REDEEMER, REDEMPTION

the region ot weeds, probably accounts for its name, Yam Suph, 'sea of weeds' (Ex 10" IS'), wliicli was later applied also to tlie eastern extension, the Bay of Akabali (Nu 21''), to the entire body of water now known as the Red Sea, stretching from the Bas Mo-hammed southward to the straits, and perhaps even to the Persian Gulf (Ex 23"). No satisfactory explana-tion of the term ' red ' (Gr. Erythra, Lat. Bubrum) has been found.

Biblical history is concerned with the western gulf (Suez, 130 m. long) only in connexion with the Exodus. Those who locate Mt. Sinai in the peninsula between the two gulfs, either at Mt. Serbal or at Jebel Musa, trace the route of the wanderings down the eastern shore of this water as far as Bas Abu Zenimeh, or (with Shaw, Pococlce, etc.) as far as Tor, and then through the moun-tain wadys to Sinai. Those who locate the mountain of the Law farther north in the region north of Akabah, trace the wanderings directly eastward from the sea (Jg 11'8).

The Bay of Akabah, 90 m. long, lies in the southern end of the long trench which extends from the Red Sea proper northward to the Lebanons, the upper portion of which is occupied by the Jordan and the Dead Sea. Between the latter and the Bay of Akabah lies the Arabah. At the northern end was an important maritime highway in the reign of Solomon. At the harbour of Ezion-geber (near to, or perhaps the same as, Elath), at its northern end, Solomon built his navy, with the help of Phoenician seamen (1 K 928), and sent out expeditions to India. Jehoshaphat was less successful

(1 K 22"). H. L. WiLLETT.

REDEEMER, REDEMPTION.— Redemption means in strictness deliverance by payment of a prwe or raTisom, hence, metaphorically, at any great cost or sacrifice; but in the OT, outside the Law (especially in Deut., Psalms, Isaiah), is often used also of deliverance simply, as from oppression, violence, sickness, captivity, death — redemption by power. The typical redemption in the OT was the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (cf. Is 51S-").

Two words, with their derivatives, are used in the OT to express the idea. The one, gd'al (from which go'el, 'redeemer'), is used technically of redemption of an in-heritance, of tithes, and the like; -in a wider sense it is a favourite term in the later Psalms and Deutero-Isaiah. The other, pddhdh, is frequent in Deut. and in the earher Psalms. The go'el is the Idnsman who has the light to redeem; the term is used also of the 'avenger of blood' (Nu SS'" etc.); elsewhere, as in Job 192=, Ps 19" etc., but especially in Deutero-Isaiah, it denotes Jehovah as the vindi-cator, deliverer, and avenger of His people (cf . Is 40^' 43" etc.). The NT, likewise, employs two words — one agorazOf *to buy or purchase' (1 Co 62" 7», 2 P 2\ Rev 5' 14'- '; St. Paul uses a compound form in Gal 3^^ 4^); -the other, and more usual, luiroumai (from lutron, 'a ransom'), and lis derivatives. The special Pauline word for redemption is avolutrosis (Ro S» 8»3, 1 Co 1™ Eph 1' etcO. In Ro ll^" 'Deliverer' is used for the OT 'Redeemer' (Is 59").

In pious circles in Israel the coming Messianic salvation was viewed as a ' redemption ' (Lk 2'*), in which, possibly, political deliverance was included, but in which the main blessings were spiritual — knowledge of salvation, remission of sins, holiness, guidance, peace (Lk 1"-"). In Christ's own teaching the political aspect altogether disappears, and the salvation He brings in is something wholly spiritual. He connects it with His Person, and in certain well-known passages with His death (Jn 3"-" 6"-", Mt 2028 II and 2626-28 || etc.). In the Apostolic teaching (Acts, Paul, Peter, Heb., Rev.) Christ's work is distinctively a 'redemption.' Redemption, more-over, is not used here simply in the general sense of deliverance, but with definite emphasis on the idea of purchase (Ac 2028, 1 Co 62", Eph 1', 1 Ti 2', 1 P l''- ", Rev 5' etc.). This glances back to Christ's own saying that He came 'to give his life a ransom {lutron; cf. anlUulrm, in 1 Ti 2«) for many' (Mt 2028). Further, 'ransom,' 'price,' 'purchase,' 'redeem,' are not to be

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REFINER, REFINING

taken simply figuratively, in the sense that Christ has procured salvation for us at the cost of great suffering, even of death, to Himself. This is true; but the consensus of Apostolic teaching gives a much more definite interpretation to the language; one in accord-ance with Christ's own intimation. His death was an expiatory sacrifice by which those who avail themselves of it are literally redeemed from the wrath of God that rested on them, and from all other effects of sin. It is St. Paul who works out this idea most systemati-cally (cf. Ro 323-26, 2 Co 518-21, Gal 3i»-i8 4«- ', Tit 3" etc.), though all the NT writers share it. The immediate effect of Christ's redeeming death is to free from guilt and annul condemnation (Ro 8'- ^- *■), but it carries in its train deliverance from sin in every form (from sin's dominion, from the tyranny of Satan, from an evil world, from 'aU iniquity,' Ro 6, Gal IS Tit 2", He 2" etc.); ultimately from death itself (Ro «^). It not merely redeems from evil, but puts in possession of the highest possible good — 'eternal life' (Ro &", Eph 18 etc.). It is a redemption in every way complete. See, further, artt. Atonement, Propitiation, Recon-ciliation, Salvation. James Ore.

REED.— 1. qaneh, tr. 'reed,' 1 K 1416, 2 K 1321, Is 366 423; 'stalk,' Gn 415- »; 'sweet cane' (RVm 'calamus'), Is 432«, Jer 62"; 'calamus,' Ca 4», Ezk 27"; 'spearmen,' Ps 6886 (AV, but RV 'reeds'); also meta^ phoricaliy used for a 'bone,' Job 3122; the arm of 'a balance,' Is 466; and 'branches' of a candlestick. Ex 2581- 82. The qaneh is probably the familiar qasab (Arundo donax), which flourishes on the banks of all the streams and lakes of the Jordan Valley. Miles of it are to be seen at the 'Ain Feshkhah oasis on the Dead Sea shore, and at the Huleh marshes. It is a lofty reed, often 20 feet high, brilliantly green in the late summer, when all around is dry and bare; but dead- looking, from a distance, in the spring, when it stands in full flower and the lofty stems are crowned by beautiful silken pannicles. In the district mentioned the reeds are cleared from time to time by fire, that the young and tender shoots may grow up to afford fodder for cattle. The covert of the reeds is often the only possible shade (Job 4021). The bruised reed, which, though standing, a touch will cause to fall and lie bedraggled on the ground, is a familiar sight (2 K 182', Is 366, Ezk 296-'). A reed forms a most convenient measuring-rod, being straight and light (Ezk 408- •, Rev H> etc.). In certain passages where qaneh is tr. 'calamus,' or 'sweet cane,' some imported aromatic cane or bark is meant. For the use of reeds as pens, see Whiting, 6.

2. 'droth. Is 19' (AV 'paper reeds,' RV 'meadows'). See Meadow.

3. 'agammim, lit.'poola'(see Pool) , is in Jer 5182 tj.^ 'reeds.' For bulrushes see Rush.

4. 'dchu. Job 8" EV 'flag,' RVm 'reed-grass.' See Meadow.

5. 'efceft. Job 926 (RVm 'reed'). The reference is to light skiffs of papyrus. E. W. G. Mabtebman.

REELAIAH.— See Raamiah.

REELIAS, 1 Es 58, corresponds in position to Bigrai in Ezr 22, Neh 7'; the form of the name may be due to a duplication of Reelaiah in the same verse of Ezra.

REFINER, REFINING.— The ancient Egyptians purified gold by putting it into earthen crucibles with lead, salt, a little tin, and barley bran, sealing the crucibles with clay, and then exposing them to the heat of a furnace for five days and nights. Refining silver by oupellation is a very old process. The silver mixed with lead is put into a crucible made of bone earth, and placed in a reverberatory furnace. As the oxide of lead forms, it is blown oH by bellows, and towards the end of the process the thin covering of oxide becomes iridescent and soon disappears, and the pure bright surface of the silver flashes out. This process of refining silver is referred to in Jer 6". The