Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
way of Aphek, on the east of Jordan; yet Ahab’s victory was so complete that Ben-hadad himself
fell into his hands, but was released contrary to God’s will, (1 Kings 20:22-34) on condition of
restoring the cities of Israel, and admitting Hebrew commissioners into Damascus. After this great
success Ahab enjoyed peace for three years, when he attacked Ramoth in Gilead, on the east of
Jordan, in conjunction with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, which town he claimed as belonging to
Israel. Being told by the prophet Micaiah that he would fall, he disguised himself, but was slain
by “a certain man who drew a bow at a venture.” When buried in Samaria, the dogs licked up his
blood as a servant was washing his chariot; a partial fulfillment of Elijah’s prediction, (1 Kings
21:19) which was more literally accomplished in the case of his son. (2 Kings 9:26)
•A lying prophet, who deceived the captive Israelites in Babylon, and was burnt to death by
Nebuchadnezzar. (Jeremiah 29:21)
Aharah
(after the brother), third son of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:1) [Aher; Ahiram]
Aharhel
(behind the breastwork), a name occurring in an obscure fragment of the genealogies of Judah.
(1 Chronicles 4:8)
Ahasai
(whom Jehovah holds), a priest, ancestor of Maasiai, (Nehemiah 11:13) called Jahzerah in (1
Chronicles 9:12)
Ahasbai
(blooming), father of Eli-phelet, one of David’s thirty-seven captains. (2 Samuel 23:34) In the
corrupt list in (1 Chronicles 11:35) Eliphelet appears as “Eliphal the son of Ur.” (B.C. about 1050.)
Ahashverosh
Another (the Hebrew) form of AHASUERIUS. (Ezra 4:6) in margin.
Ahasuerus
(lion-king), the name of one Median and two Persian kings mentioned in the Old Testament.
•In (Daniel 9:1) Ahasuerus is said to be the father of Darius the Mede. [Darius] This first Ahasuerus
is Cyaxares, the conqueror of Nineveh. (Began to reign B.C. 634.)
•The Ahasuerus king of Persia, referred to in (Ezra 4:6) must be Cambyses, thought to be Cyrus’
successor, and perhaps his son. (B.C. 529.)
•The third is the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. This Ahasuerus is probably Xerxes of history,
(Esther 1:1) (B.C. 485), and this conclusion is fortified by the resemblance of character and by
certain chronological indications, the account of his life and character agreeing with the book of
Esther In the third year of Ahaseuerus was held a great feast and assembly in Shushan the palace,
(Esther 1:3) following a council held to consider the invasion of Greece. He divorced his queen
Vashti for refusing to appear in public at this banquet, and married, four years afterwards, the
Jewess Esther, cousin and ward of Mordecai. Five years after this, Haman, one of his counsellors,
having been slighted by Mordecai, prevailed upon the king to order the destruction of all the Jews
in the empire. But before the day appointed for the massacre, Esther and Mordecai influenced the
king to put Haman to death and to give the Jews the right of self-Defence.
Ahava
(water), a place, (Ezra 8:15) or a river, Ezra 8:21 On the banks of which Ezra collected the
second expedition which returned with him from Babylon to Jerusalem. Perhaps it is the modern
Hit, on the Euphrates due east of Damascus.
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William Smith