HOLY

BIBLE.

I

I

When it relates to God, is ex

preffive of his dignity, Pfal. Ixxxi. 10; his power, Gen. xvii. 1.; his self-existence and unchangeablenefs, Exod. iii. 14; or the certainty of his promifes and threatenings, Exod. vi. 2. Numb. xiv. 35. Referring to men, it expreffes their pride, If. xlvii. 8.; the certainty of what they say, Gal. v. 2. Phil. iii. 19.; and their readiness to perform their duty, Mic. iii. 8. Matth. xxi. 30.

JABAL. See LAMECH. JABBOK; a brook on the eaft of Jordan, rifing in the mountains of Gilead, and falling into Jordan a little fouth of the fea of Tiberias. It feparated the kingdom of Sihon from that of Og king of Bashan; and near to it Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the covenant, and prevailed, Deut. ii. 37. Gen. xxxii. 22.

JABESH, or JABESH GILEAD; a city of the eaftern Manaffites, at the foot of mount Gilead, about fix miles from Pella, where the Chriftian Jews found refuge, amidst the ruins of Judea by the Romans. It was at no great diftance from Gadara. The inhabitants of this city, neglecting to join their brethren against the Benjamites in the affair of Gibeah, were all put to the sword, except 400 virgins, who were beftowed on the furviving VOL. II.

JAB Benjamites, Judg. xxi. About 310 years after, this city fuftained a furious fiege from Nahash king of the Ammonites; and the inhabitants could obtain no terms, but of having their right eyes pulled out, as a reproach to Ifrael. Unwilling to fubmit directly, they obtained a truce of feven days, before the end of which, Saul, at their requeft, raised an army, routed the Ammonites, and raised the fiege. In the grateful remembrance of which, the valiant men of Jabefh, about forty years after, at the hazard of their lives, took the bodies of Saul and his fons from the wall of Bethfhan, where the Philiftines had hung them, and gave them a decent interment, 1 Sam. xi. xxxi. 1 Chron. X. 11. 12.

JABEZ appears to have been a defcendant of Judah by Afhur. His mother bare him with much pain and sorrow, which was the cause of his name. His noted religion, authority, and feed, rendered him more honourable than his brethren. With diftinguished fervour, he begged that God would truly and fignally blefs him; would enlarge his family and inheritance; would affift and direct him in every undertaking; and preferve him from every thing finful and dangerous. God fignally granted his request, I Chron. iv. 5.-10.

A JABIN;

JABIN; (1.) A king of Hazor, in the north parts of Canaan, and the moft powerful of all the fovereigns in thefe quarters. Struck with the rapidity of Joshua's conquefts, he engaged all the kings on the north of Canaan, particularly the kings of Madon, Jobab, Shimron, Achfhaph, &c. to affift him. Their whole forces rendezvcufed at the waters of Merom, to attack the Hebrews; but the Lord delivered them into Jofhua's hand, who gave them an entire defeat, purfued their fugitives as far as Great Zidon to the north-weft, and to Mezrephothmaim on the eaft. He then marched back to Hazor, and burnt it, and killed Jabin its king: Jofh. xi. (2.) Jabin king of Hazor, and perhaps the great-grandchild of the former, was a very powerful monarch, had 900 chariots, armed with iron fcythes, and an army under Sifera his general of 997,000 men, according to Philo-Byblius. After he had twenty years, from about 2699 to 2719, or 2747 to 2767, mightily opprefled the Hebrews, his army was routed by Deborah and Barak, and it is probable a terrible form of rain made the river Kifhon fweep away multitudes of them. Sifera the general fled away on his feet, and was kindly received by Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. His fatigue occafioned his falling into a deep fleep. Jael, divinely inftigated against this murderer of the Hebrews, killed him, by driving a nail through his head, and afterwards fhewed him to Barak, Judg. iv. v.

JABNEH, or JAMNIA; a city of the Danites, on the fea-flore, and at no great distance fouthward of Joppa. It feems it had been in the hands of the Philiftines for fome time before Uzziah broke down the walls of it, a. long with those of Gath, 2 Chron. xxvi. 6. There was a famous univerfity of the Jews in this place, fome ages after Chrift.

JACINCT, or JACINTH; a precious ftone, of a violet and purple co

lour, not unlike the amethyst. It is very hard; but the diamond will make an impreffion on it. It was the 11th foundation in the new Jerufalem, Rev. xxi. 20. That, which fome moderns call jacinth, has a yellow colour, fomewhat like a flame.

JACOB, the younger fon of Ifaac and Rebekah, was born A. M. 2168 or 2173, along with Efau. In the womb they had fome ftruggling with one another, and the Lord informed their mother that she was with twins, both of which should become nations, of a very different temper, ftate, and condition; but the elder fhould ferve the younger. In their birth, the laft took hold of his brother's heel, and for that reafon was called Jacob, the heeler, or supplanter. When he grew up, he was of a quiet and peaceable temper, and ftaid much at home with his mother; while his brother was of a reflefs temper, and paffionately fond of hunting. He bought the birth-right of his brother for a mefs of coarfe pottage. By prefenting fome favoury meat, which his mother had prepared, to his dim-fighted father, and pretending he was Efau, he obtained his principal bleffing, of a fat land well watered, and of the dominion over all his brethren. Enra ged at this conduct, Efau refolved to murder him. Rebekah his mother, who had advifed him, informed hereof, defired Jacob to retire to Mefopotamia, to her brother Laban's family, and abide there, till Efau's fury fhould be cooled. Afterward the communicated the matter to Ifaac, and told him, what. an unfupportable burden it would be to her, if Jacob fhould marry a Canaanitifh woman.

Ifaac fent for Jacob, gave him his bleffing, and charged him to go to Padan-aram, and there marry one of Laban his uncle's daughters.

Jacob departed privately from Beerfheba. After funfet, he, probably on the fecond day of his journey, lighted on a place called Luz, on account of the multitude of almonds or hazel-nuts

that

that grew thereabouts. Here he laid himself down to reft all night, under the open fky, with a ftone under his head for a pillow. Here in his dream he faw a ladder, whofe foot ftood on the earth, and its top reached unto heaven; the angels of God afcended and defcended on the rounds of it. Above the top of it stood the Lord God, and affured him he was the God of his fathers, Abraham and Ifaac, and would give him and his feed the land of Canaan for their inheritance, ren ler them numerous as the fand by the fea-fhore, and render all nations bleffed in him and his feed. This ladder reprefented the providence of God, adminiftered by angels and managed by God, as a God in covenant; and Jefus Chrift, as the wonder and Lord of angels, and our Mediator between God and man, and the way of accefs to him, fprung of Jacob in his humanity, but in his divine nature the Lord from heaven, and the means of all bleffings from God to finful men. Awakened from his fleep, Jacob was deeply ftruck with a reverential impreffion of the divine greatnefs, took the ftone which he had for his pillow, erected it as a monument, poured oil on the top of it, and called the name of the place BETHEL, or the house of God; and engaged, that fince God had promised to protect him, and provide for him, and bring him back to Canaan, he would ferve him, give him the tithes of all he acquired, and, at his return, make Bethel a place of folemn worfhip, Gen. xxv. xxvii. xxviii.

Encouraged by this vifion, he fet forward to Haran, where Laban his uncle lived. Near to the place, fome fhepherds informed him where Laban dwelt, and that his family was well, and that Rachel his daughter was juft coming to water her flock. At her coming up he kindly faluted her, helped her to water her flock, and told her that he was the fon of Rebekah her aunt. She haftily informed her father: he came, and conducted Jacob to his houfe. When Jacob had

continued here about a month, Laban propofed to give him wages. Jacob offered feven years fervice for Rachel his younger, but most beautiful daughter; and with great cheerfulness he fulfilled his engagement, from the great love which he bare to her. When the marriage-night came, as a providential punishment to Jacob for deceiving his dim-eyed father, Laban conducted Leah his elder daughter, whose beauty was far inferior, to Jacob's bed, inftead of Rachel. Next morning the cheat was discovered, and Jacob did warmly chide his uncle for it. He pretended, that it was contrary to the cuftom of their country, to marry the younger daughter firft; but, marking himself a greedy wretch, told him he might have Rachel too, for seven years more fervice. This Jacob agreed to. Of his two wives, Jacob much preferred Rachel; but God favoured Leah with children, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, and, it feems, with a thankful heart; while Rachel was bar. ren. Vexed hereat, fhe begged that Jacob would make her conceive, or elfe he would die of grief, or by fome vio lent means. With indignation at her rafhnefs, he told her he was not a God to bestow, or with-hold the fruit of the womb at his pleasure. She next ordered Bilhah her maid, whom her father had given her, to take her place in her husband's bed, that by her she might have children, to pafs for her own. By this means Jacob had two fons, the one Rachel called Dan, as if the hoped God would judge her, and avenge her want of children on her fifter. The other fhe called Naphtali, as if with great wrestling the had prevailed against her fifter. In imitation hereof, Leah put her maid Zilpah to Jacob's bed, and the bare him two fons, Gad and Afher, by whofe names Leah intended to hint her expectation, that a troop of children was coming, and that the daughters would call her blessed-Soon after Leah, with her fon Reuben's mandrakes, hired her hus band for Rachel's night to fleep in her A 2

bed