The Lebanon range is now inhabited by a population of about 300,000
Christians, Maronites, and Druses, and is ruled by a Christian governor.
The Anti-Lebanon is inhabited by Mohammedans, and is under a Turkish
ruler.
- LEBBAEUS courageous, a surname of Judas (Jude), one of the twelve
(Matthew 10:3), called also Thaddaeus, not to be confounded with the
Judas who was the brother of our Lord. - LEBONAH frankincense, a town near Shiloh, on the north side of Bethel
(Judges 21:19). It has been identified with el-Lubban, to the south of
Nablus. - LEEK (Hebrews hatsir; the Allium porrum), rendered “grass” in 1 Kings
18:5, 2 Kings 19:26, Job 40:15, etc.; “herb” in Job 8:12; “hay” in Proverbs
27:25, and Isaiah 15:6; “leeks” only in Numbers 11:5. This Hebrew word
seems to denote in this last passage simply herbs, such as lettuce or
savoury herbs cooked as kitchen vegetables, and not necessarily what are
now called leeks. The leek was a favourite vegetable in Egypt, and is still
largely cultivated there and in Palestine. - LEES (Hebrews shemarim), from a word meaning to keep or preserve. It
was applied to “lees” from the custom of allowing wine to stand on the
lees that it might thereby be better preserved (Isaiah 25:6). “Men settled
on their lees” (Zephaniah 1:12) are men “hardened or crusted.” The image
is derived from the crust formed at the bottom of wines long left
undisturbed (Jeremiah 48:11). The effect of wealthy undisturbed ease on
the ungodly is hardening. They become stupidly secure (comp. Psalm
55:19; Amos 6:1). To drink the lees (Psalm 75:8) denotes severe suffering. - LEFT HAND among the Hebrews, denoted the north (Job 23:9; Genesis
14:15), the face of the person being supposed to be toward the east. - LEFT-HANDED (Judges 3:15; 20:16), one unable to use the right hand
skilfully, and who therefore uses the left; and also one who uses the left as
well as the right, ambidexter. Such a condition of the hands is due to
physical causes. This quality was common apparently in the tribe of
Benjamin. - LEGION a regiment of the Roman army, the number of men composing
which differed at different times. It originally consisted of three thousand
men, but in the time of Christ consisted of six thousand, exclusive of