Easton's Bible Dictionary

Charmer One who practises serpent-charming (Psa 58:5; Jer 8:17; Ecc 10:11). It was an early and universal opinion that the most venomous reptiles could be made harmless by certain charms or by sweet sounds. It is well known that there are jugglers in India and in other Eastern lands who practise this art at the present day. In Isa 19:3 the word "charmers" is the rendering of the Hebrew 'ittim , meaning, properly, necromancers (R.V. marg., "whisperers"). In Deu 18:11 the word "charmer" means a dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object. In Isa 3:3 the words "eloquent orator" should be, as in the Revised Version, "skilful enchanter."

Charran Another form (Act 7:2, Act 7:4) of Haran (q.v.).

Chebar Length, a river in the "land of the Chaldeans" (Eze 1:3), on the banks of which were located some of the Jews of the Captivity (Eze 1:1; Eze 3:15, Eze 3:23; Eze 10:15, Eze 10:20, Eze 10:22). It has been supposed to be identical with the river Habor, the Chaboras, or modern Khabour, which falls into the Euphrates at Circesium. To the banks of this river some of the Israelites were removed by the Assyrians (Kg2 17:6). An opinion that has much to support it is that the "Chebar" was the royal canal of Nebuchadnezzar, the Nahr Malcha, the greatest in Mesopotamia, which connected the Tigris with the Euphrates, in the excavation of which the Jewish captives were probably employed.

Chedorlaomer (= Khudur-Lagamar of the inscriptions), king of Elam. Many centuries before the age of Abraham, Canaan and even the Sinaitic peninsula had been conquered by Babylonian kings, and in the time of Abraham himself Babylonia was ruled by a dynasty which claimed sovereignity over Syria and Palestine. The kings of the dynasty bore names which were not Babylonian, but at once South Arabic and Hebrew. The most famous king of the dynasty was Khammu-rabi, who united Babylonia under one rule, and made Babylon its capital. When he ascended the throne, the country was under the suzerainty of the Elamites, and was divided into two kingdoms, that of Babylon (the Biblical Shinar) and that of Larsa (the Biblical Ellasar). The king of Larsa was Eri-Aku ("the servant of the moongod"), the son of an Elamite prince, KudurMabug, who is entitled "the father of the land of the Amorites." A recently discovered tablet enumerates among the enemies of Khammu-rabi, Kudur-Lagamar ("the servant of the goddess Lagamar") or Chedorlaomer, Eri-Aku or Arioch, and Tudkhula or Tidal. Khammu-rabi, whose name is also read Ammi-rapaltu or Amraphel by some scholars, succeeded in overcoming Eri-Aku and driving the Elamites out of Babylonia. Assur-bani-pal, the last of the Assyrian conquerors, mentions in two inscriptions that he took Susa 1635 years after Kedor-nakhunta, king of Elam, had conquered Babylonia. It was in the year 660 B.C. that Assur-bani-pal took Susa.

Cheek Smiting on the cheek was accounted a grievous injury and insult (Job 16:10; Lam 3:30; Mic 5:1). The admonition (Luk 6:29), "Unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other," means simply, "Resist not evil" (Mat 5:39; Pe1 2:19). Psa 3:7 = that God had deprived his enemies of the power of doing him injury.

Cheese (A.S. cese). This word occurs three times in the Authorized Version as the translation of three different Hebrew words: (1.) Sa1 17:18, "ten cheeses;" i.e., ten sections of curd. (2.) Sa2 17:29, "cheese of kine" = perhaps curdled milk of kine. The Vulgate version reads "fat calves." Job 10:10, curdled milk is meant by the word. cese). This word occurs three times in the Authorized Version as the translation of three different Hebrew words: (a.) Sa1 17:18, "ten cheeses;" i.e., ten sections of curd. (b.) Sa2 17:29, "cheese of kine" = perhaps curdled milk of kine. The Vulgate version reads "fat calves." (c.) Job 10:10, curdled milk is meant by the word.

Chemarim Black, (Zep 1:4; rendered "idolatrous priests" in Kg2 23:5, and "priests" in Hos 10:5). Some derive this word from the Assyrian Kamaru, meaning "to throw down," and interpret it as describing the idolatrous priests who prostrate themselves before the idols. Others regard it as meaning "those who go about in black." or "ascetics."

Chemosh The destroyer, subduer, or fishgod, the god of the Moabites (Num 21:29; Jer 48:7, Jer 48:13, Jer 48:46). The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (Kg1 11:7), but was abolished by Josiah (Kg2 23:13). On the "Moabite Stone" (q.v.), Mesha (Kg2 3:5) ascribes his victories over the king of Israel to this god, "And Chemosh drove him before my sight."

Chenaanah Merchant. (1.) A Benjamite (Ch1 7:10). (2.) The father of Zedekiah (Kg1 22:11, Kg1 22:24).

Chenaiah Whom Jehovah hath made, "chief of the Levites," probably a Kohathite (Ch1 15:22), and therefore not the same as mentioned in Ch1 26:29.