used in the preparation of the various biographies. Those that have been referred to most are, "Watson's Dictionary," "Wood's Dictionary" of the Holy Bible, "Dymond's Pocket London Edition," and "Barr's Index." I am, also, indebted very much to "Clark's," "Henry's," and "Benson's " Commentaries;" as also, to "Smith's Sacred Annals," and to some extent to other works, Hoping these pages will be an advantage to Bible readers, especially to Sunday School Teachers and the larger Scholars of Schools, I subscribe myself, Yours affectionately, THOS. G. BEHARRELL. COMPLETE BIBLICAL BIOGRAPHY ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED. AAR AAR AARON-[Ay'-ron,] lofty, mountain-missioned him to go to the king of ous. AARON, the distinguished brother of Moses and Miriam, was a descendant of Levi. He was older than Moses, hence born before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, decreed that the male infants of the Hebrews should be slain. When he was grown up, he married Elisheba, the daughter of Abinadab, a prince of the tribe of Judah, and he had four sons, viz: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, as a result of this marriage. He was associated with Moses in leading Israel out of Egypt, and from Egypt to Canaan. Aaron was with Israel in their bondage, and suffered with them, while his distinguished brother was the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, and enjoyed the pleasures of a palace and the honors of royalty. And so when Moses went to the land of Midian and became a shepherd for Jethro the priest, Aaron was still with his enslaved people suffering oppression. But when Moses, after his call to emancipate his people, left the land of Midian and journeyed towards the capital of Egypt, he met Aaron his brother, who was coming to meet him under the direction of God, who had spoken to him in Egypt, saying: "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses," and so precise was he in following the instructions given him, that he arrived at the sacred mountain just at the time his brother arrived there. They were glad again to look upon each other, and affectionately embraced, when we may suppose they gave each other a relation of the events of their lives for the last forty years. Moses related to Aaron how the God of their fathers had appeared unto him at Horeb, and com t Egypt and demand the freedom of Israel. And Aaron received from Moses the words, signs, and words of explanation that God had given him. Aaron became satisfied that God had appointed his brother to this work, and moreover, that he himself was to be spokesman for Moses, and immediately he certified. his willingness to enter upon this mission. It may be that the reason why he was made spokesman was, he spake better Hebrew than Moses, as Moses had been associating in and about the court with Egyptians until forty years of age, and after that with the Midianites; and possibly he had an impediment in his speech, for he says: "I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue;' though St. Stephen says of him: he was mighty in words as well as in deeds." Ex. 4, 5, 6, &c. After the two brothers arrived in the land of Egypt Aaron called together the Elders of Israel, and spake unto them the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses. They desired evidence of the truth of what Aaron spake, and of the mission with which he and his brother had been charged. To satisfy them. Aaron cast the rod of Moses upon the ground and it became a serpent, then he put forth his hand and took it up, and it became a rod again in his hand. He then put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out it was leprous as snow; he put his hand again into his bosom, and when he plucked it out it was turned again as his other flesh. He then took of the water of the Nile and poured it out upon the dry land, and it became blood as it was poured out. As the Elders of Israel and the people beheld these signs and heard the words of Aaron, they believed and rejoiced in the prospect of deliverance from oppression. Moses and Aaron then went in unto Pharaoh to demand the emancipation of their people. Aaron spake boldly for them both, and wrought signs and wonders, but yet Pharaoh would not acknowledge their right to make the demand they made. One plague after another was brought upon Egypt by the divine Ruler, using these brothers as instruments in His hand, until finally He permitted Israel to go out. Moses and Aaron, helped by their sister, conducted Israel to the Red Sea, and through it, (in a road cut by the Almighty power,) to the other side, where they saw the host of their enemics closed in and drowned by the returning waters. When Israel came to Sinai and camped, Aaron was with Moses on the mountain side to hear the first audible words that were spoken by God. In company with his sons and the seventy Elders, he tarried on the slope of the mountain while Moses went up to the summit. Aaron, in company with Hur, was placed by Moses in charge of the children of Israel during his absence, and to them doubtful matters were to be referred, and by them difficult questions settled; and it was because of the position of Aaron among them that they came to him, and in a tumultuous manner said: Make us Gods to go before us. Moses had been absent longer than they expected he would be, and probably much longer than he supposed he would be when he left them. Aaron yielded to their importunities, and bade them bring their wives' and children's ear rings. Having brought them to him, he melted the gold, and then made a calf and dedicated it as an image to the worship of Israel's God; and they engaged in gross idolatry before it, insomuch that the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and to Moses God threatened to remove from the people the symbols of his presence and destroy them. Aaron himself, in this matter, was not without sin, and he would have been punished had not Moses interceded in his behalf. After the tabernacle was erected, according to the pattern showed Moses in the mount, Aaron and his sons were set apart to the work and office of the Priesthood. Ex. 28, &c. Previous to this, public worship was not confined to one place, and the eldest in every family officiated as Priest for the family, but now there was a stated place of worship, viz: the tabernacle, and God had commanded that the Priesthood be retained in the family of Aaron. Accordingly Moses consecrated Aaron to the High Priesthood, annointed him with the holy oil, and invested him with the priestly robes and fixtures-his garments of tr glory and beauty." 66 While the ordinary Priest had on a garment closely fitting the body, a coat, a girdle, and a covering for the head, the High Priest had in addition a robe denoting his superiority, an Ephod, a breast-plate, and a plate of gold on his forehead. The robe was of blue, woven from the top to the bottom without seam, being fastened with a girdle and variously ornamented. The sacred Ephod, or Ephod of the_High Priest, was variously colored and ornamented with gold, and had upon each of the shoulders a large button, in which was set a precious stone, and in the stones were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was composed as a garment of "gold, blue, scarlet, and fine twined linen with cunning work." The breast-plate which he wore was four square, a span shall be the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof," and fastened with rings to the sacred Ephod. There were twelve precious stones set in the plate, three in a row, and on each stone was engraved the name of a son of Jacob as the head of a tribe of Israel, so that Aaron bore upon his breast, as well as upon his shoulders, the names of the various tribes. Upon the forehead was placed the figured golden plate, on which was engraved the motto: "Holiness to the Lord." This has been called the grand badge of the sacred office, and the motto was certainly appropriate for one engaged as Aaron in a holy calling. It is true that Aaron, after he had been thus consecrated to the office of the High Priesthood, and had served faithfully and efficiently for awhile, sinned against God by indulging in envy, which cnvy led him with Miriam, his sister, to oppose Moses. But when God led him into the tabernacle, and opened his eyes to see his sin, he acknowledged with a penitent heart his fault, and asked for giveness of Moses, and of God for him- | people, until his mission was ended, self and for his sister, and their sin was and he was called from the priesthood forgiven. Num. xii: 1, &c. here to the everlasting priesthood on high. But Aaron himself as a priest, and as the head of the priests, became the object of envy and bitter jealousies. Korah, Dathan and Abiram, with two hundred and fifty Levites-men of influence, "famous in the congregation, and men of renown," turned against Aaron and his brother and spake against them. They were not satisfied with the work they were performing, but desired to set up a priesthood and system of sacrifice of their own, of which system they themselves were to be the ministers. Moses, under the direction of God, required them, with Aaron, to appear before the Lord the next day, which they did with all the opposition they had been manifesting to the priesthood and its operations. God condemned them in the sight and hearing of the people, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up these guilty. leaders with their families. The account given us of Aaron's death is peculiarly affecting. Because of the murmurings of the children of Israel at Meribah for want of water, Moses and Aaron were perplexed. They enquired of the Lord as they had been accustomed to do in time of trial, and they were bidden to gather the children of Israel together, and with the rod to smite the rock before their eyes, and water should come forth in sufficient quantities to meet their wants. They did so, and the waters came forth. But there was something connected with their conduct here with which God was displeased. He determined that as they had not sanctified him in the sight of the people, neither of them should enter the land of Canaan. Soon afterward they journeyed from Kadesh to Mt. Hor, and then the Lord commanded Moses to make ready for After this question that had been parting with Aaron. "Take Aaron, vexing Israel was settled, the murmur- and Eleazar his son, and bring them ing against Aaron was stopped by a clear up unto Mt. Hor: and strip Aaron of proof that he was the chosen of God. his garments, and put them upon EleaMoses took twelve rods from the princes zar his son: and Aaron shall be gathof the twelve tribes, and wrote upon ered unto his people and shall die each rod the name of the tribe to which there." How solemn the command! it belonged, and upon the rod of the He who had been burdened with Moses tribe of Levi he wrote the name of for forty years, with the interests of a Aaron. Having prepared the rods he rebellious people-who had served for placed them in the tabernacle and near many years in the high-priest's office, the sanctuary. The next day he entered and who alone had entered the most the tabernacle and took out the rods, holy place-who had stood at the door and showed them to the whole congrega- of the tabernacle time after time and tion, and it was discovered that though observed the divine glory, was now nothing peculiar marked the eleven about to die. The summons had come rods, yet Aaron's rod "was budded, and and he himself was made acquainted brought forth buds, and bloomed blos- with it. After giving the Elders and soms, and yielded almonds." This bud-congregation of Israel an affectionate ded rod was laid up in the ark to perpetuate the memory of the miracle, and continues a standing evidence of Aaron's right to the office. This fact was so unquestionablý miraculous that we suppose no doubt could possibly remain in the minds of the people, or even of those who had been envious, who had not been destroyed. Surely their doubts were all silenced and their scruples satisfied, for we hear of no further complaints. Num. xvii: 1, &c. Aaron continued to perform the duties of his office with honor to himself, glory to God, and acceptability to the farewell, in company with Moses and Eleazar his successor, he ascended Mt. Hor, all the people gazing in sorrow at the trio, as they slowly made their way up the mountain side. At length they reached the spot upon the mountain summit where Aaron was to die. Moses, who had poured the annointing oil upon his head, and so consecrated him to the work of the priesthood years beforewho had clothed him with the sacerdotal robes, and designated him High Priest, now stripped him of his gar ments, and placed them before his eyes upon Eleazar his son. Aaron witnessed the ceremony, and, it may be, assisted | Judges, xii: 13-15. He died in the in it until it was closed. He looked a land of Ephraim and was buried there, moment upon his successor and rejoiced, in Pirathon of Ephraim, in the mount then laid him down and died, in the of the Amalekites. He left behind him presence of God, his brother and his forty sons and thirty nephews. son. ABDON, 2—A servant. ABDON was the son of Micah. He was one of five messengers of King Josiah, who were sent to consult Huldah, the prophetess. 2d Chronicles, xxxiv: 20. Thus the spirit of the faithful servant of God, like a bird uncaged, left its house upon the top of Mt. Hor, and hied away to the mountain of God. Whether the form of Aaron was coffined and sepulchred or not, we cannot tell, but the sad intelligence of his death was taken down by Moses and ABEDNEGO-[Abednego,] a servant Eleazar, "and when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they ABEDNEGO Wwas one of the three Hemourned for him thirty days, even all brews who were companions of Daniel the house of Israel.' The grave of in captivity in Babylon. These young Aaron, like that of Moses, was left un- men were selected from among the marked, lest Israel, in the remembrance captives for Chaldean learning, from of him and his many virtues, and abun| which fact we may judge that they dant labors, should pay him unwarrant- were approaching manhood-probably able honors. of light. eighteen or twenty years of age. And there is another fact which would indiAcate it, viz: they were promoted to posts of honor in the government. They were appointed to fill civil offices. ABDAII, or ABDA, was the father of Adoniram, who was one of the important officers of King Solomon, and by him was placed over his tribute. 1st Kings, iv: 6. These three Hebrews carried their religion with them into Babylon, and maintained their character as servants of the living God amidst the grossest idolatry. They were severely tried because of their convictions of right and ABDA was the son of Shammua, the their determination to discharge their grandson of Galal, and the great-grand-duty in the fear of God. When they son of Jeduthun, and is referred to in Neh. xi: 17. ABDA, 2—A servant, servitude. ABDI-[Ab'di,] My servant. ABDI was a Levite, referred to in 2d Chron., xxix: 12, &c. He lived, we suppose, during the reign of Hezekiah, and his son Kish was one of those who were engaged in cleansing the temple. ABDIEL-[Ab ́-de-el,] The servant of ABDIEL was the son of Guni, a Gadite, and a chief of the house of his fathers. 1st Chron., v: 15. He was, probably, the father of Shelemiah, who, with several others, was commanded to take Jeremiah, the prophet, and Baruch, his scribe; but the Lord hid them. Jer., xxxvi: 26. were appointed meat and drink by the king, they refused it, and asked of Melzar, the prince, who had charge of them, the privilege of eating and drinking pulse and water, for their consciences would not allow them to take the apportionment of victuals from the king. They were granted the privilege on the condition that the simple fare they preferred did not have a deleterious effect upon their constitution, vigor and countenance, they being compared with the young men that cat of the portion of the king's meat. At the end of ten days the prince was satisfied, and granted them their desire in taking away the meat and the wine. These three Hebrews gained the esteem of the king, and, probably through the influence of Daniel, who had been promoted to an important position and office, they, too, became officers of the ABDON was the son of Hillel, the government. After their promotion, Pirathonite, who judged Israel about they were envied by some who were in eight years after Elon, the Zebulonite. I lower offices, and probably by disap ABDON, 1-[Ab'don,] a servant. |