Who was Bigvai in the bible?
Bigvai is named among those who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, appearing in Ezra and Nehemiah in lists of returnees and community records.
Returnee Lists
In the census of returnees, “The children of Bigvai” are counted as “two thousand fifty-six” (Ezra 2:14). A parallel list records, “The children of Bigvai: two thousand sixty-seven” (Nehemiah 7:19).
Learn More →Later Mentions
A later gathering notes, “Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males” (Ezra 8:14). Bigvai also appears in a list of names: “Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,” (Nehemiah 10:16).
Learn More →Bigvai is presented in Scripture as the name associated with an Israelite family group counted among those who returned from exile to Jerusalem and Judah. The name is probably of foreign origin, and the biblical references focus on the presence and numbers of “the children of Bigvai” within returnee lists.
Bigvai in Scripture
Bigvai first appears within a list describing those who returned from captivity and resettled in their own towns. Ezra frames the setting by describing a return from Babylon to the land of Judah.
“Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city;” (Ezra 2:1, WEB)
Within this same context, Bigvai is named among a group who “came with Zerubbabel” and others. The text does not explain Bigvai’s role beyond this placement in the list, but it situates the name in the return community.
“who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Ezra 2:2, WEB)
Ezra 2 continues as a census-style register of households and groups, counted as “children of” various names. In that register, Bigvai appears as the head-name for a sizeable group.
“The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six.” (Ezra 2:14, WEB)
The chapter as a whole presents an ordered accounting of returnees—moving through many family groups and then distinguishing priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants—before describing how the community resettled. Bigvai’s household is one of the family groups counted among “the men of the people of Israel” (Ezra 2:2), and its total is given alongside many other totals in the same register (Ezra 2:3–70).
A later list again refers to “the sons of Bigvai,” now naming two individuals connected with that group and counting those with them. This occurrence provides the only personal names linked directly with Bigvai in the provided references.
“Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.” (Ezra 8:14, WEB)
Nehemiah contains a parallel listing that likewise describes a company who “came with Zerubbabel” and others; Bigvai appears again among those names.
“who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Nehemiah 7:7, WEB)
Nehemiah’s register, like Ezra’s, includes numbered family groups described as “the children of” various names. Bigvai appears in that count as well, with a slightly different total than in Ezra.
“The children of Bigvai: two thousand sixty-seven.” (Nehemiah 7:19, WEB)
Finally, Bigvai appears as a named individual within another list in Nehemiah, placed between other names without further description in the provided verse.
“Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,” (Nehemiah 10:16, WEB)
Multiple bearers
The references attach the name Bigvai to (1) a name in lists of those who returned—alongside other leading names (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7), and (2) a counted family group described as “the children of Bigvai” (Ezra 2:14; Nehemiah 7:19), including “the sons of Bigvai” with named representatives “Uthai and Zabbud” (Ezra 8:14). In addition, Bigvai appears as a standalone name among others in Nehemiah 10:16 (“Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,”). The verses provided do not explicitly state whether the Bigvai of Nehemiah 10:16 is the same figure implied by the family name in the earlier registers, but they show the name functioning both as a household designation (“children of Bigvai”) and as a personal name in lists.
Name and Meaning
The Hebrew form of the name is בִּגְוַי, transliterated Bigvay and pronounced big-vah’ee. The name’s derivation is described as probably of foreign origin, and in the biblical material it is associated with an Israelite identity.
Observation
Across Ezra and Nehemiah, Bigvai is consistently tied to the restored community through the recurring language of return and registration—“who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city” (Ezra 2:1) and the repeated census totals for “The children of Bigvai” (Ezra 2:14; Nehemiah 7:19).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Bigvai mean?
Bigvai is a name probably of foreign origin, used of an Israelite.
How many times does Bigvai appear in the Bible?
Bigvai appears 6 times.
Who was Bigvai?
Bigvai is identified as an Israelite. Bigvai is listed among those who came with Zerubbabel and others (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7).
How many were counted as “the children of Bigvai”?
In Ezra 2:14, “The children of Bigvai” are numbered at two thousand fifty-six. In Nehemiah 7:19, “The children of Bigvai” are numbered at two thousand sixty-seven.
Explore Further
If you found this page about Bigvai interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
