Stacte - (Heb. nataph), one of the components of the perfume which was offered on the golden altar ( Ex. 30:34; R.V. marg., "opobalsamum"). The Hebrew word is from a root meaning "to distil," and it has been by some interpreted as distilled myrrh. Others regard it as the gum of the storax tree, or rather shrub, the Styrax officinale. "The Syrians value this gum highly, and use it medicinally as an emulcent in pectoral complaints, and also in perfumery."

Stargazers - ( Isa. 47:13), those who pretend to tell what will occur by looking upon the stars. The Chaldean astrologers "divined by the rising and setting, the motions, aspects, colour, degree of light, etc., of the stars."

Star, Morning - a name figuratively given to Christ ( Rev. 22:16; comp. 2 Pet. 1:19). When Christ promises that he will give the "morning star" to his faithful ones, he "promises that he will give to them himself, that he will give to them himself, that he will impart to them his own glory and a share in his own royal dominion; for the star is evermore the symbol of royalty ( Matt. 2:2), being therefore linked with the sceptre ( Num. 24:17). All the glory of the world shall end in being the glory of the Church." Trench's Comm.

Stars - The eleven stars ( Gen. 37:9); the seven ( Amos 5:8); wandering ( Jude 1:13); seen in the east at the birth of Christ, probably some luminous meteors miraculously formed for this specific purpose ( Matt. 2:2-10); stars worshipped ( Deut. 4:19; 2 Kings 17:16;2 Kings 21:3; Jer. 19:13); spoken of symbolically ( Num. 24:17; Rev. 1:16, Rev. 1:20; Rev 12:1). (See ASTROLOGERS.)

Stater - Greek word rendered "piece of money" ( Matt. 17:27, A.V.; and "shekel" in R.V.). It was equal to two didrachmas ("tribute money ," 17:24), or four drachmas, and to about 2s. 6d. of our money. (See SHEKEL.)

Stealing - See THEFT.

Steel - The "bow of steel" in (A.V.) 2 Sam. 22:35; Job 20:24; Ps. 18:34 is in the Revised Version "bow of brass" (Heb. kesheth-nehushah). In Jer. 15:12 the same word is used, and is also rendered in the Revised Version "brass." But more correctly it is copper (q.v.), as brass in the ordinary sense of the word (an alloy of copper and zinc) was not known to the ancients.

Stephanas - crown, a member of the church at Corinth, whose family were among those the apostle had baptized (1 Cor. 1:16;1 Cor 16:15,1 Cor. 1:17). He has been supposed by some to have been the "jailer of Philippi" (comp. Acts 16:33). The First Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi some six years after the jailer's conversion, and he was with the apostle there at that time.

Stephen - one of the seven deacons, who became a preacher of the gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. His personal character and history are recorded in Acts 6. "He fell asleep" with a prayer for his persecutors on his lips Acts 7:60). Devout men carried him to his grave Acts 8:2).

It was at the feet of the young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, that those who stoned him laid their clothes (comp. Deut. 17:5-7) before they began their cruel work. The scene which Saul then witnessed and the words he heard appear to have made a deep and lasting impression on his mind ( Acts 22:19,Acts 22:20).

The speech of Stephen before the Jewish ruler is the first apology for the universalism of the gospel as a message to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. It is the longest speech contained in the Acts, a place of prominence being given to it as a defence.

Stoics - a sect of Greek philosophers at Athens, so called from the Greek word stoa i.e., a "porch" or "portico," where they have been called "the Pharisees of Greek paganism." The founder of the Stoics was Zeno, who flourished about B.C. 300. He taught his disciples that a man's happiness consisted in bringing himself into harmony with the course of the universe. They were trained to bear evils with indifference, and so to be independent of externals. Materialism, pantheism, fatalism, and pride were the leading features of this philosophy.

Stomacher - ( Isa. 3:24), an article of female attire, probably some sort of girdle around the breast.

Stone - Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events ( Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, Josh. 24:27; 1 Sam. 7:12, etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields ( Isa. 5:2; comp. 2 Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1 Pet. 2:4,1 Pet. 2:5), and of the Messiah ( Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, etc.). In Dan. 2:45 it refers also to the Messiah. He is there described as "cut out of the mountain." (See ROCK.)

A "heart of stone" denotes great insensibility (1 Sam. 25:37).

Stones were set up to commemorate remarkable events, as by Jacob at Bethel ( Gen. 28:18), at Padan-aram ( Gen 35:4), and on the occasion of parting with Laban ( Gen 31:45-47); by Joshua at the place on the banks of the Jordan where the people first "lodged" after crossing the river ( Josh. 6:8), and also in "the midst of Jordan," where he erected another set of twelve stones ( Josh 4:1-9); and by Samuel at "Ebenezer" (1 Sam. 7:12).

Stones, Precious - Frequently referred to (1 Kings 10:2; 2 Chr. 3:6;2 Chr 9:10; Rev. 18:16; Rev 21:19). There are about twenty different names of such stones in the Bible. They are figuratively introduced to denote value, beauty, durability ( Cant. 5:14; Isa 54:11, Isa 54:12; Lam. 4:7).

Stoning - a form of punishment ( Lev. 20:2;Lev 24:14; Deut. 13:10; Deut 17:5; Deut 22:21) prescribed for certain offences. Of Achan ( Josh. 7:25), Naboth (1 Kings 21), Stephen ( Acts 7:59), Paul ( Acts 14:19; 2 Cor. 11:25).

Stork - Heb. hasidah, meaning "kindness," indicating thus the character of the bird, which is noted for its affection for its young. It is in the list of birds forbidden to be eaten by the Levitical law ( Lev. 11:19; Deut. 14:18). It is like the crane, but larger in size. Two species are found in Palestine, the white, which are dispersed in pairs over the whole country; and the black, which live in marshy places and in great flocks. They migrate to Palestine periodically (about the 22nd of March). Jeremiah alludes to this ( Jer. 8:7). At the appointed time they return with unerring sagacity to their old haunts, and re-occupy their old nests. "There is a well-authenticated account of the devotion of a stork which, at the burning of the town of Delft, after repeated and unsuccessful attempts to carry off her young, chose rather to remain and perish with them than leave them to their fate. Well might the Romans call it the pia avis!"

In Job 39:13 (A.V.), instead of the expression "or wings and feathers unto the ostrich" (marg., "the feathers of the stork and ostrich"), the Revised Version has "are her pinions and feathers kindly" (marg., instead of "kindly," reads "like the stork's"). The object of this somewhat obscure verse seems to be to point out a contrast between the stork, as distinguished for her affection for her young, and the ostrich, as distinguished for her indifference.

Zechariah Job 5:9) alludes to the beauty and power of the stork's wings.

Strain at - Simply a misprint for "strain out" ( Matt. 23:24).

Stranger - This word generally denotes a person from a foreign land residing in Palestine. Such persons enjoyed many privileges in common with the Jews, but still were separate from them. The relation of the Jews to strangers was regulated by special laws ( Deut. 23:3;Deut 24:14-21;Deut 25:5;Deut 26:10-13). A special signification is also sometimes attached to this word. In Gen. 23:4 it denotes one resident in a foreign land; Ex. 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Num. 3:10, one who is not of the family of Aaron; Ps. 69:8, an alien or an unknown person. The Jews were allowed to purchase strangers as slaves ( Lev. 25:44,Lev. 25:45), and to take usury from them ( Deut. 23:20).

Straw - Used in brick-making ( Ex. 5:7-18). Used figuratively in Job 41:27; Isa. 11:7; Isa 25:10; Isa 65:25.

Stream of Egypt - ( Isa. 27:12), the Wady el-'Arish, called also "the river of Egypt," R.V., "brook of Egypt" ( Num. 34:5; Josh. 15:4; 2 Kings 24:7). It is the natural boundary of Egypt. Occasionally in winter, when heavy rains have fallen among the mountains inland, it becomes a turbulent rushing torrent. The present boundary between Egypt and Palestine is about midway between el-'Arish and Gaza.

Street - The street called "Straight" at Damascus ( Acts 9:11) is "a long broad street, running from east to west, about a mile in length, and forming the principal thoroughfare in the city." In Oriental towns streets are usually narrow and irregular and filthy ( Ps. 18:42; Isa. 10:6). "It is remarkable," says Porter, "that all the important cities of Palestine and Syria Samaria, Caesarea, Gerasa, Bozrah, Damascus, Palmyra, had their 'straight streets' running through the centre of the city, and lined with stately rows of columns. The most perfect now remaining are those of Palmyra and Gerasa, where long ranges of the columns still stand.", Through Samaria, etc.

Stripes - as a punishment were not to exceed forty ( Deut. 25:1-3), and hence arose the custom of limiting them to thirty-nine (2 Cor. 11:24). Paul claimed the privilege of a Roman citizen in regard to the infliction of stripes ( Acts 16:37,Acts 16:38;Acts 22:25-29). Our Lord was beaten with stripes ( Matt. 27:26).

Subscriptions - The subscriptions to Paul's epistles are no part of the original. In their present form they are ascribed to Euthalius, a bishop of the fifth century. Some of them are obviously incorrect.

Suburbs - the immediate vicinity of a city or town ( Num. 35:3,Num. 35:7; Ezek. 45:2). In 2 Kings 23:11 the Hebrew word there used (parvarim) occurs nowhere else. The Revised Version renders it "precincts." The singular form of this Hebrew word (parvar) is supposed by some to be the same as Parbar (q.v.), which occurs twice in 1 Chr. 26:18.

Succoth - booths. (1.) The first encampment of the Israelites after leaving Ramesses ( Ex. 12:37); the civil name of Pithom (q.v.).

(2.) A city on the east of Jordan, identified with Tell Dar'ala, a high mound, a mass of debris, in the plain north of Jabbok and about one mile from it ( Josh. 13:27). Here Jacob ( Gen. 32:17,Gen. 32:30;Gen 33:17), on his return from Padan-aram after his interview with Esau, built a house for himself and made booths for his cattle. The princes of this city churlishly refused to afford help to Gideon and his 300 men when "faint yet pursuing" they followed one of the bands of the fugitive Midianites after the great victory at Gilboa. After overtaking and routing this band at Karkor, Gideon on his return visited the rulers of the city with severe punishment. "He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth" ( Judg. 8:13-16). At this place were erected the foundries for casting the metal-work for the temple (1 Kings 7:46).

Succoth-benoth - tents of daughters, supposed to be the name of a Babylonian deity, the goddess Zir-banit, the wife of Merodach, worshipped by the colonists in Samaria (2 Kings 17:30).