BANANA (Hebrew Ba'ānāḥ). - Commander of a troop of soldiers of Ish-bosheth, son of Saul. When the cause of Ish-bosheth was lost after the death of Abner (q.v.), he conspired with his companion Recab against the life of the prince. After Ish-bosheth was killed, they presented themselves to David, who, however, punished the murder with death (2 Sam. 4:2-9).
Other biblical characters bear the same name: one of the 37 mighty men of David (ibid. 23:29); one of the exiles who returned (Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7; 10:27); one of Solomon’s twelve officers, in charge of Asher and Beth-hanan (1 Kings 4:16; Heb. however Ba'ānāḥ, as in Neh. 3:4).