Ashbel
Ashbel was a son of Benjamin and the founder of the Ashbelite clan (Gen 46:21; Num 26:38; 1 Chr 8:1).
Biography
Ashbel was the second son of Benjamin, the youngest of Jacob's twelve sons, and the founder of the Ashbelite clan within the tribe of Benjamin. He is listed among the sons of Benjamin who descended to Egypt with Jacob's household (Gen 46:21), placing him in the patriarchal generation that made the pivotal journey to Egypt during the great famine, a journey that preserved the covenant family through Joseph's provision. The Ashbelite clan is later enumerated in the census of the Israelites in the wilderness of Moab, where his descendants were counted among the mustered men of fighting age from the tribe of Benjamin (Num 26:38). His genealogical significance is further confirmed in the tribal records of 1 Chronicles 8:1, which preserves Benjamin's sons in order, establishing Ashbel among the founding families of one of Israel's most storied tribes.
Significance
Ashbel's significance lies in his role as a tribal founder within the tribe of Benjamin, a tribe of outsized importance in the biblical narrative. Benjamin was the favored son of Jacob's old age, the brother for whom Joseph wept, the tribe that produced Israel's first king Saul, and later the apostle Paul. As one of Benjamin's founding sons, Ashbel contributed to the tribal genealogy that would eventually carry these remarkable figures. The preservation of his name across three separate Old Testament texts (Genesis, Numbers, Chronicles) reflects the biblical tradition's careful maintenance of tribal heritage. His descent to Egypt with Jacob's household places him at the defining moment when the covenant family's survival was secured, making Ashbel a witness to God's faithfulness in preserving the promise through extraordinary means.
Verse Appearances (3)
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]