Nahshon
Nah'shon (Heb. Nachshon', נִחשׁוֹן, sorcerer; Sept. and N.T. Ναασσών, but Ναασσῶν, Nu 1:7; A.V. "Naashon," Ex 6:23; "Naason," Mt 1:4; Lu 3:32), the son of Aminadab, and prince of the children of Judah (as he is styled in the genealogy of Judah, 1Ch 2:10) at the time of the first numbering in the wilderness (Ex 6:23; Nu 1:7, etc.). B.C. 1657. His sister, Elisheba, was wife to Aaron, and his son, Salmon, was husband to Rahab after the taking of Jericho. From Elisheba being described as "sister of Naashon," we may infer that he was a person of considerable note and dignity, which his appointment as one of the twelve princes who assisted Moses and Aaron in taking the census, and who were all "renowned of the congregation,... heads of thousands in Israel," shows him to have been. No less conspicuous for high rank and position does he appear in Nu 2:3; Nu 7:12; Nu 10:14, where, in the encampment, in the offerings of the princes, and in the order of march, the first place is assigned to him as captain of the host of Judah. Indeed, on these three last-named occasions he appears as the first man in the state next to Moses and Aaron, whereas at the census he comes after the chiefs of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon. Nahshon died in the wilderness, according to Nu 26:64-65, but no further particulars of his life are given. In the N.T. he occurs twice, viz. in Mt 1:4, and Lu 3:32, in the genealogy of Christ, where his lineage in the preceding and following descents is evidently copied from Ru 4:18-20; 1Ch 2:10-12.
