Ziha
Ziha was a family of temple servants (Nethinim) who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity (Ezr.2.43; Neh.7.46).
Biography
Ziha was the ancestral head of a family of Nethinim, temple servants, who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile under the decree of Cyrus king of Persia. Both Ezra 2:43 and Nehemiah 7:46 record the name Ziha at the head of the first group of Nethinim listed among the returning exiles. The Nethinim were a dedicated class of servants assigned to assist the Levites in the labor of the temple, their origins traditionally traced to the Gibeonites and other groups incorporated into Israel's service. The return of the Ziha family to Jerusalem was part of the great post-exilic restoration that reconstituted the full infrastructure of Israelite worship.
Significance
The Nethinim, though of lower standing than the Levitical priests, were indispensable to the functioning of the temple, and the listing of Ziha's family first among them in both Ezra and Nehemiah may suggest a position of seniority or prominence within this order. Their return from exile demonstrates that even those in the most humble positions of religious service remained committed to the life of the sanctuary. Theologically, the Ziha family's journey from captivity to temple service embodies the broader narrative of Israel's restoration: God preserving not just the elite but the entire community of worship, from high priest to temple servant.
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]