2Sam 15:30 And by our Lord on his way to Gethsemane. (John 18:1) comp. Mark 14:26; Luke
22:39 The distinguishing peculiarity of the Kidron valley—mentioned in the Old Testament— is
the impurity which appears to have been ascribed to it. In the time of Josiah it was the common
cemetery of the city. (2 Kings 23:6) comp. Jere 26:23
Kine
the plural of cow. [See Bull, Bullock]
King
“a chief ruler, one invested with supreme authority over a nation, tribe or country.”—Webster.
In the Bible the word does not necessarily imply great power or great extent of country. Many
persons are called kings whom we should rather call chiefs or leaders. The word is applied in the
Bible to God as the sovereign and ruler of the universe, and to Christ the Son of God as the head
and governor of the Church. The Hebrews were ruled by a king during a period of about 500 years
previous to the destruction of Jerusalem, B.C. 586. The immediate occasion of the substitution of
a regal form of government for that of judges seems to have been the siege of Jabesh-gilead by
Nahash king of the Ammonites. (1 Samuel 11:1; 12:12) The conviction seems to have forced itself
on the Israelites that they could not resist their formidable neighbor unless they placed themselves
under the sway of a king, like surrounding nations. The original idea of a Hebrew King was twofold:
first, that he should lead the people to battle in time of war; and, a second, that he should execute
judgment and justice to them in war and in peace. (1 Samuel 8:20) In both respects the desired end
was attained. Besides being commander-in-chief of the army, supreme judge, and absolute master,
as it were, of the lives of his subjects, the king exercised the power of imposing taxes on them, and
of exacting from them personal service and labor. In addition to these earthly powers, the king of
Israel had a more awful claim to respect and obedience. He was the vicegerent of Jehovah, ( 1
Samuel 10:1; 16:13) and as it were his son, if just and holy. (2 Samuel 7:14; Psalms 2:6,7; 89:26,27)
he had been set apart as a consecrated ruler. Upon his dead had been poured the holy anointing oil,
which had hitherto been reserved exclusively for the priests of Jehovah. He had become, in fact,
emphatically “the Lord’s anointed.” He had a court of Oriental magnificence. The king was dressed
in royal robes, (1 Kings 22:10; 2 Chronicles 18:9) his insignia were, a crown or diadem of pure
gold, or perhaps radiant with precious gems, (2 Samuel 1:10; 12:30; 2 Kings 11:12; Psalms 21:3)
and a royal sceptre. Those who approached him did him obeisance, bowing down and touching the
ground with their foreheads, (1 Samuel 24:8; 2 Samuel 19:24) and this was done even by a king’s
wife, the mother of Solomon. (1 Kings 1:16) His officers and subjects called themselves his servants
or slaves. He had a large harem, which was guarded by eunuchs. The law of succession to the throne
is somewhat obscure, but it seems most probable that the king during his lifetime named his
successor. At the same time, if no partiality for a favorite wife or son intervened, there would always
be a natural bias of affection in favor of the eldest son.
Kings
of Judah and Israel. For the list see table at the end of this volume.
Kings, First And Second Books Of
originally only one book in the Hebrew canon, from in the LXX. and the Vulgate the third and
fourth books of Kings (the books of Samuel being the first and second). It must be remembered
that the division between the books of Kings and Samuel is equally artificial, and that in point of
fact the historical books commencing with Judges and ending with 2Kings present the appearance
of one work, giving a continuous history of Israel from the time of Joshua to the death of jehoiachin.
frankie
(Frankie)
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