Geliloth

(circuit), a place named among the marks of the south boundary line of the tribe of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:17) The name Geliloth never occurs again in this locality, and it therefore seems probable that Gilgal is the right reading.


Gemalli

(camel-driver), the father of Ammiel, the Danite spy. (Numbers 13:12) (B.C. 1490.)


Gemariah

+ Son of Shaphan the scribe, and father of Michaiah. He was one of the nobles of Judah, and had a chamber int he house of the Lord, from which Baruch read Jeremiah's alarming prophecy in the ears of all the people, B.C. 606. (Jeremiah 36:1) ... + Son of Hilkiah, was made the bearer of Jeremiah's letter to the captive Jews. (Jeremiah 29:3) (B.C. 594.)


Genealogy

In Hebrew the term for genealogy or pedigree is "the book of the generations;" and because the oldest histories were usually drawn up on a genealogical basis, the expression often extended to the whole history, as is the case with the Gospel of St. Matthew, where "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ" includes the whole history contained in that Gospel. The promise of the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob successively, and the separation of the Israelites from the Gentile world; the expectation of Messiah as to spring from the tribe of Judah; the exclusively hereditary priesthood of Aaron with its dignity and emoluments; the long succession of kings in the line of David; and the whole division and occupations of the land upon genealogical principles by the tribes, occupation of the land upon genealogical principles by the tribes, families and houses of fathers, gave a deeper importance to the science of genealogy among the Jews than perhaps any other nation. When Zerubbabel brought back the captivity from Babylon, one of his first cares seems to have been to take a census of those that returned, and to settle them according to their genealogies. Passing on to the time of the birth of Christ, we have a striking incidental proof of the continuance of the Jewish genealogical economy in the fact that when Augustus ordered the census of the empire to be taken, the Jews in the province of Syria immediately went each one to his own city. The Jewish genealogical records continued to be kept till near the destruction of Jerusalem. But there can be little doubt that the registers of the Jewish tribes and families perished at the destruction of Jerusalem, and not before. It remains to be said that just notions of the nature of the Jewish genealogical records are of great importance with a view to the right interpretation of Scripture. Let it only be remembered that these records have respect to political and territorial divisions as much as to strictly genealogical descent, and it will at once be seen how erroneous a conclusion it may be that all who are called "sons" of such or such a patriarch or chief father must necessarily be his very children. Of any one family or house became extinct, some other would succeed to its place, called after its own chief father. Hence of course a census of any tribe drawn up at a later period would exhibit different divisions from one drawn up at an earlier. The same principle must be borne in mind in interpreting any particular genealogy Again, when a pedigree was abbreviated, it would naturally specify such generations as would indicates from what chief houses the person descended. Females are named in genealogies when there is anything remarkable about them, or when any right or property is transmitted through them. See (Genesis 11:29; 22:23; 25:1-4; 35:22-26; Exodus 6:23; Numbers 26:33)


Genealogy Of Jesus Christ

The New Testament gives us the genealogy of but one person, that of our Saviour. This is given because it was important to prove that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies spoken of him. Only as the son and heir of David should he be the Messiah. The following propositions will explain the true construction of these genealogies:--

+ They are both the genealogies of Joseph, i.e. of Jesus Christ as the reputed and legal son of Joseph and Mary. + The genealogy of St. Matthew is Joseph's genealogy as legal successor to the throne of David. St. Luke's is Joseph's private Genealogy, exhibiting his real birth as David's son, and thus showing why he was heir to Solomon's crown. The simple principle that one evangelist exhibits that genealogy which contained the successive heir to David's and Solomon's throne, while the other exhibits the paternal stem of him who was the heir, explains all the anomalies of the two pedigrees, their agreements as well as their discrepancies, and the circumstance of there being two at all. + Mary, the mother of Jesus, was in all probability the daughter of Jacob, and first cousin to Joseph her husband. Thus: Matthan or Matthat Father of Jacob, Heli Jacob Father of Mary = Jacob'e heir was (Joseph) Heli Father of Joseph JESUS, called Christ. (Godet, Lange and many others take the ground that Luke gives the genealogy of Mary, rendering (Luke 3:23) thus: Jesus "being (as was suppposed) the son of Joseph, (but in reality) the son of Heli." In this case Mary, as declared in the Targums, was the daughter of Heli, and Heli was the grandfather of Jesus. Mary's name was omitted because "ancient sentiment did not comport with the mention of the mother as the genealogical link." So we often find in the Old Testament the grandson called the son. This view has this greatly in its favor, that it shows that Jesus was not merely the legal but the actual descendant of David; and it would be very strange that in the gospel accounts, where so much is made of Jesus being the son and heir of David and of his kingdom his real descent from David should not be given.--ED.)


Generation

In the long-lived patriarchal age a generation seems to have been computed at 100 years, (Genesis 15:16) comp. Genesis15:13 and Eccl 12:40 But subsequently the reckoning was the same which has been adopted by modern civilized nations, viz. from thirty to forty years (Job 42:16) (Generation is also used to signify the men of an age or time, as contemporaries, (Genesis 6:9; Isaiah 53:8) posterity, especially in legal formulae, (Leviticus 3:17) etc.; fathers, or ancestors. (Psalms 49:19)


Genesis

(origin), the first book of the law or Pentateuch, so called from its title ia the Septuagint, that is, Creation . Its author was Moses. The date of writing was probably during the forty-years wanderings in the wilderness, B.C. 1491-1451. Time .--The book of Genesis covered 2369 years,--from the creation of Adam, A.M 1, to the death of Joseph, A.M. 2369, or B.C. 1635. Character and purpose .--The book of Genesis (with the first chapters of Exodus) describes the steps which led to the establishment of the theocracy. It is a part of the writer's plan to tell us what the divine preparation of the world was in order to show, first, the significance of the call of Abraham, and next, the true nature of the Jewish theocracy. He begins with the creation of the world, because the God who created the world and the God who revealed himself to the fathers is the same God. The book of Genesis has thus a character at once special and universal. Construction .--It is clear that Moses must have derived his knowledge of the events which he records in Genesis either from immediate divine revelation or from oral tradition or written documents. The nature of many of the facts related, and the minuteness of the narration, render it extremely improbable that immediate revelation was the source from whence they were drawn. That his knowledge should have been derived from oral tradition appears morally impossible when we consider the great number of names, ages, dates and minute events which are recorded. The conclusion then, seems fair that he must have obtained his information from written documents coeval, or nearly so, with the events which they recorded, and composed by persons intimately acquainted with the subjects to which they relate. He may have collected these, with additions from authentic tradition or existing monuments under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, into a single book. Certain it is that several of the first chapters of Genesis have the air of being made up of selections from very ancient documents, written by different authors at different periods. The variety which is observable in the names and titles of the Supreme Being is appealed to among the most striking proofs of this fact. This is obvious in the English translation, but still more so in the Hebrew original. In Gen 1 to 2:3, which is really one piece of composition, as the title, v. 4, "These are the generations," shows, the name of the Most High is uniformly Elohim, God. In ch. (Genesis 2:4) to ch. 3, which may be considered the second document, the title is uniformly Yehovah Elohim, Lord God ; and in the third, including ch. 4, it is Yehovah, Lord, only; while in ch. 5 it is Elohim, God only, except in v. 29, where a quotation is made, and Yehovah used. It is hardly conceivable that all this should be the result of mere accident. The changes of the name correspond exactly to the changes in the narratives and the titles of the several pieces." Now, do all these accurate quotations," says Professor Stowe, "impair the credit of the Mosaic books, or increase it? Is Marshall's Life of Washington to be regarded as unworthy of credit because it contains copious extracts from Washington's correspondence and literal quotations from important public documents? Is not its value greatly enhanced by this circumstance? The objection is altogether futile. In the common editions of the Bible the Pentateuch occupies about one hundred and fifty pages, of which perhaps ten may be taken up with quotations. This surely is no very large proportion for an historical work extending through so long a period."--Bush. On the supposition that writing was known to Adam, Gen. 1-4, containing the first two of these documents, formed the Bible of Adam's descendants, or the antediluvians. Gen 1 to 11:9, being the sum of these two and the following three, constitutes the Bible of the descendants of Noah. The whole of Genesis may be called the Bible of the posterity of Jacob; and the five Books of the Law were the first Bible of Israel as a nation.--Canon Cook.


Gennesaret

(garden of the prince), Land of. It is generally believed that this term was applied to the fertile crescent-shaped plain on the western shore of the lake, extending from Khan Minyeh (two or three miles south of Capernaum (Tel-Hum) on the north to the steep hill behind Mejdel (Magdala) on the south, and called by the Arabs el-Ghuweir, "the little Ghor." Mr. Porter gives the length as three miles, and the greatest breadth as about one mile. Additional interest is given to the land of Gennesaret, or el-Ghuweir, by the probability that its scenery suggested the parable of the sower. It is mentioned only twice in Scripture - (Matthew 14:34; Mark 6:53) Compare Luke 5:1


Gennesareth

Inaccurately written for [[541]Gennesaret]


Gentiles

(nations). All the people who were not Jews were so called by them, being aliens from the worship, rites and privileges of Israel. The word was used contemptuously by them. In the New Testament it is used as equivalent to Greek. This use of the word seems to have arisen from the almost universal adaption of the Greek language.


Genubath

the son of Hadad, an Edomite of the royal family, by an Egyptian princess, the sister of Tahpenes, the queen of the Pharaoh who governed Egypt in the latter part of the reign of David. (1 Kings 11:20) comp. 1Kin 11:16 (B.C. 1015.)


Gera

(a grain), one of the "sons," i.e. descendants, of Benjamin. (Genesis 46:21) Gera, who is named, (Judges 3:15) as the ancestor of Ehud, and in (2 Samuel 16:5) as the ancestor of Shimei who cursed David, is probably also the same person (though some consider them different persons).


Gerah

[[542]Weights And Measures AND [543]Measures]


Gerar

(a lodging-place), a very ancient city south of Gaza. It occurs chiefly in Genesis, (Genesis 10:19; 20:1; 26:17) also incidentally in (2 Chronicles 14:13,14) It must have trenched on the "south" or "south country" of later Palestine. From a comparison of (Genesis 21:32) with Genesis26:23,26 Beersheba would seem to be just on the verge of this territory, and perhaps to be its limit towards the northeast.


Gerasenes

(Luke 8:26) Revised Version; [See [544]Gadarenes, Girgesenes, Gerasenes]


Gergesenes

[See [545]Gadarenes, Girgesenes, Gerasenes]


Gerizim

(cutters), a limestone mountain, 2855 feet high (800 feet above the valley at its foot), in Ephraim, near Shechem (Sychar), from which the blessings were read to the Israelites on entering Canaan. [See [546]Ebal, Mount] According to the traditions of the Samaritans it was here that Abraham sacrificed Isaac, that Melchizedek met the patriarch, that Jacob built an altar, and at its base dug a well, the ruins of which are still seen. Some scholars think there is ground for the first belief (so Smith); but careful observers of the locality discredit it and believe Moriah to be the spot. [See [547]Moriah] Gerizim was the site of the Samaritan temple, which was built there after the captivity, in rivalry with the temple at Jerusalem. [See [548]Samaritans] Gerizim is still to the Samaritans what Jerusalem is to the Jews and Mecca to the Mohammedans.


Gershom

+ The first-born son of Moses and Zipporah. (Exodus 2:22; 18:3) (B.C. 1530.) + The form under which the name [550]Gershon--the eldest son of Levi--is given in several passages of Chronicles, viz., (1 Chronicles 6:16,17,20,43,62,71; 15:7) + The representative of the priestly family of Phinehas, among those who accompanied Ezra from Babylon. (Ezra 8:2) (B.C. 536.)


Gershon

(exile). The eldest of the three sons of Levi, born before the descent of Jacob's family into Egypt. (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16) (B.C. before 1706.) But, though the eldest born, the families of Gershon were outstripped in fame by their younger brethren of Kohath, from whom sprang Moses and the priestly line of Aaron.


Gershonites, The

the family descended from Gershon or Gershom, the son of Levi. "THE GERSH0NITE," as applied to individuals, occurs in (1 Chronicles 26:21) The sons of Gershon (the Gershonites) had charge of the fabrics of the tabernacle--the coverings, curtains, hangings and cords. (Numbers 3:25,26; 4:25,26)


Gerzites

(dwellers in the desert), The, a tribe who with the Geshurites and the Amalekites occupied the land between the south of Palestine and Egypt in the time of Saul. (1 Samuel 27:8) In the name of Mount Gerizim we have the only remaining trace of the presence of this old tribe of Bedouins in central Palestine.


Gesham

(filthy) (sometimes written GESHAN), one of the sons of Judah, in the genealogy of Judah and family of Caleb. (1 Chronicles 2:47)


Geshem

and Gash'mu (rain), an Arabian, mentioned in (Nehemiah 2:19) and Nehe 6:1,2,6 (B.C. 446.) We may conclude that he was an inhabitant of Arabia Petraea or of the Arabian desert, and probably the chief of a tribe." Gashum said it" made him a type of those who create a common report.


Geshur

(a bridge), a little principality of Syria, northeast of Bashan. (3:14; 2 Samuel 15:8) It ia highly probable that Geshur was a section of the wild and rugged region now called el-Lejah, still a refuge for criminals and outlaws. [[551]Argob]


Geshuri And Geshurites

+ The inhabitants of Geshur. (3:14; Joshua 12:5; 13:11) + An ancient tribe which dwelt in the desert between Arabia and Philistia. (Joshua 13:2; 1 Samuel 27:8)


Gether

(fear), the third in order of the sons of Aram. (Genesis 10:23) No satisfactory trace of the people sprung from this stock has been found.


Gethsemane

(an oil-press), a small "farm," (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32) situated across the brook Kedron (John 18:1) probably at the foot of Mount Olivet, (Luke 22:39) to the northwest and about one-half or three quarters of a mile English from the walls of Jerusalem, and 100 yards east of the bridge over the Kedron. There was a "garden," or rather orchard, attached to it, to which the olive, fig and pomegranate doubtless invited resort by their hospitable shade. And we know from the evangelists (Luke 22:39) And (John 18:2) that our Lord ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. But Gethsemane has not come down to us as a scene of mirth; its inexhaustible associations are the offspring of a single event--the agony of the Son of God on the evening preceding his passion. A garden, with eight venerable olive trees, and a grotto to the north detached from it, and in closer connection with the church of the sepulchre of the Virgin, are pointed out as the Gethsemane. Against the contemporary antiquity of the olive trees it has been urged that Titus cut down all the trees about Jerusalem. The probability would seem to be that they were planted by Christian hands to mark the spot unless, like the sacred olive of the Acropolis, they may have reproduced themselves.


Geuel

(majesty of God), son of Machi the Gadite spy. (Numbers 13:15) (B.C 1490.)


Gezer

(a precipice), an ancient city of Canaan, whose king, Hiram or Elam, coming to the assistance of Lachish, was killed with all his people by Joshua. (Joshua 10:33; 12:12) It formed one of the landmarks on the north boundary of Ephraim, between the lower Beth-horon and the Mediterranean, (Joshua 16:3) the western limit of the tribe (1 Chronicles 7:28) It was allotted with its suburbs to the Kohathite Levites, (Joshua 21:21; 1 Chronicles 6:67) but the original inhabitants were not dispossessed, (Judges 1:29) and even down to the reign of Solomon the Canaanites were still dwelling there, and paying tribute to Israel (1 Kings 9:16) It was burned by Pharaoh in Solomon's time, (1 Kings 9:15-17) and given to Solomon's Egyptian wife, and rebuilt by him.


Gezrites The

The word which the Jewish critics have substituted in the margin of the Bible for the ancient reading, "the Gerizite." (1 Samuel 27:8) [[552]Gerizites, THE]


Giah

(a waterfall), a place named only in (2 Samuel 2:24) to designate the position of the hill Ammah.


Giants

+ They are first spoken of in (Genesis 6:4) under the name Nephilim. We are told in (Genesis 6:1-4) that "there were Nephilim in the earth," and that afterwards the "sons of God" mingling with the beautiful "daughters of mens produced a race of violent and insolent Gibborim (Authorized Version "mighty men"). + The Rephalim, a name which frequently occurs. The earliest mention of them is the record of their defeat by Chedorlaomer and some allied kings at Ashteroth Karnaim. The "valley of Rephaim," (2 Samuel 5:18; 1 Chronicles 11:15; Isaiah 17:5) a rich valley southwest of Jerusalem, derived its name from them. They were probably an aboriginal people of which the EMIM, [553]Anakim and [554]Zuzim, The [which see] were branches. [See also [555]Goliath]


Gibbar

(gigantic), the father of some who returned with Zerubbabel from Babylon. (Ezra 2:20)


Gibbethon

(a hill), a town allotted to the tribe of Dan, (Joshua 19:44) and afterwards given with its "suburbs" to the Kohathite Levites. ch. (Joshua 21:23)


Gibea

(a hill). Sheva "the father of Macbenah" and "father of Gibea" is mentioned with other names, unmistakably those of places and not persons, among the descendants of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:49) comp. 1Chr 2:42 This would seem to point out Gibea.


Gibeah

a word employed in the Bible to denote a hill. Like most words of this kind it gave its name to several towns and places in Palestine, which would doubtless be generally on or near a hill. They are--

+ Gibeah, a city in the mountain district of Judah, named with Maon and the southern Carmel, (Joshua 15:57) and comp. 1Chr 2:49 etc. + Gibeah of Benjamin first appears in the tragical story of the Levite and his concubine. (Judges 19:20) It was then a "city," with the usual open street or square, (Judges 19:15,17,20) and containing 700 "chosen men," ch. (Judges 20:15) probably the same whose skill as slingers is preserved in the next verse. In many particulars Gibeah agrees very closely with Tuleil-el-Ful, a conspicuous eminence just four mlles north of Jerusalem, to the right of the road. We next meet with Glbeah of Benjamin during the Philistine wars of Saul and Jonathan. (1 Samuel 13:15,16) It now bears its full title. As "Gibeah of Benjamin" this place is referred to in (2 Samuel 23:29) (comp. 1Chr 11:31), and as "Gibeah" it is mentioned by Hosea, (Hosea 5:8; 9:9; 10:9) but it does not again appear in the history. It is, however, almost without doubt identical with + Gibeah of Saul. This is not mentioned as Saul's city till after his anointing, (1 Samuel 10:26) when is said to have gone "home" to Gibeah. In the subsequent narrative the town bears its full name. ch (1 Samuel 11:4) + Gibeah in Kirjath-jearim was no doubt a hill in that city, and the place in which the ark remained from the time of its return by the Philistines till its removal by David. (2 Samuel 6:3,4) comp. 1Sam 7:1,2 + Gibeah in the field, named only in (Judges 20:31) as the place to which one of the "highways" led from Gibeah of Benjamin. It is probably the same as Geba. The "meadows of Gaba" (Authorized Version Gibeah), (Judges 20:33) have no connection with the "field," the Hebrew word being entirely different.


Gibeath

probably the same as, [556]Gibeah OF [557]Benjamin, The Land Of. (Joshua 18:28)


Gibeon

(hill city), one of the four, cities of the Hivites, the inhabitants of which made a league with Joshua, (Joshua 9:3-15) and thus escaped the fate of Jericho and Ai. Comp. ch. (Joshua 11:19) Gibeon lay within the territory of Benjamin, ch. (Joshua 18:25) and with its "suburbs" was allotted to the priests, ch. (Joshua 21:17) of whom it became afterwards a principal station. It retains its ancient name almost intact, el-Jib . Its distance from Jerusalem by the main road is about 6 1/2 miles; but there is a more direct road reducing it to five miles.


Gibeonites, The

the people of Gibeon, and perhaps also of the three cities associated with Gibeon, (Joshua 9:17)--Hivites; and who, on the discover of the stratagem by which they had obtained the protection of the Israelites, were condemned to be perpetual bondmen, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the house of God and altar of Jehovah. (Joshua 9:23,27) Saul appears to have broken this covenant, and in a fit of enthusiasm or patriotism to have killed some and devised a general massacre of the rest. (2 Samuel 21:1,2,5) This was expiated many years after by giving up seven men of Saul's descendants to the Gibeonites, who hung them or crucified them "before Jehovah"--as a kind of sacrifice-- in Gibeah, Saul's own town. ch. (2 Samuel 21:4,6,9)


Giddalti

(I have trained up), one of the sons of Heman, the king's seer. (1 Chronicles 25:4)


Giddel

+ Children of Giddel were among the Nethinim who returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:47; Nehemiah 7:49) + Bene-Giddel were also among the "servants of Solomon" who returned to Judea in the name caravan. (Ezra 2:56; Nehemiah 7:58) (B.C. 536.)


Gideon

(he that cuts down), youngest son of Joash of the Abiezrites, an undistinguished family who lived at Ophrah, a town probably on the west of Jordan, (Judges 6:15) in the territory of Manasseh, near Shechem. He was the fifth recorded judge of Israel, and for many reasons the greatest of them all. When we first hear of him he was grown up and had sons, (Judges 6:11; 8:20) and from the apostrophe of the angel, ch. (Judges 6:12) we may conclude that he had already distinguished himself in war against the roving bands of nomadic robbers who had oppressed Israel for seven years. When the angel appeared, Gideon was threshing wheat with a flail in the wine-press, to conceal it from the predatory tyrants. His call to be a deliverer, and his destruction of Baal's altar, are related in Judges 6. After this begins the second act of Gideon's life. Clothed by the Spirit of God, (Judges 6:34) comp. 1Chr 12:18; Luke 24:49 He blew a trumpet, and was joined by Zebulun, Naphtali and even the reluctant Asher. Strengthened by a double sign from God, he reduced his army of 32,000 by the usual proclamation. (20:8) comp. 1 Macc. 3:56. By a second test at "the spring of trembling the further reduced the number of his followers to 300. (Judges 7:5) seq. The midnight attack upon the Midianites, their panic, and the rout and slaughter that followed are told in (Judges 7:1) ... The memory of this splendid deliverance took deep root in the national traditions. (1 Samuel 12:11; Psalms 83:11; Isaiah 9:4; 10:26; Hebrews 11:32) After this there was a peace of forty years, and we see Gideon in peaceful possession of his well-earned honors, and surrounded by the dignity of a numerous household. (Judges 8:29-31) It is not improbable that, like Saul, he owed a part of his popularity to his princely appearance. (Judges 8:18) In this third stage of his life occur alike his most noble and his most questionable acts viz., the refusal of the monarchy on theocratic grounds, and the irregular consecration of a jewelled ephod formed out of the rich spoils of Midian, which proved to the Israelites a temptation to idolatry although it was doubtless intended for use in the worship of Jehovah.


Gideoni

(a cutting down), a Benjamite, father of Abidan. (Numbers 1:11; 7:60,65; 10:24)


Gidom

(desolation), a place named only in (Judges 20:45) It would appear to have been situated between Gibeah (Tuliel-el-Ful) and the cliff Rimmon.


Giereagle

an unclean bird mentioned in (Leviticus 11:18) and Deuteronomy 14:17 Identical in reality as in name with the racham, of the Arabs, viz., the Egyptian vulture.


Gift

The giving and receiving of presents has in all ages been not only a more frequent but also a more formal and significant proceeding in the East than among ourselves. We cannot adduce a more remarkable proof of the important part which presents play in the social life of the East than the fact that the Hebrew language possesses no less than fifteen different expressions for the one idea. The mode of presentation was with as much parade as possible. The refusal of a present was regarded us a high indignity. No less an insult was it not to bring a present when the position of the parties demanded it. (1 Samuel 10:27)


Gihon

+ The second river of Paradise. (Genesis 2:13) [[559]Eden] + A place near Jerusalem, memorable as the scene of the anointing and proclamation of Solomon as king. (1 Kings 1:33,38,45)


Gilalai

(weighty), one of the priests' sons at the consecration of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 12:36) (B.C. 446.)


Gilboa

(a bubbling spring) a mountain range on the eastern side of the plain of Esdraelon, rising over the city of Jezreel. Comp. (1 Samuel 28:4) with 1Sam 29:1 It is mentioned in Scripture only in connection with one event in Israelitish history, the defeat and death of Saul and Jonathan by the Philistines. (1 Samuel 31:11; 2 Samuel 1:6; 21:12; 1 Chronicles 10:1,8) Of the identity of Gilboa with the ridge which stretches eastward from the ruins of Jezreel no doubt can be entertained. The village is now called Jelbou .


Gilead

+ A mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon. (Genesis 31:21; 3:12-17) It is sometimes called "Mount Gilead," (Genesis 31:25) sometimes "the land of Gilead," (Numbers 32:1) and sometimes simply "Gilead." (Psalms 60:7; Genesis 37:25) The name Gilead, as is usual in Palestine, describes the physical aspect of the country: it signifies "a hard rocky region." The mountains of Gilead, including Pisgah, Abarim and Peor, have a real elevation of from 2000 to 3000 feet; but their apparent elevation on the western side is much greater, owing to the depression of the Jordan valley, which averages about 3000 feet. Their outline is singularly uniform, resembling a massive wall running along the horizon. Gilead was specially noted for its balm collected from "balm of Gilead" trees, and worth twice its weight in silver. + Possibly the name of a mountain west of the Jordan, near Jezreel. (Judges 7:3) We are inclined, however, to think that the true reading in this place should be [560]Gilboa. + Son of Machir, grandson of Manasseh. (Numbers 26:29,30) + The father of Jephthah. (Judges 11:1,2)


Gileadites, The

(Numbers 26:29; Judges 10:3; 12:4,5), a branch of the tribe of Manasseh, descended from Gilead.


Gilgal

+ The site of the first camp of the Israelites on the west of the Jordan, the place at which they passed the first night after crossing the river, and where the twelve stones were set up which had been taken from the bed of the stream, (Joshua 4:19,20) comp. Josh 4:3 Where also they kept the first passover in the land of Canaan ch. (Joshua 5:10) It was "in the east border of Jericho," apparently on a hillock or rising ground, (Joshua 5:3) comp. Josh 5:9 In the Arboth-Jericho (Authorized Version "the plains"), that is, the hot depressed district of the Ghor which lay between the town and the Jordan. ch. (Joshua 5:10) Here Samuel was judge, and Saul was made king. We again have a glimpse of it, some sixty years later, in the history of David's return to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 19:40) A Gilgal is spoken of in (Joshua 15:7) in describing the north border of Judah. In (Joshua 18:17) it is given as Geliloth. Gilgal near Jericho is doubtless intended. + In (2 Kings 2:1,2; 4:38) is named a Gilgal visited by Elijah and Elisha. This could not be the Gilgal of the low plain of the Jordan, for the prophets are said to have gone down to Bethel, which is 3000 feet above the plain. It haa been identified with Jiljilia, about four miles from Bethel and Shiloh respectively. + The "king of the nations of Gilgal" or rather perhaps the "king of Goim at Gilgal," is mentioned in the catalogue of the chiefs overthrown bv Joshua. (Joshua 12:23) Possibly the site of this place is marked by the modern village Jiljulieh, about four miles south of Antipatris, which lies 16 miles northeast of Joppa. But another Gilgal, under the slightly-different form of Kilkilieh, lies about two miles east of Antipatris.


Giloh

(exile), a town in the mountainous part of Judah, named in the first group with Debir and Eshtemoh, (Joshua 16:51) it was the native place of the famous Ahithophel. (2 Samuel 15:12)


Gilonite, The

native of Giloh. (2 Samuel 15:12; 23:34)


Gimzo

(fertile in sycamores), a town which with its dependent villages was taken possession of by the Philistines in the reign of Ahaz. (2 Chronicles 28:18) The name (Jimzu) still remains attached to a large village between two and three miles southwest of Lydda, south of the road between Jerusalem and Jaffa.


Gin

a trap for birds or beasts; it consisted of a net, (Isaiah 8:14) and a stick to act as a spring. (Amos 3:5)


Ginath

(protection), father of Tibni. (1 Kings 16:21,22)


Ginnetho

(gardner), one of the chief of the priests and Levites who returned to Judea with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah 12:4) He is doubtless the same person as


Ginnethon

(gardener), a priest who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:6) (B.C. 410.)


Girdle

an essential article of dress in the East, and worn by both men and women. The common girdle was made of leather, (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4) like that worn by the Bedouins of the present day. A finer girdle was made of linen, (Jeremiah 13:1; Ezekiel 16:10) embroidered with silk, and sometimes with gold and silver thread, (Daniel 10:5; Revelation 1:13; 15:6) and frequently studded with gold and precious stones or pearls. The military girdle was worn about the waist; the sword or dagger was suspended from it. (Judges 3:16; 2 Samuel 20:8; Psalms 45:3) Hence girding up the loins denotes preparation for battle or for active exertion. Girdles were used as pockets, as they still are among the Arabs, and as purses, one end of the girdle being folded back for the purpose. (Matthew 10:9; Mark 6:8)


Girgashites

(dwelling on a clayey soil), The, one of the nations who were in possession of Canaan east of the Sea of Galilee before the entrance thither of the children of Israel. (Genesis 10:16; 15:21; 7:1)


Gispa

(caress), one of the overseers of the Nethinim, in "the Ophel," after the return from captivity. (Nehemiah 11:21)


Gittites

(belonging to Gath), the 600 men who followed David from Gath, under Ittai the Gittite, (2 Samuel 15:18,19) and who probably acted as a kind of body-guard. Obed-edom "the Gittite" may have been so named from the town of Gittaim in Benjamin, (2 Samuel 4:3; Nehemiah 11:33) or from Gath-rimmon.


Gittith

a musical instrument, by some supposed to have been used by the people of Gath, and by others to have been employed at the festivities of the vintage. Psal 8,81,84.


Gizonites, The

(inhabitant of Gizoh). "The sons of Hashem the Gizonite "are named amongst the warriors of David's guard. (1 Chronicles 11:34) Kennicott concludes that the name should be Gouni.


Glass

The Hebrew word occurs only in (Job 28:17) where in the Authorized Version it is rendered "crystal." In spite of the absence of specific allusion to glass in the sacred writings, the Hebrews must have been aware of the invention from paintings representing the process of glass-blowing, which have been discovered at Beni-hassan, and in tombs at other places, we know that the invention vas known at least 3500 years ago. Fragments too of wine-vases as old as the exodus have been discovered in Egypt. The art was also known to the ancient Assyrians. In the New Testament glass is alluded to as an emblem of brightness. (Revelation 4:6; 15:2; 21:18)


Gleaning

The gleaning of fruit trees, as well as of corn-fields, was reserved for the poor. [[562]Corner]


Glede

the old name for the common kite (Milvus ater), occurs only in (14:13) among the unclean birds of prey.


Gnat

a species of mosquito mentioned only in the proverbial expression used by our Saviour in (Matthew 23:21)


Goad

(Judges 3:31; 1 Samuel 13:21) The Hebrew word in the latter passage probably means the point of the plough-share . The former word does probably refer to the goad, the long handle of which might be used as a formidable weapon. The instrument, as still used in countries of southern Europe and western Asia, consists of a rod about eight feet long, brought to a sharp point and sometimes cased with iron at the head.


Goat

There appear to be two or three varieties of the common goat, Hircus agagrus, at present bred in Palestine and Syria, but whether they are identical with those which were reared by the ancient Hebrews it is not possible to say. The most marked varieties are the Syrian goat(Capra mammorica, Linn.) and the Angora goat (Capra angorensis, Linn.), with fine long hair. As to the "wild goats," (1 Samuel 24:2; Job 39:1; Psalms 104:18) it is not at all improbable that some species of ibex is denoted.


Goat, Scape

[[563]Atonement, The Day Of, [564]Day OF]


Goath

(lowing), a place apparently in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and named, in connection with the hill Gareb, only in (Jeremiah 31:39)


Gob

(cistern), a place mentioned only in (2 Samuel 21:18,19) as the scene of two encounters between David's warriors and the Philistines. In the parallel account in (1 Chronicles 20:4) the name is given as [565]Gezer.


Goblet

a circular vessel for wine or other liquid.


God

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and [566]Jehovah, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength, as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect, and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it referred to the trinity of persons in the Godhead hardly finds now a supporter among scholars. It is either what grammarians call the plural of majesty, or it denotes the fullness of divine strength, the sum of the powers displayed by God. Jehovah denotes specifically the one true God, whose people the Jews were, and who made them the guardians of his truth. The name is never applied to a false god, nor to any other being except one, the ANGEL-JEHOVAH who is thereby marked as one with God, and who appears again in the New Covenant as "God manifested in the flesh." Thus much is clear; but all else is beset with difficulties. At a time too early to be traced, the Jews abstained from pronouncing the name, for fear of its irreverent use. The custom is said to have been founded on a strained interpretation of (Leviticus 24:16) and the phrase there used, "THE NAME" (Shema), is substituted by the rabbis for the unutterable word. In reading the Scriptures they substituted for it the word ADONAI (Lord), from the translation of which by Kurios in the LXX., followed by the Vulgate, which uses Dominus, we have the [567]Lord of our version. The substitution of the word Lord is most unhappy, for it in no way represents the meaning of the sacred name. The key to the meaning of the name is unquestionably given in God's revelation of himself to Moses by the phrase "I AM THAT I AM," (Exodus 3:14; 6:3) We must connect the name Jehovah with the Hebrew substantive verb to be, with the inference that it expresses the essential, eternal, unchangeable being of Jehovah. But more, it is not the expression only, or chiefly, of an absolute truth: it is a practical revelation of God, in his essential, unchangeable relation to this chosen people, the basis of his covenant.


Gog

+ A Reubenite, (1 Chronicles 5:4) son of Shemaiah.


Golan

(circle), a city of Bashan, (4:43) allotted out of the half tribe of Manasseh to the Levites, (Joshua 21:27) and one of the three cities of refuge east of the Jordan. ch (Joshua 20:8) Its very site is now unknown. It gave its name to the province of Gaulanitis. It lay east of Galilee and north of Gadaritis [[568]Gadara], and corresponds to the modern province of Jaulan .


Gold

Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tombs gold is represented as being weighed in rings for commercial purposes. Comp. (Genesis 43:21) Gold was extremely abundant in ancient times, (1 Chronicles 22:14; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:9; Daniel 3:1; Nahum 2:9) but this did not depreciate its value, because of the enormous quantities consumed by the wealthy in furniture, etc. (1 Kings 6:22) 10 passim ; (Esther 1:6; Song of Solomon 3:9,10; Jeremiah 10:9) The chief countries mentioned as producing gold are Arabia, Sheba and Ophir. (1 Kings 9:28; 10:1; Job 28:16)


Golgotha

(skull), the Hebrew name of the spot at which our Lord was crucified. (Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17) By these three evangelists it is interpreted to mean the "place of a skull." Two explanations of the name are given: (1) that it was a spot where executions ordinarily took place, and therefore abounded in skulls; or(2) it may come from the look or form of the spot itself, bald, round and skull-like, and therefore a mound or hillock, in accordance with the common phrase--for which there is no direct authority-- "Mount Calvary." Whichever of these is the correct explanation, Golgotha seems to have been a known spot.


Goliath

(splendor), a famous giant of Gath, who "morning and evening for forty days" defied the armies of Israel. (1 Samuel 17:1) ... (B.C. 1063.) He was possibly descended from the old Rephaim [[569]Giants], of whom a scattered remnant took refuge with the Philistines after their dispersion by the Ammonites. (2:20,21; 2 Samuel 21:22) His height was "six cubits and a span," which taking the cubit at 21 inches, would make him 10 1/2 feet high. The scene of his combat with David, by whom he was slain, was the "valley of the terebinth," between Shochoh and Arekah, probably among the western passes of Benjamin. In (2 Samuel 21:19) we find that another Goliath of Gath was slain by Elhanan, also a Bethlehemite.


Gomer

+ The eldest son of Japheth, (Genesis 10:2,3) the progenitor of the early Cimmerians, of the later Cimbri and the other branches of the Celtic family, and of the modern Gael and Cymri. + The wife of Hosea. (Hosea 1:3)


Gomorrah

(submersion), one of the five "cities of the plain" or "vale of Siddim" that under the irrespective kings joined battle there with Chedorlaomer (Genesis 14:2-8) and his allies by whom they were discomfited till Abraham came to the rescue. Four out of the five were afterwards destroyed by the Lord with fire from heaven. (Genesis 19:23-29) One of them only, Zoar (or Bela; which was its original name), was spared at the request of Lot, in order that he might take refuge there. The geographical position of these cities is discussed under [570]Sodom.


Gopher

(pitch) wood. Only once mentioned-- (Genesis 6:14) Two principal conjectures have been proposed--

+ That the "trees of gopher" are any trees of the resinous kind, such as pine, fir, etc. + That Gopher is cypress.


Goshen

+ The name of a part of Egypt where the Israelites dwelt during the whole period of their sojourn in that country. It was probably situated on the eastern border of the Nile, extending from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It contained the treasure-cities of Rameses and Pittim. It was a pasture land, especially suited to a shepherd people, and sufficient for the Israelites, who there prospered, and were separate from the main body of the Egyptians. + A district in southern Palestine conquered by Joshua. (Joshua 10:41) It lay between Gaza and Gibeon. + A town in the mountains of Judah, probably in a part of the country of Goshen.


Gospels

The name Gospel (from god and spell, Ang. Sax. good message or news, which is a translation of the Greek euaggelion) is applied to the four inspired histories of the life and teaching of Christ contained in the New Testament, of which separate accounts are given in their place. They were all composed during the latter half of the first century: those of St. Matthew and St. Mark some years before the destruction of Jerusalem; that of St. Luke probably about A.D. 64; and that of St. John towards the close of the century. Before the end of the second century, there is abundant evidence that the four Gospels, as one collection, were generally used and accepted. As a matter of literary history, nothing can be better established than the genuineness of the Gospels. On comparing these four books one with another, a peculiar difficulty claims attention, which has had much to do with the controversy as to their genuineness. In the fourth Gospel the narrative coincided with that of the other three in a few passages only. The received explanation is the only satisfactory one namely, that John, writing last, at the close of the first century had seen the other Gospels, and purposely abstained from writing anew what they had sufficiently recorded. In the other three Gospels there is a great amount of agreement. If we suppose the history that they contain to be divided into 89 sections, in 42 of these all the three narratives coincide, 12 more are given by Matthew and Mark only, 5 by Mark and Luke only, and 14 by Matthew and Luke. To these must be added 5 peculiar to Matthew, 2 to Mark and 9 to Luke, and the enumeration is complete. But this applies only to general coincidence as to the facts narrated: the amount of verbal coincidence, that is, the passages either verbally the same or coinciding in the use of many of the same words, is much smaller. It has been ascertained by Stroud that "if the total contents of the several Gospels be represented by 100, the following table is obtained: Matthew has 42 peculiarities and 58 coincidences. Mark has 7 peculiarities and 93 coincidences. Luke has 59 peculiarities and 41 coincidences. John has 92 peculiarities and 8 coincidences. Why four Gospels.--

+ To bring four separate independent witnesses to the truth. + It is to give the Lord's life from every point of view, four living portraits of one person. There were four Gospels because Jesus was to be commended to four races or classes of men, or to four phases of human thought,--the Jewish, Roman, Greek and Christian. Had not these exhausted the classes to be reached, there would doubtless have been more Gospels. In all ages, the Jewish, Roman and Greek natures reappear among men, and, in fact, make up the world of natural men, while the Christian nature and wants likewise remain essentially the same. The FIRST GOSPEL was prepared by Matthew for the Jew. He gives us the Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah of the Jews, the Messianic royalty of Jesus. He places the life and character of Jesus, as lived on earth, alongside the life and character of the Messiah, as sketched in the prophets, showing Christianity as the fulfillment of Judaism. Mark wrote the SECOND GOSPEL. It was substantially the preaching of Peter to the Romans. The Gospel for him must represent the character and career of Jesus from the Roman point of view, as answering to the idea of divine power, work, law, conquest and universal sway; must retain its old significance and ever-potent inspiration at the battle-call of the almighty Conqueror. Luke wrote the THIRD GOSPEL in Greece for the Greek. It has its basis in the gospel which Paul and Luke, by long preaching to the Greeks, had already thrown into the form best suited to commend to their acceptance Jesus as the perfect divine man. It is the gospel of the future, of progressive Christianity, of reason and culture seeking the perfection of manhood. John, "the beloved disciple," wrote the FOURTH GOSPEL for the Christian, to cherish and train those who have entered the new kingdom of Christ, into the highest spiritual life.--Condensed from, Prof. Gregory.


Gourd

+ Kikayan only in (Jonah 4:6-10) The plant which is intended by this word, and which afforded shade to the prophet Jonah before Nineveh, is the Ricinus commnunis, or castor-oil plant, which, a native of Asia, is now naturalized in America, Africa and the south of Europe. This plant varies considerably n size, being in India a tree, but in England seldom attaining a greater height than three or four feet. The leaves are large and palmate, with serrated lobes, and would form un excellent shelter for the sun-stroken prophet. The seeds contain the oil so well known under the name of "castor oil," which has for ages been in high repute as a medicine. It is now thought by many that the plant meant is a vine of the cucumber family, a gemline gourd, which is much used for shade in the East. + The wild gourd of (2 Kings 4:39) which one of "the sons of the prophets" gathered ignorantly, supposing them to be good for food, is a poisonous gourd, supposed to be the colocynth, which bears a fruit of the color and size of an orange, with a hard, woody shell. As several varieties of the same family, such as melons, pumpkins, etc., are favorite articles of refreshing food amongst the Orientals, we can easily understand the cause of the mistake.


Governor

In the Authorized Version this one English word is the representative of no less than ten Hebrew and four Greek words.

+ The chief of a tribe or family. + A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice. + A ruler consider especially as having power over the property and persons of his subjects. (Genesis 24:2; Joshua 12:2; Psalms 100:20) The "governors of the people," in (2 Chronicles 23:20) appear to have been the king's body-guard; cf. (2 Kings 11:19) + A prominent personage, whatever his capacity. It is applied to a king as the military and civil chief of his people, (2 Samuel 5:2; 6:21; 1 Chronicles 29:22) to the general of an army, (2 Chronicles 32:21) and to the head of a tribe. (2 Chronicles 19:11) It denotes an officer of high rank in the palace, the lord high chamberlain. (2 Chronicles 28:7) It is applied in (1 Kings 10:15) to the petty chieftains who were tributary to Solomon, (2 Chronicles 9:14) to the military commander of the Syrians, (1 Kings 20:24) the Assyrians, (2 Kings 18:24; 23:8) the Chaldeans, (Jeremiah 51:23) and the Medes. (Jeremiah 51:38) Under the Persian viceroys, during the Babylonian captivity, the land of the Hebrews appears to have been portioned out among "governors" (pachoth) inferior in rank to the satraps, (Ezra 8:30) like the other provinces which were under the dominion of the Persian king. (Nehemiah 2:7,9) It is impossible to determine the precise limits of their authority or the functions which they had to perform. It appears from (Ezra 6:8) that these governors were intrusted with the collection of the king's taxes; and from (Nehemiah 5:18; 12:26) that they were supported by a contribution levied upon the people, which was technically termed "the bread of the governor" comp. (Ezra 4:14) They were probably assisted in discharging their official duties by A council. (Ezra 4:7; 6:6) The "governor" beyond the river had a judgment-seat beyond Jerusalem, from which probably he administered justice when making a progress through his province. (Nehemiah 3:7) At the time of Christ Judea was a Roman province, governed by a procurator (governor) appointed by Rome.


Gozan

seems in the Authorized Version of (1 Chronicles 5:26) to be the name of a river, but in (2 Kings 17:6) and 2Kin 18:11 It is evidently applied not to a river but a country. Gozan was the tract to which the Israelites were carried away captive by Pul, Tiglathpileser and Shalmaneser, or possibly Sargon. It is probably identical with the Gauzanitis of Ptolemy, and I may be regarded as represented by the Mygdonia of other writers. It was the tract watered by the Habor, the modern Khabour, the great Mesopotamian affluent of the Euphrates.


Greaves

a piece of defensive armor which reached from the foot to the knee and thus protected the shin of the wearer. It was made of leather or brass.


Grecian

The term Grecian, or Hellenist, denotes a Jew by birth or religion who spoke Greek. It is used chiefly of foreign Jews and proselytes in contrast with the Hebrews speaking the vernacular Hebrew or Aramaean.--Bible Dictionary of Tract Society .


Greece, Greeks, Grecians

The histories of Greece and Palestine are little connected with each other. In (Genesis 10:2-5) Moses mentions the descendants of Javan as peopling the isles of the Gentiles; and when the Hebrews came into contact with the Ionians of Asia Minor, and recognized them as the long-lost islanders of the western migration, it was natural that they should mark the similarity of sound between Javan and Iones. Accordingly the Old Testament word which is Grecia, in Authorized Versions Greece, Greeks, etc., is in Javan (Daniel 8:21; Joel 3:6) the Hebrew, however, is sometimes regained. (Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel 27:13) The Greeks and Hebrews met for the first time in the slave-market. The medium of communication seems to have been the Tyrian slave-merchants. About B.C. 800 Joel speaks of the Tyrians as, selling the children of Judah tot he Grecians, (Joel 3:6) and in Ezek 27:13 The Greeks are mentioned as bartering their brazen vessels for slaves. Prophetical notice of Greece occurs in (Daniel 8:21) etc., where the history of Alexander and his successors is rapidly sketched. Zechariah, (Zechariah 9:13) foretells the triumphs of the Maccabees against the Greco-Syrian empire, while Isaiah looks forward to the conversion of the Greeks, amongst other Gentiles, through the instrumentality of Jewish missionaries. (Isaiah 66:19) The name of the country, Greece occurs once in the New Testament, (Acts 20:2) as opposed to Macedonia. [[574]Gentiles]


Greyhound

the translation in the text of the Authorized Version, (Proverbs 30:31) of the Hebrew word zarzir mothnayin ; i.e. "one girt about the loins." Various are the opinions as to what animal "comely in going" is here intended Some think "a leopard," others "an eagle," or "a man girt with armor," or "a zebra," or "a war-horse girt with trappings." But perhaps the word means "a wrestler," when girt about the loins for a contest.


Grove

+ A word used in the Authorized Version, with two exceptions, to translate the mysterious Hebrew term Asherah, which is not a grove, but probably an idol or image of some kind. [[576]Asherah] It is also probable that there was a connection between this symbol or image, whatever it was, and the sacred symbolic tree, the representation of which occurs so frequently on Assyrian sculptures. + The two exceptions noticed above are (Genesis 21:33) and 1Sam 22:6 (margin). In the religions of the ancient heathen world groves play a prominent part. In the old times altars only were erected to the gods. It was thought wrong to shut up the gods within walls, and hence trees were the first temples; and from the earliest times groves are mentioned in connection with religious worship. (Genesis 12:6,7; 11:30) Authorized Version "plain." the groves were generally found connected with temples, and often had the right of affording an asylum.


Guni

+ A son of Naphtali, (Genesis 46:24; 1 Chronicles 7:13) the founder of the family of the Gunites. (Numbers 26:48) + A descendant of Gad. (1 Chronicles 5:15)


Gunites, The

the descendants of Guni, son of Naphtali. (Numbers 26:48)


Gur

(abode), The going up to, an ascent or rising ground, at which Ahaziah received his death-blow while flying from jehu after the slaughter of Joram. (2 Kings 9:27)


Gurbaal

(abode of Baal), a place or district in which dwelt Arabians, as recorded in (2 Chronicles 26:7) It appears from the context to have been in the country lying between Palestine and the Arabian peninsula; but this, although probable, cannot be proved.


Haahashtari

(the courier), a man or a family immediately descended from Ashur. "father of Tekoa," by his second wife Naarah. (1 Chronicles 4:6) (B.C. after 1450.)


Habaiah, Or Habajah

(whom Jehovah hides). Bene-Habaiah were among the sons of the priests who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:61; Nehemiah 7:63) (B.C. before 459).


Habakkuk Or Habakkuk

(embrace), the eighth in order of the minor prophets. Of the facts of the prophet's life we have no certain information. He probably lived about the twelfth or thirteenth year of Josiah, B.C. 630 or 629.


Habakkuk, Prophecy Of

consists of three chapters, in the first of which he foreshadows the invasion of Judea by the Chaldeans, and in the second he foretells the doom of the Chaldeans. The whole concludes with the magnificent psalm in ch. 3, a composition unrivalled for boldness of conception, sublimity of thought and majesty of diction.


Habaziniah

(light of Jehovah), apparently the head of one of the families of the Rechabites. (Jeremiah 35:3) (B.C. before 589.)


Habergeon

a coat of mail covering the neck and breast. [[579]Arms, Armor]


Habor

(beautiful banks), the "river of Gozan," (2 Kings 17:6) and 2Kin 18:11 Is identified beyond all reasonable doubt with the famous affluent of the Euphrates, which is called Aborrhas and Chaboras by ancient writers, and now Khabour.


Hachaliah

(whom Jehovah enlightens), the father of Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 1:1; 10:1)


Hachilah, The Hill

a hill apparently situated in a wood in the wilderness or waste land in the neighborhood of Ziph, in Judah, in the fastnesses or passes of which David and his six hundred followers were lurking when the Ziphites informed Saul of his whereabouts. (1 Samuel 23:19) comp. 1Sam 23:14,15,18


Hachmoni

(wise) Son of, and The Hach'monite. (1 Chronicles 11:11; 27:32) Hachmon or Hachmoni was no doubt the founder of a family to which these men belonged: the actual father of Jashobeam was Zabdiel, (1 Chronicles 27:2) and he is also said to have belonged to the Korhites. (1 Chronicles 12:6) (B.C. before 1046.)


Hadad

(mighty), originally the indigenous appellation of the sun among the Syrians, and thence transferred to the king as the highest of earthly authorities. The title appears to have been an official one, like Pharaoh. It is found occasionally in the altered form Hadar. (Genesis 25:15; 36:39) compared with 1Chr 1:30,50

+ Son of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:30) + A king of Edom who gained an important victory over the Midianites on the field of Moab. (Genesis 36:35; 1 Chronicles 1:46) + Also a king of Edom, with Pau for his capital. (1 Chronicles 1:50) + A member of the royal house Or Edom. (1 Kings 11:14) ff. In his childhood he escaped the massacre under Joab, and fled with a band of followers into Egypt. Pharaoh, the predecessor of Solomon's father-in-law, treated him kindly, and gave him his sister-in-law in marriage. After David's death Hadad resolved to attempt the recovery of his dominion. He left Egypt and returned to his own country.


Hadadrimmon

is, according to the ordinary interpretation of (12:11) a place in the valley of Megiddo (a part of the plain of Esdraelon, six miles from Mount Carmel and eleven from Nazareth), where a national lamentation was held for the death of King Josiah. It was named after two Syrian idols.


Hadarezer

(Hadad's help), son of Rehob, (2 Samuel 8:3) the king of the Aramite state of Zobah, who was pursued by David and defeated with great loss. (1 Chronicles 18:3,4) (B.C. 1035.) After the first repulse of the Ammonites and their Syrian allies by Joab, Hadarezer sent his army to the assistance of his kindred the people of Maachah, Rehob and Ishtob. (1 Chronicles 19:16; 2 Samuel 10:15) comp. 2Sam 10:8 Under the command of Shophach or Shobach, the captain of the host, they crossed the Euphrates, joined the other Syrians, and encamped at a place called Helam. David himself came from Jerusalem to take the command of the Israelite army. As on the former occasion, the route was complete.


Hadashah

(new), one of the towns of Judah, in the maritime low country, (Joshua 16:37) only, probably the [582]Adasa of the Maccabean history.


Hadassah

(myrtle), probably the earlier name of Esther. (Esther 2:7)


Hadattah

(new). According to the Authorized Version, one of the towns of Judah in the extreme south. (Joshua 15:25)


Hadid

(sharp), a place named, with Lod (Lydda) and Ono, only in the later books of the history. (Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; 11:34) In the time of Eusebius a town called Aditha or Adatha existed to the east of Diospolis (Lydda). This was probably Hadid.


Hadlai

(rest of God), a man of Ephraim. (2 Chronicles 28:12)


Hadoram

+ The fifth son of Joktan. (Genesis 10:27; 1 Chronicles 1:21) His settlements, unlike those of many of Joktan's sons, have not been identified. + Son of Tou or Toi king of Hamath; his father's ambassador to congratulate David on his victory over Hadarezer king of Zobah. (1 Chronicles 18:10) (B.C. 1035.) + The form assumed in Chronicles by the name of the intendant of taxes under David, Solomon and Rehoboam. (2 Chronicles 10:18) In Kings the name is given in the longer form of [584]Adoniram, but in Samuel, (2 Samuel 20:24) as [585]Adoram.


Hadrach

(dwelling), a country of Syria, mentioned once only, by the prophet Zechariah. (Zechariah 9:1) The addition of the district, with its borders, is here generally stated; but the name itself seems to have wholly disappeared. It still remains unknown.


Haga Bah

under which it is found in the parallel list of (Ezra 2:45)


Hagab

(locust). Bene-Hagab were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:46) (B.C. before 536.)


Hagaba

(locust). Bene Hagaba were among the Nethinim who came back from captivity with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah 7:48) The name is slightly different in form from


Hagar

(flight), an Egyptian woman, the handmaid or slave of Sarah, (Genesis 16:1) whom the latter gave as a concubine to Abraham, after he had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan and had no children by Sarah. ch (Genesis 16:2,3) (B.C. 1912.) When Hagar saw that she had conceived, "her mistress was despised in her eyes," v. 4, and Sarah, with the anger, we may suppose, of a free woman rather than of a wife, reproached Abraham for the results of her own act. Hagar fled, turning her steps toward her native land through the great wilderness traversed by the Egyptian road. By the fountain in the way to Shur the angel of the Lord found her, charged her to return and submit herself under the hands of her mistress, and delivered the remarkable prophecy respecting her unborn child recorded in vs. 10-12. On her return she gave birth to Ishmael, and Abraham was then eighty-six years old. When Ishmael was about sixteen years old, he was caught by Sarah making sport of her young son Isaac at the festival of his weaning, and Sarah demanded the expulsion of Hagar and her son. She again fled toward Egypt, and when in despair at the want of water, an angel again appeared to her, pointed out a fountain close by, and renewed the former promises to her. (Genesis 21:9-21) St. Paul, (Galatians 4:25) refers to her as the type of the old covenant of the law.


Hagarenes, Hagarites

(named after Hagar), a people dwelling to the east of Palestine, with whom the tribes of Reuben made war in the time of Saul. (1 Chronicles 5:10,18-20) The same people, as confederate against Israel, are mentioned in (Psalms 83:6) It is generally believed that they were named after Hagar, and that the important town and district of Hejer, on the borders of the Persian Gulf, represent them.


Hagerite, The

Jaziz the Hagerite, i.e. the descendant of Hagar, had the charge of David's sheep. (1 Chronicles 27:31)


Haggai

(festive), the tenth in order of the minor prophets, and first of those who prophesied after the captivity. With regard to his tribe and parentage history and tradition are alike silent.


Haggai, Prophecy Of

The style of Haggai is generally tame and prosaic, though at times it rises to the dignity of severe invective when the prophet rebukes his countrymen for their selfish indolence and neglect of God's house. But the brevity of the prophecies is so great, and the poverty of expression which characterizes them so striking, as to give rise to a conjecture, not without reason, that in their present form they are but the outline or summary of the original discourses. They were delivered in the second year of Darius Hystaspes (B.C. 620), at intervals from the 1st day of the 6th month to the 24th day of the 9th month in the same year.


Haggeri

(wanderer) was one of the mighty men of David's guard, according to (1 Chronicles 11:38) The parallel passage-- (2 Samuel 23:36)--has "Bani the Gadite," which is probably the correct reading. (B.C. 1046.)


Haggi

(festive), second son of Gad. (Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:15)


Haggiah

(festival of Jehovah), a Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 6:30)


Haggites, The

a Gadite family sprung from Haggi. (Numbers 26:15)


Haggith

(festive; a dancer), one of David's wives, the mother of Adonijah. (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:6) (B.C. 1053.)


Hair

The Hebrews were fully alive to the importance of the hair as an element of personal beauty. Long hair was admired in the case of young men. (2 Samuel 14:26) In times of affliction the hair was altogether cut off. (Isaiah 3:17,24; 15:2; Jeremiah 7:29) Tearing the hair (Ezra 9:3) and letting it go dishevelled were similar tokens of grief. The usual and favorite color of the hair was black, (Song of Solomon 5:11) as is indicated in the comparisons in (Song of Solomon 1:5; 4:1) a similar hue is probably intended by the purple of (Song of Solomon 7:6) Pure white hair was deemed characteristic of the divine Majesty. (Daniel 7:9; Revelation 1:14) The chief beauty of the hair consisted in curls, whether of a natural or an artificial character. With regard to the mode of dressing the hair, we have no very precise information; the terms used are of a general character, as of Jezebel, (2 Kings 9:30) and of Judith, ch. 10:3, and in the New Testament, (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3) The arrangement of Samson's hair into seven locks, or more properly braids, (Judges 16:13,19) involves the practice of plaiting, which was also familiar to the Egyptians and Greeks. The locks were probably kept in their place by a fillet, as in Egypt. The Hebrews like other nations of antiquity, anointed the hair profusely with ointments, which were generally compounded of various aromatic ingredients, (Ruth 3:3; 2 Samuel 14:2; Psalms 23:6; 92:10; Ecclesiastes 9:8) more especially on occasions of festivity or hospitality. (Luke 7:46) It appears to have been the custom of the Jews in our Saviour's time to swear by the hair, (Matthew 5:36) much as the Egyptian women still swear by the side-locks, and the men by their beards.


Hakkatan

(young). Johanan son of Hakkatan, was the chief of the Bene-Azgad who returned from Babylon with Ezra. (Ezra 8:12)


Hakkoz

(thorn), a priest, the chief of the seventh course in the service of the sanctuary, as appointed by David. (1 Chronicles 24:10) In (Ezra 2:61) and Nehe 3:4,21 The name occurs again as Koz in the Authorized Version.


Hakupha

(bent). Bene-Hakupha were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:61; Nehemiah 7:63)


Halah

is probably a different place from the Calah of (Genesis 10:11) It may be identified with the Chalcitis of Ptolemy.


Halak

(smooth), The mount, a mountain twice, and twice only, named, was the southern limit of Joshua's conquests, (Joshua 11:17; 12:7) but which has not yet been identified.


Halhul

(trembling), a town of Judah in the mountain district. (Joshua 16:68) The name still remains unaltered attached to a conspicuous hill a mile to the left of the road from Jerusalem to Hebron, between three and four miles from the latter.


Hali

(necklace), a town on the boundary of Asher, named between Helkath and Beten. (Joshua 19:25)


Hall

used of the court of the high priest's house. (Luke 22:55) In (Matthew 27:27) and Mark 15:16 "Hall" is synonymous with "praetorium," which in (John 18:28) is in Authorized Version "judgment hall."


Hallohesh

(enchanter), one of the chief of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:24) (B.C. 410.)


Halohesh

Shallum, son of Halohesh was "ruler of the half part of Jerusalem" at the time of the repair of the wall by Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 3:12) (B.C. 446.)


Haltil

(doubtful). Bene-Hattil were among the children of Solomon's slaves "who came back from captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:57; Nehemiah 7:59) (B.C. 536.)


Ham

+ The name of one of the three sons of Noah, apparently the second in age. (B.C. 2448.) Of the history of Ham nothing is related except his irreverence to his father and the curse which that patriarch pronounced. The sons of Ham are stated, to have been "Cush and Mizraim and Phut and Canaan." (Genesis 10:6) comp. 1Chr 1:8 Egypt is recognized as the "land of Ham" in the Bible. (Psalms 78:51; 105:23; 106:22) The other settlements of the sons of Ham are discussed under their respective names. The three most illustrious Hamite nations--the Cushites, the Phoenicians and the Egyptians--were greatly mixed with foreign peoples. Their architecture has a solid grandeur that we look for in vain elsewhere. + According to the present text, (Genesis 14:5) Chedorlaomer and his allies smote the Zuzim in a place called Ham, probably in the territory of the Ammonites (Gilead), east of the Jordan.


Haman

(magnificent), the chief minister or vizier of King Ahasuerus. (Esther 3:1) (B.C. 473.) After the failure of his attempt to cut off all the Jews in the Persian empire, he was hanged on the gallows which he had erected for Mordecai. The Targum and Josephus interpret the inscription of him--the Agagite--as signifying that he was of Amalekitish descent. The Jews hiss whenever his name is mentioned on the day of Purim.


Hamath

(fortress), the principal city of upper Syria, was situated in the valley of the Orontes, which it commanded from the low screen of hills which forms the water-shed between the source of the Orontes and Antioch. The Hamathites were a Hamitic race, and are included among the descendants of Canaan. (Genesis 10:18) Nothing appears of the power of Hamath until the time of David. (2 Samuel 8:9) Hamath seems clearly to have been included in the dominions of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:21-24) The "store-cities" which Solomon "built in Hamath," (2 Chronicles 8:4) were perhaps staples for trade. In the Assyrian inscriptions of the time of Ahab (B.C. 900) Hamath appears as a separate power, in alliance with the Syrians of Damascus, the Hittites and the Phoenicians. About three-quarters of a century later Jeroboam the Second "recovered Hamath." (2 Kings 14:28) Soon afterwards the Assyrians took it, (2 Kings 18:34; 19:13) etc., and from this time it ceased to be a place of much importance. Antiochus Epiphanes changed its name to Epiphaneia. The natives, however, called it Hamath even in St. Jerome's time, and its present name, Hamah, is but slightly altered from the ancient form.


Hamathite, The

one of the families descended from Canaan, named last in the list. (Genesis 10:18; 1 Chronicles 1:16)


Hamathzobah

(fortress of Zobah), (2 Chronicles 8:3) has been conjectured to be the same as Hamath. But the name Hamath-Zobah would seem rather suited to another Hamath which was distinguished from the "Great Hamath" by the suffix "Zobah."


Hammath

(warm springs), one of the fortified cities in the territory allotted to Naphtali. (Joshua 19:35) It was near Tiberias, one mile distant, and had its name Chammath, "hot baths," because it contained those of Tiberias. In the list of Levitical cities given out of Naphtali, (Joshua 21:32) the name of this place seems to be given as HAMMOTH-DOR.


Hammedatha

(double), father of the infamous Haman. (Esther 3:1,10; 8:5; 9:24)


Hammelech

lit. "the king, " unnecessarily rendered in the Authorized Version as a proper name. (Jeremiah 36:26; 38:6)


Hammoleketh

(the queen), a daughter of Machir and sister of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 7:17,18) (B.C. between 1706 and 1491.)


Hammon

+ A city in Asher, (Joshua 19:28) apparently not far from Zidon-rabbah. + A city allotted out of the tribe of Naphtali to the Levites, (1 Chronicles 6:76) and answering to the somewhat similar names [588]Hammath and HAMMOTH-DOR in Joshua.


Hammothdor

(dwelling of the warm springs). [[589]Hammath]


Hamonah

(multitude), the name of a city mentioned in Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 39:16)


Hamongog

(the multitude of God), The valley of, the name to be bestowed on the ravine or glen, previously known as "the ravine of the passengers on the east of the sea," after the burial there of "God and all his multitude." (Ezekiel 39:11,15)


Hamor

(an ass), a Hivite who at the time of the entrance of Jacob on Palestine was prince of the land and city of Shechem. (Genesis 33:19; 34:2,4,6,8,13,18,20,24,26) (B.C. 1737.) [[590]Dinah]


Hamuel

(heat, i.e. wrath, of God), a man of Simeon, of the family of Shaul. (1 Chronicles 4:26)


Hamul

(pitied), the younger son of Pharez, Judah's son by Tamar. (Genesis 46:12; 1 Chronicles 2:5) (B.C. between 1706-1688.)


Hamulites, The

the family of the preceding. (Numbers 26:21)


Hamutal

(akin to the dew), daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah; one of the wives of King Josiah. (2 Kings 23:31; 24:18; Jeremiah 52:1) (B.C. 632-619.)


Hanameel

(whom God graciously gave), son of Shallum and cousin of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 32:7,8,9,12) and comp. Jere 32:44 (B.C. 589.)


Hanan

+ One of the chief people of the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 8:23) + The last of the six sons of Azel, a descendant of Saul. (1 Chronicles 8:38; 9:44) (B.C. 588.) + "Son of Maachah," i.e. possibly a Syrian of Aram-maachah, one of the heroes of David's guard. (1 Chronicles 11:43) (B.C. 1046). + The sons of Hanan were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:46; Nehemiah 7:49) (B.C. 536). + One of the Levites who assisted Ezra in his public exposition of the law. (Nehemiah 8:7) (B.C. 446.) The same person is probably mentioned in ch. (Nehemiah 10:10) + One of the "heads" of "the people," who also sealed the covenant. (Nehemiah 10:22) (B.C. 410.) + Another of the chief laymen on the same occasion. (Nehemiah 10:26) + Son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, whom Nehemiah made one of the store. keepers of the provisions collected as tithes. (Nehemiah 13:13) + Son of Igdaliah. (Jeremiah 35:4) (B.C. 410.)


Hananeel

(whom God graciously gave), The tower of, a tower which formed part of the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:1; 12:39) From these two passages, particularly from the former, it might almost be inferred that Hananeel was but another name for the tower of Meah; at any rate they were close together, and stood between the sheep-gate and the fish-gate. This tower is further mentioned in (Jeremiah 31:38) The remaining passage in which it is named, (Zechariah 14:10) also connects this tower with the "corner-gate," which lay on the other side of the sheep-gate.


Hanani

+ One of the sons of Heman, and head of the eighteenth course of the service. (1 Chronicles 25:4,25) + A seer who rebuked (B.C. 941) Asa king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 16:7) For this he was imprisoned. ver. 10 He or another Hanani was the father of Jehu the seer, who testified against Baasha, (1 Kings 16:1,7) and Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 19:2; 20:34) + One of the priests who in the time of Ezra had taken strange wives. (Ezra 10:20) + A brother of Nehemiah, (Nehemiah 1:2) who was made governor of Jerusalem under Nehemiah. Ch. (Nehemiah 7:2) + A priest mentioned in (Nehemiah 12:36)


Hananiah

+ One of the fourteen sons of Heman, and chief of the sixteenth course of singers. (1 Chronicles 25:4,5,23) (B.C. 1014.) + A general in the army of King Uzziah. (2 Chronicles 26:11) + Father of Zedekiah, in the reign of Jehoiakim. (B.C. before 605.) + Son of Azur, a Benjamite of Gibeon and a false prophet in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. In the fourth year of his reign, B.C. 595, Hananiah withstood Jeremiah the prophet, and publicly prophesied in the temple that within two years Jeconiah and all his fellow captives with the vessels of the Lord's house, should be brought back to Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 28:1) ... Hananiah corroborated his prophecy by taking from off the neck of Jeremiah the yoke which he wore by divine command. (Jeremiah 27:1) ... and breaking it. But Jeremiah was bidden to go tell Hananiah that for the wooden yokes which he had broken he should make yokes of iron, so firm was the dominion of Babylon destined to he for seventy years. The prophet Jeremiah added to this rebuke the prediction of Hananiah's death, the fulfillment of which closes the history of this false prophet. + Grandfather of Irijah, the captain of the ward at the gate of Benjamin who arrested Jeremiah on the charge of deserting to the Chaldeans. (Jeremiah 37:13) (B.C. before 589.) + Head of a Benjamite house. (1 Chronicles 8:24) + The Hebrew name of Shadrach. He was of the house of David, according to Jewish tradition (Daniel 1:3,6,7,11,19; 2:17) + Son of Zerubbabel, (1 Chronicles 3:19) from whom Christ derived his descent. He is the same person who is by St. Luke called Joanna. (B.C. after 536.) + One of the sons of Bebai who returned with Ezra from Babylon (Ezra 10:28) (B.C. 459.) + A priest, one of the makers of the sacred ointments and incense, who built a portion of the wall of Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah. + Head of the priestly course of Jeremiah in the days of Joiakim. (Nehemiah 12:12) (B.C. 610.) + Ruler of the palace at Jerusalem under Nehemiah. The arrangements for guarding the gates of Jerusalem were intrusted to him with Hanani the Tirshatha's brother. (Nehemiah 7:2,3) (B.C. 446.) + An Israelite. (Nehemiah 10:23)


Hananiel

(the favor of God), son of Ephod and prince of Manasseh. (Numbers 34:23)


Handicraft

(Acts 18:3; 19:25; Revelation 18:22) A trade was taught to ail the Jewish boys as a necessary part of their education. Even the greatest rabbis maintained themselves by trades (Delitzsch). Says Rabbi Jehuda, "He who does not teach his son a trade is much the same as if he taught him to be a thief". In the present article brief notice only can be given of such handicraft trades as are mentioned in Scripture.

+ Smiths or metal-workers.--The preparation of iron for use either in war, in agriculture or for domestic purposes was doubtless one of the earliest applications of labor; and together with iron, working in brass, or rather copper alloyed with tin (bronze), is mentioned as practiced in antediluvian times. (Genesis 4:22) After the establishment of the Jews in Canaan, the occupation of a smith became recognized as a distinct employment- (1 Samuel 13:19) The smith's work and its results are often mentioned in Scripture. (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Kings 6:7; 2 Chronicles 26:14; Isaiah 44:12; 54:16) The worker in gold and silver must have found employment among both the Hebrews and the neighboring nations in very early times. (Genesis 24:22,53; 35:4; 38:18) Various processes of the goldsmith's work are illustrated by Egyptian monuments. After the conquest frequent notices are found of both moulded and wrought metal, including soldering. + Carpenters are often mentioned in Scripture. (Genesis 6:14; Exodus 37; Isaiah 44:13) In the palace built by David for himself the workmen employed were chiefly foreigners. (2 Samuel 5:11) That the Jewish carpenters must have been able to carve with some skill is evident from (Isaiah 41:7; 44:13) In the New Testament the occupation of a carpenter is mentioned in connection with Joseph the husband of the Virgin Mary, and ascribed to our Lord himself. (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3) The trade included our cabinet work as well as carpentering. + The masons employed by David and Solomon, at least the chief of them, were Phoenicians. (1 Kings 5:18; Ezekiel 27:9) The large stones used in Solomon's temple are said by Josephus to have been fitted together exactly without either mortar or clamps, but the foundation stones to have been fastened with lead. For ordinary building mortar was used; sometimes, perhaps, bitumen, as was the case at Babylon. (Genesis 11:3) The wall "daubed with untempered mortar" of (Ezekiel 13:10) was perhaps a sort of cob-wall of mud or clay without lime, which would give way under heavy rain. The use of whitewash on tombs is remarked by our Lord. (Matthew 23:27) + Ship-building must have been exercised to some extent for the fishing-vessels on the Lake of Gennesaret. (Matthew 8:23; 9:1; John 21:3,8) Solomon built ships for his foreign trade. (1 Kings 9:26,27; 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:36,37) + Apothecaries or perfumers appear to have formed a guild or association. (Exodus 30:25,35; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Nehemiah 3:8; Ecclesiastes 7:1; 10:1) Ecclus 38:8. + Weavers .--The arts of spinning and weaving both wool and linen were carried on in early times, as they usually are still among the Bedouins, by women. (Exodus 35:20,26; Leviticus 19:19; 22:11; 2 Kings 23:7; Ezekiel 16:16; Proverbs 31:13,14) The loom with its beam, (1 Samuel 17:7) pin, (Judges 16:14) and shuttles (Job 7:6) was perhaps introduced later, but as early as David's time. (1 Samuel 17:7) + Dyeing and dressing cloth were practiced in Palestine, as were also tanning and dressing leather . (Joshua 2:15-18; 2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4; Acts 9:43) + Barbers . (Numbers 6:5,19; Ezekiel 5:1) + Tentmakers are noticed in (Acts 18:3) + Potters are frequently alluded to. (Jeremiah 18:2-6) + Bakers are noticed in Scripture, (Jeremiah 37:21; Hosea 7:4) and the well-known valley Tyropoeon probably derived its name from the occupation of the cheese-makers, its inhabitants. + Butchers, not Jewish, are spoken of (1 Corinthians 10:25) Shoemakers, tailors, glaziers and glass vessels painters and gold workers are mentioned in the Mishna. Chel. viii. 9; xxix. 3,4; xxx. 1.


Handkerchief, Napkin, Apron

(Luke 19:20; John 11:44; 20:7; Acts 19:12) These terms were used in much the same manner and having much the same significance as at the present.


Hanes

a place in Egypt mentioned only in (Isaiah 30:4) We think that the Chald Paraphr. is right in identifying it with Tahpanhes, a fortified town on the eastern frontier.


Hanging, Hangings

+ The "hanging" was a curtain or 'covering' to close an entrance; one was placed before the door of the tabernacle. Exod 26:36,37; 39:38 + The "hangings"; were used for covering, the walls of the court of the tabernacles just as tapestry is used in modern times. (Exodus 27:9; 35:17; 38:9; Numbers 3:26; 4:26)


Haniel

(grace of God), one of the sons of Ulla of the tribe of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:39)


Hannah

(grace), one of the wives of Elkanah, and mother of Samuel. 1Sam 1,2 (B.C. 1141.) A hymn of thanks giving for the birth of her son is in the highest order of prophetic poetry, its resemblance to that of the Virgin Mary comp. (1 Samuel 2:1-10) with Luke 1:46-55 See also (Psalms 113:1) ... has been noticed.


Hannathon

(gracious), one of the cities of Zebulun. (Joshua 19:14)


Hanoch

+ The third in order of the children of Midian. (Genesis 25:4) + Eldest son of Reuben, (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:5; 1 Chronicles 5:3) and founder of the family of the Hanochites. (Numbers 26:5)


Hanun

+ Son of Nahash (2 Samuel 10:1,2; 1 Chronicles 19:1,2) king of Ammon, who dishonored the ambassadors of David, (2 Samuel 10:4) and involved the Ammonites in a disastrous war, (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 19:6) (B.C. 1035.) + A man who, with the people of Zanoah, repaired the ravine gate in the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:13) (B.C. 446). + The sixth son of Zalalph, who also assisted in the repair of the wall, apparently on the east side. (Nehemiah 3:30) (B.C. 446.)


Haphraim

(two pits), a city of Issachar, mentioned next to Shunem. (Joshua 19:19) About 6 miles northeast of Lejjun, and two miles west of Solam (the ancient Shunem), stands the village of el' Afuleh, which may possibly be the representative of Haphraim.


Hara

(mountain land), (1 Chronicles 5:26) only, is either a place utterly unknown or it must be regarded as identical with Haran or Charran.


Haradah

(fear), a desert station of the Israelites, (Numbers 33:24,25) its position is uncertain.


Haran

+ The third son of Terah, and therefore youngest brother of Abram. (Genesis 11:26) (B.C. 1926.) Three children are ascribed to him--Lot, vs. (Genesis 11:27,31) and two daughters, viz., Milcah, who married her uncle Nahor, ver. (Genesis 11:29) and Iscah. ver. (Genesis 11:29) Haran was born in Ur of the Chaldees, and he died there while his father was still living. ver. (Genesis 11:28) + A Gershonite Levite in the time of David, one of the family of Shimei. (1 Chronicles 23:9) + A son of the great Caleb by his concubine Ephah. (1 Chronicles 2:46) + HARAN or [591]Charran, (Acts 7:2,4) name of the place whither Abraham migrated with his family from Ur of the Chaldees, and where the descendants of his brother Nahor established themselves. Comp. (Genesis 24:10) with Genesis27:43 It is said to be in Mesopotamia, (Genesis 24:10) or more definitely in Padan-aram, ch. (Genesis 25:20) the cultivated district at the foot of the hills, a name well applying to the beautiful stretch of country which lies below Mount Masius between the Khabour and the Euphrates. Here, about midway in this district, is a small village still called Harran . It was celebrated among the Romans, under the name of Charrae, as the scene of the defeat of Crassus.


Hararite

(the mountaineer), The. The destination of three of David's guard.

+ Agee, a Hararite (2 Samuel 23:11) + Shammah the Hararite. (2 Samuel 23:33) + Sharar, (2 Samuel 23:33) or Sacar, (1 Chronicles 11:35) the Hararite, was the father of Ahiam, another member of the guard.


Harbona

(ass-driver), the third of the seven chamberlains or eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus. (Esther 1:10) (B.C. 483-475.)


Hare

(Heb. arnebeth) occurs only in (Leviticus 11:6) and Deuteronomy 14:7 Amongst the animals disallowed as food by the Mosaic law. The hare is at this day called arnel by the Arabs in Palestine and Syria. It was erroneously thought by the ancient Jews to have chewed the cud. They were no doubt misled as in the case of the shaphfan (hyrax), by the habit these animals have of moving the jaw about.


Hareph

(a plucking off), a name occurring in the genealogies of Judah as a son of Caleb and as "father of Bethgader." (1 Chronicles 2:51) only.


Hareth

(thicket), The forest of, in which David took refuge, after at the instigation of the prophet Gad, he had quitted the "hold" or fastness of the cave of Adullam. (1 Samuel 22:6)


Harhaiah

(the Lord is angry), father of Uzziel. (Nehemiah 3:8) (B.C. before 446.)


Harhur

(inflammation). The sons of Harhur were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:51; Nehemiah 7:53) (B.C. 623.)


Harim

+ A priest who had charge of the third division in the house of God. (1 Chronicles 24:8) (B.C. 1014.) + Bene-Harim, probably descendants of the above, to the number of 1017, came from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:39; Nehemiah 7:42) (B.C. 536.) + It further occurs in a list of the families of priests "who went up with Zerubbabel and Jeshua," and of those who were their descendants in the next generation. (Nehemiah 12:16) + Another family of Bene-Harim, 320 in number, came from the captivity in the same caravan. (Ezra 2:82; Nehemiah 7:35) (B.C. 536.) They also appear among those who had married foreign wives, (Ezra 10:31) as well as those who sealed the covenant- (Nehemiah 10:27) (B.C. 410.)


Hariph

(a plucking-off). A hundred and twelve of the Bene-Hariph returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah 7:24) The name occurs again among the "heads of the people" who sealed the covenant. ch. (Nehemiah 10:19)


Harlot

That this class of persons existed in the earliest states of society is clear from (Genesis 38:15) Rahab, (Joshua 2:1) is said by the Chald. Paraphr. to have been an innkeeper; but if there were such persons, considering what we know of Canaanitish morals, (Leviticus 18:27) we may conclude that they would, if women, have been of this class. The "harlots" are classed with "publicans," as those who lay under the ban of society, in the New Testament. (Matthew 21:32)


Harmagedon

(hill of Megiddo), (Revelation 16:16) in the Revised Version for Armageddon. The change is chiefly Har, hill, in place of Ar, city.


Harnepher

(panting), one of the sons of Zophah, of the tribe of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:36)


Harod

(fear), The well of, a spring by which Gideon and his great army encamped on the morning of the day which ended in the rout of the Midianites. (Judges 7:1) and where the trial of the people by their mode of drinking apparently took place. The Ain Jalud is very suitable to the circumstances, as being at present the largest spring in the neighborhood.


Harodite, The

the designation of two of the thirty-seven warriors of David's guard, Shammah and Elika, (2 Samuel 23:25) doubtless denied from a place named Harod.


Haroeh

a name occurring in the genealogical lists of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:52)


Harorite

(the same as Harodite) The, the title given to Shammoth, one of the warriors of David's guard. (1 Chronicles 11:27)


Harosheth

(workmanship) "of the Gentiles" so called from the mixed races that inhabited it--a city in the north of the land of Canaan, supposed to have stood on the west coast of the lake Merom from which the Jordan issues forth in one unbroken stream. It was the residence of Sisera captain of Jabin king of Canaan, (Judges 4:2) and it was the point to which the victorious Israelites under Barak pursued the discomfited host and chariots of the second potentate of that name. (Judges 4:16)


Harp

The harp was the national instrument of the Hebrews, and was well known throughout Asia. Moses assigns its invention to Jubal during the antediluvian period. (Genesis 4:21) Josephus records that the harp had ten strings, and that it was played on with the plectrum. Sometimes it was smaller having only eight strings, and was usually played with the fingers.


Harphite

(native of Hariph), The, the designation of Shephatiah, one of the Korhites who repaired to David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:5) (B.C. 1064.)


Harrow

The word so rendered, (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3) is probably a threshing-machine. The verb rendered "to harrow," (Job 39:10; Isaiah 28:24; Hosea 10:11) expresses apparently the breaking of the clods, and is so far analogous to our harrowing--but whether done by any such machine as we call a "harrow" is very doubtful.


Harsha

(deaf). Bene-Harsha were among the families of Nethinim who came back from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:52; Nehemiah 7:54)


Hart

the male stag. The word denotes some member of the deer tribe either the fallow deer or the Barbary deer. The hart is reckoned among the clean animals, (12:15; 14:5; 15:22) and seems from the passages quoted, as well as from (1 Kings 4:23) to have been commonly killed for food.


Harum

(lofty), father of Aharhel, in one of the most obscure genealogies of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:8)


Harumaph

(slit-nosed) father or ancestor of Jedaiah. (Nehemiah 3:10)


Haruz

(zealous), a man of Jotbah, father of Meshullemeth queen of Manasseh. (2 Kings 21:9) (B.C. before 644.)


Hasadiah

(loved by Jehovah) one of a group of five persons among the descendants of the royal line of Judah, (1 Chronicles 3:20) apparently sons of Zerubbabel. (B.C. about 536.)


Hasenuah

(the hated), a Benjamite, of one of the chief families in the tribe. (1 Chronicles 9:7)


Hashabiah

+ A Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 6:45) + Another Merarite Levite. (1 Chronicles 9:14) + The fourth of the six sons of Jeduthun, (1 Chronicles 25:3) who had charge of the twelfth course. ver. 19. (B.C. 1014.) + One of the descendants of Hebron the son of Kohath- (1 Chronicles 26:30) + The son of Kemuel, who was prince of the tribe of Levi in the time of David (1 Chronicles 27:17) (B.C. 1014.) + A Levite one of the "chiefs" of his tribe, who officiated for King Josiah at his great Passover feast. (2 Chronicles 35:9) (B.C. 623). + A Merarite Levite who accompanied Ezra from Babylon. (Ezra 8:19) + One of the chiefs of the priests who formed part of the same caravan. (Ezra 8:24) (B.C. 536.) + Ruler of half the circuit or environs of Keilah; he repaired a portion of the wall of Jerusalem under Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 3:17) (B.C. 446.) + One of the Levites who sealed the covenant of reformation after the return from the captivity. (Nehemiah 10:11; 12:24) comp. Nehe 12:26 (B.C. 446-410.) + Another Levite, son of Bunni. (Nehemiah 11:15) + A Levite, son of Mattaniah. (Nehemiah 11:22) + A priest of the family of Hilkiah in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:21)


Hashabnah

(whom Jehovah regards), one of the chief of the "people" who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:25) (B.C. 410.)


Hashabniah

+ Father of Hattush. (Nehemiah 3:10) + A Levite who was among those who officiated at the great fast under Ezra and Nehemiah when the covenant was sealed. (Nehemiah 9:5) (B.C. 410.)


Hashbadana

(considerate judge), one of the men (probably Levites) who stood on Ezra's left hand while he read the law to the people in Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 8:4) (B.C.410.)


Hashem

(fat). The sons of Hashem the Gizonite are named amongst the members of David's guard in (1 Chronicles 11:34) (B.C. before 1014.)


Hashmonah

(fatness), a station of the Israelites, mentioned (Numbers 33:29) as next before Moseroth.


Hashub

+ A son of Pahath-moab, who assisted in the repair of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:11) (B.C. 446.) + Another who assisted in the same work. (Nehemiah 3:23) + One of the heads of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:23) (B.C. 410.) + A Merarite Levite. (Nehemiah 11:15)


Hashubah

(intelligent), the first of a group of five men, apparently the latter half of the family of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:20)


Hashum

+ Bene-Hashum, 223 in number, came back from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:19; 10:33; Nehemiah 7:22) (B.C. before 536.) The chief man of the family was among these who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:18) (B.C. 410.) + One of the priests or Levites who stood on Ezra's left hand while he read the law to the congregation. (Nehemiah 8:4) (B.C. 410.)


Hashupha

(stripped), one of the families of Nethinim who returned from captivity in the first caravan (Nehemiah 7:46) Called [594]Hasupha in (Ezra 2:43) (B.C. 536.)


Hasrah

(very poor), the form in which the name Harhas is given in (2 Chronicles 34:22) comp. 2Kin 22:14


Hassenaah

The Bene-Hassenaah rebuilt the fish-gate in the repair of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:3) (B.C. 446.)


Hatach

(verily), one of the eunuchs in the court of Ahasuerus. (Esther 4:5,6,9,10) (B.C. 474.)


Hathath

(fearful), one of the sons of Othniel the Kenazite. (1 Chronicles 4:13)


Hatipha

(captive). Bene-Hatipha (i.e. sons of Hatipha) were among the Nethinim who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:54; Nehemiah 7:56) (B.C. 536.)


Hatita

(exploring). Bene-Hatita (i.e. sons of Hatita) were among the "porters" (i.e. the gate-keepers) who returned from the captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45) (B.C. 536.)


Hattuph

+ A descendant of the kings of Judah apparently one of the sons of Shechaniah, (1 Chronicles 3:22) in the fourth or fifth generation from Zerubbabel. A person of the same name accompanied Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:2) In another statement Hattush is said to have returned with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah 12:2) + Son of Hashabniah. one-of those who assisted Nehemiah in the repair of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:10) (B.C. 446.)


Hauran

(caverns), a province of Palestine twice mentioned by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 47:16,17) There can be little doubt that it is identical with the well-known Greek province of Auranitis and the modern Hauran east of the Sea of Galilee, on the borders of the desert, in the tetrarchy of Philip.


Havilah

+ A part of Eden through which flowed the river Pison (Araxes). It was probably the Grecian Colchis, in the northeast corner of Asia Minor, near the Caspian Sea. + A district in Arabia Felix, (Genesis 10:7) named from the second son of Cush; probably the district of Kualan, in the northwestern part of Yemen.

+ A son of Cush. (Genesis 10:7) + A son of Joktan. (Genesis 10:29)


Havothjair

(villages of Jair), certain villages on the east of Jordan, in Gilead or Bashan, which were taken by Jair the son of Manasseh, and called after his name. (Numbers 32:41; 3:14) In the records of Manasseh in (Joshua 13:30) and 1Chr 2:23 The Havoth-jair are reckoned with other districts as making up sixty "cities." Comp. (1 Kings 4:13) There is apparently some confusion in these different statements as to what the sixty cities really consisted of. No less doubtful is the number of the Havoth-Jair. In (1 Chronicles 2:22) they are specified as twenty-three, but in (Judges 10:4) as thirty.


Hawk

(Leviticus 11:16; 14:15; Job 39:26) The hawk includes various species of the Falconidae . With respect to the passage in Job (l.c.) which appears to allude to the migratory habits of hawks, it is curious to observe that of the ten or twelve lesser raptors (hawk tribe) of Palestine, nearly all are summer migrants. The kestrel remains all the year, but the others are all migrants from the south.


Hay

(Heb. chatsir), the rendering of the Authorized Version in (Proverbs 27:25) and Isai 15:6 Of the Hebrew term, which occurs frequently in the Old Testament, and denotes "grass" of any kind. It is quite probable that the modern Orientals do not make hay in our sense of the term; but it is certain that the ancients did mow their grass, and probably made use of the dry material. See (Psalms 37:2) We may remark that there is an express Hebrew term for "dry grass" or "hay," viz. chashash, which, in the only two places where the word occurs, (Isaiah 5:24; 33:11) is rendered "chaff" in the Authorized Version.


Hazael

(whom God sees), a king of Damascus who reigned from about B.C. 886 to B.C. 840. He appears to have been previously a person in a high position at the court of Ben-hadad, and was sent by his master to Elisha to inquire if he would recover from the malady under which he was suffering. Elisha's answer led to the murder of Ben-hadad by his ambitious servant, who forthwith mounted the throne. (2 Kings 8:7-15) He was soon engaged in war with the kings of Judah and Israel for the possession of the city of Ramoth-gilead. Ibid. (2 Kings 8:28) Towards the close of the reign of Jehu, Hazael led the Syrians against the Israelites (about B.C. 860), whom he "smote in all their coasts," (2 Kings 10:32) thus accomplishing the prophecy of Elisha. Ibid . (2 Kings 8:12) At the close of his life, having taken Gath, ibid. (2 Kings 12:17) comp. Amos 6:2 He proceeded to attack Jerusalem, (2 Chronicles 24:24) and was about to assault the city when Joash bribed him to retire. (2 Kings 12:18) Hazael appears to have died about the year B.C. 840, (2 Kings 13:24) having reigned forty-six years.


Hazaiah

(whom Jehovah sees), a man of Judah of the family of the Shilonites, or descendants of Shelah. (Nehemiah 11:5)


Hazarmaveth

(court of death), the third in order of the sons of Joktan (Genesis 10:26) The name is preserved in the Arabic Hadramawt and Hadrumawl, the appellation of a province and an ancient people of southern Arabia. The capital is Satham, a very ancient city, and its chief ports are Mirbat, Zafari and Kisheem, from whence a great trade was carried on in ancient times with India and Africa.


Hazel

The Hebrew term luz occurs only in (Genesis 30:37) Authorities are divided between the hazel and the almond tree as representing the luz . The latter is most probably correct.


Hazelelponi

(shade coming upon me), the sister of the sons of Etam in the genealogies of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:3)


Hazer

topographically, seems generally employed for the villages of people. As a proper name it appears in the Authorized Version--

+ In the plural, [598]Hazerim and HAZEBOTH, for which see below. + In the slightly different form of [599]Hazor. + In composition with other words: + HAZAR-ADDAR (village of Addar), a place named as one of the landmarks on the southern boundary of the land promised to Israel. (Numbers 34:4) [600]Adar (Joshua 15:3) + HAZAR-ENAN (village of fountains), the place at which the northern boundary of the land promised to the children of Israel was to terminate. (Numbers 34:9,10) comp. Ezek 47:17; 48:1 + HAZAB GADDAH (village of fortune), one of the towns in the southern district of Judah, (Joshua 15:27) named between Moladah and Heshmon. + HAZAR-SHUAL (village of jackals), a town in the southern district of Judah, lying between Hazar-gaddah and Beersheba. (Joshua 15:28; 19:3; 1 Chronicles 4:28) + HAZAR-SUSAH (village of horses), one of the "cities" allotted to Simeon in the extreme south of the territory of Judah. (Joshua 19:5)


Hazerim

(villages). The Avim, or more accurately the Avvim, are said to have lived "in the villages (Authorized Version 'Hazerim') as far as Gaza," (2:23) before their expulsion by the Caphtorim.


Hazeroth

(villages), (Numbers 11:35; 12:16; 33:17; 1:1) a station of the Israelites in the desert, and perhaps recognizable in the Arabic Ain Hudhera, forty miles northeast of Sinai.