Hair´im; Heb., “consecrated” or “dedicated”
1 A priest, descendant of Aaron and head of the third group of priests (1Chr 24:8). Any of the following could be descendants of his family. 2 A family group (“descendants of Harim”) who returned from the Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:32); this is probably the same family who had eight members condemned by Ezra for taking foreign wives (Ezra 10:31). 3 A much larger priestly family group who returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:39); five members of this family took foreign wives (Ezra 10:21). The family group headed by Adna could be this group or 2 above (Neh 12:15). 4 A member of the postexilic community who signed the covenant to keep the law (Neh 10:5). 5 A leader of the people who also signed the covenant (Neh 10:27). 6 The father (ancestor?) of Malchijah, one who helped repair the walls of postexilic Jerusalem (Neh 3:11). He could be either one of the men above (4 or 5), or “son of Harim” may simply designate Malchijah as a member of the larger family group (1).
