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
Catalogue details

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.

    771/996 page 749
    walls, situate about 25 miles south of the Am on, was the capital of the Moabites. See Ar. RABBI. See Doctor, and Rab. RABBITH, a city of Issachar, Josh. xix. 20. RABBONI, a diminutive from Rabbi, (John xx. 16.) or my master. RAB-MAG, a general officer of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, at the taking of Jerusalem, Jer. xxxix. 3. A. M. 3416. RAB-SARIS, or Rab-sares, an officer sent with Rab- shakeh and Tartan, to summon Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii. 17 ; Jer. xxxix. 3. RAB-SHAKEH, or Rab-saces, that is, chief butler or cup-bearer, was an officer sent by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, to summon Hezekiah to surrender to his troops, which he did, in a very haughty and inso- lent manner, telling him, in Hebrew, that he ought not to put confidence, either in the king of Egypt, or in the Lord, who had ordered Sennacherib to march against Judea, 2 Kings xviii. 17. After this Rab- shakeh returned to his master, who had quitted the siege of Lachish to meet the king- of Egypt, then com- ing to assist Hezekiah. But in this march the destroy- ing angel slew 185,000 of the army of Sennacherib; and he was obliged to hasten back to Nineveh, where he was slain by his own sons, Isa. xxxvii. 36, &c. 2 Kings xix. 35—37. See Sennacherib. RACA, a word derived from the root pn rik, vain, trifling, witless, brainless : otherwise, beggarly, worth- less. It is thus translated by the Vulgate, in Judg. xi. 3. in the English, vain men. The word includes a strong idea of contempt. Christ says, (Matt. v. 22.) whoever shall say to his neighbour, Raca, shall be condemned by the council, or Sanhedrim. Ligktfoot assures us, that in the Jewish books, the word Raca is a term of the utmost contempt; and that it used to be pronounced with certain gestures of in- dignation, as spitting, turning away the head, &c. RACE, RUNNING. The numerous allusions in the writings of Paul to the races and games established in Greece, require some acquaintance with the nature and laws of those Institutions, to render such passages intelligible. It may therefore be proper to adduce a few remarks concerning them. The apostle says, (1 Cor. ix. 24.) “ Know ye not that they w ho run in a race, run all, but one (only) receiv- eth the prize ?—so run that ye may obtain. And every one who striveth is temperate,” &c. Also 2 Tim. ii. 5. “ If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully.” See also Heb. xii. 1. Gal. v. 7, See. “ Such as obtained victories in any of these games, especially the Olympic, were universally honoured, nay, almost adored. At their return home they rode in a triumphal chariot into the city, the wails being broken down to give them entrance; which was done (as Plutarch is of opinion) to signify, that walls are of small use to a city that is inhabited by men of courage and ability to defend it. At Sparta they had an hon- ourable post in the army, being stationed near the king’s person. At some towns they had presents made to them by their native city, were honoured with the first place at shows and games, and ever after main- tained at the public charge. Cicero reports, that a victory in the Olympic games was not much less honourable than a triumph at Rome. Happy was that man esteemed, who could but obtain a single vic- tory ; if any person merited repeated rewards, he was thought to have attained the utmost felicity of which human nature is capable; but if he came off conqueror in all the exercises, he was elevated above the condition of men, and his actions styled wonderful victories ! Nor did their honours terminate in themselves, but w'ere extended to all about them ; the city that gave them birth and education was esteemed more honour- able and august: happy were their relations, and thrice happy their parents. It is a remarkable story which Plutarch relates of a Spartan, who meeting Dia- gorus, that had himself been crowned in the Olympic games, and seen his sons and grand-children victors, embraced him, and said, ‘ Now die, Diagoras; for thou canst not be a god !’ By the laws of Solon, a hundred drachms were allowed from the public treasury to every Athenian who obtained a prize in the Isthmian games; and five hundred drachms to such as were victors in the Olympian. Afterwards, the latter of these had their maintenance in the Prytaneum, or public hall of Athens.” The IT£V7-o0Xoi/, Pentathlon, or Quinquertium, [five games,] consisted of the five exercises contained in this verse. TTOOMKshlV, clftKOV, (IKOVTCt, TrdXtjV, leaping, running, throwing, darting, wrestling. Instead of darting, some mention boxing; others speak of exercises different from those mentioned. For Pentathlon seems to have been a common name for any five sorts of exercise performed at the same time. In all of them there were some customs that deserve our observation. Dromos, Apoyop, the exercise of running, was in great esteem among the ancient Grecians, inso- much, that such as prepared themselves for it, thought it worth their while to use means to burn or parch their spleen, because it was believed to be a hinderance to them, and retard them in their course. Homer tells us, that swiftness is one of the most excellent endow- ments a man can be blessed withal:— No greater honour e’er has been attained, Than what strong hands, or nimble feet, have gained. Indeed, all those exercises that conduced to fit men for war, were more especially valued. Swiftness was looked upon as an excellent qualification in a warrior, both because it serves for a sudden assault and onset, and likewise for a nimble retreat; and therefore it is not to be wondered that the constant character which Homer gives of Achilles is, that he was swift of foot; and in the holy Scripture, David, in his poetical lamen- tation over those two great captains, Saul and Jona- than, takes particular notice of this warlike quality of theirs: “ they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions,” 2 Sam. i. 23. Those persons who designed to contend in these games, were obliged to repair to the public gymna- sium, at Elis, ten months before the solemnity, where they prepared themselves by continual exercises. No man who had omitted to present himself in this man- ner, was allowed to contend for any of the prizes; nor were the accustomed rewards of victory given to such persons, if by any means they introduced themselves, and overcame their antagonists. No person who was himself a notorious criminal, or nearly related to any such, was permitted to contend; and further, if any person were convicted of bribing his adversary, a severe fine was laid upon him. Nor were these precautions alone thought a sufficient guard against evil and dis- honourable contracts and unjust practices, but the con- tenders were obliged to swear, that they had spent ten whole months in preparatory exercises: and both they, their fathers and brethren, took a solemn oath, that
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3