Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

[Pages:505]Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

An A to Z of biblical information for the people of today's world

Don Fleming

BRIDGEWAY

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary ? Don Fleming 1990, 1999, 2004

First published 1990 as Bridge Bible Directory Reprinted 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997

First published as Bridge Bible Dictionary 1999

First published as Bridgeway Bible Dictionary 2004

ISBN 0 947342 66 4

All Rights Reserved

Bridgeway Publications GPO Box 2547 Brisbane 4001 Australia

To my wife Gae

Preface

This book, like most of my books, began life in the Thai language when I lived with my wife and family in Bangkok. The aim was to produce material that would be a credible aid to biblical knowledge, but in an easy-read non-technical style that any Christian could understand.

First came a series of mini-commentaries that later appeared in English as the eight-volume Bridge Bible Handbooks (now combined into the one-volume Bridgeway Bible Commentary). Only after a commentary was available on the whole Bible did I think about writing a Bible Dictionary. I am convinced this is the best sequence to follow, not just in publishing but in Bible study in general. We need first to understand the biblical books if we are to have confidence in using material from those books to study biblical topics.

The original English title of this book used the word Directory rather than Dictionary, partly to appeal to readers who may not want a book that sounds academic, and partly because the book does not, like a `proper' dictionary, deal with all the words and names in the Bible. But over the years I have found that people refer to the book as a dictionary anyway, so this edition has changed the title to Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. The `bridge' element in the title reflects the aim of all Bridgeway books, which is to bridge two gaps at once ? the gap between the word of the Bible and the world of today, and the gap between the technical reference works and the ordinary reader.

God's Word gives meaning to life, but only if people read and obey it. The trouble is many do not read it as they should, the reason often being that they do not understand it. My desire is that this book will help give the kind of help that will encourage people to read and enjoy the Bible. And when that happens, they will soon find that the Bible has its own way of making itself relevant to them.

Don Fleming

AARON

From the time Moses set out to free Israel from Egypt, Aaron his brother played an important part in the young nation's development. He remained in a position of influence and responsibility until the day of his death, forty years later (Exod 7:7; Num 33:39).

Early developments

Although Aaron was three years older than Moses (Exod 7:7), he willingly accepted Moses' supreme leadership of the nation. He became Moses' chief spokesman and personal assistant (Exod 4:10-16; 4:2930; 7:1-2,10,19; 8:5,17,25). As Moses grew in confidence, he became less dependent upon Aaron in his public activities (Exod 9:13,22,33). Aaron, however, continued to support Moses, especially in prayer (Exod 17:12).

Aaron was one of the privileged few who went with Moses up on to the mountain of God. He was also one of those to whom Moses entrusted the leadership of Israel during his absence (Exod 24:1-2,9,14). Aaron proved to be a weak leader, and was easily persuaded to build an idol as a visible symbol of the invisible God (Exod 32:1-6,21-25). When Moses challenged the faithful to fight against this idolatry, the men of the tribe of Levi responded. God rewarded them by promising that in the new religious order, the Levites would be his chosen religious servants (Exod 32:26-29).

Levi was the tribe to which Moses and Aaron belonged (Exod 6:16-20). God had already told Moses that in the new religious order, Aaron and his sons were to be the priests, with Aaron the high priest (Exod 28:1-4). In the generations to follow, although all Levites were to be religious officials, only those of the family of Aaron could be priests (Num 3:3-10; see LEVITE; PRIEST).

Troubles along the way

In spite of his devoted service to God, Aaron had his disappointments and failures. His two older sons made an offering contrary to the way God had instructed them, and were punished with instant death (Lev 10:1-3). On another occasion, he and his sister Miriam showed some jealousy against Moses because of Moses' supreme position in Israel. When Miriam, who had led the criticism, was punished with leprosy, Aaron confessed his wrong and asked God to heal her (Num 12:1-2,9-12).

Just as Aaron had been jealous of Moses' position as supreme leader, so other Levites grew jealous of Aaron's position as high priest (Num 16:1-11). God destroyed the rebels (Num 16:31-35) and sent a plague on the people who had supported them; but Aaron prayed for them and the plague stopped (Num 16:47-48). By the miraculous budding of Aaron's rod, God emphasized afresh that only those of the family of Aaron were to be priests (Num 17:1-11).

Moses and Aaron were guilty of disobedience to God when, in anger at the people's constant complaining, they struck the rock at Meribah. God punished them by assuring them that they would never enter the promised land (Num 20:2,10-13). Soon after, when the journeying Israelites reached Mt Hor, Aaron died. Before he died, however, there was a public ceremony to appoint Eleazar, Aaron's eldest surviving son, as the replacement high priest (Num 20:22-29).

ABARIM

Bordering the Jordan River on its eastern side was a region that in the south was commonly known as the Plains of Moab. Within this region was a mountainous area known as Abarim, which contained the prominent peak, Mt Nebo. Israel camped on the Plains of Moab while making final preparations to cross Jordan and conquer Canaan. From Mt Nebo Moses viewed the land on the other side of the river before he died (Num 33:4748; Deut 32:49; 34:1,7).

ABBA

Abba was a common word in the Aramaic and Hebrew languages, and meant `father'. It was a warm and informal term used in the everyday language of family life.

Jews of Old Testament times never used abba when addressing God, but Jesus used it when praying to his Father (Mark 14:36). The early Christians also addressed God as Abba; for, through Christ, God has adopted believers as his sons and made them joint heirs with Christ of his heavenly inheritance (Rom 8:15-17; Gal 4:5-6; cf. 3:26; see ADOPTION).

ABEL

The second son of Adam and Eve, Abel was a keeper of sheep. Like his elder brother Cain, he made an offering to God of things God had given him (Gen 4:1-4). Abel was a righteous man (Matt 23:35), and he offered his sacrifice in a thankful attitude of sincere faith (Gen 4:4; Heb 11:4). Cain was an unrighteous man (1 John 3:12) and offered his sacrifice in the wrong attitude. God therefore rejected his sacrifice (Gen 4:5; for further details see SACRIFICE).

In envy and anger, Cain killed Abel (Gen 4:8). But God gave to Adam and Eve another son, Seth, who helped maintain the sort of faith in God that Abel had shown (Gen 4:25-26).

ABIATHAR

When Saul ordered the slaughter of Ahimelech and the other priests at Nob, only one person escaped, and that was Ahimelech's son, Abiathar (1 Sam 22:18-20). He joined David and the others who were fleeing from Saul, and acted as priest for them (1 Sam 23:6,9; 30:7).

Later, when David became king, Abiathar and another priest, Zadok, became part of David's royal court (2 Sam 8:17). At the time of Absalom's rebellion, when David was forced to flee Jerusalem, the two priests stayed behind to become spies on David's behalf (2 Sam 15:24-29,35; 19:11). At the time of Adonijah's rebellion, however, the two took different sides, Abiathar supporting Adonijah, and Zadok supporting Solomon. Upon becoming king, Solomon promoted Zadok to chief priest, but sent Abiathar into exile (1 Kings 1:5-8,43-45; 2:26,35).

ABIGAIL

Two women named Abigail are mentioned in the Bible (1 Sam 25:3; 2 Sam 17:25). The better known of the two is the wife of the foolish farmer, Nabal. Nabal almost brought disaster upon his household by his insulting refusal to supply David and his men with food in return for their service in protecting his farmlands against the raiding Philistines. Only quick thinking and wise words from Abigail saved the situation (1 Sam 25:2-35).

When Nabal unexpectedly died, David married Abigail (1 Sam 25:39-42). She became the mother of David's second son, Chileab (2 Sam 3:3).

ABIJAH (ABIJAM)

The Judean king Abijah (or Abijam) was one of several people of that name in the Bible. He was the second king of Judah after the division of the kingdom, and reigned from 913 to 910 BC (1 Kings 15:1-2).

Abijah was not wholly loyal to Yahweh, for he tolerated false religion in Judah (1 Kings 15:3). However, he was not as bad as his contemporary in Israel, Jeroboam, who had set up an official rival religion in the northern kingdom. When Abijah went to war with Jeroboam, he presumed God would give him victory because his kingdom was based on the Davidic dynasty and the Levitical priesthood (2 Chron 13:1-12). He did, in fact, defeat Jeroboam, not because God was in any way obliged to help him, but because his soldiers fought in an attitude of genuine reliance on God (2 Chron 13:13-22).

ABIMELECH

It seems that `Abimelech' was used both as a royal title (among the Philistines) and as a personal name (among the Israelites). The meaning of the word was `father-king'. The Bible mentions three Philistine rulers by this name and one notorious Israelite.

Among the Philistines

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham and Sarah moved through the south of Canaan and settled in the Philistine district of Gerar. Abraham, fearing that the Philistine king Abimelech might kill him in order to take Sarah for his own wife, preserved his life by saying that Sarah was his sister (Gen 20:1-2,13; cf. 12:11-13). Abimelech did indeed take Sarah, but before he had any sexual

relation with her, God warned him that she was Abraham's wife (Gen 20:3-7). Abimelech avoided God's judgment by giving Sarah back to Abraham, along with compensation for the damage he had done to Sarah's honour (Gen 20:8-18).

Abraham remained in the region by Abimelech's permission (Gen 20:15), but his increasing prosperity made Abimelech wary. At Abimelech's suggestion, the two men made a treaty to ensure peaceful cooperation; but before entering the treaty, Abraham insisted that Abimelech's herdsmen return to him a well they had seized. The arrangement was sealed by Abimelech's acceptance of a gift from Abraham (Gen 21:22-32).

Eighty or so years later, when Abraham's son Isaac settled for a time in Gerar, he created tension with a later Abimelech through the same sort of deceit as Abraham's (Gen 26:1,7-11). In spite of opposition from Abimelech's men in repeatedly denying Isaac water, Isaac continued to prosper (Gen 26:17-22). This made Abimelech fear him, and on Abimelech's suggestion the two men renewed the treaty between the former Abimelech and Abraham (Gen 26:26 -32).

The other Philistine ruler whom the Bible calls Abimelech was Achish, ruler of the city of Gath (see Introduction to Psalm 34). David, in fleeing from Saul, had looked for safety in Gath, but when Achish was warned that David could be an Israelite spy, he decided to kill him. When David acted as a madman, Achish was easily deceived and drove him out of the city (1 Sam 21:10-15).

Among the Israelites

During the period of the judges, an ambitious Israelite named Abimelech was the cause of much unnecessary bloodshed. He was one of Gideon's seventy sons, and his mother was a Shechemite. Upon Gideon's death, Abimelech killed all his brothers (except one who escaped) and established himself `king' in Shechem (Judg 9:1-6). When, after three years, the Shechemites plotted to assassinate him, Abimelech discovered the plot and slaughtered the plotters (Judg 9:22-41).

With his pride hurt, Abimelech was now driven on in senseless fury. He massacred the innocent citizens of Shechem, along with those of another town whom he thought might have been opposed to him. But his blind rage led to a lack of caution, and this in turn brought about his death (Judg 9:42-56).

ABISHAG

When David was old and sick, the nurse chosen to be with him constantly was Abishag. One of her duties was to lie with him in bed to give him warmth. Although she was not a concubine, some people apparently thought she was (1 Kings 1:1-4). After David's death, his son Adonijah asked the new king Solomon for Abishag as a wife. Since a new king inherited the concubines of the former king (cf. 2 Sam 3:7-10; 12:7-8; 16:22), Solomon considered Adonijah's request to be an attempt to gain David's throne. He therefore executed Adonijah for treason (1 Kings 2:13-25).

ABISHAI

With his brothers Joab and Asahel, Abishai joined David during David's flight from Saul. The brothers, though related to David and strong supporters of him, were a constant worry to David because of their hotheadedness. Abishai seems to have been the most violent of the three (1 Sam 26:6-9; 2 Sam 2:18-24; 3:30,39; 16:9-10; 19:21-22; 21:16-17). He became one of the highest ranked officers in David's army, being commander of that group of `mighty men' known as The Thirty (2 Sam 23:18-19). In battle he commanded large divisions of the fighting forces (2 Sam 10:9-10; 18:2).

ABNER

When Saul, the first king of Israel, established his administration, he appointed his cousin Abner as commander-in-chief of his army (1 Sam 14:50-51). Abner first met David on the occasion of Goliath's defeat (1 Sam 17:55-57). David served under Abner as a loyal officer (1 Sam 18:5), but later Abner led Saul's troops in trying to capture the fleeing, yet innocent, David (1 Sam 26:5,14-15).

After Saul's death, Abner appointed Saul's son Ishbosheth as king in opposition to David (2 Sam 2:8). Although Abner was a strong leader, his troops were not as good as David's and they steadily lost ground over the next two years (2 Sam 3:1,6). Meanwhile Ishbosheth became increasingly jealous of Abner, who was the real power supporting him. When Ishbosheth accused Abner of wanting the throne for himself, Abner deserted Ishbosheth and joined David (2 Sam 3:7-11).

Abner then set to work to win allegiance to David from all the previous supporters of Ishbosheth (2 Sam 3:17-21). But he was treacherously murdered by David's commander Joab, in retaliation for Abner's earlier killing of Joab's brother in battle (2 Sam 3:24-30; cf. 2:12-23). Without the leadership of Abner, Ishbosheth's `kingdom' quickly collapsed (2 Sam 4:1-5:1).

ABRAHAM

Originally called Abram, Abraham received his new name from God in confirmation of God's promise that he would be father of a multitude of people (Gen 17:5-7). In fulfilment of this promise, Abraham became the physical father of the Israelite nation (Matt 3:9; John 8:37). Because he accepted God's promise by faith, he is also the spiritual father of all who accept God's promises by faith, regardless of their nationality. As God in his grace declared Abraham righteous, so he declares righteous all who trust in him (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:11).

Response to God

Abraham was brought up in Mesopotamia, and the people among whom he lived were idol worshippers (Gen 11:28-31; Josh 24:2). But he worshipped the one true God (Gen 14:22; 18:25; 21:33).

Abraham gave proof of his faith by obeying God when God told him to move out from his family group to a new land to which God would direct him (about 1925 BC; Gen 12:1,4; Neh 9:7; Acts 7:2-4; Heb 11:8-10).

God's purpose in choosing Abraham was to produce through him a nation (Israel; 2 Cor 11:22), to give that nation a land to dwell in (Canaan; Gen 12:5-7), and to bring from that nation one man (Jesus Christ; Rom 9:4-5) who would be saviour of the world. Through Abraham, people of all nations would receive the life-giving blessing that God had prepared for the world (Gen 12:1-3; Gal 3:14,29).

At the time of their migration to Canaan, Abraham and his wife Sarah (originally Sarai) had no children. Abraham was at that time seventy-five years of age. He and Sarah were accompanied by Abraham's nephew, Lot, and a large household of labourers whom Abraham needed to look after his flocks, herds and working animals (Gen 12:4,16; 14:14). A drought in Canaan convinced Abraham that he should look for better pastures in Egypt. But the Egyptian ruler found him deceitful, and Abraham was forced to leave Egypt in disgrace (Gen 12:10,20; 13:1).

Nevertheless, Abraham and Lot continued to prosper. In fact, they became so wealthy that when they returned to Canaan, they had to settle in different parts of the land to prevent trouble between their households (Gen 13:1-2,6). Lot settled in the fertile region east of the Dead Sea (Gen 13:10-11). Abraham settled in the centre of Canaan, and received God's reassuring promise that one day his descendants would possess Canaan as their national homeland (Gen 13:14-18). Later he rescued Lot from an invading army of Mesopotamians. He demonstrated his belief that God alone controlled Canaan's affairs, when he made a sacrificial offering to God's priest (Melchizedek) and refused to accept any reward from the Canaanite rulers (Gen 14:1-24; cf. Heb 7:1-2,4,6).

God's covenant

God's promise to Abraham (namely, that he would be the father of a great nation) originated entirely in the sovereign will of God. God chose Abraham, Abraham believed God's promise, and in response

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