BIBLES NET. COM
Dictionary]
Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Jehdeiah – rejoicer in Jehovah.
(1.) One of the Levitical attendants at the temple, a
descendant of Shubael (1 Chr. 24:20).
(2.) A Meronothite, herdsman of the asses under David and
Solomon (1 Chr. 27:30).
(1.) The father of Gibeon (1 Chr. 9:35).
(2.) One of David’s guard (1 Chr. 11:44).
(3.) One of the Levites “of the second degree,”
appointed to conduct the music on the occasion of the
ark’s being removed to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:18, 20).
(4.) A Hachmonite, a tutor in the family of David toward
the close of his reign (1 Chr. 27:32).
(5.) The second of Jehoshaphat’s six sons (2 Chr.
21:2).
(6.) One of the Levites of the family of Heman who assisted
Hezekiah in his work of reformation (2 Chr. 29:14).
(7.) A “prince” and “ruler of the house of
God” who contributed liberally to the renewal of the
temple sacrifices under Josiah (2 Chr. 35:8).
(8.) The father of Obadiah (Ezra 8:9).
(9.) One of the “sons” of Elam (Ezra 10:26).
(10.) Ezra 10:21.
Jehizkiah – Jehovah strengthens,
one of the chiefs of Ephraim (2 Chr. 28:12).
Jehoaddan – Jehovah his ornament,
the wife of King Jehoash, and mother of King Amaziah (2
Kings 14:2).
Jehoahaz – Jehovah his sustainer,
or he whom Jehovah holdeth. (1.) The youngest son of
Jehoram, king of Judah (2 Chr. 21:17; 22:1, 6, 8, 9);
usually Ahaziah (q.v.).
(2.) The son and successor of Jehu, king of Israel (2 Kings
10:35). He reigned seventeen years, and followed the evil
ways of the house of Jeroboam. The Syrians, under Hazael
and Benhadad, prevailed over him, but were at length driven
out of the land by his son Jehoash (13:1-9, 25).
(3.) Josiah’s third son, usually called Shallum (1 Chr.
3:15). He succeeded his father on the throne, and reigned
over Judah for three months (2 Kings 23:31, 34). He fell
into the idolatrous ways of his predecessors (23:32), was
deposed by Pharaoh-Necho from the throne, and carried away
prisoner into Egypt, where he died in captivity (23:33, 34;
Jer. 22:10-12; 2 Chr. 36:1-4).
Jehoash – Jehovah-given. (1.) The
son of King Ahaziah. While yet an infant, he was saved from
the general massacre of the family by his aunt Jehosheba,
and was apparently the only surviving descendant of Solomon
(2 Chr. 21:4, 17). His uncle, the high priest Jehoiada,
brought him forth to public notice when he was eight years
of age, and crowned and anointed him king of Judah with the
usual ceremonies. Athaliah was taken by surprise when she
heard the shout of the people, “Long live the
king;” and when she appeared in the temple, Jehoiada
commanded her to be led forth to death (2 Kings 11:13-20).
While the high priest lived, Jehoash favoured the worship
of God and observed the law; but on his death he fell away
into evil courses, and the land was defiled with idolatry.
Zechariah, the son and successor of the high priest, was
put to death. These evil deeds brought down on the land the
judgement of God, and it was oppressed by the Syrian
invaders. He is one of the three kings omitted by Matthew
(1:8) in the genealogy of Christ, the other two being
Ahaziah and Amaziah. He was buried in the city of David (2
Kings 12:21). (See JOASH ¯T0002078 [4].)
(2.) The son and successor of Jehoahaz, king of Israel (2
Kings 14:1; comp. 12:1; 13:10). When he ascended the throne
the kingdom was suffering from the invasion of the Syrians.
Hazael “was cutting Israel short.” He tolerated
the worship of the golden calves, yet seems to have
manifested a character of sincere devotion to the God of
his fathers. He held the prophet Elisha in honour, and wept
by his bedside when he was dying, addressing him in the
words Elisha himself had used when Elijah was carried up
into heaven: “O my father, my father, the chariot of
Israel and the horsemen thereof.” He was afterwards
involved in war with Amaziah, the king of Judah (2 Chr.
25:23-24), whom he utterly defeated at Beth-shemesh, on the
borders of Dan and Philistia, and advancing on Jerusalem,
broke down a portion of the wall, and carried away the
treasures of the temple and the palace. He soon after died
(B.C. 825), and was buried in Samaria (2 Kings 14:1-17, 19,
20). He was succeeded by his son. (See JOASH ¯T0002078
[5.].)
Jeroboam II. (1.) A Korhite, the head of one of the
divisions of the temple porters (1 Chr. 26:3).
(2.) One of Jehoshaphat’s “captains” (2 Chr.
17:15).
(3.) The father of Azariah (2 Chr. 28:12).
(4.) The son of Tobiah, an enemy of the Jews (Neh. 6:18).
(5.) Neh. 12:42.
(6.) Neh. 12:13.
Jehoiachin – succeeded his father
Jehoiakin (B.C. 599) when only eight years of age, and
reigned for one hundred days (2 Chr. 36:9). He is also
called Jeconiah (Jer. 24:1; 27:20, etc.), and Coniah
(22:24; 37:1). He was succeeded by his uncle, Mattaniah =
Zedekiah (q.v.). He was the last direct heir to the Jewish
crown. He was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar,
along with the flower of the nobility, all the leading men
in Jerusalem, and a great body of the general population,
some thirteen thousand in all (2 Kings 24:12-16; Jer.
52:28). After an imprisonment of thirty-seven years (Jer.
52:31, 33), he was liberated by Evil-merodach, and
permitted to occupy a place in the king’s household and
sit at his table, receiving “every day a portion until
the day of his death, all the days of his life”
(52:32-34).
Jehoiada – Jehovah-known. (1.)
The father of Benaiah, who was one of David’s chief
warriors (2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23).
(2.) The high priest at the time of Athaliah’s
usurpation of the throne of Judah. He married Jehosheba, or
Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram (2 Chr. 22:11),
and took an active part along with his wife in the
preservation and training of Jehoash when Athaliah slew all
the royal family of Judah.
The plans he adopted in replacing Jehoash on the throne of
his ancestors are described in 2 Kings 11:2; 12:2; 2 Chr.
22:11; 23:24. He was among the foremost of the benefactors
of the kingdom, and at his death was buried in the city of
David among the kings of Judah (2 Chr. 24:15, 16). He is
said to have been one hundred and thirty years old.
Jehoiakim – he whom Jehovah has
set up, the second son of Josiah, and eighteenth king of
Judah, which he ruled over for eleven years (B.C. 610-599).
His original name was Eliakim (q.v.).
On the death of his father his younger brother Jehoahaz
(=Shallum, Jer. 22:11), who favoured the Chaldeans against
the Egyptians, was made king by the people; but the king of
Egypt, Pharaoh-necho, invaded the land and deposed Jehoahaz
(2 Kings 23:33, 34; Jer. 22:10-12), setting Eliakim on the
throne in his stead, and changing his name to Jehoiakim.
After this the king of Egypt took no part in Jewish
politics, having been defeated by the Chaldeans at
Carchemish (2 Kings 24:7; Jer. 46:2). Palestine was now
invaded and conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiakim was
taken prisoner and carried captive to Babylon (2 Chr. 36:6,
7). It was at this time that Daniel also and his three
companions were taken captive to Babylon (Dan. 1:1, 2).
Nebuchadnezzar reinstated Jehoiakim on his throne, but
treated him as a vassal king. In the year after this,
Jeremiah caused his prophecies to be read by Baruch in the
court of the temple. Jehoiakim, hearing of this, had them
also read in the royal palace before himself. The words
displeased him, and taking the roll from the hands of
Baruch he cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire (Jer.
36:23). During his disastrous reign there was a return to
the old idolatry and corruption of the days of Manasseh.
After three years of subjection to Babylon, Jehoiakim
withheld his tribute and threw off the yoke (2 Kings 24:1),
hoping to make himself independent. Nebuchadnezzar sent
bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, and Ammonites (2 Kings 24:2)
to chastise his rebellious vassal. They cruelly harassed
the whole country (comp. Jer. 49:1-6). The king came to a
violent death, and his body having been thrown over the
wall of Jerusalem, to convince the beseieging army that he
was dead, after having been dragged away, was buried beyond
the gates of Jerusalem “with the burial of an
ass,” B.C. 599 (Jer. 22:18, 19; 36:30). Nebuchadnezzar
placed his son Jehoiachin on the throne, wishing still to
retain the kingdom of Judah as tributary to him.
Jehoiarib – Jehovah defends, a
priest at Jerusalem, head of one of the sacerdotal courses
(1 Chr. 9:10; 24:7). His “course” went up from
Babylon after the Exile (Ezra 2:36-39; Neh. 7:39-42).
Jehonadab – Jehovah is liberal;
or, whom Jehovah impels. (1.) A son of Shimeah, and nephew
of David. It was he who gave the fatal wicked advice to
Amnon, the heir to the throne (2 Sam. 13:3-6). He was very
“subtil,” but unprincipled.
(2.) A son of Rechab, the founder of a tribe who bound
themselves by a vow to abstain from wine (Jer. 35:6-19).
There were different settlements of Rechabites (Judg. 1:16;
4:11; 1 Chr. 2:55). His interview and alliance with Jehu are
mentioned in 2 Kings 10:15-23. He went with Jehu in his
chariot to Samaria.
Jehonathan – whom Jehovah gave.
(1.) One of the stewards of David’s store-houses (1
Chr. 27:25).
(2.) A Levite who taught the law to the people of Judah (2
Chr. 17:8).
(3.) Neh. 12:18.
Jehoram – Jehovah-exalted. (1.)
Son of Toi, king of Hamath, sent by his father to
congratulate David on the occasion of his victory over
Hadadezer (2 Sam. 8:10).
(2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 26:25).
(3.) A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to instructruct the
people in Judah (2 Chr. 17:8).
(4.) The son of Ahab and Jezebel, and successor to his
brother Ahaziah on the throne of Israel. He reigned twelve
years, B.C. 896-884 (2 Kings 1:17; 3:1). His first work was
to reduce to subjection the Moabites, who had asserted
their independence in the reign of his brother.
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, assisted Jehoram in this
effort. He was further helped by his ally the king of Edom.
Elisha went forth with the confederated army (2 Kings
3:1-19), and at the solicitation of Jehoshaphat encouraged
the army with the assurance from the Lord of a speedy
victory. The Moabites under Mesha their king were utterly
routed and their cities destroyed. At Kir-haraseth Mesha
made a final stand. The Israelites refrained from pressing
their victory further, and returned to their own land.
Elisha afterwards again befriended Jehoram when a war broke
out between the Syrians and Israel, and in a remarkable way
brought that war to a bloodless close (2 Kings 6:23). But
Jehoram, becoming confident in his own power, sank into
idolatry, and brought upon himself and his land another
Syrian invasion, which led to great suffering and distress
in Samaria (2 Kings 6:24-33). By a remarkable providential
interposition the city was saved from utter destruction,
and the Syrians were put to flight (2 Kings 7:6-15).
Jehoram was wounded in a battle with the Syrians at Ramah,
and obliged to return to Jezreel (2 Kings 8:29; 9:14, 15),
and soon after the army proclaimed their leader Jehu king
of Israel, and revolted from their allegiance to Jehoram (2
Kings 9). Jehoram was pierced by an arrow from Jehu’s
bow on the piece of ground at Jezreel which Ahab had taken
from Naboth, and there he died (2 Kings 9:21-29).
(5.) The eldest son and successor of Jehoshaphat, king of
Judah. He reigned eight years (B.C. 892-885) alone as king
of Judah, having been previously for some years associated
with his father (2 Chr. 21:5, 20; 2 Kings 8:16). His wife
was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. His
daughter Jehosheba was married to the high priest Jehoiada.
He sank into gross idolatry, and brought upon himself and
his kingdom the anger of Jehovah. The Edomites revolted
from under his yoke, and the Philistines and the Arabians
and Cushites invaded the land, and carried away great
spoil, along with Jehoram’s wives and all his children,
except Ahaziah. He died a painful death from a fearful
malady, and was refused a place in the sepulchre of the
kings (2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chr. 21).
(1.) One of David’s body-guard (1 Chr. 11:43).
(2.) One of the priests who accompanied the removal of the
ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:24).
(3.) Son of Ahilud, “recorder” or annalist under
David and Solomon (2 Sam. 8:16), a state officer of high
rank, chancellor or vizier of the kingdom.
(4.) Solomon’s purveyor in Issachar (1 Kings 4:17).
(5.) The son and successor of Asa, king of Judah. After
fortifying his kingdom against Israel (2 Chr. 17:1, 2), he
set himself to cleanse the land of idolatry (1 Kings
22:43). In the third year of his reign he sent out priests
and Levites over the land to instruct the people in the law
(2 Chr. 17:7-9). He enjoyed a great measure of peace and
prosperity, the blessing of God resting on the people
“in their basket and their store.”
The great mistake of his reign was his entering into an
alliance with Ahab, the king of Israel, which involved him
in much disgrace, and brought disaster on his kingdom (1
Kings 22:1-33). Escaping from the bloody battle of
Ramoth-gilead, the prophet Jehu (2 Chr. 19:1-3) reproached
him for the course he had been pursuing, whereupon he
entered with rigour on his former course of opposition to
all idolatry, and of deepening interest in the worship of
God and in the righteous government of the people (2 Chr.
19:4-11).
Again he entered into an alliance with Ahaziah, the king of
Israel, for the purpose of carrying on maritime commerce
with Ophir. But the fleet that was then equipped at
Ezion-gaber was speedily wrecked. A new fleet was fitted
out without the co-operation of the king of Israel, and
although it was successful, the trade was not prosecuted (2
Chr. 20:35-37; 1 Kings 22:48-49).
He subsequently joined Jehoram, king of Israel, in a war
against the Moabites, who were under tribute to Israel.
This war was successful. The Moabites were subdued; but the
dreadful act of Mesha in offering his own son a sacrifice
on the walls of Kir-haresheth in the sight of the armies of
Israel filled him with horror, and he withdrew and returned
to his own land (2 Kings 3:4-27).
The last most notable event of his reign was that recorded
in 2 Chr. 20. The Moabites formed a great and powerful
confederacy with the surrounding nations, and came against
Jehoshaphat. The allied forces were encamped at Engedi. The
king and his people were filled with alarm, and betook
themselves to God in prayer. The king prayed in the court
of the temple, “O our God, wilt thou not judge them?
for we have no might against this great company that cometh
against us.” Amid the silence that followed, the voice
of Jahaziel the Levite was heard announcing that on the
morrow all this great host would be overthrown. So it was,
for they quarrelled among themselves, and slew one another,
leaving to the people of Judah only to gather the rich
spoils of the slain. This was recognized as a great
deliverance wrought for them by God (B.C. 890). Soon after
this Jehoshaphat died, after a reign of twenty-five years,
being sixty years of age, and was succeeded by his son
Jehoram (1 Kings 22:50). He had this testimony, that
“he sought the Lord with all his heart” (2 Chr.
22:9). The kingdom of Judah was never more prosperous than
under his reign.
(6.) The son of Nimshi, and father of Jehu, king of Israel
(2 Kings 9:2, 14).
mentioned in Scripture only in Joel 3:2, 12. This is the
name given in modern times to the valley between Jerusalem
and the Mount of Olives, and the Kidron flows through it.
Here Jehoshaphat overthrew the confederated enemies of
Israel (Ps. 83:6-8); and in this valley also God was to
overthrow the Tyrians, Zidonians, etc. (Joel 3:4, 19), with
an utter overthrow. This has been fulfilled; but Joel
speaks of the final conflict, when God would destroy all
Jerusalem’s enemies, of whom Tyre and Zidon, etc., were
types. The “valley of Jehoshaphat” may therefore
be simply regarded as a general term for the theatre of
God’s final judgments on the enemies of Israel.
This valley has from ancient times been used by the Jews as
a burial-ground. It is all over paved with flat stones as
tombstones, bearing on them Hebrew inscriptions.
Jehosheba – Jehovah-swearing, the
daughter of Jehoram, the king of Israel. She is called
Jehoshabeath in 2 Chr. 22:11. She was the only princess of
the royal house who was married to a high priest, Jehoiada
(2 Chr. 22:11).
significant name (not merely an appellative title such as
Lord [adonai]) by which God revealed himself to the ancient
Hebrews (Ex. 6:2, 3). This name, the Tetragrammaton of the
Greeks, was held by the later Jews to be so sacred that it
was never pronounced except by the high priest on the great
Day of Atonement, when he entered into the most holy place.
Whenever this name occurred in the sacred books they
pronounced it, as they still do, “Adonai” (i.e.,
Lord), thus using another word in its stead. The Massorets
gave to it the vowel-points appropriate to this word. This
Jewish practice was founded on a false interpretation of
Lev. 24:16. The meaning of the word appears from Ex. 3:14
to be “the unchanging, eternal, self-existent
God,” the “I am that I am,” a
convenant-keeping God. (Comp. Mal. 3:6; Hos. 12:5; Rev.
1:4, 8.)
The Hebrew name “Jehovah” is generally translated
in the Authorized Version (and the Revised Version has not
departed from this rule) by the word LORD printed in small
capitals, to distinguish it from the rendering of the
Hebrew Adonai and the Greek Kurios, which are
also rendered Lord, but printed in the usual type. The
Hebrew word is translated “Jehovah” only in Ex.
6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4, and in the compound names
mentioned below.
It is worthy of notice that this name is never used in the
LXX., the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Apocrypha, or in the
New Testament. It is found, however, on the “Moabite
stone” (q.v.), and consequently it must have been in
the days of Mesba so commonly pronounced by the Hebrews as
to be familiar to their heathen neighbours.
Jehovah-jireh – Jehovah will see;
i.e., will provide, the name given by Abraham to the scene
of his offering up the ram which was caught in the thicket
on Mount Moriah. The expression used in Gen. 22:14,
“in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen,” has
been regarded as equivalent to the saying, “Man’s
extremity is God’s opportunity.”
banner, the title given by Moses to the altar which he
erected on the hill on the top of which he stood with
uplifted hands while Israel prevailed over their enemies
the Amalekites (Ex. 17:15).
peace, the name which Gideon gave to the altar he erected
on the spot at Ophrah where the angel appeared to him
(Judg. 6:24).
there, the symbolical title given by Ezekiel to Jerusalem,
which was seen by him in vision (Ezek. 48:35). It was a
type of the gospel Church.
Jehovah-tsidkenu – Jehovah our
rightousness, rendered in the Authorized Version, “The
LORD our righteousness,” a title given to the Messiah
(Jer. 23:6, marg.), and also to Jerusalem (33:16,
marg.).
Jehozabad – Jehovah-given. (1.)
The son of Obed-edom (1 Chr. 26:4), one of the Levite
porters.
(2.) The son of Shomer, one of the two conspirators who put
king Jehoash to death in Millo in Jerusalem (2 Kings
12:21).
(3.) 2 Chr. 17:18.
Jehozadak – Jehovah-justified,
the son of the high priest Seraiah at the time of the
Babylonian exile (1 Chr. 6:14, 15). He was carried into
captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, and probably died in Babylon.
He was the father of Jeshua, or Joshua, who returned with
Zerubbabel.
Jehu – Jehovah is he. (1.) The
son of Obed, and father of Azariah (1 Chr. 2:38).
(2.) One of the Benjamite slingers that joined David at
Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).
(3.) The son of Hanani, a prophet of Judah (1 Kings 16:1,
7; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:34), who pronounced the sentence of God
against Baasha, the king of Israel.
(4.) King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2),
and grandson of Nimshi. The story of his exaltation to the
throne is deeply interesting. During the progress of a war
against the Syrians, who were becoming more and more
troublesome to Israel, in a battle at Ramoth-gilead
Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been wounded; and leaving
his army there, had returned to Jezreel, whither his ally,
Ahaziah, king of Judah, had also gone on a visit of
sympathy with him (2 Kings 8:28, 29). The commanders, being
left in charge of the conduct of the war, met in council;
and while engaged in their deliberations, a messenger from
Elisha appeared in the camp, and taking Jehu from the
council, led him into a secret chamber, and there anointed
him king over Israel, and immediately retired and
disappeared (2 Kings 9:5, 6). On being interrogated by his
companions as to the object of this mysterious visitor, he
informed them of what had been done, when immediately, with
the utmost enthusiasm, they blew their trumpets and
proclaimed him king (2 Kings 9:11-14). He then with a
chosen band set forth with all speed to Jezreel, where,
with his own hand, he slew Jehoram, shooting him through
the heart with an arrow (9:24). The king of Judah, when
trying to escape, was fatally wounded by one of Jehu’s
soldiers at Beth-gan. On entering the city, Jehu commanded
the eunchs of the royal palace to cast down Jezebel into
the street, where her mangled body was trodden under foot
by the horses. Jehu was now master of Jezreel, whence he
communicated with the persons in authority in Samaria the
capital, commanding them to appear before him on the morrow
with the heads of all the royal princes of Samaria.
Accordingly on the morrow seventy heads were piled up in
two heaps at his gate. At “the shearing-house” (2
Kings 10:12-14) other forty-two connected with the house of
Ahab were put to death (2 Kings 10:14). As Jehu rode on
toward Samaria, he met Jehonadab (q.v.), whom he took into
his chariot, and they entered the capital together. By a
cunning stratagem he cut off all the worshippers of Baal
found in Samaria (2 Kings 10:19-25), and destroyed the
temple of the idol (2 Kings 10:27).
Notwithstanding all this apparent zeal for the worship of
Jehovah, Jehu yet tolerated the worship of the golden
calves at Dan and Bethel. For this the divine displeasure
rested upon him, and his kingdom suffered disaster in war
with the Syrians (2 Kings 10:29-33). He died after a reign
of twenty-eight years (B.C. 884-856), and was buried in
Samaria (10:34-36). “He was one of those decisive,
terrible, and ambitious, yet prudent, calculating, and
passionless men whom God from time to time raises up to
change the fate of empires and execute his judgments on the
earth.” He was the first Jewish king who came in
contact with the Assyrian power in the time of Shalmaneser
II.
Shelemiah. He is also called Jucal (Jer. 38:1). He was one
of the two persons whom Zedekiah sent to request the
prophet Jeremiah to pray for the kingdom (Jer. 37:3) during
the time of its final siege by Nebuchadnezzar. He was
accompanied by Zephaniah (q.v.).
Jehudi – a Jew, son of Nethaniah.
He was sent by the princes to invite Baruch to read
Jeremiah’s roll to them (Jer. 36:14, 21).
(1.) A descendant of Benjamin (1 Chr. 9:35; 8:29).
(2.) One of the Levites who took part in praising God on
the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 16:5).
(3.) 2 Chr. 29:13. A Levite of the sons of Asaph.
(4.) 2 Chr. 26:11. A scribe.
(5.) 1 Chr. 5:7. A Reubenite chief.
(6.) One of the chief Levites, who made an offering for the
restoration of the Passover by Josiah (2 Chr. 35:9).
(7.) Ezra 8:13.
(8.) Ezra 10:43.
Job’s three daughters born after his time of trial (Job
42:14).
Jephthah – whom God sets free, or
the breaker through, a “mighty man of valour” who
delivered Israel from the oppression of the Ammonites
(Judg. 11:1-33), and judged Israel six years (12:7). He has
been described as “a wild, daring, Gilead mountaineer,
a sort of warrior Elijah.” After forty-five years of
comparative quiet Israel again apostatized, and in
“process of time the children of Ammon made war
against Israel” (11:5). In their distress the elders
of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob, to
which he had fled when driven out wrongfully by his
brothers from his father’s inheritance (2), and the
people made him their head and captain. The “elders of
Gilead” in their extremity summoned him to their aid,
and he at once undertook the conduct of the war against
Ammon. Twice he sent an embassy to the king of Ammon, but
in vain. War was inevitable. The people obeyed his summons,
and “the spirit of the Lord came upon him.”
Before engaging in war he vowed that if successful he would
offer as a “burnt-offering” whatever would come
out of the door of his house first to meet him on his
return. The defeat of the Ammonites was complete. “He
smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even
twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards [Heb.
‘Abel Keramim], with a very great slaughter”
(Judg. 11:33). The men of Ephraim regarded themselves as
insulted in not having been called by Jephthah to go with
him to war against Ammon. This led to a war between the men
of Gilead and Ephraim (12:4), in which many of the
Ephraimites perished. “Then died Jephthah the Gileadite,
and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead”
(7).
11:30, 31). After a crushing defeat of the Ammonites,
Jephthah returned to his own house, and the first to
welcome him was his own daughter. This was a terrible blow
to the victor, and in his despair he cried out, “Alas,
my daughter! thou hast brought me very low…I have opened
my mouth unto the Lord, and cannot go back.” With
singular nobleness of spirit she answered, “Do to me
according to that which hath proceeded out of thy
mouth.” She only asked two months to bewail her
maidenhood with her companions upon the mountains. She
utters no reproach against her father’s rashness, and
is content to yield her life since her father has returned
a conqueror. But was it so? Did Jephthah offer up his
daughter as a “burnt-offering”? This question has
been much debated, and there are many able commentators who
argue that such a sacrifice was actually offered. We are
constrained, however, by a consideration of Jephthah’s
known piety as a true worshipper of Jehovah, his evident
acquaintance with the law of Moses, to which such
sacrifices were abhorrent (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut.
12:31), and the place he holds in the roll of the heroes of
the faith in the Epistle to the Hebrews (11:32), to
conclude that she was only doomed to a life of perpetual
celibacy.
beholder. (1.) The father of Caleb, who was Joshua’s
companion in exploring Canaan (Num. 13:6), a Kenezite
(Josh. 14:14). (2.) One of the descendants of Asher (1 Chr.
7:38).
Jerahmeel – loving God. (1.) The
son of Hezron, the brother of Caleb (1 Chr. 2:9, 25, 26,
etc.).
(2.) The son of Kish, a Levite (1 Chr. 24:29).
(3.) Son of Hammelech (Jer. 36:26).
Jeremiah – raised up or appointed
by Jehovah. (1.) A Gadite who joined David in the
wilderness (1 Chr. 12:10).
(2.) A Gadite warrior (1 Chr. 12:13).
(3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr.
12:4).
(4.) One of the chiefs of the tribe of Manasseh on the east
of Jordan (1 Chr. 5:24).
(5.) The father of Hamutal (2 Kings 23:31), the wife of
Josiah.
(6.) One of the “greater prophets” of the Old
Testament, son of Hilkiah (q.v.), a priest of Anathoth
(Jer. 1:1; 32:6). He was called to the prophetical office
when still young (1:6), in the thirteenth year of Josiah
(B.C. 628). He left his native place, and went to reside in
Jerusalem, where he greatly assisted Josiah in his work of
reformation (2 Kings 23:1-25). The death of this pious king
was bewailed by the prophet as a national calamity (2 Chr.
35:25).
During the three years of the reign of Jehoahaz we find no
reference to Jeremiah, but in the beginning of the reign of
Jehoiakim the enmity of the people against him broke out in
bitter persecution, and he was placed apparently under
restraint (Jer. 36:5). In the fourth year of Jehoiakim he
was commanded to write the predictions given to him, and to
read them to the people on the fast-day. This was done by
Baruch his servant in his stead, and produced much public
excitement. The roll was read to the king. In his
recklessness he seized the roll, and cut it to pieces, and
cast it into the fire, and ordered both Baruch and Jeremiah
to be apprehended. Jeremiah procured another roll, and
wrote in it the words of the roll the king had destroyed,
and “many like words” besides (Jer. 36:32).
He remained in Jerusalem, uttering from time to time his
words of warning, but without effect. He was there when
Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city (Jer. 37:4, 5), B.C. 589.
The rumour of the approach of the Egyptians to aid the Jews
in this crisis induced the Chaldeans to withdraw and return
to their own land. This, however, was only for a time. The
prophet, in answer to his prayer, received a message from
God announcing that the Chaldeans would come again and take
the city, and burn it with fire (37:7, 8). The princes, in
their anger at such a message by Jeremiah, cast him into
prison (37:15-38:13). He was still in confinement when the
city was taken (B.C. 588). The Chaldeans released him, and
showed him great kindness, allowing him to choose the place
of his residence. He accordingly went to Mizpah with
Gedaliah, who had been made governor of Judea. Johanan
succeeded Gedaliah, and refusing to listen to
Jeremiah’s counsels, went down into Egypt, taking
Jeremiah and Baruch with him (Jer. 43:6). There probably
the prophet spent the remainder of his life, in vain
seeking still to turn the people to the Lord, from whom
they had so long revolted (44). He lived till the reign of
Evil-Merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, and must have been
about ninety years of age at his death. We have no
authentic record of his death. He may have died at
Tahpanhes, or, according to a tradition, may have gone to
Babylon with the army of Nebuchadnezzar; but of this there
is nothing certain.
Jeremiah, Book of – consists of
twenty-three separate and independent sections, arranged in
five books. I. The introduction, ch. 1. II. Reproofs of the
sins of the Jews, consisting of seven sections, (1.) ch. 2;
(2.) ch. 3-6; (3.) ch. 7-10; (4.) ch. 11-13; (5.) ch.
14-17:18; (6.) ch. 17:19-ch. 20; (7.) ch. 21-24. III. A
general review of all nations, in two sections, (1.) ch.
46-49; (2.) ch. 25; with an historical appendix of three
sections, (1.) ch. 26; (2.) ch. 27; (3.) ch. 28, 29. IV.
Two sections picturing the hopes of better times, (1.) ch.
30, 31; (2.) ch. 32,33; to which is added an historical
appendix in three sections, (1.) ch. 34:1-7; (2.) ch.
34:8-22; (3.) ch. 35. V. The conclusion, in two sections,
(1.) ch. 36; (2.) ch. 45.
In Egypt, after an interval, Jeremiah is supposed to have
added three sections, viz., ch. 37-39; 40-43; and 44.
The principal Messianic prophecies are found in 23:1-8;
31:31-40; and 33:14-26.
Jeremiah’s prophecies are noted for the frequent
repetitions found in them of the same words and phrases and
imagery. They cover the period of about 30 years. They are
not recorded in the order of time. When and under what
circumstances this book assumed its present form we know
not.
The LXX. Version of this book is, in its arrangement and in
other particulars, singularly at variance with the
original. The LXX. omits 10:6-8; 27:19-22; 29:16-20;
33:14-26; 39:4-13; 52:2, 3, 15, 28-30, etc. About 2,700
words in all of the original are omitted. These omissions,
etc., are capricious and arbitrary, and render the version
unreliable.
Jericho – place of fragrance, a
fenced city in the midst of a vast grove of palm trees, in
the plain of Jordan, over against the place where that
river was crossed by the Israelites (Josh. 3:16). Its site
was near the ‘Ain es-Sultan, Elisha’s Fountain (2
Kings 2:19-22), about 5 miles west of Jordan. It was the
most important city in the Jordan valley (Num. 22:1;
34:15), and the strongest fortress in all the land of
Canaan. It was the key to Western Palestine.
This city was taken in a very remarkable manner by the
Israelites (Josh. 6). God gave it into their hands. The
city was “accursed” (Heb. herem,
“devoted” to Jehovah), and accordingly (Josh.
6:17; comp. Lev. 27:28, 29; Deut. 13:16) all the
inhabitants and all the spoil of the city were to be
destroyed, “only the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels of brass and of iron” were reserved and
“put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah”
(Josh. 6:24; comp. Num. 31:22, 23, 50-54). Only Rahab
“and her father’s household, and all that she
had,” were preserved from destruction, according to
the promise of the spies (Josh. 2:14). In one of the Amarna
tablets Adoni-zedec (q.v.) writes to the king of Egypt
informing him that the ‘Abiri (Hebrews) had prevailed,
and had taken the fortress of Jericho, and were plundering
“all the king’s lands.” It would seem that
the Egyptian troops had before this been withdrawn from
Palestine.
This city was given to the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 18:21),
and it was inhabited in the time of the Judges (Judg. 3:13;
2 Sam. 10:5). It is not again mentioned till the time of
David (2 Sam. 10:5). “Children of Jericho” were
among the captives who returned under Zerubbabel Ezra 2:34;
Neh. 7:36). Hiel (q.v.) the Bethelite attempted to make it
once more a fortified city (1 Kings 16:34). Between the
beginning and the end of his undertaking all his children
were cut off.
In New Testament times Jericho stood some distance to the
south-east of the ancient one, and near the opening of the
valley of Achor. It was a rich and flourishing town, having
a considerable trade, and celebrated for the palm trees
which adorned the plain around. It was visited by our Lord
on his last journey to Jerusalem. Here he gave sight to two
blind men (Matt. 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52), and brought
salvation to the house of Zacchaeus the publican (Luke
19:2-10).
The poor hamlet of er-Riha, the representative of modern
Jericho, is situated some two miles farther to the east. It
is in a ruinous condition, having been destroyed by the
Turks in 1840. “The soil of the plain,” about the
middle of which the ancient city stood, “is
unsurpassed in fertility; there is abundance of water for
irrigation, and many of the old aqueducts are almost
perfect; yet nearly the whole plain is waste and
desolate…The climate of Jericho is exceedingly hot and
unhealthy. This is accounted for by the depression of the
plain, which is about 1,200 feet below the level of the
sea.”
There were three different Jerichos, on three different
sites, the Jericho of Joshua, the Jericho of Herod, and the
Jericho of the Crusades. Er-Riha, the modern Jericho, dates
from the time of the Crusades. Dr. Bliss has found in a
hollow scooped out for some purpose or other near the foot
of the biggest mound above the Sultan’s Spring
specimens of Amorite or pre-Israelitish pottery precisely
identical with what he had discovered on the site of
ancient Lachish. He also traced in this place for a short
distance a mud brick wall in situ, which he supposes to be
the very wall that fell before the trumpets of Joshua. The
wall is not far from the foot of the great precipice of
Quarantania and its numerous caverns, and the spies of
Joshua could easily have fled from the city and been
speedily hidden in these fastnesses.
Jerimoth – heights. (1.) One of
the sons of Bela (1 Chr. 7:7).
(2.) 1 Chr. 24:30, a Merarite Levite.
(3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr.
12:5).
(4.) A Levitical musician under Heman his father (1 Chr.
25:4).
(5.) 1 Chr. 27:19, ruler of Naphtali.
(6.) One of David’s sons (2 Chr. 11:18).
(7.) A Levite, one of the overseers of the temple offerings
(2 Chr. 31:13) in the reign of Hezekiah.
people. (1.) The son of Nebat (1 Kings 11:26-39), “an
Ephrathite,” the first king of the ten tribes, over
whom he reigned twenty-two years (B.C. 976-945). He was the
son of a widow of Zereda, and while still young was
promoted by Solomon to be chief superintendent of the
“burnden”, i.e., of the bands of forced
labourers. Influenced by the words of the prophet Ahijah,
he began to form conspiracies with the view of becoming
king of the ten tribes; but these having been discovered,
he fled to Egypt (1 Kings 11:29-40), where he remained for
a length of time under the protection of Shishak I. On the
death of Solomon, the ten tribes, having revolted, sent to
invite him to become their king. The conduct of Rehoboam
favoured the designs of Jeroboam, and he was accordingly
proclaimed “king of Israel” (1 Kings 12: 1-20).
He rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of his
kingdom. He at once adopted means to perpetuate the
division thus made between the two parts of the kingdom,
and erected at Dan and Bethel, the two extremities of his
kingdom, “golden calves,” which he set up as
symbols of Jehovah, enjoining the people not any more to go
up to worship at Jerusalem, but to bring their offerings to
the shrines he had erected. Thus he became distinguished as
the man “who made Israel to sin.” This policy was
followed by all the succeeding kings of Israel.
While he was engaged in offering incense at Bethel, a
prophet from Judah appeared before him with a warning
message from the Lord. Attempting to arrest the prophet for
his bold words of defiance, his hand was “dried
up,” and the altar before which he stood was rent
asunder. At his urgent entreaty his “hand was restored
him again” (1 Kings 13:1-6, 9; comp. 2 Kings 23:15);
but the miracle made no abiding impression on him. His
reign was one of constant war with the house of Judah. He
died soon after his son Abijah (1 Kings 14:1-18).
(2.) Jeroboam II., the son and successor of Jehoash, and
the fourteenth king of Israel, over which he ruled for
forty-one years, B.C. 825-784 (2 Kings 14:23). He followed
the example of the first Jeroboam in keeping up the worship
of the golden calves (2 Kings 14:24). His reign was
contemporary with those of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:23) and
Uzziah (15:1), kings of Judah. He was victorious over the
Syrians (13:4; 14:26, 27), and extended Israel to its
former limits, from “the entering of Hamath to the sea
of the plain” (14:25; Amos 6:14). His reign of
forty-one years was the most prosperous that Israel had
ever known as yet. With all this outward prosperity,
however, iniquity widely prevailed in the land (Amos 2:6-8;
4:1; 6:6; Hos. 4:12-14). The prophets Hosea (1:1), Joel
(3:16; Amos 1:1, 2), Amos (1:1), and Jonah (2 Kings 14:25)
lived during his reign. He died, and was buried with his
ancestors (14:29). He was succeeded by his son Zachariah
(q.v.).
His name occurs in Scripture only in 2 Kings 13:13; 14:16,
23, 27, 28, 29; 15:1, 8; 1 Chr. 5:17; Hos. 1:1; Amos 1:1;
7:9, 10, 11. In all other passages it is Jeroboam the son
of Nebat that is meant.
Jeroham – cherished; who finds
mercy. (1.) Father of Elkanah, and grandfather of the
prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 1:1).
(2.) The father of Azareel, the “captain” of the
tribe of Dan (1 Chr. 27:22).
(3.) 1 Chr. 12:7; a Benjamite.
(4.) 2 Chr. 23:1; one whose son assisted in placing Joash
on the throne.
(5.) 1 Chr. 9:8; a Benjamite.
(6.) 1 Chr. 9:12; a priest, perhaps the same as in Neh.
11:12.
Jerubbaal – contender with Baal;
or, let Baal plead, a surname of Gideon; a name given to
him because he destroyed the altar of Baal (Judg. 6:32;
7:1; 8:29; 1 Sam. 12:11).
Jerubbesheth – contender with the
shame; i.e., idol, a surname also of Gideon (2 Sam.
11:21).
“desert” on the ascent from the valley of the
Dead Sea towards Jerusalem. It lay beyond the wilderness of
Tekoa, in the direction of Engedi (2 Chr. 20:16, 20). It
corresponds with the tract of country now called
el-Hasasah.
Jerusalem – called also Salem,
Ariel, Jebus, the “city of God,” the “holy
city;” by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning “the
holy;” once “the city of Judah” (2 Chr.
25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and
means “possession of peace,” or “foundation
of peace.” The dual form probably refers to the two
mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or,
as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the
“upper” and the “lower city.” Jerusalem
is a “mountain city enthroned on a mountain
fastness” (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2;
122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest
table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the
south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep
and precipitous ravines.
It is first mentioned in Scripture under the name Salem
(Gen. 14:18; comp. Ps. 76:2). When first mentioned under
the name Jerusalem, Adonizedek was its king (Josh. 10:1).
It is afterwards named among the cities of Benjamin (Judg.
19:10; 1 Chr. 11:4); but in the time of David it was
divided between Benjamin and Judah. After the death of
Joshua the city was taken and set on fire by the men of
Judah (Judg. 1:1-8); but the Jebusites were not wholly
driven out of it. The city is not again mentioned till we
are told that David brought the head of Goliath thither (1
Sam. 17:54). David afterwards led his forces against the
Jebusites still residing within its walls, and drove them
out, fixing his own dwelling on Zion, which he called
“the city of David” (2 Sam. 5:5-9; 1 Chr.
11:4-8). Here he built an altar to the Lord on the
threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24:15-25),
and thither he brought up the ark of the covenant and
placed it in the new tabernacle which he had prepared for
it. Jerusalem now became the capital of the kingdom.
After the death of David, Solomon built the temple, a house
for the name of the Lord, on Mount Moriah (B.C. 1010). He
also greatly strengthened and adorned the city, and it
became the great centre of all the civil and religious
affairs of the nation (Deut. 12:5; comp. 12:14; 14:23;
16:11-16; Ps. 122).
After the disruption of the kingdom on the accession to the
throne of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Jerusalem became
the capital of the kingdom of the two tribes. It was
subsequently often taken and retaken by the Egyptians, the
Assyrians, and by the kings of Israel (2 Kings 14:13, 14;
18:15, 16; 23:33-35; 24:14; 2 Chr. 12:9; 26:9; 27:3, 4;
29:3; 32:30; 33:11), till finally, for the abounding
iniquities of the nation, after a siege of three years, it
was taken and utterly destroyed, its walls razed to the
ground, and its temple and palaces consumed by fire, by
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25; 2 Chr. 36;
Jer. 39), B.C. 588. The desolation of the city and the land
was completed by the retreat of the principal Jews into
Egypt (Jer. 40-44), and by the final carrying captive into
Babylon of all that still remained in the land (52:3), so
that it was left without an inhabitant (B.C. 582). Compare
the predictions, Deut. 28; Lev. 26:14-39.
But the streets and walls of Jerusalem were again to be
built, in troublous times (Dan. 9:16, 19, 25), after a
captivity of seventy years. This restoration was begun B.C.
536, “in the first year of Cyrus” (Ezra 1:2, 3,
5-11). The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah contain the history
of the re-building of the city and temple, and the
restoration of the kingdom of the Jews, consisting of a
portion of all the tribes. The kingdom thus constituted was
for two centuries under the dominion of Persia, till B.C.
331; and thereafter, for about a century and a half, under
the rulers of the Greek empire in Asia, till B.C. 167. For
a century the Jews maintained their independence under
native rulers, the Asmonean princes. At the close of this
period they fell under the rule of Herod and of members of
his family, but practically under Rome, till the time of
the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70. The city was then
laid in ruins.
The modern Jerusalem by-and-by began to be built over the
immense beds of rubbish resulting from the overthrow of the
ancient city; and whilst it occupies certainly the same
site, there are no evidences that even the lines of its
streets are now what they were in the ancient city. Till
A.D. 131 the Jews who still lingered about Jerusalem
quietly submitted to the Roman sway. But in that year the
emperor (Hadrian), in order to hold them in subjection,
rebuilt and fortified the city. The Jews, however, took
possession of it, having risen under the leadership of one
Bar-Chohaba (i.e., “the son of the star”) in
revolt against the Romans. Some four years afterwards (A.D.
135), however, they were driven out of it with great
slaughter, and the city was again destroyed; and over its
ruins was built a Roman city called Aelia Capitolina, a
name which it retained till it fell under the dominion of
the Mohammedans, when it was called el-Khuds, i.e.,
“the holy.”
In A.D. 326 Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, made
a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with the view of discovering the
places mentioned in the life of our Lord. She caused a
church to be built on what was then supposed to be the
place of the nativity at Bethlehem. Constantine, animated
by her example, searched for the holy sepulchre, and built
over the supposed site a magnificent church, which was
completed and dedicated A.D. 335. He relaxed the laws
against the Jews till this time in force, and permitted
them once a year to visit the city and wail over the
desolation of “the holy and beautiful house.”
In A.D. 614 the Persians, after defeating the Roman forces
of the emperor Heraclius, took Jerusalem by storm, and
retained it till A.D. 637, when it was taken by the
Arabians under the Khalif Omar. It remained in their
possession till it passed, in A.D. 960, under the dominion
of the Fatimite khalifs of Egypt, and in A.D. 1073 under
the Turcomans. In A.D. 1099 the crusader Godfrey of
Bouillon took the city from the Moslems with great
slaughter, and was elected king of Jerusalem. He converted
the Mosque of Omar into a Christian cathedral. During the
eighty-eight years which followed, many churches and
convents were erected in the holy city. The Church of the
Holy Sepulchre was rebuilt during this period, and it alone
remains to this day. In A.D. 1187 the sultan Saladin
wrested the city from the Christians. From that time to the
present day, with few intervals, Jerusalem has remained in
the hands of the Moslems. It has, however, during that
period been again and again taken and retaken, demolished
in great part and rebuilt, no city in the world having
passed through so many vicissitudes.
In the year 1850 the Greek and Latin monks residing in
Jerusalem had a fierce dispute about the guardianship of
what are called the “holy places.” In this
dispute the emperor Nicholas of Russia sided with the
Greeks, and Louis Napoleon, the emperor of the French, with
the Latins. This led the Turkish authorities to settle the
question in a way unsatisfactory to Russia. Out of this
there sprang the Crimean War, which was protracted and
sanguinary, but which had important consequences in the way
of breaking down the barriers of Turkish exclusiveness.
Modern Jerusalem “lies near the summit of a broad
mountain-ridge, which extends without interruption from the
plain of Esdraelon to a line drawn between the southern end
of the Dead Sea and the southeastern corner of the
Mediterranean.” This high, uneven table-land is
everywhere from 20 to 25 geographical miles in breadth. It
was anciently known as the mountains of Ephraim and Judah.
“Jerusalem is a city of contrasts, and differs widely
from Damascus, not merely because it is a stone town in
mountains, whilst the latter is a mud city in a plain, but
because while in Damascus Moslem religion and Oriental
custom are unmixed with any foreign element, in Jerusalem
every form of religion, every nationality of East and West,
is represented at one time.”
Jerusalem is first mentioned under that name in the Book of
Joshua, and the Tell-el-Amarna collection of tablets
includes six letters from its Amorite king to Egypt,
recording the attack of the Abiri about B.C. 1480. The name
is there spelt Uru-Salim (“city of peace”).
Another monumental record in which the Holy City is named
is that of Sennacherib’s attack in B.C. 702. The
“camp of the Assyrians” was still shown about
A.D. 70, on the flat ground to the north-west, included in
the new quarter of the city.
The city of David included both the upper city and Millo,
and was surrounded by a wall built by David and Solomon,
who appear to have restored the original Jebusite
fortifications. The name Zion (or Sion) appears to have
been, like Ariel (“the hearth of God”), a
poetical term for Jerusalem, but in the Greek age was more
specially used of the Temple hill. The priests’ quarter
grew up on Ophel, south of the Temple, where also was
Solomon’s Palace outside the original city of David.
The walls of the city were extended by Jotham and Manasseh
to include this suburb and the Temple (2 Chr. 27:3; 33:14).
Jerusalem is now a town of some 50,000 inhabitants, with
ancient mediaeval walls, partly on the old lines, but
extending less far to the south. The traditional sites, as
a rule, were first shown in the 4th and later centuries
A.D., and have no authority. The results of excavation
have, however, settled most of the disputed questions, the
limits of the Temple area, and the course of the old walls
having been traced.
possessed; i.e., “by a husband”, the wife of
Uzziah, and mother of king Jotham (2 Kings 15:33).
Jehovah. (1.) A Kohathite Levite, the father of Joram, of
the family of Eliezer (1 Chr. 26:25); called also Isshiah
(24:21).
(2.) One of the sons of Jeduthum (1 Chr. 25:3, 15).
(3.) One of the three sons of Hananiah (1 Chr. 3:21).
(4.) Son of Athaliah (Ezra 8:7).
(5.) A Levite of the family of Merari (8:19).
Jeshanah – a city of the kingdom
of Israel (2 Chr. 13:19).
Jesharelah – upright towards God,
the head of the seventh division of Levitical musicians (1
Chr. 25:14).
Jeshebeab – seat of his father,
the head of the fourteenth division of priests (1 Chr.
24:13).
Jesher – uprightness, the first
of the three sons of Caleb by Azubah (1 Chr. 2:18).
Jeshimon – the waste, probably
some high waste land to the south of the Dead Sea (Num.
21:20; 23:28; 1 Sam. 23:19, 24); or rather not a proper
name at all, but simply “the waste” or
“wilderness,” the district on which the plateau
of Ziph (q.v.) looks down.
Jeshua – (1.) Head of the ninth
priestly order (Ezra 2:36); called also Jeshuah (1 Chr.
24:11).
(2.) A Levite appointed by Hezekiah to distribute offerings
in the priestly cities (2 Chr. 31:15).
(3.) Ezra 2:6; Neh. 7:11.
(4.) Ezra 2:40; Neh. 7:43.
(5.) The son of Jozadak, and high priest of the Jews under
Zerubbabel (Neh. 7:7; 12:1, 7, 10, 26); called Joshua (Hag.
1:1, 12; 2:2, 4; Zech. 3:1, 3, 6, 8, 9).
(6.) A Levite (Ezra 8:33).
(7.) Neh. 3:19.
(8.) A Levite who assisted in the reformation under
Nehemiah (8:7; 9:4, 5).
(9.) Son of Kadmiel (Neh. 12:24).
(10.) A city of Judah (Neh. 11:26).
(11.) Neh. 8:17; Joshua, the son of Nun.
Jeshurun – a poetical name for
the people of Israel, used in token of affection, meaning,
“the dear upright people” (Deut. 32:15; 33:5, 26;
Isa. 44:2).
Jesse – firm, or a gift, a son of
Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22; Matt. 1:5,
6; Luke 3:32). He was the father of eight sons, the
youngest of whom was David (1 Sam. 17:12). The phrase
“stem of Jesse” is used for the family of David
(Isa. 11:1), and “root of Jesse” for the Messiah
(Isa. 11:10; Rev. 5:5). Jesse was a man apparently of
wealth and position at Bethlehem (1 Sam. 17:17, 18, 20; Ps.
78:71). The last reference to him is of David’s
procuring for him an asylum with the king of Moab (1 Sam.
22:3).
Jesus – (1.) Joshua, the son of
Nun (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; R.V., “Joshua”).
(2.) A Jewish Christian surnamed Justus (Col. 4:11).
Je’sus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of
our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is
spoken of as “Jesus of Nazareth” (John 18:7), and
“Jesus the son of Joseph” (John 6:42).
This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was
originally Hoshea (Num. 13:8, 16), but changed by Moses
into Jehoshua (Num. 13:16; 1 Chr. 7:27), or Joshua. After
the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua, whence the Greek form
Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his
mission, to save (Matt. 1:21).
The life of Jesus on earth may be divided into two great
periods, (1) that of his private life, till he was about
thirty years of age; and (2) that of his public life, which
lasted about three years.
In the “fulness of time” he was born at
Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor Augustus, of Mary,
who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter (Matt. 1:1; Luke
3:23; comp. John 7:42). His birth was announced to the
shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). Wise men from the east came to
Bethlehem to see him who was born “King of the
Jews,” bringing gifts with them (Matt. 2:1-12).
Herod’s cruel jealousy led to Joseph’s flight into
Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried
till the death of this king (Matt. 2:13-23), when they
returned and settled in Nazareth, in Lower Galilee (2:23;
comp. Luke 4:16; John 1:46, etc.). At the age of twelve
years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his
parents. There, in the temple, “in the midst of the
doctors,” all that heard him were “astonished at
his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:41, etc.).
Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond
this, that he returned to Nazareth and “increased in
wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”
(Luke 2:52).
He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty
years of age. It is generally reckoned to have extended to
about three years. “Each of these years had peculiar
features of its own. (1.) The first year may be called the
year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we
possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to
have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was
spent for the most part in Judea. (2.) The second year was
the year of public favour, during which the country had
become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant,
and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the
land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee. (3.) The
third was the year of opposition, when the public favour
ebbed away. His enemies multiplied and assailed him with
more and more pertinacity, and at last he fell a victim to
their hatred. The first six months of this final year were
passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the
land.”, Stalker’s Life of Jesus Christ, p. 45.
The only reliable sources of information regarding the life
of Christ on earth are the Gospels, which present in
historical detail the words and the work of Christ in so
many different aspects.
(1.) Father-in-law of Moses (Ex. 4:18 marg.), called
elsewhere Jethro (q.v.).
(2.) The oldest of Gideon’s seventy sons (Judg. 8:20).
(3.) The father of Amasa, David’s general (1 Kings 2:5,
32); called Ithra (2 Sam. 17:25).
(4.) 1 Chr. 7:38.
(5.) 1 Chr. 2:32; one of Judah’s posterity.
(6.) 1 Chr. 4:17.
Jetheth – a peg, or a prince, one
of the Edomitish kings of Mount Seir (Gen. 36:40).
Jethlah – suspended; high, a city
on the borders of Dan (Josh. 19:42).
Jethro – his excellence, or gain,
a prince or priest of Midian, who succeeded his father
Reuel. Moses spent forty years after his exile from the
Egyptian court as keeper of Jethro’s flocks. While the
Israelites were encamped at Sinai, and soon after their
victory over Amalek, Jethro came to meet Moses, bringing
with him Zipporah and her two sons. They met at the
“mount of God,” and “Moses told him all that
the Lord had done unto Pharaoh” (Ex. 18:8). On the
following day Jethro, observing the multiplicity of the
duties devolving on Moses, advised him to appoint
subordinate judges, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of
fifties, and of tens, to decide smaller matters, leaving
only the weightier matters to be referred to Moses, to be
laid before the Lord. This advice Moses adopted (Ex. 18).
He was also called Hobab (q.v.), which was probably his
personal name, while Jethro was an official name.
Jetur – an enclosure, one of the
twelve sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:15).
Jeuel – snatched away by God, a
descendant of Zerah (1 Chr. 9:6).
oldest of Esau’s three sons by Aholibamah (Gen. 36:5,
14, 18).
(2.) A son of Bilhan, grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 7:10).
(3.) A Levite, one of the sons of Shimei (1 Chr. 23:10,
11).
(4.) One of the three sons of Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:19).
(5.) 1 Chr. 8:39.
Jew – the name derived from the
patriarch Judah, at first given to one belonging to the
tribe of Judah or to the separate kingdom of Judah (2 Kings
16:6; 25:25; Jer. 32:12; 38:19; 40:11; 41:3), in
contradistinction from those belonging to the kingdom of
the ten tribes, who were called Israelites.
During the Captivity, and after the Restoration, the name,
however, was extended to all the Hebrew nation without
distinction (Esther 3:6, 10; Dan. 3:8, 12; Ezra 4:12; 5:1,
5).
Originally this people were called Hebrews (Gen. 39:14;
40:15; Ex. 2:7; 3:18; 5:3; 1 Sam. 4:6, 9, etc.), but after
the Exile this name fell into disuse. But Paul was styled a
Hebrew (2 Cor. 11:22; Phil. 3:5).
The history of the Jewish nation is interwoven with the
history of Palestine and with the narratives of the lives
of their rulers and chief men. They are now [1897]
dispersed over all lands, and to this day remain a separate
people, “without a king, and without a prince, and
without a sacrifice, and without an image [R.V.
‘pillar,’ marg. ‘obelisk’], and without an
ephod, and without teraphim” (Hos. 3:4). Till about
the beginning of the present century [1800] they were
everywhere greatly oppressed, and often cruelly persecuted;
but now their condition is greatly improved, and they are
admitted in most European countries to all the rights of
free citizens. In 1860 the “Jewish disabilities”
were removed, and they were admitted to a seat in the
British Parliament. Their number in all is estimated at
about six millions, about four millions being in Europe.
There are three names used in the New Testament to
designate this people, (1.) Jews, as regards their
nationality, to distinguish them from Gentiles. (2.)
Hebrews, with regard to their language and education, to
distinguish them from Hellenists, i.e., Jews who spoke the
Greek language. (3.) Israelites, as respects their sacred
privileges as the chosen people of God. “To other
races we owe the splendid inheritance of modern
civilization and secular culture; but the religious
education of mankind has been the gift of the Jew
alone.”
Jewess – a woman of Hebrew birth,
as Eunice, the mother of Timothy (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim. 1:5),
and Drusilla (Acts 24:24), wife of Felix, and daughter of
Herod Agrippa I.
Jezebel – chaste, the daughter of
Ethbaal, the king of the Zidonians, and the wife of Ahab,
the king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). This was the
“first time that a king of Israel had allied himself
by marriage with a heathen princess; and the alliance was
in this case of a peculiarly disastrous kind. Jezebel has
stamped her name on history as the representative of all
that is designing, crafty, malicious, revengeful, and
cruel. She is the first great instigator of persecution
against the saints of God. Guided by no principle,
restrained by no fear of either God or man, passionate in
her attachment to her heathen worship, she spared no pains
to maintain idolatry around her in all its splendour. Four
hundred and fifty prophets ministered under her care to
Baal, besides four hundred prophets of the groves [R.V.,
‘prophets of the Asherah’], which ate at her table
(1 Kings 18:19). The idolatry, too, was of the most debased
and sensual kind.” Her conduct was in many respects
very disastrous to the kingdom both of Israel and Judah
(21:1-29). At length she came to an untimely end. As Jehu
rode into the gates of Jezreel, she looked out at the
window of the palace, and said, “Had Zimri peace, who
slew his master?” He looked up and called to her
chamberlains, who instantly threw her from the window, so
that she was dashed in pieces on the street, and his horses
trod her under their feet. She was immediately consumed by
the dogs of the street (2 Kings 9:7-37), according to the
word of Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 21:19).
Her name afterwards came to be used as the synonym for a
wicked woman (Rev. 2: 20).
It may be noted that she is said to have been the
grand-aunt of Dido, the founder of Carthage.
Jeziel – assembled by God, a son
of Azmaveth. He was one of the Benjamite archers who joined
David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).
Jezreel – God scatters. (1.) A
town of Issachar (Josh. 19:18), where the kings of Israel
often resided (1 Kings 18:45; 21:1; 2 Kings 9:30). Here
Elijah met Ahab, Jehu, and Bidkar; and here Jehu executed
his dreadful commission against the house of Ahab (2 Kings
9:14-37; 10:1-11). It has been identified with the modern
Zerin, on the most western point of the range of Gilboa,
reaching down into the great and fertile valley of Jezreel,
to which it gave its name.
(2.) A town in Judah (Josh. 15:56), to the south-east of
Hebron. Ahinoam, one of David’s wives, probably
belonged to this place (1 Sam. 27:3).
(3.) A symbolical name given by Hosea to his oldest son
(Hos. 1:4), in token of a great slaughter predicted by him,
like that which had formerly taken place in the plain of
Esdraelon (comp. Hos. 1:4, 5).
Jezreel, Blood of – the murder
perpetrated here by Ahab and Jehu (Hos. 1:4; comp. 1 Kings
18:4; 2 Kings 9:6-10).
predicted for the execution of vengeance for the deeds of
blood committed there (Hos. 1:5).
21:23; comp. 13), the fortification surrounding the city,
outside of which Naboth was executed.
Jezreel, Fountain of – where Saul
encamped before the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 29:1). In the
valley under Zerin there are two considerable springs, one
of which, perhaps that here referred to, “flows from
under a sort of cavern in the wall of conglomerate rock
which here forms the base of Gilboa. The water is
excellent; and issuing from crevices in the rocks, it
spreads out at once into a fine limpid pool forty or fifty
feet in diameter, full of fish” (Robinson). This may
be identical with the “well of Harod” (Judg. 7:1;
comp. 2 Sam. 23:25), probably the ‘Ain Jalud, i.e., the
“spring of Goliath.”
Jezreel, Portion of – the field
adjoining the city (2 Kings 9:10, 21, 36, 37). Here Naboth
was stoned to death (1 Kings 21:13).
Jezreel, Tower of – one of the
turrets which guarded the entrance to the city (2 Kings
9:17).
Jezreel, Valley of – lying on the
northern side of the city, between the ridges of Gilboa and
Moreh, an offshoot of Esdraelon, running east to the Jordan
(Josh. 17:16; Judg. 6:33; Hos. 1:5). It was the scene of
the signal victory gained by the Israelites under Gideon
over the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the “children
of the east” (Judg. 6:3). Two centuries after this the
Israelites were here defeated by the Philistines, and Saul
and Jonathan, with the flower of the army of Israel, fell
(1 Sam. 31:1-6).
This name was in after ages extended to the whole of the
plain of Esdraelon (q.v.). It was only this plain of
Jezreel and that north of Lake Huleh that were then
accessible to the chariots of the Canaanites (comp. 2 Kings
9:21; 10:15).
(1.) One of the three sons of Zeruiah, David’s sister,
and “captain of the host” during the whole of
David’s reign (2 Sam. 2:13; 10:7; 11:1; 1 Kings 11:15).
His father’s name is nowhere mentioned, although his
sepulchre at Bethlehem is mentioned (2 Sam. 2:32). His two
brothers were Abishai and Asahel, the swift of foot, who
was killed by Abner (2 Sam. 2:13-32), whom Joab afterwards
treacherously murdered (3:22-27). He afterwards led the
assault at the storming of the fortress on Mount Zion, and
for this service was raised to the rank of “prince of
the king’s army” (2 Sam. 5:6-10; 1 Chr. 27:34).
His chief military achievements were, (1) against the
allied forces of Syria and Ammon; (2) against Edom (1 Kings
11:15, 16); and (3) against the Ammonites (2 Sam. 10:7-19;
11:1, 11). His character is deeply stained by the part he
willingly took in the murder of Uriah (11:14-25). He acted
apparently from a sense of duty in putting Absalom to death
(18:1-14). David was unmindful of the many services Joab
had rendered to him, and afterwards gave the command of the
army to Amasa, Joab’s cousin (2 Sam. 20:1-13; 19:13).
When David was dying Joab espoused the cause of Adonijah in
preference to that of Solomon. He was afterwards slain by
Benaiah, by the command of Solomon, in accordance with his
father’s injunction (2 Sam. 3:29; 20:5-13), at the
altar to which he had fled for refuge. Thus this hoary
conspirator died without one to lift up a voice in his
favour. He was buried in his own property in the
“wilderness,” probably in the north-east of
Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:5, 28-34). Benaiah succeeded him as
commander-in-chief of the army.
(2.) 1 Chr. 4:14.
(3.) Ezra 2:6.
Joah – Jehovah his brother; i.e.,
helper. (1.) One of the sons of Obed-edom (1 Chr. 26:4), a
Korhite porter.
(2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 6:21),
probably the same as Ethan (42).
(3.) The son of Asaph, and “recorder” (q.v.) or
chronicler to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18, 26, 37).
(4.) Son of Joahaz, and “recorder” (q.v.) or
keeper of the state archives under King Josiah (2 Chr.
34:8).
contracted form of Jehoahaz (q.v.).
graciously given. (1.) The grandson of Zerubbabel, in the
lineage of Christ (Luke 3:27); the same as Hananiah (1 Chr.
3:19).
(2.) The wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas,
tetrarch of Galilee (Luke 8:3). She was one of the women
who ministered to our Lord, and to whom he appeared after
his resurrection (Luke 8:3; 24:10).
Joash – whom Jehovah bestowed.
(1.) A contracted form of Jehoash, the father of Gideon
(Judg. 6:11, 29; 8:13, 29, 32).
(2.) One of the Benjamite archers who joined David at
Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).
(3.) One of King Ahab’s sons (1 Kings 22:26).
(4.) King of Judah (2 Kings 11:2; 12:19, 20). (See JEHOASH
¯T0002005 [1].)
(5.) King of Israel (2 Kings 13:9, 12, 13, 25). (See
JEHOASH ¯T0002005 [2].)
(6.) 1 Chr. 7:8.
(7.) One who had charge of the royal stores of oil under
David and Solomon (1 Chr. 27:28).
patriarch who resided in the land of Uz (q.v.). While
living in the midst of great prosperity, he was suddenly
overwhelmed by a series of sore trials that fell upon him.
Amid all his sufferings he maintained his integrity. Once
more God visited him with the rich tokens of his goodness
and even greater prosperity than he had enjoyed before. He
survived the period of trial for one hundred and forty
years, and died in a good old age, an example to succeeding
generations of integrity (Ezek. 14:14, 20) and of
submissive patience under the sorest calamities (James
5:11). His history, so far as it is known, is recorded in
his book.
Jobab – dweller in the desert.
(1.) One of the sons of Joktan, and founder of an Arabian
tribe (Gen. 10:29). (2.) King of Edom, succeeded Bela (Gen.
36:33, 34). (3.) A Canaanitish king (Josh. 11:1) who joined
the confederacy against Joshua.
Job, Book of – A great diversity
of opinion exists as to the authorship of this book. From
internal evidence, such as the similarity of sentiment and
language to those in the Psalms and Proverbs (see Ps. 88
and 89), the prevalence of the idea of “wisdom,”
and the style and character of the composition, it is
supposed by some to have been written in the time of David
and Solomon. Others argue that it was written by Job
himself, or by Elihu, or Isaiah, or perhaps more probably
by Moses, who was “learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians, and mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22).
He had opportunities in Midian for obtaining the knowledge
of the facts related. But the authorship is altogether
uncertain.
As to the character of the book, it is a historical poem,
one of the greatest and sublimest poems in all literature.
Job was a historical person, and the localities and names
were real and not fictious. It is “one of the grandest
portions of the inspired Scriptures, a heavenly-repleished
storehouse of comfort and instruction, the patriarchal
Bible, and a precious monument of primitive theology. It is
to the Old Testament what the Epistle to the Romans is to
the New.” It is a didactic narrative in a dramatic
form.
This book was apparently well known in the days of Ezekiel,
B.C. 600 (Ezek. 14:14). It formed a part of the sacred
Scriptures used by our Lord and his apostles, and is
referred to as a part of the inspired Word (Heb. 12:5; 1
Cor. 3:19).
The subject of the book is the trial of Job, its occasion,
nature, endurance, and issue. It exhibits the harmony of
the truths of revelation and the dealings of Providence,
which are seen to be at once inscrutable, just, and
merciful. It shows the blessedness of the truly pious, even
amid sore afflictions, and thus ministers comfort and hope
to tried believers of every age. It is a book of manifold
instruction, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, and for instruction in righteousness (2
Tim. 3:16).
It consists of,
(1.) An historical introduction in prose (ch. 1,2).
(2.) The controversy and its solution, in poetry (ch.
3-42:6).
Job’s desponding lamentation (ch. 3) is the occasion of
the controversy which is carried on in three courses of
dialogues between Job and his three friends. The first
course gives the commencement of the controversy (ch.
4-14); the second the growth of the controversy (15-21);
and the third the height of the controversy (22-27). This
is followed by the solution of the controversy in the
speeches of Elihu and the address of Jehovah, followed by
Job’s humble confession (42:1-6) of his own fault and
folly.
(3.) The third division is the historical conclusion, in
prose (42:7-15).
Sir J. W. Dawson in “The Expositor” says:
“It would now seem that the language and theology of
the book of Job can be better explained by supposing it to
be a portion of Minean [Southern Arabia] literature
obtained by Moses in Midian than in any other way. This
view also agrees better than any other with its references
to natural objects, the art of mining, and other
matters.”
Jochebed – Jehovah is her glory,
the wife of Amram, and the mother of Miriam, Aaron, and
Moses (Num. 26:59). She is spoken of as the sister of
Kohath, Amram’s father (Ex. 6:20; comp. 16, 18;
2:1-10).
Joel – Jehovah is his God. (1.)
The oldest of Samuel’s two sons appointed by him as
judges in Beersheba (1 Sam. 8:2). (See VASHNI ¯(n/a).)
(2.) A descendant of Reuben (1 Chr. 5:4,8). (3.) One of
David’s famous warriors (1 Chr. 11:38). (4.) A Levite
of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 15:7, 11). (5.) 1 Chr.
7:3. (6.) 1 Chr. 27:20. (7.) The second of the twelve minor
prophets. He was the son of Pethuel. His personal history
is only known from his book.
Joelah – a Benjamite who joined
David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:7).
Joel, Book of – Joel was probably
a resident in Judah, as his commission was to that people.
He makes frequent mention of Judah and Jerusalem (1:14;
2:1, 15, 32; 3:1, 12, 17, 20, 21).
He probably flourished in the reign of Uzziah (about B.C.
800), and was contemporary with Amos and Isaiah.
The contents of this book are, (1.) A prophecy of a great
public calamity then impending over the land, consisting of
a want of water and an extraordinary plague of locusts
(1:1-2:11). (2.) The prophet then calls on his countrymen
to repent and to turn to God, assuring them of his
readiness to forgive (2:12-17), and foretelling the
restoration of the land to its accustomed fruitfulness
(18-26). (3.) Then follows a Messianic prophecy, quoted by
Peter (Acts 2:39). (4.) Finally, the prophet foretells
portents and judgments as destined to fall on the enemies
of God (ch. 3, but in the Hebrew text 4).
Joezer – Jehovah is his help, one
of the Korhites who became part of David’s body-guard
(1 Chr. 12:6).
Johanan – whom Jehovah graciously
bestows. (1.) One of the Gadite heroes who joined David in
the desert of Judah (1 Chr. 12:12).
(2.) The oldest of King Josiah’s sons (1 Chr. 3:15).
(3.) Son of Careah, one of the Jewish chiefs who rallied
round Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had made governor in
Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:23; Jer. 40:8). He warned Gedaliah of
the plans of Ishmael against him, a warning which was
unheeded (Jer. 40:13, 16). He afterwards pursued the
murderer of the governor, and rescued the captives (41:8,
13, 15, 16). He and his associates subsequently fled to
Tahpanhes in Egypt (43:2, 4, 5), taking Jeremiah with them.
“The flight of Gedaliah’s community to Egypt
extinguished the last remaining spark of life in the Jewish
state. The work of the ten centuries since Joshua crossed
the Jordan had been undone.”
John – (1.) One who, with Annas
and Caiaphas, sat in judgment on the apostles Peter and
John (Acts 4:6). He was of the kindred of the high priest;
otherwise unknown.
(2.) The Hebrew name of Mark (q.v.). He is designated by
this name in the acts of the Apostles (12:12, 25; 13:5, 13;
15:37).
(3.) THE APOSTLE, brother of James the “Greater”
(Matt. 4:21; 10:2; Mark 1:19; 3:17; 10:35). He was one,
probably the younger, of the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 4:21)
and Salome (Matt. 27:56; comp. Mark 15:40), and was born at
Bethsaida. His father was apparently a man of some wealth
(comp. Mark 1:20; Luke 5:3; John 19:27). He was doubtless
trained in all that constituted the ordinary education of
Jewish youth. When he grew up he followed the occupation of
a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee. When John the Baptist
began his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, John, with
many others, gathered round him, and was deeply influenced
by his teaching. There he heard the announcement,
“Behold the Lamb of God,” and forthwith, on the
invitation of Jesus, became a disciple and ranked among his
followers (John 1:36, 37) for a time. He and his brother
then returned to their former avocation, for how long is
uncertain. Jesus again called them (Matt. 4: 21; Luke
5:1-11), and now they left all and permanently attached
themselves to the company of his disciples. He became one
of the innermost circle (Mark 5:37; Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Mark
13:3). He was the disciple whom Jesus loved. In zeal and
intensity of character he was a “Boanerges” (Mark
3:17). This spirit once and again broke out (Matt.
20:20-24; Mark 10:35-41; Luke 9:49, 54). At the betrayal he
and Peter follow Christ afar off, while the others betake
themselves to hasty flight (John 18:15). At the trial he
follows Christ into the council chamber, and thence to the
praetorium (18:16, 19, 28) and to the place of crucifixion
(19:26, 27). To him and Peter, Mary first conveys tidings
of the resurrection (20:2), and they are the first to go
and see what her strange words mean. After the resurrection
he and Peter again return to the Sea of Galilee, where the
Lord reveals himself to them (21:1, 7). We find Peter and
John frequently after this together (Acts 3:1; 4:13). John
remained apparently in Jerusalem as the leader of the
church there (Acts 15:6; Gal. 2:9). His subsequent history
is unrecorded. He was not there, however, at the time of
Paul’s last visit (Acts 21:15-40). He appears to have
retired to Ephesus, but at what time is unknown. The seven
churches of Asia were the objects of his special care (Rev.
1:11). He suffered under persecution, and was banished to
Patmos (1:9); whence he again returned to Ephesus, where he
died, probably about A.D. 98, having outlived all or nearly
all the friends and companions even of his maturer years.
There are many interesting traditions regarding John during
his residence at Ephesus, but these cannot claim the
character of historical truth.
fourth of the catholic or “general” epistles. It
was evidently written by John the evangelist, and probably
also at Ephesus, and when the writer was in advanced age.
The purpose of the apostle (1:1-4) is to declare the Word
of Life to those to whom he writes, in order that they
might be united in fellowship with the Father and his Son
Jesus Christ. He shows that the means of union with God
are, (1) on the part of Christ, his atoning work (1:7; 2:2;
3:5; 4:10, 14; 5:11, 12) and his advocacy (2:1); and (2),
on the part of man, holiness (1:6), obedience (2:3), purity
(3:3), faith (3:23; 4:3; 5:5), and love (2:7, 8; 3:14; 4:7;
5:1).
John, Gospel of – The genuineness
of this Gospel, i.e., the fact that the apostle John was
its author, is beyond all reasonable doubt. In recent
times, from about 1820, many attempts have been made to
impugn its genuineness, but without success.
The design of John in writing this Gospel is stated by
himself (John 20:31). It was at one time supposed that he
wrote for the purpose of supplying the omissions of the
synoptical, i.e., of the first three, Gospels, but there is
no evidence for this. “There is here no history of
Jesus and his teaching after the manner of the other
evangelists. But there is in historical form a
representation of the Christian faith in relation to the
person of Christ as its central point; and in this
representation there is a picture on the one hand of the
antagonism of the world to the truth revealed in him, and
on the other of the spiritual blessedness of the few who
yield themselves to him as the Light of life” (Reuss).
After the prologue (1:1-5), the historical part of the book
begins with verse 6, and consists of two parts. The first
part (1:6-ch. 12) contains the history of our Lord’s
public ministry from the time of his introduction to it by
John the Baptist to its close. The second part (ch. 13-21)
presents our Lord in the retirement of private life and in
his intercourse with his immediate followers (13-17), and
gives an account of his sufferings and of his appearances
to the disciples after his resurrection (18-21).
The peculiarities of this Gospel are the place it gives (1)
to the mystical relation of the Son to the Father, and (2)
of the Redeemer to believers; (3) the announcement of the
Holy Ghost as the Comforter; (4) the prominence given to
love as an element in the Christian character. It was
obviously addressed primarily to Christians.
It was probably written at Ephesus, which, after the
destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), became the centre of
Christian life and activity in the East, about A.D. 90.
addressed to “the elect lady,” and closes with
the words, “The children of thy elect sister greet
thee;” but some would read instead of “lady”
the proper name Kyria. Of the thirteen verses composing
this epistle seven are in the First Epistle. The person
addressed is commended for her piety, and is warned against
false teachers.
“forerunner of our Lord.” We have but fragmentary
and imperfect accounts of him in the Gospels. He was of
priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of
the course of Abia (1 Chr. 24:10), and his mother,
Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). The
mission of John was the subject of prophecy (Matt. 3:3;
Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). His birth, which took place six
months before that of Jesus, was foretold by an angel.
Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a token of
God’s truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with
reference to the birth of his son, had the power of speech
restored to him on the occasion of his circumcision (Luke
1:64). After this no more is recorded of him for thirty
years than what is mentioned in Luke 1:80. John was a
Nazarite from his birth (Luke 1:15; Num. 6:1-12). He spent
his early years in the mountainous tract of Judah lying
between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea (Matt. 3:1-12).
At length he came forth into public life, and great
multitudes from “every quarter” were attracted to
him. The sum of his preaching was the necessity of
repentance. He denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a
“generation of vipers,” and warned them of the
folly of trusting to external privileges (Luke 3:8).
“As a preacher, John was eminently practical and
discriminating. Self-love and covetousness were the
prevalent sins of the people at large. On them, therefore,
he enjoined charity and consideration for others. The
publicans he cautioned against extortion, the soldiers
against crime and plunder.” His doctrine and manner of
life roused the entire south of Palestine, and the people
from all parts flocked to the place where he was, on the
banks of the Jordan. There he baptized thousands unto
repentance.
The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in Nazareth
(Matt. 3:5), and he came from Galilee to Jordan to be
baptized of John, on the special ground that it became him
to “fulfil all righteousness” (3:15). John’s
special office ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must
now “increase” as the King come to his kingdom.
He continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to the
Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his disciples,
saying, “Behold the Lamb of God.” His public
ministry was suddenly (after about six months probably)
brought to a close by his being cast into prison by Herod,
whom he had reproved for the sin of having taken to himself
the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3:19). He was shut up
in the castle of Machaerus (q.v.), a fortress on the
southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east of the Dead Sea,
and here he was beheaded. His disciples, having consigned
the headless body to the grave, went and told Jesus all
that had occurred (Matt. 14:3-12). John’s death
occurred apparently just before the third Passover of our
Lord’s ministry. Our Lord himself testified regarding
him that he was a “burning and a shining light”
(John 5:35).
addressed to Caius, or Gaius, but whether to the Christian
of that name in Macedonia (Acts 19: 29) or in Corinth (Rom.
16:23) or in Derbe (Acts 20:4) is uncertain. It was written
for the purpose of commending to Gaius some Christians who
were strangers in the place where he lived, and who had
gone thither for the purpose of preaching the gospel (ver.
7).
The Second and Third Epistles were probably written soon
after the First, and from Ephesus.
Joiada – (whom Jehovah favours) =
Jehoiada. (1.) Neh. 3:6. (2.) One of the high priests
(12:10, 11, 22).
Joiakim – (whom Jehovah has set
up) = Jehoiakim, a high priest, the son and successor of
Jeshua (Neh. 12:10, 12, 26).
Joiarib – (whom Jehovah defends)
= Jehoiarib. (1.) The founder of one of the courses of the
priests (Neh. 11:10).
(2.) Neh. 11:5; a descendant of Judah.
(3.) Neh. 12:6.
(4.) Ezra 8:16, a “man of understanding” whom
Ezra sent to “bring ministers for the house of
God.”
Jokdeam – a city in the mountains
of Judah (Josh. 15:56).
Jokim – whom Jehovah has set up,
one of the descendants of Shelah (1 Chr. 4:22).
people, a city of Ephraim, which was given with its suburbs
to the Levites (1 Chr. 6:68). It lay somewhere in the
Jordan valley (1 Kings 4:12, R.V.; but in A.V. incorrectly
“Jokneam”).
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