Bible Strands
Nehemiah 11:16
Shabbethai and Jozabad, two leaders of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God;
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The compiler records the post-exilic settlement roster, listing Levitical officials assigned to specific duties following the restoration of Jerusalem.
The words — מְלָאכָה (me.la.Khah) translates as work, and חִצֹּונָה (chi.tzo.Nah) means external or outside.
The thread — Levitical oversight of temple operations appears in 1 Chronicles 26:20 regarding treasuries, 1 Chronicles 26:29 regarding outside duties and judgments, and Ezra 8:33 regarding the weighing of sacred articles.
Why it lands — The text assigns administrative responsibility for temple-adjacent operations to named Levitical leaders, establishing a clear chain of custody for sacred duties.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 26:20 Now their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things.
- 1 Chronicles 26:29 From the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons had the outside duties as officers and judges over Israel.
- Ezra 8:33 On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and sacred articles into the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, along with the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.
- Nehemiah 8:7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
- Acts 6:2 So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.