עֲנַמֶּלֶךְ
𐤏𐤍𐤌𐤋𐤊
Anamelekhe
H6048 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating Anammelek, a deity worshipped by settlers from Sepharvaim mentioned in 2 Kings 17:31. Identifies a foreign (non-Israelite) god, with the name perhaps reflecting a specific function or attribute of the deity in its originating context, though this is not made explicit in the Hebrew text.
Semantic Range
Anammelek (foreign deity); the name of a god worshipped by Sepharvites; proper noun referring solely to this figure
Root / Etymology
Of foreign (non-Hebrew) origin; the precise etymology is uncertain. The name is possibly of Akkadian or West Semitic derivation, perhaps combining elements meaning ‘Anu’ (a chief Mesopotamian god) and ‘king’ (malku/meliku), but this remains conjectural due to lack of definitive linguistic evidence.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term עֲנַמֶּלֶךְ appears only in 2 Kings 17:31, in the narrative describing the importation of foreign peoples into Samaria following the Assyrian conquest. As a proper noun, it refers specifically to a deity worshipped by the people of Sepharvaim, alongside Adrammelech. The text provides little indication of the nature or characteristics of this god, and no further information is available from other biblical occurrences. The use of the name in the Hebrew Bible is polemical, presenting these gods as foreign and distinct from Israelite worship, without elaboration on their original cultural contexts. Later English translations sometimes render the name as “Anammelech,” straightforwardly transliterating the Hebrew rather than substituting with a title or epithet, as is appropriate for a non-Israelite deity. No evidence links the name to Israelite religious practice, nor is there evidence that the term’s semantic range extended beyond the naming of this deity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Anammelek, an Assyrian deity; Anammelech.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — proper name, foreign deity
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6048-01 |
וַֽ/עֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | vaanamelekhe | HC/Np |
and-Anammelech | and Anammelek | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6048-01 |
2 Kings 17:31 | וַֽ/עֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | vaanamelekhe | HC/Np |
and-Anammelech | and Anammelek |