A hypocritical course cannot be concealed indefinitely. (Luke 12:1-3) Hypocrites are condemned by God as unworthy of life everlasting. (Matt. 24:48-51) Therefore, a Christian’s love and faith must be without hypocrisy. (Rom. 12:9; 2 Cor. 6:4, 6; 1 Tim. 1:5) The wisdom from above is not hypocritical.—Jas. 3:17.

HYSSOP

The plant used by the Israelites in Egypt to splash the blood of the passover victim on the two doorposts and the upper part of the doorway of their houses. (Ex. 12:21, 22) At the inauguration of the Law covenant, Moses employed hyssop in sprinkling the book of the Law and the people. (Heb. 9:19) Hyssop also figured in the cleansing ceremony for persons or houses previously infected with leprosy (Lev. 14:2-7, 48-53; see LEPROSY), and in preparing the ashes to be used in the ‘water for cleansing,’ as well as in spattering this water on certain things and persons. (Num. 19:6, 9, 18) David thus appropriately prayed to be purified from sin with hyssop.—Ps. 51:7.

Uncertainty surrounds the exact identification of hyssop. The Hebrew term ʼe·zohvʹ and its Greek equivalent hysʹso·pos may, in fact, embrace several different kinds of plants. Among those that have been suggested are the common caper, the thorny caper, common sorghum, marjoram, wall rue and maidenhair spleenwort.

According to various modern scholars, the hyssop of the Hebrew Scriptures is probably marjoram. This plant of the mint family is common in Palestine. Under favorable conditions it attains a height of one and a half to three feet (46 to 91 centimeters). Its branches and thick leaves are hairy and, if bunched together, can easily hold liquids for splashing. The fact that marjoram is found growing in rock crevices and walls harmonizes with 1 Kings 4:33. However, other scholars, although identifying hyssop with marjoram in all other Hebrew Scripture passages, believe that in this verse “the hyssop that is coming forth on the wall” may denote a fern such as wall rue or maidenhair spleenwort.

The hyssop mentioned in connection with Jesus Christ’s impalement (John 19:29) is thought by some to refer to common sorghum, a tall, small-grained plant with long, broad leaves. Since this plant commonly attains a height of at least six feet (1.8 meters) in Palestine, it could have provided a stalk or “reed” of sufficient length to convey the sponge of sour wine to Jesus’ mouth. (Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36) Others think that even in this case hyssop may be marjoram and suggest that a bunch of marjoram may have been attached to the “reed” mentioned by Matthew and Mark. Still another view is that John 19:29 originally read hys·soiʹ (pike, javelin), not hys·soʹpoi (hyssop); hence the renderings “on a pike” (AT) and “on a spear” (Mo).

IBHAR

(Ibʹhar) [he (God) chooses].

One of the sons born to King David in Jerusalem after he transferred his residence there from Hebron.—2 Sam. 5:13-15; 1 Chron. 14:4, 5.

IBLEAM

(Ibʹle·am).

A city in the territory of Issachar but assigned with its dependent towns to Manasseh. The Manassites, however, failed to dispossess the Canaanites from Ibleam. (Josh. 17:11-13; Judg. 1:27) Undoubtedly Ibleam is the same as the Bileam in Manasseh given to the Kohathite Levites. (1 Chron. 6:70) But the parallel passage mentioning Levite cities in the territory of the half tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 21:25) reads “Gath-rimmon” instead of “Bileam” or “Ibleam.” Generally this is attributed to scribal error, “Gath-rimmon,” the name of a city in Dan, probably having been inadvertently repeated from verse 24.

Many scholars believe that Ibleam corresponds to Ybrʽm, a city listed among the Palestinian conquests of the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Near Ibleam, King Ahaziah of Judah was fatally struck down at the command of Jehu. (2 Ki. 9:27) Later, Jehu’s dynasty ended with the assassination of Zechariah at Ibleam (according to the Lagardian edition of the LXX).—2 Ki. 15:10-12, JB, NW, RS.

IBNEIAH

(Ib·neʹiah) [Jehovah builds up].

Son of Jeroham; a Benjamite head of a paternal house returning from Babylonian exile.—1 Chron. 9:1-3, 7-9.

IBNIJAH

(Ib·niʹjah) [Jehovah builds up].

A Benjamite, forefather of a certain Meshullam.—1 Chron. 9:7, 8.

IBRI

(lbʹri) [a Hebrew].

Son of Jaaziah; a Merarite Levite of King David’s time.—1 Chron. 24:27, 30, 31.

IBSAM

(Ibʹsam) [fragrance of balsam].

One of the sons of Tola; a paternal head of the tribe of Issachar.—1 Chron. 7:1, 2.

IBZAN

(Ibʹzan) [swift].

The one who succeeded Jephthah as judge of Israel. Ibzan was the father of thirty sons and thirty daughters, indicating that he was a polygamist and evidently also a man of some means. He procured thirty daughters as wives for his sons. After judging for seven years Ibzan died and was buried in his native city of Bethlehem, likely the Bethlehem in Zebulun.—Judg. 12:7-10; Josh. 19:10, 14, 15; see BETHLEHEM No. 2.

ICE

Water in its solid state, produced by freezing. Both Elihu and Jehovah God called Job’s attention to the marvel of ice, the Almighty saying: “Out of whose belly does the ice actually come forth . . . ? The very waters keep themselves hidden as by stone, and the surface of the watery deep makes itself compact.” (Job 36:1; 37:10; 38:1, 29, 30) The formation of ice as here referred to is possible only because of a most unusual property of water. As the water in lakes and seas cools it becomes heavier. The lighter, warmer water is displaced by the heavier water and rises to the top. But when the water as a whole reaches about 39° Fahrenheit (4° Centigrade) this process reverses. The water becomes lighter as it nears the freezing point and remains as a layer above the warmer water beneath. This upper layer then turns to ice, “makes itself compact.” Being lighter than water, the ice keeps the waters beneath “hidden as by stone,” thus protecting marine life. Were it not for this phenomenon, all the lakes and even the oceans would in time become solid ice, thus making it impossible for man to live on the earth.

The psalmist speaks of Jehovah’s “throwing his ice like morsels.” This evidently refers to hail or sleet.—Ps. 147:17; see HAIL.

ICHABOD

(Ichʹa·bod) [Where is the glory?].

Posthumous son of Phinehas and brother of Ahitub; grandson of High Priest Eli. The name Ichabod, given to him by his dying mother while giving birth, signified that glory had gone away from Israel in view of the capture of the Ark and the deaths of Phinehas and Eli.—1 Sam. 4:17-22; 14:3.

ICONIUM

(I·coʹni·um).

An ancient city of Asia Minor lying about 2,320 feet (707 meters) above sea level. Iconium is presently known as Konya (Konia), located about 150 miles (c. 240 kilometers) S of Ankara on the southwestern edge of the central Turkish plateau. In the surrounding area, watered by streams flowing from mountains a few miles to the W, grain, sugar beets and flax are cultivated. Konya also has many irrigated gardens and fruit orchards. Although given the title Claudiconium during the rule of Emperor Claudius, not until Hadrian’s time (in the second century C.E.) was the city constituted a Roman colony.