Tirshatha - a word probably of Persian origin, meaning "severity," denoting a high civil dignity. The Persian governor of Judea is so called ( Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65, Neh. 7:70). Nehemiah is called by this name in Neh. 8:9; Neh 10:1, and the "governor" (pehah) in 5:18. Probably, therefore, tirshatha=pehah=the modern pasha.

Tirza - pleasantness. (1.) An old royal city of the Canaanites, which was destroyed by Joshua ( Josh. 12:24). Jeroboam chose it for his residence, and he removed to it from Shechem, which at first he made the capital of his kingdom. It remained the chief residence of the kings of Israel till Omri took Samaria (1 Kings 14:17;1 Kings 15:21;1 Kings 16:6,1 Kings 14:8, etc.). Here Zimri perished amid the flames of the palace to which in his despair he had set fire (1 Kings 16:18), and here Menahem smote Shallum (2 Kings 15:14,2 Kings 15:16). Solomon refers to its beauty ( Cant. 6:4). It has been identified with the modern mud hamlet Teiasir, 11 miles north of Shechem. Others, however, would identify it with Telluza, a village about 6 miles east of Samaria.

(2.) The youngest of Zelophehad's five daughters ( Num. 26:33; Josh. 17:3).

Tishbite - Elijah the prophet was thus named (1 Kings 17:1;1 Kings 21:17,1 Kings 17:28, etc.). In 1 Kings 17:1 the word rendered "inhabitants" is in the original the same as that rendered "Tishbite," hence that verse may be read as in the LXX., "Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbi in Gilead." Some interpret this word as meaning "stranger," and read the verse, "Elijah the stranger from among the strangers in Gilead." This designation is probably given to the prophet as denoting that his birthplace was Tishbi, a place in Upper Galilee (mentioned in the apocryphal book of Tobit), from which for some reason he migrated into Gilead. Josephus, the Jewish historian ( Ant. 8:13,Ant. 8:2), however, supposes that Tishbi was some place in the land of Gilead. It has been identified by some with el-Ishtib, a some place 22 miles due south of the Sea of Galilee, among the mountains of Gilead.

Tisri - the first month of the civil year, and the seventh of the ecclesiastical year. See ETHANIM (1 Kings 8:2). Called in the Assyrian inscriptions Tasaritu, i.e. "beginning."

Tithe - a tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes. The dedication of a tenth to God was recognized as a duty before the time of Moses. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek ( Gen. 14:20; Heb. 7:6); and Jacob vowed unto the Lord and said, "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."

The first Mosaic law on this subject is recorded in Lev. 27:30-32. Subsequent legislation regulated the destination of the tithes ( Num. 18:21-24,Num. 18:26-28; Deut. 12:5, Deut. 12:6, Deut. 12:11, Deut. 12:17; Deut 14:22, Deut. 12:23). The paying of the tithes was an important part of the Jewish religious worship. In the days of Hezekiah one of the first results of the reformation of religion was the eagerness with which the people brought in their tithes (2 Chr. 31:5,2 Chr. 31:6). The neglect of this duty was sternly rebuked by the prophets ( Amos 4:4; Mal. 3:8-10). It cannot be affirmed that the Old Testament law of tithes is binding on the Christian Church, nevertheless the principle of this law remains, and is incorporated in the gospel (1 Cor. 9:13,1 Cor. 9:14); and if, as is the case, the motive that ought to prompt to liberality in the cause of religion and of the service of God be greater now than in Old Testament times, then Christians outght to go beyond the ancient Hebrew in consecrating both themselves and their substance to God.

Every Jew was required by the Levitical law to pay three tithes of his property (1) one tithe for the Levites; (2) one for the use of the temple and the great feasts; and (3) one for the poor of the land.

Tittle - a point, ( Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17), the minute point or stroke added to some letters of the Hebrew alphabet to distinguish them from others which they resemble; hence, the very least point.

Titus - honourable, was with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, and accompanied them to the council at Jerusalem ( Gal. 2:1-3; Acts 15:2), although his name nowhere occurs in the Acts of the Apostles. He appears to have been a Gentile, and to have been chiefly engaged in ministering to Gentiles; for Paul sternly refused to have him circumcised, inasmuch as in his case the cause of gospel liberty was at stake. We find him, at a later period, with Paul and Timothy at Ephesus, whence he was sent by Paul to Corinth for the purpose of getting the contributions of the church there in behalf of the poor saints at Jerusalem sent forward (2 Cor. 8:6;2 Cor 12:18). He rejoined the apostle when he was in Macedonia, and cheered him with the tidings he brought from Corinth 2 Cor 7:6-15). After this his name is not mentioned till after Paul's first imprisonment, when we find him engaged in the organization of the church in Crete, where the apostle had left him for this purpose ( Titus 1:5). The last notice of him is in 2 Tim. 4:10, where we find him with Paul at Rome during his second imprisonment. From Rome he was sent into Dalmatia, no doubt on some important missionary errand. We have no record of his death. He is not mentioned in the Acts.

Titus, Epistle to - was probably written about the same time as the first epistle to Timothy, with which it has many affinities. "Both letters were addressed to persons left by the writer to preside in their respective churches during his absence. Both letters are principally occupied in describing the qualifications to be sought for in those whom they should appoint to offices in the church; and the ingredients of this description are in both letters nearly the same. Timothy and Titus are likewise cautioned against the same prevailing corruptions, and in particular against the same misdirection of their cares and studies. This affinity obtains not only in the subject of the letters, which from the similarity of situation in the persons to whom they were addressed might be expected to be somewhat alike, but extends in a great variety of instances to the phrases and expressions. The writer accosts his two friends with the same salutation, and passes on to the business of his letter by the same transition (comp. 1 Tim. 1:2,1 Tim. 1:3with Titus 1:4, Titus 1:5; 1 Tim .1:4 with Titus 1:13, Titus 1:14; Titus 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12 with Titus 2:7, Titus 2:15).", Paley's Horae Paulinae.

The date of its composition may be concluded from the circumstance that it was written after Paul's visit to Crete ( Titus 1:5). That visit could not be the one referred to in Acts 27:7, when Paul was on his voyage to Rome as a prisoner, and where he continued a prisoner for two years. We may warrantably suppose that after his release Paul sailed from Rome into Asia and took Crete by the way, and that there he left Titus "to set in order the things that were wanting." Thence he went to Ephesus, where he left Timothy, and from Ephesus to Macedonia, where he wrote First Timothy, and thence to Nicopolis in Epirus, from which place he wrote to Titus, about A.D. 66 or 67.

In the subscription to the epistle it is said to have been written from "Nicopolis of Macedonia," but no such place is known. The subscriptions to the epistles are of no authority, as they are not authentic.

Tob-adonijah - good is Jehovah, my Lord, a Levite sent out by Jehoshaphat to instruct the people of Judah in the law (2 Chr. 17:8).

Tobiah - pleasing to Jehovah, the "servant," the "Ammonite," who joined with those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Exile ( Neh. 2:10). He was a man of great influence, which he exerted in opposition to the Jews, and "sent letters" to Nehemiah "to put him in fear" ( Neh. 6:17-19). "Eliashib the priest" prepared for him during Nehemiah's absence "a chamber in the courts of the house of God," which on his return grieved Nehemiah sore, and therefore he "cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber" ( Neh 13:7,Neh 13:8).

Tobijah - id., a Levite sent out through Judah by Jehoshaphat to teach the people (2 Chr. 17:8).

Tob, The land of - a district on the east of Jodan, about 13 miles south-east of the Sea of Galilee, to which Jephthah fled from his brethren ( Judg. 11:3,Judg. 11:5). It was on the northern boundary of Perea, between Syria and the land of Ammon (2 Sam. 10:6,2 Sam. 10:8). Its modern name is Taiyibeh.

Tochen - measured, a town of Simeon (1 Chr. 4:32).

Togarmah - (1.) A son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth ( Gen. 10:3).

(2.) A nation which traded in horses and mules at the fairs of Tyre ( Ezek. 27:14;Ezek 38:6); probably an Armenian or a Scythian race; descendants of (1).

Tohu - one of Samuel's ancestors (1 Sam. 1:1).

Toi - a king of Hamath, who sent "Joram his son unto King David to salute him," when he "heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer" (2 Sam. 8:9,2 Sam. 8:10). Called Tou (1 Chr. 18:9,1 Chr. 18:10).

Tola - a scarlet worm. (1.) Eldest son of Issachar ( Gen. 46:13).

(2.) A judge of the tribe of Issachar who "judged" Israel twenty-three years ( Judg. 10:1,Judg. 10:2), when he died, and was buried in Shamir. He was succeeded by Jair.

Tolad - productive, a town of Simeon, in the south of Judah (1 Chr. 4:29).

Tolaites - descendants of Tola ( Num. 26:23; 1 Chr. 7:1,1 Chr. 7:2).

Toll - one of the branches of the king of Persia's revenues ( Ezra 4:13;Ezra 7:24), probably a tax levied from those who used the bridges and fords and highways.

Tombs - of the Hebrews were generally excavated in the solid rock, or were natural caves. Mention is made of such tombs in Judg. 8:32; 2 Sam. 2:32; 2 Kings 9:28;2 Kings 23:30. They were sometimes made in gardens (2 Kings 21:26;2 Kings 23:16; Matt. 27:60). They are found in great numbers in and around Jerusalem and all over the land. They were sometimes whitewashed ( Matt. 23:27,Matt. 23:29). The body of Jesus was laid in Joseph's new rock-hewn tomb, in a garden near to Calvary. All evidence is in favour of the opinion that this tomb was somewhere near the Damascus gate, and outside the city, and cannot be identified with the so-called "holy sepulchre." The mouth of such rocky tombs was usually closed by a large stone (Heb. golal), which could only be removed by the united efforts of several men ( Matt. 28:2; comp. John 11:39). (See GOLGOTHA.)

Tongues, Confusion of - at Babel, the cause of the early separation of mankind and their division into nations. The descendants of Noah built a tower to prevent their dispersion; but God "confounded their language" ( Gen. 11:1-8), and they were scattered over the whole earth. Till this time "the whole earth was of one language and of one speech." (See SHINAR.)

Tongues, Gift of - granted on the day of Pentecost ( Acts 2:4), in fulfilment of a promise Christ had made to his disciples ( Mark 16:17). What this gift actually was has been a subject of much discussion. Some have argued that it was merely an outward sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit among the disciples, typifying his manifold gifts, and showing that salvation was to be extended to all nations. But the words of Luke ( Acts 2:9) clearly show that the various peoples in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost did really hear themselves addressed in their own special language with which they were naturally acquainted (comp. Joel 2:28, Joel 2:29).

Among the gifts of the Spirit the apostle enumerates in 1 Cor. 12:10-14:30, "divers kinds of tongues" and the "interpretation of tongues." This "gift" was a different manifestation of the Spirit from that on Pentecost, although it resembled it in many particulars. Tongues were to be "a sign to them that believe not."