Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dehavites Villagers, one of the Assyrian tribes which Asnapper sent to repopulate Samaria (Ezr 4:9). They were probably a nomad Persian tribe on the east of the Caspian Sea, and near the Sea of Azof.

Delaiah Freed by Jehovah. (1.) The head of the twenty-third division of the priestly order (Ch1 24:18). (2.) A son of Shemaiah, and one of the courtiers to whom Jeremiah's first roll of prophecy was read (Jer 36:12). (3.) The head of one of the bands of exiles that returned under Zerubbabel to Jerusalem (Ezr 2:60; Neh 7:62).

Delilah Languishing, a Philistine woman who dwelt in the valley of Sorek (Judg. 16:4-20). She was bribed by the "lords of the Philistines" to obtain from Samson the secret of his strength and the means of overcoming it (Jdg 16:4). She tried on three occasions to obtain from him this secret in vain. On the fourth occasion she wrung it from him. She made him sleep upon her knees, and then called the man who was waiting to help her; who "cut off the seven locks of his head," and so his "strength went from him." (See SAMSON.)

Deluge The name given to Noah's flood, the history of which is recorded in Gen. 7 - 8. It began in the year 2516 B.C., and continued twelve lunar months and ten days, or exactly one solar year. The cause of this judgment was the corruption and violence that filled the earth in the ninth generation from Adam. God in righteous indignation determined to purge the earth of the ungodly race. Amid a world of crime and guilt there was one household that continued faithful and true to God, the household of Noah. "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations." At the command of God, Noah made an ark 300 cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high. He slowly proceeded with this work during a period of one hundred and twenty years (Gen 6:3). At length the purpose of God began to be carried into effect. The following table exhibits the order of events as they occurred:, In the six hundredth year of his life Noah is commanded by God to enter the ark, taking with him his wife, and his three sons with their wives (Gen 7:1). The rain begins on the seventeenth day of the second month (Gen 7:11). The rain ceases, the waters prevail, fifteen cubits upward (Gen 7:18). The ark grounds on one of the mountains of Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, or one hundred and fifty days after the Deluge began (Gen 8:1). Tops of the mountains visible on the first day of the tenth month (Gen 8:5). Raven and dove sent out forty days after this (Gen 8:6). Dove again sent out seven days afterwards; and in the evening she returns with an olive leaf in her mouth (Gen 8:10, Gen 8:11). Dove sent out the third time after an interval of other seven days, and returns no more (Gen 8:12). The ground becomes dry on the first day of the first month of the new year (Gen 8:13). Noah leaves the ark on the twenty-seventh day of the second month (Gen 8:14). The historical truth of the narrative of the Flood is established by the references made to it by our Lord (Mat 24:37; compare Luk 17:26). Peter speaks of it also (Pe1 3:20; Pe2 2:5). In Isa 54:9 the Flood is referred to as "the waters of Noah." The Biblical narrative clearly shows that so far as the human race was concerned the Deluge was universal; that it swept away all men living except Noah and his family, who were preserved in the ark; and that the present human race is descended from those who were thus preserved. Traditions of the Deluge are found among all the great divisions of the human family; and these traditions, taken as a whole, wonderfully agree with the Biblical narrative, and agree with it in such a way as to lead to the conclusion that the Biblical is the authentic narrative, of which all these traditions are more or less corrupted versions. The most remarkable of these traditions is that recorded on tablets prepared by order of Assur-bani-pal, the king of Assyria. These were, however, copies of older records which belonged to somewhere about 2000 B.C., and which formed part of the priestly library at Erech (q.v.), "the ineradicable remembrance of a real and terrible event." (See NOAH; and DELUGE.)

Demas A companion and fellow-labourer of Paul during his first imprisonment at Rome (Plm 1:24; Col 4:14). It appears, however, that the love of the world afterwards mastered him, and he deserted the apostle (Ti2 4:10).

Demetrius (1.) A silversmith at Ephesus, whose chief occupation was to make "silver shrines for Diana" (q.v.), Act 19:24, i.e., models either of the temple of Diana or of the statue of the goddess. This trade brought to him and his fellow-craftsmen "no small gain," for these shrines found a ready sale among the countless thousands who came to this temple from all parts of Asia Minor. This traffic was greatly endangered by the progress of the gospel, and hence Demetrius excited the tradesmen employed in the manufacture of these shrines, and caused so great a tumult that "the whole city was filled with confusion." (2.) A Christian who is spoken of as having "a good report of all men, and of the truth itself" (Jo3 1:12).

Demon See DAEMON.

Den A liar of wild beasts (Psa 10:9; Psa 104:22; Job 37:8); the hole of a venomous reptile (Isa 11:8); a recess for secrecy "in dens and caves of the earth" (Heb 11:38); a resort of thieves (Mat 21:13; Mar 11:17). Daniel was cast into "the den of lions" (Dan 6:16, Dan 6:17). Some recent discoveries among the ruins of Babylon have brought to light the fact that the practice of punishing offenders against the law by throwing them into a den of lions was common.

Deputy In Kg1 22:47, means a prefect; one set over others. The same Hebrew word is rendered "officer;" i.e., chief of the commissariat appointed by Solomon (Kg1 4:5, etc.). In Est 8:9; Est 9:3 (R.V., "governor") it denotes a Persian prefect "on this side" i.e., in the region west of the Euphrates. It is the modern word pasha. In Act 13:7, Act 13:8, Act 13:12; Act 18:12, it denotes a proconsul; i.e., the governor of a Roman province holding his appointment from the senate. The Roman provinces were of two kinds, (1.) senatorial and (2.) imperial. The appointment of a governor to the former was in the hands of the senate, and he bore the title of proconsul (Gr. anthupatos ). The appointment of a governor to the latter was in the hands of the emperor, and he bore the title of propraetor (Gr. antistrategos).

Derbe A small town on the eastern part of the upland plain of Lycaonia, about 20 miles from Lystra. Paul passed through Derbe on his route from Cilicia to Iconium, on his second missionary journey (Act 16:1), and probably also on his third journey (Act 18:23; Act 19:1). On his first journey (Act 14:20, Act 14:21) he came to Derbe from the other side; i.e., from Iconium. It was the native place of Gaius, one of Paul's companions (Act 20:4). He did not here suffer persecution (Ti2 3:11).