Lexical Summary Nechum: Nehum Original Word: נְחוּם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Nehum From nacham; comforted; Nechum, an Israelite -- Nehum. see HEBREW nacham NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nacham Definition "comfort," an Isr. of Nehemiah's time NASB Translation Nehum (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נְחוּם proper name, masculine (comfort) a returned exile Nehemiah 7:7 ᵐ5 Ναουμ = רְחוּם Ezra 2:2. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Nehum (נְחוּם) carries the sense of “comfort” or “compassion,” a reminder of the divine consolation granted to Israel after judgment. Biblical Occurrence and Setting Nehum is named once, in Nehemiah 7:7, among the leaders who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel: “They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah”. The verse mirrors Ezra 2:2, where the parallel name “Rehum” appears—likely a dialectal or orthographic variant rather than a separate person. Historical Background: The First Return (538 BC) Cyrus of Persia authorized Jewish exiles to go back to Judah and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). Nehum’s inclusion in the leadership roster places him among the vanguard who shouldered administrative, logistical, and spiritual responsibilities for roughly 50,000 returnees (Ezra 2:64-65). Their journey fulfilled prophetic promises of restoration (Jeremiah 29:10; Isaiah 44:28) and inaugurated the long process of re-establishing temple worship and covenant life. Role within the Post-Exilic Community 1. Head of a Family or District. Ancient lists typically cite clan leaders; Nehum thus represents an extended household that resettled Judah, reclaimed ancestral land, and contributed to temple expenses (Nehemiah 7:70-72). Textual Notes • Nehum (Nehemiah 7:7) ↔ Rehum (Ezra 2:2). The consonants ר and נ are graphically close in Hebrew square script; scribal transmission explains the interchange without impugning inerrancy. Theological Significance: Divine Comfort After Discipline Nehum’s name encapsulates the compassion of God, who disciplines yet restores. Isaiah 40:1 announced, “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.” The physical return under Zerubbabel and the spiritual reforms under Ezra and Nehemiah were concrete expressions of that comfort. The theme anticipates the “consolation of Israel” awaited by Simeon (Luke 2:25) and fully realized in Jesus Christ, in whom “the God of all comfort… comforts us in all our troubles” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Ministry Applications • Faithful Obscurity. Nehum encourages believers who serve without public recognition; God records every name (Luke 10:20). Related Names and Motifs Nahum the prophet, Nehemiah (“Yahweh comforts”), and Menahem (“comforter”) share the same root, forming a canonical thread that links individual lives to the larger narrative of divine consolation. Summary Though mentioned only once, Nehum stands among the pioneers who embodied the Lord’s promise to comfort His people and re-establish covenant life after exile. His quiet presence in Nehemiah 7:7 speaks volumes about God’s faithfulness to remember, record, and reward all who participate in His redemptive work. Forms and Transliterations נְח֣וּם נחום nə·ḥūm neChum nəḥūmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 7:7 HEB: מִסְפֶּ֥רֶת בִּגְוַ֖י נְח֣וּם בַּעֲנָ֑ה מִסְפַּ֕ר NAS: Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. KJV: Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. INT: Mispereth Bigvai Nehum Baanah the number |
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