אֲחִימַעַץ
𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤌𐤏𐤑
Achimaats
H290 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'my brother is wrath' or 'brother of counsel.' In the Hebrew Bible, אֲחִימַעַץ (ʼĂḥîmaʿaṣ) is the name of several Israelite men, most notably a son of Zadok the priest in the time of King David. The name combines a kinship term ('brother of') with an abstract noun that may denote 'wrath' or 'counsel,' reflecting the theophoric or descriptive naming practices of ancient Israel.
Semantic Range
personal name, brother of wrath, brother of counsel, individual Israelites named in genealogical and narrative contexts
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew roots אָח (ach, 'brother') and מַעַץ (maʿats, meaning uncertain but often understood as 'wrath, anger' or possibly 'counsel, advice'). The full meaning of מַעַץ is debated; it may derive from a root meaning 'to be fierce, strong, advise.' The name follows a pattern common in Hebrew personal names combining familial and character traits or divine qualities.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name אֲחִימַעַץ appears for multiple individuals: 1) the son of Zadok, who served as a messenger during Absalom's revolt (2 Samuel 15:27, 36; 17:17; 18:19-29), 2) a son-in-law of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:15), and 3) a descendant listed in genealogical records (1 Chronicles 6:8, 53). The meaning of the component מַעַץ is debated: while Strong's followed the 'anger' etymology, some later lexicographers propose 'counsel' due to similarity with roots meaning 'to advise.' The name is not a title or generic term but a specific personal name; interpretations reading it as 'brother of anger' are speculative. English translations generally render the name as 'Ahimaaz' without reflecting its Hebrew meaning. In Israelite onomastics, such combinations were often intended to invoke family and character attributes, sometimes with a theophoric resonance. The name does not occur as a title or have broader usage outside personal names in the biblical corpus.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָח and the equivalent of מַעַץ; brother of anger; Achimaats, the name of three Israelites; Ahimaaz.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אח; מעץ (ʾ-ḥ; m-ʿ-ṣ) — brother, kin; wrath, anger, counsel
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H290-01 |
אֲחִימָ֑עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath | 11 |
H290-02 |
וַ/אֲחִימַ֨עַץ | vaachimaats | HC/Np |
and Ahimaaz | and Brother-of-Wrath | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H290-01 |
1 Samuel 14:50 | אֲחִימָ֑עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-02 |
2 Samuel 15:27 | וַ/אֲחִימַ֨עַץ | vaachimaats | HC/Np |
and Ahimaaz | and Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 15:36 | אֲחִימַ֣עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-02 |
2 Samuel 17:17 | וַ/אֲחִימַ֜עַץ | vaachimaats | HC/Np |
and Ahimaaz | and Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 17:20 | אֲחִימַ֨עַץ֙ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-02 |
2 Samuel 18:19 | וַ/אֲחִימַ֤עַץ | vaachimaats | HC/Np |
Then Ahimaaz | and Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 18:22 | אֲחִימַ֤עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 18:23 | אֲחִימַ֨עַץ֙ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 18:27 | אֲחִימַ֣עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |
H290-01 |
2 Samuel 18:28 | אֲחִימַ֗עַץ | achimaats | HNp |
Ahimaaz | Brother-of-Wrath |