Ebed

Two men carry the name Ebed in the UPDV: a Shechemite known only as the father of Gaal, the agitator who tries to overthrow Abimelech, and a post-exilic returnee listed among those who came up with Ezra.

Father of Gaal

The first Ebed appears only as a patronymic. His son Gaal moves to Shechem with his brothers and quickly draws the city's loyalty: "And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him" (Judg 9:26). At a vintage festival in the house of the local god, Gaal mocks Abimelech and his lieutenant Zebul: "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? And Zebul his officer? You⁺ serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve him?" (Judg 9:28). Gaal then dares Abimelech to come out: "And if only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out" (Judg 9:29).

Zebul reports to Abimelech, naming Gaal by his father each time: "And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Look, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem; and, see, they are inciting the city against you" (Judg 9:30-31). The advice is to ambush by night: "Now therefore, rise up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field" (Judg 9:32). The ambush is set, and Gaal walks into it: "And Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush" (Judg 9:34-35). Throughout the episode Ebed himself never speaks or acts; the name carries only as the genealogical tag for his son.

A Captive Returned from Babylon

The other Ebed surfaces in Ezra's roster of those who came up from Babylon: "And of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males" (Ezra 8:6). He is identified by his father Jonathan, his clan (the sons of Adin), and the size of his contingent — fifty males. The single line is the whole record.