and unable to bear their witness to the true faith. They were, on the other hand as far as possible
removed from the condition of a wealthy order. Coarses .—The priesthood was divided into four
and twenty “courses” or orders, (1 Chronicles 24:1-19; 2 Chronicles 23:8; Luke 1:5) each of which
was to serve in rotation for one week, while the further assignment of special services during the
week was determined by lot. (Luke 1:9) Each course appears to have commenced its work on the
Sabbath, the outgoing priests taking the morning sacrifice, and leaving that of the evening to their
successors. (2 Chronicles 23:8) Numbers—If we may accept the numbers given by Jewish writers
as at all trustworthy, the proportion of the priesthood population of Palestine during the last century
of their existence as an order, must have been far greater than that of the clergy has ever been in
any Christian nation. Over and above those that were scattered in the country and took their turn
there were not fewer than 24,000 stationed permanently at Jerusalem,and 12,000 at Jericho. It was
almost inevitable that the great mass of the order, under such circumstances, should sink in character
and reputation. The reigns of the two kings David and Solomon were the culminating period of
the glory of the Jewish priesthood. It will be interesting to bring together the few facts that indicate
the position of the priests in the New Testament period of their history. The number scattered
throughout Palestine was, as has been stated, very large. Of these the greater number were poor
and ignorant. The priestly order, like the nation, was divided between contending sects. In the
scenes of the last tragedy of Jewish history the order passes away without honor, “dying as a fool
dieth.” The high priesthood is given to the lowest and vilest of the adherents of the frenzied Zealots.
Other priests appear as deserting to the enemy. The destruction of Jerusalem deprived the order
at one blow of all but an honorary distinction.
Prince, Princess
The only special uses of the word “prince” are—
•“Princes of provinces” (1 Kings 20:14) who were probably local governors or magistrates.
•The “princes” mentioned in (Daniel 6:1) (see Esth 1:1) wore the predecessors of the satraps of
Darius Hystaspes. The word princess is seldom used in the Bible, but the persons to which it
alludes— “daughters of kings” are frequently mentioned.
Principality
In several passages of the New Testament the term “principalities and powers” appears to denote
different orders of angels,good or bad. See (Ephesians 6:12)
Prisca
(ancient), (2 Timothy 4:19) or Priscil’la (a diminutive from Prisca), the wife of Aquila. [Aquila]
To what has been said elsewhere under the head of Aquila the following may be added: We find
that the name of the wife is placed before that of the husband in (Romans 16:3; 2 Timothy 4:19)
and (according to some of the best MSS.) in (Acts 18:26) Hence we should be disposed to conclude
that Priscilla was the more energetic character of the two. In fact we may say that Priscilla is the
example of what the married woman may do for the general service of the Church, in conJunction
with home duties, as Phoebe is the type of the unmarried servant of the Church, or deaconess.
Prison
[For imprisonment as a punishment, see Punishments] It is plain that in Egypt special places
were used as prisons, and that they were under the custody of a military officer. (Genesis 40:3;
42:17) During the wandering in the desert we read on two occasions of confinement “in ward”—
(Leviticus 24:12; Numbers 15:34) but as imprisonment was not directed by the law, so we hear of
none till the time of the kings, when the prison appears as an appendage to the palace, or a special
frankie
(Frankie)
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