Bible Dictionaries
Hagarite

Holman Bible Dictionary

(hag' ahr ite) Name of nomadic tribe whom the tribe of Reuben defeated east of the Jordan River (1Chronicles 5:10,1 Chronicles 5:19-20 ). Reuben won because they called on and trusted in God. The tribal name is apparently taken from Hagar, Sarah's maid and mother of Ishmael (Genesis 16:1 ). David's chief shepherd was a Hagarite (1 Chronicles 27:31 ). The Psalmist asked God not to be silent when the Hagarites joined a coalition against God's people (Psalm 83:6 ). 1 Chronicles 11:38 names a Hagarite among David's military heroes, but some interpreters think that 1 Samuel 23:36 is evidence of an original Gadite, which would be written quite similar to Hagarite in Hebrew.