Zabad
Zabad, a son of Ephraim, was killed by the men of Gath.
Biography
Zabad son of Ephraim is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:21 as one of the sons or descendants of Ephraim who were killed in a raid by the men of Gath. The passage describes how the men of Gath slew Ezer and Elead along with Zabad when they came down to steal livestock from the Philistines, an act of aggression that triggered a violent reprisal. This tragic episode caused great mourning for Ephraim, their father, and contextualizes the birth of Joshua's ancestor Beriah, whose name means "in calamity" because the family was in distress. Zabad's death forms part of a somber interlude in the Ephraimite genealogy, reminding readers that even the lineage of a leading tribe of Israel was marked by grief and loss.
Significance
Zabad's death in the Gath raid (1 Chronicles 7:21) underscores the perilous environment in which the Israelite tribes lived and the real human cost of tribal conflicts in the ancient Near East. Theologically, his story is embedded in a genealogy that leads ultimately to Joshua (1 Chronicles 7:27), the great leader of the conquest, reminding readers that God's purposes advance even through families marked by tragedy and grief. Zabad's brief mention invites reflection on the sorrow that preceded Israel's victories, affirming that God's redemptive purposes are worked out through the full spectrum of human suffering and resilience.
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]