- ATONEMENT, DAY OF the great annual day of humiliation and
expiation for the sins of the nation, “the fast” (Acts 27:9), and the only
one commanded in the law of Moses. The mode of its observance is
described in Leviticus 16:3-10; 23:26-32; and Numbers 29:7-11.
It was kept on the tenth day of the month Tisri, i.e., five days before the
feast of Tabernacles, and lasted from sunset to sunset. (See AZAZEL.)
- AUGUSTUS the cognomen of the first Roman emperor, C. Julius Caesar
Octavianus, during whose reign Christ was born (Luke 2:1). His decree
that “all the world should be taxed” was the divinely ordered occasion of
Jesus’ being born, according to prophecy (Micah 5:2), in Bethlehem. This
name being simply a title meaning “majesty” or “venerable,” first given to
him by the senate (B.C. 27), was borne by succeeding emperors. Before
his death (A.D. 14) he associated Tiberius with him in the empire (Luke
3:1), by whom he was succeeded. - AUGUSTUS BAND (Acts 27:1.: literally, of Sebaste, the Greek form of
Augusta, the name given to Caesarea in honour of Augustus Caesar).
Probably this “band” or cohort consisted of Samaritan soldiers belonging
to Caesarea. - AVA a place in Assyria from which colonies were brought to Samaria (2
Kings 17:24). It is probably the same with Ivah (18:34; 19:13; Isaiah
37:13). It has been identified with Hit on the Euphrates. - AVEN nothingness; vanity. (1.) Hosea speaks of the “high places of
Aven” (10:8), by which he means Bethel. He also calls it Beth-aven, i.e.,
“the house of vanity” (4:15), on account of the golden calves Jeroboam had
set up there (1 Kings 12:28).
(2.) Translated by the LXX. “On” in Ezekiel 30:17. The Egyptian
Heliopolis or city of On (q.v.).
(3.) In Amos 1:5 it denotes the Syrian Heliopolis, the modern Baalbec.
- AVENGER OF BLOOD (Hebrews goel, from verb gaal, “to be near of
kin,” “to redeem”), the nearest relative of a murdered person. It was his
right and duty to slay the murderer (2 Samuel 14:7, 11) if he found him
outside of a city of refuge. In order that this law might be guarded against
abuse, Moses appointed six cities of refuge (Exodus 21:13; Numbers
35:13; Deuteronomy 19:1,9). These were in different parts of the country,