Jonadab Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Jonadab, also known as Jonathan, was the son of David's brother Shimeah and a friend and advisor to Amnon, David's eldest son.
son of Shimeah (2SA 13:3 or "Shammah" in 1SA 16:9)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Judah › Pharez › Hezron › Ram › Amminadab › Nahshon › Salmon › Boaz › Obed › Jesse › Shammah › Jonadab
Names
-
en
Jonadab
who gives liberally
-
en
Jonathan
· Also called given of God
-
en
Jonadab
· Also called · H3122 none · 2SA 13:3 y-h-v-h is generous, noble
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he
יוֹנָדָב
yonadav · H3122 · 2SA 13:3 y-h-v-h is generous, noble
- he יְהוֹנָדָב · H3082H
- he יְהוֹנָתָן · H3083O
- el Ιωναδαβ Iōnadab · none · 2SA 13:3
- bg Йонадав
Mentioned in (7)
SDA Books
Awaiting permission to publishLinked through an explicitly cited Bible passage
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Conditional birth estimate
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
The anchors give incompatible conditional intervals. This calculation establishes no birth year.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ruth · 1116 BC Ancestor |
4 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1036 BC – 936 BC |
| Pharez · 1722 BC Ancestor |
10 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1522 BC – 1272 BC |
| Jacob · 1835 BC Ancestor |
12 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1595 BC – 1295 BC |
| Isaac · 1895 BC Ancestor |
13 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1635 BC – 1310 BC |
| Rebekah · 1876 BC Ancestor |
13 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1616 BC – 1291 BC |
| Abraham · 1995 BC Ancestor |
14 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1715 BC – 1365 BC |
| Sarah · 1985 BC Ancestor |
14 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1705 BC – 1355 BC |
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
15 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1750 BC – 175 BC |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1756 BC – 76 BC |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1656 BC – AD 25 |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
17 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1761 BC – AD 25 |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
18 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1768 BC – AD 123 |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
19 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1773 BC – AD 223 |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1782 BC – AD 319 |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1787 BC – AD 419 |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
23 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1772 BC – AD 644 |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
24 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1847 BC – AD 674 |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
25 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2323 BC – AD 303 |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
26 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2480 BC – AD 251 |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
27 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2642 BC – AD 194 |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
28 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2682 BC – AD 259 |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
29 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2819 BC – AD 227 |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
30 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2859 BC – AD 292 |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
31 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2904 BC – AD 352 |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
31 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3229 BC – AD 27 |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
32 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2969 BC – AD 392 |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
32 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3204 BC – AD 157 |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
32 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3205 BC – AD 156 |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
33 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3049 BC – AD 417 |
Belonged to (1)
Jonadab Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Jonadab, also referred to as Jonathan, was the son of Shimeah, King David's brother, making him David's nephew (2Sa 13:3; 21.21; 1Ch 20:7). He is primarily mentioned in the context of the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar, David's children.
Jonadab is described as a very shrewd man and a close friend of Amnon (2Sa 13:3). When Amnon became infatuated with his half-sister Tamar and was distressed about how to approach her, Jonadab devised a plan for Amnon to be alone with Tamar (2Sa 13:5). This plan ultimately led to Amnon raping Tamar, an act that had severe consequences for the royal family (2Sa 13:11-14).
After Amnon's actions were discovered, Jonadab was the one who informed David that only Amnon had been killed by Absalom, Tamar's full brother, contrary to the initial report that all of David's sons had been slain (2Sa 13:32-33). This suggests that Jonadab was well-informed about the events and dynamics within the royal family.
In 1Ch 27:32, Jonadab is mentioned as King David's counselor, described as a wise man and a scribe. This indicates that he held a position of influence and trust within the royal court, despite his role in the events surrounding Amnon and Tamar.
The story of Jonadab highlights the complex relationships and conflicts within David's family and the far-reaching consequences of sin and poor judgment. It also demonstrates the importance of wise counsel and the potential for even trusted advisors to contribute to negative outcomes when their wisdom is misused.
Jonathan 4 Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Son of Shammah, and David’s nephew, and also one of his chief warriors (2 Sam. 21:21). He slew a giant in Gath.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Jonadab_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Jonadab@2Sa.13.3-1Ch) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, jonadab_1688)