Ahitub, Zadok' occurs twice; only three high priests are given between Amariah under Jeho^-ha- phat, and Hilkiah under Josiah. 4. A priest clan, lourth in the list of 22 in Neh 12 (v.^), who ' went up with Zerabbabel' 'in the days of Je.sluia,' and in the list of 21 (v."), 'in the days of Joiakim,' and tifth in the list of those who sealed to the covenant under Ncheniiah (Neh 10'). This clan is probably identical with that of ' Immer,' the sLxteenth course in David's time (1 Ch 24"), and one of the four families of priests mentioned in ' the book of the genealogy of them which came up at the first' (Ezr 2" Neh 7*', Meruth 1 Es 5^, A 'Emm'?P<»'*). ""J in the time of Ezra (Ezr 10^"); see Abijaii, No. 4. 9. 1 Ch 23" 24=", a Kuhalhite Levite in David's time. 6. 2 Ch 31", a Levite in Hezekiah's time, one of the six assistants to Kore, ' the porter at the east gate, who was over the freewill otlerings of God. 7. Ezr 10*'-, a man ol Judah of the sons of Bani (1 Ch 9'), one of tliosr who ' had taken strange wives.' 8. Neh 11^, a man of Judah, ancestor to Athaiah, who was one of those ' that willingly otTered themselves to dwell in Jerus.' 9. Zejih 1', great-grandfather of the pro- phet, son to Hezekiah, perhaps the king.
N. J. D. White.
AMARIAS (A •A;uap(o!, B 'A/jkapOeias), 1 Es 8".— An ancestor of Ezra in the line of high priests, father of Ahitub. Called Amariah, Ezr 7'.
AMASA {xpDX, 'burden' or 'burden bearer'). — 1. The son of Itlira an Ishmaelite, and of Abigail the sister of king David. The first mention of him is in connexion with the rebellion of Ab.saloni (2 S 17™), who made him leader of his army. Joab, at the head of the king's troops, completely routed him in the forest of Epiyaim (2 S 18°*). David not only pardoned him, but gave him the command of the army in place of Joab (2 S 19"). When he came to lead tne royal forces against Sheba and his rebel host, he was treacherously slain by Joab at ' the great stone of (iibeon ' (2 S 20''-'»). 2. An Ejihraimite who opposed the bringing into Samaria of the Jewish prisoners, whom I'ekali, king of Israel, had taken in his campaign against Ahaz (2Ch28'2). R. M. Boyd.
AMASAI CtjTjy,).— 1. A Koliathite, 1 Ch G^" the ep<mym of a family, 2 Ch 2y''''. 2. One of the priests who blew trumpets on the occasion of David's bringing the ark to Jerus., 1 Ch l.'>^. 3. One of David's officers at Ziklag, 1 Ch 12'", pos- sibly to be identified with Amasa, No. 1.
J. A. Seldie.
AMASHSAI ("P'y'M. perhaps a combination of the reading tcv, dkO.^AV Amashai, Neh 11". A priest of the family of Immer.
AMASIAH (■■':c':y^). — One of Jehoshaphat's com- manders, 2 Ch 17".^
AMAZED. — Amaze has a much wider range of meaning in old Eng. tlian in modern. In conformity with its derivation {a-maze) it expresses confusion or perplexity, the result of the unexpected j but this may give rise to a variety of emotions, i, EeaR: Jg '20" 'When the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were a.' 2. AWK : Mk lO*- 'And they were in the way going up to Jerus. ; and Jesus went before them, and they were a. ; and as they followed they were afraid." 3. EXCITED WoN'UKIt: Lk i)™ 'they were all a.' ((ir. fK<rr(iait IXaBty fiTrairas ; RV ' amazement took hold on all ). 4. Dki'KICS.sion : Mk 14^ ' (Jesus) began to be sore a., and to be very heavy.' Amazement occurs twice in AV, the expression in Ac 3'" ol great joy ; in 1 1' 3' of great tear.
J. Hastinqs.
80
AMAZIAH
AMFX
AMAZIAH (.T^K, 'n-vcN). — 1. The name of a king of Judah who succeeded his father Jehoash uiion the assassination of the latter (c. 800. B.C.). The cliief interest of his reign centres in liis wars with Edom and ^vith Israel (2 K 14, 2 Ch 25). In the first of these campaigns, Edom, which had revolted from Judah during the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, suffered a severe defeat in the Valley of Salt, and the capital Sela or Petra fell into the hands of the enemy (2 K 14'). Elated by this success, Amaziah challenged to a conflict his neighbour Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu. This powerful monarch showed no anxiety to try con- clusions with his presumptuous rival, to whom he addressed the well-known parable of the thistle and the cedar (w '■'"). Amaziah, however, stung by the moral of this parable, refused to listen to the well- meant adWce, and rushed blindly upon his fate. At the battle of Beth-shemesh the forces of Judah were utterly routed, and the king himself taken prisoner. Jehoash followed up his victory by capturing Jerusalem, partially destroying its walls,
Eillaging the temple and the palace, and carrying ack hostages to Samaria (w."'"). How long Amaziah survived this humiliating defeat, it is not easy to decide. The statement (2 K 14") that he outlived Jehoash fifteen years can hardly be correct, and there seem to be sufficient reasons for considerably reducing the number of years (twenty- nine) assigned to bis reign by the chronological system adopted in the Books of Kings. His reign appears to uave synchronised almost exactly with that of Jehoash, as that of his successor did with the reign of Jeroboam II. There is not a little plausibility in the conjecture of Wellhausen, that the conspiracy which issued in the murder of Amaziah at Lachish had its origin in the popular dissatisfaction with his wanton attack upon Israel which cost Judah so dear. The death of Amaziah should probably be dated c. 780 B.C., the year when there is reason to believe his son Azariah or Uzziah ascended the throne.