Rhoda - a rose, the damsel in the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. She came to hearken when Peter knocked at the door of the gate ( Acts 12:12-15).

Rhodes - a rose, an island to the south of the western extremity of Asia Minor, between Coos and Patara, about 46 miles long and 18 miles broad. Here the apostle probably landed on his way from Greece to Syria ( Acts 21:1), on returning from his third missionary journey.

Riblah - fruitful, an ancient town on the northern frontier of Palestine, 35 miles north-east of Baalbec, and 10 or 12 south of Lake Homs, on the eastern bank of the Orontes, in a wide and fertile plain. Here Nebuchadnezzar had his head-quarters in his campaign against Jerusalem, and here also Necho fixed his camp after he had routed Josiah's army at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29-35;2 Kings 25:6,2 Kings 23:20,2 Kings 23:21; Jer. 39:5; Jer 52:10). It was on the great caravan road from Palestine to Carchemish, on the Euphrates. It is described ( Num. 34:11) as "on the eastern side of Ain." A place still called el Ain, i.e., "the fountain", is found in such a position about 10 miles distant. (See JERUSALEM.)

Riddle - (Heb. hodah). The oldest and, strictly speaking, the only example of a riddle was that propounded by Samson ( Judg. 14:12-18). The parabolic prophecy in Ezek. 17:2-18 is there called a "riddle." It was rather, however, an allegory. The word "darkly" in 1 Cor. 13:12 is the rendering of the Greek enigma; marg., "in a riddle."

Righteousness - See JUSTIFICATION.

Rimmon - pomegranate. (1.) A man of Beeroth (2 Sam. 4:2), one of the four Gibeonite cities. (See Josh. 9:17.)

(2.) A Syrian idol, mentioned only in 2 Kings 5:18.

(3.) One of the "uttermost cities" of Judah, afterwards given to Simeon ( Josh. 15:21,Josh. 15:32;Josh 19:7; 1 Chr. 4:32). In Josh. 15:32 Ain and Rimmon are mentioned separately, but in 19:7 and 1 Chr. 4:32 (comp. Neh. 11:29) the two words are probably to be combined, as forming together the name of one place, Ain-Rimmon=the spring of the pomegranate. It has been identified with Um er-Rumamin, about 13 miles south-west of Hebron.

(4.) "Rock of," to which the Benjamites fled ( Judg. 20:45,Judg. 20:47;Judg 21:13), and where they maintained themselves for four months after the fearful battle at Gibeah, in which they were almost exterminated, 600 only surviving out of about 27,000. It is the present village of Rummon, "on the very edge of the hill country, with a precipitous descent toward the Jordan valley," supposed to be the site of Ai.

Rimmon-parez - a pomegranate breach, or Rimmon of the breach, one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness ( Num. 33:19,Num. 33:20).

Ring - Used as an ornament to decorate the fingers, arms, wrists, and also the ears and the nose. Rings were used as a signet ( Gen. 38:18). They were given as a token of investment with authority ( Gen. 41:42; Esther 3:8-10; Esther 8:2), and of favour and dignity ( Luke 15:22). They were generally worn by rich men ( James 2:2). They are mentioned by Isiah ( James 3:21) among the adornments of Hebrew women.

Riphath - a crusher, Gomer's second son ( Gen. 10:3), supposed to have been the ancestor of the Paphlagonians.

Rissah - heap of ruins; dew, a station of the Israelites in the wilderness ( Num. 33:21,Num. 33:22).

Rithmah - wild broom, a station in the wilderness ( Num. 33:18,Num. 33:19), the "broom valley," or "valley of broombushes," the place apparently of the original encampment of Israel, near Kadesh.

River - (1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream ( Ezek. 6:3;Ezek 31:12;Ezek 32:6;Ezek 34:13).

(2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or valley ( Gen. 32:23; Deut. 2:24; Deut 3:16; Isa. 30:28; Lam. 2:18; Ezek. 47:9).

These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood had spent its force." (Comp. Matt. 7:27; Luke 6:49.)

(3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates ( Gen. 2:10;Gen 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Ps. 66:6; Ezek. 10:15).

(4.) Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 18:17;2 Kings 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4).

(5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided, throughout the land ( Ps. 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., 'divisions'] of waters" ( Job 20:17;Job 29:6; Prov. 5:16).

(6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile ( Gen. 41:1-3), but also to other rivers ( Job 28:10; Isa. 33:21).

(7.) Yubhal, "a river" ( Jer. 17:8), a full flowing stream.

(8.) 'Ubhal, "a river" ( Dan. 8:2).

River of Egypt - (1.) Heb. nahar mitsraim, denotes in Gen. 15:18 the Nile, or its eastern branch (2 Chr. 9:26). (2.) In Num. 34:5 (R.V., "brook of Egypt") the Hebrew word is nahal, denoting a stream flowing rapidly in winter, or in the rainy season. This is a desert stream on the borders of Egypt. It is now called the Wady el-'Arish. The present boundary between Egypt and Palestine is about midway between this wady and Gaza. (See Num. 34:5; Josh. 15:4, Josh. 15:47; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 24:7; Isa. 27:12; Ezek. 47:19. In all these passages the R.V. has "brook" and the A.V. "river.")

River of Gad - probably the Arno (2 Sam. 24:5).

River of God - ( Ps. 65:9), as opposed to earthly streams, denoting that the divine resources are inexhaustible, or the sum of all fertilizing streams that water the earth ( Gen. 2:10).

Rivers of Babylon - ( Ps. 137:1), i.e., of the whole country of Babylonia, e.g., the Tigris, Euphrates, Chalonas, the Ulai, and the numerous canals.

Rivers of Damascus - the Abana and Pharpar (2 Kings 5:12).

Rivers of Judah - ( Joel 3:18), the watercourses of Judea.

Rizpah - coal; hot stone, the daughter of Aiah, and one of Saul's concubines. She was the mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 3:7;2 Sam 21:8,2 Sam. 3:10,2 Sam. 3:11).

It happened that a grievous famine, which lasted for three years, fell upon the land during the earlier half of David's reign at Jerusalem. This calamity was sent "for Saul and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites." David inquired of the Gibeonites what satisfaction they demanded, and was answered that nothing would compensate for the wrong Saul had done to them but the death of seven of Saul's sons. David accordingly delivered up to them the two sons of Rizpah and five of the sons of Merab (q.v.), Saul's eldest daughter, whom she bore to Adriel. These the Gibeonites put to death, and hung up their bodies before the Lord at the sanctuary at Gibeah. Rizpah thereupon took her place on the rock of Gibeah (q.v.), and for five months watched the suspended bodies of her children, to prevent them from being devoured by the beasts and birds of prey, till they were at length taken down and buried by David.

Her marriage to Abner was the occasion of a quarrel between him and Ishbosheth, which led to Abner's going over to the side of David (2 Sam. 3:17-21).

Road - (1 Sam. 27:10; R.V., "raid"), an inroad, an incursion. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of a way or path.

Robbery - Practised by the Ishmaelites ( Gen. 16:12), the Chaldeans and Sabeans ( Job 1:15,Job 1:17), and the men of Shechem ( Judg. 9:25. See also 1 Sam. 27:6-10;1 Sam 30; Hos. 4:2; Hos 6:9). Robbers infested Judea in our Lord's time ( Luke 10:30; John 18:40; Acts 5:36, Acts 5:37; Acts 21:38; 2 Cor. 11:26). The words of the Authorized Version, "counted it not robbery to be equal," etc. ( Phil. 2:6,Phil. 2:7), are better rendered in the Revised Version, "counted it not a prize to be on an equality," etc., i.e., "did not look upon equality with God as a prize which must not slip from his grasp" = "did not cling with avidity to the prerogatives of his divine majesty; did not ambitiously display his equality with God."

"Robbers of churches" should be rendered, as in the Revised Version, "of temples." In the temple at Ephesus there was a great treasure-chamber, and as all that was laid up there was under the guardianship of the goddess Diana, to steal from such a place would be sacrilege ( Acts 19:37).

Rock - (Heb. tsur), employed as a symbol of God in the Old Testament (1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 22:3; Isa. 17:10; Ps. 28:1; Ps 31:2, Ps. 28:3; Ps 89:26; Ps 95:1); also in the New Testament ( Matt. 16:18; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4). In Dan. 2:45 the Chaldaic form of the Hebrew word is translated "mountain." It ought to be translated "rock," as in Hab. 1:12 in the Revised Version. The "rock" from which the stone is cut there signifies the divine origin of Christ. (See STONE.)

Roe - (Heb. tsebi), properly the gazelle (Arab. ghazal), permitted for food ( Deut. 14:5; comp. Deut. 12:15, Deut. 12:22; Deut 15:22; 1 Kings 4:23), noted for its swiftness and beauty and grace of form (2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chr. 12:8; Cant. 2:9; Cant 7:3; Cant 8:14).

The gazelle (Gazella dorcas) is found in great numbers in Palestine. "Among the gray hills of Galilee it is still 'the roe upon the mountains of Bether,' and I have seen a little troop of gazelles feeding on the Mount of Olives close to Jerusalem itself" (Tristram).

The Hebrew word ('ayyalah) in Prov. 5: 19 thus rendered (R.V., "doe"), is properly the "wild she-goat," the mountain goat, the ibex. (See 1 Sam. 24:2; Ps. 104:18; Job 39:1.)

Rogelim - fullers, a town of Gilead, the residence of Barzillai the Gileadite (2 Sam. 17:27;2 Sam 19:31), probably near to Mahanaim.