Asná

Asnah was the head of a family of Nethinim (temple servants) whose descendants returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:50). The Nethinim were a class of temple workers, likely of foreign origin, who performed menial duties in the sanctuary; they are mentioned throughout the post-exilic records as an important component of the temple staff. Their careful listing in the return records reflects the concern to reconstitute the full range of temple personnel. Asnah himself is known only from this family name in the Ezra genealogy, representing a broader category of temple-affiliated workers.