Encyclopedia - 1 Maccabees: Encyclopedia - 1 Maccabees
1 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book of the Bible which was written by a Jewish (pre-Christian) author, probably about 100 BC, after th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 1 Maccabees: Encyclopedia Ii - 1 Maccabees - Transmission, Language And Author
The text comes to us in three codices of the Septuagint, the Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Venetus, as well as some curs...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 1 Maccabees: Encyclopedia Ii - 1 Maccabees - Transmission Language And Author
The text comes to us in three codices of the Septuagint, the Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Venetus, as well as some curs...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jaffa: Encyclopedia Ii - Jaffa - History
Jaffa - Name sources. Jaffa (or Yaffo) is one of the most ancient port cities in the world. Some claim that Jaffa was named after Japhe...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Dagon: Encyclopedia - Dagon
Adonis | Anat | Asherah | Astarte | Ba'al | Berith | Dagon | El | Elyon | Elohim | Hadad | Mot | Salem | Shaddai | Yaw Adonai | El | Eloh...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia - Bible
The Bible (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Good Book, Word of God, The Word, or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) bibl...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Book Of Judith: Encyclopedia - Book Of Judith
The Book of Judith is a deuterocanonical book, included in the Septuagint and in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian Old Testament ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Apocrypha: Encyclopedia - Apocrypha
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Fath...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 2 Maccabees: Encyclopedia - 2 Maccabees
2 Maccabees is a deuterocanonical book of the Bible which focuses on the Jews' revolt against Antiochus and concludes with the defeat of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hanukkah: Encyclopedia - Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights or Festival of Dedication, is an eight day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of K...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Views Of Hanukkah: Encyclopedia - Christian Views Of Hanukkah
Christian views of Hanukkah. During the last few decades, some Christians (such as evangelical Christians and Messianic Judaism) have re...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Battle Of Elasa: Encyclopedia - Battle Of Elasa
The Battle of Elasa was fought between Jewish and Syrian Forces during the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Kingdom. In 160 BC, the ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Atargatis: Encyclopedia - Atargatis
Atargatis, in Aramaic ‘Atar‘atah, was a Syrian deity, more commonly known to the Greeks by a shortened form of the name, Derceto or D...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hasmonean: Encyclopedia - Hasmonean
The Hasmonean Kingdom (pronunciation) in ancient Judea and its ruling dynasty from 140 BCE to 37 BCE was established under the leadership...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Abomination Bible: Encyclopedia - Abomination Bible
This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897. Abomination in the Biblical ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 4 Maccabees: Encyclopedia - 4 Maccabees
The book of 4 Maccabees is a homily or philosophic discourse praising the supremacy of pious reason over the passions. While once accepte...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 3 Maccabees: Encyclopedia - 3 Maccabees
The Biblical book 3 Maccabees is found in most Orthodox Bibles as a part of the deuterocanonical books. Protestants and Catholics regard ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Deuterocanonical Books: Encyclopedia - Deuterocanonical Books
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Fath...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names Of God In Judaism: Encyclopedia - Names Of God In Judaism
Adonis | Anat | Asherah | Astarte | Ba'al | Berith | Dagon | El | Elyon | Elohim | Hadad | Mot | Salem | Shaddai | Yaw Adonai | El | Eloh...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Septuagint: Encyclopedia - Septuagint
The Septuagint (LXX) is the name commonly given in the West to the Koine Greek Alexandrine text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Cocytus: Encyclopedia - Cocytus
In Greek mythology, Cocytus, meaning river of wailing (Greek κωκυτός, "lamentation") was the river in the underworld on the banks ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ammon: Encyclopedia - Ammon
Ammon or Ammonites (עַמּוֹן "People", Standard Hebrew ʻAmmon, Tiberian Hebrew ʻAmmôn), also referred to in the Bible as the "ch...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia - Circumcision
Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the foreskin (prepuce) from the penis. The frenulum may also be removed at the same time, i...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Religious Antisemitism
Anti-Semitism - Anti-Judaism in the New Testament. The New Testament is a collection of 'books' written by various authors. Most of thi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - Circumcision - History Of Circumcision
Main article: History of male circumcision It has been variously proposed that circumcision began as a religious sacrifice, as a rite of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ammon: Encyclopedia Ii - Ammon - Territory
The borders of the Ammonite territory are not clearly defined in the Bible. In Judges xi. 13, the claim of the king of Ammon, who demands...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 2 Esdras: Encyclopedia Ii - 2 Esdras - Naming Numbering And Language
As with 1 Esdras, there is some confusion about the numbering of this book. Some early Latin manuscripts call it 3 Esdras, and Jerome den...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names And Titles Of Jesus: Encyclopedia Ii - Names And Titles Of Jesus - Other Titles In The Gospels
In the Gospels, Jesus has many titles besides "Messiah": Prophet, Lord, Son of man, Son of God, Son of David, King of the Jews and Emmanu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of Male Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of Male Circumcision - Male Circumcision In The Greco-roman World
According to Hodges, ancient Greek aesthetics of the human form considered circumcision a mutilation of a previously perfectly shaped org...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Leader Of The Jews
Jonathan was one of the sons of Mattathias Maccabaeus. His father was a Kohen credited as the founding figure of the rebellion of the Mac...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jaffa: Encyclopedia Ii - Jaffa - History
Jaffa - Name sources. Jaffa (or Yaffo) is one of the most ancient port cities in the world. Some claim that Jaffa was named after Japhe...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Greeks: Encyclopedia Ii - Greeks - Identity Of The Greek People
Greeks - Classical and Roman. Herodotus states that the Athenians declared, before the battle of Plataea, that they would not go over t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Book Of Judges: Encyclopedia Ii - Book Of Judges - Authorship
While the authorship of Judges has traditionally been ascribed to Samuel, the great majority of modern scholars have come to a much more ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hanukkah: Encyclopedia Ii - Hanukkah - Hanukkah Rituals
Hanukkah has relatively simple religious rituals that are performed during the eight nights and days of the holiday. Some aspects are pra...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazirite: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazirite - Nazarites And The New Testament
The practice of a Nazarite vow is part of the obscurity of the Greek term "Nazarene" that appears in the New Testament; the sacrifice of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Dagon: Encyclopedia Ii - Dagon - The Ancient God Dagon
Dagon was a major northwest Semitic god, the god of grain and agriculture according to the few sources to speak of the matter, worshipped...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hasmonean: Encyclopedia Ii - Hasmonean - Leadership And Succession
The leadership of the Hasmoneans was founded by a resolution, adopted in 141 BCE, at a large assembly "of the priests and the people and ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible (also known as the Jewish Bible, or תנ"ך, Tanakh in Hebrew) consists of 24 books. Tanakh is an acronym for the three ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Septuagint: Encyclopedia Ii - Septuagint - Use Of The Septuagint
Septuagint - Jewish use. Jewish attitudes toward translations of their scriptures developed with time. By the 2nd century BC, it was of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hanukkah: Encyclopedia Ii - Hanukkah - Hanukkah Rituals
Hanukkah has relatively simple religious rituals that are performed during the eight nights and days of the holiday. Some aspects are pra...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 2 Maccabees: Encyclopedia Ii - 2 Maccabees - Author
The author of 2 Maccabees is not identified, but he claims to be abridging a 5-volume work by Jason of Cyrene. This longer work is not pr...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Hammer (also known as the Jewish Bible, or תנ"ך, Tanakh in Hebrew) consists of 24 books. Tanakh is an acronym for the three...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jaffa: Encyclopedia Ii - Jaffa - History
Jaffa - Name sources. Jaffa (or Yaffo) is one of the most ancient port cities in the world. Some claim that Jaffa was named after Japhe...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Kedesh: Encyclopedia Ii - Kedesh - History
Kedesh was first documented in the Book of Joshua as a Canaanite citadel that was conquered by the Israelites under the leadership of Mos...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Psalms: Encyclopedia Ii - Psalms - The Psalms In Christian Worship
New Testament references show that the earliest Christians used the Psalms in worship, and the Psalms have remained an important part of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names Of God In Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Names Of God In Judaism - Names Of God
Names of God in Judaism - The Tetragrammaton. The most important name of God in Judaism is the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 4 Maccabees: Encyclopedia Ii - 4 Maccabees - Authorship And Criticism
According to some scholars, the last chapter shows signs of later addition to the work, though this is disputed by the authors of the Jew...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Books Of Samuel: Encyclopedia Ii - Books Of Samuel - The Contents Of The Books
The two books can be essentially broken down into five parts: The period of Yahweh's rejection of Eli, Samuel's birth, and subsequent ju...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Apocrypha: Encyclopedia Ii - Apocrypha - Religious Usage
In Judeo-Christian theology, the word apocrypha refers to texts that are not considered canonical, part of the Bible, but are of roughly ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ammon: Encyclopedia Ii - Ammon - In The Torah, Joshua And Judges
Ammon - Descent. According to the pedigree given in Genesis xix. 37-38, the Ammonites were closely related to the Israelites and still ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Under Demetrius Ii.
In 145 BC, the Battle of Antioch resulted in the final defeat of Alexander Balas by the forces of his father-in-law Ptolemy VI. Ptolemy h...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Friendship With Rome And Sparta.
As Demetrius II did not keep his promise, Jonathan thought it better to support the new king when Diodotus Tryphon and Antiochus VI seize...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names And Titles Of Jesus: Encyclopedia Ii - Names And Titles Of Jesus - Personal Name
Jesus is derived from the Latin Iesus, which in turn comes from the Greek Ιησούς (Iēsoûs). The earliest use of Iēsoûs is found ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jaffa: Encyclopedia Ii - Jaffa - Modern Jaffa
With the massive arrival of many Jewish immigrants from Bulgaria, Morocco, Romania, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Tuni...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Diodotus Tryphon
This made Diodotus Tryphon suspicious; he went with an army to Judea, invited Jonathan to Scythopolis for a friendly conference, and pers...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Racial Anti-semitism
Racial anti-Semitism replaced the hatred of Judaism with the hatred of Jews as a group. In the context of the Industrial Revolution, foll...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Anti-semitism And The Muslim World
Anti-Semitism within Islam is discussed in the article on Islam and anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism in the Arab World is discussed in the ar...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Anti-semitism And Anti-zionism
Anti-Zionism is a term that has been used to describe several very different political and religious points of view (both historically an...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Turn Of Fate
However Jonathan was not idle. He continued activities against the Jews influenced by the Hellenistic civilization. Two years after the d...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - High Priest.
But Jonathan must have used this peaceful period to good advantage, for he was soon in possession of great power. An important external e...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jonathan Maccabaeus: Encyclopedia Ii - Jonathan Maccabaeus - Victory Over Apollonius.
Jonathan proved grateful. In 147 BC, Demetrius II Nicator, a son of Demetrius I Soter, started claiming the throne against Alexander Bala...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Etymology And Usage
The word antisemitic (antisemitisch in German) was probably first used in 1860 by the Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider in the phrase ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Etymology And Usage
The word antisemitic (antisemitisch in German) was probably first used in 1860 by the Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider in the phrase...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Anti-semitism And The Muslim World
Anti-Semitism within Islam is discussed in the article on Islam and anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism in the Arab World is discussed in the ar...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Anti-semitism And Specific Countries
Anti-Semitism - United States. Main article: History of the Jews in the United States Jews were often condemned by populist politicia...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Christian Bible
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity of God God t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of Male Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of Male Circumcision - Circumcision In The 21st Century
The major medical societies in America[27], Britain[28], Canada[29], Australia and New Zealand[30] do not recommend routine non-therapeut...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hanukkah: Encyclopedia Ii - Hanukkah - When Hanukkah Occurs
Further information: Jewish holidays 2000-2050 The dates of Hanukkah are determined by the Hebrew Calendar. Hanukkah begins at the 25th d...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names And Titles Of Jesus: Encyclopedia Ii - Names And Titles Of Jesus - Titles Not Used In The Gospels
Names and titles of Jesus - Christ the King. In Roman Catholic theology, one title given to Jesus is "Christ the King", and there is a ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Psalms: Encyclopedia Ii - Psalms - Composition Of The Book Of Psalms
The Book of Psalms is divided into 150 Psalms, each of which constitutes a religious song or chant, though one or two are long and may co...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Anti-semitism: Encyclopedia Ii - Anti-semitism - Anti-semitism In The 21st Century
According to the 2005 U.S. State Department Report on Global Anti-Semitism, anti-Semitism in Europe has increased significantly in recent...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Psalms: Encyclopedia Ii - Psalms - Authorship And Ascriptions
Traditionally the Psalms were thought to be the work of David, but many modern scholars see them as the product of several authors or gro...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hanukkah: Encyclopedia Ii - Hanukkah - Interaction With Other Traditions
Hanukkah gained increased importance with many Jewish families in the twentieth century, including large numbers of secular Jews who want...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Introduction Of Chapters And Verses
; see Tanakh for the Jewish textual tradition. The Hebrew Masoretic text contains verse endings as an important feature. According to the...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Book Of Judges: Encyclopedia Ii - Book Of Judges - Structure And Content
Academics treat the text of Judges as having three distinct sections: The Introduction (1:1-3:10 and 3:12) giving a summary of the book ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Canonization Of Scripture
In Judaism it is commonly thought that the canonical status of some books was discussed between 200 BC and AD 100, though it is unclear a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Apocrypha: Encyclopedia Ii - Apocrypha - Other Old Testament Apocryphal Literature
Apocrypha - Historical. The History of Johannes Hyrcanus is mentioned in 1 Macc. xvi. 23-24, but no trace has been discovered of its e...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Apocrypha: Encyclopedia Ii - Apocrypha - Old Testament Apocryphal Books
We shall now proceed to enumerate the apocryphal books: first the Apocrypha Proper, and next the rest of the Old and New Testament apocry...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - Circumcision - Reasons For Circumcision
Circumcision is performed for religious, aesthetic, cultural, or medical reasons, or as a form of body modification. Circumcision - Reli...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - Circumcision - Risks Of Circumcision
As with all surgical procedures, circumcision has associated risks. The incidence of complications is unknown, but the American Academy o...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ammon: Encyclopedia Ii - Ammon - In The Torah Joshua And Judges
Ammon - Descent. According to the pedigree given in Genesis xix. 37-38, the Ammonites were closely related to the Israelites and still ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - Circumcision - Prevalence Of Circumcision Worldwide
Estimates of the proportion of males that are circumcised worldwide vary from one sixth[53] to one third[54]. Except for Muslims and Jews...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - Circumcision - Consent
The issue of consent is of particular relevance to circumcision because it is often done to infants, who are unable to consent to this, o...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Books Of Samuel: Encyclopedia Ii - Books Of Samuel - Tribes And Peoples
Although most traditional interpretations of Jewish history view the Israelites as the ancestors of both the Kingdom of Israel and that o...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Books Of Samuel: Encyclopedia Ii - Books Of Samuel - Authorship
Traditionally, the authors of the books of Samuel have been held to be Samuel, Gad, and Nathan. Samuel is believed to have penned the fir...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names Of God In Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Names Of God In Judaism - Laws Of Writing Divine Names
According to Jewish tradition, the sacredness of the divine names must be recognized by the professional scribe who writes the Scriptures...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - The Christian Bible
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Fath...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Names Of God In Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Names Of God In Judaism - Miracles Of The Divine Names
In the Haggadah (the traditional Hebrew Passover text) it is written that the divine names of God could be used to perform miracles if on...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Psalms: Encyclopedia Ii - Psalms - Use Of The Psalms In Jewish Ritual
The Mosaic ritual set out in the books of the Pentateuch or Torah makes no provision for the service of song in the worship of God. The e...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Psalms: Encyclopedia Ii - Psalms - Sections Of The Book
In Jewish usage, the Psalter is divided, after the analogy of the Pentateuch, into five books, each closing with a doxology or benedictio...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bible: Encyclopedia Ii - Bible - Bible Versions And Translations
In scholarly writing, ancient translations are frequently referred to as "versions", with the term "translation" being reserved for medie...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Septuagint: Encyclopedia Ii - Septuagint - Books Of The Septuagint
The vast majority of the Septuagint coincides with the Jewish Tanakh, although the order does not always coincide with the modern orderin...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Septuagint: Encyclopedia Ii - Septuagint - Dating And Critical Scholarship
Modern scholarship holds that the LXX was translated and composed over the course of the 3rd through 1st centuries BC(E), beginning with ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Septuagint: Encyclopedia Ii - Septuagint - Naming And Designation
The Septuagint derives its name (derived from Latin septuaginta, seventy, hence the abbreviation LXX) from a legendary account in the Let...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of Male Circumcision: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of Male Circumcision - Circumcision Since 1950
In 1949, a lack of consensus in the medical community as to whether circumcision carried with it any notable health benefit motivated the...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ammon: Encyclopedia Ii - Ammon - During The Kingdoms Of Israel And Judah
Attacks by the Ammonites on Israelite communities east of the Jordan were the impetus behind the unification of the tribes under Saul, wh...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Greeks: Encyclopedia Ii - Greeks - Greeks Around The World
Outside Greece and Cyprus, large Greek communities can be found in a number of countries: United States: 1,153,295 (self-reported herita...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Greeks: Encyclopedia Ii - Greeks - Footnotes
1In Greek: homoglosson (ὁμόγλωσσον) + 2In Greek: homaimon (ὅμαιμον) 3Compare the Christian Greek and Demotic term omot...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Greeks: Encyclopedia Ii - Greeks - History Of The Greeks
The history of the Greek people is closely associated with the history of Greece itself. While Greeks have migrated away from Greece for ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Greeks: Encyclopedia Ii - Greeks - Names Used For The Greek People
Main Article: Names of the Greeks. Throughout the centuries, the Greeks have been known by a number of names, including: Hellenes (Έλ�...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - 2 Esdras: Encyclopedia Ii - 2 Esdras - Author And Criticism
The main body of the book appears to be written for consolation in a period of great distress (most likely Titus' destruction of the Seco...   » Read the article