Melzar - probably a Persian word meaning master of wine, i.e., chief butler; the title of an officer at the Babylonian court ( Dan. 1:11,Dan. 1:16) who had charge of the diet of the Hebrew youths.

Memphis - only in Hos. 9:6, Hebrew Moph. In Isa. 19:13; Jer. 2:16; Jer 46:14, Jer. 2:19; Ezek. 30:13, Ezek. 30:16, it is mentioned under the name Noph. It was the capital of Lower, i.e., of Northern Egypt. From certain remains found half buried in the sand, the site of this ancient city has been discovered near the modern village of Minyet Rahinch, or Mitraheny, about 16 miles above the ancient head of the Delta, and 9 miles south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile. It is said to have been founded by Menes, the first king of Egypt, and to have been in circumference about 19 miles. "There are few remains above ground," says Manning (The Land of the Pharaohs), "of the splendour of ancient Memphis. The city has utterly disappeared. If any traces yet exist, they are buried beneath the vast mounds of crumbling bricks and broken pottery which meet the eye in every direction. Near the village of Mitraheny is a colossal statue of Rameses the Great. It is apparently one of the two described by Herodotus and Diodorus as standing in front of the temple of Ptah. They were originally 50 feet in height. The one which remains, though mutilated, measures 48 feet. It is finely carved in limestone, which takes a high polish, and is evidently a portrait. It lies in a pit, which, during the inundation, is filled with water. As we gaze on this fallen and battered statue of the mighty conqueror who was probably contemporaneous with Moses, it is impossible not to remember the words of the prophet Isaiah , 19:13; Isaiah 44:16-19, and Jeremiah , 46:19."

Memucan - dignified, one of the royal counsellors at the court of Ahasuerus, by whose suggestion Vashti was divorced ( Esther 1:14,Esther 1:16,Esther 1:21).

Menahem - conforting, the son of Gadi, and successor of Shallum, king of Israel, whom he slew. After a reign of about ten years (B.C. 771-760) he died, leaving the throne to his son Pekahiah. His reign was one of cruelty and oppression (2 Kings 15:14-22). During his reign, Pul (q.v.), king of Assyria, came with a powerful force against Israel, but was induced to retire by a gift from Menahem of 1,000 talents of silver.

Mene - ( Dan. 5:25,Dan. 5:26), numbered, one of the words of the mysterious inscription written "upon the plaister of the wall" in Belshazzar's palace at Babylon. The writing was explained by Daniel. (See BELSHAZZAR.)

Meni - Isa. 65:11, marg. (A.V., "that number;" R.V., "destiny"), probably an idol which the captive Israelites worshipped after the example of the Babylonians. It may have been a symbol of destiny. LXX., tuche.

Meonenim - ( Judg. 9:37; A.V., "the plain of Meonenim;" R.V., "the oak of Meonenim") means properly "soothsayers" or "sorcerers," "wizards" ( Deut. 18:10,Deut. 18:14; 2 Kings 21:6; Micah 5:12). This may be the oak at Shechem under which Abram pitched his tent (see SHECHEM ), the "enchanter's ak," so called, perhaps, from Jacob's hiding the "strange gods" under it ( Gen. 35:4).

Mephaath - splendour, a Levitical city ( Josh. 21:37) of the tribe of Reuben ( Josh 13:18).

Mephibosheth - exterminator of shame; i.e., of idols. (1.) The name of Saul's son by the concubine Rizpah (q.v.), the daughter of Aiah. He and his brother Armoni were with five others "hanged on a hill before the Lord" by the Gibeonites, and their bodies exposed in the sun for five months (2 Sam. 21:8-10). (2.) The son of Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (2 Sam. 4:4). He was but five years old when his father and grandfather fell on Mount Gilboa. The child's nurse hearing of this calamity, fled with him from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbling in her haste, the child was thrown to the ground and maimed in both his feet, and ever after was unable to walk 2 Sam 19:26). He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he found a refuge in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar, by whom he was brought up.

Some years after this, when David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of Jonathan, and discovered that Mephibosheth was residing in the house of Machir. Thither he sent royal messengers, and brought him and his infant son to Jerusalem, where he ever afterwards resided (2 Sam. 9).

When David was a fugitive, according to the story of Ziba (2 Sam. 16:1-4) Mephibosheth proved unfaithful to him, and was consequently deprived of half of his estates; but according to his own story, however 2 Sam 19:24-30), he had remained loyal to his friend. After this incident he is only mentioned as having been protected by David against the vengeance the Gibeonites were permitted to execute on the house of Saul 2 Sam 21:7). He is also called Merib-baal (1 Chr. 8:34;1 Chr 9:40). (See ZIBA.)

Merab - increase, the eldest of Saul's two daughters (1 Sam. 14:49). She was betrothed to David after his victory over Goliath, but does not seem to have entered heartily into this arrangement 1 Sam 18:2,1 Sam 18:17,1 Sam 18:19). She was at length, however, married to Adriel of Abel-Meholah, a town in the Jordan valley, about 10 miles south of Bethshean, with whom the house of Saul maintained alliance. She had five sons, who were all put to death by the Gibeonites on the hill of Gibeah (2 Sam. 21:8).

Meraiah - resistance, a chief priest, a contemporary of the high priest Joiakim ( Neh. 12:12).

Meraioth - rebellions. (1.) Father of Amariah, a high priest of the line of Eleazar (1 Chr. 6:6,1 Chr. 6:7,1 Chr. 6:52).

(2.) Neh. 12:15, a priest who went to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. He is called Meremoth in Neh. 12:3.

Merari - sad; bitter, the youngest son of Levi, born before the descent of Jacob into Egypt, and one of the seventy who accompanied him thither ( Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16). He became the head of one of the great divisions of the Levites ( Ex. 6:19). (See MERARITES.)

Merarites - the descendants of Merari ( Num. 26:57). They with the Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle, which they had to carry from place to place ( Num. 3:20,Num. 3:33-37;Num 4:29-33). In the distribution of the oxen and waggons offered by the princes (Num. 7), Moses gave twice as many to the Merarites (four waggons and eight oxen) as he gave to the Gershonites, because the latter had to carry only the lighter furniture of the tabernacle, such as the curtains, hangings, etc., while the former had to carry the heavier portion, as the boards, bars, sockets, pillars, etc., and consequently needed a greater supply of oxen and waggons. This is a coincidence illustrative of the truth of the narrative. Their place in marching and in the camp was on the north of the tabernacle. The Merarites afterwards took part with the other Levitical families in the various functions of their office (1 Chr. 23:6,1 Chr. 23:21-23; 2 Chr. 29:12,2 Chr. 29:13). Twelve cities with their suburbs were assigned to them ( Josh. 21:7,Josh. 21:34-40).

Merathaim - double rebellion, probably a symbolical name given to Babylon ( Jer. 50:21), denoting rebellion exceeding that of other nations.

Merchant - The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning "to travel about," "to migrate," and hence "a traveller." In the East, in ancient times, merchants travelled about with their merchandise from place to place ( Gen. 37:25; Job 6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering ( Gen. 37:28;Gen 39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded ( Gen 49:13; Deut. 33:18; Judg. 5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (1 Kings 9:26;1 Kings 10:11,1 Kings 9:26,1 Kings 9:28;1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chr. 1:16;2 Chr 9:10,2 Chr. 1:21). After Solomon's time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.

Mercurius - the Hermes (i.e., "the speaker") of the Greeks ( Acts 14:12), a heathen God represented as the constant attendant of Jupiter, and the god of eloquence. The inhabitants of Lystra took Paul for this god because he was the "chief speaker."

Mercy - compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness ( Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; Ex 34:6, Ex. 20:7; Ps. 85:10; Ps 86:15, Ps. 85:16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace ( Matt. 5:7;Matt 18:33-35).

Mercy-seat - (Heb. kapporeth, a "covering;" LXX. and N.T., hilasterion; Vulg., propitiatorium), the covering or lid of the ark of the covenant (q.v.). It was of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, or perhaps rather a plate of solid gold, 2 1/2 cubits long and 1 1/2 broad ( Ex. 25:17;Ex 30:6;Ex 31:7). It is compared to the throne of grace ( Heb. 9:5; Eph. 2:6). The holy of holies is called the "place of the mercy-seat" (1 Chr. 28:11: Lev. 16:2).

It has been conjectured that the censer (thumiaterion, meaning "anything having regard to or employed in the burning of incense") mentioned in Heb. 9:4 was the "mercy-seat," at which the incense was burned by the high priest on the great day of atonement, and upon or toward which the blood of the goat was sprinkled ( Lev. 16:11-16; comp. Num. 7:89 and Ex. 25:22).

Mered - rebellion, one of the sons of Ezra, of the tribe of Judah (1 Chr. 4:17).

Meremoth - exaltations, heights, a priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel ( Neh. 12:3), to whom were sent the sacred vessels ( Ezra 8:33) belonging to the temple. He took part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem ( Neh. 3:4).

Meribah - quarrel or strife. (1.) One of the names given by Moses to the fountain in the desert of Sin, near Rephidim, which issued from the rock in Horeb, which he smote by the divine command, "because of the chiding of the children of Israel" ( Ex. 17:1-7). It was also called Massah (q.v.). It was probably in Wady Feiran, near Mount Serbal.

(2.) Another fountain having a similar origin in the desert of Zin, near to Kadesh ( Num. 27:14). The two places are mentioned together in Deut. 33:8. Some think the one place is called by the two names ( Ps. 81:7). In smiting the rock at this place Moses showed the same impatience as the people ( Num. 20:10-12). This took place near the close of the wanderings in the desert ( Num. 20:1-24; Deut. 32:51).

Merib-baal - contender with Baal, (1 Chr. 8:34;1 Chr 9:40), elsewhere called Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 4:4), the son of Jonathan.