Left-handed
(Judg. 3:15; 20:16), one unable to use the right hand skilfully, and who therefore uses the left; and also one who uses the left as well as the right, ambidexter. Such a condition of the hands is due…
Legion,
LE'GION, a band of soldiers in the Roman army, consisting of from 6000 to 7000 men; the ordinary number Common Leek. (Allium porrum.) was 6200 foot and 730 horse. In Matt 26:53, and also in Mark 5:9,…
Lehabim
(fiery, flaming), occurring only in (Genesis 10:13) the name of a Mizraite people or tribe. There can be no doubt that they are the same as the Rebu or Lebu of the Egyptian inscriptions, and that fro…
Lehi
A jawbone, a place in the tribe of Judah where Samson achieved a victory over the Philistines (Judg. 15:9, 14, 16), slaying a thousand of them with the jawbone of an ass. The words in 15:19, “a hollo…
Lekah
walking; going
Lemuel
Dedicated to God, a king whom his mother instructed (Prov. 31:1-9). Nothing is certainly known concerning him. The rabbis identified him with Solomon.
Lend
LEND, LEND'ER. See Loan.
Lend, Lender
LEND, LEND'ER. See Loan.
Lentiles
(Heb. ‘adashim), a species of vetch (Gen. 25:34; 2 Sam. 23:11), common in Syria under the name addas. The red pottage made by Jacob was of lentils (Gen. 25:29-34). They were among the provisions brou…
Lentils
(Heb. ’adashim), a leguminous plant bearing seeds resembling small beans. The red pottage which Jacob prepared and for which Esau sold his birthright was made from them. (Genesis 25:34) There are thr…
Leopard
(Heb. namer, so called because spotted, Cant. 4:8), was that great spotted feline which anciently infested the mountains of Syria, more appropriately called a panther (Felis pardus). Its fierceness (…
Leper
LEP'ER, Leprosy is a loathsome disease still prevalent in Egypt and Syria, and occurring also in India, China, the Crimea, and Norway. The bones and the marrow are pervaded with the disease, so that …
Leper, Leprosy
The predominant and characteristic form of leprosy in the Old Testament is a white variety, covering either the entire body or a large tract of its surface, which has obtained the name of Lepra mosai…
Leprosy.
LEP'ROSY. See Leper.
Lesbos
LES'BOS. Acts 20:14. See Mitylene.
Leshem,
LE'SHEM, an ancient form for LAISH, the original name of Dan (which see). Josh 19:47.
Let
LET is used in the old sense "to hinder" in Ex 5:4; Isa 43:13; Rom 1:13; 2 Thess 2:7.
Lethech
LE'THECH, occurring in the margin of Hos 3:2, is derived from a root signifying "to empty," "to pour out," and denotes a measure of grain — half a homer.
Letter.
LET'TER. The letters mentioned, 2 Sam 11:14, 2 Kgs 10:1; Ezr 4:11, were in the form of rolls, not unlike those used in the East at the present day. Thus the Arabs roll up their letters, and then flat…
Letushim
(hammered), the name of the second of the sons of Dedan son of Jokshan. (Genesis 25:3)
Leummim
Peoples; nations, the last mentioned of the three sons of Dedan, and head of an Arabian tribe (Gen. 25:3).
Levi
Adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah’s words (Gen. 29:34), “This time will my husband be joined [Heb. yillaveh] unto me.” He is mentioned as taking a…
Leviathan,
LEVI'ATHAN, the Hebrew name of an animal minutely described in Job 41, the monster of the water, as behemoth was of the land. Probably- the crocodile is here intended — a reptile which resembles the …
Levirate Law
From Latin levir, “a husband’s brother,” the name of an ancient custom ordained by Moses, by which, when an Israelite died without issue, his surviving brother was required to marry the widow, so as …
Levite
A descendant of the tribe of Levi (Ex. 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subord…
Levites.
LE'VITES. In analogy with the names of the other tribes of Israel, the term should mean all the descendants of Levi, the whole tribe of Levi, and in this sense it is used in Num 35:2; Josh 21:3, 1 Ch…
Leviticus
The third book of the Pentateuch; so called in the Vulgate, after the LXX., because it treats chiefly of the Levitical service. In the first section of the book (1-17), which exhibits the worship its…
Levy
(1 Kings 4:6, R.V.; 5:13), forced service. The service of tributaries was often thus exacted by kings. Solomon raised a “great levy” of 30,000 men, about two per cent. of the population, to work for …
Lewdness.
LEWD'NESS. This word, which occurs Acts 18:14, is not used there in its present common acceptation, but in the wider sense of "wicked" or "villany." See Rev. Version.
Libanus
[Lebanon]