Gederathite

A Gederathite was an inhabitant of Gederah, a town in the Judean Shephelah. The term appears once in Scripture, in the list of warriors who came to David at Ziklag while he was in exile from Saul: Jozabad the Gederathite is named among the Benjaminites who joined David's growing band of followers during this period (1 Chronicles 12:4). These men were described as skilled warriors, ambidextrous with the sling and bow, from Saul's own tribe of Benjamin.

The designation Gederathite identifies Jozabad's hometown in the manner common in ancient Near Eastern texts, where a person's origin distinguished them from others of the same name. His crossing over to David from the tribe of Saul's own kinsmen carries narrative significance in the Chronicles account of David's rise, demonstrating that support for the future king extended even from among those who might have been expected to remain loyal to the Saulide dynasty. Gederathite occurs only in this single verse, making Jozabad the sole named individual from Gederah in the biblical text.