Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
(saviour of his nation) was a Jew at Corinth who was seized and beaten in the presence of Gallio.
See (Acts 18:12-17) (A.D. 49.)
Sotai
(changeful). The children of Sotai were a family of the descendants of Solomon’s servants who
returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:55; Nehemiah 7:57) (B.C. before 536.)
South Ramoth
[Ramath Of The South OF THE SOUTH]
Sow
[Swine]
Sower, Sowing
The operation of a sowing with the hand is one of so simple a character as to need little
description. The Egyptian paintings furnish many illustrations of the mode in which it was conducted.
The sower held the vessel or basket containing the seed in his left hand, while with his right he
scattered the seed broadcast. The “drawing out” of the seed is noticed, as the most characteristic
action of the sower, in (Psalms 126:6) (Authorized Version “precious”) and (Amos 9:13) In wet
soils the seed was trodden in by the feet of animals. (Isaiah 32:20) The sowing season began in
October and continued to the end of February, wheat being put in before, and barley after, the
beginning of January. The Mosaic law prohibited the sowing of mixed seed. (Leviticus 19:19; 22:9)
Spain
1 Macc. 8:3; (Romans 15:24,28) The local designation, Tarshish, representing the Tartessus of
the Greeks, probably prevailed until the fame of the Roman wars in that country reached the East,
when it was superseded by its classical name. The mere intention of St. Paul to visit Spain (whether
he really did visit it is a disputed question.—ED.) implies two interesting facts, viz., the establishment
of a Christian community in that country, and that this was done by Hellenistic Jews resident there.
The early introduction of Christianity into that country is attested by Irenaeus and Tertullian.
Sparrow
(Heb. tzippor, from a root signifying to “chirp” or “twitter,” which appears to be a phonetic
representation of the call-note of any passerine (sparrow-like) bird). This Hebrew word occurs
upwards of forty times in the Old Testament. In all passages except two it is rendered by the
Authorized Version indifferently “bird” or “fowl.” and denotes any small bird, both of the
sparrow-like species and such as the starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, linnet, goldfinch, corn-bunting,
pipits, blackbird, song-thrush, etc. In (Psalms 84:3) and Psal 102:7 It is rendered “sparrow.” The
Greek stauthion (Authorized Version “sparrow”) occurs twice in the New Testament, (Matthew
10:29; Luke 12:6,7) (The birds above mentioned are found in great numbers in Palestine and are
of very little value, selling for the merest trifle and are thus strikingly used by our Saviour, (Matthew
10:20) as an illustration of our Father’s care for his children.—ED.) The blue thrush (Petrocossyphus
cyaneus) is probably the bird to which the psalmist alludes in (Proverbs 102:7) as “the sparrow that
sitteth alone upon the house-top.” It is a solitary bird, eschewing the society of its own species, and
rarely more than a pair are seen together. The English tree-sparrow (Passer montanus, Linn.) is
also very common, and may be seen in numbers on Mount Olivet and also about the sacred enclosure
of the mosque of Omar. This is perhaps the exact species referred to in (Psalms 84:3) Dr. Thompson,
in speaking of the great numbers of the house-sparrows and field-sparrows in troublesome and
impertinent generation, and nestle just where you do not want them. They stop your stove— and
708
William Smith