Abdi עַבְדִּי
An Israelite who married a foreign wife
Who is Abdi in the Bible?
Abdi was a descendant of Elam who lived during the time of Ezra's reforms after the Babylonian exile (Ezra 10:26). He was among the Israelites who had married foreign women, which violated God's law and threatened the spiritual and ethnic identity of the Jewish community. When Ezra discovered these intermarriages, he called the people to repentance and required them to separate from their foreign wives. Abdi responded to this call and agreed to put away his foreign wife in obedience to Ezra's command. His inclusion in the biblical account demonstrates the significance of the post-exilic community's effort to maintain covenant faithfulness and religious purity after returning from captivity.
Biography
Abdi is listed in Ezr.10.26 as one of the descendants of Elam who had married foreign women during the time of Ezra. After the return from Babylonian exile, Ezra discovered that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples. This was contrary to God's law and threatened the purity and identity of the Israelite community. Ezra called the people to repentance and required those who had married foreign wives to separate from them. Abdi was among those who agreed to put away their foreign wives in obedience to Ezra's command.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:26
"From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עַבְדִּי |