Original Word: אֲבִינָדָב
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Abiynadab
Pronunciation: ah-bee-nah-dahb
Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-naw-dawb')
KJV: Abinadab
NASB: Abinadab
Word Origin: [from H1 (אָב - father) and H5068 (נָדַב - offered willingly)]

1. father of generosity (i.e. liberal)
2. Abinadab, the name of four Israelites

Abinadab

From 'ab and nadab; father of generosity (i.e. Liberal); Abinadab, the name of four Israelites -- Abinadab.

see HEBREW 'ab

see HEBREW nadab

Word Origin
from ab and nadab
Definition
"my father is noble," three Isr.
NASB Translation
Abinadab (12).

אֲבִינָדָב proper name, masculine (my father is noble)

1 a man of Gibeah in whose house the ark tarried 1 Samuel 7:1; 2 Samuel 6:3 (twice in verse); 2 Samuel 6:4; 1 Chronicles 13:7.

2 a son of Jesse 1 Samuel 16:8; 1 Samuel 17:13; 1 Kings 4:11 (? perhaps otherwise unknown; Klo proposes אֲבִינֵר בְּ).

3 a son of Saul 1 Samuel 31:2; 1 Chronicles 8:33; 1 Chronicles 9:39; 1 Chronicles 10:2.

Name and Meaning

Abinadab (“my father is noble / willing / generous”) is borne by three distinct men in Israel’s early monarchy. Although they share no direct relation to one another, each appears at a strategic moment in which God’s covenant purposes for Israel are advanced or protected.

1. Abinadab of Kiriath-jearim

• Location and Role. A Levite (implied by his appointment of a son to guard the Ark) whose house on the hill at Kiriath-jearim sheltered the Ark of the Covenant after its return from Philistia (1 Samuel 7:1).
• Two Decades of Custody. “The Ark remained at Kiriath-jearim a long time—twenty years in all” (1 Samuel 7:2). During this period Israel experienced spiritual lethargy until Samuel’s nationwide call to repentance.
• Family. His sons were Eleazar (consecrated as keeper of the Ark), Uzzah, and Ahio (2 Samuel 6:3-4).
• Transition to Davidic Worship. When David later attempted to transport the Ark to Jerusalem, the journey again began “from the house of Abinadab on the hill” (2 Samuel 6:3). Uzzah’s fatal irreverence underscores that Abinadab’s home, though honored, was never intended as the Ark’s permanent resting place; proper Levitical protocol still governed its movement.
• Ministry Significance. Abinadab’s hospitality preserved the most sacred object in Israel until a king after God’s own heart could establish centralized worship in Jerusalem. The account illustrates God’s ability to use obscure households for pivotal roles, while also highlighting the danger of growing overly familiar with holy things.

2. Abinadab son of Jesse (David’s elder brother)

• Birth Order. Second of Jesse’s eight sons (1 Samuel 16:8; 1 Chronicles 2:13).
• In Samuel’s Anointing Scene. Samuel initially looked upon Abinadab after rejecting Eliab, yet Yahweh again said, “Not this one” (1 Samuel 16:8). The episode reinforces the principle that “man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
• Military Service. One of the three oldest brothers serving under Saul during the Goliath standoff (1 Samuel 17:13). His presence testifies that even those overlooked for royal selection still held honorable positions in Israel’s defense.
• Ministry Significance. Abinadab’s life challenges believers to accept God’s sovereign choices without jealousy. While David was elevated, Abinadab continued faithfully in the sphere given him.

3. Abinadab son of Saul

• Lineage. Third-born son of King Saul, sibling of Jonathan and Malchishua (1 Samuel 31:2; 1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39).
• Death at Gilboa. “The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua” (1 Samuel 31:2). His death alongside his father marked the collapse of the Benjamite dynasty and cleared the path for Davidic rule.
• Ministry Significance. Abinadab’s fate reminds readers that corporate disobedience (Saul’s partial obedience and occult consultation) can engulf innocent family members, underscoring the gravity of covenant leadership.

Historical and Theological Observations

1. Preservation and Transition. The first Abinadab bridges the chaotic period of the Judges and the united monarchy, safeguarding the Ark until its covenantal relocation.
2. Divine Election. The second Abinadab’s bypass in favor of David illustrates God’s freedom in choosing instruments of redemptive history.
3. Judgment and Succession. The third Abinadab’s death confirms the prophetic word concerning Saul’s house (1 Samuel 15:28), demonstrating the certainty of divine judgment and the inevitability of God’s kingdom program.

Ministerial Lessons

• Stewardship of Holy Trusts: Spiritual privileges (such as proximity to God’s presence) require reverence and obedience, not casual familiarity.
• Contentment in Calling: Abinadab the brother models submission to God’s vocational assignments while supporting God’s chosen leader.
• Legacy and Obedience: The downfall of Saul’s son warns leaders that personal compromise can cost succeeding generations.

Key References

1 Samuel 7:1-2; 16:8; 17:13; 31:2

2 Samuel 6:3-4

1 Chronicles 2:13; 8:33; 9:39; 10:2; 13:7

אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב אֲבִֽינָדָ֖ב אֲבִֽינָדָב֙ אֲבִינָדָ֑ב אֲבִינָדָ֖ב אֲבִינָדָ֛ב אבינדב וַאֲבִינָדָב֙ ואבינדב ’ă·ḇî·nā·ḏāḇ ’ăḇînāḏāḇ avinaDav vaavinaDav wa’ăḇînāḏāḇ wa·’ă·ḇî·nā·ḏāḇInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts