Pahath-moab פַּ֫חַת מוֹאָב

Pahath-moab is the name of a group of people who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile (Ezr.2.6; Neh.7.11). They are mentioned in the lists of the returnees, which suggests that they were a significant group among the exiles who chose to return to their homeland. The name "Pahath-moab" may indicate that they were descendants of Moabites who had been taken captive by the Babylonians or that they had some connection to the land of Moab. Some members of the Pahath-moab group were among those who had married foreign women during the exile, which was a violation of God's law (Ezr.10.30). This led to a crisis in the community, and the people were required to separate from their foreign wives to maintain the purity of the Israelite nation. The presence of the Pahath-moab group in the lists of returnees and in the account of the marriage crisis highlights the challenges faced by the Jewish community as they sought to rebuild their lives and maintain their identity after the exile.