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NAHASH

(Heb. nāḥāš)

1. A king of Ammon during the late 11th century b.c.e. In a narrative intended to demonstrate the validity of Saul’s kingship (1 Sam. 12:12), the MT indicates that Nahash surrounded the Transjordanian Israelite city of Jabesh-gilead and demanded its capitulation. Saul heard about the Ammonite threat, summoned an army, and routed the Ammonites (1 Sam. 11:1-11). A Qumran scroll (4QSama) preserves not only the same material regarding Nahash as the MT, but also a prologue to the Nahash pericope which is also contained in Josephus (Ant. 6.5.1[68-71]). According to this supplemental text, Nahash had been oppressing the Transjordanian tribes of Reuben and Gad, and 7000 men had escaped from Nahash and fled to Jabesh-gilead. The longer form of the narrative is considered original by some scholars but secondary by others.

Nahash and his son Shobi apparently had a congenial relationship with David (2 Sam 10:2; 17:27-29). After Nahash’s death, David sent envoys to his son Hanun, ostensibly to console him, but Hanun considered them to be spies and humiliated them. This led to a military confrontation (2 Sam. 10:1-19; 1 Chr. 19:1-19).

2. The sister of Zeruiah (Joab’s mother) and the father of Abigal. Nahash’s daughter Abigal (the mother of Amasa) was married to Ithra, who is identified both as an Israelite (2 Sam. 17:25) and an Ishmaelite (1 Chr. 2:17). The materials regarding this Nahash are problematic textually.

Bibliography. A. Rofé, “The Acts of Nahash according to 4QSam^a,” IEJ 32 (1982): 129-33; E. C. Ulrich, Jr., The Qumran Text of Samuel and Josephus. HSM 19 (Missoula, 1978); R. W. Younker, “Ammonites,” in Peoples of the Old Testament World, ed. A. J. Hoerth, G. L. Mattingly, and E. M. Yamauchi (Grand Rapids, 1994), 293-316.

Chris A. Rollston

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

NAHASH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)