Smith's Bible Dictionary

244

CRISPING PINS

(Isaiah 3:22) The original word means some kind of female ornament, probably a reticule or richly ornamented purse, often made of silk inwrought with gold or silver.

245

CRISPUS

(curled), ruler of the Jewish synagogue at Corinth, (Acts 18:8) baptized with his family by St. Paul. (1 Corinthians 1:14) (A.D. 50.)

246

CROSS

As the emblem of a slave’s death and a murderer’s punishment, the cross was naturally looked upon with the profoundest horror. But after the celebrated vision of Constantine, he...

247

CROWN

This ornament, which is both ancient and universal, probably originated from the fillets used to prevent the hair from being dishevelled by the wind. Such fillets are still comm...

248

CROWN OF THORNS

(Matthew 27:29) Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the Roman soldiers. Obviously some small flexile thorny shrub is meant perhaps Capparis spinosa. "Hasselquist, a S...

249

CRUCIFIXION

was in used among the Egyptians, (Genesis 40:19) the Carthaginians, the Persians, (Esther 7:10) the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and from the earliest times among the...

250

CRUSE

a small vessel for holding water, such as was carried by Saul when on his night expedition after David, (1 Samuel 26:11,12,16) and by Elijah. (1 Kings 19:6)

251

CRYSTAL

the representative in the Authorized Version of two Hebrew words.Zecucith occurs only in (Job 28:17) where "glass" probably is intended.kerach occurs in numerous passages in the...

252

CUBIT

[WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES]

253

CUCKOO

(Leviticus 11:16; 14:15) the name of some of the larger petrels which abound in the east of the Mediterranean.

254

CUCUMBERS

(Heb. kishshuim). This word occurs in (Numbers 11:5) as one of the good things of Egypt produces excellent cucumbers, melons, etc., the Cucumis chate being the best of its tribe...

255

CUMMIN

one of the cultivated plants of Palestine. (Isaiah 28:25,27; Matthew 23:23) It is an umbelliferous plant something like fennel. The seeds have a bitterish warm taste and an arom...

256

CUP

The cups of the Jews, whether of metal or earthenware, were possibly borrowed, in point of shape and design, from Egypt and from the Phoenicians, who were celebrated in that bra...

257

CUPBEARER

an officer of high rank with Egyptian, Persian and Assyrian as well as Jewish monarchs. (1 Kings 10:5) It was his duty to fill the king’s cup and present it to him personally. (...

258

CUSH

the name of a son of Ham, apparently the eldest, and of a territory or territories occupied by his descendants. The Cushites appear to have spread along tracts extending from th...

259

CUSH

(black), a Benjamite mentioned only in the title to (Psalms 7:1) He was probably a follower of Saul, the head of his tribe. (B.C. 1061).

260

CUSHAN

(blackness), (Habakkuk 3:7) possibly the same as Cushan-rishathaim (Authorized Version Chushan-) king of Mesopotamia. (Judges 3:8,10)

261

CUSHI

Properly "the Cushite," "the Ethiopian," a man apparently attached to Joab’s person. (2 Samuel 18:21-25,31,32)

262

CUTH, OR CUTHAH

one of the countries whence Shalmaneser introduced colonists into Samaria. (2 Kings 17:24,30) Its position is undecided.

263

CUTTINGS [IN THE FLESH]

Cuttings in the flesh, or the laceration of one’s body for the "propitiation of their gods," (1 Kings 18:28) constituted a prominent feature of idolatrous worship, especially am...

264

CYMBAL, CYMBALS

a pecussive musical instrument. Two kinds of cymbals are mentioned in (Psalms 150:5) "loud cymbals" or castagnettes, and "high-sounding cymbals." The former consisted of our sma...

265

CYPRESS

(Heb. tirzah). The Hebrew word is found only in (Isaiah 44:14) We are quite unable to assign any definite rendering to it. The true cypress is a native of the Taurus. The Hebrew...

266

CYPRUS

an island of Asia in the Mediterranean. It is about 140 miles long and 50 miles wide at the widest part. Its two chief cities were Salamis, at the east end of the island, and Pa...

267

CYRENE

the principal city of that part of northern Africa which was sufficiently called Cyrenaica, lying between Carthage and Egypt, and corresponding with the modern Tripoli. Though o...

268

CYRENIUS

(warrior), the Greek form of the Roman name of Quirinus. The full name is Publius Sulpicius Quirinus. He was consul B.C. 12, and was made governor of Syria after the banishment ...

269

CYRUS

(the sun), the founder of the Persian empire --see (2 Chronicles 36:22,23; Daniel 6:28; 10:1,13) --was, according to the common legend, the son of Cambyses, a Persian of the roy...