Ahimaaz (high priest)

For other people with the same name see Ahimaaz (disambiguation)

Ahimaaz was son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest (1 Chronicles 6:8, 53). On the occasion of the revolt of Absalom he remained faithful to David, and was of service to him in conveying to him tidings of the proceedings of Absalom in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15:24-37; 17:15-21). He was swift of foot, and was the first to carry to David tidings of the defeat of Absalom, although he refrained, from delicacy of feeling, from telling him of his death (2 Sam. 18:19-33).

He may have been father-in-law of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:7,15) if he is the same Ahimaaz who was father of Basemath, one of Solomon's wives. Subsequent kings of Israel, Ahaz, also married daughters of the high priest.

Preceded by Zadok

High Priest of Israel

Succeeded by Azariah

References

Attribution

This article incorporates text from the entry Ahimaaz in Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), a publication now in the public domain.