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292 Ahin Ablwardt

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Similarly, the inU-rview betweeu Aliimt'lech and upon ii lialakie point. Saul was of the opinion tliiit the ri.i;lit to interrogate the Urim and Thununim lielouged to the liini; exclusively, so that Ahimeleeh had made himself liable to the death penalty when lie consulted them in David's twhalf. Ahinielecli. on the contrary, mainlained tliat interrogation by anyliody was justitii'd when the alfairs of stale demanded il, and that David, as general of the Jewish army, certainly had the right to interTins question divided the scholars of rogate them. Saul'scourt: Abnerand Amasa sided with the priest, Doeg against him. The last-named was accordingly deputed to execute the sentence upon Ahimeleeh Sjiul twriiAl

(YaHc. Sam. S 131)-

A

2.

Sam.

1-

Ilittite officer in

G.

the service of David

.xvi. 6).

M.

I.

(I

P.

AHIN. See HAVvi>r. AHIN, BENDICH (D"n

"]n3): Mathematician and physician at Aries during the second half of the Nostradamus says that Ahin fourteenth century. was an excellent mathematician, well versed in Arabic, (}reek, and Latin that, because he was prudent, loyal, and very experienced in the art of medicine, he was appointed physician to Joanna of Anjou, queen of Naples (139), was lodged in the royal palace, and was exempted, both for himself and his posterity, fromall special taxes laid ujion the Jews. Ahin seems also to have busied himself with astrology, as it is s;nd that he predicted the tragic end of the (|Uccn. M. Kayscrling has tried to identify Hendich with '^Dt^'X^^ (Maestro Benditl, one of the ten men to whom Kalonymus ben Kalonymus dedicated his " Eben Bol.ian " ; but the identification is by no means certain.

d33

et Clm^iiiqur dc 427; Ku.vseiiinj;, Kliin D'lhan. Biulapi'sl, ISTT;

BiBLioORAPnY: Noslmrtamus, L'Histnirr I'nivence, Di'liplng,

m.^'lnire

l>,

7/i'.< ((,,s

JiiifK itaiix U;

^[nlrlillsJuifs.

M'Hini p. HIS:

.-Uir,

p.

XH;

CiiniKily,

Landau, (ir^rh.

<l.

Jlhl.

Airztc, p. 4.'): Niililingr, Jmktigemeimlni ihs Mith Uilti r^^ Sii. IQ Ihesf liu»t authorities the name is vruiiglys))elled "Aliin." Compare Gross, Galiia Judaica, p. 85.

p.

q

AHINOAM Daughter of

("

Brother

.Vliiiiiaaz

is

Pleasantness"):

and wife of Saul,

first

1.

king

,")).

.5,

(II

Sam.

iii.

I.

2).

M. P.

AHIKAM

("Brother is Exalted"): Son of Benjamin (Num. xxvi. 3S; called Elii in Gen. xlvi. 21). In the corresponding list of I Chron. viii. 1 he appears His family is referred to as that of the as Aharah. G. B. L. Ahiramites (Num. xxv'i. 38).

AHISHAB: hold

(I

Kings,

The overseer of Solomon's housewhose position was one of re-

iv. G),

sponsibility similar to that of Joseph in Potiphar's house (Gen. xxxix. 4) and of Obadiah in Ahab's I. M. P. palace (I Kings, xviii. 3).

AHITHOPHEL.—

Biblical Data A native of Gilnh in the highlands of Judali. and privy councilor to David. He was a man of extraordinary sagacity and insight in political atTairs (II Sam. xv. 12. xvii. 21-23), but showed himself devoid of principle by his participation in the rebellion of Absjilom and by his His advice evil counsel regarding the royal harem. to pursue the fleeing king in hot haste was wise from a military point of view, but was not accepted by Absalom and the preference then shown to Hushai's



counter-recommendation of delay offended liim so

withdrew to Ms native city, Giloh, where he hanged himself. I. M. P. In Rabbinical Literature: TheTalmud speaks of this iiuincilcir of David as "a man, like Baliuim, whose great wisdom was not received in humility as a gift from heaven, and so became a stumbling-block to him "(Num. K. xxii.). He was "one of tho.se who, sorely that he

while casting longing eyes uiion things not belonging to them, lose also the things they possess" (Toscf., Sotah, iv. 19). Ahithophel was initiated into the magic jiowers of the Holy Name, by means of which he could replace the foundation-stone of the world, removed by King David in his search for the great abyss, in the exact spot above which the Temiile wa.s to be built. And being thus familiar with all the secict lore as imparted through the Holy Spirit, he was consulted as an oracle like the L rim we-Tumniim (H Sam. xvi. 23, Yer. Sanli. x. 2!((/. Suk. H'ia Kiij. But he withheld his mystic knowledge from King David in the hour of ])eril. and was therefore doomed to die from strangulation (Taiina debe

(t

).

Eliyahu K. xxxi., Mid.

Teh.

iii.

Ex. H.

7;

iv.,

"Ahitophelof the house of Israel and BaUmm of the heathen nations were the two great .siiges of the world who. failing to show gratitude to God for their wisdom, perished in dishonor. To them the [irophetie word tindsaiiplication: I^et not the wise man glory in his wisdom,' Jer. ix. 23" (Num. K. xxii.). Socrates was said to have been a

Mak.

llrt).

'

K.

l>upil of his.

The Ilaggadah states that Ahithophel, who was the grandfather of Bath-sheba (Sanli. (iO'/). was misled knowledge of astrology into believing himbecome king of Israel. He therefore induced Absalom to commit an unpardonable crime (II Sam. xvi. 21). which sooner or laterwould have brought with it, according to Jewish law. the by

his

self destined to

motive for this advice being to to make a way for himHis astrological information had self to the throne. for in realbeen, however, misimderstood by him
 * )enalty of ileath; the

remove Absalom, and thus



only predicted that his granddauglit<'r. Batlisheba. the daughter of his son Eliam, would become queen (Sanli. 101//. Yalk. Sam. ^ l,")!)). David, during his reign, had many disagreeable encounters with Ahithophel. Shortly after his accession the king seems to have overlooked Ahithophel in his appointments of judges and other officials. Consequently, when David was in despair concerning the visitation upon Uz/.ah during the attempted transport of the ark (II Sam. vi. C; see l'/.7..ii) and sought counsel of Ahithophel, the latter mockingly suggested to liiiii that lie had better apply to his own wise men. Only upon David's malediction, that whoever knew a remedy and concealed it should surely end by committing suicide, did Ahithophel otter him some rather vague advice, concealing the true solution, which was that the ark must be carried on the .shoulders of men instead of upon a wagon (Num. H. iv. 20. Yer. Sanh. x. '2%i). Ahithophel rendered a service to David upon another occasion not. however. until he bad been again It appears threatened with the cur.se. Curse upon that David excavated too deeply for Ahithothe foundations of the Temple, with the result that earth's deepest floods phel. (Qinn) broke forth, and nearly inundated till' earth. None could help but Ahithophel, who withheld his counsel in the hope of seeing David borne away upon the flood. AVIien David again warned him of the malediction. Ahithophel counseled the king to throw a tile, with the ineffable name of God written upon it. into the cavity whereity

2. The Jezreelitess captured by Daid while at war with Saul (I Sam. XXV. 43)"; she became his wife. The Amalekites subsequently carried her away from Ziklag, but David At Hebron 18). soon rescued her (I Sam. xxx. Ahinoam gave birth to Amnou, David's first-born

of Israel (I ,Sam. xiv.

898

it