Ahiman (Hastings' Dictionary)

1. The sons of Anak or Anakites (see Anak) are frequently mentioned, chiefly in D ; but the special names Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai occur only in JE (Nu H", Jos 15') and Jg 1'", cf. v.'. According to these passages, Ahiman, AHIMELECH AHITOB 57 Sheshai, and Talmai were ' sons ' or ' children of Anak ' (piyi 'J3 or 'l'"' t'?" : for the latter, cf. tV nsiT 2 S 21"- ), whose father was Arba (Jos 15", perhaps P). But, as a matter of fact, neither Anak ( = long-necked) nor Arba { = four: with Kiriath-aria cf. Beei-shebii) are personal names (see Moore, Judges 1). There is therefore no reason to doubt what the context of the above- cited passages suggests, viz. that Ahiinan, Sheshai, and Talmai are the names, not of individuals, but of clans. A, then, was a clan resident in Hebron (the more familiar name of Kiriath-arba) at the time of the Heb. conquest, and driven thence by Caleb. The clan may have been of Aramaic origin, since the names of Sheshai and Talmai are of an Aram, type, and the name Ahiman has analogy in Aram, as well as Heb. See further, Driver, Deut. p. 23 f.; Moore, Judges, p. 24 f. 2. The name of a family or division of door- keepers, 1 Ch 9". This name is absent, not only from the briefer list in Neb 11", but also from the longer list in Ezr 10" ( = 1 Es 5^). It is possible, therefore, that the name (iD-nn) in Chron. is simply due to dittography from the following word d.tok ( = their brethren) ; if this be so, it may have been facilitated by association with the Anakites (see No. 1), the preceding name in Chron. — Talmon — closely resembling in sound the Anakite TalmaL But tne genuineness of the name is defended by Bertheau ; cf. the four names in v." and the four divisions suggested by w.*-". G. B. Gkay. AHIMELECH (^i^p-TO'brotherof Melek (Molech)'). — 1. The son of Ahitub, and grandson of Phinehas. He either succeeded his brother Ahiiah in the priesthood, or was the same person under another name ( 1 S 14^ "). On the supposition that they are identical, the main facts regarding him ( 1 S 21'"" 22^") are given under AllIJAH ; see also DoEO. In 2 S 8" and 1 Ch 24' it is generally supposed that the names of Abiathar and Ahimelech have been transposed by a copyist, so that we need not reckon another Ahimelech, grandson of the first. 2. A Hittite, who joined David when a fugitive, and became one of his captains (1 S 26°). R. M. Boyd. AHIMOTH (n^D'^(5, apparently ' brother is death '). — Mentioned only in the genealogy of 1 Ch 6'-" (Heb. v'"), where lie appears as son of Elkanah and brother of Ama.sai. For a discussion of the text and i)urpose of the genealogy, see Bertheau ; cf. also Maiiath (v."). G. B. Gray.