REHUM

(Reʹhum) [compassion].

1. One of those listed at the head of the register of exiles who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. (Ezra 2:1, 2) His name is spelled Nehum at Nehemiah 7:7.

2. A priest listed among those who returned with Zerubbabel. (Neh. 12:1, 3) A simple transposition of Hebrew characters would make him the one called Harim in verse 15 and elsewhere.—See HARIM No. 1.

3. The “chief government official” of the Persian Empire residing presumably in Samaria who took the lead in writing a letter to King Artaxerxes falsely accusing the Jews concerning their intentions for rebuilding Jerusalem. The imperial reply ordered Rehum and his compatriots to go to Jerusalem and forcibly put a stop to the Jews’ rebuilding work on the temple. (Ezra 4:8-24) Haggai and Zechariah, however, not long thereafter stirred up the Jews to resume their rebuilding, which was finally sanctioned by the Persian review of Cyrus’ original decree.—Ezra 5:1–6:13.

4. A Levite son of Bani who helped repair Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 3:17.

5. The head of a postexilic family whose representative, if not himself, attested to the covenant of faithfulness during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 10:1, 14, 25.