Adlai is a very minor, yet structurally significant, figure in the biblical record, known exclusively through his son’s administrative role during the reign of King David. His inclusion in the Book of Chronicles highlights the careful organization and economic stewardship that underpinned the stability of David’s kingdom. The Hebrew name Adlai is often interpreted to mean “justice of Jehovah” or “just.”
Adlai: Father to a Royal Overseer
Adlai’s single mention in scripture establishes his place in one of the most important administrative departments of the Israelite monarchy: the management of the king’s vast livestock.
The King’s Valley Herdsman
Adlai is noted as the father of a man named Shaphat, who was entrusted with a key responsibility in overseeing King David’s extensive wealth and resources.
- KJV Scripture Reference:“And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:” (1 Chronicles 27:29, KJV)
The Book of Chronicles, in its later chapters, meticulously details the civil and military organization of David’s kingdom. This verse is part of a list of high-ranking officials placed in charge of the king’s “substance,” which included his treasures, vineyards, olive trees, and livestock.
- Shaphat’s Role: Shaphat, Adlai’s son, was the appointed overseer of the king’s herds that were kept in the “valleys.” These low-lying areas would have provided rich pastures and water sources essential for sustaining a large number of royal cattle.
- Adlai’s Significance: As the father of such a trusted and highly-placed official, Adlai’s lineage is recorded, underscoring the importance of family and hereditary trust in the administration of the kingdom. While Adlai himself does not appear to have a direct action or recorded quote, his name is preserved as the ancestor of one who served King David in a position of critical economic importance.