LIBNI

between Makkedah and Ether in the ShephSlah (15"). It was given to the Levites (21", 1 Ch 6"). Taking advantage of an Edomite revolt, it rose against Judah under Joram (2 K S'^). It was besieged by Sennacherib (2 K 19*=Ia 37«). Hamutal, mother of Jehoahaz and Zedeldah, was a native of Libnah (2 K 23" 24", Jer 52'). The district is cieariy indicated, but the site is still unknown. Gender (,PEFSt, 1897, p. 69) suggests el-Benawy, 10 miles S.E. of Lachish (Tell el-Hesy).

W. EWINQ.

LIBNI. — The eldest son of Gershou, that is to say, the eponym of a principal family of Getshonite Levites, Ex 6", Nu 3'8, 1 Oh 6"- '". In 1 Ch G'' [Heb. "], perhaps owing to some dislocation of the text, the name appears as that of the eponym of a family of Merarites. The patronymic Libnites occurs in Nu 3'' 265». CS. Ladan.

LIBRARY.— See Writing, § 5.

LIBYA, LIBYANS.— See Lubim.

LICE ikinnlm. Ex S'"-", Ps 105"; cf. kin. Is 51», see Gnat). — RVm suggests 'sandflies or fleas' instead of 'lice.' All the insects named are only too common in Palestine and Egypt. The three well-known varieties of pediculi or lice are perpetually prevalent among the dirty , and a plague of them would certainly be much more terrible than one of the harmless, though irritating ' sand- fly ' (Simvlium), and far more disgusting than one of the flea (Pvlex). Cf. p. 733i>. E. W. G. Masteeman.

LIDEBIK.— See Debie, No. 3, and Lo-debae.

LIE, LYING.- 1. In the OT.— The simple lie, which is a deUberate suppression of the truth in conversation, was condemned by the Levitical code as contrary to the character of holiness demanded by, and becoming to, the people of Israel's holy God (Lv 19'"', cf. &"■). Perjury, as an aggravation of the ordinary sin, was emphatically condemned, and stringently punished in the legislative enactments of Israel (Ex 23', Dt 19"-2»). There can be no doubt that the moral consciousness of the Hebrews was alive to the sinfulness of deceit (Pr 19^2 21^8 24^ 25" 30«- '; cf. Is 58" AVm). The lying selfishness of Cain, and the reprehensible deception practised by Abraham, are recorded by the historian in a tone which reveals his attitude towards such acts (On 4' 202-" 1211-20; cf. 2 K 52"-" where Gehazi's punishment is the reward of his thoughtless levity at a time of national gloom, as well as of his deceitful conduct and words). The moral reprobation of falsehood reaches its climax in the utterances of the prophets. According to these teachers, it is at the foundation of all human depravity (Hos 7" 12', Mic 6'"). Truth can be arrived at and spoken only by those who are in personal touch with the sacred Fountain of truth (cf. Is 6s-»). Indeed, some of the most emphatic declarations as to the moral attributes of Jehovah are based on the belief that He is above all else the God of truth (Nu 23'», 1 S 152'; cf. Ps 89», Ezk 24'«, Mai 3"-; see 2 Ti 2", Tit 12). Hence the enormity of the guilt of those teachers who had not Jehovah as the source of their inspiration, though they might speak in His name, who pandered to the prevailing moral degeneracy (Jer 5" 6" 29', Ezk 13»; cf. Wis 142m-etc.) , or who encouraged their hearers in idolatry with Its debasing ritual (Jer 16'», Jon 2»; cf. Ps 31»).

A curious phenomenon in the OT is the bold speculation which sought to explain the authorship of the lying instruc-tion by wmch Jehovah's enemies were seduced to their own destruction. The fatuity of Ahab's_ conduct, and its fatal consequences, are detailed in the light of this conception (1 K 22), while, with a still more unequivocal directness, Samuel is said to have been counselled by God to deceive Saul (1 S 16"-). In both instances the historian is evidently interpreting events by the ideas current in liis day.

2. In the NT. — Falsehood is here traced back to its source in the principle of evil. Jesus attributes its origin to Satan (Jn 8"; cf. Ac 5^, Rev 12'). Member-ship in the Christian body postulated a new creation

LIFE

'in righteousness and holiness of truth' (Eph 4?") and forbade one member to Ue to another (Col 3').

The denial of the Messiahship of Jesus is characterized by the Johannine author as a Ue (1 Jn 222), while the same writer makes self-deceit the cause of that Pharisaic complacency which he so unsparingly condemns (1 Jn 1™). The Pauline representation of paganism bases its degrading moral influence on the fact that it is founded essentially on a lie (Ro I22).

The awful fate which awaits 'all liars' (Rev 21') is the outcome and direct development of the OT judg-ment of this sin, for it fundamentally estranges the guilty from Him whose 'word is truth' (Jn 17"; cf. Rev 212' 22's, and see Ps 61= 24< 119""). Cf. also Thuth.

J. R. Willis.

LIEUTENANT.— See Satrap.

LIFE.— I. In the OT—

The term 'life' in EV is used, with a few unimportant exceptions, as the equivalent of one or other of two Heb. expressions: ( 1) chai, or mostly in plur. chayyim; (2) nepheah. The LXX makes a general (Mstinction between these two, by usually rendering the former as zoe and the latter as psyche. The former term occurs more frequently than the latter. The notion of life and the terms used to denote it belong, like ' death,' to the primitive elements in human thought and speech. Roughly speaking, we may explain ( 1) as primarily = what is fresh, new, in active existence; and (2) as primarily = breath.

1. Self-originated movement, especially as seen in locomotion and breathing, were naturally the earliest criteria of life. So still, scientists are investigating life as merely a ' mode of motion.' Life, however, has not yet yielded up its secret to human inquiry; not yet has life, by any experiment, been produced from purely inorganic origins. Meantime those who do not stumble at a theistic view of creation hold an entirely worthy and satisfactory positionin following the Genesis Creation narratives, and ascribing the origin of all Ufe to God, who'givethtoall Ufe and breath and all things' (Ac 1725). The mystery of life abides, but it is not in the least Ukely that any results of scientific investigation will ever really conflict with this position.

Life as a physical phenomenon is pre-eminently associated with animals — the living creatures of the sea, the land, and the air (Gn 12'«). Plant-life is hardly recognized as such. OT writers do not go so far as to predicate Ufe of trees in much the same way as of animals, as is the case with some of the early Greek philosophers (e.g. Aristotle, Eth. Nic. i. 7, 12). Still 'green' and 'dry,' as appUed to plants, correspond to 'Uving' and 'dead.' There is the feeUng that trees possess 'a sort of Ufe; and such references to trees as that concerning the fresh sprouting of a stock or root (Job 14"'., Is 11') are very significant. Notice also the way in which the prosperity of man is Ukened to that of a flourishing tree (Ps 1" etc.), and other frequent iUustra-tive uses.

Physical Ufe is not only primitively connected with the breath, but also with the blood. The effect of the draining away of the blood (as from a wound) in the lessening vitaUty of the body and finally death — a matter of early observation — naturally explains this. A certain sacredness thus attaches to the blood (1 S 14ss«.), and definite prohibitive legislation relating to the eating of flesh with the blood becomes incorporated in the laws of Israel (Lv 3" 72" etc.). This primitive concep-tion of blood as the seat of Ufe Ues at the root of the whole OT system of sacrifices and of all the Scripture ideas and teachings based thereupon.

The sacredness of life as such is strongly emphasized. The great value ascribed to human Ufe is indicated by the numerous laws relating to manslaughter and to offences which interfere in any way with a man's right to live and with his reasonable use and enjoyment of Ufe. The teeUng extends to other creatures. See the suggestive v/ords 'and also much cattle' in Jon 4". The beasts are associated with man's humiUations and

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545