of the chief reasons why they were set apart by God from the people, and yet among the
people.—ED.) The revolt of the ten tribes, and the policy pursued by Jeroboam, who wished to
make the priests the creatures and instruments of the king, and to establish a provincial and divided
worship, caused them to leave the cities assigned to them in the territory of Israel, and gather round
the metropolis of Judah. (2 Chronicles 11:13,14) In the kingdom of Judah they were, from this time
forward, a powerful body, politically as well as ecclesiastically. IV. After the captivity.—During
the period that followed the captivity of the Levites contributed to the formation of the so-called
Great Synagogue. They, with the priests, formed the majority of the permanent Sanhedrin, and as
such had a large share in the administration of justice even in capital cases. They appear but seldom
in the history of the New Testament.
Leviticus
The third book in the Pentateuch is called Leviticus because it relates principally to the Levites
and priests and their services. The book is generally held to have been written by Moses. Those
critics even who hold a different opinion as to the other books of the Pentateuch assign this book
in the main to him. One of the most notable features of the book is what may be called its spiritual
meaning. That so elaborate a ritual looked beyond itself we cannot doubt. It was a prophecy of
things to come; a shadow whereof the substance was Christ and his kingdom. We may not always
be able to say what the exact relation is between the type and the antitype; but we cannot read the
Epistle to the Hebrews and not acknowledge that the Levitical priests “served the pattern and type
of heavenly things;” that the sacrifices of the law pointed to and found their interpretation in the
Lamb of God; that the ordinances of outward purification signified the true inner cleansing of the
heart and conscience from dead works to serve the living God. One idea—HOLINESS— moreover
penetrates the whole of this vast and burdensome ceremonial, and gives it a real glory even apart
from any prophetic significance.
Libanus
[Lebanon]
Libertines
This word, which occurs once only in the New Testament— (Acts 6:9)—is the Latin libertini,
that is, “freedmen.” They were probably Jews who, having been taken prisoners by Pompey and
other Roman generals in the Syrian wars, had been reduced to slavery and had afterward been
emancipated, and returned, permanently or for a time, to the country of their fathers.
Libnah
(whiteness).
•A royal city of the Canaanites which lay in the southwest part of the Holy Land, taken by Joshua
immediately after the rout of Beth-horon. It was near Lachish, west of Makkedah. It was
appropriated with its “suburbs” to the priests. (Joshua 21:13; 1 Chronicles 6:57) In the reign of
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat it “revolted” form Judah at the same time with Edom. (2 Kings
8:22; 2 Chronicles 21:10) Probably the modern Ayak el-Menshiyeh.
•One of the stations at which the Israelites encamped on their journey between the wilderness of
Sinai and Kadesh. (Numbers 33:20,21)
Libni
(white).
•The eldest son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Exodus 6:17; Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,20)
and ancestor of the family of the Libnites. (B.C. after 1700.)
frankie
(Frankie)
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