ANATH

(Aʹnath).

1. The father of one of Israel’s judges, Shamgar.​—Jg 3:31; 5:6.

2. One of the three principal Canaanite goddesses. She is presented both as the sister and spouse of Baal and as a symbol of lustful sex and war. There is no evidence, however, to show that the name of Shamgar’s father was drawn from that of the goddess Anath, although the apostasies of Israel during this period could allow for that.​—Compare the case of Gideon at Jg 6:25-27.