A, then, was a clan resident in Hebron (the more familiar name of Kiriath-arba) at the time of the Heb. conquest, and driven thence by Caleb. The clan may have been of Aramaic origin, since the names of Sheshai and Talmai are of an Aram, type, and the name Ahiman has analogy in Aram, as well as Heb. See further, Driver, Deut. p. 23 f.; Moore, Judges, p. 24 f.
2. The name of a family or division of door- keepers, 1 Ch 9". This name is absent, not only from the briefer list in Neb 11", but also from the longer list in Ezr 10" ( = 1 Es 5^). It is possible, therefore, that the name (iD-nn) in Chron. is simply due to dittography from the following word d.tok ( = their brethren) ; if this be so, it may have been facilitated by association with the Anakites (see No. 1), the preceding name in Chron. — Talmon — closely resembling in sound the Anakite TalmaL But tne genuineness of the name is defended by Bertheau ; cf. the four names in v." and the four divisions suggested by w.**-". G. B. Gkay.
AHIMELECH (^i^p-TO'brotherof Melek (Molech)'). — 1. The son of Ahitub, and grandson of Phinehas. He either succeeded his brother Ahiiah in the priesthood, or was the same person under another name ( 1 S 14^ "). On the supposition that they are identical, the main facts regarding him ( 1 S 21'"" 22^") are given under AllIJAH ; see also DoEO. In 2 S 8" and 1 Ch 24' it is generally supposed that the names of Abiathar and Ahimelech have been transposed by a copyist, so that we need not reckon another Ahimelech, grandson of the first. 2. A Hittite, who joined David when a fugitive, and became one of his captains (1 S 26°).
R. M. Boyd.
AHIMOTH (n^D'^(5, apparently ' brother is death '). — Mentioned only in the genealogy of 1 Ch 6'-" (Heb. v'"), where lie appears as son of Elkanah and brother of Ama.sai. For a discussion of the text and i)urpose of the genealogy, see Bertheau ; cf. also Maiiath (v.*"). G. B. Gray.
AHINADAB (37J'nf< 'brother is generous').— Son of Iddo, one of the 12 officers appointed by Solomon for the victualling of the royal liouseuold. Ue was stationed at Afahanaim (1 K 4").
G. B. Gray.
AHINOAM (oyl'nN 'brother is pleasantness'). — 1. Daughter of Ahimaaz and the ^vile of Saul (1 S H**). 2. Ahinoam the Jezreelitess was one of the two women — Abigail being the other — whom David marrie<l after Miclial ha<l been taken from him. A. and Abigail were both with David while he Bojoumcd with Achish at Gath, and were sub- sequently at Ziklag ; from the latter city they were carried oir by the Amalekites, but rescued by David and his men (1 S 30"). After Saul's death A. and Abigail went up to Hebron with David, and there A. gave birth to David's firstborn, Amnon ( 1 S 25" 27» 30», 2 S 2« 3', 1 Ch 3'). G. B. Gray.
AHIO (VriK) — 1. Appears to be the name of a son of Abina<iab (No. 1), and brother of Uzzali who drove the cart on which the ark was placed when removed from Abinodab's house (2 S 6'-*, \ Ch 13'). In all three cases the LXX renders tha woni ol
d5f\(/)oi avToiJ, which merely involves a different pronunciation of the same consonants — vijji ; this may be right, but on the whole a proper name seems more probable in the context. 2. (LXX dSfX^ds (A 6.Se\<poi) aCrroO, 1 Ch 8^' ; iSf\<p6s (A dJe\0o(, 1 Ch 9*') ) A son of Jeiel, and brother of Kish, the father of Saul. 3. Another Ahio is mentioned in the genealogy of Benjamin (1 Ch 8"). Here also the LXX has d5eXi/>is (A dieX^ol) airrou, and in this case is probably right. Cf. Bertheau, in loco.
G. B. Gray. AHIRA (ITHN). — Son of Enan, one of the 12 tribal princes wlio represented Naphtali at the census and on certain other occasions (Nu 1" 2"° 7"8-8» 10" (P) ).
AHIRAM, AHIRAMITES (ornK, 'PThkC 'brother is exalted').— The eponym of a Benj. family — the Ahiramites, Nu 26^ (P). The name A. occurs in the corrupt forms 'hk (see Ehi) in Gn 46*' (P), and n-!qx (see Aharah) in 1 Ch 8' ; in defence of the originality of the form Ahiram, see Gray, Stud, in Heb. Proper Names, p. 35.
AHISAUACH (^'"P'nn 'brother has supported').— A Danite, father of Oholiab (AV Aholiab), Ex 31« 35" SS*' (P). G. B. Gray.
AHISHAHAR ("in?''nK (panaal form) 'brother is dawn ') is described in the Benjamite genealogies as one of the ' sons of BUban,' 1 Ch 7'". See under Bilhan.
AHISHAR (•Hf'Tii 'my brother has snngi'). — Super- intendent of Solomon's household (1 K 4').
AHITHOPHEL (^h-rw 'my brother is folly'— Oxf. Heb. Lex.), was a native of Giloh, a town in the south-western part of the highlands of Juda;a, identified uncertainly with a village three miles north-west of Halhul. He was a very inlluential counsellor of David, his reputation tor political sagacity being unrivalled ; but he was destitute of prmciple, a man of craft rather than of character (2 S 15"-17^, 1 Ch 27'^). He joined the rebellion of Absalom, possibly through ambition, possibly out of sympathy with the resentment of his tribe of Judah at the decline of its tribal pre-eminence. It is supposed by some that he was al.so the grandfather of Bathsheba (cf. 2 S 23** with 1I») ; out the identification of her father with the son of A. is open to question, though certainly possible. The policy he advised was that Absalom should take possession of his father's harem, thus showini; that no pardon could bo expected from David, and that he should proceed at once in pursuit of his father. When Hushai's counsel of delay prevailed, A. recognised the necessary failure of the enter- prise, withdrew to Giloh, and hanged himself (2 S 17"*). There is no other case of deliberate suicide, except in war, mentioned in the OT, and the parallel in the NT is the case of Judas. Allusions to A. have been found in Ps 41' 55'^'" 59" and elsewhere ; but these must not be treated as designed, and no inference can be drawn from them OS to the authorship of the psalms. The Talnmd and Midrashim occasionally refer to him. In the latter he is classed with Hal.aam as an instance of the ruin which overtakes wisdom that is not the gift of Heaven ; and in the former (Baba bnthra 1. 7) the great les-son of his life is said to be, ' Be not in strife with the house of David, and break off from none of its rule.' K. W. .Moss.