Pleiades

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We find twice mention made in the book of Job of the heavenly constellations. ( Job 9:9 and  Job 38:31) The sacred writer enumerates but some of them, Arcturus, Orion, the Pleiades, and Mazzaroth; but we may suppose the whole are equally included as those whose influences we cannot bring forth nor bind. "He calleth them all by their names." ( Psalms 147:4) And we read that there was a time when the stars in their courses fought in the Lord's course. ( Judges 5:20) There is an uncommon degree of beauty as well as sublimity in this relation of the heavenly bodies. The Pleiades are those stars which form a cluster, vulgarly called the seven stars, though even with a naked eye, in a clear night, more can be seen in the ring. Perhaps this is the smallest of the heavenly constellations with which we are acquainted; very beautiful they are to every beholder; and small as they are, yet we find they have "their sweet influences." The bands of Orion are also spoken of as perfectly uncontrollable; and this forms that very large constellation, perhaps none larger in the chambers of the south. Arcturus is among the northern of the heavenly bodies, alike independent of man's government, or man's guidance. But what a refreshing thought it is to the true believer in Jesus, the sinner's Saviour is the Maker of them all; and to whatsoever purpose else they are formed to minister, their alt by his appointment serve to his glory, and his people's welfare!

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Kimah .  Amos 5:8;  Job 9:9;  Job 38:31; literally, "the heap (Arabic Knot ) of stars." "Canst thou bind (Is It Thou That Bindest) the sweet influences (The Pleiades Rise In Joyous Spring, Ma'Adanot ; But Gesenius, Transposing Ma'Anadoth , Translated "Bands") of Pleiades?" Madler of Dorpat discovered that the whole solar system is moving forward round Alcyone, the brightest star in Pleiades. The Pleiades are "bound" together with such amazing attractive energy that they draw our whole planetary system and sun round them at the rate of 422,000 miles a day in the orbit which will take thousands of years before completion.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ple'iades. The Hebrew word, ( cimah ), so rendered occurs in  Job 9:9;  Job 38:31;  Amos 6:8. In the last passage, our Authorized Version has "the seven stars," although the Geneva version translates the word "Pleiades," as in the other cases.

The Pleiades are a group of stars situated on the shoulder of the constellation, Taurus. The rendering "sweet influences" of the Authorized Version,  Job 38:31, is a relic of the lingering belief in the power, which the stars exerted over human destiny. But Schaff thinks the phrase arose from the fact that the Pleiades appear about the middle of April, and hence, are associated with the return of spring, the season of Sweet Influences .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

kimah. The Hebrew signifies lit . 'a heap or collection.' Being named with Arcturus and Orion, it doubtless refers to the group of stars that still bear the name Pleiades.  Job 9:9;  Job 38:31 . The same Hebrew word is translated Seven Stars in  Amos 5:8 . There are many stars in the group, but seven are visible to the naked eye.  Job 38:31 is better translated, "Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?"

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A cluster of seven stars in the neck of Taurus, or the Bull, one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The sun enters Taurus about the middle of April; and the appearance of the Pleiades, therefore, marks the return of spring,  Job 9:9;  38:31;  Amos 5:8 .

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n. pl.) A group of small stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus.

(2): ( n. pl.) The seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione, fabled to have been made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 9:9 Job 38:31 Amos 5:8 pleos pleo

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Job 9:9 38:31 Amos 5:8

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

PLEIADES . See Stars.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

In the Greek mythology seven sisters, daughters of Atlas, transformed into stars, six of them visible and one invisible, and forming the group on the shoulders of Taurus in the zodiac; in the last week of May they rise and set with the sun till August, after which they follow the sun and are seen more or less at night till their conjunction with it again in May.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

plı̄´a - dēz , plē´ya - dēz , plē´a - dēz . See Astrology , 10; Astronomy , II, 10.