Bible Dictionary

Classic 19th-century Bible dictionary entries — names, places, and terms explained from Scripture, drawn from Easton, Smith, Hastings, Hitchcock & Schaff. — 7,288 entries

(1) Heb. mererah, meaning “bitterness” (Job 16:13); i.e., the bile secreted in the liver. This word is also used of the poison of asps (20:14), and of the vitals, the seat of life (25). (2.) Heb. ros…

GALL, BILE, an animal fluid, of exceedingly bitter taste, secreted by the liver. Ps 69:21. Allusion is made to it in Job 16:13; Job 20:14, Job 20:25; Lam 2:11, and elsewhere. But by the same word, in…

(1.) Heb. ‘attik (Ezek. 41:15, 16), a terrace; a projection; ledge. (2.) Heb. rahit (Cant. 1:17), translated “rafters,” marg. “galleries;” probably panel-work or fretted ceiling.

GAL'LEY. See Ship.

Heaps, (1 Sam. 25:44; Isa. 10:30). The native place of Phalti, to whom Michal was given by Saul. It was probably in Benjamin, to the north of Jerusalem.

GAL'LIO, proconsul of Achaia and brother of Seneca, the famous philosopher, who describes him as a man of great mildness and simplicity. Acts 18:12. Paul was brought before his tribunal at Corinth by…

GAL'LOWS. See Punishments.

Reward of God. (1.) A chief of the tribe of Manasseh at the census at Sinai (Num. 1:10; 2:20; 7:54, 59). (2.) The son of rabbi Simeon, and grandson of the famous rabbi Hillel. He was a Pharisse, and …

GAMES. Doubtless the Hebrew children had playthings and sports, like all other children, but there is no more than a passing allusion to such things in the Bible, nor would more be expected. Acts Zec…

(Ezek. 27:11) brave warriors; R.V. marg., “valorous men;” others interpret this word as meaning “short-swordsmen,” or “daring ones”, the name of a class of men who were defenders of the towers of Tyr…

Weaned the leader of one of the priestly courses (1 Chr. 24:17).

A rent or opening in a wall (Ezek. 13:5; comp. Amos 4:3). The false prophets did not stand in the gap (Ezek. 22: 30), i.e., they did nothing to stop the outbreak of wickedness.

GAR'DEN. Isa 1:8. The gardens of the Hebrews were enclosures upon the outskirts of towns. Allusions to them are made Gen 21:33; Num 24:6; Job 8:16, and there is reason to suppose that they were chief…

Mentioned in Scripture, of Eden (Gen. 2:8, 9); Ahab’s garden of herbs (1 Kings 21:2); the royal garden (2 Kings 21:18); the royal garden at Susa (Esther 1:5); the garden of Joseph of Arimathea (John …

Scabby; itch. (1.) One of David’s warriors (2 Sam. 23:38), an Ithrite. (2.) A hill near Jerusalem (Jer. 31:39), probably the hill of lepers, and consequently a place outside the boundary of the city.

Gareb, The Hill,

GA'REB, THE HILL, near Jerusalem, and meaning scraped off. Jer 31:39. Ewald proposes to identify it with Golgotha; Conder noted a ruin called Gharahah, 3 miles south of Shiloh.

GAR'LANDS. Acts 14:13. The heathen adorned the victim of their sacrifices in a variety of ways. Probably the garlands mentioned in this passage were to decorate the head of the ox which they designed…

(Heb. shum, from its strong odour), mentioned only once (Num. 11:5). The garlic common in Eastern countries is the Allium sativum or Allium Ascalonicum, so called from its having been brought into Eu…

GAR'LICK, a well-known bulbous root or vegetable similar to an onion (Allium sativum), which was cultivated in Egypt und much esteemed by the Jews. Num 11:5.

GAR'MENTS. See Clothes.

GAR'MITE, THE (the strong). Keilah the Garmite is mentioned 1 Chr 4:19.

Keilah the Garmite, i.e. the descendant of Gerem, is mentioned in the obscure genealogical lists of the families of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:19)

men of Garmi, ie., bones, or, my cause

(1.) Heb. ‘otsar, a treasure; a store of goods laid up, and hence also the place where they are deposited (Joel 1:17; 2 Chr. 32:27, rendered “treasury”). (2.) Heb. mezev, a cell, storeroom (Ps. 144:1…

Overlay with stones (2 Chr. 3:6), adorn (Rev. 21:19), deck with garlands (Matt. 23:29), furnish (12:44). In Job 26:13 (Heb. shiphrah, meaning “brightness”), “By his spirit the heavens are brightness”…

GAR'RISON. See War.

a variation of the name Geshem. (Nehemiah 6:6) (B.C. 446.)

(a burnt valley), the fourth son of Eliphaz the son of Esau, (Genesis 36:11; 1 Chronicles 1:36) and one of the “dukes” of Eliphaz. (Genesis 36:16) (B.C. after 1760.)