מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל
Meshezabel, an Israelite
Definition
מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל (Meshezabel) is a proper name meaning 'God delivers' or 'delivered of God.' It belongs to three different individuals in the post-exilic period, all mentioned in the book of Nehemiah. The first is the father of Berechiah, who helped repair the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:4). The second is a leader who sealed the covenant of renewal alongside Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:21). The third is an official appointed over the secular affairs of the temple, serving the king in matters concerning the people (Nehemiah 11:24). Despite being different individuals, the name consistently reflects a theological affirmation of God's saving power.
Biblical Usage
This name is used exclusively in the book of Nehemiah, appearing three times for three distinct post-exilic Israelites. The contexts are all related to the restoration community: one is noted for his family's work in rebuilding Jerusalem's wall (Nehemiah 3:4), another as a signatory to the binding covenant of faithfulness (Nehemiah 10:21), and the third in an administrative role connected to temple and royal service (Nehemiah 11:24). The usage highlights active, faithful participants in the re-establishment of Judean society after the Babylonian exile.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two elements. The first part comes from a root equivalent to שְׁזַב (shᵉzav, H7804), meaning 'to deliver' or 'rescue.' The second part is אֵל (ʼêl, H410), the common Hebrew word for 'God.' Thus, the name literally means 'God delivers' or 'delivered by God,' forming a theophoric name that confesses God as the source of salvation.
Semantic Range
As a theophoric name meaning 'God delivers,' מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל serves as a constant, embedded testimony to God's character as a rescuer within the narrative. Its bearers, active in the physical and spiritual restoration of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:4, 10:21), personally embody this truth. The name reminds readers that the post-exilic community's very identity and hope were founded on the belief in a delivering God, enriching our understanding of their faith amidst challenge.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often descriptive and carried significant meaning, sometimes reflecting a parent's faith or circumstances of birth. A name like 'Delivered of God' would be a public declaration of belief in Yahweh's saving power. In the post-exilic period, such names reinforced communal identity and hope in God's ongoing deliverance after the trauma of the Babylonian exile. The different individuals sharing this name highlights its popularity and the shared theological values of the era.
אֱלִישָׁע (ʼElishaʻ, H477) — 'God is salvation'; יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yᵉhôshuaʻ, H3091) — 'Yahweh is salvation'; אֱלִיעֶזֶר (ʼEliʻezer, H461) — 'My God is help'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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