sacred writer any credit for propriety in his grouping, or system in his arrangement; but what that species may be, we are unable to decide. See BIRDS. HESHBON, a celebrated city of the Amorites, twenty miles east of Jordan. Josh. 13:17. It was given to Reuben; but was afterwards transferred to Gad, and then to the Levites. It had been conquered from the Moabites by Sihon, and became his capital; and was taken by the Israelites a little before the death of Moses. Num. 21:25. Josh. 21:39. After the ten tribes were transplanted into the country beyond Jordan, the Moabites recovered it. The town still subsists under its ancient name, and is situated, according to Burckhardt, on a hill. HEZEKIAH, a pious king of Judah, succeeded his father Ahaz, about 722 B. C. His history is contained in 2 K. c. 1820. 2 Chr. c. 29-32. Comp. Isa. c. 36-38. HIDDEKEL, one of the rivers of Paradise, put for the Tigris. See EDEN. HIERAPOLIS, a city of Phrygia, situated on its western border, near the junction of the rivers Clydrus and Meander, and not far from Colosse and Laodicea. It was celebrated for its warm springs and baths. It is now desolate; but its ruins still exhibit many traces of its ancient splendor. Col. 4:13. HIGH PLACES. The ancient Canaanites, and other nations, worshipped their idols upon hills and mountains. Deut. 12:2. The Israelites were commanded to destroy these places of idol worship; but instead of this, they imitated the practice, and at first worshipped Jehovah in high places, 1 Sam. 9:12. 1 K. 3:4, and afterwards idols, 1 K. 11:7. 2 K. 12:3. Here, also, they built chapels or temples, houses of the high places, 1 K. 13:32. 2 K. 17:29, and had regular priests, 1 K. 12:32. 2 K. 17:32. The prophets reproach the Israelites with want of zeal, for worshipping on the high places; the destroying of which is a commendation given but to few princes in Scripture; though several of them were zealous for the law. Before the temple was built, the high places were not absolutely contrary to the law, provided God only was adored there. Under the judges, they seem to have been tolerated; and Samuel offered sacrifice in several places where the ark was not present. Even in David's time, the people sacrificed to the Lord at Shilo, Jerusalem and Gibeon. The high places were much frequented in the kingdom of Israel; and on these hills they often adored idols, and committed a thousand abominations. HIN, a Hebrew measure containing the sixth part of a bath— one gallon and two pints. The hin was a liquid measure; as of oil, Exod. 30:24. Ezek. 45:24; or of wine, Exod. 29:40. Lev. 23:13. HIND, a female deer, distinguished for the lightness and elegance of its form. In Gen. 49: 21, it is said of Naphtali, that he shall be as "a hind let loose; he giveth goodly words;" where, instead of let loose, it should be translated (as we say of any thing which grows rapidly) shot up, i. e. grown up into a slender and graceful form. A fine woman is compared to the hind, Prov. 5:19; and also swift-footed heroes, 2 Sam. 22:34. Hab. 3:19. Such are to be the descendants of Naphtali: they are also to "give goodly words," i. e. HITTITES, or the descendants of Heth, dwelt in the country around Hebron. See under CANAANITES. HIVITES, see under CANA ANITES. HOLY, HOLINESS. These terms sometimes denote outward purity or cleanliness; sometimes the tribe is to be distinguished for its orators, prophets, poets; perhaps, also, for its singers. HINNOM, i. e. the Valley of Hinnom, or of the son of Hinnom, a narrow valley just south of Jerusalem, running westward from the valley of the Cedron, well watered, and in ancient times most verdant and delight-internal purity and sanctification. fully shaded with trees. It God is holy in a transcendent was here that the idolatrous Is- and infinitely perfect manner. raelites established the worship He is the fountain of holiness, of Moloch, under the form of a purity and innocency. He sancbrazen image having the face of tifies his people, and requires a bull; and to this image they perfect holiness in those who apoffered their own children in sac- proach him. He rejects all worrifice, causing them to be con- ship which is not pure and holy, sumed in a furnace of fire into whether internal or external. which they dropped from the The Messiah is called "the arms of the idol. 1 K. 11:7. 2 K. Holy One," Ps. 16:10. Luke 16:3. The valley is also called 4:34. Acts 3:14; and holy is Tophet, Jer. 7:31, from the drums the common epithet given to which were beaten to drown the the third person of the Trinity, cries of the victims. After the the Holy Spirit. The Jews were captivity, the Jews regarded this called a holy people, because spot with abhorrence, on account they were separated unto God, of the abominations which had to be a religious and consecrated been practised there, and follow-people; and Christians, as a ing the example of Josiah, 2 K.body, are also called holy, be23:10, they threw into it every cause they are in like manner species of filth, as well as the separated unto Christ. But a carcasses of animals and the dead bodies of malefactors, etc. To prevent the pestilence which such a mass would occasion if left to putrefy, constant fires were maintained in the valley in order to consume the whole; and hence the place received the appellation of Gehenna of fire, i. e. the Hinnom of fire. By an easy metaphor, the Jews, who could imagine no severer torment than that of fire, transferred this name to the infernal fire,-to that part of Hades in which they supposed that demons and the souls of wicked men were punished in eternal fire, and which in the N. T. is always translated hell. Mark 9:43,45,47. See HELL. holy man,' in the ordinary Christian sense, is one who exhibits in his conduct the inward purity, sanctity, and holy devotedness to the Saviour, with which his heart overflows. HOMER, the largest dry measure of the Hebrews, equal to ten baths or ephahs, and the same with the cor. Ezek. 45:14. HONEY was formerly very plentiful in Palestine; and hence the frequent expressions of Scripture, which import that that country was a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses says, that the Lord brought his people into a land whose rocks drop oil, and whose stones produce honey. Deut. 32:13. Comp. also Ps. 81: 16. Modern travellers observe, || understand the angles of that altar; but there were also horns or eminences at these angles. Exod. 27:2. 30:2. See ALTAR. that it is still very common there, and that the inhabitants mix it in all their sauces. Forskal says, the caravans of Mecca bring honey from Arabia to Cairo; and often in the woods in Arabia has he seen honey flowing. It would seem that this flowing honey is bee-honey, which may illustrate the story of Jonathan, Sam. 14:25,27. John Baptist, too, fed on wild honey. Matt. 3:4. There is, however, a vegetable honey that is very plentiful in the East. Burckhardt, speaking of the productions of the Ghor, or valley of the Jordan, says, one of the most interesting productions of this place, is the Beyrouk honey, as the Arabs call it. It was described to him as a juice dropping from the leaves and twigs of a tree called gharrab, of the size of an olive tree, with leaves like those of the poplar, but somewhat broader. The honey collects upon the leaves like dew, and is gathered from them, or from the ground under the tree, which is often found completely covered with it. It is very sweet when fresh, but turns sour after being kept for two days. The Arabs eat it with butter; they also put it into their gruel, and use it in rubbing their water skins, for the purpose of excluding the air. HOR, a mountain of a conical form in the range of mount Seir, on the east side of the Ghor or great valley running from the Dead sea to the Elanitic gulf. Here Aaron died; and here his pretended tomb is still shown. See under EXODUS. HORN sometimes means, in Scripture, an eminence or angle, a corner or rising. By horns of the altar of burnt-offerings, many The principal defence and strength of many beasts are in their horns; and hence the horn is often a symbol of strength and power. The Lord exalted the horn of David, and the horn of his people; he breaketh the horn of the ungodly, &c. There may be an allusion in these passages, however, to a very common part of the female dress in some parts of the East. Mr. Buckingham, describing the ornaments of a female at Tyre, says, "She wore also on her head a hollow silver horn, rearing itself upwards obliquely from her forehead, being four or five inches in diameter at the root, and pointed at its extreme; and her ears, her neck and her arms were laden with rings, chains and bracelets. This peculiarity reminded me very forcibly of the expression of the psalmist: Lift not up thine horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck."" HORNET, a well-known insect, which has a powerful sting. The Lord drove out the Canaanites before Israel by means of this insect. Deut. 7:20. Josh. 24:12. Exod. 23:28. For an illustration of the manner in which this might be effected, without at the same time injuring the Israelites, it should be remarked, that the latter, in the sandy wilderness, would escape this creature. Compare FLY. HOSANNA, a word of joyful acclamation, signifying in Hebrew, save now, succor now, let him be victorious. In this sense the people cried Hosanna! as Jesus entered in triumph into Jerusalem; i. e. they thus invokled the blessings of Heaven on C him as the Messiah. 21:9. Matt. HOSEA, the first of the twelve minor prophets, as arranged in our Bibles. He prophesied for a long time, from Uzziah to Hezekiah. The book of Hosea contains properly two parts. The first three chapters contain a series of symbolical actions, directed against the idolatries of Israel. The remaining chapters are chiefly occupied with denunciations against Israel, and especially Samaria, for the worship of idols which prevailed there. HOSHEA, the last king of Israel, the successor of Pekah, whom he slew. 2 K. 15:30. B. C. 725. He reigned nine years, and was then carried away captive by Shalmaneser. 2 K. c. 17. several times the name of God, They told us it was some traveller who, no doubt, stood in need of refreshment, and who had profited by the opportunity, according to the custom of the East, which is to exercise hospitality at all times, and toward all persons." The reader will be pleased to see the ancient hospitality of the East still maintained, and even a stranger profiting by an opportunity of supplying his wants. It reminds us of the guests of Abraham, Gen. c. 18, of the conduct of Job, 31:17, and especially, perhaps, of that frankness with which the apostles of Christ were to enter into a man's house after a salutation, and there to continue "eating and drinking such things as were set before them," Luke 10: 7. Such behavior HOSPITALITY is regarded would be considered as extremeby all oriental nations as one ofly intrusive, and indeed insupthe highest virtues. It is just as portable, among ourselves; but prevalent now among the Arabs the maxims of the East in this and others, as it was in ancient respect are altogether different times; and the following notices from ours. It is to the honor of of modern travellers serve to il- the Arabs, that the same feellustrate very strikingly manying pervades all ranks, though passages of Scripture. Thus all ranks cannot show it De la Roque says: "We did equally. There is something not arrive at the foot of the very pleasing in Niebuhr's demountain till after sunset; and it ||scription of this custom: "The was almost night when we en-hospitality of the Arabs has tered the plain; but as it was always been the subject of full of villages, mostly inhabited praise; and I believe that those by Maronites, we entered into of the present day exercise this the first we came to, to pass the virtue no less than their ancestors night there. It was the priest of did. It is true that in this counthe place, who wished to receive try, as in Europe, if a stranger us; he gave us a supper under is not known, no one will entreat the trees before his little dwelling. him to come in. Nevertheless, As we were at table, there came there are in the villages of the by a stranger, wearing a white Tehama, houses which are pubturban, who, after having saluted lic; where travellers may lodge the company, sat himself down and be entertained some days to the table, without ceremony; gratis, if they will be content ate with us during some time, with the fare: they are very and then went away, repeating || much frequented. We ourselves do well, therefore, to take an early opportunity of securing the friendship of his guide by a meal." This will bring to recollection the complaint of the psalmist, Ps. 41:9, penetrated with the deep ingratitude of one were, during two hours, in one of these inns, in the village of Meneyre, in going from Loheia to Beit-el-fakih: my servants, my camels, my asses, and all my company received shelter. The sheikh of the village to whom this inn belonged, was not satis-whom he describes as having fied with visiting us, and offering been his own familiar friend, in us a better fare than others; he whom he trusted, "who did eat also entreated us to stop the of my bread-even he hath night with him. In another lifted up his heel against me!" journey from Beit-el-fakih to Takaite, in company with a fakih, or man of letters, of Arabia, although my fakih had no acquaintance with the sheikh, yet as a stranger he paid him his respects; hardly was he returned, when the sheikh came himself to invite us to lodge with him; which we declining, he sent us a good supper, which came extremely à-propos. When the Arabs are at table, they invite those who happen to come, to eat with them, whether they be Christians or Mohammedaus, gentle or simple. In the caravans, I have often seen with pleasure a mule-driver press those who passed to partake of his repast, and though the major-them ity politely excused themselves, he gave, with an air of satisfaction, to those who would accept of it, a portion of his little meal of bread and dates; and I was not a little surprised when I saw, in Turkey, rich Turks withdraw themselves into corners, to avoid inviting those who might otherwise have sat at table with them." We ought to notice here also the obligations understood to be contracted by the intercourse of the table. Niebuhr says, "When a Bedouin sheikh eats bread with strangers, they may trust his fidelity and depend on his protection. A traveller will always The primitive Christians considered one principal part of their duty to consist in showing hospitality to strangers; remembering that our Saviour had said, whoever received those belonging to him, received himself; and that whatever was given to such an one, though but a cup of cold water, should not lose its reward. Matt. 10:40,41,42. They were, in fact, so ready in discharging this duty, that the very heathen admired them for it. They were hospitable to all strangers, but especially to those of the household of faith. Believers scarcely ever travelled without letters of communion, which testified the purity of their faith, and procured a favorable reception, wherever the name of Jesus Christ was known. Indeed, some suppose that the two minor epistles of John may be such letters of communion and recommendation. HOURS. The word hour, in Scripture, signifies one of the twelve equal parts into which each day was divided, and which of course were of different lengths at different seasons of the year. This mode of dividing the day prevailed among the Jews, at least after the exile, and perhaps earlier. Anciently, however, the usual division of the day was into four parts, viz. the morning; the heat of the day, |