Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
long by 1 1/2 cubits (2 2/3 feet) wide, representing a kind of throne of God, where he would hear
prayer and from which he spoke words of comfort.—ED.) It was that whereon the blood of the
yearly atonement was sprinkled by the high priest; and in this relation it is doubtful whether the
sense of the word in the Hebrew is based on the material fact of its “covering” the ark, or derived
from this notion of its reference to the “covering” (i.e. atonement) of sin.
Mered
(rebellion). This name occurs in a fragmentary genealogy in (1 Chronicles 4:17,18) as that of
one of the sons of Ezra. Tradition identifies him with Caleb and Moses.
Meremoth
(elevations),
•Son of Uriah or Urijah the priest, of the family of Koz or Hakkoz, the head of the seventh course
of priests as established by David. In (Ezra 8:33) Meremoth is appointed to weigh and register the
gold and silver vessels belonging to the temple. In the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem under
Nehemiah we find Meremoth taking an active part. (Nehemiah 3:4)
•A layman of the sons of Bani, who had married a foreign wife. (Ezra 10:36)
•A priest, or more probably a family of priests, who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah
10:5)
Meres
(lofty), one of the seven counsellors of Ahasuerus. (Esther 1:14)
Meribah
(strife, contention). In (Exodus 17:7) we read, “he called the name of the place Massah and
Meribah,” where the people murmured and the rock was smitten. [For the situation see Rephidim]
The name is also given to Kadesh, (Numbers 20:13,24; 27:14; 32:51) (Meribah-kadesh), because
there also the people, when in want of water, strove with God.
Meribbaa
(contender against Baal). (1 Chronicles 8:34; 9:40) [See Mephibosheth].
Merodach
(death), (Jeremiah 50:2) identical with the famous Babylonian Bel or Belus, the word being
probably at first a mere epithet of the god, which by degrees superseded his proper appellation.
Merodachbaladan
(worshipper of Baal) is mentioned as king of Babylon in the days of Hezekiah both in the second
hook of Kings, ch. (2 Kings 20:12) and in Isaiah. ch. (Isaiah 39:1) In the former place he is called
Berodach-baladan. The name of Merodach-baladan has been recognized in the Assyrian inscriptions.
It appears there were two reigns of this king, the first from B.C. 721 to B.C. 709, when he was
deposed; and the second after his recovery of the throne in B.C. 702, which lasted only half a year.
There is some doubt as to the time at which he went his ambassadors to Hezekiah, for the purpose
of inquiring as to the astronomical marvel of which Judea had been the scene, (2 Chronicles 32:31)
but it appears to have been B.C. 713.
Merom
(high place), The waters of, a lake formed by the river Jordan, about ten miles north of the Sea
of Galilee. It is a place memorable in the history of the conquest of Palestine. Here Joshua completely
routed the confederacy of the northern chiefs under Jabin. (Joshua 11:5,7) It is a remarkable fact
that though by common consent “the waters of Merom” are identified with the lake thorough which
the Jordan runs between Banias and the Sea of Galilee—the Bahr el-Huleh of the modern Arabs—
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William Smith