Shobai

Levitical Gatekeeper After the Exile

Also known as: Shobai

The returnPriestc. 500s BC

Shobai was a Levite who belonged to the gatekeepers (doorkeepers) of the temple. He is mentioned among those who returned from the Babylonian exile and resumed service at the temple in Jerusalem. His descendants were among the faithful servants who helped restore temple worship.

Key events

Listed Among the Gatekeepers Who Returned

Shobai's descendants are mentioned among the gatekeepers who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. They were among those who resumed temple service in Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:42 Show in context →

42The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, 139 in all.

בְּנֵ֣י הַשֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים בְּנֵי־שַׁלּ֤וּם בְּנֵֽי־אָטֵר֙ בְּנֵי־טַלְמ֣וֹן בְּנֵי־עַקּ֔וּב בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיטָ֖א בְּנֵ֣י שֹׁבָ֑י הַכֹּ֕ל מֵאָ֖ה שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְתִשְׁעָֽה׃ פ ‬

The Gatekeepers in Nehemiah's List

Shobai's descendants are again listed among the gatekeepers in Nehemiah's register of those who returned from exile.

Neh 7:45 Show in context →

45The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 138.

הַשֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים בְּנֵֽי־שַׁלּ֤וּם בְּנֵֽי־אָטֵר֙ בְּנֵֽי־טַלְמֹ֣ן בְּנֵֽי־עַקּ֔וּב בְּנֵ֥י חֲטִיטָ֖א בְּנֵ֣י שֹׁבָ֑י מֵאָ֖ה שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ ס ‬

Service at the Gates of Jerusalem

Shobai's descendants served as gatekeepers at the storehouses by the gates and kept watch at the temple in Jerusalem during Nehemiah's time.

Neh 12:25 Show in context →

25Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers, standing guard at the storerooms by the gates.

מַתַּנְיָ֧ה וּבַקְבֻּֽקְיָ֛ה עֹבַדְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם טַלְמ֣וֹן עַקּ֑וּב שֹׁמְרִ֤ים שֽׁוֹעֲרִים֙ מִשְׁמָ֔ר בַּאֲסֻפֵּ֖י הַשְּׁעָרִֽים׃ ‬

The Gatekeepers in 1 Chronicles

The Shobal family is mentioned among the Levitical gatekeepers who were responsible for guarding the entrances to the Lord's house.

1 Chr 9:17 Show in context →

17The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, and Ahiman; their kinsman Shallum was the chief.

וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִים֙ שַׁלּ֣וּם וְעַקּ֔וּב וְטַלְמֹ֖ן וַאֲחִימָ֑ן וַאֲחִיהֶ֥ם שַׁלּ֖וּם הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (2)

Ezra 2:42 Nehemiah 7:45