Ἄχαζ
Ahaz
Definition
Ἄχαζ (Ahaz) is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name אָחָז (ʼĀḥāz), referring to Ahaz, the twelfth king of Judah. He was the son of King Jotham and the father of King Hezekiah, as recorded in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:9. In the Old Testament (e.g., 2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28), Ahaz is depicted as a wicked king who promoted idolatry and refused to trust in God during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis, even seeking help from Assyria. His reign is a pivotal example of covenant unfaithfulness in Judah's history.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 1:9, within the genealogy of Jesus Christ. It serves to historically anchor Jesus within the Davidic royal line, specifically listing Ahaz as one of the ancestors. The usage is purely referential, identifying the individual without additional commentary, fitting the pattern of the Matthean genealogy which includes both righteous and unrighteous kings to trace Messiah's lineage.
Etymology
The name Ἄχαζ is a direct Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name אָחָז (ʼĀḥāz). In Hebrew, the name likely means 'he has grasped' or 'he holds,' possibly derived from the verb אָחַז (ʼāḥaz, 'to seize, take hold'). The provided etymology in the existing data (from ἀ- + 'chaz') is incorrect; it is not a Greek compound but a borrowed name. Its meaning is tied to the Hebrew root, not Greek components.
Semantic Range
Ahaz's inclusion in Jesus' genealogy (Matthew 1:9) is theologically significant. It demonstrates God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7) despite the failures of individual kings. Ahaz represents a period of profound national apostasy (Isaiah 7), yet God's redemptive plan continued through his lineage, culminating in Christ. Understanding this highlights the grace and sovereignty of God in using flawed human history to accomplish salvation.
In the original cultural setting, the name Ahaz would have immediately evoked the historical king of Judah, known from the biblical narratives and possibly other records. For first-century Jewish readers of Matthew's Gospel, this reference connected Jesus to a well-known, though infamous, figure from Judah's monarchy, reinforcing Jesus' legitimate claim to the Davidic throne despite the checkered history of his ancestors.
No direct synonyms. As a proper name, it uniquely identifies the specific king.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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