Melchiah–Merarath

(Jehovah’s king), a priest, the father of Pashur. (Jeremiah 21:1)

(king of righteousness). (Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 7:1) ... [Melchizedek]

A son of Saul. (1 Samuel 14:49; 31:2) Elsewhere correctly given Malchishua.

(king of righteousness), king of Salem and priest of the most high God, who met Abram in the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s valley, bought out bread and wine, blessed him, and received tithes from him. (Genesis 14:18-20) The other places in which Melchizedek is mentioned are (Psalms 110:4) where Messiah is described as a priest forever, “after the order of Melchizedek,” and (Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 7:1) ... where these two passages of the Old Testament are quoted, and the typical relation of Melchizedek to our Lord is stated at great length. There is something surprising and mysterious in the first appearance of Melchizedek, and in the subsequent reference to him. Bearing a title which Jews in after ages would recognize as designating their own sovereign, bearing gifts which recall to Christians the Lord’s Supper, this Canaanite crosses for a moment the path of Abram, and is unhesitatingly recognized as a person of higher spiritual rank than the friend of God. Disappearing as suddenly as he came, he is lost to the sacred writings for a thousand years. Jewish tradition pronounces Melchizedek to be a survivor of the deluge, the patriarch Shem. The way in which he is mentioned in Genesis would rather lead to the inference that Melchizedek was of one blood with the children of Ham, among whom he lived, chief (like the king od Sodom) of a settled Canaanitish tribe. The “order of Melchizedek,” in (Psalms 110:4) is explained to mean “manner” = likeness in official dignity = a king and priest. The relation between Melchizedek and Christ as type and antitype is made in the Epistle to the Hebrews to consist in the following particulars: Each was a priest, (1) not of the Levitical tribe; (2) superior to Abraham; (3) whose beginning and end are unknown; (4) who is not only a priest, but also a king of righteousness and peace. A fruitful source of discussion has been found in the site of Salem. [Salem]

the son of Menan, and ancestor of Joseph in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:31)

the second son of Micah, the son of Merib-baal or Mephibosheth. (1 Chronicles 8:35; 9:41)

the same as Malluch 6. (Nehemiah 12:14) comp. ver. Nehe 12:2

(honey), the modern Malta. This island lies in the Mediterranean 60 miles south of Cape Passaro in Sicily, 900 miles from Gibraltar and about 1200 from Jerusalem. It is 17 miles long. by 13 or 10 broad. It is naturally a barren rock, with no high mountains, but has been rendered fertile by industry and toil. It is famous for its honey and fruits. It is now in the hands of the English.—McClintock and Strong. This island has an illustrious place in Scripture as the scene of that shipwreck of St. Paul which is described in such minute detail in the Acts of the Apostle. (Acts 27:1) ... The wreck probably happened at the place traditionally known as St.Paul’s day, an inlet with a creek two miles deep and one broad. The question has been set at rest forever by Mr. Smith of Jordan Hill, in his “Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul,” the first published work in which it was thoroughly investigated from a sailor’s point of view. The objection that there are no vipers in Malta is overruled by the fact that Mr. Lewin saw such a serpent there and that there may have been vipers in the wilder ancient times, even were none found there now. As regards the condition of the island of Melitu, when St. Paul was there it was a dependency of the Roman province of Sicily. Its chief officer (under the governor of Sicily) appears from inscriptions to have had the title of protos Melitaion, or Primus Melitensium and this is the very phrase which Luke uses. (Acts 28:7) Melita, from its position in the Mediterranean and the excellence of its harbors, has always been important in both commerce and war. It was a settlement of the Phoenicians at an early period, and their language in a corrupted form, was still spoken there in St. Paul’s day.

(Heb. abattichim) are mentioned only in (Numbers 11:5) By the Hebrew word we are probably to understand both the melon (Cumcumis melo) and the watermelon (Cucurbita citrullus). The watermelon, which is now extensively cultivated in all hot countries, is a fruit not unlike the common melon, but the leaves are deeply lobed and gashed; the flesh is pink or white, and contains a large quantity of cold watery juice with out much flavor; the seeds are black.

(steward). The Authorized Version is wrong in regarding melzar as a proper name; it is rather an official title, (Daniel 1:11,16) the marginal reading, “the steward,” is therefore more correct.

(haven, of the good), a city of ancient Egypt, situated on that western bank of the Nile, about nine miles south of Cairo and five from the great pyramids and the sphinx. It is mentioned by (Isaiah 40:14,19) and Ezekiel, (Ezekiel 30:13,16) under the name of Noph. Though some regard Thebes as the more ancient city, the monuments of Memphis are of higher antiquity than those of Thebus. The city is said to have had a circumference of about 10 miles. The temple of Apis was one of the most noted structures of Memphis. It stood opposite the southern portico of the temple of Ptah; and Psammetichus, who built that gateway, also erected in front of the sanctuary of Apis a magnificent colonnade, supported by colossal statues or Osiride pillars, such as may still be seen at the temple of Medeenet Habou at Thebes. Herod. ii, 153. Through this colonnade the Apis was led with great pomp upon state occasions. At Memphis was the reputed burial-place of Isis; it has also a temple to that “myriad-named” divinity. Memphis had also its Serapeium, which probably stood in the western quarter of the city. The sacred cubit until other symbols used in measuring the rise of the Nile were deposited in the temple of Serapis. The Necropolis, adjacent to Memphis, was on a scale of grandeur corresponding with the city itself. The “city of the pyramids” is a title of Memphis in the hieroglyphics upon the monuments. Memphis long held its place as a capital; and for centuries a Memphite dynasty ruled over all Egypt. Lepsius, Bunsen and Brugsch agree in regarding the third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth dynasties of the old empire as Memphite, reaching through a period of about 1000 years. The city’s overthrow was distinctly predicted by the Hebrew prophets. (Isaiah 19:13; Jeremiah 46:19) The latest of these predictions was uttered nearly 600 years before Christ, and a half a century before the invasion of Egypt by Cambyses (cir, B.C. 525). Herodotus informs us that Cambyses, engaged at the opposition he encountered at Memphis, committed many outrages upon the city. The city never recovered from the blow inflicted by Cambyses. The rise of Alexandria hastened its decline. The caliph conquerors founded Fostat (old Cairo) upon the opposite bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and brought materials from the old city to build their new capital, A.D. 638. At length so complete was the ruin of Memphis that for a long time its very site was lost. Recent explorations have brought to light many of its antiquities.

(dignified), one of the seven princes of Persia in the reign of Ahasuerus, who “saw the king’s face,” and sat first in the kingdom. (Esther 1:14,16,21)

(comforter), son of Gadi, who slew the usurper Shallum, and seized the vacant throne of Israel. B.C. 772. His reign, which lasted ten years, is briefly recorded in (2 Kings 15:14-22) He maintained the calf-worship of Jeroboam. The contemporary prophets Hosea and Amos have left a melancholy picture of the ungodliness, demoralization and feebleness of Israel. Menahem reigned B.C. 771-760.

(called Menna in the Revised Version), one of the ancestors of Joseph in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:31)

(numbered), the first word of the mysterious inscription written upon the wall of Belshazzar’s palace, in which Daniel read the doom of the king and his dynasty. (Daniel 5:25,26)

(fate, fortune). (Isaiah 65:11) This word is a proper name, and is also the proper name of an object of idolatrous worship cultivated by the Jews in Babylon.

In the Revised Version of (Luke 3:31) for Menan.

(enchanters), The plain of, an oak or terebinth. or other great tree. (Judges 9:37) The meaning of Meonenim if interpreted as a Hebrew word, is enchanters or “observers of times,” as it is elsewhere rendered (18:10,14) in (Micah 5:12) it is soothsayers.

(my habitations), one of the sons of Othniel, the younger brother of Caleb. (1 Chronicles 4:14)

(splendor height), city of the Reubenites, one of the towns independently an Heshhon, (Joshua 13:18) lying in the district of the Mishor comp. ver. (Joshua 13:17) and Jere 48:21 Authorized Version “plain,” which probably answered to the modern Belka . It was one of the cities allotted with their suburbs to the Merarite Levites. (Joshua 21:37; 1 Chronicles 6:79) Its site is uncertain.

(exterminating the idol), the name borne by two members of the family of Saul—his son and his grandson.

(increase), eldest daughter of King Saul. (1 Samuel 14:49) In accordance with the promise which he made before the engagement with Goliath, ch. (1 Samuel 17:25) Saul betrothed Merab to David. ch. (1 Samuel 18:17) Before the marriage Merab’s younger sister Michal had displayed her attachment for David, and Merab was then married to Adriel the Meholathite to whom she bore five sons. (2 Samuel 21:8)

(rebellion), a priest in the day of Joiakim. (Nehemiah 12:13)

(rebellious).

(bareness), one of the towns of Judah, in the district of the mountains. (Joshua 15:59) The places which occur in company with have been identified at a few miles to the north of Hebron, but Maarath has hitherto eluded observation.