旧约词汇 - M

Maccabaean

From the period of Judas Maccabaeus (Judah Maccabee) and his brothers, second century B.C.E.

Maccabean revolt

The second century B.C.E. Jewish revolt against Antiochus IV led by the family of Mattathias, including his son Judas the Maccabee, described in 1 Maccabees.

Malachi

One of the Twelve Prophets; of uncertain date but probably fifth century, a prophet who foresaw the return of Elijah. See Chapter 13.

Manna

The food God provided to the Hebrews while they sojourned in the wilderness for forty years. See Chapter 3, Chapter 4.

Marduk

The chief god of the Babylonians and patron god of Babylon; he is the hero-god of the Enuma Elish.

Masoretes, Masoretic text

(Hebrew for "transmitters," derived from Hebrew masorah, "tradition") The Masoretes were rabbis in ninth century C.E. Palestine who sought to preserve the traditional text of the Bible (hence called the Masoretic text), which is still used in contemporary synagogues; the Masoretes were scholars who encouraged Bible study and attempted to achieve uniformity by establishing rules for correcting the text in matters of spelling, grammar, and pronunciation; they introduced vowel signs, accents (pointing) and marginal notes (masora).

Matriarch

(from Latin for "first mother") A term used to refer to female ancestors such as Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

Matzah

Jewish unleavened bread used at Passover.

Megillah

(pl. megillot; Hebrew for "scroll") Usually refers to the biblical scroll of Esther read on the festival of Purim.

Menorah

The multi-armed lamp or candelabrum that was used in the tabernacle and temple; a nine-branched menorah is used at Hannukah, while the seven- branched was used in the ancient Temple.

Mesopotamia

(from Greek for "between the rivers") The land defined by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, this is the location of the birth of civilization and the origin of the Israelites; the Israelites interacted with Mesopotamian people throughout their history. See Introduction.

Messiah

(from Hebrew meshiach; "anointed one"; equivalent to Greek christos) Ancient priests and kings (and sometimes prophets) of Israel were anointed with oil; in early Judaism, the term came to mean a royal descendant of the dynasty of David and redeemer figure who would restore the united kingdom of Israel and Judah and usher in an age of peace, justice and plenty; the messianic age was believed by some Jews to be a time of perfection of human institutions, others believed it to be a time of radical new beginnings, a new heaven and earth, after divine judgment and destruction; the title came to be applied to Jesus/Joshua of Nazareth by his followers, who were soon called Christians in Greek and Latin usage. See Chapter 9.

Mezuzah

(pl. mezuzot; Hebrew for "doorpost") A parchment scroll with selected Torah verses (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21) placed in a container and affixed to the exterior doorposts (at the right side of the entrance) of observant Jewish homes (see Deuteronomy 6:1-4), and sometimes also to interior doorposts of rooms; the word shaddai, "Almighty," usually is inscribed on the container.

Micah

One of the Twelve Prophets; an eighth century Judean prophet who advocated justice for all people. See Chapter 13.

Michal

A daughter of Saul, given in marriage to David; she criticized David's behavior and he refused thereafter to have relations with her. See Chapter 8.

Midian

Territory south of Canaan, of uncertain exact location; perhaps in the Sinai peninsula or western Arabia; Moses' father-in-law Jethro was a priest of Midian; the Midianites afflicted the Israelites during the time of the Judges.

Midrash

(pl. midrashim; from Hebrew darash, "to inquire," whence it comes to mean "exposition" of scripture) The term refers to the "commentary" literature developed in classical Judaism that attempts to interpret Jewish scriptures in a thorough manner; literary Midrash may focus either on halaka, directing the Jew to specific patterns of religious practice, or on (h)aggada, dealing with theological ideas, ethical teachings, popular philosophy, imaginative exposition, legend, allegory, animal fables, etc.-that is, whatever is not halaka.

Midwife

A nurse who helped with the birth of a baby; Shiphrah and Puah were Hebrew midwives who refused to cooperate in Pharaoh's scheme to kill male children.

Millennium

(from Latin for "thousand"; adj. millenarian) A thousand year period; millenarian has to do with the expected millennium, or thousand-year reign of Christ prophesied in the New Testament book of Revelation ("the Apocalypse"), a time in which the world would be brought to perfection; millenarian movements often grow up around predictions that this perfect time is about to begin. See also Apocalypse and Eschatology.

Miriam

The sister of Moses and Aaron; she led the Israelites in worship after the crossing of the Red Sea. See Chapter 3.

Mishnah

(Hebrew for "repetition, teaching") A thematic compilation of legal material, in particular, a compilation by Rabbi Judah Hanasi ("the Prince"), of laws based ultimately on principles laid down in the Torah; produced aound 200 C.E., it became the most authoritative collection of oral torah; the code is divided into six major units and sixty-three minor ones; the work is the authoritative legal tradition of the early sages and is the basis of the legal discussions of the Talmud. See Conclusion.

Mitzvah

(pl. mitzvot; Hebrew for "commandment, obligation") A ritual or ethical duty or act of obedience to God's will. See also Commandments.

Moab

A territory or country located in Transjordan, to the east of the land of Israel; a frequent enemy of the Israelites.

Monarchy

Any state ruled or headed by a monarch; Israel and Judah were ruled by monarchies during the period of the kingdoms. See Biblical Story.

Monolatry

The worship of one god while recognizing the existence of others; some scholars describe the religion of Israel as monolatry before the time of the prophets.

Monotheism

The belief that there is only one God, and that no other gods even exist; it is unlikely that Israel early in her history construed reality in this way; rather, it seems that they only went so far as to claim Yahweh as their God, the god of Israel, leaving the question of the existence of other gods to later theologians and prophets.

Mordecai

The uncle of Esther who looked after her and urged her to do everything in her power to effect the deliverance of the Jews throughout the Persian empire. See Chapter 16.

Mosaic covenant

The covenant Yahweh mediated through Moses, including the ten commandments and rules for serving God.

Moses

The leader of the Hebrews at the time of the Exodus from Egypt (thirteenth century B.C.E.); he led the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage; God revealed the Torah to him on Mount Sinai; he is also described as the first Hebrew prophet; throughout Jewish history he is the exalted man of faith and religious leader without peer. See Chapter 3.

Mount Gilboa

The location south of the Sea of Galilee where Saul and his sons died while fighting the Philistines.

Mount Sinai

The mountain in the Sinai peninsula where God communicated with Moses and revealed the covenant and ten commandments. See Chapter 3.

Mount Zion

See Zion.

Myth

A story, a theme, an object, or a character regarded as embodying an aspect of a culture; the creation stories in Genesis 1-3 may be called myths, not in the sense that they are factually false, but because they embody core beliefs of Israelite culture. See Chapter 1 Creation, Chapter 1 Divine-Human Intermarriage.