Used to denote
1. the grave or the abyss Ro 10:7 Lu 8:31
2. the deepest part of the sea Ps 69:15
3. the chaos mentioned in Ge 1:2
4. the bottomless pit, hell Re 9:1,2 11:7 20:13
Song of steps, a title given to each of these fifteen
psalms, 120-133 inclusive. The probable origin of this name is the circumstance
that these psalms came to be sung by the people on the ascents or goings up to
Jerusalem to attend the three great festivals De 16:16 They were well fitted
for being sung by the way from their peculiar form, and from the sentiments
they express. "They are characterized by brevity, by a key-word, by
epanaphora [i.e, repetition], and by their epigrammatic style. More than half
of them are cheerful, and all of them hopeful." They are sometimes called
"Pilgrim Songs." Four of them were written by David, one Ps 127:1 by
Solomon, and the rest are anonymous.
Villagers, one of the Assyrian tribes which Asnapper sent
to repopulate Samaria Ezr 4:9 They were probably a nomad Persian tribe on the
east of the Caspian Sea, and near the Sea of Azof.
Freed by Jehovah.
1. The head of the twenty-third division of the priestly
order 1Ch 24:18
2. A son of Shemaiah, and one of the courtiers to whom
Jeremiah's first roll of prophecy was read Jer 36:12
3. The head of one of the bands of exiles that returned
under Zerubbabel to Jerusalem Ezr 2:60 Ne 7:62
Languishing, a Philistine woman who dwelt in the valley
of Sorek Jud 16:4-20 She was bribed by the "lords of the Philistines"
to obtain from Samson the secret of his strength and the means of overcoming it
Jud 16:4-18 She tried on three occasions to obtain from him this secret in
vain. On the fourth occasion she wrung it from him. She made him sleep upon her
knees, and then called the man who was waiting to help her; who "cut off
the seven locks of his head, "and so his "strength went from
him."
See SAMSON
The name given to Noah's flood, the history of which is
recorded in Ge 7:1- 8:1ff. It began in the year 2516 B.C., and continued twelve
lunar months and ten days, or exactly one solar year. The cause of this
judgment was the corruption and violence that filled the earth in the ninth
generation from Adam. God in righteous indignation determined to purge the
earth of the ungodly race. Amid a world of crime and guilt there was one
household that continued faithful and true to God, the household of Noah.
"Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations." At the command
of God, Noah made an ark 300 cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high. He slowly
proceeded with this work during a period of one hundred and twenty years Ge 6:3
At length the purpose of God began to be carried into effect. The following
table exhibits the order of events as they occurred: In the six hundredth year
of his life Noah is commanded by God to enter the ark, taking with him his
wife, and his three sons with their wives Ge 7:1-10 The rain begins on the
seventeenth day of the second month Ge 7:11-17 The rain ceases, the waters
prevail, fifteen cubits upward Ge 7:18-24 The ark grounds on one of the
mountains of Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, or one hundred
and fifty days after the Deluge began Ge 8:1-4 Tops of the mountains visible on
the first day of the tenth month Ge 8:5 Raven and dove sent out forty days
after this Ge 8:6-9 Dove again sent out seven days afterwards; and in the
evening she returns with an olive leaf in her mouth Ge 8:10,11 Dove sent out
the third time after an interval of
other seven days, and returns no more Ge 8:12 The ground becomes dry on the
first day of the first month of the new year Ge 8:13 Noah leaves the ark on the
twenty-seventh day of the second month Ge 8:14-19 The historical truth of the
narrative of the Flood is established by the references made to it by our Lord
Mt 24:37 comp. Lu 17:26 Peter speaks of it also 1Pe 3:20 2Pe 2:5 In Isa 54:9
the Flood is referred to as "the waters of Noah." The Biblical
narrative clearly shows that the Deluge was universal; that it swept away all
men living except Noah and his family, who were preserved in the ark; and that
the present human race is descended from those who were thus preserved. Traditions of the Deluge are found among all
the great divisions of the human family; and these traditions, taken as a
whole, wonderfully agree with the Biblical narrative, and agree with it in such
a way as to lead to the conclusion that the Biblical is the authentic
narrative, of which all these traditions are more or less corrupted versions.
The most remarkable of these traditions is that recorded on tablets prepared by
order of Assur-bani-pal, the king of Assyria. These were, however, copies of
older records which belonged to somewhere about B.C. 2000 and which formed part of the priestly library at Erech
(q.v.), "the ineradicable remembrance of a real and terrible event."
See NOAH See CHALDEA
A companion and fellow-labourer of Paul during his first
imprisonment at Rome Phm 1:24 Col 4:14 It appears, however, that the love of
the world afterwards mastered him, and he deserted the apostle 2Ti 4:10
1. A silversmith at Ephesus, whose chief occupation was
to make "silver shrines for Diana" (q.v.), Ac 19:24 i.e., models either
of the temple of Diana or of the statue of the goddess. This trade brought to
him and his fellow-craftsmen "no small gain, "for these shrines found
a ready sale among the countless thousands who came to this temple from all
parts of Asia Minor. This traffic was greatly endangered by the progress of the
gospel, and hence Demetrius excited the tradesmen employed in the manufacture
of these shrines, and caused so great a tumult that "the whole city was
filled with confusion."
2. A Christian who is spoken of as having "a good
report of all men, and of the truth itself" 3Jo 1:12
See DAEMON
A lair of wild beasts Ps 10:9 104:22 Job 37:8 the hole of
a venomous reptile Isa 11:8 a recess for secrecy "in dens and caves of the
earth" Heb 11:38 a resort of thieves Mt 21:13 Mr 11:17 Daniel was cast
into "the den of lions" Da 6:16,17 Some recent discoveries among the
ruins of Babylon have brought to light the fact that the practice of punishing
offenders against the law by throwing them into a den of lions was common.
In 1Ki 22:47 means a prefect; one set over others. The
same Hebrew word is rendered "officer; "i.e., chief of the
commissariat appointed by Solomon 1Ki 4:5 etc.). In Es 8:9 9:3 (R.V.,
"governor") it denotes a Persian prefect "on this side"
i.e., in the region west of the Euphrates. It is the modern word _pasha_. In Ac
13:7,8,12 18:12 it denotes a proconsul; i.e., the governor of a Roman province
holding his appointment from the senate. The Roman provinces were of two kinds,
1. senatorial and
2. imperial. The appointment of a governor to the former
was in the hands of the senate, and he bore the title of proconsul (Gr. anthupatos). The appointment of a governor
to the latter was in the hands of the emperor, and he bore the title of
propraetor (Gr. antistrategos).
A small town on the eastern part of the upland plain of
Lycaonia, about 20 miles from Lystra. Paul passed through Derbe on his route
from Cilicia to Iconium, on his second missionary journey Ac 16:1 and probably
also on his third journey Ac 18:23 19:1 On his first journey Ac 14:20,21 he
came to Derbe from the other side; i.e., from Iconium. It was the native place
of Gaius, one of Paul's companions Ac 20:4 He did not here suffer persecution
2Ti 3:11
1. Heb. midbar, "pasture-ground; "an open tract
for pasturage; a common Joe 2:22 The "backside of the desert" Ex 3:1
is the west of the desert, the region behind a man, as the east is the region
in front. The same Hebrew word is rendered "wildernes, "and is used
of the country lying between Egypt and Palestine Ge 21:14,21 Ex 4:27 19:2 Jos
1:4 the wilderness of the wanderings. It was a grazing tract, where the flocks
and herds of the Israelites found pasturage during the whole of their journey
to the Promised Land. The same Hebrew word is used also to denote the
wilderness of Arabia, which in winter and early spring supplies good pasturage
to the flocks of the nomad tribes than roam over it 1Ki 9:18. The wilderness of
Judah is the mountainous region along the western shore of the Dead Sea, where
David fed his father's flocks 1Sa 17:28 26:2 Thus in both of these instances
the word denotes a country without settled inhabitants and without streams of
water, but having good pasturage for cattle; a country of wandering tribes, as
distinguished from that of a settled people Isa 35:1 50:2 Jer 4:11 Such, also,
is the meaning of the word "wilderness" in Mt 3:3 15:33 Lu 15:4
2. The translation of the Hebrew _Aribah'_,"an arid
tract" Isa 35:1,6 40:3 41:19 51:3 etc. The name Arabah is specially
applied to the deep valley of the Jordan (the Ghor of the Arabs), which extends
from the lake of Tiberias to the Elanitic gulf. While _midbar_ denotes properly
a pastoral region, _arabah_ denotes a wilderness. It is also translated
"plains; "as "the plains of Jericho" Jos 5:10 2Ki 25:5
"the plains of Moab" Nu 22:1 De 34:1,8 "the plains of the
wilderness" 2Sa 17:16
3. In the Revised Version of Nu 21:20 the Hebrew word
_jeshimon_ is properly rendered "desert, "meaning the waste tracts on
both shores of the Dead Sea. This word is also rendered "desert" in
Ps 78:40 106:14 Isa 43:19,20 It denotes a greater extent of uncultivated
country than the other words so rendered. It is especially applied to the
desert of the peninsula of Arabia Nu 21:20 23:28 the most terrible of all the
deserts with which the Israelites were acquainted. It is called "the
desert" in Ex 23:31 De 11:24 See JESHIMON
4. A dry place; hence a desolation Ps 9:6 desolate Le
26:34 the rendering of the Hebrew word _horbah'_.It is rendered
"desert" only in Ps 102:6 Isa 48:21 Eze 13:4 where it means the
wilderness of Sinai.
5. This word is the symbol of the Jewish church when they
had forsaken God Isa 40:3 Nations destitute of the knowledge of God are called
a "wilderness" Isa 32:15 _midbar_. It is a symbol of temptation,
solitude, and persecution Isa 27:10 _midbar_; Isa 33:9 _arabah_.
Hag 2:7 usually interpreted as a title of the Messiah.
The Revised Version, however, more correctly renders "the desirable things
of all nations; "i.e., the choicest treasures of the Gentiles shall be
consecrated to the Lord.
Mt 24:15 Mr 13:14 comp. Lu 21:20 is interpreted of the
eagles, the standards of the Roman army, which were an abomination to the Jews.
These standards, rising over the site of the temple, were a sign that the holy
place had fallen under the idolatrous Romans. The references are to Da 9:27
See ABOMINATION
Ex 12:23 the agent employed in the killing of the
first-born; the destroying angel or messenger of God. (Comp.) 2Ki 19:35 2Sa
24:15,16 Ps 78:49 Ac 12:23
In Job 26:6 28:22 (Heb. abaddon) is sheol, the realm of
the dead.
Isa 19:18 Heb. Ir-ha-Heres, "city of overthrow,
"because of the evidence it would present of the overthrow of heathenism),
the ideal title of On or Heliopolis (q.v.).
In all the Hebrew manuscripts the Pentateuch (q.v.) forms
one roll or volume divided into larger and smaller sections called _parshioth_
and _sedarim_. It is not easy to say when it was divided into five books. This
was probably first done by the Greek translators of the book, whom the Vulgate
follows. The fifth of these books was called by the Greeks Deuteronomion, i.e.,
the second law, hence our name Deuteronomy, or a second statement of the laws
already promulgated. The Jews designated the book by the two first Hebrew words
that occur, _'Elle haddabharim_, i.e., "These are the words." They
divided it into eleven _parshioth_. In the English Bible it contains
thirty-four chapters. It consists chiefly of three discourses delivered by
Moses a short time before his death. They were spoken to all Israel in the
plains of Moab, in the eleventh month of the last year of their wanderings.
1. The first discourse (De 1:1-4:40) recapitulates the
chief events of the last forty years in the wilderness, with earnest
exhortations to obedience to the divine ordinances, and warnings against the
danger of forsaking the God of their fathers.
2. The seond discourse (De 5:1-26:19) is in effect the
body of the whole book. The first address is introductory to it. It contains
practically a recapitulation of the law already given by God at Mount Sinai,
together with many admonitions and injunctions as to the course of conduct they
were to follow when they were settled in Canaan.
3. The concluding discourse (De 27:1-31:20) relates
almost wholly to the solemn sanctions of the law, the blessings to the obedient,
and the curse that would fall on the rebellious. He solemnly adjures them to
adhere faithfully to the covenant God had made with them, and so secure for
themselves and their posterity the promised blessings. These addresses to the
people are followed by what may be called three appendices, namely:
1. a song which God had commanded Moses to write De
32:1-47;
2. the blessings he pronounced on the separate tribes De
33:1-29
3. the story of his death De 32:48-52 and burial De
34:1-12 written by some other hand, probably that of Joshua. These farewell
addresses of Moses to the tribes of Israel he had so long led in the wilderness
"glow in each line with the emotions of a great leader recounting to his
contemporaries the marvellous story of their common experience. The enthusiasm
they kindle, even to-day, though obscured by translation, reveals their
matchless adaptation to the circumstances under which they were first spoken.
Confidence for the future is evoked by remembrance of the past. The same God
who had done mighty works for the tribes since the Exodus would cover their
head in the day of battle with the nations of Palestine, soon to be invaded.
Their great lawgiver stands before us, vigorous in his hoary age, stern in his
abhorrence of evil, earnest in his zeal for God, but mellowed in all relations
to earth by his nearness to heaven. The commanding wisdom of his enactments,
the dignity of his position as the founder of the nation and the first of
prophets, enforce his utterances. But he touches our deepest emotions by the
human tenderness that breathes in all his words. Standing on the verge of life,
he speaks as a father giving his parting counsels to those he loves; willing to
depart and be with God he has served so well, but fondly lengthening out his
last farewell to the dear ones of earth. No book can compare with Deuteronomy
in its mingled sublimity and tenderness." Geikie, Hours, etc.
The whole style and method of this book, its tone and its
peculiarities of conception and expression, show that it must have come from
one hand. That the author was none other than Moses is established by the
following considerations:
1. The uniform tradition both of the Jewish and the
Christian Church down to recent times.
2. The book professes to have been written by Moses De
1:1 29:1 De 31:1,9-11 etc., and was obviously intended to be accepted as his
work.
3. The incontrovertible testimony of our Lord and his
apostles Mt 19:7,8 Mr 10:3,4 Joh 5:46,47 Ac 3:22 7:37 Ro 10:19 establishes the
same conclusion.
4. The frequent references to it in the later books of
the canon Jos 8:31 1Ki 2:9 2Ki 14:6 2Ch 23:18 2Ch 25:4 34:14 Ezr 3:2 7:6 Ne 8:1
Da 9:11,13 prove its antiquity.
5. The archaisms found in it are in harmony with the age
in which Moses lived.
6. Its style and allusions are also strikingly consistent
with the circumstances and position of Moses and of the people at that time.
This body of positive evidence cannot be set aside by the conjectures and
reasonings of modern critics, who contended that the book was somewhat like a
forgery, introduced among the Jews some seven or eight centuries after the
Exodus.
(Gr. diabolos), a slanderer, the arch-enemy of man's
spiritual interest Job 1:6 Re 2:10 Zec 3:1 He is called also "the accuser
of the brethen" Re 12:10 In Le 17:7 the word "devil" is the
translation of the Hebrew _sair_, meaning a "goat" or
"satyr" Isa 13:21 34:14 alluding to the wood-daemons, the objects of
idolatrous worship among the heathen. In De 32:17 Ps 106:37 it is the
translation of Hebrew _shed_, meaning lord, and idol, regarded by the Jews as a
"demon, "as the word is rendered in the Revised Version. In the
narratives of the Gospels regarding the "casting out of devils" a
different Greek word (daimon) is used. In the time of our Lord there were
frequent cases of demoniacal possession Mt 12:25-30 Mr 5:1-20 Lu 4:35 10:18
etc.
"There is no dew properly so called in Palestine,
for there is no moisture in the hot summer air to be chilled into dew-drops by
the coldness of the night. From May till October rain is unknown, the sun
shining with unclouded brightness day after day. The heat becomes intense, the
ground hard, and vegetation would perish but for the moist west winds that come
each night from the sea. The bright skies cause the heat of the day to radiate
very quickly into space, so that the nights are as cold as the day is the
reverse, a peculiarity of climate from which poor Jacob suffered thousands of
years ago Ge 31:40 To this coldness of the night air the indispensable watering
of all plant-life is due. The winds, loaded with moisture, are robbed of it as
they pass over the land, the cold air condensing it into drops of water, which
fall in a gracious rain of mist on every thirsty blade. In the morning the fog
thus created rests like a sea over the plains, and far up the sides of the
hills, which raise their heads above it like so many islands. At sunrise,
however, the scene speedily changes. By the kindling light the mist is
transformed into vast snow-white clouds, which presently break into separate
masses and rise up the mountain-sides, to disappear in the blue above,
dissipated by the increasing heat. These are 'the morning clouds and the early
dew that go away' of which Hosea Ho 6:4 13:3 speaks so touchingly"
(Geikie's The Holy Land, etc., i., p. 72 Dew is a source of great fertility Ge
27:28 De 33:13 Zec 8:12 and its withdrawal is regarded as a curse from God 2Sa
1:21 1Ki 17:1 It is the symbol of a multitude 2Sa 17:12 Ps 110:3 and from its
refreshing influence it is an emblem of brotherly love and harmony Ps 133:3 and
of rich spiritual blessings Ho 14:5
The tiara of a king Eze 21:26 Isa 28:5 62:3 the turban
Job 29:14 In the New Testament a careful distinction is drawn between the
diadem as a badge of royalty Re 12:3 13:1 19:12 and the crown as a mark of
distinction in private life. It is not known what the ancient Jewish
"diadem" was. It was the mark of Oriental sovereigns.
See CROWN
For the measurement of time, only once mentioned in the Bible,
erected by Ahaz 2Ki 20:11 Isa 38:8 The Hebrew word (ma'aloth) is rendered
"steps" in Ex 20:26 1Ki 10:19 and "degrees" in 2Ki
20:9,10,11 The _ma'aloth_ was probably stairs on which the shadow of a column
or obelisk placed on the top fell. The shadow would cover a greater or smaller
number of steps, according as the sun was low or high. Probably the sun-dial
was a Babylonian invention. Daniel at Babylon Da 3:6 is the first to make
mention of the "hour."
1. A precious gem (Heb. yahalom',in allusion to its
hardness), otherwise unknown, the sixth, i.e., the third in the second row, in
the breastplate of the high priest, with the name of Naphtali engraven on it Ex
28:18 39:11 R.V. marg., "sardonyx."
2. A precious stone (Heb. shamir',a sharp point)
mentioned in Jer 17:1 From its hardness it was used for cutting and perforating
other minerals. It is rendered "adamant" (q.v.) in Eze 3:9 Zec 7:12
It is the hardest and most valuable of precious stones.
So called by the Romans; called Artemis by the Greeks,
the "great" goddess worshipped among heathen nations under various
modifications. Her most noted temple was that at Ephesus. It was built outside
the city walls, and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
"First and last it was the work of 220 years; built of shining marble; 342
feet long by 164 feet broad; supported by a forest of columns, each 56 feet
high; a sacred museum of masterpieces of sculpture and painting. At the centre,
hidden by curtains, within a gorgeous shrine, stood the very ancient image of
the goddess, on wood or ebony reputed to have fallen from the sky. Behind the
shrine was a treasury, where, as in 'the safest bank in Asia, 'nations and
kings stored their most precious things. The temple as St. Paul saw it
subsisted till A.D. 262 when it was ruined by the Goths" Ac 19:23-41 Moule
on Ephesians: Introd.
Doubled cakes, the mother of Gomer, who was Hosea's wife
Ho 1:3
Two cakes, a city of Moab, on the east of the Dead Sea Nu
33:46 Jer 48:22
Pining; wasting.
1. A city in Moab Nu 21:30 called also Dibon-gad Nu 33:45
because it was built by Gad and Dimon Isa 15:9 It has been identified with the
modern Diban, about 3 miles north of the Arnon and 12 miles east of the Dead
Sea. (See Moabite Stone.)
2. A city of the tribe of Judah, inhabited after the
Captivity Ne 11:25 called also Dimonah Jos 15:22 It is probably the modern
ed-Dheib.
(Gr. twin Heb. Thomas, q.v.), Joh 11:16 20:24 21:2
Dunghill, a city of Zebulun given to the Merarite Levites
Jos 21:35 In 1Ch 6:77 the name "Rimmon" is substituted.
Judged; vindicated, daughter of Jacob by Leah, and sister
of Simeon and Levi Ge 30:21 She was seduced by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the
Hivite chief, when Jacob's camp was in the neighbourhood of Shechem. This led
to the terrible revenge of Simeon and Levi in putting the Shechemites to death
Ge 34:1ff. Jacob makes frequent reference to this deed of blood with abhorrence
and regret Ge 34:30 49:5-7 She is mentioned among the rest of Jacob's family
that went down into Egypt Ge 46:8,15
Ge 43:16 It was the custom in Egypt to dine at noon. But it
is probable that the Egyptians took their principal meal in the evening, as was
the general custom in the East Lu 14:12
Robbers' den, an Edomitish city, the capital of king Bela
Ge 36:32 It is probably the modern Dibdiba, a little north-east of Petra.
The Areopagite, one of Paul's converts at Athens Ac 17:34
Jove-nourished, rebuked by John for his pride 3Jo 1:9 He
was a Judaizer, prating against John and his fellow-labourers "with
malicious words" 3Jo 1:10
A scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the
Baptist Mt 9:14 and of the Pharisees Mt 22:16 but principally to the followers
of Christ. A disciple of Christ is one who:
1. believes his doctrine,
2. rests on his sacrifice,
3. imbibes his spirit, and
4. imitates his example See Mt 10:24 Lu 14:26,27,33 Joh
6:69
For eating from 2Ki 21:13 Judas dipped his hand with a
"sop" or piece of bread in the same dish with our Lord, thereby
indicating friendly intimacy Mt 26:23 The "lordly dish" in Jud 5:25
was probably the shallow drinking cup, usually of brass. In Jud 6:38 the same
Hebrew word is rendered "bowl." The dishes of the tabernacle were
made of pure gold Ex 25:29 37:16
Antelope, the youngest son of Seir the Horite, head of
one of the tribes of Idumaea Ge 36:21,28,30
(Gr. oikonomia, "management,
""economy").
1. The method or scheme according to which God carries
out his purposes towards men is called a dispensation. There are usually
reckoned three dispensations, the Patriarchal, the Mosaic or Jewish, and the
Christian. See COVENANT (Administration of.) These were so many stages in God's
unfolding of his purpose of grace toward men. The word is not found with this
meaning in Scripture.
2. A commission to preach the gospel 1Co 9:17 Eph 1:10
3:2 Col 1:25 Dispensations of Providence are providential events which affect
men either in the way of mercy or of judgment.
(Gr. diaspora, "scattered, ")Jas 1:1 1Pe 1:1 of
the Jews. At various times, and from the operation of divers causes, the Jews
were separated and scattered into foreign countries "to the outmost parts
of heaven" De 30:4
1. Many were dispersed over Assyria, Media, Babylonia,
and Persia, descendants of those who had been transported thither by the Exile.
The ten tribes, after existing as a separate kingdom for two hundred and
fifty-five years, were carried captive (B.C. 721 by Shalmaneser (or Sargon),
king of Assyria. They never returned to their own land as a distinct people,
although many individuals from among these tribes, there can be no doubt,
joined with the bands that returned from Babylon on the proclamation of Cyrus.
2. Many Jews migrated to Egypt and took up their abode
there. This migration began in the days of Solomon 2Ki 18:21,24 Isa 30:7
Alexander the Great placed a large number of Jews in Alexandria, which he had
founded, and conferred on them equal rights with the Egyptians. Ptolemy
Philadelphus, it is said, caused the Jewish Scriptures to be translated into
Greek (the work began B.C. 284 for the use of the Alexandrian Jews. The Jews in
Egypt continued for many ages to exercise a powerful influence on the public
interests of that country. From Egypt they spread along the coast of Africa to
Cyrene Ac 2:10 and to Ethiopia Ac 8:27
3. After the time of Seleucus Nicator (B.C. 280) one of
the captains of Alexander the Great, large numbers of Jews migrated into Syria,
where they enjoyed equal rights with the Macedonians. From Syria they found
their way into Asia Minor. Antiochus the Great, king of Syria and Asia, removed
3,000 families of Jews from Mesopotamia and Babylonia, and planted them in
Phrygia and Lydia.
4. From Asia Minor many Jews moved into Greece and
Macedonia, chiefly for purposes of commerce. In the apostles' time they were
found in considerable numbers in all the principal cities. From the time of
Pompey the Great (B.C. 63) numbers of Jews from Palestine and Greece went to
Rome, where they had a separate quarter of the city assigned to them. Here they
enjoyed considerable freedom. Thus were the Jews everywhere scattered abroad.
This, in the overruling providence of God, ultimately contributed in a great
degree toward opening the way for the spread of the gospel into all lands.
Dispersion, from the plain of Shinar. This was occasioned by the confusion of
tongues at Babel Ge 11:9 They were scattered abroad "every one after his
tongue, after their families, in their nations" Ge 10:5,20,31 The tenth
chapter of Genesis gives us an account of the principal nations of the earth in
their migrations from the plain of Shinar, which was their common residence
after the Flood. In general, it may be said that the descendants of Japheth
were scattered over the north, those of Shem over the central regions, and those
of Ham over the extreme south. The following table shows how the different
families were dispersed:
-Japheth
-Gomer Cimmerians,
Armenians
-Magog Caucasians,
Scythians
-Madal Medes and Persian tribes
-Javan
-Elishah Greeks
-Tarshish Etruscans, Romans
-Chittim Cyprians,
Macedonians
-Dodanim Rhodians
-Tubal Tibareni, Tartars
-Mechech Moschi, Muscovites
-Tiras Thracians
-Shem
-Elam Persian
tribes
-Asshur Assyrian
-Arphaxad
-Abraham -Isaac -Jacob Hebrews
-Esau Edomites
-Ishmael Mingled with Arab
tribes
-Lud Lydians
-Aram Syrians
-Ham -Cush Ethiopans
-Mizrain Egyptians
-Phut Lybians,
Mauritanians
-Canaan Canaanites,
Phoenicians
(Heb. pelek, a "circle"), the instrument used
for twisting threads by a whirl Pr 31:19
1. Of false prophets De 18:10,14 Mic 3:6,7,11
2. of necromancers 1Sa 28:8
3. of the Philistine priests and diviners 1Sa 6:2
4. of Balaam Jos 13:22 Three kinds of divination are
mentioned in Eze 21:21
1. by arrows,
2. consulting with images (the teraphim),
3. and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed.
The practice of this art seems to have been encouraged in
ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan and the
Philistines Isa 2:6 1Sa 28:1ff. At a later period multitudes of magicians
poured from Chaldea and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their
occupations Isa 8:19 2Ki 21:6 2Ch 33:6 This superstition widely spread, and in
the time of the apostles there were "vagabond Jews, exorcists" Ac
19:13 and men like Simon Magus Ac 8:9 Bar-jesus Ac 13:6,8 and other jugglers
and impostors Ac 19:19 2Ti 3:13 Every species and degree of this superstition
was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses Ex 22:18 Le 19:26,31 20:27 De
18:10,11 But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are instances of
divination on record in the Scriptures by which God was pleased to make known
his will.
1. There was divination by lot, by which, when resorted
to in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will Jos 7:13
The land of Canaan was divided by lot Nu 26:55,56 Achan's guilt was detected
Jos 7:16-19 Saul was elected king 1Sa 10:20,21 and Matthias chosen to the
apostleship, by the solem lot Ac 1:26 It was thus also that the scape-goat was
determined Le 16:8-10
2. There was divination by dreams Ge 20:6 De 13:1,3 Jud
7:13,15 Mt 1:20 2:12,13,19,22 This is illustrated in the history of Joseph Ge
41:25-32 and of Daniel Da 2:27 4:19-28
3. By divine appointment there was also divination by the
Urim and Thummim Nu 27:21 and by the ephod.
4. God was pleased sometimes to vouch-safe direct vocal
communications to men De 34:10 Ex 3:4 4:3 De 4:14,15 1Ki 19:12 He also communed
with men from above the mercy-seat Ex 25:22 and at the door of the tabernacle
Ex 29:42,43
5. Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave
intimations of his will 2Ki 13:17 Jer 51:63,64
See ENCHANTEMENTS
The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the
Mosaic law De 24:1-4 The Jews, after the Captivity, were reguired to dismiss
the foreign women they had married contrary to the law Ezr 10:11-19 Christ
limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It seems that
it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union on very
slight pretences Mt 5:31,32 19:1-9 Mr 10:2-12 Lu 16:18 These precepts given by
Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.
Region of gold, a place in the desert of Sinai, on the
western shore of the Elanitic gulf De 1:1 It is now called Dehab.
Lu 2:46 5:17 Ac 5:34 a teacher. The Jewish doctors taught
and disputed in synagogues, or wherever they could find an audience. Their
disciples were allowed to propose to them questions. They assumed the office
without any appointment to it. The doctors of the law were principally of the
sect of the Pharisees. Schools were established after the destruction of
Jerusalem at Babylon and Tiberias, in which academical degrees were conferred
on those who passed a certain examination. Those of the school of Tiberias were
called by the title "rabbi, "and those of Babylon by that of
"master."
Loving, one of David's captains 1Ch 27:4
See DODO
Leaders, a race descended from Javan Ge 10:4 They are known
in profane history as the Dardani, originally inhabiting Illyricum. They were a
semi-Pelasgic race, and in the ethnographical table Ge 10:1ff. they are grouped
with the Chittim (q.v.). In 1Ch 1:7 they are called Rodanim. The LXX. and the
Samaritan Version also read Rhodii, whence some have concluded that the
Rhodians, the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, are meant.
Amatory; loving.
1. A descendant of Issachar Jud 10:1
2. An Ahohite, father of Eleazar, who was one of David's
three heroes 2Sa 23:9 1Ch 11:12 He was the same with Dodai mentioned in 1Ch
27:4
3. A Bethlehemite, and father of Elhanan, who was one of
David's thirty heroes 2Sa 23:24
See DODAI
Fearful, an Edomite, the chief overseer of Saul's flocks
1Sa 21:7 At the command of Saul he slew the high priest Ahimelech (q.v.) at
Nob, together with all the priests to the number of eighty-five persons.
(Comp.) Ps 52:1 title.
Frequently mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments.
Dogs were used by the Hebrews as a watch for their houses Isa 56:10 and for
guarding their flocks Job 30:1 There were also then as now troops of semi-wild
dogs that wandered about devouring dead bodies and the offal of the streets 1Ki
14:11 16:4 21:19,23 22:38 Ps 59:6,14 As the dog was an unclean animal, the
terms "dog, ""dog's head, ""dead dog, " were used
as terms of reproach or of humiliation 1Sa 24:14 2Sa 3:8 2Sa 9:8 16:9 Paul
calls false apostles "dogs" Php 3:2 Those who are shut out of the
kingdom of heaven are also so designated Re 22:15 Persecutors are called
"dogs" Ps 22:16. Hazael's words, "Thy servant which is but a
dog" 2Ki 8:13 are spoken in mock humility=impossible that one so
contemptible as he should attain to such power.
(occurring only) Isa 13:21 Heb. ochim, i.e.,
"shrieks; "hence "howling animals"), a general name for
screech owls (howlets), which occupy the desolate palaces of Babylon. Some
render the word "hyaenas."
This word is used in Ps 84:10 (R.V. marg., "stand at
the threshold of, "etc.), but there it signifies properly "sitting at
the threshold in the house of God." The psalmist means that he would rather
stand at the door of God's house and merely look in, than dwell in houses where
iniquity prevailed. Persons were appointed to keep the street door leading into
the interior of the house Joh 18:16,17 Ac 12:13 Sometimes females held this
post.
The Jews were commanded to write the divine name on the
posts (mezuzoth')of their doors De 6:9 The Jews, misunderstanding this
injunction, adopted the custom of writing on a slip of parchment these verses
De 6:4-9 De 11:13-21 which they enclosed in a reed or cylinder and fixed on the
right-hand door-post of every room in the house.
Moved on pivots of wood fastened in sockets above and
below Pr 26:14 They were fastened by a lock Jud 3:23,25 So 5:5 or by a bar Jud
16:3 Job 38:10 In the interior of Oriental houses, curtains were frequently
used instead of doors. The entrances of the tabernacle had curtains Ex 26:31-33,36
The "valley of Achor" is called a "door of hope, "because
immediately after the execution of Achan the Lord said to Joshua, "Fear
not, "and from that time Joshua went forward in a career of uninterrupted
conquest. Paul speaks of a "door opened" for the spread of the gospel
1Co 16:9 2Co 2:12 Col 4:3 Our Lord says of himself, "I am the door"
Joh 10:9. John, Re 4:1 speaks of a "door opened in heaven."
Knocking, an encampment of the Israelites in the
wilderness Nu 33:12 It was in the desert of Sin, on the eastern shore of the
western arm of the Red Sea, somewhere in the Wady Feiran.
Dwelling, the Dora of the Romans, an ancient royal city
of the Canaanites Jos 11:1,2 12:23 It was the most southern settlement of the
Phoenicians on the coast of Syria. The original inhabitants seem never to have
been expelled, although they were made tributary by David. It was one of
Solomon's commissariat districts Jud 1:27 1Ki 4:11 It has been identified with
Tantura (so named from the supposed resemblance of its tower to a tantur, i.e.,
"a horn"). This tower fell in 1895 and nothing remains but debris and
foundation walls, the remains of an old Crusading fortress. It is about 8 miles
north of Caesarea, "a sad and sickly hamlet of wretched huts on a naked
sea-beach."
A female antelope, or gazelle, a pious Christian widow at
Joppa whom Peter restored to life Ac 9:36-41 She was a Hellenistic Jewess,
called Tabitha by the Jews and Dorcas by the Greeks.
Two wells, a famous pasture-ground where Joseph found his
brethren watching their flocks. Here, at the suggestion of Judah, they sold him
to the Ishmaelite merchants Ge 37:17 It is mentioned on monuments in B.C. 1600
It was the residence of Elisha 2Ki 6:13 and the scene of a remarkable vision of
chariots and horses of fire surrounding the mountain on which the city stood.
It is identified with the modern Tell-Dothan, on the south side of the plain of
Jezreel, about 12 miles north of Samaria, among the hills of Gilboa. The
"two wells" are still in existence, one of which bears the name of
the "pit of Joseph" (Jubb Yusuf).
(batsek, meaning "swelling, "i.e., in fermentation).
The dough the Israelites had prepared for baking was carried away by them out
of Egypt in their kneading-troughs Ex 12:34,39 In the process of baking, the
dough had to be turned Ho 7:8
In their wild state doves generally build their nests in
the clefts of rocks, but when domesticated "dove-cots" are prepared
for them So 2:14 Jer 48:28 Isa 60:8 The dove was placed on the standards of the
Assyrians and Babylonians in honour, it is supposed, of Semiramis Jer 25:38
Vulg., "fierceness of the dove; "comp. Jer 46:16 50:16 Doves and
turtle-doves were the only birds that could be offered in sacrifice, as they
were clean according to the Mosaic law Ge 15:9 Le 5:7 12:6 Lu 2:24 The dove was
the harbinger of peace to Noah Ge 8:8,10 It is often mentioned as the emblem of
purity Ps 68:13 It is a symbol of the Holy Spirit Ge 1:2 Mt 3:16 Mr 1:10 Lu
3:22 Joh 1:32 also of tender and devoted affection So 1:15 2:14 David in his
distress wished that he had the wings of a dove, that he might fly away and be
at rest Ps 55:6-8 There is a species of dove found at Damascus "whose
feathers, all except the wings, are literally as yellow as gold" Ps 68:13
2Ki 6:25 has been generally understood literally. There
are instances in history of the dung of pigeons being actually used as food
during a famine. Compare also the language of Rabshakeh to the Jews 2Ki 18:27
Isa 36:12 This name, however, is applied by the Arabs to different vegetable
substances, and there is room for the opinion of those who think that some such
substance is here referred to, as, e.g., the seeds of a kind of millet, or a
very inferior kind of pulse, or the root of the ornithogalum, i.e., bird-milk,
the star-of-Bethlehem.
(mohar; i.e., price paid for a wife,)Ge 34:12 Ex 22:17
1Sa 18:25 a nuptial present; some gift, as a sum of money, which the bridegroom
offers to the father of his bride as a satisfaction before he can receive her.
Jacob had no dowry to give for his wife, but he gave his services Ge 29:18
30:20 34:12
1. Heb. tannim, plural of tan. The name of some unknown
creature inhabiting desert places and ruins Job 30:29 Ps 44:19 Isa 13:22 34:13
43:20 Jer 10:22 Mic 1:8 Mal 1:3 probably, as translated in the Revised Version,
the jackal (q.v.).
2. Heb. tannin. Some great sea monster Jer 51:34 In Isa
51:9 it may denote the crocodile. In Ge 1:21 (Heb. plural tanninim) the
Authorized Version renders "whales, "and the Revised Version
"sea monsters." It is rendered "serpent" in Ex 7:9 It is
used figuratively in Ps 74:13 Eze 29:3 In the New Testament the word
"dragon" is found only in Re 12:3,4,7,9,16,17 etc., and is there used
metaphorically of "Satan."
See WHALE
Ne 2:13 supposed by some to be identical with the Pool of
Gihon.
The Authorized Version understood the word 'adarkonim 1Ch
29:7 Ezr 8:27 and the similar word darkomnim Ezr 2:69 Ne 7:70 as equivalent to
the Greek silver coin the drachma. But the Revised Version rightly regards it
as the Greek dareikos, a Persian gold coin (the daric) of the value of about 1
pound, 2s., which was first struck by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, and was
current in Western Asia long after the fall of the Persian empire.
See DARIC
2Ki 10:27 Jehu ordered the temple of Baal to be destroyed,
and the place to be converted to the vile use of receiving offal or ordure.
(Comp.) Mt 15:17
De 29:11 Jos 9:21,23 a servile employment to which the
Gibeonites were condemned.
God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating
his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the
history of:
1. Jacob Ge 28:12 31:10
2. Laban Ge 31:24
3. Joseph Ge 37:9-11
4. Gideon Jud 7:1ff.
5. Solomon 1Ki 3:5 Other significant dreams are also
recorded, such as those of:
1. Abimelech Ge 20:3-7
2. Pharaoh's chief butler and baker Ge 40:5
3. Pharaoh Ge 41:1-8
4. The Midianites Jud 7:13
5. Nebuchadnezzar Da 2:1 4:10,18
6. the wise men from the east Mt 2:12
7. Pilate's wife Mt 27:19
8. To Joseph "the Lord appeared in a dream,
"and gave him instructions regarding the infant Jesus Mt 1:20 2:12,13,19
9. In a vision of the night a "man of
Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and
help us" Ac 16:9 see also Ac 18:9 27:23.
Job 24:6
See CORN
Ps 75:8 Isa 51:17,22 the lees of wine which settle at the
bottom of the vessel.
1. Materials used. The earliest and simplest an apron of
fig-leaves sewed together Ge 3:7 then skins of animals Ge 3:21 Elijah's dress
was probably the skin of a sheep 2Ki 1:8 The Hebrews were early acquainted with
the art of weaving hair into cloth Ex 26:7 35:6 which formed the sackcloth of
mourners. This was the material of John the Baptist's robe Mt 3:4 Wool was also
woven into garments Le 13:47 De 22:11 Eze 34:3 Job 31:20 Pr 27:26 The
Israelites probably learned the art of weaving linen when they were in Egypt
1Ch 4:21 Fine linen was used in the vestments of the high priest Ex 28:5 as
well as by the rich Ge 41:42 Pr 31:22 Lu 16:19 The use of mixed material, as
wool and flax, was forbidden Le 19:19 De 22:11
2. Colour. The prevailing colour was the natural white of
the material used, which was sometimes rendered purer by the fuller's art Ps
104:1,2 Isa 63:3 Mr 9:3 The Hebrews were acquainted with the art of dyeing Ge
37:3,23 Various modes of ornamentation were adopted in the process of weaving
Ex 28:6 Ex 26:1,31 35:25 and by needle-work Jud 5:30 Ps 45:13 Dyed robes were
imported from foreign countries, particularly from Phoenicia Zep 1:8 Purple and
scarlet robes were the marks of the wealthy Lu 16:19 2Sa 1:24
3. Form. The robes of men and women were not very much
different in form from each other.
a. The "coat" (kethoneth), of wool, cotton, or
linen, was worn by both sexes. It was a closely-fitting garment, resembling in
use and form our shirt Joh 19:23 It was kept close to the body by a girdle Joh
21:7 A person wearing this "coat" alone was described as naked 1Sa
19:24 Isa 20:2 2Ki 6:30 Joh 21:7 deprived of it he would be absolutely naked.
b. A linen cloth or wrapper (sadin) of fine linen, used
somewhat as a night-shirt Mr 14:51 It is mentioned in Jud 14:12,13 and rendered
there "sheets."
c. An upper tunic (meil), longer than the
"coat" 1Sa 2:19 1Sa 24:4 28:14 In 1Sa 28:14 it is the mantle in which
Samuel was enveloped; in 1Sa 24:4 it is the "robe" under which Saul
slept. The disciples were forbidden to wear two "coats" Mt 10:10 Lu
9:3
d. The usual outer garment consisted of a piece of
woollen cloth like a Scotch plaid, either wrapped round the body or thrown over
the shoulders like a shawl, with the ends hanging down in front, or it might be
thrown over the head so as to conceal the face 2Sa 15:30 Es 6:12 It was
confined to the waist by a girdle, and the fold formed by the overlapping of
the robe served as a pocket 2Ki 4:39 Ps 79:12 Hag 2:12 Pr 17:23 21:14
4. Female dress. The "coat" was common to both
sexes So 5:3 But peculiar to females were:
a. the "veil" or "wimple, "a kind of
shawl Ru 3:15 rendered "mantle, "R.V., Isa 3:22
b. the "mantle, "also a species of shawl Isa
3:22
c. a "veil, "probably a light summer dress Ge
24:65
d. a "stomacher, "a holiday dress Isa 3:24
e. The outer garment terminated in an ample fringe or
border, which concealed the feet Isa 47:2 Jer 13:22 The dress of the Persians
is described in Da 3:21 The reference to the art of sewing are few, inasmuch as
the garments generally came forth from the loom ready for being worn, and all
that was required in the making of clothes devolved on the women of a family Pr
31:22 Ac 9:39 Extravagance in dress is referred to in Jer 4:30 Eze 16:10 Zep
1:8 (R.V., "foreign apparel"); 1Ti 2:9 1Pe 3:3 Rending the robes was expressive
of grief Ge 37:29,34 fear 1Ki 21:27 indignation 2Ki 5:7 or despair Jud 11:35 Es
4:1 Shaking the garments, or shaking the dust from off them, was a sign of
renunciation Ac 18:6 wrapping them round the head, of awe 1Ki 19:13 or grief
2Sa 15:30 casting them off, of excitement Ac 22:23 laying hold of them, of
supplication 1Sa 15:27 In the case of travelling, the outer garments were
girded up 1Ki 18:46 They were thrown aside also when they would impede action
Mr 10:50 Joh 13:4 Ac 7:58
The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, "strong
drink, "and vinegar. Their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or
"basin, "the "cruse" or pitcher, and the saucer. To drink
water by measure Eze 4:11 and to buy water to drink La 5:4 denote great
scarcity. To drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter. The Jews
carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the
law of Le 11:20,23,41,42 (See) Mt 23:24 ("Strain at" should be
"strain out.")
Consisted of wine Nu 15:5 Ho 9:4 poured around the altar
Ex 30:9 Joined with meat-offerings Nu 6:15,17 2Ki 16:13 Joe 1:9,13 2:14 presented
daily Ex 29:40 on the Sabbath Nu 28:9 and on feast-days Nu 28:14 One-fourth of
an hin of wine was required for one lamb, one-third for a ram, and one-half for
a bullock Nu 15:5 28:7,14 "Drink offerings of blood" Ps 16:4 is used
in allusion to the heathen practice of mingling the blood of animals sacrificed
with wine or water, and pouring out the mixture in the worship of the gods, and
the idea conveyed is that the psalmist would not partake of the abominations of
the heathen.
Drink, Strong
(Heb. shekar'),an intoxicating liquor Jud 13:4 Lu 1:15 Isa 5:11 Mic 2:11
distilled from corn, honey, or dates. The effects of the use of
strong drink are referred to in Ps 107:27 Isa 24:20 49:26 51:17-22 Its use
prohibited, Pr 20:1
See WINE
Isa 60:6 an African or Arabian species of camel having
only one hump, while the Bactrian camel has two. It is distinguished from the
camel only as a trained saddle-horse is distinguished from a cart-horse. It is
remarkable for its speed Jer 2:23 Camels are frequently spoken of in
partriarchal times Ge 12:16 24:10 30:43 31:17 etc. They were used for carrying
burdens Ge 37:25 Jud 6:5 and for riding Ge 24:64 The hair of the camel falls
off of itself in spring, and is woven into coarse cloths and garments Mt 3:4
See CAMEL
Mentioned only in Lu 14:2 The man afflicted with it was
cured by Christ on the Sabbath.
The impurities of silver separated from the one in the
process of melting Pr 25:4 26:23 Ps 119:119 It is also used to denote the base
metal itself, probably before it is smelted, in Isa 1:22,25
From the middle of May to about the middle of August the
land of Palestine is dry. It is then the "drought of summer" Ge 31:40
Ps 32:4 and the land suffers De 28:23 Ps 102:4 vegetation being preserved only
by the dews Hag 1:11
See DEW
Ex 15:4 Am 8:8 Heb 11:29 Drowning was a mode of capital punishment
in use among the Syrians, and was known to the Jews in the time of our Lord. To
this he alludes in Mt 18:6
The first case of intoxication on record is that of Noah
Ge 9:21 The sin of drunkenness is frequently and strongly condemned Ro 13:13
1Co 6:9,10 Eph 5:18 1Th 5:7,8 The sin of drinking to excess seems to have been
not uncommon among the Israelites. The word is used figuratively, when men are
spoken of as being drunk with sorrow, and with the wine of God's wrath Isa 63:6
Jer 51:57 Eze 23:33 To "add drunkenness to thirst" De 29:19 A.V. is a
proverbial expression, rendered in the Revised Version "to destroy the
moist with the dry", i.e., the well-watered equally with the dry land,
meaning that the effect of such walking in the imagination of their own hearts
would be to destroy one and all.
Third and youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Ac 12:1-4,20-23
Felix, the Roman procurator of Judea, induced her to leave her husband, Azizus,
the king of Emesa, and become his wife. She was present with Felix when Paul
reasoned of "righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" Ac
24:24 She and her son perished in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, A.D. 79.
Derived from the Latin dux, meaning "a leader;
"Arabic, "a sheik." This word is used to denote the phylarch or
chief of a tribe Ge 36:15-43 Ex 15:15 1Ch 1:51-54
(Heb. sumphoniah), a musical instrument mentioned in Da
3:5,15 along with other instruments there named, as sounded before the golden
image. It was not a Jewish instrument. In the margin of the Revised Version it
is styled the "bag-pipe." Luther translated it "lute, "and
Grotius the "crooked trumpet." It is probable that it was introduced
into Babylon by some Greek or Western-Asiatic musician. Some Rabbinical
commentators render it by "organ, "the well-known instrument composed
of a series of pipes, others by "lyre." The most probable
interpretation is that it was a bag-pipe similar to the zampagna of Southern
Europe.
Silence, (comp.) Ps 94:17 the fourth son of Ishmael; also
the tribe descended from him; and hence also the region in Arabia which they
inhabited Ge 25:14 1Ch 1:30 There was also a town of this name in Judah Jos 15:52
which has been identified with ed-Domeh, about 10 miles southwest of Hebron.
The place mentioned in the "burden" of the prophet Isaiah Isa 21:11
is Edom or Idumea.
From natural infirmity Ex 4:11 not knowing what to say Pr
31:8 unwillingness to speak Ps 39:9 Le 10:3 Christ repeatedly restored the dumb
Mt 9:32,33 Lu 11:14 Mt 12:22 to the use of speech.
1. Used as manure Lu 13:8 collected outside the city
walls Ne 2:13 Of sacrifices, burned outside the camp Ex 29:14 Le 4:11 8:17 Nu
19:5 To be "cast out as dung, "a figurative expression 1Ki 14:10 2Ki
9:37 Jer 8:2 Ps 18:42 meaning to be rejected as unprofitable.
2. Used as fuel, a substitute for firewood, which was
with difficulty procured in Syria, Arabia, and Egypt Eze 4:12-15 where cows'
and camels' dung is used to the present day for this purpose.
Different from the ordinary prison in being more severe
as a place of punishment. Like the Roman inner prison Ac 16:24 it consisted of
a deep cell or cistern Jer 38:6 To be shut up in, a punishment common in Egypt
Ge 39:20 40:3 41:10 42:19 It is not mentioned, however, in the law of Moses as
a mode of punishment. Under the later kings imprisonment was frequently used as
a punishment 2Ch 16:10 Jer 20:2 Jer 32:2 33:1 37:15 and it was customary after
the Exile Mt 11:2 Lu 3:20 Ac 5:18,21 Mt 18:30
Ne 2:13 a gate of ancient Jerusalem, on the south-west
quarter. "The gate outside of which lay the piles of sweepings and
offscourings of the streets, "in the valley of Tophet.
To sit on a, was a sign of the deepest dejection 1Sa 2:8
Ps 113:7 La 4:5
The circle, the plain near Babylon in which
Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image, mentioned in Da 3:1 The place still
retains its ancient name. On one of its many mounds the pedestal of what must
have been a colossal statue has been found. It has been supposed to be that of the
golden image.
Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern
travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah
threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a
rain of "powder and dust" De 28:24 To cast dust on the head was a
sign of mourning Jos 7:6 and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction Isa 47:1
"Dust" is used to denote the grave Job 7:21 "To shake off the
dust from one's feet" against another is to renounce all future
intercourse with him Mt 10:14 Ac 13:51 To "lick the dust" is a sign
of abject submission Ps 72:9 and to throw dust at one is a sign of abhorrence
2Sa 16:13 comp. Ac 22:23
A lean or emaciated person Le 21:20
Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of
men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud
Job 24:16 Mt 6:19,20 or of sun-dried bricks. God "dwells in light"
1Ti 6:16 1Jo 1:7 in heaven Ps 123:1 in his church Ps 9:11 1Jo 4:12 Christ dwelt
on earth in the days of his humiliation Joh 1:14 He now dwells in the hearts of
his people Eph 3:17-19 The Holy Spirit dwells in believers 1Co 3:16 2Ti 1:14 We
are exhorted to "let the word of God dwell in us richly" Col 3:16 Ps
119:11 Dwell deep occurs only in Jer 49:8 and refers to the custom of seeking
refuge from impending danger, in retiring to the recesses of rocks and caverns,
or to remote places in the desert.
The materials used in buildings were commonly bricks,
sometimes also stones Le 14:40,42 which were held together by cement Jer 43:9
or bitumen Ge 11:3 The exterior was usually whitewashed Le 14:41 Eze 13:10 Mt
23:27 The beams were of sycamore Isa 9:10 or olive-wood, or cedar 1Ki 7:2 Isa
9:10 The form of Eastern dwellings differed in many respects from that of
dwellings in Western lands. The larger houses were built in a quadrangle
enclosing a court-yard Lu 5:19 2Sa 17:18 Ne 8:16 surrounded by galleries, which
formed the guest-chamber or reception-room for visitors. The flat roof,
surrounded by a low parapet, was used for many domestic and social purposes. It
was reached by steps from the court. In connection with it 2Ki 23:12 was an
upper room, used as a private chamber 2Sa 18:33 Da 6:11 also as a bedroom 2Ki
23:12 a sleeping apartment for guests 2Ki 4:10 and as a sick-chamber 1Ki 17:19
The doors, sometimes of stone, swung on morticed pivots, and were generally
fastened by wooden bolts. The houses of the more wealthy had a doorkeeper or a
female porter Joh 18:16 Ac 12:13 The windows generally opened into the
courtyard, and were closed by a lattice Jud 5:28 The interior rooms were set
apart for the female portion of the household. The furniture of the room 2Ki 4:10
consisted of a couch furnished with pillows Am 6:4 Eze 13:20 and besides this,
chairs, a table and lanterns or lamp-stands 2Ki 4:10
The art of dyeing is one of great antiquity, although no
special mention is made of it in the Old Testament. The Hebrews probably
learned it from the Egyptians (see) Ex 26:1 28:5-8 who brought it to great
perfection. In New Testament times Thyatira was famed for its dyers Ac 16:14
See COLOUR