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Shabbethai and Jozabad, two leaders of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God;
Nehemiah 11:16 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of God’s house;
  • KJV And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.
  • NKJV Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the heads of the Levites, had the oversight of the business outside of the house of God;
  • NASB and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites, who were in charge of the outside work of the house of God;
  • NLT Also Shabbethai and Jozabad, who were in charge of the work outside the Temple of God.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Shabbethai and Jozabad, Levite chiefs, oversaw the temple's external affairs. Practical administration was entrusted to faithful leaders.

Overview

These two leading Levites managed the 'outward business' of God's house — the practical and administrative tasks supporting worship. The temple required not only sacred service but also organization of its material affairs. Their role reminds us that faithful administration and stewardship are themselves valued forms of service in the work of God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • Ezra 8:33On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and sacred articles into the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, along with the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.
  • 1 Chr 26:20Now their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated things.
  • Acts 6:2–3So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.
  • Neh 8:7The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law as they stood in their places.
  • 1 Chr 26:29From the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons had the outside duties as officers and judges over Israel.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Nehemiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Nehemiah 11:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on NehemiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'

How Nehemiah 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.