TEPHON

hanging a curtain from the three middle poles along the length of the tent — the front division open and free to all, the back closed and reserved for the women and the privacy of domestic life (Jg IS', Ca 3'; cf. Gn 18»').

In time of war we read both of booths (2 S 11", so RV rightly for AV 'tents') and of tents (2 K 7', Jer SV"). The Assyrian sculptures represent the soldiers' tents as conical in shape, supported by a central pole with two arms. On the famous bronze sheathing of the palace gates at Balawat, representing every detail of the conduct of war, the royal pavilion (1 K 20'2. ») is frequently represented. It was rec-tangular in shape, with ornamental wooden pillars with floral capitals at the four corners. The walls were probably of linen, and the roof evidently of tapestry or other rich material edged with tassels (see the plates in Billerbeck's Die Palasttore Salmanassars II., 1908).

In early times a special tent was pitched for a newly wedded pair (Ps 19', Jl 2"; cf. 2 S \&^), as is still the custom among the Arabs. The canopy under which Jewish couples are married at the present day still retains the name, as it is a survival of the ancient chuppah or bridal tent.

Priscilla and Aquila, as well as the Apostle Paul, were tentmakera (Ac 18"). See Spinning and.Weavinq, §§1, 4 (c). For the t6nt of meeting (RV) see Tabernacle.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

TEPHON. — One of the towns in Judsa fortified by Bacchides (1 Mac Q'"). Tephon was probably an old Tappuah ; but whether it was Tappuah 1 or 2, or Beth-tappuah, is uncertain.

TERAH. — The father of Abraham, Nahor, and Haran (Gn lia-iK, 1 Ch 1», Lk 3"). Along with his three sons he is said to have migrated from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, where he died. In Jos 24^ it is said that he 'served other gods' — a statement which gave rise to some fanciful Jewish haggOdSth about Terah as amofccrof idols. 2. A station of the Israelites (Nu33"-28).

TERAPHm.— SeelMAGEs;IsRAEi.,p.412i';alsop.569".

TEREBINTH does not occur at all in AV, and only thrice in RV, being substituted in Is 6" for ' teil tree,' in Hos 4" for 'elm,' and in Sir 24" for 'turpentine tree.' Strong reasons, however, can be urged for rendering by 'terebinth' in a great many instances where EV has 'oak' (see Oak). The terebinth or turpentine tree (Sir 24") — Pistacia terebinthus, the butm of the Arabs — is one of the most imposing trees in Palestine. In almost every locality where it is allowed to attain its full growth — 30 to 40 feet high — it is associ-ated with a sacred tomb or grove: many such groves are still deeply venerated in Galilee. Dwarfed trees occur everywhere among the oak brushwood. The tree has pinnate, lancet-shaped leaves and small reddish clusters like immature grape clusters; it is also often covered with curious red galls — like pieces of coral. The dark overhanging foliage affords a grateful shade in summer, but in autumn the leaves change colour and fall off. Cf. Mambe. E. W. G. Mastekman.

TEEESH. — A chamberlain of Ahasuerus (Est 2"); called in Ad. Est. 12' Tharra.

TERTIUS. — St. Paul's amanuensis who wrote Romans and added a personal salutation (16"). It was the Apostle's custom to employ a scribe (no doubt dictating shorthand notes, a common practice), but to add a short autograph himself. The autographs probably are: Ro 162S", 1 Co 162'-" (expressly), 2 Co 13'"-, Gal 611-18 (expressly), Eph 6^'-, Ph 42'-», Col 4" (expressly), 1 Th 5»5-28, 2 Th 3'"- (expressly). In the Pa.storal Epistles and Philemon, which are personal letters, the presence of autograph passages is more uncertain.

A. J. Maclean.

TERTULLUS. — This name (a diminutive of Terlius) is that of the advocate hired by the Jews to speak for them against St. Paul before Felix (Ac 24'). From his

TESTIMONY

name we should judge him to be a Roman; probably he was not a Jew. It has been conjectured (Dean Milman) that his speech is a translation from the Latin, though Greek was allowed in the law courts. It is a gross piece of flattery, for the Jews were in constant opposition to Felix. It accuses St. Paul of stirring up disturbances, of being the ringleader of an unlawful sect, and of profaning the Temple (cf. the reply in 2S»).

A. J. Maclean.

TESTAMENT.— The word is not found in the OT. In the text of the RV of the NT it occurs only twice (He 9i«'-), and is used to translate the Gr. word OiathikS, elsewhere rendered 'covenant' (with 'testament' in the margin). In He 9"-2» diathdkS is three times trans-lated 'covenant,' and twice 'testament.' An indication of the difficulty involved in its interpretation is given in the marginal note: 'The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament.'

In classical Greek diathekl means 'a testamentary disposition,' and synthikS 'a covenant.' The latter word connotes an agreement between two persons regarded as being on an equal footing (syn-) ; hence it is unsuitable as a designation of God's gracious covenants with men. The LXX therefore use diathikl as the equivalent of the Heb. word for 'covenant' (berUh), its most frequent application being to the Divine cove-nants, which are not matters of mutual arrangement between God and His people, but are rather ' analogous to tlie disposition of property by testament.' In the LXX diathSk^ was extended to covenants between man and man, but Westcott says: 'There is not the least trace of the meaning "testament" in the Greek Old Test. Scriptures, and the idea of a "testament" was indeed foreign to the Jews till the time of the Herods' (Com. on Hebrews, Additional Note on 9").

In the NT ' covenant ' is unquestionably the correct translation of diatheke when it occurs 'in strictly Biblical and Hebraic surroundings' [see Covenant]. But, as Ramsay has pointed out, there was a develop-ment in the meaning of the word after the publication of the LXX. This development was 'partly in the line of natural growth in Greek will-making, . . . partly in the way of assimilation of Roman ideas on wills' (Hist. Com. on Galatians, p. 360). Therefore the question which the interpreter must ask is, 'What ideas did the word convey to the first readers of the NT writings? '

The Revisers' preference for 'testament' in He 9"'-is strongly confirmed by the fact that 'the Roman will . . . appeared in the East as a document which had no standing and no meaning until after the testator's death, and was revocable by him at pleasure.' But whilst the Epistle to the Hebrews was written to those who knew only the Roman will, the Epistle to the Galatians was written at a time when in Hellenized Asia Minor 'irrevocability was a characteristic feature' of Greek will-making. The Galatian will had to do primarily with the appointment of an heir; no second will could invalidate it or 'add essentially novel con-ditions.' Such a will furnished St. Paul (3") with an analogy; like God's word, it was 'irrevocable.' It might be supplemented in details, but 'in essence the second will must confirm the original will ' (Ramsay, op. cit. p. 349 ff.).

In the NT, lestamentum is the uniform Lat. tr. of diathlkl. Frequently, therefore, it means 'covenant' (Lk 1" Ac 7', Ro 11" etc.). This use of the Latin word is the explanation of the fact that, as early as the second cent, of our era, the books of the Old and New Covenants were spoken of as the Old and New Testa-ments. J. G. Tasker.

TESTAMENTS OF TWELVE PATRIARCHS.— See

Apocalyptic Literature, 5.

TESTIMONY.— See Ark, 1; Tabernacle, 7 (a); Wit-ness; and, for 2 K 11'^, Ornaments, 4.

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