rounded by high mountains of the Tauritic range, except towards the east, where the river Kur, or Cyrus, discharges its waters into the Caspian. The Greater Media corresponds principally to the modern Irak Adjemi, or Persian Irak. Media is one of the most ancient independent kingdoms of which history makes mention. After several centuries of subjugation under Assyria, the Medes rebelled under Sennacherib, about 700 B. C. and continued an independent kingdom until, under Cyrus, Media became united with Persia. In this way arose the Medo-Persian kingdom; and the laws of the Medes and Persians are always mentioned by the sacred writers together. Esth. 1:19, &c. Dan. 6:8,12, &c. So also the Chronicles of the Medes and Persians are mentioned together, Esth. 10:2. Indeed, from this time onward, the manners, customs, religion and civilization of the Medes and Persians seem ever to have become more and more amalgamated. And in general it would seem, as we may gather from the ancient Zend writings, that the Medes, Persians and Bactrians were originally the same people, having in common one language, the Zend, and one religion, the worship of Ormuzd, the highest being, under the symbol of fire. The priests of this religion, the Magi, were a Median race, to whom were intrusted the cultivation of the sciences, and the performance of the sacred rites. Among these, and, as is supposed, before the time of Cyrus, appeared Zerdusht, or Zoroaster, as a reformer, or rather as the restorer of the ancient but now degenerated religion of light; whose disciples have maintained themselves even gave his law to the Hebrews, and made a covenant with them at Sinai, a mediator was necessary, who should relate the words of God to the Hebrews, and their answers to him; in order that the articles of the covenant being agreed to by each party, they might be ratified and confirmed by blood and by oath. Moses on this occasion was mediator between God and the people, as Paul says, Gal. 3:19, "The law was added because of transgressions, and was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." In the new covenant which God has been pleased to make with the Christian church, Jesus Christ is the mediator of redemption. He was the surety, the sacrifice, the priest and the intercessor of this covenant. He has sealed it with his blood, has proposed the terms and conditions of it in his gospel, has instituted the form of it in baptism, and the commemoration of it in the sacrament of his body and blood. Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, enlarges on this office of mediator of the new covenant, exercised by Christ. Heb. 8:6. 9:15. 12:24. See also 1 Tim. 2:5. In all ages and in all parts of the world, there has constantly prevailed such a sense of the infinite holiness of the supreme Divinity, with so deep a conviction of the imperfections of human nature and the guilt of man, as to deter worshippers from coming directly into the presence of a Being so awful-recourse has therefore been had to mediators. Sacrifices were thought to be a kind of mediation; and, in short, there has been a universal feeling, a sentiment never forgotten, of the necessity of an interpreter, or mediator, between God and man. MEGIDDO, a city in or near the great plain of Esdraelon, situated probably in the south-western part of it, and near the Kishon, which is called the waters of Megiddo. It was the scene of the victory of Deborah and Barak, Judg. 5:19, and of the defeat of Josiah, 2 K. 23:29,30. would of course force us to adopt the interpretation in Heb. c. that "Christ was like himself;" and that a comparison is there formally instituted between Christ and himself! The mere mention of which is its best refutation. MELITA. The name Melita was anciently applied to two islands; one in the Adriatic sea, on the coast of Illyricum, now called Meleda; the other in the Mediterranean, between Sicily and Africa, now called Malta. That the latter is the one on which Paul suffered shipwreck is probable, because he left the island in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered there on her voyage to Italy, and after touching at Syracuse and Rhegium, landed at Puteoli; thus sailing on a direct course. The other Melita would be far out of the usual track from Alexandria to Italy; and in sailing from it to Rhegium, Syracuse also would be out of the direct course. The fact that the vessel was tossed all MELCHISEDEC, (king of righteousness,) king of Salem, and priest of the Most High God. Scripture tells us nothing of his father, or of his mother, or of his genealogy, or of his birth, or of his death. Heb. 7:1-3. And in this sense he was, as Paul says, a figure of Jesus Christ, who is a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedec; and not according to the order of Aaron, whose origin, consecration, life and death are known. (See GENEALOGY.) The history of Melchisedec in the O. T. is given in Gen. 14:18-20. It has been matter of great in-night before the shipwreck in the quiry among commentators, who Melchisedec really was. He has been variously supposed to be the Holy Spirit, the Son of God, an angel, Enoch, and Shem. But the safest and most probable opinion is that which considers Melchisedec as a righteous and peaceful king, a worshipper and priest of the Most High God, in the land of Canaan; a friend of Abraham, and of a rank elevated above him. This opinion, indeed, lies upon the very face of the sacred record in Gen. c. 14, and Heb. c. 7, and it is the only one which can be defended on any tolerable grounds of interpretation. What can be more improbable than all the opinions above enumerated? The most popular of them all, viz. that Melchisedec was Christ, Adriatic sea, does not militate against the probability of its afterwards being driven upon Malta; because the name Adria was applied to the whole Ionian sea, which lay between Sicily and Greece. (See ADRIA.) Acts 27:27. 28:1. By a remarkable arrangement of Providence, the little island on which the apostle Paul was cast away in bonds, has now become the centre and seat of missionary operations in respect to all the countries around the Mediterranean. The English have a missionary establishment there; and the press of the American mission is thence diffusing tracts and school books by thousands throughout Greece, Turkey, Palestine, Armenia, &c. MELONS are common in the was given to Adriel, son of BarEast, but do not differ particular-zillai the Meholathite. 1 Sam. ly from ours. MEMPHIS. Hos. 9:6. See NOPH. MENAHEM, the sixteenth king of Israel, was originally general of the army of Zachariah. He was at Tirzah when he heard of his master's murder, and immediately marched against Shallum, who had shut himself up in Samaria, whom he killed, and then ascended the throne. He reigned in Samaria ten years, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Pul, king of Assyria, having invaded Israel during the reign of Menahem, obliged him to pay a tribute of a thousand talents, which Menahem raised by a tax on all his subjects of fifty shekels a head. Menahem slept with his fathers, and his son Pekahiah reigned in his stead. 2 K. 15:13-22. MEPHIBOSHETH, a son of Jonathan, also called Merib-baal. 1 Chr. 8:34. Mephibosheth was very young when his father was killed in the battle of Gilboa, 2 Sam. 4:4, and his nurse was in such consternation at the news, that she let the child fall, who, from this accident, was lame all his life. When David found himself in peaceable possession of the kingdom, he sought for all that remained of the house of Saul, that he might show them kindness, in consideration of the friendship between him and Jonathan. He gave Mephibosheth the estate of his grandfather Saul, of which, however, he was afterwards deprived by the treachery of his servant Ziba. 2 Sam. c. 9. c. 16. 19:24. MERAB, the eldest daughter of king Saul, was promised to David in marriage, in reward for his victory over Goliath, but 14:49. 18:17,19. Merab had six sons by him,who were delivered to the Gibeonites, and hanged before the Lord. The text intimates that the six men delivered to the Gibeonites were sons of Michal, daughter of Saul and wife of Adriel; but see under ADRIEL. MERCURY, a fabulous god of the ancient heathen, the messenger of the celestials, and the deity that presided over learning, eloquence and traffic. The Greeks named him Hermes, an interpreter, because they considered him as interpreter of the will of the gods. Probably, it was for this reason that the people of Lystra, having heard Paul preach, and having seen him heal a lame man, would have offered sacrifice to him, as to their god Mercury; and to Barnabas as Jupiter, because of his venerable aspect. Acts 14:11,12. MERCY-SEAT. The Hebrew word thus translated may be rendered a covering; and indeed it was the cover of the ark of the covenant, or of the sacred chest in which the laws of the covenant were contained. At each end of this cover was a cherub of beaten gold; which, stretching out their wings towards each other, formed a kind of throne, where the Lord was considered as sitting. Hence the Hebrews invoked him sometimes as he "who sitteth upon the cherubim." This covering or lid of the ark, then, was strictly regarded as a mercy-seat, whence Jehovah heard and answered the prayers of his people. MERODACH, an idol of the Babylonians, representing, probably, the planet Mars. Jer. 50:2. The names of Babylonish kings were also sometimes com pounded with this name, as Evil- || ointed, a title given principally, Merodach, and Merodach-Baladan, Isa. 39:1, who is also called Berodach-Baladan in 2 Kings 20:12. or by way of eminence, to that sovereign deliverer promised to the Jews. They used to anoint their kings, high-priests, and sometimes prophets, when they Iwere set apart to their office; and hence the phrase to anoint for an employment, sometimes signifies merely a particular designation or choice for such an ed the empire of the Persians, and who set the Jews at liberty, is called, Isa. 45:1, the anointed of the Lord; and in Ezek. 28:14, the epithet anointed is given to the king of Tyre. MEROM. The waters of Merom, Josh. 11:5, or lake of Semechon, is the most northern of the three lakes supplied by the river Jordan. It is situated in a valley called the Ard Houle, formed by the two branches of mount Her-employment. Cyrus, who foundmon. The lake is now called after the valley, the lake of Houle. In summer this lake is for the most part dry, and covered with shrubs and grass, in which lions, bears and other wild beasts conceal themselves, See JORDAN. MESOPOTAMIA, the Greek name of Aram-naharaim, a country between the two rivers; a famous province, situated between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and celebrated in Scripture as the first dwelling of men after the deluge. It gave birth to Phaleg, Heber, Terah, Abraham, Nahor, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, and the sons of Jacob. The plains of Shinar were in this country; and it was often called Mesopotamia of Syria, because it was inhabited by the Arameans, or Syrians; and sometimes Padan-aram, or the plains of Aram. Gen. 28:2, &c. Mesopotamia, in its widest extent, stretches from the Persian gulf to mount Taurus; but the name usually denotes only the tract above Babylonia, now called Diarbekr, which was celebrated for its exuberant fertility; while the part below, now Irak Årabi, is sterile and without water. Mesopotamia was included in the territories of the Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian empires, and belongs now to that of the Turks. MESSIAH, or MESSIAS, an But, as we have already observed, Messiah is the designation given by the Hebrews, eminently, to that Saviour and Deliverer whom they expected, and who was promised to them || by all the prophets. As the holy unction was given to kings, priests and prophets, by describing the promised Saviour of the world under the name of Christ, Anointed, or Messiah, it was sufficiently evidenced, that the qualities of king, prophet and highpriest would eminently centre in him; and that he should exercise them not only over the Jews, but over all mankind; and particularly over those who should receive him as their Saviour. See CHRIST. MICAH, the Morasthite, or of Mareshah, a village near Eleutheropolis, in the south of Judah, is the seventh in order of the lesser prophets. He prophesied under Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, for about fifty years, from near the beginning of the reign of Jotham to the last year of Hezekiah. He was nearly contemporary with Isaiah, and has some expressions in common with him. Comp. coast of Asia Minor, on the confines of Caria, about ten stadia south of the estuary of the river Meander. It was the parent of many colonies, and was celebrated for a temple and oracle of Apollo Didymæus, and as the der, &c. Its precise site is not now known. Acts 20:15,17. 2 Tim. 4:20. MILL, see under CORN. Isa. 2:2 with Micah 4:1, and [[ Ionia, situated on the western Isa. 41:15 with Micah 4: 13. MICHAEL, see ARCHANGEL. MIDIAN, MIDIANITES. The original and appropriate district of the Midianites seems to have been on the east side of the Elanitic branch of the Red sea, where the Arabian geogra-birth-place of Thales, Anaximanphers place the city Madian. But they appear to have spread themselves northward, probably along the desert east of mount Seir, to the vicinity of the Moabites; and on the other side also, they covered a territory extending to the neighborhood of mount Sinai. See Exod. 3:1. 18:1. Numb. c. 31. Judg. c. 6 -8. In Gen. 25:2,4, compared with verses 12-18, they are distinguished from the descendants of Ishmael; but elsewhere, the names Midianites and Ishmaelites seem to be used as nearly synonymous. See Gen. 37:25, compared with verse 36; Judg. 7:12, compared with 8:22,28. Their capital city was called Midian, and its remains were to be seen in the time of Jerome and Eusebius. It was situated on the Arnon, south of the city Ar, or Areopolis. The Midianites were idolaters, and often led Israel astray to worship their gods. They also not unfrequently rendered the Hebrews tributary, and pressed them. See Num. c. 22, 25, 31. Judg. c. 6, 7. op MIDNIGHT, see HOUR. MILCOM, see MOLOCH. MILE. The word mile, in Matt. 5:41, is spoken of the Roman milliare, or mile, which contained eight stadia, 1000 paces, i. e. about 16113 yards, while the English mile contains 1760 yards. MILETUS, an ancient city, formerly the metropolis of all MILLET, a kind of grain, of which there are several species cultivated in Italy, Syria and Egypt. It is used partly green as fodder, and partly in the ripe grain for bread, &c. Ezekiel, 4:9, received an order from the Lord, to make himself bread with a mixture of wheat, barley, beans, lentils and millet. "Durra," says Niebuhr, "is a kind of millet, made into bread with camel's milk, oil, butter, &c. and is almost the only food eaten by the common people of Arabia Felix, I found it so disagreeable, that I would willingly have preferred plain barley bread.” This illustrates the appointment of it to the prophet Ezekiel, as a part of his hard fare. MINISTER, one who attends or waits on another; so Elisha was the minister of Elijah, 1 K. 19:21. 2 K. 3:11, and Joshua the minister of Moses, Exod. 24:13. 33:11. And these persons did not feel themselves degraded by their stations, but in due time they succeeded to the offices of their masters. In like manner, John Mark was minister to Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13: 5. Christ is called a Minister. of the true, that is, the heavenly, sanctuary. MINT, a garden herb, sufficiently known. The Pharisees, desiring to distinguish themselves |