Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

244 results found

Joab

(Encyclopedia)Joab jōˈăb [key], in the Bible, son of David's sister Zeruiah and commander of his uncle's armies. A trusted and skillful administrator, he was often vindictive and cruel, as in his killing of Abne...

Tabernacle

(Encyclopedia)Tabernacle tăbˈərnăkˌəl [key], in the Bible, the portable holy place of the Hebrews during their desert wanderings. It was a tent, like the portable tent-shrines used by ancient Semites, set up ...

Luria, Isaac ben Solomon

(Encyclopedia)Luria or Loria, Isaac ben Solomon lo͝orˈēə, lôrˈ– [key], 1534–72, Jewish kabbalist, surnamed Ashkenazi, called Ari [lion] by his followers, b. Jerusalem. In his 20s he spent seven years in s...

Hazor

(Encyclopedia)Hazor hāˈzôr [key] 1 Fortified city of N Galilee, 5 mi (8 km) SW of Lake Hula, in present-day Israel. Strategically located in ancient Palestine on the road leading from Egypt to Syria and Asia Min...

Mauroy, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Mauroy, Pierre pyĕr môrwäˈ [key], 1928–2013, French politician. Educated at the École National d'Apprentissage de Cachan, he was a teacher and an active member of the new Socialist party from t...

Lydgate, John

(Encyclopedia)Lydgate, John lĭdˈgāt [key], c.1370–c.1450, English poet, a monk of Bury St. Edmunds. A professed disciple of Chaucer, he was one of the most influential, voluminous, and versatile writers of the...

Milcom

(Encyclopedia)Milcom mĭlˈkəm [key] [Heb.,=their king], in the Bible, god of the Ammonites whose cult Solomon introduced in Jerusalem. In the Book of Judges the name is replaced (probably by mistake) by Chemosh. ...

Elijah ben Solomon

(Encyclopedia)Elijah ben Solomon, 1720–97, Jewish scholar, called the Gaon of Vilna, b. Lithuania. A leading Jewish scholar of his time, he opposed the spread of Hasidism in Lithuania and Poland because he feared...

Hadad, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Hadad hāˈdăd [key], in the Bible. 1 Son of Ishmael. An alternate form is Hadar. 2 King of Edom. 3 Last king of Edom. Hadar is an alternate form. 4 Scion of the kings of Edom, who escaped Joab's mas...

Hur

(Encyclopedia)Hur, in the Bible. 1 One who upheld a hand of Moses at Rephidim. 2 Grandfather of Bezaleel (1,) perhaps the same as 1. 3 Midianite king killed by the Hebrews. 4 Father of an officer of Solomon. 5 Fath...
 

Browse by Subject