 The Jewish Encyclopedia suspects him of having been a foreign oppresser of the Israelites, rather than an Israelite ruler.From the form of the name, it is suspected that Shamgar may actually have been a Hittite, a similar name occurring with Sangara, a Hittite king of Carchemish; it is also the case that "Anath" is the name of a Canaanite deity, and "son of Anath" is thus merely a royal title.Yet many cities in Israel have names Beth-Anath and Anathoth.