Ahinoam אֲחִינֹ֫עַם
Wife of King Saul, daughter of Ahimaaz
Biography
Ahinoam is mentioned briefly in the Bible as one of the wives of King Saul, the first king of Israel. She was the daughter of Ahimaaz, but no further information is provided about her father. (1Sa.14.50)
Saul had two wives mentioned in the biblical text: Ahinoam and Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. (2Sa.3.7) Ahinoam was the mother of several of Saul's children, including his eldest son Jonathan, who became a close friend of David. (1Sa.14.49)
Despite her status as the wife of the king, little is recorded about Ahinoam's life or her role in the royal court. The biblical narrative focuses primarily on Saul's reign, his conflicts with David, and his eventual downfall.
The mention of Ahinoam in the genealogy of Saul's family establishes her as an important figure in the royal lineage, although her personal character and influence are not elaborated upon in the Bible.
Family
Partners
Offspring
- Jonathan Tribe of JudahSon of JadaSon of Jada, descendant of JudahView full profile →
- Abinadab MaleFather of Ben-abinadabSolomon's son-in-law, an official in his governmentView full profile →
- Malchi-shua Tribe of BenjaminSon of SaulSon of King Saul, killed in battle against the Philistines.View full profile →
- Merab Tribe of BenjaminSaul's daughterEldest daughter of King Saul.View full profile →
- Michal Tribe of BenjaminSaul's daughterDaughter of Saul; wife of David.View full profile →
- Ish-bosheth Tribe of BenjaminSaul's sonSon of Saul, king over Israel.View full profile →
In Scripture
1 biblical book1 Samuel 1 verse
- 1 Samuel 14:50
"The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֲחִינֹ֫עַם | H0293G |
Ahinoam
married after Saul gave Michal to another husband. She and Abigail, the widow of Nabal, seem to have been David's only wives prior to the beginning of his reign in Hebron. His marriage to Abigail is mentioned first, with some details, followed by the statement, easily to be understood in the pluperfect, that he had previously married Ahinoam (1Sa 25:39-44). Three times they are mentioned together, Ahinoam always first (1Sa 27:3; 30:5; 2Sa 2:2), and Ahinoam is the mother of David's first son and Abigail of his second (2Sa 3:2; 1Ch 3:1). Ahinoam's son was Amnon. The record really represents David's polygamy as a series of bids for political influence; the names of Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah suggest that the method was not finally a success.
Willis J. Beecher
a-hi'-o ('achyo, variously explained as "his brother," "brotherly," "brother of Yahweh," "my brother is Yah"): Proper names containing a similar form of the name of Yahweh are found on the ostraca recently exhumed at Sam