(Shabʹbe·thai) [[Born on the] Sabbath].

A postexilic Levite. The text at Ezra 10:15 reads: “However, Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah themselves stood up against this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites were the ones that helped them.” This verse may be read to mean that Shabbethai helped those who opposed Ezra’s proposal that those who had taken foreign wives dismiss them. Or it could mean that he joined in opposing the procedure recommended by the congregation for resolving the matter. Another possible rendering would indicate that he helped those who acted representatively in dealing with the situation on behalf of the people. This latter view would perhaps find support if the Shabbethai mentioned here is the same person who is named at Nehemiah 8:5-7; 11:1, 2, 15, 16 as assisting Ezra at the public reading of the Law and who lived in Jerusalem after the wall was rebuilt.