Person Old Testament
Barzillai
The descendants of Barzillai were a priestly family who returned from Babylonian exile but could not prove their lineage. Mentioned in 2 verses across 2 books, first at Ezra 2:61.
Why it matters. Ancestor of a priestly family who returned from exile.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Barzillai
Barzillai is mentioned in Ezr.2.61 and Neh.7.63 as the ancestor of a priestly family who returned to Judah from Babylonian exile. According to these passages, the descendants of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai sought to be registered as priests but were unable to prove their priestly lineage. The text states that Barzillai had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite (likely the same Barzillai who supported David) and took on his name. Due to the uncertainty surrounding their genealogy, these priests were excluded from serving until a priest could consult the Urim and Thummim for divine guidance. The mention of Barzillai in this context highlights the importance of verifying priestly lineage and maintaining the purity of the priesthood after the exile.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.