Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Kelaiah

(Encyclopedia)Kelaiah kēlīˈtə [key], in the Bible, Levite active in the return to Palestine. There are two occurrences of the name, which could refer to different persons. ...

desert

(Encyclopedia)desert, arid region, usually partly covered by sand, having scanty vegetation or sometimes almost none, and capable of supporting only a limited and specially adapted animal population. The so-called ...

Eurasia

(Encyclopedia)Eurasia yo͝orāˈzhə, –shə [key], land mass comprising the continents of Europe and Asia, in which Europe is geographically a western peninsula of Asia, rather than a separate continent. ...

Luria, Isaac ben Solomon

(Encyclopedia)Luria or Loria, Isaac ben Solomon lo͝orˈēə, lôrˈ– [key], 1534–72, Jewish kabbalist, surnamed Ashkenazi, called Ari [lion] by his followers, b. Jerusalem. In his 20s he spent seven years in s...

Bevin, Ernest

(Encyclopedia)Bevin, Ernest bĕvˈən [key], 1881–1951, British labor leader and statesman. An orphan who earned his own living from childhood, he began a long career as a trade union official when he became secr...

Shechem, town, West Bank

(Encyclopedia)Shechem shēˈkəm [key], town, central ancient Palestine, the modern Tell Balatan, between Mts. Gerizim and Ebal, near Nablus. Archaeological excavations indicate a village there c.3500 b.c. Shechem'...

Hebron, city, West Bank

(Encyclopedia)Hebron, Arab. Al-Khalil, city (2003 est. pop. 155,000), the West Bank. Hebron is situated at an altitude of 3,000 ft (910 m) in a region where grapes, cereal grains, and vegetables are grown. Tanning,...

Parthia

(Encyclopedia)Parthia pärˈthēə [key], ancient country of Asia, SE of the Caspian Sea. In its narrowest limits it consisted of a mountainous region intersected with fertile valleys, lying S of Hyrcania and corre...

Azmaveth

(Encyclopedia)Azmaveth ăzmāˈvĕth [key], in the Bible. 1 One of David's mighty men. 2 David's treasurer, perhaps the same as 1. 3 Father of two of David's warriors. He may be the same as 1 or 2, or the name may ...

Kerioth

(Encyclopedia)Kerioth kĕrˈēŏth [key]. 1 Unidentified town, E of the Jordan in Moab. Called Kirioth in Amos 2.2. 2 Unidentifed town, S ancient Palestine. In AV what had been one name is given as two: Kerioth and...