Shephatiah
Shephatiah, whose descendants were among Solomon's servants who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon.
Biography
Shephatiah was an ancestor of a group of Solomon's servants who returned to Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile, as recorded in Ezra 2:57 and Nehemiah 7:59. The returnees listed under his name numbered 372, indicating that his descendants formed a substantial household among the Nethinim and servants of Solomon who accompanied Zerubbabel back to the land of Judah. Though nothing is known of Shephatiah himself, his tribal affiliation, period, or deeds, his descendants' presence among the returning exiles indicates that his family had been associated with temple service or royal administration tracing back to the Solomonic era. His name was preserved in the post-exilic community's careful genealogical records.
Significance
Shephatiah's legacy, preserved through the genealogical lists of Ezra and Nehemiah, illustrates the enduring importance of identity and lineage in Israel's covenant community. The meticulous recording of returning families, even those of relatively obscure ancestry, reflects the biblical conviction that every household has a place in God's redemptive story. The servants of Solomon formed a distinct community within restored Israel, and Shephatiah's descendants' participation in the return demonstrates that the reconstitution of God's people after exile included all levels of society. His story affirms that God's faithfulness extends not only to the prominent but to every family within the covenant community.
Verse Appearances (2)
Ezra
Nehemiah
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]