Lexical Summary Shobi: Shobi Original Word: שׁבִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shobi From shabah; captor; Shobi, an Ammonite -- Shobi. see HEBREW shabah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shabah Definition appar. an Ammonite prince NASB Translation Shobi (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שֹׁבִי proper name, masculine apparently Ammonite prince, ׳וְשׁ 2 Samuel 17:27, ᵐ5. Ουεσβει, ᵐ5L καί Ζεφεει. Topical Lexicon Identity and Setting Shobi (Strong’s Hebrew 7629 שׁבִי) is named once in Scripture, in 2 Samuel 17:27, as “Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites.” His appearance comes when David is driven from Jerusalem by Absalom’s revolt, making Shobi’s brief cameo strategically significant. Narrative Context 2 Samuel 17:27–29 recounts Shobi’s arrival at Mahanaim with Machir son of Ammiel and Barzillai the Gileadite. The three men bring an extensive list of supplies—“beds, basins, and pottery, along with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd”—because David’s followers have become “hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.” Shobi thus becomes one of God’s providential agents sustaining the true king during a national crisis. Historical Background and Relations with David 1. Lineage and diplomacy. Nahash, Shobi’s father, was the Ammonite ruler whose death prompted David to send condolences to Hanun (2 Samuel 10:2). Hanun, suspecting espionage, humiliated David’s messengers and plunged Ammon into war with Israel (2 Samuel 10–12). After Rabbah’s defeat, a different son—Shobi—emerges, declaring loyalty to David. Shobi’s support illustrates how earlier overtures of covenant kindness, though initially spurned, can bear fruit in later generations. Character and Virtues Demonstrated • Generous hospitality. Shobi’s provision models the Torah’s ethic of caring for the needy (Deuteronomy 15:7–8). Theological and Redemptive Themes 1. Gentile homage to the anointed king. Shobi, a non-Israelite, honors the LORD’s chosen ruler, foreshadowing the later inclusion of the nations in messianic blessings (Psalm 72:10–11; Isaiah 11:10). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Serve God’s people in their distress; a single act of generosity may sustain an entire mission. Key Reference 2 Samuel 17:27 – the lone occurrence of שׁבִי, recording Shobi’s decisive act of loyalty and generosity to David. Forms and Transliterations וְשֹׁבִ֨י ושבי veshoVi wə·šō·ḇî wəšōḇîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 17:27 HEB: דָוִ֖ד מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְשֹׁבִ֨י בֶן־ נָחָ֜שׁ NAS: to Mahanaim, Shobi the son KJV: to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son INT: David to Mahanaim Shobi the son of Nahash 1 Occurrence |
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