Reaiah רְאָיָה

Reaiah is mentioned in the lists of people who returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile (Ezr.2.47; Neh.7.50). He was an ancestor of a group of temple servants, also known as the Nethinim, who were assigned to assist the Levites in the maintenance and service of the temple. The Nethinim were descendants of the Gibeonites who had been appointed by Joshua to serve in the tabernacle (Jos.9.27). Reaiah's descendants were among the temple servants who returned to Jerusalem to help rebuild the temple and restore worship practices. The mention of Reaiah in these lists highlights the importance of the temple servants in the restoration of Jewish worship after the exile.