Cab[[329]Measures]
Cabbona
town in the low country of Judah. (Joshua 15:40)
Cabul
+One of the landmarks on the boundary of Asher, (Joshua 19:27) now
Kabul, 9 or 10 miles east of Accho .
+Name of the land given to Hiram by Solomon. (1 Kings 9:10-13)
Caesaralways
in the New Testament the Roman emperor, the sovereign of Judea. (John
19:12,15; Acts 17:7)
Caesarea(Acts
8:40; 9:30; 10:1,24; 11:11; 12:19; 18:22; 21:8,16; 23:23,33;
25:1,4,6,13) was situated on the coast of Palestine, on the line of the
great road from Tyre to Egypt, and about halfway between Joppa and
Dora. The distance from Jerusalem was about 70 miles; Josephus states
it in round numbers as 600 stadia. In Strabo's time there was on this
point of the coast merely a town called "Strato's Tower," with a
landing-place, whereas in the time of Tacitus Caesarea is spoken of as
being the head of Judea. It was in this interval that the city was
built by Herod the Great. It was the official residence of the Herodian
kings, and of Festus, Felix and the other Roman procurators of Judea.
Here also lived Philip the deacon and his four prophesying daughters.
Caesarea continued to be a city of some importance even in the time of
the Crusades, and the name still lingers on the site (Kaisariyeh),
which is a complete desolation, many of the building-stones having been
carried to other towns.
Caesarea
Philippiis
mentioned only in the first two Gospels, (Matthew 16:13; Mark 8:27) and
in accounts of the same transactions. It was at the easternmost and
most important of the two recognized sources of the Jordan, the other
being at Tel-el-Kadi . The spring rises from and the city was built on
a limestone terrace in a valley at the base of Mount Hermon 20 miles
north of the Sea of Galilee. It was enlarged by Herod Philip, and named
after Caesar, with his own name added to distinguish it from Caesarea.
Its present name is Banias, a village of some 50 houses, with many
interesting ruins. Caesarea Philippi has no Old Testament history,
though it has been not unreasonably identified with Baal-gad . It was
visited by Christ shortly before his transfiguration, (Matthew
16:13-28) and was the northern limit of his journeys. (Mark 8:27)
CageThe
term so rendered in (Jeremiah 5:27) is more properly a trap in which
decoy birds were placed. In (Revelation 18:2) the (Greek term means a
prison.
Caiaphas,
Or Caiaphas(depression),
in full [330]Joseph CAIAPHAS, high priest of the Jews under Tiberius.
(Matthew 26:3,57; John 11:49; 18:13,14,24,28; Acts 4:6) The procurator
Valerius Gratus appointed him to the dignity, He was son-in-law of
Annas. [[331]Annas]
Cainone
of the cities in the low country of Judah, named with Zanoah and
Gibeah. (Joshua 15:57) (possession). Gen. 4. He was the eldest son of
Adam and Eve; he followed the business of agriculture. In a fit of
jealousy, roused by the rejection of his own sacrifice and the
acceptance of Abel's, he committed the crime of murder, for which he
was expelled from Eden, and led the life of an exile. He settled in the
land of Nod, and built a city, which he named after his son Enoch. His
descendants are enumerated together with the inventions for which they
were remarkable. (B.C. 4000.)
Cainan(possessor)
+Son of Enos, aged 70 years when he begat Mahalaleel his son. He lived
840 years afterwards, and died aged 910. (Genesis 6:9-14)
+Son of Arphaxad, and father of Sala, according to (Luke 3:36,37) and
usually called the second Cainan. The is nowhere named in the Hebrew
MSS. It seems certain that his name was introduced into the genealogies
of the Greek Old Testament in order to bring them into harmony with the
genealogy of Christ in St. Luke's Gospel.
Calah(completion,
old age), one of the most ancient cities of Assyria. (Genesis 10:11)
The site of Calah is probably market by the Nimrud ruins. If this be
regarded as ascertained, Calah must be considered to have been at one
time (about B.C. 930-720) the capital of the empire.
Calamus[[332]Reed]
Calcol(sustenance),
a man of Judah, son or descendant of Zerah. (1 Chronicles 2:6) Probably
identical with [333]Chalcol.
Caldrona
vessel for boiling flesh, for either ceremonial or domestic use. (1
Samuel 2:14; 2 Chronicles 35:13; Job 41:20; Micah 3:3)
Caleb(capable).
+According to (1 Chronicles 2:9,18,19,42,50) the son of Hezron the son
of Pharez the son of Judah, and the father of Hur, and consequently
grandfather of Caleb the spy. (B.C. about 1600.)
+Son of Jephunneh, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to Canaan.
(Numbers 13:6) (B.C. 1490.) He and Oshea or Joshua the son of Nun were
the only two of the whole number who encouraged the people to enter in
boldly to the land and take possession of it. Fortyfive years
afterwards Caleb came to Joshua and claimed possession of the land of
the Anakim, Kirjath-arba or Hebron, and the neighboring hill country.
Josh 14. This was immediately granted to him, and the following chapter
relates how he took possession of Hebron, driving out the three sons of
Anak; and how he offered Achsah his daughter in marriage to whoever
would take Kirjath-sepher, i.e. Debir; and how when Othniel, his
younger brother, had performed the feat, he not only gave him his
daughter to wife, but with her the upper and nether springs of water
which she asked for. It is probable that Caleb was a foreigner by
birth,--a proselyte, incorporated into the tribe of Judah.
CalfThe
calf was held in high esteem by the Jews as food. (1 Samuel 28:24; Luke
15:23) The molten calf prepared by Aaron for the people to worship,
(Exodus 32:4) was probably a wooden figure laminated with gold, a
process which is known to have existed in Egypt. [[334]Aaron]
Calvary[See
[335]Golgatha]
CamelThe
species of camel which was in common use among the Jews and the heathen
nations of Palestine was the Arabian or one-humped camel, Camelus
arabicus . The dromedary is a swifter animal than the baggage-camel,
and is used chiefly for riding purposes; it is merely a finer breed
than the other. The Arabs call it the heirie . The speed, of the
dromedary has been greatly exaggerated, the Arabs asserting that it is
swifter than the horse. Eight or nine miles an hour is the utmost it is
able to perform; this pace, however, it is able to keep up for hours
together. The Arabian camel carries about 500 pounds. "The hump on the
camel's back is chiefly a store of fat, from which the animal draws as
the wants of his system require; and the Arab is careful to see that
the hump is in good condition before a long journey. Another
interesting adaptation is the thick sole which protects the foot of the
camel from the burning sand. The nostrils may be closed by valves
against blasts of sand. Most interesting is the provision for drought
made by providing the second stomach with great cells in which water is
long retained. Sight and smell is exceedingly acute in the
camel."--Johnson's Encyc. It is clear from (Genesis 12:16) that camels
were early known to the Egyptians. The importance of the camel is shown
by (Genesis 24:64; 37:25; Judges 7:12; 1 Samuel 27:9; 1 Kings 19:2; 2
Chronicles 14:15; Job 1:3; Jeremiah 49:29,32) and many other texts.
John the Baptist wore a garment made of camel hair, (Matthew 3:4; Mark
1:6) the coarser hairs of the camel; and some have supposed that Elijah
was clad in a dress of the same stuff.
Camon(full
of grain), the place in which Jair the judge was buried. (Judges 10:5)
Camp[[336]Encampment]
CamphireThere
can be no doubt that "camphire" is the Lawsonia alba of botanists, the
henna of Arabian naturalists. The henna plant grows in Egypt, Syria,
Arabia and northern India. The flowers are white and grow in clusters,
and are very fragrant. The whole shrub is from four to six feet high,
(Song of Solomon 4:13)
Cana(place
of reeds) of Galilee, once Cana in Galilee, a village or town not far
from Capernaum, memorable as the scene of Christ's first miracle, (John
2:1,11; 4:46) as well as of a subsequent one, (John 4:46,54) and also
as the native place of the apostle Nathanael. (John 21:2) The
traditional site is at Kefr-Kenna, a small village about 4 1/2 miles
northwest of Nazareth. The rival site is a village situated farther
north, about five miles north of Seffurieh (Sepphoris) and nine north
of Nazareth.
Canaan(Ca'nan)
(low, flat).
+The fourth son of Ham, (Genesis 10:6; 1 Chronicles 1:8) the progenitor
of the Phoenicians [[337]Zidon, Or Sidon], and of the various nations
who before the Israelite conquest people the seacoast of Palestine, and
generally the while of the country westward of the Jordan. (Genesis
10:13; 1 Chronicles 1:13) (B.C. 2347.)
+The name "Canaan" is sometimes employed for the country itself.
Canaan,
The Land Of(lit.
lowland), a name denoting the country west of the Jordan and the Dead
Sea, and between those waters and the Mediterranean; given by God to
Abraham's posterity, the children of Israel. (Exodus 6:4; Leviticus
25:38) [[338]Palestina And Palestine]
Canaanite,
Thethe
designation of the apostle Simon, otherwise known as "Simon Zelotes."
It occurs in (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18) and is derived from a Chaldee or
Syriac word by which the Jewish sect or faction of the "Zealots" was
designated--a turbulent and seditious sect, especially conspicuous at
the siege of Jerusalem. They taught that all foreign rule over Jews was
unscriptural, and opposed that rule in every way.
Canaanites,
Thea
word used in two senses:
+A tribe which inhabited a particular locality of the land west of the
Jordan before the conquest; and
+The people who inhabited generally the whole of that country.
+In (Genesis 10:18-20) the seats of the Canaanite tribe are given as on
the seashore and in the Jordan valley; comp. (Joshua 11:3)
+Applied as a general name to the non-Israelite inhabitants of the
land, as we have already seen was the case with "Canaan." Instances of
this are, (Genesis 12:6; Numbers 21:3) The Canaanites were descendants
of Canaan. Their language was very similar to the Hebrew. The
Canaanites were probably given to commerce; and thus the name became
probably in later times an occasional synonym for a merchant.
Cananaean(Matthew
10:4) Used in the Revised Version in place of "Canaanite." [See
[339]Canaanite, The]
Candace,
Or Candace(prince
of servants), a queen of Ethiopia (Meroe), mentioned (Acts 8:27) (A.D.
38.) The name was not a proper name of an individual, but that of a
dynasty of Ethiopian queens.
Candlestickin
(Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21) is merely a lamp-stand, made in various
forms, to hold up the simple Oriental hand-lamps. which Moses was
commanded to make for the tabernacle, is described (Exodus 25:31-37;
37:17-24) It was not strictly a "candlestick," as it held seven
richly-adorned lamps. With its various appurtenances it required a
talent of "pure gold;" and it was not moulded, but "of beaten work,"
and has been estimated to have been worth in our money over,000. From
the Arch of Titus, where the sculptured the spoils taken from
Jerusalem, we learn that it consisted of a central stem, with six
branches, three on each side. It was about five feet high. [See
[340]Arch Of Titus OF TITUS] The candlestick was placed on the south
side of the first apartment of the tabernacle, opposite the table of
shewbread, (Exodus 25:37) and was lighted every evening and dressed
every morning. (Exodus 27:20,21; 30:8) comp. 1Sam 3:2 Each lamp was
supplied with cotton and about two wineglasses of the purest olive oil,
which was sufficient to keep it burning during a long night. In
Solomon's temple, instead of or in addition to this candlestick there
were ten golden candlesticks similarly embossed, five in the right and
five on the left. (1 Kings 7:49; 2 Chronicles 4:7) They were taken to
Babylon. (Jeremiah 52:19) In the temple of Zerubbabel there was again a
single candlestick. 1Macc 1:21: 4:49.
Cane[[341]Reed]
Cankerworm[[342]Locust]
Canneh(Ezekiel
27:23) [SEE CALNEH]
Canon
Of Scripture, Themay
be generally described as the "collection of books which form the
original and authoritative written rule of the faith and practice of
the Christian Church," i.e. the Old and New Testaments. The word canon,
in classical Greek, is properly a straight rod, "a rule" in the widest
sense, and especially in the phrases "the rule of the Church," "the
rule of faith," "the rule of truth," The first direct application of
the term canon to the Scriptures seems to be in the verses of
Amphilochius (cir. 380 A.D.), where the word indicates the rule by
which the contents of the Bible must be determined, and thus
secondarily an index of the constituent books. The uncanonical books
were described simply as "those without" or "those uncanonized." The
canonical books were also called "books of the testament," and Jerome
styled the whole collection by the striking name of "the holy library,"
which happily expresses the unity and variety of the Bible. After the
Maccabean persecution the history of the formation of the Canon is
merged in the history of its contents. The Old Testament appears from
that time as a whole. The complete Canon of the New Testament, as
commonly received at present, was ratified at the third Council of
Carthage (A.D. 397), and from that time was accepted throughout the
Latin Church. Respecting the books of which the Canon is composed, see
the article [343]Bible. (The books of Scripture were not made canonical
by act of any council, but the council gave its sanction to the results
of long and careful investigations as to what books were really of
divine authority and expressed the universally-accepted decisions of
the church. The Old Testament Canon is ratified by the fact that the
present Old Testament books were those accepted in the time of Christ
and endorsed by him, and that of 275 quotations of the Old Testament in
the New, no book out of the Canon is quoted from except perhaps the
word of Enoch in Jude.--ED.)
CanopyJudith
10:21; 13:9; 16:19. The canopy of Holofernes is the only one mentioned.
Canticles(Song
of Songs), entitled in the Authorized Version THE SONG OF [344]Solomon.
It was probably written by Solomon about B.C. 1012. It may be called a
drama, as it contains the dramatic evolution of a simple love-story.
Meaning.-- The schools of interpretation may be divided into three: the
mystical or typical, the allegorical, and the literal .
+The mystical interpretation owes its origin to the desire to find a
literal basis of fact for the allegorical. This basis is either the
marriage of Solomon with Pharoah's daughter or his marriage with an
Israelitish woman, the Shulamite.
+The allegorical. According to the Talmud the beloved is taken to be
God; the loved one, or bride, is the congregation of Israel . In the
Christian Church the Talmudical interpretation, imported by Origen, was
all but universally received.
+The literal interpretation. According to the most generally-received
interpretation of the modern literalists, the Song is intended to
display the victory of humble and constant love over the temptations of
wealth and royalty. Canonicity.-- The book has been rejected from the
Canon by some critics; but in no case has its rejection been defended
on external grounds. It is found in the LXX. and in the translations of
Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion. It is contained in the catalog given
in the Talmud,a nd in the catalogue of Melito; and in short we have the
same evidence for its canonicity as that which is commonly adduced for
the canonicity of any book of the Old Testament.
Capernaum(village
of Nahum) was on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. (Matthew
4:13) comp. John 6:24 It was in the "land of Gennesaret," [ (Matthew
14:34) comp. John 6:17,21,24 ] It was of sufficient size to be always
called a "city," (Matthew 9:1; Mark 1:33) had its own synagogue, in
which our Lord frequently taught, (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:33,38; John 6:59)
and there was also a customs station, where the dues were gathered both
by stationary and by itinerant officers. (Matthew 9:9; 17:24; Mark
2:14; Luke 5:27) The only interest attaching to Capernaum is as the
residence of our Lord and his apostles, the scene of so many miracles
and "gracious words." It was when he returned thither that he is said
to have been "in the house." (Mark 2:1) The spots which lay claim to
its site are,
+Kahn Minyeh, a mound of ruins which takes its name from an old khan
hard by. This mound is situated close upon the seashore at the
northwestern extremity of the plain (now El Ghuweir).
+Three miles north of Khan Minyeh is the other claimant, Tell
Hum,--ruins of walls and foundations covering a space of half a mile
long by a quarter wide, on a point of the shore projecting into the
lake and backed by a very gently-rising ground. It is impossible to
locate it with certainty, but the probability is in favor of Tell Hum .
Capharone
of the numerous words employed in the Bible to denote a village or
collection of dwellings smaller than a city (Ir). Mr Stanley proposes
to render it by "hamlet." In names of places it occurs in
Chephar-he-Ammonai, Chephirah, Caphar-salama. To us its chief interest
arises from its forming a part of the name of Capernaum, i.e.
Capharnahum.
Caphtor,
Caphtorim(a
crown), thrice mentioned as the primitive seat of the Philistines,
(2:23; Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7) who are once called Caphtorim . (2:23)
Supposed to be in Egypt, or near to it in Africa.
Cappadocia,
Cappadocians(province
of good horses), (Acts 2:3; 1 Peter 1:1) the largest province in
ancient Asia Minor. Cappadocia is an elevated table-land intersected by
mountain chains. It seems always to have been deficient in wood, but it
was a good grain country, and particularly famous for grazing. Its
Roman metropolis was Caesarea. The native Cappadocians seem to have
originally belonged to the Syrian stock.
Captain
+As a purely military title, "captain" answers to sar in the Hebrew
army and tribune in the Roman. The captain of the guard in (Acts 28:16)
was probably the prefectus pratorio .
+Katsin, occasionally rendered captain, applies Sometimes to a
military, (Joshua 10:24; Judges 11:6,11; Isaiah 22:3; Daniel 11:18)
sometimes to a civil command, e.g. (Isaiah 1:10; 3:6)
+The captain of the temple, mentioned (Luke 22:4; Acts 4:1; 5:24)
superintended the guard of priests and Levites who kept watch by night
in the temple.
CaptiveA
prisoner of war. Such were usually treated with great cruelty by the
heathen nations. They were kept for slaves, and often sold; but this
was a modification of the ancient cruelty, and a substitute for putting
them to death Although the treatment of captives by the Jews seems
sometimes to be cruel, it was very much milder than that of the
heathen, and was mitigated, as far as possible in the circumstances, by
their civil code.
Captivities
Of The JewsThe
present article is confined to the forcible deportation of the Jew;
from their native land, and their forcible detention, under the
Assyrian or Babylonian kings. Captives of Israel.--The kingdom of
Israel was invaded by three or four successive kings of Assyria. Pul or
Surdanapalus, according to Rawlinson, imposed a tribute (B.C. 771 or
712), Rawl.) upon Menahem. (2 Kings 15:19) and 1Chr 5:26
Tiglath-pileser carried away (B.C. 740) the trans-Jordanic tribes, (1
Chronicles 5:26) and the inhabitants of Galilee, (2 Kings 15:29) comp.
Isai 9:1 To Assyria. Shalmaneser twice invaded, (2 Kings 17:3,5) the
kingdom which remained to Hoshea, took Samaria (B.C. 721) after a siege
of three years, and carried Israel away into Assyria. This was the end
of the kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel. Captivities of Judah
.--Sennacherib (B.C. 713) is stated to have carried into Assyria
200,000 captives from the Jewish cities which he took. (2 Kings 18:13)
Nebuchadnezzar, in the first half of his reign (B.C. 606-562),
repeatedly invaded Judea, besieged Jerusalem, carried away the
inhabitants to Babylon, and destroyed the temple. The 70 years of
captivity predicted by Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 25:12) are dated by Prideaux
from B.C. 606. The captivity of Ezekiel dates from B.C. 598, when that
prophet, like Mordecai the uncle of Esther (Esther 2:6) accompanied
Jehoiachin. The captives were treated not as slaves but as colonists.
The Babylonian captivity was brought to a close by the decree, (Ezra
1:2) of Cyrus (B.C. 536), and the return of a portion of the nation
under Sheshbazzar or Zerubbabel (B.C. 535), Ezra (B.C. 458) and
Nehemiah (B.C. 445). Those who were left in Assyria, (Esther 8:9,11)
and kept up their national distinctions, were known as The Dispersion.
(John 7:35; 1:1; James 1:1) The lost tribes.--Many attempts have been
made to discover the ten tribes existing as a distinct community; but
though history bears no witness of the present distinct existence, it
enables us to track the footsteps of the departing race in four
directions after the time of the Captivity.
+Some returned and mixed with the Jews. (Luke 2:36; Philemon 3:5) etc.
+Some were left in Samaria, mingled with the Samaritans, (Ezra 6:21;
John 4:12) and became bitter enemies of the Jews.
+Many remained in Assyria, and were recognized as an integral part of
the Dispersion; see (Acts 2:1; 26:7)
+Most, probably, apostatized in Assyria, adopted the usages and
idolatry of the nations among whom they were planted, and became wholly
swallowed up in them.
CarbuncleThis
word represents two Hebrew words. The first may he a general term to
denote any bright,sparkling gem, (Isaiah 54:12) the second, (Exodus
28:17; 39:10; Ezekiel 28:13) is supposed to be and smaragdus or emerald.
Carcas(severe),
the seventh of the seven "chamberlains," i.e. eunuchs, of King
Ahasuerus. (Esther 1:10) (B.C. 483.).
Carchemish(fortress
of Chemosh) occupied nearly the site of the later Mabug or Hierapolis.
It seems to have commanded the ordinary passage of the Euphrates at Bir
or Birekjik . Carchemish appears to have been taken by Pharoah Necho
shortly after the battle of Megiddo (cir. B.C. 608), and retaken by
Nebuchadnezzar after a battle three years later, B.C. 605. (Jeremiah
46:2)
Careah(bald
head), father of Johanan, (2 Kings 25:23) elsewhere spelt [345]Kareah.
Cariathe
southern part of the region which int he New Testament is called
[346]Asia, and the southwestern part of the peninsula of Asia Minor.
(Acts 20:15; 27:7)
Carmel(fruitful
place or park).
+A mountain which forms one of the most striking and characteristic
features of the country of Palestine. It is a noble ridge, the only
headland of lower and central Palestine, and forms its southern
boundary, running out with a bold bluff promontory, nearly 600 feet
high, almost into the very waves of the Mediterranean, then extending
southeast for a little more than twelve miles, when it terminates
suddenly in a bluff somewhat corresponding to its western end. In form
Carmel is a tolerably continuous ridge, its highest point,a bout four
miles from the eastern end, being 1740 feet above the sea. That which
has made the name of Carmel most familiar to the modern world is its
intimate connection with the history of the two great prophets of
Israel, Elijah and Elisha. (2 Kings 2:25; 4:25; 1 Kings 18:20-42) It is
now commonly called Mar Elyas; Kurmel being occasionally, but only
seldom, hear.
+A town in the mountainous country of Judah, (Joshua 15:55) familiar to
us as the residence of Nabal. (1 Samuel 25:2,5,7,40)
Carmi(vine
dresser).
+The fourth son of Reuben, the progenitor of the family of the
Carmites. (Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:6; 1 Chronicles 5:3)
+A man of the tribe of Judah, father of Achan, the "troubler of
Israel." (Joshua 7:1,18; 1 Chronicles 2:7; 4:1)
Carpenter[[347]Handicraft]
Carpusa
Christian at Troas. (2 Timothy 4:13)
CarriageThis
word signifies what we now call "baggage." In the margin of (1 Samuel
17:20) and 1Sam 26:5-7 And there only, "carriage" is employed int he
sense of a wagon or cart.
Carshena(illustrious),
one of the seven princes of Persia and Media. (Esther 1:14)
Cart(Genesis
45:19,27; Numbers 7:3,7,8) a vehicle drawn by cattle, (2 Samuel 6:6) to
be distinguished from the chariot drawn by horses. Carts and wagons
were either open or covered, (Numbers 7:3) and were used for conveyance
of person, (Genesis 45:19) burdens, (1 Samuel 6:7,8) or produce. (Amos
2:13) The only cart used in western Asia has two wheels of solid wood.
CarvingThe
arts of carving and engraving were much in request in the construction
of both the tabernacle and the temple. (Exodus 31:5; 35:33; 1 Kings
6:18,35; Psalms 74:6) as well as in the ornamentation of the priestly
dresses. (Exodus 28:9-36; 2 Chronicles 2:7,14; Zechariah 3:9)
Casiphia(silvery,
white), a place of uncertain site on the road between Babylon and
Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:17)
Casluhim(fortified),
a Mizraite people or tribe. (Genesis 10:14; 1 Chronicles 1:12)
Cassia(Exodus
30:24; Ezekiel 27:19) The cassia bark of commerce is yielded by various
kinds of Cinnamomum, which grow in different parts of India. The Hebrew
word in (Psalms 45:8) is generally supposed to be another term for
cassia.
Castle[[348]Fenced
Cities CITIES]
Castor
And Pollux(Acts
28:11) the twin sons of Jupiter and Leda, were regarded as the tutelary
divinities of sailors; hence their image was often used as a
figure-head for ships. They appeared in heaven as the constellation
Gemini . In art they were sometimes represented simply as stars
hovering over a ship.
CaterpillarThe
representative in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew word chasil and
yelek .
+Chasil occurs in (1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 6:28; Psalms 78:46;
Isaiah 33:4; Joel 1:4) and seems to be applied to a locust, perhaps in
its larva state.
+Yelek. [[349]Locust].
Cattle[[350]Bull,
Bullock].
Cauda(Acts
27:16) The form given in the Revised Version to Clauda, an island south
of Crete. It bears a closer relation to the modern name Gaudonesi of
the Greek, the Gauda of P. Mela. (Clauda .--ED.)
Caula
sort of ornamental head-dress, (Isaiah 3:18) with a net for its base.
The name is derived from the caul, the membranous bag which encloses
the heart--the pericardium.--ED.
CaveThe
most remarkable caves noticed in Scripture are, that in which Lot dwelt
after the destruction of Sodom, (Genesis 19:30) the cave of Machpelah,
(Genesis 23:17) cave of Makkedah, (Joshua 10:10) cave of Adullam, (1
Samuel 22:1) cave od Engedi, (1 Samuel 24:3) Obadiah's cave, (1 Kings
18:4) Elijah's cave in Horeb, (1 Kings 19:9) the rock sepulchres of
Lazarus and of our Lord. (Matthew 27:60; John 11:38) Caves were used
for temporary dwelling-places and for tombs.
CedarThe
Hebrew word erez, invariably rendered "cedar" by the Authorized
Version, stands for that tree in most of the passages where the word
occurs. While the word is sometimes used in a wider sense, (Leviticus
14:6) for evergreen cone-bearing trees, generally the cedar of Lebanon
(Cedrus libani) is intended. (1 Kings 7:2; 10:27; Psalms 92:12; Song of
Solomon 5:15; Isaiah 2:13; Ezekiel 31:3-6) The wood is of a reddish
color, of bitter taste and aromatic odor, offensive to insects, and
very durable. The cedar is a type of the Christian, being evergreen,
beautiful, aromatic, wide spreading, slow growing, long lived, and
having many uses. As far as is at present known, the cedar of Lebanon
is confined in Syria to one valley of the Lebanon range, viz., that of
the Kedisha river, which flows from near the highest point of the range
westward to the Mediterranean, and enters the sea at the port of
Tripoli. The grove is at the very upper part of the valley, about 15
miles from the sea, 6500 feet above that level, and its position is
moreover above that of all other arboreous vegetation. ("Of the
celebrated cedars on Mount Lebanon, eleven groves still remain. The
famous B'Sherreh grove is three-quarters of a mile in circumference,
and contains about 400 trees, young and old. Perhaps a dozen of these
are very old; the largest, 63 feet in girth and 70 feet high, is
thought by some to have attained the age of 2000 years."--Johnson's
Encycl.)
Cedron(John
18:1) [SEE [351]Kidron, Or Kedron]
CeilingThe
descriptions of Scripture, (1 Kings 6:9,15; 7:3; 2 Chronicles 3:5,9;
Jeremiah 22:14; Haggai 1:4) and of Josephus, show that the ceilings of
the temple and the palaces of the Jewish kings were formed of cedar
planks applied to the beams or joists crossing from wall to wall.
"Oriental houses seem to have been the reverse of ours, the ceiling
being of wood, richly ornamented, and the floor of plaster or tiles."
Celosyria[[352]Coelesyria]
Cenchrea,
Or Cenchrea(accurately
Cenchre'ae) (millet), the eastern harbor of Corinth (i.e. its harbor on
the Saronic Gulf) and the emporium of its trade with the Asiatic shores
of the Mediterranean, as Lechaeum on the Crointhian Gulf connected it
with Italy and the west. St. Paul sailed from Cenchrae, (Acts 18:18) on
his return to Syria from his second missionary journey. An organized
church seems to have been formed here. (Romans 16:1)
CenserA
small portable vessel of metal fitted to receive burning coals from the
altar, and on which the incense for burning was sprinkled. (2
Chronicles 26:19; Luke 1:9) The only distinct precepts regarding the
use of the censer are found in (Leviticus 16:12) and in (Numbers 4:14)
Solomon prepared "censers of pure gold" as part of the temple
furniture. (1 Kings 7:50; 2 Chronicles 4:22) The word rendered "censer"
in (Hebrews 9:4) probably means the "altar of incense."
Census[[353]Taxing]
Centurion[[354]Army]
Cephas[[355]Peter]
Chaffthe
husk of corn or wheat which was separated from the grain by being
thrown into the air, the wind blowing away the chaff, while the grain
was saved. The carrying away of chaff by the wind is an ordinary
scriptural image of the destruction of the wicked and of their
powerlessness to resist God's judgments. (Psalms 1:4; Isaiah 17:13;
Hosea 13:3; Zephaniah 2:2)
ChainChains
were used,
+As badges of office;
+For ornament;
+For confining prisoners.
+the gold chain placed about Joseph's neck, (Genesis 41:42) and that
promised to Daniel, (Daniel 5:7) are instances of the first use. In
(Ezekiel 16:11) the chain is mentioned as the symbol of sovereignty.
+Chains for ornamental purposes were worn by men as well as women.
(Proverbs 1:9) Judith 10:4. The Midianites adorned the necks of their
camels with chains. (Judges 8:21,26) Step-chains were attached to the
ankle-rings. (Isaiah 3:16,18)
+The means adopted for confining prisoners among the Jews were fetters
similar to our handcuffs. (Judges 16:21; 2 Samuel 3:34; 2 Kings 25:7;
Jeremiah 39:7) Among the Romans the prisoner was handcuffed to his
guard, and occasionally to two guards. (Acts 12:6,7; 21:33)
Chalcedonyonly
in (Revelation 21:19) The name is applied in modern mineralogy to one
of the varieties of agate. It is generally translucent and exhibits a
great variety of colors. So named because it was found near the ancient
Chalcedon, near Constantinople.
Chalcol(1
Kings 4:31) [[356]Calcol]
Chaldeamore
correctly Chaldae'a, the ancient name of a country of Asia bordering on
the Persian Gulf. Chaldea proper was the southern part of Babylonia,
and is used in Scripture to signify that vast alluvial plain which has
been formed by the deposits of the Euphrates and the Tigris. This
extraordinary flat, unbroken except by the works of man, extends a
distance of 400 miles along the course of the rivers, and is on an
average about 100 miles in width. In addition to natural advantages
these plains were nourished by a complicated system of canals, and
vegetation flourished bountifully. It is said to be the only country in
the world where wheat grows wild. Herodotus declared (i. 193) that
grain commonly returned two hundred fold to the sower, and occasionally
three hundred fold. Cities.--Babylonia has long been celebrated for the
number and antiquity of its cities. The most important of those which
have been identified are Borsippa (Birs-Nimrun), Sippara or Sepharvaim
(Mosaib), Cutha (Ibrahim), Calneh (Niffer), Erech (Warka), Ur
(Mugheir), Chilmad (Kalwadha), Larancha (Senkereh), Is (Hit), Durabe
(Akkerkuf); but besides these there were a multitude of others, the
sites of which have not been determined. Present condition--This land,
once so rich in corn and wine, is to-day but a mass of mounds, "an arid
waste; the dense population of former times is vanished, and no man
dwells there." The Hebrew prophets applied the term "land of the
Chaldeans" to all Babylonia and "Chaldeans" to all the subjects of the
Babylonian empire.
Chaldeans,
Or ChaldeesIt
appears that the Chaldeans (Kaldai or Kaldi) were in the earliest times
merely one out of many Cushite tribes inhabiting the great alluvial
plain known afterwards as Chaldea or Babylonia. Their special seat was
probably that southern portion of the country which is found to have so
late retained the name of Chaldea. In process of time, as the Kaldi
grew in power, their name gradually prevailed over those of the other
tribes inhabiting the country; and by the era of the Jewish captivity
it had begun to be used generally for all the inhabitants of Babylonia.
It appears that while, both in Assyria and in later Babylonia, the
Shemitic type of speech prevailed for civil purposes, the ancient
Cushite dialect was retained, as a learned language for scientific and
religious literature. This is no doubt the "learning" and the "tongue"
to which reference it made in the book of Daniel, (Daniel 1:4) The
Chaldeans were really the learned class; they were priests, magicians
or astronomers, and in the last of the three capacities they probably
effected discoveries of great importance. In later times they seem to
have degenerated into mere fortune-tellers.
Chaldees,
Or Chaldees[[357]Chaldeans,
Or Chaldees]
Chalk
Stones[[358]Lime]
Chamber(Genesis
43:30; 2 Samuel 18:33; Psalms 19:5; Daniel 6:10) The word chamber in
these passages has much the same significance as with us, meaning the
private rooms of the house--the guest chamber, as with us, meaning a
room set apart for the accommodation of the visiting friend. (Mark
14:14,15; Luke 22:12) The upper chamber was used more particularly for
the lodgment of strangers. (Acts 9:37)
Chamberlainan
officer attached to the court of a king, who formerly had charge of the
private apartments or chambers of the palace. He kept the accounts of
the public revenues. The office held by Blastus, "the king's
chamberlain," was entirely different from this. (Acts 12:20) It was a
post of honor which involved great intimacy and influence with the
king. For chamberlain as used in the Old Testament, see [[359]Eunuch]
Chameleona
species of lizard. The reference in (Leviticus 11:30) is to some kind
of an unclean animal, supposed to be the lizard, known by the name of
the "monitor of the Nile," a large, strong reptile common in Egypt and
other parts of Africa.
Chamois(pronounced
often shame), the translation of the Hebrew zemer in (14:5) But the
translation is incorrect; for there is no evidence that the chamois
have ever been seen in Palestine or the Lebanon. It is probable that
some mountain sheep is intended.
Chanaan[[360]Canaan,
[361]Canaan, The Land Of]
Chapiterthe
capital of a pillar; i.e. the upper part, as the term is used in modern
architecture.
Chapman(i.e.
cheap man), merchant.
Charashim,
The Valley Of(ravine
of craftsmen), a place near Lydda, a few miles east of Joppa. (1
Chronicles 4:14)
Charchemish(2
Chronicles 35:20) [[362]Carchemish]
Chargera
shallow vessel for receiving water or blood, also for presenting
offerings of fine flour with oil. (Numbers 7:79) The daughter of
Herodias brought the head of St. John the Baptist in a charger,
(Matthew 14:8) probably a trencher or platter. [[363]Basin]
Chariota
vehicle used either for warlike or peaceful purposes, but most commonly
the former. The Jewish chariots were patterned after the Egyptian, and
consisted of a single pair of wheels on an axle, upon which was a car
with high front and sides, but open at the back. The earliest mention
of chariots in Scripture is in Egypt, where Joseph, as a mark of
distinction, was placed in Pharaoh's second chariot. (Genesis 41:43)
Later on we find mention of Egyptian chariots for a warlike purpose.
(Exodus 14:7) In this point of view chariots among some nations of
antiquity, as elephants among others, may be regarded as filling the
place of heavy artillery in modern times, so that the military power of
a nation might be estimated by the number of its chariots. Thus Pharaoh
in pursuing Israel took with him 600 chariots. The Philistines in
Saul's time had 30,000. (1 Samuel 13:5) David took from Hadadezer, king
of Zobah, 1000 chariots, (2 Samuel 8:4) and from the Syrians a little
later 700, (2 Samuel 10:18) who in order to recover their ground,
collected 32,000 chariots. (1 Chronicles 19:7) Up to this time the
Israelites possessed few or no chariots. They were first introduced by
David, (2 Samuel 8:4) who raised and maintained a force of 1400
chariots, (1 Kings 10:25) by taxation on certain cities agreeably to
eastern custom in such matters. (1 Kings 9:19; 10:25) From this time
chariots were regarded as among the most important arms of war. (1
Kings 22:34; 2 Kings 9:16,21; 13:7,14; 18:24; 23:30; Isaiah 31:1) Most
commonly two persons, and sometimes three, rode in the chariot, of whom
the third was employed to carry the state umbrella. (1 Kings 22:34; 2
Kings 9:20,24; Acts 8:38) The prophets allude frequently to chariots as
typical of power. (Psalms 20:7; 104:3; Jeremiah 51:21; Zechariah 6:1)
Charran(Acts
7:2,4) [[364]Haran]
Chase[[365]Hunting]
Cheani(a
contraction of Chenaniah), one of the Levites who assisted at the
solemn purification of the people under Ezra. (Nehemiah 9:4)
Chebar(length),
a river in the "land of the Chaldeans." (Ezekiel 1:3; 3:15,23) etc. It
is commonly regarded as identical with the Habor, (2 Kings 17:6) and
perhaps the Royal Canal of Nebuchadnezzar,--the greatest of all the
cuttings in Mesopotamia.
Chebel(cord),
one of the singular topographical terms in which the ancient Hebrew
language abounded. We find it always attached to the region of Argob.
(3:4,13,14; 1 Kings 4:13)
Chedorlaomer,
Or Chedorlaomer(handful
of sheaves), a king of Elam, in the time of Abraham, who with three
other chiefs made war upon the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim
and Zoar, and reduced them to servitude. (Genesis 14:17)
Cheeseis
mentioned only three times in the Bible, and on each occasion under a
different name in the Hebrew. (1 Samuel 17:18; 2 Samuel 17:29; Job
10:10) It is difficult to decide how far these terms correspond with
our notion of cheese, for they simply express various degrees of
coagulation. Cheese is not at the present day common among the Bedouin
Arabs, butter being decidedly preferred; but there is a substance
closely corresponding to those mentioned in 1Sam 17, 2Sam 17,
consisting of coagulated buttermilk, which is dried until it become
quite hard, and is then ground; the Arabs eat it mixed with butter.
Chelal(perfection),
(Ezra 10:30) one who had a strange wife.
Chelluh(completed),
(Ezra 10:35) another like the above.
Chelub
+A man among the descendants of Judah.
+Ezri the son of Chelub, one of David's officers. (1 Chronicles 27:26)
Chelubai(capable),
the son of Hezron. Same as Caleb. (1 Chronicles 2:9,18,42)
Chemarim,
The(those
who go about in black, i.e. ascetics). In the Hebrew applied to the
priests of the worship of false gods. (2 Kings 23:5; Hosea 10:5) in
margin; (Zephaniah 1:4)
Chemosh(subduer),
the national deity of the Moabites. (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah
48:7,13,46) In (Judges 11:24) he also appears as the god of the
Ammonites. Solomon introduced, and Josiah abolished, the worship of
Chemosh at Jerusalem. (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13) Also identified
with Baal-peor, Baalzebub, Mars and Saturn.
Chenaanah(merchant).
+Son of Bilhan, son of Jediael, son of Benjamin, head of a Benjamite
house, (1 Chronicles 7:10) probably of the family of the Belaites.
[[366]Bela]
+Father or ancestor of Zedekiah the false prophet. (1 Kings 22:11,24; 2
Chronicles 18:10,23)
Chenaniah(established
by the Lord), chief of the Levites when David carried the ark to
Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 15:22; 26:29)
Chepharhaammonai(hamlet
of the Ammonites), a place mentioned among the town of Benjamin.
(Joshua 18:24)
Chephirah(the
hamlet), one of the four cities of the Gibeonites, (Joshua 9:17) named
afterwards among the towns of Benjamin. (Ezra 2:25; Nehemiah 7:29)
Cheran(lyre),
one of the sons of Dishon the Horite "duke." (Genesis 36:26; 1
Chronicles 1:41)
Cherethim(axe-men),
(Ezekiel 25:16) same as [367]Cherethites.
Cherethites(executioners)
and of King David. (2 Samuel 8:18; 15:18; 20:7,23; 1 Kings 1:38,44; 1
Chronicles 18:17) It is plain that these royal guards were employed as
executioners., (2 Kings 11:4) and as couriers, (1 Kings 14:27) But it
has been conjectured that they may have been foreign mercenaries, and
therefore probably Philistines, of which name Pelethites may be only
another form.
Cherith,
The Brook(cutting,
ravine), the torrent-bed or wady in which Elijah hid himself during the
early part of the three-years drought. (1 Kings 17:3,5) The position of
the Cherith has been much disputed. The argument from probability is in
favor of the Cherith being on the east of Jordan, and the name may
possibly be discovered there.
Cherubapparently
a place in Babylonia from which some persons of doubtful extraction
returned to Judea with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61)
Cherub,
CherubimThe
symbolical figure so called was a composite creature-form which finds a
parallel in the religious insignia of Assyria, Egypt and Persia, e.g.
the sphinx, the winged bulls and lions of Nineveh, etc. A cherub
guarded paradise. (Genesis 3:24) Figures of Cherubim were placed on the
mercy-seat of the ark. (Exodus 25:18) A pair of colossal size
overshadowed it in Solomon's temple with the canopy of their
contiguously extended wings. (1 Kings 6:27) Those on the ark were to be
placed with wings stretched forth, one at each end of the mercy-seat."
Their wings were to be stretched upwards, and their faces "towards each
other and towards the mercy-seat." It is remarkable that with such
precise directions as to their position, attitude and material,
nothing, save that they were winged, is said concerning their shape. On
the whole it seems likely that the word "cherub" meant not only the
composite creature-form, of which the man, lion, ox and eagle were the
elements, but, further, some peculiar and mystical form. (Some suppose
that the cherubim represented God's providence among men, the four
faces expressing the characters of that providence: its wisdom and
intelligence (man), its strength (ox), its kingly authority (lion), its
swiftness, far-sighted (eagle). Others, combining all the other
references with the description of the living creatures in Revelation,
make the cherubim to represent God's redeemed people. The qualities of
the four faces are those which belong to God's people. Their facing
four ways, towards all quarters of the globe, represents their duty of
extending the truth. The wings show swiftness of obedience; and only
the redeemed can sing the song put in their mouths in (Revelation
5:8-14)--ED).
Chesalon(hopes),
a place named as one of the landmarks on the west part of the north
boundary of Judah, (Joshua 15:10) probably Kesla, about six miles to
the northeast of Ainshems, on the western mountains of Judah.
Chesed(increase),
fourth son of Nahor. (Genesis 22:22)
Chesil(idolatrous),
a town in the extreme south of Palestine, (Joshua 15:30) 15 Miles
southwest of Beersheba. In (Joshua 19:4) the name is [368]Bethul.
ChestBy
this word are translated in the Authorized Version two distinct Hebrew
terms:
+Aron ; this is invariably used for the ark of the covenant, and, with
two exceptions, for that only. The two exceptions alluded to are (a)
the "coffin" in which the bones of Joseph were carried from Egypt,
(Genesis 50:26) and (b) the "chest" in which Jehoiada the priest
collected the alms for the repairs of the temple. (2 Kings 12:9,10; 2
Chronicles 24:8-11)
+Genazim, "chests." (Ezekiel 27:24) only.
Chestnut
Tree(Heb.
'armon .) (Genesis 30:37; Ezekiel 31:8) Probably the "palm tree"
(Platanus orientalis) is intended. This tree thrives best in low and
rather moist situations in the north of Palestine, and resembles our
sycamore or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis).
Chesulloth(the
loins), one of the towns of Issachar. (Joshua 19:18) From its position
int he lists it appears to be between Jezreel and Shunem (Salam).
Chezib(lying),
a name which occurs but once, (Genesis 38:5) probably the same as
[369]Achzib.
Chidon(a
javelin), the name which in (1 Chronicles 13:9) is given to the
threshing-floor at which the accident to the ark took place. In the
parallel account in 2Sam 6 the name is given as NACHON.
ChildrenThe
blessing of offspring, but especially of the male sex, is highly valued
among all eastern nations, while a the absence is regarded as one of
the severest punishments. (Genesis 16:2; 7:14; 1 Samuel 1:6; 2 Samuel
6:23; 2 Kings 4:14; Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 20:15; Psalms 127:3,5) As
soon as the child was born it was washed in a bath, rubbed with salt
and wrapped in swaddling clothes. (Ezekiel 16:4; Job 38:9; Luke 2:7) On
the 8th day the rite of circumcision, in the case of a boy, was
performed and a name given. At the end of a certain time (forty days if
a son and twice as long if a daughter) the mother offered sacrifice for
her cleansing. (Leviticus 12:1-8; Luke 2:22) The period of nursing
appears to have been sometimes prolonged to three years. (Isaiah 49:15)
2 Macc. 7:27. The time of weaning was an occasion of rejoicing.
(Genesis 21:8) Both boys and girls in their early years were under the
care of the women. (Proverbs 31:1) Afterwards the boys were taken by
the father under his charge. Daughters usually remained in the women's
apartments till marriage. (Leviticus 21:9; Numbers 12:14; 1 Samuel
9:11) The authority of parents, especially of the father, over children
was very great, as was also the reverence enjoined by the law to be
paid to parents. The inheritance was divided equally between all the
sons except the eldest, who received a double portion. (Genesis 25:31;
49:3; 21:17; Judges 11:2,7; 1 Chronicles 5:1,2) Daughters had by right
no portion in the inheritance; but if a man had no son, his inheritance
passed to his daughters, who were forbidden to marry out of the
father's tribe. (Numbers 27:1,8; 36:2,8)
Chileab(like
his father), a son of David by Abigail. [[370]Abigail]
Chillon(pining,
sickly), the son of Naomi and husband of Ruth. (Ruth 1:2-5; 4:9) (B.C.
1250.)
Chilmad(enclosure),
a place or country mentioned in conjunction with Sheba and Asshur.
(Ezekiel 27:23)
Chimham(longing),
a follower and probably a son, of Barzillai the Gileadite, who returned
from beyond Jordan with David. (2 Samuel 19:37,38,40) (B C 1023.) David
appears to have bestowed on him a possession at Bethlehem, on which, in
later times, an inn or khan was standing. (Jeremiah 41:17)
Chimhan[[371]Chimham]
Chinnereth(circuit),
accurately Cinnareth, a fortified city in the tribe of Naphtali,
(Joshua 19:35) only, of which no trace is found in later writers, and
no remains by travellers.
Chinnereth,
Sea Of(Numbers
34:11; Joshua 13:27) the inland sea, which is most similarly known to
us as the "Lake of Gennesareth" or "Sea of Galilee."
Chinneroth[[372]Chinnereth,
[373]Chinnereth, Sea Of]
Chios(snowy),
an island of the Aegean Sea, 12 miles from Smyrna. It is separated from
the mainland by a strait of only 5 miles. Its length is about 12 miles,
and in breadth it varies from 8 to 18. Paul passed it on his return
voyage from Troas to Caesarea. Acts 20:15 it is now called Scio.
Chisleu[[374]Month]
Chislon(confidence),
father of Elidad, the prince of the tribe of Benjamin chosen to assist
in the division of the land of Canaan among the tribes. (Numbers 34:21)
(B.C. 1450.)
Chislothtabor(loins
of Tabor) a place to the border of which reached the border of Zebulun.
(Joshua 19:12) It may be the village Iksal, which is now standing about
2 1/2 miles to the west of Mount Tabor.
Chittim,
Kittim(bruisers),
a family or race descended from Javan. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7)
Authorized Version [375]Kittim. Chittim is frequently noticed in
Scripture. (Numbers 24:24; Isaiah 23:1,12; Jeremiah 2:10; Ezekiel 27:6;
Daniel 11:30) In the above passages, the "isles of Chittim," the "ships
of Chittim, the "coasts of Chittim," are supposed to refer to the
island of Cyprus. Josephus considered Cyprus the original seat of the
Chittim. The name Chittim, which in the first instance had implied to
Phoenicians only, passed over to the islands which they had occupied,
and thence to the people who succeeded the Phoenicians in the
occupation of them.
Chiun(a
statue, perhaps of Saturn), an idol made by the Israelites in the
wilderness. [[376]Remphan]
Chloe(green
herb), a woman mentioned in (1 Corinthians 1:11)
Chorashan(1
Samuel 30:30) It may perhaps, be identified with [377]Ashan of Simeon.
Chorazinone
of the cities in which our Lord's mighty works were done, but named
only in his denunciation. Matt. 11:21; Luke 10:13 St. Jerome describes
it as on the shore of the lake, two miles from Capernaum, but its
modern site is uncertain.
Chozeba(1
Chronicles 4:22) Perhaps the same as [378]Achzib.
Christ[Jesus]
ChristianThe
disciples, we are told, (Acts 11:26) were first called Christians at
Antioch on the Orontes, somewhere about A.D. 43. They were known to
each other as, and were among themselves called, brethren, (Acts
15:1,23; 1 Corinthians 7:12) disciples, (Acts 9:26; 11:29) believers,
(Acts 5:14) saints, (Romans 8:27; 15:25) The name "Christian," which,
in the only other cases where it appears in the New Testament, (Acts
26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) is used contemptuously, could not have been
applied by the early disciples to themselves, but was imposed upon them
by the Gentile world. There is no reason to suppose that the name
"Christian" of itself was intended as a term of scurrility or abuse,
though it would naturally be used with contempt.
Chronicles,
First And Second Books Ofthe
name originally given to the record made by the appointed
historiographers in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. In the LXX. these
books are called Paralipomena (i.e. things omitted), which is
understood as meaning that they are supplementary to the books of
Kings. The constant tradition of the Jews is that these books were for
the most part compiled by Ezra. One of the greatest difficulties
connected with the captivity and return must have been the maintenance
of that genealogical distribution of the land which yet was a vital
point of the Jewish economy. To supply this want and that each tribe
might secure the inheritance of its fathers on its return was one
object of the author of these books. Another difficulty intimately
connected with the former was the maintenance of the temple services at
Jerusalem. Zerubbabel, and after him Ezra and Nehemiah, labored most
earnestly to restore the worship of God among the people, and to
reinfuse something of national life and spirit into their hearts.
Nothing could more effectually aid these designs than setting before
the people a compendious history of the kingdom of David, its
prosperity under God; the sins that led to its overthrow; the captivity
and return. These considerations explain the plan and scope of that
historical work which consists of the two books of Chronicles. The
first book contains the sacred history by genealogies from the Creation
to David, including an account of David's reign. In the second book he
continues the story, giving the history of the kings of Judah, without
those of Israel, down to the return from the captivity. As regards the
materials used by Ezra, they are not difficult to discover. The
genealogies are obviously transcribed from some register in which were
preserved the genealogies of the tribes and families drawn up at
different times; while the history is mainly drawn from the same
document as those used in the books of King. [[379]Kings, First And
Second Books Of, BOOKS OF]
ChronologyBy
this term we understand the technical and historical chronology of the
Jews and their ancestors from the earliest time to the close of the New
Testament Canon.
+TECHNICAL CHRONOLOGY.--The technical part of Hebrew chronology
presents great difficulties.
+HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY.--The historical part of Hebrew chronology is
not less difficult than the technical. The information in the Bible is
indeed direct rather than inferential although there is very important
evidence of the latter kind, but the present state of the numbers make
absolute certainty in many cases impossible. Three principal systems of
biblical chronology have been founded, which may be termed (the Long
System, the short, and the Rabbinical. There is a fourth, which
although an off shoot in part of the last, can scarcely be termed
biblical, in as much as it depends for the most part upon theories, not
only independent of but repugnant to the Bible: this last is at present
peculiar to Baron Bunsen. The principal advocates of the Long
chronology are Jackson. Hales and Des-Vignoles. Of the Short chronology
Ussher may be considered as the most able advocate The Rabbinical
chronology accept the biblical numbers, but makes the most arbitrary
corrections. For the date of the Exodus it has been virtually accepted
by Bunsen, Lepsius and Lord A. Hervey. The numbers given by the LXX.
for the antediluvian patriarchs would place the creation of Adam 2262
years before the end of the flood or B.C. cir. 5361 or 5421.
Chryopraseoccurs
only in (Revelation 21:20) The true chrysoprase is sometimes found in
antique Egyptian jewelry set alternately with bits of lapis-lazuli. It
is problem therefore, that this is the stone named as the tenth in the
walls of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Chrysoliteone
of the precious stones in the foundation of the heavenly Jerusalem.
(Revelation 21:20) It has been already stated [[380]Beryl] that the
chrysolite of the ancients is identical with the modern oriental topaz
the tarhish of the Hebrew Bible.
ChrysprasusLatin
form of CHRYSOPRAS.
Chubthe
name of a people in alliance with Egypt in the time of Nebuchadnezzar,
(Ezekiel 30:5) and probably of northern Africa.
Chun(1
Chronicles 18:8) called Berothai in (2 Samuel 8:8)
Church
+The derivation of the word is generally said to be from the Greek
kuriakon (kuriakon) "belonging to the Lord." But the derivation has
been too hastily assumed. It is probably connected with kirk, the Latin
circus, circulus, the Greek kuklos (kuklos) because the congregations
were gathered in circles.
+Ecclesia (ekklesia) the Greek word for church, originally meant an
assembly called out by the magistrate, or by legitimate authority. It
was in this last sense that the word was adapted and applied by the
writers of the New Testament to the Christian congregation. In the one
Gospel of St. Matthew the church is spoken of no less than thirty-six
times as "the kingdom." Other descriptions or titles are hardly found
in the evangelists. It is Christ's household, (Matthew 10:25) the salt
and light of the world, (Matthew 5:13,15) Christ's flock, (Matthew
26:31; John 10:15) its members are the branches growing on Christ the
Vine, John 15; but the general description of it, not metaphorical but
direct, is that it is a kingdom, (Matthew 16:19) From the Gospel then
we learn that Christ was about to establish his heavenly kingdom on
earth, which was to be the substitute for the Jewish Church and
kingdom, now doomed to destruction (Matthew 21:43) The day of Pentecost
is the birthday of the Christian church. Before they had been
individual followers Jesus; now they became his mystical body, animated
by his spirit. On the evening of the day of Pentecost, the 3140 members
of which the Church consisted were-- (1) Apostles; (2) previous
Disciples; (3) Converts. In (Acts 2:41) we have indirectly exhibited
the essential conditions of church communion. They are (1) Baptism,
baptism implying on the part of the recipient repentance and faith; (2)
Apostolic Doctrine; (3) Fellowship with the Apostles; (4) The Lord's
Supper; (5) Public Worship. The real Church consists of all who belong
to the Lord Jesus Christ as his disciples, and are one in love, in
character, in hope, in Christ as the head of all, though as the body of
Christ it consists of many parts.
Chushanrishathaim(chief
of two governments), the king of Mesopotamia who oppressed Israel
during eight years in the generation immediately following Joshua.
(Judges 3:8) (B.C. after 1420.) His yoke was broken from the neck of
the people of Israel by Othniel, Caleb's nephew. (Judges 3:10)
Chuzaproperly
Chu'zas (the seer), the house-steward of Herod Antipas. (Luke 8:3)
Ciccar[[381]Jordan]
Cilicia(the
land of Celix), a maritime province int he southeast of Asia Minor,
bordering on Pamphylia in the west, Lycaonia and Cappadocia in the
north, and Syria in the east. (Acts 6:9) Cilicia was from its
geographical position the high road between Syria and the west; it was
also the native country of St. Paul, hence it was visited by him,
firstly, soon after his conversion, (Acts 9:30; Galatians 1:21) and
again in his second apostolical journey. (Acts 15:41)
Cinnamona
well-known aromatic substance, the rind of the Laurus cinnamomum,
called Korunda-gauhah in Ceylon. It is mentioned in (Exodus 30:23) as
one of the component parts of the holy anointing oil. In (Revelation
18:13) it is enumerated among the merchandise of the great Babylon.
Cinneroth(1
Kings 15:20) This was possibly the small enclosed district north of
Tiberias, and by the side of the lake, afterwards known as "the plain
of Gennesareth."
Circumcisionwas
peculiarly, though not exclusively, a Jewish rite. It was enjoined upon
Abraham, the father of the nation, by God, at the institution and as
the token of the covenant, which assured to him and his descendants the
promise of the Messiah. Gen. 17. It was thus made a necessary condition
of Jewish nationality. Every male child was to be circumcised when
eight days old, (Leviticus 12:3) on pain of death. The biblical notice
of the rite describes it as distinctively Jewish; so that in the New
Testament "the circumcision" and "the uncircumcision" are frequently
used as synonyms for the Jews and the Gentiles. The rite has been found
to prevail extensively in both ancient and modern times. Though
Mohammed did not enjoin circumcision in the Koran, he was circumcised
himself, according to the custom of his country; and circumcision is
now as common among the Mohammedans as among the Jews. The process of
restoring a circumcised person to his natural condition by a surgical
operation was sometimes undergone. Some of the Jews in the time of
Antiochus Epiphanes, wishing to assimilate themselves to the heathen
around them, "made themselves uncircumcised." Against having recourse
to this practice, from an excessive anti-Judaistic tendency, St. Paul
cautions the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 7:18)
Cisthe
father of Saul, (Acts 13:21) usually called [382]Kish.
Cisterna
receptacle for water, either conducted from an external spring or
proceeding from rain-fall. The dryness of the summer months and the
scarcity of springs in Judea made cisterns a necessity, and they are
frequent throughout the whole of Syria and Palestine. On the
long-forgotten way from Jericho to Bethel, "broken cisterns" of high
antiquity are found at regular intervals. Jerusalem depends mainly for
water upon its cisterns, of which almost every private house possesses
one or more, excavated in the rock on which the city is built. The
cisterns have usually a round opening at the top, sometimes built up
with stonework above and furnished with a curb and a wheel for a
bucket. (Ecclesiastes 12:6) Empty cisterns were sometimes used as
prisons and places of confinement. Joseph was cast into a "pit,"
(Genesis 37:22) as was Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 38:6)
CitiesThe
earliest notice in Scripture of city-building is of Enoch by Cain, in
the land of his exile. (Genesis 4:17) After the confusion of tongues
the descendants of Nimrod founded Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in
the land of Shinar, and Asshur, a branch from the same stock, built
Nineveh, Rehoboth-by-the-river, Calah and Resen, the last being "a
great city." The earliest description of a city, properly so called, is
that of Sodom, (Genesis 19:1-22) Even before the time of Abraham there
were cities in Egypt, (Genesis 12:14,15; Numbers 13:22) and the
Israelites, during their sojourn there, were employed in building or
fortifying the "treasure cities" of Pithom and Raamses. (Exodus 1:11)
Fenced cities, fortified with high walls, (3:5) were occupied and
perhaps partly rebuilt after the conquest, by the settled inhabitants
of Syria on both sides of the Jordan.
Cities
Of Refugesix
Levitical cities specially chosen for refuge to the involuntary
homicide until released from banishment by the death of the high
priest. (Numbers 35:6,13,15; Joshua 20:2,7,9) There were three on each
side of Jordan.
+[383]Kedesh, in Naphtali. (1 Chronicles 6:76)
+[384]Shechem, in Mount Ephraim. (Joshua 21:21; 1 Chronicles 6:67; 2
Chronicles 10:1)
+[385]Hebron, in Judah. (Joshua 21:13; 2 Samuel 5:5; 1 Chronicles 6:55;
29:27; 2 Chronicles 11:10)
+On the east side of Jordan - [386]Bezer In The Wilderness, in the
tribe of Reuben, in the plains of Moab. (4:43; Joshua 20:8; 21:36)
1Macc. 5:26.
+RAMOTH-GILEAD, in the tribe of Gad. (4:43; Joshua 21:38; 1 Kings 22:3)
+[387]Golan, in Bashan, in the half-tribe of Manasseh. (4:43; Joshua
21:27; 1 Chronicles 6:71)
Citims1
Macc. 8:5. [[388]Chittim, Kittim]
CitizenshipThe
use of this term in Scripture has exclusive reference to the usages of
the Roman empire. The privilege of Roman citizenship was originally
acquired in various ways, as by purchase, (Acts 22:28) by military
services, by favor or by manumission. The right once obtained descended
to a man's children. (Acts 22:28) Among the privileges attached to
citizenship we may note that a man could not be bound or imprisoned
without a formal trial, (Acts 22:29) still less be scourged. (Acts
16:37) Cic. in Verr. v. 63,66. Another privilege attaching to
citizenship was the appeal from a provincial tribunal to the emperor at
Rome. (Acts 25:11)
Citron[[389]Apple
Tree, Apple TREE]
Clauda(lame),
(Acts 27:16) a small island nearly due west of Cape Matala on the south
coast of Crete, and nearly due south of Phoenice; now Gozzo .
Claudia(lame),
a Christian woman mentioned in (2 Timothy 4:21) as saluting Timotheus.
Claudius(lame),
fourth Roman emperor, reigned from 41 to 54 A.D. He was nominated to
the supreme power mainly through the influence of Herod Agrippa the
First. In the reign of Claudius there were several famines, arising
from unfavorable harvests, and one such occurred in Palestine and
Syria. (Acts 11:28-30) Claudius was induced by a tumult of the Jews in
Rome to expel them from the city. cf. (Acts 18:2) The date of this
event is uncertain. After a weak and foolish reign he was poisoned by
his fourth wife, Agrippina, the mother of Nero, October 13, A.D. 54.
Claudius
Lysias[[390]Lysias
Claudius]
ClayAs
the sediment of water remaining in pits or in streets, the word is used
frequently in the Old Testament. (Psalms 18:42; Isaiah 57:20; Jeremiah
38:6) and in the New Testament, (John 9:6) a mixture of sand or dust
with spittle. It is also found in the sense of potter's clay. (Isaiah
41:25) The great seat of the pottery of the present day in Palestine is
Gaza, where are made the vessels in dark-blue clay so frequently met
with. Another use of clay was for sealing. (Job 38:14) Our Lord's tomb
may have been thus sealed, (Matthew 27:66) as also the earthen vessel
containing the evidences of Jeremiah's purchase. (Jeremiah 32:14) The
seal used for public documents was rolled on the moist clay, and the
tablet was then placed in the fire and baked.
Clement(mild,
merciful), (Philippians 4:3) a fellow laborer of St. Paul when he was
at Philippi. (A.D. 57.) It was generally believed in the ancient Church
that this Clement was identical with the bishop of Rome who afterwards
became so celebrated.
Cleopas(of
a renowned father), one of the two disciples who were going to Emmaus
on the day of the resurrection. (Luke 24:18) Some think the same as
Cleophas in (John 19:25) But they are probably two different persons.
Cleopas is a Greek name, contracted from Cleopater, while Cleophas, or
Clopas as in the Revised Version, is an Aramaic name, the same as
Alphaeus.
CleophasRevised
Version Clo'pas, the husband of Mary the sister of Virgin Mary. (John
19:25) He was probably dead before Jesus' ministry began, for his wife
and children constantly appear with Joseph's family in the time of our
Lord's ministry.--Englishman's Cyc. [[391]Cleopas; [392]Alphaeus]
Clothing[[393]Dress]
CloudThe
shelter given, and refreshment of rain promised, by clouds give them
their peculiar prominence in Oriental imagery. When a cloud appears
rain is ordinarily apprehended, and thus the "cloud without rain"
becomes a proverb for the man of promise without performance. (Proverbs
16:15; Isaiah 18:4; 25:5; Jude 1:12) comp. Prov 25:14 The cloud is a
figure of transitoriness, (Job 30:15; Hosea 6:4) and of whatever
intercepts divine favor or human supplication. (Lamentations 2:1; 3:44)
A bright cloud at times visited and rested on the mercy-seat. (Exodus
29:42,43; 1 Kings 8:10,11; 2 Chronicles 5:14; Ezekiel 43:4) and was by
later writers named Shechinah.
Cloud,
Pillar OfThe
pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night that God caused to pass
before the camp of the children of Israel when in the wilderness. The
cloud, which became a pillar when the host moved, seems to have rested
at other times on the tabernacle, whence god is said to have "come down
in the pillar." (Numbers 12:5; Exodus 33:9,10) It preceded the host,
apparently resting on the ark which led the way. (Exodus 13:21; 40:36)
etc.; Numb 9:15-23; 10:34
Cloutedpatched.
(Joshua 9:5)
Cnidus(nidus),
a city of great consequence, situated at the extreme south west of the
peninsula of Asia Minor, on a promontory now called Cape Crio, which
projects between the islands of Cos and Rhodes. See (Acts 21:1) It is
now in ruins.
CoalThe
first and most frequent use of the word rendered coal is a live ember,
burning fuel. (Proverbs 26:21) In (2 Samuel 22:9,13) "coals of fire"
are put metaphorically for the lightnings proceeding from God. (Psalms
18:8,12,13; 140:10) In (Proverbs 26:21) fuel not yet lighted is clearly
signified. The fuel meant in the above passage is probably charcoal,
and not coal in our sense of the word.
Coastborder,
with no more reference to lands bordering on the sea than to any other
bordering lands.
Coat[[394]Dress]
Cock(Matthew
26:34; Mark 13:35; 14:30) etc. The domestic cock and hen were early
known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and as no mention is made in
the Old Testament of these birds, and no figures of them occur on the
Egyptian monuments, they probably came into Judea with the Romans, who,
as is well known, prized these birds both as articles of food and for
cock-fighting.
Cockatrice[[395]Adder]
Cockleprobably
signifies bad weeds or fruit. (Job 31:40)
Coelesyria(hollow
Syria), the remarkable valley or hollow which intervenes between
Libanus and Anti-Libanus, stretching a distance of nearly a hundred
miles. The only mention of the region as a separate tract of country
which the Jewish Scriptures contain is probably that in (Amos 1:5)
where "the inhabitants of the plain of Aven" are threatened in
conjunction with those of Damascus. The word is given in the Authorized
Version as CELO-SYRIA.
Coffer(argaz),
a movable box hanging from the side of a cart. (1 Samuel 6:8,11,15) The
word is found nowhere else.
Coffin[[396]Burial,
Sepulchres]
Colhozeh(all-seeing),
a man of the tribe of Judah in the time of Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 3:15;
11:5) (B.C. 536.)
CollarFor
the proper sense of this term, as it occurs in (Judges 8:26) see
[397]Earrings.
College,
TheIn
(2 Kings 22:14) it is probable that the word translated "college"
represents here not an institution of learning, but that part of
Jerusalem known as the "lower city" or suburb, built on the hill Akra,
including the Bezetha or new city.
Colonya
designation of Philippi, in (Acts 16:12) After the battle of Actium,
Augustus assigned to his veterans those parts of Italy which had
espoused the cause of Antony, and transported many of the expelled
inhabitants to Philippi, Dyrrhachium and other cities. In this way
Philippi was made a Roman colony with the "Jus Italicum." At first the
colonists were all Roman citizens, and entitled to vote at Rome.
ColorsThe
terms relative to color, occurring in the Bible, may be arranged in two
classes, the first including those applied to the description of
natural objects, the second those artificial mixtures which were
employed in dyeing or painting. The purple and the blue were derived
from a small shellfish found in the Mediterranean, and were very
costly, and hence they were the royal colors. Red, both scarlet and
crimson, was derived from an insect resembling the cochineal. The
natural colors noticed in the Bible are white, black, red, yellow and
green. The only fundamental color of which the Hebrews appear to have
had a clear conception was red ; and even this is not very often
noticed.
Colossemore
properly Colos'sae, was a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, in the upper
part of the basin of the Maeander, on the Lycus. Hierapolis and
Laodicea were in its immediate neighborhood. (Colossians 1:2;
4:13,15,16) see Reve 1:11; 3:14 St. Paul is supposed by some to have
visited Colosse and founded or confirmed the Colossian church on his
third missionary journey. (Acts 18:23; 19:1)
Colossians,
The Epistle To Thewas
written by the apostle St. Paul during his first captivity at Rome.
(Acts 28:16) (A.D. 62.) The epistle was addressed to Christians of the
city of Colosse, and was delivered to them by Tychicus, whom the
apostle had sent both to them, (Colossians 4:7,8) and to the church of
Ephesus, (Ephesians 6:21) to inquire into their state and to administer
exhortation and comfort. The main object of the epistle is to warn the
Colossians against the spirit of semi-Judaistic and semi-Oriental
philosophy which was corrupting the simplicity of their belief, and was
noticeably tending to obscure the eternal glory and dignity of Christ.
The similarity between this epistle and that to the Ephesians is
striking. The latter was probably written at a later date.
Comforter(John
14:16) The name given by Christ to the Holy Spirit. The original word
is Paraclete, and means first Advocate, a defender, helper,
strengthener, as well as comforter.
CommerceFrom
the time that men began to live in cities, trade, in some shape, must
have been carried on to supply the town-dwellers with necessaries from
foreign as well as native sources, for we find that Abraham was rich,
not only in cattle, but in silver, gold and gold and silver plate and
ornaments. (Genesis 13:2; 24:22,53) Among trading nations mentioned in
Scripture, Egypt holds in very early times a prominent position. The
internal trade of the Jews, as well as the external, was much promoted
by the festivals, which brought large numbers of persons to Jerusalem.
(1 Kings 8:63) The places of public market were chiefly the open spaces
near the gates, to which goods were brought for sale by those who came
from the outside. (Nehemiah 13:15,16; Zephaniah 1:10) The traders in
later times were allowed to intrude into the temple, in the outer
courts of which victims were publicly sold for the sacrifice.
(Zechariah 14:21; Matthew 21:12; John 2:14)
Conaniah(made
by Jehovah), one of the chiefs of the Levites in the time of Josiah. (2
Chronicles 35:9) (B.C. 628).
ConcubineThe
difference between wife and concubine was less marked among the Hebrews
than among us, owing to the absence of moral stigma. The difference
probably lay in the absence of the right of the bill of divorce,
without which the wife could not be repudiated. With regard to the
children of wife and of concubine, there was no such difference as our
illegitimacy implies. The latter were a supplementary family to the
former; their names occur in the patriarchal genealogies, (Genesis
22:24; 1 Chronicles 1:22) and their position and provision would depend
on the father's will. (Genesis 25:6) The state of concubinage is
assumed and provided for by the law of Moses. A concubine would
generally be either (1) a Hebrew girl bought of her father; (2) a
Gentile captive taken in war; (3) a foreign slave bought; or (4) a
Canaanitish woman, bond or free. The rights of the first two were
protected by the law, (Exodus 21:7; 21:10-14) but the third was
unrecognized and the fourth prohibited. Free Hebrew women also might
become concubines. To seize on royal concubines for his use was
probably the intent of Abner's act, (2 Samuel 3:7) and similarly the
request on behalf of Adonijah was construed. (1 Kings 2:21-24)
Conduitmeaning
an aqueduct or trench through which water was carried. Tradition, both
oral and as represented by Talmudical writers, ascribes to Solomon the
formation of the original aqueduct by which water was brought to
Jerusalem.
Coney(shaphan),
a gregarious animal of the class Pachydermata, which is found in
Palestine, living in the caves and clefts of the rocks, and has been
erroneously identified with the rabbit or coney. Its scientific name as
Hyrax syriacus . The hyrax satisfies exactly the expressions in (Psalms
104:18; Proverbs 30:26) Its color is gray or brown on the back, white
on the belly; it is like the alpine marmot, scarcely of the size of the
domestic cat, having long hair, a very short tail and round ears. It is
found on Lebanon and in the Jordan and Dead Sea valleys.
CongregationThis
describes the Hebrew people in its collective capacity under its
peculiar aspect as a holy community, held together by religious rather
than political bonds. Sometimes it is used in a broad sense as
inclusive of foreign settlers, (Exodus 12:19) but more properly as
exclusively appropriate to the Hebrew element of the population.
(Numbers 15:15) The congregation was governed by the father or head of
each family and tribe. The number of these representatives being
inconveniently large for ordinary business, a further selection was
made by Moses of 70, who formed a species of standing committee.
(Numbers 11:16) Occasionally indeed the whole body of people was
assembled at the door of the tabernacle, hence usually called the
tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 10:3) The people were strictly
bound by the acts of their representatives, even in cases where they
disapproved of them. (Joshua 9:18)
Coniah[[398]Jeconiah]
Cononiah(appointed
by the Lord), a Levite, ruler of the offerings and tithes in the time
of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 31:12,13) (B.C. 726.)
Consecration[[399]Priest]
ConvocationThis
term (with one exception)-- (Isaiah 1:13) is applied invariably to
meetings of a religious character, in contradistinction to congregation.
CookingAs
meet did not form an article of ordinary diet among the Jews, the art
of cooking was not carried to any perfection. Few animals were
slaughtered except for purposes of hospitality or festivity. The
proceedings on such occasions appear to have been as follows:--On the
arrival of a guest, the animal, either a kid, lamb or calf, was killed,
(Genesis 18:7; Luke 15:23) its throat being cut so that the blood might
be poured out, (Leviticus 7:26) it was then flayed, and was ready for
either roasting or boiling. In the former case the animal was preserved
entire, (Exodus 12:46) and roasted either over a fire, (Exodus 12:8) of
wood, (Isaiah 44:16) or perhaps in an oven, consisting simply of a hole
dug in the earth, well heated, and covered up. Boiling, however, was
the more usual method of cooking.
Coos(Acts
21:1) [[400]Cos, Or Coos]
CopperHeb.
nechosheth, in the Authorized Version always rendered "brass," except
in (Ezra 8:27) and Jere 15:12 It was almost exclusively used by the
ancients for common purposes, and for every kind of instrument, as
chains, pillars, lavers and the other temple vessels. We read also of
copper mirrors, (Exodus 38:8) and even of copper arms, as helmets,
spears, etc. (1 Samuel 17:5,6,38; 2 Samuel 21:16)
Coral(Ezekiel
27:16) A production of the sea, formed by minute animals called
zoophytes. It is their shell or house. It takes various forms, as of
trees, shrubs, hemispheres. The principal colors are red and white. It
was used for beads and ornaments. With regard to the estimation in
which coral was held by the Jews and other Orientals, it must be
remembered that coral varies in price with us. Pliny says that the
Indians valued coral as the Romans valued pearls. (Job 28:18)
Corbanan
offering to God of any sort, bloody or bloodless, but particularly in
fulfillment of a vow. The law laid down rules for vows, (1)
affirmative; (2) negative. (Leviticus 27:1; Numbers 30:1) ... Upon
these rules the traditionists enlarged, and laid down that a man might
interdict himself by vow, not only from using for himself, bur from
giving to another or receiving from him, some particular object,
whether of food or any other kind whatsoever. The thing thus
interdicted was considered as corban . A person might thus exempt
himself from any inconvenient obligation under plea of corban. It was
practices of this sort that our Lord reprehended, (Matthew 15:5; Mark
7:11) as annulling the spirit of the law.
CordThe
materials of which cord was made varied according to the strength
required; the strongest rope was probably made of strips of camel hide,
as still used by the Bedouins. The finer sorts were made of flax,
(Isaiah 19:9) and probably of reeds and rushes. In the New Testament
the term is applied to the whip which our Saviour made, (John 2:15) and
to the ropes of a ship. (Acts 27:32)
Core(Jude
1:11) [[401]Korah, 1]
CorianderThe
plant called Coriandrum sativum is found in Egypt, Persia and India,
and has a round tall stalk; it bears umbelliferous white or reddish
flowers, from which arise globular, grayish, spicy seed-corns, marked
with fine striae. It is mentioned twice in the Bible. (Exodus 16:31;
Numbers 11:7)
Corinthan
ancient and celebrated city of Greece, on the Isthmus of Corinth, and
about 40 miles west of Athens. In consequence of its geographical
position it formed the most direct communication between the Ionian and
AEgean seas. A remarkable feature was the AcroCorinthus, a vast citadel
of rock, which rises abruptly to the height of 2000 feet above the
level of the sea, and the summit of which is so extensive that it once
contained a whole town. The situation of Corinth, and the possession of
its eastern and western harbors, Cenchreae and Lechaeum, are the
secrets of its history. Corinth was a place of great mental activity,
as well as of commercial and manufacturing enterprise. Its wealth was
so celebrated as to be proverbial; so were the vice and profligacy of
its inhabitants. The worship of Venus where was attended with shameful
licentiousness. Corinth is still an episcopal see. The city has now
shrunk to a wretched village, ont he old site and bearing the old name,
which, however, is corrupted into Gortho . St. Paul preached here,
(Acts 18:11) and founded a church, to which his Epistles to the
Corinthians are addressed. [EPISTLES TO THE [402]Corinthians, First
Epistle To The, [403]Corinthians, Second Epistle To The]
Corinthians,
First Epistle To Thewas
written by the apostle St. Paul toward the close of his nearly
three-years stay at Ephesus, (Acts 19:10; 20:31) which, we learn from
(1 Corinthians 16:8) probably terminated with the Pentecost of A.D. 57
or 58. The bearers were probably (according to the common subscription)
Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. It appears to have been called
forth by the information the apostles had received of dissension in the
Corinthian church, which may be thus explained:--The Corinthian church
was planted by the apostle himself, (1 Corinthians 3:6) in his second
missionary journey. (Acts 18:1) seq. He abode in the city a year and a
half. (Acts 18:11) A short time after the apostle had left the city the
eloquent Jew of Alexandria, Apollos, went to Corinth, (Acts 19:1) and
gained many followers, dividing the church into two parties, the
followers of Paul and the followers of Apollos. Later on Judaizing
teachers from Jerusalem preached the gospel in a spirit of direct
antagonism to St. Paul personally. To this third party we may perhaps
add a fourth, that, under the name of "the followers of Christ," (1
Corinthians 2:12) sought at first to separate themselves from the
factious adherence to particular teachers, but eventually were driven
by antagonism into positions equally sectarian and inimical to the
unity of the church. At this momentous period, before parties had
become consolidated and that distinctly withdrawn from communion with
one another, the apostle writes; and in the outset of the epistle, 1Cor
1-4:21, we have this noble and impassioned protest against this
fourfold rending of the robe of Christ.
Corinthians,
Second Epistle To Thewas
written a few months subsequent to the first, in the same year--about
the autumn of A.D. 57 or 58--at Macedonia. The epistle was occasioned
by the information which the apostle had received form Titus, and also,
as it would certainly seem probable, from Timothy, of the reception of
the first epistle. This information, as it would seem from our present
epistle, was mainly favorable; the better part of the church were
returning to their spiritual allegiance to the founder, (2 Corinthians
1:13,14; 7:9,15,16) but there was still a faction who strenuously
denied Paul's claim to apostleship. The contents of this epistle
comprise, (1) the apostle's account of the character of his spiritual
labors, chs. 1-7; (2) directions about the collections, chs. 8,9; (3)
defence of his own apostolical character, chs. 10-13:10. The words in
(1 Corinthians 5:9) seem to point to further epistles to the church by
Paul, but we have no positive evidence of any.
Cormorantthe
representative in the Authorized Version of the Hebrew words kaath and
shalac . As to the former, see [404]Pelican. Shalac occurs only as the
name of an unclean bird in (Leviticus 11:17; 14:17) The word has been
variously rendered. The etymology points to some plunging bird. The
common cormorant (phalacrocorax carbo), which some writers have
identified with the shalac, is unknown in the eastern Mediterranean;
another species is found south of the Red Sea, but none on the west
coast of Palestine.
CornThe
most common kinds were wheat, barley, spelt, Authorized Version,
(Exodus 9:32) and Isai 28:25 "Rye;" (Ezekiel 4:9) "fitches" and millet;
oats are mentioned only by rabbinical writers. Our Indian corn was
unknown in Bible times. Corn-crops are still reckoned at twentyfold
what was sown, and were anciently much more. (Genesis 41:22) The Jewish
law permitted any one in passing through a filed of standing corn to
pluck and eat. (23:25) see also Matt 12:1 From Solomon's time, (2
Chronicles 2:10,15) as agriculture became developed under a settled
government, Palestine was a corn-exporting country, and her grain was
largely taken by her commercial neighbor Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:17) comp.
Amos 8:5
Cornelius(of
a horn), a Roman centurion of the Italian cohort stationed in Caesarea,
(Acts 10:1) etc., a man full of good works and alms-deeds. With his
household he was baptized by St. Peter, and thus Cornelius became the
firstfruits of the Gentile world to Christ.
CornerThe
"corner" of the field was not allowed, (Leviticus 19:9) to be wholly
reaped. It formed a right of the poor to carry off what was so left,
and this was a part of the maintenance from the soil to which that
class were entitled. Under the scribes, minute legislation fixed
one-sixtieth as the portion of a field which was to be left for the
legal "corner." The proportion being thus fixed, all the grain might be
reaped, and enough to satisfy the regulation subsequently separated
from the whole crop. This "corner" was, like the gleaning, tithe-free.
Cornerstonea
quoin or cornerstone, of great importance in binding together the sides
of a building. The phrase "corner-stone" is sometimes used to denote
any principal person, as the princes of Egypt, (Isaiah 19:13) and is
thus applied to our Lord. (Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; 1 Peter 2:6,7)
Cornet(Heb.
shophar), a loud-sounding instrument, made of the horn of a ram or a
chamois (sometimes of an ox), and used by the ancient Hebrews for
signals, (Leviticus 25:9) and much used by the priests. (1 Chronicles
15:28)
Cos,
Or Coos(now
Stanchio or Stanko). This small island of the Grecian Archipelago has
several interesting points of connection with the Jews. Herod the Great
conferred many favors on the island. St. Paul, on the return from his
third missionary journey, passed the night here, after sailing from
Miletus. Probably referred to in (Acts 21:1)
Cosam(a
diviner), son of Elmodam, in the line of Joseph the husband of Mary.
(Luke 3:28)
CottonCotton
is now both grown and manufactured in various parts of Syria and
Palestine; but there is no proof that, till they came in contact with
Persia, the Hebrews generally knew of it as a distinct fabric from
linen. [[405]Linen]
Couch[[406]Bed]
Council
+The great council of the Sanhedrin, which sat at Jerusalem.
[[407]Sanhedrin]
+The lesser courts, (Matthew 10:17; Mark 13:9) of which there were two
at Jerusalem and one in each town of Palestine. The constitution of
these courts is a doubtful point. The existence of local courts,
however constituted, is clearly implied in the passages quoted from the
New Testament; and perhaps the "judgment," (Matthew 5:21) applies to
them.
+A kind of jury or privy council, (Acts 25:12) consisting of a certain
number of assessors, who assisted Roman governors in the administration
of justice and in other public matters.
Court(Heb.
chatser), an open enclosure surrounded by buildings, applied in the
Authorized Version most commonly to the enclosures of the tabernacle
and the temple. (Exodus 27:9; 40:33; Leviticus 6:16; 1 Kings 6:36; 7:8;
2 Kings 23:12; 2 Chronicles 33:5) etc.
CovenantThe
Heb. berith means primarily "a cutting," with reference to the custom
of cutting or dividing animals in two and passing between the parts in
ratifying a covenant. (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18,19) In the New
Testament the corresponding word is diathece (diatheke), which is
frequently translated testament in the Authorized Version. In its
biblical meaning two parties the word is used--
+Of a covenant between God and man; e.g. God covenanted with Noah,
after the flood, that a like judgment should not be repeated. It is not
precisely like a covenant between men, but was a promise or agreement
by God. The principal covenants are the covenant of works--God
promising to save and bless men on condition of perfect obedience--and
the covenant of grace, or God's promise to save men on condition of
their believing in Christ and receiving him as their Master and
Saviour. The first is called the Old Covenant, from which we name the
first part of the bible the Old Testament, the Latin rendering of the
word covenant. The second is called the New Covenant, or New Testament.
+Covenant between man and man, i.e. a solemn compact or agreement,
either between tribes or nations, (Joshua 9:6,15; 1 Samuel 11:1) or
between individuals, (Genesis 31:44) by which each party bound himself
to fulfill certain conditions and was assured of receiving certain
advantages. In making such a covenant God was solemnly invoked as
witness, (Genesis 31:50) and an oath was sworn. (Genesis 21:31) A sign
or witness of the covenant was sometimes framed, such a gift, (Genesis
21:30) or a pillar or heap of stones erected. (Genesis 31:52)
Cow[[408]Bull,
Bullock]
Coz(thorn),
a man among the descendants of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:8)
Cozbi(deceitful),
daughter of Zur, a chief of the Midianites. (Numbers 25:15,18)
CraneThe
crane (Grus cinerea) is a native of Europe and Asia. It stand about
four feet high. Its color is ashen gray, with face and neck nearly
black. It feeds on seeds, roots, insects and small quadrupeds. It
retires in winter to the warmer climates. (Jeremiah 8:7)
CreateTo
create is to cause something to exist which did not exist before, as
distinguished from make, to re-form something already in existence.
Creation(The
creation of all things is ascribed in the Bible to God, and is the only
reasonable account of the origin of the world. The method of creation
is not stated in Genesis, and as far as the account there is concerned,
each part of it may be, after the first acts of creation, by evolution,
or by direct act of God's will. The word create (bara) is used but
three times in the first chapter of Genesis-- (1) as to the origin of
matter; (2) as to the origin of life; (3) as to the origin of man's
soul; and science has always failed to do any of these acts thus
ascribed to God. All other things are said to be made . The order of
creation as given in Genesis is in close harmony with the order as
revealed by geology, and the account there given, so long before the
records of the rocks were read or the truth discoverable by man, is one
of the strongest proofs that the Bible was inspired by God.--Ed.)
Creditor[[409]Loan]
Crescens(growing),
(2 Timothy 4:10) an assistant of St. Paul, said to have been one of the
seventy disciples.
Cretethe
modern Candia. This large island, which closes int he Greek Archipelago
on the south, extends through a distance of 140 miles between its
extreme points. Though exceedingly bold and mountainous, this island
has very fruitful valleys, and in early times it was celebrated for its
hundred cities. It seems likely that a very early acquaintances existed
between the Cretans and the Jews. Cretans, (Acts 2:11) were among those
who were at Jerusalem at the great Pentecost. In [Acts 27:7-12 We have
an account of Paul's shipwreck near this island; and it is evident from
(Titus 1:5) that the apostle himself was here at no long interval of
time before he wrote the letter. The Cretans were proverbial liars.
(Titus 1:12)
Cretes(Acts
2:11) Cretans, inhabitants of Crete.
Crisping
Pins(Isaiah
3:22) The original word means some kind of female ornament, probably a
reticule or richly ornamented purse, often made of silk inwrought with
gold or silver.
Crispus(curled),
ruler of the Jewish synagogue at Corinth, (Acts 18:8) baptized with his
family by St. Paul. (1 Corinthians 1:14) (A.D. 50.)
CrossAs
the emblem of a slave's death and a murderer's punishment, the cross
was naturally looked upon with the profoundest horror. But after the
celebrated vision of Constantine, he ordered his friends to make a
cross of gold and gems, such as he had seen, and "the towering eagles
resigned the flags unto the cross," and "the tree of cursing and shame"
"sat upon the sceptres and was engraved and signed on the foreheads of
kings." (Jer. Taylor, "Life of Christ," iii., xv. 1.) The new standards
were called by the name Labarum, and may be seen on the coins of
Constantine the Great and his nearer successors. The Latin cross on
which our Lord suffered, was int he form of the letter T, and had an
upright above the cross-bar, on which the "title" was placed. There was
a projection from the central stem, on which the body of the sufferer
rested. This was to prevent the weight of the body from tearing away
the hands. Whether there was also a support to the feet (as we see in
pictures) is doubtful. An inscription was generally placed above the
criminal's head, briefly expressing his guilt, and generally was
carried before him. It was covered with white gypsum, and the letter
were black.
CrownThis
ornament, which is both ancient and universal, probably originated from
the fillets used to prevent the hair from being dishevelled by the
wind. Such fillets are still common; they gradually developed into
turbans, which by the addition of ornamental or precious materials
assumed the dignity of mitres or crowns. Both the ordinary priests and
the high priest wore them. The crown was a symbol of royalty, and was
worn by kings, (2 Chronicles 23:11) and also by queens. (Esther 2:17)
The head-dress of bridegrooms, (Ezekiel 24:17; Isaiah 61:10) Bar. 5:2,
and of women, (Isaiah 3:20) a head-dress of great splendor, (Isaiah
28:5) a wreath of flowers, (Proverbs 1:9; 4:9) denote crowns. In
general we must attach to it the notion of a costly turban irradiated
with pearls and gems of priceless value, which often form aigrettes for
feathers, as in the crowns of modern Asiatics sovereigns. Such was
probably the crown which weighed (or rather "was worth") a talent,
mentioned in (2 Samuel 12:30) taken by David from the king of Ammon at
Rabbah, and used as the state crown of Judah. (2 Samuel 12:30) In
(Revelation 12:3; 19:12) allusion is made to "many crowns" worn in
token of extended dominion. The laurel, pine or parsley crowns given to
victors int he great games of Greece are finely alluded to by St. Paul.
(1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 2:5) etc.
Crown
Of Thorns(Matthew
27:29) Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the Roman
soldiers. Obviously some small flexile thorny shrub is meant perhaps
Capparis spinosa. "Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very
common plant naba or nubka of the Arabs, with many small and sharp
sines; soft, round and pliant branches; leaves much resembling ivy, of
a very deep green, as if in designed mockery of a victor's
wreath."--Alford.
Crucifixionwas
in used among the Egyptians, (Genesis 40:19) the Carthaginians, the
Persians, (Esther 7:10) the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and
from the earliest times among the Greeks and Romans. Whether this mode
of execution was known to the ancient Jews is a matter of dispute.
Probably the Jews borrowed it from the Romans. It was unanimously
considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans the
degradation was also a part of the infliction, and the punishment if
applied to freemen was only used in the case of the vilest criminals.
The one to be crucified was stripped naked of all his clothes, and then
followed the most awful moment of all. He was laid down upon the
implement of torture. His arms were stretched along the cross-beams,
and at the centre of the open palms the point of a huge iron nail was
placed, which, by the blow of a mallet, was driven home into the wood.
Then through either foot separately, or possibly through both together,
as they were placed one over the other, another huge nail tore its way
through the quivering flesh. Whether the sufferer was also bound to the
cross we do not know; but, to prevent the hands and feet being torn
away by the weight of the body, which could not "rest upon nothing but
four great wounds," there was, about the centre of the cross, a wooden
projection strong enough to support, at least in part, a human body,
which soon became a weight of agony. Then the "accursed tree" with its
living human burden was slowly heaved up and the end fixed firmly in a
hole in the ground. The feet were but a little raised above the earth.
The victim was in full reach of every hand that might choose to strike.
A death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death can
have of the horrible and ghastly,--dizziness, cramp, thirst,
starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, tetanus, publicity of
shame, long continuance of torment, horror of anticipation,
mortification of untended wounds, all intensified just up to the point
at which they can be endured at all, but all stopping just short of the
point which would give to the sufferer the relief of unconsciousness.
The unnatural position made every movement painful; the lacerated veins
and crushed tendons throbbed with incessant anguish; the wounds,
inflamed by exposure, gradually gangrened; the arteries, especially of
the head and stomach, became swollen and oppressed with surcharged
blood; and, while each variety of misery went on gradually increasing,
there was added to them the intolerable pang of a burning and raging
thirst. Such was the death to which Christ was doomed.--Farrar's "Life
of Christ. " The crucified was watched, according to custom, by a party
of four soldiers, (John 19:23) with their centurion, (Matthew 27:66)
whose express office was to prevent the stealing of the body. This was
necessary from the lingering character of the death, which sometimes
did not supervene even for three days, and was at last the result of
gradual benumbing and starvation. But for this guard, the persons might
have been taken down and recovered, as was actually done in the case of
a friend of Josephus. Fracture of the legs was especially adopted by
the Jews to hasten death. (John 19:31) In most cases the body was
suffered to rot on the cross by the action of sun and rain, or to be
devoured by birds and beasts. Sepulture was generally therefore
forbidden; but in consequence of (21:22,23) an express national
exception was made in favor of the Jews. (Matthew 27:58) This accursed
and awful mode of punishment was happily abolished by Constantine.
Crusea
small vessel for holding water, such as was carried by Saul when on his
night expedition after David, (1 Samuel 26:11,12,16) and by Elijah. (1
Kings 19:6)
Crystalthe
representative in the Authorized Version of two Hebrew words.
+Zecucith occurs only in (Job 28:17) where "glass" probably is intended.
+kerach occurs in numerous passages in the Old Testament to denote
"ice," "frost," etc.; but once only (Ezekiel 1:22) as is generally
understood, to signify "crystal." The ancients supposed rock-crystal to
be merely ice congealed by intense cold. The similarity of appearance
between ice and crystal caused no doubt the identity of the terms to
express these substances. The Greek word occurs in (Revelation 4:6;
21:1) It may mean either "ice" or "crystal."
Cubit[[410]Weights
And Measures AND [411]Measures]
Cuckoo(Leviticus
11:16; 14:15) the name of some of the larger petrels which abound in
the east of the Mediterranean.
Cucumbers(Heb.
kishshuim). This word occurs in (Numbers 11:5) as one of the good
things of Egypt produces excellent cucumbers, melons, etc., the Cucumis
chate being the best of its tribe yet known. Besides the Cucumis chate,
the common cucumber (C. sativus), of which the Arabs distinguish a
number of varieties, is common in Egypt. "Both Cucumis chate and C.
sativus," says Mr. Tristram, "are now grown in great quantities in
Palestine. On visiting the Arab school in Jerusalem (1858) I observed
that the dinner which the children brought with them to school
consisted, without exception, of a piece of barley cake and a raw
cucumber, which they ate rind and all." The "lodge in a garden of
cucumbers," (Isaiah 1:8) is a rude temporary shelter erected int eh
open grounds where vines, cucumbers, gourds, etc., are grown, in which
some lonely man or boy is set to watch, either to guard the plants from
robbers or to scare away the foxes and jackals from the vines.
Cumminone
of the cultivated plants of Palestine. (Isaiah 28:25,27; Matthew 23:23)
It is an umbelliferous plant something like fennel. The seeds have a
bitterish warm taste and an aromatic flavor. The Maltese are said to
grow it at the present day, and to thresh it in the manner described by
Isaiah.
CupThe
cups of the Jews, whether of metal or earthenware, were possibly
borrowed, in point of shape and design, from Egypt and from the
Phoenicians, who were celebrated in that branch of workmanship.
Egyptian cups were of various shapes, either with handles or without
them. In Solomon's time all his drinking vessels were of gold, none of
silver. (1 Kings 10:21) Babylon is compared to a golden cup. (Jeremiah
51:7) The great laver, or "sea," was made with a rim like the rim of a
cup (cos), with flowers of lilies," (1 Kings 7:26) a form which the
Persepolitan cups resemble. The cups of the New Testament were often no
doubt formed on Greek and Roman models. They were sometimes of gold.
(Revelation 17:4)
Cupbeareran
officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian and Assyrian as well as
Jewish monarchs. (1 Kings 10:5) It was his duty to fill the king's cup
and present it to him personally. (Nehemiah 1:11) The chief cupbearer,
or butler, to the king of Egypt was the means of raising Joseph to his
high position. (Genesis 40:1,21; 41:9)
Cushthe
name of a son of Ham, apparently the eldest, and of a territory or
territories occupied by his descendants. The Cushites appear to have
spread along tracts extending from the higher Nile to the Euphrates and
Tigris. History affords many traces of this relation of Babylonia,
Arabia and Ethiopia. (black), a Benjamite mentioned only in the title
to (Psalms 7:1) He was probably a follower of Saul, the head of his
tribe. (B.C. 1061).
Cushan(blackness),
(Habakkuk 3:7) possibly the same as Cushan-rishathaim (Authorized
Version Chushan-) king of Mesopotamia. (Judges 3:8,10)
CushiProperly
"the Cushite," "the Ethiopian," a man apparently attached to Joab's
person. (2 Samuel 18:21-25,31,32)
Cuth,
Or Cuthahone
of the countries whence Shalmaneser introduced colonists into Samaria.
(2 Kings 17:24,30) Its position is undecided.
Cuttings
[in The Flesh]Cuttings
in the flesh, or the laceration of one's body for the "propitiation of
their gods," (1 Kings 18:28) constituted a prominent feature of
idolatrous worship, especially among the Syrians. The Israelites were
prohibited from indulging in such practices. (Leviticus 19:28; 21:5;
14:1; Jeremiah 16:6)
Cymbal,
Cymbalsa
pecussive musical instrument. Two kinds of cymbals are mentioned in
(Psalms 150:5) "loud cymbals" or castagnettes, and "high-sounding
cymbals." The former consisted of our small plates of brass or of some
other hard metal; two plates were attached to each hand of the
performer, and were struck together to produce a great noise. The
latter consisted of two larger plates, on held in each hand and struck
together as an accompaniment to other instruments. Cymbals were used
not only in the temple but for military purposes, and also by Hebrew
women as a musical accompaniment to their national dances. Both kinds
of cymbals are still common in the East.
Cypress(Heb.
tirzah). The Hebrew word is found only in (Isaiah 44:14) We are quite
unable to assign any definite rendering to it. The true cypress is a
native of the Taurus. The Hebrew word points to some tree with a hard
grain, and this is all that can be positively said of it.
Cyprusan
island of Asia in the Mediterranean. It is about 140 miles long and 50
miles wide at the widest part. Its two chief cities were Salamis, at
the east end of the island, and Paphos, at the west end. "Cyprus
occupies a distinguished place in both sacred and profane history. It
early belonged to the Phoenicians of the neighboring coast; was
afterwards colonized by Greeks' passed successively under the power of
the Pharaohs, Persians, Ptolemies and Romans, excepting a short period
of independence in the fourth century B.C. It was one of the chief
seats of the worship of Venus, hence called Cypria. Recently the
discoveries in Cyprus by Cesnola have excited new interest.--Appleton's
Am. Encyc. It was the native place of Barnabas, (Acts 4:36) and was
visited by Paul. (Acts 13:4-13; 15:39; 21:3) See also (Acts 27:4)
Cyrenethe
principal city of that part of northern Africa which was sufficiently
called Cyrenaica, lying between Carthage and Egypt, and corresponding
with the modern Tripoli. Though on the African coast, it was a Greek
city, and the Jews were settled there in large numbers. The Greek
colonization of this part of Africa under Battus began of early as B.C.
631. After the death of Alexander the Great it became a dependency of
Egypt, and a Roman province B.C. 75. Simon, who bore our Saviour's
cross, (Matthew 27:32) was a native of Cyrene. Jewish dwellers in
Cyrenaica were in Jerusalem at Pentecost, (Acts 2:10) and gave their
name to one of the synagogues in Jerusalem. (Acts 6:9) Christian
converts from Cyrene were among those who contributed actively to the
formation of the first Gentile church at Antioch. (Acts 11:20)
Cyrenius(warrior),
the Greek form of the Roman name of Quirinus. The full name is Publius
Sulpicius Quirinus. He was consul B.C. 12, and was made governor of
Syria after the banishment of Archelaus in A.D. 6. He probably was
twice governor of Syria; his first governorship extended from B.C. 4
(the year of Christ's birth) to B.C. 1. It was during this time that he
was sent to make the enrollment which caused Joseph and Mary to visit
Bethlehem. (Luke 2:2) The second enrollment is mentioned in (Acts 5:37)
Cyrus(the
sun), the founder of the Persian empire--see (2 Chronicles 36:22,23;
Daniel 6:28; 10:1,13)--was, according to the common legend, the son of
Cambyses, a Persian of the royal family of the Achaemenidae. When he
grew up to manhood his courage and genius placed him at the head of the
Persians. His conquests were numerous and brilliant. He defeated and
captured the Median king B.C. 559. In B.C. 546 (?) he defeated Croesus,
and the kingdom of lydia was the prize of his success. Babylon fell
before his army, and the ancient dominions of Assyria were added to his
empire B.C. 538. The prophet Daniel's home for a time was at his court.
(Daniel 6:28) The edict of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the temple, (2
Chronicles 36:22,23; Ezra 1:1-4; 3:7; 4:3; 5:13,17; 6:3) was in fact
the beginning of Judaism; and the great changes by which the nation was
transformed into a church are clearly marked. His tomb is still shown
at Pasargadae, the scene of his first decisive victory.