Vagabond – Villany

Vagabond

vag'-a-bond (nudh, "to wander"): The word is used in the curse pronounced on Cain (Genesis 4:12,Genesis 4:14). the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes in each case "wanderer," but in Psalms 109:10 it retains "vagabonds." "Vagabond Jews" (perierchomai; the Revised Version (British and American) "strolling Jews") were persons who traveled about as professional exorcists (Acts 19:13).

Vaheb

va'-heb (wahebh; Zoob): The name occurs in a quotation from the book of the Wars of Yahweh in Numbers 21:14. See SUPHAH. It was apparently in Amorite territory. It is not identified.

Vail

val.

See VEIL.

Vain

van: The adjective of "vanity," and representing the same Hebrew and Greek words as does the latter, with a few additions (chiefly kenos, "empty," and its compounds in the New Testament). And "vain" can always be replaced by its synonym "empty," often with advantage in modern English (Job 15:2; 1 Corinthians 15:14, etc.). The exception is the phrase "in vain," and even there the interchange can be made if some (understood) noun such as "ways" be added. So "to take God's name in vain" (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11) means simply to take it for an "empty" ("not good") purpose.

Vainglory

van-glo'-ri (kenodoxia): "Vainglory" is the translation of kenodoxia, "empty glory" or "pride," nearly akin to vanity in the modern sense (Philippians 2:3). Kenodoxos is "vainglorious" (Galatians 5:26, "Let us not be desirous of vainglory," the Revised Version (British and American) "Let us not become vainglorious"). In 1 John 2:16 the Revised Version (British and American) has "the vainglory of life" (alazoneia tou biou) for "the pride of life"; compare James 4:16, "Ye glory in your vauntings" (alazoneia). Kenodoxia is translated "vainglory" (The Wisdom of Solomon 14:14, "For by the vain glory of men they (idols) entered into the world," the Revised Version (British and American) "vaingloriousless"); alazoneia occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 5:8, translated "vaunting." "Pride is applicable to every object, good or bad, high or low, small or great; vanity is applicable only to small objects; pride is therefore good or bad; vanity is always bad; it is always emptiness or nothingness" (Crabb, English Synonymes).

W. L. Walker

Vaizatha; Vajezatha

vi'-za-tha, va-iz'-a-tha, va-jez'-a-tha, vaj-e-za'-tha (wayzatha'): One of the sons of Haman (Esther 9:9). The form has been held to be corrupt, the Hebrew letter waw (w) being exceptionally tall, and the Hebrew letter zayin (z) exceptionally short (Benfey, Die persischen Keilinschriften (1847), XVIII, 93), and points to Vahyazdata, "Given of the Best-One" (OHL, 255).

Vale, Valley

val, val'-i:

(1) gay'; either absolute: "from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab" (Numbers 21:20); or with a proper name: "valley of Hinnom," also "valley of the son of Hinnom" (Joshua 15:8); "valley of Slaughter" (Jeremiah 7:32); "valley of Zeboim" (1 Samuel 13:18); "valley of Zephathah" (2 Chronicles 14:10); "valley of Hamon-gog" (Ezekiel 39:11); "valley of Iphtah-el" (Joshua 19:14); "valley of the mountains" (Zechariah 14:5); "Valley of Salt" (2 Samuel 8:13); "valley of vision" (Isaiah 22:1); once (in the Revised Version (British and American)) as a place-name: "until thou comest to Gai" (the King James Version "the valley") (1 Samuel 17:52); also (Revised Version) "Ge-harashim" (1 Chronicles 4:14); compare "valley of craftsmen" (margin "Ge-haharashim") (Nehemiah 11:35).

(2) `emeq, `amoq, "to be deep"; compare Arabic `amuq, "to be deep"; `umq, "depth"; 'Ammiq, a village in the valley of Coele-Syria; absolute: "He could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley" (Judges 1:19); often with place-names: "valley of Achor" (Joshua 7:24); "valley of Aijalon" (Joshua 10:12); "valley of Gibeon" (Isaiah 28:21); "vale of Hebron" (Genesis 37:14); "valley of Jehoshaphat" (Joel 3:2); "vale of Rephaim," the King James Version "valley of the giants" (Joshua 15:8); "vale of Shaveh" (Genesis 14:17); "vale of Siddim" (Genesis 14:3); "valley of Succoth" (Psalms 60:6); compare "valley of Weeping" (the King James Version "Baca") (Psalms 84:6); "valley of Beracah" (margin "Blessing") (2 Chronicles 20:26); "valley of decision" (Joel 3:14); "vale of Elah" (margin "terebinth") (1 Samuel 17:2); "the King's Vale" (Genesis 14:17); but "the king's dale" (2 Samuel 18:18); "Emekkeziz," the King James Version "valley of Keziz" (Joshua 18:21).

(3) biq`ah, baqa`, "to cleave," hence, "valley," especially "broad valley" or "plain"; compare Arabic baq`at, "wet meadow" Biqa`, Coele-Syria; absolute: "a land of hills and valleys" (Deuteronomy 11:11); with place-names: "valley of Jericho" (Deuteronomy 34:3); "valley of Lebanon" (Joshua 11:17); "valley of Megiddo" (2 Chronicles 35:22); "valley of Mizpah" (Joshua 11:8).

(4) nachal, also "river" or "stream"; absolute "Isaac's servants digged (dug) in the valley" (Genesis 26:19); with place-names: "valley (the King James Version "river") of the Arnon" (Deuteronomy 2:24); "valley of Eshcol" (Numbers 32:9); "valley of Gerar" (Genesis 26:17); "valley of Shittim" (Joel 3:18); "valley of Sorek" (Judges 16:4); "valley of Zered" (Numbers 21:12).

(5) shephelah, shaphel, "to be low"; compare Arabic safal, "to be low"; the King James Version "valley" or "vale," the Revised Version (British and American) "lowland," the coast and foothills of Western Palestine

(6) aulon, "valley" (Judith 4:4; 7:3; 10:10).

(7) pharagx: "Every valley shall be filled" (Luke 3:5).

The valley gate (Nehemiah 2:13, etc.) may have had about the location of the present Jaffa gate, if by "valley" is meant the valley of Hinnom. If the Tyropoeon is meant, it would have been near the southwestern corner of the charam area.

See JERUSALEM.

The valleys of the mountainous part of Palestine are mostly dry, rocky wadies with occasional torrents m the winter season. Those which descend to the W. widen out as they approach the plain and contain broad fields and meadows which in the winter and spring at least are fresh and green. The valley of the Jordan, the valley of Megiddo and the valley of Lebanon (i.e. Coele-Syria) contain much cultivable land: "the herds that were in the valleys" (1 Chronicles 27:29): "They of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley" (1 Samuel 6:13); "The valleys also are covered over with grain" (Psalms 65:13).

See BROOK; CHAMPAIGN; LOWLAND; RIVER; SHEPHELAH.

Alfred Ely Day

Valiant, Valiantly

val'-yant, val'-yant-li (chayil; ischuros): "Valiant" in the Old Testament is for the most part the translation of chayil, "power," or "might," and is applied to the courageous and to men of war ("mighty men of valor"), as in 1 Samuel 14:52; 1 Samuel 31:12; 2 Samuel 11:16, etc.; in some passages ben chayil, "a son of might" (Judges 21:10; 1 Samuel 18:17; 2 Samuel 2:7, etc.). A few other Hebrew words (gibbor, etc.) are thus rendered. In the New Testament the word occurs once in the King James Version (Hebrews 11:34, "valiant in fight"; the Revised Version (British and American) "mighty in war"). "Valiantly" is the translation of the same Hebrew word (Numbers 24:18; Psalms 60:12, etc.); in one case in the King James Version of chazaq (1 Chronicles 19:13, the American Standard Revised Version "play the man," the English Revised Version "men"). In some instances the Revised Version (British and American) has variations, as "man of valor" for "valiant man" (1 Samuel 16:18), "valiant" for "strong" (1 Chronicles 26:7,1 Chronicles 26:9; Jeremiah 48:14, etc.).

W. L. Walker

Valley

val'-i.

See VALE; VALLEY.

Valley Gate

(sha`ar ha-gay', "Gate of the Gai"): Is placed (Nehemiah 3:13) between the "tower of the furnaces" and the "dung gate"; from here Nehemiah (2:13) set out on his ride down the "Gai" (Hinnom) to Siloam, and, too (12:31,38), from here the Levites commenced their compass of the city in two directions. It must have been an ancient gate, for Uzziah added towers to it (2 Chronicles 26:9). It was probably near the Southwest corner of the city and near to, if not identical with, the gate found by Bliss near (now in) the Protestant Cemetery.

See JERUSALEM, VI, 13.

E. W. G. Masterman

Valley Of Decision

('emeq he-charuts).

See JEHOSHAPHAT, VALLEY OF.

Valley Of Giants

See REPHAIM, VALE OF.

Valley Of Keziz

See EMEK-KEZIZ.

Valley Of Slaughter

See HINNOM, VALLEY OF; SLAUGHTER, VALLEY OF; TOPHETH.

Valley Of Vision

(ge' chizzayon): A symbolic name generally understood to signify Jerusalem as being the home of prophetic vision (Isaiah 22:1,Isaiah 22:5).

Valley, Jordan

See JORDAN VALLEY.

Vampire

vam'-pir (alaqah): the Revised Version margin for "horseleach" (Proverbs 30:15) has "vampire."

See HORSELEACH.

Vaniah

va-ni'-a (wanyah, meaning unknown): A son of Bani, who had married a foreign wife (Ezra 10:36). The text is, however, doubtful. The Septuagint Codex Vaticanus has Ouiechoa; Codex Sinaiticus Ouierecho; Codex Alexandrinus Ouounia, Lucian Ouania.

Vanity, Vanities

"Vanity" does not often occur in the New Testament; but see VAIN, VAINGLORY. In Acts 14:15 we have mataios, "empty," translated "vanities" (of idols); mataiotes, "emptiness," "transitoriness" (Romans 8:20, "The creation was subjected to vanity," frailty, transitoriness); "emptiness," "folly" (Ephesians 4:17; 2 Peter 2:18).

Among other changes for "vanity" the Revised Version (British and American) has "iniquity" (Job 15:35; Psalms 10:7); "falsehood" (Psalms 12:2; Psalms 41:6); "deceit" (Psalms 144:8,Psalms 144:11); "vapor" (Proverbs 21:6); "calamity" (Proverbs 22:8 margin "vanity"); "a breath" (Isaiah 57:13); "wickedly" (Isaiah 58:9). Conversely, for "Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" (Psalms 89:47), "For what vanity hast thou created all the children of men!"; for "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing" (Isaiah 41:29), "Behold, all of them, their works are vanity and nought," margin as the King James Version, with "nought" for "nothing."

W. L. Walker

Vapor

va'-per:

(1) edh: "For he draweth up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor" (Job 36:27); "There went up a mist ['edh] from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground" (Genesis 2:6).

(2) nasi', "vapor," i.e. that which rises, from nasa', "to lift": "Who causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth" (Psalms 135:7; compare Jeremiah 10:13; Jeremiah 51:16); also translated "clouds": "as clouds and wind without rain" (Proverbs 25:14).

(3) In Job 36:33, the King James Version has "vapour" ("concerning the vapour") for `alah, alah, "to go up," where the Revised Version (British and American) reads "concerning the storm that cometh up."

(4) qiTor: "fire and hail, snow and vapor" (Psalms 148:8); elsewhere, "smoke": "The smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace" (Genesis 19:28); "I am become like a wineskin in the smoke" (Psalms 119:83).

(5) atmis: "blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke" (Acts 2:19); "For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14).

The first two of the preceding quotations are interesting as indicating the knowledge that vapor of water from the earth or sea is the source of the rain. Visible vapor, i.e. mist or fog, is much less common in Palestine than in many other countries. In the mountains, however, especially in Lebanon, mists are of frequent occurrence, appearing to those below as clouds clinging to the mountains.

Alfred Ely Day

Vashni

vash'-ni (washni, see below; the Septuagint's Codex Vaticanus Sanei; Codex Alexandrinus Sani): Read in 1 Chronicles 6:28 the King James Version (Hebrew 13) as the name of the firstborn son of Samuel. According to 1 Chronicles 6:33 (Hebrew 18) and 1 Samuel 8:2, Samuel's oldest son was Joel, and the second Abijah. The explanation of this is that in 1 Chronicles 6:28 the word taken then as a proper name is really "and second"; so following Septuagint, Lucian, and Syriac we read (as the Revised Version (British and American)), "And the sons of Samuel: the first-born, Joel, and the second Abijah."

Vashti

vash'-ti (washti; Astin; Old Persian "beautiful woman"): The former queen of Xerxes, whom he divorced. On the 7th day of a great feast which the king was giving to the assembled nobles of the empire and others, he commanded the seven chamberlains who served in his presence to bring the queen into the assembly. We are told (Esther 1:11) that his purpose was "to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on." The king's command was met by Vashti with a mortifying refusal to obey. The reason which is sometimes assigned for her disobedience--that no man but the king was permitted to look upon the queen--is without foundation. Esther invites Haman on two occasions to accompany the king to a banquet at which she was present. Nor can it be said that there was any lack of recognition of Vashti's high dignity; the seven highest officials of the palace were sent to escort her. The refusal had to be visited with a punishment severe enough to reestablish the supremacy which it threatened to overthrow. She was, accordingly, divorced and dethroned.

There is no known reference to Vashti outside of Esther. The suggestion has been made that Vashti was an inferior wife, or one of the royal concubines. There is nothing, however, to support it; and it is, besides, directly opposed to several statements in the narrative. She is always named "queen" (Esther 1:9,Esther 1:11,Esther 1:12,Esther 1:15–18). It is only (Esther 1:19) when the decree is proposed to repudiate and degrade her that she is called merely "Vashti." She also (Esther 1:9) presides at the banquet for the women. It is evident, therefore, that in the palace of the women there was no higher personage than Vashti.

John Urquhart

Vat

See WINEVAT.

Vault

volt (natsar, "to guard," "protest"): Isaiah's charge against Israel as "a people that .... lodge in the secret places" (Isaiah 65:4, margin "vaults," the King James Version "monuments") probably refers to the custom of sleeping in sacred tombs or vaults of idol temples to learn the future through dreams by the method known as incubation.

See DIVINATION, 6, (ii); 7, 1; FAMILIAR; WITCHCRAFT; and Expository Times, IX, 157 ff.

Vault Of Earth

See ASTRONOMY, sec. III, 1.

Vav

vav.

See WAW.

Vedan

ve'-dan (wedhan): A place-name occurring only in Ezekiel 27:19, "Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for thy wares." the King James Version, taking the syllable we as the Hebrew conjunction, renders "and Da also." The text is in bad condition. Some read "Dedan," but Dedan is spoken of separately in the following verse. Assuming that Vedan is the correct reading, an identification may be conjectured with Waddan, also called al-`Abwa`, between Mecca and Medina. It was the object of Mohammed's first expedition (Ibn Hisham, 415). The name contains that of the god Wadd who was worshipped chiefly by the Arab tribe Kalb.

A. S. Fulton

Vehement, Vehemently

ve'-he-ment, ve'-he-ment-li (charishi; epipothesis): "Vehement" (from Latin vehere, "to carry," or ve, "out of," and mens, "mind"), carried away by the mind or force of passion, occurs twice in the Old Testament (Song of Songs 8:6, the King James Version "a most vehement flame" (jealousy)) as the translation of shalhebheth-yah, "the flame of Yah," which perhaps means lightning (the Revised Version (British and American) "a very flame of Yahweh," margin "a most vehement flame, Hebrew: Yah"); and as the translation of the King James Version charishi, "silent," "still," hence "sultry" (Jonah 4:8, the King James Version "a vehement east wind," the Revised Version (British and American) "sultry"). In the New Testament, "vehement desire" is (the King James Version) the translation of epipothesis, "earnest desire" (2 Corinthians 7:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "longing").

"Vehemently" is the translation of deinos, "greatly" (Luke 11:53); of ek perissou or ekperissos, "beyond measure" (Mark 14:31, "He spake exceeding vehemently"); of eutonos, "intensely" (Luke 23:10); and in the King James Version of prosrhegnumi, "to break" or "dash upon" (Luke 6:48,Luke 6:49, the Revised Version (British and American) "break").

W. L. Walker

Veil (1)

val: The following words are so translated in English Versions of the Bible (sometimes the King James Version vail):

(1) miTpachath, Ruth 3:15 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "mantle." As the material was strong enough to serve as a bag for a large quantity of grain the Revised Version (British and American) is certainly right; compare Isaiah 3:22.

(2) macweh, Exodus 34:33–35. Paul in his quotation of the passage in 2 Corinthians 3:13–16 uses kalumma, following Septuagint. The covering worn by Moses to conceal the miraculous brightness of his face, although, according to Massoretic Text, he seems to have worn it only in private.

(3) macckhah, Isaiah 25:7; in 28:20 translated "covering." The use in 25:7 is figurative and the form of the "veil" a matter of indifference.

(4) tsammah, the Revised Version (British and American) Song of Songs 4:1,Song of Songs 4:3 (margin "locks" (of hair)); 6:7; Isaiah 47:2, the King James Version "locks." The meaning of the word is uncertain and the King James Version may very well be right. If, however, the Revised Version's translation is correct, a light ornamental veil is meant.

(5) tsa`iph, Genesis 24:65; Genesis 38:14,Genesis 38:19. A large wrap is meant, which at times was used to cover the face also. In 24:65 Rebekah conformed to the etiquette which required the veiling of brides (see MARRIAGE). In Genesis 38 one motive for Tamar's use of the veil was certainly to avoid recognition, but it seems clear from the passage that veils were used by courtesans. Why is unknown, perhaps partly to conceal their identity, perhaps partly in parody of the marriage custom.

(6) redhidh, Song of Songs 5:7 (the Revised Version (British and American) "mantle," margin "veil"); Isaiah 3:23. A light mantle is certainly meant. In Song of Songs 5:7 it is torn from the maiden in the watchmen's endeavor to detain her.

(7) parakalumma, The Wisdom of Solomon 17:3 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "curtain."

(8) Verb katakalupto, 1 Corinthians 11:6 f, with akatakalupto, "unveil" in 11:5; the King James Version has "cover" and "uncover"; kalupto, 2 Corinthians 4:3 (twice), anakalupto, 2 Corinthians 3:18; the King James Version "hid" and "open."

It will be seen that there is a certain reference to what in modern times would be termed a "veil" only in (2) above. For a possible additional reference see MUFFLER.

The use of the face veil as a regular article of dress was unknown to the Hebrew women, and if "veil" is to be understood in Song of Songs 4:1, etc., it was worn as an ornament only. The modern oriental custom of veiling is due to Mohammedan influence and has not been universally adopted by Jewesses in the Orient. In New Testament times, however, among both Greeks and Romans, reputable women wore a veil in public (Plutarch Quaest. Rom. xiv) and to appear without it was an act of bravado (or worse); Tarsus, Paul's home city, was especially noted for strictness in this regard (Dio of Prusa, Tarsica prior, section symbol 48). Hence, Paul's indignant directions in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, which have their basis in the social proprieties of the time. The bearing of these directions, however, on the compulsory use of the hat by modern women in public worship would appear to be very remote.

For the Veil of the Tabernacle and the Temple see next article.

Burton Scott Easton

Veil (2)

(1) (parokheth; katapetasma; the King James Version vail): In Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, the veil that hung between the two holy chambers of the tabernacle is mentioned 23 times (Exodus 26:31, etc.). In several places it is termed "the veil of the screen" and it is distinguished from "the screen for the door of the tabernacle" (Exodus 35:12,Exodus 35:15; Exodus 39:34,Exodus 39:38). By the latter is meant the curtain that hung outside the holy place, i.e. at the tabernacle entrance. Exodus 26:31 informs us that the veil was made of fine-twined linen, and that its colors were blue and purple and scarlet. It was embroidered with cherubim. At each removal of the tabernacle the veil was used to enwrap the ark of the testimony (Numbers 4:5). From its proximity to this central object of the Hebrew ceremonial system, the veil is termed "the veil of the testimony" (Leviticus 24:3), "the veil which is before the testimony" (Exodus 27:21), etc. In Solomon's Temple the veil is mentioned but once (2 Chronicles 3:14). It was protected by doors of olive wood (1 Kings 6:31). In the later temple it is alluded to in 1 Macc 1:22. Its presence in Herod's temple is attested by the statement in each of the Synoptists that at the time of Christ's death the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, or in the midst (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; compare in Mishna, Mid. ii. 1; iv.7). This fact is the basis of the profound truth expressed by the writer to the Hebrews that Jesus, by His sacrificial death, opened for all believers a way into the holiest "through the veil, that is to say, his flesh" (Hebrews 10:20). See TABERNACLE; TEMPLE.

(2) See the preceding article and DRESS, V.

W. Shaw Caldecott

Vein

van: Only in Job 28:1, the King James Version "a vein for the silver," or motsa', "going forth," "source." Both the King James Version "vein" and the Revised Version (British and American) "mine" are more specialized than motsa', but the Revised Version (British and American) doubtless conveys the original meaning.

Vengeance

ven'-jans.

See AVENGE; GOEL; RETRIBUTION; REVENGE.

Venison

ven'-i-z'-n, ven'-z'-n: Is derived (through the French venaison) from the Latin venari, "to hunt," and means properly "the spoils of the chase." As, however, the object of the chase, paragraph excellence, was the deer, venison came to mean usually (as it invariably does in modern English) "deer's flesh." But in English Versions of the Bible this technical force seems not to be implied, for "venison" is used only for the two Hebrew words tsayidh (Genesis 25:28; Genesis 27:5), and tsedhah (Genesis 27:3), and both these words (from tsudh, "to hunt") mean simply "game" of any kind.

Verdigris

vur'-di-gres.

See SCUM.

Verily, Verity

ver'-i-ti, ver'-i-ti ('abhal, etc.; amen): "Verily," as corroborative adverb, represents various Hebrew and Greek words and particles ('abhal, "truly," in Genesis 42:21, etc.; 'akh, "only," "surely," in Psalms 66:19; Isaiah 45:15, etc.). For the King James Version "verily thou shalt be fed" (Psalms 37:3, where 'emunah), the American Standard Revised Version has "feed on his faithfulness" and the English Revised Version "follow after faithfulness," margin in both "feed securely." The Greek amen (Hebrew 'amen) is used very frequently in the Gospels as an emphatic confirmation of Christ's sayings (Matthew 5:18,Matthew 5:26; Matthew 6:2; Mark 3:28, etc.), and in John's Gospel is repeated to give additional emphasis (John 1:51; John 3:3,John 3:5,John 3:11, The Revised Version (British and American) makes various changes, as "wholly" for "verily" (Job 19:13), "surely" (Psalms 39:5; Psalms 73:13), "indeed" (Mark 9:12; Romans 2:25; Hebrews 3:5; Hebrews 7:5), etc., and sometimes puts "verily" where the King James Version has other words, as "also" (Matthew 13:23), "doubtless" (Philippians 3:8), etc.

Verity is the translation of 'emeth, "truth," "stedfastness" (Psalms 111:7, "The works of his hands are verity and judgment," the American Standard Revised Version "truth and justice," the English Revised Version "truth and judgment"); and of aletheia, "truth," "reality," "certainty" (1 Timothy 2:7), "faith and verity," the Revised Version (British and American) "faith and truth."

W. L. Walker

Vermilion

ver-mil'-yun.

See COLORS, (3).

Versions

vur'-shunz.

See AMERICAN REVISED VERSION; ARABIC VERSIONS; ARMENIAN VERSIONS; COPTIC VERSIONS; ENGLISH VERSIONS; ETHIOPIC VERSIONS; LATIN VERSION, THE OLD; SEPTUAGINT; SYRIAC VERSIONS; TARGUM; TEXT AND MANUSCRIPTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT; TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT; VULGATE.

Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic

jor'-ji-an, goth'-ik, sla-von'-ik:

1. The Georgian Version:

Georgia is the name given to the territory extending to the East of the Black Sea, a country that has had an independent national existence of 2,000 years but is now (under the name Grusinia) a part of the trans-Caucasian domain of Russia. The language has no affinities with any of the recognized groups, but is becoming obsolete under Russian pressure. Christianity was introduced into Georgia m the 4th century, and a national conversion followed. A well-supported tradition makes the first translation of the Bible almost contemporaneous with this conversion and refers it to Mesrop (died 441; see ARMENIAN VERSIONS), but the fact is not quite certain and the beginnings of a native version may really be as much as two centuries later. The oldest manuscript extant is a Psalter of the 7th-8th centuries, and the earliest copy of the Gospels is perhaps a century later; in all, Gregory (Textkritik, 573-75) enumerates 17 Georgian manuscripts of the New Testament, but his list is not exhaustive.

The first printed Bible was produced in the ancient alphabet in Moscow in 1743 and has never been reprinted, but other edd, perhaps only of the New Testament, were issued at least in 1816 and 1818, using the nonecclesiastical alphabet. According to Conybeare (ZNTW, XI, 161-66, 232-39 (1910)) the Georgian version was first made from the Old Syriac and then later (11th century) revised from the Greek In 1910 a new edition, based on two manuscripts dated respectively 913 and 995, was begun (Quattuor Ev. versio Georgia vetus, Petersburg). The Georgian version was used by S. C. Malan, The Gospel according to John, translated from the 11 Oldest VSS, London, 1862.

2. The Gothic Version:

Ulfilas, the Arian bishop of the West Goths and the chief agent in their conversion to Christianity, was also the first translator of the Bible into Gothic, a work for which he had even to invent an alphabet. According to tradition, his translation included the entire Bible with the exception of Kings (which he thought unadapted to the already too warlike character of his converts), but there is doubt whether his work actually included more than the New Testament. Too little of the Old Testament has survived to enable a settling of this question, nor is it possible to tell how much revision the New Testament translation has undergone since Ulfilas' work.

A list of the six Gothic manuscripts is given in HDB, IV, 862, to which is to be added a bilingual Latin-Gothic manuscript containing portions of Luke 24, known as the Arsinoe Fragment (published in ZNTW, XI, 1-38 (1910) and separately (Giessen, 1910)). In all there have been preserved in the Old Testament Genesis 5:1–32 (in part); Psalms 52:2 f; Nehemiah 5:1–7:73 (in part), and in the New Testament the Gospels and Pauline Epistles (all incomplete), with quotations from Hebrews. The best complete edition is that of Stamm-Heyne(9) (Paderborn, 1896), but as the version is of basic importance for the history of the Germanic languages there are many editions of various portions prepared for philological purposes.

The Old Testament fragments are a translation of a text very closely allied to the Lucianic Greek (see SEPTUAGINT) and are certainly not from the Hebrew New Testament undoubtedly was made from a text of the type used in Antioch (Constantinople) in the 4th century, with very slight variations, none of which are "neutral" (von Soden classes them as of the I-type). Either in making the translation or (more probably) in a subsequent revision an Old-Latin text was used, of the type of Codex Brixianus (f), and certain Old-Latin readings are well marked. For brief lists of these peculiarities see Burkitt in Journal Theological Studies, I, 129-34 (1900), or von Soden, Schriften des New Testament, I, 1469 f (1906).

3. The Slavonic Version:

It is definitely known that the first Slavonic translation of the Bible was commenced in 864 or earlier by the two brothers Cyril (died 869) and Methodius (died 885), and that the latter worked on it after the former's death. Their work was undertaken for the benefit of the Balkan Slavs, and at first only the liturgical portions (Gospels, Acts, Epistles and Psalms) were translated, but, after the completion of this, Methodius carried the translation farther to include larger portions of the Old Testament. How much of this he accomplished is obscure, but he seems not to have finished the Old Testament entirely, while almost certainly he did not translate Revelation. Uncertain also is the exact dialect used for this work; although this dialect was the basis of the present liturgical language of the Russian church, it has undergone much transformation before arriving at its final stage. At different times the translation of the Bible was revised to conform to the changes of the language, in addition to other revisional changes, and, as a result, the manuscripts (some of which go back to the 10th century) exhibit very varying types of text that have not been satisfactorily classified.

An attempt to bring the discrepant material into order was made about 1495 by Archbishop Gennadius, but he was unable to find Slavonic manuscripts that included the entire Bible and was forced to supply the deficiencies (Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and most of Jeremiah and the Apocrypha) by a new translation made from the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) This Bible of Gennadius was the basis of the first printed edition, made at Ostrog in 1581, although the liturgical portions had been printed earlier (Ac and Epistles first of all in 1564). The Ostrog edition followed Gennadius fairly closely, but Esther, Canticles, and Wisdom were new translations made from the Septuagint. The next revision was undertaken by order of Peter the Great and was performed by using the Greek (Old Testament and New Testament), although the resulting text was not printed until 1751. A slightly emended edition of 1756 is still the official Bible of the Russian church.

This Slavonic version is to be distinguished from the version in the true Russian language, begun first in 1517, revised or remade at various times, with an excellent modern translation first published complete in 1876. See, on the whole subject, especially Bebb in Church Quart. Rev., XLI, 203-25, 1895.

LITERATURE.

On all three versions see HDB, IV, 861-64, 1902, and the article "Bibelubersetzung" in PRE3, III (1897), with the important supplement in XXIII (1913).

Burton Scott Easton

Very

ver'-i: As adjective (from verus, "true"), "true," "real," "actual," etc. (Genesis 27:21,Genesis 27:24, "my very son Esau"; Jos 10:27, "this very day"; Joh 7:26, "the very Christ," etc.); chiefly as adverb, "in a high degree," "extremely." As ab adverb it is commonly in the Old Testament the translation of me'odh, and in the New Testament represents, as adjective and adverb, several Greek words, as alethos, "truly" (John 7:26, above), autos (John 14:11, "the very works' sake"; Romans 13:6), sphodra (Matthew 18:31, "very sorry," the Revised Version (British and American) "exceeding sorry"; Mark 16:4, "very great," the Revised Version (British and American) "exceeding"), huper- (in composition 1 Thessalonians 5:13), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) frequently omits "very," and also substitutes other words for it, as "exceeding" (2 Chronicles 16:8; Matthew 26:7; compare above), "sore" (Zechariah 9:5), etc.

W. L. Walker

Vessel

ves'-el: Is used freely in English Versions of the Bible to translate keli, the Aramaic ma'n, and skeuos, words all meaning "an implement or utensil" of any kind, when the context shows that a hollow utensil is meant. In 1 Samuel 21:5, however, the translation of the plural of keli by "vessels" is dubious. English Versions of the Bible evidently intended something in the nature of provision wallets, and the "holiness" of such objects finds partial parallels in Numbers 19:15; Leviticus 11:32–34, etc. But in 1 Samuel 21:8, in the immediate context of the verse above, keli certainly means "weapons," and this translation is quite intelligible in 21:5 also. For war among the Hebrews was a holy function, calling for extreme ceremonial purity (Deuteronomy 23:9–14). See the commentaries. and especially RS2, 455-56. In addition, "vessel" appears in Isaiah 30:14 for nebhel, "jar"; in Matthew 13:48 for aggos, "vessels"; and in Sirach 21:14; Matthew 25:4 for aggeion, a diminutive form of aggos. A different use is that of The Wisdom of Solomon 14:1, where "vessel" represents ploion, "a boat," while The Wisdom of Solomon 14:5,6 the King James Version has "weak vessel" for schedia, "raft" (so the Revised Version (British and American)). Vessels of all sorts and kinds and for all sorts of uses were so familiar as to make them natural illustrations for different sorts of human beings (Hosea 8:8; Isaiah 22:24; Jeremiah 22:28, etc.; see POTTER), and through Acts 9:15 the word "vessel" has passed into Christian theology as signifying simply a human being. But the figure of such "vessels" as (passively) filled with different contents is not Biblical. In 1 Thessalonians 4:4 "vessel" may be taken as a figure for either the man's own body or for his wife. Between these possibilities the commentaries are almost equally divided.

Burton Scott Easton

Vestments

vest'-ments.

See DRESS.

Vestry

ves'-tri (meltachah): Once, in 2 Kings 10:22, as a place for vestments.

Vex, Vexation

veks, vek-sa'-shun: "Vex," meaning originally to shake or toss in carrying, has a much more intensive meaning in Scripture than in common modern usage. It represents over a score of Hebrew and Greek words, most of them translated by this word only once, and many of them changed in the Revised Version (British and American) into other forms. Thus bahel in Psalms 6:2,Psalms 6:3,Psalms 6:10. is in the American Standard Revised Version "troubled" (in Psalms 2:5, the Revised Version margin. "trouble"); tsarar in Nehemiah 9:27 is in the Revised Version (British and American) "distressed";. pascho in Matthew 17:15 is "suffereth grievously"; kakoo in Acts 12:1 is "afflict," etc. So "vexation only" in Isaiah 28:19 is in the Revised Version (British and American) "nought but terror," and there are other changes of this word (compare Deuteronomy 28:20, "discomfiture"; Isaiah 9:1, "in anguish"). On the other hand, the Revised Version (British and American) has "vex" for "distress" (Deuteronomy 2:9,Deuteronomy 2:19); "they that vex" for "the adversaries of" (Isaiah 11:13); "vexeth himself" for "meddleth" (Proverbs 26:17), etc.

W. L. Walker

Vial

vi'-al: In modern English means "a tiny flask." The word appears in English Versions of the Bible 1 Samuel 10:1 and the Revised Version (British and American) 2 Kings 9:1,2 Kings 9:3 (the King James Version "box") for pakh, a word found nowhere else and from a root meaning "to pour." The shape and size of the pakh are quite uncertain. In 1 Esdras 2:13; and the King James Version Revelation 5:8, etc., "vial" translates phiale. The phiale was a flat, shallow bowl (Latin, patera), shaped much like a saucer. Hence, the Revised Version's change to "bowl" in Revelation, a change that should have been made in 1 Esdras also.

Vice, Unnatural

See UNNATURAL VICE.

Victuals

vit'-'-lz.

See FOOD.

Vile, Villany

vil, vil'-an-i: The original words for "vile" and "villany" are used in about 10 different senses, e.g. despised (1 Samuel 15:9), despicable (Daniel 11:21 the King James Version), lightly esteemed (Deuteronomy 25:3), empty (Judges 19:24 the King James Version), foolish (Isaiah 32:6, the King James Version and the English Revised Version), dishonorable (Romans 1:26), filthy or dirty (James 2:2), humiliation (Philippians 3:21).

Villany occurs but twice in the King James Version (Isaiah 32:6; Jeremiah 29:23), and signifies emptiness or folly (so the Revised Version (British and American)). From the foregoing meanings it will be seen that the word "vile" does not always bear the meaning which has come to be invariably given it in our present-day speech. Anything common or ordinary or humble might, in the Scriptural sense, be termed "vile." So Job 40:4, the Revised Version (British and American) "Behold, I am of small account"; also "the low estate of his handmaid" (Luke 1:48). Ordinarily, however, the idea of contemptible, despicable, is read into the word.

William Evans

Village

vil'-aj (qaphar, chawwoth, qatserim, banoth, perazoth; kome):

(1) The general term for a village, in common with Aramaic and Arabic is qaphar (Song of Songs 7:11; 1 Chronicles 27:25; kopher; 1 Samuel 6:18; kephir, Nehemiah 6:2). This designation is derived from the idea of its offering "cover" or shelter. It is used in combination, and place-names of this formation became prominent in post-Biblical times, probably because the villages so named had then grown into towns. A well-known Biblical instance of such names is Capernaum.

(2) Chawwoth (always "town" in English Versions of the Bible; see HAVVOTH-JAIR) means originally a group of tents (Arabic chiwa'). These in settled life soon became more permanent dwellings, or what we understand by a village. The term, however, is applied only to the villages of Jair in the tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:41; 1 Kings 4:13).

(3) Chatserim likewise came from nomadic life. They were originally enclosures specially for cattle, alongside of which dwellings for the herdsmen and peasantry naturally grew up (see HAZAR-ADDAR; HAZOR). They were unwalled (Leviticus 25:31) and lay around the cities (Joshua 19:8).

(4) Banoth is literally "daughters." The word is applied to the dependent villages lying around the larger cities, and to which they looked as to a kind of metropolis (Numbers 21:25, etc.); the Revised Version (British and American) "towns" except in Numbers 32:42.

(5) Perazoth means "the open country," but it soon came to mean the villages scattered in the open (Ezekiel 38:11; Zechariah 2:4; Esther 9:19). Some have sought to connect the Perizzites with this word and to regard them, not as a distinct people, but as the peasant class. Attempts have also been m

ade to connect perazon in Judges 5:7,Revelation 4:11 with the same root, and the King James Version rendered it "inhabitants of the villages." the Revised Version (British and American), on the contrary, gives it the meaning of "rulers." The versions indicate a word meaning authority, and probably the text should be emended to read rozenim, "rulers." A similar emendation is required in Habakkuk 3:14. "Village" in the Revised Version (British and American) of the New Testament invariably represents the Greek kome, but in 2 Macc 8:6 the Revised Version (British and American) Apocrypha has "village" for chora, lit. "country."

See CITY; TOWN.

W. M. Christie

Villany

See VILE.