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Davis, Henry Winter

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Henry Winter, 1817–65, American political leader, b. Annapolis, Md. He was elected (1854) to the House of Representatives on the Know-Nothing ticket and was twice reelected (1856, 1858) with ...

manna

(Encyclopedia)manna mănˈə [key], in the Bible, edible substance provided by God for the people of Israel in the wilderness. In the Book of Exodus it is compared to coriander seed and described as fine, white, an...

Costa, Isaäc da

(Encyclopedia)Costa, Isaäc da ēˈsä-äk dä kôˈstä [key], 1798–1860, Dutch poet and historian, b. Amsterdam, of an aristocratic Sephardic Jewish family. Deeply influenced by Bilderdijk, he entered (1822) th...

ephod

(Encyclopedia)ephod, sacred linen garment worn by the high priests of Israel. It was in two parts—one covering the back, one the front of the body to the hips—and was fastened at the shoulders by two clasps of ...

Pinski, David

(Encyclopedia)Pinski, David pĭnˈskē [key], 1872–1959, Yiddish dramatist and novelist, b. Russia. He wrote stories and plays in Yiddish about the ghetto and assisted in editing a Yiddish periodical in Moscow. A...

Tiglathpileser III

(Encyclopedia)Tiglathpileser III, d. 728 b.c., king of ancient Assyria. He seems to have usurped the throne in 745 b.c. He bore the alternative name of Pul, by which he was known in biblical history (2 Kings 15.19)...

Rehoboam

(Encyclopedia)Rehoboam rēˌəbōˈəm [key], in the Bible, last king of the United Monarchy, first king of Judah, son of Solomon. Under him the northern tribes broke away from the rule of Jerusalem and set up a se...

Baasha

(Encyclopedia)Baasha bāˈāshə [key], king of Israel (c.900–877 b.c.). He made himself king by the murder of King Nadab and the royal family. His reign as king of the schismatic northern kingdom is assessed neg...

Zechariah, book of the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Zechariah zĕkˌərīˈə [key], prophetic book of the Bible, which dates from 520 b.c.–518 b.c. at Jerusalem. The prophet was associated with Haggai in a movement to restore the Temple. The book, a...

Arish, Al

(Encyclopedia)Arish, Al äl ärēshˈ [key], town (1986 pop. 67,337), NE Egypt, in the Sinai peninsula, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a fishing port and a military and administrative center; since the 1980s it ha...