Elon Oak. (1.) A city of Dan (Jos 19:43). (2.) A Hittite, father of Bashemath, Esau's wife (Gen 26:34). (3.) One of the sons of Zebulun (Gen 46:14). (4.) The eleventh of the Hebrew judges. He held office for ten years (Jdg 12:11, Jdg 12:12). He is called the Zebulonite.

Elparan Oak of Paran, a place on the edge of the wilderness bordering the territory of the Horites (Gen 14:6). This was the farthest point to which Chedorlaomer's expedition extended. It is identified with the modern desert of et-Tih. (See PARAN.)

Eltekeh God is its fear, a city in the tribe of Dan. It was a city of refuge and a Levitical city (Jos 21:23). It has been identified with Beit-Likia, north-east of latrum.

Elul (Neh 6:15), the name of the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year, and the twelfth of the civil year. It began with the new moon of our August and September, and consisted of twenty-nine days.

Elymas Magician or sorcerer, the Arabic name of the Jew Bar-jesus, who withstood Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus. He was miraculously struck with blindness (Act 13:11).

Embalming The process of preserving a body by means of aromatics (Gen 50:2, Gen 50:3, Gen 50:26). This art was practiced by the Egyptians from the earliest times, and there brought to great perfection. This custom probably originated in the belief in the future reunion of the soul with the body. The process became more and more complicated, and to such perfection was it carried that bodies embalmed thousands of years ago are preserved to the present day in the numberless mummies that have been discovered in Egypt. The embalming of Jacob and Joseph was according to the Egyptian custom, which was partially followed by the Jews (Ch2 16:14), as in the case of king Asa, and of our Lord (Joh 19:39, Joh 19:40; Luk 23:56; Luk 24:1). (See PHARAOH.)

Embroider The art of embroidery was known to the Jews (Exo 26:36; Exo 35:35; Exo 38:23; Jdg 5:30; Psa 45:14). The skill of the women in this art was seen in the preparation of the sacerdotal robes of the high priest (Ex. 28). It seems that the art became hereditary in certain families (Ch1 4:21). The Assyrians were also noted for their embroidered robes (Eze 27:24).

Emerald Heb. nophek (Exo 28:18; Exo 39:11); i.e., the "glowing stone", probably the carbuncle, a precious stone in the breastplate of the high priest. It is mentioned (Rev 21:19) as one of the foundations of the New Jerusalem. The name given to this stone in the New Testament Greek is smaragdos , which means "live coal."

Emerod See HAEMORRHOIDS.

Emims Terrors, a warlike tribe of giants who were defeated by Chedorlaomer and his allies in the plain of Kiriathaim. In the time of Abraham they occupied the country east of Jordan, afterwards the land of the Moabites (Gen 14:5; Deu 2:10). They were, like the Anakim, reckoned among the Rephaim, and were conquered by the Moabites, who gave them the name of Emims, i.e., "terrible men" (Deu 2:11). The Ammonites called them Zamzummims (Deu 2:20).