Meholathites

The Meholathites were inhabitants of Abel-meholah, a town in the Jordan Valley, possibly located in the territory of Issachar or Manasseh. Two individuals are specifically identified as Meholathites in the Bible. The first is Adriel, who was married to Saul's daughter Merab, although she had originally been promised to David (1 Samuel 18:19). The second is Barzillai, whose son married Saul's daughter Michal after she was taken from David and given to another man (2 Samuel 21:8). The Meholathites' connection to Saul's family suggests that they may have been influential in the region during the early monarchical period in Israel.