Rehum

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

REHUM . 1 . One of the twelve heads of the Jewish community ( Ezra 2:2; in Nehemiah 7:7 , perhaps by a copyist’s error, Nehum  ; in 1E Esther 5:8 Roimus ). 2. ‘The chancellor ’ ( Ezra 4:8-9; Ezra 4:17; Ezra 4:23; in 1E Esther 2:16 Rathumus ). See Beeltethmus. 3 . A Levite who helped to repair the wall ( Nehemiah 3:17 ). 4 . One of those who sealed the covenant ( Nehemiah 10:25 (26)). 5 . The eponym of a priestly family ( Nehemiah 12:3 ). See Harim, 2 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Re'hum. (merciful).

1. One who went up from Babylon, with Zerubbabel. Ezra 2:2. (B.C. 536).

2. "Rehum, the chancellor." Ezra 4:8-9; Ezra 4:17; Ezra 4:23. He was, perhaps, a kind of lieutenant-governor of the province, under the king of Persia. (B.C. 535).

3. A Levite of the family of Bani, who assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 3:17. (B.C. 445).

4. One of the chief of the people, who signed the covenant with Nehemiah. Nehemiah 10:25. (B.C. 410).

5. A priestly family, or the head of a priestly house, who went up with Zerubbabel. Nehemiah 12:3. (B.C. 536).

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Ezra 2:2; REHUM or NEHUM Nehemiah 7:7.

2. Nehemiah 3:17.

3. Nehemiah 10:25.

4. Nehemiah 12:3.

5. The chancellor, literally, lord of decree (beel teem ), i.e. royal prefect; with others wrote to Artaxerxes (Ρseudo Smerdis ) to induce him to stop the building of the temple and city walls (Ezra 4:8-9; Ezra 4:17; Ezra 4:23).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. One who returned from exile. Ezra 2:2 . Apparently called NEHUM in Nehemiah 7:7 .

2. Levite who helped to repair the wall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 3:17 .

3. One who sealed the covenant. Neh, 10:25.

4. Chancellor of the king of Persia: he with others wrote to Artaxerxes against the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 4:8-23 .

5. Head of a priestly family who returned from exile. Nehemiah 12:3 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A priest (Nehemiah 12:3 ).

Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Rehum'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/r/rehum.html. 1897.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Ezra 2:2Nehemiah 7:7Ezra 4:8-243Nehemiah 3:174Nehemiah 10:255Nehemiah 12:3

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We meet with two of this name in Scripture, one a Levite, son of Beri, who returned from Babylon with the captives, Ezra 2:2—and another Rehum, the chancellor. See Ezra 4:9. The name is Syriac, and means friendly or merciful.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An officer of the king of Persia, in Samaria, during the rebuilding of the temple; by an insidious letter to the king he procured an edict for the discontinuance of this work for a time, probably two years or more preceding 520 B.C., when it was resumed.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. and Chald. Rechum', רְחוּם, compassionate; Sept. ῾Ρεούμ, but in Nehemiah 3:17 ῾Ραούμ ), the name of five men.

1. One of the "children of the province" who returned from the Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2). B.C. 536. In the parallel passage (Nehemiah 7:7) he is called NEHUM.

2. One of the priests who returned from Babylon at the same time (Nehemiah 12:3). B.C. 536. In a subsequent verse (Nehemiah 12:15) he seems to be called HARIM (See Harim) (q.v.).

3. A Persian officer in Samaria, joint author with Shimshai of a letter which turned Artaxerxes against the building-plans of the Jews (Ezra 4:8; 9, 17, 23). B.C. 535. "He was perhaps a kind of lieutenant-governor of the province under the king of Persia, holding apparently the same office as Tatnai, who is described in Ezra 5:6 as taking part in a similar transaction, and is there called ‘ the governor on this side the river.' The Chaldee title, בְּעֵלאּטְעֵם, bel-te4m, literally ‘ lord of decree,' is left untranslated in the Sept. Βαλτάμ and the Vulg. Beelteem; and the rendering ‘ chancellor' in the A.V. appears to have been derived from Kimchi and others, who explain it, in consequence of its connection with ‘ scribe,' by the Hebrew word which is usually rendered ‘ recorder.' This appears to have been the view taken by the author of 1 Esdras 2:25, ὁ γράφων τὰ προσπίπτοντα, and by Josephus (Ant. 11:2, 1), ὁ πάντα τὰ πραττόμενα γράφων. The former of these seems to be a gloss, for the Chaldee title is also represented by Βεελτέθμος "

4. A Levite, son of Bani, and one of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:17). B.C. 445.

5. One of the chief Israelites who signed the covenant with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:25). B.C. 410.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rē´hum ( רחוּם , reḥūm , or רחם , reḥum ):

(1) One of the twelve heads of the Jewish community returning from captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7 (by a copyist's error "Nehum"); Nehemiah 12:3; 1 Esdras 5:8, "Roimus").

(2) A P ersian officer of high rank (literally, "master of judgment, taste, reason") who with others wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:8 , Ezra 4:9 , Ezra 4:17 , Ezra 4:23 ).

(3) Son of Bani, a Levite, one of the wall-builders under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:17 ).

(4) One of the signers of the covenant in Nehemiah 10:25 .

(5) In Nehemiah 12:3 (omitted in the Septuagint) one Rehum is mentioned with those who went up with Zerubbabel. It is probable that we should read here "Harim" ( חרם , ḥārı̄m for רחוּם , reḥūm of Nehemiah 12:15 ).