Abiel

Biblical Record

Abiel appears twice in 1 Samuel. His Hebrew name is usually interpreted to mean "my father is God."

• 1 Samuel 9:1: In introducing Kish of the tribe of Benjamin, "a mighty man of power," the text describes him as "the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah." This genealogy is followed by the introduction of Kish's son Saul.
• 1 Samuel 14:51: The text states, "And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel."

Scripture records none of Abiel's deeds or words. He appears only as a name in the genealogy that traces the lineage of Saul's royal house.

Significance in Scripture

Abiel's name appears in a genealogy showing that Saul came from a prominent Benjamite family. In the New Testament, Acts 13:21 refers to Saul as "the son of Cis," but Abiel himself is not named in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• Relationship to Ner: 1 Samuel 14:51 is commonly read to mean that Kish and Ner were both sons of Abiel, and thus brothers. On this reading, Abner, the commander of Saul's army, was Saul's cousin. The immediately preceding verse, 14:50, likewise describes Abner as "the son of Ner, Saul's uncle."
• Differences from the genealogies of 1 Chronicles: 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 state, "And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul," presenting Ner as Saul's grandfather. 1 Chronicles 9:35–36 lists Kish and Ner among the sons of Jehiel, "the father of Gibeon," and does not mention the name Abiel. Some interpreters regard Abiel and Jehiel as two names for the same person, others hold that there were two men named Kish, and still others attribute the discrepancy to the process of textual transmission. No single explanation has become the settled view.

Other Persons of the Same Name

"Abiel the Arbathite," listed among David's mighty men in 1 Chronicles 11:32, is a different person from Saul's grandfather. In the parallel list in 2 Samuel 23:31, he is called "Abi-albon."

In the Korean Church

Sermons or Sunday school lessons devoted specifically to Abiel are rare. He is usually mentioned only in passing, as one name in the genealogy, when sermons or Bible studies on 1 Samuel 9, which narrates Saul's introduction, explain that Saul came from a prominent family.