זְבִינָא (ze.vi.na)
ze.vi.na
Zebina
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Zebina appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Ezra 10:43 as part of a list of men who had married foreign women during the post-exilic restoration. The gloss "bought" suggests its etymological root relates to acquisition or purchase, though the text uses it simply as a personal identifier for this specific individual.
His inclusion in Ezra’s account is significant not for any action he performs, but for his representation of a broader community issue. Along with other men from Nebo and surrounding areas, Zebina is named among those who confessed to intermarriage and agreed to put away their foreign wives to align with the covenantal reforms led by Ezra.
This single mention highlights the historical reality faced by the returned exiles: a struggle between maintaining distinct religious identity through separation and engaging with the surrounding population. Zebina’s name serves as a marker of this tension, illustrating how personal family decisions became matters of communal and theological concern in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Zebina appears only once in Scripture, listed among those who confessed to intermarriage during the post-exilic restoration (Ezra 10:43). This brief mention highlights a time when the returned exiles struggled to maintain their distinct religious identity while living among surrounding populations. For us, it serves as a reminder that faithfulness often involves difficult personal decisions that impact our wider community.
While we do not face the same cultural pressures as ancient Israel, Zebina’s story encourages us to consider how our choices align with our commitment to God. It invites reflection on the balance between engaging with the world and preserving the integrity of our spiritual walk. This historical detail shows that even unnamed individuals played a role in shaping the community’s return to covenant faithfulness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Zebina1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זְבִינָ֔א1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 10:43
Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah.
This occurrence matters because it places Zebina within a specific list of men who publicly acknowledged their intermarriage, illustrating the communal nature of covenant reform in Ezra's time.