ASHES

ASHES . — Ashes on the head formed one of the ordinary tokens of raourningf or the dead (see Moukninq Customs as of private (2 S 13") and national humiliation (Neh 91, 1 Mac 3"). The penitent and the afflicted might also sit (Job 28, Jon 36) or even wallow in ashes (Jer 6", Ezk 273"). In 1 K 2038. 11 ^e must, with RV, read 'headband' (wh. see) for 'ashes.'

In a figurative sense the term 'ashes' Is often used to signify evanescence, worthlessness, insignificance (Gn 18", Job 30"). 'Proverbs of ashes' (1312 RV) is Job's equivalent for the modern 'rot.' For the use ot ashes in the priestly ritual see Red Heifeh.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

ASHHUE (AV Ashur).— The 'father' of Tekoa (1 Ch 2« 45).

ASmnTA. — A god whose form of worship is unknown, and who has been identified with the Phoenician Eshraun and the Babylonian Tashmitu. As Hamath, the god's seat of worship (2 K 17"), was occupied by the Hittites, the deity was probably non-Semitic. N. Koenig.

ASHKELON (Greek Ascalon).— A city of the PhUis-tine Pentapolis. It is mentioned several times in the Tell el-Amarna correspondence. According to Jos 138, it was left uneonquered; but the interpolated passage, Jg 1'8, enumerates it among the places captured by Israel. It is doubtful whether Samson took the spoil with which he paid his wages (Jg 14") from this city, which is two days' journey from Timnath, or from a similarly styled village, much nearer at hand, now possibly represented in name by Khurbet 'Askalan, near Tell Zakariya. It is referred to in the story of the return of the ark (1 S 6"), and in David's lament (2 S 1'°), and with the other Philistine cities is made an object of denunciation by various prophets. Here Jonathan Maccabaeus was honourably received (1 Mac 10" 11"), and it was the birthplace of Herod the Great. It was captured by the Crusaders, but recaptured by the Muslims after the battle of Hattiu. Extensive remains of ancient buildings still exist on the site, which retains the name of 'Askalan: numerous fragments of statues etc., are found by the natives from time to time.

R. A. S. Macausteb.

ASHKENAZ in Gn 10= (1 Ch l^) appears as a son of Gomer (wh. see), which means apparently that the name represents a people akin to the Cimmerians, an Indo-European people who made trouble for the Assyrians in and about Armenia in the later days of their empire, in the 7th cent. B.C. In Jer 51^' Ashkenaz is coupled with Ararat and Minnl. The view now generally accepted by scholars is that Ashkenaz in the Hebrew text is a slight misreading for AshkHz, an important tribe akin to the Cimmerians who had to do with Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal, the last great kings of Assyria, the name appearing in the inscriptions as Ashguz. Further, it is probable that the Skythoi, 'Scythians,' represent the same people and word.

J. F. MCCURDT.

ASHNAH. — Two unknown sites of towns in Judah (Jos 1588 and 15*8).

ASHPENAZ. — The chief of Nebuchadrezzar's eunuchs (Dn 18).

ASHIAROTH.— This city (pi. of Ashtorelh [wh. see)), originally held by Og, king of Bashan (Dt i*, Jos 9" 121 1318- 81), later captured by the Israelites and by them awarded to the Gershonites (Jos 218'Be-eshterah, 'dwelling [or temple] of Ashtoreth'; cf. || 1 Ch. 6", which reads Ashtaroth), might, without contradicting Biblical records, be identified with Ashteroth-karnaim (wh. see). However, a statement found in Eusebius' Onomasticon favours the view that the names desig-nate two localities. Eusebius relates that there were at his time two villages of the same name, separated by a distance of 9 miles, lying between Adara (Edrei) and Abila; viz., (1) Ashtaroth, the ancient city of Og, 6 miles from Abila, and (2) Karnaim Ashtaroth,

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ASHTORETH

a village in the corner of Bashan, where Job's village is shown (of. Book ot Jubilees 29'»). Eusebius' Karnaim Ashtaroth evidently lay in the corner or angle formed by the rivers Nahr er-Bukkad and Shan'at d-Manadireh, in which vicinity tradition places Uz, Job's fatheriand. At long. 36° E., lat. 32° 50' N., on the Bashan plateau, stands Tell ('hill') 'Ashtara, whose strategical value, as shown by the ruins, was recognized in the Middle Ages. Its base is watered by the Moyel en-NeW, Ayyub (' stream of the prophet Job '). Following this rivulet's course for 2i miles N.N.E., passing through the Hammam AyyUb ('Job's bath'), is found its source, a spring said to have welled forth when Job in his impatience stamped upon the ground. In the immediate vicinity towards the S., Job's grave Is shown. Further-more, upon the hill at whose base these two places are situated lies the village of Sa'diyeh or Sheikh Sa'd, whose mosque contains the Sakhret AyyUb, a large basalt boulder against which Job is said to have leant while receiving his friends. Indeed, i of a mile S. of Sa dlyeh at el-Merkez, another grave (modern) of Job is shown, and a Der ('monastery') Ayyubt according to tradition built by the Ghassanide Amr i., is known to have existed. Eusebius' Ashtaroth must then have been in the proximity of Muzerib, 9i miles S. of Sa'diyeh, and 8 miles N.W. of Adara, almost the distance of the Onomasticon. Even Tell Ash'ari, 4J miles S. of Tell 'Ashtara, protected on the one side by the Yarmuk, on the second by a chasm, and showing evidences of having been fortified by a triple wall on the third, is admirably situated for a royal stronghold.

None of these modern place-names, with the excep-tion of Tell ' Ashtara, is linguistically related to the 'Ashtaroth and 'Ashteroth-karnaim of the Bible and the Onomasticon. The description of 'Ashteroth-karnaim (2 Mac 1281'., cf. 1 Mac 5") as a place hard to besiege and difficult of access because of numerous passes leading to it, in whose territory a temple was situated, is applicable to Sa'diyeh or to Tell 'AshtarB, or even to Tdl Ash'ari, whose double peak at the S. summit is partly responsible for the translation of the name ' Ashtaroth of (near) the double peak' (see Ashtobbth). The similarity of name between Tell 'Ashtara and 'Ashteroth-karnaim, even though Tdl 'Ashtara does not lie directly between Adara and Abila, and lacks, with the other places, narrow passes, would favour the identification of 'Ashteroth-karnaim with Tell 'Ashtara, and hence, according to the distances of Eusebius, the location of 'Ashtaroth near Muzerib. However, until the ancient name of Muzerib is known, and the various sites excavated, a definite determination of the location of these cities, and even of the difference between them, must remain impossible. N. Koeniq.

ASHTEROTH-KARNAIM.— The scene of Chedor-laomer's defeat of the Rephaim (Gn 14*). It is perhaps mentioned in Am 6I8 (EV 'Have we not taken to us horns (Karnaim) by our own strength?'). It is identical with Camion or Camain, after whose capture, in b.c. 164, Judas Maccabaeus destroyed the temple of Atargatis (wh. see), whither the inhabitants had fled for refuge (2 Mac 12"'-, cf. 1 Mac 5"f). For interpretation of name see Ashtoheth, and for location, Ashtaboth.

N. Koenig.

ASHTORETH.— This deity, especially known as the Sidonian goddess for whom Solomon erected a shrine, later destroyed by Josiah (1 K ll^- 88, 2 K 23i8), was worshipped by all Semitic nations. In her temple at Ashkelon, the Philistines hung the armour of Saul (1 S 31"). In Bashan, the cities Ashtaroth or Be-eshterah and Ashteroth-karnaim presumably derived their names from the fact that various Ashtoreth-cults were located there. At Ashteroth-karnaim ('horned Ashtaroth') one might even be justified in supposing from the name that 'Ashtoreth was represented with the horns of a cow or a ram. Mesha, king of Moab, dedicated his