Enemessar
TextsWhat is the meaning of Enemessar in the Bible?
The name Enemessar appears in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit as the father and predecessor of Sennacherib, a genealogical and chronological error resulting from textual corruption or confusion with the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, who is historically associated with the deportation of the Israelites.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing Enemessar as a textual anomaly in Tobit rather than a historical figure clarifies the distinction between the canonical historical records of the Assyrian Empire and the literary traditions preserved in deuterocanonical literature, aiding in the accurate interpretation of biblical chronology.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Enemessar in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Enemessar clarify?
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.