AMEN
This Hebrew word means firm, and hence also faithful (Rev. 3:14). In Isa. 65:16, Isa. 65: the Authorized Version has "the God of truth," which in Hebrew is "the God of Amen." It is frequently used by our Saviour to give emphasis to his words, where it is translated "verily." Sometimes, only, however, in John's Gospel, it is repeated, "Verily, verily." It is used as an epithet of the Lord Jesus Chr......
ARMENIA
high land, occurs only in Authorized Version, 2-Kings 19:37; in Revised Version, "Ararat," which is the Hebrew word. A country in western Asia lying between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Here the ark of Noah rested after the Deluge (Gen. 8:4). It is for the most part high table-land, and is watered by the Aras, the Kur, the Euphrates, and the Tigris. Ararat was properly the name of a part of anci......
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.)......
BABYLONISH GARMENT
a robe of rich colours fabricated at Babylon, and hence of great value (Josh.7:21).......
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. ......
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.) ......
CASEMENT
a barrier of open-work placed before windows (Prov. 7:6). In Judg. 5:28 the Hebrew word is rendered "lattice," in the LXX. "network," an opening through which cool air is admitted.......
CHANGES OF RAIMENT
were reckoned among the treasures of rich men (Gen. 45:22; Judg. 14:12, Judg. 14: 13; 2-Kings 5:22, 2-Kings 5: 23). ......
CLEMENT
mild, a Christian of Philippi, Paul's "fellow-labourer," whose name he mentions as "in the book of life" (Phil. 4:3). It was an opinion of ancient writers that he was the Clement of Rome whose name is well known in church history, and that he was the author of an Epistle to the Corinthians, the only known manuscript of which is appended to the Alexandrian Codex, now in the British Museum. It is of......
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......
CONTENTMENT
a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1-Tim 6:6; 2-Cor 9:8). It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb. 13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, Matt. 6: 34), and repining (1-Cor 10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine ......
ELEMENTS
In its primary sense, as denoting the first principles or constituents of things, it is used in 2-Pet 3:10: "The elements shall be dissolved." In a secondary sense it denotes the first principles of any art or science. In this sense it is used in Gal. 4:3, Gal. 4: 9; Col. 2:8, Col. 2: 20, where the expressions, "elements of the world," "week and beggarly elements," denote that state of religious k......
ENCHANTMENTS
(1.) The rendering of Hebrew _latim_ or _lehatim_, which means "something covered," "muffled up;" secret arts, tricks (Exo 7:11, Exo 7: 22;8:7, 8: 18), by which the Egyptian magicians imposed on the credulity of Pharaoh. (2.) The rendering of the Hebrew _keshaphim_, "muttered spells" or "incantations," rendered "sorceries" in Isa. 47:9, Isa. 47: 12, i.e., the using of certain formulae under the ......
FIRMAMENT
from the Vulgate firmamentum, which is used as the translation of the Hebrew _raki'a_. This word means simply "expansion." It denotes the space or expanse like an arch appearing immediately above us. They who rendered _raki'a_ by firmamentum regarded it as a solid body. The language of Scripture is not scientific but popular, and hence we read of the sun rising and setting, and also here the use o......
GOVERNMENT OF GOD
See PROVIDENCE. ......
GOVERNMENTS
(1-Cor 12:28), the powers which fit a man for a place of influence in the church; "the steersman's art; the art of guiding aright the vessel of church or state." ......
JUDGMENT HALL
Gr. praitorion (John 18:28, John 18: 33;19:9; Matt. 27:27), "common hall." In all these passages the Revised Version renders "palace." In Mark 15:16 the word is rendered "Praetorium" (q.v.), which is a Latin word, meaning literally the residence of the praetor, and then the governor's residence in general, though not a praetor. Throughout the Gospels the word "praitorion" has this meaning (comp. A......
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.)......
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......
JUDGMENTS OF GOD
(1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Psa 110:5;36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Exo 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Psa 119:7). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Exo 6:6;12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7;19:24, 19:25; Judg. 1:6, Judg. 1:7; Acts 5:1, Acts 5: etc.......
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......
MADMEN
ibid., a Moabite town threatened with the sword of the Babylonians (Jer. 48:2). ......
MADMENAH
ibid., a town in Benjamin, not far from Jerusalem, towards the north (Isa. 10:31). The same Hebrew word occurs in Isa. 25:10, Isa. 25: where it is rendered "dunghill." This verse has, however, been interpreted as meaning "that Moab will be trodden down by Jehovah as teben [broken straw] is trodden to fragments on the threshing-floors of Madmenah." ......
MENAHEM
conforting, the son of Gadi, and successor of Shallum, king of Israel, whom he slew. After a reign of about ten years (B.C. 771-760) he died, leaving the throne to his son Pekahiah. His reign was one of cruelty and oppression (2-Kings 15:14). During his reign, Pul (q.v.), king of Assyria, came with a powerful force against Israel, but was induced to retire by a gift from Menahem of 1,000 talents o......
MENE
(Dan. 5:25, Dan. 5: 26), numbered, one of the words of the mysterious inscription written "upon the plaister of the wall" in Belshazzar's palace at Babylon. The writing was explained by Daniel. (See BELSHAZZAR.) ......
MENI
Isa. 65:11, Isa. 65: marg. (A.V., "that number;" R.V., "destiny"), probably an idol which the captive Israelites worshipped after the example of the Babylonians. It may have been a symbol of destiny. LXX., tuche. ......
MUSIC, INSTRUMENTAL
Among instruments of music used by the Hebrews a principal place is given to stringed instruments. These were, (1.) The kinnor, the "harp." (2.) The nebel, "a skin bottle," rendered "psaltery." (3.) The sabbeka, or "sackbut," a lute or lyre. (4.) The gittith, occurring in the title of Ps. 8; 8; 84. (5.) Minnim (Psa 150:4), rendered "stringed instruments;" in Psa 45:8, Psa 45: in the form _minni_, ......
NEW TESTAMENT
(Luke 22:20), rather "New Covenant," in contrast to the old covenant of works, which is superseded. "The covenant of grace is called new; it succeeds to the old broken covenant of works. It is ever fresh, flourishing, and excellent; and under the gospel it is dispensed in a more clear, spiritual, extensive, and powerful manner than of old" (Brown of Haddington). Hence is derived the name given to ......
OINTMENT
Various fragrant preparations, also compounds for medical purposes, are so called (Exo 30:25; Psa 133:2; Isa. 1:6; Amos 6:6; John 12:3; Rev. 18:13). ......
PARCHMENT
a skin prepared for writing on; so called from Pergamos (q.v.), where this was first done (2-Tim 4:13).......
PARMENAS
constant, one of the seven "deacons" (Acts 6:5).......
PAVEMENT
It was the custom of the Roman governors to erect their tribunals in open places, as the market-place, the circus, or even the highway. Pilate caused his seat of judgment to be set down in a place called "the Pavement" (John 19:13) i.e., a place paved with a mosaic of coloured stones. It was probably a place thus prepared in front of the "judgment hall." (See GABBATHA.)......
PUNISHMENT
The New Testament lays down the general principles of good government, but contains no code of laws for the punishment of offenders. Punishment proceeds on the principle that there is an eternal distinction between right and wrong, and that this distinction must be maintained for its own sake. It is not primarily intended for the reformation of criminals, nor for the purpose of deterring others fr......
TEMENI
one of the sons of Ashur, the father of Tekoa (1-Chr 4:6). ......
TESTAMENT
occurs twelve times in the New Testament (Heb. 9:15, Heb. 9: etc.) as the rendering of the Gr. diatheke, which is twenty times rendered "covenant" in the Authorized Version, and always so in the Revised Version. The Vulgate translates incorrectly by testamentum, whence the names "Old" and "New Testament," by which we now designate the two sections into which the Bible is divided. (See BIBLE.) ......
TINKLING ORNAMENTS
(Isa. 3:18), anklets of silver or gold, etc., such as are still used by women in Syria and the East. ......
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. ......
WISE MEN
mentioned in Dan. 2:12 included three classes, (1) astrologers, (2) Chaldeans, and (3) soothsayers. The word in the original (hakamim) probably means "medicine men. In Chaldea medicine was only a branch of magic. The "wise men" of Matt. 2:7, Matt. 2: who came from the East to Jerusalem, were magi from Persia or Arabia. ......