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SihonAid to Bible Understanding
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land of Moab N of the Arnon, and apparently dominated Midian, for the chieftains of Midian are called “the dukes of Sihon.” (Num. 21:26-30; Josh. 13:21) When Israel sent messengers asking Sihon’s permission to pass through his kingdom on the king’s road, and promising not to steal anything from the Amorites, Sihon denied permission and gathered his army to block Israel. At Jahaz he was defeated and killed.—Num. 21:21-24; Deut. 1:3, 4; 2:24-35; 3:2, 6.
The significance of Israel’s victory over Sihon can be seen from the fact that it is mentioned many times in Israelite history, alongside the defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Moses, Jephthah, a psalmist and the postexilic Levites, sometimes used it as an encouraging example of Jehovah’s victories in behalf of his faithful people. (Num. 21:34; Deut. 31:4; Judg. 11:19-22; Neh. 9:5, 22; Ps. 135:9-12; 136:18, 19) Reports of it prompted Rahab and the Gibeonites to make peace with Israel. (Josh. 2:10; 9:9, 10) Sihon’s land was divided among the tribes of Reuben and Gad.—Num. 21:25, 31, 32; Deut. 29:7, 8; Josh. 13:8-10, 15-28.
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Silvas, SilvanusAid to Bible Understanding
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SILVAS, SILVANUS
(Siʹlas, Sil·vaʹnus).
A leading member of the first-century Christian congregation in Jerusalem, a prophet and a companion of Paul on his second missionary journey. He was apparently a Roman citizen. (Acts 15:22, 26, 27, 32, 40; 16:19, 25, 37, 38) Likely the name “Silvanus,” found in the letters of Paul and Peter, was the Latinized form of the Greek name “Silas,” used by Luke in Acts.
The congregation at Jerusalem chose Silas to accompany Barnabas and Paul back to Antioch, Syria, to carry to the congregation there the decision regarding circumcision.—Acts 15:22, 30-32.
Whether Silas remained in the vicinity of Antioch or returned to Jerusalem is uncertain. (Some manuscripts contain Acts 15:34, reading: “But it seemed good to Silas to remain there further.” But the most prominent manuscripts omit this verse.) (Acts 15:33, ftn., NW, 1950 ed.) At any rate Silas was in Antioch at the start of Paul’s second missionary tour. Beginning there, he and Paul traveled up into Syria, then Cilicia and other regions of Asia Minor, Timothy joining them at Lystra and Luke at Troas.
Being invited into Macedonia in a dream given to Paul, they first stayed in Philippi. In the marketplace there, Silas and Paul were beaten with rods by order of the civil magistrates and were put in prison stocks, but as they prayed and sang songs during the night, they were released from bonds by an earthquake and the prison doors were opened. The jailer was much frightened and, listening to Paul and Silas, became a Christian, caring for their injuries suffered from the beating.—Acts 15:41–16:40.
Their ministry found success in Thessalonica and Beroea, where Silas and Timothy remained behind temporarily while Paul went on to Athens and Corinth. (Acts 17:1, 10, 14-16; 18:1) When Silas and Timothy finally caught up with Paul in Corinth, they continued to assist Paul. While there they joined with Paul in writing the two letters to Thessalonica. (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1) Silas is not mentioned again in the historical narrative of Paul’s travels.
Some years later, around 62-64 C.E., Peter wrote his first letter from Babylon “through Silvanus,” evidently meaning that Silvanus acted as Peter’s secretary. He was there described as “a faithful brother,” and was likely the Silvanus earlier associated with Paul.—1 Pet. 5:12.
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SilkAid to Bible Understanding
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SILK
Produced by caterpillars of various species and especially by the Chinese silkworm, which feeds on mulberry leaves and emits a fluid that hardens into fine threads to form a cocoon. Silk is the strongest of natural fibers and has been used since Biblical times to make beautiful, lightweight cloth. Silken fabric, considered by archaeologists as having been woven over 2,200 years ago, has been found in tombs of a Phoenician cemetery in the Melita district near Sabratha, Libya.
Silkworm culture appears to have had its start in China and to have spread from there to other lands, such as India. The Greeks called silk se·ri·konʹ, thus linking it with the “Seres” (generally identified as the Chinese). Silk is listed in Scripture among the costly articles of merchandise bought by “Babylon the Great.”—Rev. 18:2, 11, 12.
Some Bible translations use “silk” for the Hebrew word meʹshi at Ezekiel 16:10, 13. (AS, AT, AV, JP, Le, Mo, Ro, RS) According to rabbinical tradition, me’shi denotes silk; however, there is uncertainty. Accordingly, the New World Translation, with the support of modern lexicographers, renders it “costly material.”
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SillaAid to Bible Understanding
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SILLA
(Silʹla) [possibly, highway].
Name of an otherwise unknown site at ancient Jerusalem. King Jehoash was assassinated “at the house of the Mound, on the way that goes down to Silla.”—2 Ki. 12:20.
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SiloamAid to Bible Understanding
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SILOAM
(Si·loʹam) [sent forth].
A pool in Jerusalem where Jesus Christ had a blind man wash in order to receive sight. (John 9:6, 7, 11) Little is known about this pool as it then existed, though its general location apparently is marked by the present Birket Silwan, just SW of the city of David. Likely this is also the approximate site of King Hezekiah’s “pool” or reservoir adjoining the conduit he constructed to carry the waters of Gihon.—2 Ki. 20:20; 2 Chron. 32:30.
For the Siloam inscription, see pages 110, 763.
In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, evidently it was common knowledge that the “tower in Siloam” had collapsed, killing eighteen persons. It has been suggested that this tower was situated on the Ophel ridge, but its actual location in Jerusalem is unknown.—Luke 13:4.
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SilvanusAid to Bible Understanding
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SILVANUS
See SILAS, SILVANUS.
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SilverAid to Bible Understanding
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SILVER
Since silver is seldom found in the native state, the base ore has to be smelted and purified to separate the silver from the gangue, dross and scummy foreign matter, and to free it from other metals such as lead. (Ps. 12:6; Prov. 27:21; Ezek. 22:20-22; Mal. 3:3) Silver was treasured by all nations of the past. (2 Sam. 8:10, 11; 2 Chron. 9:14) Under Solomon’s rule, not only silver, but also gold, became so abundant in Jerusalem that silver was counted “as nothing at all,” “like the stones.” (1 Ki. 10:21, 27; 2 Chron. 9:20; compare Daniel 2:32.) Once every three years ships brought cargoes of silver from Tarshish (apparently Spain, which is still a producer of silver).—1 Ki. 10:22; 2 Chron. 9:21; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12.
Refined silver had two principal uses: (1) As a measure of wealth and a medium of exchange. Abraham, using this medium of exchange, bought a family burial plot. (Gen. 13:2; 23:15-18) Payment was made by weight, since coinage was not devised until centuries later. (2) Objects of beauty and ornamentation were fashioned of this metal from the days of the patriarchs. (Gen. 24:53; 44:2; Ex. 11:2; 12:35) Silver was employed for Israel’s two trumpets (Num. 10:2), in the construction of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:19, 21, 25, 32; 27:10, 11, 17), and in Solomon’s temple. (1 Chron. 28:15-17) It was also used in making implements of idolatry. (Ex. 20:23; Hos. 13:2; Hab. 2:19; Acts 19:24) In contrast with the transient value of silver, and to be more highly estimated, are the wisdom, discipline and understanding that come from Jehovah. (Prov. 3:13, 14; 8:10, 19; 16:16) Also, the Scriptures use silver in a number of symbolic senses.—Eccl. 12:6; Isa. 60:17; Dan. 2:32; 1 Cor. 3:12.
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SimeonAid to Bible Understanding
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SIMEON
(Simʹe·on) [hearing, that is, with acceptance].
1. The second of Jacob’s twelve sons; so named because, as his mother Leah said, “Jehovah has listened, in that I was hated and so he gave me also
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