ALEXANDER
man-defender. (1.) A relative of Annas the high priest, present when Peter and John were examined before the Sanhedrim (Acts 4:6). (2.) A man whose father, Simon the Cyrenian, bore the cross of Christ (Mark 15:21). (3.) A Jew of Ephesus who took a prominent part in the uproar raised there by the preaching of Paul (Acts 19:33). The Jews put him forward to plead their cause before the mob. It wa......
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
the king of Macedonia, the great conqueror; probably represented in Daniel by the "belly of brass" (Dan. 2:32), and the leopard and the he-goat (7:6;11:3, 11:4). He succeeded his father Philip, and died at the age of thirty-two from the effects of intemperance, B.C. 323. His empire was divided among his four generals.......
ALEXANDRIA
the ancient metropolis of Lower Egypt, so called from its founder, Alexander the Great (about B.C. 333). It was for a long period the greatest of existing cities, for both Nineveh and Babylon had been destroyed, and Rome had not yet risen to greatness. It was the residence of the kings of Egypt for 200 years. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and only incidentally in the New. Apollos, eloq......
ANDREW
manliness, a Greek name; one of the apostles of our Lord. He was of Bethsaida in Galilee (John 1:44), and was the brother of Simon Peter (Matt. 4:18;10:2). On one occasion John the Baptist, whose disciple he then was, pointing to Jesus, said, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:40); and Andrew, hearing him, immediately became a follower of Jesus, the first of his disciples. After he had been led to r......
ANDRONICUS
man-conquering, a Jewish Christian, the kinsman and fellowprisoner of Paul (Rom. 16:7); "of note among the apostles."......
AUGUSTUS BAND
(Acts 27:1.: literally, of Sebaste, the Greek form of Augusta, the name given to Caesarea in honour of Augustus Caesar). Probably this "band" or cohort consisted of Samaritan soldiers belonging to Caesarea.......
AZUR AND AZZUR
helper. (1.) The father of Hananiah, a false prophet (Jer. 28:1). (2.) The father of Jaazaniah (Ezek. 11:1). (3.) One of those who sealed the covenant with Jehovah on the return from Babylon (Neh. 10:17).......
BANDS
(1) of love (Hos. 11:4); (2) of Christ (Psa 2:3); (3) uniting together Christ's body the church (Col. 2:19;3:14; Eph. 4:3); (4) the emblem of the captivity of Israel (Ezek. 34:27; Isa. 28:22;52:2); (5) of brotherhood (Ezek. 37:15); (6) no bands to the wicked in their death (Psa 73:4; Job 21:7; Psa 10:6). Also denotes chains (Luke 8:29); companies of soldiers (Acts 21:31); a shepherd's staff, indic......
BRIGANDINE
(Jer. 46:4;51:3), an obsolete English word denoting a scale coat of armour, or habergeon, worn by light-armed "brigands." The Revised Version has "coat of mail."......
BY AND BY
immediately (Matt. 13:21; R.V., "straightway;" Luke 21:9).......
CANDACE
the queen of the Ethiopians whose "eunuch" or chamberlain was converted to Christianity by the instrumentality of Philip the evangelist (Acts 8:27). The country which she ruled was called by the Greeks Meroe, in Upper Nubia. It was long the centre of commercial intercourse between Africa and the south of Asia, and hence became famous for its wealth (Isa. 45:14). It is somewhat singular that fema......
CANDLE
Heb. ner, Job 18:6;29:3; Psa 18:28; Prov. 24:20, Prov. 24: in all which places the Revised Version and margin of Authorized Version have "lamp," by which the word is elsewhere frequently rendered. The Hebrew word denotes properly any kind of candle or lamp or torch. It is used as a figure of conscience (Prov. 20:27), of a Christian example (Matt. 5:14, Matt. 5: 15), and of prosperity (Job 21:17; P......
CANDLESTICK
the lamp-stand, "candelabrum," which Moses was commanded to make for the tabernacle, according to the pattern shown him. Its form is described in Exo 25:31;37:17, 37: and may be seen represented on the Arch of Titus at Rome. It was among the spoils taken by the Romans from the temple of Jerusalem (A.D. 70). It was made of fine gold, and with the utensils belonging to it was a talent in weight. T......
CASTOR AND POLLUX
the "Dioscuri", two heroes of Greek and Roman mythology. Their figures were probably painted or sculptured on the prow of the ship which Luke refers to (Acts 28:11). They were regarded as the tutelary divinities of sailors. They appeared in the heavens as the constellation Gemini.......
COMMANDMENTS, THE TEN
(Exo 34:28; Deut. 10:4, Deut. 10: marg. "ten words") i.e., the Decalogue (q.v.), is a summary of the immutable moral law. These commandments were first given in their written form to the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai, about fifty days after they came out of Egypt (Exo 19:10). They were written by the finger of God on two tables of stone. The first tables were broken by Moses wh......
CORIANDER
Heb. gad, (Exo 16:31; Num. 11:7), seed to which the manna is likened in its form and colour. It is the Coriandrum sativum of botanists, an umbelliferous annual plant with a round stalk, about two feet high. It is widely cultivated in Eastern countries and in the south of Europe for the sake of its seeds, which are in the form of a little ball of the size of a peppercorn. They are used medicinally ......
FIREBRAND
Isa. 7:4, Isa. 7: Amos 4:11, Amos 4: Zech. 3:2, Zech. 3: denotes the burnt end of a stick (Heb. 'ud); in Judg. 15:4, Judg. 15: a lamp or torch, a flambeau (Heb. lappid); in Prov. 26:18 (comp. Eph. 6:16), burning darts or arrows (Heb. zikkim). ......
GARLANDS
(Acts 14:13). In heathen sacrifices the victims were adorned with fillets and garlands made of wool, with leaves and flowers interwoven. The altar and the priests and attendants were also in like manner adorned.......
HAND
Called by Galen "the instrument of instruments." It is the symbol of human action (Psa 9:16; Job 9:30; Isa. 1:15; 1-Tim 2:8). Washing the hands was a symbol of innocence (Psa 26:6;73:13; Matt. 27:24), also of sanctification (1-Cor 6:11; Isa. 51:16; Psa 24:3, Psa 24: 4). In Psa 77:2 the correct rendering is, as in the Revised Version, "My hand was stretched out," etc., instead of, as in the Authori......
HANDBREADTH
a measure of four fingers, equal to about four inches (Exo 25:25;37:12; Psa 39:5, Psa 39: etc.).......
HANDKERCHIEF
Only once in Authorized Version (Acts 19:12). The Greek word (sudarion) so rendered means properly "a sweat-cloth." It is rendered "napkin" in John 11:44;20:7; Luke 19:20.......
HANDMAID
servant (Gen. 16:1; Ruth 3:9; Luke 1:48). It is probable that Hagar was Sarah's personal attendant while she was in the house of Pharaoh, and was among those maid-servants whom Abram had brought from Egypt.......
HANDWRITING
(Col. 2:14). The "blotting out the handwriting" is the removal by the grace of the gospel of the condemnation of the law which we had broken.......
HEAD-BANDS
(Heb. kishshurim), properly girdles or belts for the waist (Isa. 3:20, Isa. 3: R.V., "sashes;" Jer. 2:32, Jer. 2: rendered "attire", i.e., a girdle round the waist).......
HUSBAND
i.e., the "house-band," connecting and keeping together the whole family. A man when betrothed was esteemed from that time a husband (Matt. 1:16, Matt. 1: 20; Luke 2:5). A recently married man was exempt from going to war for "one year" (Deut. 20:7;24:5). ......
HUSBANDMAN
one whose business it is to cultivate the ground. It was one of the first occupations, and was esteemed most honourable (Gen. 9:20;26:12, 26: 14;37:7, 37: etc.). All the Hebrews, except those engaged in religious services, were husbandmen. (See AGRICULTURE.) ......
ISLAND
(Heb. 'i, "dry land," as opposed to water) occurs in its usual signification (Isa. 42:4, Isa. 42: 10, 12, 15, comp. Jer. 47:4), but more frequently simply denotes a maritime region or sea-coast (Isa. 20:6, Isa. 20: R.V.," coastland;"23:2, 23: 6; Jer. 2:10; Ezek. 27:6, Ezek. 27: 7). (See CHITTIM.) The shores of the Mediterranean are called the "islands of the sea" (Isa. 11:11), or the "isles of the......
ITALIAN BAND
the name of the Roman cohort to which Cornelius belonged (Acts 10:1), so called probably because it consisted of men recruited in Italy. ......
JACHIN AND BOAZ
the names of two brazen columns set up in Solomon's temple (1-Kings 7:15). Each was eighteen cubits high and twelve in circumference (Jer. 52:21, Jer. 52: 23; 1-Kings 7:17). They had doubtless a symbolical import. ......
LANDMARK
a boundary line indicated by a stone, stake, etc. (Deut. 19:14;27:17; Prov. 22:28;23:10; Job 24:2). Landmarks could not be removed without incurring the severe displeasure of God. ......
LEFT HAND
among the Hebrews, denoted the north (Job 23:9; Gen. 14:15), the face of the person being supposed to be toward the east. ......
LEFT-HANDED
(Judg. 3:15;20:16), one unable to use the right hand skilfully, and who therefore uses the left; and also one who uses the left as well as the right, ambidexter. Such a condition of the hands is due to physical causes. This quality was common apparently in the tribe of Benjamin. ......
MANDRAKES
Hebrew dudaim; i.e., "love-plants", occurs only in Gen. 30:14 and 7:13. Many interpretations have been given of this word _dudaim_. It has been rendered "violets," "Lilies," "jasmines," "truffles or mushrooms," "flowers," the "citron," etc. The weight of authority is in favour of its being regarded as the Mandragora officinalis of botanists, "a near relative of the night-shades, the 'apple of Sodo......
PARSHANDATHA
an interpreter of the law, the eldest of Haman's sons, slain in Shushan (Esther 9:7).......
QUICKSANDS
found only in Acts 27:17, Acts 27: the rendering of the Greek Syrtis. On the north coast of Africa were two localities dangerous to sailors, called the Greater and Lesser Syrtis. The former of these is probably here meant. It lies between Tripoli and Barca, and near Cyrene. The Lesser Syrtis lay farther to the west.......
RUDDER BANDS
Ancient ships had two great broad-bladed oars for rudders. These, when not in use, were lifted out of the water and bound or tied up. When required for use, these bands were unloosed and the rudders allowed to drop into the water (Acts 27:40). ......
SANDALS
Mentioned only in Mark 6:9 and Acts 12:8. The sandal was simply a sole, made of wood or palm-bark, fastened to the foot by leathern straps. Sandals were also made of seal-skin (Ezek. 16:10; lit. tahash, "leather;" A.V., "badger's skin;" R.V., "sealskin," or marg., "porpoise-skin"). (See SHOE.) ......
SHALIM, LAND OF
land of foxes, a place apparently to the north-west of Jerusalem (1-Sam 9:4), perhaps in the neighbourhood of Shaalabbin in Dan (Josh. 19:42).......
SHALISHA, LAND OF
probably the district of Baal-shalisha (2-Kings 4:42), lying about 12 miles north of Lydda (1-Sam 9:4).......
SHINAR, THE LAND OF
LXX. and Vulgate "Senaar;" in the inscriptions, "Shumir;" probably identical with Babylonia or Southern Mesopotamia, extending almost to the Persian Gulf. Here the tower of Babel was built (Gen. 11:1), and the city of Babylon. The name occurs later in Jewish history (Isa. 11:11; Zech. 5:11). Shinar was apparently first peopled by Turanian tribes, who tilled the land and made bricks and built citie......
SHUAL, THE LAND OF
land of the fox, a district in the tribe of Benjamin (1-Sam 13:17); possibly the same as Shalim (9:4), in the neighbourhood of Shaalabbin (Josh. 19:42). ......
SINIM, THE LAND OF
(Isa. 49:12), supposed by some to mean China, but more probably Phoenicia (Gen. 10:17) is intended. ......
THOUSANDS
(Micah 5:2), another name for "families" or "clans" (see Num. 1:16;10:4; Josh. 22:14, Josh. 22: 21). Several "thousands" or "families" made up a "tribe." ......
TOB, THE LAND OF
a district on the east of Jodan, about 13 miles south-east of the Sea of Galilee, to which Jephthah fled from his brethren (Judg. 11:3, Judg. 11: 5). It was on the northern boundary of Perea, between Syria and the land of Ammon (2-Sam 10:6, 2-Sam 10: 8). Its modern name is Taiyibeh. ......
TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
stood in the midst of the garden of Eden, beside the tree of life (Gen. 2, 3). Adam and Eve were forbidden to take of the fruit which grew upon it. But they disobeyed the divine injunction, and so sin and death by sin entered our world and became the heritage of Adam's posterity. (See ADAM.) ......
TRYPHENA AND TRYPHOSA
two female Christians, active workers, whom Paul salutes in his epistle to the Romans (16:12). ......
UZ, THE LAND OF
where Job lived (1:1; Jer. 25:20; Lam. 4:21), probably somewhere to the east or south-east of Palestine and north of Edom. It is mentioned in Scripture only in these three passages. ......
WANDERING
of the Israelites in the wilderness in consequence of their rebellious fears to enter the Promised Land (Num. 14:26). They wandered for forty years before they were permitted to cross the Jordan (Josh. 4:19;5:6). The record of these wanderings is given in Num. 33:1. Many of the stations at which they camped cannot now be identified. Questions of an intricate nature have been discussed regardin......
ZUPH, LAND OF
(1-Sam 9:5, 1-Sam 9: 6), a district in which lay Samuel's city, Ramah. It was probably so named after Elkanah's son, Zuph (1-Chr 6:26, 1-Chr 6: marg.).......
AARONITES
the descendants of Aaron, and therefore priests. Jehoiada, the father of Benaiah, led 3,700 Aaronites as "fighting men" to the support of David at Hebron (1-Chr 12:27). Eleazar (Num. 3:32), and at a later period Zadok (1-Chr 27:17), was their chief.......
ABEL-SHITTIM
meadow of the acacias, frequently called simply "Shittim" (Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; Micah 6:5), a place on the east of Jordan, in the plain of Moab, nearly opposite Jericho. It was the forty-second encampment of the Israelites, their last resting-place before they crossed the Jordan (Num. 33:49;22:1;26:3;31:12; 25:1;31:16).......
ABIEZRITE
father of help, a descendant of Abiezer (Judg. 6:11, Judg. 6:24;8:32).......
ABITAL
father of dew; i.e., "fresh", David's fifth wife (2-Sam 3:4).......
ABITUB
father of goodness, a Benjamite (1-Chr 8:11).......
ADAM, THE CITY OF
is referred to in Josh. 3:16. It stood "beside Zarethan," on the west bank of Jordan (1-Kings 4:12). At this city the flow of the water was arrested and rose up "upon an heap" at the time of the Israelites' passing over (Josh. 3:16). ......
ADULLAMITE
an inhabitant of the city of Adullam (Gen. 38:1, Gen. 38: 12, 20).......
AFFINITY
relationship by alliance (2-Chr 18:1) or by marriage (1-Kings 3:1). Marriages are prohibited within certain degrees of affinity, enumerated Lev. 18:6. Consanguinity is relationship by blood.......
AGAGITE
a name applied to Haman and also to his father (Esther 3:1, Esther 3: 10;8:3, 8: 5). Probably it was equivalent to Amalekite.......
AHITHOPHEL
brother of insipidity or impiety, a man greatly renowned for his sagacity among the Jews. At the time of Absalom's revolt he deserted David (Psa 41:9;55:12) and espoused the cause of Absalom (2-Sam 15:12). David sent his old friend Hushai back to Absalom, in order that he might counteract the counsel of Ahithophel (2-Sam 15:31). This end was so far gained that Ahithophel saw he had no longer any i......
AHITUB
brother of goodness = good. (1.) The son of Phinehas. On the death of his grandfather Eli he succeeded to the office of high priest, and was himself succeeded by his son Ahijah (1-Sam 14:3;22:9, 22: 11, 12, 20). (2.) The father of Zadok, who was made high priest by Saul after the extermination of the family of Ahimelech (1-Chr 6:7, 1-Chr 6: 8; 2-Sam 8:17).......
AHOHITE
an epithet applied to Dodo, one of Solomon's captains (1-Chr 27:4); to his son Eleazar, one of David's three mightiest heroes (2-Sam 23:9; 1-Chr 11:12); and to Zalmon, one of the thirty (2-Sam 23:28; 1-Chr 11:29), from their descent from Ahoah.......
ALTASCHITH
destroy not, the title of Ps. 57, 58, 59, and 75. It was probably the name of some song to the melody of which these psalms were to be chanted.......
AMALEKITE
a tribe that dwelt in Arabia Petraea, between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. They were not the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz, for they existed in the days of Abraham (Gen. 14:7). They were probably a tribe that migrated from the shores of the Persian Gulf and settled in Arabia. "They dwelt in the land of the south...from Havilah until thou comest to Shur" (Num. 13:29; 1-Sam 15:7). They ......
AMITTAI
true, the father of Jonah the prophet, a native of Gath-hepher (2-Kings 14:25; Jonah 1:1).......
AMMONITE
the usual name of the descendants of Ammon, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:38). From the very beginning (Deut. 2:16) of their history till they are lost sight of (Judg. 5:2), this tribe is closely associated with the Moabites (Judg. 10:11; 2-Chr 20:1; Zeph. 2:8). Both of these tribes hired Balaam to curse Israel (Deut. 23:4). The Ammonites were probably more of a predatory tribe, moving from place to pla......
AMORITES
highlanders, or hillmen, the name given to the descendants of one of the sons of Canaan (Gen. 14:7), called Amurra or Amurri in the Assyrian and Egyptian inscriptions. On the early Babylonian monuments all Syria, including Palestine, is known as "the land of the Amorites." The southern slopes of the mountains of Judea are called the "mount of the Amorites" (Deut. 1:7, Deut. 1: 19, 20). They seem t......
ANTOTHITE
an inhabitant of Anathoth, found only in 1-Chr 11:28;12:3. In 2-Sam 23:27 it is Anethothite; in 1-Chr 27:12, 1-Chr 27: Anetothite. (R.V., "Anathothite.")......
APHARSACHITES
a company of the colonists whom the Assyrian king planted in Samaria (Ezra 5:6;6:6).......
APHARSITES
another of the tribes removed to Samaria (Ezra 4:9), or perhaps the same as the preceding.......
ARBATHITE
a name given to Abi-albon, or, as elsewhere called, Abiel, one of David's warriors (2-Sam 23:31; 1-Chr 11:32), probably as being an inhabitant of Arabah (Josh. 15:61), a town in the wilderness of Judah.......
ARCHEVITE
one of the nations planted by the Assyrians in Samaria (Ezra 4:9); the men of Erech.......
ARCHITE
the usual designation of Hushai (2-Sam 15:32;17:5, 17: 14; 1-Chr 27:33), who was a native of Archi. He was "the king's friend", i.e., he held office under David similar to that of our modern privy councillor.......
AREOPAGITE
a member of the court of Areopagus (Acts 17:34).......
ARKITE
(Gen. 10:17; 1-Chr 1:15), a designation of certain descendants from the Phoenicians or Sidonians, the inhabitants of Arka, 12 miles north of Tripoli, opposite the northern extremity of Lebanon.......
ASHURITES
mentioned among those over whom Ish-bosheth was made king (2-Sam 2:9).......
BAAL-BERITH
covenant lord, the name of the god worshipped in Shechem after the death of Gideon (Judg. 8:33;9:4). 9:46 he is called simply "the god Berith." The name denotes the god of the covenant into which the Israelites entered with the Canaanites, contrary to the command of Jehovah (Exo 34:12), when they began to fall away to the worship of idols.......
BACKBITE
In Psa 15:3, Psa 15: the rendering of a word which means to run about tattling, calumniating; in Prov. 25:23, Prov. 25: secret talebearing or slandering; in Rom. 1:30 and 2-Cor 12:20, 2-Cor 12: evil-speaking, maliciously defaming the absent.......
BAJITH
house, probably a city of Moab, which had a celebrated idol-temple (Isa. 15:2). It has also been regarded as denoting simply the temple of the idol of Moab as opposed to the "high place."......
BETHELITE
a designation of Hiel (q.v.), who rebuilt Jericho and experienced the curse pronounced long before (1-Kings 16:34). ......
BIT
the curb put into the mouths of horses to restrain them. The Hebrew word (metheg) so rendered in Psa 32:9 is elsewhere translated "bridle" (2-Kings 19:28; Prov. 26:3; Isa. 37:29). Bits were generally made of bronze or iron, but sometimes also of gold or silver. In James 3:3 the Authorized Version translates the Greek word by "bits," but the Revised Version by "bridles." ......
BITH-RON
the broken or divided place, a district in the Arabah or Jordan valley, on the east of the river (2-Sam 2:29). It was probably the designation of the region in general, which is broken and intersected by ravines. ......
BITHYNIA
a province in Asia Minor, to the south of the Euxine and Propontis. Christian congregations were here formed at an early time (1-Pet 1:1). Paul was prevented by the Spirit from entering this province (Acts 16:7). It is noted in church history as the province ruled over by Pliny as Roman proconsul, who was perplexed as to the course he should take with the numerous Christians brought before his tri......
BITTER
Bitterness is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude (Exo 1:14; Ruth 1:20; Jer. 9:15). The Chaldeans are called the "bitter and hasty nation" (Hab. 1:6). The "gall of bitterness" expresses a state of great wickedness (Acts 8:23). A "root of bitterness" is a wicked person or a dangerous sin (Heb. 12:15). The Passover was to be eaten with "bitter herbs" (Exo 12:8; Num. 9:11). The kind of ......
BITTERN
is found three times in connection with the desolations to come upon Babylon, Idumea, and Nineveh (Isa. 14:23;34:11; Zeph. 2:14). This bird belongs to the class of cranes. Its scientific name is Botaurus stellaris. It is a solitary bird, frequenting marshy ground. The Hebrew word (kippod) thus rendered in the Authorized Version is rendered "porcupine" in the Revised Version. But in the passages no......
BITUMEN
Gen. 11:3, Gen. 11: R.V., margin, rendered in the A.V. "slime"), a mineral pitch. With this the ark was pitched (6:14. See also Exo 2:3.) (See SLIME.) ......
BRUIT
a rumour or report (Jer. 10:22, Jer. 10: R.V. "rumour;" Nah. 3:19).......
CANAANITE
a name given to the apostle Simon (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:18). The word here does not, however, mean a descendant of Canaan, but is a translation, or rather almost a transliteration, of the Syriac word Kanenyeh (R.V. rendered "Cananaen"), which designates the Jewish sect of the Zealots. Hence he is called elsewhere (Luke 6:15) "Simon Zelotes;" i.e., Simon of the sect of the Zealots. (See SIMON.)......
CANAANITES
the descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham. Migrating from their original home, they seem to have reached the Persian Gulf, and to have there sojourned for some time. They thence "spread to the west, across the mountain chain of Lebanon to the very edge of the Mediterranean Sea, occupying all the land which later became Palestine, also to the north-west as far as the mountain chain of Taurus. This ......
CAPTIVITY
(1.) Of Israel. The kingdom of the ten tribes was successively invaded by several Assyrian kings. Pul (q.v.) imposed a tribute on Menahem of a thousand talents of silver (2-Kings 15:19, 2-Kings 15: 20; 1-Chr 5:26) (B.C. 762), and Tiglath-pileser, in the days of Pekah (B.C. 738), carried away the trans-Jordanic tribes and the inhabitants of Galilee into Assyria (2-Kings 15:29; Isa. 9:1). Subsequent......
CHAPITER
the ornamental head or capital of a pillar. Three Hebrew words are so rendered. (1.) _Cothereth_ (1-Kings 7:16; 2-Kings 25:17; 2-Chr 4:12), meaning a "diadem" or "crown." (2.) _Tzepheth_ (2-Chr 3:15). (3.) _Rosh_ (Exo 36:38;38:17, 38: 19, 28), properly a "head" or "top." ......
CHARITY
(1 Cor. 13), the rendering in the Authorized Version of the word which properly denotes love, and is frequently so rendered (always so in the Revised Version). It is spoken of as the greatest of the three Christian graces (1-Cor 12:31:13). ......
CHERITH
a cutting; separation; a gorge, a torrent-bed or winter-stream, a "brook," in whose banks the prophet Elijah hid himself during the early part of the three years' drought (1-Kings 17:3, 1-Kings 17: 5). It has by some been identified as the Wady el-Kelt behind Jericho, which is formed by the junction of many streams flowing from the mountains west of Jericho. It is dry in summer. Travellers have de......
CHITTIM
or Kittim, a plural form (Gen. 10:4), the name of a branch of the descendants of Javan, the "son" of Japheth. Balaam foretold (Num. 24:24) "that ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and afflict Eber." Daniel prophesied (11:30) that the ships of Chittim would come against the king of the north. It probably denotes Cyprus, whose ancient capital was called Kition by the Greeks. The reference......
CIRCUIT
the apparent diurnal revolution of the sun round the earth (Psa 19:6), and the changes of the wind (Eccl. 1:6). In Job 22:14, Job 22: "in the circuit of heaven" (R.V. marg., "on the vault of heaven") means the "arch of heaven," which seems to be bent over our heads. ......
CITIZENSHIP
the rights and privileges of a citizen in distinction from a foreigner (Luke 15:15;19:14; Acts 21:39). Under the Mosaic law non-Israelites, with the exception of the Moabites and the Ammonites and others mentioned in Deut. 23:1, Deut. 23: were admitted to the general privileges of citizenship among the Jews (Exo 12:19; Lev. 24:22; Num. 15:15;35:15; Deut. 10:18;14:29;16:10, 16: 14). The right of ......
CITY
The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 10: 19;11:3, 11: 9;36:31). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1). Damascus is said to be the oldest existin......
COGITATIONS
(or "thoughts," as the Chaldee word in Dan. 7:28 literally means), earnest meditation. ......
CONDUIT
a water-course or channel (Job 38:25). The "conduit of the upper pool" (Isa. 7:3) was formed by Hezekiah for the purpose of conveying the waters from the upper pool in the valley of Gihon to the west side of the city of David (2-Kings 18:17;20:20; 2-Chr 32:30). In carrying out this work he stopped "the waters of the fountains which were without the city" i.e., "the upper water-course of Gihon", an......
CUBIT
Heb. 'ammah; i.e., "mother of the arm," the fore-arm, is a word derived from the Latin cubitus, the lower arm. It is difficult to determine the exact length of this measure, from the uncertainty whether it included the entire length from the elbow to the tip of the longest finger, or only from the elbow to the root of the hand at the wrist. The probability is that the longer was the original cubit......
CUSHITE
(1.) The messenger sent by Joab to David to announce his victory over Absalom (2-Sam 18:32). (2.) The father of Shelemiah (Jer. 36:14). (3.) Son of Gedaliah, and father of the prophet Zephaniah (1:1). (4.) Moses married a Cushite woman (Num. 12:1). From this circumstance some have supposed that Zipporah was meant, and hence that Midian was Cush. ......
DAVID, CITY OF
(1.) David took from the Jebusites the fortress of Mount Zion. He "dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David" (1-Chr 11:7). This was the name afterwards given to the castle and royal palace on Mount Zion, as distinguished from Jerusalem generally (1-Kings 3:1;8:1), It was on the south-west side of Jerusalem, opposite the temple mount, with which it was connected by a bridge over the Tyrop......
DEHAVITES
villagers, one of the Assyrian tribes which Asnapper sent to repopulate Samaria (Ezra 4:9). They were probably a nomad Persian tribe on the east of the Caspian Sea, and near the Sea of Azof. ......
DESTRUCTION, CITY OF
(Isa. 19:18; Heb. Ir-ha-Heres, "city of overthrow," because of the evidence it would present of the overthrow of heathenism), the ideal title of On or Heliopolis (q.v.). ......
ENMITY
deep-rooted hatred. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed" (Gen. 3:15). The friendship of the world is "enmity with God" (James 4:4; 1-John 2:15, 1-John 2: 16). The "carnal mind" is "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7). By the abrogation of the Mosaic institutes the "enmity" between Jew and Gentile is removed. They are reconciled, are "made one" (Eph. 2:15, Eph. 2......
EPAPHRODITUS
fair, graceful; belonging to Aphrodite or Venus the messenger who came from Phillipi to the apostle when he was a prisoner at Rome (Phil. 2:25;4:10). Paul mentions him in words of esteem and affection. On his return to Philippi he was the bearer of Paul's letter to the church there.......
EPHRATHITE
a citizen of Ephratah, the old name of Bethlehem (Ruth 1:2; 1-Sam 17:12), or Bethlehem-Judah.......
EZRAHITE
a title given to Ethan (1-Kings 4:31; Ps. 89, title) and Heman (Ps. 88, title). They were both sons of Zerah (1-Chr 2:6). ......
FAITH
Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2-Thess 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is someti......
FAITHFUL
as a designation of Christians, means full of faith, trustful, and not simply trustworthy (Acts 10:45;16:1; 2-Cor 6:15; Col. 1:2; 1-Tim 4:3, 1-Tim 4: 12;5:16;6:2; Titus 1:6; Eph. 1:1; 1-Cor 4:17, 1-Cor 4: etc.). It is used also of God's word or covenant as true and to be trusted (Psa 119:86, Psa 119: 138; Isa. 25:1; 1-Tim 1:15; Rev. 21:5;22:6, 22: etc.). ......
FAMILIAR SPIRIT
Sorcerers or necormancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a "familiar spirit" (Deut. 18:11; 2-Kings 21:6; 2-Chr 33:6; Lev. 19:31;20:6; Isa. 8:19;29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an _'ob_, which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho ......
FENCED CITIES
There were in Palestine (1) cities, (2) unwalled villages, and (3) villages with castles or towers (1-Chr 27:25). Cities, so called, had walls, and were thus fenced. The fortifications consisted of one or two walls, on which were towers or parapets at regular intervals (2-Chr 32:5; Jer. 31:38). Around ancient Jerusalem were three walls, on one of which were ninety towers, on the second fourteen, a......
FIRST-FRUITS
The first-fruits of the ground were offered unto God just as the first-born of man and animals. The law required, (1.) That on the morrow after the Passover Sabbath a sheaf of new corn should be waved by the priest before the altar (Lev. 23:5, Lev. 23: 6, 10, 12;2:12). (2.) That at the feast of Pentecost two loaves of leavened bread, made from the new flour, were to be waved in like manner (Le......
FITCHES
(Isa. 28:25, Isa. 28: 27), the rendering of the Hebrew _ketsah_, "without doubt the Nigella sativa, a small annual of the order Ranunculacece, which grows wild in the Mediterranean countries, and is cultivated in Egypt and Syria for its seed." It is rendered in margin of the Revised Version "black cummin." The seeds are used as a condiment. In Ezek. 4:9 this word is the rendering of the Hebrew _......
FRUIT
a word as used in Scripture denoting produce in general, whether vegetable or animal. The Hebrews divided the fruits of the land into three classes:, (1.) The fruit of the field, "corn-fruit" (Heb. dagan); all kinds of grain and pulse. (2.) The fruit of the vine, "vintage-fruit" (Heb. tirosh); grapes, whether moist or dried. (3.) "Orchard-fruits" (Heb. yitshar), as dates, figs, citrons, etc.......
FUGITIVE
Gen. 4:12, Gen. 4: 14, a rover or wanderer (Heb. n'a); Judg. 12:4, Judg. 12: a refugee, one who has escaped (Heb. palit); 2-Kings 25:11, 2-Kings 25: a deserter, one who has fallen away to the enemy (Heb. nophel); Ezek. 17:21, Ezek. 17: one who has broken away in flight (Heb. mibrah); Isa. 15:5;43:14, 43: a breaker away, a fugitive (Heb. beriah), one who flees away. ......
GAULANITIS
a name derived from "Golan" (q.v.), one of the cities of refuge in the territory of Manasseh (Josh. 20:8;21:27; Deut. 4:43). This was one of the provinces ruled by Herod Antipas. It lay to the east of the Lake of Galilee, and included among its towns Bethsaida-Julias (Mark 8:22) and Seleucia.......
GEBALITES
(1-Kings 5:18 R.V., in A.V. incorrectly rendered, after the Targum, "stone-squarers," but marg. "Giblites"), the inhabitants of Gebal (2).......
GEDERATHITE
an epithet applied to Josabad, one of David's warriors at Ziklag (1-Chr 12:4), a native of Gederah. ......
GESHURITES
(1.) The inhabitants of Geshur. They maintained friendly relations with the Israelites on the east of Jordan (Josh. 12:5;13:11, 13: 13). (2.) Another aboriginal people of Palestine who inhabited the south-west border of the land. Geshuri in Josh. 13:2 should be "the Geshurite," not the Geshurites mentioned in ver. 11, 13, but the tribe mentioned in 1-Sam 27:8. ......
GIFTS, SPIRITUAL
(Gr. charismata), gifts supernaturally bestowed on the early Christians, each having his own proper gift or gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. These were the result of the extraordinary operation of the Spirit, as on the day of Pentecost. They were the gifts of speaking with tongues, casting out devils, healing, etc. (Mark 16:17, Mark 16: 18), usually communicated by the medium of th......
GIRGASHITE
dwelling in clayey soil, the descendants of the fifth son of Canaan (Gen. 10:16), one of the original tribes inhabiting the land of Canaan before the time of the Israelites (Gen. 15:21; Deut. 7:1). They were a branch of the great family of the Hivites. Of their geographical position nothing is certainly known. Probably they lived somewhere in the central part of Western Palestine. ......
GITTAH-HEPHER
(Josh. 19:13). See GATH-HEPHER. ......
GITTAIM
two wine-presses, (2-Sam 4:3; Neh. 11:33), a town probably in Benjamin to which the Beerothites fled. ......
GITTITE
a native of the Philistine city of Gath (Josh. 13:3). Obed-edom, in whose house the ark was placed, is so designated (2-Sam 6:10). Six hundred Gittites came with David from Gath into Israel (15:18, 15: 19). ......
GITTITH
a stringed instrument of music. This word is found in the titles of Ps. 8, 81, 84. In these places the LXX. render the word by "on the wine-fats." The Targum explains by "on the harp which David brought from Gath." It is the only stringed instrument named in the titles of the Psalms. ......
GIZONITE
a name given to Hashem, an inhabitant of Gizoh, a place somewhere in the mountains of Judah (1-Chr 11:34; 2-Sam 23:32, 2-Sam 23: 34). ......
GOLDSMITH
(Neh. 3:8, Neh. 3:32; Isa. 40:19;41:7;46:6). The word so rendered means properly a founder or finer. ......
HABITATION
God is the habitation of his people, who find rest and safety in him (Psa 71:3;91:9). Justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne (Psa 89:14, Psa 89: Heb. mekhon, "foundation"), because all his acts are founded on justice and judgment. (See Psa 132:5, Psa 132: 13; Eph. 2:22, Eph. 2: of Canaan, Jerusalem, and the temple as God's habitation.) God inhabits eternity (Isa. 57:15), i.e., dwe......
HAGGITH
festive; the dancer, a wife of David and the mother of Adonijah (2-Sam 3:4; 1-Kings 1:5, 1-Kings 1: 11;2:13; 1-Chr 3:2), who, like Absalom, was famed for his beauty.......
HARODITE
an epithet applied to two of David's heroes (2-Sam 23:25). (Comp. 1-Chr 11:27.)......
HARUPHITE
a native of Hariph; an epithet given to Shephatiah, one of those who joined David at Ziklag (1-Chr 12:5).......
HATITA
exploration, one of the temple porters or janitors (Ezra 2:42). He returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel.......
HERMONITES, THE
(Psa 42:6, Psa 42: 7) = "the Hermons", i.e., the three peaks or summits of Hermon, which are about a quarter of a mile apart.......
HITTITES
Palestine and Syria appear to have been originally inhabited by three different tribes. (1.) The Semites, living on the east of the isthmus of Suez. They were nomadic and pastoral tribes. (2.) The Phoenicians, who were merchants and traders; and (3.) the Hittites, who were the warlike element of this confederation of tribes. They inhabited the whole region between the Euphrates and Damascus, their......
HIVITES
one of the original tribes scattered over Palestine, from Hermon to Gibeon in the south. The name is interpreted as "midlanders" or "villagers" (Gen. 10:17; 1-Chr 1:15). They were probably a branch of the Hittites. At the time of Jacob's return to Canaan, Hamor the Hivite was the "prince of the land" (Gen. 24:2). They are next mentioned during the Conquest (Josh. 9:7;11:19). They principally inh......
HORITES
cave-men, a race of Troglodytes who dwelt in the limestone caves which abounded in Edom. Their ancestor was "Seir," who probably gave his name to the district where he lived. They were a branch of the Hivites (Gen. 14:6;36:20; 1-Chr 1:38, 1-Chr 1: 39). They were dispossessed by the descendants of Esau, and as a people gradually became extinct (Deut. 2:12). ......
HORONITE
the designation of Sanballat (Neh. 2:10, Neh. 2: 19), a native of Horonaim, or of one of the two Beth-horons, the "upper" or the "nether," mentioned in Josh. 16:3, Josh. 16:5. ......
HUMILITY
a prominent Christian grace (Rom. 12:3;15:17, 15: 18; 1-Cor 3:5; 2-Cor 3:5; Phil. 4:11). It is a state of mind well pleasing to God (1-Pet 3:4); it preserves the soul in tranquillity (Psa 69:32, Psa 69: 33), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22). Christ has set us an example of humility (Phil. 2:6). We should be led thereto by a remembrance of our sins (Lam. 3:39), and by the thought that......
HYPOCRITE
one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; a dissembler in religion. Our Lord severely rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matt. 6:2, Matt. 6: 5, 16). "The hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13). The Hebrew word here rendered "hypocrite" rather means the "godless" or "profane," as it is rendered in Jer. 23:11, Jer. 23: i.e., polluted with crimes. ......
IMMORTALITY
perpetuity of existence. The doctrine of immortality is taught in the Old Testament. It is plainly implied in the writings of Moses (Gen. 5:22, Gen. 5: 24;25:8;37:35;47:9;49:29, 49: comp. Heb. 11:13; Exo 3:6, Exo 3: comp. Matt. 22:23). It is more clearly and fully taught in the later books (Isa. 14:9; Psa 17:15;49:15;73:24). It was thus a doctrine obviously well known to the Jews. With the full ......
INTERCESSION OF THE SPIRIT
(Rom. 8:26, Rom. 8: 27; John 14:26). "Christ is a royal Priest (Zech. 6:13). From the same throne, as King, he dispenses his Spirit to all the objects of his care, while as Priest he intercedes for them. The Spirit acts for him, taking only of his things. They both act with one consent, Christ as principal, the Spirit as his agent. Christ intercedes for us, without us, as our advocate in heaven, a......
ISHMEELITES
(Gen. 37:28;39:1, 39: A.V.) should be "Ishmaelites," as in the Revised Version. ......
ITALY
Acts 18:2;27:1, 27: 6; Heb. 13:24), like most geographical names, was differently used at different periods of history. As the power of Rome advanced, nations were successively conquered and added to it till it came to designate the whole country to the south of the Alps. There was constant intercourse between Palestine and Italy in the time of the Romans. ......
ITHAMAR
palm isle, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron (1-Chr 6:3). He was consecrated to the priesthood along with his brothers (Exo 6:23); and after the death of Nadab and Abihu, he and Eleazar alone discharged the functions of that office (Lev. 10:6, Lev. 10: 12; Num. 3:4). He and his family occupied the position of common priest till the high priesthood passed into his family in the person of Eli (1-......
ITHRITE
two of David's warriors so designated (2-Sam 23:38; 1-Chr 11:40). ......
ITTAI
near; timely; or, with the Lord. (1.) A Benjamite, one of David's thirty heroes (2-Sam 23:29). (2.) A native of Gath, a Philistine, who had apparently the command of the six hundred heroes who formed David's band during his wanderings (2-Sam 15:19; comp. 1-Sam 23:13;27:2;30:9, 30: 10). He is afterwards with David at Mahanaim, holding in the army equal rank with Joab and Abishai (2-Sam 18:2, 2-Sa......
ITURAEA
a district in the north-east of Palestine, forming, along with the adjacent territory of Trachonitis, the tetrarchy of Philip (Luke 3:1). The present Jedur comprehends the chief part of Ituraea. It is bounded on the east by Trachonitis, on the south by Gaulanitis, on the west by Hermon, and on the north by the plain of Damascus. ......
IZRAHITE
the designation of one of David's officers (1-Chr 27:8). ......
JEBUSITES
the name of the original inhabitants of Jebus, mentioned frequently among the seven nations doomed to destruction (Gen. 10:16;15:21; Exo 3:8, Exo 3: 17;13:5, 13: etc.). At the time of the arrival of the Israelites in Palestine they were ruled by Adonizedek (Josh. 10:1, Josh. 10: 23). They were defeated by Joshua, and their king was slain; but they were not entirely driven out of Jebus till the tim......
JEZREEL, DITCH OF
(1-Kings 21:23; comp. 13), the fortification surrounding the city, outside of which Naboth was executed. ......
JUDITH
Jewess, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and one of Esau's wives (Gen. 26:34), elsewhere called Aholibamah (36:2).......
JUPITER
the principal deity of the ancient Greeks and Romans. He was worshipped by them under various epithets. Barnabas was identified with this god by the Lycaonians (Acts 14:12), because he was of stately and commanding presence, as they supposed Jupiter to be. There was a temple dedicated to this god outside the gates of Lystra (14:13).......
KADMONITES
Orientals, the name of a Canaanitish tribe which inhabited the north-eastern part of Palestine in the time of Abraham (Gen. 15:19). Probably they were identical with the "children of the east," who inhabited the country between Palestine and the Euphrates.......
KELITA
dwarf, a Levite who assisted Ezra in expounding the law to the people (Neh. 8:7;10:10).......
KENITES
smiths, the name of a tribe inhabiting the desert lying between southern Palestine and the mountains of Sinai. Jethro was of this tribe (Judg. 1:16). He is called a "Midianite" (Num. 10:29), and hence it is concluded that the Midianites and the Kenites were the same tribe. They were wandering smiths, "the gipsies and travelling tinkers of the old Oriental world. They formed an important guild in a......
KENIZZITE
(1.) The name of a tribe referred to in the covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 15:19). They are not mentioned among the original inhabitants of Canaan (Exo 3:8; Josh. 3:10), and probably they inhabited some part of Arabia, in the confines of Syria. (2.) A designation given to Caleb (R.V., Num. 32:12; A.V., Kenezite).......
KESITAH
(Gen. 33:19, Gen. 33: R.V., marg., a Hebrew word, rendered, A.V., pl. "pieces of money," marg., "lambs;" Josh. 24:32, Josh. 24: "pieces of silver;" Job 42:11, Job 42: "piece of money"). The kesitah was probably a piece of money of a particular weight, cast in the form of a lamb. The monuments of Egypt show that such weights were used. (See PIECES.)......
KITE
an unclean and keen-sighted bird of prey (Lev. 11:14; Deut. 14:13). The Hebrew word used, _'ayet_, is rendered "vulture" in Job 28:7 in Authorized Version, "falcon" in Revised Version. It is probably the red kite (Milvus regalis), a bird of piercing sight and of soaring habits found all over Palestine. ......
KITHLISH
a man's wall, a town in the plain of Judah (Josh. 15:40). It has been identified with Jelameh. ......
KITRON
knotty, a city of Zebulun (Judg. 1:30), called also Kattath (Josh. 19:15); supposed to be "Cana of Galilee." ......
KITTIM
(Gen. 10:4). (See CHITTIM.) ......
KOHATHITES
the descendants of Kohath. They formed the first of the three divisions of the Levites (Exo 6:16, Exo 6: 18; Num. 3:17). In the journeyings of the Israelites they had the charge of the most holy portion of the vessels of the tabernacle, including the ark (Num. 4). Their place in the marching and encampment was south of the tabernacle (Num. 3:29, Num. 3: 31). Their numbers at different times are sp......
KORAHITES
that portion of the Kohathites that descended from Korah. (1.) They were an important branch of the singers of the Kohathite division (2-Chr 20:19). There are eleven psalms (42-49; 84; 85; 87; 88) dedicated to the sons of Korah. (2.) Some of the sons of Korah also were "porters" of the temple (1-Chr 9:17); one of them was over "things that were made in the pans" (31), i.e., the baking in pans fo......
KORHITES
a Levitical family descended from Korah (Exo 6:24; 1-Chr 12:6;26:1; 2-Chr 20:19). ......
LEVITE
a descendant of the tribe of Levi (Exo 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, Josh. 21: 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service (1-Kings 8:4; Ezra 2:70), as assistants to the priests. When the Israelites left Egypt, the ancient manner of worship was still observed by them, the ......
LEVITICUS
the third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate, after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical service. In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the worship itself, there is, (1.) A series of laws (1-7) regarding sacrifices, burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and thank-offerings (1-3), sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (4; 5), followed by the law of the pr......
LITTER
(Heb. tsab, as being lightly and gently borne), a sedan or palanquin for the conveyance of persons of rank (Isa. 66:20). In Num. 7:3, Num. 7: the words "covered wagons" are more literally "carts of the litter kind." There they denote large and commodious vehicles drawn by oxen, and fitted for transporting the furniture of the temple. ......
LUHITH
made of boards, a Moabitish place between Zoar and Horonaim (Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:5). ......
MATTITHIAH
gift of Jehovah. (1.) One of the sons of Jeduthun (1-Chr 25:3, 1-Chr 25: 21). (2.) The eldest son of Shallum, of the family of Korah (1-Chr 9:31). (3.) One who stood by Ezra while reading the law (Neh. 8:4). (4.) The son of Amos, and father of Joseph, in the genealogy of our Lord (Luke 3:25). ......
MELITA
(Acts 27:28), an island in the Mediterranean, the modern Malta. Here the ship in which Paul was being conveyed a prisoner to Rome was wrecked. The bay in which it was wrecked now bears the name of "St. Paul's Bay", "a certain creek with a shore." It is about 2 miles deep and 1 broad, and the whole physical condition of the scene answers the description of the shipwreck given in Acts 28. It was ori......
MERARITES
the descendants of Merari (Num. 26:57). They with the Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle, which they had to carry from place to place (Num. 3:20, Num. 3: 33-37;4:29). In the distribution of the oxen and waggons offered by the princes (Num. 7), Moses gave twice as many to the Merarites (four waggons and eight oxen) as he gave to the Gershonites, because the latter had to ca......
MERONOTHITE
a name given to Jehdeiah, the herdsman of the royal asses in the time of David and Solomon (1-Chr 27:30), probably as one being a native of some unknown town called Meronoth. ......
MIDIANITE
an Arabian tribe descended from Midian. They inhabited principally the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. The peninsula of Sinai was the pasture-ground for their flocks. They were virtually the rulers of Arabia, being the dominant tribe. Like all Arabians, they were a nomad people. They early engaged in commercial pursuits. It was to one of their caravans that Joseph was sold (Gen. 37:28, Ge......
MINNITH
distribution, an Ammonitish town (Judg. 11:33) from which wheat was exported to Tyre (Ezek. 27:17). It was probably somewhere in the Mishor or table-land on the east of Jordan. There is a gentle valley running for about 4 miles east of Dhiban called Kurm Dhiban, "the vineyards of Dibon." Tristram supposes that this may be the "vineyards" mentioned in Judg. (l.c.). ......
MITE
contraction of minute, from the Latin minutum, the translation of the Greek word lepton, the very smallest bronze of copper coin (Luke 12:59;21:2). Two mites made one quadrans, i.e., the fourth part of a Roman as, which was in value nearly a halfpenny. (See FARTHING.) ......
MITHCAH
sweetness, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 33:28, Num. 33: 29). ......
MITHREDATH
given by Mithra, or dedicated to Mithra, i.e., the sun, the Hebrew form of the Greek name Mithridates. (1.) The "treasurer" of King Cyrus (Ezra 1:8). (2.) Ezra 4:7, Ezra 4: a Persian officer in Samaria. ......
MITRE
(Heb. mitsnepheth), something rolled round the head; the turban or head-dress of the high priest (Exo 28:4, Exo 28: 37, 39;29:6, 29: etc.). In the Authorized Version of Ezek. 21:26, Ezek. 21: this Hebrew word is rendered "diadem," but in the Revised Version, "mitre." It was a twisted band of fine linen, 8 yards in length, coiled into the form of a cap, and worn on official occasions (Lev. 8:9;16:4......
MITYLENE
the chief city of the island of Lesbos, on its east coast, in the AEgean Sea. Paul, during his third missionary journey, touched at this place on his way from Corinth to Judea (Acts 20:14), and here tarried for a night. It lies between Assos and Chios. It is now under the Turkish rule, and bears the name of Metelin. ......
MIXED MULTITUDE
(Exo 12:38), a class who accompanied the Israelites as they journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, the first stage of the Exodus. These were probably miscellaneous hangers-on to the Hebrews, whether Egyptians of the lower orders, or the remains of the Hyksos (see EGYPT; MOSES), as some think. The same thing happened on the return of the Jews from Babylon (Neh. 13:3), a "mixed multitude" accompanied th......
MOABITE
the designation of a tribe descended from Moab, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:37). From Zoar, the cradle of this tribe, on the south-eastern border of the Dead Sea, they gradually spread over the region on the east of Jordan. Rameses II., the Pharaoh of the Oppression, enumerates Moab (Muab) among his conquests. Shortly before the Exodus, the warlike Amorites crossed the Jordan under Sihon their king an......
MOABITE STONE
a basalt stone, bearing an inscription by King Mesha, which was discovered at Dibon by Klein, a German missionary at Jerusalem, in 1868. It was 3 1/2 feet high and 2 in breadth and in thickness, rounded at the top. It consisted of thirty-four lines, written in Hebrew-Phoenician characters. It was set up by Mesha as a record and memorial of his victories. It records (1) Mesha's wars with Omri, (2) ......
MOUNT OF BEATITUDES
See SERMON. ......
MOUNT OF THE AMALEKITES
a place near Pirathon (q.v.), in the tribe of Ephraim (Judg. 12:15). ......
MOUNT OF THE AMORITES
the range of hills which rises abruptly in the wilderness of et-Tih ("the wandering"), mentioned Deut. 1:19, Deut. 1: 20, "that great and terrible wilderness." ......
NAAMATHITE
the designation of Zophar, one of Job's three friends (Job 2:11;11:1), so called from some place in Arabia, called Naamah probably. ......
NATIVITY OF CHRIST
The birth of our Lord took place at the time and place predicted by the prophets (Gen. 49:10; Isa. 7:14; Jer. 31:15; Micah 5:2; Hag. 2:6; Dan. 9:24, Dan. 9: 25). Joseph and Mary were providentially led to go up to Bethlehem at this period, and there Christ was born (Matt. 2:1, Matt. 2: 6; Luke 2:1, Luke 2: 7). The exact year or month or day of his birth cannot, however, now be exactly ascertained.......
NAZARITE
(Heb. form Nazirite), the name of such Israelites as took on them the vow prescribed in Num. 6:2. The word denotes generally one who is separated from others and consecrated to God. Although there is no mention of any Nazarite before Samson, yet it is evident that they existed before the time of Moses. The vow of a Nazarite involved these three things, (1) abstinence from wine and strong drink, (2......
NEHELAMITE
the name given to a false prophet Shemaiah, who went with the captives to Babylon (Jer. 29:24, Jer. 29: 31, 32). The origin of the name is unknown. It is rendered in the marg, "dreamer."......
NICOLAITANES
The church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:6) is commended for hating the "deeds" of the Nicolaitanes, and the church of Pergamos is blamed for having them who hold their "doctrines" (15). They were seemingly a class of professing Christians, who sought to introduce into the church a false freedom or licentiousness, thus abusing Paul's doctrine of grace (comp. 2-Pet 2:15, 2-Pet 2: 16, 19), and were probably id......
NITRE
(Prov. 25:20; R.V. marg., "soda"), properly "natron," a substance so called because, rising from the bottom of the Lake Natron in Egypt, it becomes dry and hard in the sun, and is the soda which effervesces when vinegar is poured on it. It is a carbonate of soda, not saltpetre, which the word generally denotes (Jer. 2:22; R.V. "lye"). ......
PALM TREES, THE CITY OF
the name given to Jericho (q.v.), Deut. 34:3; Judg. 1:16;3:13.......
PALTITE
the designation of one of David's heroes (2-Sam 23:26); called also the Pelonite (1-Chr 11:27).......
PELETHITES
mentioned always along with the Cherethites, and only in the time of David. The word probably means "runners" or "couriers," and may denote that while forming part of David's bodyguard, they were also sometimes employed as couriers (2-Sam 8:18;20:7, 20: 23;1-Kings 1:38, 1-Kings 1: 44; 1-Chr 18:17). Some, however, think that these are the names simply of two Philistine tribes from which David selec......
PERIZZITES
villagers; dwellers in the open country, the Canaanitish nation inhabiting the fertile regions south and south-west of Carmel. "They were the graziers, farmers, and peasants of the time." They were to be driven out of the land by the descendants of Abraham (Gen. 15:20; Exo 3:8, Exo 3: 17;23:23;33:2;34:11). They are afterwards named among the conquered tribes (Josh. 24:11). Still lingering in the l......
PIRATHONITE
(1.) Abdon, the son of Hillel, so called, Judg. 12:13, Judg. 12: 15. (2.) Benaiah the Ephraimite (2-Sam 23:30), one of David's thirty heroes. ......
PIT
a hole in the ground (Exo 21:33, Exo 21: 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (1:9), a grave (Psa 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Psa 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, Rev. 20: 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10). ......
PITCH
(Gen. 6:14), asphalt or bitumen in its soft state, called "slime" (Gen. 11:3;14:10; Exo 2:3), found in pits near the Dead Sea (q.v.). It was used for various purposes, as the coating of the outside of vessels and in building. Allusion is made in Isa. 34:9 to its inflammable character. (See SLIME.) ......
PITCHER
a vessel for containing liquids. In the East pitchers were usually carried on the head or shoulders (Gen. 24:15; Judg. 7:16, Judg. 7: 19; Mark 14:13). ......
PITHOM
Egyptian, Pa-Tum, "house of Tum," the sun-god, one of the "treasure" cities built for Pharaoh Rameses II. by the Israelites (Exo 1:11). It was probably the Patumos of the Greek historian Herodotus. It has now been satisfactorily identified with Tell-el-Maskhuta, about 12 miles west of Ismailia, and 20 east of Tel-el-Kebir, on the southern bank of the present Suez Canal. Here have recently (1883) b......
PROPITIATION
that by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to execise his love towards sinners. In Rom. 3:25 and Heb. 9:5 (A.V., "mercy-seat") the Greek word _hilasterion_ is used. It is the word employed by the......
PROPORTION OF FAITH
(Rom. 12:6). Paul says here that each one was to exercise his gift of prophecy, i.e., of teaching, "according to the proportion of faith." The meaning is, that the utterances of the "prophet" were not to fluctuate according to his own impulses or independent thoughts, but were to be adjusted to the truth revealed to him as a beliver, i.e., were to be in accordance with it. In post-Reformation ti......
PULPIT
(Neh. 8:4). (See EZRA.)......
RAMATHITE
the designation given to Shimei, the manager of David's vineyard (1-Chr 27:27).......
RECHABITES
the descendants of Rechab through Jonadab or Jehonadab. They belonged to the Kenites, who accompanied the children of Israel into Palestine, and dwelt among them. Moses married a Kenite wife (Judg. 1:16), and Jael was the wife of "Heber the Kenite" (4:17). Saul also showed kindness to the Kenites (1-Sam 15:6). The main body of the Kenites dwelt in cities, and adopted settled habits of life (30:29)......
REFUGE, CITIES OF
were six in number (Num. 35). 1. On the west of Jordan were (1) Kadesh, in Naphtali; (2) Shechem, in Mount Ephraim; (3) Hebron, in Judah. 2. On the east of Jordan were, (1) Golan, in Bashan; (2) Ramoth-Gilead, in Gad; and (3) Bezer, in Reuben. (See under each of these names.)......
RITHMAH
wild broom, a station in the wilderness (Num. 33:18, Num. 33: 19), the "broom valley," or "valley of broombushes," the place apparently of the original encampment of Israel, near Kadesh. ......
SALT, THE CITY OF
one of the cities of Judah (Josh. 15:62), probably in the Valley of Salt, at the southern end of the Dead Sea. ......
SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH
On the return from the Exile, the Jews refused the Samaritans participation with them in the worship at Jerusalem, and the latter separated from all fellowship with them, and built a temple for themselves on Mount Gerizim. This temple was razed to the ground more than one hundred years B.C. Then a system of worship was instituted similar to that of the temple at Jerusalem. It was founded on the La......
SAMARITANS
the name given to the new and mixed inhabitants whom Esarhaddon (B.C. 677), the king of Assyria, brought from Babylon and other places and settled in the cities of Samaria, instead of the original inhabitants whom Sargon (B.C. 721) had removed into captivity (2-Kings 17:24; comp. Ezra 4:2, Ezra 4: 9, 10). These strangers (comp. Luke 17:18) amalgamated with the Jews still remaining in the land, and......
SERVITOR
occurs only in 2-Kings 4:43, 2-Kings 4: Authorized Version (R.V., "servant"). The Hebrew word there rendered "servitor" is elsewhere rendered "minister," "servant" (Exo 24:13;33:11). Probably Gehazi, the personal attendant on Elisha, is here meant. ......
SHEMINITH
eight; octave, a musical term, supposed to denote the lowest note sung by men's voices (1-Chr 15:21; Ps. 6; 12, title).......
SHILONITE
Ahijah the prophet, whose home was in Shiloh, is so designated (1-Kings 11:29;15:29). The plural form occurs (1-Chr 9:5), denoting the descendants of Shelah, Judah's youngest son.......
SHIPHMITE
probably the designation of Zabdi, who has charge of David's vineyards (1-Chr 27:27).......
SHITTAH-TREE
(Isa. 41:19; R.V., "acacia tree"). Shittah wood was employed in making the various parts of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and must therefore have been indigenous in the desert in which the Israelites wandered. It was the acacia or mimosa (Acacia Nilotica and A. seyal). "The wild acacia (Mimosa Nilotica), under the name of _sunt_, everywhere represents the seneh, or senna, of the burning bush. ......
SHITTIM
acacias, also called "Abel-shittim" (Num. 33:49), a plain or valley in the land of Moab where the Israelites were encamped after their two victories over Sihon and Og, at the close of their desert wanderings, and from which Joshua sent forth two spies (q.v.) "secretly" to "view" the land and Jericho (Josh. 2:1).......
SHUHITE
a designation of Bildad (Job 2:11), probably because he was a descendant of Shuah. ......
SHULAMITE
the same, as some think, with "Shunammite," from "Shunem:" otherwise, the import of the word is uncertain (6:13; R.V., "Shulammite"). ......
SHUNAMMITE
a person of Shunem (1-Kings 1:3; 2-Kings 4:12). The Syr. and Arab. read "Sulamite." ......
SINAITICUS CODEX
usually designated by the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is one of the most valuable of ancient MSS. of the Greek New Testament. On the occasion of a third visit to the convent of St. Catherine, on Mount Sinai, in 1859, it was discovered by Dr. Tischendorf. He had on a previous visit in 1844 obtained forty-three parchment leaves of the LXX., which he deposited in the university library of Le......
SINITE
an inhabitant of Sin, near Arka (Gen. 10:17; 1-Chr 1:15). (See ARKITE.) ......
SITNAH
strife, the second of the two wells dug by Isaac, whose servants here contended with the Philistines (Gen. 26:21). It has been identified with the modern Shutneh, in the valley of Gerar, to the west of Rehoboth, about 20 miles south of Beersheba. ......
SITTING
the attitude generally assumed in Palestine by those who were engaged in any kind of work. "The carpenter saws, planes, and hews with his hand-adze, sitting on the ground or upon the plank he is planning. The washerwoman sits by the tub; and, in a word, no one stands when it is possible to sit. Shopkeepers always sit, and Levi sitting at the receipt of custom (Matt. 9:9) is the exact way to state ......
SMITH
The Hebrews were not permitted by the Philistines in the days of Samuel to have a smith amongst them, lest they should make them swords and spears (1-Sam 13:19). Thus the Philistines sought to make their conquest permanent (comp. 2-Kings 24:16). ......
SODOMITES
those who imitated the licentious wickedness of Sodom (Deut. 23:17; 1-Kings 14:24; Rom. 1:26, Rom. 1: 27). Asa destroyed them "out of the land" (1-Kings 15:12), as did also his son Jehoshaphat (22:46). ......
SPIRIT
(Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2-Thess 2:8 it means "breath," and in Eccl. 8:8 the vital principle in man. It also denotes the rational, immortal soul by which man is distinguished (Acts 7:59; 1-Cor 5:5;6:20;7:34), and the soul in its separate state (Heb. 12:23), and hence also an apparition (Job 4:15; Luke 24:37, Luke 24: 39), an angel (Heb. 1:14), and a demon (Luke 4:36;10:......
SPIRIT, HOLY
See HOLY+GHOST. ......
SUSANCHITES
the inhabitants of Shushan, who joined the other adversaries of the Jews in the attempt to prevent the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4:9). ......
TABITHA
(in Greek called Dorcas), gazelle, a disciple at Joppa. She was distinguished for her alms-deeds and good works. Peter, who was sent for from Lydda on the occasion of her death, prayed over the dead body, and said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes and sat up; and Peter "gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive" (Acts 9:36). ......
TACHMONITE
=Hach'monite, a name given to Jashobeam (2-Sam 23:8; comp. 1-Chr 11:11). ......
TALITHA CUMI
(Mark 5:41), a Syriac or Aramaic expression, meaning, "Little maid, arise." Peter, who was present when the miracle was wrought, recalled the actual words used by our Lord, and told them to Mark. ......
TEMANITE
a man of Teman, the designation of Eliphaz, one of Job's three friends (Job 2:11;22:1). ......
TIMNITE
a man of Timnah. Samson's father-in-law is so styled (Judg. 15:6). ......
TISHBITE
Elijah the prophet was thus named (1-Kings 17:1;21:17, 21: 28, etc.). In 1-Kings 17:1 the word rendered "inhabitants" is in the original the same as that rendered "Tishbite," hence that verse may be read as in the LXX., "Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbi in Gilead." Some interpret this word as meaning "stranger," and read the verse, "Elijah the stranger from among the strangers in Gilead." This design......
TITHE
a tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes. The dedication of a tenth to God was recognized as a duty before the time of Moses. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20; Heb. 7:6); and Jacob vowed unto the Lord and said, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." The first Mosaic law on this subject is recorded in Lev. 2......
TITTLE
a point, (Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17), the minute point or stroke added to some letters of the Hebrew alphabet to distinguish them from others which they resemble; hence, the very least point. ......
TITUS
honourable, was with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, and accompanied them to the council at Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1; Acts 15:2), although his name nowhere occurs in the Acts of the Apostles. He appears to have been a Gentile, and to have been chiefly engaged in ministering to Gentiles; for Paul sternly refused to have him circumcised, inasmuch as in his case the cause of gospel liberty was at stake. We ......
TITUS, EPISTLE TO
was probably written about the same time as the first epistle to Timothy, with which it has many affinities. "Both letters were addressed to persons left by the writer to preside in their respective churches during his absence. Both letters are principally occupied in describing the qualifications to be sought for in those whom they should appoint to offices in the church; and the ingredients of t......
TOLAITES
descendants of Tola (Num. 26:23; 1-Chr 7:1, 1-Chr 7: 2). ......
TRACHONITIS
a rugged region, corresponds to the Heb. Argob (q.v.), the Greek name of a region on the east of Jordan (Luke 3:1); one of the five Roman provinces into which that district was divided. It was in the tetrarchy of Philip, and is now called the Lejah. ......
TRADITION
any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed down from generation to generation. In Mark 7:3, Mark 7: 9, 13, Col. 2:8, Col. 2: this word refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In 2-Thess 2:15;3:6, 3: it is used in a good sense. Peter (1-Pet 1:18) uses this word with reference to the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses (comp. Acts 15:10; Matt. 15:2; Ga......
TREASURE CITIES
store cities which the Israelites built for the Egyptians (Exo 1:11). (See PITHOM.) Towns in which the treasures of the kings of Judah were kept were so designated (1-Chr 27:25). ......
TRINITY
a word not found in Scripture, but used to express the doctrine of the unity of God as subsisting in three distinct Persons. This word is derived from the Gr. trias, first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183), or from the Lat. trinitas, first used by Tertullian (A.D. 220), to express this doctrine. The propositions involved in the doctrine are these: 1. That God is one, and that there is but one God ......
WHITE
a symbol of purity (2-Chr 5:12; Psa 51:7; Isa. 1:18; Rev. 3:18;7:14). Our Lord, at his transfiguration, appeared in raiment "white as the light" (Matt. 17:2, Matt. 17: etc.). ......
WITCH
Occurs only in Exo 22:18, Exo 22: as the rendering of _mekhashshepheh_, the feminine form of the word, meaning "enchantress" (R.V., "sorceress"), and in Deut. 18:10, Deut. 18: as the rendering of _mekhashshepheth_, the masculine form of the word, meaning "enchanter." ......
WITCHCRAFT
(1-Sam 15:23; 2-Kings 9:22; 2-Chr 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Gal. 5:20). In the popular sense of the word no mention is made either of witches or of witchcraft in Scripture. The "witch of En-dor" (1 Sam. 28) was a necromancer, i.e., one who feigned to hold converse with the dead. The damsel with "a spirit of divination" (Acts 16:16) was possessed by an evil spirit, or, as the words are literal......
WITNESS
More than one witness was required in criminal cases (Deut. 17:6;19:15). They were the first to execute the sentence on the condemned (Deut. 13:9;17:7; 1-Kings 21:13; Matt. 27:1; Acts 7:57, Acts 7: 58). False witnesses were liable to punishment (Deut. 19:16). It was also an offence to refuse to bear witness (Lev. 5:1). ......
WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT
(Rom. 8:16), the consciousness of the gracious operation of the Spirit on the mind, "a certitude of the Spirit's presence and work continually asserted within us", manifested "in his comforting us, his stirring us up to prayer, his reproof of our sins, his drawing us to works of love, to bear testimony before the world," etc. ......
WRITING
The art of writing must have been known in the time of the early Pharaohs. Moses is commanded "to write for a memorial in a book" (Exo 17:14) a record of the attack of Amalek. Frequent mention is afterwards made of writing (28:11, 28: 21, 29, 36;31:18;32:15, 32: 16;34:1, 34: 28;39:6, 39: 14, 30). The origin of this art is unknown, but there is reason to conclude that in the age of Moses it was wel......
ZEBULONITE
the designation of Elon, the judge who belonged to the tribe of Zebulun (Judg. 12:11, Judg. 12: 12).......
ZEMARITE
the designation of one of the Phoenician tribes (Gen. 10:18) who inhabited the town of Sumra, at the western base of the Lebanon range. In the Amarna tablets (B.C. 1400) Zemar, or Zumur, was one of the most important of the Phoenician cities, but it afterwards almost disappears from history.......
ZITHRI
the Lord protects, a Levite, son of Uzziel (Exo 6:22).......
CAMEL
from the Hebrew _gamal_, "to repay" or "requite," as the camel does the care of its master. There are two distinct species of camels, having, however, the common characteristics of being "ruminants without horns, without muzzle, with nostrils forming oblique slits, the upper lip divided and separately movable and extensile, the soles of the feet horny, with two toes covered by claws, the limbs lon......
ANTONIA
a fortress in Jerusalem, at the north-west corner of the temple area. It is called "the castle" (Acts 21:34, Acts 21: 37). From the stairs of this castle Paul delivered his famous speech to the multitude in the area below (Acts 22:1). It was originally a place in which were kept the vestments of the high priest. Herod fortified it, and called it Antonia in honour of his friend Mark Antony. It was ......
ARISTOBULUS
a Roman mentioned in Paul's Epistle to the Romans (16:10), whose "household" is saluated.......
ASHTORETH
the moon goddess of the Phoenicians, representing the passive principle in nature, their principal female deity; frequently associated with the name of Baal, the sun-god, their chief male deity (Judg. 10:6; 1-Sam 7:4;12:10). These names often occur in the plural (Ashtaroth, Baalim), probably as indicating either different statues or different modifications of the deities. This deity is spoken of a......
ATONEMENT
This word does not occur in the Authorized Version of the New Testament except in Rom. 5:11, Rom. 5: where in the Revised Version the word "reconciliation" is used. In the Old Testament it is of frequent occurrence. The meaning of the word is simply at-one-ment, i.e., the state of being at one or being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation. Thus it is used to denote the effect which fl......
ATONEMENT, DAY OF
the great annual day of humiliation and expiation for the sins of the nation, "the fast" (Acts 27:9), and the only one commanded in the law of Moses. The mode of its observance is described in Lev. 16:3;23:26; and Num. 29:7. It was kept on the tenth day of the month Tisri, i.e., five days before the feast of Tabernacles, and lasted from sunset to sunset. (See AZAZEL.)......
BABEL, TOWER OF
the name given to the tower which the primitive fathers of our race built in the land of Shinar after the Deluge (Gen. 11:1). Their object in building this tower was probably that it might be seen as a rallying-point in the extensive plain of Shinar, to which they had emigrated from the uplands of Armenia, and so prevent their being scattered abroad. But God interposed and defeated their design by......
BRIMSTONE
an inflammable mineral substance found in quantities on the shores of the Dead Sea. The cities of the plain were destroyed by a rain of fire and brimstone (Gen. 19:24, Gen. 19: 25). In Isa. 34:9 allusion is made to the destruction of these cities. This word figuratively denotes destruction or punishment (Job 18:15; Isa. 30:33;34:9; Psa 11:6; Ezek. 38:22). It is used to express the idea of excrucia......
CAPHTOR
a chaplet, the original seat of the Philistines (Deut. 2:23; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7). The name is found written in hieroglyphics in the temple of Kom Ombos in Upper Egypt. But the exact situation of Caphtor is unknown, though it is supposed to be Crete, since the Philistines seem to be meant by the "Cherethites" in 1-Sam 30:14 (see also 2-Sam 8:18). It may, however, have been a part of Egypt, the Cap......
COLOSSIANS, EPISTLE TO THE
was written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there (Acts 28:16, Acts 28: 30), probably in the spring of A.D. 57, or, as some think, 62, and soon after he had written his Epistle to the Ephesians. Like some of his other epistles (e.g., those to Corinth), this seems to have been written in consequence of information which had somehow been conveyed to him of the internal state of the chu......
CORINTHIANS, FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
was written from Ephesus (1-Cor 16:8) about the time of the Passover in the third year of the apostle's sojourn there (Acts 19:10;20:31), and when he had formed the purpose to visit Macedonia, and then return to Corinth (probably A.D. 57). The news which had reached him, however, from Corinth frustrated his plan. He had heard of the abuses and contentions that had arisen among them, first from A......
CORINTHIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE
Shortly after writing his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul left Ephesus, where intense excitement had been aroused against him, the evidence of his great success, and proceeded to Macedonia. Pursuing the usual route, he reached Troas, the port of departure for Europe. Here he expected to meet with Titus, whom he had sent from Ephesus to Corinth, with tidings of the effects produced on the chu......
COVETOUSNESS
a strong desire after the possession of worldly things (Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 13:5; 1-Tim 6:9, 1-Tim 6: 10; Matt. 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of avarice, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness. ......
CUSTOM
a tax imposed by the Romans. The tax-gatherers were termed publicans (q.v.), who had their stations at the gates of cities, and in the public highways, and at the place set apart for that purpose, called the "receipt of custom" (Matt.9:9; Mark 2:14), where they collected the money that was to be paid on certain goods (7:25). These publicans were tempted to exact more from the people than was lawfu......
DEBTOR
Various regulations as to the relation between debtor and creditor are laid down in the Scriptures. (1.) The debtor was to deliver up as a pledge to the creditor what he could most easily dispense with (Deut. 24:10, Deut. 24: 11). (2.) A mill, or millstone, or upper garment, when given as a pledge, could not be kept over night (Exo 22:26, Exo 22: 27). (3.) A debt could not be exacted during ......
DOCTOR
(Luke 2:46;5:17; Acts 5:34), a teacher. The Jewish doctors taught and disputed in synagogues, or wherever they could find an audience. Their disciples were allowed to propose to them questions. They assumed the office without any appointment to it. The doctors of the law were principally of the sect of the Pharisees. Schools were established after the destruction of Jerusalem at Babylon and Tiberi......
EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO
was written by Paul at Rome about the same time as that to the Colossians, which in many points it resembles. Contents of. The Epistle to the Colossians is mainly polemical, designed to refute certain theosophic errors that had crept into the church there. That to the Ephesians does not seem to have originated in any special circumstances, but is simply a letter springing from Paul's love to the......
FOOTSTOOL
connected with a throne (2-Chr 9:18). Jehovah symbolically dwelt in the holy place between the cherubim above the ark of the covenant. The ark was his footstool (1-Chr 28:2; Psa 99:5;132:7). And as heaven is God's throne, so the earth is his footstool (Psa 110:1; Isa. 66:1; Matt. 5:35). ......
GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO
The genuineness of this epistle is not called in question. Its Pauline origin is universally acknowledged. Occasion of. The churches of Galatia were founded by Paul himself (Acts 16:6; Gal. 1:8;4:13, 4: 19). They seem to have been composed mainly of converts from heathenism (4:8), but partly also of Jewish converts, who probably, under the influence of Judaizing teachers, sought to incorporate t......
GLUTTON
(Deut. 21:20), Heb. zolel, from a word meaning "to shake out," "to squander;" and hence one who is prodigal, who wastes his means by indulgence. In Prov. 23:21, Prov. 23: the word means debauchees or wasters of their own body. In Prov. 28:7, Prov. 28: the word (pl.) is rendered Authorized Version "riotous men;" Revised Version, "gluttonous." Matt. 11:19, Matt. 11: Luke 7:34, Luke 7: Greek phagos, ......
HEBREWS, EPISTLE TO
(1.) Its canonicity. All the results of critical and historical research to which this epistle has been specially subjected abundantly vindicate its right to a place in the New Testament canon among the other inspired books. (2.) Its authorship. A considerable variety of opinions on this subject has at different times been advanced. Some have maintained that its author was Silas, Paul's companio......
ISHTOB
man of Tob, one of the small Syrian kingdoms which together constituted Aram (2-Sam 10:6, 2-Sam 10:8). ......
JEZREEL, TOWER OF
one of the turrets which guarded the entrance to the city (2-Kings 9:17). ......
LUKE, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
was written by Luke. He does not claim to have been an eye-witness of our Lord's ministry, but to have gone to the best sources of information within his reach, and to have written an orderly narrative of the facts (Luke 1:1). The authors of the first three Gospels, the synoptics, wrote independently of each other. Each wrote his independent narrative under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Each ......
MARK, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
It is the current and apparently well-founded tradition that Mark derived his information mainly from the discourses of Peter. In his mother's house he would have abundant opportunities of obtaining information from the other apostles and their coadjutors, yet he was "the disciple and interpreter of Peter" specially. As to the time when it was written, the Gospel furnishes us with no definite in......
MATTHEW, GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
The author of this book was beyond a doubt the Matthew, an apostle of our Lord, whose name it bears. He wrote the Gospel of Christ according to his own plans and aims, and from his own point of view, as did also the other "evangelists." As to the time of its composition, there is little in the Gospel itself to indicate. It was evidently written before the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24), and......
MATTOCK
(1.) Heb. ma'eder, an instrument for dressing or pruning a vineyard (Isa. 7:25); a weeding-hoe. (2.) Heb. mahareshah (1-Sam 13:1), perhaps the ploughshare or coulter. (3.) Heb. herebh, marg. of text (2-Chr 34:6). Authorized Version, "with their mattocks," marg. "mauls." The Revised Version renders "in their ruins," marg. "with their axes." The Hebrew text is probably corrupt. ......
MEDIATOR
one who intervenes between two persons who are at variance, with a view to reconcile them. This word is not found in the Old Testament; but the idea it expresses is found in Job 9:33, Job 9: in the word "daysman" (q.v.), marg., "umpire." This word is used in the New Testament to denote simply an internuncius, an ambassador, one who acts as a medium of communication between two contracting partie......
NEPHTOAH
opened, a fountain and a stream issuing from it on the border between Judah and Benjamin (Josh. 15:8, Josh. 15: 9;18:15). It has been identified with 'Ain Lifta, a spring about 2 1/2 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Others, however, have identified it with 'Ain' Atan, on the south-west of Bethlehem, whence water is conveyed through "Pilate's aqueduct" to the Haram area at Jerusalem. ......
NETOPHAH
distillation; dropping, a town in Judah, in the neighbourhood, probably, of Bethlehem (Neh. 7:26; 1-Chr 2:54). Two of David's guards were Netophathites (1-Chr 27:13, 1-Chr 27: 15). It has been identified with the ruins of Metoba, or Um Toba, to the north-east of Bethlehem. ......
PHILEMON, EPISTLE TO
was written from Rome at the same time as the epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians, and was sent also by Onesimus. It was addressed to Philemon and the members of his family. It was written for the purpose of interceding for Onesimus (q.v.), who had deserted his master Philemon and been "unprofitable" to him. Paul had found Onesimus at Rome, and had there been instrumental in his conversion,......
PHILIPPIANS, EPISTLE TO
was written by Paul during the two years when he was "in bonds" in Rome (Phil. 1:7), probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in the end of 61. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the necessities of the apostle; and on his return Paul sent back with him this letter. With this precious communication Epaphroditus sets out on his homeward journey. "The jo......
PRAETORIUM
The Greek word (praitorion) thus rendered in Mark 15:16 is rendered "common hall" (Matt. 27:27, Matt. 27: marg., "governor's house"), "judgment hall," (John 18:28, John 18: 33, marg., "Pilate's house",19:9; Acts 23:35), "palace" (Phil. 1:13). This is properly a military word. It denotes (1) the general's tent or headquarters; (2) the governor's residence, as in Acts 23:35 (R.V., "palace"); and (3)......
PTOLEMAIS
a maritime city of Galilee (Acts 21:7). It was originally called "Accho" (q.v.), and received the name Ptolemais from Ptolemy Soter when he was in possession of Coele-Syria.......
ROMANS, EPISTLE TO THE
This epistle was probably written at Corinth. Phoebe (Rom. 16:1) of Cenchrea conveyed it to Rome, and Gaius of Corinth entertained the apostle at the time of his writing it (16:23; 1-Cor 1:14), and Erastus was chamberlain of the city, i.e., of Corinth (2-Tim 4:20). The precise time at which it was written is not mentioned in the epistle, but it was obviously written when the apostle was about to......
SARDINE STONE
(Rev. 4:3, Rev. 4: R.V., "sardius;" Heb. 'odhem; LXX., Gr. sardion, from a root meaning "red"), a gem of a blood-red colour. It was called "sardius" because obtained from Sardis in Lydia. It is enumerated among the precious stones in the high priest's breastplate (Exo 28:17;39:10). It is our red carnelian. ......
SILOAM, TOWER OF
mentioned only Luke 13:4. The place here spoken of is the village now called Silwan, or Kefr Silwan, on the east of the valley of Kidron, and to the north-east of the pool. It stands on the west slope of the Mount of Olives. As illustrative of the movement of small bands of Canaanites from place to place, and the intermingling of Canaanites and Israelites even in small towns in earlier times, M.......
STOICS
a sect of Greek philosophers at Athens, so called from the Greek word stoa i.e., a "porch" or "portico," where they have been called "the Pharisees of Greek paganism." The founder of the Stoics was Zeno, who flourished about B.C. 300. He taught his disciples that a man's happiness consisted in bringing himself into harmony with the course of the universe. They were trained to bear evils with indif......
STOMACHER
(Isa. 3:24), an article of female attire, probably some sort of girdle around the breast. ......
STONE
Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events (Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, Josh. 24: 27; 1-Sam 7:12, 1-Sam 7: etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields (Isa. 5:2; comp. 2-Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1-Pet 2:4, 1-Pet 2: 5), and of the Messiah (Psa 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, Acts 4: etc.). In Dan. 2:45 it refe......
STONES, PRECIOUS
Frequently referred to (1-Kings 10:2; 2-Chr 3:6;9:10; Rev. 18:16;21:19). There are about twenty different names of such stones in the Bible. They are figuratively introduced to denote value, beauty, durability (5:14; Isa 54:11, Isa 54: 12; Lam. 4:7). ......
STONING
a form of punishment (Lev. 20:2;24:14; Deut. 13:10;17:5;22:21) prescribed for certain offences. Of Achan (Josh. 7:25), Naboth (1 Kings 21), Stephen (Acts 7:59), Paul (Acts 14:19; 2-Cor 11:25). ......
STORK
Heb. hasidah, meaning "kindness," indicating thus the character of the bird, which is noted for its affection for its young. It is in the list of birds forbidden to be eaten by the Levitical law (Lev. 11:19; Deut. 14:18). It is like the crane, but larger in size. Two species are found in Palestine, the white, which are dispersed in pairs over the whole country; and the black, which live in marshy ......
THESSALONIANS, EPISTLES TO THE
The first epistle to the Thessalonians was the first of all Paul's epistles. It was in all probability written from Corinth, where he abode a "long time" (Acts 18:11, Acts 18: 18), early in the period of his residence there, about the end of A.D. 52. The occasion of its being written was the return of Timotheus from Macedonia, bearing tidings from Thessalonica regarding the state of the church t......
TIMOTHY, FIRST EPISTLE TO
Paul in this epistle speaks of himself as having left Ephesus for Macedonia (1:3), and hence not Laodicea, as mentioned in the subscription; but probably Philippi, or some other city in that region, was the place where this epistle was written. During the interval between his first and second imprisonments he probably visited the scenes of his former labours in Greece and Asia, and then found his ......
TIMOTHY, SECOND EPISTLE TO
was probably written a year or so after the first, and from Rome, where Paul was for a second time a prisoner, and was sent to Timothy by the hands of Tychicus. In it he entreats Timothy to come to him before winter, and to bring Mark with him (comp. Phil. 2:22). He was anticipating that "the time of his departure was at hand" (2-Tim 4:6), and he exhorts his "son Timothy" to all diligence and stea......
TOB-ADONIJAH
good is Jehovah, my Lord, a Levite sent out by Jehoshaphat to instruct the people of Judah in the law (2-Chr 17:8). ......
TOBIAH
pleasing to Jehovah, the "servant," the "Ammonite," who joined with those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Exile (Neh. 2:10). He was a man of great influence, which he exerted in opposition to the Jews, and "sent letters" to Nehemiah "to put him in fear" (Neh. 6:17). "Eliashib the priest" prepared for him during Nehemiah's absence "a chamber in the courts of the house of God," whi......
TOBIJAH
id., a Levite sent out through Judah by Jehoshaphat to teach the people (2-Chr 17:8). ......
TOCHEN
measured, a town of Simeon (1-Chr 4:32). ......
TOGARMAH
(1.) A son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth (Gen. 10:3). (2.) A nation which traded in horses and mules at the fairs of Tyre (Ezek. 27:14;38:6); probably an Armenian or a Scythian race; descendants of (1). ......
TOHU
one of Samuel's ancestors (1-Sam 1:1). ......
TOI
a king of Hamath, who sent "Joram his son unto King David to salute him," when he "heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer" (2-Sam 8:9, 2-Sam 8: 10). Called Tou (1-Chr 18:9, 1-Chr 18: 10). ......
TOLA
a scarlet worm. (1.) Eldest son of Issachar (Gen. 46:13). (2.) A judge of the tribe of Issachar who "judged" Israel twenty-three years (Judg. 10:1, Judg. 10: 2), when he died, and was buried in Shamir. He was succeeded by Jair. ......
TOLAD
productive, a town of Simeon, in the south of Judah (1-Chr 4:29). ......
TOLL
one of the branches of the king of Persia's revenues (Ezra 4:13;7:24), probably a tax levied from those who used the bridges and fords and highways. ......
TOMBS
of the Hebrews were generally excavated in the solid rock, or were natural caves. Mention is made of such tombs in Judg. 8:32; 2-Sam 2:32; 2-Kings 9:28;23:30. They were sometimes made in gardens (2-Kings 21:26;23:16; Matt. 27:60). They are found in great numbers in and around Jerusalem and all over the land. They were sometimes whitewashed (Matt. 23:27, Matt. 23: 29). The body of Jesus was laid in......
TONGUES, CONFUSION OF
at Babel, the cause of the early separation of mankind and their division into nations. The descendants of Noah built a tower to prevent their dispersion; but God "confounded their language" (Gen. 11:1), and they were scattered over the whole earth. Till this time "the whole earth was of one language and of one speech." (See SHINAR.) ......
TONGUES, GIFT OF
granted on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4), in fulfilment of a promise Christ had made to his disciples (Mark 16:17). What this gift actually was has been a subject of much discussion. Some have argued that it was merely an outward sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit among the disciples, typifying his manifold gifts, and showing that salvation was to be extended to all nations. But the words o......
TOOTH
one of the particulars regarding which retaliatory punishment was to be inflicted (Exo 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21). "Gnashing of teeth" =rage, despair (Matt. 8:12; Acts 7:54); "cleanness of teeth" =famine (Amos 4:6); "children's teeth set on edge" =children suffering for the sins of their fathers (Ezek. 18:2). ......
TOPAZ
Heb. pitdah (Ezek. 28:13; Rev. 21:20), a golden yellow or "green" stone brought from Cush or Ethiopia (Job 28:19). It was the second stone in the first row in the breastplate of the high priest, and had the name of Simeon inscribed on it (Exo 28:17). It is probably the chrysolite of the moderns. ......
TOPHEL
lime, a place in the wilderness of Sinai (Deut. 1:1), now identified with Tafyleh or Tufileh, on the west side of the Edomitish mountains. ......
TOPHET
=Topheth, from Heb. toph "a drum," because the cries of children here sacrificed by the priests of Moloch were drowned by the noise of such an instrument; or from taph or toph, meaning "to burn," and hence a place of burning, the name of a particular part in the valley of Hinnom. "Fire being the most destructive of all elements, is chosen by the sacred writers to symbolize the agency by which God ......
TORCHES
On the night of his betrayal, when our Lord was in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas, "having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons" (John 18:1). Although it was the time of full moon, yet in the valley of the Kidron "there fell great, deep shadows from the declivity of the mountain and projecting rocks; there w......
TORMENT
Gr. basanos (Matt. 4:24), the "touch-stone" of justice; hence inquisition by torture, and then any disease which racks and tortures the limbs. ......
TORTOISE
(Heb. tsabh). Ranked among the unclean animals (Lev. 11:29). Land tortoises are common in Syria. The LXX. renders the word by "land crocodile." The word, however, more probably denotes a lizard, called by the modern Arabs _dhabb_. ......
TOW
(Judg. 16:9). See FLAX. ......
TOWER OF THE FURNACES
(Neh. 3:11;12:38), a tower at the north-western angle of the second wall of Jerusalem. It was probably so named from its contiguity to the "bakers' street" (Jer. 37:21). ......
TOWERS
of Babel (Gen. 11:4), Edar (Gen. 35:21), Penuel (Judg. 8:9, Judg. 8: 17), Shechem (9:46), David (4:4), Lebanon (7:4), Syene (Ezek. 29:10), Hananeel (Zech. 14:10), Siloam (Luke 13:4). There were several towers in Jerusalem (2-Chr 26:9; Psa 48:12). They were erected for various purposes, as watch-towers in vineyard (Isa. 5:2; Matt. 21:33) and towers for defence. ......
PASSAGE
denotes in Josh. 22:11, Josh. 22: as is generally understood, the place where the children of Israel passed over Jordan. The words "the passage of" are, however, more correctly rendered "by the side of," or "at the other side of," thus designating the position of the great altar erected by the eastern tribes on their return home. This word also designates the fords of the Jordan to the south of th......
PASSION
Only once found, in Acts 1:3, Acts 1: meaning suffering, referring to the sufferings of our Lord.......
PASSOVER
the name given to the chief of the three great historical annual festivals of the Jews. It was kept in remembrance of the Lord's passing over the houses of the Israelites (Exo 12:13) when the first born of all the Egyptians were destroyed. It is called also the "feast of unleavened bread" (Exo 23:15; Mark 14:1; Acts 12:3), because during its celebration no leavened bread was to be eaten or even ke......
RED SEA, PASSAGE OF
The account of the march of the Israelites through the Red Sea is given in Exo 14:22. There has been great diversity of opinion as to the precise place where this occurred. The difficulty of arriving at any definite conclusion on the matter is much increased by the consideration that the head of the Gulf of Suez, which was the branch of the sea that was crossed, must have extended at the time of t......
TRESPASS OFFERING
(Heb. 'asham, "debt"), the law concerning, given in Lev. 5:14:7; also in Num. 5:5. The idea of sin as a "debt" pervades this legislation. The _asham_, which was always a ram, was offered in cases where sins were more private. (See OFFERING.) ......
ABIATHAR
father of abundance, or my father excels, the son of Ahimelech the high priest. He was the tenth high priest, and the fourth in descent from Eli. When his father was slain with the priests of Nob, he escaped, and bearing with him the ephod, he joined David, who was then in the cave of Adullam (1-Sam 22:20;23:6). He remained with David, and became priest of the party of which he was the leader (1-S......
ABOMINATION
This word is used, (1.) To express the idea that the Egyptians considered themselves as defiled when they ate with strangers (Gen. 43:32). The Jews subsequently followed the same practice, holding it unlawful to eat or drink with foreigners (John 18:28; Acts 10:28;11:3). (2.) Every shepherd was "an abomination" unto the Egyptians (Gen. 46:34). This aversion to shepherds, such as the Hebrews, aro......
ADJURATION
a solemn appeal whereby one person imposes on another the obligation of speaking or acting as if under an oath (1-Sam 14:24; Josh. 6:26; 1-Kings 22:16). We have in the New Testament a striking example of this (Matt. 26:63; Mark 5:7), where the high priest calls upon Christ to avow his true character. It would seem that in such a case the person so adjured could not refuse to give an answer. Th......
ADVOCATE
(Gr. parakletos), one who pleads another's cause, who helps another by defending or comforting him. It is a name given by Christ three times to the Holy Ghost (John 14:16;15:26;16:7, 16: where the Greek word is rendered "Comforter," q.v.). It is applied to Christ in 1-John 2:1, 1-John 2: where the same Greek word is rendered "Advocate," the rendering which it should have in all the places where it......
AGATE
(Heb. shebo), a precious stone in the breast-plate of the high priest (Exo 28:19;39:12), the second in the third row. This may be the agate properly so called, a semi-transparent crystallized quartz, probably brought from Sheba, whence its name. In Isa. 54:12 and Ezek. 27:16, Ezek. 27: this word is the rendering of the Hebrew cadcod, which means "ruddy," and denotes a variety of minutely crystalli......
ANATH
an answer; i.e., to "prayer", the father of Shamgar, who was one of the judges of Israel (Judg. 3:31).......
ANATHEMA
anything laid up or suspended; hence anything laid up in a temple or set apart as sacred. In this sense the form of the word is _anath(ee)ma_, once in plural used in the Greek New Testament, in Luke 21:5, Luke 21: where it is rendered "gifts." In the LXX. the form _anathema_ is generally used as the rendering of the Hebrew word _herem_, derived from a verb which means (1) to consecrate or devote; ......
ANATHOTH
the name of one of the cities of refuge, in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 21:18). The Jews, as a rule, did not change the names of the towns they found in Palestine; hence this town may be regarded as deriving its name from the goddess Anat. It was the native place of Abiezer, one of David's "thirty" (2-Sam 23:27), and of Jehu, another of his mighty men (1-Chr 12:3). It is chiefly notable, however,......
ANTIPATRIS
a city built by Herod the Great, and called by this name in honour of his father, Antipater. It lay between Caesarea and Lydda, two miles inland, on the great Roman road from Caesarea to Jerusalem. To this place Paul was brought by night (Acts 23:31) on his way to Caesarea, from which it was distant 28 miles. It is identified with the modern, Ras-el-Ain, where rise the springs of Aujeh, the larges......
ARARAT
sacred land or high land, the name of a country on one of the mountains of which the ark rested after the Flood subsided (Gen. 8:4). The "mountains" mentioned were probably the Kurdish range of South Armenia. In 2-Kings 19:37, 2-Kings 19: Isa. 37:38, Isa. 37: the word is rendered "Armenia" in the Authorized Version, but in the Revised Version, "Land of Ararat." In Jer. 51:27, Jer. 51: the name den......
ARIMATHEA
a "city of the Jews" (Luke 23:51), the birth-place of Joseph in whose sepulchre our Lord was laid (Matt. 27:57, Matt. 27: 60; John 19:38). It is probably the same place as Ramathaim in Ephraim, and the birth-place of Samuel (1-Sam 1:1, 1-Sam 1: 19). Others identify it with Ramleh in Dan, or Rama (q.v.) in Benjamin (Matt. 2:18).......
ASENATH
an Egyptian name, meaning "gift of the sun-god", daughter of Potipherah, priest of On or Heliopolis, wife of Joseph (Gen. 41:45). She was the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim (50-52;46:20).......
ATAD
buckthorn, a place where Joseph and his brethren, when on their way from Egypt to Hebron with the remains of their father Jacob, made for seven days a "great and very sore lamentation." On this account the Canaanites called it "Abel-mizraim" (Gen. 50:10, Gen. 50: 11). It was probably near Hebron. The word is rendered "bramble" in Judg. 9:14, Judg. 9: 15, and "thorns" in Psa 58:9.......
ATAROTH
crowns. (1.) A city east of Jordan, not far from Gilead (Num. 32:3). (2.) A town on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin (Josh. 16:2, Josh. 16: 7), called also Ataroth-adar (16:5). Now ed-Da'rieh. (3.) "Ataroth, the house of Joab" (1-Chr 2:54), a town of Judah inhabited by the descendants of Caleb.......
ATER
shut; lame. (1.) Ezra 2:16. (2.) Neh. 10:17. (3.) Ezra 2:42.......
ATHALIAH
whom God afflicts. (1.) The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah (2-Kings 8:18), who "walked in the ways of the house of Ahab" (2-Chr 21:6), called "daughter" of Omri (2-Kings 8:26). On the death of her husband and of her son Ahaziah, she resolved to seat herself on the vacant throne. She slew all Ahaziah's children except Joash, the youngest (2-Kings 11:1, 2-Kings ......
ATHENS
the capital of Attica, the most celebrated city of the ancient world, the seat of Greek literature and art during the golden period of Grecian history. Its inhabitants were fond of novelty (Acts 17:21), and were remarkable for their zeal in the worship of the gods. It was a sarcastic saying of the Roman satirist that it was "easier to find a god at Athens than a man." On his second missionary jo......
BAALATH
a town of the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:44). It was fortified by Solomon (1-Kings 9:18; 2-Chr 8:6). Some have identified it with Bel'ain, in Wady Deir Balut.......
BAALATH-BEER
Baalah of the well, (Josh. 19:8, Josh. 19: probably the same as Baal, mentioned in 1-Chr 4:33, 1-Chr 4: a city of Simeon.......
BAKE-MEATS
baked provisions (Gen. 40:17), literally "works of the baker," such as biscuits and cakes.......
BASHEMATH
sweet-smelling. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, the last of Esau's three wives (Gen. 36:3, Gen. 36: 4, 13), from whose son Reuel four tribes of the Edomites sprung. She is also called Mahalath (Gen. 28:9). It is noticeable that Esau's three wives receive different names in the genealogical table of the Edomites (Gen. 36) from those given to them in the history (Gen. 26:34;28:9). (2.) A daughter of......
BAT
The Hebrew word (atalleph') so rendered (Lev. 11:19; Deut. 14:18) implies "flying in the dark." The bat is reckoned among the birds in the list of unclean animals. To cast idols to the "moles and to the bats" means to carry them into dark caverns or desolate places to which these animals resort (Isa. 2:20), i.e., to consign them to desolation or ruin. ......
BATH
a Hebrew liquid measure, the tenth part of an homer (1-Kings 7:26, 1-Kings 7: 38; Ezek. 45:10, Ezek. 45: 14). It contained 8 gallons 3 quarts of our measure. "Ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath" (Isa. 5:10) denotes great unproductiveness. ......
BATH-RABBIM
daughter of many, the name of one of the gates of the city of Heshbon, near which were pools (7:4). ......
BATH-SHEBA
daughter of the oath, or of seven, called also Bath-shu'a (1-Chr 3:5), was the daughter of Eliam (2-Sam 11:3) or Ammiel (1-Chr 3:5), and wife of Uriah the Hittite. David committed adultery with her (2-Sam 11:4, 2-Sam 11: 5; Psa 51:1). The child born in adultery died (2-Sam 12:15). After her husband was slain (11:15) she was married to David (11:27), and became the mother of Solomon (12:24; 1-Kings......
BATHS
The use of the bath was very frequent among the Hebrews (Lev. 14:8; Num. 19:19, Num. 19: ect.). The high priest at his inauguration (Lev. 8:6), and on the day of atonement, was required to bathe himself (16:4, 16: 24). The "pools" mentioned in Neh. 3:15, Neh. 3: 16, 2-Kings 20:20, 2-Kings 20: Isa. 22:11, Isa. 22: John 9:7, John 9: were public bathing-places. ......
BATTERING-RAM
(Ezek. 4:2;21:22), a military engine, consisting of a long beam of wood hung upon a frame, for making breaches in walls. The end of it which was brought against the wall was shaped like a ram's head. ......
BATTLE-AXE
a mallet or heavy war-club. Applied metaphorically (Jer. 51:20) to Cyrus, God's instrument in destroying Babylon. ......
BATTLE-BOW
the war-bow used in fighting (Zech. 9:10;10:4). "Thy bow was made quite naked" (Hab. 3:9) means that it was made ready for use. By David's order (2-Sam 1:18) the young men were taught the use, or rather the song of the bow. (See ARMOUR, BOW.) ......
BATTLEMENT
a parapet wall or balustrade surrounding the flat roofs of the houses, required to be built by a special law (Deut. 22:8). In Jer. 5:10, Jer. 5: it denotes the parapet of a city wall. ......
BEATEN GOLD
in Num. 8:4, Num. 8: means "turned" or rounded work in gold. The Greek Version, however, renders the word "solid gold;" the Revised Version, "beaten work of gold." In 1-Kings 10:16, 1-Kings 10: 17, it probably means "mixed" gold, as the word ought to be rendered, i.e., not pure gold. Others render the word in these places "thin plates of gold." ......
BEATEN OIL
(Exo 27:20;29:40), obtained by pounding olives in a mortar, not by crushing them in a mill. It was reckoned the best. (See OLIVE.) ......
BEAUTIFUL GATE
the name of one of the gates of the temple (Acts 3:2). It is supposed to have been the door which led from the court of the Gentiles to the court of the women. It was of massive structure, and covered with plates of Corinthian brass. ......
BETH-ANATH
house of response, one of the fenced cities of Naphtali (Josh. 19:38). It is perhaps identical with the modern village 'Ainata, 6 miles west of Kedesh.......
BETH-DIBLATHAIM
house of two cakes of figs, a city of Moab, upon which Jeremiah (8:22) denounced destruction. It is called also Almon-diblathaim (Num. 33:46) and Diblath (Ezek. 6:14). (R.V., "Diblah.") ......
BLOODY SWEAT
the sign and token of our Lord's great agony (Luke 22:44). ......
BREASTPLATE
(1.) That piece of ancient armour that protected the breast. This word is used figuratively in Eph. 6:14 and Isa. 59:17. (See ARMOUR.) (2.) An ornament covering the breast of the high priest, first mentioned in Exo 25:7. It was made of embroidered cloth, set with four rows of precious stones, three in each row. On each stone was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes (Exo 28:15;39:8). It ......
CATERPILLAR
the consumer. Used in the Old Testament (1-Kings 8:37; 2-Chr 6:28; Psa 78:46; Isa. 33:4) as the translation of a word (hasil) the root of which means "to devour" or "consume," and which is used also with reference to the locust in Deut. 28:38. It may have been a species of locust, or the name of one of the transformations through which the locust passes, locust-grub. It is also found (Psa 105:34; ......
CATHOLIC EPISTLES
the epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude; so called because they are addressed to Christians in general, and not to any church or person in particular.......
CATTLE
abounded in the Holy Land. To the rearing and management of them the inhabitants chiefly devoted themselves (Deut. 8:13;12:21; 1-Sam 11:5;12:3; Psa 144:14; Jer. 3:24). They may be classified as, (1.) Neat cattle. Many hundreds of these were yearly consumed in sacrifices or used for food. The finest herds were found in Bashan, beyond Jordan (Num. 32:4). Large herds also pastured on the wide ferti......
CHUSHAN-RISHATHAIM
Cush of double wickedness, or governor of two presidencies, the king of Mesopotamia who oppressed Israel in the generation immediately following Joshua (Judg. 3:8). We learn from the Tell-el-Amarna tablets that Palestine had been invaded by the forces of Aram-naharaim (A.V., "Mesopotamia") more than once, long before the Exodus, and that at the time they were written the king of Aram-naharaim was ......
COAT
the tunic worn like the shirt next the skin (Lev. 16:4; 5:3; 2-Sam 15:32; Exo 28:4;29:5). The "coats of skins" prepared by God for Adam and Eve were probably nothing more than aprons (Gen. 3:21). This tunic was sometimes woven entire without a seam (John 19:23); it was also sometimes of "many colours" (Gen. 37:3; R.V. marg., "a long garment with sleeves"). The "fisher's coat" of John 21:7 was obvi......
COAT OF MAIL
the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning "glittering" (1-Sam 17:5, 1-Sam 17: 38). The same word in the plural form is translated "habergeons" in 2-Chr 26:14 and Neh. 4:16. The "harness" (1-Kings 22:34), "breastplate" (Isa. 59:17), and "brigandine" (Jer. 46:4), were probably also corselets or coats of mail. (See ARMOUR.) ......
COCKATRICE
the mediaeval name (a corruption of "crocodile") of a fabulous serpent supposed to be produced from a cock's egg. It is generally supposed to denote the cerastes, or "horned viper," a very poisonous serpent about a foot long. Others think it to be the yellow viper (Daboia xanthina), one of the most dangerous vipers, from its size and its nocturnal habits (Isa. 11:8;14:29;59:5; Jer. 8:17; in all wh......
CONGREGATION
(Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community (Num. 15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in the land, if circumcised, were, with certain exceptions (Exo 12:19; Num. 9:14; Deut. 23:1), admitted to the privileges of citizenship, and spoken of as members of the congregation (Exo 12:19; Num. 9:14;15:15......
CONGREGATION, MOUNT OF THE
(Isa. 14:13), has been supposed to refer to the place where God promised to meet with his people (Exo 25:22;29:42, 29: 43) i.e., the mount of the Divine presence, Mount Zion. But here the king of Babylon must be taken as expressing himself according to his own heathen notions, and not according to those of the Jews. The "mount of the congregation" will therefore in this case mean the northern moun......
CONSECRATION
the devoting or setting apart of anything to the worship or service of God. The race of Abraham and the tribe of Levi were thus consecrated (Exo 13:2, Exo 13: 12, 15; Num. 3:12). The Hebrews devoted their fields and cattle, and sometimes the spoils of war, to the Lord (Lev. 27:28, Lev. 27: 29). According to the Mosaic law the first-born both of man and beast were consecrated to God. In the New T......
CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL
a name for the Messiah in common use among the Jews, probably suggested by Isa. 12:1;49:13. The Greek word thus rendered (Luke 2:25, Luke 2: paraklesis) is kindred to that translated "Comforter" in John 14:16, John 14: etc., parakletos. ......
CONSTELLATION
a cluster of stars, or stars which appear to be near each other in the heavens, and which astronomers have reduced to certain figures (as the "Great Bear," the "Bull," etc.) for the sake of classification and of memory. In Isa. 13:10, Isa. 13: where this word only occurs, it is the rendering of the Hebrew _kesil_, i.e., "fool." This was the Hebrew name of the constellation Orion (Job 9:9;38:31), a......
CONVERSATION
generally the goings out and in of social intercourse (Eph. 2:3;4:22; R.V., "manner of life"); one's deportment or course of life. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of verbal communication from one to another (Psa 50:23; Heb. 13:5). In Phil. 1:27 3:20, 3: a different Greek word is used. It there means one's relations to a community as a citizen, i.e., citizenship. ......
CONVOCATION
a meeting of a religious character as distinguished from congregation, which was more general, dealing with political and legal matters. Hence it is called an "holy convocation." Such convocations were the Sabbaths (Lev. 23:2, Lev. 23: 3), the Passover (Exo 12:16; Lev. 23:7, Lev. 23: 8; Num. 28:25), Pentecost (Lev. 23:21), the feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1), the feast of Weeks (Num. 28:......
CREATION
"In the beginning" God created, i.e., called into being, all things out of nothing. This creative act on the part of God was absolutely free, and for infinitely wise reasons. The cause of all things exists only in the will of God. The work of creation is attributed (1) to the Godhead (Gen. 1:1, Gen. 1: 26); (2) to the Father (1-Cor 8:6); (3) to the Son (John 1:3; Col. 1:16, Col. 1: 17); (4) to the......
CREATURE
denotes the whole creation in Rom. 8:39; Col. 1:15; Rev. 5:13; the whole human race in Mark 16:15; Rom. 8:19. The living creatures in Ezek. 10:15, Ezek. 10: 17, are imaginary beings, symbols of the Divine attributes and operations. ......
DABERATH
pasture, a Levitical town of Issachar (Josh. 19:12;21:28), near the border of Zebulum. It is the modern small village of Deburich, at the base of Mount Tabor. Tradition has incorrectly made it the scene of the miracle of the cure of the lunatic child (Matt. 17:14). ......
DALMATIA
a mountainous country on the eastern shore of the Adriatic, a part of the Roman province of Illyricum. It still bears its ancient name. During Paul's second imprisonment at Rome, Titus left him to visit Dalmatia (2-Tim 4:10) for some unknown purpose. Paul had himself formerly preached in that region (Rom. 15:19). The present Emperor of Austria bears, among his other titles, that of "King of Dalm......
DAMNATION
in Rom. 13:2, Rom. 13: means "condemnation," which comes on those who withstand God's ordinance of magistracy. This sentence of condemnation comes not from the magistrate, but from God, whose authority is thus resisted. In 1-Cor 11:29 (R.V., "judgment") this word means condemnation, in the sense of exposure to severe temporal judgements from God, as the following verse explains. In Rom. 14:23 ......
DATE
the fruit of a species of palm (q.v.), the Phoenix dactilifera. This was a common tree in Palestine (Joel 1:12; Neh. 8:15). Palm branches were carried by the Jews on festive occasions, and especially at the feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). ......
DATHAN
welled; belonging to a fountain, a son of Eliab, a Reubenite, who joined Korah (q.v.) in his conspiracy, and with his accomplices was swallowed up by an earthquake (Num. 16:1;26:9; Deut. 11:6; Psa 106:17). ......
DEATH
may be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) "The dust shall return to the earth as it was" (Eccl. 12:7). (2.) "Thou takest away their breath, they die" (Psa 104:29). (3.) It is the dissolution of "our earthly house of this tabernacle" (2-Cor 5:1); the "putting off this tabernacle" (2-Pet 1:13, 2-Pet 1: 14). (4.) Being "unc......
DEDICATION, FEAST OF THE
(John 10:22, John 10: 42), i.e., the feast of the renewing. It was instituted B.C. 164 to commemorate the purging of the temple after its pollution by Antiochus Epiphanes (B.C. 167), and the rebuilding of the altar after the Syrian invaders had been driven out by Judas Maccabaeus. It lasted for eight days, beginning on the 25th of the month Chisleu (December), which was often a period of heavy rai......
DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS
(Hag. 2:7), usually interpreted as a title of the Messiah. The Revised Version, however, more correctly renders "the desirable things of all nations;" i.e., the choicest treasures of the Gentiles shall be consecrated to the Lord. ......
DESOLATION, ABOMINATION OF
(Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14; comp. Luke 21:20), is interpreted of the eagles, the standards of the Roman army, which were an abomination to the Jews. These standards, rising over the site of the temple, were a sign that the holy place had fallen under the idolatrous Romans. The references are to Dan. 9:27. (See ABOMINATION.) ......
DIBLATHAIM
two cakes, a city of Moab, on the east of the Dead Sea (Num. 33:46; Jer. 48:22). ......
DISPENSATION
(Gr. oikonomia, "management," "economy"). (1.) The method or scheme according to which God carries out his purposes towards men is called a dispensation. There are usually reckoned three dispensations, the Patriarchal, the Mosaic or Jewish, and the Christian. (See COVENANT, Administration of.) These were so many stages in God's unfolding of his purpose of grace toward men. The word is not found wi......
DIVINATION
of false prophets (Deut. 18:10, Deut. 18: 14; Micah 3:6, Micah 3: 7, 11), of necromancers (1-Sam 28:8), of the Philistine priests and diviners (1-Sam 6:2), of Balaam (Josh. 13:22). Three kinds of divination are mentioned in Ezek. 21:21, Ezek. 21: by arrows, consulting with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been encour......
DOLEFUL CREATURES
(occurring only Isa. 13:21. Heb. ochim, i.e., "shrieks;" hence "howling animals"), a general name for screech owls (howlets), which occupy the desolate palaces of Babylon. Some render the word "hyaenas."......
DRAWER OF WATER
(Deut. 29:11; Josh. 9:21, Josh. 9: 23), a servile employment to which the Gibeonites were condemned.......
DUNG-GATE
(Neh. 2:13), a gate of ancient Jerusalem, on the south-west quarter. "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings and offscourings of the streets," in the valley of Tophet.......
EAST GATE
(Jer. 19:2), properly the Potter's gate, the gate which led to the potter's field, in the valley of Hinnom. ......
EATING
The ancient Hebrews would not eat with the Egyptians (Gen. 43:32). In the time of our Lord they would not eat with Samaritans (John 4:9), and were astonished that he ate with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11). The Hebrews originally sat at table, but afterwards adopted the Persian and Chaldean practice of reclining (Luke 7:36). Their principal meal was at noon (Gen. 43:16; 1-Kings 20:16; Ruth 2:1......
ECBATANA
(Ezra 6:2 marg.). (See ACHMETHA.) ......
ELATH
grove; trees, (Deut. 2:8), also in plural form Eloth (1-Kings 9:26, 1-Kings 9: etc.); called by the Greeks and Romans Elana; a city of Idumea, on the east, i.e., the Elanitic, gulf, or the Gulf of Akabah, of the Red Sea. It is first mentioned in Deut. 2:8. It is also mentioned along with Ezion-geber in 1-Kings 9:26. It was within the limits of Solomon's dominion, but afterwards revolted. It was, h......
ELIATHAH
to whom God will come, one of the foureen sons of the Levite Heman, and musician of the temple in the time of David (1-Chr 25:4).......
ELISHAPHAT
whom God has judged, one of the "captains of hundreds" associated with Jehoiada in the league to overthrow the usurpation of Athaliah (2-Chr 23:1).......
ELNATHAN
whom God has given. (1.) An inhabitant of Jerusalem, the father of Nehushta, who was the mother of king Jehoiachin (2-Kings 24:8). Probably the same who tried to prevent Jehoiakim from burning the roll of Jeremiah's prophecies (Jer. 26:22;36:12). (2.) Ezra 8:16.......
EPHPHATHA
the Greek form of a Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic word, meaning "Be opened," uttered by Christ when healing the man who was deaf and dumb (Mark 7:34). It is one of the characteristics of Mark that he uses the very Aramaic words which fell from our Lord's lips. (3:17;5:41;7:11;14:36;15:34.)......
EPHRAIM, GATE OF
one of the gates of Jerusalem (2-Kings 14:13; 2-Chr 25:23), on the side of the city looking toward Ephraim, the north side.......
EPHRATAH
fruitful. (1.) The second wife of Caleb, the son of Hezron, mother of Hur, and grandmother of Caleb, who was one of those that were sent to spy the land (1-Chr 2:19, 1-Chr 2: 50). (2.) The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah (Gen. 35:16, Gen. 35: 19;48:7). In Ruth 1:2 it is called "Bethlehem-Judah," but the inhabitants are called "Ephrathites;" in Micah 5:2, Micah 5: "Bethlehem-Ephratah;" in Matt......
ETERNAL DEATH
The miserable fate of the wicked in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2-Thess 1:9; Matt. 18:8;25:41; Jude 1:7). The Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the penal sufferings of the lost as the "everlasting life," the "eternal life" of the righteous. The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion, aionios, aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of God (1-Tim 1......
EUPHRATES
Hebrew, Perath; Assyrian, Purat; Persian cuneiform, Ufratush, whence Greek Euphrates, meaning "sweet water." The Assyrian name means "the stream," or "the great stream." It is generally called in the Bible simply "the river" (Exo 23:31), or "the great river" (Deut. 1:7). The Euphrates is first mentioned in Gen. 2:14 as one of the rivers of Paradise. It is next mentioned in connection with the co......
EXPIATION
Guilt is said to be expiated when it is visited with punishment falling on a substitute. Expiation is made for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves but in another who consents to stand in our room. It is that by which reconciliation is effected. Sin is thus said to be "covered" by vicarious satisfaction. The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX. hilasterion, that which covere......
FAT
(Heb. heleb) denotes the richest part of the animal, or the fattest of the flock, in the account of Abel's sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). It sometimes denotes the best of any production (Gen. 45:18; Num. 18:12; Psa 81:16;147:47). The fat of sacrifices was to be burned (Lev. 3:9;4:8;7:3;8:25; Num. 18:17. Comp. Exo 29:13; Lev. 3:3). It is used figuratively for a dull, stupid state of mind (Psa 17:10). In......
FATHER
a name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1-Kings 15:11; Matt. 3:9;23:30, 23: etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg. 17:10;18:19; 1-Sam 10:12; 2-Kings 2:12; Matt. 23:9, Matt. 23: etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:20, Gen. 4: 21; comp. Job 38:28). Applied to God (Exo 4:22; Deut. 32:6; 2-Sam 7......
FATHOM
(Old A.S. faethm, "bosom," or the outstretched arms), a span of six feet (Acts 27:28). Gr. orguia (from orego, "I stretch"), the distance between the extremities of both arms fully stretched out. ......
FATLING
(1.) A fatted animal for slaughter (2-Sam 6:13; Isa. 11:6; Ezek. 39:18. Comp. Matt. 22:4, Matt. 22: where the word used in the original, sitistos, means literally "corn-fed;" i.e., installed, fat). (2.) Psa 66:15 (Heb. meah, meaning "marrowy," "fat," a species of sheep). (3.) 1-Sam 15:9 (Heb. mishneh, meaning "the second," and hence probably "cattle of a second quality," or lambs of the second bir......
FERRY BOAT
(2-Sam 19:18), some kind of boat for crossing the river which the men of Judah placed at the service of the king. Floats or rafts for this purpose were in use from remote times (Isa. 18:2). ......
FIRST-BORN, SANCTIFICATION OF THE
A peculiar sanctity was attached to the first-born both of man and of cattle. God claimed that the first-born males of man and of animals should be consecrated to him, the one as a priest (Exo 19:22, Exo 19: 24), representing the family to which he belonged, and the other to be offered up in sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). ......
FORNICATION
in every form of it was sternly condemned by the Mosaic law (Lev. 21:9;19:29; Deut. 22:20, Deut. 22: 21, 23-29;23:18; Exo 22:16). (See ADULTERY.) But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols (Isa. 1:2; Jer. 2:20; Ezek. 16; Hos. 1:2;2:1; Jer. 3:8, Jer. 3:9). ......
FORTUNATUS
fortunate, a disciple of Corinth who visited Paul at Ephesus, and returned with Stephanas and Achaicus, the bearers of the apostle's first letter to the Corinthians (1-Cor 16:17). ......
GABBATHA
Gab Baitha, i.e., "the ridge of the house" = "the temple-mound," on a part of which the fortress of Antonia was built. This "temple-mound" was covered with a tesselated "pavement" (Gr. lithostroton, i.e., "stone-paved"). A judgement-seat (bema) was placed on this "pavement" outside the hall of the "praetorium" (q.v.), the judgment-hall (John 18:28;19:13).......
GALATIA
has been called the "Gallia" of the East, Roman writers calling its inhabitants Galli. They were an intermixture of Gauls and Greeks, and hence were called Gallo-Graeci, and the country Gallo-Graecia. The Galatians were in their origin a part of that great Celtic migration which invaded Macedonia about B.C. 280. They were invited by the king of Bithynia to cross over into Asia Minor to assist him ......
GATE
(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3;2:3;3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3). (2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8). (3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1-Kings 6:34, 1-Kings 6: 35; 2-Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1-Kings 6:31, 1-Kings 6: 32; Ezek. 41:23, Ezek. 41: 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2). (4.) Tombs (Matt. 27:60). (5.) P......
GATH
a wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3) on which the ark brought calamity (1-Sam 5:8, 1-Sam 5: 9;6:17). It was famous also as being the birthplace or residence of Goliath (1-Sam 17:4). David fled from Saul to Achish, king of Gath (1-Sam 21:10;27:2; Ps. 56), and his connection with it will account for the words in 2-Sam 1:20. It was afterwards conquered by David (2-......
GATH-HEPHER
wine-press of the well, a town of Lower Galilee, about 5 miles from Nazareth; the birthplace of Jonah (2-Kings 14:25); the same as Gittah-hepher (Josh. 19:13). It has been identified with the modern el-Meshed, a village on the top of a rocky hill. Here the supposed tomb of Jonah, Neby Yunas, is still pointed out.......
GATH-RIMMON
press of the pomegranate. (1.) A Levitical city in the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:45;21:24; 1-Chr 6:69). (2.) Another city of the same name in Manasseh, west of the Jordan (Josh. 21:25), called also Bileam (1-Chr 6:70).......
GENERATION
Gen. 2:4, Gen. 2: "These are the generations," means the "history."5:1, 5: "The book of the generations," means a family register, or history of 37:2, 37: "The generations of Jacob" = the history of Jacob and his 7:1, 7: "In this generation" = in this age. Psa 49:19, Psa 49: "The generation of his fathers" = the dwelling of his fathers, i.e., the grave. Psa 73:15, Psa 73: "The generation of thy ch......
GENUBATH
theft, the son of Hadad, of the Edomitish royal family. He was brought up in Pharaoh's household. His mother was a sister of Tahpenes, the king of Egypt's wife, mentioned in 1-Kings 11:20. ......
GNAT
only in Matt. 23:24, Matt. 23: a small two-winged stinging fly of the genus Culex, which includes mosquitoes. Our Lord alludes here to the gnat in a proverbial expression probably in common use, "who strain out the gnat;" the words in the Authorized Version, "strain at a gnat," being a mere typographical error, which has been corrected in the Revised Version. The custom of filtering wine for this ......
GOAT
(1.) Heb. 'ez, the she-goat (Gen. 15:9;30:35;31:38). This Hebrew word is also used for the he-goat (Exo 12:5; Lev. 4:23; Num. 28:15), and to denote a kid (Gen. 38:17, Gen. 38: 20). Hence it may be regarded as the generic name of the animal as domesticated. It literally means "strength," and points to the superior strength of the goat as compared with the sheep. (2.) Heb. 'attud, only in plural; ......
GOATH
a lowing, a place near Jerusalem, mentioned only in Jer. 31:39. ......
GOLIATH
great. (1.) A famous giant of Gath, who for forty days openly defied the armies of Israel, but was at length slain by David with a stone from a sling (1-Sam 17:4). He was probably descended from the Rephaim who found refuge among the Philistines after they were dispersed by the Ammonites (Deut. 2:20, Deut. 2: 21). His height was "six cubits and a span," which, taking the cubit at 21 inches, is equ......
GRATE
a network of brass for the bottom of the great altar of sacrifice (Exo 27:4;35:16;38:4, 38: 5, 30). ......
HADATTAH
new, one of the towns in the extreme south of Judah (Josh. 15:25).......
HAMATH
fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21;34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). It is called "Hamath the great" in Amos 6:2, Amos 6: and "Hamath-zobah" in 2-Chr 8:3. Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite......
HAMATH-ZOBAH
fortress of Zobah, (2-Chr 8:3) is supposed by some to be a different place from the foregoing; but this is quite uncertain.......
HAMMATH
warm springs, one of the "fenced cities" of Naphtali (Josh. 19:35). It is identified with the warm baths (the heat of the water ranging from 136 degrees to 144 degrees) still found on the shore a little to the south of Tiberias under the name of Hummam Tabariyeh ("Bath of Tiberias").......
HAMMEDATHA
father of Haman, designated usually "the Agagite" (Esther 3:1, Esther 3: 10;8:5).......
HAT
Chald. karb'ela, (Dan. 3:21), properly mantle or pallium. The Revised Version renders it "tunic."......
HATACH
verity, one of the eunuchs or chamberlains in the palace of Ahasuerus (Esther 4:5, Esther 4: 6, 9, 10).......
HATHATH
terror, son of Othniel (1-Chr 4:13).......
HATIPHA
captured, one of the Nethinim (Ezra 2:54).......
HATRED
among the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). Altogether different is the meaning of the word in Deut. 21:15; Matt. 6:24; Luke 14:26; Rom. 9:13, Rom. 9: where it denotes only a less degree of love.......
HATTUSH
assembled. (1.) A priest who returned with Zerubbabel (Neh. 12:2). (2.) Ezra 8:2. (3.) Neh. 3:10. (4.) Neh. 10:4. (5.) 1-Chr 3:22.......
HAZAR-HATTICON
village of the midway, a place near Hamath in the confines of Hauran (Ezek. 47:16), probably on the north brow of Hermon.......
HAZOR-HADATTAH
New Hazor, a city in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:25). It is probably identified with the ruins of el-Hazzarah, near Beit Jebrin.......
HEATH
Heb. 'arar, (Jer. 17:6;48:6), a species of juniper called by the Arabs by the same name ('arar), the Juniperus sabina or savin. "Its gloomy, stunted appearance, with its scale-like leaves pressed close to its gnarled stem, and cropped close by the wild goats, as it clings to the rocks about Petra, gives great force to the contrast suggested by the prophet, between him that trusteth in man, naked a......
HEATHEN
(Heb. plural goyum). At first the word _goyim_ denoted generally all the nations of the world (Gen. 18:18; comp. Gal. 3:8). The Jews afterwards became a people distinguished in a marked manner from the other _goyim_. They were a separate people (Lev. 20:23;26:14; Deut. 28), and the other nations, the Amorites, Hittites, etc., were the _goyim_, the heathen, with whom the Jews were forbidden to be a......
HELKATH
smoothness, a town of Asher, on the east border (Josh. 19:25;21:31); called also Hukok (1-Chr 6:75). ......
HELKATH-HAZZURIM
plot of the sharp blades, or the field of heroes, (2-Sam 2:16). After the battle of Gilboa, so fatal to Saul and his house, David, as divinely directed, took up his residence in Hebron, and was there anointed king over Judah. Among the fugitives from Gilboa was Ish-bosheth, the only surviving son of Saul, whom Abner, Saul's uncle, took across the Jordan to Mahanaim, and there had him proclaimed ki......
HEMATH
a Kenite (1-Chr 2:55), the father of the house of Rechab. ......
HEROD THE GREAT
(Matt. 2:1; Luke 1:5; Acts 23:35), the son of Antipater, an Idumaean, and Cypros, an Arabian of noble descent. In the year B.C. 47 Julius Caesar made Antipater, a "wily Idumaean," procurator of Judea, who divided his territories between his four sons, Galilee falling to the lot of Herod, who was afterwards appointed tetrarch of Judea by Mark Antony (B.C. 40), and also king of Judea by the Roman se......
HORSE-GATE
a gate in the wall of Jerusalem, at the west end of the bridge, leading from Zion to the temple (Neh. 3:28; Jer. 31:40). ......
HUMILIATION OF CHRIST
(Phil. 2:8), seen in (1) his birth (Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7; John 1:46; Heb. 2:9), (2) his circumstances, (3) his reputation (Isa. 53; Matt. 26:59, Matt. 26: 67; Psa 22:6; Matt. 26:68), (4) his soul (Psa 22:1; Matt. 4:1; Luke 22:44; Heb. 2:17, Heb. 2: 18;4:15), (5) his death (Luke 23; John 19; Mark 15:24, Mark 15: 25), (6) and his burial (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57, Matt. 27: 58, 60). His humiliation was......
IDOLATRY
image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Rom. 1:21: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (1:28). The forms of idolatry are, (1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc. (2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature. (3.) Hero worship, th......
IMPUTATION
is used to designate any action or word or thing as reckoned to a person. Thus in doctrinal language (1) the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; (2) the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and (3) our sins are imputed to Christ,......
INCARNATION
that act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; 1-Cor 2:8; Heb. 2:11; 1-Tim 3:16; Gal. 4:4, Gal. 4: etc.). The union is hypostatical, i.e., is personal; t......
INSPIRATION
that extraordinary or supernatural divine influence vouchsafed to those who wrote the Holy Scriptures, rendering their writings infallible. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (R.V., "Every scripture inspired of God"), 2-Tim 3:16. This is true of all the "sacred writings," not in the sense of their being works of genius or of supernatural insight, but as "theopneustic," i.e., "breathed ......
IRRIGATION
As streams were few in Palestine, water was generally stored up in winter in reservoirs, and distributed through gardens in numerous rills, which could easily be turned or diverted by the foot (Deut. 11:10). For purposes of irrigation, water was raised from streams or pools by water-wheels, or by a shaduf, commonly used on the banks of the Nile to the present day. ......
JAHATH
union. (1.) A son of Shimei, and grandson of Gershom (1-Chr 23:10). (2.) One of the sons of Shelomoth, of the family of Kohath (1-Chr 24:22). (3.) A Levite of the family of Merari, one of the overseers of the repairs of the temple under Josiah (2-Chr 34:12). ......
JATTIR
pre-eminent, a city in the mountains of Judah (Josh. 15:48;21:14). ......
JEALOUSY, WATERS OF
water which the suspected wife was required to drink, so that the result might prove her guilt or innocence (Num. 5:12, Num. 5: 27). We have no record of this form of trial having been actually resorted to. ......
JEHONATHAN
whom Jehovah gave. (1.) One of the stewards of David's store-houses (1-Chr 27:25). (2.) A Levite who taught the law to the people of Judah (2-Chr 17:8). (3.) Neh. 12:18. ......
JEHOSHAPHAT
Jehovah-judged. (1.) One of David's body-guard (1-Chr 11:43). (2.) One of the priests who accompanied the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1-Chr 15:24). (3.) Son of Ahilud, "recorder" or annalist under David and Solomon (2-Sam 8:16), a state officer of high rank, chancellor or vizier of the kingdom. (4.) Solomon's purveyor in Issachar (1-Kings 4:17). (5.) The son and successor of Asa, king......
JEHOSHAPHAT, VALLEY OF
mentioned in Scripture only in Joel 3:2, Joel 3: 12. This is the name given in modern times to the valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, and the Kidron flows through it. Here Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederated enemies of Israel (Psa 83:6); and in this valley also God was to overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, etc. (Joel 3:4, Joel 3: 19), with an utter overthrow. This has been fulfill......
JONATH-ELEM-RECHOKIM
dove of the dumbness of the distance; i.e., "the silent dove in distant places", title of Ps. 56. This was probably the name of some well known tune or melody to which the psalm was to be sung.......
JONATHAN
whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1.) A Levite descended from Gershom (Judg. 18:30). His history is recorded 17:7 18:30. The Rabbins changed this name into Manasseh "to screen the memory of the great lawgiver from the stain of having so unworthy an apostate among his near descendants." He became priest of the idol image......
JUDGMENT SEAT
(Matt. 27:19), a portable tribunal (Gr. bema) which was placed according as the magistrate might direct, and from which judgment was pronounced. In this case it was placed on a tesselated pavement, probably in front of the procurator's residence. (See GABBATHA.)......
JUSTIFICATION
a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of th......
KATTATH
(Josh. 19:15), a town of Asher, has been identified with Kana el Jelil. (See CANA.)......
KEHELATHAH
assembly, one of the stations of the Israelites in the desert (Num. 33:22, Num. 33: 23).......
KENATH
possession, a city of Gilead. It was captured by Nobah, who called it by his own name (Num. 32:42). It has been identified with Kunawat, on the slopes of Jebel Hauran (Mount Bashan), 60 miles east from the south end of the Sea of Galilee.......
KIBROTH-HATTAAVAH
the graves of the longing or of lust, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness. It was probably in the Wady Murrah, and has been identified with the Erweis el-Ebeirig, where the remains of an ancient encampment have been found, about 30 miles north-east of Sinai, and exactly a day's journey from 'Ain Hudherah. "Here began the troubles of the journey. First, complaints broke out am......
KIRJATH
city, a city belonging to Benjamin (Josh. 18:28), the modern Kuriet el-'Enab, i.e., "city of grapes", about 7 1/2 miles west-north-west of Jerusalem.......
KIRJATH-ARBA
city of Arba, the original name of Hebron (q.v.), so called from the name of its founder, one of the Anakim (Gen. 23:2;35:27; Josh. 15:13). It was given to Caleb by Joshua as his portion. The Jews interpret the name as meaning "the city of the four", i.e., of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Adam, who were all, as they allege, buried there. ......
KIRJATH-HUZOTH
city of streets, Num. 22:39, Num. 22: a Moabite city, which some identify with Kirjathaim. Balak here received and entertained Balaam, whom he had invited from Pethor, among the "mountains of the east," beyond the Euphrates, to lay his ban upon the Israelites, whose progress he had no hope otherwise of arresting. It was probably from the summit of Attarus, the high place near the city, that the so......
KIRJATH-JEARIM
city of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Josh. 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 18: 28). The ark was brought to this place (1-Sam 7:1, 1-Sam 7: 2) from Beth-shemesh and put in charge of Abinadab, a Levite. Here it remained till it was removed by David to Jerusalem (2-Sam 6:2, 2-Sam 6: 3, 12; 1-Chr 15:1; comp. Ps. 132). It was also called Ba......
KIRJATH-SANNAH
city of the sannah; i.e., of the palm(?), Josh. 15:49; the same as Kirjath-sepher (15:16; Judg. 1:11) and Debir (q.v.), a Canaanitish royal city included in Judah (Josh. 10:38;15:49), and probably the chief seat of learning among the Hittites. It was about 12 miles to the south-west of Hebron. ......
KIRJATH-SEPHER
city of books, Josh. 15:15; same as Kirjath-sannah (q.v.), now represented by the valley of ed-Dhaberiyeh, south-west of Hebron. The name of this town is an evidence that the Canaanites were acquainted with writing and books. "The town probably contained a noted school, or was the site of an oracle and the residence of some learned priest." The "books" were probably engraved stones or bricks. ......
KIRJATHAIM
two cities; a double city. (1.) A city of refuge in Naphtali (1-Chr 6:76). (2.) A town on the east of Jordan (Gen. 14:5; Deut. 2:9, Deut. 2: 10). It was assigned to the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37). In the time of Ezekiel (25:9) it was one of the four cities which formed the "glory of Moab" (comp. Jer. 48:1, Jer. 48: 23). It has been identified with el-Kureiyat, 11 miles south-west of Medeba, on......
KOHATH
assembly, the second son of Levi, and father of Amram (Gen. 46:11). He came down to Egypt with Jacob, and lived to the age of one hundred and thirty-three years (Exo 6:18). ......
LAMENTATION
(Heb. qinah), an elegy or dirge. The first example of this form of poetry is the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan (2-Sam 1:17). It was a frequent accompaniment of mourning (Amos 8:10). In 2-Sam 3:33, 2-Sam 3: 34 is recorded David's lament over Abner. Prophecy sometimes took the form of a lament when it predicted calamity (Ezek. 27:2, Ezek. 27: 32;28:12;32:2, 32: 16). ......
LAMENTATIONS, BOOK OF
called in the Hebrew canon _'Ekhah_, meaning "How," being the formula for the commencement of a song of wailing. It is the first word of the book (see 2-Sam 1:19). The LXX. adopted the name rendered "Lamentations" (Gr. threnoi = Heb. qinoth) now in common use, to denote the character of the book, in which the prophet mourns over the desolations brought on the city and the holy land by Chaldeans. I......
LATCHET
a thong (Acts 22:25), cord, or strap fastening the sandal on the foot (Isa. 5:27; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16). ......
LATIN
the vernacular language of the ancient Romans (John 19:20). ......
LATTICE
(1.) Heb. 'eshnabh, a latticed opening through which the cool breeze passes (Judg. 5:28). The flat roofs of the houses were sometimes enclosed with a parapet of lattice-work on wooden frames, to screen the women of the house from the gaze of the neighbourhood. (2.) Heb. harakim, the network or lattice of a window (2:9). (3.) Heb. sebakhah, the latticed balustrade before a window or balcony (2-......
LEATHER
a girdle of, worn by Elijah (2-Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist (Matt. 3:4). Leather was employed both for clothing (Num. 31:20; Heb. 11:37) and for writing upon. The trade of a tanner is mentioned (Acts 9:43;10:6, 10: 32). It was probably learned in Egypt. ......
LEVIATHAN
a transliterated Hebrew word (livyathan), meaning "twisted," "coiled." In Job 3:8, Job 3: Revised Version, and marg. of Authorized Version, it denotes the dragon which, according to Eastern tradition, is an enemy of light; 41:1 the crocodile is meant; in Psa 104:26 it "denotes any large animal that moves by writhing or wriggling the body, the whale, the monsters of the deep." This word is also use......
LEVIRATE LAW
from Latin levir, "a husband's brother," the name of an ancient custom ordained by Moses, by which, when an Israelite died without issue, his surviving brother was required to marry the widow, so as to continue his brother's family through the son that might be born of that marriage (Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5; comp. Ruth 3;4:10). Its object was "to raise up seed to the departed brother." ......
LIVING CREATURES
as represented by Ezekiel (1-10) and John (Rev. 4, etc.), are the cherubim. They are distinguished from angels (Rev. 15:7); they join the elders in the "new song" (5:8, 5: 9); they warn of danger from divine justice (Isa. 6:3), and deliver the commission to those who execute it (Ezek. 10:2, Ezek. 10: 7); they associate with the elders in their sympathy with the hundred and forty-four thousand who ......
LUNATIC
probably the same as epileptic, the symptoms of which disease were supposed to be more aggravated as the moon increased. In Matt. 4:24 "lunatics" are distinguished from demoniacs. 17:15 the name "lunatic" is applied to one who is declared to have been possessed. (See DAEMONIAC.) ......
MAARATH
desolation, a place in the mountains of Judah (Josh. 15:59), probably the modern village Beit Ummar, 6 miles north of Hebron. ......
MAATH
small, a person named in our Lord's ancestry (Luke 3:26). ......
MAGISTRATE
a public civil officer invested with authority. The Hebrew shophetim, or judges, were magistrates having authority in the land (Deut. 1:16, Deut. 1: 17). In Judg. 18:7 the word "magistrate" (A.V.) is rendered in the Revised Version "possessing authority", i.e., having power to do them harm by invasion. In the time of Ezra (9:2) and Nehemiah (2:16;4:14;13:11) the Jewish magistrates were called _seg......
MAHALATH
a lute; lyre. (1.) The daughter of Ishmael, and third wife of Esau (Gen. 28:9); called also Bashemath (Gen. 36:3). (2.) The daughter of Jerimoth, who was one of David's sons. She was one of Rehoboam's wives (2-Chr 11:18). ......
MAHALATH LEANNOTH MASCHIL
This word leannoth seems to point to some kind of instrument unknown (Ps. 88, title). The whole phrase has by others been rendered, "On the sickness of affliction: a lesson;" or, "Concerning afflictive sickness: a didactic psalm." ......
MAHALATH MASCHIL
in the title of Ps. 53, denoting that this was a didactic psalm, to be sung to the accompaniment of the lute or guitar. Others regard this word "mahalath" as the name simply of an old air to which the psalm was to be sung. Others, again, take the word as meaning "sickness," and regard it as alluding to the contents of the psalm. ......
MAHATH
grasping. (1.) A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah (1-Chr 6:35). (2.) Another Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah (2-Chr 29:12). ......
MAIL, COAT OF
"a corselet of scales," a cuirass formed of pieces of metal overlapping each other, like fish-scales (1-Sam 17:5); also (38) a corselet or garment thus encased. ......
MARANATHA
(1-Cor 16:22) consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah, meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, "Our Lord is coming, and he will judge those who have set him at nought." (Comp. Phil. 4:5; James 5:8, James 5: 9.) ......
MATTAN
gift. (1.) A priest of Baal, slain before his altar during the reformation under Jehoiada (2-Kings 11:18). (2.) The son of Eleazar, and father of Jacob, who was the father of Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary (Matt. 1:15). (3.) The father of Shephatiah (Jer. 38:1). ......
MATTANAH
a gift, a station of the Israelites (Num. 21:18, Num. 21: 19) between the desert and the borders of Moab, in the Wady Waleh. ......
MATTANIAH
gift of Jehovah. (1.) A Levite, son of Heman, the chief of the ninth class of temple singers (1-Chr 25:4, 1-Chr 25: 16). (2.) A Levite who assisted in purifying the temple at the reformation under Hezekiah (2-Chr 29:13). (3.) The original name of Zedekiah (q.v.), the last of the kings of Judah (2-Kings 24:17). He was the third son of Josiah, who fell at Megiddo. He succeeded his nephew Jehoiak......
MATTATHIAS
ibid. (1.) The son of Amos, in the genealogy of our Lord (Luke 3:25). (2.) The son of Semei, in the same genealogy (Luke 3:26). ......
MATTHAN
gift, one of our Lord's ancestry (Matt. 1:15). ......
MATTHAT
gift of God. (1.) The son of Levi, and father of Heli (Luke 3:24). (2.) Son of another Levi (Luke 3:29). ......
MATTHEW
gift of God, a common Jewish name after the Exile. He was the son of Alphaeus, and was a publican or tax-gatherer at Capernaum. On one occasion Jesus, coming up from the side of the lake, passed the custom-house where Matthew was seated, and said to him, "Follow me." Matthew arose and followed him, and became his disciple (Matt. 9:9). Formerly the name by which he was known was Levi (Mark 2:14; Lu......
MATTHIAS
gift of God. Acts 1:23. ......
MEAT-OFFERING
(Heb. minhah), originally a gift of any kind. This Hebrew word came latterly to denote an "unbloody" sacrifice, as opposed to a "bloody" sacrifice. A "drink-offering" generally accompanied it. The law regarding it is given in Lev. 2, 6:14. It was a recognition of the sovereignty of God and of his bounty in giving all earthly blessings (1-Chr 29:10; Deut. 26:5). It was an offering which took for gr......
MEPHAATH
splendour, a Levitical city (Josh. 21:37) of the tribe of Reuben (13:18). ......
MERATHAIM
double rebellion, probably a symbolical name given to Babylon (Jer. 50:21), denoting rebellion exceeding that of other nations. ......
MERCY-SEAT
(Heb. kapporeth, a "covering;" LXX. and N.T., hilasterion; Vulg., propitiatorium), the covering or lid of the ark of the covenant (q.v.). It was of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, or perhaps rather a plate of solid gold, 2 1/2 cubits long and 1 1/2 broad (Exo 25:17;30:6;31:7). It is compared to the throne of grace (Heb. 9:5; Eph. 2:6). The holy of holies is called the "place of the mercy-seat" (1......
MORESHETH-GATH
possession of the wine-press, the birthplace of the prophet Micah (1:14), who is called the "Morasthite" (Jer. 26:18). This place was probably a suburb of Gath. ......
MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION
only in Isa. 14:13, Isa. 14: a mythic mountain of the Babylonians, regarded by them as the seat of the gods. It was situated in the far north, and in Babylonian inscriptions is described as a mountain called Im-Kharasak, "the mighty mountain of Bel, whose head reaches heaven, whose root is the holy deep." In their geography they are said to have identified it with mount El-wend, near Ecbatana. ......
NAARATH
girl, a town on the boundary between Ephraim and Benjamin (Josh. 16:7), not far probably from Jericho, to the north (1-Chr 7:28). ......
NAHATH
rest. (1.) One of the four sons of Reuel, the son of Esau (Gen. 36:13, Gen. 36: 17). (2.) A Kohathite Levite (1-Chr 6:26). (3.) A Levite, one of the overseers of the sacred offerings of the temple (2-Chr 31:13).......
NATHAN
given. (1.) A prophet in the reigns of David and Solomon (2-Chr 9:29). He is first spoken of in connection with the arrangements David made for the building of the temple (2-Sam 7:2, 2-Sam 7: 3, 17), and next appears as the reprover of David on account of his sin with Bathsheba (12:1). He was charged with the education of Solomon (12:25), at whose inauguration to the throne he took a prominent par......
NATHANAEL
given or gift of God, one of our Lord's disciples, "of Cana in Galilee" (John 21:2). He was "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile" (1:47, 1: 48). His name occurs only in the Gospel of John, who in his list of the disciples never mentions Bartholomew, with whom he has consequently been identified. He was one of those to whom the Lord showed himself alive after his resurrection, at the Sea of T......
NEBALLAT
wickedness in secret, (Neh. 11:34), probably the village of Beit Nebala, about 4 miles north of Lydda.......
NEBAT
sight; aspect, the father of Jeroboam, the king of Israel (1-Kings 11:26, 1-Kings 11: etc.).......
NIMRIM, WATERS OF
the stream of the leopards, a stream in Moab (Isa. 15:6; Jer. 48:34); probably the modern Wady en-Nemeirah, a rich, verdant spot at the south-eastern end of the Dead Sea. ......
OATH
a solemn appeal to God, permitted on fitting occasions (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 4:2), in various forms (Gen. 16:5; 2-Sam 12:5; Ruth 1:17; Hos. 4:15; Rom. 1:9), and taken in different ways (Gen. 14:22;24:2; 2-Chr 6:22). God is represented as taking an oath (Heb. 6:16), so also Christ (Matt. 26:64), and Paul (Rom. 9:1; Gal. 1:20; Phil. 1:8). The precept, "Swear not at all," refers probably to ordinary conv......
OLD GATE
one of the gates in the north wall of Jerusalem, so called because built by the Jebusites (Neh. 3:6;12:39). ......
PAHATH-MOAB
governor of Moab, a person whose descendants returned from the Captivity and assisted in rebuilding Jerusalem (Ezra 2:6;8:4;10:30).......
PATARA
a city on the south-west coast of Lycia at which Paul landed on his return from his third missionary journey (Acts 21:1, Acts 21: 2). Here he found a larger vessel, which was about to sail across the open sea to the coast of Phoenicia. In this vessel he set forth, and reached the city of Tyre in perhaps two or three days.......
PATHROS
the name generally given to Upper Egypt (the Thebaid of the Greeks), as distinguished from Matsor, or Lower Egypt (Isa. 11:11; Jer. 44:1, Jer. 44: 15; Ezek. 30:14), the two forming Mizraim. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, colonies of Jews settled "in the country of Pathros" and other parts of Egypt.......
PATMOS
a small rocky and barren island, one of the group called the "Sporades," in the AEgean Sea. It is mentioned in Scripture only in Rev. 1:9. It was on this island, to which John was banished by the emperor Domitian (A.D. 95), that he received from God the wondrous revelation recorded in his book. This has naturally invested it with the deepest interest for all time. It is now called Patmo. (See JOHN......
PATRIARCH
a name employed in the New Testament with reference to Abraham (Heb. 7:4), the sons of Jacob (Acts 7:8, Acts 7: 9), and to David (2:29). This name is generally applied to the progenitors of families or "heads of the fathers" (Josh. 14:1) mentioned in Scripture, and they are spoken of as antediluvian (from Adam to Noah) and post-diluvian (from Noah to Jacob) patriachs. But the expression "the patri......
PATROBAS
a Christian at Rome to whom Paul sent salutations (Rom. 16:14).......
PELATIAH
deliverance of the Lord. (1.) A son of Hananiah and grandson of Zerubbabel (1-Chr 3:21). (2.) A captain of "the sons of Simeon" (4:42). (3.) Neh. 10:22. (4.) One of the twenty-five princes of the people against whom Ezekiel prophesied on account of their wicked counsel (Ezek. 11:1).......
PENTATEUCH
the five-fold volume, consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament. This word does not occur in Scripture, nor is it certainly known when the roll was thus divided into five portions Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Probably that was done by the LXX. translators. Some modern critics speak of a Hexateuch, introducing the Book of Joshua as one of the group. But this book ......
PILATE, PONTIUS
probably connected with the Roman family of the Pontii, and called "Pilate" from the Latin pileatus, i.e., "wearing the pileus", which was the "cap or badge of a manumitted slave," as indicating that he was a "freedman," or the descendant of one. He was the sixth in the order of the Roman procurators of Judea (A.D. 26-36). His headquarters were at Caesarea, but he frequently went up to Jerusalem. ......
PIRATHON
prince, or summit, a place "in the land of Ephraim" (Judg. 12:15), now Fer'on, some 10 miles south-west of Shechem. This was the home of Abdon the judge. ......
POMEGRANATE
i.e., "grained apple" (pomum granatum), Heb. rimmon. Common in Egypt (Num. 20:5) and Palestine (13:23; Deut. 8:8). The Romans called it Punicum malum, i.e., Carthaginian apple, because they received it from Carthage. It belongs to the myrtle family of trees. The withering of the pomegranate tree is mentioned among the judgments of God (Joel 1:12). It is frequently mentioned in the Song of Solomon ......
PONTIUS PILATE
See PILATE. ......
PREDESTINATION
This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, Rom. 8: 30; 1-Cor 2:7; Eph. 1:5, Eph. 1: 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events.......
PURIFICATION
the process by which a person unclean, according to the Levitical law, and thereby cut off from the sanctuary and the festivals, was restored to the enjoyment of all these privileges. The great annual purification of the people was on the Day of Atonement (q.v.). But in the details of daily life there were special causes of cermonial uncleanness which were severally provided for by ceremonial ......
QUATERNION
a band of four soldiers. Peter was committed by Herod to the custody of four quaternions, i.e., one quaternion for each watch of the night (Acts 12:4). Thus every precaution was taken against his escape from prison. Two of each quaternion were in turn stationed at the door (12:6), and to two the apostle was chained according to Roman custom.......
QUOTATIONS
from the Old Testament in the New, which are very numerous, are not made according to any uniform method. When the New Testament was written, the Old was not divided, as it now is, into chapters and verses, and hence such peculiarities as these: When Luke (20:37) refers to Exo 3:6, Exo 3: he quotes from "Moses at the bush", i.e., the section containing the record of Moses at the bush. So also Mark......
RAKKATH
shore-town, a "fenced city" of the tribe of Naphtali (Josh. 19:35). The old name of Tiberias, according to the Rabbins.......
RAMATH OF THE SOUTH
(Heb. Ramath-negeb). The Heb. negeb is the general designation for south or south-west of Judah. This was one of the towns of Simeon (Josh. 19:8). It is the same as "south Ramoth" (1-Sam 30:27; R.V., "Ramoth of the south"). Its site is doubtful. Some have thought it another name for Baalath-beer.......
RAMATH-LEHI
elevation of Lehi, or the jawbone height; i.e., the Ramah of Lehi (Judg. 15:15). The phrase "in the jaw," ver. 19, Authorized Version, is in the margin, also in the Revised Version, "in Lehi." Here Samson slew a thousand Philistines with a jawbone.......
RAMATH-MIZPEH
the height of Mizpeh or of the watch-tower (Josh. 13:26), a place mentioned as one of the limits of Gad. There were two Mizpehs on the east of the Jordan. This was the Mizpeh where Jacob and Laban made a covenant, "Mizpeh of Gilead," called also Galeed and Jegar-sahadutha. It has been identified with the modern es-Salt, where the roads from Jericho and from Shechem to Damascus unite, about 25 mile......
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 ......
RECONCILATION
a change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought in both parties who have been at enmity. (1.) In Col. 1:21, Col. 1: 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2-Cor 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "......
REGENERATION
only found in Matt. 19:28 and Titus 3:5. This word literally means a "new birth." The Greek word so rendered (palingenesia) is used by classical writers with reference to the changes produced by the return of spring. In Matt. 19:28 the word is equivalent to the "restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21). In Titus 3:5 it denotes that change of heart elsewhere spoken of as a passing from death to life ......
REPROBATE
that which is rejected on account of its own worthlessness (Jer. 6:30; Heb. 6:8; Gr. adokimos, "rejected"). This word is also used with reference to persons cast away or rejected because they have failed to make use of opportunities offered them (1-Cor 9:27; 2-Cor 13:5). ......
REVELATION
an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD+OF+GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; ......
REVELATION OF CHRIST
the second advent of Christ. Three different Greek words are used by the apostles to express this, (1) apokalupsis (1 Cor. 1;7; 2-Thess 1:7; 1-Pet 1:7, 1-Pet 1: 13); (2) parousia (Matt. 24:3, Matt. 24: 27; 1-Thess 2:19; James 5:7, James 5: 8); (3) epiphaneia (1-Tim 6:14; 2-Tim 1:10;4:1; Titus 2:13). There existed among Christians a wide expectation, founded on Matt. 24:29, Matt. 24: 30, 34, of the......
REVELATION, BOOK OF
=The Apocalypse, the closing book and the only prophetical book of the New Testament canon. The author of this book was undoubtedly John the apostle. His name occurs four times in the book itself (1:1, 1: 4, 9;22:8), and there is every reason to conclude that the "John" here mentioned was the apostle. In a manuscript of about the twelfth century he is called "John the divine," but no reason can be......
RIPHATH
a crusher, Gomer's second son (Gen. 10:3), supposed to have been the ancestor of the Paphlagonians. ......
SABBATH
(Heb. verb shabbath, meaning "to rest from labour"), the day of rest. It is first mentioned as having been instituted in Paradise, when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:2). "The sabbath was made for man," as a day of rest and refreshment for the body and of blessing to the soul. It is next referred to in connection with the gift of manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness (Exo 16:23); and a......
SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY
supposed to be a distance of 2,000 cubits, or less than half-a-mile, the distance to which, according to Jewish tradition, it was allowable to travel on the Sabbath day without violating the law (Acts 1:12; comp. Exo 16:29; Num. 35:5; Josh. 3:4). ......
SABBATICAL YEAR
every seventh year, during which the land, according to the law of Moses, had to remain uncultivated (Lev. 25:2; comp. Exo 23:10, Exo 23: 11, 12; Lev. 26:34, Lev. 26: 35). Whatever grew of itself during that year was not for the owner of the land, but for the poor and the stranger and the beasts of the field. All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted (Deut. 15:1). There is little ......
SALATHIEL
whom I asked of God, the son of Jeconiah (Matt. 1:12; 1-Chr 3:17); also called the son of Neri (Luke 3:27). The probable explanation of the apparent discrepancy is that he was the son of Neri, the descendant of Nathan, and thus heir to the throne of David on the death of Jeconiah (comp. Jer. 22:30). ......
SALUTATION
"Eastern modes of salutation are not unfrequently so prolonged as to become wearisome and a positive waste of time. The profusely polite Arab asks so many questions after your health, your happiness, your welfare, your house, and other things, that a person ignorant of the habits of the country would imagine there must be some secret ailment or mysterious sorrow oppressing you, which you wished to......
SALVATION
This word is used of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians (Exo 14:13), and of deliverance generally from evil or danger. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, "the great salvation" (Heb. 2:3). (See REDEMPTION; REGENERATION.) ......
SANBALLAT
held some place of authority in Samaria when Nehemiah went up to Jerusalem to rebuild its ruined walls. He vainly attempted to hinder this work (Neh. 2:10, Neh. 2: 19;4:1; 6). His daughter became the wife of one of the sons of Joiada, a son of the high priest, much to the grief of Nehemiah (13:28). ......
SANCTIFICATION
involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:......
SATAN
adversary; accuser. When used as a proper name, the Hebrew word so rendered has the article "the adversary" (Job 1:6;2:1). In the New Testament it is used as interchangeable with Diabolos, or the devil, and is so used more than thirty times. He is also called "the dragon," "the old serpent" (Rev. 12:9;20:2); "the prince of this world" (John 12:31;14:30); "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph......
SATYR
hairy one. Mentioned in Greek mythology as a creature composed of a man and a goat, supposed to inhabit wild and desolate regions. The Hebrew word is rendered also "goat" (Lev. 4:24) and "devil", i.e., an idol in the form of a goat (17:7; 2-Chr 11:15). When it is said (Isa. 13:21; 34:14) "the satyrs shall dance there," the meaning is that the place referred to shall become a desolate waste. Some r......
SCAPEGOAT
Lev. 16:8; R.V., "the goat for Azazel" (q.v.), the name given to the goat which was taken away into the wilderness on the day of Atonement (16:20). The priest made atonement over the scapegoat, laying Israel's guilt upon it, and then sent it away, the goat bearing "upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited." At a later period an evasion or modification of the law of Moses was intro......
SEBAT
the eleventh month of the Hebrew year, extending from the new moon of February to that of March (Zech. 1:7). Assyrian sabatu, "storm." (See MONTH.) ......
SEIRATH
woody district; shaggy, a place among the mountains of Ephraim, bordering on Benjamin, to which Ehud fled after he had assassinated Eglon at Jericho (Judg. 3:26, Judg. 3: 27). ......
SENATE
(Acts 5:21), the "elders of Israel" who formed a component part of the Sanhedrin. ......
SHALLECHETH, THE GATE OF
i.e., "the gate of casting out," hence supposed to be the refuse gate; one of the gates of the house of the Lord, "by the causeway of the going up" i.e., the causeway rising up from the Tyropoeon valley = valley of the cheesemakers (1-Chr 26:16).......
SHAPHAT
judge. (1.) One of the spies. He represented the tribe of Simeon (Num. 13:5). (2.) The father of Elisha (1-Kings 19:16). (3.) One of David's chief herdsmen (1-Chr 27:29).......
SHAVEH-KIRIATHAIM
plain of Kirja-thaim where Chedorlaomer defeated the Emims, the original inhabitants (Gen. 14:5). Now Kureiyat, north of Dibon, in the land of Moab.......
SHEEP-GATE
one of the gates of Jerusalem mentioned by Nehemiah (3:1, 3: 32;12:39). It was in the eastern wall of the city.......
SHEPHATIAH
judged of the Lord. (1.) A son of David by Abital (2-Sam 3:4). (2.) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag (1-Chr 12:5). (3.) A Simeonite prince in David's time (1-Chr 27:16). (4.) One of Jehoshaphat's sons (2-Chr 21:2). (5.) Ezra 2:4. (6.) Ezra 2:57; Neh. 7:59. (7.) One of the princes who urged the putting of Jeremiah to death (Jer. 38:1).......
SHIHOR-LIBNATH
black-white, a stream on the borders of Asher, probably the modern Nahr Zerka, i.e., the "crocodile brook," or "blue river", which rises in the Carmel range and enters the Mediterranean a little to the north of Caesarea (Josh. 19:26). Crocodiles are still found in the Zerka. Thomson suspects "that long ages ago some Egyptians, accustomed to worship this ugly creature, settled here (viz., at Caesar......
SHILOAH, THE WATERS OF
=Siloah, (Neh. 3:15) and Siloam (q.v.)......
SHIMRATH
guardian, a Benjamite, one of Shimhi's sons (id.).......
SKIN, COATS MADE OF
(Gen. 3:21). Skins of rams and badgers were used as a covering for the tabernacle (Exo 25:5; Num. 4:8). ......
SOPATER
the father who saves, probably the same as Sosipater, a kinsman of Paul (Rom. 16:21), a Christian of the city of Berea who accompanied Paul into Asia (Acts 20:4). ......
SOSIPATER
(See SOPATER.) ......
STATER
Greek word rendered "piece of money" (Matt. 17:27, Matt. 17: A.V.; and "shekel" in R.V.). It was equal to two didrachmas ("tribute money,"17:24), or four drachmas, and to about 2s. 6d. of our money. (See SHEKEL.) ......
STRAIN AT
Simply a misprint for "strain out" (Matt. 23:24). ......
TAANATH-SHILOH
approach to Shiloh, a place on the border of Ephraim (Josh. 16:6), probably the modern T'ana, a ruin 7 miles south-east of Shechem, on the ridge east of the Mukhnah plain. ......
TABBATH
famous, a town in the tribe of Ephraim (Judg. 7:22), to the south of Bethshean, near the Jordan. ......
TATNAI
gift, a Persian governor (Heb. pehah, i.e., "satrap;" modern "pasha") "on this side the river", i.e., of the whole tract on the west of the Euphrates. This Hebrew title _pehah_ is given to governors of provinces generally. It is given to Nehemiah (5:14) and to Zerubbabel (Hag. 1:1). It is sometimes translated "captain" (1-Kings 20:24; Dan. 3:2, Dan. 3: 3), sometimes also "deputy" (Esther 8:9;9:3).......
TEMPTATION
(1.) Trial; a being put to the test. Thus God "tempted [Gen. 22:1; R.V., 'did prove'] Abraham;" and afflictions are said to tempt, i.e., to try, men (James 1:2, James 1: 12; comp. Deut. 8:2), putting their faith and patience to the test. (2.) Ordinarily, however, the word means solicitation to that which is evil, and hence Satan is called "the tempter" (Matt. 4:3). Our Lord was in this way tempted......
THEATRE
only mentioned in Acts 19:29, Acts 19: 31. The ruins of this theatre at Ephesus still exist, and they show that it was a magnificent structure, capable of accommodating some 56,700 persons. It was the largest structure of the kind that ever existed. Theatres, as places of amusement, were unknown to the Jews. ......
THYATIRA
a city of Asia Minor, on the borders of Lydia and Mysia. Its modern name is Ak-hissar, i.e., "white castle." Here was one of the seven churches (Rev. 1:11;2:18). Lydia, the seller of purple, or rather of cloth dyed with this colour, was from this city (Acts 16:14). It was and still is famous for its dyeing. Among the ruins, inscriptions have been found relating to the guild of dyers in that city i......
TIGLATH-PILESER I.
(not mentioned in Scripture) was the most famous of the monarchs of the first Assyrian empire (about B.C. 1110). After his death, for two hundred years the empire fell into decay. The history of David and Solomon falls within this period. He was succeeded by his son, Shalmaneser II. ......
TIGLATH-PILESER III.
or Tilgath-Pil-neser, the Assyrian throne-name of Pul (q.v.). He appears in the Assyrian records as gaining, in the fifth year of his reign (about B.C. 741), a victory over Azariah (= Uzziah in 2-Chr 26:1), king of Judah, whose achievements are described in 2-Chr 26:6. He is first mentioned in Scripture, however, as gaining a victory over Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin of Damascus, who were conf......
TIMNATH
Gen. 38:12, Gen. 38:14. (1.) Heb. Timnathah, which is appropriately rendered in the Revised Version, Timnah, a town in Judah. (2.) The town where Samson sojourned, probably identical with "Timnah" (1) (Judg. 14:1). ......
TIMNATH-HERES
portion of the sun, where Joshua was buried (Judg. 2:9). It was "in the mount of Ephraim, in the north side of the hill Gaash," 10 miles south-west of Shechem. The same as the following. ......
TIMNATH-SERAH
remaining portion, the city of Joshua in the hill country of Ephraim, the same as Timnath-heres (Josh. 19:50;24:30). "Of all sites I have seen," says Lieut. Col. Conder, "none is so striking as that of Joshua's home, surrounded as it is with deep valleys and wild, rugged hills." Opposite the town is a hill, on the northern side of which there are many excavated sepulchres. Among these is the suppo......
TIRSHATHA
a word probably of Persian origin, meaning "severity," denoting a high civil dignity. The Persian governor of Judea is so called (Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65, Neh. 7: 70). Nehemiah is called by this name in Neh. 8:9;10:1, 10: and the "governor" (pehah) 5:18. Probably, therefore, tirshatha=pehah=the modern pasha. ......
TRANSFIGURATION, THE
of our Lord on a "high mountain apart," is described by each of the three evangelists (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28). The fullest account is given by Luke, who, no doubt, was informed by Peter, who was present on the occasion. What these evangelists record was an absolute historical reality, and not a mere vision. The concurrence between them in all the circumstances of the incident is exact. J......
TRIBULATION
trouble or affiction of any kind (Deut. 4:30; Matt. 13:21; 2-Cor 7:4). In Rom. 2:9 "tribulation and anguish" are the penal sufferings that shall overtake the wicked. In Matt. 24:21, Matt. 24: 29, the word denotes the calamities that were to attend the destruction of Jerusalem. ......
VAJEZATHA
purity; worthy of honour, one of Haman's sons, whom the Jews slew in the palace of Shushan (Esther 9:9). ......
VATICANUS, CODEX
is said to be the oldest extant vellum manuscript. It and the Codex Sinaiticus are the two oldest uncial manuscripts. They were probably written in the fourth century. The Vaticanus was placed in the Vatican Library at Rome by Pope Nicolas V. in 1448, its previous history being unknown. It originally consisted in all probability of a complete copy of the Septuagint and of the New Testament. It is ......
WATCHES
the periods into which the time between sunset and sunrise was divided. They are so called because watchmen relieved each other at each of these periods. There are frequent references in Scripture to the duties of watchmen who were appointed to give notice of the approach of an enemy (2-Sam 18:24; 2-Kings 9:17; Isa. 21:5). They were sometimes placed for this purpose on watch-towers (2-Kings 17:9;1......
WATCHINGS
(2-Cor 6:5), lit. "sleeplessnesses," the result of "manual labour, teaching, travelling, meditating, praying, cares, and the like" (Meyer's Com.). ......
WATER OF JEALOUSY
a phrase employed (not, however, in Scripture) to denote the water used in the solemn ordeal prescribed by the law of Moses (Num. 5:11) in cases of "jealousy." ......
WATER OF PURIFICATION
used in cases of ceremonial cleansings at the consecration of the Levites (Num. 8:7). It signified, figuratively, that purifying of the heart which must characterize the servants of God. ......
WATER OF SEPARATION
used along with the ashes of a red heifer for the ceremonial cleansing of persons defiled by contact with a dead body (Num. 19). ......
WATERSPOUTS
(Psa 42:7; marg. R.V., "cataracts"). If we regard this psalm as descriptive of David's feelings when banished from Jerusalem by the revolt of Absalom, this word may denote "waterfalls," inasmuch as Mahanaim, where he abode, was near the Jabbok, and the region abounded with rapids and falls. ......
WHEAT
one of the earliest cultivated grains. It bore the Hebrew name _hittah_, and was extensively cultivated in Palestine. There are various species of wheat. That which Pharaoh saw in his dream was the Triticum compositum, which bears several ears upon one stalk (Gen. 41:5). The "fat of the kidneys of wheat" (Deut. 32:14), and the "finest of the wheat" (Psa 81:16;147:14), denote the best of the kind. ......
WINEFAT
(Mark 12:1). The original word (hypolenion) so rendered occurs only here in the New Testament. It properly denotes the trough or lake (lacus), as it was called by the Romans, into which the juice of the grapes ran from the trough above it. It is here used, however, of the whole apparatus. In the parallel passage in Matt. 21:33 the Greek word _lenos_ is used. This properly denotes the upper one of ......
ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH
the name which Pharaoh gave to Joseph when he raised him to the rank of prime minister or grand vizier of the kingdom (Gen. 41:45). This is a pure Egyptian word, and has been variously explained. Some think it means "creator," or "preserver of life." Brugsch interprets it as "governor of the district of the place of life", i.e., of Goshen, the chief city of which was Pithom, "the place of life." O......
ZAREPHATH
smelting-shop, "a workshop for the refining and smelting of metals", a small Phoenician town, now Surafend, about a mile from the coast, almost midway on the road between Tyre and Sidon. Here Elijah sojourned with a poor widow during the "great famine," when the "heaven was shut up three years and six months" (Luke 4:26; 1-Kings 17:10). It is called Sarepta in the New Testament (Luke 4:26).......
ZATTHU
a sprout, Neh. 10:14.......
ZATTU
id., one whose descendants returned from the Captivity with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:8; Neh. 7:13); probably the same as Zatthu.......
ZEPHATH
beacon; watch-tower, a Canaanite town; called also Hormah (q.v.), Judg. 1:17. It has been identified with the pass of es-Sufah, but with greater probability with S'beita.......
ZEPHATHAH
a valley in the west of Judah, near Mareshah; the scene of Asa's conflict with Zerah the Ethiopian (2-Chr 14:9). Identified with the Wady Safieh.......
ZEREDATHAH
a place in the plain of Jordan; the same as Zarthan (2-Chr 4:17; 1-Kings 7:46). Here Solomon erected the foundries in which Hiram made the great castings of bronze for the temple.......
ZERERATH
(Judg. 7:22), perhaps identical with Zereda or Zeredathah. Some identify it with Zahrah, a place about 3 miles west of Beth-shean.......
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
the title now given to the fifth and last of the historical books of the New Testament. The author styles it a "treatise" (1:1). It was early called "The Acts," "The Gospel of the Holy Ghost," and "The Gospel of the Resurrection." It contains properly no account of any of the apostles except Peter and Paul. John is noticed only three times; and all that is recorded of James, the son of Zebedee, is......
APOTHECARY
rendered in the margin and the Revised Version "perfumer," in Exo 30:25;37:29; Eccl. 10:1. The holy oils and ointments were prepared by priests properly qualified for this office. The feminine plural form of the Hebrew word is rendered "confectionaries" in 1-Sam 8:13.......
BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD
only mentioned in 1-Cor 15:29. This expression as used by the apostle may be equivalent to saying, "He who goes through a baptism of blood in order to join a glorified church which has no existence [i.e., if the dead rise not] is a fool." Some also regard the statement here as an allusion to the strange practice which began, it is said, to prevail at Corinth, in which a person was baptized in the ......
BEEROTH OF THE CHILDREN OF JAAKAN
(Deut. 10:6). The same as Bene-jaakan (Num. 33:31).......
BETHEL
house of God. (1.) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz (Gen. 28:19). The name Bethel was at first apparently given to the sanctuary in the neighbourhood of Luz, and was not given to the city itself till after its conquest by the tribe of Ephraim. When Abram entered Canaan he f......
BETHER
dissection or separation, certain mountains mentioned in 2:17; probably near Lebanon. ......
BETHESDA
house of mercy, a reservoir (Gr. kolumbethra, "a swimming bath") with five porches, close to the sheep-gate or market (Neh. 3:1; John 5:2). Eusebius the historian (A.D. 330) calls it "the sheep-pool." It is also called "Bethsaida" and "Beth-zatha" (John 5:2, John 5: R.V. marg.). Under these "porches" or colonnades were usually a large number of infirm people waiting for the "troubling of the water......
BROTHER
(1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, Luke 3: 19). (2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8;14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19). (3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5). (4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, Heb. 2: 12). (5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30;11:29; 1-Cor 5:11); whence the early discipl......
CANAAN, THE LANGUAGE OF
mentioned in Isa. 19:18, Isa. 19: denotes the language spoken by the Jews resident in Palestine. The language of the Canaanites and of the Hebrews was substantially the same. This is seen from the fragments of the Phoenician language which still survive, which show the closest analogy to the Hebrew. Yet the subject of the language of the "Canaanites" is very obscure. The cuneiform writing of Babyl......
CHIEF OF THE THREE
a title given to Adino the Eznite, one of David's greatest heroes (2-Sam 23:8); also called Jashobeam (1-Chr 11:11). ......
COVERING OF THE EYES
occurs only in Gen. 20:16. In the Revised Version the rendering is "it (i.e., Abimelech's present of 1,000 pieces of silver to Abraham) is for thee a covering of the eyes." This has been regarded as an implied advice to Sarah to conform to the custom of married women, and wear a complete veil, covering the eyes as well as the rest of the face. ......
DALE, THE KING'S
the name of a valley, the alternative for "the valley of Shaveh" (q.v.), near the Dead Sea, where the king of Sodom met Abraham (Gen. 14:17). Some have identified it with the southern part of the valley of Jehoshaphat, where Absalom reared his family monument (2-Sam 18:18). ......
EAST, CHILDREN OF THE
the Arabs as a whole, known as the Nabateans or Kedarenes, nomad tribes (Judg. 6:3, Judg. 6:33;7:12;8:10). ......
EL-BETHEL
God of Bethel, the name of the place where Jacob had the vision of the ladder, and where he erected an altar (Gen. 31:13;35:7). ......
EPHRAIM IN THE WILDERNESS
(John 11:54), a town to which our Lord retired with his disciples after he had raised Lazarus, and when the priests were conspiring against him. It lay in the wild, uncultivated hill-country to the north-east of Jerusalem, betwen the central towns and the Jordan valley.......
EPHRAIM, THE TRIBE OF
took precedence over that of Manasseh by virtue of Jacob's blessing (Gen. 41:52;48:1). The descendants of Joseph formed two of the tribes of Israel, whereas each of the other sons of Jacob was the founder of only one tribe. Thus there were in reality thirteen tribes; but the number twelve was preserved by excluding that of Levi when Ephraim and Manasseh are mentioned separately (Num. 1:32; Josh. 1......
ESTHER
the queen of Ahasuerus, and heroine of the book that bears her name. She was a Jewess named Hadas'sah (the myrtle), but when she entered the royal harem she received the name by which she henceforth became known (Esther 2:7). It is a Syro-Arabian modification of the Persian word satarah, which means a star. She was the daughter of Abihail, a Benjamite. Her family did not avail themselves of the pe......
ESTHER, BOOK OF
The authorship of this book is unknown. It must have been obviously written after the death of Ahasuerus (the Xerxes of the Greeks), which took place B.C. 465. The minute and particular account also given of many historical details makes it probable that the writer was contemporary with Mordecai and Esther. Hence we may conclude that the book was written probably about B.C. 444-434, and that the a......
FEAR OF THE LORD THE
is in the Old Testament used as a designation of true piety (Prov. 1:7; Job 28:28; Psa 19:9). It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence. (Comp. Deut. 32:6; Hos. 11:1; Isa. 1:2;63:16;64:8.) God is called "the Fear of Isaac" (Gen. 31:42, Gen. 31: 53), i.e., the God whom Isaac feared. A holy fear is enjoined also in the New Testamen......
FISHING, THE ART OF
was prosecuted with great industry in the waters of Palestine. It was from the fishing-nets that Jesus called his disciples (Mark 1:16), and it was in a fishing-boat he rebuked the winds and the waves (Matt. 8:26) and delivered that remarkable series of prophecies recorded in Matt. 13. He twice miraculously fed multitudes with fish and bread (Matt. 14:19;15:36). It was in the mouth of a fish that ......
FOUNTAIN OF THE VIRGIN
the perennial source from which the Pool of Siloam (q.v.) is supplied, the waters flowing in a copious stream to it through a tunnel cut through the rock, the actual length of which is 1,750 feet. The spring rises in a cave 20 feet by 7. A serpentine tunnel 67 feet long runs from it toward the left, off which the tunnel to the Pool of Siloam branches. It is the only unfailing fountain in Jerusalem......
HAROSHETH OF THE GENTILES
(Judg. 4:2) or nations, a city near Hazor in Galilee of the Gentiles, or Upper Galilee, in the north of Palestine. It was here that Jabin's great army was marshalled before it went forth into the great battlefield of Esdraelon to encounter the army of Israel, by which it was routed and put to flight (Judg. 4). It was situated "at the entrance of the pass to Esdraelon from the plain of Acre" at the......
HEBREW OF THE HEBREWS
one whose parents are both Hebrews (Phil. 3:5; 2-Cor 11:22); a genuine Hebrew. ......
ISAIAH, THE BOOK OF
consists of prophecies delivered (Isa. 1) in the reign of Uzziah (1-5), (2) of Jotham (6), (3) Ahaz (4:28), (4) the first half of Hezekiah's reign (14:28), (5) the second half of Hezekiah's reign (36-66). Thus, counting from the fourth year before Uzziah's death (B.C. 762) to the last year of Hezekiah (B.C. 698), Isaiah's ministry extended over a period of sixty-four years. He may, however, have s......
JETHER
surplus; excellence. (1.) Father-in-law of Moses (Exo 4:18 marg.), called elsewhere Jethro (q.v.). (2.) The oldest of Gideon's seventy sons (Judg. 8:20). (3.) The father of Amasa, David's general (1-Kings 2:5, 1-Kings 2: 32); called Ithra (2-Sam 17:25). (4.) 1-Chr 7:38. (5.) 1-Chr 2:32; one of Judah's posterity. (6.) 1-Chr 4:17. ......
JETHETH
a peg, or a prince, one of the Edomitish kings of Mount Seir (Gen. 36:40). ......
JOHN THE BAPTIST
the "forerunner of our Lord." We have but fragmentary and imperfect accounts of him in the Gospels. He was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abia (1-Chr 24:10), and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). The mission of John was the subject of prophecy (Matt. 3:3; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). His birth, which took place six months before th......
JOKTHEEL
subdued by God. (1.) A city of Judah near Lachish (Josh. 15, 38). Perhaps the ruin Kutlaneh, south of Gezer. (2.) Amaziah, king of Judah, undertook a great expedition against Edom (2-Chr 25:5), which was completely successful. He routed the Edomites and slew vast numbers of them. So wonderful did this victory appear to him that he acknowledged that it could have been achieved only by the special......
JOSHUA, THE BOOK OF
contains a history of the Israelites from the death of Moses to that of Joshua. It consists of three parts: (1.) The history of the conquest of the land (1-12). (2.) The allotment of the land to the different tribes, with the appointment of cities of refuge, the provision for the Levites (13-22), and the dismissal of the eastern tribes to their homes. This section has been compared to the Domesday......
JUDGMENT, THE FINAL
the sentence that will be passed on our actions at the last day (Matt. 25; Rom. 14:10, Rom. 14: 11; 2-Cor 5:10; 2-Thess 1:7). The judge is Jesus Christ, as mediator. All judgment is committed to him (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, John 5: 27; Rev. 1:7). "It pertains to him as mediator to complete and publicly manifest the salvation of his people and the overthrow of his enemies, together with the glorio......
KINGS, THE BOOKS OF
The two books of Kings formed originally but one book in the Hebrew Scriptures. The present division into two books was first made by the LXX., which now, with the Vulgate, numbers them as the third and fourth books of Kings, the two books of Samuel being the first and second books of Kings. They contain the annals of the Jewish commonwealth from the accession of Solomon till the subjugation of ......
MACCABEES, BOOKS OF THE
There were originally five books of the Maccabees. The first contains a history of the war of independence, commencing (B.C. 175) in a series of patriotic struggles against the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes, and terminating B.C. 135. It became part of the Vulgate Version of the Bible, and was thus retained among the Apocrypha. The second gives a history of the Maccabees' struggle from B.C. 176 ......
METHEG-AMMAH
bridle of the mother, a figurative name for a chief city, as in 2-Sam 8:1, 2-Sam 8: "David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines" (R.V., "took the bridle of the mother-city"); i.e., subdued their capital or strongest city, viz., Gath (1-Chr 18:1). ......
MOREH, THE HILL OF
probably identical with "little Hermon," the modern Jebel ed-Duhy, or perhaps one of the lower spurs of this mountain. It is a gray ridge parallel to Gilboa on the north; and between the two lay the battle-field, the plain of Jezreel (q.v.), where Gideon overthrew the Midianites (Judg. 7:1). ......
MOUNT OF THE VALLEY
(Josh. 13:19), a district in the east of Jordan, in the territory of Reuben. The "valley" here was probably the Ghor or valley of the Jordan, and hence the "mount" would be the hilly region in the north end of the Dead Sea. (See ZARETH-SHAHAR.) ......
NUMBERING OF THE PEOPLE
Besides the numbering of the tribes mentioned in the history of the wanderings in the wilderness, we have an account of a general census of the whole nation from Dan to Beersheba, which David gave directions to Joab to make (1-Chr 21:1). Joab very reluctantly began to carry out the king's command. This act of David in ordering a numbering of the people arose from pride and a self-glorifying spir......
OREB, THE ROCK OF
the place where Gideon slew Oreb after the defeat of the Midianites (Judg. 7:25; Isa. 10:26). It was probably the place now called Orbo, on the east of Jordan, near Bethshean.......
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
their certain continuance in a state of grace. Once justified and regenerated, the believer can neither totally nor finally fall away from grace, but will certainly persevere therein and attain everlasting life. This doctrine is clearly taught in these passages, John 10:28, John 10: 29; Rom. 11:29; Phil. 1:6; 1-Pet 1:5. It, moreover, follows from a consideration of (1) the immutability of the di......
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
will be simultaneous both of the just and the unjust (Dan. 12:2; John 5:28, John 5: 29; Rom. 2:6; 2-Thess 1:6). The qualities of the resurrection body will be different from those of the body laid in the grave (1-Cor 15:53, 1-Cor 15: 54; Phil. 3:21); but its identity will nevertheless be preserved. It will still be the same body (1-Cor 15:42) which rises again. As to the nature of the resurrecti......
RUTH THE BOOK OF
was originally a part of the Book of Judges, but it now forms one of the twenty-four separate books of the Hebrew Bible. The history it contains refers to a period perhaps about one hundred and twenty-six years before the birth of David. It gives (1) an account of Naomi's going to Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and of her subsequent return to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law; (2) the marria......
SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS
(1-Sam 19:18; 2-Kings 2:3, 2-Kings 2: 5, 7, 12, 15) were instituted for the purpose of training young men for the prophetical and priestly offices. (See PROPHET; SAMUEL.) ......
SEA, THE
(Heb. yam), signifies (1) "the gathering together of the waters," the ocean (Gen. 1:10); (2) a river, as the Nile (Isa. 19:5), the Euphrates (Isa. 21:1; Jer. 51:36); (3) the Red Sea (Exo 14:16, Exo 14: 27;15:4, 15: etc.); (4) the Mediterranean (Exo 23:31; Num. 34:6, Num. 34: 7; Josh. 15:47; Psa 80:11, Psa 80: etc.); (5) the "sea of Galilee," an inland fresh-water lake, and (6) the Dead Sea or "sal......
SEA, THE MOLTEN
the great laver made by Solomon for the use of the priests in the temple, described in 1-Kings 7:23; 2-Chr 4:2. It stood in the south-eastern corner of the inner court. It was 5 cubits high, 10 in diameter from brim to brim, and 30 in circumference. It was placed on the backs of twelve oxen, standing with their faces outward. It was capable of containing two or three thousand baths of water (comp.......
SEETHE
to boil (Exo 16:23). ......
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
After spending a night in solemn meditation and prayer in the lonely mountain-range to the west of the Lake of Galilee (Luke 6:12), on the following morning our Lord called to him his disciples, and from among them chose twelve, who were to be henceforth trained to be his apostles (Mark 3:14, Mark 3: 15). After this solemn consecration of the twelve, he descended from the mountain-peak to a more l......
SILOAH, THE POOL OF
Heb. shelah; i.e., "the dart", Neh. 3:15; with the art. _shiloah_, "sending," Isa. 8:6 (7:3)=Siloam (q.v.) ......
SIMEON, THE TRIBE OF
was "divided and scattered" according to the prediction in Gen. 49:5. They gradually dwindled in number, and sank into a position of insignificance among the other tribes. They decreased in the wilderness by about two-thirds (comp. Num. 1:23;26:14). Moses pronounces no blessing on this tribe. It is passed by in silence (Deut. 33). This tribe received as their portion a part of the territory alre......
SKULL, THE PLACE OF A
See GOLGOTHA. ......
SOSTHENES
safe in strength, the chief ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, who was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence of Gallio, the Roman governor, when he refused to proceed against Paul at the instigation of the Jews (Acts 18:12). The motives of this assault against Sosthenes are not recorded, nor is it mentioned whether it was made by Greeks or Romans. Some identify him, but without sufficient g......
TAVERNS, THE THREE
a place on the great "Appian Way," about 11 miles from Rome, designed for the reception of travellers, as the name indicates. Here Paul, on his way to Rome, was met by a band of Roman Christians (Acts 28:15). The "Tres Tabernae was the first mansio or mutatio, that is, halting-place for relays, from Rome, or the last on the way to the city. At this point three roads run into the Via Appia, that fr......
TEMPLE, THE SECOND
After the return from captivity, under Zerubbabel (q.v.) and the high priest Jeshua, arrangements were almost immediately made to reorganize the long-desolated kingdom. The body of pilgrims, forming a band of 42,360, including children, having completed the long and dreary journey of some four months, from the banks of the Euphrates to Jerusalem, were animated in all their proceeding by a strong r......
THEBEZ
brightness, a place some 11 miles north-east of Shechem, on the road to Scythopolis, the modern Tabas. Abimelech led his army against this place, because of its participation in the conspiracy of the men of Shechem; but as he drew near to the strong tower to which its inhabitants had fled for safety, and was about to set fire to it, a woman cast a fragment of millstone at him, and "all to brake hi......
THEFT
Punished by restitution, the proportions of which are noted in 2-Sam 12:6. If the thief could not pay the fine, he was to be sold to a Hebrew master till he could pay (Exo 22:1). A night-thief might be smitten till he died, and there would be no blood-guiltiness for him (22:2). A man-stealer was to be put to death (21:16). All theft is forbidden (Exo 20:15;21:16; Lev. 19:11; Deut. 5:19;24:7; Psa 5......
THEOCRACY
a word first used by Josephus to denote that the Jews were under the direct government of God himself. The nation was in all things subject to the will of their invisible King. All the people were the servants of Jehovah, who ruled over their public and private affairs, communicating to them his will through the medium of the prophets. They were the subjects of a heavenly, not of an earthly, king.......
THEOPHILUS
lover of God, a Christian, probably a Roman, to whom Luke dedicated both his Gospel (Luke 1:3) and the Acts of the Apostles (1:1). Nothing beyond this is known of him. From the fact that Luke applies to him the title "most excellent", the same title Paul uses in addressing Felix (Acts 23:26;24:3) and Festus (26:25), it has been concluded that Theophilus was a person of rank, perhaps a Roman office......
THESSALONICA
a large and populous city on the Thermaic bay. It was the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia, and was ruled by a praetor. It was named after Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, who built the city. She was so called by her father, Philip, because he first heard of her birth on the day of his gaining a victory over the Thessalians. On his second missionary journey, Paul preache......
THEUDAS
thanksgiving, referred to by Gamaliel in his speech before the council at Jerusalem (Acts 5:36). He headed an insurrection against the Roman authority. Beyond this nothing is known of him. ......
THIEVES, THE TWO
(Luke 23:32, Luke 23: 39-43), robbers, rather brigands, probably followers of Barabbas. Our Lord's cross was placed between those of the "malefactors," to add to the ignominy of his position. According to tradition, Demas or Dismas was the name of the penitent thief hanging on the right, and Gestas of the impenitent on the left. ......
THORN IN THE FLESH
(2-Cor 12:7). Many interpretations have been given of this passage. (1.) Roman Catholic writers think that it denotes suggestions to impiety. (2.) Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers interpret the expression as denoting temptation to unbelief. (3.) Others suppose the expression refers to "a pain in the ear or head," epileptic fits, or, in general, to some severe physical infirmity, which was a......
TIMOTHEUS
the Greek form of the name of Timothy (Acts 16:1, Acts 16: etc.; the R.V. always "Timothy"). ......
WARS OF THE LORD, THE BOOK OF THE
(Num. 21:14, Num. 21: 15), some unknown book so called (comp. Gen. 14:14; Exo 17:8; Num. 14:40;21:1, 21: 21-25, 33-35; 31. The wars here recorded might be thus designated). ......
WORD, THE
(Gr. Logos), one of the titles of our Lord, found only in the writings of John (John 1:1; 1-John 1:1; Rev. 19:13). As such, Christ is the revealer of God. His office is to make God known. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18). This title designates the divine nature of Christ. As the Word, he "was in the beg......
END
in Heb. 13:7, Heb. 13: is the rendering of the unusual Greek word _ekbasin_, meaning "outcome", i.e., death. It occurs only elsewhere in 1-Cor 10:13, 1-Cor 10: where it is rendered "escape."......
ENDOR
fountain of Dor; i.e., "of the age", a place in the territory of Issachar (Josh. 17:11) near the scene of the great victory which was gained by Deborah and Barak over Sisera and Jabin (comp. Psa 83:9, Psa 83: 10). To Endor, Saul resorted to consult one reputed to be a witch on the eve of his last engagement with the Philistines (1-Sam 28:7). It is identified with the modern village of Endur, "a di......