Binnui בִּנּוּי

Who is Binnui in the Bible?

Binnui was an Israelite from the descendants of Bani who lived during the time of Ezra's religious reforms after the return from Babylonian exile (Ezra 10:38). He had married a foreign wife, which violated God's commands regarding separation from neighboring peoples. When Ezra discovered that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had entered into these intermarriages, he called an assembly where the people confessed their sin and committed to separate from their foreign spouses. Binnui responded to this call by divorcing his wife, demonstrating his repentance and willingness to uphold the religious and cultural identity of the restored Jewish community. His actions exemplify the difficult sacrifices required to maintain spiritual purity and obedience to God's law during a critical period of Jewish rebuilding.