ABILITY

ABILITT. — In AV 'ability' is either material (Lv 278, Ezr 2"', Ac 11^') or personal (Dn 1', Mt 25'') capacity. The mod. meaning (' mental power ') is not found in AV.

ABIMAEL (perhaps = 'father is God'). — One of the Joktanids or S. Arabians (see art. Joktan), Gn lO^s (J),

1 Ch 122.

ABIMELEOH ('father is Idng' or perhaps 'Melech isfather'). — 1. KingofGerar. According to E (Gn 20) he took Sarah into his harem, but on learning that she was Abraham's wife, restored her uninjured and made ample amends. Subsequently he entered into a covenant with Abraham (21»ff). J (12»i'ff- 26'<') gives two variants of the same tradition. The Book of Jubilees, in the section parallel to 12"'*-, exonerates Abraham from blame, and omits the other two narratives! 2. The son of Gideon. His mother belonged to one of the leading Canaanite families in Shechem, although Jg 8" calls her a concubine, and Jotham (9") brands her as a maid-servant. On Gideon's decease, Abimelech, backed by his maternal relatives, gathered a band of mercenaries, murdered his seventy half-brothers 'on one stone,' and was accepted as king by the mixed Canaanite and Israelite population of Shechem and the neighbourhood. But Jotham sowed the seeds of dissension between the new ruler and his subjects, and the latter soon took offence because the king did not reside among them. At the end of three years they were ripe for revolt, and found a leader in Gaal, son of Ebed. Abimelech de-feated him, took the city, and sowed the site with salt, in token that it should not again be built upon. Thebez, the next town attacked by him, fell into his hands, but he was mortally wounded by a woman whilst assaulting the citadel (Jg 9'»-m, 2 S ll^i). His significance in the history of Israel consists in the fact that his short- lived monarchy was the precursor of the durable one founded soon after. 3. 1 Ch 18'": read Ahimdech. 4. Ps 34 (title): read jlcftisft (of. IS 2113). j. Taylor.

ABINADAB ('father is generous'). — 1. The second son of Jesse (1 S 168 lyia, i ch 2"). 2. A son of Saul slain in the battle of Mt. Gilboa (1 S 312=1 Ch 10^). 3. Owner of the house whither the ark was brought by the men of Kiriath-jearim (1 S 7'), whence it was sub-sequently removed by David (2 S 6"-, 1 Ch 13').

ABIKOAM ('father is pleasantness'). — The father of Barak (Jg 4«- " S'^).

ABIRAM ('father is the Exalted One').— 1. A Reubenite, who with Dathan conspired against Moses (Nu 161 etc., Dt 11», Ps lOB"). See art. Korah. 2. The firstborn son of Hiel the Bethelite, who died when his father rebuilt Jericho (1 K 16").

ABISHAG. — A beautiful young Shunammitess who attended upon David in his extreme old age (1 K 1^^ ■ i'). After David's death, Abishag was asked in marriage by Adonijah; the request cost him his life (1 K 218-25).

ABISHAI. — Son of Zeruiah, David's step-sister (2 S 1726, 1 Ch 2i«). His brothers were Joab and Asahel (2 S 21*). He was a hot-tempered, ruthless soldier. Accompanying David into Saul's camp, he would fain have killed the sleeper (1 S 26'). An editorial addition (2 S 38") associates him with Joab in the blood-revenge taken on Abner. Abishai was second in command of the army (2 S 10. 18), and if we make a slight necessary correction at 2 S 23i8'-, we find that he was first of the famous thirty. He is credited with the slaughter of three hundred foes, and David once owed his life to Abishai's interposition (2 S 231* 21i"). Notwithstanding their relationship and their usefulness, there was a natural antipathy between the king and the two brothers (2 S 3"). J. Taylor.

ABISHALOM.— See Absalom.

ABISHUA.— 1. Son of Phinehas and father of Bukki (1 Ch 6«- 8», Ezr 7'); called in 1 Es 82 Abisue, and in

2 Es 12 Abissei. 2. A Benjamite (1 Ch 8«; cf. Nu 2688«).

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

ABISHUR ('father is a wall').— A Jerahmeelii (1 Ch 228t.).

ABISSEI.— See Abishua, No. 1.

ABISUE.— See Abishua, No. 1.

ABITAL ('father is dew').— Wife of David an mother of Shephatiah (2 S 3i = 1 Ch 38).

ABITTJB.— A Benjamite (1 Ch 8").

ABIUD (i.e. Abihud).— An ancestor of Jesus (Mt 1"

ABJECT. — In Ps 351* 'abject' occurs as a noun, as i Herbert's Temple — 'Servants and abjects flout me.'

ABNER.— Saul's cousin (1 S Qi 14") and commander-ii chief (1 S 17« 268). He set Ish-bosheth on his father throne, and fought long and bravely against David general, Joab (2 S 2). After a severe defeat, he kille Asahel in self-defence (2 S 22'). He behaved arrogant! towards the puppet-king, especially in taking possessic of one of Saul's concubines (2 S 3'). Resenting bitter: the remonstrances of Ish-bosheth, he entered ini negotiations with David (2 S 38-12), and then, on David behalf, with the elders of Israel (2 S 31'). Dreading tl loss of his own position, and thirsting for revenge, Joa murdered him at Hebron (2 S 328'). David gave hi) a public funeral, dissociated himself from Joab's ai (2 S 381-8'), and afterwards charged Solomon to avenj it (1 K 28). Abner was destitute of all lofty ideas ( morality or religion (2 S 38- is), but was the only capab person on the side of Saul's family. J. Taylor.

ABOMINATION.— Four Hebrew words from thrf different roots are rendered in EV by 'abominatioi and, occasionally, 'abominable thing.' In almost a cases (for exceptions see Gn 4382 468*) the reference to objects and practices abhorrent to J", and oppose to the moral requirements and ritual of His religioi Among the objects so described are heathen deiti( such as Ashtoreth (Astarte), Chemosh, Milcora, tl ' abominations ' of the Zidonlans (Phoenicians) , Moabite and Ammonites respectively (2 K 23i8); images an other paraphernalia of the forbidden cults (Dt 728 27' and often in Ezk. ) ; and the flesh of animals ritually tabc (see esp. Lv lli»«- and art. Clean and Unclean Some of the practices that are an ' abomination unto J" are the worship of heathen deities and of the heavenl bodies (Dt 13" 17* and often), the practice of witchcra and kindred arts (Dt 18!2), gross acts of immoralit (Lv 18229 • ) , falsification of weights and measures (Pr Hi and 'evil devices' generally (Pr 1528 RV).

One of the four words above referred to {piggU occurs only as a 'technical term for stale sacrifioii flesh, which has not been eaten within the prescribe time' (Driver, who would render 'refuse meat' i Lv 71B 19', Ezk 4», Is 65«). A. R. S. Kennedy.

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.— A term four only in Mk 13" and its parallel Mt 24". It is obvious! derived, as St. Matthew indicates, from Dn II81 12' cf. 92'. In these passages the most natural referem is to the desecration of the Temple under Antiochi Epiphanes, when an altar to Olympian Zeus was erecte on the altar of burnt sacrifices. As interpreted in tl revision by St. Luke (2120), the reference in the Gosp is to the encompassing of Jerusalem by the Roma army. It is very diflScult, however, to adjust th interpretation to the expression of Mk. ' standing whei he ought not,' and that of Mt. 'standing in the hoi place.' Other interpretations would be: (1) tl threatened erection of the statue of Caligula in tl Temple; or (2) the desecration of the Temple area t the Zealots, who during the siege made it a fortres or (3) the desecration of the Temple by the presen( of Titus after its capture by that general. While is impossible to reach any final choice between the different interpretations, it seems probable that tl reference of Mk 13" is prior to the destruction 1 Jerusalem, because of its insistence that the appearan( of the ' abomination of desolation' (or the ' abomlnatic