ASTRONOMY to ATHAIAH

ASTRONOMY

The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Ps. 19).

In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Rev. 2:28; comp. Isa. 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Amos 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), "the crooked serpent," Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri, or Gemini, "Castor and Pollux" (Acts 28:11). The stars were called "the host of heaven" (Isa. 40:26; Jer. 33:22).

The oldest divisions of time were mainly based on the observation of the movements of the heavenly bodies, the "ordinances of heaven" (Gen. 1:14-18; Job 38:33; Jer. 31:35; 33:25). Such observations led to the division of the year into months and the mapping out of the appearances of the stars into twelve portions, which received from the Greeks the name of the "zodiac."

The word "Mazzaroth" (Job 38:32) means, as the margin notes, "the twelve signs" of the zodiac. Astronomical observations were also necessary among the Jews in order to the fixing of the proper time for sacred ceremonies, the "new moons," the "passover," etc. Many allusions are found to the display of God's wisdom and power as seen in the starry heavens (Ps. 8:1 all; Ps 19:1-6; Isa. 51:6, etc.)

General scriptures concerning Job 26:7, 13; 37:18; 38:31-33; Ps 8:3; 19:1-6; 68:33; 136:5-9; Isa 13:10; 40:22, 26; 47:13; Jer 31:35-37; 33:22; Am 5:8; 1Co 15:41; Jude 1:13

SIDEREAL PHENOMENA Jos 10:12-14; Job 9:6-9; Ec 1:5; Isa 13:13; 34:4; Eze 32:7, 8; Mt 24:29, 35; 27:45; Mr 13:24, 25; Lk 21:25; 23:44, 45; Ac 2:19, 20; 2Pe 3:10; Re 6:12-14; 8:10-12; 9:1, 2; 10:1, 2; 12:3, 4; 13:13; 16:8, 9; 19:11-14; 21:1 .

See CONSTELLATIONS
See HEAVEN
See METEOROLOGY
See MOON
See STARS
See SUN

ASUPPIM

(1 Chr. 26:15, 17, Authorized Version; but in Revised Version, "storehouse"), properly the house of stores for the priests.

In Neh. 12:25 the Authorized Version has "thresholds," marg. "treasuries" or "assemblies;" Revised Version, "storehouses."

A gate of the temple 1Ch 26:15, 17

ASYNCRITUS

A disciple at Rome Ro 16:14

ATAD

buckthorn, a place where Joseph and his brethren, when on their way from Egypt to Hebron with the remains of their father Jacob, made for seven days a "great and very sore lamentation."

On this account the Canaanites called it "Abel-mizraim" (Gen. 50:10, 11). It was probably near Hebron. The word is rendered "bramble" in Judg. 9:14, 15, and "thorns" in Ps. 58:9.

The place where the sons of Jacob mourned for their father Ge 50:10-11

ATARAH

Wife of Jerahmeel 1Ch 2:26

ATAROTH

crowns.

(1.) A city east of Jordan, not far from Gilead (Num. 32:3).

(2.) A town on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin (Josh. 16:2, 7), called also Ataroth-adar (Josh 16:5). Now ed-Da'rieh.

(3.) "Ataroth, the house of Joab" (1 Chr. 2:54), a town of Judah inhabited by the descendants of Caleb.

Also called ATROTH

1. A city east of the Jordan River Nu 32:3, 34

2. A city, or possibly two different cities, of Ephraim Jos 16:2, 5, 7; 18:13

3. A city of Judah 1Ch 2:54

Called ATROTH-BETH-JOAB (R. V.)

4. A city of Gad Nu 32:35

ATAROTH-ADAR

Also called ATAROTH-ADDAR

ATER

shut; lame.

(1.) Ezra 2:16. (2.) Neh. 10:17. (3.) Ezra 2:42.

1. A descendant of Hezekiah, who returned from Babylon Ezr 2:16; Ne 7:21 2. A porter Ezr 2:42; Ne 7:45 3. An Israelite, who subscribed to Nehemiah's covenant Ne 10:17

ATHACH

A city of Judah 1Sa 30:30

ATHAIAH

whom God afflicts.

(1.) The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah (2 Kings 8:18), who "walked in the ways of the house of Ahab" (2 Chr. 21:6), called "daughter" of Omri (2 Kings 8:26). On the death of her husband and of her son Ahaziah, she resolved to seat herself on the vacant throne.

She slew all Ahaziah's children except Joash, the youngest (2 Kings 11:1,2). After a reign of six years she was put to death in an insurrection (2 Kings 11:20; 2 Chr. 21:6; 22:10-12; 23:15), stirred up among the people in connection with Josiah's being crowned as king.

(2.) Ezra 8:7. (3.) 1 Chr. 8:26.

Perhaps identical with ASAIAH Ne 11:4