Bible Word Study
אוֹבִיל
ʼôwbîyl · Obil, an Ishmaelite
אוֹבִיל
Obil, an Ishmaelite
Definition
Obil is a proper name mentioned only once in the Bible, referring to an Ishmaelite who served as the keeper of King David's camels (1 Chronicles 27:30). As a proper noun, it functions solely as a personal identifier for this individual. The name itself is likely derived from a Hebrew root meaning 'to mourn' or 'to be sorrowful,' which may have described his character or circumstances. No other meanings or biblical senses are attested for this term.
Biblical Usage
The word אוֹבִיל is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 27:30. It appears in a list of David's royal officials, specifically identifying Obil as an Ishmaelite who was in charge of the king's camels. This singular usage is purely as a proper name within an administrative context, with no patterns of broader application.
Etymology
The name Obil likely originates from the Hebrew root אָבַל (ʼāval, H56), which means 'to mourn,' 'to lament,' or 'to be sorrowful.' It is probably a descriptive name, perhaps indicating a characteristic of the individual or the circumstances of his birth. As a proper noun, its meaning is tied directly to this personal name rather than developing a broader lexical usage.
Semantic Range
In the cultural context of ancient Israel, names often carried descriptive or aspirational meaning. Obil, meaning 'mournful,' may reflect a personal or familial experience. His role as a camel keeper for David highlights the integration of Ishmaelites—descendants of Abraham through Hagar—into Israel's royal administration, demonstrating the practical, multi-ethnic nature of David's kingdom and the specialized roles within its economy.
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]