Mattithiah מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ
Descendant of Nebo, who divorced his foreign wife.
Who is Mattithiah in the Bible?
Mattithiah was a descendant of Nebo who lived during the time of Ezra's religious reforms following the return from Babylonian exile. According to Ezra 10:43, he was among the Israelite men who had married foreign women and was required to divorce his wife as part of Ezra's efforts to purify the Jewish community. This action reflected the concern that intermarriage with non-Israelites could lead the people away from faithful worship of the Lord, repeating the sins that had contributed to their exile. Mattithiah's compliance with these reforms illustrates the broader theme of restoration and recommitment to covenant faithfulness that characterized the post-exilic Jewish community.
Biography
Mattithiah was a man from the family of Nebo who had married a foreign woman during the time of Ezra. As part of Ezra's reforms to purify the Jewish community after their return from Babylonian exile, Mattithiah and others who had married foreign wives were required to divorce them (Ezr.10.43). This action was taken to ensure that the Israelites remained faithful to the Lord and did not fall into the same sins that had led to their exile.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:43
"And from the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | מַתִּתְיָ֫הוּ |