Abiezer Father of help; i.e., "helpful." (1.) The second of the three sons of Hammoleketh, the sister of Gilead. He was the grandson of Manasseh (Ch1 7:18). From his family Gideon sprang (Jos 17:2; compare Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2). He was also called Jeezer (Num 26:30). (2.) One of David's thirty warriors (Sa2 23:27; compare Ch1 27:12). (3.) The prince of the tribe of Dan at the Exodus (Num 1:12).
Abiezrite Father of help, a descendant of Abiezer (Jdg 6:11, Jdg 6:24; Jdg 8:32).
Abigail Father (i.e., "leader") of the dance, or "of joy." (1.) The sister of David, and wife of Jether an Ishmaelite (Ch1 2:16, Ch1 2:17). She was the mother of Amasa (Sa2 17:25). (2.) The wife of the churlish Nabal, who dwelt in the district of Carmel (Sa1 25:3). She showed great prudence and delicate management at a critical period of her husband's life. She was "a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance." After Nabal's death she became the wife of David (1 Sam. 25:14-42), and was his companion in all his future fortunes (Sa1 27:3; Sa1 30:5; Sa2 2:2). By her David had a son called Chileab (Sa2 3:3), elsewhere called Daniel (Ch1 3:1).
Abihail Father of might. (1.) Num 3:35. (2.) Ch1 2:29. (3.) Ch1 5:14. (4.) The second wife of King Rehoboam (Ch2 11:18), a descendant of Eliab, David's eldest brother. (5.) The father of Esther and uncle of Mordecai (Est 2:15).
Abihu Father of Him; i.e., "worshipper of God", the second of the sons of Aaron (Exo 6:23; Num 3:2; Num 26:60; Ch1 6:3). Along with his three brothers he was consecrated to the priest's office (Exo 28:1). With his father and elder brother he accompanied the seventy elders part of the way up the mount with Moses (Exo 24:1, Exo 24:9). On one occasion he and Nadab his brother offered incense in their censers filled with "strange" (i.e., common) fire, i.e., not with fire taken from the great brazen altar (Lev 6:9, etc.), and for this offense they were struck dead, and were taken out and buried without the camp (Lev 10:1; compare Num 3:4; Num 26:61; Ch1 24:2). It is probable that when they committed this offense they were intoxicated, for immediately after is given the law prohibiting the use of wine or strong drink to the priests.
Abihud Father (i.e., "possessor") of renown. (1.) One of the sons of Bela, the son of Benjamin (Ch1 8:3); called also Ahihud (Ch1 8:7). (2.) A descendant of Zerubbabel and father of Eliakim (Mat 1:13, "Abiud"); called also Juda (Luk 3:26), and Obadiah (Ch1 3:21).
Abijah Father (i.e., "possessor or worshipper") of Jehovah. (1.) Ch1 7:8. (2.) Ch1 2:24. (3.) The second son of Samuel (Sa1 8:2; Ch1 6:28). His conduct, along with that of his brother, as a judge in Beer-sheba, to which office his father had appointed him, led to popular discontent, and ultimately provoked the people to demand a royal form of government. (4.) A descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, a chief of one of the twenty-four orders into which the priesthood was divided by David (Ch1 24:10). The order of Abijah was one of those which did not return from the Captivity (Ezr 2:36; Neh 7:39; Neh 12:1). (5.) The son of Rehoboam, whom he succeeded on the throne of Judah (Ch1 3:10). He is also called Abijam (Kg1 14:31; Kg1 15:1). He began his three years' reign (Ch2 12:16; Ch2 13:1, Ch2 13:2) with a strenuous but unsuccessful effort to bring back the ten tribes to their allegiance. His address to "Jeroboam and all Israel," before encountering them in battle, is worthy of being specially noticed (Ch2 13:5). It was a very bloody battle, no fewer than 500,000 of the army of Israel having perished on the field. He is described as having walked "in all the sins of his father" (Kg1 15:3; Ch2 11:20). It is said in Kg1 15:2 that "his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom;" but in Ch2 13:2 we read, "his mother's name was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah." The explanation is that Maachah is just a variation of the name Michaiah, and that Abishalom is probably the same as Absalom, the son of David. It is probable that "Uriel of Gibeah" married Tamar, the daughter of Absalom (Sa2 14:27), and by her had Maachah. The word "daughter" in Kg1 15:2 will thus, as it frequently elsewhere does, mean grand-daughter. (6.) A son of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel. On account of his severe illness when a youth, his father sent his wife to consult the prophet Ahijah regarding his recovery. The prophet, though blind with old age, knew the wife of Jeroboam as soon as she approached, and under a divine impulse he announced to her that inasmuch as in Abijah alone of all the house of Jeroboam there was found "some good thing toward the Lord," he only would come to his grave in peace. As his mother crossed the threshold of the door on her return, the youth died, and "all Israel mourned for him" (1 Kings 14:1-18). (7.) The daughter of Zechariah (Ch2 29:1; compare Isa 8:2), and afterwards the wife of Ahaz. She is also called Abi (Kg2 18:2). (8.) One of the sons of Becher, the son of Benjamin (Ch1 7:8). "Abiah," A.V.
Abijam Father of the sea; i.e., "seaman" the name always used in Kings of the king of Judah, the son of Rehoboam, elsewhere called Abijah (Kg1 15:1, Kg1 15:7, Kg1 15:8). (See ABIJAH, 5.)
Abilene A plain, a district lying on the east slope of the Anti-Lebanon range; so called from its chief town, Abila (Luk 3:1), which stood in the Suk Wady Barada, between Heliopolis (Baalbec) and Damascus, 38 miles from the former and 18 from the latter. Lysanias was governor or tetrarch of this province.
Abimael Father of Mael, one of the sons or descendants of Joktan, in Northern Arabia (Gen 10:28; Ch1 1:22).