Abinadab

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This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

Abinadab is the name of several people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. The name means father of nobleness; i.e., noble.

1. A man of Kirjath-jearim widely identified as a Levite (but possibly a Judahite), in whose house the ark of the covenant was deposited after having been brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. 7:1). It remained there twenty years, until it was at length removed by David (1 Sam. 7:1,2; 1 Chr. 13:7).

It has been argued that the ark stayed at Abinadab's home for much longer than 20 years. After the ark was placed in Abinadab's home, the Bible counts 20 years before Israel cried to God and Samuel, asking for a king. Saul was then installed as king. He ruled for 40 years, and several more years passed before David took the ark from Abinadab's house to bring it to Jerusalem.

1. The second of the eight sons of Jesse (1 Sam. 16:8). He was with Saul in the campaign against the Philistines in which Goliath was slain (1 Sam. 17:13).
2. One of Saul's sons, who perished with his father in the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:2; 1 Chr. 10:2).
3. Ben-abinadab; One of Solomon's officers, who "provided victuals for the king and his household." He presided, for this purpose, over the region of Dor and had Taphath a daughter of Solomon to wife.(1 Kings 4:7 to 4:11).