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BIBLE DICTIONARY.

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which were of an inferior kind. (Num. iv. 15, 16, 24.) The Hebrew word leAharon, rendered " Aaronites," (1 Chron. xii. 27; xxvii. 17,) properly means for Aaron, and seems to be used as an appellative for any high priest; (Ps. cxxxiii. 2;) just as the "house of Aaron" is put for the

AB=fruit. The Chaldee name of the fifth month of the ancient Hebrew year. It commenced with the first new moon of our August, and consisted of thirty days. It is called "the fifth month;" also "the time of the first ripe grapes." (Num, xxxiii. 38; xiii. 20.)-See MONTH.

AARON=mountaineer. The son of Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi. He was born about B.C. 1574, and was three years older than his brother Moses. (Ex. vi. 20; vii. 7.) Aaron was noted for his eloquence, and was appointed by Jehovah the spokesman for Moses in the court of Pharaoh, the Egyptian king. (Ex. iv. 14-priests in general. (Ps. cxv. 10, 12.) 16.) He was the assistant of Moses in conducting the Hebrews out of Egypt; and, in accordance with the instructions contained in the revelations regarding the ecclesiastical establishment, he was consecrated the first high priest of the Hebrew nation. (Ex. vii. 1-10; xxviii. 1-43; Lev. viii. 1-36.) He was a man of great meekness; but, through want of firmness, he sometimes fell into grievous sins. While Moses was absent in the Mount receiving the law, at the instigation of the people, Aaron made a calf-idol, in imitation of the Egyptian Apis, or perhaps of Mnevis, probably as a symbolical representation of Jehovah. (Ex. xxxii. 1-35; Ps. cvi. 19, 20.) Aaron joined Miriam in sedition against Moses; (Num. xii. 1-12;) and, with Moses, neglected to acknowledge the power of God at Kadesh. For this he was denied the privilege of entering the promised Land. (Num. xx. 12-24.) While the Hebrews were encamped at Mosera, in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt, Aaron, at the divine command, ascended Mount Hor and died, at the age of one hundred and twenty-three years. (Num. xx. 25-29; Deut. x. 6.) The sons and descendants of Aaron served as priests at the sanctuary; while the other families of the tribe of Levi performed those religious duties

ABADDON-destruction. This Hebrew word occurs as a poetical name of the lower regions, place of the dead, and is rendered "destruction." (Job xxvi. 6; xxviii. 22; Prov. xv. 11.) It is used by John to designate the Angel of the Abyss, explained by the Greek term Apollyon-Destroyer, the destroying angel; (Rev. ix. 11;) perhaps spoken of "him that had the power of death, that is, the devil," who was permitted to instigate the Roman armies in their cruelties to the Jews in the overthrow of Jerusalem. (Heb. ii. 14; Rev. ix. 1.)

ABAGTHA given by fortune, i. e., prosperous, or the handsome person. Au officer in the court of Ahasuerus, the Persian. (Esth. i. 10.)

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ABANA stony. A stream which rises high up in the eastern declivity of Anti-Lebanon, and, after abundantly watering the great plain, passes through Damascus. In 2 Kings v. 12, Naaman, the Syrian, says, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better

than all the waters of Israel?" In | streams, it glides softly into the green the Hebrew marginal reading, and in suburbs of Damascus. Lepsius, who the English also, "Abana" is written followed the Barada from its source, "Amana;" and this is probably the says, "It enters the great plain a little correct form, as affording a good ety- south of Damascus, turns to the left mology-the perennial, in contrast with towards the city, through which it such streams which in summer are flows in seven branches." After furclean dried up. (Isa. xxxiii. 16; com- nishing the city and its fields and garpare Jer. xv. 16.) The Amana is now dens, with an ample supply of water, generally identified with the classical the main stream and its subsidiaries Chrysorrhoas--the golden river, the mo- unite, the river pursues its course over dern Barada the cold, whose waters the plain east of Damascus, for some are distributed over the beautiful and sixteen miles; it falls by different fertile plain of Damascus. A part of branches into the large marshy lake Anti-Lebanon, in contrast with Shenir Bahret el-Kibliyeh South Lake, and and Hermon, is also called "Amana," from that by a connecting channel into (Sol. Song, iv. 8,) corresponding to the the Bahret esh-Shurkiyeh-East Lake. portion of the mountain range near Though the two lakes occasionally where the Barada has its source, and communicate, they are separated by a taking its name apparently from the tract of ground varying from half a stream. The beautiful plain or basin mile to a mile in breadth; and they south of Zebedany, where the river has abound with fish and various kinds of its source, is situated high up in the water-fowl. The Rev. J. L. Porter, ridges and terraces of the mountain, who visited the lakes in 1852, esti3,500 feet above the level of the sea. mates the circumference of the South This basin was doubtless once a lake, Lake at nearly twenty miles, and the which in long ages of patient attrition East Lake at about twenty miles. From has worn its own deep drain, now the fountain to the plain the stream is called Wady Barada. In the south-upwards of twenty-two miles long, and west corner of the broader portion of this basin, about four miles south of Zebedany, at the ruined village called Haush Barada, is situated the little fountain or lake whence rises at once the river Barada. Meandering through the narrower portion of the plain, in a direction south of east, for four or five miles, it slips in among the mountains at el-Tekiyeh; and a short distance below the bridge, leaps down a bold cataract, and begins a furious struggle with the wild mountain gorges of the Wady, or valley; bursting through no less than three such gorges-one below el-Tekiyeh, near the lower part of which was situated the ancient Abila of Lysanias; a second near the fountain el-Fijeh, the stream of which bursts out at a single aperture in the rock, with irresistible violence, and at the distance of about 120 paces enters the Barada; and a third at Dummar. Nor does it rest one moment, until, after being joined by other mountain

the arable land watered by it along its banks averages at least half-a-mile in width. From Salahiyeh to the lakes is about twenty miles, and there is an average width of fifteen miles of this watered by the Barada. Thus, according to Mr. Porter's estimate, the arable land watered by this river is about three hundred and eleven square miles, or nearly five times that watered by the Awaj, the ancient Pharpar.See PHARPAR.

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ABARIM regions beyond. The general name of a mountainous tract on the east of the Dead Sea and the lower Jordan. The mountains Peor, Pisgah, and Nebo, were spurs or summits of the Abarim. (Num. xxvii. 12; xxxiii. 47; Deut. xxxii. 49.) The name "Abarim," in Jer. xxii. 20, rendered "passages," ought to have stood untranslated.-See PISGAH.

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ABBA = father. A Syro-Chaldaie word of affection and confidence, much used by the Jews and the early Chris

ABIHAIL = father of light, i. e., splendour. 1. This name is different in the original from the preceding. The wife of Rehoboam, king of Judah; she is called "the daughter," properly the descendant, of Eliab, David's elder brother. (2 Chron. xi. 18.) 2. The wife of Abishur. (1 Chron. ii. 29.)

the ascendancy, and made constant progress in power and importance. In 1 Kings, xiv. 31; xv. 1-8, Abijah is written "Abijam"=father of the sea, i. e., seaman. And in 1 Kings, xv. 6, instead of "Rehoboam," we ought to read Abijam. In Matt. i. 7, he is called "Abia." 2. The son of Jeroboam, ABIHU whose father is IIe, i. e., the first king of Israel, who died in God. One of the sons of Aaron, who, childhood. He was the only person of together with his brothers, Nadab, the house of Jeroboam, who in the Eleazer, and Ithamar, were set apart midst of all the idolatry and wickedness by God to the office of the priesthood. of the times, had the fear of the Lord Soon after they entered upon their in his heart. He appears to have been sacred duties, Nadab and Abihu were the hope of the nation, and to have guilty of a violation of God's commands, been universally beloved. (1 Kings respecting the manner of offering in- xiv. 1-18.) 3. A priest of the poscense, and they were instantly con- terity of Aaron, and principal of the sumed by fire from heaven. They used eighth class in David's division of the strange, or common fire, instead of the priests. (1 Chron. xxiv. 10.) In Luke sacred fire which they were required to i. use from the altar of burnt offering. (Lev. x. 1. 2.) As the prohibition of wine and strong drink, especially when entering into the sanctuary, immediately follows, we may infer that Nadab and Abihu were intoxicated when they fell into this presumptuous sin.

ABIHUD whose father is praise. A son of Bela. (1 Chron. viii. 3.)

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5, he is called "Abia." 4. The mother of king Hezekiah. (2 Chron. xxix. 1.) In 2 Kings, xviii. 2, she is called "Abi"--my father. 5. One of the priests. (Neh x. 7; xii. 4, 17.)

ABIJAM.-See ABIJAH.

ABILENE. A small but fertile district of Syria, which included the eastern declivities of Hermon and AntiLebanon, and the successive lower ABIJAH=whose father is Jehovah. ridges, with the intervening open tracts, 1. The second king of Judah. He or terraces, which front the eastern was the son of Rehoboam, and of Man- plains. It derived its name from its chah, the daughter of Urial, grand-chief city, ABILA=a grassy place, meadaughter of Absalom. (1 Kings xv. 2; 2 Chron. xi. 21; xiii. 2.) He succeeded his father, B c. 957; and reigned only three years. He was not a good king; however, he did not forsake the worship of Jehovah. With true courage, resulting from the principles of the theocracy, he resolved, with 400,000 men, to commence a war with Jeroboam, king of Israel, whose forces amounted to double that number. He gained an important victory, and 500,000 of the Israelitish army were left dead on the field. (2 Chron. xiii. 3, 17.) Some suppose the Hebrew to have a cipher too much in each number, as several copies of the Vulgate state Abijah's army at 40,000; Jeroboam's at 80,000; and the slain at 50,000. Under Abijah the kingdom of Judah gained

dow, known also as "Abila of Lysanias.” (Luke, iii. 1.) Abila was situated on the eastern slope of Anti-Lebanon, about eighteen miles N. W. from Damascus, on the great road from that city towards Baalbek. This position identifies the ruins near the village Suk Wady-el-Barada-market of Wady-elBarada, as the site of the ancient city. This village is situated on the north side of the river Barada, the ancient Abana, near the point where it issues from the wild and highly picturesque gorge, by which it breaks down through the first ridge or offset of the mountains below the plain of Zebedany. In the village there are evident remains of former edifices, and well-squared stones, many of considerable size, lie about in all directions. Dr. Robinson, who