Abital was one of King David's wives and the mother of his son Shephatiah.
wife (concubine?) of King David (2SA 3:4)
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en
Abital
the father of the dew; or of the shadow
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en
Abital
· Also called · H37 none · 2SA 3:5 [my] father is [the] night dew
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he
אֲבִיטָל
abiytal · H37 · 2SA 3:5 [my] father is [the] night dew
- he אֲבִיטָ֑ל · H0037
- el Αβιταλ Abital · none · 2SA 3:5
- bg Авитал
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Conditional birth estimate · c. 1094 BC – 1069 BC
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Shephatiah · 1049 BC Descendant |
1 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1094 BC – 1069 BC |
- Son: Shephatiah
Abital was one of the wives of King David, the second king of Israel. She is mentioned in the lists of David's wives and children in both 2Sa 3:4 and 1Ch 3:3. Abital gave birth to one of David's sons, named Shephatiah.
The biblical text does not provide any further information about Abital's background, her relationship with David, or her role in the royal household. She is one of several wives mentioned in the genealogies, highlighting David's practice of polygamy, which was common among kings in the ancient Near East.
Abital's son Shephatiah is listed among David's sons born in Hebron, where David reigned over Judah for seven years before becoming king over all Israel (2Sa.2.11; 5.5).
Father of dew; i.e., “fresh”, David’s fifth wife (2 Sam. 3:4).
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Abital_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Abital@2Sa.3.4-1Ch) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, abital_54)