Chimham

CHIMHAM

kim'-ham (kimham (2 Samuel 19:37,38) or kimhan (2 Samuel 19:40) or kemohem (Jeremiah 41:17 Kt.); this reading, however, may probably be safely ignored):

One of the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, who supported David while the latter was in exile in Mahanaim (2 Samuel 19:37). After the death of Absalom, Barzillai was invited to spend the remainder of his life with the king; but he refused, and sent his son Chimham in his stead. From the mention of "the habitation of Chimham, which is by Beth-lehem" (Jeremiah 41:17 the King James Version), it has been inferred that Chimham received a grant of land from David's patrimony at Bethlehem, which retained his name for at least four centuries. It has been suggested that his name was probably Ahinoam ('achino`am).

Horace J. Wolf