Ahijah (Hastings' Dictionary)

1. High priest in the reign of Saul, and usually identified \vith Ahimelech ( Josephus ' Abime- lech') of 1 S 21. 22 (so Ewald Hist, of 1st. ii. p. 415, n. 3, 'since Melech, King, may be applied also to God'). He accompanied Saul's army as possessor of the ephod oracle (1 S 14^); but when an occjision arose tor its use, Saul, with his usual precipitate self-reliance, interrupted the priest while in the very act of consultation (vv.'"- "). This temerity seems to be afterwards tacitly reproved by Ahiiah (v.*) : ' Let us draw near hither unto God.' The LXX reading in t.'" ' Bring hither the ephod,' etc., is followed by Jo.s. (Ant. VI. vi. 3 : ' He bade the high priest Xa/Sin-a -r^v dpxitpaTiidiP <rroXiii> TTpoipriTfiav '), and accepted by most moderns. The phrase, ' brin<' hither,' seems appropriated to the ephod (1 S 23 30') ; and when the oracle is again consulted (H'"), the LXX Sot S-qXovt . . . Sos I<ti6- TTp-a,' Vulg. ' da ostensionem . . . da sanctitat«m,' appears to point to the Urim and Thummim which were attached to the ephod. On the other hand, the ark seems to be used as an oracle in Jg 20", I Ch 13', and it often accompanied the host to battle. Aq., Sym., and Vulg. follow the Received text. We next read of this high priest, when David, fleeing from Saul, comes to inijuire of the Lord by his means (1 S 22'"), as he had often done before (22"). The tabernacle appears to have been transferred to Nob from Sliiloh when the latter was desolated (Ps 78«<', Jer 7''-" 2G'-''), probably just after the death of Eli (to whom ' the priestr— Shiloli,' 1 S 14', refers). Ahimelech's alarm at the appearance of so great a man (22') unattended, was allayed by David's plausible explanation ; and ho actua'lly gave the fugitive the ^bewbread of the priests, and the sword of Goliath, A'hicli had been suspended as a votive oiroring. Unfortunately, there was a witness of the priest's well-meant zeal. 56 AHIJAH AHIMAN Doeg the Edomite, who was performing some vow. Not long after, David's worst anticipations (22") were realised. Ahimelech, with the eighty-five (LXX, 305 ; Josephus, 385) priests of ' his father's house,' was charged with conspiracy by Saul, and, notwithstanding his amazed protestations of innocence, condemned to instant death. Doeg, who did not share the traditional reverence felt by the king's guard for the priests of J", carried out the bloody order mth the unnatural cruelty of his race. Abiathar alone escaped. The judgment on Eli's house was being con- summated. 2. The Shilonite, of Shiloh (1 K 14'), is the pro- phet of the rise and fall of Jeroboam I. In 1 K ll we find the young ruler thinking out his plans of rebellion in a lonely walk, when he is met by Ahijah, who comes to consecrate and control his ambitious designs. The prophet (LXX, RV) had, doubtless by divine command (cf. Is 20''', Jer 13'), clad himself with a new garment. This he rends in twelve pieces, and giving ten of them to Jeroboam promises him the reversion, on Solomon's death, of the kingdom over ten tribes, and, con- ditionally, • a sure house ' like that of David, repeating at the same time the divine judgment which had been already (vr.'"" D') revealed to Solomon, probably through Ahijah himself. Years pass by ; Jeroboam '"as realised his ambition, but not the ideal set beiore him by the prophet. His eldest son falls sick. The kin" bethinks him of the true seer now [60 years] old and blind ; but, fearing lest his defection might elicit an adverse answer, he sends his wife [Ano] disguised as a poor woman, with a poor woman's offering [' loaves, two cakes for his children, grapes, and a jar of honey ']. A divine revelation, however, has already un- masked the deception. Ahijah [sends his lad to meet her and bring her in, treats her gifts with scorn] anticipates her with the ' heavy tidings ' of the extirpation of Jeroboam's house, tlie dispersion of Israel, and, bitterest of all, the death of her child [' Thy maidens will come forth to meet thee, and will say to thee, The child is dead . . . and they will lament for the child, saying, "Ah Lord ! " . . . and the wailing came to meet her ']. The second Greek account, from which the details in brackets are derived, is found in B after 12'^, and places this event before Jeroboam's accession — an impossible place, — introduces Ahijah as a new character (2 K 14^), and also aiscribes to Shemaiah a symbolical prophecy similar to that of Ahijah, but spoken at Shechem before the rejection of Rehoboam. 14''' is omitted in 15, but found in A, etc., supplied, according to Field, from Aquila. These facts and the want of connexion in ll'-" lead W. R. Smith to conclude that ' both [larts of the story of Ahijah t;e a fluctuating uncertain element in the text' (OTJC^ 119). Ewakl also says that 14'- "• " are later additions (Hist, of Isr. iv. p. 29, n3). Jos. {Ant. VIII. xi. 1) gives the verses in a difl'erent order. Ahijah was one of the historians of Solomon's reign according to 2 Ch 9^. 3. 1 K 4', one of two brothers, Solomon's scribes or secretaries. Their father Sliisha (Seraiah, 2 S 8" ; Sheva, 2 S 2(r-» ; Shavsha, 1 Ch 18'") held the same post under David. 4. Father of king Baasha, 1 K 15^-» 21», 2 K 9». 5. 1 Ch 2» (LXX iSe\(p6s auToD), youngest son of Jerahmeel, or his first wife, if we read with Rertheau, ' of or from Ahijah,' D having dropped out. See next verse. 6. 1 Ch 8', one of the 'heads of fathers' housses' of Geba, a son of Ehud, for which read ' Abihud,' V.' (Pesh., Gratz), or ' Ahoah' (v.«). In the begin- ning of the verse read 'namely' for 'and.' The text is very obscure. See Q.P.B. 7. I Ch II", the Pelonite, one of David's mighty men ; but Kennicott, etc., read instead ' Eliam — Gilonit«,' from 2 S 23". 8. 1 Ch 26a'. (!„ David's time) 'of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries.' LXX, followed by Bertheau, etc., reads, 'the Levites, their brethren (i.e. the sons of Ladan, v."!), were over,' etc. 9. Neh 10^ (RV Ahiah), one of ' the chiefs of the people ' who sealed to the covenant under Nehemiah. N. J. D. White.