Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (Matt. 12:31, 32; Mark
3:28, 29; Luke 12:10) is regarded by some as a continued
and obstinate rejection of the gospel, and hence is an
unpardonable sin, simply because as long as a sinner
remains in unbelief he voluntarily excludes himself from
pardon. Others regard the expression as designating the sin
of attributing to the power of Satan those miracles which
Christ performed, or generally those works which are the
result of the Spirit's agency.
(2.) We bless God when we thank him for his mercies (Ps.
103:1, 2; 145:1, 2).
(3.) A man blesses himself when he invokes God's
blessing (Isa. 65:16), or rejoices in God's goodness to
him (Deut. 29:19; Ps. 49:18).
(4.) One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or
offers prayer to God for his welfare (Gen. 24:60; 31:55; 1
Sam. 2:20). Sometimes blessings were uttered under divine
inspiration, as in the case of Noah, Isaac, Jacob, and
Moses (Gen. 9:26, 27; 27:28, 29, 40; 48:15-20; 49:1-28;
Deut. 33). The priests were divinely authorized to bless
the people (Deut. 10:8; Num. 6:22-27). We have many
examples of apostolic benediction (2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 6:23,
24; 2 Thess. 3:16, 18; Heb. 13:20, 21; 1 Pet. 5:10, 11).
(5.) Among the Jews in their thank-offerings the master of
the feast took a cup of wine in his hand, and after having
blessed God for it and for other mercies then enjoyed,
handed it to his guests, who all partook of it. Ps. 116:13
refers to this custom. It is also alluded to in 1 Cor.
10:16, where the apostle speaks of the "cup of
blessing."
(2.) The blood of sacrifices was caught by the priest in a
basin, and then sprinkled seven times on the altar; that of
the passover on the doorposts and lintels of the houses
(Ex. 12; Lev. 4:5-7; 16:14-19). At the giving of the law
(Ex. 24:8) the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled on the
people as well as on the altar, and thus the people were
consecrated to God, or entered into covenant with him,
hence the blood of the covenant (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:19,
20; 10:29; 13:20).
(3.) Human blood. The murderer was to be punished (Gen.
9:5). The blood of the murdered "crieth for
vengeance" (Gen. 4:10). The "avenger of
blood" was the nearest relative of the murdered, and
he was required to avenge his death (Num. 35:24, 27). No
satisfaction could be made for the guilt of murder (Num.
35:31).
(4.) Blood used metaphorically to denote race (Acts 17:26),
and as a symbol of slaughter (Isa. 34:3). To "wash the
feet in blood" means to gain a great victory (Ps.
58:10). Wine, from its red colour, is called "the
blood of the grape" (Gen. 49:11). Blood and water
issued from our Saviour's side when it was pierced by
the Roman soldier (John 19:34). This has led pathologists
to the conclusion that the proper cause of Christ's
death was rupture of the heart. (Comp. Ps. 69:20.)
(2.) The name given (for what reason is unknown) to one of
the two (the other was called Jachin) brazen pillars which
Solomon erected in the court of the temple (1 Kings 7:21; 2
Chr. 3:17). These pillars were broken up and carried to
Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
Books were originally written on skins, on linen or cotton
cloth, and on Egyptian papyrus, whence our word
"paper." The leaves of the book were generally
written in columns, designated by a Hebrew word properly
meaning "doors" and "valves" (Jer.
36:23, R.V., marg. "columns").
Among the Hebrews books were generally rolled up like our
maps, or if very long they were rolled from both ends,
forming two rolls (Luke 4:17-20). Thus they were arranged
when the writing was on flexible materials; but if the
writing was on tablets of wood or brass or lead, then the
several tablets were bound together by rings through which
a rod was passed.
A sealed book is one whose contents are secret (Isa. 29:11;
Rev. 5:1-3). To "eat" a book (Jer. 15:16; Ezek.
2:8-10; 3:1-3; Rev. 10:9) is to study its contents
carefully.
The book of judgment (Dan. 7:10) refers to the method of
human courts of justice as illustrating the proceedings
which will take place at the day of God's final
judgment.
The book of the wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14), the book of
Jasher (Josh. 10:13), and the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Judah and Israel (2 Chr. 25:26), were probably
ancient documents known to the Hebrews, but not forming a
part of the canon.
The book of life (Ps. 69:28) suggests the idea that as the
redeemed form a community or citizenship (Phil. 3:20; 4:3),
a catalogue of the citizens' names is preserved (Luke
10:20; Rev. 20:15). Their names are registered in heaven
(Luke 10:20; Rev. 3:5).
The book of the covenant (Ex. 24:7), containing Ex.
20:22-23:33, is the first book actually mentioned as a part
of the written word. It contains a series of laws, civil,
social, and religious, given to Moses at Sinai immediately
after the delivery of the decalogue. These were written in
this "book."
Earthenware vessels were also similarly used (Jer. 19:1-10;
1 Kings 14:3; Isa. 30:14). In Job 32:19 (comp. Matt. 9:17;
Luke 5:37, 38; Mark 2:22) the reference is to a wine-skin
ready to burst through the fermentation of the wine.
"Bottles of wine" in the Authorized Version of
Hos. 7:5 is properly rendered in the Revised Version by
"the heat of wine," i.e., the fever of wine, its
intoxicating strength.
The clouds are figuratively called the "bottles of
heaven" (Job 38:37). A bottle blackened or shrivelled
by smoke is referred to in Ps. 119:83 as an image to which
the psalmist likens himself.
The arrows were carried in a quiver (Gen. 27:3; Isa. 22:6;
49:2; Ps. 127:5). They were apparently sometimes shot with
some burning material attached to them (Ps. 120:4).
The bow is a symbol of victory (Ps. 7:12). It denotes also
falsehood, deceit (Ps. 64:3, 4; Hos. 7:16; Jer. 9:3).
"The use of the bow" in 2 Sam. 1:18 (A.V.) ought
to be "the song of the bow," as in the Revised
Version.
(2.) The rendering of a Hebrew word meaning fasteners,
found in Gen. 24:22, 30, 47.
(3.) In Isa. 3:19, the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning
chains, i.e., twisted or chain-like bracelets.
(4.) In Ex. 35:22 it designates properly a clasp for
fastening the dress of females. Some interpret it as a
nose-ring.
(5.) In Gen. 38:18, 25, the rendering of a Hebrew word
meaning "thread," and may denote the ornamental
cord with which the signet was suspended from the neck of
the wearer.
Bracelets were worn by men as well as by women (Cant. 5:14,
R.V.). They were of many various forms. The weight of those
presented by Eliezer to Rebekah was ten shekels (Gen.
24:22).
(2.) Hebrew hoah, Isa. 34:13 (R.V.
"thistles"); "thickets" in 1 Sam. 13:6;
"thistles" in 2 Kings 14:9, 2 Chr. 25:18, Job
31:40; "thorns" in 2 Chr. 33:11, Cant. 2:2, Hos.
9:6. The word may be regarded as denoting the common
thistle, of which there are many species which encumber the
corn-fields of Palestine.
Disciples are branches of the true vine (John 15:5, 6).
"The branch of the terrible ones" (Isa. 25:5) is
rightly translated in the Revised Version "the song of
the terrible ones," i.e., the song of victory shall be
brought low by the destruction of Babylon and the return of
the Jews from captivity.
The "abominable branch" is a tree on which a
malefactor has been hanged (Isa. 14:19). The "highest
branch" in Ezek. 17:3 represents Jehoiakim the king.
It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin (Isa.
48:4; Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18), and of strength (Ps. 107:16;
Micah 4:13).
The Macedonian empire is described as a kingdom of brass
(Dan. 2:39). The "mountains of brass" Zechariah
(6:1) speaks of have been supposed to represent the
immutable decrees of God.
The serpent of brass was made by Moses at the command of
God (Num. 21:4-9), and elevated on a pole, so that it might
be seen by all the people when wounded by the bite of the
serpents that were sent to them as a punishment for their
murmurings against God and against Moses. It was afterwards
carried by the Jews into Canaan, and preserved by them till
the time of Hezekiah, who caused it to be at length
destroyed because it began to be viewed by the people with
superstitious reverence (2 Kings 18:4). (See NEHUSHTAN.)
The brazen serpent is alluded to by our Lord in John 3:14,
15. (See SERPENT.)
Bread was prepared by kneading in wooden bowls or
"kneading troughs" (Gen. 18:6; Ex. 12:34; Jer.
7:18). The dough was mixed with leaven and made into thin
cakes, round or oval, and then baked. The bread eaten at
the Passover was always unleavened (Ex. 12:15-20; Deut.
16:3). In the towns there were public ovens, which were
much made use of for baking bread; there were also bakers
by trade (Hos. 7:4; Jer. 37:21). Their ovens were not
unlike those of modern times. But sometimes the bread was
baked by being placed on the ground that had been heated by
a fire, and by covering it with the embers (1 Kings 19:6).
This was probably the mode in which Sarah prepared bread on
the occasion referred to in Gen. 18:6.
In Lev. 2 there is an account of the different kinds of
bread and cakes used by the Jews.
The shew-bread (q.v.) consisted of twelve loaves of
unleavened bread prepared and presented hot on the golden
table every Sabbath. They were square or oblong, and
represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The old loaves
were removed every Sabbath, and were to be eaten only by
the priests in the court of the sanctuary (Ex. 25:30; Lev.
24:8; 1 Sam. 21:1-6; Matt. 12:4).
The word bread is used figuratively in such expressions as
"bread of sorrows" (Ps. 127:2), "bread of
tears" (80:5), i.e., sorrow and tears are like
one's daily bread, they form so great a part in life.
The bread of "wickedness" (Prov. 4:17) and
"of deceit" (20:17) denote in like manner that
wickedness and deceit are a part of the daily life.
(2.) An ornament covering the breast of the high priest,
first mentioned in Ex. 25:7. It was made of embroidered
cloth, set with four rows of precious stones, three in each
row. On each stone was engraved the name of one of the
twelve tribes (Ex. 28:15-29; 39:8-21). It was in size about
ten inches square. The two upper corners were fastened to
the ephod by blue ribbons. It was not to be "loosed
from the ephod" (Ex. 28:28). The lower corners were
fastened to the girdle of the priest. As it reminded the
priest of his representative character, it was called the
memorial (28:29). It was also called the breastplate of
judgment (28:15).
(2.) Me'theg, rendered also "bit" in
Ps. 32:9, which is its proper meaning. Found in 2 Kings
19:28, where the restraints of God's providence are
metaphorically styled his "bridle" and
"hook." God's placing a "bridle in the
jaws of the people" (Isa. 30:28; 37:29) signifies his
preventing the Assyrians from carrying out their purpose
against Jerusalem.
(3.) Another word, re'sen, was employed to
represent a halter or bridle-rein, as used Ps. 32:9; Isa.
30:28. In Job 30:11 the restraints of law and humanity are
called a bridle.
(2.) Ezek. 28:24, sallon', properly a
"prickle," such as is found on the shoots of the
palm tree.
(3.) Isa. 55:13, probably simply a thorny bush. Some,
following the Vulgate Version, regard it as the
"nettle."
(4.) Isa. 5:6; 7:23-25, etc., frequently used to denote
thorny shrubs in general. In 10:17; 27:4, it means
troublesome men.
(5.) In Heb. 6:8 the Greek word (tribolos) so rendered
means "three-pronged," and denotes the land
caltrop, a low throny shrub resembling in its spikes the
military "crow-foot." Comp. Matt. 7:16,
"thistle."
(8.) One beloved or closely united with another in
affection (2 Sam. 1:26; Acts 6:3; 1 Thess. 5:1). Brethren
of Jesus (Matt. 1:25; 12:46, 50: Mark 3:31, 32; Gal. 1:19;
1 Cor. 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of
Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been
the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others
that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's
sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation,
however, is the most natural.
(2.) A shield surrounding the person; the targe or round
form; used once figuratively (Ps. 91:4).
(3.) A large shield protecting the whole body (Ps. 35:2;
Ezek. 23:24; 26:8).
(4.) A lance or spear; improperly rendered
"buckler" in the Authorized Version (1 Chr.
12:8), but correctly in the Revised Version
"spear."
The leather of shields required oiling (2 Sam. 1:21; Isa.
21:5), so as to prevent its being injured by moisture.
Copper (= "brass") shields were also in use (1
Sam. 17:6; 1 Kings 14:27). Those spoken of in 1 Kings
10:16, etc.; 14:26, were probably of massive metal.
The shields David had taken from his enemies were suspended
in the temple as mementoes (2 Kings 11:10). (See ARMOUR.)
In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the
erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar
were founded by the descendants of Shem (10:11, 12, 22).
The Israelites were by occupation shepherds and dwellers in
tents (Gen. 47:3); but from the time of their entering
Canaan they became dwellers in towns, and in houses built
of the native limestone of Palestine. Much building was
carried on in Solomon's time. Besides the buildings he
completed at Jerusalem, he also built Baalath and Tadmor (1
Kings 9:15, 24). Many of the kings of Israel and Judah were
engaged in erecting various buildings.
Herod and his sons and successors restored the temple, and
built fortifications and other structures of great
magnificence in Jerusalem (Luke 21:5).
The instruments used in building are mentioned as the
plumb-line (Amos 7:7), the measuring-reed (Ezek. 40:3), and
the saw (1 Kings 7:9).
Believers are "God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9);
and heaven is called "a building of God" (2 Cor.
5:1). Christ is the only foundation of his church (1 Cor.
3:10-12), of which he also is the builder (Matt. 16:18).
(2.) The translation of a word always meaning an animal of
the ox kind, without distinction of age or sex (Hos.
12:11). It is rendered "cow" (Num. 18:17) and
"ox" (Lev. 17:3).
(3.) Another word is rendered in the same way (Jer. 31:18).
It is also translated "calf" (Lev. 9:3; Micah
6:6). It is the same word used of the "molten
calf" (Ex. 32:4, 8) and "the golden calf" (1
Kings 12:28).
(4.) In Judg. 6:25; Isa. 34:7, the Hebrew word is
different. It is the customary word for bulls offered in
sacrifice. In Hos. 14:2, the Authorized Version has
"calves," the Revised Version
"bullocks."
(2.) In Ex. 2:3, Isa. 18:2 (R.V., "papyrus") this
word is the translation of the Hebrew gome, which
designates the plant as absorbing moisture. In Isa. 35:7
and Job 8:11 it is rendered "rush." This was the
Egyptian papyrus (papyrus Nilotica). It was anciently very
abundant in Egypt. The Egyptians made garments and shoes
and various utensils of it. It was used for the
construction of the ark of Moses (Ex. 2:3, 5). The root
portions of the stem were used for food. The inside bark
was cut into strips, which were sewed together and dried in
the sun, forming the papyrus used for writing. It is no
longer found in Egypt, but grows luxuriantly in Palestine,
in the marshes of the Huleh, and in the swamps at the north
end of the Lake of Gennesaret.
Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, was buried under
Allon-bachuth, "the oak of weeping" (Gen. 35:8),
near to Bethel. Rachel died, and was buried near Ephrath;
"and Jacob set a pillar upon her grave" (16-20).
Isaac was buried at Hebron, where he had died (27, 29).
Jacob, when charging his sons to bury him in the cave of
Machpelah, said, "There they buried Abraham and Sarah
his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and
there I buried Leah" (49:31). In compliance with the
oath which he made him swear unto him (47:29-31), Joseph,
assisted by his brethren, buried Jacob in the cave of
Machpelah (50:2, 13). At the Exodus, Moses "took the
bones of Joseph with him," and they were buried in the
"parcel of ground" which Jacob had bought of the
sons of Hamor (Josh. 24:32), which became Joseph's
inheritance (Gen. 48:22; 1 Chr. 5:1; John 4:5). Two burials
are mentioned as having taken place in the wilderness. That
of Miriam (Num. 20:1), and that of Moses, "in the land
of Moab" (Deut. 34:5, 6, 8). There is no account of
the actual burial of Aaron, which probably, however, took
place on the summit of Mount Hor (Num. 20:28, 29).
Joshua was buried "in the border of his inheritance in
Timnath-serah" (Josh. 24: 30).
In Job we find a reference to burying-places, which were
probably the Pyramids (3:14, 15). The Hebrew word for
"waste places" here resembles in sound the
Egyptian word for "pyramids."
Samuel, like Moses, was honoured with a national burial (1
Sam. 25:1). Joab (1 Kings 2:34) "was buried in his own
house in the wilderness."
In connection with the burial of Saul and his three sons we
meet for the first time with the practice of burning the
dead (1 Sam. 31:11-13). The same practice is again referred
to by Amos (6:10).
Absalom was buried "in the wood" where he was
slain (2 Sam. 18:17, 18). The raising of the heap of stones
over his grave was intended to mark abhorrence of the
person buried (comp. Josh. 7:26 and 8:29). There was no
fixed royal burying-place for the Hebrew kings. We find
several royal burials taking place, however, "in the
city of David" (1 Kings 2:10; 11:43; 15:8; 2 Kings
14:19, 20; 15:38; 1 Kings 14:31; 22:50; 2 Chr. 21:19, 20; 2
Chr. 24:25, etc.). Hezekiah was buried in the mount of the
sepulchres of the sons of David; "and all Judah and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his
death" (2 Chr. 32:33).
Little is said regarding the burial of the kings of Israel.
Some of them were buried in Samaria, the capital of their
kingdom (2 Kings 10:35; 13:9; 14:16).
Our Lord was buried in a new tomb, hewn out of the rock,
which Joseph of Arimathea had prepared for himself (Matt.
27:57-60; Mark 15:46; John 19:41, 42).
The grave of Lazarus was "a cave, and a stone lay on
it" (John 11:38). Graves were frequently either
natural caverns or artificial excavations formed in the
sides of rocks (Gen. 23:9; Matt. 27:60); and coffins were
seldom used, unless when the body was brought from a
distance.
The law of Moses afterwards prescribed the occasions and
the manner in which burnt sacrifices were to be offered.
There were "the continual burnt offering" (Ex.
29:38-42; Lev. 6:9-13), "the burnt offering of every
sabbath," which was double the daily one (Num. 28:9,
10), "the burnt offering of every month"
(28:11-15), the offerings at the Passover (19-23), at
Pentecost (Lev. 23:16), the feast of Trumpets (23:23-25),
and on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16).
On other occasions special sacrifices were offered, as at
the consecration of Aaron (Ex. 29) and the dedication of
the temple (1 Kings 8:5, 62-64).
Free-will burnt offerings were also permitted (Lev. 1:13),
and were offered at the accession of Solomon to the throne
(1 Chr. 29:21), and at the reformation brought about by
Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29: 31-35).
These offerings signified the complete dedication of the
offerers unto God. This is referred to in Rom. 12:1. (See
ALTAR)
(2.) A district in the north-west of Galilee, near to Tyre,
containing twenty cities given to Hiram by Solomon as a
reward for various services rendered to him in building the
temple (1 Kings 9:13), and as payment of the six score
talents of gold he had borrowed from him. Hiram gave the
cities this name because he was not pleased with the gift,
the name signifying "good for nothing." Hiram
seems afterwards to have restored these cities to Solomon
(2 Chr. 8:2).
(2.) A town of the Kenites, a branch of the Midianites
(Josh. 15:57), on the east edge of the mountain above
Engedi; probably the "nest in a rock" mentioned
by Balaam (Num. 24:21). It is identified with the modern
Yekin, 3 miles south-east of Hebron.
Pancakes are described in 2 Sam. 13:8, 9. Cakes mingled
with oil and baked in the oven are mentioned in Lev. 2:4,
and "wafers unleavened anointed with oil," in Ex.
29:2; Lev. 8:26; 1 Chr. 23:29. "Cracknels," a
kind of crisp cakes, were among the things Jeroboam
directed his wife to take with her when she went to consult
Ahijah the prophet at Shiloh (1 Kings 14:3). Such hard
cakes were carried by the Gibeonites when they came to
Joshua (9:5, 12). They described their bread as
"mouldy;" but the Hebrew word nikuddim,
here used, ought rather to be rendered "hard as
biscuit." It is rendered "cracknels" in 1
Kings 14:3. The ordinary bread, when kept for a few days,
became dry and excessively hard. The Gibeonites pointed to
this hardness of their bread as an evidence that they had
come a long journey.
We read also of honey-cakes (Ex. 16:31), "cakes of
figs" (1 Sam. 25:18), "cake" as denoting a
whole piece of bread (1 Kings 17:12), and "a [round]
cake of barley bread" (Judg. 7:13). In Lev. 2 is a
list of the different kinds of bread and cakes which were
fit for offerings.
(2.) A "son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah" (1
Chr. 2:50). Some would read the whole passage thus:
"These [i.e., the list in ver. 42-49] were the sons of
Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, were
Shobal, etc." Thus Hur would be the name of the son
and not the father of Caleb (ver. 19).
(3.) The son of Jephunneh (Num. 13:6; 32:12; Josh. 14:6,
14). He was one of those whom Moses sent to search the land
in the second year after the Exodus. He was one of the
family chiefs of the tribe of Judah. He and Joshua the son
of Nun were the only two of the whole number who encouraged
the people to go up and possess the land, and they alone
were spared when a plague broke out in which the other ten
spies perished (Num. 13; 14). All the people that had been
numbered, from twenty years old and upward, perished in the
wilderness except these two. The last notice we have of
Caleb is when (being then eighty-five years of age) he came
to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, after the people had
gained possession of the land, and reminded him of the
promise Moses had made to him, by virtue of which he
claimed a certain portion of the land of Kirjath-arba as
his inheritance (Josh. 14:6-15; 15:13-15; 21:10-12; 1 Sam.
25:2,3; 30:14). He is called a "Kenezite" in
Josh. 14:6,14. This may simply mean "son of
Kenez" (Num. 32:12). Some, however, read
"Jephunneh, the son of Kenez," who was a
descendant of Hezron, the son of Pharez, a grandson of
Judah (1 Chr. 2:5). This Caleb may possibly be identical
with (2).
(4.) Caleb gave his name apparently to a part of the south
country (1 Sam. 30:14) of Judah, the district between
Hebron and Carmel, which had been assigned to him. When he
gave up the city of Hebron to the priests as a city of
refuge, he retained possession of the surrounding country
(Josh. 21:11,12; comp. 1 Sam. 25:3).
The golden calf which Aaron made (Ex. 32:4) was probably a
copy of the god Moloch rather than of the god Apis, the
sacred ox or calf of Egypt. The Jews showed all through
their history a tendency toward the Babylonian and
Canaanitish idolatry rather than toward that of Egypt.
Ages after this, Jeroboam, king of Israel, set up two idol
calves, one at Dan, and the other at Bethel, that he might
thus prevent the ten tribes from resorting to Jerusalem for
worship (1 Kings 12:28). These calves continued to be a
snare to the people till the time of their captivity. The
calf at Dan was carried away in the reign of Pekah by
Tiglath-pileser, and that at Bethel ten years later, in the
reign of Hoshea, by Shalmaneser (2 Kings 15:29; 17:33).
This sin of Jeroboam is almost always mentioned along with
his name (2 Kings 15:28 etc.).
(2.) God calls with respect to men when he designates them
to some special office (Ex. 31:2; Isa. 22:20; Acts 13:2),
and when he invites them to accept his offered grace (Matt.
9:13; 11:28; 22:4).
In the message of the gospel his call is addressed to all
men, to Jews and Gentiles alike (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15;
Rom. 9:24, 25). But this universal call is not inseparably
connected with salvation, although it leaves all to whom it
comes inexcusable if they reject it (John 3:14-19; Matt.
22:14).
An effectual call is something more than the outward
message of the Word of God to men. It is internal, and is
the result of the enlightening and sanctifying influence of
the Holy Spirit (John 16:14; Acts 26: 18; John 6:44),
effectually drawing men to Christ, and disposing and
enabling them to receive the truth (John 6:45; Acts 16:14;
Eph. 1:17).
(1.) The Bactrian camel is distinguished by two humps. It
is a native of the high table-lands of Central Asia.
(2.) The Arabian camel or dromedary, from the Greek
dromos, "a runner" (Isa. 60:6; Jer. 2:23),
has but one hump, and is a native of Western Asia or
Africa.
The camel was early used both for riding and as a beast of
burden (Gen. 24:64; 37:25), and in war (1 Sam. 30:17; Isa.
21:7). Mention is made of the camel among the cattle given
by Pharaoh to Abraham (Gen. 12:16). Its flesh was not to be
eaten, as it was ranked among unclean animals (Lev. 11:4;
Deut. 14:7). Abraham's servant rode on a camel when he
went to fetch a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:10, 11). Jacob had
camels as a portion of his wealth (30:43), as Abraham also
had (24:35). He sent a present of thirty milch camels to
his brother Esau (32:15). It appears to have been little in
use among the Jews after the conquest. It is, however,
mentioned in the history of David (1 Chr. 27:30), and after
the Exile (Ezra 2:67; Neh. 7:69). Camels were much in use
among other nations in the East. The queen of Sheba came
with a caravan of camels when she came to see the wisdom of
Solomon (1 Kings 10:2; 2 Chr. 9:1). Benhadad of Damascus
also sent a present to Elisha, "forty camels'
burden" (2 Kings 8:9).
To show the difficulty in the way of a rich man's
entering into the kingdom, our Lord uses the proverbial
expression that it was easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle (Matt. 19:24).
To strain at (rather, out) a gnat and swallow a camel was
also a proverbial expression (Matt. 23:24), used with
reference to those who were careful to avoid small faults,
and yet did not hesitate to commit the greatest sins. The
Jews carefully filtered their wine before drinking it, for
fear of swallowing along with it some insect forbidden in
the law as unclean, and yet they omitted openly the
"weightier matters" of the law.
The raiment worn by John the Baptist was made of
camel's hair (Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6), by which he was
distinguished from those who resided in royal palaces and
wore soft raiment. This was also the case with Elijah (2
Kings 1:8), who is called "a hairy man," from his
wearing such raiment. "This is one of the most
admirable materials for clothing; it keeps out the heat,
cold, and rain." The "sackcloth" so often
alluded to (2 Kings 1:8; Isa. 15:3; Zech. 13:4, etc.) was
probably made of camel's hair.