בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב

Ben-Abinadab, an Israelite

Definition

Ben-Abinadab is a proper name meaning 'son of Abinadab.' He was an Israelite official appointed by King Solomon as one of the twelve district governors responsible for supplying provisions for the royal household. His specific district was the region of Dor, a coastal territory, and his administrative duties are recorded in 1 Kings 4:11. The name itself is a patronymic, identifying him primarily through his father, Abinadab, which was a common naming convention in ancient Israel.

Biblical Usage

This name appears only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 4:11, within a list of Solomon's twelve administrative officers. The context is purely administrative and genealogical, detailing the structure of Solomon's kingdom. There are no other occurrences or narrative uses of this specific name in the biblical text.

Etymology

The name is a compound of two Hebrew words: 'בֵּן' (ben, H1121), meaning 'son,' and 'אֲבִינָדָב' (ʼĂbîynâdâb, H41), a personal name meaning 'my father is noble' or 'father of generosity.' It is a standard patronymic construction, literally 'son of Abinadab,' used to identify an individual by his paternal lineage.

Semantic Range

The name reflects the strong emphasis on family lineage and identity in ancient Israelite society. Being identified as 'son of [father's name]' was a primary marker of personal and social identity. His role as a district governor under Solomon illustrates the administrative organization of the united monarchy, where loyal officials were tasked with resource management to support the centralized royal authority and its projects.

Other patronymic names in Solomon's administration follow the same pattern, such as Ben-Hur (בֶּן־חוּר, H1125) in 1 Kings 4:8 and Ben-Deker (בֶּן־דֶּקֶר, H1125) in 1 Kings 4:9. The distinction is solely in the father's name component.

Word Details

Scripture References