Lexical Definition

‎יִדּוֹ‎ Yiddôw (yid-do') Iddo ^N:N-M-P
from ‎יָדָה‎; praised

Iddo.

• § Iddo = "timely" or "lovely"
• Jiddo, an Israelite

1) son of Zechariah, ruler of the tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan in the time of David
2) a man who took a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.43

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎יִדּוֺ‎

proper name, masculine 1. a Manassite, 1Chr 27:21, ᵐ5 Ιαδδαι.

2. one of those who took foreign wives Ezra 10:43 Kt (Qr ‎יַדַּי‎; compare Palmyrene ‎ידי‎ = dilectus Vog^{No. 5}), ᵐ5 Δια, A Ιαδει, ᵐ5^L Ιαδιαι.

‎יַדַּי‎ proper name, masculine see ‎יִדּוֺ‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Returned divorcee • Israelite who agreed to put away his foreign wife.

Man living at the time of Exile and Return

Jaddai was among the Israelites who agreed to put away their foreign wives during Ezra's reforms (Ezr.10.43).

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.43;
• only referred to as Jaddai יִדּוֹ.

Jaddai is mentioned briefly in Ezra 10:43 as one of the Israelites who had married foreign women. This occurred during the time of Ezra, a priest and scribe who led a significant reform movement among the Jews who had returned from Babylonian exile.

Upon his return to Jerusalem, Ezra discovered that many of the Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the pagan peoples of the land, going against God's commands (Ezr.9.1-2). This was seen as a serious violation of the covenant and a threat to the spiritual purity of the community.

After Ezra's prayer of confession and the people's repentance (Ezr.9.3-10.1), the Israelites made a covenant to put away their foreign wives and children (Ezr.10.2-5). Jaddai is listed among those who agreed to this decision and took an oath to follow through with the separation (Ezr.10.43).

No other details are provided about Jaddai's life, family, or the specific circumstances of his marriage to a foreign woman. His inclusion in this list, however, highlights the widespread nature of the intermarriage problem and the importance of the reforms initiated by Ezra to restore obedience to God's law and maintain the spiritual integrity of the Jewish community.

All entries for Jaddai: יִדּוֹ