HERON (Lev. xi. 19)-an unclean bird, but of what species is quite uncertain. The original word seems to denote an irritable bird-a goose or parrot. The Seventy make it sand-piper, from another derivation; and the Arabic and the Talmud regard it as some kind of eagle. HESHBON (Num. xxi. 25)—a royal city of the Amorites. It was given first to Reuben (Josh. xiii. 17), then transferred to Gad (Josh. xxi. 39), and in the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah recovered by the Moabites, to whom it had before belonged (Isa. xv. 4; Jer. xlviii. 2). It exists now under the name of Heshban, and lies east of mount Nebo, about 20 miles from the Jordan, at its mouth. Near it are wells and ponds hewn out of the rock, referred to in Song vii. 4. HETH (Gen. x. 15) was the eldest son of Canaan, and the ancestor of the Hittites. (See HITTITES.) HEZEKIAH-strength of Jehovah (2 Chr. xxix. 1) a distinguished king of Judah, was the son and successor of Ahaz. He was twenty-five years of age when he came to the throne, and he immediately took measures to break up the idolatrous customs into which the people had fallen during the reign of Ahaz; to bring them back to the temple and worship of their fathers, and to repair the losses and defeats they had suffered. Early in his reign the Assyrians invaded the neighbouring kingdom of Israel, and carried the ten tribes into bondage. Notwithstanding this threatening position of affairs, Hezekiah, not willing to acknowledge any subjection to Assyria, refused to pay the tribute which had been imposed and paid during the reign of his father, in consequence of which the Assyrian army, under Sennacherib, invaded his territory. This event happened in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign, and is described, with all the interesting details, in Isa. xxxvi. 1-22. The Assyrian army was so far reduced in a single night by the immediate judgment of God as to be obliged to make a precipitate retreat. (See SENNACHERIB.) Soon after this signal deliverance Hezekiah was seized with a severe illness, perhaps to prevent him from being exalted above measure, but the fatal termination of which was averted in answer to his prayers. Fifteen years longer were promised him; and the promise was confirmed by a miraculous sign. (See DIAL.) His gratitude is expressed in the most affecting language (Isa. xxxviii. 10-20); and yet we find him afterwards greatly elated by a message of congratulation from Baladan, king of Babylon, before whose ambassadors he made a vain and pompous display of his possessions. To punish this pride and vanity, he was informed by a special message from God that his wealth should, at a future day, be transported to Babylon, and his own sons become servants in the palace of her king. The latter years of his life were passed in tranquillity, and he was succeeded by his son Manasseh. Hezekiah was a man of great virtue and religion. The spirit of David animated him, both in its piety and patriotism. He honoured God and faithfully served his country, labouring to purify and restore the temple worship, and at the same time he planned and carried out public works of national utility. HIDDEKEL (Gen. ii. 14; Dan. x. 4). Universally acknowledged to be the Tigris, which divided Assyria from Mesopotamia, and its names of Dekel or Diglath are manifestly derived from the ancient one. It rises about 15 miles from the source of the Euphrates, and was anciently connected with it by means of canals which irrigated and beautified the intervening country. HIEL-God liveth. After Jericho had been overthrown under Joshua, an awful curse was pronounced upon the man who should attempt to rebuild it (Josh. vi. 26). In the degenerate days of Ahab did Hiel brave this old malediction, and commence and rebuild the fated city. But "God lived," as the transgressor's name implied, lived to inflict the anathema which Joshua had long ago pronounced (1 Ki. xvi. 34). HIERAPOLIS (Col. iv. 13). -a city of Phrygia, in the neighbourhood of Colosse and Laodicea, about 5 miles from the latter. It was formerly famous for its hot baths and mineral waters, described by ancient geographers. It is supposed to have derived its name (which signifies holy city) from the multitude of temples which it contained, the ruins of which are still visible. It is now called Pambuk-kalesi, or cotton castle, from the whiteness of the rock on which it stands. Nothing but the hot baths could have furnished a motive for building a great city on a spot so sterile. HIGGAION-found three times in the Psalms (Ps. ix. 16; xix. 15; xcii. 4)—signifies meditation, and may call for extraordinary attention and reflection to the passage; perhaps like a or N.B. in modern writings. HIGH PLACES (1 Sam. ix. 12) were places upon hills and mountains, appropriated sometimes to the true service of God, but generally to idolatrous worship. The most elevated places seem to have been chosen from the earliest period for the erection of altars (Gen. xii. 7, 8; xxii. 2; xxxi. 54). Before the temple furnished a fixed place of worship, it seems to have been considered proper to erect altars on such places (Judg. vi. 25, 26; 1 Sam. ix. 12, 19, 25; 1 Chr. xvi. 39; xxi. 29). After the temple was built, such places became an abomination. They became so universally the scene of idolatrous worship that the sacred historian says of a particular king, that he did that which was right, &c., yet the high places were not taken away" (2 Ki. xv. 35). Mountains or high places were held sacred in all the eastern religions-spots above the world, and midway from heaven to earth. 66 The high places mentioned in Scripture areGibeon (1 Ki. iii. 4), Arnon (Num. xxi. 28), Baal (Num. xxii. 41), Tophet (Jer. vii. 31), Bamah (Ezek. xx. 29), Aven (Hos. x. 8). Such high places were built by Solomon (1 Ki. xi. 7), Jeroboam (1 Ki. xii. 31), Jehoram (2 Chr. xxi. 11), Ahaz (2 Chr. xxviii. 25), Manasseh (2 Ki. xxi. 3; 2 Chr. xxxiii. 3), people of Judah (1 Ki. xiv. 23), people of Israel (2 Ki. xvii. 9); and were destroyed by Asa, partially (2 Chr. xiv. 3, 5, with 2 Chr. xv. 17), Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. xvii. 6), Hezekiah (2 Ki. xviii. 4; 2 Chr. xxxi. 1), Josiah (2 Ki. xxiii. 8; 2 Chr. xxxiv. 3); but not removed by Jehoash (2 Ki. xii. 3), Amaziah (2 Ki. xiv. 4), Azariah (2 Ki. xv. 4), and Jotham (2 Ki. xv. 35). HIGH PRIEST (Lev. xxi. 10)-the head of the Jewish priesthood. All the male descendants of Aaron were by divine appointment consecrated to the priesthood; and the first-born of the family, in regular succession, was consecrated in the same manner to the office of high priest. The ordinance of consecration was alike for both, and is particularly described in Exod. xxiv. The ceremony was minute and impressive, and typical of the character and work of Him who is the great High Priest of our profession. The dress of the high priest was much more costly and magnificent than that of the inferior order of priests. It is described, Exod. xxxix. 1-9. It consisted of the robe and ephod, the latter of which was outermost of all, and was curiously wrought with gold wire, and blue, purple, and scarlet thread. Upon each shoulder was an onyx stone, on each of which were engraved the names of six of the tribes of Israel. The breastplate was formed with a wrought chain of gold attached to each corner, passing under the arms and over the shoulder, and had upon it Urim and Thummim, with the four rows of jewels. (See BREASTPLATE.) The mitre, or head-dress, was formed of 8 yards of fine linen, in circular folds, and inscribed in front, upon a plate of pure gold, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. The fringe, or hem of the robe, and the bells suspended from it, were a distinctive portion of the pontifical garments. The dress of the high priest, on the day of expiation, was very plain and simple, consisting only of plain linen, with a sash or girdle. Hence these were called by the Jews the priest's "white garments," &c.; the former, garments of gold." The office of the high priest was originally held for life; but this, as well as the right of the first-born, were disregarded in the later ages of that dispensation, and the sacred place was sometimes occupied by the worst of men, among whom was Caiaphas. The high priest's most solemn, peculiar, and exclusive duty was to officiate in the most holy place on the great day of atonement. In Lev. xvi. we have a full account of this most interesting service, and the imposing ceremonies which preceded it. The high priest might at any time perform the duties assigned to the ordinary priests. The high priest is supposed to have had an assistant, to occupy his place in case of his incompetency from sickness, defilement, or otherwise (2 Ki. xxv. 18; Jer. lii. 24). The office of the high priest was the loftiest ever held on earth. No honour could be greater. He was the prince of the priests, and he alone could come into the holiest of all. He stood in God's presence, nearer to him than any mortal durst venture, and pleaded for Israel. He was a "days-man between heaven and earth"-the appointed type of God's own Son, who with his own blood has entered in once into the holy place, for he has passed through the heavens into the presence of God for us. (See HEBREWS, EPISTLE TO THE, PRIEST, SCAPE-GOAT.) HIGHWAYS (Lev. xxvi. 22), sometimes simply ways (Ps. lxxxiv. 5; Prov. xvi. 17, metaphorically), means any public way or high-road, in distinction from a private walk or footpath. (See CAUSEWAY.) HILKIAH (2 Ki. xxii. 4)-the best known of the name; for as high priest in the reign of Josiah, he was concerned in the great reformation and the keeping of the unrivalled passover. He found also in the temple what was probably the autograph copy of the law of Moses-supposed by many to mean only the book of Deuteronomy-which, as a compend, could be easily read to the assembled people. HILL-COUNTRY (Luke i. 39). This term was applied to the country in the vicinity and to the south of Jerusalem. HILL OF ZION (Ps. ii. 6) and HOLY HILL (Ps. iii. 4) both refer to the eminence on which the temple of Jerusalem was erected, and in which God was supposed to manifest his presence in a peculiar manner. (Comp. Ps. xlviii. 1, 2.) (See ZION.) HILLS. (See MOUNTAIN, ROCK.) HIND. (See HART.) HINGES. (See DWELLINGS.) HINNOM. This was a deep valley on the south-west of Jerusalem. It is sometimes called Ben-Hinnom, son of Hinnom, and sometimes Ge-Hinnom, valley of Hinnom. A small stream flows through it into the Kedron. It is more than half a mile in length, and is often 50 yards broad. It is 20 feet deep. It was the scene of fearful idolatrous cruelties; hence the Jews defiled it, so that it became the gathering-place of all kinds of filth from the city, which fed fires for ever smouldering in its corruption. It thus became a type of the penalty and pollution of hell. (See HELL, TOPHET.) through the desert: "Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes" (Num. x. 31). HOBAH (Gen. xiv. 15)-a place north of Damascus, where a hill is still shown to travellers, bearing the same name, and alleged to HIRAM, or HURAM. 1. (2 Sam. v. 11, 12) | A distinguished king of Tyre. He was contemporary with David and Solomon, and on terms of the strictest political and personal friendship with them. Under his reign the city of Tyre became celebrated for its wealth and mag-occupy the same site. nificence; and the vast supplies he furnished to the kings of Israel show the greatness of his resources (1 Ki. ix. 14; x. 22). (See CABUL, TYRE.) 2. (1 Ki. vii. 13) An eminent architect of Tyre, who was employed by Solomon in the erection of the temple. HIRELING (Job vii. 1)-one who is employed on hire for a limited time, as a day or year. By the Levitical law such an one was to be paid his wages daily (Lev. xix. 13). "He is poor," says the lawgiver, "and setteth his heart upon it." The circumstance that the time is limited suggests the figurative language in Job vii. 1 and xiv. 6; and the little interest which would be felt by such a temporary labourer, compared with that of the shepherd or permanent keeper of the flock, furnishes a striking illustration in one of our Lord's parabolic discourses (John x. 12, 13). The hired servant will not risk his life for what is not his own property. HIS, HER, are invariably used instead of "its," as the latter, in its proper sense, does not occur in our translation, not belonging at that period to the language. HISS (1 Ki. ix. 8). To hiss at one is an expression of insult and contempt (Jer. xix. 8; Ezek. xxvii. 36; Mic. vi. 16); and to call any one with a hiss denotes power and authority over him (Isa. v. 26; vii. 18; Zech. x. 8)-as if it should be said, "He will come at my beck or nod." HITTITES (1 Ki. xi. 1)—the posterity of Heth, the second son of Canaan. Their settlements were in the southern part of Judea, near Hebron (Gen. xxiii. 3). Esau's two wives were Hittites, and two Hittites are mentioned in David's body-guard. They are also spoken of as inhabiting the mountains of Judah (Num. xiii. 29), and again as in the neighbourhood of Bethel (Judg. i. 26). Probably they maintained a sort of independence (1 Ki. x. 29; 2 Ki. vii. 6); and they seem to have retained their distinctive name to a late period (Ezra ix. 1, 2). Hittites, as a powerful and warlike race-not wholly, perhaps, children of Hethare often mentioned on the Egyptian monuments. Reference is made to a strong band of them on the Orontes; and they seem to be called Khatti in the Assyrian inscriptions. HIVITES (Gen. x. 17)—a horde of the Canaanites, elsewhere called Avims (Deut. ii. 23). (See AVIM, HAZERIM.) In Jacob's time they had possession of Shechem, and afterwards they are found "under Hermon, in the land of Mizpeh" (Josh. xi. 3), and in mount Lebanon (Gen. xxxiv. 2; Josh. xi. 3, 19; Judg. iii. 3). HOBAB (Num. x. 29-32)—the son of Jethro, and brother-in-law of Moses; but some identify him with Jethro (see Judg. iv. 11). Moses did not disdain human assistance, and he selected Hobab to march with the tribes HOLY, HOLINESS (Exod. xv. 11; Lev. HOLY LAND. (See CANAAN.) HONEY, HONEY-COMB (Ps. xix. 10). Honey is not secreted by bees from the food they eat, but is only collected by them from the nectar of flowers, carried home to the hive, and deposited in the comb. The abundance of honey in the land of Judea may be inferred from a variety of passages in the Bible, as well as from the accounts of modern travellers. It was, almost without metaphor, "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exod. iii. 8, 17). The wild honey on which John the Baptist lived was perhaps such as he could gather from rocks and hollow trees. The syrup obtained from dates and other saccharine fruits is supposed to be sometimes intended by the word honey-dibs (2 Chr. xxxi. 5). Robinson says, "The finest grapes are dried as raisins; and the rest being trodden and pressed, the juice is boiled down to a syrup, which, under the name of dibs (debesh, in Hebrew, signifying honey and syrup of grapes), is much used by all classes, wherever vineyards are found, as a condiment with their food. It resembles thin molasses, but is more pleasant to the taste." And we are told of a tree, found in some parts of the East, upon the leaves and twigs of which a sweet substance collects, and is gathered and used by the Arabs, which at first strongly resembles honey. The figurative allusions of the sacred writers to honey and the honey-comb are striking and beautiful (Ps. xix. 10; Prov. v. 3; xxvii. 7). Milk and honey were the chief dainties of the earlier ages, as they are now of the Bedouins; and butter and honey are also mentioned among articles of food (2 Sam. xvii. 29; Isa. vii. 15). In South Africa bees deposit their honey on the surface of the cliffs of rocks, and for its protection cover it with a darkcoloured wax. This, by the action of the weather, becomes hard, and of the complexion of the rock. The traveller makes an incision in this wax-covering, and, by applying his mouth to the aperture, sucks out as much honey as he wants (Deut. xxxii. 13). They also cover trees in the same manner. Honey was not allowed to be offered with sacrifices. (See BEE.) HOOD. (See CLOTHES.) HONEST, as in Phil. iii. 8, &c., means fair, becoming, or honourable, as often also in Shakspeare and other contemporary writers. Thus the word "uncomely," in 1 Cor. xii. 23, is in Wycliffe "unhonest." HOPHNI. (See ELI.) HOR (Num. xx. 22, 25)-a celebrated mountain, 4,800 feet above the Mediterranean, and 6,000 above the Dead Sea. It lies on the border of Idumea, about half-way between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, where Aaron was buried. (See SEIR.) It is now called JebelNebi-Harun, Mount of the Prophet. It rises up in bleak grandeur far above the other mountains of Seir. Aaron's tomb is yet shown on its summit. "The view from the top of this edifice is very extensive in every direction; but there is no part of the landscape which the eye wanders over with more curiosity and delight than the crags of mount Hor itself, which stand up on every side in the most rugged and fantastic forms: sometimes strangely piled one on the other, and sometimes as strangely yawning in clefts of a frightful depth."-Irby and Mangles' Travels, pp. 134, 135. Mount Lebanon is also called mount Hor (Num. xxxiv. 7, 8). HOREB. (See SINAI.) HORIMS (Deut. ii. 1, 22)-a general name for dwellers in caves, and perhaps the same with the Horites (Gen. xiv. 6), an ancient and powerful people who dwelt in mount Seir (Gen. xxxvi. 20-30). Such dwellings are found in Petra. (See CAVE, PETRA.) HORMAH-destruction (Judg. i. 17)-a city in the south of Canaan conquered by Joshua. This name may have been symbolic; and its older name was Zephath, supposed by some to be found in Es-Sebata, 25 miles southwest of Beersheba. But there is also a pass called Es-Sufa 40 miles to the east of it. HORN (1 Sam. ii. 1, 10). This word is employed in the Old Testament as an emblem of power, honour, or glory (Deut. xxxiii. 17; Job xvi. 15; Luke i. 69). Hence it is frequently employed in prophetic visions, instead of kings and kingdoms (Dan. vii. 20-24). Horns were used as vessels for liquids, especially oil and perfumes (1 Sam. xvi. 1; 1 Ki. i. 39), and also for trumpets (Josh. vi. 8, 13). The horn being the chief defence and strength of many beasts, to break or cut off the horn of a king or people is to abridge or destroy their power; and to raise or exalt the horn is to establish or increase power and prosperity. So also among the aborigines of North America a like custom prevailed. The chief of the council which | multiply horses" (Deut. xvii. 16; Josh. xi. 6). negotiated the treaty with William Penn The reason is again explained in Ísa. xxxi. 1, 3. opened the business by placing on his own The people would have been brought into imhead a crown with a horn in it, significant of mediate contact with Egypt. (See CHARIOTS.) that supreme authority by which the covenants The hilly nature of the country prevented any of the treaty were made binding. extensive use of cavalry. In Solomon's time, however, horses were common among them, and he probably imported them from Syria and Egypt (1 Ki. iv. 26; x. 26, 29; 2 Chr. i. 14-17; ix. 25). Horses were consecrated to idol-gods (2 Ki. xxiii. 11), and are often employed by the prophets, under a description of their different colours, to denote the character of future dispensations. Zechariah depicts them as red, bay, and white (Zech. i. 8; vi. 2-6). Angelic protection is represented under the figure of horses (2 Ki. ii. 11; vi. 15-17), because of the characteristic strength, fleetness, and courage of that animal. In Song i. 9 the spouse compares her lover to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots-a comparison which, to an oriental imagination, suggested ideas of stateliness, beauty, and gallant demeanour. The finest horses, of slender form and delicate limb, are to be found in Arabia. Peculiar uses of the word occur in some passages of Scripture (1 Sam. ii. 1). Hannah says, My horn is exalted in the Lord;" "God shall exalt the horn of his anointed" (v. 10). "I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust" (Job xvi. 15). "He also exalteth the horn of his people" (Ps. cxlviii. 14). "He hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David" (Luke i. 69). Some have supposed that in those passages allusion is made to a hollow silver horn, 4 or 5 inches in diameter at the root, and rising obliquely from the forehead, which was worn as an ornament by oriental women, warriors, and distinguished men. Such ornaments are yet in general use by women in the East, and especially among the Druses of mount Lebanon. They are noticed by travellers as worn also by Abyssinian chiefs, and on the military caps of sepoys of India. HORNS OF THE ALTAR. (See ALTAR). HORNET (Deut. vii. 20)-a very large, strong, and bold species of the wasp, remarkable for their irritability, and for the severity of their sting. Hornets were employed as instruments of the divine judgments upon the enemies of Israel. (Comp. Exod. xxiii. 28; Josh. xxiv. 12.) Tribes in old times, as Aelian tells us, fled from their habitations before The hoof of the horse in rocky countries, where smooth pathways are few, needs to be hard. Isaiah thus says of the Assyrian invaders, that their "horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint." Riding upon a horse is in the East a mark of dignity (Eccl. x. 7). The Hebrews had various words signifying horses-denoting respectively their strength, their swiftness, their harnessed preparation for riding, or for chariots of war. And because they were not to multiply these animals, when they took them as plunder in war, they were to destroy them. "Thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire" (Josh. xi. 6). Job's description of the war horse is picturesque and magnificent. such plagues. HORSE-LEECH. "The horse-leech hath Cattlerunmad two daughters," being thus named-"Give, give" with distrac- (Prov. xxx. 15). It is a well-known insect of the tion on the water, resembling a worm, and remarkable for hum of the its thirst for blood, which is never satisfied until approaching its body is completely filled. The figure in the swarms, and above passage may illustrate the insatiable cravwhen the hor-ing of lust, avarice, and cruelty. The ingenious appears learning of Bochart has attempted to set aside among them, the ordinary meaning attached to the clause they scamper quoted from Proverbs. But the ingenuity is up and down misplaced, and the learning misapplied. The till they sink and die. Modern travellers make same kind of figure was a common one among similar assertions. the ancients, and naturally suggests itself to any one who knows the habits of this greedy and voracious creature. Plautus and Cicero both employ the figure of the horse-leech. net HORSE (Gen. xlix. 17). In the early periods of the world the labouring beasts were chiefly oxen and asses, while horses, either mounted or harnessed to chariots, were used by kings and warriors (Exod. xiv. 9, 23; Esth. vi. 8). The horse was therefore esteemed an animal of great value; and we know that in Egypt it was given to Joseph by the people in exchange for necessary sustenance. Egypt, in ancient periods, was famous for its breed of horses. But the use of horses by the Israelites was discouraged. "He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should HOSANNA-save now (Matt. xxi. 9)-is used either as a form of blessing or an ascription of praise. Thus, when "Hosanna" was cried, in the passage just cited, it was as if the people had shouted in joyful acclamations on every side, "Lord, preserve this Son of David; heap favours and blessings upon him, and through him on us." The same exclamation is supposed to have been used in the procession at the feast of tabernacles. HOSEA-saving-PROPHECY OF, is supposed |