Rehabiah

Biblical Record

Rehabiah was the son of Eliezer, the second son of Moses and Zipporah. His Hebrew name is understood to mean "the LORD has enlarged."

Rehabiah appears only in 1 Chronicles, where he is mentioned three times. No narrative or deeds are attributed to him; only his name is preserved in the genealogies.

• 1 Chronicles 23:17: This passage sets out the duties of the Levites in the time of David. It records that Eliezer had no sons other than Rehabiah, and that "the sons of Rehabiah were very many."
• 1 Chronicles 24:21: In listing the divisions of the descendants of Levi, this verse names Isshiah as the chief of the sons of Rehabiah.
• 1 Chronicles 26:25: This verse records a line descending from Eliezer through Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zichri, and Shelomith. The next verse states that this Shelomith and his brethren were in charge of the treasuries of the things dedicated by David and the captains.

Significance Within the Bible

1 Chronicles 23:13–14 distinguishes the descendants of Aaron, who were set apart for the priesthood, from the sons of Moses: "Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi." Rehabiah's lineage falls within this distinction. It shows that the descendants of Moses served not as priests but as Levites, carrying out duties such as temple service and the oversight of the treasuries.

Eliezer had only one son. The record that many descendants came from that only son, Rehabiah, indicates that the house of Moses did not die out but flourished. Rehabiah is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• Generational gap: Several centuries separate Rehabiah, the grandson of Moses, from the time of David. For this reason, many commentators read the word "son" in 1 Chronicles 26:25 not as an immediate son but in the sense of "descendant," regarding the list as a genealogy in which intervening generations have been omitted. Opinions also differ as to whether Isshiah in 24:21 and Jeshaiah in 26:25 are the same person.
• Significance of his many descendants: In Christian preaching and commentary, the statement that his sons were "very many" is sometimes read as an expression of God's faithfulness or blessing. Some interpreters also connect it with the meaning of his name ("has enlarged"). This is, however, only one way of reading the text; the passage itself does not explain any theological significance.
• Later traditions: Rabbinic literature is said to preserve traditions that greatly magnify the number of Rehabiah's descendants. These are not found in the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

Rehabiah is rarely treated as a subject in his own right in sermons or Sunday school. Readers usually encounter him when reading the genealogies of 1 Chronicles in the course of reading through the Bible. At most, he is mentioned in passing in Bible studies that explain the lineage of Moses' descendants or the duties of the Levites.