those duties by which Christians are connected in one society and communion. An excommuni of an overruling Providence in the affairs both of nations and of individuals, as that which recounts these wanderings of Israel. The Israelites broke up from Rameses, in the land of Goshen, i. e. Heroöpolis, about forty miles N. W. of Suez, on the ancient canal which united the Nile with the Red sea. They set off on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the passover, i. e. about the middle of April. They came, in three days' march, to the Red sea near Suez; where, by means of a strong north-east wind, God miraculously drove out the waters of the sea, in such a way, that the Israelites passed over the bed of it on dry ground; cated person, is, with regard to the church, as a heathen man and a publican. Matt. 18:17. But this excision from Christian communion does not exempt him from any duties to which he is liable as a man, a citizen, a father, a husband, either by the law of nature and nations, or by the civil law. And when the apostles enjoin men to have no conversation with the excommunicated, not to eat with them, not even to salute them, this is to be understood of offices of mere civility, (which a man is at liberty to pay, or to withhold,) and not of any natural obligations; such as are founded on nature, human-while the Egyptians who attemptity, and the law of nations. 1 Cor. 5:1-5. 2 Thess. 3:6 14. 2 John ver. 10,11. See ANATHEMA. EXODUS, the name of the second book of the Pentateuch in the O. T. so called because it contains an account of the exodus or departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. ed to follow them, were drowned by the returning waters. The Israelites then advanced along the eastern shore of the Red sea, and through the valleys and desert, to mount Sinai, where they arrived in the third month, or June, probably about the middle of it, having been two months on their journey. Here the law was This departure from Egypt, chiefly given; and here they and the subsequent wanderings abode during all the transactions of the children of Israel in the recorded in the remainder of Exdesert, form one of the great odus, in Leviticus, and in the first epochs in their history. They nine chapters of Numbers; i. e. were constantly led by Jehovah; until the twentieth day of the and the whole series of events is second month (May) in the fola constant succession of mira-lowing year, a period of about cles. From their breaking up at Rameses, to their arrival on the confines of the promised land, there was an interval of forty years, during which one whole generation passed away, and the whole Mosaic law was given, and sanctioned by the thunders and lightnings of Sinai. There is no portion of history extant, which so displays the constant and also miraculous interposition || eleven months. Breaking up at this time from Sinai, they marched northwards through the desert of Paran to Kadesh-barnea, whence the spies were sent out to view the promised land, and brought back an evil report, probably in August of the same year. The people murmured, and were directed by Jehovah to turn back and wander in the desert, until their car casses should all fall in the wilderness. This they did, wandering from one station to another in the great desert of Paran, lying south of Palestine, and also in the great sandy valley called El-Ghor and El-Araba, which extends from the Dead sea to the gulf of Akaba, the eastern arm of the Red sea. (See JORDAN.) The thirty-third chapter of Numbers gives a list of these stations, as they advanced southwards to Ezion-gaber; and then mentions their return to Kadesh, in the first month, Num. 20:1, after an interval of almost thirty-eight years. While thus a second time encamped at Kadesh, Moses sent to the king of Idumea, to ask liberty to pass through his dominions, i. e. through the chain of mountains (mount Seir) lying along the eastern side of the great valley El-Ghor. (See IDUMEA.) This was refused; and Israel therefore, being too weak to penetrate into Palestine from the south, on account of the powerful tribes of Canaanites there, was compelled to march southwards, along the valley ElGhor, to the eastern gulf of the Red sea at Ezion-gaber. Here they crossed the eastern mountains, and then turned north along the eastern desert, by the route which the great Syrian caravan of Mohammedan pilgrims now passes in going to Mecca. While thus again marching south, Aaron died on mount Hor, which is on the east side of the great valley, among the mountains of Edom. They ar rived at the brook Zered, on the borders of Moab, just forty years after their departure from Egypt. For a full account of all these wanderings, and a discussion of the geographical and other diffi culties attending the subject, the reader is referred to the octavo edition of Calmet, p. 409, &c. and to the Bibl. Repos. vol. II. p. 743, &c. EXORCISTS. From a Greek word signifying to conjure, to use the name of God, with design to expel devils from places or bodies which they possess. We see from the early apologists of our religion, that the devils dreaded the exorcisms of Christians, who exercised great power against those wicked spirits. The Jews had their exorcists, as cur Lord intimates, Matt. 12:27, and as do also the apostles, in Mark 9:38. Acts 19:13. EXPIATION, or ATONEMENT, the great day of, was the tenth day of the seventh month, or Tizri. The ceremonies of this day are prescribed in Lev. c. 16. EYE-LIDS. As it is not customary among us for women to paint their eye-lids, particularly. we do not usually perceive the full import of the expressions in Scripture referring to this custom, which appears to be of very great antiquity, and which is still maintained in the East. So we read, 2 K. 9:30, "Jezebel painted her face," Heb. "put her eyes in paint:" more correctly, "she painted the internal part of her eye-lids," by drawing between them a silver wire, previously wetted, and dipped in the powder of phuk, a rich lead ore, which, adhering to the eyelids, formed a streak of black upon them, thereby, apparently, enlarging the eyes, and rendering their effect more powerful; invigorating their vivacity. This action is strongly referred to by Jeremiah, c. 4:30, in our translation, "Though thou rentest thy face with painting;" or, though thou cause thine eye-lids to seem to be starting out of thine head, through the strength of the black paint which is applied to them, yet shall that decoration be in vain. Many authors have mentioned the custom which has prevailed from time immemorial among the females of the East, of tinging the eyes and edges of the eye-lids with a powder, which, at a distance, or by candle-light, adds much to the blackness of the eyes. "The females of Arabia," Niebuhr says, "color their nails blood-red, and their hands and feet yellow, with the herb Al-henna. (See CAMPHIRE.) They also tinge the inside of their eye-lids coal-black with köchel, a coloring material prepared from lead ore. They not only enlarge their eye-brows, but also paint other figures of black, as ornaments, upon the face and hands. Sometimes they even prick through the skin, in various figures, and then lay certain substances upon the wounds, which eat in so deeply, that the ornaments thus impressed are rendered permanent for life. All this the Arabian women esteem as beauty." EZEKIEL, son of Buzi, a prophet of the sacerdotal race, was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, with Jehoiachin king of Judah. He began his ministry in the thirtieth year of his age, according to the general account; but perhaps in the thirtieth year after the covenant was renewed with God in the reign of Josiah, Ezek. 1:1, which answers to the fifth year of Ezekiel's captivity. He prophesied twenty years; till the fourteenth year after the taking of Jerusalem. The Book of Ezekiel abounds with sublime visions of the divine glory, and awful denunciations against Israel for their rebellious spirit against God, and the abominations of their idolatry. It contains also similar denunciations against Tyre, and other hostile nations. The latter part of the book contains oracles respecting the return and restoration of the people of God. EZION-GABER, or EZIONGEBER, a city at the northern extremity of the Elanitic or eastern gulf of the Red sea, and close by Elath. At this port Solomon equipped his fleets for the voyage to Ophir. Deut. 2:8. 1K. 9:26. See ELATH and Exo DUS. EZRA, a celebrated priest and leader of the Jewish nation. He appears to have enjoyed great consideration in the Persian court. He obtained letters from Artaxerxes Longimanus, and went at the head of a large party of returning exiles to Jerusalem. Here he instituted many reforms in the conduct of the people, and in the public worship. He is generally supposed to have collected and revised all the books of Scripture, and to have formed the present canon. The Book of Ezra contains a history of the return of the Jews from the time of Cyrus; with an account of his own subsequent proceedings. There are two apocryphal books ascribed to him under the name of Esdras, which is only the Greek form of the name Ezra. |