Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Jeremy
the prophet Jeremiah. (Matthew 2:17; 27:9)
Jeriah
a Kohathite Levite, chief of the great house of Hebron when David organized the service. (1
Chronicles 23:19; 24:23) B.C. 1014. The same man is mentioned again as Jerijah. (1 Chronicles
26:31)
Jeribai
(whom Jehovah defends), one of the Bene-Elnaan, named among the heroes of David’s guard.
(1 Chronicles 11:46)
Jericho
(place of fragrance), a city of high antiquity, situated in a plain traversed by the Jordan, and
exactly over against where that river was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) It
was five miles west of the Jordan and seven miles northwest of the Dead Sea. It had a king. Its
walls were so considerable that houses were built upon them. ch. (Joshua 2:15) The spoil that was
found in it betokened its affluence. Jericho is first mentioned as the city to which the two spies
were sent by Joshua from Shittim. (Joshua 2:1-21) It was bestowed by him upon the tribe of
Benjamin, ch. (Joshua 18:21) and from this time a long interval elapses before Jericho appears
again upon the scene. Its second foundation under Hiel the Bethelite is recorded in (1 Kings 16:34)
Once rebuilt, Jericho rose again slowly into consequence. In its immediate vicinity the sons of the
prophets sought retirement from the world; Elisha “healed the spring of the waters;” and over
against it, beyond Jordan, Elijah “went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” (2 Kings 2:1-22) In its
plains Zedekiah fell into the hands of the Chaldeans. (2 Kings 25:5; Jeremiah 39:5) In the return
under Zerubbabel the “children of Jericho,” 345 in number, are comprised. (Ezra 2:34; Nehemiah
7:36) Under Herod the Great it again became an important place. He fortified it and built a number
of new palaces, which he named after his friends. If he did not make Jericho his habitual residence,
he at last retired thither to die, and it was in the amphitheater of Jericho that the news of his death
was announced to the assembled soldiers and people by Salome. Soon afterward the palace was
burnt and the town plundered by one Simon, slave to Herod; but Archelaus rebuilt the former
sumptuously, and founded a new town on the plain, that bore his own name; and, most important
of all, diverted water from a village called Neaera to irrigate the plain which he had planted with
palms. Thus Jericho was once more “a city of palms” when our Lord visited it. Here he restored
sight to the blind. (Matthew 20:30; Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35) Here the descendant of Rahab did not
disdain the hospitality of Zaccaeus the publican. Finally, between Jerusalem and Jericho was laid
the scene of his story of the good Samaritan. The city was destroyed by Vespasian. The site of
ancient (the first) Jericho is placed by Dr. Robinson in the immediate neighborhood of the fountain
of Elisha; and that of the second (the city of the New Testament and of Josephus) at the opening
of the Wady Kelt (Cherith), half an hour from the fountain. (The village identified with jericho lies
a mile and a half from the ancient site, and is called Riha . It contains probably 200 inhabitants,
indolent and licentious and about 40 houses. Dr. Olin says it is the “meanest and foulest village of
Palestine;” yet the soil of the plain is of unsurpassed fertility.—ED.)
Jeriel
(people of God), a man of Issachar, one of the six heads of the house of Tola. (1 Chronicles
7:2)
Jerijah
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William Smith