“[From the Levites]…Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.”
Nehemiah 11:17b-18
Last time we saw a Levite, Mattaniah, whose job was to lead in intercession and praise. Today we are introduced to two more Levites staying in the City.
First is Bakbukiah, which means “emptying of Yah.” It’s from baqbuq – a flask, gurgling from emptying. This word’s origin is from baqaq, which, though spelled the same, has two separate definitions. The first is “luxuriant, make empty, utterly, make void, depopulate, to spread out as a fruitful vine.” Unfortunately, even in the fruitful vine portion, it is not used in a positive sense. In Hosea 10, it denotes the more fruitful the vine, the more pagan altars. The second definition of baqaq is similar: “to empty, demoralize, devastate.”
Oh, dear. In a time when the cleansing fire of the Spirit is purifying His Bride – and on clear display to all thanks to social media – we would be wise to take this Word seriously. We want a luxuriant pouring out of His Spirit in our day, but that simply will not happen where injustice prevails. Our pagan altars of reputation, silent complicity, fear of change, lack of vision for a more just future, or simply apathy cannot have more weight than truth, love, and righteousness. God help us courageously follow You. May our abiding in the Luxuriant Vine be utmost.
Our second Levite listed is Abda, whose name comes from abad – to work, serve, slave, bondage, cultivate, impose, labor, perform, plow, till, worship. Service, work, labor, plowing, and worshipping all offer healthy, positive aspects of this definition. Of course, bondage, impose, and unhealthy performing do not. Like most things, what is gifted can become shackles if not kept in its proper place.
Which is why Abda’s father, Shammua, is important in our text today. His name is from our familiar word shama – to listen with intent to obey. Every day, huh? Each morning, awash in fresh mercies, we get to commit – once again – that He knows best, He is worthy of everything, and bowing is our only sane option. Listening with our yes already on the table.
Abda’s grandfather is Galal from the verb galal – to roll, roll away, to commit, roll down, lay wallowing. I looked into the different contexts of this root word usage, including “He trusted in the Lord; Commit your way to LORD; Remove the reproach; The garment rolled in blood will be used for fire; Sky will be rolled back as scroll; [And my favorite:] Let Justice roll down like waters, righteousness like a never-ending stream (Amos 5:24).”
This is indeed an action word. We must actively trust and commit in our seeking the Master. And He actively removes falsehood, rolls away reproach, and rolls down His right judgments, fairness, vindication – mishpat and tsedaqah.
Galal’s father is Jeduthun, which is from yadah, the word we saw last week meaning “to throw, cast, confess, give thanks, praise, throw down.” The focus was on the middle: thanksgiving. Isn’t that what joyful confession brings? The relief of not having to carry our pride, our sin any longer. Simply agreeing with Him that it’s hurting us, hurting others, and casting it off, grateful it is not our birthright as His Children.
After all, these 284 Levites were those who stayed in the Holy City. Holy here is qodesh – to be set apart, sacred. The place in which God chose to fill with His Presence was to be set apart from the watching world. Let’s allow Him to set us apart in Truth.