fain (fan), with eagerness; gladly: Job 27 :22; Luke 15: 16.

fairs (farz), things made to be sold; articles a merchant, Peddler, etc., has to sell; wares: E;zek. 27:12,14,16.

faith (fath), belief; trust; confidence; spiritual awareness of divine truth beyond the reach of empirical experience or logical proof. To the ancient Hebrews faith was absolute obedience to the commands of God. In a New Testament sense it is  reliance on God's word concerning the mission and atoning death of his Son, Jesus Christ (John 5:2~), and on the testimony of Jesus regarding himself (John  3:18: Acts 3: 1.6). Faith is a gift of God and it is essential to salvation (Eph. 2:8).

fallow deer (fal'o), a kind of sma11 deer living in the Middle East: so ca11ed because of its pale-yellow color: Deut. 14:5;  I Kings 4:23.

fallow ground, land that is uncultivated or unplanted for the coming year: used  figuratively in referring to those who have  not yet placed their trust in God: Jer.  4:3; Hos. 10:12.

false Christ, a person who falsely claimed to be the Messiah and who would attempt to lead the Christians: Jesus warned against the coming of such persons (Matt. 24:24; Mark 13:22.)

false prophet, a person who claims to speak for God, but has not been divinely inspired: his messages usually are adapted  to the attitude of his audience, containing prophecies that he thinks will be pleasant for them to hear and having no regard for the likelihood of the prophecy's realization but rather looking forward to those, benefits which he 'himself might achieve by comforting others with forecasts of cheerful future events: Matt. 24:11,24;1. Luke 6:26; II Pet. 2:1. -the false prophet, an agent of Satan who performs miracles, tells lies, and puts to death those who do not worship as he directs: Rev. .16:13; 19:20; 20:10.

familiar friend, a companion with whom one is closely acquainted; person whom one knows well; intimate associate: Job 19:14; Ps. 41:9.

familiar spirit, the spirit of a dead person which mediums were allegedly able to summon: the exact meaning of this term is unknown but the most popular speculation deals with the idea that mediums claimed to have, or have on call, these spirits or a particular "familiar" spirit either within her or always available to her summons (II Kings 23:24). The phrase "to have a familiar spirit" is thought to convey this idea; i.e., the idea that the medium professed to have the power of calling upon  spirit or spirits which could look into the future (I Sam. 28:3-25). Consulting persons who supposedly had this power was forbidden (Lev. 19:31).

farthing (far'thing), a coin equal to a quarter of an English penny: in the New Testament, the Roman quadrans, a coin equal to one quarter of an American penny: Matt. 5:26; Mark 12:42.

fast (fast), v. to abstain from eating food over a particular period of time, for any of various reasons, as 1) an expression of grief or sorrow over the death of a loved one: I Sam. 31: 13. 2) a punishment of oneself before God because of sin: Ps. 35: 13. 3) an attempt to elicit the favor of God, as before a hazardous undertaking: Esther 4: 16. 4) an effort to ward off evil or threatening misfortune: I Kings 21:27. -n. a day or period set aside for fasting: Ezra 8:21; Jer. 36:9: no work was permitted on a day designated as a fast, which usually lasted from sunrise to sunset, but the Day of Atonement (the only day specified as a fast in the Mosaic law lasted from evening to evening (Lev. 23:32). The phrase to afflict the soul is equivalent to the verb fast (Lev. 16:29; Num. 30:13) and is thought to be a reference to the physical deprivation rather than the spiritual atonement.

fat (fat), 1. a vessel of large size for liquids, as a wine vat: Joel 2:24. 2. a part of the sacrificial animal that belonged exclusively to God (Lev. 3:16): fat was not to be eaten by the people of Israel (Lev. 3:17).

father's house, a father, a mother, and their children; family: Ex. 16:1: also called father (Josh. 14:1; I Chr. 8:10).

fatling (fat'ling), a bull, steer, or ox fattened before being slaughtered, especially for sacrifice: I Sam. 15:9; Isa. 11:6.

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feebleminded (fe'bal-min'did), timid or discouraged; fainthearted: I Thess. 5:14.

feller (fel'ar), a woodsman; wood cutter: Isa. 14:8.

felloe (fel'o), the rim of a wheel supported by spokes: it is made up of curved pieces of wood joined together: I Kings 7:33.

fellowship (fel'o-ship), 1. a mutual sharing with others of a common interest; especially, the relationship that fellow Christians have with each other as they share a mutual faith in God (Gal. 2:9; I John 1: 7 ): through this relationship with each other they give evidence of acquiring the purposes and feelings that approach the attitude that God has for them; they are thus enabled to come into a "fellowship" with God and Jesus Christ: I Cor. 1:9; I John 1:3. 2. friendly association; companionship: Ps. 94:20; II Cor. 6:14. 3. something placed temporarily in the possession of another for safekeeping: Lev. 6:2.

fen (fen), low land covered wholly or partially by shallow water; marsh: Job 40:21.

fiery serpent, a poisonous serpent that caused many deaths among the Israelites (Num. 21:6; Deut. 8:15): probably so called because of the painful bite and the inflammation which followed. See also seraphim.

fillet (fil'it), n. 1. a narrow band placed around the top of a pillar, either as an ornament or a fixture in which hooks were set from which curtains were hung: some scholars think that they were rods between the tops of the pillars for the same purpose, but most authorities consider this doubtful: Ex. 27:10,11. 2. a band or cord used to measure the circumference
of the pillars in front of the temple: Jer. 52:21. -v. to furnish with fillets (sense 1): Ex. 27:17; 38:28.

fining pot (fin'ing), a container in which metals, as silver, are melted down to remove impurities, before they are shaped
into ornaments, utensils, etc.: Prov. 17:3; 27:21.

firebrand (fir'brand"), a piece of wood, usually used for stirring a fire; but, sometimes, thrown as a weapon: Judg. 15:4; Prov. 26:18.

firepan (fir'pan"), a receptacle made of brass, gold, or silver: used for carrying fire or hot coals, to the altar: Ex. 27 :3; Kings 25: 15.

firkin (fir'kin), a liquid measure equal to about eight gallons: John 2:6.

firmament ( fir'ma-mant), the vault of heaven overhead in which the clouds and stars appear, and in the uppermost layer of which God was thought to dwell; also, the vault of the sky as it appears to human eyes (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 19:1; Ezek. 1:22,25).

firstborn (first'born), the first child born in a family: if a male, he was considered sacred to God and could be redeemed only by the offering of a sacrifice (Ex. 13: 13,15): the firstborn son inherited the leadership of the family and received as his birthright a double portion of his father's property.

firstling (first'ling), the first born of an animal, considered to belong to the Lord (Gen. 4:4; Ex. 13:12; Deut. 12:6,17): if of a clean animal it was to be sacrificed to God and if of an unclean one it was either to have its neck broken or to be  replaced (Lev. 27 :26). This tradition Was extended to include the first crops (first-fruits) of a harvest (Ex. 23:16; 34:22) and to the first wool sheared from a sheep (Deut. 18:4), both of which were also to be given as offerings to God.

fitch (fich), a plant with small, green leaves, grown for fodder: it bore bitter, black seeds which were used as a seasoning for food (Isa. 28:25,27): authorities disagree as to whether it was the vetch (a forage plant), a variety of cumin, sometimes called the nutmeg flower (a plant of the carrot family with aromatic seeds), or the spelt (a hard-grained kind of wheat).

 

flagon (flag'an), 1. a container for liquids, equal to about two quarts: Isa. 22:24. 2. a cake of dried and pressed figs or raisins: Song 2:5.

fleshhook (flesh'hook), an instrument for lifting pieces of meat from a pot, usually having three hooks: used at the altar to
handle sacrificial meat: Ex. 27:3; 38:3; 1 Sam. 2:13,14; I Chr. 28:17.

fleshpot (flesh'pot), a pot for cooking meat (Ex. 16:3): later extended to mean (pl.) "bodily comforts, licentiousness, luxurious plenty, etc." 

flote (flot), timber cut in one region, tied together and floated across a body of water, for use in another region: II Chr. 2:16. Also sp. float (I Kings 5:9).

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fool (fool), 1. a person with little or no moral judgment or good sense; one lacking in moral or spiritual qualities, but not necessarily intellectual qualities: Ps. 14:1; 53:1; Matt. 23:17. 2. a person who is wicked arid who despises justice and knowledge: Prov. 1:7.

footman (foot'man), a foot soldier; soldier who marches and fights on foot; often, a bodyguard of the king: I Sam. 22:17; Jer. 12:5.

footstool (foot'stool), a low stool for supporting the feet of a seated person (II Chr. 9: 18 ) ; figuratively, 1 ) the ark of thecovenant as the resting place for the feet of the symbolic presence of God which is between the cherubim above it: I Chr. 28:2. 2) the earth, supporting the feet of God when heaven is spoken of as His throne. Isa. 66.1, Matt. 5.35.

foreship (for'ship), the bow of a ship: Acts 27:30.

former rain, see latter rain.

forwardness (for'ward-nis), a condition of being ready and eager to take part in a worthwhile undertaking; earnestness; readiness: II Cor. 8:8; 9:2.

foul spirit, a wild, frenzied, or insane quality in a person causing him to act as though he was controlled by a demon: although persons so afflicted were not considered wicked, contact with them was thought to make one ceremonially unclean (Mark 9:25; Rev. 18:2).

foursquare (for'skwar'), having four equal sides with four right angles hence, firm on every side, as an altar (Ex. 27: 1 ), strong, unyielding, as a city (Rev. 21:16),

fowler (foul'ar), a person who hunts wild birds for food or sport, using a snare; figuratively, one who ensnares the innocent and leads them into spiritual ruin: Ps. 91:3; 124:7; Hos. 9:8.

frankincense (frank'in-sens), a fragrant gum resin obtained from various varieties of the balsam tree in eastern Africa and  southern Arabia: it was one of the four ingredients used in the holy oil with which priests were anointed (Ex. 30:34): on other occasions it was allowed to harden, then it was ground into a powder and burned as an offering with the shewbread ( Lev. 24: 7 ), or burned as incense (Song 3:6).

fray (fra), to frighten: Deut. 28:26; Jer. 7:33.

freckled spot, an itching skin eruption accompanying certain skin diseases, as eczema: Lev. 13:39.

freeman (fre'man), 1. a person not in slavery; hence, one with all civil and political rights: Rev. 6:15. 2. a Christian who is free from the bondage of sin, but chooses to be a slave to the will of God.(I Cor. 7:22): in this case, his status as a slave or a free man is not important.

freewill offering, a kind of peace offering, made to indicate one's love for God rather than as gratitude for a favor as in other forms of peace offering (Lev. 22:21,23): it was given in addition to a prayer in order to show one's recognition of God as the provider of all blessings: the sacrifice was usually an unblemished animal and it was to be consumed on the day after the sacrificial offering (Ezra 1:4; 8:28).

freewoman (fre'woom-an), a woman who is not in slavery; female freeman: Gal. 4:22,23,30.

fret (fret), to become corroded or eaten away: said of garments worn by persons afflicted with leprosy: Lev. 13:55.

fretting (fret'ing), eating away and destroying tissue, often, at the same time, discharging pus; ulcerous; malignant: Lev. 13:51,52.

fringe (frinj), an ornamental tuft of threads of equal length hanging loosely from the knot tying them together: these tufts, or tassels, were fastened to each one of the four lower comers of an Israelite's garment by a blue ribbon and were for the purpose, due to their conspicuousness, of reminding the Israelite of God's commandments and of his obligations to God
(Num. 15:38,39; Deut. 22:12).

 

frontlet (frunt'lit), a leather pouch  fastened to the forehead by a band: Ex. 13:16; Deut. 6:8; 11:18. It contained four pieces of parchment each inscribed with a passage of the Law: these passages were Deut. 11:13-22; Deut. 6:4-9; 13:11-16; Ex. 13:1-1. See phylacteries.

fuller (fool'ar), a person whose work is to clean garments or undressed cloth, as by removing oil and grease thereby making the fabric thick and compact: the cleansing method of the fuller was to steep the garment in soap and water, and spread it out to dry in a field (fuller's field, II Kings 18:17), then tramp on it. Jesus' robe was so white at the Transfiguration, that ". ..no fuller on earth can white them" (Mark 9:3).

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