Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
is the spiritual interpretation and application of the law. But the letter is always before the spirit;
the thing before its interpretation.
•The first composition of the Pentateuch as a whole could not have taken place till after the Israelites
entered Cannan. It is probable that Joshua and the elders who were associated with him would
provide for its formal arrangement, custody and transmission.
•The whole work did not finally assume its present shape till its revision was undertaken by Ezra
after the return from the Babylonish captivity. For an account of the separate books see Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
Pentecost
that is, the fiftieth day (from a Greek word meaning fiftieth), or Harvest Feast, or Feast of
Weeks, may be regarded as a supplement to the Passover. It lasted for but one day. From the
sixteenth of Nisan seven weeks were reckoned inclusively, and the next or fiftieth day was the day
of Pentecost, which fell on the sixth of Sivan (about the end of May). (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus
23:15,22; Numbers 28) See Jewish calendar at the end of this volume. The Pentecost was the Jewish
harvest-home, and the people were especially exhorted to rejoice before Jehovah with their families
their servants, the Levite within their gates, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow in the place
chosen by God for his name, as they brought a free-will offering of their hand to Jehovah their
God. (16:10,11) The great feature of the celebration was the presentation of the two loaves made
from the first-fruits of the wheat harvest. With the loaves two lambs were offered as a peace offering
and all were waved before Jehovah and given to the priests; the leaves being leavened, could not
be offered on the altar. The other sacrifices were, a burnt offering of a young bullock, two, rams
and seven lambs with a meat and drink offering, and a kid for a sin offering. (Leviticus 23:18,19)
Till the pentecostal leaves were offered, the produce of the harvest might not be eaten, nor could
any other firstfruits be offered. The whole ceremony was the completion of that dedication of the
harvest to God as its giver, and to whom both the land and the people were holy, which was begun
by the offering of the wave-sheaf at the Passover. The interval is still regarded as a religious season.
The Pentecost is the only one of the three great feasts which is not mentioned as the memorial of
events in the history of the Jews; but such a significance has been found in the fact that the law was
given from Sinai on the fiftieth day after the deliverance from Egypt. Comp. Exod 12 and 19. In
the exodus the people were offered to God as living first fruits; at Sinai their consecration to him
as a nation was completed. The typical significance of the Pentecost is made clear from the events
of the day recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 2. Just as the appearance of God on Sinai was
the birthday of the Jewish nation, so was the Pentecost the birthday of the Christian Church.
Penuel
[Peniel]
Peor
(cleft), a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to which,
after having ascended Pisgah, the prophet Balaam was conducted by Balak that he might look upon
the whole host of Israel and curse them. (Numbers 23:14,28) In four passages— (Numbers 25:18)
twice; Numb 31:16; Josh 22:17—Peor occurs as a contraction for Baal-peor. [Baal.)
Perazim
(a breach), Mount, a name which occurs in (Isaiah 28:21) only—unless the place which it
designates is identical with the Baal-perazim mentioned as the scene of one of David’s victories
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William Smith