Ahasbai is a man briefly mentioned in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible as the father of one of King David’s elite warriors. His entire mention is confined to the roster of David’s Mighty Men.
He is cited in the book of 2 Samuel as follows:
“Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;” (2 Samuel 23:34, KJV)
Key Facts on Ahasbai
- Familial Role: Ahasbai is identified as the father of Eliphelet, who was a member of the Thirty, a distinguished corps of valiant warriors who served King David.
- The Maacathite Connection: His son, Eliphelet, is specifically named “the Maachathite,” a term that likely indicates Ahasbai’s family hailed from the region of Maacah. This region was a small Aramean kingdom near the northern border of Israel, suggesting that Ahasbai’s family may have been either a foreign group integrated into Israel’s service or a family from an Israelite settlement in that border territory.
- Textual Variant: A notable difficulty concerning Ahasbai is found when comparing the two main lists of David’s mighty men. The parallel passage in the Book of Chronicles provides a different name for Eliphelet’s father:“Eliphal the son of Ur,” (1 Chronicles 11:35, KJV) This significant discrepancy—Ahasbai (in 2 Samuel) versus Ur (in 1 Chronicles)—is considered by scholars to be a scribal error or corruption in one of the texts. Therefore, Ahasbai is remembered only as the father of a hero and as a figure caught in a textual puzzle.
- Theological Implication: Though an obscure figure, Ahasbai’s inclusion (and his son’s valor) underscores the vast reach of David’s kingdom and the diverse backgrounds of those whom God used to establish and protect the throne of Israel, the line leading to the Messiah.