Boy Old Testament Rare
Nahash
snake; serpent
נָחָשׁ na.chash
Nahash (Hebrew: נָחָשׁ, na.chash) means “snake; serpent”, by traditional interpretation. Four people in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abigail in 2 Samuel 17.
Which Nahash?
Four men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Nahash
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Nahash
father of Hanun
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Nahash
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Nahash
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 8 across 3 books
- Bearers
- 4 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Samuel 11:1 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 19:2 |
| Cross-references | 133 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Hanun co-occurrence Appears with Hanun in 1 Chronicles 19.
- Abigail co-occurrence Appears with Abigail in 2 Samuel 17.
- Jether co-occurrence Appears with Jether in 2 Samuel 17.
- Barzillai co-occurrence Appears with Barzillai in 2 Samuel 17.
- Amasa co-occurrence Appears with Amasa in 2 Samuel 17.
- Shobach co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Shobach.
- Shobi co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Shobi.
- Zeruiah co-occurrence Appears with Zeruiah in 2 Samuel 17.
Origin & meaning
A man of the Ammonites living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.11.1
§ Nahash = "serpent"
1) a king of the Ammonites during the time of king Saul
2) the father of Abigail, the mother of Amasa, the commander of Absalom's army
Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, besieged Jabesh Gilead and threatened to gouge out the right eyes of its inhabitants.
The biblical story
Nahash was the king of the Ammonites, a neighboring nation to Israel, during the early period of the Israelite monarchy. In 1 Samuel 11, Nahash is described as besieging the city of Jabesh Gilead, located in the territory of Manasseh, east of the Jordan River.
Nahash demanded that the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead surrender and agree to have their right eyes gouged out as a sign of subjugation and humiliation. The people of Jabesh Gilead sought help from their fellow Israelites, sending messengers to King Saul, who had recently been crowned as the first king of Israel.
Upon hearing of the Ammonite threat, Saul rallied the Israelite forces and marched to Jabesh Gilead. In a decisive battle, Saul defeated Nahash and the Ammonite army, saving the city and its inhabitants from the cruel fate proposed by Nahash.
The victory over Nahash and the Ammonites was a significant moment in Saul's reign, as it demonstrated his leadership and military prowess. It also served to unite the Israelite tribes under Saul's rule, as they recognized the importance of having a strong central authority to protect them from external threats.
In 1Sa.12.12, the prophet Samuel reminds the Israelites of the threat posed by Nahash and the Ammonites, using it as an example of the dangers they faced and the need for a king to lead and defend them. This reference underscores the significance of the battle against Nahash in the early history of the Israelite monarchy.
Key verses
Nahash appears in 3 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh–gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
1 Samuel 11:1 -
And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
1 Samuel 11:2 -
And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.
1 Samuel 12:12
Show all 3 references
1 Samuel (3)
- 1 Samuel 11:1
- 1 Samuel 11:2
- 1 Samuel 12:12