Amasai

Amasa´i, the principal leader of a considerable body of men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who joined David at Ziklag. The words with which David received them indicate some apprehension, which was instantly dissipated by a fervent declaration of attachment from Amasai (1Ch 12:16-18).

A Levite, who joined David with thirty gallant men, while in the desert flying from Saul, 1Ch 6:25 ; 12:16-18.\par

Amasa’i or Amas’a-i. (burdensome).

1. A Kohathite, father of Mahath and ancestor of Samuel. 1Ch 6:25; 1Ch 6:35.

2. Chief of the captains of Judah and Benjamin, who deserted to David while an outlaw at Ziklag. 1Ch 12:18. (B.C. 1060).

3. One of the priests who blew trumpets before the ark. 1Ch 15:24.

4. Another Kohathite, in the reign of Hezekiah. 2Ch 29:12.

[some Amas’ai] (Hebrew Amasay’, עֲמָשִׂי, burdensome), the name of several men. SEE AMASHAI.

1. (Sept. Α᾿μασί and Α᾿μάς v. r. Α᾿μεσσί and Α᾿μαθί.) A Levite, son of Elkanah, and father of Ahimoth or Mahath, of the ancestry of Samuel (1Ch 6:25; 1Ch 6:35), B.C. cir. 1410. 2. (Sept. Α᾿μασαί.) The principal leader of a considerable body of men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who joined David in “the stronghold," apparently the cave of Adullam; his fervent declaration of attachment instantly dispelled the apprehensions that David expressed at their coming (1Ch 12:18), B.C. cir. 1061. There is not much probability in the supposition (Ewald, Isr. Gesch. 2, 544) that he was the same with AMASA SEE AMASA (q.v.), the nephew of David.

3. (Sept. Α᾿μασαϊv.) One of the priests appointed to precede the ark with blowing of trumpets on its removal from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem (1Ch 15:24), B.C. cir. 1043.

4. (Sept. Α᾿μασί.) Another Levite, father of a different Mahath, and one of the two Kohathites that were forward at the instance of Hezekiah in cleansing the temple (2Ch 29:12), B.C. 726.

Amasai (a-măs’a-î or ăm’a-sâ-i), burdensame. 1. A Levite, one, of the sons of Elkanah. 1Ch 6:25. 2. A chief of the captains who joined David in the desert. 1Ch 12:18. 3. One of the Levites. 1Ch 15:24. 4. The father of Mahath. 2Ch 29:12.

[Ama’sai]

1. One or more descendants of Kohath. 1Ch 6:25; 1Ch 6:35; 2Ch 29:12.

2. Chief of the captains of those who resorted to David at Ziklag. 1Ch 12:18.

3. Priest who helped to bring up the ark from the house of Obed-edom. 1Ch 15:24.

By: Gerson B. Levi

1. Son of Elkanah, a Levite of the Kohathite family (I Chron. vi. 10, 20; II Chron. xxix. 12). 2. Chief of the captains who met David at Ziklag and offered their services to him. It is possible that he is identical with Amasa (I Chron. xii. 19). 3. One of the priests who blew trumpets when David brought back the Ark of the Covenant (I Chron. xv. 24).

AMASAI.—1. A Kohathite (1Ch 6:25; 1Ch 6:35); the eponym of a family (2Ch 29:12). 2. One of the priests who blew trumpets on the occasion of David’s bringing the ark to Jerus. (1Ch 15:24). 3. One of David’s officers at Ziklag (1Ch 12:18), possibly to be identified with Amasa, No. 1.

a-mā´sı̄ (עמשׂי, ‛ămāsay, perhaps rather to be read עמּשׁי, ‛ammishay; so Wellhausen, IJG, II, 24, n.2):

(1) A name in the genealogy of Kohath, son of Elkanah, a Levite of the Kohathite family (compare 1Ch 6:25; 2Ch 29:12).

(2) Chief of the captains who met David at Ziklag and tendered him their allegiance. Some have identified him with Amasa and others with Abishai, who is called Abshai in 1Ch 11:20 m (compare 1Ch 18:12). The difficulty is that neither Amasa nor Abishai occupied the rank of the chief of thirty according to the lists in 2 Sam 23 and 1 Ch 11, the rank to which David is supposed to have appointed into (compare 1Ch 12:18).

(3) One of the trumpet-blowing priests who greeted David when he brought back the Ark of the Covenant (compare 1Ch 15:24).