And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
Among the priests were the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Koz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and took on their family name).
This verse lists three priestly families, including one that changed their name through marriage to honor their wife's prominent family.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding their community in Jerusalem, focusing on restoring order and purity in their religious practices. They were meticulously registering families and priests to verify their genealogies, as only those from pure lines could serve in the priesthood according to God's law. This verse highlights a specific group of priests whose eligibility was questioned due to intermarriage and the adoption of a non-priestly name.
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