Abiezer

We read of several of this name in the Scriptures. Jos 17:2 Jdg 7:34 2Sa 23:27 The name is interesting, signifying my Father [God] is my help: from Ab, father; and Hazar, to help.

Abie´zer (Father of help, Jos 17:2), a son of Gilead, the grandson of Manasseh (Num 26:30), and founder of the family to which Gideon belonged, and which bore his name as a patronymic—Abiezrites (Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2).

Great-grandson of Manasseh, {\cf11 \ul Num 26:29-30}, and founder of the family to which Gideon belonged, {\cf11 \ul Jos 17:2}; {\cf11 \ul Jdg 6:34}; {\cf11 \ul Jdg 8:2}. In this last verse, "the vintage of Abiezer" means the first rout of the Midianites by the 300, mostly Abiezrites; and "the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim," means the capture of Oreb and Zeeb, and other fruits of the victory, gathered by the Ephraimites.\PAR

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Abi-e’zer. (father of help, helpful).

1. Eldest son of Gilead, and descendant of Manasseh. Jos 17:2; 1Ch 7:18. (B.C. 1450). He was the ancestor of the great judge Gideon. See Gideon.

2. One of David’s mighty men. 2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28; 1Ch 27:12. (B.C. 1014).

("father of help".)

1. Oldest son of Gilead, descendant of Manasseh; head of a leading family, of which were Joash and Gideon (Jdg 6:11-24; Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2). Gideon soothed the wounded vanity of Ephraim when upbraiding him for not having called in their aid against Midian, saying "Is not the grape of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?" (Jos 17:2.) The form is Jeezer in Num 26:30, but (See JEEZER. Originally Abiezer’s family must have been E. of Jordan. In 1Ch 7:18 Abiezer is made son of Gilead’s sister. The family must have afterward passed to the W. of Jordan; for Joash the Abiezrite lived in Ophrah, which seems to have been on a hill, facing from the S. the Esdraelon plain, the scene of so many contests.

2. 2Sa 23:27.

(Heb. id., אֲבַיעֶזֶר, father of help, i.e. helpful; Sept. ‘Αβιέζερ), the name of two men.

1. The second of the three sons of Hammoleketh, sister of Gilead, grandson of Manasseh (1Ch 7:18). B.C. cir. 1618. He became the founder of a family that settled beyond the Jordan [ SEE OPHRAH ], from which Gideon sprang (Jos 7:2), and which bore this name as a patronymic (Jdg 6:34), a circumstance that is beautifully alluded to in Gideon’s delicate reply to the jealous Ephraimites (Jdg 8:2). SEE ABIEZRITE. He is elsewhere called JEEZER SEE JEEZER , and his descendants Jeezerites (Num 26:30). 2. A native of Anathoth, one of David’s thirty chief warriors (2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28), B.C. 1053. He was afterward appointed captain of the ninth contingent of troops from the Benjamites (1Ch 27:12), B.C. 1014. SEE DAVID.

Abiezer (â-bi-ç’zer), the father of help. Eldest son of Gilead, and descendant of Manasseh, Jos 17:2; 1Ch 7:18; Num 26:30, where the name is given in the contracted form Jeezer. He was the ancestor of the great judge Gideon. 2. A native of Anathoth. 2Sa 23:27. The name also occurs in Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2: and in an adjectival form, "the Abiezrite," in Jdg 6:11; Jdg 6:24; Jdg 8:32.

[Abie’zer]

1. Son of Gilead, a descendant of Manasseh, Jos 17:1-2, most probably the same is alluded to in Num 26:30, under the contracted form of JEEZER. Abiezer became a family name: Gideon blew a trumpet, and Abiezer was gathered after him. Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2.

2. One of David’s mighty men. 2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28; 1Ch 27:12.

3. Son of Hammoleketh, and nephew of Gilead, 1Ch 7:18.

ABIEZER (‘father is help’).—1. The name occurs also in the abbreviated form Jezer. He is called the son of Hammolecheth, sister of Machir, the son of Manasseh (1Ch 7:18). His descendants formed one of the smallest clans belonging to the Gileadite branch of the tribe of Manasseh, the best known member of which was Gideon. According to Jdg 6:24; Jdg 8:32, the Abiezrites were settled at Ophrah; they were the first to obey the summons of Joshua to fight against the Midianites.—2. An Anathothite, one of David’s thirty-seven chief heroes, who had command of the army during the ninth month (2Sa 23:27, 1Ch 27:12).

W. O. E. Oestenley.

ab-i-ē´zer, ā-bi-ē´zer (אביעזר, ’ăbhı̄‛ezer, “father of help,” or “my father is help.” Iezer, Iezerite (in the King James Version Jeezer, Jeezerite), is Abiezer with the letter bēth omitted):

(1) A descendant of Joseph the son of Jacob, and head of one of the families of Manasseh that settled West of the Jordan (Num 26:30; Jos 17:1-6; 1Ch 7:14-19). As he was great uncle to Zelophehad’s daughters, who brought a case before Moses (Num 36:1-13), he must have been an old man at the time of the conquest. He was the son of Gilead the son of Machir, in the sense of being a more remote descendant, for Machir had sons before the death of Joseph (Gen 50:23). The Machir that possessed Gilead and Bashan because he was “a man of war” was the Manassite family of Machir, with Jair as its great general (Jos 17:1; Jos 13:30, Jos 13:31; Num 32:39-41; Deu 3:12-15). To Abiezer and other sons of Gilead territory was assigned West of the Jordan.

In later generations the name survived as that of the family to which Gideon belonged, and perhaps also of the region which they occupied (Jdg 6:34; Jdg 8:2). They are also called Abiezrites (Jdg 6:11, Jdg 6:24; Jdg 8:32). The region was West of Shechem, with Ophrah for its principal city.

(2) One of David’s mighty men, “the Anathothite” (2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28), who was also one of David’s month-by-month captains, his month being the ninth (1Ch 27:12).