Kadmiel

Kadmiel is a postexilic Levite named in Ezra-Nehemiah, associated with the return from exile, temple service, and public worship in Jerusalem.

At a Glance

A Levite named in the postexilic books of Ezra and Nehemiah, linked with temple service and covenant renewal.

Key Points

Description

Kadmiel is a biblical proper name associated with a Levite in the postexilic period. In Ezra and Nehemiah, the name appears in lists tied to the return from Babylon, temple-related ministry, and the renewal of Israel’s life in Jerusalem. The references place Kadmiel within the restored Levitical order, especially in contexts of worship and covenant commitment. Because Scripture presents Kadmiel as a person or clan name rather than as a doctrinal idea, the entry belongs in the Bible dictionary as a proper-name article.

Biblical Context

Kadmiel appears in the postexilic books, where the returned community is reestablishing worship, leadership, and covenant obedience. The name is linked with Levites involved in the life of the second temple community.

Historical Context

After the Babylonian exile, Judah’s returned exiles rebuilt temple life under Persian rule. Lists of names in Ezra and Nehemiah preserve the leaders and families who participated in that restoration, including Levites such as Kadmiel.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In Second Temple Judaism, Levites served important roles in worship, teaching, and the ordered life of the sanctuary. Kadmiel’s appearance in these lists reflects the continuity of priestly and Levitical service in the restored community.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Kadmiel is a Hebrew personal name; in the Bible it functions as a proper name for a Levite associated with the postexilic community.

Theological Significance

Kadmiel is not a doctrinal term, but the name points to the restoration of worship after judgment, the value of ordered Levitical service, and God’s faithfulness in preserving a worshiping remnant.

Philosophical Explanation

As a proper-name entry, Kadmiel illustrates how Scripture preserves the identity of individual servants within the larger story of redemption. The focus is historical and covenantal rather than abstract or conceptual.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not treat Kadmiel as a theological concept. The same name appears in multiple postexilic lists, and the passages may reflect either the same individual or a family/clan designation within the Levites.

Major Views

The basic identification is stable: Kadmiel is generally understood as a Levite figure in the postexilic period. Debate, where it exists, concerns genealogical or clan details rather than the historical setting or function of the name.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry does not establish doctrine. It should be read as a historical-biblical proper name within the restoration narrative of Ezra-Nehemiah.

Practical Significance

Kadmiel reminds readers that God uses ordinary, named servants in the renewal of worship, teaching, and covenant faithfulness.

Related Entries

See Also

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