AMBASSADOR

AMBAS'SADOR, noun [This is the more common orthography; but good authors write also embassador; and as the orthography of embassy is established, it would be better to write embassador. See Embassador.]

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Ambassador. Ambassador
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word tsir, meaning “one who goes on an errand,” is rendered thus (Josh. 9:4; Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 49:14; Obad. 1:1). This is also the rendering of melits, meaning “an interpreter,” in 2 Chr. 32:31; and of malak, a “messenger,” in 2 Chr. 35:21; Isa. 30:4; 33:7; Ezek. 17:15. This is the name used by the apostle as designating those who are appointed by God to declare his will (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:20).

The Hebrews on various occasions and for various purposes had recourse to the services of ambassadors, e.g., to contract alliances (Josh. 9:4), to solicit favours (Num. 20:14), to remonstrate when wrong was done (Judg. 11:12), to condole with a young king on the death of his father (2 Sam. 10:2), and to congratulate a king on his accession to the throne (1 Kings 5:1).

To do injury to an ambassador was to insult the king who sent him (2 Sam. 10:5).

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a person of high rank employed by a government to represent it and transact its business at the seat of government of some other power. The earliest examples of ambassadors employed occur in (Numbers 20:14; 21:21; Judges 11:7-19) afterwards in that of the fraudulent Gibeonites, (Joshua 9:4) etc., and in the instances of civic strife mentioned (Judges 11:12) and Judg 20:12 Ambassadors are found to have been employed not only on occasions of hostile challenge or insolent menace, (1 Kings 20:2,6; 2 Kings 14:8) but of friendly compliment, of request for alliance or other aid, of submissive deprecation and of curious inquiry. (2 Kings 14:8; 16:7; 18:14; 2 Chronicles 32:31) Ministers are called ambassadors of Christ.

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ambassador. Ambassador, n. a minister of the highest rank, better written Embassador, which see

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Am‐bas″sa‐dor (�), Em‐bas″sa‐dor (�), n. [[See Embassador.]] 1. 1. A minister of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country.
☞ Ambassadors are either ordinary [or resident] or extraordinary, that is, sent upon some special or unusual occasion or errand. Abbott. 2. 2. An official messenger and representative.