ABIHAIL ăb’ ə hāl (אֲבִיהָ֑יִל, the [my] father is strength or strong father). In 1 Chronicles 2:29 and 2 Chronicles 11:18 the name is spelled with ה rather than ח. Since a Massoretic note attests this variance, the change to ה is prob. a pre-Massoretic mistake. 1. The father of Zuriel who was head of the house of Merari, youngest son of Levi (Num 3:35).

2. The wife of Abishur of Judah, a Jerahmeelite (1 Chron 2:29).

3. A man of the tribe of Gad who lived in Gilead in Bashan (1 Chron 5:14).

4. Wife and cousin of Jerimoth and mother of Mahalath a wife of Rehoboam. Ambiguity in the text (2 Chron 11:18) might suggest Abihail as another wife of Rehoboam. The next two vv., however, have only one wife in view in v. 18.

5. Father of Queen Esther and uncle of Mordecai (Esth 2:15; 9:29).