Dehavites דֵּהָיֵא

The Dehavites are mentioned in Ezr.4.9 as one of the people groups who wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes of Persia, opposing the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. This letter was part of a larger effort by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin to halt the reconstruction work that had begun under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua.

The Dehavites are listed alongside other groups, such as the Bishlomites, the Tarpelites, and the people of Erech and Babylon, who were transplanted to Samaria by the Assyrian king Osnappar (likely Ashurbanipal). These groups are collectively referred to as "the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the cities of Samaria" (Ezr.4.10).

The letter these groups sent to Artaxerxes contained accusations against the Jews, claiming that if the city were rebuilt and its walls completed, the Jews would rebel and cause damage to the royal revenue. As a result of this letter, the rebuilding work was temporarily halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia (Ezr.4.24).

Apart from this single mention in Ezra, no further information is provided about the Dehavites or their specific origins. Their inclusion in the list of opposing groups highlights the challenges and opposition faced by the Jews as they sought to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple following their return from Babylonian exile.