Meholathites מְחֹלָתִי
People from Abel-meholah, including Adriel and Barzillai.
Who is Meholathites in the Bible?
The Meholathites were people from Abel-meholah, a town in the Jordan Valley during ancient Israel's early monarchical period. Two prominent individuals from this group appear in Scripture: Adriel, who married Saul's daughter Merab despite her having been originally promised to David (1 Samuel 18:19), and Barzillai, whose son married Saul's daughter Michal after David was separated from her (2 Samuel 21:8). Their connection to Saul's family indicates that the Meholathites held significant influence in the region, and their marriages to the king's daughters underscore the political alliances that shaped Israel's early kingdom.
Biography
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 (1Sa.18.19). The second is Barzillai, whose son married Saul's daughter Michal after she was taken from David and given to another man (2Sa.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.
In Scripture
2 biblical books1 Samuel 1 verse
- 1 Samuel 18:19
"So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah."
2 Samuel 1 verse
- 2 Samuel 21:8
"But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Hebrew | מְחֹלָתִי |