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handsomer and more dignified || mostly comprises the modern

animal than the common. ass. These animals were anciently found in Palestine, Syria, Arabia Deserta, Mesopotamia, Phrygia and Lycaonia; but they rarely occur in those regions at the present time, and seem to be almost entirely confined to Tartary, some parts of Persia and India, and Africa. Their manners greatly resemble those of the wild horse. They assemble in troops under the conduct of a leader or sentinel, and are extremely shy and vigilant. They will, however, stop in the midst of their course, and even suffer the approach of man for an instant, and then dart off with the utmost rapidity. They have been at all times celebrated for their swiftness. Their voice resembles that of the common ass, but is shriller. Mr. Morier says, "We gave chase to two wild asses, which had so much the speed of our horses, that when they had got at some distance, they stood still and looked behind at us, snorting with their noses in the air, as if in contempt of our endeavors to catch them."

Kurdistan and the pashalik of Mosul. Of these provinces, Adiabene was the most fertile and important; in it was situated Nineveh, the capital; and the term Assyria, in its most narrow sense, seems sometimes to have meant only this province

2. Most generally, Assyria means the kingdom of Assyria, including Babylonia and Mesopotamia, and extending to the Euphrates, which is, therefore, used by Isaiah as an image of this empire. Isa. 7:20. 8:7. In one instance, the idea of the empire predominates so as to exclude that of Assyria proper, viz. Gen. 2:14, where the Hiddekel or Tigris is said to flow eastward of Assyria.

3. After the overthrow of the Assyrian state, the name continued to be applied to those countries which had been formerly under its dominion, viz. (a) To Babylonia. 2 Kings 23:29. Jer. 2:18. (b) To Persia, Ezra 6:22, where Darius is also called king of Assyria.

ATHALIAH, daughter of Ahab king of Israel, and wife of Joram king of Judah, a very wicked woman. Her history is given in 2 K. c. 11, and 2 Chr. 22:10.-c. 23.

ASSYRIA, a celebrated country and empire, had its name from Ashur, or Assur, the second son of Shem, who settled in that region. Gen. 10:22. The his- ATHENS, a celebrated city tory of this empire is exceedingly and powerful commonwealth of obscure. In the Bible the name Greece, distinguished by the milAssyria is employed in three|itary talents, learning, eloquence different significations, viz.

1. Assyria ancient and proper lay east of the Tigris, between Armenia, Susiana and Media, and appears to have comprehended the six provinces attributed to it by Ptolemy, viz. Arrapachis, Adiabene, Arbelis, (now Erbil,) Calachene, (Heb. Halah? 2 Kings 17:6,) Apollonias, and Sittacene. It is the region which

and politeness of its inhabitants. When Paul visited it, about A. D. 52, he found it plunged in idolatry, occupied in inquiring and reporting news, curious to know every thing, and divided in opinion concerning religion and happiness. Acts c. 17. The apostle, taking opportunities to preach Jesus Christ, was brought before the judges of the Areopa

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the place where the Messiah was to be born. He died A, D. 14. AVEN, see HELIOPOLIS. AVENGER of Blood, see REFUGE.

AZARIAH, a king of Judah. 2 K. c. 15. In 2 Chr. c. 26, and elsewhere, he is called Uzziah. He began to reign at 16 years of age, B. C. 806. The first part of his reign was prosperous and happy; but afterwards, presum

AUGUSTUS, first emperor of Rome, began to reign B. C. 19.ing to offer incense in the temple, Augustus was the emperor who he was smitten with leprosy, and appointed the enrolment, Luke continued a leper till his death. 2:1, which obliged Joseph and 2 Chr. 26:16, &c. the Virgin to go to Bethlehem

B.

AZOTUS, see ASHDOD.

BAAL, or BEL, signifies lord, || the name of Bel, which is only and was the name of an idol god another form of the word Baal, of the Phoenicians and Canaan- e. g. Isa. 46:1. Jer. 50:2. 51: ites, who is very commonly || mentioned along with Ashtaroth, or Astarte.

The word Baal, in the O. T. when employed without further addition, denotes an idol of the Phoenicians, and particularly of the Tyrians, whose worship was also introduced, with great solemnities, among the Hebrews, and especially at Samaria, along with that of Astarte. Judg. 6:25, &c. 2 Kings 10:18, &c. (See ASHTORETH.) In the plural, Baalim, the word signifies images or statues of Baal. Judg. 2:11. 10:10, &c. Of the extent to which the worship of this idol was domesticated among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, we have an evidence in the proper names of persons; as, among the former, Ethbaal, Je- || rubbaal; and, among the latter, Hannibal, Asdrubal, &c.Among the Babylonians, the same idol was worshipped under

44. His worship was established in Babylon in the famous tower of Babel, the uppermost room of which served at the same time as an observatory, and was the repository of a collection of ancient astronomical observations.

That in the astronomical, or rather astrological mythology of the East, we are to look for the origin of this worship in the adoration of the heavenly bodies, is conceded by all critics. The more common opinion has been, that Baal, or Bel, is the sun, and that, under this name, this luminary received divine honors. This was probably the case, at least originally; and it would seem that the fundamental idea of all oriental idolatry,-which may also be traced from India to the north of Europe,-is the primeval power of nature, which divides itself into the generative, and the conceptive or productive

power. Of these two, the male and female powers of nature, the sun and moon appear to have been worshipped as the representatives, under the names of Baal and Astarte, at least by the most ancient Babylonians and other Semitish tribes. But if we fix our view more particularly on a later period, we find that the Greek and Roman writers give to the Babylonian Bel the name of Jupiter Belus. By this name, however, they did not mean the "father of the gods," but the planet Jupiter, which was regarded, along with the planet Venus, as the principle of all good, the guardian and giver of all good fortune; and formed, with Venus, the most fortunate of all constellations, under which alone fortunate sovereigns could be born. This planet, therefore, many suppose to have been the object of worship under the name of Baal; as also the planet Venus under that of Astarte. Not that the sun was not an object of idolatrous worship among these nations; but in that case he is represented under his own name; as 2 K. 23:11.

The temples and altars of Baal were generally on eminences. Manasseh placed in the two courts of the temple at Jerusalem altars to all the host of heaven, and, in particular, to Astarte. 2 Kings 21:5,7. Jeremiah threatens those of Judah who had sacrificed to Baal on the house-top, c. 32:29; and Josiah destroyed the altars which Ahaz had erected on the terrace of his palace. 2 Kings 23:12.

Human victims were offered to Baal, as they were also to the sun. Jeremiah reproaches the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem with "building the high || places of Baal, to burn their sons

with fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal," c. 19:5,-an expression which appears to be decisive, for the actual slaying by fire of the unhappy victims to Baal.

The children of Israel were prone to serve Baal. See Num. 25:3. Judg. 2:13. 3:7. Under Samuel they put away their idols. 1 Sam. 7:4. This continued under David and Solomon; but under Ahab, the worship of Baal was restored with great pomp. 1 Kings 16:31, &c.

Joined with other words, Baal signifies also other false gods. Baal-Berith, or the "lord of the covenant," was a god of the Shechemites. Judg. 8:33. 9:4. Baal-Peor,or" the lord of Peor," was a filthy idol of the Moabites. Num. 25:3,5. Hos. 9:10.-The word Baal also forms a part of the name of many cities, as BaalGad, Baal-Meon, &c. See also BEELZEBUB.

BAASHA, son of Ahijah, and commander of the armies of Nadab, king of Israel. He killed his master treacherously at the siege of Gibbethon, and usurped the kingdom, which he possessed twenty-four years, B. C. 949. He exterminated the whole race of Jeroboam, as God had commanded; but, by his bad conduct, and his idolatry, incurred God's indignation. 1 Kings 15:27. 16:6, &c. Baasha, instead of making good use of admonition, transported with rage against a prophet, the messenger of it, killed him.

BABEL, the name of a lofty tower, begun to be built by the descendants of Noah, about 120 years after the flood; so called because God there confounded the languages of those who were employed in the undertaking. Gen. 10:10. 11:9. Their object was to build a city and a tower,

rate, Babylon reached the summit of her greatness and splendor. She was now the capital of the civilized world, and into her lap flowed, either through conquest or commerce, the wealth of almost all known lands.

to prevent their further dispersion over the earth. As this was contrary to the divine purpose of replenishing the earth with inhabitants, God, therefore, took measures to scatter them. The tower was apparently left incomplete, but the foundation Justly, therefore, might the prophof the city was probably laid; ets call her the great, Dan. 4:30; and a large portion, no doubt, of the praise of the whole earth, Jer. the builders remained and con51:41; the beauty of the Chaltinued to dwell there. The dees' excellency, Is. 13:19; the place became afterwards the cel- || lady of kingdoms, Is. 47:5; but ebrated city of Babylon. It has also the tender and delicate, and been supposed that the tower of given to pleasures, Is. 47: 1,8. Babel was afterwards finished, Indeed, these last epithets are and called the tower of Belus, gentle, in comparison with the within the city of Babylon; but real state of the case; for, in later discoveries seem to find the consequence of the opulence and remains of the former tower in luxury of the inhabitants, the the great mound of ruins, Birs corruptness and licentiousness of Nimrood, about six miles S. W. manners and morals were carried of the present ruins of Babylon. to a frightful extreme. Well, BABYLON, a celebrated city therefore, might the prophets situated on the Euphrates, the proclaim woes against her! original foundation of which is Well might we expect Jehovah referred, in the Bible, to the at- to bring down vengeance on her tempt of the descendants of Noah crimes! Indeed, the woes deto build "a city and a tower;" nounced against Babylon by the on account of which their lan- prophets, constitute some of the guage was confounded, and they most awfully splendid and subwere scattered, by the interpo- lime portions of the whole Bible. sition of God himself. Gen. c. Is. c. 13. c. 47. Jer. c. 50. c. 51, 11. Hence the name Babel, i. e. and elsewhere. Hence, too, as confusion. With this coincide the great capital, in which all the the traditions related by other corruptions of idolatry were conancient writers, and professedly centrated, Babylon, in the Revextracted from Assyrian histo-elation of St. John, is put symrians. Another Assyrian ac- bolically for Rome, at that time count makes Semiramis, the the chief seat and capital of queen of Ninus, to be the founder heathenism. of Babylon; and a later Chaldean account describes Nebuchadnezzar as its builder. These accounts may all be reconciled, by supposing that Semiramis rebuilt or greatly extended the ancient city; and that Nebuchadnezzar afterwards enlarged it still farther, and rendered it more strong and splendid.

Under Nebuchadnezzar, at any

The city of Babylon, however, did not fong thus remain the capital of the world; for already, under the reign of Nebuchad nezzar's grandson, Nabonnid, the Belshazzar of the Scriptures, it was besieged and taken by Cyrus. The accounts of Greek

historians harmonize here with that of the Bible, that Cyrus made his successful assault on a

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