2 Samuel 23:27 — Word Study
WLCאֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ הָֽעַנְּתֹתִ֔י מְבֻנַּ֖י הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃ ס
BSAAbiezerʼĂbîyʻezer [my father is help, from the tribe of Manasseh] the AnathothiteʻAnthôthîy [from Anathoth, a city near Jerusalem] MebunnaiMᵉbunnay△ [a brave warrior, whose name means building of the Lord] the HushathiteChushâthîy [from the family line of Hushah, a descendant of the tribe]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ | Abiezer | Noun proper masculine |
| הָֽעַנְּתֹתִ֔י | the Anathothite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| מְבֻנַּ֖י | Mebunnai | Noun proper masculine |
| הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃ ס | the Hushathite | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| KJV | Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| ASV | Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| YLT | Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| WEB | Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| BBE | Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, |
Where they part company is מְבֻנַּי — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is straightforward, listing two individuals with their respective identifiers.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 4 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 23:27
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Mighty Warriors of Davidgenerated
2 Samuel 23:27 is part of a list of David's mighty men, highlighting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of these warriors. This passage showcases the loyalty and bravery of those who served King David, emphasizing their significance in Israel's history.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 11:28 | Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, |
| 2 | 1 Chronicles 27:12 | The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjamite. There were 24,000 men in his division. |
| 3 | 1 Chronicles 11:19 | saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲבִיעֶזֶר, 'a.vi.'E.zergenerated
The name אֲבִיעֶזֶר (Abiezer) is a proper noun referring to an individual from the tribe of Manasseh. It is constructed from the elements for 'father' and 'help', meaning 'my father is help'. This name appears multiple times in the Old Testament, indicating its importance in the narrative of Israel's history.
Abiezer is noted for his role among David's warriors, emphasizing the valor and heritage of those who supported the king during his reign.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause listing the names of two individuals: אֲבִיעֶזֶר and מְבֻנַּי. Each name is followed by a description that indicates their origin or significance, forming a compound structure that highlights their identities.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the names themselves, presenting them as key figures in the context of David's mighty men.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֲבִיעֶזֶר as αβιεζερ, maintaining the name's form while adapting it to Greek phonetics. This choice indicates a direct correspondence in identity between the Hebrew and Greek texts.
For הָֽעַנְּתֹתִ֔י, the translation αναθωθίτης reflects the same geographical origin, showing consistency in identifying the Anathothite lineage.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 23:27 lists two warriors of King David: Abiezer, who is from Anathoth, and Mebunnai, a brave warrior. This verse highlights their names and origins, showing the diverse backgrounds of those who fought alongside David.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Abiezer was a warrior from the tribe of Manasseh, whose name means 'my father is help', and he is mentioned among David's mighty men.
Mebunnai's name means 'building of the Lord', reflecting his strength as a warrior during King David's reign.
Being called an Anathothite indicates that Abiezer hailed from Anathoth, a city near Jerusalem, which adds to his identity as a warrior in David's army.
These names highlight the valor and diverse backgrounds of David's warriors, showcasing their loyalty and importance in Israel's history.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you admire in the warriors who served King David?
- How does knowing the backgrounds of these warriors enhance your understanding of their roles?
- What can we learn from the loyalty and bravery of David's mighty men?
- How do names and identities shape our understanding of historical figures in the Bible?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 23:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAbiezer the Anethothite,.... He was of Anathoth, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 21:18, the birthplace of Jeremiah the prophet, Jeremiah 1:1: Mebunnai the Hushathite; the same with Sibbecai, 1
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAbiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Abiezer the Anethothite , [ 'Abiy`ezer (H44), father of help. The Septuagint explains Anethothite to mean: ek toon huioon tou Aoothitou].
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) Abiezer.—He was general for the ninth month (1 Chronicles 27:12). He was of Anathoth, a priestly city of Benjamin, the home of Jeremiah. Mebunnai.—According to 2 Samuel 21:18 Sibbechai, and to 1 Chronicles 11:29 Sibbecai, these being the same in the Hebrew. The two names are much alike in the original and might be easily confused. He slew the giant Saph (2 Samuel 21:18), and was the general for the eighth month (1 Chronicles 27:11).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges27. Abiezer the Anethothite] Of Anathoth in Benjamin. The modern village of Anβta, three miles N.N.E. of Jerusalem, preserves the name and marks the site. It was a priests city (Joshua 21:18); the home of Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26); and the birth-place of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1). Antothite (1 Chronicles 11:28), and Anetothite (1 Chronicles 27:12), are merely different transliterations of the same Heb. word. In the latter passage Abiezer is named as the general of the ninth division of the army. Mebunnai the Hushathite] Mebunnai (ξαπι) is doubtless a textual error for Sibbechai (ξαλι), the consonants being very similar and easily confused in the original text, which had no vowels.…
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 23 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible27. Mebunnai — Or, Sibbechai. Compare Chronicles and 2 Samuel 21:18.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Samuel 23 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Tyndale line
Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite;
Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anethothite: Mebunnai the Husathite:
Strictly literal
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abi'ezer the 'Anethothite, Mebunnai the Chushathite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,
From the Latin
Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,
Simplified
Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on three of the four names in this verse, confirming the identities of Abiezer and Mebunnai. The Septuagint's word order differs from the Hebrew but retains the essential names and their meanings.
אֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ הָֽעַנְּתֹתִ֔י מְבֻנַּ֖י הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃ ס
3 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 23:27
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר (Abiy'ezer) means 'my father is help.' It refers to two individuals in the Old Testament: a Manassite, son of Gilead, and a Benjamite warrior of David. The name is constructed from the elements for 'father' and 'help.' It appears in several verses, including Numbers 26:30 and 2 Samuel 23:27.
אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר n.pr.m. (my father is help)—= אִיעֶזֶר Nu 26:30—
a Manassite, called ‘son’ of Gilead
a Benjamite, a warrior of David
base
H44 אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר, אִיעֶזֶר
44 'Abiy`ezer ab-ee-ay'-zer
from 1 and 5829; father of help (i.e. helpful); Abiezer, the
name of two Israelites:--Abiezer.
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 05829
אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר (a.vi.e.zer) — Abiezer.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.27
§ Abiezer = "my father is help"
1) a Manassite, called "son" of Gilead, also son of Gilead's sister
2) a Benjamite, warrior of David
אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר (a.vi.e.zer) — Abiezer.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.18 and Hammolecheth (H4447);
brother of: Ishhod (H0379) and Mahlah (H4244H)
§ Abiezer = "my father is help"
1) a Manassite, called "son" of Gilead, also son of Gilead's sister
2) a Benjamite, warrior of David
אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר (a.vi.e.zer) — Abiezer.
A man of the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.26.30;
son of: Gilead (H1568H);
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ab-i-e'-zer, a-bi-e'-zer ('abhi`ezer, "father of help," or "my father is help." Iezer, Iezerite (in the King James Version Jeezer, Jeezerite), is Abiezer with the letter beth 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 (Nu 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 (Nu 36), 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 (Ge 50:23). The Machir that possessed Gilead and…
(father of help, helpful). Eldest son of Gilead, and descendant of Manasseh. (Joshua 17:2; 1 Chronicles 7:18) (B.C. 1450.) He was the ancestor of the great judge Gideon. [GIDEON] One of David’s mighty men. (2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 27:12) (B.C. 1014.)
Great-grandson of Manasseh, Nu 26:29,30, and founder of the family to which Gideon belonged, Joshua 17.2; Jud 6.34; 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.
father of help
עַנְּתֹתִי (Anthothiy) refers to a person from Anathoth, indicating a descendant or inhabitant of that place. It is derived from the root word for Anathoth itself, which is associated with the concept of 'affliction.' The entries provide variations of the term but do not present any significant disagreement.
עַנְּתֹתִי adj.gent. of foreg. [p.ec.ae]
base
H6069 עַנְּתֹתִי, עַנְתֹתִי, עַנְּתוֹתִי
6069 `Anthothiy an-tho-thee'
or rAnnthowthiy {an-ne-tho-thee'}; patrial from 6068; a
Antothite or inhabitant of Anathoth:--of Anathoth,
Anethothite, Anetothite, Antothite.
see HEBREW for 06068
עַנְּתֹתִי (an.to.ti) — Anathoth.
Anethothite, of Anathoth "affliction"
a descendant or inhabitant of Anathoth
Another spelling of a.na.tot (עֲנָתוֹת "Anathoth" H6068)
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
an'-a-thoth-it (ha-`annethothi): the Revised Version (British and American) form of the King James Version Anethothite, Anetothite, Antothite. An inhabitant of Anathoth, a town of Benjamin assigned to the Levites. The Anathothites are
(1) Abiezer, one of David's thirty heroes (2Sa 23:27; 1Ch 11:28; 27:12), and
(2) Jehu who came to David at Ziklag (1Ch 12:3).
מְבֻנַּי (Mebunnai) refers to an Israelite warrior mentioned in the context of David's mighty men. The name is derived from a root meaning 'built up' and is associated with the idea of 'building of Jehovah.' Mebunnai is also identified with the name Sibbecai in some translations, highlighting a connection to another figure in the biblical narrative.
מְבֻנַּי n.pr.m. one of David’s heroes 2 S 23:27
base
H4012 מְבֻנַּי
4012 Mbunnay meb-oon-hah'-ee
from 1129; built up; Mebunnai, an Israelite:--Mebunnai.
see HEBREW for 01129
מְבֻנַּי (me.vun.nay) — Mebunnai.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.21.18; also called Mebunnai (NIV: Sibbekai) at 2Sa.23.27;
Another name of sib.b.khay (סִבְּכַי "Sibbecai" H5444)
§ Mebunnai = "building of Jehovah"
1) one of David's mighty warriors
1a) also 'Sibbechai' or 'Sibbecai'
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
me-bun'-i, me-bun'-a-i (mebhunnay, "well-built"): One of David's "braves" (2Sa 23:27). In 2Sa 21:18 he is named "Sibbechai" (the Revised Version (British and American) "Sibbecai"), and is there mentioned as the slayer of a Philistine giant. The Revised Version (British and American) spelling occurs in 1Ch 11:29, the King James Version "Sibbechai" in 1Ch 20:4 (compare 2Sa 21:18); and in 1Ch 27:11 the Revised Version (British and American) spelling recurs, where this person is mentioned as captain of the 8th course of the 12 monthly courses that served the king in…
Mebunnai
Construction, building of Jehovah, one of David’s bodyguard (2 Sam. 23:27; comp. 21:18); called Sibbechai and Sibbecai (1 Chr. 11:29; 27:11).
(building of Jehovah). In this form appears, In one passage only --2Sam 23:27 --The name of one of David’s guard, who is elsewhere called SIBBECHAI, (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 20:4) or SIBBECAI, (1 Chronicles 11:29; 27:11) in the Authorized Version.
son; building; understanding
חֻשָׁתִי (Chushathiy) refers to a Hushathite, someone descended from Hushah. This term is used to describe individuals associated with Hushah, including two of David's mighty warriors, as noted in 2 Samuel 21:18. The word is built from a patronymic form related to the root word for Hushah.
חֻשָׁתִי adj.gent. of foregoing [h.bo.ab]:—1. of individ.
base
H2843 חֻשָׁתִי
2843 Chushathiy khoo-shaw-thee'
patronymically from 2364; a Chushathite or descendant of
Chushah:--Hushathite.
see HEBREW for 02364
חֻשָׁתִי (chu.sha.ti) — Hushathite.
Someone descended from Hushath(?), first mentioned at 2Sa.21.18
§ Hushathite = "inhabitant of Hushah"
an inhabitant of Hushah or a descendant of Hushah; the designation given to two of David's mighty warriors
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
(inhabitant of Hushah), The, the designation of two of the heroes of David’s guard. SIBBECHAI. (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 11:29; 20:4; 27:11) Josephus, however, called him a Hittite. MEBUNNAI, (2 Samuel 23:27) a mere corruption of SIBBECHAI.
Hushim, man of haste, or of silence