REHUM

(Reʹhum).

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

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

3. “The chief government official” (of the Persian Empire) who presumably resided in Samaria and who took the lead in writing a letter to King Artaxerxes that falsely accused the Jews concerning their intentions in rebuilding Jerusalem. The imperial reply ordered Rehum and his compatriots to go to Jerusalem and forcibly put a stop to the Jews’ rebuilding work. (Ezr 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.​—Ezr 5:1–6:13.

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

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