Abiram

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

the eldest son of Hiel, the Bethelite. Joshua having destroyed the city of Jericho, pronounced this curse: "Cursed be the man, before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city, Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it,"  Joshua 6:26 . Hiel of Bethel, about five hundred and thirty-seven years after this imprecation, having undertaken to rebuild Jericho, whilst he was laying the foundation of it, lost his eldest son, Abiram,  1 Kings 16:34; and Segub, the youngest, when they set up the gates of it; a remarkable instance of a prophetic denunciation fulfilled, perhaps on a person who would not credit the tradition, or the truth of the prediction. So true is the word of the Lord; so minutely are the most distant contingencies foreseen by him; and so exact is the accomplishment of Divine prophecy!

2. Abiram the son of Eliab, of the tribe of Reuben, was one of those who conspired with Korah and Dathan against Moses in the wilderness, and was swallowed up alive, with his companions, by the earth, which opened to receive them, Numbers 16.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

• One of the sons of Eliab, who joined Korah in the conspiracy against Moses and Aaron. He and all the conspirators, with their families and possessions (except the children of Korah), were swallowed up by an earthquake ( Numbers 16:1-27;  26:9;  Psalm 106:17 ).
• The eldest son of Hiel the Bethelite, who perished prematurely in consequence of his father's undertaking to rebuild Jericho (1Kings 16:34), according to the words of ( Joshua 6:26 ). (See Jericho )

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Abi'ram.

1. A Reubenite, son of Eliab, who with Korah, a Levite, organized a conspiracy against Moses and Aaron.  Numbers 16:1. For details, See Korah . (B.C. 1490).

2. Eldest son of Hiel the bethelite, who died when his father laid the foundations of Jericho,  1 Kings 16:34, and thus accomplished the first part of the curse of Joshua.  Joshua 6:26. (B.C. after 905).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. A Reubenite, son of Eliab, who rose in the conspiracy headed by Korah against Moses and Aaron, and who perished by the judgement of God,  Numbers 16 : See KORAH

2. Eldest son of Hiel, the Bethelite. Hiel laid the foundation of Jericho in Abiram his first-born, and thus fulfilled the first part of the prophecy by Joshua. A signal instance of how even the Israelites disregarded the word of Jehovah.   Joshua 6:26;  1 Kings 16:34 .

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("father of height".)

1. A Reubenite, son of Eliab; conspired with Dathan and On, Reubenites, and Korah, a Levite, against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16). (See Aaron ; KORAH.)

2. Oldest son of Hiel the Bethelite ( 1 Kings 16:34); perished at his father's laying the foundations of Jericho's fortified walls, as Joshua's curse predicted ( 1 Kings 6:26).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ABIRAM (‘father is the Exalted One’). 1 . A Reubenite, who with Dathan conspired against Moses (  Numbers 16:1 etc.,   Deuteronomy 11:6 ,   Psalms 106:17 ). See art. Korah. 2 . The firstborn son of Hiel the Bethelite, who died when his father rebuilt Jericho (  1 Kings 16:34 ).

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Abiram ( A-Bî'Ram ), Father Of Height, I.E., Renowned. 1.  Numbers 16:1. One of the sons of Eliab, the Reubenite, who were destroyed with Korah for a conspiracy against Moses. See Korah. 2.  1 Kings 16:34. The first-born of Hiel, the Bethelite.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Numbers 16:1 Numbers 26:9-11 2 1 Kings 16:34

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A prince of Reuben, who with Korah, Dathan, etc., conspired to overthrow the authority of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,  Numbers 16:1-50 .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a - bı̄´ram ( אבירם , 'ăbhı̄rām , "exalted father," or, "my father is an exalted one"):

(1) The son of Eliab the son of Pallu the son of Reuben ( Numbers 26:5;  Deuteronomy 11:6 ). In company with his brother Dathan and Korah the Levite and others, he disputed the authority of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness (Nu 16 through 17; 26;  Deuteronomy 11:6;  Psalm 106:17 ). Two hundred and fifty followers of Korah perished by fire at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Dathan and Abiram refused to come to the tent of meeting, at the summons of Moses; and the earth opened where their tents were, and swallowed them and their families and their goods. See Korah .

(2) The firstborn son of Hiel the Bethelite, who rebuilt Jericho in the time of Ahab ( 1 Kings 16:34; compare  Joshua 6:26 ). This incident has recently acquired a new interest owing to discoveries made at Gezer and Megiddo concerning foundation sacrifices as in ancient times offered in Palestine. One should not be too positive in making statements concerning this, but the following is a possible interpretation of the record. The curse pronounced by Joshua on the man who should rebuild Jericho was of a piece with the other details, Jericho being treated exceptionally, as a city placed under the ban. The language of Joshua's curse is capable of being translated: 'Cursed be the man before Yahweh who shall ... build ... Jericho; (who) shall lay its foundation in his firstborn, and set up its gates in his youngest.' According to this interpretation the death of the builder's eldest and youngest sons is not spoken of as the penalty involved in the curse, but as an existing horrible custom, mentioned in order to give solemnity to the diction of the curse. The writer in Kings cites the language of the curse by Joshua. The context in which he mentions the affair suggests that he regards Hiel's conduct as exceptionally flagrant in its wickedness. Hiel, in defiance of Yahweh, not only built the city, but in building it revived the horrible old Canaanite custom, making his first-born son a foundation sacrifice, and his youngest son a sacrifice at the completion of the work.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Abiram', אֲבַירָם , Father Of Height, i.e. Proud), the name of two men.

1. (Sept. Ἀβειρών , Vulg. Abiron, Josephus Ἀβίραμος , Ant. 4, 2, 2.) One of the sons of Eliab of the family-heads of Reuben, who, with his brother, Dathan, and with On of the same tribe, joined Korah the Levite in a conspiracy against Moses and Aaron, which resulted in their being swallowed up with all their families and possessions (except the children of Korah) by an earthquake ( Numbers 16:1-27;  Numbers 26:9;  Deuteronomy 11:6;  Psalms 106:17), B.C. cir. 1620. (See Korah).

2. (Sept. Ἀβιρών , Vulg. Abiram.) The eldest son of Hiel the Bethelite, who is remarkable as having died prematurely (for such is the evident import of the statement), for the presumption or ignorance of his father, in fulfillment of the doom pronounced upon his posterity who should undertake to rebuild Jericho ( 1 Kings 16:34), B.C. post 905. (See Hiel).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Abiram, 1

Abi´ram (father of altitude, i.e. high), one of the family-chiefs of the tribe of Reuben, who, with Dathan and On of the same tribe, joined Korah, of the tribe of Levi, in a conspiracy against Aaron and Moses (Numbers 16) [AARON].

Abiram, 2

Abiram, Eldest son of Hiel the Bethelite ( 1 Kings 16:34) [[[Hiel; Jericho]]]