Aaron's rod, the rod, or staff, used by Aaron, older brother of Moses and first high priest of the Hebrews, with which he performed miracles (Ex. 7: 9-12, 19-20): this rod, as it represented the tribe of Levi, bore fruit when placed in the Tabernacle overnight, thus indicating that God's favor had been bestowed upon the Levites (Num. 17.6-10).
Abaddon (a-bad'an), the angel of hell, or the bottomless pit (Rev. 9: 11): it is the transliteration of the Hebrew word for destruction." ct. Apollyon.
Abba ( ab'a ), the Aramaic word for "Father": in many ancient dialects it was the usual form of address used by children to their natural father. Jesus, however, used this term in the prayer in the garden as referring to God (Mark 14:36). It occurs, as such, only three times in the New Testament and is always followed by the explanatory Father. The Hebrew cognate is found frequently in compound names, as in Abraham. Paul says this word is uttered to signify spiritual adoption as a son of God (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).
Abib (a'bib), the first month (March-April) in the Hebrew calendar, having 30 days: the month of. the Passover (Ex. 13:3-4; 23:15). It IS a survival of the early division of the year from observation of the sun's passage and meant "green (young) ears of corn." After the Exile, it was given the name Nisan (Neh. 2:1; Esther 3:7) and is now observed as the seventh month of the modem Hebrew calendar.
abject (ab'jekt), a base man; castaway; slanderer: Ps. 35:15. This Hebrew term meaning "afflicted one" occurs only here; however, its contextual meaning is not clear.
abomination of desolation, an idolatrous practice that causes desolation (Mark13: 14): this is thought to refer to the setting up of a false idol in the Temple, the presence of which is a portent of disaster. The reference in Mark refers to several passages in Daniel, as 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.
Abraham's bosom (a bra-hamz' booz'am) a state of heavenly bliss, peace, etc.; paradise (Luke 16:22): a popular notion of New Testament times conceived of the Patriarchs, particularly Abraham, welcoming the righteous souls into heaven. The bosom was figuratively looked upon as a place of rest and comfort.
abyss (a-bis') the bottomless pit.
accursed thing (a-kur'sid, a-kurst') a devoted thing (q.v.): Josh. 7:1. Accursed was formerly synonymous with cursed which, in Old Testament times, meant devoted or dedicated (to God): an accursed thing (like a devoted thing) was a thing (usually an object captured in war) that was to be sacrificed to God.
Aceldama (a-sel'da-ma) the Aramaic word for "field of blood"; the potter's field near Jerusalem purchased with the betrayal money returned to the priests by Judas: Matt. 27:7-1;1; Acts 1: 19. Its traditional site is given as the south slope of the Valley of Hinnom south of the Pool of Siloam.
adamant (ad'a-mant), a hard stone; corundum: Ezek. 3:9; Zech. 7:12.
Adar (a'dar) is the twelfth month (February-March) of the Hebrew calendar (Esther 3:13; 8:12), having 29 or 30 days. The feast of Purim, the deliverance, of the Jews from Haman, was kept on the 14th and 15th of Adar (Esther 9:21). Adar is the sixth month of the modern Hebrew calendar.
adjure ( a-jur'),
to command under oath or penalty; charge earnestly: Josh. 6:26.
adoption (a-dop'shan),
the act of choosing and bringing into one's own family; specifically ( and
metaphorically), 1 ) the choosing of the Israelites by God to be His special
people (Rom. 9:4); 2) the selecting by God of all true Christians and giving
them the privileges of being His children (Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5). Legal
adoption as we know it was unknown in Hebrew society but it was practiced in
some form in contemporary societies, as can be seen, for example, by the
adoption (although the term is not used) of Moses (Ex. 2:10) and Esther
(Esther 2:7).
affright (a-frit'),
1. to make afraid; frighten; terrify: II Chr. 32:18. 2. to startle or amaze:
Mark 16:5.
agape (a'gapa),
see love feast.
agone (a-gon'),
ago; past: I Sam. 30:13.
Agrippa (a-grip'a),
1. 10 B.C.?-A.D. 44; king of the Roman province of Judea ( 41-44); grandson
of Herod the Great: also called Herod Agrippa I and (Acts 12: 1) Herod the
king. 2. A.D. 27?-100; king of the small kingdom of Chalcis, be-
fore whom Paul was brought (Acts 25: 13-26:32); son of preceding: also
called Herod Agrippa II.
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Ahasuerus (a-haz-u-er'as),
519?-465 B.C.; king of Persia (486-465) and husband of Esther: identified by
many authorities as Xerxes I, taking" Ahasuerus" as the Hebrew form of that
name. See the Book of Esther.
ain (e'in),
the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet: it appears at the beginning of
the sixteenth section of Psalm 119.
Alamoth (al'a-moth),
a musical term of uncertain meaning: a strict translation of the Hebrew
indicates "maidens" or "virgins" which may call for the song to be 1) sung
by a women's choir, 2) played by musical instruments in high tones or pitch,
as flutes, or 3) played by maidens performing on musical instruments: I Chr.
15:20; Ps. 46: Title.
aleph (a'lif),
the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet: it appears at the beginning of the
first section of Psalm 119.
Alleluia (al-a-lu'ya),
praise ye the Lord; a song or exclamation of praise to God. In the Psalms,
it is written "Hallelujah: Ps. 111-113; 115-117; Rev. 19:1-6.
alms (amz),
money, food, clothing, etc. given voluntarily to poor and needy people (Luke
11 :41; Acts 3:2,3): the practice of giving alms evidently was considered
commendable in Biblical times, as it is now but Jesus warned (Matt. 6:1-4)
against
the giving of alms ostentatiously.
almsdeed (amz'ded),
a deed of mercy; act of charity: Acts 9:36.
almug (al'mug) or algum (al'gum)
a hardwood tree, probably red sandalwood, which Solomon used in building the
Temple and the king's palace: I Kings 10: 11-12; II Chr. 9: 10-11.
aloes (al'oz),
1. a tall tree of the Far East, having fragrant wood: it found its way into
Palestine through dealings with eastern traders: Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17.
2. a plant of the lily family yielding a fragrant wood which was added to
myrrh
and used in anointing and embalming: it is not the bitter plant common in
present times: Prov. 7:17; John 19:39.
alpha and omega (al'fa),
the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; hence, the beginning and
the end, especially as seen in the life and death of Christ and his
continued existence; thus, the phrase is used as a symbol to express the
eternal existence of God. Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.
altar (al'tar),
a raised platform or table used for sacred purposes. In Old Testament times
altars were made of earth or
piles of stones, and were used for making sacrifices of animals or grain.
Most altars were built at places where God had appeared or spoken (Gen.
8:20). A great altar of stone became the central place of sacrifice in the
Temple of Solomon (I
Kings 8:64) while other altars were made of wood (Ex. 27:1) and of brass (II
Chr. 4:1).
ambassage (am-bas'ij),
an embassy or group of ambassadors; especially, messengers Luke 14:32.
ambushment (am-bush'ment),
an ambush II Chr. 13:13.
Amen (a'men),
may it be so! surely! Used in the Old Testament to indicate agreement, to
ratify something said (Neh. 8:6), or as a solemn response of approval by the
people (Ps. 106:48). Later, it was used to emphasize a prayer (Rom. 11 :36)
or to express the confirmation of God's promises (Rev. 3:14).
amerce (a-mers'),
to punish by imposing a fine: Deut.22:19.
anathema (a-nath'-a-ma),
a thing or person accursed or damned: in the phrase anathema maranatha (I
Cor. 16:22), it is
thought that "maranatha" should be translated as a separate sentence reading
"Our Lord, come!" which may be interpreted as an expression of encouragement
or hope.
Ancient of Days,
God, especially as He appears in majestic human form in a Vision: Dan.
7:9-22.
angel (an'jel),
1. a messenger or servant of God, sent to those whom He seeks to encourage
or instruct at some critical time. ("Are they not all ministering spirits,
sent forth to minister for them who shall, be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1:
14.) Angels are the agents by means of which God communicates with men,
since it was believed (Ex. 33:20) that no man could see God Himself and
live. They were sent to protect the needy and helpless, to comfort those who
fear God (Ps. 34:7), and, in general, to execute God's will. On some very
special errands God sent angels (called angels of the Lord) who, because of
the significance of the message they bore, seemed to lose their identity and
take on human form (Ex. 3:2; Judg. 13:3). In the New Testament Jesus is the
intermediary between God and man, and the angels are subordinated to
aiding Him.
They are not to be worshiped, as Paul points out in his Epistle to the
Colossians (Col. 2: 18 ). 2. a representative of the
church, possibly a minister, as in "the angels of the seven churches" (Rev.
1:10). 3. a fallen spirit; hence, an evil angel: II Pet. 2:4.
angle (ang'gal),
a fishhook: Isa. 19:8; Hab. 1:15.
anise (an'is),
1. a plant of an uncertain variety that yields fragrant seeds resembling
caraway: many authorities assert
that the plant was actually dill, which resembles the anise. 2. the seeds of
this plant, used in flavoring and in medicine:
Matt. 23:23.
anklet (ang'klit),
an ornamental band or ring, usually of gold, silver, or ivory, worn around
the ankle by women: sometimes the anklets were linked together by an ankle
chain (or ornament of the legs, q.v.).
Annunciation (a-nun-si-a'shan),
the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would conceive and give
birth to Jesus (Luke 1:26-38): the word "Annunciation," a translation of the
Latin word for "announcement," does not appear in the Bible. The
Annunciation is celebrated as a Christian festival on March 25th.
anoint (a-noint'),
to put oil or ointment on a person's head or body: this was originally done
as a part of the process of
grooming oneself (Ruth 3:3), as a means of greeting a guest (Luke 7:46), or
as a method of treating a sore or wound (Isa.
1:6). Dead bodies were anointed, probably as a gesture of respect (Mark
14:8; Luke 23:56). Anointing was also part of
the official religious ceremony of consecrating a prophet, priest, or king
(Ex. 28:41; I Kings 19:16). Anoint came to
mean to provide a person with a particular quality, talent, etc.: it
especially signified a God-given quality, as God anointed
Jesus (Acts 10:38), and Israel was spoken of as God's anointed.
anon (a-non'),
immediately; at once: Matt. 13:20; Mark 1:30.
antichrist (an'ti-krist),
1. an opponent of Christ; one who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God: I John 2:22; II John 7. 2. a false prophet: I John 4:3.
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Apollyon (a-pol'yan)
the angel of hell, or of the bottomless pit (Rev. 9: 11 ): it is the Greek
word for "destroyer." cf. Abaddon.
apostle or Apostle (a-pos'al),
a person sent on a special mission: the word is derived from the Greek
apostolos, "a person sent forth," and is applied to the twelve disciples
(followers or pupils) sent out by Jesus to teach the gospel. The original
twelve were Andrew, Bartholomew, James, the younger (son of Alphaeus),
James, the elder, and John (sons of Zebedee), Jude (or Lebbeus or Thaddeus),
Philip, Simon the Canaanite, Simon (called Peter), Judas Iscariot, Matthew
(or Levi), and Thomas (or Didymus); Matthias later replaced Judas Iscariot.
Paul, "Apostle to the Gentiles," an 'equal
of the twelve, was given the name by reason of his divine appointment as a
messenger of the Gospel beyond the Jewish I,~
community. Apostle also refers to any person commissioned for this divine
work.
apothecary (a-poth'a-kar-e),
a person who makes and sells perfumes; perfumer: Ex. 30:25, 35; 37:29.
Perfumes were used in anointing oil and incense and on the bodies of the
dead, possibly because it was believed to preserve them from decay.
Ararat (ar'a-rat"),
1. the double-peaked mountain (now in Turkey) between the Caspian Sea and
the Mediterranean Sea:
it was here that Noah's ark is said to have landed: Gen. 8:4. 2. a kingdom
in the region of this mountain: Jer. 51:27; probably the ancient kingdom
known from Assyrian inscriptions as Urartu.
archer (arch'ar),
a warrior who shoots with a bow and arrows: Gen. 49:23; I Sam. 31:3.
Areopagus (ar-e-op'a-gas),
the meeting place of the court of Athens, before whose council Paul was
called to explain his belief: Acts 17:19. See also Mars' Hill.
Ariel (ar'e-al),
Jerusalem: the name given by Isaiah as a symbol of hope: Isa. 29:1,2, 7.
ark of the covenant (ku'va-nant),
the, chest of acacia wood and gold which contained the two stone tablets
inscribed with
the Ten Commandments. It was kept in the holiest part of the ancient Jewish
Tabernacle: Ex. 25:10; Heb. 9:4.
ark of the testimony,
another name for the ark of the covenant: Ex. 25:22.
Armageddon (ar-ma-ged'dan),
the Plain of Megiddo, near Samaria: Scene of violent battles described in
the Old Testament, although "Armageddon" itself is not mentioned. It is
referred to in Rev. 16:16 as a symbolic battleground where the last battle
between good and evil will be fought.
armhole (arm'hol),
the hollow under the arm at the shoulder; armpit: Jer. 38:12.
Artaxerxes (ar-ta-zerk'sez),
king of Persia (464-424 B.C.). He gave permission for Nehemiah and Ezra to
return to help in
rebuilding Jerusalem: Neh. 2:1; Ezra 4:7.
artificer (ar-tif'i-sar),
a skilled craftsman especially, an engraver or carver: I Chr. 29:5.
artillery (ar-til'ar-e),
weapons; specifically, the bow and arrows of Jonathan: II Sam. 20:40.
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Ascension (a-sen'shan),
the bodily ascent of Jesus into heaven on the fortieth day after His
Resurrection (Acts 1: 9). The Ascension is alluded to in Mark 16: 19, Luke
24:51, and John 6:'62; 20:17.
Ashtaroth (ash'ta-roth),
plural of Ashtoreth: this form is more common (Judg. 2:13; 10:6), but seems
to be a referel1ce
to pagan goddesses in general rather than to Ashtoreth in particular.
Ashtoreth (ash'ta-reth),
a pagan goddess of love and fertility, associated with Baal and worshipped
by many Semitic tribes (I Kings 11:33): this worship, as the worship of
Baal, was regarded as idolatrous; the prophets strove diligently to wipe it
out. Places were named after Ashtoreth as they were after Baal (Deut. 1:4; I
Chr: 6:71); see preceding entry.
assay (a-sa')
to attempt or try: Job 4:2 Acts 9:26.
asswage (a-swaj'),
to lessen; cause to subside; assuage: Job 16:5.
astonied (a-ston'id), bewildered; aston-
ished: Ezra 9:4. -
astrologer (a-strol'a-jar),
1. a person who was thought to be able to foretell the future by studying
the supposed influence
of the relative positions of the sun, moon, and stars on human affairs: Isa.
47: 13. 2. probably, an enchanter or a soothsayer: Dan. 1:20; 2:27.
Asuppim (a-sup'im),
storehouse: although appearing as a proper noun in I Chr. 26:15, 17 the
meaning "storehouse"
is to be preferred.
atonement (a-ton'mant),
1. in the Old Testament, the satisfaction or payment given for wrongdoing,
injury, etc., as b)
sacrifices (II Sam. 21:3), offerings, prayer suffering, or repentance. 2. in
the New Testament, the redemption of mankind
and the reconciliation of God and man :through the sufferings and death of
Jesus Christ: the restoration of the union between God and man, lost by
human sin is brought about by the redemptive work of Jesus. Most, Christian
theories concerning this concept agree that Christ's unique glory and
service to mankind was His suffering and sacrificial death on the Cross,
thus saving mankind from judgment, and making a new life possible. The word
appears only once in the New Testament (Rom. 5:.11.).
atonement, day of, Yom
Kippur, a Jewish holyday and the most
solemn day of fasting: after ten days of penitence it is observed with a
purification ceremony (described in Lev. 16) in which each individual is
cleansed of his sins. The day
(10th of Tishri) involves abstinence from labor and is a time of holy
convocation. Lev. 23:27,28; 25:9.
attent (a-tent'),
paying attention; attentive: II Chr. 6:40; 7:15.
aul , an awl,
a small tool with a point for making holes in wood or leather: Ex: 21:6.
avenger or avenger of blood
(a-ven'jar), the nearest relative to a
murdered person, whose duty it became to seek out and execute the murderer:
in the cases of accidental or justifiable slaying the slayer could seek
asylum in a city of refuge Num. 35:12; Deut. 19:6.
