Original Word: אֲבִיעֶזר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Abiy`ezer
Pronunciation: ah-vee-EH-zer
Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-ay'-zer)
KJV: Abiezer
NASB: Abiezer, Abiezrites
Word Origin: [from H1 (אָב - father) and H5829 (עֵזֶר - Ezer)]

1. father of help (i.e. helpful)
2. Abiezer, the name of two Israelites

Abiezer

From 'ab and Ezer; father of help (i.e. Helpful); Abiezer, the name of two Israelites -- Abiezer.

see HEBREW 'ab

see HEBREW Ezer

Word Origin
from ab and Ezer
Definition
"my father is help," a Manassite, also a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Abiezer (6), Abiezrites (1).

אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר proper name, masculine (my father is help) — = אִיעֶזֶר Numbers 26:30 —

1 a Manassite, called 'son' of Gilead Numbers 26:30 (compare Di) Joshua 17:2; Judges 6:34; Judges 8:2; and son of Gilead's sister 1 Chronicles 7:18.

2 a Benjamite, a warrior of David 2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 27:12.

Occurrences in Scripture

Joshua 17:2; Judges 6:34; Judges 8:2; 2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 7:18; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 27:12

Genealogical Setting within Manasseh

Abiezer appears first as a great-grandson of Manasseh through Hammolecheth (1 Chronicles 7:18). His descendants, called the Abiezrites, are listed among the six chief Manassite clans who received land west of the Jordan (Joshua 17:2). The presence of a distinct clan name indicates both numerical strength and covenantal identity within the larger tribe descended from Joseph.

Territorial Allotment

The Abiezrite inheritance lay in the central hill country of western Manasseh, probably around Ophrah (Judges 6:11, 24). This location placed the clan on the frontier between Israelite and Canaanite populations, a context that explains both the pressure of idolatry and the need for repeated deliverance during the period of the Judges.

Gideon and the Abiezrites: From Hesitation to Heroism

When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, He found him “threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites” (Judges 6:11). Gideon was “the youngest in my father’s house,” yet the Spirit-empowered calling transformed him into a deliverer for all Israel.
• Judges 6:34 records the first mobilization: “So the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites rallied behind him”. The clan that had earlier tolerated Baal worship now stands in the vanguard of faith.
• Gideon later placates the tribe of Ephraim by contrasting their victory with his own: “Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?” (Judges 8:2). His self-deprecating reference shows both diplomacy and the humility learned in dependence on the LORD.

Spiritual Significance in the Era of the Judges

1. Divine Initiative: The narrative underscores that spiritual renewal begins with God’s call, not human readiness.
2. Courage Forged in Community: The Abiezrites move from attempted retaliation against Gideon (6:28-30) to standing with him once the Spirit comes. Revival proved contagious.
3. Small Beginnings: Gideon’s “vintage” may have been numerically small, yet faith multiplied its impact.

Abiezer the Anathothite: Valor among David’s Mighty Men

A later bearer of the name is Abiezer of Anathoth in Benjamin. He is counted among “the Thirty” (2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:28), elite warriors renowned for their exploits. Under David’s reorganization he commanded the ninth military division, numbering twenty-four thousand, during the ninth month (1 Chronicles 27:12). His hometown, Anathoth, would later produce the prophet Jeremiah, sustaining a tradition of steadfast service.

Historical Continuity between Judges and Monarchy

The two Abiezers illustrate continuity in God’s dealings with His people:
• In the decentralized time of the Judges, God raises a clan to deliver Israel.
• In the consolidated kingdom, an individual of the same name serves to strengthen royal authority.

Both contexts reveal that valor and faithfulness emerge not from circumstance but from covenant relationship.

Theological Reflections

1. Covenant Faithfulness: The LORD preserves households that respond to His call, weaving their names into redemptive history.
2. Leadership Development: The transformation of Gideon and the appointment of the Anathothite show that God equips leaders both spiritually (by His Spirit) and practically (through disciplined military structure).
3. Typological Hint: Gideon’s deliverance prefigures the greater salvation accomplished by Christ, who likewise saves not by numbers but by divine power.

Practical Applications

• Personal weakness is no barrier when God clothes a believer with His Spirit.
• Families and local communities can shift from compromise to courageous witness.
• Faithful service, whether in obscure agrarian settings or in royal courts, contributes to the unfolding plan of God.

אֲבִיעֶ֖זֶר אֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ אֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר אֲבִיעֶ֥זֶר אֲבִיעֶֽזֶר׃ אביעזר אביעזר׃ ’ă·ḇî·‘e·zer ’ăḇî‘ezer aviEzerInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts