Smith’s dictionary

The classic Victorian Bible dictionary: 4,600 short entries, especially strong on names and places.

• PaaraiIn the list of (2 Samuel 23:35) "Paarai the Arbite" is one of David’s men. In (1...
• Padan(field). Padan-aram. (Genesis 48:7)
• PadanaramBy this name, which signifies the table-land of Aram , i.e. Syriac, the Hebrews...
• Padon(deliverance) the ancestor of a family of Nethinim who returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra...
• Pagiel(God allots) the son of Ocran and chief of the tribe of Asher at the time of the...
• Pahathmoab(governor of Moab), head of one of the chief houses of the tribe of Judah. Of the...
• Pai(blessing). [PAU]
• Paial(judge), the son of Uzai who assisted in restoring the walls of Jerusalem in the time...
• Paint(as a cosmetic). The use of cosmetic dyes has prevailed in all ages in eastern...
• PalacePalace in the Bible, in the singular and plural, is the rendering of several words of...
• Palestina and Palestine(land of strangers). These two forms occur in the Authorized Version but four times in...
• Pallu(distinguished), the second son of Reuben, father of Eliab, (Isaiah 6:14; Numbers...
• Palluites(descendants of Pullu), The. (Numbers 26:5)
• Palm Tree(Heb. tamar). Under this generic term many species are botanically included; but we...
• Palmerworm(Heb. gazam) occurs (Joel 1:4; 2:25; Amos 4:9) It is maintained by many that gazam...
• Palsy(contracted from paralysis). The loss of sensation or the power of motion, or both, in...
• Palti(whom Jehovah delivers), the Benjamite spy, son of Raphu. (Numbers 13:9) (B.C.1490.)
• Paltiel(whom God delivers), the son of Azzan and prince of the tribe of Issachar. (Numbers...
• Pamphylia(of every tribe), one of the coast-regions in the south of Asia Minor, having Cilicia...
• PanOf the six words so rendered in the Authorized Version, two seem to imply a shallow...
• Pannag(sweet), an article of commerce exported from Palestine to Tyre, (Ezekiel 27:17) the...
• Paper[WRITING]
• Paphos(boiling , or hot), a town at the west end of Cyprus, connected by a react with...
• Parable(The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or...
• ParadiseThis is a word of Persian origin, and is used in the Septuagint as the translation of...
• Parah(heifer-town) one of the cities in the territory allotted to Benjamin, named only in...
• Paran, Elparan(peace of caverns), a desert or wilderness, bounded on the north by Palestine, on the...
• Parbar(open apartment), a word occurring in Hebrew and Authorized Version only in (1...
• Parchment[WRITING]
• Parlora word in English usage meaning the common room of the family, and hence probably in...
• Parmashta(superior), one of the ten sons of Haman slain by the Jews in Shushan. (Esther 9:9) (B.C. 473.)
• Parmenas(abiding), one of the seven deacons, "men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and...
• Parnaeh(delicate), father or ancestor of Elizaphan prince of the tribe of Zebulun. (Numbers...
• Parshandatha(given by prayer), the eldest of Haman’s ten sons who were slain by the Jews in...
• ParthiansThis name occurs only in (Acts 2:9) where it designates Jews settled in Parthia....
• Partridge(Heb. kore) occurs only (1 Samuel 26:20) and Jere 17:11 The "hunting this bird upon...
• Paruah(flourishing), the father of Jehoshaphat, Solomon’s commissariat officer in Issachar....
• Parvaim(Oriental regions), the name of an unknown place or country whence the gold was...
• Pasach(cut off), son of Japhlet, of the tribe of Asher. (1 Chronicles 7:33)
• Pasdammim(boundary of blood). [EPHES-DAMMIM]
• Paseah(lame). Son of Eshton, in an obscure fragment of the genealogies of Judah. (1...
• Pashur(freedom). One of the families of priests of the chief house of Malchijah. (1...
• PassageUsed in the plural, (Jeremiah 22:20) probably to denote the mountain region of Abarim...
• Passoverthe first of the three great annual festivals of the Israelites celebrated in the...
• Patara(city of Patarus), a Lycian city situated on the southwestern shore of Lycia, not far...
• Pathros(region of the south), a part of Egypt, and a Mizraite tribe whose people were called...
• Pathrusimpeople of Pathros. [PATHROS]
• Patmos(Revelation 1:9) a rugged and bare island in the AEgean Sea, 20 miles south of Samos...
• Patriarch(father of a tribe), the name given to the head of a family or tribe in Old Testament...
• Patrobas(paternal),a Christian at Rome to whom St. Paul sends his salutation. (Romans 16:14)...
• Pau(bleating) (but in (1 Chronicles 1:50) PAI), the capital of Hadar king of Edom....
• Paul(small, little). Nearly all the original materials for the life St. Paul are contained...
• Pavement[GABBATHA]
• Paviliona temporary movable tent or habitation. Soc , properly an enclosed place, also...
• Peacocks(Heb. tuccyyim). Among the natural products which Solomon’s fleet brought home to...
• Pearl(Heb. gabish). The Hebrew word in (Job 28:18) probably means "crystal." Pearls,...
• Pedahel(whom God redeems), the son of Ammihud, and prince of the tribe of Naphtali. (Numbers 34:28)
• Pedaiah(whom Jehovah redeems). The father of Zebudah, mother of King Jehoiakim. (2 Kings...
• Pedarhzur(whom the rock (i.e. God) redeems), father of Gamaliel, the chief of the tribe of...
• Pekah(open-eyed), son of Remaliah, originally a captain of Pekaiah king of Israel, murdered...
• Pekahiah(whose eyes Jehovah opened), son and successor of Menahem was the 17th king of the...
• Pekod(visitation), an appellative applied to the Chaldeans. (Jeremiah 50:21; Ezekiel 23:23)...
• Pelaiah(distinguished by Jehovah). A son of Elioenai, of the royal line of Judah. (1...
• Pelaliah(judged by Jehovah), the son of Amzi and ancestor of Adaiah. (Nehemiah 11:12)
• Pelatiah(delivered by Jehovah). Son of Hananiah the son of Zerubbabel. (1 Chronicles 3:21)...
• Peleg(division, part), son of Eber and brother of Joktan. (Genesis 10:25; 11:16) The only...
• Pelet(liberation), A son of Jahdai in an obscure genealogy. (1 Chronicles 2:47) The son of...
• Peleth(swiftness). The father of On the Reubenite who joined Dathan and Abiram in their...
• Pelethites(couriers). [CHERETHITES]
• Pelican(Heb. kaath , sometimes translated "cormorant," as (Isaiah 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14)...
• Pelonite, theTwo of David’s men, Helez and Ahijah, are called Pelonites. (1 Chronicles 11:27,36)...
• Pen[WRITING]
• Peniel(face of God) the name which Jacob gave to the place in which he had wrestled with...
• Peninnah(coral or pearl), one of the two wives of Elkanah. (1 Samuel 1:2) (B.C. 1125.)
• Penny, PennyworthIn the New Testament "penny," either alone or in the compound "pennyworth," occurs as...
• Pentateuch, theis the Greek name given to the five books commonly called the "five books of Moses."...
• Pentecostthat is, the fiftieth day (from a Greek word meaning fiftieth), or Harvest Feast, or...
• Penuel[PENIEL]
• Peor(cleft), a mountain peak in Moab belonging to the Abarim range, and near Pisgah, to...
• Perazim(a breach), Mount, a name which occurs in (Isaiah 28:21) only --unless the place which...
• Peresh(dung), the son of Machir by his wife Maachah. (1 Chronicles 7:16)
• Perez(breach). The "children of Perez," or Pharez, the son of Judah, appear to have been a...
• Perezuzza(breaking of Uzzah), (1 Chronicles 13:11) and PEREZ-UZZAH (2 Samuel 6:8) the title...
• PerfumesThe free use of perfumes was peculiarly grateful to the Orientals, (Proverbs 27:9)...
• Perga(earthy), a city of Pamphylia, (Acts 13:13) situated on the river Cestius, at a...
• Pergamos(in Revised Version Pergamum) (height, elevation), a city of Mysia, about 3 miles to...
• PergamumIn the Revised Version for Pergamos. (Revelation 1:11) Pergamum is the form usual in...
• Perida(grain, kernel), The children of Perida returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel....
• Perizzite, theand Per’izzites (belonging to a village), one of the nations inhabiting the land of...
• Persepolismentioned only in 2 Macc. 9:2, was the capital of Persia proper, and the occasional...
• Persia(pure, splended), Per’sians. Persia proper was a tract of no very large dimensions on...
• Persis(a Persian woman), a Christian woman at Rome, (Romans 16:12) whom St. Paul salutes. (A.D. 55.)
• PerudaThe same as PERIDA. (Ezra 2:55)
• Pestilence[PLAGUE, THE, THE]
• Peter(a rock or stone). The original name of this disciple was Simon, i.e. "hearer." He was...
• Peter, First Epistle ofThe external evidence of authenticity of this epistle is of the strongest kind and the...
• Peter, Second Epistle ofThe following is a brief outline of the contents of this epistle: The customary...
• Pethahiah(freed by Jehovah). A priest, over the nineteenth course in the reign of David. (1...
• Pethor(soothsayer), a town of Mesopotamia, where Balaam resided, and situated "upon the...
• Pethuel(vision of God), the father of the prophet Joel. (Joel 1:1) (B.C. before 800.)
• Peulthai(my wages) properly Peullethai, the eighth son of Obed-edom. (1 Chronicles 26:5) (B.C. 1020.)
• Phalec(division). Peleg the son of Eber. (Luke 3:35)
• Phallu(distinguished), Pallu the son of Reuben is so called in the Authorized Version of...
• Phalti(my deliverance), the son of Laish of Gallim, to whom Saul gave Michal in marriage...
• PhaltielThe same as Phalti. (2 Samuel 5:15)
• Phanuel(face of God), the father of Anna, the prophetess of the tribe of Aser. (Luke 2:36)...
• Pharaohthe common title of the native kings of Egypt in the Bible, corresponding to P-ra or...
• Pharaoh, the Wife ofThe wife of one Pharaoh, the king who received Hadad the Edomite, is mentioned in...
• Pharaohs DaughterThree Egyptian princesses, daughters of Pharaohs, are mentioned in the Bible:-- The...
• Phares, Pharez or PerezThe son of Judah. (Matthew 1:3; Luke 3:33)
• Pharez(Perez, (1 Chronicles 27:3) Phares, (Matthew 1:3; Luke 3:33) 1 Esd. 5:6), twin son,...
• Phariseesa religious party or school among the Jews at the time of Christ, so called from...
• Pharosh(Ezra 8:3) [See PAROSH]
• Pharpar(swift), the second of the "two rivers of Damascus" --Abana and Pharpar --alluded to...
• Pharzites. thethe descendants of Parez the son of Judah. (Numbers 26:20)
• Phaseah(Nehemiah 7:51) [PASEAH, 2]
• Phaselisa town on the coast of Asia Minor, on the confines of Lycia and Pamphylia, and...
• Phebe[PHOEBE]
• Phenice(Acts 27:12) (more properly Phoenix, as it is translated in the Revised Version), the...
• Phichol(strong), chief captain of the army of Abimelech, king of the Philistines of Gerar in...
• Philadelphiastrictly Philadelphi’a (brotherly love), a town on the confines of Lydia and Phrygia...
• Philemonthe name of the Christian to whom Paul addressed his epistle in behalf of Onesimus. He...
• Philemon, the Epistle of Paul tois one of the letters which the apostle wrote during his first captivity at Rome A.D....
• Philetus(beloved) was possibly a disciple of Hymenaeus, with whom he is associated in (2...
• Philip(lover of horses) the apostle was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, (John...
• Philip the Evangelistis first mentioned in the account of the dispute between the Hebrew and Hellenistic...
• Philippi(named from Philip of Macedonia), a city of Macedonia about nine miles from the sea,...
• Philippians, Epistle to thewas St. Paul from Rome in A.D. 62 or 63. St. Paul’s connection with Philippi was of a...
• Philistia(Heb. Pelesheth) (land of sojourners). The word thus translated (in) (Psalms 60:8;...
• Philistines(immigrants), The origin of the Philistines is nowhere expressly stated in the Bible;...
• Philologusa Christian at Rome to whom St. Paul sends his salutation. (Romans 18:15)
• PhilosophyIt is the object of the following article to give some account (I.) of that...
• Phinehas(mouth of brass). Son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron. (Exodus 6:25) He is memorable...
• Phlegon(burning), a Christian at Rome whom St. Paul salutes. (Romans 16:14) (A.D.55.)...
• Phoebe(radiant) the first and one of the most important of the Christian persons the...
• Phoenice, Phoenicia(land of palm trees) a tract of country, of which Tyre and Sidon were the principal...
• Phrygia(dry, barren). Perhaps there is no geographical term in the New Testament which is...
• Phurah(bough), Gideon’s servant, probably his armor-bearer, comp. (1 Samuel 14:1) who...
• Phurim(Esther 11:1) [PURIM]
• Phut, Put(a bow) the third name in the list of the sons of Ham (Genesis 10:6; 1 Chronicles 1:8)...
• Phuvah(mouth), one of the sons of Issachar, (Genesis 46:13) and founder of the family of the Punites.
• Phygellus(fugitive). [HERMOGENES]
• PhygelusUsed in the Revised Version in (2 Timothy 1:15) for PHYGELLUS.
• Phylactery[FRONTLETS, OR PHYLACTERIES]
• Pibesetha town of lower Egypt, mentioned in (Ezekiel 30:17) the same as Bubastis, so named...
• PictureIn two of the three passages in which "picture" is used in the Authorized Version it...
• Piece of GoldThe rendering "pieces of gold," as in (2 Kings 5:5) is very doubtful; and "shekels of...
• Piece of SilverI. In the Old Testament the word "pieces" is used in the Authorized Version for a word...
• PietyThis word occurs but once in the Authorized Version: "Let them learn first to show...
• Pigeon[TURTLE-DOVE]
• Pihahirotha place before or at which the Israelites encamped, at the close of the third march...
• Pilate(armed with a spear), Pontius. Pontius Pilate was the sixth Roman procurator of Judea,...
• Pildash(flame of fire), one of the eight sons of Nahor, Abraham’s brother by Iris wife and...
• Pileha(worship), the name of one of the chief of the people, probably a family, who signed...
• PillarThe notion of a pillar is of a shaft or isolated pile either supporting or not...
• Pillar, Plain of theor rather "oak of the pillar" (that being the real signification of the Hebrew word...
• Pilled(Genesis 30:37,38) "peeled," Isai 18:2; Ezek 29:28 The verb "to pill" appears in old...
• Piltai, or Piltai(my deliverances), the representative of the priestly house of Moadiah or Maadiah, in...
• Pine TreeHeb. tidhar . (Isaiah 41:19; 60:13) What tree is intended is not certain: but the...
• Pinnacle(of the temple), (Matthew 4:5; Luke 4:9) The Greek word ought to be rendered not a...
• Pinon(darkness), one of the "dukes" of Edom, --that is, head or founder of a tribe of that...
• Pipe(Heb. chalil). The Hebrew word so rendered is derived from a root signifying "to bore,...
• Piram(like a wild ass; fleet) the Amorite king of Jarmuth at the time of Joshua’s conquest...
• Pirathon(princely), "in the land of Ephraim in the mount of the Amalekite," a place in (Judges...
• Pirathonitea native of or dweller in Pirathon. Two such are named in the Bible:-- Abdon...
• Pisgah(section , i.e. peak), (Numbers 21:20; 23:14; 3:27; 34:1) a mountain range or...
• Pisidia(pitchy) was a district in Asia Minor north of Pamphylia, and reached to and was...
• Pison[EDEN]
• Pit[HELL]
• PitchThe three Hebrew words so translated all represent the same object, viz., mineral...
• PitcherThis word is used in the Authorized Version to denote the earthen water-jars or...
• Pithom(the city of justice), one of the store-cites Israelites for the first oppressor, the...
• Pithon(harmless), one of the four sons of Micah, the son of Mephibosheth. (1 Chronicles...
• Plague, theThe plague is considered to be a severe kind of typhus, accompanied by buboes...
• Plagues, the TenThe occasion on which the plagues were sent is described in Exod 3-12. The plague of...
• PlainsThis one term does duty in the Authorized Version for no less than seven distinct...
• Pledge[LOAN]
• PleiadesThe Hebrew word (cimah) so rendered occurs in (Job 9:9; 38:31; Amos 6:8) In the last...
• PloughThe ploughs of ancient Egypt consisted of a share-often pointed with iron or...
• PocherethThe children of Pochereth of Zebaim were among the children of Solomon’s servants who...
• Poetry, HebrewLyrical poetry . --Of the three kinds of poetry which are illustrated by the Hebrew...
• Pollux[CASTOR AND POLLUX AND POLLUX]
• Polygamy[MARRIAGE]
• PomegranateThe pomegranate tree, Punicu granatum , derives its name from the Latin pomum granatum...
• Pommelsonly in (2 Chronicles 4:12,13) In (1 Kings 7:41) "bowls." The word signifies convex...
• PondThe ponds of Egypt, (Exodus 7:19; 13:5) were doubtless water left by the inundation of...
• Pontius Pilate[PILATE]
• Pontusa large district in the north of Asia Minor, extending along the coast of the Pontus...
• PoolPools, like the tanks of India, are in many parts of Palestine and Syria the only...
• PoorThe general kindly spirit of the law toward the poor is sufficiently shown by such...
• PoplarThis is the rendering of the Hebrew word libneh , which occurs in (Genesis 30:37) and...
• Porathaone of the ten sons of Haman slain by the Jews in Shushan the palace. (Esther 9:8)
• PorchUlam , or ulam . (1 Chronicles 28:11) Misderon ulam , (Judges 3:23) strictly a...
• Porcius Festus[FESTUS, PORCIUS]
• PorterThis word when used in the Authorized Version does not bear its modern signification...
• Possession[DEMONIACS]
• PostProbably, as Gesenius argues, the door-case of a door, including the lintel and side...
• PotThe term "pot" is applicable to so many sorts of vessels that it can scarcely be...
• Potipharan Egyptian name, also written Potipherah, signifies belonging to the sun . Potiphar....
• Potipherah, or Potipherahwas priest or prince of On, and his daughter Asenath was given Joseph to wife by...
• Potsherdalso in Authorized Version "sherd," a broken piece of earthenware. (Proverbs 26:23)
• Pottage[LENTILS]
• Potters Field, thea piece of ground which, according to the statement of St. Matthew, (Matthew 27:7) was...
• PotteryThe art of pottery is one of the most common and most ancient of all manufactures. It...
• PoundA weight. [See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES] A sum of money put in the Old...
• Praetorium(in the Revised Version translated palace ,) (Matthew 27:27; John 18:28,33; 19:3) the...
• Praltite, theHelez "the Paltite" is named in (2 Samuel 23:26) among David’s mighty men. (B.C. 1015.)
• PrayerThe object of this article will be to touch briefly on -- The doctrine of Scripture as...
• Presents[GIFT]
• President(sarac or sareca , only used (Daniel 6:1) ... the Chaldee equivalent for Hebrew shter...
• PriestThe English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb....
• Prince, PrincessThe only special uses of the word "prince" are -- "Princes of provinces" (1 Kings...
• PrincipalityIn several passages of the New Testament the term "principalities and powers" appears...
• Prisca(ancient), (2 Timothy 4:19) or Priscil’la (a diminutive from Prisca), the wife of...
• Prison[For imprisonment as a punishment, see PUNISHMENTS] It is plain that in Egypt special...
• Prochorus(leader of the chorus), one of the seven deacons, being the third of the list, and...
• Proconsul(for, or in place of, the consul). At the division of the provinces by Augustus, in...
• ProcuratorThe Greek agemon , rendered "governor" in the Authorized Version, is applied in the...
• ProphetThe ordinary Hebrew word for prophet is nabi , derived from a verb signifying "to...
• Proselyte(a stranger, a new comer), the name given by the Jews to foreigners who adopted the...
• Proverbs, Book ofThe title of this book in Hebrew is taken from its first word, mashal , which...
• ProvinceIn the Old Testament this word appears in connection with the wars between Ahab and...
• Psalms, Book ofThe present Hebrew name of the book is Tehill’im , "Praises;" but in the actual...
• PsalteryThis was a stringed instrument of music to accompany the voice. The Hebrew nabel or...
• Ptolemaeus, or Ptolemywas the common name of the Greek dynasty of Egyptian kings. PTOLEMAEUS I. SOTER, the...
• Ptolemais[ACCHO]
• Ptolemee, or Ptolemeus"The son of Dorymenes," 1 Macc. 3:38; 2 Macc. 4:45; comp. Polyb. v, 61, a courtier who...
• Puaproperly Puvvah. Phuvah the son of Issachar. (Numbers 26:23) (B.C. 1452.)
• Puah(splendid). The father of Tola, a man of the tribe of Issachar and judge of Israel...
• PublicanThe class designated by this word in the New Testament were employed as collectors of...
• Publiusthe chief man --probably the governor-of Melita, who received and lodged St. Paul and...
• Pudens(modest), a Christian friend of Timothy at Rome. (2 Timothy 4:21) (A.D. 84.) According...
• Puhites, theAccording to (1 Chronicles 2:53) the "Puhites" or "Puthites" belonged to the families...
• Pulan Assyrian king, and the first Assyrian monarch mentioned in Scripture. He made an...
• Pul(lord), a country or nation mentioned in (Isaiah 66:19) It is spoken of with distant...
• Pulse(seeds) usually means peas, beans and the seeds that grow in pods. In the Authorized...
• PunishmentsThe earliest theory of punishment current among mankind is doubtless the one of simple...
• Punites, thethe descendants of Pua, or Puvah, the son of Issachar. (Numbers 26:23)
• Punon(darkness) one of the halting-places of the Israelite host during the last portion of...
• Purificationin its legal and technical sense, is applied to the ritual observances whereby an...
• Purim(lots), the annual festival instituted to commemorate the preservation of the Jews in...
• Purosh(flea). The descendants of Parosh, in number 2172, returned front Babylon with...
• Pursea bag for money. The Hebrews, when on a journey, were provided with a bag, in which...
• Put(1 Chronicles 1:8; Nahum 3:9) [PHUT, PUT]
• Puteoli(sulphurous springs), the great landing-place of travelers to Italy from the Levant,...
• PutielOne of the daughters of Putiel was wife of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and mother of...
• Pygargoccurs, (14:5) in the list of clean animals as the rendering of the Heb. dishon , the...
• Pyrrhusthe father of Sopater of Berea. (Acts 20:4) in Revised Version. (A.D. 55.)