A Leader of the First Return from Exile
Bigvai is a name that appears primarily in the post-exilic books of Ezra and Nehemiah, identifying him as the ancestral head of one of the major families that returned to Jerusalem from their seventy-year captivity in Babylon. His name is synonymous with the renewal and restoration of the Jewish commonwealth.
The significance of Bigvai lies not in a specific action he performed, but in his representation of a large, faithful segment of the population committed to rebuilding the promised land.
Returning with Zerubbabel
Bigvai is listed among the principal leaders and families who accompanied Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Joshua) during the first major wave of returnees, following the decree of King Cyrus of Persia around 538 B.C. The count of the descendants of Bigvai’s house shows them to be one of the largest groups to make the journey back.
The first mention of the family is found in Ezra 2:2 and Nehemiah 7:7, where Bigvai is named as one of the leaders:
“Who came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Ezra 2:2, KJV)
The list of his family members who returned is impressive:
“The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.” (Ezra 2:14, KJV)
Nehemiah’s list records a slightly different but still large number, emphasizing the size and importance of this lineage in the new nation:
“The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.” (Nehemiah 7:19, KJV)
The Second Return and the Covenant
The name Bigvai appears again in the time of Ezra, indicating that a member of the family, perhaps a different person or the head of a sub-group, led a contingent during the second return about 80 years later, around 458 B.C.
“Of the sons of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.” (Ezra 8:14, KJV)
This continuity suggests the family of Bigvai remained prominent and dedicated to the spiritual and physical restoration of Jerusalem and Judah.
Finally, a descendant or a representative named Bigvai sealed the solemn national covenant of separation from foreign customs and rededication to the Law of God, which was initiated by Nehemiah and the people:
“And the chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, … Bigvai …” (Nehemiah 10:14-15, KJV)
In short, Bigvai represents the spirit of faithfulness, dedication, and active participation in the divine plan to reestablish a godly remnant in the Holy Land following the judgment of the Babylonian Exile. The prominence and size of his family proved vital to the survival and strength of the post-exilic community.