- MILAIAI eloquent, a Levitical musician (Nehemiah 12:36) who took part
in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem. - MILDEW (the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning “to be yellow,”
yellowness), the result of cutting east winds blighting and thus rendering
the grain unproductive (Deuteronomy 28:22; 1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles
6:28). - MILE (from Lat. mille, “a thousand;” Matthew 5:41), a Roman measure
of 1,000 paces of 5 feet each. Thus the Roman mile has 1618 yards, being
142 yards shorter than the English mile. - MILETUS (Miletum, 2 Timothy 4:20), a seaport town and the ancient
capital of Ionia, about 36 miles south of Ephesus. On his voyage from
Greece to Syria, Paul touched at this port, and delivered that noble and
pathetic address to the elders (“presbyters,” ver. 28) of Ephesus recorded
in Acts 20:15-35. The site of Miletus is now some 10 miles from the
coast. (See EPHESIANS, EPISTLE TO.) - MILK (1.) Hebrew halabh, “new milk”, milk in its fresh state (Judges
4:19). It is frequently mentioned in connection with honey (Exodus 3:8;
13:5; Joshua 5:6; Isaiah 7:15, 22; Jeremiah 11:5). Sheep (Deuteronomy
32:14) and goats (Proverbs 27:27) and camels (Genesis 32:15), as well as
cows, are made to give their milk for the use of man. Milk is used
figuratively as a sign of abundance (Genesis 49:12; Ezekiel 25:4; Joel 3:18).
It is also a symbol of the rudiments of doctrine (1 Corinthians 3:2;
Hebrews 5:12, 13), and of the unadulterated word of God (1 Peter 2:2).
(2.) Hebrews hem’ah, always rendered “butter” in the Authorized Version.
It means “butter,” but also more frequently “cream,” or perhaps, as some
think, “curdled milk,” such as that which Abraham set before the angels
(Genesis 18:8), and which Jael gave to Sisera (Judges 5:25). In this state
milk was used by travellers (2 Samuel 17:29). If kept long enough, it
acquired a slightly intoxicating or soporific power.
This Hebrew word is also sometimes used for milk in general
(Deuteronomy 32:14; Job 20:17).
- MILL for grinding corn, mentioned as used in the time of Abraham
(Genesis 18:6). That used by the Hebrews consisted of two circular
stones, each 2 feet in diameter and half a foot thick, the lower of which
was called the “nether millstone” (Job 41:24) and the upper the “rider.”