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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

AK


AKAN

a'-kan (`aqan, "twisted"): A son of Ezer, a descendant of Esau of Seir (Gen 36:27). He is called Jaakan in 1 Ch 1:42. The King James Version margin has Jakan.


AKATAN

ak'-a-tan (Akatan; the King James Version, Acatan = Hakkatan; Ezr 8:12): The father of Joannes who returned with Ezra to Jerusalem (1 Esdras 8:38).


AKELDAMA

a-kel'-da-ma (Akeldama, or, in many manuscripts, Akeldamach; the King James Version, Aceldama): A field said in Acts 1:19 to have been bought by Judas with the "thirty pieces of silver." In Mt 27:6,7 it is narrated that the priests took the silver pieces which Judas had "cast down .... into the sanctuary" and "bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day." Doubtless it was a supposed connection between this potter's field and the potter's house (Jer 18:2) and the Valley of the Son of Hinnom (Jer 19:2) which influenced the selection of the present site which, like the Aramaic h-q-l-d-m-' (Dalman), is today known as haqq-ed-dumm, "field of blood."

Tradition, which appears to go back to the 4th century, points to a level platform on, and some distance up, the southern slope of the Wady er Rababi (Valley of Hinnom) just before it joins the Kidron Valley. Upon this spot there is a very remarkable ruin (78 ft. x 57 ft.) which for many centuries was used as a charnel house. The earth here was reputed to have the property of quickly consuming dead bodies. So great was its reputation that vast quantities of it are said to have been transported in 1215 AD to the Campo Santo at Pisa. When this building was standing entire, the bodies were lowered into it through five openings in the roof and then left to disintegrate, so that a few years ago there were very many feet of bones all over the floor. These have now been removed. A little Southeast of this ruin is a new Greek monastery erected in recent years over the remains of a large number of cave tombs; many of the bones from "Akeldama" are now buried here.

E. W. G. Masterman


AKKAD; AKKADIANS

ak'-ad, a-ka'-di-ans.

See ACCAD ;ACCADIANS .


AKKOS

ak'-os (Akbos in 1 Esdras 5:38; the King James Version Accos, which see): The Old Testament equivalent (1 Ch 24:10; Ezr 2:61; Neh 3:4,21) is HAKKOZ (haqqots), which also see.


AKKUB

ak'-ub (`aqqubh, "pursuer"): (1) A son of Elioenai, a descendant of Zerubbabel (1 Ch 3:24). (2) A Levite porter on duty at the east gate of the second Temple (1 Ch 9:17).


AKRABATTINE

ak-ra-ba-ti'-ne (Akrabattine; the King James Version, Arabattine): A place in Idumaea where Judas Maccabee defeated the children of Esau (1 Macc 5:3).


AKRABBIM

ak-rab'-im (once in the King James Version, Acrabbim (Josh 15:3); `aqrabbim, "scorpions"): Three times found (Nu 34:4; Josh 15:3; Jdg 1:36), and always with ma`aleh, "ascent" or "pass"; and so "Ascent of the Scorpions," an ascent at the Southwest point of the Dead Sea and a part of the boundary line between Judah and Edom. At this pass Judas Maccabeus won a victory over the Edomites (1 Macc 5:3), called in the King James Version, Arabattine.



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