Favor – Fenced Cities

Favor

fa'-ver (chen, ratson, with other Hebrew words; charis): Means generally good will, acceptance, and the benefits flowing from these; in older usage it meant also the countenance, hence, appearance. Alternating in English Versions of the Bible with "grace," it is used chiefly of man, but sometimes also of God (Genesis 18:3; Genesis 30:27; Genesis 39:21; Exodus 3:21; 2 Samuel 15:25, "in the eyes of Yahweh," etc.). It is used perhaps in the sense of "countenance" in Proverbs 31:30, "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain" (the King James Version), where for "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "grace"; the reference is to external appearance. "Favored" is used in the sense of "appearance" in the phrase "well-favored" (Genesis 29:17; Genesis 39:6; Genesis 41:2,Genesis 41:4).; conversely, "ill-favored" (Genesis 41:3,Genesis 41:4). For "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "have pity on" (Psalms 109:12), "good will" (Proverbs 14:9), "peace" (Song of Songs 8:10); the English Revised Version "grace" (Ruth 2:13), the American Standard Revised Version "kindness" (Esther 2:17; Daniel 1:9), etc. In the American Standard Revised Version "the acceptable year of the Lord" (Isaiah 61:2) is changed Into "the year of Yahweh's favor"; "Do I now persuade men" (Galatians 1:10) into, "Am I now seeking the favor of men," and there are other the Revised Version (British and American) changes.

W. L. Walker

Fawn

fon.

See DEER.

Fear

fer (yir'ah, yare'; phobos, phobeo):

Terms, etc.:

"Fear" is the translation of many words in the Old Testament; the chief are: yir'ah, "fear," "terror," "reverence," "awe," most often "the fear of God," "fear of Yahweh" (Genesis 20:11; 2 Chronicles 19:9, etc.); also of "fear" generally (Job 22:4; Isaiah 7:25; Ezekiel 30:13, etc.); yare', "to be afraid," "to fear," "to reverence" (Genesis 15:1; Leviticus 19:3,Leviticus 19:14; Deuteronomy 6:2, etc.); pachadh, "fear," "terror," "dread" (Genesis 31:42,Genesis 31:53; Deuteronomy 11:25; 1 Samuel 11:7 the King James Version; Job 4:14; Isaiah 2:10 the King James Version, etc.).

"Fearful" (timid) is the translation of yare' (Deuteronomy 20:8; Judges 7:3); "to be feared," yare' (Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 28:58; compare Psalms 130:4); in Isaiah 35:4, it is the translation of mahar, "hasty," "them that are of a fearful heart," margin "Hebrew hasty"; perhaps, ready to flee (for fear).

"Fearfully" (Psalms 139:14): yare', "I am fearfully (and) wonderfully made," so the Revised Version (British and American); "and" is not in the text, so that "fearfully" may be equivalent to "extremely," to an awesome degree; compare Psalms 65:5, "by terrible things .... in righteousness"; 66:3, "How terrible are thy works (yare' "fearful "); the Septuagint, Peshitta, Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) have "Thou art fearfully wonderful."

"Fearfulness" occurs In Psalms 55:5 (yir'ah); Isaiah 21:4 (pallatsuth), the Revised Version (British and American) "horror"; Isaiah 33:14 (re`adhah, "trembling"), "Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites," the Revised Version (British and American) "Trembling hath seized the godless ones."

In the New Testament the chief words are phobos, "fear," "terror," "affright" (Matthew 14:26; Matthew 28:4,Matthew 28:8; Luke 21:26; 1 John 4:18, etc.), and phobeo, "to put in fear" (both used of ordinary fear) (Matthew 1:20; Matthew 10:26; Matthew 28:5; 2 Corinthians 12:20, etc.); of the fear of God, the noun (Romans 3:18; 2 Corinthians 7:1), the verb (Luke 18:4; Luke 23:40, etc.); deilia, "timidity," "fear," occurs in 2 Timothy 1:7, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear," the Revised Version (British and American) "a spirit of fearfulness"; ekphobos, "frightened out (of one's senses)," "greatly terrified" (Hebrews 12:21; compare Deuteronomy 9:19; The Wisdom of Solomon 17:9 the King James Version); apo tes eulabeias is translated (Hebrews 5:7) "(of Christ) who was heard in that he feared," the Revised Version (British and American) "having been heard for his godly fear"; so all the Greek commentators; eulabeia, properly, "caution," "circumspection," is used in the New Testament for godly fear (Hebrews 12:28, the Revised Version (British and American) "reverence and awe," margin as the King James Version); compare eulabes (Luke 2:25; Acts 2:5; Acts 8:2); eulabeomai, "to act with caution" (Acts 23:10). Deilos, "fearful," "timid," occurs in Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:40; Revelation 21:8, "Their part shall be .... the second death"; phoberos, "fearful," "terrible" (Hebrews 10:27,Hebrews 10:31); phobetron, "something fearful," "a terrible sign or portent" (Luke 21:11, Revised Version (British and American) "terrors").

Fear is a natural and, in its purpose, beneficent feeling, arising in the presence or anticipation of danger, and moving to its avoidance; it is also awakened in the presence of superiors and of striking manifestations of power, etc., taking the form of awe or reverence. Fear has been said to be the source of religion, but religion can never have originated from fear alone, since men are impelled to draw nigh with expectation to the object of worship.

"Fear" is certainly a prominent element in Old Testament religion; the "fear of God" or of Yahweh, "the fear of the Lord," is indeed synonymous with religion itself (Psalms 34:11; Proverbs 1:7; Isaiah 11:2,Isaiah 11:3; Jeremiah 2:19; Ecclesiastes 12:13, "the whole duty of man," the Revised Version, margin "the duty of all men"). But although the element of dread, or of "fear" in its lower sense, is not always absent and is sometimes prominent in the earlier stages especially, though not exclusively (Exodus 23:27, 'emah; 1 Samuel 11:7; 2 Chronicles 20:29; Psalms 119:120; Isaiah 2:10,Isaiah 2:19,Isaiah 2:21), it is more the feeling of reverent regard for their God, tempered with awe and fear of the punishment of disobedience. As such it is a sentiment commanded and to be cherished toward Yahweh (Exodus 20:20; Deuteronomy 6:13; Joshua 4:24; 1 Samuel 12:24; Job 6:14; Psalms 33:8; Psalms 34:9; Proverbs 23:17; Ecclesiastes 5:7, etc.). It is an essential element in the worship and service of Yahweh (2Ki 17 often; Psalms 2:11, etc.); it is a Divine qualification of the Messiah (Isaiah 11:2,Isaiah 11:3). This "fear of Yahweh" is manifested in keeping God's commandments, walking in His ways, doing His will, avoiding sin, etc. (Exodus 20:20; Deuteronomy 6:13,Deuteronomy 6:14; 2 Samuel 23:3; Psalms 34:4,Psalms 34:9 parallel Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 16:6). It is the true wisdom (Job 28:28; Psalms 25:14; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 15:33); it gives life (Proverbs 10:27, etc.), blessedness (Psalms 128:1,Psalms 128:4), sufficiency (Psalms 34:9), Divine friendship (Psalms 25:14), protection (Psalms 34:7), deliverance (Psalms 85:9), forgiveness (Psalms 130:4). In Psalms 90:11 the King James Version has "According to thy fear so is thy wrath," the Revised Version (British and American) "and thy wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee"; the meaning probably is "thy wrath is in proportion to thy fear."

The "fear of the Lord" is a frequent phrase in Apocrypha, and is highly exalted, e.g. Ecclesiasticus 1:11-30; the idea of it became gradually more and more elevated; in 2:15,16 it is joined with the love of God.

"Fear" is the natural consequence of sin (Genesis 3:10; Genesis 4:13,Genesis 4:14; Proverbs 28:1); it comes as a punishment (Deuteronomy 28:25,Deuteronomy 28:28). The fear of man and of evils are dangers to be avoided, from which the fear of God delivers (Numbers 14:9; Numbers 21:34; Psalms 23:4; Psalms 31:14, etc.).

"Fear" sometimes stands for the object of fear (Proverbs 10:24; Isaiah 66:4); for the object of worship (Genesis 31:42,Genesis 31:53, "the God of Abraham, and the Fear of isaac," pachadh).

In the New Testament dread, or fear of God in the lower sense, is removed; He is revealed as the loving and forgiving Father, who gives to men the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18); we are invited even to come "with boldness unto the throne of grace," with confidence, assurance (parrhesia), which, however, may have its literal meaning of free "utterance" (Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:19); but there remains a filial fear and sense of awe and of the greatness of the issues involved (Romans 11:20; Ephesians 5:21, the Revised Version (British and American) "of Christ"; 1 Timothy 5:20; Hebrews 4:1); all other fears should be dismissed (Matthew 8:26; Matthew 10:26–28,Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:32); in Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5, "fear" is used in the sense of "stand in awe of," so perhaps Luke 23:40; to "fear God" is sometimes used in the New Testament as equivalent to religion (Luke 18:4; Acts 10:2,Acts 10:35; Acts 13:16,Acts 13:26, used of proselytes); in Hebrews 10:27, it is said that if Christ be willfully rejected, nothing remains but "a fearful looking for (the Revised Version (British and American) "expectation") of judgment," and 10:31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," in which places "fearful" means "terrible," something well to be feared. the Revised Version (British and American) gives frequently a more literal rendering of the words translated "fear."

W. L. Walker

Feasts And Fasts

fests (mo`edh, "an appointed day" or "an assembling," chagh, from chaghagh, "to dance" or possibly "to make a pilgrimage"; tsom, "fast," ta`anith, "a day of affliction"):

I. PRE-EXILIC

A) Annual

1. Passover, 15th-22d Nican

2. Pentecost, 6th Ciwan) Pilgrimage

3. Tabernacles, 15th-22d Tishri) Festivals

4. Shemini `Atsereth, 23d Tishri

5. New Year, Feast of Trumpets, 1st Tishri

6. Atonement, 10th Tishri

B) Periodic

1. Weekly Sabbath

2. New Moon

3. Sabbath Year

4. Jubilee Year

II. POST-EXILIC

1. Feast of Dedication, 25th Kiclew

2. Fast of Esther, 13th 'Adhar

3. Feast of Purim, 14th 'Adhar

4. Fast of the Fourth Month, 17th Tammuz

5. Fast of the Fifth Month, 9th 'Abh

6. Fast of the Seventh Month, 3rd Tishri

7. Fast of the Tenth Month, 10th Tebheth

8. Feast of Acra, 23d Iyar

9. Feast of Nicanor, 18th 'Adhar

10. Feast of Woodcarrying, Midsummer Day, 15th 'Abh

11. New Year for Trees, 15th ShebhaT

12. Bi-weekly Fasts, Mondays and Thursdays after Festivals

13. Second Days of Festivals Instituted

14. New Modes of Observing Old Festivals Instituted

The Nature of the Hebrew Festivals:

The Hebrews had an abundance of holidays, some based, according to their tradition, on agriculture and the natural changes of times and seasons, some on historical events connected with the national or religious life of Israel, and still others simply on immemorial custom. in most instances two or more of these bases coexist, and the emphasis on the natural, the agricultural, the national, or the religious phase will vary with different writers, different context, or different times. Any classification of these feasts and fasts on the basis of original significance must therefore be imperfect.

We should rather classify them as preexilic and post-exilic, because the period of the Babylonian captivity marks a complete change, not only in the kinds of festivals instituted from time to time, but also in the manner of celebrating the old.

I. Pre-exilic.

The pre-exilic list includes the three pilgrimage festivals, the Passover week, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, together with the Eighth Day of Assembly at the conclusion of the last of these feasts, and New Year and Atonement Days, the weekly Sabbath and the New Moon.

1. Observances Common to All:

The preexilic festivals were "holy convocations" (Leviticus 23:1–44; Numbers 28:1–31). Special sacrifices were offered on them in addition to the daily offerings. These sacrifices, however, varied according to the character of the festival (Numbers 28:1–31; Numbers 29:1–40). On all of them trumpets (chatsotseroth) were blown while the burnt offerings and the peace-offerings were being sacrificed (Numbers 10:10). They were all likened to the weekly Sabbath as days of rest, on which there must be complete suspension of all ordinary work (Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 23:7,Leviticus 23:8,Leviticus 23:21,Leviticus 23:24,Leviticus 23:25,Leviticus 23:28,Leviticus 23:35,Leviticus 23:36).

2. Significance of the Festivals:

The three pilgrimage festivals were known by that name because on them the Israelites gathered at Jerusalem to give thanks for their doubly joyful character. They were of agricultural significance as well as commemorative of national events. Thus, the Passover is connected with the barley harvest; at the same time it is the zeman cheruth, recalling the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5,Leviticus 23:8; Numbers 28:16–25; Deuteronomy 16:1–8).

Pentecost has an agricultural phase as chagh habikkurim, the celebration of the wheat harvest; it has a religious phase as zeman mattan Thorah in the Jewish liturgy, based on the rabbinical calculation which makes it the day of the giving of the Law, and this religious side has so completely overshadowed the agricultural that among modern Jews the Pentecost has become "confirmation day" (Exodus 34:26; Leviticus 23:10–14; Numbers 28:26–31).

The Feast of Tabernacles is at once the general harvest festival, chagh he-'aciph, and the anniversary of the beginnings of the wanderings in the wilderness (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:33 Deuteronomy 16:13–15). The Eighth Day of Assembly immediately following the last day of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35 John 7:37) and closing the long cycle of Tishri festivals seems to have been merely a final day of rejoicing before the pilgrims returned to their homes.

New Year (Leviticus 23:23–25; Numbers 29:1–6) and the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:1 Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11) marked the turning of the year; primarily, perhaps, in the natural phenomena of Palestine, but also in the inner life of the nation and the individual. Hence, the religious significance of these days as days of judgment, penitence and forgiveness soon overshadowed any other significance they may have had. The temple ritual for these days, which is minutely described in the Old Testament and in the Talmud, was the most elaborate and impressive of the year. At the same time Atonement Day was socially an important day of rejoicing.

In addition to these annual festivals the pre-exilic Hebrews celebrated the Sabbath (Numbers 28:9,Numbers 28:10; Leviticus 23:1–3) and the New Moon (Numbers 10:10; Numbers 28:11–15). By analogy to the weekly Sabbath, every seventh year was a Sabbath Year (Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 25:1–7; Deuteronomy 15:1), and every cycle of seven Sabbath years was closed with a Jubilee Year (Leviticus 25:8–18) somewhat after the analogy of the seven weeks counted before Pentecost.

For further details of all of these preexilic festivals see the separate articles.

II. Post-exilic.

In post-exilic times important historical events were made the basis for the institution of new fasts and feasts. When the first temple was destroyed and the people were carried into captivity, "the sacrifice of the body and one's own fat and blood" were substituted for that of animals (see Talmud, Berakhoth 17a). With such a view of their importance, fasts of all sorts were as a matter of course rapidly multiplied. (Note that the Day of Atonement was the only pre-exilic fast.) Of these post-exilic fasts and feasts, the Feast of Dedication (1 Macc 4:52-59; John 10:22; Mishna, Ta`anith 2 10; Mo`edh QaTon 3 9; Josephus, Ant, XII, vii; Apion, II, xxxix) and the Feast of Purim (Esther 3:7; Esther 9:24 ff; 2 Macc 15:36); and the fasts of the fourth (Zechariah 8:19; Jer 39; 52; Mishna, Ta`anith 4 6), the fifth (Zechariah 7:3,Zechariah 7:1; Zechariah 8:19; Ta`anith 4 6), the seventh (Zechariah 7:5; Zechariah 8:19; Jeremiah 41:1; 2 Kings 25:25; Cedher `Olam Rabba' 26; Meghillath Ta`anith c. 12), the tenth months (Zechariah 8:19; 2 Kings 25:1–30), and the Fast of Esther (Esther 4:16 Esther 9:31) have been preserved by Jewish tradition to this day. (The Feast of Dedication, the Feast of Purim and the Fast of Esther are described in separate articles.)

Significance:

The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months are based on historical incidents connected with one or more national calamities. In several instances the rabbis have by close figuring been able to connect with the dates of the fasts as well as the feasts other important national events than those for which the days were primarily instituted. Not less than four incidents are connected with the fasts of the fourth month (17th of Tammuz):

(a) on this day the Israelites made the golden calf;

(b) Moses broke the tables of law;

(c) the daily sacrifices ceased for want of cattle when the city was closely besieged prior to the destruction of Jerusalem; and

(d) on this day Jerusalem was stormed by Nebuchadnezzar.

The fast of the fifth month (9th day of 'Abh) receives its significance from the fact that the First Temple was destroyed upon this day by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Second Temple on the same day of the year by Titus. In addition it is said that on this day Yahweh decreed that those who left Egypt should not enter the land of promise; the day is also the anniversary of the capture of the city of Bether by the Emperor Hadrian. The fast of the seventh month (the 3rd day of Tishri) commemorates the murder of Gedaliah at Mizpah. That of the tenth month (10th day of Tebheth) commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

Other fasts and feasts no doubt were instituted on similar occasions and received a local or temporary observance, for example, the Feast of Acra (1 Macc 13:50-52; compare 1:33), to celebrate the recapture of Acra ("the citadel") on the 23rd of 'Iyar 141 BC, and the Feast of Nicanor, in celebration of the victory over Nicanor on the 13th day of 'Adhar 160 BC (1 Macc 7:49).

Several other festivals are mentioned in the Talmud and other post-Biblical writings which may have been of even greater antiquity. The Feast of Woodcarrying (Midsummer Day: Nehemiah 10:34; Josephus, BJ, II, vii, 6; Meghillath Ta`anith c.v, p. 32, Mishna, Ta`anith 4 8a), for example, is referred to as the greatest day of rejoicing of the Hebrews, ranking with Atonement Day. It was principally a picnic day to which a religious touch was given by making it the woodgatherers' festival for the Temple. A New Year for trees is mentioned in the Talmud (Ro'sh ha-Shdnah 1 1). The pious, according both to the Jewish tradition and the New Testament, observed many private or semi-public fasts, such as the Mondays, Thursdays and following Monday after Nisan and Tishri (the festival months: Luke 18:12; Matthew 9:14; Matthew 6:16; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; Acts 10:30; Meghillah 31a; Ta`anith 12a; Bdbha' Qama' 8 2). The day before Passover was a fast day for the firstborn (Copherim 21 3).

In post-Biblical times the Jews outside of Palestine doubled each of the following days: the opening and closing day of Passover and Tabernacles and Pentecost, because of the capheq, or doubt as to the proper day to be observed, growing out of the delays in the transmission of the official decree of the Sanhedhrin in each season. Differences in hours of sunrise and sunset between Palestine and other countries may have had something to do at least with the perpetuation of the custom. New Year's Day seems to have been doubled from time immemorial, the forty-eight hours counting as one "long day."

Many new modes of observance appear in post-exilic times in connection with the old established festivals, especially in the high festival season of Tishri. Thus the cimchath beth ha-sho'ebhah, "water drawing festival," was celebrated during the week of Tabernacles with popular games and dances in which even the elders took part, and the streets were so brilliantly illuminated with torches that scarcely an eye was closed in Jerusalem during that week (Talmud, Chullin).

The last day of Tabernacles was known in Talmudic times as yom chibbuT `arabhoth, from the custom of beating willow branches, a custom clearly antedating the various symbolical explanations offered for it. Its festivities were connected with the dismantling of the booth. In later times the day was known as hosha`na' rabba', from the liturgical passages beginning with the word hosha`na', recited throughout the feast and "gathered" on that day. The day after Tabernacles has been made cimchath Torah, the Feast of the Law, from the custom of ending on that day the cycle of fifty-two weekly portions read in the synagogues.

In general it may be said that although the actual observance has changed from time to time to meet new conditions, the synagogal calendar of today is made up of the same festivals as those observed in New Testament times.

Ella Davis Isaacs

Feasts, Seasons For

Regulated by the sun and moon.

See ASTRONOMY, sec. I, 5.

Feathers

feth'-erz (notsah; Latin penna): "Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings (the Revised Version (British and American) "pinions") and feathers (the American Standard Revised Version "plumage") unto the ostrich?" (Job 39:13 the King James Version); "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler" (Psalms 91:4 the King James Version). In the Revised Version (British and American) this is again changed to pinions. in Daniel 4:33 the word "feathers" is left. The wonderful plumage of birds was noted and prized in those days, just as now. Old ostriches were too tough and rank of flesh for food. They were pursued for their feathers, which were used for the headdressing and shield ornaments of desert princes. No one doubts that the ships of Solomon introduced peacocks because of their wonderful feathers. Those of the eagle were held in superstitious reverence as late as the days of Pliny, who was ten years old at the time of the crucifixion of Christ. Pliny wrote that the eagle was so powerful that if its feathers be laid in a box with those of other birds, the eagle feathers would "devour and consume all the rest."

Gene Stratton-Porter

Feeble Knees

fe'-b'-l nez: The expression. is found in three places (one being a free quotation of another): Job 4:4, "Thou hast made firm the feeble (kara`, "bending," "bowing") knees," and Hebrews 12:12, "Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied (the King James Version "feeble") knees." The Greek word used here (paralelumena, "paralyzed," "motionless") implies the loss of junction, interrupted articulation, the cutting off of vital strength; compare Greek cholos, "lame," and see Delitzsch in his Commentary on Heb, in the place cited

Such an affection of the knees may be due to different causes. It is, e.g., a very frequent symptom of the disease known in the Orient as beriberi, when the muscles of the lower leg shrink to such a degree as to render voluntary locomotion impossible. It always disables its victim, and is therefore often expressive of general debility, e.g. in Psalms 109:24, where such weakness is described as the outcome of protracted fasting in Ezekiel 7:17 and 21:7, "All knees shall be weak as water," the expression indicates a complete relaxation of the muscles. Fear effected the same condition in Belshazzar's case, when he saw the writing on the wall (Daniel 5:6), "The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another" (compare Nahum 2:10).

The "sore boil .... in the knees, and in the legs," a disease announced in Deuteronomy 28:35 as a punishment upon Israel for disobedience, cannot now be fully determined. Driver (in his commentary on the passage) thinks of elephantiasis, which is possible but not probable on account of the additional statement, "whereof thou canst not be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the crown of thy head" which would be unexplained, as elephantiasis rarely presents a form in which the whole body is sympathetically affected. I rather think of some form of bubonic plague, which causes very high fever all over the body. In Deuteronomy 28:27 in the enumeration of plagues mention is made of the "boil of Egypt," and some commentators have explained this as "bubonic plague." There is, however, no doubt that the "boil or botch of Egypt" is identical with the disease known to modern medicine as bouton du Nil, Biskra button, Bagdad or Aleppo sore.

H. L. E. Luering

Feeble-Minded

fe'-b'-l-min'-ded (oligopsuchos): Only in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 the King James Version, in the sense of "fainthearted," as in the Revised Version (British and American). In Septuagint it is used as the equivalent of koshel, the tottering or feeble-kneed in Isaiah 35:3; Isaiah 54:6; oligopsuchia occurs in Septuagint twice (Exodus 6:9; Psalms 54:7), for "anguish of spirit" and "trouble." The term refers to weakness of will and vacillation of purpose rather than to idiocy or morbid imbecility.

Feeling

fel'-ing: The following varieties of meaning are to be noted:

(1) "To touch," "handle," "grope after" (mashash (Genesis 27:12,Genesis 27:22; Exodus 10:21; mush, Genesis 27:21; Judges 16:26; pselaphao, Acts 17:27).

(2) "To know," "understand," "experience" (bin, Psalms 58:9; yadha`, Proverbs 23:35; ginosko, Mark 5:29).

(3) "To have a fellow feeling," "to place one's self into the position of another," especially while suffering, "to have compassion" (sumpathein, Hebrews 4:15; compare 10:34; which is to be carefully distinguished from the similar verb sumpaschein, which means "to share in the same suffering with another," Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 12:26). See Delitzsch, Commentary on Hebrews 4:15.

(4) "To feel harm," "pain," "grief," "to be sensitive" (paschein, with the roots path- and penth-, Acts 28:5); or with the negation: "to have ceased to feel," "to be apathetic," "past feeling," "callous," apelgekos, perfect participle of apalgeo (Ephesians 4:19) which describes the condition of the sinner, who by hardening his heart against moral influences is left without a sense of his high vocation, without an idea of the awfulness of sin, without reverence to God, without an appreciation of the salvation offered by Him, and without fear of His judgment.

H. L. E. Luering

Feet, Washing Of

See FOOT; WASHING OF FEET.

Feign

fan (badha, nakhar; plastos): Occurs

(1) in the sense of "to devise," "invent" as the translation of badha', "to form," "to fashion" (Nehemiah 6:8, "Thou feignest them out of thine own heart"; compare 1 Kings 12:33, English Versions of the Bible "devised of his own heart"); of plastos, "formed," "molded" (2 Peter 2:3, "with reigned words make merchandise of you");

(2) in the sense of "pretense," nakhar, "to be foreign," "strange" (1 Kings 14:5, "feign herself to be another woman," 1 Kings 14:6; compare Genesis 42:7; Proverbs 26:24); 'abhal, "to mourn," "to act as a mourner" (2 Samuel 14:2); halal, "to make a show," Hithpael, "to be mad," "to feign madness" (of David, 1 Samuel 21:13; compare Jeremiah 25:16; Jeremiah 50:38); hupokrinomai, "to give judgment, or act, under a mask" (Luke 20:20, "who feigned themselves to be righteous");

(3) in the sense of "deceit" "fraud," "insincerity," mirmah, "prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips" (Psalms 17:1); sheqer, "falsehood," "a lie," "Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly" (Jeremiah 3:10; compare /APC 2Esdras 8:28); kahash, "to lie," "to feign, or flatter" (2Sa 12:45; Ps 18:44; 66:3; 81:15), where the text of the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "shall submit themselves," is rendered the margin (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)), "yield feigned obedience, Hebrew lie." the Revised Version (British and American) has "feign" for "make" (2 Samuel 13:5), and "feigned" for "made" (2 Samuel 13:6).

W. L. Walker

Felix; Antonius

fe'-liks, an-to'-ni-us (Phelix, from Latin felix, "happy"): A Roman procurator of Judea, appointed in succession to Cumanus by the emperor Claudius. The event which led to the introduction of Felix into the narrative of Ac was the riot at Jerusalem (Acts 21:27). There Paul, being attacked at the instigation of the Asiatic Jews for alleged false teaching and profanation of the temple, was rescued with difficulty by Lysias the chief captain. But Lysias, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, and that therefore the secret plots against the life of his captive might entail serious consequences upon himself, and finding also that Paul was charged on religious rather than on political grounds, sent him on to Felix at Caesarea for trial (Acts 21:31–23:34). On his arrival, Paul was presented to Felix and was then detained for five days in the judgment hall of Herod, till his accusers should also reach Caesarea (Acts 23:33–35). The trial was begun, but after hearing the evidence of Tertullus (see TERTULLUS) and the speech of Paul in his own defense, Felix deferred judgment (Acts 24:1–22). The excuse he gave for delay was the non-appearance of Lysias, but his real reason was in order to obtain bribes for the release of Paul. He therefore treated his prisoner at first with leniency, and pretended along with Drusilla to take interest in his teaching. But these attempts to induce Paul to purchase his freedom failed ignominiously; Paul sought favor of neither Felix nor Drusilla, and made the frequent interviews which he had with them an opportunity for preaching to them concerning righteousness and temperance and the final judgment. The case dragged on for two years till Felix, upon his retirement, "desiring to gain favor with the Jews .... left Paul in bonds" (Acts 24:27). According to the Bezan text, the continued imprisonment of Paul was due to the desire of Felix to please Drusilla.

Felix was the brother of Pallas, who was the infamous favorite of Claudius, and who, according to Tacitus (Annals xiii. 14), fell into disgrace in 55 AD. Tacitus implies that Felix was joint procurator of Judea, along with Cumanus, before being appointed to the sole command, but Josephus is silent as to this. Both Tacitus and Josephus refer to his succeeding Cumanus, Josephus stating that it was at the instigation of Jonathan the high priest. There is some doubt as to the chronology of Felix' tenure of office. Harnack and Blass, following Eusebius and Jerome, place his accession in 51 AD, and the imprisonment of Paul in 54-56 AD; but most modern commentators incline to the dates 52 AD and 56-58 AD. These latter interpret the statement of Paul, "Thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation" (Acts 24:10), as referring to some judicial office, not necessarily that of co-procurator (see Tacitus), previously held by Felix in the time of Cumanus, and argue that this earlier connection of Felix with Judea supplied a reason for the advocacy by Jonathan of Felix' claims to the procuratorship on the deposition of Gumanus. The testimony of Ac as to the evil character of Felix is fully corroborated by the writings of Josephus (BJ, II, xiii). Although he suppressed the robbers and murderers who infested Judea, and among them the "Egyptian" to whom Lysias refers (Acts 21:38), yet "he himself was more hurtful than them all." When occasion offered, he did not hesitate to employ the sicarii (see ASSASSINS) for his own ends. Trading upon the influence of his brother at court, his cruelty and rapacity knew no bounds, and during his rule revolts became continuous, and marked a distinct stage in that seditious movement which culminated in the outbreak of 70 AD (so Schurer). His leaving Paul in bonds was but a final instance of one who sacrificed duty and justice for the sake of his Own unscrupulous selfishness. For more detailed information as to dates, etc., compare Knowling (Expos Greek Test., II, 477 ff).

C. M. Kerr

Felloes

fel'-oz (1 Kings 7:33).

See WHEEL.

Fellow

fel'-o (chabher, rea`; hetairos): Meant originally a "partner," from fe, "property," and lag, "to lay," then "a companion," "an equal," "a person or individual," "a worthless person."

(1) As "companion" it is the translation of chabher, "associate," "companion," "friend" (also chabbar, Job 41:6), where we have the original sense of partnership, translated "bands" the Revised Version (British and American), the King James Version "companions"); Psalms 45:7, "God hath anointed thee .... above thy fellows"; of habhrah (Ecclesiastes 4:10; Daniel 7:20); of rea`, "companion," "friend," "another" (Exodus 2:13; Judges 7:13,Revelation 6:14,Revelation 7:5); re`ah (or ra`yah), "a female friend" (Judges 11:37, "I and my fellows," the Revised Version (British and American) "companions"; here the King James Version applies "fellow" to a female; compare Baruch 6:43, "She reproacheth her fellow," he plesion); in Judges 11:38, "companions" is the translation of `amith, "fellowship"; `amith (Zechariah 13:7, "the man that is my fellow," literally, "the man of my fellowship"); hetairos, "companion" (Matthew 11:16); metochos, "partner"; (compare Luke 5:7; Hebrews 1:9, quoted from Psalms 45:7, Septuagint for chabher).

(2) As an individual or person "fellow" is the translation of 'ish, "a man," "an individual": "make this fellow return" (1 Samuel 29:4 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "the man"); in the same verse "fellow" is supplied instead of "he"; "fellow" in 1611 meant simply "a man," and it is difficult to say in what passages the ideas of "worthless," etc., are meant to be implied; probably, however, in Judges 18:25, where the Hebrew is simply 'enosh, "man," and the text is almost the only deviation from the rendering "man," "men," "lest angry (margin, Revised Version "bitter of soul") fellows fall upon you"; also Acts 17:5, aner, "a man," "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort," the Revised Version (British and American) "vile fellows"; compare 2 Samuel 6:20, "vain (req) fellows" (supplied); /APC 1Macc 10:61, "contain pestilent fellows" (aner); Ecclesiasticus 8:15, "a bold fellow" (tolmeros), the Revised Version (British and American) "a rash man"; in several places of the Old Testament "fellow" represents zeh, "this," and in these instances there seems to be something of worthlessness or contempt implied (1 Samuel 21:15; 1 Samuel 25:21; 1 Kings 22:27; 2 Kings 9:11, and, as before, 1 Samuel 29:4 the Revised Version (British and American)); in the New Testament also "fellow" often represents houtos, "this," and in most of these cases the King James Version seems to intend something depreciatory to be understood; the Revised Version (British and American) gives simply "man" (Matthew 12:24; Matthew 26:61,Matthew 26:71; Luke 22:59; Luke 23:2; John 9:29; Acts 18:13); so Ecclesiasticus 13:23, "If the poor man speaks, they say, What fellow is this?" the Revised Version (British and American) "who is this?" /APC 1Macc 4:5, "These fellows flee from us," the Revised Version (British and American) "these men." the Revised Version (British and American) has "fellows" for "persons" (Judges 9:4), for "men" (Judges 11:3); "base fellows" for "men the children of Belial" (Deuteronomy 13:13), margin, "sons of worthlessness"; the American Standard Revised Version "worthless fellow" for "son of Belial" (1 Samuel 25:17,1 Samuel 25:25), "base fellows" for "sons of Belial" (Judges 19:22; Revelation 19:13, etc.); the Revised Version (British and American) has also "companions" for "fellows" (Judges 11:37; Ezekiel 37:19; Daniel 2:13), "each man his fellow" for "one another" (2 Kings 3:23); "fellow by" for "neighbor in" (1 Kings 20:35).

Fellow-citizen, Fellow-disciple, Fellow-heirs, Yokefellow, etc. In composition, "fellow" always means partner or companion.

W. L. Walker

Fellowship

fel'-o-ship.

See COMMUNION.

Female

fe'-mal: Two Hebrew words are thus translated:

(1) neqebhah, which is merely a physiological description of the sexual characteristic (from naqabh, "to perforate"), and which corresponds to zakhar, "male" (see under the word).

(2) 'ishshah, with the irregular plural nashim (only Genesis 7:2, in all other places "wife," "woman"), the feminine form of 'ish, "man."

The Greek word is thelus, literally, "the nursing one," "the one giving suck" (from thelazo, "to suckle").

Israelitic law seems frequently guilty of unjust partiality in favor of the male sex, but we have to consider that most of these legal and religious disabilities of women can be explained from the social conditions prevailing at the time of legislation. They are therefore found also in contemporaneous Gentilereligions. Though traces of this prejudice against the weaker sex are found in the New Testament, the religious discrimination between the sexes has practically ceased, as is evident from Galatians 3:28: "There can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus"; compare also 1 Peter 3:7.

H. L. E. Luering

Fence

fens (batsar, mibhtsar):

Commonly used in the King James Version in the description of fortified places, as the translation of batsar, "to cut off," "to separate," "to fortify" (and forms) (Deuteronomy 3:5; Deuteronomy 9:1; Deuteronomy 28:52, etc.); mibhtsar, "fenced city," is a fortified place (Numbers 32:17,Numbers 32:36; Joshua 10:20; Joshua 19:35, etc.); matsor, "fenced cities," means "bulwark," "citadel" (2 Chronicles 8:5); metsurah, "fortification" (2 Chronicles 11:23; 2 Chronicles 12:4; 2 Chronicles 14:6; 2 Chronicles 21:3); for "fenced" the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "fortified" in all these instances; in Daniel 11:15, mibhtsar is "a well-fortified city," margin "the fortified cities," the English Revised Version "well-fenced"; "fence" is also the translation of gadher, "a wall" or "fence" (Job 19:8 the American Standard Revised Version, "walled up" (gadhar); Psalms 62:3); `azaq, "to loosen" (the ground) as with a mattock (Isaiah 5:2, where the King James Version has "fenced" it (the vineyard), the American Standard Revised Version "digged it," the English Revised Version "made a trench about it," it" margin "digged it" sukh, "to interweave" or "interlace" (Job 10:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "clothed"); male', "to be or become full" (2 Samuel 23:7, the Revised Version (British and American) "armed," margin "Hebrew filled").

ERV has "fence" for "wall" (Numbers 22:24; Isaiah 5:5; Hosea 2:6; the American Standard Revised Version retains "wall"), for "hedge" (Ecclesiastes 10:8; Ezekiel 13:5; Ezekiel 22:30; the American Standard Revised Version "wall"); "fenced" for "walled" (Numbers 13:28; Deuteronomy 1:28; the American Standard Revised Version "fortified"); compare for "strong" Joshua 19:29; Nehemiah 9:25; Psalms 108:10 (margin Joshua 19:29, "the city of Mibzar-zor, that is, the fortress of Tyre," the English Revised Version ,"fenced"), for "hedged" (Lamentations 3:7, American Revised Version, "walled"); compare for "defenced," the English Revised Version "fenced," the American Standard Revised Version "fortified" (Isaiah 36:1; Isaiah 37:26, etc.); "fences" for "hedges" (Psalms 80:12, the American Standard Revised Version "walls"); in Jeremiah 49:3, the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version have "fences."

See also HEDGE.

W. L. Walker

Fenced Cities

See FORTIFICATION.