Azmaveth

February 15, 2015

Dedication of the wall (Neh 12:27-12:30)

“Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, thanksgivings, and singing, along with cymbals, harps, and lyres. The companions of the singers gathered together from the circuit round Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. They also came from Beth-Gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth. The singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. The priests and the Levites purified themselves. They purified the people, the gates, and the wall.”

This probably should have come after chapter 6 in this book, when the wall was completed. In some ways it is reminiscent of the dedication of the Temple that was in Ezra, chapter 6. They wanted all the Levites from every town to come to the celebration with their various musical instruments, cymbals, harp, and lyres. They were to rejoice and given thanksgiving. The singers had made villages around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites purified themselves, the people, the gates, and the wall.

 

January 26, 2015

The list of the men returning by towns (Ezra 2:20-2:35)

“There were the descendents of Gibbar, ninety-five. There were the descendents of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty-three. There were the descendents of Netophah, fifty-six. There were the descendents of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. There were the descendents of Azmaveth, forty-two. There were the descendents of Kiriatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. There were the descendents of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. There were the descendents of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. There were the descendents of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. There were the descendents of Nebo, fifty-two. There were the descendents of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six. There were the descendents of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. There were the descendents of Harim, three hundred twenty. There were the descendents of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. There were the descendents of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. There were the descendents of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty.”

The second part of this list refers to the towns that they came from in Judah, but also in Benjamin. Thus these were the leaders there that had been taken into captivity. Gibbar or the town of Gibeon had a mere 95 people. Bethlehem had 123 people. Netophah was another small town near Bethlehem that only had 56 people, while Anathoth, another small town in Benjamin, had 128 people. Azmaveth, a town near Jerusalem, had 42 people, the smallest amount. There was a group of 3 towns near Jerusalem in the Benjamin territory of Kiriatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth with 743 people. Ramah and Geba were northern towns in Benjamin with 621 people. Michmas was another Benjamin town with 122 people. Bethel and Ai were 2 northern Benjaminite towns with about 223 people. Although there are many places with the name of Nebo, this Nebo was a small town near Bethel and Ai with 52 people. Magbish was a small town in Benjamin with 156 people. From the other Elam there were 1,254 people. Harim had 320 people. Lod, Hadid, and Ono were 3 Benjaminite towns with 725 people. Jericho had 345 people. Senaah, a town in northern Benjamin had the largest group of 3,630 people.

December 7, 2014

The household and property chiefs (1 Chr 27:25-27:31)

“Over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth son of Adiel. Over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers, was Jonathan son of Uzziah. Over those who did the work of the field for tilling the soil was Ezri son of Chelub. Over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite. Over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. Over the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah was Baal-hanan the Gederite. Over the stores of oil was Joash. Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite. Over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat son of Adlai. Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite. Over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. Over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were stewards of King David’s property.”

In a very meticulous way, there was someone in charge of every little thing. Here there are 12 distinct functions at the time of King David. King David had 3 men with the name of (1) Azmaveth,  1 was part of the “Thirty” warriors, while another was the father of some warriors. This Azmaveth son of Adiel was the man in charge of the treasury, but there were a number of Levites in the preceding chapter who seemed to be in charge of the treasury. It may be one and the same person. (2) Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the country, cities, villages, and towers, quite a responsibility. He was not a relative of King David. (3) Ezri son of Chelub was in charge of the tilling of the soil. This name only appears here. Although there are a lot of people with the name of Shimei, this is the only mention of (4) Shimei the Ramathite. This Shimei from Ramah was in charge of the vineyards. This is the only mention of (5) Zabdi the Shiphmite who was in charge of the wine as well as (6) Baal-hanan the Gederite, the man from Geder who was in charge of the olive trees. (7) Joash was a friend of David that was in charge of the storage of oil. (8) Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the flock at Sharon, a place between Carmel and Joppa. This is the only mention of (9) Shaphat son of Adlai, who was in charge of the flocks in the valleys and (10) Obil the Ishmaelite who was in charge of the camels. Notice that he is not an Israelite but an Ishmaelite. (11) Jehdeiah the Meronothite, from a town called Meronoth was in charge of the donkeys. (12) Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of some unspecified flocks. Most of these names are unique to this mention of the household of King David.

November 19, 2014

The listing of David’s warriors (1 Chr 11:26-11:47)

“The warriors of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem; Shammah of Harod; Helez the Pelonite; Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; Abiezer of Anathoth; Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; Heled son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; Benaiah of Pirathon; Hurai of the Wadi of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim; Eliahba of Shaalbon; Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; Eliphal son of Ur; Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite; Hezro of Carmel; Naarai son of Ezbai; Joel the brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri; Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah; Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; Uriah the Hittite; Zabad the son of Ahlai; Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him; Hanan the son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite; Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite; Jediael son of Shimri; Joha his brother, the Tizite; Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam; Ithmah the Moabite; Eliel; Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.”

This list is much like the list in 2 Samuel, chapter 23. However there are 7 omissions and 22 additions as well as 8 name changes. For more information about these men see the notes in 2 Samuel. Of those 7 mentioned in 2 Samuel, that appeared there but did not make this list, they include: Elika of Harod, Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, and Bani the Gadite. The following 22 names were added and not in 2 Samuel: Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. The following 8 names have been changed. Helez the Paltite has become Helez the Pelonite. Mebunnai the Hushathite has become Sibbecai the Hushathite. Zalmon the Ahohite has become Ilai the Ahohite. Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah, had become Heled. Abi-albon the Arbathite has become Abiel. Hiddai of Gaash has become Hurai. Jashen has become Hashem the Gizonite. Jonathan the son of Shammah has become the son of Shagee.

November 17, 2014

The descendents of Jonathan (1 Chr 9:40-9:44)

“The son of Jonathan was Meribbaal. Meribbaal was the father of Micah. The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Jarah. Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza. Moza became the father of Binea. Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. Azel had six sons. These are their names, Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.”

This is exactly the same as the previous chapter except for a few name discrepancies. Here the name is Tahrea instead of Tarea, and is only found here. An “h” has been added to this name. Jarah is here instead of Jehoaddah, but this is the only time that this name appears. Here we see 13 generations from (1) Saul, probably going down to the time of this biblical author. The son of (2) Jonathan was (3) Meribbaal, the name used here in this book, but Mephibosheth was the name used in 2 Samuel, chapter 4. There were 5 other people named (4) Micah, including the prophet with his book Micah, and the Micah in Judges, chapters 17-18. Although Micah had 4 sons, Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and (5) Ahaz, this author only follows Ahaz. The other 3 sons are only mentioned in these lists. There was a more famous Ahaz, King Ahaz of Judah (736-716 BCE), who is not this Ahaz. This is the only mention of his son (6) Jehoaddah or Jarah. His 3 sons were Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Alemeth was also the name of a holy city in the Benjamin territory. There were 3 other people with the name of Azmaveth. (7) Zimri was also the name of a King of Israel (885 BCE) who ruled a short time. He could be the same person. His son was (8) Moza, the same name as a son of Caleb. His son was (9) Binea, who is only mentioned in these 2 lists in this book. His son (10) Raphah was a name mentioned as one of the Philistines. His son (11) Eleasah was also mentioned as a son of Hezron. His son (12) Azel had 6 sons (13) Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. Besides being mentioned here Azel was also a place near Jerusalem. There were 5 people with the name of Azrikam. This is the only mention of Bocheru and Sheariah. There were 6 biblical people with the name of Ishmael. The most famous was the son of Abraham by Hagar his concubine. There were 12 people with the name of Obadiah, with the most famous the prophet and book Obadiah. There were 9 people with the name of Hanan.

November 14, 2014

The descendents of Jonathan (1 Chr 8:34-8:38)

“The son of Jonathan was Meribbaal. Meribbaal was the father of Micah. The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza. Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son. Azel had six sons. These are their names, Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.”

Here we see 13 generations from (1) Saul, probably going down to the time of this biblical author. The son of (2) Jonathan was (3) Meribbaal, the name used here in this book, but Mephibosheth was the name used 2 Samuel, chapter 4. There were 5 other people named (4) Micah, including the prophet with his book Micah, and Micah in Judges, chapters 17-18. Although Micah had 4 sons, Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and (5) Ahaz, this author follows Ahaz only. The other 3 sons are only mentioned in these lists. There was a more famous Ahaz, King Ahaz of Judah (736-716 BCE), who is not this Ahaz. This is the only mention of his son (6) Jehoaddah. His 3 sons were Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Alemeth was also the name of a holy city in the Benjamin territory. There were 3 other people with the name of Azmaveth. (7) Zimri was also the name of a King of Israel (885 BCE) who ruled a short time. He could be the same person. His son was (8) Moza, the same name as a son of Caleb. His son was (9) Binea, who is only mentioned in these 2 lists in this book. His son (10) Raphah was a name mentioned as one of the Philistines.   His son (11) Eleasah was also mentioned as a son of Hezron. His son (12) Azel had 6 (13) sons, Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. Besides being mentioned here Azel was also a place near Jerusalem. There were 5 people with the name of Azrikam. This is the only mention of Bocheru and Sheariah. There were 6 biblical people with the name of Ishmael. The most famous was the son of Abraham by Hagar his concubine. There were 12 people with the name of Obadiah, with the most famous the prophet and book Obadiah. There were 9 people with the name of Hanan.