Rezin

Rezin is mentioned in Ezr.2.48 and Neh.7.50 as the ancestor of a family of temple servants, also known as Nethinim, who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. The Nethinim were a group of people assigned to assist the Levites in the maintenance and service of the temple (Ezr.8.20). They were not Israelites by birth but were likely descendants of the Gibeonites who had been assigned by Joshua to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and the altar of the Lord (Jos.9.23, 27). The list in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 records the families and individuals who returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel, following the decree of King Cyrus of Persia (Ezr.1.1-4). The mention of Rezin's family among the Nethinim highlights the diverse group of people who were involved in the restoration of the temple and the religious life of the Jewish community after the exile.