MERAB

inclined tlie latter to mercy. David was informed of his place of concealment in Lo-debar, on the east of the Jordan, by Ziba, who had been steward of Saul (2 S 9«). The king restored to Mephibosheth all the estates of Saul, Ziba became his steward, and Mephib-osheth himself was maintained as a permanent guest at David's table (2 S 918).

At the flight of David from Jerusalem after Absalom's rebellion, Ziba met him on the Mount of Olives with provisions. He also stated that his master had re-mained in Jerusalem, in hope of obtaining the kingdom of Saul. Notwithstanding the doubtful nature of the story, David said, ' Behold, thine is all that pertaineth to Mephibosheth' (2 S 16<). On David's return, Mephibosheth came out to meet him, and declared that Ziba had accused him falsely, taking advantage of his lameness. David seems to have doubted the truth-fulness of Mephibosheth or did not wish to alienate Ziba, who had also been faithful, and divided the land of Saul between the two. Mephibosheth expressed his willingness that Ziba should have all, 'forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.'

From 2 S 9'= we learn that Mephibosheth had a son Mica, who was regarded as the founder of a well-known family of warriors (1 Ch 8^ 9").

2. One of the sons of Saul's concubine Bjzpah, slain by the Gibeonites (2 S 218). ■^_ p, Botd.

MBRAB. — The elder daughter of Saul, promised to the slayer of GoUath (1 S IT^s), and then to David personally as a reward for prowess against the Philistines (1 S 18"), but given as wife to Adriel the Mehola-thite. In 2 S 21' Michal, whose sons are said to have been given over to satisfy the Gibeonites, is probably a scribal error for Merab. W. F. Botd.

MERATAH.— The head of a priestly house (Neh 12i2).

MERAIOTH.— 1. Son of Ahitub and father of Zadok (1 Ch 9", Neh lin). 2. A Levite (1 Ch 6«'-, Ezr 7'); called in 1 Es 8^ Memeroth and in 2 Es I'' Marimoth. 3. A priestly house in the days of Joiakim (Neh 12'' = Meremoth of v.s).

MERARI, MERARITES.— 1. The third son of Levi, to whom a division of the Levites traced their descent (Gn 46", Ex 6'6, Nu 3", 1 Ch 6'- " 23«). The title 'Merarites' is found only in Nu 26*'; elsewhere they are called 'sons of Merari' (Ex 6", Nu 3=" 4»- »■ «• « 7' 10", Jos 21'- M- ", 1 Ch 6'9- w. M. 63. 77 gn 155. 17 23" 24" 26", 2 Ch 2912, Ezr 8"). They were sub-divided into two groups, the Mahlites and the Mushites (Nu 333 26*8)^ each being traced to a 'son' of Merari (Ex 6", Nu 3M 1 Ch 619- m. 47 2321). From these families fragments of genealogies remain, some branches being traced through the daughters of Mahli (see 1 Ch 23=2).

Very little is related of the Merarites after the Exile. Certain Merarites are mentioned in 1 Ch 9"- "-i! = Neh 111*- "-" as dwelling in Jerusalem immediately after the Return, and certain others as accompanying Ezra to the city in 454 B.C. (Ezr 8'"). But P and the Chronicler introduce the family into the earlier history. (1) During the desert wanderings the Merarites were on the north side of the Tent (Nu 3''); their duty was to carry the less sacred parts of it, the 'boards' (or rather frames), pegs, cords, etc. (3»'- 4"'- 10"), for which they were given four waggons and eight oxen (7') ; and they were superintended by Ithamar, the youngest son of Aaron (4»). (2) After the settlement in Palestine, twelve cities were assigned to them (Jos 21'- 34.40 = 1 Ch era- "-»). (3) In David's reign the Chronicler relates that the Temple music was superintended partly by Ethan, or Jeduthun, a Merarite, and his family (1 Ch 6«-«' I6«'- 25'- =■ '■ 9. ". «. ". zit.; and see 15*- "-"). David divided the Levites into courses 'according to the sons of Levi' (23'; Merarites, vv.^'-^s 2426-30)_ and particiilar ofElces of certain Merarites are detailed in 26i"-"- '«-". (4) They took part in the

MERCY, MERCIFUL

cleansing of the Temple under Hezekiah (2 Ch 29'^- "). Cf. also art. Kohath.

2. The father of Judith (Jth 8' 16').

A. H. M'Neilb.

MERATHAHH (Jer 60").— The term is an enig-matical one, and adapted so as to recall to a Heb. ear either 'double rebellion' or 'double bitterness.'

MERCHANDISE,MEROHANT.-SeeMAiiKET,TRADE, AND Commerce.

MERCHANTMAN.— This Eng. word is now used only of a trading vessel. In AV it means ' merchant, trades-man'; it occurs in Gn ST^, 1 K 10", Mt 13«. In each case the earliest editions of AV have two separate words.

MERCURY stands in the AV for the Gr. Hermes in Ac 14". Hermes, as the spokesman of the gods, was regarded by the Greeks as the god of eloquence. Hence, when Paul and Barnabas healed the cripple at Lystra, the former was hailed as Hermes, 'because he was the chief speaker.' The identification of Hermes with Mercury was due to another attribute. As the messenger of the gods, Hermes was the god who brought good fortune to men. Mercury was the Roman god of com-merce (cf. merx, mercari), and success in commerce was attributed to him. Hence the mythology of the two was confused. A. E. Hillabd.

MERCY, MERCIFUL.—

Mercy (French merci) ia traced, through ecclesiastical Latin, to merces (reward); it seems to have got its meaning from the exclamation of the alma-receiver, 'Merci I' i.e. 'Reward to you (in heaven)!' 'May God reward youl' — the expression passing from the acknowledgment made to the bounty given, and then to the spirit prompting it. Thus mercy ia by derivation allied to merit, merchant, mercenary, amerce,

1. In the OT, noun and adjective render two quite different Hebrew terms. (1) meaning primarily bowels (see Gn 43'°, 1 K 3^), then compassion or yearning, occurs as noun, adjective, or verb ('have mercy,' 'show mercy'), with the tr. 'mercy' over 60 times (Gn 43", Ex 34«, Hab 3^, are typical examples), — often 'mercies' or ■ tender mercies ' for the noun, imitating the Hebrew plural. In 5 instances the EV translates by 'pity,' 'pitiful' (see Ps 1031', La 4'°), in 17 by 'compassion.' In Gn 19" ' merciful ' renders a synonym of the above, which appears elsewhere (2 S 12', Is 63° etc.) as 'pity.'

(2) is a famiUar OT word, occurring passim in the Psalms, denoting kindness or benignity, almost confined to the noun-form in this sense. It is rendered 43 times by kindness (often on the part of men), and 30 times by 'loviugkindness' (always of God, and mostly in Ps.), by mercy some 150 times in AV; other renderings — ' good-ness,' ' favour,' and ' pity '—are occasional RV frequently, the American Revisers uniformly, substitute 'loving- kindness ' (wh. see) for ' mercy ' where God is the subject. This attribute of J" Ues nearer to the ' grace ' (wh. see) than the ' mercy ' of the NT, without implying necessarily, like the former, iU-desert in the object. It is associated frequently with 'truth' (wh. see) in J" — 'lovingkindness (mercy) and truth' being the regnant quaUties of His dealings with Israel — and with 'covenant' (Dt 7°, 1 K 823, Neh 1' 9=2, Ps 892', Is 55', Dn 9«), as well as with 'goodness' and 'compassion' (above); while it is contrasted with 'anger,' 'judgment,' and 'sacrifice' (Mic 7", Ps 101', Hos 6'). The word describes what one may call the characteristic temper of J", His gracious disposition towards His chosen regarded in their de-pendence and necessities. His readiness to help, bless, relieve, forgive them — J"'s 'leal love' (G. A. Smith).

(3) A third root, the noun of which is translated 'grace' (wh. see) and its adjective 'gracious,' appears in the verb 16 times as 'be gracious' or the like, and 16 times as 'have' or 'show mercy' in AV (Dt 7^, Ps 4> etc.), thrice as ' pity.' This term seems to imply more of inclination, and (2) more of active disposition.

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