Abishur
Abishur, the son of Shammai, was a descendant of Judah; he married Abihail, and they had two sons, Ahban and Molid.
Biography
Abishur was a son of Shammai, belonging to the lineage of Jerahmeel within the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:28-29). He married a woman named Abihail, and their union produced two sons: Ahban and Molid. Shammai himself was a son of Onam, who descended through Jerahmeel from Judah's son Perez. Abishur's family thus formed part of the extensive Judahite genealogy that the Chronicler carefully preserved, tracing the lineages that connected the patriarchal era to the communities of the Divided Monarchy. His name, meaning possibly "my father is a wall" or "father of uprightness," suggests a family identity built around strength and fidelity.
Significance
Abishur's inclusion in the Jerahmeelite genealogy of Judah (1 Chronicles 2) highlights the rich diversity of families within the tribe from which Israel's greatest kings descended. The Chronicler's meticulous preservation of these lineages served to remind the post-exilic community that God's covenant with Judah extended through every branch of the tribe, not only the royal Davidic line. Abishur's marriage and fatherhood, simple as they appear, represent the ongoing generational faithfulness by which God's promises to Abraham and Judah were quietly fulfilled through ordinary family life.
Verse Appearances (2)
1 Chronicles
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]