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Smith's Bible Dictionary
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Laadah
(order), the son of Shelah and grandson of Judah. (1 Chronicles
4:21)
Laadan
(put in order).
+ An Ephraimite, ancestor of Joshua the son of Nun. (1
Chronicles 7:26)
+ The son of Gershom, elsewhere called [789]Libni. (1
Chronicles 23:7,8,9; 26:21)
Laban
(white).
+ Son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and
Rachel. (B.C. about 1860-1740.) The elder branch of the
family remained at Haran, Mesopotamia, when Abraham removed
to the land of Canaan, and it is there that we first meet
with Laban, as taking the leading part in the betrothal of
his sister Rebekah to her cousin Isaac. (Genesis 24:10,29-60;
27:43; 29:5) The next time Laban appears in the sacred
narrative it is as the host of his nephew Jacob at Haran.
(Genesis 29:13,14) [[790]Jacob] Jacob married Rachel and
Leah, daughters of Laban, and remained with him 20 years,
B.C. 1760-1740. But Laban's dishonest and overreaching
practice toward his nephew shows from what source Jacob
inherited his tendency to sharp dealing. Nothing is said of
Laban after Jacob left him.
+ One of the landmarks named in the obscure and disputed
passage (1:1) The mention of Hezeroth has perhaps led to the
only conjecture regarding Laban of which the writer is aware,
namely, that it is identical with [791]Libnah. (Numbers
33:20)
Lacedaemonians
in Greece the inhabitants of Sparta or Lacedaemon, with whom
the Jews claimed kindred. 1 Macc. 12:2,5,6,20,21; 14:20,23;
15:23; 2 Macc. 5:9.
Lachet
the thong or fastening by which the sandal was attached to the
foot. It occurs int he proverbial expression in (Genesis 14:23)
and is there used to denote something trivial or worthless.
Another semi-proverbial expression in (Luke 3:16) points to the
fact that the office of bearing and unfastening the shoes of
great personages fell to the meanest slaves.
Lachish
(invincible), a city lying south of Jerusalem, on the borders
of Simeon, and belonging to the Amorites, the king of which
joined with four others, at the invitation of Adonizedek king
of Jerusalem, to chastise the Gibeonites for their league with
Israel. (Joshua 10:3,5) They were routed by Joshua at
Beth-horon, and the king of Lachish fell a victim with the
others under the trees at Makkedah. ver. (Joshua 10:26) The
destruction of the town shortly followed the death of the king.
vs. (Joshua 10:31-33) In the special statement that the attack
lasted two days, in contradistinction to the other cities which
were taken in one (see ver. 35), we gain our first glimpse of
that strength of position for which Lachish was afterward
remarkable. Lachish was one of the cities fortified and
garrisoned by Rehoboam after the revolt of the northern
kingdom. (2 Chronicles 11:9) In the reign of Hezekiah it was
one of the cities taken by Sennacherib. This siege is
considered by Layard and Hincks to be depicted on the slabs
found by the former in one of the chambers of the palace at
Kouyunjik. After the return from captivity, Lachish with its
surrounding "fields" was reoccupied by the Jews. (Nehemiah
11:30)
Lael
(of God), the father of Eliasaph. (Numbers 3:24)
Lahad
(oppression), son of Jahath, one of the descendants of Judah.
(1 Chronicles 4:2)
Lahairoi
(well of the living God), The well. In this form is given in
the Authorized Version of (Genesis 24:62) and Genesis25:11 The
name of the famous well of Hagar's relief, in the oasis of
verdure round which Isaac afterward resided. It was southwest
of Beersheba.
Lahmam
(provisions), a town in the lowland district of Judah. (Joshua
15:40)
Lahmi
(warrior), the brother of Goliath the Gittite, slain by Elhanan
the son of Zair or Zaor. (1 Chronicles 20:5) (B.C. 1020.)
Laish
(lion), father of Phaltiel, to whom Saul had given Michal,
David's wife. (1 Samuel 25:44; 2 Samuel 3:15)
Lakes
[[792]Palestina And Palestine]
Lakum
(fortification), properly formed the landmarks of the boundary
of Naphtali. (Joshua 19:33)
Lambs
are the young of sheep, but originally included also the young
of goats. They formed an important part of almost every
sacrifice. (Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 28:9,11; 29,13-40) etc.
[On the paschal lamb see [793]Passover]
Lamech
(powerful), properly Lemech.
+ The fifth lineal descendant from Cain. (Genesis 4:18-24) He
is the only one except Enoch, of the posterity of Cain, whose
history is related with some detail. His two wives, Adah and
Zillah, and his daughter Naamah, are, with Eve, the only
antediluvian women whose names are mentioned by Moses. His
three sons, Jabal, Jubal and Tubal-cain, are celebrated in
Scripture as authors of useful inventions. The remarkable
poem which Lamech uttered may perhaps be regarded as Lamech's
son of exultation on the invention of the sword by his son
Tubal-cain, in the possession of which he foresaw a great
advantage to himself and his family over any enemies.
+ The father of Noah. (Genesis 5:29)
Lamentations Of Jeremiah
Title.--The Hebrew title of this book, Ecah, is taken, like the
titles of the five books of Moses, from the Hebrew word with
which it opens. Author.--The poems included in this collection
appear in the Hebrew canon with no name attached to them, but
Jeremiah has been almost universally regarded as their author.
Date.--The poems belong unmistakably to the last days of the
kingdom, or the commencement of the exile, B.C. 629-586. They
are written by one who speaks, with the vividness and intensity
of an eye-witness, of the misery which he bewails.
Contents.--The book consists of five chapter, each of which,
however, is a separate poem, complete in itself, and having a
distinct subject, but brought at the same time under a plan
which includes them all. A complicated alphabetic structure
pervades nearly the whole book. (1) Chs. 1,2 and 4 contain
twenty-two verses each, arranged in alphabetic order, each
verse falling into three nearly balanced clauses; ch.
(Lamentations 2:19) forms an exception, as having a fourth
clause. (2) Ch. 3 contains three short verses under each letter
of the alphabet, the initial letter being three times repeated.
(3) Ch. 5 contains the same number of verses as chs. 1,2,4, but
without the alphabetic order. Jeremiah was not merely a
patriot-poet, weeping over the ruin of his country; he was a
prophet who had seen all this coming, and had foretold it as
inevitable. There are perhaps few portions of the Old Testament
which appear to have done the work they were meant to do more
effectually than this. The book has supplied thousands with the
fullest utterance for their sorrows in the critical periods of
national or individual suffering. We may well believe that it
soothed the weary years of the Babylonian exile. It enters
largely into the order of the Latin Church for the services of
passion-week. On the ninth day of the month of Ab
(July-August), the Lamentations of Jeremiah were read, year by
year, with fasting and weeping, to commemorate the misery out
of which the people had been delivered.
Lamp
+ That part of the golden candlestick belonging to the
tabernacle which bore the light; also of each of the ten
candlesticks placed by Solomon in the temple before the holy
of holies. (Exodus 25:37; 1 Kings 7:49; 2 Chronicles 4:20;
13:11; Zechariah 4:2) The lamps were lighted every evening
and cleansed every morning. (Exodus 30:7,8)
+ A torch or flambeau, such as was carried by the soldiers of
Gideon. (Judges 7:16,20) comp. Judg 15:4 The use in marriage
processions of lamps fed with oil is alluded to in the
parable of the ten virgins. (Matthew 25:1) Modern Egyptian
lamps consist of small glass vessels with a tube at the
bottom containing a cotton wick twisted around a piece of
straw. For night travelling, a lantern composed of waxed
cloth strained over a sort of cylinder of wire rings, and a
top and bottom of perforated copper. This would, in form at
least, answer to the lamps within pitchers of Gideon. "The
Hebrews, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the
modern Orientals, were accustomed to burn lamps all night.
This custom, with the effect produced by their going out or
being extinguished, supplies various figures to the sacred
writers. (2 Samuel 21:17; Proverbs 13:9; 20:20) On the other
hand, the keeping up of a lamp's light is used as a symbol of
enduring and unbroken succession. (1 Kings 11:36; 15:4;
Psalms 132:17) "--McClintock and Strong.
Lancet
This word is found in (1 Kings 18:28) only. The Hebrew term is
romach, which is elsewhere rendered, and appears to mean a
javelin or light spear. In the original edition of the
Authorized Version (1611) the word is "lancers."
Language
[[794]Tongues, Confusion Of, CONFUSION OF]
Lantern
(so called of its shining) occurs only in (John 18:3) (It there
probably denotes any kind of covered light, in distinction from
a simple taper or common house-light, as well as from a
flambeau. Lanterns were much employed by the Romans in military
operations. Two, of bronze, have been found among the ruins of
Herculaneum and Pompeii. They are cylindrical, with translucent
horn sides, the lamp within being furnished with an
extinguisher.--ED.)
Laodicea
(justice of the people), a town in the Roman province of Asia
situated in the valley of the Maeander, on a small river called
the Lycus, with Colossae and Hierapolis a few miles distant to
the west. Built, or rather rebuilt, by one of the Seleucid
monarchs, and named in honor of his wife, Laodicea became under
the Roman government a place of some importance. Its trade was
considerable; it lay on the line of a great road; and it was
the seat of a conventus . From the third chapter and
seventeenth verse of Revelation we should gather it was a place
of great wealth. Christianity was introduced into Laodicea,
not, however, as it would seem, through the direct agency of
St. Paul. We have good reason for believing that when, in
writing from Rome to the Christians of Colossae, he sent a
greeting to those of Laodicea, he had not personally visited
either place. But the preaching of the gospel at Ephesus, (Acts
18:19; Acts 19:41) must inevitably have resulted in the
formation of churches in the neighboring cities, especially
where Jews were settled; and there were Jews in Laodicea. In
subsequent times it became a Christian city of eminence, the
see of bishop and a meeting-place of councils. The Mohammedan
invaders destroyed it, and it is now a scene of utter
desolation, as was prophesied in (Revelation 3:14-22) and the
extensive ruins near Denislu justify all that we read of
Laodicea in Greek and Roman writers. Another biblical subject
of interest is connected with Laodicea. From (Colossians 4:16)
it appears that St. Paul wrote a letter to this place when he
wrote the letter to Colossae. Ussher's view is that it was the
same as the Epistle to the Ephesians, which was a circular
letter sent to Laodicea among other places. The apocryphal
Epistola ad Laodicenses is a late and clumsy forgery.
Laodiceans
the inhabitants of Laodicea. (Colossians 4:16; Revelation 3:14)
Lapidoth
(torches), the inhabitants of Laodicea. (Colossians 4:16;
Revelation 3:14)
Lapwing
(Heb. duciphath) occurs only in (Leviticus 11:19) and in the
parallel passage of (14:18) amongst the list of those birds
which were forbidden by the law of Moses to be eaten by the
Israelites. Commentators generally agree that the hoopoe is the
bird intended. The hoopoe is an occasional visitor to England,
arriving for the most part in the autumn. Its crest is very
elegant; each of the long feathers forming it is tipped with
black.
Lasea
(Acts 27:8) a city of Crete, the ruins of which were discovered
in 1856, a few miles to the eastward of Fair Havens.
Lasha
(fissure), a place noticed in (Genesis 10:19) as marking the
limit of the country of the Canaanites. It lay somewhere in the
southeast of Palestine. Jerome and other writers identify it
with Callirrhoe, a spot famous for hot springs, near the
eastern shore of the Dead Sea.
Lasharon
(the plain), one of the Canaanite towns whose kings were killed
by Joshua. (Joshua 12:18)
Latin
the language spoken by the Romans, is mentioned only in (John
19:20) and Luke 23:38
Latin Versions
[See [795]Vulgate, The, THE]
Lattice
this word is used for a latticed window or simply a network
placed before a window or balcony. Perhaps the network through
which Ahaziah fell and received his mortal injury was on the
parapet of his palace. (2 Kings 1:2) (The latticed window is
much used in warm eastern countries. It frequently projects
from the wall (like our bay windows), and is formed of
reticulated work, often highly ornamental, portions of which
are hinged so that they may be opened or shut at pleasure. The
object is to keep the apartments cool by intercepting the
direct rays of the sun, while the air is permitted to circulate
freely.--Fairbairn. [See [796]House and [797]Window]
Laver
+ In the tabernacle, a vessel of brass containing water for the
priests to wash their hands and feet before offering
sacrifice. It stood in the fore offering sacrifice. It stood
in the court between the altar and the door of the
tabernacle. (Exodus 30:19,21) It rested on a basis, i.e. a
foot, which, was well as the laver itself, was made from the
mirrors of the women who assembled at the door of the
tabernacle court. (Exodus 38:8) The form of the laver is not
specified, but may be assumed to have been circular. Like the
other vessels belonging to the tabernacle, it was, together
with its "foot," consecrated with oil. (Leviticus 8:10,11)
+ In Solomon's temple, besides the great molten sea, there were
ten lavers of brass, raised on bases, (1 Kings 7:27,39) five
on the north and five on the south side of the court of the
priests. They were used for washing the animals to be offered
in burnt offerings. (2 Chronicles 4:6)
Law
The word is properly used, in Scripture as elsewhere, to
express a definite commandment laid down by any recognized
authority; but when the word is used with the article, and
without any words of limitation, it refers to the expressed
will to God, and in nine cases out of ten to the Mosaic law, or
to the Pentateuch of which it forms the chief portion. The
Hebrew word torah (law) lays more stress on its moral
authority, as teaching the truth and guiding in the right way;
the Greek nomos (law), on its constraining power as imposed and
enforced by a recognized authority. The sense of the word,
however, extends its scope and assumes a more abstracts
character in the writings of St. Paul. Nomos, when used by him
with the article, still refers in general to the law of Moses;
but when used without the article, so as to embrace any
manifestation of "law," it includes all powers which act on the
will of man by compulsion, or by the pressure of external
motives, whether their commands be or be not expressed in
definite forms. The occasional use of the word "law" (as in
(Romans 3:27) "law of faith") to denote an internal principle
of action does not really mitigate against the general rule. It
should also be noticed that the title "the Law" is occasionally
used loosely to refer to the whole of the Old Testament, as in
(John 10:34) referring to (Psalms 82:6) in (John 15:25)
referring to (Psalms 35:19) and in (1 Corinthians 14:21)
referring to (Isaiah 28:11,12)
Law Of Moses
It will be the object of this article to give a brief analysis
of the substance of this law, to point out its main principles,
and to explain the position which it occupies in the progress
of divine revelation. In order to do this the more clearly, it
seems best to speak of the law, 1st. In relation to the past;
2d. In its own intrinsic character.
+ (a) In reference to the past, it is all-important, for the
proper understanding of the law, to remember its entire
dependence on the Abrahamic covenant. See (Galatians 3:17-24)
That covenant had a twofold character. It contained the
"spiritual promise" of the Messiah; but it contained also the
temporal promises subsidiary to the former. (b) The nature of
this relation of the law to the promise is clearly pointed
out. The belief in God as the Redeemer of man, and the hope
of his manifestation as such int he person of the Messiah,
involved the belief that the Spiritual Power must be superior
to all carnal obstructions, and that there was in man
spiritual element which could rule his life by communion with
a spirit from above. But it involved also the idea of an
antagonistic power of evil, from which man was to be
redeemed, existing in each individual, and existing also in
the world at large. (c) Nor is it less essential to remark
the period of the history at which it was given. It marked
and determined the transition of Israel from the condition of
a tribe to that of a nation, and its definite assumption of a
distinct position and office in the history of the world. (d)
Yet, though new in its general conception, it was probably
not wholly new in its materials. There must necessarily have
been, before the law, commandments and revelations of a
fragmentary character, under which Israel had hitherto grown
up. So far therefore as they were consistent with the objects
of the Jewish law, the customs of Palestine and the laws of
Egypt would doubtless be traceable in the Mosaic system. (e)
In close connection with, and almost in consequence of, this
reference to antiquity, we find an accommodation of the law
to the temper and circumstances of the Israelites, to which
our Lord refers int he case of divorce, (Matthew 19:7,8) as
necessarily interfering with its absolute perfection. In many
cases it rather should be said to guide and modify existing
usages than actually to sanction them; and the ignorance of
their existence may lead to a conception of its ordinances
not only erroneous, but actually the reverse of the truth.
(f) In close connection with this subject we observe also the
gradual process by which the law was revealed to the
Israelites. In Ex 20-23, in direct connection with the
revelation from Mount Sinai, that which may be called the
rough outline of the Mosaic law is given by God, solemnly
recorded by Moses, and accepted by the people. In Ex 25-31,
there is a similar outline of the Mosaic ceremonial. On the
basis of these it may be conceived that the fabric of the
Mosaic system gradually grew up under the requirements of the
time. The first revelation of the law in anything like a
perfect form is found in the book of Deuteronomy. yet even
then the revelation was not final; it was the duty of the
prophets to amend and explain it in special points, (Ezekiel
18:1) ... and to bring out more clearly its great principles.
+ In giving an analysis of the substance of the law, it will
probably be better to treat it, as any other system of laws
is usually treated, by dividing it into-- I. Laws Civil; II.
Laws Criminal: III. Laws Judicial and Constitutional; IV.
Laws Ecclesiastical and Ceremonial. I. LAWS CIVIL.
+ LAW OF PER[798]SonS. (a) [799]Father AND [800]Son.--the power
of a father to be held sacred; cursing or smiting, (Exodus
21:15,17; Leviticus 20:9) and stubborn and willful
disobedience, to be considered capital crimes. But
uncontrolled power of life and death was apparently refused
to the father, and vested only in the congregation.
(21:18-21) Right of the first-born to a double portion of the
inheritance not to be set aside by partiality. (21:15-17)
Inheritance by daughters to be allowed in default of sons,
provided, (Numbers 27:6-8) comp. Numb 36:1 ... that heiresses
married in their own tribe. Daughters unmarried to be
entirely dependent on their father. (Numbers 30:3-5) (b)
[801]Husband AND [802]Wife.--the power of a husband to be so
great that a wife could never be sui juris, or enter
independently into any engagement, even before God. (Numbers
30:6-15) A widow or a divorced wife became independent, and
did not against fall under her father's power. ver. (Numbers
30:9) Divorce (for uncleanness) allowed, but to be formal and
irrevocable. (24:1-4) Marriage within certain degrees
forbidden. (Leviticus 18:1) ... etc. A slave wife, whether
bought or captive, not to be actual property, nor to be sold;
if illtreated, to be ipso facto free. (Exodus 21:7-9;
21:10-14) Slander against a wife's virginity to be punished
by fine,a nd by deprived of power of divorce; on the other
hand, ante-connubial uncleanness in her to be punished by
death. (22:13-21) the raising up of seed (Levirate law) a
formal right to be claimed by the widow, under pain of
infamy, with a view to preservation of families. (25:5-10)
(c) MASTER AND [803]Slave.--Power of master so far limited
that death under actual chastisement was punishable, (Exodus
21:20) and maiming was to give liberty ipso facto . vs.
(Exodus 21:26,27) The Hebrew slave to be freed at the
sabbatical year, and provided with necessaries (his wife and
children to go with only if they came to his master with
him), unless by his own formal act he consented to be a
perpetual slave. (Exodus 21:1-6; 15:12-18) In any case, it
would seem, to be freed at the jubilee, (Leviticus 25:10)
with his children. If sold to a resident alien, to be always
redeemable, at a price proportioned to the distance of the
jubilee. (Leviticus 25:47-54) Foreign slaves to be held and
inherited as property forever, (Leviticus 25:45,46) and
fugitive slaves from foreign nations not to be given up.
(23:15) (d) STRANGERS.--These seem never to have been sui
juris, or able to protect themselves, and accordingly
protection and kindness toward them are enjoined as a sacred
duty. (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33,34)
+ LAW OF THINGS. (a) LAWS OF LAND (AND PROPERTY).-- (1) All
land to be the property of God alone, and its holders to be
deemed his tenants. (Leviticus 25:23) (2) All sold land
therefore to return to its original owners at the jubilee,
and the price of sale to be calculated accordingly; and
redemption on equitable terms to be allowed at all times.
(Leviticus 25:25-27) A house sold to be redeemable within a
year; and if not redeemed, to pass away altogether, ch.
(Leviticus 25:29,30) But the houses of the Levites, or those
in unwalled villages, to be redeemable at all times, in the
same way as land; and the Levitical suburbs to be
inalienable. ch. (Leviticus 25:31-34) (3) Land or houses
sanctified, or tithes, or unclean firstlings, to be capable
of being redeemed, at six-fifths value (calculated according
to the distance from the jubilee year by the priest); if
devoted by the owner and unredeemed, to be hallowed at the
jubilee forever, and given to the priests; if only by a
possessor, to return to the owner at the jubilee. (Leviticus
27:14-34) (4) Inheritance . (b) LAWS OF DEBT.-- (1) All debts
(to an Israelite) to be released at the seventh (sabbatical
year; a blessing promised to obedience, and a curse on
refusal to lend. (15:1-11) (2) Usury (from Israelites) not to
be taken. (Exodus 22:25-27; 23:19,20) (3) Pledges not to be
insolently or ruinously exacted. (24:6,10-13,17,18) (c)
TAXATION.-- (1) Census-money, a poll-tax (of a half shekel),
to be paid for the service of the tabernacle. (Exodus
30:12-16) All spoil in war to be halved; of the combatants'
half, one five-hundreth, of the people's, one fiftieth, to be
paid for a "heave offering" to Jehovah. (2) Tithes .-- (a)
Tithes of all produce to be given for maintenance of the
Levites. (Numbers 18:20-24) (Of this one tenth to be paid as
a heave offering for maintenance of the priests. vs. (Numbers
18:24-32)) (b) Second tithe to be bestowed in religious
feasting and charity, either at the holy place or (every
third year) at home. (14:22-28) (c) First-fruits of corn,
wine and oil (at least one sixtieth, generally one fortieth,
for the priests) to be offered at Jerusalem, with a solemn
declaration of dependence on God the King of Israel. (Numbers
18:12,13; 26:1-15) Firstlings of clean beasts; the redemption
money (five shekels) of man and (half shekel, or one shekel)
of unclean beasts to be given to the priests after sacrifice.
(Numbers 18:15-18) (3) Poor laws.-- (a) Gleanings (in field
or vineyard) to be a legal right of the poor. (Leviticus
19:9,10; 24:19-22) (b) Slight trespass (eating on the spot)
to be allowed as legal. (23:24,25) (c) Wages to be paid day
by day. (24:15) (4) Maintenance of priests. (Numbers 18:8-32)
(a) Tenth of Levites' tithe . (See 2a.) (b) The heave and
wave offerings (breast and right shoulder of all peace
offerings). (c) The meat and sin offerings, to be eaten
solemnly and only in the holy place. (c) First-fruits and
redemption money. (See 2c.) (e) Price of all devoted things,
unless specially given for a sacred service. A man's service,
or that of his household, to be redeemed at 50 shekels for
man, 30 for woman, 20 for boy and 10 for girl. II. LAWS
CRIMINAL.
+ OFFENCES AGAINST [804]God (of the nature of treason.) 1St
Command. Acknowledgment of false gods, (Exodus 22:20) as e.g.
Molech, (Leviticus 20:1-5) and generally all idolatry . (13;
17:2-5) 2Nd Command. Witchcraft and false prophecy. (Exodus
22:18; 18:9-22; Leviticus 19:31) 3Rd Command. Blasphemy .
(Leviticus 24:15,16) 4Th Command. Sabbath-breaking . (Numbers
15:32,36) Punishment in all cases, death by stoning .
Idolatrous cities to be utterly destroyed.
+ OFFENCES AGAINST [805]Man. 5Th Command. Disobedience to or
cursing or smiting of parents, (Exodus 21:15,17; Leviticus
20:9; 21:18-21) to be punished by death by stoning, publicly
adjudged and inflicted; so also of disobedience to the
priests (as judges) or the Supreme Judge. Comp. (1 Kings
21:10-14) (Naboth); (2 Chronicles 24:21) (Zechariah). 6Th
Command. (1) Murder to be punished by death without sanctuary
or reprieve, or satisfaction. (Exodus 21:12,14; 19:11-13)
Death of a slave, actually under the rod, to be punished.
(Exodus 21:20,21) (2) Death by negligence to be punished by
death. (Exodus 21:28-30) (3) Accidental homicide : the
avenger of blood to seek safety by flight to a city of
refuge, there to remain till the death of the high priest.
(Numbers 35:9-28; 4:41-43; 19:4-10) (4) Uncertain murder to
be expiated by formal disavowal and sacrifice by the elders
of the nearest city. (21:1-9) (5) Assault to be punished by
lex talionis, or damages. (Exodus 21:18,19,22-25; Leviticus
24:19,20) 7Th Command. (1) Adultery to be punished by death
of both offenders; the rape of a married or betrothed woman,
by death of the offender. (22:13-27) (2) Rape or seduction of
an unbetrothed virgin to be compensated by marriage, with
dowry (50 shekels), and without power of divorce; or, if she
be refused, by payment of full dowry. (Exodus 22:16,17;
22:28,29) (3) Unlawful marriages (incestuous, etc.) to be
punished, some by death, some by childlessness. (Leviticus
20:1) ... 8Th command. (1) Theft to be punished by fourfold
or double restitution; or nocturnal robber might be slain as
an outlaw. (Exodus 22:1-4) (2) Trespass and injury of things
lent to be compensated. (Exodus 23:5-15) (3) Perversion of
justice (by bribes, threats, etc.), and especially oppression
of strangers, strictly forbidden. (Exodus 22:9) etc. (4)
Kidnapping to be punished by death. (24:7) 9Th Command. False
witness to be punished by lex talionis . (Exodus 23:1-3;
19:16-21) Slander of a wife's chastity, by fine and loss of
power of divorce. (22:18,19) A fuller consideration of the
tables of the Ten Commandments is given elsewhere. [[806]Ten
Commandments COMMANDMENTS] III. LAWS JUDICIAL AND
CONSTITUTIONAL.
+ JURISDICTION. (a) Local judges (generally Levites as more
skilled in the law) appointed, for ordinary matters, probably
by the people with approbation of the supreme authority (as
of Moses in the wilderness), (Exodus 18:25; 1:15-18) through
all the land. (16:18) (b) Appeal to the priests (at the holy
place), or to the judge ; their sentence final, and to be
accepted under pain of death. See (17:8-13) comp. appeal to
Moses, (Exodus 18:26) (c) Two witnesses (at least) required
in capital matters. (Numbers 35:30; 17:6,7) (d) Punishment,
except by special command, to be personal, and not to extend
to the family. (24:16) Stripes allowed and limited, (25:1-3)
so as to avoid outrage on the human frame. All this would be
to a great extent set aside--1st. By the summary jurisdiction
of the king, see (1 Samuel 22:11-19) (Saul); (2 Samuel
12:1-5; 14:4-11; 1 Kings 3:16-28) which extended even to the
deposition of the high priest. (1 Samuel 22:17,18; 1 Kings
2:26,27) The practical difficulty of its being carried out is
seen in (2 Samuel 15:2-6) and would lead of course to a
certain delegation of his power. 2Nd. By the appointment of
the Seventy, (Numbers 11:24-30) with a solemn religious
sanction. In later times there was a local sanhedrin of
twenty-three in each city, and two such in Jerusalem, as well
as the Great Sanhedrin, consisting of seventy members,
besides the president, who was to be the high priest if duly
qualified, and controlling even the king and high priest. The
members were priest, scribes (Levites), and elders (of other
tribes). A court of exactly this nature is noticed as
appointed to supreme power by Jehoshaphat. See (2 Chronicles
19:8-11)
+ ROYAL POWER. The king's power limited by the law, as written
and formally accepted by the king; and directly forbidden to
be despotic. (Military conquest discouraged by the
prohibition of the use of horses. See (Joshua 11:6) For an
example of obedience to this law see (2 Samuel 8:4) and of
disobedience to it see (1 Kings 10:26-29) (17:14-20) comp.
1Sam 10:25 Yet he had power of taxation (to one tenth) and of
compulsory service, (1 Samuel 8:10-18) the declaration of
war, (1 Samuel 11:1) ... etc. There are distinct traces of a
"mutual contract," (2 Samuel 5:3) a "league," (2 Kings 11:17)
the remonstrance with Rehoboam being clearly not
extraordinary. (1 Kings 13:1-6) The princes of the
congregation .--The heads of the tribes, see (Joshua 9:15)
seem to have had authority under Joshua to act for the
people, comp. (1 Chronicles 27:16-22) and in the later times
"the princes of Judah" seem to have had power to control both
the king and the priests. See (Jeremiah 26:10-24; 38:4,5)
etc.
+ ROYAL REVENUE. (1) Tenth of produce. (2) Domain land. (1
Chronicles 27:26-29) Note confiscation of criminal's land. (1
Kings 21:15) (3) Bond service, (1 Kings 5:17,18) chiefly on
foreigners. (1 Kings 9:20-22; 2 Chronicles 2:16,17) (4)
Flocks and herds. (1 Chronicles 27:29-31) (5) Tributes
(gifts) from foreign kings. (6) Commerce ; especially in
Solomon's time. (1 Kings 10:22,29) etc. IV. ECCLESIASTICAL
AND CEREMONIAL LAW.
+ LAW OF [807]Sacrifice (considered as the sign and the
appointed means of the union with God, on which the holiness
of the people depended). A. ORDINARY SACRIFICES. (a) The
whole burnt offering, (Leviticus 1:1) ... of the herd or the
flock; to be offered continually, (Exodus 29:38-42) and the
fire on the altar never to be extinguished. (Leviticus
6:8-13) (b) The meat offering, (Leviticus 2; 6:14-23) of
flour, oil and frankincense, unleavened and seasoned with
salt. (c) The peace offering, (Leviticus 3:1; Leviticus
7:11-21) of the herd or the flock; either a thank offering or
a vow or free-will offering. (d) The sin offering or trespass
offering . Le 4,5,6 (A) For sins committed in ignorance. Le 4
(B) For vows unwittingly made and broken, or uncleanness
unwittingly contracted. Levi 5 (C) For sins wittingly
committed. (Leviticus 6:1-7) b. EXTRAORDINARY SACRIFICES. (a)
At the consecration of priests. Le 8,9 (b) At the
purification of women. Le 12 (c) At the cleansing of lepers.
Le 13,14 (d) On the great day of atonement. Le 16 (e) On the
great festivals. Le 23
+ LAW OF HOLINESS (arising from the union with God through
sacrifice). a. HOLINESS OF PERSONS. (1) Holiness of the whole
people as "children of God," (Exodus 19:5,6; Leviticus
11-15,17,18; 14:1-21) shown in (a) The dedication of the
first-born, (Exodus 13:2,12,13; 22:29,30) etc.; and the
offering of all firstlings and first-fruits. Deuteronomy 26,
etc. (b) Distinction of clean and unclean food. Levi 11;
Deuteronomy 14. (c) Provision for purification. Levi
12,13,14,15; (23:1-4) (d) Laws against disfigurement.
(Leviticus 19:27; 14:1) comp. (25:3) against excessive
scourging. (e) Laws against unnatural marriages and lusts. Le
18,20 (2) Holiness of the priests (and Levites) . (a) Their
consecration. Le 8,9; Ex 29 (b) Their special qualifications
and restrictions. (Leviticus 21:1; Leviticus 22:1-9) (c)
Their rights, (18:1-6; Numbers 18:1) ... and authority.
(17:8-13) b. HOLINESS OF PLACES AND THINGS. (a) The
tabernacle with the ark, the vail, the altars, the laver, the
priestly robes, etc. Ex 25-28,30. (b) The holy place chosen
for the permanent erection of the tabernacle, (12:1;
14:22-29) where only all sacrifices were to be offered and
all tithes, firstfruits, vows, etc., to be given or eaten. c.
HOLINESS OF TIMES. (a) The Sabbath. (Exodus 20:9-11; 23:12)
etc. (b) The sabbatical year. (Exodus 23:10,11; Leviticus
25:1-7) etc. (c) The year of jubilee. (Leviticus 25:8-16)
etc. (d) The passover. (Exodus 12:3-27; Leviticus 23:4,5) (e)
The feast of weeks (pentecost). (Leviticus 23:15) etc. (f)
The feast of tabernacles . (Leviticus 23:33-43) (g) The feast
of trumpets. (Leviticus 23:23-25) (h) The day of atonement .
(Leviticus 23:26-32) etc. Such is the substance of the Mosaic
law. The leading principle of the whole is its THEOCRATIC
CHARACTER, its reference, that is, of all action and thoughts
of men directly and immediately to the will of God. It
follows from this that it is to be regarded not merely as a
law, that is, a rule of conduct based on known truth and
acknowledged authority, but also as a revelation of God's
nature and his dispensations. But this theocratic character
of the law depends necessarily on the belief in God, as not
only the creator and sustainer of the world, but as, by
special covenant, the head of the Jewish nation. This
immediate reference to God as their king is clearly seen as
the groundwork of their whole polity. From this theocratic
nature of the law follow important deductions with regard to
(a) the view which it takes of political society; (b) the
extent of the scope of the law; (c) the penalties by which it
is enforced; and (d) the character which it seeks to impress
on the people. (a) The Mosaic law seeks the basis of its
polity, first, in the absolute sovereignty of God; next, in
the relationship of each individual to God, and through God
to his countrymen. It is clear that such a doctrine, while it
contradicts none of the common theories, yet lies beneath
them all. (b) The law, as proceeding directly from God and
referring directly to him, is necessarily absolute in its
supremacy and unlimited in its scope. It is supreme over the
governors, as being only the delegates of the Lord, and
therefore it is incompatible with any despotic authority in
them. On the other hand, it is supreme over the governed,
recognizing no inherent rights in the individual as
prevailing against or limiting the law. It regulated the
whole life of an Israelite. His actions were rewarded and
punished with great minuteness and strictness--and that
according to the standard, not of their consequences but of
their intrinsic morality. (c) The penalties and rewards by
which the law is enforced are such as depend on the direct
theocracy. With regard to individual actions, it may be
noticed that, as generally some penalties are inflicted by
the subordinate and some only the supreme authority, so among
the Israelites some penalties came from the hand of man, some
directly from the providence of God. (d) But perhaps the most
important consequence of the theocratic nature of the law was
the peculiar character of goodness which it sought to impress
on the people. The Mosaic law, beginning with piety as its
first object, enforces most emphatically the purity essential
to those who, by their union with God, have recovered the
hope of intrinsic goodness, while it views righteousness and
love rather as deductions from these than as independent
objects. The appeal is not to any dignity of human nature,
but to the obligations of communion with a holy God. The
subordination, therefore, of this idea also to the religious
idea is enforced; and so long as the due supremacy of the
latter was preserved, all other duties would find their
places in proper harmony.
Lawyer
The title "lawyer" is generally supposed to be equivalent to
the title "scribe." The scribe expounded the law in the
synagogues and schools. [See [808]Scribes]
Laying On Of Hands
This "formed at an early period a part of the ceremony observed
on the appointment and consecration of persons to high and holy
undertakings;" (and in the Christian Church was especially used
in setting apart men to the ministry and to other holy offices.
It is a symbolical act expressing the imparting of spiritual
authority and power.--ED.)
Lazarus
(whom God helps), another form of the Hebrew name Eleazar.
+ Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary. (John
11:1) All that we know of him is derived from the Gospel of
St. John, and that records little more than the facts of his
death and resurrection. The language of (John 11:1) implies
that the sisters were the better known. Lazarus is "of
Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha." From
this and from the order of the three names in (John 11:5) we
may reasonably infer that Lazarus was the youngest of the
family. All the circumstances of John 11 and 12 point to
wealth and social position above the average.
+ The name of a poor man in the well-known parable of (Luke
16:19-31) The name of Lazarus has been perpetuated in an
institution of the Christian Church. The leper of the Middle
Ages appears as a lazzaro . The use of lazaretto and
lazarhouse for the leper hospitals then founded in all parts
of western Christendom, no less than that of lazaroni for the
mendicants of Italian towns, is an indication of the effect
of the parable upon the mind of Europe in the Middle Ages,
and thence upon its later speech.
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Table of Contents
Lead
This is one of the most common of metals, found generally in
veins of rocks, though seldom in a metallic state, and most
commonly in combination with sulphur. It was early known to the
ancients, and the allusions to it in Scripture indicate that
the Hebrews were well acquainted with its uses. The rocks in
the neighborhood of Sinai yielded it in large quantities, and
it was found in Egypt. In (Job 19:24) the allusion is supposed
to be to the practice of carving inscriptions upon stone and
pouring molten lead into the cavities of the letters, to render
them legible and at the same time preserve them from the action
of the air.
Leaf, Leaves
The word occurs in the Authorized Version either in singular or
plural number in three different senses.
+ Leaf of a tree. The righteous are often compared to green
leaves. (Jeremiah 17:8) The ungodly, on the other hand, are
"as an oak whose leaf fadeth." (Isaiah 1:30)
+ Leaves of doors. The hebrew word, which occurs very many
times in the Bible, and which in (1 Kings 6:32) (margin) and
1Kin 6:34 Is translated "leaves" in the Authorized Version,
signifies beams, ribs, sides, etc.
+ Leaves of a book or roll occurs in this sense only in
(Jeremiah 36:23) The Hebrew word (literally doors) would
perhaps be more correctly translated columns.
Leah
(wearied), the daughter of Laban. (Genesis 29:16) The dullness
or weakness of her eyes was so notable that it is mentioned as
a contrast to the beautiful form and appearance of her younger
sister Rachel. Her father took advantage of the opportunity
which the local marriage rite afforded to pass her off in her
sister's stead on the unconscious bridegroom, and excused
himself to Jacob by alleging that the custom of the country
forbade the younger sister to be given first in marriage.
Jacob's preference of Rachel grew into hatred of Leah after he
had married both sisters. Leah, however, bore to him in quick
succession Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, then Issachar, Zebulun
and Dinah, before Rachel had a child. She died some time after
Jacob reached the south country in which his father Isaac
lived. She was buried in the family grave in Machpelah, near
Hebron. (Genesis 49:31) (B.C. about 1720.)
Leasing
(falsehood). This word is retained in the Authorized Version of
(Psalms 4:2; 5:6) from the older English versions; but the
Hebrew word of which it is the rendering is elsewhere almost
uniformly translated "lies." (Psalms 40:4; 58:3) etc.
Leather
The notices of leather in the Bible are singularly few; indeed
the word occurs but twice in the Authorized Version, and in
each instance in reference to the same object, a girdle. (2
Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4) There are, however, other instances in
which the word "leather" might with propriety be substituted
for "skin." (Leviticus 11:32; 13:48; Numbers 31:20) Though the
material itself is seldom noticed, yet we cannot doubt that it
was extensively used by the Jews; shoes, bottles, thongs,
garments, ropes and other articles were made of it. The art of
tanning, however, was held in low esteem by the Jews.
Leaven
Various substances were known to have fermenting qualities; but
the ordinary leaven consisted of a lump of old dough in a high
state of fermentation, which was mixed into the mass of dough
prepared for baking. The use of leaven was strictly forbidden
in all offerings made to the Lord by fire. During the passover
the Jews were commanded to put every particle of leaven from
the house. The most prominent idea associated with leaven in
connection with the corruption which it had undergone,a nd
which it communicated to bread in the process of fermentation.
It is to this property of leaven that our Saviour points when
he speaks of the "leaven (i.e. the corrupt doctrine) of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees," (Matthew 16:6) and St. Paul,
when he speaks of the "old leaven." (1 Corinthians 5:7)
(Another quality in leaven is noticed in the Bible, namely, its
secretly penetrating and diffusive power. In this respect it
was emblematic of moral influence generally, whether good or
bad; and hence our Saviour adopts it as illustrating the growth
of the kingdom of heaven in the individual heart and in the
world at large: because (1) its source is from without; (2) it
is secret in its operation; (3) it spreads by contact of
particle with particle; (4) it is widely diffusive, one
particle of leaven being able to change any number of particles
of flour; and because (5) it does not act like water,
moistening a certain amount of flour, but is like a plant,
changing the particles it comes in contact with into its own
nature, with like propagating power.--ED.)
Lebana
(white), one of the Nethinim whose descendants returned from
Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Nehemiah 7:48) He is called Lebanah.
Lebanah
(white) in (Ezra 2:45)
Lebanon
a mountain range in the north of Palestine. The name Lebanon
signifies white, and was applied either on account of snow
which, during a great part of the year, cover its whole summit,
or on account of the white color of its limestone cliffs and
peaks. It is the "white mountain"--the Mont Blane of Palestine.
Lebanon is represented in Scripture as lying upon the northern
border of the land of Israel. (1:7; 11:24; Joshua 1:4) Two
distinct ranges bear this name. They run in parallel lines from
southwest to northeast for about 90 geographical miles,
enclosing between them a long, fertile valley from five to
eight miles wide, anciently called Coele-Syria . The western
range is the "Libanus" of the old geographers and the Lebanon
of Scripture. The eastern range was called "Anti-Libanus" by
geographers, and "Lebanon toward the sunrising" by the sacred
writers. (Joshua 13:5)
+ Lebanon--the western range-- commences on the south of the
deep ravine of the Litany, the ancient river Leontes, which
drains the valley of Cole-Syria, and falls into the
Mediterranean five miles north of Tyre. It runs northeast in
a straight line parallel to the coast, to the opening from
the Mediterranean into the plain of Emesa, called in
Scripture the "entrance of Hamath." (Numbers 34:8) Here Nehr
el-Kebir--the ancient river Eleutherus-- sweeps round its
northern end, as the Leontes does round its southern. The
average elevation of the range is from 6000 to 8000 feet; but
two peaks rise considerably higher. On the summits of both
these peaks the snow remains in patches during the whole
summer. The line of cultivation runs along at the height of
about 6000 feet; and below this the features of the western
slopes are entirely different. The rugged limestone banks are
scantily clothed with the evergreen oak, and the sandstone
with pines; while every available spot is carefully
cultivated. The cultivation is wonderful, and shows what all
Syria might be if under a good government. Fig trees cling to
the naked rock; vines are trained along narrow ledges; long
ranges of mulberries, on terraces like steps of stairs, cover
the more gentle declivities; and dense groves of olives fill
up the bottoms of the glens. Hundreds of villages are seen--
here built among labyrinths of rocks, there clinging like
among labyrinths of rocks, there clinging like swallows'
nests to the sides of cliffs; while convents, no less
numerous, are perched on the top of every peak. The vine is
still largely cultivated in every part of the mountain.
Lebanon also abounds in olives, figs and mulberries; while
some remnants exist of the forests of pine, oak and cedar
which formerly covered it. (1 Kings 5:6; Ezra 3:7; Psalms
29:5; Isaiah 14:8) Considerable numbers of wild beasts still
inhabit its retired glens and higher peaks; the writer has
seen jackals, hyaenas, wolves, bears and panthers. (2 Kings
14:9; Song of Solomon 4:8); Habb 2:17 Along the base of
Lebanon runs the irregular plain of Phoenicia--nowhere more
than two miles wide, and often interrupted by bold rocky
spurs that dip into the sea. The main ridge of Lebanon is
composed of Jura limestone, and abounds in fossils. Long
belts of more recent sandstone run along the western slopes,
which are in places largely impregnated with iron. Lebanon
was originally inhabited by the Hivites and Giblites. (Joshua
13:5,6; Judges 3:3) The whole mountain range was assigned to
the Israelites, but was never conquered by them. (Joshua
13:2-6; Judges 3:1-3) During the Jewish monarchy it appears
to have been subject of the Phoenicians. (1 Kings 5:2-6; Ezra
3:7) From the Greek conquest until modern times Lebanon had
no separate history.
+ Anti-Libanus.--The main chain of Anti-Libanus commences in
the plateau of Bashan, near the parallel of Caesarea
Philippi, runs north to Hermon, and then northeast in a
straight line till it stinks down into the great plain of
Emesa, not far from the site of Riblah. Hermon is the
loftiest peak; the next highest is a few miles north of the
site of Abila, beside the village of Bludan, and has an
elevation of about 7000 feet. The rest of the ridge averages
about 5000 feet; it is in general bleak and barren, with
shelving gray declivities, gray cliffs and gray rounded
summits. Here and there we meet with thin forests of dwarf
oak and juniper. The western slopes descend abruptly into the
Buka'a ; but the features of the eastern are entirely
different. Three side ridges here radiate from Hermon, like
the ribs of an open fan, and form the supporting walls of
three great terraces. Anti-Libanus is only once distinctly
mentioned in Scripture, where it is accurately described as
"Lebanon toward the sunrising." (Joshua 13:5)
Lebaoth
(lionesses), a town which forms one of the last group of the
cities of "the south" in the enumeration of the possessions of
Judah, (Joshua 15:32) probably identical with Beth-lebaoth.
Lebbaeus
(a man of heart), one name of Jude, who was one of the twelve
apostles.
Lebonah
(frankincense), a place named in (Judges 21:19) only. Lebonah
has survived to our times under the almost identical form of
el-Lubban . It lies to the west of and close to the Nablus
road, about eight miles north of Beitan (Bethel) and two from
Seilun (Shiloh).
Lecah
(progress), a name mentioned in the genealogies of Judah, (1
Chronicles 4:21) only, as one of the descendants of Shelah, the
third son of Judah by the Canaanites Bath-shua.
Leech
[HORSE-LEECH]
Leeks
(Heb. chatsir). The leek was a bulbous vegetable resembling the
onion. Its botanical name is Allium porrum. The Israelites in
the wilderness longed for the leeks and onions of Egypt.
(Numbers 11:5) The word chatsir, which in (Numbers 11:5) is
translated leeks, occurs twenty times in the Hebrew text. The
Hebrew term, which properly denotes grass, is derived from a
root signifying "to be green," and may therefore stand in this
passage for any green food--lettuce, endive, etc.; it would
thus be applied somewhat in the same manner as we use the term
"greens;" yet as the chatsir is mentioned together with onions
and garlic in the text, and as the most ancient versions
unanimously understand leeks by the Hebrew word, we may be
satisfied with our own translation.
Lees
the coarser parts of a liquor, its sediment or dregs. "Wine on
the lees" means a generous, full-bodied liquor. (Isaiah 25:6)
Before the wine was consumed, it was necessary to strain off
the lees; such wine was then termed "well refined." (Isaiah
25:6) To drink the lees, or "dregs," was an expression for the
endurance of extreme punishment. (Psalms 75:8)
Legion
the chief subdivision of the Roman army, containing about 6000
infantry, with a contingent of cavalry. The term does not occur
in the Bible in its primary sense, but appears to have been
adopted in order to express any large number, with the
accessory ideas of order and subordination. (Matthew 26:53;
Mark 5:9)
Lehabim
(fiery, flaming), occurring only in (Genesis 10:13) the name of
a Mizraite people or tribe. There can be no doubt that they are
the same as the Rebu or Lebu of the Egyptian inscriptions,a nd
that from them Libya and the Libyans derived their name. These
primitive Libyans appear to have inhabited the northern part of
Africa to the west of Egypt, though latterly driven from the
coast by the Greek colonists of the Cyrenaica.
Lehi
(jaw bone), a place in Judah, probably on the confines of the
Philistines' country, between it and the cliff Etam; the scene
of Samson's well-known exploit with the jaw bone. (Judges
15:9,14,19) It may perhaps be identified with Beit-Likiyeh, a
village about two miles below the upper Beth-horon.
Lemuel
(dedicated to God), the name of an unknown king to whom his
mother addressed the prudential maxims contained in (Proverbs
31:1-9) The rabbinical commentators identified Lemuel with
Solomon. Others regard him as king or chief of an Arab tribe
dwelling on the borders of Palestine, and elder brother of
Agur, whose name stands at the head of (Proverbs 30:1)
Lentils
(Heb. 'adashim), a leguminous plant bearing seeds resembling
small beans. The red pottage which Jacob prepared and for which
Esau sold his birthright was made from them. (Genesis 25:34)
There are three of four kinds of lentils, all of which are much
esteemed in those countries where they are grown, viz., the
south of Europe, Asia and north Africa. The red lentil is still
a favorite article of food in the East. Lentil bread is eaten
by the poor of Egypt. The lentil is much used with other pulse
in Roman Catholic countries during Lent; and some are of
opinion that from this usage the season derives its name.
Leopard
(Heb. namer) is invariably given by the Authorized Version as
the translation of the Hebrew word, which occurs in the seven
following passages: (Song of Solomon 4:8; Isaiah 11:6; Jeremiah
5:6; 13:23; Daniel 7:6; Hosea 13:7); Habb 1:8 Leopard occurs
also in Ecclus. 28:23 and in (Revelation 13:2) From (Song of
Solomon 4:8) we learn that the hilly ranges of Lebanon were in
ancient times frequented by these animals. They are now not
uncommonly seen in and about Lebanon and the southern maritime
mountains of Syria. Under the name namer, which means
"spotted," it is not improbable that another animal, namely the
cheetah (Gueparda jubata), may be included; which is tamed by
the Mohammedans of Syria, who employ it in hunting the gazelle.
Leper, Leprosy
The predominant and characteristic form of leprosy in the Old
Testament is a white variety, covering either the entire body
or a large tract of its surface, which has obtained the name of
Lepra mosaica . Such were the cases of Moses, Miriam, Naaman
and Gehazi. (Exodus 4:6; Numbers 12:10; 2 Kings 5:1,27) comp.
Levi 13:13 But, remarkably enough, in the Mosaic ritual
diagnosis of the disease, (Leviticus 13:1; Leviticus 14:1) ...
this kind, when overspreading the whole surface, appears to be
regarded as "clean." (Leviticus 13:12,13,16,17) The Egyptian
bondage, with its studied degradations and privations, and
especially the work of the kiln under an Egyptian sun, must
have had a frightful tendency to generate this class of
disorders. The sudden and total change of food, air, dwelling
and mode of life, caused by the exodus, to this nation of
newly-emancipated slaves, may possibly have had a further
tendency to produce skin disorders, and severe repressive
measures may have been required in the desert-moving camp to
secure the public health or to allay the panic of infection.
Hence it is possible that many, perhaps most, of this repertory
of symptoms may have disappeared with the period of the exodus,
and the snow-white form, which had pre-existed, may alone have
ordinarily continued in a later age. The principal morbid
features are a rising or swelling, a scab or baldness, and a
bright or white spot. (Leviticus 13:2) But especially a white
swelling in the skin, with a change of the hair of the part
from the natural black to white or yellow, ch. (Leviticus
13:3,4,10,20,25,30) or an appearance of a taint going "deeper
than the skin," or, again, "raw flesh" appearing in the
swelling, ch. (Leviticus 13:10,14,15) was a critical sign of
pollution. The tendency to spread seems especially to have been
relied on. A spot most innocent in other respects, if it
"spread much abroad," was unclean; whereas, as before remarked,
the man so wholly overspread with the evil that it could find
no further range was on the contrary "clean." ch. (Leviticus
13:12,13) These two opposite criteria seem to show that whilst
the disease manifested activity, the Mosaic law imputed
pollution to and imposed segregation on the suffered, but that
the point at which it might be viewed as having run its course
was the signal for his readmission to communion. It is clear
that the leprosy of Levi 13,14 means any severe disease
spreading on the surface of the body in the way described, and
so shocking of aspect, or so generally suspected of infection,
that public feeling called for separation. It is now undoubted
that the "leprosy" of modern Syria, and which has a wide range
in Spain, Greece and Norway, is the Elephantiasis graecorum .
It is said to have been brought home by the crusaders into the
various countries of western and northern Europe. It certainly
was not the distinctive white leprosy, nor do any of the
described symptoms in Levi 13 point to elephantiasis. "White as
snow," (2 Kings 5:27) would be a inapplicable to elephantiasis
as to small-pox. There remains a curious question as regards
the leprosy of garments and houses. Some have though garments
worn by leprous patients intended. This classing of garments
and house-walls with the human epidermis, as leprous, has moved
the mirth of some and the wonder of others. Yet modern science
has established what goes far to vindicate the Mosaic
classification as more philosophical than such cavils. It is
now known that there are some skin diseases which originate in
an acarus, and others which proceed from a fungus. In these we
may probably find the solution of the paradox. The analogy
between the insect which frets the human skin and that which
frets the garment that covers it--between the fungous growth
that lines the crevices of the epidermis and that which creeps
in the interstices of masonry--is close enough for the purposes
of a ceremonial law. It is manifest also that a disease in the
human subject caused by an acarus or by a fungus would be
certainly contagious, since the propagative cause could be
transferred from person to person. (Geikie in his "Life of
Christ" says: "Leprosy signifies smiting, because it was
supposed to be a direct visitation of Heaven. It began with
little specks on the eyelids and on the palms of the hands, and
gradually spread over different parts of the body, bleaching
the hair white wherever it showed itself, crusting the affected
parts with shining scales, and causing swellings and sores.
From the skin it slowly ate its way through the tissues, to the
bones and joints, and even to the marrow, rotting the whole
body piecemeal. The lungs, the organs of speech and hearing,
and the eyes, were attacked in turn, till at last consumption
or dropsy brought welcome death. The dread of infection kept
men aloof from the sufferer; and the law proscribed him as
above all men unclean. The disease was hereditary to the fourth
generation." Leprosy in the United States.--The Medical Record,
February, 1881, states that from the statistics collected by
the Dermatological Society it appears that there are between
fifty and one hundred lepers in the United States at present.
Is modern leprosy contagious?--Dr. H.S. Piffard of New York, in
the Medical Record, February, 1881, decides that it is in a
modified degree contagious. "A review of the evidence led to
the conclusion that this disease was not contagious by ordinary
contact; but it may be transmitted by the blood and secretions.
A recent writer, Dr. Bross, a Jesuit missionary attached to the
lazaretto at Trinidad, takes the ground that the disease in
some way or other is transmissible. It is a well-established
fact that when leprosy has once gained for itself a foothold in
any locality, it is apt to remain there and spread. The case of
the Sandwich Islands illustrates the danger. Forty years ago
the disease did not exits there; now one-tenth of the
inhabitants are lepers." This is further confirmed by the fact
stated by Dr. J. Hutchinson, F.R.S., that "We find that nearly
everywhere the disease is most common on the seashore, and
that, when it spreads inland, it generally occurs on the shores
of lakes or along the course of large rivers." Leprosy as a
type of sin.--"Being the worst form of disease, leprosy was
fixed upon by God to be the especial type of sin, and the
injunctions regarding it had reference to its typical
character." It was (1) hereditary; (2) contagious; (3) ever
tending to increase; (4) incurable except by the power of God;
(5) a shame and disgrace; (6) rendering one alone in the world;
(7) deforming, unclean; (8) "separating the soul from God,
producing spiritual death; unfitting it forever for heaven and
the company of they holy, and insuring its eternal banishment,
as polluted and abominable." (9) Another point is referred to
by Thompson (in "The Land and the Book"): "Some, as they look
on infancy, reject with horror the thought that sin exists
within. But so might any one say who looked upon the beautiful
babe in the arms of a leprous mother. But time brings forth the
fearful malady. New-born babes of leprous parents are often as
pretty and as healthy in appearance as any; but by and by its
presence and workings become visible in some of the signs
described in the thirteenth chapter of Leviticus."--ED.)
Leshem
(precious stone), another form of Laish, afterward Dan,
occurring in (Joshua 19:47)
Letushim
(hammered), the name of the second of the sons of Dedan son of
Jokshan. (Genesis 25:3)
Leummim
(peoples), the name of the third of the descendants of Dedan
son of Jokshan, (Genesis 25:3) being in the plural form, like
his brethren, Asshurim and Letushim.
Levi
(joined).
+ The name of the third son of Jacob by his wife Leah. (B.C.
about 1753.) The name, derived from lavah, "to adhere," gave
utterance to the hope of the mother that the affections of
her husband, which had hitherto rested on the favored Rachel,
would at last be drawn to her: "This time will my husband be
joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons."
(Genesis 29:34) Levi, with his brother Simeon, avenged with a
cruel slaughter the outrage of their sister Dinah.
[[809]Dinah] Levi, with his three sons, Gershon, Kohath and
Merari, went down to Egypt with his father Jacob. (Genesis
47:11) When Jacob's death draws near, and the sons are
gathered round him, Levi and Simeon hear the old crime
brought up again to receive its sentence. They no less than
Reuben, the incestuous firstborn, had forfeited the
privileges of their birthright. (Genesis 49:5-7)
[[810]Levites]
+ Two of the ancestors of Jesus. (Luke 3:24,29)
+ Son of Alphaeus or Matthew; one of the apostles. (Mark 2:14;
Luke 5:27,29) [See [811]Matthew]
Leviathan
(jointed monster) occurs five times in the text of the
Authorized Version, and once in the margin of (Job 3:8) where
the text has "mourning." In the Hebrew Bible the word
livyathan, which is, with the foregoing exception, always left
untranslated in the Authorized Version, is found only in the
following passages: (Job 3:8; 41:1; Psalms 74:14; 104:26;
Isaiah 27:1) In the margin of (Job 3:8) and text of (Job 41:1)
the crocodile is most clearly the animal denoted by the Hebrew
word. (Psalms 74:14) also clearly points to this same saurian.
The context of (Psalms 104:26) seems to show that in this
passage the name represents some animal of the whale tribe,
which is common in the Mediterranean; but it is somewhat
uncertain what animal is denoted in (Isaiah 27:1) As the term
leviathan is evidently used in no limited sense, it is not
improbable that the "leviathan the piercing serpent," or
"leviathan the crooked serpent," may denote some species of the
great rock-snakes which are common in south and west Africa.
Levites
(descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole
tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32;
Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those
members of the tribe who were not priests, and as distinguished
from them. Sometimes again it is added as an epithet of the
smaller portion of the tribe, and we read of "the priests the
Levites." (Joshua 3:3; Ezekiel 44:15) The history of the tribe
and of the functions attached to its several orders is
essential to any right apprehension of the history of Israel as
a people. It will fall naturally into four great periods:-- I.
The time of the exodus .--There is no trace of the consecrated
character of the Levites till the institution of a hereditary
priesthood in the family of Aaron, during the first withdrawal
of Moses to the solitude of Sinai. (Exodus 24:1) The next
extension of the idea of the priesthood grew out of the
terrible crisis of Exod 32. The tribe stood forth separate and
apart, recognizing even in this stern work the spiritual as
higher than the natural. From this time they occupied a
distinct position. The tribe of Levi was to take the place of
that earlier priesthood of the first-born as representatives of
the holiness of the people. At the time of their first
consecration there were 22,000 of them, almost exactly the
number of the first-born males in the whole nation. As the
tabernacle was the sign of the presence among the people of
their unseen King, so the Levites were, among the other tribes
of Israel, as the royal guard that waited exclusively on him.
It was obviously essential for their work as the bearers and
guardians of the sacred tent that there should be a fixed
assignment of duties; and now accordingly we meet with the
first outlines of the organization which afterward became
permanent. The division of the tribe into the three sections
that traced their descent from the sons of Levi formed the
groundwork of it. The work which they all had to do required a
man's full strength, and therefore, though twenty was the
starting-point for military service, Numb 1, they were not to
enter on their active service till they were thirty. (Numbers
4:23,30,35) At fifty they were to be free from all duties but
those of superintendence. (Numbers 8:25,26) (1) The Kohathites,
as nearest of kin to the priests, held from the first the
highest offices. They were to bear all the vessels of the
sanctuary, the ark itself included. (Numbers 3:31; 4:15; 31:35)
(2) the Gershonites had to carry the tent-hangings and
curtains. (Numbers 4:22-26) (3) The heavier burden of the
boards, bars and pillars of the tabernacle fell on the sons of
Merari. The Levites were to have no territorial possessions. In
place of them they were to receive from the others the tithes
of the produce of the land, from which they, in their turn,
offered a tithe to the priests, as a recognition of their
higher consecration. (Numbers 18:21,24,26; Nehemiah 10:37)
Distinctness and diffusion were both to be secured by the
assignment to the whole tribe of forty-eight cities, with an
outlying "suburb," (Numbers 35:2) of meadowland for the
pasturage of their flocks and herds. The reverence of the
people for them was to be heightened by the selection of six of
these as cities of refuge. Through the whole land the Levites
were to take the place of the old household priests, sharing in
all festivals and rejoicings. (12:19; 14:26,27; 26:11) Every
third year they were to have an additional share in the produce
of the land. (14:28; 26:12) To "the priests the Levites" was to
belong the office of preserving, transcribing and interpreting
the law. (17:9-12; 31:26) II. The period of the judges.--The
successor of Moses, though belonging to another tribe, did all
that could be done to make the duty above named a reality. The
submission of the Gibeonites enabled him to relieve the
tribe-divisions of Gershon and Merari of the most burdensome of
their duties. The conquered Hivites became "hewers of wood and
drawers of water" for the house of Jehovah and for the
congregation. (Joshua 9:27) As soon as the conquerors had
advanced far enough to proceed to a partition of the country,
the forty-eight cities were assigned to them. III. The
monarchy.--When David's kingdom was established, there came a
fuller organization of the whole tribe. Their position in
relation to the priesthood was once again definitely
recognized. In the worship of the tabernacle under David, as
afterward in that of the temple, the Levites were the
gatekeepers, vergers, sacristans, choristers, of the central
sanctuary of the nation. They were, in the language of (1
Chronicles 23:24-32) to which we may refer as almost the locus
classicus on this subject, "to wait on the sons of Aaron for
the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and the
chambers, and the purifying of all holy things." They were,
besides this, "to stand every morning to thank and praise
Jehovah, and likewise at even." They were, lastly, "to
offer"--i.e. to assist the priest in offering-- "all burnt
sacrifices to Jehovah in the sabbaths and on the set feasts."
They lived for the greater part of the year in their own
cities, and came up at fixed periods to take their turn of
work. (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 26:1) ... The
educational work which the Levites received for their peculiar
duties, no less than their connection, more or less intimate,
with the schools of the prophets, would tend to make them the
teachers of the others, the transcribers and interpreters of
the law, the chroniclers of the times in which they lived.
(Thus they became to the Israelites what ministers and teachers
are to the people now, and this teaching and training the
people in morality and religion was no doubt one of the chief
reasons why they were set apart by God from the people, and yet
among the people.--ED.) The revolt of the ten tribes, and the
policy pursued by Jeroboam, who wished to make the priests the
creatures and instruments of the king, and to establish a
provincial and divided worship, caused them to leave the cities
assigned to them in the territory of Israel, and gather round
the metropolis of Judah. (2 Chronicles 11:13,14) In the kingdom
of Judah they were, from this time forward, a powerful body,
politically as well as ecclesiastically. IV. After the
captivity.--During the period that followed the captivity of
the Levites contributed to the formation of the so-called Great
Synagogue. They, with the priests, formed the majority of the
permanent Sanhedrin, and as such had a large share in the
administration of justice even in capital cases. They appear
but seldom in the history of the New Testament.
Leviticus
The third book in the Pentateuch is called Leviticus because it
relates principally to the Levites and priests and their
services. The book is generally held to have been written by
Moses. Those critics even who hold a different opinion as to
the other books of the Pentateuch assign this book in the main
to him. One of the most notable features of the book is what
may be called its spiritual meaning. That so elaborate a ritual
looked beyond itself we cannot doubt. It was a prophecy of
things to come; a shadow whereof the substance was Christ and
his kingdom. We may not always be able to say what the exact
relation is between the type and the antitype; but we cannot
read the Epistle to the Hebrews and not acknowledge that the
Levitical priests "served the pattern and type of heavenly
things;" that the sacrifices of the law pointed to and found
their interpretation in the Lamb of God; that the ordinances of
outward purification signified the true inner cleansing of the
heart and conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
One idea--HOLINESS-- moreover penetrates the whole of this vast
and burdensome ceremonial, and gives it a real glory even apart
from any prophetic significance.
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Libanus
[[812]Lebanon]
Libertines
This word, which occurs once only in the New Testament-- (Acts
6:9)--is the Latin libertini, that is, "freedmen." They were
probably Jews who, having been taken prisoners by Pompey and
other Roman generals in the Syrian wars, had been reduced to
slavery and had afterward been emancipated, and returned,
permanently or for a time, to the country of their fathers.
Libnah
(whiteness).
+ A royal city of the Canaanites which lay in the southwest
part of the Holy Land, taken by Joshua immediately after the
rout of Beth-horon. It was near Lachish, west of Makkedah. It
was appropriated with its "suburbs" to the priests. (Joshua
21:13; 1 Chronicles 6:57) In the reign of Jehoram the son of
Jehoshaphat it "revolted" form Judah at the same time with
Edom. (2 Kings 8:22; 2 Chronicles 21:10) Probably the modern
Ayak el-Menshiyeh .
+ One of the stations at which the Israelites encamped on their
journey between the wilderness of Sinai and Kadesh. (Numbers
33:20,21)
Libni
(white).
+ The eldest son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Exodus 6:17;
Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,20) and ancestor of the
family of the Libnites. (B.C. after 1700.)
+ The son of Mahli or Mahali, son of Merari, (1 Chronicles
6:29) as the text at present stands. It is probable, however,
that he is the same with the preceding, and that something
has been omitted. Comp. ver. (1 Chronicles 6:29) with 1Chr
6:20,42
Libya
This name occurs only in (Acts 2:10) It is applied by the Greek
and Roman writers to the African continent, generally, however,
excluding Egypt.
Lice
(Heb. cinnam, cinnim). this word occurs in the Authorized
Version only in (Exodus 8:16-18) and in (Psalms 105:31) both of
which passages have reference to the third great plague of
Egypt. The Hebrew word has given occasion to whole pages of
discussion. Some commentators, and indeed modern writers
generally, suppose that gnats are the animals intended by the
original word; while, on the other hand, the Jewish rabbis,
Josephus and others, are in favor of the translation of the
Authorized Version. Upon the whole it appears that there is not
sufficient authority for departing from this translation. Late
travellers (e.g. Sir Samuel Baker) describe the visitation of
vermin in very similar terms:--"It is as though the very dust
were turned into lice." The lice which he describes are a sort
of tick, not larger than a grain of sand, which when filled
with blood expand to the size of a hazel nut.--Canon Cook.
Lieutenants
The Hebrew achash darpan was the official title of the satraps
or viceroys who governed the provinces of the Persian empire;
it is rendered "prince" in (Daniel 3:2; 6:1)
Lign Aloes
[[813]Aloes, Lign Aloes]
Ligure
(Heb. leshem), a precious stone mentioned in (Exodus 28:19;
39:12) as the first in the third row of the high priest's
breastplate. It is impossible to say, with any certainty, what
stone is denoted by the Hebrew term; but perhaps tourmaline, or
more definitely the red variety known as rubellite, has better
claims than any other mineral. Rubellite is a hard stone, and
used as a gem, and is sometimes sold for red sapphire.
Likhi
(learned), a Manassite, son of Shemidah the son of Manasseh. (1
Chronicles 7:19)
Lily
(Heb. shushan, shoshannah). Although there is little doubt that
the Hebrew word denotes some plant of the lily species, it is
by no means certain what individual of this class it specially
designates. The plant must have been a conspicuous object on
the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret, (Matthew 6:28; Luke
12:27) it must have flourished in the deep broad valleys of
Palestine, (Song of Solomon 2:1) among the thorny shrubs, ib.
(Song of Solomon 2:2) and pastures of the desert, ib. (Song of
Solomon 2:16; 4:5; 6:3) and must have been remarkable for its
rapid and luxuriant growth. (Hosea 14:5), Ecclus. 39:14. That
its flowers were brilliant in color would seem to be indicated
in (Matthew 6:28) where it is compared with the gorgeous robes
of Solomon; and that this color was scarlet or purple is
implied in (Song of Solomon 5:13) There appears to be no
species of lily which so completely answers all these
requirements as the Lilium chalcedonicum, or scarlet martagon,
which grows in profusing in the Levant. But direct evidence on
the point is still to be desired from the observation of
travellers. (It is very probable that the term lily here is
general, not referring to any particular species, but to a
large class of flowers growing in Palestine, and resembling the
lily, as the tulip, iris, gladiolus, etc.--ED.)
Lime
the substance obtained form limestone, shells, etc., by heat.
It is noticed only three times in the Bible, viz., in (27:2)
(Authorized Version "plaster"), (Isaiah 33:12) and Amos 2:1
Linen
cloth made from flax. Several different Hebrew words are
rendered linen, which may denote different fabrics of linen or
different modes of manufacture. Egypt was the great centre of
the linen trade. Some linen, made form the Egyptian byssus, a
flax that grew on the banks of the Nile, was exceedingly soft
and of dazzling whiteness. This linen has been sold for twice
its weight in gold. Sir J.G. Wilkinson says of it, "The quality
of the fine linen fully justifies all the praises of antiquity,
and excites equal admiration at the present day, being to the
touch comparable to silk, and not inferior in texture to our
finest cambric."
Lintel
the beam which forms the upper part of the framework of a door.
Linus
(a net), a Christian at Rome, known to St. Paul and to Timothy,
(2 Timothy 4:21) who was the first bishop of Rome after the
apostles. (A.D. 64.)
Lion
"The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous
animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice." At
present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in
ancient times have been numerous. The lion of Palestine was in
all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle and
Pliny as distinguished by its short and curly mane, and by
being shorter and rounder in shape, like the sculptured lion
found at Arban. It was less daring than the longer named
species, but when driven by hunger it not only ventured to
attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd, (1
Samuel 17:34; Isaiah 31:4) but laid waste towns and villages,
(2 Kings 17:25,26; Proverbs 22:13; 26:13) and devoured men. (1
Kings 13:24; 20:36) Among the Hebrews, and throughout the Old
Testament, the lion was the achievement of the princely tribe
of Judah, while in the closing book of the canon it received a
deeper significance as the emblem of him who "prevailed to open
the book and loose the seven seals thereof." (Revelation 5:5)
On the other hand its fierceness and cruelty rendered it an
appropriate metaphor for a fierce and malignant enemy. (Psalms
7:2; 22:21; 57:4; 2 Timothy 4:17) and hence for the arch-fiend
himself. (1 Peter 5:8)
Lish
(lion), the city which was taken by the Danites, and under its
new name of Dan became famous as the northern limit of the
nation. (Judges 18:7,14,27,29) [[814]Dan] It was near the
sources of the Jordan. In the Authorized Version Laish is again
mentioned in the account of Sennacherib's march on Jerusalem.
(Isaiah 10:30) This Laish is probably the small village
Laishah, lying between Gallim and Anathoth in Benjamin, and of
which hitherto no traces have been found. (Fairbairn's
"Imperial Bible Dictionary" suggests that it may be the present
little village el-Isawiyeh, in a beautiful valley a mile
northeast of Jerusalem.--ED.)
Lizard
(that which clings to the ground) (Heb. letaah . (Leviticus
11:30) Lizards of various kinds abound in Egypt, Palestine and
Arabia. The lizard denoted by the Hebrew word is probably the
fan-foot lizard (Ptyodactylus gecko) which is common in Egypt
and in parts of Arabia, and perhaps is found also in Palestine.
It is reddish brown spotted with white. The gecko lives on
insects and worms, which it swallows whole. It derives its name
from the peculiar sound which some of the species utter.
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Lmri
(eloquent).
+ A man of Judah, of the great family of Pharez. (1 Chronicles
9:4) (B.C. much before 536.)
+ Father or progenitor of Zaccur. (Nehemiah 3:2) (B.C. before
446.)
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Loammi
(not my people), the figurative name given by the prophet Hosea
to his second son by Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, (Hosea 1:9)
to denote the rejection of the kingdom of Israel by Jehovah.
Its significance is explained in vs. 9,10
Loan
The law strictly forbade any interest to be taken for a loan to
any poor person, and at first, as it seems, even in the case of
a foreigner; but this prohibition was afterward limited to
Hebrews only, from whom, of whatever rank, not only was no
usury on any pretence to be exacted, but relief to the poor by
way of loan was enjoined, and excuses for evading this duty
were forbidden. (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35,37) As commerce
increased, the practice of usury, and so also of suretyship,
grew up; but the exaction of it from a Hebrew appears to have
been regarded to a late period as discreditable. (Psalms 15:5;
Proverbs 6:1,4; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; Jeremiah 15:10;
Ezekiel 18:13) Systematic breach of the law in this respect was
corrected by Nehemiah after the return from captivity.
(Nehemiah 5:1,13) The money-changers, who had seats and tables
in the temple, where traders whose profits arose chiefly from
the exchange of money with those who came to pay their annual
half-shekel. The Jewish law did not forbid temporary bondage in
the case of debtors, but it forbade a Hebrew debtor to be
detained as a bondman longer than the seventh year, or at
farthest the year of jubilee. (Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:39,42;
15:9)
Loaves
[[815]Bread]
Lock
Where European locks have not been introduced, the locks of
eastern houses are usually of wood, and consist of a partly
hollow bolt from fourteen inches to two feet long for external
doors or gates, or from seven to nine inches for interior
doors. The bold passes through a groove in a piece attached to
the door into a socket in the door-post.
Locust
a well-known insect, of the grasshopper family, which commits
terrible ravages on vegetation in the countries which it
visits. "The common brown locust is about three inches in
length, and the general form is that of a grasshopper." The
most destructive of the locust tribe that occur in the Bible
lands are the (Edipoda migratoria and the Acridium peregrinum ;
and as both these species occur in Syria and Arabia, etc., it
is most probable that one or other is denoted in those passages
which speak of the dreadful devastations committed by these
insects. Locusts occur in great numbers, and sometimes obscure
the sun. (Exodus 10:15; Judges 6:5; Jeremiah 46:23) Their
voracity is alluded to in (Exodus 10:12,15; Joel 1:4,7) They
make a fearful noise in their flight. (Joel 2:5; Revelation
9:9) Their irresistible progress is referred to in (Joel 2:8,9)
They enter dwellings, and devour even the woodwork of houses.
(Exodus 10:6; Joel 2:9,10) They do not fly in the night. (Nahum
3:17) The sea destroys the greater number. (Exodus 10:19; Joel
2:20) The flight of locusts is thus described by M. Olivier
(Voyage dans l' Empire Othoman, ii. 424): "With the burning
south winds (of Syria) there come from the interior of Arabia
and from the most southern parts of Persia clouds of locusts
(Acridium peregrinum), whose ravages to these countries are as
grievous and nearly as sudden as those of the heaviest hail in
Europe. We witnessed them twice. It is difficult to express the
effect produced on us by the sight of the whole atmosphere
filled on all sides and to a great height by an innumerable
quantity of these insects, whose flight was slow and uniform,
and whose noise resembled that of rain: the sky was darkened,
and the light of the sun considerably weakened. In a moment the
terraces of the houses, the streets, and all the fields were
covered by these insects, and in two days they had nearly
devoured all the leaves of the plants. Happily they lived but a
short time, and seemed to have migrated only to reproduce
themselves and die; in fact, nearly all those we saw the next
day had paired, and the day following the fields were covered
with their dead bodies." "Locusts have been used as food from
the earliest times. Herodotus speaks of a Libyan nation who
dried their locusts in the sun and ate them with milk. The more
common method, however, was to pull off the legs and wings and
roast them in an iron dish. Then they thrown into a bag, and
eaten like parched corn, each one taking a handful when he
chose."--Biblical Treasury. Sometimes the insects are ground
and pounded, and then mixed with flour and water and made into
cakes, or they are salted and then eaten; sometimes smoked;
sometimes boiled or roasted; again, stewed, or fried in butter.
Lod
[[816]Lydda]
Lodebar
(without pasture), a place named with Mahanaim, Rogelim and
other transjordanic towns, (2 Samuel 17:27) and therefore no
doubt on the east side of the Jordan. It was the native place
of Machir-ben-Ammiel. (2 Samuel 9:4,5)
Lodge, To
This word, with one exception only, has, at least in the
narrative portions of the Bible, almost invariably the force of
"passing the night."
Log
[[817]Weights And Measures AND [818]Measures]
Lois
(agreeable), the grandmother of Timothy, and doubtless the
mother of his mother, Eunice. (2 Timothy 1:5) It seems likely
that Lois had resided long at Lystra; and almost certain that
from her, as well as from Eunice, Timothy obtained his intimate
knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:15) (A.D.
before 64.)
Lookingglas
[MIRRORS]
Lord
[[819]God]
Lords Day, The
(Kuriake Hemera), (Revelation 1:10) (only), the weekly festival
of our Lord's resurrection, and identified with "the first day
of the week," or "Sunday," of every age of the Church.
Scripture says very little concerning this day; but that little
seems to indicate that the divinely-inspired apostles, by their
practice and by their precepts, marked the first day of the
week as a day for meeting together to break bread, for
communicating and receiving instruction, for laying up
offerings in store for charitable purposes, for occupation in
holy thought and prayer. [See [820]Sabbath]
Lords Prayer
the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-13;
Luke 11:2-4) "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how
an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed
into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire
of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements;
yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form,
resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of
heaven plays."--Lange. "This prayer contains four great general
sentiments, which constitute the very soul of
religion,--sentiments which are the germs of all holy deeds in
all worlds. (1) Filial reverence : God is addressed not as the
great unknown, not as the unsearchable governor, but as a
father, the most intelligible, attractive and transforming
name. It is a form of address almost unknown to the old
covenant, now an then hinted at as reminding the children of
their rebellion. (Isaiah 1:2); Mali 1:6 Or mentioned as a last
resource of the orphan and desolate creature, (Isaiah 63:16)
but never brought out in its fullness, as indeed it could not
be, till he was come by whom we have received the adoption of
sons."--Alford. (2) "Divine loyalty : 'Thy kingdom come.' (3)
Conscious dependence : 'Give us this day,' etc. (4) Unbounded
confidence : 'For thine is the power,' etc."--Dr. Thomas'
Genius of the Gospels. The doxology, "For thine is the kingdom"
etc., is wanting in many manuscripts. It is omitted in the
Revised Version; but it nevertheless has the authority of some
manuscripts, and is truly biblical, almost every word being
found in (1 Chronicles 29:11) and is a true and fitting ending
for prayer.
Lords Supper
The words which thus describe the great central act of the
worship of the Christian Church occur but in a single passage
of the New Testament-- (1 Corinthians 11:20)
+ Its institution .--It was instituted on that night when Jesus
and his disciples met together to eat the passover, (Matthew
26:19; Mark 14:16; Luke 22:13) (on Thursday evening, April 6,
A.D. 30). It was probably instituted at the third cup (the
cup of blessing) of the passover [see on [821]Passover],
Jesus taking one of the unleavened cakes used at the feast
and breaking it and giving it to his disciples with the cup.
The narratives of the Gospels show how strongly the disciples
were impressed with the words which had given a new meaning
to the old familiar acts. They had looked on the bread and
the wine as memorials of the deliverance from Egypt. They
were not told to partake of them "in remembrance" of their
Master and Lord. The words "This is my body" gave to the
unleavened bread a new character. They had been prepared for
language that would otherwise have been so startling, by the
teaching of John ch. (John 6:32-58) and they were thus taught
to see in the bread that was broken the witness of the
closest possible union and incorporation with their Lord. The
cup, which was "the new testament in his blood," would remind
them, in like manner, of the wonderful prophecy in which that
new covenant had been foretold. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
"Gradually and progressively he had prepared the minds of his
disciples to realize the idea of his death as a sacrifice. he
now gathers up all previous announcements in the institution
of this sacrament."--Cambridge Bible. The festival had been
annual. No rule was given as to the time and frequency of the
new feast that thus supervened on the old, but the command
"Do this as oft as ye drink it," (1 Corinthians 11:25)
suggested the more continual recurrence of that which was to
be their memorial of one whom they would wish never to
forget. Luke, in the Acts, describes the baptized members of
the Church as continuing steadfast in or to the teaching of
the apostles, in fellowship with them and with each other,
and in breaking of bread and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) We can
scarcely doubt that this implies that the chief actual meal
of each day was one in which they met as brothers, and which
was either preceded or followed by the more solemn
commemorative acts of the breaking of the bread and the
drinking of the cup. It will be convenient to anticipate the
language and the thoughts of a somewhat later date, and to
say that, apparently, they thus united every day the Agape or
feast of love with the celebration of the Eucharist. At some
time, before or after the meal of which they partook as such,
the bread and the wine would be given with some special form
of words or acts, to indicate its character. New converts
would need some explanation of the meaning and origin of the
observance. What would be so fitting and so much in harmony
with the precedents of the paschal feast as the narrative of
what had passed ont he night of its institution? (1
Corinthians 11:23-27)
+ Its significance.--The Lord's Supper is a reminder of the
leading truths of the gospel: (1) Salvation, like this bread,
is the gift of God's love. (2) We are reminded of the life of
Christ--all he was and did and said. (3) We are reminded, as
by the passover, of the grievous bondage of sin from which
Christ redeems us. (4) It holds up the atonement, the body of
Christ broken, his blood shed, for us. (5) In Christ alone is
forgiveness and salvation from sin, the first need of the
soul. (6) Christ is the food of the soul. (7) We must partake
by faith, or it will be of no avail. (8) We are taught to
distribute to one another the spiritual blessings God gives
us. (9) By this meal our daily bread is sanctified. (10) The
most intimate communion with God in Christ. (11) Communion
with one another. (12) It is a feast of joy. "Nothing less
than the actual joy of heaven is above it." (13) It is a
prophecy of Christ's second coming, of the perfect triumph of
his kingdom. (14) It is holding up before the world the cross
of Christ; not a selfish gathering of a few saints, but a
proclamation of the Saviour for all. Why did Christ ordain
bread to be used in the Lord's Supper, and not a lamb ? Canon
Walsham How replies, "Because the types and shadows were to
cease when the real Sacrifice was come. There was to be no
more shedding of blood when once his all-prevailing blood was
shed. There must be nothing which might cast a doubt upon the
all-sufficiency of that. " (Then, the Lamb being sacrificed
once for all, what is needed is to teach the world that
Christ is now the bread of life. Perhaps also it was because
bread was more easily provided, and fitted thus more easily
to be a part of the universal ordinance.--ED.)
+ Was it a permanent ordinance?--"'Do this in remembrance of
me' points to a permanent institution. The command is
therefore binding on all who believe in Christ; and
disobedience to it is sin, for the unbelief that keeps men
away is one of the worst of sins."--Prof. Riddle. "The
subsequent practice of the apostles, (Acts 2:42,46; 20:7) and
still more the fact that directions for the Lord's Supper
were made a matter of special revelation to Paul, (1
Corinthians 11:23) seem to make it clear that Christ intended
the ordinance for a perpetual one, and that his apostles so
understood it."--Abbott.
+ Method of observance.--"The original supper was taken in a
private house, an upper chamber, at night, around a table,
reclining, women excluded, only the ordained apostles
admitted. None of these conditions are maintained to-day by
any Christian sect." But it must be kept with the same spirit
and purpose now as then.
Loruhamah
(the uncompassionated), the name of the daughter of Hosea the
prophet, given to denote the utterly ruined condition of the
kingdom of Israel. (Hosea 1:6)
Lot
(literally a pebble). The custom of deciding doubtful questions
by lot is one of great extent and high antiquity. Among the
Jews lots were used with the expectation that God would so
control them as to give a right direction to them. They were
very often used by God's appointment. "As to the mode of
casting lots, we have no certain information. Probably several
modes were practiced." "Very commonly among the Latins little
counters of wood were put into a jar with so narrow a neck that
only one could come out at a time. After the jar had been
filled with water and the contents shaken, the lots were
determined by the order in which the bits of wood, representing
the several parties, came out with the water. in other cases
they were put into a wide open jar, and the counters were drawn
out by the hand. Sometimes again they were cast in the manner
of dice. The soldiers who cast lots for Christ's garments
undoubtedly used these dice."--Lyman Abbott.
(veil or covering), the son of Haran, and therefore the nephew
of Abraham. (Genesis 11:27,31) (B.C. before 1926-1898.) His
sisters were Milcah the wife of Nahor, and Iscah, by some
identified with Sarah. haran died before the emigration of
Terah and his family from Ur of the Chaldees, ver. 28, and Lot
was therefore born there. He removed with the rest of his
kindred to Charran, and again subsequently with Abraham and
Sarai to Canaan. ch. (Genesis 12:4,5) With them he took refuge
in Egypt from a famine,a nd with them returned, first to the
"south," ch. (Genesis 13:1) and then to their original
settlement between Bethel and Ai. vs. (Genesis 13:3,4) But the
pastures of the hills of Bethel, which had with ease contained
the two strangers on their first arrival, were not able any
longer to bear them, so much had their possessions of sheep,
goats and cattle increased. Accordingly they separated, Lot
choosing the fertile plain of the Jordan, and advancing as far
as Sodom. (Genesis 13:10-14) The next occurrence in the life of
Lot is his capture by the four kings of the east and his rescue
by Abram. ch. (Genesis 13:14) The last scene preserved to us in
the history of Lot is too well known to need repetition. He was
still living in Sodom, (Genesis 19:1) ... from which he was
rescued by some angels on the day of its final overthrow. he
fled first to Zoar, in which he found a temporary refuge during
the destruction of the other cities of the plain. Where this
place was situated is not known with certainty. [[822]Zoar] The
end of Lot's wife is commonly treated as one of the
difficulties of the Bible; but it surely need not be so. It
cannot be necessary to create the details of the story where
none are given. On these points the record is silent. The value
and the significance of the story to us are contained in the
allusion of Christ. (Luke 17:32) Later ages have not been
satisfied so to leave the matter, but have insisted on
identifying the "pillar" with some one of the fleeting forms
which the perishable rock of the south end of the Dead Sea is
constantly assuming in its process of decomposition and
liquefaction. From the incestuous intercourse between Lot and
his two daughters sprang the nations of Moab and Ammon.
Lotan
(covering), the eldest son of Seir the Horite. (Genesis
36:20,22,29; 1 Chronicles 1:38,39)
Lots, Feats Of
[[823]Purim]
Love Feasts
(Agape), (2 Peter 2:13; Jude 1:12) an entertainment in which
the poorer members of the church partook, furnished from the
contributions of Christians resorting to the eucharistic
celebration, but whether before or after may be doubted. The
true account of the matter is probably that given by
Chrysostom, who says that after the early community of goods
had ceased the richer members brought to the church
contributions of food and drink, of which, after the conclusion
of the services and the celebration of the Lord's Supper, all
partook together, by this means helping to promote the
principle of love among Christians. The intimate connection
especially in early times, between the Eucharist itself and the
love feasts has led some to speak of them as identical. The
love feasts were forbidden to be held in churches by the
Council of Laudicea, A.D. 320; but in some form or other they
continued to a much later period.
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Lubim
(dwellers in a thirsty land),a nation mentioned as
contributing, together with Cushites and Sukkiim, to Shishak's
army, (2 Chronicles 12:3) and apparently as forming with
Cushites the bulk of Zerah's army, (2 Chronicles 16:8) spoken
of by Nahum, (Nahum 3:9) with Put or Phut, as helping No-amon
(Thebes), of which Cush and Egypt were the strength. Upon the
Egyptian monuments we find representations of a people called
Rebu or Lebu, who correspond to the Lubim, and who may be
placed on the African coast to the westward of Egypt, perhaps
extending far beyond the Cyrenaica.
Lucas
(Philemon 1:24) [[824]Luke]
Lucifer
(light-bearer), found in (Isaiah 14:12) coupled with the
epithet "son of the morning," clearly signifies a "bright
star," and probably what we call the morning star. In this
passage it is a symbolical representation of the king of
Babylon in his splendor and in his fall. Its application, from
St. Jerome downward, to Satan in his fall from heaven arises
probably from the fact that the Babylonian empire is in
Scripture represented as the type of tyrannical and self
idolizing power, and especially connected with the empire of
the Evil One in the Apocalypse.
Lucius
+ A kinsman or fellow tribesman of St. Paul, (Romans 16:21) by
whom he is said by tradition to have been ordained bishop of
the church of Cenchreae. He is thought by some to be the same
with Lucius of Cyrene.
+ Lucius of Cyrene is first mentioned in the New Testament in
company with Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Manaen and Saul,
who are described as prophets and teachers of the church at
Antioch. (Acts 13:1) Whether Lucius was one of the seventy
disciples is quite a matter of conjecture; but it is highly
probable that he formed one of the congregation to whom St.
Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, (Acts 2:10) and there
can hardly be a doubt that he was one of "the men of Cyrene"
who, being "scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose
about Stephen," went to Antioch preaching the Lord Jesus.
(Acts 11:19,20)
Lud
(strife) the fourth name in the list of the children of Shem,
(Genesis 10:22) comp. 1Chr 1:17 Supposed to have been the
ancestor of the Lydians.
Ludim
(strife), (Genesis 10:13; 1 Chronicles 1:11) a Mizraite people
or tribe descended from Ludim the son of Mizraim; also called
Lydians. It is probable that the Ludim were settled to the west
of Egypt, perhaps farther than any other Mizraite tribe. Lud
and the Ludim are mentioned in four passages of the prophets--
(Isaiah 66:19; Jeremiah 46:9; Ezekiel 27:10; 38:5) There call
be no doubt that but one nation is intended in these passages,
and it seems that the preponderance of evidence is in favor of
the Mizaraite Ludim.
Luhith
(made of tables or boards), The ascent of, a place in Moab,
occurs only in (Isaiah 15:5) and the parallel passage of
Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 48:5) In the days of Eusebius and Jerome it
was still known, and stood between Areopolis (Rabbath-moab) and
Zoar.
Luke
(light-giving), or Lu'cas, is an abbreviated form of Lucanus.
It is not to be confounded with Lucius, (Acts 13:1; Romans
16:21) which belongs to a different person. The name Luke
occurs three times in the New Testament-- (Colossians 4:14; 2
Timothy 4:11); Phle 1:24--And probably in all three the third
evangelist is the person spoken of. Combining the traditional
element with the scriptural we are able to trace the following
dim outline of the evangelist's life. He was born at Antioch in
Syria, and was taught the science of medicine. The well known
tradition that Luke was also a painter, and of no mean skill,
rests on the authority of late writers. He was not born a Jew,
for he is not reckoned among those "of the circumcision" by St.
Paul. Comp. (Colossians 4:11) with ver. 14. The date of his
conversion is uncertain. He joined St. Paul at Troas, and
shared his Journey into Macedonia. The sudden transition to the
first person plural in (Acts 16:9) is most naturally explained
after all the objections that have been urged, by supposing
that Luke the writer of the Acts, formed one of St. Paul's
company from this point. As far as Philippi the evangelist
journeyed with the apostle. The resumption of the third person
on Paul's departure from that place, (Acts 17:1) would show
that Luke was now left behind. During the rest of St. Paul's
second missionary journey we hear of Luke no more; but on the
third journey the same indication reminds us that Luke is again
of the company, (Acts 20:5) having joined it apparently at
Philippi, where he had been left. With the apostle he passed
through Miletus, Tyre and Caesarea to Jerusalem. ch. Acts 20:6;
21:18 As to his age and death there is the utmost uncertainty.
He probably died a martyr, between A.D. 75 and A.D. 100. He
wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and also the book of
Acts.
Luke, Gospel Of
The third Gospel is ascribed, by the general consent of ancient
Christendom, to "the beloved physician," Luke, the friend and
companion of the apostle Paul.
+ Date of the Gospel of Luke .--From (Acts 1:1) it is clear
that the Gospel described "the former treatise" was written
before the Acts of the Apostles; but how much earlier is
uncertain. Perhaps it was written at Caesarea during St.
Paul's imprisonment there, A.D. 58-60.
+ Place where the Gospel was written.--If the time has been
rightly indicated, the place would be Caesarea.
+ Origin of the Gospel.--The preface, contained in the first
four verses of the Gospel, describes the object of its
writer. Here are several facts to be observed. There were
many narratives of the life of our Lord Current at the early
time when Luke wrote his Gospel. The ground of fitness for
the task St. Luke places in his having carefully followed out
the whole course of events from the beginning. He does not
claim the character of an eye-witness from the first but
possibly he may have been a witness of some part of our
Lord's doings. The ancient opinion that Luke wrote his Gospel
under the influence of Paul rests on the authority of
Irenreus, Tertulian, Origen and Eusebius. The four verses
could not have been put at the head of a history composed
under the exclusive guidance of Paul or of any one apostle
and as little could they have introduced a gospel simply
communicated by another. The truth seems to be that St. Luke,
seeking information from every quarter, sought it from the
preaching of his be loved master St. Paul; and the apostle in
his turn employed the knowledge acquired from other sources
by his disciple.
+ Purpose for which the Gospel was written.--The evangelist
professes to write that Theophilus "might know the certainty
of those things wherein he had been instructed." ch, (Luke
1:4) This Theophilus was probably a native of Italy and
perhaps an inhabitant of Rome, in tracing St. Paul's journey
to Rome, places which an Italian might be supposed not to
know are described minutely, (Acts 27:8,12,16) but when he
comes to Sicily and Italy this is neglected. Hence it would
appear that the person for whom Luke wrote in the first
instance was a Gentile reader; and accordingly we find traces
in the Gospel of a leaning toward Gentile rather than Jewish
converts.
+ Language and style of the Gospel.--It has never been doubted
that the Gospel was written in Greek, whilst Hebraisms are
frequent, classical idioms and Greek compound words abound,
for which there is classical authority. (Prof. Gregory, in
"Why Four Gospels" says that Luke wrote for Greek readers,
and therefore the character and needs of the Greeks furnish
the key to this Gospel. The Greek was the representation of
reason and humanity. He looked upon himself as having the
mission of perfecting man. He was intellectual, cultured, not
without hope of a higher world. Luke's Gospel therefore
represented the character and career of Christ as answering
the conception of a perfect and divine humanity. Reason,
beauty righteousness and truth are exhibited as they meet in
Jesus in their full splendor. Jesus was the Saviour of all
men, redeeming them to a perfect and cultured manhood.--ED.)
Lunatics
(from the Latin Luna, the moon, because insane persons,
especially those who had lucid intervals, were once supposed to
be affected by the changes of the moon). This word is used
twice in the New Testament-- (Matthew 4:24; 17:15) Translated
epileptic in the Revised Version.) It is evident that the word
itself refers to same disease affecting both the body and the
mind, which might or might not be a sign of possession By the
description of (Mark 9:17-26) it is concluded that this disease
was epilepsy.
Luz
(almond tree). It seems impossible to discover with precision
whether Luz and Bethel represent one and the same town--the
former the Canannite, the latter the Hebrew, name--or whether
they were distinct places, though in close proximity. The most
probable conclusion is that the two places were, during the
times preceding the conquest, distinct, Luz being the city and
Bethel the pillar and altar of Jacob that after the destruction
of Luz by the tribe of Ephraim the town of Bethel arose. When
the original Luz was destroyed, through the treachery of one of
its inhabitants, the man who had introduced the Israelites into
the town went into the "land of the Hittites" and built a city
which he named after the former one. (Judges 1:28) Its
situation, as well as that of the land of the Hittites," has
never been discovered, and is one of the favorable puzzles of
Scripture geographers.
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Lycaonia
(land of Lycanon, or wolf land), a district of Asia Minor. From
what is said in (Acts 14:11) of "the speech of Lycaonia," it is
evident that the inhabitants of the district, in St. Paul's
day, spoke something very different from ordinary Greek.
Whether the language was some Syrian dialect or a corrupt form
of Greek has been much debated. The fact that the Lycaonians
were similar with the Greek mythology is consistent with either
supposition. Lycaonia is for the most part a dreary plain, bare
of trees, destitute of fresh water, and with several salt
lakes. (It was about 20 miles long from east to west, and 13
miles wide. "Cappadocia is on the east, Galatia on the north,
Phrygia on the west and Cilicia on the south "Among its chief
cities are Derbe, Lystra and Iconium.--ED.) After the
provincial system of Rome had embraced the whole of Asia Minor,
the boundaries of the provinces were variable; and Lycaonia
was, politically, sometimes in Cappadocia, sometimes in
Galatia. Paul visited it three times in his missionary tours.
Lycia
(land of Lycus) is the name of that southwestern region of the
peninsula of Asia Minor which is immediately opposite the
island of Rhodes. The Lycians were incorporated in the Persian
empire, and their ships were conspicuous in the great war
against the Greeks (Herod. vii. 91, 92). After the death of
Alexander the Great, Lycia was included in the Greek Seleucid
kingdom, and was a part of the territory which the Romans
forced Antiochus to cede. It was not till the reign of Claudius
that Lycia became part of the Roman provincial system. At first
it was combined with Pamiphylia. Such seems to have been the
condition of the district when St. Paul visited the Lycian
towns of Patara, (Acts 21:1) and Myra. (Acts 27:5) At a later
period of the Roman empire Lyoia was a separate province, with
Myra for it capital.
Lydda
(strife), the Greek form of the name, (Acts 9:32,35,38) which
appears in the Hebrew records as [825]Lod a town of Benjamin,
founded by Shamed or Shamer. (1 Chronicles 8:12; Ezra 2:33;
Nehemiah 7:37; 11:35) It is still called Lidd or Ludd, and
stands in part of the great maritime plain which anciently bore
the name of Sharon. It is nine miles from Joppa, and is the
first town on the northernmost of the two roads between that
place and Jerusalem. The watercourse outside the town is said
still to bear the name of Abi-Butrus (Peter), in memory the
apostle. It was destroyed by Vespasian, and was probably not
rebuilt till the time of Hadrian, when it received the name of
Diospois. When Eusebius wrote (A.D. 320-330) Diospolis was a
well-known and much-frequented town. The modern town is, for a
Mohammedan place, buy and prosperous.
Lydia
the first European convert of St. Paul, and afterward his
hostess during his first stay at Philippi. (Acts 18:14,15) also
Acts 18:40 (A.D. 47.) She was a Jewish proselyte at the time of
the apostle's coming; and it was at the Jewish Sabbath-worship
by the side of a stream ver 13, that the preaching of the
gospel reached her heart. Her native place was Thyatira, in the
province of Asia. ver. 14; (Revelation 2:18) Thyatira was
famous for its dyeing works; and Lydia wars connected with this
trade, as a seller either of dye or of dyed goods. We infer
that she was a person of considerable wealth.
(land of Lydus), a maritime province in the west of Asia Minor
bounded by Mysia on the north, Phrygia on the east, and Caria
on the south. It is enumerated among the districts which the
Romans took away from Antiochos the Great after the battle of
Magnesia in B.C. 190, and transferred to Eumenus II. king of
Pergamus. Lydia is included in the "Asia" of the New Testament.
Lysanias
(that drives away sorrow), mentioned by St. Luke in one of his
chronological passages, ch. (Luke 3:1) as being tetrarch. of
Abilene (i.e. the district round Abila) in the thirteenth year
of Tiberius (A.D. 26), at the time when Herod Antipas was
tetrarch of Galilee and Herod Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and
Trachonitis.
Lysias
(dissolving), a nobleman of the blood-royal, 1Macc 3:32; 2Macc
11:1, who was entrusted he Antiochus Epiphanes (cir. B.C. 166)
with the government of southern Syria and the guardianship of
his son Antiochus Eupator. 1Macc 3:32; 2Macc. 10:11. After the
death of Antiochus Epiphanes, B.C. 184, Lysias assumed the
government as guardian of his son, who was pet a child. 1Macc
6:17. In B.C. 164 he, together with his ward, fell into the
hands of Demetrius Soter, who put them both to death. 1Macc
7:2-4; 2Macc 14:2.
Lysias Claudius
a chief captain of the band, that is, tribune of the Roman
cohort who rescued St. Paul from the hands of the infuriated
mob at Jerusalem, and sent him under a guard to Felix, the
governor or proconsul of Caesarea. (Acts 21:31) seq.; Acts
23:26; 24:7 (A.D. 55.)
Lysimachus
"a son of Ptolemaeus of Jerusalem," the Greek translator of the
book of Esther. Comp. (Esther 9:20)
Lystra
This place has two points of interest in connection
respectively with St. Paul's first and second missionary
Journeys: (1) as the place where divine honors were offered to
him, and where he was presently stoned, (Acts 14:1) ... (2) as
the home of his chosen companion and fellow missionary
Timotheus. (Acts 16:1) Lystra was in the eastern part of the
great plain of Lycaonia, and its site may be identified with
the ruins called Bin-bir-Kilisseh, at the base of a conical
mountain of volcanic structure, named the Karadagh .