ses: A remarkable array of 20 Hebrew and 6 Greek words is so translated. In the King James Version 15 of the former and 3 of the latter are used only once with this rendering. The originals most frequently in use are chadhal, "to leave off"; shabhath "to rest from" (labor); pauomai, "to make to cease." Few words illustrate better the fertility of the Hebrew in expressing limitless shades of meaning, impoverished by the use of one English word. This extensive variety is, however, well expressed by "cease": i.e. stop, come to an end, e.g. ceasing of tears (Jer 14:17); work (Ezr 4:24); grinders (Eccl 12:3); thunder (Ex 9:29); the wicked (Job 3:17); anger (Ps 37:8). The significance of shabhath lies in its being the Hebrew for Sabbath, implying complete cessation: as of manna (Josh 5:12); strife and ignominy (Prov 22:10); occurs with negative to show the ceaseless Providence of God in Nature: "summer and winter .... shall not c." (Gen 8:22). In the New Testament it illustrates Christ's power over Nature; wind and raging sea ceased (Lk 8:24); over a sinner's heart: "not ceased to kiss my feet" (dialeipo) (Lk 7:45); devotion of the early disciples, "ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ" (Acts 5:42); the eternity and blessedness of the believer's sabbatic rest (apoleipo) (Hebrew 4:10 the King James Version).
Dwight M. Pratt
se'-dar, se'-der ('erez, from Hebrew root meaning "to be firm"; kedros): The 'erez was in almost all the Old Testament references the true cedar, Cedrus libani, but the name may have been applied in a loose way to allied trees, such as junipers and pines. In Nu 24:6--"as cedar-trees beside the waters"--the reference must, as is most probable, be purely poetical (see ALOES ) or the 'arazim must signify some other kind of tree which flourishes beside water.
1. Cedar for Ritual Cleansing:
Cedar is twice mentioned as a substance for ritual cleansing. In Lev 14:4 the cleansed leper was sprinkled with the blood of a "clean bird" into which had been put "cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop." In Nu 19:6 "cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet" were to be cast into the holocaust of the red heifer. (For the symbolical meaning see CLEAN .) Here it is very generally considered that the cedar could not have been the wood of Cedrus libani, which so far as we know never grew in the wilderness, but that of some species of juniper--according to Post, Juniperis phoenicea, which may still be found in the wilderness of Edom.
2. Cedar Trees in the Old Testament:
Cedar trees are everywhere mentioned with admiration in the Old Testament. Solomon made the cedar the first of trees (1 Ki 4:33). They are the "glory of Lebanon" (Isa 35:2; 60:13). The most boastful threat of Sennacherib was that he would cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon (Isa 37:24). They were strong, as is implied in--
"The voice of Yahweh is powerful; ....
The voice of Yahweh breaketh the cedars;
Yea, Yahweh breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon"
The cedars are tall--"whose height was like the height of the cedars"--(Am 2:9; 2 Ki 19:23); majestic (2 Ki 14:9), and excellent (Song 5:15). The Assyrian power is compared to--"a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a forest-like shade, an high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs .... its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long" (Ezek 31:3-5). They are in particular God's trees--
"The trees of Yahweh are filled with moisture,
The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted" (Ps 104:16).
Doubtless as a reminiscence of this the Syrians today call the cedar `ars er rubb, "the cedar of the Lord." The growth of the cedar is typical of that of the righteous man (Ps 92:12).
That cedars were once very abundant in the Lebanon is evident (1 Ki 6:9-18; 10:27). What they contributed to the glory and beauty of that district may be seen in Zec 11:1-2:
"Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.
Wail, O fir-tree, for the cedar is fallen, because the
glorious (Revised Version margin) ones are destroyed:
Wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down."
The wood of the cedar has always been highly prized--much more so than the sycamore (1 Ki 10:27; Isa 9:10). David had a house of cedar built for him by Hiram, king of Tyre (2 Sam 5:11), and he prepared "cedar-trees without number" for the temple which his son was to build (1 Ch 22:4). Cedar timber was very much used in the construction of Solomon's temple and palace, the trees being cut in the Lebanon by Sidonians by orders of the king of Tyre--"Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire" (1 Ki 5:6-10). One of Solomon's most important buildings was known as "the house of the forest of Lebanon" (1 Ki 7:2; 10:17; 2 Ch 9:16), on account of the source of its materials. While cedar was well adapted for beams ( 1 Ki 6:9; Song 1:17), boards (Song 8:9), pillars (1 Ki 7:2) and ceilings (Jer 22:14), it was suited as well for carved work, such as idols (Isa 44:14,15). It was also used for ships' masts (Ezek 27:5).
The Cedrus libani still survives in the mountains of Syria and flourishes in much greater numbers in the Taurus mountains. "There are groves of cedars above el-Ma`acir, Baruk, `Ain Zehaltah, Hadith, Besherri, and Sir" (Post, Flora, 751). Of these the grove at Besherri is of world-wide renown. It consists of a group of about 400 trees, among them some magnificent old patriarchs, which lies on the bare slopes of the Lebanon some 6,000 ft. above the sea. Doubtless they are survivors of a forest which here once covered the mountain slopes for miles. The half a dozen highest specimens reach a height of between 70 and 80 ft., and have trunks of a circumference of 40 ft. or more. It is impossible to estimate with any certainty their age, but they may be as much as 800, or even 1,000, years old. Though magnificent, these are by no means the largest of their kind. Some of the cedars of Amanus are quite 100 ft. high and the Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara, a variety of Cedrus libani, reaches a height of 150 ft. The impressiveness of the cedar lies, however, not so much in its height and massive trunk, as in the wonderful lateral spread of its branches, which often exceeds its height. The branches grow out horizontally in successive tiers, each horizontal plane presenting, when looked at from above, the appearance of a green sward. The leaves are about an inch long, arranged in clusters; at first they are bright green, but they change with age to a deeper tint with a glaucous hue; the foliage is evergreen, the successive annual growths of leaves each lasting two years. The cones, 4 to 6 inches long, are oval or oblong-ovate, with a depression at times at the apex; they require two years to reach maturity and then, unlike other conifers, they remain attached to the tree, dropping out their scales bearing the seeds.
The wood of the cedar, specially grown under the conditions of its natural habitat, is hard, close grained, and takes a high polish. It is full of resin (Ps 92:14) which preserves it from rot and from worms. Cedar oil, a kind of turpentine extracted from the wood, was used in ancient times as a preservative for parchments and garments.
E. W. G. Masterman
se'-dron.
See KIDRON .
se'-lan.
See KILAN .
seld, sel'-ing (the King James Version and the English Revised Version Cieled, Cieling; the Hebrew words for "ceiled" are chippah, caphan, sachiph; for "ceiling," cippun): Ceiling occurs only in 1 Ki 6:15. It comes from the root caphan, meaning "to cover." It has its common meaning of the upper surface of a room; there is, however, some doubt of the textual Ceiled is found in 2 Ch 3:5 ((chippah); Jer 22:14; Hag 1:4 (caphan in both); Ezek 41:16 (sachiph)), the text of the last passage being doubtful. In none of these cases does "ceiled" refer to the upper surface of a room, but to the covering or paneling of the inner walls of a house with cedar or other costly wood. This is in accordance with a common early use of the English word, no longer frequent.
George Ricker Berry
sel'-e-brat: Of the three Hebrew words so rendered halal, "to praise" is preeminently significant. It is an onomatopoetic word meaning "to give a clear sharp sound," as word in vocal rejoicing, celebration. Its equivalent in Ethiopic is ellell, German hallen, English halloo, and appears in the great choral word Hallelujah of the Hebrew religion. Passing into Christian use it has become the term most expressive of majestic praise. Psalms 113 through 118 and 136 are called Hallel psalms. Found in Hezekiah's psalm of praise for his miraculous recovery: "Death cannot celebrate thee" (Isa 38:18). chaghagh, root meaning "to move in a circle" hence, "to keep a festival" by sacred leaping and dancing; "celebrate (the Revised Version (British and American) "keep") a feast" (Lev 23:41); shabhath, "to rest," i.e. keep or observe a holy day; "celebrate (the Revised Version (British and American) "keep") your sabbath" (Lev 23:32).
Dwight M. Pratt
se-les'-chal (epouranios, "above the sky," "heavenly"): Peculiar to Paul's majestic argument on the resurrection: celestial verses terrestrial bodies (1 Cor 15:40) with reference possibly to sun and moon, etc., but more probably to the bodies of angels in distinction from those of beasts and mortal men (compare Christ's words, Mt 22:30; Lk 20:36); including also doubtless in the apostle's thought the resurrection-body of Jesus and of the saints already taken-into glory. Light is thrown on its meaning by the rendering of the same Greek original as "heavenly places" (Eph 1:3,20; 2:6; 3:10); "heavenly" (1 Cor 15:48). Hence, "celestial" as used by Paul indicates the soul's continued life beyond the grave, the spiritual body of the redeemed in heaven, who, in Christ, have put on immortality.
Dwight M. Pratt
sel'-er, sel'-ar (krupte; 'otsar): Krupte is found only in Lk 11:33, and is rendered "cellar" in the Revised Version (British and American); the King James Version has "secret place." In this passage it doubtless means a cellar beneath a house. Etymologically the Greek word means "a covered place," and in classical Greek its usage includes vaults and crypts as well as cellars. It seems evident that it was only the larger houses in Palestine in which cellars were used with any frequency. It is shown by the excavations that in rebuilding a town which was in ruins the old houses were sometimes utilized as cellars for the new. 'otsar, is rendered cellar only in 1 Ch 27:27 f. It is an erroneous rendering, the correct meaning being stores, or supplies, of wine and oil.
George Ricker Berry
se-lo-sir'-i-a.
See COELE-SYRIA .
sen'-kre-e (Kegchreai, Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek Kenchreai; the King James Version incorrectly Cenchrea): A seaport of Corinth on the eastern side of the isthmus (see CORINTH ). Here according to Acts 18:18, Paul had his hair shorn before sailing for Syria, since he had a vow. A local church must have been established there by Paul, since Phoebe, the deaconess of Cenchrea, was entrusted with the Epistle to the Romans, and was commended to them in the highest terms by the apostle, who charged them to "assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need" (Rom 16:1,2).
sen-de-be'-us (Kendebaios; the King James Version Cendebeus): A general of Antiochus VII who was appointed "captain of the seacoast" of Palestine (1 Macc 15:38 ff) after the defeat of Tryphon by Antiochus 138 BC. He fortified Kedron and harassed the Jews in various ways. As Simon Maccabeus was too old to attack Cendebaeus in person he sent his two eldest sons, Judas and John, who defeated him with great loss at Modin (1 Macc 16:1-10).
sen'-ser: In the King James Version censer is used as a translation of two Hebrew words, namely, machtah, and miqTereth. The former word is generally rendered "censer," sometimes "firepan," and in three cases (Ex 25:38; 37:23; Nu 4:9) "snuffdish" It denoted a bowl-shaped vessel used for different purposes, namely, (1) a censer, in which incense was burnt (Lev 10:1); (2) a firepan, made of bronze, used in connection with the altar of burnt offering (Ex 27:3); (3) a snuffdish, i.e. a receptacle to hold pieces of burnt lamp-wick removed by the tongs or snuffers (Ex 25:38). Probably in all these cases the same kind of vessel was meant, namely, a bowl-shaped utensil with a handle, not unlike a saucepan. The other Hebrew word (derived from the same root as the word for "incense") denoted a vessel for conveying incense (Ezek 8:11; 2 Ch 26:19). The Greek word thumiaterion, by which the Septuagint rendered miqTereth, is used also in Hebrew 9:4, where the King James Version gives "censer," but the American Standard Revised Version is probably more correct, namely, "altar of incense" (see Commentaries under the word). Compare also Rev 8:3,1, where libanotos, properly the adjective of "frankincense," is translated "censer."
T. Lewis
sen'-sus.
sen-tu'-ri-un: As the name implies, hekatontarches or hekatontarchos, kenturion, Latin centurio, was the commander of a hundred men, more or less, in a Roman legion. Matthew and Luke use the Greek word while Mark prefers the Latin form, as he does in the case of other words, seeing that he wrote primarily for Roman readers. The number of centurions in a legion was 60, that being at all epochs the number of centuries, although the number varied in the cohort or speira. The ordinary duties of the centurion were to drill his men, inspect their arms, food and clothing, and to command them in the camp and in the field. Centurions were sometimes employed on detached service the conditions of which in the provinces are somewhat obscure. Men like Cornelius and Julius (Acts 10:1; 27:1) may have been separated from the legion to which they properly belonged for the discharge of special duties. They and other centurions mentioned in the Gospels and the Acts (Mt 8:5; Mk 15:39,44,45; Lk 23:47) are represented by the sacred writers in a favorable light.
See AUGUSTAN BAND .
T. Nicol.
se'-fas.
se'-ras (Keras; the Revised Version (British and American) KERAS (which see)).
ser'-tin, ser'-tin-li, ser'tin-ti: The rendering of some Hebrew words and forms expressive of what is definitely settled or determined.
(1) Translation of the Hebrew nakhon, "to be established" or "fixed," as in Dt 13:14 (Hebrew 15); 17:4; 1 Sam 23:23 (of Ex 16:4, "a certain rate every day" the King James Version). In the New Testament it is the rendering of asphales, asphaleia, from "a" privative and sphallein, "to shake" or "move"; as in Lk 1:4, "the certainty of those things" = actual circumstances; Acts 21:34; 22:30; 25:26.
(2) The word "certain" is also employed in the Old Testament to bring out the force of the absolute infinitive form used with the finite verb to express emphasis or to strengthen the idea of the main verb (Kautzsch-Gesenius, Hebrew Grammar, translation Collins-Cowley, 357, 3). Such usage occurs in Gen 18:10; Josh 9:24; Lev 5:19; 24:16; 1 Sam 20:3 the King James Version; 1 Ki 2:37; Jer 26:15; 36:29; 42:19,22; 44:17.
(3) The word "certain" is also made auxiliary to bring out the force of such expressions as the Hebrew yatsabh, "to be firm," as in Dan 2:8; also in the New Testament, of the verb astatein as in 1 Cor 4:11, "have no certain dwelling-place."
(4) Mention might be made also of "certain" as the rendering of sundry words, as 'akh, in Lam 2:16; ki, in Ex 3:12; and ontos, in Lk 23:47, all being expressions for what is sure, beyond doubt.
W. N. Stearns
ser'-ti-fi: Occurs in (1) 2 Sam 15:28 (haggidh, "to show," "announce," from naghadh); (2) Ezr 4:14,16; 5:10; 7:24 (hodha`, "to make known," from yedha'; Aramaic for yadha`); (3) Est 2:22 the King James Version ('amar, "to say," "tell," so the Revised Version (British and American)); and (4) Gal 1:11 the King James Version gnorizo, "to make to know," so the Revised Version (British and American)). In the English Versions of the Bible, accordingly, the word has not the strong, specific sense of "to make certain," but only the broader sense of "to make to know." Compare Ps 39:5 (Prayer Book version), "that I may be certified how long I have to live."
se'-tab.
See KETAB .