Maadai מַעֲדַי

Maadai is mentioned in the book of Ezra as one of the men who had married foreign women during the post-exilic period (Ezr.10.34). After the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, Ezra, a priest and scribe, led a religious reform to purify the community and restore adherence to the Law of Moses. Part of this reform involved addressing the issue of intermarriage with foreign women, which was seen as a violation of God's commandments (Deut 7.3-4). Maadai was among those who had taken foreign wives and was required to separate from them as part of the community's repentance and renewal of the covenant with God (Ezr.10.10-44). No further details are provided about Maadai's life or family in the biblical text. His inclusion in the list of those who had married foreign women highlights the challenges faced by the Jewish community in maintaining their religious and cultural identity during the post-exilic period.