{
  "id": "dict_000122",
  "term": "Ahiezer",
  "slug": "ahiezer",
  "letter": "A",
  "entry_type": "biblical_proper_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Ahiezer is a biblical personal name borne by more than one Old Testament man, including a Danite leader in the wilderness period and a Benjamite warrior who joined David.",
  "simple_one_line": "Ahiezer is an Old Testament personal name used for more than one man.",
  "tooltip_text": "A biblical proper name borne by several Old Testament men; not a theological doctrine or concept.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Aaron",
    "Abner",
    "Ahithophel",
    "Benjamites",
    "Dan (tribe of)"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Names in the Bible",
    "Genealogies",
    "Wilderness generation",
    "David’s mighty men"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Ahiezer is a biblical personal name used for more than one Old Testament man. The name appears in historical lists and narratives, including the wilderness census and David’s military and tribal records.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A Hebrew personal name found in the Old Testament, applied to more than one individual.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Proper name, not a doctrine",
    "Used for more than one Old Testament man",
    "Best-known references include a Danite leader in the wilderness and a warrior associated with David",
    "Appears in historical and genealogical contexts"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Ahiezer refers to more than one individual in the Old Testament rather than to a doctrine or theological concept. Notable bearers include Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, a leader of the tribe of Dan during Israel’s wilderness organization, and Ahiezer the Anathothite, listed among David’s warriors. This is a biblical proper name.",
  "description_academic_full": "Ahiezer is a biblical personal name applied to more than one man in the Old Testament. The best-known references include Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, who served as a leader of the tribe of Dan during the wilderness census and camp arrangements, and Ahiezer the Anathothite, listed among David’s mighty men. Scripture presents these figures as historical individuals within Israel’s story. Because the term names persons rather than a doctrine, practice, or theological category, it belongs in a proper-name entry rather than a theological-term entry.",
  "background_biblical_context": "In the Pentateuch, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai appears in the organization of Israel’s tribes in the wilderness. In the historical books, another Ahiezer is associated with David’s forces and tribal support. These references show the name in administrative, military, and genealogical contexts.",
  "background_historical_context": "Names in ancient Israel often functioned as simple identifiers within tribal, military, or family records. Ahiezer appears in such lists, which makes the name useful for tracing people and tribal leadership in Israel’s history.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In ancient Israelite usage, personal names commonly carried theological meaning in the form of confessions or acknowledgments about God, though the biblical text does not always explain the significance of a specific name. Ahiezer is best treated as an identifier for historical persons in Scripture.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Numbers 1:12",
    "Numbers 2:25",
    "Numbers 7:66, 71",
    "Numbers 10:25",
    "1 Chronicles 12:3"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Chronicles 11:36"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "The name is transliterated from Hebrew as ʾAḥîʿezer (commonly rendered Ahiezer). Hebrew personal names in Scripture often combine a relational element with a divine reference.",
  "theological_significance": "Ahiezer has no independent doctrinal meaning, but it illustrates how Scripture preserves real people within covenant history. The name belongs to the historical fabric of Israel’s record rather than to theology in the strict sense.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "This entry is a matter of historical identification, not abstract theology. The dictionary should distinguish between a proper name and a concept so readers are not misled into treating a person-name as a doctrine.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Because more than one man bears this name, readers should identify the specific context before assuming a passage refers to the same individual. Do not build theological conclusions from the name itself.",
  "major_views_note": "There is no major doctrinal debate attached to the name itself. The main interpretive issue is simply distinguishing among the biblical men who share it.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Ahiezer is not a title for God, an office with ongoing theological significance, or a doctrinal term. Any meaning must remain secondary to the text’s historical identification of the person involved.",
  "practical_significance": "This entry helps readers track biblical names accurately and avoid confusion when multiple people share the same name. It also supports careful reading of genealogies and military or tribal lists.",
  "meta_description": "Ahiezer is a biblical personal name used for more than one Old Testament man, including a Danite leader and a warrior who joined David.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/ahiezer/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/ahiezer.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}