One of the most important facts recorded in Gen. 10 is the
foundation of the earliest monarchy in Babylonia by Nimrod
the grandson of Ham (6, 8, 10). The primitive Babylonian
empire was thus Hamitic, and of a cognate race with the
primitive inhabitants of Arabia and of Ethiopia.
The race of Ham were the most energetic of all the
descendants of Noah in the early times of the post-diluvian
world.
Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite
monuments discovered there show that it must have been at
one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the
conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or
Toi, made alliance with David (2 Sam. 8:10), and in B.C.
740 Azariah formed a league with it against Assyria. It
was, however, conquered by the Assyrians, and its nineteen
districts placed under Assyrian governors. In B.C. 720 it
revolted under a certain Yahu-bihdi, whose name, compounded
with that of the God of Israel (Yahu), perhaps shows that
he was of Jewish origin. But the revolt was suppressed, and
the people of Hamath were transported to Samaria (2 Kings
17:24, 30), where they continued to worship their god
Ashima. Hamah is beautifully situated on the Orontes, 32
miles north of Emesa, and 36 south of the ruins of Assamea.
The kingdom of Hamath comprehended the great plain lying on
both banks of the Orontes from the fountain near Riblah to
Assamea on the north, and from Lebanon on the west to the
desert on the east. The "entrance of Hamath"
(Num. 34:8), which was the north boundary of Palestine, led
from the west between the north end of Lebanon and the
Nusairiyeh mountains.
(2.) Heb. makabah, a stone-cutter's mallet (1 Kings
6:7), or of any workman (Judg. 4:21; Isa. 44:12).
(3.) Heb. halmuth, a poetical word for a workman's
hammer, found only in Judg. 5:26, where it denotes the
mallet with which the pins of the tent of the nomad are
driven into the ground.
(4.) Heb. mappets, rendered "battle-axe" in Jer.
51:20. This was properly a "mace," which is thus
described by Rawlinson: "The Assyrian mace was a
short, thin weapon, and must either have been made of a
very tough wood or (and this is more probable) of metal. It
had an ornamented head, which was sometimes very
beautifully modelled, and generally a strap or string at
the lower end by which it could be grasped with greater
firmness."
The right hand denoted the south, and the left the north
(Job 23:9; 1 Sam. 23:19). To give the right hand was a
pledge of fidelity (2 Kings 10:15; Ezra 10:19); also of
submission to the victors (Ezek. 17:18; Jer. 50:15). The
right hand was lifted up in taking an oath (Gen. 14:22,
etc.). The hand is frequently mentioned, particularly the
right hand, as a symbol of power and strength (Ps. 60:5;
Isa. 28:2). To kiss the hand is an act of homage (1 Kings
19:18; Job 31:27), and to pour water on one's hands is
to serve him (2 Kings 3:11). The hand of God is the symbol
of his power: its being upon one denotes favour (Ezra 7:6,
28; Isa. 1:25; Luke 1:66, etc.) or punishment (Ex. 9:3;
Judg. 2:15; Acts 13:11, etc.). A position at the right hand
was regarded as the chief place of honour and power (Ps.
45:9; 80:17; 110:1; Matt. 26:64).
Hanging (as a curtain). (1.) Heb. masak, (a) before the
entrance to the court of the tabernacle (Ex. 35:17); (b)
before the door of the tabernacle (26:36, 37); (c) before
the entrance to the most holy place, called "the veil
of the covering" (35:12; 39:34), as the word properly
means.
(2.) Heb. kelaim, tapestry covering the walls of the
tabernacle (Ex. 27:9; 35:17; Num. 3:26) to the half of the
height of the wall (Ex. 27:18; comp. 26:16). These hangings
were fastened to pillars.
(3.) Heb. bottim (2 Kings 23:7), "hangings for the
grove" (R.V., "for the Asherah"); marg.,
instead of "hangings," has "tents" or
"houses." Such curtained structures for
idolatrous worship are also alluded to in Ezek. 16:16.
(2.) Heb. haran, i.e., "parched;" or probably
from the Accadian charana, meaning "a road." A
celebrated city of Western Asia, now Harran, where Abram
remained, after he left Ur of the Chaldees, till his father
Terah died (Gen. 11:31, 32), when he continued his journey
into the land of Canaan. It is called "Charran"
in the LXX. and in Acts 7:2. It is called the "city of
Nahor" (Gen. 24:10), and Jacob resided here with Laban
(30:43). It stood on the river Belik, an affluent of the
Euphrates, about 70 miles above where it joins that river
in Upper Mesopotamia or Padan-aram, and about 600 miles
northwest of Ur in a direct line. It was on the caravan
route between the east and west. It is afterwards mentioned
among the towns taken by the king of Assyria (2 Kings
19:12; Isa. 37:12). It was known to the Greeks and Romans
under the name Carrhae.
(3.) The son of Caleb of Judah (1 Chr. 2:46) by his
concubine Ephah.
There are two species in Syria, (1) the Lepus Syriacus or
Syrian hare, which is like the English hare; and (2) the
Lepus Sinaiticus, or hare of the desert. No rabbits are
found in Syria.
It has been attempted to show that Rahab, usually called a
"harlot" (Josh. 2:1; 6:17; Heb. 11:31; James
2:25), was only an innkeeper. This interpretation, however,
cannot be maintained.
Jephthah's mother is called a "strange woman"
(Judg. 11:2). This, however, merely denotes that she was of
foreign extraction.
In the time of Solomon harlots appeared openly in the
streets, and he solemnly warns against association with
them (Prov. 7:12; 9:14. See also Jer. 3:2; Ezek. 16:24, 25,
31). The Revised Version, following the LXX., has "and
the harlots washed," etc., instead of the rendering of
the Authorized Version, "now they washed," of 1
Kings 22:38.
To commit fornication is metaphorically used for to
practice idolatry (Jer. 3:1; Ezek. 16:15; Hos. throughout);
hence Jerusalem is spoken of as a harlot (Isa. 1:21).
(2.) Heb. nokriyah, the "strange woman" (1 Kings
11:1; Prov. 5:20; 7:5; 23:27). Those so designated were
Canaanites and other Gentiles (Josh. 23:13). To the same
class belonged the "foolish", i.e., the sinful,
"woman."
In the New Testament the Greek pornai, plural,
"harlots," occurs in Matt. 21:31,32, where they
are classed with publicans; Luke 15:30; 1 Cor. 6:15,16;
Heb. 11:31; James 2:25. It is used symbolically in Rev.
17:1, 5, 15, 16; 19:2.
(2.) An Old English word for "armour;" Heb.
neshek (2 Chr. 9:24).
(3.) Heb. shiryan, a coat of mail (1 Kings 22:34; 2 Chr.
18:33; rendered "breastplate" in Isa. 59:17).
(4.) The children of Israel passed out of Egypt
"harnessed" (Ex. 13:18), i.e., in an orderly
manner, and as if to meet a foe. The word so rendered is
probably a derivative from Hebrew hamesh (i.e.,
"five"), and may denote that they went up in five
divisions, viz., the van, centre, two wings, and
rear-guard.
In Solomon's time harps were made of almug-trees (1
Kings 10:11, 12). In 1 Chr. 15:21 mention is made of
"harps on the Sheminith;" Revised Version,
"harps set to the Sheminith;" better perhaps
"harps of eight strings." The soothing effect of
the music of the harp is referred to 1 Sam. 16:16, 23;
18:10; 19:9. The church in heaven is represented as
celebrating the triumphs of the Redeemer "harping with
their harps" (Rev. 14:2).
Heb. verb sadad, to harrow a field, break its clods
(Job 39:10; Isa. 28:4; Hos. 10: 11). Its form is unknown.
It may have resembled the instrument still in use in Egypt.
(2.) A district in Arabia-Felix. It is uncertain whether
the tribe gave its name to this region or derived its name
from it, and whether it was originally a Cushite (Gen.
10:7) or a Joktanite tribe (10:29; comp. 25:18), or whether
there were both a Cushite and a Joktanite Havilah. It is
the opinion of Kalisch, however, that Havilah "in both
instances designates the same country, extending at least
from the Persian to the Arabian Gulf, and on account of its
vast extent easily divided into two distinct parts."
This opinion may be well vindicated.
(2.) Again, it is said that Jair "took all the tract
of Argob," and called it Bashanhavoth-jair (Deut.
3:14). (See also Josh. 13:30; 1 Kings 4:13; 1 Chr. 2:22,
23.)
(2.) A city in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:23). The name
here should probably be connected with the word following,
Ithnan, HAZOR-ITHNAN instead of "Hazor and
Ithnan."
(3.) A district in Arabia (Jer. 49:28-33), supposed by some
to be Jetor, i.e., Ituraea.
(4.) "Kerioth and Hezron" (Josh. 15: 25) should
be "Kerioth-hezron" (as in the R.V.), the two
names being joined together as the name of one place (e.g.,
like Kirjath-jearim), "the same is Hazor" (R.V.).
This place has been identified with el-Kuryetein, and has
been supposed to be the home of Judas Iscariot.
The heart is the "home of the personal life," and
hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1
Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.),
upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72),
pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages
the word "soul" could not be substituted for
"heart."
The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15).
It is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it
contaminates the whole life and character (Matt. 12:34;
15:18; comp. Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart must be
changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14),
before a man can willingly obey God.
The process of salvation begins in the heart by the
believing reception of the testimony of God, while the
rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8;
Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13). "Hardness of heart
evidences itself by light views of sin; partial
acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit;
ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of
God; inattention to divine providences; stifling
convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption,
and general ignorance of divine things."