Name Meaning: The name "Abihail" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "father of might" or "my father is might."

Biblical References:

1. Abihail, Father of Zuriel:
· Reference: Numbers 3:35
· Description: Abihail is mentioned as the father of Zuriel, who was the leader of the Merarite clan during the Israelites' wilderness journey. The Merarites were one of the Levitical families responsible for the care of the tabernacle and its furnishings. "The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle."

2. Abihail, Wife of Abishur:
· Reference: 1 Chronicles 2:29
· Description: Abihail is noted as the wife of Abishur, a descendant of Judah. She is part of the genealogical records that trace the lineage of the tribe of Judah. "Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid."

3. Abihail, Daughter of Eliab:
· Reference: 2 Chronicles 11:18
· Description: Abihail is identified as the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse, making her a relative of King David. She became the wife of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, and bore him children. "Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab."

4. Abihail, Father of Esther:
· Reference: Esther 2:15; Esther 9:29
· Description: Abihail is the father of Esther, also known as Hadassah, who became queen of Persia and played a crucial role in saving the Jewish people from destruction. Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai after the death of her parents. "Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her." (Esther 2:15) "So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim." (Esther 9:29)

Significance:
The name Abihail appears in various contexts within the Old Testament, associated with different individuals. Each mention of Abihail is linked to significant biblical narratives, from the organization of the Levitical duties in the wilderness to the royal lineage of Judah, and the preservation of the Jewish people through Esther's bravery. The recurring use of the name across different tribes and accounts highlights its cultural and historical resonance within the biblical text.Abihail

the father of strength

Abihail

(father of , i.e. possessing, strength).

1. Father of Zuriel, chief of the Levitical father of Merari, a contemporary of Moses. (Numbers 3:35) (B.C. 1490.)
2. Wife of Abishur. (1 Chronicles 2:29)
3. Son of Huri, of the tribe of Gad. (1 Chronicles 5:14)
4. Wife of Rehoboam. She is called the daughter, i.e. descendant, of Eliab, the elder brother of David. (2 Chronicles 11:18) (B.C. 972.)
5. Father of Esther and uncle of Mordecai. (Esther 2:15; 9:29)

Abihail

The wife of Rehoboam, king of Judah, 2Ch 11...18; the "daughter" - that is here, the descendant-of Eliab, David's brother.

Father of might.

(1.) Numbers 3:35.

(2.) 1 Chronicles 2:29.

(3.) 1 Chronicles 5:14.

(4.) The second wife of King Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:18), a descendant of Eliab, David's eldest brother.

(5.) The father of Esther and uncle of Mordecai (Esther 2:15).

ABIHAIL

ab'-i-hal ('abhichayil; in some manuscripts 'abhihayil, when feminine, but best reading is the former: "father, or cause, of strength"): Five persons in the Old Testament are called by this name:

(1) A Levite and the father of Zuriel, who in the Wilderness was head of the house of Merari, Levi's youngest son (Numbers 3:35);

(2) The wife of Abishur, a man of the tribe of Judah, in the line of Hazron and Jerahmeel (1 Chronicles 2:29);

(3) One of the heads of the tribe of Gad, who dwelt in Gilead of Bashan (1 Chronicles 5:14);

(4) Either a wife of Rehoboam, king of Judah, or mother of his wife Mahalath, according to the interpretation of the text (2 Chronicles 11:18); probably the latter view is correct, since there is no conjunction in the text, and since (2 Chronicles 11:19) contemplates only one wife as already mentioned. This being true, she was the wife of Jerimath, a son of David, and daughter of Eliab, David's eldest brother. It is interesting to note this frequent intermarriage in the Davidic house;

(5) Father of Queen Esther, who became wife of Xerxes (Biblical Ahasuerus) king of Persia, after the removal of the former queen, Vashti, (Esther 2:15; Esther 9:29). He was uncle of Mordecai.

Edward Mack

32. Abihayil -- "my father is might," an Israelite name
... "my father is might," an Israelite name. Transliteration: Abihayil or Abichayil
Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-hah'-yil) Short Definition: Abihail. ... Abihail. ...
/hebrew/32.htm - 6kAbihail (6 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ABIHAIL. ... He was uncle of Mordecai. Edward
Mack. Multi-Version Concordance Abihail (6 Occurrences). ...
/a/abihail.htm - 10k

Ab'ihail (6 Occurrences)
Ab'ihail. Abihail, Ab'ihail. Abi-hebron . ... Numbers 3:35 The prince of the fathers'
house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. ...
/a/ab'ihail.htm - 8k

Abishur (2 Occurrences)
... Abishur was son of Shammai, and was the husband of Abihail, and the father of sons
(1 Chronicles 2:28, 29). Multi-Version Concordance Abishur (2 Occurrences). ...
/a/abishur.htm - 7k

Eliab (20 Occurrences)
... the time when it was confronting the Philistines and Goliath, was inclined to lord
it over his brother David (1 Samuel 17:28 f). His daughter Abihail became a ...
/e/eliab.htm - 15k

Mor'decai (51 Occurrences)
... Esther 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai,
who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king ...
/m/mor'decai.htm - 20k

Mordecai (52 Occurrences)
... Esther 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai,
who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she ...
/m/mordecai.htm - 28k

Huri (1 Occurrence)
... HURI. hu'-ri (churi, "linen weaver"): One of the immediate descendants of Gad, and
father of Abihail, a chief man of his family (1 Chronicles 5:14). ...
/h/huri.htm - 7k

Zu'riel (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Zu'riel (1 Occurrence). Numbers 3:35 The prince of the
fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. ...
/z/zu'riel.htm - 6k

Zuriel (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Zuriel (1 Occurrence). Numbers 3:35 The prince of the
fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. ...
/z/zuriel.htm - 8k

Northward (41 Occurrences)
... Numbers 3:35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari
was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle ...
/n/northward.htm - 21k

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus