Original Word: בִּגְוַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Bigvay
Pronunciation: big-vah'-ee
Phonetic Spelling: (big-vah'ee)
KJV: Bigvai
NASB: Bigvai
Word Origin: [probably of foreign origin]

1. Bigvai, an Israelite

Bigvai

Probably of foreign origin; Bigvai, an Israelite -- Bigvai.

Word Origin
probably of foreign origin
Definition
perhaps "happy," an Isr. name
NASB Translation
Bigvai (6).

בִּגְוַי proper name, masculine (compare Sanskrit bhagavân, happy) ?)

1 a companion of Zerubbabel Ezra 2:2 = Nehemiah 7:7; perhaps = head of a family of returning exiles Ezra 2:14 (בִּגְוָ֑י) = Nehemiah 7:19, compare Ezra 8:14.

2 a chief of the people in Nehemiah's time Nehemiah 10:17; compare Sm^{Listen 13}.

בִּגְלַל see גלל. p. 164 ff

Bigvai

Scriptural Profile

Bigvai appears six times in the Old Testament as both an individual leader and as the eponymous head of a large post-exilic clan. His name stands alongside Zerubbabel in the lists of returnees, identifies a sizeable family group that left Babylon, and reappears among those who bound themselves to the renewed covenant in Jerusalem.

Participation in the First Return (Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7)

When the first wave of exiles returned from Babylon, Bigvai is numbered among the chief men accompanying Zerubbabel: “These came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah” (Ezra 2:2). Two key details stand out:

1. His inclusion in this short roll of leaders places him in the front rank of those whom God stirred to rebuild the temple and re-establish worship in Jerusalem.
2. The clan he fathered was substantial. Ezra records “the descendants of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six” (Ezra 2:14), while Nehemiah reports “two thousand sixty-seven” (Nehemiah 7:19). The minor difference in totals is best explained by a later census or by the addition of children born during the intervening years, illustrating both the growth of the remnant and the integrity of parallel historical accounts.

Support of Ezra’s Reform (Ezra 8)

Almost eight decades later, Ezra assembled a second contingent of returnees. Among them were “of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, with them seventy men” (Ezra 8:14). The continuing presence of the Bigvai family underscores their enduring commitment to the spiritual welfare of the nation. They willingly left settled lives in Babylon to reinforce the struggling community in Judah and to support Ezra’s program of teaching the Law.

Signing the Covenant (Nehemiah 10)

During the covenant-renewal ceremony led by Nehemiah, representatives of the clans sealed a solemn pledge to obey the Law. Bigvai’s name appears among the signatories (Nehemiah 10:16). By affixing their seal, the descendants of Bigvai publicly submitted to God’s standards for worship, marriage, Sabbath observance, and stewardship. Their signature highlights two truths: genuine revival requires concrete commitments, and family heads play a crucial role in leading households toward faithfulness.

Historical Significance

The repeated mention of Bigvai across roughly one century of post-exilic history reveals a lineage that persevered through hardship, responded to successive calls of God, and helped stabilize the restored community. The family’s size made it an important labor force for rebuilding walls, staffing temple duties, and repopulating towns abandoned during exile. Their example counters the notion that only a spiritual elite shape redemptive history; entire households that honor the covenant likewise advance God’s purposes.

Ministry Implications

1. Generational fidelity: Bigvai’s descendants illustrate how spiritual conviction can be transmitted when fathers lead by both word and deed.
2. Willing mobility for mission: Twice the clan uprooted itself for God’s agenda, modeling availability for contemporary ministry assignments.
3. Corporate accountability: Their covenant signature affirms that obedience to God is not merely personal but communal; churches today likewise thrive when families covenant together under the authority of Scripture.

Lessons for the Church

• God values families that remain steadfast across generations, even when their individual names surface only briefly in the biblical record.
• Numerical strength is significant when harnessed for kingdom purposes; the Bigvai clan supplied manpower for temple service, city defense, and covenant renewal.
• Leadership listings—which may appear routine—actually mark pivotal moments in salvation history, reminding modern readers that every act of faith-driven obedience contributes to the unfolding plan of God.

Through six concise references, Bigvai exemplifies the faithfulness of a remnant that returned, rebuilt, and recommitted itself to the Lord—showing how God weaves ordinary families into His extraordinary redemptive tapestry.

בִּגְוַ֖י בִגְוַ֖י בִגְוָ֔י בגוי biḡ·way ḇiḡ·way ḇiḡ·wāy bigVai biḡway ḇiḡway ḇiḡwāy vigVaiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts