Ca’naan was the son of Ham, and grandson of Noah (Gen. 9:18).
Ca’naan (land of) was the ancient name of Palestine west of the Jordan (Gen. 13:12; Num. 33:51). Eastward of the Jordan the country was called Gilead in a general way. It was in Gilead that the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, chose to dwell, and where they were the first to feel the power of the enemy (2 Kings 15:29). Phoenicia and Philistia were included in the general name of Canaan, and this name is found on Phoenician coins (see PALESTINE).
Ca’naanites, the descendants of Canaan, from whom the land took its name. These people were divided into several nations, such as the Hivites, Jebusites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Hittites (Josh. 24). They were remarkable for their wickedness, even as early as the days of Abraham, under the general name of Amorites (Gen. 15:16; 1 Kings 21:26). But God bore with them for nearly 500 years, until at last their iniquity was full. Every kind of wickedness was openly practiced by them, and at last the Lord commanded the children of Israel to destroy and drive them out of the land. This was partially accomplished under Joshua; but it was not until David’s reign that they were completely subdued, and the land possessed as far eastward as the Euphrates according to the promise of the Lord (Deut. 1:7, 8; 2 Sam. 10:19). In the reign of Solomon, the broken remnants of these nations were put under a tribute of bond-service to Israel (1 Kings 9:20, 21). It is said by Procopias that there were in Numidia, at Tingis, two columns bearing the following inscription in. Phoenician characters, “We are those who fled from the face of Joshua, the robber, the son of Naue.”
Canda’ce, queen of the Ethiopians, whose treasurer was converted by the preaching of Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8). She was queen of a region in upper Nubia, called Moroe by the Greeks, and supposed to be the province now called Atbara. It was long the Center of commerce between Africa and the south of Asia, and became one of the richest countries on earth. The “merchandise of Ethiopia” was celebrated in ancient times (Isa. 45:14). Both before and after the period at which Philip lived, Ethiopia was under female rule, the queens being called Candace, which was rather a title than a name, as with the Pharaohs of Egypt. Tradition says that Candace herself was afterwards converted by the eunuch, and that he also preached the Gospel throughout her kingdom. He is likewise called the apostle of Tagré, which was that part of Abyssinia that lay nearest to Meroe, and it is said that he extended his preaching afterward to Arabia Felix and the island of Ceylon, where he was martyred.
Candlestick. — The candlestick in the tabernacle was “all of it one beaten work of pure gold.” It consisted of a shaft (which is called “the candlestick”) with three branches on each side, each branch having three bowls like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower and in the candlestick (or shaft) were four bowls made like unto almonds with their knops and their flowers, while under each pair of branches there was a knop. To this candlestick and its branches there were seven golden lamps with tongs and snuff-dishes; the whole, including the vessels, being made out of one talent of pure gold, according to the pattern shown to Moses on the mount (Ex. 25:31-40, 37:17-24). The lamps were supplied, and the light continually maintained, with “pure olive oil beaten for the light” (Lev. 24:1-4). The lamps were expressly said to give their light “over against the face of” the candlestick (see Exodus 25:37, margin; Numbers 8:3; comp. John 16:14), from which it would seem that the shaft or middle stem, which was expressly called the candlestick, was higher than the branches (Col. 1:18). As there were no windows in the tabernacle, the light of the sun was shut out, and the priests ministered within by the light given from the candlestick by the olive oil, and not by the light of nature, or of this world (1 Cor. 2:12; John 4:23; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 3:3). And it was only in the light shed from the Candlestick (Acts 2:33) that they could see the golden table with its “continual bread” (Num. 4:7; Ex. 25:23-30; John 6:35), or the beautiful colors of the inner curtains of the tabernacle, never seen without (Song of Sol. 5:9-13; John 10:14; 1 Cor. 2:10).
Christ is “the Light,” and they that believe in Him are “the children of light” (John 1:9, 12:36; comp. Phil. 2:15,16; Eph. 5:8; Rev. 1:12). And in the “Father’s house” He will still be the Light of the glory (Rev. 21:23), when lie and “the children which God hath given” Him (Heb. 2:13) are manifested ONE (John 17:22, 23), and the Glory throws its luster on Israel (Isa. 4:5, main, 60:1, 2, 40:5) as the Candlestick did on the twelve loaves in the tabernacle; and going even beyond Israel, so that “the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it” ‘(Rev. 21:24), its radiance shall enlighten the whole “breadth and length and depth and height” of that wondrous sphere which grace shall fill through the obedience and “love of Christ.”
The candlestick carried away by the Romans after the destruction of the temple, and represented on the arch of Titus, is not to be relied on as exactly like that made under the direction of Moses, though it gives some idea of its form. In it the Center shaft or candlestick is level with the branches, so that they could not throw their light “over against the face of it.” This trophy of Rome’s victory over God’s people was afterward seized by Genseric (A.D. 455), when Rome in her turn was pillaged by him. It was taken to Africa, and then, nearly a hundred years afterward (A.D. 533), was recaptured from the Vandals by Belisarius, carried to Constantinople and thence sent to Jerusalem. Since that time it has entirely disappeared, Israel is left without her light, and in “gross darkness” till He shall come in glory.
Cane. — Mentioned Isaiah 43:24, and probably cinnamon (Ex. 30:23; Jer. 6:20).
Can’neh (Ezek. 27:23), probably Calneh (Gen. 10:10).