ANAH, the Son of Zibeon the Hivite, and Father of Aholibamah, Esau’s Wife. While he was feeding Asses in the desart, he discover’d Springs there of warm water. Genes. xxxvi. 24.Thus St. Jerom translates the Hebrew text jemim; the Septuagint and other Hebrew Translators have preserved the term jamim or jemim; he found jamim or the jamims: Others1 translate, he discover’d the manner of producing mules, by copulation between a She-ass and an Horse, or between an Ass and a Mare; but the Scripture never calls Mules jamim, nor are such creatures at all to be met with in the Scripture till after David.
Others2 are of opinion, that Anah found, that is, attacked, surprized the People called Jamim or Jemim in the Wilderness, where he was feeding droves of Asses. The Samaritan Version reads, that Anah found the Emeans, a sort of People whom Moses takes notice of, Deut. ii. 10. The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a People great and many, and tall as the Anakims. These Emims dwelt in the neighbourhood of Seir, where Anah fed his Asses. The Hebrew term Matza, which signifies to find, is likewise taken often for to attack or surprize an enemy. This to me seems to be the true explanation.
Some have thought, but without any proof, that Anah had merited divine honours, and that he is named in the second book of Kings, where it is said that the Sepharvaim adored Henah, or Anah, and Ivah. See likewise 2 Kings xix. 12. and Isaiah xxxvii. 13.
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