Who was Abishur in the bible?
Abishur is an Israelite named in 1 Chronicles 2:28–29, listed among the sons of Shammai and as husband of Abihail.
Family Lines
“The name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bore him Ahban and Molid.” (1 Chronicles 2:29, WEB) In the surrounding context, Onam is named as Shammai’s father (1 Chronicles 2:28).
Learn More →Name Meaning
Strong’s derives Abishur from elements meaning “father” and “wall,” and glosses him as an Israelite.
Learn More →Abishur is an Israelite named in a genealogy in 1 Chronicles 2. The name is explained in lexicon material as being derived from Hebrew elements meaning “father” and “wall.”
Abishur in Scripture
Abishur appears within a genealogical line connected to Jerahmeel. The surrounding context begins with Jerahmeel’s household:
“Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah. She was the mother of Onam.” (1 Chronicles 2:26, WEB)
After noting other descendants in this broader line, the text names Onam’s sons and then narrows to the family of Shammai:
“The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.” (1 Chronicles 2:28, WEB)
In this presentation, Abishur is identified as a son of Shammai, who is a son of Onam. The genealogy then provides Abishur’s wife and children:
“The name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bore him Ahban and Molid.” (1 Chronicles 2:29, WEB)
Within the same immediate context, Abishur’s brother Nadab is briefly traced:
“The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim; but Seled died without children.” (1 Chronicles 2:30, WEB)
The record continues with Nadab’s descendant line through Appaim, giving additional names and extending the genealogy beyond Abishur’s branch:
“The son of Appaim: Ishi. The son of Ishi: Sheshan. The son of Sheshan: Ahlai.” (1 Chronicles 2:31, WEB)
Finally, the passage also traces the line of Jada (Onam’s other son, and Shammai’s brother), again noting a death without children:
“The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died without children.” (1 Chronicles 2:32, WEB)
Read as a whole, the chapter segment situates Abishur among the descendants of Jerahmeel: Jerahmeel’s wife Atarah is said to be the mother of Onam (1 Chronicles 2:26); Onam’s sons are Shammai and Jada (1 Chronicles 2:28); Shammai’s sons are Nadab and Abishur (1 Chronicles 2:28); and Abishur’s immediate household is identified by naming his wife Abihail and his sons Ahban and Molid (1 Chronicles 2:29). The narrative alongside Abishur is concise, but it places him within a carefully ordered family list where some lines continue and others end, as when “Seled died without children” and “Jether died without children” (1 Chronicles 2:30, 32).
Name and Meaning
In Hebrew the name is written אֲבִישׁוּר and transliterated ‘Abiyshuwr (pronounced ab-ee-shoor). Lexicon material connects the name to two Hebrew components: ’ab (אָב), meaning “father,” and shuwr (שׁוּר), meaning “a wall,” yielding the sense “father of (the) wall,” with a suggested idea such as “perhaps mason.”
Brief observation
In the brief mentions given, Abishur is distinguished by how the genealogy preserves his immediate family line with unusual clarity for such a short notice: “The name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bore him Ahban and Molid” (1 Chronicles 2:29, WEB).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Abishur mean?
Abishur means “father of the wall,” possibly “mason.”
How many times does Abishur appear in the Bible?
Abishur appears 2 times.
Who was Abishur?
Abishur was an Israelite mentioned in a genealogy as a son of Shammai (1 Chronicles 2:28).
Who were Abishur’s wife and children?
Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid (1 Chronicles 2:29).
Explore Further
If you found this page about Abishur interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
