article of diet. They are extensively cultivated in Egypt and Arabia and
Syria.
- BEAR a native of the mountain regions of Western Asia, frequently
mentioned in Scripture. David defended his flocks against the attacks of a
bear (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Bears came out of the wood and destroyed the
children who mocked the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:24). Their habits are
referred to in Isaiah 59:11; Proverbs 28:15; Lamentations 3:10. The fury of
the female bear when robbed of her young is spoken of (2 Samuel 17:8;
Proverbs 17:12; Hos. 13:8). In Daniel’s vision of the four great
monarchies, the Medo-Persian empire is represented by a bear (7:5). - BEARD The mode of wearing it was definitely prescribed to the Jews
(Leviticus 19:27; 21:5). Hence the import of Ezekiel’s (5:1-4) description
of the “razor” i.e., the agents of an angry providence being used against the
guilty nation of the Jews. It was a part of a Jew’s daily toilet to anoint his
beard with oil and perfume (Psalm 133:2). Beards were trimmed with the
most fastidious care (2 Samuel 19:24), and their neglet was an indication of
deep sorrow (Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 41:5). The custom was to shave or
pluck off the hair as a sign of mourning (Isaiah 50:6; Jeremiah 48:37; Ezra
9:3). The beards of David’s ambassadors were cut off by hanun (2 Samuel
10:4) as a mark of indignity.
On the other hand, the Egyptians carefully shaved the hair off their faces,
and they compelled their slaves to do so also (Genesis 41:14).
- BEAST This word is used of flocks or herds of grazing animals (Exodus
22:5; Numbers 20:4, 8, 11; Psalm 78:48); of beasts of burden (Genesis
45:17); of eatable beasts (Proverbs 9:2); and of swift beasts or dromedaries
(Isaiah 60:6). In the New Testament it is used of a domestic animal as
property (Revelation 18:13); as used for food (1 Corinthians 15:39), for
service (Luke 10:34; Acts 23:24), and for sacrifice (Acts 7:42).
When used in contradistinction to man (Psalm 36:6), it denotes a brute
creature generally, and when in contradistinction to creeping things
(Leviticus 11:2-7; 27:26), a four-footed animal.
The Mosaic law required that beasts of labour should have rest on the
Sabbath (Exodus 20:10; 23:12), and in the Sabbatical year all cattle were
allowed to roam about freely, and eat whatever grew in the fields (Exodus
23:11; Leviticus 25:7). No animal could be castrated (Leviticus 22:24).