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ValleyAid to Bible Understanding
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as well as those of Hinnom (Neh. 11:30), Iphtahel (Josh. 19:14), Zeboim (1 Sam. 13:18) and Zephathah (2 Chron. 14:10). The ‘valley plains’ of Scriptural record include those of Shinar (Gen. 11:2), Jericho (Deut. 34:3), Mizpeh (Josh. 11:8), Lebanon (Josh. 12:7), Ono (Neh. 6:2) and Megiddo.—2 Chron. 35:22; Zech. 12:11.
FIGURATIVE AND PROPHETIC USE
A dark valley or ravine with pitfalls and wild beasts would be perilous to a flock, especially at night, were it not for a good shepherd’s care. Though similarly faced with the threat of various calamities, David was secure in the knowledge that Jehovah was his Shepherd. Therefore, he could declare: “Even though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear nothing bad.”—Ps. 23:1, 4.
“The pronouncement of the valley of the vision” evidently relates to ancient Jerusalem. Though of considerable elevation, the city is like a “valley” in being surrounded by higher mountains.—Isa. 22:1, 5.
Evidently by clearing out all obstacles that stood in the way of the return of his people from Babylonian exile, Jehovah, in effect, ‘raised up every valley,’ ‘leveled hills and mountains’ and made “rugged ground a valley plain” for them. (Isa. 40:4) Though he apparently brought them back by a direct desert route, the Jewish remnant did not suffer thirst. Jehovah’s words through Isaiah were fulfilled: “Upon bare hills I shall open up rivers, and in the midst of the valley plains, springs.”—Isa. 41:18; compare Isaiah 35:6, 7, 10; 43:19-21; 48:20, 21.
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Valley GateAid to Bible Understanding
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VALLEY GATE
See GATE, GATEWAY.
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Valley of HinnomAid to Bible Understanding
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VALLEY OF HINNOM
See HINNOM, VALLEY OF.
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Valley PlainAid to Bible Understanding
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VALLEY PLAIN
See PLAIN.
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VaniahAid to Bible Understanding
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VANIAH
(Va·niʹah).
Postexilic son of Bani. He and numerous other persons had married foreign wives but dismissed them at Ezra’s admonition.—Ezra 10:10, 11, 34, 36, 44.
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VaporAid to Bible Understanding
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VAPOR
See MIST.
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VashtiAid to Bible Understanding
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VASHTI
(Vashʹti) [beautiful (woman)].
The queen of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) the king of Persia. In the third year of his reign, Ahasuerus called in all the nobles, princes and servants from the jurisdictional districts. At the end of the conference he held a seven-day banquet. Similarly, Vashti held a banquet for the women at the royal house. On the seventh day Ahasuerus ordered his court officials to bring in Vashti in royal headdress, that all might see her loveliness. (It seems that the queen would ordinarily eat meals at the king’s table, but history does not give proof of this as being the case at great banquets. Besides, Vashti, at the time, was holding a banquet with the women.) For some unstated reason, Vashti persistently refused. Ahasuerus turned to his wise men who knew the law, and was advised by Memucan, a prince, that it was not the king alone that Vashti had wronged but also all the princes and people in the jurisdictional districts. For, said he, when the princesses should hear what the queen had done (which news would quickly be spread in the castle), they would follow Vashti’s action as a precedent for contemptuous action on their own part. (Esther 1:1-22) Vashti was deposed and, about four years later, Esther the Jewess was selected to become the wife of Ahasuerus and to take the royal office of Vashti. (Esther 2:1-17) The explanation for the long lapse of time between Vashti’s dismissal and Esther’s replacement of her is thought to have been that Ahasuerus was occupied in preparation for and execution of his unsuccessful invasion of Greece, which took place in the spring of 480 B.C.E.
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VatAid to Bible Understanding
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VAT
See PRESS.
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VeadarAid to Bible Understanding
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VEADAR
(Veʹa·dar).
This is the name given to the thirteenth or intercalary month of the Jewish calendar. “Veadar” means simply “additional Adar.” The name does not appear in the Bible; however, references are made to a second Adar in the Jewish Mishnah of the first centuries of our Common Era. In order to harmonize the year of lunar months with the true solar year, this month was added after the month Adar during certain years.
The Bible is silent as to whether this was the original method employed by the nation of Israel or the Hebrews before them. That some adjustment was made to maintain the annual cycle of the seasons in the same relative position to the respective lunar months is evident from the seasonal character of the names of the four lunar months the names of which appear prior to the Babylonian exile. (See ABIB, BUL, ETHANIM and ZIV.) Such an adjustment became a necessity from the time of the exodus from Egypt, since the sacred festivals decreed by God coincided with particular seasons of the year and were stipulated to be observed during specific months. (Ex. 12:1-14; 23:15, 16; Lev. 23:4-43) Nevertheless, there is no basis for any definite conclusion as to the method used to accomplish this adjustment, although the available evidence would appear to indicate the periodic use of a thirteenth month, such as is herein described, rather than by the regular annual addition or intercalation of eleven days to equal the solar year.—See CALENDAR.
In postexilic times the decision as to whether the year would end with the month Adar or a thirteenth month would be added was evidently made by the priests and, in later times, by the Sanhedrin. It was not until the year 359 C.E. that Hillel II established a fixed or standardized calendar based on a nineteen-year cycle, wherein the month Veadar was added on the 3d, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th year of each cycle. This calendar continues in use by the Jews today, although it is used primarily to determine the times of their religious celebrations.
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VedanAid to Bible Understanding
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VEDAN
(Veʹdan).
One of the places with which Tyre had commercial intercourse. (Ezek. 27:19, NW, 1970 ed.) Its exact location is uncertain. However, two places in the Arabian Peninsula have been presented as possible identifications, Aden and Wadden near Medina, a city near the middle of the western side of the peninsula.
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VegetationAid to Bible Understanding
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VEGETATION
On the third creative “day,” God caused the earth to bring forth “vegetation bearing seed according to its kind,” thus able to reproduce. (Gen. 1:11-13) Genesis 2:5, 6 apparently describes conditions on that “day” just after God made dry land appear but before the production of grass, seed-bearing vegetation and fruit-bearing trees. To supply needed moisture for coming plant life, Jehovah provided that mist should regularly rise from the earth to water the ground. It kept vegetation flourishing earth wide even though there was then no rain.
It was not until the fourth creative “day,” however, that the sun, moon and stars were “made” to be visible from within the earth’s atmosphere, “to shine upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:15) And, on the fifth creative day, flying creatures, evidently including insects, were brought into existence. (Gen. 1:20-23) Consequently questions arise as to how vegetation could have survived without light from the sun and without the aid of insect pollination. In this regard the operation of God’s spirit cannot be overlooked. (Gen. 1:2) Also, there is no way of knowing just what conditions existed on the earth during the third creative “day” and what effect these conditions would have had on plant life. Experiments conducted in relatively recent years suggest the possibility that light is not an absolute necessity for photosynthesis to take place in plants. (Science News Letter, August 25, 1962, article
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