Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
2:3; 6:25; 1Kin 18:19 Ashtoreth being, perhaps, the proper name of the goddess, whilst Asherah
is the name of her image or symbol, which was of wood. See (Judges 6:25-30; 2 Kings 23:14)
Asherites
descendants of Asher, and members of his tribe. (Judges 1:32)
Ashes
The ashes on the altar of burnt offering were gathered into a cavity in its surface. The ashes of
a red heifer burnt entire, according to regulations prescribed in Numb. 19, had the ceremonial
efficacy of purifying the unclean, (Hebrews 9:13) but of polluting the clean. [Sacrifice] Ashes about
the person, especially on the head, were used as a sign of sorrow. [Mourning]
Ashima
a god of the Hamathite colonists in Samaria. (2 Kings 17:30) It has been regarded as identical
with the Pan of the Greeks.
Ashkelon, Askelon
Apocrypha As’calon (migration), one of the five cities of the Philistines, (Joshua 113:3; 1
Samuel 6:17) a seaport on the Mediterranean, 10 miles north of Gaza. Samson went down from
Timnath to Ashkelon. (Judges 14:19) In the post-biblical times Ashkelon rose to considerable
importance. Near the town were the temple and sacred lake of Derceto, the Syrian Venus. The soil
around was remarkable for its fertility. Ashkelon played a memorable part in the struggles of the
Crusades.
Ashkenaz
(spreading fire), one of the three sons of Gomer, son of Japhet. (Genesis 10:3) We may probably
recognize the tribe of Ashkenaz on the northern shore of Asia Minor in the name of Lake Ascanius,
and in Europe in the name Scandia, Scandinavia . Knobel considers that Ashkenaz is to be identified
with the German race.
Ashnah
the name of two cities, both in the lowlands of Judah: (1) named between Zoreah and Zanoah,
and therefore probably northwest of Jerusalem, (Joshua 15:33) and (2) between Jiptah and Nezib,
and therefore to the southwest of Jerusalem. (Joshua 15:43) Each, according, to Robinson’s map
(1857), would be about 16 miles from Jerusalem.
Ashpenaz
(horse-nose), the master of the eunuchs of Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 1:3)
Ashriel
properly As’riel (vow of God). (1 Chronicles 7:14)
Ashtaroth
and once As’taroth (a star), a city on the east of Jordan in Bashan, in the kingdom of Og,
doubtless so called from being a seat of the worship of the goddess of the same name. (1:4; Joshua
9:10; 12:4; 13:12)
Ashterathite
a native or inhabitant of Ashtaroth, (1 Chronicles 11:44) beyond Jordan.
Ashteroth Karnaim
(Ashteroth of the two horns or peaks) a place of very great antiquity, the abode of the Rephaim.
(Genesis 14:5) The name reappears but once, as Carnaim or Carnion, 1 Macc. 5:26,43,44; 2 Macc.
12:21,26, in “the land of Galaad.” It is probably the modern Es-Sanamein, on the Haj route, about
25 miles south of Damascus.
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William Smith