Flame – Folly

Flame

flam (lahabh, and other forms from same root; phlox):

In Judges 13:20 bis; Job 41:21; Isaiah 29:6; Joel 2:5, the word is lahabh. Various other words are translated "flame"; mas'eth, "a lifting or rising up" (Judges 20:38,Revelation 21:4 the King James Version), the Revised Version (British and American) "cloud" (of smoke); kalil, "completeness" (Judges 20:40 b King James Version margin, "a holocaust, or offering wholly consumed by fire"; compare Leviticus 6:15); shalhebheth (Job 15:30; Song of Songs 8:6; the American Standard Revised Version "a very flame of Yahweh," margin "or, a most vehement flame"; Ezekiel 20:47, the Revised Version (British and American) "the flaming flame"); shabhibh (Job 18:5; the Revised Version, margin); shebhibh, Aramaic (Daniel 3:22; Daniel 7:9). In Psalms 104:4 the American Standard Revised Version has "maketh .... flames of fire his ministers"; the Revised Version (British and American) "flame" for "snare" (Proverbs 29:8).

Figuratively: "Flame" is used to denote excitement (Proverbs 29:8 the Revised Version (British and American)), shame, astonishment, "faces of flame" (Isaiah 13:8); in Revelation 1:14, the glorified Christ is described as having eyes "as a flame of fire," signifying their searching purity (compare Revelation 2:18; Revelation 19:12). Flame is also a symbol of God's wrath (Psalms 83:14; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 10:17).

See also FIRE.

W. L. Walker

Flat Nose

(charum; Septuagint koloborin):

Used only in Leviticus 21:18 as the name of a deformity which disqualified a member of a priestly family for serving the altar.

The root of the word signifies "to cut off" or "to cut flat," and in the Revised Version, margin "slit nose" is substituted. The condition indicated is most probably the depressed, flattened nose which so often accompanies harelip, especially in its double form.

A mere snub-nose can scarcely be regarded as a blemish of sufficient importance to unfit a priest for the service of "offering the bread of God"; but harelip, like blindness or the other congenital malformations or deformities enumerated in this passage, might well render a son of Aaron unfit or unsuitable for public religious duty.

Alexander Macalister

Flax

flaks pesheth, also pishtah; linon (Matthew 12:20)): The above Hebrew words are applied

(1) to the plant: "The flax was in bloom" (the King James Version "bolled"; Exodus 9:31);

(2) the "stalks of flax," literally, "flax of the tree," put on the roof to dry (Joshua 2:6);

(3) to the fine fibers used for lighting: the King James Version "tow," "flax," the Revised Version (British and American). "A dimly burning wick will he not quench" (Isaiah 42:3); "They are quenched as a wick" (Isaiah 43:17). The thought is perhaps of a scarcely lighted wick just kindled with difficulty from a spark.

(4) In Isaiah 19:9 mention is made of "combed flax," i.e. flax hackled ready for spinning (compare Hosea 2:5,Hosea 2:9; Proverbs 31:13). The reference in Judges 15:14 is to flax twisted into cords.

(5) In Judges 16:9; Isaiah 1:31, mention is made of ne`oreth, "tow," literally, something "shaken off"--as the root implies--from flax.

(6) The plural form pishtim is used in many passages for linen, or linen garments, e.g. Leviticus 13:47,Leviticus 13:48,Leviticus 13:52,Leviticus 13:59; Deuteronomy 22:11; Jeremiah 13:1 ("linen girdle"); Ezekiel 44:17 f. Linen was in the earliest historic times a favorite material for clothes. The Jewish priestly garments were of pure linen. Egyptian mummies were swathed in linen. Several other Hebrew words were used for linen garments.

See LINEN.

Flax is the product of Linum usitatissimum, a herbaceous plant which has been cultivated from the dawn of history. It is perennial and grows to a height of 2 to 3 ft.; it has blue flowers and very fibrous stalks. The tough fibers of the latter, after the decay and removal of the softer woody and gummy material, make up the crude "flax." Linseed, linseed oil and oilcake are useful products of the same plant.

E. W. G. Masterman

Flaying

fla'-ing.

See PUNISHMENTS.

Flea

fle (par`osh; compare Arabic barghut, "flea," and barghash, "mosquito" (1 Samuel 24:14; 1 Samuel 26:20); kinnim (Exodus 8:16), "lice," the Revised Version, margin "sandflies" or "fleas"; Septuagint skniphes, probably best rendered "gnat"; see GNAT; LICE):

In 1 Samuel 24:1–22 Saul seeks David in the wilderness of En-gedi, and David, after cutting off the skirt of Saul's robe in the cave, calls out to him, "After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea" (24:14). Again in 1 Samuel 26:20 Saul seeks David in the wilderness of Ziph, and David after taking the spear and cruse from beside Saul while he slept, cries out to him, ".... the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains." The flea is here used as a symbol of David's insignificance, coupled perhaps, in the second passage, with a thought of the difficulty that Saul had in laying hands on him. In Encyclopedia Biblica Cheyne finds fault with a similar interpretation given in DB on the ground that it is absurd that David should refer to hunting "a single flea," and proposes to change par`osh 'echadh "a flea," to pere' midhbar, "wild ass of the desert." The writer will only say that no observant resident of Palestine would consider the textual alteration to be called for.

Linnaeus recognized two species of flea, Pulex irritans, the common parasite of man, and Pulex (Sarcopsylla) penetrans, the tropical and sub-tropical jigger flea. More than a hundred species are now listed, and the recent discovery that certain fleas are instrumental in the transmission of the plague has given a new impetus to the study of these tiny pests. A flea that is often commoner in houses than Pulex irritans is the "dog and cat flea," variously known as Pulex serraticeps, Pulex canis, Pulex felis or Ctenocephalus canis.

Alfred Ely Day

Flee

fle.

See FLY.

Fleece

fles.

See GIDEON; SHEEP; WOOL.

Flesh

@basar, she'er):

1. Etymology:

Used in all senses of the word, the latter, however, most frequently in the sense of kin, family, relationship (compare sha'arah, "kins-woman," Leviticus 18:17): Leviticus 18:6; Leviticus 25:49; Proverbs 11:17; Jeremiah 51:35, and probably Psalms 73:26. In all other places she'er means "flesh" = body (Proverbs 5:11) or = food (Psalms 78:20,Psalms 78:27; Micah 3:2,Micah 3:3). Tibhchah, is "(slaughtered) flesh for food," "butcher's meat" (1 Samuel 25:11). The word 'eshpar, found only in two parallel passages (2 Samuel 6:19 = 1 Chronicles 16:3), is of very uncertain meaning. The English versions translate it with "a good piece (portion) of flesh," the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) with "a piece of roast meat," others with "a portion of flesh" and "a measure of wine." It probably means simply "a measured portion." lachum, literally, "eaten," then food (compare lechem, "bread"), has been rarely specialized as flesh or meat (compare Arabic lachm, "meat," "flesh," so in Zechariah 1:17, where it stands in parallelism with "blood"). The Greek terms are sarx, and kreas, the latter always meaning "butcher's meat" (Romans 14:21; 1 Corinthians 8:13).

We can distinguish the following varieties of meaning in Biblical language:

2. Ordinary Sense:

In a physical sense, the chief substance of the animal body, whether used for food and sacrifice, or not; also the flesh of man (Genesis 2:21; Exodus 21:10; Isaiah 31:3; Ezekiel 23:20; 1 Corinthians 15:39; Revelation 19:18,Revelation 19:21).

3. The Body:

The whole body. This meaning is the extension of the preceding (pars pro toto). This is indicated by the Septuagint, where basar is often translated by the plural hai sarkes (Genesis 40:19; Numbers 12:12; Job 33:25), and occasionally by soma, i.e. "body" (Leviticus 15:2; 1 Kings 21:27). This meaning is also very clear in passages like the following: Exodus 4:7; Leviticus 17:14; Numbers 8:7; 2 Kings 4:34; Proverbs 5:11, where basar and she'er are combined; and Proverbs 14:30; Ecclesiastes 12:12.

4. The Term "All Flesh":

Flesh, as the common term for living things, animals and men, especially the latter (Genesis 6:13,Genesis 6:17,Genesis 6:19; Numbers 16:22; Jeremiah 12:12; Mark 13:20); often in the phrase "all flesh" (Psalms 65:2; Isaiah 40:5,Isaiah 40:6; Jeremiah 25:31; Ezekiel 20:48; Joel 2:28; Luke 3:6).

5. As Opposed to the Spirit:

Flesh as opposed to the spirit, both of which were comprised in the preceding meaning (Genesis 6:3; Psalms 16:9; Luke 24:39, where "flesh and bones" are combined; John 6:63). Thus we find in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh"; 1 Timothy 3:16, "He who was manifested in the flesh"; 1 John 4:2, and all passages where the incarnation of Christ is spoken of. The word in this sense approaches the meaning of "earthly life," as in Philippians 1:22,Philippians 1:24, "to live in the flesh," "to abide in the flesh"; compare Philemon 1:16 and perhaps 2 Corinthians 5:16. Under this meaning we may enumerate expressions such as "arm of flesh" (2 Chronicles 32:8; Jeremiah 17:5), "eyes of flesh" (Job 10:4), etc. Frequently the distinction is made to emphasize the weakness or inferiority of the flesh, as opposed to the superiority of the spirit (Isaiah 31:3; Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Romans 6:19). In this connection we mention also the expression "flesh and blood," a phrase borrowed from rabbinical writings and phraseology (see also Sirach 14:18, "the generation of flesh and blood," and 17:31, "man whose desire is flesh and blood" the King James Version). The expression does not convey, as some have supposed, the idea of inherent sinfulness of the flesh (a doctrine borrowed by Gnostic teachers from oriental sources), but merely the idea of ignorance and frailty in comparison with the possibilities of spiritual nature. The capabilities of our earthly constitution do not suffice to reveal unto us heavenly truths; these must always come to us from above.

So Peter's first recognition of the Divine sonship of Jesus did not proceed from a logical conviction based upon outward facts acting upon his mind, but was based upon a revelation from God vouchsafed to his inner consciousness. Christ says therefore to him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). Similarly the kingdom of God, being a realm of perfect spiritual submission to God, cannot be inherited by flesh and blood (1 Corinthians 15:50), nor was the richly endowed mind a competent tribunal to which Paul could refer his heaven-wrought conviction of his great salvation and the high calling to be a witness and apostle of Christ, so he did well that he "conferred not with flesh and blood" (Galatians 1:16). That "flesh and blood" does not imply a sense of inherent sinfulness is moreover shown in all passages where Christ is declared a partaker of such nature (Ephesians 6:12; Hebrews 2:14, where, however, we find in the original text the inverted phrase "blood and flesh").

6. Applied to the Carnal Nature:

Flesh in the sense of carnal nature (sarkikos, "carnal"; the King James Version uses sarkinos in Romans 7:14). Human nature, being inferior to the spiritual, is to be in subjection to it. If man refuses to be under this higher law, and as a free agent permits the lower nature to gain an ascendancy over the spirit, the "flesh" becomes a revolting force (Genesis 6:3,Genesis 6:12; John 1:13; Romans 7:14; 1 Corinthians 3:1,1 Corinthians 3:3; Colossians 2:18; 1 John 2:16). Thus, the fleshly or carnal mind, i.e. a mind in subjection to carnal nature, is opposed to the Divine spirit, who alone is a sufficient corrective, Christ having secured for us the power of overcoming (Romans 8:3), if we manifest a deep desire and an earnest endeavor to overcome (Galatians 5:17,Galatians 5:18).

7. In the Sense of Relationship:

Flesh in the sense of relationship, tribal connection, kith and kin. For examples, see what has been said above on Hebrew she'er. The following passages are a few of those in which basar is used: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 37:27; Job 2:5; compare the New Testament passages: Matthew 19:5,Matthew 19:6; Romans 1:3; Romans 9:3,Romans 9:5,Romans 9:8. The expressions "bone" and "flesh" are found in combination (Genesis 2:23; Genesis 29:14; Judges 9:2; 2 Samuel 5:1; 2 Samuel 19:12,2 Samuel 19:13; Ephesians 5:31, the latter in some manuscripts only).

8. Other Meanings:

Some other subdivisions of meanings might be added, for example where "flesh" takes almost the place of "person," as in Colossians 2:1: "as many as have not seen my face in the flesh," i.e. have not known me personally, or 2:5, "absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit," etc.

H. L. E. Luering

Flesh And Blood

See FLESH, 5.

Flesh-Hook

flesh'-hook (mazlegh, and plural mizlaghoth):

One of the implements used around the sacrificial altar. According to Divine direction given to Moses (Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3), it was to be made of brass, but later David felt impelled by "the Spirit" or "in his spirit" to determine that for use in the magnificent Temple of Solomon it should be made of gold (1 Chronicles 28:17). But Huram made it, with other altar articles, of "bright brass" (2 Chronicles 4:16).

In Samuel's time, it was made with three hook-shaped tines, and was used in taking out the priests' share of the meat offering (1 Samuel 2:13,1 Samuel 2:14). With the other altar utensils, it was in the special charge of the Kohathites (Numbers 4:14). The hooks mentioned in Ezekiel 40:43 were altogether different and for another purpose.

See HOOK.

Leonard W. Doolan

Flesh-Pot

flesh'-pot (cir ha-basar, "pot of the flesh"):

One of the six kinds of cooking utensils spoken of as pots or pans or caldrons or basins. Probably usually made of bronze or earthenware. The only mention of flesh-pots, specifically so named, is in Exodus 16:3.

See FOOD.

Flies

fliz.

See FLY.

Flint

flint (challamish (Deuteronomy 8:15; Deuteronomy 32:13; Job 28:9; Psalms 114:8), tsor (Exodus 4:25; Ezekiel 3:9), tser (Isaiah 5:28), tsur (Job 22:24; Psalms 89:43), tsurim (Joshua 5:2 f); (= kechlex "pebble"), kochlax ( /APC 1Macc 10:73)):

The word challamish signifies a hard stone, though not certainly flint, and is used as a figure for hardness in Isaiah 50:7, "Therefore have I set my face like a flint." A similar use of tsor is found in Ezekiel 3:9, "As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead," and Isaiah 5:28, "Their horses' hoofs shall be accounted as flint"; and of tsela` in Jeremiah 5:3, "They have made their faces harder than a rock." The same three words are used of the rock from which Moses drew water in the wilderness: challamish (Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalms 114:8); tsur (Exodus 17:6; Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalms 78:20; Isaiah 48:21); cela` (Numbers 20:8; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalms 78:16).

Tsur and cela` are used oftener than challamish for great rocks and cliffs, but tsur is used also for flint knives in Exodus 4:25, "Then Zipporah took a flint (the King James Version "sharp stone"), and cut off the foreskin of her son," and in Joshua 5:2 f, "Yahweh said unto Joshua, Make thee knives of flint (the King James Version "sharp knives"), and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time." Surgical implements of flint were used by the ancient Egyptians, and numerous flint chippings with occasional flint implements are found associated with the remains of early man in Syria and Palestine. Flint and the allied mineral, chert, are found in great abundance in the limestone rocks of Syria, Palestine and Egypt.

See ROCK.

Alfred Ely Day

Float (Flote)

flot.

See RAFT; SHIPS AND BOATS

Flock

See CATTLE.

Flood

flud:

In the King James Version not less than 13 words are rendered "flood," though in the Revised Version (British and American) we find in some passages "river," "stream," "tempest," etc. The word is used for: the deluge of Noah, mabbul (Genesis 6:17 ff); kataklusmos (Matthew 24:38,Matthew 24:39; Luke 17:27); the waters of the Red Sea, nazal (Exodus 15:8); the Euphrates, nahar, "Your fathers dwelt of old time on the other side of the flood". (the Revised Version (British and American) "beyond the River" Joshua 24:2): the Nile, ye'or, "the flood (the Revised Version (British and American) "River") of Egypt" (Amos 8:8); the Jordan, nahar, "They went through the flood (the Revised Version (British and American) "river") on foot" (Psalms 66:6); torrent, zerem, "as a flood (the Revised Version (British and American) "tempest") of mighty waters" (Isaiah 28:2); potamos, "The rain descended and the floods came" (Matthew 7:25); plemmura, "When a flood arose, the stream brake against that house" (Luke 6:48).

Figurative: nachal, "The floods of ungodly men (the Revised Version (British and American) "ungodliness," the Revised Version, margin "Hebrew Belial") made me afraid" (2 Samuel 22:5; Psalms 18:4); also 'or (Amos 8:8 (the King James Version)); shibboleth (Psalms 69:2); sheTeph (Daniel 11:22 (the King James Version)); sheTeph (Psalms 32:6 (the King James Version)); potamophoretos (Revelation 12:15 (the King James Version)).

See DELUGE OF NOAH.

Alfred Ely Day

Floor

flor.

See HOUSE; THRESHING-FLOOR

Flote (Float)

See RAFT; SHIPS AND BOATS.

Flour

flour.

See BREAD; FOOD.

Flourish

flur'-ish (parach, tsuts; anathallo):

The translation of parach, "to break forth" (Psalms 72:7; Psalms 92:12,Psalms 92:13; Proverbs 14:11; Isaiah 66:14; Song of Songs 6:11; Song of Songs 7:12; the Revised Version (British and American) "budded"); of tsuts "to bloom" (Psalms 72:16, Psalms 90:6; Psalms 92:7; Psalms 103:15; Psalms 132:18); ra`anan, "green," "fresh," is translated "flourishing" in Psalms 92:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "green," and ra`anan, Aramaic in Daniel 4:4; nubh, "to sprout" (Zechariah 9:17, the King James Version "cheerful").

In an interesting passage (Ecclesiastes 12:5 the King James Version), the Hiphil future of na'ats, meaning properly "to pierce or strike," hence, to slight or reject, is translated "flourish"; it is said of the old man "The almond tree shall flourish," the Revised Version (British and American) "blossom" (so Ewald, Delitzsch, etc.); na'ats has nowhere else this meaning; it is frequently rendered "contemn;" "despise," etc. Other renderings are, "shall cause loathing" (Gesenius, Knobel, etc.), "shall be despised," i.e. the hoary head; "The almond tree shall shake off its flowers," the silvery hairs falling like the fading white flowers of the almond tree; by others it is taken to indicate "sleeplessness," the name of the almond tree (shaqedh) meaning the watcher or early riser (compare Jeremiah 1:11, "a rod of an almond-tree," literally, "a wakeful (or early) tree"), the almond being the first of the trees to wake from the sleep of winter.

See ALMOND.

"Flourish" appears once only in the New Testament, in the King James Version, as translation of anathallo, "to put forth anew," or "to make put forth anew" (Philippians 4:10): "Your care for me hath flourished again," the Revised Version (British and American) "Ye have revived your thought for me."

W. L. Walker

Flowers

flou'-erz (BLOOM, BLOSSOM, etc.):

(1) gibh`ol, literally, "a small cup," hence, calyx or corolla of a flower (Exodus 9:31, "The flax was in bloom").

(2) nets (Genesis 40:10, nitstsah, "a flower" or "blossom";Job 15:33; Isaiah 18:5). These words are used of the early berries of the vine or olive.

(3) nitstsan, "a flower"; plural only, nitstsanim (Song of Songs 2:12, "The flowers appear on the earth").

(4) perach, root to "burst forth" expresses an early stage of flowering; "blossom" (Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 18:5); "flower" (Nahum 1:4, "The flower of Lebanon languisheth"). Used of artificial flowers in candlesticks (Exodus 25:31 ff).

(5) tsits, "flower" (Isaiah 40:6); plural tsitstsim, flowers as architectural ornaments (1 Kings 6:18); tsitsah, "the fading flower of his glorious beauty" (Isaiah 28:1,Isaiah 28:4; also Numbers 17:8; Job 14:2, etc.).

(6) anthos, in Septuagint equivalent of all the Hebrew words (James 1:10,James 1:11; 1 Peter 1:24).

The beauty of the profusion of flowers which cover Palestine every spring receives but scant reference in the Old Testament; Song of Songs 2:12 is perhaps the only clear reference. It is noticeable that the native of Syria thinks little of flowers unless it be for their perfume. our Lord's reference to the flowers ("lilies") is well known (Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27). For details of the flowers of modern Palestine, see BOTANY. The aptness of the expression "flower of the field" for a type of the evanescence of human life (Job 14:2; Psalms 103:15; Isaiah 40:6; James 1:10) is the more impressive in a land like Palestine where the annual display of wild flowers, so glorious for a few short weeks, is followed by such desolation. The fresh and brilliant colors fade into masses of withered leaves (not uncommonly cleared by burning), and then even these are blown, away, so that but bare, cracked and baked earth remains for long months where once all was beauty, color and life.

E.W.G. Masterman

Flue; Net

floo(King James Version, margin Habakkuk 1:15).

See FISH; FISHING.

Flute

floot.

See MUSIC.

Flux

fluks.

See BLOODY FLUX; DYSENTERY.

Fly

(Verb; `uph petaomai, or, contracted, ptaomai):

Used in preference to "flee" when great speed is to be indicated. "To fly" is used: (1) Literally, of birds, `uph (Genesis 1:20; Psalms 55:6); da'ah (Deuteronomy 28:49), of sparks (Job 5:7); of the arrow (Psalms 91:5); of the seraphim (Isaiah 6:2,Isaiah 6:6); of an angel (Daniel 9:21, ya`aph, "to be caused to fly"); of swift action or movement (Psalms 18:10; Jeremiah 48:40); of people (Isaiah 11:14); of a fleet (Isaiah 60:8; 1 Samuel 15:19, 1 Samuel 14:32, `asah, "to do," etc.). (2) Figuratively, of a dream (Job 20:8); of man's transitory life (Psalms 90:10); of riches (Proverbs 23:5); of national glory (Hosea 9:11).

For "fly" the Revised Version (British and American) has "soar" (Job 39:26) "fly down" (Isaiah 11:14); for "flying" (Isaiah 31:5) the American Standard Revised Version has "hovering."

W. L. Walker

Fly; Flies

fli fliz `arobh (Exodus 8:21 Psalms 78:45; Psalms 105:31; Septuagint kunomuia; "dog-fly"), zebhubh (Ecclesiastes 10:1; Isaiah 7:18; Septuagint muiai, "flies"); compare ba`al-zebhubh, "Baal-zebub" (2 Kings 1:2 ff), and beelzeboul, "Beelzebul," or beelzeboub, "Beelzebub" (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24,Matthew 12:27; Luke 11:15,Luke 11:18,Luke 11:19); compare Arabic dhubab, "fly" or "bee"; (Note: "dh" for Arabic dhal, pronounced like "d" or "z" or like th in "the"):

The references in Psalms as well as in Exodus are to the plague of flies, and the word `arobh is rendered "swarm of flies" throughout, except in Psalms 78:45; Psalms 105:31 the King James Version, where we find "divers sorts of flies" (compare Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) omne genus muscarum). In Exodus 8:21 we read, "I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are"; in Exodus 8:24, .... "the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies"; in Psalms 78:45, "He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them." There has been much speculation as to what the insects were, but all the texts cited, including even Psalms 78:45, may apply perfectly well to the common house fly (Musca domestica). Some species of blue-bottle fly (Calliphora) might also suit.

The other word, zebhubh, occurs in Ecclesiastes 10:1, "Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor"; and Isaiah 7:18, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that Yahweh will hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria:" The house fly would fit perfectly the reference in each, but that in Isa would seem to suggest rather one of the horse flies (Tabanidae) or gad flies (Oestridae). Whatever fly may be meant, it is used as a symbol for the military power of Egypt, as the bee for that of Assyria.

Owing to deficiencies in public and private hygiene, and also for other reasons, house flies and others are unusually abundant in Palestine and Egypt and are agents in the transmission of cholera, typhoid fever, ophthalmia and anthrax. Glossina morsitans, the tsetse fly, which is fatal to many domestic animals, and Glossina palpalis which transmits the sleeping sickness, are abundant in tropical Africa, but do not reach Egypt proper.

See PLAGUE.

Alfred Ely Day

Foal

fol.

See COLT.

Foam

fom (qetseph (Hosea 10:7); aphros (Luke 9:39), aphrizo (Mark 9:18,Mark 9:20), epaphrizo (Jude 1:13)):

Qetseph from qatsaph, "to break to pieces," or "to break forth into anger," "to be angry," occurs often in the sense of "wrath" or "anger" (e.g. Numbers 1:53; Psalms 38:1, etc.), and in this passage has been rendered "twigs" or "chips," "As for Samaria, her king is cut off, as foam (the Revised Version, margin "twigs") upon the water" (Hosea 10:7). The other references are from the New Testament. In Jude, evil-doers or false teachers are compared to the "wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame." In Mark and Luke the references are to the boy with a dumb spirit who foamed at the mouth.

Alfred Ely Day

Fodder

fod'-er.

See PROVENDER.

Fold; Folding

fold fold'-ing (verb; chabhaq, sabhakh; helisso):

The verb occurs only 3 times in the King James Version, and in each instance represents a different word; we have chabhaq "to clasp" (Ecclesiastes 4:5), "The fool foldeth his hands together" (compare Proverbs 6:10); cabhak, "to interweave" (Nahum 1:10, "folded together as thorns," the English Revised Version "like tangled thorns" the American Standard Revised Version "entangled like thorns"; see ENTANGLE); helisso "to roll or fold up" (Hebrews 1:12, quoted from Psalms 102:26 (Septuagint), the Revised Version (British and American) "As a mantle shalt thou roll them up"). Folding occurs as translation of galil, "turning" or "rolling" (1 Kings 6:34 bis, folding leaves of door).

See also HOUSE.

W. L. Walker

Folk

fok:

The translation of `am, `am "a people or nation" (Genesis 33:15, "some of the folk that are with me"; Proverbs 30:26, "The conies are but a feeble folk"); of le'om, with the same meaning (Jeremiah 51:58, "the folk in the fire," the Revised Version (British and American) "the nations for the fire"); "sick folk" is the translation of arrhostos, "not strong" (Mark 6:5); of ton asthenounton, participle of astheneo, "to be without strength," "weak," "sick" (John 5:3, the Revised Version (British and American) "them that were sick"); "sick folks," of astheneis plural of asthenes, "without strength," the Revised Version (British and American) "sick folk" (Acts 5:16).

W. L. Walker

Follow

fol'-o ('achar, radhaph; akoloutheo, dioko) :

Frequently the translation of 'achar, "after," e.g. Numbers 14:24, "hath followed me fully," literally, "fulfilled after me" (Numbers 32:11,Numbers 32:12; Deuteronomy 1:36; Amos 7:15); radhaph is "to pursue," and is often so translated; it is translated "follow" (Psalms 23:6; Isaiah 5:11, etc.); "follow after" (Genesis 44:4; Exodus 14:4); reghel, "foot," is several times translated "follow" (literally, "at the foot of"; Exodus 11:8; Judges 8:5, etc.); halakh 'achar, "to go after" (Deuteronomy 4:3; 1 Kings 14:8, etc.); yalakh 'achar, "to go on after" (Genesis 24:5; Judges 2:19, etc.); dabheq, "to cause to cleave to" is "follow hard after" (1 Samuel 14:22; Psalms 63:8, etc.).

In the New Testament, in addition to akoloutheo (Matthew 4:20,Matthew 4:22,Matthew 4:25, etc.) various words and phrases are rendered "follow," e.g. Deute opiso mou, "Come after me" (Matthew 4:19, "Follow me," the Revised Version (British and American) "Come ye after me"); dioko, "to pursue" (Luke 17:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "follow after," etc.); mimeomai, "to imitate" (Hebrews 13:7, "whose faith follow," the Revised Version (British and American) "imitate their faith; 2 Thessalonians 3:7,2 Thessalonians 3:9; 3 John 1:11); compounds of akoloutheo with ex, para sun, etc. (2 Peter 1:16; Mark 16:20; Acts 16:17; Mark 5:37, etc.).

English Revised Version, "Follow after faithfulness" makes an important change in Psalms 37:3, where the King James Version has "and verily thou shalt be fed"; but the American Standard Revised Version has "feed on his faithfulness," margin "feed securely or verily thou shalt be fed." For "attained" (1 Timothy 4:6) the Revised Version (British and American) gives "followed until now."

W. L. Walker

Follower

fol'-o-er (mimetes):

"Followers" is in the King James Version the translation of mimetes, "to imitate" (in the New Testament in the good sense of becoming imitators, or following an example), rendered by the Revised Version (British and American) "imitators" (1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; Hebrews 6:12); summimetai, "joint imitators" (Philippians 3:17); in 1 Peter 3:13, the King James Version "followers of that which is good," the word, according to a better text, is zelotis, the Revised Version (British and American) "if ye be zealous of that which is good."

Folly

fol'-i.

See FOOL.