Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Kiana) #1

  • SPIRIT, HOLY See HOLY GHOST.

  • SPONGE occurs only in the narrative of the crucifixion (Matthew 27:48;
    Mark 15:36; John 19:29). It is ranked as a zoophyte. It is found attached
    to rocks at the bottom of the sea.

  • SPOUSE (Cant. 4:8-12; Hos. 4:13, 14) may denote either husband or
    wife, but in the Scriptures it denotes only the latter.

  • SPRING (Hebrews ‘ain, “the bright open source, the eye of the
    landscape”). To be carefully distinguished from “well” (q.v.). “Springs”
    mentioned in Joshua 10:40 (Hebrews ‘ashdoth) should rather be
    “declivities” or “slopes” (R.V.), i.e., the undulating ground lying between
    the lowlands (the shephelah) and the central range of hills.

  • STACHYS spike; an ear of corn, a convert at Rome whom Paul salutes
    (Romans 16:9).

  • STACTE (Hebrews nataph), one of the components of the perfume which
    was offered on the golden altar (Exodus 30:34; R.V. marg.,
    “opobalsamum”). The Hebrew word is from a root meaning “to distil,” and
    it has been by some interpreted as distilled myrrh. Others regard it as the
    gum of the storax tree, or rather shrub, the Styrax officinale. “The Syrians
    value this gum highly, and use it medicinally as an emulcent in pectoral
    complaints, and also in perfumery.”

  • STARGAZERS (Isaiah 47:13), those who pretend to tell what will occur
    by looking upon the stars. The Chaldean astrologers “divined by the rising
    and setting, the motions, aspects, colour, degree of light, etc., of the stars.”

  • STAR, MORNING a name figuratively given to Christ (Revelation 22:16;
    comp. 2 Peter 1:19). When Christ promises that he will give the “morning
    star” to his faithful ones, he “promises that he will give to them himself,
    that he will give to them himself, that he will impart to them his own glory
    and a share in his own royal dominion; for the star is evermore the symbol
    of royalty (Matthew 2:2), being therefore linked with the sceptre
    (Numbers 24:17). All the glory of the world shall end in being the glory of
    the Church.” Trench’s Comm.

  • STARS The eleven stars (Genesis 37:9); the seven (Amos 5:8); wandering
    (Jude 1:13); seen in the east at the birth of Christ, probably some luminous
    meteors miraculously formed for this specific purpose (Matthew 2:2-10);

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