The annexed figures represent standards or ensigns of the Roman legions; and explain on what principles the Jews might regard them as idolatrous, not only because they had been consecrated to idols, and by heathen priests, but as they had images on them. See ABOMINATION

ARNON, a river rising in the mountains east of the Dead sea, into which it flows. It is now called Wady Mod-jeb, and anciently divided the territories of the Moabites and Amorites. Num. 21:13. It flows in a deep and wild ravine of the same name. Burckhardt, after reaching the ruins of Aroer, which stand on the edge of the precipice, at the foot of which the Arnon flows, says, "From hence a footpath leads down to the river. The view which the Modjeb presents is very striking. From the bottom, where the river runs through a narrow stripe of verdant level about forty yards

across, the steep and barren banks arise to a great height, covered with immense blocks of stone which have rolled down from the upper strata; so that, when viewed from above, the valley looks like a deep chasm, formed by some tremendous convulsion of the earth, into which there seems to be no possibility of descending to the bottom. The distance from the edge of one precipice to that of the opposite one, is about two miles in a straight line."

AROER, a city of Moab; see ARNON.

ARTAXERXES, the name of several kings of Persia. It is given in Ezra 4:7, &c. to Smerdis the Magian, who usurped the throne after the death of Cambyses, B. C. 522, pretending to be Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, whom Cambyses had put to death. The king of this name, mentioned in Ezra c. 7 and 8, is, most probably, Artaxerxes Longimanus, the son and successor of Xerxes, who ascended the throne B. C. 464, and died B. C. 425, after a mild reign of thirtynine years.

ASA, son and successor of Abijam, king of Judah, 1 K. 15:8, began to reign B. C. 951, and reigned forty-one years at Jerusalem. Asa expelled those who, from sacrilegious superstition, prostituted themselves in honor of their false gods; purified Jerusalem from the infamous practices attending the worship of idols; and deprived his mother of her office and dignity of queen, because she erected an idol to Astarte. In the latter part of his life, he became diseased in his feet; and Scripture reproaches him with having had recourse to the physicians, rather than to the Lord. 2 Chr. 16:12.

ASAHEL, son of Zeruiah, and brother of Joab; one of David's thirty heroes, and extremely swift of foot; killed by Abner, at the battle of Gibeon. 2 Sam. 2:18,19, &c.

ASAPH, a celebrated musician in David's time, and one of the leaders of the temple music. 1 Chr. 25:1,2, &c. His name is also prefixed to twelve psalms, viz. the fiftieth, and from the seventy-third to the eighty-third; but whether he wrote them, or whether they were written for him or his family to sing, is unknown. See MUSIC.

ASHDOD, one of the five cities of the Philistines, assigned to the tribe of Judah, but never conquered by them. Josh. 13:3. 1 Sam. 5:1. 6:17, &c. It was called by the Greeks Azotus. Acts 8:40. Here stood the temple of Dagon; and hither the ark was first brought, after the fatal battle at Ebenezer. 1 Sam. 5:1, &c. At the present day, it is a miserable village, still called Esdud. ASHES. To repent in sackcloth and ashes, or to lie down among ashes, was an external sign of self-affliction for sin, or of grief under misfortune. We find it adopted by Job, c. 2:8; by many Jews when in great fear, Esth. 4:3; and by the king of Nineveh, Jonah 3:6.

ASHIMA, a deity adored by the men of Hamath, who were settled in Samaria. 2 K. 17:30. It is, probably, the same word as the Persian asuman, heaven; and signifies the host of heaven, i. e. the stars, or perhaps the sun alone.

ASHTORETH, or plural ASHTAROTH, called by the Greeks Astarte, was a goddess of the Phoenicians, 2 K. 23:13, whose worship was also introduced among the Israelites and Philistines. K. 11:5,33. 1 Sam.

|| 7:3. 31:10. She is more commonly named in connection with Baal. Judg. 2:13. 10:6. 1 Sam. 7:4. 12:10. Another Hebrew name for the same goddess is Asherah, i. e. the happy, the fortunate; or more simply fortune. This last name is commonly rendered in the English version grove; this meaning, however, cannot be supported in any one passage, but is manifestly contrary both to the etymology and to the context. Both these Hebrew names of Astarte, when used in the plural, often signify images or statues of Astarte; which are then said to be broken down, destroyed, &c.

In connection

with the worship of Astarte there was much of dissolute licentiousness; and the public prostitutes of both sexes were regarded as consecrated to her. See 2 K. 23:7. Comp. Lev. 19:29. Deut. 23:18.

As now Baal, or Bel, denotes, in the astrological mythology of the East, the male star of fortune, the planet Jupiter; so Ashtoreth signifies the female star of || fortune, the planet Venus. Some, however, suppose that Baal designates the sun, and Ashtoreth the moon. See more under BAAL.

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm, Genesis 14:5, or simply Ashtaroth,

Deut. 1:4, a city of Og, king of Bashan, beyond Jordan. The name is doubtless derived from the goddess Ashtoreth or Astarte, who was adored there under the figure of a female with a crescent, or horns. Karnatm signifies horns.

ASIA, one of the great divisions of the eastern continent, lying east of Europe. The Asia spoken of in the Bible, is Asia || Minor, a peninsula, which lies between the Euxine or Black sea and the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and which formerly included the provinces of Phrygia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Caría, Lycia, Lydia, Mysia, Bithynia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Lycaonia, and Pisidia.

On the western coast were anciently the countries of Æolia, Ionia and Doris, the names of which were afterwards retained, although the countries were included in the provinces of Mysia, Lydia and Caria. Many Jews

were scattered over these regions, as appears from the history in Acts, and from Josephus. The writers of the N. T. comprehend, under the name of Asia, either (1) the whole of Asia Minor, Acts 19:26,27. 20:4,16,18; or (2) only proconsular Asia, i. e. the region of Ionia, of which Ephesus was the capital, and which Strabo also calls Asia. Acts 2:9. 6:9. 16:6. 19:10,22. Cicero speaks of proconsular Ásia as containing the provinces of Phrygia, Mysia, Caria and Lydia. ASKELON, a city in the land of the Philistines, between Ashdod and Gaza, on the coast of the Mediterranean. After the death of Joshua, the tribe of Judah took Askelon; but it subsequently became one of the five governments belonging to the Philistines. Judges 1:18. 1 Sam.

6:17. Dr. Richardson thus describes its present state: "Askelon was one of the proudest satrapies of the Philistines; now there is not an inhabitant within its walls; and the prophecy of Zechariah is fulfilled-The king shall perish from Gaza, and Askelon shall not be inhabited.'" Zech. 9:5.

ASP, a kind of serpent, whose poison is of such rapid operation, that it kills almost the instant it penetrates, without a possibility of remedy. It is said to be very small. Forskaal supposes it to be the coluber bætaen of Linnæus; but the true asp of the ancients seems to be entirely unknown. It is frequently mentioned by ancient writers; but in such a careless and indefinite manner, that it is impossible to ascertain the species with precision. Critics are still undecided with respect to the species by which Cleopatra procured her death; and, indeed, whether she was bitten or stung at all. Job 20:16. Rom. 3:13.

ASS, an animal well known for domestic uses; and frequently mentioned in Scripture. People of the first quality in Palestine rode on asses. Deborah, in her song, describes the nobles of the land as those who ride on white asses. Judg. 5:10; comp. Judg. 10:4. 12:14. The oriental asses are not to be compared with those of northern countries; but are far more stately, active and lively. Indeed they were anciently, as still, highly prized; and were also preferred for riding, especially the she-asses, on account of their sure-footedness. Hence we so often find mention of she-asses alone.

The Wild Ass is a well-known oriental animal, often mentioned in Scripture, and is a much