Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible / by the late Mr. Charles Taylor, with the fragments incorporated. The whole condensed and arranged in alphabetical order; with numerous additions.

  • Antoine Augustin Calmet
Date:
1833
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible / by the late Mr. Charles Taylor, with the fragments incorporated. The whole condensed and arranged in alphabetical order; with numerous additions. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    768/996 page 746
    in several places. He used much wool of this colour iu the work of the tabernacle, and in the ornaments of the high-priest. It was the colour used by princes and great men, by way of distinction, Judg. viii. 26. Luke xvi. 19. Dan. v. 7. We see by Jeremiah and Baruch, that the Babylonians clothed their idols, in habits of a purple and azure colour, Jer. x. 9. Baruch vi. 12, 71. PUTEOLI, the wells : now Pozzolo, a city in the Campania of Naples, eight miles from that city : a co- lony. Here Paul abode seven days, Acts xxviii. 13. PYTHONESS, of Endor. See p. 786. Q QUA Q U E QUAIL. There has been a difference of opinion among learned men with respect to what creature is intended by the Hebrew shelavim, which we render (juai/s, Exod. xvi. 13. &c. Our English translators are supported by the Septuagint, Josephus, Philo Ap- pollinanus, and the Rabbins, among the ancients; and by Bochart, Hasselquist, Shaw, Harmer, and the ma- jority of commentators among the moderns. On the other hand, the learned Ludolph insists, these selavin were locusts, in which he has been followed by Scheuchzer and Bishop Patrick. Mr. Taylor has prosecuted a lengthened investigation into the subject, but closes it without pronouncing any decided opinion, though he seems to incline to the latter interpretation. To institute an inquiry into the respective claims of these conflicting opinions, would occupy more space than we can appropriate to the subject. The argu- ments which have been adduced in favour of the bird, we believe to have a decided advantage over those on the other side, independent of the testimony of the Psalmist, which we think should be regarded as con- clusive. Describing the merciful interposition of God in behalf of his chosen people, during the time that they were wandering in the great desert, this sacred writer refers in unequivocal language to the miracu- lous supply of the selavim, which lie denominates lea- thered fowls, ouph canaph, a term never applied to insects. “ He caused an east wind to blow' in the heaven; and by his power he brought on the south wind ; he rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like the sand of the sea: and let fall in the midst of their camp, and round about their habitations,” Psal. lxxviii. 26—28. The quail is a bird of passage, and about the size of a turtle dove. Hasselquist states that it is plentiful near the shores of the Dead sea and the Jordan, and in the deserts of Arabia; and Diodorus affirms that it is caught in immense numbers about Rliinocolura; countries through which the Israelites passed in their way to the Promised Land. On two occasions the demands of the murmuring Hebrews were supplied with quails; and, on each oc- casion, the event is distinctly referred to the miraculous interposition of God, Exod. xvi. 12, 13. Numb. xi. 31. On the former occasion, the birds were scattered about the camp only for a single day; but, on the latter, they came up from the sea for the space of an entire month. The great numbers of the selavim which are said to have been provided for the people, has been regarded as almost incredible; but without sufficient reason, as may be shown, w ithout resorting to the supposition, that they were created for this express occasion. Varro asserts, that turtles and quails return from their mi- grations into Italy in immense numbers; and Solinus adds, that when they come within sight of land, they rush forward in large bodies, and with so great im- petuosity, as often to endanger the safety of navigators, uy oversetting the vessels, lienee it appears, that this part of the narrative is perfectly credible; and that the miracle consisted in these immense flocks being directed to a particular spot, in the extreme emergency of the people, by means of “ a wind from the Lord,” Numb. xi. 31. QUARREL, a brawl or contest. Solomon compares him who meddles with the quarrels of people un- known, to one who takes a dog by the cars, and so rashly exposes himself to be bitten. This is generally the ease; but it should not be concluded from hence, that we ought never to try to reconcile neighbours. It must be attempted, however, with much prudence, caution, and charity, for fear of increasing the evil we undertake to appease. QUEEN, a king’s wife. This is the general ac- ceptation of the term queen, but it seems to be used by the Orientals in another sense, and corresponds to the official title of “ king’s mother.” A knowledge of this circumstance will remove several discrepancies in the historical books of the Old Testament, which have greatly perplexed the commentators. Mr. Baruh has some very ingenious remarks upon this subject, which are well worthy of consideration. He suggests that the title -|Scn ott [am HcMeLecii, king's mother'] and that of irvajPi [hcgcbikch, translated “ queen,'' 2 Kings x. 13. 2 Chron. xv. 16.] describe one and the same thing : that is, that the phrase, And his mother's name was, &c. when expressed on a king’s accession to the throne, at the beginning of his history, does not always imply, that the lady whose name is then mentioned was the king’s [natural] mother. He conceives that (ten) “ the king’s mother,” when so introduced, is only a title of honour and dignity enjoyed by one lady, solely, of the royal family at a time, denoting her to be the first in rank, chief sultana, or queen dowager, whether she happened to be the king’s [natural] mo- ther or not. This remark seems to be corroborated by the history of king Asa, (1 Kings xv. 10. and 2 Chron. xv. 16.) who was Abijah’s son. In the book of Kings, at his accession, this same Maaca, Absalom’s daughter, is said to be his mother, and Asa afterwards deprived her of the dignity of rvv3J (GeBiuen)orchiefestin rank, on account of her idolatrous proceedings. But it is certain that Maaca was his grandmother, and not his mother, as here described. If we look upon the ex- pression of the king's mother to be only a title of dig- nity, therefore, all the difficulty will cease ; for this Maaca was really Abijah’s mother, the beloved wife of his father, Rehoboam, who, for her sake, appointed her son, Abijali, to be bis successor to the throne ; but when Abijali came to be king, that dignity of the king's mother, or the first in rank of the royal family, was, for some reason, perhaps for seniority, given to Mi- cayau, the daughter of Uriel of Gibea ; and afterwards, on the death of Micayau, that dignity devolved to Maaca, and she enjoyed it at the accession of Asa, her grandson, who afterwards degraded her for her idol- atry. This Mr. Baruh submits to be a rational way
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