valley (Comp. Josh. x. 10 and 11). Beth-horon | David was born the Saviour, which is Christ was fortified by Solomon (1 Ki. ix. 17). The the Lord." Mary dwelt at Nazareth; but in places or villages are still called Beit-Ur el-Foka consequence of the Roman registration she and el-Tahta the one epithet meaning "upper" and the other "nether."

BETH-SHAN (1 Sam. xxxi. 10)-same with Beth-shean.

near the era of redemption, must have shown | and was situated on the west of Jordan, near a greater deference to the incipient credulity the sea of Tiberias. This was the birthplace and superstition of their times, which seem, of Andrew, Peter, and Philip (Mark xiv. 70; wherever practicable, to enshrine themselves in John i. 44). grottoes, than to a fair interpretation of the plain narrative of the evangelists. More considerate were Cyprian, Nicephorus, and others, who taught that the birth of Christ occurred in a house or erected fabric. The "altar of the Magi" adjoining, of itself casts doubt on the propriety of the whole professed or pretended identification. The sacred writer says, "When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him."

Four or five miles from Jerusalem is the (socalled) tomb of Rachel, and about two miles beyond that is Bethlehem (Gen. xlviii. 7). BETH-MAACHAH (2 Sam. xx. 14, 15)same with Abel-beth-maachah.

BETH-MEON. (See BAAL-MEON.) BETH-NIMRAH. (See NIMRIM.) BETH-PEOR (Deut. iv. 46)-a city of Moab, famous for the worship of Baal. (See BAAL.) "The valley over against" Beth-peor, in the land of Moab, is distinguished as the place where Moses repeated the law to the people of Israel.

BETHPHAGE-house of figs (Matt. xxi. 1)-a small village on the south-east of mount Olivet, adjoining Bethany on the west. (Comp. Luke xix. 28-40, with Matt. xxi. 1-11.) A late traveller supposed he found its ruins about a quarter of a mile north from Bethany. The relation of Bethphage to Bethany, and of both to Jerusalem, has been variously understood. "Jerome speaks of Bethphage as a known 'villula in Monte Oliveti;' but its exact site is not now known. In coming from Jericho our Lord appears to have entered it before reaching Bethany; and it probably, therefore, lay near to the latter, a little below it towards the east.

BETH-REHOB.

REHOB.)

(See

BETHSAIDA-fish house (Matt. xi. 21). There were at least two towns of this name in Judea. 1. One was situated on the east bank of the river Jordan, near the place where it falls into the sea of Tiberias. Near this village was the desert or wilderness of Bethsaida (Matt. xiv. 15-21; Luke ix. 10). 2. The other town was called Bethsaida of Galilee,

BETH-SHEAN-house of quiet (Josh. xvii. 11)-a town on the west of Jordan, 12 miles south of the sea of Tiberias and 4 west of the Jordan, and was for a long time known by the name of Scythopolis. It was situated on the borders of Galilee and Samaria, upon the edge of the great plain of Jordan. It is now a ruin called El Beisan. In the time of Saul it was probably a possession of the Philistines, as they exposed his body on its walls after his defeat in the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. xxxi. 10). It was afterwards attached to Judah (1 Ki. iv. 12). Solomon exacted from it provision for his household. Its ruins presents to the traveller many interesting relics of a great antiquity.

BETH-SHEMESH-house of the sun (Josh. xv. 10). This earliest form of idolatry has left traces of its wide existence in this and similar names.

At least three different places are mentioned in the Bible under this name.

1. One of them belonging to the tribe of Naphtali, another apparently to Issachar (Josh. xix. 38; Judg. i. 33).

2. Another was in Egypt (Jer. xliii. 13), supposed to be the Heliopolis of the Greeks, and is called On (Gen. xli. 45, 50). It is about 5 miles from the modern Cairo.

3. And the third was a city of Judah (2 Ki. xiv. 11), situated on the borders of Dan, and now called Ain-shems. This last place was distinguished by the circumstance that the ark was sent thither by the Philistines, and a vast number of men, who looked into it from vain curiosity, were swept off by a pestilence (1 Sam. vi. 12-20). It was also remarkable for the battle that was fought there between Israel and Judah, in which the latter were defeated, and the king taken prisoner (2 Ki. xiv. 11-13).

BETH-TAPPUAH (Josh. xv. 53)-a town 5 miles from Hebron, discovered by Robinson under the name of Teffüh.

BETH-ZUR (Josh. xv. 58)—an impregnable place in the hills of Judah, still called Beitsûr, and commanding the highway from Hebron to Jerusalem.

BETHUEL. (See LABAN.)

BETROTH (Deut. xxviii. 30). A man and woman were betrothed or espoused, each to the other, when they were engaged to be married. It is giving one's troth (i.c., faith or promise) to marry at a future time. Among the Jews this relation was usually determined by the parents or brothers, without consulting the parties until they came to be betrothed. The engagement often took place very early in life, though it was not consummated, by actual marriage, until the spouse was at least twelve years of age.

was employed in procuring secondary wives, or concubines. The prophet Hosea refers evidently to a well-known practice in his nation when he says, "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley and an half homer of barley" (Hos. iii. 2). Similar customs prevailed in the early periods of Greece and Rome, but were afterwards laid aside.

The betrothing was performed a twelvemonth or more before the marriage, either in writing or by a piece of silver given to the espoused before witnesses. During this interval, however, from the time of espousals to the marriage, the woman was considered as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed, as we see in the case of Joseph and Mary; nor could the engagement be ended by the man without a bill of divorce; nor could she be unfaithful without being considered an adulteress.

The Jewish betrothing in later times was accompanied by a very formal written contract. Dr. Wilson has given us a copy and translation of one of the documents in use among the Samaritans, and of a date so recent as 1834. The covenant is very wordy and circuitous, yet perhaps has a resemblance to ancient papers of a similar nature. Its essential part is as follows:

"In the year 1250 of the reign of the sons of Ishmael, in the month there was the betrothment of the good, and worthy, and learned, and intelligent, and respected bridegroom, an eminent youth, the fairest of the bridegrooms, who does every good deed. the son of a good old man, worthy and learned, and respected, and skilled in writing, and informed, and intelligent, and skilled in rhetoric, and a counsellor, and skilled in learning among the elders of the church, who does every good There was often but little ceremony em- deed the son of a good old man, and ployed. Abraham's servant stated the object worthy, and learned, and intelligent, and of his matrimonial journey to the father and respectable, and skilled in writing, the illustribrother of Rebekah. "And they said, we willous, and the counsellor, and pillar of the concall the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men" (Gen. xxiv. 57, 58, 59). So, too, there was little attention to etiquette on the part of David in selecting a wife (1 Sam. xxv. 40, 41, 42). The betrothing was often in appearance the arrangement of a pecuniary bargain, the details of which were conducted with little respect to external delicacy. Concerning Jacob's only daughter, Shechem coolly treated with her father and brothers thus :-"Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife" (Gen. xxxiv. 11, 12). Jacob when he left his father's roof was poor, and had no money to part with in exchange for a wife, and so he humbly and confidently proposed to serve seven years for Rachel Less ceremony still

gregation, and a chief of the congregation, who
does every good deed
from the chil-.
dren of Dinaphat and Kahalon, from the in-
habitants of Shechem unto the bride
daughter of a good old man, and worthy, and
learned, and intelligent, and a chief, and
skilled in writing, and one of the supporters of
the congregation, and of the elders of the
congregation, and skilled in rhetoric, a coun-
sellor, and a great pillar, who does what is
good

the son of a good old man, and
worthy, and learned, and intelligent, and re-
spectable, and skilled in writing, and profi-
cient in the Talmud, of the elders of the con-
gregation, who does every good deed
from the children of Dinaphat and Kahalon,
from the inhabitants of Shechem. After that
the bridegroom above mentioned had asked
her from the father of the before-mentioned
bride, and he agreed to his demand, with full
knowledge, and good heart, and willing soul,
she being at that time a young woman, a
virgin, and unacquainted with the way of men;

BEZALEEL (Exod. xxxi. 2)—a famous artificer, who received wisdom and instruction directly from God, to qualify him for the work of building the tabernacle, and preparing its various furniture.

BEZEK (Judg. i. 4)—a city in the tribe of Judah, where the Canaanites suffered a severe slaughter, and their king was taken prisoner. (See ADONI-BEZEK.) It was at Bezek, probably another place, that Saul mustered his army before the attack on Jabesh-gilead. BIBLE. (See SCRIPTURE.)

BIER (Luke vii. 14). This old term has a

and he shall do unto her according to the law of husbands, after the usage of the daughters of Israel, the excellent and venerable usage, as Eve who was created from the rib of Adam, for an help-meet for fruitfulness and for increase by reason of a dowry consisting of 4,900 Karits. And he shall marry her, and she shall become his wife, committed to him and restrained from every man besides him. And he unto her as an husband shall do unto her according to the manner of the women. As the Lord spake through his servant Moses, her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, he shall not diminish. He shall estab-relation to the verb bear, and signifies that on lish her vows, and bonds, and make them void. And she has this duty to him; the spouse shall obey his words and not oppose his mouth, and she shall be an help-meet for him. And there are remaining unto her upon him, because of the union, 2,500 Egyptian Karits. She may take them from him at whatsoever time she may need them, as she chooses, and he shall cleave unto her. And the writer of this writing, and the congregation of witnesses, shall be against him, so as to be a righteous and perfect testimony; and the Lord, who bestows prosperity upon all that walk in his ways, and keep his judgments from head to heel. And blessed be our Lord God for ever, and blessed be his name for ever. And let peace be with the righteous, the perfect, the pure, the faithful prophet Moses, the son of Amram, the man of God."-- Lands of the Bible, ii. 695.

God speaks of betrothing his people-uniting them to himself in bonds of tender affection, and pledging his word that all his gracious promises will be fulfilled to them. (See MARRIAGE)

BEULAH (Isa. lxii. 4)-the past participle of boral, “to be lord of," and signifying marwed, which the prophet applies to the Jewish church, to import the intimacy of its relation to God.

which something is borne or carried. Here it denotes the bed or frame on which the dead body is conveyed to the grave. Probably biers were made (as coffins are in modern times) more or less expensive in shape and ornament, according to the circumstances and rank of the deceased. They do not seem to have had a lid or covering fastened down, as with us (2 Chr. xvi. 14). (See BURIAL.)

BILDAD (Job ii. 11)-one of Job's three friends who visited him in his affliction, and whose arguments, in justification of God's dealings, occupy chaps. viii., xviii., and xxv. of the book of Job. These arguments are full of metaphor, sparkling with rapidity of change and intensity of feeling. The chief topic is the swiftness, suddenness, and terror of God's wrath upon the wicked and the hypocrite, with a vivid and minute description of the feelings and acts of selfish and rapacious oppressors. (See JOB.) The name Shuhite is probably derived from Shuah, son of Abraham and Keturah, whose descendant he is supposed to have been.

BILHAH (Gen. xxix. 29)—the handmaid of Rachel, and the mother of Dan and Naphtali (Gen. xxxv. 25).

BILL (Luke xvi. 6, 7)—any written paper containing a statement of particulars claimed BEYOND. The meaning of this term de- or promised; as a bill of services, bill of expends upon the relative position of him who penses, bill of fare, &c. Bill (or writing) of uses it. Italy is beyond the Alps to a French-divorcement (Deut. xxiv. 1-4; Matt. v. 31) man, de, to the south of them; and France is was a writing given by the husband to the beyond the Alps to the Italian, e, to the wife, in virtue of which, by the Jewish law, north of them. A similar use of the word, in the marriage relation was dissolved. This forconnection with the Jordan, occurs in the Old mality of a bill was intended to give to the Testament. Thus, in Deut. iii. 23, it is said, transaction a serious aspect, to retard it some"I pray thee, let me go over and see the good what, and to counteract that caprice which, land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly moun- if indulged, would virtually annihilate the tain, and Lebanon." Moses, when he pre-marriage contract. Facility of divorce was sented this petition to God, was on the east not permitted a law process must intervene; side of Jordan, so that "beyond Jordan" here and this interval allowed time for calm reflecsignifies on the west side of Jordan. But in tion, adjustment of differences, the cooling of Josh. ix. 10 we read, "And all that he did to irritated feeling, and the explanation of any the two kings of the Amorites, that were circumstances which may have led to tembeyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon,porary alienation of affection. (See BETROTH, and to Og king of Rashan, which was at Divoker.) Ashtaroth" In this verse "beyond Jordan" means on the east of Jordan, for the words were spoken by persons who lived on its western sida There is no dificulty in deter mining the meaning of the phrase, though its aminatam appear to be so opposite in vari

BIND (Matt. xvi. 19 Bind and loose, as used in this and parallel passages, are synony mous with command and forbid. The expres sien. to bind the law upon one's hand.""&c. is figurative, and implies an intimate acquaintance with it, and a constant regard to its precepts The Jews construed it literally,

and hence the custom of wearing phylacteries. | faithful performance of her duties as a mother, (See PHYLACTERIES.) Rolls or volumes of (Robinson, Lex.) Rosenmüller regards the writing were tied up. Hence the expression (Isa. viii. 16), "bind up the testimony among my disciples."

This sense

words rendered 'child-bearing' (TEKvOyovia) as synonymous with education, and supposes that the meaning is, that a woman, by the BIRDS (Lev. xiv. 4). (See WING.) Birds proper training of her children, can obtain have various names in the Hebrew Scriptures. salvation as well as her husband, and that her They have one common name derived from their appropriate duty is not public teaching, but characteristic power of flying-another from the the training of her family. Wetstein supposes rapidity of their motion through the air-that it means, she shall be saved from the arts and birds of prey have an epithet pecu- of impostors, and from the luxury and vice of liar to themselves, derived from the impetu- the age, if, instead of wandering about, she osity of their attacks. Birds, as well as remains at home, cultivates modesty, is subbeasts, were divided into clean and unclean,ject to her husband, and engages carefully in but not by external marks, as in the case the training of her children." of quadrupeds. Those which were forbidden agrees well with the connection. Calvin supare named, and were probably well known poses that the apostle designs to console the by those names to the Jews, though not woman by the assurance that, if she bears the now known to us by the same titles. In trials of her condition of sorrow with a proper general, the ravenous kinds, feeding on flesh, spirit, abiding in faith and holiness, she will were forbidden. be saved. She is not to regard herself as cut There was a humane law in the Jewish code off from the hope of heaven. Doddridge, which forbade the taking of a mother-bird, Macknight, Ellicott, and others, suppose that though her young might be taken. The com- it refers to the promise in Gen. iii. 15, and mon mode of catching birds was with a snare means that the woman shall be saved through, (Ps. cxxiv. 7; Prov. vii. 23; Amos iii. 5). A or by means of bearing a child, to wit, the speckled bird (Jer. xii. 9) probably means any Messiah; and that the apostle means to susstrange bird, which, as is well known, other tain the woman in her sorrows, and in her birds are accustomed to attack and pursue. state of subordination and inferiority, by reIf birds of song were very abundant in Pales-ferring to the honour which has been put upon tine, it is strange that among the Hebrew poets so few allusions occur to the melody of the groves.

BIRTH. The pangs of child-bearing, in their suddenness and sharpness, are the subject of frequent allusion by the writers of the Old Testament. In the early states of society, and where the enfeebling luxuries of civilization are not enjoyed, they are less severe and dangerous. Hence the Hebrew mothers in Egypt presented a marked and favourable contrast in this respect to those of Egypt (Exod. i. 19). The infant, when born, was washed, rubbed with salt, and wrapped in swaddling bands (Ezek. xvi. 4; Luke ii. 7-11). Premature births also afford references to the Hebrew writers (Ps. lviii. 8). The birth of a son was an occasion of great festivity. A numerous offspring was regarded as a signal blessing (Ps. cxxvii. 3, 4, 5). "Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like olive plants round about thy table" (Ps. cxxviii. 3). For a wife to have no children was reckoned a dishonour, and childless wives adopted the offspring of their maidens (Gen. xvi. 2; xxix. 21; xxx. 3). Therefore the blessing pronounced over the newly married couple wished them a flourishing progeny (Ruth iv. 11).

her by the fact that a woman gave birth to the
Messiah. It is supposed also that he means to
say that special honour is thus conferred on
her over the man, inasmuch as the Messiah
had no human father. This is, after all, per-
haps the best and more natural sense of the
clause, which literally is, through the child-
bearing,' which, while it was the token of the
curse upon woman, is also the means of her
deliverance, not in itself, but provided she
'continue in faith, love, and holiness.""

This term, and its cognate words, are used to denote that gracious change which passes over the heart at the period of its conversion. (See REGENERATION.)

BIRTHDAY. This period was celebrated with peculiar rejoicings all over the East (Job i. 4; Gen. xl. 20; Matt. xiv. 6). We do not find any special instance among the Hebrews themselves, though the custom could scarcely be omitted by them.

BIRTHRIGHT (Gen. xxv. 31). The firstborn son among the Jews enjoyed special privileges above his brethren, and these privileges were hence called his birthright, or his right by birth. Among these privileges were, consecration to the Lord (Exod. xxii. 29), great dignity (Gen. xlix. 3), a double portion of his father's estate (Deut. xxi. 17), and (in the royal faThe apostle uses very striking language in milies) succession to the kingdom (2 Chr. xxi. reference to childbirth in 1 Tim. ii. 15, "Not-3). The eldest son seems to have been rewithstanding she shall be saved in childbear-garded, in the father's absence, as in some ing, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety." "Some have held that by the expression, she shall be saved in childbearing,' the apostle designs to include all the duties of the maternal relation, meaning that she should be saved through the

respects his representative. As primogeniture involved religious privilege, Esau, who so wantonly renounced it, is called a "profane person.'

The paternal blessing was also in a peculiar sense the right of the first-born, though the