rushes.” (Job 41:20) Many Bible scholars believe that God here had reference to the crocodile, which, when coming up out of the water, breathes out a thick, steamy vapor with a thundering sound.

SACRIFICIAL SMOKE

Another Hebrew word, qi·tohrʹ, has reference to smoke, especially sacrificial smoke, of incense or other sacrifice on the altar. Such sacrificial smoke was viewed as a pleasing odor ascending to the one to whom it was offered.—1 Chron. 6:49; Jer. 44:15; compare Genesis 8:20, 21; Leviticus 26:31; Ephesians 5:2.

SMYRNA

(Smyrʹna) [myrrh].

An ancient city on the W coast of Asia Minor; now called Izmir. Early settled by the Greeks, it was destroyed about 580 B.C.E. by Lydian King Alyattes. More than two centuries later, Alexander the Great planned to rebuild it as a Greek city, this being done by his successors on another site. Smyrna thereafter became an important commercial city. Later becoming part of the Roman province of Asia, Smyrna, with its fine public buildings, was noted for its beauty. It had a temple of Tiberius Caesar and therefore promoted emperor worship.

Smyrna was the second of the seven Christian congregations in Asia Minor to which the glorified Jesus Christ directed the apostle John to write a message. (Rev. 1:11) The congregation is poor materially, but is rich spiritually. It is tested by tribulation, evidently persecution, and is blasphemed by some calling themselves Jews, but who are actually “a synagogue of Satan.” However, despite their poverty and tribulation, Christians of the congregation in Smyrna are encouraged not to fear the things they will yet suffer, but to be “faithful even to death” in order to receive “the crown of life.”—Rev. 2:8-11.

SNAIL

Any of a variety of slow-moving mollusks, generally distinguished by their spiral or conical shells into which they can withdraw for protection. Numerous varieties of snails have been encountered in Palestine, but, on account of the dry climate, there are few slugs, that is, snails having no visible shell. Both slugs and snails secrete a slimy substance that protects them from abrasive injury as they crawl along. Many believe that the snail’s slimy trail is alluded to by the phrase “a snail melting away.” (Ps. 58:8) Another suggestion is that the reference is to the drying up of the snail in its shell when exposed for some time to the sun.

SNAKE

See SERPENT, SNAKE.

SNARE

See TRAP.

SNOW

Jehovah, the Producer of this marvel, can also control snowfall. (Job 37:6; Ps. 147:16) To serve His purpose, God has stored snow and hail “for the day of fight and war.”—Job 38:22, 23.

Each descending snow crystal washes out the atmosphere and carries with it such elements as sulfur and nitrogen, thus contributing to soil fertility while supplying moisture. (Isa. 55:10, 11) Snow can be a source of clean water for washing. (Job 9:30) Though either rare or unknown in certain areas of Palestine, it sometimes falls during January and February in hill country, as at Jerusalem. (Compare 2 Samuel 23:20; 1 Chronicles 11:22.) During most of the year there is snow in the heights and ravines of the Lebanon range, lofty Mount Hermon being snowcapped nearly all year long. (Jer. 18:14) Psalm 68:14 refers to snow in Zalmon, possibly Mount Zalmon near Shechem, unless mention of Bashan in verse 15 indicates a site E of the Jordan.

ILLUSTRATIVE USE

Snow is used in Scriptural similes to help convey the idea of whiteness. (Ex. 4:6; Num. 12:10; 2 Ki. 5:27; Dan. 7:9; Matt. 28:3; Rev. 1:14) Sometimes it is associated with purity. (Isa. 1:18; Lam. 4:7) For example, David begged God to purify him from sin, washing him that he might become “whiter even than snow.”—Ps. 51:7.

Job’s three companions, being no source of true comfort to him, were likened to a winter torrent, swollen by melting ice and snow in the mountains but running dry in the heat of summer. (Job 6:15-17) Sheol is said to snatch away sinners as drought and heat do snow waters. (Job 24:19) Just as snow is unnatural and would harm crops in summer, so “glory is not fitting for a stupid one.” (Prov. 26:1) However, a faithful envoy, one who would fulfill his commission to the satisfaction of those sending him, is likened to a drink cooled with snow from the mountains and bringing refreshment on a hot day of harvest.—Prov. 25:13.

SNUFFERS

Golden implements used in connection with the lamps on the branches of the lampstand(s) in Israel’s tabernacle and temple. (Ex. 25:37, 38; 37:23; Num. 4:9; 1 Ki. 7:48, 49; 2 Chron. 4:19-21) The snuffers are designated by the dual Hebrew words mel·qa·hhaʹyim and mal·qa·hhaʹyim, derived from a root meaning “to take, grasp, seize.” Use of the dual form suggests a device possibly having two parts. Accordingly, at Isaiah 6:6 mel·qa·hhaʹyim denotes the “tongs” with which a seraph removed a glowing coal from the altar. A distinction is drawn between the lampstand “snuffers” and the “extinguishers” in use at the temple. (1 Ki. 7:49, 50; 2 Chron. 4:21, 22) Though not described in Scripture, the snuffers may have been tongs used to hold the burnt lampwicks, while the extinguishers may have been scissorlike utensils employed to cut off the burnt part of the wicks. At the tabernacle, these trimmings, held by means of the snuffers, were deposited in fire holders, apparently containers for holding such pieces until their disposal.—Ex. 37:23.

SO

An Egyptian king contemporary with Hoshea, the last king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. When Hoshea conspired with So against Shalmaneser and stopped paying tribute to Assyria, Hoshea was imprisoned. (2 Ki. 17:3, 4) Attempts to identify So with secularly known Egyptian rulers of this general period (such as Osorkon IV or Shabako) are very uncertain, particularly so in view of the uncertainty of Egyptian chronology.—See CHRONOLOGY, pp. 324, 325.

SOBERNESS

The Greek words neʹpho (verb) and ne·phaʹli·os (adjective) carry the idea of being sober, moderate in habits, vigilant, watchful, or keeping the senses. Basically, they refer to being free from the influence of intoxicants. However, they are used mainly in the Scriptures in a figurative sense. A related word, e·kneʹpho, meaning, primarily, to return to one’s senses from drunkenness, is used in the Septuagint Version at Genesis 9:24: “Noah recovered [awoke] from the wine.” Also, the Greek term is used in the same version at Joel 1:5, where the prophet calls to the spiritual “drunkards” of Israel to ‘wake up,’ and at Habakkuk 2:19, where woe is foretold to the worshipers of idols who say to pieces of wood and stone, “Awake!”

In enumerating the qualifications for those who would be appointed as overseers in the Christian congregations, the apostle Paul states that the overseer should be “moderate in habits [Gr., ne·phaʹli·os].” This would include freedom from overindulgence in wine, as it is also stated that he is not to be “a drunken brawler.” The word ne·phaʹli·os would show that the man would have good sense and exercise moderation in other things, speech, conduct, manner, besides being habitually temperate in the use of liquor.—1 Tim. 3:2, 3.

Women in the congregation are given like counsel, to be “serious, not slanderous, moderate in habits, faithful in all things.” (1 Tim. 3:11) The aged men