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Smith's Bible Dictionary
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Maacah
(oppression).
+ The mother of Absalom; also called [826]Maachah. (2 Samuel
3:3)
+ Maacah, or (in (1 Chronicles 19:6,7)) Maachah, a small
kingdom in close proximity to Palestine which appears to have
lain outside Argob, (3:14) and Bashun. (Joshua 12:5) The
Ammonite war was the only occasion on which the Maacathites
came into contact with Israel when their king assisted the
Ammonites against Joab with a force which he led himself. (2
Samuel 10:6,8; 1 Chronicles 19:7)
Maachah
(oppression).
+ The daughter of Nahor by his concubine Beumah. (Genesis
22:24)
+ The father of Achish who was king of Gath at the beginning of
Solomon's reign. (1 Kings 2:39)
+ The daughter, or more probably granddaughter, of Absalom
named after his mother; the third and favorite wife of
Rehoboam, and mother of Abijah. (1 Kings 15:22; 2 Chronicles
11:20-22) The mother of Abijah is elsewhere called "Michaiah
the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah." (2 Chronicles 13:2) During
the reign of her grandson Asa she occupied at the court of
Judah the high position of "king's mother," comp. (1 Kings
15:13) but when he came of age she was removed because of her
idolatrous habits. (2 Chronicles 15:16)
+ The concubine of Caleb the son of Hezron. (1 Chronicles 2:48)
+ The daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, and mother of Absalom
(1 Chronicles 3:2) also called Maacah in Authorized Version
of (2 Samuel 3:3)
+ The wife of Machir the Manassite. (1 Chronicles 7:15,16)
+ The wife of Jehiel, father or founder of Gibeon. (1
Chronicles 8:20; 9:35)
+ The father of Hanan, one of the heroes of David body-guard.
(2 Chronicles 11:43)
+ A Simeonite, father of Sephatiah, prince of his tribe in the
reign of David. (1 Chronicles 27:16)
Maachathi
(oppression) and Maach'athites, The, two words which denote the
inhabitants of the small kingdom of Maachah. (3:14; Joshua
12:5; 13:11,13); (2 Samuel 23:34; 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8)
Maadai, Or Maadai
(ornament of Jehovah), one of the sons of Kani, who had married
a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:34)
Maadiah
one of the priests who returned with Zerubbabel, (Nehemiah
12:5) elsewhere (ver. (Nehemiah 12:17)) called [827]Moadiah.
Maai
(compassionate), one of the Bene-Asaph who took part in the
solemn musical service by which the wall of Jerusalem was
dedicated. (Nehemiah 12:36)
Maalehacrabbim
(ascent of scorpions), the full form of the name given as
[828]Akrabbim in (Joshua 15:3) [[829]Akrabbim]
Maaseiah
(work of the Lord), the name of four persons who had married
foreign wives. In the time of Ezra,
+ A descendant of Jeshua the priest. (Ezra 10:18)
+ A priest, of the sons of Harim. (Ezra 10:21)
+ A priest, of the sons of Pashur. (Ezra 10:22)
+ One of the laymen, a descendant of Pahath-moab. (Ezra 10:30)
+ The father of Azariah. (Nehemiah 3:23)
+ One of those who stood on the right hand of Ezra when he read
the law to the people. (Nehemiah 8:4)
+ A Levite who assisted on the same occasion. (Nehemiah 8:7)
+ One of the heads of the people whose descendants signed the
covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:25)
+ Son of Baruch the descendant of Pharez the son of Judah,
(Nehemiah 11:5)
+ A Benjamite, ancestor of Sallu. (Nehemiah 11:7)
+ Two priests of this name are mentioned, (Nehemiah 12:41,42)
as taking part in the musical service which accompanied the
dedication of the wall of Jerusalem under Ezra. One of them
is probably the same as No. 6.
+ Father of Zephaniah, who was a priest in the reign of
Zedekiah. (Jeremiah 21:1; 29:25; 37:3)
+ Father of Zedekiah the false prophet. (Jeremiah 29:21)
+ One of the Levites of the second rank, appointed by David to
sound "with psaltries on Alamoth." (1 Chronicles 15:18,20)
+ The son of Adaiah, and one of the captains of hundreds in the
reign of Joash king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 23:1)
+ An officer of high rank in the reign of Uzziah. (2 Chronicles
26:11) He was probably a Levite, comp: (1 Chronicles 23:4)
and engaged in a semi-military capacity.
+ The "king's son," killed by Zichri the Ephraimitish hero in
the invasion of Judah by Pekah king of Israel, during the
reign of Ahaz. (2 Chronicles 28:7)
+ The governor of Jerusalem in the reign of Josiah. (2
Chronicles 34:8)
+ The son of Shallum, a Levite of high rank in the reign of
Jehoiakim. (Jeremiah 35:4) comp, 1Chr 9:19
+ A priest; ancestor of Baruch and Seraiah, the sons of Neriah.
(Jeremiah 32:12; 51:59)
Maasiai
(work of the Lord), a priest who after the return from Babylon
dwelt in Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 9:12)
Maath
(small), son of Mattathias in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
(Luke 3:26)
Maaziah
(consolation of Jehovah).
+ One of the priests who signed the covenant with Nehemiah.
(Nehemiah 10:8)
+ A priest in the reign of David, head of the twenty-fourth
course. (1 Chronicles 24:18)
Macaerus
a castle of the Herods on the southern border of their Perean
dominions, nine miles east of the northern end of the Dead Sea.
Here John the Baptist was imprisoned, and here was held the
feast where Herodias, at whose request John was beheaded,
danced before the king.
Maccabees
(a hammer), The. This title, which was originally the surname
of Judas, one of the sons of Mattathias, was afterward extended
to the heroic family of which he was one of the noblest
representatives. Asmonaeans or Hasmonaeans is the Proper name
of the family, which is derived from Cashmon, great grandfather
of Mattathias. The Maccabees were a family of Jews who resisted
the authority of Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria and his
successors who had usurped authority over the Jews, conquered
Jerusalem, and strove to introduce idolatrous worship. The
standard of independence was first raised by Mattathias, a
priest of the course of Joiarih. He seems, however, to have
been already advanced in years when the rising was made, and he
did not long survive the fatigues of active service. He died
B.C. 166, having named Judas--apparently his third son--as his
successor in directing the war of independence. After gaining
several victories over the other generals of Antiochus, Judas
was able to occupy Jerusalem except the "tower," and purified
the temple exactly three years after its profanation. Nicanor
was defeated, first at Capharsalama, and again in a decisive
battle at Adasa B.C. 161, where he was slain. This victory was
the greatest of Judas' successes, and practically decided the
question of Jewish independence; but shortly after Judas fell
at Eleasa, fighting at desperate odds against the invaders.
After the death of Judas, Jonathan his brother succeeded to the
command, and later assumed the high-priestly office. He died
B.C. 144, and was succeeded by Simon the last remaining brother
of the Maccabaean family, who died B.C. 135. The efforts of
both brothers were crowned with success. On the death of Simon,
Johannes Hyrcanus, one of his sons, at once assumed the
government, B.C. 135, and met with a peaceful death B.C. 105.
His eldest son, Aristobulus I., who succeeded him B.C. 105-101,
was the first who assumed the kingly title, though Simon had
enjoyed the fullness of the kingly power. Alexander Jannaeus
was the next successor B.C. 104-78. Aristobulus II. and
Hyrcanus III. engaged in a civil war On the death of their
mother, Alexandra, B.C. 78-69, resulting in the dethronement of
Aristobulus II., B.C. 69-69, and the succession of Hyrcanus
under Roman rule but without his kingly title, B.C. 63-40. From
B.C. 40 to B.C. 37 Antigonus, a son of Aristobulus II., ruled,
and with his two grandchildren, Aristobulus and Mariurnne, the
Asmonaean dynasty ended.
Maccabees, Books Of
Four books which bear the common title of "Maccabees" are found
in some MSS. of the LXX. Two of these were included in the
early current Latin versions of the Bible, and thence passed
into the Vulgate. As forming part of the Vulgate they were
received as canonical by the Council of Trent, and retained
among the Apocrypha by the reformed churches. The two other
books obtained no such wide circulation and have only a
secondary connection with the Maccabaean history.
+ THE FIRST BOOK OF MACCABEES contains a history of the
patriotic struggle of the Jews in resisting the oppressions
of the Syrian kings, from the first resistance of Mattathias
to the settled sovereignty and death of Simon, a period of
thirty-three years--B.C. 168-135. The great subject of the
book begins with the enumeration of the Maccabaean family,
ch, 2:1-5, which is followed by an account of the part which
the aged Mattathias took in rousing and guiding the spirit of
his countrymen. ch. 2:6-70. The remainder of the narrative is
occupied with the exploits of Mattathias' five sons. The
great marks of trustworthiness are everywhere conspicuous.
Victory and failure end despondency are, on the whole,
chronicled with the same candor. There is no attempt to bring
into open display the working of Providence. The testimony of
antiquity leaves no doubt that the book was first written in
Hebrew. Its whole structure points to Palestine as the place
of its composition. There is, however, considerable doubt as
to its date. Perhaps we may place it between B.C. 120-100.
The date and person of the Greek translator are wholly
undetermined.
+ THE SECOND BOOK OF MACCABEES.--The history of the second book
of Maccabees begins some years earlier than that of the first
book. and closes with the victory of Judas Maccabaeus over
Nicanor. It thus embraces a period of twenty years, from B.C.
180 to B.C. 161. The writer himself distinctly indicates the
source of his narrative--the five books of Jason of Cyrene,
ch. 2:23, of which he designed to furnish a short and
agreeable epitome for the benefit of those who would be
deterred from studying the larger work. Of Jason himself
nothing more is known than may be gleaned from this mention
of him. The second book of Maccabcees is not nearly so
trustworthy as the first. In the second book the groundwork
of facts is true, but the dress in which the facts are
presented is due in part at least to the narrator. The latter
half of the book, chs. 8-15, is to be regarded as a series of
special incidents from the life of Judas, illustrating the
providential interference of God in behalf of his people,
true in substance, but embellished in form.
+ THE THIRD BOOK OF MACCABEES contains the history of events
which preceded the great Maccabaean struggle beginning with
B.C. 217.
+ THE FOURTH BOOK OF MACCABEES contains a rhetorical narrative
of the martyrdom of Eleazar and of the "Maccabaean family,"
following in the main the same outline as 2 Macc.
Macedonia
(extended land), a large and celebrated country lying north of
Greece, the first part of Europe which received the gospel
directly from St. Paul, and an important scene of his
subsequent missionary labors and those of his companions. It
was bounded by the range of Haemus or the Balkan northward, by
the chain of Pindus westward, by the Cambunian hills southward,
by which it is separated from Thessaly, an is divided on the
east from Thrace by a less definite mountain boundary running
southward from Haemus. Of the space thus enclosed, two of the
most remarkable physical features are two great plains, one
watered by the Axius, which comes to the sea, at the Thermaic
Gulf, not far from Thessalonica; the other by the Strymon,
which after passing near Philippi, flows out below Amphipolis.
Between the mouths of these two rivers a remarkable peninsula
projects, dividing itself into three points, on the farthest of
which Mount Athos rises nearly into the region of perpetual
snow. Across the neck of this peninsula St. Paul travelled more
than once with his companions. This general sketch sufficiently
describes the Macedonia which was ruled over by Philip and
Alexander and which the Romans conquered from Perseas. At first
the conquered country was divided by Aemilius Paulus into four
districts, but afterward was made one province and centralized
under the jurisdiction of a proconsul, who resided at
Thessalonica. The character of the Christians of Macedonia is
set before us in Scripture in a very favorable light. The
candor of the Bereans is highly commented, (Acts 17:11) the
Thessalonians were evidently objects of St. Paul's peculiar
affection, (1 Thessalonians 2:8,17-20; 3:10) and the
Philippians, besides their general freedom from blame, are
noted as remarkable for their liberality and self-denial.
(Philemon 4:10; 14-19) see 2Cor 9:2; 11:9
Machbanai
(bond of the Lord), one of the lion-faced warriors of Gad, who
joined the fortunes of David when living in retreat at Ziklag.
(1 Chronicles 12:13)
Machbenah
(bond). Sheva, the father of Machbena, is named in the
genealogical list of Judah as the offspring of Manchah, the
concubine of Caleb ben-Hezron. (1 Chronicles 2:49)
Machi
(decrease), the father of Geuel the Gadite, who went with Caleb
and Joshua to spy out the land of Canaan. (Numbers 13:15)
Machir
(sold).
+ The eldest son, (Joshua 17:1) of the patriarch Manasseh by an
Aramite or Syrian concubine. (1 Chronicles 7:14) At the time
of the conquest the family of Machir had become very
powerful, and a large part of the country on the east of
Jordan was subdued by them. (Numbers 32:39; 3:15)
+ The son of Ammiel, a powerful sheikh of one of the
transjordanic tribes, who rendered essential service to the
cause of Saul and of David successively. (2 Samuel 9:4,5;
17:27-29)
Machirites, The
the descendants of Machir the father of Gilead. (Numbers 26:29)
Machnadebai
(what is like the liberal?), one of the sons of Bani who put
away his foreign wife at Ezra's command. (Ezra 10:40)
Machpelah
(double, or a portion). [[830]Hebron]
Madai
(middle land), (Genesis 10:2) is usually called the third son
of Japhet, and the progenitor of the Medes; but probably all
that is intended is that the Medes, as well as the Gomerites,
Greeks, Tabareni, Moschi, etc., descended from Japhet.
Madian
(Acts 7:29) [[831]Midian]
Madmannah
(dunghill), one of the towns in the south district of Judah.
(Joshua 15:31) In the time of Eusebius and Jerome it was called
Menois, and was not far from Gaza. The first stage southward
from Gaza is now el-Minyay, which is perhaps the modern
representative of Menois, and therefore of Madmannah.
Madmen
(dunghill), a place in Moab, threatened with destruction in the
pronunciations of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 48:2)
Madmenah
(dunghill), one of the, Benjamite villages north of Jerusalem
the inhabitants of which were frightened away by the approach
of Sennacherib along the northern road. (Isaiah 10:31)
Madness
In Scripture "madness" is recognized as a derangement
proceeding either from weakness and misdirection of intellect
or from ungovernable violence of passion. In one passage alone,
(John 10:20) is madness expressly connected with demoniacal
possession by the Jews in their cavil against our Lord; in none
is it referred to any physical causes.
Madon
(strife) one of the principal cities of Canaan before the
conquest, probably in the north. Its king joined Jabin and his
confederates in their attempt against Joshua at the waters of
Xierom, and like the rest was killed. (Joshua 11:1; 12:19)
Magadan
(a tower). (The name given in the Revised Version of (Matthew
15:39) for Magdala. It is probably another name for the same
place, or it was a village so near it that the shore where
Christ landed may have belonged to either village.--ED.)
Magbish
(congregating), a proper name in (Ezra 2:30) but whether of a
man or of a place is doubtful; probably the latter, as all the
names from (Ezra 2:20) to 34, except Elam and Harim, are names
of places.
Magdala
(a tower). The chief MSS. and versions exhibit the name as
[832]Magadan, as in the Revised Version. Into the limits of
Magadan Christ came by boat, over the Lake of Gennesareth after
his miracle of feeding the four thousand on the Mountain of the
eastern side, (Matthew 15:39) and from thence he returned in
the same boat to the opposite shore. In the parallel narrative
of St. Mark, ch. (Mark 8:10) we find the "parts of Dalmanutha,"
on the western edge of the Lake of Gennesareth. The Magdala,
which conferred her name on "Mary the Magdalene one of the
numerous migdols, i.e. towers, which stood in Palestine, was
probably the place of that name which is mentioned in the
Jerusalem Talmud as near Tiberias, and this again is as
probably the modern el-Mejdel, a miserable little Muslim
village, of twenty huts on the water's edge at the southeast
corner of the plain of Gennesareth. It is now the only
inhabited place on this plain.
Magdiel
(prince of God), one of the "dukes" of Edom, descended from
Esau. (Genesis 36:43; 1 Chronicles 1:54)
Magi
(Authorized Version wise men).
+ In the Hebrew text of the Old Testament the word occurs but
twice, and then only incidentally. (Jeremiah 29:3,13)
"Originally they were a class of priests among the Persians
and Medes who formed the king's privy council, and cultivated
as trology, medicine and occult natural science. They are
frequently referred to by ancient authors. Afterward the term
was applied to all eastern philosophers."--Schaff's Popular
Commentary. They appear in Herodotus' history of Astyages as
interpreters of dreams, i. 120; but as they appear in
Jeremiah among the retinue of the Chaldean king, we must
suppose Nebuchadnezzar's conquests led him to gather round
him the wise men and religious teachers of the nations which
he subdued, and that thus the sacred tribe of the Medes rose
under his rule to favor and power. The Magi took their places
among "the astrologers and star gazers and monthly
prognosticators." It is with such men that, we have to think
of Daniel and his fellow exiles as associated. The office
which Daniel accepted (Daniel 5:11) was probably
rab-mag--chief of the Magi.
+ The word presented itself to the Greeks as connected with a
foreign system of divination and it soon became a byword for
the worst form of imposture. This is the predominant meaning
of the word as it appears in the New Testament. (Acts 8:9;
13:8)
+ In one memorable instance, however, the word retains its
better meaning. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, ch. (Matthew
2:1-12) the Magi appear as "wise men"--properly Magians--who
were guided by a star from "the east" to Jerusalem, where
they suddenly appeared in the days of Herod the Great,
inquiring for the new-born king of the Jews, whom they had
come to worship. As to the country from which they came,
opinions vary greatly; but their following the guidance of a
star seems to point to the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates,
where astronomy was Cultivated by the Chaldeans. [See
[833]Star Of The Wise Men OF THE [834]East] (Why should the
new star lead these wise men to look for a king of the Jews?
(1) These wise men from Persia were the most like the Jews,
in religion, of all nations in the world. They believed in
one God, they had no idols, they worshipped light as the best
symbol of God. (2) The general expectation of such a king.
"The Magi," says) Ellicott, "express the feeling which the
Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius tell us sixty or
seventy years later had been for a long time very widely
diffused. Everywhere throughout the East men were looking for
the advent of a great king who was to rise from among the
Jews. It had fermented in the minds of men, heathen as well
as Jews, and would have led them to welcome Jesus as the
Christ had he come in accordance with their expectation."
Virgil, who lived a little before this, owns that a child
from heaven was looked for, who should restore the golden age
and take away sin. (3) This expectation arose largely from
the dispersion of the Jews among all nations, carrying with
them the hope and the promise of a divine Redeemer. Isai 9,
11; Dani 7 (4) Daniel himself was a prince and chief among
this very class of wise men. His prophecies: were made known
to them; and the calculations by which he pointed to the very
time when Christ should be born became, through the book of
Daniel, a part of their ancient literature.--ED.) According
to a late tradition, the Magi are represented as three kings,
named Gaspar, Melchior and Belthazar, who take their place
among the objects of Christian reverence, and are honored as
the patron saints of travellers.
Magic, Magicians
Magic is "the science or practice of evoking spirits, or
educing the occult powers of nature to produce effects
apparently supernatural." It formed an essential element in
many ancient religions, especially among the Persians,
Chaldeans and Egyptians. The Hebrews had no magic of their own.
It was so strictly forbidden by the law that it could never
afterward have had any: recognized existence, save in times of
general heresy or apostasy and the same was doubtless the case
in the patriarchal ages. The magical practices which obtained
among the Hebrews were therefore borrowed from the nations
around. From the first entrance into the land of promise until
the destruction of Jerusalem we have constant glimpses of magic
practiced in secret, or resorted to not alone by the common but
also as the great. It is a distinctive characteristic of the
Bible that from first to last it warrants no such trust or
dread. Laban attached great value to, and was in the habit of
consulting, images. (Genesis 31:30,32) During the plagues in
Egypt the magicians appear. (Exodus 7:11; 8:18,19) Balaam also
practiced magic. (Numbers 22:7) Saul consulted the witch of
Endor. An examination of the various notices of magic in the
Bible gives this general result: They do not, act far as can be
understood, once state positively that any but illusive results
were produced by magical rites. (Even the magicians of Egypt
could imitate the plagues sent through Moses only so long as
they had previous notice and time to prepare. The time Moses
sent the plague unannounced the magicians failed; they "did so
with their enchantments," but in vain. So in the case of the
witch of Endor. Samuel appearance was apparently unexpected by
her; he did not come through the enchantments.--Ed.) The
Scriptures therefore afford no evidence that man can gain
supernatural powers to use at his will. This consequence goes
some way toward showing that we may conclude that there is no
such thing se real magic; for although it is dangerous to
reason on negative evidence, yet in a case of this kind it is
especially strong. [[835]Divination]
Magog
(region of Gog). In (Genesis 10:2) Magog appears as the second
son of Japheth; in (Ezekiel 38:2; 39:1,6) it appears as a
country or people of which Gog was the prince. The notices of
Magog would lead us to fix a northern locality: it is expressly
stated by Ezekiel that "he was to come up from the sides of the
north," (Ezekiel 39:2) from a country adjacent to that of
Togarmah or Armenia, ch. 58:6 and not far from "the isles" or
maritime regions of Europe. ch. (Ezekiel 39:6) The people of
Magog further appear as having a force of cavalry, (Ezekiel
38:16) and as armed with the bow. ch. (Ezekiel 39:3) From the
above data, may conclude that Magog represents the important
race of the Scythians.
Magormissabib
(terror on every side), the name giver. by Jeremiah to Pashur
the priest when he smote him and put him in the stocks for
prophesying against the idolatry of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 20:3)
Magpiash
(moth-killer) one of the heads of the people who signed the
covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:20) The same as
[836]Magbish in (Ezra 2:30)
Mahalah
(disease), one of the three children of Hammoleketh the sister
of Gilead. (1 Chronicles 7:18)
Mahalaleel
(praise of God).
+ The fourth in descent from Adam, according to the Sethite
genealogy, and son of Cainan. (Genesis 6:12,13,15-17; 1
Chronicles 1:2; Luke 3:37) Revised Version.
+ A descendant of Perez or Pharez the son of Judah. (Nehemiah
11:4)
Mahalath
the title of p, 53, and Mahalath-leannoth, the title of Ps. 88.
The meaning of these words is uncertain. The conjecture is that
mahalath is a guitar, and that leannoth has reference to the
character of the psalm, and might be rendered "to humble or
afflict," in which sense the root occurs in ver. 7.
(stringed instrument) one of the eighteen wives of King
Rehoboam, apparently his first. (2 Chronicles 11:18) only. She
was her husband's cousin, being the daughter of King David's
son Jerimoth.
(stringed instrument), the daughter of Ishmael, and one of the
wives of Esau. (Genesis 28:9)
Mahali
(sick), Mah'li, the son of Merari. (Exodus 6:19)
Mahanaim
a town on the east of the Jordan. The name signifies two hosts
or two camps,and was given to it by Jacob, because he there met
"the angels of God." (Genesis 32:1,2) We next meet with it in
the records of the conquest. (Joshua 13:26,30) It was within
the territory of Gad, (Joshua 21:38,39) and therefore on the
south side of the torrent Jabbok. The town with its "suburbs"
was allotted to the service of the Merarite Levites. (Joshua
21:39; 1 Chronicles 6:80) Mahanaim had become in the time of
the monarchy a place of mark. (2 Samuel 2:8,12) David took
refuge there when driven out of the western part of his kingdom
by Absalom. (2 Samuel 17:24; 1 Kings 2:8) Mahanaim was the seat
of one of Solomon's commissariat officers. (1 Kings 4:14) and
it is alluded to in the song which bears his name. ch. (Song of
Solomon 6:13) There is a place called Mahneh among the villages
of the part of Jordan, through its exact position is not
certain.
Mahanehdan
(camp of Dan), spoken of as "behind Kirjath-jearim," (Judges
18:12) and as between Zorah and Eshtaol." ch. (Judges 13:25)
Maharai
(impetuous), (2 Samuel 23:28; 1 Chronicles 11:30; 27:13) an
inhabitant of Netophah in the tribe of Judah, and one of
David's captains.
Mahath
(grabbing).
+ A Zohathite of the house of Korah. (1 Chronicles 6:35)
+ Also a Kohathite, in the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles
29:12; 31:13)
Mahavite, The
the designation of Eliel, one of the warriors of King David's
guard, whose name is preserved in the catalogue of (1
Chronicles 11:46) only.
Mahazioth
(visions). One of the fourteen sons of Heman the Kohathite. (1
Chronicles 25:4,30)
Mahershalalhashbaz
(i.e. hasten-booty speedspoil), whose name was given by divine
direction to indicate that Damascus and Samaria were soon to be
plundered by the king of Assyria. (Jeremiah 8:14)
Mahlah
(disease), the eldest of the five daughters of Zelophehad the
grandson of Manasseh. (Numbers 27:1-11)
Mahli
(sick).
+ Son of Merari, the son of Levi and ancestor of the family of
the Mahlites. (Numbers 3:20; 1 Chronicles 6:19,29; 24:26)
+ Bon of Mushi and grandson of Merari. (1 Chronicles 6:47;
23:23; 24:30)
Mahlon
(sick) the first husband of Ruth; son of Eiimelech and Naomi.
(Ruth 1:2,5; 4:9,10) comp. 1Sam 17:12
Mahol
(dancing), the father of the four men most famous for wisdom
next to Solomon himself. (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:6)
Makaz
(end), a place, apparently a town, named once only-- (1 Kings
4:9)--in the: specification of the jurisdiction of Solomon a
commissariat officer, Ben-Dekar. Makaz has not been discovered.
Makheloth
(place of assemblies), a place mentioned only in (Numbers
33:26) as that of a desert encampment of the Israelites.
Makkedah
(place of shepherds), a place memorable in the annals of the
conquest of Canaan as the scene of the execution by Joshua of
the five confederate kings, (Joshua 10:10-50) who had hidden
themselves in a cave at this place. (It was a royal city of the
Canaanites, in the plains of Judah. Conder identifies it with
the modern el-Moghar, 25 miles northwest of Jerusalem, where
are two caves large enough to contain five men each. Schaff
says that "one cave has, curiously enough, five loculi rudely
scooped in its side, and an enthusiast might contend that this
was the very place of sepulchre of the five kings."-ED.)
Maktesh
(a mortar or deep hollow), a place evidently in Jerusalem, the
inhabitants of which are denounced by Zephaniah. (Zephaniah
1:11) Ewald conjectures that it was the Phoenician quarter" of
the city.
Malchishua
(king of help), one of the sons of King Saul. (1 Samuel 14:49;
31:2; 1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39)
Malchus
(king or kingdom), the name of the servant of the high priest
whose right ear Peter cut off at the time of the Saviour's
apprehension in the garden. (Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:17; Luke
22:49,51; John 18:10)
Maleleel, Or Mahalaleel
the son of Cainan. (Genesis 5:12) marg.; Luke 3:37
Mallothi
(my fullness), a Kohathite, one of the fourteen sons of Heman
the singer. (1 Chronicles 25:4,26)
Mallows
(Job 30:4)
Malluch
(counsellor).
+ A Levite of the family of Merari, and ancestor of Ethan the
singer (1 Chronicles 6:44)
+ One of the sons of Bani. (Ezra 10:29) and
+ One of the descendants of Harim, (Ezra 10:32) who had married
foreign wives.
+ A priest or family of priests. (Nehemiah 10:4) and
+ One of the heads of the people who signed the covenant with
Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:27)
+ One of the families of priests who returned with Zerubbabel,
(Nehemiah 12:2) probably the same as No. 4.
Mamaias
apparently the same with [837]Shemaiah in (Ezra 8:16)
Mammon
(riches) (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:9) a word which often occurs in
the Chaldee Terguma of Onkelos and later writers, and in the
Syriac version, and which signifies "riches." It is used in St.
Matthew as a personification of riches.
Mamre
(strength, fatness) an ancient Amorite, who with his brothers,
Eshcol and Aner, was in alliance with Abram, (Genesis 14:13,51)
and under the shade of whose oak grove the patriarch dwelt in
the interval between his residence at Bethel and at Beersheba.
ch. (Genesis 13:18; 18:1) In the subsequent chapters Mamre is a
mere local appellation. ch, (Genesis 23:17,19; 25:9; 49:30;
50:13)
Man
Four Hebrew terms are rendered "man" in the Authorized Version:
+ Adam, the name of the man created in the image of God. It
appears to be derived from adam, "he or it was red or ruddy,"
like Edom. This was the generic term for the human race.
+ Ish, "man," as distinguished from woman, husband.
+ Geber, "a man," from gabar, "to be strong," generally with
reference to his strength.
+ Methim, "men," always masculine. Perhaps it may be derived
from the root muth, "he died."
Manaen
(comforter) is mentioned in (Acts 13:1) as one of the teachers
and prophets in the church at Antioch at the time of the
appointment of Saul and Barnabas as missionaries to the
heathen. He is said to have been brought up with Herod Antipas.
He was probably his foster-brother.
Manahath
(rest) one of the sons of Shobal, and descendant of Seir the
Horite. (Genesis 36:23; 1 Chronicles 1:40)
(rest), a place named in (1 Chronicles 8:6) only in connection
with the genealogies of the tribe of Benjamin.
Manahetbites
(inhabitants of Mannahath), The. "Half the Manahethites" are
named in the genealogies of Judah as descended from Shobal, the
father of Kirjath-jearim (1 Chronicles 2:52) and half from
Salma, the founder of Bethlehem. ver. 54.
Manasseh
(forgetting).
+ The thirteenth king of Judah, son of Hezekiah, (2 Kings 21:1)
ascended the throne at the age of twelve, and reigned 55
years, from B.C. 608 to 642. His accession was the signal for
an entire change in the religious administration of the
kingdom. Idolatry was again established to such an extent
that every faith was tolerated but the old faith of Israel.
The Babylonian alliance which the king formed against Assyria
resulted in his being made prisoner and carried off to
Babylon in the twenty-second year of his reign, according to
a Jewish tradition. There his eyes were opened and he
repented, and his prayer was heard and the Lord delivered
him, (2 Chronicles 33:12,13) and he returned after some
uncertain interval of time to Jerusalem. The altar of the
Lord was again restored, and peace offerings and thank
offerings were sacrificed to Jehovah. (2 Chronicles 38:15,16)
But beyond this the reformation did not go. On his death,
B.C. 642, he was buried as Ahaz had been, not with the burial
of a king, in the sepulchres of the house of David, but in
the garden of Uzza, (2 Kings 21:26) and long afterward, in
suite of his repentance, the Jews held his name in
abhorrence.
+ One of the descendants of Pahathmoab, who in the days of Ezra
had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:30)
+ One of the laymen, of the family of Hashum who put away his
foreign wife at Ezra command. (Ezra 10:33)
(forgetting), the eldest son of Joseph, (Genesis 41:51; 46:20)
born 1715-10 B.C. Both he and Ephraim were born before the
commencement of the famine. He was placed after his younger
brother, Ephraim, by his grandfather Jacob, when he adopted
them into his own family, and made them heads of tribes.
Whether the elder of the two sons was inferior in form or
promise to the younger, or whether there was any external
reason to justify the preference of Jacob, we are not told. In
the division of the promised land half of the tribe of Manasseh
settled east of the Jordan in the district embracing the hills
of Gilead with their inaccessible heights and impassable
ravines, and the almost impregnable tract of Argob. (Joshua
13:29-33) Here they throve exceedingly, pushing their way
northward over the rich plains of Jaulan and Jedur to the foot
of Mount Hermon. (1 Chronicles 5:23) But they gradually
assimilated themselves with the old inhabitants of the country,
and on them descended the punishment which was ordained to he
the inevitable consequence of such misdoing. They, first of all
Israel, were carried away by Pul and Tiglath-pileser, and
settled in the Assyrian territories. (1 Chronicles 5:25,26) The
other half tribe settled to the west of the Jordan, north of
Ephraim. (Joshua 17:1) ... For further particulars see
[838]Ephraim, [839]Ephraim.
Manasses
+ Manasseh, king of Judah. (Matthew 1:10)
+ Manasseh the son of Joseph. (Revelation 7:6)
Manassites, The
that is, the members of the tribe of Manasseh. (4:43; Judges
12:4; 2 Kings 10:33)
Mandrakes
(Heb. dudraim) are mentioned in (Genesis 30:14,16) and in Song
7:13 The mandrake, Atropa mandragora, is closely allied to the
well-known deadly nightshade, A. bellndonna, and to the tomato,
and belongs to the order Solanaceae, or potato family. It grows
in Palestine and Mesopotamia. (It grows low, like lettuce,
which its leaves somewhat resemble, except that they are of a
dark green. The flowers are purple,and the root is usually
forked. Its fruit when ripe (early in May) is about the size of
a small apple, 24 inches in diameter, ruddy or yellow and of a
most agreeable odor (to Orientals more than to Europeans) and
an equally agreeable taste. The Arabs call it "devil's apple,"
from its power to excite voluptuousness. Dr. Richardson
("Lectures on Alcohol," 1881) tried some experiments with wine
made of the root of mandrake, and found it narcotic, causing
sleep, so that the ancients used it as an anaesthetic. Used in
small quantities like opium, it excites the nerves, and is a
stimulant.--ED.)
Maneh
(a portion (by weight)). [[840]Weights And Measures AND
[841]Measures]
Manger
This word occurs only in (Luke 2:7,12,16) in connection with
the birth of Christ. It means a crib or feeding trough; but
according to Schleusner its real signification in the New
Testament is the open court-yard attached to the inn or khan,
in which the cattle would be shut at night, and where the
poorer travellers might unpack their animals and take up their
lodging, when they mere either by want of means excluded from
the house.
Manna
(what is this?) (Heb. man). The most important passages of the
Old Testament on this topic are the following: (Exodus
16:14-36; Numbers 11:7-9; 11:5,16; Joshua 5:12; Psalms 78:24;
25) From these passages we learn that the manna came every
morning except the Sabbath, in the form of a small round seed
resembling the hear frost that it must be gathered early,
before the sun became so hot as to melt it; that it must be
gathered every day except the Sabbath; that the attempt to lay
aside for a succeeding day, except on the clay immediately
preceding the Sabbath, failed by the substance becoming wormy
and offensive; that it was prepared for food by grinding and
baking; that its taste was like fresh oil, and like wafers made
with honey, equally agreeable to all palates; that the whole
nation, of at least 2,000,000, subsisted upon it for forty
years; that it suddenly ceased when they first got the new corn
of the land of Canaan; and that it was always regarded as a
miraculous gift directly from God, and not as a product of
nature. The natural products of the Arabian deserts and other
Oriental regions which bear the name of manna have not the
qualities or uses ascribed to the manna of Scripture. The
latter substance was undoubtedly wholly miraculous, and not in
any respect a product of nature, though its name may have come
from its resemblance to the natural manna The substance now
called manna in the Arabian desert through which the Israelites
passed is collected in the month of June from the tarfa or
tamarisk shrub (Tamarix gallica). According to Burckhardt it
drops from the thorns on the sticks and leaves with which the
ground is covered, and must be gathered early in the day or it
will be melted by the sun. The Arabs cleanse and boil it,
strain it through a cloth and put it in leathern bottles; and
in this way it can be kept uninjured for several years. They
use it like honey or butter with their unleavened bread, but
never make it into cakes or eat it by itself. The whole
harvest, which amounts to only five or six hundred pounds, is
consumed by the Bedouins, "who," says Schaff consider it the
greatest dainty their country affords." The manna of European
commerce conies mostly from Calabria and Sicily. It's gathered
during the months of June and July from some species of ash
(Ornus europaea and O. rotundifolia), from which it drops in
consequence of a puncture by an insect resembling the locust,
but distinguished from it by having a sting under its body. The
substance is fluid at night and resembles the dew but in the
morning it begins to harden.
Manoah
(rest), the father of Samson; a Danite, native of the town of
Zorah. (Judges 13:2) (B.C. 1161) [[842]Samson]
Manslayer
one who kills another unintentionally, and is thus
distinguished from a murderer, who kills with malice
aforethought. The cases of manslaughter mentioned in Scripture
appear to be a sufficient indication of the intention of the
lawgiver.
+ Death by a blow in a sudden quarrel. (Numbers 35:22)
+ Death by a stone or missile thrown at random. Ibid. (Numbers
35:22,23)
+ By the blade of an axe flying from its handle. (19:5) In all
these and the like cases the manslayer was allowed to retire
to a city of refuge. A thief overtaken at night in the act of
stealing might lawfully be put to death, but if the sun had
risen the killing him was to be regarded as murder. (Exodus
22:2,8)
Mantle
the word employed in the Authorized Version to translate no
less than four Hebrew terms, entirely distinct and independent
in both derivation and meaning.
+ (Judges 4:18) the garment with which Jael covered Sisera.
+ Rendered "mantle" in (1 Samuel 15:27; 28:14; Ezra 9:3,5) etc.
This word is in other passages of the Authorized Version
rendered "coat," "cloak" and "robe."
+ (Isaiah 3:22) only. Apparently some article of a lady's
dress.
+ (1 Kings 19:13,19; 2 Kings 2:8,13,14) The sole garment of the
prophet Elijah. It was probably of sheepskin, such as is worn
by the modern dervishes.
Maoch
(oppression) the father of Achish king of Gath, with whom David
took refuge. (1 Samuel 27:2)
Maon
(habitation), one of the cities of the tribe of Judah, in the
district of the mountains. (Joshua 15:55) Its interest for us
lies in its connection with David. (1 Samuel 23:24,25) The name
of Maon still exists in Main, a lofty conical hill, south of
and about seven miles distant from Hebron.
Maonites, The
a people mentioned in one of the addresses of Jehovah to the
repentant Israelites, (Judges 10:12) elsewhere in the
Authorized Version called Mehunim.
Mara
(sad, bitter), the name which Naomi adopted in the exclamation
forced from her by the recognition of her fellow citizens at
Bethlehem. (Ruth 1:20)
Marah
(bitterness), a place which lay in the wilderness of Shur or
Etham, three days journey distant, (Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:8)
from the place at which the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and
where was a spring of bitter water, sweetened subsequently by
the casting in of a tree which "the Lord showed" to Moses.
Howarah, distant 16 1/2 hours (47 miles) from Ayoun Mousa, the
Israelites' first encampment, has been by many identified with
it, apparently because it is the bitterest water in the
neighborhood.
Maralah
(trembling) one of the land marks on the boundary of the tribe
of Zebulun. (Joshua 19:11)
Maranatha
an Aramaic or Syriac expression used by St. Paul at the
conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, ch. (1
Corinthians 16:22) signifying "our Lord cometh."
Marble
The Hebrew shesh, the generic term for marble, may probably be
taken to mean almost any shining stone. The so-called marble of
Solomon's architectural works may thus have been limestone.
There can be no doubt that Herod both in the temple and
elsewhere employed Parian or other marble. The marble pillars
and tesserae of various colors of the palace at Susa came
doubtless from Persia. (Esther 1:8)
Marcheshvan
[[843]Month]
Marcus
the evangelist Mark. (Colossians 4:10); Phle 1:24; 1Pet 5:13
[[844]Mark]
Mareshah, Or Mareshah
(crest of a hill), one of the cities of Judah in the low
country. (Joshua 15:44) It was one of the cities fortified and
garrisoned by Rehoboam after the rupture with the northern
kingdom. (2 Chronicles 11:8) Near it was fought the great
battle between Asa and Zerah. (2 Chronicles 14:9-12) It is
mentioned once or twice in the history of the Maccabaean war of
independence. 2 Macc. 12:35. About 110 B.C. it was taken from
the Idumaeans by John Hyrcanus. It was in ruins in the fourth
century, when Eusebius and Jerome describe it as in the second
mile from Eleutheropolis. South-southwest of Beitjibrin--in all
probability Eleutheropolis-and it little over a Roman mile
therefrom is a site called Marash, which is possibly the
representative of the ancient Mareshah.
Mark
one of the evangelists, and probable author of the Gospel
bearing his name. (Marcus was his Latin surname. His Jewish
name was John, which is the same as Johanan (the grace of God).
We can almost trace the steps whereby the former became his
prevalent name in the Church. "John, whose surname was Mark" in
(Acts 12:12,25; 15:37) becomes "John" alone in (Acts 13:5,13)
"Mark" in (Acts 15:39) and thenceforward there is no change.
(Colossians 4:10); Phlm 1:24; 2Tim 4:11 The evangelist was the
son of a certain Mary, a Jewish matron of some position who
dwelt in Jerusalem, (Acts 12:12) and was probably born of a
Hellenistic family in that city. Of his father we know nothing;
but we do know that the future evangelist was cousin of
Barnabas of Cyprus, the great friend of St. Paul. His mother
would seem to have been intimately acquainted with St. Peter,
and it was to her house, as to a familiar home, that the
apostle repaired, A.D. 44, after his deliverance from prison
(Acts 12:12) This fact accounts for St. Mark's intimate
acquaintance with that apostle, to whom also he probably owed
his conversion, for St. Peter calls him his son. (1 Peter 5:13)
We hear Of him for the first time in Acts 15:25 where we find
him accompanying and Barnabas on their return from Jerusalem to
Antioch, A.D. 45. He next comes before us on the occasion of
the earliest missionary journey of the same apostles, A.D. 48,
when he joined them as their "minister." (Acts 13:8) With them
he visited Cyprus; but at Perga in Pamphylia, (Acts 13:13) when
they were about to enter upon the more arduous part of their
mission, he left them, and, for some unexplained reason,
returned to Jerusalem to his mother and his home.
Notwithstanding this, we find him at Paul's side during that
apostle's first imprisonment at Rome, A.D. 61-63, and he Is
acknowledged by him as one of his few fellow laborers who had
been a "comfort" to him during the weary hours of his
imprisonment. (Colossians 4:10,11); Phle 1:24 We next have
traces of him in (1 Peter 5:13) "The church that is in Babylon
... saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son." From this we
infer that he joined his spiritual father, the great friend of
his mother, at Babylon, then and for same hundred years
afterward one of the chief seats of Jewish culture. From
Babylon he would seem to have returned to Asia Minor; for
during his second imprisonment A.D. 68 St. Paul, writing to
Timothy charges him to bring Mark with him to me, on the ground
that he was "profitable to him For the ministry." (2 Timothy
4:11) From this point we gain no further information from the
New Testament respecting the evangelist. It is most probable,
however that he did join the apostle at Rome whither also St.
Peter would seem to have proceeded, and suffered martyrdom with
St. Paul. After the death of these two great pillars of the
Church; ecclesiastical tradition affirms that St. Mark visited
Egypt, founded the church of Alexandria, and died by
martyrdom.--Condensed from Cambridge Bible for Schools.--ED.)
Mark, Gospel Of
+ By whom written.--The author of this Gospel has been
universally believed to be Mark or Marcus, designated in
(Acts 12:12,25; 15:37) as John Mark, and in ch. 5,13 as John.
+ When is was written.--Upon this point nothing absolutely
certain can be affirmed, and the Gospel itself affords us no
information. The most direct testimony is that of Irenaeus,
who says it was after the death of the apostles Peter and
Paul. We may conclude, therefore, that this Gospel was not
written before A.D. 63. Again we may as certainly conclude
that it was not written after the destruction of Jerusalem,
for it is not likely that he would have omitted to record so
remarkable a fulfillment of our Lord's predictions. Hence
A.D. 63-70 becomes our limit, but nearer than this we cannot
go.--Farrar.
+ Where it was written .--As to the place, the weight of
testimony is uniformly in favor of the belief that the Gospel
was written and published at Rome. In this Clement, Eusebius,
Jerome, Epiphanius, all agree. Chrysostom, indeed, asserts
that it was published at Alexandria; but his statement
receives no confirmation, as otherwise it could not fail to
have done, from any Alexandrine writer.--Farrar.
+ In what language.--As to the language in which it was
written, there never has been any reasonable doubt that it
was written in Greek.
+ Sources of information .--Mark was not one of the twelve; and
there is no reason to believe that he was an eye and ear
witness of the events which he has recorded but an almost
unanimous testimony of the early fathers indicates Peter as
the source of his information. The most important of these
testimonies is that of Papias, who says, "He, the Presbyter
(John), said, Mark, being the Interpreter of Peter, wrote
exactly whatever he remembered but he did not write in order
the things which were spoken or done by Christ. For he was
neither a hearer nor a follower of the Lord, but, as I said,
afterward followed Peter, who made his discourses to suit
what was required, without the view of giving a connected
digest of the discourses of our Lord. Mark, therefore, made
no mistakes when he wrote down circumstances as he
recollected them; for he was very careful of one thing, to
omit nothing of what he heard, and to say nothing false in
what he related." Thus Papias writes of Mark. This testimony
is confirmed by other witnesses.--Abbott.
+ For whom it was written.--The traditional statement is that
it was intended primarily for Gentiles, and especially for
those at Rome. A review of the Gospel itself confirms this
view.
+ Characteristics .-- (1) Mark's Gospel is occupied almost
entirely with the ministry in Galilee and the events of the
passion week. It is the shortest of the four Gospels, and
contains almost no incident or teaching which is not
contained in one of the other two synoptists; but (2) it is
by far the most vivid and dramatic in its narratives, and
their pictorial character indicates not only that they were
derived from an eye and ear witness, but also from one who
possessed the observation and the graphic artistic power of a
natural orator such as Peter emphatically was. (3) One
peculiarity strikes us the moment we open it,--the absence of
any genealogy of our Lord. This is the key to much that
follows. It is not the design of the evangelist to present
our Lord to us, like St. Matthew as the Messiah, "the son of
David and Abraham," ch. 1:1, or, like St. Luke, as the
universal Redeemer, "the son of Adam, which was the son of
God." ch. 3:38. (4) His design is to present him to us as the
incarnate and wonder-working Son of God, living and acting
among men; to portray him in the fullness of his living
energy.--Cambridge Bible for Schools.
Market Of Appius
(Acts 28:15) In the Revised Version for Appii Forum of the
Authorized Version, which see.
Marketplaces
(Matthew 20:3; Mark 12:38; Luke 7:35; Acts 16:19) (any open
place of public resort in cities or towns where public trials
and assemblies were held and goods were exposed for sale. "The
market-places or bazaars of the East were, and are at this day,
the constant resort of unoccupied people, the idle, the
news-mongers."--Hackett s Ill. S.S.--ED.)
Maroth
(bitterness), one of the towns of the western lowland of Judah.
(Micah 1:12)
Marriage
+ Its origin and history .--The institution of marriage dates
from the time of man's original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25)
From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles:
(1) The unity of man and wife, as implied in her being formed
out of man. (2) The indissolubleness of the marriage bond,
except on; the strongest grounds, Comp. (Matthew 19:9) (3)
Monogamy, as the original law of marriage (4) The social
equality of man and wife. (5) The subordination of the wife
to the husband. (1 Corinthians 11:8,9; 1 Timothy 2:13) (6)
The respective duties of man and wife. In the patriarchal age
polygamy prevailed, (Genesis 16:4; 25:1,8; 28:9; 29:23,26; 1
Chronicles 7:14) but to a great extent divested of the
degradation which in modern times attaches to that practice.
Divorce also prevailed in the patriarchal age, though but one
instance of it is recorded. (Genesis 21:14) The Mosaic law
discouraged polygamy, restricted divorce, and aimed to
enforce purity of life. It was the best civil law possible at
the time, and sought to bring the people up to the pure
standard of the moral law. In the Post-Babylonian period
monogamy appears to have become more prevalent than at any
previous time. The practice of polygamy nevertheless still
existed; Herod the Great had no less than nine wives at one
time. The abuse of divorce continued unabated. Our Lord and
his apostles re-established the integrity and sanctity of the
marriage bond by the following measures: (a) By the
confirmation of the original charter of marriage as the basis
on which all regulations were to be framed. (Matthew 19:4,5)
(b) By the restriction of divorce to the case of fornication,
and the prohibition of remarriage in all persons divorced on
improper grounds. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Romans 7:3; 1
Corinthians 7:10,11) (c) By the enforcement of moral purity
generally (Hebrews 13:4) etc., and especial formal
condemnation of fornication. (Acts 15:20)
+ The conditions of legal marriage .--In the Hebrew
commonwealth marriage was prohibited (a) between an Israelite
and a non-Israelite. There were three grades of prohibition:
total in regard to the Canaanites on either side; total on
the side of the males in regard to the Ammonites and
Moabites; and temporary on the side of the males in regard to
the Edomites and Egyptians, marriages with females in the two
latter instances being regarded as legal. The progeny of
illegal marriages between Israelites and non-Israelites was
described as "bastard." (23:2) (b) between an Israelite and
one of his own community. The regulations relative to
marriage between Israelites and Israelites were based on
considerations of relationship. The most important passage
relating to these is contained in (Leviticus 18:6-18) wherein
we have in the first place a general prohibition against
marriage between a man and the "flesh of his flesh," and in
the second place special prohibitions against marriage with a
mother, stepmother, sister or half-sister, whether "born at
home or abroad," granddaughter, aunt, whether by
consanguinity on either side or by marriage on the father's
side, daughter in-law, brother's wife, stepdaughter, wife's
mother, stepgranddaughter, or wife's sister during the
lifetime of the wife. An exception is subsequently made,
(26:5-9) in favor of marriage with a brother's wife in the
event of his having died childless. The law which regulates
this has been named the "levirate," from the Latin levir,
"brother-in-law."
+ The modes by which marriage was effected .--The choice of the
bride devolved not on the bridegroom himself, but on his
relations or on a friend deputed by the bridegroom for this
purpose. The consent of the maiden was sometimes asked
(Genesis 24:58) but this appears to have been subordinate to
the previous consent of the father and the adult brothers.
(Genesis 24:51; 34:11) Occasionally the whole business of
selecting the wife was left in the hands of a friend. The
selection of the bride was followed by the espousal, which
was a formal proceeding undertaken by a friend or legal
representative on the part of the bridegroom and by the
parents on the part of the bride; it was confirmed by oaths,
and accompanied with presents to the bride. The act of
betrothal was celebrated by a feast, and among the more
modern Jews it is the custom in some parts for the bride.
groom to place a ring on the bride's finger. The ring was
regarded among the Hebrews as a token of fidelity (Genesis
41:42) and of adoption into a family. (Luke 15:25) Between
the betrothal sad the marriage so interval elapsed, varying
from a few days in the patriarchal age, (Genesis 24:55) to a
full year for virgins and a month for widows in later times.
During this period the bride-elect lived with her friends,
and all communication between herself and her future husband
was carried on through the medium of a friend deputed for the
purpose, termed the "friend of the bridegroom." (John 3:29)
She was now virtually regarded as the wife of her future
husband; hence faithlessness on her part was punishable with
death, (22:23,24) the husband having, however, the option of
"putting her away." (24:1; Matthew 1:19) The essence of the
marriage ceremony consisted in the removal of the bride from
her father's house to that of the bridegroom or his father.
The bridegroom prepared himself for the occasion by putting
on a festive dress, and especially by placing on his head a
handsome nuptial turban. (Psalms 45:8; Song of Solomon
4:10,11) The bride was veiled. Her robes were white,
(Revelation 19:8) and sometimes embroidered with gold thread,
(Psalms 45:13,14) and covered with perfumes! (Psalms 45:8)
she was further decked out with jewels. (Isaiah 49:18; 61:10;
Revelation 21:2) When the fixed hour arrived, which was,
generally late in the evening, the bridegroom set forth from
his house, attended by his groomsmen (Authorized Version
"companions," (Judges 14:11) "children of the bride-chamber,"
(Matthew 9:15) preceded by a band of musicians or singers,
(Genesis 31:27; Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9) and accompanied by
persons hearing flambeaux, (Jeremiah 25:10) 2 Esdr. 10:2;
(Matthew 25:7; Revelation 18:23) and took the bride with the
friends to his own house. At the house a feast was prepared,
to which all the friends and neighbors were invited, (Genesis
29:22; Matthew 22:1-10; Luke 14:8; John 2:2) and the
festivities were protracted for seven or even fourteen days.
(Judges 14:12; Job 8:19) The guests were provided by the host
with fitting robes, (Matthew 22:11) and the feast was
enlivened with riddles, (Judges 14:12) and other amusements.
The last act in the ceremonial was the conducting of the
bride to the bridal chamber, (Judges 15:1; Joel 2:16) where a
canopy was prepared. (Psalms 19:5; Joel 2:16) The bride was
still completely veiled, so that the deception practiced on
Jacob, (Genesis 29:23) was not difficult. A newly married man
was exempt from military service, or from any public business
which might draw him away from his home, for the space of a
year, (24:5) a similar privilege was granted to him who was
'betrothed. (20:7)
+ The social and domestic conditions of married life .--The
wife must have exercised an important influence in her own
home. She appears to have taken her part in family affairs,
and even to have enjoyed a considerable amount of
independence. (Judges 4:18; 1 Samuel 25:14; 2 Kings 4:8) etc.
In the New Testament the mutual relations of husband and wife
are a subject of frequent exhortation. (Ephesians 5:22,33;
Colossians 3:18,19; Titus 2:4,5; 1 Peter 3:1-7) The duties of
the wife in the Hebrew household were multifarious; in
addition to the general superintendence of the domestic
arrangements, such as cooking, from which even women of rank
were not exempt. (Genesis 18:8; 2 Samuel 13:5) and the
distribution of food at meal times, (Proverbs 31:13) the
manufacture of the clothing and of the various fabrics
required in her home devolved upon her, (Proverbs
31:13,21,22) and if she were a model of activity and skill,
she produced a surplus of fine linen shirts and girdles,
which she sold and so, like a well-freighted merchant ship,
brought in wealth to her husband from afar. (Proverbs
31:14,24) The legal rights of the wife are noticed in (Exodus
21:10) under the three heads of food, raiment, and duty of
marriage or conjugal right.
+ The allegorical and typical allusions to marriage have
exclusive reference to one object, viz., to exhibit the
spiritual relationship between God and his people. In the Old
Testament (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:19) In the New
Testament the image of the bridegroom is transferred from
Jehovah to Christ, (Matthew 9:15; John 3:29) and that of the
bride to the Church, (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7;
21:2,9)
Mars Hill
the hill of Mars or Ares, better known by the name of
Areopagus, of which hill of Mars or Ares is a translation. The
Areopagus was a rocky height in Athens, opposite the western
end of the Acropolis. It rises gradually from the northern end,
and terminates abruptly on the south, over against the
Acropolis, at which point it is about fifty or sixty feet above
the valley. The spot is memorable as the place of meeting of
the Council of Areopagus. This body existed as a criminal
tribunal before the time of Solon, and was the most ancient and
venerable of all the Athenian courts. It consisted of all
persons who had held the office of archon, and who were members
of the council for life unless expelled for misconduct. Before
the time of Solon the court tried only cases of willful murder,
wounding, poison, and arson: but he gave it extensive powers of
a censorial and political nature. The council continued to
exist even under the Roman emperors. Its meetings were held on
the southeastern summit of the rock. The Areopagus possesses
peculiar interest to the Christian as the spot from which St.
Paul delivered his memorable address to the men of Athens.
(Acts 17:22-31) St. Paul "disputed daily" in the "market" or
agora, (Acts 17:17) which was situated south of the Areopagus
in the valley lying between this and the hills of the
Acropolis, the Pnyx and the Museum. Attracting more and more
attention, "certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics"
brought him up from the valley, probably by the stone steps, to
the Areopagus above, that they might listen to him more
conveniently.
Marsena
(worthy), one of the seven of Persia, "wise men which knew the
times," which saw the king's face and sat first in the kingdom.
(Esther 1:14)
Martha
(a lady), the sister of Lazarus and Mary. [[845]Lazarus] The
facts recorded in Luke 10 and John 11 indicate a character
devout after the customary Jewish type of devotion, sharing in
Messianic hopes and accepting Jesus as the Christ. When she
first comes before us, (Luke 10:38) her spirit is "cumbered
with much serving," is "careful and troubled about many
things." Her love, though imperfect in its form, is yet
recognized as true, and she has the distinction of being one
whom Jesus loved. (John 11:5) Her position is obviously that of
the elder sister the head and manager of the household. In the
supper at Bethany (John 12:2) the old character shows itself
still, but it has been freed from evil. She is no longer
"cumbered," no longer impatient. Activity has been calmed by
trust.
Mary
a Roman Christian who is greeted by St. Paul in his Epistle to
the Romans, ch. (Romans 16:6) as having toiled hard for him.
(a tear) of Cle'ophas. So in Authorized Version, but accurately
"of Clopas," i.e. the wife of Clopas (or Alphaeus). She is
brought before us for the first time on the day of the
crucifixion, standing by the cross. (John 19:25) In the evening
of the same day we find her sitting desolate at the tomb with
Mary Magdalene, (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47) and at the dawn of
Easter morning she was again there with sweet spices, which she
had prepared on the Friday night, (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1;
Luke 23:56) and was one of those who had "a vision of angels,
which said that he was alive." (Luke 24:23) She had four sons
and at least three daughters. The names of the daughters are
unknown to us; those of the sons are, James, Joses, Jude and
Simon, two of whom became enrolled among the twelve apostles
[[846]James The Less], and a third [[847]Simon] may have
succeeded his brother ill charge of the church of Jerusalem. By
many she is thought to have been the sister of the Virgin Mary.
Mary Magdalene
Different explanations have been given of this name; but the
most natural is that she came from the town of Magdala. She
appears before us for the first time in (Luke 8:2) among the
women who "ministered unto him of their substance." All appear
to have occupied a position of comparative wealth. With all the
chief motive was that of gratitude for their deliverance from
"evil spirits and infirmities." Of Mary it is said specially
that "seven devils went out of her," and the number indicates a
possession of more than ordinary malignity. She was present
during the closing hours of the agony on the cross. (John
19:25) She remained by the cross till all was over, and waited
till the body was taken down and placed in the garden sepulchre
of Joseph of Arimathaea, (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke
23:55) when she, with Salome and Mary the mother of James,
"bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint" the body.
(Mark 16:1) The next morning accordingly. in the earliest dawn,
(Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2) they came with Mary the mother of
James to the sepulchre. Mary Magdalene had been to the tomb and
had found it empty, and had seen the "vision of angels."
(Matthew 28:5; Mark 16:6) To her first of all Jesus appeared
after his resurrection. (John 20:14,15) Mary Magdalene has
become the type of a class of repentant sinners; but there is
no authority for identifying her with the "sinner" who anointed
the feet of Jesus in (Luke 7:36-50) neither is there any
authority for the supposition that Mary Magdalene is the same
as the sister of Lazarus. Neither of these theories has the
slightest foundation in fact.
Mary The Virgin
the mother of our Lord. There is no person perhaps in sacred or
profane history around whom so many legends have been grouped a
the Virgin Mary; and there are few whose authentic history is
more concise. She was, like Joseph, of the tribe of Judah and
of the lineage of David. (Psalms 132:11; Luke 1:32; Romans 1:3)
She had a sister, named, like herself, (John 19:25) and she was
connected by marriage, (Luke 1:36) with Elizabeth, who was of
the tribe of Levi and of the lineage of Aaron. This is all that
we know of her antecedents. She was betrothed to Joseph of
Nazareth; but before her marriage she became with child by the
Holy Ghost, and became the mother of Jesus Christ, the Saviour
of the world. Her history at this time, her residence at
Bethlehem, flight to Egypt, and return to her early home st
Nazareth, are well known. Four times only does she appear after
the commencement of Christ's ministry. These four occasions
are--
+ The marriage at Cana in Galilee took place in the three
months which intervened between the baptism of Christ and the
passover of the year 27. Mary was present, and witnessed the
first miracle performed by Christ, when he turned the water
into wine. She had probably become a widow before this time.
+ Capernaum, (John 2:12) and Nazareth, (Matthew 4:13; 13:54;
Mark 6:1) appear to have been the residence of Mary for a
considerable period. The next time that she is brought before
us we find her at Capernaum, where she, with other relatives,
had gone to inquire about the strange stories they had heard
of her son Jesus. They sought an audience with our Lord,
which was not granted, as he refused to admit any authority
on the part of his relatives, or any privilege on account of
their relationship.
+ The next scene in Mary's life brings us to the foot of the
cross. With almost his last words Christ commended his mother
to the care of him who had borne the name of the disciple
whom Jesus loved: "Woman, behold thy son." And front that
hour St. John assures us that he took her to his own abode.
So far as Mary is portrayed to us in Scripture, she is, as we
should have expected the most tender, the most faithful
humble, patient and loving of women, but a woman still.
+ In the days succeeding the ascension of Christ Mary met with
the disciples in the upper room, (Acts 1:14) waiting for the
coming of the Holy Spirit with power.
Mary, Mother Of Mark
(Colossians 4:10) was sister to Barnabas. (Acts 4:36; 12:15)
She was among the earliest disciples, and lived at Jerusalem.
She gave up her house to be used as one of the chief places of
meeting. The fact that Peter went to that house on his release
from prison indicates that there was some special intimacy,
(Acts 12:12) between them. (There is a tradition that the place
of meeting of the disciples, and hence Mary's house, was on the
upper slope of Zion, and that it was here that the Holy Ghost
came upon the disciples with tongues of flame on the day of
Pentecost.--ED.)
Mary, Sister Of Lazarus
She and her sister Martha appear in (Luke 10:40) as receiving
Christ in their house. Mary sat listening eagerly for every
word that fell from the divine Teacher. She had chosen that
good part, the "one thing needful." The same character shows
itself in the history of (John 11:1) ... Her grief was deeper,
but less active. Her first thought, when she saw the Teacher in
whose power and love she that trusted, was one of complaint.
But the great joy and love which her brother's return to life
called up in her poured themselves out in larger measure than
had been seen before. The treasured alabaster box of ointment
was brought forth at the final feast of Bethany. (John 12:3)
Maschil
(song of wisdom), the title of thirteen Psalms
32,45,44,45,52-55,74,78,68,69,142 Ewald regards (Psalms 47:7)
(Authorized Version, "sing ye praises with understanding; "
Heb. maschil) as the key to the meaning of maschil, which in
his opinion is a musical term denoting a melody requiring great
skill in its execution.
Mash
(drawn out), one of the sons of Aram. (Genesis 10:23) In (1
Chronicles 1:17) the name appears as Meshech. The name Mash is
probably represented by the Mons Masius of classical writers, a
range which forms the northern boundary of Mesopotamia, between
the Tigris and Euphrates.
Mashal
(entreaty), the same as Misheal or Mishal. (1 Chronicles 6:74)
Massa
(burden), a son of Ishmael. (Genesis 26:14; 1 Chronicles 1:30)
His descendants were not improbably the Masani, placed by
Ptolemy in the east of Arabia, near the borders of Babylonia.
Massah
(temptation), a name given to the spot, also called Meribah,
where the Israelites tempted Jehovah. (Exodus 16:7; Psalms
95:8,9; Hebrews 3:8)
Massrekah
(vineyard of noble vines), an ancient place, the native spot of
Samiah, one of the old king of the Edomites. (Genesis 36:36; 1
Chronicles 1:47)
Mathusala
= [848]Methuselah, the son of Enoch. (Luke 3:37)
Matithiah
(gift of God).
+ A Levite who presided over the offerings made in the pans. (1
Chronicles 9:31) comp. Levi 6:20 (Levi 6:12) etc.
+ One of the Levites appointed by David to minister before the
ark in the musical service, (1 Chronicles 16:5) "with harps
upon Sheminith," comp. (1 Chronicles 16:21) to lead the
choir. (1 Chronicles 15:18,21; 26:3,21)
+ One of the family of Nebo who had married a foreign wife, in
the days of Ezra. (Ezra 10:43)
+ Probably a priest, who stood at the right hand of Ezra when
he read the law to the people. (Ezra 8:4)
Matred
(pushing forward) daughter of Mezahab and mother of Mehetabel,
who was wife of Hadar or Hadad of Pau, king of Edom. (Genesis
36:39; 1 Chronicles 1:50)
Matri
(rain of Jehovah), a family of the tribe of Benjamin, to which
Saul the King of Israel belonged. (1 Samuel 10:21)
Mattan
(a gift).
+ The priest of Baal slain before his altars in the idol temple
at Jerusalem. (2 Kings 11:18; 2 Chronicles 23:17) He probably
accompanied Athalia from Samaria.
+ The father of Shephatiah. (Jeremiah 38:1)
Mattanah
(gift of Jehovah), a station the latter part of the wandering
of the Israelites. (Numbers 21:18,19) It was probably situated
to the southeast of the Dead Sea.
Mattaniah
(gift of Jehovah).
+ The original name of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was
changed when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne. (2
Kings 24:17)
+ A Levite singer of the sons of Asaph. (1 Chronicles 9:15) He
was leader of the temple choir after its restoration,
(Nehemiah 11:17; 12:8) in the time of Nehemiah, and took part
in the musical service which accompanied the dedication of
the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 12:25,35)
+ A descendant of Asaph, and ancestor of Jahaziel the Levite,
in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 20:14)
+ One of the sons of Elam. (Ezra 10:26)
+ One of the sons of Zattu. (Ezra 10:27)
+ A descendant of Pahath-moab, (Ezra 10:30) and
+ One of the sons of Bani. (Ezra 10:37) who all put away their
foreign wives at Ezra's command.
+ A Levite, father of Zaccur and ancestor of Hanan the
under-treasurer who had charge of the offerings for the
Levites in the time of Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 13:13)
+ One of the fourteen sons of Heman, whose office it was to
blow the horns in the temple service appointed by David. (1
Chronicles 25:4,16)
+ A descendant of Asaph the Levite minstrel, who assisted in
the purification of the temple in the reign of Hezekiah. (2
Chronicles 29:13)
Mattathah
(gift of Jehovah), probably a contraction of Mattathiah.
+ Son of Nathan and grandson of David, in the genealogy of
Christ. (Luke 3:31) (B.C. after 1014.)
+ An Israelite, son of Hashun, who divorced his Gentile wife
after the return from Babylon. (Ezekiel 10:33) (B.C. 458.)
Mattathias
(gift of Jehovah), the Greek form of Mattathiah.
+ Son of Amos, in the genealogy of Christ. (Luke 3:25) (B.C.
after 406.)
+ Son of Semei. (Luke 3:26)
+ The father of the Maccabees. (B.C. 168 and previous.)
Mattenai
(gift of Jehovah), a contraction of Mattaniah.
+ Two Israelites who divorced their Gentile wives after the
return from the Babylonish captivity. (Ezra 10:33,37) (B.C.
469.)
+ A priest, son of Joiarib, in the time of Joiakim. (Nehemiah
12:19) (B.C. after 536.)
Matthan
(gift), grandfather of Joseph the husband of the Virgin Mary.
(Matthew 1:15)
Matthat
(gift of God), a form of the name Matthan.
+ son of Levi, in the genealogy of Christ. (Luke 3:20) (B.C.
after 623.)
+ Grandfather of the Virgin Mary. (Luke 3:21)
Matthew
(gift of Jehovah). (A contraction, as is also Matthias, of
Mattathias. His original name was Levi, and his name Matthew
was probably adopted as his new apostolic name was a Jew. His
father's name was Alphaeus. His home was at Capernaum His
business was the collection of dues and customs from persons
and goods crossing the Sea of Galilee, or passing along the
great Damascus road which ran along the shore between
Bethsaida, Julius and Capernaum. Christ called him from this
work to he his disciple. He appears to have been a man of
wealth, for he made a great feast in his own house, perhaps in
order to introduce his former companions and friends to Jesus.
His business would tend to give him a knowledge of human
nature, and accurate business habits, and of how to make a way
to the hearts of many publicans and sinners not otherwise
easily reached. He is mentioned by name, after the resurrection
of Christ, only in (Acts 1:15) but he must have lived many
years as an apostle, since he was the author of the Gospel of
Matthew which was written at least twenty years later. There is
reason to believe that he remained for fifteen years at
Jerusalem, after which he went as missionary to the Persians,
Parthians and Medes. There is a legend that he died a martyr in
Ethiopia.--ED.)
Matthew, Gospel Of
+ Its authorship .--That this Gospel was written by the apostle
Matthew there is no reason to doubt. Seventeen independent
witnesses of the first four centuries attest its genuineness.
+ Its original language .--The testimony of the early Church is
unanimous that Matthew wrote originally in the Hebrew
language. On the otherhand doubt is thrown over this opinion,
both statements of by an examination of the fathers and by a
consideration of peculiar forms of language employed in the
Gospel itself. The question is unsettled, the best scholars
not agreeing in their Judgment concerning it. If there was a
Hebrew original, it disappeared at a very early age. The
Greek Gospel which we now possess was it is almost certain,
written in Matthew's lifetime; and it is not at all
improbable that he wrote the Gospel in both the Greek and
Hebrew languages.--Lyman Abbolt. It is almost certain that
our Lord spoke in Greek with foreigners, but with his
disciples and the Jewish people in Aramaic (a form of
language closely allied to the Hebrew).--Schaff. The Jewish
historian Josephus furnishes an illustration of the fate of
the Hebrew original of Matthew. Josephus himself informs us
that he, wrote his great work "The History of the Jewish
Wars," originally in Hebrew, his native tongue, for the
benefit of his own nation, and he afterward translated it
into Greek. No notices of the Hebrew original now
survive.--Professor D.S. Gregory.
+ The date .-- The testimony of the early Church is unanimous
that Matthew wrote first of the early Church is among the
evangelists. Irenieus relates that Matthew wrote his Gospel
while Peter and Paul were preaching, and founding the Church
at Rome, after A.D. 61. It was published before the
destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 50.--Alford. We would place
our present Gospel between A.D. 60 and 66. If there was an
original Hebrew Gospel, an earlier date belongs to
it--Ellicott.
+ Its object .-- This Gospel was probably written in Palestine
for Jewish Christians. It is an historical proof that Jesus
is the Messiah. Matthew is the Gospel for the Jew. It is the
Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah of the prophets. This Gospel
takes the life of Jesus as it was lived on earth, and his
character as it actually appeared, and places them alongside
the life and character of the Messiah as sketched in the
prophets, the historic by the side of the Prophetic, that the
two may appear in their marvellous unity and in their perfect
identity.--Professor Gregory.
Matthias
(gift of God), the apostle elected to fill the place of the
traitor Judas. (Acts 1:26) All beyond this that we know of him
for certainty is that he had been a constant attendant upon the
Lord Jesus during the whole course of his ministry; for such
was declared by St. Peter to be the necessary qualification of
one who was to be a witness of the resurrection. It is said
that he preached the gospel and suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia.
Mattock
(Isaiah 7:25) The tool used in Arabia for loosening the ground,
described by Neibuhr, answers generally to our mattock or
grubbing-axe, i.e. a single-headed pickaxe. The ancient
Egyptian hoe was of wood, and answered for hoe, spade and pick.
Maul
(i.e. a hammer), a sort of battleaxe or hammer, used as an
implement of war. (25:18)
Mauzzim
(fortresses). The marginal note to the Authorized Version of
(Daniel 11:38) "the god of forces," gives as the equivalent of
the last word "Mauzzim, or gods protectors, or munitions."
There can be little doubt that mauzzim is to be taken in its
literal sense of "fortresses," just as in (Daniel 11:19,39)
"the god of fortresses" being then the deity who presided over
strongholds. The opinion of Gesenius is that "the god of
fortresses" was Jupiter Capitolinus, for whom Antiochus built a
temple at Antioch. Liv. xli. 20.
Mazzaroth
(the twelve signs). The margin of the Authorized Version of
(Job 38:32) gives Mazzaroth as the name of the twelve signs of
the zodiac.
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Table of Contents
Meadow
+ In (Genesis 41:2,18) meadow appears to be an Egyptian term
meaning some kind of flag or waterplant, as its use in (Job
8:11) (Authorized Version "flag") seems to show.
+ In (Judges 20:33) the sense of the Hebrew word translated
meadow is doubly uncertain. The most plausible interpretation
is that of the Peshito-Syriac, which by a slight difference
in the vowel-points makes the word mearah, "the cave."
Meah
(a hundred), The tower of, one of the towers of the wall of
Jerusalem when rebuilt by Nehemiah, (Nehemiah 3:1; 12:39)
appears to have been situated somewhere at the northeast part
of the city, outside of the walls of Zion.
Meals
Our information on the subject of meals is but scanty. The
early Hebrews do not seem to have given special names to their
several meals, for the terms rendered "dine" and "dinner" in
the Authorized Version ((Genesis 43:16; Proverbs 15:17)) are in
reality general expressions, which might more correctly be
rendered "eat" and "portion of food." In the New Testament
"dinner" and "supper," (Luke 14:12; John 21:12) are more
properly "breakfast" and "dinner." There is some uncertainty as
to the hours at which meals were taken; the Egyptians
undoubtedly took their principal mean at noon, (Genesis 43:16)
laborers took a light meal at that time. (Ruth 2:14) comp. ver.
Ruth 2:17 The Jews rather followed the custom that prevails
among the Bedouins, and made their principal meal after sunset,
and a lighter meal at about 9 or 10 A.M. The old Hebrews were
in the habit of sitting . (Genesis 27:19; Judges 19:6; 1 Samuel
20:5,24; 1 Kings 13:20) The table was in this case but slightly
elevated above the ground, as is still the case in Egypt. As
luxury increased, the practice of sitting was exchanged for
that of reclining was the universal custom. As several guests
reclined on the same couch, each overlapped his neighbor, as it
were, and rested his head on or near the breast of the one who
lay behind him; he was then said to "lean on the bosom" of his
neighbor. (John 13:23; 21:20) The ordinary arrangement of the
couches was in three sides of a square, the fourth being left
open for the servants to bring up the dishes. Some doubt
attends the question whether the females took their meals along
with the males. Before commencing the meal the guests washed
their hands. This custom was founded on natural decorum: not
only was the hand the substitute for our knife and for, but the
hands of all the guests were dipped into one and the same dish.
Another preliminary step was the grace or blessing, of which we
have but one instance in the Old Testament-- (1 Samuel
9:13)--and more than one pronounced by our Lord himself in the
new Testament--Matt 15:36; Luke 9:16; John 6:11 The mode of
taking the food differed in no material point from the modern
usages of the East. Generally there was a single dish, into
which each guest dipped his hand. (Matthew 26:23) Occasionally
separate portions were served out to each. (Genesis 43:34; Ruth
2:14; 1 Samuel 1:4) A piece of bread was held between the thumb
and two fingers of the right hand, and was dipped either into a
bowl of melted grease (in which case it was termed "a sop,")
(John 13:26) or into the dish of meat, whence a piece was
conveyed to the mouth between the layers of bread. At the
conclusion of the meal, grace was again said in conformity with
(8:10) and the hands were again washed. On state occasions more
ceremony was used, and the meal was enlivened in various ways.
A sumptuous repast was prepared; the guests were previously
invited, (Esther 5:8; Matthew 22:3) and on the day of the feast
a second invitation was issued to those that were bidden.
(Esther 6:14; Proverbs 9:3; Matthew 22:4) The visitors were
received with a kiss, (Luke 7:45) water was furnished for them
to wash their feet with, (Luke 7:44) the head, the beard, the
feet, and sometimes the clothes, were perfumed with ointment,
(Psalms 23:5; John 12:3) on special occasions robes were
provided, (Matthew 22:11) and the head was decorated with
wreaths. (Isaiah 28:1) The regulation of the feast was under
the superintendence of a special officer, (John 2:8)
(Authorized Version "governor of the feast"), whose business it
was to taste the food and the liquors before they were placed
on the table, and to settle about the toasts and amusements; he
was generally one of the guests, Ecclus. 32:1,2, and might
therefore take part in the conversation. The places of the
guests were settled according to their respective rand,
(Genesis 43:33; Mark 12:39) portions of food were placed before
each, (1 Samuel 1:4) the most honored guests receiving either
larger, (Genesis 43:34) or more choice, (1 Samuel 9:24)
portions than the rest. The meal was enlivened with music,
singing and dancing, (2 Samuel 19:35) or with riddles, (Judges
14:12) and amid these entertainments the festival was prolonged
for several days. (Esther 1:3,4)
Mearah
(a cave), a place named in (Joshua 13:4) only. The word means
in Hebrew a cave, and it is commonly assumed that the reference
is to some remarkable cavern in the neighborhood of Zidon.
Measures
[[849]Weights And Measures AND MEASURES]
Meat
It does not appear that the word "meat" is used in any one
instance in the Authorized Version of either the Old or New
Testament in the sense which it now almost exclusively bears of
animal food. The latter is denoted uniformly by "flesh." The
word "meat," when our English version was made, meant food in
general; or if any particular kind was designated, it referred
to meal, flour or grain. The only real and inconvenient
ambiguity caused by the change which has taken place in the
meaning of the word is in the case of the "meat offering."
[[850]Meat Offering OFFERING]
Meat Offering
The law or ceremonial of the meat offering is described in
(Leviticus 2:1) ... and Levi 6:14-23 It was to be composed of
fine flour, seasoned with salt and mixed with oil and
frankincense, but without leaven; and it was generally
accompanied by a drink offering of wine. A portion of it,
including all the frankincense, was to be burnt on the altar as
"a memorial;" the rest belonged to the priest; but the meat
offerings offered by the priests themselves were to be wholly
burnt. Its meaning appears to be exactly expressed in the words
of David. (1 Chronicles 29:10-14) It will be seen that this
meaning involves neither of the main ideas of sacrifices--the
atonement for sin and self-dedication to God. It takes them for
granted, and is based on them. Rather it expresses gratitude
and love to God as the giver of all. Accordingly the meat
offering, properly so called, seems always to have been a
subsidiary offering, needing to be introduced by the sin
offering which represented the one idea, and to have formed an
appendage to the burnt offering, which represented the other.
The unbloody offerings offered alone did not properly belong to
the regular meat offerings; they were usually substitutes for
other offerings. Comp. (Leviticus 5:11; Numbers 5:15)
[[851]Meat]
Mebunnai
(building of Jehovah). In this form appears, In one passage
only--2Sam 23:27--The name of one of David's guard, who is
elsewhere called [852]Sibbechai, (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles
20:4) or [853]Sibbecai, (1 Chronicles 11:29; 27:11) in the
Authorized Version.
Mecherathite, The
that is, the native or inhabitant of a place called Mecherah.
(1 Chronicles 11:36) In the parallel list of (2 Samuel 23:1)
... the name appears, with other variations, as "the
Maachathite." ver. (2 Samuel 23:34)
Medad
(love). [[854]Eldad AND MEDAD]
Medan
(contention), a son of Abraham and Keturah. (Genesis 23:5; 1
Chronicles 1:42)
Medeba
(water of rest), a town on the eastern side of Jordan, first
alluded to in (Numbers 21:30) Here it seems to denote the limit
of the territory of Heshbon. It next occurs in the enumeration
of the country divided among the transjordanic tribes, (Joshua
13:9) as giving its name to a district of level downs called
"the Mishor of Medeba" or "the Mishor on Medeba." At the time
of the conquest Medeba belonged to the Amorites, apparently one
of the towns taken from Moab by them. In the time of Ahaz
Medeba was a sanctuary of Moab. (Isaiah 15:2) It has retained
its name down, our own times, and lies four miles southeast of
Heshbon, on it rounded but rocky hill.
Medes, Media
(middle land). Media lay northwest of Persia proper, south and
southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, west
and northwest of the great salt desert of Iran. Its greatest
length was from north to south, and in this direction it
extended from the 32d to the 40th parallel, a distance of 550
miles. In width it reached front about long. 45 degrees to 53
degrees; but its average breadth was not more than from 250 to
300 miles. The division of Media commonly recognized by the
Greeks and Romans was that into Media Magna and Media
Atropatene.
+ Media Atropatene corresponded nearly to the modern Azerbijan,
being the tract situated between the Caspian and the
mountains which run north from Zagros.
+ Media Magna lay south and east of Atropatene. It contained
great part of Kurdistan and Luristan, with all Ardelan and
Arak Ajemi . It is indicative of the division that there were
two Ecbatanas, respectively the capitals of the two
districts. The Medes were a nation of very high antiquity; we
find a notice of them in the primitive Babylonian history of
Berosus, who says that the Medes conquered Babylon at a very
remote period (cir. B.C. 2458), and that eight Median
monarchs reigned there consecutively, over a space of 224
years. The deepest obscurity hangs, however, over the whole
history of the Medes from the time of their bearing sway in
Babylonia, B.C. 2458-2234, to their first appearance in the
cuneiform inscriptions among the enemies of Assyria, about
B.C. 880. Near the middle of the seventh century B.C. the
Median kingdom was consolidated, and became formidable to its
neighbors; but previous to this time it was not under the
dominion of a single powerful monarch, but was ruled by a
vast number of petty chieftains. Cyaxares, the third Median
monarch, took Nineveh and conquered Assyria B.C. 625. The
limits of the Median empire cannot be definitely fixed. From
north to south it was certainly confined between the Persian
Gulf and the Euphrates on the one side, the Black and Caspian
Seas on the other. From east to west it had, however, a wide
expansion, since it reached from the Halys at least as far as
the Caspian Gates, and possible farther. It was separated
from Babylonia either by the Tigris or more probably by a
line running about halfway between that river and the
Euphrates. Its greatest length may be reckoned at 1500 miles
from northwest to southeast, and its average breadth at 400
or 450 miles. Its area would thus be about 600,000 square
miles, or somewhat greater than that of modern Persia. Of all
the ancient Oriental monarchies the Median was the shortest
in duration. It was overthrown by the Persians under Cyrus,
B.C. 558, who captured its king, Astyages. The treatment of
the Medes by the victorious Persians was not that of an
ordinary conquered nation. Medes were appointed to stations
of high honor and importance under Cyrus and his successors.
The two nations seem blended into one, and we often find
reference to this kingdom as that of the "Medes and
Persians." (Daniel 5:28; 6:8,12,15) The references to the
Medes in the canonical Scriptures are not very numerous, but
they are striking. We first hear of certain "cities of the
Medes," in which the captive Israelites were placed by "the
king of Assyria" on the destruction of Samaria, B.C. 721 (2
Kings 17:6; 18:12) Soon afterward Isaiah prophesies the part
which the Medes shall take in the destruction of Babylon,
(Isaiah 13:17; 21:2) which is again still more distinctly
declared by Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 51:11,28) who sufficiently
indicates the independence of Media in his day. ch. (Jeremiah
25:25) Daniel relates the fact of the Medo-Persia conquest,
(Daniel 5:25,31) giving an account of the reign of Darius the
Mede, who appears to have been made viceroy by Cyrus. (Daniel
6:1-58) In Ezra we have a mention of Achmetha (Ecbatana),
"the palace in the province of the Medes," where the decree
of Cyrus was found, (Ezra 6:2-5)--a notice which accords with
the known facts that the Median capital was the seat of
government under Cyrus, but a royal residence only, and not
the seat of government, under Darius Hystaspis. Finally, in
Esther the high rank of Media under the Persian kings, yet at
the same time its subordinate position, is marked by the
frequent composition of the two names in phrases of honor,
the precedence being in every ease assigned to the Persians.
Median, The
Darius, "the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes,"
(Daniel 9:1) or "the Mede," ch. (Daniel 11:1) is thus denoted
in (Daniel 5:31)
Medicine
Egypt was the earliest home of medical and other skill for the
region of the Mediterranean basin, and every Egyptian mummy of
the more expensive and elaborate sort involved a process of
anatomy. Still we have no trace of any philosophical or
rational system of Egyptian origin; still medicine in Egypt was
a mere art or profession. Compared with the wild countries
around them, however, the Egyptians must have seemed
incalculably advanced. Representations of early Egyptian
surgery apparently occur on some of the monuments of
Beni-Hassan. Those who have assisted at the opening of a mummy
have noticed that the teeth exhibited a dentistry not inferior
in execution to the work of the best modern experts. This
confirms the statement of Herodotus that every part of the body
was studied by a distinct practitioner. The reputation of
Egypt's practitioners in historical times was such that both
Cyrus and Darius sent to that country for physicians or
surgeons. Of midwifery we have a distinct notice, (Exodus 1:1)
and of women as its Practitioners, which fact may also be
verified from the scriptures. The scrupulous attention paid to
the dead was favorable to the health of the living. The
practice of physic was not among the Jews a privilege of the
priesthood. Any one might practice it, and this publicity must
have kept it pure. Rank and honor are said to be the portion of
the physician, and his office to be from the Lord. Ecclus.
38:1,3,12. To bring down the subject to the period of the New
Testament, St. Luke, "the beloved physician," who practiced at
Antioch whilst the body was his care, could hardly have failed
to be convenient with all the leading opinions current down to
his own time. Among special diseases named in the Old Testament
is ophthalmia, (Genesis 29:17) which is perhaps more common in
Syria and Egypt than anywhere else in the world; especially in
the fig season, the juice of the newly-ripe fruit having the
power of giving it. It may occasion partial or total blindness.
(2 Kings 6:18) The "burning boil," (Leviticus 13:23) is merely
marked by the notion of an effect resembling that of fire, like
our "carbuncle." The diseases rendered "scab" and "scurvy" in
(Leviticus 21:20; 22:22; 28:27) may be almost any skin disease.
Some of these may be said to approach the type of leprosy. The
"botch (shechin) of Egypt," (28:27) is so vague a term as to
yield a most uncertain sense. In (28:35) is mentioned a disease
attacking the "knees and legs," consisting in a "sore botch
which cannot be healed," but extended, in the sequel of the
verse, from the "sole of the foot to the top of the head." The
Elephantiasis gracorum is what now passes under the name of
"leprosy;" the lepers, e.g., of the: huts near the Zion gate of
modern Jerusalem are elephantissiacs. [[855]Leper, Leprosy] The
disease of King Antiochus, 2 Macc. 9:5-10, etc., was that of a
boil breeding worms. The case of the widow's son restored by
Elisha, (2 Kings 4:19) was probably one of sunstroke. The palsy
meets us in the New Testament only, and in features too
familiar to need special remark. palsy, gangrene and cancer
were common in all the countries familiar to the scriptural
writers, and neither differs from the modern disease of the
same name. Mention is also made of the bites and stings of
poisonous reptiles. (Numbers 21:6) Among surgical instruments
or pieces of apparatus the following only are alluded to in
Scripture: A cutting instrument, supposed a "sharp stone,"
(Exodus 4:25) the "knife" of (Joshua 5:2) The "awl" of (Exodus
21:6) was probably a surgical instrument. The "roller to bind"
of (Ezekiel 30:21) was for a broken limb, and is still used. A
scraper, for which the "potsherd" of Job was a substitute. (Job
2:8; Exodus 30:23-25) is a prescription in form. An occasional
trace occurs of some chemical knowledge, e.g. the calcination
of the gold by Moses, (Exodus 32:20) the effect of "vinegar
upon natron," (Proverbs 25:20); comp. Jere 2:22 The mention of
"the apothecary," (Exodus 30:35; Ecclesiastes 10:1) and of the
merchant in "powders," (Song of Solomon 3:6) shows that a
distinct and important branch of trade was set up in these
wares, in which, as at a modern druggist's, articles of luxury,
etc., are combined with the remedies of sickness. Among the
most favorite of external remedies has always been the bath.
There were special occasions on which the bath was ceremonially
enjoined. The Pharisees and Essenes aimed at scrupulous
strictness in all such rules. (Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:5; Luke
11:38) River-bathing was common but houses soon began to
include a bathroom. (Leviticus 15:13; 2 Samuel 11:2; 2 Kings
5:10)
Megiddo
(place of crowns) was in a very marked position on the southern
rim of the plain of Esdraelon, on the frontier line of the
territories of the tribes of Issachar and Manasseh, 6 miles
from Mount Carmel and 11 from Nazareth. It commanded one of
those passes from the north into the hill country which were of
such critical importance on various occasions in the history of
Judea. Judith 4:7. The first mention occurs in (Joshua 12:21)
where Megiddo appears as the city of one of the kings whom
Joshua defeated on the west of the Jordan. The song of Deborah
brings the place vividly before us, as the scene of the great
conflict between Sisera and Barak. When Pharaoh-necho came from
Egypt against the king of Assyria, Josiah joined the latter,
and was slain at Megiddo. (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles
35:22-24) Megiddo is the modern el-Lejjun, which is undoubtedly
the Legio of Eusebius and Jerome. There is a copious stream
flowing down the gorge, and turning some mills before joining
the Kishon. Here are probably the "waters of Megiddo" of
(Judges 5:19)
Mehetabel
(favored of God), the daughter of Matred, and wife of Hadad
king of Edom. (Genesis 36:39)
Mehetableel
(favored of God), another and less correct form of Mehetabel.
The ancestor of Shemaiah the prophet who was hired against
Nehemiah by Tobiah and Sanballat. (Nehemiah 6:10)
Mehida
(famous, noble), a family of Nethinim, the descendants of
Mehida. returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:52;
Nehemiah 7:54)
Mehir
(price), the son of Chelub the brother of Shuah. (1 Chronicles
4:11)
Meholathite, The
a word occurring once only-- (1 Samuel 18:19) It no doubt
denotes that Adriel belonged to a place celled Meholah.
Mehujael
(smitten by God), the son of Irad, and fourth in descent from
Cain. (Genesis 4:18)
Mehuman
(faithful), one of the seven eunuchs of Ahasuerus. (Esther
1:10)
Mehunim
(habitations). (Ezra 2:50) Elsewhere called Mehunims and
Meunim.
Mehunims, The
a people against whom King Uzziah waged a successful war. (2
Chronicles 26:7) The name is the plural of Maon [[856]Maon].
Another notice of the Mehunims in the reign of Hezekiah (cir.
B.C. 726-697) is found in (1 Chronicles 4:41) Here they are
spoken of as it pastoral people, either themselves Hamites or
in alliance with Hamites quiet and peaceable, dwelling in
tents. Here, however, the Authorized Version treats the word as
an ordinary noun and renders it "habitations." The latest
appearance of the name Mehunims in the Bible is in the lists of
those who returned front the captivity with Zerubbabel. (Ezra
2:50) Authorized Version "Mehunim;" (Nehemiah 7:52) Authorized
Version "Meunim."
Mejarkon
(hunters of yellowness) a town in the territory of Dan. (Joshua
19:46) only in the neighborhood of Joppa or Japho.
Mekonah
(foundation), one of the towns which were reinhabited after the
captivity by the men of Judah. (Nehemiah 11:28)
Melatiah
(Jehovah delivers), a Gibeonite who assisted in rebuilding the
wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:7)
Melchi
(my king, my counsel).
+ The son of Janna, and ancestor of Joseph in the genealogy of
Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:24)
Melchiah
(Jehovah's king), a priest, the father of Pashur. (Jeremiah
21:1)
Melchisedec
(king of righteousness). (Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews
7:1) ... [[857]Melchizedek]
Melchishua
A son of Saul. (1 Samuel 14:49; 31:2) Elsewhere correctly given
Malchishua.
Melchizedek
(king of righteousness), king of Salem and priest of the most
high God, who met Abram in the valley of Shaveh, which is the
king's valley, bought out bread and wine, blessed him, and
received tithes from him. (Genesis 14:18-20) The other places
in which Melchizedek is mentioned are (Psalms 110:4) where
Messiah is described as a priest forever, "after the order of
Melchizedek," and (Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 7:1) ...
where these two passages of the Old Testament are quoted, and
the typical relation of Melchizedek to our Lord is stated at
great length. There is something surprising and mysterious in
the first appearance of Melchizedek, and in the subsequent
reference to him. Bearing a title which Jews in after ages
would recognize as designating their own sovereign, bearing
gifts which recall to Christians the Lord's Supper, this
Canaanite crosses for a moment the path of Abram, and is
unhesitatingly recognized as a person of higher spiritual rank
than the friend of God. Disappearing as suddenly as he came, he
is lost to the sacred writings for a thousand years. Jewish
tradition pronounces Melchizedek to be a survivor of the
deluge, the patriarch Shem. The way in which he is mentioned in
Genesis would rather lead to the inference that Melchizedek was
of one blood with the children of Ham, among whom he lived,
chief (like the king od Sodom) of a settled Canaanitish tribe.
The "order of Melchizedek," in (Psalms 110:4) is explained to
mean "manner" = likeness in official dignity = a king and
priest. The relation between Melchizedek and Christ as type and
antitype is made in the Epistle to the Hebrews to consist in
the following particulars: Each was a priest, (1) not of the
Levitical tribe; (2) superior to Abraham; (3) whose beginning
and end are unknown; (4) who is not only a priest, but also a
king of righteousness and peace. A fruitful source of
discussion has been found in the site of Salem. [[858]Salem]
Melea
the son of Menan, and ancestor of Joseph in the genealogy of
Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:31)
Melech
the second son of Micah, the son of Merib-baal or Mephibosheth.
(1 Chronicles 8:35; 9:41)
Melicu
the same as [859]Malluch 6. (Nehemiah 12:14) comp. ver. Nehe
12:2
Melita
(honey), the modern Malta. This island lies in the
Mediterranean 60 miles south of Cape Passaro in Sicily, 900
miles from Gibraltar and about 1200 from Jerusalem. It is 17
miles long. by 13 or 10 broad. It is naturally a barren rock,
with no high mountains, but has been rendered fertile by
industry and toil. It is famous for its honey and fruits. It is
now in the hands of the English.--McClintock and Strong. This
island has an illustrious place in Scripture as the scene of
that shipwreck of St. Paul which is described in such minute
detail in the Acts of the Apostle. (Acts 27:1) ... The wreck
probably happened at the place traditionally known as St.Paul's
day, an inlet with a creek two miles deep and one broad. The
question has been set at rest forever by Mr. Smith of Jordan
Hill, in his "Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul," the first
published work in which it was thoroughly investigated from a
sailor's point of view. The objection that there are no vipers
in Malta is overruled by the fact that Mr. Lewin saw such a
serpent there and that there may have been vipers in the wilder
ancient times, even were none found there now. As regards the
condition of the island of Melitu, when St. Paul was there it
was a dependency of the Roman province of Sicily. Its chief
officer (under the governor of Sicily) appears from
inscriptions to have had the title of protos Melitaion, or
Primus Melitensium and this is the very phrase which Luke uses.
(Acts 28:7) Melita, from its position in the Mediterranean and
the excellence of its harbors, has always been important in
both commerce and war. It was a settlement of the Phoenicians
at an early period, and their language in a corrupted form, was
still spoken there in St. Paul's day.
Melons
(Heb. abattichim) are mentioned only in (Numbers 11:5) By the
Hebrew word we are probably to understand both the melon
(Cumcumis melo) and the watermelon (Cucurbita citrullus). The
watermelon, which is now extensively cultivated in all hot
countries, is a fruit not unlike the common melon, but the
leaves are deeply lobed and gashed; the flesh is pink or white,
and contains a large quantity of cold watery juice with out
much flavor; the seeds are black.
Melzar
(steward). The Authorized Version is wrong in regarding melzar
as a proper name; it is rather an official title, (Daniel
1:11,16) the marginal reading, "the steward," is therefore more
correct.
Memphis
(haven, of the good), a city of ancient Egypt, situated on that
western bank of the Nile, about nine miles south of Cairo and
five from the great pyramids and the sphinx. It is mentioned by
(Isaiah 40:14,19) and Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 30:13,16) under the
name of Noph. Though some regard Thebes as the more ancient
city, the monuments of Memphis are of higher antiquity than
those of Thebus. The city is said to have had a circumference
of about 10 miles. The temple of Apis was one of the most noted
structures of Memphis. It stood opposite the southern portico
of the temple of Ptah; and Psammetichus, who built that
gateway, also erected in front of the sanctuary of Apis a
magnificent colonnade, supported by colossal statues or Osiride
pillars, such as may still be seen at the temple of Medeenet
Habou at Thebes. Herod. ii, 153. Through this colonnade the
Apis was led with great pomp upon state occasions. At Memphis
was the reputed burial-place of Isis; it has also a temple to
that "myriad-named" divinity. Memphis had also its Serapeium,
which probably stood in the western quarter of the city. The
sacred cubit until other symbols used in measuring the rise of
the Nile were deposited in the temple of Serapis. The
Necropolis, adjacent to Memphis, was on a scale of grandeur
corresponding with the city itself. The "city of the pyramids"
is a title of Memphis in the hieroglyphics upon the monuments.
Memphis long held its place as a capital; and for centuries a
Memphite dynasty ruled over all Egypt. Lepsius, Bunsen and
Brugsch agree in regarding the third, fourth, sixth, seventh
and eighth dynasties of the old empire as Memphite, reaching
through a period of about 1000 years. The city's overthrow was
distinctly predicted by the Hebrew prophets. (Isaiah 19:13;
Jeremiah 46:19) The latest of these predictions was uttered
nearly 600 years before Christ, and a half a century before the
invasion of Egypt by Cambyses (cir, B.C. 525). Herodotus
informs us that Cambyses, engaged at the opposition he
encountered at Memphis, committed many outrages upon the city.
The city never recovered from the blow inflicted by Cambyses.
The rise of Alexandria hastened its decline. The caliph
conquerors founded Fostat (old Cairo) upon the opposite bank of
the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and brought materials
from the old city to build their new capital, A.D. 638. At
length so complete was the ruin of Memphis that for a long time
its very site was lost. Recent explorations have brought to
light many of its antiquities.
Memucan
(dignified), one of the seven princes of Persia in the reign of
Ahasuerus, who "saw the king's face," and sat first in the
kingdom. (Esther 1:14,16,21)
Menahem
(comforter), son of Gadi, who slew the usurper Shallum, and
seized the vacant throne of Israel. B.C. 772. His reign, which
lasted ten years, is briefly recorded in (2 Kings 15:14-22) He
maintained the calf-worship of Jeroboam. The contemporary
prophets Hosea and Amos have left a melancholy picture of the
ungodliness, demoralization and feebleness of Israel. Menahem
reigned B.C. 771-760.
Menan
(called Menna in the Revised Version), one of the ancestors of
Joseph in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:31)
Mene
(numbered), the first word of the mysterious inscription
written upon the wall of Belshazzar's palace, in which Daniel
read the doom of the king and his dynasty. (Daniel 5:25,26)
Meni
(fate, fortune). (Isaiah 65:11) This word is a proper name, and
is also the proper name of an object of idolatrous worship
cultivated by the Jews in Babylon.
Menna
In the Revised Version of (Luke 3:31) for Menan.
Meonenim
(enchanters), The plain of, an oak or terebinth. or other great
tree. (Judges 9:37) The meaning of Meonenim if interpreted as a
Hebrew word, is enchanters or "observers of times," as it is
elsewhere rendered (18:10,14) in (Micah 5:12) it is
soothsayers.
Meonothai
(my habitations), one of the sons of Othniel, the younger
brother of Caleb. (1 Chronicles 4:14)
Mephaath
(splendor height), c