- LA'ADAH, [h] (for ornament), the
chief
of a family in Judah, 1 Chron. 4:21.
- LA'ADAN, [h] (for pleasure or for
wit-
ness), called also Libni, the chief of a
family of Levi, 1 Chron. 6:17; 23:
7, 8.
- LA'BAN, לבן (white,
or a brick), the father
of Leah and Rachel, the
wives of Jacob.
Laban was the brother of Rebekah,
Jacob's mother, and grandson of Nahor
the brother of Abraham: but he was a
wretched idolator; and though indus-
trious, we perceive him to have been
covetous and deceitful, by his conduct
to his nephew and son-in-law Jacob,
Gen. 24:15-29; 28.-31.
- LABAN, a place in Arabia, Deut. 1:1.
- LABOUR, diligent care or work, Gen.
31:42: work and its fruit, Eccles. 2:
10, 19: toil and sufferings, Rev. 14:13.
- LABOUR, to work, Exod. 5:9: to travel,
Josh. 7:3: to endeavour, Heb. 4:11.
- LABOURED, did work, Neh. 4:21: en-
deavoured, Dan. 6:14.
- LABOURER, a workman, Jam. 5:4:
Christian ministers are called labourers,
on account of their evangelical and pas-
toral work to save [rescue] the souls of men,
Matt. 9:37; 1 Cor. 3:9.
- LABOURING, working, Eccles. 5:12:
endeavouring, Col. 4:12.
- LACE, a platted cord or riband, Exod.
28:28, 37.
- LA'CHISH, [h] (she walks, or who
exists
of herself), a city of Judah, twenty-seven
miles south-east of Jerusalem, Josh. 10:
32; 2 Kings 18:14-17.
- LACK, a deficiency, Gen. 18:28; Phil.
2:30.
- LACK, to be in want of, Matt. 19:20:
to desire, Jam. 1:5.
- LACKED, failed of, Deut. 2:7: were in
want, Acts 4:34.
- LACKING, wanting, Lev. 2:13: defi-
cient, 1 Cor. 16:17.
- LAD, a boy, a young man. Joseph
was seventeen years old, Gen. 37:2,
and Benjamin had sons, 43:8; 46:21:
a man-servant, 1 Sam. 20:36.
- LADDER, a frame with steps for climb-
ing, Gen. 28:1.
- LADE, to lay on a burden, Gen. 45:
17: to impose, as taxes, 1 Kings 12:11;
or heavy duties, Luke 11:46.
- LADED, did load, Gen. 42:26: did
supply, Acts 28:10.
- LADEN, burdened, Gen. 45:23: op-
pressed with guilt and sorrow, Matt. 11:
28: sunk in evil practices, Isa. 1:4; 2
Tim. 3:6.
- LADING, the load or cargo of a ship,
Acts 27:10.
- LADIES, women attending princesses,
Judg. 5:29; Est. 1:18.
- LADY, a woman of rank, 2 John [1-5]: a
flourishing city, Isa. 47:5-7.
- LAH'MI, [h] (my bread, or my
war), a
brother of the giant Goliath, 1 Chron.
20:5.
- LAID, did lay, put, or place, Gen. 22:
6; 1 Kings 3:20.
- LAID, placed, Josh. 2:6: brought, as
an accusation, Acts 23:29.
- LA'ISH, [h] (lion), a friend of king
Saul,
1 Sam. 25:44.
- LAKE, a body of water surrounded by
land, Luke 5:1. See GENNESARET.
Hell, as the place of torment, is called a
"lake of fire," Rev. 19:20; 21:8.
- LAMB, a sheep under a year old, Num.
6:14. On account of the inoffensive
nature of the sheep, and the excellency
of its flesh for food, the lamb was ap-
pointed for sacrifice, as an
atonement
for sin, in the passover, Exod. 12:3, 5;
and in the daily burnt-offering, Exod.
39:39, 40: thus prefiguring Jesus
Christ, who is therefore
called the "Lamb
of God that taketh away the sin of the
world," John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6, 12, 13.
Young disciples, as being meek, are
called lambs, Isa. 11:6; 40:11; John 21:
15. Antichrist, professedly Christian,
but in various forms wickedly assuming
the prerogatives of Christ, is represented
as resembling a lamb, Rev. 13:11.
- LAME, maimed in the limbs, 2 Sam. 4:
4: feeble persons, Isa. 33:23: weak
Christians, Heb. 12:13.
- LA'MECH, [h] (poor, made low,
or who is
struck), the father of Noah, Gen. 5:28-
31:
he had been sixty-one years contempo-
rary with Adam, from whom he would
be able to report much of the primeval
history.
- LAMECH, a descendant of Cain, and
the first to practise polygamy, Gen. 4:
19-23.
- LAMENT, to grieve, to be sorrowful,
Judg. 11:40; Mic. 2:4.
- LAMENTED, mourned or wept, as Da-
vid for Saul and Jonathan, and the
people for Jesus, Luke 23:27.
- LAMENTABLE, sorrowful or pitiful,
Dan. 6:20.
- LAMENTATION, bemoaning with ex-
pressions of grief, as at the funeral of
Jacob, Gen. 50:10, and of Stephen, Acts
8:2.
- LAMENTATIONS, THE BOOK
OF: this
contains the mournful elegies which
Jeremiah wrote to commemorate the
destruction of the city and temple of
Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, 2 Kings
25:9, 10; 2 Chron. 36:17-19. These
fine poems are each in twenty-two
stanzas, beginning with the several let-
ters of the Hebrew alphabet in
order:
they describe the sufferings of the Jews
from the Babylonians, while they are
believed to foreshow their greater mise-
ries from the Romans, who utterly de-
stroyed Jerusalem after the rejection
and murder of Messiah, Luke 21:6-24.
List: Commentary.
- LAMP, a light with a wick in a vessel
of oil, Exod. 35:14: a son or suc-
cessor in a family, 1 Kings 15:4: the
light of divine light, Prov. 6:23: reli-
gious profession, Matt. 25:1: prospe-
rity, Prov. 13:9. Lamps were made
of various kinds of metal and of differ-
ent forms, and those of the Israelites
probably resembled the Grecian and
Egyptian.
- LANCE, a long spear, Jer. 50:42.
- LANCETS, short spears or javelins, 1
Kings 18:28.
- LAND, the surface of a country, Gen.
2:12; Exod. 8:24: a whole continent,
Matt. 23:15: a province, Matt. 9:26:
an estate, 2 Sam. 19:29; Acts 4:37:
the inhabitants of a country, Isa. 37:
11. Canaan is called "Immanuel's land,"
Isa 8:8.
- LANDED, got on shore from a ship,
Acts 18:22; 21:3.
- LANDING, going on shore from a ship,
Acts 28:3.
- LANDMARKS, stones or posts showing
the limits of an estate, Deut. 19:14;
Job 24:2.
- LANES, narrow streets, Luke 14:21.
- LANGUAGE, human speech, Gen. 11:1:
this most certainly was originally given
to our first parents by the inspiration of
God; who, therefore, exercised Adam
in giving names to the creatures, Gen.
2:19, 20. Learned men call the most
ancient language the "Shemitish," as
spoken by the descendants of Shem, the
son of Noah. This, however, was soon
divided into three dialects: many other
languages are now found to exist, Dan.
3:4; of which the origin is declared in
the Bible to have been effected by the
Divine interposition at Babel, Gen. 11:7.
The Shemitish dialects were,--1. Ara-
mæan, spoken in Syria, Mesopotamia,
and Chaldea, subdivided into the Syriac
and Chaldee
dialects. 2. Hebrew or Ca-
naanitish dialect, spoken in Phenicia and
its colonies. 3. Arabic, spoken with vari-
ations in Arabia and Ethiopia. Hebrew
bears marks of being the most ancient
of the oriental languages; and in it the
Old Testament, which contains the most
ancient records in existence, was written,
except Daniel, 2:4; 7:28; Ezra 4:8;
6:18; 7:12-26. The New Testament
was written in the Greek language.
Seventy-two distinguished languages are
spoken of; but five which are the chief,
viz. Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Germanic,
and Sclavonic: the English is a com-
pound of all these; and with the French,
is most esteemed: ours, it seems proba-
ble, is destined by Divine Providence,
to become the univeral language of
mankind, through the intelligence, influ-
ence, and Christian missions, of Great
Britain and America.
- LANGUAGE OF CANAAN, the
language
of true religion, adopted by converted
idolators, Isa. 19:18.
- LANGUAGE, PURE, the holy speech of
regenerated men, Zeph. 3:9.
- LANGUISH, to decline in strength,
vigour, number, or influence, Isa. 16:8;
Jer. 15:9.
- LANGUISHED, did decay and become
ruinous, Lam. 2:8.
- LANGUISHING, declining in sickness,
Psal. 41:3.
- LANTERNS, transparent cases for lamps
or candles, John 18:3.
- LAODICE'A, [g] (a just people), the
chief city of Phrygia in Asia Minor,
memorable for its Christian church in
the apostolic age, Col. 2:1; 4:13-16;
Rev. 3:14. This city was destroyed
with Colosse, but soon arose from its
ruins. See COLOSSE. It is now a mise-
rable place, called Ladiky.
- LAODICE'ANS, the people of Laodicea,
Rev. 3:14.
- LAP, the part of a person sitting from
the knees to the waist, 2 Kings 4:39;
Neh. 5:13. The bounty and dispensa-
tions of Providence, Prov. 16:33.
- LAP, to lick up, as a dog in drinking,
Judg. 7:57.
- LAPPED, did lap or drink as a dog,
Judg. 7:6.
- LAPI'DOTH, [h] (enlightened, or
lamps),
the husband of the prophetess Deborah,
Judg 4:4.
- LAPWING, a bird about the size of a
pigeon, commonly called pewitt and plo-
ver, declared unclean, Lev. 11:19.
- LARGE, extensive, as land, Gen. 34:
21: much, as money, Matt. 28:12:
capacious, Isa. 30:23, 33.
- LARGENESS, greatness, as of intel-
lectual power, 1 Kings 4:29.
- LASCIVIOUSNESS, wantonness, lewd-
ness, Gal. 5:17; Eph. 4:19.
- LAST, latest in order, Gen. 49:19;
Num. 23:10; 1 Cor. 4:9.
- LASTED, continued, Judg. 14:17.
- LASTING, enduring, Deut. 33:15.
- LATCHET, the string that fastens the
shoe on the foot, Isa. 5:27; Mark 1:7.
- LATE, a short time ago, John 11:8:
a prolonged time, Psal. 127:2.
- LATELY, not long ago, Acts 18:2.
- LATIN, the language of the old
Ro-
mans, John 19:20.
- LATTER, happening after something
else, Exod. 4:8.
- LATTICE, a window formed of grate-
work, Judg. 5:28; 2 Kings 1:2.
- LAUD, to praise or extol with songs,
Rom. 15:11.
- LAUGH, to rejoice with an expression
of gladness, Gen. 18:13; 21:6: to
mock or ridicule, Job 22:19. God is
said to mock or contemn thus the wicked
in their pride, Psal. 2:4; or misery, Prov.
1:24.
- LAUGHED, did laugh or rejoice, Gen.
17:17: did mock, Neh. 2:4.
- LAUGHING, the expression of joy, Job
8:21.
- LAUGHTER, merriment, Eccles. 2:2;
7:3.
- LAUNCH, to push upon the sea in a
boat or ship, Luke 5:4; Acts 21:1.
- LAVER, a vessel for the convenience
of washing, Exod. 30:18. Solomon
made one for the temple service, called
a sea, so large as to hold 3,000 baths, or
20,000 gallons, and ten smaller ones, 2
Chron. 4:2, 5, 6.
- LAVISH, to waste, Isa. 46:6.
- LAW, a rule, precept, or command,
having authority, as the command of
Joseph when lord of Egypt, Gen. 47:
26; as the ordinance of the passover,
Exod. 12:49: the whole word of God,
Psal. 1:2; 19:7: the writings of Moses,
John 1:17-45: the Old Testament, John
10:34: the Ten Commandments of God,
Rom. 7:7: the gospel, Isa. 2:2; 42:4:
the moral impression on the human
heart, Rom. 2:14: that which has a
constraining force, as the grace of God
in the heart, called "the law of the
mind," or innate corruption, called "the
law of sin[,]" Rom. 7:23-25. Law is
frequently used to denote the ceremonial
institutions of Moses, Heb. 7:12; often
the moral law of ten commandments;
this our Lord summed up in two com-
mandments, Matt. 22:40. Laws which
are ceremonial may be altered or abol-
ished, as the Levitical institutions have
been, Heb. 8:13; 9:1-12: but that
which is moral is unchangeable and eter-
nal, as the substance of the Ten Com-
mandments, Matt. 5:17; 22:40. God
puts His laws in the mind, and writes
them in the heart, by the gracious influ-
ences of His word and Spirit, Jer. 31:
33; Heb. 8:10; 10:16.
- LAWFUL, agreeable to law, Matt. 12:
2-4; 22:17.
- LAWFULLY, according to law, 1 Tim.
1:8; 2 Tim. 2:5.
- LAWGIVER, one who establishes laws,
Gen. 49:10; Deut. 33:21. God is
the lawgiver in religion, Isa.
33:22;
to whom every one must give account,
Jam. 4:12.
- LAWLESS, violators of law, 1 Tim. 1:9.
- LAWYER, an explainer of the Jewish
laws, Matt. 22:35; 11:45, 46.
- LAY, to put or place a thing, Lev. 1:7,
8: to strike, Gen. 22:12: to impose,
Exod. 5:8: to rest in sleep, 2 Sam. 4:5:
to impute, Acts 7:6: to desolate, Ezek.
35:4: to consider, Eccles. 7:2; Mal.
2:2.
- LAYING, placing, 1 Tim. 4:14: con-
triving, Psal. 64:5: watching, Luke 11:
54: providing, 1 Tim. 6:19: disregard-
ing, Mark 7:8. "Laying on of hands,"
was the custom of the apostles in ordain-
ing men to any ministry in the church
of Christ; and in answer to prayer, such
in many cases were endowed with the
miraculous gifts of the Spirit, Acts 7:6;
8:18. The elders of the churches
followed the example of the apostles,
1 Tim. 4:14.
- LAZ'ARUS,
Λαζαρος (assistance of
God),
the brother of Martha and Mary of
Bethany: his name is celebrated on
account of his having been raised from
death, after having been in the grave
four days; and as one of a family greatly
beloved by Christ, John 11:1-44.
- LAZARUS, a diseased beggar described
by Christ, Luke 16:19-31. Beggars are
hence called lazaroni, in Italy; and a
hospital for the sick poor a lazaretto.
- LEAD, a heavy, soft, and useful metal,
well known: it was used for writing
tablets in the early ages, Num. 31:22;
Job 19:24; Ezek. 22:18-20.
- LEAD, to guide or conduct, Gen. 33:
14; Exod. 13:21: to live, 1 Tim. 2:2:
to seduce, 2 Tim. 3:6.
- LEADER, a director or guide, 1 Chron.
12:27: a teacher, Matt. 15:14. Mes-
siah was promised under this character,
Isa. 55:4. God leads
His people by the
influence of His word and Spirit, Psal.
23:2, 3; Rom. 8:14.
- LEAF, the verdure of a tree, Gen. 3:
7; 8:11. Leaves constitute the beauty
of trees, Dan. 4:12.
- LEAF, the beauty of active piety, Psal.
1:3. See LEAVES.
- LE'AH, [h] (weary or tired),
the eldest
daughter of Laban, and wife of Jacob,
Gen. 29:16; 30:11, 12.
- LEAN, to rest for support, Judg. 16:
26: to trust, Prov. 3:5.
- LEAN, thin of flesh, not fat, Gen. 41:
3, 4, 19: barren, Num. 13:20.
- LEANED, did lean or rest, 2 Sam. 1:6;
2 Kings 7:2.
- LEANING, resting, Heb. 11:21: reclin-
ing, Job 13:23.
- LEANNESS, decline of flesh, as in sick-
ness, Job 16:8: misery, Psal. 106:15;
Isa. 24:16.
- LEAP, to jump, Lev. 11:21: to dart,
Job 41:19.
- LEAPED, did jump, Acts 14:10; 1
Kings 18:26: did exult over trials,
2 Sam. 22:30.
- LEAPING, jumping, as in joyfulness,
2 Sam. 6:16.
- LEARN, to gain knowledge, Deut. 17:
19: to be informed, Gal. 3:2: to take
care, 1 Tim. 1:20; Tit. 3:14.
- LEARNED, did gain knowledge, Ezek.
19:3; Col. 1:7.
- LEARNED, filled with knowledge and
experience, Acts 7:22: fully instructed,
Isa. 29:11, 12.
- LEARNING, skill in languages or sci-
ence, Dan. 1:4, 17: instruction, Prov.
16:21-23; Rom. 15:15.
- LEASING, falsehood, Psal. 4:2; 5:6.
- LEAST, smallest in quantity, Num. 11:
32: lowest in station, Judg. 6:15.
- LEAST, the lowest degree, Gen. 24:
55; Acts 5:15.
- LEATHER, prepared skins of beasts,
2 Kings 1:8.
- LEATHERN, made of leather, Matt.
3:4.
- LEAVE, permission or license, Num.
22:13; John 19:38: a farewell, Acts
18:18.
- LEAVE, to separate from, Gen. 2:24: to
forsake, Ruth 1:16: to give, as a blessing,
Joel 2:14: to bequeath, John 14:23: to
place, Zeph. 3:12: to omit, Rev. 11:2.
- LEAVED, with folds or divisions, as
double gates, Isa. 45:1; Ezek. 41:24.
- LEAVEN, ferment, a kind of salt or
acid dough put into flour to make light
bread, Exod. 12:16; Matt. 13:33.
Doctrines are called leaven, because of
their pervading influence: the gospel is
likened to it, Luke 13:21; and corrupt
principles especially, Matt. 16:6-11; 1
Cor. 5:6, 7.
- LEAVENED, mixed, as dough with
leaven, Exod. 12:20, 34.
- LEAVES, the green parts of plants,
Isa. 6:13: See LEAF: the folds of
books, Jer. 36:23: folding or double
doors, Ezek. 41:24.
- LEAVING, going from, Matt. 4:13:
affording, 1 Pet. 2:24.
- LEB'ANON, [h] (white, or
incense), a
chain of limestone mountains on the
north of Canaan, separating Palestine
from the south of Syria, Deut. 3:25;
1 Kings 5:14. Lebanon, or Libanus
proper, is the western ridge, reaching
within a few miles of the Mediterranean.
Anti-Libanus, the eastern ridge, curves
towards Damascus; and an extensive
district between these ridges is the val-
ley of Lebanon, Josh. 11:17, called Cœle-
Syria. This range of mountains, whose
circuit is about 300 miles, has four en-
closures: the first rich in grain; the
second barren; the third abounding in
orchards and vines, as a paradise; but
the fourth, whose summit exceeds 9000
feet in height, is covered with snow, Jer.
18:14. The highest elevation is called
Sannin, and the Arabian poets say, "The
Sannin bears winter on his head, spring
upon his shoulders, and autumn in his
bosom, while summer lies sleeping at
his feet." Lebanon is famous for its
majestic cedars and various timber in
the days of Solomon, 1 Kings 5:6-14.
This province is supposed to contain a
population of nearly 150,000, consisting of
Syrian and Armenian Catholics, Greeks,
and Greek Catholics, Druses, and Ma-
ronites.
- LEBANON, the trees or forests of Leba-
non, Isa. 40:16: the temple of Jeru-
salem, built chiefly of the cedars of
Lebanon, Zech. 11:1.
- LEBBE'US,
Λεββαιος (a man of
heart),
the surname of Jude Thaddeus, the same
as the apostle Jude, Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:
18.
- LE'CAH, [h] (who walks out), a son
of
Er, and grandson of Judah, 1 Chron. 4:
21.
- LED, guided, as by a special provi-
dence, Gen. 24:27; Exod. 13:17: in-
fluenced, as by the Holy
Spirit, Rom.
8:14: seduced, as by false doctrine,
2 Pet. 3:17; or by unholy passions, 2
Tim. 3:16; to idolatry and sin, 1 Cor.
12:2: driven, as captives, Ezek. 17:12.
- LEDGES, ridges or borders, 1 Kings
7:28.
- LEEK, a plant, a kind of onion, Num.
11:5.
- LEES, dregs or sediment, Isa. 25:6:
prosperity abused to slothfulness, Zeph.
1:12.
- LEFT, opposite to the right, 1 Kings
7:39, 49. See LEAVE.
- LEGION, a band of 6000 Roman
soldiers, Matt. 26:5.
- LEGION, the name of the poor demo-
niac, Mark 5:9.
- LEGS, the lower limbs of an animal,
Lev. 4:11: human strength, Psal. 117:
10.
- LE'HABIM, [h] (flames, or points
of
swords), a son of Misraim, probably an-
cestor of the Libyans, Gen. 10:13.
- LE'HI (jaw-bone), a place in
Philistia,
famous for the exploit of Samson, Judg.
15:9-17.
- LEISURE, spare time, Mark 6:31.
- LEM'UEL (God with him), a prince
whose pious mother gave him wise coun-
sels, Prov. 31:1-4; he is thought to
have been Solomon.
- LEND, to supply, as with money, on
condition of repayment, Exod. 22:15.
The law of Moses was remarkably bene-
volent in requiring loans to poor Israel-
ites, Exod. 22:25; Lev. 25:37; Deut.
15.-28.; Luke 6:34.
- LENDER, one who lends, Prov. 22:7.
- LENGTH, extent of distance, Gen. 13:
17; or of duration, Deut. 30:20; Eph.
3:18.
- LENGTHEN, to extend in duration, 1
Kings 3:14; or influence, Isa. 54:2.
- LENGTHENED, prolonged or extended,
Deut. 25:15.
- LENGTHENING, prolonging or extend-
ing, Dan. 4:27.
- LENT, did lend, Exod. 12:36.
- LENT, given or taken on loan, Deut.
23:19.
- LENTILES, a plant bearing seeds re-
sembling vetches or peas, 2 Sam. 23:
11.
- LEOPARD, a beast of prey of the cat
kind, the size of a large dog, fierce and
subtle of nature, with a beautifully-
spotted skin, Jer. 5:6; 13:23.
- LEPER, a person diseased with leprosy,
Lev. 13:45; Matt. 8:2.
- LEPROSY, a dreadful plague, the symp-
toms of which are described by Moses,
Lev. 13. This disease, incurable by
medicine, was formerly common in the
East; it still prevails in Arabia, Egypt,
and several surrounding countries; it
was healed among the Israelites by the
special blessing of God, Lev. 13.; Num.
12:10. Our Saviour appealed to His
healing the lepers as evidence of His
Messiahship, Matt. 11:2-5.
- LEPROUS, diseased with leprosy, Exod.
4:6; Num. 12:10.
- LESS, smaller in quantity, Exod. 16:
17: not in proportion to, Ezra 9:13:
an inferior person, Heb. 7:7.
- LESSER, smaller, Gen. 1:16; Isa. 53:
14.
- LEST, for fear that, Gen. 3:3; Psal.
2:12; 2 Cor. 2:11.
- LET, to permit, Exod. 3:19: to hinder,
Isa. 43:13; Rom. 1:13: to grant on
lease, Matt. 21:23. Let expresses in-
treaty, Psal. 69:6.
- LETU'SHIM, [h] (who work with a
hammer, or who polish), a great-grandson
of Abraham, Gen. 25:3.
- LETTER, an epistle, a written commu-
nication, 2 Kings 5:5, 7: a royal pro-
clamation, Esth. 9:29: a religious rite,
Rom. 2:27; 2 Cor. 3:6. Letters when
sent were formed into a roll, and if ad-
dressed to superiors they were enclosed
in purses or bags of silk tied with rich
lace and sealed.
- LETTERS, alphabetical characters,
Luke 23:38: learning, John 7:15:
written communications, 2 Kings 22:12.
- LEUM'MIM, [h] (Gentiles, or
without
water), a great-grandson of Abraham,
Gen. 25:3.
- LE'VI, [h] (who is held and
associated), the
third son of Jacob, Gen. 29:34: the
father of a famous tribe in Israel, Num.
8:6, 26.
- LEVI, a name of the apostle Matthew,
Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-29; Mark 9:10.
- LEVI, TRIBE OF. See LEVITES.
- LEVI'ATHAN, a monster, supposed to
be the crocodile[?], Job 41:1; Isa. 27:1
[serpent/dragon].
This terrible animal is a natural inha-
bitant of the river Nile, and of other
African and Asiatic rivers, of amazing
strength and voracity. There are several
species of it, and in the age of Job it
probably grew larger than it has been
caught in modern times, yet its usual
length is twenty feet. In 1831 one was
killed in the Manilla river measuring
twenty feet in length and eleven feet in
circumference in the smallest part of the
body, and thirteen feet in the largest:
the head alone weighed 275 pounds: he
had nearly the whole of a horse in his
stomach, the legs with the hoofs of
which were taken out entire. Levia-
than, in Psalm 104:26, doubtless means
the whale[?]. See WHALE.
- LE'VITE, a descendant from Levi and
of his tribe, Exod. 4:14; Acts 4:36.
- LEVITES, the descendants of Levi:
in the ecclesiastical economy established
by Moses, God chose the Levites as his
lot, or clergy; the sons of Aaron to offi-
ciate in the priesthood, and the rest to
serve the people in the various sacred
offices, and those of civil importance in
the nation. See Numbers 8:6, 26.
The Levites constituted the ordinary
teachers, magistrates, and judges of
Israel, placed among the people in forty-
eight cities. As God's inheritance, or
clergy, they were not suffered to possess
any landed property, which was all divided
among the other tribes, and they were
made to depend for their support on the
tithes of the produce of the soil as a
remuneration for the services among
the people, Num. 18:20, 32; 35:
18.
- LEVITICAL, relating to the Levites as
the priests of the Lord, Heb. 7:16.
- LEVIT'ICUS, the third book of Moses,
so called as containing the laws relating
to the ceremonies and offices of divine
worship, to be observed by the Israelites,
whose ministers were the Levites. This
book bears the evident impress of its
divine inspiration in the wisdom, purity,
justice, and benevolence of its ceremo-
nial, civil, and judicial laws; and its
merciful design, as prefiguring the priest-
hood, sacrifice, and religion of Christ,
Num. 16:15, 21, is evident from that
inspired commentary on it, the Epistle
to the Hebrews.
List: Commentary.
- LEVY, a tribute, as of men for the
service of the public, 1 Kings 5:13, 14.
- LEVY, to impose or collect the tribute
for service, 1 Kings 9:15, 21; Num.
31:28.
- LEWD, wicked,
shameless, Acts 17:5.
- LEWDLY, wickedly, Ezek. 22:11
- LEWDNESS, lustful wickedness, Judg.
20:6.
- LIAR, one who speaks falsely, a violater
of truth, John 8:44: a false prophet,
pretending to a knowledge of futurity,
Isa. 44:25: a propagator of false doc-
trine, or a contradictor of pure doctrine
by disobedience, 1 John 2:4-22.
- LIARS: e.g. Charles T. Russell, Joseph Smith,
Ellen G. White, Moh_mm_d & the Pope.
- LIBERAL, generous, bountiful, espec-
ially in relieving the distressed, Isa.
32:5, 8.
- LIBERALITY, bounty, pecuniary aid
for those in distress, 1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor.
8:2.
- LIBERALLY, bountifully, Deut. 15:14;
Jam. 1:5.
- LIBERTINES, free citizens of Rome,
whether Jews or proselytes, or rather,
as some critics suppose, Jews of Libya,
having a synagogue at Jerusalem, Acts
6:9.
- LIBERTY, freedom from bondage, ser-
vitude, or prison, Lev. 25:10, 47, 55:
Isa. 61:1: a legal right to marry, as a
widow, 1 Cor. 7:39: exemption from
ceremonial obligation, 1 Cor. 8:9: re-
covery from blindness of heart and
bondage of mind by the grace of the
Holy Spirit, 2 Cor. 3:17:
freedom from
all sin and misery
in the possession of
perfect holiness and glorious immortality
at the resurrection, Rom. 8:21.
- LIB'NAH, [h] (white or
whiteness), a
place in Arabia, Num. 33:20, 21.
- LIBNAH, a city of the Levites in
Judah, Josh. 21:13.
- LIB'YA, [g] (the heart of the sea), a
re-
gion on the coast of North Africa, on
the southern shores of the Mediterra-
nean, west of Egypt, Acts 2:10. See
CYRENE.
- LIB'YANS, the people of Libya, Jer.
46:9; Dan. 11:43.
- LICE, vermin which breed on all
animal bodies, indicating disease or want
of cleanliness when found upon men:
with swarms of these God punished the
idolatrous Egyptians, on account of their
abominable practices, Exod. 8:16-18.
- LICENCE, permission, Acts 21:40.
- LICENCE. God will eventually
judge all sin(s)
that are not forgiven by Him.
- LICK, to lap, or pass the tongue over, 1
Kings 21:19: to consume, Num. 22:4.
- LICKED, did lick, 1 Kings 22:38: did
absorb, 18:38.
- LID, a cover, as of a box, 2 Kings
12:9.
- LIE, an untruth, Judg. 16:10: idol-
atry, Rom. 1:25: false doctrine, Isa.
44:20; 2 Thess. 2:11; Rev. 21:27.
- LIE, to repose, as for sleep, Amos 6:
4; Eccles. 4:4: to be placed, as in the
grave, Gen. 47:30: to watch as a
robber, Exod. 21:13.
- LIEN, been laid or placed, Psal. 68:
13; John 11:17.
- LIERS, those who lie in wait, Josh.
14; Judg. 9:23.
- LIEUTENANTS, persons holding places
of trust in a government or an army
under superior officers, Ezra 8:36;
Est. 3:12.
- LIFE, power to act agreeably to our
creation, Gen. 1:20-30. Men are said to
possess vegetable life, by which they
grow in common with plants; animal
life, in common with brutes, by which
they move; and rational life, in common
with angels, by which they reason, and
are accountable to their Creator.
Ratio-
nal life, especially as at first created in
holiness, constitutes the image of God,
Gen. 1:26; 2:7. Life is a word variously
used in Scripture, as denoting natural
existence, Gen. 1:20; Job 33:4:
power to act, Job 3:20: the blood,
Gen. 9:4, 5: means of nourishment,
Deut. 8:19: appetite, Job 33:20:
the course of existence, Psal. 17:14:
blessings of time, 1 Tim. 4:8: spiritu-
ality of mind, to which a person is re-
generated, and by which he serves God
in holiness, John 5:24; Rom. 8:2-6:
influences of the Holy Spirit, 2 Cor.
4:
12: Christ, as the author
of natural,
spiritual, and immortal life, John 1:4;
Col. 3:3; 1 John 5:12: the glorious
state of Heaven, as the consummation
of holiness, happiness, and immortality,
John 3:36; Rom. 5:17.
- LIFT, to raise or heave up, Gen.
37:28: to use a tool or weapon,
Exod. 20:25; 2 Sam. 23:8, 18: to
elevate to honour, Gen. 40:13: to inflate
with pride, Isa. 2:12; Dan. 5:20.
- LIFTER, a supporter or defender, Psal.
3:3.
- LIFTING, elevating, as a weapon to
kill, 1 Chron. 11:20; or the hands to
pray, Neh. 8:6.
- LIFT UP, is a phrase variously used,
as with the eyes, Gen. 13:10; the hands,
14:22; the voice, 21:16, &c.
- LIGHT, brightness, a mysterious sub-
stance of creation, Gen. 1:3-5: the sun
and moon, as the means of light to the
earth, Gen. 1:16: the day, Job 24:13-
16: the eye, as the means of light to
the mind, Matt. 6:[22]: religious wisdom,
Isa. 8:20: prosperity, Isa. 58:8: a
king, 2 Sam. 21:17: a son, as preserver
of a family name in the world, 11:36:
God, as the infinite source
of all bright-
ness, wisdom, holiness, and happiness,
1 John 1:5; Isa. 60:20; Rev. 21:23:
Christ, as the teacher and
dispenser of
truth, holiness, and salvation, to man-
kind, Luke 2:32; John 1:4-9; Eph. 5:14:
the word of God, as the doctrine of
truth, Psal. 119:105: the gospel, as the
doctrine of salvation, Matt. 4:16: John
the Baptist, as the wise herald of
Christ,
John 5:35: the apostles, as inspired
teachers of saving knowledge, Matt. 5:
14: Christians, as made wise unto salva-
tion, Luke 16:8; Eph. 5:8: spiritual
and gracious influences, 2 Cor. 4:6: holi-
ness, as evinced in the lives of Christians,
1 John 1:7; 2:9, 10: the glory of hea-
ven, as consisting of intelligence, holi-
ness, and happiness, which the saints
will inherit, Col. 1:12; Rev. 21:21.
- LIGHT, nimble, 2 Sam. 2:18: of small
weight, Num. 21:5: little of worth,
Judg. 9:4: of small account, 1 Sam.
18:23; Ezek. 8:17.
- LIGHT, to kindle in flame, Exod. 25:
37: to rest, Ruth 2:3.
- LIGHTED, did light or kindle a lamp,
Exod. 40:25: did descend, as from rid-
ing, Gen. 24:64.
- LIGHTEN, to illuminate, Ezra 9:8:
to instruct, Luke 2:32: to lessen the
burden, Jon. 1:5.
- LIGHTENED, illuminated, Rev. 18:1:
relieved of a burden, Acts 27:18.
- LIGHTER, less burdensome or oppres-
sive, 1 Kings 12:4: less worthy, Psal.
62:9.
- LIGHTING, resting, Matt. 3:16: ma-
nifestly influencing, Isa. 30:30.
- LIGHTLY, little in severity, Isa. 9:1:
little in esteem, Matt. 9:39.
- LIGHTNESS, vanity, Jer. 23:32:
negligence, 2 Cor. 1:17.
- LIGHTNING, the flash in the air that
precedes thunder: modern science has
discovered that lightning is the rapid
motion of vast masses of electric matter,
and thunder the noise, with its echoes,
produced by that motion through the
atmosphere. Allusions are frequently
made to lightning, as indicating the
awful omnipotence of God, Exod. 19:
16; Rev. 4:5.
- LIGHTS, the luminaries of heaven,
Gen. 1:14-16: windows, 1 Kings 6:4:
lamps, Acts 20:8: Christian graces,
Luke 12:35. God, as the fountain of
wisdom, holiness, and happiness, is the
"Father of lights," Jam. 1:17.
- LIGN-ALOES, an odoriferous plant or
tree, Num. 24:6. See ALOES.
- LIGURE, a precious stone, semi-trans-
parent, of various colours, Exod. 28:
19: some think it was a kind of jacinth.
See JACINTH.
- LIKE, equal to, Exod. 15:11: resem-
bling, 16:31.
- LIKE, to regard with affection, as a
wife, Deut. 25:7: wicked men do not
thus regard the authority and holiness
of God, Rom. 1:28.
- LIKED, did like or regard with favour,
1 Chron. 28:4.
- LIKEN, to compare, Isa. 40:18; Mark
4:30.
- LIKENED, compared, Jer. 6:2.
- LIKENESS, resemblance, as man with
God, Gen. 1:20: as a child of his fallen
parent, Gen. 5:3.
- LIKEWISE, in like manner, Exod. 22:
30; Deut. 12:30.
- LIKING, condition, Job 39:4; Dan.
1:10.
- LILY, a beautiful, fragrant, and medi-
cinal flower, of which there are many
species: the white lily, or crown impe-
rial, or royal lily of the Greeks, grows
wild in Persia, and in the fields of Judea,
Matt. 6:28. Its beauty rendered the
lily fit for the pattern of an elegant orna-
ment, 1 Kings 7:26; Hos. 14:5.
- LIME, a mineral very useful for mor-
tar in building, Isa. 33:12; Amos
2:1.
- LIMIT, a boundary, Ezek. 43:12.
- LIMITED, restricted, Psal. 78:41:
fixed, Heb. 4:7.
- LINE, a cord, Josh. 2:18-21: a mea-
sure, Isa. 44:13; Zech. 2:1: a written
lesson of instruction, Isa. 28:10: the
word of God which gives instruction,
Psal. 19:4.
- LINEAGE, family pedigree, Luke 2:4.
- LINEN, a fine cloth made of flax, for
which Egypt was famous, Exod. 28:
42: linen was used for the garments of
the priests, Lev. 16:23-32. Solomon
traded in linen, 1 Kings 10:28. Much of
the linen of Egypt, however, was made
of cotton, coarse as ordinary sheeting,
as it is still found to enwrap the ancient
mummies or embalmed bodies, Gen. 50:2, 26.
White linen denotes purity, Rev. 16:6.
- LINES, measures, 2 Sam. 8:2: pro-
vidential arrangements, Psal. 16:6.
- LINGERED, delayed through hesitation,
Gen. 19:16.
- LINTEL, the upper part of a door
frame, Exod. 12:22.
- LI'NUS, Λινος
(nets), a Christian friend
of Paul at Rome, 2 Tim. 4:21. Some
suppose him to have been by birth a
Briton, and brother of Claudia. See
CLAUDIA.
- LION, the noblest, most courageous,
and most majestic, of the brute creation,
Job 4:10. Allusions to this terrible
beast are very numerous in the sacred
volume, on account of his power, fierce-
ness, voracity, and thundering roar, Judg.
14:18; Joel 1:6; Isa. 5:29. Lions are
found both in Asia and Africa; a species
of the Asiatic is that most frequently
mentioned in Scripture. Apprehended
difficulty in duty is called a lion, Prov.
22:13; 26:13: oppressors are lions,
Nah. 2:11: a despotic tyrant, as Nero,
is called a lion, 2 Tim. 4:17; so is an
enemy, Psal. 91:13: Judah, Gen. 49:
9, and Dan, Deut. 33:2, are called
"lions' whelps[,]" on account of their
power. Christ is
called "the Lion of the
tribe of Juda[h,]" as being powerful
to
vindicate the honour of his people, and
to destroy their enemies, Rev. 5:5.
- LIONESS, the female lion, Nah. 2:12;
Ezek. 19:2.
- LIPS, the external parts of the mouth,
as the instruments of speech, 1 Sam. 1:
13; hence "joyful lips," Psal. 65:5;
and "lying lips," Prov. 12:22: "the
fruit of the lips" is praise, Heb. 13:15.
- LIQUOR, juice, Num. 6:3; Exod. 22:
29.
- LIST, to wish, or determine, Jam.
3:4.
- LISTED, did wish, or resolve, Matt.
17:12.
- LISTEN, to hearken, Isa. 49:1.
- LITTERS, easy carriages, Isa. 66:20.
- LITTLE, small in quantity, Gen. 18:
4, or in magnitude, 19:20: short in
distance, 35:16, or time, Job 10:20:
few in number, Exod. 12:4: light in
estimation, Josh. 22:17.
- LIVE, to be naturally alive, Gen. 65:
3: to be in health, John 4:50: to have
a maintenance, 1 Cor. 9:13: to serve
God, enjoying his favour, Gen. 17:13:
to enjoy communion with God, Psal.
49:32: to experience the gracious
influence of the Holy Spirit,
through
faith in Christ, Gal. 2:19, 20: to inherit
immortal blessedness with God, Deut. 8:
3; Matt. 4:4. To "live after the
flesh,"
is to be influenced by sensual or worldly
motives, Rom. 8:13: to "live in the
Spirit," is to be influenced and governed
by the grace and Spirit of God, Gal. 5:25.
- LIVE, being alive, Exod. 21:35: burn-
ing, Isa. 6:6.
- LIVED, did live, Gen. 25:1: did re-
cover health, Num. 21:9.
- LIVED, continued alive, 2 Sam. 19:6:
passed the time of life, Luke 2:36; Jam.
5:5.
- LIVELY, full of life, Psal. 38:19:
divinely influential, Acts 7:38: piously
zealous, 1 Pet. 2:5.
- LIVER, an internal part of an animal,
Exod. 29:13-22. "[L]ook[ing] in the
liver[,]" was a cruel practice of divination
among the heathen, by killing animals
to examine the tremulous entrails, Ezek.
21:21.
- LIVING, one who is alive, 1 Kings 3:
22: one's estate or means of support,
Luke 8:43; 15:12: devoted to God,
Rom. 12:1: the godly departed this life,
Matt. 22:32.
- LIVING WATER, ever-springing water,
Sol. Song 4:15: the quickening grace
of the Holy Spirit, John 4:10; 7:38:
the doctrine of the gospel, Zech. 14:8.
Christ is called a "living stone," as the
all-sufficient Saviour, the rock of salva-
tion, 1 Pet. 2:4.
- LIZARD, a small, serpent-like animal,
with legs, Lev. 11:30.
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