Lexical Definition

‎נָחָשׁ‎ Nâchâsh (naw-khawsh') Nahash ^N:N-M-P
the same as ‎נָחָשׁ‎

Nahash.

• § Nahash = "serpent"
• Nachash, the name of two persons apparently non-Israelite

n pr m
1) a king of the Ammonites during the time of king Saul
2) the father of Abigail, the mother of Amasa, the commander of Absalom's army

Extended Information

• A man of the Ammonites living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.11.1

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: עִיר נָחָשׁ

II. ‎נָחָשׁ‎

proper name, masculine 1. king of Ammon 1Sam 11:1 (twice in verse); 1Sam 11:2; 1Sam 12:12; 2Sam 10:2; 1Chr 19:1; 1Chr 19:2 perhaps also 2Sam 17:27 ᵐ5 Ναας.

2. father of Abigail and Zeruiah 2Sam 17:25, si vera lectio: ᵐ5 Ναας, but ᵐ5^L Ιεσσαι (compare 1Chr 2:16); We^{Geschichte. 2. 57 Anm. 1 Löhr defend} ‎נחשׁ‎; dubious We^Sm HPS.

3. giving name to a city, ‎׳‎‎עִיר נ‎ 1Chr 4:12, ᵐ5 πόλεως Ναας; ᵐ5^L Ηρναας.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Ammonite king • Ammonite king who besieged Jabesh Gilead.

King living at the time of United Monarchy

Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, besieged Jabesh Gilead and threatened to gouge out the right eyes of its inhabitants.

• An Ammonite king living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.11.1;
• only referred to as Nahash נָחָשׁ.

Nahash was the king of the Ammonites, a neighboring nation to Israel, during the early period of the Israelite monarchy. In 1 Samuel 11, Nahash is described as besieging the city of Jabesh Gilead, located in the territory of Manasseh, east of the Jordan River.

Nahash demanded that the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead surrender and agree to have their right eyes gouged out as a sign of subjugation and humiliation. The people of Jabesh Gilead sought help from their fellow Israelites, sending messengers to King Saul, who had recently been crowned as the first king of Israel.

Upon hearing of the Ammonite threat, Saul rallied the Israelite forces and marched to Jabesh Gilead. In a decisive battle, Saul defeated Nahash and the Ammonite army, saving the city and its inhabitants from the cruel fate proposed by Nahash.

The victory over Nahash and the Ammonites was a significant moment in Saul's reign, as it demonstrated his leadership and military prowess. It also served to unite the Israelite tribes under Saul's rule, as they recognized the importance of having a strong central authority to protect them from external threats.

In 1 Samuel 12:12, the prophet Samuel reminds the Israelites of the threat posed by Nahash and the Ammonites, using it as an example of the dangers they faced and the need for a king to lead and defend them. This reference underscores the significance of the battle against Nahash in the early history of the Israelite monarchy.

All entries for Nahash: נָחָשׁ