Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Devil
(slanderer). The name describes Satan as slandering God to man and man to God. The former
work is of course, a part of his great work of temptation to evil and is not only exemplified but
illustrated as to its general nature and tendency by the narrative of Gen. 3. The other work, the
slandering or accusing men before God, is the imputation of selfish motives, (Job 1:9,10) and its
refutation is placed in the self-sacrifice of those “who loved not their own lives unto death.” [Satan;
Demon]
Dew
This in the summer is so copious in Palestine that it supplies to some extent the absence of rain
and becomes important to the agriculturist. Thus it is coupled in the divine blessing with rain, or
mentioned as a prime source of fertility, (Genesis 27:28; 33:13; Zechariah 8:12) and its withdrawal
is attributed to a curse. (2 Samuel 1:21; 1 Kings 17:1; Haggai 1:10) It becomes a leading object in
prophetic imagery by reason of its penetrating moisture without the apparent effort of rain, (32:2;
Job 29:19; Psalms 133:3; Hosea 14:5) while its speedy evanescence typifies the transient goodness
of the hypocrite. (Hosea 6:4; 13:3)
Diadem
What the “diadem” of the Jews was we know not. That of other nations of antiquity was a fillet
of silk, two inches broad, bound round the head and tied behind. Its invention is attributed to Liber.
Its color was generally white, sometimes, however, it was of blue, like that of Darius; and it was
sown with pearls or other gems, (Zechariah 9:16) and enriched with gold. (Revelation 9:7) It was
peculiarly the mark of Oriental sovereigns. In (Esther 1:11; 2:17) we have cether for the turban
worn by the Persian king, queen or other eminent persons to whom it was conceded as a special
favor. The diadem of the king differed from that of others in having an erect triangular peak. The
words in (Ezekiel 23:15) mean long and flowing turbans of gorgeous colors. [Crown]
Dial
“An instrument for showing the time of day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated
arc or surface; “rendered” steps” in Authorized Version, (Exodus 20:26; 2 Kings 10:19) and
“degrees,” (2 Kings 20:9,10,11; Isaiah 38:8) where to give a consistent rendering we should read
with the margin the “degrees” rather than the “dial” of Ahaz. It is probable that the dial of Ahaz
was really a series of steps or stairs, and that the shadow (Perhaps of some column or obelisk on
the top) fell on a greater or smaller number of them according as the sun was low or high. The
terrace of a palace might easily be thus ornamented.
Diamond
(Heb. yahalom), a gem crystallized carbon, the most valued and brilliant of precious stones,
remarkable for its hardness, the third precious stone in the second row on the breastplate of the
high priest, (Exodus 28:18; 39:11) and mentioned by Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 28:13) among the precious
stones of the king of Tyre. Some suppose yahalom to be the “emerald.” Respecting shamir, which
is translated “Diamond” in (Jeremiah 17:1) see under Adamant.
Diana
This Latin word, properly denoting a Roman divinity, is the representative of the Greek Artemus,
the tutelary goddess of the Ephesians, who plays so important a part in the narrative of Acts 19.
The Ephesian Diana was, however, regarded as invested with very different attributes, and is rather
to be identified with Astarte and other female divinities of the East. The head wore a mural crown,
each hand held a bar of metal, and the lower part ended in a rude block covered with figures of
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William Smith