Who was Adino the Eznite in the Bible?

Adino the Eznite is ambiguously mentioned in some translations of 2 Samuel 23:8 as one of King David's mighty men. However, most modern scholars believe the Hebrew text describes the heroic actions of Josheb-Basshebeth, not a separate person named Adino.

Why is Adino the Eznite's identity unclear?

The confusion stems from a difficult Hebrew phrase in 2 Samuel 23:8, which some older translations rendered as a separate person. Modern translations like the NIV and ESV clarify it as a description of Josheb-Basshebeth, who killed 800 men at one time.

What is the significance of the name Adino the Eznite?

If taken as a person, 'Adino the Eznite' would represent one of David's elite warriors, highlighting the bravery and loyalty of the men who supported his kingdom. However, his primary significance is as an example of a challenging textual issue in biblical translation.

Adino

Old TestamentUnited MonarchyMaleDavid's warrior

Adino the Eznite is mentioned in some translations of 2 Samuel 23:8 as one of David's mighty men, but the Hebrew text is unclear, and it may be a description of Josheb-Basshebeth's actions rather than a separate person.

Adino

Biography

Adino the Eznite is a name found in the King James Version translation of 2 Samuel 23:8, where the Hebrew text describing the chief of David's mighty men is particularly difficult. The KJV renders the passage to suggest that Adino wielded his spear against eight hundred men slain at one time, presenting him as an extraordinary warrior. However, most modern scholars and translations, including the ESV, NIV, and NASB, follow the parallel text in 1 Chronicles 11:11 and interpret the passage as describing Josheb-Basshebeth rather than a separate individual named Adino. The uncertainty surrounding Adino reflects genuine textual complexity in the transmission of the Hebrew manuscripts of Samuel, which are among the most difficult in the Old Testament.

Significance

Adino's presence in the biblical text, however ambiguous, invites engagement with the important discipline of textual criticism and the challenges of biblical transmission. The divergence between the Samuel and Chronicles parallel accounts illustrates that the biblical authors and scribes worked with real historical sources that sometimes required interpretation. For readers, Adino serves as a reminder that Scripture's authority does not depend on resolving every textual difficulty, but rather on the overall faithful preservation of God's revelation. The broader context, the catalog of David's mighty men, emphasizes the human courage and loyalty that God used to establish and defend the Davidic kingdom, within which God's redemptive purposes were being progressively realized.

Verse Appearances (1)

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 23:8

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]

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