Ca’bul (unpleasing). — This was the name given-by Hiram to a district in the land of Galilee, comprising 20 cities which King Solomon gave to him for his services in the building of the temple (1 Kings 9:10-1410And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the king's house, 11(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 13And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day. 14And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold. (1 Kings 9:10‑14)).
Cea’sar, the title of the emperors of Borne from Augustus, who was the first Caesar, down to Romulus Augustulus, who was the last.
The Cæsars mentioned in the New Testament are Augustus (Luke 2:11And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (Luke 2:1))3 Tiberius (Luke 3:1, 20-221Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, (Luke 3:1)
20Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. 21Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (Luke 3:20‑22)); Claudius (Acts 11:2828And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. (Acts 11:28)); Nero (Acts 25:88While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. (Acts 25:8)); but Caligula, who succeeded Tiberius, is not referred to Cæsare’a. Two towns of this name are mentioned in the New Testament, both being so called in honor of the Roman emperors.
1. Cæsare’a Palestina, so-called to distinguish it from the other Caesarea. This was the Roman metropolis of Palestine, and where the procurator resided. Herod the Great built it, about 22 years before the birth of Christ, and took up his residence there, after having greatly beautified it, and built a mole of a semicircular form, so as to protect the port of the city in such a manlier that a whole fleet could ride at anchor in perfect safety in all weathers. This mole was constructed of immense blocks of stone sunk in the sea at a depth of 20 fathoms, and formed one of the most stupendous works of ancient times. This Cæsarea is mentioned in Acts 10:1, 21-23, 21:8, 24 It is about 35 miles north of Joppa and 55 from Jerusalem, and is still called Kaiseriah; but it is now desolate, and its ruins are inhabited by jackals, wild boars, lizards, snakes, and scorpions.
Caesarea Philippi, which was originally called Banias, was enlarged and beautified by Philip the Tetrarch who then named it Caesarea in honor of Tiberius, adding his own name to distinguish it from Cæsarea Palestina. It was about 120 miles north of Jerusalem (Matt. 16:1313When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (Matthew 16:13); Mark 8:2727And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? (Mark 8:27)). It was afterward called Neronias, after Nero, and it was here that Titus, after his conquest at Jerusalem, compelled his Jewish prisoners to fight as gladiators in the public games. It is now a mean village, and is known by its more ancient name of Banias. The ruins of the castle of Banias, which seems to have been built by the Saracens, on the summit of a mountain, has a wall of 10 feet in thickness; and a substantial bridge, leading to another ruined castle on the south of the village, bears an Arabic legend of the date of the Crusades.
Cai’aphas, high priest in the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:22Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2)), succeeded Simon, the son of Camith about A.D. 27, and continued in office for about nine years. He was deposed A.D. 38. His wife was the daughter of Annas, who had been high priest at some time previously, and thus Luke calls both high priests, as the high priesthood was properly till death (Num. 35:2525And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. (Numbers 35:25); Heb. 7:2323And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: (Hebrews 7:23)). Thus the Lord Jesus was taken first to Annas and then to Caiaphas (John 18:12-2412Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 13And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. 14Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. 15And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. 16But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. 17Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. 18And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. 19The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 24Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. (John 18:12‑24)).
It was Caiaphas who prophesied that Jesus should die, not for that nation only, but that He should gather together the children of God which were scattered abroad (John 11:49-5249And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. (John 11:49‑52)). It was he also who rent his clothes and condemned the Lord as guilty of blasphemy for answering his solemn adjuration in truth (Matt. 26:57-6557And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. (Matthew 26:57‑65)). Caiaphas was deposed A.D. 38, but what became of him is not known.
Cain, (acquisition or possession), the first son of fallen Adam, and the firstborn of sin (Gen. 4). His entire history is that of lawlessness. This is seen in his approaching God with the fruit of the curse (vs. 3), in his wrath against Him (5), his rejection of the sin-offering (7), the murder of his brother (8), his rebellious answer against God (9), his going out from the Lord’s presence (16), and in his building a city (17), so that he might be settled and stationary where the Lord had said he should be a fugitive and a vagabond. His descendants became chiefly remarkable as artificers and musicians, thus evading the sentence which the Lord had pronounced, as to the ground not yielding her strength to the tilling of Cain, and seeking to beautify a world stained by his brother’s blood (21, 22).
Cai’nan (possessor), the son of Enos, son of Seth. Another Cainan is mentioned in Luke 3:36,36Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, (Luke 3:36) which is found in the Septuagint version of Genesis 10:24, 11:12, but is wanting in the Hebrew.
Ca’lah, or Calach, a city of Assyria, built by Ashur or Nimrod (Gen. 10:1111Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, (Genesis 10:11)), or perhaps a street of the city of Nimock (see marginal reading)
Ca’leb (dog or rabid), son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah. He and Joshua were the only two of all the men who came out of Egypt that entered the land of Canaan (Num. 14:22-2422Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Numbers 14:22‑24)).
Calf. — While Moses was in the mount with God, the Israelites induced Aaron to make them a golden calf, so that before they received the law, they had already broken it, by the worship of the molted image which they had made (Exod. 32). Long after this Jeroboam, the king of Israel, set up two calf idols, the one in Dan, and the other in Bethel (see BETHEL).
Cal’neh, or Chalneh, one of Nimrod’s cities, and supposed to be the Calno of Isaiah 10:9,9Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? (Isaiah 10:9) and the Canneh of Ezekiel 27:2323Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants. (Ezekiel 27:23). It was afterward called Ctesiphon, and stood on the banks of the Tigris opposite Celeucia. It was for a time the capital of the Parthians, but was conquered by the Assyrians (Isa. 10:99Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? (Isaiah 10:9)). Its site was afterward occupied by El-Madian, or the two cities, now in ruins.
Cal’vary (a skull), the Latin name for Golgotha (see GOLGOTHA).
Camby’ses (AHASUERUS).
Camel. —Of this useful animal there are two species. First, the Bactarian camel, which is large and robust, possessed of two hunches, and a native of the highest table-lands of Central Asia, where wild specimens may still be found. Second, the Arabian camel, or dromedary, which has but one hunch, and is of Western-Asiatic or African origin. Among these there are two races or kinds, one being slow and able to carry burdens from five to seven hundredweight, traveling at the rate of about twenty-four miles a day, and the other sort being lighter and bred for the saddle. The fleetest of these can travel about two hundred miles in twenty-four hours, but the trotting motion is so hard that the rider needs severe training to endure it. The camel has four stomachs, one of which contains cells capable of holding an extra provision of water, so that the animal can subsist four or more days without drinking. They are also small feeders, so that, when on the march, about a pound weight of dates, beans, or barley will suffice for twenty-four hours, with such thistles and thorny plants as they can snatch at with their long necks in passing.
The hunch on the back assists in sustaining them. This grows and fills with fatty substance when the animal is well fed, and supplies the want of sustenance when traveling in regions where no vegetation is to be met with. The camel is of lofty stature, very agile, has keen sight and sense of smell—often of great service to the traveler in the desert—is very patient, and able to endure both heat and cold. The dense hair or wool which grows on the skin is useful to the owner both for clothing and shelter, and the female supplies him with milk. The Arabs say, “Job’s beast is a monument of God’s mercy.”
Camphire (occurs in Song of Solomon 1:14, 4:13). — The Hebrew word is kopher. Its meaning is not certain. Camphire (which is old. English for camphor) is a substance which does not seem to have been known to the ancients. Some suppose it to be the Greek kupros, a plant greatly esteemed in the east from the earliest times on account of the fragrance of its flowers and the coloring properties of its leaves. The Arabs call it alcana or henna. The leaves are used by women in a powdered state and mixed with the juice of citrons to dye the nails and palms of the hands and the soles of the feet of an iron-rust color. The plant is not unlike the English privet.
Ca’na, a town in Galilee, near Capernaum, where the Lord Jesus Christ turned water into wine (John 4:4646So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. (John 4:46)). This Cana is not named in the Old Testament; but Josephus mentions it as a village of Galilee, and the present Kefr-Kenna is supposed to be the site of the ancient Cana. Kefr-Kenna is a small place about four miles north-east of Nazareth. A ruined place called Kana-el-Jelil, eight miles north-east of Nazareth, is thought by some to have been the site of Cana.