Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
[Mourning]
Eagle
(Heb. nesher, i.e. a tearer with the beak). At least four distinct kinds of eagles have been observed
in Palestine, viz., the golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, the spotted eagle, Aquila naevia, the imperial
eagle, Aquila heliaca, and the very common Circaetos gallicus . The Hebrew nesher may stand for
any of these different species, though perhaps more particular reference to the golden and imperial
eagles and the griffon vulture may be intended. The passage in Micah, (Micah 1:16) “enlarge thy
baldness as the eagle,” may refer to the griffon vulture, Vultur fulvus, in which case the simile is
peculiarly appropriate, for the whole head and neck of this bird are destitute of true feathers. The
“eagles” of (Matthew 24:28; Luke 17:37) may include the Vultur fulvus and Neophron percnopterus
; though, as eagles frequently prey upon dead bodies, there is no necessity to restrict the Greek
word to the Vulturidae . The figure of an eagle is now and has long been a favorite military ensign.
The Persians so employed it; a fact which illustrates the passage in (Isaiah 46:11) The same bird
was similarly employed by the Assyrians and the Romans.
Earing
(Genesis 45:6; Exodus 34:21) Derived from the Latin arare, to plough; hence it means ploughing.
Earnest
(2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14) The Hebrew word was used generally for pledge,
(Genesis 38:17) and in its cognate forms for surety, (Proverbs 17:18) and hostage . (2 Kings 14:14)
The Greek derivative, however, acquired a more technical sense as signifying the deposit paid by
the purchaser on entering into an agreement for the purchase of anything. In the New Testament
the word is used to signify the pledge or earnest of the superior blessings of the future life.
Earrings
The material of which earrings were made was generally gold, (Exodus 32:2) and their form
circular. They were worn by women and by youth of both sexes. These ornaments appear to have
been regarded with superstitious reverence as an amulet. On this account they were surrendered
along with the idols by Jacob’s household. (Genesis 35:4) Chardin describes earrings with talismanic
figures and characters on them as still existing in the East. Jewels were sometimes attached to the
rings. The size of the earrings still worn in eastern countries far exceeds what is usual among
ourselves; hence they formed a handsome present, (Job 42:11) or offering to the service of God.
(Numbers 31:50)
Earth
The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface
is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates
between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter.
•Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation.
(Genesis 2:7)
•Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense— (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to
land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground,
(Genesis 23:15) and (5) to the ground on which a man stands. (Genesis 33:3) The two former
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William Smith