A





Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, as Omega is the last.

These letters occur in the text of Rev 1:8,11 21:6 22:13 - and are

represented by "Alpha" and "Omega" respectively (omitted in R.V.,

1:11) They mean "the first and last." Comp. Heb 12:2 Isa 41:4 44:6.

Rev 1:11,17 2:8 - In the symbols of the early Christian Church these

two letters are frequently combined with the cross or with Christ's

monogram to denote his divinity.



 See CROSS 00928.





Aaron





The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi Exo 6:20.

Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of

strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his

brother Moses, and a number of years after his sister Miriam

Exo 2:1,4 7:7 - He married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of

the house of Judah Exo 6:23 1Ch 2:10 - by whom he had four sons,

Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.



When the time for the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt drew nigh,

he was sent by God Exo 4:14,27-30 - to meet his long-absent

brother, that he might co-operate with him in all that they were

required to do in bringing about the Exodus. He was to be the

"mouth" or "prophet" of Moses, i.e., was to speak for him, because

he was a man of a ready utterance Exo 7:1-2,9-10,19 - He was

faithful to his trust, and stood by Moses in all his interviews with

Pharaoh. When the ransomed tribes fought their first battle with

Amalek in Rephidim, Moses stood on a hill overlooking the scene of

the conflict with the rod of God in his outstretched hand. On this

occasion he was attended by Aaron and Hur, his sister's husband, who

held up his wearied hands till Joshua and the chosen warriors of

Israel gained the victory Exo 17:8-13.



Afterwards, when encamped before Sinai, and when Moses at the

command of God ascended the mount to receive the tables of the law,

Aaron and his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, along with seventy of the

elders of Israel, were permitted to accompany him part of the way,

and to behold afar off the manifestation of the glory of Israel's

God Exo 19:24 24:9-11 - While Moses remained on the mountain with

God, Aaron returned unto the people; and yielding through fear, or

ignorance, or instability of character, to their clamour, made unto

them a golden calf, and set it up as an object of worship Exo 32:4.

Psa 106:19 - On the return of Moses to the camp, Aaron was sternly

rebuked by him for the part he had acted in this matter; but he

interceded for him before God, who forgave his sin Deu 9:20.



On the mount, Moses received instructions regarding the system of

worship which was to be set up among the people; and in accordance

therewith Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priest's office

Lev 8:1 - Lev 9:1 - Aaron, as high priest, held henceforth the

prominent place appertaining to that office. When Israel had reached

Hazeroth, in "the wilderness of Paran," Aaron joined with his sister

Miriam in murmuring against Moses, "because of the Ethiopian woman

whom he had married," probably after the death of Zipporah. But the

Lord vindicated his servant Moses, and punished Miriam with leprosy

Num 12:1 - Aaron acknowledged his own and his sister's guilt,

and at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven.



Twenty years after this, when the children of Israel were encamped

in the wilderness of Paran, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram conspired

against Aaron and his sons; but a fearful judgment from God fell

upon them, and they were destroyed, and the next day thousands of

the people also perished by a fierce pestilence, the ravages of

which were only stayed by the interposition of Aaron Num 16:1.

That there might be further evidence of the divine appointment of Aaron

to the priestly office, the chiefs of the tribes were each required to

bring to Moses a rod bearing on it the name of his tribe. And these,

along with the rod of Aaron for the tribe of Levi, were laid up

overnight in the tabernacle, and in the morning it was found that while

the other rods remained unchanged, that of Aaron "for the house of

Levi" budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds Num 17:1-10 - This rod

was afterwards preserved in the tabernacle Heb 9:4 - as a memorial

of the divine attestation of his appointment to the priesthood.



Aaron was implicated in the sin of his brother at Meribah Num 20:8-13.

and on that account was not permitted to enter the Promised Land.

When the tribes arrived at Mount Hor, "in the edge of the land of

Edom," at the command of God Moses led Aaron and his son Eleazar to

the top of that mountain, in the sight of all the people.  There he

stripped Aaron of his priestly vestments, and put them upon Eleazar;

and there Aaron died on the top of the mount, being 123 years old

Num 20:23-29 -  Comp. Deu 10:6 32:50 - and was "gathered unto

his people." The people, "even all the house of Israel," mourned for

him thirty days.  Of Aaron's sons two survived him, Eleazar, whose

family held the high-priesthood till the time of Eli; and Ithamar,

in whose family, beginning with Eli, the high-priesthood was held

till the time of Solomon. Aaron's other two sons had been struck

dead Lev 10:1-2 - for the daring impiety of offering "strange

fire" on the alter of incense.



The Arabs still show with veneration the traditionary site of

Aaron's grave on one of the two summits of Mount Hor, which is

marked by a Muslim chapel. His name is mentioned in the Koran,

and there are found in the writings of the rabbins many fabulous

stories regarding him. He was the first anointed priest. His

descendants, "the house of Aaron," constituted the priesthood in

general. In the time of David they were very numerous 1Ch 12:27.

The other branches of the tribe of Levi held subordinate positions

in connection with the sacred office. Aaron was a type of Christ in

his official character as the high priest. His priesthood was a

"shadow of heavenly things," and was intended to lead the people of

Israel to look forward to the time when "another priest" would arise

"after the order of Melchizedek" Heb 6:20.



See MOSES 02602.





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 1Ch 12:27 - Eleazar Num 3:32 - and at a later period

Zadok 1Ch 27:17 - was their chief.





Abaddon





Destruction, the Hebrew name (equivalent to the Greek Apollyon, i.e.,

destroyer) of "the angel of the bottomless pit" Rev 9:11 - It is

rendered "destruction" in Job 28:22 31:12 26:6 Pr 15:11 27:20 - In the

last three of these passages the Revised Version retains the word

"Abaddon." We may regard this word as a personification of the idea

of destruction, or as sheol, the realm of the dead.





Abagtha





One of the seven eunuchs in Ahasuerus's court Est 1:10 2:21.





Abana





Stony (Heb. marg. "Amanah," perennial), the chief river of Damascus

2Ki 5:12 - Its modern name is Barada, the Chrysorrhoas, or "golden

stream," of the Greeks. It rises in a cleft of the Anti-Lebanon

range, about 23 miles north-west of Damascus, and after flowing

southward for a little way parts into three smaller streams, the

central one flowing through Damascus, and the other two on each side

of the city, diffusing beauty and fertility where otherwise there

would be barrenness.





Abarim





Regions beyond; i.e., on the east of Jordan, a mountain, or rather a

mountain-chain, over against Jericho, to the east and south-east of

the Dead Sea, in the land of Moab. From "the top of Pisgah", i.e.,

Mount Nebo (q.v.), one of its summits, Moses surveyed the Promised

Land Deu 3:27 32:49 - and there he died Deu 34:1,5 - The Israelites had

one of their encampments in the mountains of Abarim Num 33:47,48.

after crossing the Arnon.





Abba





This Syriac or Chaldee word is found three times in the New Testament

Mar 14:36 Ro 8:15 Gal 4:6 - and in each case is followed by its Greek

equivalent, which is translated "father." It is a term expressing

warm affection and filial confidence. It has no perfect equivalent in

our language. It has passed into European languages as an

ecclesiastical term, "abbot."





Abda





Servant.

 1. The father of Adoniram, whom Solomon set over the tribute

    1Ki 4:6 - i.e., the forced labour (R.V., "levy").

 2. A Levite of the family of Jeduthun Neh 11:17 - also called

    Obadiah 1Ch 9:16.





Abdeel





Servant of God, Jer 36:26 - the father of Shelemiah.





Abdi





My servant.

 1. 1Ch 6:44.

 2. 2Ch 29:12.

 3. Ezr 10:26.





Abdiel





Servant of God, 1Ch 5:15 - a Gadite chief.





Abdon





Servile.

 1. The son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, the tenth judge of Israel

    Jud 12:13-15 - He is probably the Bedan of 1Sa 12:11.

 2. The first-born of Gibeon of the tribe of Benjamin

    1Ch 8:30 9:36.

 3. The son of Micah, one of those whom Josiah sent to the

    prophetess Huldah to ascertain from her the meaning of the

    recently discovered book of the law 2Ch 34:20 - He is called

    Achbor in 2Ki 22:12.

 4. One of the "sons" of Shashak 1Ch 8:23 - This is the name also of

    a Levitical town of the Gershonites, in the tribe of Asher

    Jos 21:30 1Ch 6:74 - The ruins of Abdeh, some 8 miles north-east

    of Accho, probably mark its site.





Abednego





Servant of Nego=Nebo, the Chaldee name given to Azariah, one of

Daniel's three companions Dan 2:49 - With Shadrach and Meshach, he was

delivered from the burning fiery furnace Dan 3:12-30.



 See SHADRACH 03301.





Abel





1. (Heb. Hebhel), a breath, or vanity, the second son of Adam and Eve.

   He was put to death by his brother Cain Gen 4:1-16 - Guided

   by the instruction of their father, the two brothers were

   trained in the duty of worshipping God. "And in process of

   time" (marg. "at the end of days", i.e., on the Sabbath) each

   of them offered up to God of the first-fruits of his labours.

   Cain, as a husbandman, offered the fruits of the field; Abel,

   as a shepherd, of the firstlings of his flock. "The Lord had

   respect unto Abel and his offering; but unto Cain and his

   offering he had not respect" Gen 4:3-5 - On this account Cain

   was angry with his brother, and formed the design of putting

   him to death; a design which he at length found an opportunity

   of carrying into effect Gen 4:8-9 - Comp 1Jo 3:12.



   There are several references to Abel in the New Testament. Our

   Saviour speaks of him as "righteous" Mat 23:35 - "The blood

   of sprinkling" is said to speak "better things than that of

   Abel" Heb 12:24 - i.e., the blood of Jesus is the reality of

   which the blood of the offering made by Abel was only the type.

   The comparison here is between the sacrifice offered by Christ

   and that offered by Abel, and not between the blood of Christ

   calling for mercy and the blood of the murdered Abel calling

   for vengeance, as has sometimes been supposed. It is also said

   Heb 11:4 - that "Abel offered unto God a more excellent

   sacrifice than Cain." This sacrifice was made "by faith;" this

   faith rested in God, not only as the Creator and the God of

   providence, but especially in God as the great Redeemer, whose

   sacrifice was typified by the sacrifices which, no doubt by the

   divine institution, were offered from the days of Adam

   downward.  On account of that "faith" which looked forward to

   the great atoning sacrifice, Abel's offering was accepted of

   God. Cain's offering had no such reference, and therefore was

   rejected. Abel was the first martyr, as he was the first of our

   race to die.

2. Abel (Heb. 'abhel), lamentation 1Sa 6:18 - the name given to

   the great stone in Joshua's field whereon the ark was "set

   down." The Revised Version, however, following the Targum and

   the LXX., reads in the Hebrew text a stone), and accordingly

   translates "unto the great stone, whereon they set down the

   ark." This reading is to be preferred.

3. Abel (Heb. 'abhel), a grassy place, a meadow. This word enters

   into the composition of the following words:

    a. Abel-beth -maachah  See 23016.

    b. Abel-cheramin       See 23017.

    c. Abel-meholah        See 23018.

    d. Abel-mizraim        See 23019.

    e. Abel-shittim        See 23020.





Abel-beth-maachah





Meadow of the house of Maachah, a city in the north of Palestine, in

the neighbourhood of Dan and Ijon, in the tribe of Naphtali. It was a

place of considerable strength and importance. It is called a "mother

in Israel", i.e., a metropolis 2Sa 20:19 - It was besieged by Joab

2Sa 20:14 - by Benhadad 1Ki 15:20 - and by Tiglath-pileser

2Ki 15:29 - about B.C. 734 It is elsewhere called Abel-maim,

meadow of the waters, 2Ch 16:4 - Its site is occupied by the

modern Abil or Abil-el-kamh, on a rising ground to the east of the

brook Derdarah, which flows through the plain of Huleh into the

Jordan, about 6 miles to the west-north-west of Dan.





Abel-cheramim





Jud 11:33 - (R.V.; A. V., "plain of the vineyards"), a village of

the Ammonites, whither Jephthah pursued their forces.





Abel-meholah





Meadow of dancing, or the dancing-meadow, the birth-place and

residence of the prophet Elisha, not far from Beth-shean 1Ki 4:12 - in

the tribe of Issachar, near where the Wady el-Maleh emerges into the

valley of the Jordan, "the rich meadow-land which extends about 4

miles south of Beth-shean; moist and luxuriant." Here Elisha was

found at his plough by Elijah on his return up the Jordan valley from

Horeb 1Ki 19:16 - It is now called 'Ain Helweh.





Abel-mizraim





Meadow of Egypt, or mourning of Egypt, a place "beyond," i.e., on the

west of Jordan, at the "threshing-floor of Atad." Here the Egyptians

mourned seventy days for Jacob Gen 50:4-11 - Its site is unknown.





Abel-shittim





Meadow of the acacias, frequently called simply "Shittim" Num 25:1.

Jos 2:1 Mic 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 - comp. Num 25:1 31:16.





Abez





Tin, or white, a town in the tribe of Issachar Jos 19:20 - at the north

of the plain of Esdraelon. It is probably identified with the ruins

of El-Beida.





Abia





My father is the Lord, the Greek form of Abijah, or Abijam Mat 1:7.

instead of Abiah 1Ch 7:8 - In Luk 1:5 - the name refers to the head

of the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which David divided the

priests 1Ch 24:10.





Abi-albon





Father of strength; i.e., "valiant", one of David's body-guard of

thirty mighty men 2Sa 23:31 - called also Abiel 1Ch 11:32.





Abiasaph





Father of gathering; the gatherer, the youngest of the three sons of

Korah the Levite, head of a family of Korhites Exo 6:24 - called

Ebisaph 1Ch 6:37.





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 1Sa 22:20-23 23:6 - He remained with

David, and became priest of the party of which he was the leader

1Sa 30:7.



When David ascended the throne of Judah, Abiathar was appointed high

priest 1Ch 15:11 1Ki 2:26 - and the "king's companion" 1Ch 27:34.

Meanwhile Zadok, of the house of Eleazar, had been made high priest.

These appointments continued in force till the end of David's reign

1Ki 4:4 - Abiathar was deposed (the sole historical instance of

the deposition of a high priest) and banished to his home at

Anathoth by Solomon, because he took part in the attempt to raise

Adonijah to the throne. The priesthood thus passed from the house of

Ithamar 1Sa 2:30-36 1Ki 1:19 2:26-27 - Zadok now became sole high

priest.



In Mar 2:26 - reference is made to an occurrence in "the days of

Abiathar the high priest." But from 1Sa 22:1 - we learn

explicitly that this event took place when Ahimelech, the father of

Abiathar, was high priest. The apparent discrepancy is

satisfactorily explained by interpreting the words in Mark as

referring to the life-time of Abiathar, and not to the term of his

holding the office of high priest. It is not implied in Mark that he

was actual high priest at the time referred to.  Others, however,

think that the loaves belonged to Abiathar, who was at that time

Lev 24:9 - a priest, and that he either himself gave them to

David, or persuaded his father to give them.





Abib





An ear of corn, the month of newly-ripened grain Exo 13:4 23:15 - the

first of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, and the seventh of the civil

year. It began about the time of the vernal equinox, on 21 March.

It was called Nisan, after the Captivity Neh 2:1 - On the fifteenth day

of the month, harvest was begun by gathering a sheaf of barley, which

was offered unto the Lord on the sixteenth Lev 23:4-11.





Abida





Or Abi'dah, father of knowledge; knowing, one of the five sons of

Midian, who was the son of Abraham by Keturah 1Ch 1:33 - and

apparently the chief of an Arab tribe.





Abidan





Father of judgment; judge, head of the tribe of Benjamin at the Exodus

Num 1:11 2:22.





Abieezer





Father of help; i.e., "helpful."

 1. The second of the three sons of Hammoleketh, the sister of

    Gilead. He was the grandson of Manasseh 1Ch 7:18 - From his

    family Gideon sprang Jos 17:2 - comp. Jud 6:34 8:2 - He was

    also called Jeezer Num 26:30.

 2. One of David's thirty warriors 2Sa 23:27 - comp. 1Ch 27:12.

 3. The prince of the tribe of Dan at the Exodus Num 1:12.





Abiel





Father (i.e., "possessor") of God "pious."

 1. The son of Zeror and father of Ner, who was the grandfather of

    Saul 1Sa 14:51 1Ch 8:33 9:39 - In 1Sa 9:1 - he is called the

    "father," probably meaning the grandfather, of Kish.

 2. An Arbathite, one of David's warriors 1Ch 11:32 - called also

    Abi-albon 2Sa 23:31.





Abiezrite





Father of help, a descendant of Abiezer Jud 6:11,24 8:32.





Abigail





Father (i.e., "leader") of the dance, or "of joy."

 1. The sister of David, and wife of Jether an Ishmaelite

    1Ch 2:16-17 - She was the mother of Amasa 2Sa 17:25.

 2. The wife of the churlish Nabal, who dwelt in the district of

    Carmel 1Sa 25:3 - She showed great prudence and delicate

    management at a critical period of her husband's life. She was

    "a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance."

    After Nabal's death she became the wife of David 1Sa 25:14-42.

    and was his companion in all his future fortunes 1Sa 27:3 30:5.

    2Sa 2:2 - By her David had a son called Chileab 2Sa 3:3.

    elsewhere called Daniel 1Ch 3:1.





Abihail





Father of might.

 1. Num 3:35.

 2. 1Ch 2:29.

 3. 1Ch 5:14.

 4. The second wife of King Rehoboam 2Ch 11:18 - a descendant of

    Eliab, David's eldest brother.

 5. The father of Esther and uncle of Mordecai Est 2:15.





Abihu





Father of Him; i.e., "worshipper of God", the second of the sons of

Aaron Exo 6:23 Lev 3:2 Num 26:60 1Ch 6:3 - Along with his three brothers

he was consecrated to the priest's office Exo 28:1 - With his father and

elder brother he accompanied the seventy elders part of the way up

the mount with Moses Exo 24:1,9 - On one occasion he and Nadab his

brother offered incense in their censers filled with "strange" (i.e.,

common) fire, i.e., not with fire taken from the great brazen altar

Lev 6:9 - etc., and for this offence they were struck dead, and were

taken out and buried without the camp Lev 10:1-11 - comp.

Num 3:4 26:61 1Ch 24:2 - It is probable that when they committed this

offence they were intoxicated, for immediately after is given the law

prohibiting the use of wine or strong drink to the priests.





Abihud





Father (i.e., "possessor") of renown.

 1. One of the sons of Bela, the son of Benjamin 1Ch 8:3 - called

    also Ahihud 1Ch 8:7.

 2. A descendant of Zerubbabel and father of Eliakim Mat 1:13.

    ("Abiud"); called also Juda Luk 3:26 - and Obadiah 1Ch 3:21.





Abijah, Abiah, Abia





Father (i.e., "possessor or worshipper") of Jehovah.

 1. 1Ch 7:8.

 2. 1Ch 2:24.

 3. The second son of Samuel 1Sa 8:2 1Ch 6:28 - His conduct, along

    with that of his brother, as a judge in Beer-sheba, to which

    office his father had appointed him, led to popular discontent,

    and ultimately provoked the people to demand a royal form of

    government.

 4. A descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, a chief of one of the

    twenty-four orders into which the priesthood was divided by

    David 1Ch 24:10 - The order of Abijah was one of those which did

    not return from the Captivity Ezr 2:36-39 Neh 7:39-42 12:1.

 5. The son of Rehoboam, whom he succeeded on the throne of Judah

    1Ch 3:10 - He is also called Abijam 1Ki 14:31 15:1-8.

    He began his three years' reign 2Ch 12:16 13:1-2 - with a

    strenuous but unsuccessful effort to bring back the ten tribes

    to their allegiance. His address to "Jeroboam and all Israel,"

    before encountering them in battle, is worthy of being

    specially noticed 2Ch 13:5-12 - It was a very bloody

    battle, no fewer than 500,000 of the army of Israel having

    perished on the field. He is described as having walked "in

    all the sins of his father" 1Ki 15:3 2Ch 11:20-22 - It is

    said in 1Ki 15:2 - that "his mother's name was Maachah, the

    daughter of Abishalom;" but in 2Ch 13:2 - we read, "his

    mother's name was Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah."

    The explanation is that Maachah is just a variation of the

    name Michaiah, and that Abishalom is probably the same as

    Absalom, the son of David. It is probable that "Uriel of

    Gibeah" married Tamar, the daughter of Absalom 2Sa 14:27.

    and by her had Maachah. The word "daughter" in 1Ki 15:2.

    will thus, as it frequently elsewhere does, mean

    grand-daughter.

 6. A son of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel. On account of his

    severe illness when a youth, his father sent his wife to consult

    the prophet Ahijah regarding his recovery. The prophet, though

    blind with old age, knew the wife of Jeroboam as soon as she

    approached, and under a divine impulse he announced to her that

    inasmuch as in Abijah alone of all the house of Jeroboam there

    was found "some good thing toward the Lord," he only would come

    to his grave in peace. As his mother crossed the threshold of

    the door on her return, the youth died, and "all Israel mourned

    for him" 1Ki 14:1-18.

 7. The daughter of Zechariah 2Ch 29:1 - comp. Isa 8:2 - and

    afterwards the wife of Ahaz. She is also called Abi 2Ki 18:2.

 8. One of the sons of Becher, the son of Benjamin 1Ch 7:8 - "Abiah,"

    A.V.





Abijam





Father of the sea; i.e., "seaman" the name always used in Kings of the

king of Judah, the son of Rehoboam, elsewhere called Abijah

1Ki 15:1,7,8.



See ABIJAH 00036.





Abilene





A plain, a district lying on the east slope of the Anti-Lebanon range;

so called from its chief town, Abila Luk 3:1 - which stood in the Suk

Wady Barada, between Heliopolis (Baalbec) and Damascus, 38 miles

from the former and 18 from the latter. Lysanias was governor

or tetrarch of this province.





Abimael





Father of Mael, one of the sons or descendants of Joktan, in Northern

Arabia Gen 10:28 1Ch 1:22.





Abimelech





My father a king, or father of a king, a common name of the Philistine

kings, as "Pharaoh" was of the Egyptian kings.

 1. The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham Gen 20:1-18.

    By an interposition of Providence, Sarah was delivered from his

    harem, and was restored to her husband Abraham. As a mark of

    respect he gave to Abraham valuable gifts, and offered him a

    settlement in any part of his country; while at the same time he

    delicately and yet severely rebuked him for having practised a

    deception upon him in pretending that Sarah was only his sister.

    Among the gifts presented by the king were a thousand pieces of

    silver as a "covering of the eyes" for Sarah; i.e., either as an

    atoning gift and a testimony of her innocence in the sight of

    all, or rather for the purpose of procuring a veil for Sarah to

    conceal her beauty, and thus as a reproof to her for not having

    worn a veil which, as a married woman, she ought to have done. A

    few years after this Abimelech visited Abraham, who had removed

    southward beyond his territory, and there entered into a league

    of peace and friendship with him. This league was the first of

    which we have any record. It was confirmed by a mutual oath at

    Beer-sheba Gen 21:22-34.

 2. A king of Gerar in the time of Isaac, probably the son of the

    preceeding Gen 26:1-22 - Isaac sought refuge in his territory

    during a famine, and there he acted a part with reference to his

    wife Rebekah similar to that of his father Abraham with

    reference to Sarah. Abimelech rebuked him for the deception,

    which he accidentally discovered. Isaac settled for a while

    here, and prospered. Abimelech desired him, however, to leave

    his territory, which Isaac did. Abimelech afterwards visited him

    when he was encamped at Beer-sheba, and expressed a desire to

    renew the covenant which had been entered into between their

    fathers Gen 26:26-31.

 3. A son of Gideon Jud 9:1 - who was proclaimed king after the death

    of his father Jud 8:33-9:6 - One of his first acts was to murder

    his brothers, seventy in number, "on one stone," at Ophrah. Only

    one named Jotham escaped. He was an unprincipled, ambitious

    ruler, often engaged in war with his own subjects.  When engaged

    in reducing the town of Thebez, which had revolted, he was struck

    mortally on his head by a mill-stone, thrown by the hand of a

    woman from the wall above. Perceiving that the wound was mortal,

    he desired his armour-bearer to thrust him through with his

    sword, that it might not be said he had perished by the hand of a

    woman Jud 9:50-57.

 4. The son of Abiathar, and high priest in the time of David

    1Ch 18:16 - In the parallel passage, 2Sa 8:17 - we have the

    name Ahimelech, and Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. This most

    authorities consider the more correct reading.

 5. Achish, king of Gath, in the title of Psa 34:1 - Comp.

    1Sa 21:10-15.





Abinadab





Father of nobleness; i.e., "noble."

 1. A Levite of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house the ark of the

    covenant was deposited after having been brought back from the

    land of the Philistines 1Sa 7:1 - It remained there twenty years,

    till it was at length removed by David 1Sa 7:1-2 1Ch 13:7.

 2. The second of the eight sons of Jesse 1Sa 16:8 - He was with Saul

    in the campaign against the Philistines in which Goliath was

    slain 1Sa 17:13.

 3. One of Saul's sons, who peristed with his father in the battle

    of Gilboa 1Sa 31:2 1Ch 10:2.

 4. One of Solomon's officers, who "provided victuals for the king

    and his household." He presided, for this purpose, over the

    district of Dor 1Ki 4:11.





Abinoam





Father of kindness, the father of Barak Jud 4:6 5:1.





Abiram





Father of height; i.e., "proud."

 1. One of the sons of Eliab, who joined Korah in the conspiracy

    against Moses and Aaron. He and all the conspirators, with their

    families and possessions (except the children of Korah), were

    swallowed up by an earthquake Num 16:1-33 26:9 Psa 106:17.

 2. The eldest son of Hiel the Bethelite, who perished prematurely

    in consequence of his father's undertaking to rebuild Jericho

    1Ki 16:34 - according to the words of Joshua Jos 6:26.



See JERICHO 02036.





Abishag





Father of (i.e., "given to") error, a young woman of Shunem,

distinguished for her beauty. She was chosen to minister to David in

his old age. She became his wife 1Ki 1:3-4,15 - After David's death

Adonijah persuaded Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, to entreat the king

to permit him to marry Abishag. Solomon suspected in this request an

aspiration to the throne, and therefore caused him to be put to death

1Ki 2:17-25.





Abishai





Father of (i.e., "desirous of") a gift, the eldest son of Zeruiah,

David's sister. He was the brother of Joab and Asahel 2Sa 2:18.

1Ch 2:16 - Abishai was the only one who accompanied David when he

went to the camp of Saul and took the spear and the cruse of water

from Saul's bolster 1Sa 26:5-12 - He had the command of one of

the three divisions of David's army at the battle with Absalom

2Sa 18:2,5,12 - He slew the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob, who

threatened David's life 2Sa 21:15-17 - He was the chief of the

second rank of the three "mighties" 2Sa 23:18-19 1Ch 11:20,21.

and on one occasion withstood 300 men, and slew them with his own

spear 2Sa 23:18 - Abishai is the name of the Semitic chief who

offers gifts to the lord of Beni-Hassan.





Abishua





Father of welfare; i.e., "fortunate."

 1. The grandson of Benjamin 1Ch 8:4.

 2. The son of Phinehas the high priest 1Ch 6:4-5,50 Ezr 7:5.





Abishur





Father of the wall; i.e., "mason", one of the two sons of Shammai of

the tribe of Judah 1Ch 2:28-29.





Abital





Father of dew; i.e., "fresh", David's fifth wife 2Sa 3:4.





Abitub





Father of goodness, a Benjamite 1Ch 8:11.





Abjects





Psa 35:15 - the translation of a Hebrew word meaning smiters; probably,

in allusion to the tongue, slanderers. (Comp.) Jer 18:18.





Ablution





Or washing, was practised,

 1. When a person was initiated into a higher state: e.g., when

    Aaron and his sons were set apart to the priest's office, they

    were washed with water previous to their investiture with the

    priestly robes Lev 8:6.

 2. Before the priests approached the altar of God, they were

    required, on pain of death, to wash their hands and their feet

    to cleanse them from the soil of common life Exo 30:17-21 - To

    this practice the Psalmist alludes, Psa 26:6.

 3. There were washings prescribed for the purpose of cleansing from

    positive defilement contracted by particular acts. Of such

    washings eleven different species are prescribed in the

    Levitical law (Lev 12:1-Lev 15:33)

 4. A fourth class of ablutions is mentioned, by which a person

    purified or absolved himself from the guilt of some particular

    act. For example, the elders of the nearest village where some

    murder was committed were required, when the murderer was

    unknown, to wash their hands over the expiatory heifer which was

    beheaded, and in doing so to say, "Our hands have not shed this

    blood, neither have our eyes seen it" Deu 21:1-9 - So also Pilate

    declared himself innocent of the blood of Jesus by washing his

    hands Mat 27:24 - This act of Pilate may not, however, have been

    borrowed from the custom of the Jews. The same practice was

    common among the Greeks and Romans. The Pharisees carried the

    practice of ablution to great excess, thereby claiming

    extraordinary purity Mat 23:25 Mar 7:1-5 - refers to the ceremonial

    ablutions. The Pharisees washed their hands "oft," more

    correctly, "with the fist" (R.V., "diligently"), or as an old

    father, Theophylact, explains it, "up to the elbow." (Compare

    also) Mar 7:4 Lev 6:28 11:32-36 15:22.



 See WASHING 03788.





Abner





Father of light; i.e., "enlightening", the son of Ner and uncle of

Saul. He was commander-in-chief of Saul's army 1Sa 14:50 17:55 20:25.

He first introduced David to the court of Saul after the victory over

Goliath 1Sa 17:57 - After the death of Saul, David was made king over

Judah, and reigned in Hebron. Among the other tribes there was a

feeling of hostility to Judah; and Abner, at the head of Ephraim,

fostered this hostility in the interest of the house of Saul, whose

son Ish-bosheth he caused to be proclaimed king 2Sa 2:8 - A state of

war existed between these two kings. A battle fatal to Abner, who was

the leader of Ish-boseth's army, was fought with David's army under

Joab at Gibeon 2Sa 2:12 - Abner, escaping from the field, was

overtaken by Asahel, who was "light of foot as a wild roe," the

brother of Joab and Abishai, whom he thrust through with a back

stroke of his spear 2Sa 2:18-32 - Being rebuked by Ish-bosheth for the

impropriety of taking to wife Rizpah, who had been a concubine of

King Saul, he found an excuse for going over to the side of David,

whom he now professed to regard as anointed by the Lord to reign over

all Israel. David received him favourably, and promised that he would

have command of the armies. At this time Joab was absent from Hebron,

but on his return he found what had happened. Abner had just left the

city; but Joab by a stratagem recalled him, and meeting him at the

gate of the city on his return, thrust him through with his sword

2Sa 3:27, 31-39 4:12 - Comp. 1Ki 2:5,32 - David lamented in pathetic

words the death of Abner, "Know ye not that there is a prince and a

great man fallen this day in Israel?" 2Sa 3:33-38.





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 Joh 18:28 Act 10:28 11:3.

 2. Every shepherd was "an abomination" unto the Egyptians Gen 46:34.

    This aversion to shepherds, such as the Hebrews, arose probably

    from the fact that Lower and Middle Egypt had formerly been held

    in oppressive subjection by a tribe of nomad shepherds (the

    Hyksos), who had only recently been expelled, and partly also

    perhaps from this other fact that the Egyptians detested the

    lawless habits of these wandering shepherds.

 3. Pharaoh was so moved by the fourth plague, that while he refused

    the demand of Moses, he offered a compromise, granting to the

    Israelites permission to hold their festival and offer their

    sacrifices in Egypt. This permission could not be accepted,

    because Moses said they would have to sacrifice "the abomination

    of the Egyptians" Exo 8:26 - i.e., the cow or ox, which all the

    Egyptians held as sacred, and which they regarded it as

    sacrilegious to kill.

 4. Dan 11:31 - in that section of his prophecies which is generally

    interpreted as referring to the fearful calamities that were to

    fall on the Jews in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, says, "And

    they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate."

    Antiochus Epiphanes caused an altar to be erected on the altar

    of burnt-offering, on which sacrifices were offered to Jupiter

    Olympus. (Comp. 1 Macc. 1:57) This was the abomination of

    the desolation of Jerusalem. The same language is employed in

    Dan 9:27 - comp. Mat 24:15 - where the reference is

    probably to the image-crowned standards which the Romans set

    up at the east gate of the temple (A.D. 70) and to which

    they paid idolatrous honours. "Almost the entire religion of

    the Roman camp consisted in worshipping the ensign, swearing

    by the ensign, and in preferring the ensign before all other

    gods." These ensigns were an "abomination" to the Jews, the

    "abomination of desolation." This word is also used

    symbolically of sin in general Isa 66:3 - an idol Isa 44:19.

    the ceremonies of the apostate Church of Rome Rev 17:4 - a

    detestable act Eze 22:11.





Abraham





Father of a multitude, son of Terah, named Gen 11:27 - before his

older brothers Nahor and Haran, because he was the heir of the

promises.  Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his kindred

in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with his father and his

family and household, quitted the city of Ur, in which he had hitherto

dwelt, and went some 300 miles north to Haran, where he abode fifteen

years. The cause of his migration was a call from God Act 7:2-4 - There

is no mention of this first call in the Old Testament; it is implied,

however, in Gen 12:1 - While they tarried at Haran, Terah died at the

age of 205 years. Abram now received a second and more definite call,

accompanied by a promise from God Gen 12:1-2 - whereupon he took his

departure, taking his nephew Lot with him, "not knowing whither he

went" Heb 11:8 - He trusted implicitly to the guidance of Him who had

called him. Abram now, with a large household of probably a thousand

souls, entered on a migratory life, and dwelt in tents.  Passing along

the valley of the Jabbok, in the land of Canaan, he formed his first

encampment at Sichem Gen 12:6 - in the vale or oak-grove of Moreh,

between Ebal on the north and Gerizim on the south.  Here he received

the great promise, "I will make of thee a great nation," etc.

Gen 12:2-3,7 - This promise comprehended not only temporal but also

spiritual blessings. It implied that he was the chosen ancestor of the

great Deliverer whose coming had been long ago predicted Gen 3:15.

Soon after this, for some reason not mentioned, he removed his tent to

the mountain district between Bethel, then called Luz, and Ai, towns

about two miles apart, where he built an altar to "Jehovah." He again

moved into the southern tract of Palestine, called by the Hebrews the

Negeb; and was at length, on account of a famine, compelled to go down

into Egypt. This took place in the time of the Hyksos, a Semitic race

which now held the Egyptians in bondage. Here occurred that case of

deception on the part of Abram which exposed him to the rebuke of

Pharaoh Gen 12:18 - Sarai was restored to him; and Pharaoh loaded him

with presents, recommending him to withdraw from the country. He

returned to Canaan richer than when he left it, "in cattle, in silver,

and in gold" Gen 12:8-13:2 - Comp.  Psa 105:13, 14 - The whole

party then moved northward, and returned to their previous station near

Bethel. Here disputes arose between Lot's shepherds and those of Abram

about water and pasturage.  Abram generously gave Lot his choice of the

pasture-ground. Comp. 1Co 6:7 - He chose the well-watered plain in

which Sodom was situated, and removed thither; and thus the uncle and

nephew were separated.  Immediately after this Abram was cheered by a

repetition of the promises already made to him, and then removed to the

plain or "oak-grove" of Mamre, which is in Hebron. He finally settled

here, pitching his tent under a famous oak or terebinth tree, called

"the oak of Mamre" Gen 13:18 - This was his third resting-place in

the land.  Some fourteen years before this, while Abram was still in

Chaldea, Palestine had been invaded by Chedorlaomer, King of Elam, who

brought under tribute to him the five cities in the plain to which Lot

had removed. This tribute was felt by the inhabitants of these cities

to be a heavy burden, and after twelve years they revolted. This

brought upon them the vengeance of Chedorlaomer, who had in league with

him four other kings. He ravaged the whole country, plundering the

towns, and carrying the inhabitants away as slaves. Among those thus

treated was Lot. Hearing of the disaster that had fallen on his nephew,

Abram immediately gathered from his own household a band of 318 armed

men, and being joined by the Amoritish chiefs Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol,

he pursued after Chedorlaomer, and overtook him near the springs of the

Jordan. They attacked and routed his army, and pursued it over the

range of Anti-Libanus as far as to Hobah, near Damascus, and then

returned, bringing back all the spoils that had been carried away.

Returning by way of Salem, i.e., Jerusalem, the king of that place,

Melchizedek, came forth to meet them with refreshments. To him Abram

presented a tenth of the spoils, in recognition of his character as a

priest of the most high God Gen 14:18-20 - In a recently discovered

tablet, dated in the reign of the grandfather of Amraphel Gen 14:1.

one of the witnesses is called "the Amorite, the son of Abiramu," or

Abram. Having returned to his home at Mamre, the promises already made

to him by God were repeated and enlarged Gen 13:14 - "The word of the

Lord" (an expression occurring here for the first time) "came to him"

Gen 15:1 - He now understood better the future that lay before the

nation that was to spring from him.  Sarai, now seventy-five years old,

in her impatience, persuaded Abram to take Hagar, her Egyptian maid, as

a concubine, intending that whatever child might be born should be

reckoned as her own.  Ishmael was accordingly thus brought up, and was

regarded as the heir of these promises Gen 16:1 - When Ishmael

was thirteen years old, God again revealed yet more explicitly and

fully his gracious purpose; and in token of the sure fulfilment of that

purpose the patriarch's name was now changed from Abram to Abraham

Gen 17:4-5 - and the rite of circumcision was instituted as a sign of

the covenant. It was then announced that the heir to these covenant

promises would be the son of Sarai, though she was now ninety years

old; and it was directed that his name should be Isaac.  At the same

time, in commemoration of the promises, Sarai's name was changed to

Sarah. On that memorable day of God's thus revealing his design,

Abraham and his son Ishmael and all the males of his house were

circumcised Gen 17:1 - Three months after this, as Abraham sat in

his tent door, he saw three men approaching. They accepted his

proffered hospitality, and, seated under an oak-tree, partook of the

fare which Abraham and Sarah provided. One of the three visitants was

none other than the Lord, and the other two were angels in the guise of

men. The Lord renewed on this occasion his promise of a son by Sarah,

who was rebuked for her unbelief. Abraham accompanied the three as they

proceeded on their journey. The two angels went on toward Sodom; while

the Lord tarried behind and talked with Abraham, making known to him

the destruction that was about to fall on that guilty city. The

patriarch interceded earnestly in behalf of the doomed city. But as not

even ten righteous persons were found in it, for whose sake the city

would have been spared, the threatened destruction fell upon it; and

early next morning Abraham saw the smoke of the fire that consumed it

as the "smoke of a furnace" Gen 19:1-28 - After fifteen years'

residence at Mamre, Abraham moved southward, and pitched his tent among

the Philistines, near to Gerar. Here occurred that sad instance of

prevarication on his part in his relation to Abimelech the King

Gen 20:1.

 See ABIMELECH 00040.



Soon after this event, the patriarch left the vicinity of Gerar, and

moved down the fertile valley about 25 miles to Beer-sheba.  It was

probably here that Isaac was born, Abraham being now an hundred

years old. A feeling of jealousy now arose between Sarah and Hagar,

whose son, Ishmael, was no longer to be regarded as Abraham's heir.

Sarah insisted that both Hagar and her son should be sent away. This

was done, although it was a hard trial to Abraham Gen 21:12.

 See HAGAR 01583.

 See ISHMAEL 01903.



At this point there is a blank in the patriarch's history of perhaps

twenty-five years. These years of peace and happiness were spent at

Beer-sheba.  The next time we see him his faith is put to a severe

test by the command that suddenly came to him to go and offer up

Isaac, the heir of all the promises, as a sacrifice on one of the

mountains of Moriah. His faith stood the test Heb 11:17-19 - He

proceeded in a spirit of unhesitating obedience to carry out the

command; and when about to slay his son, whom he had laid on the

altar, his uplifted hand was arrested by the angel of Jehovah, and a

ram, which was entangled in a thicket near at hand, was seized and

offered in his stead. From this circumstance that place was called

Jehovah-jireh, i.e., "The Lord will provide." The promises made to

Abraham were again confirmed (and this was the last recorded word of

God to the patriarch); and he descended the mount with his son, and

returned to his home at Beer-sheba Gen 22:19 - where he resided

for some years, and then moved northward to Hebron. Some years after

this Sarah died at Hebron, being 127 years old. Abraham acquired now

the needful possession of a burying-place, the cave of Machpelah, by

purchase from the owner of it, Ephron the Hittite Gen 23:1.

and there he buried Sarah. His next care was to provide a wife for

Isaac, and for this purpose he sent his steward, Eliezer, to Haran

(or Charran,) Act 7:2 - where his brother Nahor and his family

resided Gen 11:31 - The result was that Rebekah, the daughter of

Nahor's son Bethuel, became the wife of Isaac Gen 24:1.

Abraham then himself took to wife Keturah, who became the mother of

six sons, whose descendants were afterwards known as the "children

of the east" Jud 6:3 - and later as "Saracens." At length all his

wanderings came to an end. At the age of 175 years, 100 years after

he had first entered the land of Canaan, he died, and was buried in

the old family burying-place at Machpelah Gen 25:7-10 - The

history of Abraham made a wide and deep impression on the ancient

world, and references to it are interwoven in the religious

traditions of almost all Eastern nations. He is called "the friend

of God" Jas 2:23 - "faithful Abraham" Gal 3:9 - "the father of us

all" Rom 4:16.





Abraham's Bosom





Luk 16:22-23 - refers to the custom of reclining on couches at

table, which was prevalent among the Jews, an arrangement which

brought the head of one person almost into the bosom of the one who

sat or reclined above him. To "be in Abraham's bosom" thus meant to

enjoy happiness and rest Mat 8:11 Luk 16:23 - at the banquet in

Paradise.

 See BANQUET 00434.

 See MEALS 02451.





Abram





Exalted father.

 See ABRAHAM 00054.





Abronah





R.V., one of Israel's halting-places in the desert Num 33:34-35 - just

before Ezion-gaber. In A.V., "Ebronah."





Absalom





Father of peace; i.e., "peaceful" David's son by Maacah 2Sa 3:3 - comp.

1Ki 1:6 - He was noted for his personal beauty and for the

extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head 2Sa 14:25-26 - The

first public act of his life was the blood-revenge he executed

against Amnon, David's eldest son, who had basely wronged Absalom's

sister Tamar. This revenge was executed at the time of the

festivities connected with a great sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor.

David's other sons fled from the place in horror, and brought the

tidings of the death of Amnon to Jerusalem. Alarmed for the

consequences of the act, Absalom fled to his grandfather at Geshur,

and there abode for three years 2Sa 3:3 13:23-38 - David mourned his

absent son, now branded with the guilt of fratricide. As the result

of a stratagem carried out by a woman of Tekoah, Joab received

David's sanction to invite Absalom back to Jerusalem. He returned

accordingly, but two years elapsed before his father admitted him

into his presence 2Sa 14:28 - Absalom was now probably the oldest

surviving son of David, and as he was of royal descent by his mother

as well as by his father, he began to aspire to the throne. His

pretensions were favoured by the people. By many arts he gained their

affection; and after his return from Geshur 2Sa 15:7 - (marg., R.V.) he

went up to Hebron, the old capital of Judah, along with a great body

of the people, and there proclaimed himself king. The revolt was so

successful that David found it necessary to quit Jerusalem and flee

to Mahanaim, beyond Jordan; where upon Absalom returned to Jerusalem

and took possession of the throne without opposition. Ahithophel, who

had been David's chief counsellor, deserted him and joined Absalom,

whose chief counsellor he now became. Hushai also joined Absalom, but

only for the purpose of trying to counteract the counsels of

Ahithophel, and so to advantage David's cause. He was so far

successful that by his advice, which was preferred to that of

Ahithophel, Absalom delayed to march an army against his father, who

thus gained time to prepare for the defence. Absalom at length

marched out against his father, whose army, under the command of

Joab, he encountered on the borders of the forest of Ephraim. Twenty

thousand of Absalom's army were slain in that fatal battle, and the

rest fled. Absalom fled on a swift mule; but his long flowing hair,

or more probably his head, was caught in the bough of an oak, and

there he was left suspended till Joab came up and pierced him through

with three darts. His body was then taken down and cast into a pit

dug in the forest, and a heap of stones was raised over his grave.

When the tidings of the result of that battle were brought to David,

as he sat impatiently at the gate of Mahanaim, and he was told that

Absalom had been slain, he gave way to the bitter lamentation: "O my

son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O

Absalom, my son, my son!" 2Sa 18:33 - Comp. Exo 32:32 Ro 9:3.

Absalom's three sons 2Sa 14:27 - comp. 2Sa 18:18 - had all died

before him, so that he left only a daughter, Tamar, who became the

grandmother of Abijah.





Acacia





(Heb. shittim) Exo 25:5 - R.V. probably the Acacia seyal (the gum-arabic

tree); called the "shittah" tree Isa 41:19 - Its wood is called

shittim wood Exo 26:15,26 25:10,13,23,28 - etc. This species (A. seyal)

is like the hawthorn, a gnarled and thorny tree. It yields the

gum-arabic of commerce. It is found in abundance in the Sinaitic

peninsula.





Accad





The high land or mountains, a city in the land of Shinar. It has

been identified with the mounds of Akker Kuf, some 50 miles to the

north of Babylon; but this is doubtful. It was one of the cities of

Nimrod's kingdom Gen 10:10 - It stood close to the Euphrates,

opposite Sippara.

 See SEPHARVAIM 03277.



It is also the name of the country of which this city was the

capital, namely, northern or upper Babylonia.  The Accadians who

came from the "mountains of the east," where the ark rested,

attained to a high degree of civilization. In the Babylonian

inscriptions they are called "the black heads" and "the black

faces," in contrast to "the white race" of Semitic descent.  They

invented the form of writing in pictorial hieroglyphics, and also

the cuneiform system, in which they wrote many books partly on

papyrus and partly on clay. The Semitic Babylonians (the white race"),

or, as some scholars think, first the Cushites, and afterwards, as a

second immigration, the Semites, invaded and conquered this country;

and then the Accadian language ceased to be a spoken language,

although for the sake of its literary treasures it continued to be

studied by the educated classes of Babylonia. A large portion of the

Ninevite tablets brought to light by Oriental research consists of

interlinear or parallel translations from Accadian into Assyrian;

and thus that long-forgotten language has been recovered by

scholars. It belongs to the class of languages called agglutinative,

common to the Tauranian race; i.e., it consists of words "glued

together," without declension of conjugation. These tablets in a

remarkable manner illustrate ancient history. Among other notable

records, they contain an account of the Creation which closely

resembles that given in the book of Genesis, of the Sabbath as a day

of rest, and of the Deluge and its cause.



 See BABYLON 00409.

 See CHALDEA 00758.





Accho





Sultry or sandy, a town and harbour of Phoenicia, in the tribe of

Asher, but never acquired by them Jud 1:31 - It was known to the

ancient Greeks and Romans by the name of Ptolemais, from Ptolemy the

king of Egypt, who rebuilt it about B.C. 100 Here Paul landed on his

last journey to Jerusalem Act 21:7 - During the crusades of the

Middle Ages it was called Acra; and subsequently, on account of its

being occupied by the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem, it was

called St. Jean d'Acre, or simply Acre.





Accuser





Satan is styled the "accuser of the brethren" Rev 12:10 - Comp.

Job 1:6 Zec 3:1 - as seeking to uphold his influence among men by

bringing false charges against Christians, with the view of

weakening their influence and injuring the cause with which they are

identified. He was regarded by the Jews as the accuser of men before

God, laying to their charge the violations of the law of which they

were guilty, and demanding their punishment. The same Greek word,

rendered "accuser," is found in Joh 8:10 - (but omitted in the

Revised Version); Act 23:30,35 24:8 25:16,18 - in all of which

places it is used of one who brings a charge against another.





Aceldama





The name which the Jews gave in their proper tongue, i.e., in Aramaic,

to the field which was purchased with the money which had been given

to the betrayer of our Lord. The word means "field of blood." It was

previously called "the potter's field" Mat 27:7-8 Act 1:19 - and was

appropriated as the burial-place for strangers. It lies on a narrow

level terrace on the south face of the valley of Hinnom. Its modern

name is Hak ed-damm.





Achaia





The name originally of a narrow strip of territory in Greece, on the

north-west of the Peloponnesus. Subsequently it was applied by the

Romans to the whole Peloponnesus, now called the Morea, and the south

of Greece. It was then one of the two provinces (Macedonia being the

other) into which they divided the country when it fell under their

dominion. It is in this latter enlarged meaning that the name is

always used in the New Testament Act 18:12, 27 19:21 Ro 15: 26 16:5.

etc. It was at the time when Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles

under the proconsular form of government; hence the appropriate title

given to Gallio as the "deputy," i.e., proconsul, of Achaia Act 18:12.





Achaicus





1Co 16:17 - one of the members of the church of Corinth who, with

Fortunatus and Stephanas, visited Paul while he was at Ephesus, for

the purpose of consulting him on the affairs of the church. These

three probably were the bearers of the letter from Corinth to the

apostle to which he alludes in 1Co 7:1.





Achan





Called also Achar, i.e., one who troubles 1Ch 2:7 - in commemoration of

his crime, which brought upon him an awful destruction Jos 7:1 - On

the occasion of the fall of Jericho, he seized, contrary to the

divine command, an ingot of gold, a quantity of silver, and a costly

Babylonish garment, which he hid in his tent. Joshua was convinced

that the defeat which the Israelites afterwards sustained before Ai

was a proof of the divine displeasure on account of some crime, and

he at once adopted means by the use of the lot for discovering the

criminal. It was then found that Achan was guilty, and he was stoned

to death in the valley of Achor. He and all that belonged to him were

then consumed by fire, and a heap of stones was raised over the

ashes.





Achbor





Gnawing mouse.

 1. An Edomitish king Gen 36:38 1Ch 1:49.

 2. One of Josiah's officers sent to the prophetess Huldah to

    inquire regarding the newly-discovered book of the law

    2Ki 22:12,14 - He is also called Abdon 2Ch 34:20.





Achish





Angry, perhaps only a general title of royalty applicable to the

Philistine kings.

 1. The king with whom David sought refuge when he fled from Saul

    1Sa 21:10-15 - He is called Abimelech in the superscription of

    Psa 34:1 - It was probably this same king to whom David a

    second time repaired at the head of a band of 600 warriors,

    and who assigned him Ziklag, whence he carried on war against

    the surrounding tribes 1Sa 27:5-12 - Achish had great

    confidence in the valour and fidelity of David 1Sa 28:1-2.

    but at the instigation of his courtiers did not permit him to

    go up to battle along with the Philistine hosts 1Sa 29:2-11.

    David remained with Achish a year and four months.

 2. Another king of Gath, probably grandson of the foregoing, to

    whom the two servants of Shimei fled. This led Shimei to go to

    Gath in pursuit of them, and the consequence was that Solomon

    put him to death 1Ki 2:39-46.





Achmetha





Ezr 6:2 - called Ecbatana by classical writers, the capital of northern

Media. Here was the palace which was the residence of the old Median

monarchs, and of Cyrus and Cambyses. In the time of Ezra, the Persian

kings resided usually at Susa of Babylon. But Cyrus held his court at

Achmetha; and Ezra, writing a century after, correctly mentions the

place where the decree of Cyrus was found.





See ECBATANT 01122.





Achor





Trouble, a valley near Jericho, so called in consequence of the

trouble which the sin of Achan caused Israel Jos 7:24,26 - The

expression "valley of Achor" probably became proverbial for that

which caused trouble, and when Isaiah Isa 65:10 - refers to it he uses

it in this sense: "The valley of Achor, a place for herds to lie down

in;" i.e., that which had been a source of calamity would become a

source of blessing. Hosea also Hos 2:15 - uses the expression in the

same sense: "The valley of Achor for a door of hope;" i.e., trouble

would be turned into joy, despair into hope. This valley has been

identified with the Wady Kelt.





Achsah





Anklet, Caleb's only daughter 1Ch 2:49 - She was offered in marriage

to the man who would lead an attack on the city of Debir, or

Kirjath-sepher. This was done by Othniel (q.v.), who accordingly

obtained her as his wife Jos 15:16-19 Jud 1:9-15.





Achshaph





Fascination, a royal city of the Canaanites, in the north of Palestine

Jos 11:1 12:20 19:25 - It was in the eastern boundary of the tribe of

Asher, and is identified with the modern ruined village of Kesaf or

Yasif, N.E. of Accho.





Achzib





Falsehood.

 1. A town in the Shephelah, or plain country of Judah Jos 15:44.

    probably the same as Chezib of Gen 38:5 - = Ain Kezbeh.

 2. A Phoenician city (the Gr. Ecdippa), always retained in their

    possession though assigned to the tribe of Asher

    Jos 19:29 Jud 1:31 - It is identified with the modern es-Zib,

    on the Mediterranean, about 8 miles north of Accho.





Acre





Is the translation of a word (tse'med), which properly means a yoke,

and denotes a space of ground that may be ploughed by a yoke of oxen

in a day. It is about an acre of our measure Isa 5:10 1Sa 14:14.





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" Act 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 his execution

by Herod. It is properly therefore not the history of the "Acts of the

Apostles," a title which was given to the book at a later date, but of

"Acts of Apostles," or more correctly, of "Some Acts of Certain

Apostles." As regards its authorship, it was certainly the work of

Luke, the "beloved physician" (comp.) Luk 1:1-4 Act 1:1 - This is the

uniform tradition of antiquity, although the writer nowhere makes

mention of himself by name. The style and idiom of the Gospel of Luke

and of the Acts, and the usage of words and phrases common to both,

strengthen this opinion. The writer first appears in the narrative in

Act 16:11 - and then disappears till Paul's return to Philippi two years

afterwards, when he and Paul left that place together Act 20:6 - and the

two seem henceforth to have been constant companions to the end.  He

was certainly with Paul at Rome Col 4:14 Act 28:1-16 - Thus he wrote

a great portion of that history from personal observation. For what lay

beyond his own experience he had the instruction of Paul.  If, as is

very probable, 2 Tim. was written during Paul's second imprisonment at

Rome, Luke was with him then as his faithful companion to the last

2Ti 4:11 - Of his subsequent history we have no certain information.

The design of Luke's Gospel was to give an exhibition of the character

and work of Christ as seen in his history till he was taken up from his

disciples into heaven; and of the Acts, as its sequel, to give an

illustration of the power and working of the gospel when preached among

all nations, "beginning at Jerusalem." The opening sentences of the

Acts are just an expansion and an explanation of the closing words of

the Gospel.  In this book we have just a continuation of the history of

the church after Christ's ascension. Luke here carries on the history

in the same spirit in which he had commenced it.  It is only a book of

beginnings, a history of the founding of churches, the initial steps in

the formation of the Christian society in the different places visited

by the apostles. It records a cycle of "representative events." All

through the narrative we see the ever-present, all-controlling power of

the ever-living Saviour.  He worketh all and in all in spreading abroad

his truth among men by his Spirit and through the instrumentality of

his apostles. The time of the writing of this history may be gathered

from the fact that the narrative extends down to the close of the

second year of Paul's first imprisonment at Rome. It could not

therefore have been written earlier than A.D. 61 or 62 nor later than

about the end of A.D. 63 Paul was probably put to death during his

second imprisonment, about A.D. 64 or, as some think, 66 The place

where the book was written was probably Rome, to which Luke accompanied

Paul. The key to the contents of the book is in Act 1:8 - "Ye shall be

witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth." After referring to what had

been recorded in a "former treatise" of the sayings and doings of Jesus

Christ before his ascension, the author proceeds to give an account of

the circumstances connected with that event, and then records the

leading facts with reference to the spread and triumphs of Christianity

over the world during a period of about thirty years.  The record

begins with Pentecost (A.D. 33) and ends with Paul's first imprisonment

(A.D. 63 or 64) The whole contents of the book may be divided into

these three parts:

 1. Chaps. 1-12 describing the first twelve years of the Christian

    church. This section has been entitled "From Jerusalem to

    Antioch." It contains the history of the planting and extension

    of the church among the Jews by the ministry of Peter.

 2. Chaps. 13-21 Paul's missionary journeys, giving the history of

    the extension and planting of the church among the Gentiles.

 3. Chaps. 21-28 Paul at Rome, and the events which led to this.

    Chaps. 13-28 have been entitled "From Antioch to Rome." In this

    book it is worthy of note that no mention is made of the writing

    by Paul of any of his epistles. This may be accounted for by the

    fact that the writer confined himself to a history of the

    planting of the church, and not to that of its training or

    edification. The relation, however, between this history and the

    epistles of Paul is of such a kind, i.e., brings to light so

    many undesigned coincidences, as to prove the genuineness and

    authenticity of both, as is so ably shown by Paley in his - Horae

    Paulinae -. "No ancient work affords so many tests of veracity;

    for no other has such numerous points of contact in all

    directions with contemporary history, politics, and topography,

    whether Jewish, or Greek, or Roman." Lightfoot.



 See PAUL 02871.





Adah





Ornament.

 1. The first of Lamech's two wives, and the mother of Jabal and

    Jubal Gen 4:19, 20, 23.

 2. The first of Esau's three wives, the daughter of Elon the

    Hittite Gen 36:2,4 - called also Bashemath Gen 26:34.





Adam





Red, a Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same

meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages. It was the name

given to the first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent history

and that of his descendants are detailed in the first book of Moses

Gen 1:27-Ge 5:32 - "God created man [Heb., Adam] in his own image,

in the image of God created he him; male and female created he

them." Adam was absolutely the first man whom God created. He was

formed out of the dust of the earth (and hence his name), and God

breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and gave him dominion

over all the lower creatures Gen 1:26 2:7 - He was placed after

his creation in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it, and to enjoy

its fruits under this one prohibition: "Of the tree of the knowledge

of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou

eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." The first recorded act of

Adam was his giving names to the beasts of the field and the fowls

of the air, which God brought to him for this end. Thereafter the

Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and while in an

unconscious state took one of his ribs, and closed up his flesh

again; and of this rib he made a woman, whom he presented to him

when he awoke. Adam received her as his wife, and said, "This is now

bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man." He called her Eve, because she

was the mother of all living. Being induced by the tempter in the

form of a serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, Eve persuaded Adam,

and he also did eat. Thus man fell, and brought upon himself and his

posterity all the sad consequences of his transgression. The

narrative of the Fall comprehends in it the great promise of a

Deliverer Gen 3:15 - the "first gospel" message to man. They were

expelled from Eden, and at the east of the garden God placed a

flame, which turned every way, to prevent access to the tree of life

Gen 3:1-24 - How long they were in Paradise is matter of mere

conjecture. Shortly after their expulsion Eve brought forth her

first-born, and called him Cain. Although we have the names of only

three of Adam's sons, viz., Cain, Abel, and Seth, yet it is obvious

that he had several sons and daughters Gen 5:4 - He died aged

930 years. Adam and Eve were the progenitors of the whole human

race.  Evidences of varied kinds are abundant in proving the unity

of the human race. The investigations of science, altogether

independent of historical evidence, lead to the conclusion that God

"hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the

face of the earth" Act 17:26 - Comp. Rom 5:12-12 1Co 15:22-49.





Adamah





Red earth, a fortified city of Naphtali, probably the modern Damieh,

on the west side of the sea of Tiberias Jos 19:33,36.





Adamant





(Heb. shamir), Eze 3:9 - The Greek word adamas means diamond. This

stone is not referred to, but corundum or some kind of hard steel. It

is an emblem of firmness in resisting adversaries of the truth

Zec 7:12 - and of hard-heartedness against the truth Jer 17:1.





Adam a Type





The apostle Paul speaks of Adam as "the figure of him who was to come."

On this account our Lord is sometimes called the second Adam. This

typical relation is described in Rom 5:14-19.





Adam, The City of





Is referred to in Jos 3:16 - It stood "beside Zarethan," on the west

bank of Jordan 1Ki 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 Jos 3:16.





Adar





Large, the sixth month of the civil and the twelfth of the

ecclesiastical year of the Jews Est 3:7,13 8:12 9:1,15,17,19,21 - It

included the days extending from the new moon of our March to the new

moon of April. The name was first used after the Captivity. When the

season was backward, and the lambs not yet of a paschal size, or the

barley not forward enough for abib, then a month called Veadar, i.e.,

a second Adar, was intercalated.





Adbeel





Miracle of God, the third of the twelve sons of Ishmael, and head of

an Arabian tribe Gen 25:13 1Ch 1:29.





Addar





Ample, splendid, son of Bela 1Ch 8:3 - called also "Ard" Gen 46:21.





Adder





Psa 140:3 Ro 3:13 - ("asp") is the rendering of,

 1. Akshub ("coiling" or "lying in wait"), properly an asp or viper,

    found only in this passage.

 2. Pethen ("twisting") a viper or venomous serpent identified with

    the cobra (Naja haje) Psa 58:4 91:13 - elsewhere "asp."

 3. Tziphoni ("hissing") Pro 23:32 - elsewhere rendered "cockatrice,"

    Isa 11:8 14:29 59:5 Jer 8:17 - as it is here in the margin of the

    Authorized Version. The Revised Version has "basilisk." This may

    have been the yellow viper, the Daboia xanthina, the largest and

    most dangerous of the vipers of Palestine.

 4. Shephiphon ("creeping"), occurring only in Gen 49:17 - the small

    speckled venomous snake, the "horned snake," or cerastes. Dan

    is compared to this serpent, which springs from its

    hiding-place on the passer-by.



 See BASILISK 00465.

 See COCKATRICE 00854.

 See SERPENT 03287.





Addi





Ornament, Luk 3:28 - the son of Cosam, and father of Melchi, one of the

progenitors of Christ.





Addon





Low, one of the persons named in Neh 7:61 - who could not "shew their

father's house" on the return from captivity. This, with similar

instances Neh 7:63 - indicates the importance the Jews attached to

their genealogies.





Adiel





Ornament of God.

 1. The father of Azmaveth, who was treasurer under David and

    Solomon 1Ch 27:25.

 2. A family head of the tribe of Simeon 1Ch 4:36.

 3. A priest 1Ch 9:12.





Adin





Effeminate.

 1. Ezr 8:6.

 2. Neh 10:16.





Adina





Slender, one of David's warriors 1Ch 11:42 - a Reubenite.





Adino





The Eznite, one of David's mighty men 2Sa 23:8.



 See JASHOBEAM 01978.





Adjuration





A solemn appeal whereby one person imposes on another the obligation

of speaking or acting as if under an oath 1Sa 14:24 Jos 6:26.

1Ki 22:16 - We have in the New Testament a striking example of this

Mat 26:63 Mar 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. The word "adjure", i.e.,

cause to swear is used with reference to the casting out of demons

Act 19:13.





Admah





Earth, one of the five cities of the vale of Siddim Gen 10:19 - It was

destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah Gen 19:24 Deu 29:23 - It is

supposed by some to be the same as the Adam of Jos 3:16 - the name of

which still lingers in Damieh, the ford of Jordan.



 See ZEBOIM 03885.





Adnah





Delight.

 1. A chief of the tribe of Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag

    1Ch 12:20.

 2. A general under Jehoshaphat, chief over 300,000 men 2Ch 17:14.





Adonibezek





Lord of Bezek, a Canaanitish king who, having subdued seventy of the

chiefs that were around him, made an attack against the armies of

Judah and Simeon, but was defeated and brought as a captive to

Jerusalem, where his thumbs and great toes were cut off. He confessed

that God had requited him for his like cruelty to the seventy kings

whom he had subdued Jud 1:4-7 - comp. 1Sa 15:33.





Adonijah





My Lord is Jehovah.

 1. The fourth son of David 2Sa 3:4 - After the death of his elder

    brothers, Amnon and Absalom, he became heir-apparent to the

    throne. But Solomon, a younger brother, was preferred to him.

    Adonijah, however, when his father was dying, caused himself to

    be proclaimed king. But Nathan and Bathsheba induced David to

    give orders that Solomon should at once be proclaimed and

    admitted to the throne. Adonijah fled and took refuge at the

    altar, and received pardon for his conduct from Solomon on the

    condition that he showed himself "a worthy man" 1Ki 1:5-53 - He

    afterwards made a second attempt to gain the throne, but was

    seized and put to death 1Ki 2:13-25.

 2. A Levite sent with the princes to teach the book of the law to

    the inhabitants of Judah 2Ch 17:8.

 3. One of the "chiefs of the people" after the Captivity Neh 10:16.





Adonikam





Whom the Lord sets up, one of those "which came with Zerubbabel"

Ezr 2:13 - His "children," or retainers, to the number of 666 came

up to Jerusalem Ezr 8:13.





Adoniram (Adoram)





1Ki 12:18 - the son of Abda, was "over the tribute," i.e.,

the levy or forced labour. He was stoned to death by the people of

Israel 1Ki 4:6 5:14 12:18.





Adoni-zedec





Lord of justice or righteousness, was king in Jerusalem at the time

when the Israelites invaded Palestine Jos 10:1,3 - He formed a

confederacy with the other Canaanitish kings against the Israelites,

but was utterly routed by Joshua when he was engaged in besieging the

Gibeonites. The history of this victory and of the treatment of the

five confederated kings is recorded in Jos 10:1-27 - Comp.

Deu 21:23 - Among the Tell Amarna tablets

 See EGYPT 01137.

are some very interesting letters from Adoni-zedec to the King of

Egypt. These illustrate in a very remarkable manner the history

recorded in Jos 23:1-16 - and indeed throw light on the wars of

conquest generally, so that they may be read as a kind of commentary

on the book of Joshua.  Here the conquering career of the Abiri

(i.e., Hebrews) is graphically described: "Behold, I say that the

land of the king my lord is ruined", "The wars are mighty against

me", "The Hebrew chiefs plunder all the king's lands", "Behold, I

the chief of the Amorites am breaking to pieces." Then he implores

the king of Egypt to send soldiers to help him, directing that the

army should come by sea to Ascalon or Gaza, and thence march to

Wru-sa-lim (Jerusalem) by the valley of Elah.





Adoption





The giving to any one the name and place and privileges of a son who

is not a son by birth.

 1. Natural. Thus Pharaoh's daughter adopted Moses Exo 2:10 - and

    Mordecai Esther Est 2:7.

 2. National. God adopted Israel Exo 4:22 Deu 7:6 Hos 11:1 Ro 9:4.

 3. Spiritual. An act of God's grace by which he brings men into the

    number of his redeemed family, and makes them partakers of all

    the blessings he has provided for them. Adoption represents the

    new relations into which the believer is introduced by

    justification, and the privileges connected therewith, viz., an

    interest in God's peculiar love Joh 17:23 Ro 5:5-8 - a spiritual

    nature 2Pe 1:4 Joh 1:13 - the possession of a spirit becoming

    children of God 1Pe 1:14 2Jo 1:4 Ro 8:15-21 Gal 5:1 Heb 2:15.

    present protection, consolation, supplies Luk 12:27-32 Joh 14:18.

    1Co 3:21-23 2Co 1:4 - fatherly chastisements Heb 12:5-11 - and

    a future glorious inheritance Rom 8:17,23 Jas 2:5 Php 3:21.





Adoram





 See ADONIRAM 00098.





Adore





To worship; to express reverence and homage. The forms of adoration

among the Jews were putting off the shoes Exo 3:5 Jos 5:15 - and

prostration Gen 17:3 Psa 95:6 Isa 44:15,17,19 46:6 - To "kiss the Son"

in Psa 2:12 - is to adore and worship him. See Dan 3:5-6 - The word

itself does not occur in Scripture.





Adrammelech





Adar the king.

 1. An idol; a form of the sun-god worshipped by the inhabitants of

    Sepharvaim 2Ki 17:31 - and brought by the Sepharvite colonists

    into Samaria.

    See Anammelech 00227.

 2. A son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria 2Ki 19:37 Isa 37:38.





Adramyttium





A city of Asia Minor on the coast of Mysia, which in early times was

called AEolis. The ship in which Paul embarked at Caesarea belonged

to this city Act 27:2 - He was conveyed in it only to Myra, in Lycia,

whence he sailed in an Alexandrian ship to Italy. It was a rare thing

for a ship to sail from any port of Palestine direct for Italy. It

still bears the name Adramyti, and is a place of some traffic.





Adria





Act 27:27 - R.V., "the sea of Adria", the Adriatic Sea, including in

Paul's time the whole of the Mediterranean lying between Crete and

Sicily. It is the modern Gulf of Venice, the - Mare Superum - of the

Romans, as distinguished from the - Mare Inferum - or Tyrrhenian Sea.





Adriel





Flock of God, the son of Barzillai, the Meholathite, to whom Saul gave

in marriage his daughter Merab 1Sa 18:19 - The five sons that sprang

from this union were put to death by the Gibeonites 2Sa 21:8-9 - Here

it is said that Michal "brought up" [R.V., "bare"] these five sons,

either that she treated them as if she had been their own mother, or

that for "Michal" we should read "Merab," as in 1Sa 18:19.





Adullam





One of the royal cities of the Canaanites, now 'Aid-el-ma

Jos 12:15 15:35 - It stood on the old Roman road in the valley of

Elah (q.v.), which was the scene of David's memorable victory over

Goliath 1Sa 17:2 - and not far from Gath. It was one of the towns

which Rehoboam fortified against Egypt 2Ch 11:7 - It was called

"the glory of Israel" Mic 1:15 - The Cave of Adullam has been

discovered about 2 miles south of the scene of David's triumph, and

about 13 miles west from Bethlehem. At this place is a hill some 500

feet high pierced with numerous caverns, in one of which David

gathered together "every one that was in distress, and every one

that was in debt, and every one that was discontented" 1Sa 22:2.

Some of these caverns are large enough to hold 200 or 300 men.

According to tradition this cave was at Wady Khureitun, between

Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, but this view cannot be well maintained.





Adullamite





An inhabitant of the city of Adullam Gen 38:1,12,20.





Adultery





Conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit

intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was

an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried

woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong,

as well as a great sin. The Mosaic law Num 5:11-31 - prescribed that

the suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of

jealousy." There is, however, no recorded instance of the application

of this law. In subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations

with the view of discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about

a divorce. It has been inferred from Joh 8:1-11 - that this sin became

very common during the age preceding the destruction of Jerusalem.

Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as adultery

spiritually Jer 3:6,8,9 Eze 16:32 Hos 1:2:3 Rev 2:22 - An apostate

church is an adulteress Isa 1:21 Eze 23:4,7,37 - and the Jews are

styled "an adulterous generation" Mat 12:39 - Comp Rev 12:1.



See FORNICATION 01376.





Adummim





The red ones, a place apparently on the road between Jericho and

Jerusalem, "on the south side of the torrent" Wady Kelt, looking

toward Gilgal, mentioned Jos 15:7 18:17 - It was nearly half-way

between Jerusalem and Jericho, and now bears the name of

Tal-at-ed-Dumm. It is supposed to have been the place referred to in

the parable of the Good Samaritan Luk 10:30-37 - Recently a new

carriage-road has been completed, and carriages for the first time

have come along this road from Jerusalem.





Adversary





(Heb. satan), an opponent or foe 1Ki 5:4 11:14,23,25 Luk 13:17 - one

that speaks against another, a complainant Mat 5:25 Luk 12:58 - an enemy

Luk 18:3 - and specially the devil 1Pe 5:8.



See SATAN 03228.





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 Joh 14:16 15:26 16:7 - where the Greek word is

rendered "Comforter," q.v.). It is applied to Christ in  1Jo 2:1.

where the same Greek word is rendered "Advocate," the rendering

which it should have in all the places where it occurs. Tertullus

"the orator" Act 24:1 - was a Roman advocate whom the Jews

employed to accuse Paul before Felix.





AEnon





Springs, a place near Salim where John baptized Joh 3:23 - It was

probably near the upper source of the Wady Far'ah, an open valley

extending from Mount Ebal to the Jordan. It is full of springs. A

place has been found called 'Ainun, four miles north of the springs.





Affection





Feeling or emotion. Mention is made of "vile affections" Rom 1:26 -  and

"inordinate affection" Col 3:5 - Christians are exhorted to set their

affections on things above Col 3:2 - There is a distinction between

natural and spiritual or gracious affections Eze 33:32.





Affinity





Relationship by alliance 2Ch 18:1 - or by marriage 1Ki 3:1.

Marriages are prohibited within certain degrees of affinity, enumerated

Lev 18:6-17 - Consanguinity is relationship by blood.





Afflictions





Common to all Job 5:7 14:1 Psa 34:19 - are for the good of men

Jas 1:2-3,12 2Co 12:7 - and the glory of God 2Co 12:7-10 1Pe 4:14.

and are to be borne with patience by the Lord's people Psa 94:12.

Pro 3:12 - They are all directed by God Lam 3:33 - and will result

in the everlasting good of his people 2Co 4:16-18 - in Christ

Jesus Rom 8:35-39.





Agabus





A "prophet," probably one of the seventy disciples of Christ. He

prophesied at Antioch of an approaching famine Act 11:27-28 - Many

years afterwards he met Paul at Caesarea, and warned him of the bonds

and affliction that awaited him at Jerusalem should he persist in

going thither Act 21:10-12.





Agag





Flame, the usual title of the Amalekite kings, as "Pharaoh" was of the

Egyptian.

 1. A king of the Amalekites referred to by Balaam Num 24:7 - He lived

    at the time of the Exodus.

 2. Another king of the Amalekites whom Saul spared unlawfully, but

    whom Samuel on his arrival in the camp of Saul ordered, in

    retributive justice Jud 1:1 - to be brought out and cut in

    pieces 1Sa 15:8-33 - Comp. Exo 17:11, Num 14:45.





Agagite





A name applied to Haman and also to his father Est 3:1,10 8:3,5.

Probably it was equivalent to Amalekite.





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 Eze 27:16.

this word is the rendering of the Hebrew cadcod, which means "ruddy,"

and denotes a variety of minutely crystalline silica more or less in

bands of different tints. This word is from the Greek name of a stone

found in the river Achates in Sicily.





Age





Used to denote the period of a man's life Gen 47:28 - the maturity of

life Joh 9:21 - the latter end of life Job 11:17 - a generation of

the human race Job 8:8 - and an indefinite period Eph 2:7 3:5,21.

Col 1:26 - Respect to be shown to the aged Lev 19:32 - It is a

blessing to communities when they have old men among them

Isa 65:20 Zec 8:4 - The aged supposed to excel in understanding

Job 12:20 15:10 32:4,9 1Ki 12:6,8 - A full age the reward of

piety Job 5:26 Ge 15:15.





Agee





Fugitive, the father of Shammah, who was one of David's mighty men

2Sa 23:11.





Agony





Contest; wrestling; severe struggling with pain and suffering. Anguish

is the reflection on evil that is already past, while agony is a

struggle with evil at the time present. It is only used in the New

Testament by Luk 22:44 - to describe our Lord's fearful struggle in

Gethsemane. The verb from which the noun "agony" is derived is used

to denote an earnest endeavour or striving, as "Strive [agonize] to

enter" Luk 13:24 - "Then would my servants fight" [agonize]

Joh 18:36 - Comp. 1Co 9:25 Col 1:29 4:12 1Ti 6:12 2Ti 4:7.

where the words "striveth," "labour," "conflict," "fight," are the

renderings of the same Greek verb.





Agriculture





Tilling the ground Gen 2:15 4:2-3,12 - and rearing cattle were the chief

employments in ancient times. The Egyptians excelled in agriculture.

And after the Israelites entered into the possession of the Promised

Land, their circumstances favoured in the highest degree a remarkable

development of this art. Agriculture became indeed the basis of the

Mosaic commonwealth.



The year in Palestine was divided into six agricultural periods:-

 1. SOWING TIME. Tisri, latter half (beginning about the

    autumnal equinox.) Marchesvan. Kisleu, former half. Early

    rain due first showers of autumn.

 2. UNRIPE TIME. Kisleu, latter half. Tebet. Sebat, former half.

 3. COLD SEASON. Sebat, latter half. Adar. [Veadar.] Nisan,

    former half. Latter rain due Deu 11:14 Jer 5:24 Hos 6:3.

    Zec 10:1 Jas 5:7 Job 29:23.

 4. HARVEST TIME. Nisan, latter half. (Beginning about vernal

    equinox. Barley green.  Passover.) Ijar. Sivan, former half.,

    Wheat ripe. Pentecost.

 5. SUMMER (total absence of rain) Sivan, latter half. Tammuz. Ab,

    former half.

 6. SULTRY SEASON Ab, latter half. Elul. Tisri, former half.,

    Ingathering of fruits. The six months from the middle of Tisri

    to the middle of Nisan were occupied with the work of

    cultivation, and the rest of the year mainly with the

    gathering in of the fruits.



The extensive and easily-arranged system of irrigation from the rills

and streams from the mountains made the soil in every part of Palestine

richly productive Psa 1:3 65:10 Pr 21:1 Isa 30:25 32:2,20 Hos 12:11.

and the appliances of careful cultivation and of manure increased its

fertility to such an extent that in the days of Solomon, when there was

an abundant population, measures of wheat year by year" were sent to

Hiram in exchange for timber 1Ki 5:11 - and in large quantities also

wheat was sent to the Tyrians for the merchandise in which they traded

Eze 27:17 - The wheat sometimes produced an hundredfold Gen 26:12.

Mat 13:23 - Figs and pomegranates were very plentiful Num 13:23 - and

the vine and the olive grew luxuriantly and produced abundant fruit

Deu 33:24 - Lest the productiveness of the soil should be exhausted,

it was enjoined that the whole land should rest every seventh year,

when all agricultural labour would entirely cease Lev 25:1-7 Deu 15:1-10.

It was forbidden to sow a field with divers seeds Deu 22:9 - A

passer-by was at liberty to eat any quantity of corn or grapes, but he

was not permitted to carry away any Deu 23:24-25 Mat 12:1 - The poor

were permitted to claim the corners of the fields and the gleanings. A

forgotten sheaf in the field was to be left also for the poor. (See)

Lev 19:9-10 Deu 24:19.



Agricultural implements and operations. The sculptured monuments and

painted tombs of Egypt and Assyria throw much light on this subject,

and on the general operations of agriculture. Ploughs of a simple

construction were known in the time of Moses Deu 22:10 - comp.

Job 1:14 - They were very light, and required great attention to keep

them in the ground Luk 9:62 - They were drawn by oxen Job 1:14.

cows 1Sa 6:7 - and asses Isa 30:24 - but an ox and an ass must not

be yoked together in the same plough Deu 22:10 - Men sometimes

followed the plough with a hoe to break the clods Isa 28:24 - The

oxen were urged on by a "goad," or long staff pointed at the end, so

that if occasion arose it could be used as a spear also Jud 3:31.

1Sa 13:21 - When the soil was prepared, the seed was sown broadcast over

the field Mat 13:3-8 - The "harrow" mentioned in Job 39:10 - was

not used to cover the seeds, but to break the clods, being little more

than a thick block of wood. In highly irrigated spots the seed was

trampled in by cattle Isa 32:20 - but doubtless there was some kind

of harrow also for covering in the seed scattered in the furrows of the

field. The reaping of the corn was performed either by pulling it up by

the roots, or cutting it with a species of sickle, according to

circumstances. The corn when cut was generally put up in sheaves

Gen 37:7 Lev 23:10-15 Ru 2:7,15 Job 24:10 Jer 9:22 Mic 4:12.

which were afterwards gathered to the threshing-floor or stored in

barns Mat 6:26 - The process of threshing was performed generally by

spreading the sheaves on the threshing-floor and causing oxen and

cattle to tread repeatedly over them Deu 25:4 Isa 28:28 - On

occasions flails or sticks were used for this purpose Rut 2:17 Isa 28:27.

There was also a "threshing instrument" Isa 41:15 Amo 1:3 - which was

drawn over the corn. It was called by the Hebrews a moreg, a threshing

roller or sledge 2Sa 24:22 1Ch 21:23 Isa 3:15 - It was somewhat like

the Roman tribulum, or threshing instrument. When the grain was

threshed, it was winnowed by being thrown up against the wind Jer 4:11.

and afterwards tossed with wooden scoops Isa 30:24 - The shovel and

the fan for winnowing are mentioned in Psa 35:5 Job 21:18 Isa 17:13.

The refuse of straw and chaff was burned Isa 5:24 - Freed from

impurities, the grain was then laid up in granaries till used

Deu 28:8 Pr 3:10 Mat 6:26 13:30 Luk 12:18.





Agrippa I





The grandson of Herod the Great, and son of Aristobulus and Bernice.

The Roman emperor Caligula made him governor first of the

territories of Philip, then of the tetrarchy of Lysanias, with the

title of king Herod"), and finally of that of Antipas, who was

banished, and of Samaria and Judea. Thus he became ruler over the

whole of Palestine. He was a persecutor of the early Christians. He

slew James, and imprisoned Peter Act 12:1-4 - He died at Caesarea,

being "eaten of worms" Act 12:23 - A.D.  44.  (Comp. Josephus,

Ant.  xix. 8)





Agrippa II





Son of the foregoing, was born at Rome, A.D. 27 He was the brother

of Bernice and Drusilla. The Emperor Claudius (A.D. 48 invested him

with the office of superintendent of the Temple of Jerusalem, and

made him governor (A.D. 50 of Chalcis. He was afterwards raised to

the rank of king, and made governor over the tetrarchy of Philip and

Lysanias Act 25:13 26:2,7 - It was before him that Paul delivered

(A.D. 59 his speech recorded in Act 26:1-29 - His private life was very

profligate. He died (the last of his race) at Rome, at the age of

about seventy years, A.D. 100



 See FESTUS, PORCIUS 01326.





Ague





The translation in Lev 26:16 - (R.V., "fever") of the Hebrew word

kaddah'ath, meaning "kindling", i.e., an inflammatory or burning

fever. In Deu 28:22 - the word is rendered "fever."





Agur





Gatherer; the collector, mentioned as author of the sayings in

Pro 30:1-33 - Nothing is known of him beyond what is there recorded.





Ah!





An exclamation of sorrow or regret Psa 35:25 Isa 1:4,24.

Jer 1:6 22:18 Mar 15:29.





Aha!





An exclamation of ridicule Psa 35:21 40:15 70:3 - In Isa 44:16 - it

signifies joyful surprise, as also in Job 39:25 - R.V.





Ahab





Father's brother.

 1. The son of Omri, whom he succeeded as the seventh king of

    Israel. His history is recorded in 1Ki 16:1-22:53 - His

    wife was Jezebel (q.v.), who exercised a very evil influence

    over him. To the calf-worship introduced by Jeroboam he added

    the worship of Baal. He was severely admonished by Elijah

    (q.v.) for his wickedness. His anger was on this account

    kindled against the prophet, and he sought to kill him. He

    undertook three campaigns against Ben-hadad II., king of

    Damascus. In the first two, which were defensive, he gained a

    complete victory over Ben-hadad, who fell into his hands, and

    was afterwards released on the condition of his restoring all

    the cities of Israel he then held, and granting certain other

    concessions to Ahab. After three years of peace, for some

    cause Ahab renewed war 1Ki 22:3 - with Ben-hadad by

    assaulting the city of Ramoth-gilead, although the prophet

    Micaiah warned him that he would not succeed, and that the

    400 false prophets who encouraged him were only leading him to

    his ruin. Micaiah was imprisoned for thus venturing to

    dissuade Ahab from his purpose. Ahab went into the battle

    disguised, that he might if possible escape the notice of his

    enemies; but an arrow from a bow "drawn at a venture" pierced

    him, and though stayed up in his chariot for a time he died

    towards evening, and Elijah's prophecy 1Ki 21:19 - was

    fulfilled. He reigned twenty-three years. Because of his

    idolatry, lust, and covetousness, Ahab is referred to as

    pre-eminently the type of a wicked king

    2Ki 8:18 2Ch 22:3 Mic 6:16.

 2. A false prophet referred to by Jeremiah Jer 29:21 - of whom

    nothing further is known.





Ahasuerus





There are three kings designated by this name in Scripture.

 1. The father of Darius the Mede, mentioned in Dan 9:1 - This was

    probably the Cyaxares I. known by this name in profane history,

    the king of Media and the conqueror of Nineveh.

 2. The king mentioned in Ezr 4:6 - probably the Cambyses of profane

    history, the son and successor of Cyrus (B.C. 529)

 3. The son of Darius Hystaspes, the king named in the Book of

    Esther. He ruled over the kingdoms of Persia, Media, and

    Babylonia, "from India to Ethiopia." This was in all probability

    the Xerxes of profane history, who succeeded his father Darius

    (B.C. 485) In the LXX. version of the Book of Esther the name

    Artaxerxes occurs for Ahasuerus. He reigned for twenty-one years

    (B.C. 486) He invaded Greece with an army, it is said, of more

    than 2,000,000 soldiers, only 5,000 of whom returned with him.

    Leonidas, with his famous 300 arrested his progress at the

    Pass of Thermopylae, and then he was defeated disastrously by

    Themistocles at Salamis. It was after his return from this

    invasion that Esther was chosen as his queen.





Ahava





Water, the river Ezr 8:21 - by the banks of which the Jewish exiles

assembled under Ezra when about to return to Jerusalem from Babylon.

In all probability this was one of the streams of Mesopotamia which

flowed into the Euphrates somewhere in the north-west of Babylonia.

It has, however, been supposed to be the name of a place Ezr 8:15.

now called Hit, on the Euphrates, east of Damascus.





Ahaz





Possessor.

 1. A grandson of Jonathan 1Ch 8:35 9:42.

 2. The son and successor of Jotham, king of Judah 2Ki 16:1.

    Isa 7:1-Isa 9:21 2Ch 28:1 - He gave himself up to a life of

    wickedness and idolatry. Notwithstanding the remonstrances and

    warnings of Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, he appealed for help

    against Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, king of Israel, who

    threatened Jerusalem, to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, to

    the great injury of his kingdom and his own humilating subjection

    to the Assyrians 2Ki 16:7,9 15:29 - He also introduced among

    his people many heathen and idolatrous customs Isa 8:19 38:8.

    2Ki 23:12 - He died at the age of thirty-five years, after

    reigning sixteen years (B.C. 740 and was succeeded by his son

    Hezekiah. Because of his wickedness he was "not brought into the

    sepulchre of the kings."





Ahaziah





Held by Jehovah.

 1. The son and successor of Ahab. He followed the counsels of his

    mother Jezebel, and imitated in wickedness the ways of his

    father. In his reign the Moabites revolted from under his

    authority 2Ki 3:5-7 - He united with Jehoshaphat in an attempt to

    revive maritime trade by the Red Sea, which proved a failure

    2Ch 20:35-37 - His messengers, sent to consult the god of Ekron

    regarding his recovery from the effects of a fall from the

    roof-gallery of his palace, were met on the way by Elijah, who

    sent them back to tell the king that he would never rise from

    his bed 1Ki 22:51-2Ki 1:18.

 2. The son of Joram, or Jehoram, and sixth king of Judah. Called

    Jehoahaz 2Ch 21:17 25:23 - and Azariah 2Ch 22:6 - Guided by his

    idolatrous mother Athaliah, his reign was disastrous

    2Ki 8:24-29 9:29 - He joined his uncle Jehoram, king of

    Israel, in an expedition against Hazael, king of Damascus; but

    was wounded at the pass of Gur when attempting to escape, and

    had strength only to reach Megiddo, where he died 2Ki 9:22-28.

    He reigned only one year.





Ahiam





Mother's brother, one of David's thirty heroes 2Sa 23:33 1Ch 11:35.





Ahiezer





Brother of help; i.e., "helpful."

 1. The chief of the tribe of Dan at the time of the Exodus

    Num 1:12 2:25 10:25.

 2. The chief of the Benjamite slingers that repaired to David at

    Ziklag 1Ch 12:3.





Ahihud





Brother (i.e., "friend") of union.

 1. A son of Bela, the son of Benjamin 1Ch 8:7.

 2. Name different in Hebrew, meaning brother of Judah. Chief of the

    tribe of Asher; one of those appointed by Moses to superintend

    the division of Canaan among the tribe Num 34:27.





Ahijah





Brother (i.e., "friend") of Jehovah.

 1. One of the sons of Bela 1Ch 8:7 - R.V. In A.V. called "Ahiah."

 2. One of the five sons of Jerahmeel, who was great-grandson of

    Judah 1Ch 2:25.

 3. Son of Ahitub 1Sa 14:3,18 - Ichabod's brother; the same probably

    as Ahimelech, who was high priest at Nob in the reign of Saul

    1Sa 22:11 - Some, however, suppose that Ahimelech was the brother

    of Ahijah, and that they both officiated as high priests, Ahijah

    at Gibeah or Kirjath-jearim, and Ahimelech at Nob.

 4. A Pelonite, one of David's heroes 1Ch 11:36 - called also Eliam

    2Sa 23:34.

 5. A Levite having charge of the sacred treasury in the temple

    1Ch 26:20.

 6. One of Solomon's secretaries 1Ki 4:3.

 7. A prophet of Shiloh 1Ki 11:29 14:2 - called the "Shilonite," in

    the days of Rehoboam. We have on record two of his remarkable

    prophecies, 1Ki 11:31-39 - announcing the rending of the ten

    tribes from Solomon; and 1Ki 14:6-16 - delivered to Jeroboam's

    wife, foretelling the death of Abijah the king's son, the

    destruction of Jeroboam's house, and the captivity of Israel

    "beyond the river." Jeroboam bears testimony to the high esteem

    in which he was held as a prophet of God 1Ki 14:2-3.





Ahikam





Brother of support helper, one of the five whom Josiah sent to consult

the prophetess Huldah in connection with the discovery of the book of

the law 2Ki 22:12-14 2Ch 34:20 - He was the son of Shaphan, the royal

secretary, and the father of Gedaliah, governor of Judea after the

destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians 2Ki 25:22 Jer 40:5-16 43:6.

On one occasion he protected Jeremiah against the fury of Jehoiakim

Jer 26:24 - It was in the chamber of another son (Germariah) of

Shaphan that Baruch read in the ears of all the people Jeremiah's

roll.





Ahimaaz





Brother of anger irascible.

 1. The father of Ahinoam, the wife of Saul 1Sa 14:50.

 2. The son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest

    1Ch 6:8,53 - On the occasion of the revolt of Absalom he

    remained faithful to David, and was of service to him in

    conveying to him tidings of the proceedings of Absalom in

    Jerusalem 2Sa 15:24-37 17:15-21 - He was swift of foot, and

    was the first to carry to David tidings of the defeat of

    Absalom, although he refrained, from delicacy of feeling, from

    telling him of his death 2Sa 18:19-33.





Ahiman





Brother of a gift liberal.

 1. One of the three giant Anakim brothers whom Caleb and the spies

    saw in Mount Hebron Num 13:22 - when they went in to explore the

    land. They were afterwards driven out and slain

    Jos 15:14 Jud 1:10.

 2. One of the guardians of the temple after the Exile 1Ch 9:17.





Ahimelech





Brother of the king, the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar

1Sa 22:20-23 - He descended from Eli in the line of Ithamar. In

1Ch 18:16 - he is called Abimelech, and is probably the same as

Ahiah 1Sa 14:3,18 - He was the twelfth high priest, and

officiated at Nob, where he was visited by David (to whom and his

companions he gave five loaves of the showbread) when he fled from

Saul 1Sa 21:1-9 - He was summoned into Saul's presence, and

accused, on the information of Doeg the Edomite, of disloyalty

because of his kindness to David; whereupon the king commanded that

he, with the other priests who stood beside him (86 in all), should

be put to death. This sentence was carried into execution by Doeg in

the most cruel manner 1Sa 22:9-23 - Possibly Abiathar had a son

also called Ahimelech.





Ahinadab





Brother of liberality liberal, one of the twelve commissariat officers

appointed by Solomon in so many districts of his kingdom to raise

supplies by monthly rotation for his household. He was appointed to

the district of Mahanaim 1Ki 4:14 - east of Jordan.





Ahinoam





Brother of pleasantness pleasant.

 1. The daughter of Ahimaaz, and wife of Saul 1Sa 14:50.

 2. A Jezreelitess, the first wife of David 1Sa 25:43 27:3 - She was

    the mother of Amnon 2Sa 3:2 1Sa 30:5,18 2Sa 2:2.





Ahio





Brotherly.

 1. One of the sons of Beriah 1Ch 8:14.

 2. One of the sons of Jehiel the Gibeonite 1Ch 8:31 9:37.

 3. One of the sons of Abinadab the Levite. While Uzzah went by the

    side of the ark, he walked before it guiding the oxen which drew

    the cart on which it was carried, after having brought it from

    his father's house in Gibeah 1Ch 13:7 2Sa 6:3-4.





Ahira





Brother of evil unlucky, or my brother is friend, chief of the tribe

of Naphtali at the Exodus Num 1:15 2:29.





Ahishar





Brother of song singer, the officer who was "over the household" of

Solomon 1Ki 4:6.





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 55:12-14 - and espoused the cause of Absalom

2Sa 15:12 - David sent his old friend Hushai back to Absalom, in

order that he might counteract the counsel of Ahithophel 2Sa 15:31-37.

This end was so far gained that Ahithophel saw he had no longer any

influence, and accordingly he at once left the camp of Absalom and

returned to Giloh, his native place, where, after arranging his

wordly affairs, he hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulchre

of his fathers 2Sa 17:1-23 - He was the type of Judas Psa 41:9.





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 1Sa 14:3 22:9,11-12,20.

 2. The father of Zadok, who was made high priest by Saul after the

    extermination of the family of Ahimelech 1Ch 6:7-8 2Sa 8:17.





Ahlab





Fatness, a town of Asher lying within the unconquered Phoenician

border Jud 1:31 - north-west of the Sea of Galilee; commonly

identified with Giscala, now el-Jish.





Ahoah





Brotherly, one of the sons of Bela, the son of Benjamin 1Ch 8:4 - He is

also called Ahiah 1Ch 8:7 - and Iri 1Ch 7:7 - His descendants were

called Ahohites 2Sa 23:9,28.





Ahohite





An epithet applied to Dodo, one of Solomon's captains 1Ch 27:4 - to his

son Eleazar, one of David's three mightiest heroes 2Sa 23:9 1Ch 11:12.

and to Zalmon, one of the thirty 2Sa 23:28 1Ch 11:29 - from their

descent from Ahoah.





Aholah





She has her own tent, a name used by Eze 23:4-5,36,44 - as a symbol of

the idolatry of the kingdom of Israel. This kingdom is described as a

lewdwoman, an adulteress, given up to the abominations and idolatries

of the Egyptians and Assyrians. Because of her crimes, she was

carried away captive, and ceased to be a kingdom.

(Comp.) Psa 78:67-69 1Ki 12:25-33 2Ch 11:13-16.





Aholiab





Tent of the father, an artist of the tribe of Dan, appointed to the

work of preparing materials for the tabernacle Exo 31:6 35:34 .

Exo 36:1-2 38:23.





Aholibah





My tent is in her, the name of an imaginary harlot, applied

symbolically to Jerusalem, because she had abandoned the worship of

the true God and given herself up to the idolatries of foreign

nations. Eze 23:4,11,22,36,44.





Aholibamah





Tent of the height, the name given to Judith, the daughter of Beeri

Anah Gen 26:34 36:2 - when she became the wife of Esau. A district

among the mountains of Edom, probably near Mount Hor, was called

after her name, or it may be that she received her name from the

district. From her descended three tribes of Edomites, founded by her

three sons.





Ai





Ruins.

 1. One of the royal cities of the Canaanites Jos 10:1 Ge 12:8 13:3.

    It was the scene of Joshua's defeat, and afterwards of his

    victory. It was the second Canaanite city taken by Israel

    Jos 7:2-5 8:1-29 - It lay rebuilt and inhibited by the

    Benjamites Ezr 2:28 Neh 7:32 11:31 - It lay to the east of

    Bethel, "beside Beth-aven." The spot which is most probably

    the site of this ancient city is Haiyan, 2 miles east from

    Bethel. It lay up the Wady Suweinit, a steep, rugged valley,

    extending from the Jordan valley to Bethel.

 2. A city in the Ammonite territory Jer 49:3 - Some have thought

    that the proper reading of the word is Ar Isa 15:1.





Aijeleth, Shahar





Hind of the dawn, a name found in the title of Psa 22:1 - It is

probably the name of some song or tune to the measure of which the

psalm was to be chanted. Some, however, understand by the name some

instrument of music, or an allegorical allusion to the subject of the

psalm.





Air





The atmosphere, as opposed to the higher regions of the sky 1Th 4:17.

Rev 9:2 16:17 - This word occurs once as the rendering of the Hebrew

- ruah - Job 41:16 - elsewhere it is the rendering of - shamaiyim -,

usually translated "heavens." The expression "to speak into the air"

1Co 14:9 - is a proverb denoting to speak in vain, as to "beat the

air" 1Co 9:26 - denotes to labour in vain.





Ajalon





And Aij'alon, place of deer.

 1. A town and valley originally assigned to the tribe of Dan, from

    which, however, they could not drive the Amorites Jud 1:35 - It

    was one of the Levitical cities given to the Kohathites 1Ch 6:69.

    It was not far from Beth-shemesh 2Ch 28:18 - It was the

    boundary between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and is

    frequently mentioned in Jewish history 2Ch 11:10 1Sa 14:31.

    1Ch 8:13 - With reference to the valley named after the town,

    Joshua uttered the celebrated command, "Sun, stand thou still

    on Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon" Jos 10:12.

    It has been identified as the modern Yalo, at the foot of the

    Beth-horon pass (q.v.). In the Tell Amarna letters Adoni-zedek

    (q.v.) speaks of the destruction of the "city of Ajalon" by

    the invaders, and describes himself as "afflicted, greatly

    afflicted" by the calamities that had come on the land, urging

    the king of Egypt to hasten to his help.

 2. A city in the tribe of Zebulun Jud 12:12 - the modern Jalun,

    three miles north of Cabul.





Akkub





(another form of Jacob).

 1. The head of one of the families of Nethinim Ezr 2:45.

 2. A Levite who kept the gate of the temple after the return from

    Babylon 1Ch 9:17 Ezr 2:42 Neh 7:45.

 3. A descendant of David 1Ch 3:24.





Akrabbim





Scorpions, probably the general name given to the ridge containing the

pass between the south of the Dead Sea and Zin, es-Sufah, by which

there is an ascent to the level of the land of Palestine. Scorpions

are said to abound in this whole district, and hence the name Num 34:4.

It is called "Maaleh-acrabbim" in Jos 15:3 - and "the ascent of

Akrabbim" in Num 34:4.



 See MAALEH-ACKRABBIM 02344.





Alabaster





Occurs only in the New Testament in connection with the box of

"ointment of spikenard very precious," with the contents of which a

woman anointed the head of Jesus as he sat at supper in the house of

Simon the leper Mat 26:7 Mar 14:3 Luk 7:37 - These boxes were made from a

stone found near Alabastron in Egypt, and from this circumstance the

Greeks gave them the name of the city where they were made. The name

was then given to the stone of which they were made; and finally to

all perfume vessels, of whatever material they were formed. The woman

"broke" the vessel; i.e., she broke off, as was usually done, the

long and narrow neck so as to reach the contents. This stone

resembles marble, but is softer in its texture, and hence very easily

wrought into boxes. Mark says Mar 14:5 - that this box of ointment was

worth more than 300 pence, i.e., denarii, each of the value of

sevenpence halfpenny of our money, and therefore worth about 10

pounds. But if we take the denarius as the day's wage of a labourer

Mat 20:2 - say two shillings of our money, then t