Difference between revisions of "Defense"

<p> This word, besides its ordinary and proper use, stands in the English Bible as a mistranslation of two Heb. terms. '''1.''' ''Matsotr''' מָצוֹר, in connection with יְאֹרַים, streams, rendered in &nbsp;2 Kings 19:24, "rivers of besieged places," Sept. ποταμοι συνοχῆς, Vulg. ''aquae clausae'' ; in &nbsp;Isaiah 19:6, "brooks of defense," Sept. διώρυες τοῦ ποταμοῦ, Vulg. ''rivi aggerum'' ; in &nbsp;Isaiah 37:25, "rivers of the besieged places," Sept. συναγωγὴ ὕδατος, Vulg. ''rivi aggerum'' ), a proper name for [[Egypt,]] alluding to its canals, i.e. the branches of the Nile. The derivation of the term is obscure; perhaps it is only another application of the Heb. word of the same form, elsewhere signifying (literally straitness, hence) a mound or fortification, and applied to Egypt, especially Lower Egypt, as being strongly fortified, both by nature and art. (See [[Mazor]]). </p> <p> '''2.''' ''Be'tser'' (בֶּצֶר, probably something dug out of a mine, occurring only in Job, and rendered in chap. 22:24, "gold," Sept. πέτρα, Vulg. ''silex'' ; in &nbsp;Isaiah 37:25, "defense," Sept. βοηθὸς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν, Vulg. ''contra hostes'' ; in chap. 36:19, ‘ gold," Sept. δυνατὸς ἐν ἀνάγκῃ, Vulg. ''tribulatio'' ), precious ore, i.e. of gold or silver, in its native state; an interpretation evidently required by the corresponding terms in the parallel members of the hemistichs where it occurs. (See [[Gold]]). </p>