59 Sosipater of Iconium. 60 Sosthenes of Colophon. 61 Stachys of Byzantium. 62 Stephen, the first martyr. 63 Tertius of Iconium. 64 Thaddeus, who carried the epistle of Jesus to Edessa, to Abgarus.

65 Timon of Bostra of the Arabians.

66 Trophimus, who suffered

67 Tychicus, bishop of Chalcedon, of Bythinia.

68 Tychicus of Colophon. 69 Urbanus of Macedonia. 70. Zenas of Diospolis.

With the same allusion to the celebrated number of seventy men forming one body, in reference to the seventy Hebrew elders, it would seem that the highpriest Eliezer chose out the seventy-two Jewish interpreters (commonly called the Seventy) to make, at the desire of King Ptolemy Philadelphus, that Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures well known as the Septuagint.

The prophecy in Isaiah 23. 15-17, of the seventy years of Tyre, is thus explained by South. Verse 15: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.'

"According to the days of one king,' i. e. of one kingdom. (See Daniel 7. 17; 8. 20.) Nebuchadnezzar began his conquests in the first year of his reign; from thence to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus are seventy years; at which time the nations conquered by Nebuchadnezzar were to be restored to liberty. These seventy years limit the duration of the Babylonish monarchy. Tyre was taken by him towards the middle of that period, so did not serve the king of Babylon during the whole period, but only for the remaining part of it. This seems to be the meaning of Isaiah: the days allotted to the one king or kingdom are seventy years; Tyre, with the rest of the conquered nations, shall continue in a state of subjection and desolation to the end of that period; not from the beginning, and through the whole of the period; for, by being one of the latest conquests, the duration of that state of subjection, in regard to her, was not much more than half of it. All these nations,' saith Jeremiah (25. 11), 'shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.' Some of them were conquered sooner, some later; but the end of this period was the common term for the deliverance of them all.

"Verse 17. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.'

“And at the end of seventy years.' Tyre, after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, recovered, as it is here foretold, its ancient trade, wealth, and grandeur, as it did, likewise, after a second destruction by Alexander. It became Christian early with the rest of the neighbouring countries. St. Paul himself found many Christians there. (Acts 21. 4.) It suffered much in the Dioclesian persecution. It was an archbishopric under the patriarchate of Jerusalem, with fourteen bishoprics under its jurisdiction. It continued Christian till it was taken by the Saracens, in 639; was recovered by the Christians in 1124; but in 1280 was reconquered by the Mamelukes; and afterwards taken from them by the Turks in 1516. Since that time it has sunk into utter decay; is now a mere ruin, a bare rock, a place to spread nets upon,' as the prophet Ezekiel foretold it should be. (26. 14.)"

For the seventy weeks of Daniel, see WEEK. M.

SHADOW. The privation of light by an object interposed between a luminary and the surface on which the shadow appears; but it is credible that what we call spots on the sun are alluded to in 1John 1. 5, under the term shadows, or darkness; such defects, says the Apostle, may be in the sun, but there are none in God. A shadow falling on a plane follows the course of the body which causes it; hence it is often extremely swift, as that of a bird flying, which very rapidly, indeed instantly, appears and disappears from observation. Human life is compared to this. (1 Cor. 29. 15.)

In Hebrews 10. 1, the word indicates the outline or adumbration of the grand truths of the Gospel afterwards to be revealed in full perfection.

Shadow is taken for the obscurity of night, for the total absence of light in a night of clouds; and hence "the shadow of death," intense darkness, to which add the horror which naturally attends the tomb and the unexplored regions of death; gloom and dismal terrors, terrors fatal and perpetual.

Shadow is also taken in a sense directly contrary to this, because, in countries near the tropics, every spot exposed to the burning heat of the sun is dangerous to health; therefore, nothing is more acceptable than shade, nothing more refreshing or more salutary; hence the shadow of a great rock is desirable in a land of weariness, (Isai. 32. 2;) hence shadow signifies protection, (Isai. 30. 2; Dan. 4. 12; Hos. 4. 13;) hence the shadow of wings in a bird is protection also; and hence the shadow, that is, protection, of God. (Psalm 17. 8; 63. 7; 91.1; Isai. 49. 2.) Perhaps the word shade, however, might in these places be preferable to shadow, and would preserve a distinction. T.

SHADRACH. The Chaldean name given to Ananias, a companion of Daniel at the court of Nebuchadnezzar. (Dan. 1. 7.)

SHALIM, SHALISHA.

Districts near Mount

Ephraim traversed by Saul when searching for his

father's asses, which cannot now be identified.

SHALMANEZER. A king of Assyria, mentioned 2Kings 17. 13.

SHAMBLES. Markets for the sale of meat appear to have been unknown in Judæa previous to the Roman conquest. We learn from the Talmud that most of the public butchers under the Romans were Gentiles, and that the Jews were forbidden to deal with them, because they exposed the flesh of unclean beasts for sale. Hence St. Paul, dissuading the Corinthian converts from adopting Jewish scruples, says, "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no questions for conscience sake." (1Cor. 10. 25.) C.

indicating a pleasant place, or from sharah, to lead SHARON, 1 derived from sur, a song forth as flocks. (Lightfoot.) The name is applied to several places in Palestine.

I. Sharon, the plain in Palestine stretching from Cesarea and Joppa; bounded on the east by the mountainous range that runs south-eastward from Mount Carmel, and on the west by the shore that is washed by the Mediterranean sea. It was celebrated in

66

SHARON

the early periods of Jewish history for its fertility and natural beauties; so that the name of Sharon was used metaphorically to designate any lovely object: "I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys: As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." (Song of Solomon, 1. 1,2.) "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God." (Isai. 35. 1,2.) The plain produced grapes in abundance; and the Jewish Rabbins bear testimony to the excellence of its wines. Although, like most of modern Syria, the district of Sharon presents the aspect of desolation and wretchedness it appears still to retain some of its ancient attributes. Dr. E. Hogg, who visited the Holy Land in 1835, gives a favourable account of the present appearance of the plain. "Anxious to pursue our journey," he says, we easily obtained mules, and the same evening proceeded to Ramla, (which is twenty-five miles west-north-west of Jerusalem,) the Arimathea of sacred writ, little more than three hours distant. Immediately beyond the town we passed a district of fertile gardens, impenetrably fenced with Indian figs, and thickly planted with fruit-trees and melons. We next entered the fine alluvial plain of Sharon, naturally fertile but little cultivated, in the midst of which is a village with a grove of olive-trees, near a capacious reservoir. As we approached Ramla, we remarked to the right a lofty tower, evidently a Christian relic, and commonly called the Tower of Martyrs. The crusaders, when they advanced along the coast, leaving Jaffa to the left, marched direct from Acre to Lydda, and thence to Ramla. The inhabitants abandoning their defenceless town, the crusaders found a welcome supply of provisions, remained three days, celebrated one of the festivals of the Church, and consecrated the first Latin bishop, investing him with a see that included both Ramla and Lydda." Lightfoot thinks that part of this plain of Sharon is the same as the plain of Ono, mentioned by Nehemiah, (6. 2,) which Ono is mentioned in conjunction with Lod, (Lydda,) in Nehemiah 9. 35, and Chronicles 8. 12. The part of the plain about Lod and Ono was also called the Valley of Craftsmen, from being the abode of a number of artificers; (Nehem. II. 35,) "Lod and Ono, the valley of craftsmen;" also 1Chronicles = 4. 14.

This valley of Sharon is mentioned in Isaiah 33. 9, in a prophecy of the distress of the Jews at the invasion of the king of Assyria: "Sharon is like a wilderness, Bashan and Carmel spake of their fruits." And again, in a prophecy of the flourishing state of the Church of God, (Isai. 35. 1,2,) “The desert shall rejoice. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon."

The above district is alluded to, in Acts 9. 35, "And all that dwelt in Lydda and Saron saw him (i. e., Eneas healed by Paul,) and turned to the Lord." It is here written Saron from the Greek Σαρωνα.

II. La-Sharon, written in the Vulgate "Saron," a place on the west of Jordan, which was taken by Joshua, and its king slain, (Josh. 12. 18,) is thought to be the same as the Saron mentioned in Acts 9. 35, as above.

III. Sharon, a very rich valley famous for its pasturage, in the portion of the Gadites, on the east of Jordan. Bishop Patrick thinks it was here that the flocks of David were kept under the care of a native of the country. (1Chron. 27. 29,) "And over the herds that feed in Sharon, was Shitrai the Sharonite." Perhaps this Sharon may have derived its name from shor, a bull; it

SHAVE. The ancient Egyptians were the only Oriental nation who objected to wearing the beard. Hence, when the Pharaoh sent to summon Joseph from his dungeon, we find it recorded that the patriarch "shaved himself." (Gen. 41. 14.)

SHEBA. The queen of this country visited Solomon, attracted by the fame of his wisdom; but commentators have not agreed whether she was an Ethiopian, an Arabian, or a Nubian princess. Josephus says that the ancient city of Meroë, on the Upper Nile, originally bore the name of Sheba; and this would be decisive of the question, if we could rely on his authority. The Abyssinians to this day claim this princess as their countrywoman, and also Queen Candace, whose minister was converted by Philip. (Acts 8. 27.)

SHEBAT or SHEBET. The fifth month of the civil year of the Hebrews, and the eleventh of the ecclesiastical year. They began on this month to number the years of the trees they planted, the fruits of which were deemed impure until the fourth year. C.

In the

SHECHEM, SECHEM, or SYCHEM. New Testament this city is called Sychar; it received its more ancient name from Shechem, the father of Hamor, who sold the ground near which the city is built to the patriarch Jacob. It was bestowed by the patriarch on his favourite son Joseph; and here Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought out of Egypt and carried with them during their tedious wanderings in the desert, were interred. On the same piece of ground was the well, called "Jacob's well," at which Our Saviour sat down when he had the memorable conversation with the woman of Samaria, recorded by St. John. (chap. 4.) In consequence of his convincing arguments, this woman, and several other Shechemites, recognised him as the Messiah.

Of this place Dr. E. D. Clarke says, "The traveller directing his footsteps towards the ancient sepulchres, as everlasting as the rocks in which they were hewn, is permitted, upon the authority of sacred and indisputable record, to contemplate the spot where the remains of Joseph, of Eleazar, and of Joshua, are deposited. If anything connected with the memory of past ages be calculated to awaken local enthusiasm, the land around this city is pre-eminently entitled to consideration. The sacred story of events transacted in the field of Shechem from our earliest years is remembered with delight; but with the territory before our eyes where these events took place, and in the view of objects existing as they were described above three thousand years ago, the grateful impression kindles into ecstasy. Along the valleys we beheld 'a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead,' as in the days of Reuben and Judah, 'with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh,' who would gladly have purchased another Joseph of his brethren, and conveyed him as a slave to some Potiphar in Egypt. Upon the hills

around, flocks and herds were feeding, as of old; nor in the simple garb of the inhabitants of Samaria was there anything repugnant to the notions we may entertain of the appearance presented by the sons of Jacob." In the days of the Eastern empire Shechem received the name of Neapolis, "the new city," which its Saracenic conquerors corrupted into Nablous, or Naplous, a designation which it still retains. It stands between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, and is commanded by the eminences of both; its walls are low, and have neither towers, rampart, nor ditch; the gates are of wood, and could not resist any vigorous attack. The population amounts to nine thousand persons, of whom rather more than a third part are Jews. The modern Shechemites are, both in their religion and politics, the most intractable race in Syria; fanaticism is always rife in the Samaritan districts; the inhabitants are not less intolerant than when they refused Our Blessed Lord admission into one of their villages, because they perceived that he was travelling in the direction of Jerusalem. "No stranger," says Poujoulat, "whether Jew or Christian, would be allowed to reside in the place." It is the metropolis of the Caraite Jews, who do not muster three hundred

families beyond the walls of Naplous. Although their temple has been destroyed more than two thousand years, they do not fail to go up annually, as their ancestors did, to offer their sacrifices to "the God of their fathers," amid the ruins of the sacred edifice. Their rabbies have sometimes corresponded with the learned in Europe; they made important communications to Scaliger in the sixteenth century, and to Baron de Sacy in our own times. Indeed, they have always paid particular respect to the Oriental scholars who have shown an anxiety to examine their edition of the Pentateuch. The vicinity of Naplous has been for centuries a perpetual theatre of wars and insurrections. The peasants descend armed from the mountains, and appear in the markets with their weapons of war. Nothing can be imagined more picturesque, and at the same time more savage, than the appearance of the Samaritan fellah, having a long gun on his shoulder, a kanjar suspended from his girdle, and wearing a loose blouse of the coarsest cotton, which leaves bare his brawny arms. Such figures are common on all the roads leading to Naplous, and fully explain the reason why the Samaritan districts are rarely visited by travellers. C.

SHEEP. The sheep in Palestine are of two kinds. -The first, or Bedouin sheep, is like our large breed, except that the tail is rather larger and thicker. The second, and much more common, is remarkable from the extraordinary size of its tail, which is generally onethird the weight of the whole sheep. Some have been seen with tails of forty pounds' weight, and sometimes the Eastern shepherds have been obliged to contrive a little carriage harnessed behind to support the tail, and run along with the sheep. The tail is of a substance between fat and marrow; it is seldom eaten alone, but mixed with lean meat, and frequently melted as butter, and mixed with rice. The whole rump or tail of the sheep, and the fat, were commanded by the Mosaic Law to be burned on the altar of sacrifice; but the tail of the bullock or goat was not; wherefore the aim of the precept seems to have been, as Maimonides and others think, the preserving of the Israelites' health; for the fat of the tail, though considered as a delicacy, is very unwholesome, and apt to produce bilious disorders. On account of the fat being the Lord's portion of the sacrifices, it passed into a proverb to signify the best part of any thing.

The sheep, on account of its mild, inoffensive, patient character, is used in Scripture to typify the people of God. The sheep was an emblem particularly suited to represent the followers of Christ; not only from its innocence and meekness, but from its social nature (emblematical of brotherly love,) and from its habit of regularly following when led." "The lost sheep," is a particularly appropriate and beautiful expression for an erring human being; for it is well known that a strayed sheep never finds its own way back, but requires to be sought out by the shepherd. Wherefore (Matt. 10. 6) Christ commissions his apostles to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and (Matt. 18. 12,) represents the man whose sheep has gone astray, going forth to seek it.

Different words are used in the Hebrew Scriptures to denote sheep, each of which is beautifully expressive: as

seh, a sheep; the corresponding Syriac verb signifies to cool, or grow cold. The sheep is a particularly chilly animal; and this word is often appropriately used to express a lamb, as especially tender and delicate, as in Exodus 12. 3,4, speaking of the lamb for the passover. It is sometimes used to express the smaller cattle, as goat or kid, but only as an individual. When a flock of

SHEEP

The Syrian Sheep. the small cattle, goats and sheep collectively, is expressed, the word used is 183 tzon. Sheep and goats are frequently mingled together in flocks in Palestine: hence Our Lord's parable of separating the sheep from the goats, typical of separating the righteous from the wicked at the day of judgment, though so long mingled in the world. (Matt. 25. 33.) The sheep from their amiable character represent the righteous, and the goats the wicked from their greater boldness and inclination to mischief, and likewise because among the Jews demons were often represented in the form of goats (like the satyrs of classic mythology.)

wa kebesh, is the term applied to a lamb under a year old, whether male or female. It is derived from the verb kabash, to subdue, to subject, and implies the meek submissive disposition of all lambs at that early age; but after one year old the males are called ajil, and the females rachal, because the male no longer continues mild and submissive, but acquires a boldness, and is appropriately denominated ajil, from a root whose primary ideal meaning (according to Parkhurst,) is interposition, intervention. The male sheep after he is a year old begins to interfere to protect the flock from attacks; differently pointed, (as ejel,) means strength, also an appropriate derivation. The female is termed rachal, from its meek, submissive temper, being derived from a verb not now occurring in the Hebrew, but remaining in Arabic, signifying to bear patiently, to submit. This word is beautifully used in the Hebrew text of Isaiah 53. 7, to express the peculiar meekness of Our Lord, like that of the female sheep, without any of the strength or resistance of the ram. "As a sheep ( rachal,) before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth." The analogous Greek word in the Septuagint and New Testament, poßalov, plural poẞada, which is used in προβαλον, προβαλα, the New Testament when speaking of the human flocks of Christ, indicates what their moral qualities ought to be, patience, meekness, submission, social love, readiness to hear the shepherd's voice, (John 10. 3,) and to follow him (ver. 4.)

In John 10. 3, "He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out." It is not unusual among the It is not unusual among the Eastern shepherds to give their sheep names which the animals soon learn to know and to answer.

In John 11. 15,16,17, Our Lord three times desires Simon Peter to feed his sheep,-the appropriateness of which repetition is beautifully marked in the Greek New Testament. The first time the command is, "Feed my lambs:" the verb used is Bookw, feed with food: the command is "feed my lambs," with "food convenient:" do not pay all your attention to the more advanced of the flock, and overlook the feebler; but attend also to their wants, and feed them with that spiritual nourishment that is best suited to their age and condi

tion. In the second command, "feed my sheep," the verb is Topaivo, to take care of, like a shepherd, to lead, to rule. The former verb Bookw implies ministerial teaching; the latter, ministerial and pastoral guidance, discipline, and example. In the third command, "feed my sheep," the verb is again Bookw, to feed with food; but now it is applied to the sheep, the more advanced of the flock; give to them a stronger kind of spiritual nourishment suited to their capacity; distinguish them from the feeble, and do not treat them as "such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat: for every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Heb. 5. 13,14.)

In the passage from St. John above quoted, Our Lord three times asks Peter, "Lovest thou me?" and at each answer, "Yea, Lord," gives him a charge concerning the flock; and in the question, "Lovest thou me?" two different verbs are used. In the first two questions the verb used is ayaπw, to love; and the two corresponding charges are, first, "Feed my lambs," and second, "Feed (i.e., guide, rule, lead) my sheep." The third time the verb is varied to pew, which expresses a higher degree of love, and seems to indicate that providing proper nourishment in sound and elevated doctrine, (the "strong meat" of St. Paul,) for the matured part of the flock, "through good report and evil report," marks a more devoted love for the Lord, and zeal for his service, than even the performance of the two former charges.

Our Lord is called the Lamb of God, not merely on account of his meek and patient character, but in allusion to the lamb sacrificed for the Passover; he being the true paschal Lamb, "slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13. 8.)

SHEKEL, pw from 5p shakal, to weigh, because it was customary to weigh the money offered in payment. (Gen. 23. 16; Jerem. 32. 9; Zech. 11. 12.)

The shekels mentioned in Scripture are the shekel of silver and that of gold. The shekel is used to express both a weight and a coin. Concerning the weight and the value of the ancient shekel there is much doubt and uncertainty even among the Jewish doctors. It is believed that at first the shekel weighed ten gerahs, or two Attic drachms, and the value was about fourteen pence of our money. But afterwards it was made double in weight and value. The calculation is made by conjecture, and by the weight of the modern shekel, which has been found to weigh about nine pennyweights three grains of our avoirdupoise, something under half an ounce, and the value to be about 2s. 4d. of our money; (we speak of the silver shekel.) Bishop Cumberland says it was about equal to four Attic drachms. The Septuagint uses the word didrachmon, a twodrachm piece, to express the shekel, which some account for by their using the weight and value according to the standard of Alexandria, in which city they made their version. But others consider this an argument that the shekel was but four drachms (about a quarter of an ounce), till the time of the Maccabees. If this be the case, it will explain the apparent difficulty in the great weight of Absalom's hair, (2Sam. 14. 26,) viz., two hundred shekels, which, at the computation of half an ounce to a shekel, would be above six pounds; but is reduced to half, computing by the older shekel. Of these ancient shekels there are no authentic specimens extant. Hebrew shekels at present known weigh generally half an ounce; when under that weight, they have been

The

clipped or filed. They bear on one side the impression of a vase or cup, alluding to the pot of manna preserved in the tabernacle, (Exod. 16. 33,) and on the other a branch, in allusion to Aaron's rod that budded. (Numb. 17. 8.) The inscriptions on some are in the Samaritan, and on others in the Hebrew character: the latter are the more rare, but none older than the date of the Christian era are considered authentic by the best judges.

There are extant genuine copper coins of the Maccabees. These bear most commonly on one side the usual device of the vase (sometimes represented covered,) and on the other a vine leaf. Some, a vine leaf or bunch of grapes; reverse, a palm branch. Some rarer varieties have a palm tree between two baskets of dates; reverse, two branches of citron, and one fruit between them, or two citrons and one branch. Coins of this kind are sometimes the third part of the shekel. The inscriptions are in the Samaritan character; on one side, redemption of Sion," on the other the date of the year. Some bear "Simon;" on the reverse, "Simon, Prince of Israel." (Simon Maccabeus died B.C. 135.) Coins with his name are scarce.

The

There are extant some coins of Jonathan, brother of John Hyrcanus; also of Herod the Great, and his son, and Agrippa, before whom Paul pleaded; the inscriptions on the two latter are in Greek.

The thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas Iscariot for his treachery, are believed to have been shekels of silver.

"The shekel of the sanctuary" (Exod. 30. 15,) did not differ in weight and value from the ordinary shekels; but was a piece kept as a standard for the general coinage.

The money with which Jacob bought ground from Hamor (Gen. 33. 18,19) was marked with the figure of a lamb (a natural device among a pastoral people like the patriarchs). The Hebrew says he bought the ground for a hundred lambs, Op kesita, calling the piece after the device (as formerly the old English coins stamped with an angel were called angels). In Acts 7. 16, Stephen explains that it was in money (not in actual lambs) that Jacob paid for the ground. The value of the piece cannot now be ascertained. It is not the shekel, as that is believed to have been first coined after the departure from Egypt. In Exodus 30. 13, a tax of half a shekel is levied on every person above twenty years of age, for the service and expense of the Tabernacle, (afterwards of the Temple,) and the holy things.

Nehemiah (10. 32) laid an annual tax of the third of a shekel on the people, after the Captivity, for the same purposes.

The gold shekel is differently estimated; by some at 18s. 6d. English, by others at twelve times the value of the shekel of silver, or about 17. 10s. English. Bochart computes it at this value, and shows that such was anciently the relative proportions of the value of silver and gold.

In the account of David's purchase of the threshingfloor of Araunah, or Ornan, we find an apparent discrepancy between 2Samuel 24. and 1Chronicles 21. 25. The first text says that David "bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver." The second quoted text, that "David gave for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight." Bochart explains it, that the fifty shekels of silver (2Sam. 24.) are to be read fifty shekels in money, (as D ceseph, silver, is sometimes used for money in general, as in Genesis 42. 25,) and in 1Chronicles 21. 25, we are to read that David paid gold by weight, to the value of six hundred of the ordinary shekels, which, computing the gold at twelve times the value of the silver, would give fifty shekels of gold for six hundred of silver.

Other commentators explain that in 2Samuel 24. 24, the price of the threshing-floor is omitted, and only that of the oxen (which David bought with the floor) given, viz., fifty silver shekels; but that 1Chronicles 21. 25 gives the sum paid for the whole threshing-floor and ground about it, to build the courts of the house of the Lord for the ark. M.

SHEKINAH. The shekinah was the most sensible symbol of the presence of God among the Hebrews; it rested over the propitiatory, or over the golden cherubim which was attached to the propitiatory, the covering of the ark. Here it assumed the appearance of a cloud; and from hence God gave his oracles, as some think, when consulted by the high-priest on account of his people. Hence Scripture often says God sits on the cherubim, or between the cherubim, that is, He gives the most evident tokens of his divine presence by answering from hence the inquiries of Israel.

The Rabbins affirm that the shekinah first resided in the tabernacle prepared by Moses in the wilderness, into which it descended on the day of its consecration, in the figure of a cloud. It passed from thence into the sanetuary of Solomon's temple, on the day of its dedication by this prince, where it continued till the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Chaldeans, and was not afterwards seen there.

The presence of the Holy Spirit, by the appearance of the shekinah, is frequently referred to in the New Testament. It appeared at the baptism and transfiguration of Jesus, and is called the excellent glory by Peter (2Epis. 2. 10). The idea of a radiance or glory, a mild effulgence, seems to be annexed to it. A.

SHEM, the son of Noah. (Gen. 6. 10.) He was born A.M. 1558. It is the opinion of the generality of commentators that Shem was younger than Japheth, and second son of Noah. (See Gen. 9. 23-25.) He lived six hundred years, and died A.M. 2158. The posterity of Shem obtained their portion in the best part Asia.

The Jews ascribe to Shem the theological tradition of the things that Noah had learned from the first men. Shem communicated them to his children, and by this means the true religion was preserved in the world. Certain it is that from his race the Messiah descended. Some have thought Shem the same as Melchisedech. A.

SHEOL, N This Hebrew name for "the place of departed spirits," and the "state of the dead," is used in a variety of senses by the writers of the Old Testament, which it is desirable to investigate, referring to the articles Hell, Dead, &c., for the general opinions of the Jews respecting the continuance of existence after death. The word is usually said to be derived from

sháál, "to ask or seek," and may be supposed to have the same metaphorical signification as the orcus rapax of the Latins, or "the insatiable sepulchre" of English writers. This etymology, however, is rather uncertain, and no aid can be obtained from the cognate Semitic languages, for, though the word occurs in Syriac and Ethiopic, its use is too indeterminate to afford any clue to its origin. We are therefore left to determine its meaning from the context of the most remarkable passages in which it occurs. The first is (Gen. 37. 35), "And (Jacob) said, I will go down into the grave (8 sheolah) unto my son mourning." The meaning in this passage is obviously given in the translation.

There is rather more difficulty in Numbers 16. 30