Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Frankie) #1

•Fourth son of Simeon, (Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15) founder of the family of the Jachinites.
(Numbers 26:12)
•Head of the twenty-first course of priests in the time of David. (1 Chronicles 9:10; 24:17; Nehemiah
11:10)
Jacinth
a precious stone, forming one of the foundations of the walls of the new Jerusalem. (Revelation
21:20) Called hyacinth in the Revised Version. This is simply a different English rendering of the
same Greek original. It is probably identical with the lighure of (Exodus 28:19) The Jacinth or
hyacinth is a red variety of zircon, which is found in square prisms of a white, gray, red,
reddish-brown, yellow or pale-green color. The expression in (Revelation 9:17) “of jacinth,” is
descriptive simply of a dark-purple color.
Jacob
(supplanter), the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was born with Esau, probably at the well
of Lahai-roi, about B.C. 1837. His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. He
bought the birthright from his brother Esau, and afterward acquired the blessing intended for Esau,
by practicing a well-known deceit on Isaac. (Jacob did not obtain the blessing because of his deceit,
but in spite of it. That which was promised he would have received in some good way; but Jacob
and his mother, distrusting God’s promise, sought the promised blessing in a wrong way, and
received with it trouble and sorrow.—ED.) Jacob, in his 78th year, was sent from the family home
to avoid his brother, and to seek a wife among his kindred in Padan-aram. As he passed through
Bethel, God appeared to him. After the lapse of twenty-one years he returned from Padan-aram
with two wives, two concubines, eleven sons and a daughter, and large property. He escaped from
the angry pursuit of Laban, from a meeting with Esau, and from the vengeance of the Canaanites
provoked by the murder of Shechem; and in each of these three emergencies he was aided and
strengthened by the interposition of God, and in sign of the grace won by a night of wrestling with
God his name was changed at Jabbok into Israel. Deborah and Rachel died before he reached
Hebron; Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, was sold into Egypt eleven years before the death of
Isaac; and Jacob had probably exceeded his 130th year when he went tither. He was presented to
Pharaoh, and dwelt for seventeen years in Rameses and Goshen, and died in his 147th year. His
body was embalmed, carried with great care and pomp into the land of Canaan, and deposited with
his fathers, and his wife Leah, in the cave of Machpelah. The example of Jacob is quoted by the
first and the last of the minor prophets. Besides the frequent mention of his name in conjunction
with the names of the other two patriarchs, there are distinct references to the events in the life of
Jacob in four books of the New Testament - (John 1:51; 4:5,12; Acts 7:12,16; Romans 9:11-13;
Hebrews 11:21; 12:16)
Jacobs Well
a deep spring in the vicinity of Shechem (called Sychar in Christ’s time and Nablus at the
present day). It was probably dug by Jacob whose name it bears. On the curb of the well Jesus sat
and discoursed with the Samaritan woman. (John 4:5-26) It is situated about half a mile southeast
of Nablus, at the foot of Mount Gerizim. It is about nine feet in diameter and 75 feet deep. At some
seasons it is dry; at others it contains a few feet of water.
Jada
(wise), son of Onam and brother of Shammai, in the genealogy of the sons of Jerahmeel by his
wife Atarah. (1 Chronicles 2:28,32) (B.C. after 1445.)

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