KmmmSxm M .:••/•. !..•./•«; Orai ■ SffOwl ■ MRS P Qass_J5- Tf S 5 " Book ^M Augustus : obtains the confirmation of the kingdom of Judea. 397G Herod puts to death his wife Mari- 24 amne, the daughter of Alexandra. 3982 Herod undertakes several buildings, IS contrary to the religion of the Jews. Builds Caesarea of Palestine. 39S5 Herod undertakes to rebuild the tern- 15 pie of Jerusalem. 3999 Annunciation of the incarnation of ] the Son of God, to the Virgin Mary. He- o c^ rod condemns and slays his two sons, ^ . Alexander and Aristobulus. Birth of ^ ^ John the Baptist, six months before the ° ^ birth of Jesus. fcn . 4000 The birth of our Lord and Saviour 1 4 Jesus Christ, the fourth year before A.D. 4001 The circumcision of Jesus Christ. Anti- 3 pater returns from Rome. Is accused and convicted of a design to poison Herod. Wise men come to worship Jesus Christ. Flight into Egypt. Massacre of the innocents at Bethle- hem. Antipater put to death by order of Herod. Herod dies, five days after Antipater. Archelaus appointed king of Judea, by the will of Herod. 4002 Return of Jesus Christ out of Egypt. 2 3 Archelaus obtains a part of his father's dominions, with the title of tetrarch. 4004 The Vulgar Era, or Anno Domini: the V. E. fourth year of Jesus Christ, the first of or which has but eight days. A. D. 4009 Archelaus banished to Vienne in Gaul. 9 6 4012 Jesus Christ, at twelve years of age, 12 9 goes into the temple of Jerusalem ; con- tinues there three days unknown to his parents. 4031 Pilate sent governor into Judea. He 31 28 attempts to bring the Roman colours and ensigns into Jerusalem ; but is opposed by the Jews. 4032 John the Baptist begins to preach. 32 29 4033 Jesus Christ baptized by John the 33 30 Baptist. Jesus goes into the desert. After forty days, Jesus returns to John. He calls Andrew, Simon, Philip, and Nathanael. The marriage of Cana, where Jesus changes water into wine. Jesus comes to Capernaum ; thence to Jerusalem, where he celebrates the first passover. Nicodemus cornes to Jesus by night. Herod Antipas marries Herodias, his I. rot her Philip's wife ; he being yet alive. John the Baptist declares vehemently against this marriage ; he is put in prison. Jesus withdraws into Galilee ; con- verts the Samaritan woman, and several Samaritans. Preaches at Nazareth, and leaves this city, to dwell in Capernaum. og of Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Jesus works several miracles. Matthew called. 4034 The second passover of our Saviour's ."<1 31 public ministry. Our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount. John the Baptist, In prison, send-, putation to Jesus Christ, to inquire bfhi was the Messiah. 4036 Mission of the Apostles, into several 35 32 pails of Judea. John the Baptist slain, by the order of Herod, at the Instigation of Herodias, in the 17th year of Tiberius. Year of the Year before WotM. Christ. Jesus Christ's third passover Transfiguration of Jesus Christ Mission of the seventy-two disciples Jesus goes to Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost. His relations would have him go to the feast of tabernacles : he tells them his hour is not yet come ; however, he goes thither, about the middle of the feast. 4036 Lazarus falls sick and dies: Jesus 36 33 comes from beyond Jordan, and raises him to life again. Jesus comes to Jerusalem, to be pre- sent at his last passover. His institution of the Eucharist. His condemnation and crucifixion. His re- surrection and appearance to several. The admission of Matthias in the num- ber of the Apostles, the effusion of the Holy Ghost, and the first establishment of the Christian church. 4037 Seven deacons chosen. 37 34 St. Stephen martyred. James the Less made Bishop of Jeru- salem. Philip the Deacon baptizes the eunuch of queen Candace. The dispersion of the apostles from Jerusalem. 4038 The conversion of St. Paul. 38 35 Agrippa the Younger, being much involved in debt, in Judea, resolves on going to Rome. 4040 He falls under the displeasure of Ti- 40 37 berius, and is put into prison. Pilate ordered into Italy. Tiberius dies ; Caius Caligula succeeds. Agrippa set at liberty ; and promoted to honour. 4041 St. Paul escapes from Damascus, by 41 38 being let down in a basket. He comes to Jerusalem ; Barnabas in- troduceshiratothe apostles and disciples. He goes to Tarsus in Cilicia, his own country. Caligula gives Agrippa the tetrarchy of his uncle Philip ; he returns into Ju- dea, and passing through Alexandria, is ridiculed by the inhabitants. Pilate kills himself. 4043 Caligula orders Petronius to place his 43 40 statue in the temple of Jerusalem. The Jews obtain some delay from Petronius. Agrippa endeavours to divert the em- peror from his thoughts, at last obtains, as a great favour, that this statue should not be set up. 4044 Caius Caligula dies; Claudius sue- 44 41 ceeds him. Agrippa persuades him to accept the empire offered by the army. Claudius adds Judea and Samaria to Agrippa's dominions. 4046 Agrippa deprives the high-priest Mat- 46 43 thias of his priesthood ; bestows it on Elioneus, son of Cithrus. 4047 Causes James the Greater to be seized ; 47 44 and beheads him. Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem with the contributions of the believers of Antioch. At their return to Antioch, the church sends them forth to preach to the Gen- tiles, wherever the Holy Ghost should had them. 4018 Paul and Barnabas go to Cyprus: 48 45 the, ice to Pamphylia, Pisidia, and l,y- eaooia. At Lystra, the people prepare sacri- fices for tli, -mi as gods. (Oil Judaizing Christians enforce the law 51 48 on the coin erted Gentiles. 4052 The council of Jerusalem determines 52 49 that ;i: Gentiles should not be obliged to the observation of the legal ceremonies. A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. XIX Year of the Year before World. Christ. 4052 Peter comes to Antioch, and is re- 52 49 proved by Paul. 4053. Paul and Barnabas part on account 53 50 of Jobn Mark. Timothy adheres to Paul, and receives circumcision. Luke, at this time, with Paul. Paul passes out of Asia into Macedo- nia. 4054 From Athens Paul goes to Corinth. 54 51 The Jews expelled Rome under the reign of Claudius. Felix sent governor into Judea, in- stead of Cumanus. • 4055 First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalo- 55 52 nians. His Second Epistle to the Thes- salonians, some months after the First. Probably also about this time the Epistle to the Galatians. Paul leaves Corinth, after a stay of eighteen months ; takes ship to go to Je- rusalem ; visits Ephesus in his way. Apollos arrives at Ephesus : preaches Jesus Christ. 4056 Paul, having finished his devotions 56 53 at Jerusalem, goes to Antioch. 4057 Paul passes into Galatia and Phrygia, 57 54 and returns to Ephesus, where he con- tinued three years. Claudius, the emperor, dies, being poi- soned by Agrippina. Nero succeeds him. 4059. The First Epistle of Paul to the Co- 59 56 rinthians. Paul forced to leave Ephesus on ac- count of the uproar raised against him by Demetrius, the silversmith. He goes into Macedonia. Second Epistle to the Corinthians. 4060 Epistle to the Romans. 60 57 Paul goes into Judea, to carry contri- butions. Is seized in the temple of Jerusalem. Is sent prisoner to Caesarea. 4063 Porcius Festus made governor of Ju- 63 60 dea, in the room of Felix. Paul appeals to the emperor. He is put on ship-board, and sent to Rome. Paul shipwrecked at Melita. 4064 He arrives at Rome, and continues 64 61 there a prisoner two years. Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. 4065 Epistle of Paul to the Philippians 65 62 Epistle of Paul to the Colossians. -1066 Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews; 66 63 written from Italy, soon after he was set at liberty. 4067 Paul comes out of Italy into Judea, 67 64 passes by Crete, Ephesus, and Macedo- nia. It is thought from Macedonia he writes his First Epistle to Timothy. Paul's Epistle to Titus. Year of the Year before World. Christ. Peter writes his Second Epistle, pro- bably, from Rome. Nero sets fire to the city of Rome; throws the blame on the Christians, se- veral of whom are put to death. 4068 Paul goes to Rome the last time, is 68 65 there put into prison ; also Peter. Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy. The martyrdom of Peter aud Paul at Rome. 4069 Disturbances at Caesarea, and at Jeru- 69 66 salem. Florus puts several Jews to death. The Jews rise, and kill the Roman garrison at Jerusalem. A massacre of the Jews of Caesarea in Palestine. Cestius, governor of Syria, comes into Judea. He besieges the temple of Jerusalem ; retires ; is defeated by the Jews. The Christians of Jerusalem, seeing a war about to break out, retire to Pella, in the kingdom of Agrippa, beyond Jor- dan. Vespasian appointed by Nero for the Jewish war. Vespasian sends his son Titus to Alexandria ; comes himself to Antioch, and forms a numerous army. 4070 Vespasian enters Judea ; subdues Ga- 70 67 lilee. Divisions in Jerusalem. The zealots seize the temple, and com- mit violences in Jerusalem. 4071 Nero, the emperor, dies. Galba sue- 71 68 ceeds him. Vespasian takes all the places of strength in Judea about Jerusalem. 4072 Vespasian declared emperor by his 72 69 army. Is acknowledged all over the East. 4073 Titus marches against Jerusalem, to 73 7o besiege it. The factions unite at first against the Romans, but afterwards divide again. The Romans become masters of the court of the people ; set fire to the gal- leries. A Roman soldier sets the temple on fire, notwithstanding Titus commands the contrary. The Romans being now masters of the city and temple, offer sacrifices to their gods. The last inclosure of the city taken. 4074 Titus demolishes the temple to its very 74 71 foundations. He also demolishes the city; reserving the towers of Hippicos, Phazail, and Mariamne. Titus returns to Rome with his fa- ther Vespasian ; they triumph over Judea. THEOLOGICAL, BIBLICAL, ECCLESIASTICAL DICTIONARY AAR A'ARON, pnK, signifies mountain or mountainous, but others derive it from the root to teach or divine. In the former sense, it may refer to Aaron as the founder of God's holy worship, given upon Mount Sinai ; and in the latter, as a teacher sent by God. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the brother of Moses and Miriam. (Exod. vi. 20.) He was born in the year of the world 2430, about a year before the edict of Pharaoh, which enjoined the Hebrews to destroy all their male children, (ibid. i. 22) ; and hence it is evident that he was three years older than his brother Moses. (Ibid. vii. 7-) When God had revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush, and declared the resolution he had formed of delivering the Hebrews through his means from the oppressions of the Egyptians, Moses would have excused himself to the Deity, by pleading the dif- ficulty of the undertaking and his natural impediment of speech. God, however, informed him, that his brother Aaron should be his prophet and interpreter, and, in the addresses to Pharaoh, deliver what was necessary to be said. (Ibid. iv. 15.) At the same time, the Lord inspired Aaron with a design of meeting Moses, who departed from the country of Midian, in order to return into Egypt. Aaron, therefore, ad- vanced as far as Mount Horeb, where Moses acquainted him with the commission he had received from God. Aaron ex- pressed great joy at this information, and promised to obey the divine will in all things. They then continued their journey together into Egypt, where they arrived in the year of the world 2513, and before Christ 1491. On their arrival they as- sembled the elders of Israel, and imparted to them the joyful news of their speedy deliverance. They also presented them- selves before Pharaoh, declared to him the orders they had received, and, in con- formity with the commission delivered to them by God, performed miracles in the presence of the king. However, the heart of Pharaoh being hardened, he commanded them to return to their tasks ; and not content with oppressing the Hebrews as before, he ordered his officers not to supply them with straw, whilst he employed them in making bricks. The distressed Israelites, overwhelmed with despair, inveighed bit- terly against Moses and Aaron, whom they accused as the authors of this addition to their misery. God, however, assured Moses and Aaron, that he would remove the oppression of the Egyptians, and over- come the obstinacy of Pharaoh, by such a multitude of plagues and prodigies, as would induce him to dismiss the He- brews. This, in effect, he accomplished. See Moses. During the march of the children of Is- rael through the wilderness, Aaron and his sons were appointed by God to exercise for ever the office of priests in the taber- nacle. (Ibid. xxix. 9.) In point of dignity, Aaron was considered as next to Moses, (ibid. xix. 24). Previously, however, to this event, when the Amalekites attacked the Hebrews, Moses ascended to the top of a high hill, with Aaron and Hur in his company ; and whilst Joshua was engaging the enemy in the plain, Moses held up his hands in prayer, and Aaron and Hur sup- ported them. (Ibid. xvii. 10, &c.) Moses having ascended Mount Sinai, to receive the law of God, after the Lord had ratified the covenant made with Israel, Aaron, his sons and seventy elders, fol- lowed him, though not to the top of the mountain. (Ibid. xxiv. 1, 2, and 9 — 11.) There, without receiving any hurt, they saw where the Lord was present with Moses. Whilst Moses was absent upon the mount, he appointed Aaron and Hur to be B AAR AAR the rulers of the people ; but as the ab- sence of Moses continued forty days, and was longer than had been expected, the people became impatient, and addressed themselves to Aaron in a tumultuous manner. " Make us," said they, " gods which shall go before us ; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is be- come of him." Aaron, in all probability, perplexed by the resolute importunities of the people, ordered them to bring their pendants and the ear-rings of their wives and children. These being melted down, were formed into a golden calf. When this idol was finished, the people placed it upon a pedestal, and danced around it, saying, " These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." Moses, being informed by God of the sin which the Israelites had committed, imme- diately descended from the mount, carrying in his arms the tables of the law, engraven by the Almighty himself. When he came near the camp, and observed what was passing there, he threw the tables on the ground ; and broke them, and at the same time reproached the people with their transgression, and Aaron with his weak- ness. In the greatest confusion, Aaron attempted to excuse himself, by imputing the blame to the wickedness of the people, and by a pretence that he only cast the ear-rings into the fire, and that the golden calf had been formed of them by mere chance. (Ibid, xxxii. 1, etseq.) Aaron, how- ever, afterwards acknowledged his fault, for which he humbled himself, and God was pleased to continue him in the priest- hood. After the tabernacle was built, Moses consecrated Aaron with the holy oil, and in- vested him with the sacred ornaments. About the year of the world 2514, Aaron and his sister Miriam, observing the great power which Moses possessed over the people, began to envy him ; but to afford some plausible pretext for their quarrel, they alleged that the cause of his offence, was his marrying Zipporah, an Ethiopian, or rather a Midianite, a Cushite (Numb, xii. 1, et seq.). For this conduct Miriam was immediately struck with a leprosy, and her punishment operating on the mind of Aaron, he acknowledged his fault, and asked the forgiveness of Moses, both for himself and his sister. See Miriam. Some time after this, Korah, Dathan and Abiram, rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Korah being of the tribe of Levi, pretended that the office of high-priest belonged to him as much as to Aaron. He was supported in his pretensions by Dathan and Abiram, who were both of the tribe of Judah, and desirous of participating with Moses in the sovereign authority and go- vernment of the people. God discovered 2 his indignation against these rebels in a remarkable manner : the earth opened and swallowed them up with others of their ad- herents ; and immediately after, a devour- ing flame of fire issued forth from the tabernacle, and consumed two hundred and fifty Levites, the accomplices of Korah, who insolently attempted, of their own accord, to burn incense to the Lord. The next day, the Israelites murmuring against Moses and Aaron, the Almighty sent among them a plague, which seized upon the camp, and destroyed part of the people. Aaron, however, taking his censer, ran and placed himself between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. (Numb, xvi.) God also wrought another miracle to secure the priesthood to Aaron. Moses having taken twelve rods from the princes of the twelve tribes, and Aaron's separately, he placed them in the taber- nacle before the sanctuary, after writing upon each the name of the tribe to which it belonged, and upon the rod of Aaron, the name of that high-priest. The next day, when they were viewed, Aaron's rod, which was made of an Almond-tree, appeared to be covered with leaves, and in full blossom : but the rest were in the same condition in which they were the day before. This rod was therefore placed within the most holy place, to perpetuate the remembrance of the miracle (ibid. xvii.). Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Aminadab, of the tribe of Judah, and by her had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. (Exod. vi. 23.) The first two were killed by fire from heaven, as a punish- ment for presuming to offer incense with strange fire in their censers. (Levit. x. 1,2). From the other two the race of the high priests was continued in Israel. Aaron and Moses not sufficiently ex- pressing their confidence in God, when he commanded them to strike the rock at Kadesh, (Numb. xx. 8—11.) the Lord, in his wrath, declared to them, that they should not enter the promised land. Soon after, God ordered Aaron to ascend mount Hor, at the foot of which the Israelites were encamped, and where he should be gathered to his fathers. As soon, therefore, as Aaron had arrived upon the mount, he stripped himself of his pontifical ornaments in the sight of all the people, and put them on Eleazar his son and successor in the priesthood. This being performed, he died in the arms of his brother and Eleazar his son, in the year of the world 2552, at the age of one hundred and twenty-three years, and was buried by Moses and his son in a cave of Mount Hor. All Israel mourned for him thirty days. (Numb. xx. 24, et seq.) The Hebrews observe the death of Aaron, and they fast on this occasion, on the first day of the fifth mouth, which they call Ab, AAR AAR and which, if we suppose the year to begin at Easter, pretty nearly corresponds with our July, O. S. The sepulchre of Aaron has hitherto remained unknown. In one place (Deut. x. 6), the scripture tells us, that Aaron died at Mosera, and in other places (Numb, xxxiii. 38, and Deut. xxxii. 50), that he died upon Mount Hor; the reason of which probably is, that Mount Hor was near the encampment at Mosera. Dr. Wells, however, thinks, that the He- brew text in Deut. x. 6, 7- has been cor- rupted by the ignorance or negligence of transcribers. He proposes, therefore, to restore the true reading from the Hebrew, Samaritan, and Penrateuch, which says, that the Israelites, after encamping in the desert of Zin, which is Kadesh, journeyed thence, and pitched in Mount Hor, where Aaron died and was buried. The place of Aaron's interment was kept a secret from the Israelites, that, in after ages, they might not pay to him any superstitious worship, or that the Arabians, in the midst of whom the Hebrews were at that time, might not, upon their departure, violate the sanctity of his grave. Lin reviewing the life of Aaron, we may observe, that he at once appears as an assistant, and is so far inferior to his bro- ther Moses. Aaron, however, possessed some advantages, which seem to have en- titled him to prior consideration. He was the elder brother, an eloquent speaker, and favoured with divine inspiration. No cause is assigned why he was not preferred to Moses, in respect to authority; and, there- fore, no other cause can now be assigned, than the good pleasure of God. II. Among the most confirming signs given by God to Moses, must be reckoned the interview with his brother Aaron, at Mount Horeb. This being predicted by God, and directly happening, was very convincing to Moses. It is probable, also, that Aaron would not have undertaken a journey of two months, from Egypt to Mount Sinai, at great hazard and expense, unless he had been well assured of the au- thority which sent him. At the same time, he could not have expected to find Moses where he did find him, unless by divine direction, since the place, afterwards called the Mount of God, was then undistin- guished and unfrequented. Aaron, there- fore, was a sign to Moses, by meeting him there, and Moses was a sign to Aaron. Without doubt, Aaron informed Moses of the events in Egypt, the death of the former Pharaoh, &c. III. It may be reasonably supposed, that though Moses and Aaron had no pretension to sovereign authority by descent, yet they were of consideration by their property, their office, or some other means. Had Aaron not been above the lower class of people, who were kept to their daily bond- o age, he could ill have spared time and cost for a journey to Horeb. It seems altogether probable, that Aaron was a governor over the Israelites while building the pyramids. Moses and Aaron appear to be acknow- ledged by Pharaoh himself, and evidently by many of his servants, as persons of great consideration, and as the proper agents for transacting business, remonstrating, &c. between the Israelites and the king. Aaron performed the miracles before Pharaoh, without any recorded wonder expressed by the king of Egypt, how a person kept to his daily labour, could acquire such skill, eloquence, &c. Had Moses and Aaron been merely private persons, Pharaoh w T ould probably have punished them for their im- pertinence. IV. The crime of which Aaron was guilty, whilst Moses was in the mount receiving the law, is not to be palliated; though, perhaps, it was not so gross as is usually represented. See Calf. If the faith or patience of Aaron were exhausted, and if he also supposed that Moses was dead, no collusion between them could exist. If he had expected the speedy return of Moses, he durst not have acted as he did. If he had received any late information respecting Moses, he would not have ventured on what he knew would be punished. The activity of Aaron in building the calf, and his subsequent sub- mission to Moses, are utterly inexplicable, had not a divine conviction been employed on this occasion. Aaron, though blameably active, seems more to have suffered and tolerated, than to have promoted the evil. The expression is remarkable : ' The Lord plagued the people because they made the calf, which Aaron made.' (Exod. xxxii. 35.) V. The sedition of Aaron and Miriam against Moses affords another argument against the supposition of any collusion between the two brothers. At first, indeed, Aaron assumes a high tone, and pretends to no less gifts than his brother ; but after- wards he confesses his folly, and, with Miriam, submits. Aaron was not visited with the leprosy ; but he could well judge of its reality on his sister. It belonged to him to exclude her from the camp during seven days; and from his expression of 'flesh half consumed,' it appears that this was a very inveterate kind of the disease, and, therefore, the more remarkable. Aaron's affection, interest, and passion, all concurred to harden him against any thing less than a full conviction of the divine in- terposition. He well knew, that it was not in the personal power of Moses to inflict this disease, in so sudden a manner. See Priest, Moses, Calf, Pyramids, Egypt. VI. The departure of Aaron for death* is singular and very impressive. Wo st .in to view this feeble old man ascending the B 2 AAR ABA mountain to a convenient height, where lie transferred the insignia of his office to his son, and then proceeding beyond the sight of the people, and giving up the ghost with that faith, resignation, and meekness, which became one, who had been honoured with the Holy Spirit, and with the typical repre- sentation of the great High-priest of the human race. VII. In the general character of Aaron, is much of the meekness of his brother Moses. He seems willing to serve his bre- thren, and is too easily persuaded against his own judgment. This appears, when the people excited him to make the golden calf, and when Miriam urged him to rival his brother. It would, indeed, seem, that Miriam was the chief promoter of the se- dition, as well from her dislike to a foreign woman, as from her being named in it before Aaron, and from the disease, with which she was afflicted. Aaron was less punished, because less guilty, and because he sympathized with his sister, as well as on account of the importance of his priestly office. VIII. On the whole, it seems probable, that we may add to the express history of Aaron the following particulars: 1. Aaron was in authority before the return of Mo- ses into Egypt. 2. A part, at least, of his authority consisted in overseeing the Israel- ites at work on Pharaoh's buildings ; though it does not appear, that he was one of the officers that were beaten, because it was not his turn to be at work. 3. He greatly assisted in ordering the people at their departure from Egypt, and was per- haps general inspector, or perhaps trea- surer to the caravan. 4. He was a good writer, as well as an eloquent speaker. 5. He had his particular department in the camp, beyond which his authority scarcely, if at all, extended. 6. Though he received the ear-rings from the people, yet, whether the calf was made by his own hands, or under his express directions, may be doubt- ed from the order of the narration. IX. When we consider the talents of Aaron, his natural eloquence, his pro- bable acquirements, that God often spoke to him as well as to Moses, and that Egyp- tian priests were scribes as a duty of their profession, it seems very likely, that he as- sisted his brother in writing some parts of the books, now called the books of Moses ; that, at least, he also kept journals of public transactions, and perhaps transcribed the orders of Moses, especially those relating to the priest's office. This accounts for the difference of style observable in these books, and for such smaller variations in dilferent places as na- turally arise from two persons recording the same facts, without Lessening in any degree, the authority, the antiquity, or the real value of these books. It accounts also for the third person being used when speaking of Moses, and perhaps for some of the praise and commendation bestowed on Moses, where Aaron seems chiefly in fault. In Deuteronomy, Moses uses the pronouns, I and me, ' I said,' the Lord said ' to me,' which seldom or never occur in the former books. — Additions to Calmet's Dictionary. AB, according to the Jewish computation, the eleventh month of the civil, and the fifth of the ecclesiastical year. It answers to the moon of July, and contained thirty days. On the first day of this month, the Jews observe a fast, in memory of the death of Aaron; and on the ninth another, in commemoration of the burning of Solomon's Temple on that day by the Chaldaeans, and of the second temple by the Romans. The Jews believe, that on this day, the persons, who had been sent to view the land of Canaan, returned to the camp, and excited the people to rebel. They also fast on this day, in memory of the emperor Adrian's edict, which forbade them to continue in Judea, or even to lament the ruin of Jeru- salem. Lastly, they fast on the eighteenth, because in the time of Ahaz, the lamp in the sanctuary was extinguished in that night. AB'ANA, ronx, signifies made of stone or a building, and is a river of Damascus, mentioned by Naaman, the king of Syria's general, in the following terms : " Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the rivers of Israel?" (2 Kings v. 12.) Calmet is of opinion that this ri- ver is the same as the Barrady or Chry- sorrhoas, which, according to Maundrell, derives its source from the foot of Mount Lebanus towards the east, and flowing through and about Damascus, continues its course till its waters are lost in the wilder- ness, at the distance of about four or five leagues from that city. Radziville, however, informs us, that the rivers Abana and Phar- par watered the city of Damascus, and that at the time he visited that country they were unnavigable, and well stocked with fish. On the other hand, Thevenot, who was a curious and minute observer of every thing in the neighbourhood of Damascus, never mentions the rivers Abana and Phar- par, but informs us of three rivers, which water Damascus, and which unite their streams a little below that city. The best Arabian geographers, also, do not once mention the names of Abana and Pharpar. Abulfeda relates, that the stream which sup- plies Damascus, issues from a cavern on the west side of the city, and immediately di- vides ; and this account corresponds so ex- actly with Maundrell's description, that they sufficiently confirm each other. It is, there- fore, generally supposed that Abana and Pharpar were only branches of the river Barrady, or as it was more anciently called, Chrysorrhoas. — Universal History, vol. ii ABA ABB Benjamin ofTudela thinks that part of the Barrady, which runs through Damascus, to be Abana. AB'ARIM, p"*i3jr, signifies passages or passengers, or furies, and was the name of certain mountains beyond Jordan (Numb, xxvii. 12), which reached far into the coun- try of the Moabites, and of the tribe of Reuben, on each side of the river Arnon. It is probable that they derived their name from the abarim, or passages, between the hills, of which they were formed, and which consisted of the mountains Nebo, Pisgah, Peor, &c. Near these mountains the Israel- ites had several encampments. (Numb, xxiii. 14—28.) AB'BA, NIK, in the Syriac as well as in the Hebrew language, signifies father, and is expressive of love and confidence. St. Paul says, " We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Fa- ther." (Rom. viii. 15.) Jesus Christ pray- ing in the garden, says, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee." (Mark xiv. 36.) Abba is more particularly used in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, as a title given to the bishops. By the bishops themselves, the title of Abba is bestowed more eminently on the bishop of Alexan- dria; and this induced the people to give him the denomination of Baba, or Papa, which signifies grandfather, and which is a title that was borne by him long before it was bestowed on the bishop of Rome. Abba is a Jewish title of honour, which was given to certain Rabbins called Ta- naites. It is also used by some writers of the middle age to designate the superior of a monastery. St. Mark and St. Paul use this word in their Greek (Mark xiv. 36 ; Rom. viii. 15 ; Galat. iv. 6), because it was then commonly known in the synagogues, and the primitive assemblies of the Christians. Selden, Wit- sius, Doddridge, Whitby, and others, are of opinion, that St. Paul alluded to a law, which existed among the Jews, and which forbade servants or slaves to call their master Abba, or Father ; and that the apostle intended to convey the idea, that those who believed in Christ, were no longer slaves to sin, but being brought into a state of holy freedom, they might consequently address God as their father. A'BBESS, the superior of an abbey or convent of nuns. The abbess possesses the same rights and authority over her nuns, which the abbots regularly exercise over their monks. She is not, indeed, allowed to perform the spiritual functions annexed to the priesthood, with which the abbot is usually invested ; but there are instances of some abbesses, who have a right, or rather a privilege, of commissioning a priest to act fur them. They possess even a kind of epis- copal jurisdiction, as well as some abbots who are exempted from the visitation of their diocesan. ABBEY, a monastery, governed by a superior under the title of abbot or abbess. At first monasteries were only religious houses, to which persons retired from the noise and bustle of the world, that they might spend their time in solitude and de- votion. However, these religious houses soon degenerated from their original insti- tution, and procured great privileges, ex- emptions and opulence. Before the refor- mation, they prevailed very much in Great Britain, particularly in England. In pro- portion as they increased in riches, the state became poor ; for the lands, which these regulars possessed, could never revert to the lords who bestowed them. These places were entirely abolished by Henry VIII. He first appointed visitors to inspect the lives of the monks and nuns, which were found in some places very disorderly. The abbots perceiving the dissolution of their houses unavoidable, were induced to resign them to the king, who, by that means, became possessed of the abbey lands. These lands were afterwards granted to different persons, whose descendants enjoy them at this day. The clear yearly revenue of the several r e- ligious houses, at the time of their dissolu- tion, w T as estimated at 2,853,000/. an im- mense sum in those days. In some respects, these religious institutions were useful, in others extremely pernicious. Abbeys were then the repositories, as well as the semi- naries of learning. Many valuable books and national records have been preserved in their libraries ; the only places in which they could have been safely lodged in those turbulent times. Indeed, the historians of this country are chiefly indebted to the monks for the knowledge they possess of former national events. In these houses the arts of painting, architecture, and print- ing, were cultivated. Every house of this kind, had at least one person whose office it was to instruct youth. Abbeys were also hospitals for the sick and poor, and afforded entertainment to travellers, at a time when there were no inns. See Monastery. ABBOT, or Abbat, the chief ruler of a monastery or abbey. The governors of the primitive monasteries were distinguished from the clergy, though frequently con- founded with them, because a degree above laymen. In those early times, the abbots were subject to the bishops and the ordi- nary pastors. Their monasteries being re- mote from cities and built in the farthest solitudes, they had no share in ecclesiastical affairs ; but having among them several per- sons of learning, they opposed the rising heresies of those times. This induced the bishops to call them out of those deserts and fix them in the suburbs of cities, and at length in the cities themselves. From that tune the abbots degenerated, and learn- ABE ABE ing to be ambitious, assumed the rank of prelates, and aspired at independence. They aimed at so much power, that some severe laws were enacted against them at the coun- cil of Chalcedon. However, many of them carried their point, obtained the appellation of lord, and were distinguished by other badges of the episcopate, particularly the mitre. Hence arose new distinctions among the abbots. Those were termed mitred abbots, who were privileged to wear the mitre, and exercise episcopal authority within their re- spective precincts, being exempted from the jurisdiction of the bishop. Some were called cr osier ed abbots, from their bearing the crosier or pastoral staff. Some were styled oecumenical or universal abbots, in imitation of the patriarch of Constantino- ple ; while others were termed cardinal ab- bots, from their superiority over all other abbots. In Britain, the mitred abbots were lords of parliament, and called abbots sove- reign and abbots general, to distinguish them from other abbots. In Roman Catho- lic countries, the principal distinctions are those of regular and commendatory. The former take the vow, and wear the habit of their order ; but the latter are seculars, though obliged by their bulls to enter into orders, when of a proper age. ABED'NEGO, way, Aubednegoo, or Obednegoo, denotes servant of light, or ser- vant of Nago, or Nego, which signifies the sun, or morning star, so called from its brightness, or which was supposed to be a deity of the Babylonians. It is the Chaldee name given by the king of Babylon to Azariah, the companion of Daniel. (Dan. i. 7-) Abednego, with his two companions, Shadrach and Meshach, was thrown into the fiery furnace at Babylon, because he refused to worship the statue erected by the command of Nebuchadnezzar. But the con- demnation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- nego, finally redounded to the glory of God ; for the Almighty did not suffer them to be injured by the flames, but sent his angel into the midst of the fire to preserve them in the furnace. (Dan. iii.) A'BEL, bin, or Hebel, signifies vanity, breath, or vapour, and is the name given to the second son of Adam and Eve. He was born in the second year of the world, and before Jesus Christ 4002. Some are of opinion that be and Cain were twins ; some, that Abel was the younger ; some, that he was born fifteen years after Cain ; and others that an interval of thirty years took place between tbe birth of these two brothers. Some eastern writers say, that Avina, his sister, who is also called Delbora, Decla, or Edocta, was born at the same time with Abel. Cain and Abel, instructed by their father Adam, in their duty to the Creator, ■ offered to God the firsl fruits of their la- bours, Cain, as an husbandman, of his com ; 6 and Abel, as shepherd, of the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof, as it is ren- dered in our translation of the Bible. (Gen. iv. 4.) The offering of Abel is by some sup- posed to have been the paschal lamb ; but Le Clerc thinks that it was milk, though his opinion is ably controverted by others. God was pleased to shew, either by fire sent from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice, or by some other means, that the offerings of Abel were agreeable to hirn, whilst those of Cain were otherwise. Cain perceiving this distinction became melancholy, and, lis- tening to the suggestions of envy, formed the design of killing his brother ; and hav- ing invited Abel to go with him into the field, he there murdered him. (Id. ibid. 8, 9.) It should be remarked, that in our trans- lation of the Bible, no mention is made of Cain inviting his brother into the field ; but in the Samaritan text, and in the principal ancient versions, the words are express. In some Hebrew copies is a kind of chasm, as ' and Cain said unto Abel his brother,' — ' and it came to pass, &c.' without inserting what he said to his brother. As the scripture does not specify either the manner of the murder, or the instru- ment, with which it was perpetrated, expo- sitors are much divided respecting these particulars. Certain, however, it is, that the blood of the innocent person crying to heaven, the Lord demanded Abel at the hand of Cain, his brother, whom he pu- nished. See Cain. Jerome tells us, that a tradition prevailed among the Jews, that Abel was murdered in the plain of Damascus ; and near a vil- lage called Sinie, travellers are shewn a tomb, which is said to be that of Abel, and from which the adjacent country is sup- posed to have received the ancient name of Abilene. This tomb is thirty yards in length ; Josephus is of opinion, that Cain buried Abel in it to prevent a discovery of the murder. Maundrell's Journey. It is asserted in a Hebrew book, intituled Cozri, that the foundation of the quarrel be- tween Cain and Abel proceeded from Cain's desiring to possess Palestine, exclusively of his brother Abel. St. Paul in commendation of Abel, tells us, that by faith he offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain ; that he was declared righteous, God himself having tes- tified that he accepted his gift, and that by reason of his faith, his blood still speaketh even after his death (Heb. xi. 4.) The same apostle compares the voice of Abel's blood to that of Jesus Christ (ibid. xii. 24); and our Saviour himself, in the gospel, dis- tinguishes him by the name of righteous, and places him at the head of those saints, who had been persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matth. xxiii. 35; Luke xi. 51.) It has been asked, why had Almighty God respect to the offering of Abel, and not ABE ABE to that of Cain ? The reason appears plainly this, that Cain offered only of the fruit of the ground, which had no respect to Christ, and only to God as the creator of the world ; but Abel offered the firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof, which was a bloody sacrifice, typifying the death of Christ, " the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world;" and thus exercised his faith in the promised Messiah. Hence the apostle says, " By faith Abel offered unto God a more excel- lent sacrifice than Cain." (Heb. xi. 4.) By faith, that is. by believing the promise, which God had made to mankind in Christ ; and he manifested his faith by offering such a sacrifice, as represented the death of Christ, by whom therefore his sacrifice was well pleasing and acceptable to God. It is not improbable (^and it seems to be suggested in the history itself) that there was a main difference in this, that Cain offered the vile and refuse, and Abel the most precious part of his treasures. Thus it is said of the one, that he M brought (barely) of the fruit of the ground;" and of the other, that he " brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof." If this were truly the case, the sacrifice of Abel was therefore more acceptable than Cain's, because it expressed a more grateful sense of the divine good- ness. To this may be added, that probably the general course of Cain's life was vicious and immoral; and the very offering up of his sacrifice was not attended with that de- votion, which was necessary. Bishop Beve- ridge, Bishop Conybeare, Xe. A'BEL, bnx, denotes mourning, and was the name of a city, which was afso denomi- nated, AbeVoeth-liriacha, or Abel-Maim. Ac- cording to some, it was situated in Syria, to the north of Damascus, between Libanus, and Antilibanus. Dr. Wells, however, sup- poses it to have been situated in the north part of the land of Israel, in the tribe of Naphtali, and this supposition seems best founded. Sheba, the son of Bichri, when pursued by the troops of king David, fled to this city; and the inhabitants, that they might free themselves from the siege of Joab, cut off Sheba's head, and threw it over the wall. (2 Sam. xx. 14 — 18.) About eighty years after, it was taken and ravaged by Benhadad, king- of Syria (1 Kings xv. 20.) About two hundred years after this event, it was taken by Tiglath-pileser, who reduced the inhabitants to captivity, and carried them into Assyria. (2 King's xv. 29.) It was afterwards rebuilt, and, according to some, became the capital of the country of Abilene. ABELIANS, Abclins, Abelites, or Abelo- nitcs ; a sect of heretics mentioned by St. Austin, which arose in the diocese of Hippo in Africa. Though Moses never mentions Abel's posterity, yet some explain what is said respecting the blood of Abel crying unto God from the ground (Gen. iv. 19.),"as meant 7 of the posterity of this righteous person : but others are of opinion, that he alwavs continued in a state of celibacy. — This latter conjecture gave rise to the Abelians, who condemned marriages, not as if this state of life was in itself blameable, for they themselves were married : but they enjoined continence, and abstained from that conver- sation with their wives, which was allowable. They said, they would not be the means of bringing unhappy creatures into the world, to be polluted with original sin. However, that their sect might continue, they adopted the sons and daughters of their neighbours, who were to inherit their fortunes, on con- dition that they should belong to their so- ciety 7 , and marry upon the same terms. This sect arose in the reign of the emperor Ar- cadius, and terminated in that of Theodosius the vounger. A'BEL OF THE VINEYARDS, or, as it is rendered in our translation of the Bible, Plain of the Vineyards, was a town, situated, according to Jerome and Eusebius, six or seven miles from Philadelphia, or Rabbath, the capital of the Ammonites. (Judo-, xi. 33.) V ° A'BEL THE GREAT, was the name of a large stone, which was found in a field belonging to one Joshua, a Bethshemite, and upon which the ark was placed, when it was sent back by the Philistines. It was supposed to have been called by this name, which signifies great mourning, on account of the great number of Bethshemites de- stroyed by God on this occasion ; for the scripture informs us, that fifty thousand threescore and ten Bethshemites were smit- ten, because they looked into the ark of the Lord. (1 Sam. vi. 18, 19.) A BEL-MEHO'LAH, nVirortnie, signi- fies the mourning of weakness, or of sickness, and is sometimes also called Abelmea. It was the birth-place of Elisha (1 Kings, xix. 16.), and is conjectured to have been situated near the river Jordan. According to Euse- bius, this town stood in the great plain, six- teen miles to the south of Scythopolis. Not far from it, Gideon obtained a victory over the Midianites. (Judg. vii. 22.) A'BEL-SHIT'TnLa^^-^K/A/SfXcTart;/, signifies the mourning of the thorns, or preva- rications, and is the name of a city, which was situated in the plains of Moab, beyond Jordan, opposite to Jericho. Eusebius savs, that it stood in the neighbourhood of Mount Peor. Moses encamped at Abel-slnttim some time before the Hebrew army passed the Jordan, under the command of Joshua. At this place, the Israelites fell into ido- latry, and worshipped Baal-Peor, for which God punished them severely by the hands of the Levites (Numb, xxxiii. 49 ; xxv. 1 ; Josh. ii. 1.) Hence some think it derived its name. Some are also ol' opinion, that in the neighbourhood of this place, grew a great quantity of that kind o( wood which ABI ABI is called shittim-wood, and of which the ark was made. (Exod. xxv. 5 — 12, &c.) Wells's Geography. ABl'AH, rvnK, signifies the father of the Lord, or the Lord is my father ; or it may denote, the Lord is my will, or the will of the Lord. It was a name by which Abi, the daughter of Zachariah, was sometimes de- signated. It was also the name of the second son of Samuel, and brother of Joel. Samuel having entrusted his sons with the adminis- tration of public justice, and admitted them to a share in the government, they con- ducted affairs so ill, that they obliged the people to require of him a king. (1 Sam. viii. 2.) This event took place in the year of the world 2909, and before Jesus Christ 1095. ABI'ATHAR, "WIN, signifies excellent father, or father of him that survived, and was the name of the son of Ahimelech, the tenth high priest of the Jews. And when Saul sent his emissaries to Nob, in order to destroy all the priests at that place, Abiathar, who was then young, was pre- served from the slaughter, and retired to David in the wilderness. There he con- tinued in the quality of high priest, while Saul, from aversion to Ahimelech, whom he supposed to have betrayed his interests, transferred the dignity of the high priesthood from Ithamar's family to that of Eleazar, by conferring this dignity upon Zadok. Thus there were, at the same time, two high priests in Israel: Abiathar in the party of David, and Zadok in that of Saul. (2 Sam. viii. 17; 1 Chron. xviii. 16.) In this state matters continued, from the death of Ahi- melech till the reign of Solomon, when Abiathar, attaching himself to the party of Adonijah, was deprived of the priesthood by Solomon, in the year of the world, 2989. — During the reign of Solomon, the race of Zadok alone performed the functions of this ministry, exclusively of the family of Itha- mar, according to that, which had been pre- dicted to Eli, the priest. (1 Sam. ii. 33, &c; iii. 11, 12, &c.) Some say that the name of Abiathar was sometimes given to Ahimelech, or Abimelech; and, on the contrary, that his father Ahimelech was sometimes called Abiathar. (Mark ii. 26) The probability however is, that the expression in the Evan- gelist is merely a short mode of quotation, equivalent to " in Abiathar," "in the history of Abiathar," or that portion of the history in which Abiathar is the principal person. A'BIB, 3*3K, according to Jerome, sig- aifiea green fruits or ears of corn, and was the name given l>y the Hebrews to the first month of their ecclesiastical year. (Exod. xiii. 4) This month was afterwards called Nisan, and answered nearly to our March, (). S. It was the seventh month of the civil year, and contained thirty days. AB'IGAIL, b'3 s 3K, signifies father of joy, or the joy of the father, and is the name of a woman, who was first the wife of Nabal of Carmel, and afterwards of David. Nabal treated David with the greatest ingrati- tude and contempt, and refused him the present which he requested. Abigail, being informed of the answer which her husband had sent by the messengers of David, has- tened to remedy this fault. Having laden some of her asses with provisions, she her- self, attended by several of her domestics, went to meet David, and addressed him with such respect and discretion, that she not only disarmed him of his rage, and stopped the effects of his indignation, but, by her sprightly conversation, so wrought upon him, that he conceived for her a great esteem. David having accepted her presents, Abigail returned home. Nabal died ten days after. As soon as the news of his death was brought to David, he sent to demand Abigail for his wife. She received this honour with great acknowledgments; and when the days of mourning for her husband were finished, she went to the camp of David, and they were married. The issue of this marriage, as some think, were two sons, Chilean and Daniel; but as the 2nd of Samuel speaks only of Chileab, and says nothing of Daniel, and as the 1st of Chronicles mentions only Daniel, and nothing of Chileab, it is sup- posed that they were two names for one and the same person. Daniel signifies a mighty J2idge, and Chileab an imprisoner. It is therefore very possible that the idea of their names is the same ; especially if one was a popular name given him for some particular cause or on some particular occasion. (1 Sam. xxv.; 2 Sam. iii. 3, &c; 1 Chron. iii. 1.) Patrick, &c. ABI'HU, irvnN, signifies, he is my fa- ther, or his father, or father of the Lord. Abihu was the son of Aaron, the high priest, and Elisheba, and, together with his brother Nadab, was consumed by fire sent from God, because he had offered incense with strange fire, instead of taking it from the altar of burnt offerings (Levit. x. 1, 2). This mis- fortune happened within eight days after the consecration of Aaron and his sons, in the year of the world 2514, and before Jesus Christ 1490. Some commentators believe that this fire came from the altar of burnt offerings ; others, that it proceeded from the altar of perfumes. Several interpreters are of opinion that Nadab and Abihu had drunk wine too freely, at the feast of the peace offerings, and by that means forgot to take the sacred fire in their censers. This con- jecture is founded on the command of God, which was immediately after delivered to the priests, and which forbade them the use of wine all the time they should be employed in the service of the temple. It is said that the fire did not consume their bodies, nor burn their clothes, but killed them in the manner men are sometimes destroyed by lightning. (Ibid. 5.) Patrick, Grotiua, ike. ABI ABI ABI'JAH, rrON, signifies the same as Abiah. It was the name of some princes among the Hehrews. Abijah, the son of Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes, died very young. This prince having been seized with a dangerous disease, his mother, at the instigation of king Jeroboam, her hus- band, disguised herself, and went to inquire of the prophet Ahijah whether her son would recover. Ahijah told her he should die, and that he would be the only person of his family that would receive funeral honours, and be lamented by Israel ; that all the other descendants of Jeroboam would be either eaten by dogs, or devoured by birds, as a punishment for his ingratitude and impiety. On the return of his mother, Abijah died, in the year of the world 3046, and before Jesus Christ 958. (1 Kings xiv. 1. et seq.) Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, king of Judah, and of Maachah or Micaiah, the daughter of Uriel or Absalom. Some com- mentators have supposed Maachah to have been the grandmother, and Micaiah the mother of Abijah ; and that the united name of his mother's father was Uriel Absalom. He succeeded his father in the year of the world 3306. This prince was at war with Jeroboam, the first king of Israel. Abijah, having procured an army of four hundred thousand men, of Judah and Benjamin, en- camped upon mount Zemaraim, upon which Samaria was afterwards built. It is observable, that many MSS. and printed Bibles, read only 40,000, and 80,000 instead of 400,000, and 800,000, as in our translation ; but the Hebrew, Septuagint, Josephus, and the best Latin Bibles, both MS. and printed, agree in this place with the larger number. If we consider the na- ture and composition of the Jewish, as well as other eastern armies, we shall probably not be inclined to dispute the possibility that 400,000 men could be collected even in such a country as Judea. The numbers which compose the gross amount of Asiatic armies, are very far from denoting the true number of soldiers composing that army. In tact, when w r e deduct those whose atten- dance is of little advantage, we should not be very distant from truth, if we should say that nine out of ten are such as would be excluded from any army in Europe ; and we ought not absolutely to despise the sug- gestion, that when we read 40, instead of 400, the true fighting corps of soldiers only are reckoned and stated. In accounts of other Asiatic armies, we may read sufficient to justify the possibility of such numbers being assembled for the purposes of warfare, as the scripture lias recorded ; and of these pur- poses plunder is not the least in the opinion of those who usually follow a camp. At the same time, it may be worthy of observation, that under such circumstances, no conclusive estimate of the population of 9 a kingdom can be drawn from such assem- blages. Jeroboam marched against Abijah at the head of eight hundred thousand men, col- lected in every part of his dominions. Abi- jah, hoping to induce the enemy's army again to submit to the house of David, and to return to the worship of the Lord, wished to harangue them. But, while he was speak- ing, Jeroboam ordered part of his troops to file off behind the mountain, without the enemy perceiving it, and to surround Abi- jah's army, which was so greatly inferior in number. Abijah and his people observing this, cried unto the Lord, and implored his assistance. The priests sounded the holy trumpets. God struck the hearts of the enemy with terror, and the army of Judah attacked them with so much fury, that they killed five hundred thousand on the spot. Abijah, pursuing his victory, took several cities from Jeroboam, and the Israelites were so much humbled under the hand of Judah, that they had not courage to under- take any thing against them. Abijah is re- proached by the Rabbins for neglecting to destroy the profane altar which Jeroboam had erected at Bethel, and to suppress the worship of the golden calves at that place. He was married to fourteen wives, by whom he had twenty-two sons and sixteen daugh- ters. He imitated the impiety and bad con- duct of his father, reigned three years, and was succeeded by hie son Asa, in the year of the world 3049. (2 Chron. xi. 20; xiii. 2, 3, &c.) Fragments annexed to Calmefs Dic- tionary, No.- xxxvi. p. 59. Abijah was the name of the wife of Ahaz, the mother of Hezekiah, king of Judah. She was the daughter of Zechariah, who was thought by some to be the person who was killed by the command of Joash, between the temple and the altar. (2 Chron. xxiv. 21.) Abijah was also the name of one of the descendants of Eleazar, the son of Aaron. He was chief of one of the four-and-twenty companies of priests, whom David distri- buted into so many classes. (1 Chron. xxiv. 10.) — Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was of the course of Abia or Abijah, which was the eighth of the twenty-four. (Luke i. 5.^ ABILE'NE, 'AfiCkrivr], signifies the father of the apartment, or of murmuring. It was a small province between Libanus and Anti- libanus, and is thought by some to have been situated within the borders of Naph- tali, though it was never subdued by that tribe. Abela or Abila, the capital of Abi- lene, was to the north of Damascus and l'aneas, and to the south of Heliopolis. Of this canton Lysanias was governor in the fifteenth year of Tiberius. (Luke iii. 1.) ABIM'ELECH, lbn~*iK, signifies father of the king, or my father, the king. It was the name of several primes mentioned in Scripture. Abimslech, king of Gerar, who, ABI ABI being smitten with the beauty of Sarah, Abraham's wife, and not knowing but she was Abraham's sister, took her from him, and intended to marry her. God, however, did not permit him to defile her, but ap- peared to him in the night, and threatened him with death, if he did not instantly re- store her to Abraham her husband. Abi- melech pleaded ignorance in excuse for this action, and said that Abraham had assured him that she was his sister. The next day, therefore, he sent her back to Abraham, and complained that he had been deceived by him. Abraham confessed that she was his wife, but told the king that she was also his sister ; being the daughter of his father, but born of a different mother. Abimelech gave great presents to Abraham, and to Sarah a thousand pieces of silver, with which, as the text (Gen. xx. 16.) is generally understood by expositors, he desired her to purchase a veil for a covering to her face. At the same time he cautioned Abraham not to expose himself again to a like incon- venience : it is probable that Abimelech re- quested Sarah to purchase a veil that all might know she was a married woman ; for the wearing of a veil was anciently a token of subjection to the power of a husband. But if the words a covering of the eyes, refer to Abraham, the king might mean that Sarah needed no other defence of her chas- tity than her husband, who was so dear to God, that God would defend Abraham, and Abraham her. Some interpret the words, as if Abimelech meant, that the money which he had given was a mulct, and a tes- timony how much he had suffered on her account. (Gen. xx. 1, 2, 3, &c.) Patrick's and Le Clerc's Commentaries. The event of which we have been treat- ing took place in the year of the world 2107, and before Jesus Christ 1897- Sarah, there- fore, was at this time ninety years old ; and it may seem strange, that a woman of her age should be desired by a king, who could command the most youthful beauties in his dominions. But, according to some inter- preters, persons of ninety were at that time as fresh and vigorous as those of forty are now. Sarah might also surpass many of her co-evals, by reason of her sterility, which is a great preserver of beauty. How- ell's History of the Bible. Abimelech offered to Abraham the choice of any part of his dominions, that was most agreeable to him, for an habitation. He also begged that Abraham would intercede with God for the cure of his family, which for the sake of Sarah, had been afflicted with sonic grievous disorder, that appears to have rendered the women unable to con- ceive, or, as some say, to bring forth. It appears (Gen. xx. 17.) that Abime- lech himself was seized with some indis- position which was the cause of impotency. Calmet. 10 In our translation of the Bible, it is said of Sarah, after the speech of Abimelech to her, thus she was reproved. (Gen. xx. 16.) It is, however, very probable, that this trans- lation is incorrect. Abimelech was de- sirous of purchasing the friendship of Abra- ham ; and Abraham already had so far jus- tified both Sarah and himself, that the king was satisfied. The Hebrew word should not have been translated reproved but in- quired into, or examined. Abimelech, there- fore, intends nothing more, than that she is acquitted after a full hearing ; and the passage in the Chaldee paraphrase is trans- lated in this manner. Universal History, vol. iii. p. 262, 263. Abimelech, king of Gerar, and son to him of whom we have been speaking, though some think that it was the same person. One day, this prince, seeing Isaac sport with his wife Rebekah, whom he called his sister, ordered Isaac to be sent for, and complaining of his dissimulation, charged him with a design of involving him and his subjects in guilt and punishment. It seems therefore, that Abimelech was not un- mindful of what had formerly befallen the nation on account of Sarah. The only apology offered by Isaac for his conduct was the fear of death. This apology being accepted by Abimelech, he published a declaration, that no person, on pain of death, should trouble Isaac or his wife. This transaction took place in the year of the world 2200, and before Jesus Christ 1804. Now as Isaac grew extremely rich and powerful, his posterity excited the envy of the Philistines. Abimelech, therefore, said to him, * go from us, for thou art much mightier than we,' or accord- ing to Shuckford, ' thou art increased from us or by us.' Upon this command, Isaac im- mediately retired into the valley of Gerar, and afterwards to Beersheba, where some time after he was visited by Abimelech who wished to enter into an alliance with him. In the company of Abimelech, were Ahuz- zath his favourite, and Phicol the com- mander in chief of his army. Isaac, when he received them, said, ' wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?' To this, Abimelech, replied, that he had observed how much God had favoured him, and that he was rising to a great height of power and prospe- rity. He therefore requested that Isaac would enter into friendship with him by a new covenant, or by a revival of the old covenant, which had existed between his father Abimelech and Abraham. He desired, he said, no other terms, than that the Philistines and their posterity should be treated and considered by Isaac and his posterity, as he and his family had been treated and considered by Abimelech and his people. They were splendidly enter- tained by Isaac ; and the treaty being con- ABI ABI eluded, the next morning they departed in peace. (Gen. xxvi.) Abimelech, the son of Gideon, was born of a concubine, whom Gideon kept at Shechem. After the death of his father, Abimelech, who was a bold aspiring youth, possessed himself of the government, and procured himself to be acknowledged king or judge of Israel, first by the inhabitants of Shechem, over whom his mother had influence, and afterwards by a great part of the other Israelites. Those of Shechem having presented him with seventy shekels of silver, with this money he levied a troop of vagabonds, who attended him. Being come to his father Gideon's house in Oph- rah, he killed seventy of his brethren on one stone; and Jotham only, who was the youngest, escaped, and was delivered from his cruelty. Soon after this massacre, the inhabitants of Shechem, with those ofMillo, assembled near the oak of Shechem, for the purpose of creating Abimelech, the son of Gideon, king. When Jotham was informed of their design, he appeared upon the top of Mount Gerizim, and reproved them by his celebrated fable of the trees. See Jotham. In a short time, divisions arose among the inhabitants of Shechem, who reflecting on the injustice of their conduct, detested the cruelty of Abimelech in the massacre of his brethren. Whilst, therefore, he was absent from Shechem they revolted, and placed an ambuscade in the mountains, with a de- sign to kill him on his return. Abimelech obtained intelligence of what was transact- ing from Zebul, whom he had left gover- nor of Shechem. The Shechemites had in- vited one Gaal to their assistance. Gaal being informed that Abimelech had col- lected some troops, and was marching to- wards Shechem, went out with the forces he had, and gave him battle, but was defeated; and, as he was attempting to re-enter the city, Zebul drove him thence, and obliged him to retire. Afterwards, Abimelech de- feated the Shechemites, destroyed the city, and burnt the tower ; but going thence to Thebez, a town about three leagues to the east, a woman from the top of the tower, threw on his head a piece of a mill-stone, which fractured his skull in such a manner, that his brains issued from the wound. — It has been thought that the woman did not throw on Abimelech a piece of a mill-stone, but a division of the mill itself The word recab, the rider, from the upper riding on the under stone, is inserted to explain the foregoing words. This rider or upper stone, the wo- man had only to take off the peg which united the mill-stones, even ifitwerenot al- ready separated, and such a stone, two feet in breadth, was amply sufficient to fracture the skull of any man on whom it fell. Finding himself mortally wounded, he called to his armour-bearer, and desired him to put an end to his life, that it might not be said, he died by the hands of a woman. This event took place in the year of the world 2769, and before the vulgar aera 1235. Abi- melech judged Israel three years, and was succeeded by Tolah. (Judg. ix.) — Fragments annexed to Calmet's Diet. No. cix. p. 16. Abimelech, the priest of the Lord who gave to David Goliath's sword which had been deposited in the temple, and some of the show-bread, at the time this prince fled from the persecutions of Saul. (1 Sam. xxi. I.) The Septuagint and several Latin co- pies read Abimelech ; but in the Hebrew, it is ibD-nN, Achimelech, or Ahimelech, which is the true reading. See Ahimelech. ABLRAM, OTnN, signifies father of ele- vation, or of fraud, and was the name of two persons mentioned in the Bible ; 1. Abiram, the eldest son of Hi el, the Bethelite. Joshua having destroyed the city of Jericho, pro- nounced the following curse : ' Cursed be 1 the man before the Lord, that riseth up ' and buildeth this city Jericho : he shall lay ' the foundation thereof in his first born, and ' in his youngest son shall he set up the ' gates of it.' (Joshua vi. 26.) About five hundred and thirty- seven years after this imprecation, Hiel of Bethel, having under- taken to rebuild Jericho, whilst he was laying the foundation of it, lost his eldest son Abi- ram ; and when they hung up the gates of it, his youngest son Segub. (1 Kings xvi. 34.) The rebuilding of Jericho, and the death of Abiram and Segub, took place in the year of the world 3090, and before Christ 914. This is a remarkable instance of the fulfil- ment of a prophetic denunciation, on a person who, perhaps, would not credit the report or the truth of the prediction. It has been questioned whether, supposing that Hiel had many children, they all died from the eldest to the youngest, during the time of his building, or whether only his eldest and his youngest son died at the commencement and the termination of his undertaking. It is probable, that the site of the ancient city, which was at a short distance from new Je- richo, was chosen by Hiel, as an extremely pleasant situation ; but he, not knowing, or not believing the unhealthiness of the place, determined there to build the city. In con- sequence of this determination, the younger part of his family, his children, being the weakest, first felt the influences of the si- tuation, to which, perhaps, they were ex- posed freely and without fear, and died, one after another ' from Abiram, his first-born, ' to Segub his youngest.' No blame seems to be attached to Hiel. It is mentioned merely as a remarkable fulfilment of a prediction ; and the unhealthiness of the soil was very probably the means in the hand of Providem v, of accomplishing the prophecy of Joshua, respecting there-building of Jericho. Frag- ments annexed to Calmet's Diet. No. v. — bee Jericho. Abiram, the son oi' Eliab, and grand- ABI ABN son of Phallu, of the tribe of Reuben. He was one of those, who conspired with Korah and Dathan against Moses in the wilderness, and was swallowed up alive with his compa- nions in the bowels of the earth, which open- ed to receive them. (Numb, xvi.) AB'ISHAG, JWIN signifies ignorance of the father, or my father has seized K has taken, is arrived. It was the name of a young woman, a native of Shunam in the tribe of Issachar. David, at the age of seventy, find- ing no warmth in his bed, was advised by his physicians to procure some young per- son, who might communicate to him the heat he wanted. For this purpose, his ser- vants presented to him Abishag, who was one of the most beautiful young women in Is- rael. David married her, but did not know her : she continued with him a year. (1 Kings i. 1, 2, &c.) After the death of David, Adonijah demanded her in marriage, but Solomon supposing that, when married to one of the king's wives, he might affect the regal power, caused him to be put to death. (1 Kings ii. 17.) ABISH'AI, "wnx, signifies the present of my father, or the father of the present ; or the father of the sacrifice, or the sacrifice of my father. Abishai, the son of Zuri and Ze- ruiah, David's sister, was a very valiant man, and principal general in David's ar- mies. He vanquished Ishbi-benob, a giant who was descended from the Rephaim, and who bore a lance, the head of which weighed three hundred shekels of brass. The giant, was on the point of killing David, when Abi- shai prevented him by giving him a mortal wound. (2 Sam. xxi. 16.) Abishai and Da- vid having one night entered the tent of Saul, and finding him asleep, Abishai would have pierced him with his sword, but David would not permit him. (1 Sam. xxvi. 7, &c.) — When David, that he might preserve himself from Absalom, was obliged to leave Jerusa- lem, Abishai showed an inclination to kill Shimei, who insulted David with very offen- sive language : but the king checked his zeal, and told him that the Lord permitted this. (2 Sam. xvi. 9—12.) Abishai commanded a third part of David's army against Absa- lom. (Ibid xviii. 2.) He also commanded a part of the army, when his brother Joab gave battle to the Ammonites. (Ibid. x. 10.) It is said in scripture, that he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them all. (Ibid, xxiii. 18) ; but it is not known on what occasion this happened. The time and manner of his death are also unknown. ABLUTION, was a ceremony used by the ancients, and is still practised in several parts of the world. It consisted in washing the body, and was always performed before sacrificing, or even entering their houses. — Ablutions appear to be as old as any ceremo- nies, even as external worship itself. They were enjoined by Moses, adopted by the hea- thens, and have been continued by Maho- 12 met and his followers. They were used by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews. Ablutions were practised by the ancient Christians before receiving the sacra- ment; and they are still retained by the Ro- mish Church before, and sometimes after mass. The Syrians, Copts, &c. have their solemn washings on Good Friday ; and the Turks have their ablutions, their gast, their wodon, aman, taburat, gusul, &c. The Indians feel a great veneration for the waters of the Ganges; and when they cannot wash themselves in those sacred streams, the Bramins tell them that other waters will be equally effectual, if whilst bathing they say, « O Ganges, purify me !' AB'NER, inx, 'Afievtp-, signifies fa- ther of the light, or lamp of the father, or the son of the father, and was the name of the son of Ner, uncle to king Saul, and general of his armies. Abner by his influence and great authority, preserved the crown to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and supported him at Mahanaim, beyond Jordan, during seven years, against David, who then reigned at Hebron, in the tribe of Judah. (2 Sam. iii. I.) Between the two parties of David and Ishbosheth, happened several skirmishes, in all of which David obtained the advantage. The two generals, Joab and Abner, one of whom commanded the troops of David, the other those of Ishbosheth, marching one day at the foot of Gibeon with their armies, Abner challenged Joab to fight twelve of Joab's men, with an equal number of his, and said, 'let the young men arise and play ' before us.' Joab consenting to this pro- posal, twelve men of Benjamin, who be- longed to Ishbosheth, and twelve of the ser- vants of David, immediately appeared and fought till they slew each other. After this a general battle ensued, in which Abner and his men were defeated and put to flight. In this battle were the three sons of Ze- ruiah, David's sister ; Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel being very swift, undertook to pursue after Abner, who endeavoured to escape ; but Abner finding himself hard pursued by Asahel, struck him with the back part of his spear, and killed him on the spot. Notwithstanding this, Joab and Abishai continued to follow Abner till sun- set. When Abner's whole army were collected upon an eminence, he called to Joab, and said, ' shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bit- terness in the latter end ? how long shall it be, then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren ?' Immediately after Joab sounded a retreat, and the army with- drew from the pursuit of Abner. (2 Sam. ii.) Sometime after, Abner quarrelled with Ish- bosheth, on account of Rizpah, a concubine of Saul, with whom Ishbosheth accused him of familiarity. Abner was very much pro- voked at this reproach, and threatened to es- tablish the throne of David over both Israel ABO ABR and Judah, from Dan even to Becrsheba. He immediately entered into a private cor- respondence with David, and at a public in- terview with that prince, offered him his ser- vices, and promised to make him king over all Israel. David, who was then at Hebron, received Abner and his attendants very kindly, and entertained them sumptuously. Soon after Abner had departed from Hebron, Joab and his people returned thither from an expedition against the Philistines, and were informed that Abner had concluded an alliance with David. Joab, therefore, expostulated with David, and said, that he had entertained a man who came only as a spy upon his actions. But not satisfied with this expostulation, he sent a messenger after Abner and desired him to return. On the return of Abner, Joab, under pretence of saluting bim, stabbed him to the heart, partly through jealousy, and partly to re- venge the death of his brother Asahel. — When David was informed of what had passed, he showed publicly his concern, made for Abner a solemn funeral, which he himself attended in person, and in honour of him composed a mournful song. This transac- tion happened in the year of the world 2956, and before Jesus Christ 1048. (2 Sam. iii. 6, 7, &c) ABOMINATION. The scripture gene- rally terms idolatry and idols abominations, not only because the worship of idols is in itself abominable, but because the ceremo- nies of idolaters were almost always at- tended with licentiousness, and with actions of an infamous and abominable nature. — Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. (Gen. xlvi. 34.) The Hebrews were to sacrifice in the wilderness the abominations of the Egyptians ; that is to say, their sacred animals, oxen, rams, goats, and lambs, the sacrifice of which were considered by the Egyptians as abominations, and utterly unlawful. (Exod. viii. 26.) Moses also calls those animals abominable, the use of which were prohibited to the Hebrews. The abomination of desolation, foretold by Daniel (xi. 31.) denotes, according to the best interpreters, the idol of Jupiter Olym- pius, which was erected in the temple of Jerusalem, by the command of Antiochus Epiphanes. (2 Maccab. vi. 2; 1 Maccab. vi. 7-) By the same abomination of desolation (Matt. xxiv. 15.) seen at Jerusalem during the last seige of that city by the Romans, under Titus, is meant the ensigns of the Ro- man army, upon which were formed the images of their gods and emperors, and which were placed in the temple, after it and the city were taken. A'BRAM, Q-QN, signifies the father of elevation; A'braham, omnx, the father of a great multitude, or of many nations. Abram who was afterwards called Abraham, was the son of Terah, and was born at Ur, a city of Chaldea, in the year of the world 2008, and 13 before Jesus Christ, 1996. (Gen. xi. 26— 31.) He spent the first years of bis life in the house of his father, who was a worship- per of idols. From the text of Joshua (xxiv. 2), Nehemiah (ix. 7), and Isaiah (xliii. 27), many are of opinion, that Abram himself was at first a worshipper of idols, but that God giving him a better understanding, he renounced that impure mode of worship ; and on account of this renunciation, as some sup- pose, he suffered a severe persecution from the Chaldeans, who threw him into a fiery fur- nace, from which God miraculously delivered him. The text of the Vulgate in Nehemiah, (ix. 7)» already referred to, plainly says that he was delivered from the fire of the Chal- deans ; and the same is generally taught by the Jews. But Calmet thinks it probable, that this opinion is founded only on the am- biguity of the word Ur, which signifies fire, as well as the city of Ur, from which God called Abram, and sent him into the land of Promise. He is, therefore, of opinion, that Abram demonstrated to his father the vanity of idolatry, since he induced him to forsake the city of Ur, in which he was settled, and retire to the place, whither the Lord had called Abram. The first city to which they came, was Haran, in Mesopotamia, where Terah, Abram' s father, died. (Gen. xi. 31 , 32. ) Abram journeyed thence into Canaan, which was at that time in the possession of the Canaanites. Here God promised to give his posterity the property of this country, and to confer on him all kinds of blessings. The patriarch, however, did not acquire any possession in Canaan, but lived always as a stranger in the country. (Ibid. xii. 1,2, &c.) Sometime after his arrival in Canaan, about the year 2084, a great famine obliged Abram to go into Egypt, in order to procure pro- visions ; but, foreseeing that the Egyptians would be captivated with the beauty of Sarai, and fearing that they might not only force her from him, but also take away his life, if they knew that she was his wife, he desired her permission to say that she was his sister. To this Sarai consented. During their stay in Egypt, her beauty being spoken of to Pharaoh, she was forcibly taken away from Abram, and would have been married to Pharaoh, if God had not afflicted him with such grievous plagues that he was obliged to restore her. (Ibid. 10, 11, &c.) After the famine Abram left Egypt, and returned to Canaan, and pitched his tents between Bethel and Hai, where some time before he had built an altar. As Abram and his nephew Lot possessed large flocks, and therefore could not dwell together, they separated ; Lot retired to Sodom, and Abram to the plain of Mamre in Hebron. (Gen. xiii. 1, 2, &c.) Some years after their separation, that is, in the year of the world 2092, and before Jesus Christ 1912, Lot being taken prisoner in the wars which Chedorlaomer and his ABR ABR allies, carried on against the kings of So- dom and Gomorrah, of Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, Abram with his people pursued the conquerors ; and having overtaken them at Dan, near the springs of Jordan, he de- feated them, retook all their spoil, together with his nephew Lot, and brought them back to Sodom. (Ibid. xiv. 1, 2, &c.) At his return, as he marched near Salem or Jerusalem, Melchizedek, king of this city, and priest of the most high God, met him, bestowed on him many blessings, and pre- sented him with bread and wine for himself and for the service of the army, or as some think, offered bread and wine to God, as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for him. (Gen. xiv. 12, &c.) After this, the Lord renewed all the pro- mises which he had made to Abram, gave him fresh assurances that he should possess the land of Canaan, and that his posterity should be as numerous as the stars of hea- ven. (Ibid. xv. 1, 2.) As Abram had no children, and could no longer expect any by Sarai, he complied with her solicitations, and married her servant Hagar, who, he imagined, might have children, and thus God would perform the promise, which he had made to him, of a numerous posterity. After her marriage, Hagar finding that she had conceived, treated her mistress with contempt, and Sarai complaining of her con- duct, Abram told her that Hagar was still her servant. Hagar, therefore, being used with severity, fled ; but the angel of the Lord appeared to her in the wilderness, and commanded her to return to her master, and be more submissive to her mistress. In consequence of this command, Hagar re- turned to the house of Abram, and some- time after was delivered of Ishmael. (Ibid, xvi. 1, 2, &c.) In the year 2107, and before Jesus Christ 1807, the Lord having renewed his cove- nant with Abram, and the promises which he had made to him, changed the name of Abram, or an elevated father, by which he had been hitherto designated, to that of Abraham, or the father of a great multitude ; and that of Sarai, which signifies my princess, to that of Sarah, or the princess. As a mark and earnest of the covenant, into which he had entered with Abram, God enjoined him to be circumcised, and to circumcise all the males of his family, and promised him ex- pressly, that within a year, Sarah his wife should bear to him a son. (Ibid, xvii.) In a short time after, the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities being completed, God sent three angels to destroy them. These angels came first into the valley of Mamre, where Abraham had pitched bis tents; and as soon as he saw (hem, he ran to meet them, invited them to cat, washed their feet, and hastened to pre- pare for them some meat. Sarah made cakes for them on the hearth, and when 14 they had eaten, they asked where was his wife Sarah? Abraham answering that she was in the tent, one of the angels said, ' I will surely return unto thee by the time of life ; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.' Sarah, who was behind the door, heard this, and laughed ; and the angel said to Abraham, ' Wherefore did Sarah laugh ? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.' (Ibid, xvii.) The angels being ready to depart, Abraham waited on them with great respect, and accompanied them towards Sodom. Two of the angels ad- vanced with more haste, whilst the third walked with Abraham. This last, who is called by Moses, mn- Jehovah, which is the incommunicable name of God, is thought by the generality of Christian writers, to have been the Son of God, who thus appeared in the form of an angel. See Univ. History, vol. iii. p. 261, 262. As a farther proof of his favour, he informed Abraham, that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached heaven, and that he was determined to de- stroy them utterly, if, upon inquiry, he found their wickedness equal to the cry. Abraham, fearing lest his nephew Lot should be involved in the misfortune of these cities, or rather from his natural compassion, was induced to intercede for those righteous per- sons, who might be found among the wicked. The patriarch did not cease to expostulate with him, till he had obtained a promise, that if only ten righteous persons should be found in the city, he would spare the place for their sakes. Lot, however, was the only righteous man in the city ; and God pre- served him from the calamity of Sodom. (Gen. xix.) Sarah conceived according to the promise of God ; and Abraham leaving the valley of Mamre journeyed towards the south, and dwelt as a stranger at Gerar. Abimelech, king of that country, being captivated with the beauty of Sarah, forced her from her husband, but God having informed him that she was the wife of Abraham, he restored her. See Abimelech. In the year of the world 2108, before Jesus Christ 1896, and in the ninetieth year of her age, Sarah was delivered of her son Isaac, whom Abraham circumcised accord- ing to the command of God. Sarah herself suckled the child, and weaned him at the usual time, and Abraham feasted all his household on that day. Some time after, Sarah observed Ishmael, the son of Hagar, playing with her son Isaac and treating him with contempt. She therefore said to Abra- ham, cast out this bond woman and her son, for Ishmael shall not be heir with Isaac. Whatever reluctance Abraham might feel in complying with this request, as soon as God had declared to him that it was his will, he sent them away. (Gen. xxi.) ABR ABR About this time, Abimelech, king of Gerar, came with Phicol, the general of his army, to visit Abraham, and to enter into an alliance with him. Abraham presented him with seven ewe-lambs out of his flock, in consideration that a well which he had opened should be his own. Each of them swore to the covenant they had concluded ; and they called the place Beersheba, or the well of swearing, because of the covenant there ratified with oaths. Here Abraham planted a grove, built an altar, and conti- nued some time. (Ibid. xxi. 22, &c.) In the year of the world 2133, and before Jesus Christ 1871, God commanded Abra- ham to sacrifice his own son Isaac upon a mountain which he showed him. Obedient to the divine command, Abraham took his son with some servants, and conducted him towards mount Moriah. On their journey, Isaac said to his father, ' Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering V Abraham replied, ' My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.' When they had arrived within sight of the mountain, Abraham left his servants behind him, and ascended the mount with his son only. Having bound Isaac he prepared to sacrifice him ; but when he was ready to give the blow, an angel cried to him out of heaven, ' Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him : for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with- held thy son, thine only son, from me.' At the same time, Abraham seeing a ram en- tangled in a bush by his horns, took him, and offered him up as a burnt offering, instead of his son Isaac. He called the place Jehovah-jireh, or the Lord will see, or provide. (Gen. xxii.) Twelve years after this, Sarah, the wife of Abraham, died in the city of Hebron, otherwise called Arba. Abraham was pro- bably at Beersheba ; but being informed of her death, he came to Hebron, to mourn, and to perform for her the last offices. He appeared before the people assembled at the gate of the city, and entreated them to allow him the liberty of burying his wife among them; for as he was a stranger in the country, and at that time possessed no land of his own, he could pretend to no right of giving honourable interment to his dead in the sepulchres of that country, with- out the consent of the proprietors. He therefore requested that Ephron, one of the inhabitants, would sell him the field called Machpelah, to which there belonged a cave and sepulchre. Ephron complied with his request, and the purchase was made before all the people of Hebron, at the price of 400 shekels of silver, or about 45/. sterling. Here Abraham buried his wife Sarah, after he had mourned for her according to the custom of the country. (Gen. xxiii.) Abraham, perceiving that he was grown old, sent Eliezer, the steward of his house, into Mesopotamia, and instructed him to bring a woman of his own nation, to whom he might marry his son Isaac. Eliezer executed his commission with great pru- dence, and brought Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, and grand- daughter of Nahor, whom Isaac married, and lodged thought a prudential ap- plication in public of what had been his usual custom in private. At the same time, per- 16 haps, by this very prudence, he risked as much from the anger of Pharaoh, when he turned him out without delay, as if he had trusted to the ordinary course of things, and to the simple way of his duty. In the story of Abimelech (Gen. xx. 2.), we may observe, that the original will bear the idea, that Abraham said to his wife, my sister, as well as of her, that my sister, that is, my dear sister. He thus addressed Sarah in the hearing of some of Abimelech's peo- ple; and Abimelech, thinking to confer ho- nour on Abraham and himself by anear con- nection, sent and took her. He behaved differently from Pharaoh : he meant good rather than harm ; and therefore God ex- postulated with him. To Abimelech, Abra- ham apologizes, by discovering their true relation, and his general request, — ' at every place to which we journey, call me brother.' These circumstances are very different from those of the haughty and oppressive Pha- raoh. The Arab women, at this day, when at home in their tents, have no veils, r though those in cities wear them ; and as Saran had been accustomed to dwell in tents only, this circumstance may account for her not wear- ing a veil. IV. The dignity and power of Abraham are incidentally stated in the story of his rescuing Lot. He had three hundred and eighteen servants born in his house, whom he could entrust with arms. This implies, that he had many not born in his house, some who must have been old, some women, and some children. If these be added together, they form a considerable tribe, and prove that Abraham was a man of no trifling pos- sessions. In fact, he appears to correspond exactly to a modern Emir ; to possess the right of sovereignty in no small degree ; and to be little other than an independent prince, even while dwelling in the territories of sove- reigns, by whom he was greatly esteemed. V. Abraham's affection for Sarah seems to have been very great However custom- ary a plurality of wives might be among the nations around him, he took no other wife than that of his youth, from the great love, it would seem, with which he loved her. His connection with Hagar was not proposed by himself, but by Sarah ; and in this Abraham was obedient to Sarah, and yielded to her wishes rather than to his own. The event of this connexion serves to show, that the miracle which preceded the conception of Isaac, principally, if not totally, regarded Sarah. The custom of having more than one wife, especially if the first was barren, is of very ancient origin, and is commosn in the east at this day, both among Jew and Arabs. In taking Hagar, therefore, Abra- ham only practised the same as his neigh- bours. After Hagar had become his wife, he ought not perhaps to have left her so en- tirely in the power of Sarah; but the sending ABB, ABR away of Ishmael and his mother appeared hard to Abraham himself, and to this action be appeared very reluctant, till God had promised his protection to Ishmael, His manner of sending them away was managed with much caution. They were sent away very early in the morning, before Sarah and many of his family could be spectators, and before the heat of the day ; and Ishmael, then about thirteen years old, was sufficiently able to carry the loaves or the skin of water. By this privacy, he avoided all farther harshness and bickerings between Sarah and her ser- vant ; and he did all he could to ensure the safety of Hagar and her son. It may be necessary to observe here, that some writers, thinking it improbable that Abraham, after the death of Sarah, should marry Keturah at the advanced age of one hundred and forty years, have dislocated the chronology of this period, by supposing that Abraham took Keturah as a concubine, in consequence of the barrenness of Sarah, his wife, even before he left Charran, and that Keturah's children were in the number of the souls that were born to him and Lot during their residence in that country. It would seem, however, evident from the whole tenor of the history, that Abraham was " childless" till the birth of Ishmael; (Gen. xv. 2, 3.) that he had no other son than Ishmael when he received the promise of Isaac ; (Gen. xvii. 18.) and that Isaac and Ishmael, jointly, as his eldest sons, celebrated his funeral. (Gen. xxv. 9.) That Abraham should marry again, at the age of 140 years, shows his faith in the Divine promise, that he should be "a father of many nations;" for which purpose his constitution might be miraculously reno- vated, like that of Sarah. Besides, Abra- ham himself was born when his father Terah was advanced in years. " The souls gotten in Charran," denoted the joint increase of the households of Abraham and Lot. Even after their separation in the land of Canaan, Abraham took with him, in the pursuit of the Assyrian confederates, " three hundred and eighteen trained servants, born in his own house, 1 ' about eight or nine years after his arrival in Canaan; several of these, therefore, must have been born at Charran, in order to be then able to bear arms. See Hagar, Ishmael, and Concubine. VI. The covenant made with Abraham is well worthy of consideration, whether we regard its solemnity, occasion, or contents. The history of it is related in two parts ; the first is previous to the birth of Ishmael, and the second to that of Isaac, The first fore- tels that Abraham should have a numerous posterity, and that he need not make a stranger his heir ; and the second promises him a son by Sarah, and that with his son the covenant should be established. Re- specting the contents of the covenant, the following are worthy of observation : ( 1 ) The family of this patriarch has long been ex- 17 tremely numerous; from him are derived many tribes of Arabs, descending by Ish- mael and by Keturah. To say nothing of the Jews, there is not any other man tq whom so many nations refer their origin. Some may have begotten families, but Abra- ham is the father of nations. (2) The changing of the names, Abram into Abra- ham, and Sarai into Sarah. (3) Circumci- sion, the sign of the covenant. This sign had reference to posterity. As all the pos- terity descending from a circumcised person must be begotten by the part bearing the sign of conformity to the covenant, so the issue of such was considered as sacred to God, not because of its relation to a holy or sacred mother, but because it was derived from a part of the father, become holy or sacred. It seems probable, that had the circumcised part been the finger, the ear, &c. the attributed holiness to the posterity had not been valid. At least, the relation between the sign and the offspring had been neither appropriate, consequential, nor ap- parent. VII. On the story of Abraham's enter- taining the angels, some have thought, that, in addition to the person, whom Abraham addressed, and who remained some time after the others were gone towards Sodom, the Shekinah appeared. It seems, however, more probable, that this person gradually displayed, or suffered to appear, the tokens of the Shekinah, and without leading Abra- ham to suppose he had seen Jehovah, might convince him that he had seen his messen- ger. This sort of ambiguity, brightening into certainty, seems well adapted to the circumstances of the subsequent conversa- tion between Abraham and his glorious guest If Abraham had conceived he was speaking immediately to Jehovah, no room had been left for reasoning, or representa- tion in abatement of his anger. The narra- tor says, " Abraham stood before Jehovah," and " Jehovah spake," &c. ; but Abraham uses merely the word Adonai, behold I have spoken to Adonai, &c. It seems, therefore, that here was an instance of the " unawaredness" with which Abraham en- tertained angels. Though he supposed the dignity of his guest to be great, yet it was much greater than he supposed. He saw the human part of this appearance fully; but he saw the celestial part very imper- fectly, and in such a manner only as flesh and blood are capable of seeing it. VIII. On Abraham's faith, respecting his son Isaac, when called upon to offer him as a burnt sacrifice, it may be observed, that the patriarch must have been well convinced he followed no idle phantasy of his own brain, in proposing to slay him. The com- mon feelings of human nature, the uncom- mon feelings of the aged patriarch, all argued against such a deed. The length of the journey, the interval of time, the dis- C ABR ABS course of Isaac, all conspired to augment the anguish of the parent, unless that parent was well satisfied in his own mind that he acted under a divine direction. The eastern people, not only Christians and -Mahometans, hut also Indians and Infi- dels, have some knowledge of the patriarch Abraham, and highly commend him. But they tell many fabulous stories of him, and his history is embellished with a variety of fictions. Some have affirmed, that he reigned at Damascus, that he dwelt a long time in Egypt, and taught the Egyptians astronomy and arithmetic ; and others say, that he invented letters, and the Hebrew language, or the characters of the Syrians and Chaldeans, and that he was the author of several works. The fathers of the Church have spoken largely in commendation of this great patri- arch. The Old Testament, and the pro- phets, have proposed him as the perfect pattern of faith and obedience to God's commands. Our Saviour assures us in the Gospel, that Abraham earnestly desired to see the day of his coming, and that he saw it, and was glad. (John viii. 56.) In another place, he tells us, that the happiness of the righteous consists in being seated with Abra- ham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, (Matt. viii. 11.) and in being re- ceived into Abraham's bosom, as into a place of rest. (Luke xvi. 22.) The emperor Alexander Severus, who knew Abraham only by the wonders related of him by Jews and Christians, conceived so great an idea of him, that he ranked him with Jesus Christ among his gods. Addi- tions to CalmeVs Dictionary; Hates' s New Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. p. 146. ABRAHAM I'TES, an order of monks, who, in the ninth century, were extermi- nated for idolatry by the emperor Theophi- lus. It was also the name of another sect of heretics, who had adopted the errors of Paulus. These last derived their name from that of their leader Abraham, a native of Antioch, called by the Arabs, Ibrahim, and hence the name of Ibrahimiah is given by them to this sect. Tbe Abrahamites arose about the close of the eighth century, and were suppressed by the vigilance of Syriacus, Patriarch of Antioch. AB'SALOM, oibuax, signifies father of peace, or the peace of the father, or of consum- mation, or of recompence, and was the name of the son of David, who was born of Maa- cbali, the daughter of Talmai, king of Ge- shur. It is said that he was the most beau- tiful man in Israel, and had the finest head of hair. When he cut off his hair, which was done at certain periods, it weighed two hundred shekels by the king's weight. (2 Sam. xiv. 25.26.) In our translation of the Bible, it is said, that the hair on Absalom's head was cut off every year; but the He- brew does not designate the time. The 18 Targum, therefore, reads at stated times, or when it grew too heavy. The weight of Absalom's hair, when cut off, might be about thirty-one ounces; and we know by the relation of hair-dressers, that some women have thirty-two ounces of hair on their heads. Absalom had a sister both by the father and mother's side, named Tamar. He had also a brother called Amnon, who was also the son of David, but not born of Absalom's mother. Amnon conceived so violent a passion for his sister Tamar, that he began to pine away; but prevailing with the king to allow Tamar to enter his cham- ber, and to prepare something for him to eat, he ravished her, and then dismissed her with shame and reproach. Absalom not only received his sister into his house, but resolved to revenge the outrage which had been committed. But expecting, per- haps, that the king, his father, would punish so wicked an action, he forbore to say any thing to Amnon. About two years after this transaction, in the year of the world 2974, and before Jesus Christ 1030, Absalom went to a sheep-shearing, at Baalhazor, whither he invited the king and all the royal family. David excused himself, but being pressed by the intreaties of Absalom, he consented that Amnon and his brethren should accom- pany him. When they had become warm with wine, Amnon was assassinated by the orders of Absalom ; and the other princes, in great consternation, immediately fled to Jerusalem. Absalom retired to king Talmai, his mother's father, in the country of Geshur, where he continued three years, and whither David did not pursue him. (2 Sam. xiii.) Joab, observing that the king was desirous of seeing his son, found means, by the in- terposition of an artful woman of Tekoah, to procure his consent for the return of Absa- lom. This woman, in a speech composed for the purpose, persuaded the king that in some cases the life of a murderer might be saved. Absalom, therefore, returned to Jerusalem ; but David would not suffer him to appear in his presence. During two years, he continued in disgrace; but at the expi- ration of that time, . he sent for Joab, and intreated him to intercede with the king in his behalf. Joab, however, refusing to go to him, Absalom commanded his servants to set fire to a field of barley, which belonged to Joab. On being informed of this, JoaD went, and complained to Absalom, who con- fessed that the field had been set on fire by his orders, with the hope of procuring his mediation with the king. Joab related all that had passed to David, who commanded Absalom to be immediately introduced, and received him again into his favour. (Ibid, xiv.) Amnon, his elder brother, being dead, Absalom, after his reconciliation, considered hims( If as presumptive heir to the crown, and set up a magnificent equipage of chariots ABS ABS and horses. He came every morning to the gate of the palace, and calling all those, who wished to transact any business with the king, enquired of them their errand. When they had reported to him their business, he told them that their several causes seemed good and just, but that the king had deputed no man to determine them. Absalom also said, ' Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man, which hath any suit or cause, might come unto me, and I would do him justice!' Absalom continued this practice for some time, and when any man came near to honour him, he put forth his hand, took him up, and kissed him. He practised this conduct during four years, and gradually won the affections of the peo- ple; and when he thought that he might declare himself, he requested permission of the king to go to Hebron, under pretence of performing there some vow, which he had made during his abode at Geshur. (Ibid, xv.) It is observable, that the text, in the se- venth verse, mentions forty years, as if Ab- salom had endeavoured to alienate the affec- tions of the people during that time. The learned Usher, however, has shewn, that the forty years should be reckoned from the time that David was appointed by Samuel, and not from that of his reconciliation with Absalom. This rebellion took place about four years after the reconciliation; and se- veral Latin MSS. Josephus and Theodoret, read four years only. Usher observes, that this rebellion broke out before or about Whitsuntide, in the year of the world 2980, and before Jesus Christ 1024. The par- ticular time of the year appears from the new fruits and parched corn, which Barzil- lai brought to David in his flight. (Ibid, xvii. 28.) Absalom having obtained the king's leave went to Hebron, and was accompanied by two hundred men, who followed him with- out knowing his wicked designs. In the mean time, he sent particular persons, whom he had attached to his interest, throughout all the tribes of Israel, and commanded them to sound the trumpet, and publish in every place, that Absalom was king at Hebron. Immediately a number of people joined him, and he was acknowledged by the greatest part of Israel. David being informed of Absalom's revolt, and that all Israel was of his party, fled with his officers from Jeru- salem. Absalom immediately marched to Jerusalem, which he entered without resist- ance. Ahithophel advised him to abuse his father's concubines publicly, that all the people might understand by this action, that the difference could never be reconciled, and therefore might continue firm to him, with- out any thoughts of returning to their former allegiance. (Ibid, xvi.) At the same time, Ahithophel proposed to Absalom, that some troops should be sent 19 in pursuit of David, before he should have time to collect any forces. From this coun- sel, however, Absalom was diverted by Hu- shai, David's ffiend, who pretended to be of his party, but who gave notice of it to David. The next day, Absalom marched against David with all his forces ; and having cross- ed the river Jordan, he disposed his troops to attack the king his father. David ordered his forces to march out of the city under the command of Joab. In this engagement Absalom's army was routed; twenty thou- sand of his troops were killed on the spot, and the rest saved themselves by flight. Ab- salom was mounted upon a mule ; and as he fled through the forest of Ephraim, in which the battle was fought, and was passing under a large oak, with very thick boughs, his hair was entangled among the branches, and his mule going on swiftly, he was left hanging. A man seeing him in this situa- tion, informed Joab, who took three darts, and thrust them through the heart of Ab- salom. Ten young men that bore Joab's armour compassed about, and smote Ab- salom, and slew him. His body was thrown into a great pit which was in the wood, and on it was laid a large heap of stones. Absalom had erected a pillar in the king's valley, saying, ' I have no son, and this shall be a monument to perpetuate my name.' He therefore called the pillar after his own name, and it was so denominated in the time of the author of the books of Samuel. (Ibid, xviii. 18.) Eastward of Jerusalem, in the valley of Jehoshaphat, is a monument which is shown to travellers, and which is said to be that of Absalom. Jose- phus, speaking of this monument, says, it was a marble column, distant about two fur- longs from Jerusalem. Travellers assure us, that all, who go near Absalom's pillar, throw a stone at it, to express their abhor- rence of the son's rebellion against his fa- ther, and that the heap of stones is so great as almost to cover the lower part of the mo- nument. Though we are told that Absa- lom's body was thrown into a pit, in the forest of Ephraim, under a great heap of stones, it is probable that David, who la- mented his son with such excessive grief, caused it to be removed and laid in the sepulchre of the kings, or perhaps near the monument. In a passage to which we have already referred, the Scripture seems to intimate, that Absalom, when he erected the monu- ment, had no children. In another place, however, it is said, that he had three sons, and one daughter of great beauty, who was called Tamar. (2 Sam. xiv. 27.) But it is probable, that these children, at least the sons, did not live. Some are of opinion, that Tamar, the daughter of Absalom, mar- ried Rehoboam, king of Judah. It is observable, that Absalom was the C 2 ABS ABS first that used horses among the Israelites. Till his time, the kings rode upon mules, and the greatest nobles upon asses, as may be seen in the history of the Judges. Univ. Hist. vol. iv. p. 75 ; Bochart ; Patrick. ABSOLUTION signifies acquittal, and is also used for that act, by which the priest declares the sins of penitents remitted. The ministerial power of remitting sins was vested by Christ in the apostles, from whom it was derived to the Church. To more than this, the primitive Church never pre- tended, leaving the absolute, sovereign, in- dependent, irreversible power of absolution to God alone. The ancients reckoned five kinds of absolution: 1. That of baptism; 2. That of the eucharist; 3. That of the word and doctrine ; 4. That of imposition of hands and prayer ; 5. That of recon- cilement to the communion of the Church, by a relaxation of her censures. The first two may be called sacramental ; the third, declaratory ; the fourth, precatory ; and the fifth, judicial. The first had no relation to penitential discipline, and was never given to persons, who had once received baptism. The second bore some relation to it, but did not solely belong to it ; for absolution was given to all baptized persons, who never fell under penitential discipline, as well as to those, who lapsed and were restored to com- munion. In both respects this absolution was called the perfection of a Christian. By the third, the ministers of Christ publicly declared to men the terms of reconciliation and salvation. The fourth was used as a concomitant of most other absolutions. By the fifth, penitents were finally restored to the peace and full communion of the church. Anciently, no sinners were absolved till they had performed their regular penance, ex- cept in case of imminent death. With re- spect to the ceremony of absolution, the penitent was publicly reconciled, in sack- cloth, at the altar, by tbis, or a similar form : ' He that forgave the sinful woman all her sins, for which she shed tears, and opened to the thief the gates of paradise, make you partaker of this redemption, ab- solve you from all the bonds of your sins, heal you by the medicine of his mercy, re- store you to the body of the Church by his grace, and for ever keep you whole and sound.' Tbe indicative form ' I absolve thee' instead of ' Christ absolve thee,' was not used till the twelfth century, a little before the time of Thomas Aquinas, who first wrote in its defence. Sometimes chrism or unction was added to the imposition of hands, in the reconciliation of such heretics and schismatics to the Church as had been baptized in heresy or schism ; and the rea- son of this was, because their baptism out of the Church was null and void, and they were supposed to want the true effect of baptism, the grace or unction of the Holy Spirit. The time of absolution was com- 20 monly the day of our Saviour's passion. Some penitents were received into the church by absolution, even after their death, particularly such as died during the course of their penance. Absolution was primarily lodged in the bishop, who committed it to the hands of the presbyters and deacons only. However, in cases of extreme neces- sity, some canons allowed a layman to ad- minister baptism, rather than that a cate- chumen should die unbaptized. Some crimes incapacitated a sinner from ever receiving absolution ; and these were idolatry, murder, and adultery. Though this rigour was afterwards abated, yet communion was denied to such apostates as remained obstinate and impenitent all their lives, and only desired reconciliation when death ap- proached. Speaking of the abuse of absolution in the Roman church, the judicious Hooker ob- serves, " They strangely hold, that whatso- ever the penitent doth, his contrition, con- fession, and satisfaction, have no place of right, to stand as material parts in this sa- crament, nor consequently any such force as to make them available for the taking away of sin, in that they proceed from the penitent himself, without the privity of the minister, but only as they are enjoined by the minister's authority and power ; except, therefore, the priest be willing, God hath, by promise, hampered himself so, that it is not now in his power to pardon any man ; he hath no answer to make, but such as that of the angel unto Lot, 1 can do nothing!" Describing the true nature and effects of absolution, he afterwards says, " The sen- tence therefore, of ministerial absolution, hath two effects: touching sin, it only de- clareth us freed from the guiltiness thereof and restored unto God's favour; but con- cerning right in sacred and divine myste- ries, whereof, through sin, we were made unworthy, as the power of the church did before effectually blind and retain us from access unto them, so, upon our apparent repentance, it truly restoreth our liberty, looseth the chains wherewith we are tied, remitteth all whatsoever is past, and ac- cepteth us no less returned, than if we had never gone astray !" Archbishop Tillotson has given his opin- ion of the use and intent of absolution in the following words : " Upon this miraculous gift of knowing the secrets of men's hearts, it seems to be very probable, that that which is commonly called, the power of the keys, did depend ; I mean the power of remitting or retaining sins ; for they, who had the privilege of knowing men's hearts, might do this upon certain grounds, and were secured from mistake in the exercise of their power upon particular persons ; which the priests and ministers of the church now are not, nor can be ; because they cannot see into men's hearts, whether they be truly penitent, ABS ABS and qualified for forgiveness, or not. For I cannot easily believe but that those words of our Saviour, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted ; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained, were intended to signify some- thing more than a mere declaration of the promises and threatenings of the gospel, which any man might make as well as the apostles and ministers of the church. For that God will forgive the penitent, and that he will not pardon the sinner, except he repent, is as true from any man's mouth, as from an apostle's : and as to the absolution of this, or that particular person, though a minister, by the skill and knowledge of his profession, is ordinarily and reasonably pre- sumed, by virtue of his office, to be a better judge of a man's repentance, than other persons are, and therefore may, with more authority and satisfaction to the penitent, declare his judgment and opinion concern- ing him ; yet not being able to see into his heart, he may be mistaken concerning him ; and if he be, his declaring his sins to be for- given, that is, his absolution of him, will do him no good; and on the other hand, his refusal to absolve him, if he be truly peni- tent, will do him no harm." The archbishop says, farther, that, " pro- testants do not make the absolution of the priest at all necessary to the forgiveness of sins, but only convenient for the satisfaction and comfort of the penitent. For which reason, our church does not require a for- mal absolution to be given to the dying penitent, unless he himself desire it : which is a certain argument, that in the judgment of our church, the absolution of the priest is not necessary to the forgiveness and sal- vation of the penitent." In the liturgy of the church of England are three several forms of absolution. The first, is that at morning prayer ; " Almighty God, &c. who hath given power, &c. He pardoneth and absolveth," &c. The second is used at the visitation of the sick : " Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his church, &c. by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee," &c. The third is in the communion service : " Almighty God, &c. who hath promised forgiveness of sins, &c. have mercy on you," &c. These three different forms, says Bishop Sparrow, are in sense and virtue the same. " For as when a prince hath granted a commission to any servant of his, to release out of prison all penitent offenders whatever, it were all one, in effect, as to the prisoner's discharge, whether this servant says, by virtue of a commission granted to me, under the prince's hand and seal, 1 release this prisoner; or thus, the prince, who hath given me this commission, pardons you ; or lastly, the prince pardon and deliver you." Before concluding this article, it is neces- sary to observe, that a late writer seems to be of opinion, that the Roman Catholics do not believe that a priest, bishop, or even a pope, can forgive a person his sins, unless that person be sincerely sorry for them, firmly resolved to avoid them through grace in future, and disposed to give satisfaction by penitential works, according to his ca- pacity, to his offended God, and to make restitution, if he can, to his injured neigh- bour. Without these dispositions, they do not believe that God himself will forgive any man. Broughton's Dictionary of all Reli- gions ; Adams's Religious World displayed. ABSTEMII was a name given to such persons as could not partake of the cup in the sacrament, on account of their natural aversion to wine. ABSTINENCE is a religious duty, and denotes fasting or abstaining from necessary food. The Jewish law ordained, that the priests should abstain from wine, during the whole time that they were employed in the service of the temple. (Levit. x. 9.) The same abstinence was enjoined the Nazarites, during the time of their Nazariteship, or se- paration. (Numb, vi. 3.) The Jews were commanded to abstain from several sorts of animals. See Animal. By the Jewish law, the fat of all sorts of animals was forbidden to be eaten ; and the blood of every animal in general was prohi- bited under pain of death. (Levit. iii. 17 ; vii. 23, &c.) The Jews also did not eat the sinew which is on the hollow of the thigh, though otherwise pure, because the angel that wrestled with Jacob at Mahanaim, touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, and by that means occasioned the sinew to shrink. (Gen. xxxii. 25.) Among the primitive Christians, some de- nied themselves the use of such meats as were prohibited by the law ; others treated this abstinence with contempt. St. Paul has given his opinion as to these matters, of which we have an account in his epistles. (1 Cor. viii. 7, 10; Rom. xiv. I, 2, 3.) The council of Jerusalem, which was held by the apostles, enjoined the Christian converts to abstain from meats strangled, from blood, from fornication, and from idolatry. (Acts, xv. 20.) St. Paul requires, that Christians should ' abstain from all appearance of evil,' (1 Thess. v. 22,) and also from every thing which is really evil, and contrary to piety and religion. The spiritual monaixhy of the western world introduced another sort of abstinence which may be termed ritual, and which con- sists in abstaining from particular meats at certain times and seasons, the rules of which are called rogations. The apostolical Lent was observed only a few days before Easter. In the course of the third century, it extended at Rome to three weeks : and before the middle of the succeeding age, it was prolonged to six weeks, and began to be called quadrage- siraa, or forty days' last. About the time ABS ABY of the council of Eliberis, Saturday was a day observed for keeping the lesser fast in some of the western churches, and three days of abstinence were observed in the week. However, in time, the fast on Sa- turday was observed with greater strictness, aad that on Wednesday was wholly disre- garded. On the days of humiliation, it was customary to pray in a kneeling posture, contrary to the practice of offering their devotions standing. The latter was usual at those times when any joyful event was commemorated, or any festival observed. The increasing passion for austerities, which during the third century was so observable, must be ascribed to the increasing belief in the power of malignant spirits, who were supposed to be continually inciting men to the commission of evil, and whose influence was thought to be considerably diminished by abstinence and mortification. This opi- nion may be easily traced to the Gnostic philosophy, which insensibly became inter- woven with the doctrines of Christianity ; but a great number of the rites introduced into the discipline of the church can be considered only as an accommodation to Paganism. Gregory's Hist, of the Christian Church. ABSTINENTS were a sect of heretics, that appeared in France and Spain, about the end of the third century. They are supposed to have borrowed part of their opinions from the Gnostics and Manichae- ans, because they opposed marriage, foi'bade the use of flesh meat, and placed the Holy Ghost in the rank of created beings. ABYSS, or Deep. By this name hell is designated in Scripture. (Luke viii. 31 ; Rom. x. 7; Rev. ix. 1; xi. 7, &c. ; Gen. vii. 11 ; Exod. xv. 5; &c. &c.) It is also the name of the deepest parts of the sea, and of the chaos, which in the beginning of the world, was covered with darkness, and upon which the Spirit of God moved. (Gen. i. 2.) According to some writers, by the Abyss we are to understand that vast quan- tity of water which is contained within the earth. In the opinion of the ancient Hebrews, and of the generality of the eastern people at this day, the Abyss, the sea, and waters, encompass the whole earth, that floats on the Abyss, of which it covers a small part. According to the same people, the earth was founded on the waters, or at least its foundations were on the Abyss. (Psalm xxxiii. 7*9; civ. 6.) Under these waters, and at the bottom of this Abyss, the scrip- ture represents the giants as groaning, and Buffering; the punishment of their sin. There an confined the Rephaim, those old giants, who, whilst living, caused surrounding na- tions to tremble. (Prov. ix. 18; xxi. 16, &c.) Lastly, in these dark dungeons, the kings of Tyre, Babylon, and Egypt, aw de- scribed by the prophets as expiating the 22 guilt of their pride and cruelty. (Isaiah xxvi. 14; Ezek. xxviii. S, &c.) These depths are the abodes of devils or wicked men : " I saw," says St. John, " a star fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit ; and there arose a smoke out of it, as the smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke, locusts upon the earth. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit." (Rev. ix. 1, 2, 11.) In another place, the beast is re- presented as ascending out of the bottom- less pit, and waging war against the two witnesses of God. (Rev. xi. 70 Lastly, St. John says, " I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled : and after that he must be loosed a little season." (Ibid. xx. 1, 2, 3.) In the opinion of the Hebrews, fountains or rivers are derived from the Abyss or sea. (Eccl. i. 7-) At the time of the deluge the depths below, or the waters of the sea, broke down their banks, and the fountains forced their springs, and spread over the earth. The Abyss, which, in the beginning of the world, covered the earth, and was put in agitation by the Spirit of God, (Gen. i. 2,) or by an impetuous wind, was so denomi- nated because it afterwards composed the sea. Out of the midst of this abyss, the earth arose, like an island of the sea, and appeared suddenly, after having been for a long time concealed under water. ABYSSINIAN CHURCH is that, which is established in the empire of Abyssinia, in Africa. The Abyssinians are a branch of the Copts, with whom they agree in admit- ting only one nature in Jesus Christ, and in rejecting the council of Chalcedon. Hence they are also called Monophysites, and'Eu- tychians. The Abyssinian church is go- verned by a bishop, who is styled abuna, and who is sent into Abyssinia by the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria, residing at Cairo ; but as the abuna is ignorant of the Abyssi- tnian language, he takes little share in the '/government, and attends the court on days of ceremony only. In the Church of Abys- sinia, are different kinds of degrees* The desperas are neither priests nor deacons, but a sort of Jewish Levites, or chanters, who assist in all public offices of the church. The homos arc a kind of high priests, under whose care and superintendence, the infe- rior clergy, and the secular aflairs of the ABS AC-A parish are placed. The priests have their maintenance assigned them in the produc- tions of the country. The emperor has a kind of supremacy in ecclesiastical matters, and receives holy orders. They have monks and canons. The former lead an austere and regular life, are poor, and live in a state of celibacy. They differ from the Eutychians, in con- fessing that the nature of Christ is composed of two natures, the divine and human, which, being united, became one single nature. They practise circumcision on females as well as males. They eat no meats prohi- bited by the law of Moses ; but this prohibi- tion, as well as the rite of circumcision, is considered by them merely as a political in- stitution. They observe both Saturday and Sunday as sabbaths. Women are obliged to the legal purifications. Brothers marry their brothers' wives, &c. They celebrate the Epiphany with peculiar festivity; observe four lents ; pray for the dead ; and invoke angels. They adore images in painting, but abhor all those in relievo, except that of the cross. They ad- mit the Nicene, Constantinopolitan, Ephe- sian, and some other provincial councils ; and they consider the apocryphal books, and the canons of the apostles, as well as the apostolical constitutions, as genuine. They allow divorce, which is granted by the civil judge ; and their laws do not prohibit po- lygamy. They have at least as many mira- cles and legends of saints as the Romish Church ; and they pay so great a veneration to the Virgin Mary, that they charged the Jesuits with not rendering her sufficient homage. They maintain that the soul of man is not created, because, they say, God finished all his works on the sixth day. They disown the pope's supremacy, and transubstantiation, though they acknowledge the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. They administer the communion in both kinds. They believe in a middle state, in which departed souls must be purged from their sins, and may be greatly assisted and relieved by the prayers, alms, and penances, of their surviving friends. They use con- fession, and receive penance and absolution from the priests. At different times, the Abyssinians have expressed an inclination of being reconciled to the Church of Rome; but the missions of the Jesuits and others in the seventeenth century for that purpose, were frustrated by the tyrannical and impolitic measures of the missionaries themselves. In the same century, the Lutherans attempted to spread the knowledge of the gospel among the Abyssinians; but their missions were also Unsuccessful. The first conversion of the Abyssinians is ascribed by some to the famous prime mi- nister of their queen Candace, who is men- tioned in the Acts of the J post lis. How- 23 ever, it is probable, that the conversion of that empire was not perfected till the fourth century, when Frumentius, ordained bishop of Axuma by Athanasius, exercised his mi- nistry among them with great success. They were esteemed a pure church till they embraced the errors of Eutyches and Dios- corus. It is evident that at present the doctrines and ritual of the Abyssinian Church form a strange compound of Judaism and Chris- tianity, of ignorance and superstition ; and it seems difficult to determine, whether it be Jewish or Christian. It is, however, to be feared, that if it be Christian, it retains little more of Christianity than the name. Bruce' s Travels ; Universal History, fyc. AC AC IAN S were a sect of heretics of the fourth century, who derived their name from Acacius, bishop of Caesarea. This bishop denied the Son to be of the same substance as the Father, though some of his adherents allowed the Son to be of a similar substance. It was also the designation of another sect, who derived their name from Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople, and a favourer of the opinions of Eutyches. The events, which followed the formation of this last sect, furnish proofs that the supremacy of the bishop of Rome was far from being uni- versally acknowledged in the fifth century. Pope Felix II. deposed and excommuni- cated Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople, who not only received the sentence with contempt, but in his turn, anathematized and excommunicated the Pope, and ordered his name to be erased from the diptychs, or sacred registers. This conduct of Acacius was approved by the emperor, the Church of Constantinople, by almost all the eastern bishops, and even by Andreas of Thessalo- nica, who was at that time the Pope's vicar for East Illyricum. This was the occasion of that general schism, which continued for twenty-five years, between the eastern and western churches. At length, the perseve- rance of the Latins triumphed over the op- position of the oriental Christians ; and the name of Acacius was erased from the dip- tychs, and branded with infamy. Though several articles were alleged against Aca- cius, as his attachment to the Monophysites, &c. yet the true reasons of the Pope's ha- tred to him were his denying the supremacy of the bishop of Rome, and his efforts to en- large the authority and prerogatives of the see of Constantinople. It is worthy of ob- servation, that the eastern bishops did not adhere to the cause of Acacius, from any other principle than a persuasion of the il- legality of his excommunication by the Roman pontiff, who, in their judgment, had no right to depose the first bishop of the east, without the consent of a general coun- cil. Moshc/m. ACADEMICS was a denomination given ACC ACC to the cultivators of a species of philosophy originally derived from Socrates, and after- wards illustrated and enforced by Plato. — The contradictory systems, which had been successively urged upon the world, were be- come so numerous, that, from a view of the variety and uncertainty of human opinions, many were led to conclude, that truth was beyond the reach of our comprehension. The consequence of this conclusion was absolute scepticism. Hence the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the preferable- ness of virtue to vice, were considered by the Academics as uncertain. This sect, and that of the Epicureans, were the two principal hi repute at the time of Christ's appearance, and were embraced and supported by persons of wealth and high rank. A consideration of the principles of these two sects will en- able us to form an idea of the deplorable state of the world, at the time of Christ's birth, and of the necessity that existed of some divine teacher, who might convey to the mind true and certain principles of reli- gion and wisdom. ACC AD, ~t3K, 'Apxa$, signifies a vessel, a pitcher. It was the name of a city built by Nimrod, the situation of which is not suffi- ciently ascertained. By the Septuagint it is called Archad (Gen. x. 10.) Hence Dr. Wells is of opinion, that some marks of this name are still preserved in that of the river Argades, which flows near Sittace, a town situated at some distance from the Tigris, and anciently giving name to Sittacene, a country between Babylon and Susa. Hence also it is conjectured, that the city Sittace was formerly called Argad, or Archad, and derived its name of Sittace, or Psittace, from the great quantity of psittacias, or pistacias, a sort of nut, which grew in that neighbour- hood. Strabo mentions a region in these parts, by the name of Artacene, which was probably formed from Arcad, and might be the ancient denomination of the country Sit- tacene, as Arcad was of the city Sittace ; and Pliny expressly says, that Sittacene was the same as Arbelitis, or the country about Arbela. According to Abulfaragi, Accad is the same as Nisibis or Nisibeen, which is situ- ated in the northern part of Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and the Euphrates, though it has been placed on the banks of the for- mer by some geographers, who have con- founded that river with the stream that runs by it. Nesibis, Nisibis, Nisibeen, or Nesbin (for all these names have been given to it), is situated in a level plain, with the hills of Mardin on the north, at the distance of from five to ten miles; the high mountains of Sinjar (Singar) on the south, distant about ten or twelve leagues j and a flat desert coun- try, in general, to the east, and west. The town is seated on the western bank of the river Mygdonius, the Saocaras of Ptolemy, now railed merely the nVW of Ni:;ibccn, 24 which is still observed to overflow its banks on the falling of the autumnal rains, and the melting of the vernal snows ; confirming the accuracy of Julian, who described it as in- undating the country near the walls of the city, and watering the neighbouring fields. Several smaller streams run into this river, near the city itself. — Memoires de VAcademie Royale, torn, xxvii. p. 31 ; Buckingham's Tra- vels in Mesopotamia, vol. i. pp. 430 — 443, vol. ii. p. 463 ; Wells's Geography. AC'CHO, or Auchoo, isy, signifies close, inclosed. This city was afterwards called Ptolemais, (Acts xxi. 7-) and more latterly Acra or Acre. It is situated to the north of Mount Carmel, and enjoys every advantage both of land and sea. On the north and east sides is a spacious fertile plain ; on the west, the Mediterranean Sea; and on the south, a large bay extending from the city as far as Mount Carmel. On the division, this city fell to the tribe of Asher ; but the Israelites did not extirpate the inhabitants of Accho, which continued in the possession of the Canaanites. (Judg. i. 31.) During a long time, this city was the the- atre of contention between the Christians and Infidels, till at length, after a long siege, it was finally taken by the Turks, by whom it was treated with great indignity. Within the walls appear the ruins of the cathedral church ; of the church of St. John, the tute- lary saint of this city ; of the convent of the knights hospitallers ; and of the palace of the grand master of that order. This place is remarkable for the opposition, which Bona- parte here encountered from the English and Turks, who, under the direction of Sir Sid- ney Smith, compelled the French, after a long and memorable siege, to retire from Syria with great loss. ACCLAMATIONS, were shouts of joy expressed by the people to denote their ap- probation of the preacher. 1 1 seems scarcely credible to us, that practices of this nature should ever have found their way into the church, in which all ought to be reverence and solemnity. Yet such practices were common in the fourth century. The people were not only permitted, but even sometimes exhorted, by the preacher himself, to approve his talents by the clapping of hands, and loud acclamations of applause. The usual words employed on such an occasion were, 1 Orthodox,' ' third apostle,' &c. These ac- clamations being carried to excess, and often misplaced, were prohibited by the ancient doctors, and at length abrogated. However, even at present we find among some sects practices, which are not "very decorous, and which consist of loud humming, frequent groaning, strange gestures of the body, &c. See Dancers, Shakers. ACCOMMODATION OF SCRIPTURE, is the application of Scripture, not to its literal meaning, but to something, to which it is analogous. Thus a scripture prophecy is ACE ACH said to be properly fulfilled, when that which is foretold comes to pass, and by way of ac- commodation, when an event happens to any place or people similar to what had before happened to some other. Thus the words of Isaiah, spoken to the people of his own time, are said to have been fulfilled in those who lived in the time of our Saviour : — ' Ye hy- pocrites, well did Esaias prophesy,' &c. The same words are afterwards accommo- dated by St. Paul to the Jews of his time. (Isa. xxix. 13; Matt. xv. 8; Acts xiii. 41). ACCURSED, denotes something under a curse, or sentence of excommunication. Ac- cording to the idiom of the Hebrew language, accursed and crucified were synonymous terms. By the Jews, every one who died upon a tree was reckoned accursed. (Deut. xxi. 23.) ACEL'DAMA, novbpn, 'Ayooe ai/mroc, signifies the field of blood, and was the name of that field, which the priests purchased with the thirty pieces of silver that had been given to Judas Iscariot, as the price of the blood of Jesus Christ Judas having brought back this money into the temple, and the priests not thinking it lawful to use it for the ser- vice of so holy a place, they bought with it the potter's field, to be a burying-place for strangers. (Matt, xxvii. 8 ; Acts i. 18.) This field is shown at this day to travellers. ' It lies,' says Maundrell, ' on the west side of the valley of Hinnom, and at present, from the veneration that it has obtained among Christians, is called Campo Sancto. It is a small plot of ground, not more than thirty yards long, and about half as much broad. One moiety of it is taken up by a square fabric, twelve yards high, built for a charnel house. The corpses are let down into it from the top, there being five holes left open for that purpose. Looking down through these holes, we could see many bo- dies in different degrees of decay: from which it may be conjectured, that this grave does not make that quick dispatch with the corpses committed to it, which is commonly reported. The Armenians have the com- mand of this burying-place, for which they pay the Turks a rent of one sequin a day.' — Maundrell s Journey from Aleppo to Jerusa- lem, p. 101. ACEPHALI, signifies headless, and was a name given to a considerable body of the Monophysites, or Eutychians, who, by the submission of their leader Mongus to the de- cree of union published by the emperor Zeno in 482, had been deprived of their chief. This sect was afterwards divided into three others, called Anthropomorphites, Barsanuphites, and Esaianists ; and. these again were sub- divided into others, which are frequently mentioned by the ancient writers. It is, however, necessary to observe, that these subdivisions of the Eutychian sect are not to be too easily adopted. Some of them are entirely fictions ; and others are character- ized by a nominal, and not a real ditl'erence. 25 These branches of the Eutychian faction did not long flourish. They gradually declined in the following century ; and the influence and authority of the famous Baradeus contri- buted principally to their extinction, by the union he established among the members of that sect. — Mosheim. ACHA'IA, 'A%aia, signifies grief or trou- ble, and was a province of Greece, of which Corinth was the capital. In this city St. Paul preached, and St. Andrew suffered martyr- dom. (Acts xviii. 12.) Under Achaia, the Romans comprehended Greece properly so called, and the Peloponnesus. This seems to be the region intended when St. Paul, according to the Roman accepta- tion, mentions all the regions of Achaia, and directs his second Epistle to all the saints in Achaia. (2 Cor. xi. 10.) ' It is worthy of remark, that Luke (Acts xviii. 12.) calls Gal- lio the deputy, that is, the proconsul of Achaia, which indeed was the proper title for the chief magistrate there, at the time he wrote ; but it had not long been so, nor did it long continue to be the case. The propriety of the application, however, confirms, in no small degree, the authenticity of his narra- tive.' — Calmet. ACHA'ICUS, 'A%aVKoe, signifies a native of Achaia, and was the name of a disciple of St. Paul, who recommended him in a parti- cular manner to the Corinthians. Achaicus, with Stephanus and Fortunatus, was the bearer of St. Paul's first Epistle to the Corin- thians, A.D. 56. (1 Cor. xvi. 15. 17-) A'CHAN, py, signifies he that troubles or bruises, or a snake. It was the name of the son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah, who hav- ing discovered a Babylonish garment, a wedge of gold, and two hundred shekels of silver, among the spoils of Jericho, took and con- cealed them. This action was contrary to the command of God, who had cursed the city of Jericho, and devoted it to destruction. Some days after, Joshua sent three thousand men to possess themselves of the little town of Ai, which was distant from Jericho three or four leagues. But these men were attack- ed by the inhabitants of Ai, and compelled to flee. Though the loss of the Israelites was not considerable, only thirty-six of them being killed in the action, yet they were much discouraged. Joshua and the elders rent their clothes, and put dust upon their heads, crying to the Lord, and begging that he would not forsake his people in the midst of their enemies. ' The Lord then said to Joshua, Get thee up, why liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant, which I com- manded them; for they have taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dis- sembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore 1 will be with you no more, unless ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people against to-morrow : the lot shall discover him ACH ACH who is guilty of this crime, and he shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath.' The next day, therefore, Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel, and having cast lots, the lot fell on the tribe of Judah, afterwards on the family of Zarhi, then on the house of Zabdi, and, lastly, on the person of Achan. * Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him ; and tell me now what thou hast done ; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done : when I saw among the spoils a goodly Baby- lonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, then I coveted them, and took them ; and behold, they are hid in the earth, in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.' Joshua immediately sent to Achan's tent messengers, who, finding in it what he had mentioned, brought the things to Joshua and all the Israelites, and laid them out before the Lord. Then Joshua and all the people taking Achan, and the silver, and the gar- ment, and the wedge of gold, his sons and his daughters, his oxen and his asses, his very tent, and every thing that pertained to him, brought them all into the valley of Achor. And Joshua said to Achan, ' Why hast thou troubled us 1 The Lord shall trouble thee this day.' Then they stoned him and all his family with stones, and afterwards consumed his property with fire. Upon Achan they raised a great heap of stones, which, says the author of the book of Joshua, remains there to this day. This event took place in the year of the world 2553, and before Jesus Christ 1451. (Josh. vi. 17 ; vii. 1, 2, 3, &c.) A'CHIOR, "TiN'TiN, 'A%iwp, signifies bro- ther of light, or the light of the brother. It was the name of the general of the Ammo- nites, who, in the expedition of Holofernes into Egypt, joined that commander's army, with the auxiliary troops of his country. The inhabitants of Bethulia having shut their gates against Holofernes, and refusing to exe- cute his orders, he called the princes of Moab, and the commanders of the Ammonites, and in a great passion demanded of them who these people were that opposed his passage, for he thought that the Moabites and Am- monites, who were neighbours to the He- brews, could best inform him of the truth. Then Achior, genen ' of the Ammonites, an- swered, My lord, ttieft people were originally of Chaldea ; their ancestors dwelt first in Mesopotamia ; and because they would not worship the gods of the Chaldeans, they were obliged to leave their country, and settle in the laud, which they at present possess. He continued to relate to him Jacob's descent into Egypt \ the miracles wrought by Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites; and their conquest <>i' the land of Canaan. Lastly, he told him, that this people had heen always invincible, and, so long a8 they continued 26 faithful to God, were visibly protected by him ; but that, as soon as they showed any infidelity, God never failed to punish them. Now, therefore, he added, learn whether these people have committed any fault against their God ; if they have, attack them, for he will deliver them into your hands ; but if they have not, we shall not be able to conquer them, because God will undertake their de- fence, and cover us with confusion. (Judith v. 2, 3, &c.) On hearing these words, the great men of Holofernes' s army were inclined to kill A chior. H olofernes himself was transported with fury, and said to him, Since you have undertaken the office of a prophet, and have told us that the God of Israel would be the defender of his people, to prove to you that there is no other god besides Nebuchadono- sor, my master, after we shall have destroyed all these people with the edge of the sword, we will also kill you ; and you shall under- stand, that Nebuchadonosor is lord of all the earth. That you yourself may experience the vanity of your own prophecy, I will cause you to be earned to Bethulia, where you shall undergo the same dangers with this people, whom you consider as invincible. They carried him, therefore, through the hill countries, till they were pretty near the city, when they tied his hands behind him, and fastened him to a tree, that the people of Bethulia, who had come out against him, might take him, and carry him into the city. In the midst of the elders, and in a full as- sembly of the people of Bethulia, Achior de- clared to them what he had said, and what had befallen him. Then all the people of the city bowed their heads to the ground, and with great cries begged God's assistance, be- seeching him to vindicate the honour of his name, and to humble the pride of their ene- mies. After this, they comforted Achior; and Ozias, one of the leaders of the people, received him into his house, and entertained him splendidly. (Id. vi. 2, 3, &c.) Achior continued in Bethulia as long as the siege lasted ; but when God had delivered Holofernes into the hands of Judith, and she was returning to the city with his head, Achior was called. Seeing the head of Ho- lofernes, he was so terrified, that he fell with his face to the ground, and his spirits failed him ; but recovering soon after, he aban- doned the superstitions of the heathens, be- lieved in God, was circumcised, and received into the number of the Israelites. (Id. xiii. 27, 20, &c. ; xiv. 6, &c.) See Judith. By some, the war with Holofernes is sup- posed to have taken place during the reign of Manasaeh, king of Judah, in the vear of the world 3340, and before Jesus Christ G5G; but according to others, it happened alter the return from the captivity at Babylon. A'CHISH, u'Ok, signifies thus it is, or is this? It was the name of a king of Gath. David having resolved to withdraw to some ACH ACO distant place from Saul, who sought an op- portunity to kill him, retired to Gath, a city of the Philistines, of which Achish was king. The officers that belonged to Achish seeing David, asked the king whether this was not that David, who was respected as a sovereign in his own country, and whether it was not he, of whom it was said at a time of public dancing, ' Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?' David hearing this, began to apprehend that his life was in danger. He therefore counterfeited mad- ness in the presence of the Philistines, scrab- bled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. Upon this, Achish said to his servants, ' Lo, ye see the man is mad ; wherefore then have ye brought him to me ? Have I need of madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad- man in my presence ? Shall this fellow come into my house V (1 Sam. xxi. 10, &c.) Three or four years after this, or about the year of the world 2947, and before Jesus Christ 1057, David sent an offer of his ser- vice to Achish, and desired that he might be received either into the city, or into some other part of his dominions. Achish, who knew the valour of David, and the cause of the discontent which subsisted between him and Saul, received him cheerfully into Gath, together with his six hundred men, their wives and children. Here they continued for some time, after which David said to Achish, ' If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there : for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee V Achish, therefore, gave him the property of Ziklag, in which David settled, and which afterwards pertained to Judah. (1 Sam. xxvii. 1, 2, &c.) About two years after, the Philistines hav- ing taken the field, in order to encounter the Israelites, David received the commands of Achish to prepax-e for joining him in the war. David complying with the orders of the king, Achish told him, that he placed such confi- dence in him as to trust him at all times with the guard of his person. (Id. xxviii. 1, 2.) The Philistines, therefore, being come to Aphek, David and his people marched in the rear with Achish. But the princes of the Philistines observing the Hebrews, said to Achish, 'What do these Hebrews here?' To this he answered, ' Is not this David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him ?' "Rut the princes of the Philistines were wroth with Achish, and obliged him to dismiss David. Soon after the battle of Gilboa, in which Saul and his sons were slain, David left Achish. and went from Ziklag to Hebron, in the tribe of Judah. (2 Sam. ii. 1, 2, Ike.) From this time we find no mention of Achish in Scripture. Whether this was the same Achish, who is 27 mentioned in the twenty-first chapter of the first book of Samuel, and with whom David sought refuge in his first flight from Saul, or some successor of the same name, is a mat- ter of dispute. His being called Achish, the son of Maoch, (1 Sam. xxvii. 2.) seems to im- ply that he was a different person ; because these words can have no other use than to distinguish this Achish from another of the same name. Patrick's and Calmet's Com- ment. A'CHOR, mDy, signifies trouble, and was the name of the valley in which Achan, his sons, and daughters, were stoned to death. It is evident from the circumstances men- tioned in the history of Achan, that this val- ley was situated not far from Jericho, and in the north border of the tribe of Judah. (Josh, xv. 7-) Wells's Geography. See Achan. ACH'SAH, nuO)/, 'Ola, signifies adorned, or, bursting of the veil, and was the name of the daughter of Caleb, who promised to give her to the man that should take Kirjath- sepher, which, on the division, had fallen to him by lot. Othniel having taken the place, married Achsah. After the wedding, whilst they were conducting her to her husband's house, she persuaded her husband to allow her to ask of her father Caleb a field that was well watered. Alighting, therefore, off her ass, she threw herself at her father's feet, and said, ' Thou hast given me a south land,' (or dry land exposed to the south) ' give me ' also springs of* water,' or land in which are springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs, or a field watered with good springs, as well as with dew and rains. (Josh. xv. 16, 17, &c) ACH'SHAPH, ejuOK, signifies poison, tricks ; or one that breaks ; or the lip or brim of any thing. It was the name of a city, which belonged to the tribe of Asher, and the king of which was conquered by Joshua. (Josh. xi. 1 ; xii. 20 ; xix. 25.) Some think it probable, that Achshaph and Achzib are only different names for the same town of Ecdippa, on the coast of Phoenicia. Achzib was the same as that at present denominated Zib by the Arabs. It was situated near the Mediterranean sea, between Tyre and Pto- lemais. ACCEMETCE, or Acometi, a name given to certain monks in the ancient church, who flourished in the fifth century, parti- cularly in the east, and whom the writers of those times called dKoifinroi, watchers, be- cause they performed divine service day and night without intermission. They divided themselves into three classes, each of which officiated in turn, and relieved the rest, so that they kept up a perpetual course of wor- ship. They founded this practice on that passage of the apostle — ' Pray without ceas- ing.' (1 Thess. v. 17.) A kind of accemctce still subsist in the Romish church. The religious of the holy sacrament keep up a perpetual adoration, ACT ACT some of them praying before the sacrament day and night, ACOLYTHI, or Acoluthi, 'AkoXovOoi, signifies followers, and was a term applied to young persons, who, in the primitive times, aspired to the ministry, and for that purpose continually attended the bishop. In the Romish church, the acolythi were of longer continuance ; but their offices were different from those of their first institutions. Their business was to light the tapers, carry the candlesticks and the pot of incense, and prepare the wine and water. At Rome were three kinds of acolythi : 1. Those who waited on the pope; 2. Those who served in the churches ; and 3. Those who, together with the deacons, officiated in other parts of the city. ACT OF FAITH, Auto da fe, in the Romish church, is a solemn day observed by the inquisition, for the punishment of here- tics, and the absolution of the innocent per- sons, who have been accused. It is usually contrived that the auto shall fall on some grand festival, that the execution may take place with the greater awe and regard. At least, it is always on a Sunday. The auto da fe may be considered as the last act of the inquisitorial tragedy; it is a kind of gaol- delivery, appointed as often as a sufficient number of prisoners in the inquisition are convicted of heresy, either by their own vo- luntary or extorted confession, or on the evidence of witnesses. The process is as follows: — In the morning they are brought into a great hall, where they are clothed in certain habits, which they are to wear in the procession, and by which they know their doom. The procession is led on by dominican friars, who enjoy this privilege, because St. Dominic, their founder, insti- tuted the inquisition. Before them is carried the standard of the holy office, in which the image of the founder is wrought in rich em- broidery, holding a sword in one hand, and an olive branch in the other, with the in- scription, Justice and Mercy. These friars are followed by the penitents, who have nar- rowly escaped burning, and who over their black coats have flames painted, with their points turned downwards. Next come the negative and relapsed, who are intended to be burnt, and who have flames on their ha- bits pointing upwards. After these follow such as profess doctrines contrary to the faith of Rome, and who, besides flames pointing upwards, bave their picture painted on their breasts, and surrounded by dogs, serpents, and devils, all open-mouthed. Each prisoner is attended by a familiar of the inquisition ; and those intended to be burnt, have also on each side a Jesuit, who is continually advising them to abjure. After the prisoners follow a troop of familiars upon horseback; alter them, the inquisitors, and other officers, upon mules; and lastly, tin 1 inquisitor-general, upon a white horse, led by two men with 28 black hats and green hat-bands. A scaffold is erected sufficiently large for containing two or three thousand people ; at one end of the scaffold are the prisoners, at the other end the inquisitors. After a sermon, con- sisting of encomiums on the inquisition, and of invectives against heretics, a priest as- cends a desk near the scaffold, and having received the abjuration of the penitents, re- cites the final sentence of those, who are to be put to death, and delivers them to the secular power, at the same time earnestly beseeching that their blood be not touched, nor their lives put in danger ! ! ! The prisoners being thus in the hands of the civil magistrate, are im- mediately loaded with chains, and carried first to the secular gaol, and thence, in an hour or two, brought before the civil judge. After inquiring in what religion they intend to die, the civil judge pronounces sentence on such as declare they die in the communion of the church of Rome, that they shall be first strangled, and then burnt to ashes ; on such as die in any other faith, that they be burnt alive. Both are immediately carried to the place of execution, where as many stakes are set up as there are prisoners to be burnt, and about each stake is laid a quantity of dry furze. The stakes of the professed, or of such as persist in the heresy, are about four yards in height, and towards the top have a small board, on which the prisoner is seated. The negative and relapsed being first stran- gled and burnt, the professed mount their stakes by a ladder ; and the Jesuits, after re- peatedly exhorting them to be reconciled to the church, part with them, and say that they leave them to the devil, who is standing at their elbow to receive their souls, and to carry them with him to the flames of hell. On hearing this, a great shout is raised by the people, who cry, ' let the dogs' beards be made /' This is performed by thrusting flam- ing furzes, fastened to long poles, against their chins till their faces are burnt to a coal. This inhuman act is accompanied with the loudest acclamations of joy. At last, fire is set to the furze at the bottom of the stake, over which the professed are chained so high, that the top of the flame seldom reaches higher than the seat upon which they sit, and they seem rather roasted than burnt. There cannot be a more lamentable specta- cle : the sufferers continually cry out, while they arc able, ' Pity, for the love of God !' Yet it is beheld by all ages, and by both sexes, with transports of joy and admiration. See Inquisition. ACTS OF PILATE, a false and supposi- titious relation of our Saviour's trial before Pilate, composed by the enemies of Chris- tianity, and containing the greatest blas- phemy. By a solemn edict, the emperor Maxhnin commanded it to be sent into all the provinces of the empire, and enjoined the schoolmasters to teach and explain it to their scholars. This work was written with ACT ACT such carelessness or ignorance, that in it our Saviour's death is referred to the seventh year of the reign of Tiberius, which was eleven years before the passion of our Saviour, and five years before Pilate was governor of Ju- dea. — Euseb, lib. ix. cap. 4. 6. The genuine Acts of Pilate were sent by him to Tiberius, who reported them to the senate ; but they were rejected by that assem- bly, because not immediately addressed to them. This is testified by Tertullian, in his Apol. cap. 5. 20, 21. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, a canoni- cal book of the New Testament, which con- tains a great part of the lives of St. Peter and St. Paul, and which commences with the ascension of our Saviour, and is continued to St. Paul's arrival at Rome, after his appeal to Caesar. This book, therefore, includes the history of twenty-eight or thirty years. St. Luke has been generally considered as the author of the Acts, and his principal design in writing it, was to compose a true history of the apostles, and of the foundation of the Christian church, in opposition to the false acts and false histories, which began to be dis- persed in the world. The exact time in which St. Luke wrote the book of the Acts, is not known. It is evident that it was writ- ten after his Gospel, and two years after St. Paul's abode at Rome, on the first journey he made to that city, or about the sixty-second or sixty-third year of our sera. St. Luke speaks of this journey to Rome, and says that St. Paul ' dwelt two whole years in his own hired house.' (Actsxxviii. 30.) Perhaps he wrote it at Rome, whilst he remained with St. Paul during the time of his imprisonment. However, Jerome and many others are of opinion, that this book was written and pub- lished in Greece, whither Luke went after he left Paul, in the year of our Lord 63 or 64. To the genuineness and authenticity of this book, the early Christian fathers bear unanimous testimony. Not to mention the attestations of the apostolic fathers, in the first century, we may remark that Irenseus and Tertullian, in the second century, both ascribed the Acts of the Apostles to St. Luke ; and their evidence is corroborated by that of Origen, Jerome, Augustine, Eusebius, and all subsequent ecclesiastical writers. Fur- ther, Chrysostom and other fathers inform us, that this book was annually read in the churches every day between the festivals of Easter and Pentecost or Whitsuntide. St. Luke does not appear to have intended to write a complete ecclesiastical history of the Christian church, during the first thirty years after our Saviour's ascension ; nor even of St. Paul's life during that period ; for he has almost wholly omitted what passed among the Jews after the conversion of that apostle, and is totally silent concerning the diffusion of Christianity in the east and in Egypt, the foundation of the church of Christ at Rome, the journey of St. Paul into Arabia, and many 29 other subjects, for which the labours and sufferings of the apostles would have afforded the most interesting materials, if he had in- tended to compose an entire history of the church. If we carefully examine the Acts of the Apostles, we shall perceive that St. Luke had two objects in view : 1. to relate in what manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent miracles performed by the apostles, by which the truth of Christianity was confirmed; and, 2. to deliver such ac- counts as proved the claim of the Gentiles to admission into the church of Christ, a claim disputed by the Jews, especially at the time when St. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apos- tles. To these some add, that St. Luke might design to record only those facts, which he had either seen himself, or had heard from eye-witnesses. Others are of opinion, that St. Luke designed his book to be only a con- cise specimen of the doctrines preached by the apostles, and that he was chiefly desirous of describing the manner in which the Jews, proselytes of the gate, or devout Gentiles, and the idolatrous Gentiles, were respectively converted. Hence, say they, this book may be divided into three parts. The first part contains an account of the propagation of the Gospel among the Jews only, from A.D. 33 to A.D. 41, including chapters ii. to x. The second comprises an account of the spreading of Christianity among the devout Gentiles, together with its farther progress among the Jews, from A.D. 41 to A.D. 44. (Acts x. to xiii.) The third part comprehends the diffu- sion of Christianity among the idolatrous Gentiles, together with its farther progress among the two preceding classes of persons, from A.D. 44 to A.D. 63. (Acts xiii. to xxviii.) The Acts of the Apostles were evidently written with a tolerably strict attention to chronological order; though St. Luke has not affixed a date to any one of the facts recorded by him ; but there are several parts of this book, in which ecclesiastical history is com- bined with political facts, the dates of which are known. St. Luke wrote this work in Greek, and his language is in general purer than that of the other writers of the New Testament. Epi- phanius tells us, that this book was trans- lated out of Greek into Hebrew, or Syriac, which was the common language of the Jews of Palestine, but that those heretics cor- rupted it with many falsities and impieties, which were injurious to the memory of the apostles. St. Jerome assures us, that a certain priest of Asia added to the true genuine Acts the voyages of St. Paul and St. Thecla, and the story of baptizing a lion. Tertullian informs us, that St. John the evangelist having con- victed this priest of departing from the truth in his relation, he excused himself to the ADA ADA evangelist, by saying, that what he had done was occasioned purely by a love to St. Paul. (Ecumenius calls the Acts the ' Gospel of the Holy Ghost;' and St. Chrysostom, the ' Gospel of our Saviour's resurrection,' or the Gospel of Jesus Christ risen from the dead. In the history of the lives and preach- ing of the apostles, detailed in this book, we have the most miraculous instances of the power of the Holy Ghost ; and in the account of those, who were the first believers, we have received the most excellent pattern of the Christian life. The book of the Acts has been always esteemed canonical, though it was rejected by the Marcionites, the Manichseans, and other heretics, who were sensible that it clearly condemned their errors. St. Austin says, that the church received this work with great edification ; and St. Chrysostom la- ments, that in his- time, this book was too little known, and the reading of it too much neglected. There were several spurious Acts of the Apostles: I. The Acts of the Apostles, sup- posed to have been written by Abdias, the pretended bishop of Babylon. He affirmed, that he was ordained bishop by the apostles themselves, when they were upon their jour- ney into Persia. 2. The acts or the voyages of St. Peter, which was originally produced in the school of the Ebionites. 3. The acts of St. Paul, which was intended as a conti- nuation of St. Luke's work to the death of St. Paul, and which is entirely lost. Euse- bius, who had seen this work, pronounces it of no authority. 4. The acts of St. John the evangelist, a book used by the Encratites, Manichseans, and Priscillianites. 5. The acts of St. Andrew, received by the Mani- chaeans, Encratites, and Apotacticks. 6. The acts of St. Thomas the Apostle, used parti- cularly by the Manichaeans. 7- The acts of St. Philip, which was used by the Gnostics. 8. The acts of St. Matthias. Some have imagined, that the Jews, for a long time, had concealed the original acts of the life and death of St. Matthias; and that a monk of the abbey of St. Matthias, at Treves, having obtained them out of their hands, procured them to be translated into Latin, and pub- lished them. The critics, however, will not allow them to be genuine or authentic. — Lardnci's History of the Apostles and Evange- lists ; Home's Introduction to the Holy Scrip- tures; Benson's History of the first Planting of Christianity ; Broughton's Dictionary. A'DAD-RIM-MON, pavnn, or Ha- dad-rimmon, signifies the shoot ofthepome- gfan&te, or the height of the pomegranate, the invocation of the god Rimmon. It was a city in the valley of Mcgiddo, where was fought the famous battle, in which Josiah, Icing of Jiulali, was slain by the forces of Pharaoh- Necho, king of Egypt. (2 Kings xxiii. 29.) It was situated seventeen miles from Ca-sarca in Palestine, and ten from Jezreel. 30 A'DAH, my, signifies an assembly. Adah was one of Lamech's two wives, and the mo- ther of Jabal and Jubal. (Gen. iv. 19.) It is presumed that she had more children, but the names of the rest are no where mention- ed. It was also the name of a daughter of Elon the Hittite, wife to Esau, and the mo- ther of Eliphaz. (lb. xxxvi. 4.) AD'AM, Din, signifies earthly man, red, of the colour of blood. Adam, the first man, and father of the human race, was created by God, of the dust of the earth. The Almighty breathed into him the breath of life, and gave him dominion over all the creatures of the earth. (Gen. i. 26, 27 ; ii. 7.) He cre- ated him in his own image and resemblance ; and having blessed him, he placed him in a delicious garden in Eden, that he might cul- tivate it, and feed upon its fruits, (lb. ii. 8. 15.) However, at the same time, God gave him the following injunction : ' Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.' (Ibid. 16, 17.) The first thing performed by Adam after his creation, and introduction into Paradise, was to give names to all the beasts and birds, which presented themselves before him for that purpose, as well to pay their homage to him, as to make him sensible that there was not among them a fit companion for him. (lb. 19, 20.) Now all other animals had been created by pairs, male and female, and man only was without a fellow-creature of his own species. Therefore, God said, It is not good for man to be alone, I will make an help-mate for him. For that purpose, the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and whilst he slept, he took one of his ribs, or some sub- stance near his side; for the original does not strictly signify a rib ; and in the Septua- gint it is called ir\tvpa. He closed up the flesh instead of it ; and of the substance which he took from man, he made a woman, (womb- man, Saxon) or man-ess, whom he presented to Adam when he awoke. Then Adam said, This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed, (lb. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.) Adam also called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (lb. iii. 20.) Now the serpent being more subtle than any beast of the field, came to Eve, and said, ' Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?' The woman an- swered, that they might eat of all the trees of the garden, one only excepted, which they were forbidden to touch, lest they should die. The serpent replied, that they should not ADA ADA die. For that God knew the virtue of the tree ; and that as soon as they had eaten of it, their eyes would be opened, and they would be as gods, knowing good and evil. Therefore, the woman seeing that the tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and desirable for wisdom, took of the fruit of it, and ate, and gave also to her husband, who did likewise eat. Immediately the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked ; and having sewed fig-leaves together, they made themselves aprons to cover their nakedness. After this, as they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, they hid them- selves from his presence, amidst the thickest trees of Paradise. Then the Lord called Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou ? Adam answered, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. God said, Who told thee that thou wast naked ? Hast thou eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat ? Adam replied, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done ? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Then the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field ; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the wo- man, and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy concep- tion ; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth chil- dren, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. To Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, the ground for thy sake shall be cursed, and in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also, and thistles, shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread, till thou re- turn unto the ground ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Then the Lord made coats of skins for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. He also said, Behold the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil ; and now lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever : therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life, (Gen. iii. 1,2, 3, &c.) How long Adam and his wife continued in 31 a state of innocence is very uncertain. It is probable that they did not immediately trans- gress the divine command ; but it would seem by the narration of Moses, that their fall was not long after their creation. The Jews in general, and most of the Christian fathers, believe that it happened on the very day, on which they were created ; but this is almost impossible, for a day would be too short for the several actions, which, on that supposi- tion, it must have comprised. Besides, God himself, after the sixth day was past, declared (as at the end of the preceding days) that every thing was very good. This declaration would not have been consistent with truth, if sin, the greatest of all evils, had then en- tered into the world. Some have therefore conjectured, that this calamity happened on the eighth day from their creation ; that as the first week of the world terminated with the formation of man and woman, the second was probably concluded with their fall. Others think that this event took place on the tenth day of the world's age, and that, in commemoration of the fall, the great day of expiation, which was the tenth day of the year, was afterwards instituted. If we can subscribe to the opinion of Mr. Whiston, who thinks that a day and a year were the same before the fall, there will be no diffi- culty in supposing it to have happened even on the sixth day. Some little time after they had been driven out of Paradise, Eve conceived, and brought forth Cain, saying, I have gotten a man from the Lord. (Gen. iv. 1, 2, &c.) It is believed that she had a girl at the same time, and that she was commonly delivered of twins. The Scripture notices only three sons born to Adam, Cain, Abel, and Seth, and does not say particularly that he had any daughter. But Moses will not suffer us to doubt of his hav- ing many children, when he tells us, that he begat sons and daughters. Adam died at the age of nine hundred and thirty years ; before Christ 3074. (lb. v. 4, 5.) This is all we learn from Moses concern- ing our first parent. But interpreters, not satisfied with this general relation, have in- vented numberless suppositions, and pro- posed a variety of questions, to illustrate this subject, and to supply the deficiencies of the narration of Moses. I. In remarking on the history of Adam, we may observe, that besides the usual deri- vation of this name from nmx, (Admah) signifying vegetable earth or mould, other derivations have also been given. 1. In San- choniatho, protogonus signifies first made, and seems to be the translation into Greek of the Egyptian title of Adam. 2. Mr. Bry- ant says, Ad and Ada signify first, more laxly, a prince or ruler ; and therefore Adad answers to Most High, or Most Eminent, and may probably be referred to Adam. 3. Sir William Jones queries whether Adam may be derived from Adim, which in Sans- ADA ADA crit means the first, and is a name of the first Menu. 4. Mr. Parkhurst supposes the name Adam to be derived from mrain, (Bede- mut), which signifies likeness, that is, the likeness of God. 1 1. The formation of Adam is introduced with circumstances of superior dignity to any, with which the creation of the animals was attended. God said, ' Let us make man (1.) in our image, (2.) according to our like- ness, and let him rule,' &c. These appear to be two ideas. First, ' in our image,' in our similitude, could not refer to his figure. 1. Because the human figure, though greatly superior to those of other animals, is not so distinct from them in the principles of its con- struction, as to require a special consultation, after the other animals had been formed. 2. If all the species of monkeys were made be- fore man, the difference of some of them from the human form is so small, as greatly to strengthen the former argument. 3. The Scriptures, in other places, represent this matter as referring to moral excellencies ; * in knowledge, after the image of him who created him,' (Col. iii. 10), in 'righteousness and true holiness,' (Eph. iv. 24), &c. &c. Secondly, ' According to our likeness,' is a stronger expression than the former, and more determinate in its application. If we connect this with the words following, and let him rule, perhaps the passage may be thus paraphrased : ' Man shall have, according to his nature and his capacity, a general like- ness to such of our perfections, as fit him for the purposes, to which we design him ; but he shall still more closely resemble us in the rule and government of the creatures ; for though he be incapable of any of our attri- butes, he is capable of maintaining a purity, a rectitude, and a station of dominion, in which he may be our vice-gerent.' Thus, then, in a lower and less confined sense, man was the image of God : he possessed a kind of likeness to him, of which the creatures were absolutely void; and he had also a resemblance to God as his deputy, his repre- sentative, among and over the creatures ; and for this he was qualified by holiness, knowledge, &c. The day on which the creation ended was immediately succeeded by a sabbath ; and on that evening, the first act of man was the worship of God. Where then is the wonder, that the custom of setting apart a sabbath obtained among his posterity, since not in Paradise only this custom would be main- tained by Adam ? For the reason of its being every twenth day, sec Moon. III. It would seem that the most proper idea to be affixed to the words, ' Adam be- came a living soul,' is, that Adam became a living person. 1. Because such is the im- port of the original, simply taken. 2. It having been mentioned that Adam was made of the dn.st of the earth, it was necessary also to mention his animation ; and if the word 32 Adam be derive'd from Admah, earth, it might have been simply said, according to this idea, ' The earth (Adam) became alive.' 3. It, however, implies some real distinction between the nature of the living principle, or soul (not spirit) in Adam, and that of other animals. Perhaps we may suppose, that ihis principle, thus specially imparted by God, was capable of immortality ; that, though the beasts might have died by nature, man would have survived by nature ; and that he had no seeds of dissolution in him, but that his dis- solution was the consequence of his sin, and the execution of the threat, dying thou shall die. In fact, as Adam lived nearly one thou- sand years after eating the fruit, which, pro- bably, poisoned his blood, we know not how long he might have lived, had he never taken that poison. Some poisons now exist, whose operation is gradual, continuing for many years, and producing a lingering mortality, an incessant death. IV. It has been supposed by some, that to Adam, from his very creation, was im- parted that knowledge which not only raised him above all men his descendants, but also rendered him a little, and only a little, lower than the angels. This may be admitted in some respects, and under certain restrictions. Adam could not be acquainted with any dis- covery, mode, or thing, which has originated since his time. He was created pure and holy, and therefore could not feel those bane- ful passions of the human mind, anger, jea- lousy, grief, &c. He could have no know- ledge of disease, pain, &c. ; of the changes of seasons, and their effects ; of extreme heat or cold; of thunder or lightning; of ice, snow, &c. In short, it appears, that the glory of Adam's mind consisted in its freedom from any false bias ; in its having no easily beset- ting sin to warp and injure it. The sensa- tions becoming such a mind, were all the amiable passions, gratitude, love, and vene- ration towards God, affection and attention towards his partner, kindness towards the creatures, and universal good-will infinitely extended. To a mind so capable as Adam's, the contemplation of his Maker would occa- sionally furnish an increase both of piety and knowledge. The Almighty might more fully reveal himself, his attributes, &c. to the faith, or the conceptions of Adam. As experi- ence ripened or prepared the mind of Adam for farther acquisitions, those acquisitions may have been granted him to degrees of knowledge, understanding, and acquaintance with subjects both celestial and terrestrial, inexpressibly beyond what human attain- ments or conceptions have ever known. In this sense, Paradise may have been a heaven on earth, abundantly receiving ' favour upon favour, grace upon grace.' It appears that Adam knew so much of language, as to understand all that was neces- sary for him to know. He must have under- stood the prohibition respecting the tree of ADA ADA knowledge, and have been able to distinguish that and the tree of life by name. As Adam was capable of speech, it is probable he was enabled to use that capacity, by affixing to certain sounds, which expressed natural wants, those determinate ideas, which, ever after, when those wants recurred, prompted him to utter the same vocal sounds. His number of vocal sounds was greatly increased by his being appointed to give names to the creatures ; and this may, perhaps, be justly considered as his first extensive lesson in language. The effect would be, that when- ever afterwards he meant, for instance, to denote a sheep, he might perhaps use the name baa, taken from its voice. If he meant to denote a cow, he might call it boo. V. Though Adam might be a man in ca- pacity of understanding, yet he was only a child in experience ; and perhaps it may be asserted without any risk, that scarcely one among the millions of his sons, arrived at man's estate, might not have been an over- match in craft for his father Adam, in his condition of original simplicity. This, how- ever, does not excuse the disobedience of Adam ; because, as was his situation, so was the test proposed to him. It was not an active, but a passive obedience ; not something to be done, but something to be left undone ; a negative trial, which did not regard the mind, but the appetite only. Disobedient presump- tion, unrestrained desire, liberty extended into licentiousness, was the principle of Adam's transgression. VI. The breaking of a beautiful vase may afford some idea of Adam after he had sinned. By transgression he lost the integrity of his mind. The first compliance with sin opened the way for all others. Spotless purity be- came defiled ; and perfect uprightness be- coming warped, lost that completeness, which had been its chief glory. Adam was de- prived of that distinction, that character, which fitted him for conversing with his Maker, for immediate communion with per- fect holiness. He was reduced to the neces- sity of accepting, of soliciting such commu- nion mediately, not immediately ; by another, not by himself ; in prospect, not instant ; in hope, not in possession ; in time future, not in time present; in another world, not in this. VII. How precisely have the same prin- ciples, which governed Adam, actuated all his posterity ! Who is not self-convicted of pride ? Whenever the sacred hands of Adam, stained with the blood of the victim recently offered to Jehovah, were extended in bless- ing his family, he might speak thus to his descendants : ' See in me the sad instance of disobedience to restraint. Had I constantly honoured that simple prohibition, I had heen happy. How many restraints, now neces- sary for human welfare, had never been known ! Now is man restrained from this, because to this he is prone ; and from that, 33 because that seems good, but in reality pro- duces evil. Such was the character of my temptation ! It offered pleasure, but I found it anguish ; it allured the sense, but by it the very sense was depraved. Before I sinned I was serene, delighted, happy. After I transgressed, I became gloomy, turbulent, miserable ; because I had violated the divine restraint ; because in the midst of abundance, I had desired more ; because, being a man, I had wished to be as gods ; because know- ing good only, I had desired to know evil also ; and because I had lost the good, but obtained the evil.' VIII. It is credible, that only, or chiefly in the garden of Paradise, were the prime fruits and herbage in perfection. The land in the vicinity of the garden might be much less finished, and forwarded only to a certain degree. To promote its fertility, by cultiva- tion, was now the immediate object of Adam's labour ; and in the sweat of his brow he him- self ate bread. But the sentence passed on Adam and Eve, seems to consider them as the representatives of their posterity, the whole human race ; and after noticing them personally, it appears to suggest the condi- tion of the sexes, in the future ages of the world. Under this idea, the sentence is pro- phetic, (1.) of the seed of the woman, him, who was to bruise the serpent's head ; (2.) of the condition of the female sex, its circum- stances, and its duties ; (3.) of the condition of the male sex, its labours, and necessary diligence, in the maintenance of its consort and offspring. IX. Death closes the sentence, and is also prophetic of what should happen to Adam and all his descendants. As if it had been said, ' The poison in thy blood, though slow, is sure ; though latent, yet it will act in time. I shall not exert my almighty power in cur- ing this malady directly, but remedy its effects another way. I leave you in daily suspense of the time of your death ; every day brings you nearer to that important event. This anxious uncertainty shall be the commence- ment of your punishment. It is one of the bitternesses of death. When your constitu- tions, intended for nobler purposes, shall sink under the effects of that poison they have received, the complete termination of life will more fully demonstrate its fatal effects, which, though suspended, are not annihilated, but which I now leave to their natural course.' By the favour of God, the effect of this sentence is greatly mitigated. It pronounces pain to the woman, but that pain was to be connected with the dearest comforts, and with the great restorer of the human race. It pronounces labour to the man, but that la- bour was to be for the support of others dearer to him than himself, and, indeed, re- petitions of himself. It denounces death, but that death is shown at a distance-, and is the path to life. ADA ADA X. The expression in the day (Beium), is used in the threat to man ; it obviously has a general signification, and includes a period of time long past, or long to come. In that very day (Beium Hehua), has a more con- fined meaning, and expresses precisely a fixed time, an instant day. XI. The mercy of God was still farther extended to Adam. Perhaps, he was not in- stantly expelled the garden, but was allowed some delay ; at least so long as his farther instructions, as new rites of worship, and mediatorial institutions, required. Our first parents were now covered with a skin, doubt- less of a beast ; one skin served them both, for the word is in the singular, not in the plural number. They had endeavoured to cover themselves with trees ; but the inter- twining, the plaiting of a leaf, or leaves, of boughs, or branches, presented no image of death. It shed no blood, and expressed in it nothing that had the idea of atonement. On the contrary, the skin of a beast was not to be obtained, without taking away the life of that beast ; and the taking away of the life of that beast, must have reminded Adam that this was death. How would Adam tremble, when he first selected the creature to be slain ; when he led it towards the place appointed for its death ; when he bound it, wreathed around it the confining twigs, and then proceeded to slaughter it ! What would be his reflections, when its blood streamed, its limbs quivered, and at length it ceased to live ! Its last gasp would thrill through his soul ; and he would now feel what death was. To death he must also submit, and to it he had subjected his descendants to the very latest posterity. It seems evident, therefore, that the import of sacrifice was a memorial representation of death deserved, but escaped by transference to a substitute. See Eve, Language, Re- velation, &c. It is pretty generally agreed, that the ser- pent, which tempted Eve, was the devil, who, envying the privileges of man in innocence, assumed, for a time, the form of a serpent, and, tempting man to disobey the command of his Maker, was the cause of his forfeiting all those privileges, which he had received from God at his creation. This interpreta- tion is supported by many passages of Scrip- ture, in which the devil is called the serpent, and the old serpent. (John viii. 44 ; 2 Cor. xi. 3; Rev. xii. 9.) Some believe that the serpent then possessed the faculty of speak- ing, and conversed familiarly with the wo- man, without her conceiving any distrust of him ; and that God, to punish the malice, with which he had abused Eve, deprived him of the power of speech. This is certainly plac- ing tin- serpent above the level of the brute creation. Some maintain, that a real serpent having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Eve concluded sbe might also eat of it without danger, and by her disobedienee in eating of 34 the forbidden fruit, incurred the displeasure of God. This, say these last authors, is the plain fact, which Moses has related under the allegorical representation of the serpent conversing with Eve. Bekker thought that the natural serpent was not intended, but that the devil was the tempter, and was only metaphorically a serpent. This opinion, however, is no less liable to exception than any of the rest. For though the devil is frequently called in Scripture the serpent, the old serpent, yet why he should be called the most subtle beast of the field, we cannot conceive. Nor will the punishment inflicted on the serpent suffer us to doubt, that, at least, the body of a serpent was employed in this transaction. The nature of the forbidden fruit is ano- ther circumstance in this relation, which has occasioned no less variety of conjectures. The Rabbins believe that it was the vine ; some, that it was wheat ; some, from the cir- cumstance of Adam and Eve covering them- selves with fig-leaves immediately after their transgression, tell us, that this fruit must have been the fig ; some, think that it was the cherry ; and the generality of the Latins, the apple. Those, who admire allegorical interpretations, suppose the forbidden fruit to have been merely the sensual act of gene- ration, for which the punishment inflicted on the woman was the pain of child-bearing. But this opinion has not the least foundation in the words of Moses, especially if we con- sider, that Adam knew not his wife till after their expulsion from Paradise. In our translation of the Bible, it is said, that our first parents ' sewed fig-leaves toge- ther, and made themselves aprons.' But the original denotes only that they adapted or fitted the flexible branches of the fig-tree round their waists, probably in the manner of a Roman crown. Many have been the suppositions and con- jectures on this subject in general ; and some have so far indulged their imagination in the history of Adam, and the circumstances of the fall, as to pervert the whole narration of Moses into a fable, full of the most shameful extravagances, and productive of the most absurd heresies. We are assured that the heretics called Ophitae, or Serpentini, believed Jesus Christ to be the serpent, which tempted the first woman. Others believe that the prince of the devils came in person to tempt Eve, and that he was mounted upon a ser- pent as large as a camel. Many Jewish writers have asserted that man and woman were created together, and fastened to each other by the shoulders. Not less fabulous are the stories respecting the stature and beauty of Adam, who is said to have been the greatest giant, as well as the handsomest man, that ever lived. The Rabbins tell us, thai bis stature was so prodigious, that he reached from one end of the world to the other ; but that after his transgression, God ADA ADA pressed his hand heavily upon him, and re- duced him to the measure of an hundred ells ; others say, that he was reduced to this measure at the request of the angels, who were frightened at his first stature. In order to perfect his beauty, they tell us, that God, before he formed him, assumed a human body of the most exquisite beauty, after the pattern of which he created Adam. In this manner it was literally true, they say, that he was made after the image or resemblance of God. Adam has also been the reputed author of several books. It has been supposed, that he possessed the most profound and exten- sive knowledge ; and some have believed that he invented the Hebrew language. The Jews say, that he is the author of the ninety-first psalm, which he composed soon after the creation. It is very uncertain where our first parents were buried : some of the an- cients believed at Hebron ; but others main- tained, that Adam was buried upon mount Calvary, where is a chapel dedicated to him. Some Rabbins and oriental authors inform us, that Adam, during the time of his separa- tion from his wife after his transgression, or as some say, after the death of Abel, begat genii, or familiar spirits, who, as the ancients affirm, had bodies. To these they apply the text of Scripture, that ' the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair ; and they took them wives of all which they chose.' (Gen. vi. 2.) Others maintain, that these genii are older than Adam, and that as they had frequently rebelled against God, the Almighty resolved to confer the government of the world on a new species of creatures. For this purpose he created Adam, and com- manded the genii to obey him. They, who refused submission to him, had Eblis, or Lucifer, at their head, and are what we call the evil angels. The rest, who continued in their duty, are the good angels, or sons of God. Both are supposed to be corporeal, and even subject to death. It would be endless to relate the many fabulous stories of the Persians, Banians, Mahometans, Cabalists, Talmudists, and other eastern nations and sects, relative to the creation of Adam and Eve, their fall, and that of the angels. — Additions to Calmet's Diet. ; Universal History ; Patrick's Comment. AD'AM, or Adom, din, signifies earth, earthy, red, or bloody. It was the name of a city, that was probably so called from the . colour of the soil in its neighbourhood, which is understood to have been a stiff clay. — Some, however, suppose that the word Adam denotes beauty or symmetry, and therefore, that this town was handsome. This city was situated in Perea, on the banks of the river Jordan, opposite to Jericho. It was towards the south of the sea of Cinnereth, or Galilee, and was the centre, where the waters sepa- rated. (Josh. iii. 16.) Wells's Geography ; Sacred Geography. 35 AD'AMAH, or Admah, nmx, signifies bloody, earthy, or red earth. It was one of the four cities, which were destroyed by fire from heaven, and buried under the waters of the Dead Sea. (Gen. xiv. 2. Deut. xxix. 23. Hosea xi. 8.) It was the most easterly of those which were swallowed up. It is pro- bable that it was not entirely sunk under the waters, or that the inhabitants of the country built a new city of the same name, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, for Isaiah, according to the Septuagint, ' says that God will destroy the Moabites, the city of Ar, and the remnant of Adamah,' ('Apoi to airkpjxa Mwd/3, icai 'ApnijX, Kai to KctTci- \ol7tov "A8a[ia, Isaiah xv. ult.) This town probably derived its name from the neigh- bourhood. ADAMITES were a sect that arose in the second century of the Christian Church. The author of this sect was Prodicus, a dis- ciple of Carpocrates. They assumed the name of Adamites, and pretended to the innocence of Adam, whose nakedness they imitated in their churches, which they called Paradise. Community of women was one of their principal tenets ; they condemned the state of matrimony, and lived, or pretended to live, in solitude and continency. When one of them was guilty of any particular crime, they called him Adam, and said that he had eaten of the forbidden fruit ; and when they expelled him their assembly, they called it driving him out of Paradise. This obscure and ridicidous sect did not long con- tinue. It was, however, revived with addi- tional absurdities, in the twelfth century. About the beginning of the fifteenth century, one Picard, a native of Flanders, spread these errors in Bohemia, whither he and his followers retired. Their opinions were after- wards disseminated through Germany, and also found some partisans in Poland, Hol- land, and England. The Adamites assem- bled in the night ; and one of the fundamental maxims of their society was the following : Jura, perjura, secretum prodere noli ; Swear, forswear, and reveal not the secret. A'DAR, TJN, signifies a cloak, or power, or grandeur. It is the twelfth month of the ecclesiastical year, and the sixth of the civil year among the Hebrews. It consists of only twenty-nine days, and corresponds with our February, but sometimes continues into March, according to the course of the moon. See Month. On the third day of Adar, the building of the temple was finished, and it was dedicated with great solemnity, in the year of the world 3489, and before Jesus Christ 515. (Ezra vi. 15.) On the seventh day the Jews celebrate a fast, on occasion of the death of Moses. On the thirteenth they celebrate a fast called, Esther's, in memory of that observed by Mordecai, Esther, and the Jews of Susa. to avert the calamities, with which they were ADE ADO threatened by Haman. On the fourteenth, they celebrate the festival of Purim, on ac- count of their deliverance from the cruelty of Haman. (Esth. ix. 17.) The twenty-fifth is observed in commemoration of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, who was advanced by Evil- merodach above other kings that were at his court. (Jerem. lii. 31, 32.) The lunar year, which the Jews have followed in their calcu- lation, is shorter than the solar year by eleven days ; and as these days at the end of three years make a month, they then insert a thirteenth month, which they call Veadar, or a second Adar, and which consists of twenty- nine days. ADESSENARIANS were a branch of the Sacramentarians, and derived their name from the Latin word adesse, to be present, because they believed the presence of Christ's body in the eucharist, though in a manner different from the Romanists. ADIAPHORISTS, is derived from the Greek word dSicttpopog, indifferent, and was a name given in the sixteenth century to the moderate reformers, who adhered to the sen- timents of Melancthon, and afterwards to those who subscribed the Interim of Charles V. Melancthon declared, that in matters of an indifferent nature, compliance was due to the imperial edicts ; and hence arose the adia- phoristic controversy, which divided the church during many years, and proved highly detrimental to the progress of the Reforma- tion. See Interim. AD'ONAI, "DtK, signifies my lords in the plural, and my lord in the singular number. It is one of the names of God. The Jews, who, either from respect or superstition, do not pronounce the name Jehovah, read Ado- nai instead of it, as often as they meet with Jehovah in the Hebrew text. But the an- cient Jews were not so scrupulous ; and there is no law which forbids them to pro- nounce the name of God. ADONIBE'ZEK, ptn"^K, signifies the lightning of the Lord, or the Lord of lightning; or the Lord of Bezek. Adonibezek was king of the city of Bezek, in the land of Canaan. He was a powerful and cruel prince ; and having taken seventy kings, he ordered the extremities of their hands and feet to be cut off, and compelled them to gather their meat under his table. (Judg. i. 1, &c.) After the death of Joshua, Judah and Simeon marched against Adonibezek, who was at the head of an army of Canaanites and Perizzites. — They defeated him, killed ten thousand of his men, and having taken him alive, cut off his thumbs and great toes. Adonibezek then acknowledged the justice of this punishment, and confessed that God had treated him in the same manner in which he had treated the seventy princes, who had fallen into Ins power. Afterwardsthe Hebrews carried him to Jerusalem, where he died, in the year of the world 2685, and before Jesus Christ 1419. (Judg. i. 1, 2, 3, &c.) 36 ADONl'JAH, rWK, signifies the Lord is my master. Adonijah, the fourth son of David and Haggith, was born at Hebron, at the time when his father was acknowledged king by only one part of Israel. (2 Sam. iii. 4.) When his elder brothers, Amnon and Absalom were dead, Adonijah conceived that the crown of Judah, by right of birth, belonged to him ; and as David, in the latter part of his life, had fallen into so weak a state, that he could not attend to the affairs of the government, he thought that he ought to endeavour, before his father's death, to be acknowledged king. He therefore set up a magnificent equipage, took horsemen into his service, and had fifty men to run before him. David, his father, never re- proved him for this. Adonijah was the eldest of the royal family, handsome, be- loved by the king, and had a powerful party at court. In particular, he possessed a great as- cendency over Joab, the general of David's armies, and over Abiathar the priest; but neither Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, captain of the king's guards, nor Nathan the prophet, nor the body of David's army, were of his party. Adonijah made a great entertainment for his adhe- rents, near the fountain of Rogel, east of the city, and invited to it all the king's sons except Solomon, and the principal persons of Judah, except Nathan, Zadok, and Be- naiah. At that meeting, he designed to pro- cure himself to be proclaimed king, and to obtain possession of the government before the death of David. Matters, however, hap- pened otherwise. Nathan, having understood what was trans- acting, went directly to Bathsheba, the mo- ther of Solomon, and advised her to go and inform the king, and to remind him of his promise in favour of her son. In compliance with this advice, Bathsheba went immedi- ately to the king, and while she was talking with him, Nathan, as had been before agreed, came and gave the king an account of Ado- nijah's feast, company, and design, desiring to know whether it was with his consent. The king, surprised at this report, commanded that Solomon should be immediately set upon his own mule, and accompanied by his guards, and by Zadok, Benaiah, and others of his chief officers, carried to Gihon, where he should be crowned king, and that he should be afterwards seated upon the royal throne, and proclaimed his successor by the sound of trumpet. The king's commands were executed with such dispatch, that Adonijah and his com- pany did not obtain the least knowledge of what had taken place, till they heard the shouts of ' Long live King Solomon.' Soon after, Jonathan, the son of Ahiathar, came and gave them an account of the whole pro- ceeding. This unexpected news so amazed them, that thev all fled in the utmost haste; and ADO ADO Adonijah seeing himself deserted, sought re- fuge at the horns of the altar. Solomon be- ing informed that Adonijah had taken sanc- tuary, sent him word, that if he conducted himself in future as a good subject, he would not injure one hair of his head, but that if he attempted another disloyal action, he should certainly be punished with death. On this, Adonijah came and humbled himself before the new king, and was afterwards ordered to retire to his own house, ( 1 Kings i. 1,2, 3, &c.) This happened in the year of the world 2989, and before Jesus Christ 1015. Sometime after David's death, Adonijah, by means of Bathsheba, the mother of Solo- mon, solicited that he might marry Abishag, the recent wife of king David, his father. — Solomon replied, ' Why dost thou ask Abi- shag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also ; for he is mine elder brother ; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, the son of Zeruiah.' Then Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, 1 God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life. I swear by the Lord, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.' Benaiah, the son of Je- hoiada, being sent to kill Adonijah, slew him, in the year of the world 2990, and before Jesus Christ 1014. (Id. ii. 13, &c.) ADO'NIS, non, Thamuz, signifies comple- tion, or burning, according to the Syriac ; or secret, because Adonis was kept in a coffin. The text of the vulgate in Ezekiel (viii. 14.) says, that the prophet saw women sitting in the temple, and weeping for Adonis ; but according to the reading of the Hebrew text, they are said to weep for Thamuz, or Tam- muz, the hidden one. Among the Egyptians Adonis was adored under the name of Osiris, the husband of Isis. But he was sometimes called by the name of Ammuz, or Tammuz, the concealed, probably to denote his death or burial. The Hebrews, in derision, sometimes call him the dead, (Psalm cvi. 28; Lev. xix. 28.) because they wept for him, and repre- sented him as dead in his coffin ; and at other times, they denominate him the image of jea- lousy, (Ezek. viii. 3. 5.) because he was the object of Mars' jealousy. The Syrians, Phoe- nicians, and Cyprians, called him Adonis ; and Calmet is of opinion, that the Ammonites and Moabites designated him by the name of Baal-peor. See Baal-peor. The manner in which they celebrated the festival of this false deity was as follows: they represented him as lying dead in his coffin, wept for him, bemoaned themselves, and sought for him with great eagerness and in- quietude. After this, they pretended that they had found him again, and that he was still living. At this good news they exhi- bited marks of the most extravagant joy, and wore guilty of a thousand lewd practices, to convince Venus how much they congratu- lated her on the return and revival of her favourite, as they had before condoled with 37 her on his death. The Hebrew women, of whom the prophet Ezekiel speaks, celebrated the feasts of Tammuz, or Adonis, in Jerusa- lem ; and God showed the prophet these wo- men weeping for this infamous god, even in his temple. See Tammuz. Fabulous history gives the following ac- count of Adonis : he was a beautiful young shepherd, the son of Cinyras, king of Cyprus, by his own daughter Myrrha. The god-less Venus fell in love with this youth, and fre- quently met him on Mount Libanus. Mars, who envied this rival, transformed himself into a wild boar, and as Adonis was hunting, struck him in the groin and killed him. Venus lamented the death of Adonis in an inconsolable manner. The eastern people, in imitation of her mourning, generally esta- blished some solemn days for the bewailing of Adonis. After his death, Venus went to Hell, and obtained from Proserpine, that Adonis might be with her six months in the year, and continue the other six in the infer- nal regions. Upon this were founded those public rejoicings, which succeeded the la- mentations of his death. Some say, that Adonis was a native of Syria ; some, of Cy- prus ; and others, of Egypt. One of the ceremonies in the festival of Adonis, consisted in the women having their heads shaven, after the manner of the Egyp- tians at the death of Apis. They, who refused to be shaven, were obliged to prostitute them- selves a whole day to strangers; and the money thus obtained was consecrated to Ve- nus, in whose temple the ceremonies were performed. Calmet thinks, that the fabulous relations respecting the birth of Adonis, are much the same as those we learn from the sacred history concerning Lot's incest with his daughter. He also thinks that there is some affinity between Chemosh, the deity of the Moabites, and Ammuz, or Tammuz, which is the same as Adonis. — Macrobius in- forms us, that Adonis represented the sun, which during six months of the year is with Venus, or the earth, and absent the other six. Chemosh also represented the sun, and under this notion was adored by the Moabites. See Lot and Chemosh. By Adonis some mythologists understand corn, which is hidden six months in the'earth, before the time of the harvest. Adonis is said to have been killed by a wild boar, that is, by winter, which extinguishes the heat of sum- mer, and is the enemy of Venus and Adonis, or of beauty and procreation. The scene of Adonis's history is said to have been at Byb- los in Phoenicia, where, once a year, the river Adonis changed the colour of its waters, and appeared as red as blood. This was the sig- nal for celebrating their Adonia, or feast of Adonis. The common people were induced to believe, that the Egyptians, during these feasts, sent by sea a box, which was made o\ rushes, or Egyptian paper, and formed in the shape of a head, in which was inclosed a letter, ADO ADO informing the inhabitants of Byblos, that their god Adonis, whom they considered as lost, had been found. The vessel, which car- ried this letter, always arrived safe at Byblos, at the end of seven days. ADONIZE'DEK, p-RMTK, signifies jus- tice of the Lord, or the Lord of justice. Ado- nizedek was king of Zedek or Jerusalem: for this city is supposed to have had four names, Salem, Jerusalem, Jebus, and Zedek. A proof of this last name we have in Melchi- zedek, which signifies the king of Zedek or Salem. Adonizedek being informed that the inhabitants of Gibeon had submitted to the Hebrews, and that the cities of Jericho and Ai had been destroyed by them, was very much terrified, and considered by what means he might put a stop to the conquests of the Israelites. For this purpose, he sent to Ho- ham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jar- muth, to Japhia" king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, and invited them to join him, that they might take Gibeon, and chastise the inhabitants, who had submitted to Joshua. These five kings, therefore, marched against Gibeon, and besieged it, in the year of the world 2553, and before Jesus Christ 1451. Upon this, the Gibeonites sent in haste to demand succours from Joshua, who was still at Gilgal. Joshua, without de- lay, chose some of the bravest men of his army, and marching all night, attacked the enemy at break of day. The Lord having spread a terror among the troops of these con- federate princes, he made a great slaughter, and pursuing them towards Beth-horon, conti- nued to cut them in pieces, till they reached Azekah and Makkedah. In their flight came on a dreadful tempest of hail-stones, of such an enormous size, that they suffered more from the hail-stones, than from the sword of Joshua. In so general a dispersion, many might have escaped, had not the sun, at the prayer of Joshua, stopped his course, that the Israelites might see to overtake and destroy the scattered multitude. The five kings, perceiving only destruction before them, hid themselves in a cave near the town of Makkedah. This being reported to Joshua, he commanded the mouth of the cave to be stopped with large stones, and left men sufficient to guard it. In the meantime, tbe Israelites continued the pursuit till even- ing. When they returned to the camp near Makkedah, Joshua ordered the mouth of the cave to be opened; and producing the five kings before the whole army of Israel, he said to the principal officers, ' Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.' He added, ' Fear not, nor be dismayed, for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom ye fight.' Afterwards, Joshua smote the five kings, and slew them, and hanged them upon five trees, until evening; and at the time of the going down of the sun, he commanded them to be taken from the trees, and cast into the cave, in which thcv had been 38 hid, and the mouth of the cave to be covered with great stones. (Josh. x. 1, 2, &c.) ADOPTION, an act, by which any per- son receives another into his own family, owns him for his son, and appoints him his heir. It does not appear that adoption, pro- perly so called, was used by the Hebrews. Moses does not mention it in his laws. Ja- cob's adoption of his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. xlviii. 14), was merely a kind of substitution, by which he intended that the two sons of Joseph should each pos- sess their lot in Israel, as if they had been his own sons, and the effect of which related only to the increase of fortune and inheritance between them. A kind of adoption used by the Israelites, consisted in the obligation of one brother to marry the widow of another, who died without children. (Deut. xxv. 5; Ruth iv.; Matt. xxii. 24.) The children, therefore, that were born of this marriage, were considered as belonging to the deceased brother, and were called by his name. This practice was used before the law, as may be seen in the history of Tamar. (Gen. xxxviii. 6.) Neither of these, however, was the adop- tion so well known among the Greeks and Romans. Pharaoh's daughter adopted Mo- ses; (Exod. ii. 10.) and Mordecai, Esther (Esth. ii. 7-) We are not acquainted with the ceremonies observed on these occasions, nor how far the privileges of adoption ex- tended. But it is presumed, that the adop- tion was of the same kind as that mentioned in the Roman law, by which the adopted chil- dren participated in the estate with the natu- ral children, assumed the name, and became subject to the paternal authority of the per- son who adopted them. By the propitiation of our Saviour, and the communication of the merits of his death, penitent sinners become the adopted children of God, and heirs of the inheritance in hea- ven. This is taught us by St. Paul, in the following passages of his epistles : ' Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' (Rom. viii. 15.) ' We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.' (Id. ibid. 23.) — ' When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.' (Gal. iv. 4, 5.) Among the Mahometans the ceremony of adoption is performed by obliging the person adopted to pass through the shirt of the per- son, who adopts him. Something like this is observable among the Hebrews. Elijah adopted the prophet Elisha, and communi- cated to him the gift of prophecy, by putting his mantle upon him. (1 Kings xix. 19.) When Aaron was about to die, Moses dressed Klea/.ar in that high priest's vestments, to show thai Eleazar succeeded him in the func- ADO ADR tions of the priesthood, and that he was adopted to the exercise ofjthis dignity. (Num. xx. 26.) St. Paul in several places says, that Christians 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ,' that they ' put on the new man,' to denote their adoption as sons of God, (Rom. xiii. 14; Gal. iii. 27; Ephes. iv. 24; Coloss. iii. 10.) AD'ORAM, DYnx, signifies their beauty, their power, and their cloak ; or, praise, or a cry raised. Adoram was the name of the chief treasurer to Rehoboam. This prince having provoked the ten tribes by his haughty and imprudent answers, and induced them to separate from the house of David, probably thought that he should be able to appease them by sending to them Adoram, chief re- ceiver of the tribute-money, or principal sur- veyor of the works. Many are of opinion, that Adoram was the same as Adoniram, who had executed this office under Solomon. Whether, therefore, Rehoboam intended to reduce them by harsh or gentle means, or whether he designed to make some conces- sions to them, by putting into their hands Adoram, who had been the instrument of. those vexations, which they had suffered in the preceding reign, seems uncertain. However, the people, who had been extremely irritated, fell upon Adoram, and stoned him to death. (1 Kings xii. 18, &c. See also 2 Sam. xx. 24.) ADORATION, the act of rendering di- vine honours, and includes reverence, esteem, and love : this is called supreme or absolute. The word is compounded of ad, ' to,' and os, oris, ' a mouth,' and literally signifies, the applying of the hand to the mouth, ' to kiss the hand.' This in the eastern countries was a great mark of respect and submission. (See Job xxxi. 26, 27. 1 Kings xix. 18.) But we find, that the attitude of adoration has not been confined to this mode. Standing, kneel- ing, uncovering the head, prostration, bow- ing, lifting up the eyes to heaven, or fixing them on the earth, sitting with the under part of the thighs resting on the heels, have all been used as expressive of veneration and esteem. But whatever be the form, it ought to be remembered, that adoration is an act, which is properly due to God alone. (Matt. iv. 10; Acts x. 25, 26; Rev. xix. 10.) It is also used in Scripture for those marks of outward respect, which belong to kings, great men, and superior persons. (Gen. xviii. 2; xxiii. 7; Exod. iv. 31.) In some churches it consists in the worship paid to an object as belonging to, or repre- sentative of another. In this sense, the Ro- manists profess to adore the cross, not simply, or immediately, but in respect of Jesus Christ, whom they suppose to be upon the cross. This, however, is generally considered by the Protestants as idolatry. See Idolatry. ADRAM'MELECH, ^o-nx signifies the cloak, glory, grandeur, or power of the king, and was the name of the son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. This king returning to 30 Nineveh, after his unfortunate expedition into Judea, against king Hezekiah, was killed by his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, whilst he was performing his devo- tions in the temple of Nisroch, his god. It is uncertain what induced these two princes to be guilty of parricide. After they had com- mitted the murder, they fled for safety to the mountains of Armenia, and their brother, Esar-haddon, succeeded to the crown. (Isaiah xxxvii. 38 ; 2 Kings xix. ult.) Adrammelech was one of the gods adored by the inhabitants of Sepharvaim, that settled in the country of Samaria, in the place of those Israelites, who were car- ried beyond the Euphrates. The Sephar- vaites obliged their children to pass through the fire in honour of this idol, and of ano- ther called Anammelech. (2 Kings xvii. 31.) The Rabbins pretend that Adrammelech was represented under the form of a mule : but there is greater reason to believe, that Adrammelech denoted the sun, and Anam- melech the moon : the former signifying the magnificent king, the latter the gentle king. See Anammelech. The learned Hyde is of opinion, that Adrammelech signifies king of the flocks; and he supposes that Adrammelech and Anammelech were worshipped as protectors of cattle. ADRAMYT'TIUM, 'AdpafivTvvrj, signi- fies pure solidity ; or rather, the court of death, the mansion of death. Adramyttium was a maritime town of Mysia, in Asia Minor, opposite to the island of Lesbos. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, that St. Paul, in his first voyage to Italy, embarked in a ship belonging to Adramyttium. (Acts xxvii. 1, 2.) A'DRIA, "A Spia, a city of Italy, on the Tartaro, in the state of Venice. It gives name to the Adriatic Sea, which is some- times called simply Adria. (Acts xxvii. 27.) When Paul says that they were tossed in Adria, he does not mean (observes Dr. Whitby) the Adriatic Gulf, which ends with the Illyrian Sea, but the Adriatic Sea, which, according to Hesychius, is the same as the Ionian Sea. How then could St. Paul's ship, which was near to Malta, and so in the Lybian or Sicilian Sea, be in the Adriatic ? To this it is answered, that not only the Ionian, but even the Sicilian Sea, and part of that which washes Crete, was called the Adriatic. Thus Ptolemy says, that Sicily was bounded on the east i»7ro tov 'Adpiov by the Adriatic ; and that Crete was com- passed on the west vtto tov 'AdpiciTiicov TreXdyovQ, by the Adriatic Sea: and Strabo says, that the Ionian Gulf jwepoc t/\, signifies ADV ADU flock of God, or a privation or cutting off of God. Adriel, the son of Barzillai, married Merab, the daughter of Saul, who had been first promised to David. (1 Sam. xviii. 19.) She bare to Adriel five sons, who were de- livered to the Gibeonites, to be put to death before the Lord, in revenge for the cruelty, which their grandfather Saul had exer- cised towards the Gibeonites. The text of the second book of Samuel (xxi. 8.) im- ports, that these five were the sons of Mi- chal and Adriel ; but it appears extremely probable, that the name of Michal is put for that of Merab, or that Michal had adopted the sons of her sister Merab. ADVERSARY, one who sets himself in opposition to another, and is a name of Satan. ADUL'LAM, obiK, ob-ty, signifies their testimony, their prey, or their ornament. It was the name of a city, which belonged to the tribe of Judah, and which was situated towards the southern part of this tribe, the Dead Sea. (Josh. xv. 35.) This place was rebuilt by Rehoboam, who strengthened it with good fortifications. (2 Chron. xi. 7-) Eusebius says, that in his time it was a very great town, ten miles to the east of Eleu- theropolis ; and Jerome tells us, that it was not a small place in his days. Judas Mac- cabeus encamped in the plain of Adullam, where he passed the Sabbath-day. (2 Mac. xii. 38.) Joshua killed the king of Adul- lam. (Josh. xii. 15.) David, when he withdrew from Achish, king of Gath, hid himself in the cave of Adullam. (1 Sam. xxii. 1.) ADULTERY. By the law of Moses, adultery was punished with the death of both the man and the woman who were guilty of the crime. (Levit. xx. 10.) When any man, prompted by the spirit of jea- lousy, suspected that his wife had committed adultery, he brought her first before the judges, and informed them that having of- ten admonished his wife not to be conver- sant in private with a certain person, she regarded not his admonitions; but as she asserted her innocence, and would not ac- knowledge the fault, he required that she should be sentenced to drink the waters of bitterness, that by that means God might discover what she wished to conceal. (Numb. v. 11, 12, &c.) The man produced his witnesses, who were heard. Afterwards, both the man and the woman were carried to Jerusalem, and brought before the san- hedrim, the judges of which endeavoured, by threats, to confound the woman, and oblige her to confess the crime. If she persisted in denying it. they caused her to walk till she was tired ; and if she still refused to con- she was led tO tbe eastern gate of the COUrt of Israel, where she was stripped of the clothes she wore, and dressed in black, be- fore a multitude of persona of her own sex. Tin priest then told her, that if she knew 40 herself to be innocent with respect to the crime, of which she was accused, she need not fear; but that if she was guilty, she might expect to suffer the punishment, with which the law threatened her. To this she answered, ' Amen, Amen.' The priest wrote the terms of the law on a piece of vellum, with ink made particularly for this use without vitriol, that the writing might be more easily blotted out. The words were as follows : ' If a strange man has not come near you, and you are not polluted by forsaking the bed of your husband, these bitter waters, which I have cursed, will not injure you. But if you have gone astray from your husband, and have polluted your- self by coming near another man, may you be accursed of the Lord, and become an example to all his people ! May these cursed waters enter into your belly, and cause it to swell till it burst, and may your thighs putrefy !' After this, the priest filled a pitcher of new earth with water out of the brazen ba- sin, which stood near the altar of burnt- offerings. Into the water he cast some dust taken from the pavement of the temple, and mingled it with wormwood, or some other bitter drug. Having read to the woman the curses above-mentioned, and received her answer of Amen, he scraped them into the pitcher of water. During this time another priest tore her clothes as low as her bosom, bared her head, untied the tresses of her hair, and fastened toge- ther her clothes which had been torn, with a girdle bound under her breasts. He then presented her with the tenth part of an ephah, or about three pints of barley-meal, which was in a frying-pan, without oil or incense. Then he, who had prepared the waters of jealousy or bitterness, gave them to the accused person ; and as soon as she had drank them, he put the pan containing the meal into her hand. This meal was stirred before the Lord, and a part of it thrown into the fire of the altar. If the woman was innocent, she returned with her husband, and the waters instead of in- juring her, increased her health, and ren- dered her more fruitful. If, on the con- trary, she was guilty, she immediately grew pale, her eyes seemed to start out of their sockets ; and lest the temple should be polluted by her death, she was instantly carried out, and died with all the ignomi- nious circumstances related in the curses. The Rabbins say, that the curses produced effects on the man, with whom the woman had transgressed, even though he were ab- sent, and at a distance. If the husband of the woman had been himself guilty of adul- tery the bitter waters did not injure her. Leo of Modena. The Jews having surprised a woman in adultery, brought her to Jesus Christ, and asked how they should treat her, Moses ADU ADU having commanded that women guilty of this crime should be stoned ? This they said to tempt Jesus, that they might find mat- ter of accusation against him. Jesus stooped down, and and wrote with his finger on the ground. After some time, he raised him- self, and said, ' He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.' Then stooping down again, he continued to write on the ground. The Jews, con- victed by their own consciences, departed one after another, the oldest retiring first. "When Jesus arose, and saw only the wo- man, he said to her, ' Where are those, thine accusers ? Hath no man condemned thee?' She answered, 'No man, Lord?' Jesus said, ' neither do T condemn thee : go, and sin no more.' (John viii. 11.) By the law of Moses, the culprit (male as well as female) was to be brought before the council, and if condemned, the whole audience, council included, were to stone him. Hence it appears, 1. that by bringing this woman to Jesus, the Jews were guilty of partiality, as they ought to have brought the adulterer also ; 2. They desired Jesus to take on himself the office of the council, which would have been assuming political power, and would have endangered his life. This insidious measure he retorts on them- selves, by saying, ' Do you, on your own proposals, assume that conduct, which you well know the council would pursue in such a case ; consider this prisoner as ipso facto condemned by the circumstances, in which she was apprehended, and do you, therefore, cast stones at her, as the council would cast stones at a person so condemned.' This they declined, being aware of its tendency; and they shrunk from that, to which they had urged Jesus. To this his words seem more particularly to allude : ' Let him who is without sin — not moral guilt, but political offence — he who can be innocent in assuming that power, which is legally lodged elsewhere, let him act the judge, and stone her.' And so, speaking to the woman, he says, has nobody condemned thee — actively shown his condemnation of thee — executed the con- demnation of the law, on thee, by stoning thee ? — Neither do I condemn thee ; I do not execute condemnation on thee by stoning thee : remember the narrow escape thou hast now experienced : ' go, and sin no more.' This story is not found in many Greek copies of the Evangelist St. John. St. Jerom observes, that, in his time, no part of it was recorded in many books, as well Greek as Latin. By the generality of the Greek fathers it is never read. Of twenty- three commentators in the Gi*eek Catena on St. John, not one has explained it ; and hence it has been thought, that it was not inserted in those books. Maldonat assures us, that of all the Greek copies, which lie had consulted, he found it only in that 41 which contains Leontius's commentary on St. John. Leontius does not speak of it in his commentary; and in the Greek text joined to it, this story is marked with obe- lisks, to show that it was added to the text. Dr. Mill cites many other Greek manu- scripts, in which it is not to be found. It was not known to Origen, St. Chrysostom, Theophylact, or Nonnus. Nor can Eusebius be said to have received it, since he notices that it was not contained in the Hebrew copy of St. Matthew, used by the Nazareans. The manuscripts, in which it is found, vary ex- tremely : in some, it is inserted at the end of St. John's Gospel ; in some, at the end of the twenty-first chapter of St. Luke ; in some, in the margin of the eighth chapter of St. John ; and in others, it is marked with obelisks, to denote that it is of doubtful authority. Euthymius mentions it in his commentary, but confesses that it is not found in the best manuscripts. On the other hand, it is urged, that this story is contained in all the copies used by Robert Stephens, to the number of sixteen ; and in those consulted by Theodore Beza, which amounted to seventeen, one manu- script only excepted. It is also acknow- ledged, for the most part, by those to which Dr. Mill had recourse. Tatian, who lived in the year 160, and Ammonius, who lived in 230, considered it as canonical, and in- serted it in their harmonies of the Gospel ; and several others of equal authority, as Athanasius, St. Jerom, St. Austin, Ambrose, and the rest of the Latin fathers, did not hesitate to receive it. ' The story, therefore, of the adulterous woman,' observes Kuinsel, * though it is brief and concise, and our Evan- gelists seem to have here (as elsewhere) omitted some circumstances, which, if added, would have thrown greater light on it ; yet since it contains nothing improbable or incongruous, since the difficulties met with in it are not inexplicable, since its omission in many MSS. may be accounted for on good grounds, and since it is found in ancient MSS. of various recensions ; I can by no means assent to those, who are of opinion that this portion is not genuine. I am in- clined to agree with Staudlin, the able defender of this passage, who maintains that this portion may be defended with arguments far stronger and more numerous than those by which it can ever be impugned.' ' In- deed,' says Mr. Bloomfield, ' I do not hesi- tate to maintain, that even if it could be proved that the narrative did not come from the pen of the Evangelist, still the reality of the facts might be supported from the high antiquity of the story, and its strong in- ternal proofs.' Bloomfield' s Recensio Synopliea Annotationis Saerse, vol. iii. pp. 283, •JJi4 ; Supplementary Addenda to Cahnet's Diction- ary of the Bible. Adultery is also used in Scripture for idolatry, or departing from the true Clod, AEL AFF and worshipping idols, (Jerem. iii. 9, 10, &c.) It is likewise used to signify any species of impurity or crime against the virtue of chas- tity. (Matt. v. 28.) By ecclesiastical writers, it is employed to denote a person's inva- ding or intruding into a bishopric, during the former bishop's life. AE'LI A-C APITOLI'NA, a name given to Jerusalem, when the Emperor Adrian, about the year of Jesus Christ 134, settled in it a Roman colony, and entirely banished the Jews, who were forbidden, on pain of death, to continue in the city. See Jerusalem. It was called JElia from iElius, the name of Adrian's family, and Capitolina, from Jupiter Capitolinus, to whom the city was consecrated. It was known by this name till the reign of the emperor Constantine, when it resumed that of Jerusalem : but the name iElia was not long abolished, for it was so denominated after the time of Con- stantine. JENON, or Enon, pry, alvwv, signifies cloud or mass of darkness, or his fountain, or his eye. It signifies the place of springs, where John baptized. (John iii. 23.) It is uncertain where it was situated, whether in Galilee, or Judaea, or Samaria, where Lubin places it, namely in the half-tribe of Ma- nasseh, within Jordan. iERA, a series of years commencing from a certain fixed point of time called an epoch or epocha ; as tbe Christian aera, that is, the number of years, which have elapsed since the birth of Christ. However, by the gene- rality of authors, the terms aera and epocha were used as synonymous, that is, for the particular time, from which any computation commences. See Epoch. The ancient Jews used several aeras in their computations : sometimes they reckon from, the deluge ; sometimes from the divi- sion of tongues; sometimes from their de- parture out of Egypt ; sometimes from the building of the temple ; and, at other times, from their restoration after the captivity. But their vulgar aera was computed from the creation of the world, which agrees with the year 953 of the Julian period. Conse- quently they supposed, that the world was created 249 years sooner than according to our computations. After the Jews became subject to the Syro- Macedonian kings, tbey were obliged to use in all their contracts, the aera of the Seleucidae, which was thence denominated the sera of contracts. This aera commences with the year of the world 3692, of the Julian period 4403, and before Christ 312. The aera generally used among Christians is computed from the birth of Jesus Christ, respecting the true time of which chronologers differ among themselves. Some place it two, sonic four, and others five years before the vulgar sera, which is computed at the year OX the world 4004. Archbishop I 'slier, and after him the gene- rality of modern chronologers, suppose the 42 birth of Christ to have happened in the year of the world 4000, and of the Julian period 4714. The ancient heathens used several aeras : 1. The aera of the first Olympiad is placed in the year of the world 3228, and before the vulgar aera of Jesus Christ 776. 2. The taking of Troy by the Greeks, in the year of the world 2820, and before Jesus Christ 1184. 3. The voyage undertaken for the purpose of bringing away the golden fleece, in the year of the world 2760. 4. The foundation of Rome in 3251. 5. The aera of Nabonassar, in 3257. 6. The aera of Alexander the Great, or his last victory over Darius, in 3674, and before Jesus Christ 330. .E'TIANS, the followers of iEtius, a presbyter, and monk, and one of the lead- ers of the Semi-Arians, in the fourth cen- tury. The principal point, on which iEtius and his adherents differed from the other Semi-Arians, appears to have been their be- lief, that no distinction existed in Scripture between a presbyter and a bishop. jEtius earnestly condemned prayers for the dead, stated fasts, the celebration of Easter, and other rites ; and he attempted to restore the discipline of the church to its primitive sim- plicity and excellence. AFFECTION maybe defined a settled bent of mind towards any particular being or thing, and occupies a middle place be- tween disposition on the one hand, and pas- sion on the other. It is distinguishable from disposition, which, forming a part of our original nature, must exist before there can be an opportunity to exert it upon any particular object ; whereas affection can never be original, because, having a spe- cial relation to a particular object, it can- not exist till that object has been at least once presented. It is also distinguishable from passion, which, depending on the real or ideal presence of its object, vanishes with its object ; whereas affection is a last- ing connection, and, like other connections, subsists even when we do not think of the object. The affections, as they respect religion, have been defined the vigorous and sensible exercises of the inclination of the soul to- wards religious objects. When the great truths of religion are not firmly believed, and the mind is not fully persuaded of their reality, they may be contemplated without emotion; but a real belief of the truth of religion will naturally excite devout affec- tions. The doctrines of religion are so im- portant and so interesting, and the objects which they present to view are so glorious, that the man, who can contemplate them without having his affections excited, must either be sceptical, or destitute of the feel- ings of the human heart. When the devout man in his moments of retirement, contem- plates the eternity, the immensity, and the AFF AFF omnipotence of the Divine Being, and is deeply impressed with sentiments of reve- rence and godly fear, his feelings are not to be considered as enthusiasm. When he re- flects on his own unworthiness, and contem- plates the mercy and grace of God towards him, he is not to be ridiculed for humbling himself before the Most High, and dropping a penitential tear in the presence of the Fa- ther of mercies, who deals not with him according to his sins, but views him with tenderness and compassion. When he con- templates the bounty of his gracious Crea- tor, and considers every comfort and every blessing as the gift of God, he is not to be ridiculed for giving vent to the emotions of pious gratitude. When with humble confi- dence, he looks up to God as his father in heaven, who made and preserves him, whose eye is continually upon him for good, and whose care over him is never remitted; when with a firm reliance on his wisdom, and mercy, and faithfulness, he entertains the hope that the Almighty will conduct him safely through all the difficulties and dangers of this life, and afterwards receive him into glory and happiness ; he is not to be ridiculed if, in those sacred moments, his devout affections be exalted into rap- ture. When, impressed with the vanity of the things of time, and the shortness of hu- man life, he looks forward to the regions of immortality, where choice friends are no more separated by death, and where he shall meet his pious departed relations among an innumerable multitude of spirits of just men made perfect ; when he indulges the hope of being admitted into the heavenly mansions, to see his Redeemer, to behold the glory of God, and to enjoy the light of his counte- nance for ever; it is no wonder that, in those sacred moments, his joy should rise into rapture. The views, which the Gospel affords us, of God, of divine providence, of the salvation of mankind by Jesus Christ, and of a future state of immortality, are calculated to animate all the springs of the human heart, and to excite the warmest affections. That there is such a thing as enthusiasm or fanaticism, the production of a heated imagination, misled by ignorance, is not to be denied. Many baneful effects have re- sulted from such enthusiasm. But, because there are counterfeits of the devout affec- tions, and abuses of religion, we are by no means to conclude that all religious affec- tions are delusive. There are counterfeits of every virtue ; but we are not to suppose that no virtue exists among men. Whilst, therefore, we guard against enthusiasm, let us take heed lest we become insensible to the impressions of piety, and extinguish in our breasts the flame of devotion. The man, who is a stranger to the devout affec- tions, is a stranger to the noblest feelings, and the sublimest enjoyments, of which the heart 43 is susceptible. Genuine devotion, daily cherished in the breast, refines the senti- ments, purifies the heart, and exalts the soul. By the daily exercise of the pious affections, the devout man anticipates on earth, in some degree, the pleasures of the heavenly state, and becomes more and more meet to be translated to the society of the heavenly inhabitants. Lord Kaimes's Ele- ments of Criticism ; Dr. Hood's Sermons. AFFINITY. There are several degrees of affinity, in which marriage was prohibited by the laws of Moses. The son was not al- lowed to marry his mother, nor his father's wife. The brother was not allowed to marry his sister, whether she was so nearly related to him by the father only, or by the mother only, and much less if she was his sister by both the same father and mother. The grandfather was not permitted to marry her, who was his granddaughter, either by his son or his daughter. No person was allowed to marry the daughter of his fa- ther's wife, or the sister of his father or mother. The uncle was not permitted to marry his niece ; nor the aunt her nephew ; nor the nephew the wife of his uncle by the father's side ; nor the father-in-law his daughter-in-law. The brother was not allowed to marry the wife of his brother whilst he was living; nor even after the death of his brother, if he left children : but if he left no children, the surviving brother was to raise up children to his deceased brother, by marrying his widow. It was forbidden to marry the mother and the daughter at one time, or the daughter of the mother's son, or the daughter of her daugh- ter, or two sisters together. (Levit. xviii. 7> &c.) It is certain that before the law, the pa- triarchs sometimes married their sisters, for Abraham married Sarah, who was Ms fa- ther's daughter by another mother ; and two sisters together, for Jacob married both Rachel and Leah ; and even their own sis- ters, by both father and mother, for Seth and Cain married their own sisters. But these marriages are not to be proposed as examples ; for in some cases they were au- thorized by necessity ; in others by custom ; and, at that time, the law was not in exist- ence. If some other examples be found since the promulgation of the law, they are expressly disapproved of by the Scripture : as, Reuben's incest with Balah, his father's concubine ; the action of Amnon with his sister Tamar ; and the conduct of Herod Antipas, who married Herodias his sister- in-law, the wife of his brother Philip, whilst her husband was living. AFFLICTION, that which causes a sen- sation of pain or sorrow; calamity, or dis- tress of any kind.* When we consider the nature of this world, and our state of sin and imperfection, we have reason to expect afflictions. Our passage from the cradle to AFF AGA the grave, is a scene of disquietude, inter- spersed with some joy. As daily experi- ence renders it evident that afflictions are unavoidably incident to human life, that calamity will neither be repelled by forti- tude, nor escaped by flight, neither awed by greatness, nor eluded by obscurity, it is our wisdom, and will be our advantage, quietly to submit to the dispensations of providence. Afflictions purify the heart, and teach us many useful lessons. They convince us of human weakness, and dispose us to flee for relief to the Divine Being, and repose our- selves under the shadow of his wings. The present experience of pain and misfortune is never joyous but grievous, never so much an object of congratulation as of complaint. Yet we perceive the uses of affliction, and are willing to acknowledge those uses when the present agony is past, when the danger has subsided, or the difficulties are over- come. We are ready then to exclaim with David, ' It is good for me that I have been in trouble.' (Psalm cxix. 71-) Prosperity may intoxicate, but afflictions bring us to ourselves. They correct our pride and our prejudices, the insolence of our manners, or the loftiness of our looks, and teach us to form juster notions and a more sober esti- mate of happiness. One of the principal arts of happiness seems to consist in know- ing how to appreciate rightly, and to use wisely the good within our reach ; and this art we seldom learn so well as from the ex- perience of privations and sufferings. Afflictions are often physically, but al- ways morally beneficial. In the last mo- ments when the mind is calm, and all things of the world are viewed with more than philosophical serenity, men commonly find that they ascribe more good to their pains than to their pleasures, and that they had more reason to rejoice at those calamitous occurrences, in which, at the time, they be- held the most fruitful source of sorrow and complaint. At that solemn hour, when we are about to leave this world, when the false appearances of things no longer daz- zle or deceive, if our minds be at leisure to reflect on the aggregate of the varied events of our lives, or the improvement of our con- duct, we shall discover that the pain and suf- fering, which we experienced, contributed in a greater degree to our real happiness than what we deemed our more prosperous fortune. If, therefore, we be certain that the time is coming when we shall be convinced that that which we deemed the greatest evil, will be found to have been accessary to our greatest good, when we shall look on our present privations and misfortunes with complacency and delight, surely on this con- viction we may ground some solid reasons for cheerful acquiescence in the lowest con- dition, or the most distressing circumstances. For why should we so greatly repine at those 44 disasters and afflictions, in which, whether they be considered as the correctives of vice, or the corroborants of virtue, we shall after- wards find such abundant arguments to prove, and such abundant excitements to extol the benevolence of God ? Though afflictions bear an unpleasant aspect, yet they are of short continuance. — The day is at hand when we shall be delivered from every temporal evil, and our sorrow be turned into joy. We are now on a tumultuous sea, where the winds roar, and the waves swell ; but let us not be discouraged, we are near the harbour where all our toils and dangers shall cease, and be no more. Though we bear the heat and burden of the day, yet the evening is fast approaching, when we shall receive an ample reward and recompense of our suffer- ings. Richardson's Divine and Moral Essays ; Fellowes's Body of Theology ; Johnson's Rambler. AF RICA, Aif3v7], Libue, may signify dust, or ashes reduced to dust, and is one of the four quarters of the world, and a peninsula joined to Asia, by the narrow isthmus of Suez. It is situated between 37 degrees of north, and 35 degrees of south latitude ; and between eighteen degrees of west, and 51 degrees of east longitude : it is 4300 miles in length from north to south, and 3500 miles in breadth from east to west. Africa is bounded on the north by the Mediter- ranean Sea, which separates it from Europe ; on the east by the Isthmus of Suez, the Red Sea, and the Eastern Ocean, which divide it from Asia ; on the south, by the Southern Ocean ; and on the west, by the Atlantic or Western Ocean, which separates it from America. Africa was peopled chiefly by Ham and his descendants. Mizraim peo- pled Egypt. The Pathrusim, the Naph- tuhim, the Casluhim, and the Ludim, peo- pled other parts of the country, the limits of which are at this time not exactly known. It is supposed that many of the Canaanites, who were expelled their country by Joshua, retired into Africa. AG'ABUS, "Ayafiog, signifies a locust, or the feast of the father. By the Greeks Aga- bus is said to have been one of the seventy disciples of our Saviour. He was a prophet, and foretold that there would be a great famine in all parts of the earth ; and we are informed that it happened accordingly, in the fourth year of the reign of the emperor Claudius, and in the forty-fourth of Jesus Christ. (Acts xi. 28, 29, 30.) Profane authors notice this famine, and Suetonius observes, that the emperor him- self was insulted on this occasion, being attacked by the people in the middle of the market-place, and obliged to retreat to bis palace. Ten years after this, as St. Paul was go- ing to Jerusalem, and bad already landed at Caesarea in Palestine, the same prophet AGA AGA Agabus arrived at that place ; and coming to visit St. Paul and his company, he took the apostle's girdle, and binding his hands and feet, he said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. When they heard these things, all those who were present besought Paul to go no farther. But he answered, that he was ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts xxi. 10, &c.) The Scripture furnishes no other par- ticulars of the life of Agabus. A'GAG, 33K, "Ayayog, signifies roof, floor, and was the name of a king of the Amale- kites. The Amalekites attacked the Israel- ites in the wilderness, after they had come out of Egypt, and whilst they were sinking under the fatigues, which they had suifered in that country. Having massacred all those who were unable to keep up with the body of the army, the Lord was not satisfied with the victory, which Joshua had gained over the Amalekites in the same wilderness, in the year of the world 2513, and before Jesus Christ 1491 : but he protested with an oath that he would destroy the memory of Amalek from under heaven. (Exod. xvii. 14. 16; Deut. xxv. 17.) About four hundred years after this, the Lord remembered the cruel treatment, which Amalek had formerly shewn to his people, and commanded Samuel to inform Saul, that he should march against the Amalekites, cut them in v pieces, and destroy every thing that belonged to them. On receiving this command, Saul ordered the people to assemble, and on a review of them, found that their number amounted to two hundred thousand foot, without reckon- ing the ten thousand men of the tribe of Judah, who formed a separate body. Having entered into the country of the Amalekites, he cut in pieces all with whom he could meet, from Havilah to Shur. He suffered Agag and the best of the cattle to remain alive. Bat Agag did not long enjoy this favour. As soon as Samuel heard that he was alive, he sent for him; and notwith- standing his insinuating address, and the vain hopes, with which he flattered himself, that • the bitterness of death was passed,' he caused him to be hewn in pieces in Gilgal before the Lord. This event happened about the year of the world 2930, and be- fore Jesus Christ 1074. (1 Sam. xv. I, 2, &c.) See Amalek. AGAPAE, love feasts, or feasts of charity among the ancient Christians, in which libe- ral contributions were made by the rich for the poor. The word is derived from hya.TTr\, friendship. St. Chrysostom gives the follow- ing account of this feast, which he derives from the practice of the apostles ; ' the first Christians had all things in common, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles ; but when that equality of possessions ceased, as it did 45 even in the apostles' time, the agapae, or love-feasts were substituted in its room.' On certain days, after partaking of the Lord's Supper, they met at a common feast, the rich bringing provisions, and the poor, who possessed nothing, being invited.' It was always attended with the receiving of the holy sacrament ; but the ancient and modern interpreters differ in opinion whether this feast was held before or after the com- munion. St. Chrysostom, as we have seen, supports the latter: Calmet, the learned Dr. Cave, and others, are in favour of the former opinion. During the first three centuries, these love-feasts were held in the church without scandal or offence ; but in succeeding times the heathens began to tax them with impurity. This occasioned a re- formation of these agapae. The kiss of charity, with which the ceremony used to end, was no longer interchanged between those of different sexes ; and it was expressly for- bidden to have any beds or couches for the convenience of those, who were disposed to eat more at their ease. Notwithstanding these precautions, the abuses committed in those feasts became so notorious, that the holding of them, especially in churches, was solemnly condemned at the council of Car- thage, in the year of our Lord 397- The Jews had certain devotional enter- tainments, relating in some respects to the agapae, of which we have been treating. On their great festival days, they entertained their family, their friends, and relatives, and invited to the feasts, the priests, the poor, and orphans, to whom they also sent a por- tion of their sacrifices. These repasts were made in the temple before the Lord ; and the law appointed certain sacrifices and first fruits, which were to be set apart for this purpose. (Deut. xiv. 22. 27- 29 ; xxvi. 10, 11, 12. Nehem. viii. 12. Esther ix. 19.) The Wesleyan Methodists hold their love feasts quarterly. To them no persons are admitted, who cannot produce a ticket to prove that they are members, or a note of admittance from the superintendent. How- ever, to any serious person who has never been present at one of these meetings, a note will be given for once, but not oftener, unless this person shall become a member. The meeting commences with singing and praying. Afterwards, small pieces of bread, and some water are distributed ; and all present, eat and drink together, in token of their Christian love for each other. Then, if any persons have any thing to say con- cerning their past or present Christian expe- rience they are permitted to speak. After a few have spoken, a collection is made for the poor ; and the meeting is concluded by singing and praying. The Methodists con- sider this institution as having no relation to the Lord's Supper. The elements of the Lord's Supper are bread and wine; but at the love-feasts cake and water only are used. AGA AGN The former is regarded by them as a posi- tive institution, which, as Christians, they are bound to observe ; the latter, as merely prudential, which they observe because they think them scriptural and edifying. They suppose, that to this St. Jude alludes, in the twelfth verse, where, speaking of some evil doers that associated with the Christians, he says, ' these are spots in your feasts of love,' and that of this also, the apostle Peter speaks in his second epistle, (ii. 13.) Adams's Religious World Displayed ; Nightingale's Portraiture of Methodism. AGAPETiE, a name given to certain virgins and widows, that in the ancient church associated themselves with eccle- siastics, whom they attended from a motive of piety and charity. See Deaconesses. AGATE, a semipellucid gem, which is mentioned in some places of Scripture, and which is variegated with veins and clouds, but has no zones. The Agate was the second in the third row of precious stones in the breast-plate of the Jewish high-priest. (Exod. xxviii. 19.) AGES of the WORLD. The times preceding the birth of Jesus Christ have been commonly divided into six ages. The first age extends from the beginning of the world to the deluge, and comprehends 1G56 years. The second from the deluge to the time of Abraham's coming into the land of promise, in 2082, comprehends 426 years. The third age of the world, from Abraham's entrance into the promised land to the deliverance of the Hebrews out of Egypt, in the year of the world 2513, includes 430 years. The fourth age, from the departure of the Hebrews out of Egypt to the founda- tion of the temple by Solomon, in the year of the world 2992 comprehends 479 years. The fifth age, from the foundation of the temple by Solomon, to the Babylonish cap- tivity in the year of the world 3416, contains 424 years. The sixth age of the world comprises the time from the Babylonish captivity to the birth of Jesus Christ, which happened in the year of the world 4000, four years before the vulgar aera, and in- cludes 584 years. Few persons are ignorant, that a great difference exists in the ages of the patri- archs, as they arc given in the Septuagint, and in the Hebrew text. This difference, with respect to the time before the deluge, is about 586 years more in the Septuagint, than in the Hebrew, or Vulgate Bible. Ac- cording to the former, the deluge happened in the year of the world 2242 ; but accord- ing to the latter, in 1656. After the deluge, from the six hundred and first year of Noah, which was the year after the deluge, the Septuagint version reckons 1172 years to the seventieth year ofTerafa ; whilst the Hebrew text computea only 292 years. This difference of reckoning causes a variation of 880 years; and by adding the 686 years before 46 the deluge, there will be found 1466 years more in the Septuagint than in the Hebrews. Hitherto no person has been able to dis- cover the true motive, which could induce the Septuagint thus to lengthen the lives of the patriarchs. Some have conjectured, that their design in this was to rescue the sacred books from the censure of the heathens, who unable to credit the relation of the long lives of the patriarchs, maintained, that one of our years was equivalent to ten or five of theirs. One therefore, who had been said to live eight hundred years, in reality lived only eighty, or, at most, one hundred and sixty ; and others in proportion. However this may be, no doubt exists, but that the Septuagint interpreters have multiplied the lives of the patriarchs ; and there is no rea- son to consider the diminution of these as effected by the Hebrew writers. With respect to the length of the year, it appears evident from the computation of Moses and the old Hebrews, that, from the time of Noah, it consisted of twelve months of one-and-thirty days. The proof of this is seen in the particular account of the days of that year, in which the deluge happened ; and this account of the days is very accu- rately given us by Moses. Ludovicus Capellus attempts to reconcile the difference in the computation between the Septuagint and Hebrew, by saying that this addition was not made by the Septuagint writers themselves, but by some early tran- scriber of their version. This transcriber, perhaps, thought that their years were only lunar, and computed that thus the patri- archs must have been fathers at the early age of 5, 6, 7> or 8 years. Perceiving, there- fore, the incredibility of such a circumstance, he might be induced to add 100 years to each, to render them of a more probable age at the birth of their respective children. But if he thought that the years were solar, he might suppose, that infancy and child- hood were proportionally longer in men, who were to live seven, eight, or nine hundred years, than they are in us, and that it was too early for them to be fathers at the age of sixty, seventy, or ninety years. He might, therefore, be induced to add a hundred years, to render their advance to manhood more proportionable to the duration of their lives. That however, which God designed we should learn from the sacred history contained in the first eleven chapters of Genesis, is not affected by this difference in the chronology of the Hebrew and Septua- gint. See Patriarchs. Dr. Brett's Dis- sertation on the Ancient Version of the Bible. Consult also Brett's Chronological Essay in Defence of the Computation of the Septuagint ; Vossius de Mtate Mundi, et dc LXX. Interpre- tibus ; Shuckford's Connection, 8(C. AGNOF/1VK, a Beet which appeared about the year of our Lord 370, and which derived its name from dyvotut, to be ignorant. They AGO AGR doubted the omniscience of God, and al- leged that he knew things past only by memory, and things future only by an un- certain prescience. In the sixth century arose another sect of the same name, who followed Themistius, deacon of Alexandria, and who maintained that Christ was igno- rant of certain things, and particularly of the time of the day of judgment. It is sup- posed that they founded their hypothesis on the following passage of the New Testament : ' Of that day and that hour knoweth no man ; no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.' (Mark xiii. 32.) It seems that the meaning of this passage is, that this was not known to the Messiah himself in his human nature, or by virtue of his unction, as any part of the mysteries, which he was to reveal ; for considering him as God, we cannot suppose that he was ignorant of any thing. AGNUS DEI, in the church of Rome, a cake of wax stamped with the figure of a lamb supporting the banner of the cross. The name literally signifies the Lamb of God. These cakes, being consecrated by the pope with great solemnity, and distributed among the people, are supposed to possess great virtues. They cover them with a piece of stuff cut in the form of a heart, and carry them very de- voutly in their processions. From selling these agni Dei to some, and presenting them to others, the Romish clergy and monks derive considerable pecuniary advantage. The practice of blessing the agnus Dei, took its rise about the seventh or eighth cen- tury. It was common in those times to con- vert thousands and tens of thousands in a day by only marking them with the sign of the cross after baptism ; and in order to distin - guish the converted from heathens, they were commanded to wear about their necks pieces of white wax, stamped with the figure of a lamb. This was done in imitation of the hea- thenish practice of hanging amulets around the neck, as preservatives against accidents, diseases, or any sort of infection. Though the efficacy of an agnus Dei has not been declared by councils, the belief in its virtues has been strongly and universally established in the church of Rome. Pope Urban V. sent to John Palaeologus, emperor of the Greeks, an agnus folded in fine paper, on which were written verses explaining all its properties. These verses declare, that the agnus is formed of balm and wax mixed with chrism, and that being consecrated by mystical words, it possessed the power of re- moving thunder, and dispersing storms, of giving to women with child an easy delivery, of preventing shipwreck, taking away sin, repelling the devil, increasing riches, secur- ing against fire, &c. &c. ! ! — Claude's Defence of the Reformation. AGONISTICI, a name given by Donatus to such of his disciples as were sent to fairs, markets, and other public places, to propa- 47 gate his doctrine. They were called agonis- tici, from the Greek word dyu)v, a contest, because they seemed to be sent for the purpose of fighting and subduing the people to their opinions. See Donatists. AGONYCLITiE, a sect of Christians in the seventh century, who thinking it unlaw- ful to kneel, prayed always standing. AGRIP'PA, Aypi7T7rac, signifies one who causes pain at his birth. Agrippa, surnamed Herod, the son of Aristobulus and Mariamne, and grandson to Herod the Great, was born in the year of the world 3997, three years before the birth of our Saviour, and seven before the vulgar sera. After the death of his father Aristobu- lus, Josephus informs us, that Herod, his grandfather, undertook his education, and sent him to Rome to ingratiate himself with Tiberius. The emperor conceived a great affection for Agrippa, and placed him near his son Drusus. In a very short time Agrippa obtained the favour of Drusus, and of the empress Antonia; but Drusus dying sud- denly, all those who had been intimate with him were commanded by Tiberius to depart from Rome, lest the sight and presence of them should renew his affliction. Agrippa, who had lived freely, was obliged to leave Rome overwhelmed with debts, and in a very poor condition. He did not think pro- per to go to Jerusalem, because he could not appear in that city in a manner suitable to his birth ; but he retired to the castle of Mas- sada, in which he lived rather like a private person, than a prince. Herod the tetrarch, his uncle, who had married his sister Hero- dias, assisted him for some time with great generosity. Herod constituted him chief magistrate of Tiberias, and presented him with a large sum of money ; but all this not being sufficient to defray the expenses and profusion of Agrippa, the tetrarch grew weary of supplying him with money, and reproached him for his want of economy. Agrippa was so affected with the reproaches of his uncle, that he determined to leave Judea and return to Rome. But as Agrippa was in want of money, he obtained from one Protus, a freedman in the suite of Berenice, the loan of twenty thou- sand drachmas ; and he borrowed two hun- dred thousand drachmas of Alexander, ala- barch, or chief of the Jews at Alexandria. Having arrived in Italy, Agrippa sent to the emperor Tiberius, who at that time was with his court at Caprea, acquainted him with his return, and desired leave to attend him. Tiberius informed him that he was glad to hear of his return, received him with great kindness, and, as a mark of distinction, gave him an apartment in his palace. The next day, the emperor received from He- rennius, who superintended his affairs in Judea, letters which acquainted him, that Agrippa had borrowed three hundred thou- sand pieces of silver out of his majesty's ex- AGR AGR chequer, and had fled from Judea, without repaying them. This news exasperated the emperor so much, that he commanded Agrippa to leave the palace, and to pay what he owed. However, Agrippa having ob- tained a sum of money from the empress Antonia, who loved him on account of his mother, appeased the anger of Tiberius, and was again received into favour. On the death of Tiberius, Caius Caligula, his successor, placed a royal diadem on the head of Agrippa, and gave him the tetrarchy of Ratanaea and Trachonitis, which had been possessed by Philip, the son of Herod the Great. To this he added the government held by Lysanias. Soon after, Agrippa re- turned into Judea, to take possession of his new kingdom. The emperor Caligula, wish- ing to be adored as a god, commanded that his statue should be set up in the temple of Jerusalem. But the Jews opposed this de- sign with so much resolution, that Petronius was obliged to suspend all proceedings in this affair, and to inform the emperor of the resistance which he experienced. — Agrippa, who was then at Rome, endeavoured to dis- suade the emperor from his resolution, and his arguments were so cogent that Caligula was induced to desist, at least in appearance, from his design. On the death of Caligula, which happened in the beginning of the next year, and the forty-first of Jesus Christ, Agrippa, who was then at Rome, contributed much by his advice to maintain Claudius in the possession of the imperial dignity, to which he had been advanced by the army. But, in this affair, Agrippa showed more cunning and address, than sincerity and honesty. Whilst he pre- tended to espouse the cause of the senate, he secretly advised Claudius to act with resolu- tion, and not to abandon his good fortune. The emperor, as an acknowledgment for his kind offices, bestowed on him all Judea, and the kingdom of Chalcis, which had been pos- sessed by Herod his brother. Thus Agrippa suddenly became one of the greatest princes of the East, and was invested with perhaps more territories than had been enjoyed by bis grandfather, Herod the Great. He re- turned to Judea, which he governed to the great satisfaction of the Jews. But the desire of pleasing them, and a mistaken zeal for their religion, induced him to commit an action which is mentioned in Scripture. — About the feast of the Passover, in the year of Jesus Christ 44, St. James the Greater, the son of Zebedee, and brother to St. John the Evangelist, was seized by the command of Agrippa, and put to death. He also caused St. Peter to be apprehended and im- prisoned, and intended that after the termi- nation of the festival he should be executed. God, however, miraculously delivered St. Peter from the place of his confinement, and frustrated the designs of Agrippa (Acts xii. I, 2, :*, &c). 48 After the passover, this prince went from Jerusalem to Caesarea, where he caused games to be performed in honour of Clau- dius. At this place, the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, waited on him to sue for peace. Agrippa, having come early in the morning to the theatre, with a design of giving them an audience, seated himself upon his throne, dressed in a robe of silver tissue, which was wrought in a wonderful manner. The rays of the rising sun gave the robe such a lustre as dazzled the eyes of the spectators. When therefore the king spoke to the Tyrians and Sidonians, the parasites who surrounded his throne said, it is the voice of a god, and not of a man. Instead of rejecting these im- pious flatteries, Agrippa received them with complacency. At the same time, the angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give the glory to God. Being therefore car- ried home to his palace, he was racked with tormenting pains in his bowels, and devoured by worms, and died at the end of five days. Such was the death of Herod Agrippa, after a reign of seven years, in the year of Christ 44. He left a son of the same name, and three daughters, Berenice, Mariamne, and Drusilia. — Josephus's Antiquities, lib. xviii. c. 7. lib. xix. c. 3. Agrippa, son to the former Agrippa, was at Rome with the emperor Claudius at the time of his father's death. Jesephus says, that the emperor was inclined to give him all the dominions possessed by his father, but was dissuaded from this by his ministers. The year following, which was the 45th of Jesus Christ, the governor of Syria came to Jerusalem, and intended that the high priest's ornaments should be put into the hands of Cuspius Fadus. For this purpose he wished to compel the Jews to deliver them up, that they might be kept in the Tower of Antonia, in which they had been before lodged, till Vitellius committed them to the care of the Jews. However, the Jews were permitted to send to Rome certain deputies, who, by means of the credit and good offices of young Agrippa, managed matters so well, that the Jews were allowed the possession of their privileges and the pontifical ornaments were continued in their custody. Three years after, Herod, king of Chalcis, and uncle to young Agrippa, dying, the em- peror gave his dominions to this prince. — However, Agrippa did not return into Ju- dea till the year of Christ 53, when Clau- dius took from him the kingdom of Chalcis, and bestowed on him the provinces of Gau- lanitis, Trachonitis, Batanaea, Perqsa, and Abilene, which had been formerly possessed by Lysanias. After the death of Claudius, his successor Nero, who felt great affection for Agrippa, added to his other dominions Julias in Persea, and that part of Galilee to which Tarichsea and Tiberias belonged. — Festus, governor of Judea, coming to his go- vernment in the year of our Lord 60, king AGR AGU Agrippa, and his sister Bernice, went as far as Csesarea, to salute him. As they conti- nued at that place for some time, Festus spoke to the king concerning St. Paul, who, about two years before, had been seized in the Temple, and a few days previous to this visit had appealed to the emperor. Agrippa said unto Festus, ' I would also hear the man myself.' * To-morrow,' answered Festus, 1 thou shalt hear him.' The next day, there- fore, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and were entered into the place of audience, Paul was brought forth. Festus introduced Paul's case to the king, and added, ' I have brought him forth before you, and especially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable, to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.' (Acts xxv. 13, 14, &c.) Then Agrippa said to Paul, ' Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.' Paul, there- fore, stretched forth his hand, and answered for himself. He related the persecutions, which he had promoted against the Christ- ians, and the miraculous manner, in which God had converted him on his way to Da- mascus. Whilst he was speaking of the re- surrection, and what he had seen in his journey to Damascus, Festus said, with a loud voice, ' Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.' — To this Paul answered, ' I am not mad, most noble Festus ; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded, that none of these things are hidden from him ; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.' Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ' Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.' And Paul said, ' I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.' Then Agrippa said to Festus, ' This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.' (lb. xxvi. 1, 2,3,&c.) Agrippa deprived Joseph Cabei of the high priesthood, which he bestowed on Ana- nus, in the year of Christ 62. This is the same A nanus, who put to death James the Less, in Jerusalem, near the time of the passover, A.D. 62. This action so offended the people in general, that Agrippa, after he had enjoyed the priesthood only three onths, deprived him of the pontifical dig- lty, and conferred it on Jesus, the son of amna?us. Sometime after, he permitted he Levites, who were appointed to sing in he temple, to wear the linen robe, which ad hitherto been reserved for the use of the riests only ; and he allowed the rest of the evites, who filled other offices in the tem- le, to learn singing, that they might parti- 49 cipate in the privilege, which he had granted. Whilst every one in Judea appeared disposed to rebel, Agrippa attempted to quiet the minds of the people, and to incline them to peace. His endeavours, however, were un- successful. For some time, indeed, he sus- pended, but could not suppress, the passions of the Jews, who were exasperated, and driven to the greatest distress, by the cruel- ties and insolence of their governors. In the year 66, they declared openly against the Romans; and Agrippa was obliged to join his troops with those of Rome, and assist in reducing his countrymen, and taking Jerusa- lem. After the destruction of that city, he retired to Rome with his sister Bernice, with whom he had always lived in such a manner as to excite much blame. He died about the age of seventy years, in the year of Christ 90. — Josephus's Antiq. lib. xix. c. 9 ; lib. xx. c. 1, 3, 5, 7 ; Wars, lib. ii. c. 22—24; lib. iii. c. 2; lib. iv. c. 3, 6 ; lib vi. c. 2. A'GUR. The thirtieth chapter of Pro- verbs begins as follows : ' The words of 'Agur, the son of Jakeh,' which, according to the signification of the original terms, may be translated, as the Vulgate reads them, verbum congregantis, filii vomentis ; or, according to Lewis de Dieu, * The words of him, who has recollected himself, the son of obedience.' This translation is condemned by Le Clerc and many others, who suppose these to be proper names, which ought not to be translated. The generality of the fa- thers and ancient commentators think, that Solomon describes himself under the name of Agur, the son of Jakeh. Others conjec- ture, that Agur, and also Lemuel, mentioned in the next chapter, were wise men, who lived in the time of Solomon, and who were his in- terlocutors in the book of Proverbs ; an opi- nion which, as that book is not in the form of a dialogue, Calmet thinks is without the least show of probability. This last expositor is of opinion, that Agur was an inspired author, who was different from Solomon, and whose sentences it was thought fit to join with those of that prince, because of the conformity of their matter. For what could have obliged Solomon to disguise his name in this place ? For what reason could he have changed his style and manner of writing in this chapter only 1 For it is certain that the thirtieth chapter of Proverbs is penned in a way very different from the rest of the book. Besides, it could not become Solomon to express him- self as this author does in the second verse : ' Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.' Nor is it probable that he would address himself to God in the following manner : ' Give me nei- ther poverty nor riches.' Certainly these words are not consistent with the dignity of king Solomon. Mr. Pool observes, that, from the laws of good interpretation, one of which is, that all words should be understood in their natural and proper sense, when there AGY AHA is neither evidence nor necessity, that they should be understood figuratively, these words cannot belong to Solomon. Patrick thinks it may be conjectured, that this Agur, the son of Jakeh, had obtained the name of collector, because he had only collected from other men's works, and disclaimed his being a wise man himself. Le Clerc suspects, from the first and third verses of this chapter, that Agur was no Hebrew, but a proselyte from some of the neighbouring nations. AGYNIAN1, a sect who condemned all use of flesh, and also marriage, which they said was not instituted by God, but intro- duced at the instigation of the devil. The word is compounded of the privative a, and yvvrj, woman. They are sometimes also called Agynienses, and Agynii, and are said to have appeared about the year 694. A'HAB, nxnK,' 'A%ad]3, signifies, the bro- ther of the father, uncle, or father of the bro- ther. Ahab, king of Israel, the son and suc- cessor of Omri, began his reign in the year of the world 3086, and reigned twenty- two years. This prince did evil in the sight of the Lord, and exceeded all that went before him in impiety. He married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, who introduced the idols of Baal and Astarte among the Israelites, and induced Ahab to worship these false deities. (1 Kings xvi. 29, &c.) God, provoked at the sins of Ahab, sent to him the prophet Elijah, who declared to the king that there would be a famine of three years' continuance. The prophet hav- ing delivered his message, retired, lest Ahab or Jezebel should procure his death. (Id. xvii. 1, et seq.) The famine having continued three years, Ahab sent Obadiah, who was governor of his house, to find some good pas- ture in the country, that he might preserve part of his cattle. Obadiah, in his journey, met Elijah, who commanded him to go and tell Ahab, that Elijah was there. Ahab came immediately to meet him, and said to the prophet, 'Art thou he that troubleth Israel?' The prophet answered ; ' I have not troubled Israel ; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.' Then the prophet desired Ahab to gather all the people to Mount Carmel, and with them the prophets of Baal ; and when they were assembled, Elijah caused fire to descend from heaven on his sacrifice. After that, he obtained of God that it should rain, and the earth recovered its former fertility. ( Id. xviii.) Six years after this, that is, in the year of the world 3103, Ben-hadad, king of Syria, besieged Samaria, and sent ambassadors to Ahab, with insolent messages. Aliah replied, ' Let not him that girdeth on his harness, boast himself as he that put- teth it off.' After this, Ahab numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, whom he found to be a choice company of two hundred and thirty- two young men ; and 50 the people of Samaria, who amounted to about seven thousand men. With this small army, Ahab attacked the numerous host of the Sy- rians at noon-day, whilst Ben-hadad, and the thirty- two kings that accompanied him, were drinking and making merry. A panic seized the Syrian troops, and they began to flee. Even Ben-hadad himself mounted his horse, and fled with his cavalry. Ahab perceiving this discomfiture of the enemy, pursued, killed great numbers of them, and took a considerable booty. (1 Kings xx. &c.) What is rendered the ' young men of the princes of the provinces,' (verse 14.) who were the instruments in obtaining this vic- tory, has some ambiguity in the Hebrew. — It may signify either the sons, or the servants of the princes of the provinces ; either young noblemen themselves, or their fathers' pages, who were brought up equally delicate and unaccustomed to war. It was by these young men, and not by old experienced officers, that this battle was to be won ; that it might be evident the victory was wholly owing to God's gracious and powerful providence, and not to the valour or strength of the people. After this, the prophet of the Lord came to Ahab, to animate him with fresh courage, and to caution him against negligence and supineness, for he assured the king that Ben- hadad would return against him the next year. According to this prediction, Ben- hadad returned at the end of the year, and encamped at Aphek, with a resolution of en- gaging the Israelites in battle. Ahab, in- formed of this, marched against him with an army much inferior in number ; but he was assured of victory by a prophet from God. Both armies were ranged in order of battle, during seven successive days ; and at length, on the seventh day, a battle ensued, in which one hundred thousand of the Syrians were killed. The rest fled to Aphek ; but as they endeavoured to enter the city, the walls of Aphek fell on them, and crushed twenty- seven thousand of them to death. Ben-hadad, submitting himself to the mercy of the con- queror, was received by Ahab into his own chariot. The king of Israel also entered into an alliance with him, and permitted him to depart , on condition, amongst other things, that Ahab should be allowed to make streets and market places in Damascus, as the father of Ben-hadad had formerly done in Samaria. (Id. ibid, ver.22, 23, &c.) It is not agreed what we are to understand by streets. Some are of opinion, that by streets Ben-hadad means market places, in which commodities were sold, and the toll of which should belong to Ahab. Some think that he means courts of judicature, in which Aliab was to maintain a jurisdiction over the subjects of Ben-hadad. Some suppose that they were piazzas, of which Ahab was to re- ceive the rents. Some, that he means cita- dels or fortifications, which might serve as a restraint on the chief city of Syria, and be a AHA AHA means of preventing the Syrians from at- tempting any new irruptions into the land of Israel. But it seems most probable, that some Israelites were allowed to dwell toge- ther in certain streets of Damascus, where they might exercise their own religion and laws. The Jews say, that the prophet sent to Ahab to inform him of the return of Ben- hadad, was Micaiah. The clemency, shown so unseasonably to the king of Syria, greatly provoked the Lord; Ahab was reproved by a prophet. However, the king of Israel returned to Sa- maria in great indignation, and concerned himself little respecting the prophet's pre- diction or reproof. (Id. ibid. 35, 36, &c.) In the year of the world 3105, and before Jesus Christ 899, Ahab wished to make a kitchen garden near his palace, and re- quested one Naboth, a citizen of Jezreel, to sell him his vineyard, which was conveniently situated for his purpose, and for which he offered to give Naboth a better, or to pay him its value in money. Naboth replied, ' The Lord forbid, that I should give the inherit- ance of my fathers to thee.' On receiving this answer, Ahab returned very discontented to his house, threw himself on his bed, turned towards the wall, and would eat nothing. But Jezebel his wife, wrote letters in the name of Ahab, sealed them with the king's signet, and sent them to the elders of Jezreel, directing them, by false witnesses, to procure the death of Naboth as a traitor. These orders were too punctually executed, and when Ahab was informed of Naboth's death, he immediately took possession of his vine- yard. (Id. xxi. 1, 2, 3, &c.) The law of Moses prohibited the alienation of lands from one tribe or family to another ; but if a man was reduced to poverty he might sell his inheritance till the jubilee, when it was to revert to its former owner. (Levit. xxv. 15. 25. 28.) But as he was not poor, Naboth did not expect that it would be re- turned to him at the Jubilee : and it is, therefore, probable, that Naboth was one of the seven thousand, who duly observed the law. It was always customary, on the approach of any great calamity, or the apprehension of any national judgment, to proclaim a fast: I and Jezebel ordered such a fast to be ob- | served in Jezreel, that she might the better I conceal her design against Naboth. For by | this means she intimated to the Jezreelites, that there was among them some accursed J thing, which was ready to draw down on their city the vengeance of God, and that it was I therefore the business of the Jezreelites to inquire respecting all those sins, which pro- Ivoked God to anger against them, and to |purge them out effectually. Joseph us is of opinion, that as Naboth was lof an illustrious house, it was ordered that Ihe should occupy an honourable place among 51 the elders, and chief rulers of the city, that it might appear they did not condemn him from hatred or ill will, but merely from the force of evidence. Others, however, suppose, that the reason of his being placed upon an emi- nence, was only because persons accused and arraigned were wont to have a conspicuous situation before their judges, that all the people might see them, and hear both the accusation and defence. As Ahab returned from Jezreel to Sama- ria, he was met by the prophet Elijah, who said to him, ' Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Na- both, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.' Ahab said to Elijah, ' Hast thou found me, O my enemy V And he answered, ' I have found thee : because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, behold I will bring evil upon thee and upon thy fa- mily.' Of Jezebel the Lord spake, saying, ' The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the way of Jezreel.' When Ahab heard these words, he rent his clothes, put sackcloth upon his flesh, and gave other indications of sorrow and repentance. It is supposed, that at this time Ahab also made his son Ahaziah co-partner of his crown, or perhaps only his viceroy. At least, this is the most likely expedient, by which the anachronisms in the books of Kings and Chronicles can be reconciled. The Lord, therefore, said to the prophet Elijah, ' Because Ahab humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.' (Id. ibid. 17, 18, &c.) But as Ahab's repentance was neither sincere nor lasting, God inflicted upon him some part of this punishment. H owever, he did not extirpate his family till the reign of his son Ahaziah. See Ahaziah. It has been observed, that God declared to Ahab the cause of the judgment, which was to befal him, but does not assign the place. For though the words in our translation are, ' In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood,' yet we are afterwards told, that the dogs licked the blood of Ahab in Samaria. (1 Kings xxii. 38.) The original should therefore be rendered, ' as the dogs licked,' or, ' in like manner as the dogs licked Naboth's blood, so shall they lick thine, even thine.' Patrick's Comment. In the year of the world 3107, and before Jesus Christ 897. Jehoshaphat, king of Ju- dah, came to visit Ahab in Samaria. This was at a time when Ahab was preparing to attack Ramoth-gilead, which Ben-hadad, king of Syria, unjustly retained. The king of Israel invited Jehoshaphat to accompany him in this expedition ; and that prince ac- cepted the invitation, but desired that some prophet of the Lord might first be consulted. Ahab therefore assembled all the prophets of Baal, who were in number about four E 2 AHA AHA hundred, and all of whom concurred in say- ing, * Go up, for the Lord shall deliver Ra- moth-gilead into the hands of the king.' But Jehoshaphat said, ' Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?' To this Ahab replied, ' There is one Micaiah, who never prophe- sied any good concerning me.' However, Jehoshaphat ordered to send for Micaiah. When the prophet came, the two kings were dressed in royal apparel, and seated each upon a throne, in an open place near the gate of Samaria, and around them were all the prophets of Baal, who pretended to be inspired persons. One of these prophets, Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, making himself horns of iron, said to Ahab, ' Thus saith the Lord, with these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.' The rest also prophesied in the same manner, and exhorted the king to march re- solutely against Ramoth-gilead. (1 Kings xxii. 2, 3, &c.) Some have thought, that the prophets here mentioned were prophets of the groves, who were not slain with the prophets of Baal, be- cause they are the same in number. ( 1 Kings, xviii. 19.) But perhaps in Israel, as well as in Judah, were schools of the prophets, in which those were instructed , who pretended to possess this gift. Though it is evident that these were false prophets, yet it is not probable that Ahab would send for those who were professed servants of Baal, and from whom he knew Jehoshaphat would re- ceive no advice. Besides, Jehoshaphat would not have accompanied Ahab, in oppo- sition to the opinion of Micaiah, if he had believed that only Micaiah belonged to the Lord, and his adversaries to Baal. Patrick's Comment. Ahab asked Micaiah whether he should march against Ramoth-gilead ? 'Go,' said Micaiah ironically, ' and prosper : for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.' Ahab added, ' I adjure thee, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true, in the name of the Lord.' Then Micaiah, with a more serious countenance said, ' I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have no shepherd : and the Lord said, these have no master ; let them return every man to his house in peace.' Then Ahab ordered his people to seize Micaiah, and to carry him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son, and to say as follows : * Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until T come in peace.' But Micaiah said, ' If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me.' Afterwards, Ahab and Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead. — The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ' I will disguise myself, and enter into the bat- tle, but put thou on thy robes.' God, however, in order to fulfil his word, 62 permitted one of the Syrian army to shoot a random arrow, which pierced the breast of Ahab. The king of Israel therefore said to his charioteer, ' Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded.' The battle lasted the whole day, and Ahab continued in his chariot that he might en- courage his army. In the mean time, the blood still issued from his wound, and flowed into the midst of his chariot, and towards the evening he died. As soon as his death was known, it was proclaimed by sound of trum- pet, that every man should return to his own city and country. The king's corpse was carried to Samaria, and buried in the royal sepulchre ; and his bloody armour, chariot, and harness, were washed in the fish- pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked his blood, ac- cording to the word of the Lord, in the year of the world 3107, and before Jesus Christ 897- (Id. ibid. 34, 35, he.)— Patrick's Com- ment. ; Calmet's Comment. ; Le Clerc's Com- ment. ; Pool's Annotat. Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, one of the two false prophets that seduced the Israelites at Babylon. The Lord threatened them by Je- remiah, that he would deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who should put them to death in the pre- sence of those whom they had deceived; and that all the people, when they wished to curse any one, should use their names, and say, ' The Lord make thee like Ahab and Zedekiah, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.' (Jerem. xxix. 21, 22.) AHASUE'RUS, uriwnN, signifies, prince, chief. This word is probably Persian. Aha- suerus was also called Artaxerxes, and was the husband of Esther. Chronologers are greatly divided who this Ahasuerus was. Usher believes, that it was Darius, the son of Hystaspes, and that he married Atossa, who is the same as Vashti, afterwards divorced by him ; and that he took to wife Aristone, the daughter of Cyrus, and widow of Cambyses, who is the same as Esther. This opinion, how- ever, is contradicted by Herodotus, who in- forms us that Aristone was the daughter of Cyrus, and, consequently, could not be Esther, who was too young. The same historian says farther, that Atossa had four sons by Darius, without reckoning daughters, and that she had so great an ascendancy over him, as to prevail with him to declare her son Xerxes his successor, to the exclusion of his own sons. — {Hist. lib. iii. and vii.) Scaliger, who has been followed by Jahn, thinks that Xerxes is the Ahasuerus of Scrip- ture, and his wife Amestris, queen Esther. He founds his belief on the resemblance of the names ; but the characteristics of Ames- tris in history incontestably prove that she is not the Esther of Scripture. The authors of the Universal History think, that Cambyses was the Ahasuerus, and Smerdis the Artaxerxes, of Scripture, from their obstructing the work of the temple; for AHA AHA in the sacred history they are said to have reigned between Cyrus and Darius, by whose decree the temple was finished ; and as no one except Cambyses and Smerdis, reigned between Cyrus and Darius, these authors are of opinion, that no one, except Cambyses and Smerdis, could be the Ahasuerus and Arta- xerxes, who are said to have put a stop to the work. (Ezra iv. 5, 6, 7-) The most probable opinion seems to be that of Dr. Prideaux, who maintains that the Ahasuerus of Scripture was Artaxerxes Longimanus. The following are the reasons on which he founds this opinion : 1 . Jose- phus (Antiq. lib. xi. cap. 6.) assures us, that Artaxerxes Longimanus was the husband of Esther. 2. The Septuagint version, and the Greek additions to the book of Esther, call Ahasuerus by the name of Artaxerxes. 3. Several circumstances in these additions cannot be applied to Artaxerxes Mnemon. 4. The extraordinary favour, with which Ar- taxerxes Longimanus honoured the Jews, farther strengthens the probability that he had married a Jewess. This opinion of Dr. Prideauxis maintained by Sulpitius Severus, and many others, both ancients and moderns ; and it has been adopted by bishop Tomline, Dr. Gray, and Dr. Hales, the very accurate chronologer. See Artaxerxes Longima- nus. Prideauxis Connexion, vol. i. pp. 270, et seq. ; Gray's Key, p. 227 ; Tomline' s Ele- ments, vol. i. p. 93 ; Hales 1 s Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. book i. pp. 524, et seq. ; Home's Introduction, vol. iv. p. 69, note; Univ. History, vol. v. AHA'VA, nihk, signifies essence, or gene- ration. It was the name of a river of Ba- bylonia, or rather of Assyria, where Ezra assembled those captives, whom he after- wards brought into Judea. (Ezra viii. 15.) The river Ahava is thought to be that which ran along the Adabene, where a river Diava, or Adiava, is mentioned, and on which Pto- lemy places the city Abane or Aavane. This is probably the country called Ava, whence the kings of Assyria translated the people called Avites into Palestine, and where they settled some of the captive Israelites. (2 Kings xvii. 24 ; xviii. 34 ; xix. 13 ; xvii. 31.) Ezra, intending to collect as many Israelites as he could, who might return to Judea, halted in the country of Ava, or Ahava, whence he sent agents into the Caspian Mountains, to invite such Jews as were willing to join him. (Ezra viii. 17«) The history of Izates, king of the Adiabenians, and of his mother He- lena, who became converts to Judaism some years after the death of Jesus Christ, suffici- ently proves that there were many Jews still settled in that country. A'HAZ, thn, signifies one that takes and possesses, or that sees. Ahaz, king of Judah, and son of Jotham, is celebrated for his im- pieties. There are great difficulties with respect to the age of this prince when he began to reign. The text savs expressly that 53 he was twenty years of age, (2 Kings xvi. 2.) ; and if he reigned only sixteen years, he lived only thirty-six years. But we are told that his son Hezekiah was twenty-five years of age when he ascended the throne, and must therefore have been born when his father Ahaz was only eleven years of age, (2 Kings xviii. 2.) This, indeed, is maintained by many good commentators. Such, however, as cannot be reconciled to this opinion, have attempted by various ways to solve the diffi- culty. See Hezekiah. Ahaz ascended the throne of Judah in the year of the world 3262, and before Jesus Christ 742. He imitated the kings of Israel and Samaria, and gave himself up to idola- try and all manner of disorders. He conse- crated one of his sons, whom he made to pass through the fire in honour of the false god, Moloch ; and he offered sacrifices upon the hills and high places, and in groves. — About the end of the reign of his father Jo- tham, the Lord sent Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, against Judah ; and these two kings invaded the kingdom, in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, whose troops they defeated, and afterwards besieged Jerusalem. When they found that they could not take that city, they divided their army, plundered the country, and made the in- habitants prisoners. Rezin, and his part of the confederated army, marched with all their spoil to Damascus; but Pekah at- tacked Ahaz, and after killing one hundred and twenty thousand of his army, took cap- tive two hundred thousand persons, men, women, and children. As these were being carried prisoners to Samaria, the pro- phet Oded, with the principal inhabitants of the city, came out to meet the captors, and by remonstrances prevailed with them to liberate their prisoners. Besides their liberty they also gave them food, and re- stored the booty which they had taken. Those who were unable to perform their journey homeward on foot, were conveyed in carriages to Jericho. At the same time, the Philistines and Edomites invaded other parts of the dominions of Ahaz, com- mitted great disorders, killed many people, and carried off much booty. (2 Kings xvi. 2 Chron. xxviii.) In these deplorable circumstances, and just before the siege of Jerusalem, the pro- phet Isaiah, with his son Shear-jashub, went to Ahaz, and foretold the deliverance of his country, and the destruction of his enemies. To prove the truth of his prediction, the prophet offered him the choice of what pro- digy he pleased ; but Ahaz, under the pre- tence of declining to tempt the Lord, refused to select any sign. ' Hear, then,' saith Isaiah, ' O house of David, is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Behold the sign, which the Lord shall give you ; a virgin shall con- ceive and bear a son, and shall call his name AHA AHA Jmmanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and chouse the good.' Then Isaiah, as a demon- stration of the approaching ruin of Itezin and Pekah, pointed to his own son, and assured Ahaz, that before this child should be able to distinguish between good and evil, the two kings confederated against Judah should be slain. (Isaiah vii, 3. 16'.) But as Ahaz did not change his life, God permitted Ids enemies to return the year following, and to lay waste the kingdom of Judah. In this distressed condition, Ahaz sent ambassadors to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, saying, ' I am thy servant, and thy son, come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.' To induce the king of Assyria to espouse his interest,he collected the gold and silver,which were in the temple and the palace, and sent them to the king of Assyria. Soon after, Tiglath-pileser marched to the assistance of Ahaz, attacked Kezin, and killed him. He also took Damascus, and destroyed it, and removed the inhabitants to Cyrene, or to that part of Iberia, in which the river Cyrus runs. (2 Kings xvi. "]. 9.) The book of Kings says, Tiglath-pileser came to the assistance of Ahaz ; whilst that of Chronicles, (2 Chron. xxviii. 20, 21.) that he did not assist, but rather straitened the king of Judah. To reconcile this difference, it seems probable, that Tiglath-pileser, in- stead of assisting Ahaz against the confede- rated sovereigns, attacked the king of Syria with his whole army, under pretence of caus- ing a diversion. Ahaz went to Damascus to meet the king of Assyria, and having seen in that city a profane altar, which he admired, he sent a model of it to the high-priest Urijah, and commanded him to construct one like it, to be placed in the temple of Jerusalem. Ac- cordingly, Ahaz caused the altar, which was in the temple, to be removed, and this to be fixed in its room. Upon this altar he offered sacrifices, and ordered the high-priest Urijah to use no other in future. He also commanded to take away the borders of the bases, and the laver from off them. He removed the brazen sea, which was supported by oxen ofthe same metal, and ordered it to be placed below, "li the pavement of the temple. (2 Kings xvi. 10, 11, &C.) The misfortunes, to which Ahaz was ex- posed , produced no amendment in his con- duet. In his greatest affliction he showed the highest contempt of God, by sacrificing to the Syrian deities, and endeavouring to render them propitious to his wishes. lie lu-oke in pieces the vessels of the house of God, shut up the gates of the temple, and erected altars in all parts of Jerusalem, and in all the Cities Of Judah, to burn incense on them to false gods. He died, and was buried in the (if. ol J< rusalt in, but not in the se- 54 pulchres of the kings of Judah, on account of his iniquitous course of life, in like manner as his predecessors, Jehoram and Joash, had been, and two of his successors, Manasseh and Amnion, afterwards w r ere treated for the same reason. He was succeeded by his son Hezekiah, in the year ofthe w r orld 3278, and before Jesus Christ 726. (2 Chron. xxviii. 22, 23, &c.) Universal History. AHAZFAH, h-tpk, signifies seizure, possession, or vision ofthe Lord, and was the name of the son and successor of Ahab, king of Israel. He reigned two years, partly alone, and partly with his father Ahab, who asso- ciated him in the kingdom a year hefore his death. He imitated his father's impieties, and worshipped Baal and Astarte, whose rites had been introduced into Israel by his mother Jezebel. Jehoshaphat, king of Ju- dah, having equipped a fleet at Ezion-geher, Ahaziah requested that his servants might accompany those of Jehoshaphat to Ophir. The fleet of these two princes sailed for Tarshish ; but God, provoked at the alliance of Jehoshaphat with this impious king, shat- tered the ships by tempestuous winds, and disabled them from performing the voyage. (2 Chron. xx. 37.) The Moabites, who had been subject to the kings of Israel since its separation from Judah, revolted after the death of Ahab, and refused to pay the ordinary tribute. Ahaziah was unable to reduce them to obedience ; for about this time he fell from the terrace of his house, and hurt himself considerably. He therefore sent messengers to Ekron, to con- sult Baal-zebub, the god of that place, whe- ther he should recover of the indisposition occasioned by this accident. The prophet Elijah, by divine appointment, met these messengers, and said, ' Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron ? Therefore, thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.' Ahaziah having received this information, immediately sent a captain, with fifty soldiers under his com- mand, to seize Elijah, and to bring him to the palace ; but the captain speaking to the man of God in an imperious manner, Elijah called fire from heaven, which consumed him and his fifty soldiers. Ahaziah hearing of this, sent another captain, who with his fifty men was in like manner consumed. A third being sent to the prophet, fell on his knees before him, and entreated Elijah to spare his life, and wait on the king. Elijah therefore, by the advice of the angel of the Lord, went to Ahaziah, and told him that he should not recover. According to the prophet's predic- tion, Ahaziah died, in the year of the world 3108, and before Jesus Christ 896, and Jeho- ram, his brother, succeeded to the throne. (2 Kings i. I, 2, &c.) A.HAZIAH, king of Judah, son of Jehoram and Athaliah, succeeded his father in the AHA AHI year of the world 3119, and before Jesus Christ 885. He was twenty- two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned only one year at Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of Ahab's house, to which he was allied by his mother, (2 Kings viii. 26, 27 ; 2 Chron. xxii. 2, 3, &c.) This prince was also called Je- hoahaz. The text of the Chronicles imports, that he was forty- two years of age when he began to reign, and in this differs from that of the Kings. Some suppose that the forty- two years in the book of Chronicles are not to be understood as pertaining to the age of Ahaziah, but to the time elapsed from Omri's coming to the throne to the reign of Ahaziah. Others think, that as the Septua- gint in this place reads only twenty-two years, the passage has been corrupted. Joram, king of Israel, attacked Ramoth- gilead, and was there dangerously wounded. At his own request he was carried to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds. Ahaziah, his friend and relation, came to visit him at Jezreel. (2 Kings viii. 28, 29.) In the mean time, Jehu, the son of Nimshi, whom Joram had left besieging Ramoth, rebelled against his master, designing to extirpate the house of Ahab, according to the commandment of the Lord. Joram and Ahaziah, who were ignorant of his intentions, went to meet him. Jehu shot Joram dead on the spot. Aha- ziah fled; but Jehu's people overtook him at the ascent of Gur, and wounded him so des- perately, that he died by the time he reached the city of Megiddo. His servants carried him to Jerusalem, where he was buried with his fathers in the city of David. In this manner is this incident related in the second book of the Kings, (ix. 21, 22, &c.) In the Chronicles, the story is told rather differently, and as follows : ' When Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu; and when they had slain him, they buried him, because, said they, he is the son of Je- hoshaphat ' (2 Chron. xxii. 8, 9.) Calmet observes, that to reconcile these two rela- tions, it may be said, that in this passage Samaria is put, not for the city, but for the kingdom of that name. — Jehu being in- formed that Ahaziah was still in the territo- ries of Israel, and continued dangerously ill at Megiddo, ordered him to be brought into his presence, and put to death We must also observe, that one great end of writing the book of the Chronicles was to supply what had been omitted in that of the Kings. In the latter, therefore, the account of the death of Ahaziah is very short, and includes the story of Jehoram, that the reader may at once perceive in what manner both these princes fell. In the former, the nar- 55 rative of this event is given more in detail. From comparing both, it would appear that Ahaziah, perceiving Jehoram mortally wound- ed, turned his chariot, and hastened to Sa- maria, that he might escape into his own kingdom : but finding the passes narrowly guai'ded, he concealed himself in the town. Jehu coming to Samaria, and receiving intel- ligence that Ahaziah was in the city, com- manded diligent search to be made for him, and that, when found, he should be carried to Gur, and there killed in his chariot. But as Jehu's orders to the officers were only to smite him, they probably thought it sufficient to wound him mortally. The servants of Ahaziah, therefore, carried their master from Gur to Megiddo, the next town in the tribe of Issachar, where he died. — Stackhouse's History of the Bible. AHI'AH, rvriN, signifies brother of the Lord. Ahiah was the son of Ahitub the high-priest, and his successor in the sove- reign pontificate. He left this dignity to his son Abimelech, who was put to death by the order of Saul. (1 Sam. xiv. 3.) AHI'JAH, rrnx ; see Ahiah. Ahijah was a prophet of the Lord, who dwelt at Shiloh. It is thought that he was the person, who spoke twice to Solomon from God: once whilst he was building the temple, when he promised him divine protection, (1 Kings vi. 11.); another time, after his irregularities, when God expressed his indignation with great threatenings and reproaches, (Id. xi. 6.) Ahijah wrote the history of this prince's life. (2 Chron. ix. 29.) The same prophet met Jeroboam, and taking from off Jeroboam's (or rather perhaps his own) shoulders a mantle, which he then wore, he tore it in twelve pieces, and said, ' Take ten pieces for thyself; for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.' He added, ' Howbeit, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hands, and I will suffer him to govern for the remainder of his life ; but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hands, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.' (1 Kings xi. 29, &c.) This happened in the year of the world 3020, and before Jesus Christ 984. See Jeroboam. About the end of Jeroboam's reign, and towards the year of the world 3046, Ahijah, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick. Jeroboam therefore said to his wife, • Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and get thee to Shiloh ; behold there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people. And take with thee ten loaves and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him : he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.' Accordingly, the queen went to Ahijah's house in Shiloh. Now the prophet could not see, his eves be- ing darkened with age ; but the Lord said to him, ' Behold the wife of Jeroboam cometh to AHI AHI consult thee concerning the indisposition of her son ; thus and thus shalt thou say to her.' As Jeroboam's wife, disguised, and conceal- ing her dignity, entered the house, Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, and said, ' Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignestthou thyself to be another ? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.' The prophet then com- manded her to go and tell Jeroboam all the evil, which the Lord had declared he would bring upon his house, for his impieties. He also informed her, that as soon as she en- tered the city, her son Ahijah would die, and that he only, of Jeroboam's house, should come to the grave, or receive the honours of burial. (I Kings xiv. 2, &c.) See Ahijah and Jeroboam. In all probability Ahijah did not long sur- vive these predictions ; but with the time and manner of his death, we are not ac- quainted. Ahijah, son of Baasha, king of Israel. Baasha killed Nadab, the son of Jeroboam (of whom we have been speaking), and usurped his kingdom; thereby executing the ven- geance, which God had denounced by Ahijah the Shilonite. (1 Kings xv. 27.) AHIM'AAZ, YinrrtK, signifies brother of the council, or my brother is counsellor, or the beauty of my brother. It was the name of the son of Zadok, the high-priest. He suc- ceeded his father under the reign of Solo- mon, in the year of the world 3000. He rendered David very important services during the war with Absalom ; for whilst his father Zadok was in Jerusalem with Hushai, the friend of David, Ahimaaz and Jonathan remained without the city near En-rogel, or the fountain of Rogel, whither a maid-ser- vant came to tell them the resolutions of Absa- lom's council. They immediately departed to give intelligence to the king ; but being disco- vered by a young lad, who informed Absalom, they were pursued. Ahimaaz and Jonathan, fearing to be taken, retired to the house of a man of Bahurim, in whose court- yard was a well, in which they concealed themselves. Upon the mouth of this well the woman spread a covering, and on the covering corn ground, or rather parched. When Absalom's people came and inquired after Ahimaaz and Jonathan, the woman answered, ' They are over the little water, being in great haste.' — Deceived by this equivocation, the pursuers passed over a brook at no great distance, but not finding them, returned to Jerusalem.' — Afterwards Ahimaaz and Jonathan conti- nued their journey to David. (2 Sam. xv.27, &c. ; xvii. 17, &c) After the battle of Joab and Abishai, in which Absalom was slain, Ahimaaz desired leave of Joab to carry the news to David ; but Joab first sent Cushi, and afterwards, at his repeated entreaty, Ahimaaz, who went by the way of the plain, and out- ran Cushi. The sentinel, who kept watch upon the roof over the gate, seeing him, gave notice to the king, 56 and said, ' The running of the foremost messenger is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.' The king said, ' He is a good man, and bringeth good tidings.' Ahimaaz coming near, called, and said, ' All is well,' and he fell down to the earth on his face before the king, and spoke as follows : ' Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath de- livered up the men that lift up their hand against my lord the king.' The king said, ' Is the young man Absalom safe?' Ahimaaz, from prudence, or real ignorance, or unwil- lingness to declare the truth, replied only, ' When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.' The king said, ' Turn aside, and stand here.' (2 Sam. xviii. 19, 20, &c.) This is all we learn concern- ing Ahimaaz. He was succeeded in the high-priesthood by his son Azariah. (1 Chron. vi. 9.) AH'IMAN, )D"rtK, 'kx^av, signifies a brother prepared, or brother of the right hand. — Ahiman was a giant of the race of Anak, and dwelt at Hebron, when the spies visited the land of Canaan. (Numb. xiii. 22.) He was driven from Hebron with his brethren Sheshai and Talmai, when Caleb took that city, in the year of the world 2559, and be- fore Jesus Christ 1445. (Josh. xv. 14.) AHIM'ELECH, ^qtik, signifies my brother is a king, or the brother of my king. Ahimelech,in some versions is called Abime- lech, and was the son of Ahitub, and brother of Ahijah, whom he succeeded in the high- priesthood. At that time, the tabernacle was at Nob, where Ahimelech, with other priests, dwelt. David finding it necessary to retire from Saul, went to Nob, to the high- priest Ahimelech, who was very much sur- prised to see him, and said, ' Why art thou alone, and no man with thee ?' David pre- tended urgent business, which belonged to the king, and persuaded the priest to give him the shew- bread recently brought from the sacred table in the holy place, Ahimelech having no other in his house. David also took the sword, which he had won from Go- liath, and of which he said, ' There is none like that, give it me.' Afterwards David fled to Achish, king of Gath. It happened that Doeg the Edomite was at Nob, when David went thither. (1 Sam. xxi, 1, &c.) Some time after, when Saul was complain- ing to his officers, that no one was affected with his misfortunes, or informed him of what was carrying on against him, Doeg related what had happened when David came to Ahimelech the high-priest. Imme- diately Saul sent for Ahimelech, and the other priests, and said to Ahimelech, ' Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him?' Ahimelech, in vindication, an- swered the king, ' Who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's AHI Al son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house ? Did I then be- gin to inquire of God for him V By this last interrogation Ahimelech meant, that he had often before inquired of God for David. Saul commanded his guards that were about him to slay the priests ; but they refused to com- mit so barbarous an action, as to kill the priests of the Lord. However, Doeg, who had been their accuser, by the king's com- mand became their executioner, and with his sacrilegious hand slew eighty-five of them, though the Septuagint and the Syriac version read three hundred and fifty. He after- wards went to Nob, and put to the sword, men, women, children, and cattle ; but one of Ahimelech's sons, by name Abiathar, es- caped the slaughter, and retired to David. (1 Sam. xxii. 9, &c.) This happened in the year of the world 2944, and before Jesus Christ 1060. AHIT'OPHEL, ^urnx, signifies brother of ruin or folly, and was the name of a na- tive of Gillo. He was a great statesman, and for some time the counsellor of king David, whom he at length deserted, by participating in the rebellion of Absalom. The Jews describe him as grandfather to Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and afterwards of David, by his son Ammiel, the father of Bathsheba. If so, Ahitophel must have been very old at the time of Absalom's rebellion, since his grand- daughter Bathsheba had been some time married to Uriah, before she be- came the wife of David. Some conjecture, that the cause of Ahitophel's embracing the interest of Absalom with so much warmth, was revenge for the dishonour which David had brought on his grand- daughter. For the same reason also they imagine, he advised Absalom to lie with his father's concubines ; but the Scripture says, this was done to ren- der Absalom and David irreconcileable. However this might be, Absalom was no sooner acknowledged king by the greater part of Israel, than he sent for Ahitophel to assist him with his advice ; for at that time, Ahitophel's counsels were received as ora- cles. — Nothing gave David more uneasiness, than the information that this great states- man was of Absalom's party ; when his friend Hushai came to accompany him in his flight he entreated him rather to return to Jerusa- lem, offer his services to Absalom, and en- deavour to frustrate the prudent measures, which might be proposed by Ahitophel. When Absalom had entered Jerusalem, Ahitophel advised him, in the first place, publicly to abuse his father's concubines, that all Israel might know he had rendered the breach with his father absolute and ir- revocable. Soon after, Ahitophel said to Absalom, ' Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak- handed, and will make him afraid ; and 57 all the people that are with him will flee ; and I will smite the king only. And I will bring back all the people unto thee ; the man, whom thou seekest, is as if all re- turned : so all the people shall be in peace.' This advice was very agreeable to Absa- lom, and to all the elders of Israel. How- ever, Absalom desired that Hushai might be called, and give his opinion. Hushai being informed of the advice of Ahitophel, said, The counsel that Ahito- phel has given is not good at this time.' He then proposed some other measure ; and the Lord permitted the advice of Ahi- tophel to be rejected, that the ruin of Ab- salom might be hastened. When Ahito- phel saw that his counsel was neglected, he went to his house at Gillo, and hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers. (2 Sam. xvi. 15; xvii. 1.) With- out doubt, he foresaw what would be the event, and was determined to avoid that ignominious death, which he deserved, and which David would certainly have inflicted on him, when resettled on the throne. This happened in the year of the world 2981, and before Jesus Christ 1023. AHO'LIBAH, or Aelibeh, nn^nx, sig- nifies my tent and my tabernacle. Aholibah and Aholah are two feigned or symbolical names used by Ezekiel in his prophecy to denote the two kingdoms of Judah and Samaria, (xxiii. 4.) They are represented as sisters, and of Egyptian ex- traction. Ahola denotes Samaria, and Aholibah, Jerusalem. The first signifies a tent; the second my lent is in her. They both prostituted themselves to the Egyp- tians and Assyrians, whose abominations and idolatries they imitated. Therefore the Lord abandoned them to the power of those very people, for whom they had shown so excessive and so impure an affec- tion. They were carried into captivity and reduced to the severest servitude. AHUZ'ZATH, nmK, Ahuzath or Acho- zath, signifies possession, occupation, vision, or brother of the olive. Ahuzzath was the friend of Abimelech, king of Gerar, and came with that prince and Philcol the general of his army, to make an alliance with Isaac. (Genesis xxvi. 26.) Several interpreters, following the Chaldee and St Jerom, take Ahuzzath in an appellative sense to signify a company of friends, who attended Abime- lech. The Septuagint call him Ahuzzath, the brideman. He lived in the year of the world 2200, and before Jesus Christ 1804. A'l, a city to the westward of Bethel. (Gen. xii. 8. Josh. vii. 2, 3, &c.) The Sep- tuagint call it Agai, Josepbus denominates it Aina; and others call it Aiath. Joshua having sent a detachment of three thousand men against Ai, God permitted them to be repulsed on account of the sin of Achan. who had violated the anathema, pronounced against the city of Jericho, by appropriat- AI ALA ing to his own profit some of the spoil, in the ye?r of the world 2553, and before Je- sus Christ 1451. After the expiation of this offence, the Lord commanded Joshua to march the whole army against Ai, and treat this city and its king as he had treated Jericho, with the difference, that the plunder should be given to the army. (Josh. viii. 1.) Joshua sent by night thirty thousand men, to lie in ambush behind Ai. The next day, early in the morning, he marched against the city witb the remainder of his army. The king of Ai sallied hastily out of the town, with all his people, and at- tacked the Israelites, who, on the first on- set, fled, as if under some great terror ; but this flight was only a feint, to draw the enemy into the open plain. When Joshua perceived that all of them were out of the gates, he elevated his shield upon the top of a spike, as a signal to the ambuscade, which immediately entered the town, now without defence, and set it on fire. The people of Ai, perceiving the rising smoke, endeavoured to return, but were attacked in the rear by those, who had set fire to the city, whilst Joshua and his army advancing in front, destroyed them all. The king was taken alive, and brought to Joshua. The Israelites entered the place, and killed, in this day's action, twelve thousand men, women, and children. The king of Ai was hung upon a gibbet, where he continued till sun- set ; and when taken down, he was thrown before the entrance of the city, and over him was raised a great heap of stones. Afterwards, the Israelites divided among themselves the spoil of the place, as had been permitted them by the Lord. The author of the book of Joshua says, ' Joshua arose and all the people of war, to go up against Ai, and Joshua chose out thirty thousand men of valour, and sent them away by night.' (viii. 3.) There is a manifest contradiction be- tween this verse and the twelfth, in which it is said, that ' Joshua chose five thousand men, whom he sent to lie in ambush be- tween Bethel and Ai.' Calmet observes, that Masius allows only five thousand for the ambuscade, and twenty- five thousand for the attack of the city, being persuaded, that an army of six hundred thousand men would occasion only confusion. Masius seems to argue rightly, and to think like a soldier ; but the generality of interpreters, continues Calmet, acknowledge two bodies to be placed in ambuscade, both between Bethel and Ai, one of twenty-five thousand, the other of five thousand men. It is probable, that .Joshua sent at first thirty thousand men, who marched by night, and, to prevent discovery, went behind the eminences of Bethel, and posted themselves ;it the place appointed for the ambuscade. The officer ,-ii the head of these troops, detached five thousand men, who lay as close to the town 68 as possible, that they might throw them- selves into it on the first opportunity. With respect to the nature of the signal used by Joshua, several embrace the opi- nion of the Rabbins, who believe it was a staff belonging to some of their colours. Some think it very probable, that it was one of the fire-pots, which are used as en- signs by the eastern caravans, and the smoke of which would rise to a considera- ble height, and denote the fate intended for the city. However, Bochart and others are of opinion, that the signal was only a spear or lance, to which was fastened a flag to render it more visible. Patrick's Comment. ; Addi- tions to Calmefs Diet. A'JALON, pb-x, Ailon, signifies a chain, or strength, or a stag. It was the name of a city of the tribe of Dan, and was assigned to the Levites of Koath's family. It was situated between Timnath and Bethshe- mesh, and is probably the city alluded to by Joshua, (x. 12.) There were three other cities of this name, one was in the tribe of Benjamin, east of Bethel, (2 Chron. xi. 10.); another in the tribe of Ephraim , not far from Shechem ; and the third in the tribe of Zebulun, but its situation is not known. (2 Chron. xxviii. 18.) AICHMALOTARCH, AixfiaXordpxvc, signifies the prince of the captivity, or chief of the captives. The Jews pretend, that this was the title of him, who had the govern- ment of the people during the captivity of Babylon, and they believe these princes or governors to have been constantly of the tribe of Judah, and family of David. But they would be very much at a loss to prove the real existence of these Aichmalotarchs. There was no prince of the captivity be- fore the end of the second century. The office continued till the eleventh century. The princes of the captivity resided at Babylon, where they were installed with great ceremony, held courts of justice, &c. They were set over the eastern Jews, or those settled in Babylon, Chaldaaa, Assyria, and Persia. AKIBA, a famous rabbin, who lived about the year of our Lord 130, and was, as it were, the forerunner of the cele- brated impostor Barchochebas. Respecting this man, the Jews relate many ridiculous fables. He was in the height of his repu- tation, and prince of the Sanhedrim, when Barchochebas appeared, to whom he was attached, and whom he served in almost the same quality as John the Baptist served our Saviour. But these two men were governed by a very different spirit from that of our Saviour and his forerunner. They kindled a war in Judea, prompted the Jews to rebellion, committed infinite disorders in Judea and Syria, killed thou- sands of Christians and Romans* and caused the entire destruction of the country. See Barchochebas. ALABAKC'Ji/AAa/Sanx'/c, a term used to ALA ALB signify the chief of the Jews in Alexandria. Some believe that this name was given to the principal magistrate, or head of the Jews at Alexandria, by the Gentiles, who hated and despised the Jews. Some derive the word from alaba, ink used in writing. Others suppose it to denote the person who had the custom of salt, and that it was given in deri- sion to the head, or governor of the Jews at Alexandria. ALABASTER, the name of a genus of fossils, nearly allied to the marbles. We read in the Gospel of St. Matthew, that Je- sus Christ being at table in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, poured an alabaster box of pre- cious ointment upon his head, (xxvi. 6, 7-) It is observed that all vessels for the pur- pose of keeping liquors or unguents, were denominated alabaster, and hence it is sup- posed by some, that the box here mentioned was made of glass. This conjecture, they think, is supported by what St. Mark says, that the woman, who poured the perfume on our Saviour, broke the box of alabaster, (xiv. 3.) To this it is replied by others, that the expression, breaking the box, merely implies, that the seal which closed the box, and kept the perfume from evaporating, had never been removed, but on this occasion was broken, or first opened. Alabaster was also used by the ancients as a liquid measure, containing ten ounces of wine, or nine of oil. Hence some have sup- posed, that the box mentioned in the Gos- pels was made of glass, and denominated alabaster, from its holding the measure known by that name. Addenda to CalmeVs Dictionary. ALASCANI, a sect of Anti- Lutherans in the sixteenth century, whose distinguishing tenet, besides their denying baptism, was, that the words, 'This is my body,' in the institution of the eucharist, are not to be understood of the bread, but of the whole action or celebration of the supper. They derived their name from Johannes Lisco, a Polish baron, who was superintendent of the Polish church in England. ALBANENSES, a sect which arose about the year of our Lord 796. They held, with the Gnostics, and Manicheans, two princi- ples, the one good, and the other evil. They believed with Pythagoras in a transmigration of souls. They denied the divinity, and even the humanity, of Jesus Christ, asserting that he was not truly man, did not suffer upon the cross, die, rise again, nor really ascend into heaven. They rejected the doctrine of the resurrection, and affirmed that the general judgment was past, and that hell torments were no other than the evils we feel and suffer in this life. They denied free will, did not admit original sin, and never adminis- tered baptism to infants. — They disallowed marriage;, maintained the eternity of the world ; and held that a man can give the Holy 59 Spirit of himself, and that it is unlawful for a Christian to take an oath. They derived their name from the place in which their spiritual ruler resided. Gregory's Hist, of the Christian Church, vol. i. pp. 447, 448. See Manicheans and Catharists. ALBANOIS, a denomination, which arose in the eighth century, and renewed the great- est part of the Manichean principles. They also maintained the eternity of the world. See the article Manicheans. ALBIGENSES, a party of reformers in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, who derived their name from Albi, a considerable town of Guienne, where they first settled. They were a branch from the parent stock of the Waldenses, in common with whom they opposed the errors and superstitions of the Romish Church. Such an enormity could not pass unpunished ; and Peter de Bruys, one of their first teachers, was condemned to be burned. By their adversaries they were charged with the errors of Manicheism ; but certainly no errors of that nature appear to have been proved against them, though some of the later adherents to this sect seem to have imbibed the reveries of the Gnostics. The Waldenses, Albigenses, and other sects, daily increased, spread imperceptibly throughout all Europe, assembled numerous congregations in Italy, France, Spain, and Germany, and formed by degrees, so power- ful a party, as rendered them formidable to the Romish pontiffs, and menaced the papal jurisdiction with a fatal revolution. To the ancient sects, new factions were added, which differed indeed in various instances, yet were all unanimous in one opinion, " That the public established religion, was a motley sys- tem of errors and superstition ; and that the dominion, which the Popes had usurped over Christians, and the authority they exercised in religious matters, were unlawful and ty- rannical." These reformers refuted the su- perstitions and impostures of the times by arguments deduced from Scripture, and de- claimed against the power, the opulence, and the vices of the popes and clergy, under whose usurpations many princes and civil magistrates felt uneasy. The pontiffs, there- fore, considered themselves as obliged to have recourse to new and extraordinary me- thods of defeating enemies, who, by their number and their rank, were every way cal- culated to alarm their fears. In 1198, Pope Innocent III. prohibited all communion with the Waldenses and Albigenses ; he confis- cated their goods, disinherited their children, denied them the rites of burial, and gave to their accusers one-third of their effects. The same pontiff sent into the southern provinces of France legates extraordinary to extirpate heresy, in all its forms and modifications, without being at all scrupulous in using such methods, as might be necessary to effect their salutary purpose. From those spiri- tual champions, the formidable and odious ALB ALC tribunal, called the inquisition, derived its origin. But as Innocent III. perceived that the labours of the first inquisition were not im- mediately attended with the effects he had fondly expected, he addressed himself, in 1207. to Philip Augustus, king of France, and to the leading men of that nation, and solicited them by the alluring promises of the most ample indulgences, to extirpate the heretics by fire and sword. This address was repeated the year following. In 1209, a formidable army of Crusaders appeared against the heretics, who were comprehended under the general denomination of Albi- genses, and commenced an open war, which they carried on with the utmost exertions of cruelty, though with various success, for se- veral years. The principal director of this ecclesiastical war was Arnold, abbot of the Cistertians, and legate of the pope ; and the commander-in-chief of the expedition was Simon, earl of Montfort. Raymond VI., earl of Toulouse, who had been solemnly ex- communicated, to deliver himself from the ecclesiastical malediction, forsook the Albi- genses, and joined the crusaders ; but as fear had occasioned the apostasy of the earl of Toulouse, a similar motive produced his re- turn to the friends he had deserted. The earl of Montfort had embarked in this war, not so much from a principle of zeal for re- ligion, or of aversion to the heretics, as from a desire of augmenting his fortune, which he hoped to improve by obtaining the territories of Raymond. The selfish views of Montfoi't were seconded and accomplished by the court of Rome. After many battles, sieges, and a multitude of other exploits, conducted with the most intrepid courage, and the most abominable barbarity, he received from the hands of Innocent III. at the council of the Lateran, in 1215, the county of Toulouse, and the other lands belonging to that earl, as a reward for his zeal in supporting the cause of God and of the Church. About three years after this he lost his life at the siege of Toulouse ; and Raymond, his valiant adversary, died in the year 1222. The death of the two chiefs of this deplor- able war, was far from extinguishing the flame of persecution on the side of the pon- tiffs, or calming the restless spirit of faction on that of the pretended heretics. Raymond \ 1 1, earl of Toulouse, and Amalric, earl of Montfort, succeeded their fathers at the head of the contending parties, and prosecuted the war with the utmost vehemence, and with such various success, that the issue for some time seemed doubtful. — Raymond commenced bis career with advantages su- perior to those of bis antagonist ; and pope llonorious I I I. alarmed at bis vigorous op- position to the orthodox legions, engaged Lewis VIII. bin^ of France, by the most pompoUS promises, to march in person with s formidable army againsl the enemies of CO the Church. The obsequious monarch at- tended to the solicitations of the pontiff, and embarked with a considerable military force, but did not live to reap the fruits of his zeal. However, his engagements with the court of Rome, and his furious designs against the heretics, were executed with the greatest alacrity and vigour, by his son and successor, commoidy called St. Lewis. Raymond, pressed on all sides, was obliged, in the year 1229, to conclude a peace on the most disad- vantageous terms, even by ceding the greater part of his territories to the French monarch, after having sacrificed a portion of them, as a peace-offering, to the Church of Rome. This treaty of peace gave a mortal blow to heresy, and dispersed the champions, who had appeared in its defence. The inquisition was established at Toulouse, and the heretics were not only exposed to the pious cruelties of Lewis, but Raymond himself, who had formerly been their patron, became their persecutor, and treated them, on all occa- sions, with the most inhuman severity. Af- terwards, Raymond broke the engagements, into which he had entered by the treaty, and renewed the war against Lewis and the in- quisitors, who abused their victory, and the power they had acquired in the most odious manner. However, this new effort in favour of the heretics, was attended with little or no effect ; and the unfortunate earl of Tou- louse, the last representative of that noble and powerful family, dejected and exhausted by the losses he had sustained, and the per- plexities in which he was involved, died in the year 1249, without male issue. Thus ended a civil war, of which religion had been partly the cause, and for which it was partly the pretext. — The war, however, in its con- sequences, was highly profitable both to the kings of France and the Roman pontiffs. It is impossible to contemplate the vast effusion of human blood on this occasion, without emotions of horror. In the course of these wars, not less than a million of men are supposed to have been sacrificed ; and in this number are included three hundred thousand of the crusaders themselves. — What aggravates the horror to the utmost extreme, is, that the name of Christ should have been profaned to sanction such destruc- tion. Gregory's History of the Christian Church, vol. ii. pp. 127. 174. AL'CIMUS, AX/ctjUoc, signifies strong, vigorous. Alcimus, or, as he is called by Josephus, Jacimus, or Joachim, was high- priest of the Jews, and succeeded to this office in the year of the world 3842, and before Jesus Christ 162. He was of the race of the priests, but not of a family of the first rank, nor whose ancestors had en- joyed the high-priesthood. Besides, he had been polluted with idolatry during the per- secution of Antiochus Epiphanes, (2 Mace, xiv. 8.) and obtained this dignity by very irregular methods. After the death of ALC ALE Menelaus, he was confirmed in his office by king Antiochus Eupator. Alcimus did not perform the functions of it, till after the death of Judas Maccabaeus. Seeing, there- fore, that he could not exercise his dignity of high-priest, he no sooner heard that De- metrius, the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, had privately left Rome, and was arrived in Syria, than he waited on the new monarch at the head of the apostate Jews, who were then at Antioch. He besought Demetrius to defend them from the violence of Judas Maccabaeus, whom he accused as an oppres- sor of such as supported the king's party, and who had expelled them their country. He also entreated him to send some person into Judea to examine into the mischiefs and disorders committed by Judas Maccabaeus, and to chastise his insolence. (1 Mace, vii.) Demetrius immediately sent Bacchides with an army into Judea, and confirming Alcimus in his office of high-priest, charged them jointly with the conduct of the war. They endeavoured to surprise Judas and his brethren, who, suspecting the snare laid for them, happily escaped. However, Alcimus swearing that no injury should be offered to any, about sixty Assideans, with many scribes and doctors of the law, put themselves in his power, and were all murdered. After this perfidious action, no one would trust him. Bacchides having established Alcimus by force in Judea, marched into Syria, and left to Alcimus the whole government of the pro- vince, with troops sufficient for his support. Alcimus for some time defended himself with success ; but Judas obtaining a superiority, he found himself unable to resist him, and returned to the king with a present of a gold crown, a palm-tree, and golden branches, which he had probably taken out of the tem- ple. (2 Mace. xiv. 3, 4.) Seizing a favourable opportunity, he represented to the king, that so long as Judas lived, his authority would never be settled in Judea. The same was sug- gested by others, who had much influence with the king. Demetrius, therefore, was at length persuaded to send a new army into Judea, under the command of Nicanor. This general was killed, and his army routed, in a battle, which he fought with Judas Macca- baeus. Demetrius, being informed of this, again sent Bacchides and Alcimus, with a powerful reinforcement, consisting of the choice of all his troops. Judas Maccabaeus having ventured to attack this army with a body of only eight hundred men, was killed in the engagement. (1 Mace. ix. 1, 2, &c.) By the death of Judas, Alcimus and his party were delivered from a formidable ene- my, and obtained superiority in the country. Alcimus began to exercise the offices of the priesthood, which he had purchased with money ; but attempting to pull down the wall of the inner court, which had been built by the prophets, and which probably sepa- rated the altar of burnt-offerings from the 61 priests' court, God punished him by a stroke of the palsy, of which he died in the year of the world 3844. (1 Mace. vii. 9 ; ix. 54.) ALEPH, (x), the name of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from which the alpha of the Syrians and Greeks was formed. This word signifies prince, chief, or thousand. Cer- tain Psalms, and other parts of Scripture, begin with aleph ; and other verses with the rest of the Hebrew letters. These pieces are called acrostics, because all the verses, which compose them, begin with a letter in alphabetical order. ALEXAN'DER, 'AXQavSpog, signifies one that assists men ; helps stoutly ; or turns away evil. Alexander the Great, son and successor of Philip, king of Macedon, is denoted in the prophecies of Daniel by a leopard with four wings, signifying his great strength, and the unusual rapidity of his conquests. (Dan. vii. 6.) and by a one-horned he-goat running over the earth so swiftly as not to touch it, attack- ing a ram with two horns, overthrowing him, and trampling him under foot, without any being able to rescue him. (Id. viii. 4, 5, 6, 7«) The he-goat prefigured Alexander ; the ram, Darius Codomannus, the last of the Persian kings. In the statue beheld by Nebuchad- nezzar in his dream, (Id. ii. 39.) the belly of brass was the emblem of Alexander, and the legs of iron denoted his successors. He was appointed by God to destroy the Persian empire, and to substitute in its room the Grecian monarchy. Alexander succeeded his father Philip in the year of the world 3668, and before Jesus Christ 336. He was chosen by the Greeks general of their troops against the Persians, and entered Asia at the head of thirty-four thousand men, in the year of the world 3670. In one campaign, he subdued almost all Asia Minor, and afterwards defeated, in the narrow passes, which lead from Syria to Cilicia, the army of Darius, which consisted of four hun- dred thousand foot, and one hundred thou- sand horse. Darius fled, and left in the hands of the conqueror, his camp, baggage, children, wife, and mother. After subduing Syria, Alexander came to Tyre ; and the Tyrians refusing him en- trance into their city, he besieged it. At the same time, he wrote to Jaddus, high-priest of the Jews, that he expected to be acknow- ledged by him, and to receive from him the same submission, which had been hitherto paid to the king of Persia. Jaddus refusing to comply, under pretence of having sworn fidelity to Darius, Alexander resolved to march against Jerusalem, when he had re- duced Tyre. After a long siege, this city was taken and sacked ; and Alexander en- tered Palestine, in the year of the world 3672, and subjected it to his obedience. As he was marching against Jerusalem, the Jews became greatly alarmed, and had recourse to prayers and sacrifices. The Lord, in a ALE ALE dream, commanded Jaddus to open the gates to the conqueror, and at the head of his peo- ple, dressed in his pontifical ornaments, and attended by the priests in their robes, to ad- vance and meet the Macedonian king. Jaddus obeyed ; and Alexander perceiving this com- pany approaching, hastened towards the high-priest, whom he saluted. He then adored God, whose name was engraven on a thin plate of gold, worn by the high-priest upon his forehead. The kings of Syria, who accompanied him, and the great officers about Alexander, could not comprehend the meaning of his conduct. Parmenio alone ventured to ask him, why he adored the Jewish high-priest ? Alexander replied, that he paid this respect to God and not to the high-priest. ' For,' added he, ' whilst I was yet in Macedonia, I saw the God of the Jews, who appeared to me in the same form and dress as the high-priest at present, and who encouraged me, and commanded me to march boldly into Asia, promising that he would be my guide, and give me the empire of the Persians. As soon therefore as I perceived this habit, I recollected the vision, and un- derstood that my undertaking was favoured by God, and that under his protection I might expect all kind of prosperity.' Having said thus, Alexander accompanied Jaddus to Jerusalem, where he offered sa- crifices in the temple according to the direc- tions of the high-priest. Jaddus showed him the prophecies of Daniel, in which the destruction of the Persian empire by Alex- ander is declared. The king was therefore confirmed in his opinion, that God had cho- sen him to execute this great work. At his departure, Alexander bade the Jews ask of him what they would. The high-priest de- sired only the liberty of living under his go- vernment according to their own laws, and an exemption from tribute every seventh year, because in that year, the Jews neither tilled their grounds nor reaped their fruits. With this request, Alexander readily complied. Having left Jerusalem, Alexander visited other cities of Palestine, and was every where received with great testimonies of friendship and submission. The Samaritans, who dwelt at Sichem, and were apostates from the Jew- ish religion, observing how kindly Alexan- der had treated the Jews, resolved to say, that they also were by religion Jews. For it was their practice, when they saw the affairs of the Jews in a prosperous state, to boast that they were descended from Manas- seh and Kphraim ; hut when they thought it (heir intereil to say the contrary, they failed not to affirm, and even to swear, that they unv not related to the .lews. They came therefore with many demonstrations of joy, to in. ct Alexander, as far almost as the ter- ritories of Jerusalem. Alexander com- mended their zeal ; and the S'h heinites en- treated him to visit their temple and city. Alexander promised that lie would at his re- 02 turn ; and as they petitioned him for the same privileges as the Jews, he asked them if they were Jews ? They replied they were Hebrews, and were called by the Phoenicians Sichemites. Alexander said that he had granted this exemption only to the Jews, but that at his return he would inquire into the affair, and do them justice. This prince having conquered Egypt, and regulated it, gave orders for the building of the city of Alexandria, and departed thence, about spring, in pursuit of Darius. Pass- ing through Palestine, he was informed that the Samaritans in a general insurrection had killed Andromachus, governor of Syria and Palestine, who had come to Samaria to regulate some affairs. This action greatly incensed Alexander, who loved Androma- chus. He therefore commanded all those, who were concerned in his murder, to be put to death, and the rest be banished from Sa- maria, and settled a colony of Macedonians in their room. What remained of their lands he gave to the Jews, and exempted them from the payment of tribute. The Samari- tans who escaped this calamity, retired to Sichem at the foot of Mount Gerizim, which afterwards became their capital. Lest the eight thousand men of this nation, who were in the service of Alexander, and had accom- panied him since the siege of Tyre, if per- mitted to return into their own country, should renew the spirit of rebellion, he sent them into Thebais, the most remote southern province of Egypt, where he assigned them lands. A detail of Alexander's history is foreign to our subject. After defeating Darius in a pitched battle, and subduing all Asia and the Indies, with incredible rapidity, he gave himself up to intemperance. Having drunk to excess, he fell sick and died, after he had obliged ' all the world to be quiet before him.' (1 Mace. i. 3.) Being sensible that his end was near, he sent for the grandees of his court and declared, that ' he gave the empire to the most deserving.' Some affirm that he re- gulated the succession by a will. The author of the first book of Maccabees says, that he divided his kingdom among his generals while he was living. (1 Mac. i. 7-) This he might do ; or he might express his foresight of what actually took place after his death. It is certain, that a partition was made of Alexander's dominions among the four prin- cipal officers of his army, and that the em- pire, which he founded in Asia, subsisted for many ages. Alexander died in the year of the world 3681, and before Jesus Christ 323, in the thirty-third of his age, and the twelfth of his reign. He was buried at Alexandria. See Alexandria. Alexander Ba'las, so called from Bala his mother, was the natural son of Antio- ehus Epiphanes, and upon medals is sur- named Theopator Kuergetes. Some histo- rians will not allow him to be even the na- ALE ALE tural son of Antiochus Epiphanes. Florus calls him an unknown person, and of uncer- tain extraction. Justin says, that the ene- mies of Demetrius, king of Syria, suborned a young man from among the meanest of the people, to declare himself son and heir of Antiochus ; and that he, warring with success against the king of Syria, obtained his kingdom. Appian plainly affirms, that Alexander Balas pretended to be of the fa- mily of the Seleucidae without any title to that pretension ; and Athenaeus says, that he was the supposed son of Antiochus Epi- phanes. However, the Roman senate, the Jews, the Egyptians, and the Syrians, ac- knowledged him as son and heir of that prince. Heraclides of Byzantium was the person, who undertook to seat Alexander Balas on the throne of Syria, and to displace Demetrius, his particular enemy. He car- ried Alexander to Rome, and by presents and intrigue prevailed on the senate not only to acknowledge Alexander as the son of Antiochus, but also to issue a decree per- mitting him to recover the kingdom of Syria from Demetrius, and promising him the as- sistance of the Roman people. By virtue of this decree, Alexander Balas raised forces ; and sailing to Ptolemai's in Palestine, he possessed himself of that city, and assumed the title of king of Syria, in the year of the world 3851, and before Jesus Christ 153. He then wrote to Jonathan Maccabaeus, and sent him a purple robe, and a crown of gold. (1 Mac. x. 18, &c.) Jonathan therefore embraced the party of Alexander, notwith- standing the offers and solicitations of De- metrius. The two contending kings com- mitted the determination of their cause to a decisive battle, in which Demetrius, after performing prodigies of valour, was defeated and slain. Alexander Balas having thus obtained full possession of the kingdom of Syria, sent to demand the daughter of the king of Egypt in marriage. Ptolemy complied with the demand ; and the marriage was perform- ed at Ptolemai's, where the two kings met But Alexander did not long enjoy prospe- rity. He had not filled the throne above two years, when Demetrius Nicator, eldest son of the former Demetrius Soter, resolving to revenge the death of his father, procured from Crete an army of mercenaries, and passed into Cilicia. Alexander was then in Phoenicia; and as soon as he received the news, he returned with all speed to Antioch, that he might order affairs before the arrival of Demetrius. In the mean time, Demetrius having given the command of his troops to Apol- lonius, that general was defeated by Jona- than Maccabaeus, whom Alexander, for his services, advanced to new honours, and made an addition to his territories. (1 Mac. x. 69, &c.) Whilst these things were trans- acting, Ptolemy Philometor, father-in-law of 63 Alexander Balas, devised how he might unite the kingdom of Syria with that of Egypt, and took private measures to destroy both Demetrius Nicator, and Alexander Balas. Under the pretence of assisting his son-in-law, he entered Syria ; and after pos- sessing himself of many cities, which re- ceived him as a friend, he said that Balas had prepared for him several ambuscades in Ptolemai's. (1 Mac. xi. 1, 2, &c.) He ad- vanced to Antioch, without encountering any resistance, and seating himself on the throne of Syria, put upon his head the two diadems of Egypt and Syria. (Id. ib. 13.) Balas, who had retreated into Cilicia, col- lected a numerous army, with which he marched against Ptolemy and Demetrius Nicator, who were now confederated against him. He gave them battle, but his army was routed, and himself obliged to flee into Arabia; and Zabdiel, a prince of the Ara- bians, cut off his head, and sent it to Pto- lemy. (1 Mac. xi. 17.) This is the account given by the author of the first book of Mac- cabees. Other historians relate, that Alex- ander's generals, considering their own in- terests and security, treated privately with Demetrius, treacherously killed their mas- ter, and sent his head to Ptolemy at Antioch. This happened in the year of the world 3859, and before Jesus Christ 145. Alexander Balas left a son very young, who was called Antiochus Theus, and whom Tryphon raised to the throne. See Antiochus. Alexander Lysimachus, alabarch of Alexandria, and brother to Philo the Jew. Some think that this was the Alexander, who was in company with the priests when the apostles were carried before the senate, to give an account of their doctrine and con- duct. (Acts iv. 6.) This happened in the year of our Lord 34. Josephus says, that this Alexander was the wealthiest Jew of his time. He presented rich gifts to the temple, and was the father of Tiberius Alex- ander, who renounced the religion of the Jews, and turned Pagan. Alexander Lysi- machus managed the affairs of the empress Antonia. He was imprisoned by the em- peror Caligula, and was not liberated till the reign of Claudius, his successor. Alexander of Ephesus, who addressed the rabble that clamoured against St. Paul, and endeavoured to appease them. When, however, he appeared in the assembly, and was known to be a Jew, the Ephesians cried more vehemently, ' Great is Diana of the Ephesians !' It is not known whether this Alexander was friendly or inimical to St. Paul ; whether he was a Jew, or a convert to Christianity. (Acts xix. 33.) This took place in the year of our Lord 56. Alexander, an artificer in copper, men- tioned by St. Paul in his first Epistle to Ti- mothy, (i. 19, 20.) The generality of com- mentators are of opinion, that the apostle excommunicated him and Hymeneus, be- ALE ALL cause they had blasphemed against the truth. Some, however, think, that they were not excommunicated, but instructed by suffer- ing to reform their conduct Addenda to Calmet's Dictionary. ALEXAN'DRIA, a celebrated city in Egypt, built by Alexander the Great, in the year of the world 36'73, and situated between the lake Mceris and the Mediterranean Sea. Alexandria is pretty often mentioned in the Latin version of those books of the Old Tes- tament, which were written before the reign of Alexander. But this name does not oc- cur in the original Hebrew ; and instead of it we read No, or Ammon-no, which is thought by some to be the city of Diospolis, in the Delta, between Busiris and Mendesa. Some are of opinion that the old city No having fallen into decay, Alexander the Great approved so much of the situation of the place, that he built there the noble city, from him called Alexandria. The Arabians inform us, that Alexandria was called Caissoun, before it was rebuilt or enlarged by Alexander the Great. Dino- crates, who prepared the plan of this city, was the same architect that rebuilt the tem- ple of Diana at Ephesus. Aridseus, the bro- ther of Alexander, was charged with the care of carrying the corpse of that prince from Babylon, where he died, to Alexandria. He employed two years in preparations for the funereal pomp, which is described by Diodo- rus Siculus. A prophecy had prevailed, that the place in which Alexander should be bu- ried would rise to great prosperity. The governors, therefore, of several towns and provinces disputed the honour and advan- tage of possessing his body. It was proposed to carry it to Aigui, in Macedonia, where the kings of that country were generally buried ; but, at length, Egypt prevailed. His body was deposited first at Memphis, and afterwards in Alexandria, and is said to have been enclosed in a coffin of gold, and embalmed in honey. Some years ago, a sarcophagus was brought to this country from Alexandria, and deposited in the Bri- tish Museum. This sarcophagus was sup- posed by some to be the actual tomb of Alexander the Great This opinion, how- ever, has been ably controverted, and little doubt remains that the sarcophagus in ques- tion contained the remains of some other mighty conqueror, whose 'path of glory led but to the grave.' The hippy situation of Alexandria, be- tween the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, attracted the commerce of the East and West, .iiid soon rendered it one of the most flou- rishing cities in the world. But this city, formerly so rich and powerful, has now little remarkable beddee its ruins, the remains of its past grandeur. The commerce of Alexandria was formerly considerable, especially in com, that the centurion might readily find a ship of Alrxan- dria, laden with corn, sailing into Italy. (Acts xxvii. 6.) Apollos was a native of this city. (Id. xviii. 24.) Wells' s Geography ; Monthly Magazine, 1 804 ; Addenda to Calmet's Diet. ALEXANDRIAN MANUSCRIPT, a famous copy of the Scriptures, in four vo- lumes folio. It contains the whole Bible in Greek, including the Old and New Testa- ment, with the Apocrypha, and some smaller pieces, but not quite complete. It is pre- served in the British Museum. It was sent as a present to King Charles I. from Cyril - lus Lucaris, patriarch of Constantinople, by Sir Thomas Rowe, ambassador from Eng- land to the Grand Seignior, about the year 1628. Cyrillus brought it with him from Alexandria, where it was probably written. In a schedule annexed to it, he gives the following account : — that it was written, as tradition informed them, by Thecla, a noble Egyptian lady, about thirteen hundred years ago, and not long after the council of Nice. But this high antiquity, and the authority of the tradition, to which the patriarch refers, have been disputed ; and the most accurate bi- blical writers are not agreed respecting its age. Grabe thinks, that it might have been written before the end of the fourth century ; others are of opinion, that it was not written till near the end of the fifth century, or rather later. This manuscript received the name of the Alexandrian MS., because Cyrillus brought it immediately, though perhaps not originally, from Alexandria. It ap- pears, however, to have been really writ- ten in Egypt. After a great display of learning, in which Dr. Woide examines the evidence for the antiquity of this manuscript, he concludes by saying, Codi- cem Alexandrinum intra medium et finem saeculi quarti scriptum esse. This is sup- posed to be the very greatest antiquity that can be allowed to this manuscript But the question relative to the antiquity of a manuscript, is of much less importance, than that which relates to the antiquity of its text. Dr. Woide published the Alexandrian MS. in 1786, with types cast for that purpose, line for line, without intervals between the words, as in the manuscript itself: its title is Novum Testamentum Gra?cum 6 Codice MS. Alexandrino, qui Londini in biblio- theca Musei Britannici asservatur descrip- tum. It consists, as has been already men- tioned, of four folio volumes, the first three of which contain the Old Testament, and the fourth the New Testament, together with the first epistle of Clement to the Corin- thians, and a fragment of the second. Mi- chaclis's Introduction to the New Testament, with notes by Dr. Herbert Marsh, vol. ii. pp. 186, 187, &c. ; vol. iii. pp. 655, &c. ALLEGORY, a figurative discourse,' which employs terms appropriate to one thing, to signify another. It is a metaphor prolonged and pursued. The prophets re- present the Jews under the allegory of a ALL ALM vine, which is planted, cultivated, and wa- tered, by the hand of God, but which, in- stead of producing good fruit, brings forth sour grapes. In like manner, the apostle compares the two covenants of Sinai and the Gospel, or Jerusalem that ' now is,' and the heavenly Jerusalem, and says that these things may be allegorized. Allegories, as well as metaphors, para- bles, similitudes, and comparisons, are fre- quent in Scripture. It is therefore one principal business of a commentator to distinguish between the literal and allego- rical meaning of passages, and to reduce the allegorical to the literal sense. The ancient Jews, as the Therapeutae, the Book of Wisdom, Josephus, and Philo, and, in imitation of them, many of the fathers, turned even historical passages of the Scrip- ture into allegories, and such places as had already a literal sense. But such allegorical explanations are of little or no use. ALLELU'I AH,or Hallelu- Jah, n-nbbn, signifies praise the Lord; or, praise to the Lord. This word occurs at the beginning or end of many psalms. Halleluiah was sung on solemn days of rejoicing. (Tobit xiii. 18.) St. John says, that he heard a great voice of much people in heaven, who cried, Alleluiah ; and the four and twenty elders, and the four beasts, fell down and worship- ped God that sat on the throne, saying Alleluiah. (Rev. xix. 1. 3. 4. 6.) This is the song of the saints at the fall of Antichrist. This expression of joy and praise was trans- ferred from the synagogue to the church, and is still occasionally used in devotional psalmody. An expression very similar in sound to this, seems to have been used by many na- tions, who can scarcely be supposed to have borrowed it from the Jews. Could this be one of the most ancient expressions of de- votion 1 As the Greeks used iXeXsv lov, in a solemn beginning and ending of their hymns to Apollo, it would seem that they knew it ; and it is said also to have been heard among the Indians in America ; and Alia, alia, as the name of God, and likewise in composi- tion, is used in a great part of the East. Ad- denda to Cab-net's Dictionary. A'LLUSH, Alush, or Ollush, vrhy, AlXovg, signifies/)aste or dough. The Israelites being in the wilderness of Shur, departed from Dophkah to Allush, and thence to Rephidim. (Numb, xxxiii. 13.) Eusebius and S. Jerom fix Allush in Idumea, about Gabala or Petra, the capital of Arabia Pe- traea. In the accounts of the empire, it is situated in the third Palestine, and is reck- oned by Ptolemy among the cities of Idu- maea. Some suppose that this word may signify a tongue, and in that case it would indicate a tongue of land, or a cape, as it imports a tongue of sea, or a bay. (Josh. xv. 2. 5.) Hence, probably, it implies, that the Israel- ites traversed the peninsula of Arabia to 65 its most southern cape or point, now Ras Mohammed, before they turned directly towards Mount Sinai. Taylor's Sacred Geo- graphy.. AL'MAH, 7\tty Halma, a Hebrew word signifying properly a virgin, a young woman unacquainted with man. In this sense it oc- curs in the famous passage of Isaiah, (vii. 14.) ' Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.' The Hebrew has no term that more properly signifies a virgin, than almah, though it must be confessed, without lessening the certainty or application of Isaiah's prophecy, that sometimes by mistake, a young woman, whether truly a virgin or not, is called al- mah. In like manner, the Latin word virgo is sometimes applied to one that has not her virginity. St. Jerom, in his Com- mentary on this passage, observes, that the prophet declined using the word bethaul, which signifies any young woman, or young person, but employed the term almah, which denotes a virgin never seen by man. This is the import of the word almah, which is derived from a root that signifies to conceal. It is very well known, that young women in the East do not appear in public, but are shut up in their houses, and their mothers' apartments, like nuns. The Chaldee Para- phrast and the Septuagint translate almah, a virgin, rj 7rap6svog; and Akiba, the famous Rabbin, who was a great enemy to Christ and Christians, and lived in the second cen- tury, understands it in the same manner. The apostles and evangelists, and the Jews of our Saviour's time, explained it in the same sense, and expected a Messiah born of a virgin. The Jews, that they may obscure this plain text, and weaken this proof of the truth of the Christian religion, pretend, that this He- brew word signifies a young woman, and not a virgin. But this corrupt translation is easily confuted. 1. Because this word con- stantly denotes a virgin in all other passages of Scripture, in which it is used. 2. From the intent of the passage, which was to confirm their faith by a strange and wonderful sign. It surely could be no wonder, that a young woman should conceive a child, but it was a very extraordinary circumstance, that a vir- gin should conceive and bear a son. Poole's Annotat. ALMARICIANS, a sect so denominated from their leader Almaric, who broached his tenets in France, in the year 12($. He affirmed that every Christian was actually a member of Christ, and without this belief no one could be saved. His followers went farther, and asserted, that the power of the Father continued only during the Mosaic dis- pensation ; that the coming of Christ intro- duced a new law ; that at the end of the twelfth, or the beginning of the thirteenth century, commenced the reign of the Holy Ghost, in which the sacraments and all ex- ternal worship were to be abolished ; and ALM ALP that every one was to be saved by the inter- nal operations of the Holy Spirit alone, without any external act of religion. —Their morals were as infamous as their doctrine was absurd. Afosheim's Eccles. Hist vol. iii. pp. 129—133. AL'MON, rio^y, signifies the same as Ala- meth. Almon was a city belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, (Josh. xxi. 18.) and is thought by Calmet to be the same as Ale- meth, which was given to Aaron's family. (1 Chron. vi. 60.) ALMOND-TREE, a tree often mentioned in Scripture. The Hebrews call itipw shaked, from a root which signifies to watch ; and, indeed, the almond-tree is one of the first trees that blossom in the spring. The Lord intending to display to Jeremiah the vigilance of his wrath against his people, showed him the branch of an almond-tree, and said unto him, ' What seest thou?' He answered, ' I see the rod of an almond-tree,' (Jer. 11.) ; a watcher ; which signified that God would watch over his word to fulfil it. In Judea, the almond-tree blossoms in January, and bears fruit in March. Aaron's rod, which bore blossoms and fruit in the wilderness, was of the almond- tree. (Numb. xvii. 8.) Ecclesiastes, ex- pressing in an enigmatical manner, that an old man's hair will grow white, says, ' the almond-tree shall flourish,' (xii. 5). This tree blows white. ALMUGIM, or Almug-tree, a certain kind of wood, which is mentioned in the first book of Kings, (x. 11.) and which the Vulgate translates ligna thyina ; and the Septuagint wrought wood. The Rabbins generally ren- der it coral ; and others ebony, brazil, or pine. But it has been observed that the almug-tree cannot be coral ; for coral is not proper to make musical instruments, nor to be used in rails, nor in a stair-case, for which purposes the Scripture tells us this wood was employed. The wood thyinum is that of the citron-tree, which was known to the ancients, and much esteemed for its colour and beauty. It came from Mauritania. By the best commentators, therefore, the al- mugim, or algumim, or simply gummim, tak- ing at for a kind of article, is understood to be an oily and gummy wood, particularly the tree, which produces gum Arabic. It is said, that gum Ammoniac proceeds from a tree resembling that which bears myrrh; and gum Arabic conies from the black aca- cia, which is supposed to be the same as the sl)itiiiii--.\()o(l, frequently mentioned by Moses, If so, Solomon's almug-tree, and Moses's shittim-wood, will be the same. See Sun i lie, ALOES, or ALOE, in the Linmran sys- tem of botany, is ;i genua of the hcxand'ria monogynia class of plants. Of this genus, botanical writers enume- rate ten species; of which the most con- rable are the Aloe of America, and that of Asia, the former being valued on account of its beautiful flowers, and the latter for the drug prepared from it. This drug, which is also called Aloe or Aloes, is pro- cured from the inspissated juice of the Asiatic plant in the following manner. From the leaves fresh culled is pressed a juice, the thinner and poorer sort of which is poured off, and being afterwards placed in the sun, becomes a hard yellowish substance, called socotorine aloe. The thicker part being put into another vessel, hardens into a substance of a liver-colour, and is thence called aloe hepatica. The thickest part, or sediment, hardens into a coarse substance, which is called aloe caballina, or horse aloe, from its being given to horses. This juice is famous for its purgative virtues, and is usually given in wine, in the form of a tinc- ture. This drug was used by the ancient Jews in embalming, to prevent the putrefaction of the dead body. Nicodemus bought about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes, to embalm the body of Jesus Christ. (John xix. 39.) In Proverbs, the debauched woman says, that she had perfumed her bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon, (vii. 17 ;) and the spouse in the Canticles, that myrrh, aloes, and all kind of perfumes, are to be found in the garden of her beloved, (iv. 14.) The Hebrew text in these pas- sages, and in Numbers, (xxiv. 6.) reads ahulim, which some interpret sandal-wood ; but the generality of commentators under- stand by it the aloe. Linncei Gen. Plant. ; Hill's Hist, of the Mat. Med. %e. ALO'GIANS, a sect of heretics that sprang up in the church soon after the death of John the Evangelist. They were called Alogians from their denying the Divine Lo- gos, the Word, or Son of God. They rejected the Gospel of St. John as a spurious work, only because it opposed their tenets. Their founder was one Theodore of Byzantium, a currier by trade. This man, having apos- tatized from the catholic faith, during the heat of persecution, offered to return to the church ; but his offer being rejected, he broached the preceding opinions, which were afterwards improved by the Arians. Hard on Religions. ALPHA, (A) the first letter of the Greek alphabet, which is derived from aleph (k) the fh-st of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Greek alphabet, alpha stands for one, or the first. A and Q, or Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alpha- bet, are appellations, by which Jesus Christ denominates himself in three different places of the Revelation, (i. 8 ; xxi. 6 ; xxii. 13.) By this expression he denotes, that he is the beginning and the end, the power that produces every thing, and to whom all things shall be referred. ALPHE'US, 'AX^tttoe, signifies a thou- sand, and was the name of the father of St. ALT ALT James the Less, the first Bishop of Jeru- salem. (Matt. x. 3. Luke vi. 15.) Al- pheus was the hushand of Mary, who is supposed to have been sister to the mother of our Saviour, and therefore, James is called the Lord's brother; but, though the fact is probable, the term brother is too general in its application, to fix their relation. Many are of opinion that Cleo- phas, mentioned by St. Luke, is the same as Alpheus. (Luke xxiv. 18. John xix. 25.) It is therefore supposed, that Alpheus was his Greek, and Cleophas his Hebrew or Syriac name according to the custom of this pro- vince, or of the time ; men being often known to their friends and countrymen by one name, and to the Romans or strangers by another. ALTAR, a kind of table or raised place, upon which ancient sacrifices were offered to God. Calmet thinks, that as sacrifices are nearly as ancient as the world, altars are of equal antiquity ; but we do not read of altars in the Jewish history till after the flood, when Noah built an altar to God, and offered upon it burnt-offerings. The Scriptures speak of altars erected by the patriarchs, without describing their form or their matter. The altar, which Jacob set up at Bethel, was the stone, which had served him for a pillow. Gideon sacrificed upon a rock, which was before his house. In the patriarchal times, altars were com- monly built near some grove of trees. The Jews were forbidden to plant groves, or even a single tree, near the altar of God. (Deut. xvi. 21.) The first altars, that God commanded Moses to raise, were made of earth, or rough stones, (Exod. xx. 24, 25.) ; and the Lord declared, that if iron tools were used in constructing them, they would become impure. (Ibid. 25.) The altar, which Moses enjoined Joshua to build upon mount Ebal, was to be made of unpolished stones, (Deut. xxvii. 5. Josh. viii. 31.) ; and it is very probable, that such were those built by Samuel, Saul, and David. The altar, which Solomon erected in the temple, was of brass, but filled, it is believed, with rough-stones. It was twenty cubits long, twenty wide, and ten high. (2 Chron. iv. 1.) That built at Jerusalem by Zerub- babel, after his return from Babylon, was of rough stones, as was also that of the Maccabees. Josephus says, that the altar, which in his time was in the temple, consist- ed of rough stones, and was fifteen cubits high, forty long, and forty wide. The principal altars of the Jews were the altar of burnt-offerings, the altar of incense, and the table of shew-bread, which is impro- perly called an altar. Altar of burnt-offerings was a kind of coffer of shittim-wood, covered with brass. It was five cubits, or two yards and a half, square, and three cubits, or one yard and a half, high. Moses placed it to the east, 67 before the entrance of the tabernacle, in the open air, that the smoke of the fire, which was kept perpetually upon it, might not defile the inside of the tabernacle. At each of the four corners of this altar was a spire in the form of a horn, which was made of the same piece of wood as the altar itself, and covered with brass. Within the altar was a grate of brass, upon which the fire was kept, and through which the ashes fell as they increased upon the altar, and were received into a pan placed below. At the four corners of the grate were four rings and four chains, by which it was fixed to the four horns of the altar. This altar was portable, and was carried upon the shoulders of the priests by means of staves of shittim- wood, overlaid with brass, and fastened with rings to the sides of the altar. (Exod. xxvii. 1, 2, 3.) Such was the altar of burnt-offerings belonging to the tabernacle, which Moses erected in the wilderness. The altar of burnt- offerings in the temple of Solomon was much larger, being twenty cubits square and ten high. It was covered with thick plates of brass, and filled with rough stones ; and on the east side was an easy ascent to the altar. After the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, and the building of the second temple by Zerubbabel, the altars of the Jews were different in some respects from those, which had been before used. Though the altar of burnt- offerings was built in the same place, in which it had stood before the captivity, after the return of the Jews from Babylon, it was a large pile of unhewn stones, thirty- two cubits square at the bottom, and twenty- four at the top. The ascent to this altar was by a gentle rising on the south side, called the Kibbish, which was thirty-two cubits in length, and sixteen in breadth. For to ascend the altar by steps was forbidden by the law. (Exod. xx. 26.) Prideaux. Altar of incense, was a small table of shittim-wood, covered with plates of gold, one cubit in length, another in width, and two in height. At the four corners were four kinds of horns ; and all round it was a little border, or crown. Every morn- ing and evening, the officiating priest offered upon it incense of a particular composition ; and for this purpose, he entered with the smoking censer, filled with fire from the altar of burnt-offerings, into the sanctuary or holy place, where this altar was fixed opposite to the table of shew-bread. The priest having placed the censer upon it, re- tired from the sanctuary. (Exod. xxx. 1, 2, 3.) This was the altar hidden by Jeremiah before the captivity. (2 Maccab. ii. 5, G.) Altar, or table for the shav-hrcarf, was a small table of shittim-wood, covered with plates of gold, having round it a little border adorned with sculpture. It was placed in the sanctuary, and was two cubits in length, one f 2 ALT ALT in breadth, and one and a-half in height. Upon this table were placed, every Sabbath day, twelve loaves, with salt and incense. (Exod. xxv. 23, 24. Mai. i. 7.) Altar at Athens inscribed dyvuxrroj Btip, to the Unknown God. St. Paul being come from Thessalonica to Athens, he disputed every day either in the synagogue with the Jews, or in the market-place with the philo- sophers. As he discoursed on the resurrec- tion of the dead, some of the philosophers brought him before the judges of the Areopa- gus, to whom he spoke in the following man- ner: ' Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious ; for as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God; whom therefore ye igno- rantly worship, him declare I unto you.' It has been disputed what this altar was, which was thus consecrated to an Unknown God. Jerom says, that it was inscribed ' to the gods of Asia, Europe, and Africa ; to the unknown, and strange gods;' and that the apostle uses the singular form, because his design was only to demonstrate to the Athenians, that they adored an unknown God. But as Dr. Doddridge observes on this passage, the express testimony of Lucian sufficiently proves, that there was such an inscription at Athens, and shows the unne- cessary, as well as unwarrantable supposi- tion of Jerom. Some believe, that St. Paul speaks of altars, extant in several places of Attica, without any inscription, and erected after a solemn expiation for the country, by the philosopher Epimenides. Some affirm, that this altar is the same as that mentioned by Pausanias and Philostratus, who tell us, that there were altars at Athens consecrated to the unknown gods. The occasion of this altar is differently related by Peter Comes- tor, author of the Historia Scholastica, Theo- phylact, and CEcumenius ; but it has been observed, that their several accounts have no authority from the ancients. St. Chrysostom thinks, that each of these opinions is liable to objections. The altar inscribed ' to the gods of Asia, Europe, and Africa, to the unknown and strange gods,' he observes, is not, in all probability, that mentioned by St. Paul ; for the Areopagiteswould never have under- stood it by the bare name of the Unknown God. He also thinks that one of the altars set up by Epimenides, and not inscribed to any deity, cannot be that, which is mentioned by the apostle. Some have thought that the God of the Jews was the object of this altar, he being a powerful God, but not fully known, as the Jews, instead of using his name in speech, substituted ' the Lord,' for 'Jehovah.' But it would seem, that this was a public altar, and probably stood in n public place, and therefore alluded to some public incident of former ages. 68 Eichhorn conjectures that there were many altars at Athens originally with no inscrip- tions, from the art of writing having been, at the period of their erection, unknown, or not generally received ; and that these, in a later age, the Athenians did not destroy, but, since they knew not to whom they were de- dicated, inscribed on them dyvdjar^Qt^, to an (some) unknown god; and that of several altars so inscribed St. Paul saw only one : and since he knew that more were so in- scribed, made mention of this, in order to show that he proposed nothing unusual or unheard of, but that his one God was found in the number of the gods already worshipped by them. To this opinion Niemeyer accedes. For my own part, says Kuinoel, I think that there were at Athens several altars on which this incription was written in the plural num- ber, as in the passages of Pausanias and Jerom above cited. And Pausanias, (v. 14.) tells us, that in Elis, where the Olympic games were celebrated, there were placed near the altar of Jupiter Olympus fiwjAbg dyvuGTOiv SreoJv. But I am of opinion, that at Athens there was also one altar with the inscription dyvoxrroj 6e(p ; although it does not appear that any other writer has recorded it. For no argu- ment can be deduced from their silence, to the discredit ofany writer, like St. Paul, of un- impeached integrity. The altar in question had probably been dedicated dyvwarq) Oeoj on account of some remarkable benefit re- ceived, which seemed attributable to some God, though it was uncertain to whom. The opinion of Kuinoel, observes Mr. Bloomfield, seems, upon the whole, best founded ; and in this Bishop Pearce (who wrote most judiciously upon the passage) ap- pears to have finally acquiesced. For, in con- clusion, he says, ' Therefore we may rea- sonably suppose that each of the altars, (viz. those mentioned by Pausanias, Philostratus, and others,) or at least one of them, may have had the inscription dyvworuj Oey.' He very properly rejects the interpretation of Jerom, and judiciously remarks, that ' the case be- tween Paul and Jerom is this : Paul, who was on the spot, says that he saw at Athens an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God ; and Jerom, who never was there, and who lived some hundreds of years after Paul, says, that the inscription which Paul saw, was not To the Unknown God, but To the Unknown Gods' Now, utri creditis, Quirites ? Bloom- field' s Recensio Synoptica Annotationis Sacra, vol. iv. pp. 573, 574 ; Dr. Doddridge in loc. Altar, is also used among Christians for the table where the Lord's Supper is administered. In the primitive church, altars were made only of wood, as being frequently to be removed from one place to another; but the council of Paris, in 50.9, decreed, that every altar should be built of stone. At first there was only one altar in each church; but the number soon increased ; and from the writings of Gregory AMA AMA the Great, who lived in the sixth century, we learn that twelve or thirteen were in the same church. Not less than 49 altars are in the cathedral of Magdeburg. The altar is sometimes sustained on a single column, and sometimes by four columns ; but the customary form is a massive stone- work, sustaining the altar-table. At the beginning of the reformation a dispute arose, whether those tables in the form of altars, which had been used in the times of popery, and upon which the mass had been celebrated, should be conti- nued ? This was followed by another con- troversy, whether the table placed in the room of the altar, should retain the same situation? In consequence of the former dispute, it was ordered that the altars should be destroyed ; but this order was afterwards countermanded by queen Elizabeth, who observed, that it was not a matter of im- portance whether there were altars or tables, but that if the altar should be destroyed, a table should be set in the same place, in which the altar had before stood. Bing- ham's Antiq. ; Wheatly on the Common Prayer. AM'ALEK, or Omelek, pboy, signifies a people that licks up, or that takes away all ; or a people that strikes, or that uses ill ; or the people of the sovereign, or ruler. AM ALE K was the son of Eliphaz and Timna his concubine, and grandson to Esau. He succeeded Gatam in the government of Edom, south of Judah. (Gen. xxxvi. 12. 16. 1 Chron. i. 36.) Amalek was father of the Amalekites, a powerful people, who dwelt in Arabia Petraea, between the Dead Sea and the Rad Sea, or between Havilah and Shur, perhaps in moving troops. (1 Sam. xv. 7-) We cannot assign the particular place of their habitation, nor does it appear they had any cities, though one is mentioned. (1 Sam. xv. 5.) They lived generally in parties, in caves, or tents. The Israelites had scarcely passed the Red Sea, when the Amalekites attacked them in the deserts of Rephidim, and slew those who, through fa- tigue or weakness, were obliged to lag be- hind. Moses, by God's command, directed Joshua to attack this people, to record this act of inhumanity in a book, that it might be remembered, and to revenge it in the most remarkable manner. Joshua, therefore, fell on the Amalekites, and defeated them, while Moses was upon the mountain, and in com- pany with Aaron and Hur. During the en- gagement, Moses lifted up his hands to heaven ; and to this his success was owing, for as oft as he did not extend them, Amalek prevailed. But the hands of Moses being tired, Aaron and Hur supported his arms, and held them extended, during the remain- der of the battle, which continued from morning till the approach of night. (Rxod. xvii. 8, &c.) This happened in the year of the world 2513, and before Jesus Christ 1401. 69 The ground of the enmity of the Amale- kites against the people of Israel, is gene- rally supposed to have been an innate hatred from the remembrance of Jacob's depriving their progenitor of his birthright and his blessing. However, their attacking the Israelites without any provocation, when they perceived them weak through great fatigue, and excessive drought, was an in- human action, and justly deserved the de- feat which they experienced. The reason of God's denouncing against them perpetual war, may be explained as follows : the Amale- kites, knowing that God intended to give the Israelites possession of the land of Canaan, attacked them with an armed force, in hopes of frustrating the designs of providence con- cerning them. Under the judges, we see the Amalekites united with the Midianites and Moabites, to oppress Israel, (Judg. vi. 3.); but Ehud de- livered Israel from Eglon, and Gideon de- livered them from Midian and Amalek. (Judg. iii. 13 ; vii. 1.) In the year of the world 2930, and before Jesus Christ 1074, the Lord said to Samuel, ' Go to Saul, and say, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I remem- ber that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.' Saul, therefore, marched against the Amalekites, advanced to their capital, and defeating them, drove them from Havilah, which is towards the lower part of the Euphrates to Shur, to wards the Red Sea. He destroyed the people, but spared the best of the cattle and moveables, and thereby violated the com- mand of God (1 Sam. xv. 1, &c.) See Agag and Saul. However, some fugitives escaped this' slaughter. Though the Amalekites scarcely appear again in history, yet about the year of the world 2949, and before Jesus Chris. 1055, a troop of them pillaged Ziklag, which belonged to David, and in which he had left his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. But David, returning from an expedition, pur- sued, overtook, and dispersed them, and re- covered all the booty, which they had carried off. (1 Sam. xxx. 1, 2, &c.) The Arabians maintain, that Amalek was the son of Ham, and grandson of Noah ; and that he was the father of Ad, and grand- father of Schcdad. Calmet thinks, that this opinion is not to be rejected : it is not easy to conceive how Amalek, if only the poste- rity of the son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau, could be a people so powerful and numerous as the Amalekites were when tin- Israelites departed out of Egypt. Besides, Moses relates that in Abraham's time, long before the birth of Amalek, the son of Eli- phaz, the live confederate kings invaded the AMA AMA country of Amalek, about Kadesh; and also that of the Amorites, at Hazezon-tamar. (Gen. xiv. 7-) In another place, Moses relates, that Ba- laam, observing at a distance the land of Amalek, said in his prophetic style, ' Ama- lek is the first (the head or original) of the nations, but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.' (Numb. xxiv. 20, &c.) Calmet observes, that the epithet of the first of the nations cannot agree with the Ama- lekites, if they were so modern, for the ge- neration then living was only the third from Moses. Moses never reproaches the Ama- lekites with attacking the Israelites their brethren; an aggravating circumstance, which he would not have omitted, if they had been descended from Esau, and, in this sense, brethren to the Israelites. Lastly, we see the Amalekites almost always joined in Scripture with the Canaanites and Phi- listines, and never with the Edomites ; and when Saul destroyed Amalek, the Edomites neither assisted nor avenged them. It is therefore probable, that the Amalekites, so often mentioned in Scripture, were a people descended from Canaan, and very different from the descendants of Amalek the grand- son of Esau, who, perhaps, were only a small tribe, and not permanently conspicu- ous. It may be observed, that by the ex- pression, ' Amalek is the first of the nations,' Bochart understands the most noble of the nations ; and Le Clerc, in his commentary, thinks, that the Amalekites were the most ancient and powerful nation of those, which proceeded from the loins of Abraham and Lot. In the margin of our present version of the Bible, the Amalekites are called ' The first of the nations, that warred against Is- rael.' The Arabians give us the following account of die Amalek destroyed by Saul. He was the father of an ancient tribe in Arabia, which contained only the Arabians called pure, the remains of whom were mingled with the posterity of Jocktan and Adrian, and so became Mosarabes or Mostaarabes, or Arabians blended with foreign nations. They believe that Goliath, who was over- come by David, was king of the Amalekites ; that the giants, who inhabited Palestine, in Joshua's rime, were of the same race; and that part of them retired into Africa while Joshua was living, and settled on the coasts Dl Darbary. The son of Amalek was Ad, a celebrated prince among trie Arabians. Some make, him the son of'.Uz, and grandson of Aram, the son of Shem. The Mahometans say, that Ad was the father of an, Arabian tribe called Adiics, who were exterminated for not hearkening to the patriarch Eber, who preached to them the unity of God. Ad had two sons, Sehadad and Schcdid. This is what the Arabians relate concerning the Amalekites. These accounts, indeed, are very imper- 70 feet ; but it seems fairly warrantable to sug- gest, (1.) that there were more kinds of Ama- lekites than one ; (2.) that the tribe, which Saul destroyed, might not be at that time a very numerous people, and that the tract of country mentioned as relating to them, was that of their flight, not of their possession ; (3.) that they were turbulent and violent towards their neighbours, as formerly towards the stragglers of Israel ; (4.) that such being their character, they might have given recent cause of offence to Israel, which produced a war, though the Scripture mentions only the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy; and (5.) that Agag, who was slain by Samuel, appears from the expression, ' As thy sword has made mothers childless,' to have been an extremely cruel prince, and therefore re- ceived a merited punishment. See Samuel. It is probable, that the different tribes of the Amalekites may in a geographical view, be thus arranged : 1. Amalek the ancient. (Gen. xiv. 70 who may be placed near the Jordan, (Numb. xxiv. 20.) ; 2. a tribe in the regions east of Egypt, between Egypt and Canaan, (Exod. xvii. 8. 1 Sam. xiv. 48.) ; 3. the descendants of Eliphaz. It was against the second of these that Moses and Joshua fought ; and against this tribe per- petual hostility was to be maintained. It was probably to the ancient Amalekites, that Balaam alluded as having been ' head of the nations.' (Numb. xxiv. 20.) Taylor's Sa- cred Geography ; Universal History ; Patrick Comment. AMA'NA, rOEK, signifies integrity and truth. Amana is a mountain mentioned in the song of Solomon. (Cant. iv. 8.) Some are of opinion that this is Mount Amanus, in Cilicia. St. Jerom and the Rabbins make the land of Israel to extend northward to this mountain ; and Solomon's dominion did extend so far. Mount Amanus, with its connections, separates Syria from Cilicia, and reaches from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates. There is another mountain of this name, which is situated beyond Jordan, and which some think to be the Amana mentioned in the Canticles. A MA'S A, or Omesha, Nwoy, signifies a forgiving people ; or the burden of the people. Amasa was the son of Jether and Abigail, David's sister. Absalom, during his rebellion against David, placed his cousin Amasa at the head of his troops. (2 Sam. xvii. 25.) Amasa engaged Joab, the general of David's army, but was defeated, in the year of the world 2981, and before Jesus Christ 1023. After the defeat of Absalom's party, David from ha- tred to Joab, who bad killed Absalom, and whose insolence rendered him insupportable, offered Amasa his pardon, and promised him the command of the army in the room of Joab. (2 Sam. xix. 13, &c.) On the revolt of Sheba, the son ofBichri, David ordered Amasa to assemble all Judah against Sheba; but Amasa not forming his army at the time AMA AMA prescribed, David directed Abishai to pur- sue Sheba with the soldiers he had then about his own person. Joab, with his peo- ple, accompanied him ; and these troops had scarcely got so far as the great stone, which is in Gibeon, before Amasa came and joined them with his forces. Then said Joab to Amasa, ' Art thou in health, my brother V At the same time, he took him by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. But Amasa not observing the sword which was in Joab's hand, the latter smote him with it under the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and he died. (2 Sam. xx.) AMAS'AI, or Omeshi, "woy, signifies the present of the people ; or with a present. Ama- sai, the son of Elkanah. (1 Chron. vi. 25.) It is supposed that he was the Amasai, who was chief of the captains of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, that came to David whilst in the wilderness fleeing from Saul. David went to meet them, and said, ' If ye be come peaceably to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you ; but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.' Then said Amasai, ' Thine are we David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse ; peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers.' David therefore received them and gave them a command. (1 Chron. xii. 17, 18.) AMA'SIS, a king of Egypt, who though not mentioned in the text of Scripture, is yet celebrated in sacred history. The Scrip- ture speaks of Necho, who killed Josiah, king of Judah, in the battle of Megiddo, (2 Kings xxiii. 29 ; Jerem. xlvi. 2.) Necho was succeeded by Psammis ; Psammis, by Apries, who is called in Jeremiah, Hophra; and Hophra by Amasis, who lived in Egypt at the same time Cyrus reigned in Babylon. Amasis reigned forty-four years, from the year of the world 3438 to 3482, and was loved and respected by his subjects. He died in the time of Cambyses, before Jesus Christ 522. AMAZ'IAH, rvvBN, signifies the strength of the Lord. Amaziah, the eighth king of Judah, was the son of Joash, whom he suc- ceeded in the year of the world 3165, and before Jesus Christ 839. (2 Chron. xxiv. 27.) He was twenty-five years of age when he began to reign ; and he reigned twenty-nine years at Jerusalem. (Ibid. xxv. 1, 2, 3, &c. ; 2 Kings xiv.) He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a per- fect heart When settled in his kingdom, he put to death the murderers of his father, but not their children ; because it is written in the law, ' The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the chil- dren be put to death for the fathers ; every man shall be put to death for his own sin.' (Deut. xxiv. 10.) It may, therefore, be reasonably supposed, that all his predeces- sors had not observed this law. but had 71 caused the children to be put to death, lest they should form factions, and seek to re- venge the punishment of their father. In the muster, which Amaziah made of his people, he found three hundred thousand men capable of bearing arms. Besides these forces, he hired of the King of Israel one hundred thousand men, for whom he paid that prince a hundred talents, or about 34,218/. 15s. English money. His design was to employ these troops against the Edomites, who had revolted from Judah in the reign of Joram, about fifty-four years before his accession. (2 Kings viii. 20.) While Amaziah was occupied with these preparations, a prophet of the Lord came to him, and said, ' O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee ; for the Lord is not with Israel. But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle : God shall make thee fall be- fore the enemy, for God hath power to help and to cast down.' Amaziah, therefore, se- parated the troops that came from Ephraim, and sent them back into their own country. But the Israelites who had been thus dis- charged, were strongly irritated against Amaziah ; and dispersing themselves over the cities of Judah, from Bethoron to Sama- ria, they killed three thousand men, and carried off a great booty, to recompense themselves for what they had expected from Edom. (2 Chron. xxv. 7, &c.) Amaziah, with his own forces, gave bat- tle to the Edomites, killed ten thousand of them on the spot, and took ten thousand more, who, says Calmet, had saved them- selves, in all probability, upon a rock, where they were assaulted, and whence they were thrown headlong, so as to be dashed to pieces (Ibid. 2 Kings xiv. 7-) It is said that Amaziah took Selah, and gave it the name of Joktheel. It has been observed, that the Hebrew word Selah, which our translators retain, signifies a rock, and ex- actly answers to the Greek word petra. It is, therefore, agreed by most commentators, that this Selah is the same with Petra, the metropolis of Arabia Petraea. Hence expositors in general think, that Amaziah having slain ten thousand Edom- ites, and taken ten thousand more in the valley of Salt, marched thence to Selah, the metropolis of Arabia Petraea, of which he soon rendered himself master. From the top of the rock, upon which the town was situated, he threw down the ten thousand he had taken prisoners, so that they were all dashed to pieces. Patrick, &c. Calmet observes, that this punishment was not commonly practised by the Jews, though it was in use among the Romans. It also prevailed in other nations, as Seidell (de Synedriis) has remarked. It is not in the catalogue of punishments mentioned by Moses, nor was it ever inflicted by any regu- lar court of judicature. Le (Merc, therefbfe, thinks that it was a cruel punishment, or AMA AMB that the Edomites, by their conduct to the people of Judah, had provoked Amaziah to a retaliation. Amaziah having thus punished the Edom- ites, in the year of the world 3175, and be- fore Jesus Christ 829, carried away their gods, and adored them as his own deities. This provoked the Lord, who, by a prophet, said unto him, ' Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not de- liver their own people out of thine hand?' Amaziah answered him, ' Art thou made of the king's counsel ? forbear ; why shouldest thou be smitten V Then the prophet for- bore, and said, ' I know that God hath de- termined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel, (2 Chron. xxv. 14, &c.) God, therefore, permitted Amaziah to be so blinded, as to believe himself invincible. He sent to defy the king of Israel, saying, ' Come, let us look one another in the face.' The motive of this war was, probably, to oblige Joash, king of Israel to repair the ravages, which his troops had committed in their return to Samaria. Joash answered him by the fable of the cedar and the thistle. Amaziah, deaf to these reasons, advanced to Bethshemesh with his army, and Joash, king of Israel, gave him battle. Amaziah was defeated, and being taken prisoner was car- ried to Jerusalem. Joash ordered four hun- dred cubits of the walls of that city to be destroyed ; and he carried to Samaria all the gold and silver, the rich vessels of the house of God, the treasures of the royal palace, and the sons of those among his own people, who had been sent as hostages to Jerusalem. (Ibid. 17, 18, &c.) After this, Amaziah reigned fifteen or sixteen years at Jerusalem, but returned not to the Lord with all his heart. God, there- fore, to punish him, permitted a conspiracy to be formed against him at Jerusalem. He endeavoured to escape to Lachish ; but the conspirators sent after him to that place, and caused him to be assassinated. He was brought back upon horses, and buried in the city of David. He died in the year of the world, 3104, and before Jesus Christ 810. Hi was succeeded by his son Uzziah, or Azariah, who was only sixteen years of age (Ih. 25, &c. ; xxvi. 1.) Universal History; I., Clerc'a Comment.} J Fells' s Geography. Amaziah, priest to the golden calves thai were at bethel. The prophet Amos had said that the high places, consecrated to idols, should he destroyed, and that, how holy socv.r liny tnighl be thought by Israel, they should be overthrown, and the house of Jeroboam extirpated by the sword. Ama- ziah, priest of Bethel, therefore, sew to Je- roboam, complaining of Amos, and at length proonn d i \ ii. u, io, &c.) See Attos. \ DOR, a )>■ nt by a i transact affairs of great moment. (2 Chron. xxxii. 31.) Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah the servants of king Hezekiah, are called am- bassadors of peace. (Isaiah xxxiii. 7- xxxvi. 3.) The apostles style themselves ambas- sadors of Christ, and were sent to carry his name among the nations. (2 Cor. v. 20.) AMBER occurs thrice in the sacred writ- ings. (Ezek. i. 4. 27 ; viii. 2.) The Hebrew word is differently interpreted. Amber is natural, and loses its brightness in the fire ; or it is artificial, and formed of gold and fine brass or copper. Bochart, Le Clerc, and others, suppose this artificial amber to be the chasmal mentioned in Ezekiel. It brightens in the fire, and is of equal value with gold. It resembles the Corinthian brass, now known only by its name, and is exceedingly splendid, and very hard. By its splendour, it denotes the glorious majesty of God, and by its hardness, his invincible power ; and both signify that it is necessary this people and we should repent, and amend, and return to him. Poole's Annotat. ; Scripture illus- trated. AMBROSE, bishop- of Milan, in the fourth century. The life of this prelate has an ap- pearance of romance. He was the prefect of Liguria and Emilia, and on entering the Church of Milan in a civil capacity, to quell a riot between the Arian and orthodox par- ties, concerning the choice of a bishop, found himself called upon to assume the vacant office, by the unanimous voice of the assem- bly, and was compelled to advance at once from the humble station of a catechumen to the government of the Church. In this high situation, he firmly sustained the cause of orthodoxy against the Arians of his diocese, against the entreaties and threats of the em- press Justina, the mother of Valentiuian, and even of the emperor Theodosius, whom he prevented from establishing a Jewish syna- gogue at Milan, and from erecting an altar to Victory. He also rebuked the emperor for his slaughter at Thessalonica, and com- pelled him to atone for his guilt, by the per- formance of public penance. Ambrose was loud in the praises of a monastic life, and uncharitable in his conduct towards those, who differed from him in religious opinion. With a credulity that bordered on folly, or with a design to impose on the credulity of mankind, a practice not very uncommon in those times, he pretended to the Arians to produce men, who were possessed with devils, and who, on the approach of certain relics, had been compelled to acknowledge the pu- rity of the Nicene faith, and the impiety of that of Arius. Ambrose composed several treatises in praise of celibacy ; a discourse on mysteries and penance ; several books con- cerning Faith, and the Holy Ghost; a dis- course on the Incarnation ; and several other works, lie was not destitute of a certain degree of elegance, both of genius and style, and his sentiments were by no means absurd ; AMB AMM but he wanted solidity, accuracy, and order, the prevailing defects of that age. Gregory's Hist, of the Christian Church, vol. i. p. 222, &c. Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. vol. i. p. 294, &c. AMBUSH, or Ambushment, the post in which soldiers or assassins are placed, in order to attack an enemy unexpectedly ; the act of surprising any one, by lying in wait ; or the persons stationed for that purpose. (Josh. viii. 2. Jerem. li. 12. 2 Chron. xiii. 13; xx. 22.) AMEDIANS, a congregation of monks in Italy, who derived their name from their professing themselves amantes Deum, ' lovers of God,' or rather amati Deo, 'beloved of God.' They wore a grey habit and wooden shoes, had no breeches, and girt themselves with a cord. They had twenty-eight con- vents, and were united by Pope Pius V. partly with the Cistercian order, and partly with that of the Soccolanti, or wearers of wooden shoes. A'MEN', fox, in Hebrew, signifies true, faithful, certain. It is employed also in af- firmation, and was often thus used by our Saviour ; amen, amen, verily, verily. Lastly, it is understood as expressing a wish, as amen, so be it, (Numb. v. 22.) ; or amen, yes : I believe it. ' How shall he that occupieth the place of the unlearned, say amen at thy giving of thanks ? seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?' (1 Cor. xiv. 16.) The Hebrews end the five books of Psalms, according to their way of distributing them, with the words amen, amen, which the Sep- tuagint translate genoito, genoito, and the Latins fiat, fiat. The Greek, Latin, and other Churches, have preserved this word in their prayers, as well as alleluiah and hosannah. At the conclusion of the public prayers, the people anciently answered with a loud voice, Amen. Jerom says, that at Rome, when the people answered Amen, the sound was like a clap of thunder. The Jews assert, that the gates of heaven are opened to him, who an- swers Amen with all his might. Amen is applied as a title to our Lord ; ' the Amen, the true and faithful witness.' (Rev. iii. 14.) AMETHYST, a gem of a purple colour, which appears to be composed of a strong blue and deep red ; and according as either of these colours prevails,it affords different tinges of purple, sometimes approaching to violet, and sometimes fading even to a pale rose. Though the amethyst is generally of a purple colour, yet it is sometimes found naturally colourless ; and it may, at any time, be easily so made, by putting it into the fire. In this pellucid and colourless state, it so much re- sembles a diamond, that the amethyst can be distinguished only by want of hardness. This stone was the ninth in order on the high-priest's breast-plate ; and upon it was engraven the name of Issachar. (Exod. xxviii. 19.; x-xxix. 12.) Hill's Hist, of Fossils. AM'MI,»DN, signifies mother ; or fear; or 73 a cubit ; or a nation. The imposing of this name on the ten tribes after their rejection, imports that in the latter days, God will re- deem them from their misery and bondage, and include them in a special covenant with himself. (Hos. ii. 1.) AMMIN'ADAB, uttdk, signifies my people is liberal ; or, prince of the people ; or, a people that vows. It is the name of several men among the Hebrews: — 1. Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, the son of Aram, and father of Naashon and Elisheba, the wife of Aaron the high-priest, (Exod. vi. 23.) 2. Amminadab, the son of Koath, and brother of Korah, (1 Chron. vi. 22.) 3. Amminadab, or Abinadab, the son of king Saul, who was killed with him in the battle of Gilboa, in the year of the world 2949, and before Jesus Christ 1055 (1 Sam. xxxi. 2. 1 Chron. viii. 33. ; x. 2.) 4. Amminadab, or Abinadab, a Levite, and an inhabitant of Kirjath-jearim, with whom the sacred ark was deposited, after it was brought back from the Philis- tines. (1 Sam. vii. 1.) He dwelt at Gibeah, or in the highest part of the city of Kirjath- jearim. Eleazar his son was consecrated, or appointed peculiarly, to the office of keeping the ark. It is not certain, whether Amina- dab was at that time living. 5. The cha- riots of Amminadab are mentioned as being extremely light : ' Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Ammin- adab.' (Cant. vi. 12.) He is thought to have been some celebrated charioteer, whose horses were remarkably swift. AM'MON, nay, signifies his people. — Ammon, No-ammon, or No. See No. Ammon, or Hammon, or Jupiter Ammon, the celebrated god of the Egyptians, proba- bly, a deification of Ham, whose posterity peopled Africa, and who was the father of Mizraim, the founder of the Egyptian polity and power. See Ham and Mizraim. Ammon had a famous temple in Africa, where he was adored under the symbolical figure of a ram; for the Egyptians repre- sented their gods under the form of certain animals. The famous temple of Ammon was situated in a delicious spot, in the midst of a frightful desert. Here was an oracle of great fame, which Alexander the Great con- sulted at the hazard of his life. This oracle, however, as well as others, fell insensibly into contempt. In the time of Strabo, it did not enjoy its ancient repute ; in that of Plutarch, it was scarcely regarded ; and in the reign of Theodosius, according to Prudentius, it was no longer mentioned. At Thebes, the ca- pital of Upper Egypt, Amnion had a most magnificent temple, which is mentioned by Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus, and the ruins of which are still visible, and justify the accounts of its extent and grandeur. From Diodorus we learn, that the same city, which was called Thebes, and which probably de- rived its name from some remembrance of thebah, the ark, was also denominated Dios- AMM AMM polis, the city of Jupiter or Ham. The pro- phet Nahum calls it by its Egyptian name, No-Ammon, the habitation of Ammon, or, according to the copies collated by Dr. Ken- nicott, Nueh, and Nau. It may be therefore remarked, that No, Nueh, and Nau, all of which are met with in the name of this town, have certainly some reference to the patri- arch Noah ; that Thebes equally refers to the ark; that Ammon also refers to Ham, the progenitor of the nations addicted to his wor- ship ; and that Ammon was certainly the Jupiter of the Greeks. Hence we see in what sense Jupiter is said to be the ' father of gods and men ;' and what was the origin and nature of that idolatry, which overspread these countries. It has been disputed, whe- ther Ammon is not an Egyptian compound of Ham and On, i.e. Ham the sun ; on being the Egyptian name for that luminary, after- wards idolatrously referred to Ham. On the other hand, it may be disputed, whether On (]in) is not a transposition for no N"0, so that originally Ham-on was equivalent to Ham of No, or Ham the son of Noah. The Scripture says nothing of this false deity in particular, but speaks of Ham, and of the city of Ammon, or No-Ammon, which was principally devoted to it, and which was very distant from the oracle just men- tioned. Though Hammon, the god of the Egyptians, was the same as the Jupiter of the Greeks, yet in succeeding ages the Egyptian and Greek names were united, and this deity was called Jupiter- Hammon. Ammon, or Ben-Ammi, the son of Lot, was born of that patriarch and his youngest daughter, in the year of the world 2107, and before Jesus Christ 1897- (Gen. xix. 34. 38.) Of him we know nothing more, than that he was the father of the Ammonites, a famous people, always at enmity with Israel, and that his abode was east of the Dead Sea and Jordan, in the mountains of Gilead. AMMONIAS. See Platonics. AM'MONITES, dow, or Meonites, D"Diyo, signifies afflicted, or who fail ; or, who ansiver. They were sometimes called Am- nianites, and were a people descended from Amnion, the son of Lot. The Ammonites destroyed the giants called Zamzummim, and seized their eonntry. (Deut. ii. 19, 20, 21.) God forbade Moses and Israel to attack the Ammonites, became he did not intend to give their I.iikI to ilie Hebrews. (Ibid. 19.) Befote the Israelites entered Canaan, the Anionics had eon<|iiere