Anah
“Speech or affliction”
Summary
A Horite chieftain, son of Zibeon and father of Aholibamah (Esau's wife), notable for discovering hot springs in the wilderness.
☩Identity and Discovery
Anah was the son of Zibeon and grandson of Seir the Horite, though he is also listed among the sons of Seir because he headed an independent tribe. He was the father of Aholibamah, who became one of Esau's wives. While feeding his father's donkeys in the wilderness, he discovered "warm springs" (often translated as "mules" in older versions, but now understood to be hot springs), possibly the thermal springs of Callirrhoe southeast of the Dead Sea. This discovery may have earned him the alternate name Beeri, meaning "man of the spring."
☩Tribal Designations
By his descent from Seir, Anah is classified as a Horite, meaning "cave-dweller" or troglodyte. He is also called a Hivite and even identified with Beeri the Hittite, suggesting that these various designations for Canaanite peoples were sometimes used interchangeably. Only those descendants of Seir who headed tribes connected with Edom are enumerated in the genealogies.
Related Verses10 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Anah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Anah," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Anah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).