Page 210 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

EHI - ELDER

were driven out. The New Kingdom, also called the EL SHADDAI. A combination of the Hebrew words el
Empire, followed the expulsion of the Hyksos. It lasts (God) and shaddai (Almighty) (Ge. 17:1-8; 28:2-3).
from about 1570 to 1078 BC. These kings worshiped the Sometimes Shaddai is used alone (Job 6:4, 14; Ps.
god Amun, whom they considered to be identical with 68:14). This means the powerful God. Contrary to what
the earlier sun-god, Re, and therefore often referred to some commentaries claim and what we erroneously
as Amun-Re. A multitude of other gods were also taught in previous editions of this encyclopedia, the Old
worshiped in Egypt, but the priests of Amun-Re became Testament Hebrew word (shadday) translated
so important that eventually a very large proportion of “Almighty” in the King James Bible has nothing to do
the land of Egypt came to be the property of the temples with the breast. The Hebrew word shadday is from the
of the god Amun. The 18th dynasty includes a series of word “shadad,” which means “to be burly, i.e.
great rulers, a number of whom went by one of two (figuratively) powerful (passively ,
names: Thutmose or Amenhotep. This was a time of impregnable)” (Strong). We agree with the following
Egyptian military prowess, and the erection of great study from George Pember: “In order to corroborate the
monuments and temples. The 19th dynasty (about 1303 doctrine (of sex in deity) just mentioned, certain
to 1197), even more than the 18th, was a period of Theosophists have invented a new derivation for the
great building. Largely as a result of the activities of the Hebrew Shaddai, which in our versions is correctly
kings of these two dynasties, tremendous ruins stand at rendered ‘Almighty.’ They suppose it to be connected
Thebes today, making it the great outdoor museum of with a word shad, which signifies a woman’s breast. But
the world. There were a series of kings named Ramses such a derivation is impossible, and, so far as we are
(or Ramesses). Ramses II, also known as Ramses the aware, has never been proposed by an unbiased scholar.
Great, built more temples and erected more statues and More than one Christian scholar has taken up this
obelisks than any other pharaoh in history. Between the Theosophical derivation of Shaddai, and explained the
7th and 4th centuries BC, Egypt was harassed and word as meaning first ‘full-breasted,’ and then
sometimes partly conquered by the Assyrians, the ‘bountiful’” (Pember, The Church, the Churches, and the
Babylonians, and the Persians. In 332 Alexander the Mysteries). [See God, Jehovah, Jesus Christ.]
Great conquered Egypt, and after his death a year later, ELADAH (God is ornament). 1 Ch. 7:20.
one of his generals, named Ptolemy, seized Egypt and ELAH (oak). Ge. 36:41.
established a dynasty that continued for three centuries
(adapted from MacRae, Biblical Archaeology, 2005, pp. ELAM (youth). “Elam in prophecy refers to the
9, 10). EGYPT IN THE BIBLE: The first mention of Egypt country stretching east from the Lower Tigris, answering
in the Bible is in Genesis 12 when Abraham went there to what was afterwards called Persia. Later, Elam was a
to escape the famine in Canaan. That was about 1900 province of Persia (Ezr. 4:9). In Sennacherib’s time,
BC and Egypt was already a bastion of pagan idolatry. Elam was subject to Assyria (2 Ki. 18:11), and so
Egypt stands for the devil’s fallen world system, and furnished a contingent to its invading armies. Famed for
going “down to Egypt” has always signified backsliding. the bow (Is. 13:18; Je. 49:35), in which the Ethiopians
Israel was perpetually in danger of the dark spiritual alone excelled them” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown).
influence emanating from her powerful southern ELASAH (God is doer). Ezr. 10:22.
neighbor, just as the churches are in danger of the ELATH (palm grove). De. 2:8.
world’s influence today. It was to Egypt that Jacob and EL-BETHEL (god of the house of God). Ge. 35:7.
his sons moved to escape the great famine after Joseph ELDAAH (whom God called). Ge. 25:4.
became vice-ruler. Israel dwelt in Egypt for more than ELDAD (God is a friend). Nu. 11:26.
200 years before departing under the leadership of
Moses in about 1490 BC (Ex. 1-12). Egypt was often ELDER. (1) Old age (Ge. 27:42). (2) Mature older
used by God to judge Israel during the time of the men; heads of families; men of repute who serve as
Judges and the Kingdom. [See also Mizraim, World.] leaders (Ex. 3:16). (3) An office in the church (Ac.
EHI (unity). Ge. 46:21. 14:23; 20:17; 1 Ti. 5:17, 19; Tit. 1:5; Ja. 5:14; 1 Pe.
5:1). [See Pastor.] (4) The 24 elders of Revelation 7. C.I.
EHUD (strong). 1 Ch. 7:10. Scofield gives several compelling reasons for identifying
EKER (root). 1 Ch. 2:27. these elders with the church. We know that Scofield
EKRON (naturalization). Jos. 13:3. uses the term “church” in the sense of a universal body
EL (the mighty one). A name for God (Job 5:8; Ps. composed of all believers. We would use the term here
22:1; 29:1). It is also used for false gods (Ps. 81:9; Da. in a general, institutional sense, or of a future heavenly
11:36). [See God, Idolatry, Jehovah, Jesus Christ.] assembly instead: (a) Their position. They are
enthroned ‘round about’ the rainbow encircled central
throne. To the church and to the church only of all

210 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity