A. M. tyred at Antioch, by order of Antiochus 3839 Judas Maccabeus recovers Jerusalem from the 3939 The Romans conquer Syria, terminate the 3941 40.43. Judea made a Roman province. B. C. 167 165 65 63 3999 John the Baptist born, six months before Jesus A. D. Christ, Luke i. 4000 Jesus Christ born; being four years earlier PERIOD OR AGE VIII. From the birth of Jesus Christ to the end of the first century. 4012 Jesus Christ hears and questions the Jewish 4032 Pilate sent from Rome into Judea as governor. 4039 Paul converted-Saul, his Jewish name, Acts ix. 4064 4071 an angel, Acts xii. Paul sent a prisoner to Rome, Acts xxvi.— 4069 Paul, and as is supposed, Peter also, suffered 5 4 28 29 30 33 35 44 60 65 67 A. M. 4074 Jerusalem besieged and taken, by Titus Ves pasian, according to the predictions of 4075 Jerusalem and its temple razed to the founda- 4099 John banished, by the emperor Domitian, to Patmos, where he writes his revelation. 4101 John liberated from exile and writes his gospel. 4104 John dies, being about 100 years old. He was the last surviving apostle; and, as is believed, the only one of them who died a natural death. CHAPTER XIX.-SCRIPTURE NAMES. THE Scripture names of both persons and things are generally remarkable for their signification. A knowledge of these cannot fail materially to assist the reader in understanding many passages in the Bible. In several instances names were given immediately by God; in others they were imposed by a spirit of prophecy; and many, both persons and things, received their denomination from some particular circumstance in their history. Thus God called our first parents Adam, which signifies earth, or red-earth, because from the earth man was created, Gen. ii. 7; v. 2. He changed the name of Abram, which signifies high-father, to Abraham, the father of a great multitude, or of nations, Gen. xvii. 5, and that of his wife, Sarai, my lady, to Sarah lady or princess of a multitude, ver. 15, 16, and Jacob, a supplanter, to Israel, a prince with God, xxxii. 28. By a prophetic spirit some names were imposed, as Noah, signifying comfort, and Jesus, a Saviour. Many names were given on account of some peculiar circumstances in their history, as Isaac, laughter or gladness, Gen. xvii. 17; xviii. 12; xxi. 3-6. Bethel, the house of God, Gen. xxxviii. 17-19. Moses, taken from the water, Exod. ii. 10. It should be observed that those names which begin or terminate with EL, or begin with JE, or end with IAH, were generally designed to express some relation to God:-as Bethel, the house of God; Israel, a prince with God; Jeremiah, the exaltation of the Lord. Some persons and things had two or more names, and they are sometimes called by one and sometimes by the other. For example, Jacob was called Israel; Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was called Reuel, Exod. ii. 18; iii. 1. Uzziah was called Azariah, 2 Kings xv. 1. 2 Chron. xxvi. 1. Isa. i. 1. Paul was the Roman name of the apostle, while his Jewish name was Saul. Many names also of persons are spelt differently in the New Testament, as they were taken from the Greek translation of the Old Testament: as Noe for Noah, Elias for Elijah, Osee for Hosea, and Jeremy for Jeremiah. In some of the names also in the New Testament it will be observed that their Latin form has been retained in several places, by an oversight in the translators, as Timotheus for Timothy, Silvanus for Silas, and Marcus for Mark. AARON, signifies, a moun- Abib, green fruits. tain of strength, or a teacher. Abaddon, the destroyer. Abednego, servant of light. Abel, Adam's son, vanity,a city, mourning. Abel-Mizraim, the mourning of the Egyptians. Abithar, excellent father. Abiel, God my father. Absalom, father of peace. Achan, he that troubles. Adam, earthy, or red earth. Adonibezek, lord of lightning. Adonijah, the Lord is my master, Adonizedek, lord of justice. Ahab, brother of the father. Ahimelech, brother of the king. Ahithophel, brother of ruin. Amaziah, strength of the Lord. Anna, or Hannah, gracious. ness. Azotus, or Ashdod, pillage. Baal, master, or lord, an idol. Baal-berith, lord of the cove nant. Baalim, idols, masters, false gods, Baalzebub, or Beelzebub, lord of flies. Babel, or Babylon, confusion. Balak, a waster. Barnabas, son of consolation. Beulah, married. pentance or pleasure. Daniel, judgment of God. Easter, the name of a Saxon goddess, the word in Acts xii. 4. is, properly, pass over. Ebenezer, the stone of help. Eden, pleasure, delight. Edom, red, Egypt, in Hebrew Mizraim, Hephzibah, my delight is in tribulation. El-Bethel, the God of Bethel. her. Herod, glory of the skin. Horeb, dryness, desert. Jabez, sorrow or trouble. Ichabod, where is the glory? Jedidiah, well beloved. Jehoshaphat, judgment of the Jehovah, the incommunica- Jehovah-shalom, the Lord ham over the river Euphra- Jeroboam, fighting against the tes, to dwell in Canaan, people. from which he was called Jerubbaal, let Baal defend his the Hebrew. cause. |