Crown – Cyrus

Crown

There are two distinct Hebrew terms rendered crown. The one represents such headdresses as we should designate coronet, band, miter, tiara, garland, etc. The other is generally applied to the headdresses of kings.

The former was a simple fillet or diadem around the head, variously ornamented. Newly-married persons of both sexes wore crowns on their wedding-day, Song 3:11; Eze 16:12.

The crowns of kings were sometimes white fillets, bound round the forehead, the ends falling back on the neck; or were made of gold tissue, adorned with jewels. That of the Jewish high priest was a fillet, or diadem, tied with a ribbon of a hyacinth color, Ex 28:36; 39:30. Occasionally the crown was of pure gold, and was worn by kings, 2Ch 23:11, sometimes when they went to battle, 2Sa 1:10; 12:30. It was also worn by queens, Es 2:17. The crown is a symbol of honor, power, and eternal life, Pr 12:4; La 5:16; 1Pe 5:4. Crowns or garlands were given to the successful competitors at the Grecian games, to which frequent allusion is made in the Epistle, 2Ti 4:7,8.

Cruse

A small vessel for holding water and other liquids, 1Sa 26:11. The above cut {see picture 1} represents various antique cups, travelling flasks, and cruses, like those still used in the East.

Crystal

The same Hebrew word is rendered by our translators, crystal, Eze 1:22; frost, Ge 31:40; and ice, Job 6:16. The word primarily denotes ice; and the name is given to a perfectly transparent and glass-like gem, from its resemblance, Job 28:17; Re 4:6; 21:11.

Cubit

A measure used among the ancients. A cubit was originally the distance from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger, which is the fourth part of a well-proportioned man’s stature. The Hebrew cubit, according to some, is twenty-one inches; but others fix it at eighteen. The Talmudists observe that the Hebrew cubit was larger by one quarter than the Roman.

Cucumber

A vegetable very plentiful in the East, especially in Egypt, Nu 11:5, where they are esteemed delicacies, and form a great part of the food of the lower class of people, especially during the hot months. The Egyptian cucumber is similar in form to ours, but larger, being usually a foot in length. It is described by Hasselquist as greener, smoother, softer, sweeter, and more digestible than our cucumber.

Cummin

A plant much like fennel, and which produces blossoms and branches in an umbellated form. Its seeds yield an aromatic oil, of a warm, stimulating nature, Isa 28:25-27. Our Lord reproved the scribes and Pharisees for so very carefully paying tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, and yet neglecting good works and obedience to God’s law, Mt 23:23.

Cup

This word is taken in Scripture both in a proper and in a figurative sense. In a proper sense, it signifies a common cup, of horn, or some precious metal, Ge 40:13; 44:2; 1Ki 7:26, such as is used for drinking out of at meals; or a cup of ceremony, used at solemn and religious meals-as at the Passover, when the father of the family pronounced certain blessings over the cup, and having tasted it, passed it round to the company and his whole family, who partook of it, 1Co 10:16. In a figurative sense, a cup is spoken of as filled with the portion given to one by divine providence, Ps 11:6; 16:5; with the blessings of life and of grace, Ps 23:5; with a thank-offering to God, Ex 29:40; Ps 116:13; with liquor used at idolatrous feasts, 1Co 10:21; with love-potions, Re 17:4; with sore afflictions, Ps 65:8; Isa 51:17; and with the bitter draught of death, which was often caused by a cup of hemlock or some other poison, Ps 75:8. See Mt 16:28; Lu 22:42; Joh 18:11. See CRUSE.

Cush

1. The eldest son of Ham, and father of Nimrod, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtecha, most of whom settled in Arabia Felix, Ge 10:6-8.

2. The countries peopled by the descendants of Cush, and generally called in the English Bible, Ethiopia, though not always. But under this name there seem to be included not less than three different countries:

A. The oriental Cush, comprehending the regions of Persis, Chusistan, and Susiana, in Persia. It lay chiefly to the eastward of the Tigris. Hither we may refer the river Gihon, Ge 2:13; Zep 3:10. See EDEN.

B. The Hebrews also, in the opinion of many, used Cush and Cushan, Hab 3:7, to designate the southern parts of Arabia, and the coast of the Red sea. From this country originated Nimrod, who established himself in Mesopotamia, Ge 10:8. The "Ethiopian woman," too, whom Moses married during the march of the Israelites through the desert, came probably from this Cush, Ex 2:16-21; Nu 12:1; 2Ch 21:16.

C. But, more commonly, Cush signifies Ethiopia proper, lying south and southeast of Egypt, and now called Abyssinia, Isa 18:1; 20:3-5; Jer 13:23; Eze 29:10; Da 11:43.

Cuthites

A people who dwelt beyond the Euphrates, and were thence transplanted into Samaria, in place of the Israelites who had before inhabited it. They came from the land of Cush, or Cutha, in the East; their first settlement being in the cities of the Medes, subdued by Shalmaneser and his predecessors. See CUSH. The Israelites were substituted for them in those places, 2Ki 17:24,30.

Cymbal

A musical instrument consisting of two broad plates of brass, of a convex form, which being struck together, produce a shrill, piercing sound. From Ps 150:5, it would appear that both hand-cymbals and finger-cymbals, or castagnets, were used. They were used in the temple, and upon occasions of public rejoicings, 1Ch 13.8; 16.5, as they are by the Armenians at the present day. In 1Co 13:1, the apostle deduces a comparison from sounding brass and "tinkling" cymbals; perhaps the latter words had been better rendered clanging or clattering cymbals, since such is the nature of the instrument. See MUSIC.

Cypress

An evergreen tree, resembling in form and size the Lombardy poplar. Its wood is exceedingly durable, and seems to have been used for making idols, Isa 44:14. The cypress is thought to be intended in some of the passages where "fir-tree" occurs, 2Sa 6:5, etc.

Cyprus

A large island in the Mediterranean, situated in the northeast part of that sea between Cilicia and Syria. It is about one hundred and forty miles long, and varies from five to fifty miles in breadth. Its inhabitants were plunged in all manner of luxury and debauchery. Their principal deity was Venus, who had a celebrated temple at Paphos. The island was extremely fertile, and abounded in wine, oil, honey, wool, copper, agate, and a beautiful species of rock crystal. There were also large forests of cypress-trees. Of the cities in the island, Paphos on the western coast, and Salmis at the opposite end, are mentioned in the New Testament. The gospel was preached there at an early day, Ac 11:19. Barnabas and Mnason, and other eminent Christians, were natives of this island, Ac 11:20; 21:16. The apostles Paul and Barnabas made a missionary tour through it, A. D. 44, Ac 13:4-13. See also Ac 15:39; 27:4.

Cyrene

A city and province of Libya, west of Egypt, between the Great Syrtis and the Mareotis, at present called Cairoan, in the province of Barca. It was sometimes called PENTAPOLIS, from the five principal cities that it contained-Cyrene, Apollonia, Arsinoe, Berenice, and Ptolemais. From hence came Simon the Cyrenian, father of Alexander and Rufus, on whom the Roman soldiers laid a part of our Savior’s cross, Mt 27:32; Lu 23:26. There were many Jews in the province of Cyrene, a great part of whom embraced the Christian religion, though others opposed it with much obstinacy, Ac 6:9; 11:20; 13:1.

Cyrenius

Or Publius Sulpitius QUIRINUS, according to his Latin appellation, governor of Syria, Lu 2:2. According to history, Quirinus was not properly governor of Syria till some years after this date; and the only census of that time mentioned by secular historians took place when Christ was eight or ten years old. The passage in Luke may be translated, "This enrolment took place first under Cyrenius governor of Syria." Compare Ac 5:37.

Cyrus

Son of Cambyses king of Persia, and Mandane, daughter of Astyages king of the Medes. He aided his uncle Cyaxares (called "Darius the Mede" in the Bible) in conquering Asia Minor, and afterwards their joint forces captured Babylon and overran the Assyrian empire. He married his cousin, the daughter of Cyaxares, and thus at length inherited and united the crowns of Persia Media. Cyrus was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, Isa 44:28; 45:1-7, as the deliverer and restorer of Judah, as he proved to be, 2Ch 36:22,23; Ezr 1:1-4. The prophet Daniel was his favorite minister, Da 6:28.