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Mahath - grasping. (1.) A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah (1 Chr. 6:35).

(2.) Another Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29:12).

Mahazioth - visions, a Kohathite Levite, chief of the twenty-third course of musicians (1 Chr. 25:4,1 Chr. 25:30).

Maher-shalal-hash-baz - plunder speedeth; spoil hasteth, ( Isa. 8:1-3; comp. Zeph. 1:14), a name Isaiah was commanded first to write in large characters on a tablet, and afterwards to give as a symbolical name to a son that was to be born to him ( Isa. 8:1,Isa. 8:3), as denoting the sudden attack on Damascus and Syria by the Assyrian army.

Mahlah - disease, one of the five daughters of Zelophehad ( Num. 27:1-11) who had their father's inheritance, the law of inheritance having been altered in their favour.

Mahlon - sickly, the elder of Elimelech the Bethlehemite's two sons by Naomi. He married Ruth and died childless ( Ruth 1:2,Ruth 1:5;Ruth 4:9,Ruth 1:10), in the land of Moab.

Mahol - dance, the father of four sons (1 Kings 4:31) who were inferior in wisdom only to Solomon.

Mail, Coat of - "a corselet of scales," a cuirass formed of pieces of metal overlapping each other, like fish-scales (1 Sam. 17:5); also (38) a corselet or garment thus encased.

Main-sail - (Gr. artemon), answering to the modern "mizzen-sail," as some suppose. Others understand the "jib," near the prow, or the "fore-sail," as likely to be most useful in bringing a ship's head to the wind in the circumstances described ( Acts 27:40).

Makheloth - assemblies, a station of the Israelites in the desert ( Num. 33:25,Num. 33:26).

Makkedah - herdsman's place, one of the royal cities of the Canaanites ( Josh. 12:16), near which was a cave where the five kings who had confederated against Israel sought refuge ( Josh 10:10-29). They were put to death by Joshua, who afterwards suspended their bodies upon five trees. It has been identified with the modern village called Sumeil, standing on a low hill about 7 miles to the north-west of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin), where are ancient remains and a great cave. The Palestine Exploration surveyors have, however, identified it with el-Mughar, or "the caves," 3 miles from Jabneh and 2 1/2 southwest of Ekron, because, they say, "at this site only of all possible sites for Makkedah in the Palestine plain do caves still exist." (See ADONI-ZEDEC .)

Maktesh - mortar, a place in or near Jerusalem inhabited by silver mechants ( Zeph. 1:11). It has been conjectured that it was the "Phoenician quarter" of the city, where the traders of that nation resided, after the Oriental custom.

Malachi - messenger or angel, the last of the minor prophets, and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon ( Mal. 4:4,Mal. 4:5,Mal. 4:6). Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies. Some have supposed that the name is simply a title descriptive of his character as a messenger of Jehovah, and not a proper name. There is reason, however, to conclude that Malachi was the ordinary name of the prophet.

He was contemporary with Nehemiah (comp. Mal. 2:8 with Neh. 13:15; Mal. 2:10-16 with Neh. 13:23). No allusion is made to him by Ezra, and he does not mention the restoration of the temple, and hence it is inferred that he prophesied after Haggai and Zechariah, and when the temple services were still in existence ( Mal. 1:10;Mal 3:1,Mal. 1:10). It is probable that he delivered his prophecies about B.C. 420, after the second return of Nehemiah from Persia ( Neh. 13:6), or possibly before his return.

Malachi, Prophecies of - The contents of the book are comprised in four chapters. In the Hebrew text the third and fourth chapters (of the A.V.) form but one. The whole consists of three sections, preceded by an introduction ( Mal. 1:1-5), in which the prophet reminds Israel of Jehovah's love to them. The first section ( Mal 1:6-2:9) contains a stern rebuke addressed to the priests who had despised the name of Jehovah, and been leaders in a departure from his worship and from the covenant, and for their partiality in administering the law. In the second (2:9-16) the people are rebuked for their intermarriages with idolatrous heathen. In the third (2:17-4:6) he addresses the people as a whole, and warns them of the coming of the God of judgment, preceded by the advent of the Messiah.

This book is frequently referred to in the New Testament ( Matt. 11:10;Matt 17:12; Mark 1:2; Mark 9:11, Mark 1:12; Luke 1:17; Rom. 9:13).

Malcam - (2 Sam. 12:30, Heb., R.V., "their king;" Jer. 49:1, Jer. 49:3, R.V.; Zeph. 1:5), the national idol of the Ammonites. When Rabbah was taken by David, the crown of this idol was among the spoils. The weight is said to have been "a talent of gold" (above 100 lbs.). The expression probably denotes its value rather than its weight. It was adorned with precious stones.

Malchiah - Jehovah's king. (1.) The head of the fifth division of the priests in the time of David (1 Chr. 24:9).

(2.) A priest, the father of Pashur (1 Chr. 9:12; Jer. 38:1).

(3.) One of the priests appointed as musicians to celebrate the completion of the walls of Jerusalem ( Neh. 12:42).

(4.) A priest who stood by Ezra when he "read in the book of the law of God" ( Neh. 8:4).

(5.) Neh. 3:11.

(6.) Neh. 3:31.

(7.) Neh. 3:14.

Malchi-shua - king of help, one of the four sons of Saul (1 Chr. 8:33). He perished along with his father in the battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:2).

Malchus - reigning, the personal servant or slave of the high priest Caiaphas. He is mentioned only by John. Peter cut off his right ear in the garden of Gethsemane ( John 18:10). But our Lord cured it with a touch ( Matt. 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:51). This was the last miracle of bodily cure wrought by our Lord. It is not mentioned by John.

Mallothi - my fulness, a Kohathite Levite, one of the sons of Heman the Levite (1 Chr. 25:4), and chief of the nineteenth division of the temple musicians (26).

Mallows - occurs only in Job 30:4 (R.V., "saltwort"). The word so rendered (malluah, from melah, "salt") most probably denotes the Atriplex halimus of Linnaeus, a species of sea purslane found on the shores of the Dead Sea, as also of the Mediterranean, and in salt marshes. It is a tall shrubby orach, growing to the height sometimes of 10 feet. Its buds and leaves, with those of other saline plants, are eaten by the poor in Palestine.

Malluch - reigned over, or reigning. (1.) A Levite of the family of Merari (1 Chr. 6:44).

(2.) A priest who returned from Babylon ( Neh. 12:2).

(3.) Ezra 10:29. (4.) Ezra 10:32

Mammon - a Chaldee or Syriac word meaning "wealth" or "riches" ( Luke 16:9-11); also, by personification, the god of riches ( Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:9-11).

Mamre - manliness. (1.) An Amoritish chief in alliance with Abraham ( Gen. 14:13,Gen. 14:24).

(2.) The name of the place in the neighbourhood of Hebron (q.v.) where Abraham dwelt ( Gen. 23:17,Gen. 23:19;Gen 35:27); called also in Authorized Version ( Gen 13:18) the "plain of Mamre," but in Revised Version more correctly "the oaks [marg., 'terebinths'] of Mamre." The name probably denotes the "oak grove" or the "wood of Mamre," thus designated after Abraham's ally.

This "grove" must have been within sight of or "facing" Machpelah (q.v.). The site of Mamre has been identified with Ballatet Selta, i.e., "the oak of rest", where there is a tree called "Abraham's oak," about a mile and a half west of Hebron. Others identify it with er-Rameh, 2 miles north of Hebron.

Man - (1.) Heb. 'Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning "to be red," and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race ( Gen. 1:26,Gen. 1:27;Gen 5:2;Gen 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos ( Matt. 5:13,Matt. 5:16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman ( Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).

(2.) Heb. 'ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33; Matt. 14:21); a husband ( Gen. 3:16; Hos. 2:16); man with reference to excellent mental qualities.

(3.) Heb. 'enosh, man as mortal, transient, perishable (2 Chr. 14:11; Isa. 8:1; Job 15:14; Ps. 8:4; Ps 9:19, Ps. 8:20; Ps 103:15). It is applied to women ( Josh. 8:25).

(4.) Heb. geber, man with reference to his strength, as distinguished from women ( Deut. 22:5) and from children ( Ex. 12:37); a husband ( Prov. 6:34).

(5.) Heb. methim, men as mortal ( Isa. 41:14), and as opposed to women and children ( Deut. 3:6; Job 11:3; Isa. 3:25).

Man was created by the immediate hand of God, and is generically different from all other creatures ( Gen. 1:26,Gen. 1:27;Gen 2:7). His complex nature is composed of two elements, two distinct substances, viz., body and soul ( Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7; 2 Cor. 5:1-8).

The words translated "spirit" and "soul," in 1 Thess. 5:23, Heb. 4:12, are habitually used interchangeably ( Matt. 10:28;Matt 16:26; 1 Pet. 1:22). The "spirit" (Gr. pneuma) is the soul as rational; the "soul" (Gr. psuche) is the same, considered as the animating and vital principle of the body.

Man was created in the likeness of God as to the perfection of his nature, in knowledge ( Col. 3:10), righteousness, and holiness ( Eph. 4:24), and as having dominion over all the inferior creatures ( Gen. 1:28). He had in his original state God's law written on his heart, and had power to obey it, and yet was capable of disobeying, being left to the freedom of his own will. He was created with holy dispositions, prompting him to holy actions; but he was fallible, and did fall from his integrity ( Gen 3:1-6). (See FALL.)

Manaen - consoler, a Christian teacher at Antioch. Nothing else is known of him beyond what is stated in Acts 13:1, where he is spoken of as having been brought up with (Gr. syntrophos; rendered in R.V. "foster brother" of) Herod, i.e., Herod Antipas, the tetrach, who, with his brother Archelaus, was educated at Rome.