RABBATH-MOAB, Ni л or Rabbath of the children of Moab, the capital of the Moabites, was also called Ar, or Ariel of Moab, and Kirheres, or the City with Brick Walls. (Jerem. 48. 31-36.) It stood on a small stream called the Stream of the Brooks (now termed Wadi Beni Hammad), a few miles south of the river Arnon. After sharing in all the vicissitudes of the successive conquests of the country beyond Jordan, it was in the fourth century, when it bore the name of Areopolis, (see AR,) overthrown by an earthquake, and has lain in ruins ever since, being utterly unknown and forgotten until of late years.

Professor Robinson says, "South of Wedy el Mojib, and six or eight miles north of Kerak, are the now unimportant ruins called Rabba, about half an hour in circuit, exhibiting the remains of a temple, and several Corinthian columns. This unquestionably was the site of the Rabbath Moab of the early centuries, the Areopolis of the Greeks, an episcopal see of the Third Palestine; which, after the destruction of Petra, became the metropolitan city of that region. In still earlier times, it was the Ar of Moab, mentioned in the Old Testament." The most important of the remains of Rabbath Moab is a magnificent theatre, on the south side of the stream, the largest of which any trace has been found in Syria; but which the natives regard as having been the royal palace. It is still in very good condition, forming, indeed, an unusually perfect monument of Roman luxury. There are also remains of several temples in various stages of decay, and of other public buildings, the precise character of which has not yet been determined. They appear to be mostly of the Corinthian order, and in some instances, the shafts are at least five feet in diameter.

RAB, RABBI, RABBIN, a name of dignity among the Hebrews, given originally to the principal officers in the court of a prince, but in the time of Our Lord bestowed upon expounders of the Mosaic law, and a highly-coveted appellation. (Matt. 23. 7.) It appears that the title came originally from the Chaldees; for before the Captivity we find it only used in refer

Old Testament, the term is variously translated; but in the New, it is usually rendered "master," or else the original word is preserved.

There were several gradations among the Jews before arriving at the dignity of Rabbi, as among us before the degree of Doctor. The head of a school was called Hacham, or Wise; he who aspired to the doctorship, had the name of Bachne, or Elon, and he frequented the school of the Hacham. When further advanced, he had the title of Chebar of the Rab, or Master's companion, and when perfectly skilled in the knowledge of the Law and traditions, he was called only Rab or Rabbin, and Morena, our Master. There seems to be an allusion to something of this sort in Matthew 10. 24; Luke 6. 40, "the disciple is not above his master," or to be his master's companion. Our Saviour upbraids the Rabbins and masters of Israel with vanity and eagerness to occupy the first place at feasts, and the head seats in the synagogues; also, with their being saluted in the streets, and desiring to be called Rabbi, my Master.

The title and office of Rabbin is preserved among the modern Jews. Their province is to decide differences, determine what things are allowed or forbidden, and judge both in religious and civil matters. They celebrate marriages and declare divorces, preach in the synagogues and preside over academies. Their studies are chiefly occupied with the Talmud and Cabbala, and, in general, they are acquainted with little else; these objects occupying different classes of Rabbins. Those, the minority, who chiefly apply to the letter of Scripture, are called Caraites, i.e., Literalists; those who chiefly study the traditions and oral laws of the Talmud, are called Rabbinists; while those who give themselves to their secret and mysterious divinity, letters, and numbers, are called Cabbalists. See CABBALA; DOCTOR; TALMUD.

found in any language. The Talmud and the Targums being noticed in other articles, as well as the Masora, Keri and Ketib, and the Cabbala, we have here only to give a list of those few of the Rabbinical writings which are calculated to be of any service to the Biblical student.

The Commentary on Daniel by Rabbi Saadias Gaor, called Rashag, from the initials of his name, written about A.D. 930. He likewise translated the Scriptures into Arabic.

The Commentary on the entire Bible by Rabbi Solomon Jarchi or Isaac, called also Rashi, a native of Troyes in Champagne, who flourished about A.D. 1140. Though deservedly held in high estimation by the Jews, it is so obscure in some places as to require a long comment to make it intelligible.

The Commentaries of Rabbi Aben Ezra, a celebrated Spanish Jew, who flourished about 1160. They are written in an elegant style; though his love of brevity sometimes renders many passages obscure, yet they are deservedly esteemed both by Jews and Christians.

The More Nevochim, or Teacher of the Perplexed, a celebrated work of Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, also called Rambam, and commonly Maimonides, who flourished about 1160. This is a learned, useful, and valuable work, deservedly held in the highest repute, containing a very excellent explanation and illustration of the most difficult words and things in the sacred writings, especially with respect to phrases, metaphors, parables, symbols, allegories, laws, and customs. His abridgment of the Talmud is also highly esteemed.

The Comment of Rabbi David Kimchi, a native of Spain, who flourished about 1220. This is an excellent and valuable work, particularly the commentary on the Prophet Isaiah.

The short Notes or Observations on the Pentateuch, principally Cabbalistic, by Rabbi Jacob Baal Hatturim, who flourished about A.D. 1300.

The Commentaries of Rabbi Levi ben Gershom, a Spanish Jew and physician, who died A.D. 1370. His writings on the Scriptures are much esteemed, especially his Commentary on the Pentateuch.

The extensive Commentaries of Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel, a Portuguese Jew, who was born A.D. 1437, and died in 1508. Notwithstanding his inveterate enmity against Christianity, they are highly esteemed both by Christians and Jews.

The Scholia on the entire Old Testament, by Rabbi Solomon Aben Malech, a native of Spain, who flourished in the sixteenth century.

Select Notes or Observations on the Books of Samuel, by Rabbinos Isaiah.

The Commentaries of these Rabbins, with the Masora and Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, are inserted in the Bibliotheca Rabbinica of Bomberg, and also that of Buxtorf. They are of great service in illustrating the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law; and are of much use to Christian writers in controversies with the Jews.

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RACHEL, Sept. Paynλ, (Gen. 29. 16,) the youngest daughter of Laban, and sister of Leah; she became the wife of Jacob, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Though long childless, she appears to have been the favourite wife of the patriarch, and when she died, he marked the spot in which she was buried by erecting a pillar over her grave. This pillar has long since perished, but its site is pointed out by a tradition, the truth of which there seems no ground to dispute. The tomb of Rachel is still shown to travellers near the ruins of the village of Ramah. Mr. Carne says, "It is one of the few places where the observer is persuaded that tradition has not erred. The spot is as wild and as solitary as can well be conceived; no palms or cypresses give their shelter from the blast; not a single tree spreads its shade where the beautiful mother of Israel rests. Maundrell is of opinion that this may be the true place of Rachel's interment; but the present sepulchral monument cannot be that which Jacob erected; for it appears to be plainly a modern and Turkish structure. The graves of the Moslems lie thickly strewn around this tomb."

Professor Robinson remarks, "Some way up the gentle acclivity, which here rises towards the north-east from Wady Ahmed, stands the Kabbet Râhîl, or Rachel's Tomb. This is merely an ordinary Muslim Wely, or tomb of a holy person; a small square building of stone, with a dome, and within it a tomb in the ordinary Mohammedan form, the whole plastered over with mortar. Of course the building is not ancient; in the seventh century there was here only a pyramid of stones. It is now neglected and falling to decay, though pilgrimages are still made to it by the Jews. The naked walls are covered with names in several languages, many of them in Hebrew. The general correctness of the tradition which has fixed upon this spot for the tomb of Rachel, cannot well be drawn in question; since it is fully supported by the circumstances of the Scriptural narrative. It is also mentioned by the Itin. Hieros., A.D. 333, and by Jerome in the same century.”

In Jeremiah 31. 15, the prophet introduces Rachel as bewailing the exile of her posterity, that is, Ephraim; by quoting which language the Evangelist Matthew (2. 18,) in a similar manner introduces her as bemoaning the fate of the children who were massacred at Bethlehem.

I. RAHAB, 2 Sept. Paxaß, Paaß, (Josh. 2. 1,) a woman of Jericho, who received into her house, and afterwards concealed, the two spies, whom Joshua had sent to explore the city and its contiguous territory. On the capture of Jericho, Rahab, with her parents, brethren, and all that she had, under the conduct of the two spies, quitted her house in safety. She subsequently married Salmon, one of the chief men in the tribe of Judah, and became the mother of Boaz. (Josh. ch. 2.; 6. 17,22,23,25; Ruth 4. 21; Matt. 1. 5.) The appellation of harlot is given to Rahab in the Septuagint version, from which the Apostles Paul (Heb. 11.31) and James (2. 25) make use of the same expression; but the Chaldee paraphrast calls her by a word which signifies a woman who keeps a public house without any mark of infamy. Since those Apostles cite her as an eminent example of faith in God, and have ranked her with Abraham, we shall be justified in put

II. A poetical name of Egypt. (Isai. 30. 7; 51. 9; Psalm 87. 4; 89. 11.) The Hebrew word signifies proud; and the name seems to have been given to Egypt, from the pride and insolence of its princes and inhabitants.

RAIMENT. See CLOTHES; DRESS; GARMENT.

RAIN, Ogasham, (Gen. 7. 12,) the vapours exhaled by the sun, which descend from the clouds to water the earth. (Eccl. 11. 3.)

In Psalm 72. 6, the blessings of Christ's coming are described as rain. The symbol of rain or dew is referred to all manner of good things; according to which the Psalmist says, "Thou, O God, didst send a gracious rain upon thine inheritance, to refresh it when it was weary." (Psalm 68. 9.)

Rain is the symbol of Divine benignity, vouchsafed as the reward of human obedience. Thus, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you." (Hosea 10. 12.) "His going forth is prepared as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and the former rain unto the earth." (Hosea 6. 3.) Rain is used as the symbol of discourse and instruction: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain," (Deut. 32. 2;) that is, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. "After my words, they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain." (Job 29. 22,23.) So also in Isaiah, (55. 10-13,) where the same idea is beautifully expressed, and the effects described under highly poetical images: the wilderness turned into a paradise, Lebanon into Carmel, the desert of the Gentiles watered with the heavenly snow and rain; so that (as the Chaldee gives the moral sense of the emblem,) "instead of the wicked shall arise the just, and instead of sinners, such as fear to sin." The Divine influences are compared to rain in Isaiah 44. 3,4: "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses."

The remarkable passages in Zechariah 10.1, and 14. 17, are understood by Vitringa to mean "spiritual” rain; and he remarks on the declaration, "If the Egyptians do not come up to the feast of tabernacles, there shall be no rain upon them," "These words appear a paradox, since there is no rain in Egypt at any time, as is well known; though modern travellers testify that rain occasionally falls. But the sense of the phrase is, there shall be nothing analogous to rain, i. e., no overflowing of the Nile to produce the usual fecundity. But the difficulty might be obviated, by supposing that the prophet meant that no rains should fall in Ethiopia, so as to produce the inundation of the Nile in Egypt."

The sacred writers often speak of the rain of the former and latter season. (Deut. 11. 14; Hosea 6. 3.) Professor Robinson remarks, "The autumnal rains, the early rains of Scripture, usually commence in the latter half of October, or beginning of November; not suddenly, but by degrees; which gives opportunity for the husbandman to sow his fields of wheat and barley. The rains come mostly from the west or south-west, continuing for two or three days at a time, and falling especially

north or east, and several days of fine weather succeed. During the months of November and December, the rains continued to fall heavily; afterwards they return only at longer intervals, and are less heavy, but at no period during the winter do they entirely cease to occur." See PALESTINE.

RAINBOW. Among the most interesting of natural phenomena is that of the rainbow, the production of which wholly depends on the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays by clouds or drops of rain, and the consequent formation of prismatic colours. The "bow in the heavens" is seen when the sun darts his rays on a cloud dissolving in rain, and the observer places himself opposite, and with his back turned to the sun. Sometimes one bow only is perceived, but more usually there are two bows, the interior, or lower one, exhibiting brighter colours than the other, the tints of which are comparatively pale. Both present the colours of the prismatic spectrum; but in the interior bow the tints gradually ascend from the violet to the red, while in the exterior bow, the violet is more elevated. Some writers remark that a third bow has been observed, but very rarely; and, according to theory, many bows must be formed, though all beyond the second must, in general, be utterly imperceptible. The colours of the rainbow are the result of the decomposition of white light, in its passage through the globular drops of water forming a shower of rain. Each coloured ray produced by this decomposition traverses the globule, and is reflected, in part, at the opposite concave surface; it then traverses the globule again in a new direction, and presents itself to escape towards the observer. A part only, however, actually passes out, and the other part is again reflected and carried back into the interior of the globule. In this manner a multitude of successive reflections may be caused, at each of which some portion of light will escape, but its intensity becomes more and more feeble with the increase of the number of reflections. It is from those rays that thus first issue from the drop on the side towards which the observer is looking, that the effect is produced. The rays which pass out from a globule after having suffered one or more reflections, form a certain angle with their primitive direction. This angle is constant for all rays of the same nature that penetrate the globule at the same incidence, and which undergo within it the same number of reflections; but it varies from those rays the incidences of which are different, and which undergo a greater or smaller number of reflections. It will appear from calculation, that in a series of parallel rays of the same nature, which fall on a globule, and which undergo but one reflection within it, the angle will be successively augmented, from the normal or direct ray, at which there will be no angle, to a certain limit, beyond which it will decrease till the ray becomes a tangent to the sphere or globule. Hence within those limits the parallel rays entering the globule very near together, and undergoing deviations not very dissimilar, will remain sensibly parallel at their escape; and therefore an eye placed in the direction of such a bundle of rays will be affected with a sufficiently vivid sensation of colours; while elsewhere encountering only isolated rays, the sensation produced will be extremely inconsiderable.

The rainbow was instituted by God himself, as the sign of his covenant with mankind after the Flood. "This is the token of the covenant which I will make between me and you, and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations," (Gen. 9. 12;) for

RAINBOW

natural and inanimate objects, such as pillars and heaps of stones, were considered as tokens, and even a kind of witness, in the contracts of all the civilized nations of remote antiquity. Of this we have several instances in the books of the Old Testament, but surely not one so apposite as the rainbow. Noah and his sons undoubtedly knew, either by the science of the antediluvian world, or by the immediate teaching of God, that the rainbow is a physical proof as long as it is seen that a general deluge is not to be dreaded: and therefore if

their minds, filled with terror and astonishment at what

they had escaped, should ever have become fearfully apprehensive of a future deluge, the sight of the bow would immediately dissipate their fears. The science of Noah and his sons, which taught them the physical connexion of the sign and the thing signified, was soon

lost, with other truths of greater importance, when their descendants were scattered in small tribes over the face of the whole earth; but the remembrance of the flood, as well as some confused notions of the rainbow being a kind of information from the gods to men, appear to have been preserved by tradition among all nations; and thousands of pious Christians, without knowing anything of the physical causes of the rainbow, consider it this day as a token, and even a pledge, (as in truth it is,) that the earth will not again be destroyed by a deluge. When the Jews behold the rainbow, they bless God who remembers his covenant and is faithful to his promises. The rainbow is frequently seen in Palestine in the rainy season, and thus it furnishes a common image to the sacred writers. There is a reference to the rainbow, though not named, in Isaiah 54. 9,10; and it is mentioned in other passages. "As the appearance of the bow which is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about." (Ezek. 1. 28.) "And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald." (Rev. 4. 3.) "And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head." (Rev. 10. 1.) These three passages correspond with and reflect light upon each other. The rainbow in all of them is the designed token of God's covenant and mercy, and of his faithful remembrance of his promise.

RAISINS. The word ' tsimmakim, (1Sam. 25. 18,) signifies dried grapes, or rather cakes made of them, such as the Italians still call simmaki. Grapes are often thus preserved for food, and they constituted one of the articles in the present made by Abigail to David. See GRAPES; VINE; VINEYARD.

RAM, ayil, (Gen. 15. 9,) the male of sheep.

See SHEEP.

In symbolical language, any horned beast may signify a king or monarch, because of the horns, which denote power. So a ram is the symbol of a plain monarch or prince; but other horned beasts are to be explained by some adjuncts; as a goat signifies, according to the interpreters, a headstrong fighting prince. In the prophecy of Daniel, Darius, the Persian, is represented as a ram; whilst Alexander, the most furious and rash of all warriors, is figured by a goat.

In several parts of Scripture the word ayil is used metaphorically to denote a prince, as in the song of Moses, in Exodus 15. 15, where "mighty men" of Moab, of our version, are literally "the rams," and in the Septuagint, the "princes" of the Moabites. See Psalm 80. 1; 78. 71; 71. 72.

RAMS HORNS. See MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

RAMAH. There appear to have been three, if not four, places called Ramah in Palestine. One is recorded as the burial-place of Rachel; another as the residence. of Samuel; and of the other, or others, we have only the

name, in the account of the division of the Promised

Land among the tribes. (Josh. 19. 29,36.) The site of the first only of these places can be regarded as fully ascertained, but we give the researches of Professor Robinson concerning the second also, as they involves points of considerable interest in Scripture geography. With regard to the last, no materials exist for its identification with any known place, nor is any historical event understood to be connected with it.

I. RAMAH, Ramah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, (Josh. 18. 25,) lay about six miles north of Jerusalem, and is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. As it stood in a pass between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, Baasha, king of Israel, seized it, and began to fortify it, to prevent his subjects from passing that way into the kingdom of Judah. (1Kings 15. 17-21.) Here Nebuzaradan, the Chaldæan general, disposed of his Jewish prisoners after their capital was taken, which occasioned a great lamentation among the daughters of Rachel, (Jerem. 40. 1-3;) and as Rachel was buried in the vicinity of this place, she is represented in Jeremiah 31. 15, as issuing from her tomb, and lamenting the loss of her children, who were either slain or carried into captivity. See RACHEL.

The site of Ramah has been sometimes disputed, the place having been confounded with Arimathea, but it has of late been fully ascertained by Professor Robinson. It is now called Er-Râm, and lies about eighteen miles south-east of Arimathea.

"Râm," he says, "is a miserable village, with few houses, and these now in summer mostly deserted. There are here large squared stones, and also columns scattered about in the fields, indicating an ancient place of some importance. A small mosk with columns seems once to have been a church. The situation of

Er-Râm is very conspicuous and commands a wide

prospect.

"Er-Râm, without doubt, marks the site of the ancient Ramah of Benjamin. The present Er-Râm is half an hour west from Gibeah, and two hours north of Jerusalem. Ramah was again inhabited after the exile; and in the days of Jerome was a small village. In the thirteenth century, Brocardus speaks of it correctly as a village south of El-Bireh, situated on a hill east of the

road leading to Jerusalem. But notwithstanding this distinct notice, the place seems to have been again forgotten in monastic tradition for centuries, and of course is not mentioned by travellers. Cotovicus saw the spot, but held it to be Gibeah of Saul. Quaresmius speaks only of Ramah as at Neby Samwil; and hence, probably, even the sharp-sighted Maundrell failed to notice Er-Râm, and saw Ramah only at the prophet's tomb. Indeed, I have been able to find no further mention of Er-Râm until the present century, and that only in one or two travellers.

"Jeba, half an hour east of Er-Râm, is not visible from it, on account of broad intervening swells of ground. We went out upon these hills half way to Jeba, where we had a full view of both the villages, and examined the ground carefully in all directions, to see whether there might not be some ancient site between the two.