that the release, or amnesty, may have involved a remission of tribute, a remission of military service, release from prison, or a combination of these. A different Hebrew word (shemit·tahʹ) is used elsewhere in the Scriptures to describe a releasing from debt or suspension of labor.​—De 15:1, 2, 9; 31:10; see SABBATH YEAR.

As to a release of prisoners, it may be noted that during the reign of Xerxes I, believed to be the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther, a number of revolts occurred. An inscription from Persepolis attributed to Xerxes states: “After I became king, there were (some) among these countries . . . which revolted (but) I crushed (lit.: killed) these countries, . . . and I put them (again) into their (former political) status.” (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. B. Pritchard, 1974, p. 317) Political prisoners doubtless resulted from such suppression of uprisings, and the festive time of Esther’s being made queen may have been the occasion for Ahasuerus to efface the charges against such ones and grant them amnesty, or release. (Compare Mt 27:15.) The precise nature of the amnesty, however, remains undetermined.

(Amʹnon) [Trustworthy; Faithful; Long-Lasting].

1. David’s firstborn son by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, born at Hebron.​—2Sa 3:2; 1Ch 3:1.

Amnon developed a passionate desire for lovely Tamar, Absalom’s sister, to the point of lovesickness. Following the advice of his cousin Jehonadab, Amnon feigned illness and induced King David to send Tamar to Amnon’s private quarters to prepare “bread of consolation” in his presence. He then used the opportunity to violate his half sister forcibly, despite her pleading and reasoning with him. His case illustrates how extremely selfish erotic love can be, for, having satisfied his desire, Amnon then had Tamar put out into the street as someone repugnant to him, someone whose very presence doubtless made him feel unclean.​—2Sa 13:1-19.

Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, nursed a hatred of Amnon for this act, and two years later at a sheepshearing festival Absalom had his servants murder Amnon when he was “in a merry mood with wine.” (2Sa 13:20-29) Since Amnon, as David’s eldest son, was heir apparent to the throne, his death may also have been viewed as desirable by Absalom as a means to better his own possibilities of gaining the kingship. With this event the prophecy made by Nathan following David’s own misconduct with the wife of Uriah began to undergo fulfillment.​—2Sa 12:10; see ABSALOM.

2. The first in the list of four sons of Shimon, of the tribe of Judah.​—1Ch 4:1, 20.

(Aʹmok) [Deep; Unintelligible].

A principal priest who returned with Zerubbabel from exile in Babylon. (Ne 12:1, 7) His family was represented by his son Eber in the time of Joiakim.​—Ne 12:12, 20.

(Aʹmon).

[1-3: Trustworthy; Faithful; Long-Lasting]

1. A chief of the city of Samaria when Ahab, king of Israel, was ruling (c. 940-920 B.C.E.). The prophet Micaiah was put in his care while Ahab warred against Ramoth-gilead.​—1Ki 22:10, 26; 2Ch 18:25.

2. A king of Judah (661-660 B.C.E.), and son of wicked King Manasseh. He began to rule at the age of 22 and followed the idolatrous course of his father’s earlier years. The bad conditions described at Zephaniah 1:4; 3:2-4 doubtless were developing at this time. After two years on the throne, he was murdered by his own servants. “The people of the land [ʽam ha·ʼaʹrets]” put the conspirators to death, placed his son Josiah on the throne, and buried Amon in “the garden of Uzza.” (2Ki 21:19-26; 2Ch 33:20-25) The genealogy of Jesus includes his name.​—Mt 1:10.

3. The family head of certain returned exiles included among “the sons of the servants of Solomon.” (Ne 7:57-59) He is referred to as “Ami” in Ezra 2:57.

4. A local god of Thebes, or No-Amon, who rose to the position of “king of the gods” under the name Amon-Ra and whose high priest became head of all the Egyptian priesthoods. Amon is generally shown as a man wearing a crown with two tall parallel plumes, but also as a man with a ram’s head or as a ram. Like many Egyptian deities, he is often shown holding the crux ansata, the “sign of life.” Amon, his wife Mut, and Khonsu (his adopted son) made up the Theban triad.

A large part of Egypt’s spoils of war found its way into the treasury of Amon, whose priesthood became very powerful and wealthy. In his work A History of Egypt (1902, Vol. V, pp. 205-217), E. A. W. Budge suggests that the priesthood may actually have encouraged warfare for their own benefit. In time the high priests of Amon, whose office had become hereditary, exercised even greater power than the pharaohs. One of them, Herihor, succeeded the last of the Ramses to the throne. According to J. H. Breasted’s History of Egypt, under Hrihor (Herihor) “whatever the High Priest wished legally to effect could be sanctioned by special oracle of the god [Amon] at any