north of Kadesh-barnea in the Negeb desert in the southern part of Palestine, with their tributary camps radiating out into the Sinai Peninsula and northern Arabia. (1 Sam. 15:7) At one time their influence extended into the hills of Ephraim.—Judg. 12:15.

The Amalekites were “the first one of the nations” to launch an unprovoked attack on the Israelites after the Exodus, at Rephidim near Mount Sinai. As a consequence, Jehovah decreed ultimate extinction for the Amalekites. (Num. 24:20; Ex. 17:8-16; Deut. 25:17-19) A year later when the Israelites attempted to enter the Promised Land contrary to Jehovah’s word they were repulsed by the Amalekites. (Num. 14:41-45) Twice during the days of the judges these adversaries of Israel shared in assaulting Israel. They did it in the days of Eglon king of Moab. (Judg. 3:12, 13) Again, with the Midianites and Easterners, they pillaged the land of Israel seven years before Gideon and his 300 dealt them a smashing defeat.—Judg. 6:1-3, 33; 7:12; 10:12.

Because of this persistent hatred, during the period of the kings Jehovah ‘called to account’ the Amalekites, commanding King Saul to strike them down, which he did “from Havilah as far as Shur, which is in front of Egypt.” However, Saul, overstepping Jehovah’s order, spared Agag their king. But God was not mocked, for “Samuel went hacking Agag to pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.” (1 Sam. 15:2-33) Some of David’s raids included Amalekite villages, and when they in return attacked Ziklag and carried off David’s wives and goods, he and 400 men overtook them, recovering all that was stolen. (1 Sam. 27:8; 30:1-20) During the reign of Hezekiah, some of the tribe of Simeon annihilated the remnant of the Amalekites.—1 Chron. 4:42, 43.

There is no further direct mention of the Amalekites in Biblical or secular history. However, “Haman the son of . . . the Agagite” was probably a descendant, for “Agag” was the title or name of certain Amalekite kings. (Esther 3:1; Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:8, 9) Thus the Amalekites, along with others mentioned by name, were exterminated in order “that people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.”—Ps. 83:6-18.

AMAM

(Aʹmam) [gathering spot or place].

A village in the Negeb, in the southern part of the territory of Judah. (Josh. 15:26) F.-M. Abel (Géographie de la Palestine, Vol. II, p. 242) suggests a site on the Wadi es-Sini, but the identification is uncertain.

AMANAH

(A·maʹnah) [firm or constant].

This name appears in the Hebrew at Song of Solomon 4:8 in connection with Lebanon and Mount Hermon. Most translations simply transliterate the Hebrew word; however, lexicographers Koehler and Baumgartner understand it to refer to the Anti-Lebanon range while Brown, Driver and Briggs apply it to that portion of the Anti-Lebanons in which the Nahr Barada has its source.—See ANTI-LEBANON.

AMARIAH

(Am·a·riʹah) [said or promised by Jehovah].

1. A priestly descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar through Phinehas; son of Meraioth; father of Ahitub; grandfather of Zadok, who served as a secondary priest during the reign of David and high priest during the reign of Solomon. (1 Chron. 6:7, 52) It cannot be stated definitely that Amariah officiated as high priest, since the office temporarily switched to the house of Eli during his period.

2. A Levite descendant of Kohath’s son Hebron, listed in David’s reorganization of temple service.—1 Chron. 23:1, 12, 19; 24:23.

3. Chief priest “for every matter of Jehovah,” especially legal cases, during Jehoshaphat’s reign.—2 Chron. 19:11.

4. Another descendant of Eleazar who lived at a later time than No. 1 above. Son of Azariah and father of another Ahitub.—1 Chron. 6:11; Ezra 7:3.

5. A Levite who assisted in distributing the tithes to the priests in their cities during the reign of Hezekiah.—2 Chron. 31:14, 15.

6. Son of Hezekiah (probably the king of Judah) and great-grandfather to the prophet Zephaniah.—Zeph. 1:1.

7. One of the principal priests returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel, 537 B.C.E. (Neh. 12:1, 2, 7) In the days of Governor Nehemiah there was a ‘paternal house’ of priests by his name.—12:12, 13, 26.

8. A descendant of Binnui; one of those who sent away their pagan wives and sons in the days of Ezra.—Ezra 10:10-12, 38, 42, 44.

9. A priest, or the forefather of one, who attested to the “trustworthy arrangement” during Nehemiah’s governorship. (Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 3) He would have been more than 112 years old if the same as No. 7 above.

10. Ancestor of residents of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time; of the tribe of Judah.—Neh. 11:4.

AMASA

(A·maʹsa) [burden, burden bearer].

1. Son of David’s sister Abigail and Jether (Ithra), and cousin of Absalom and Joab. (2 Sam. 17:25; 1 Chron. 2:16, 17) Jether is called an Israelite in Samuel and an Ishmaelite in Chronicles, perhaps because he lived in Ishmaelite territory. Some contend that Amasa is a shortened form of Amasai, one of those who joined David’s army at Ziklag, but such an identification is uncertain.—1 Chron. 12:18.

Years later, when Amasa threw his lot in with Absalom’s rebellion against David he was put over Absalom’s army in place of Joab. (2 Sam. 17:25) The rebellion was suppressed, David’s son Absalom was killed by Joab, and Amasa was offered the place of Joab as David’s army chief, for as David said, he is “my bone and my flesh.”—2 Sam. 18:9-15; 19:13.

Again rebellion broke out, this time Sheba wanted no share in David. (2 Sam. 20:1, 2) Amasa was given three days to assemble an army. When he did not come at the fixed time, Abishai was told to take David’s servants and pursue after the rebels. Abishai’s brother Joab and his men were with them in the pursuit of Sheba. Finally, when the latecomer Amasa met them, Joab, pretending to give an affectionate kiss, grabbed Amasa by the beard with one hand and with his sword in the other ripped his abdomen open. (2 Sam. 20:4-12) This may have been just recompense for Amasa’s siding with Absalom, but certainly not at the hand from which it came. David therefore commanded Solomon that Amasa should be avenged through the death of Joab.—1 Ki. 2:5, 32.

2. Son of Hadlai. Following victory over Judah, when Iaraelite warriors were bringing their brothers back as servants, Amasa was one of four headmen of Ephraim who heeded the plea of the prophet Oded to return the captives. He also assisted those of Judah with supplies and transportation needed for their repatriation.—2 Chron. 28:8-15.

AMASAI

(A·maʹsai) [burdensome; carrier of a load].

1. A Levite of the family of Kohath; son of Elkanah and ancestor of the prophet Samuel and the temple singer Heman of David’s day.—1 Chron. 6:25, 35, 36.

2. The head of thirty men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who joined David at Ziklag. To allay David’s fear of treachery “spirit itself enveloped Amasai” as he pledged their whole-hearted support, acknowledging that Jehovah was David’s helper.—1 Chron. 12:16-18.

3. One of seven priests “loudly sounding the trumpets before the ark of the true God” when David had it brought to Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 15:24.

4. A Levite of the family of Kohath whose son Mahath assisted in cleansing and sanctifying the temple in the days of Hezekiah.—2 Chron. 29:12-18.