<strong>BIGVAI</strong> (bĭg'vā-ī, <em>fortunate</em>)<br /><br />

One of the eleven or twelve chief men who returned from captivity by permission of Cyrus in 536 <span class="small-caps">b.c.</span> (<bibleref ref="Ezra.2.2">Ezra.2.2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.7.1-Neh.7.73">Neh.7.1-Neh.7.73</bibleref>).The ancestor of a family of over two thousand who returned with Zerubbabel from captivity (<bibleref ref="Ezra.2.14">Ezra.2.14</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.7.19">Neh.7.19</bibleref>). Some think that the slight difference of numbers in the two verses quoted is due to the possibility that Ezra’s was a list made in Babylon before starting, and Nehemiah’s at Jerusalem after arriving. Some may have dropped out and a few added during the migration.Probably the same as no. 2. The ancestor of a family, seventy-two of whom returned with Ezra in 457 <span class="small-caps">b.c.</span> (<bibleref ref="Ezra.8.14">Ezra.8.14</bibleref>).<br /><br />

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<strong>BIGVAI</strong> <strong>bĭg’ vī</strong> (<span class="hebrew">בִּגְוַ֖י</span>). 1. The head of a family that returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (<bibleref ref="Ezra.2.2">Ezra 2:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.7.7">Neh 7:7</bibleref>). More than 2,000 attendants went with him (<bibleref ref="Ezra.2.14">Ezra 2:14</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.7.19">Neh 7:19</bibleref>). Some members of the family came from Persia with Ezra (<bibleref ref="Ezra.8.14">Ezra 8:14</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Esd.5.14">1 Esd 5:14</bibleref> [KJV, ASV BAGOI], <bibleref ref="1Esd.8.40">8:40</bibleref> [KJV, ASV BAGO]).<br /><br />

2. A man who signed the covenant with Nehemiah (<bibleref ref="Neh.10.16">Neh 10:16</bibleref>).<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

(bighway; Baogei, Bagoua):<br /><br />

(1) The head of one of the families who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (<bibleref ref="Ezra.2.2">Ezr 2:2</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Neh.7.7">Ne 7:7</bibleref>), having a large number of his retainers (2,056, according to <bibleref ref="Ezra.2.14">Ezr 2:14</bibleref>; 2,067, according to <bibleref ref="Neh.7.19">Ne 7:19</bibleref>), besides 72 males later under Ezra (<bibleref ref="Ezra.8.14">Ezr 8:14</bibleref>).

(2) One of those who subscribed the covenant with Nehemiah (<bibleref ref="Neh.10.16">Ne 10:16</bibleref>).<br /><br />

Bigvai