APPAREL
In Old Testament times the distinction between male and female attire was not very marked. The statute forbidding men to wear female apparel (Deut. 22:5) referred especially to ornaments and head-dresses. Both men and women wore (1) an under garment or tunic, which was bound by a girdle. One who had only this tunic on was spoken of as "naked" (1-Sam 19:24; Job 24:10; Isa. 20:2). Those in high stat......
AREOPAGITE
a member of the court of Areopagus (Acts 17:34).......
AREOPAGUS
the Latin form of the Greek word rendered "Mars' hill." But it denotes also the council or court of justice which met in the open air on the hill. It was a rocky height to the west of the Acropolis at Athens, on the south-east summit of which the council was held which was constituted by Solon, and consisted of nine archons or chief magistrates who were then in office, and the ex-archons of blamel......
ARETAS
the father-in-law of Herod Antipas, and king of Arabia Petraea. His daughter returned to him on the occasion of her husband's entering into an adulterous alliance with Herodias, the wife of Herod-Philip, his half-brother (Luke 3:19, Luke 3: 20; Mark 6:17; Matt. 14:3). This led to a war between Aretas and Herod Antipas. Herod's army was wholly destroyed (A.D. 36). Aretas, taking advantage of the co......
ARMOUR-BEARER
an officer selected by kings and generals because of his bravery, not only to bear their armour, but also to stand by them in the time of danger. They were the adjutants of our modern armies (Judg. 9:54; 1-Sam 14:7;16:21;31:6).......
BAREFOOT
To go barefoot was a sign of great distress (Isa. 20:2, Isa. 20: 3, 4), or of some great calamity having fallen on a person (2-Sam 15:30).......
CAESAREA
(Palestinae), a city on the shore of the Mediterranean, on the great road from Tyre to Egypt, about 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem, at the northern extremity of the plain of Sharon. It was built by Herod the Great (B.C. 10), who named it after Caesar Augustus, hence called Caesarea Sebaste (Gr. Sebastos = "Augustus"), on the site of an old town called "Strato's Tower." It was the capital of the R......
CESAREA
See CAESAREA. ......
CUP-BEARER
an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian, Assyrian, and Jewish monarchs. The cup-bearer of the king of Egypt is mentioned in connection with Joseph's history (Gen. 40:1;41:9). Rabshakeh (q.v.) was cup-bearer in the Assyrian court (2-Kings 18:17). Nehemiah filled this office to the king of Persia (Neh. 1:11). We read also of Solomon's cup-bearers (1-Kings 10:5; 2-Chr 9:4). ......
GADARENES
the inhabitants of Gadara, in Revised Version "Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26, Luke 8: 37). In Matt. 8:28 they are called Gergesenes, Revised Version "Gadarenes."......
GAREB
scabby; itch. (1.) One of David's warriors (2-Sam 23:38), an Ithrite. (2.) A hill near Jerusalem (Jer. 31:39), probably the hill of lepers, and consequently a place outside the boundary of the city.......
GENNESARET
a garden of riches. (1.) A town of Naphtali, called Chinnereth (Josh. 19:35), sometimes in the plural form Chinneroth (11:2). In later times the name was gradually changed to Genezar and Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). This city stood on the western shore of the lake to which it gave its name. No trace of it remains. The plain of Gennesaret has been called, from its fertility and beauty, "the Paradise of G......
HADAREZER
Adod is his help, the name given to Hadadezer (2-Sam 8:3) in 2 Sam. 10.......
HAGARENE
or Hagarite. (1.) One of David's mighty men (1-Chr 11:38), the son of a foreigner. (2.) Used of Jaziz (1-Chr 27:31), who was over David's flocks. "A Hagarite had charge of David's flocks, and an Ishmaelite of his herds, because the animals were pastured in districts where these nomadic people were accustomed to feed their cattle." (3.) In the reign of Saul a great war was waged between the tra......
HARE
(Heb. 'arnebeth) was prohibited as food according to the Mosaic law (Lev. 11:6; Deut. 14:7), "because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof." The habit of this animal is to grind its teeth and move its jaw as if it actually chewed the cud. But, like the cony (q.v.), it is not a ruminant with four stomachs, but a rodent like the squirrel, rat, etc. Moses speaks of it according to appearance......
HARETH
thicket, a wood in the mountains of Judah where David hid when pursued by Saul (1-Sam 22:5). It was possibly while he was here that the memorable incident narrated in 2-Sam 23:14, 2-Sam 23: 1-Chr 11:16 occurred. This place has not been identified, but perhaps it may be the modern Kharas, on the borders of the chain of mountains some 3 miles east of Keilah.......
JAARE-OREGIM
forests of the weavers, a Bethlehemite (2-Sam 21:19), and the father of Elhanan, who slew Goliath. In 1-Chr 20:5 called JAIR. ......
JARED
descent. (1.) The fourth antediluvian patriarch in descent from Seth (Gen. 5:15; Luke 3:37), the father of Enoch; called Jered in 1-Chr 1:2. (2.) A son of Ezra probably (1-Chr 4:18). ......
JESHARELAH
upright towards God, the head of the seventh division of Levitical musicians (1-Chr 25:14). ......
KAREAH
bald, the father of Johanan and Jonathan, who for a time were loyal to Gedaliah, the Babylonian governor of Jerusalem (Jer. 40:8, Jer. 40: 13, 15, 16).......
MARESHAH
possession, a city in the plain of Judah (John. 15:44). Here Asa defeated Zerah the Ethiopian (2-Chr 14:9, 2-Chr 14: 10). It is identified with the ruin el-Mer'ash, about 1 1/2 mile south of Beit Jibrin. ......
NAZARENE
This epithet (Gr. Nazaraios) is applied to Christ only once (Matt. 2:23). In all other cases the word is rendered "of Nazareth" (Mark 1:24;10:47;14:67, 14: etc.). When this Greek designation was at first applied to our Lord, it was meant simply to denote the place of his residence. In course of time the word became a term of reproach. Thus the word "Nazarene" carries with it an allusion to those p......
NAZARETH
separated, generally supposed to be the Greek form of the Hebrew _netser_, a "shoot" or "sprout." Some, however, think that the name of the city must be connected with the name of the hill behind it, from which one of the finest prospects in Palestine is obtained, and accordingly they derive it from the Hebrew _notserah_, i.e., one guarding or watching, thus designating the hill which overlooks an......
NERGAL-SHAREZER
Nergal, protect the king! (1.) One of the "princes of the king of Babylon who accompanied him in his last expedition against Jerusalem" (Jer. 39:3, Jer. 39: 13). (2.) Another of the "princes," who bore the title of "Rabmag." He was one of those who were sent to release Jeremiah from prison (Jer. 39:13) by "the captain of the guard." He was a Babylonian grandee of high rank. From profane history ......
PHAREZ
breach, the elder of the twin sons of Judah (Gen. 38:29). From him the royal line of David sprang (Ruth 4:18). "The chief of all the captains of the host" was of the children of Perez (1-Chr 27:3; Matt. 1:3). ......
RIMMON-PAREZ
a pomegranate breach, or Rimmon of the breach, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Num. 33:19, Num. 33: 20). ......
SAREPTA
(Luke 4:26). See ZAREPHATH. ......
SHAREZER
(god) protect the king!, a son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. He and his brother Adrammelech murdered their father, and then fled into the land of Armenia (2-Kings 19:37).......
SNARE
The expression (Amos 3:5), "Shall one take up a snare from the earth?" etc. (Authorized Version), ought to be, as in the Revised Version, "Shall a snare spring up from the ground?" etc. (See GIN.) ......
TARES
the bearded darnel, mentioned only in Matt. 13:25. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific poison. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat till the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine. ......
TEL-HARESHA
hill of the wood, a place in Babylon from which some captive Jews returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:61). ......
ZAREPHATH
smelting-shop, "a workshop for the refining and smelting of metals", a small Phoenician town, now Surafend, about a mile from the coast, almost midway on the road between Tyre and Sidon. Here Elijah sojourned with a poor widow during the "great famine," when the "heaven was shut up three years and six months" (Luke 4:26; 1-Kings 17:10). It is called Sarepta in the New Testament (Luke 4:26).......
ZARETAN
When the Hebrews crossed the Jordan, as soon as the feet of the priests were dipped in the water, the flow of the stream was arrested. The point of arrest was the "city of Adam beside Zaretan," probably near Succoth, at the mouth of the Jabbok, some 30 miles up the river from where the people were encamped. There the water "stood and rose upon an heap." Thus the whole space of 30 miles of the rive......
ZARETH-SHAHAR
the splendour of the dawn, a city "in the mount of the valley" (Josh. 13:19). It is identified with the ruins of Zara, near the mouth of the Wady Zerka Main, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, some 3 miles south of the Callirrhoe. Of this town but little remains. "A few broken basaltic columns and pieces of wall about 200 yards back from the shore, and a ruined fort rather nearer the sea, about......
ABINOAM
father of kindness, the father of Barak (Judg. 4:6;5:1).......
ADINO
the Eznite, one of David's mighty men (2-Sam 23:8). (See JASHOBEAM.) ......
AENON
springs, a place near Salim where John baptized (John 3:23). It was probably near the upper source of the Wady Far'ah, an open valley extending from Mount Ebal to the Jordan. It is full of springs. A place has been found called 'Ainun, four miles north of the springs.......
AHINOAM
brother of pleasantness = pleasant. (1.) The daughter of Ahimaaz, and wife of Saul (1-Sam 14:50). (2.) A Jezreelitess, the first wife of David (1-Sam 25:43;27:3). She was the mother of Amnon (2-Sam 3:2). (See 1-Sam 30:5, 1-Sam 30: 18; 2-Sam 2:2.)......
AMNON
faithful. (1.) One of the sons of Shammai, of the children of Ezra (1-Chr 4:20; comp. 17). (2.) The eldest son of David, by Ahinoam of Jezreel (1-Chr 3:1; 2-Sam 3:2). Absalom caused him to be put to death for his great crime in the matter of Tamar (2-Sam 13:28, 2-Sam 13: 29).......
ANOINT
The practice of anointing with perfumed oil was common among the Hebrews. (1.) The act of anointing was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Exo 29:29; Lev. 4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Exo 30:26). The high priest and the king are thus called "the anointed" (Lev. 4:3, Lev. 4: 5, 16;6:20; Psa 132:10). Anointing a king was equivalent to crow......
ARNON
swift, the southern boundary of the territory of Israel beyond Jordan, separating it from the land of Moab (Deut. 3:8, Deut. 3: 16). This river (referred to twenty-four times in the Bible) rises in the mountains of Gilead, and after a circuitous course of about 80 miles through a deep ravine it falls into the Dead Sea nearly opposite Engedi. The stream is almost dry in summer. It is now called el-......
ASTRONOMY
The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9;38:31), "the crooked s......
BETH-ANOTH
house of answers, a city in the mountainous district of Judah (Josh. 15:59). It has been identified with the modern Beit-'Anun, about 3 miles northeast of Hebron.......
CANON
This word is derived from a Hebrew and Greek word denoting a reed or cane. Hence it means something straight, or something to keep straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured. It came to be applied to the Scriptures, to denote that they contained the authoritative rule of faith and practice, the standard of doctrine and duty. A book is said to be of canonical authority when it ......
CHRONOLOGY
is the arrangement of facts and events in the order of time. The writers of the Bible themselves do not adopt any standard era according to which they date events. Sometimes the years are reckoned, e.g., from the time of the Exodus (Num. 1:1;33:38; 1-Kings 6:1), and sometimes from the accession of kings (1-Kings 15:1, 1-Kings 15: 9, 25, 33, etc.), and sometimes again from the return from Exile (Ez......
DEUTERONOMY
In all the Hebrew manuscripts the Pentateuch (q.v.) forms one roll or volume divided into larger and smaller sections called _parshioth_ and _sedarim_. It is not easy to say when it was divided into five books. This was probably first done by the Greek translators of the book, whom the Vulgate follows. The fifth of these books was called by the Greeks Deuteronomion, i.e., the second law, hence our......
ENOCH
initiated. (1.) The eldest son of Cain (Gen. 4:17), who built a city east of Eden in the land of Nod, and called it "after the name of his son Enoch." This is the first "city" mentioned in Scripture. (2.) The son of Jared, and father of Methuselah (Gen. 5:21; Luke 3:37). His father was one hundred and sixty-two years old when he was born. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch "walked with God thr......
ENOS
man the son of Seth, and grandson of Adam (Gen. 5:6; Luke 3:38). He lived nine hundred and five years. In his time "men began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26), meaning either (1) then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord (marg.) i.e., to distinguish themselves thereby from idolaters; or (2) then men in some public and earnest way began to call upon the Lord, indicatin......
FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29;11:2; 1-Pet 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1-Sam 23:9; Jer. 38:17;42:9, 42: Matt. 11:21, Matt. 11: 23; Acts 15:18). ......
GOVERNOR
(1.) Heb. nagid, a prominent, conspicuous person, whatever his capacity: as, chief of the royal palace (2-Chr 28:7; comp. 1-Kings 4:6), chief of the temple (1-Chr 9:11; Jer. 20:1), the leader of the Aaronites (1-Chr 12:27), keeper of the sacred treasury (26:24), captain of the army (13:1), the king (1-Sam 9:16), the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). (2.) Heb. nasi, raised; exalted. Used to denote the chiefs ......
HENOCH
See ENOCH. ......
HINNOM
a deep, narrow ravine separating Mount Zion from the so-called "Hill of Evil Counsel." It took its name from "some ancient hero, the son of Hinnom." It is first mentioned in Josh. 15:8. It had been the place where the idolatrous Jews burned their children alive to Moloch and Baal. A particular part of the valley was called Tophet, or the "fire-stove," where the children were burned. After the Exil......
ISHBI-BENOB
my seat at Nob, one of the Rephaim, whose spear was three hundred shekels in weight. He was slain by Abishai (2-Sam 21:16, 2-Sam 21: 17). ......
JANOAH
or Jano'hah, rest. (1.) A town on the north-eastern border of Ephraim, in the Jordan valley (Josh. 16:6, Josh. 16: 7). Identified with the modern Yanun, 8 miles south-east of Nablus. (2.) A town of Northern Palestine, within the boundaries of Naphtali. It was taken by the king of Assyria (2-Kings 15:29). ......
KNOCK
"Though Orientals are very jealous of their privacy, they never knock when about to enter your room, but walk in without warning or ceremony. It is nearly impossible to teach an Arab servant to knock at your door. They give warning at the outer gate either by calling or knocking. To stand and call is a very common and respectful mode. Thus Moses commanded the holder of a pledge to stand without an......
KNOP
some architectural ornament. (1.) Heb. kaphtor (Exo 25:31), occurring in the description of the candlestick. It was an ornamental swell beneath the cups of the candlestick, probably an imitation of the fruit of the almond. (2.) Heb. peka'im, found only in 1-Kings 6:18 7:24, 7: an ornament resembling a small gourd or an egg, on the cedar wainscot in the temple and on the castings on the brim of t......
LEANNOTH
for answering; i.e., in singing, occurs in the title to Ps. 88. The title "Mahalath (q.v.) Leannoth" may be rendered "concerning sickness, to be sung" i.e., perhaps, to be sung in sickness. ......
LEBANON
white, "the white mountain of Syria," is the loftiest and most celebrated mountain range in Syria. It is a branch running southward from the Caucasus, and at its lower end forking into two parallel ranges, the eastern or Anti-Lebanon, and the western or Lebanon proper. They enclose a long valley (Josh. 11:17) of from 5 to 8 miles in width, called by Roman writers Coele-Syria, now called el-Buka'a,......
MAHALATH LEANNOTH MASCHIL
This word leannoth seems to point to some kind of instrument unknown (Ps. 88, title). The whole phrase has by others been rendered, "On the sickness of affliction: a lesson;" or, "Concerning afflictive sickness: a didactic psalm." ......
MANOAH
rest, a Danite, the father of Samson (Judg. 13:1, Judg. 13: 14:2). ......
MERONOTHITE
a name given to Jehdeiah, the herdsman of the royal asses in the time of David and Solomon (1-Chr 27:30), probably as one being a native of some unknown town called Meronoth. ......
NEGINOTH
i.e., songs with instrumental accompaniment, found in the titles of Ps. 4; 6; 54; 55; 67; 76; rendered "stringed instruments," Hab. 3:19, Hab. 3: A.V. It denotes all kinds of stringed instruments, as the "harp," "psaltery," "viol," etc. The "chief musician on Neginoth" is the leader of that part of the temple choir which played on stringed instruments.......
NICANOR
conqueror, one of the seven deacons appointed in the apostolic Church (Acts 6:1). Nothing further is known of him. ......
NO
or No-A'mon, the home of Amon, the name of Thebes, the ancient capital of what is called the Middle Empire, in Upper or Southern Egypt. "The multitude of No" (Jer. 46:25) is more correctly rendered, as in the Revised Version, "Amon of No", i.e., No, where Jupiter Amon had his temple. In Ezek. 30:14, Ezek. 30: 16 it is simply called "No;" but in ver. 15 the name has the Hebrew Hamon prefixed to it,......
NOADIAH
meeting with the Lord. (1.) A Levite who returned from Babylon (Ezra 8:33). (2.) A false prophetess who assisted Tobiah and Sanballat against the Jews (Neh. 6:14). Being bribed by them, she tried to stir up discontent among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and so to embarrass Nehemiah in his great work of rebuilding the ruined walls of the city. ......
NOAH
rest, (Heb. Noah) the grandson of Methuselah (Gen. 5:25), who was for two hundred and fifty years contemporary with Adam, and the son of Lamech, who was about fifty years old at the time of Adam's death. This patriarch is rightly regarded as the connecting link between the old and the new world. He is the second great progenitor of the human family. The words of his father Lamech at his birth (G......
NOB
high place, a city of the priests, first mentioned in the history of David's wanderings (1-Sam 21:1). Here the tabernacle was then standing, and here Ahimelech the priest resided. (See AHIMELECH.) From Isa. 10:28 it seems to have been near Jerusalem. It has been identified by some with el-Isawiyeh, one mile and a half to the north-east of Jerusalem. But according to Isa. 10:28 it was on the south ......
NOBAH
howling. (1.) Num. 32:42. (2.) The name given to Kenath (q.v.) by Nobah when he conquered it. It was on the east of Gilead (Judg. 8:11). ......
NOBLEMAN
(Gr. basilikos, i.e., "king's man"), an officer of state (John 4:49) in the service of Herod Antipas. He is supposed to have been the Chuza, Herod's steward, whose wife was one of those women who "ministered unto the Lord of their substance" (Luke 8:3). This officer came to Jesus at Cana and besought him to go down to Capernaum and heal his son, who lay there at the point of death. Our Lord sent h......
NOD
exile; wandering; unrest, a name given to the country to which Cain fled (Gen.4:16). It lay on the east of Eden. ......
NODAB
noble, probably a tribe descended from one of the sons of Ishmael, with whom the trans-Jordanic tribes made war (1-Chr 5:19). ......
NOGAH
splendour, one of David's sons, born at Jerusalem (1-Chr 3:7). ......
NOPH
the Hebrew name of an Egyptian city (Isa. 19:13; Jer.2:16;44:1;46:14, 46: 19; Ezek. 30:13, Ezek. 30: 16). In Hos. 9:6 the Hebrew name is Moph, and is translated "Memphis," which is its Greek and Latin form. It was one of the most ancient and important cities of Egypt, and stood a little to the south of the modern Cairo, on the western bank of the Nile. It was the capital of Lower Egypt. Among the ......
NOPHAH
blast, a city of Moab which was occupied by the Amorites (Num. 21:30). ......
NORTH COUNTRY
a general name for the countries that lay north of Palestine. Most of the invading armies entered Palestine from the north (Isa. 41:25; Jer. 1:14, Jer. 1:15;50:3, 50:9, 50:41;51:48; Ezek. 26:7). ......
NORTHWARD
(Heb. tsaphon), a "hidden" or "dark place," as opposed to the sunny south (Deut. 3:27). A Hebrew in speaking of the points of the compass was considered as always having his face to the east, and hence "the left hand" (Gen. 14:15; Job 23:9) denotes the north. The "kingdoms of the north" are Chaldea, Assyria, Media, etc. ......
NOSE-JEWELS
Only mentioned in Isa. 3:21, Isa. 3: although refered to in Gen. 24:47, Gen. 24: Prov. 11:22, Prov. 11: Hos. 2:13. They were among the most valued of ancient female ornaments. They "were made of ivory or metal, and occasionally jewelled. They were more than an inch in diameter, and hung upon the mouth. Eliezer gave one to Rebekah which was of gold and weighed half a shekel...At the present day the......
ONO
a town of Benjamin, in the "plain of Ono" (1-Chr 8:12; Ezra 2:33); now Kefr 'Ana, 5 miles north of Lydda, and about 30 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Not succeeding in their attempts to deter Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Sanballat and Tobiah resorted to strategem, and pretending to wish a conference with him, they invited him to meet them at Ono. Four times they made the reques......
SNOW
Common in Palestine in winter (Psa 147:16). The snow on the tops of the Lebanon range is almost always within view throughout the whole year. The word is frequently used figuratively by the sacred writers (Job 24:19; Psa 51:7;68:14; Isa. 1:18). It is mentioned only once in the historical books (2-Sam 23:20). It was "carried to Tyre, Sidon, and Damascus as a luxury, and labourers sweltering in the ......
SUCCOTH-BENOTH
tents of daughters, supposed to be the name of a Babylonian deity, the goddess Zir-banit, the wife of Merodach, worshipped by the colonists in Samaria (2-Kings 17:30). ......
TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
stood in the midst of the garden of Eden, beside the tree of life (Gen. 2, 3). Adam and Eve were forbidden to take of the fruit which grew upon it. But they disobeyed the divine injunction, and so sin and death by sin entered our world and became the heritage of Adam's posterity. (See ADAM.) ......
WINNOW
Corn was winnowed, (1.) By being thrown up by a shovel against the wind. As a rule this was done in the evening or during the night, when the west wind from the sea was blowing, which was a moderate breeze and fitted for the purpose. The north wind was too strong, and the east wind came in gusts. (2.) By the use of a fan or van, by which the chaff was blown away (Ruth 3:2; Isa. 30:24; Jer. 4:11, J......
ZANOAH
marsh. (1.) A town in the low country or shephelah of Judah, near Zorah (Josh. 15:34). It was re-occupied after the return from the Captivity (Neh. 11:30). Zanu'ah in Wady Ismail, 10 miles west of Jerusalem, occupies probably the same site. (2.) A town in the hill country of Judah, some 10 miles to the south-west of Hebron (Josh. 15:56).......
APPII FORUM
i.e., "the market of Appius" (Acts 28:15, Acts 28: R.V.), a town on the road, the "Appian Way," from Rome to Brundusium. It was 43 miles from Rome. Here Paul was met by some Roman Christians on his way to the capital. It was natural that they should halt here and wait for him, because from this place there were two ways by which travellers might journey to Rome.......
BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD
only mentioned in 1-Cor 15:29. This expression as used by the apostle may be equivalent to saying, "He who goes through a baptism of blood in order to join a glorified church which has no existence [i.e., if the dead rise not] is a fool." Some also regard the statement here as an allusion to the strange practice which began, it is said, to prevail at Corinth, in which a person was baptized in the ......
COMFORTER
the designation of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, John 14: 26;15:26;16:7; R.V. marg., "or Advocate, or Helper; Gr. paracletos"). The same Greek word thus rendered is translated "Advocate" in 1-John 2:1 as applicable to Christ. It means properly "one who is summoned to the side of another" to help him in a court of justice by defending him, "one who is summoned to plead a cause." "Advocate" is the pro......
FORCES
of the Gentiles (Isa. 60:5, Isa. 60: 11; R.V., "the wealth of the nations") denotes the wealth of the heathen. The whole passage means that the wealth of the Gentile world should be consecrated to the service of the church. ......
FORD
Mention is frequently made of the fords of the Jordan (Josh. 2:7; Judg. 3:28;12:5, 12: 6), which must have been very numerous; about fifty perhaps. The most notable was that of Bethabara. Mention is also made of the ford of the Jabbok (Gen. 32:22), and of the fords of Arnon (Isa. 16:2) and of the Euphrates (Jer. 51:32). ......
FOREHEAD
The practice common among Oriental nations of colouring the forehead or impressing on it some distinctive mark as a sign of devotion to some deity is alluded to in Rev. 13:16, Rev. 13: 17;14:9;17:5;20:4. The "jewel on thy forehead" mentioned in Ezek. 16:12 (R.V., "a ring upon thy nose") was in all probability the "nose-ring" (Isa. 3:21). In Ezek. 3:7 the word "impudent" is rightly rendered in ......
FOREIGNER
a Gentile. Such as resided among the Hebrews were required by the law to be treated with kindness (Exo 22:21;23:9; Lev. 19:33, Lev. 19: 34;23:22; Deut. 14:28;16:10, 16: 11;24:19). They enjoyed in many things equal rights with the native-born residents (Exo 12:49; Lev. 24:22; Num. 15:15;35:15), but were not allowed to do anything which was an abomination according to the Jewish law (Exo 20:10; Lev.......
FORERUNNER
John the Baptist went before our Lord in this character (Mark 1:2, Mark 1: 3). Christ so called (Heb. 6:20) as entering before his people into the holy place as their head and guide. ......
FOREST
Heb. ya'ar, meaning a dense wood, from its luxuriance. Thus all the great primeval forests of Syria (Eccl. 2:6; Isa. 44:14; Jer. 5:6; Micah 5:8). The most extensive was the trans-Jordanic forest of Ephraim (2-Sam 18:6, 2-Sam 18: 8; Josh. 17:15, Josh. 17: 18), which is probably the same as the wood of Ephratah (Psa 132:6), some part of the great forest of Gilead. It was in this forest that Absalom ......
FORGIVENESS OF SIN
one of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31;13:38; 1-John 1:6). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and pe......
FORNICATION
in every form of it was sternly condemned by the Mosaic law (Lev. 21:9;19:29; Deut. 22:20, Deut. 22: 21, 23-29;23:18; Exo 22:16). (See ADULTERY.) But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols (Isa. 1:2; Jer. 2:20; Ezek. 16; Hos. 1:2;2:1; Jer. 3:8, Jer. 3:9). ......
FORTUNATUS
fortunate, a disciple of Corinth who visited Paul at Ephesus, and returned with Stephanas and Achaicus, the bearers of the apostle's first letter to the Corinthians (1-Cor 16:17). ......
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