The word Abinadab means “my father is noble,” or “my father is generous.” The verb from which it comes is nadab, “to incite,” “to impel,” always in a good sense, and therefore “to be willing,” “to volunteer.” His genealogy is not known, but he must have been a Levite closely akin to Aaron in order to appoint his son Eleazar as keeper of the ark. Aaron’s eldest son was named Nadab (Num. 3:2), and it would be expected that one of his direct descendants should bear the name Abinadab.

 Heb. baggibe‘ah. Translated, “in Gibeah,” in 2 Sam. 6:3, and “at Gibeah” in v. 4. The context must determine whether the word is used as the name of a place or whether the word simply refers to a “hill,” as it is uniformly translated elsewhere in the OT. There was, as well, a Gibeah of Benjamin (1 Sam. 13:16), or “Gibeah of Saul” (ch. 11:4). There was also a hill, literally, “Gibeah” of Phinehas, in the mountain of Ephraim (Joshua 24:33). The Gibeonites were, literally, “hill dwellers,” and inasmuch as Kirjath-jearim was one of the four cities as belonging to them (Joshua 9:17), the “Gibeah” where Abinadab dwelt would best be described as a hill at, or near, Kirjath-jearim.

Judging from the action of the kine, one would conclude that Beth-shemesh was the logical place for the ark to rest, but that the unholy curiosity of the people and the fright of those who survived the retribution, indicate that its people were not qualified for the reverent guardianship of the sacred symbol of God’s presence. Less than 10 mi. away were the men of Kirjath-jearim, whose reputation justified the belief that they could convey and safely keep that which their neighbors did not want. How many times Israel hindered God in the accomplishment of His purpose by refusing to respect His counsel and to fit into His plan! Christ loved Judas and would have liked to make him one of the leaders of the apostles, but Judas refused (see DA 295). Christ also loved the rich young man who inquired of the way to the kingdom, but in spite of the invitation to follow Christ the youth went away sorrowful.