Bithynia
1Pe 1:1, a providence in the northern part of Asia Minor, on the shore of the Black sea, having Paphlagonia on the east, Phrygia and Galatia on the south, and Mysia on the south...
Dictionary
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
A Dictionary of the Holy Bible, American Tract Society, c. 1859, edited by W. W. Rand.
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156 entries
Bittern
A fowl about the size of a heron, and of the same genus. Nineveh and Babylon became a possession for "the bittern" and other wild birds, Isa 14:23 34:11 Zep 2:14. According to s...
Blains
Ex 9:8-10, burning ulcerous eruptions, miraculously caused by the ashes which Moses threw up among the Egyptians. If these ashes came from the brick-kilns where the Hebrews had ...
Blasphemy
A man is guilty of blasphemy, when he speaks of God, or his attributes, injuriously; when he calumniously ascribe such qualities to him as do not belong to him, or robs him of t...
Blasphemy Against The Holy Ghost
Mt 12:31,32Mr 3:28Lu 12:10 This sin was committed by the Pharisees when they, in violation of their own convictions, willfully and maliciously ascribed the miracles of the Son o...
Blastus
A chamberlain of Herod Agrippa, bribed to favor the men of Tyre and Sidon, Ac 12:20.
Blemishes
Imperfections or deformities which unfitted men for the priesthood, and animals for sacrifice. Of theses we have a particular enumeration in Le 21:18-20; 22:20-24. In this provi...
Blessing
Referring both to God and to man. When God blesses, he bestows that efficacy which renders his blessing effectual. His blessings are either temporal or spiritual, bodily or ment...
Blindness
This distressing malady is very prevalent in the East. Many physical causes in those countries unite to injure the organs of vision. The sun is hot, and in the atmosphere floats...
Blood
The life of all animals was regarded as especially in the blood, which was a sacred and essential part of the sacrifices offered to God, Heb 9:22. It was solemnly sprinkled upon...
Blood-Avenger
The sacredness of human life, and the justice of punishing a murderer by death, are grounded on the fact that man was made in the image of God, Ge 9:6. With justice, the passion...
Blue
SeePURPLE.
Boanerges
Sons of thunder, a name given by our Savior to James and John the sons of Zebedee, Mr 3:17; perhaps on account of their power as preachers. Some suppose it was given on the occa...
Boar
The wild boar is considered as the parent stock of the common hog. He is a furious and formidable animal. The tusks are larger and stronger than in the tame herds, the color is ...
Boaz
Ru 2:1, a wealthy Bethlehemite, a descendant of Judah, through whom is traced the regular succession of Jewish kings, Mt 1:5. His conduct in the case of Ruth proves him to have ...
Bochim
Weepings, a place near Gilgal, where the angel of the Lord reproved Israel for their remissness, Jud 2:1-5.
Book
Several sorts of materials were anciently used in making books. Plates of lead or copper, the bark of trees, brick, stone, and wood, were originally employed to engrave such thi...
Booth
A shelter, made usually of poles fixed upright in the ground, and covered over with green boughs, Ge 33:17. The great feast of tabernacles, or booths, had its name from the circ...
Booty
Spoils taken in war were to be shared equally by those who fought and those who guarded the camp, Nu 31:27-32. The Lord’s portion was first deducted from the whole; and in after...
Bosom
The front of the upper part of the body, the breast. The orientals generally wore long wide, and loose garments; and when about to carry any thing away that their hands would no...
Bosses
The thickest and strongest parts, the projecting points, of a shield. Job 15:26.
Bottle
The accompanying engraving shows the form and nature of an ancient goatskin bottle, out of which a water-carrier is offering to sell a draught of water. After the skin has been ...
Bow
A weapon much used in ancient times, both for hunting and for war. It was made of wood, horn, or steel, Ge 27:3Ps 18:34; and the foot was sometimes used in bending it. It was ca...
Bowels
Are often put by the Hebrew writers for the internal parts generally, the inner man, just as we often use the word heart. Hence the bowels are often represented as the seat of m...
Box-Tree
A well-known beautiful evergreen, growing in many parts of Europe and Asia. Its wood is highly prized by engravers. The word employed in Isa 60:13, is thought by many to have be...
Bozrah
Ge 36:33, a city of Edom, Isa 34:6 63:1, and the region around it, Jer 49:13,22. It is associated with Terman, and with the Red sea, Jer 49:20-22Am 1:12. Its site is found in th...
Bracelet
Properly an ornament for the wrist, or for the arm above or below the elbow; but sometimes used also in the Bible to signify an ornament worn of the leg, Nu 31:50Isa 3:19. Armle...