Original Word: אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Abiy ha-`Ezriy
Pronunciation: ah-vee hah-ehz-ree
Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee'-haw-ez-ree')
KJV: Abiezrite
NASB: Abiezrites, Abiezrite
Word Origin: [from H44 (אֲבִיעֶזֶר - Abiezer) with the article inserted]

1. father of the Ezrite
2. an Abiezrite or descendant of Abiezer

Abiezrite

From Abiy'ezer with the article inserted; father of the Ezrite; an Abiezrite or descendant of Abiezer; -- Abiezrite.

see HEBREW Abiy'ezer

Word Origin
from Abiezer
Definition
a desc. of Abiezer
NASB Translation
Abiezrite (1), Abiezrites (2).

אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי adjective of a people Abiezrite Judges 6:11,24; Judges 8:32 = אִיעֶזְרִי Numbers 26:30.

Identification

אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי designates a member of the family line of Abiezer (also called Abiezerites), a sub-clan of the tribe of Manasseh descended from Joseph. In the period of the Judges the name functions chiefly as an ethnonym for Gideon and his father Joash (Judges 6:11; Judges 6:24; Judges 8:32).

Tribal Context

The house of Abiezer appears among the Manassite genealogies (Numbers 26:30; Joshua 17:2). Situated west of the Jordan, their territory lay in the hill country of Ephraim–Manasseh, centering on Ophrah (Judges 6:11). Though numerically small—Gideon calls them “the least in Manasseh” (Judges 6:15)—they held land, vineyards, and communal threshing floors (Judges 6:11). The clan’s modest status supplies the narrative background against which the LORD’s choice of Gideon stands out.

Historical Background

During the Midianite oppression (circa 12th century B.C.), raiders annually devastated the central highlands (Judges 6:2-6). Joash the Abiezrite owned an altar to Baal, indicating syncretism within the clan (Judges 6:25). The LORD’s encounter with Gideon at Ophrah initiates national deliverance and calls the Abiezrites to abandon idolatry.

Occurrences and Narrative Role

Judges 6:11: “Then the Angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.”

Judges 6:24 identifies Ophrah as “Ophrah of the Abiezrites,” linking Gideon’s altar, “The LORD Is Peace,” to the clan’s identity.

Judges 8:32 records Gideon’s burial “in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites,” framing his life and ministry within the same familial circle.

Gideon’s Call and Ministry Setting

1. Divine condescension: The LORD meets Gideon in an obscure Abiezrite winepress, showcasing God’s initiative toward the weak.
2. Household reformation: Gideon’s first assignment—tearing down Joash’s Baal altar—turns the Abiezrite homestead into a covenantal altar of peace (Judges 6:25-32). Joash’s defense of his son (“Let Baal contend for himself”) implies an inner repentance among the clan.
3. Military leadership: Though “least,” the Abiezrite Gideon rallies all Israel, proving that divine empowerment, not tribal stature, secures victory (Judges 7:2).
4. Post-deliverance influence: Gideon’s seventy sons and the ephod in Ophrah (Judges 8:27, 30) show the Abiezrite house becoming a center of national attention—both for blessing and, later, spiritual danger when the ephod becomes a snare.

Faith Lessons and Theological Significance

• Sovereign choice: God often selects the inconspicuous (Abiezrite) to shame the mighty, prefiguring David’s selection and the calling of the disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
• Covenant renewal begins at home: The Abiezrite altar episode teaches that public deliverance is grounded in personal and familial repentance.
• Lasting peace arises from obedient worship: Gideon names the rebuilt altar “The LORD Is Peace,” anticipating the shalom fulfilled in the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and echoed in the greeting of the risen Christ (John 20:19).

Later Biblical Echoes

Abiezer reappears as a name in David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:27) and among those supporting David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3), suggesting a continuing legacy of valor connected to the root clan name, though the individuals are likely from Benjamin. The resonance of “Abiezer” across tribes testifies to the spread of the name after Gideon’s era.

Practical Applications

• Do not discount small beginnings; God’s call may come in hidden places.
• Remove private idols before expecting public victory.
• True peace is established when worship aligns with God’s revealed will.
• Legacy matters: Gideon’s faith and failures both shaped the Abiezrite name for generations, reminding believers that present obedience influences future testimony.

Related Topics

Gideon; Tribe of Manasseh; Baal worship in Israel; Theophanies in Judges; Shalom in Scripture

הָֽעֶזְרִ֑י הָֽעֶזְרִֽי׃ הָעֶזְרִֽי׃ העזרי העזרי׃ hā‘ezrî hā·‘ez·rî haezRiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts