VAGABOND, a vagrant or wanderer,
who has no home or settled habitation,
Gen. 4:12, 14: a worthless, despicable,
member of society, Acts 19:13; Psal.
109:10.
VALLEY, low ground, especially where
it is lying between hills, Deut. 34:3;
Judg. 7:8. Canaan being a hilly
country, it was remarkable for its valleys,
many of which are mentioned by the
sacred writers. See particularly ESHCOL,
HINNOM, JEZREEL, SALT, and SIDDIM.
VALOUR, personal courage, Judg. 3:
29; 6:12; 1 Kings 11:28.
VAPOUR, moist exhalations: these are
raised from the surface of the earth, both
land and water, by the action of the
sun's heat; and when sufficiently dense,
by electricity or some other means, they
are caused to descend in fertilising rains,
evincing the infinite power, wisdom, and
goodness of God, Job 36:27-33; Psal.
135:7; Jer. 10:13. Raising vapour
artificially by the steam-engine, is now
wonderfully serving to illustrate the
powers of nature, and the mysteries of
Divine Providence.
VARIANCE, disagreement, discord, or
strife, Matt. 10:35; Gal. 5:20.
VASH'TI, [h] (that drinks, or
thread, or woof), the Persian queen, who refused
to
obey her consort, king Ahasuerus, when
inflamed with wine, he capriciously com-
manded her to exhibit her beauty to his
intoxicated lords, at the great court
festival: her unjust degradation, which
was the consequence, was overruled by
Divine Providence for the elevation of Esther, and by her means to promote
the deliverance of the Jews, Est. 1.; 2.;
7.; 8.
VAUNT, to boast scornfully, Judg. 7:
2; 1 Cor. 13:4.
VESTMENTS, robes, as for the priests
and worshippers of Baal, 2 Kings 10:22.
VESTRY, a room for robing ministers,
as the apartment for the keeping of the
robes of the idolaters, 2 Kings 10:22.
VESTURE, an upper robe, Gen. 41:42;
Deut. 22:12. Our Saviour's vesture,
for which the soldiers cast lots, was of
a peculiar manufacture, adapted to the
accomplishment of the inspired prophecy,
Psal. 22:18; John 19:23, 24. Christ
being clothed with a "vesture dipped in
blood[,]" as represented in the vision to
John, and having a name written on it,
"KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS[,]"
denoted His sovereign power to vindicate
His honour in the destruction of enemies,
Rev. 19:13-16.
VEX, to distress, Exod. 22:21: to
injure or afflict, Lev. 18:18: to perse-
cute, Acts 12:1: to punish, Num. 25:
17.
VEXATION, distress, Deut. 28:20;
Isa. 65:14; 2 Chron. 15:5.
VEXED, did vex or distress, as with
oppression, Num. 20:15; Judg. 2:18;
or invasion by war, 10:8; 1 Sam. 14:47:
did provoke, Isa. 63:10.
VIRTUE, moral goodness or holiness,
Phil. 4:8; 2 Pet. 1:3: divine power or
energy, as for the healing of diseases,
Mark 5:30: courage in maintaining the
truth of the gospel, and in enduring afflic-
tions, 2 Pet. 1:5.
VIRTUOUS, morally or socially good,
Ruth 3:11; Prov. 12:4; 31:10.
VISION, the act of seeing, or thing
seen, especially the appearance of an
angel, Gen. 15:1; Luke 24:23. Before
the writing of Divine Revelation, God
was pleased frequently to reveal Himself
to the patriarchs, to pious persons, and
to the prophets, by dreams and
visions;
thus illuminating their minds and making
His voice to be heard, He filled them with
heavenly knowledge, Gen. 28:12;
46:2; 2 Sam. 3:1, 15; Job 4:13;
33:14, 15; Isa. 6:1; Dan. 2:19;
8:1, 26. Christ
gave a vision of His
divine glory to some of His apostles on
the mount of transfiguration, Matt. 17:
9; and Ananias, Cornelius, Peter, Paul,
and John, were especially instructed by
this means, Acts 9:10, 12; 10:3, 19;
16:9; 26:13; 2 Cor. 12:1; Rev. 9:
17. Prophecy is
called vision, as by this
means God communicated His mind to
the prophets, 2 Chron. 32:32; Jer. 14:
14; Hab. 2:2.
VOID, destitute, as the earth was at
the creation without inhabitants, Gen.
1:
2; as a city is when ruined by war, Nah.
2:10; as ungodly persons are, without
true wisdom, Deut. 32:28; as the
vow of a woman was without force,
when disallowed by her husband, Num.
30:12; as the word of God cannot be
without efficacy, because of His gracious
influences, Isa. 55:11; as the conscience
of a good man is without guilt living in
the fear of God, Acts 24:16.
VOLUNTARY, willing, as a contribution,
offering, or service, not required by law,
but arising from the free inclination of
a person, Lev. 1:3; Ezek. 46:12; Col.
2:18.
VOW, a solemn promise of some special
service or offering, Gen. 28:20; 31:
13. Vows were common in the early
ages, with a view to obtain peculiar
blessings, as children, Job 22:27; 1 Sam.
1:11; and under the Levitical dispensa-
tion there were special regulations given
for them in the laws of Moses, Lev. 7:
16; 22:18, 23; Num. 30:2, 13. The
most remarkable vows were those of
Nazarites, Num. 6:2, 21. See NAZARITE.
VOW, to make a solemn promise, Num.
6:2; Eccles. 5:4; Mal. 1:14.
