Bible Helps Dictionary

Bible Dictionary: B. 1840

BA'AL, בעל, BOL, BEL, BELUS, (lord,
master, or he that rules): this title was
applied to the chief idol among the
Chaldeans, Phenicians, Moabites, &c.,
Num. 22:4. It is believed to have
been originally used as an appellative of
the blessed Cre.; but religion having
been corrupted, it was given to renowned
benefactors and tyrants, who were deified
and their images worshipped, Judg. 2:
11-13, 6:25; 1 Kings 18:21-40. Hence
there were many Baalim or lords, Judg.
2:11; Hos. 2:13-17. See IDOLATRY.
Baal was a title superadded to the
names of [important] men and celebrated
places, of which many examples are
found in the Scriptures.
BA'AL-BE'RITH, [h]-בעל (lord of the
covenant), an idol adopted and worshipped
by Israel, Josh. 8:34.
BA'AL-GAD, [h]-בעל (lord of the troop), a
city of Hermon, near Lebanon, Josh.
11:17.
BA'AL-HAM'ON, [h]-בעל (lord of the
multitude), a fertile district of Judea,
Song 8:11.
BA'AL-HER'MON, [h]-בעל (lord of de-
struction), a district of Hermon, on Leba-
non, Judg. 3:3.
BA'ALI, בעלי (my lord), a title of honour
used in idolatry, Hos. 2:16.
BA'AL-PE'OR, [h]-בעל, BAAL-PHEGOR
(lord of the opening), an idol worshipped
with obscene rites by the Moabites,
Num. 25:3-5.
BA'AL-PER'AZIM, [h]-בעל (lord of divi-
sions, or the plain of breaches), a plain or
valley near Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 5:20.
BA'AL-TA'MAR, [h]-בעל (lord of palm-
tree), a place near the city of Gibeah,
Judg. 20:33.
BA'AL-ZE'BUB, [h]-בעל (lord of the fly),
the idol deity of the Ekronite Philistines,
2 Kings 1:2. Swarms of flies being
noisome in the East, this fabulous divi-
nity was worshipped as the protector
from flies, as Jupiter Muscarius, or the fly-
driver, was by the Romans. The Jews
changed his name to Beelzebub or Beelze-
bul, the god of the dunghill: they also, in
contempt, gave this name to the chief of
the evil spirits, "the prince of the devils[,]"
Matt. 12:24.
BA'AL-ZE'PHON, [h]-בעל (lord of the
north, or of the watch-tower), a fortified
place on the north point of the Red sea,
supposed to have a temple and idol of
Baal to guard Egypt, Exod. 14:2.
BA'ASHA, [h], or BOSHA (in the work,
or who lays waste), a general in the army
of Nadab, son of Jeroboam, king of Israel,
who killed his master and usurped the
throne, 1 Kings 15:27-29; 16:1-14.
BA'BEL, בבל (confusion or mixture), a
tower commenced, as is generally sup-
posed, during the life of Noah, under the
direction of Nimrod, a grandson of Ham,
and about A.M. 1770, or 113 years after
the deluge, though some place this work
two or three hundred years later, Gen. 10:
10; 11:1-9. Nimrod is believed to have
formed a system of idolatry for his adhe-
rents, designing, by this means, to esta-
blish a national union under his govern-
ment, thereby frustrating the Divine
designs, which required their dispersion,
to repeople the earth. This impious
attempt occasioned their miraculous
confusion of speech, on which account
the building ceased, and the purpose of
God was accomplished in the replenishing
of the world, by the scattered people.
How far the work had proceeded we are
not informed; but it is believed that,
besides three years in preparing mate-
rials, twenty-two had been expended in
the undertaking, and that the tower had
been carried up several stories, laying
the foundation for the city of Babylon.
See BABYLON and ACCAD.
BABBLER, an idle or vain talker,
Eccles. 10:11; Acts 17:18.
BABBLING, idle or vain talk, Prov.
23:29; 1 Tim. 6:20.
BABE, an infant, Exod. 2:6: an inex-
perienced believer, 1 cor 3:1: a foolish
person, Isa. 3:4.
BAB'YLON, in Heb. BABEL, בבל, in
Gr. Βαβυλων (confusion or mixture): this
city arose from the building of Babel,
and became the famous capital of Chaldea.
This most celebrated metropolis of the
East, enlarged by Belus, and further
extended by queen Semiramis, about
the year 1200 B.C., reached its summit
of magnificence under Nebuchadnezzar,
about the year 570 B.C., or when further
embellished, by his daughter-in-law
Nitocis. Its magnitude was 480 fur-
longs, or 60 miles in compass; being an
exact square square of 15 miles on each side:
its walls were built of brick laid in
bitumen, 87 feet thick, and 350 feet high,
on which were 250 towers, or, according
to some, 316. The materials for building
the wall were dug from a vast ditch or
moat, which was lined with brick-work,
and, being filled with water from the
river Euphrates, surrounded the city as
a defence. The city had 100 gates of
solid brass, one at each end of its 50
streets, 150 feet wide: these crossed the
city; so that the whole was divided into
676 squares, four and a half furlongs on
each side, around which were houses, the
inner parts being reserved for gardens,
pleasure-grounds, and fields. Facing the
wall, on every side, was a row of houses,
with a street between, of 200 feet wide;
and the city was divided into two equal
parts by the river Euphrates, over which
was a bridge, and at each end of it a
palace, communicating with each other
under the river by a subterraneous pas-
sage. Near to the old palace stood the
tower of Babel: this prodigious pile,
being completed, consisted of eight towers,
each 75 feet high, rising one upon
another, with an outside winding stair-
case, to its summit, which, with its chapel
on the top, reached an elevation of 660
feet. In this chapel was a golden image
40 feet high, valued at £3,500,000, and
the whole of the sacred utensils were
reckoned worth £40,000,000! Besides
these wonders, were the hanging gardens,
on a series of elevated terraces, the up-
permost equalling the height of the city
walls, and having a reservoir, supplied
by a machine with water from the river.
This great work was designed by Nebu-
chadnezzar to represent a hilly country,
for the gratification of his wife Amytis,
a native of Media. Babylon flourished
for nearly 200 years in this scale of
grandeur; during which idolatry, pride,
cruelty, and every abomination, prevailed
among all ranks of the people; when
God, by His prophets, denounced its utter
ruin, and which was accordingly accom-
plished, commencing with Cyrus taking
the city, after a siege of two years, in
the year 538 B.C., to emancipate the
Jews, as foretold by the prophets. By
successive overthrows, this once "glory
of the Chaldees' excellency," this "lady
of kingdoms," has become a "desolation,"
"without an inhabitant," and its temple
a vast heap of rubbish! Dan. 2. 6.; Isa.
13. 45.; Jer. 50. 51. "Birs Nemroud," as
the ancient tower of Babel is called,
Mr. Rich says, "is a mound of an oblong
form, the total circumference of which
is 762 yards. At the eastern side it is
cloven by a deep furrow, and is not more
than 50 or 60 feet high; but on the
western side it rises in a conical figure
to the elevation of 198 feet, and on its
summit is a solid pile of brick, 37 feet
high by 28 in breadth, diminishing in
thickness to the top, which is broken
and irregular, and rent by a large fissure
extending through a third of its height.
It is perforated by small holes, disposed
in rhomboids. The fire-burnt bricks of
which it is built have inscriptions on
them; and so excellent is the cement,
which appears to be lime-mortar, that it
is nearly impossible to extract one whole.
The other parts of the summit of this
hill are occupied by immense fragments
of brick-work, of no determinate figure,
tumbled together, and converted into
solid vitrified masses, as if they had
undergone the action of the fiercest fire,
or had been blown up with gunpowder,
the layers of brick being perfectly dis-
cernible." These ruins proclaim the
divinity of the Holy Scriptures!
BABYLON, or BABYLONIA, the country
or province of Chaldea, so named from
its capital city: it comprised a vast plain
of extraordinary fertility, watered by
the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, Psal.
127:1; Ezek. 23:15, 17.
BABYLON, a city which arose from the
ancient Babel, and distant about 45
miles: it was situated on the river Tigris,
and called Seleucia from its founder, and
New Babylon from its site, and from its
being enriched with the spoils of the old
city. Here the apostle Peter is believed
to have written one, or both, of his
Epistles, 1 Pet. 4:13. Jews have always
resided in this city; and one of their
famous collections of traditions with a
commentary being made here, is called
the Babylon Talmud. The present city
is called Bagdad, having a population of
about 20,000, including Moh_mm_dans,
Jews, and Greek and Romish Chris-
tians.
BABYLON THE GREAT, a symbolical
title applied to Rome, on account of the
popish hierarchy and its various cor-
ruptions of Christianity, Rev. 16.; 17.;
18. See ANTICHRIST.
BA'CA, [h] (mulberry-tree, or weeping wil-
low), a fertile vale through which was a
great road from the south-west to Jeru-
salem, supposed to be in the valley of
Rephaim, Psal. 84:6; Isa. 17:5.
BACK, the hind part of the body, 1
Sam. 10:9; Dan. 7:6. God casting our
sins behind his back, denotes his for-
giveness, Isa. 38:17: showing his
back and not his face, designs disregard-
ing the prayers of the insincere in dis-
tress, Jer. 18:17.
BACK, the place whence one came,
Exod. 18:2; Ruth 2:6: behind, Luke
9:62.
BACKBITER, a censurer or calumniator,
Rom. 1:30; Psal. 15:3.
BACKBITING, censuring or calumniat-
ing, Prov. 25:23.
BACKSIDE, the further side, as of a
desert, Exod. 3:1: the outside, as of
a roll of a book, Rev. 5:1.
BACKSLIDE, to fall back, as a beast
from labour when in harness, Hos.
4:16.
BACKSLIDER, one who falls off from
religion; first in heart, Prov. 14:14:
then in practical godliness, Jer. 3:11,
14; Hos. 14:4.
BACKWARD, with the back forwards,
Gen. 9:23; 1 Sam. 4:18: from bad to
worse, Isa. 1:4.
BAD, unfavourable, Gen. 24:50:
evil, Lev. 27:10, 12; 2 Cor. 5:10.
BADGER, a large animal that borrows
in the ground: but the "badgers' skins,"
used for covering the tabernacle, some
understand of colour. Dr. Harris and
others suppose Moses to intend the skins
of the sea-calf or seal, caught on the
shores of the Red sea, Exod. 25:5;
35:7, 23; Ezek. 16:10.
BADNESS, evil in quality, Gen. 41:19.
BAG, a sack or pouch, Deut. 25:13;
1 Sam. 17:40: a purse for money, Hag.
1:6; John 12:6.
BAKE, to heat, as in preparing food,
especially bread, Gen. 19:3; Exod.
16:23.
BAKEN, prepared for food by heating,
Lev. 2:4; 1 Kings 19:6.
BAKER, a maker of bread, Gen. 40:1;
Jer. 37:21; Hos. 7:4.
BA'LAAM, [h] (without the people), a
pretended prophet or diviner of Pethor,
on the Euphrates. He had apostatized
from the true worship of God, and
acquired great fame by his practice in
divination: his avarice, hypocrisy, and
wickedness of heart are manifest, in his
eagerness to obtain the rewards of king
Balak, using various incantations in
seeking permission to curse Israel. Con-
trary to his own will he was inspired to
bless the people, and to prophesy their
future prosperity. He perished, how-
ever, by the sword of Israel, with many
of the Midianites, after the Israelites had
been enticed by them to idolatry and
uncleanness, through the wicked counsel
of Balaam, Num. 22.; 24.; 31:8; 2
Pet. 2:15; Rev. 2:14. Balaam's ass [donkey]
speaking was a miracle, which was fre-
quently been a subject of cavil with
infidels: but if we reflect that God
alone gave to any of His creatures the
power of speech, we shall not wonder at
His conferring that faculty, in a single
case for a specific purpose, on a dumb
animal. Besides, the miracle was most
appropriate to the occasion: for God
was about to restrain the tongue of
Balaam, and make him say what was in
his heart to speak concerning Israel.
Bishop Newton well remarks, that the
ass being merely passive, a greater
miracle was wrought in restraining
Balaam's tongue, than in speaking by
the mouth of the ass.
BALA'DAN, [h] (the Lord God, or ripe-
ness of judgment, or without judgment), a
famous king of Babylon, called by pro-
fane authors, Belesis and Nabonassar,
and whose son was in friendly alliance
with Hezekiah, king of Judah, 2 Kings
20:12. See BERODACH.
BA'LAK, [h] (who lays waste), an idola-
trous king of Moab, who is famous
through seeking to engage the false pro-
phet Balaam to execrate Israel, Num.
22.; 25. See BALAAM.
BALANCE, an instrument for weighing,
the weights to which were stones, usually
kept in small bags, Prov. 11:1; 16:11;
Isa. 40:12; 46:6. The Hebrew balance
is supposed to have resembled our steel-
yard, which is derived from the Romans.
BALANCES, scales for weighing, as a
pair of scales, Lev. 19:36; Jer. 32:
10; Rev. 6:5. To be "weighed in the
balances," is to be tried by the revealed
will or law of God, Job 6:2; Dan. 5:27.
In Egyptian monuments, the balance
most frequently occurs, "Death Judg-
ment;" and from these we have drawn
our illustrations.

BALANCES. Photo.

BALD, wanting hair, Lev. 13:40; 2
Kings 2:23; Jer. 48:37.
BALDNESS, want of hair on the head,
Lev. 21:5; Ezek. 7:18.
BALM, balsam, an aromatic resinous
gum, from the balsam-tree, used as a
medicine. Gilead was famous for the
most precious kind, though it was pro-
duced in abundance in the neighbour
province of Arabia Felix, whence it was
obtained by the Israelites, Egyptians,
and Tyrians, for traffic, Gen. 37:25;
Jer. 8:22; Ezek. 27:17. Our engrav-
ing represents the branches and leaves
of the Balsamodendron Gileadense.
BAND, a tie or bandage, Exod. 39:
23; Judg. 15:14: a chain, Dan. 4:15,
23: law or government, Psal. 2:3: rea-
son or argument, Hos. 11:4: a company,
as of soldiers, Acts 10:1: a family, Gen.
32:7, 10.
BANDED, covenanted or agreed in an
enterprise, Acts 23:12.
BANISHMENT, the state of expulsion
from home or country, Ezr. 7:26; 2
Sam. 14:13, 14.
BANK, the side or brink of a river,
Gen. 41:17: a heap of earth raised, 2
Sam. 20:15: a place where money is
kept, and let out of those in trade on
interest, Luke 19:23.
BANNER, an ensign of distinction,
elevated as a standard, and used by
armies to assemble, direct, and encourage
the troops. The tribes of Israel had
peculiar banners or standards, Isa. 13:
2; Num. 2:2.
BANQUET, a sumptuous luxurious feast
or supper, Esth. 5:5; Amos 6:7.
BANQUETINGS, luxurious feastings, 1
Pet. 4:3.
BAPTISM, a kind of [complete immersion only,
always a complete burial in water], Matt. 3:
7. ...
: but in what manner the [beginning]
Christian ordinance of baptism was ad-
ministered by the apostles, learned men
are agreed:
[Bible-obeying Christians] believe that it was done
by the submersion of the whole body
under water. Baptism with water
[by John the Baptist in the river Jordan],
Matt. 3:11a, Acts 1:5a, 11:16a[.]
Booklet.

BAPTISM, Scriptural: a N. T. Church ordinance, Matt. 3.
Tract.
Valid baptism is only a figure, picture, or symbol.
It is not a sacrament, nor a means of regeneration.

BAPTIZE, to [immerse] or [submerse],
Mat. 3:6, 16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5.
BAPTIZE WITH FIRE, the miraculous
[immer]sion of the Holy Spirit, Matt. 3:11;
Acts 1:5; 2:3, 4. Some think this
refers also to the Divine judgments upon
the corrupt Jews in the destruction of
the city of Jerusalem, Matt. 24.

Baptize, -ed, -eth with the Holy Ghost. An event that happened only during the days of the apostles in the book of Acts.
"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts 1:5
"Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Acts 11:16

BAPTIZED, did baptize, John 3:22;
1 Cor. 1:14, 16.
BAPTIZED, [immers]ed with water,
Matt. 3:6 [in Jordan], 11 [with water]; Acts 9:18; 16:15 [faithful], 33 [believers].
BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD, the "dead"
seems to refer to Christ crucified, but if
his resurrection is disallowed, baptism,
administered in his name, in profession
of dedication to his service, was vain, 1
Cor. 15:29-32.
BAPTIZING, administering baptism,
Matt. 28:19; John 1:28-31.
Tract: Scriptural Baptism.

BAPTIZING. Repentant believers only should be baptized.
List: New Testament Church.

BAPTIST, the surname of John, the
herald of Christ; and who was so called
on account of his ministry requiring
purity of life, of which the baptism of
his disciples was a significant profession,
Matt. 3:1, 8 ["fruits" of "repentance"]; 14:2.

BAPTIST, the historic faith of true Christianity, Eph. 4:5; Jude 1:3.
List: Baptist History.

BAR, a bolt, as for fastening a large
door, Judg. 16:3; Neh. 3:3: a kind of
rafter in a building, Exod. 26:26, 28:
a boundary, Job 38:10.
BARAB'BAS, Βαραββας (son of the father),
a notorious Jewish robber, whose liberty
was solicited by the malignant Jews
rather than that Pilate should liberate
Jesus, Mark 15:7-12.
BARACHI'AS, [g] (who blesses the
Lord), supposed to have been the same
as Jehoiada, whose son, Zacharias, was
slain between the temple and the altar,
by order of king Joash, Matt. 23:35;
2 Chron. 24:20, 21. See ZECHARIAH.
BARAK, [h] (thunder), a judge and
deliverer of Israel from the oppression
of Jabin, king of the Canaanites, Judg.
4. See DEBORAH.
BARBARIAN, a stranger or foreigner,
1 Cor. 14:11: an uncivilised and un-
learned person; such the Greeks called
all foreigners, and so the apostle used
the term, Rom. 1:14.
BARBAROUS, uncivilised or rude in the
mode of life, Acts 28:2.
BARBED, having points like sharp
hooks, Job 41:7.
BARBER, one who shaves or cuts hair,
Ezek. 5:1.
BARE, uncovered, Lev. 13:45: naked,
Isa. 32:11: destitute, Jer. 49:10:
real or merely, 1 Cor. 15:37.
BAREFOOT, destitute of shoes on the
feet, 2 Sam. 15:30.
BAR-JESUS, [g] (son of Jesus), a
Jewish false prophet, or magician, an
apostate from the true religion, settled
in the isle of Cyprus: his proper name
in Arabic was Elymas, or the sorcerer,
Acts 13:6-12.
BAR-JONA, Βαριωνας (the son of Jona),
the Syriac designation of Peter, as the
son of Jonas, used by our Lord, probably
to promote humility in the mind of the
apostle, John 1:42; 21:15-17.
BARK, to yelp as dogs: unpreaching
careless ministers are denounced by the
prophet as dumb dogs that cannot bark,
Isa. 56:10.
BARKED, destroyed, by injuring the
bark of trees, Joel 1:7.
BARLEY, a well-known species of
grain, used for food in the earliest times,
Exod. 9:31; Num. 5:15; 2 Chron. 2:10:
and as food for cattle, 1 Kings 4:28.
BARN, a storehouse for corn, 2 Kings
6:27; Luke 12:18-24.
BAR'NABAS, Βαρναβας (the son of pro-
phecy, or of consolation), the name given by
the apostles to Joses, a Levite converted
to Christ, on account of his [...] style
of preaching: as an evangelist he be-
came eminently successful among the
apostolic churches, Acts 4:36, 37; 11:
22-24.
BARREL, a round wooden domestic
vessel used for keeping liquors, 1 Kings
17:12; 18:33.
BARREN, unproductive or fruitless, as
land without corn or herbage, 2 Kings
2:19: as a woman without children,
Gen. 11:3; 25:21: as professed Chris-
tians without divine knowledge and holy
tempers, 2 Pet. 1:8.
BARRENNESS, unfruitfulness in land,
Psal. 107:34.
BAR'SABAS, [g] (son of rest, called
also Joseph the just), a distinguished Chris-
tian, probably one of the seventy disci-
ples of Christ, Acts 1:23; Luke 10:1, 17.
BARTHOL'OMEW, Βαρθολομαιος (the son
that suspends the waters, or the son of Thol-
mai) a name of Nathanael the apostle,
Matt. 10:3; John 1:45; Acts 1:11; 2:7.
See NATHANAEL.

BARTHOLOMEW. Paper: THE TWELVE.

BARTIME'US, [g] (the son of
Timeus, or of the honourable), a blind beggar
of Jericho, whose sight was restored by
Christ, Mark 10:46-52; Matt. 20:30.
BA'RUCH, [h] (who is blessed), a noble
Jew, and attached as a friend to Jere-
miah, acting as his scribe or amanuensis,
Jer. 32:12; 36.; 45.
BARZIL'LAI, [h] (the son of iron), a
wealthy Gileadite, who supplied food to
David when driven from Jerusalem by
his son Absalom, 2 Sam. 17:27; 19:32.
BARZILLAI, a noble Simeonite of
Meholah, 2 Sam. 21:8.
BASE, a foundation for pillars in a
building, 1 Kings 7:27.
BASE, worthless, Job 30:8: mean,
inelegant, 2 Cor. 10:1.
BASER, notoriously shameful, Acts
17:5.
BA'SHAN, [h] (in the teeth, or in slumber-
ing), a rich country east of Jordan, famous
for its pasturage, flocks, and cattle, its
oaks, and sixty cities, Deut. 3:4-13; Ezek.
39:18; Mic. 7:14. Modern travellers
describe the country as abounding with
magnificent scenery, noble forests and
fertile plains, resembling many of the
richest parts of Europe.
BASKET, a light vessel, as of twigs or
rushes, for the carrying of food, Gen. 40:
16, 17; Matt. 14:20: or fruits, Jer. 6:
9; Acts 9:25.
BASON, a small vessel for the holding
of liquid, as for the washing of the hands,
Exod. 12:22; John 13:5.
BASTARD, a person born out of wed-
lock, Deut. 23:2.
BAT, a flying animal, resembling a
mouse, and frequenting caves and de-
serted buildings, Lev. 11:19; Isa. 2:20.
Many species are common in Palestine.
BATH, a Hebrew measure for liquids
containing a firkin, or about seven gal-
ons and two quarts, Ezek. 45:10, 14;
2 Chron. 2:10; Ezr. 7:22. Solomon's
molten sea held 2000 baths, 1 Kings 7:
26, and with the foot-brim 3000 baths, 2
Chron. 4:5.
BATHE, to cleanse, as by washing, Lev.
15:5; 17:16.
BATH'SHEBA [h] (the daughter of an
oath), the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and
afterwards of king David, and the mother
of Solomon, 2 Sam. 11.; 12.; 1 Kings 1.; 2:
13, 35. See URIAH.
BATTERED, beaten down, as the wall
of a city by soldiers, 2 Sam. 20:16.
BATTERING-RAM, a ponderous instru-
ment of war for beating down the walls
of cities, Ezek. 4:2; 21:22.
BATTLE, a general fight, Gen. 14:8;
Deut. 2:24; 1 Cor. 14:8: war, 1 Sam.
17:13: victory, Eccles. 9:11.
BATTLEMENT, a wall round the top of
a flat-roofed house common in the East,
Deut. 22:8; Jer. 5:10.
BAY, a brown colour, rather inclining
to red, Zech. 6:3-7.
BAY-TREE, an evergreen, believed to
denote the laurel, Psal. 37:35. Lau-
rus nobilis.
BDELLIUM, a precious stone of a
whitish colour, by some supposed to be
a kind of crystal or beryl, Gen. 2:12;
Num. 11:1; some have thought it to
have been a kind of gum, or pearl.
BEACON, a signal placed on a moun-
tain or hill, Isa. 30:17.
BEAM, a large piece of timber for build-
ing, Judg. 16:14; 2 Kings 6:25.
BEAN, a large kind of pulse, of which
there are many species, 2 Sam. 17:28;
Ezek. 4:9.
BEAR, a well-known fierce beast of
prey, of which there are many species[,]
1 Sam. 17:36; 2 Kings 2:24. Our cut
represents the Ursus Syriacus.
BEAR, to sustain, Gen. 13:6: to carry,
Exod. 28:12: to produce, Gen. 17:
17: to endure, 4:13; Prov. 18:14: to
declare, John 1:7, 8.
BEARD, the hair that grows upon the
chin, Lev. 14:9; 1 Sam. 17:35. The
beard was regarded with great venera-
tion; and pulling or injuring it was
deemed a grievous insult, 2 Sam. 10:45:
or a token of deep distress, Jer. 41:5.
"May God preserve thy blessed beard,"
is now an expression of cordial friend-
ship among the Arabians.
BEARER, a carrier of burdens, 2 Chron.
2:18.
BEARING, carrying, Josh. 3:3: pro-
ducing, as herbs or fruits, Gen. 1:29: or
children, 16:2.

BEARING PRECIOUS SEED. List: John / Romans Project.

BEAST, a brute animal devoid of rea-
son, Gen. 1:24, 25. Beast, in prophetic
language, means a chief corrupter of
religion, and a persecuting power, Rev.
13:1, 11; 16:13.
BEASTS (Gr. ζωα): CHM re-
marks on Rev. 4:6: "It was no
mistake in our translators, to
render the word, beasts: it certainly
signifies any other kind of animals, that
is, creatures which have animal life, as
well as beasts. The word beast, does not
degrade the signification, and the
animals here mentioned are represented
as in the highest sense rational." The
word in Rev. 4. 5. 6., evidently means
angelic beings of peculiar glory, pro-
perly called, living creatures, Ezek. 1:6.
BEAT, to strike or smite, Deut. 25:
3; Acts 16:22: to bruise, or pound,
Exod. 30:36: to conquer, 2 Kings 13:
25: to demolish, Judg. 8:18: to forge
with a hammer, Isa. 2:4; Joel 3:10.
BEATEN, smitten or struck, as a
punishment, Exod. 5:14; Acts 5:40; 2
Cor. 11:25: defeated, Josh. 8:15;
2 Sam. 2:17: forged, or made with a
hammer, Exod. 25:18: broken, 2 Chron.
34:7; Mic. 1:7.
BEATING, striking or smiting, 1 Sam.
14:16; Mark 12:5.
BEAUTIFUL, fair, handsome, Gen.
29:17; 1 Sam. 16:12: splendid, Ezek.
16:12: grand, Acts 3:2.
BEAUTIFY, to adorn as a building, Ezr.
7:27; Isa. 60:13: to sanctify and com-
fort, Psal. 149:4.
BEAUTY, handsomeness, 2 Sam. 1:19:
elegance, Exod. 28:2: grandeur,
Lam. 1:6: spiritual graces, Psal. 90:17:
divine joy, Isa. 61:3. Solomon's temple,
at Jerusalem, was the "beauty of Israel,"
Lam. 2:1. Babylon was called the
"beauty of the Chaldees' excellency,"
Isa. 13:19. God is the "beauty of holi-
ness," 2 Chron. 20:21.
BECAUSE, for this reason, Gen. 3:14;
John 6:26.
BECKONED, made a sign, Luke 1:22;
John 13:24; Acts 19:33.
BECKONING, making a sign, Acts 12:
17; 13:16.
BECOME, to appear, Gen. 3:22: to be
made, John 1:12: to result from, Exod.
37:20: to be suitable, Psal. 93:5.
BED, that on which a person sleeps at
night, 1 Sam. 19:13: a couch for repose
at noon, 2 Sam. 4:5: conjugal fidelity,
Heb. 13:4: the grave, Isa. 57:21.
Beds in the East were commonly only
thick mats or mattresses, laid down on
the floor at night, and easily removed,
Exod. 8:3; Matt. 9:6; John 5:11,
12. In larger houses a kind of bench
was fixed, about a foot high and three
feet broad, covered with a cushion, used
both for sitting and lying on; but at
one end of the room it was more ele-
vated for a bed, 2 Kings 1:4; Psal. 132:
3. Some used beds laid on moveable
frames, as bedsteads, Amos 6:4; Mark
4:21. Our engraving represents several
as found in Egyptian paintings.
BED-CHAMBER, a lodging-room, Exod.
8:3; 2 Kings 11:2.
BEDSTEAD, the frame on which a bed
is laid, Deut. 3:11.
BEE, a well-known species of flying
insect, whose industrious economy in
preparing honey and wax, "nature's con-
fectioner," has excited the admiration of
all nations, Judg. 14:8. Bees abound-
ing in Canaan, it was therefore called
"a land flowing with milk and honey,"
Exod. 2:8-17
BEEL'ZEBUB, [g] (lord of flies,
or of the dunghill), the name given in con-
tempt by the Jews to the god of flies
worshipped by the Ekronites, Matt. 12:
24. See BAALZEBUB.
BE'ER, [h] (a well), a place between
Jerusalem and Shechem, Judg. 9:21.
BEER, a station of the Israelites in
Moab, Num. 21:16; Isa. 15:8.
BEER-LAHA'I-ROI, [h] (the well
of the vision of life), a place in the desert
of Shur, so called by Hagar, after her
vision of an angel, Gen. 16:14.
BEE'ROTH, [h] (the wells, or illumina-
tions), a city of the Gibeonites allotted
to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh. 9:17;
2 Sam. 4:2.
BEER'-SHEBA, [h] (the well of an
oath, or the well of seven), a city on the
south of Canaan, in Judah, and so deno-
minated from Abraham making a cove-
nant of friendship with king Abimelech,
giving him seven lambs as a token, Gen.
21:31-33; Judg. 20:1.
BEETLE, a large black insect, sup-
posed to be a species of locust in Lev.
11:22; and the Scarabaeus worshipped
by the Egyptians.
BEEVES, cattle, as oxen, cows and
calves, Lev. 22:19-21; Num. 31:
28, 38.
BEFAL, to happen, Gen. 42:4, 38;
Acts 20:22.
BEFORE, in the presence of, Gen. 43:
14; Rev. 10:11: earlier, Gen. 24:45:
formerly, Job 42:10: rather than, 2
Sam. 6:21.
BEFOREHAND, previously, Mark 13:
11; 1 Pet. 1:11.
BEFORETIME, formerly, Josh. 20:5;
Acts 8:9.
BEG, to supplicate alms, Psal. 109:10;
Luke 16:3.
BEGET, to generate, Gen. 17:20: to
bring up, Ezek. 18:10-14.
BEGGAR, a pauper, 1 Sam. 2:8: one
living upon alms, Luke 16:20-22.
BEGGARLY, useless, as the Levitical
ceremonies were after the establishment
of Christianity, Gal. 4:9.
BEGGING, asking alms, Mark 10:46;
Luke 18:35.
BEGIN, to commence, or enter upon a
work or proceeding, Josh. 3:7; 1 Pet. 4:
17.
BEGINNING, the first period, Gen. 1:1:
the commencement, Exod. 12:2; Job
42:12: the first evidence, Gen. 49:
3: the author, Rev. 1:8; 3:14.
BEGOTTEN, naturally generated, Judg.
8:30: spiritually regenerated by the
doctrine of the gospel, 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 Cor.
4:15; Jam. 1:18.
BEGUILE, to deceive, Gen. 3:13; Col.
2:4, 18: to impose upon by a false state-
ment, Josh. 9:22.
BEHALF, favour, Exod. 27:21: for
the sake, Phil. 1:29.
BEHAVE, to act in the presence of
others, Deut. 32:27; 1 Tim. 3:15.
BEHAVIOUR, personal conduct, 1 Sam.
21:13; 1 Tim. 3:2.
BEHEAD, to cut off the head, 2 Sam.
4:7; Mark 6:16, 27.
BEHELD, did behold, or look upon,
Num. 21:9; Luke 19:41.
BE'HEMOTH, [h] (animals, or beasts,
or the animal). Calmet and some others
suppose the behemoth of Job was the
elephant; but commentators now gene-
rally consider it the hippo. or
river horse, found only in the Nile and
other great rivers of Africa: it is nearly
as large as an elephant; a male hippopo-
tamus having been found seventeen feet
long, fifteen feet in circumference, and
seven feet in height, with jaws extend-
ing upwards of two feet, and its skin so
hard and thick as to resist the stroke of
a sabre, Job 40:15. Dr. Good thinks the
behemoth of Job is extinct, as is evident
of some other monstrous animals. Our
engraving represents the Hippopotamus
Amphibius.

BEHEMOTH. Possibly some sort of dinosaur.

BEHIND, backwards, Judg. 20:20;
Neh. 9:26: after, 2 Sam. 3:16: left
remaining, Exod. 10:26; Luke 2:23:
inferior to, 1 Cor. 1:7; 2 Cor. 11:5: yet
to come, Col. 1:24.
BEHOLD, to look at, Gen. 31:6; 40:
6; 2 Cor. 3:7: to consider, Lam 1:11.
BEHOLD, a note of admiration, Isa. 7:
14: a call to consideration, Gen. 28:
15; John 1:29: an assurance of certainty,
Rev. 22:7, 12.
BEHOVED, became necessary or proper,
Luke 24:46; Heb. 2:17.
BEING, existence, or state of life, Psal.
104:33; Acts 17:28.
BEING, existing, Jer. 34:9: con-
tinuing, 1 Kings 15:13.
BEL, בל (ancient), the Chaldean idol
deity Baal, Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44.
Bel or Belus denoted the first Baal, lord,
or king of Babylon, supposed to be Nim-
rod, or Belus, the father of Ninus. See
BAAL.
BE'LA, a city, Gen. 14:8. See ZOAR.
BELCH, the profane speaking of the
wicked, Psal. 59:7.
BE'LIAL, [h] (wicked, rebellious, or
worthless), a rebellious licentious person,
Deut. 13:13; 1 Sam. 2:12; 1 Kings 21:
10. The Jews in the time of Christ
applied this title especially to the devil,
2 Cor. 6:15.
BELIED, falsely pretended, Jer. 5:12.
BELIEF, credit given to a declaration
or promise: such is the required "belief
of the truth" contained in the gospel,
2 Thess. 2:13. See FAITH.
BELIEVE, to credit a report or record
as true: thus sincere believers credit
the gospel of Christ as the doctrine of
their salvation, John 3:15, 18, 38; Rom.
10:9, 10; 1 John 5:1, 10. Wicked men,
or even devils, may believe certain
doctrines; but theirs is merely yielding
an involuntary assent of the mind by
the force of evidence, they believe not
the gospel, Acts 8:12, 13; Jam. 2:19.
BELIEVED, credited as true, Gen. 45:
26; Exod. 4:31; John 2:11, 22: trusted,
as pious men trust in the faithful care of
God, Dan, 6:23.
BELIEVER, one who cordially embraces
the doctrines of Christ in the gospel, Acts
5:14; 1 Tim. 1:12 [faithful].

BELIEVERS, 1 Tim. 4:12.

BELL, a hollow metal instrument for
giving sound, Exod. 28:33, 34.
BELLOW, to make a noise, as bulls,
Jer. 50:11.
BELLOWS, an instrument to blow the
fire, Jer. 6:29.
BELLY, that part of the body which
contains the bowels, Matt. 15:17: the
bowels, Rev. 10:9, 10: the womb, Jer. 1:
5: the animal appetites, Phil. 3:19: the
intelligent believing mind, John 7:38:
extreme danger of death, Jonah 2:2.
BELONG, to be the property, as houses
or land, Lev. 27:24: to be under the
government, as a district, Luke 23:7:
to be in the power, as the knowledge of
future and secret things does to God,
Gen. 40:8; Deut. 29:29.
BELOVED, much approved and re-
garded, Dan. 9:23; Acts 15:25. Christ
is especially beloved of God the Father,
on account of His unspotted holiness and
perfect obedience in the work of human
redemption, Matt. 3:17; 17:5. Christ
is therefore called the Beloved, Eph. 1:6.
BELSHAZ'ZAR, [h] (master of the
treasure), the profligate son of Evil-mero-
dach, king of Babylon, and grandson of
Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings 25:1, 27:
his government was carried on chiefly
by his mother, Nitocris; but he was the
last Chaldean king of Babylon, being
slain by the army of Cyrus in the night
of the taking of the city by the Medes
and Persians, Dan. 5:1, 10, 30.
BELTESHAZ'ZAR, [h] (who lays up
treasures in secret), the new name given to
Daniel in the court of Babylon, Dan 1:
7; 4:8.
BEMOAN, to lament or bewail, Job 42:
11; Nah. 3:7.
BENA'IAH, [h] (son of the Lord, or
understanding of the Lord), the son of
Jehoiada, captain of the royal guard of
David: he was a man of extraordinary
strength and courage, and became chief
general to Solomon, 2 Sam. 23:20;
1 Kings 1:32; 2:25, 35.
BENAIAH, a famous prince of Judah,
Ezek. 11:1, 13.
BENCHES, seats, Ezek. 27:6.
BENDING, bowing the head, stooping
to do homage, Isa. 60:14.
BENEATH, under, Exod. 20:4: at the
lower part, 32:19: inferior, Deut.
28:13: earthly, John 8:23.
BENEFACTOR, he that confers a benefit
on others, Luke 22:25.
BENEFIT, a favour or present, Phil.
14. God grants unto us the benefits of
life, health, and all our enjoyments in
this world, and the blessings of eternal
salvation, Psal. 103:2.
BENEFIT, to confer a favour, or do a
service, Jer. 18:10.
BENEVOLENCE, kindnes, 1 Cor. 8:3.

BEN'HADAD, [h] (son of Hadad), a
king of Syria, who was hired by Asa,
king of Judah, to break his bond of alli-
ance with, and make war upon, Baasha,
king of Israel, 1 Kings 15:18. Some
think this was Hadad the Edomite, who
had rebelled against Solomon, or rather
his son, 1 Kings 11:14-25.
BENHADAD II., son and successor of
the former, as king of Syria, famous for
his unsuccessful war with Ahab, king of
Israel, 1 Kings 20; 2 Kings 6; 8:1, 15.
BENHADAD, the son of Hazael, and
successor of his father on the throne of
Israel, 2 Kings 10:32, 33; 13:3, 25.
BEN'JAMIN, [h] (son of the right hand),
the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel:
his mother called him Benoni, and died
in giving him birth: but he became the
founder of one of the tribes of Israel,
Gen. 35:16-18; 44:22; 46:21.
BENJAMIN (the tribe of): this formed an
important body in Israel, but it was
once nearly destroyed by the rashness of
the other tribes, when 25,000 were slain,
Judg. 20; 21.
BEN'JAMITE, a person of the tribe of
Benjamin, as Saul, the first king of Israel,
1 Sam. 9:21; Est. 2:5.
BENO'NI, [h] (son of my sorrow). See
BENJAMIN.
BENT, made crooked, as a bow, Isa. 5:
28.
BENT, strongly inclined, Hos. 11:7;
Zech. 9:12.
BERE'A, Βεροιη (heavy), a city of Mace-
donia, where the people received the
gospel most readily from Paul, Acts
17:9-13. It is now an important city,
containing about 20,000 inhabitants,
Greeks and Turks, and called Veria.
BEREAVE, to deprive, as of children,
Jer. 15:7.
BEREAVED, deprived, as a parent of
his children, Gen. 42:36: as a country
of its people, Ezek. 36:13: as a beast
of its young, Hos. 13:8.
BERNICE, [g] (one bringing victory),
the daughter of Agrippa the Great: she
was first betrothed to Mark, son of Alex-
ander, chief of the Jews of Alexandria,
but married to her uncle Herod, king of
Chalcis, after whose death she married
Polemon, king of Pontus, whom she aban-
doned for an incestuous [relationship] with
her brother Agrippa, Acts 25:13-23.
BERO'DACH, [h] (who creates contrition,
or the son of death), the son of Baladan,
king of Babylon: he lived in friendship
with Hezekiah, king of Judah, 2 Kings
20:12: he is called MERODACH in Isa.
38:1.
BERRIES, small fruits with seeds, Isa.
17:6; Jam. 3:12.
BERYL, a precious stone, supposed to
be a rich topaz; but some regard it as
of a bluish-green colour, very brilliant,
and now called Aqua-Marina, Dan. 10:6;
Rev. 21:20.
BESEECH, to entreat earnestly, Exod.
33:18; Jonah 1:14.
BESET, to surround, Judg. 19:22: to
embarrass, Hos. 7:2; Heb. 12:1.
BESIDE, near to, 1 Sam. 19:3; Psal.
23:2; Isa. 32:20: mentally de-
ranged, Acts 26:24.
BESIDES, over and above, Gen. 19:12;
26:1.
BESIEGE, to beset with armed forces,
Deut. 28:52.
BESIEGED, surrounded as a city with
warriors or an army in battle array,
Eccles. 9:14; Isa. 1:8.
BESOM, an instrument to sweep the
ground, Isa. 14:23.
BE'SOR, [h] (joyful or beautiful), a small
stream on the south-west border of
Canaan, 1 Sam. 30:9. See SIHOR.
BESOUGHT, entreated, Gen. 42:21;
Acts 16:15, 39.
BEST, most valuable, Exod. 20:5;
1 Cor. 10:11, 31.
BESTEAD, not benefited, perplexed,
Isa. 8:21.
BESTIR, to put into vigorous action,
2 Sam. 5:24.
BESTOW, to give as a favour, Exod.
32:29: to expend, 2 Chron. 24:7:
to lay up, Luke 12:17, 18.
BESTOWED, granted as a favour,
1 Chron. 29:2; Isa. 63:7; 1 John
3:1.
BETHAB'ARA, [g] (the house of
passage), a well-known ford of the river
Jordan, John 1:28, supposed to be the
same as Bethbarah, Judg. 7:24.
BETH'ANY, Βηθανια (the house of song or
of affliction), a noted village at the foot of
mount Olivet, nearly two miles from
Jerusalem, Luke 24:50; John 11:1, 18.
BETHA'VEN, [h] (the house of vanity
or of grief), a city near to Bethel, Josh.
7:2.
BETH'EL, [h] (the house of God), a
place so named by Jacob, though for-
merly called Luz, Gen. 12:8; 28:19:
it became a city of great note, the capital
of one of the kings of Canaan, Judg. 1:
22-26: it was distinguished for religion,
1 Sam. 7:16; 10:3, and for idolatry, 1
Kings 12:29. "Come to Bethel," invited
to idol worship, Amos 4:4. Bethel was
twelve miles north of Jerusalem.
BETH'ELITE, a native of Bethel,
1 Kings 16:34.
BE'THER, [h] (division), a place or
town supposed to be near Jerusalem,
Song 2:17.
BETHES'DA, [g] (the house of mercy),
a pool with a public bath, north of the
temple at Jerusalem, and celebrated for
miraculous healing at the time of our
Saviour, John 5:2. Our engraving re-
presents the remains of the pool of Bethesda.
BETHINK, to recal to remembrance,
1 Kings 5:47.
BETH'LEHEM, [h] (the house of
bread), a city of Judah, situated on an
eminence overlooking Tekoah at the
distance of nine miles south, and about
six miles south-west of Jerusalem. It
was also called Ephrath, Gen. 35:
16-19, and Ephratah, Ruth 4:11. Though
a city of no great note, it was celebrated
as the birth-place of David, 1 Sam. 16:
1; and it became famous as the birth-
place of the Messiah, Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:
5-8. The village of Bethlehem, in 1784,
was supposed to contain six hundred
men capable of bearing arms; but war
and tyrannical government have reduced
it to a miserable condition. Mr. Whiting
an American my., visited it in
1834, when it had just suffered severely
from oppressive despotism; and he
passed over the ruins of houses and
fields that had just then been demolished
and parks of olive and fig-trees which
had been cut down by order of the
Pasha, for alleged rebellion and flight.
It is now called Beet-la-hm, and con-
tains about 1000 professing Christians.
Our engraving represents the present
city, and the large building in the centre
indicates the convent, erected over what
tradition affirms to have been the cave
of the nativity.
BETH'PHAGE, [g] (the house of the
valley, or of fire, or of figs), a village near
to Jerusalem, on the side of mount Olivet,
Matt. 21:1.
BETHSA'IDA, [g] (the house of
hunters, or of fishers), the native city of
Peter, in Galilee, on the lake of Tibe-
rias, John 1:45; Mark 6:45. It is now
called BATSIDA.
BETH'SHAN, [h] (the house of the
tooth, or the dwelling of sheep), a city near
Jordan, supposed to be Bethshean, Judg.
1:27; 1 Sam. 31:10.
BETH'SHEMESH, [h] (the house of
the sun), a famous city of Judah allotted
under Joshua to the Levites, Josh. 21:
16; 1 Sam. 6:19.
BETHSHEMESH, a city of Egypt noted
for idolatry, Jer. 43:13.
BETHU'EL, [h] (the filiation of God),
a nephew of Abraham, and father of
Rebekah, Gen. 24:15, 24.
BETIMES, early, Gen. 26:31: fre-
quently or continually, 2 Chron. 36:
15: seasonably, Prov. 13:24: sincerely,
Job 8:5.
BETRAY, to give into the power of
enemies, Matt. 24:10; John 6:64.
BETRAYER, he that betrays, a traitor,
Acts 7:52.
BETROTH, to contract to any one, as
for a wife, Deut. 20:7; 28:30: to
engage, as God promises to betroth His
church to Himself for eternal salvation,
Hos. 2:19, 20, 23 [people].
BETTER, more excellent, 2 Kings 5:
12; Rom. 3:9: more honourable, 1 Kings
1:47; Heb. 1:4: more profitable, Prov.
8:11; Num. 14:3: more comfortable,
Prov. 15:16, 17: more blissful, Phil. 1:
23.
BETTERED, made better, improved,
Mark 5:26.
BETWEEN, from one to another, as of
persons, Exod. 8:23; 1 Tim. 2:5: as
of things, Gen. 15:17.
BETWIXT, the same as between, Job
36:32; Phil. 1:23.
BEU'LAH, [h] (married), a prophetic
name given to the church to indicate
the special kindness of God, Isa. 62:4 [thy land].
BEWAIL, to lament or bemoan, Lev. 10:
6; Judg. 11:37.
BEWARE, to regard with care, Gen.
24:6; Isa. 36:18: to be watchful,
Matt. 7:15.
BEWITCHED, deceived by tricks or
wiles, Acts 8:9; Gal. 3:1.
BEWRAY, to make known or discover,
Isa. 16:3; Matt. 26:73.
BEYOND, on the other side, Deut. 30:
13: further than, Num. 22:18; Gal. 1:13.
BEZALE'EL, [h] (in the shadow of
God), an artificer divinely inspired, with
his colleague Aholiab, to perform the
various work required for the tabernacle
and its furniture in the worship of God,
Exod. 31:1, 2. See AHOLIAB.
BE'ZEK, [h] (lightning), a city of Judah,
originally the capital of Adonibezek,
Judg. 1:4-7.
BE'ZER, [h] (fortification, vintage, or dis-
tress), a city of Reuben east of Jordan in
Arabia Deserta, Deut. 4:43; Josh. 21:
36: it is supposed to have been Bozrah
in Idumea, Isa. 63:1.
BIBBER, an excessive drinker, Prov.
23:20; Matt. 11:19.
BIBLE, Βιβλος (the book), the expressive
title commonly given to the volume of
Holy Scripture. See the INTRODUCTION
to this work.

BIBLE, The Holy. 66 inspired books (39 O. T. & 27 N. T.) of
the Hebrew MT & the Greek TR.
The English King James Bible is God's preserved Word too.
List: Bibliology.

BID, to command, Josh. 6:10: to
invite, Matt. 22:9.
BIDDEN, commanded, Matt. 1:24:
invited, Luke 7:9.
BIDE, to continue or remain as in a
state, Rom. 11:23.
BIER, a carriage for the dead, 2 Sam.
3:31; Luke 7:14.
BIG'THAN, [h] (a garden), a chamber-
lain of king Ahasuerus, Est. 2:21: called
Bigthana, 6:2.
BIL'DAD, [h] (a son of strife), one of
Job's friends, thought by some to be a
son of Shuah, a son of Abraham, Gen.
25:21.
BIL'HAH, [h] (who is old, or troubled),
one of the subordinate wives of Jacob,
and mother of Dan and Naphtali, Gen.
29:29; 30:4-8.
BILL, a legal written document, Deut.
24:1; Mark 10:4: a written account of
goods purchased, Luke 16:6.
BILLOWS, swelling waves, Jonah 2:3:
heavy afflictions, Psal. 42:7.
BIND, to tie up or fasten, Exod. 28:
28: to engage by vow or promise, Num.
30:2: to determine or settle by the
inspiration of God, Matt. 16:19; 18:
18: to restrain, Job 38:31: to heal,
Isa. 61:1.
BINDING, tying or fastening, Gen.
37:7; Acts 22:4: obliging as by
oath, Num. 30:13.
BIRD, a general name to fowl, Gen.
7:14; Jam. 3:7. See FOWL.
BIR'SHA, [h] (in evil), the king of
Gomorrah, subject to king Chedorlaomer,
Gen. 14:2-8.
BIRTH, the act of being born into the
world, Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:14: the act
of conversion of the heart to God, Gal.
4:19.

BIRTH, the New. You "must be born again."--Jesus says in John 3:3, 7.
When was your spiritual birthday? Tracts.

BIRTH-DAY, the anniversary day of
one's birth, Gen. 40:20; Matt. 14:6.
BIRTHRIGHT, the privilege of the first-
born son; among the Israelites it con-
sisted of special consecration to God,
Exod. 22:29; a double portion of the
paternal estate, Deut. 21:17; and the
paternal blessing, Gen. 25:33; 1 Chron.
5:1. The office of priesthood in the
family was a patriarchal birthright of
the firstborn; but Esau despised this
privilege, together with the honour of
the ancestry of the Messiah, Heb. 12:
16, 17. Polygamy prevailing, the right
was required to be fixed among the
Israelites, Deut. 21:15-17.
BISHOP, an overseer, the official title
of the pastor of a Christian congregation,
Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9: he
was chosen by the people, as a man of
piety, gifts, and gravity, generally an
elderly person, and therefore called elder.
See ELDER.
BISHOP OF SOULS, a title applied to our
blessed Saviour, as the shepherd or pastor
of the [local] congregation of Chris-
tians, 1 Pet. 2:25; Heb. 13:20.
BISHOPRICK, the office or apostleship
attributed to Judas the traitor, Acts [1]:
20: it properly signifies overseership or
office, as in the margin, and as the Hebrew
word rendered, Psal. 109:8.
BIT, the iron of a horse's bridle, Psal.
32:19; Jam. 3:3.
BIT, did bite, Num. 21:6.
BITE, to crush or pierce with the teeth,
Eccles. 10:8; Amos 9:3.
BITHYN'IA, [g] (violent precipitation),
a province of Asia Minor, stretching
along the Euxine or Black sea. Many
Christians were found here for several
centuries, 1 Pet. 1:1.
BITTEN, wounded with the teeth,
Num. 21:8, 9.
BITTER, having a hot acrid taste,
Exod. 12:8; 15:23: calamitous, Jer. 2:
19; 4:18: severe, Col. 3:19: piercing,
Gen. 27:34; Est. 4:1.
BITTERLY, severely, Judg. 5:23: sor-
rowfully, Ezek. 27:30; Matt. 26:75.
BITTERN, a large fowl of the heron
kind, Isa. 14:23.
BITTERNESS, deep sorrow, 1 Sam. 1:
10: the means of extreme sorrow, as the
sword of war, 2 Sam. 2:26, or a wicked
son, Prov. 17:25: great depravity,
Acts 8:23.
BLACK, very dark, 1 Kings 18:45:
cloudly, Jer. 4:28.
BLACKISH, dark, Job 6:16.
BLACKNESS, cloudiness, Isa. 50:3: terror,
Joel 2:6: future torment, Jude 13.
BLADE, the broad point of an iron
weapon, Judg. 3:22: the green shoots
of growing corn, Matt. 13:26: the broad
bone of the shoulder, Job 31:22.
BLAINS, blisters or sore pustules, Exod.
9:9.
BLAME, fault, Eph. 1:4: imputation of
fault, Gen. 43:9.
BLAME, to censure or charge with
fault, 2 Cor. 8:20.
BLAMED, censured, 2 Cor. 6:3; Gal.
2:11.
BLAMELESS, without fault, Matt. 12:
5; 1 Tim. 3:2: exemplary, Luke 1:6
sanctified and accepted, 1 Cor. 1:8.
BLASPHEME, to speak evil of, revile,
or ridicule, sacred things, especially the
names, perfections, ordinances, word, or
works of God, 1 Kings 21:10; 1 Tim. 1:
6; Tit. 2:5.
BLASPHEMED, did blaspheme, Lev.
24:11; 2 Kings 19.
BLASPHEMED, reviled or scorned,
Rom. 2:24; 1 Tim. 6:2.
BLASPHEMER, a wicked person that
speaks daringly against God or sacred
things, 1 Tim. 1:13; Acts 19:37.
BLASPHEMING, opposing with impious
words, Acts 13:45.
BLASPHEMOUS, impious reviling, Acts
6:11-13.
BLASPHEMOUSLY, profanely or impi-
ously, Luke 22:65.
BLASPHEMY, profane words impiously
spoken against God or sacred things,
2 Kings 19:3; Rev. 13:1, 5, 6. Pro-
fane swearing is of the nature of blas-
phemy, and highly offensive to God.
BLASPHEMY against the Holy Ghost, a
malicious rejection of Christ, ascribing
His miracles to a diabolical influence,
Matt. 12:31. Persons now, it is believed
by many, may be guilty of this unpar-
donable crime in the malicious rejection
of the gospel, despising the provisions of
the new covenant for pardon and salva-
tion by Jesus Christ, Heb. 10:26, 29.
BLAST, a storm of wind with destruc-
tive rain or frost, 2 Kings 19:7: the
expressed anger of God, Exod. 15:8:
furious temptations of wicked men or
evil spirits, Isa. 25:4: the blowing in
horns for alarm, John 6:5.
BLASTED, destroyed by storm or per-
nicious wind, Gen. 41:6.
BLASTING, destruction by storm, Deut.
28:22. See MILDEW.
BLAS'TUS, [g] (one that sprouts or
brings forth), the chamberlain of Herod
Agrippa, whose interest was secured by
the Tyrians and Sidonians, Acts 12:20.
BLEATING, crying as sheep, Judg. 5:
16.
BLEMISH, bodily defect, Exod. 12:5:
personal injury or deformity, Lev. 24:
19, 20: fault or crime, 1 Pet. 1:19.
Blemishes denote immoralities in social
life, 2 Pet .2:13.
BLESS, to endue with excellent and
useful qualities, as God blessed man and
all living beings on the day of their
creation, Gen. 1:22-28: to endow with
spiritual benefits, as God blesses His
people with the saving gifts and graces
of the new covenant in Jesus Christ,
Eph. 1:3: to afford tokens of favour, as
God blesses his worshippers, Gen. 32:
26: to grant favours, as God blessed
Abraham with protection, plenty, and
eternal salvation, Gen. 22:17: to favour
with the means of salvation, Acts 3:26:
to grant special favours, as children,
Gen. 17:16: to give plenty and peace,
Deut. 15:4, 18.
BLESS, to glorify and praise God for
His mercies, Deut. 8:10; Psal. 103:1-
20, 22: to pray for mercies upon any
one, Gen. 48:9; Exod. 12:32; or for
a family, 2 Sam. 6:20: to express wishes
for happiness, Matt. 5:44; Rom. 14:14.
BLESSED, infinitely possessed of all
perfections, glory, and joy, as God, Rom.
1:25; 1 Tim. 1:11: endowed with good
natural qualities, as all the creatures
were at the first blessed by their Creator,
Gen. 1:22: enriched with spiritual bless-
ings, as the people of God are blessed
in Christ, Eph. 1:3: interested in the
mercy and grace of God, Psal. 32:1:
highly privileged, Deut. 2:7; Num. 22:
12: made happy in heaven, Rev. 14:13.
BLESSED, declared glorious and gra-
cious, as Daniel and Ezra blessed God,
Dan. 2:19; Neh. 8:8: made prosper-
ous, Gen. 9:1; 25:11: pronounced
happy with prayer for divine mercies,
Gen. 14:19; Lev. 9:22, 23.
BLESSEDNESS, happiness, Gal. 4:15:
a state of spiritual privilege and enjoy-
ment, Rom. 4:6-9.
BLESSING, a divine favour, Psal. 3:8;
Rom. 15:29: a benefit, Gen. 12:2; Neh.
9:10: the ascription of divine excel-
lency and sufficiency, Rev. 5:12-19.
BLEW, did blow, as the wind, Matt. 7:
25: did sound, as with a trumpet, Josh.
6:8.
BLIND, destitute of natural sight, John
9:1: ignorant through wicked preju-
dices, as ungodly men, Matt. 15:14, or
through want of instruction, as the un-
educated, Rom. 2:19.
BLIND, to pervert the judgment, as
wicked judges are corrupted by bribes,
Deut. 16:19; 1 Sam. 12:3, or as wicked
men are blinded in heart by their de-
praved passions, 2 Cor. 3:14; 1 John 2:
11. God giving up wicked men to their
own hearts' lusts, is said to blind their
eyes, John 12:40.
BLINDFOLDED, having the eyes covered
with a bandage, Luke 22:64.
BLINDNESS, want of sight, Gen. 19:
11; 2 Kings 6:18: alienation of heart
from the truth of God, as wicked men,
Rom. 11:25; Eph. 4:18.
BLOCK, a heavy piece of timber or
stone, Lev. 19:14. A thing causing
offence or hindrance in duty is called a
stumbling-block, 1 Cor. 1:23; Rev. 2:14.
BLOOD, the red fluid of life in the
bodies of animals, Gen. 37:31;
1 Kings 18:28: guilt of taking away
life, 2 Sam. 1:16; Matt. 27:24, 25:
human nature, Eph. 6:12: human wis-
dom, Matt. 16:17. To wash the feet in
blood, is to gain a bloody victory, Psal.
58:10: to build a town with blood, is
by the death of the oppressed labourers,
as slaves, Hab. 2:12: the moon being
turned into blood, denotes terrific red-
ness, Joel 2:31.
BLOOD of Christ: this phrase denotes
the virtue or efficacy of the death of
Christ as an atonement for sin, Eph. 2:
13; Heb. 9:14; or the symbol of His
blood in the supper, Matt. 26:28.

BLOOD of Christ. Tract.

BLOOD of the covenant, the blood of the
sacrifice offered under the law, Exod.
24:8; Zech. 9:11: the death of Christ
as the true sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10:26;
13:29.
BLOODY, stained with blood, Acts
28:8: cruel or murderous, 2 Sam.
21:1; Psal. 5:6.
BLOOMED, yielded blossoms, Num.
17:8.
BLOSSOM, a flower of a tree, Gen. 40:
10: national hopes, as the youth, Isa. 5:
24.
BLOSSOM, to put forth flowers, Hab.
3:17; Num. 17:5.
BLOT, a mark of disgrace, Job 31:7;
Prov. 9:7.
BLOT OUT, to obliterate, as a written
name, Rev. 3:5; or of a record, Psal.
51:1, 9.
BLOTTED, obliterated, as names or
written records, Col. 2:14: thus God
promises to pardon the sins of His people,
Isa. 44:22.
BLOW, a stroke or calamity, Psal.
39:10; Jer. 14:17.
BLOW, to breathe as in a trumpet,
Num. 10:5-9: to move in a current, as
the wind, Exod. 15:10: to inflate with
wind, as bellows, Isa. 54:16.
BLUE, the sky-colour, or a kind of
azure-coloured cloth, Exod. 25:4.
BLUENESS, the quality of being blue
in colour, Prov. 20:20.
BLUNT, dull in the edge, not sharp,
Eccles. 10:10.
BLUSH, to indicate shame by a red
colour in the cheek, Ezra 9:6.

Go to: index.htm