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DedicationAid to Bible Understanding
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NW, We) Similarly, at Hebrews 10:20 some translate it “dedicated” (AS, Dy, Sp), others, “inaugurated.” (CC, Mo, NW) Jesus called attention to the traditional teachings of the Pharisees in regard to “corban,” that is, a gift dedicated to God. (Mark 7:11; Matt. 15:5; see CORBAN.) Jesus also warned that the time was coming when Herod’s temple, together with its “fine stones and dedicated things [a·na·theʹma·sin],” would be thrown down.—Luke 21:5, 6.
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DeedAid to Bible Understanding
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DEED
A written agreement duly signed and sometimes sealed containing the legal terms for the accomplishment of an intended purpose; the documented instrument for the transfer of real estate. The Bible’s only use of the Hebrew word seʹpher in this particular sense concerns Jeremiah’s purchase of a field from his cousin Hanamel.—Jer. 32:6-15.
The details surrounding the drawing up of this deed are interesting. The money for the purchase, “seven shekels and ten silver pieces,” was weighed out in the presence of witnesses. (Jer. 32:9) If this stipulation of ‘seven and ten’ is assumed to be a legal form meaning seventeen silver shekels ($8.07), it would be a reasonable price considering the time and circumstances under which the property was sold. It was a time of war and famine (not many months before Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar).
When the money was paid, two deeds, presumably identical, were drafted ‘according to the judicial commandment and legal regulations.’ One of these was known as “the deed of purchase, the one sealed,” and the other was called “the one left open.” (Jer. 32:11) Only the first one is said to have been signed by witnesses, the whole transaction taking place “before the eyes of all the Jews who were sitting in the Courtyard of the Guard.” (Vs. 12) Both deeds were then placed in an earthenware jar for safekeeping.—Vs. 14.
The custom of making duplicate deeds but sealing only one was very practical. Leaving one copy open permitted it to be referred to by the interested parties. If it was ever damaged, or its authenticity called in question, or if there was suspicion that it had been altered, then the sealed copy could be presented to the city judges who, after examining the seal, would break it open and make a comparison of the two copies.
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DekerAid to Bible Understanding
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DEKER
(Deʹker) [piercing].
Father of one of Solomon’s twelve deputies. Deker’s son provided food for Solomon and his household one month out of the year apparently from the region of southern Dan.—1 Ki. 4:7, 9.
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DelaiahAid to Bible Understanding
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DELAIAH
(De·laʹiah) [Jehovah has drawn up (in deliverance)].
1. An Aaronic priest of David’s time designated by lot as the head of the twenty-third priestly division.—1 Chron. 24:1, 5, 18.
2. Son of Shemaiah; one of the princes in the court of King Jehoiakim that heard Baruch read the book written by Jeremiah and thereafter apparently made report to the king. Then, at the time the roll was read before Jehoiakim, Delaiah and two other princes vainly pleaded with him not to burn it.—Jer. 36:11-26.
3. The forefather of certain ones that came to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. but who were unable to prove whether they were Israelites.—Ezra 2:1, 59, 60; Neh. 7:61, 62.
4. Son of Mehetabel and the father of the Shemaiah who was hired by Sanballat and Tobiah to intimidate Nehemiah the governor.—Neh. 6:10-13.
5. One of Elioenai’s seven sons; descendant of David through Solomon and Zerubbabel.—1 Chron. 3:10, 24.
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DelilahAid to Bible Understanding
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DELILAH
(De·liʹlah) [languishing (with desire), flirt].
A woman living in the torrent valley of Sorek. Delilah is introduced into the Bible account toward the final part of Samson’s twenty-year judgeship as the object of his love.—Judg. 16:31.
The axis lords of the Philistines, anxious to destroy Samson, each offered Delilah 1,100 pieces of silver to find out for them wherein Samson’s might lay. She cooperated by questioning Samson as to what would render him powerless. Each time Samson answered she notified the Philistines and hid Philistine warriors in her house, ready to take advantage of Samson in the event he lost his strength. After three misleading answers by Samson, Delilah continued to pester him and “pressured him with her words all the time and kept urging him, [so that] his soul got to be impatient to the point of dying.” Then he told her of his Naziriteship and that no razor had ever touched his head. Certain of having the truth this time, she sent for the Philistine axis lords, and they came to bring her the money. While Samson slept upon her knees, an attendant cut off the seven braids of his hair. Upon awakening, Samson found that this time his divinely provided power was not there. The hiding Philistines grabbed hold of him, blinded him and took him prisoner. (Judg. 16:4-21) Delilah is mentioned no more in the Bible account.
There is no indication that sexual relationship took place between Delilah and Samson or that she was a prostitute. The unnamed prostitute mentioned at Judges 16:1, 2 is not the same as Delilah. This prostitute lived at Gaza, whereas Delilah lived in the valley of Sorek. Also, the following evidence indicates Delilah possibly was an Israelite, not a Philistine: When the axis lords presented their proposal it was based on an extravagant sum of money.—Judg. 16:5.
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DeltaAid to Bible Understanding
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DELTA
Delta [Δ, δ].
The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, a consonant that corresponds generally to the English “d.”
Delʹta is derived from the Hebrew daʹleth, and, as a number, denotes four when it has an acute accent (δʹ), and 4,000 when it has the subscript (====δ).—See ALPHABET.
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DelugeAid to Bible Understanding
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DELUGE
The catastrophic destruction of men and animals by an overwhelming flood in the days of Noah, 2370 B.C.E. This greatest cataclysm in all human history was sent by Jehovah because wicked men had filled the earth with violence. The survival of righteous Noah and his family, eight souls in all, together with selected animals, was by means of a huge ark or chest.—Gen. 6:9–9:19; 1 Pet. 3:20; see ARK No. 1; NOAH No. 1.
EXTENT OF THE DELUGE
This was no local flash flood or cloudburst. Local floods come and go in a matter of days; this one lasted over a year, the greater portion of which was required for the water to subside. How unreasonable to believe that Noah spent perhaps fifty or sixty years building a huge vessel of more than one and a fifth million cubic feet in volume for the survival of his family and a few animals from a mere local flood! If only a comparatively small area was affected, why the need of bringing into the ark specimens of “every living creature of every sort of flesh” in order to “preserve offspring alive on the surface of the entire earth”? (Gen. 6:19; 7:3) Definitely this was a global deluge, the like of which never occurred before or since. “The waters overwhelmed the earth so greatly that all the tall mountains that were under the whole heavens came to be covered. Up to fifteen cubits [c. 22 feet (6.7 meters)] the waters overwhelmed them and the mountains became covered.” (7:19, 20) “The end of all flesh has come before me,” Jehovah said, hence “I will wipe every existing thing that I have made off the surface of the ground.” And it was just so. “Everything in which the breath of the force of life was active in
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