Jozabad
One of two men called Jozabad who, along with other Manassite leaders, joined David at Ziklag when he was returning to fight against the Philistines.
Biography
Like his namesake, this second Jozabad was also a Manassite leader who joined David at Ziklag when David was being dismissed by the Philistines (1 Chronicles 12:20). The repetition of the name in the genealogical list suggests these were two distinct individuals of the same name who held comparable rank within the Manassite military structure. Both are described as leaders of thousands, indicating significant standing within their tribe. Their arrival at Ziklag, a city given to David by the Philistine king Achish, represented a meaningful transfer of loyalty from the kingdom of Saul to the rising coalition forming around the anointed son of Jesse.
Significance
The presence of two men named Jozabad among those who rallied to David underscores the breadth of support that was gathering around God's chosen king across Israelite tribal lines. Chronicles' careful enumeration of these defectors, naming individuals and their tribal affiliations, reflects the theological point that David's kingdom was not a narrow tribal faction but a genuinely national movement. This Jozabad's decision to break with the established Saulide order and join a fugitive king models the courage required to align with God's purposes when those purposes run counter to the prevailing political order.
Verse Appearances (1)
1Chr
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]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]