Lexical Summary
Zattu: Zattu
Original Word:זַתּוּא
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Zattuw'
Pronunciation:za-TOO
Phonetic Spelling:(zat-too')
KJV: Zattu
NASB:Zattu
Word Origin:[of uncertain derivation]
1. Zattu, an Israelite
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Zattu
Of uncertain derivation; Zattu, an Israelite -- Zattu.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionan Isr.
NASB TranslationZattu (5).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Ezra 2:8 =
Nehemiah 7:13; compare also
Ezra 10:27;
Nehemiah 10:15.
Topical Lexicon
Occurrences in ScriptureThe name Zattu appears only in post-exilic literature and always designates a family or clan:Ezra 2:8;Ezra 10:27;Nehemiah 7:13;Nehemiah 10:14. These texts place the house of Zattu in three successive stages of restoration history: the initial return from Babylon, the moral reform led by Ezra, and the covenant renewal under Nehemiah.
Genealogical and Tribal Significance
Although the text never assigns Zattu to a specific tribe, his descendants are counted among “the people of Israel” rather than among the priestly or Levitical orders (Ezra 2:2;Nehemiah 7:7). This placement suggests lay status but noteworthy prominence, for only clan heads of some standing are preserved in the official lists. The consistent transmission of the name across nearly a century (from the first return in 538 BC to Nehemiah’s covenant around 444 BC) indicates a stable lineage that maintained its identity through exile and resettlement.
Role in the Return from Exile
Ezra 2:8 lists “the descendants of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five”.Nehemiah 7:13 repeats the same clan with a slightly different census (“eight hundred forty-five”), a common variance when lists are drawn from different records or stages of registration. In both lists the family is large, exceeding many others, testifying to Zattu’s success either in preserving fertility during captivity or in rallying extended relatives to join the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Their willingness to uproot from Babylon for the sake of worship in Zion signals obedience to prophetic calls such asIsaiah 48:20 andJeremiah 29:10.
Participation in Spiritual Reform
Within a single generation after resettlement, elements of the family erred by marrying foreign women. Ezra’s investigation names them among the guilty: “From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza” (Ezra 10:27). Yet the list serves a redemptive purpose; it records those who confessed and pledged to “put away their wives” (Ezra 10:19) to protect covenant holiness. The entry therefore illustrates both human frailty and willingness to submit to Scripture-based correction.
Covenant Renewal under Nehemiah
Roughly thirteen years later, the clan again emerges, this time in a positive light.Nehemiah 10:14 names Zattu among the signatories who “bound themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God” (Nehemiah 10:29). The presence of Zattu here, after the earlier moral failure, underscores genuine repentance and a sustained commitment to the Mosaic standard. Their signature on the covenant scroll symbolizes corporate accountability and the restoration of communal purity.
Historical and Ministry Significance
1. Continuity of Remnant. Zattu’s descendants demonstrate how God preserves a faithful remnant, maintaining identity through exile, repentance, and renewal.
2. Corporate Responsibility. The family’s transition from compromise (Ezra 10) to covenant signatories (Nehemiah 10) models how communities can correct course when confronted by the Word.
3. Lay Leadership. As non-priests with numerical strength, the Zattu household shows that spiritual momentum in post-exilic Judah did not rest solely on clergy but also on ordinary men committed to the Law.
4. Encouragement for Reformers. Ezra and Nehemiah found allies even among previously erring groups; ministry today can expect similar fruits when Scripture is proclaimed with clarity and compassion.
Theological Reflection
Zattu’s brief appearances form a narrative arc from exile to faithful covenant participation. They remind readers that names recorded in Scripture are more than census data; they embody accounts of grace, discipline, and restored obedience. Through Zattu, the post-exilic books affirm that God’s purposes advance not only through prominent leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, but also through entire households willing to repent, return, and renew their allegiance to the Word.
Forms and Transliterations
זַתּ֑וּא זַתּ֔וּא זַתּ֖וּא זתוא zat·tū zatTu zattū
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