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Ephron

(Encyclopedia)Ephron ēˈfrŏn [key], in the Bible. 1 Owner of the cave of Machpelah. 2 City, E of the Jordan, captured by Judas Maccabeus. 3 Mount, near Kiryat-jearim. ...

Beth-hogla

(Encyclopedia)Beth-hogla or Beth-hoglah both: bĕth-hŏgˈlə [key], in the Bible, a town, the modern Ayn Hajalah in the West Bank, W of the Jordan, SE of Jericho. ...

Hussein I

(Encyclopedia)Hussein I ho͝osānˈ, –īnˈ [key], 1935–99, king of Jordan; educated in England at Harrow and Sandhurst. He ascended the throne (1953) after his grandfather Abdullah I had been killed (1951) by ...

Bethabara

(Encyclopedia)Bethabara bĕthăbˈərə [key], place, on the Jordan, traditionally located at a ford just above the Dead Sea, where in the New Testament John was baptizing when Jesus came to him. RSV: Bethany, foll...

Harcourt, Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon

(Encyclopedia)Harcourt, Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon, 1827–1904, English statesman. A brilliant parliamentarian and a supporter of Gladstone, he entered Parliament in 1868 and had a notable career...

District of Columbia, University of the

(Encyclopedia)District of Columbia, University of the, at Washington, D.C.; coeducational; land-grant and federally supported; est. 1976 with the merger of three existing colleges; predominantly African American. I...

Heshbon

(Encyclopedia)Heshbon hĕshˈbŏn, khĕshbōnˈ [key], ancient city, E of the Jordan. It was an Amorite capital, located at the crossroads of the east-west road to Jericho and the north-south road paralleling the J...

Peor

(Encyclopedia)Peor pēˈôr [key] [Heb.,=opening], mountain, E of Jordan, to which Balak took Balaam to deliver his curses. In ancient times it was said to be near Heshbon. See Baal-peor. ...

Abdullah II

(Encyclopedia)Abdullah II äbdo͝olˈlä [key], 1962–, king of Jordan (1999–), b. Amman, educated at Sandhurst and Oxford in England and Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C. He joined (1984) the Jordanian militar...

Zarqawi, Abu Musab al-

(Encyclopedia)Zarqawi, Abu Musab al- äˈbo͞o mo͞osäb äl-zärkäˈwē [key], nom de guerre of Ahmad Fadhil Nazzar al-Khalaylah, 1966–2006, Islamic terrorist leader, b. Jordan. Becoming a militant Islamist in ...