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Absalom

(Encyclopedia)Absalom ăbˈsəlŏm [key], in the Bible, son of David. He murdered his half-brother Amnon for the rape of their sister Tamar, and fled. No sooner was he reconciled with his father than he incited a r...

Holden, Oliver

(Encyclopedia)Holden, Oliver hōlˈdən [key], 1765–1844, American composer and compiler of hymns, b. Shirley, Mass. His popular tune Coronation, to Edward Perronet's hymn All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, first...

Gilgal

(Encyclopedia)Gilgal gĭlˈgăl [key], in the Bible. 1 First encampment of the Israelites near Jericho, W of the Jordan; Saul was made king there. It was also the scene of Saul's impetuous sacrifice before battle i...

Penobscot Bay

(Encyclopedia)Penobscot Bay, inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, 35 mi (56 km) long and 27 mi (43 km) wide, S Maine. The bay was entered by the English explorer Martin Pring in 1603; the French explorer Samuel de Champlai...

Pseudo-Philo

(Encyclopedia)Pseudo-Philo, early Jewish work extant in Latin, probably written originally in Hebrew and emanating from Palestine. It was attributed to Philo (c.20 b.c.–a.d. 50) because it circulated with his wri...

Prescott, William Hickling

(Encyclopedia)Prescott, William Hickling, 1796–1859, American historian, b. Salem, Mass. He entered his father's law office, but was compelled by a serious eye injury to abandon law. He received medical attention...

Strang, James Jesse

(Encyclopedia)Strang, James Jesse străng [key], 1813–56, American Mormon leader, b. Cayuga co., N.Y. A lawyer, teacher, and newspaperman, he migrated in 1843 to Wisconsin, was converted to Mormonism and baptized...

breakfast cereal

(Encyclopedia)breakfast cereal, a food made from grain, commonly eaten in the morning. The oldest type of cereal, known as porridge or gruel, requires cooking in water or milk. The modern breakfast cereals, however...

Montmagny, Charles Jacques Huault de

(Encyclopedia)Montmagny, Charles Jacques Huault de shärl zhäk üōˈ də môNmänyēˈ [key], fl.1622–54, governor of New France (1636–48). He was an administrator in New France from 1632 and succeeded Samuel...

Nazarite

(Encyclopedia)Nazarite năzˈərītˌ [key] [Heb. nazir=consecrated], in the Bible, a man dedicated to God. The Nazarite, after taking a special vow, abstained from intoxicating beverages, never cut his hair, and a...