Lexical Definition

‎זַבַּי‎ Zabbay (zab-bah'-ee) Zabbai ^N:N-M-P
probably by orthographical error for ‎זַכַּי‎

Zabbai.

• § Zabbai = "pure"
• Zabbai (or Zaccai), an Israelite

1) a descendant of Bebai who took a foreign wife in the days of Ezra
2) father of Baruch, who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the city wall

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.28

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎זַבַּי‎ proper name, masculine (Palmyrene ‎זבי‎ Vog^{No. 28} (but this perhaps = loricatus, compare lorica) **on Palmyrene ‎זבי‎ (probably abbreviated from ... ‎זבד‎), see Lzb²⁶⁵ Cooke^{273, 291}; connection with above √ uncertain) — Jew in Ezra's time Ezra 10:28 ᵐ5 Ζαβου(θ); compare also Neh 3:20 Kt (ᵐ5 Ζαβου etc., but Qr ‎זַכַּי‎; see ‎זַכָּ֑י‎ Ezra 2:9 = Neh 7:14).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Returned divorcee • Israelite who married a foreign wife

Man living at the time of Exile and Return

Zabbai, of the sons of Bebai, was an Israelite who had married a foreign wife during the Exile.

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.28;
• only referred to as Zabbai זַבַּי.

Zabbai, of the sons of Bebai, is listed among the men who had taken foreign wives during the Babylonian exile. This issue was brought to light when Ezra, the priest and scribe, returned to Jerusalem and discovered that many Israelites had intermarried with the pagan peoples of the land, going against God's command. Zabbai was one of those who had married a foreign woman. When Ezra called for repentance, Zabbai and the others agreed to separate from their foreign wives and children to maintain the holiness of the Jewish people.

All entries for Zabbai: זַבַּי