Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dinhabah Robbers' den, an Edomitish city, the capital of king Bela (Gen 36:32). It is probably the modern Dibdiba, a little north-east of Petra.

Dionysius The Areopagite, one of Paul's converts at Athens (Act 17:34).

Diotrephes Jove-nourished, rebuked by John for his pride (Jo3 1:9). He was a Judaizer, prating against John and his fellow-labourers "with malicious words" (Jo3 1:7).

Disciple A scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the Baptist (Mat 9:14), and of the Pharisees (Mat 22:16), but principally to the followers of Christ. A disciple of Christ is one who (1.) believes His doctrine, (2.) rests on His sacrifice, (3.) imbibes His spirit, and (4.) imitates His example (Mat 10:24; Luk 14:26, Luk 14:27, Luk 14:33; Joh 6:69).

Dish For eating from (Kg2 21:13). Judas dipped his hand with a "sop" or piece of bread in the same dish with our Lord, thereby indicating friendly intimacy (Mat 26:23). The "lordly dish" in Jdg 5:25 was probably the shallow drinking cup, usually of brass. In Jdg 6:38 the same Hebrew word is rendered "bowl." The dishes of the tabernacle were made of pure gold (Exo 25:29; Exo 37:16).

Dishan Antelope, the youngest son of Seir the Horite, head of one of the tribes of Idumaea (Gen 36:21, Gen 36:28, Gen 36:30).

Dispensation (Gr. oikonomia , "management," "economy"). (1.) The method or scheme according to which God carries out his purposes towards men is called a dispensation. There are usually reckoned three dispensations, the Patriarchal, the Mosaic or Jewish, and the Christian. (See COVENANT, ADMINISTRATION OF). These were so many stages in God's unfolding of his purpose of grace toward men. The word is not found with this meaning in Scripture. (2.) A commission to preach the gospel (Co1 9:17; Eph 1:10; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25). Dispensations of Providence are providential events which affect men either in the way of mercy or of judgment.

Dispersion (1.) (Gr. diaspora , "scattered," Jam 1:1; Pe1 1:1) of the Jews. At various times, and from the operation of divers causes, the Jews were separated and scattered into foreign countries "to the out-most parts of heaven" (Deu 30:4). (a.) Many were dispersed over Assyria, Media, Babylonia, and Persia, descendants of those who had been transported thither by the Exile. The ten tribes, after existing as a separate kingdom for two hundred and fifty-five years, were carried captive (721 B.C.) by Shalmaneser (or Sargon), king of Assyria. They never returned to their own land as a distinct people, although many individuals from among these tribes, there can be no doubt, joined with the bands that returned from Babylon on the proclamation of Cyrus. See map, The Table of Nations (b.) Many Jews migrated to Egypt and took up their abode there. This migration began in the days of Solomon (Kg2 18:21, Kg2 18:24; Isa 30:7). Alexander the Great placed a large number of Jews in Alexandria, which he had founded, and conferred on them equal rights with the Egyptians. Ptolemy Philadelphus, it is said, caused the Jewish Scriptures to be translated into Greek (the work began 284 B.C.), for the use of the Alexandrian Jews. The Jews in Egypt continued for many ages to exercise a powerful influence on the public interests of that country. From Egypt they spread along the coast of Africa to Cyrene (Act 2:10) and to Ethiopia (Act 8:27). (c.) After the time of Seleucus Nicator (280 B.C.), one of the captains of Alexander the Great, large numbers of Jews migrated into Syria, where they enjoyed equal rights with the Macedonians. From Syria they found their way into Asia Minor. Antiochus the Great, king of Syria and Asia, removed 3,000 families of Jews from Mesopotamia and Babylonia, and planted them in Phrygia and Lydia. (d.) From Asia Minor many Jews moved into Greece and Macedonia, chiefly for purposes of commerce. In the apostles' time they were found in considerable numbers in all the principal cities. From the time of Pompey the Great (B.C. 63) numbers of Jews from Palestine and Greece went to Rome, where they had a separate quarter of the city assigned to them. Here they enjoyed considerable freedom. Thus were the Jews everywhere scattered abroad. This, in the overruling providence of God, ultimately contributed in a great degree toward opening the way for the spread of the gospel into all lands. (2.)From the plain of Shinar This was occasioned by the confusion of tongues at Babel (Gen 11:9). They were scattered abroad "every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations" (Gen 10:5, Gen 10:20, Gen 10:31). The tenth chapter of Genesis gives us an account of the principal nations of the earth in their migrations from the plain of Shinar, which was their common residence after the Flood. In general, it may be said that the descendants of Japheth were scattered over the north, those of Shem over the central regions, and those of Ham over the extreme south. See table showing how the different families were dispersed: Japheth Families scattered to the north Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech Tiras Cimmerians and Armenians Caucasians and Scythians Medes and some Persian tribes The Tibareni and the Tartars The Moschi and the Muscovites The Thracians Elishah Tarshish Chittim Dodanim The Greeks Etruscans and Romans Cyprians and Macedonians The Rhodians Shem Families scattered to the central regions Elam Asshur Arphaxad Lud Aram Some Persian tribes Assyrian founders of Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calneh and Resen Abraham The Lydians The Syrians Isaac Ishmael Jacob Esau The Hebrews The Edomites The Ishmaelites, who mingled with the Arab tribes descended from Joktan, in the line of Eber, from Arphaxad Ham Families scattered to the extreme south Cush Mizraim Phut Canaan The Ethiopians and their colonies The Egyptians and their colonies The Libyans and Mauritanians The Canaanites, Phoenicians, and their colonies

Distaff (Heb. pelek , a "circle"), the instrument used for twisting threads by a whirl (Pro 31:19).

Divination Of false prophets (Deu 18:10, Deu 18:14; Mic 3:6, Mic 3:7, Mic 3:11), of necromancers (Sa1 28:8), of the Philistine priests and diviners (Sa1 6:2), of Balaam (Jos 13:22). Three kinds of divination are mentioned in Eze 21:21, by arrows, consulting with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been encouraged in ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the aborigines of Canaan and the Philistines (Isa 2:6; 1 Sam. 28). At a later period multitudes of magicians poured from Chaldea and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their occupations (Isa 8:19; Kg2 21:6; Ch2 33:6). This superstition widely spread, and in the time of the apostles there were "vagabond Jews, exorcists" (Act 19:13), and men like Simon Magus (Act 8:9), Bar-jesus (Act 13:6, Act 13:8), and other jugglers and impostors (Act 19:19; Ti2 3:13). Every species and degree of this superstition was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses (Exo 22:18; Lev 19:26, Lev 19:31; Lev 20:27; Deu 18:10, Deu 18:11). But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are instances of divination on record in the Scriptures by which God was pleased to make known his will. (1.) There was divination by lot, by which, when resorted to in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will (Jos 7:13). The land of Canaan was divided by lot (Num 26:55, Num 26:56); Achan's guilt was detected (Jos 7:16), Saul was elected king (Sa1 10:20, Sa1 10:21), and Matthias chosen to the apostleship, by the solemn lot (Act 1:26). It was thus also that the scape-goat was determined (Lev 16:8). (2.) There was divination by dreams (Gen 20:6; Deu 13:1, Deu 13:3; Jdg 7:13, Jdg 7:15; Mat 1:20; Mat 2:12, Mat 2:13, Mat 2:19, Mat 2:22). This is illustrated in the history of Joseph (Gen 41:25) and of Daniel (Dan 2:27; Dan 4:19). (3.) By divine appointment there was also divination by the Urim and Thummim (Num 27:21), and by the ephod. (4.) God was pleased sometimes to vouchsafe direct vocal communications to men (Deu 34:10; Exo 3:4; Exo 4:3; Deu 4:14, Deu 4:15; Kg1 19:12). He also communed with men from above the mercy-seat (Exo 25:22), and at the door of the tabernacle (Exo 29:42, Exo 29:43). (5.) Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave intimations of his will (Kg2 13:17; Jer 51:63, Jer 51:64).