Onesimus
Useful, a slave who, after robbing his master Philemon (q.v.) at Colosse, fled to Rome, where he was converted by the apostle Paul, who sent him back to his master with the epistle which bears his na…
Onesiphorus
Bringing profit, an Ephesian Christian who showed great kindness to Paul at Rome. He served him in many things, and had oft refreshed him. Paul expresses a warm interest in him and his household (2 T…
Onias
the name of five high priests in the period between the Old and the New Testament.
Onion,
ON'ION, a well-known garden vegetable which grew in great perfection in Egypt, and was longed for by the Israelites. Num 11:5. The onions of Egypt are of large size and exquisite flavor, "differing f…
Ono
A town of Benjamin, in the “plain of Ono” (1 Chr. 8:12; Ezra 2:33); now Kefr ‘Ana, 5 miles north of Lydda, and about 30 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Not succeeding in their attempts to deter Nehemi…
Onycha,
ON'YCHA, an ingredient of the sacred incense which was prepared under divine direction. Ex 30:34. It was probably the horny lid or door of a univalve shell (Strombus) found in the Red Sea. When burnt…
Onyx,
O'NYX, one kind of chalcedony; a precious stone, Ex 25:7; Eze 28:13, exhibiting two or more colors disposed in parallel bands or layers. The Hebrew word shoham is uniformly so translated in the Bible…
Open Place
Gen. 38:14, 21, mar. Enaim; the same probably as Enam (Josh. 15:34), a city in the lowland or Shephelah.
Ophel
Hill; mound, the long, narrow, rounded promontory on the southern slope of the temple hill, between the Tyropoeon and the Kedron valley (2 Chr. 27:3; 33:14; Neh. 3:26, 27). It was surrounded by a sep…
Ophir,
O'PHIR, the celebrated gold-region to which the ships of Solomon and Hiram sailed from a port on the Red Sea, and from whence they returned bearing gold, silver, precious stones, and algum-tree wood;…
Ophni
Mouldy, a city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:24).
Ophrah
A fawn. 1 Chr. 4:14. (1.) A city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:23); probably identical with Ephron (2 Chr. 13:19) and Ephraim (John 11:54). (2.) “Of the Abi-ezrites.” A city of Manasseh, 6 miles south-west o…
Oracle.
OR'ACLE. This term is in the O.T. in every case but one applied to the most holy place in the temple, whence God declared his will to ancient Israel. 1 Kgs 6:5, 1 Kgs 6:19-23; 1 Kgs 8:6. But in 2 Sam…
Orator,
OR'ATOR, or ADVOCATE, because acquainted with Roman law. See Tertullus.
Orchard
[Garden]
Ordinances
OR'DINANCES. The term, as used by the sacred writers, designates laws and commandments of God, Ex 18:20, or of civil rulers, 1 Pet 2:13, and sometimes religious ceremonies. Heb 9:1, 1 Kgs 16:10. In o…
Oreb
Raven, a prince of Midian, who, being defeated by Gideon and put to straits, was slain along with Zeeb (Judg. 7:20-25). Many of the Midianites perished along with him (Ps. 83:9; Isa. 10:26).
Oreb, The Rock
the “raven’s crag,” the spot, east of Jordan, at which the Midianite chieftain Oreb with thousands of his countrymen, fell by the hand of the Ephraimites, and which probably acquired its name therefr…
Oreb, The Rock Of
The place where Gideon slew Oreb after the defeat of the Midianites (Judg. 7:25; Isa. 10:26). It was probably the place now called Orbo, on the east of Jordan, near Bethshean.
Oren
Ash or pine, the son of Jerahmeel (1 Chr. 2:25).
Organ.
OR'GAN. Gen 4:21. The "organ," as it is called, is thought to have been what the ancient Greeks called the "pipe of Pan." It consisted of seven or more reeds of unequal length. These are still used b…
Orion,
ORI'ON, a constellation of about eighty stars, south of Taurus, and, partly, of the equator. Job 9:9. The Arabs called it the "Giant," meaning thereby Nimrod. The constellation is also mentioned in J…
Ornaments
OR'NAMENTS. The fondness which the human race in general, and Oriental nations in particular, have for personal ornaments was shared in by the ancient Hebrews. The first mention of jewelry is in Gen …
Ornaments, Personal
The number, variety and weight of the ornaments ordinarily worn upon the person form one of the characteristic features of Oriental costume, in both ancient and modem times. The monuments of ancient …
Ornan.
OR'NAN. 1 Chr 21:15. See Araunah.
Orpah
Forelock or fawn, a Moabitess, the wife of Chilion (Ruth 1:4; 4:10). On the death of her husband she accompanied Naomi, her mother-in-law, part of the way to Bethlehem, and then returned to Moab.
Orphans.
OR'PHANS. Special privileges were accorded to them by the Mosaic Law, as well as to the widow and stranger, Deut 14:21, and special kindness and leniency enjoined toward them. Deut 24:17. Job adduced…
Osee
O'SEE, the Greek form of writing "Hosea." Rom 9:25.
Oshea
(salvation). [Joshua]
Ospray
OS'PRAY, mentioned with the ossifrage as an unclean bird. Lev 11:13; Deut 14:12. If not a generic term for eagles, perhaps the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), by far the most abundant of the P…