On the other hand, this explanation is forbidden by the total absence in the O. Test, of any reference to
AZAZIAH
576
AZIEL
evil genii ; and it would be especially abhorrent to the spirit of the Mosaic economy to suppose a solemn offer- ing of this kind to have been made out of deference to any of those daemons the propitiation of which the law so explicitly condemns (Lev. xvii, 7; Dent, xxii, 17; comp. 2 Chron. xi, 15; Psa. cvi, 37). The obvious ob- jection to Spencer's view is that the goat formed part of a sin-offering to the Lord. Few, perhaps, will be satisfied with Hengstenberg's mode of meeting this difficulty.
4. A better explanation of the word renders the de- signation of the lot PTKtSa, "for complete sending away" — solitude, desert, by reduplication from ?T3> (the root adopted by Gesenius), being the Pealpal form, which indicates intensity (see Ewald, Kr. Gr. p. 242; comp. Lehrgeb. p. 869), so as to signify total sep iration (Tholuck, J/ebr. p. 80: Bahr, Symbolik d. Mos. Cullvs, ii, 668), i. e. from sin, q. d. a bearer away of guilt; a sense agreeable to the rendering of the Sept. (0x0- 7TO|U7r«(or, as explained by Suidas, and as used b)r .Pol- lux, v. 26), the solution of Josephus (Ant. iii, 10, 3), and the explanation of other ancient writers (Cyrill, contra Julian, ix ; comp. Suicer. Thesaur. Eccles. i, 468). The only objection that has been offered to this interpreta- tion is that it destroys the exact antithesis between Jehovah and Azazel, by making the latter a thing and not a person, like the former. But this assumes that it was the design of Moses, in expressing himself thus, to preserve an exact antithesis, which is by no means evident. If we render "the one for Jehovah and the other for an utter removal," a meaning sufficiently clear and good is obtained. See Atonement, Day of.
For a farther discussion of the import and applica- tion of this word, see Prof. Bush, Azazel. or the Levit- ical Scape-goat, in the Am. Bib. Bepos. July. 1842, p. 116-136; Hermansen, Obs. de nomine Azazel (Havn. 1833; comp. Tkeobg. Literafarbl.1835)', Gesenius. Thes. lleb. p. 1012 sq. ; Schaffshausen, De kirco emissario ejusque ritibus (Lips. 173G); Shroder, De Azazelis hirco ejusque n't. (Marb. 1725) , Von Slooten, De hirco qui ex- piationis die cessit. Azazeli (Franec. 1726) ; Frischmuth, De hirco emissario (Jen. 1664-1668); Zeitmann, Dejdrci emissarii ductore (Jen. 1701). See Scape-goat.
Azazi'ah (Heb. in the prolonged form Azazya'hu, *ll"Pn", strengthened by Jehovah ; Sept. 'O'^tac, but v. r. in 2 Chron. rO£«£dc), the name of three men.
1. One of the Levitical harpers in the Temple un- der David (1 Chron. xv, 21). B.C. cir. 1043.
2. The father of Hoshea, which latter was the vice- roy over the Ephraimites under David and Solomon (1 Chron. xxvii, 20). B.C. ante 1014.
3. < hie of the inferior overseers of the Temple offer- ings under Hezekiah (2 Chron. xxxi, 13). B.C. 726.
Azbaz'areth('Ao-/3o<7rtpt3v.r. 'Aff/3n/ca(/)«c,Vulg. AsbazaretK), given (1 Esdr. v, 69) as the name of the Assyrian king who planted the Samaritan colonies in Palestine; evidently a corruption for Esarhaddon (q. v.) in the true text (Ezra iv, 2).
Az'buk (lleb. Azbuk', p12T3>, strong devastation; Sept. A£/3ow> v. r. 'A^a/SovK), the father of Nehe- miali. which latter was ruler of the half of Beth-zur, and repaired part of the walls of Jerusalem after the return fr Babylon (Neh. iii, 16). B.C. ante 446.
Aze'kah (Heb. Azekah', M^.fr, dug over; Sept. in Josh xv, 85, laZnicd; Jer. xxxiv, 7, *A£?jica; else- where Afrficd), a town in the plain of Judah (Josh, xv, 35; 1 Sam. xvii, 1). It had suburban villages (Neh. i. 30), and was a place of considerable strength (Jer. \wiv. 7 1. The confederated Amoritish kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, were here defeated and slain by Joshua, and their army totally destroyed by an extraordinary shower of hailstones from heaven (Josh, x, 10, 11). It is named with Adullam, Shaaraim, and other places known to
have been in that locality (Josh, xv, 35; 2 Chron. xi, 9 ; Neh. xi, 30), but is most clearly defined as being near Shochoh (that is, the northern one) [see Shochoh] (1 Sam. xvii, 1). Joshua's pursuit of the Canaanites after the battle of Beth-boron extended to Azekah (Josh, x, 10, 11). Between Azekah and Shochoh, an easy step out of their own territory, the Philistines en- camped before the battle in which Goliath was killed (1 Sam. xvii, 1). It was among the cities fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chron. xi, 9), was still standing at the time of the invasion of the kings of Babylon (Jer. xxxiv, 7), and is mentioned as one of the places re- occupied by the Jews after their return from captivity (Neh. xi, 30). Eusebius and Jerome state (Onomast. s. v.) that there was in their time a town in this quar- ter called Ezeca, situated between Jerusalem and Eleu- theropolis, which was probably the same as that men- tioned by Joshua (see Reland, Pakest. p. 603). Ac- cording to Schwarz (Palest, p. 102), it is represented by the modern village Tell Ezakaria, three miles east of Saphia or Alba Specula ; but this appears rather to be from the name Zechariah (Tell Zachariyn, Robin- son's Researches, ii, 343). The notices would corre- spond better to the present Zaokuka, marked on Zim- mermann's Map a little to the north-cast of Beit-Jibrin (Eleutheropolis) ; but that is in the hill country, be- yond the Jerusalem road, which was the boundary of the group in Josh, xv, 35. See Tribe. Van de Yelde (Memoir, p. 291) seems to have fixed its site as that of a village on a high hill-top called Ahbek, about H miles N. of Daman, and between 4 and 5 miles E.N.E. of Shuweikeh (Robinson, Researches, ii, 342 note).