A family, 324 of whose members returned with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:17, and the parallel account, Nehemiah 7:23). The name also occurs in the list of those who signed the covenant with Nehemiah, and may there be identified with the leader of the clan (Nehemiah 10:19); who in I Esd. 5:16 is called Bassai. It is interesting to note that the name "Besai" occurs on a clay tablet found at Nippur (Hilprecht, "Pal. Explor. Fund, Quarterly Statement," Jan., 1898, p. 55).