893. Bebay
Lexical Summary
Bebay: Bebai

Original Word: בֵּבַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Bebay
Pronunciation: beh-bah'ee
Phonetic Spelling: (bay-bah'ee)
KJV: Bebai
NASB: Bebai
Word Origin: [probably of foreign origin]

1. Bebai, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Bebai

Probably of foreign origin; Bebai, an Israelite -- Bebai.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
probably of foreign origin
Definition
an Isr.
NASB Translation
Bebai (6).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
בֵּבַי proper name, masculine a chief of returning exiles בֵּכָ֑י Nehemiah 10:16; בְּנֵי בֵבַי Ezra 8:11; בֶּןבֵּֿבָ֑י Ezra 8:11; בְּנֵי בֵבָ֑י Ezra 2:11; Ezra 10:28; Nehemiah 7:16.

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrences

1. Ezra 2:11 – “the sons of Bebai, 623.”
2. Ezra 8:11 – “and of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men.”
3. Ezra 10:28 – “From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.”
4. Nehemiah 7:16 – “the descendants of Bebai, 628.”
5. Nehemiah 10:15 – “Bunni, Azgad, Bebai.”

(The census of Ezra 2 is repeated in Nehemiah 7, raising the total mention to six.)

Post-Exilic Clan Identity

Bebai designates both a patriarch and a sizable clan that re-emerged from Babylonian captivity. Listed alongside the more famous houses of Parosh, Pahath-Moab, and others, the family is consistently counted among the returning remnant. Their appearance in each of the major post-exilic records underscores a continuous presence in Judah’s restoration movement from the first caravan under Zerubbabel to the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Return under Zerubbabel

Ezra 2:11 and Nehemiah 7:16 enumerate the clan twice: 623 in the earlier list and 628 in the later. Such minor numerical variation likely reflects natural population change or copyist rounding, yet both figures affirm a robust family willing to uproot from Babylon for the arduous journey home. Their inclusion testifies to corporate faith that Yahweh would “restore the fortunes of Zion” (Psalm 126:1).

Leadership in Ezra’s Caravan

Some eighty years later, Zechariah—“son of Bebai”—leads twenty-eight additional men back to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:11). His placement in Ezra’s carefully organized procession indicates recognized leadership credentials and suggests that the clan maintained distinct identity and spiritual vitality through successive generations of exile.

Confrontation and Repentance Regarding Foreign Marriages

Ezra 10:28 records four men of Bebai who had taken foreign wives. Rather than concealing the failure, Scripture lists the offenders by name. This public acknowledgment, coupled with their inclusion in the covenantal remedy, demonstrates both the gravity of covenant violation and the possibility of restoration when sin is confessed and addressed according to the Law (Ezra 10:3).

Covenant Renewal with Nehemiah

Nehemiah 10:15 shows Bebai among the signatories of the renewed covenant. By aligning themselves with Nehemiah’s reforms—Sabbath observance, temple support, and separation from pagan practices—the clan illustrates generational growth: they move from census figures to active covenant partners responsible for nurturing the reconstituted community of faith.

Historical and Ministry Significance

Family Continuity

The recurrent naming of Bebai across decades exemplifies God’s preservation of covenant families. Genealogies become more than lists; they certify lineage for temple service, land allotment, and messianic hope. They also motivate modern ministry to safeguard spiritual legacy within households.

Model of Spiritual Leadership

Zechariah’s leadership in Ezra 8 positions the Bebai family as proactive supporters of the Torah revival. They supply manpower for temple personnel and demonstrate willingness to risk a second exodus across treacherous terrain. Ministry leaders today can glean courage to mobilize people and resources for God-centered initiatives despite uncertainty.

Call to Corporate Repentance

The naming of offenders in Ezra 10:28 teaches that holiness is communal. Restoration required public agreement with divine standards, a principle echoed in church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17) and corporate confession (1 John 1:9). The clan’s willingness to correct sin affirms genuine covenant fidelity.

Participation in Covenant Renewal

Signing Nehemiah’s covenant speaks to intentional, documented commitment to God’s Word. The Bebai clan bound themselves with an oath, pledging financial support for temple worship and adherence to Mosaic law. Local congregations can emulate this by covenant membership, accountable stewardship, and explicit affirmation of biblical authority.

Theological Insights

1. Remnant Fidelity – Bebai’s account contributes to the prophetic theme that a faithful remnant will return (Isaiah 10:21-22).
2. Inter-Generational Grace – From initial return (Ezra 2) to covenant sealing (Nehemiah 10), God preserves families for His purposes.
3. Holiness and Separation – The foreign-marriage episode highlights the tension between cultural assimilation and covenant identity.
4. Covenant Renewal – Recurrent listing of Bebai demonstrates that God’s people must periodically reaffirm allegiance to His revealed will.

Practical Applications

• Encourage families to trace and treasure spiritual heritage.
• Raise leaders who, like Zechariah of Bebai, step forward when fresh initiatives for God’s work arise.
• Maintain transparent processes for dealing with sin, ensuring restoration rather than concealment.
• Embrace formal covenant commitments within church life to foster accountability and sustained ministry momentum.

Bebai, though a minor name by numerical count, thus embodies major themes of restoration, repentance, and covenant faithfulness, offering enduring lessons for God’s people in every generation.

Forms and Transliterations
בֵּבָ֑י בֵּבָֽי׃ בֵבַ֔י בֵבָ֔י בבי בבי׃ bê·ḇāy ḇê·ḇay ḇê·ḇāy bêḇāy ḇêḇay ḇêḇāy beVai veVai
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ezra 2:11
HEB: בְּנֵ֣י בֵבָ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת
NAS: the sons of Bebai, 623;
KJV: The children of Bebai, six hundred
INT: the children of Bebai six hundred

Ezra 8:11
HEB: וּמִבְּנֵ֣י בֵבַ֔י זְכַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־
NAS: and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah
KJV: And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah
INT: the sons of Bebai Zechariah the son

Ezra 8:11
HEB: זְכַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־ בֵּבָ֑י וְעִמּ֕וֹ עֶשְׂרִ֥ים
NAS: the son of Bebai and 28
KJV: the son of Bebai, and with him twenty
INT: Zechariah the son of Bebai with twenty

Ezra 10:28
HEB: וּמִבְּנֵ֖י בֵּבָ֑י יְהוֹחָנָ֥ן חֲנַנְיָ֖ה
NAS: and of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan,
KJV: Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan,
INT: the sons of Bebai Jehohanan Hananiah

Nehemiah 7:16
HEB: בְּנֵ֣י בֵבָ֔י שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת
NAS: the sons of Bebai, 628;
KJV: The children of Bebai, six hundred
INT: the children of Bebai six hundred

Nehemiah 10:15
HEB: בֻּנִּ֥י עַזְגָּ֖ד בֵּבָֽי׃
NAS: Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
KJV: Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
INT: Bunni Azgad Bebai

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 893
6 Occurrences


bê·ḇāy — 3 Occ.
ḇê·ḇāy — 3 Occ.

892
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