Pools of Solomon
The name given to three large open cisterns at Etam, at the head of the Wady Urtas, having an average length of 400 feet by 220 in breadth, and 20 to 30 in depth. These pools de...
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Easton's Bible Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, M. G. Easton, 1897.
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Poor
The Mosaic legislation regarding the poor is specially important. (1.) They had the right of gleaning the fields (Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19,21).(2.) In the sabbatical year they...
Poplar
Heb. libneh, “white”, (Gen. 30:37; Hos. 4:13), in all probability the storax tree (Styrax officinalis) or white poplar, distinguished by its white blossoms and pale leaves. It i...
Porch, Solomon’s
A colonnade on the east of the temple, so called from a tradition that it was a relic of Solomon’s temple left standing after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. (C...
Porcius Festus
See FESTUS.
Porter
A gate-keeper (2 Sam. 18:26; 2 Kings 7:10; 1 Chr. 9:21; 2 Chr. 8:14). Of the Levites, 4,000 were appointed as porters by David (1 Chr. 23:5), who were arranged according to thei...
Post
(1.) A runner, or courier, for the rapid transmission of letters, etc. (2 Chr. 30:6; Esther 3:13, 15; 8:10, 14; Job 9:25; Jer. 51:31). Such messengers were used from very early ...
Potiphar
Dedicated to Ra; i.e., to the sun-god, the Egyptian to whom the Ishmaelites sold Joseph (Gen. 39:1). He was “captain of the guard”, i.e., chief, probably, of the state police, w...
Potipherah
A priest of On, whose daughter Asenath became Joseph’s wife (Gen. 41:45).
Potsherd
A “shred”, i.e., anything severed, as a fragment of earthenware (Job 2:8; Prov. 26:23; Isa. 45:9).
Pottage
Heb. nazid, “boiled”, a dish of boiled food, as of lentils (Gen. 25:29; 2 Kings 4:38).
Potters field
The name given to the piece of ground which was afterwards bought with the money that had been given to Judas. It was called the “field of blood” (Matt. 27:7-10). Tradition plac...
Pottery
The art of, was early practised among all nations. Various materials seem to have been employed by the potter. Earthenware is mentioned in connection with the history of Melchiz...
Pound
(1.) A weight. Heb. maneh, equal to 100 shekels (1 Kings 10:17; Ezra 2:69; Neh. 7:71, 72). Gr. litra, equal to about 12 oz. avoirdupois (John 12:3; 19:39).(2.) A sum of money; t...
Praetorium
The Greek word (praitorion) thus rendered in Mark 15:16 is rendered “common hall” (Matt. 27:27, marg., “governor’s house”), “judgment hall,” (John 18:28, 33, marg., “Pilate’s ho...
Prayer
Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constan...
Predestination
This word is properly used only with reference to God’s plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered “predestinate” is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom....
Presidents
Three presidents are mentioned, of whom Daniel was the first (Dan. 6:2-7). The name in the original is sarkhin, probably a Persian word meaning perfects or ministers.
Priest
The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices.At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards...
Prince
The title generally applied to the chief men of the state. The “princes of the provinces” (1 Kings 20:14) were the governors or lord-lieutenants of the provinces. So also the “p...
Priscilla
The wife of Aquila (Acts 18:2), who is never mentioned without her. Her name sometimes takes the precedence of his (Rom. 16:3; 2 Tim. 4:19). She took part with Aquila (q.v.) in ...
Prison
The first occasion on which we read of a prison is in the history of Joseph in Egypt. Then Potiphar, “Joseph’s master, took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the k...
Prophecy
Or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a “miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyon...
Prophet
(Heb. nabi, from a root meaning “to bubble forth, as from a fountain,” hence “to utter”, comp. Ps. 45:1). This Hebrew word is the first and the most generally used for a prophet...
Propitiation
That by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procur...
Proportion of faith
(Rom. 12:6). Paul says here that each one was to exercise his gift of prophecy, i.e., of teaching, “according to the proportion of faith.” The meaning is, that the utterances of...
Proselyte
Is used in the LXX. for “stranger” (1 Chr. 22:2), i.e., a comer to Palestine; a sojourner in the land (Ex. 12:48; 20:10; 22:21), and in the New Testament for a convert to Judais...