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Adriel

biblical_person theological_term standard

Adriel is an Old Testament man, identified as the Meholathite, who became connected to Saul’s family by marriage.

At a Glance

Adriel was a biblical man from Meholah who married Merab, Saul’s daughter, and is later mentioned in the Gibeonite judgment narrative.

Key Points

Description

Adriel is an Old Testament man identified as “the Meholathite.” Scripture first names him when Saul gives his daughter Merab to him as a wife instead of to David (1 Sam. 18:19). He appears again in the difficult narrative of 2 Samuel 21:8, where Saul’s descendants are handed over in connection with the Gibeonite judgment. That verse has a well-known textual and interpretive issue, since some manuscript traditions and translations mention Michal while the surrounding context points to Merab. The safest summary is that Adriel was connected to Saul’s family through marriage and is mentioned in a historical account tied to Saul’s house.

Biblical Context

Adriel is part of the historical narrative surrounding Saul, David, and Saul’s household. His name appears in the section where Saul tries to shift Merab away from David (1 Sam. 18:19), and again in the later narrative about Saul’s descendants and the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21:8).

Historical Context

The title “the Meholathite” identifies Adriel by locality, likely linking him to Meholah in the Jordan Valley region. The entry belongs to the historical books and reflects ordinary family and royal-household relationships in Israel’s monarchy period.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient readers would have understood such a name as part of family and clan history. The 2 Samuel text also shows how scribes and translators handled difficult narrative details, especially when royal lineage and household names were involved.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: עַדְרִיאֵל (ʿAdriʾel). The exact etymology is not certain in this entry, so the Hebrew form is noted without forcing a definitive gloss.

Theological Significance

Adriel has no major doctrinal role. His significance is historical and textual: he belongs to the inspired narrative record and helps readers attend carefully to the wording of Scripture.

Philosophical Explanation

This entry is about a named historical person, not an abstract concept. Its value lies in identifying a real individual within the biblical narrative and distinguishing stable historical information from textual uncertainty.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the conclusion from 2 Samuel 21:8. The verse is textually difficult, and readers should note the manuscript/translation issue without forcing a confident harmonization where the text itself is debated.

Major Views

The main discussion concerns 2 Samuel 21:8. Some translations preserve the name Michal, while the narrative context suggests Merab and has led many readers to recognize a textual difficulty. The entry should present this cautiously.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No doctrine should be built on Adriel’s identity beyond the historical reliability of the biblical narrative and the need for careful textual handling.

Practical Significance

Adriel reminds readers that Scripture includes ordinary people and family histories, and that careful Bible study pays attention to both the main storyline and smaller textual questions.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Adriel

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