Azekah – Azzur

Azekah

a-ze'-ka `azekah: A town of some importance in the Shephelah of Judah mentioned (Joshua 15:35) next to Socoh. In Joshua 10:10 the defeated kings of the Arnorites are described as flying before Joshua "by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon .... to Azekah, and unto Makkedah" and (Joshua 10:11) as the host fled "Yahweh cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died." In 1 Samuel 17:1 it is recorded that before David's combat with Goliath, the Philistines "gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammin." In 2 Chronicles 11:9 it is mentioned as one of the frontier cities which Rehoboam fortified and in Jeremiah 34:7 it is one of the two fortified cities remaining to Judah in the Shephelah which Nebuchadnezzar was besieging. "Azekah and the towns (margin, "daughters") thereof" is mentioned among the cities reoccupied by Jews returning after the Exile (Nehemiah 11:30). In all the three last references the place is mentioned along with Lachish.

All the data suit Tell Zaqareyeh on the North side of the Vale of Elah (Wady es-Sunt) and some 3 miles Northwest of Socoh (Kh. Shuweikeh). This site, which was partially excavated by the Palestine Exploration Fund, is one of great natural strength. "The hill stands almost isolated, rising abruptly for almost 350 ft. above the Vale of Elah; .... to the West the fall is also very great, while to the South the tell is joined by a neck of land (about 100 ft. below the summit) to a hill behind." The summit is about 350 yds. by 150 yds., and is much larger than Tell el-Chesy (Lachish) (Bliss). Excavations showed that it was a very ancient site which had been powerfully fortified, and the rock under the city was excavated in a series of very extraordinary underground chambers which could be used as places of refuge. The site suits the narrative of Joshua's battle every well, as there is a long-used high route running North to South from the neighborhood of Ajalon. Its position as a frontier fortress is comparable with that of Lachish: the name Zakareyeh, seems to be a survival of Azekah. See PEFS, 1899, 10 ff; PEF, III, 441.

E. W. G. Masterman

Azel

a'-zel ('atsel, "noble"):

(1) A descendant of King Saul, through Jonathan (1 Chronicles 8:37 1 Chronicles 9:43).

(2) Azel, a'-zel, the King James Version Azal 'atsel; Asael; (Zechariah 14:5): A place not far from Jerusalem. There may be an echo of the name in that of Wady Yasal, to the right of `Ain el-Loz, in Wady en-Nar.

Azem

a'-zem: the King James Version form for Ezem (thus the Revised Version (British and American)) (Joshua 15:29; Joshua 19:3).

Azephurith

az-e-fu'-rith. See ARSIPHURITH.

Azetas

a-ze'-tas (Azetas): The head of a family accompanying Zerubbabel out of captivity (1 Esdras 5:15). Neither Ezra nor Nehemiah gives this name in his list. There may be an echo of the name in that of Wady Yasal, to the right of `Ain el-Loz, in Wady en- Nar.

Azgad

az'-gad (`azgadh, "strong is Gad"): In the list of those who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel are mentioned "the children of Azgad" (1,222, Ezra 2:12; 2,322, Nehemiah 7:17). 110 males with their chief returned with Ezra (Ezra 8:12). Azgad was among the leaders who signed the Covenant after Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:15).

Aziei

a-zi'-e-i: An ancestor of Ezra (2 Esdras 1:2). Compare Azariah (Ezra 7:3) and Ozias (1 Esdras 8:2; the King James Version Ezias).

Aziel

a'-zi-el (`aziel, "God is power"); (compare Gray, Studies in Hebrew Proper Names, 210, 309): A Levite singer who played the psalteries (1 Chronicles 15:20); compare Jaaziel (1 Chronicles 15:18).

Aziza

a-zi'-za (`aziza' "the powerful"): Aziza had taken a foreign wife (Ezra 10:27): compare Zardeus (1 Esdras 9:28 the Revised Version (British and American)).

Azmaveth (1)

az-ma'-veth `azmaweth:

(1) One of David's 30 mighty men (2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:33).

(2) A descendant of Jonathan, the son of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:36; 1 Chronicles 9:42).

(3) Father of two warriors who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3).

(4) The name of one set over David's treasures (1 Chronicles 27:25). Some identify him with (1) and (3).

Azmaveth (2)

az-ma'-veth (`azmaweth; Asmoth or Azmoth, "strong one of death"; Ezra 2:24): Is probably identical with el-Chizma, a village a little to the North of `Anata (Anathoth). It corresponds to Beth-azmaveth (Nehemiah 7:28).

Azmon

az'-mon (`atsmon; Asemona, "strong"): On the Southwest border of Israel (Numbers 34:4,Numbers 34:5; Joshua 15:4). Trumbull identifies it with `Ain el-Qaseimeh, Northwest of Kadesh Barnea (Kad. Baruch., 117, 289 f).

Aznoth-Tabor

az'noth-ta'-bor ('aznoth tabhor, "peaks of Tabor"): A place in western Naphtali, evidently in the vicinity of Mt. Tabor (Joshua 19:34). The exact locality is not known.

Azor

a'-zor Azor, "help"(?): An ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:13).

Azotus

a-zo'-tus. See ASHDOD (1 Macc 9:15; Acts 8:40).

Azriel

az'-ri-el (`azri'el, "God's help"):

(1) One of the leading men of the half-tribe of Manasseh, East of the Jordan, who with others of his tribe was carried captive by the king of Assyria (1 Chronicles 5:24).

(2) The father of Jerimoth of the tribe of Naphtali in the reign of King David (1 Chronicles 27:19).

(3) The father of Seraiah, one of the officers sent by Jehoiakim to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch (Jeremiah 36:26).

Azrikam

az-ri'-kam (`azriqam, "my help has arisen"):

(1) A descendant of King David through Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:23).

(2) A prince of Judah in the time of Ahaz. He was slain by Zichri, an Ephraimite soldier (2 Chronicles 28:7).

(3) One of Azel's sons, a Benjamite, descended from King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:38; 1 Chronicles 9:44).

(4) A Levite of the house of Merari and a resident of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9:14; Nehemiah 11:15).

Azubah

a-zu'-ba (`azubhah, "desolation"):

(1) A wife of Caleb, by whom she had three sons (1 Chronicles 2:18).

(2) The daughter of Shilhi and mother of King Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:42; 2 Chronicles 20:31).

Azur

a'-zur. See AZZUR.

Azuran

az'-u-ran, a-zu'-ran. See AZARU.

Azzah

az'-a (`azzah, "strong"): the King James Version form (Deuteronomy 2:23; 1 Kings 4:24; Jeremiah 25:20) for the Revised Version (British and American) "Gaza."

Azzan

az'-an (`azzan, "strong" or "thorn"): Father of Paltiel of the tribe of Issachar. One of the commissioners selected to divide the land between the tribes (Numbers 34:26).

Azzur

az'-ur (`azzur, "helpful"):

(1) The father of Hananiah, a false prophet of Gibeon in the days of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 28:1).

(2) One of those who, with Nehemiah, sealed the covenant on the return from Babylon (Nehemiah 10:17).

(3) The father of Jaazaniah, "one of" the princes of the people who gave wicked counsel to the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 11:1). the King James Version has "Azur" for (1) and (3), but the Hebrew form of (3) is `azur.