
Glass. 
Book. 



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PRESENTED BY 




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THE 



BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 



FROM THE EEUGIOUS TKACT SOCIETY, LONDON. 



REVISED AND ENLARGED. 



Tlio Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salva- 
tion through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 3 : 15. 




PUBLISHED BY THE 
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 

150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK, 



O 






Gift 

Mrs. Ada Sp'mks 
Aug. 16 1934 



This liand-book is intended to meet the wants of a large 
class of young people and of families, who cannot have ac- 
cess to the more extended and costly works in illustration 
of the Bible. Parts I. and II. give much general informa- 
tion about the Bible, and useful tables. Part III. is a list 
alphabetically arranged for convenient reference, of the 
chief places named in the Bible, briefly described, and of 
words, customs, and allusions which need explanation. It 
will be found to contain a great deal that is valuable, in 
little space. 

For fuller information, the reader of the Bible is referred 
to the other Bible Helps of the American Tract Society : 
The Family Bible with Notes, The Illustrated Bible Dic- 
tionary, The Bible Atlas, and Bible Text-book. 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

I. The books of the Bible --- 5 

II. Doctrines and teachings of the Bible 20 

III. The English version of the Bible 26 

IV. Figurative language of the Bible 31 

V. Hints on reading the Bible 36 

PART II. 

I. The patriarchs, and dates of events 41 

II. Kings of Judah and Israel- 42 

III. Order of the books of the prophets 43 

IV. Order of the New Testament books 44 

V. Parables of Christ 45 

YI. Miracles of Christ - 46 

VII. Months and seasons in Canaan 48 

VIII. Prayer on reading the Bible 54 

PAET III. 

Bible places described : Bible words, images, and cus- 
toms explained 55 

Alphabetical Index of topics to be noticed in reading 

the Bible -- - - 157 



THE 

BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 



PART I. 

I. THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 

■ "The Bible" means the look: it is so 
called because it is the best and chief of all* 
books, being the book of God. 

It is divided into two parts, the Old Tes- 
tament and the New Testament. The word 
Testament, when applied to the Scriptures, 
has the meaning of covenant — a solemn agree- 
ment or appointment. In the New Testa- 
ment, in particular, God is pleased to make 
known the appointment, or way, by which he 
bestows, through Christ, all the riches of his 
mercy and grace on sinners. 

The Bible was written by different men, 



6 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

all of whom wrote " as they were moved by 
the Holy Ghost." They lived in different 
places, and at distant periods of time, reach- 
ing over one thousand years. Some parts of 
it are the oldest writings in the world. 

THE OLD TESTAMENT. 

The first five books of the Old Testament t 
are sometimes called the Pentateuch, which 
means "the five rolls" or " books." They 
tell us of the creation of the world, and about 
those who lived in it before the flood. They 
also relate the fall of man, the origin and 
early history of the Jews, and the laws that 
God gave to them. These books, except the 
last chapter of Deuteronomy, were written 
by Moses, and embrace the history of about 
twenty-five hundred and fifty years. 

The first book is called Genesis, a word 
which means generation or hirili; it tells of 
the creation or beginning of all things in the 
world. 

Exodus means going out ; in it we read of 
the going out of the people of Israel from 
Egypt. 

Leyiticus gives an account of the Levites, 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 7 

or the tribe of Levi, and their services. It 
contains also many laws for the Jewish na- 
tion as to the worship of God. 

Numbees is so called because it begins with 
the numbering of the people of Israel; there 
is also a good deal of the history of the peo- 
ple in this book. 

Deuteeonoxy means the second lata, or the 
law repeated ; it is thus called because Moses 
repeated to the people the laws that God had 
given to him for them, adding others. 

The book of Joshua continues the history 
of the Jewish people until they were settled 
in Canaan. 

On the death of Joshua, persons called 
judges ruled over the nation; and in the 
book of Judges w T e have an account of some 
of their actions, and of the great things God 
did for his people. The writer of this book 
is unknown ; the Jews believe he w^as Samuel. 

The book of Ruth gives us the private his- 
tory of the great-grandmother of king David ; 
she was therefore in that line of family from 
which Christ came. It is supposed that this 
book was written by the prophet Samuel. 

In the two books of Samuel we have an 



8 BIBLE-READER'S HELF. 

account of tlie last two of the judges, Eli and 
Samuel, and the first part of the history of 
the kings. of Israel and Judah. Samuel, Na- 
than, and Gad were the probable writers. 

The two books of Kings carry on the his- 
tory, and are thought to have been written 
by several of the prophets, but gathered to- 
gether by Jeremiah or Ezra. 

The two books of Chronicles repeat much 
that is given in the books of Kings, but 
chiefly what belongs to the history of Judah. 
They close with an account of the carrying 
of the kings of Judah into captivity at Baby- 
lon, and the burning of the city of Jerusa- 
lem. It is believed they were written by 
Ezra ; they were called by the Jews " Words 
of Days," that is, diaries or journals of daily 
events. 

When the Jews had been prisoners in 
Babylon seventy years, Cyrus, king of the 
Medes and Persians, came against Babylon 
and conquered it. When he had done so, he 
was master of the captive Jews as well as of 
the people of Babylon, and he used his power 
over the Jews very kindly, as he gave them 
leave to return to their own country. A large 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 9 

number of them then went out of Babylon into 
Juclea; and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah 
contain the history of their return, and of 
many of the events that befell them after 
they had come back into Judea. Ezra and 
Nehemiah were chief men among the Jews at 
this time, and in their books we read what 
they did for the good of their nation. 

The book of Esther gives us an account of 
the manner in which a queen of Persia named 
Esther, who was a Jewess, was made the 
means of saving the Jews who dwelt in that 
country from being put to death. 

The book of Job tells us how a good man 
of that name was deeply afflicted, and how 
he bore and was delivered out of his troubles. 
It is not known in what age he lived, but it 
is believed to have been before the call of 
Abraham, Gen. 12. 

The Psalms are hymns or holy songs, writ- 
ten by pious men at different times, giving us 
their inspired thoughts .and feelings with re- 
spect to God, his word, and his works. The 
Hebrew title given to this book means " Book 
of Praises." The Psalms have been classed : 
I. Psalms of praise and adoration; 2. of 



10 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

thanksgiving; 3, of instruction; 4, propheti- 
cal; 5, historical; 6, prayers. Most of the 
Psalms were written by David, but some of 
them by others. 

The book of Proverbs was written chiefly 
by Solomon, the son of David. The wise 
sayings and directions in it are very useful 
as a guide to our own conduct. 

EctJLESLiSTES means "the preacher." It is 
supposed to have been written by Solomon, 
and to be a record of his experience as to the 
vanity of all earthly objects and pursuits. 

The Song of Solomon: properly under- 
stood, this book will promote our comfort 
and holiness. Some portions of it can only 
be explained by reference to eastern customs 
and habits. 

The other books of the Old Testament are 
called the Prophets, and they are all named 
from their writers. Prophets were persons 
through whom God made known his will, 
not only about things past, and about the 
events and duties of their ov/n times, but 
also about many things future. 

Isaiah lived in the time of several of the 
kings of Judali. Tie foretold that the people 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 11 

would be carried away by their enemies and 
also that Cyrus would permit them to return, 
as related in the book of Ezra, which was 
written long after the book of Isaiah though 
Placed in our Bibles before it. He also fore- 
told many things about the birth, life, and 
death of the Saviour. 

Jekemiah lived in the clays of the last kings 
of Judah, and also at the time that Nebu- 
chadnezzar came against Jerusalem ; a great 
part of his book relates to that event, He 
prophesied upwards of forty years. _ 

The LAMENTATIONS express the great gnet 
of Jeremiah for the ruin of the city and tem- 
ple of Jerusalem. It is a kind of addition .a 
liis prophecy, and in the Hebrew is poetry. 

The prophet Ezekiel was among the hi., 
of those who were carried away, and all his 
prophecies were written in the land of cap- 
tivity. He reproved the Jews very severely 
for their wickedness, and he also comforted 
the pious people who had been carried away 
with the rest. 

Daniel also was carried away captive; He 
lived from the beginning of the seventy years 
captivity to its end. His writings are partly 



12 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

history and partly prophecy. They give an 
account of the manner in which he acted in 
Babylon, and foretell the kingdoms that would 
arise in the world, and the coming of the 
Messiah. 

The above four were called by the Jews 
the greater prophets; the other twelve the 
lesser prophets. 

By looking at the first part of the books of 
the twelve lesser prophets, a little about the 
prophet and the time when he wrote may, in 
most cases, be learned. 

See page 43 for the order in w T hich the 
prophets appeared. 

The reader of the Old Testament should 
be very careful to notice that there runs 
throughout its pages a constant reference to 
a promised Saviour. From the first promise 
made to Adam, through all its histories and 
prophecies, age after age, all things are made 
to prepare the way for Him who was to come. 
" Search the Scriptures," said our Lord him- 
self : " for they are they which testify of me." 
"All things must be fulfilled, which were 
written in the law of Moses, and in the 
Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me." 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 13 

" To Lira," says the apostle Peter, " give all 
the prophets witness, that through his name 
whosoever believe th in him shall receive re- 
mission of sins." John 5 : 39 ; Luke 24 : 44 ; 
Acts 10: 43. 

THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 
John were written by persons of these names : 
they relate the birth, life, death, and rising 
again of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. The word gospel means "good 
news," and the writings of these four persons 
are called gospels, because they give us the 
good news of a Saviour. The writers are* 
called evangelists, or "those who publish good 
news." 

Matthew was & collector of taxes under the 
Romans, but became a disciple of Christ. 
He wrote his gospel chiefly for the use of the 
Jews, about the year 38 after the birth of our 
Lord. 

Mark bore also the name of John. Acts 
12 : 12. It is supposed that his gospel was 
written about the year 50, and published* 
after the death of Paul and Peter. 



14 BIBLE-ItEADEli S HELP. 

Luke was the "beloved physician" men- 
tioned by the apostle Paul. Col. 4 : 14. He 
wrote his gospel for the gentile or heathen 
readers about the year 63. 

John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved," 
wrote about the years 98 to 98, long after the 
other gospels were written. Two-thirds of the 
matters given in this gospel are not found in 
the others. 

The Acts of the Apostles contain the 
actions of the apostles. Many of them are 
related in this book, although by no means 
the whole, as the actions of some of the apos- 
tles are not mentioned at all. It contains 
the early history of the Christian church, and 
is the first book of Christian missions. It 
was written by Luke the evangelist, about 
the year 64. 

After the Acts come the Epistles. The 
word epistle means a letter; and the epistles 
of the New Testament were letters sent by 
the apostles to some of the churches of Christ, 
or to some persons who were the friends of 
Christ. 

The epistle to the Romans was written at 
Corinth by the apostle Paul to the Chris- 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 15 

tians at Rome, in the year 58. It was intend- 
ed to instruct them in the religion of Jesus 
Christ. Some of the Romans had professed 
the religion of the Jews and served the true 
God before they became Christians, while 
others had been heathens, serving false gods. 
The apostle Paul here writes to both these 
classes of persons, and shows them that 
there is only one way of salvation, and that 
this way is through faith in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

There are two epistles to the Cobinthians, 
or the Christians at Corinth. This was a 
large city in Greece, in which most of the 
people were worshippers of false gods when 
the apostle Paul went among them. "We 
read of his going there in the eighteenth 
chapter of the Acts. After he had preached 
to them, many put away their idols, and 
served the true God. When the apostle left 
them he did not forget them, but wrote a 
letter, called the First Epistle of Paul the 
Apostle to the Corinthians, in which he 
gives them much instruction, and tells them 
of their faults and sins. In the second epis- 
tle he gives them further instruction, the 



16 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

counsel in his first letter having been attend- 
ed to by them. Both epistles were written 
m the year 57, the first at Ephesus, the sec- 
ond in Macedonia. 

The epistle to the Galatians was written 
by the same apostle, to the Christian people 
in a country of Asia Minor, or lesser Asia, 
called Galatia. Its date is rather uncertain, 
but it is supposed to have been written at 
Corinth in the year 57 or 58. In the six- 
teenth chapter of the Acts we read that the 
apostle went throughout the region or coun- 
try of Galatia; he taught the people there 
the truth; but after he had left them it ap- 
pears that other teachers, who were not 
guided by the Spirit of God, came to them 
and taught them some false notions about 
the Christian religion; therefore the apostle 
sent this letter to set them right again. 

The epistle to the Ephesians was written 
about the year 62 by the apostle Paul, when 
a prisoner in Eome, to believers at Ephesus 
a city in Asia Minor, in which there was a 
beautiful temple of the false goddess Diana 
bee Acts 19. 

The epistles to the Thessalonians and the 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 17 

epistle to the Philippians were sent to places 
in Macedonia in Europe, not far from each 
other. The apostle Paul went to those parts 
before lie visited Ephesus, as we read in the 
sixteenth and seventeenth chapters of the 
Acts. He wrote to the people of Thessalo- 
niea, and afterwards to those of Philippi, to 
comfort them and give them further instruc- 
tion. The epistles to the Thessalonians were 
written from Corinth, the first in the year 52, 
the second early in 53. That to the Philip- 
pians was written from Borne A. D. 62. 

The epistle to the Colossians was written 
from, Rome in the year 62, and was addressed 
to those who lived in Colosse, a city of Asia 
Minor. It is not certain that the apostle Paul 
was ever at Colosse, but he had heard of the 
Christians there, and he wrote to them. 

The epistles to Timothy were written to a 
young man who was a companion of the apos- 
tle Paul in many of his journeys. "We read 
of Timothy in the Acts of the Apostles. The 
first epistle was written in 64. The second 
is supposed to have been written at Rome, 
shortly before the apostle's martyrdom, in 67. 

The epistle to Titus was written about the 

Bible-Reader's Help. 2 



18 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

year 65, to another companion of the apostle 
Paul. 

The epistle to Philemon was sent to a 
friend of the apostle Paul, one of whose ser- 
vants, named Onesimus, had left his master 
in an improper way ; but the man was peni- 
tent for his sin, and the apostle wrote to 
Philemon to ask him to receive his servant 
again, and treat him as a brother in Christ. 
It was written and sent from Eome at the 
same time as that to the Colossians, A. D. 62. 

The epistle to the Hebrews was intended 
to instruct the Hebrew believers in the divin- 
ity, humanity, atonement, and intercession of 
Christ, and to show them that the Jewish in- 
stitutions, worship, and prophecies were ful- 
filled in him. The Jews and Gentiles were to 
be as one body, and to worship God in spirit 
and in truth, without any distinction. It is 
believed that the apostle Paul wrote it in the 
year 63. 

The epistle of James was written about the 
year 61, by the apostle called James the 
Less, to distinguish him from the brother of 
John; or by James the Just, "the Lord's 
brother." Gal. 1 : 19. It was for the use of 



THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. 19 

the Jews, who were in all the different conn- 
tries of the world: on this account it is called 
general, being intended for people everywhere. 

The two epistles of Petee were written by 
the apostle of that name, to the Jews who 
had become Christians, living in different 
countries. The first was written at Babylon 
in 64 ; the other in 65. 

The first epistle of John was written to 
Christians in general. Its design was like 
that of the gospel by John, to set forth the 
divinity and atoning work of Jesus Christ. 
The second epistle was w T ritten to a Christian 
lady known to the apostle ; and the third to 
a friend named Gaius. Date 96-98. 

The writer of the last epistle was Jude, one 
of the apostles: it is also called general. It 
is uncertain when it was written ; probably 
in 65. 

The book of the Eevelation was written 
by the apostle John when confined in the isle 
of Patmos, about the year 96. It consists 
'chiefly of visions which God gave him on 
the subject of future events. Eevelation 
means things discovered or made known : it 
is sometimes called the "Apocalypse," which 



20 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

is of the same meaning. Some of the things 
spoken of in this book have come to pass, 
but others are not yet fulfilled ; all of them, 
however, are sure to take place at the time 
fixed by God for that purpose. 



[I. DOCTKINES AND TEACHINGS OF 
THE BIBLE. 

The books of the Old Testament make 
known to us the only true God. They teach 
us that he is almighty and everlasting, and 
that he created heaven and earth, that all 
things come from him, and without him was 
not any thing made; that he is perfectly just 
and holy, yet full of love and mercy ; that he 
orders all things according to his will, which 
is always wise and good. 

These books teach us that, after God had 
made the world and all things therein, he 
created Adam, the first man, in the image 
And after the likeness of himself; that man 
was made upright, innocent, and happy, and 
was appointed by God to be lord over all 
things in the earth. He was without sorrow, 



ITS DOCTRINES AND TEACHINGS. 21 

because lie was without sin. "We also learn 
that Adam was persuaded, through the envy 
and deceit of the devil, to break the com- 
mandment of his Creator, and thus he brought 
sin into the world, and death by sin ; and that 
we, who are his children and partakers of his 
nature, are born in sin, and show from earli- 
est childhood that our nature is corrupt. 

"We are next taught by these books that 
God promised, first to Adam, and then to 
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others of 
the fathers in the old time, that he would 
send a divine Saviour, who should deliver 
from sin and the power of the devil all those 
who, by a true faith, believe this promise, 
and with penitent hearts yield their affec- 
tions and lives to him alone. 

The Bible also teaches that God sent his 
law by Moses, so that sin and the evil of 
man's heart being known thereby, men might 
be convinced of their sin, and learn the neces- 
sity of the coming of Jesus Christ. In the 
meantime God appointed sacrifices and offer- 
ings for sin, which were intended as shadows 
and figures of Christ, who was to offer his 
own body on the tree, by which offering all 



22 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

sin should be blotted out and quite put away 
from his people. 

By the books of the New Testament we are 
taught that Christ was sent at the appointed 
time ; that he w r as born in our nature, though 
without sin; that he obeyed the law perfect- 
ly, fulfilled all righteousness, suffered death, 
and rose again from the dead ; and that these 
acts of his were not done because of the de- 
serts and good w^orks of any man by nature, 
but that God our Father should show the 
abundant riches of his grace, and that through 
his mercy he might bring us to salvation, by 
making Christ " to be sin for us, who knew 
no sin; that we might be made the righteous- 
ness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5 : 21. 

It is also plainly set forth that Jesus Christ 
is-the true Lamb, the only sacrifice that can 
atone for the sins of men. He came to save 
from the guilt and powder of sin : from the 
guilt of it as an offence against the holy law 
of God, and from the power of it in the heart 
and life. And now the gospel message is, 
that " wiiosoever believeth in him shall not 
perish, but have everlasting life." 

Christ is also made known as our Hiohi- 



ITS DOCTRINES AND TEACHINGS. 23 

priest, the only Mediator. He now sits at 
the right hand of God the Father, being the 
Advocate for all who draw nigh with faith in 
him. Therefore, although we have sinned, 
we are not to fear to come to the throne of 
his grace, with repentance and with sure trust 
in him, believing that we shall obtain mercy; 
for " Christ Jesus came into the world that 
he might save sinners ;" and by the power of 
his death he will enable us to overcome our 
sins, and grow in grace till we enter into 
eternal life. 

Also that we may know and receive the 
love of God towards us, he gives us his Holy 
Spirit, the fruit and effect of which gift is 
faith in Christ Jesns; for unless the Holy 
Spirit regenerate and instruct us, by convinc- 
ing us of sin, leading us to Jesus for pardon 
and righteousness, and sanctifying our fallen, 
polluted nature, so as to influence us to holi- 
ness, our faith, so called, will be a dead faith, 
for the apostle Paul declares, "No man can 
say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." 
The Holy Spirit witnesses in us that we are 
the children of God, and excites in us love to 
God and to each other. He also is given 



24 BIBLE-IIEADER'S HELP. 

■ 

to guide us into ail truth, to comfort us in 
our times of sorrow, and to dwell in our 
hearts as the pledge of eternal happiness. 

The Bible is a rule of duty. "All Scrip- 
ture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness ; that 
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly 
furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 
17. It teaches us to deny all ungodliness, 
and to live a holy life ; that "they who have 
believed in God should be careful to main- 
tain good works," and to "depart from ini- 
quity." Titus 3 : 8 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 19. Whoever 
does not follow good works, shows that he 
has not such a faith as is wrought in all who 
are saved. And for all this Jesus Christ is 
set before us as an example, that we should 
walk even as he walked. We are to attend 
to ail things that are pure, honest, lovely, 
just, and of good report ; to be truthful, so- 
ber, gentle, industrious, contented, forgiving, 
and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The 
golden ride is, "All things whatsoever ye 
would that men should do to you, do ye even 
so to them." Matt. 7:12. 



ITS DOCTRINES AND TEACHINGS. 25 

The Bible also teaches that Christ Jesus 
will come at the time appointed by the Fa- 
ther, and shall sit in majesty to judge all 
men, and to render to every man according 
to his works ; and to those who through grace 
have fled to him for refuge, so that they look 
for his appearing with faith and hope, he will 
say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit 
the kingdom prepared for you from the foun- 
dation of the world." But to those who have 
despised his word and rejected his grace, he 
will say, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into 
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and 
his angels." 

Thus we see how suited is the Holy Bible 
to man in his sinful state. It reveals the 
love of God to guilty man in the gift of his 
beloved Son. Its promises are suited to all 
persons and all conditions of life. It strength- 
ens against temptation, guides in duty, pre- 
serves in holiness, yields comfort in sorrow, 
takes away the fear of death, and gives the 
blessed hope of eternal life. It meets the 
wants of all, and is equally adapted to every 
nation and age. 



26 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

III. THE ENGLISH VEESION OF 
THE BIBLE. 

The Old Testament was written in tlie 
Hebrew language ; the New Testament was 
written in Greek. The first person who 
translated the Bible into English was John 
Wickliff, who has been called " the morning 
star of the Reformation." His version was 
circulated in writing, as the art of printing 
was not invented till about fifty years after- 
wards. Copies were therefore produced very 
slowly, and each cost a large sum of money. 
It is said that a farmer once gave a load of 
hay for two or three leaves of this book, and 
that a whole copy was equal in value to the 
yearly income of a man of wealth. 

The first 'printed edition of the New Testa- 
ment was published by "William Tyndale, 
who was compelled to go to foreign lands to 
complete his work, and who at last died a 
martyr to the truth. There wore several 
translations of the whole Bible after this. 
That now in use was made in the reign of 
James I. It was begun in 1607, and it took 
nearly three years to complete it. Very great 



THE ENGLISH VERSION. 27 

care was taken that it might be correct. The 
work of translation was committed to fifty- 
four of the most learned men in England. 
The number was reduced, chiefly by death, 
to forty-seven. This number was formed into 
six divisions, to each of which a separate por- 
tion of Scripture was given, and every mem- 
ber of each division was to take the chapters 
appointed for the whole division. Then the 
whole division met, compared what had been 
done, agreed upon any differences which they 
found, and then passed their work on to the 
other divisions to be further considered. In 
case they were not all agreed, the most able 
men of each division were chosen to decide. 
And lastly, the whole was revised by very 
learned men, chosen for the purpose. The 
result of such care and talent was, on the 
whole, a correct translation of the word of 
God. 

Such is our English Bible, of which it has 
been said, " Of all the European translations, 
this is the most correct and faithful. jSTor is 
this its only praise: the translators have 
seized the very spirit and soul of the origi- 
nal, and expressed it almost everywhere with 



28 BIBLE-READEB'S HELP. 

feeling and power."* Should we not value it 
most highly? As another writer says, "It is 
the birthright of our population, and has 
proved the means of knowledge, holiness, and 
joy to millions; and we trust it is destined, 
for ages yet to come, to be the glory of the 
rich and the inheritance of the poor, the 
guide to the way-worn pilgrim, and the mes- 
senger of peace to many a dying sinner. "t 

There are some things it may be useful to 
know about the English version of the Bible. 

CHAPTERS AND YEKSES. 

The Scriptures in Hebrew and Greek are 
divided into paragraphs or sections, or else 
in lines as poetry. But in the year 1551, a 
printer named Robert Stephens broke up the 
New Testament into small portions or verses. 
Afterwards the Old Testament was divided 
in the same way. While there may be some 
advantage in this form, yet it is well also to 
read the Bible as we do other books — read 
it right on without much attention to these 
breaks. Bibles are now printed with the 
text in the form of paragraphs. The mark If 

* Dr. A. Clarke. f Bav. W. Orme. 



THE ENGLISH VERSION. 29 

in some Bibles shows where one subject is 
divided from another in the same chapter. 

POETICAL PARTS OF THE BIBLE. 

The books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, are 
strictly poetical books ; the Song of Solomon, 
and nearly all the prophets, with a few pas- 
sages of other books, are also in Hebrew 
poetry, one marked feature of which, is the 
frequent parallelisms, in which the idea of 
one clause is repeated in different words, or 
is contrasted by an opposite idea; as^ 

The memory of the just is blessed ; 
But the name of the wicked shall rot. 

Some of the paragraph Bibles noticed above 
print these books in distinct lines. Tins style 
very much assists us in seeing the beauty and 
force of the truths revealed to us. A few 
verses of Psalm 34 are given as a specimen. 

1. I will bless the Lord at all times : 

His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

2. My soul shall make her boast in the Loed : 
The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 

3. Oh magnify the Loed with me, 
And let us exalt his name together. 

4. 1 sought the Lord, and he heard me, 
And delivered me from all my fear3. 



30 BIBLE-READEE'8 HELP, 

5. They looked unto him, and were lightened : 
And their faces were not ashamed. 

6. This poor man cried, and the Loed heard him, 
And saved him ont of all his troubles. 

7. The angel of the Loed encampeth round about them 

that fear him, 
And delivereth them. 

8. Oh taste and see that the Loed is good : 
Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

9. Oh fear the Loed, ye his saints : 

For there is no want to them that fear him. 

WORDS IN ITALICS. 

The words so printed do not agree with 
any in the Hebrew and Greek, but are need- 
ed in our language to make the sense plain 
and complete. Thus : " I give myself unto 
prayer." Psa. 109:4. " Moses was faithful 
in all* his house." Heb. .3:2. This arises 
from the difference in the mode of expression 
of the different languages. 

CAPITALS. 

When the name LORD is thus printed, or 
thus, Loed, it signifies that in the original 
the word used is Jehovah, and applies to the 
ever-blessed God ; v/lien the word is printed 
"Lord," it sometimes only means master. 



FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. 31 

INSCRIPTIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS. 

The first of these are brief remarks at the 
head of a book, chapter, or psalm, as, "A 
Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom 
his son." Psa. 3. The latter are such as 
this, at the end of a book : " Written to the 
Hebrews from Italy by Timothy." These 
may be correct, but as they are not in the 
original, we are not always sure. They, how- 
ever, do not affect the text of the Bible. 



IY. FIGUKATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE 
BIBLE. 

The people of eastern lands are very apt 
in the use of similitudes and figures of speech. 
Almost every object they see around them 
suggests to their minds a comparison of one 
kind or other, through the aid of which they 
express their thoughts and feelings. As the 
writers of the Holy Bible lived in the East, 
they often employed this style of address. 
Indeed they were divinely guided to do so ; 
for thus saith the Lord, " I have used simili- 
tudes, by the ministry of the prophets." 



32 -BIBLE-BEADEB'S HELP. 

Hosea 12:10. The fact also that no small 
part of the Old Testament is in the form 
of poetry, led to their use. These figures 
are sometimes only a single word, at other 
times a whole sentence, or many sentences, 
and they are known as similitudes, meta- 
phors, emblems, allegories, riddles, and par- 
ables. 

Figures of speech are pictures to the mind. 
By them the eye assists the ear and the un- 
derstanding, and earthly things become help- 
ful to impress heavenly truths on the heart, 
This fact must be kept in view, or it will not 
be easy to enter into the full meaning of 
Scripture language. If a few instances of 
this style be given, the rest may be left to 
the careful reader of God's holy word. 

An early illustration of the eastern mode 
of using figures or metaphors is to be seen 
in the case of Jacob blessing his twelve sons. 
Gen. 49. Reuben is unstable as water; Sim- 
eon and Levi are instruments of cruelty; 
Juclah is a lion's whelp ; Issachar, a strong 
ass; Zebulun, a haven of ships; Dan, a ser- 
pent by the way ; Asher is to yield lojal 
dainties ; Gad is to be a troop, or a warlike 



FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. 33 

people ; Naphiali, a hind let loose ; Joseph, 
a fruitful bough ; and Benjamin is to ravin, 
or plunder as a wolf. Under these figures 
are foretold the character of the twelve 
tribes, and " what should befall them in the 
last days," or in future times. 

When God speaks of himself, he employs 
language suited to our understandings : hence 
he is said to have arms, feet, eyes, a heart, 
and other parts of a human body; but these 
are figures to express his power, wisdom, 
love, and other attributes. He is said to re- 
pent, to rejoice, and to be angry : this is a 
way of speaking as if things affected him as 
they affect us. He is a shield, a strong 
tower, and a rock of defence : these compar- 
isons show us what he is to his people. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the 
world, because by his teachings and example 
we see the way to happiness and heaven. 
He is the Bread of life, for our spiritual life 
is sustained by him. He is the Lamb of 
God, because in his human nature he was 
meek and gentle, and because he was offered 
as a sacrifice for sin. He is a Captain, for 
he commands and leads his people ; the good 

Bible-Ecader's Help. 3 



34 BIBLE-HEADER'S HELP. 

Shepherd, for he feeds and guides them ; a 
Advocate, for he pleads on their behalf ; and 
the Sun of righteousness with healing under 
his wings, or beams, because he imparts 
spiritual health. 

The Holy Spirit is a Comforter, Teacher, 
and Helper. Heaven is a country, a city, 
and a garner ; and hell is a lake of fire and 
chains of darkness. The word of God is a 
sword, a lamp, a fire, and a hammer. The 
Christian life is compared to a race, a war- 
fare, and a service; while a man's natural 
life is a vapor, a dream, and a thread cut by 
a weaver. 

The righteous are spoken of as jewels, ves- 
sels of gold, sheep, wheat, and palm-trees ; 
while the wicked are dross, goats, chaff, deaf 
adders, and tares. 

Sun, moon, and stars signify kings, queens, 
and princes ; cedars are great men ; the 
shooting of a star is the downfall of a ruler; 
the drying of a river, or the turning of moon 
and stars into blood, denotes the ruin and 
overthrow of a kingdom. 

Gentle showers, small rain, and dew, rep- 
resent the descent of spiritual blessings. The 



FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. 35 

wilderness rejoicing, the desert blossoming, 
and the mountains breaking forth into sing- 
ing, are descriptive of gospel times. A can- 
dlestick is gospel light; the doctrines of the 
gospel are strong meat and milk, and those 
who preach the gospel are ambassadors, fish- 
ers of men, stewards, and watchmen. 

To speak of placing a person at the right 
hand, means favor and honor; on the left 
hand, shame and dishonor. Blindness is ig- 
norance; and light is joy, peace, and know- 
ledge. A broken heart is a heart that feels 
deep grief for sin. 

Sometimes a figure is used in two senses : 
thus a roaring lion is cruel, and fitly repre- 
sents the devil ; but a lion is also a noble and 
powerful creature, and the name is given to 
Christ. The field of labor for the church is 
likened to the harvest ; so also is the day of 
judgment. Sometimes a cup signifies afflic- 
tion; at other times it means prosperity. To 
tread on "the young lion and adder" is to 
overcome two kinds of dangers, open force 
and secret craft. 

These may suffice to show the general use 
of Scripture figures. If the passages in which 



36 BIBLE-ItEADER'S HELP. 

they are found are read with .care, the plain- 
est person will, in nearly every case, be able 
to discern the teachings of the Spirit of God 
therein, and to apply the truth to his own 
benefit. 



V. HINTS ON BEADING THE BIBLE. 

1. Bead it daily. Many pious persons make 
it a rule to read the Bible through in the 
course of a year. As every day brings its 
cares and conflicts, so we should comfort and 
strengthen our minds by turning to the sa- 
cred word every day we live. Robert Saun- 
ders, the pious shepherd of Salisbury plain, 
thus spoke : " Blessed be God, through his 
mercy I learned to read when I was a boy. 
I believe there is no day for the last thirty 
years that I have not peeped at my Bible. 
If we. cannot find time to read a chapter, 
there is no man who dares to say he cannot 
find time to read a verse ; and a single text, 
well followed and put in practice every day, 
would make no bad figure at the year's end. 
Three hundred and sixty-five texts would 



HINTS ON READING. 37 

make a pretty stock — a little golden treasury, 
as one may say, from New-year's day to New- 
year's day. And if children were brought tip 
to it, they would come to look for their text 
as naturally as they do for their breakfast. I 
can say the greatest part of the Bible by 
heart. I have led but a lonely life, and have 
often had but little to eat ; but my Bible has 
been meat and drink and company to me; 
and when want and trouble have come upon 
me, I do not know what I should have done 
indeed, if I had not had the promises of this 
book for my stay and support." 

2. Compare one part of Hie Bible with another. 
The best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture. 
The pages of the Old Testament aid in the 
right understanding of those of the New; 
w T hile the latter shows how much of the for- 
mer has been fulfilled. Thus Leviticus and 
Hebrews may profitably be read together, 
and each will have new light cast upon it. 
Bishop Horsley w T rote to this effect : " It is 
almost beyond belief to any one w r ho has not 
in some degree tried it, what an advance may 
be made in that knowledge which maketh 
wise unto salvation, by studying the Scrip- 



38 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

tures without any other commentary or ex- 
position than what the different parts of the 
sacred volume mutually furnish for each 
other. I will not scrujDle to assert, that the 
most unlearned Christian, if he can but read 
his English Bible, and will take the pains to 
read it in this w r ay, by God's blessing will 
become wise in every thing belonging to re- 
ligion, in such a degree that he will not be 
liable to be misled, either by the vain argu- 
ments, or by the false assertions of those who 
try to ingraft their own opinions upon the 
word of God. The Bible thus studied will 
indeed prove to be what we Protestants es- 
teem it, a certain and sufficient rule of faith 
and practice, a helmet of salvation, and a 
shield of faith, which alone will quench the 
fiery darts of the wicked." 

In "comparing spiritual things with spir- 
itual," you will find great help from those 
Bibles which have " references," and which 
may now be had so cheaply that few need be 
without them. If you can also obtain a good 
Bible Dictionary with maps and a few other 
books which give an account of the lands of 
the Bible, of the manners and customs of the 



HINTS ON READING. 39 

Jews and other ancient people, you will be 
greatly helped in the understanding of the 
* sacred word. 

3. Read it with care. We may read every 
chapter in the Bible again and again, and be 
neither wiser nor better for it. The truths 
may pass over the mind like water over mar- 
ble, and no impression be left on it. There 
must be close attention. We must collect 
our thoughts, and slowly read over every 
text, and as we read try to understand it. 
But after all our care, we must not be sur- 
prised if we find many parts of the word of 
God too deep for us ; yet this should not dis- 
tress us, for all those parts which are really 
necessary to be known for salvation are so 
plain that " the wayfaring men, though fools, 
shall not err therein." Isa. 35 : 8. As to the 
rest, God will make them plain the more we 
read and study, and the longer we live. 

4. Bring home its truths to the heart. As 
we read we must apply the word to our own 
selves, and ask, In this chapter I find some 
great doctrines : do I believe them ? Here 
is a precious promise : do I need and desire 
that the blessing should be fulfilled in me ? 



40 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Here is a command or a precept : do I make 
it the rule of my life ? In this place I find a 
good example presented : am I trying to fol- ' 
low it ? And in this passage is a bad one : 
do I seek to avoid it ? Thus we should lay up 
the word in our hearts as a defence against sin. 
5. Read it prayerfully. Mere head know- 
ledge is not enough ; we must have the Holy 
Spirit to lead us into the truth. The psalm- 
ist felt this to be the case, and therefore he 
pra;>~ed, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may 
behold wondrous things out of thy law." 
Psa. 119 : 18. And for our comfort the prom- 
ises are given : " If any of you lack wisdom, 
let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
liberally, and upbraicleth not." " If ye then, 
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto 
your children, how much more shall your 
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them 
that ask him." Jas. 1:5; Luke 11 : 13. Let 
our fervent desire be that the blessed Spirit 
may lead us to know how a sinner is to be 
saved, and how we should so live as best to 
glorify God. Thus being led into the way 
of peace and holiness on earth, we shall at 
last be brought safely to heaven. 



PART II. 



USEFUL TABLES. 



I. THE PATKIABCHS; 

AND DATES OF EVENTS RECORDED IN THE BOOK 
OF GENESIS. 



Creation of Adam Years before Christ, 400-4 

Birth of Cain " " 4003 

BirthofAbel " " 4002 

Sacrifices first mentioned-- " " 3875 

Birth of Seth " " 3874 

Birth of Enoch---- " " 3382 

Birth of Methuselah " " 3317 

Death of Adam-- - " " 3074 

Birth of Noah - " " 2048 

The Deluge- - " ". 2348 

Division of the earth " " 2247 

Confusion of tongues- " " 2247 

Death of Noah " " 1998 

Birth of Abraham ---- " " 1996 

Abraham goes to Canaan " " 1921 

Birth of Ishmael " - 1910 

Destruction of Sodom " " 1897 

Birth of Isaac- " " 1896 

Intended sacrifice of Isaac " " 1872 

Isaac marries Rebeliah " " 1856 

Birth of Esau and Jacob " " 1836 

Jacob goes to Haran " " 1760 

Birth of Reuben " " 1752 

Birth of Joseph - - " " 1745 

Joseph sold by his brethren ** " 1728 

Deathof Isaac " " 1716 

Joseph made governor of Egypt " " 1715 

Jacob and his family go to Egypt " " 1706 

Death of Jacob " " 1689 

Death of Joseph " " 1635 



42 



BIBLE-EEADER'S HELP. 



II. KINGS OF JUDAH AND ISEAEL. 

There are some differences as to the dates of the reigns 
of the kings ; the following scheme, however, is generally 
adopted : 



KINGS OF THE WHOLE NATION. 
Began to reign B, C. Eeigned. 

Saul 1095 ---40 years. 

David 1056- ---40 

Solomon 1016- ---40 

Rehoboam --- 976 " 

KINGS OF JUDAH. 

Rehoboam --- 975 17 years. 

Abijam,or) 95S ___ 3 „ 

Abijah ) 

Asa 955 41 " 

Jekoshaphat-- 914 25 " 

Jehoram* 892 8 

Ahaziah 885 1 " 

Athaliah, 1 _ g84 _ 6 „ 
usurper ) 

Joash 878 40 " 

Amaziab 838 29 

Uzziah, or) 810 .... 62 « 
Azariah - - 3 

Jotbam 758- ---16 

Ahaz 741----16 

Hezekiah 726 ----29 " 

Manasseb 697 55 " 

Amon 642 2 " 

Josiab 640 31 " 

Jeboabaz 609 - - - - 3 months. 

Jehoiakim 609 11 years. 



Began to reign B. C. Eeigned. 

Jehoiachin - - - 598 3 months. 

Zedekiah 598 11 years. 

Captivity 587- ---70 " 

KINGS OF ISKAEL. 

Jeroboam 975 22 years. 

Nadab 954---- 2 " 

Baasha- ------ 953 29 " 

Elan 930---- 2 " 

Zimri 929 7 days. 

Omri r-- 929 12 years. 

Ahab 917----22 u 

Ahaziah 898---- 2 " 

Jehoram 896 12 " 

Jehu S83----28 " 

Jehoahaz 856 17 " 

Joash, or) ___ 840 .... 16 tf 
Jehoash ) 

Jeroboam II. - 825 41 M 

No king 784----11 " 

Zachariah 772 6 months. 

Shallum 772 1 month. 

Menahem 771 10 years^ 

Pekahiah 760 2 «' 

Pekah- 758 20 " 

No king- 738 9 " 

Hoshea 729 9 

Captivity----- 721 



* Jehoram's reign is considered to have been eight years, including 
a regency in his father's absence. It is called eight years in 2 Kings 
10:16. 



ORDER OF THE PROPHETS. 



43 



III. OKDEK OF THE BOOKS OF THE 
PEOPHETS. 





Period 








in which he 


Kings of Jndah in whose 


Kings of Israel in whose 




prophesied. 
B. c. 


reign he prophesied. 


reign he prophesied. 


Jonah 


840 to 784 


Joash, Amaziah, and Jehoahaz, Joash, and 






Uzziah. 


Jeroboam II. 


Joel 


nearly 800 
810 to 785 




Amos - 


Uzziah. Jeroboam H. 


Hosea 


785 to 725 


Uzziah. Jotham,Ahaz, Jeroboam II., Zacha- 






and Hezekiah. 


riah, Shalium, Me- 
nahem, Pekahiah, 
Pekah, Hoshea. 


Isaiah - 


758 to 698 


Uzziah. Jotham,Ahaz, Menahem, Pekahiah, 
and Hezekiah. | Pekah, Hoshea. 


Micah 


758 to G97 


Jotham, Ahaz, and Pekah and Hoshea. 






Hezekiah. 




>>ahum 


710 to G98 


Close of Hezekiah's 
reign. 




Zephaniah 


640 to G09 


Josiah. 




Jeremiah 


628 to 588 


Josiah, Jehoahaz, Je- 

hoiakim, Jeconiah, 
Zedekiah. 




Habakkuk 


612 to 598 


Josiah, Jehoahaz, Je- 








hoiakim, Jeconiah,' 


Captivity of Israel, 






Zedekiah. 


the kingdom be- 


Obadiah 


588 to 583 


Soon after the siege 


. ing overthrown 






of Jerusalem. 


by the Assyrians 


Ezekiel - 


590 to 574 


Captivity. 


b. c. 721. 


Daniel 


606 to 534 


During all the cap- 
tivity. 




Haggai - 


520 to 518 


After the return from 
Babylon. 




Zcchariah 


520 to 510 


After the return from 
Babylon. 




Malachi 


436 to 397 


After the return from 








Babylon. j 





44 



BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 



IY. OEDEE OF THE NEW TESTA- 
MENT SOEIPTUEES. 

There is some little difference of opinion among learned 
men, in reference to the exact time when some of the 
books were written, but the following table is as correct 
as it can be made. 



Matthew, Gospel 
Mark, Gospel 

1 Thessalonians 

2 Thessalonians - 
Galatians - 

1 Corinthians 

2 Corinthians 

Romans - - - 

James 

Ephesians 

Colossians 

Luke, Gospel 

Philemon 

Philippians 

Hebrews 

Acts 

1 Timothy 

Titus 

IPeter • 

Jude 

2 Peter 

2 Timothy • 

1 John -■ 

2 John 

Revelation 

3 John ---- 

John, Gospel — 



Matthew - 

Mark 

Paul 

Paul---- 

Paul 

Paul 

Paul 

Paul 

James - - - 

Paul 

Paul 

Luke Greece 

Paul Rome 



Where written. 



Judea 

Rome 

Corinth --- 

Corinth 

Corinth 

Ephesus --• 
Macedonia - 

Corinth 

Jerusalem - 

Rome 

Rome 



Paul 

Paul 

Luke 

Paul 

Paul 



Rome 

Rome 

Antioch 

Macedonia- - 
Macedonia- - 

Peter j Babylon 

Jude ;Syri: 

Peter - 

Paul - - 

John- 

John- 

John- 

John- 



Babylon - - - 

Rome 

Ephesus - - - 
Ephesus --- 

Patmos 

Ephesus - - - 
John JEphesus - - - 



For whose first use. 



Jewish nation 

Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 

-entile Christians - 

Jewish nation 

Gentile Christians - 
Gentile Christians - 

Gentile readers 

Philemon 

entile Christians - 
Hebrew Christians - 

Gentile readers 

Timothy 

Titus 

General 

General 

General 

Tirnothy 

General 

The Elect Lady 

General 

Gaius • 

General - - - 



PAEABLES OF OUE LOKD. 45 

V. PARABLES OF OUR LORD JESUS 
CHRIST. 



Parables of the 



Sower ■ 

Tares ■ 

House divided against itself 

Seed springing up - — 

Grain of mustard seed • 

Leaven 

Found treasure 

Pearl of great price 

Net cast into the sea 

Unmerciful servant - 

Two debtors 

Good Samaritan ■ 

Importunate friend 

The rich fool • 

Servants waiting ----, 

Barren fig-tree 

Men bidden to a feast • 

King going to war 

Lost sheep 

Lost piece of money -- 

Prodigal son 

Dishonest steward 

Eich man and Lazarus 

Unjust judge 

Pharisee and publican 

Laborers in the vineyard - - - 

Pounds - 

Two sons ■ 

Vineyard 

Marriage feast 

Ten virgins .-- 

Talents 

Sheep and goats 

True Vine 



Place. 



Near Capernaum (?) 

Capernaum 

Capernaum 

Cax>ernaum 

Capernaum 

Capernaum 

Capernaum 

Capernaum 

Capernaum -- 

Capernaum 

Capernaum 

Near Jerusalem 

Galilee 

Galilee 

Galilee 

Galilee 

Galilee 

Galilee 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Peraea 

Jericho 

Jerusalem 

Jerusalem 

Jerusalem 

Mount of Olives 

Mount of Olives 

Mount of Olives 

Jerusalem 



Matthew 13. 
Matthew 13. 
Mark 3. 
Mark 4. 
Matthew 13. 
Matthew 13. 

Jatthew 13. 
Matthew 13. 
Matthew 13. 

Jatthew 18. 
Luke 7. 
Luke 10. 
Luke 11. 
Luke 12. 
Luke 12. 
Luke 13. 
Luke 14, 
Luke 14. 
Luke 15. 
Luke 15. 
Luke 15. 
Luke 16. 
Luke 16. 
Luke 18. 
Luke 18. 
Matthew 20. 
Luke 19. 
Matthew 21, 
Matthew 2: 
Matthew 22, 
Matthew 2c 
Matthew 2c 
Matthew 2c 
John 15. 



46 



BIBLE-BEADEB'S HELP. 



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48 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

VII. MONTHS AND SEASONS IN 

CANAAN. 

The seasons into which, at an early period, 
the year was divided, are set forth in Gen. 
8 : 22 : " Seed-time and harvest, and cold and 
heat, and summer and winter." This mode 
of division is found among the Arabs and 
other eastern people in the present day. 

The ancient Jews called the months by 
their numbers : as, first month, second month, 
etc. But after they left Egypt they had two 
courses of months : one the civil year, or that 
by which they regulated the events of every- 
day life ; and the other the sacred year, by 
which they regulated their holy feasts. ' 

Each month began with the first day of 
the new moon, and the year consisted of 
twelve moons, comprising three hundred and 
fifty-four days, eight hours. To make their 
course of twelve months agree with the nat- 
ural year, a month was added once in two or 
three years, called Ve-adar, which was in- 
serted next after the month Adar. The civil 
year began on the first of Tisri, when it was 
supposed the world was created. The sacred 



MONTHS AND SEASONS IN CANAAN. 49 

year began on the first of Abib, or Nisan. 
Exocl. 12 : 2. 

1. A'bib, or "green-ear," also called Nisan, 
consisted of thirty days ; it answered to part 
of our March and part of April., It was the 
early spring of the year. The feasts of the 
passover and of unleavened bread took place 
from the 14th to the 21st. On the 16th a 
sheaf of the new barley was presented in the 
temple, and prayers offered for rain to make 
the grain swell. The latter rain usually be- 
gan to fall, and Jordan overflowed its banks, 
from the thawing of snow on mount Lebanon. 

2. I'yae, or Zif, that is, " brightness ;" 
twenty-nine clays, answering to parts of our 
April and May. Two fasts were kept this 
month, one in memory of the death of Eli, 
the other of the death of Samuel. The rain 
now commonly ceased, and the weather be- 
came bright and cheerful, though there were 
at times strong whirlwinds. Barley was cut 
this month, and wheat began to ripen. 

3. Si'van ; thirty days ; answering to parts 
of our May and June. The feast of Pente- 
cost, called also the feast of weeks, was kept 
on the 6th. Towards the end of the month 

Bible-Reader's Help. 4 



50 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

the harvest was over, and loaves made of the 
new grain were offered as first-fruits. From 
the middle of this month to the month Ab, 
heat greatly increased; people slept in the 
open air. The "morning cloud" was seen 
early in the morning, but quickly passed 
away, and not a cloud seen for the rest of the 
day. . 

4. Tham'muz; twenty-nine days ; answering 
to parts of our June and July. On the 17th 
a fast was kept on two accounts, for the 
breaking of the tables of the law, and for the 
capture of Jerusalem. This month was the 
time when early figs ripened. 

5. Ab ; thirty days ; answering to parts of 
July and August. The month is not named 
in the Bible. A fast was kept in memory of 
the death of Aaron, and another to commem- 
orate the burning of the temple. Heat was 
now very great; no rain fell; dews were 
heavy ; herbage generally dried up ; and the 
rivulets became dry. 

6. E'lul; twenty-nine days; answering to 
parts of August and September. A fast was 
held on the 22d in memory of the wicked 
Israelites being destroyed. Numbers 16 : 41. 



MONTHS AND SEASONS IN CANAAN, 51 

The finest grapes were now found on the 
vines. In this month the ground was burnt 
up, and drought mostly prevailed. No wa- 
ters were found in the pools and smaller 
streams: hence the name Elul, or "nothing 
worth." 

7. Tis'bi, or Eth'anim; thirty days; an- 
swering to parts of September and October. 
A fast was kept this month as a memorial of 
the sin of erecting the golden calf ; the great 
day of atonement was on the 10th, when the 
people bewailed the sins of the year. The 
feast of tabernacles began on the 15th. It 
was also, the feast of the in-gathering of all 
the fruits of autumn. Booths were made of 
branches of trees, on house-tops, and in every 
place of the city, in which people dwelt for a 
week. This feast was also called " the great 
Hosanna." On the 1st day of this month the 
civil year commenced, and was made known 
by the sound of silver trumpets. From the 

I middle of this month to the middle of Chis- 
leu, was the usual time for ploughing and 
sowing seed. The weather was often cloudy 
and rainy. 

8. Bul ; or Makches'van; thirty days; an- 



52 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

swering to parts of October and November. 
A fast was held on the 6th, to commemorate 
the putting out of Zedekiah's eyes. The 
leaves of the trees now began to change, and 
signs of autumn appeared on every side. 
The "early rain" commenced this month. 
Wheat and barley were sown ; and this was 
the time of getting in the remains of the 
vintage. 

9. Ceis'leu ; thirty days ; answering to 
parts of November and December. The 
burning of Jeremiah's roll was commemorat- 
ed by a fast on the 7th, and on the 25th w T as 
a feast for the dedication of the third tem- 
ple. Winter commences, trees lose their 
foliage, and snow begins to fall on the moun- 
tains. 

10. Te'beth, or "miry;" twenty-nine days; 
answering to parts of December and Janu- 
ary. On the 10th was a fast, as a mourn- 
ing for the siege of Jerusalem. Snow and 
hail-storms were common, and as the season 
advanced, travelling in the mountains was 
attended with much danger. Matt. 24 : 20. 
Grass and herbs spring up after the rains. 

11. She'bat; thirty days; answering to 



MONTHS AND SEASONS IN CANAAN. 53 

parts of January and February. Corn is 
still sown; and the weather, which at the 
beginning of the cold season is cold, gradu- 
ally becomes warm. The winter fig is found 
on the trees, though they are stripped of 
their leaves. 

12. A'dak; twenty-nine days ; answering to 
parts of February and March. On the 17th 
a fast was kept in memory of the death of 
Moses, and on the 14th and 15th was held 
the feast of Purim, or " lots," to commemo- 
rate the deliverance of the Jews from the 
cruel designs of Hainan. See the book of 
Esther. This was called the " month of 
blossoms," from the great variety and beauty 
of the early flowers, now in full bloom; in 
particular the blossoms of the almond-tree 
were very beautiful. 



54 BIBLE-READEK'S HELP. 

PEAYEE, 

PRINTED IN SOME EARLY EDITIONS OF THE 
ENGLISH BIBLE. 

O gracious God and most merciful Father, 
who hast vouchsafed us the rich and precious 
jewel of thy holy word, assist us by thy Spir- 
it, that it may be written in our hearts to our 
everlasting comfort, to reform us, to renew us 
according to thine own image, to build us up 
and edify us into the perfect building of thy 
Christ, sanctifying and increasing in us all 
heavenly virtues. Grant this, heavenly Fa- 
ther, for Jesus Christ's sake, Amen. 



PART III. 



BIBLE PLACES DESCBIBED: BIBLE 
WOBDS,IMAGES, AND CUSTOMS EX- 
PLAINED. 

An' ana and Phae'pab, two rivers in Syria, rising 
in mount Lebanon, the first of which flows through 
the city of Damascus. The fruitfulness of the land 
which they fertilize led Naaman to utter the proud 
comparison recorded in 2 Kings 5 : 12. 

Abad'don, in Hebrew — Apoi/byon in Greek — Bev. 
9 : 11, a name given to the angel of the bottomless 
pit ; it signifies destruction, or the destroyer. 

Ab'arim, a chain of steep and barren mountains 
lying on the east side of the Dead sea, of which Nebo 
was one of the most prominent ; Pisgah was the sum- 
mit of Nebo, from which Moses viewed the promised 
land. 'Deut, 32 : 49 ; 34 : 1. 

Ab'ba, Mark U : 36, father. The word expresses a 
high degre of love and confidence ; only the children 
of a family were allowed to use it. 

xAlBlle'ke, a tract of country on the east border of 
the Lebanon mountains. It took its name from Abi- 
la, its chief town. 

Abzm'elsch, "father-king," a common title of sev- 
eral Philistine kings. Gen. 20 : 3 ; 26 : 1. 

Ab'jects, Psa. 35 : 15, despised persons. 



56 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Abomina'tion oe desoba'tion, Matt. 24 : 15, refers 
to the Eoman ensigns or standards, which often had 
figures of idols fixed on them, and were regarded as 
abominable and sinful by the Jews. 

A'bkaham's bo'som, Luke 16 : 22 ; the term alludes 
to the eastern mode of reclining at a feast, by which 
he who sat next to the master of the feast was close 
to his breast : it expresses great honor. 

Ac'cho, now Acre, eight miles north of mount 
Carmel ; a heathen seaport, though in the tribe of 
Asher. 

Acctjsa'tion wkit'ten, a statement of the crime 
for which one was executed. 

Acei/bama, or "field of blood," a plot of ground 
on the south side of Jerusalem, said to have been the 
same as the "fuller's field," Isa. 7:3; afterwards 
known as the "potter's field." The soil once filling 
the spot is now entirely dug away. 

Acha'ia, a region in the south of Greece, in Eu- 
rope ; its chief city was Corinth. 

Ad'amant, Zech. 7 : 12 : it is supposed that the dia- 
mond, the hardest of all gems, is meant. 

ArxruBE', Josh. 6 : 26, to bind under a curse. 

Abop'tion, Gal. 4 : 5, among the Romans and other 
ancient people, the act of a man taking a child into 
his family, and regarding it as his own offspring. 
True believers in Christ are adopted, or received by 
God as his children. 

A'dbia, or Adbiat'ic sea, that part of the Mediter- 
ranean sea now called the Gulf of Venice", on the east 
coast of Italy. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 57 

Adui/teky, Rev. 2 : 22, sometimes used as a figure 
of speech, meaning a departure from the worship of 
the true God ; idolatry. 

Ad'veesary, 1 Pet. 5 : 8, an enemy : applied to Sa- 
tan, the great foe of man. In Matt. 5 : 25 it means 
one who can sue us at law. 

Ad'vocate, 1 John 2 : 1, one who pleads the cause 
of another, Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the 
Father. Heb. 6 : 25. 

Ag-'ate, a precious stone beautifully marked, bear- 
ing a high polish ; one of those worn in the breast- 
plate of the high-priest, Exod. 28 : 19, perhaps the 
ruby of the east. 

Ai/abastek, Matt. 26 : 7, a fine whitish stone, which 
is made into vases, pots, and ornaments. 

Alexandria, a large and wealthy city in Lower 
Egypt, a great seaport on the Mediterranean sea. 
Its founder was Alexander the Great, whose body 
was here buried in a comn of gold. 

Alexan'dbians, Acts 6 : 9, Jews who came from, or 
lived in the city of Alexandria, a city of Egypt. 

A'eien, Eph. 2 : 12, a stranger; a foreigner. To 
"be aliens from the commonwealth of Israel," is to 
be without an interest in the blessings of God's 
people. 

Aiiii, sometimes means only a great number, or a 
large part. Exod. 9:6; Matt. 3:5; 10 : 22 ; Luke 
15:1. 

Alle'gory, Gal. 4 : 24, a figure of speech, nearly 
resembling a parable or fable. The Song of Solomon 
is the longest allegory in the Bible. Psalm 80 is a 



58 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

beautiful specimen of an allegory, where the Jewish 
nation is compared to a vine planted by God. The 
use of an allegory is to teach us heavenly truth by 
earthly things, in a lively and inviting manner, so ag 
to be easily understood. 

AlijElu'ja, or HAniiELu'jAH, Rev. 19 : 1, a Hebrew 
Word, signifying "Praise ye the Lord;" was a com- 
mon exclamation of joy and praise in the Jewish 
worship. In heaven, glorified saints sing Alleluia, 
for their redemption, 

Alij-to, Judges 9 : 53, an old English word, signi- 
fying completely, entirely. 

Ai/mug, 1 Kings 10 :11, or Ai/gttm, 2 Chron. 9 : 10, 
11, supposed to be the cypress-tree. 

Ai/oes, Psa. 45 : 8, not the drug now known as 
aloes, which is bitter and without fragrance, but 
probably lign-aloes, a tree the wood of which was in 
great esteem because of its perfume. It was very 
costly, and was used to give fragrance to the linen in 
which dead bodies were wrapped. John 19 : 39, 40. 

Al'pha and O'mega, Rev. 1 : 8, the names of the 
first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Our Sav- 
iour calls himself the Alpha and Omega, the First and 
the Last, to denote that he is from all eternity to all 
eternity. 

Ai/tar, Exod. 29 : 36, a place or raised structure 
on which sacrifices were offered. There were several 
kinds used in the Jewish services. 

Am'aleketes, a powerful people of wandering hab- 
its, living south of Judea, and bitter enemies of the 
Jews. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 59 

Am 'bee, a yellowish mineral ; but in Ezek. 1 : 4 it 
is supposed to be a metal composed of gold and cop- 
per, having a yellow color. 

A'men', Deut. 27 : 15, a word expressing assent, 
"it is true, so be it." The people of Israel added 
their Amen to the curses against disobedience which 
Moses delivered on mount Ebal, to denote that they 
agreed to the justice of the sentence, and their in- 
tention to keep the law. Christ is called the Amen, 
Eev. 3 : 14, because he is True, the Truth, the God 
of truth. 

Amebce', Deut. 22 : 19, to punish by a fine ; it 
originally meant that a prisoner stood "at the mer- 
cy" of the person who fixed the sum he was to pay, 
and who could remit it if he pleased. 

Am'ethyst, Exod. 28 : 19, a precious stone of a 
violet color. 

Am'monites, descendants of Lot, living north-east 
of the Dead sea. 

Anath'ema mabana'tha, # 1 Cor. 16:22, that is, 
"Let him be accursed whom the law curses," or 
"when the Lord cometh." This was a solemn curse 
used by the Jews when any one was expelled from 
the synagogue. 

An'gel ; the word signifies "a messenger," and is 
mostly applied to the holy and happy spirits who 
dwell in the presence of God, who are his messengers 
or servants, and who do his pleasure. The "Angel 
of the Lord," or Angel- Jehovah, throughout the Old 
Testament is Jehovah himself, Genesis 31 : 11-13 , 
32 : 24-30 ; Exod. 3 : 2-6, 14 ; and was the same Word 



60 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

of God who made the world, reveals God to man, 
watched over ancient Israel, and was made manifest 
in flesh. Compare Isa. 6 : 1-10 with John 12 : 37-41. 
See also Isaiah 63 : 9 and Luke 13 : 34, 35. In Mai. 
3 : 1, he is called the Angel of the covenant. In Rev. 
2, the angels of the churches are their ministers. 

An'ise, Matt. 23 : 23 ; a small plant called dill is 
meant, much used in eastern cookeiy. 

Anoint' : by pouring sweet oil on the head, proph- 
ets, priests, and kings were set apart to their offices. 
Exod. 28 : 41 ; 1 Sam. 9 : 16 ; 1 Kings 19 : 15. So the 
Messiah was anointed with the Spirit. Psa. 45 : 7 ; 
Isa. 61 : 1. Anointing was sometimes used in mirac- 
ulous cures of the sick. Jas. 5 : 17. 

Anon', Matt. 13 : 20 ; quickly, soon, shortly. 

Ant, Prov. 6 : 6, a well-known insect, famed for its 
foresight and industry. Some ants in foreign lands 
build their nests as high as a man. 

An'tichkist, 1 John 2 : 18, 22, strictly means " op- 
posed to Christ ;" all teachers of false doctrine are 
antichrist, and especially the papal system. 2 Thess. 
2 : 3, 8, 9 ; 1 Tim. 4 : 1. 

An'tioch, the capital of Syria, noted for its beauti- 
ful situation and the wealth of its people. Here the 
disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11 : 26. 
In 1822 it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, 
and is now almost a heap of ruins. There was an- 
other city of this name in the interior of Asia Minor, 
mentioned in Acts 13 : 14. 

Ap'pii-Fo'-etjm, a village about forty miles from 
Home, where a great market was formerly held. The 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 61 

believers at Some came here to meet Paul when he 
was on his way as a prisoner to that city. 

Afoi/lyon ; see Abandon. 

xApos'tle, Luke 6 : 13, a messenger sent on a spe- 
cial errand ; applied chiefly to the twelve men sent 
by Christ' to be witnesses of his life, works, and 
teachings, his death and resurrection, to preach his 
gospel, work miracles, and build up his church. Je- 
sus Christ is called the Apostle or Messenger of the 
Christian religion. Heb. 3 : 1. 

Ap'ple, Song 2:3; supposed to be the quince, 
Which in the East is more highly scented and sweeter 
than in Europe ; or the citron, a golden-colored and 
fragrant fruit. In Prov. 25 : 11, "apples of gold in 
pictures of silver," refers to golden citrons served at 
table in silver network baskets. 

Aba'bia, a country in Western Asia lying south 
and east of Palestine ; also called "the east country." 
Its length is 1,500 miles, and breadth 1,200. It is 
now divided into, 1. Ara'bia Deser'ta, being a vide 
desert of burning sand, with few habitable spots, and 
here and there a few palm-trees and a well of brack- 
ish water. 2. Ara'bia Petrze'a, south of Palestine to 
the Bed sea; its chief city was Petra, or "stone," 
the houses being mostly cut in the rocks. 3. Ara'bia 
Fe'lix, or "the happy," the southern part of the great 
peninsula ; a land of spices, fruits, and green pas- 
tures. Arabia was the home of Job, and the place of 
refuge of Moses and Elijah. 

A'ram — see Sybia. 

Ae'ahat, or "mountain of descent," in Armenia, 



62 BIBLE-KEADER'S HELP. 

consisting of two peaks, seven miles apart and one 
about 16,000 feet high. Its appearance at a distance 
is like a sugar-loaf, and its top is always covered with 
snow. 

Archan'gel, 1 Thess. 44 : 16, the highest order of 
angels, or the chief angel. 

Arctu'rus, Job 9 : 9, one of the principal stars, or 
clusters of stars, in the northern sky. 

Areop'agites, supreme judges in the city of Ath 
ens, who held a court of justice on a hill called Are* 
opagus. Acts 17 : 19, 34. 

A'riel, Isa. 29 : 1, a name which means "the lion 
of God," given to the city of Jerusalem. 

Arimath^'a, or Eama, that is, "eminence," a 
small town on a hill, in the tribe of Ephraim, north- 
west of Jerusalem. 

Ark of No' ah, Gen. 6, the vessel prepared by 
Noah, at the command of God, for the saving of him- 
self and family. It was at least four hundred and 
fifty feet long, seventy-five broad, and forty-five high; 
it had three or four stories besides the hold, and 
was not made to sail, but to float. 

Ark of the cov'enant, Exod. 25 : 10-16, a kind of 
chest or cabinet in which were kept the stone tables 
of the law, Aaron's rod, a pot of manna, etc. ; it was 
only three feet nine inches in length, and two feet 
three inches in width and height. 

Arm, the symbol of power or strength. Job 38 : 15 ; 
Psa. 10:15; Isa. 51:9. The arm was "stretched 
out" or "made bare" for energetic and free action, 
Exod. 6:6; Isa. 52 : 10 ; for which purpose, as the 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 63 

sleeves of an eastern robe hang loose and full, it is 
necessary to tuck them up, as well as to remove the 
outer robe. 

Akme'nia, that is, "high land," a large country 
east of Asia Minor, 430 miles broad and 300 long. It 
abounds in fine scenery, and is rich in pasture-lands ; 
the Wo great rivers Euphrates and Tigris have their 
rise in this land. 

Ae'non, a river flowing into the Dead sea, on the 
east. 

Ae'eows, symbols of disease or other afflictions sent 
from God. Deut. 32 : 23 ; Job 6:4; Psa. 38 : 2. 

Aetti/eeey, 1 Sam. 20 : 40, a bow and arrows, or 
any weapons of war. 

Aets, sleight of hand and pretended magical tricks. 
Acts 19 : 19. 

Ashes : "feeding on ashes " was emblematic of sore 
grief and fruitless hopes and labors. Psa. 102 : 9 ; 
Isa. 44 : 20. 

Ash'toeeth, .plural Ash'taeoth, Judg. 2:13, an 
idol of the city of Sidon, representing the moon ; 
called also "the queen of heaven." Jer. 7 : 18. 

A'sia, one of the four great divisions of the earth ; 
but in the New Testament the term refers only to the 
western part of the district now called Asia Minor or 
Lesser Asia, between the Black sea and the Mediter- 
ranean — now Turkey in Asia. 

As'kelon, a city about fifty miles west by south 
from Jerusalem. This once great city is now in ruins 
and without au inhabitant. 1 Sam. 6 : 17 ; Zech. 
9:5. 



64 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Asp, Job 20 : 14, 16, a small serpent of extremely 
deadly bite ; also called the "deaf adder," Psalm 
58:4. 

Ass, Gen. 22 : 3 ; in the early times of the Jews 
there were few horses in Judea, and the ass was used 
as the chief beast of burden. The nobles and judges 
of the land rode on "white asses." 

Assy'eia, one of the most famous countries of the 
old world. It had its name from Asshur, the second 
son of Shem, who settled here. At first it was only 
a few provinces on the east of the river Tigris ; but 
afterwards it included Mesopotamia and Babylonia. 
The glory and the overthrow of the empire of Assyria 
were foretold by Ezekiel 31. Its most noted city was 
Nineveh, on the east of the river Tigris. 

Aston 'ied, Dan. 5:9; astonished. 

Astboi/ogek, Dan. 1 : 20, a person who pretended 
to foretell future events by observing the planets and 
stars. 

Ath'ens, a city in the south-east part of Greece, 
renowned for its temples, warriors, orators, and learn- 
ed men. It attained to the highest state of refined 
manners ; but its people, with all their human wis- 
dom, were worshippers of a multitude of idols. 

Atone'ment, Rom. 5 : 11 : the English word is thus 
formed, at-one-ment, and refers to two persons who 
were enemies being made friends. In Scripture it 
relates to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
has made satisfaction for sin and reconciled us to 
God. The Hebrew word translated atonement means 
"covering," or the means whereby sin is covered. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 65 

The sins of believers are covered, taken away, and 
blotted out by the precious blood of Christ. 

Attent', 2 Chron. 6 : 40 ; attentive. 

Au'dience, Luke 7:1; hearing. 

Aught, any thing. 

Aven'ger of BLOOD, Num. 25 : 12, a title given to 
one who pursued a manslayer, to avenge the blood of 
a kinsman murdered. 

Ba' Aii, that is, ' ' lord, master ;" an idol was so called : 
the sun was probably worshipped under this name : 
people offered honor to it on the housetops. Jer. 
32 : 29. Baalim is the plural. 

Ba'al-bebith', or "lord of the covenant," Judg. 
9:4, an idol set up in the time of the Judges. 

Ba'ae-ze'bttb, or Beel'-zebub, that is, "lord of 
the fly," 2 Kings 1:2: worshipped as a protector 
against flies and gnats, which in the East are often 
very destructive. Satan is called Beel-zebub in Matt. 
12 : 24. 

Ba'bel, or "confusion," a lofty tower built on the 
plains of Shinar, about one hundred and twenty years 
after the flood. An immense heap of ruins, called 
Birs Nimroud, or Tower of Nimrod, is still to be seen, 
some six miles from the supposed site of Babylon. 
But evidence is lacking to prove its identity with the 
ancient Babel. Gen. 11 : 4, 5. 

Bab'yeon, the capital of Chaldea, on the Euphra- 
tes ; one of the most splendid cities of ancient times, 
being sixty miles round, and each side fifteen miles 
long. The walls had one hundred gates of brass, 

Bible-Reader's Help. 5 



66 BIBLE-HEADER'S HELP. 

were seventy-five feet thick, and three hundred ai%Q 
eighty high, and on them were two hundred and fifty 
towers. Its glory has long ago departed, for it is 
now a heap of ruins, according to the prophecy of 
Isaiah 13 and 14. In Kev. 14 : 8 ; 16 ; 17 ; and 18, 
the name denotes the idolatry, profligacy, and cru- 
elty of modern antichrist. 

Ba'ca, or "weeping," probably a dreary valley on 
the road to Jerusalem. Psa. 84 : 6. 

Bald 'ness, Isa. 3 : 24, supposed by the Jews to 
arise from a taint of leprosy, and looked upon as a 
great defect, and even treated with contempt ; thus 
Elisha was mocked for his baldness. 2 Kings 2 : 23. 

Balm, Gen. 37 : 25, the odorous gum of the balsam- 
tree, in early times much used for dressing wounds : 
the best sort was got from the mountains of Gilead. 
Jer. 8 : 22. It was commonly sold for twice its weight 
in silver. 

Barba'eian, Acts 28 : 4, a stranger, or foreigner : it 
does not always imply an ignorant or savage state. 

Bab'renness : to be childless was a grief and re- 
proach among Jewish women : and many of them . 
hoped the Messiah would be their own son or de- 
scendant. Gen. 30 : 1 ; Judg. 13 : 2 ; Isa. 54 : 1. 

B a' shan", a hilly country on the east side of the 
Jordan, famous for its stately oaks, rich pasture-lands, 
and fine cattle. 

Bath, Isa. 5 : 10, a Hebrew measure equal to seven 
and a half gallons. 

Bat'tlement, a balustrade around the fiat roof of 
a house. Deut, 22 : 8. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. G7 

Bat'tebing ram, Ezek. 4 : 2, a long beam of strong 
wood, one end shaped like a ram's head, used in war 
to break down the wa]ls of a city or fort. 

Bay-tbee, Psa. 37 : 35, supposed to be the laurel- 
tree. 

Bdei/liuh, Gen. 2 : 12, thought by some to be tho 
X^earl ; by others .to be a kind of gum. 

Bea'con, Isa. 30.: 17, a flag or pole set up on a 
height as a signal to. the people ; or a light placed on 
a coast to give notice of danger. 

Beard : a long, full, and flowing beard was prized 
and cherished in the East as the noblest mark of 
wisdom and manly excellence. 2 Sam. 10 : 4 ; Psa. 
133 : 2. 

Beast, Rev. 4:6; used in Scripture for any living 
creature but man. A serpent is so called, Gen. 3:1; 
a viper, Acts 28 : 5 ; and an eagle, Rev. 4:7; and 
wild animals in distinction from cattle, Gen. 1 : 25 ; 
Psa. 148 : 10. In Rev. 4:6, it might have been 
translated ''living creatures," to distinguish from 
the "beast" or antichrist mentioned in other chap- 
ters. 

Bed, Matt. 9:6: the eastern bed was mostly only . 
a broad, low, cushioned seat around the sides of a 
room, which served as a sofa by day and a resting- 
place at night. Rugs or thick quilts, which could be 
easily rolled up and carried, were the beds of the 
poor. 

Beee'-zebub — see Ba'ae-ze'bub. 

Beeb, frequent in Hebrew names — means a well. 

Be'eb-she'ba, or "the well of the oath," a town on' 



68 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

the southern border of Canaan, v> hich still retains its 
name, and possesses Wo wells of good water. Gen. 
21 : 31. Dan was at the northern border of Canaan. 
Judg. 21 : 1. 

Beeves, Lev. 22 : 19, the plural of beef ; oxen. 

Behe'moth, Job 4:0 : 15, generally considered to be 
the hippopotamus, or river-horse of Egypt ; a crea- 
ture of great strength, armed with strong teeth and 
tusks, and that can walk under the water on the bot- 
tom of a river, but feeds on the banks. 

Be'eah, Exod. 38 : 26, or half-shekel, in value rath- 
er more than one shilling and a penny English. 
Bel, Isa. 46 : 1, an idol ; the same as Baal. 

Be'lial, Judg. 19 : 22, signifies worthless. "Chil- 
dren of Belial," means disorderly and vile persons. 

Ben, in Hebrew names, means son. 

Beneeac'tobs, Luke 22 : 25, a title often given to 
an'cient kings, in flattery. 

Beb'yl, Exod. 28 : 20, one of the precious stones in 
the high-priest's breastplate, of a green color. 

Be'som, Isa. 14 : 23, a broom made of small twigs 
"or heath! God's judgments are called "the besom 
of destruction," denoting the ease with which he can 
sweep away the wicked from the earth. 

Bestead', Isaiah 8 : 21 ; hard bestead, means dis- 
tressed, in a bad condition. 

Beth, in Hebrew words, means house, or place. 

Beth' any, or "house of dates," a village less than 
two miles from Jerusalem, on the south side of the 



WOftDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. G9 

mount of Olives. At present it is only a small vil- 
lage of about twenty families. 

Beth'el, or "house of God," a border city of Ben- 
jamin, twelve miles north of Jerusalem. Its original 
name was Luz, but it was called Bethel by Jacob 
after his dream there. Gen. 28 : 19. It is now in 
ruins. 

Bethes'da, or "house of mercy," a fountain and 
•pool, enclosed for a bathing-house, at Jerusalem. 
John 5:2. It was not far from the temple, but 
whether on the north side, or at "the king's pool," 
far down in the Kidron valley, is uncertain. 

Beth'lehem, or "house of bread," the birthplace 
of David and of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is about 
six miles south-west of Jerusalem. It w T as called Beth- 
lehem-Judah, to distinguish it from another Bethle- 
hem in Zebulun. It was also called Ephratah, "the 
fruitful." Mi cah 5:2. It is a pleasant village on 
the brow of a ridge, from which there is a very fine 
prospect. 

Beth'phage, or "house of figs," a small village 
east of the mount of Olives, no trace of which is now 
to be found. 

Bethsai'da, or "the house of fishes," a town in 
Galilee, on the west side of the lake of Tiberias. 
There was another Bethsaida several miles north of 
the lake, a little north of Capernaum. Here it is 
supposed Peter, Andrew, and Philip were born. 

Bewitched', to be led astray by trick and jugglery, 
as were the people of Samaria, Acts 8 : 9, and the 
Galatians by false teachers, Gal. 3 : 1. 



70 BIBLE-HEADER'S HELP. 

Beweay', Matt. 26 : 73, that is, " betray," to show, 
to discover. 

Bieb, Lnke 7 : 14, tlie bed or frame on "which a 
dead body was carried to the grave. 

Birds of pbey, were "unclean," Lev. 11 : 13-19 ; 
and were emblems of destroying hosts, Jer. 12 : 9. 

Birth'eight, Gen. 25 : 31 ; the first-born among the 
Jews enjoyed a double portion of the father's prop- 
erty, was in particular devoted to the Lord, and was- 
head over his brethren. Deut. 21 : 17 ; Gen. 27 : 29. 

Bithyh'ia, a province of Asia Minor on the Black 
sea ; it contained many towns of note. A Christian 
church was early formed in this country. It is di- 
rectly opposite Constantinople. 

Bit'teen, a bird of the heron kind, that commonly 
lives alone, in a wild, marshy land. Babylon, once a 
great and busy city, is now frequented by this lonely 
bird, Isa. 14 : 23 ; al$o Nineveh, Zeph. 2 : 13, 14 ; and 
Idumea, Isa. 34 : 11. 

Blalns, Exod. 9 : 9, small blisters, or ulcers, cover- 
ing the skin, attended with a tormenting heat. 

Blaze, Mark 1 : 45, to make known, to publish. 

Bless'estg, invoking God's favor for one. Genesis 
24 : 60 ; 32 : 49. Bless'ing God, is giving him thanks 
and praise for food and other mercies. Psa. 103 : 1 ; 
1 Cor. 10 : 16. 

Blood, was held sacred as the very life of man, or 
of any animal. Lev. 17 ; Acts 15 : 29 ; 27 : 25 ; 1 John 
1 : 7. "Not of blood," John 1 : 13, means, not be- 
cause descended, from Abraham and his pious seed. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 71 

Boizled, Exod. 9 : 31. Flax, when advanced in 
growth, bears a little bell-shaped blossom ; hence the 
text, "the flax was belled," or "boiled." The crops 
were destroyed when nearly ready for the harvest. 

Books, Neh. 8 : 5, were generally sheets of parch- 
ment, joined together and rolled on a stick. Some- 
times books were made of an Egyptian reed called 
papyrus, from which we get the word paper. At 
other times leaves and the inner bark of trees were 
employed. 

Booth, a temporary hut* of boughs or reeds. Lam. 
2:6. 

Born again, born ebom above, born of God, re- 
newed in heart and soul, by the Holy Spirit, so as to 
be true children of God and like him in character. 
John 3 : 1-8. 

Bor'rowed, Exod. 12 : 35, means "asked to give," 
as a payment for their labor. 

Bo'som, John 13:23; a fold of the dress of the 
Jews was brought towards the bosom, in which they 
could easily carry various sorts of things, Psa. 35 : 13 ; 
Luke 6 : 38 ; hence our Lord is said to carry the 
lambs in his bosom, Isa. 40 : 11. The Jews used to 
recline on low couches at their meals, facing the ta- 
ble and leaning on their left elbows ; and one might 
readily lean his head on the bosom of a friend next 
above him. Luke 16 : 22 ; John 1 : 18 ; 13 : 23. 

Boss'es, Job 15 : 26, sharp points, like spear heads, 
on a shield. 

Botch, Deut. 28 : 27, a swelling or eruption of the 
skin, 



72 BIBLE-BEADER'S HELP. 

Bot'tle, Gen. 21 : 14 ; skins of slain animals, after 
being carefully dressed for the purpose, were used 
for holding any kind of liquor, and* are still some- 
times used in the East. A "bottle in the smoke" 
soon became worthless, Psalm 119 : 83. Matt. 9:17, 
means that men do not put new and fermenting wine 
into worn skin bottles, which would soon burst. 

Bow'els are often spoken in the same sense in 
which we speak of the heart, as the seat of the affec- 
tions : thus "bowels of mercies," "bowels of com- 
passion." Col. 3 : 12 ; 1 John 3 : 17. 

Branch, an offspring or descendant, Isaiah 11 : 1 ; 
Jer. 23 : 5 ; or a living member, John 15 : 5, 6. Fra- 
grant boughs were carried in honor of idols. Ezek. 
8 :17. 

Beass, Deut. 8:9; as brass is not an original met- 
al, it is supposed that copper is meant as being dug 
out of the hills. 

Bka'veey, Isa. 3 : 18, or finery ; the dress, whereof 
the Jewish females were proud. 

Beay, Prov. 27 : 22, to bruise, or break up into 
small pieces. The text is supposed to allude to the 
eastern punishment of bruising a criminal to death in 
a large mortar with a pestle. 

Bread, often means any kind of food. The Jews 
ground their wheat in hand-mills, and cooked it usu- 
ally in thin flat cakes ; hence the expression, "break- 
ing of bread." 

Bread cast on the waters, Eccl. 11 : 1 ; in some 
eastern lands the usual way of sowing rice is to cast 
it on the waters when a river overflows the land ; the 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 73 

seed sinks into the soil as the waters retire, and is 
softened and rendered very fruitful. The phrase is 
still used as a proverb. 

Breae/er, Mic. 2 : 13, an enemy. 

Breast' peate, Exod. 28 : 15, an ornamental part 
of the dress of the Jewish high-priest, which covered 
his breast, set with twelve precious stones, on each 
of which was engraved the name of one of the tribes 
of Israel. He wore it when he entered the Holy 
Place to ask counsel of God ; and in wearing it he 
was a type of Christ, the great High-priest, who 
bears the names of his people on his heart. 

Brig'andine, Jer. 46 : 4, a coat of mail-armor, some- 
times composed of iron rings, closely fitted together, 
or of small iron plates, placed like the scales of a fish. 
Something of the kind was formerly worn by French 
robbers, who were called "brigands." 

Brook : most of the brooks of Palestine run only 
in the rainy season, and most of the year their chan- 
nels are dry. Job 6 : 15-20. 

Bruit, Jer. 10 : 22, a report ; publishing aloud. 

Buck'lee, Job 15 : 26, a shield. 

Bui/rushes, tall reeds, of which boats were made 
in Egypt : the inner bark was used to make pa- 
per of. ? 

Bur'den, Isa. 19 : 1, a divine declaration, or proph- 
ecy, often of heavy judgments, the publishing of 
which was as a heavy burden on the heart of the 
X3rophet. 

Burn'ing, 2 Chron. 16 : 14 ; in ancient times the 
bodies of kings and others were often burned, the 



74 BIBLE-KEADEPv'S HELP. 

fires being made of spices and fragrant woods. The 
burning of arms was an emblem of peace. Psalm 
46 : 9 ; Ezek. 39 : 9. 

Buent-of'feeing, Lev. 1, a male ox or sheep, free- 
ly offered, the hand of the offerer being laid on the 
head of the victim, which victim was slain, its blood 
sprinkled about the altar, and the body wholly con- 
sumed by fire. It was an atonement for sin, and 
was a type of the death of Jesus Christ, whose blood 
was shed to take away sin. 

Buse'el, Matt. 5 : 15, nearly an English peck. 

But'lee, Gen. 40 : 1, or cup-bearer, a service of 
honor and trust. 

But'tee, generally, sour or curdled milk. 

Gas, 2 Kings 6 : 25, a dry measure equal to nearly 
three pints ; and a wine measure of three pints and a 
third. 

Cis'sAE, Luke 2 : 1, a royal title borne by many of 
the emperors of Borne. 

CiESAEE'A is the name of two cities. 1. C^ssaee'a 
Phieip'pi, in Galilee, which stood at the foot of 
mount Hermon, near the springs of the Jordan, and 
was so named in honor of Tiberius Cgesar. It is now 
a poor village of about one hundred and fifty houses. 
2. CiESAEE'A oe Palestine, or simply C^saee'a. It 
was on the sea-coast, about fifty miles north-west of 
Jerusalem, and is the city mentioned throughout the 
Acts of the Apostles. It was the capital of Judea 
during the reigns of Herod the Great and Herod 
Agrippa. It is now a heap of ruins. 

Cai/amus, Exod. 80 : 23, a reed which grows to the 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 75 

height of Wo feet, is of a sweet taste, and is called in 
Jer. 6 :20, the " sweet cane." 

Calk'eb, Ezek. 27 : 27, a person engaged in ship- 
building, to fill up the seams of the timber. 

Cat/ vary, or Goi/gotha, the " place of a skull," 
so called either from its resemblance to a man's head, 
or because it was the place where prisoners were be- 
headed. It was outside of the walls of Jerusalem ; 
but on which side, is uncertain. 

Cam'ee, Gen. 12 : 16 : there are two species of this 
animal, one having two humps on its back, and. the 
Arabian kind with a single hump ; this last is also 
called the swift camel or dromedary. They are well 
suited for desert life, being able to travel through a 
sandy soil with ease, and to endure hunger and 
thirst. " Camel passing through a needle's eye," 
Matt. 19 : 24, is a proverb, still in use among the. 
Arabs, and denotes something that is beyond human 
power. " Strain at (out) a gnat, and swallow a cam- 
el," Matt. 23:24, is another proverb, exposing the 
folly of those who attend to lesser things in religion 
while they are unmerciful and unholy. 

Cam'phtre, Song 1 : 14 ; not camphor, but the cyr 
press-flower, a shrub whose flowers hang in clusters 
like the lilac. It is pleasant to the smell. In the 
East it is called henna, and is used as a dye. 

Ca'na, a small town in Galilee. Peculiar stone 
svaterpots, probably like those used in the days of 
our- Lord, John 2 : 6, are now to be seen in the mod- 
ern town on this spot. 

Ca'naan, was about one hundred and eighty miles 



76 BIBLE-READEB'S HELP. 

in length, and the average breadth was sixty-five 
miles. This land has been known at different times 
by several names. 1. Land of Canaan, because it 
was first settled by Canaan, the grandson of Noah. 

2. Land of Pkomise, on account of the promise made 
to Abraham that it should be given to his offspring, 

3. Land of Israel, as it was inhabited by the de- 
scendants of Jacob, who received from the Angel the 
name of Israel, or "a prince that prevails with God." 

4. Land of Judah, from the name of the chief of 
the twelve tribes. 5. The Holy Land, because it 
was chosen by God as the country in which his true , 
worship should be preserved, and in which his pres- 
ence should be seen. 6. Pal'estene, a very old name, 
Exod. 15 : 14. It is the Greek name for Philistia, or 
the land of the Philistines. 

For many years the whole land was united under 
one government ; each of the twelve tribes had its 
own portion given by lot, in which it dwelt apart 
from the others, but all made one nation under one 
ruler. Shortly after the death of king Solomon this 
union was broken, and the land was divided into 
Wo kingdoms. 1. The kingdom of, Judah, which 
lay to the south, taking in the two tribes of Judah 
and Benjamin. 2. The kingdom of Iseael, or the 
ten tribes w T hich revolted from the house of David. 
Sometimes this last was called E'pheaim, from its 
chief tribe ; also Sama'eia, from its chief city. 

In the time of our Saviour the land was divided 
into several provinces, under the power of the Ro- 
mans. On the west side of the Jordan, the northern 
part, as far down as the lower end of the sea of Gen- 



WOBDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 77 

nesaretli, was called Gai/elee. It was a fruitful dis- 
trict. When our Lord Jesus Christ was on the earth 
it enjoyed his presence more than any other part ; 
hence he was called a Galilean, and his disciples 
"nien of Galilee. " The upper portion of this land 
was called Galilee oe the Gentiles, because it bor- 
dered on the heathen country Syria. 

South of Galilee lay Sama'kia, so called from the 
city of that name. It included the lower part of 
what had once been the kingdom of Israel, or the 
ten tribes. The origin of the name, and of the city 
to which it was first given, is related in 1 Kings 
16 : 24 

South of Samaria was the country of Jude'a. Any 
person coming directly from Galilee to Judea, "must 
needs go through Samaria," John 4 : 2, because it lay 
just between the two. In the days of our Lord this 
name seems to have been often used for the whole 
land of Palestine. 

Whatever the land of Canaan be now, when it lies 
under a curse, it was once a beautiful and fertile 
country. The Jordan running southward through 
it, with its brooks and streams crossing the land on 
all sides, together with a multitude of valleys and 
hills, made it a "pleasant land," "a goodly heritage." 
The rich pastures produced large quantities of milk 
and honey. The tilled ground is supposed to have 
amounted to about three millions of acres, producing 
the richest crops ; and the mines of the mountains 
yielded plenty of iron and copper. In the reign of 
David, the land contained five millions of people. A 
small number of Jews, in great poverty, now dwell in 



78 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

it, with many Turks and Arabs, and it is but little 
cultivated. See the map. 

Oan'ble, Jer. 25 : 10, or rather lamp, an emblem 
of prosperity, Job 18 : 6. Even the poor, in Egypt 
and elsewhere in the East, will keep a light burning 
all night. Job 21 : 10 ; 29 : 3 ; Jer. 25 : 10. 

Can'dlestick, Exod. 25 : 31 ; the golden candle- 
stick in the temple supported seven lamps, which 
were supplied daily with the purest olive oil. 

Can'kebwosm, Joel 1*:4; either the caterpillar oi 
the locust. See Locust. 

Capeb'natjm, a city on the north-west shore of the 
sea of Galilee, to which our Saviour often resorted, 
so that it is called "his own city," Matt. 9 :1. There 
he performed some of his most wonderful miracles, 
and on it pronounced a heavy doom, because its in- 
habitants believed not on him, Matt. 11 : 23. 

Cappado'cta, a province in the eastern part of 
Asia Minor. The country is mountainous and xoro- 
ductive. Christianity was early introduced into the 
land. 

Oap'tain oe the Tem'pee, Acts 4:1; either the 
captain of the Roman garrison stationed near the 
temple, or the chief of the priests who kept guard 
within it. 

Car'btjncle, Exod. 28 : 17, a precious stone of a 
deep red color, in Aaron's breastplate, supposed to 
be what we call the garnet ; but some think that a 
green stone, the emerald, is meant. 

Car'mee, or "fruitful field," a range of hills be- 
tween Samaria and Galilee, ending in a cape known 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. . 79 

as mount Carmel, which is twelve hundred feet high, 
and overhangs the Mediterranean sea. These hills 
are very fruitful ; hence we read of the " excellency of 
Carmel." 

Cab'eiages, Acts 21 : 15, baggage or goods, any 
thing which is carried. David "left his carriage," 
1 Sam. 17 : 22, that is, the provision of loaves and 
cheese he was carrying to his brethren. 

Cas'sia, Psa. 45 : 8, a tree which grows to fifty feet 
high ; the bark is very fragrant, and the seeds are 
used in medicine and perfume. 

Cast ye up ; a cry still made by the pioneers who 
level and clear the road before an eastern king. Isa. 
57 : 14 

Cas'tor and Poi/ltjx, Acts 28 : 11, said by the 
heathen Bomans to have been twin brothers, sons of 
the god Jupiter, and patrons of sailors ; hence their 
images were on the bow of the ship in which Paul 
sailed. 

Cxiuii, Hos. 13 : 8, a vessel composed of membranes 
or fleshy fibres, which incloses the human heart. 
Also, Isa. 3 : 18, a rich network, worn on the head by 
Jewish females, inclosing the hair. 

Cause'way, 1 Chron. 26 : 16, a highway or path, 
commonly paved with stones and gravel. 

Ce'dab, Psa. 80 : 10, a tree of gTeat beauty, reach- 
ing nearly one hundred feet in height, with long 
horizontal branches and a cone-like top. Its wood is 
of a bitter taste, which tends to preserve it from in- 
sects. It was much used by Solomon in building the 
temple and his palace. Among the four or five Iran- 



80 BIBLE-EEADER'S HELP. 

dred cedars now on mount Lebanon, are a few per- 
haps two thousand years old. 

Ce'deon — see Kxd'bon. 

Cen'seb, Lev. 10 :1, a vessel or cup in which the 
Jewish priests placed fire and incense. 

Cexttt'eion, Matt. 8 : 5, a Roman military officer, 
in command of a hundred soldiers. The rank was 
equal to that of a captain in modern armies. 

Chal'cedony, Bev. 21 : 19, a stone of a whitish 
color, tinted with red and purple. 

Chalde'a, a country on the Euphrates, of which 
Babylon was the capitaL 

Cham'bebeain, in charge of a king's lodgings and 
wardrobe, 2 Kings 23 : 11. In eastern courts, an eu- 
nuch, Esther 1 : 10. In Eom. 16 : 23, the city treas- 
urer. 

Cha^ie'leox, Lev. 11 : 30, an animal of the lizard 
kind, reckoned by the Jews among unclean animals. 

Cham'ois, Deut. 14 : 5. a species of mountain goat. 

Champaign', Deut. 11 : 30, a level, open country. 

Chap'itee, 1 Kings 7 : 16, ornaments placed on the 
tops of pillars and walls. We now call the top or 
ornamental part of a column the " capital." 

Chap'men, 2 Chron. 9 : 14, traders or dealers, 

Char' gee, Matt. 14 : 8, a large dish. The princes 
of Israel, at the dedication of the tabernacle, present- 
ed each a silver charger or dish, Xiini. 7. 

Chaem'eb, Psa. 58 : 5 ; it is still a practice in the 
East to tame serpents, and to charm or influence 
them by sounds of music. 



W011DS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 81 

Chah'iots of ikon, tliat is, with iron scythes pro- 
jecting from the axles. Josh. 17 : 16, 18 ; Judg. 1 : 19. 

Chab'ity, 1 Cor. 13, love, a word of wider mean- 
ing than mere benevolence to the poor ; it expresses 
that disposition of heart which inclines us to think 
favorably of our fellow-men, and to seek their good, 
and includes supreme love to God. 

Che'bab, a river of northern Mesopotamia, run- 
ning southerly into the Euphrates. Ezek. 1 : 3. 

Chem'abim, idolatrous priests, worshippers of the 
sun and fire. 2 Kings 23 : 5 ; Hosea 10 : 5 ; Zeph. 
1:4 

Che'mosh, Num. 21 : 29, the name of a gross idol 
of the Moabites and Ammonites. 2 Kings 23 : 13. 

Cheb'ethites, 2 Sam. 8 : 18, a part of the body- 
guard of David ; the word has been translated 
"archers." Also Philistines, 1 Sam. 30 : 14 

Cheb'ub, plural Cheb'ubim, Gen. 3 : 24, symboli- 
cal representations, or an order of angels especially 
near to God, but of whose nature and employments 
God has not thought necessary fully to inform us, 
Ezek. 9:3; 41 : 18. The winged figures placed over 
the ark of the covenant were also called cherubim, 
Exod. 25 : 19. 

Child, sometimes a youth, or grown up lad. Gen. 
21 : 14 ; 2 Kings 2 : 24 

Chi'xjm, Amos 5 : 26, an idol worshipped by the 
Jews, probably Beinphan (Saturn) of the Egyptian!', 

Chode, Gen. 31 : 36, disputed in anger. 

Choi/eb, Dan. 8 : 7, a great rage. 

Bible-Keader's Help. Q 



82 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Chora'zin, on the west coast of the sea of Galilee, 
Matt. 11 : 21. 

Christ, the official title of our blessed Saviour, 
meaning "anointed," the same as Messiah in the He- 
brew, Matt. 2:4; 16 : 16 ; John 1 : 41. It was usual 
to anoint or consecrate priests and kings, and some 
times prophets. 

Certs' olite, Key. 21 : 20, a gem of a golden color, 
mixed with green ; perhaps the topaz. 

Chrysop'rasus, Kev. 21 : 20, a precious stone of a 
pale green color, like the emerald. 

Church, an assembly, Acts 19 : 32, 39 ; in the New 
Testament a congregation of worshippers, usually 
Christians. Acts 11 : 26 ; 7 : 38 ; 1 Cor. 6 : 4. 

Churl, Isa. 32 : 5, a rude person, or a miser. ' 

Cmic'iA, a province in the south-eastern part of Asia 
Minor. Anciently its eastern part was called "Cili- 
cia the level, " and its western part " Cilicia the rough. "' 
Its capital was Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul, Acts 
21 : 39. 

Ctn'namon, Exod. 30 : 23, a spice used in making 
the holy ointment. The cinnamon-tree, the inner 
bark of which is used, grows in India and China, 
but the best kind is from Malabar and Ceylon. 

Circumcts'ion, Gen. 17 : 23, a Jewish rite, ordained 
by God as a token of the covenant into which he was 
pleased to enter with Abraham and his ancient peo- 
ple. All Jewish boys were circumcise d when eight 
days old. Exod. 12 : 44 ; John 7 : 22. 

Cis' terns : " broken cisterns" were a sore disap- 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 83 

pointinent to thirsty travellers, Jer. 2 : 13. In Eccles. 
12 : 6, cistern may mean the heart. 

Clay to the seal, Job 38 : 14 : clay bricks before 
they were burned were often stamped with a seal ; 
also it was a custom in Egypt to place a lump of clay 
on the lock of a closed granary, which was stamped 
with a seal, so that the door could not be opened 
without breaking it. 

Clean : animals and men were clean or .unclean 
according to the ceremonial law, which harmonized 
with nature and the laws of health. Lev. 11 to 15 ; 
Num. 19 ; Deut. 14. See also Acts 10 : 9-16. 

Cleets, Jer. 49 : 16 : the houses of Petra, the capi- 
tal of Idumea, were cut out of the rocks. 

Clos'et ; a small room, a place for devotion, was a 
part of many Jewish houses, Matt. 6 : 6. 

Clouds, symbols of armies, Isa. 60 : 8. They often 
betokened the presence of Jehovah. Exod. 19 : 9 ; 
40 : 34 ; Matt. 24 : 30. 

Clout'ed, Josh. 9 : 5, patched. Clouts, pieces of 
old garments, Jer. 38 : 11. 

Clo'ven, Acts 2:3, separated, divided; " cloven 
tongues," like two separate pointed flames. 

Coal, charcoal. My coal, my only posterity. 
2 Sam. 14 : 7. 

Coasts, Matt. 15 : 21, villages or country places, 
whether on the seashore or not. 

Coat, John 21 : 7, the inner garment or tunic, com- 
monly made of linen, with sleeves, and often woven 
without seams, as was our Lord's coat, John 19 : 23. 
The outer garment, a loose robe, was called a cloak. 



84 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Cock'atrice, Isa. 14 : 29, by some thought to be 
tlie viper, one of the deadliest of the serpent tribe. 

Cook' -crowing, about three in the morning. Matt. 
26 : 34 ; Mark 13 : 35. 

Cock'le, Job 31 : 40, a weed which grows among 
wheat, like the New Testament "tares." The wont 
may also refer to any wild plant. 

Cogita'tion, Daniel 7 : 28, meditation, careful 
thought. 

Coii'LOPS, Job 15 : 27, slices, or large pieces. " Col- 
lops of fat," denotes great prosperity and luxury. 

Colos'se, a city of Phrygia, in Asia Minor. A 
Christian church was formed here at an early period, 
to which Paul addressed an epistle ; but about the 
year 65 the. city was destroyed, or greatly injured by 
an earthquake. 

Com'eorteb : advocate or intercessor, John 14 : 16. 

Com'eobtless, literally "orx>hans," John 14 : 18. 

Coming- of the Son oe man, sometimes for the de- 
struction of Jerusalem, but usually at the end of the 
world and the final judgment. Matt. 24 : 27 ; Mark 
13 : 26. 

Compel thee to go a mile, as porter or courier, 
as eastern rulers often did, Matt. 5 : 41. 

Concis'ion, Phil. 3 : 2, a name given to corrupt 
teachers who insisted on the rite of circumcision. 

Con'cubine, in the Old Testament usually a lawful 
wife, but of secondary rank and privileges. Gen. 22 : 4. 

Concu'piscence, Bom. 7 : 8, sinful desire, deprav- 
ity of nature, from which actual sin proceeds. 



WOBDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 85 

Con'duit, 2 Kings 18 : 17, a channel for the con- 
veyance of water. 

Co'ney, Psa. 104 : 18, the Syrian Hyrax, a small 
animal, like the Alpine marmot, with long hair, very 
short tail, round ears, and very timid : it was forbid- 
den to be used for food by the laws of Moses. 

Constelea'tion, Isa. 13 : 10, a cluster of stars. 

Con'tkite, Psa. 34 : 18, bruised, broken ; applied 
to a heart humbled and penitent under a sense of 
sin. 

Conveesa'tion, Gai. 1 : 13, the general course of 
behavior ; a man's actions, as well as his speech. In 
Phil. 3 : 20, it means citizenship. 

Coe, Ezek. 45 : 14, a liquid measure of seventy-five 
gallons and a half, the same as the homer. 

Coe'ban, Mark 7 : 11, a gift to religious purposes. 
Many of the Jews excused themselves from support- 
ing their needy parents because they had devoted 
their property to God, and made it "corban." Our 
Lord rebuked them for their conduct, declaring that 
" through their traditions" they "made void the 
law 5 ' of honoring their parents. 

Coe'esth, a populous and wealthy city in Greece. 
It was called "the glory and ornament of all Greece," 
but was sunk in the lowest state of vice and sin. A 
few of the ruins now remain. 

Coeian'dee, Num. 11 : 7, a plant bearing small 
round seeds, used in cookery in the East. 

Coe'moeant, Lev. 11 : 17, a water bird of the size 
of a goose, noted for its quickness in catching fish. 
In Isa. 34 : 11 and Zeph. 2 : 14 it means the pelican. 



S6 BIBLE-READEB'S HELP. 

Coen, in tlie Bible, means grain of all kinds, not 
Indian corn. 

Cor'ner-stone, the principal stone in the founda- 
tion of a building. Jer. 51 : 26 ; Eph. 2 : 20. 

Cor'net, Dan. 3 : 5, a kind of curved horn, sound- 
ed with the breath, and differing in tone according 
to its size. 

Cote, 2 Chron. 32 : 28, a small habitation or covered 
place to dwell in : huts to shelter sheep from wild 
beasts and storms. 

Cot'tage, a slight hut, to shelter a watchman, Isa. 
1:8. 

Coui/ter, 1 Sam. 13 : 20, a ploughshare, the part 
of the plough which cuts the ground. 

Coun'ctl, John 11 : 47, the Sanhedrim, a Jewish 
assembly of seventy-two priests and scribes, over 
whom the high-priest presided ; it regulated the 
affairs of the nation, and before the Jews were sub- 
ject to the Romans, it had power of life and death. 
Matt. 5 : 22. 

Coup'lings, 2 Chron. 34 : 11, rafters. 

Cour'ses, 2 Chron. 8 : 14, the order in which the 
priests served at the altar. 

Court, the area in the centre of an eastern house, . 
usually open to the sky, surrounded by the rooms, 
2 Sam. 17 : 18. In the temple, several open spaces 
within the outer walls, the larger courts surrounding 
the inner ones around the Holy Place. The outer 
court, the Court of the Gentiles, was open to all ; the 
innermost, the Court of the Priests, was for the sacred 
ministers only. Next to this was the Court of tlie 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 87 

Women ; and around both, the Court of the Israel- 
ites. 

Cov'enant, an agreement between two parties, 
Gen. 21 : 27-32. God's covenants with men are usu- 
ally ratified by a sacrifice — a memorial of our sin and 
redemption, Gen. 15 : 1-18 ; Heb. 9 : 6. "The first 
covenant" was with Abraham and his seed; "the 
second covenant " in Christ embraces all his redeemed 
people, Heb. 8 : 6-13 ; 9 : 15-28. . As salt has the 
power of preserving from corruption, so a "covenant 
of salt" made by Wo parties — salt being generally 
eaten with the sacrifice — was one that was not to be 
broken, Num. 18 : 19. 

Crack' nees, 1 Kings 14 : 2, 3, a brittle passover 
cake. 

Craft, trade or occupation, Acts 18 : 3. Jewish 
boys, even of rich parents, had to learn some use- 
ful craft. 

Crete, a large island in the Mediterranean, south- 
east of Greece ; now called Candia. 

Crisp'ing pins, Isa. 3 : 22 ; it is uncertain whether 
curling irons or clasps for the hair are meant. 

Cru'ctey, Matt, 20 : 19 : the Romans put the vilest 
prisoners to death by nailing them to a cross of wood, 
on which they were left to linger till they died. Ifc 
wns an accursed and shameful death, Gal. 3 : 13, and 
was attended with the greatest suffering. By this 
painful and accursed death the Son of God offered 
up himself as a sacrifice for sin, Gal. 4 : 14. 

Cruse, 1 Kings 17 : 12, usually a small globular 
vessel with a narrow neck, but sometimes like a sau- 



88 BIBLE- READER'S HELP 

cer, 2 Kings 2 : 20, for holding liquids, generally made 
of earthenware. 

Cu'bit, Matt. 6 : 27, the measure of half a yard, or 
the length of a mams arm from the elbow to the tip 
of the middle finger. 

Cum'min, Matt. 23 : 23, a plant like fennel, the 
seeds of which are of an aromatic and oily nature. 

Cun'ning, 1 Sam. 18 : 16, skilful, clever, wise. 

Cup : this word is often used as a figure of speech : 
thus, "My cup runneth over," Psa. 23 :5, signifies an 
abundance of mercies; "cup of trembling," Isaiah 
51 : 17, means fearful judgments ; the "cup of salva- 
tion" and "cup of blessing," Psalm 118 : 13 .; 1 Cor. 
10 : 18, refer to a custom of the Jews : the master of 
a feast, at its close, took a cup of wine, blessed God 
for salvation and all other mercies, and having drunk, 
passed the cup round for all to partake of it. 

Cup'beabeb, Neh. 1 : 11, an office of much honor 
and trust in the court of a king. 

Curse, to devote to destruction, sometimes by the 
pretended power of magic and false gods, Numbers 
22 : 6. To curse a day was to mark it as unfortunate, 
Job 3 : 8. 

Cxjs'tom, Matt. 9 : 9, tribute. In Acts 16 : 21, a re- 
ligious rite. 

Cut off, from church and social privileges, Exod. 
12 : 15. 

Cym'bals, 2 Sam. 6 : 5, hollow vessels of brass, 
which being struck against each other, make a loud, 
shrill noise. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 89 

Cy'peess, Isaiah 44 : 14, a well-known tree, much 
used by the ancient heathen for making their idol 
gods. 

Cy'pkus, a large island in the north-east part of the 
Mediterranean. 

Cyee'ne, a city and £>rovince of Libya, on the 
Mediterranean, west of Egypt. Acts 13 : 1. 

Da'gon, 1 Sam. 5 : 2, the fish-god of the Philistines ; 
the idol had the head, face, and hands of a man, and 
the body of a fish. 

Daemanu'tha — see Mag'eaea. 

Da^ias'cus, a city of Syria east of mount Lebanon, 
perhaps the oldest one in the world. It is mentioned 
in Gen. 15 : 2. One of the streets, a mile in length, 
is still, as in the days of Paul, called "Straight," 
Aets 9 : 11. The country around is very beautiful. 

Damna'tion, 1 Cor. 11 : 29, "condemnation." 
Dan — see Beee-sheba. 

Day, Lev. 23 : 32 : the Jews reckoned a day from 
sunset of one evening to sunset of the next evening. 
A "day's journey," Jonah 3 : 4, was about fifteen or 
twenty miles. A " sabbath day's journey," Acts 1 : 12, 
was not more than about three-quarters of a mile. 
A j)i'ophetic day often means a year, Ezekiel 4:6; 
Dan. 7 : 25 ; Kev. 11 : 2, 3. 

Days'man, Job 9 : 33, a mediator, one who settles 
a quarrel between two parties. Jesus is the Days- 
man or Mediator between God and guilty men ; 
through him all that believe are restored to the divine 
favor, and become children of God. 



90 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Day'speing, Job 38 : 12, the sunrise, or first ben ma 
of light in the morning. 

Dead sea, called also the Sea of the Plain ; the 
Salt sea ; and in Ezek 47 : 18, the East sea ; also 
the Sea of Sodom. It is confined by rugged moun- 
tains on all sides, except on the north, where it re- 
ceives the waters of the river Jordan. It is over forty 
miles in length, and eight or nine in breadth. No 
living thing is found in its salt waters, and its bor- 
ders are gloomy and solitary. It is believed that the 
four cities of the plain, which were destroyed in the 
days of Lot, were covered with the waters of this 
sea, at its southern end. 

Deal, Exod. 29 : 40, a part or a portion. 

Decap'olis, the "ten cities." These were near 
the sea of Galilee, most of them east of the Jordan, 
and are supposed to have been principally inhabited 
by Gentiles. Great numbers of their inhabitants 
came to hear the Saviour teach, Matt. 4 : 25. 

Deem, Acts 27 : 27, to think, to judge. 
. Delect able, Isa. 44 : 9, delightful, precious. 

Del'icates, Jer. 51 : 34, niceties, luxuries. 

Des'eet, Luke 1 : 80, often means a thinly inhabit- 
ed part of the country. 

Dissolve', Dan. 5 : 12, to explain, to make clear. 

Dian'a, Acts 19 : 28, an idol goddess of the Greeks 
and Romans. The temple of Diana at EjDhesus was 
two hundred years in building, and was famous for 
its great w T ealth. 

Dispensation, 1 Cor. 9 : 17, means stewardship. 



WOKDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 91 

Dispeesed', John 7 : 35, a term applied to the Jews, 
who were scattered abroad in different lands. 

Dis'taff, Prov. 31 : 19, an instrument formerly 
much used in spinning. 

Diyina'tion, Acts 16 : 16, the searching out and 
bringing to light hidden things : applied to the arts 
of magicians, witches, and others, who pretended to 
teach future events. 

Divine', Gen. 44 : 15, to discover. 

Divtn'eks, Jer. 27 : 9, a class of men who pretend- 
ed to foretell events by observing the flight of birds, 
the shooting of arrows, the hues on the palm of the 
hand, the motion of water or fire, and many other 
methods. 

Doc'tok, Luke 2 : 46, a learned teacher. 

Doves, were offered in sacrifice in the temple, and 
its courts were profaned by sellers of doves. Lev. 
14 : 22 ; Matt. 21 : 12. 

Dove's dung, 2 Kings 6 : 25, supposed by some to 
be a sort of pea, so called because it resembled the 
dung of doves ; such is still sold in eastern markets 
for food. 

Dkag'ons, Isa. 13 : 22, supposed to mean large ser- 
pents ; but in Ezek. 29 : 3, it refers to the crocodile. 
In Rev. 12 : 9, Satan is meant. 

Deink'-ofeeeing, Num. 15 : 5, a little wine, parfc of 
which was poured on the beast sacrificed, and the 
rest given to the priests. 

Duke, Gen. 36 : 15, a chief or sheikh. 

Dui/ctmee, Daniel 3 : 5, a sort of bagpipe. The 



92 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

dulcimer of the present day is a stringed instru- 
ment. 

Dung, Ezekiel 4 : 12 : the dried dung of camels, 
asses, etc., is still used as fuel in the East, where 
wood is scarce. 

Ear, 1 Sam. 8 : 12, to plough ; earing, Gen. 45 : 6, 
ploughing. Earth was formerly spelt eae-eth, that 
is, ploughed land. 

Ear'nest, 2 Cor. 1 : 22, a part given in pledge of 
more to come. In a spiritual sense, it denotes those 
blessings which a believer receives on earth as a 
pledge of perfect happiness in heaven. 

East'er, Acts 12 : 4, more properly Passover. 

E'bal and Ger'izim, Wo hills in Samaria, between 
which Shechem lay, and from the sides of which the 
curses and blessings were pronounced by the priests, 
Deut. 27. On Gerizim the Samaritans afterwards 
built a temple, where they sometimes professed to 
worship the true God, and sometimes the gods of the 
heathen, 2 Kings 17 : 24-33. 

E'den, or "pleasure," as the word signifies, was the 
name of a province, where was placed the garden in 
which the first parents of our race had their home. 
It is vain to attempt to point out its position after so 
many changes in the earth's surface. It is thought 
that it was in the country now called Armenia. 

E'dom, or Idume'a, the country of the Edomites. 
It lay on the south and south-east of the tribe of 
Judah. It was full of mountains, and was often called 
mount Seir. Anciently Idumea was a land of corn 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 93 

and wine ; but for many ages past it has been com- 
paratively a desert. 

E'gypt, whose early name was Miz'raim, from the 
second son of Ham, Gen. 10 : 6, is still called by the 
Arabs Miz'ee. It is also named Ra'hab by the 
psalmist. An extended valley runs through it, in 
which is the river Nile. It was a land of plenty ; and 
Abram was compelled to resort there when "famine 
was grievous in the land" of Canaan. Formerly one 
of the greatest kingdoms in the world, Egypt has 
been for many ages "the basest of the kingdoms," as 
it was foretold it should be, Ezek. 29 : 15. 

E'lam, the eldest son of Shem, gave name to and 
peopled the land afterwards called Elam. The Elam- 
ites are the same as the Persians. 

Embalm 'ing, Gen. 1 : 26, a mode of preserving a 
dead body, by fliling parts of it with spices and 
drugs, anointing it with oil of cinnamon, etc., putting 
it in nitre for forty days, and then wrapping it in 
folds of linen. 

Em'eeaed, Exod. 28 : 18 ; a precious stone of a green 
color is so called by us, but some other brilliant stone 
may be meant. 

Em'eeods, 1 Sam. 5 : 6, a painful disease, supposed 
to have been what is now called the piles. 

Enchant'ments, muttered spells, and deceitful arts 
and charms, by which men pretended to do wonders 
with the aid of evil spirits. Exod. chaps. 7-9 ; Lev. 
19 : 26, 31. 

Ensam'pee, Phil. 3 : 17 5 example. 

En 'sign, a signal, standard, or banner, 



94 BIBLE-REAPER'S HELP. 

Ensue', 1 Pet. 3 : 11, to follow after, to seek. 

Entkeat', Acts 27 : 3, to entertain. 

E'phah, Lev. 19 : 36, a dry measure of about three 
pecks and three pints. 

Eph'esus, a city in Asia Minor, famous for a mag- 
nificent temple to the goddess Diana. It was the 
seat of one of the seven churches of Asia spoken of 
in Rev. 2, in which its virtues are commended, its 
sins pointed out, and its fate foretold, unless it should 
repent. The sentence has been fulfilled ; its candle- 
stick — its religious privileges and glory — has been 
removed out of its place. 

Eph'od, Exod. 28 : 6, a long ornamental outer robe 
of the Jewish priests, without sleeves, and open from 
under the arms to the bottom, worn with a girdle. 

E'phbaim — see Ca'naan. 

Epicube'ans, Acts 17 : 18, a Greek sect who taught 
that the soul dies with the body, that there is no 
future state of rewards and punishments, and that 
pleasure is the chief good. 

Eschew', Job 1 : 1 ; 1 Pet. 3 : 11, to avoid. 

Esdeae'eon — see Jez'eeee. 

Esh'coe, which means "a bunch of grapes," a fruit- 
ful valley in the south part of the tribe of Judah. Jt 
probably derived its name from the large cluster of 
grapes which Caleb and Joshua brought from thence 
when they spied the land. 

E'tham, a desert near the western arm of the Red 
sea, Exod. 13 : 20. 

Ethio'pia, in the Hebrew, Cusn. In the Bible it 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 95 

sometimes refers to Southern Arabia, as in Exodus 
2 : 16 ; Num. 12 : 1, or to a region east of the mouth 
of the Tigris, Genesis 2 : 13 ; Zeph. 3 : 10. More fre- 
quently, however, the reference is to the African 
Ethiopia, which answered in general to the countries 
now known as Nubia and Abyssinia, Isa. 18 : 1. 

Eu'nuch, an officer who attended on ladies of rank ; 
also a chamberlain or officer of a royal court, Esther 
1 : 10. The eunuchs mentioned in Matt. 19 : 12, were 
men who abstained from marriage in order to serve 
God more efficiently, 1 Cor. 7 : 25-27. 

Euphea'tes, Gen'. 2 : 14, a famous river rising in 
Armenia, separating Syria and Arabia from Mesopo- 
tamia, uniting with the Tigris, and emptying into 
the Persian gulf ; its length is fifteen hundred miles. 
It is also called "the great river," Deut. 1:7; 1 
Kings 4 : 21 ; 2 Chron. 9 : 26. 

Eueoc'lydon, Acts 27 : 14, a fierce and dangerous 
wind, blowing probably from the east north-east. 

Evan'geust, Eph. 4 : 11, a preacher of good tid- 
ings, either by word or by writing. To evangelize is, 
to spread the gospel — the best of news. 

Evm : "the evil" sometimes means the evil one, or 
Satan, "xin evil eye" denotes a covetous and grudg- 
ing spirit. 

Exchan'gees, Matt. 25 : 27, changers cf money, 
bankers. See Money- changees. 

Exoe' cists, in Acts 19 : 13, strolling Jews, who pre- 
tended to charm away diseases and evil spirits. 

Eye to eye, Isaiah 52 : 8, with glances expressing 
lu^e and harmony. In 2 Kings 9 : 30 ; Pro v. 6 : 25 ; 



96 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Jer. 4 : 30 ; Ezek. 23 : 40, the eastern custom is allud- 
ed to of ladies' coloring the edge of the eyelids with a 
sort of lampblack or lead ore. 

Face, 2 Kings 9 : 30, that is, the eye. See Eye. 

Fa' bees, 1 Tim. 4 : 7, silly legends of the heathen, 
or frivolous traditions of the Jews. 

Faith'etjl, often means believing or truthful, Gal. 
3 : 9 ; Col. 4 : 9. 

Famh/iar spirits, Isa. 8 : 19, by which necroman- 
cers and ventriloquists pretended to have intercourse 
with the unseen world. 

Fan, Isa. 30 : 24, a large wooden fork, with several 
prongs and a handle four feet long, by which grain 
was tossed into the air, so that the charY might be 
blown away by the wind. 

Far' thing, the English name given to two small 
copper coins used in Christ's time : one, the kodr an- 
tes, Matt. 5 : 26, was worth perhaps two-fifths of a 
cent ; the other, the assarion, Matt. 10 : 29, was one- 
tenth of the "penny," and was worth about a cent 
and a half. 

Fat, in Psa. 22 : 29, rich ; in 119 : 70, gross and stu- 
pid. Wine-fat, pbess-eat or vat, Joel 2 : 24 ; Hag. 
2 : 16 ; Mark 12 : 1, a large vessel or cistern dug in 
the ground, underneath or near the w T ine-press, in 
which the juice of the grape was received and kept, 
until it was ready to put into stone jars or leathern 
bottles. 

Fa' thee, Genesis 4 : 20, inventor, leader, or head ; 
sometimes ancestor, John 8 : 56. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 97 

Fath'o:,i, Acts 27 : 28. a measure of length, about 
seven feet and a quarter. 

Fat'exng, Matt. 22 : 4, 'a young ox or calf made fat 
for slaughter. 

Feasts, the Jews had several feasts, Exod. 23: 14-17: 
the chief were, the weekly feast, or the Sabbath ; the 
Passover, called also the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 
to commemorate the mercy of God, in passing over 
the families of Israel when the first-born of Egypt 
were slain. The Pentecost, or Feast of. Harvest, to 
commemorate the giving of the law, kept on the fifti- 
eth day after the second day of the Feast of the Pass- 
over. The Feast of Tabernacles, to commemorate the 
dwelling of their fathers in tents in the wilderness. 
The Feast of Trumpets, or of the New Moon, held on 
the first day of the seventh month, and announced 
by the sound of silver trumpets. Feast of Jubilee — 
see Jubilee. 

Feet shod, with shoes strengthened with iron or 
brass, Eph. 6 : 15. Covering the feet, Judg. 3 : 24, 
explained in Deut. 23 : 12-14. Speakxng with the 
feet, Prov. 6 : 13, a secret mode of signalling or con- 
veying messages without speaking, still practised in 
the East. 

Fei/low, Zech. 13 : 7, sometimes means equal ; 
thus Christ is called Jehovah's "equal." 

Fenced, Deut. 3 : 5, walled and fortified. 

Fiery darts, Eph. 6 : 16, darts to which combusti- 
bles were fastened, to set fire to an enemy's build- 
ings. Fiery flying serpents, Num. 2 : 6, darting 
swiftly, and causing an agonizing heat by their poison. 

B' Me-Eeader's Help. 7 



98 BIBLE-EEADEK'S HELP. 

FlETY. THOUSAND THREESCOBE AND TEN MEN, 1 Sai 

6 : 19, probably meaning " seventy men, even fifty 
out of a thousand." 

Fig, Matthew 21 : 19 ; Mark 11 : 14 : the "time of 
figs" probably means the time of stripping the trees 
of fruit. 

Fib'bin, John 2 : 6, a Greek measure of about seven 
and a half gallons, like the Hebrew bath. 

Fir'mament, Genesis 1 : 17, all the expanse of the 
heavens immediately around the earth, as though it 
were a crystal dome studded with stars. 

Fibst'bobn, sometimes, the most excellent, Psalm 
89 : 27. Christ is so called as the " only begotten" of 
the Father, before any creature, Col. 1 : 15. 

Fitch'es, Ezekiel 4 :9, "vetches," a small kind of 
wild pea. The grain called spelt is generally meant. 
The seeds of another eastern plant so translated 
have a sweet scent and a sharp aromatic taste, Isa. 
28 : 25. 

Fob'bowebs, 1 Cor. 4 : 16, imitators. 

Fobby, wickedness, the worst of follies, Psa. 14 : 1; 
38:5. 

Foot'men, trained runners or couriers for eastern 
kings, sometimes wonderfully swift and long-winded, 
ISam. 8:11; Jer. 42:5. 

Fobnioa'tion, Eev. 2 : 20, heathen impurities in 
worship ; idolatry and infidelity to God, Jer. 2 : 20. 

Fox : in Judges 15 : 4 ; Psalm 63 : 10, the jackal is 
thought to be the animal meant. 

Frank'tncense, Exodus 30 : 34, a sweet-smelling 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 99 

gum. It is called "frank" because of the freeness 
with which it burns and gives forth its odor. 

Feank'ly, Luke 7 : 42, freely. 

Feont'lets, four pieces of parchment on which texts 
of Scripture were written, and which were then joined 
in a square, and worn by the Jews on the forehead at 
the time of prayer. The custom arose out of a wrong 
interpretation of Exod. 13 : 16, and Deut. 6 : 8. 

Fuefeleed': an occurrence is sometimes said in 
the New Testament to " fulfil " a prophecy when it is 
only a secondary fulfilment, a verification, or illus- 
tration, yet foreordained of God. Compare Hosea 
11 : 1 and Matt. 2 : 15 ; Isa. 6:9 and Matt. 13 : 14 ; 
Isa, 61 : 1-3 and Luke 4 : 18-21. 

Feb' bee, Mai. 3 : 2, one who cleanses or bleaches 
cloth. 

Fbb'bong, Luke 24 : 13, the Roman stadium, two 
hundred and one and a half yards. 

Gae'batha, John 19 : 13, a Hebrew word meaning 
a raised seat, like the bench of a judge on a platform, 
which in this case probably was of mosaic stone- 
work ; hence it was called the Pavement. 

Gad 'aba, a city about seven miles south-east of the 
sea of Tiberias. The Gadarenes fed great numbers of 
swine, to sell to the heathens who lived near to them, 
1 Kings 4 : 21 ; 2 Chron. 9 : 26. 

Gaea'tia, a province of Asia Minor. The name is 
formed from Gaul and Asia, the country having been 
seized by a body of Gauls : the people were very 
warlike. 



100 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Gai/banum, Exod. 30 : 34, a gum or sap of a plant 
used in making the incense for the temple service. 

Gai/edee — see Ca'naan. 

Gal'elee, sea ob lake oe, in the southern part of 
Lower Galilee : it is a fresh water lake about twelve 
miles in length and six in breadth, through which the 
river Jordan runs. The waters are mostly, smooth, 
but they are occasionally agitated by sudden squalls, 
as in the days of the Saviour, Luke 8 :"23. This body 
of water is also called the sea oe Tibe'bias, and the 
lake oe Gennes'abet, also the "sea oe Chin'ne- 

KETH." 

Gale, a general name for any thing very bitter, 
usually a noxious plant, Deut. 29 : 18. In Job 16 : 13 ; 
20 : 25, it means the bile of man. In Job 20 : 14, the 
poison of asps. See Vinegar. 

Gai/lebxes, Song 7:5: eastern houses had courts 
or open spaces in the centre, around which were gal- 
leries ; sometimes the word means upper rooms. 

Gai/ley, Isaiah 33 : 21, a vessel driven by many 
oars. See Ship. 

Gas' den, often means a park. If not by the river 
side, it needed an artificial supply of water. Psalm 
1:3; Isa. 1 : 30. 

Gas'nee, Matt. 3 : 12, a granary, a place for storing 
corn. 

Gate : at the gates of eastern cities the people met 
for business, to hold courts, and to arrange public 
affairs ; hence the word was used to express any de- 
sign or combined power. By the "gates of hell," 
Matt, 16 : 18, is meant Satanic designs or efforts. 






WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 101 

Ga'za, that is, "strong." 1. A city of the Ephraim- 
ites, 1 Chron. 7 : 28. 2. A city near the southwest 
point of Canaan. It was in early times a city of the 
Philistines, but was conquered by the tribe of Judah. 

Geneal'ogy, a registry of one's ancestors. The 
Jews kept public registers with great care. Our 
Lord's genealogy in Matt 1, is probably in the line 
of Joseph ; in Luke 3, in the line of Mary. 

Geneea'tion, often means posterity. Genesis 5:1; 
Matt. 1:1. So perhaps in Isa. 53 : 8. 

Gexkes'aeet — see Gal'eles, Sea of. 

Ge'eah, Exodus 30 : 13, a small Jewish coin of the 
value of about two cents and a half. 

Geegesenes', Matt. 8 : 28, citizens of a place on 
the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee. 

Geb'iztm — see Ebae. 

Gethsem'ane, "the oil-press," a small garden op- 
posite to Jerusalem, at the foot of the mount of 
Olives. As seen at the present day, it is a level space 
inclosed by a low stone wall. Within are eight very 
aged olive-trees. It was to this place the Saviour 
sometimes retired ; there he suffered his great agony, 
and there he was betrayed. 

Ghost, Acts 5 : 5, a Saxon word, meaning spirit. 
The giving up the ghost is the yielding up the soul 
at death. The 'Holy Ghost, the third person in the 
Godhead, is now generally addressed as the Holy 
Spirit. 

Gi'ant, Num. 13 : 33, a person of great height and 
strength, as Goliath, 1 Sam. 17 : 4. 



102 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Gifts, sometimes mean bribes, Psa. 15 : 5 ; some- 
times offerings devoted to God's service, Dent. 16: 17; 
Matthew 5 : 23, 24 ; and sometimes Christian graces, 
1 Cor. 12 : 31, or miraculous endowments, 1 Cor. 
12 : 13, 14 

Gn/EAD, a range (*£ mountains on the east of Jor- 
dan, and the region around them. Gilead was cele- 
brated for its balm or balsam. 

Gin, Amos 3 : 5, a trap, a snare. 

Giu'dle, 1 Sam. 18 : 4, a belt or sash which girded 
the loose garments below the breast. The fold above 
the girdle was used as a pocket. Tightening and 
loosing it were symbols of activity and of repose, 
1 Pet. 1 : 13 ; Isa. 5 : 27. 

Git'tith, found in the title of several Psalms ; it 
was either a musical instrument or a melody. 

Gdede, Dent. 14 : 13, or kite, or hawk. 

Glis'tering, Luke 9 :29, "glistening," sparkling, 
of a bright dazzling appearance. 

Goads, Judg. 3 : 31, poles or long sticks, armed at 
the end with a piece of iron, and used to drive cat- 
tle. Called also pricks, Acts 9 : 5. 

Gods, is sometimes applied in the Bible to idols, 
Deut. 32 : 17 ; to magistrates, Exod. 22 : 28 ; and to 
angels, Psa. 97 : 7. 

Gog and Ma'gog, Ezek. 38 : 2, meaning wild and 
barbarous tribes in the north of Europe and x4.sia. 
In Rev. 20 : 8, the enemies of the Christian church 
may be meant. 

Goi/gotiia — see Cai/vaey. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 103 

Gomor'rah — see Sod'om. 

Good 'max, Matt. 20 : 11, and Good'wiee mean 
only the master and mistress of the house. 

Go'pherwood, Gen. 6 : 14, supposed to be cypress 
wood. 

Go'skex, that is, " pasture-land," the portion of the 
north-east part of Egypt which was given to Jacob 
and his family, at the desire of Joseph. For pastur- 
age, it was the choice part of Egypt, and well suited 
to shepherd life. It is now almost a desert. 

Gos'pee, good news, Acts 20 : 24. 

Go to, Genesis 11 : 7 ; Jas. 5:1, an exclamation, 
like "Come now." 

Gourd, Jonah 4 : 6, a climbing plant, of rapid 
growth, now called the castor-oil plant. Wild gotjrd, 
2 Kings 4 : 39, the wild cucumber or colocynth, whose 
leaves are like those of the vine, but poisonous. 

Great sea, Num. 34 : 6 ; also "utmost sea," Joel 
2:20; also "hinder sea," Zech. 14:8, meaning the 
Mediterranean sea, derived from the Latin words 
medio terrce, that is, "in the midst of the land," be- 
cause it spreads its waters between Europe, Asia, 
and Africa. It formed the western boundary of the 
promised land. 

Geeaves, 1 Sam. 17 : 6, pieces of armor to defend 
the legs. 

GEE'cLAisrs, Acts 6 : 1, not Greeks by birth, but 
Jews who were scattered abroad, and spoke the Greek 
language. 

Greece — Gbe'cia ; in Hebrew, Ja'van ; a country 



104 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

in the south-east of Europe. The word Greeks is 
often used to denote all those who were not Jews. 

Gbis'led, Zech. 6 : 3, spotted or piebald. 

Gkoyes, usually means images of Ashtoreth, a Zi- 
donian goddess, 1 Kings 18 : 19. 

Guest- chamber, Luke 22 : 11, a room set apart for 
the use of visitors at the great festivals. 

Habeb/geon, Exod. 28 : 32, that part of the armor 
which covered the body from the neck to the mid- 
dle — -made of many folds of linen, or of iron scales or 
rings. 

Hale, Luke 12 : 58, to pull or drag by force. 

Halleltj'jah — see Aeleltj'ia. 

Hai/low, to make holy, to regard as sacred. 

Halt, Luke 14 : 21, crippled. 

Hand'bbeadth, Psa. 39 : 5, equal to about three 
inches and a half. 

Haply, Mark 11 : 13, perhaps. 

Ha'ban, or Chab'ban, a town in Mesopotamia 
where Abraham dwelt for a time. The present town 
is on a sandy plain, and is a poor place, where live a 
few Arabs. It still retains the name of Haran. 

Har'ness, 1 Kings 20 : 11, a suit of defensive armor. 

Head and tail, Isa. 9 : 14, all ranks of people. 

Heave' -oeeeexng. Exod. 29 : 27, an offering of meat 
or corn, which the priest raised up or heaved towards 
heaven. 

Heaven oe ^heavens, 2 Ohron. 6 : 18 ; the third 
heaven, 2 Cor. 12 : 2 ; both mean the highest heavens, 
the abode of God, angels, and the redeemed. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 105 

He'bbew oe the He'bbews, Phil. 3 : 5, that is, a 
Hebrew or Jew, both on his father's and mother's 
side, without Gentile or foreign blood. 

He'bbon, called Kip/jath-ab'ba, or the city of 
Aeba, was built on a hill, not long after the flood, 
and stood about twenty miles south of Jerusalem. It 
was made a city of refuge, and given to the priests. 

Heib, Heb. 11 : 7, possessor or heritor. 

Heee, Psa. 16 : 10, sometimes means the grave, or 
the place of departed souls ; at other times the place 
of future and eternal punishment. 

Hem'lock, Hos. 10 : 4, a plant having a long taper- 
ing root, from which poison is extracted. 

Hee'mon, a high mountain on the north-east of 
Canaan. It was also called Sib'ion, and She'nib, 
also Sion, Deut. 3:9; 4 : 48 : these may have been 
only parts of the same mountain. It rises to the 
height of about ten thousand feet, and is always 
capped with snow. 

Heb'od "the Gbeat," Mitt. 2 : 16, a cruel tyrant, 
king of Judea wiien Christ was born. 

Heb'od Agbip'pa, nephew of Antipas, Acts 12 : 1. 

Heb'od An'tipas, son of Herod the Great, and 
murderer of John the Baptist, Matt. 11 : 3. 

Higgai'on, in Hebrew poetry seems to mark a pause 
for meditation, perhaps with a musical interlude. 

Hin, Exod. 29 : 40, a liquid measure of about one 
gallon and a quarter. 

Hin'nom, a deep valley south of Jerusalem, where 



106 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

living infants were burned in the arms of the idol 
Moloch, amid the beating of drums, Jer. 32 : 35. 

Hiee'ling-, Job 7 : 1, a laborer, one employed on 
hire by the day or year. 

Hiss, Isa. 5 : 26, to call, to invite. It is an allusion 
to the hissing noise by -which shepherds called the 
sheep, and by which masters in the East still sum- 
mon their attendants. 

Hoi/ pen, Luke 1 : 54, helped. 

Holy Place — see Tem'ple. 

Ho'mer, or Kor, Lev. 27 : 16, a dry measure of 
about eight bushels ; also a liquid measure of about 
seventy-five gallons and a half. 

Hook in the nose, Isaiah 37 : 29 : oxen were re- 
strained and guided by a ring in the nostril and a 
cord : and captives are so painted in Assyrian tablets. 

Hoe, a mountain in the mount Seir range, south- 
east of Judea. Num. 20 : 22-29. 

Ho'beb — see Si'nai. 

Horn, Jer. 48 : 25 ; as the defence of many animals 
is in their horns, the word is used to express strength 
or power. Lifting up the horn, Psalm 75 : 5, re- 
fers to a part of an ancient female head-dress, which 
was formed by a horn that stood out on the fore- 
head. 

Hor'net, Exod. 23 : 28, a kind of large wasp, now 
called the zimb, or dog-fly. 

Hosan'na, Matt. 21 : 9, a Hebrew exclamation of 
praise and prayer, meaning, "save now/' or, '"'save, I 
beseech. " 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 107 

Hos'tage, 2 Kings 14 : 14, a person left in pledge 
as a security for the performance of an engagement. 

Hough, pronounced hock, Josh. 11 : 6, to disable 
by hamstringing. 

* Houb : the Jews reckoned their day from sunrise 
to sunset, and divided this varying length of time 
' into twelve hours. The sixth hour was at noon ; the 
ninth, the middle of the afternoon, Acts 3:1. 

Husks, Luke 15 : 16, the fruit of the carob-tree, 
coarse and sweetish bean-pods ; still used by the poor, 
and to fatten cattle. 

Hys'sop, 1 Kings 4 : 33, a plant, either marjoram 
or the wild caper : a bunch of hyssop stems was used 
to sprinkle the blood in the temple services. 

Idume'a — see E'dom. 

Implead', Acts 19 : 38, to make a charge against, 
to go to law. 

Im'potent, John 5 : 3, feeble, helpless. 

Impute', to reckon, count, or charge. 

In' cense, Exodus 30 : 8, a mixture of spices and 
gums, which was burnt every morning and evening 
on the altar of incense-. 

Inn, Gen. 42 : 27, a resting place ; there were no 
inns in the desert. In after times an inn was an in- 
closure, having merely four walls, with covered porti- 
coes on the inside, where travellers found brief shel- 
ter, and where persons sold food. 

Inor'dinate, Col. 3 : 5, improper. 

In'stant, Luke 23 : 23, urgent. In'stantly, Luke 
7 : 4, earnestly, eagerly. 



108 BIBLE-HEADER'S HELP. 

Intekces'sion, Heb. 7 : 25, coming between two 
persons, to plead for the one that has offended. 
Christ is the Intercessor on behalf of all those that 
come nnto God by him. 

It'aly, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles ; a 
noted country of Europe, and formerly, the seat of 
the Eoman empire. Eome was its chief city. 

Ja' cob's well, at the eastern entrance of She'chem, 
is still to be seen ; it is found to be seventy-five feet 
deep, and is hewn out of solid rock. John 4 : 11. 

Jac'inth, Eev. 9 : 17, a precious stone of an orange- 
red color. 

Jaii, Psalm 68:4=, a short way of writing the word 
Jehovah : it means self-existent. 

Jas'pek, Exod. 28 : 20, a precious stone of beauti- 
ful and varied colors. 

Jav'eein, Num. 25 : 7, a short spear. 

Jaw, Judg. 15 : 19 ; probably the cleft was not made 
in the jaw, but in the ground that was named for it. 

Je'bus, the original name of Jerusalem. 

Jehosh'apSat, Yai/ley of, a narrow glen on the 
east of Jerusalem, dividing it from the mount of 
Olives. 

Jeqp'abd, Judg. 5 : 18, to hazard. 

Jeb'icso, an ancient town about eighteen miles 
east north-east of Jerusalem, and seven from the Jor- 
dan. It was noted for its palm-trees, and was the 
first city in Canaan which was taken by Joshua. 

Jebtj'saeem, or "dwelling of peace ;" also known as 
Je'bus, Judg. 19 : 10, and Sa'lem, Psa. 76 : 2 ; Gen. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 109 

14 : 18 ; also as "the holy city," and "the city of Da- 
vid," 2 Samuel 5:9; the most noted city of the Holy 
Land. It was built on four hills, called Zion, Acra, 
Bezetha, and Moriah, on the last of which Solomon 
erected his beautiful temple. Seventeen times has 
this city been taken- and pillaged — and now "from 
the daughter of Zion all beauty is departed." Its 
streets are dirty, its trade is gone, and a few thousand 
poor and oppressed Jews find a home within its walls 

Jesh'tjbun, Deut. 32 : 15, one of the names of the 
people of Israel, meaning upright. 

Je'sus — see Cheist. 

Jew'by, the land of Judea is so called, Luke 23 : 5. 

Jez'beel, a town in the tribe of Issachar. It was 
built on the brow of a rocky and steep descent. The 
valley or plain of Jezreel, fifteen miles wide, also 
called the Plain oe Esdeae'lon, lay east of mount 
CarmeL It is very fruitful, but has been sadly neg- 
lected, and is now for the most part overrun with 
rank weeds. 

Jop'pa, an ancient sea-port of Judea, situated on 
the Mediterranean, about thirty-five miles north-west 
of Jerusalem. The country around is adorned with 
orchards and gardens, in which the orange, lemon, 
fig, and other fruits grow to perfection. It is now 
called Jaffa. 

Job'dan, the principal liver of the Holy Land, 
running through the country from north to south ; 
its winding course is one hundred and sixty miles 
long, from mount Lebanon to the Dead sea. The 
valley or plain through which it passes is the Plain 



110 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

of Jordan. The water of the river is cool and whole- 
some. The breadth and depth vary at different points 
and at different seasons of the year. It overflows its 
banks in April. 

Jot, Matt. 5 : 18, any small point ; the name of the 
smallest Hebrew letter, jod. 

Jour'ney — see Day. 

Ju'bilee, Lev. 25 : 8-17, from a Hebrew word 
meaning "to restore," because at this feast men who 
were in bondage were restored to their families, and 
land which was held for a debt was returned to its 
owner, etc. It was held every fiftieth year. 

Ju'dah, the land oe, was at first the southern 
portion of the land of Canaan, given to the tribe of 
Judah. After the revolt of the ten tribes, it formed 
with Benjamin a separate kingdom, and was called 
Judah or Judea. In New Testament times, the 
whole of Canaan was so called. 

Ju'dah, Hill country oe, Luke 1 :39, consisted of 
a mountain range, south and west of Jerusalem. Its 
hillsides were cultivated by means of terraces of earth, 
which when neglected were washed away by rain. 

Ju'dah, Wilderness oe, extended along the west- 
ern shore of the Dead sea and the lower Jordan. It 
is at present one of the most dreary spots on earth. 

Jude'a — see Ca'naan. 

Judg'ment, Matt. 5 : 22, 23, an inferior Jewish 
court of justice. 

Ju'niper, 1 Kings 19 : 4, a large shrub, now called 
the Spanish broom ; it is used for fuel; hence "coals 
of juniper," Psa. 120 : 4* 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. Ill 

Ju'pitee, the chief of the Greek and Eoman gods. 
His temple at Lystra was in front of the city, Acts 
14 : 13. 

Justefica'tion, Bora. 5 : 16, the act of God's free 
grace, by which he justifies, that is, accepts and re- 
ceives as just and righteous all those who believe in 
Jesus Christ. Those who through faith are accepted 
as righteous, live in blessedness for ever, Heb. 10 : 38. 

Keep'eks, Jer. 4 : 17, the eastern fields are without 
hedges, and mostly without any fence : keepers are 
placed to guard the crops from robbers. 

Keb' chiefs, Ezek. 13 : 18, caps or head-dresses. 

Kick'ing, Deut. 32 : 15, as a high-fed and untamed 
ox did, sometimes to his own injury. See Goad. 

Kid'ron, or Ce'dbon, a "brook" or dry water- 
course on the east side of Jerusalem, separating it 
from the mount of Olives. Though it receives all 
the rivulets about this city, it is dry in summer ; but 
after very heavy rains, it swells and runs, as a short- 
lived brook, through a rugged channel, to the Dead 
sea. Ezek. 47 : 1-12. 

Kene, Deut. 7 : 13, cows. It is used as a figure by 
Amos, Amos 4: 1, for those who are proud and corrupt. 

Kingdom of heaven, Ejcn t gdom: of God, Luke 
17 : 21, 1. Gospel dispensation, or the church on 
earth over which Christ reigns as King, Matt. 3:2; 
2. The gospel as it rules in the hearts of believers, 
Luke 17 : 21 ; 3. The state of glory beyond the grave, 
Matt. 8 : 11. 

Lack, Prov. 28 : 27, to want, or to be destitute of. 
Luke 8 : 6. 



112 BIBLE-BEADEB'S HELP. 

Lamps, Matt. 25 : 1 ; the lamps of the East were 
often only strips of cloth dipped in oil or wax, in a 
-pan. Sometimes at the present day a flask of oil is 
carried in one hand, which supplies a pot filled with 
rags, raised on a short pole, in the other hand. 

Land'mark, Deut. 19 : 14 ; the Jewish lands haying 
few or no hedges, or other means to separate them, 
large stones were commonly placed to distinguish 
the boundaries ; and to remove them was like alter- 
ing title-deeds fraudulently. 

Laodice'a, a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, where 
one of the seven churches of Asia was planted, which, 
on account of its lukewarmness, fell under a heavy 
judgment, Eev. 3 : 14-18. It is now a heap of ruins, 
among which only wild beasts find an abode. 

Lap'wing, Lev. 11 : 19, supposed to be the bird 
called the hoopoe. It is about the size of a pigeon. 

Latch'et, Mark 1 : 7, the string or strap that fast- 
ened the sandal or shoe to the foot. 

Lattice, 2 Kings 1 : 2, the railing of a balcony ; 
or, Judg. 5 : 28, the screen covering a window. 
Laud, Eom. 15 : 11, praise. 

Law'yeb, Matt. 22 : 35, one who explained to the 
people the law of Moses. 

Leas'ing, Psa. 5 : 6, an old English word, meaning 
lying, falsehood. 

Leav'en, Lev. 23 : 17, in the East a piece of dough 
is kept until it is sour, and is then used in making of 
bread. Unleavened bread is a kind of cake or bis- 
cuit, made without the use of yeast or leaven. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 113 

Leb'axox, or "white mountain/' a great and dou- 
ble range of mountains on the north of Canaan. It 
is often mentioned and much celebrated in Scripture 
on account of its fine cedars, its wines, its snows, and 
its pure water. Only a few cedars of any great size 
and age now remain. Anti-Lebanon was the name 
of the parallel eastern ridge. 

Le'gion, Matt. 26:53, a band of soldiers in the 
Roman army, containing from three thousand to 
seven thousand men. 

Lsn'ttle, 2 Sam. 23 : 11, a kind of pea : it is still a 
common article of food in Egypt ; and when boiled 
with garlic and beans, and mixed with oil, forms "red 
pottage," Gen. 25 : 29-34. 

Lep'eost, Lev. 13 : 2, a fearful disease of the skin, 
which in its progress affects the whole body. 

Let : this word often signifies to hinder, to oppose. 
Isa. 43 : 13. 

Levi'athan, Job 41 :1, supposed to be the croco- 
dile ; a fierce, powerful creature, growing sometimes 
to the length of thirty feet. 

Le'vttes, Numbers 18 : 23, 24, the descendants of 
Levi, who were engaged in the more humble duties 
of the temple service : in the time of David they 
were employed as keepers of the temple and singers 
therein. 

Lewd, Acts 17 : 5, ignorant, idle, bad. 

Ltb'eetines, Acts 6 : 9, that is, f reed-men ; sup- 
posed to have been those who were once Boman 
slaves, but who had obtained their liberty. 

Bible-Ecader's Help. 8 



114 BIBLE-BEADEIi'S HELP. 

Lib'ya, Acts 2 : 10, a vast country in North Africa, 
west of Egypt. 

Lieuten'ant, Esth. 3 : 12, a deputy-governor under 
a Persian king. 

Lign-ai/oes, Num. 24 : 6. See Aeoe. 

Ln/v, Matt. 6 : 28 ; several kinds of beautiful lilies 
are found in the East. The lily of the New Testa- 
ment is the scarlet martagon lily, a stately turban- 
like flower. It flowers in April and May, when prob 
ably the Sermon on the mount was delivered. 

Lin'eage, Luke 2 : 1, family descent. 

Lines, 2 Kings 21 : 13 ; Psalm 16 : 6, measures of 
length, used on lands, etc. 

Lin'tetj, Exod. 12 : 22, the upper part of a door- 
frame. 

Lip, Hos. 11 : 2 ; calves of our lips, means sacrifi- 
ces of vocal praise. 

List, John 3:8; the wind bloweth at its own will 
and pleasure, uncontrolled by man. The Jews did 
to Elias "whatsoever they listed," that is, pleased or 
thought proper, Mati>. 17 : 12. 

Lrv'rNG wa'tees, Zech. 11 : 8, running waters. 

Lo'ctjst, Exod. 10 : 13-15, an insect, in shape like 
a grasshopper, and in size two or three inches long : 
locusts fly over a land in such great numbers as often 
to darken the air ; they destroy all trees, plants, and 
herbage in their progress. They were allowed to be 
used for food, Lev. 11 : 22 ; Mark 1 : 16. Locusts 
were symbols of hosts of the enemies of God's people. 

Lodge in a gab'disn. Isa. 1 : 8, simply a shed built 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 115 

to protect from the weather a person who was set to 
watch the fruit against the attack of thieves and wild 
animals. 
Log, Lev. 14 : 10, a measure of nearly a pint. 

LooK'iNG-GiiASSES, Exodus 38 : 8, were formerly 
made of polished brass or other metals : hence the 
"laver of brass" was made of the "looking-glasses of 
the women." 

Lot, Psa. 125 : 3, a portion or share of an inherit- 
ance ; also some mode of deciding a doubtful point. 
Casting lots religiously is appealing to God to decide, 
Prov. 18 : 18 ; Acts 1 : 26. 

Macedo'nia, a country in Europe lying to the 
north of Greece. Frequent mention is made in 
Scripture of this land. It is now subject to the 
Turks. 

Mag'dala, "coasts of," Matt. 15 : 39, or "parts of 
Dalmanu'tha," Mark 8 : 10, towns on the western 
shore of the lake Gennesaret. Mary Magdalene is 
supposed to have been so called because a native of 
Magdala. 

Magi'cians, Dan. 2 : 3, men who pretended to a 
knowledge of future events. 

MAGNip'iCAii, 1 Chron. 22 : 5, magnificent, grand. 

Mai/lows, Job 30 : 4, supposed to be a plant sim- 
ilar to what is now so called. 

Mam'mon, Matt. 6 : 24, a Chaldee word meaning 
"riches," and applied to the wealth of this world, and 
sometimes to the world in general. Riches are called 
"unrighteous," because so ajDt to occasion siu ; and 



116 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

we are so to use them as to gain the favor of God, 
Luke 16 : 9, 11. 

Mam'ee, Gen. 13 : 18 : the "plain of Mamre " means 
the terebinth- tree or grove of Mamre. It was near 
the place afterwards named Hebron. 

Man 'ds axes, Gen. 30 : 14, a low plant with a beet- 
like root, bearing a small yellow and fragrant apple. 

Ma'neh, or mi'na, Ezek. 45 : 12, a Jewish weight 
for money of about fifty shekels, or twenty-five dol- 
lars ; some make it more. 

Man' gee, Luke 2 : 12, a stall or lodging-place for 
cattle. 

Man'na, Exod. 16 : 15-26 : the word means "what 
is it ?" The manna now sold in shops is quite differ- 
ent from that which was found in the desert, and 
which was given by miracle from heaven. 

Maean-a'tha, the Lord cometh. See Anath'ema. 

Mae'ish, Ezek. 47 : 11, a marsh or swamp. 

Maes on the foeehead, Rev. 7:3: servants some- 
times were thus distinguished by their masters. 
Maeks op the Loed Jesus, Gal. 4 : 15, scars received 
in his service. 

Mae'vel, 2 Cor. 11 : 14, wonder, surprise. 

MAs'CHm, the title of thirteen psalms, probably so 
named as giving instruction. 

Maud, Prov. 25 : 18, a heavy hammer or beetle, a 
weapon formerly much used in warfare. 

Meat, Gen. 1 : 29 ; Hab. 3 : 17 : the meaning of this 
word has undergone a change ; in the Bible it signi- 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 117 

fies food in general; meal, flour, grain, and herbs 
are called "meat." 

Meat'-offerixg, Lev. 6 : 14 : a meat-offering in the 
Scriptures is always a vegetable offering, and never 
an animal offering, and might now be called a "meal- 
offering," or a "bread- offering. 5 ' 

Me'diatoe, Gal. 3 : 19, a person who stands be- 
tween two parties^ with a view to reconcile one to the 
other : the title belongs to the divine [Redeemer, who 
is the only Mediator between God and men. 

Me'ne, Me'ne, Te'ket., Uphab'sin, Daniel 5 : 25 ; 
meaning, ' ' He is numbered ; he is numbered ; he is 
weighed; they are dividing." 

Mekcu'kius, Acts 14 : 1% one of the old heathen 
gods, who was said to be the patron of orators ; hence 
Paul, as the "chief speaker," was supposed to be 
this god come down to the earth. 

Mee'cy-seat, the golden lid of the ark of the cove- 
nant, over which the two cherubim bowed, and whence 
Christ; gave his people the pardon purchased by his 
blood, 1 Chron. 28 : 11 ; Heb. 9 : 4, 5. It was called 
the propitiatory. 

Mesopota'mia, which signifies "between the riv- 
ers," was so called because this country lay between 
the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. It was a fruitful 
land, and was known to the Jews as Padan-aram, or 
"the plain of Syria." 

Messi'ah, Daniel 9 : 25, of the same meaning as 
Christ, that is, anointed. See Chpjst. 

Mei/ita, Acts 28 : 1, now Malta, an island in the 
Mediterranean sea. 



118 BIBLE-EEADEE'S HELP. 

Me'kom, a small lake north of the sea of Galilee, 
through which the Jordan ran, Josh. 11 : 5. 

Mete, Matt. 7:2, to measure. Mete-yakd was a 
rod by which goods were measured, Lev. 19 : 35. 

Mich'tam, the title to Psalm 16, that is, golden, or 
the golden psalm. 

Mid'ian, a country around the east branch of the 
Bed sea, on the east of Sinai. The western or south- 
ern Midianites were also called Cushites, because 
they dwelt in the country originally belonging to 
Cush. 

Mmn, Matt. 24 : 41 : the eastern corn mill consist- 
ed of two stones each about two feet in diameter and 
five or six inches thick ; 4he lower one was fixed in 
the ground, and the upper was moved with a small 
handle. It was turned by two women, who sat facing 
each other on the ground. The noise of the mills 
was commonly heard early in the morning ; and their 
silence was expressive of utter desolation, Rev. 18 : 22. 

Mii/let, an eastern grain, Ezek. 4 : 9. 

Mi'na — see Ma'neh. 

Min'ctng, Isaiah 3 : 16, walking in a light, dancing 
manner, taking short steps. 

Min'ish, Exod. 5 : 19, to lessen, to impair. 

Min'istek, attendant, or agent. 

Min' steel, Matt. 9 : 23, a player on some instru- 
ment of music ; a person commonly hired to play 
and sing mournful songs at a funeral. 

Mie'acle, John 4 : 54, an effect above human or 
natural power, produced by the power of God alone ; 
an event out of the ordinary course of nature. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 119 

Mite, Mark 12 : 42, the smallest; Jewish, coin, about 
equal to two mills. 

Mi'tee, Exod. 28 : 4, the head-dress of the Jewish 
high-priests, a sort of turban. 

Moab, a country on the east of the Dead sea and 
the Jordan. This territory was taken by the Moab- 
ites from a powerful tribe called the Emim, Deut. 
2 : 10, 11. 

Moi/lifted, Isa. 1 : 6, softened. 

Mon'ey-changees, Mark 11 : 15, bankers. As Je- 
rusalem was visited by many strangers, it was neces- 
sary for them to change their foreign money for Jew- 
ish coin, especially if they were about to offer the 
yearly half -shekel tribute in the temple. 

Month : the Jews began each month with the new 
moon, adding one .month to the twelve every three 
years. Their first month was nearly our April. The 
new moon was a festival occasion. Num. 10 : 10 ; 
1 Sam. 20 : 5. 

Moei'ah — see Jeetj'salem. 

Mote, Matt. 7:3, an atom. 

Mouen'tng wom'en, Jer. 9 : 17,' hired persons who 
wept and mourned, and played soft music at the doors 
of a house where a dead body lay. 

Muf'feees, Isa. 33 : 19, spangled veils, covering the 
throat and face, but not the eyes. 

Muni'tion, Isa. 33 : 16, a fort or rampart. 

Mue'eain, Exod. 9 : 3, a destructive disease among 
cattle, similar in its effects to the plague among men. 

Mus'taed-seed, Matt. 13 : 31, 32, a kind of plant 



120 BIBLE-KEADEIi'S HELP. 

known to us by the same name, but which in the 
East grows to the size of a small tree. 

Myrrh, Genesis 37 : 25, a gum or drug of a bitter 
taste and sweet smell. 

Mys'tery, Eomans 16 : 25, 26 : this w T ord in many 
texts denotes a truth not previously revealed or 
known. 

Nain, a town about three miles south-west of mount 
Tabor. It is now a poor place called Nexn. 

Naked, John 21 : 7 ; that is, stripped of the outer 
garments, while the under are retained; not abso- 
lutely unclothed, Isa. 20 : 2. In other cases, the word 
has its usual sense, Gen. 2 : 25. 

Name oe the Lokd, Exodus 34 : 5, implying his 
divine attributes. 

Nazarene', Matt. 2 : 23 : the inhabitants of the 
town of Nazareth w T ere so called ; but the term was 
afterwards applied in contempt to the followers of 
Christ. 

Naz'aeeth, a town in Galilee, on a hill sloping 
down into a small secluded valley, about six miles 
west-north-west of mount Tabor. It was a place of 
little note, otherwise than from the fact that our Lord 
Jesus Christ chiefly dwelt there until he entered upon 
his XDublic ministry. 

Naz'artte, Num. 6, persons under vows to abstain 
from v/ine, and various other matters : they were gen- 
erally pious men. The word means "separated." 

Neap'olis, or "new city," a seaport town in Eu- 
rope, near Philippi, at which Paul touched on one of 
his journeys. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 121 

Ne'bo, Isaiah 46 : 1, an idol of the Chaldeans, sup- 
posed to be the symbol of the planet Mercury. 

Nec 'romancer, Deut. 18 : 11, one who pretends to 
hold converse with departed spirits. 

ISTees'tngs, Job 41 : 18, sneezings, violent breathing. 

Neg'inoth, in the title of several psalms, meaning 
stringed instruments. 

Neh'ieoth, supposed to be some wind instrument. 

Nehush'tan, 2 Kings 18 : 4, means " a mere piece 
of brass :" spoken in contempt of the brazen serpent, 
which had become an object of idolatry. 

Neph'ews, 1 Tim. 5 : 4, sometimes means grand- 
children. 

Ner'gal, 2 Kings 17 : 30, an Assyrian idol, its im- 
age being in the form of a cock. 

ISTeth'er, Deut. 24 : 6, lower, beneath. 

Nether'most, 1 Kings 6 : 6, lowermost. 

Neth'inim, Neh. 3 : 26, a name given to some of 
the lower officers or servants of the temple ; it signi- 
fies "dedicated persons." 

Nib'haz, 2 Kings 17 : 31, an idol of the Avites, cf 
the form of a dog. 

Nicola'itanes, Eev. 2 : 6, a sect which departed 
from the faith of the gospel, and who fell into wicked 
practices. 

Nin'eveeP, Gen. 10 : 11, the capital of Assyria, on 
the east bank of the river Tigris, and formerly one 
of the largest cities of the world, being nine miles 
broad and twenty-one long. The population must 
have been very great, as it contained one hundred 



122 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

and twenty thousand children, so young that they 
knew not the right hand from the left, Jonah 4 : 11. 
The prophecies against it were so completely fulfilled, 
that for ages its site was almost unknown. But lately 
some of the ruins of the long-lost Nineveh haye been 
discovered, and many relics of its ancient grandeur 
have been brought to light, after a burial of nearly 
twenty-five hundred years. These sculptures and 
inscriptions furnish many striking confirmations of 
Bible truth. 

Nis'koch, 2 Kings 19 : 37, an Assyrian idol, of the 
form of an eagle. It is believed that an image fre- 
quently met with in the ruins of Nineveh represents 
this very idol. 

Ni'tre, Prov. 25 : 20, not saltpetre, but a mineral, 
now called natron, still found in Egypt, which com- 
bined with oil makes a kind of soap. 

No, or No-ammon, the abode of Jupiter Amnion, 
Jer. 46 : 25 ; Nah. 3 : 8, the vast and magnificent city 
of Thebes in Egypt, whose ruins are now the won- 
der of travellers. 

Nod, Gen. 4 :16, or " wandering :" the situation of 
this country is now unknown. 

Noi'some, Psa. 91 : 3, hurtful, grievous. 

Noph, Memphis, a famous city in Egypt, now de- 
stroyed, Isa. 19 : 13. 

Nose'-jewels, Isaiah 3 : 21 : eastern Mdies often 
wore a ring bored through the left nostril of the 
nose; but others wore a ."frontal-jewel" hanging 
over the forehead against the nose. See Hook. 

Nought, Gen. 29 : 15, nothing. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 123 

Nov'ice, 1 Tim. 3 : 6, a new convert, an unskilful 
person. 

Nue'tuee, Eph. 6 : 4, education, training. 

Oak, Isa. 1 : 30 : the oak of Scripture is supposed 
to be the turpentine-tree, though in some passages 
the oak proper may be meant. See Mamee. 

Obla'tion, Lev. 2 : 7, a religious offering, a sacri- 
fice offered to God. 

Of, besides its usual sense, bears, in our version of 
the Bible, certain others. First, it signifies by — ■ 
"baptized of John," Mark 1 : 9, that is, by John. 
Secondly, concerning — "all that was written of him," 
Acts 13 : 29, that is, concerning him. Thirdly, from — ■ 
" the first man is of the earth," 1 Cor. 15 : 47, from 
the earth. 

Offence', Matt. 5 : 29, sometimes means a cause of 
stumbling. 

Of'feeing : in the Hebrew two words are used, 
which are translated offerings ; one denoting sacrifi- 
ces of animals, the other all unbloody gifts to God. 
See Lev. chap. 2. 

Oi/rvE, Eom. 11 : 17, an evergreen tree, very com- 
mon in Palestine, highly valued for its hard wood, 
fruit, and oil. 

Oi/rvET, or mount of Olives, on the east side of 
Jerusalem, and separated from it by the valley of the 
Kidron. It had three tops ; the southern one was 
called the mount of Coeeuption, because of Solo- 
mon's idol temple built thereon, 1 Kings 11 : 5-7. 
This mountain is a mile in length, and overlooks the 
city, almost every house of which may be seen from 



124 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

its summit. Olive-trees of great age are still found 
on its sides. 

O'mega — see Ai/pha. 

O'mek, Exod. 16 : 36 ; 29 : 40 ; about five pints, dry- 
measure. 

On, Heliopolis, a city of Goshen, near modern 
Cairo, Gen. 41 : 45-50. 

On'ycha, Exod. 30 : 34, a sweet-smelling gum used 
in the sacred perfume in the temple. 

On'tx. Exod. 28 : 20, one of the precious stones in 
the high-priest's breastplate, perhaps like the mod- 
ern onyx, colored like the human nail. 

O'phie, 1 Kings 9 : 28, a region in Southern Asia 
or Africa, reached by ships sailing from a port on the 
Bed sea. 

Ob'acle, any thing made known to us by super- 
natural or divine wisdom ; sometimes applied to the 
messages of God delivered by the mouth of the 
prophets, 2 Sam. 16 : 23. The urim and thummim 
of the high-priest of the Jews, from which the know- 
ledge of the divine will was sought and obtained, 
was an oracle, 1 Sam. 28 : 6. The sanctuary, or the 
most holy place, in the temple, was called the oracle, 
1 Kings 6 : 5-19. The sacred writings are "the ora- 
cles of God," Rom. 3 :2, for therein God has been 
pleased to make known his holy will to mankind. The 
heathen oracles were the tricks of the crafty priests. 

Or ev'ee, Acts 23 : 15, that is, " before :" the ex- 
pression is now out of use. 

Oe'gan, Job 21 : 12, a set of pipes or reeds, which 
were blown into with the mouth. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 125 

Oei'on, Job 38 : 31, a very brilliant cluster of stars 
in the southern part of the sky. 

Os'peay, Lev. 11 : 13, the black eagle of Egypt. * 

Qs'sieeage, Lev. 11 : 13, supposed to be the vul- 
ture, a foul bird of prey. 

Os'teich, Job 39 : 13-18, the largest of birds, reach- 
ing often to ten feet in height ; the feathers of its 
wings and tail are much valued. It does not fly, 
but runs with great swiftness. 

Ouch'es, Exodus 28 : 11, sockets of gold, in which 
gems were set, as in Aaron's breastplate. 

Out'ee, Matt. 8 : 12, utter. 

Paint'ing, Jer. 4 : 30. See Eye. 

Pai/estine' — see Ca'naan. 

Palm, Exod. 15 : 27, a tall, upright evergreen tree, 
of which, the Arabs say, one hundred uses can be 
made. The foliage forms a cluster of broad leaves at 
the top ; it is the emblem of joy and victory. Dates 
are its fruit. 

Paem'ee-woem, Joel 1 : 4, a kind of caterpillar. 

Pamphyi/ia, a province of Asia Minor, on the Med- 
iterranean. Acts 13 : 13. 

Pan'nag, Ezek. 27 : 17, some article of commerce, 
but the exact one meant is unknown. 

Pa' pee eeeds, Isa. 19 : 7, the papyrus or Bui/eush, 
which see. 

Pae'able, Matt. 13 : 3, a comparing of things to- 
gether ; a similitude taken from natural objects to 
instruct in spiritual things. 

Pae'adise, Luke 23 : 43, a Persian word, meaning 



126 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

a pleasant garden or park, but used in Scripture to 
denote the abode of the redeemed beyond the grave. 

*Pa'ran, a desert of Arabia, south of Canaan. In it 
the Hebrews wandered thirty-eight years, Genesis 
21 : 21 ; Hab. 3 : 3. 

Parch 'ed ground, Isaiah 35 : 7, the mirage of the 
desert — an appearance like water, caused by the shim- 
mer of the sunlight on the hot sands. 

Parch' ments, 2 Timothy 4 : 13, prepared skins, on 
which books were anciently written. The ancient 
parchment manuscripts of the Bible are now of the 
highest value. 

Par'thia, a province of Media east of the Tigris, 
afterwards united to Persia. 

Par'tridge, 1 Sam. 26 : 20, a bird which the Arabs 
pursue, starting it again and again, till it wearies 
and they can reach it with their clubs. 

Pas'sion, Acts 1 : 3, suffering. 

Pass' over, Lev. 23 : 5, the lamb which was sacri- 
ficed at, and which gave its name to, a Jewish feast 
appointed by God to commemorate the destroying 
angel's "passing over" the families of the Israelites, 
when the first-born of Egypt were smitten. Christ 
is our Passover, 1 Cor. 5 : 7. 

Pate, Psa. 7 : 16, the head. 

Pat'mos, a rocky island in the iEgean sea, about 
seven miles long, used by the Romans as a place to 
confine prisoners. It was here that the apostle John 
was sent by one of the Roman emperors, "for the tes- 
timony of Jesus Christ." 



i 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 127 

Pa'triarch, Heb. 7 : 4, a father, or founder of a 
family or tribe. 

Pave'ment, John 19 : 13. See Gab'batha. 

Pavtl'ion, 1 Kings 20 : 12, a royal tent, spacious, 
elegant, and well guarded, Psa. 27 : 5. 

Peace '-offering, Lev. 3, a bullock, heifer, ram, or 
lamb, offered as an expression of gratitude for mer- 
cies and blessings received. It was also called a 
thank' -offering. 

Peeled', Isa. 18 : 2, stripped of property, as a tree 
of its bark. 

Pel'ethttes, 2 Sam. 8 : 18, supposed to have been 
archers and messengers in attendance on king David. 

Pei/ican, Deut. 14 : 17, a water bird about twice 
the size of a goose. The female has a singular bag 
or pouch attached to its beak, capable of holding 
two or three gallons of water, or food for her young. 

Pen, Jer. 17 : 1, sometimes a reed, at other times a 
sharp-pointed bodkin of iron. 

Pen'ny, Matt. 22 : 19, a coin equal in value to about 
fourteen cents of our money. In Christ's time this 
coin was the ordinary day's wages of a laborer. 

Pen'tecost, Acts 2:1, signifies "the fiftieth:" a 
feast of the Jews was called Pentecost, because kept 
on the fiftieth day after the Passover. This was 
seven weeks, or a week of weeks ; hence it was named 
"the feast of weeks," Exod. 34:22. It was held at 
the close of the harvest, as a thanksgiving day. 

Per'gamos, a city in Asia Minor, in the province 
of Mysia. Here was one of the "seven churches." 



128 BIBLE-BEADER'S HELP. 

Pee'sia, or E'eam, an ancient kingdom in Middle 
Asia. Cyrus, the king of Persia and Media, and the 
conqueror of Babylon, gave permission to the captive 
Jews to return to their own land. 

Pha'baoh, the common name of eight or nine of 
the kings of Egypt mentioned in the Bible. 

Phab'isee, Matt. 23 : 15, the principal sect among 
the Jews in Christ's time : they were very strict in 
their observance of ceremonies and traditions, but 
were chargeable with pride, avarice, hypocrisy, and 
many other bad passions. 

Phab'pae — see Ab'ana. 

Phceni'cia, a province of Syria, north of Canaan, 
being a slip of coast on the Great sea, twelve miles 
wide. Its chief cities, Tyre and Sidon, were places 
of much trade. 

Pheqadel'phia, a city in the western part of Asia 
Minor, in which was one of the "seven churches of 
Asia." The country around it is very fertile. 

Philip' pi, a city in Macedonia, so named by Alex- 
ander the Great, in honor of his father Philip. Here 
was one of the purest and most lovely of the early 
Christian churches. 

Phelis'tia — see Ca'naan. 

Phieos'ophy, Col. 2:8; the word means "love of 
wisdom ;" in the New Testament it usually denotes 
only the wisdom of this world, leading men to for- 
sake the gospel. 

Phyeac'tebt, Matt. 23 : 5, a slip of parchment, on 
which was written some important text of Scripture : 
it was fastened round the forehead, but sometimes it 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 129 

was rolled up, and tied round the left arm, between 
the shoulder and the elbow that it might be oyer 
against the heart. 

Phey'gia, a large central province of Asia Minor. 

Piece of silver, Matt. 26 : 15, probably a shekel, 
or over fifty cents in our money, Matt. 17 : 27 ; Zech. 
11 : 12, 13. 

Pilled — peeled, Gen. 30 : 37, stripped, robbed. 

Ph/lows, Ezek. 13 : IS, cushions for the arms to 
rest on. 

Pin'nacle, Matt. 4:5, the top or battlement, or 
some point on the lofty outer wall of the temple. 

Pis'gah — see Ab'aktm. 

Pitch, or Slime, Genesis 6 : 14 ; 11 : 3, bitumen or 
asphaltum, used as a water-proof cement. 

Ple'iades, Job 38 : 31, a cluster of stars, sometimes 
called "the seven stars." 

Polled', 2 Sam. 14 : 26 : the "poll" is the top of 
the head. Polling is the act of "cutting off" the 
hair, Ezek. 44 : 20. 

Pomegean'ate, Song 4 : 13, a tree not unlike the 
common hawthorn, but larger, and bearing a very 
agreeable fruit of the size of an orange, the inside of 
which is filled with seeds of a pink or rose color. 

Pon'tus, the north-east province of Asia Minor. 

Post, Job 9 : 25 : running men were trained to 
carry the post, or bags of letters ; they ran with great 
speed. Swift camels and mules were likewise em- 
ployed in this service, sometimes with fresh relays, 
Esth. 8 : 14. 

Bible-Keader's Help. 9 



130 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Pot'sheed, Job 2:8; sherd means a fragment, or 
a piece of any thing, Isa. 30 : 14 ; potsherd is a piece 
of a broken pot. 

Pot'tage — see Len'tzle. 

Pe^to'eium, Mark 15 : 16, a magnificent building 
north of the temple, the residence of the Boman 
governors or praetors when at Jerusalem. In its 
central court they administered justice. 

Peepaea'tion. John 19 : 31, the day before the 
Passover Sabbath, which began at sunset. 

Pees'ently, Matt. 21 : 19, immediately, at the very 
moment, without delay. 

Peess'-eat — see Fat. 

Peevent', Psa. 79 : 8, "to go before," as a guide ; 
to anticipate. 

Peicks, Acts 5 : 9. See Goads. 

Peinted, Job 19 : 23, registered. The art of print- 
ing was then unknown.. 

Peognos'ticatoes, Isa. 47 : 13, those who pretend- 
ed to forefell future events by observing the moon 
and stars. 

Peoph'ets, 1 Cor. 11 : 4, 5, men who spoke by in- 
spiration from God, either foretelling future events, 
or declaring his will in other matters. 

Peopitia'tion, Eom. 3 : 25, that which turns away 
wrath from a sinner. The Jewish mercy-seat was 
called the propitiatory. Christ is our propitiation or 
atonement. See Meecv-seat. 

Peos'elyte, Matt. 23 : 15, a name given by the 
Jews to those who were converted from heathenism 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 131 

to the Jewish faith. Some were called "proselytes of 
the gate," who were not fully admitted to all the 
rites and privileges of the Jews ; others were named 
"proselytes of righteousness," or the covenant, and 
were fully received as brethren. 

Prov'ebb, a short moral sentence, expressing truth 
in a striking manner, Eccles. 12 : 9 ; or a short taunt- 
ing remark, Luke 4 : 23 ; or the same as a parable, 
John 16 : 29. 

Pbovoke', in Heb. 10 : 31, to rouse by motives ; to 
kindly excite one another unto love. 

Psal'teby, Psa. 33 : 2, a harp, but its exact form is 
unknown. 

Pub'lican, Luke 5 : 27, public officers for the col- 
lection of the taxes and tribute paid by the Jews to 
their Eoman conquerors. Some were great extor- 
tioners, and were doubly hated by the Jews, Matt 
5 : 18. 

Ptolema'is, Acts 21 : 7, modern Acre, a port on the 
Mediterranean, north of mount Carmel. 

Pulse, Dan. 1 : 12, any vegetable or herb plucked 
from the ground, not reaped : also applied to seeds 
or grains of plants contained in a pod, such as peas 
and 'beans. 

Pub'ple, Acts 16 : 14, a color with which the robes 
of the rich were dyed ; it was obtained from a shell- 
fish, and was very costly. 

Pub'tenance, Exod. 12 : 9, inward parts. 

Py'gabg, Deut. 11 : 5, a species of antelope or stag. 

Quail, Exodus 16 : 13, a kind of partridge, about 
seven inches long, and much esteemed for food. 



132 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Quater'nion, Acts 12 : 4 ; four quaternions con- 
sisted of sixteen soldiers, -who might relieve each 
other by turns ; keeping watch, four in a party, day 
and night. 

Queen op heaven, Jer. 7 : 18, a title under which 
the moon "was worshipped by idolaters. 

Quick, 2 Tim. 4:1, those who are alive ov living. 
Christ shall judge both those who are alive at his 
coming, and those whose bodies have been laid in 
the grave. 

Quick'en, to make alive. 

Quick'sands, Acts 27 : 17, probably two dangerous 
whirlpools and sandbanks on the north African coast. 

Baam'ses, or Rame'ses, a city in Egypt, built by 
the children of Israel in their bondage. 

Bab'bath, capital of the Ammonites, twenty- two 
miles east of the Jordan ; now in ruins, Ezek. 25 : 5. 

Bab'bi — Rabbo'ni : these were titles of honor given 
to Jewish teachers and learned men. The first de- 
gree of honor was kab, or master ; then eabbi, which 
means chief master, or great master, was applied to 
persons of distinguished learning or piety, Matthew 
23 : 7. Eabboni signifies my master, John 20 : 16. 
The title of b abb an was the highest title, to which 
, the Jews state that only seven persons ever attained. 

Ra'ca, Matt. 5 : 22, a word expressing perfect con- 
tempt and hatred of the person to whom it is applied. 
Its use exposed a man to punishment from the coun- 
cil of elders. 

Ba'hab, Psa. 87 : 4, a name applied to Egypt, which 
see. 



WOKDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 133 

Bain, Dent. 11 :14; the "early rain" in Palestine 
falls in the latter part of October; and the "latter 
rain "in April. From early summer to October no 
rain falls. 

Ba'ma — see Aeimathe'a. 

Ba'mah, a city of Benjamin, six miles north of 
Jerusalem. 

Ba'moth, a famous city in Gilead, east of Samaria 
and the Jordan. 

Bav'entng, Ezek. 22 : 25, thirsting for, or seizing 
on prey like a lion. 

Bav'est, Nahum 2 : 12, plunder, or spoil taken by 
force. 

Beab'wabd — see Ward. 

Beceipt' oe cus'tom, Matt. 9 : 9, the place where 
the taxes were received. • 

Becokd'eb, 2 Sam. 8 : 16, an officer in the courts 
of kings who kept a record of passing events. 

Bed sea, a branch of the ocean extending north- 
wards from the Indian ocean, fourteen hundred miles 
long, and varying in breadth from thirty to two hun- 
dred miles. At the northern end it divides into two 
gulfs ; over the westernmost of these the children of 
Israel passed on coming out of Egypt. Edom, which 
signifies "red," was on the north of the other gulf, 
and probably gave the whole sea its name ; or the 
name may have been derived from the large number 
of marine insects, which at some seasons give the 
waters a reddish appearance. 

Bedeem' — Bedeem'er, 1 Pet. 1 : 18 : to redeem a 
person is to purchase his liberty for him ; the price 



134 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

is called a ransom. Sinners are in bondage to sin, 
and Jesus the Eedeemer has ransomed them by giv- 
ing his blood and life for them. 

Heed, Ezekiel 42 : 16, a measure of nearly eleven 
feet, so called because made of a reed. 

Bee'uge, cities of, were six Jewish cities, three 
each side of the Jordan, where a manslayer, who 
anywhere else might be killed at sight, might flee 
and be safe till he had a trial, Num. 35 : 6. These 
cities were types of Christ. 

KEGENERA'Tioisr, Titus 3 : 5, the spiritual change 
from a life of sin to the Christian life : it is so great a 
change as to be styled being born again — regenerated 
or reborn, John 3 : 3-7. In Matt. 19 : 28, regenera- 
tion means the renewed state of all things when 
Christ's kingdom is fully come. 

Beins, Jer. 17 : 10 : the Jews imagined that in the 
heart and reins all human affections were placed ; 
also the thoughts. 

Bem'phan, Acts 7 : 43, an idol supposed to repre- 
sent Saturn. See Chi'tjn. 

Reph'aim, Gen. 14 : 5, a race of giants, or men of 
uncommon stature, in the time of Abraham. 

Bep'eobate, 2 Tim. 3 : 8, rejected, as unworthy. 

Beke'ward, Isa. 52 : 12. See W akd. 

Bes'idtje, Exod. 10 : 5, remainder. 

Eight hand, Psalm 77 : 10, denotes power ; Psalm 
16 : 8, aid ; Psalm 110 : 1, the place of honor. It also 
denotes allegiance, blessing, love, enmity, etc. It 
was raised in taking an oath, Psa. 144 : 8. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 135 

Bim'mon, 2 Kings 5 : 18, a Syrian idol. 

Kings, were worn on the ears, nose, arms, eyes, 
and fingers. Ftn'geb-binos were used as seals and 
X>roofs of authority, Esth. 3 : 10, 12. 

Btv'eb, sometimes the Nile or the Euphrates ; 
sometimes the bed of a summer torrent ; sometimes 
a water channel in a garden. 

Brv'EB of Egypt, a small stream on the south-west 
of Canaan. It is now dried up. 

Boad, 1 Sam. 27 : 10, means an inroad, or raid. 

Bod, passing under the, Lev. 27 : 32, refers to the 
method of marking with a rod every tenth sheep or 
lamb as it passed out of the fold, and which was de- 
voted to sacred use. 

Boe, 1 Chron. 12 : 8, the wild gazelle or antelope. 

Bome, the chief city of Italy, built about seven 
hundred and fifty-two years before the coming of 
Christ, at the time of whose birth it was in its high- 
est glory. It stood on seven hills, and at one period 
contained two millions of inhabitants. Idolatry in 
almost all its forms was found within its walls. It is 
uncertain who first preached the gospel at Borne. 
The modern city is much reduced in size, and is but 
the shadow of its former greatness. 

Bo oh, a seat or place ; thus in Luke 14 : 7-10, we 
read of " chief rooms," and "lowest rooms." 

Bu'bt, Job 28 : 18, a precious gem of a red color, 
next in value to the diamond. 

Bude, 2 Cor. 11 : 6, artless and unpolished. 

Bu'leb, John 3 : 1, a member of the council or 
high court of the Jews. _ 



136 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Bump, the end of the back of an animal. In Lev. 
3 : 9, the tail of the Syrian sheep is meant, which is 
enormously large and fat. 

Sab'aoth, a Hebrew word signifying hosts, or 
armies. Jehovah is called the "Lord of sabaoth," or 
hosts, because the hosts of all creatures are his; 
whether the "hosts of heaven/' the angels, Luke 
2 : 13 ; "the host of the sky, 5 ' the stars, Isa. 40 : 26 ; 
the host or army of men upon the earth, Exod. 14 : 4 ; 
16 : 13. 

Sab'bath-day's journey — see Day. 

Sace/but, Dan. 3 : 5, a sort of harp or lyre. 

Sack' cloth, Esther 4 : 1, a coarse cloth made of 
camel's hair ; a token of penitence and mourning. 

Sad'ducee, Matt. 3 : 7, a class of Jewish unbeliev- 
ers who denied the existence of angels, the resurrec- 
tion, and a future state. They were bitter opposers 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Sa'bem — see Jerusalem. 

Salt, Job 6 : 6, is the symbol of perpetuity and in- 
corrupt] on, Matt. 5 : 13 ; hence most of its uses in 
the Bible, Num. 18 : 19. Also of desolation, Job 
39 : 9, and of hospitality. 

Saet'ed with fire, Mark 9 : 49 ; as every burnt 
sacrifice offered to God was seasoned with salt, the 
emblem of purity, Lev. 2 : 13, so every believer must 
be made pure, even though the w T ay of becoming so 
is as painful as the burning of fire. 

Sama'ria — see Ca'naan. 

Samar'itaks, John 4 : 9 : an account of their origin 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 137 

will be found in 2 Kings 17. They were partly a 
heathen and partly a Jewish race. They differed 
with the Jews as to the right place of worship, fixing 
on mount Gerizim, and not Jerusalem. A few fami- 
lies of this people yet find a home in Palestine. 
Sanc'ttfy, to set apart for God ; to make holy. 

Sanctefica'tion, 1 Thess. 4 : 3, the work of the 
Holy Spirit, cleansing a believer from the power and 
influence of sin. 

Sano'tuart, Exod. 25 : 8, a holy place, Heb. 9 : 2. 

San'dals, Mark 6 : 9, a kind of loose shoe sole, fast- 
ened under the foot by straps. 

Sap'phtre, Exod. 28 : 18, a precious stone of a sky- 
blue color. 

Sae'dine, Exodus 28 : 17, or Sab'dius, Kev. 4 : 3, 
the carnelian, a precious stone of a flesh-color. 

Sab'dis, the chief city of the kingdom of Lydia ; 
it was one of the most wealthy cities of the East, but 
wars and earthquakes reduced it to a heap of ruins, 
in which situation it is at present. It was the seat of 
one of the "seven churches." 

Sar'donyx, Rev. 21 : 20, a precious stone, combin- 
ing the qualities of the sardine and the onyx. 

Sarep'ta, or, as called in Hebrew, Zae'ephats, 
1 Kings 17 : 9 : a town on the Mediterranean sea, be- 
tween Tyre and Sidon. 

Sa'tan, Matt. 16 : 23, one of the names of the devi]. 
The word means a lier in wait, an adversary. 

Sat'yr, Isa. 13 : 21, a fabulous creature, half man 
and half goat ; but in Scripture the term is applied to 



138 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

some unknown animal, such as the wild goat or the 
baboon. 

Save, Matt. 11 : 27, except. 

Scob'pion, Luke 11 : 12, a large insect, shaped 
like a lobster, found in hot climates, whose sting 
causes great pain and often death. When curled up 
it resembled an egg, Luke 11 : 11, 12. 

Scob'pions, 2 Chron. 10 : 11, whips made with 
knots. 

Scottbge, John 2 : 15, a kind of whip of cords or 
leather thongs. The scourge sometimes had three 
lashes ; and thirteen blows made thirty-nine stripes. 
2 Cor. 11 : 24. 

Scbab'ble, 1 Sam. 21 : 13 : we now say "scribble." 
David scribbled or wrote idle, unmeaning words upon 
the gates, like an idiot. 

Scbibe, 2 Sam. 8 : 17,. a writer, accountant, or sec- 
retary, or an expounder of the law, Matt. 15 : 1-6. 

Sobip, Matt. 10 : 9, 10 : as there were but few inns 
in eastern countries, travellers carried with them 
their own food. This was contained in a scrip, or a 
small bag ; but sometimes it was like a soldier's knap- 
sack, and was made of skin, or coarse cloth. 

Seal — see Rikg. 

Seee, 1 Sam. 9 : 9, a prophet, one who foresees. 

Seethe, 2 Kings 4 : 38, to boil. 

Seje, the hilly country of the Edomites, extending 
south from the Dead sea, towards the east arm of the 
Red sea. Mount Hor was its chief summit, and Sela 
or Petra, a famous rock city, its capital, Jer. 49 : 7-22. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 139 

Se'lah, Psa. 3 : 2, probably signifying a meditative 
pause or rest in singing. 

Sen' ate — see Cotjn'ctl. 

Sep'tjlchee, Mark 15 : 46, a hollow room or suit of 
rooms cut in a rock ; a grave. 

Seb'aphtm, Isa. 6 : 2, heavenly spirits, supposed to 
be among the highest orders of celestial beings. The 
word signifies "burning ones ;" either from their glo- 
rious appearance or their glowing zeal. 

Seb'geant, Acts 16 : 35, an officer of justice or ex- 
ecutioner among the Eomans, who scourged and be- 
headed the criminals. 

See'vetob, 2 Kings 4 : 43, a serving man, an at- 
tendant. 

Sev'en, a favorite number among the Hebrews, 
often used indefinitely, meaning many, Deut. 28 : 7. 

Sham'bles, 1 Cor. 10.; 25, a public meat market. 

Shae'on, a level tract of country along the Medi- 
terranean shore, south of mount Carmel, famous for 
its roses and grain, and rich pasturage for flocks. 
Called Sa'eon, Acts 9 : 35. 

She'ba, or Se'ba, a son of Cush, and great-grand- 
son of Noah, gave his name to a country in Africa, 
Gen. 10 : 7. There was also another Sheba in South- 
ern Arabia, from which came the queen who visited 
Solomon, 1 Kings 10. It was peopled by Seeba, son 
of Joktan, of the race of Shem, Gen. 10 : 28. A third 
Sheba, grandson of Abraham by Keturah, peopled a 
part of Arabia south-east of Canaan, Gen. 25 : 3. 

She'chem, Sy'che^i, or Sy'chae, one of the oldest 



140 BIBLE-BEADER'S HELP. 

cities in Canaan. It stood in a charming valley be- 
tween Ebal and Gerizim, John 4, and was about 
thirty-four miles north of Jerusalem. 

Sheep, John 10 : 3, 4 : eastern sheep follow their 
shepherds as dogs follow their master, and as readily 
come when called by name. 

Shek'el, Gen. 23 : 15, 16, the name of a weight, 
and afterwards a Jewish coin about half an ounce in 
weight, and a little more than fifty cents in value. 

Shem'inith, title to Psalm 6, means eighth, and 
may mean the lowest part in music. 

Sher'iee, Dan. 3 : 3, a magistrate or public officer. 

Shib'boleth, Judges 12 : 6, "a stream of water." 
The people of Ephraim were unable to pronounce 
the sound sh, but gave the simple sound s, and thus 
betrayed themselves. 

Shiggai'on, title to Psalm 7, plural Shiggi'onoth, 
Hab. 3 : 1, perhaps some particular kind of ode, or 
musical key. 

Shtlo'ah, Silo 'ah, or Silo 'am, a fountain and pool 
on the south-east side of Jerusalem, connected with 
another fountain further north and with reservoirs 
under the temple. 

Shi'loh, Gen. 49 : 10 : a title of the Messiah : the 
meaning may be, one whose right it is to reign, or 
the peacemaker. 

Ship, often means a boat or small fishing- vessel. 

Shit'tim, or Shit'tah, Exod. 25 : 5 ; Isa. 41 : 19, a 
tree of the desert, supposed to be the black acacia. 

Shoe'-IjATCh'et, John 1 : 27, a strap for fastening 
the shoe or sandal. 



WOBDS, PLACES, A1SD CUSTOMS. 141 

Shoshan'nih, title to Psalm 45 ; the word signifies 
lilies, and may refer to a tune of that name. 

Show' -bee ad, Exod. 25 : 30, or " bread of the pres- 
ence," twelve cakes of bread, being equal to the num- 
ber of the tribes of Israel, which the priest placed 
fresh every Sabbath-day on the golden table in the 
holy place, in the presence of God. 

Sheines, Acts 19 : 24, little silver models of the 
temple of Diana, sold to the idolaters. 

Sheoud, Ezek. 31 : 3, shelter. 

Shu'shan-e w duth, title to Psalm 40, probably the 
name of a tune to which the psalm was sung. 

Si'don— see Zi'don. 

Sig'net, Dan. 6 : 17, commonly a finger-ring used 
in sealing or securing letters, boxes, etc. 

Sii/veeeings, Isa. 7 : 23, or pieces of silver ; prob- 
ably, shekels. 

Sh/vee coed, Eccles. 12 : 6, the spinal marrow. 

Simbuc'ity, sometimes a pure and artless ignorance 
of evil, Eom. 16 : 19 ; and sometimes foolish insensi- 
bility to the evil of sin, Prov. 1 : 4, 22. 

Se^'-offeeing, Lev. 4 : it differed according to the 
condition of the offerer, it being a bullock when for 
the people at large, a male goat for a judge, a female 
one for a common person, and two turtledoves or 
young pigeons if the person were poor. A tees'pass- 
offeetng was of a similar nature. Sin is sometimes 
put for sin-offering, 2 Cor. 5 : 21. 

Si'nai, Si'na, a famous mountain in the Horeb 
range, in Arabia Peteea. The whole region of Sinai 



142 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

is thirty or forty miles in diameter, and in the south 
part are many peaks, the highest of which is now 
called "the mountain of Moses." It is seven thou- 
sand feet high. Exod. 19 : 11. 

Si' on — see Zi'on. 

Sith, Ezek. 35 : 6, since. 

Slime — see Pitch. 

Slow bel'ltes, Titus 1 : 12, lazy gluttons. 

Smok'tn^ flax, Matt. 12 : 20 ; the wick of a lamp 
whose oil is nearly exhausted. 

Smyrna, a large city of Asia Minor. About the 
time of our Saviour's birth it was noted for its riches. 
A Christian church was early planted here, and it was 
one of the seven churches of Asia addressed by the 
apostle John. It is still a great commercial city. 

Sinuf'fees, Exod. 37 : 23, tongs for trimming the 
lamps of the sanctuary. 

Sod— Sod'den, Gen. 25 : 29 ; Exod. 12 : 9, boiled. 

Sod'om, Gomor'eah, Ad'mah, Zebo'im, and Zo'ae 
were five of the ancient cities of the Canaanites, which 
stood in the plain of Siddim, at the south end of the 
Dead sea. They were called the cities of the plain, 
and were all, except Zoar, destroyed by fire and 
brimstone. The place where they stood was convert- 
ed into a shallow lake, making part of the Dead sea, 
Gen. 19. 

Some'times, or some'time, in the Bible, always 
means formerly, in times past. 

Sooth' satee, Dan. 2 : 27, one who pretended to 
foretell future events by the appearance of the livers 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 143 

of the animals offered in sacrifice to idols, the clouds, 
the planets, the flight of birds, etc. 

Sop, John 13 : 26, a sfiiall piece of bread dipped 
into wine or sance at table. The practice of thus 
giving a dainty morsel of meat or bread to a guest 
still continues in Palestine. 

Sor'ceree, Acts 13 : 6, one who pretended to fore- 
tell future events by casting lots, charms, and magic 
arts. 

Sobe, Mark 14 : 33, very much. 

Soun, is often j>ut for life, J?sa. 35 : 4. 

Span, Exod. 28 : 16, a measure of nine inches. 

Spike'naed, or Naed, Mark 14 : 3, a costly per-* 
fume, made from a plant found in the hilly parts of 
India. 

Spjb'its in peison, 1 Peter 3 : 19, that is, now in 
prison. Christ preached to them while they were on 
earth, 2 Pet. 2:5; Eph. 2 : 17. 

Spoil, to deprive of, or rob, Col. 2 : 8, 15. 

Spbin'kle, Isa. 52 : 15 ; Heb. 10 : 22, refers to the 
purifications in the Jewish worship, and to the sprink- 
ling of blood on the door posts before the passover. 

Stac'te, Exod. 30 : 34, a gum not certainly known ; 
supposed to be the purest kind of myrrh. 

Stock, a trunk of a tree, an idol. 

Stocks, a pair of beams fitting together, with cavi- 
ities between them in which to confine and torture 
the ankles, and sometimes the wrists, Acts 16 : 24. 

Sto'ics, Acts 17 : 18, a sect of fatalist heathen phi- 
losophers, who believed many important truths, but 



144 BIBLE-EEADER'S HELP. 

mixed with the grossest error. They pretended to 
be insensible to all the joys and griefs of life. 

Stkaight, Luke 13 : 13, direct, upright, not 
crooked. 

Stbatt, Matt. 7 : 13, narrow, difficult. 

Strain' gee, usually a foreigner. 

Steak' geeb, Acts 15 : 20. See Jer. 17 : 13. 

Steick'ek, Luke 1 : 7, advanced. 

Sttjfe, Gen. 31 : 37, household furniture ; 1 Sain. 
10 : 22, corn, provision. 

Sub'tlety, Pro v. 1 : 4, discernment 

* Suck'etng, Matt. 21 : 16, an infant. 

» 
Supeesceip'tion, a writing on the top or above, as 

the letters, on a coin, Matt. 22 : 20. The Romans 

placed a writing above the head of a person who was 

crucified, stating the offence for which he was put to 

death, Mark 15 : 26. 

Swab 'being clothes, Luke 2 : 7, bands or blankets 
that confined the limbs of infants. 

Swine, unclean, forbidden, and hated by the Jews, 
Lev. 11 : 7 ; Luke 15 : 15. 

Syc'ai>iine, Luke 17 : 6, the mulberry- tree. 

Sxc'amoee, Isa. 9 : 10, a fig-tree, brought originally 
from Egypt. Its leaves are like the mulberry, but it 
is really a fig-tree, bearing a coarse, inferior fruit. It 
is lofty and shady, Luke 19 : 4. 

Sy'chae — see She'chem. 

Syn'agogue, Matt. 12 : 9, an assembly, or a place of 
assembly for divine worship, not for sacrifices, among 



WOKDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 145 

the Jews. It was not known until after the return of 
the Jews from Babylon. 

Syb'ia, called in the Hebrew A'eam, a large dis- 
trict in Asia, on the north of Canaan ; at one time it 
embraced all the country lying between the river Eu- 
phrates and the Great sea, and was divided into Upper 
Syria and Hollow Syria. Its chief city was Damas- 
cus. It is now in the possession of the Turks. 

Ta'bee— see Tab'bet. 

Tab'eenacxe, Num. 24 : 5, a tent, a movable dwell- 
ing. It is specially applied to the large and costly 
tent erected by Moses in the wilderness for the worship 
of God. In 2 Cor. 5:1, the body is the tent of the soul. 

Tab'ebnacles, Feast oe — see Feast. 

Ta'bles, Hab. 2 : 2, thin pieces of wood covered 
with wax, on which letters were scratched or cut to 
record events. 

Ta'bles oe the law, Exod. 31 : 18, pieces of flat 
stone on which the law given by Moses was written 
by God himself. 

Tab'lets, Isaiah 3 : 20, boxes or bottles for per- 
fume. 

Ta'boe, a mountain on the north-east of the great 
plain of Jezreel; sometimes called the mount oe 
Teanseigtjeation, as it is supposed by some that here 
our Lord, was transfigured. 

Tab'eet, a kind of small drum, a tambour, or tam- 
bourine. To tabee is to beat as a drum, Nah., 2 : 7. 

Tach'es, Exod. 26 : 6, 11, hooks, or clasps of gold 
and brass, for fastening together the curtains of the 
tabernacle. 

Bible-Reader's Help. 10 



146 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Tad'mor, in Hebrew signifying "palm-tree," a city 
once in great renown, built by Solomon on a verdant 
spot in the midst of a sandy desert, on the borders of 
Arabia Deserta. Alexander the Great gave it the 
Greek name of Palmyra, "the city of palms. 5 ' Its 
ruins are several miles in extent, and astonish all 
travellers by their vastness and grandeur. 

TAiiE', a fixed number counted off, Exod. 5 : 8. 

Tai/ent, 2 Sam. 12 : 30 : the real value is rather 
uncertain, but supposed to be equal to $1,500, if a 
talent of silver, and $24,000 if a talent of gold. 

Tam'muz, Ezek. 8 : 14, the name of a Syrian idol, 
perhaps like the Phoenician Adonis. 

Tap'estry, Prov. 31 : 22, cloth woven or worked 
with figures, for hangings, etc. 

Tares, Matt. 13 : 25, a plant called darnel is sup- 
posed to be meant : it resembles wheat, and in the 
East grows among it, injuring the soil and the crop. 

Tar' get, 1 Sam. 17 : 6, a small round shield to pro- 
tect the body of a soldier. 

Tar'shish, Jonah 1 : 3, an ancient city in the south 
of Spain ; and j)robabry the name of a port in the 
seas south of Asia. 1 Kings 10 : 22. 

Tar'sus, Acts 21 : 39, the chief city of Cilicia in 
Asia Minor. It was the birthplace of the apostle 
Paul, who describes it as "no mean city." 

Tar'tak, 2 Kings 17 : 31, an idol of the Avites. 

Taxed', Luke 2 : 1, enrolled. 

Tears in a bottle, Psa. 58 : 8 ; the ancients show T ed 
their grief for the dead by dropping tears into a small 
bottle, which was buried with the corpse. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 147 

Tehj, Isa. 5 : 13, the linden or lime-tree, which is 
common in the Holy Land. 

Tem'pebance, Acts 24 : 25, virtue and self-control, 
not only as to food and drink, but as to all the appe- 
tites and passions. 

Tem'ple : the word was sometimes applied to the 
tabernacle put up first in the wilderness, and after- 
wards in Canaan, 1 Sam. 1:9; but more particularly 
to Solomon's building on mount Moriah, b. c. 1004, 
2 Chron. 3 : 1. The second temple was built by Ze- 
rubbabel, Ezra 6 : 15, 16 ; and the third by Herod 
the Great. This last was standing in the days of our 
Lord, and was destroyed by the Romans in the year 
70. See Coubt. In many cases where "the temple" 
is mentioned, the courts are meant which enclosed 
the sanctuary proper — the Holy Place and the Most 
Holy. These last were separated by a thick veil, 
Luke 23 : 45. The Most Holy, or Holy of Holies, con- 
tained only the ark of the covenant, and was entered 
only by the high-priest once a year, Lev. 16. In the 
Holy Place stood the altar of incense, the golden 
candlestick, and the table of show-bread. In front of 
the sanctuary stood the great altar of burnt- offering, 
the laver, etc. 

Tempt, Gen. 22 : 1, sometimes means to try, or the 
trial of a person's faith or patience. At other times 
it means to entice, to ensnare into sin. 

Tenth-deaij, Lev. 23 : 17, a tenth part of an ephah, 
about five pints. 

Tents of Ke'dab, Song 1:5. Arab tents were 
made of black goats' hair, 



148 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

Tee'eaces, 2 Chron. 9 : 11, stairs or balconies. 

Tee'aphim, Hos. 3 : 4, small images of idols. 

Tes'tament, in Scripture, usually means covenant, 
1 Cor. 11 : 25, and not a man's last will. In Heb. 
9 : 16, 17, both meanings are blended. 

Tes'ttmony, Exod. 25 : 22, the ark of the covenant 
with the tables of the law, which were God's witness, 

Te'teakch, Luke 3 : 1, a governor of a fourth part 
of a province or kingdom, though sometimes applied 
to a governor of a larger portion of a province. 

Thane;' -offeeing — see Peace '-offebtng. 

Thessaloni'ca, a city of Macedonia. It was very 
populous and rich. Paul gathered a Christian church 
here a*, d. 52. It is now called Salonica. 

Theee days and theee nights : the Jews under- 
stood by this expression the whole of one day and 
part of two others, Matt. 12 : 40. 

Theee Tav'eens, a small village about thirty- three 
miles from Eome, still called Tre Taverne. 

Theesh'tng feooe, Gen. 50 : 10 ; 1 Chron. 21 : 15, 
an open space on a spot exposed to the wind, for the 
chaff to be readily blown aside ; the grain being tossed 
up with a fan or fork, after being threshed with a 
flail, or trodden out by* unmuzzled oxen usually drag- 
ging a sort of sledge. 

Thyati'ea, was a city of Lesser Asia, and the seat 
of one of the "seven churches of Asia." 

Thy'xne-wood, Eev. 18 : 12, called thya, or citron 
wood, yielding a rich perfume and a fine rosin. 

Tibe'eias, a town on the south-west of the sea of 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 149 

Tiberias, or lake of Gennesaret, and at one time the 
capital of Galilee. It was named in honor of the 
Eoman emperor Tiberius. The town was half de- 
stroyed by an earthquake in 1837. 

• Tile, Ezek. 4 : 1, a broad thin brick of fine clay. 
Numbers of tiles with inscriptions are found in the 
mounds of Nineveh, Ezra 6 : 1. 

TiM'BKEiif^Exod. 15 : 20, a tambourine. 

Time, Dan. 4 : 16, a year ; or a year of years, three 
hundred and sixty. In Dan. 7 : 25, "a time, times, 
and the dividing of time," means three and a half 
prophetic years, 1260 natural years. 

Tire, Isa. 3 : 18, part of a female head-dress, made 
of gold or silver, and shaped like a half -moon. 

Tirsha'tea, Neh. 7 : 70, a Persian officer of state. 
Tithe, Gen. 14 : 20, a tenth part. 
Tit'tle, Matt. 5 : 18, a point, dot, or particle. 
Tongues, Acts 10 : 46, languages. 

To'paz, Exod. 28 : 17, a precious stone of a yellow 
color, with a red, grey, or green tinge. 

To'phet, "a drum ;" a name of the valley south of 
Jerusalem. See Hin'nom. 

TobmenVoks, Matt. 18 : 34, a name given to east- 
em jailors. They were often cruel men, and were 
sometimes bribed to torture the debtors in their cus- 
tody. 

Totjch'ing, Matt. 18 : 19, concerning. 

Tradi'tions oe the ei/ders, Matt. 15 : 2, precepts 
and instructions, not contained in the written law 



150 BIBLE-EEADEE'S HELP. 

which. God gave to Moses, some of which were quite 
opposed to it, and most of them of no value. 

Teance, Acts 10 : 10, a state of the human system 
in which for a time the soul seems withdrawn from 
external things, and occupied either by phantasms, or 
by divine revelations. 

Teansfig'ueed, Matt. 17 : 2, changed in appear- 
ance or form ; the dress and bodily abearance of 
Christ were very glorious. 

Teav'atl, Psa. 48 : 6, labor, pain. 

Teeas'tjee, 2 Cor. 4:7: gold and jewels were often 
placed in earthen pots by the ancients, and hid in 
the ground for safety, Job 3 : 21 ; Matt. 25 : 25. The 
Arabs and travellers still find them occasionally. 

Teeas'uey, Mark 12 : 41, a place in the Jewish 
temple into which the people cast their gifts. 

Teees oe the Loed, Psa. 104 : 16, a Hebrew mode 
of expression for large and fruitful trees. 

Tees'pass-oe'eeeing — see Stn-oeeeetng. 
. Teibe, Num. 1 : 4, a large family or body of people 
descended from the same forefather. 

Teib'ute-mon'ey, Matt. 17 : 24, was a half-shekel, 
equal to about twenty-five cents, paid yearly by every 
male Jew, Exod. 30 : 13. 

Teow, Luke 17 : 9, suppose, think. 

Tetjmp, 1 Thess. 4 : 16, trumpet. 

Teum'pets, Feast oe — see Feast. 

Tue'tle-dove, Lev. 12 : 8, a kind of pigeon. When 
a Jew was too poor to present a lamb, he might bring 
two turtledoves as an offering. 



WOfcDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 151 

Twain, Xsa. 6:2, two. 

Type, an example, pattern, or general likeness to a 
person, thing, or event to come, Kom. 4 : 15 ; 6 : 17 ; 
1 Cor. 10 : 11, margin. 

Tyre, a seaport of Phoenicia, and one of the most 
famous cities of the old world for commerce, wealth, 
and population. At first its site was on the main 
land, but when the city was besieged by Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the people removed to an island not far off, 
where they built the new city of Tyre. For a long 
time Tyre had no rival; her navies and her com- 
merce visited every known region. It is now only a 
wreck of a city. Ezek. 26 : 12, 21. 

Unc'tion, 1 John 2 : 20, anointing, referring to the 
outpouring of the grace of the Holy Spirit on the 
soul. 

Un' dee-set 'tees, 1 Kings 7 : 30, pedestals or legs, 
on which the brazen laver was supported. 

U'nicoen, Num. 23 :22, "one-horned." Some sup- 
pose the rhinoceros is meant ; others a huge wild 
buffalo, a beast strong, fierce, and untamable. 

Undeav'ened — see Leav'ened. 

Unwit'ttngly, Josh. 20 : 3, unknowingly. 

U'eim and Thum'mim, Exodus 28 :30, "lights and 
perfections." The term applies to some way in which 
God made known his will in connection with the 
high-priest's breastplate ; the precise manner is un- 
known. 

TJ'suey, Exod. 22 : 25, interest on money lent. The 
mere word in the Bible does not imply exorbitant 
interest. 



152 BIBLE-BEADEK'S HELP. 

Ut'ter, Ezek. 40 : 31, outer. 

Uz, a region in Arabia, probably east of Edom, 
Job 1:2. 

Yan'ity, fruitlessness, wickedness, or idolatry. 

Veil, sometimes a large mantle or shawl, covering 
the whole person except one eye, Buth 3 : 15 ; Isaiah 
3 : 22. In Matt. 27 : 51, a beautiful curtain in the 
temple, which divided the part called "the Holy of 
Holies," from the part called "the Holy Place." 

Yee'ely, John 3 : 3, truly, certainly. 

Yebmh/ion, Ezek. 23 : 14, a bright red color. 

Yes'tube, Matt. 27 : 35, a garment or robe worn by 
the ancients ; sometimes called a coat, John 19 : 23. 

Vi'al, Rev. 5 : 8, censer, a golden vessel to hold 
incense, like a saucer or shallow basin. 

Vin'egak, Prov. 10 : 26, the common sharp vinegar ; 
or a thin, sour wine, used as a drink, John 19 : 29. 
Gall was mixed with it to stupefy a crucified person. 

Yi'on, Amos 6 : 5, a harp or psaltery. 

Yi'pee, Job 20 : 16, a serpent whose bite often 
quickly ends in death, Matt. 12 : 34. 

Yis'ion, a means whereby God was pleased to make 
known his will to men while they were asleep, as 
Daniel, Dan. 7:1, or when awake, as Saul of Tarsus, 
Acts 26 : 13. 

Yoca'tion, Eph. 4 : 1, calling. 

Yox/ume, Heb. 10 : 7, or roll, which was the form 
of ancient books. 

Yui/tube, Lev. 11 : 14, a disgusting bird of prey, 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 153 

feeding chiefly on dead bodies, and very far-sighted, 
Job 28: 7. 

Wall of fire, Zeeh. 2:5: eastern shepherds and 
travellers protect themselves and their flocks at night 
from the attacks of wild beasts, by making fires all 
around them, which are kept burning till daybreak. 

Ward, a room in a prison, Acts 12 : 10 ; being held 
in custody, Gen. 40 : 3 ; a garrison or a guard, Jer. 
37 : 13. Hear' ward, Joshua 6 : 13, the battalion that 
guarded the rear of an army. 

Ware, Acts 14 : 6, aware. 

Wash'ing the feet, Gen. 18 : 4 : in a hot climate, 
and where sandals were worn, it was a necessary and 
refreshing act ; and the more needful, when it was 
the custom to recline on couches at meals. It was 
the work of servants. John 13 : 5. 

Wash'pot, Psalm 60 : 8, a pot in which feet are 
washed. It expresses a low and degraded state. 

Watch, Matt. 14 : 25, the period of time that a sol- 
dier kept guard. In the time of our Lord, the Jews 
divided the night into four watches, beginning at six 
in the evening. The second began at nine ; the third 
at midnight ; and the fourth at three, and closed at 
six in the morning. All four watches are referred to 
in Mark 13 : 35, under the names of the "even, mid- 
night, cock-crowing, and morning." 

Y/a'terixg with the foot, Deut. 11 : 10, drawing 
water by a machine worked with the foot ; or turning 
garden channels with the foot, Pro v. 21 : 1. 

Wave' -offering, Exod. 29 : 24, so called from the 



154 BIBLE- READER'S HELP. 

particular motion with which the offering was pre- 
sented, waving right and left. 

Wax, Matt. 24 : 12, grow, become. 

Way'eaking-man", Jer. 14 : 8, a traveller. 

Wea'sel, Lev, 11 : 29, rather, the mole. 

Wed' ding-gab' ment, Matt. 22 : 11 : suitable dresses 
were provided by the person who gave a wedding 
feast, and who sent them beforehand to the invited ; 
hence, for a man to appear without one, was a proof 
that he was an intruder. Presents of dresses are still 
common in the East, Gen. 45 : 22 ; especially on con- 
ferring an office, Esther 8 : 15. 

Week, Dan. 9 : 24, in the language of prophecy 
means seven years, or a year for each day. 

Weighed money, Gen. 23 : 16 : before money was 
issued in the form of coin, it was, and in some places 
still is, the custom to weigh gold and silver, in pay- 
ment of goods. 

Wells, Judg. 1 : 13-15 : a well was a valuable pos- 
session in the East, Gen. 26 : 15-32 ; and a new one 
was a matter of rejoicing and of grateful remem- 
brance, John 4 : 6, 12. 

West, Luke 12 : 54, over the Great sea. 

Whale, Job 7 : 12, denotes some sea -monster of 
huge size. 

Whiles, Dan. 9 : 20, while, as long as. 

Whit, 1 Sam. 3 : 18, a small thing. 

Whoee'dom, Jer. 3:2, in some passages this is a 
figure of speech, to express idolatry, or being unfaith- 
ful to God. 



WORDS, PLACES, AND CUSTOMS. 155 

Wh/debness, Josh.. 15 : 61, a thinly peopled part 
of the country. 

Wtm'ple, a sort of hood or veil. In Isa. 3 : 22, a 
large shawl. See Veil. 

Wine '-bibber, Matt. 11 : 19, a drinker of wine, a 
drunkard. 

Wine'-fat — see Fat. 

Wine'-pbess, Matt. 21 : 33, was often a pit dug in 
the groand on a slope, and walled round, in which 
the grapes were crushed with the feet ; the treaders, 
who joined in a lively song, Isa. 16 : 10, were much 
stained by the juice, Isa. 63 : 3. 

Wtnk, Psa. 35 : 19 : to wink with the eye was a way 
of showing scorn and contempt. 

Winked' at, Acts 17 : 30, overlooked. 

"Wise, John 6 : 37, mode, or manner. 

Wist, "knew," "know," Exod. 34 : 29 ; 2:4; Phil. 
1 : 22. Wot, "know." Do you to wit, 2 Cor. 8 : 1, 
"make you to know." In 2 Cor. 5 : 19, to wit means, 
"that is to say." 

Witch, female — Wizard, male, Deut. 18 : 10 ; Lev. 
20 : 27, those who pretend to foretell events, cure dis- 
eases, and call up, consult, or drive away spirits. 

Withes, Judges 16 : 7, twigs or small boughs of 
trees twisted together, and used for binding bundles 
of wood. 

Wbz'abd, Lev. 22 : 27, a man who pretended to 
foretell events, call up departed spirits, and cure dis- 
ease by supernatural power. Such sinful pretences 
were severely denounced by the sacred writers, Exod. 
22 : 18, and in the passage above. 



156 BIBLE-EEADER'S HELP. 

Wont, Acts 16 : 13, accustomed. 

Would, sometimes the Roman empire, Luke 2:1; 
the objects of time and sense, 1 John 2 r 15 ; the era 
ending at the judgment-day, Matt. 24 : 3. 

Worm'wood, Jer. 9 : 15, a plant of a very bitter 
taste ; as a figure of speech, it denotes great affiiction. 

Wot — see Wist. 

Wbeath'en, Exod. 28 : 14, twisted, turned. 

Yearn, Gen. 43 : 30, to feel a longing desire. 

Yoke, Num. 19 : 2, an instrument for the necks of 
cattle ; 1 Kings 19 : 21, two, a pair. When used as a 
figure of speech, it means servitude, Deut. 28 : 48 ; 
or painful religious rites, Gal. 5 : 1 ; or the delightful 
service of Christ, Matt. 11 : 29, 30. 

Zab'ephath — see Sarep'ta. 

Zi'don, the capital of Phoenicia, twenty miles south 
of Tyre, famous for arts, wealth, and commerce, Gen. 
49 : 13 ; Matt. 15 : 21-28. 

Zi'on, or Si' on, one of the hills on which Jerusa- 
lem was built, and on which the fortress of the Jeb- 
usites stood when David took it. The term Zion is 
sometimes applied to the temple and its worshippers, 
Psa. 48 : 12 ; Isa. 1 : 27, and also to the Christian 
church, Eom. 9 : 33 ; Heb. 12 : 22. A part of mount 
Hermon was also called Sion. 

Zo'xiP, "little one/ 5 one of the ^.ve cities of the 
plain of Sodom, saved at the request of Lot. It stood 
near the south end of the Dead sea. See Sod'om. 



ALPHABETICAL INDEX. 157 

ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

OE 

TOPICS TO BE NOTICED IN BEADING THE BIBLE. 

The inspired writings are infinitely rich in truth, 
and each verse is so connected with the rest that an 
intelligent inquirer may easily extend his investiga- 
tions from one passage over the whole of Scripture. 
Without attempting to exhaust topics of inquiry, we 
mention the following. The letters may be prefixed 
to each verse, or not, according to the taste of the 
reader. 

A. What analogies between sensible and spiritual 

things may be here traced ? 
a. What prophecy is here accomplished? where 
ound ? when written ? what rule of interpreta- 
tion is illustrated ? 

B. What blessing is here sought or acknowledged, or 

promised ? and why ? 
G. What custom is here referred to ? 

c. What trait of character is here given ? good or 

bad ? belonging to our natural or our renewed 
state ? what advantages are connected with it ? 
D. What doctrine is here taught ? how illustrated ? 
what its practical influence ? 

d. What difficulty is here found in history or in doc- 

trine ? how explained ? 



158 BIBLE-READER'S HELP. 

JEJ. "What evangelical or other experience is here re- 
corded ? 

e. What example is here placed before us ? of sin, or 
of holiness ? what lessons does it teach ? 

F. "What facts are here related ? what doctrine or 

duty do they illustrate ? do you commend or 
blame them, and why ? 
/. What is here forbidden ? in thought, word, or 
deed ? 

G. What is the geographical position of this country^ 

or place ? and what its history ? 
H. What facts of natural history or of general history 

are here referred to or illustrated ? 
I. What institution or ordinance is here mentioned ? 

on whom binding ? what its design ? what its 

connection with other institutions ? 
i. What instructions may be gathered from this fact, 

or parable, or miracle ? 
K. What "knowledge of human nature, or want of 

knowledge, is here displayed ? 
L. What Levitical institute is here mentioned ? why 

appointed ? 
M. What miracle is here recorded? by whom wrought? 

in whose name ? what were its results ? what is 

hereby taught ? 
JV". What is worthy of notice in this name? 
0. What obligation or duty is here enforced ? how ? 

and from what motives ? 
P. What promise is here given ? to whom ? 
p. What is the meaning of the parable here given ? 

what truth as to God, Christ, man, "the king- 
dom," is taught ? 



ALPHABETICAL lKi>HX. 15P 

Q. What important question is here proposed ? whu* 
is the true answer ? 

i?. "What prophecy is here recorded? is it fulfilled ? 
how ? when ? 

S. What sin is here exposed ? 

s. What sect is here introduced ? mention its tenets. 

T. What type is here traced ? 

t. What threatening ? when inflicted ? 

U. What unjustifiable action of a good man ? what 
unusual excellence in one not pious ? 

IF. What woe is here denounced ? what warning giv- 
en ? against whom, and why ? 

X What is here taught of the work, character, per- 
son of Christ ? 

Y. What is here said of especial interest to the 
young ? 

Z. What sublimity of thought or of language is here? 
what inference follows ? 



FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH. 



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Songs for the Little Ones at Home. Attractive as 
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Home Pictures. 72 pages. A fine Cut on each page. 

My Picture-hook. 64 pages. Sixty-one Engravings. 

Fireside Pictures. 64 pages. With a Cut on each 
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The Illustrated Tract Primer. The Children's favor- 
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Fublislied toy tlie American Tract Society, and for 
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