Abiel (Hastings' Dictionary)
- Son of Zeror, of the tribe of Benj., was father of Kish and Ner, and consequently grandfather of Saul and Abner, 1 S 9' 14". According to 1 Ch 8" = 9^ Ner was father of Kish ; in this case Abiel would Lave been great-grandfather of Saul. But the statement in Ch is an error, very possibly due to transcrip- tional causes ; vid. Bertheau on 1 Ch %^. 2. The name of one of David's 'thirty men' (2 S23") = 1 Ch 11^'. The form (Abi-albon) under which this man's name now appears in the Heb. text of Samuel is due to textual corruption ; Wellhausen (on 2 S 23") supposes the original form to have been Abibaal ; but there seems no sufficient reason to doubt the form (Abiel) preserved in Chron. ; cf. Driver on 2 S 23". G. B. Gray.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Abiel
Abiel a'-bi-el, ab'-yel, a-bi'-el ('abhi'el, "my father is God," or "God is father"): ⇒See a list of verses on ABIEL in the Bible. (1) A descendant of Benjamin the son of Jacob. Father of Kish the father of King Saul, and also, apparently, the father of Ner the father of Saul's general, Abner (1Sa 9:1; 14:51). (2) One of David's mighty men (1Ch 11:32), called ABI-ALBON, which see, in 2Sa 23:31. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Abiel
("father of strength".) 1. Father of Kish and of Ner; grandfather of Saul and of Abner, according to 1Sa 9:1; 1Sa 14:51. But Abiel seems to have had "Ner" as his second name (1Ch 8:33; 1Ch 9:35; 1Ch 9:39, where Abiel is also called Jehiel and Saul is represented as his great grandson). Probably in 1 Samuel a link in the genealogy is omitted, as often elsewhere. 2. 1Ch 11:32; named Abi-Albon (of the same meaning) 2Sa 23:31.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia