H0022 H0022
Abiel; personal name meaning 'El is (my) father' or 'God is father'
This Hebrew proper name means 'El is (my) father' or 'God is father,' a theophoric name affirming divine relationship. Abiel was Saul's grandfather (1 Samuel 9:1; 14:51), making him part of Israel's first royal line. The name also appears in 1 Chronicles 11:32, possibly referring to the same individual or another warrior. Such names were common in ancient Israel, expressing parental faith and hope. The 'El' element connects to the high God of Israel, while the 'abi' (my father) component reflects intimate relationship—a naming pattern seen in many biblical names like Abijah, Abimelech, and others.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The name transliterates consistently: English 'Abiel,' Spanish 'Abiel, Aviel,' French 'Abiel, Aviel,' German preserves '[אביאל].' 1 Samuel 9:1 identifies Abiel in Saul's genealogy as the son of Zeror. 1 Samuel 14:51 confirms Saul and Abner as both grandsons of Abiel. 1 Chronicles 11:32 lists an Abiel among David's mighty men, though the identification with Saul's grandfather is uncertain. The theophoric name testifies to Israel's faith that God stands in paternal relationship to his people. 3×
AR["أَبِيئِيل"]·ben["অবীয়েল", "অবীয়েলের"]·DE["Abiel", "Aviel", "[אביאל]"]·EN["Abiel", "Aviel"]·FR["Abiel", "Aviel", "[אביאל]"]·heb["אביאל"]·HI["अबीएल", "अबीएल-का"]·ID["Abiel"]·IT["Abiel", "Aviel", "[אביאל]"]·jav["Abiel", "Abièl"]·KO["아비엘", "아비엘의"]·PT["'Avi'el", "Avi'el", "Aviel"]·RU["Авиэль", "Авиэля"]·ES["Abiel", "Aviel"]·SW["Abieli"]·TR["Aviel", "Aviel-in"]·urd["ابیئیل", "ابیایل-کا"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אֲבִיאֵל n.pr.m. (Ēl is (my) father, cf. אביהו & Ph. אבבעל (fem.), also אביבעל; & אבנבעל our father etc.; Abi-ba’al KAT2 355; v. RSSem 45. NöZMG 1888, 480 makes אבי here, & in אביהו etc., cstr. but this seems unlikely; cf. also אליאב etc.; views differ much as to these n.pr. and uniform interpr. is impossible. Cf. in gen. Ol§ 277 f). 1. Saul’s grandfather 1 S 9:1; 14:51. 2. = foregoing, 1 Ch 11:32.