the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Bible Encyclopedias
Ezel
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or occurs only in the name EBEN-EZEL (Hebrews with the art. repeated, ha- E'ben ha-E'zel, חָאֶבֶן הָאֶזֶל [in pause אָזֶל , A'zel], the stone of the departure, perhaps i.e., mile-stone; Sept. τὸ ῾Εργὰβ v.r. ἔργον and ὁ λίθος ] ἐκεῖνο; Vulg. lapis cui nomen est Ezel; A.V. "the stone Ezel"), an old testimonial-stone in the neighborhood of Saul's residence, the scene of the parting of David and Jonathan when the former finally fled from the court (1 Samuel 20:19). It seems to have derived its name from some early circumstance not recorded. At the second mention of the spot (1 Samuel 20:41) the Hebrews text ( מֵאֵצֶל הִנֶּגֶם A.V. "out of a place toward the south," literally "from the slope of the south;" Sept. ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀργάβ,Vulg. de loco qui vergebat ad austrum) is, in the opinion of some critics, corrupt, as indicated by the Sept., which in both cases has Ergab or Argab (i.e. אִרְגֹּב, Argob', a heap of stones) in 1 Samuel 20:19 for the Hebrews Eben, "stone," and in 1 Samuel 20:41 for han-negeb, "the south." The sense in 1 Samuel 20:41 would then be as follows: "David arose from close to the stone heap" — close to which (the same preposition, אֵצֶל; A.V. "by") it had been arranged beforehand that he should remain (1 Samuel 20:19). Other interpreters, however, render simply "on the south side," a signification which sufficiently suits the circumstances. (See BETH-EZEL).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Ezel'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/e/ezel.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
