ABINADAB ə bĭn’ ə dăb (אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב, my [the] father is generous [noble] or father of generosity [nobility]). 1. The second of Jesse’s eight sons (1 Sam 16:8; 1 Chron 2:13). When Goliath challenged the Israelites in the Valley of Elah and was killed by David, Abinadab, Eliab, and Shamma were in Saul’s army (1 Sam 17:13ff.).

2. One of the sons of Saul who died with his father and his two brothers on Mt. Gilboa in battle with the Philistines (1 Sam 31:2; 1 Chron 8:33; 9:39; 10:2).

3. The father of Eleazar, Ahio, and Uzzah at whose place on a hill at Kiriath-jearim the Ark remained after it was returned from the Philistines in the days of Samuel. Eleazar was chosen by the city fathers to have charge of the Ark. Uzzah and Ahio were among those who assisted David in his first attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. Uzzah put his hand on the Ark to steady it when the oxen stumbled, and immediately died for his breach of the law of the Ark (2 Sam 6:6, 7).

4. The father of one of Solomon’s sons-in-law (1 Kings 4:11). Some scholars suggest that Ben-abinadab should be translated as a personal name rather than as son (ben) of Abinadab (see RSV). Ben-abinadab was married to Solomon’s daughter Taphath. He was in charge of Naphath-dor between Philistia and Phoenicia.