< Previous | Contents | Next >
•AHIMAAZ brother of anger = irascible. (1.) The father Ahinoam, the wife of Saul (1 Samuel 14:50).
(2.) The son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest (1 Chronicles 6:8, 53). On the occasion of the revolt of Absalom he remained faithful to David, and was of service to him in conveying to him tidings of the proceedings of Absalom in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15:24-37; 17:15-21). He was swift of foot, and was the first to carry to David tidings of the defeat of Absalom, although he refrained, from delicacy of feeling, from telling him of his death (2 Samuel 18:19-33).
•AHIMAN brother of a gift = liberal. (1.) One of the three giant Anakim brothers whom Caleb and the spies saw in Mount Hebron (Numbers 13:22) when they went in to explore the land. They were afterwards driven out and slain (Joshua 15:14; Judges 1:10).
(2.) One of the guardians of the temple after the Exile (1 Chronicles 9:17).
•AHIMELECH brother of the king, the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar (1 Samuel 22:20-23). He descended from Eli in the line of Ithamar. In 1 Chronicles 18:16 he is called Abimelech, and is probably the same as Ahiah (1 Samuel 14:3, 18). He was the twelfth high priest, and officiated at Nob, where he was visited by David (to whom and his companions he gave five loaves of the showbread) when he fled from Saul (1 Samuel 21:1-9). He was summoned into Saul’s presence, and accused, on the information of Doeg the Edomite, of disloyalty because of his kindness to David; whereupon the king commanded that he, with the other priests who stood beside him (86 in all), should be put to death. This sentence was carried into execution by Doeg in the most cruel manner (1 Samuel 22:9-23). Possibly Abiathar had a son also called Ahimelech, or the