Who was Shobi in the Bible?

Shobi was an Ammonite, the son of Nahash from Rabbah, who showed kindness to King David. He is mentioned only once, bringing supplies to David when the king was fleeing from his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 17:27-29).

Why is Shobi's act of kindness significant?

Shobi's support was significant because he was an Ammonite, a people often in conflict with Israel, yet he helped David in a time of desperate need. His actions, along with others, demonstrate God's provision for David during his exile and highlight the theme of unexpected allies.

What did Shobi bring to David at Mahanaim?

Shobi brought essential supplies to sustain David and his weary followers, including beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese (2 Samuel 17:28-29). This generous provision met their physical needs during a crisis.

Shobi

Old TestamentUnited MonarchyMaleAn ammonite

Shobi was an Ammonite who brought supplies to David at Mahanaim when he was fleeing from his son Absalom.

Shobi

Biography

Shobi was an Ammonite, the son of Nahash, who demonstrated extraordinary loyalty and kindness to David during the crisis of Absalom's rebellion. When David fled Jerusalem and arrived at Mahanaim in Transjordan, Shobi, along with Machir son of Ammiel and Barzillai the Gileadite, brought provisions of food, bedding, and household supplies to sustain the king and his weary entourage (2 Samuel 17:27-29). The name of his father Nahash suggests a possible connection to the Ammonite king Nahash who had shown earlier kindness to David (2 Samuel 10:2), and Shobi's generosity may reflect a continuation of that family's good standing with the Israelite king. His act of provision at a moment of royal vulnerability stands as a striking example of loyal friendship across ethnic lines.

Significance

Shobi's assistance to David during one of the darkest periods of the king's life exemplifies the biblical theme that God provides for his servants through unexpected and diverse sources, in this case a foreigner from a nation historically at odds with Israel. His generosity to the exiled David mirrors in miniature the way providence sustains the anointed one through the hospitality of those whose loyalty transcends political calculation. Theologically, Shobi's act also anticipates the gathering of the nations to serve the Davidic king, a motif that unfolds fully in the messianic visions of the prophets and finds its ultimate expression in the universal kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (1)

2Sam

2Sam 17:27

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources