Bible Word Study
אֲבִישׁוּר
ʼĂbîyshûwr · Abishur, an Israelite
אֲבִישׁוּר
Abishur, an Israelite
Definition
Abishur is a proper name of a minor Israelite figure in the Old Testament. The name means 'father of the wall' or 'my father is a wall,' likely signifying protection or strength. He appears exclusively in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah as a son of Shammai and the father of two sons, Ahban and Molid (1 Chronicles 2:28-29). There are no other narrative contexts or differing meanings for this name in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
The name Abishur is used only twice in the Old Testament, both within a single genealogical list in 1 Chronicles 2:28-29. Its usage is strictly as a personal name within the lineage of Judah, specifically in the family of Jerahmeel. There are no patterns of broader usage, as it serves solely to document a familial link in this historical record.
Etymology
The name Abishur (אֲבִישׁוּר) is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'av' (H1, אָב), meaning 'father,' and 'shur' (H7791, שׁוּר), a word for 'wall.' It is therefore interpreted as 'father of the wall.' The meaning is likely symbolic, suggesting the named individual or his father was a source of protection, stability, or perhaps even a builder (mason). It follows a common Hebrew naming convention combining 'av' with another noun.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful and descriptive. A name like Abishur ('father of the wall') likely conveyed a hope for the child's character—that he would be a strong protector or a stabilizing force for his family. It reflects a cultural practice where names carried significance beyond mere identification, sometimes referencing attributes of God (as a protector) or aspirations for the child's role. Abimelech (H40) — A name meaning 'my father is king,' sharing the 'av' (father) prefix but emphasizing royal authority rather than protective strength. | Abinadab (H41) — A name meaning 'my father is noble' or 'my father is willing,' also using the 'av' prefix but focusing on nobility or generosity.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]