<strong>ABIEZER</strong> (ā'bī-ē'zêr, Heb. <em>’ăvî‘ezer, father of help</em>, or <em>father is help</em>)<br /><br />

A descendant of Joseph and head of one of the families of Manasseh. Gideon belonged to this family (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.11-Judg.6.12">Judg.6.11-Judg.6.12</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Judg.8.2">Judg.8.2</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Judg.8.32">Judg.8.32</bibleref>). In <bibleref ref="Num.26.30">Num.26.30</bibleref>, NASB and NIV have “Iezerrm,” and KJV and NEB have “Jeezer.”One of David’s mighty men (<bibleref ref="2Sam.23.27">2Sam.23.27</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.11.28">1Chr.11.28</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.27.12">1Chr.27.12</bibleref>).

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<strong>ABIEZER</strong> <strong>ab’ ĭ ē’ zər</strong> (<span class="hebrew">אֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר</span>, <em>father is help</em>). 1. A descendant of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, who settled on the W side of the Jordan (<bibleref ref="Num.26.30">Num 26:30</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Josh.17.2">Josh 17:2</bibleref>) and is prob. the same as “Jeezer” (or “Iezer,” both a contraction of Abiezer), the son of Gilead (<bibleref ref="1Chr.7.18">1 Chron 7:18</bibleref>).<br /><br />

This district of Manasseh, inhabited by the Abiezrites (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.34">Judg 6:34</bibleref>), was the native region from which Gideon, the son of Joash the Abiezrite came (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.11">6:11</bibleref>). The site of the appearance of the angel of the Lord to Gideon was Ophrah of the Abiezrites (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.24">6:24</bibleref>). It was from this town that Gideon drew his first support of men to fight the Midianites (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.34">6:34</bibleref>) which led to the Ephraimite jealousy. Gideon solved the problem by issuing the following proverb: “Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?” (<bibleref ref="Judg.8.2">8:2</bibleref>). With this soft answer, the wrath of the Ephraimites was mollified and the tactful Gideon had averted a situation filled with political consequences. Notice that this division continued, however, to build in other situations and finally the pugnacious Ephraimites had their way in 931 <span class="small-caps">b.c.</span> when the kingdom was divided.<br /><br />

2. One of David’s military elite, the “thirty”; a native of Anathoth in Benjamin (<bibleref ref="2Sam.23.27">2 Sam 23:27</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.11.28">1 Chron 11:28</bibleref>). He was one of David’s month-by-month army commanders having his turn in the ninth month (<bibleref ref="1Chr.27.12">1 Chron 27:12</bibleref>).

<h2>Bibliography</h2>

A. E. Cundall and L. Morris, <em>Judges and Ruth</em> (1968), 104-125.<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

ab-i-e’-zer, a-bi-e’-zer (’abhi`ezer, "father of help," or "my father is help." Iezer, Iezerite (in the <span class="auto-link">[[King James Version]]</span> Jeezer, Jeezerite), is Abiezer with the letter beth omitted):

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In later generations the name survived as that of the family to which Gideon belonged, and perhaps also of the region which they occupied (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.34">Jud 6:34</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Judg.8.2">8:2</bibleref>). They are also called Abiezrites (<bibleref ref="Judg.6.11">Jud 6:11</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="Judg.6.24">24</bibleref>, <bibleref ref="Judg.8.32">8:32</bibleref>). The region was West of Shechem, with Ophrah for its principal city.<br /><br />

(2) One of David’s mighty men, "the Anathothite" (<bibleref ref="2Sam.23.27">2Sa 23:27</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="1Chr.11.28">1Ch 11:28</bibleref>), who was also one of David s month-by-month captains, his month being the ninth (<bibleref ref="1Chr.27.12">1Ch 27:12</bibleref>).

Willis J. Beecher<br /><br />