Difference between revisions of "Hiel"

<p> The [[Bethelite]] of Jericho. His name implies, the life of God; from Chajak, to live; and El, God. I refer the reader to those two passages in Scripture, for the short but striking account of this man, whose boldness, in face of the curse Joshua pronounced, led him to so daring an act as that of building Jericho, and whose rashness the Lord so fully punished, in conformity to his servant's prediction. (See &nbsp;Joshua 6:26 with &nbsp;1 Kings 16:34) </p> <p> See also [[Elisha]] </p>

<p> '''Hi'el.''' ''(God Liveth).'' A native of Bethel, who rebuilt Jericho in the reign of Ahab, &nbsp;1 Kings 16:34, (B.C. After 915), and in whom was fulfilled the curse, pronounced by Joshua, &nbsp;Joshua 6:26, five hundred years before. </p>

<p> (Heb. Chiel', '''''חַיאֵל''''' '', Life Of,'' i.e. ''From God,'' or perh. for '''''יְחַיאֵל''''' , ''God Shall Live;'' Sept. '''''Ἀχιήλ''''' ), a native of Bethel, who rebuilt Jericho (B.C. post 915), above 700 years after its destruction by the Israelites, and who, in so doing (&nbsp;1 Kings 16:34), incurred, in the death of his eldest son [[Abiram]] and his youngest son Segub, the effects of the imprecation pronounced by Joshua (&nbsp;Joshua 6:26): </p> <p> "Accursed the man in the sight of Jehovah, Who shall arise and build this city, even Jericho; With the loss of] his first-born shall he found it, And with [the loss of] his youngest shall he fix its gates." (See Jericho). [[Strabo]] speaks of such cursing of a destroyed city as an ancient custom, and instances the curses imprecated by Agamemnon and [[Croesus]] (Grotius, Asnnot. ad &nbsp;Joshua 6:26); Masius compares the cursing of [[Carthage]] by the Romans (Poli Syn.). The term Bethelite ( '''''בֵּית''''' '''''הָאֵַלי''''' ) here only is by some rendered ''Fanily Of Cursing'' (Pet. Martyr), and also ''House Or Place Of Cursing'' (Ar., Syr., and Chald. verss.). qu. '''''בֵּית''''' '''''אָלָה''''' ; but there seems no reason for questioning the accuracy of the Sept. '''''Ὁ''''' '''''Βαιθηλίτης''''' ,- which is approved by most commentators, and sanctioned by [[Gesenius]] ''(Lex.'' s.v.). The rebuilding of Jericho was an intrusion upon the kingdom of Jehoshaphat, unless, with Peter Martyr, we suppose that Jericho had already been detached from it by the kings of Israel. (See [[Accursed]]). </p>

<p> ''''' hı̄´el ''''' ( חיאל , <i> ''''' ḥı̄'ēl ''''' </i> ; Ἀχιήλ , <i> ''''' Achiḗl ''''' </i> ): A B ethelite who according to &nbsp;1 Kings 16:34 rebuilt Jericho, and in fulfillment of a curse pronounced by Joshua (&nbsp; Joshua 6:26 ) sacrificed his two sons. This seems to have been a custom prevalent among primitive peoples, the purpose being to ward off ill luck from the inhabitants, especially in a case where the destroyer had invoked a curse on him who presumed to rebuild. Numerous instances are brought to light in the excavations of [[Gezer]] (Macalister, <i> Bible Side-Lights from the [[Mound]] of Gezer </i> , chapter x). At first the very best was claimed as a gift to the deity, e.g. one's own sons; then some less valuable member of the community. When civilization prevented human sacrifice, animals were offered instead. The story of [[Abraham]] offering Isaac may be a trace of this old custom, the tenor of the story implying that at the time of the writing of the record, the custom was coming to be in disrepute. A similar instance is the offering of his eldest son by the king of [[Edom]] to appease the deity and win success in battle (&nbsp;2 Kings 3:27; compare &nbsp;Micah 6:7 ). Various conjectures have been made as to the identity of this king. Ewald regarded him as a man of wealth and enterprise ( <i> unternehmender reicher Mann </i> ); Cheyne following Niebuhr makes it [[Jehu]] in disguise, putting &nbsp;1 Kings 16:34 after &nbsp; 2 Kings 10:33; Winckler explains as folklore. </p>

<p> Hi´el (God liveth), a native of Bethel, who rebuilt Jericho, above 500 years after its destruction by the Israelites, and who, in so doing, incurred the effects of the imprecation pronounced by Joshua : </p> <p> Accursed the man in the sight of Jehovah, </p> <p> Who shall arise and build this city, even Jericho; </p> <p> With the loss of his first-born shall he found it, </p> <p> And with the loss of his youngest shall he fix its gates . </p>