Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Frankie) #1

high place, caught their inspiration from the harmony, (1 Samuel 10:5) or the pilgrims, on their
way to the great festivals of their ritual, beguiled the weariness of the march with psalms sung to
the simple music of the pipe. (Isaiah 30:29) The sound of the pipe was apparently a soft wailing
note, which made it appropriate to be used in mourning and at funerals (Matthew 9:23) and in the
lament of the prophet over the destruction of Moab. (Jeremiah 48:36) It was even used in the temple
choir, as appears from (Psalms 87:7) In later times the funeral and death-bed were never without
the professional pipers or flute-players, (Matthew 9:23) a custom which still exists. In the social
and festive life of the Egyptians the pipe played as prominent a part as among the Hebrews.
Piram
(like a wild ass; fleet) the Amorite king of Jarmuth at the time of Joshua’s conquest of Canaan.
(Joshua 10:3) (B.C. 1450.)
Pirathon
(princely), “in the land of Ephraim in the mount of the Amalekite,” a place in (Judges 12:15)
Its site, now called Fer’ata, is about one mile and a half south of the road from Jaffa, by Hableh,
to Nablus. Pirathonites are mentioned in (Judges 12:13,15) and 1Chr 27:14
Pirathonite
a native of or dweller in Pirathon. Two such are named in the Bible:—
•Abdon ben-Hillel. (Judges 12:13,15)
•“Benaiah the Pirathonite of the children of Ephraim,” (1 Chronicles 27:14)
Pisgah
(section, i.e. peak), (Numbers 21:20; 23:14; 3:27; 34:1) a mountain range or district, the same
as or a part of, that called the mountains of Abarim. Comp. (32:49) with Deuteronomy 34:1 It lay
on the east of Jordan contiguous to the field of Moab, and immediately opposite Jericho. Its highest
point or summit—its “head”—was Mount Nebo. [See Nebo]
Pisidia
(pitchy) was a district in Asia Minor north of Pamphylia, and reached to and was partly included
in Phrygia. Thus Antioch in Pisidia was sometimes called a Phrygian town. St. Paul passed through
Pisidia twice, with Barnabas, on the first missionary journey, i.e., both in going from Perga to
Iconium, (Acts 13:13,14,51) and in returning. (Acts 14:21,24,25) comp. 2Tim 3:11 It is probable
also that he traversed the northern part of the district, with Silas and Timotheus, on the second
missionary journey, (Acts 18:8) but the word Pisidia does not occur except in reference to the
former journey.
Pison
[Eden]
Pit
[Hell]
Pitch
The three Hebrew words so translated all represent the same object, viz., mineral pitch or asphalt
in its different aspects. Asphalt is an opaque, inflammable substance which bubbles up from
subterranean fountains in a liquid state, and hardens by exposure to the air, but readily melts under
the influence of heat. In the latter state it is very tenacious, and was used as a cement in lieu of
mortar in Babylonia ((Genesis 11:3) as well as for coating the outside of vessels, (Genesis 6:14)
and particularly for making the papyrus boats of the Egyptians water-tight. (Exodus 2:3) The jews

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