Ambassador. 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; Numbers 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 Judges 20:12.

Ambassadors are found to have been employed not only on occasions of hostile challenge or insolent menace, 1 Kings 20:2; 1 Kings 20:6; 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; 2 Kings 16:7; 2 Kings 18:14; 2 Chronicles 32:31. Ministers are called ambassadors of Christ.