Jibneiah

Benjaminite clan leader after the exile

Also known as: Jibneiah, Ibneiah

The returnLeaderc. 500s BC

Jibneiah was a son of Jeroham and belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. He is mentioned in the book of Nehemiah as one of the Benjaminite leaders who settled in Jerusalem after returning from the Babylonian exile. He played a role in rebuilding the Jewish community in Jerusalem.

Family

Key events

Mentioned among Benjamin's descendants in Jerusalem

Jibneiah is listed as one of the Benjaminite leaders who settled in Jerusalem after returning from exile, as part of the rebuilding of the community.

8You found his heart faithful before you, and you made a covenant with him to give him the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. And you have kept your word, for you are righteous.
וּמָצָ֣אתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ֮ נֶאֱמָ֣ן לְפָנֶיךָ֒ וְכָר֨וֹת עִמּ֜וֹ הַבְּרִ֗ית לָתֵ֡ת אֶת־אֶרֶץ֩ הַכְּנַעֲנִ֨י הַחִתִּ֜י הָאֱמֹרִ֧י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֛י וְהַיְבוּסִ֥י וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י לָתֵ֣ת לְזַרְע֑וֹ וַתָּ֙קֶם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י צַדִּ֖יק אָֽתָּה׃ ‬

Parallel genealogy in Chronicles

Jibneiah is mentioned in the genealogies in 1 Chronicles as part of the tribe of Benjamin, confirming his place in Israel's tribal history.

8Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Michri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.
וְיִבְנְיָה֙ בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֔ם וְאֵלָ֥ה בֶן־עֻזִּ֖י בֶּן־מִכְרִ֑י וּמְשֻׁלָּם֙ בֶּן־שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה בֶּן־רְעוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־יִבְנִיָּֽה׃ ‬

Settlement in Jerusalem after the exile

As part of the organized settlement following the return from Babylon, Jibneiah was among those who voluntarily took up residence in the holy city to restore its population.

1The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in the towns.
וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ שָׂרֵֽי־הָעָ֖ם בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וּשְׁאָ֣ר הָ֠עָם הִפִּ֨ילוּ גוֹרָל֜וֹת לְהָבִ֣יא ׀ אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הָעֲשָׂרָ֗ה לָשֶׁ֙בֶת֙ בִּֽירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עִ֣יר הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וְתֵ֥שַׁע הַיָּד֖וֹת בֶּעָרִֽים׃ ‬
2And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
וַֽיְבָרֲכ֖וּ הָעָ֑ם לְכֹל֙ הֽ͏ָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַמִּֽתְנַדְּבִ֔ים לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ פ ‬

Rebuilding the Jewish community

Jibneiah was part of the generation that worked to rebuild the Jewish community in Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah and Ezra.

5Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had come up first, and I found written in it:
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֱלֹהַי֙ אֶל־לִבִּ֔י וָאֶקְבְּצָ֞ה אֶת־הַחֹרִ֧ים וְאֶת־הַסְּגָנִ֛ים וְאֶת־הָעָ֖ם לְהִתְיַחֵ֑שׂ וָֽאֶמְצָ֗א סֵ֤פֶר הַיַּ֙חַשׂ֙ הָעוֹלִ֣ים בָּרִאשׁוֹנָ֔ה וָאֶמְצָ֖א כָּת֥וּב בּֽוֹ׃ פ ‬
6These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town.
אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ בְּנֵ֣י הַמְּדִינָ֗ה הָעֹלִים֙ מִשְּׁבִ֣י הַגּוֹלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶגְלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיָּשׁ֧וּבוּ לִֽירוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם וְלִיהוּדָ֖ה אִ֥ישׁ לְעִירֽוֹ׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (1)