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H372 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אִיעֶזֶר
Iezer
Noun, proper name (masculine)
Iezer — my father is help

Definition

The Hebrew Iezer (אִיעֶזֶר), also spelled Abiezer, means 'my father is help' (from ab, father + ezer, help). This name belongs to a descendant of Manasseh and is the tribal ancestor of the Abiezrites — the clan to which Gideon the judge belonged. The name embodies the conviction that one's father (or divine Father) is the primary source of assistance.

Usage & Theological Significance

The name Iezer — 'my father is help' — points to the Hebrew understanding that divine fatherhood is fundamentally about help and provision. Gideon, from the clan of Abiezer (Iezer's descendants), was called to deliver Israel — not by his own strength but by the help of his heavenly Father. This is the pattern throughout Judges: the weakest become strong, the hidden become leaders, because the Father helps. Jesus teaches the same: 'Apart from me you can do nothing' (John 15:5). The New Testament unfolds Iezer's theology: we have a Father who is our help, our ever-present source of strength in weakness.

Key Bible Verses

Numbers 26:30 These were the descendants of Manasseh: through Iezer, the Iezerite clan.
Judges 6:34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.
Judges 8:2 He asked them, 'What have I accomplished compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim's grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?'
Joshua 17:2 Allotments were also made for the rest of the tribe of Manasseh — for the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida.
Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

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