Nethinims
“Given ones, those dedicated to service”
Summary
The Nethinims were temple servants given to assist the Levites in the menial tasks of the sanctuary, originally including the Gibeonites and later conquered Canaanites.
☩Origin and Role
The Nethinims were servants devoted to the service of the tabernacle and temple to perform the most laborious tasks, particularly supplying wood and water. The name means 'given ones,' indicating they were given or dedicated to this service. The Gibeonites who deceived Joshua were first appointed to this service, later supplemented by Canaanites whose lives were spared.
☩Return from Exile
The Nethinims were carried into captivity with Judah, and many dwelt near the Caspian Sea, from where Ezra brought some of them back. Those who returned with Ezra numbered two hundred and twenty, while those who followed Zerubbabel numbered three hundred and ninety-two. After the return, they dwelt in their assigned cities, with some residing at Jerusalem in the area called Ophel.