AHIMAAZ
brother of anger = irascible. (1.) The father Ahinoam, the wife of Saul (1-Sam 14:50). (2.) The son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest (1-Chr 6:8, 1-Chr 6: 53). On the occasion of the revolt of Absalom he remained faithful to David, and was of service to him in conveying to him tidings of the proceedings of Absalom in Jerusalem (2-Sam 15:24;17:15). He was swift of foot, and was ......
AHIMAN
brother of a gift = liberal. (1.) One of the three giant Anakim brothers whom Caleb and the spies saw in Mount Hebron (Num. 13:22) when they went in to explore the land. They were afterwards driven out and slain (Josh. 15:14; Judg. 1:10). (2.) One of the guardians of the temple after the Exile (1-Chr 9:17).......
AHIMELECH
brother of the king, the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar (1-Sam 22:20). He descended from Eli in the line of Ithamar. In 1-Chr 18:16 he is called Abimelech, and is probably the same as Ahiah (1-Sam 14:3, 1-Sam 14: 18). He was the twelfth high priest, and officiated at Nob, where he was visited by David (to whom and his companions he gave five loaves of the showbread) when he fled from Saul (1......
BETH-JESHIMOTH
house of wastes, or deserts, a town near Abel-shittim, east of Jordan, in the desert of Moab, where the Israelites encamped not long before crossing the Jordan (Num. 33:49; A.V., "Bethjesimoth"). It was within the territory of Sihon, king of the Amorites (Josh. 12:3). ......
BOCHIM
weepers, a place where the angel of the Lord reproved the Israelites for entering into a league with the people of the land. This caused them bitterly to weep, and hence the name of the place (Judg. 2:1, Judg. 2: 5). It lay probably at the head of one of the valleys between Gilgal and Shiloh. ......
CASLUHIM
fortified, a people descended from Mizraim (Gen. 10:14; 1-Chr 1:12). Their original seat was probably somewhere in Lower Egypt, along the sea-coast to the south border of Palestine.......
CHARASHIM
craftsmen, a valley named in 1-Chr 4:14. In Neh. 11:35 the Hebrew word is rendered "valley of craftsmen" (R.V. marg., Geha-rashim). Nothing is known of it. ......
CHERETHIM
(Ezek. 25:16), more frequently Cherethites, the inhabitants of Southern Philistia, the Philistines (Zeph. 2:5). The Cherethites and the Pelethites were David's life-guards (1-Sam 30:14; 2-Sam 8:18;20:7, 20: 23;23:23). This name is by some interpreted as meaning "Cretans," and by others "executioners," who were ready to execute the king's sentence of death (Gen. 37:36, Gen. 37: marg.; 1-Kings 2:25)......
CHIMHAM
pining, probably the youngest son of Barzillai the Gileadite (2-Sam 19:37). The "habitation of Chimham" (Jer. 41:17) was probably an inn or khan, which is the proper meaning of the Hebrew _geruth_, rendered "habitation", established in later times in his possession at Bethlehem, which David gave to him as a reward for his loyalty in accompanying him to Jerusalem after the defeat of Absalom (1-King......
JESHIMON
the waste, probably some high waste land to the south of the Dead Sea (Num. 21:20;23:28; 1-Sam 23:19, 1-Sam 23: 24); or rather not a proper name at all, but simply "the waste" or "wilderness," the district on which the plateau of Ziph (q.v.) looks down. ......
NAPHTUHIM
a Hamitic tribe descended from Mizraim (Gen. 10:13). Others identify this word with Napata, the name of the city and territory on the southern frontier of Mizraim, the modern Meroe, at the great bend of the Nile at Soudan. This city was the royal residence, it is said, of Queen Candace (Acts 8:27). Here there are extensive and splendid ruins.......
RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM
the two heights of the Zophites or of the watchers (only in 1-Sam 1:1), "in the land of Zuph" (9:5). Ramathaim is another name for Ramah (4). One of the Levitical families descended from Kohath, that of Zuph or Zophai (1-Chr 6:26, 1-Chr 6: 35), had a district assigned to them in Ephraim, which from this circumstance was called "the land of Zuph," and hence the name of the town, "Zophim." It was ......
SERAPHIM
mentioned in Isa. 6:2, Isa. 6: 3, 6, 7. This word means fiery ones, in allusion, as is supposed, to their burning love. They are represented as "standing" above the King as he sat upon his throne, ready at once to minister unto him. Their form appears to have been human, with the addition of wings. (See ANGELS.) This word, in the original, is used elsewhere only of the "fiery serpents" (Num. 21:6,......
SHILHIM
aqueducts, a town in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:32); called also Sharuhen and Shaaraim (19:6).......
SHIMEA
the hearing prayer. (1.) One of David's sons by Bathsheba (1-Chr 3:5); called also Shammua (14:4). (2.) A Levite of the family of Merari (1-Chr 6:30). (3.) Another Levite of the family of Gershon (1-Chr 6:39). (4.) One of David's brothers (1-Sam 16:9, 1-Sam 16: marg.).......
SHIMEAH
(1.) One of David's brothers (2-Sam 13:3); same as Shimea (4). (2.) A Benjamite, a descendant of Gibeon (1-Chr 8:32); called also Shimeam (9:38).......
SHIMEI
famous. (1.) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi (Num. 3:18; 1-Chr 6:17, 1-Chr 6: 29); called Shimi in Exo 6:17. (2.) A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusalem on the occasion of the rebellion of Absalom (2-Sam 16:5). After the defeat of Absalom he "came cringing to the king, humbly suing for pardon, bringing with him a ......
SHIMEON
hearkening. Ezra 10:31.......
SHIMHI
famous, a Benjamite (1-Chr 8:21).......
SHIMRATH
guardian, a Benjamite, one of Shimhi's sons (id.).......
SHIMRI
watchman. (1.) A Simeonite (1-Chr 4:37). (2.) The father of one of the "valiant men" of David's armies (1-Chr 11:45). (3.) Assisted at the purification of the temple in the time of Hezekiah (2-Chr 29:13).......
SHIMROM
watchman, the fourth son of Issachar (Gen. 46:13; 1-Chr 7:1; R.V., correctly, "Shimron").......
SHIMRON
watch-post, an ancient city of the Canaanites; with its villages, allotted to Zebulun (Josh. 19:15); now probably Semunieh, on the northern edge of the plain of Esdraelon, 5 miles west of Nazareth.......
SHIMRON-MERON
the same, probably, as Shimron (Josh. 12:20).......
SHIMSHAI
the shining one, or sunny, the secretary of Rehum the chancellor, who took part in opposing the rebuilding of the temple after the Captivity (Ezra 4:8, Ezra 4: 9, 17-23).......
TERAPHIM
givers of prosperity, idols in human shape, large or small, analogous to the images of ancestors which were revered by the Romans. In order to deceive the guards sent by Saul to seize David, Michal his wife prepared one of the household teraphim, putting on it the goat's-hair cap worn by sleepers and invalids, and laid it in a bed, covering it with a mantle. She pointed it out to the soldiers, and......
TROPHIMUS
a foster-child, an Ephesian who accompanied Paul during a part of his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4;21:29). He was with Paul in Jerusalem, and the Jews, supposing that the apostle had brought him with him into the temple, raised a tumult which resulted in Paul's imprisonment. (See TEMPLE,+HEROD'S.) In writing to Timothy, the apostle says, "Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick" (2-Tim 4:20).......
ZOPHIM, FIELD OF
field of watchers, a place in Moab on the range of Pisgah (Num. 23:14). To this place Balak brought Balaam, that he might from thence curse the children of Israel. Balaam could only speak the word of the Lord, and that was blessing. It is the modern Tal'at-es-Safa. (See PISGAH.)......
ADRAMYTTIUM
a city of Asia Minor on the coast of Mysia, which in early times was called AEolis. The ship in which Paul embarked at Caesarea belonged to this city (Acts 27:2). He was conveyed in it only to Myra, in Lycia, whence he sailed in an Alexandrian ship to Italy. It was a rare thing for a ship to sail from any port of Palestine direct for Italy. It still bears the name Adramyti, and is a place of some ......
ARMY
The Israelites marched out of Egypt in military order (Exo 13:18, Exo 13: "harnessed;" marg., "five in a rank"). Each tribe formed a battalion, with its own banner and leader (Num. 2:2;10:14). In war the army was divided into thousands and hundreds under their several captains (Num. 31:14), and also into families (Num. 2:34; 2-Chr 25:5;26:12). From the time of their entering the land of Canaan to ......
ASTRONOMY
The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9;38:31), "the crooked s......
BLASPHEMY
In the sense of speaking evil of God this word is found in Psa 74:18; Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24; Rev. 13:1, Rev. 13: 6;16:9, 16: 11, 21. It denotes also any kind of calumny, or evil-speaking, or abuse (1-Kings 21:10; Acts 13:45;18:6, 18: etc.). Our Lord was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to be the Son of God (Matt. 26:65; comp. Matt. 9:3; Mark 2:7). They who deny his Messiahship blaspheme Jesus (......
DEUTERONOMY
In all the Hebrew manuscripts the Pentateuch (q.v.) forms one roll or volume divided into larger and smaller sections called _parshioth_ and _sedarim_. It is not easy to say when it was divided into five books. This was probably first done by the Greek translators of the book, whom the Vulgate follows. The fifth of these books was called by the Greeks Deuteronomion, i.e., the second law, hence our......
MYRA
one of the chief towns of Lycia, in Asia Minor, about 2 1/2 miles from the coast (Acts 27:5). Here Paul removed from the Adramyttian ship in which he had sailed from Caesarea, and entered into the Alexandrian ship, which was afterwards wrecked at Melita (27:39). ......
MYRRH
Heb. mor. (1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Exo 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Psa 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion "wine m......
MYRTLE
(Isa. 41:19; Neh. 8:15; Zech. 1:8), Hebrew hadas, known in the East by the name _as_, the Myrtus communis of the botanist. "Although no myrtles are now found on the mount (of Olives), excepting in the gardens, yet they still exist in many of the glens about Jerusalem, where we have often seen its dark shining leaves and white flowers. There are many near Bethlehem and about Hebron, especially near......
MYSIA
a province in the north-west of Asia Minor. On his first voyage to Europe (Acts 16:7, Acts 16: 8) Paul passed through this province and embarked at its chief port Troas. ......
MYSTERY
the calling of the Gentiles into the Christian Church, so designated (Eph. 1:9, Eph. 1: 10;3:8; Col. 1:25); a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid, now made manifest. The resurrection of the dead (1-Cor 15:51), and other doctrines which need to be explained but which cannot be fully understood by finite intelligence (Matt. 13:11; Rom. 11:25; 1-Cor 13:2); the union between Christ and......
SMYRNA
myrrh, an ancient city of Ionia, on the western coast of Asia Minor, about 40 miles to the north of Ephesus. It is now the chief city of Anatolia, having a mixed population of about 200,000, of whom about one-third are professed Christians. The church founded here was one of the seven addressed by our Lord (Rev. 2:8). The celebrated Polycarp, a pupil of the apostle John, was in the second century ......
BOWELS
(Phil. 1:8;2:1; Col. 3:12), compassionate feelings; R.V., "tender mercies." ......