Jabin

Jabin is a Hebrew name that appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several rulers in the ancient Levant. The form may derive from a word meaning “understander” or “wise.” The best-known bearer is Jabin, king of Hazor, a major northern Canaanite city.

According to the Book of Joshua, Jabin gathered the northern kings to oppose the Israelites during their conquest. Joshua 11 describes how the Israelite army defeated the coalition at the waters of Merom, and Hazor was later burned and destroyed. This Jabin is presented as a powerful, centralized ruler over the region.

In the Book of Judges, Jabin is mentioned again as the “king of Canaan” who oppressed Israel for twenty years. His commander, Sisera, was defeated by Deborah, with Barak, and Sisera was killed by Jael. The narrative emphasizes the deliverance of Israel and the decline of Jabin’s power.

Scholars regard Jabin as possibly a title used for different kings rather than a single historical person; the term “king of Hazor” and “king of Canaan” may reflect distinct rulers with the same name or title. Hazor itself is widely studied archaeologically, with a major destruction layer dated to the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age; some scholars link this to the biblical accounts, while others view the chronology as uncertain.

In modern usage, Jabin sometimes appears as a given name in Jewish communities, reflecting its biblical roots.