“diadem,” but in the Revised Version, “mitre.” It was a twisted band of
fine linen, 8 yards in length, coiled into the form of a cap, and worn on
official occasions (Leviticus 8:9; 16:4; Zechariah 3:5). On the front of it
was a golden plate with the inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” The
mitsnepheth differed from the mitre or head-dress (migba’ah) of the
common priest. (See BONNET.)
- MITYLENE the chief city of the island of Lesbos, on its east coast, in the
AEgean Sea. Paul, during his third missionary journey, touched at this
place on his way from Corinth to Judea (Acts 20:14), and here tarried for a
night. It lies between Assos and Chios. It is now under the Turkish rule,
and bears the name of Metelin. - MIXED MULTITUDE (Exodus 12:38), a class who accompanied the
Israelites as they journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, the first stage of the
Exodus. These were probably miscellaneous hangers-on to the Hebrews,
whether Egyptians of the lower orders, or the remains of the Hyksos (see
EGYPT; MOSES), as some think. The same thing happened on the return
of the Jews from Babylon (Nehemiah 13:3), a “mixed multitude”
accompanied them so far. - MIZAR smallness, a summit on the eastern ridge of Lebanon, near which
David lay after escaping from Absalom (Psalm 42:6). It may, perhaps, be
the present Jebel Ajlun, thus named, “the little”, in contrast with the
greater elevation of Lebanon and Hermon. - MIZPAH or Miz’peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1.) A place in Gilead,
so named by Laban, who overtook Jacob at this spot (Genesis 31:49) on
his return to Palestine from Padan-aram. Here Jacob and Laban set up their
memorial cairn of stones. It is the same as Ramath-mizpeh (Joshua 13:26).
(2.) A town in Gilead, where Jephthah resided, and where he assumed the
command of the Israelites in a time of national danger. Here he made his
rash vow; and here his daughter submitted to her mysterious fate (Judges
10:17; 11:11, 34). It may be the same as Ramoth-Gilead (Joshua 20:8), but
it is more likely that it is identical with the foregoing, the Mizpeh of
Genesis 31:23, 25, 48, 49.
(3.) Another place in Gilead, at the foot of Mount Hermon, inhabited by
Hivites (Joshua 11:3, 8). The name in Hebrew here has the article before it,