Jozabad
Jozabad, a Benjamite warrior, was one of the mighty men who joined David at Ziklag.
Biography
Jozabad the Benjamite was among the mighty warriors who joined David at Ziklag during his years of flight from King Saul (1 Chronicles 12:1–7). These Benjamite warriors, drawn from Saul's own tribe, were celebrated for their ambidextrous skill with both bow and sling. Their defection to David was politically and militarily significant: that members of Saul's own tribal base would abandon the Saulide cause and align with David spoke powerfully to the divine momentum shifting toward the son of Jesse. Jozabad is specifically named among this Benjamite contingent, indicating he was a recognized figure of notable martial ability and standing within his tribal community.
Significance
Jozabad's crossing of tribal lines to join David carries rich symbolic weight. Benjamites siding with David, when Saul was himself a Benjamite, illustrated that loyalty to God's anointed superseded ethnic and political allegiance. The Chronicles account of these warriors emphasizes that God equipped David's movement with skilled, courageous men who saw beyond the present political reality to the king God had chosen. Jozabad's warrior profile also reflects the biblical motif that God provides his appointed leaders with both spiritual calling and practical human resources, preparing the ground for his purposes through the willing obedience of gifted individuals.
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]