dipping their fingers into one large dish heaped with a mixture of boiled
rice and other grain and meat. But in the time of our Lord, and perhaps
even from the days of Amos (6:4, 7), the foreign custom had been largely
introduced of having broad couches, forming three sides of a small square,
the guests reclining at ease on their elbows during meals, with their faces to
the space within, up and down which servants passed offering various
dishes, or in the absence of servants, helping themselves from dishes laid
on a table set between the couches.” Geikie’s Life of Christ. (Comp. Luke
7:36-50.) (See ABRAHAM’S BOSOM; BANQUET; FEAST.)
- MEARAH a cave, a place in the northern boundary of Palestine (Joshua
13:4). This may be the cave of Jezzin in Lebanon, 10 miles east of Sidon,
on the Damascus road; or probably, as others think, Mogheirizeh,
north-east of Sidon. - MEASURE Several words are so rendered in the Authorized Version. (1.)
Those which are indefinite. (a) Hok, Isaiah 5:14, elsewhere “statute.” (b)
Mad, Job 11:9; Jeremiah 13:25, elsewhere “garment.” (c) Middah, the
word most frequently thus translated, Exodus 26:2, 8, etc. (d) Mesurah,
Leviticus 19:35; 1 Chronicles 23:29. (e) Mishpat, Jeremiah 30:11,
elsewhere “judgment.” (f) Mithkoneth and token, Ezekiel 45:11. (g) In
New Testament metron, the usual Greek word thus rendered (Matthew
7:2; 23:32; Mark 4:24).
(2.) Those which are definite. (a) ‘Eyphah, Deuteronomy 25:14, 15,
usually “ephah.” (b) Ammah, Jeremiah 51:13, usually “cubit.” (c) Kor, 1
Kings 4:22, elsewhere “cor;” Greek koros, Luke 16:7. (d) Seah, Genesis
18:6; 1 Samuel 25:18, a seah; Greek saton, Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:21. (e)
Shalish, “a great measure,” Isaiah 40:12; literally a third, i.e., of an ephah.
(f) In New Testament batos, Luke 16:6, the Hebrew “bath;” and choinix,
Revelation 6:6, the choenix, equal in dry commodities to one-eighth of a
modius.
- MEAT-OFFERING (Hebrews minhah), originally a gift of any kind. This
Hebrew word came latterly to denote an “unbloody” sacrifice, as opposed
to a “bloody” sacrifice. A “drink-offering” generally accompanied it. The
law regarding it is given in Leviticus 2, and 6:14-23. It was a recognition of
the sovereignty of God and of his bounty in giving all earthly blessings (1
Chronicles 29:10-14; Deuteronomy 26:5-11). It was an offering which
took for granted and was based on the offering for sin. It followed the