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בִּגְוַי

𐤁𐤂𐤅𐤉

Bigevay

H902 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; personal name, possibly 'Bigvai' as a name-clan identifier

Definition

Bigvai, a personal name referring to an individual and the family/house descended from him, appearing in post-exilic texts. The name is used for a leader and for a clan or group of returnees from exile.

Semantic Range

personal name, leader of a family among returnees from exile, name of a post-exilic clan; by extension, members or descendants of this individual

Root / Etymology

uncertain

Historical & Contextual Notes

בִּגְוַי (Bigvai) appears exclusively in post-exilic biblical literature (Ezra, Nehemiah; once as a family designated in Zechariah). The name does not have a clearly established Hebrew root and is widely understood to be of foreign (possibly Persian or East Semitic) origin, reflecting the diverse social environment of the Babylonian and Persian periods. Bigvai is listed as a head of one of the significant families among those returning from Babylonian exile, and members of this house are involved in the restoration of Jerusalem and temple activities. The name does not occur in earlier Israelite periods. English translations often simply transliterate the name as 'Bigvai' without further explanation. In the Septuagint and later tradition, the name has sometimes been transmitted in various forms, but none imply a different semantic meaning. The term is a personal and clan name, not a common noun or title, and should be understood in this context. Later English terms (e.g., 'Jew') do not apply to the individuals described by this name in its biblical contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably of foreign origin; Bigvai, an Israelite; Bigvai.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — personal name; clan identifier

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H902-02 בִגְוָ֔י vigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai 4
H902-01 בִּגְוַ֖י bigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai 2

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H902-01 Ezra 2:2 בִּגְוַ֖י bigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
H902-02 Ezra 2:14 בִגְוָ֔י vigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
H902-02 Ezra 8:14 בִגְוַ֖י vigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
H902-01 Nehemiah 7:7 בִּגְוַ֖י bigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
H902-02 Nehemiah 7:19 בִגְוָ֔י vigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
H902-02 Nehemiah 10:17 בִגְוַ֖י vigevay HNp Bigvai Bigvai
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