Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Ater
(shut up).
•The children of Ater were among the porters or gate-keepers of the temple who returned with
Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:42; Nehemiah 7:45)
•The children of ATER OF Hezekiah to the number of 98 returned with Zerubbabel, (Ezra 2:16;
Nehemiah 7:21) and were among the heads of the people who signed the covenant with Nehemiah.
(Nehemiah 10:17)
Athach
(lodging place). (1 Samuel 30:30) As the name does not occur elsewhere, it has been suggested
that it is an error of the transcriber for Ether, a town in the low country of Judah. (Joshua 15:42)
Athaiah
(whom Jehovah made), a descendant of Pharez, the son of Judah, who dwelt at Jerusalem after
the return from Babylon, (Nehemiah 11:4) called Uthai in (1 Chronicles 9:4)
Athaliah
(afflicted of the Lord) daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, married Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat
king of Judah and introduced into that kingdom the worship of Baal. (B.C. 891.) After the great
revolution by which Jehu seated himself on the throne of Samaria she killed all the members of the
royal family of Judah who had escaped his sword. (2 Kings 11:1) From the slaughter one infant,
named Joash, the youngest son of Ahaziah, was rescued by his aunt Jehosheba wife of Jehoiada,
(2 Chronicles 23:11) the high priest. (2 Chronicles 24:6) The child was brought up under Jehoiada’s
care, and concealed in the temple for six years, during which period Athaliah reigned over Judah.
At length Jehoiada thought it time to produce the lawful king to the people, trusting to their zeal
for the worship of God and their loyalty to the house of David. His plan was successful, and Athaliah
was put to death.
Athenians
natives of Athens (Acts 17:21)
Athens
(city of Athene), the capital of Attica, and the chief seat of Grecian learning and civilization
during the golden period of the history of Greece. Description—Athens is situated about three miles
from the seacoast, in the central plain of Attica. In this plain rise several eminences Of these the
most prominent is a lofty insulated mountain with a conical peaked Summit, now called the Hill
of St. George, and which bore in ancient times the name of Lycabettus . This mountain, which was
not included within the ancient walls, lies to the northeast of Athens, and forms the most striking
feature in the environs of the city. It is to Athens what Vesuvius is to Naples, or Arthur’s Seat to
Edinburgh Southwest of Lycabettua there are four hills of moderate height, all of which formed
part of the city. Of these the nearest to Lycabettus and at the distance of a mile from the latter, was
the Aeropolis, or citadel of Athens, a square craggy rock rising abruptly about 150 feet, with a flat
summit of about 1000 feet long from east to west, by 500 feet broad from north to south. Immediately
west of the Aeropolis is a second hill of irregular form, the Areopagus (Mars’ Hill). To the southwest
there rises a third hill, the Pnyx, on which the assemblies of the citizens were held. South of the
city was seen the Saronic Gulf, with the harbors of Athens. History.—Athens is said to have derived
its name from the prominence given to the worship of the goddess Athena (Minerva) by its king,
Erechtheus. The inhabitants were previously called Cecropidae, from Cecrops, who, according to
tradition, was the original founder of the city. This at first occupied only the hill or rock which
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William Smith