Gibbar is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Gibbar was a leader of the people who returned to Judah from the Babylonian exile. He is mentioned in the book of Ezra, which records the return of the exiles to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple. In this setting, the Persian king Cyrus had issued a decree allowing the Jews to go back to their homeland, and a large company of exiles made the journey under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua.
Gibbar appears in a list of the returning exiles, specifically in a roster of families or clans. The text reads, “The children of Gibbar, ninety and five” (Ezra 2:20). This means that Gibbar was the head of a family group, and ninety-five members of that group returned from Babylon to Judah. The name here likely represents the ancestor or clan leader after whom the family was named, so the “children of Gibbar” were his descendants or the members of his household.
Scripture says nothing else about Gibbar beyond this single verse. We are not told of any particular deed, office, or word from him. What we know is that he was counted among those who made the journey back to the land of promise, and that his family was part of the restoration of God’s people. His inclusion in the list shows that he was a real person whose household was preserved through the exile and who took part in the return.
The Name
The name Gibbar is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text. Some scholars have suggested a possible connection to a Hebrew root meaning “strong” or “mighty,” but this is not certain, and the name may instead be a place name or a variant of another name. Because the meaning is not well established, it is best to say plainly that we do not know what Gibbar means. The Bible does not explain it, and no reliable tradition preserves its sense.
A Closing Thought
Gibbar’s story is a small one. He appears once, in a list of names, and then the Bible is silent about him. Yet that list mattered. Every family counted in Ezra 2 was a sign that God had not forgotten His people in exile. Gibbar may be unknown to us, but he was known to God, and he was faithful to return. Most of us will live quietly, without fame or record. That is enough. The Lord keeps His own list, and a life spent returning to Him is never wasted.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Ezra 2:20 — The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.