is deplorable. The benevolent mind cannot but wish that the aims of the leaders of Israel could have been secured at less cost. Years after the death of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's younger sons, were called to perpetuate the priesthood in their own family. Aaron and the Levites were to have no part of the inheritance in the land, but all the tenth in Israel for their service in the tabernacle. Aaron, as well as Moses, was not permitted to enter with the people into the land of promise, because of the rebellion at the waters of Meribah; but, being conducted to the top of Mount Hor, was there stripped of his priestly garments, which were put on his son Eleazar; after which, Aaron died (Numb. xx.) on the top of Mount Hor (comp. Deut. x. 6. Numb. xxxiii. 38), and was mourned for by the people during the space of thirty days. Mount Hor is a hill of considerable height, which is found in Arabia Petræa, near Wady Musa. It is still named by the Arabs, Harun's Hill. On it a building, called Aaron's tomb, is shown, which is in reality a comparatively modern

structure.

Aaron was no slavish instrument in the hands of Moses. He had a will of his own, and did not fear to give expression to it when he saw fit. In this independence we have a guarantee of the trustworthiness of the Mosaic enterprise, as it affords an evidence that there was no collusion between its two great leaders. An exemplification of our position may be found in the following incident: - Moses, having married an Arab wife, had thereby given dissatisfaction to his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, who do not stop at general reproaches, but even call in question his authority. From the fact that the chief punishment was made to fall on Miriam, we think it probable that jealousy between the two females was at the bottom of this outbreak of discontent. The divine will, however, interposes: Moses is pronounced guiltless and faithful; Miriam is struck with leprosy. Here are circumstances which would have proved fatal to an impostor. Against the destructive influences of jealousy, suspicion, imputations, and penalties, nothing but an honourable cause could have stood (Numb. xii.).

That the Scriptures do not pretend to give a complete history of its events, or a full picture of its characters, is evident from the fact, that they furnish no details of Aaron's history, till, in his eighty-third year, he is called to bis official duties.

The wisdom of Providence is exemplified in the different gifts which Moses and Aaron possessed. A union of the qualities of both was necessary. Moses was fitted to command; Aaron, to obey. The first had the high power which legislation requires: the second possessed the eloquence which can give effect to great ideas. Had Moses combined the excellences of Aaron with his own, he would have

lost his meekness, and might have forfeited his piety. Had Aaron been unsupported by the strong mind of his brother, his skill in words would have vanished into air. Had Moses been more, or Aaron less, than they severally were, the due proportion of their influence would have been impaired; the martial element would have been superabundant, the religious element would have been defective; and as the soldier was only the forerunner of the priest, so was it essential that Aaron should have his own virtues and his own sphere; nor perhaps can we easily measure the amount of good which the speaking and administrative ability of Aaron conferred on the structure of the Mosaic polity. The greatest men are individually unequal to the execution of the grand purposes of God. It is only in Jesus Christ that history presents us with a perfect human model and an all-sufficient Saviour; and, for the carrying forward of his work, most various and diverse ministrations were required and supplied. Ordinary men should be content and thankful, if, unable to command or persuade, they are permitted to stand and wait.' It is equally true, that, in the great vineyard, there is work for every hand, as also there is (will men but be faithful) a hand for every work. How deeply idolatry was engrained in the souls of the Israelites, is proved by the share which Aaron took in the setting-up of the golden calf. To eradicate idolatry was most important, as well as most difficult. was the first great work. The wound, if it could not be healed, must even be cut out. Hence arose the necessity of severe courses, which, if we thoroughly understood their aim and tendency, we should be less prone to reprobate. For the same great purpose was designed the display of the divine symbols, made on Mount Horeb, when Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders, were admitted into Jehovah's presence (Exod. xxiv. 9, seq. Deut. iv. 10). Two things were to be accomplished, I. That the Israelites, who had been used for centuries to ocular impressions as to divinities, and so needed something in the way of evidence which appealed to the senses, might, in some sense, see the invisible God; and, II. That they who were to be the founders of a system of religion, whose very essence lay in God's absolute spirituality, might not, while they were instructed, receive gross and material notions, but be raised to a pure and lofty conception, of the Creator. These most important results appear to have been signally attained by the interview, when, though the company came nigh to God, beheld awful tokens of his presence, and are even said to have seen the God of Israel,' they were yet duly admonished of the impiety of making any likeness or image of the Almighty; for, as Moses expressly observes, they heard Jehovah speaking to them out of the fire, but saw no similitude. The expression, 'the God of

This

Israel,' whom they saw, is worthy of attention, as marking the yet limited extent of the divine omnipresence, which was revealed to the Hebrews, who, being unable to conceive fully and properly of a universal providence and an all-sustaining Creator, were instructed to form a somewhat just conception of the God of Israel;' the God whose people they were; under whose guardianship they were about to take possession of the land promised to their fathers; and who, in process of time, would pass in their minds from being their national God, to be the sole Governor of heaven and of earth. At first the Creator was known as the God of an individual, namely, Adam; then, of a family, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; then, of a nation, namely, the Israelites; then, of the world, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Divine light shone forth gradually upon earth, and in proportion as men's eyes grew strong enough to receive and bear its radiance.

ABADDON (H.; in Greek, Apollyon, signifying destroyer).-By this word is indicated, I. The plague by which the Israelites were destroyed in the wilderness, and at which they murmured (Numb. xiv. 2—37. 1 Cor. x. 10). II. A punishment acting like a consuming fire (Job xxxi. 12. Ps. lxxxviii. 11). III. The place of the dead; Hades in Greek, in Hebrew Scheol (Job xxvi. 6; xxviii. 22. Prov. xv. 11; xxvii. 20). IV. The angel of the bottomless pit, Antichrist, the Roman empire (Rev. ix. 11; comp. Thess. ii. 3).

ABANA (H. perennial), one of the rivers of Damascus mentioned 2 Kings v. 12, together with Pharpar, which two streams were probably tributaries of the Barrada, that issues from Antilibanus, and waters the wide plain in which Damascus stands, — producing the utmost fertility and vegetable beauty on the very verge of a desert; so that Naaman may well have preferred these his native rivers to those of Judea, which, with the exception of the Jordan, are shallow, and often dry, effecting little for the lands through which they flow.

In Solomon's Song (iv. 8), Amana is mentioned as part of Mount Lebanon. From this Amana the river may have had its sources and its name.

ABARIM (H. transits) is the name of a mountainous range in the country of the Moabites (Numb. xxxiii. 47, 48), which (according to Deut. xxxii. 49, and Josephus, Antiq. iv. 7) lay opposite to Jericho, and was very high. Mount Nebo, on which Moses died, was a part of the range; and from it a view could be had of the land of Canaan. A ford is found at its foot, whence its name may have been derived.

ABBA.-This is a Chaldaic form of the Hebrew word ab, which signifies father, and has been retained in the common English translation in Mark xiv. 36. Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 6. The word ab frequently enters as

an element into compound words, forming proper names: thus, Abner means the father of light; Abigail, father or cause of joy.

ABDON (H. servant of judgment), the twelfth judge of Israel, son of Hillel, a Pirathonite' (Judg. xii. 13), who had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts.' 'Ile judged Israel eight years.' This record shows in what wealth and state consisted in the days of the judges, and enables us to form some idea of the low degree of civilisation to which the Hebrews had sunk.

There was another Abdon, the son of Micah, whom Josiah sent, with Hilkiah and Ahikam, to Huldah the prophetess, on the discovery of a copy of the law, to inquire what the remnant of Israel and Judah should do to avoid the punishments denounced against them (2 Chron. xxxiv. 20). In 2 Kings xxii. 12, he is called Achbor, the son of Michaiah.

Abdon is also the name of a city in the tribe of Asher, which was given to the Levite family Gershon (Josh. xxi. 30. 1 Chron. vi. 74), probably the same as Hebron (the r being taken in place of d, which is not uncommon in Hebrew), reckoned in Josh. xix. 28 among the towns of Asher.

ABEDNEGO (C. Nego's slave), one of the children of Judah,' namely, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who, when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had conquered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and carried him and his subjects away captive into his own empire, were, by express command of the king, given to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, chosen of the king's seed and of the princes, children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom and cunning,' in order that they might be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.' Chaldean names were also given them, to Daniel that of Belteshazzar, to Hananiah that of Shadrach, to Mishael that of Meshach, and to Azariah that of Abednego. And God gave these four children of the Jews, knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams' (Dan. i.). In consequence of Daniel's skill in interpreting a dream, he was himself made supreme judge in the highest court, while his three companions were 'set over the affairs of the province of Babylon.' But one of those great and sudden changes ensued, to which Eastern courts are liable. Not improbably, by the intrigues of the native priests, who disliked the Hebrew favourites, a huge image of gold was set up in the plain of Dura; and when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to fall down and worship it, they were 'cast into a burning fiery furnace.' Being wonderfully preserved, however, they were set at liberty, and promoted; while a royal decree was issued, threatening, with the penalty of death, all who spake against their

God, 'because there is no other god that can deliver after this sort' (Dan. iii.). The conduct of these Hebrew confessors is worthy of the highest praise, and may advantageously be studied in an age when men are so prone to bow down to the golden idols which the world sets up to receive their homage.

ABEL (H. more properly Hebel, vanity), the second son of Adam, gave himself to the shepherd's life; thus, while Cain, his brother, pursued hunting, representing the second state in a progressive civilisation. He offered to God an offering which was accepted, while his brother's was refused; on which Cain became jealous, and, being enraged, slew Abel (Gen. iv. 8). In the New Testament, Abel is mentioned in the number of those who were put to death for their piety (Matt. xxiii. 35. Luke xi. 51). It is usual in the East to represent the blood of one who has innocently suffered death, as calling for vengeance on God; whence the blood of Abel is, in Heb. xii. 24, compared with the blood of Christ, which speaketh better things,—that is, mercy for man. In Heb. xi. 4, the preference which was given to Abel's offering is ascribed, not to any thing in the offering itself, but to the pious disposition with which it was made. Nor is there any ground for supposing, that the divine sanction is here given to sacrifices of blood, since the sacred text is not incompatible with the supposition that Abel's oblation was milk. Certainly the analogy of other histories would justify the conclusion, that animal sacrifices came into use only at a much later date.

A great truth is taught here, namely, that, as the disposition forms the character and determines the lot, so is it the quality which renders our services acceptable to God, or the reverse. Man is justified before his Maker by faith, and not by works. The motive gives its character to our deeds.

ABEL (H. a grass-plot), the name of several places in Palestine, distinguished one from another by some additional word, which appear to have been spots of peculiar fertility: thus, in 2 Chron. xvi. 4, we read of, I. Abel-maim, that is, the green spot near the waters. From 2 Sam. xx. 14, and follow. ing, this seems to have been an ancient place of religious and social note, and was also termed Abel-beth-maachah (1 Kings xv. 20). It lay in the north of Palestine, and belonged to the tribe of Naphthali. Another place was denominated, II. Abel-shittim (Numb. xxxiii. 49, that is, the green spot of acacias; it was in the plain of Moab, the same as Shittim (Numb. xxv. 1. Mic. vi. 5). Josephus places it a short distance from the Jordan. The Hebrews delayed here some time before they entered Palestine: hence Joshua sent his spies (Josh. ii. 1), and hence he began to pass the Jordan. III. Abel-keramim, which, though translated in our version (Judg. xi. 33) 'the plain of the vineyards,' was really a proper

name: the place lay on the eastern side of the Jordan, in the country of the Ammonites, and was celebrated for its wine in the time of Eusebius. IV. Abel-mizraim, the green sward of the Egyptians, called originally the thrashing-floor of Atad' (Gen. i. 11): the name was changed because there Joseph bewailed his father when carrying his corpse for burial into the land of Canaan. Jerome places it on the west side of the Jordan, as the direction which the mourners took suggests, though others assign the east side as its locality. It obviously lay not far from that river, and must have been on the southwest of the cave of Macpelah, near Mamre or Hebron, in the country of the Hittites. V. Abel meholah, the dancing plot (1 Kings iv. 12; xix. 16), lay in the north-west extremity of the land of Issachar, and is remarkable as probably the birthplace of the prophet Elisha.

ABIA (H. Jehovah-father), the designation of one of the twenty-four courses or companies into which the priests were divided, from the time of David, for conducting the service of the temple in Jerusalem (Luke i. 5-10). Abia was the name of a descendant of Eleazar, Aaron's son, from whom, together with his brother Ithamar, the Mosaic priesthood was derived. The company was called Abia, from its original head; for every course had a chief, whose business was to superin tend the discharge of the duties of the course. These twenty-four bands took the office in turn, week by week. Abia was the eighth company. Among the duties was that of burning the incense, morning and evening (at the time of incense,' ver. 10), on the altar of incense, before the mercy-seat, which was the place appropriated for the appearance of Jehovah, and the manifestation of his will. Accordingly, here it was that Zacharias had his vision relating to the birth of John the Baptist. The whole scene, as depicted by Luke, is intensely Hebraic (1 Chron. xxiv. 3. 2 Chron. viii. 14; xxiii. 4; xxxv. 4; xxxvi. 14. Neh. xii. 7. Ezra x. 5. 2 Kings xi. 39. Joseph. Antiq. vii. 4, 7; xx. 7, 8).

ABIGAIL (H. father of joy), wife of Nabal, a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance, whose husband was churlish and evil in his doings (1 Sam. xxv. 3), dwelling in Carmel, in great substance. David, when flying from Saul, sought aid from Nabal, whose property he had protected; and, being refused, proceeded with a band of men to punish him for his ingratitude, but was met by Abigail, who, without her husband's knowledge, had gone forth to meet David, with a large present. Her husband, through her entreaties and generosity, was spared. On this, Nabal made a great feast, and was not informed by his wife of what she had done till the day after his carousing; on hearing which, his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. Shortly afterwards

he was a corpse. David then married Abigail, who bore him his second child, Chileab (2 Sam. iii. 3), who, in 1 Chron. iii. 1, is called Daniel.

The address which Abigail utters in order to deter David from his purposes of revenge, offers a remarkable combination of simplicity, shrewdness, and skill. It bears in itself the evidence of its truth. No one who knows any thing of oriental manners in ancient times, can doubt its reality. It affords also a permanent testimony to not merely the good sense, but the high culture, of Abigail, who, failing to make any good impression on the great lines of her husband's character, must have felt herself most unequally yoked, and, having a princely soul, well deserved to become David's queen. The promptitude with which she undertakes to try whether she could appease David's wrath, while the poor churl, Nabal, could do nothing but sit still and await the storm, shows the laudable decision of virtuous energy. A good conscience is the source of the noblest impulses.

ABIHU (H. he is my father), a son of Aaron, who, with his brother Nadab, was devoured by the fire which came out from the tabernacle, in consequence of the unbidden and strange fire which they offered in their censers (Lev. x. 1). The offence appears to have consisted, not merely in the oblation being unbidden, and therefore likely to interfere with the purity of divine worship, but in the improper state in which resort to strong drink had brought the young men (ver. 811). In untold instances, alas! has strong drink' annihilated in men's minds the essential difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean;' causing its inextinguishable and most deadly 'fire' to 'devour,' first their hearts, and then their bodies; leaving them, in regard to eternity, without God and without hope.

ABIJAH (H. my father Jah. A.M. 4602; A.C. 940; V. 958), the name given in the Chronicles to the second king of Judah, the follower of Rehoboam. In the Book of Kings, he is termed Abijam. He began his reign in the eighteenth year of his father, and reigned three years in Jerusalem. In ascending the throne, Abijah had all the advantages which birth could convey, and on that account seems to have cherished the project of bring ing the ten tribes back under the sceptre of Judah: but, if they were given to idolatry, he was not free from its abominations; and the great ends of Providence in the furtherance of monotheism would have been little promoted by allowing his wishes to be realized, and so strengthening the kingdom of Judah. Even the power which Abijah did possess, was greater than he knew how to use religiously. However, he made an attempt to carry his plan into execution, and for that purpose engaged in war with Jeroboam. But some feasible pretext was required. Accord

ingly, having marshalled his troops, to the number of 400,000 valiant men of war,' he proceeds, after the ancient custom, to address his enemy, and for this purpose ascends Mount Zemaraim, in the territories of Jeroboam; and then makes a speech, which shows that he possessed more talent than honesty, reproving the king of the ten tribes with the idolatrous practices to which he himself was not a stranger. Then came the battle, which ended in favour of Abijah, and in the slaughter of 500,000 chosen men on the opposite side. The chronicler ascribes the victory to the divine assistance; nor is it difficult to believe, that the Judahites, not having become religiously so corrupt as the Israelites, were superior, as in strength and courage, so in a consciousness of the favour of God (1 Kings xv. 2 Chron. xiii.). This victory increased Abijah's power, who, in the true spirit of au oriental monarch, had a harem of fourteen wives, and a family of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. As Abijah appeared as the champion of the national religion, so he took care to borrow from it more than the aid which words could give. A body of priests was placed in his army, whose office it was, at the onset of the forces, with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against the enemy;' and, no doubt, the worshippers of the golden calves retained in their bosoms enough of the influence of the old national religion, to be struck with a superstitious panic when they heard a blast, which, reminding them of the solemnities of the temple worship, sounded like the voice of God, uttered against their rebellion and idolatry.

The enemies of religion have endeavoured to turn to their own account the vast numbers arrayed and slain on this occasion and on others. The case is not without difficulty. We subjoin a few remarks, which may lessen the objection. Mistakes are easily made by transcribers in copying numbers, especially, from the nature of the Hebrew notation, the higher numbers. It may even be questioned, whether the apparent exaggeration rests with the historian, or with our misconception of his mode of reckoning. These large are also round numbers, and do not therefore pretend to more than a general accuracy, which is sufficient for the object that the writers had in view. We must not look at these armies with modern eyes. They were not regular standing troops, but a sort of levy en masse, brought together for the occasion, and comprising the bulk of the adult population. This fact goes far to account for their magnitude, as well as for the extent of slaughter which ensued on a defeat; for the flight would be no less confused and scattered than precipitate, and the ravages of a pitiless and bloodthirsty conqueror would, in the first flush of victory, be fearful.

It is an old, but not the less blame-worthy expedient, for ambition and tyranny to cover

their designs with religious pretexts; but Abijah's misconduct was not mitigated by his disingenuousness, nor can hypocrisy in any case do aught but make a lust of power hateful in the sight of God and man.

ABILENE (G.), a district of country, at the foot of Antilebanon, named from Abila, its chief city (Luke iii. 1). Bankes considers Abila to have lain on the river Barrada, in which he agrees with Pococke. Burial mounds are found on the spot, and Bankes discovered a Grecian inscription on a rock; Pococke had previously discovered one in a church; both of which gave countenance to the idea, that the city stood there. We have only an imperfect knowledge of this small state. It is not mentioned in history before the time when Antony, the Roman triumvir, held sway over Western Asia, when it is denominated by Josephus (Antiq. xx. 7. 1) as a tetrarchy and a kingdom (Jewish War, ii. 11.5). The first ruler on record bore the name of Ptolemy Mennæus, who died about A.C. 40. Lysanias followed him. He was put to death by Antony, A.C. 34. Then came a tetrarch named Zenodorus, who, A.C. 23, was compelled by Augustus to give up a large part of his territories, and the entire district fell into the hands of the Roman emperors.

According to this view, no mention is made by Josephus of the Lysanias who, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius, was tetrarch of Abilene; at which we need feel no surprise, as Abilene was a small state, and lay beyond the borders of Palestine; while the terms employed by historians show, that Lysanias was an established name, in connection with the supreme magistrate, so that the Lysanias of Luke may have been a descendant of the Lysanias who was put to death by Antony. It must, however, be added, that language employed by Josephus admits the interpretation that he refers also to the Lysanias of Luke; and, speaking of Caligula, the Jewish historian says (Antiq. xviii. 6. 10) that emperor gave to Agrippa, I. 'the tetrarchy of Lysanias.' The bestowal of the gift, however, was postponed; for Claudius is declared to have presented Agrippa, II. with Abila of Lysanias, and all that lay near Mount Lebanon' (Antiq. xix. 5. 1), which did not take effect till the twelfth year of Claudius (A.D. 52). In reference to the final disposal of Abila, Josephus remarks, which had been the tetrarchy of Lysanias' (Antiq. xx. 7. 1). One thing is very clear, namely, that Abilene was early in the first century currently spoken of as the tetrarchy of Lysanias. And it is scarcely to be supposed, that the reputation of a prince of so inconsiderable a state should have been such as to transmit the name of Lysanias, during various changes in the government, over a period of above half a century. The currency of the name is much more likely to be owing to its being borne by a tetrarch Lysanias, who held power, agree

ably with Luke's statement, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar, which would be not many years short of the time when the tetrarchy was assigned by Caligula to Agrippa. The scattered historical intimations seem to favour the idea of there having been at least two rulers of Abilene, named Lysanias; one put to death by Antony, the other who governed at the time defined by Luke. Nor need we feel any surprise, that Luke makes use of the name as a means of dating by; since, as we have seen, the tetrarchate of Lysanias was a well-known object of reference. Lysanias bears the title of tetrarch on an inscription found by Pococke in the neighbourhood of Abila.

ABIMELECH (H. king's father. A.M. 3284; A. C. 2264; V. 1897) was a king of the Philistines, who ruled over Gerar which lay on the south-western border of Palestine. This petty prince took Sarah, Abraham's wife, as the patriarch journeyed in his nomadic wanderings towards the west, and put her into his harem, believing that she was merely Abraham's sister; for Abraham, in virtue of her being his father's but not his mother's child, had, with a view to safety, caused Sarah to be called his sister. Sarah, however, resisted the wishes of Abimelech, who, at length, discovers that Sarah was the wife, as well as sister, of Abraham, and, in consequence of a divinely sent punishment, restores her to her husbaud, whom the king seeks to conciliate with presents, and who, being thus satisfied, interposes with God to relieve Abimelech and his house from the penalty under which they lay (Gen. xx). Abimelech, in order to make an acknowledgment to Sarah for her severance from her husband, kindly informs her that he had given him a thousand shekels of silver, which ought to act as a covering of the eyes;' that is, according to eastern phraseology, a veil to conceal what had been done amiss, and a means of satisfaction and forgiveness; so that Sarah, who appears to have complained of the treatment she had received, was thus gently reproved (ver. 16). On the termination of this business, Abimelech sought to form permanent relations of friendship with Abraham. In Gen. xxvi. 1, we find an Abimelech in the days of Isaac, reigning over the same country, who was in danger of standing, in regard to Isaac and his wife Rebekah, in the same position as that which has just been narrated. This Abimelech can scarcely be the same as the prince before spoken of: probably Abimelech was a name common to all the princes of Gerar, as Pharoah was in Egypt.

The conduct of both Abimelech and Abraham will be better understood when it is known, that Eastern princes possess an unquestioned right to all the beauties which may be found in their dominions (Gen. xii. 15. Esth. ii. 3).

Another Abimelech (A. M. 4237; A. C.