Boy Old Testament Rare
Shobai
turning captivity
שֹׁבָ֑י sho.vay
Shobai (Hebrew: שֹׁבָ֑י, sho.vay) means “turning captivity”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 2 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Akkub in Nehemiah 7.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
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Shobai
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 2 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Return
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Ezra 2:42 |
| Last appears | Nehemiah 7:45 |
| Cross-references | 9 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.42
§ Shobai = "glorious"
ancestor of a family of doorkeepers of the temple who returned with Zerubbabel
Shobai was the ancestor of a family of gatekeepers who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile.
The biblical story
Shobai is mentioned in Ezr.2.42 and Neh.7.45 as the ancestor of a family of gatekeepers who were among the exiles that returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The gatekeepers were responsible for guarding the entrances to the temple and maintaining order within its precincts. Shobai's descendants are listed among the gatekeepers who returned to Jerusalem, indicating that they had a hereditary role in serving at the temple. The return of Shobai's family, along with other exiles, was part of the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple after the Babylonian captivity.
Key verses
Shobai appears in 2 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
Ezra 2:42 -
The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:45
Show all 2 references
Ezra (1)
- Ezra 2:42
Nehemiah (1)
- Nehemiah 7:45