Original Word: אָמוֹן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Amown
Pronunciation: ah-MONE
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-mone')
KJV: Amon
NASB: Amon
Word Origin: [the same as H525 (אָמוֹן - artisans)]

1. Amon, the name of three Israelites

Amon

The same as 'amown; Amon, the name of three Israelites -- Amon.

see HEBREW 'amown

Word Origin
from aman
Definition
"masterworkman," three Isr.
NASB Translation
Amon (17).

אָמִי proper name, masculine Ezra 2:57 #NAME?אָמוֺן Nehemiah 7:59.

III. אָמוֺן proper name, masculine (master-workman) (a) king of Judah 2 Kings 18:19,23,24,25; 1 Chronicles 3:14; 2Chronicles 33:20,21,22,23,25; Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 25:3; (b) captain of a city 1 Kings 22:26; 2Chronicles 18:25; (c) one of the line of Solomon's servants Nehemiah 7:59 = אָמִי Ezra 2:57.

Identity and Scope of the Name

אָמוֹן appears seventeen times in the Hebrew Scriptures, designating two named individuals, a post-exilic family line, and (indirectly) the chronological marker “son of Amon” in prophetic superscriptions. The contexts fall into four groups: the wicked king of Judah (2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; Jeremiah; Zephaniah), a governor of Samaria in the days of Ahab (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18), a post-exilic family unable to prove genealogy (Nehemiah 7:59), and a royal ancestor in the Davidic line (1 Chronicles 3:14).

Amon King of Judah

1. Accession and Background

“Manasseh rested with his fathers… And his son Amon became king in his place” (2 Kings 21:18). Amon, son of Manasseh and Meshullemeth, ascended the throne of Judah at twenty-two and reigned two years (2 Kings 21:19).

2. Character and Conduct

“He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done” (2 Kings 21:20). Every clause stresses continuity with Manasseh’s earlier apostasy: walking in idolatrous ways, serving foreign gods, and forsaking the covenant (2 Kings 21:21-22; 2 Chronicles 33:22). Unlike his father, Amon showed no late-life repentance (2 Chronicles 33:23).

3. Assassination and Aftermath

Conspired against “in his own house” (2 Kings 21:23), Amon was slain by palace servants. The people executed the conspirators and enthroned his eight-year-old son, Josiah (2 Kings 21:24). Thus divine providence preserved the Davidic line and prepared Judah for Josiah’s reforms.

4. Prophetic Timestamp

Jeremiah’s call (Jeremiah 1:2) and twenty-three-year preaching span (Jeremiah 25:3) are dated from “the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon.” Zephaniah likewise ministers “in the days of Josiah son of Amon” (Zephaniah 1:1). The poor spiritual legacy of Amon thus serves as a foil to the renewal under Josiah and the prophetic warnings that followed.

Spiritual Lessons from Amon’s Apostasy

• Leadership without repentance perpetuates generational sin: Amon “walked in all the ways of his father” (2 Kings 21:21).
• God’s patience has limits; sudden judgment may fall even on royalty.
• Divine sovereignty overrules human rebellion, raising up Josiah for reform.
• Remembered only for evil, Amon stands as a cautionary tale for every steward of authority.

Amon the Governor of Samaria

During Ahab’s reign, Amon served as “the governor of the city” (1 Kings 22:26; 2 Chronicles 18:25). He received the prophet Micaiah for imprisonment after the latter foretold Ahab’s death. His presence in the narrative underscores the persistent opposition of civil power to prophetic truth, contrasting worldly authority with God’s word.

Post-exilic “Sons of Amon”

Nehemiah 7:59 lists “the descendants of Amon” among returnees unable to verify ancestral records, barring them from priestly service until genealogies were established (cf. Nehemiah 7:64-65). The episode highlights the restored community’s concern for purity and order while displaying mercy through provisional inclusion.

Genealogical Mention in the House of David

1 Chronicles 3:14 places Amon between Manasseh and Josiah in the royal lineage from David to the exile, evidencing the unbroken chain leading to Messianic expectation despite individual kings’ failures.

Ministry Implications

1. Pastoral Warning: Like Amon, leaders who embrace idolatrous patterns risk swift judgment and squander God-given influence.
2. Prophetic Courage: Micaiah’s faithful stand before Governor Amon encourages proclaiming truth regardless of civic opposition.
3. Discipleship Focus: Josiah’s godliness blossomed despite Amon’s legacy, affirming that repentance and reform are possible for the next generation.
4. Ecclesial Integrity: The “sons of Amon” episode commends careful church membership rolls and doctrinal fidelity while awaiting final validation in Christ.

Redemptive Continuity

Though Amon’s reign epitomized covenant infidelity, his placement in the Davidic line demonstrates that God’s promise does not fail. From Manasseh’s repentance, through Amon’s downfall, to Josiah’s revival, the narrative moves toward the ultimate Son of David, Jesus Christ, who secures an everlasting kingdom where no ruler will “abandon the LORD” again.

אָמ֑וֹן אָמ֖וֹן אָמ֣וֹן אָמ֥וֹן אָמֹ֣ן אָמֽוֹן׃ אָמוֹן֩ אמון אמון׃ אמן ’ā·mōn ’āmōn aMonInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts