instance attacked 800, and in another 300, and cut them off to a man or he routed 800; slew 300 of them, and his followers slew the other 500. He, with Eleazer and Shammah, brake through the army of the Philistines, and brought their master water from the well of Bethlehem, 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, 16, 17. 1 Chron. xi. 11, 18, 19. I suppose it was he who commanded the royal guard of 24,000 for the first month, 1 Chron. xxvii. 2.; but that he was the descendant of Benjamin by Koreh, I dare not affirm, 1 Chron. xii. 6. JASON, a kinsman of Paul's and his host at Thessalonica, who hazarded his life in a mob to preserve Paul. It seems he afterwards removed to Rome, Acts xvii. 7. Rom. xvi. 21. JASPER, a precious stone, or a kind of scrupus, being probably an opaque crystalline mass, debased with a mixture of earth; hence proceeds its various colours of white, red, brown, bluish green. It is somewhat like the finer marble, or the half transparent gems. It strikes fire with steel; but makes no boil. ing appearance in aquafortis. It is found in the Indies, in Persia, Syria, Armenia, Bohemia, &c. It was the third stone in the fourth row of the high priest's breast-plate, and might figure out saints, having much earthliness mixed with their grace, Exod. xxviii. 20. It was the first foundation of the new Jerusalem, and might represent Jesus as at once the Lord from heaven, and the fruit of the earth, Rev. xxi. 19. God is likened to a jasper, to denote his manifold and well connected excellencies, the perpetual shining thereof, and the pleasure there is in beholding him, Rev. iv. 3. and xxi. 11. The medicinal virtues artributed to jasper, are not to be depended on. JAVAN. See GREECE. JAVELIN. See DART. JAW. Wicked men's power, or instruments of holding what they have, or of doing brutish and outrageous mischief, are called jaws, or jaw-teeth, Job xxix. 17. Prov, xxx. 14. JAZER, or JAAZER; a city about 15 miles north from Heshbon, and a little south of Ramothgilead, at the foot of the mountains of Gilead, near the brook or lake of Jazer. was given by the tribe of Gad to the Levites, but afterwards fell into the hand of the Moabites, Josh. xxi. 39. Isa. xvi. 9. It IBLEAM, or BILEAM; a city of the western Manassites, on the border of Issachar. It seems to have been given to the Levites for Gathrimmon, but the Canaanites kept possession of it, Josh. xvii. 11, 12. 1 Chron. vi. 70. Judg. i. 27. Gur, where Ahaziah king of Judah was slain, was hard by Ibleam, 2 Kings ix. 27. IBZAN, of the tribe of Judah, succeeded Jepthah about A. M. 2823, or 2878, and judged Israel 7 years. He had 30 sons, and as many daughters, all whom he married in his own lifetime. He was buried in Bethlehem, and succeeded by Elon, Judg. xii. 8,—10. ICHABOB. See ELI. ICONIUM, now COGNI, was formerly the capital of Lycaonia in Lesser Asia, and stands in a most fertile plain near the lake Trogolis, which supplies it with fish. About A. D. 45, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel here, and it is said the famous Thecla was converted. A persecution raised by the malicious Jews, obliged them to flee; but a Christian church continued about 800 years after. The ravages of the Saracens, but especially the Seljukian Turks, making it the capital of one of their four sultanies or king. doms, reduced the Christians to a very low condition. At present it is the most noted place in Carama, and the seat of an Ottoman Beglerbeg. It is surrounded by a strong wall of about four miles, and fortified with 108 stately towers, at equal distances; but a considerable part of the enclosed space lies waste. None but Turks are allowed to inhabit the city; but Jews, Armenians, and Christians of the Greek church, with their archbishop, live in the suburbs. Acts xiii. 51. and ziv. 1,-5. and xiv. 2. IDLE; without work, without usefulness, Exod. v. 8, 17. Matth. xx. 3, 6. Idleness was part of Sodom's sin; and it brings men's outward circumstances to ruin, and induces them to be tatlers and busybodies; nor ought these given to it to be supported in life by their neighbours, Ezek. xvi. 49. Eccl. x. 18. 1 Tim. v. 13. 2 Thess. iii. 10. Idle words are such as neither tend to the glory of God, nor the real welfare of men, Matth. xii. 36. In God's account, they are idle who are unconcerned about the great work of their salvation, as no other labour ean yield much comfort or advantage, Matth. xx. 6. or of the True God by images or human devices, began before the deluge; and some vainly imagine that Enoch introduced it, because it is said, that in his days, men began to call on or profane the name of the Lord. Soon after the flood, almost all the world were mad on idolatry. Abraham's father's family served other gods beyond the river Eu phrates. It is plain that Laban had idols, which Rachel, who it seems loved them too well, brought along with her. These and other idols retained by some in his family, Jacob hid under an oak, that they might use them no more, Josh. xxiv. 2. Gen. xxxi. 30. and xxxv. 2,—4. Probably the sun, moon and stars, were the first objects of men's avowed idolatry, and the fire might be worshipped as a symbol of the sun, Job. xxxi. 26,-28. The other idols men. tioned in scripture, are, the Teraphim, Golden Calves, Baal, Bel, Baalpeor, Baalberith, Beelzebub, Moloch, A. nammelech, Adramelech, Remphan, Dagon, Nergal, Ashima, Nibhaz, Tartack, Rimmon, Nisroch, Tam muz, Sheshach, Nebo, Meni, Gad, Mahuzzim, god of forces, or pretecting gods of the Papists, AshtaIDOL; any thing worshipped in roth, and Succothbenoth; sundry of room of the True God; and par- which are no doubt the same ticularly an image or representation der different names. In process of of a true or false god, 1 John v. 21. time, noted parents or kings deceas I Cor. viii. 4. Idols are represented ed, animals of various kinds, as apes, in scripture as horrors which men bulls, and the like; plants, stones, ought to be terrified at, 2 Chron. xv. and in fine whatever people took 16.; as tormenting pangs, Psal. cvi. a fancy for, as whores, or even +36. Isa. xlv. † 16.; as dung-gods, imaginary beings, came to be worDeut. xxix. † 17. and about forty-shipped. Men's minds forsaking their six other places; stumbling-blocks, Zeph. i. † 3.: as a shameful thing, Jer. xi. 13.; as NOTHINGS, VANITIES, Lev. xix. † 4. 1 Cor. viii. 4.; strange gods, new gods, mere upstart deities, and which the Hebrews had not been used to, Deut. xxxii. 16. 17. Some good authors suspect that idolatry, or worshipping of false gods, un true rest in the Most High, and finding no rest in one idol, added others: hence, while almost every nation had idols peculiar to them selves, they were ready to receive these of their neighbours. Nor did their highest pretences to philosophy in the least reform any country. The Egyptians, though high pretenders to wisdom, worshipped pyed bulls. snipes, leeks, onions, &c. The Greeks had about 30,000 gods. The Gomerians deified their ancient kings and others. Nor were the Chaldeans, Romans, Chinese, &c. a whit less absurd. Nor did they stick at violating the most natural affections, by murdering multitudes of their neighbours and children, under pretence of sacrificing them to their god. Some nations of Germany, Scandinavia, and Tartary, imagined that violent death in war, or by self-murder, was the proper method of access to the future enjoyment of their gods. In far later times, about 64,080 persons were sacrificed at the dedication of one idolatrous temple in the space of four days, in America. The Hebrews never had any idols of their own; but they adopted those of the nations around. readiness to worship the golden calf Their at Sinia, strongly tempts one to think they had practised such abomination in Egypt, Exod. xxxii. Ezek. xx. 7, 8. They afterward adopted the idols of the Moabites, Ammonites, Canaanites, Syrians, &c. During their 862 years residence in Canaan, before the Chaldean captivity, they relapsed 14 or 15 times into idolatry, Judges iito 2 Kings xxiv. The kingdom of the ten tribes had it long for their established religion; and it was but seldom the kingdom of Judah was fully purged from it, the idolatrous high places being seldom removed, 2 Kings xvii. Ezek. xvi. xx. xxiii. Jer. iii. Since their return from Babylon, the Jews have generally abhored idols, and suffered no small hardship on that account. The Mahometans too, are great pretenders to zeal against idolatry. The Papist's worship of the Virgin Mary, and of other saints and angels unnumbered, and of the bread in the JEB sacrament, and of reliques and ima and tempts them to consider Chrisges, is no small offence to them, tianity as a scene of idolatry. Nor indeed are the Christians of the Greek church, generally taken, much more free of idolatry than the Papists. Covetousness, in which is implied, a setting of our heart on worldly things instead of God, and all inordinate care for the belly, or sinful love to, or trust in any creature,. is idolatry in God's account, and constitutes the person guilty, an: IDOLATER, or worshipper of idols, Eph. v. 5. Col. iii. 5. Phil. iii. 19. pect ADULTERY or danger. God's JEALOUS; much given to susjealousy or ZEAL, denotes, his distrust of creatures; his eminent care his readiness to punish such as infor his people and ordinances, and jure them, Zech. i. 14. Zeph. i. 18. over the Corinthians, was an earnest Exod. xx. 5. Paul's holy jealousy painful fear, they had, or might do concern for their welfare, and a somewhat amiss, 2 Cor. xi. 7. The saints' jealousy, cruel as the grave, is an earnest desire to enjoy fellowship with Christ, and a painful fear of losing it, Song viii. 6. Canaanites that dwelt about JeruJEBUSITES; a tribe of the salem, and the mountainous country adjacent, Numb. xiii. 29. Joshua after Jerusalem was taken from them; cut off multitudes of them, and soon i. 21. When, about 400 years after, but they quickly recovered it, Judg. David attempted to wrest this city from them, they rudely insulted him, as if their blind and lame were capable to defend their well fortified walls against all his army. Joab, however, took the city, and no doubt killed multitudes of them. Numbers, however, seem to have been spared, of which Araunah was shall be as a Jebusite; the Philistines one, 2 Sam. v. and xxiv. 16. Ekron shall be reduced by, and incorpo- | reign of three months and ten days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up and besieged Jerusalem; Jehoiachin, with Nehushta his mo ther, and his wives, princes, and servants, surrendered themselves; and with the principal artificers, judges, and warriors, to the number of 18,000, and the treasures, and part of the vessels of the temple, were carried to Babylon, Jer. xxii. 24. 2 Kings xxiv. 8, 16. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9, 10. After 37 years imprisonment in Chaldea, Evil-me. rodach released him, and raised him to considerable dignity, 2 Kings xxv. 27,-30. Jer. lii. 31,-34. Jeremiah was divinely ordered to write him childless; but either that related only to his having no children sitting on the throne of Judah, or he had adopted a variety of children; for we find Salathiel, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah, mentioned as his children, Jer. xxii. 24,-30. 1 Chron. iii. 17, 18. Jechonias, in Matth. i. 11. seems to signify Jehoiakim. rated with the Jewish nation; or JEHOIADA. See JOASH. JEHOIAKIM, the elder son of Josiah. When Pharaoh-necho killed Josiah, he perhaps took Eliakim prisoner: in his return home, he made him king instead of Jehoahaz, and changed his name to Jehoiakim, and laid him under a tribute of £39,693. 15s. Sterling. This money Jehoiakim exacted of his subjects, according to their ability. At 25 years of age he began his reign, and sat on the throne 11 years. He JEHOASH. See JOASH. wickedly oppressed his subjects to JEHOIACHIN, CONIAH, or procure money to build himself a JECONIAH, the son of Jehoiakim, palace: he kept back part of the and grandson of Josiah. It seems, hire of his workmen : he abandoned his father installed him when he himself to inhumanity and avarice, was but eight years of age; and Jer. xxii. 13,-23.: he hated the after his father's death, A. M. 3404, prophets, which warned him or his he, at 18, succeeded to the sole go- people to repent of their wickedvernment. After a short and wickedness, or threatened the judgments VOL. II. No. 9. C and his body cast into a common: sewer, in the manner of the unburied carcase of an ass, 2 Kings xxiv. 2 Chr. xxxvi. Jer. xxii. 18, 19.. and xxxvi. 30. Perhaps Jehoiakim is put for the brother of Jehoiakim, viz. Zedekiah; or the yokes were made under Jehoiakim, but not sent. till Zedekiah was king, Jer. xxvii. 1. JEHONADAB. See JoNadab. JEHORAM. See JORAM. JEHOSHAPHAT, the son of Asa king of Judah, by Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. At 35 years of age, he succeeded his father, A. M. 3090, and reigned 25 years. To strengthen himself against the kingdom of the ten tribes, he placed strong garrisons in all the cities of Judah, and in these cities which his father had taken from the Israelites. The more his riches and honour increased, the more his heart was lifted up, in the ways of the Lord, In the third year of his reign, he ordered Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneel, and Michaiah, princes with Elishama and Jehoram, priests, and Shemaiah, Ne. thaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, She miramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Levites, to go through the cities of Judah, and teach the people the law of the Lord. To reward his zeal, God of God against him. Urijah, one of them, fled for his life into Egypt; but Jehoiakim sent Elnathan the son of Achbor, possibly his fatherin-law, along with a troop, to bring him back, and murdered him, and cast his corpse into the graves of the common people, Jer. xxvi. 20,-23. In the fourth year of his reign, he had a copy of Jeremiah's predictions brought before him by Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Michaiah his son, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah. Jehudi, who perhaps was a scribe, had scarce read three or four leaves, when Jehoiakim, notwithstanding the intercession of Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah, cut the roll with a pen-knife, and cast it into the fire; and sent Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to apprehend Jeremiah and Baruch; but the Lord knowing his murderous intentions, kept them out of his hands. This did but draw down new curses on his head. Nebuchadnezzar having routed the army of Pharaoh at Carchemish, pursued his victory, rendered himself master of Canaan and part of Phenice. Jehoiakim was taken prisoner in Jerusalem, and put in chains, to be carried to Baby-made his neighbours to revere him: Ion; but on his submission to the conqueror's terms, was restored to his kingdom. After he had continued three years a peaceful tributray, he thought to shake off the yoke. Nebuchadnezzar detached a part of his army against him, the rest being it seems employed in the siege of Nineveh: these, with bands of Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites, terribly harassed the kingdom of Judah. After four years, Nebuchadnezzar, having taken Nineveh, came in person. Jehoiakim was taken prisoner, put to death, the Philistines and Arabs brought him large presents of flocks or mo, ney; while, besides his garrisons, he had an inrolled militia of 1,160,000 under his generals Adnah, Jehohanan, Amasiah, Eliada, and Jeho. zabad, 2 Chron. xvii. Unhappily he joined in affinity with the wicked AHAB, and married his son Jeho, ram, to Athaliah the daughter of Ahab, This occasioned his being at Samaria, and assisting Ahab to retake Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians; in which war, by the treacherous artifice of Ahab, he had |