ע
ABARIM
Publications
Discover the meanings of thousands of Biblical names in Abarim Publications' Biblical Name Vault: Ribai

Ribai meaning

Ribai in Biblical Hebrew
ריבי
Ribai categories:
♂
male names
≡
browse names and categories

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Ribai.html

🔼The name Ribai: Summary

Meaning
Contentious, Yah Strives
Etymology
From (1) the verb ריב (rib), to contend, and possibly (2) יה (yah), the shortened name of the Lord.
Related names
• Via ריב (rib): Jareb, Jarib, Jeribai, Jeroboam, Jerubbaal, Jerubbesheth, Meribah, Merib-baal
• Via יה (yah): See the 'browse by form' menu for a long list of yah-names.

🔼The name Ribai in the Bible

There is only one man named Ribai in the Bible. He was a Benjaminite who lived in Gibeah, and the father of Ittai, who is listed among the mighty-men of David (2 Samuel 23:29, 1 Chronicles 11:31).

🔼Etymology of the name Ribai

The name Ribai comes from the verb ריב (rib), meaning to contend:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary
ריב

The very common verb ריב (rib) means to strive or contend and ranges from a mere bickering to full scale combat. Noun ריב (rib) means strife, dispute or plea. Noun יריב (yarib) denotes an opponent or adversary. Noun מריבה (meriba) refers to a place or agent of strife or contention.

— See the full Dictionary article —

The letter י (yod) upon which our name ends, may either create an adjective (contentious), a possessive form (my strife), or may be a remnant of יה (Yah) = יהו (Yahu) = יו (Yu), which in turn are abbreviated forms of the Tetragrammaton יהוה, YHWH, or Yahweh.

🔼Ribai meaning

For a meaning of the name Ribai, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Yahweh Strives. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names has Judgment Of The Lord. BDB Theological Dictionary does not offer an interpretation of this name.