Zabad זָבָד
Israelite who married a foreign wife
Who is Zabad in the Bible?
Zabad was an Israelite, son of Zattu, who is mentioned in Ezra 10:27 as one of the men who had married a foreign wife during the Babylonian exile. When Ezra the priest and scribe returned to Jerusalem, he discovered that many Israelites had violated God's command against intermarriage with pagan peoples and called for repentance. Zabad, along with others in this situation, agreed to put away his foreign wife and children in response to Ezra's call. His inclusion in this biblical account reflects the broader struggle of the Jewish community after the exile to maintain religious and ethnic purity as they sought to restore their covenant relationship with God.
Biography
Zabad, the son of Zattu, is mentioned in the list of men who had taken foreign wives during the Babylonian exile. This was discovered when Ezra, the priest and scribe, returned to Jerusalem and found that many Israelites had intermarried with the pagan peoples of the land. Zabad was one of those who had violated God's command not to intermarry with foreigners. In response to Ezra's call for repentance, Zabad and the others agreed to put away their foreign wives and children to maintain the purity of the Jewish people.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:27
"From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | זָבָד |