(victor), one of the greatest of the kings of Assyria, was the son of Sennacherib, (2 Kings 19:37)
and the grandson of Sargon, who succeeded Shalmaneser. He appears by his monuments to have
been one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, of all the Assyrian monarchs. He is the
only one of them whom we find to have actually reigned at Babylon, where he built himself a
palace, bricks from which have been recently recovered bearing his name. His Babylonian reign
lasted thirteen years, from B.C. 680 to B.C. 667; and it was doubtless within this space of time that
Manasseh king of Judah, having been seized by his captains at Jerusalem on a charge of rebellion,
was brought before him at Babylon, (2 Chronicles 33:11) and detained for a time as prisoner there.
As a builder of great works Esar-haddon is particularly distinguished. Besides his palace at Babylon,
he built at least three others in different parts of his dominions, either for himself or his sons, and
thirty temples.
Esau
(hairy), the eldest son of Isaac, and twin-brother of Jacob. The singular appearance of the child
at his birth originated the name. (Genesis 25:25) Esau’s robust frame and “rough” aspect were the
types of a wild and daring nature. He was a thorough Bedouin, a “son of the desert.” He was much
loved by his father, and was of course his heir, but was induced to sell his birthright to Jacob.
Mention of his unhappy marriages may be found in (Genesis 26:34) The next episode in the life of
Esau is the loss of his father’s covenant blessing, which Jacob secured through the craft of his
mother, and the anger of Esau, who vows vengeance. (Genesis 27:1) ... Later he marries a daughter
of Ishmael, (Genesis 28:8,9) and soon after establishes himself in Mount Seir, where he was living
when Jacob returned from Padan-aram rich and powerful, and the two brothers were reconciled.
(Genesis 33:4) Twenty years thereafter they united in burying Isaac’s body in the cave of Machpelah.
Of Esau’s subsequent history nothing is known; for that of his descendants see Edom, Idumaea Or
Idumea.
Esdraelon
This name is merely the Greek form of the Hebrew word Jezreel. “The great plain of Esdraelon”
extends across central Palestine from the Mediterranean to the Jordan, separating the mountain
ranges of Carmel and Samaria from those of Galilee. The western section of it is properly the plain
of Accho or ’Akka. The main body of the plain is a triangle. Its base on the east extends from Jenin
(the ancient Engannim) to the foot of the hills below Nazareth, and is about 15 miles long; the north
side, formed by the hills of Galilee, is about 12 miles long; and the south side, formed by the Samaria
range, is about 18 miles. The apex on the west is a narrow pass opening into the plain of ’Akka.
From the base of this triangular plain three branches stretch out eastward, like fingers from a hand,
divided by two bleak, gray ridges—one bearing the familiar name of Mount Gilboa, the other called
by Franks Little Hermon, but by natives Jebel ed-Duhy. The central branch is the richest as well
as the most celebrated. This is the “valley of Jezreel” proper—the battle-field on which Gideon
triumphed, and Saul and Jonathan were overthrown. (Judges 7:1) seq. ; (1 Samuel 29:1) ... and
1Sam 31:1 ... Two things are worthy of special notice in the plain of Esdraelon:
•Its wonderful richness;
•Its present desolation. If we except the eastern branches, there is not a single inhabited village on
its whole surface, and not more than one-sixth of its soil is cultivated. It is the home of the wild
wandering Bedouin.
Esdras
frankie
(Frankie)
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