Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Kiana) #1

  • ORACLE In the Old Testament used in every case, except 2 Samuel
    16:23, to denote the most holy place in the temple (1 Kings 6:5, 19-23;
    8:6). In 2 Samuel 16:23 it means the Word of God. A man inquired “at the
    oracle of God” by means of the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate on
    the high priest’s ephod. In the New Testament it is used only in the plural,
    and always denotes the Word of God (Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12, etc.).
    The Scriptures are called “living oracles” (comp. Hebrews 4:12) because of
    their quickening power (Acts 7:38).

  • OREB raven, a prince of Midian, who, being defeated by Gideon and put
    to straits, was slain along with Zeeb (Judges 7:20-25). Many of the
    Midianites perished along with him (Psalm 83:9; Isaiah 10:26).

  • OREB, THE ROCK OF the place where Gideon slew Oreb after the
    defeat of the Midianites (Judges 7:25; Isaiah 10:26). It was probably the
    place now called Orbo, on the east of Jordan, near Bethshean.

  • OREN ash or pine, the son of Jerahmeel (1 Chronicles 2:25).

  • ORGAN some kind of wind instrument, probably a kind of Pan’s pipes
    (Genesis 4:21; Job 21:12; Psalm 150:4), which consisted of seven or eight
    reeds of unequal length.

  • ORION Hebrews Kesil; i.e., “the fool”, the name of a constellation (Job
    9:9; 38:31; Amos 5:8) consisting of about eighty stars. The Vulgate renders
    thus, but the LXX. renders by Hesperus, i.e., “the evening-star,” Venus.
    The Orientals “appear to have conceived of this constellation under the
    figure of an impious giant bound upon the sky.” This giant was, according
    to tradition, Nimrod, the type of the folly that contends against God. In
    Isaiah 13:10 the plural form of the Hebrew word is rendered
    “constellations.”

  • ORNAN 1 Chronicles 21:15. (See ARAUNAH.)

  • ORPAH forelock or fawn, a Moabitess, the wife of Chilion (Ruth 1:4;
    4:10). On the death of her husband she accompanied Naomi, her
    mother-in-law, part of the way to Bethlehem, and then returned to Moab.

  • ORPHANS (Lamentations 5:3), i.e., desolate and without protectors. The
    word occurs only here. In John 14:18 the word there rendered
    “comfortless” (R.V., “desolate;” marg., “orphans”) properly means
    “orphans.” The same Greek word is rendered “fatherless” in James 1:27.

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