Who was Hattush in the Bible?

Hattush was a descendant of King David who lived during the time of the Jewish return from exile. He is specifically listed as one of the leaders who traveled from Babylon back to Jerusalem with the priest and scribe Ezra (Ezra 8:2).

Why is Hattush significant?

His significance lies in his royal lineage as a descendant of David, connecting the post-exilic community to the Davidic covenant. His return with Ezra helped re-establish the community in Jerusalem, showing the continuity of God's promises to David's line.

What did Hattush do in the Bible?

The Bible records that Hattush's key action was returning from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. He is mentioned as part of the group that made the journey under Ezra's leadership around 458 BC, as documented in Ezra 8:2-3.

Hattush

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleReturned from exile

Hattush, a descendant of David, was among those who returned to Jerusalem with Ezra. (Ezr.8.2)

Hattush

Biography

Hattush, identified as a descendant of David, is listed in Ezra 8:2 among the family heads who accompanied Ezra on his historic return from Babylon to Jerusalem around 458 BC. This journey, undertaken during the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes I, brought a significant contingent of exiles, priests, Levites, and lay leaders, back to reinforce the restored community in Judah. As a Davidide, Hattush's participation in the return carried symbolic weight: a scion of the royal house was making the journey home, connecting the restored community to the promises God had made to Israel's greatest king. His return expressed hope that God's covenant with David remained alive.

Significance

Hattush's return with Ezra underscores the continuity of Davidic hopes within the restoration community. While political kingship remained suspended under Persian rule, the presence of David's descendants in Jerusalem kept alive the expectation that God's dynastic promises had not lapsed. Ezra's mission was fundamentally about spiritual and legal renewal, reestablishing Torah observance in the land, and having a Davidide among the returnees lent both dignity and prophetic resonance to the enterprise. This Hattush represents the convergence of royal heritage and covenant faithfulness, embodying the post-exilic community's forward-looking trust in God's ultimate purposes.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherShemaiah

Verse Appearances (1)

Ezra

Ezra 8:2

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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