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Sun-Worship
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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sun´wûr - ship : The splendor of the sun makes it a natural object of adoration, once the purer idea of the one true God ( Romans 1:20 , Romans 1:21 ) is parted with, and in most ancient nations the worship of the sun was an outstanding feature. It is found in Babylonian and Assyrian (Šamaš ; special seats of sun-worship were Sippara and Larsa); in Egypt it is a leading feature of the religion (Ra, and, under special phases, Horus, Tum, Aten; a special seat of sun-worship was Heliopollis, the Old Testament On, called in Jeremiah 43:13 Beth-shemesh, "house of the sun"). Other cities bore the same name: Beth-shemesh ( Joshua 15:10 = Ir-shemesh; Joshua 19:41 , in Judah; Joshua 19:22 , in Issachar; Joshua 19:38 , in Naphtali; see BETH-SHEMESH ). Allusions to, and warnings against, sun-worship are frequent in the Old Testament, as in Leviticus 26:30; 2 Chronicles 14:5; 2 Chronicles 34:4 , 2 Chronicles 34:7; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9; Ezekiel 6:4 , Ezekiel 6:6 , in which passages for the King James Version "images," "idols," the Revised Version (British and American) has "sun-images" (which see); Job 31:26 , Job 31:27 and numerous passages show that this form of idolatry latterly penetrated deeply into Judah - even into its temple-worship ( 2 Kings 23:5 , 2 Kings 23:11 , "horses ... given to the sun" (see under HORSES OF THE SUN , _ "Chariots of the Sun"); and Ezekiel 8:16 ). Josiah's reformation took account of these abuses (2 Kings 23:5 , 2 Kings 23:11 ff; 2 Chronicles 34:4 , 2 Chronicles 34:7 ), and Ezekiel strenuously denounced them (Ezekiel 8:16 ff).
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Sun-Worship'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/s/sun-worship.html. 1915.
