Hodaviah הוֹדַוְיָה

Hodaviah, also known as Hodevah or Judah, is mentioned in Ezr.2.40, Neh.7.43, and Ezr.3.9 as one of the Levites who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. The Levites were the tribe responsible for assisting the priests in the temple service and worship.

In Ezr.2.40 and Neh.7.43, Hodaviah is listed among the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest. The list of returnees demonstrates the importance of reestablishing the temple worship and the role of the Levites in this process.

In Ezr.3.9, Hodaviah (under the name Judah) is mentioned as one of the Levites who assisted in laying the foundation of the temple. Along with his fellow Levites, Hodaviah played a crucial role in the rebuilding of the temple and the restoration of worship in Jerusalem.

The variations in the name (Hodaviah, Hodevah, and Judah) may indicate different spellings or pronunciations used in the biblical text, but they all refer to the same individual.