Barzillai

Of iron. (1.) A Meholathite, the father of Adriel (2 Sam. 21:8).

(2.) A Gileadite of Rogelim who was distinguished for his loyalty to David. He liberally provided for the king’s followers (2 Sam. 17:27). David on his death-bed, remembering his kindness, commended Barzillai’s children to the care of Solomon (1 Kings 2:7).

(3.) A priest who married a daughter of the preceding (Ezra 2:61).

(iron, i.e., strong).

1. A wealthy Gileadite who showed hospitality to David when he fled form Absalom. (2 Samuel 17:27) (B.C. 1023.) He declined the king’s offer of ending his days at court. (2 Samuel 19:32-39)

2. A Meholathite, whose son Adriel married Michal, Saul’s daughter. (2 Samuel 21:8) (B.C. before 1062.)

3. Son-in-law to Barzillai the Gileadite. (Ezra 2:61; Nehemiah 7:63,64) (B.C. before 536.)

bar-zil'-a-i, bar-zil'-i (barzillay; Berzelli, "man of iron" (BDB, but compare Cheyne, Encyclopedia Biblica)):

(1) A Gileadite of Rogelim who brought provisions to David and his army to Mahanaim, in their flight from Absalom (2Sa 17:27-29). When David was returning to Jerusalem after Absalom's defeat, Barzillai conducted him over Jordan, but being an old man of 80 years of age, he declined David's invitation to come to live in the capital, and sent instead his son Chimham (2Sa 19:31-39). David before his death charged Solomon to "show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai." (1Ki 2:7). Cheyne in Encyclopedia Biblica, without giving any reason, differentiates this Barzillai from Barzillai the Gileadite (Ezr 2:61 = Ne 7:63). See (2) below.

(2) The father of a family of priests who in Ezra's time, after the return of the exiles, could not trace their genealogy. "Therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood." This Barzillai had taken "a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite," and had adopted his wife's family name (Ezr 2:61,62 = Ne 7:63,64). His original name is given as Jaddus (the King James Version Addus) (1 Esdras 5:38). (See ZORZELLEUS; the Revised Version, margin "Phaezeldaeus.")

(3) Barzillai the Meholathite, whose son Adriel was married to Saul's daughter, either Michal (2Sa 21:8) or Merab (1Sa 18:19).

T. Rees