:11). Zabbai likely belonged to this broader kin-group, experiencing both the hardship of travel and the challenge of rebuilding life in a devastated land. Ministry Significance and Theological Themes • Holiness and Restoration: Zabbai’s name surfaces in a list of the repentant, illustrating that God’s people are restored not by pedigree but by repentance and obedience (Psalm 51:17; 1 John 1:9). Later Echoes and Legacy Jewish tradition does not preserve additional details about Zabbai, yet the canonical record suffices to demonstrate that lesser-known individuals contribute to redemptive history. Every generation of believers finds itself somewhere between Ezra 10 and Nehemiah 3—called first to separation from sin and then to constructive service in God’s kingdom. Zabbai, though mentioned only twice, quietly affirms both duties. Forms and Transliterations זַבַּ֥י זַכַּ֖י זבי זכי zab·bay zabBai zabbay zak·kay zakKai zakkayLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 10:28 HEB: יְהוֹחָנָ֥ן חֲנַנְיָ֖ה זַבַּ֥י עַתְלָֽי׃ ס NAS: Hananiah, Zabbai [and] Athlai; INT: Jehohanan Hananiah Zabbai Athlai Nehemiah 3:20 2 Occurrences |
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