חֲגָבָא (cha.ga.va)
cha.ga.va
Hagaba; Hagabah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name ḥăḡāḇāʾ literally means "locust." In the biblical record, it is not used for the insect itself but as a personal name for a specific individual. This man appears in the genealogical lists of those who returned from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership.
He is identified as the head of a family or clan. The sources note that he is mentioned in Ezra 2:45 and again in Nehemiah 7:48, where the parallel list confirms his role. While the name evokes the common pest, its use here marks a person within the post-exilic community rather than describing an agricultural disaster.
Translators typically render this proper noun as "Hagaba" or "Hagabah." The occurrence of the name in these two verses highlights the meticulous recording of returning families. It serves as a historical marker for one lineage among many that rebuilt the community after the return from captivity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Hagabah appears in the genealogies of Ezra and Nehemiah, marking a family that returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem. While the Hebrew root literally means locust, here it identifies a person rather than a pestilence. This shift from agricultural disaster to human identity reminds us that God values every lineage, no matter how obscure.
These lists were not merely administrative records but acts of remembrance for a people restoring their covenant with God. Hagabah’s inclusion shows that ordinary families played essential roles in this spiritual renewal. Your own heritage, however hidden, holds significance in God’s unfolding story.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Hagabah2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֲגָבָ֖ה2×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 2:45
the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
This verse places Hagabah within the specific clan structure of the returning exiles under Zerubbabel.
-
Nehemiah 7:48
the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,
The parallel list in Nehemiah confirms the continuity of this family name during the second phase of restoration.