סוֹטַי (so.tay)
so.tay
Sotai
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 proper name Sotai appears in two brief lists within Ezra and Nehemiah, identifying a male ancestor among the families that returned from Babylonian exile. The Hebrew form is rendered as Sotai in most English translations, serving as a marker of lineage for those who rebuilt Jerusalem after the deportation.
Lexical sources connect the name to a root meaning "to change" or "be changeful," suggesting it may have carried a descriptive significance for the family’s history or character. As a personal name, it does not appear in narrative contexts but functions strictly as a genealogical identifier in the post-exilic records.
Its occurrence is limited to these census-like passages, where it helps trace the restoration of Israelite communities under Zerubbabel. The name’s rarity highlights how many families from this period are remembered only by their ancestral heads in these historical summaries.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Sotai appears in the genealogical records of Ezra and Nehemiah, marking one family among those who returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem. These lists are not merely administrative; they show that God remembered every household, even those with names we rarely hear today. Your ancestry, too, is known to Him, regardless of how famous or obscure your name may be.
When you read about the children of Sotai standing in line for restoration, it reminds us that faithfulness often looks like quiet obedience. These families did not seek fame; they sought to restore their community and their worship. God values the steady, unglamorous work of rebuilding what was broken.
Whether your story is written in history books or kept only in family memory, you are part of God’s ongoing narrative. He gathers His people across generations, ensuring that no one is forgotten. Trust that your place in His story matters just as much as those listed in ancient scrolls.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sotai2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סוֹטַ֥י1×
- סֹטַ֥י1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 2:55
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda,
This verse identifies Sotai’s family among Solomon’s servants, showing they were part of the specific group tasked with temple service after returning from Babylon.
-
Nehemiah 7:57
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
The parallel list in Nehemiah confirms the continuity of this family line during the later phase of Jerusalem’s reconstruction under Persian rule.