stones gave out the oracular answer by preternatural illumination; but it seems to be far simpler
and more in agreement with the different accounts of inquiries made by Urim and Thummim, ( 1
Samuel 14:3,18,19; 23:2,4,9,11,12; 28:6; Judges 20:28; 2 Samuel 5:23) etc., to suppose that the
answer was given simply by the word of the Lord to the high priest comp. (John 11:51) when,
clothed with the ephod and the breastplate, he had inquired of the Lord. Such a view agrees with
the true notion of the breastplate.
Usury
(The word usury has come in modern English to mean excessive interest upon money loaned,
either formally illegal or at least oppressive. In the Scriptures, however the word did not bear this
sense, but meant simply interest of any kind upon money. The Jews were forbidden by the law of
Moses to take interest from their brethren, but were permitted to take it from foreigners. The
prohibition grew out of the agricultural status of the people, in which ordinary business loans were
not needed. and loans as were required should be made only as to friends and brothers in need.—ED.)
The practice of mortgaging land, sometimes at exorbitant interest, grew up among the Jews during
the captivity, in direct violation of the law. (Leviticus 25:36,37; Ezekiel 18:8,13,17) We find the
rate reaching 1 in 100 per month, corresponding to the Roman centisimae usurae, or 12 per cent.
per annum.
Ut
(wooded).
•A son of Aram, (Genesis 10:23; 1 Chronicles 1:17) end consequently a grand son of Shem. (B.C.
2400-2300.)
•A son of Nahor by Milcah. (Genesis 22:21) Authorized Version, Huz. (B.C. about 1900.)
•A son of Dishan, and grandson of Seir. (Genesis 36:28) (B.C. after 1800.)
•The country in which Job lived. (Job 1:1) As far as we can gather, “the land of Uz” lay either east
or southeast of Palestine, (Job 1:3) adjacent to the Sabaeans and the Chaldaeans, (Job 1:15,17)
consequently north of the southern Arabians and west of the Euphrates; and, lastly, adjacent to
the Edomites of Mount Seir, who at one period occupied Uz, probably as conquerors, (Lamentations
4:21) and whose troglodyte habits are described in (Job 30:6,7) From the above data we infer that
the land of Uz corresponds to the Arabia Deserta of classical geography, at all events to so much
of it as lies north of the 30th parallel of latitude.
Uta
1 Esdr. 5:30. It appears to be a corruption of Akkub. (Ezra 2:45)
Uthai
(helpful),
•The son of Ammihud, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah. (1 Chronicles 9:4) (B.C. 536.)
•One of the sons of Bigvai, who returned in the second caravan with Ezra. (Ezra 8:14) (B.C.459.)
Uthii
1 Esdr. 8:40. [Uthai,2]
Uzai
(strong), the father of Palal who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the city wail. (Nehemiah 3:25)
(B.C. before 446.)
Uzal
(separate), the sixth son of Joktan, (Genesis 10:27; 1 Chronicles 1:21) whose settlements are
clearly traced in the ancient name of San’a, the capital city of the Yemen (a district of Arabia),
frankie
(Frankie)
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