most dangerous temptations man is exposed to: and the most likely to engage him deepest in sin. APOSTLE, 'ATÓσтоλoç, a missionary, messenger, or envoy.

["Apostle" is applied to Jesus Christ, who was God's envoy to save the world (Heb. iii. 1.); though more commonly the title is given to persons who were envoys, commissioned by him. Herodotus (lib. i. cap. 21.) uses this word to denote a public herald, an ambassador, or nuncio.] The Hebrews had apostles, sent by their patriarch to collect a certain yearly tribute, which the Jews paid, called aurum coronarium. L. xiv. Codic. Theod. de Judæis. Some assert, that, before Jesus Christ, they had another sort of apostle, who collected the half skekel, which was paid by every Israelite to the temple._Gothofred, Notas in Cod. Theod. lib. xiv. These might be called apostles: but we cannot perceive distinctly, that this name was given to them, as it certainly was to other officers, belonging to the high-priests and heads of the people, who were sent to carry their orders to distant cities and provinces, in affairs relating to religion.

For example, St. Paul was deputed to the sy nagogues of Damascus, with directions to seize and imprison all who professed the religion of Christ; i. e. he was the apostle of the highpriest, and others at Jerusalem, for this purpose: and he alludes to this custom, according to Jerom, in the beginning of his Epistle to the Galatians; saying, "that he is an apostle, not of man, neither by [commissioned from] man, but by [commissioned from] Jesus Christ:" q. d. an apostle, not like those among the Jews, who derived their mission from the chief priests, or from the principal men of the nation; but an apostle sent by Jesus Christ himself. Hieronym. in Epist. ad Galat. v. 1.

Eusebius and Jerom, (in Isai. xviii.) speak likewise of apostles sent by the Jews, to defame Jesus Christ, his doctrine, and his disciples. Justin Martyr, in his Dialogue against Trypho, says, they sent persons whom they called apostles, to disperse circular letters, filled with calumnies against the Christians: and to this it is supposed there is a reference," we have not received letters, &c. concerning thee from Jerusalem;-but this sect is every where spoken against," Acts xxviii. 22. Epiphanius, speaking of these apostles, observes, that this was a very honourable and profitable employment among the Jews.]

APOSTLES of Jesus Christ, in which sense the word is now commonly used, were his chief, his most distinguished disciples: he invested them with his authority, filled them with his spirit, trusted them particularly with his doctrine and services, and chose them to raise

the edifice of his church. After his resurrection, he sent them into all the world, commissioned to preach, to baptize, to work miracles, &c.

[The order in which the Apostles are named, is not the same in all places, Matt. x. 2; Mark iii. 16; Luke vi. 14; Acts i. 13. This, though a very simple fact and observation, yet has its import, in shewing that the Evangelists neither wrote in concert, nor copied one another. If they had done so, nothing could be more probable than their repetition of a list already formed to their hands, of a number of names so well known as those of the Apostles; and the order of which was so perfectly indifferent to any personal object. They all begin with Simon Peter; and end with Judas Iscariot.

From the application of the title apostle, as given above, we may perceive in what sense the apostle Paul claims it—" Am not I an apostle?"-a missionary, an envoy, a person authorized by Christ to proclaim his will, &c. 1 Cor. ix. 1. In the same meaning he applies the title to Barnabas whom he includes " or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to be accompanied by a wife, &c." (ver. 6.), so that there are, perhaps, three or four persons called apostles in this sense, besides the twelve mentioned in the gospels, as having been chosen to that office by Jesus Christ himself in his life time.]

APPAIM, DN: countenance, visage: from aph, the nose; or anger, anaph, wrath : otherwise, a baker, from DN apha. APPAIM, son of Nadab, 1 Chron. ii. 30. APPHIA, Aπpía: that produces, or fruitful. APPHIA, wife of Philemon, St. Paul's friend. It is believed she suffered martyrdom with her husband, Philemon: their festival is observed November 22. [Some say she was of the noble family of Appius; related to Appius Claudius, a distinguished Roman character, and consul.]

APPHUS, Zarpsc: counsel of indignation; otherwise, one that usurps the counsel, or that penetrates; from chaphash, to penetrate.

APPHUS, a surname given to Jonathan Maccabæus, 1 Macc. ii. 5. Apphus may signify—one who faints away; or, one who abounds; or, one who scatters and disperses; according to the different ways of writing it: DDN, deficiens; abundare, spargere.

[APPII FORUM. Acts xxviii. 15.

"The Forum, built by Appius," the consul; the same, who having constructed a great road, had it called after him," the Appian Way."

The uses to which the Romans put those structures, which they called forums, were so various, that is not easy to ascertain the nature of this building. It might be a place for distribution of justice; or for holding a market. Horace thus mentions it, lib. i. Sat. 5.

Egressum magna me accepit Aricia Roma Hospitio modico: rhetor comes Heliodorus, Græcorum lingua doctissimus, inde Forum Appii Differtum nautis, cauponibus atque malignis. "The Three Taverns" were nearer to Rome than Appii Forum, asCicero intimates, who going from Rome" ab Appii Foro, hora quarta dederam aliam paulò ante à tribus Tabernis," a little before he came to the Forum of Appius he arrived at the Three Taverns; so that probably the chief number of Christians waited for the apostle Paul at a place of refreshment; while some of their number went forward to meet him, and to acquaint him with their expectation of seeing him among them, for which they respectfully waited his coming.]

APPLE, Pomum, Malum. The word malus or malum, is sometimes taken generally [in the Vulgate] and answers to the Hebrew peri, fructus, pomum, fruit; sometimes for an apple and apple-tree; and answers to the Hebrew meh taphuah, pomum, malus.

Moses blessing Joseph, wishes him "the precious fruits brought forth by the sun and moon," i. e. by the rains and dews of heaven; by the gentle influences of the sun and moon: literally "the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and the precious things put forth by the moon." The Vulgate reads, de pomis cœli; de pomis fructuum solis et luna. The Chaldee, and others, by the fruits of the moon, understand those which come monthly, and by the fruits of the sun, those which come yearly. Some trees, such as the fig, and the orange, have fruit almost constantly on them. Moses adds, "the fruits of the ancient mountains," probably the vine, olive, and other trees, which grow on

mountains.

The spouse says (Cant. vii. 13.) " she has all sorts of fruits (poma, apple, Vulgate), new and old, at her house, laid up for her beloved." In portis nostris omnia poma, &c.-but the Hebrew reads 2, magadim, things delicious, delicacies.

Solomon says (Prov. xxv. 11.) that "a word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." The Vulgate renders, in lectis argenteis, in silver beds; Heb. like apples of gold in baskets (or net-work, fillagree-work) of silver. These golden apples were, probably, oranges, or citrons. The first fruits, say the Rabbins, were carried to the temple in silver baskets.

God commanded the Hebrews, when they planted fruit-trees, not to eat of them during the first three years. In the fourth year, the fruit was consecrated to the Lord; and in the fifth year, the proprietor gathered it for his own use. APRIES, king of Egypt, called PharaohHophrah, in the sacred writings, Jer. xliv. 30. Apries was son of Psammis, and grandson of

Nechos, or Necho, who fought Josiah, king of the Jews. He reigned twenty-five years, and was long considered as one of the happiest princes in the world: but having equipped a fleet, with design to reduce the Cyrenians, he lost almost his whole army in this expedition. The Egyptians, resolved to make him responsible for this want of success, rebelled; pretending he undertook the war only that he might get rid of his subjects, and govern the remainder more absolutely. He deputed Amasis, one of his principal officers, to meet them, in hope of bringing them to their duty: but, while Amasis was haranguing them, one of the multitude placed a diadem about his helmet, and proclaimed him king; the rest applauded him, and Amasis did not oppose the action. He put himself at their head, marched against Apries, defeated him, and took him prisoner. Amasis, treated him with kindness; but the people were not satisfied till they had taken him from Amasis and strangled him. Such was the end of Apries, according to Herodotus. Jeremiah threatened this prince with being delivered into the hands of his enemies, as he had delivered Zedekiah, king of Judah, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Herodot. lib. ii. cap. 161, 162, & 169.

This prince had made a league with Zedekiah, and promised him assistance (Ezek. xvii. 15); Zedekiah, relying on his forces, revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, A. M. 3414; ante A. D. 580; who, early in the year following, marched against Zedekiah; but as other nations of Syria had likewise shaken off their obedience, he first reduced them to their duty; then, towards the end of the year, he besieged Jerusalem, 2 Kings xxv. 5; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17; Jerem. xxxix. 1; lii. 4.

Zedekiah defended himself in Jerusalem, long and obstinately, in order to give time to PharaohHophrah or Apries, to come to his assistance. Apries advanced, with a powerful army; and the king of Babylon raised the siege, to meet him; but Apries, not daring to hazard a battle against the Chaldæans, retreated into Egypt, and abandoned Zedekiah. Ezekiel (chap. xxix.) reproaches Egypt severely with this baseness; threatening, since it had been "a staff of reed to the house of Israel, and an occasion of falling; for when they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break and rend all their shoulder;" that Egypt should be reduced to a solitude; that God would send the sword against it, which should destroy man and beast in it. This was afterwards accomplished, first, in the person of Apries; secondly, in the conquest of Egypt, by the Persians. To this king, likewise, are applied the words of Habakkuk (ii. 15):

"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink; that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on his nakedness." Vide FRAGMENTS, No. LVII. i.

AQUILA, a Latin word signifying Eagle.

I. AQUILA, a native of Pontus, in Asia Minor, converted by St. Paul, with his wife, Priscilla, Acts xviii. 2. As Aquila was by trade a tent-maker, which was also the occupation of St. Paul, the apostle lodged with him at Corinth. Aquila had come thither, not long before, from Italy, being obliged to leave Rome, by the edict of the emperor Claudius, which banished all Jews from that city. Sueton. Claud. cap. 25. St. Paul afterwards quitted Aquila's house, and abode with Justus, near the Jewish synagogue, at Corinth, perhaps, because Aquila was a convert from Judaism, whereas Justus was a convert from Paganism; on which account the Gentiles might come and hear him with more liberty. When the apostle left Corinth, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him to Ephesus, where he left them to profit that church by their instructions and example, while he went to Jerusalem. They did him very great services in this city, and even exposed their own lives to preserve his, Rom. xvi. 4. [Some say, on occasion of the tumult raised by Demetrius and his craftsmen in behalf of their goddess Diana.] They had returned to Rome, when St. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans (A. D. 58), wherein he salutes them with great encomiums: but they did not continue there; for, they were returned to Ephesus, when St. Paul wrote his Second Epistle to Timothy (A. D. 64), wherein he desires him to salute them in his name, ch. iv. 19. What became of them afterwards, is not known. The Greeks call Aquila, bishop and apostle, and honour him July 12. The festival of Aquila and Priscilla is placed in the Roman calendar, July 8. [which denotes him bishop of Heraclea.]

II. AQUILA, a celebrated translator of the Old Testament, from Hebrew into Greek. Being made surveyor of the works, by the emperor Adrian, when the city of Jerusalem (i. e. Ælia) was rebuilt by his orders, Aquila had opportunities of becoming acquainted with the early disciples of Jesus, the purity of whose lives, and the eminence of whose virtues, so affected him, that he embraced Christianity. Being much addicted to judicial astrology, the governors of the church remonstrated with him, that this curious and unprofitable art was inconsistent with the profession of Christ; but he, still retaining it, was expelled the church. Being unable to endure the shame of this excommunication, Aquila renounced Christianity, embraced Judaism, and received circumcision: he then

applied himself to study the Hebrew language: of which having acquired an accurate knowledge, he translated the Old Testament, and designing to conceal the ignominy of his apostacy, he endeavoured, says Epiphanius (Lib. de ponderib. et mensuris), from whom we learn these particulars, to distort those passages which relate to our Saviour; and to interpret them in a sense different from that of the LXX. This he executed, as is believed, in the emperor Adrian's time.

When Aquila commenced his translation, he designed to preserve closely the meaning of the text, but to render it in a free and easy manner: after which he undertook a more exact version, wherein he attempted to render the most minute terms, strictly and literally; this the Jews called an accurate translation, and valued it above all others. Aquila contentiosus interpres, qui non solum verba, sed etymologias quoque verborum transferre conatus est, says Jerom, in his epistle to Pammachius. Notwithstanding, in other places, Jerom commends Aquila's scrupulous and literal exactness. Aquila, qui non contentiosius ut quidam putant, et studiosius verbum interpretatur ad verbum. And, whereas the ancients generally accuse him of changing the sense of such passages as favour Christianity, Jerom writing to Marcella, says, "that he was continually examining Aquila's translation, and every day discovered many things in it, which confirm our belief:" Ut amicæ menti fatear, quæ ad nostram fidem pertineant roborandam plura reperio. Origen, ad African. Hieron. in Ezechiel. Idem ad Pammach. Idem ad Damas.

We do not know, certainly, whether Aquila were a Jew, or a Gentile, before he embraced Christianity. Epiphanius makes no doubt that he was a Gentile; but others urge such difficulties against that opinion, as are not easily solved. It has been doubted, likewise, whether he might not be the same person with Onkelos, the celebrated paraphrast of the Pentateuch. Some Rabbins and Christian authors are for the affirmative, others for the negative but, by the accounts of the generality of the Jews, Onkelos is more ancient than the Aquila of whom we are speaking: and, besides, many places in Onkelos and Aquila are translated with differences which do not seem to have been the work of the same person. Consult F. Montfaucon's Dissertation, before his Hexapla, p. 51, and Walton's and Serrarius's Prolegomena.

AQUILO, the north-wind. The Hebrews generally denote the north, by the left hand; the south, by the right hand; the west by behind; and the east by before: according to the disposition of a man whose face is turned toward the rising sun.

AR, or Aur, : awaking, watching, evacuation, uncovering.

[Or the city, or competition. Numb. xxi. 15, 28; Deut. ii. 9, 18, 29; Isaiah xv. 1.

Rather, to be raised: the city which is elevated, whether by its site; or by the assistance of art, "High-town." Some suppose that this term was used by the Moabites, of whose dominions this city was the capital, as denoting "THE city:" in like manner as Rome was called Urbs, the city; so was Athens, Constantinople, &c. Perhaps the fact was, that the Moabites sometimes called this "the passage," sometimes "the passages:" and perhaps, to go to one part of the city they had only one passage to cross; but to another part of the city they had two passages. Vide AROER, ad fin.]

AR, Areopolis, Ariel of Moab, or RabbathMoab. These names signify the same city, the capital of the Moabites, on the river Arnon, which divided it in two. Theodoret (in Isai. xv. & xxix.) calls it, simply Ariel: Eusebius (in Areopolis) the same, adding, that the idol of these people, probably Moabites, was called Ariel. Epiphanius) lib. i. contra Hæres. p. 40.) says, that a small tract of land, adjoining to Moab, Ituræa, and the country of the Nabathaans, is called Arielitis. Isaiah (xvi. 7, 11,) calls it "the city with walls of burnt brick;" ad muros cocti lateris; in Hebrew, Kirharescheth, or Kirjathhares. Jerom says (in loc. Hebr.) this city was destroyed by an earthquake, when he was young. We believe Charac-Moba, or CharaxMoab, to be the same with Ar and Areopolis.

[Ar was not attacked by Israel, from respect to the memory of Lot; to whose posterity God had assigned it. Deut. ii. 9.]

ARA, NN: cursing, one that curses; from arar, according to some: otherwise, seeing; from raah.

[ARA, Mountain, or pregnant, or demonstration. 1 Chron. v. 26. Some think it denotes a crowd, a throng, of people. Vide AR, and AROER. Query, hot, or hot-bed? Vide HARA.] ARA, son of Jether, of Asher, 1 Chron. vii. 38. ARAB, 1: one that lies in wait: otherwise, one that multiplies; from rabab: otherwise, locusts; from 8 arbeh: other wise, a window; from aruba. [Rather, a place where many crevices, holes, or pits, or other excavations, afforded opportunity for lurkers to hide themselves: "the haunts:" from which they could spring side-long, unawares, on the unguarded.]

ARAB, a city of Judah, Josh. xv. 52. ARABAH,, 'Apenßa: great, or powerful; from rabab, or rabah: otherwise, contentious or disputative; from rub. ARABAH, a city of Benjamin, Josh. xviii. 22. 1. ARABIA, y; from any oreb: the evening; or, a place wild and desert.

and

[any, from which Arabia is derived, signi fies to mix or mingle, it might, possibly, take its name from the different tribes of people which early mingled themselves here which do now, from time to time, unite into one body, or separate from other tribes, as circumstances induce them. The Hebrew Orebeh, signifies a wilderness, desert, or uncultivated country; and as this is a general description of most parts of Arabia, it bids fair to have been the origin of this name. Vide also ARAB. The Arabs have always been famous for haunting the deserts; and especially those passages where they expected to find travellers, and plunder.

Simon thinks that the name Arabia imports sweetness, perfume (2 Chron. ix. 14); observing, that this country is called odorifera, by Pliny (lib. v. cap. 11), and by Strabo (lib. xvi.) aromatophoros. Herodotus (lib. iii.) describes Arabia as wonderfully scented with reviving odours: and this character it also has in Diodorus Siculus (lib. iii.), Dionys. Alex. (de Situ Orbis, v. 936), and in various other writers. It is demonstrable, that this character could only appertain to a very small part of what passes under the name of Arabia; as deserts and sands are little likely to abound in odoriferous exhalations and as to perfumes from flowers, they must needs be almost unknown.]

:

ARABIA, is a considerable part of Western Asia, lying south-east of Judæa. It is distinguished into three parts, Arabia DesertaPetræa, and-Felix.

ARABIA DESERTA has the mountains of Gilead west, and the river Euphrates east: it comprehends the Itureans, the Edomites, the Nabathæans, the people of Kedar, and others, who lead a wandering life, having no cities, houses, or fixed habitations; but wholly dwelling in tents; in modern Arabic, such are called Bedoweens. This country seems commonly to be described in Scripture by the word "Arab," which signifies, properly, in Hebrew, the west; or people gathered together. They may have taken the name of Arabim, or westerns, from their situation, being west of the river Euphrates; and if so, their name Arab is prior to the settlement of Israel in Canaan. In Eusebius, and authors of that and the following ages, the country, and greater part of the cities beyond Jordan, and of what they call the Third Palestine, are considered as parts of Arabia.

ARABIA PETRÆA lies south of the Holy Land. Petra was its capital. This country contained the southern Edomites, the Amalekites, the Cushites [improperly called Ethiopians, by our translators, and other interpreters of Scripture], the Hivites, the Meonians, or Maonim, &c. These people are at present known under the

general name of Arabians: but it is of consequence to notice the ancient inhabitants of these districts, as they are mentioned in the text of Scripture. In this country was Kadesh-barnea, Gerar, Beersheba, Lachish, Libnah, Paran, Arad, Hasmona, Oboth, Phunon, Dedan, Segor, &c. also, mount Sinai, where the law was given to Moses.

ARABIA FELIX lay still farther south: being bounded east by the Persian Gulph; south by the ocean, between Africa and India; and west by the Red Sea. As this Arabia did not immediately adjoin the Holy Land, it is not so frequently mentioned as the former Arabias. It is thought, that the queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon (1 Kings x. 1), was queen of part of Arabia Felix. This country abounded with riches, and particularly with spices.

The inhabitants of Arabia, who dwelt there before Abraham came into Canaan, were descended from Ham. We find there Midianites, of the race of Cush, among whom Moses retired. Abimelech, king of Gerar, is known in the time of Abraham; and the Amalekites, in the time of Moses. The Hivites, the Amorites, the Kenites, Meonians, or Mahonians, extended a good way into Arabia Petræa; the Horim occupied the mountains which lie south of the land of Canaan, and east of the Dead Sea. The Rephaim, Emim, Zuzim, and Zamzummim (Gen. xiv. 5; Deut. ii. 10, 11.) inhabited the country called afterwards Arabia Deserta, and subsequently peopled by the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites.

Arabia is generally stony, rocky, and mountainous; principally in parts now remote from the sea, though formerly adjacent to it. In the course of ages, a vast plain has been interposed between the mountains, now in the midst of the country, and the sea, which has gradually retired from them. This is now the most fruitful and best cultivated part; but it is also the hottest for up in the mountains, the air is much cooler than below in the plains: they also contain plants and animals of different kinds. The plain is called TEHAMA; or "the Levels." Vide FRAGMENTS, No. XXXIX.

Arabia Petræa, and Arabia Felix, were possessed by the descendants of Ishmael, who were more particularly known by the name of Arabians. Vide ISHMAELITES.

The inhabitants of Arabia are divided into (1) those who dwell in cities, and (2) those who live in the field and desert: the latter abide continually in tents, and are much more honest and simple than the Arabians, who live in towns. Of these, some are Gentiles, others Mussulmans; the former preceded Mahomet, and are now called among them "Arabians of the Days of Ignorance;" the others who have received the

doctrines preached by Mahomet are called Moslemoun, or Mussulmans, i. e. believers; these are the people who conquered, and who still possess, great part of Asia and Africa; and who founded the four great monarchies, of the Turks, the Persians, Morocco, and Mogul; not to mention lesser kingdoms.

Arabia Felix is called Hegiaz, and is become the most celebrated, by reason of the cities of Mecca, and Medina, which are situated in it. Arabia Petræa is now known by the name of Hagar, or Hagiar; which signifies stone, or rock: but Arabia Felix, as understood by the ancients, extended much farther towards Syria and the Euphrates.

Joktan, son of Eber, having settled in Yemen, erected a kingdom there, and was himself the first monarch. His son, Jarab, succeeded him : He introduced the Arabian language, which took its name from him, as did the whole country. The third king was Jaschab; the fourth was Abd-al-schams, surnamed Sobas; from him the old Sabæans derived their name. His descendants reigned in Yemen, above 2000 years before the rise of Mahometanism. Bibl. Orient. Jaman, or Jeman.

[II. ARABIA, to which St. Paul withdrew (Gal. i. 17), was, probably, not far from Damascus; some sequestered spot, or residence, where the apostle might prepare himself for the exercise of that new course of life and ministry, in which he was now about to engage. The opposition he expected to meet with, his foresight of the obstinacy, prejudices, false reasonings, and perversenesses, which he must needs encounter, seems to have rendered a temporary seclusion as proper to the Apostle as to Jesus himself, who was, we know, in the wilderness of Judea forty days; and probably, no longer time was spent by St. Paul, in Arabia, at this period: though some suppose he dwelt three years there. But, it seems more likely, that from a short residence elsewhere, St. Paul returned immediately to Damascus, "and STRAIGHTWAY preached Christ in the synagogues" and assemblics of that city. Comp. Acts xxvi. 20.]

ARABIANS. The Scripture frequently mentions the Arabians (meaning those adjoining Judæa) as a powerful people, who valued themselves on their wisdom. Their riches consisted principally in flocks and cattle; they paid king Jehoshaphat an annual tribute of 7,700 sheep, and as many goats, 2 Chron. xvii. 11. The kings of Arabia furnished Solomon with a great quantity of gold and silver, 2 Chron. ix. 14. They loved war, but made it rather like thieves and plunderers, than like soldiers. They lived at liberty in the field, or the desert, concerned themselves little about cultivating the earth, and were not very obedient to established