DINAITBS

man for his son. He not only offered generously to make honourable amends for Shechem's misconduct, but also proposed a mutual covenant of general inter-course, including the connubium. Jacob and his sons see their opportunity for revenge, and refuse, except upon the one condition that all the males of the city be cir-cumcised. When, as a result, the latter were unable to defend themselves, all the sons of Jacob fell upon them with the sword, sparing only the women and children, whom they took captive with the spoil of the city. The words 'two of and 'Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren' in v.'^ are interpolated (ct. v."). This story is clearly an elaboration of the earlier form, despite its one or two more antique touches, and suggests, moreover, the spirit at work in Ezra's marriage reforms.

The story, like many others, introduced aa episodes in the family history of Jacob, should probably receive a tribal interpretation. Simeon and Levi are tribes. Dinah was perhaps a small Israelite clan, according to thetradi-tions closely related to Simeon and Levi; according to the name, possibly more closely to Dan. Schechem, the prince, is tne eponymous hero of the city of that name. Hamor is the name of the Hivite clan in possession of the city. The weak Israelite clan, having become detached from the related tribes, was overpowered by the Canaanite inhabitants of Shechem and incorporated. Simeon and Levi, by a wilily plotted and unexpected attack, hoped to effect ita deliverance. 'They were momentarily successful, and inflicted a severe blow upon the Shechemites; but their temerity cost them their tribal existence. A counter-attack of the Canaanites resulted immediately in the deci-mation of the tribe, and finally in the absorption of their remnants into the neighbouring tribes. The Dinah clan, disappeared at the same time. James A. Craig.

DINAITES (Ezr 4'). — A people settled in Samaria by Osnappar (i.e. probably Ashurbanipal). They have been variously identified with the Da-ja-eni, a tribe of western Armenia, mentioned in inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser i.; and with the inhabitants of Deinaver, a Median city, or of Din-Sharru near Susa. The last view seems the most probable.

DINHABAH.— The capital city of king Bela in Edom (Gn 36'2 = l Ch 1"). There is some doubt as to its identification. Possibly it is Thmib, E.N.E. from Heshbon.

DIHNER.— See Meals, § 2.

DIONYSIA. — A feast in honour of Dionysus, another name of the god Bacchus (2 Mac 6'). He was the god of tree-life, but especially of the life of the vine and its produce. The festival celebrated the revival of the drink-giving vine after the deadness of winter. It was accompanied by orgiastic excesses, themselves at once emblematic of, and caused by, the renewed fertility of the soil. The most famous festivals of Dionysus, four in all, were held in Attica at various periods of the year, corresponding to the stages in the life of the vine, the Anthesteria, the Lencm, the Lesser and the Greater Dionysia. The Lesser Dionysia was a vintage festival held in the country in December; the Greater Dionysia was held in the city, and it was in connexion with this that the tragedies and comedies were produced in the theatre of Dionysus. Attendance at these plays was an act of worship. In 2 Mac 6' we are told that Antiochus compelled the Jews to attend a festival of Dionysus, wearing wreaths of ivy, a plant sacred to the

god. A. SOUTER.

DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE.— A member of the University Court of the Areopagus at Athens (Ac 17"), converted by St. Paul. The writings ascribed to Dionysius are of a much later date. He is by some identified with St. Denys of France.

A. J. Maclean.

DIONYSUS. — One of the various names applied to the god who is most commonly called Bacchus, It is probable that, to begin with, he was a god of vegetation in general, but as time went on he became identified with the vine exclusively. It is supposed that tills

DISH

specialization originated in Thrace. Later still, the worship, under Assyrian and Babylonian influence, took the form of mysteries, like that of Demeter, the goddess of bread. Mythology speaks of a triumphal journey taken by the god in India. His worship was widely disseminated over Greek lands, and it was assumed that the Jews would have no objection to it (2 Mac 6' 14SS). Ptolemy Philopator also attempted to force the worship of Dionysus, the god of his family, upon the Jews (3 Mac 2^'). A. Soutek.

DIOSCORINTHrUS.— See Time.

DIOSCURI (RVm), or The Twin Brothers (RV), or Castor and Pollux (AV). — The sign or figurehead of the Alexandrian ship in which St. Paul sailed from Malta (Ac 28"), perhaps one of those employed to bring corn to Rome. The Twins (Gemini) were the pro-tectors of sailors; in mythology they were sons of Zeus and Leda, and were placed in the sky as a constellation for their brotherly love. A. J. Maclean.

DIOTREPHES, — A person, otherwise unknown, who is introduced in 3 John (vv.'- ") as ambitious, resisting the writer's authority, and standing in the way of the hospitable reception of brethren who visited the Church.

DIFHATH occurs in RV and AVm of 1 Ch 1«, but it is practically certain that AV Biphath (wh. see) is the correct reading.

DISALLOW. — 1 P 2*, 'a living stone, disallowed in-deed of men, but chosen of God ' ; 2', ' the stone which the builders disallowed.' The Eng. word means emphatically disoumed, as in the AV heading to 1 S 29, • David, marching with the PhiUstines, is disallowed by their princes.' RV gives 'rejected,' as the same Gr. verb is rendered in Mt 21«, Mk S>K Lk IT^. But in Nu 30»- *■ " ' disallow ' means no more than disapprove, as in Barlowe's Dialogue, p. 83, 'ye can not fynde that they be dysalowed of God, but rather approved.'

DISCIPLES. — In the ancient world every teacher had his company of disciples or learners. The Greek philos-ophers and the Jewish Rabbis had theirs, and John the Baptist had his (Mk 2" ' the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees'; cf. Jn 1^, Mt 14"). In like manner Jesus had His disciples. The terra had two applications, a wider and a narrower. It denoted (1) all who believed in Him, though they remained where He had found them, pursuing their former avoca-tions, yet rendering no small service to His cause by confessing their allegiance and testifying to His grace (cf. Lk 6" 19", Jn 4' &'"■ «■ "). (2) The inner circle of the Twelve, whom He called 'Apostles,' and whom He required to forsake their old lives and follow Him whithersoever He went, not merely that they might strengthen Him by their sympathy (cf. Lk 22'*), but that they might aid Him in His ministry (Mt 9" 10'- *), and, above all, that they might be trained by daily intercourse and discipUne to carry forward the work after He was gone. These were 'the disciples' par excdlence (Mt 10' 12i- <» 15»- '«, Mk 8", Lk 8', Jn 11' 12* 16"- 29). See also Apostles. David Smith.

DISCOVER. — In AV 'discover' is used in some obsolete meanings. 1. To uncover, make to be seen, as Knox, Hi^t. p. 250, ' who rashly discovering himself in the Trenches, was shot in the head.' So Ps 29", 'The voice of the Lord . . . discovereth the forests,' and other passages. 2. To disclose, as Shakespeare, Merry Wives, II. ii. 190, ' I shall discover a thing to you.' So Pr 25', 'discover not a secret to another,' etc. 3. To descry, get sight of, as Ac 21', ' When we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand'; 27" 'they dis-covered a certain creek.'

DISCUS. — See Games.

DISEASE.— See Medicine.

DISH. — See Charger; House, § 9; Meals, § 6; and Tabernacle, § 6 (a).

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