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