BIBLES NET. COM
Dictionary]
Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Encamp – An encampment was the
resting-place for a longer or shorter period of an army or
company of travellers (Ex. 13:20; 14:19; Josh. 10:5;
11:5).
The manner in which the Israelites encamped during their
march through the wilderness is described in Num. 2 and 3.
The order of the encampment (see CAMP ¯T0000700) was
preserved in the march (Num. 2:17), the signal for which
was the blast of two silver trumpets. Detailed regulations
affecting the camp for sanitary purposes are given (Lev.
4:11, 12; 6:11; 8:17; 10:4, 5; 13:46; 14:3; Num. 12:14, 15;
31:19; Deut. 23:10, 12).
Criminals were executed without the camp (Lev. 4:12; comp.
John 19:17, 20), and there also the young bullock for a
sin-offering was burnt (Lev. 24:14; comp. Heb. 13:12).
In the subsequent history of Israel frequent mention is
made of their encampments in the time of war (Judg. 7:18; 1
Sam. 13:2, 3, 16, 23; 17:3; 29:1; 30:9, 24). The temple was
sometimes called “the camp of the Lord” (2 Chr.
31:2, R.V.; comp. Ps. 78:28). The multitudes who flocked to
David are styled “a great host (i.e.,
“camp;” Heb. mahaneh), like the host of God”
(1 Chr. 12:22).
Enchantments – (1.) The rendering
of Hebrew latim_ or _lehatim, which means
“something covered,” “muffled up;”
secret arts, tricks (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18), by which the
Egyptian magicians imposed on the credulity of Pharaoh.
(2.) The rendering of the Hebrew keshaphim,
“muttered spells” or “incantations,”
rendered “sorceries” in Isa. 47:9, 12, i.e., the
using of certain formulae under the belief that men could
thus be bound.
(3.) Hebrew lehashim, “charming,” as of
serpents (Jer. 8:17; comp. Ps. 58:5).
(4.) Hebrew nehashim, the enchantments or omens used
by Balaam (Num. 24:1); his endeavouring to gain omens
favourable to his design.
(5.) Hebrew heber (Isa. 47:9, 12), “magical
spells.” All kinds of enchantments were condemned by
the Mosaic law (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10-12). (See DIVINATION.)
rendering of the unusual Greek word ekbasin, meaning
“outcome”, i.e., death. It occurs only elsewhere
in 1 Cor. 10:13, where it is rendered
“escape.”
Endor – fountain of Dor; i.e.,
“of the age”, a place in the territory of
Issachar (Josh. 17:11) near the scene of the great victory
which was gained by Deborah and Barak over Sisera and Jabin
(comp. Ps. 83:9, 10). To Endor, Saul resorted to consult
one reputed to be a witch on the eve of his last engagement
with the Philistines (1 Sam. 28:7). It is identified with
the modern village of Endur, “a dirty hamlet of some
twenty houses, or rather huts, most of them falling to
ruin,” on the northern slope of Little Hermon, about 7
miles from Jezreel.
calves, a place mentioned only in Ezek. 47:10. Somewhere
near the Dead Sea.
En-gannim – fountain of gardens.
(1.) A town in the plains of Judah (Josh. 15:34),
north-west of Jerusalem, between Zanoah and Tappuah. It is
the modern Umm Jina.
(2.) A city on the border of Machar (Josh. 19:21), allotted
to the Gershonite Levites (21:29). It is identified with
the modern Jenin, a large and prosperous town of about
4,000 inhabitants, situated 15 miles south of Mount Tabor,
through which the road from Jezreel to Samaria and
Jerusalem passes. When Ahaziah, king of Judah, attempted to
escape from Jehu, he “fled by the way of the garden
house” i.e., by way of En-gannim. Here he was
overtaken by Jehu and wounded in his chariot, and turned
aside and fled to Megiddo, a distance of about 20 miles, to
die there.
place in the wilderness of Judah (Josh. 15:62), on the
western shore of the Dead Sea (Ezek. 47:10), and nearly
equidistant from both extremities. To the wilderness near
this town David fled for fear of Saul (Josh. 15:62; 1 Sam.
23:29). It was at first called Hazezon-tamar (Gen. 14:7), a
city of the Amorites.
The vineyards of Engedi were celebrated in Solomon’s
time (Cant. 1:4). It is the modern ‘Ain Jidy. The
“fountain” from which it derives its name rises
on the mountain side about 600 feet above the sea, and in
its rapid descent spreads luxuriance all around it. Along
its banks the osher grows abundantly. That shrub is thus
described by Porter: “The stem is stout, measuring
sometimes nearly a foot in diameter, and the plant grows to
the height of 15 feet or more. It has a grayish bark and
long oval leaves, which when broken off discharge a milky
fluid. The fruit resembles an apple, and hangs in clusters
of two or three. When ripe it is of a rich yellow colour,
but on being pressed it explodes like a puff-ball. It is
chiefly filled with air…This is the so-called ‘apple
of Sodom.'” Through Samaria, etc.
i.e., “invention” (as in Eccl. 7:29) contrivances
indicating ingenuity. In 2 Chr. 26:15 it refers to
inventions for the purpose of propelling missiles from the
walls of a town, such as stones (the Roman balista) and
arrows (the catapulta).
(2.) Heb. mechi kobollo, i.e., the beating of that which is
in front a battering-ram (Ezek. 26:9), the use of which was
common among the Egyptians and the Assyrians. Such an
engine is mentioned in the reign of David (2 Sam. 20:15).
35:35; 38:23) means properly an artificer in wood, stone,
or metal. The chief business of the engraver was cutting
names or devices on rings and seals and signets (Ex. 28:11,
21, 36; Gen. 38:18).
crier, the name of the spring in Lehi which burst forth in
answer to Samson’s prayer when he was exhausted with
the slaughter of the Philistines (Judg. 15:19). It has been
identified with the spring ‘Ayun Kara, near Zoreah.
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between
thy seed and her seed” (Gen. 3:15). The friendship of
the world is “enmity with God” (James 4:4; 1 John
2:15, 16). The “carnal mind” is “enmity
against God” (Rom. 8:7). By the abrogation of the
Mosaic institutes the “enmity” between Jew and
Gentile is removed. They are reconciled, are “made
one” (Eph. 2:15, 16).
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 three hundred years” (Gen.
5:22-24), when he was translated without tasting death. His
whole life on earth was three hundred and sixty-five years.
He was the “seventh from Adam” (Jude 1:14), as
distinguished from the son of Cain, the third from Adam. He
is spoken of in the catalogue of Old Testament worthies in
the Epistle to the Hebrews (11:5). When he was translated,
only Adam, so far as recorded, had as yet died a natural
death, and Noah was not yet born. Mention is made of
Enoch’s prophesying only in Jude 1:14.
Enos – man the son of Seth, and
grandson of Adam (Gen. 5:6-11; 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, indicating a time of spiritual
revival.
treaders; i.e., “foot-fountain;” also called the
“fullers’ fountain,” because fullers here
trod the clothes in water. It has been identified with the
“fountain of the virgin” (q.v.), the modern
‘Ain Ummel-Daraj. Others identify it, with perhaps some
probability, with the Bir Eyub, to the south of the Pool of
Siloam, and below the junction of the valleys of Kidron and
Hinnom.
It was at this fountain that Jonathan and Ahimaaz lay hid
after the flight of David (2 Sam. 17:17); and here also
Adonijah held the feast when he aspired to the throne of
his father (1 Kings 1:9).
The Bir Eyub, or “Joab’s well,” “is a
singular work of ancient enterprise. The shaft sunk through
the solid rock in the bed of the Kidron is 125 feet
deep…The water is pure and entirely sweet, quite
different from that of Siloam; which proves that there is
no connection between them.” Thomson’s Land and
the Book.
En-shemesh – fountain of the sun
a spring which formed one of the landmarks on the boundary
between Judah and Benjamin (Josh. 15:7; 18:17). It was
between the “ascent of Adummim” and the spring of
En-rogel, and hence was on the east of Jerusalem and of the
Mount of Olives. It is the modern ‘Ain-Haud i.e., the
“well of the apostles” about a mile east of
Bethany, the only spring on the road to Jericho. The sun
shines on it the whole day long.
military standard, especially of a single tribe (Num. 2:2).
Each separate tribe had its own “sign” or
“ensign.”
(2.) Heb. nes, a lofty signal, as a column or high pole
(Num. 21:8, 9); a standard or signal or flag placed on high
mountains to point out to the people a place of rendezvous
on the irruption of an enemy (Isa. 5:26; 11:12; 18:3;
62:10; Jer. 4:6, 21; Ps. 60:4). This was an occasional
signal, and not a military standard. Elevation and
conspicuity are implied in the word.
(3.) The Hebrew word degel denotes the standard
given to each of the four divisions of the host of the
Israelites at the Exodus (Num. 1:52; 2:2; 10:14). In Cant.
2:4 it is rendered “banner.” We have no definite
information as to the nature of these military standards.
“feasts,” were sometimes connected with a public
festival (Deut. 16:11, 14), and accompanied by offerings (1
Sam. 9:13), in token of alliances (Gen. 26:30); sometimes
in connection with domestic or social events, as at the
weaning of children (Gen. 21:8), at weddings (Gen. 29:22;
John 2:1), on birth-days (Matt. 14:6), at the time of
sheep-shearing (2 Sam. 13:23), and of vintage (Judg. 9:27),
and at funerals (2 Sam. 3:35; Jer. 16:7).
The guests were invited by servants (Prov. 9:3; Matt.
22:3), who assigned them their respective places (1 Sam.
9:22; Luke 14:8; Mark 12:39). Like portions were sent by
the master to each guest (1 Sam. 1:4; 2 Sam. 6:19), except
when special honour was intended, when the portion was
increased (Gen. 43:34).
The Israelites were forbidden to attend heathenish
sacrificial entertainments (Ex. 34:15), because these were
in honour of false gods, and because at such feast they
would be liable to partake of unclean flesh (1 Cor. 10:28).
In the entertainments common in apostolic times among the
Gentiles were frequent “revellings,” against
which Christians were warned (Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:21; 1 Pet.
4:3).
Christian at Rome to whom Paul sent his salutation (Rom.
16:5). He is spoken of as “the first fruits of
Achaia” (R.V., “of Asia”, i.e., of
proconsular Asia, which is probably the correct reading).
As being the first convert in that region, he was
peculiarly dear to the apostle. He calls him his “well
beloved.”
Epaphras – lovely, spoken of by
Paul (Col. 1:7; 4:12) as “his dear
fellow-servant,” and “a faithful minister of
Christ.” He was thus evidently with him at Rome when
he wrote to the Colossians. He was a distinguished
disciple, and probably the founder of the Colossian church.
He is also mentioned in the Epistle to Philemon (1:23),
where he is called by Paul his
“fellow-prisoner.”
Epaphroditus – fair, graceful;
belonging to Aphrodite or Venus the messenger who came from
Phillipi to the apostle when he was a prisoner at Rome
(Phil. 2:25-30; 4:10-18). Paul mentions him in words of
esteem and affection. On his return to Philippi he was the
bearer of Paul’s letter to the church there.
Ephah – gloom. (1.) One of the
five sons of Midian, and grandson of Abraham (Gen. 25:4).
The city of Ephah, to which he gave his name, is mentioned
Isa. 60:6, 7. This city, with its surrounding territory,
formed part of Midian, on the east shore of the Dead Sea.
It abounded in dromedaries and camels (Judg. 6:5).
(2.) 1 Chr. 2:46, a concubine of Caleb.
(3.) 1 Chr. 2:47, a descendant of Judah.
Ephah, a word of Egyptian origin, meaning measure; a grain
measure containing “three seahs or ten omers,”
and equivalent to the bath for liquids (Ex. 16:36; 1 Sam.
17:17; Zech. 5:6). The double ephah in Prov. 20:10 (marg.,
“an ephah and an ephah”), Deut. 25:14, means two
ephahs, the one false and the other just.
Epher – a calf. (1.) One of the
sons of Midian, who was Abraham’s son by Keturah (Gen.
25:4).
(2.) The head of one of the families of trans-Jordanic
Manasseh who were carried captive by Tiglath-pileser (1
Chr. 5:24).
Ephes-dammim – boundary of blood,
a place in the tribe of Judah where the Philistines
encamped when David fought with Goliath (1 Sam. 17:1). It
was probably so called as having been the scene of frequent
sanguinary conflicts between Israel and the Philistines. It
is called Pas-dammim (1 Chr. 11:13). It has been identified
with the modern Beit Fased, i.e., “house of
bleeding”, near Shochoh (q.v.).
written by Paul at Rome about the same time as that to the
Colossians, which in many points it resembles.
Contents of. The Epistle to the Colossians is mainly
polemical, designed to refute certain theosophic errors
that had crept into the church there. That to the Ephesians
does not seem to have originated in any special
circumstances, but is simply a letter springing from
Paul’s love to the church there, and indicative of his
earnest desire that they should be fully instructed in the
profound doctrines of the gospel. It contains (1) the
salutation (1:1, 2); (2) a general description of the
blessings the gospel reveals, as to their source, means by
which they are attained, purpose for which they are
bestowed, and their final result, with a fervent prayer for
the further spiritual enrichment of the Ephesians
(1:3-2:10); (3) “a record of that marked change in
spiritual position which the Gentile believers now
possessed, ending with an account of the writer’s
selection to and qualification for the apostolate of
heathendom, a fact so considered as to keep them from being
dispirited, and to lead him to pray for enlarged spiritual
benefactions on his absent sympathizers” (2:12-3:21);
(4) a chapter on unity as undisturbed by diversity of gifts
(4:1-16); (5) special injunctions bearing on ordinary life
(4:17-6:10); (6) the imagery of a spiritual warfare,
mission of Tychicus, and valedictory blessing (6:11-24).
Planting of the church at Ephesus. Paul’s first and
hurried visit for the space of three months to Ephesus is
recorded in Acts 18:19-21. The work he began on this
occasion was carried forward by Apollos (24-26) and Aquila
and Priscilla. On his second visit, early in the following
year, he remained at Ephesus “three years,” for
he found it was the key to the western provinces of Asia
Minor. Here “a great door and effectual” was
opened to him (1 Cor. 16:9), and the church was established
and strengthened by his assiduous labours there (Acts
20:20, 31). From Ephesus as a centre the gospel spread
abroad “almost throughout all Asia” (19:26). The
word “mightily grew and prevailed” despite all
the opposition and persecution he encountered.
On his last journey to Jerusalem the apostle landed at
Miletus, and summoning together the elders of the church
from Ephesus, delivered to them his remarkable farewell
charge (Acts 20:18-35), expecting to see them no more.
The following parallels between this epistle and the
Milesian charge may be traced:
(1.) Acts 20:19 = Eph. 4:2. The phrase “lowliness of
mind” occurs nowhere else.
(2.) Acts 20:27 = Eph. 1:11. The word “counsel,”
as denoting the divine plan, occurs only here and Heb.
6:17.
(3.) Acts 20:32 = Eph. 3:20. The divine ability.
(4.) Acts 20:32 = Eph. 2:20. The building upon the
foundation.
(5.) Acts 20:32 = Eph. 1:14, 18. “The inheritance of
the saints.”
Place and date of the writing of the letter. It was
evidently written from Rome during Paul’s first
imprisonment (3:1; 4:1; 6:20), and probably soon after his
arrival there, about the year 62, four years after he had
parted with the Ephesian elders at Miletus. The
subscription of this epistle is correct.
There seems to have been no special occasion for the
writing of this letter, as already noted. Paul’s object
was plainly not polemical. No errors had sprung up in the
church which he sought to point out and refute. The object
of the apostle is “to set forth the ground, the cause,
and the aim and end of the church of the faithful in
Christ. He speaks to the Ephesians as a type or sample of
the church universal.” The church’s foundations,
its course, and its end, are his theme. “Everywhere
the foundation of the church is the will of the Father; the
course of the church is by the satisfaction of the Son; the
end of the church is the life in the Holy Spirit.” In
the Epistle to the Romans, Paul writes from the point of
view of justification by the imputed righteousness of
Christ; here he writes from the point of view specially of
union to the Redeemer, and hence of the oneness of the true
church of Christ. “This is perhaps the profoundest
book in existence.” It is a book “which sounds
the lowest depths of Christian doctrine, and scales the
loftiest heights of Christian experience;” and the
fact that the apostle evidently expected the Ephesians to
understand it is an evidence of the “proficiency which
Paul’s converts had attained under his preaching at
Ephesus.”
Relation between this epistle and that to the Colossians
(q.v.). “The letters of the apostle are the fervent
outburst of pastoral zeal and attachment, written without
reserve and in unaffected simplicity; sentiments come warm
from the heart, without the shaping out, pruning, and
punctilious arrangement of a formal discourse. There is
such a fresh and familiar transcription of feeling, so
frequent an introduction of coloquial idiom, and so much of
conversational frankness and vivacity, that the reader
associates the image of the writer with every paragraph,
and the ear seems to catch and recognize the very tones of
living address.” “Is it then any matter of
amazement that one letter should resemble another, or that
two written about the same time should have so much in
common and so much that is peculiar? The close relation as
to style and subject between the epistles to Colosse and
Ephesus must strike every reader. Their precise relation to
each other has given rise to much discussion. The great
probability is that the epistle to Colosse was first
written; the parallel passages in Ephesians, which amount
to about forty-two in number, having the appearance of
being expansions from the epistle to Colosse. Compare:
Eph 1:7; Col 1:14 Eph 1:10; Col 1:20 Eph 3:2; Col 1:25 Eph
5:19; Col 3:16 Eph 6:22; Col 4:8 Eph 1:19-2:5; Col 2:12,13
Eph 4:2-4; Col 3:12-15 Eph 4:16; Col 2:19 Eph 4:32; Col
3:13 Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:9,10 Eph 5:6-8; Col 3:6-8 Eph
5:15,16; Col 4:5 Eph 6:19,20; Col 4:3,4 Eph 5:22-6:9; Col
3:18-4:1
“The style of this epistle is exceedingly animated,
and corresponds with the state of the apostle’s mind at
the time of writing. Overjoyed with the account which their
messenger had brought him of their faith and holiness (Eph.
1:15), and transported with the consideration of the
unsearchable wisdom of God displayed in the work of
man’s redemption, and of his astonishing love towards
the Gentiles in making them partakers through faith of all
the benefits of Christ’s death, he soars high in his
sentiments on those grand subjects, and gives his thoughts
utterance in sublime and copious expression.”
proconsular Asia, which was the western part of Asia Minor.
It was colonized principally from Athens. In the time of
the Romans it bore the title of “the first and
greatest metropolis of Asia.” It was distinguished for
the Temple of Diana (q.v.), who there had her chief shrine;
and for its theatre, which was the largest in the world,
capable of containing 50,000 spectators. It was, like all
ancient theatres, open to the sky. Here were exhibited the
fights of wild beasts and of men with beasts. (Comp. 1 Cor.
4:9; 9:24, 25; 15:32.)
Many Jews took up their residence in this city, and here
the seeds of the gospel were sown immediately after
Pentecost (Acts 2:9; 6:9). At the close of his second
missionary journey (about A.D. 51), when Paul was returning
from Greece to Syria (18:18-21), he first visited this
city. He remained, however, for only a short time, as he
was hastening to keep the feast, probably of Pentecost, at
Jerusalem; but he left Aquila and Priscilla behind him to
carry on the work of spreading the gospel.
During his third missionary journey Paul reached Ephesus
from the “upper coasts” (Acts 19:1), i.e., from
the inland parts of Asia Minor, and tarried here for about
three years; and so successful and abundant were his
labours that “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the
word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (19:10).
Probably during this period the seven churches of the
Apocalypse were founded, not by Paul’s personal
labours, but by missionaries whom he may have sent out from
Ephesus, and by the influence of converts returning to
their homes.
On his return from his journey, Paul touched at Miletus,
some 30 miles south of Ephesus (Acts 20:15), and sending
for the presbyters of Ephesus to meet him there, he
delivered to them that touching farewell charge which is
recorded in Acts 20:18-35. Ephesus is not again mentioned
till near the close of Paul’s life, when he writes to
Timothy exhorting him to “abide still at Ephesus”
(1 Tim. 1:3).
Two of Paul’s companions, Trophimus and Tychicus, were
probably natives of Ephesus (Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Tim.
4:12). In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul speaks of
Onesiphorus as having served him in many things at Ephesus
(2 Tim. 1:18). He also “sent Tychicus to Ephesus”
(4:12), probably to attend to the interests of the church
there. Ephesus is twice mentioned in the Apocalypse (1:11;
2:1).
The apostle John, according to tradition, spent many years
in Ephesus, where he died and was buried.
A part of the site of this once famous city is now occupied
by a small Turkish village, Ayasaluk, which is regarded as
a corruption of the two Greek words, hagios theologos;
i.e., “the holy divine.”
Ephod – something girt, a sacred
vestment worn originally by the high priest (Ex. 28:4),
afterwards by the ordinary priest (1 Sam. 22:18), and
characteristic of his office (1 Sam. 2:18, 28; 14:3). It
was worn by Samuel, and also by David (2 Sam. 6:14). It was
made of fine linen, and consisted of two pieces, which hung
from the neck, and covered both the back and front, above
the tunic and outer garment (Ex. 28:31). That of the high
priest was embroidered with divers colours. The two pieces
were joined together over the shoulders (hence in Latin
called superhumerale) by clasps or buckles of gold or
precious stones, and fastened round the waist by a
“curious girdle of gold, blue, purple, and fine twined
linen” (28:6-12).
The breastplate, with the Urim and Thummim, was attached to
the ephod.
Ephphatha – the Greek form of a
Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic word, meaning “Be
opened,” uttered by Christ when healing the man who
was deaf and dumb (Mark 7:34). It is one of the
characteristics of Mark that he uses the very Aramaic words
which fell from our Lord’s lips. (See 3:17; 5:41; 7:11;
14:36; 15:34.)
(“for God had made him fruitful in the land of his
affliction”). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt
(Gen. 41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding
him is his being placed, along with his brother Manasseh,
before their grandfather, Jacob, that he might bless them
(48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of Joseph was that the
right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on the
head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the
younger before his brother, “guiding his hands
wittingly.” Before Joseph’s death, Ephraim’s
family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).
gates of Jerusalem (2 Kings 14:13; 2 Chr. 25:23), on the
side of the city looking toward Ephraim, the north
side.
Ephraim in the wilderness – (John
11: 54), a town to which our Lord retired with his
disciples after he had raised Lazarus, and when the priests
were conspiring against him. It lay in the wild,
uncultivated hill-country to the north-east of Jerusalem,
betwen the central towns and the Jordan valley.
mountainous district of Palestine occupied by the tribe of
Ephraim (Josh. 17:15; 19:50; 20:7), extending from Bethel
to the plain of Jezreel. In Joshua’s time (Josh. 17:18)
these hills were densely wooded. They were intersected by
well-watered, fertile valleys, referred to in Jer. 50:19.
Joshua was buried at Timnath-heres among the mountains of
Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash (Judg.
2:9). This region is also called the “mountains of
Israel” (Josh. 11:21) and the “mountains of
Samaria” (Jer. 31:5, 6: Amos 3:9).
precedence over that of Manasseh by virtue of Jacob’s
blessing (Gen. 41:52; 48:1). The descendants of Joseph
formed two of the tribes of Israel, whereas each of the
other sons of Jacob was the founder of only one tribe. Thus
there were in reality thirteen tribes; but the number
twelve was preserved by excluding that of Levi when Ephraim
and Manasseh are mentioned separately (Num. 1:32-34; Josh.
17:14, 17; 1 Chr. 7:20).
Territory of. At the time of the first census in the
wilderness this tribe numbered 40,500 (Num. 1:32, 33);
forty years later, when about to take possession of the
Promised Land, it numbered only 32,500. During the march
(see CAMP ¯T0000700) Ephraim’s place was on the
west side of the tabernacle (Num. 2:18-24). When the spies
were sent out to spy the land, “Oshea the son of
Nun” of this tribe signalized himself.
The boundaries of the portion of the land assigned to
Ephraim are given in Josh. 16:1-10. It included most of
what was afterwards called Samaria as distinguished from
Judea and Galilee. It thus lay in the centre of all
traffic, from north to south, and from Jordan to the sea,
and was about 55 miles long and 30 broad. The tabernacle
and the ark were deposited within its limits at Shiloh,
where it remained for four hundred years. During the time
of the judges and the first stage of the monarchy this
tribe manifested a domineering and haughty and discontented
spirit. “For more than five hundred years, a period
equal to that which elapsed between the Norman Conquest and
the War of the Roses, Ephraim, with its two dependent
tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, exercised undisputed
pre-eminence. Joshua the first conqueror, Gideon the
greatest of the judges, and Saul the first king, belonged
to one or other of the three tribes. It was not till the
close of the first period of Jewish history that God
‘refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the
tribe of Ephraim, but chose the tribe of Judah, the Mount
Zion which he loved’ (Ps. 78:67, 68). When the ark was
removed from Shiloh to Zion the power of Ephraim was
humbled.”
Among the causes which operated to bring about the
disruption of Israel was Ephraim’s jealousy of the
growing power of Judah. From the settlement of Canaan till
the time of David and Solomon, Ephraim had held the place
of honour among the tribes. It occupied the central and
fairest portions of the land, and had Shiloh and Shechem
within its borders. But now when Jerusalem became the
capital of the kingdom, and the centre of power and worship
for the whole nation of Israel, Ephraim declined in
influence. The discontent came to a crisis by
Rehoboam’s refusal to grant certain redresses that were
demanded (1 Kings 12).
Ephraim, Wood of – a forest in
which a fatal battle was fought between the army of David
and that of Absalom, who was killed there (2 Sam. 18:6, 8).
It lay on the east of Jordan, not far from Mahanaim, and
was some part of the great forest of Gilead.
second wife of Caleb, the son of Hezron, mother of Hur, and
grandmother of Caleb, who was one of those that were sent
to spy the land (1 Chr. 2:19, 50).
(2.) The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah (Gen. 35:16,
19; 48:7). In Ruth 1:2 it is called
“Bethlehem-Judah,” but the inhabitants are called
“Ephrathites;” in Micah 5:2,
“Bethlehem-Ephratah;” in Matt. 2:6,
“Bethlehem in the land of Judah.” In Ps. 132:6 it
is mentioned as the place where David spent his youth, and
where he heard much of the ark, although he never saw it
till he found it long afterwards at Kirjath-jearim; i.e.,
the “city of the wood,” or the
“forest-town” (1 Sam. 7:1; comp. 2 Sam. 6:3, 4).
Ephratah, the old name of Bethlehem (Ruth 1:2; 1 Sam.
17:12), or Bethlehem-Judah.
Ephron – fawn-like. (1.) The son
of Zohar a Hittite, the owner of the field and cave of
Machpelah (q.v.), which Abraham bought for 400 shekels of
silver (Gen. 23:8-17; 25:9; 49:29, 30).
(2.) A mountain range which formed one of the landmarks on
the north boundary of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:9),
probably the range on the west side of the Wady
Beit-Hanina.
Epicurus (who died at Athens B.C. 270), or adherents of the
Epicurean philosophy (Acts 17:18). This philosophy was a
system of atheism, and taught men to seek as their highest
aim a pleasant and smooth life. They have been called the
“Sadducees” of Greek paganism. They, with the
Stoics, ridiculed the teaching of Paul (Acts 17:18). They
appear to have been greatly esteemed at Athens.
Epistles – the apostolic letters.
The New Testament contains twenty-one in all. They are
divided into two classes. (1.) Paul’s Epistles,
fourteen in number, including Hebrews. These are not
arranged in the New Testament in the order of time as to
their composition, but rather according to the rank of the
cities or places to which they were sent. Who arranged them
after this manner is unknown. Paul’s letters were, as a
rule, dictated to an amanuensis, a fact which accounts for
some of their peculiarities. He authenticated them,
however, by adding a few words in his own hand at the
close. (See GALATIANS, EPISTLE)
The epistles to Timothy and Titus are styled the Pastoral
Epistles.
(2.) The Catholic or General Epistles, so called because
they are not addressed to any particular church or city or
individual, but to Christians in general, or to Christians
in several countries. Of these, three are written by John,
two by Peter, and one each by James and Jude.
It is an interesting and instructive fact that a large
portion of the New Testament is taken up with epistles. The
doctrines of Christianity are thus not set forth in any
formal treatise, but mainly in a collection of letters.
“Christianity was the first great missionary religion.
It was the first to break the bonds of race and aim at
embracing all mankind. But this necessarily involved a
change in the mode in which it was presented. The prophet
of the Old Testament, if he had anything to communicate,
either appeared in person or sent messengers to speak for
him by word of mouth. The narrow limits of Palestine made
direct personal communication easy. But the case was
different when the Christian Church came to consist of a
number of scattered parts, stretching from Mesopotamia in
the east to Rome or even Spain in the far west. It was only
natural that the apostle by whom the greater number of
these communities had been founded should seek to
communicate with them by letter.”
“chamberlain” of the city of Corinth (Rom.
16:23), and one of Paul’s disciples. As treasurer of
such a city he was a public officer of great dignity, and
his conversion to the gospel was accordingly a proof of the
wonderful success of the apostle’s labours.
(2.) A companion of Paul at Ephesus, who was sent by him
along with Timothy into Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Corinth was
his usual place of abode (2 Tim. 4:20); but probably he may
have been the same as the preceding.
“Orech”), length, or Moon-town, one of the cities
of Nimrod’s kingdom in the plain of Shinar (Gen.
10:10); the Orchoe of the Greeks and Romans. It was
probably the city of the Archevites, who were transplanted
to Samaria by Asnapper (Ezra 4:9). It lay on the left bank
of the Euphrates, about 120 miles south-east of Babylon,
and is now represented by the mounds and ruins of Warka. It
appears to have been the necropolis of the Assyrian kings,
as the whole region is strewed with bricks and the remains
of coffins. “Standing on the summit of the principal
edifice, called the Buwarizza, a tower 200 feet square in
the centre of the ruins, the beholder is struck with
astonishment at the enormous accumulation of mounds and
ancient relics at his feet. An irregular circle, nearly 6
miles in circumference, is defined by the traces of an
earthen rampart, in some places 40 feet high.”
Isaiah, constantly used in the Authorized Version of the
New Testament (Matt. 3:3; 4:14), but in the Revised Version
always “Isaiah.”
Esarhaddon – Assur has given a
brother, successor of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:37; Isa.
37:38). He ascended the throne about B.C. 681. Nothing
further is recorded of him in Scripture, except that he
settled certain colonists in Samaria (Ezra 4:2). But from
the monuments it appears that he was the most powerful of
all the Assyrian monarchs. He built many temples and
palaces, the most magnificent of which was the south-west
palace at Nimrud, which is said to have been in its general
design almost the same as Solomon’s palace, only much
larger (1 Kings 7:1-12).
In December B.C. 681 Sennacherib was murdered by two of his
sons, who, after holding Nineveh for forty-two days, were
compelled to fly to Erimenas of Ararat, or Armenia. Their
brother Esarhaddon, who had been engaged in a campaign
against Armenia, led his army against them. They were
utterly overthrown in a battle fought April B.C. 680, near
Malatiyeh, and in the following month Esarhaddon was
crowned at Nineveh. He restored Babylon, conquered Egypt,
and received tribute from Manasseh of Judah. He died in
October B.C. 668, while on the march to suppress an
Egyptian revolt, and was succeeded by his son
Assur-bani-pal, whose younger brother was made viceroy of
Babylonia.
first-born twin son (Gen. 25:25). The name of Edom,
“red”, was also given to him from his conduct in
connection with the red lentil “pottage” for
which he sold his birthright (30, 31). The circumstances
connected with his birth foreshadowed the enmity which
afterwards subsisted between the twin brothers and the
nations they founded (25:22, 23, 26). In process of time
Jacob, following his natural bent, became a shepherd; while
Esau, a “son of the desert,” devoted himself to
the perilous and toilsome life of a huntsman. On a certain
occasion, on returning from the chase, urged by the
cravings of hunger, Esau sold his birthright to his
brother, Jacob, who thereby obtained the covenant blessing
(Gen. 27:28, 29, 36; Heb. 12:16, 17). He afterwards tried
to regain what he had so recklessly parted with, but was
defeated in his attempts through the stealth of his brother
(Gen. 27:4, 34, 38).
At the age of forty years, to the great grief of his
parents, he married (Gen. 26:34, 35) two Canaanitish
maidens, Judith, the daughter of Beeri, and Bashemath, the
daughter of Elon. When Jacob was sent away to Padan-aram,
Esau tried to conciliate his parents (Gen. 28:8, 9) by
marrying his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael. This
led him to cast in his lot with the Ishmaelite tribes; and
driving the Horites out of Mount Seir, he settled in that
region. After some thirty years’ sojourn in Padan-aram
Jacob returned to Canaan, and was reconciled to Esau, who
went forth to meet him (33:4). Twenty years after this,
Isaac their father died, when the two brothers met,
probably for the last time, beside his grave (35:29). Esau
now permanently left Canaan, and established himself as a
powerful and wealthy chief in the land of Edom (q.v.).
Long after this, when the descendants of Jacob came out of
Egypt, the Edomites remembered the old quarrel between the
brothers, and with fierce hatred they warred against
Israel.
eschever, “to flee from” (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; 1 Pet.
3:11).
Esdraelon – the Greek form of the
Hebrew “Jezreel,” the name of the great plain
(called by the natives Merj Ibn Amer; i.e., “the
meadow of the son of Amer”) which stretches across
Central Palestine from the Jordan to the Mediterraanean,
separating the mountain ranges of Carmel and Samaria from
those of Galilee, extending about 14 miles from north to
south, and 9 miles from east to west. It is drained by
“that ancient river” the Kishon, which flows
westward to the Mediterranean. From the foot of Mount Tabor
it branches out into three valleys, that on the north
passing between Tabor and Little Hermon (Judg. 4:14); that
on the south between Mount Gilboa and En-gannim (2 Kings
9:27); while the central portion, the “valley of
Jezreel” proper, runs into the Jordan valley (which is
about 1,000 feet lower than Esdraelon) by Bethshean. Here
Gideon gained his great victory over the Midianites (Judg.
7:1-25). Here also Barak defeated Sisera, and Saul’s
army was defeated by the Philistines, and king Josiah,
while fighting in disguise against Necho, king of Egypt,
was slain (2 Chr. 35:20-27; 2 Kings 23-29). This plain has
been well called the “battle-field of Palestine.”
“It has been a chosen place for encampment in every
contest carried on in this country, from the days of
Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, in the history of
whose wars with Arphaxad it is mentioned as the Great Plain
of Esdraelon, until the disastrous march of Napoleon
Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. Jews, Gentiles, Saracens,
Crusaders, Frenchmen, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks,
and Arabs, warriors out of every nation which is under
heaven, have pitched their tents in the plain, and have
beheld the various banners of their nations wet with the
dews of Tabor and Hermon” (Dr. Clark).
Isaac’s herdsmen dug in the valley of Gerar, and so
called because the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with them
for its possession (Gen. 26:20).
Eshbaal – man of Baal, the fourth
son of king Saul (1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39). He is also called
Ish-bosheth (q.v.), 2 Sam. 2:8.
young Amoritish chief who joined Abraham in the recovery of
Lot from the hands of Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:13, 24).
(2.) A valley in which the spies obtained a fine cluster of
grapes (Num. 13:23, 24; “the brook Eshcol,” A.V.;
“the valley of Eshcol,” R.V.), which they took
back with them to the camp of Israel as a specimen of the
fruits of the Promised Land. On their way back they
explored the route which led into the south (the Negeb) by
the western edge of the mountains at Telilat el-‘Anab,
i.e., “grape-mounds”, near Beersheba. “In
one of these extensive valleys, perhaps in Wady Hanein,
where miles of grape-mounds even now meet the eye, they cut
the gigantic clusters of grapes, and gathered the
pomegranates and figs, to show how goodly was the land
which the Lord had promised for their inheritance.”,
Palmer’s Desert of the Exodus.
Eshean – a place in the mountains
of Judah (Josh.15:52), supposed to be the ruin es-Simia,
near Dumah, south of Hebron.
Eshtaol – narrow pass or recess,
a town (Josh. 15:33) in the low country, the She-phelah of
Judah. It was allotted to the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:41),
and was one of their strongholds. Here Samson spent his
boyhood, and first began to show his mighty strength; and
here he was buried in the burying-place of Manoah his
father (Judg. 13:25; 16:31; 18:2, 8, 11, 12). It is
identified with the modern Yeshua, on a hill 2 miles east
of Zorah. Others, however, identify it with Kustul, east of
Kirjath-jearim.
Eshtemoa – obedience, a town in
the mountains of Judah (Josh. 21:14; 1 Chr. 6:57), which
was allotted, with the land round it, to the priests. It
was frequented by David and his followers during their
wanderings; and he sent presents of the spoil of the
Amalekites to his friends there (1 Sam. 30:28). It is
identified with es-Semu’a, a village about 3 1/2 miles
east of Socoh, and 7 or 8 miles south of Hebron, around
which there are ancient remains of the ruined city. It is
the centre of the “south country” or Negeb. It is
also called “Eshtemoh” (Josh. 15:50).
betroth. The espousal was a ceremony of betrothing, a
formal agreement between the parties then coming under
obligation for the purpose of marriage. Espousals are in
the East frequently contracted years before the marriage is
celebrated. It is referred to as figuratively illustrating
the relations between God and his people (Jer. 2:2; Matt.
1:18; 2 Cor. 11:2).
Essenes – a Jewish mystical sect
somewhat resembling the Pharisees. They affected great
purity. They originated about B.C. 100, and disappeared
from history after the destruction of Jerusalem. They are
not directly mentioned in Scripture, although they may be
referred to in Matt. 19:11, 12, Col. 2:8, 18, 23.
Esther – the queen of Ahasuerus,
and heroine of the book that bears her name. She was a
Jewess named Hadas’sah (the myrtle), but when she
entered the royal harem she received the name by which she
henceforth became known (Esther 2:7). It is a Syro-Arabian
modification of the Persian word satarah, which means a
star. She was the daughter of Abihail, a Benjamite. Her
family did not avail themselves of the permission granted
by Cyrus to the exiles to return to Jerusalem; and she
resided with her cousin Mordecai, who held some office in
the household of the Persian king at “Shushan in the
palace.” Ahasuerus having divorced Vashti, chose
Esther to be his wife. Soon after this he gave Haman the
Agagite, his prime minister, power and authority to kill
and extirpate all the Jews throughout the Persian empire.
By the interposition of Esther this terrible catastrophe
was averted. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had
intended for Mordecai (Esther 7); and the Jews established
an annual feast, the feast of Purim (q.v.), in memory of
their wonderful deliverance. This took place about
fifty-two years after the Return, the year of the great
battles of Plataea and Mycale (B.C. 479).
Esther appears in the Bible as a “woman of deep piety,
faith, courage, patriotism, and caution, combined with
resolution; a dutiful daughter to her adopted father,
docile and obedient to his counsels, and anxious to share
the king’s favour with him for the good of the Jewish
people. There must have been a singular grace and charm in
her aspect and manners, since ‘she obtained favour in
the sight of all them that looked upon her’ (Esther
2:15). That she was raised up as an instrument in the hand
of God to avert the destruction of the Jewish people, and
to afford them protection and forward their wealth and
peace in their captivity, is also manifest from the
Scripture account.”
Esther, Book of – The authorship
of this book is unknown. It must have been obviously
written after the death of Ahasuerus (the Xerxes of the
Greeks), which took place B.C. 465. The minute and
particular account also given of many historical details
makes it probable that the writer was contemporary with
Mordecai and Esther. Hence we may conclude that the book
was written probably about B.C. 444-434, and that the
author was one of the Jews of the dispersion.
This book is more purely historical than any other book of
Scripture; and it has this remarkable peculiarity that the
name of God does not occur in it from first to last in any
form. It has, however, been well observed that “though
the name of God be not in it, his finger is.” The book
wonderfully exhibits the providential government of God.
Etam – eyrie. (1.) A village of
the tribe of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:32). Into some cleft
(“top,” A.V.,; R.V., “cleft”) of a rock
here Samson retired after his slaughter of the Philistines
(Judg. 15:8, 11). It was a natural stronghold. It has been
identified with Beit ‘Atab, west of Bethlehem, near
Zorah and Eshtaol. On the crest of a rocky knoll, under the
village, is a long tunnel, which may be the
“cleft” in which Samson hid.
(2.) A city of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:6).
It was near Bethlehem and Tekoah, and some distance
apparently to the north of (1). It seems to have been in
the district called Nephtoah (or Netophah), where were the
sources of the water from which Solomon’s gardens and
pleasure-grounds and pools, as well as Bethlehem and the
temple, were supplied. It is now ‘Ain ‘Atan, at the
head of the Wady Urtas, a fountain sending forth a copious
supply of pure water.
fate of the wicked in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb.
6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7). The
Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the
penal sufferings of the lost as the “everlasting
life,” the “eternal life” of the righteous.
The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion, aionios,
aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of
God (1 Tim. 1:17; Rom. 1:20; 16:26); (2) of Christ (Rev.
1:18); (3) of the Holy Ghost (Heb. 9:14); and (4) the
eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matt.
25:46; Jude 1:6).
Their condition after casting off the mortal body is spoken
of in these expressive words: “Fire that shall not be
quenched” (Mark 9:45, 46), “fire
unquenchable” (Luke 3:17), “the worm that never
dies,” the “bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:1),
“the smoke of their torment ascending up for ever and
ever” (Rev. 14:10, 11).
The idea that the “second death” (Rev. 20:14) is
in the case of the wicked their absolute destruction, their
annihilation, has not the slightest support from Scripture,
which always represents their future as one of conscious
suffering enduring for ever.
The supposition that God will ultimately secure the
repentance and restoration of all sinners is equally
unscriptural. There is not the slightest trace in all the
Scriptures of any such restoration. Sufferings of
themselves have no tendency to purify the soul from sin or
impart spiritual life. The atoning death of Christ and the
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit are the only means of
divine appointment for bringing men to repentance. Now in
the case of them that perish these means have been
rejected, and “there remaineth no more sacrifice for
sins” (Heb. 10:26, 27).
Eternal life – This expression
occurs in the Old Testament only in Dan. 12:2 (R.V.,
“everlasting life”).
It occurs frequently in the New Testament (Matt. 7:14;
18:8, 9; Luke 10:28; comp. 18:18). It comprises the whole
future of the redeemed (Luke 16:9), and is opposed to
“eternal punishment” (Matt. 19:29; 25:46). It is
the final reward and glory into which the children of God
enter (1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Rom. 6:22; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16;
Rom. 5:21); their Sabbath of rest (Heb. 4:9; comp. 12:22).
The newness of life which the believer derives from Christ
(Rom. 6:4) is the very essence of salvation, and hence the
life of glory or the eternal life must also be theirs (Rom.
6:8; 2 Tim. 2:11, 12; Rom. 5:17, 21; 8:30; Eph. 2:5, 6). It
is the “gift of God in Jesus Christ our Lord”
(Rom. 6:23). The life the faithful have here on earth (John
3:36; 5:24; 6:47, 53-58) is inseparably connected with the
eternal life beyond, the endless life of the future, the
happy future of the saints in heaven (Matt. 19:16, 29;
25:46).
Etham – perhaps another name for
Khetam, or “fortress,” on the Shur or great wall
of Egypt, which extended from the Mediterranean to the Gulf
of Suez. Here the Israelites made their third encampment
(Ex. 13:20; Num. 33:6). The camp was probably a little to
the west of the modern town of Ismailia. Here the
Israelites were commanded to change their route (Ex. 14:2),
and “turn” towards the south, and encamp before
Pi-hahiroth.
Ezrahite,” distinguished for his wisdom (1 Kings
4:31). He is named as the author of the 89th Psalm. He was
of the tribe of Levi.
(2.) A Levite of the family of Merari, one of the leaders
of the temple music (1 Chr. 6:44; 15:17, 19). He was
probably the same as Jeduthun. He is supposed by some to be
the same also as (1).
i.e., of vintage offerings; called Tisri after the Exile;
corresponding to part of September and October. It was the
first month of the civil year, and the seventh of the
sacred year (1 Kings 8:2).
Eth-baal – with Baal, a king of
Sidon (B.C. 940-908), father of Jezebel, who was the wife
of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). He is said to have been also a
priest of Astarte, whose worship was closely allied to that
of Baal, and this may account for his daughter’s zeal
in promoting idolatry in Israel. This marriage of Ahab was
most fatal to both Israel and Judah. Dido, the founder of
Carthage, was his granddaughter.
faces; the Greek word by which the Hebrew Cush is rendered
(Gen. 2:13; 2 Kings 19:9; Esther 1:1; Job 28:19; Ps. 68:31;
87:4), a country which lay to the south of Egypt, beginning
at Syene on the First Cataract (Ezek. 29:10; 30:6), and
extending to beyond the confluence of the White and Blue
Nile. It corresponds generally with what is now known as
the Soudan (i.e., the land of the blacks). This country was
known to the Hebrews, and is described in Isa. 18:1; Zeph.
3:10. They carried on some commercial intercourse with it
(Isa. 45:14).
Its inhabitants were descendants of Ham (Gen. 10:6; Jer.
13:23; Isa. 18:2, “scattered and peeled,” A.V.;
but in R.V., “tall and smooth”). Herodotus, the
Greek historian, describes them as “the tallest and
handsomest of men.” They are frequently represented on
Egyptian monuments, and they are all of the type of the
true negro. As might be expected, the history of this
country is interwoven with that of Egypt.
Ethiopia is spoken of in prophecy (Ps. 68:31; 87:4; Isa.
45:14; Ezek. 30:4-9; Dan. 11:43; Nah. 3:8-10; Hab. 3:7;
Zeph. 2:12).
officer or prime minister of state of Candace (q.v.), queen
of Ethiopia. He was converted to Christianity through the
instrumentality of Philip (Act 8:27). The northern portion
of Ethiopia formed the kingdom of Meroe, which for a long
period was ruled over by queens, and it was probably from
this kingdom that the eunuch came.
Moses (Num. 12:1). It is supposed that Zipporah, Moses’
first wife (Ex. 2:21), was now dead. His marriage of this
“woman” descended from Ham gave offence to Aaron
and Miriam.
Eunice – happily conquering, the
mother of Timothy, a believing Jewess, but married to a
Greek (Acts 16:1). She trained her son from his childhood
in the knowledge of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15). She was
distinguished by her “unfeigned faith.”
Eunuch – literally bed-keeper or
chamberlain, and not necessarily in all cases one who was
mutilated, although the practice of employing such
mutilated persons in Oriental courts was common (2 Kings
9:32; Esther 2:3). The law of Moses excluded them from the
congregation (Deut. 23:1). They were common also among the
Greeks and Romans. It is said that even to-day there are
some in Rome who are employed in singing soprano in the
Sistine Chapel. Three classes of eunuchs are mentioned in
Matt. 19:12.
female member of the church at Philippi. She was one who
laboured much with Paul in the gospel. He exhorts her to be
of one mind with Syntyche (Phil. 4:2). From this it seems
they had been at variance with each other.
Assyrian, Purat; Persian cuneiform, Ufratush, whence Greek
Euphrates, meaning “sweet water.” The Assyrian
name means “the stream,” or “the great
stream.” It is generally called in the Bible simply
“the river” (Ex. 23:31), or “the great
river” (Deut. 1:7).
The Euphrates is first mentioned in Gen. 2:14 as one of the
rivers of Paradise. It is next mentioned in connection with
the covenant which God entered into with Abraham (15:18),
when he promised to his descendants the land from the river
of Egypt to the river Euphrates (comp. Deut. 11:24; Josh.
1:4), a covenant promise afterwards fulfilled in the
extended conquests of David (2 Sam. 8:2-14; 1 Chr. 18:3; 1
Kings 4:24). It was then the boundary of the kingdom to the
north-east. In the ancient history of Assyria, and Babylon,
and Egypt many events are recorded in which mention is made
of the “great river.” Just as the Nile
represented in prophecy the power of Egypt, so the
Euphrates represented the Assyrian power (Isa. 8:7; Jer.
2:18).
It is by far the largest and most important of all the
rivers of Western Asia. From its source in the Armenian
mountains to the Persian Gulf, into which it empties
itself, it has a course of about 1,700 miles. It has two
sources, (1) the Frat or Kara-su (i.e., “the black
river”), which rises 25 miles north-east of Erzeroum;
and (2) the Muradchai (i.e., “the river of
desire”), which rises near Ararat, on the northern
slope of Ala-tagh. At Kebban Maden, 400 miles from the
source of the former, and 270 from that of the latter, they
meet and form the majestic stream, which is at length
joined by the Tigris at Koornah, after which it is called
Shat-el-Arab, which runs in a deep and broad stream for
above 140 miles to the sea. It is estimated that the
alluvium brought down by these rivers encroaches on the sea
at the rate of about one mile in thirty years.
Euroclydon – south-east billow,
the name of the wind which blew in the Adriatic Gulf, and
which struck the ship in which Paul was wrecked on the
coast of Malta (Acts 27:14; R.V., “Euraquilo,”
i.e., north-east wind). It is called a “tempestuous
wind,” i.e., as literally rendered, a “typhonic
wind,” or a typhoon. It is the modern Gregalia or
Levanter. (Comp. Jonah 1:4.)
20:9-12), a young man of Troas who fell through drowsiness
from the open window of the third floor of the house where
Paul was preaching, and was “taken up dead.” The
lattice-work of the window being open to admit the air, the
lad fell out and down to the court below. Paul restored him
to life again. (Comp. 1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:34.)
glad tidings;” a missionary preacher of the gospel
(Eph. 4:11). This title is applied to Philip (Acts 21:8),
who appears to have gone from city to city preaching the
word (8:4, 40). Judging from the case of Philip,
evangelists had neither the authority of an apostle, nor
the gift of prophecy, nor the responsibility of pastoral
supervision over a portion of the flock. They were
itinerant preachers, having it as their special function to
carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown.
The writers of the four Gospels are known as the
Evangelists.
given by Adam to his wife (Gen. 3:20; 4:1). The account of
her creation is given in Gen. 2:21, 22. The Creator, by
declaring that it was not good for man to be alone, and by
creating for him a suitable companion, gave sanction to
monogamy. The commentator Matthew Henry says: “This
companion was taken from his side to signify that she was
to be dear unto him as his own flesh. Not from his head,
lest she should rule over him; nor from his feet, lest he
should tyrannize over her; but from his side, to denote
that species of equality which is to subsist in the
marriage state.” And again, “That wife that is of
God’s making by special grace, and of God’s
bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a
helpmeet to her husband.” Through the subtle
temptation of the serpent she violated the commandment of
God by taking of the forbidden fruit, which she gave also
unto her husband (1 Tim. 2:13-15; 2 Cor. 11:3). When she
gave birth to her first son, she said, “I have gotten
a man from the Lord” (R.V., “I have gotten a man
with the help of the Lord,” Gen. 4:1). Thus she
welcomed Cain, as some think, as if he had been the
Promised One the “Seed of the woman.”
Evening – the period following
sunset with which the Jewish day began (Gen. 1:5; Mark
13:35). The Hebrews reckoned two evenings of each day, as
appears from Ex. 16:12: 30:8; 12:6 (marg.); Lev. 23:5
(marg. R.V., “between the two evenings”). The
“first evening” was that period when the sun was
verging towards setting, and the “second evening”
the moment of actual sunset. The word “evenings”
in Jer. 5:6 should be “deserts” (marg. R.V.).
Everlasting – eternal, applied to
God (Gen. 21:33; Deut. 33:27; Ps. 41:13; 90:2). We also
read of the “everlasting hills” (Gen. 49:26); an
“everlasting priesthood” (Ex. 40:15; Num. 25:13).
figuratively, the envious or covetous. (Comp. Deut. 15:9;
Matt. 20:15.)
man, the son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar, king of
Babylon (2 Kings 25:27; Jer. 52:31, 34). He seems to have
reigned but two years (B.C. 562-560). Influenced probably
by Daniel, he showed kindness to Jehoiachin, who had been a
prisoner in Babylon for thirty-seven years. He released
him, and “spoke kindly to him.” He was murdered
by Nergal-sharezer=Neriglissar, his brother-in-law, who
succeeded him (Jer. 39:3, 13).
forbidden (Titus 3:2; James 4:11), and severe punishments
are denounced against it (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10). It is spoken
of also with abhorrence (Ps. 15:3; Prov. 18:6, 7), and is
foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of
Christ.
Example – of Christ (1 Pet. 2:21;
John 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Phil. 3:17; 2
Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3); of the Jews as a
warning (Heb. 4:11); of the prophets as suffering
affliction (James 5:10).
Instead of the Greek word, Mark here uses a Latin word,
speculator, which literally means “a scout,”
“a spy,” and at length came to denote one of the
armed bodyguard of the emperor. Herod Antipas, in imitation
of the emperor, had in attendance on him a company of
speculatores. They were sometimes employed as executioners,
but this was a mere accident of their office. (See MARK,
GOSPEL)
Exercise, bodily – (1 Tim. 4:8).
An ascetic mortification of the flesh and denial of
personal gratification (comp. Col. 2:23) to which some
sects of the Jews, especially the Essenes, attached
importance.
Exile – (1.) Of the kingdom of
Israel. In the time of Pekah, Tiglath-pileser II. carried
away captive into Assyria (2 Kings 15:29; comp. Isa. 10:5,
6) a part of the inhabitants of Galilee and of Gilead (B.C.
741).
After the destruction of Samaria (B.C. 720) by Shalmaneser
and Sargon (q.v.), there was a general deportation of the
Israelites into Mesopotamia and Media (2 Kings 17:6; 18:9;
1 Chr. 5:26). (See ISRAEL, KINGDOM
OF.)
(2.) Of the kingdom of the two tribes, the kingdom of
Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim
(Jer. 25:1), invaded Judah, and carried away some royal
youths, including Daniel and his companions (B.C. 606),
together with the sacred vessels of the temple (2 Chr.
36:7; Dan. 1:2). In B.C. 598 (Jer. 52:28; 2 Kings 24:12),
in the beginning of Jehoiachin’s reign (2 Kings 24:8),
Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive 3,023 eminent Jews,
including the king (2 Chr. 36:10), with his family and
officers (2 Kings 24:12), and a large number of warriors
(16), with very many persons of note (14), and artisans
(16), leaving behind only those who were poor and helpless.
This was the first general deportation to Babylon.
In B.C. 588, after the revolt of Zedekiah (q.v.), there was
a second general deportation of Jews by Nebuchadnezzar
(Jer. 52:29; 2 Kings 25:8), including 832 more of the
principal men of the kingdom. He carried away also the rest
of the sacred vessels (2 Chr. 36:18). From this period,
when the temple was destroyed (2 Kings 25:9), to the
complete restoration, B.C. 517 (Ezra 6:15), is the period
of the “seventy years.”
In B.C. 582 occurred the last and final deportation. The
entire number Nebuchadnezzar carried captive was 4,600
heads of families with their wives and children and
dependants (Jer. 52:30; 43:5-7; 2 Chr. 36:20, etc.). Thus
the exiles formed a very considerable community in Babylon.
When Cyrus granted permission to the Jews to return to
their own land (Ezra 1:5; 7:13), only a comparatively small
number at first availed themselves of the privilege. It
cannot be questioned that many belonging to the kingdom of
Israel ultimately joined the Jews under Ezra, Zerubbabel,
and Nehemiah, and returned along with them to Jerusalem
(Jer. 50:4, 5, 17-20, 33-35).
Large numbers had, however, settled in the land of Babylon,
and formed numerous colonies in different parts of the
kingdom. Their descendants very probably have spread far
into Eastern lands and become absorbed in the general
population. (See JUDAH, KINGDOM OF)
Exodus – the great deliverance
wrought for the children of Isreal when they were brought
out of the land of Egypt with “a mighty hand and with
an outstretched arm” (Ex 12:51; Deut. 26:8; Ps 114;
136), about B.C. 1490, and four hundred and eighty years (1
Kings 6:1) before the building of Solomon’s temple.
The time of their sojourning in Egypt was, according to Ex.
12:40, the space of four hundred and thirty years. In the
LXX., the words are, “The sojourning of the children
of Israel which they sojourned in Egypt and in the land of
Canaan was four hundred and thirty years;” and the
Samaritan version reads, “The sojourning of the
children of Israel and of their fathers which they
sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years.” In Gen. 15:13-16,
the period is prophetically given (in round numbers) as
four hundred years. This passage is quoted by Stephen in
his defence before the council (Acts 7:6).
The chronology of the “sojourning” is variously
estimated. Those who adopt the longer term reckon thus:
| Years | | From the descent of Jacob into Egypt to the |
death of Joseph 71 | | From the death of Joseph to the
birth of | Moses 278 | | From the birth of Moses to his
flight into | Midian 40 | | From the flight of Moses to his
return into | Egypt 40 | | From the return of Moses to the
Exodus 1 | | 430
Others contend for the shorter period of two hundred and
fifteen years, holding that the period of four hundred and
thirty years comprehends the years from the entrance of
Abraham into Canaan (see LXX. and Samaritan) to the descent
of Jacob into Egypt. They reckon thus:
| Years | | From Abraham’s arrival in Canaan to
Isaac’s | birth 25 | | From Isaac’s birth to that
of his twin sons | Esau and Jacob 60 | | From Jacob’s
birth to the going down into | Egypt 130 | | (215) | | From
Jacob’s going down into Egypt to the | death of Joseph
71 | | From death of Joseph to the birth of Moses 64 | |
From birth of Moses to the Exodus 80 | | In all… 430
During the forty years of Moses’ sojourn in the land of
Midian, the Hebrews in Egypt were being gradually prepared
for the great national crisis which was approaching. The
plagues that successively fell upon the land loosened the
bonds by which Pharaoh held them in slavery, and at length
he was eager that they should depart. But the Hebrews must
now also be ready to go. They were poor; for generations
they had laboured for the Egyptians without wages. They
asked gifts from their neighbours around them (Ex. 12:35),
and these were readily bestowed. And then, as the first
step towards their independent national organization, they
observed the feast of the Passover, which was now
instituted as a perpetual memorial. The blood of the
paschal lamb was duly sprinkled on the door-posts and
lintels of all their houses, and they were all within,
waiting the next movement in the working out of God’s
plan. At length the last stroke fell on the land of Egypt.
“It came to pass, that at midnight Jehovah smote all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt.” Pharaoh rose up
in the night, and called for Moses and Aaron by night, and
said, “Rise up, and get you forth from among my
people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve
Jehovah, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your
herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me
also.” Thus was Pharaoh (q.v.) completely humbled and
broken down. These words he spoke to Moses and Aaron
“seem to gleam through the tears of the humbled king,
as he lamented his son snatched from him by so sudden a
death, and tremble with a sense of the helplessness which
his proud soul at last felt when the avenging hand of God
had visited even his palace.”
The terror-stricken Egyptians now urged the instant
departure of the Hebrews. In the midst of the Passover
feast, before the dawn of the 15th day of the month Abib
(our April nearly), which was to be to them henceforth the
beginning of the year, as it was the commencement of a new
epoch in their history, every family, with all that
appertained to it, was ready for the march, which instantly
began under the leadership of the heads of tribes with
their various sub-divisions. They moved onward, increasing
as they went forward from all the districts of Goshen, over
the whole of which they were scattered, to the common
centre. Three or four days perhaps elapsed before the whole
body of the people were assembled at Rameses, and ready to
set out under their leader Moses (Ex. 12:37; Num. 33:3).
This city was at that time the residence of the Egyptian
court, and here the interviews between Moses and Pharaoh
had taken place.
From Rameses they journeyed to Succoth (Ex. 12:37),
identified with Tel-el-Maskhuta, about 12 miles west of
Ismailia. Their third station was Etham (q.v.), 13:20,
“in the edge of the wilderness,” and was probably
a little to the west of the modern town of Ismailia, on the
Suez Canal. Here they were commanded “to turn and
encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the
sea”, i.e., to change their route from east to due
south. The Lord now assumed the direction of their march in
the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. They were
then led along the west shore of the Red Sea till they came
to an extensive camping-ground “before
Pi-hahiroth,” about 40 miles from Etham. This distance
from Etham may have taken three days to traverse, for the
number of camping-places by no means indicates the number
of days spent on the journey: e.g., it took fully a month
to travel from Rameses to the wilderness of Sin (Ex. 16:1),
yet reference is made to only six camping-places during all
that time. The exact spot of their encampment before they
crossed the Red Sea cannot be determined. It was probably
somewhere near the present site of Suez.
Under the direction of God the children of Israel went
“forward” from the camp “before
Pi-hahiroth,” and the sea opened a pathway for them,
so that they crossed to the farther shore in safety. The
Egyptian host pursued after them, and, attempting to follow
through the sea, were overwhelmed in its returning waters,
and thus the whole military force of the Egyptians
perished. They “sank as lead in the mighty
waters” (Ex. 15:1-9; comp. Ps. 77:16-19).
Having reached the eastern shore of the sea, perhaps a
little way to the north of ‘Ayun Musa (“the
springs of Moses”), there they encamped and rested
probably for a day. Here Miriam and the other women sang
the triumphal song recorded in Ex. 15:1-21.
From ‘Ayun Musa they went on for three days through a
part of the barren “wilderness of Shur” (22),
called also the “wilderness of Etham” (Num. 33:8;
comp. Ex. 13:20), without finding water. On the last of
these days they came to Marah (q.v.), where the
“bitter” water was by a miracle made drinkable.
Their next camping-place was Elim (q.v.), where were twelve
springs of water and a grove of “threescore and
ten” palm trees (Ex. 15:27).
After a time the children of Israel “took their
journey from Elim,” and encamped by the Red Sea (Num.
33:10), and thence removed to the “wilderness of
Sin” (to be distinguished from the wilderness of Zin,
20:1), where they again encamped. Here, probably the modern
el-Markha, the supply of bread they had brought with them
out of Egypt failed. They began to “murmur” for
want of bread. God “heard their murmurings” and
gave them quails and manna, “bread from heaven”
(Ex. 16:4-36). Moses directed that an omer of manna should
be put aside and preserved as a perpetual memorial of
God’s goodness. They now turned inland, and after three
encampments came to the rich and fertile valley of
Rephidim, in the Wady Feiran. Here they found no water, and
again murmured against Moses. Directed by God, Moses
procured a miraculous supply of water from the “rock
in Horeb,” one of the hills of the Sinai group
(17:1-7); and shortly afterwards the children of Israel
here fought their first battle with the Amalekites, whom
they smote with the edge of the sword.
From the eastern extremity of the Wady Feiran the line of
march now probably led through the Wady esh-Sheikh and the
Wady Solaf, meeting in the Wady er-Rahah, “the
enclosed plain in front of the magnificient cliffs of Ras
Sufsafeh.” Here they encamped for more than a year
(Num. 1:1; 10:11) before Sinai (q.v.).
The different encampments of the children of Israel, from
the time of their leaving Egypt till they reached the
Promised Land, are mentioned in Ex. 12:37-19; Num. 10-21;
33; Deut. 1, 2, 10.
It is worthy of notice that there are unmistakable
evidences that the Egyptians had a tradition of a great
exodus from their country, which could be none other than
the exodus of the Hebrews.
Exodus, Book of – Exodus is the
name given in the LXX. to the second book of the Pentateuch
(q.v.). It means “departure” or
“outgoing.” This name was adopted in the Latin
translation, and thence passed into other languages. The
Hebrews called it by the first words, according to their
custom, Ve-eleh shemoth (i.e., “and these are the
names”).
It contains, (1.) An account of the increase and growth of
the Israelites in Egypt (ch. 1) (2.) Preparations for their
departure out of Egypt (2-12:36). (3.) Their journeyings
from Egypt to Sinai (12:37-19:2). (4.) The giving of the
law and the establishment of the institutions by which the
organization of the people was completed, the theocracy,
“a kingdom of priest and an holy nation”
(19:3-ch. 40).
The time comprised in this book, from the death of Joseph
to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness, is
about one hundred and forty-five years, on the supposition
that the four hundred and thirty years (12:40) are to be
computed from the time of the promises made to Abraham
(Gal. 3:17).
The authorship of this book, as well as of that of the
other books of the Pentateuch, is to be ascribed to Moses.
The unanimous voice of tradition and all internal evidences
abundantly support this opinion.
that sceptical and therefore superstitious age professional
exorcist abounded. Many of these professional exorcists
were disreputable Jews, like Simon in Samaria and Elymas in
Cyprus (8:9; 13:6).” Other references to exorcism as
practised by the Jews are found in Matt. 12:27; Mark 9:38;
Luke 9:49, 50. It would seem that it was an opinion among
the Jews that miracles might be wrought by invoking the
divine name. Thus also these “vagabond Jews”
pretended that they could expel daemons.
The power of casting out devils was conferred by Christ on
his apostles (Matt. 10:8), and on the seventy (Luke
10:17-19), and was exercised by believers after his
ascension (Mark 16:17; Acts 16:18); but this power was
never spoken of as exorcism.
Expiation – Guilt is said to be
expiated when it is visited with punishment falling on a
substitute. Expiation is made for our sins when they are
punished not in ourselves but in another who consents to
stand in our room. It is that by which reconciliation is
effected. Sin is thus said to be “covered” by
vicarious satisfaction.
The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX.
hilasterion, that which covered or shut out the claims and
demands of the law against the sins of God’s people,
whereby he became “propitious” to them.
The idea of vicarious expiation runs through the whole Old
Testament system of sacrifices.
“flowing”), applied (1) to a fountain,
frequently; (2) to colour (Num. 11:7; R.V.,
“appearance,” marg. “eye”); (3) the
face (Ex. 10:5, 15; Num. 22:5, 11), in Num. 14:14,
“face to face” (R.V. marg., “eye to
eye”). “Between the eyes”, i.e., the
forehead (Ex. 13:9, 16).
The expression (Prov. 23:31), “when it giveth his
colour in the cup,” is literally, “when it giveth
out [or showeth] its eye.” The beads or bubbles of
wine are thus spoken of. “To set the eyes” on any
one is to view him with favour (Gen. 44:21; Job 24:23; Jer.
39:12). This word is used figuratively in the expressions
an “evil eye” (Matt. 20:15), a “bountiful
eye” (Prov. 22:9), “haughty eyes” (6:17
marg.), “wanton eyes” (Isa. 3:16), “eyes
full of adultery” (2 Pet. 2:14), “the lust of the
eyes” (1 John 2:16). Christians are warned against
“eye-service” (Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:22). Men were
sometimes punished by having their eyes put out (1 Sam.
11:2; Samson, Judg. 16:21; Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:7).
The custom of painting the eyes is alluded to in 2 Kings
9:30, R.V.; Jer. 4:30; Ezek. 23:40, a custom which still
prevails extensively among Eastern women.
Hezekiah (Matt. 1:9, 10).
Ezekiel – God will strengthen.
(1.) 1 Chr. 24:16, “Jehezekel.”
(2.) One of the great prophets, the son of Buzi the priest
(Ezek. 1:3). He was one of the Jewish exiles who settled at
Tel-Abib, on the banks of the Chebar, “in the land of
the Chaldeans.” He was probably carried away captive
with Jehoiachin (1:2; 2 Kings 24:14-16) about B.C. 597. His
prophetic call came to him “in the fifth year of
Jehoiachin’s captivity” (B.C. 594). He had a house
in the place of his exile, where he lost his wife, in the
ninth year of his exile, by some sudden and unforeseen
stroke (Ezek. 8:1; 24:18). He held a prominent place among
the exiles, and was frequently consulted by the elders
(8:1; 11:25; 14:1; 20:1). His ministry extended over
twenty-three years (29:17), B.C. 595-573, during part of
which he was contemporary with Daniel (14:14; 28:3) and
Jeremiah, and probably also with Obadiah. The time and
manner of his death are unknown. His reputed tomb is
pointed out in the neighbourhood of Bagdad, at a place
called Keffil.
mainly of three groups of prophecies. After an account of
his call to the prophetical office (1-3:21), Ezekiel (1)
utters words of denunciation against the Jews (3:22-24),
warning them of the certain destruction of Jerusalem, in
opposition to the words of the false prophets (4:1-3). The
symbolical acts, by which the extremities to which
Jerusalem would be reduced are described in ch. 4,5, show
his intimate acquaintance with the Levitical legislation.
(See Ex. 22:30; Deut. 14:21; Lev. 5:2; 7:18,24; 17:15;
19:7; 22:8, etc.)
(2.) Prophecies against various surrounding nations:
against the Ammonites (Ezek. 25:1-7), the Moabites (8-11),
the Edomites (12-14), the Philistines (15-17), Tyre and
Sidon (26-28), and against Egypt (29-32).
(3.) Prophecies delivered after the destruction of
Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar: the triumphs of Israel and of
the kingdom of God on earth (Ezek. 33-39); Messianic times,
and the establishment and prosperity of the kingdom of God
(40;48).
The closing visions of this book are referred to in the
book of Revelation (Ezek. 38=Rev. 20:8; Ezek. 47:1-8=Rev.
22:1,2). Other references to this book are also found in
the New Testament. (Comp. Rom. 2:24 with Ezek. 36:2; Rom.
10:5, Gal. 3:12 with Ezek. 20:11; 2 Pet. 3:4 with Ezek.
12:22.)
It may be noted that Daniel, fourteen years after his
deportation from Jerusalem, is mentioned by Ezekiel (14:14)
along with Noah and Job as distinguished for his
righteousness, and some five years later he is spoken of as
pre-eminent for his wisdom (28:3).
Ezekiel’s prophecies are characterized by symbolical
and allegorical representations, “unfolding a rich
series of majestic visions and of colossal symbols.”
There are a great many also of “symbolcal actions
embodying vivid conceptions on the part of the
prophet” (4:1-4; 5:1-4; 12:3-6; 24:3-5; 37:16, etc.)
“The mode of representation, in which symbols and
allegories occupy a prominent place, gives a dark,
mysterious character to the prophecies of Ezekiel. They are
obscure and enigmatical. A cloudy mystery overhangs them
which it is almost impossible to penetrate. Jerome calls
the book ‘a labyrith of the mysteries of God.’ It
was because of this obscurity that the Jews forbade any one
to read it till he had attained the age of thirty.”
Ezekiel is singular in the frequency with which he refers
to the Pentateuch (e.g., Ezek. 27; 28:13; 31:8; 36:11, 34;
47:13, etc.). He shows also an acquaintance with the
writings of Hosea (Ezek. 37:22), Isaiah (Ezek. 8:12; 29:6),
and especially with those of Jeremiah, his older
contemporary (Jer. 24:7, 9; 48:37).
20:19), a stone, or heap of stones, in the neighbourhood of
Saul’s residence, the scene of the parting of David and
Jonathan (42). The margin of the Authorized Version reads,
“The stone that sheweth the way,” in this
rendering following the Targum.
Ezer – treasure. (1.) One of the
sons of Seir, the native princes, “dukes,” of
Mount Hor (Gen. 36:21, 27). (2.) 1 Chr. 7:21; (3.) 4:4.
(4.) One of the Gadite champions who repaired to David at
Ziklag (12:9). (5.) A Levite (Neh. 3:19). (6.) A priest
(12:42).
backbone (so called from the head of a mountain which runs
out into the sea), an ancient city and harbour at the
north-east end of the Elanitic branch of the Red Sea, the
Gulf of Akabah, near Elath or Eloth (Num. 33:35; Deut.
2:8). Here Solomon built ships, “Tarshish ships,”
like those trading from Tyre to Tarshish and the west,
which traded with Ophir (1 Kings 9:26; 2 Chr. 8:17); and
here also Jehoshaphat’s fleet was shipwrecked (1 Kings
22:48; 2 Chr. 20:36). It became a populous town, many of
the Jews settling in it (2 Kings 16:6, “Elath”).
It is supposed that anciently the north end of the gulf
flowed further into the country than now, as far as
‘Ain el-Ghudyan, which is 10 miles up the dry bed of
the Arabah, and that Ezion-geber may have been there.
Ezra – help. (1.) A priest among
those that returned to Jerusalem under Zerubabel (Neh.
12:1).
(2.) The “scribe” who led the second body of
exiles that returned from Babylon to Jerusalem B.C. 459,
and author of the book of Scripture which bears his name.
He was the son, or perhaps grandson, of Seraiah (2 Kings
25:18-21), and a lineal descendant of Phinehas, the son of
Aaron (Ezra 7:1-5). All we know of his personal history is
contained in the last four chapters of his book, and in
Neh. 8 and 12:26.
In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus
(see DARIUS ¯T0000975), he obtained leave to go up to
Jerusalem and to take with him a company of Israelites
(Ezra 8). Artaxerxes manifested great interest in
Ezra’s undertaking, granting him “all his
request,” and loading him with gifts for the house of
God. Ezra assembled the band of exiles, probably about
5,000 in all, who were prepared to go up with him to
Jerusalem, on the banks of the Ahava, where they rested for
three days, and were put into order for their march across
the desert, which was completed in four months. His
proceedings at Jerusalem on his arrival there are recorded
in his book.
He was “a ready scribe in the law of Moses,” who
“had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord
and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and
judgments.” “He is,” says Professor Binnie,
“the first well-defined example of an order of men who
have never since ceased in the church; men of sacred
erudition, who devote their lives to the study of the Holy
Scriptures, in order that they may be in a condition to
interpret them for the instruction and edification of the
church. It is significant that the earliest mention of the
pulpit occurs in the history of Ezra’s ministry (Neh.
8:4). He was much more of a teacher than a priest. We learn
from the account of his labours in the book of Nehemiah
that he was careful to have the whole people instructed in
the law of Moses; and there is no reason to reject the
constant tradition of the Jews which connects his name with
the collecting and editing of the Old Testament canon. The
final completion of the canon may have been, and probably
was, the work of a later generation; but Ezra seems to have
put it much into the shape in which it is still found in
the Hebrew Bible. When it is added that the complete
organization of the synagogue dates from this period, it
will be seen that the age was emphatically one of Biblical
study” (The Psalms: their History, etc.).
For about fourteen years, i.e., till B.C. 445, we have no
record of what went on in Jerusalem after Ezra had set in
order the ecclesiastical and civil affairs of the nation.
In that year another distinguished personage, Nehemiah,
appears on the scene. After the ruined wall of the city had
been built by Nehemiah, there was a great gathering of the
people at Jerusalem preparatory to the dedication of the
wall. On the appointed day the whole population assembled,
and the law was read aloud to them by Ezra and his
assistants (Neh. 8:3). The remarkable scene is described in
detail. There was a great religious awakening. For
successive days they held solemn assemblies, confessing
their sins and offering up solemn sacrifices. They kept
also the feast of Tabernacles with great solemnity and
joyous enthusiasm, and then renewed their national covenant
to be the Lord’s. Abuses were rectified, and
arrangements for the temple service completed, and now
nothing remained but the dedication of the walls of the
city (Neh. 12).
Ezra, Book of – This book is the
record of events occurring at the close of the Babylonian
exile. It was at one time included in Nehemiah, the Jews
regarding them as one volume. The two are still
distinguished in the Vulgate version as I. and II. Esdras.
It consists of two principal divisions:
(1.) The history of the first return of exiles, in the
first year of Cyrus (B.C. 536), till the completion and
dedication of the new temple, in the sixth year of Darius
Hystapes (B.C. 515), ch. 1-6. From the close of the sixth
to the opening of the seventh chapter there is a blank in
the history of about sixty years.
(2.) The history of the second return under Ezra, in the
seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, and of the events
that took place at Jerusalem after Ezra’s arrival there
(7-10).
The book thus contains memorabilia connected with the Jews,
from the decree of Cyrus (B.C. 536) to the reformation by
Ezra (B.C. 456), extending over a period of about eighty
years.
There is no quotation from this book in the New Testament,
but there never has been any doubt about its being
canonical. Ezra was probably the author of this book, at
least of the greater part of it (comp. 7:27, 28; 8:1,
etc.), as he was also of the Books of Chronicles, the close
of which forms the opening passage of Ezra.
Ezrahite – a title given to Ethan
(1 Kings 4:31; Ps. 89, title) and Heman (Ps. 88, title).
They were both sons of Zerah (1 Chr. 2:6).
Ezri – help of Jehovah, the son
of Chelub. He superintended, under David, those who
“did the work of the field for tillage” (1 Chr.
27:26).
Testament to the traditions and speculations,
“cunningly devised fables”, of the Jews on
religious questions (1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:4; Titus
1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16). In such passages the word means
anything false and unreal. But the word is used as almost
equivalent to parable. Thus we have (1) the fable of
Jotham, in which the trees are spoken of as choosing a king
(Judg. 9:8-15); and (2) that of the cedars of Lebanon and
the thistle as Jehoash’s answer to Amaziah (2 Kings
14:9).
Face – means simply presence, as
when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from
the “face [R.V., ‘presence’] of the Lord
God” (Gen. 3:8; comp. Ex. 33:14, 15, where the same
Hebrew word is rendered “presence”). The
“light of God’s countenance” is his favour
(Ps. 44:3; Dan. 9:17). “Face” signifies also
anger, justice, severity (Gen. 16:6, 8; Ex. 2:15; Ps. 68:1;
Rev. 6:16). To “provoke God to his face” (Isa.
65:3) is to sin against him openly.
The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and
Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:38, 44, 48; Dan. 6:10). To “see
God’s face” is to have access to him and to enjoy
his favour (Ps. 17:15; 27:8). This is the privilege of holy
angels (Matt. 18:10; Luke 1:19). The “face of Jesus
Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6) is the office and person of
Christ, the revealer of the glory of God (John 1:14, 18).
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