Bible Word Study
יְרִיבַי
Yᵉrîybay · Jeribai, an Israelite
יְרִיבַי
Jeribai, an Israelite
Definition
Jeribai is the name of a valiant warrior listed among King David's mighty men in 1 Chronicles 11:46. As a proper noun, it refers specifically to this one individual, an Israelite known for his military prowess. The name itself is derived from the Hebrew root for 'contend' or 'strive,' meaning 'He contends' or 'My contender.' This single biblical occurrence provides the sole context for understanding the name and its bearer.
Biblical Usage
The name Jeribai is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 11:46. It appears in a list of warriors who demonstrated exceptional loyalty and bravery in service to King David. This context is part of a larger catalog (1 Chronicles 11:26-47) that establishes the military strength and divine favor supporting David's reign.
Etymology
Jeribai (יְרִיבַי) is a proper name derived from the root יָרִיב (yariv, H3401), meaning 'to contend, strive, or dispute.' The name is a construct form, likely meaning 'He contends' or 'My contender.' It shares this root with other names and common words related to legal dispute or conflict, reflecting a cultural practice of naming children with verbs or descriptions of character or divine action.
Semantic Range
While the name Jeribai itself is not theologically loaded, its appearance contributes to the important biblical theme of God raising up and honoring faithful servants. His inclusion in the list of David's mighty men underscores that God's kingdom is built through the collective courage and dedication of individuals, each named and known by Him. The meaning of his name ('He contends') may subtly reflect the constant spiritual and physical battles inherent in establishing God's covenant kingdom under David. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. A name like Jeribai ('He contends') likely reflected the parents' hopes for their child's character, a circumstance of his birth, or an attribute they ascribed to God. Being recorded among David's mighty men was a high honor, indicating Jeribai was part of the elite military force that secured the kingdom, a role of great social prestige and importance. Yariyb (יָרִיב, H3401) — The root verb meaning 'to contend,' from which the name is derived. Rib (רִיב, H7379) — A related noun meaning 'strife, controversy, or case at law.'
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]