Jeziel is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Jeziel was a descendant of Benjamin, named in the genealogies and military records of the tribe of Benjamin preserved in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a list of warriors who came to David while he was still at Ziklag, before he was crowned king over all Israel. At that time David was a fugitive from King Saul, and men from various tribes gathered to him, choosing to cast their lot with the one whom God had anointed rather than with the reigning king. Jeziel is numbered among those who came from Benjamin—Saul’s own tribe—making his allegiance to David a notable act of faith and courage.
The text identifies him as a son of Azmaveth, and he is listed alongside Pelet, his brother. The passage names him among “the mighty men” and helpers in war who came to David, men described as armed with bows and able to use both right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows. Though Jeziel himself is not singled out for any individual exploit, he is counted among the “chief” men of the army that strengthened David’s hand and helped establish his kingdom.
Scripture records nothing else of Jeziel beyond this single mention. He did not perform a deed that earned him a story of his own; he is remembered simply as one who stood with David at the right time. His inclusion in the chronicle shows that his choice and his service were not forgotten, even though his name appears only once in the whole of the King James Bible.
The Name
The name Jeziel is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable with certainty. It appears to be built from elements that may relate to God—likely including a form of the divine name “El”—but the precise sense of the full name is not well established, and scholars do not agree on a confident rendering. Because the meaning is uncertain, it is best not to assign one. What can be said is that the name belongs to the Hebrew naming tradition of the Old Testament, in which names often confessed something about God, but the specific confession carried by “Jeziel” remains obscure.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be famous, and neither was Jeziel. He appears once, in a list, and then vanishes from the record. Yet he was there when it mattered—standing with God’s anointed when doing so was costly. That is a quiet encouragement. Faithfulness is not measured by how much of our story is written down, but by whether we are found on the right side when the moment comes. Jeziel’s single verse is enough to tell us he chose well, and God did not forget him.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 12:3 — The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite.