Who was Sisera in the Bible?

Sisera was the ancestor of a family of temple servants, known as Nethinim, who returned from the Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. This is recorded in the list of returnees in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 2:53; Nehemiah 7:55).

What is the significance of Sisera's family?

His descendants were among the Nethinim, a group dedicated to serving in the temple, performing essential support duties. Their return from exile was crucial for re-establishing temple worship in Jerusalem after the captivity.

What key events involve Sisera in the Bible?

The primary event is the return of his family from exile as part of the group led by Zerubbabel. This marked their reintegration into the religious life of the restored community in Judah.

Sisera

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleReturned from exile

Sisera was the ancestor of a family of temple servants who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile.

Sisera

Biography

This Sisera appears in the post-exilic records of Ezra 2:53 and Nehemiah 7:55 as the ancestor of a family of Nethinim, temple servants, who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity under Zerubbabel's leadership following Cyrus the Great's edict of 538 BC. The Nethinim were a class of temple workers, likely descended from non-Israelite peoples assigned to service in the sanctuary.

The fact that this family bore the name Sisera, the same as the Canaanite general, is remarkable and has led scholars to speculate about possible ethnic connections, though no definitive link can be established. Their return to Jerusalem represents participation in the great restoration of the covenant community.

Significance

The family of Sisera among the returning exiles represents the remarkable breadth of God's restorative purposes in the post-exilic period. That individuals with non-Israelite backgrounds, associated with temple servitude, were counted among the restored community reflects the inclusive vision of Israel's worship life. Their return fulfilled the prophetic expectation that Yahweh would gather his people from exile and restore the proper order of worship in Jerusalem.

These obscure names in Ezra and Nehemiah bear witness to the comprehensive nature of restoration, not merely the return of prominent leaders but the reconstitution of every order of service that made the Temple community whole and functional before God.

Verse Appearances (2)

Ezra

Ezra 2:53

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 7:55

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources