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H27 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אֲבִידָן
Abiydan
Proper noun (name)
Abidan (My Father is Judge)

Definition

The Hebrew proper name Abiydan (אֲבִידָן) means "My Father is Judge" — a compound of ab (father) and dan (to judge). The name appears in Numbers 1:11; 2:22; 7:60, 65; 10:24, where Abidan son of Gideoni served as the appointed leader of the tribe of Benjamin during the Exodus census and wilderness march.

Usage & Theological Significance

The name Abidan — "My Father is Judge" — is a confession that God is the ultimate arbiter of justice. In the wilderness community, tribal leaders like Abidan represented their people before Moses and ultimately before God. The role of tribal leader was both military (commander of fighting men) and representational (bringing the tribe's census offering to the tabernacle). Abidan's offering in Numbers 7:60-65 was identical to the other tribal leaders', emphasizing equality and unity before God regardless of tribal position. The theological truth his name embodies — God as judge — is echoed throughout Scripture, from Abraham's prayer ("Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25) to the final judgment described in Revelation 20.

Key Bible Verses

Numbers 1:11
from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni
Numbers 7:60
On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.
Numbers 2:22
"The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni."
Genesis 18:25
"Far be it from you to do such a thing — to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done.

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