Who was Zattu in the Bible?

Zattu was a leader of the Israelite people who returned from exile. He is most noted for sealing the covenant of renewal and commitment to God's law alongside Nehemiah and other prominent leaders (Nehemiah 10:14).

What did Zattu do in the Book of Nehemiah?

Zattu's key action was signing and sealing the binding agreement, or covenant, to obey God's commandments. This event, recorded in Nehemiah 10, was a pivotal moment of national repentance and recommitment after the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls.

Why is Zattu's signature on the covenant significant?

As a representative leader, Zattu's signature signified the collective pledge of his family and the broader community to follow God. It highlights the importance of communal leadership and accountability in Israel's spiritual restoration.

Zattu

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleLeader

Zattu was one of the leaders of Israel who sealed the covenant during Nehemiah's time.

Zattu

Biography

Zattu was a leader of Israel who affixed his seal to the binding covenant made under Nehemiah's governance, recorded in Nehemiah 10:14. This covenant, entered into by the people, priests, and Levites following Ezra's public reading of the Law, committed the community to walk in God's commandments, refrain from intermarriage with foreign peoples, observe the Sabbath, support the temple, and honor the laws of the sabbatical year. The inclusion of Zattu among those who sealed the document indicates he was a recognized communal leader, likely the head of the family clan bearing this name, whose formal endorsement carried weight in the restored Judean community during the mid-fifth century BC.

Significance

Zattu's participation in sealing Nehemiah's covenant represents a pivotal moment of covenantal renewal in Israel's post-exilic history. The act of sealing, physically affixing one's name or mark to a solemn document, was a public declaration of accountability before God and community. In signing, Zattu and his fellow leaders took corporate responsibility for Israel's fidelity to the Torah. This covenant renewal echoes earlier Mosaic and Deuteronomic renewal ceremonies and demonstrates that the post-exilic community understood itself to stand in the same covenantal relationship with God as their ancestors, with all its attendant blessings and obligations.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (1)

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 10:14

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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