Shobai

Shobai is named only as the head of one of the clans of gatekeepers whose descendants returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. The two parallel return-lists in Ezra and Nehemiah place him sixth in a fixed roster of six porter-clans.

A Porter Whose Descendants Returned with Zerubbabel

Ezra's roll of returning porters records: "The sons of the porters: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine" (Ezra 2:42). The sons of Shobai close the six-clan list and contribute to the joint total of 139 returning gatekeepers.

The Nehemiah parallel preserves the same six clans in the same order: "The porters: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight" (Neh 7:45). The roster is identical; only the joint total differs by one (138 here as against 139 in Ezra). In both verses Shobai is mentioned only as ancestor of his clan — the eponymous head of one branch of post-exilic gatekeepers — with no narrative material attached.