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HangingAid to Bible Understanding
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hanging some of the princes by “just their hand.”—Lam. 5:12; see IMPALEMENT.
Jesus Christ was hanged alive, nailed to a stake, on order of the Roman government in Palestine. (John 20:25, 27) The apostle Paul explains that the manner of Jesus’ death was highly important to the Jews, for “Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: ‘Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’”—Gal. 3:13.
In two cases of suicide recorded in the Bible strangulation by hanging was employed. Ahithophel, David’s traitorous counselor, strangled himself (“hanged himself,” LXX). (2 Sam. 17:23) Ahithophel’s action was prophetic of that of one of Jesus’ apostles who proved to be traitorous, Judas Iscariot. (Ps. 41:9; John 13:18) Judas hanged himself also. (Matt. 27:5) Apparently the rope, or perhaps a branch of the tree on which Judas hanged himself, broke, “and pitching head foremost he noisily burst in his midst and all his intestines were poured out.”—Acts 1:18.
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HannahAid to Bible Understanding
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HANNAH
(Hanʹnah) [favor, graciousness].
Mother of the prophet Samuel. Hannah lived with her Levite husband Elkanah and his other wife Peninnah in Ramathaim-zophim in the mountainous region of Ephraim. In spite of Hannah’s long barrenness, contrasted with Peninnah’s bearing several children, Hannah was still Elkanah’s more beloved wife. Peninnah taunted Hannah because of her barrenness, notably when Elkanah took his family for their yearly appearance at the tabernacle in Shiloh.—1 Sam. 1:1-8.
On one visit to Shiloh, Hannah vowed to Jehovah that, if she could bear a son, she would give him to Jehovah, for His service. Seeing her lips move as she prayed inaudibly, High Priest Eli at first suspected that she had overindulged in wine and was drunk. But on learning of her sober fervor and sincerity, he expressed the wish that Jehovah God would grant her petition. Indeed, she soon became pregnant. After giving birth to Samuel, she did not go to Shiloh again until Samuel was weaned. Then she presented him to Jehovah as she had promised, bringing an offering consisting of a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a large jar of wine. (1 Sam. 1:9-28) Each year thereafter, when she came to Shiloh, Hannah brought along a new sleeveless coat for her son. Eli again blessed her, and Jehovah again opened her womb so that in time she gave birth to three sons and two daughters.—1 Sam. 2:18-21.
Several desirable qualities are observed in Hannah. She was prayerful and humble, and had a desire to please her husband. Each year she accompanied him to sacrifice at the tabernacle. She made a great sacrifice of her own, giving up the companionship of her son, to keep her word and show appreciation for Jehovah’s kindness. She retained her motherly affection, as shown by her making a new coat for Samuel each year. The thoughts expressed in her song of thankfulness, when she and Elkanah presented Samuel for temple service, are quite similar to the sentiments voiced by Mary shortly after learning she was to mother the Messiah.—Luke 1:46-55.
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HannathonAid to Bible Understanding
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HANNATHON
(Hanʹna·thon).
A boundary city of Zebulun. (Josh. 19:10, 14) Most geographers tentatively identify Hannathon with Tell el-Bedeiwiyeh, a little more than six miles (9.7 kilometers) NW of Nazareth. Others suggest el-Harbaj, at the southern end of the Plain of Acco. Hannathon appears in the records of Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III and also in the Tell el-Amarna tablets.
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HannielAid to Bible Understanding
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HANNIEL
(Hanʹni·el) [favor of God].
1. A chieftain selected by Jehovah to represent the tribe of Manasseh in dividing the land W of the Jordan among the nine and a half Israelite tribes settling there. Hanniel was a son of Ephod and a descendant of Joseph.—Num. 34:13, 17, 23.
2. Head of an Asherite house; son of Ulla.—1 Chron. 7:30, 39, 40.
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HanochAid to Bible Understanding
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HANOCH
(Haʹnoch) [initiated, dedicated].
1. A son of Midian the fourth-named son of Abraham by Keturah.—Gen. 25:1, 2, 4; 1 Chron. 1:33.
2. A son of Jacob’s firstborn Reuben and the forefather of the Hanochites.—Gen. 46:8, 9; Ex. 6:14; Num. 26:4, 5; 1 Chron. 5:3.
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HanochitesAid to Bible Understanding
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HANOCHITES
(Haʹnoch·ites).
A family descended from Hanoch, a son of Reuben.—Num. 26:4, 5; Gen. 46:9.
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HanunAid to Bible Understanding
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HANUN
(Haʹnun) [favored].
1. Son of and successor to the throne of Nahash the king of Ammon. Because of the loving-kindness Nahash had exercised toward him, David sent messengers to comfort Hanun over the loss of his father. But Hanun, convinced by his princes that this was merely a subterfuge on David’s part to spy out the city, dishonored David’s servants by shaving off half their beards and cutting their garments in half to their buttocks, and then sent them away. When the sons of Ammon saw that they had become foul-smelling to David because of the humiliation meted out to his messengers, Hanun took the initiative to prepare for war and hired the Syrians to fight against Israel. In the ensuing conflicts the Ammonites and the Syrians were completely defeated by Israel; David subjected the surviving Ammonites of Rabbah to forced labor.—2 Sam. 10:1–11:1; 12:26-31; 1 Chron. 19:1–20:3.
2. One who, with the inhabitants of Zanoah, repaired the Valley Gate and part of the wall of Jerusalem.—Neh. 3:13.
3. “The sixth son of Zalaph” who did repair work on the wall of Jerusalem.—Neh. 3:30.
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HapharaimAid to Bible Understanding
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HAPHARAIM
(Haphʹa·raʹim).
A site on the territorial boundary of the tribe of Issachar. (Josh. 19:17-19) It cannot be identified with certainty. However, most modern geographers tentatively locate it at et-Taiyibeh, about eight miles (12.9 kilometers) NW of Beth-shean. Hapharaim also appears in a list of the Palestinian cities conquered by Egypt’s King Shishak.
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HappinessesAid to Bible Understanding
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HAPPINESSES
[from a form of the Hebrew ʼa·sharʹ, “to declare happy”; Greek, ma·kaʹri·os, “happy”].
Happiness is defined as “a state of well-being characterized by relative permanence, by dominantly agreeable emotion ranging in value from mere contentment to deep and intense joy in living, and by a natural desire for its continuation.” (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary) It thus differs from mere pleasure, which may come about simply through chance contact and stimulation.
The happinesses described in the Psalms and Proverbs, and particularly those spoken of by Jesus Christ in his Sermon on the Mount, are often called “beatitudes” or “blessednesses.” However, “happiness” is a more exact rendering of the Bible terms used, for both Hebrew and Greek have distinct words for blessing (Heb., ba·rakhʹ, “to bless”; Gr., eu·lo·geʹo, “to speak well of, to bless”). Furthermore, “blessed” carries the thought of the action of blessing, while “happy” brings to mind the state or condition that results from the blessing of God. Many modern versions render ʼa·shar’ and ma·kaʹri·os as “happy,” “happiness.” (CKW, JB, Ph, Ro, TC, TEV, Yg, NW and other versions, English and foreign) Ma·kaʹri·os is translated “happy” in AV at Acts 26:2 and Romans 14:22.
JEHOVAH AND JESUS CHRIST
Jehovah is “the happy God” and his Son Jesus Christ is called “the happy and only Potentate.” (1 Tim. 1:11; 6:15) In spite of the fact that Jehovah’s name and sovereignty have been challenged by the introduction of wickedness in both heaven and earth
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