New International VersionFrom the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
New Living TranslationFrom the family of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
English Standard VersionOf the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
Berean Standard BibleFrom the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
King James BibleOf the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
New King James Versionof the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
New American Standard Bibleand of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
NASB 1995and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai;
NASB 1977 and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
Legacy Standard Bible and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai;
Amplified Bibleand of the sons also of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
Christian Standard BibleBebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
Holman Christian Standard BibleBebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
American Standard VersionAnd of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Contemporary English VersionJehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai;
English Revised VersionAnd of the sons of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationFrom the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai
Good News TranslationClan of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai
International Standard VersionFrom Bebai's descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
NET BibleFrom the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
New Heart English BibleOf the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Webster's Bible TranslationOf the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFrom the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
World English BibleOf the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Young's Literal Translation And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd from the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd of the sons of Babai, Johanan, Hanania, Zabbai, Athalai:
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd from the sons of Bebai, Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
New American Bibleof the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
New Revised Standard VersionOf the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleOf the sons of Bebai, Johanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedFrom the sons of Babi: Yokhanan, KhananYah, Zabi, Athli. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd of the sons of Babei; Joanan, Anania, and Zabu, and Thali.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Those Guilty of Intermarriage… 27From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.…
Cross References Nehemiah 13:23-27In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. / Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. / I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! ...
Deuteronomy 7:3-4Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.
1 Kings 11:1-2King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. / These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.
Malachi 2:11Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
Exodus 34:15-16Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices. / And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
Judges 3:5-6Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. / And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? / What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? / What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” ...
1 Corinthians 7:39A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. / I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. / But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
2 Kings 17:33-34They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. / To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
Joshua 23:12-13For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them, / know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.
Nehemiah 10:30We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land, and we will not take their daughters for our sons.
1 Peter 2:9-12But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. / Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. / Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. ...
Romans 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
1 John 2:15-17Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
Ezra 2:11
The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. Ezra 8:11
And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. Nehemiah 7:16
The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. Jump to Previous Bebai Be'bai Children Descendants Hananiah Hanani'ah Jehohanan Jehoha'nan Zabbai Zab'baiJump to Next Bebai Be'bai Children Descendants Hananiah Hanani'ah Jehohanan Jehoha'nan Zabbai Zab'baiEzra 10 1. Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages6. Ezra assembles the people9. The people repent, and promise amendment15. The care to perform it18. The names of them which had married strange wivesFrom the descendants of Bebai:The mention of Bebai connects to the list of exiles who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, as recorded in Ezra 2:11. Bebai was a family head whose descendants were part of the Jewish community that returned from Babylonian captivity. This highlights the continuity of the Jewish lineage and the importance of maintaining genealogical records, which were crucial for the restoration of Israel's religious and social order. Jehohanan:
The name Jehohanan means "Yahweh is gracious." Names in the Bible often reflect the character or destiny of individuals, and this name underscores the grace of God in the lives of His people. Jehohanan's inclusion in this list signifies his role in the community's efforts to reform and purify themselves according to the Law of Moses. Hananiah:
Hananiah, meaning "Yahweh has been gracious," is a common name in the Old Testament, shared by several notable figures. This reflects the recurring theme of God's grace and favor towards His people. Hananiah's presence in this list may also suggest a commitment to uphold the covenant and separate from foreign influences, as was the focus of Ezra's reforms. Zabbai:
Zabbai, whose name means "pure" or "clean," may symbolize the purification process that the Israelites were undergoing. The context of Ezra 10 involves the Israelites repenting and separating from foreign wives to restore their covenant relationship with God. Zabbai's name aligns with the theme of cleansing and renewal. Athlai:
Athlai, meaning "afflicted" or "oppressed," could reflect the hardships faced by the returning exiles. The inclusion of Athlai in this list serves as a reminder of the struggles and perseverance of the Jewish community as they sought to reestablish their identity and faithfulness to God in the face of adversity. Persons / Places / Events 1. BebaiA family or clan mentioned in the context of the return from Babylonian exile. The descendants of Bebai were among those who had intermarried with foreign women, which was against the Law of Moses. 2. JehohananOne of the descendants of Bebai who is listed in the context of those who had taken foreign wives. His name means "Yahweh is gracious." 3. HananiahAnother descendant of Bebai, also involved in the intermarriage issue. His name means "Yahweh has been gracious." 4. ZabbaiA member of the Bebai family, listed among those who had intermarried. His name means "pure" or "clean." 5. AthlaiThe last of the Bebai descendants mentioned in this verse. His name means "afflicted" or "oppressed." Teaching Points The Importance of Obedience to God's LawThe issue of intermarriage highlights the need for obedience to God's commands. The Israelites were called to be a distinct people, set apart for God's purposes. Repentance and RestorationThe listing of names in Ezra 10 signifies a public acknowledgment of sin and a commitment to repentance. This serves as a model for believers to confess and turn away from sin. The Influence of RelationshipsThe intermarriages posed a threat to the spiritual integrity of the Israelites. This underscores the importance of forming relationships that encourage and support one's faith. God's Grace in RestorationDespite their disobedience, the Israelites experienced God's grace as they sought to restore their covenant relationship with Him. This reminds us of God's willingness to forgive and restore us when we repent. Community AccountabilityThe communal nature of the confession and reform in Ezra 10 demonstrates the role of community in holding one another accountable to God's standards. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezra 10:28?
2. How does Ezra 10:28 emphasize the importance of obedience to God's commands?
3. What can we learn from the actions of the sons of Bebai?
4. How does Ezra 10:28 connect with the theme of repentance in the Bible?
5. How can we apply the lessons from Ezra 10:28 in our daily lives?
6. What role does community accountability play in the events of Ezra 10:28?
7. What historical context surrounds Ezra 10:28 and its significance in the Bible?
8. How does Ezra 10:28 reflect the theme of repentance and restoration?
9. What theological implications arise from the actions described in Ezra 10:28?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezra 10?
11. Who was Shechaniah in the Bible?
12. In Jeremiah 28:1-4, how can Hananiah's prophecy of a short Babylonian captivity be trusted given the historical evidence of a much longer exile?
13. Ezra 10:10 - How is this command to divorce reconcileable with other biblical teachings that appear to disapprove of divorce?
14. Ezra 10:44 - How can a just God require separating from wives and children if some may have converted to the faith?What Does Ezra 10:28 Mean From the descendants of Bebai“From the descendants of Bebai” (Ezra 10:28) places this verse in the catalog of families who confessed sin and resolved to obey God’s law by sending away their foreign wives (Ezra 10:2–3). • The clan of Bebai had already been noted among those returning from exile (Ezra 2:11; Nehemiah 7:16), showing they belonged to the restored community. • Their willingness to admit failure now mirrors earlier calls to covenant faithfulness, such as Joshua 24:14–25 and Nehemiah 10:28–31. • Scripture consistently stresses corporate responsibility: “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26), so the clan’s name heads the entry.
JehohananJehohanan stands first among the four men. • Other men named Jehohanan served faithfully (2 Chronicles 17:15) or courageously (1 Chronicles 12:13), reminding us that even godly heritage or reputation does not exempt anyone from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12). • His inclusion underscores personal accountability within a believing family, echoing Ezekiel 18:20: “The soul who sins is the one who will die.” • By confessing, he models the openness urged in 1 John 1:9.
HananiahHananiah follows. • Scripture records both a false prophet named Hananiah who opposed Jeremiah (Jeremiah 28:1–17) and heroic believers bearing the same name (Daniel 1:6–7, 19). The contrast reminds us that a good name must be matched by obedient living (Matthew 7:21). • His repentance lines up with the pattern in Psalm 51:17—“a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
ZabbaiZabbai is next. • A man with this name later helped repair Jerusalem’s wall (Nehemiah 3:20), showing that failure need not define the future; restored people can serve again (John 21:15–17). • His listing illustrates Romans 2:11—“For there is no favoritism with God.” Every individual, regardless of prominence, stands under the same standard.
AthlaiAthlai completes the group. • Little else is known of him, yet Scripture records his name forever. This highlights God’s detailed knowledge of each person (Luke 12:7) and His call for each believer to walk in holiness (1 Peter 1:15–16). • No one is overlooked—encouragement for ordinary believers that their choices matter profoundly (Colossians 3:23–24).
summaryEzra 10:28 spotlights four men from the respected clan of Bebai who humbled themselves, acknowledged sin, and aligned with God’s covenant. Their example teaches that: • Entire families and communities must guard holiness. • Individuals remain responsible for personal obedience. • Confession opens the door to restoration and future service. The verse, though brief, affirms God’s meticulous record-keeping, His impartial justice, and His gracious readiness to forgive those who turn back to Him in sincere repentance.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew From the descendantsוּמִבְּנֵ֖י (ū·mib·bə·nê)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A sonof Bebai:בֵּבָ֑י (bê·ḇāy)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 893: Bebai -- an IsraeliteJehohanan,יְהוֹחָנָ֥ן (yə·hō·w·ḥā·nān)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3076: Johanan -- 'the LORD has been gracious', the name of a number of IsraelitesHananiah,חֲנַנְיָ֖ה (ḥă·nan·yāh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2608: Hananiah -- 'Yah has been gracious', the name of a number of IsraelitesZabbai,זַבַּ֥י (zab·bay)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2079: Zabbai -- an Israeliteand Athlai.עַתְלָֽי׃ (‘aṯ·lāy)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6270: Athlai
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OT History: Ezra 10:28 Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan Hananiah (Ezr. Ez) |
