Original Word: שׁוֹבָב
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Showbab
Pronunciation: sho-BAHV
Phonetic Spelling: (sho-bawb')
KJV: Shobab
NASB: Shobab
Word Origin: [the same as H7726 (שׁוֹבָב - faithless)]

1. rebellious
2. Shobab, the name of two Israelites

Shobab

The same as showbab; rebellious; Shobab, the name of two Israelites -- Shobab.

see HEBREW showbab

Word Origin
from shub
Definition
two Isr.
NASB Translation
Shobab (4).

II. שׁוֺבָב proper name, masculine Σωβαβ, etc.:

1 son of David 2 Samuel 5:14 = 1 Chronicles 14:4; 1 Chronicles 3:5.

2 son of Caleb 1 Chronicles 2:18.

Occurrences and Historical Setting

Shobab appears four times in the Old Testament: 2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5; 1 Chronicles 14:4; and 1 Chronicles 2:18. Two distinct individuals bear the name.

1. Shobab, second-born son of David and Bathsheba, is listed among the princes born in Jerusalem after David established his throne there (2 Samuel 5:14; 1 Chronicles 3:5; 1 Chronicles 14:4).
2. Shobab, son of Caleb through Azubah, belongs to the Judahite genealogies that precede the monarchy (1 Chronicles 2:18).

Textual Snapshot

2 Samuel 5:14: “These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.”

1 Chronicles 2:18: “Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah and by Jerioth; these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.”

Genealogical Significance

Shobab’s double appearance—once in the pre-monarchic line of Judah and again in the Davidic dynasty—highlights the breadth of Judah’s legacy. The Chronicler, intent on tracing covenant lineage from the patriarchs to the post-exilic community, secures Shobab’s place so that every link in the redemptive chain is recorded. In the Davidic clan, Shobab stands alongside Solomon and Nathan, both pivotal to Messianic expectation (Matthew traces through Solomon; Luke through Nathan). Though Shobab himself is not in the legal or biological ancestry of Jesus, his inclusion underscores that every son of David belonged to the royal covenant promises of 2 Samuel 7.

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Continuity: Both occurrences attest that the Lord faithfully multiplies the seed of Judah and David, sustaining the promise of a perpetual throne.
2. The Value of the Individual: Scripture preserves even comparatively obscure names, affirming that no member of God’s people is forgotten (cf. Isaiah 49:16).
3. Chronicler’s Hope: Post-exilic readers, surrounded by political fragility, could look back on names like Shobab and see evidence of God’s unbroken purposes.

Comparative Character Study

• Shobab son of Caleb represents the tribal foundations from which the monarchy arises; his context is pastoral and clan-oriented.
• Shobab son of David represents the consolidation of kingship in Zion; his setting is urban and regal. The juxtaposition stresses how God’s plan moves from tents to a throne, from shepherds to kings, yet remains centered in the tribe of Judah.

Ministry Application

Genealogies serve pastors and teachers as reminders that:

1. Families matter in God’s redemptive story; disciple-making begins at home.
2. Personal obscurity does not preclude eternal significance—useful encouragement to congregants who labor without public acclaim (1 Corinthians 15:58).
3. Accurate record-keeping preserves doctrinal integrity; likewise, churches should steward membership and historical documents with care.

Christological Reflection

Standing next to Nathan and Solomon, Shobab points to the greater Son who would fulfill both prophetic (Nathanic) and regal (Solomonic) anticipations. Each Davidic child becomes a signpost toward “Jesus Christ, the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1).

Summary

Shobab’s four brief mentions weave him into the tapestry of Judah’s growth and David’s dynasty. Though silent in narrative, his recorded existence testifies to God’s precision in keeping covenant, valuing every offspring, and moving history inexorably toward the Messiah.

וְשׁוֹבָ֔ב וְשׁוֹבָ֖ב וְשׁוֹבָ֞ב ושובב veshoVav wə·šō·w·ḇāḇ wəšōwḇāḇInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts