Who was Ahuzzam in the Bible?

Ahuzzam was a man from the tribe of Judah, recorded as the son of Ashhur and his wife Naarah. His brief mention is part of the genealogical records found in 1 Chronicles 4:6, establishing his lineage within the tribe of Judah.

Why is Ahuzzam mentioned in the Bible?

Ahuzzam is mentioned to preserve the genealogical record of the tribe of Judah, which was crucial for establishing lineage, inheritance rights, and the royal line leading to King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ. His inclusion shows the Bible's meticulous attention to family history (1 Chronicles 4:6).

What is known about Ahuzzam's life and family?

The Bible only records Ahuzzam's immediate family: his father was Ashhur and his mother was Naarah. No key events, actions, or further details about his life are provided beyond this genealogical note in 1 Chronicles 4:6.

Ahuzzam

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Ahuzzam was the son of Ashhur and his wife Naarah, from the tribe of Judah. (1Ch.4.6)

Ahuzzam

Biography

Ahuzzam was a son of Ashhur and his wife Naarah, recorded in the Judahite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 4:6. Ashhur is identified in 1 Chronicles 4:5 as the "father of Tekoa," meaning he was the founding patriarch or chief settler of the town of Tekoa in Judah, a place that would later gain biblical prominence as the hometown of the prophet Amos and as the source of the wise woman whom Joab employed to counsel David (2 Sam. 14:2). Naarah bore Ashhur four sons: Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari, each presumably founding branches of families in and around Tekoa. The name Ahuzzam may carry the meaning "their possession" or "possessor," a fitting name for a son of the man who claimed Tekoa as his inheritance.

Significance

Ahuzzam's genealogical significance lies in his connection to the settlement of Tekoa, a town that figures meaningfully in the biblical narrative of Judah. As a son of Ashhur, Ahuzzam belongs to the generation that translated patriarchal inheritance into living communities in the land, the practical outworking of God's promise to give the land to Abraham's descendants. Tekoa's later associations with wisdom (the wise woman of 2 Sam. 14) and prophecy (Amos of Tekoa) suggest that the town's founding families cultivated a heritage that fed into Israel's spiritual life for centuries. Ahuzzam, though silent in the narrative, stands at the beginning of a community whose soil would eventually nourish both political wisdom and prophetic courage.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 4:6

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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