Who was Ebed in the Bible?

Ebed was a descendant of Adin who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile with the priest and scribe Ezra. He was part of the second wave of returnees, as recorded in the book of Ezra (Ezra 8:6).

Why is Ebed mentioned in the book of Ezra?

Ebed is listed as one of the family heads who journeyed back to Judah, demonstrating the detailed record of those faithful to God's call to rebuild the nation. His inclusion shows the collective effort and lineage of the returning exiles (Ezra 8:1-20).

What is the significance of Ebed's return from exile?

Ebed's return represents the restoration of God's people to their homeland, fulfilling prophetic promises. As part of Ezra's group, he contributed to the spiritual and physical reestablishment of Jerusalem after the exile.

Ebed

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleReturned from exile

Ebed, a descendant of Adin, was among those who returned to Jerusalem with Ezra during the second wave of the return from Babylonian exile. (Ezr.8.6)

Ebed

Biography

This Ebed was a descendant of the clan of Adin who returned to Jerusalem with Ezra during the second great wave of repatriates from the Babylonian exile, around 458 BC. Ezra 8:6 records that fifty males of the house of Adin came under the leadership of Ebed son of Jonathan, joining the larger caravan that Ezra assembled at the Ahava Canal before the arduous journey to the promised land.

The name Ebed, meaning "servant," was fitting for one who answered the call to rebuild the covenant community in Judah. Though his personal story is not elaborated, his willingness to leave the relative security of Babylon for the uncertainties of a devastated homeland speaks to his commitment to the restoration community.

Significance

Ebed's return with Ezra represents a pivotal moment in the post-exilic renewal of Israel. His participation in Ezra's caravan underscores the theme running through Ezra-Nehemiah: that God was faithfully gathering his scattered people and reconstituting them as a worshiping community around Torah and temple.

Each named individual in Ezra's list (Ezra 8) contributes to the cumulative portrait of a people whose identity was preserved through exile and whose future was being reborn through faithful obedience. Ebed stands as a quiet but significant participant in the fulfillment of God's promises of restoration spoken through the prophets.

Verse Appearances (1)

Ezra

Ezra 8:6

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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