Original Word: נְפִיסִים
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Nphiyciym
Pronunciation: neh-fee-SEEM
Phonetic Spelling: (nef-ee-seem')
KJV: Nephusim (from the margin)
NASB: Nephisim, Nephushesim
Word Origin: [plural from an unused root meaning to scatter]

1. expansions
2. Nephisim, a Temple-servant

Nephusim

Plural from an unused root meaning to scatter; expansions; Nephisim, a Temple-servant -- Nephusim (from the margin).

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a family of returned exiles
NASB Translation
Nephisim (1), Nephushesim (1).

Identity within the Returnee Lists

Although the precise spelling נְפִיסִים does not surface in the traditional Masoretic Text, textual and phonetic evidence links the term to the clan recorded as “Nephusim” (Ezra 2:50) and “Nephishesim” (Nehemiah 7:52). Both passages place the family among the Nethinim—the temple servants who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Their appearance in paired census lists underscores a single historical group whose name was preserved in variant spellings.

Historical Background

The Nethinim were “the given ones,” originally deriving from the Gibeonites pressed into sanctuary service (Joshua 9:23, 27). By the late monarchy they included additional foreigners and native volunteers. When Cyrus permitted the exiles’ return (538 B.C.), members of this order chose to leave relative security in Mesopotamia to aid in rebuilding Jerusalem’s altar, temple, and walls. נְפִיסִים therefore belong to a company (numbered 392 in Ezra 2:58) whose devotion helped restore corporate worship after the exile.

Place among the Nethinim

Scripture does not assign duties to individual Nethinim families, yet their collective tasks are clear:
• Cutting and carrying wood and water for sacrifices (Joshua 9:21).
• Cleaning and maintaining temple courts and utensils (1 Chronicles 9:2).
• Assisting Levites with storerooms, gates, and other logistical support (Nehemiah 3:26; 11:21).

Through such labor נְפִיסִים ensured that priests and Levites could perform sacrificial and teaching ministries without distraction.

Theology of Hidden Service

Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s choice to record obscure names signals the Spirit’s concern for every participant in redemptive history. “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work” (Hebrews 6:10). נְפִיסִים model three enduring truths:

1. Every vocation within the covenant community matters.
2. Faithfulness in small assignments can have multigenerational impact.
3. The Lord’s remembrance of nameless servants anticipates the “book of life” (Revelation 20:12).

Covenantal Continuity

The long-standing Gibeonite covenant (Joshua 9) still operated in the post-exilic period. By carrying that agreement forward, God displayed His unbreakable faithfulness—even to promises made under imperfect circumstances. When Nehemiah renewed the covenant (Nehemiah 10:28-29), Nethinim like נְפִיסִים stood with priests, Levites, and laypeople, affirming that full community participation is integral to corporate holiness.

Foreshadowing New Testament Ministry

Acts 6:2-4 shows the early church distinguishing practical and Word ministries without devaluing either. Likewise, 1 Corinthians 12:22 declares that “the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” The obscured yet indispensable service of נְפִיסִים anticipates the diaconal spirit of the New Covenant community, challenging believers to prize unseen faithfulness.

Implications for Contemporary Discipleship

• Recognize unseen roles—maintenance teams, administrators, caregivers—as essential to worship.
• Celebrate covenant loyalty; God honors commitments across generations, so should His people.
• Foster every-member ministry; each believer has Spirit-given gifts vital to the church’s health.

Key References for Further Study

Ezra 2:50 (BSB: “the descendants of Asnah, the children of Meunim, and the children of Nephusim”)

Nehemiah 7:52 (BSB: “the children of Besai, the children of Meunim, and the children of Nephishesim”)

Ezra 2:58; Nehemiah 10:28-29; 1 Chronicles 9:2; Joshua 9:21-27; Acts 6:2-6; 1 Corinthians 12:18-27; Hebrews 6:10

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