Who was Zabad in the bible?

Zabad is a Hebrew personal name meaning “giver,” and the lexicon gloss identifies it as the name of seven Israelites. In Scripture, the name appears for several different men across genealogies, lists, and a report of conspiracy.

Zabad in Scripture

The earliest occurrences given are in a genealogy in 1 Chronicles, where Zabad appears in a father-to-son line.

Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad,
and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, (1 Chronicles 2:36–37)

Another Zabad appears in the chronicler’s record of descendants, where the name is embedded in a chain of “his son” relationships and connected to a violent incident involving the men of Gath.

Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock. (1 Chronicles 7:21)

Zabad is also named among a group of notable men in a list that includes a patronymic identifying him as the son of Ahlai.

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, (1 Chronicles 11:41)

In 2 Chronicles, Zabad is one of two men explicitly identified as conspirators against a king; the verse notes his maternal background by describing his mother as an Ammonitess.

These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. (2 Chronicles 24:26)

In Ezra, the name Zabad appears multiple times within the same chapter in lists of “the children of the captivity” involved in a community crisis. The chapter opens with Ezra in public repentance at God’s house, drawing a large gathering.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly. (Ezra 10:1)

Shecaniah speaks for the people, acknowledging wrongdoing and proposing a covenantal response centered on separating from foreign wives “according to the law.”

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
Now therefore let’s make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and those who are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law. (Ezra 10:2–3)

Ezra then requires leadership and the wider community to swear compliance, mourns, and a proclamation calls everyone to Jerusalem under penalty of forfeiture and separation from the assembly if they do not come within three days.

Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore. (Ezra 10:5)

They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;
and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his possessions should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity. (Ezra 10:7–8)

The assembled people sit “in the wide place in front of God’s house,” trembling “because of this matter, and because of the great rain.” Ezra charges them plainly: “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel,” and he calls for confession and separation from “the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.” The assembly agrees, but asks for an orderly process because of the size of the task and the weather.

Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.
Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.” (Ezra 10:10–11)

Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “We must do as you have said concerning us.
But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside. This is not a work of one day or two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. (Ezra 10:12–13)

Leaders and judges are appointed to examine cases by schedule until “this matter is resolved,” though a small group “stood up against this.” The investigation begins on “the first day of the tenth month” and is completed by “the first day of the first month.” The chapter then lists families within Israel among whom men are found who “had taken foreign wives,” and it ends: “All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.”

They finished with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month. (Ezra 10:17)

All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children. (Ezra 10:44)

Within these lists, the name Zabad is recorded three times, each time within a different family grouping: “Of the sons of Zattu,” “Of the sons of Hashum,” and “Of the sons of Nebo.”

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. (Ezra 10:27)

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. (Ezra 10:33)

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah. (Ezra 10:43)

Multiple Men Named Zabad

The lexicon gloss associates the name Zabad with seven Israelites, and the verses given reflect several distinct bearers of the same name:

(1) In a genealogy, Zabad is the son of Nathan and father of Ephlal.

Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad,
and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, (1 Chronicles 2:36–37)

(2) In another genealogical setting, Zabad is named as a son in a line and is connected to the episode in which “the men of Gath who were born in the land killed” Ezer and Elead.

Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock. (1 Chronicles 7:21)

(3) In a list of notable men, Zabad is identified as “the son of Ahlai.”

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, (1 Chronicles 11:41)

(4) In a notice of conspiracy, Zabad is identified as “the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess,” and he is paired with another conspirator, Jehozabad.

These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. (2 Chronicles 24:26)

(5–7) In Ezra’s list of men involved in the matter of “foreign wives,” Zabad appears under three different family headings: Zattu, Hashum, and Nebo. Each mention is part of the chapter’s formal accounting of those implicated in the community’s trespass.

Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. (Ezra 10:27)

Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. (Ezra 10:33)

Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah. (Ezra 10:43)

Name and Meaning

Zabad is written in Hebrew script as זָבָד and transliterated Zabad, pronounced zaw-bawd’. Strong’s derives the name from H2064 and explains it with the sense “giver,” tied to a component verb, zabad (זָבַד), meaning “to confer.”

Observation

Across the passages, “Zabad” functions as a shared name carried by different men: some are situated within genealogies and lists, while others are linked to specific acts or crises—“Those who conspired against him” (2 Chronicles 24:26) and those named in Ezra’s examination of men who “had taken foreign wives” (Ezra 10:44).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Zabad mean?

Zabad means “giver.”

How many times does Zabad appear in the Bible?

Zabad appears 8 times.

Who was Zabad in the Bible?

Zabad is the name of seven Israelites. In genealogies, one Zabad is named as the son of Nathan and the father of Ephlal (1 Chronicles 2:36–37).

Which Zabad is named among those who conspired against King Joash?

2 Chronicles 24:26 names “Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess” as one of those who conspired against him.

Explore Further

If you found this page about Zabad 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).