Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
The Israelites were commanded to eat the Paschal lamb “with unleavened bread and with bitter
herbs.” (Exodus 12:8) These “bitter herbs” consisted of such plants as chicory, bitter cresses,
hawkweeds, sow-thistles and wild lettuces, which grow abundantly in the peninsula of Sinai, in
Palestine and in Egypt. The purpose of this observance was to recall to the minds of the Israelites
their deliverance from the bitter bondage of the Egyptians.
Bittern
The word occurs in (Isaiah 14:23; 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14) and we are inclined to believe that
the Authorized Version is correct. The bittern (Botaurus stellaris) belongs to the Ardeidae, the
heron family of birds, and is famous for the peculiar nocturnal booming sound which it emits.
Bizjothjah
(contempt of Jehovah), a town in the south of Judah. (Joshua 15:28)
Biztha
(eunuch), the second of the seven eunuchs of King Ahasuerus’ harem. (Esther 1:10) (B.C. 483.)
Blains
violent ulcerous inflammations, the sixth plague of Egypt, (Exodus 9:9,10) and hence called in
(28:27,35) “the botch of Egypt.” It seems to have been the black leprosy, a fearful kind of
elephantiasis.
Blasphemy
in its technical English sense, signifies the speaking evil of God and in this sense it is found
(Psalms 74:18; Isaiah 52:5; Romans 2:24) etc. But according to its derivation it may mean any
species of calumny and abuse: see (1 Kings 21:10; Acts 18:6; Jude 1:9) etc. Blasphemy was punished
by stoning, which was inflicted on the son of Shelomith. (Leviticus 24:11) On this charge both our
Lord and St. Stephen were condemned to death by the Jews. The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,
(Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:28) consisted in attributing to the power of Satan those unquestionable
miracles which Jesus performed by “the finger of God” and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is
plainly such a state of wilful, determined opposition to God and the Holy Spirit that no efforts will
avail to lead to repentance. Among the Jews it was a sin against God answering to treason in our
times.
Blastus
(sprout), the chamberlain of Herod Agrippa I. (Acts 12:20)
Blindness
is extremely common in the East from many causes. Blind beggars figure repeatedly in the New
Testament (Matthew 12:22) and “opening the eyes of the blind” is mentioned in prophecy as a
peculiar attribute of the Messiah. (Isaiah 29:18; 42:7) etc. The Jews were specially charged to treat
the blind with compassion and care. (Leviticus 19:14; 27:18) Blindness willfully inflicted for
political or other purposes is alluded to in Scripture. (1 Samuel 11:2; Jeremiah 39:7)
Blood
To blood is ascribed in Scripture the mysterious sacredness which belongs to life, and God
reserved it to himself when allowing man the dominion over and the use of the lower animals for
food. Thus reserved, it acquires a double power: (1) that of sacrificial atonement; and (2) that of
becoming a curse when wantonly shed, unless duly expiated. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26; 17:11-13)
Blood, Revenger Of
He who avenged the blood of one who had been killed. The nearest relative of the deceased
became the authorized avenger of blood. (Numbers 35:19) The law of retaliation was not to extend
108
William Smith