the earth.” (Eph. 1:10) Though a destruction of those who refuse to “set matters straight” (Isa. 1:18) with Jehovah God is required, the result will be a universe in total harmony with God, and mankind will again rejoice in God’s friendship and enjoy the full flow of his blessings as at the start in Eden.—Rev. 21:1-4.

Jehovah God terminated his covenant relationship with Israel as a nation due to its unfaithfulness and its national rejection of his Son. (Matt. 21:42, 43; Heb. 8:7-13) Evidently the apostle refers to this when saying that ‘the casting of them away meant reconciliation for the world’ (Rom. 11:15), for, as the context shows, the way was thereby opened for the world outside the Jewish community or congregation. That is, the non-Jewish nations now had opportunity to be joined with a faithful Jewish remnant in the new covenant as God’s new nation, spiritual Israel.—Compare Romans 11:5, 7, 11, 12, 15, 25.

As God’s covenant people, his “special property” (Ex. 19:5, 6; 1 Ki. 8:53; Ps. 135:4), the Jewish people had enjoyed a measure of reconciliation with God, though still in need of full reconciliation by means of the foretold Redeemer, the Messiah. (Isa. 53:5-7, 11, 12; Dan. 9:24-26) The non-Jewish nations, on the other hand, were “alienated from the state of Israel and strangers to the covenants of the promise, and . . . had no hope and were without God in the world,” for they had no recognized standing with him. (Eph. 2:11, 12) In harmony with the sacred secret regarding the Seed, God nevertheless purposed to bring blessings for persons of “all nations of the earth.” (Gen. 22:15-18) The means for doing this, Christ Jesus’ sacrifice, therefore opened the way for those of the alienated non-Jewish nations to “come to be near by the blood of the Christ.” (Eph. 2:13) Not only this, but that sacrifice also removed the division between Jew and non-Jew, for it fulfilled the Law covenant and took it out of the way, thereby allowing Christ to “fully reconcile both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity [the division produced by the Law covenant] by means of himself.” Jew and non-Jew now would have the one approach to God through Christ Jesus and, in course of time, non-Jews were brought into the new covenant as Kingdom heirs with Christ.—Eph. 2:14-22, NW, 1970 ed.; Rom. 8:16, 17; Heb. 9:15.

RECORDER

A highly responsible officer in the royal court of Israel. The title is translated from a form of the Hebrew word za·kharʹ, “remember.” His duties are not described in the Bible, but it appears that he was the official chronicler of the kingdom, furnishing the king with information on developments in the realm and also reminding him of important matters for his attention, supplying advice thereon.

On occasion the recorder represented the king on important national matters, Joah the son of Asaph being one of the officials of King Hezekiah to go out to speak to the Assyrian Rabshakeh when he threatened Jerusalem. (2 Ki. 18:18, 37) Another recorder, Joah the son of Joahaz, officiated in connection with the repairing of the temple. (2 Chron. 34:8) A recorder is named also in the courts of David and Solomon.—2 Sam. 8:16; 20:24; 1 Ki. 4:3.

The ‘recorder’ or ‘writer’ seen in vision by Ezekiel was a scribe or secretary.—Ezek. 9:3, 4.

RECORDER’S INKHORN

At Ezekiel 9:2, 3, 11 the man in linen responsible to mark individuals on the forehead is described as having “a recorder’s inkhorn at his hips,” such evidently being held in place by the girdle about his waist. This recorder’s or secretary’s inkhorn may have been similar to those used at one time in ancient Egypt. The Egyptian ‘scribe kit’ was a long, narrow case made out of wood and having a compartment or slots for reed pens. On the outer face, near the top, it had at least one recess for a small cake of dried ink. The scribe could prepare to write by applying the moistened end of his pen to the ink. Inscriptions show that Syrian scribes used a similar ‘scribal kit’.

RED

See COLORS.

REDEMPTION

See RANSOM.

RED SEA

As a modern geographical designation “Red Sea” refers to the body of water separating northeastern Africa from the Arabian Peninsula and including the two arms known as the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqabah. The Red Sea measures some 1,400 miles (2,253 kilometers) in length, has a maximum width of about 220 miles (354 kilometers) and an average depth of approximately 2,000 feet (610 meters). It is part of the great geological fault known as the Rift Valley. Due to a fast rate of evaporation the waters of this sea are quite salty. Strong winds, rapid changes in wind direction and the presence of large reefs make it hazardous to navigate the Red Sea. Along the eastern coast there are high mountain ranges, whereas rocky tablelands and low hills occupy the western coast.

There is good reason for understanding the original-language expressions rendered “Red Sea” to apply to the Red Sea in general or to either one of its northern arms. (Ex. 10:19; 13:18; Num. 33:10, 11; Judg. 11:16; Acts 7:36) It was the waters of the Red Sea that Jehovah miraculously divided to let the Israelites pass through on dry land, but drowned Pharaoh and his military forces who came in pursuit. (Ex. 14:21–15:22; Deut. 11:4; Josh. 2:10; 4:23; 24:6; Neh. 9:9; Ps. 106:7, 9, 22; 136:13, 15) The Biblical passages relating this incident use the Hebrew expression yam (“sea”) or yam suph (“sea of rushes or reeds, bulrushes”). On the basis of the literal meaning of yam suph, certain scholars have argued that the Israelites crossed a mere swampy place, such as the Bitter Lake region, and not the Red Sea (principally the western arm, the Gulf of Suez, where others believe the crossing likely occurred). However, it should be noted that the waters were sufficient to cover Pharaoh’s military forces. (Ex. 14:28, 29) This would have been impossible in a mere swamp. Also, Acts 7:36 and Hebrews 11:29 rule out a mere swampy place, for these texts mention the same incident and use the Greek expression e·ry·thraʹ thaʹlas·sa, meaning “Red Sea.” (See EXODUS, pages 546, 547.) The historian Herodotus (fifth century B.C.E.) used the same Greek expression to refer, not to a swamp or an insignificant body of water, but to “the Indian Ocean, in which the Red Sea” is located.—A Greek-English Lexicon, by H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, Vol. I, p. 693; see PIHAHIROTH.

It is not known why the Red Sea was designated yam suph by the Hebrews. Since the Hebrew term suph can also designate seaweeds (Jonah 2:5), there is a possibility that the Red Sea got its name from such plants. Notes the Cyclopaedia (Vol. VIII, p. 961) by M’Clintock and Strong: “The [suph] of the [yam], it seems quite certain, is a sea-weed resembling wool. Such sea-weed is thrown up abundantly on the shores of the Red Sea.”

In a pronouncement of doom for Edom, the outcry resulting from Edom’s calamity is described as being heard at the Red Sea. (Jer. 49:21) This is understandable, since Edomite territory in its southern extremity bordered on the Red Sea (1 Ki. 9:26), that is, the sea’s northeastern arm, the Gulf of Aqabah. Israel’s boundary also extended to this point.—Ex. 23:31; see AQABAH, GULF OF, for other references to the Red Sea.

REED

This often translates the Hebrew word qa·nehʹ and its Greek equivalent kaʹla·mos, which terms evidently embrace numerous reedlike plants commonly growing in wet places. (Job 40:21; Ps. 68:30; Isa. 19:6; 35:7) Some scholars believe that in many cases the “reed” intended is Arundo donax. This plant is common in Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Its stem, terminating in a large plume of white flowers, has a