Bible Dictionary
Binnui
Binnui was a name borne by several men after the exile, including a Levite, heads of families returning from Babylon, and a builder of Jerusalem’s wall who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah.
Definition
Binnui is a name borne by several men in the postexilic period. They include a Levite, men who had taken foreign wives, the son of Henadad who helped build Jerusalem’s wall, and the head of a family that returned with Zerubbabel.
Biblical Usage
Binnui appears among Levites, among those addressed concerning foreign marriages, among the builders of Jerusalem’s wall, and among those who sealed Nehemiah’s covenant. One Binnui was probably the same person as Bavvai, son of Henadad.
Historical Background
The name means “a building up” and is also explained as “familyship.” The various men named Binnui belonged to the restoration community after the Babylonian captivity.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(familyship).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>bin'-u-i (binnuy, a proper name, "a building up"):</p><p>(1) A Levite, living in the time of Ezra (Ezr 8:33; Ne 10:9; 12:8).</p><p>(2) One of the bene Pachath-mo'abh who had taken foreign wives (Ezr 10:30--Balnuus of 1 Esdras 9:31) and one of the bene Bani (Ezr 10:38) who had also intermarried.</p><p>(3) The son of Henadad, who built part of the wall of Jerusalem (Ne 3:24), and sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Ne 10:9). In all probability he is identical with "Bavvai, the son of Henadad" mentioned in Ne 3:18. "Bavvai" is either a corruption of "Binnui," or is the name of the Levitical house of which Bavvai was the chief representative. Binnui is mentioned in Ne 10:9 as a leading Levite, and, besides, the names in these verses are obviously those of priests and Levites; so the former theory is probably correct. (4) Head of a family who returned with Zerubbabel (Ne 7:15; Ezr 2:10).</p><p>H. J. Wolf</p>