The Head of a Family Returning from Captivity
Bezai is a name that appears in the list of the leaders of the people who returned to Jerusalem from the seventy-year exile in Babylon. His inclusion confirms the meticulous care taken in recording the identity and lineage of all who participated in the restoration of the covenant community.
The Return from Exile
Bezai lived during the time of the first major return from Babylonian captivity, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (around 538 B.C.). The Book of Ezra and the Book of Nehemiah contain long lists of families and individuals who courageously left the relative comfort of their settlements in Babylon to rebuild the desolate city of Jerusalem and the Temple.
Bezai is listed among the heads of the people (not specifically priests, Levites, or Nethinims, but the common Israelites):
“The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.” (Ezra 2:17, KJV)
“The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.” (Nehemiah 7:23, KJV)
The record is precise, noting that 323 members of the “children of Bezai”—meaning his descendants or family—made the long and arduous journey back to Judah. This number indicates that Bezai’s house was a large and significant family within the returning population.
The Meaning of the Name
The name Bezai (Hebrew: BÄ“á¹£ay) is generally considered a variant of Besai (as seen in Ezra 2:49, Nehemiah 7:51). As noted previously, the name is interpreted to mean “conqueror,” “treading down,” or perhaps “my foot,” indicating someone who marches or triumphs.
Given the context, the meaning “conqueror” is particularly fitting, as the family of Bezai conquered the complacency and fear that held many Jews back, choosing instead to triumph over the challenges of the wilderness to restore the service of the Lord.
A Lesson in the Power of Commitment
Bezai’s legacy is found in the simple, yet profound, arithmetic of the sacred record: 323 individuals who traced their lineage back to him were part of the foundation of the new, restored Israel. His inclusion teaches a vital lesson:
- Commitment to the Covenant: Bezai’s family demonstrated a powerful commitment to the covenant of their fathers, prioritizing the restoration of the worship of God in Jerusalem over the security of their lives in a pagan land.
- The Strength of the Family Unit: The sheer size of the “children of Bezai” shows that the stability of God’s people rested upon large, cohesive, and devout family units who were dedicated to preserving their heritage and their faith.