Lexical Summary
Zabad: Zabad
Original Word:זָבָד
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Zabad
Pronunciation:zah-BAHD
Phonetic Spelling:(zaw-bawd')
KJV: Zabad
NASB:Zabad
Word Origin:[fromH2064 (זָבַד - endowed)]
1. giver
2. Zabad, the name of seven Israelites
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Zabad
Fromzabad; giver; Zabad, the name of seven Israelites -- Zabad.
see HEBREWzabad
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
zabadDefinition"he has given," the name of several Isr.
NASB TranslationZabad (8).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(
he hath given, or,
a gift; compare Sabean proper name Hal
168 DHM
ZMG 1883, 15, DHM
Epigr. Denkm. 50 =
; also Late Hebrew proper name ) —
1 Chronicles 2:36,37.
1 Chronicles 7:21.
1 Chronicles 11:41.
2Chronicles 24:26 ( , , ), called (q. v. below , )2 Kings 12:22.
:
Ezra 10:27;
Ezra 10:33;
Ezra 10:43.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewZabad (Strong’s Hebrew 2066) is the personal name of at least six, and probably nine, individuals spread across the historical books of the Old Testament. Though each appears only briefly, together they illustrate recurring scriptural motifs: covenant inheritance, courageous service, tragic apostasy, and post-exilic repentance. The name itself evokes the idea of “endowment” or “gift,” and the lives connected with it highlight how divine gifts can be stewarded for blessing or squandered in disobedience.
Genealogical Distribution
1. Judahite line:1 Chronicles 2:36–37.
2. Ephraimite line:1 Chronicles 7:21.
3. A mighty warrior under David:1 Chronicles 11:41.
4. Conspirator in the assassination of King Joash:2 Chronicles 24:26.
5–7. Three post-exilic Israelites who had taken foreign wives and repented under Ezra’s reform:Ezra 10:27, 33, 43.
This spread across southern and northern tribes, monarchic and post-exilic eras, reveals a name familiar to many families, underscoring the unity of Israel’s history despite its internal divisions.
Zabad in the Tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:36–37)
“...Nathan fathered Zabad, and Zabad fathered Ephlal...”
Placed within the extensive Judahite genealogy, this Zabad preserves the record of Hezron’s descendants who returned from Egypt and settled in the land. Though otherwise unknown, his inclusion testifies that God “calls generations from the beginning” and remembers obscure lives in the unfolding promise that culminates in the Lion of Judah.
Zabad in the Tribe of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:21)
“...Tahath his son, Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son...”
Ephraim’s genealogy recounts a season of grief: “Ezer and Elead were killed by the men of Gath” (verse 21a). Into that mourning line, Zabad appears as a link of continuity, showing that the Lord rebuilds broken family trees. Even amid judgment, divine gift remains available for restoration.
Zabad among David’s Mighty Men (1 Chronicles 11:41)
“...Zabad son of Ahlai...”
As one of the famed “Thirty,” this Zabad stands alongside warriors whose exploits secured Israel’s borders and David’s throne. His courage affirms that gifts of strength and loyalty prosper a nation when surrendered to God’s anointed king. Serving under David foreshadows the believer’s call to advance the kingdom of the greater Son of David.
Zabad the Assassin of Joash (2 Chronicles 24:26)
“Those who conspired against him were Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabitess.”
This Zabad participated in the retributive slaying of King Joash after the king murdered the prophet Zechariah. The Chronicler stresses his mixed ancestry—his mother an Ammonitess—highlighting the spiritual danger of syncretism that had permeated Judah. While the act fulfilled divine justice (24:22), the assassin’s foreign ties remind readers that judgment often arises from the very compromises God’s people tolerate. The episode also warns that zeal without covenant faithfulness disfigures divine gift into violence.
Zabad in the Post-Exilic Community (Ezra 10:27, 33, 43)
Ezra lists three men named Zabad among those who “had taken foreign wives.” Confronted by the law of Moses, they joined the communal repentance that safeguarded the remnant’s holiness. Their willingness to separate from unlawful marriages demonstrates how God’s people, once exiled for covenant unfaithfulness, now guard purity to prepare the way for Messiah’s coming. The name that means “gift” is reclaimed through obedience, proving that true endowment is found in alignment with Scripture.
Theological Themes
Gift and Responsibility
Every occurrence of Zabad—whether warrior, patriarch, or penitent—illustrates that God’s gifts carry distinct stewardship. Courage must be exercised under legitimate authority; lineage must be preserved in faith; even necessary judgment must bow to divine standards.
Covenant Continuity
From pre-monarchic Judah to post-exilic Jerusalem, the name surfaces in key transitional moments, reinforcing the unified narrative thread of redemption that spans Israel’s history and culminates in the New Covenant.
Holiness and Purification
Both the assassin of Joash and the Ezra reformers confront defilement. One acts violently, the others repentively. Together they display the sobering truth that holiness can be pursued by the flesh or by the Spirit—with radically different outcomes.
Ministry Applications
1. Remembering the Obscure: Genealogies encourage modern believers to value unseen faithfulness; God records names unknown to history but precious to Him.
2. Guarding Holy Allegiance: Zabad’s part in Joash’s assassination warns leaders against alliances that erode covenant fidelity.
3. Practicing Corporate Repentance: The post-exilic Zabads show that sin often embeds in community structures and must be addressed collectively, not merely privately.
4. Valuing Spiritual Gifts: Like the mighty man Zabad, every believer is endowed for service; gifting matures when submitted to the rightful King, Jesus Christ.
Christological Foreshadowing
Each snapshot of Zabad ultimately points beyond itself: the gifted lineage preserved for the birth of Messiah, the warrior who prefigures the Captain of salvation, the judgment on apostate leadership, and the purified remnant awaiting redemption. In Jesus these strands converge—He is the supreme Gift, the holy Warrior-King, the Judge of unrighteousness, and the Bridegroom who sanctifies His people.
Conclusion
Zabad’s eight biblical appearances, though fleeting, weave a tapestry of divine generosity, human accountability, and covenant faithfulness. They call the church today to treasure God’s gifts, wield them in righteousness, and maintain holiness until the Lord gathers every recorded name into His eternal kingdom.
Forms and Transliterations
וְזָבָ֖ד וְזָבָ֥ד וְזָבָד֙ וזבד זָבָ֖ד זָבָ֗ד זָבָ֣ד זָבָֽד׃ זבד זבד׃ vezaVad wə·zā·ḇāḏ wəzāḇāḏ zā·ḇāḏ zāḇāḏ zaVad
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
