Smith's Bible Dictionary

1198 Pages·2011·8.6 MB·English

by  William Smith

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Author(s): Smith, William
Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Description: Educated in classical literature and proficient in Latin and
Greek, William Smith pursued the study of lexicography, or
dictionary-making. He successfully published over five subject
dictionaries during his lifetime and eventually became the
editor of London's Quarterly Review.Smith's Bible Dictionary
is a comprehensive A to Z glossary of Biblical names, con-
cepts, places, objects, and technical terms. Organized alpha-
betically by first letter, this dictionary provides a simple
method of understanding Biblical terminology. For each word,
Smith indicates where the word appears in the Bible, its
definition, and a modern equivalent of the word, when applic-
able. For additional assistance, the dictionary contains links
to other encyclopedic and dictionary references.Smith's Bible
Dictionary is easy to navigate and astoundingly efficient.
Emmalon Davis
CCEL Staff Writer
Subjects: The Bible
Works about the Bible
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Contents
Title Page 1
Smith's Bible Dictionary 2
A 2
B 107
C 158
D 204
E 234
F 287
G 303
H 340
I 403
J 424
K 513
L 528
M 569
N 661
O 708
P 729
Q 839
R 841
S 876
T 1004
U 1076
V 1089
W 1102
Y 1124
ii
Z 1126
Indexes 1156
Index of Scripture References 1157
iii
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Title Page
Title Page
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
William Smith
1884
1
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Smith's BibAle Dictionary
A
See Alpha
Aarat
(high or holy ground), a mountainous district of Asia mentioned in the Bible in
connection with the following events:— (1) As the resting-place of the ark after the
deluge. (Genesis 8:4) (2) As the asylum of the sons of Sennacherib. (2 Kings 19:37;
Isaiah 37:38) Authorized Version has “the land of Armenia.” (3) As the ally, and
probably the neighbor, of Minni and Ashchenaz. (Jeremiah 51:27) [Armenia] The
name Ararat was unknown to the geographers of Greece and Rome, as it still is to the
Armenians of the present day; but it was an ancient name for a portion of Armenia.
In its biblical sense it is descriptive generally of the Armenian highlands—the lofty
plateau which over looks the plain of the Araxes on the north and of Mesopotomia on
the south. Various opinions have been put forth as to the spot where the ark rested,
as described in (Genesis 8:4) (but it is probable that it rested on some of the lower
portions of the range than on the lofty peak to which exclusively) Europeans have
given the name Ararat, the mountain which is called Massis by the Armenians, Agri-
Dagh, i.e. Steep Mountain, by the Turks, and Kuh-i-Nuh, i.e. Noah’s Mountain, by
the Persians. It rises immediately out of the plain of the Araxes, and terminates in two
conical peaks, named the Great and Less Ararat, about seven miles distant from each
other; the former of which attain an elevation of 17,260 feet above the level of the sea
and about 14,000 above the plain of the Araxes, while the latter is lower by 4000 feet.
The summit of the higher is covered with eternal snow for about 3000 feet. Arguri,
the only village known to have been built on its slopes, was the spot where, according
to tradition, Noah planted his vineyard. “The mountains of Ararat ” are co-extensive
with the Armenian plateau from the base of Ararat in the north to the range of Kur-
distan in the south, we notice the following characteristics of that region as illustrating
the Bible narrative; (1) its elevation. It rises to a height of from 6000 to 7000 feet above
the level of the sea. (2) Its geographical position . Viewed with reference to the disper-
sion of the nations, Armenia is the true centre of the world; and at the present day
Ararat is the great boundary-stone between the empires of Russia, Turkey and Persia.
(3) Its physical character . The plains as well as the mountains supply evidence of vol-
canic agency. (4) The climate . Winter lasts from October to May, and is succeeded
by a brief spring and a summer of intense heat. (5) The vegetation . Grass grows lux-
uriantly on the plateau, and furnishes abundant pasture during the summer months
to the flocks of the nomad Kurds. Wheat, barley and vines ripen at far higher altitudes
than on the Alps and the Pyrenees.
2
A
Aaron
(a teacher, or lofty), the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the older brother of
Moses and Miriam. (Numbers 26:59; 33:39) (B.C. 1573.) He was a Levite, and is first
mentioned in (Exodus 4:14) He was appointed by Jehovah to be the interpreter, (Exodus
4:16) of his brother Moses, who was “slow of speech;” and accordingly he was not only
the organ of communication with the Israelites and with Pharaoh, (Exodus 4:30; 7:2)
but also the actual instrument of working most of the miracles of the Exodus. (Exodus
7:19) etc. On the way to Mount Sinai, during the battle with Amalek, Aaron with Hur
stayed up the weary hands of Moses when they were lifted up for the victory of Israel.
(Exodus 17:9) He is mentioned as dependent upon his brother and deriving all his
authority from him. Left, on Moses’ departure into Sinai, to guide the people, Aaron
is tried for a moment on his own responsibility, and he fails from a weak inability to
withstand the demand of the people for visible “gods to go before them,” by making
an image of Jehovah, in the well-known form of Egyptian idolatry (Apis or Mnevis).
He repented of his sin, and Moses gained forgiveness for him. (9:20) Aaron was not
consecrated by Moses to the new office of the high priesthood. (Exodus 29:9) From
this time the history of Aaron is almost entirely that of the priesthood, and its chief
feature is the great rebellion of Korah and the Levites. Leaning, as he seems to have
done, wholly on Moses, it is not strange that he should have shared his sin at Meribah
and its punishment. See Moses. (Numbers 20:10-12) Aaron’s death seems to have fol-
lowed very speedily. It took place on Mount Hor, after the transference of his robes
and office to Eleazar. (Numbers 20:28) This mount is still called the “Mountain of
Aaron.” See Hor. The wife of Aaron was Elisheba, (Exodus 6:23) and the two sons who
survived him, Eleazar and Ithamar. The high priesthood descended to the former, and
to his descendants until the time of Eli, who, although of the house of Ithamar, received
the high priesthood and transmitted it to his children; with them it continued till the
accession of Solomon, who took it from Abiathar and restored it to Zadok (of the
house of Eleazar). See Abiathar.
Aaronites
(1 Chronicles 12:27) priests of the family of Aaron.
Ab
See Month.
(father), an element in the composition of many proper names, of which Abba is
a Chaldaic form, having the sense of “endowed with,” “possessed of.”
Abaddon
See Apollyon.
3
A
Abagtha
(God-given), one of the seven eunuchs in the Persian court of Ahasuerus. (Esther
1:10)
Abana
(perennial, stony), one of the “rivers of Damascus.” (2 Kings 5:12) The Barada and
the Awaj are now the chief streams of Damascus, the former representing the Abana
and the latter the Pharpar of the text. The Barada (Abana) rises in the Antilibanus, at
about 23 miles from the city, after flowing through which it runs across the plain, of
whose fertility it is the chief source, till it loses itself in the lake or marsh Bahret-el-
Kibliyeh.
Abarim
(regions beyond), a mountain or range of highlands on the east of the Jordan, in
the land of Moab, facing Jericho, and forming the eastern wall of the Jordan valley at
that part. Its most elevated spot was “the Mount Nebo, head of the Pisgah,” from which
Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death. These mountains are mentioned
in (Numbers 27:12; 33:47,48) and Deuteronomy 32:49
Abba
See Ab.
Abda
• Father of Adoniram. (1 Kings 4:6)
• Son of Shammua, (Nehemiah 11:17) called Obadiah in (1 Chronicles 9:16)
Abdeel
father of Shelemiah. (Jeremiah 36:26)
Abdi
(my servant).
• A Merarite, and ancestor of Ethan the singer. (1 Chronicles 6:44) (B.C. before 1015.)
• The father of Kish, a Merarite, in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:12) (B.C.
before 736.)
• One of the Bene-Elam in the time of Ezra, who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra
10:26) (B.C. 659.)
4
A
Abdiel
(the servant of God), son of Guni and father of Ahi, one of the Gadites who were
settled in the land of Bashan, (1 Chronicles 5:15), in the days of Jotham king of Judah.
(B.C. 758.)
Abdon
(servile).
• A judge of Israel, (Judges 12:13,(15) perhaps the same person as Bedan, in (1 Samuel
12:11) (B.C. 1233-1225).
• Son of Shashak. (1 Chronicles 8:23)
• First-born son of Jehiel, son of Gideon. (1 Chronicles 8:30; 9:35,36).
• Son of Micah, a contemporary of Josiah, (2 Chronicles 34:20) called Achbor in (2
Kings 22:12) (B.C. 628.)
• A city in the tribe if Asher, given to the Gershonites, (Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles
6:74) the modern Abdeh, 10 miles northeast of Accho.
Abednego
(i.e. servant of Nego, perhaps the same as Nebo), the Chaldean name given to
Azariah, one of the three friends of Daniel, miraculously save from the fiery furnace.
Dan. 3. (B.C. about 600.)
Abel
the name of several places in Palestine, probably signifies a meadow .
(i.e., breath, vapor, transitoriness, probably so called from the shortness of his
life), the second son of Adam, murdered by his brother Cain, (Genesis 4:1-16) he was
a keeper or feeder of sheep. Our Lord spoke of Abel as the first martyr, (Matthew
23:35) so did the early Church subsequently. The traditional site of his murder and
his grave are pointed out near Damascus.
Abel, Stone Of
(the great abel), the place where the ark rested in the field of Joshua at Beth-
shemesh. (1 Samuel 6:18)
Abelbethmaachah
(meadow of the house of oppression), a town of some importance, (2 Samuel
20:15) in the extreme north of Palestine, which fell an early prey to the invading kings
of Syria, (1 Kings 15:20) and Assyria. (2 Kings 15:29)
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