Ezra 8:14

Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

Ezra 8:14 (KJV)

Context

Ezra 8:14 appears in the list of family heads who returned with Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem during the reign of King Artaxerxes (Ezra 8:1-14). The verse names Uthai and Zabbud as leaders of the sons of Bigvai, with seventy males accompanying them. This record follows the earlier mention of the sons of Adonikam and precedes the gathering at the river Ahava, where Ezra discovered no Levites among the people.

Meaning

The verse reports an action, event, location, number, or result within the biblical narrative. Its contribution appears through the subject, action, and outcome stated in the sentence. The verse first states “Of the sons also of Bigvai;” it then adds “Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.” Both movements belong together.

The name Zabbud in the King James Version corresponds to Zaccur in other translations, reflecting minor textual variants. The count of seventy males likely excluded women and children, as was customary in such genealogical records. The number seventy often symbolizes completeness or wholeness in Scripture, though this connection is illustrative rather than directly exegetical.

Biblical connections

This verse connects to Ezra 2:14, where the sons of Bigvai numbered 2,056 in the first return under Zerubbabel. The smaller group in Ezra 8 represents a later, additional return, showing the ongoing commitment of this family to the covenant community.

Application

Biblical narrative communicates through ordered events and consequences. Accuracy about each verse preserves that sequence and guards conclusions from being based on details the passage does not contain. A faithful response distinguishes description from command and notices how the event fits the surrounding account. Reflection should follow the choices, consequences, and divine activity that the text itself makes visible.

Reflection

The listing of families and numbers underscores the orderly and faithful return of the exiles, emphasizing that God preserved a remnant and that each family had a role in the restoration. This verse, while seemingly mundane, highlights the importance of individual participation in God’s redemptive plan and the value of every person in the community of faith.