Abiezer אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר
Clan of Manasseh, home of Gideon
Who is Abiezer in the Bible?
Abiezer was a clan within the tribe of Manasseh, named after Abiezer, the son of Gilead and grandson of Manasseh (Joshua 17:2). This clan settled in the region of Ophrah within Manasseh's territory and is best known as the home of Gideon, one of Israel's most celebrated judges. When God called Gideon to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression, Gideon gathered men from the Abiezrite clan and other tribes to form his army (Judges 6:11, 6:34). The Abiezrites' significance in biblical history centers on their connection to Gideon's miraculous victory over the Midianites, which demonstrated God's power to deliver Israel through faithful leaders and small, devoted forces.
Biography
Abiezer, also referred to as Iezer or the Abiezrites, was a clan within the tribe of Manasseh, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The clan was named after Abiezer, who was a son of Gilead and a grandson of Manasseh (Num.26.30; Jos.17.2).
The Abiezrites settled in the region of Ophrah, which was located in the territory of Manasseh. Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, belonged to the clan of Abiezer (Jdg.6.11, 24). When Gideon was called by God to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites, he gathered men from his clan and other tribes to form an army (Jdg.6.34).
After Gideon's victory over the Midianites, he faced opposition from the men of Ephraim, who complained that they had not been called to join the battle earlier. Gideon tactfully responded, praising the Ephraimites and comparing their achievement to the grapes of Abiezer, implying that their contribution was greater than that of his own clan (Jdg.8.2).
Gideon died and was buried in Ophrah of the Abiezrites (Jdg.8.32). The clan of Abiezer continued to play a role in the history of Israel, being mentioned in the genealogies of Manasseh (Num.26.30; Jos.17.2).
Family
Siblings
- Helek Tribe of ManassehSon of GileadSon of Gilead, ancestor of the Helekites.View full profile →
- Asriel Tribe of ManassehSon of GileadSon of Manasseh, founder of the Asrielite clanView full profile →
- Shechem Tribe of ManassehSon of ShemidaSon of Shemida, a ManassiteView full profile →
- Shemida Tribe of ManassehSon of GileadSon of Gilead, great-grandson of ManassehView full profile →
- Hepher Tribe of ManassehSon of GileadSon of Gilead, ancestor of the Hepherites.View full profile →
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 1 with study contentJoshua 1 verse
- Joshua 17:2
"So this allotment was for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph."
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Judges 5 verses
- Judges 8:2
"But Gideon answered them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the grape harvest of Abiezer?"
- Judges 6:34
"So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him."
- Judges 6:11
"Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites."
- Judges 6:24
"So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."
- Judges 8:32
"Later, Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."
Numbers 1 verse
- Numbers 26:30
"These were the descendants of Gilead: the Iezerite clan from Iezer, the Helekite clan from Helek,"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | אֲבִיעֶ֫זֶר |
| Named | Hebrew | אִיעֶזֶר |
| Group | Hebrew | אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי |
| Group | Hebrew | אִיעֶזְרִי |