In the first century C.E. Iconium was one of the principal cities in the Roman province of Galatia and lay astride the main trade route from Ephesus to Syria. The city had an influential Jewish population. Paul and Barnabas, after being forced to leave Pisidian Antioch, preached in the city of Iconium and its synagogue and there aided many Jews and Greeks to become believers. But when an attempt was made to stone them, they fled from Iconium to Lystra. Soon Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and stirred up the crowds there so that they stoned Paul. Thereafter Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe and then courageously returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the brothers and appointing “older men” to positions of responsibility in the congregations established in these cities.—Acts 13:50, 51; 14:1-7, 19-23.

Later, after the circumcision issue arose and was settled by the apostles and older men of the Jerusalem congregation, Paul seems to have revisited Iconium. It was on this second missionary journey that Paul took along Timothy, a young man having a fine reputation among the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.—Acts 16:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:10, 11.

Iconium was on the border between Phrygia and Lycaonia. This may explain why certain ancient writers, including Strabo and Cicero, assigned it to Lycaonia, whereas Xenophon called it the last city of Phrygia. From a geographical standpoint, Iconium belonged to Lycaonia, but, as indicated by archaeological discoveries, it was Phrygian in culture and speech. Inscriptions found at the site in 1910 show that Phrygian was the language used there for two centuries after Paul’s time. Appropriately, therefore, the writer of Acts did not include Iconium as part of Lycaonia, where the “Lycaonian tongue” was spoken.—Acts 14:6, 11.

IDALAH

(Iʹda·lah).

A boundary city of Zebulun. (Josh. 19:14-16) While its exact location is unknown, some link Idalah with Khirbet el-Huwarah, less than a mile (c. 1.5 kilometers) SW of the suggested location of Bethlehem in Zebulun.

IDBASH

(Idʹbash) [honey-sweet].

A man of Judah, evidently a son of the founder of Etam.—1 Chron. 4:1, 3; see ETAM No. 3.

IDDO

(Idʹdo) [Heb., ʽId·dohʹ, ʽId·dohʼʹ, Yeʽ·dohʹ, Yeʽ·diʹ, ʽId·doʼʹ; decked, adorned].

1. Son of Joah; a Levite of the family of Gershom.—1 Chron. 6:19-21.

2. Father of Ahinadab, the one serving as Solomon’s food deputy in Mahanaim.—1 Ki. 4:7, 14.

3. A visionary whose writings were consulted by the compiler of Chronicles for information concerning the affairs of Kings Solomon, Rehoboam and Abijah. Iddo’s writings are referred to as an “exposition,” a “commentary” or a “midrash.”—2 Chron. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22, NW, 1955 ed., ftn.

4. A prophet, father of Berechiah and grandfather of the prophet Zechariah. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Zech. 1:1, 7) This Iddo may be the same as No. 5.

5. A priest listed among those returning to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. In the days of High Priest Joiakim the paternal house of Iddo was headed by Zechariah. (Neh. 12:1, 4, 12, 16) He may be the same as No. 4.

6. [Yid·dohʹ; loving, beloved]. Son of a certain Zechariah; prince of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead in King David’s time.—1 Chron. 27:21, 22.

7. [ʼId·dohʹ; to happen unexpectedly, to overwhelm]. Head of the Nethinim temple slaves residing at Casiphia, two hundred and twenty of whom accompanied Ezra to Jerusalem in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:17, 20.

IDOL, IDOLATRY

An idol is an image, representation of anything or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined. Generally speaking, idolatry is the veneration, love, worship or adoration of an idol. It is usually practiced toward a real or supposed higher power, whether such power is believed to have animate existence (as a human or animal god or an organization) or whether it is inanimate (as a force or lifeless object of nature). Idolatry generally involves some form, ceremony or ritual.

NOT ALL IMAGES ARE IDOLS

God’s law not to form images (Ex. 20:4, 5) did not rule out the making of all representations and statues. This is indicated by Jehovah’s later command to make two golden cherubs on the cover of the Ark and to embroider representations of cherubs on the inner tent covering of ten tent cloths for the tabernacle and the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy. (Ex. 25:18; 26:1, 31, 33) Likewise, the interior of Solomon’s temple, the architectural plans for which were given to David by divine inspiration (1 Chron. 28:11, 12), was beautifully embellished with engraved carvings of cherubs, palm-tree figures and blossoms. Two cherubs of oil-tree wood overlaid with gold stood in the Most Holy of that temple. (1 Ki. 6:23, 28, 29) The molten sea rested upon twelve copper bulls, and the sidewalls of the copper carriages for temple use were decorated with figures of lions, bulls and cherubs. (1 Ki. 7:25, 28, 29) Twelve lions lined the steps leading up to Solomon’s throne.—2 Chron. 9:17-19.

These representations, however, were not idols for worship. Only the officiating priests saw the representations of the tabernacle interior and, later, of the temple interior. No one but the high priest entered the Most Holy, and that normally but once a year on the Day of Atonement. (Heb. 9:7) Thus there was no danger of the Israelites’ being ensnared into idolizing the golden cherubs in the sanctuary. These representations primarily served as a picture of the heavenly cherubs. (Compare Hebrews 9:24, 25.) That they were not to be venerated is evident from the fact that the angels themselves were not to be worshiped.—Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9.

Of course, there were times when images became idols, although not originally intended as objects of veneration. The copper serpent that Moses formed in the wilderness came to be worshiped and therefore faithful King Hezekiah crushed it to pieces. (Num. 21:9; 2 Ki. 18:1, 4) The ephod made by Judge Gideon became a “snare” to him and to his household.—Judg. 8:27.

IMAGES AS AIDS IN WORSHIP

The Scriptures do not sanction the use of images as a means to address God in prayer. Such a practice runs counter to the principle that those seeking to serve Jehovah must worship him with spirit and truth. (John 4:24; 2 Cor. 4:18; 5:6, 7) He tolerates no mixing of idolatrous practices with true worship, as illustrated by his condemnation of calf worship, although the Israelites had attached his name thereto. (Ex. 32:3-10) Jehovah does not share his glory with graven images.—Isa. 42:8.

There is not a single instance in Scripture where faithful servants of Jehovah resorted to the use of visual aids to pray to God or engaged in a form of relative worship. Of course, some may cite Hebrews 11:21, which, according to the Catholic Douay Version, reads: “By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod.” Then in a footnote on this scripture it is held that Jacob paid relative honor and veneration to the top of Joseph’s rod, and the comment is made: “Some translators,