Founder – Fruit

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Founder

foun'-der (from tsaraph): A worker in molten metal (, etc.).

The word in the King James Version in ,; is rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) "goldsmith," and in 6:29 by a paraphrase, "They go on refining."

See REFINER; GOLDSMITH.

Fountain

foun'-tin, foun'-tan:

In a country where no rain falls for half of the year, springs sume an importance unknown in more favored lands. In both eastern and western Palestine and even in Lebanon there are many villages which depend entirely upon reservoirs or cisterns of rain water. Others are situated along the courses of the few perennial streams. But wherever a spring exists it is very apt to be the nucleus of a village. It may furnish sufficient water to be used in irrigation, in which case the gardens surrounding the village become an oasis in the midst of the parched land. Or there may be a tiny stream which barely suffices for drinking water, about which the village women and girls sit and talk waiting their turns to fill their jars, sometimes until far in the night. The water of the village fountain is often conveyed by a covered conduit for some distance from the source to a convenient spot in the village where an arch is built up, under which the water gushes out. See CISTERN; SPRING; WELL; EN-, and place-names compounded with EN-.

Figurative:

(1) of God (; ; );

(2) of Divine pardon and purification, with an obvious Messianic reference ();

(3) of wisdom and godliness (; );

(4) of wives ();

(5) of children (; compare ; );

(6) of prosperity (; ; );

(7) of the heart (; see CISTERN);

(8) of life everlasting (; ).

Alfred Ely Day

Fountain Gate

See JERUSALEM.

Four

for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (); the four winds of heaven (; ; ; ; , the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (; ); "the four corners of the earth" (; ; , the King James Version "quarters"); "the four corners of the house" (); Jephthah's daughter was bewailed four days a year (); "four cities" are several times mentioned in Jos in the allotment of inheritances (19:7; 21:18, etc.); Nehemiah's enemies sent to him "four times" (); "four kinds" (the Revised Version, margin "families" of destroyers were threatened, ); Yahweh's "four sore judgments" (); "four generations" were seen by Job ().

(2) "Four" is frequent in prophetic visions: Daniel saw "four .... beasts" arise, representing four kings (7:3,17); "four notable horns" (,; compare /APC 2Esdras 11:39); "four gates" ( /APC 2Esdras 3:19; four wings, 12:2 the King James Version); "four horns" were seen by Zechariah, as the powers that had scattered Israel, and "four smiths" (Revised Version) as powers that would cast the four horns down (1:18-21); "four chariots and .... horses" represented the "four spirits," the King James Version and the Revised Version, margin (better than "winds"), that went "forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth" (); in the visions of Ezekiel, "four living creatures," each with four faces, four wings, etc., were the bearers of the throne of God (1:5 f,23); so, in the visions of John there were "four living creatures" before and around the throne (; ,,; ; ; ); John saw "four angels" of destruction loosed for their work ().

(3) "Four" occurs frequently in the measurements of the sacred buildings, etc.

(a) of the tabernacle (; ; ; ; , etc.);

(b) of Solomon's temple (; );

(4) "Four" is used as an alternative with "three" (,,,,); we have "three or four" (2 Esdras 16:29,31); "the third and .... the fourth generation" (; ; ; ).

(5) Ten times four, or forty is also a special and sacred number, e.g. forty years did Israel eat manna (); forty years in the wilderness (; ); "the land had rest forty years" (; ); Israel was delivered unto the hands of the Philistines for forty years (); Eli judged Israel forty years (); Moses was forty years old when he visited his brethren (); the flood continued for "forty days and forty nights" (); Moses was in the Mount "forty days and forty nights" (; ; ); Jesus fasted in the desert forty days and nights (); He remained with His disciples forty days after His resurrection ().

(6) Fourscore is also frequent (shemonim) (; ; , etc.; ogdoekonta, ; ).

(7) Four hundred represents a large number, e.g. the years of the oppression in Egypt (); Esau's company (); the men with David (; ; ,); the prophets of Baal "four hundred and fifty," of Asherah, "four hundred" (,); the prophets of Israel (). Four thousand represents a larger number, e.g. the musicians and porters of Solomon's temple (); the stalls for horses in Solomon's stables (); the Assassins who made insurrection under an Egyptian (); Christ fed "four thousand men, besides women and children" (). Four hundred thousand represents a very large number, e.g. the congregation of Israel that gathered at Mizpah, "four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword" (,); Abijah's army (; Jeroboam's, twice that number).

(8) The fourth part also frequently occurs (; ; ; , etc.).

W. L. Walker

Four Hundred

See FOUR.

Four Thousand

See FOUR.

Fourfold

for-fold:

Occurs but twice in English Versions: , "He shall restore the lamb fourfold"; and the King James Version, "If I have wrongfully exacted ought .... I restore fourfold." From this statement of Zaccheus we are to understand that fourfold the amount of that which was stolen was the restoration the law required of a thief. This was the extreme penalty the law imposed. In some cases double the amount was to be restored (,); in others, a fifth of its value was added to the thing restored (); still again, an amount equal to that taken was to be restored ().

Fourscore

for'-skor.

See FOUR; NUMBER.

Foursquare

for'-skwar (rabha`; tetragonos):

"Foursquare," meaning equal in length and breadth, not round, is the translation of rabha` (from obsolete rebha`, "four"); it occurs in the description of the altar of burnt offering (; ); of the altar of incense (; ); of the breastplate of the high priest (; ); of the panels of the gravings upon the mouth of the brazen or molten sea in Solomon's temple (); of the inner court of Ezekiel's temple (); of "the holy oblation" of the city of Ezekiel's vision (, rebhi`i, "fourth"); of the new Jerusalem of John's vision (, tetragonos), and conveys the idea of perfect symmetry. In the King James Version marginof , we have "five-square," square being formerly used for equal-sided, as it still is in "three-square file."

W. L. Walker

Fourteen

for'-ten.

See NUMBER.

Fourth Part

See FOUR.

Fowl

foul (`oph; peteinon): The word is now generally restricted to the larger, especially the edible birds, but formerly it denoted all flying creatures; in the King James Version we have even, "all fowls that creep, going upon all four," , "every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four."

1. Old Testament Terms and References:

The word most frequently translated "fowl" is `oph from `uph, "to cover," hence, wing; it is used collectively for birds and fowl in general (, etc.; ,, etc.); `ayit (from `ut, "to rush") means a ravenous beasts; or bird of prey, used collectively of ravenous birds ( the King James Version; the King James Version "fowls"; , "a path which no fowl knoweth," the Revised Version (British and American) "no bird of prey"); in it is used as a symbol of a conqueror (compare , "bird," "birds of prey"; , "ravenous birds"); tsippor, Aramaic tsippar (from tsaphar, "to twitter or chirp"), "a chirper," denotes a small bird or sparrow ( the King James Version; ; ); to give the carcasses of men to the fowls (birds) of the air was an image of destruction ( the King James Version; ,; ; , etc.); barburim, rendered () "fatted fowl" (among the provisions for Solomon's table for one day), is probably a mimetic word, like Greek barbaros, Latin murmuro, English babble, perhaps denoting geese from their cackle (Gesenius, from barar, "to cleanse," referring to their white plumage; but other derivations and renderings are given). They might have been ducks or swans. They could have been guineas or pigeons. The young of the ostrich was delicious food, and no doubt when Solomon's ships brought peafowl they also brought word that they were a delicacy for a king's table. The domestic fowl was not common so early in Palestine,but it may have been brought by Solomon with other imports from the East; in New Testament times chickens were common; ba`al kanaph, "owner of a wing," is used for a bird of any kind in . "In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," the King James Version margin Hebrew, "in the eyes of everything that hath a wing."

2. In the Levitical Law:

In the Levitical law fowls (birds) were distinguished as clean and unclean (; ; compare ); the first were allowed to be eaten because they fed on grains, seeds, and vegetables; the second were forbidden because they fed on flesh and carrion.

3. New Testament References and Illustrative Uses:

In the New Testament the common word for "fowl" is peteinon, "winged fowl." "The fowls of the air" (the Revised Version (British and American) "the birds of the heaven") are pointed to by our Lord as examples of the providential care of God (; ); in another connection the "sparrows" (strouthion) sold cheap, probably for food, are so employed (, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?" , "five .... for two pence"); their quickly picking up seeds from the ground is made to illustrate the influences which render "the word" powerless (); their being sheltered in the branches, the growth of the kingdom (, peteinon); the hen's (ornis) sheltering care for her chickens, His desire to protect and save Jerusalem (; compare /APC 2Esdras 1:30; ); the fowls were shown in vision to Peter as among the things made clean by God (; ); in ; ,, orneon, "bird," "fowl," a carnivorous bird (the Revised Version (British and American) "bird"), is the representative of desolation and of destruction.

For "fowls" the American Standard Revised Version has "birds" (,; ; ; ; ; with the English Revised Version ; ; ,; ; ; ); for "every feathered fowl" (), the Revised Version (British and American) has "the birds of every sort"; for "all fowls that creep" () and for "every flying creeping thing" (), "all winged creeping things."

W. L. Walker

Fowl, Fatted

See preceding article.

Fowler

foul'-er (yoqesh): A professional birdcatcher. In the days previous to firearms, birds were captured with nets spread on the ground, in traps and snares. There was a method of taking young birds from a nest, raising them by hand, and when they had become very tame, they were confined in hidden cages so that their voices would call others of their kind to the spot and they could be killed by arrows of concealed bowmen or the use of the throw-stick (Ecclesiasticus 11:30) This was a stick 1 1/2 feet in length and 1/2 inches in diameter, hurled with a rotary motion at the legs of the birds and was very effective when thrown into flocks of ground birds, such as partridge or quail, especially if the birds were running up hill. There was also a practice of sewing a captured bird's eyelids together and confining it so that its cries would call large numbers of birds through curiosity and they could then be taken in the several ways mentioned. The fowlers supplied the demand for doves and other birds used for caged pets, and furnished the market with wild pigeons and doves for sacrifice and such small birds as were used for food. : "For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler. And from the deadly pestilence."

This is David's promise that the Almighty will deliver us from the evil plans laid to ruin us, as a bird sometimes in its struggles slips the hair and escapes from the "snare" (which see) set for it. :

"Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers:

The snare is broken, and we are escaped."

Here is the fulfillment of the former promise in a cry of rejoicing. Sometimes the snare held fast, sometimes it broke; then the joy in the heart of a freed man was like the wild exultation in the heart of the escaping bird. :

"Deliver thyself as a roe from the hands. of the hunter.

And as a bird from the hand of the fowler."

With methods so primitive as these for taking birds, it must have occurred frequently that a stunned, wounded or entrapped bird slipped even from the hand that held it and made good its escape.

: "For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men." Here is the plain comparison strongly drawn between wicked men entrapping their fellows and fowlers taking unsuspecting birds.

The last reference is in : "Ephraim was a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God." Wherever he goes, the prophet is in danger of being trapped.

Gene Stratton-Porter

Fox

(shu`al; compare Arabic tha`lab (; ; ; Song of Songs 2:15; ; ); alopex (; ; )): The foxes of different parts of Europe and Western Asia differ more or less from each other, and some authors have given the local tyes distinct specific names. Tristram, for instance, distinguishes the Egyptian fox, Vulpes nilotica, of Southern Palestine, and the tawny fox, Vulpes flavescens, of the North and East It is possible that the range of the desert fox, Vulpes leucopus, of Southwestern Asia may also reach Syria. We have, however, the authority of the Royal Natural History for considering all these as merely local races of one species, the common fox, Vulpes alopex or Canis vulpes. The natives of Syria and Palestine do not always distinguish the fox and jackal although the two animals are markedly different. The jackal and wolf also are frequently confounded.

See DRAGON; JACKAL.

In f we have, "Those that seek my soul, to destroy it, .... shall be given over to the power of the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes" (shu`alim). It has been thought that the jackal is meant here (Revised Version margin), and that may well be, though it is also true that the fox does not refuse carrion. In the Revised Version, margin, "jackal" is suggested in two other passages, though why is not clear, since the rendering "fox" seems quite appropriate in both. They are , ".... if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall," and f, ".... our eyes are dim; for the mountain of Zion which is desolate: the foxes walk upon it." the Revised Version, margin also has "jackals" in f, where Samson "caught three hundred foxes .... and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails .... and let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the oliveyards." Jackals are probably more numerous than foxes, but the substitution does not appreciably diminish the difficulties in the way of any natural explanation of the story. In Song of Songs 2:15 we have a reference to the fondness of the fox for grapes. In and Jesus says in warning to a would-be follower, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Foxes differ from most of the Canidae in burrowing holes for their lairs, unless indeed they take possession of the burrow of another animal, such as the badger. In Jesus compares Herod to a fox.

Alfred Ely Day.

Fragment

frag'-ment (klasma): "Fragment," a piece broken off, occurs only in the plural, in the accounts of the miracles of the Loaves in the Gospels and references thereto. It is the translation of klasma (from klao, "to break"), "a piece broken off" ( the King James Version); "broken meat" ().

The Revised Version (British and American) has in each instance "broken pieces." The change is important because it shows that the pieces left over were not mere fragments or crumbs left by the people after eating, but some of the original pieces into which it is said in all the synoptic narratives and references Jesus "broke" the "loaves," which, being thin cakes, were usually broken before distribution; hence, the phrase, "breaking of bread." See Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes), under the word "Fragment"; Weymouth translates "broken portions," namely, "those into which the Lord had broken the loaves; not mere scraps or crumbs."

W. L. Walker

Frame

fram:

(1) yetser (from root yatsar, "to knead," mold with the fingers): "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" ().

(2) `erekh (from root `arakh, "to put in order," "to set in a row," "to arrange"): "goodly frame" (, the King James Version "goodly proportion").

(3) `otsem "bony frame" "body": "My frame was not hidden from thee, when I was made in secret" (), the King James Version "my substance," the King James Version margin "my strength, or, my body."

Frankincense

frants'-in-sens (lebhonah, from root meaning "whiteness," referring to the milky color of the fresh juice: ; f,15 f; 5:11; 6:15; 24:7; ; ; ,; Song of Songs 3:6; Song of Songs 4:6,Song of Songs 4:14; ; ; ; ; ; ; translated in the last six references "incense" in the King James Version, but correctly in the Revised Version (British and American); libanos: ; . The English word is derived from old French franc encens, i.e. "pure incense"): The common frankincense of the pharmacopeas is a gum derived from the common fir, but the frankincense of the Jews, as well as of the Greeks and Romans, is a substance now called Olibanum (from the Arabic el luban), a product of certain trees of the genus Boswellia (Natural Order, Amyridaceae), growing on the limestone rocks of south Arabia and Somali-land (; ). The most important species are B. Carteri and B. Frereana. Some of the trees grow to a considerable height and send down their roots to extraordinary depths. The gum is obtained by incising the bark,

and is collected in yellowish, semitransparent tears, readily pulverized; it has a nauseous taste. It is used for making incense for burning in churches and in Indian temples, as it was among the Jews (). See INCENSE. It is often associated with myrrh (Song of Songs 3:6; Song of Songs 4:6) and with it was made an offering to the infant Saviour (). A specially "pure" kind, lebhonah zakkah, was presented with the shewbread ().

E. W. G. Masterman

Frankly

frank'-li (charizomai):

"Frankly" in the sense of "freely," "readily," "graciously," occurs only in the translation of charizomai, properly "to gratify," "to do that which is grateful or pleasing," "to forgive" (, "He frankly forgave them both," the Revised Version (British and American) has simply "forgave"; the same word is translated in , the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "forgave," in the King James Version it is "gave," the Revised Version (British and American) "bestowed," granted to see). It occurs in the New Testament only in Luke and Paul.

Fray

fra (haradh, "to make afraid," "cause to tremble": the King James Version of ; ; ; the Revised Version (British and American) "frighten," "terrify").

See WAR.

Freckled Spot

frek'-'-ld, (bohaq; Septuagint alphos, called in the Revised Version (British and American) "a tetter," and described as a bright shining spot (beharoth lebhenoth):

These white eruptions did not render the person so marked ceremonially unclean (). This form of skin disease is described by Hippocrates as usually of no great importance and indicative of a sluggishness of body; it is probably some form of local psoriasis. There is a cognate modern Arabic word applied to a facial eczematous eruption. For other references to skin diseases, see LEPROSY.

Free; Freedom

See CHOICE; WILL.

Freedman; Freeman

fred'-man, fre'-man: The term occurs in ; , and , and represents two slightly different words. In the word is apeleutheros, "a freeman," one who was born a slave and has received freedom. In this case it refers to spiritual freedom. He that was in bondage to sin has been presented with spiritual freedom by the Lord. In the word is simply eleutheros, "a free man" as opposed to a slave.

Freely

fre'-li (chinnam, nedhabhah; dorean parrhesiazomai):

"Freely" occurs in three senses:ts two slightly different words. In the word is apeleutheros, "a freeman," one who was born a slave and has received freedom. In this case it refers to spiritual freedom. He that was in bondage to sin has been presented with spiritual freedom by the Lord. In the word is simply eleutheros, "a free man" as opposed to a slave.

(1) Gratis, for nothing (, chinnam, "for nought," "the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely," the Revised Version (British and American) "for nought"); , dorean, "Freely ye have received, freely give," the Revised Version (British and American) omits "have"; , "being justified freely by his grace"; , "I have preached to you the gospel freely," the Revised Version (British and American) "for nought"; ; , "Take the water of life freely"; charizomai () is translated "freely give," ta charisthenta (), "the things that are freely given," the American Standard Revised Version has "were" for "are."

(2) Willingly, spontaneously: nedhabhah, "willing offering" (, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee," the Revised Version (British and American) "with a freewill-offering"; , "I will love them freely"); nadhabh, "to give willingly'' (, the Revised Version (British and American) "willingly offered"; compare 1:6); nedabh Aramaic (7:15; compare 7:13,16).

(3) Without hindrance or restraint, 'akhal, "to eat" is rendered in , "Thou mayest freely eat," the King James Version margin" Hebrew, eating thou shalt eat"; , "if .... the people had eaten freely"; parrhesiazomai, "to speak freely, openly, boldly" (, "Unto whom also I speak freely"); meta parrhesias, "with full speech" (, "I may say unto you freely").

Revised Version has "have drunk freely" for "well drunk" (). The word is methusko, Pass. "to become drunk." Comparison with ; ; ; , where the same word is translated the King James Version "made drunk," the Revised Version (British and American) "made drunken" (; ; ; , "drunken"), will show that the meaning is "drunk," which was the rendering of Tyndale and Cranmer; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has cum inebriati fuerint; Plummer renders "have become drunk, are drunk."

W. L. Walker

Freewill Offering

fre'-wil of'-er-ing. See SACRIFICE.

Freewoman

fre'-woom-an (eleuthera): Found but 4 times in the King James Version (,,,). In the first three passages it refers to Sarah, the freewoman and true wife of Abraham as in contrast with Hagar, the Egyptian slave girl who became his concubine (). In the last passage a metaphorical application of the term is made to the Christians who are the children of promise, of freedom, of the spirit, the children of the freewoman, in contrast with the Jews who are the children of the letter, of bondage, of the bondwoman.

Frequent

fre'-kwent (peris-soteros):

"Frequent," adjective (from Latin frequens, frequentis, "crowded") occurs only once in the text of the King James Version, as the translation of perissoteros, adverb in comparative degree of perissos, "abundantly," hence, "more abundantly" (compare ); in , "in prisons more frequent," the Revised Version (British and American) "more abundantly"; and once in the margin of the King James Version () as translation of `athar, "to be abundant," the Revised Version (British and American) in text, "profuse."

American Revised Version has "frequent" for "open" (, "The word of Yahweh was precious (margin, rare) in those days; there was no frequent vision," margin "(Hebrew) widely spread" (the word is parac, "to break forth," "to scatter," etc.). the English Revised Version retains "open," with "frequent, Hebrew widely spread" in the margin. "Frequent" (the verb) does not occur.

W. L. Walker

Fresh

Adj.:

The translation of hadhash, "new," "fresh" (, "My glory is fresh in me"); of leshadh, "sap," "moisture" (, of the manna, "as the taste of fresh oil," the Revised Version, margin "cakes baked with oil"); of ra`anan, "to be fresh and green" (, "fresh oil"); of glukus, "sweet" (, "salt water and fresh," the Revised Version (British and American) "sweet"). Fresher is the translation of rutaphash, "to become fresh" (; "His flesh shall be fresher than a child's").

Revised Version has "fresh" for "green" (; ), for "moist" (), for "full" (; ), for "new" (; ; ; ).

W. L. Walker

Fret, Fretting

(charah, ma'ar):

To "fret" is from for (prefix) and etan, "to eat," "to consume." The word is both transitive and intransitive in King James Version:

(1) transitive as translation of charah, "to burn," Hithpael, "to fret one's self," "to be angry" (, "Fret not thyself because of evil-doers"; ,; ); of qatsaph, "to be angry," etc. (, "They shall fret themselves, and curse," etc.); of raghaz, to be moved" (with anger, etc.) (, "Thou hast fretted me in all these things," the American Standard Revised Version "raged against me"). For , see under Fretting below.

(2) Intransitive, it is the translation of ra`am, "to rage," Hiphil, "to provoke to anger" (, "Her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret"); of za`aph, "to be sad," "to fret" (, "His heart fretteth against Yahweh").

Fretting in the sense of eating away, consuming, is used of the leprosy, ma'ar, "to be sharp, bitter, painful" (,; , "a fretting leprosy"; in we have "it (is) fret inward" ("fret" past participle), as the translation of pehetheth from pahath, "to dig" (a pit), the word meaning "a depression," "a hollow or sunken spot in a garment affected by a kind of leprosy," the Revised Version (British and American) "it is a fret."

Revised Version has "fretful" for "angry" (), margin "vexation."

W. L. Walker

Fried

frid.

See BREAD, III, 3, (2); FOOD, II; LOCUST.

Friend; Friendship

frend, frend'-ship: In the Old Testament two words, variously translated "friend" or "companion": re`eh, indicating a mere associate, passing friend, neighbor, or companion; 'ahabh, indicating affection natural or unnatural. In the New Testament also two words: hetairos, "a comrade," or "fellow," and philos, suggesting a more affectionate relation.

Literature abounds in concrete examples of friendship of either kind noted above, and of profoundly philosophic as well as sentimental and poetic expositions of the idea of friendship. Notable among these are the Old Testament examples. Abraham, because of the intimacy of his relations, was called "the friend of God" (; ; ). "Yahweh spake unto Moses face to face, as a man .... unto his friend" (). The romantic aspect of the friendship of Ru and Naomi is interesting (). The devotion of Hushai, who is repeatedly referred to as David's friend (; ), is a notable illustration of the affection of a subordinate for his superior. The mutual friendship of David and Jonathan (), from which the author is made to say, "The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul," is another example. Again in his pathetic lament for Jonathan (), David says in highly emotional tones that his love "was wonderful, passing the love of women." Elijah and Elisha form a unique illustration of semiprofessional affection ().

In the New Testament, Jesus and His disciples illustrate the growth of friendship from that of teacher and disciple, lord and servant, to that of friend and friend (). Paul and Timothy are likewise conspicuous ().

In general literature we have the classic incident, recorded by Plutarch, of Damon and Pythias during the rule of Dionysius. Pythias, condemned to death, was about to be executed but desired to see his family. Damon offered himself as a ransom in case he should not return in time for the hour of execution. Returning in time, both were released by the great Dionysius, who asked to be taken into the secret of such friendship. The writings on friendship are many. Plato and Cicero have immortalized themselves by their comments. Cicero held dearly the friendship of Scipio, declaring that of all that Nature or Fortune ever gave him there was nothing which could compare with the friendship of Scipio. Bacon, Emerson, Black, Gladden, King, Hillis, and many others in later days have written extensively concerning friendship. The best illustration of the double use of the word (see above) is that in , "He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Again, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend" (27:17). The honesty and frankness of genuine friends are set forth in the maxim, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (27:6).

Walter G. Clippinger

Friends; Chief Friends

(hoi philoi proton): Expressions used in 1 and 2 Macc to designate the favored courtiers of the Antiochi. Mattathias is promised enrollment among the king's Friends, to tempt him to apostatize (1 Macc 2:18); Alexander Balas writes Jonathan among his Chief Friends (1 Macc 10:65). Compare also 1 Macc 3:38; 6:10,14; 10:60; 11:26,27; 2 Macc 8:9.

Fringes

frin'-jis (tsitsith, "tassel, lock" (,), gedhilim, "twisted threads," "festoons" ()): Tassels worn by the Israelites on the four corners of their garments as reminders of "all the commandments of Yahweh," in accordance with the law set out in and . These tassels originally contained a thread of tekheleth, "violet." Jewish tradition, however, has failed to retain the tekheleth, because of doubt as to the exact meaning of the term, and instead dark blue lines were dyed on the borders of the Tallith or garment in which the fringes were placed. According to tradition any garment having four corners required the mnemonic fringes, the importance of which was weighed against "all the commandments of the Lord." In New Testament times such garments were still worn (compare ; ; ). The later Jews, after adopting the garments of the Diaspora, in order to observe the tsitsith commandment began to use two extra four-cornered fringed garments: the large Tallith while at prayer, and the small Tallith, or 'arba` kanephoth, as an undergarment during the day. Their tradition prescribes the exact manner in which each tassel shall be made, and gives a symbolic meaning to the numbers of windings and knots, somewhat after the manner of the string-writing of several early civilizations (compare the Peruvian quipus). Thus in the tsitsith a long cord is wrapped around seven shorter cords first seven times, then eight, then eleven, and finally thirteen, each series being separated from the others by two knots. The numbers seven and eight constituting fifteen together suggest YH, and the number eleven, WH. Together they make up the holy name YaHWeH. The number thirteen stands for echadh, the letters of which taken as numerals equal thirteen. The sentence Yahweh 'echadh means "Yahweh is one." Many other suggestions, more or less fanciful, have been worked out, all tending to associate the fringes with the Law in the mind of the wearer.

See DRESS.

Ella Davis Isaacs

Frock

frok (simlah; homolinon): The hempen frock, mentioned in Ecclesiasticus 40:4 as a mark of the lowly, was a simple garment consisting of a square piece of cloth wrapped around the body. It is the same as the garment (simlah) which we find the poor man using as his only bed covering by night ( f); the traveler, as the receptacle for his belongings (compare ); and the common people of both sexes as their general outer garments, though there was some difference in appearance between the simlah of the man and that of the woman ().

See DRESS.

Ella Davis Isaacs

Frog

(tsephardea`; compare Arabic dafda` ( ; ); batrachos ()): The references in Psalms, as well as in Exodus, are to the plague of flogs. In we have, "And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs." The word tsephardea` probably referred both to frogs and to toads, as does the Arabic dafda`. In Palestine and Syria Rana esculenta, Bufo viridis and Hyla arborea are common. According to Mr. Michael J. Nicoll, assistant director of the Zoological Gardens at Gizah, near Cairo, the commonest Egyptian species are Rana mascariensis and Bufo regularis. Rana esculenta, Bufo viridis and Bufo vittatus are also found, but are much less common.

Alfred Ely Day

Frontier

fron'-ter, frun'ter (katseh): The word occurs once in plural in . the Revised Version, margin has "in every quarter."

Frontlets

frunt'-lets (ToTaphoth, from Tuph, "to bind"): Ornaments worn on the forehead, particularly phylacteries (which see), which were worn in this manner and also on the arms (; ; ; compare also ).

Frost

frost (kephor, "hoar-frost," ; ; chanamal, perhaps "the aphis," ; qerach, "cold," ; the King James Version; ):

1. Formation:

A temperature of freezing or lower is called frost. Dew forms when the temperature is decreased; and if below freezing, the dew takes the form of a white film or covering over rocks and leaves. This white covering is called hoar-frost. Like dew it is the result of condensation of the moisture of the air on objects which radiate their heat quickly. In order that condensation may take place the atmosphere must be saturated. Frost may be expected on clear, still nights when the radiation is sufficient to reduce the temperature below the freezing-point.

In Syria and Palestine frost is a very rare occurrence at sea-level; but on the hills and elevated plains it is usual in winter, beginning with November, and on the highest elevations throughout the year. Late spring frosts in March or early April do great damage to fruit.

2. In Syria and Palestine:

In clear weather there is often a great variation in the temperature of the day and the night, especially on the inland plains, so that literally, as Jacob said to Laban, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night" (); "In the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost" (; compare ), a passage which suggests that Jehoiakim's corpse was left unburied.

3. In Egypt:

The meaning of chanamal, translated "frost" in (see above), "He destroyed .... their sycomore-trees with frost" (m "great hail stones"), is uncertain. "Frost is unknown in Egypt, and Gesenius suggests `ants,' comparing it with Arabic namal" (Temple, BD, S.V.).

4. Figurative Uses:

The manna in the wilderness is compared to hoarfrost. "A small round thing, small as the hoarfrost" (). Manna is occasionally found in Syria now as a flaky, gelatinous substance formed on bushes and rocks. The elements of Nature are indications of God's power, and are referred to as signs of His might: "By the breath of God frost is given" ( the King James Version). "The hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?" (); "He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-trees with frost" (); "He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes" ().

Alfred H. Joy

Fruit

froot.

See FOOD; BOTANY, and special articles on APPLE; FIG; VINE, etc.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (1915). Public domain. Text from the CrossWire Bible Society.