JAMBRES. [JANNES.] JAMBRI (LXX.'Iczkcppi,'Ial.cppetv; Joseph. reads, ol ' Apapaiov ralSes; Vulg. yanibri), apparently a mighty man in the city of Medaba, with whom we first become acquainted in the first book of Maccabees (ch. ix. 36). Jonathan, who succeeded his brother Judas in the government of the Jews (u.c. 161), about to be attacked by Bacchides, an officer of the king of Syria, on the Sabbath day, sent off a detachment, under the command of his brother John, in charge of all his baggage, to leave it for security with their friends, the .Nabathites. But the children of Jambri came out of Medaba, and took John and all that he had and went their way.' This hostile act was not, however, left unavenged ; for, soon after, it was told Jonathan and Simon that, the children of Jambri' were celebrating a. great marriage, and bringing the bride from Nada bath, when Jonathan and his party laid an ambush for them, and as the bridegroom was coming forth with great pomp to meet the bride, with timbrels and songs, fell upon them, committing great slaughter, and taking great spoil ; thus convert ing the marriage into mourning, and their melody into lamentation' (1 Maccab. ix. 33-42). But who
Jambri was we know not. Some suppose that the children of Jambri' were a family of Amorites who lived in Medaba, and who, as such, were ready to shew their hatred to the Jews. But, query, May not Jambri be the same as Jambres, one of the two magicians who opposed Moses ? and may not the persons, who, on the above named occasion, at tacked the Jews, be called the children of Jam bri,' or Jambres, to brand them with infamy as the enemies of God's people and cause ?—I. J.