Volume I, pages 572–589 of the 1732 edition, from FIS to GAL: everything printed on these pages, in order.
Continued from Fish
river, lake, and sea-fish might be eaten, provided they had scales and fins; and that such as have not these, are unclean and forbidden. Notwithstanding St. Barnabas in his Epistle has a citation, as from Scripture, You shall not eat of the lamprey, the manyfeet, or the cuttle-fish. We have already spoken of the Crocodile, and shall speak of the Whale in its place.
FISH, the Fish which swallowed up Jonah. Interpreters generally believe it was a Whale; and when the Gospel speaks of it, it Matth. xii. 40. Jonah ii. 1. דג גדול Aug. Ep. c. ii. edit. nov. qu. 6. n. 31. p. 284.makes use of the word Cetus, which signifies a Whale. In the Hebrew of Jonah it is said to be only a great Fish. Now we know of no Fish in the sea larger than a Whale; its mouth is of a capacity sufficient to contain many men; and who questions but that the capacity of its throat and belly is answerable to so vast an opening? Quanto hiatu patebat os illud, quod velut janua speluncæ illius fuit? says St. Austin, speaking of a Whale, the bones whereof were seen at Carthage. John Cabri, of the Academy at Florence, mentions a Whale, which was cast ashore upon the coast of Tuscany, and had a mouth so large, that a man on horse-back might enter it with ease. Notwithstanding, this animal does not live upon flesh, but upon weeds, or the froth of the sea, or upon some small white fish, such as anchovies, or others; a circumstance which makes what is said of Jonah’s being swallowed up by a Whale, and his continuing alive three days in the belly of it, to be more credible. A Whale is not armed with teeth and tushes, like the Fish that live on flesh. It might have swallowed up Jonah, without bruising him between its teeth; it might have kept him longer without killing him in its stomach, which is used to digest weeds only, and the lightest and most tender food.
Others1 maintain, that it could not be a Whale, because its throat is too narrow to swallow a man whole. They assert, that its throat is not above a foot and an half wide; and2Bartolin assures us, that the largest, and those whose tongue alone may yield more than eighteen tuns of oil, have so narrow a throat, that a man can scarce thrust his arm into it. These Authors pretend, that the Fish, which received Jonah into its belly, was rather a Sea-dog, called Canis carcarias. This creature has four or five rows of teeth belonging to each jaw. Its gullet and stomach are so large, that sometimes men have been found in it, quite whole. This Fish is likewise called Lamia. Rondelet says, that some of them have been taken at Nice and Marseilles; and men entire, nay one man all in armour, were found in their stomachs. He says, that he has seen some, whose jaws and gullet were so vast, that if their mouths had been kept open with a gag, a dog might have gone down into their Stomachs, to eat what was in them. Hercules is said to have leaped into the belly of some such creature armed all over, from whence he found no way out, till he had torn its entrails in pieces, without suffering any inconveniency himself, besides losing his hair; which was occasioned by the heat of this animal’s stomach. See Bochart, de Animal. Sacr. parte 2. l. 5. c. 12. and our Dissertation concerning the Fish which swallowed up Jonah, printed before our Comment upon the twelve small Prophets.
It is a question with some, how Fishes could present themselves to Adam in Paradise, in order to his giving them their names, and exercising his dominion over them, as well as over other Animals? St. Austin does not believe that they appeared with other Animals before Adam. He says, that the first man, or his descendants, might distinguish them by their names, as they came to his or their knowledge; and that this is sufficient to verify the recital made by Moses. It is impossible that those which live only in the sea, could come to him in the garden of Eden, and the rivers which watered it.
Psal. cii. 26.The Rabbins have asserted, that upon the fifth day of the world, God created two large Fishes, one whereof he will preserve alive to the last day, in order to sport with it, according to this expression in the Psalmist; Draco iste quem formasti ad illudendum ei: and that he killed the other, and keeps it in brine, in order at the end of the world to make an entertainment of it for the Elect. Strange Extravagancies!
Joseph. de Bello, l. 7. c. 28. vel. 28. in Lat. p. 985.FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS. See JOSEPHUS the Historian.
FLAVIUS SYLVA, Bassus’s successor in the government of Judæa: he took the castle of Massada, where the rebels defended themselves after the taking of Jerusalem, and blocked up Eleazar so close, who was one of the heads of the Assassins, that he obliged him to kill himself, after having first dispatched all the Garrison. This happened in the year of Jesus Christ 72. Sylva was the last Governour of Judæa.
Tit. i. 15.FLESH, is understood different ways; for example, for the Flesh which is the matter of bodies, whether of Men or Animals. The Hebrews did not use the Flesh of particular animals, because they believed it to be unclean. St. Paul informs us, that many of the faithful made a scruple of eating the Flesh of animals consecrated to idols; but he informs us too, that to the clean all things are clean; and
that the kingdom of God does not consist in Rom. xiv. 17.food, or in the choice of meats and drinks. 1 Cor. vii. 8.
Flesh is also made use of to signify living men, and even all animals in general. The Gen. vi. 13.end of all Flesh is come before me. I am resolved to destroy every thing that hath life. Gen. vii. 15, 16. Gen. vi. 12.And they went in two and two of all Flesh, animals of all species. And again, All Flesh hath corrupted his way upon the earth, &c. And, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is Flesh.
Ibid. 19, 20. Gal. v. 16, 17.The Flesh is understood as opposite to the Spirit. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other … Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the Flesh. And elsewhere, The works of the Flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations … but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, &c. To crucify the Flesh with its lusts; not to fulfil the desires of the Flesh. Jews in the Flesh, and Jews in the Spirit; the wisdom of the Flesh, the prudence of the Flesh, &c. are expressions very well known in Scripture, and require no particular explanations.
Oh that we had of his Flesh! This was the discourse of Job’s enemies, or even of his domesticks, in his affliction. They would have eat him up alive, so much were they animated against him: thus they repaid with ingratitude the services he had performed Ps. xxvii. 2.for them. The Psalmist says almost the same. The wicked, even mine enemies, came upon me to eat up my Flesh. This expression intimates the utmost hatred, the most excessive cruelty. It is a tacit acknowledgment, that the custom of eating the Flesh of living men, at least of feeding upon human Flesh, was not unknown in these countries. The author of the book of Wisdom reproaches the Canaanites with devouring man’s Flesh; Comestores viscerum hominum, Wisd. xii. 5. We have some examples of this barbarity in the sacred History, and in that of Josephus. Jeremiah threatens the inhabitants of Jerem. xix. 9.Jerusalem with reducing them to such an extremity, that they should be constrained to eat the Flesh of their friends and children. And in his Lamentations we are informed, Lament. ii. 20. iv. 10.that accordingly it so happened. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children, they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. We see the same thing in Ezekiel v. 10. Josephus relates a famous example of the like inhumanity, exercised by a certain mother upon her own son, during the last siege of Jerusalem by the Romans. Joseph. de Bell. l. vi. c. 21.
Gen. xxix. 14. xxxviii. 27. &The custom of eating human Flesh is still common in many places. The Chinese eat all those who are killed3, so as even to sell human Flesh in their markets. They eat their enemies who are slain in war, and criminals condemned to death. The same barbarity is to be observed in many islands of the eastern seas4: there are some who eat their very fathers when they are old; others spare none of the Europeans whom they can lay hold of: the Pegnans had the same custom, and sold human Flesh publickly. The Cafres, on the coast of Barbary, to the number of fourscore thousand, invaded the inmost parts of Africk, eating all whom they found, and made havock of the country in this manner for above three hundred leagues. The same thing is related of the people of Siam and the Celebes.
We are thy Flesh and thy Bone; familiar expressions in the Scripture to denote relation, and the ties of Flesh and Blood.
2 Sam. v. 1. & 1 Chron. xi. 1. d Josh. xxiii. 14. Ezek. xvi. 26. xxiii. 20. Jude ver. 7. Prov. v. 11. Ecclus. xxv. 26.The way of all Flesh d. I am going the way of all Flesh; I am upon the point of suffering the law of death, which all men are condemned to.
The Flesh of the lascivious is compared to that of horses and asses. The wise man says, that the Flesh of the intemperate is consumed by infamous diseases. The author of Ecclesiasticus requires a prudent man to separate his Flesh from a prostitute and libertine woman. These expressions shew, in a decent and covered manner, what modesty does not permit any one to name in man. St. Jude, speaking of the irregularities of Sodom and Gomorrah, or of those committed by the evil Angels, who, as the ancients imagined, had corrupted themselves with the daughters of men, says, that they followed strange Flesh, Abeuntes post carnem alteram, because they dishonoured nature by their abominable lasciviousness.
FLIES. Flying insects very well known every where, and in the Law of Moses declared Levit. xi. 42.to be unclean. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things, ye shall not make yourselves unclean with them. The Philistins adored the God of Flies under the name of Belzebub. The Egyptians likewise paid a superstitious worship to the beetle; and we see a Fly upon some Phœnician medals, as also upon the statue of the Goddess Diana of Ephesus5. The author of the book of Wisdom having said, that God sent Flies and Wisd. xii. 8.Wasps against the Amorites and Ca-
Canaanites to drive them by degrees out of their country, adds, that God made those very creatures the instruments of their punishment, to which they paid divine honours. They therefore adored the Fly as well as the Philistins. See above BEELZEBUB. The Exod. xxiii. 28. Deut. vii. 20. Josh. xxiv. 12. Wisd. xii. 8.Lord promised his people, that when they came into the land of Canaan, he would send an army of Flies and Wasps against the Canaanites, to force them out of their country. This he accordingly effected, as we see by Joshua and the book of Wisdom; and we cannot doubt but that many of the Canaanites did really abandon their country to secure themselves from these troublesome insects6. See the Article HONEY, wherein we shall speak of Bees.
FLIGHT of Jesus Christ into Egypt. After the Purification of Mary, and the Presentation of Jesus Christ at the Temple, the Angel of the Lord appeared in a Dream to Matth. ii. 13.Joseph, and said to him, Take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Joseph immediately obeyed, and fled into Egypt. Herod some days after put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and its liberties, which were under two years old; and himself died five or six months afterwards, about the feast of the Passover. Then the Angel warned Joseph to return into Judæa, and told him, that they who sought the Child’s destruction were dead. Thus according to our Chronology, which fixes the Flight of Jesus Christ into Egypt to the third or fourth of February, and his return into Judæa about the second of April, his retreat was only for about two months.
The spurious Gospel concerning the Infancy of Jesus is filled with supposed miracles, and wonderful circumstances, which happened, as it is pretended, in his journey into Egypt; but we have no regard to these fictions, which are more proper to do harm than good. The Fathers7 have told us, that at the arrival of Jesus Christ in Egypt, the Idols fell down; and that he went as far as Hermopolis in the Thebais. There is a fountain still at this day shewn within two miles of Cairo, which was produced, as some believe, by the infant Jesus, and that the Blessed Virgin washed his clouts in it. This is what we read likewise in the spurious Gospel of Christ’s Infancy, and in some of the Ancients.
D’Herbelot Bibl. Orient.The Egytians, both Christians and Mahometans, have a tradition importing, that Jesus Christ built the city of Bahana in the lower Thebaïs near Fioum, as the Patriarch Joseph built this latter place; that it was at Bahana that our Saviour called his Apostles, who preached upon the river Nile; that he reigned there in person, and left his Apostles there to be his successors in this state. The Jews were a long time in possession of this town, as pretended successors to our Lord’s Disciples. It is seated upon a lake formed by the discharge of water from the Nile; which lake by the people of the country is called Joseph’s Sea. It is so covered with fruit-trees, that there is no perceiving it, till you come very near.
Evang. infantiæ apud Fabric. t. 1. Apoc. N. T. p. 175, 176. Eufeb. demonstr. Evang. l. 6. c. 20. & l. 9. c. 2. Athanaf. de Incarnat. Verbi. t. 1.Others are of opinion, that Jesus Christ retired during his Flight to Matharæa. See MATHARÆA. In the Gospel intitled, Of the Infancy of Jesus, it is said, that at our Saviour’s arrival, the Idol of the city which he came to, fell of itself, and that the Devil published the news of his being there. Eusebius and St. Athanasius, and many of the Ancients after them, have affirmed, that all the Idols of Egypt were at that time overthrown. The following passage of Isaiah is applied to this Event: Isaiah xix. 1. Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence. And Jeremiah xliii. 13. He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh that is in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall be burn with fire.
FLOOR for threshing Corn, or Threshing -Floor. There is frequent mention of it in Scripture. These were places in the country open to the air, wherein the corn was threshed either by using sledges, or with flails, or with horses or bullocks feet, they being made to run round upon the sheaves, set near to one another with the ears uppermost. The old Authors who have written upon Agriculture, shew us exactly the manner wherein these Floors were made. The lees of oil were mixed with clay, and when the clay was well soaked, it was beaten, and made smooth. When it was dry, neither rats nor ants could penetrate it; no weed would grow upon it, nor any water enter it, and make it muddy. When the corn was threshed, and mingled with the straw broken in pieces and beat small, they waited for the rising of the wind in the evening, and then threw it all in the air with shovels: the corn fell down again, and the chaff was dispersed and carried away by the wind. It may be of some use to have an idea of these sorts of things,
which are very different from what we see practised in our own countries, in order to understand the allusions which are frequently made to them in Scripture.
FLORUS. Gessius Florus succeeded AlbinusJoseph. Antiq. l. 20. c. 9. & de Bello, l. 2. c. 24. in the government of Judæa, in the year of Jesus Christ 54. His ill conduct and excesses rekindled the fury of the Zealots, and exasperated the Jews beyond all patience. He forced them to rebel against the Romans in the year of Jesus Christ 66. Florus was a man in whom shame and humanity were quite extinguished. Wherever any thing was to be got, let the nature of the thing be what it would, it was very right in his judgment. The cruelty which he exercised against the Jews, was beyond all bounds. He had his wife with him, whose name was Cleopatra, and who was as wicked as himself. She had procured him this government by the assistance of Poppæa, the wife or concubine of Nero. The thieves who ravaged Judæa were sure of impunity, by communicating part of their booty to him. When the revolt of the Jews was declared, Florus, instead of thinking how he might find means to suppress it, took care only to foment it, having no hopes of escaping the punishment due to his crimes, but by the rebellion of the Jews. Cestius Gallus governour of Syria, coming to Jerusalem in the year of Jesus Christ 66, the Jews complained to him of their governour Florus. Gallus gave them hopes, that Florus should be obliged to change his conduct: but after his return into Syria, Florus renewed his violences and vexations. Cæsar a began the revolt; Jerusalem soon followed the example. Cestius being informed of it, came with great diligence into Judæa with an army: he entred Jerusalem, and besieged the Temple; and as he was upon the point of taking it, he retreated, and was defeated by the Jews. He wrote to Nero, and charged Joseph. de Bello, l. 2. c. 40. p. 821.Florus with the rebellion and all the consequences of it. Josephus does not tell us what became of Florus. He in all probability left Judæa, when Vespasian came thither, in the year of Jesus Christ 67.
FLOUR. The Law of Moses permitted the poorest Israelites, who had not wherewithal to offer large cattle, nor even birds or pigeons for burnt-sacrifices or offerings for sin, to offer at least fine Flour. If the Levit. vii. 12, 13.offering were for sin, the tenth part of an Ephi was given to the Priest, that is to say, about three pints of Flour, Paris measure. It was not sprinkled with oil, neither was any frankincense put upon it, because it was an offering for sin. The Priest took an handful of it, which he threw in the fire upon the Altar; and after having prayed for his expiation, who furnished the offering, the rest of the Flour belonged to him. This was, as it were, his fee and reward. If the offering were made purely out of devotion, there was oil mixed with it, and frankincense put upon it; the Priest threw an handful of it in the fire upon the Altar, and all the frankincense upon it, and all that remained was his, claimed by him as his due. But no one besides the Priests could eat of it, nor did they eat of it any where but in the Holy Place, that is to say, during the time of their service in the tabernacle. There were likewise several sorts of cakes, or loaves, offered in the tabernacle. See Leviticus, chap. v 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. concerning the Ceremonies which were observed there.
FLUTE, a musical instrument, whereof there is mention sometimes made in Scripture, Chalil.by the names Chalil, Machalath, Masrokoth, and Huggab. This last is generally translated Organum, an Organ: but in all probability it was nothing more than a Flute with many pipes of an unequal size, which had no holes, and were open only at the upper end. Their manner of playing on it was, by letting these pipes slide successively upon the nether lip, and so blowing into them. See ORGAN.
As to the other Flutes mentioned in Scripture, it is not easy to describe the form of them. It is said, that of old they who played upon the Flute, held two in their mouths, one on the right side, which had no hole, and another on the left, which had two. The sound of one was sharper, of the other duller. See our Dissertation on the musical instruments of the Hebrews, prefixed to the second Tome of our Comment on the Psalms, page lxxxvi, &c. There is some Matth. ix. 23, 24.notice taken in the Gospel of players on the Flute, who were got together to assist at the funeral of Jairus’s daughter, and to attend her body to the grave with their instruments playing.
The Rabbins inform us, that it was not allowed to have less than two players on the Flute, at the funeral of persons of the meanest condition, besides a woman hired to cry with formality; and Josephus relates, that the false report of his death being spread at Jerusalem, several persons hired players on the Flute in the way of preparation for his funeral. But in the Old Testament we see nothing like it. The Jews very probably borrowed this custom from the Romans8. When an old woman died,
they made use of Trumpets, and Flutes when it was a young woman that was to be Stat. Thebaïd. l. 6. Ovid. Propert. Servius.buried; as we see practised in the history which we have just now related from the Gospel.
FOOL, Folly, Imprudence. These words are to be understood in Scripture not only according to their natural and literal meaning, for one who has lost his senses, and for the discourses and notions of Fools and Madmen; but they are taken likewise for sin, for those sins more particularly which Psalm xxxviii. 5.are contrary to purity. My wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishness, my sin. Lord, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. He that is soon Prov. xiv. 17. Prov. xxiv. 9. Jer. iv. 22.angry, dealeth foolishly; and, the thought of foolishness, is sin. And Jeremiah, My people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have not understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good, they have no knowledge. The Fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Lord, says Ps. xiv. 1.David, I have sinned greatly, do away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. And Tamar said to her brother 1 Chr. xxi. 8.Amnon, who would have robbed her of her honour; Do not this folly; whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the Fools in Israel, &c.
The Wisdom of this world is Foolishness with God. St. Paul says, Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them 1 Cor. iii. 18, 19.that believe. And again, If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 2 Tim. ii. 23. Tit. iii. 9.The same Apostle advises Timothy and Titus, to avoid foolish questions, which are of no use, and proper only to create disputes. 1 Cor. i. 18.And elsewhere, The preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God, &c.
FOOT, a measure consisting of twelve inches. The Hebrews had not properly any such measure; for the Zereth, or half-cubit, contained but ten inches and 2/8 2/9.
In old times it was customary to wash the feet of strangers upon their coming off a Genes. xviii. 4. xix. 2. xxiv. 32.journey, because generally they were barefoot, and wore sandals only, which did not secure them from the dust or dirt. St. Paul 1 Tim. v. 10.enjoins enquiry to be made whether the widows, who were taken into the service of the Church, washed the feet of the Saints, the Faithful. Jesus Christ, to give us an example of humility, washed the feet of his John xiii. 5.Apostles, and thereby taught them to perform all the most humble services for one another.
Feet, in the Style of the sacred Writers, often mean inclinations, affections, propensions, actions, motions. Guide my feet in thy paths; keep thy feet at a distance from evil; the feet of the debauched woman go down to death; let not the feet of pride come upon me; and in another place, I turned my Psal. xxxvi. 11. Psal. cxix. 59. 1 Sam. xxv. 27.feet unto thy testimonies.
To be at any one’s feet, is used for obeying, being in his service, following him. Abigail tells David that the presents which she brought him, were for the young men that walked at his feet; for the soldiers who followed him. Moses says, that the Lord loved his people, and those that sat down at his feet; who heard him, who belonged to him, were instructed in his doctrine. St. Paul says, that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel; and many eat at our Saviour’s feet, and heard his word.
In the Hebrew of Deuteronomy, ch. xi. ver. 10. it is said, that the land of Canaan is not like the land of Egypt, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot; that is to say, that Palestine is a country where the rains are not extremely rare, where the dews are plentiful, where there are many springs, rivulets, and brooks, without reckoning the Jordan, which supply the earth with all the moisture that is necessary to its producing fruit; whereas Egypt is a country where there is no river but the Nile, where it never rains, and where the lands which are not within reach to be watered by the inundations of this river, continue parched and barren. To supply this want, ditches are dug, and water distributed throughout the several villages and cantons; there are great struggles who shall first get it, and in this dispute they often come to blows, and fight about it.
But notwithstanding these precautions, there are many places which have no water; and in the course of the year, the places which are nearest to the Nile, require to be watered again in an artificial manner. It is Philo de confusion. linguar. p. 335.done by the help of some machines, which Philo describes after the following manner: It is a wheel which a man turns with the motion of his feet, by ascending successively the several steps which are within it. But as while he is thus continually turning, he cannot keep himself up, he holds a stay in his hands which is not moveable, and this supports him; so that in this work the hands do the office of the feet, and the feet that of the hands; since the hands which should act, are at rest, and the feet which should be at rest, are in action, and give motion to the wheel. This is what Moses means in this place by saying, that in Egypt they water the earth with their feet.
FOOT.
FOOT. The Hebrews out of modesty express sometimes by this word, such parts as decency does not allow to Isa. xxxvi. 12. Judg. iii. 24. 1 Sam. xxiv. 3. Jer. ii. 25. Isai. vii. 20. xlix. 33.name; for example, the water of the feet, signifies urine. To cover one’s feet, according to the Hebrew, is used for satisfying the necessities of nature. The hair of the feet. The Lord shall shave with a razor that is hired the head and the hair, and it shall also consume the beard. The hairs of the whole body. The following words of Jeremiah are explained in much the same sense. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. Do not continue to prostitute yourselves, as you have hitherto done, to strange people. He speaks to the infidel and idolatrous Jews. See likewise Ezekiel xvi. 25. Thou hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by. He gathered up his feet into the bed; this is said of an old man who died; the metaphor is borrowed from a man seized with cold, who crouds himself up in his bed. The Scripture says likewise to be gathered to his fathers, to his people, to the grave; to denote death, which reduces us all to the same condition, and the same necessity.
Gen. xxx. 30. Psalm viii. 6. Psal. xviii. 38. Isaiah lx. 14.Jacob said to Laban, the Lord hath blessed thee at my feet; that is to say, as St. Jerom has translated it, ad introitum meum, ever since I came to you, and undertook the conduct of your flocks.
To be under any one’s feet, to be a footstool to him, is a figurative way of speaking to signify the subjection of a subject to his sovereign, of a servant to his master. Thou hast put all things under his feet. Mine enemies are fallen under my feet. Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies my footstool, &c. Psal. cx.
Acts vii. 5. Deut. ii. 5.To adore the place where the feet of any one rest; Adorabunt vestigia pedum tuorum qui detrahebant tibi; they who despised thee, will come and adore the place where thou walkest. And elsewhere, Fall down before Psal. xcix. 5. Isa. xlix. 23.his footstool. And Isaiah in still a much stronger manner, They shall lick the dust of thy feet.
Vestigium pedis; not so much as to set his foot on, signifies a very small quantity of land. The Patriarchs did not possess a foot of land in Palestine, they possessed nothing at all there. I will not give thee a foot of land of the country of Edom, nothing at all: I will not give you of their land, no not so much as a foot’s breadth.
To set foot in a place, signifies to take possession of it, to make himself master of it. Deut. xi. 24.Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread, shall be yours. And, Over Edom will I cast out my shoe; I will make my self master of it. Psal. lx. 10. cviii. 10.
To bear one’s shoes, or untie the latchets of one’s shoes, is to perform the meanest services for him. See Matth. iii. 11. Mark i. 7. Luke ii. 16.
Gal. ii. 14.To walk uprightly in an affair, to behave with sincerity, without shifting, or disguise, is set in opposition to what the Scripture 1 Kings xviii. 21. Psal. xvii. 46.calls halting on both sides. How long halt ye between two opinions? And in the Psalms, Filii alieni claudicaverunt a semitis suis.
Deut. xxxiii. 24. Job xxix. 6. Exod. iii. 5.Nakedness of feet, was a sign of mourning: Forbear to cry, says God to Ezekiel, make no mourning for the dead, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, &c. It was likewise a mark of respect; Loose thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place where thou standest is holy ground. The Rabbins inform us, that the Jews and Priests were bare-foot in the Temple. See Joshua v. 16.
To wash one’s feet with oil, or with butter, signifies plenty of all sorts of good things. To wash one’s feet in the blood of sinners, to take remarkable vengeance on them, to shed rivers of their blood.
Psal. xxv. 12. Psal. xxxi. 9. Prov. vi. 13. Psal. xl. 3. Ezek. xxv. 6.A wicked man speaketh with his feet, says Solomon, Annuit oculis, terit pede; in the Hebrew, loquitur pede. He uses much gesture with his hands and feet while he is talking. The ancient Sages blamed those who used too much gesticulation, and spoke with all their members. Ezekiel reproaches the Ammonites with clapping their hands and stamping with their feet in token of joy, Ezek. vi. 11.upon seeing the desolation of Jerusalem and the Temple. In another place he describes the same motions as signs of grief, because of the ruin of his people.
Isai. xxxii. 20.My foot standeth right; I have pursued the paths of righteousness: or rather supposing a Levite to be speaking, my foot shall stand in the place appointed for the Levites, in the Temple of the Lord, in the Court of the Priests, where my place is allotted me: In directo, in plano. The Psalmist in another passage says, Thou hast set my feet in a large room. Thou hast set me at liberty; before I was like a man in fetters, or in a slippery place, not knowing where to fix my feet; but thou hast set my feet in a wide, spacious and firm place; and, as he says elsewhere, Thou hast set my feet upon a rock.
Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass, says Isaiah. Happy are the people who sow their corn upon a well-watered soil, who with their oxen and asses plow a fat and fruitful land; or, who feed there their oxen and their asses. Immittere pedem, that is to say, to send them there, to feed them, to plow there with them.
If thou turn away thy foot from my sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my
Isai. lviii. 13.holy day, says the same Prophet: If thou forbear walking, and travelling upon the sabbath-day, and do not then act thine own will. Journeys, we know, were forbidden upon the sabbath-day. See Matth. xxiv.20. and Acts i. 12.
The Jewish women wore rings of great value upon their feet. See hereafter PERISCELIDES.
Job xix. 15. Job xiii. 27. xxxiii. 11.Job says, that he was feet to the lame, and eyes to the blind; that he led the one, and supported the other. He says in another place, that God had put his feet in the stocks, and looked narrowly to all his paths; like a bird or some other animal led along, with the foot fastned to a cord or packthread, and unable to go the least step, but as he who guides it, pleases.
The men were generally bare-foot in the house; the poor went thus almost always, even on their journeys: but others when they went into the country, commonly wore Shoes. See SHOES, Coverings for the legs and feet.
FORESKIN, or Præputium, the skin which covers the nut of a man’s natural part, and is cut when a child is circumcised. We have spoken at large of this ceremony in the article of CIRCUMCISION. Several Churches glory in possessing our Saviour’s Foreskin, which was cut off at his Circumcision. For example, the Cathedral-Church of Puy, in Velay; the Collegiate-Church of Antwerp, in the Low-Countries; that of our Lady de la Colombe, in the diocese of Chartres; the Abbey of St. Cornelius of Compiegne; the Church of St. John Lateran at Rome. It is very hard to reconcile all these different pretensions, since there can be but one Foreskin, and there is no certainty of its being preserved so long as our time.
Children are sometimes born without a Foreskin; which the Hebrews look upon as a particular favour of Providence. They maintain that Moses was born in this manner. Upon these occasions the child is not circumcised; the skin is only cut so as to draw some drops of blood.
As the Jews esteemed the Foreskin or Uncircumcision, as a very great impurity, and the greatest affront they could receive was to be called uncircumcised, they sometimes gave the Gentiles and strange people, in contempt, the name of Uncircumcised. And St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, frequently mentions the Gentiles by the word Præputium, in opposition to the Jews, whom he names Circumcisio. Si præputium justitias legis custodiat, nonne præputium Rom. ii. 26. Gal. ii. 8.ejus in circumcisionem reputabitur? And in the Epistle to the Galatians, Creditum est mihi Evangelium præputii, sicut & Petro circumcisionis.
1 Macc. i. 16. 1 Cor. vii. 18. Bartolin. de Morbis Biblicis. Epiphan. de ponderib. & mensuris. Origen. Philocol. c. 1. Cornel. Celf. l. 7. c. 25.There is mention in the Maccabees, and in St. Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians, of a custom among certain wicked Jews, who being ashamed to appear circumcised, and wear this mark of their Religion, made use of the Surgeons art to conceal this pretended deformity, and make their Foreskin grow again. Origen acknowledges that some Jews put themselves into the Physicians hands for this purpose. And Epiphanius speaks of the instrument and means imployed to make the skin join which had been cut asunder. Cornelius Celsus, an eminent and ancient Physician, has written a chapter particularly concerning this operation. Galen mentions it in the same manner almost as Celsus; and Bartolin cites Æginetus and Fallopius, who have explained the manner how the marks of circumcision may be concealed. The same Bartolin cites a letter written by Buxtorf, the son, wherein he relates a great number of testimonies from Jewish Authors, who speak of this practice as usual among apostates from their Religion. The reader may consult our Comment upon 1 Macc. i. 16. where we have treated at large of this matter. See likewise St. Jerom, in Isai. c. LIII. and in Jovinian. l. 1. Liran. in 1 Macc. i. 16. Rupert. l. 9. De Victoria Verbi, c. 18. Haimo in 1 Cor. vii. 18. who maintain, that it is impossible to efface the mark of circumcision; to these you may add Origen, l. 4. de Principiis, c. 2. who seems to be of the same opinion.
As a consequence of this opinion, entertained by all true Jews, who looked upon uncircumcision, as a thing unclean, and dishonourable; circumcision on the contrary as a mark of honour and distinction; they use the Foreskin, or uncircumcised, in a figurative sense, to signify something impure, superfluous, dangerous and useless. For example, Moses says of himself, that Exod. vi. 12, 30. ערל שפתים Jer. vi. 10. Idem iv. 4. & ix. 26. Levit. xxvi. 41.he is of uncircumcised lips; that is to say, he had an impediment in his speech. Jeremiah says of the Jews, that they had uncircumcised ears, that is to say, they would not hear the instructions that were given them; he exhorts them to circumcise their hearts; literally, Take away the Foreskins of their hearts; be tractable and attentive. Moses inveighs against the uncircumcised hearts of the Jews, who would not
obey the Lord. He says, that during the three first years after a tree is planted, all the fruit of it is unclean, and that no one should eat of it. Cum plantaveritis ligna pomifera, auferetis præputia eorum; poma quæ germinant, immunda erunt vobis. In the Hebrew, Fructus ejus erit vobis præputiàtus. We have the same expressions in the New Testament; St. Stephen reproaches the Jews, with the hardness of their heart, and their indocility, saying, Ye Acts vii. 51.uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.
FOREST of Ephraim. See EPHRAIM, and 2 Sam. xviii. 6.
2 Kings ii. 24.FOREST of Hareth, whither David retired, 1 Sam. xxii. 5. It was in the Tribe of Judah.
FOREST of Bethel, the place from whence Elisha brought those bears, which devoured the children of Bethel, who insulted him. It is thought that this Forest was near the city of Bethel.
FOREST of Libanus. Besides the true Forest of Libanus, where cedars and other trees grow still at this day, the Scripture 1 Kings vii. 2. x. 17.calls a Palace by this name, which Solomon built at Jerusalem, contiguous to the Palace belonging to the King of Egypt’s daughter. Solomon kept his usual residence in it, and all the vessels within it were of pure gold. It was called the house of the Forest of Libanus, either by reason of the great quantity of Cedars, which were made use of in it, or because of the multitude of pillars with which it was supported.
Amos vii. 17.Some place this house, or palace, in the mountains of Libanus; but there is much more probability, that it was in Jerusalem; and what evidently proves this, is, that the three hundred golden shields, which were carried before Solomon, when he went to the Temple, were certainly in a Hall belonging to this Palace.
Hebr. xiii. 4. 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 17.FORNICATION. This word is used in Scripture, not only for the sin of impurity, but likewise for idolatry, and for infidelity to God of all kinds. Adultery and Fornication are frequently confounded. Uxor tua in civitate fornicabitur. Both the Old and Lev. xxi. 7. Deut. xxii. 21. xxiii. 18. Prov. xxiii. 27. Tob. iv. 17. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 13, 15. Coloss. iii. 5.New Testament condemn all sorts of Impurity and Fornication, either corporeal or spiritual; that is to say, not that only which is committed bodily in the flesh, but that likewise which men incur the guilt of by Idolatry, Apostacy, Heresy, and Infidelity towards God.
FORTUNATUS, of whom there is mention made in the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, came from Corinth to Ephesus, to make a visit to St. Paul. We are not acquainted with the particulars either of his life or death: only that St. Paul calls Stephanus, Fortunatusxix. 23. and Achaïcus the first fruits of Achaia, and says, that they were set apart for the service of the Church and Saints. Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaïcus were the persons who carried St. Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians.
FORTUNE. By the name of Fortune is understood a blind and unaccountable Deity, who, according to the Heathens, presided over all events, and distributed good and evil, as she was moved by her own humour and caprice. The ancient Greeks were unacquainted with this vain Divinity; we do not find her in their books. The good and evil which befell them, they attributed to the Gods. The Sacred Authors of the Old and New Testament never make use of the word Fortune, in the sense wherein we construe it. The reason of our inserting it in our Dictionary is, because Isaiah9 reproaches the Hebrews with having erected Altars to Fortune, Qui ponitis Fortunæ mensam, & libatis super eam. It is certain, that in Isaiah’s time, Fortune, either name or thing, was not known among the Hebrews; and the import of the original text is, That prepare a table for Gad, and furnish the drink-offering unto Meni. The question is, who these two Deities, Gad and Meni, were.
It is very probable that Gad signifies the Sun, and Meni the Moon; the Sun was the God of good Fortune as well as the Moon: these two great Luminaries were considered as happy Principles, and beneficent Deities, and they who were born under the aspect of either of them, were believed to enjoy constant prosperity. This was the doctrine of the Egyptians and Persians, and probably likewise of the Syrians; for Leah having obliged Jacob to marry Zilpah, and by her means having had a son of him; she said, Happily; or this is fortunate; (the Hebrew, in Gad) and she called her son’s name Gad.10
Vide Grot. in Gen. xxx. 11. D’Herbelot Bibl. Orient. p. 728. Ibid. p. 626.Kimchi and Abrabanel say, that among the Arabians, the Star, or Planet Jupiter, goes by the name of Gad, and that the influences of it upon those who are born under that aspect are happy. M. d’Herbelot tells us; that Jupiter, the most lucky of all the Planets, by our Astronomers termed generally Fortuna major, is called by the Arabians, Sâd, or Saad, in like manner as the Planet Venus is named Sâd-Saghir, Fortuna minor. The same planet Jupiter is called by them Moschteri, but their term for it in Horoscopes is Saad-Alsoud, Fortune of Fortunes.
The Genius which presides upon the first day of the solar year, is by the Persians Id. p. 694.called Ormozd; who is the same that the Greeks called Oromasdes. He was esteemed by the followers of Mahomet, not only as a good Genius; but as the prin
cipal Genius of good Fortune; and Zoharah, which is the Planet Venus, as the Planet of lesser Fortune. In opposition to Ormozd, or Oromasdes, the God of good Fortune, they set up Ahermen, or Arimanios, the God of evil Destiny.
To return to Gad and Meni, mentioned by Isaiah, we are of opinion that the Gad of the Syrians was the same as the Sâd of the Arabians, and the Ormozd of the Persians; that he presided over good Fortune, that he signified the Sun, or Planet Jupiter, and that Meni signified the Moon, or Planet Venus, and answered to the Zoharah of the Persians, or Sâd-Saghir of the Arabians.
These Deities were reverenced in Palestine by preparing tables for Gad, and pouring out liquors in honour of Meni. Demosth. contra Midiam, & adversus Macartetum. Strabo, l. 9. p. 352. & l. 12. p. 383.Demosthenes informs us, that among the Greeks they sacrificed for good Fortune, or to obtain some happiness, to Apollo, who presides in the streets; to Latona and Diana. (Apollo, we know, was the Sun, and Diana the Moon.) They erected tables to them in the corners of streets, where there were cross-ways, and offered up cups full of wine to them; they burnt incense there, danced, and wore crowns in honour of them. Strabo speaks of several Temples dedicated to Men, or Menus, to Anaïs, or Diana, or the Moon, which were to be seen in Armenia, where the worship of this Goddess was very common.
Hieron. in Isai. lxv. 11.St. Jerom, writing upon the passage of Isaiah, which we are now examining, says, that it is an ancient custom derived from Paganism, and still subsisting in almost every city, particularly in Egypt and Alexandria, to place tables in the corners of the streets upon the last day of the year, covered with all sorts of good things, and cups full of wine mixed with honey, for a happy presage of the new year. Jeremiah reproaches the Jews with offering cakes and Jerem. vii. 18. and xliv. 17, 18. Antiquité expliquée, t. 1. p. 310, 311.liquors to the Queen of Heaven, that is to say, the Moon. See our Comment on Isaiah lxv. 11. In ancient monuments we often find Fortune represented with the marks of the Sun and Moon, with those of Isis, and accompanied with Hecate, and with two Stars, which may very well be those of Jupiter and Venus, both consecrated to good Fortune.
FOVEA. This is sometimes taken for the grave. The mouth of a strange woman is Prov. xxii. 14. Ib. xxiii. 27.a deep pit, he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. And again, Fovea profunda est meretrix, & puteus angustus aliena. The prison wherein Joseph was confined is also called Fovea. God went down Wisd. x. 13.with him into the pit. It is a common proverb in the Scripture; He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it. He who lays snares for others, shall be caught in them himself. Ps. vii. 15. Eccl. x. 8. Ecclus. xxvii. 29.They have digged a pit and are faln into the midst of it themselves. selves. It appears that among the Hebrews, they often dug pits in this manner, to catch men and beasts.
FOUNTAIN. There are several celebrated Fountains in Judæa, most of them have been taken notice of by us, in our account of those places, to which they are adjacent. For example, speaking of Jezreel and Emmaüs, it has been observed that there was a Fountain near these places. We have likewise mentioned several cities above, under the word En, which took their names from Fountains: for in Hebrew, Ain, or Ein, or En, signify an Eye, or a Fountain. Thus by Enshemesh is meant, the Fountain of the Sun; Engeddi, the Kids Fountain; En-gannim, the Fountain of Gardens; and so on.
FOUNTAIN of Rogel. See ROGEL.
FOUNTAIN of Gihon. See GIHON.
FOUNTAIN of Siloam. See SILOAM.
FOUNTAIN of Nazareth. See NAZARETH. And in like manner of others.
The Ethiopian’s FOUNTAIN, is that, where the Ethiopian Queen Candace’s Eunuch Acts viii. 36.was baptized by Philip the Deacon, as is said in the Acts. Some place it very near Bethlehem, and others near Bethsur: Eusebius, and the old relation of a journey to Jerusalem, at the foot of the Mountain, on which Bethsur is situated. Now Bethsur was twenty miles from Jerusalem, and very near Eleutheropolis. In St. Jerom’s time, the Eunuch’s Fountain springing out of the earth, immediately almost found a passage into it again. At present, these waters are received into a Bason, from whence they issue into a conduit, which conveys them about twenty paces from thence into a reservoir, and from this reservoir they Cant. iv. 15. See Doubdan, Breidenbach, Adrichom, &c.spread into the valley.
FOUNTAIN of living Waters, which fall with impetuosity from Libanus, and are mentioned in Solomon’s Song. This Fountain, according to modern Travellers, abounds with water, and is found at the distance of a league from Tyre, in the plain. It is built in the form of a square tower, raised fifteen cubits from the ground, and about fifteen foot wide, and in this the water is inclosed as in a well; from whence it passes through certain gates or openings, with so much violence, that in its passage it turns a mill with five mill-stones. Any one may go on horseback up a large staircase of stone, which is on the side that looks towards Tyre, to the top of this edifice. There are besides two other wells, to which any one may go from this first through a channel of about three foot wide. These waters in Solomon’s time belonged without doubt to the Tyrians; and there is no proof that this Prince meant this spring in particular, in the passage cited from his Song.
Cant. iv. 13.FOUNTAIN sealed, Fons signatus, mentioned likewise in Solomon’s Song, is probably
bably an allegory, representing the chastity of the Holy Spouse. Travellers speak of a considerable Fountain to be seen at a league and an half’s distance from Bethlehem, whereof we have already spoken under the word ETHAN. Here, as is supposed, was Solomon’s sealed Fountain. But this is all very uncertain. As for the Fountain of Ethan, or the waters which are shewn near Bethlehem, any one may consult the travellers Cotovic. Eugen. Roger, le Brun, P. 272.who have taken notice of them, and described the reservoirs, where they are kept. From hence came the water, which Pilate conveyed to Jerusalem, some years before the war between the Romans and the Jews.
Jacob’s FOUNTAIN, or Well, was near the City of Schechem. John iv. 5, 6.
FOUNTAIN of Judgement, or Fountain of Mishpat. See EN-MISHPAT.
FOUNTAIN of Daphne. See DAPHNE.
FOUNTAIN of Elisha. This is that, the waters whereof were sweetned by Elisha. It runs along the plain of Jericho, and Josph. de Bello, l. 5. c. 4.falls into the river Jordan.
Hagar’s FOUNTAIN. This the Angel discovered to her, while she was wandering in the Desart, to the south of Beersheba. Gen. xxi. 19.
Dragon-FOUNTAIN, or Well. It lay in all probability eastward of Jerusalem. Nehem. ii. 13. See DRAGON.
Samson’s FOUNTAIN, which issued out of a rock, called the Grinders, in Hebrew Machtes, has subsisted a long time, and is perhaps still in being at present in the Tribe of Dan, near a place called Lechi, that is to say, the Jaw-bone. Antonin the Martyr and Vide Bochart. de animal. sacr. parte 1.l.2.c.15.Glycas place this Fountain in the suburbs of Eleutheropolis. Some Rabbins describe it to be near the brook Kedron, and others near Tiberias. St. Jerom seems to put Morasthi between Succoth and Samson’s Fountain, which agrees pretty well with those who place it near Eleutheropolis.
FOUNTAIN, in a metaphorical sense, is used for generation, children. Let the Fountains Prov. v. 16. Ps. lxviii. 27.be dispersed abroad; may you have a numerous posterity. Ye that are of the Fountains of Israel: Benedicite Domino de fontibus Israel. See likewise Eccles. xii. 6. Conteretur hydria super fontem.
All sources of water whatever are called Fountains: for example; All the Fountains Gen. vii. 11. Cant. iv. 15.of the great deep were broke up. Fons hortorum, puteus aquarum viventium. A Fountain of living water, or a Fountain of Life, is a source of living water, whether it issue out of the earth like a Fountain, or is in the bottom Levit. xx. 18. Mark v. 19.of a Well. Fons sanguinis, the blood of a person incommoded with a loss of blood, whether natural or otherwise.
FOX; in Latin, Vulpes; in Greek, Vulpes.Alopex; in Hebrew, Shual: a creature very well known to all, and very remarkable principally for its cunning. There is mention made of it in several places of the Scripture. It informs us, that Samson took three hundred Foxes, which he tied two and two together by the tail, and that having fastened a lighted whisp of straw in the middle of the cord which bound them so together, he let them loose among the crops of standing corn belonging to the Philistins, and they burnt them. From the Fields they went into the olive-yards, and burnt them likewise. Some with reason are amazed to think, how Samson could muster up so great a number of Foxes. But to this it is replied, that Foxes are very common in this country; which is easily proved by Scripture, and the testimony of travellers. Solomon in his song says, that the little Foxes spoiled his vines. Jeremiah says, that the Foxes walk upon the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. There are some cantons and cities in Palestine, which take their name from Foxes, without doubt by reason of the great number of these animals thereabouts: for example, the land of Shual, or the Fox, 1 Sam. xiii. 17. Hazar- Shual, the Fox’s habitation, a city of Judah, or Simeon, Joshua xv. 28. and xix. 3. and the city of Shual-abbim, in the tribe of Dan, which Samson belonged to.
Belon assures us, that in Palestine, particularly about Cæsarea, there is a kind of creature between a Wolf and a Fox, which so abounds there, that sometimes troops of two or three hundred of them are to be seen. M. Morizon, who has travelled in this country, says, that Foxes swarm there, and that there are very great numbers of them in the hedges, and ruins of buildings. Besides, Samson might have employed abundance of people to catch this great number of Foxes, and they might have provided them some time before for his purpose. No animal was fitter for his design, especially when coupled together in this manner; for a Fox runs very swiftly, but uses a great many turnings and windings, not going strait on, but running sometimes on one side, sometimes on another; so that while one drag’d one way, and another another way, they spread the fire over all the fields of the Philistins, and could not easily get into the woods, or holes in the rocks, where their fire-brands had been extinguished, and Samson’s stratagem rendred ineffectual. See the Commentators on the xvth Chapter of Judges.
Vide Nicandr. in Alexipharmacis, v. 181. Theocrit. Idyll. 1. Varro de re rust. l. 1. c. 8. Galen. de aliment. facultatib. l. 3. c. 2.Foxes generally do great mischief among vines, especially when they are loaded with fruit. We have seen above, that the Spouse in the Canticles desires the Foxes might be taken away, which spoiled his vines. Galen says, that they who love hunting, eat Foxes in the autumn, because then they are fatned
with grapes. The Fable of the Fox and the Grapes is very well known. Our Saviour in the Gospel, to give an idea of his extreme Luke ix. 58.poverty, says, The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head. In effect, Foxes dig holes for themselves, but then they leave several outlets, that if the Appian. Cyneger. Lactant. de ira Dei, c. 7.huntsman lays his snares at one, they may escape at the other.
Ezekiel compares the false Prophets with Foxes; Thy Prophets are like the Foxes in the desarts: whether it was his design to heighten their cunning and hypocrisy in imitating the true Prophets, and so covering themselves with sheep’s clothing, though they were ravening wolves; or whether he intended to shew, that these false Prophets, instead of supporting Jerusalem, endeavoured only to destroy it, by undermining, as we may say, its walls, and shaking its foundations. Jesus Christ calls Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee, Fox, without doubt signifying thereby his craft, and the refinements of his policy. Tobiah the Ammonite, rallying the Hebrews, who were at work in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, insulted them with Nehem. iv. 3.this expression, Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, he shall even break down their strong hold.
FRIEND. The name of Friend is taken in Scripture for our neighbour in general, he with whom we have no contest. Thou shalt love thy Friend, that is to say, thy neighbour, thy brother, as thyself. And in another place, Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past, but the iron of whose hatchet shall fly off and kill his Friend, &c. And again, When Deut. xxiii. 24, 25.thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayst eat grapes thy fill: and when thou comest into the standing corn of thy Friend, then thou mayst pluck the ears with thine hand, &c. Where you see Friend and Neighbour are synonymous11.
By the Friend is meant also the Favourite of a Prince. Hushai was the Friend, the Favourite of David. Zabud the son of Nathan was Solomon’s Friend. 1 Kings iv. 5.Ahuzzah was the particular Friend of Abimelech King of Gerar. The Saints are called the Friends of God; but this title was given principally to Abraham. The Mahometans generally call him by this name; and they term the city of Hebron, where they believe his tomb to be, the city of the Friend of God. The Friend of the Wisd. vii. 27. James ii. 23.bridegroom, is the bride-man; he who does the honours of the wedding, and leads his Friend’s Spouse to the nuptial bed. St. Judith viii. 22.John Baptist, with respect to Jesus Christ and his Church, was the Friend of the Bridegroom. The word Friend, as it is applied to either man or woman, is taken likewise in a good and bad sense, to denote those persons whose affection to each other is allowable and lawful, and those sometimes who love and court one another in an unlawful and impure manner; mulier Hos. iii. 1.dilecta amico, a courtizan.
We may observe the qualities of a true Friend in Prov. xvii. 17. A Friend loveth at all times, and a Brother is born for adversity: and xviii. 24. There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother. And in the book of Ecclesiasticus, Chuse your Friends discreetly; for there are some who are so in prosperity only; and others who are but companions at the table: but a faithful Friend is an inestimable treasure: gold and silver, and all that is most valuable, are nothing in comparison of him: he is a present from God to those who fear him. Ecclus. vi. 5, 6, 7, &c. And chap. ix. 10. Forsake not an old Friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new Friend is like new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure, &c.
FROGS, a very common creature. When Moses brought upon Egypt the Plague of Frogs, there was so great a quantity of them, that they covered the whole land, entred the houses, got into the very ovens, and places where they laid up their provisions; and when they died, they were thrown together in great heaps, which corrupting, produced an insupportable infection in Egypt.
Frogs were reckoned unclean by the Hebrews. Moses does not name them among the animals whereof it was not lawful to eat, but he distinguishes them sufficiently by saying, ye shall not eat of any thing that moves in the sea, in rivers, or lakes, unless it has fins and scales. And St. John in the Revelations says, that he saw three unclean Spirits issuing out of the false Prophet’s mouth in the shape of Frogs.
FRONT, or Forehead. The expressions, a brazen Front, the Front of a lewd woman, a hardned Front, are used for an impudent person, an insolent and obdurate sinner. Isaiah, Frons tua ærea. Jeremiah, Frons mulieris meretricis. Ezekiel, Domus Israel attritâ fronte est. God tells this Prophet, that he will make his face stronger than that of the wicked Israelites, and his Forehead harder than that of those to whom he sent him.
It is believed, that God impressed some sign on Cain’s Forehead, that he might be known more easily; much after the manner of his marking those Israelites on the
Forehead with the letter Tau, who lamented, and had no share in the irregularities of their brethren; and as in the Revelations, God causes his Elect to be distinguished by a sign Rev. vii. 3. ix. 4.upon the Forehead, to prevent their being confounded with sinners.
Leo of Modena’s ceremonies of the Jews. Part I. c. xi. art. 4. Exod. xiii. 1, &c.FRONTLETS. These were a square piece of hard calf’s-skin, including four pieces of parchment, upon which the Jews wrote four passages of the Law, and put them on their foreheads. Leo of Modena describes them after the following manner. They take four pieces of parchment and write, with ink made particularly for this purpose, and in square letters, these four passages, one on each piece. 1. Sanctify unto me all the first-born, &c. from the beginning of the xiiith chapter of Exodus to the 10th verse. 2. From the 11th verse of the same chapter to the 16th verse; And when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and what follows. 3. From the 4th verse of the vith chapter of Deuteronomy; Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and what follows to the 9th verse of the same chapter. 4. From the 13th verse of the xith chapter of the same book; If you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, &c. to the end of the 21st verse of the same chapter; and all this in obedience to these words of Exod. xiii. 9.Moses: These commandments shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes.
These four little pieces of parchment are fastned together, and a square formed of them, upon which the letter Schin שis written; then a little square of hard calf’s-skin is put a-top; out of which come two leathern strings an inch wide, and a cubit and an half, or thereabouts, in length. This square is put upon the middle of the forehead, and the strings being first girt about the head, make a knot in the form of the letter ;דthen are brought before, and fall upon the stomach. It is called Teffila-Schel-Rosch, or the Tephila of the head. The most devout put it on both at morning and noon-day prayer; but the generality of the Jews wear it only at morning prayer. No one but the Chanter of the synagogue is obliged to put it on at noon as well as in the morning. See the figure of them under the article TEPHILIM.
It is a question whether the use of Frontlets, and other Phylacteries, was ordained by Moses as an observance to which the Jews were obliged, and such as required a literal compliance, so that the Hebrews have at all times worn them; or have been obliged to wear them. Opinions are much divided upon this point. They who believe the use of them to be rigorously binding, ground their persuasion on the text of Moses, which speaks of it in a positive Exod. xiii. 16.manner, as of other precepts of the Law; he requires the Commandments of God to be written upon the doors of houses, as a sign upon their hands, and as an ornament on their foreheads. If there is any obligation to write these commandments upon their doors, as the text intimates, there is the same for writing them on their hands and foreheads. The use of them was very common in our Saviour’s time, not only in Judæa, but likewise among the Indian Jews, the Persians, and Babylonians, according to St. Jerom. Hieronym. in Matt.xxiii. Ita & Theophylact.And long before, the Doctors, whom the High-Priest Eleazar sent to Ptolemy Philadelphus, King of Egypt, spoke of these Phylacteries as things at all times received among them, and refer’d the beginning of them to Moses.
They add, to confirm this opinion, that in the time of Moses, the Heathens carried abundance of charms and superstitious preservatives about them, and even some things which were filthy and immodest; that he, to cure his people of these bad customs, or prevent them, and secure them from them, enjoined them to wear upon their hands and foreheads Phylacteries, or Preservatives of another sort, that is to say, the sacred words of his ordinances.
Others on the contrary maintain that the precepts of Moses which mention these writings on the doors, the signs upon their hands, and Frontlets between their eyes, should be taken in a figurative and allegorical sense, as meaning that they should be very careful to preserve the remembrance of God’s Law, and observe his Commands; that they should always have them before them, and never forget them. It is certain that before the Babylonish Captivity, not the least footsteps of them were to be seen in the history of the Jews. The Prophets never inveighed against the omission or neglect of this practice; nor was there ever any question concerning them in the reformation of manners at any time proposed among the old Hebrews. We know nothing of the time wherein the work was written, which contains the history of the supposed version of the Septuagint, and the sending seventy Doctors, by the High-Priest Eleazar: nay, the Learned are at present well agreed, that this whole history is a fiction, and scarce older than Josephus and Philo. The received and almost general custom over all the East, of wearing Phylacteries and Frontlets, determines nothing either for the antiquity or usefulness of this practice. Jesus Christ did not absolutely condemn it; in itself it is very indifferent; but he condemned the abuse of them, which consisted in the Pharisees wearing them with affectation, and of a larger size than the generality of the Jews. The Caraite Jews, who adhere only to the letter of the Law,
and despise the vain traditions of the Pharisees, do still at this day call other Jews, bridled Asses, because they wear these Tephilims and Frontlets12. See hereafter PHYLACTERIES.
FRUIT. By Fruit is sometimes meant Ps. lvii. 12. Prov. i. 31. Ib. vii. 3. Ps. cxxxii. 12. Is. x. 12.reward. Si utique est fructus justo. And Solomon, Comedent fructus viæ suæ: They shall receive the reward of their bad conduct. The Fruit of the body signifies children; Of the Fruit of thy body shall I set upon thy seat. De fructu ventris tui ponam super sedem tuam. The Fruit of the lips; the punishment or reward of his words, according as they are bad or good. I will punish the Fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria. Visitabo super fructum magnifici cordis Regis Assyriæ. I will punish him for his insolent discourses against me. Uncircumcised Fruit, or impure, whereof there is mention in Leviticus, is the Fruitb for the three first years of a tree newly planted; it was reputed unclean, and no one was permitted to eat of it in all this time. In the fourth year it was offered to the Lord; after which it was common, and generally eaten. The Fruits of the Spirit spoken of by St. Gal. v. 22. Philip. i. 11. James iii. 18. Rom. vii. 5.Paul, are love, joy, peace. The Fruits of righteousness, mentioned by the same Apostle, are sown in peace. Irregular passions and carnal dispositions produce the Fruits of death: Ut fructificarent morti; they are mortal to the soul.
FRUIT. See APPLE.
FULLER. The Fuller’s field; the Fuller’s fountain. See ROGEL. This word signifies a Fuller. The Fuller’s fountain was either that of Siloam, or one of its branches.
Ps. l. 12. 1 Chr. xvi. 32. Deut. xxxiii. 16.FULNESS. Plenitudo. The Scripture often makes use of this word, to signify things very different; Plenitudo pugilli, a handful, as much as the hand will hold. Plenitudo Gomer, a full Omer. Plenitudo agri, a full field. The world and the Fulness thereof; the world and all that it contains. Let the Sea roar, and the Fulness thereof; let it roar with the noise and agitation of its waves, and every thing included in it, let it pay its homage to the Lord. For the precious things of the earth, and the Fulness thereof. Let the blessings of God descend plentifully upon Joseph, let the earth and the fields thereof be filled with all manner of riches.
Prov. xix. 23. Is. i. 11.Timor Domini ad vitam, & in plenitudine commorabitur. The fear of the Lord giveth life, and plenty of all manner of good things. In the Hebrew, The fear of the Lord tendeth to life, and he that hath it, shall abide satisfied. Full, or Fulness, are taken sometimes in this last sense; To what purpose is the multitude of their sacrifices unto me? — I am full of the burnt-offerings; I am sated with
a Simon addit. au supplem. a Leon de Modena, p. 274. b Lev. xix. 27. פרעלים Gen. xxv. 8. and 1 Chr. xxiii. 1. John i. 16. Matth. ix. 16. 2 Macc. vi. 14. Ezek. xxxii. 15. Rom. xiii. 10. Gal. iv. 4.them. Full of years, one who had lived long enough.
Plenitudo sapientiæ est timor Domini; the perfection, the consummation. The fear of the Lord is the highest point of Wisdom. Wisdom shall be admired, in plenitudine Sanctâ, in the congregation of all the Saints, of all the Israelites, Ecclus. xxiv. 3. and ver. 16. in plenitudine sanctorum; and in xxxv. 23. Donec tollat plenitudinem superborum, till he destroy the congregation of the proud. And Ezekiel, The country shall be desolate from the Fulness thereof. Egypt shall be depopulated; the Fulness of their Sins; the height of iniquity; that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment; that is to say, the very place which it should fill, it tears the garments still more. We have all received of the fulness of Jesus Christ, the superabundance of graces, with which he was filled, has been poured out upon us. Love is the fulness of Rom. xi. 25.the Law, it is the perfection, the consummation of other Laws. The Fulness of time, the time wherein the Messiah appeared, which is the time, and the completion of the times marked out by the Prophets. When the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in; when all the Gentiles, of whom God will please to compose his Church, shall by Faith be entred into it.
FULVIA, a Roman Lady, who, having embraced the Religion of the Hebrews, gave Gold and Purple to some Jews, who had instructed her, with an intention that these things should be sent to the Temple of Jerusalem. But the Jews, into whose hands this present was put, kept it, and made their own advantage of it; which being reported to the Emperor Tiberius, was the cause of his publishing that Edict, whereby he banished all the Jews from Rome.
Antiq. l. 18. c. 5.FUNERALS. See, The DEAD.
FURROWS. Sulci. The Sacred writers sometimes borrow similitudes from Furrows, which it is of importance to explain Job xxxi. 38.in this place. Job, If my land cry against me, or that the Furrows likewise thereof complain; if I have imployed poor plowmen to till my ground, without paying Ps. lxv. 10.them for their pains. The Psalmist, Thou watererest the ridges thereof abundantly, thou settlest the Furrows thereof, thou breakest the clods of it, according to the Ecclus. xxxviii. 27.Hebrew. The Author of Ecclesiasticus says, that all the plowmen’s great care is to stir the earth, and form Furrows; Cor suum dabit ad versandos sulcos. So much for the literal sense of this word.
The same Author says in the figurative sense of it, Sow not upon the Furrows of unrighteousness, for if thou sowest iniquity, thou shalt reap all sorts of evils and mismisfortunes.
See Galat. iv. 7. The Prophet Hosea; Judgment springeth up as hemlock in the Furrows of the field. Judgment, and the wrath of God, will produce bitterness, according to the Vulgate, in thy fields. Here is a double metaphor, Judgment denotes the vengeance of God; it springs, it produces bitterness, bitter herbs, and quasi super sulcos agri, as it were upon a ploughed field, ready to receive the
GAAL, the Son of Ebed, having entred Schechem in order to assist the inhabitants of that city against Abimelech, the Son of Gideon, the people began to resume new courage, to make excursions beyond their walls, and ravage the fields and vine-yards, and amidst their entertainments and rejoicings cursed In the year of the World 2771, before J. C. 1229 before the Vulgar Æra 1233. Judg. ix. 26, & seq.Abimelech. Gaal distinguished himself among the rest, and cried, Who is Abimelech, and who is Schechem, that we should serve him? Would to God this people were under my hand, then would I remove Abimelech. Zebul, Governor of the city for Abimelech, having heard these discourses, informed Abimelech of them, who thereupon came against him with an army. Gaal went out of the city, and at first stood near the gates, not being very sure, whether it were Abimelech’s army or not, that appeared at a distance. But Abimelech coming nearer Gaal, advanced to engage him; but was defeated, and compelled to fly. He attempted to get into Schechem, but Zebul prevented him; and the Scripture does not tell us what afterwards became of him.
Josh. xxiv. 30.GAASH, a Mountain in the inheritance of Ephraim, to the north whereof stood Timnath-Serah, a place celebrated for Joshua’s tomb. Eusebius says, that still in his time Joshua’s tomb was shewn near Timnath.
Joseph. de Bello, l. 3. c. 2.GAASH, the brook, or valley of Gaash, mentioned in 2 Sam. xxiii. 30. was probably at the foot of mount Gaash; Haddai or Hurai was in the valley of Gaash.
GABA, a city situated at the foot of mount Carmel, between Ptolemais and Cæsarea. Josephus says, that it was called the city of Horsemen, because Herod gave it to his veteran Cavalry for a place of retreat and rest. M. Reland is of opinion, that this is the same as Caïpha or Hepha, at the foot of mount Carmel, on that side which looks towards the city and port of Ptolemais. Stephens the Geographer speaks of the city of Gabe, which he makes a
feed. And the same Prophet, verse 11, 12. of the same chapter, Arabit Judas, confringet sibi sulcos Jacob. I will make Judah plough, and Jacob shall break the clods, and form the Furrows. The Israelites of the ten Tribes, and those of Judah, shall one after the other endure the effects of my anger. But, adds he, vs. 12. Sow in righteousness, and reap in mercy. Sow righteousness, and ye shall reap mercy.
part of Galilea. Eusebius places a little town called Gaba, or Gabe, sixteen miles from Euseb. ad vocem Gabathon.Cæsarea, in Palestine, on the side of the Great Plain of Legio. If this is the Gaba or Gabe mentioned by Josephus and Stephens, it must be southward of Carmel, and I do not see how it can belong to Galilee.
GABAA in Hebrew signifies a Hill; we should not therefore be surprized to see so many places in a mountainous country like that of Judæa, called Gibeah, Gibeon, Gabbatha, Gibethon, Gabbath, Gabe; all which signify no more than Eminence; and sometimes proper names in scripture called Gibeah, are translated Hills13. For example, Zech. xiv. 10. Revertetur omnis terra de colle Remnon ad austrum Jerusalem. In the Hebrew; All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon. And on the contrary, Gibeah mentioned in 1 Sam. vii. 1. as a city, is no more than an hill in Kirjath-jearim.
GABAEL, or Gabelus, of the Tribe of Naphtali, having been carried into captivity Tob. i. 16, 17.beyond the Euphrates, with Tobit his relation, settled at Rages, a city of Media. He borrowed ten talents of Silver of his kinsman Tobit. These ten talents were In the year of the World 3281, before J. C. 717, before the Vulgar Æra 721.worth four thousand five hundred pounds, reckoning an Hebrew talent at fifty Mina’s, or four hundred and fifty pounds.
Tobit believing himself to be near his end, sent his son Tobias to Rages, to desire the payment of this debt from his cousin Gabael. But Tobias having married at Ecbatane, by the advice of the Angel Raphaël, who under the name of Azarias, was his guide, and not being able to go himself to Rages, he intreated Azarias, his conductor, to go thither, and bring the sum back with him, which was due from Gabael. Azarias acquitted himself of this commission, brought the ten Talents, and Gabael, whom he had persuaded to come to Tobias’s wedding at Ecbatane. The Hebrew and Greek Texts of Tobit
imply, that the Talents which Tobias was to see repaid, were not lent, but left in trust with Gabael, and as such were received by him from Tobit.
GABATHA, a place in the southern part of Judah, twelve miles from Eleutheropolis, where formerly was shewn the Prophet Euseb. & Hieronym. in Gabaat.Habbacuc’s Sepulcher.
GABARA, or Gabaroth, a town in Galilee. Josephus speaks of it in several passages of the book concerning his own life, and in his history of the Jewish wars, as if it were one of the principal cities of this Joseph. de vita sua. p. 1017.Province. Gabara was forty furlongs from Jotapata. M. Reland shews, that sometimes the Transcribers have inserted Gadara for Gabara in the text of Josephus.
GABBATHA. There is mention in the John xix. 13.Gospel of a place in Pilate’s Palace, from whence this President pronounced sentence of death against Jesus Christ, and that the Hebrew name of it was Gabbatha, which is of the same import as Lithostrotos in Greek; that is to say, a stone-pavement. It was probably an eminence, or terrass, or a gallery, or balcony, paved with stone or marble, and pretty high; for Gabbatha signifies principally elevation.
GABINIUS. The Roman history mentions several persons of this name. He, of whom we now propose to speak, was called Aulus Gabinius. He had a considerable employment in Pompey’s army, and was sent In the Year of the World 3940, before J.C. 60, before the Vulg. Æra 64. Antiq. l. 14. c. 6, 7, & seq.by this General to Jerusalem, in order to receive the money which Antigonus had promised Pompey. But Antigonus not keeping his word, Gabinius was obliged to return without doing any thing. Hereupon Pompey coming to besiege Jerusalem, took the City and Temple, and sent Antigonus prisoner to Rome with his children. Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, having made his escape, De Bello, l. 1. c. 5. ad finem.returned into Judæa, got some troops together, and began to disturb the Province. But Gabinius being made Consul, and coming into Syria in the room of Scaurus in the year of the World 3946, before Jesus Christ 54, before the Vulgar Æra 58, marched against him, beat him, and compelled him to shut himself up in the castle of Alexandrium. After this, Gabinius running over Antiq. l. 14. c. 10. & de Bello, l. 1. c. 6.Judæa, repaired several Cities which had been destroy’d during the preceding wars, such as Samaria, Azotus, Scythopolis, Anthedon, Apollonia, Jamnia, Raphia, Dora, Marissa, Gaza, and some others.
In the mean time, the Romans besieged Alexander in Alexandrium, and Gabinius having pacified the Province, and repaired the several Cities lately named, returned to the siege of Alexandrium. Alexander seeing himself pressed very close, desired peace, and obtained it, upon condition of surrendring the fortresses in his power; which Gabinius ordered all to be razed to the ground, by the advice of Alexander’s mother, who was afraid lest these places might furnish her son with new occasions of Petav. de doctr. temporum, l. 2. c. 26.rebelling against the Romans.
Lastly, Gabinius restored Hircanus at Jerusalem, confirmed to him the dignity of the High-Priesthood, settled Governours and Judges in the Province, for the government of the people, so that Judæa from a Monarchy became an Aristocracy. There were Courts of Justice at Jerusalem, Gadara, (or at Dora) Amathus, Jericho, and Sephoris: that so the people finding Judges in all quarters of the country, who were to take cognizance of their differences, might not be obliged to go far from the place of their habitation. There are some learned men, who are of opinion, that the Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 11. & de Bello, l. 1. c. 6.establishment of the Sanhedrim owed its original to Gabinius.
Josephus affirms, that Gabinius sent Aristobulus and his sons, with a letter to the Senate, wherein he said, that he had promised the mother of the young princes, the sons of Aristobulus, that they should immediately be sent back again into Judæa, which was punctually executed; the Senate keeping Aristobulus still in bonds, but sending back his sons Alexander and Antigonus into Judæa. Some time after, Gabinius marched against the Parthians: but when he was come as far as their frontiers, and had already passed the Euphrates, he received money from Ptolemy Auletes, King of Egypt, and giving over his first design, carried his army into Egypt, to the assistance of this Prince, against whom Vide Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 10. & de Bello, l. 1. c. 6.the people of Alexandria had rebelled.
In the year of the World 3949, before Jesus Christ 51, before the Vulgar Æra 55, Crassus was sent into Syria in the room of Gabinius, who upon his return to Rome, was warmly prosecuted by the Syrians for oppressing them; and Cicero, who looked upon him as the principal author of his banishment, displayed all the vehemence of his rhetorick against him: so that it was thought a great piece of good fortune, that he got off with exile. He continued under this sentence till Julius Cæsar recalled him. He returned to Syria as Triumvir, about the year of the World 3963, and shewed great friendship there to Phasael and Herod, in consideration of the services which he had received from Antipater sixteen years before, when he made war in Judæa.
GABISCH, Stone of Gabisch. See hereafter THUNDER-STONE.
GABRIEL. One of the principal Angels Dan. viii. 16. ix. 21. xi. 1, & seq.in heaven. His name signifies the strength of God. He was sent to the prophet Daniel, in order to explain to him his visions of the ram and goat, and the mystery
Dan. x.13. & 21.of the seventy Weeks, which had been revealed to him. Gabriel told Daniel, that he had had a conflict with the Prince of the Persians one and twenty days, and that no one came to his assistance but Michael the Prince of the Hebrew people. Who this Prince of Persia was, with whom Gabriel had disputed, no one knows. Some will have him to be the tutelary Angel of this people; others, the King of Persia. See the Commentators upon this particular.
The same Angel Gabriel was sent to In the Year of the World 3999, fifteen or sixteen months before the birth of J.C.a Luke i. 11.& seq.Zechary, to declare to him the future birth of John the Baptist a; and as Zechary could not believe, that he who was so old could have a son, his wife Elizabeth too not being in a condition to conceive; the Angel said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings: but because thou believest not my words, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed.
In the year of the World 4000, nine or ten months before the birth of J.C.b Luke i. 26, &c.Six months after this event, the same Angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth to a virgin, whose name was Mary b, espoused or only betrothed to Joseph, according to the opinion of several Interpreters. To her he said, Hail thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. Mary was disturbed at this discourse; but the Angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign eternally over the house of Jacob. Mary asked him, how all this should be executed; and the Angel answered, The Holy Ghost shall descend upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And lest this should seem incredible to thee, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth hath also conceived a son in her old age, and she is now in her sixth month; to shew thee, that nothing is impossible with God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. At the same time the Angel went away, and disappeared.
It was probably the same angel Gabriel, who appeared to Joseph, when he was thinking to forsake the holy Virgin, and injoined him to retire to Egypt at the time when Herod was resolved to put all the infants in Bethlehem to death; and, lastly, who warned him to return into Judæa, after the decease of Herod. The Cabalists say, that Gabriel was the patriarch Joseph’s master or preceptor.
D’Herbelot Bibl. Orient.The Eastern people add several things to what the Scripture informs us of, concerning the Angel Gabriel. The Mahometans call him the faithful Spirit; and the Persians, in the way of metaphor, the Peacock of Heaven, or Paradise. We read in the second chapter of the Alcoran, that whosoever is an enemy to Gabriel, shall be confounded. They believe, as well as we, that this Archangel declared to the blessed Virgin, that she should bring forth Jesus Christ. They say, Gabriel is guardian of the heavenly treasuries, that is to say, of revelations: That the Jews always complained of Gabriel, and employed the assistance of Michael against him; for Michael was always favourable to them: nay, they said, if Mahomet had made use of Michael, and not of Gabriel, we should all have followed him. It was Gabriel, as they believe, who brought those revelations to Mahomet their false Prophet, which he published: it was he who conducted him to heaven, mounted on the Alborak; (this is an animal of a middle size between an ass and a mule, upon which he rode, when he ascended up to heaven at Jerusalem.) Lastly, Gabriel is a friend to Mussulmen, because he served the Messiah, whom they reverence, and an enemy to the Jews, who rejected him.
To these extravagancies they add, that the Themudites, an ancient tribe of Arabians which is extinct, having refused to hearken to the instructions of the patriarch Salah, were threatned with speedy death, that is to say, in three days time. These three days they employed in digging pits, to secure themselves from the storm they apprehended. Upon the fourth day they took courage, believing the time of punishment to be passed, and went out of their houses. But the Archangel Gabriel appeared to them, having his feet resting on the earth, and his head exalted as high as heaven. His wings extended from East to West, and his hair, which was as red as coral, covered the whole horizon. The Themudites being frightned at this sight, threw themselves into their holes: but Gabriel raising his voice, cried out to them, Die, for ye are cursed of God, who has condemned you. At the same time the earth trembled, all the houses in the country were overthrown, and the Themudites buried under their ruins.
GAD, the son of Jacob and Zilpah, Gen. xxx. 9, 10, 11.Leah’s servant. Leah, Jacob’s wife, seeing she produced no more children, and growing jealous of her sister Rachel, who had given her maid Bilhah to her husband, gave him also Zilpah, that by her means she might have children. Zilpah proved
with child by Jacob, and was delivered of a son, whom Leah called Gad, saying, Happy am I. For Gad signifies the God of good Fortune14.
Gad had seven sons, Ziphion and Haggai, Shuni and Ezbon, Eri and Arodi, and Gen. xlvi. 16. Gen. xlix. 19.Areli. Jacob giving Gad his blessing, said, A troop shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last. Gad having received his allotment beyond Jordan, with the tribe of Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, marched in arms at the head of Israel, to assist in the conquest of the land of Canaan, on this side the river. Gad returned some time after, well armed and loaded with spoil.
Moses in his last song speaks likewise of Gad in these terms; Blessed is he that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head. And he provideth the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the Lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the Lord, and his judgements with Israel; by marching at the head of his people in the war against the Canaanites. Moses died on mount Nebo, and was buried in a Deut. xxxiv. 1, & seq.neighbouring valley, beyond Jordan; where Gad had received his inheritance. The Author of the Testament of the twelve Patriarchs, commends the Patriarch Gad for his great strength of body; but we do not care to make use of the authority of a writer so fabulous as this is.
The tribe of Gad came out of Egypt in number forty-five thousand six hundred Numb. i. 20, 21.and fifty men. After the defeat of the Kings Og and Sehon, Gad and Reuben desired Moses, that he would please to appoint them their division in the new conquered countries, alledging the great number Numb. xxxii. 1, 3, &c.of cattle belonging to them. Moses granted their request, upon condition, and with a charge, that they should accompany their brethren in the conquest of the land beyond Jordan, which the Lord had Numb. xxii. 28.promised them. Thus Gad had his inheritance between Reuben to the south, and Manasseh to the north, with the mountains of Gilead to the east, and Jordan to the west. See the Map.
2 Sam. xxiv. 11.II. GAD, a Prophet, David’s friend, who followed him during his misfortunes, while he was persecuted by Saul, and was at all times very much attached to him. The Scripture styles him a Prophet, and David’s Seer; probably, because God had appointed him to assist this Prince, and foretell what should happen to him. The first time we find him with this Prince, is, when he fled into the land of Moab, there to secure his father 1 Sam. xxii. 5.and mother, in the first year of the World 2944, before J. C. 1056, before the Vulgar Æra 1060. a In the year of the World 2987, before J. C. 1013, before the Vulgar Æra 1017. b 2 Sam. xxiv. 12, 13. & 1 Chr. xxi. 11.year of his flight, and Saul’s persecution. As David therefore was in the land of Moab, the prophet Gad warned him to leave it, and return into the land of Judah.
After that David had taken a resolution to number his people a, the Lord sent the prophet Gad to him, who told him b, that God gave him the choice of three scourges, which he was preparing for him; either he might chuse seven years famine, or to fly three months before his enemies, or three days pestilence. David preferred the latter; and God, in consideration of his humiliation, was pleased to shorten the time which he had appointed for the plague to rage in; commanding the destroying Angel to sheath his sword, and to cease making any further slaughter. After which, Gad came to David, and advised him to erect an Altar to the Lord in the threshing-floor of Ornan, or Araunah, the Jebusite. Gad wrote a volume of David’s life, which is cited in the first book of Chronicles xxix. 29. This is all that we know of this Prophet.
III. GAD, an heathen deity, mentioned in several passages of Scripture. For example, Isaiah lxv. 11. Ye are they that prepare a table for Gad, and that furnish the drink-offering unto Meni. There is a place in Palestine called Baal-Gad, or the God Gad15; and we are assured, that the Arabians call the planet Jupiter, and whatsoever is good and beneficent, Gad. We are of opinion, that in the passage cited from Isaiah, it signifies the Sun; and that St. Jerom, who translates it, Qui ponitis fortunæ mensam, by Gad understood good Fortune. Accordingly, they who of old used to cast nativities, believed the Sun to be a sign of good Genius, and the moon of See our Comment upon Gen. xxx. 11. De Bello, l. 5. c. 3. Idem lib. de vita sua, p. 1025. Plin. l. 5. c. 16. Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 8. p. 475. Polyb. hist. l. 5. Epiphan. l. adversus hæres. p. 131.good Fortune.
GADARA, a celebrated City beyond Jordan. Josephus says, it was the capital of Peræa, situated eastward of the lake of Tiberias, sixty furlongs from the shore. Pliny affirms it to be situated upon the river Hieramace. It gave its name to a canton beyond Jordan. Pompey repaired Gadara in consideration of Demetrius his freed-man, who was a native of this city. Gabinius settled there one of the five Courts of Justice erected by him in Judæa. Polybius says, Antiochus the Great laid siege to Gadara, which was thought to be one of the strongest places in the country, and that it was surrendered to him upon composition. Epiphanius speaks of the hot baths of Gadara. We find many old medals of this city, and some of its ancient bishops in the subscriptions of Councils.
Mark v. 1.St. Mark says, that our Saviour having
passed the sea of Tiberias, came into the canton of the Gadarenes, &c. St. Luke says the same, chap. viii. 26. in the Greek. St. Matthew, chap. viii. 28. calls it the country of the Gergasenes16: but some of the Greek copies read likewise Gaderenes. OrigenOrigen. Comment. in Joan. thinks, we should read Gergasenes. See M. Mill’s various readings, and our Comment on St. Matthew, ch. viii. 28.
II. GADARA, a city of Palestine, in the neighbourhood of Diospolis and Strabo, l. 16. Stephan. in GadaraNicopolis. We believe it to be the same as Gazer, Gazera, Gedor, Gadera, Gador, Gaderoth, whereof there is frequent mention in the books of Maccabees and Josephus. See Reland. Palæstin. l. 3. p.679. We have already observed, that in the text of Josephus, the reading was in some places Gadara, instead of Gabara. Gabara lay to the west, and Gadara to the east of the sea of Tiberias.
GADDI, the son of Susi, of the tribe of Manasseh, was one of the twelve who went by the appointment of Moses to view the land of Canaan, Numb. xiii. 11.
GADDIEL, the son of Sodi of the tribe of Zebulun, was one of those who were sent by Moses to view the land of Canaan, Numb. xiii. 10. in the year of the world 2514, before Jesus Christ 1486, before the Vulgar Æra 1490.
GADDIS, the surname of John the son of Mattathias, and brother of Judas Maccabæus. Some copies read Kaddis, which would signify Holy: but Gaddis may signify a goat, or good-fortune.
GADI, the father of Menahem. This Menahem was King, or rather Usurper of 2 Kings xv. 14.the kingdom of Israel.
GADI, the place where Bani was born, 2 Sam. xxiii. 36.one of the gallant Officers in David’s army. It is probably Gadda or Hazar-gaddah in the southern part of Judah. Josh. xv. 27.
GADOR, the same as Gadara, Gaderoth, Gazer, Gazera, &c.
GAHAM, the son of Nahor and Reumah. Gen. xxii. 24.
GAHAR, a Levite, who returned from Babylon with Esdras. Ezra ii. 47.
GAI-ABARIM. See Ije-abarim.
Acts xix. 29.GAIUS, St. Paul’s Disciple, spoken of in the Acts. Gaius was probably a Macedonian: but he was settled at Corinth, where Rom. xv. 23. Gaius hospes meus.he had the honour to lodge St. Paul during his abode there. When the Apostle went into Asia, Gaius and Aristarchus accompanied him as far as Ephesus, where they abode for some time with St. Paul; so that in the sedition raised in this City about Diana of Ephesus, the Ephesians ran in great numbers to the house of Gaius and Aristarchus, and dragg’d them to the Theater. St. Paul himself had a mind to go thither, but was prevented by his friends. However, no harm happened either to Gaius or Aristarchus, because the commotion was appeased by the prudence of the Town-Clerk. Origen speaks of one Gaius, St. Paul’s Disciple, who was said to have Origen. in Rom. xvi. p. 632. Constitut. l. 7. c. 46.been made Bishop of Thessalonica.
II. GAIUS, to whom St. John wrote his third Epistle, was, in the opinion of several writers, the same as Gaius, St. Paul’s Disciple, and his host at Corinth. Others think, that Gaius, to whom St. John addresses his third Epistle, was he who is mentioned in the Acts xx. 4. who was at Derbe in Lycaonia, and consequently is very different from Gaius the Macedonian. The Constitutions of the Apostles imply, that St. John established one Gaius in the bishoprick of Pergamus; and the author of Athanas. Synop. p. 155.the additions to St. Athanasius’s Synopsis, seems to believe, that the Style of St. John’s Gospel was Gaius’s, who was St. Paul’s host. It is much more probable, that this was Gaius of Derbe, whom we are speaking of in this article.
GALATIA, a Province in Asia the less, having Cappadocia to the east, Bithynia to the west, Pamphylia to the south, and the Euxine-sea to the north. Some troops of the Gauls having invaded Asia minor, made a conquest of this country, settled in it, and called it Galatia, which in Greek signifies Gaul.
He preached there first of all in the year of J.C. 51. Acts xvi. 6. and afterwards in the year 54. Acts xviii. 23. 1 Pet. i. 1.The Galatians, to whom St. Paul wrote one of his Epistles, were descended from these ancient Gauls. St. Paul preached several times in their country, and formed a considerable Church there. It is credible that he was the first, who preached there to the Gentiles; but there is room to presume, that St. Peter had before preached there to the Jews, since his first Epistle is directed to the Jews scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, &c. And the Jews who had been converted by St. Peter, were they, in all probability, who occasioned those disturbances among the Gentile Converts of the same nation; which gave St. Paul an opportunity of writing his Epistle, wherein he takes pains principally to establish his character of an Apostle, which was by some disputed, with an intention to place him below St. Peter, who preached generally to the Jews only, and observed the ceremonies of the Law. He shews afterwards the unprofitableness of these ceremonies, and of circumcision: he stands up with great resolution against those false teachers, who endeavoured to disparage him, and to destroy his authority: lastly, he gives them some excellent precepts for the regulation of their manners, and the better maintaining the purity of Chri-
Galatia continues on the next page
Footnotes
-
Vide Bochart. de animal. sacr. parte 2. l. 5. c. 12. Rondelet. Aldrovand. Scaliger. contra Cardan. ↩
-
Bartolin. de morbis Biblicis, art. 14. ↩
-
A journey into China, by two Arabians in the ninth Century, translated by M. Renaudot, and printed at Paris in 1718. p. 42, 54, 56. ↩
-
Ibid. in the Notes, p. 131. ↩
-
Vide Claud. Menit. Symbolic. Dianæ Ephesiæ Statuam. l. 7. p. 391. Gronov. ↩
-
Translators’ note. The Κυνόμυια, or Canina Musca, is a particular Fly called a Dog-Fly from its biting: and many other sorts there are uneasy both to man and beast. Virgil takes notice particularly of the Oestrum (the Gad-Fly) which is vexatious to cattle. ——Oestrum Græci vertêre vocantes, Asper, acerba sonans, quo tota exterrita silvis Diffugiunt armenta. ↩
-
Athanas. in Gent. l. 2. ad Maxim. 1. Cyrill. Ierosolym. Catech. 10. Vitæ PP. l. 2. c. 7. Hieronym. in Isai. xix. 1. Sozomen. l. 5. c. 21. ↩
-
Translators’ note. But this custom among the Jews has often varied: for in a council held at Narbonne, in the year 589, it is remarked, that the Jews formerly carried their dead to the grave quietly, and without musical instruments; and the custom of singing was represented as a novelty introduced of late years: they therefore who from that time should practise it, were ordered to be fined. Basnage Hist. des Juifs, l. vi. c. xxvi. ↩
-
If. lxv. 11. הערכים לגד שלחן והממלאים למני ממסך ↩
-
Gen. xxx. 11. בגדLXX, ἐν τύχῃ, Vulg. feliciter. ↩
-
Translators’ note. The original רעdoes indeed signify amicus and proximus, so that the French translation which renders it some- times Friend, and at other times again Neighbour, may be justified. But the Greek Interpreters explain it only by the word πλησίον*, and our* English translators in like manner by that of Neighbour only. So that the Author’s ob- servation is not applicable to our Bibles. ↩
-
Simon addit. au supplem. a Leon de Modena, p. 274. ↩
-
Translators’ note. Thus in the English version, בגבעת פינחסis translated, In a hill that per- tained to Phinehas. ↩
-
Translators’ note. גדsignifies Turma; but, says Buxtorf, variant Interpretes, בגדvenit turma, Gen. xxx. 11. vel cum fortuna bona, feliciter, advenit fortuna bona, & legendum .באגדSee Selden. de Diis Syris Syntagm. 1. c. 1. de Gad, seu Fortuna. ↩
-
Translators’ note. See an account of this God more at large in Selden and Beyer. ↩
-
Translators’ note. Gergasa was near Gadara, and the territory belonging to it larger than that of this last city: and as the lands belonging to the one were included within the other, some of the Evangelists might say the country of the Gergasenes, others the country of the Gadarenes. ↩