Lexical Summary Ashbeli: Ashbelite Original Word: אַשְׁבֵּלִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ashbelites Patronymic from 'Ashbel; an Ashbelite (collectively) or descendant of Ashbel -- Ashbelites. see HEBREW 'Ashbel NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Ashbel Definition desc. of Ashbel NASB Translation Ashbelites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַשְׁבֵּלִי adjective, of a people ׳הָא as collective noun Numbers 26:38. Topical Lexicon Identity within Israel’s Tribal Structure The term אַשְׁבֵּלִי (Ashbeli) designates the clan that descended from Ashbel, the third-named son of Benjamin (Genesis 46:21). In the wilderness census the Ashbelites appear as one of five Benjamite families, alongside the Belaites, Ahiramites, Shuphamites, and Huphamites (Numbers 26:38–39). Thus the name marks a distinct lineage within a small but strategically placed tribe. Biblical Occurrence The specific clan-name “Ashbelite” surfaces only once, in the second census: “Of the sons of Benjamin: from Bela came the Belaite clan; from Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan” (Numbers 26:38). Although the noun appears a single time, the ancestor Ashbel is listed in three genealogical settings (Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:6; 1 Chronicles 8:1), confirming the continuity of his line. Historical Setting and Census Purpose Numbers 26 records the numbering of Israel “after the plague” (Numbers 26:1), near the close of the forty-year wilderness journey. The headcount determined military readiness and future land allotments west of the Jordan. At that point Benjamin counted 45,600 fighting men (Numbers 26:41), a notable rise from the first census (35,400; Numbers 1:37). The Ashbelite clan contributed to that growth, evidencing God’s preservation of Benjamin despite earlier national crises (Exodus 32; Numbers 14). Role within the Tribe of Benjamin Benjamin held the southern gateway to the northern tribes, containing cities such as Jerusalem’s northern approaches, Mizpah, and Gibeah. Though Scripture does not isolate Ashbelite cities, clan boundaries helped shape the tribal map (Joshua 18:11–28). Later records show powerful Benjamites—Ehud the judge (Judges 3:15), Saul the first king (1 Samuel 9:1–2), and the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:5)—illustrating how God used this small tribe for national leadership and gospel advance. The Ashbelites shared in that covenant heritage and the later territorial and royal privileges granted to Benjamin (1 Samuel 11–12; 2 Chronicles 15:8). Covenant Faithfulness Reflected in Genealogies Israel’s genealogies are theological statements: the Lord remembers names and fulfills promises made to the patriarchs (Genesis 12:2–3). Even a “minor” clan such as the Ashbelites bears witness that not one family is overlooked. The chronicling of every household underscores the precision of divine providence and the unity of the covenant community (Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7). Foreshadowing of New Testament Truths 1. Individual and corporate identity: just as each clan—Ashbelite included—possessed a share in the land, every believer is allotted a place in the “inheritance among the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). Lessons for Christian Ministry • God values faithfulness over fame; an Ashbelite mentality serves quietly yet significantly. Summary Though Scripture names the Ashbelite clan only once, that single reference anchors them firmly in Israel’s covenant history. Their inclusion in the second census confirms God’s preservation of Benjamin and anticipates the believer’s secure inheritance in Christ. The Ashbelites remind the church that every lineage and every life, however briefly noted, plays a part in the unfolding plan of redemption. Forms and Transliterations הָֽאַשְׁבֵּלִ֑י האשבלי hā’ašbêlî hā·’aš·bê·lî haashbeLiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:38 HEB: לְאַשְׁבֵּ֕ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַשְׁבֵּלִ֑י לַאֲחִירָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת NAS: the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, KJV: the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, INT: of Ashbel the family of the Ashbelites of Ahiram the family 1 Occurrence |
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