AHAZIAH

AHITOB

vassalage in the shape of all the gold and silver from the palace treasury and from the Temple (2 K 16, Is 7).

Tiglath-pileser was already on the march, and at once laid siege to Damascus, thus freeing Jerusalem from its enemies. Two years later the Assyrian king entered Damascus, and was visited there by Ahaz. The result of the visit was the construction of a new altar for the Temple at Jerusalem, and apparently the introduction of Assyrian divinities (2 K 16'»ff). H. P. Smith.

AHAZIAH. — Two kings of this name are mentioned in the OT, one in each of the Israelite kingdoms.

1. Ahazlah of Israel was the son of Ahab, and ruled after him only two years or parts of years. He is said to have been a worshipper of Baal, that is, to have continued the religious policy of his father. By a fall from a window of his palace he was seriously injured, and, after lingering awhile, died from the accident. The Moabites, who had been subject to Israel, took this opportunity to revolt. Ahaziah is accused of sending messengers to inquire of the celebrated oracle at Ekron, and is said unexpectedly to have received his answer from Elijah (2 K 1).

2. Ahaziah of Judah was son of Jehoram and grandson of Jehoshaphat. Under the influence of his mother, who was a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, it is not surprising to read that he walked in the ways of Ahab. All that we know of him is that he continued the league with Israel, and that, going to visit his uncle Jehoram in Jezreel, he was involved in his fate at the revolt of Jehu (2 K 9"). H. P. Smith.

AHBAN,— A Judahite, son of Abishur (1 Ch 2").

AHER ('another').— A Benjamite (1 Ch T'^).

AHI ('brother').—!. A Gadite (1 Ch 5"). 2. An Asherite (1 Ch 7"). But the reading is in neither case free from doubt.

AHIAH.— See Ahijah.

AHIAM.— One of David's heroes (1 Ch 11»).

AHIAN ('fraternal'). — A Manassite, described as 'son of Shemida' (1 Ch 7"); but the name is scarcely that of an individual ; note in the context Abiezer and Shechem, and cf. Nu 263«-

AHIEZER ('brother is help').— 1. Son of Ammi-shaddai, one of the tribal princes who represented Dan at the census and on certain other occasions (Nu 1'^ 22« 756. 71 1026 (p)). 2. The chief of the Benjamite archers who joined David at Ziklag (1 Ch 12' -3).

AHIHUD ('brotheris majesty'). — 1. The prince of the tribe of Asher (Nu 34." (P)). 2. A Benjamite (1 Ch 8«- ').

AHUAH.— 1. 1 S 142- 18 (AV Ahiah), a priest, son of Ahitub, who had charge of the oracular ephod and consulted it for Saul [read 'ephod' for 'ark' at v.'*]. Ahijah is probably to be identified with Ahimelech (21>). 2. 1 K 4', one of Solomon's secretaries, who conducted the king's correspondence and wrote out his decrees. His father Shlsha seems to have held the same office under David. 3. 1 K liw- 12is, 2 Ch 10", a prophet of Shiloh, who foretold the division of the kingdom and the elevation of Jeroboam. Subsequently he predicted .the death of Jeroboam's son (IK 142«). 4. IK IS"", father of Baasha. 5. 1 Ch 2^ has an Ahijah, son of Jerahmeel, but is hopelessly corrupt. The LXX gets rid of the name. 6. 1 Ch 8' (AV Ahiah), son of Ehud, a Benjamite: at v.' Ahoah, but LXX Ahijah, 7. 1 Ch 112», one of David's heroes, from Palon, an unknown locality: perhaps Giloh should be read, seeing that Palon has already been mentioned (v.^'). 8. 1 Ch 262", a Levite, overseer of the Temple treasures. But we ought probably to substitute the words, ' their brethren.' 9. Neh IC (RV Ahiah), a layman who joined Nehemiah in signing the covenant. J. Taylok.

AHIKAM. — One of the deputation sent by king Josiah to Huldah the prophetess (2 K 22i2- ", 2 Ch 342°). Later he used his influence to protect Jeremiah from the

violence of the populace during the reign of Jehoiakim (Jer 26").

AHILTTD. — 1. Father of Jehoshaphat, the chronicler under David and Solomon (2 S 8" 202«, 1 K 4M Ch 18«). 2. Father of Baana, one of Solomon's twelve commis-sariat ofiicers (1 K 412).

AHIMAAZ.- 1. Saul's father-in-law (1 S 14so). 2. Son of Zadok. He and Jonathan were stationed outside Jerusalem to learn Absalom's plans; after an adventurous journey they succeeded in warning David (2 S 15"- " 17"-^'). Ahimaaz was eager to carry the tidings of Absalom's defeat; but Joab preferred to send by an Ethiopian slave the unwelcome news of the prince's death. Obtaining leave to follow, Ahimaaz outstripped this man, was recognized by the watchman through the style of his running, but left the Ethiopian to disclose the worst (2 S 18"-'^). It may be the same person who appears later as Solomon's son-in-law and commissioner in Naphtali (1 K 4"). J. Taylor.

AHUVIAN'. — 1. One of the sons of Anak, at Hebron (Nu 1322): the three clans, of which this was one, were either destroyed by Judah (Jg l'"), or expelled by the clan Caleb (Jos 15"). 2. A family of Levites who had charge of that gate of the Temple through which the king entered (1 Oh 9"'). J. Taylor.

AHIMELECH.— 1. Son of Ahitub, and grandson of Phinehas. He either succeeded his brother Ahijah in the priesthood, or more probably was the same person under another name (1 S 142- 18). por his fate see DoEQ. In 2 S 8" and 1 Ch 18i« 24« the names of ADiathar and Ahimelech have been transposed. 2. A Hittite, who joined David when a fugitive (1 S 26").

AHIMOTH.— A Kohathite Levite (1 Ch 6^).

AHINADAp . — Son of Iddo, one of the 12 commissariat ofiicers appointed by Solomon (1 K 4").

AHTWOAM. — 1. Daughter of Ahimaaz and wife of Saul (1 S 145"). 2. A Jezreelitess whom David married after Michal had been taken from him. She was the mother of David's firstborn, Amnon (1 S 25" 27= 30', 2 S 22 32, 1 Ch 31).

AHIO. — 1. Son of Abinadab (No. 3), and brother of Uzzah. He helped to drive the cart on which the ark was placed when removed from Abinadab's house (2 S 6'- \ 1 Ch 13'). 2. A son of Jeiel, and brother of Kish, the father of Saul (1 Ch S'l 9"). 3. A Benjamite (1 Ch 8").

AHIBA. — Prince of NaphtaU, named at the census and on certain other occasions (Nu I's 223 7"- ^ 102' (P)).

AHIRAM. — The eponym of a Benjamite family — the Ahiramites, Nu 2688 (P). The name occurs in the corrupt forms Ehi in Gn 462i (P), and Aharah in 1 Ch 8'.

AHI8AHACH.— A Danite, father of OhoUab (Ex 31«

3531 3823 (P)).

AHISHAHAE.— A Benjamite (1 Ch 7i»).

AHISHAR.— Superintendent of Solomon's household (1 K 4«).

AHITHOPHEL.— David's counsellor (2 S IS", 1 Ch 2783), whose advice was deemed infallible (2 S 162'). Being Bathsheba's grandfather, he had been alienated by David's criminal conduct (lis 238«), and readily joined Absalom (15'2). Ahithophel advised the prince to take possession of the royal harem, thus declar-ing his father's deposition, and begged for a body of men with whom he might at once overtake and destroy the fugitive monarch (17' -8). Hushai thwarted this move (17"). Disgusted at the collapse of his influ-ence, and foreseeing that this lack of enterprise meant the failure of the insurrection, Ahithophel withdrew, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself (1728).

J. Taylor.

AHITOB (1 Es 82).— An ancestor of Ezra, son of Amarias and father of Sadduk. See Ahitub, No. 3.

18