Barzillai

Barzillai (meaning of iron or son of contempt) is the name of three men in the Old Testament. (1.) Barzillai the Meholathite, whose son Adriel married Merab, Saul's daughter (2 Samuel 21:8). (2.) Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, a wealthy man of eighty who provided food and supplies for David when he fled Absalom's rebellion; David invited him to Jerusalem but he declined on account of his age, sending his son Chimham instead. On his deathbed David charged Solomon to show kindness to Barzillai's sons (1 Kings 2:7). (3.) A priest whose genealogy was lost because he had taken his wife's name from the priestly family of Barzillai (Ezra 2:61).