Zabab
1:
ZABAD (PERSON) [Heb zābād (זָבָד)]. The name “Zabad” can be understood to mean “(Yahweh or God) has made a gift.” In the OT, the verb is used only in Gen 30:20 (Zakovitch 1980: 31–50).
1. A descendant of Judah, who shared Israelite and Egyptian ancestry (1 Chr 2:36–37). He was the son of Nathan, grandson of Attai, and great-grandson of Jarha. The Chronicler reports that Jarha was an Egyptian slave, owned by Sheshan, to whom Sheshan gave his daughter as a wife (1 Chr 2:34–35). Zabad was the father of Ephlal.
2. A descendant of Ephraim (1 Chr 7:21). Tensions can be seen in 1 Chr 7:20–29 apparently arising from the literary history of Chronicles. 1 Chr 7:20 begins a linear genealogy characterized by the form “[name 1] and [name 2] his son, and [name 3] his son,” etc. Chronicles would thus depict Zabad as the son of Tahath and the father of Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. Ezer and Elead were killed when they went down to raid cattle belonging to the natives of Gath (1 Chr 7:20–21). 1 Chr 7:22 reports that “Ephraim their father mourned many days.” If “father” is understood to mean “ancestor” some tension may be avoided, but other difficulties remain. Ephraim would be understood as mourning the seventh generation of his descendants. This incident is used to explain the name of another son of Ephraim (v 23), Beriah (Heb bĕrı̂˓â), so named because “evil had come upon his house” (Heb bĕrē˓â hāyĕtâ bĕbêtô). After a notice about Ephraim’s daughter (v 24) the genealogy of the line of Ephraim through Beriah (characterized by the form discussed above, though Resheph is an exception) continues in vv 25–27, culminating with Joshua. Understandings of the literary history of this passage vary, as can be seen in the commentaries.
3. The son of Ahlai, listed as one of King David’s outstanding warriors in 1 Chr 11:41b. The warriors of greatest renown were known as “the three”: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite; Eleazar, the son of Dodo; and Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite (2 Sam 23:8–12). (1 Chr 11:10–14 mention the exploits of Jashobeam a Hachmonite and Eleazar the son of Dodo.) Other warriors of renown were called the thirty (2 Sam 23:24; 1 Chr 11:15). Neither the list in 2 Sam 23:24–39 nor the list in 1 Chr 11:26–47 contains exactly thirty names, although 1 Chr 11:26–41a parallels the list in 2 Sam 23:24–39 with some variations. The names found in 1 Chr 11:41b–47, on the basis of differences in both form and content, are sometimes considered to have come from another source (Braun 1 Chronicles WBC, 159–60; Myers 1 Chronicles AB, 88–91; Williamson 1 and 2 Chronicles NCBC, 103–104). See also DAVID’S CHAMPIONS .
4. Identified by the Chronicler as a servant of King Joash; he was the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, who with Jehozabad, son of Shimrith the Moabitess, conspired against Joash because the king had ordered the stoning of Zechariah the prophet (1 Chr 24:25–26). Zechariah was the son of the priest Jehoiada, who had shown great kindness and loyalty to Joash. After the death of Jehoiada, when Joash turned from God to idols, Zechariah had announced God’s judgment, “You have forsaken Yahweh and Yahweh has forsaken you” (2 Chr 24:20). Zabad and Jehozabad killed Joash as he lay in his bed wounded from his encounter with the Syrian army (2 Chr 24:23–26). The Chronicler does not report any consequences suffered by these servants for the assassination of the king, but does report that though Joash was buried in the city of David, he was not buried in the royal tombs. The Chronicler’s report of the death of Joash differs from that of 2 Kgs 12:20–22—Eng 12:19–21. The RSV adopts the reading found in the LXX and in many Hebrew mss and identifies the servant first named in 2 Kgs 12:22—Eng 12:21 as Jozacar (Heb yôzākār) the son of Shimeath; the MT of BHS has Jozabad (Heb yôzābād). 2 Kgs 12:22—Eng 12:21 identifies the second assassination as Jehozabad the son of Shomer.
5. An Israelite, and a descendant of Zattu (Ezra 10:27, Gk Zabad; 1 Esdr 9:28, Gk Sabathos). Zabad is listed as one of those who divorced his foreign wife in accordance with the covenant described in Ezra 9–10 = 1 Esdr 8:65–9:36—Eng 8:68–9:36. The list of those who divorced their foreign wives and disowned the children born to them may seem “extraordinarily small considering the furor and the census figures in chapter ii” (Myers Ezra-Nehemiah AB, 87). Myers discusses three possible explanations: (1) the problem was not as serious as it would seem on the surface; (2) the list preserved is only a partial list perhaps reflecting only the upper classes; or (3) the reform was not successful (ibid., 87–88; 1 and 2 Esdras AB, 99). Stating that the first explanation can be easily dismissed, he favors the second explanation. Blenkinsopp, on the other hand, argues that the reform was not successful (Ezra-Nehemiah OTL, 197–201).
6. A descendant of Hashum who divorced his foreign wife (Ezra 10:33, Gk Zabed; 1 Esdr 9:33, Gk A Sabannaious, B Bannaious). See above, no. 5.
7. A descendant of Nebo who divorced his foreign wife (Ezra 10:43, Gk Sedem; 1 Esdr 9:35, Gk Zabadaias). See above, #5.
Bibliography
Mazar, B. 1963. The Military Elite of King David. VT 13: 310–20.
Zakovitch, Y. 1980. A Study of Precise and Partial Derivations in Biblical Etymology. JSOT 15: 31–60.
Keith L. Eades
Freedman, D. N. (1996, c1992). The Anchor Bible Dictionary (6:1030). New York: Doubleday.
2:
Zabad — gift. (1.) One of David’s valiant men (1 Chr. 11:41), the descendant of Ahlai, of the “children of Sheshan” (2:31).
(2.) A descendant of Tahath (7:21).
(3.) The son of Shemath. He conspired against Joash, king of Judah, and slew him (2 Chr. 24:25, 26). He is called also Jozachar (2 Kings 12:21).
(4.) Ezra 10:27.
(5.) Ezra 10:33.
(6.) Ezra 10:43.
Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
3:
ZABAD
1. Son of Nathan (1 Chr 2:36) and a descendant of Ahlai the daughter of Sheshan (vv 30, 34–36).
2. Tahath’s son and the father of Shuthelah from Ephraim’s tribe (1 Chr 7:21).
3. One of David’s mighty men, listed as a son of Ahlai (1 Chr 11:41); he is perhaps the same as #1 above.
4. One of the assassins of King Joash, listed as the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess (2 Chr 24:26). He is identical to Jozacar (alternately “Jozabad”) in 2 Kings 12:21. Zabad was a palace official who was likely the agent of a powerful conspiracy against Joash.
See also Jozacar, Jozachar.
5-7. Three priests variously descended from Zattu, Hashum, and Nebo, who renounced their foreign wives at Ezra’s request during the postexilic period (Ezr 10:27, 33, 43).
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (1318). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
4:
ZA´BAD (zaʹbad; Arab. “He, i.e., God, has given”).
1. Son of Nathan, who was the son of Attai. The mother of Attai was Ahlai, Sheshan’s daughter (1 Chron. 2:31–37), and hence Zabad was called the son of Ahlai (11:41), about 992 b.c. He was one of David’s mighty men, but none of his deeds has been recorded.
2. An Ephraimite, son of Tahath, and father of Shuthelah, no. 2 (1 Chron. 7:21).
3. Son of Shimeath, an Ammonitess; an assassin who, with Jehozabad, killed King Joash (2 Chron. 24:26), 797 b.c. The assassins were both put to death by Amaziah, but their children were spared (25:3–4) in obedience to the law of Moses (Deut. 24:16). In 2 Kings 12:21 his name is written, probably more correctly, Jozacar.
4, 5, 6. Three Israelites, “sons” respectively of Zattu (Ezra 10:27), Hashum (10:33), and Nebo (10:43), who divorced their Gentile wives after the captivity, 456 b.c.
Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). The new Unger's Bible dictionary. Revision of: Unger's Bible dictionary. 3rd ed. c1966. (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.
5:
ZABAD. 1. An Ephraimite (1 Ch. 7:21). 2. A man of Judah, of the lineage of Hezron (1 Ch. 2:36f.). 3. One of David’s mighty men (1 Ch. 11:41), probably to be equated with 2; note the name Ahlai in the parentage of both. 4. A conspirator against Joash (2 Ch. 24:26). The correct form of the name is *Jozachar. Cf. 2 Ki. 12:21. 5, 6, 7. Three laymen who put away their foreign wives, as directed by Ezra; (Ezr. 10:27, 33, 43). d.f.p.
Wood, D. R. W., Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (electronic ed. of 3rd ed.) (1261). Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.
6:
Zabad (zayʹbad; a shortened name, Heb., ‘He [God] has given,’ or ‘gift’; cf. the full names Zebadiah, Zabdiel, and related names Zabdi, Zabud, and Zebidah). 1 A descendant of Sheshan in the line of Judah (1 Chron. 2:36-37; cf. v. 31). 2 An Ephraimite of the Shuthelah lineage (1 Chron. 7:21). 3 One of David’s ‘mighty men’ (1 Chron. 11:41; cf. 2 Sam. 23:24-39). 4 One of the murderers of King Joash according to 2 Chron. 24:26 (called Jozacar [rsv; mt: ‘Jozabad’] in 2 Kings 12:21). 5 Three men among the returned exiles who had married foreign women (Ezra 10:27, 33, 43). P.A.B.
Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (1154). San Francisco: Harper & Row.
7:
Zabad (Heb. zāḇāḏ) (also JOZACAR)
1. A descendant of Jerahmeel of the tribe of Judah; son of Nathan and father of Ephlal (1 Chr. 2:36–37).
2. The son of Tahath, and a descendant of Ephraim (1 Chr. 7:21).
3. One of David’s Mighty Men, the son of Ahlai (1 Chr. 11:41).
4. The son of Shimeath the Ammonite woman who conspired with Jehozabad to murder King Joash of Judah (2 Chr. 24:26). At 2 Kgs. 12:21 (MT 22) he is called Jozacar.
5. An Israelite of the sons of Zattu who had taken a foreign wife (Ezra 10:27).
6. An Israelite of the sons of Hattum required to divorce his foreign wife (Ezra 10:33).
7. A man among the sons of Nebo who had married a non-Israelite wife (Ezra 10:43).
Gary M. Burge
Freedman, D. N., Myers, A. C., & Beck, A. B. (2000). Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (1405). Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans.
