inhabitants came to be known as Samaritans.

The Avvites, though learning the fear of Jehovah to some degree, nevertheless, made and worshiped the gods Nibhaz and Tartak.—2 Ki. 17:29-33.

AXIS LORDS

The Hebrew word s^era·nimʹ (singular, seʹren), apparently a Philistine loan word, variously rendered “lords” (AV), “tyrants” (AT); “axis lords” (NW); “princes” (Dy); and “chiefs” (LXX), has the same spelling as the Hebrew word for “axles” at 1 Kings 7:30. It is a title that is applied to the five lords ruling the Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, apparently because of their being in a coalition or alliance. The Philistines, according to Amos 9:7, came to the coast of Canaan from Crete, near the Aegean Sea, so it is thought by some that seʹren is an Aegean word.

The axis lords dominated Philistia as rulers of individual city-states and as a council of coequals with regard to matters of mutual interest. Achish is called king of Gath. (1 Sam. 21:10; 27:2) Apparently he was not a king in the usual sense but, rather, was a prince. Consequently the title of “prince” (Heb., sar) is occasionally applied to these rulers.—1 Sam. 18:30; 29:2-4.

These officials are frequently found cooperating in some cause. They were called together, and, in turn, consulted their priests and diviners as to what to do with the captured ark of the covenant after its presence had brought a severe plague of piles, the axis lords themselves being affected. (1 Sam. 5:9–6:4) They collaborated when their armies would go up against Israel. (1 Sam. 7:7) In the case of Samson we see them working together to overcome him. (Judg. 16:5) They all gathered at the house of the god Dagon at Gaza to celebrate their capture of Samson, at which time the five axis lords then in power were killed.—Judg. 16:21-30.

However, the independent city-states under them never united to form one kingdom subject to one ruler. Instead, the five chief cities with their dependent towns functioned somewhat like a confederacy, an axis. When making decisions that affected them all, the axis lords did what was agreed upon by the majority. This is seen in the decision to reject David and his men from the Philistine army, although Achish, the axis lord of Gath, with whom David had dwelt as a refugee from King Saul, was in favor of David’s force being accepted to fight with them against Saul.—1 Sam. 29:2, 6, 7, 9.

Throughout Israel’s history, especially until they were subdued by David, they were the determined enemies of Jehovah’s people, entering many times into alliance with other nations against Israel, often having Israel under oppressive domination. David reduced their power so that they were no longer a major threat. After David’s time, the term “axis lords” is no longer found, but the term “king” is applied to their rulers.—Jer. 25:20; Zech. 9:5; see PHILISTIA, PHILISTINES.

ʽAʹYIN

ʽAʹyin or, as commonly anglicized, ayin [ע]. The sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, later used also outside the Hebrew Scriptures as a number to denote seventy.

The Greek vowel oʹmi·kron (from which we get our English “o”) is derived from ʽaʹyin; however, the Hebrew letter is not a vowel but a consonant. It represents a peculiar guttural sound pronounced at the back of the throat and has no equivalent in English. It is transliterated in writing by a raised, reversed comma (ʽ). It appears as the initial letter in each of the verses of Psalm 119:121-128, Hebrew text.

AZALIAH

(Az·a·liʹah) [helped by Jah].

Son of Meshullam and father of Shaphan the secretary of the house of Jehovah.—2 Ki. 22:3; 2 Chron. 34:8.

AZANIAH

(Az·a·niʹah) [heard by Jah].

Father of the Levite Jeshua whose descendant, if not himself, lived in Nehemiah’s time.—Neh. 10:9.

AZAREL

(Azʹar·el) [God has helped].

1. One of the mighty men who joined David at Ziklag.—1 Chron. 12:1, 6.

2. Head of the eleventh of the twenty-four divisions of temple singers in David’s time; also called Uzziel. (1 Chron. 25:1, 4, 18) Similarly, King Azariah was also known as Uzziah.

3. Son of Jeroham and prince of the tribe of Dan under David’s rule.—1 Chron. 27:22; 28:1.

4. One of the descendants of Binnui who, at Ezra’s urging, sent away their foreign wives and sons.—Ezra 10:19, 38-41, 44.

5. Father or ancestor of the Amashsai who dwelt in Jerusalem under Governor Nehemiah. He was of the priestly house of Immer.—Neh. 11:1, 13.

6. A musician in the procession headed by Ezra as they walked atop Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall at its inauguration. Perhaps the same as No. 5 above.—Neh. 12:31, 36.

AZARIAH

(Az·a·riʹah) [Yah(u) has helped].

1. A descendant of Judah by Tamar; of the house of Ethan.—1 Chron. 2:4, 6, 8.

2. A Levite through Kohath; son of Zephaniah and forefather of the prophet Samuel.—1 Chron. 6:33, 36.

3. A descendant of Aaron in the line of Eleazar; son of Ahimaaz.—1 Chron. 6:9.

4. One of Solomon’s princes. (1 Ki. 4:2) He is referred to as the son of priest Zadok; he may be the brother of Ahimaaz.—1 Chron. 6:8.

5. Son of Nathan and the prince that Solomon appointed head over the twelve food-supply deputies of the king’s household.—1 Ki. 4:5, 7, 19.

6. A prophet, son of Oded, who helped arouse Asa in 963 B.C.E. to “search for Jehovah.” As a result, the king removed the “disgusting things” from all the land and brought the people into an oath-bound covenant, so that “anyone that would not search for Jehovah the God of Israel should be put to death.”—2 Chron. 15:1-15.

7, 8. Two of Jehoshaphat’s seven sons, listed second and fifth. They were given many gifts and fortified cities by their father, but when their elder brother, Jehoram, became king, these sons were killed. (2 Chron. 21:1-4) “It seems far-fetched to suppose [as some have] that the name was used twice because the boys were only half brothers or because one had already died in infancy.” (The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, p. 325) It is unusual for two brothers to have apparently the same name, but in Hebrew there is a slight difference between the two in spelling and pronunciation, ʽAzar·yahʹ and ʽAzar·yaʹhu.

9. Son of a certain Jehu and father of Helez; of the tribe of Judah, seven generations removed from his Egyptian forefather Jarha.—1 Chron. 2:3, 34-39.

10. King of Judah, the youngest son of Jehoram and Athaliah; also called Jehoahaz and Ahaziah.—2 Ki. 8:25-29; 2 Chron. 21:17; 22:1, 6; see AHAZIAH No. 2.

11. Son of Jeroham. One of the five chiefs of hundreds who helped overthrow usurper Athaliah and place Jehoash on the throne of Judah in 898 B.C.E.—2 Chron. 23:1-15.

12. Son of Obed. One of the five chiefs of hundreds who helped enthrone Jehoash in place of usurper Athaliah, 898 B.C.E.—2 Chron. 23:1-15.

13. King of Judah for fifty-two years (829-777 B.C.E.). Son of Amaziah and Jecoliah. (2 Ki. 14:21; 15:1, 2) He is called Uzziah in 2 Kings 15:13.—See UZZIAH.

14. A high priest, son of Johanan, descendant of Aaron. (1 Chron. 6:1-10) When King Uzziah presumptuously attempted to offer incense in the temple, perhaps it was this Azariah who then ordered