Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter J - Page 5
Jeel (n.) A morass; a shallow lake. [Written also jhil.] [India] -- Whitworth.
Jeer (n.) (Naut.) A gear; a tackle.
Jeer (n.) (Naut.) pl. An assemblage or combination of tackles, for hoisting or lowering the lower yards of a ship.
Jeer capstan (Naut.), An extra capstan usually placed between the foremast and mainmast.
Jeered (imp. & p. p.) of Jeer.
Jeering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jeer.
Jeer (v.) To utter sarcastic or scoffing reflections; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language; to scoff; as, to jeer at a speaker.
But when he saw her toy and gibe and jeer. -- Spenser.
Syn: To sneer; scoff; flout; gibe; mock.
Jeer (v. t.) To treat with scoffs or derision; to address with jeers; to taunt; to flout; to mock at.
And if we can not jeer them, we jeer ourselves. -- B. Jonson.
Jeer (n.) A railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery.
Midas, exposed to all their jeers, Had lost his art, and kept his ears. -- Swift.
Jeer (n.) Showing your contempt by derision [syn: jeer, jeering, mockery, scoff, scoffing].
Jeer (v.) Laugh at with contempt and derision; "The crowd jeered at the speaker" [syn: jeer, scoff, flout, barrack, gibe].
Jeerer (n.) A scoffer; a railer; a mocker.
Jeerer (n.) Someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls out in derision [syn: scoffer, flouter, mocker, jeerer].
Jeering (a.) Mocking; scoffing.
Jeering (n.) A mocking utterance.
Jeers (n. pl.) See 1st Jeer (b).
Jeffersonia (n.) An American herb with a pretty, white, solitary blossom, and deeply two-cleft leaves (Jeffersonia diphylla); twinleaf.
Jeffersonian (a.) Pertaining to, or characteristic of, Thomas Jefferson or his policy or political doctrines.
Jeffersonite (n.) A variety of pyroxene of olive-green color passing into brown. It contains zinc.
Jeg (n.) See Jig, 6.
Jehovah (n.) A Scripture name of the Supreme Being, by which he was revealed to the Jews as their covenant God or Sovereign of the theocracy; the "ineffable name" of the Supreme Being, which was not pronounced by the Jews.
Jehovist (n.) One who maintains that the vowel points of the word Jehovah, in Hebrew, are the proper vowels of that word; -- opposed to adonist.
Jehovist (n.) The writer of the passages of the Old Testament, especially those of the Pentateuch, in which the Supreme Being is styled Jehovah. See Elohist.
Jehovistic (a.) Relating to, or containing, Jehovah, as a name of God; -- said of certain parts of the Old Testament, especially of the Pentateuch, in which Jehovah appears as the name of the Deity. See Elohistic.
Jehu (n.) A coachman; a driver; especially, one who drives furiously. [Colloq.]
Jehu, () Jehovah is he. (1.) The son of Obed, and father of Azariah (1 Chr. 2:38).
Jehu, () (2.) One of the Benjamite slingers that joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3).
Jehu, () (3.) The son of Hanani, a prophet of Judah (1 Kings 16:1, 7; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:34), who pronounced the sentence of God against Baasha, the king of Israel.
Jehu, () (4.) King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2), and grandson of Nimshi. The story of his exaltation to the throne is deeply interesting. During the progress of a war against the Syrians, who were becoming more and more troublesome to Israel, in a battle at Ramoth-gilead Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been wounded; and leaving his army there, had returned to Jezreel, whither his ally, Ahaziah, king of Judah, had also gone on a visit of sympathy with him (2 Kings 8:28, 29). The commanders, being left in charge of the conduct of the war, met in council; and while engaged in their deliberations, a messenger from Elisha appeared in the camp, and taking Jehu from the council, led him into a secret chamber, and there anointed him king over Israel, and immediately retired and disappeared (2 Kings 9:5, 6). On being interrogated by his companions as to the object of this mysterious visitor, he informed them of what had been done, when immediately, with the utmost enthusiasm, they blew their trumpets and proclaimed him king (2 Kings 9:11-14). He then with a chosen band set forth with all speed to Jezreel, where, with his own hand, he slew Jehoram, shooting him through the heart with an arrow (9:24). The king of Judah, when trying to escape, was fatally wounded by one of Jehu's soldiers at Beth-gan. On entering the city, Jehu commanded the eunchs of the royal palace to cast down Jezebel into the street, where her mangled body was trodden under foot by the horses. Jehu was now master of Jezreel, whence he communicated with the persons in authority in Samaria the capital, commanding them to appear before him on the morrow with the heads of all the royal princes of Samaria. Accordingly on the morrow seventy heads were piled up in two heaps at his gate. At "the shearing-house" (2 Kings 10:12-14) other forty-two connected with the house of Ahab were put to death (2 Kings 10:14). As Jehu rode on toward Samaria, he met Jehonadab (q.v.), whom he took into his chariot, and they entered the capital together. By a cunning stratagem he cut off all the worshippers of Baal found in Samaria (2 Kings 10:19-25), and destroyed the temple of the idol (2 Kings 10:27).
Notwithstanding all this apparent zeal for the worship of Jehovah, Jehu yet tolerated the worship of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel. For this the divine displeasure rested upon him, and his kingdom suffered disaster in war with the Syrians (2 Kings 10:29-33). He died after a reign of twenty-eight years (B.C. 884-856), and was buried in Samaria (10:34-36). "He was one of those decisive, terrible, and ambitious, yet prudent, calculating, and passionless men whom God from time to time raises up to change the fate of empires and execute his judgments on the earth." He was the first Jewish king who came in contact with the Assyrian power in the time of Shalmaneser II.
Jehu, () Himself who exists
Jejunal (a.) Pertaining to the jejunum.
Jejune (a.) Lacking matter; empty; void of substance.
Jejune (a.) Void of interest; barren; meager; dry; as, a jejune narrative.
Jejune (a.) Juvenile; childish; immature.
Jejune (a.) Lacking nutritional value. -- Je*june"ly, adv. -- Je*june"ness, n. -- Bacon.
Jejune (a.) Lacking in nutritive value; "the jejune diets of the very poor" [syn: insubstantial, jejune].
Jejune (a.) Displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity; "adolescent insecurity"; "jejune responses to our problems"; "their behavior was juvenile"; "puerile jokes" [syn: adolescent, jejune, juvenile, puerile].
Jejune (a.) Lacking interest or significance or impact; "an insipid personality"; "jejune novel" [syn: insipid, jejune].
Jejunity (n.) The quality of being jejune; jejuneness.
Jejunity (n.) The quality of being vapid and unsophisticated [syn: jejunity, jejuneness, tameness, vapidity, vapidness].
Jejunity (n.) Quality of lacking nutritive value [syn: jejunity, jejuneness].
Jejunum (n.) (Anat.) The middle division of the small intestine, between the duodenum and ileum; -- so called because usually found empty after death.
Jejunum (n.) The part of the small intestine between the duodenum and the ileum.
Jelerang (n.) (Zool.) A large, handsome squirrel ({Sciurus Javensis), native of Java and Southern Asia; -- called also Java squirrel.
Jell (v. i.) To jelly. [Colloq.]
Jellied (a.) Brought to the state or consistence of jelly.
Jellied (a.) Congealed into jelly; solidified by cooling; "in Georgia they serve congealed salads" [syn: congealed, jelled, jellied].
Compare: Jam
Jam (n.) A preserve of fruit boiled with sugar and water; also called jelly; as, raspberry jam; currant jam; grape jam.
Jam nut. See Check nut, under Check.
Jam weld (Forging), A butt weld. See under Butt.
Jellied (imp. & p. p.) of Jelly.
Jellying (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jelly.
Jelly (v. i.) To become jelly; to come to the state or consistency of jelly.
Jellies (n. pl. ) of Jelly.
Jelly (n.) Anything brought to a gelatinous condition; a viscous, translucent substance in a condition between liquid and solid; a stiffened solution of gelatin, gum, or the like.
Jelly (n.) The juice of fruits or meats boiled with sugar to an elastic consistence; as, currant jelly; calf's-foot jelly.
Jelly bag, A bag through which the material for jelly is strained.
Jelly mold, A mold for forming jelly in ornamental shapes.
Jelly plant (Bot.), Australian name of an edible seaweed ({Eucheuma speciosum), from which an excellent jelly is made. -- J. Smith.
Jelly powder, An explosive, composed of nitroglycerin and collodion cotton; -- so called from its resemblance to calf's-foot jelly.
Jelly (n.) An edible jelly (sweet or pungent) made with gelatin and used as a dessert or salad base or a coating for foods [syn: gelatin, jelly].
Jelly (n.) A preserve made of the jelled juice of fruit.
Jelly (n.) Any substance having the consistency of jelly or gelatin.
Jelly (v.) Make into jelly; "jellify a liquid" [syn: jellify, jelly].
Jellyfish (n.) (Zool.) [C] 水母；海蜇；【口】軟弱無能的人 Any one of the acalephs, esp. one of the larger species, having a jellylike appearance. See Medusa and acaleph.
Jellyfish (n.) Large siphonophore having a bladderlike float and stinging tentacles [syn: Portuguese man-of-war, man-of-war, jellyfish].
Jellyfish (n.) Any of numerous usually marine and free-swimming coelenterates that constitute the sexually reproductive forms of hydrozoans and scyphozoans.
Jemidar (n.) The chief or leader of a hand or body of persons; esp., in the native army of India, an officer of a rank corresponding to that of lieutenant in the English army.
Jemlah goat (n.) The jharal.
Jemminess (n.) Spruceness.
Jemmy (a.) Spruce.
Jemmy (n.) A short crowbar. See Jimmy.
Jemmy (n.) A baked sheep's head.
Jeniquen (n.) A Mexican name for the Sisal hemp (Agave rigida, var. Sisalana); also, its fiber.
Jenite (n.) See Yenite.
Jenkins (n.) name of contempt for a flatterer of persons high in social or official life; as, the Jenkins employed by a newspaper.
Jennet (n.) A small Spanish horse; a genet.
Jenneting (n.) A variety of early apple. See Juneating.
Jennies (n. pl. ) of Jenny.
Jenny (n.) A familiar or pet form of the proper name Jane.
Jenny (n.) A familiar name of the European wren.
Jenny (n.) A machine for spinning a number of threads at once, -- used in factories.
Jentling (n.) A fish of the genus Leuciscus; the blue chub of the Danube.
Jeofail (n.) An oversight in pleading, or the acknowledgment of a mistake or oversight.
Jeoparded (imp. & p. p.) of Jeopard.
Jeoparding (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jeopard.
Jeopard (v. t.) To put in jeopardy; to expose to loss or injury; to imperil; to hazard.
Jeoparder (n.) One who puts in jeopardy.
Jeopardized (imp. & p. p.) of Jeopardize.
Jeopardizing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jeopardize.
Jeopardize (v. t.) 使瀕於危險境地；冒……的危險；危及To expose to loss or injury; to risk.
Syn: jeopard.
That he should jeopardize his willful head Only for spite at me. -- H. Taylor.
Jeopardize (v.) Pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops" [syn: endanger, jeopardize, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril].
Jeopardize (v.) Put at risk; "I will stake my good reputation for this" [syn: venture, hazard, adventure, stake, jeopardize].
Jeopardous (a.) 危險的；冒險的 Perilous; hazardous.
His goodly, valiant, and jeopardous enterprise. -- Fuller. -- {Jeop"ard*ous*ly}, adv. -- Huloet.
Jeopardy (n.) [U] 危險，風險，危難；【律】（被告處於被判罪或受處罰的）危險境地 Exposure to death, loss, or injury; hazard; danger.
There came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. -- Luke viii. 23.
Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy. --Shak.
Syn: Danger; peril; hazard; risk. See {Danger}.
Jeopardy (v. t.) To jeopardize. [R.] -- Thackeray.
Jeopardy (n.) A source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune; "drinking alcohol is a health hazard" [syn: {hazard}, {jeopardy}, {peril}, {risk}, {endangerment}].
Jerboa (n.) Any small jumping rodent of the genus Dipus, esp. D. Aegyptius, which is common in Egypt and the adjacent countries. The jerboas have very long hind legs and a long tail.
Jereed (n.) A blunt javelin used by the people of the Levant, especially in mock fights.
Jeremiad (n.) Alt. of Jeremiade.
Jeremiade (n.) A tale of sorrow, disappointment, or complaint; a doleful story; a dolorous tirade; -- generally used satirically.
Jeremiad (n.) A prolonged lamentation or complaint; also : a cautionary or angry harangue.
Jerfalcon (n.) The gyrfalcon.
Jerguer (n.) See Jerquer.
Jerid (n.) Same as Jereed.
Jerk (v. t.) To cut into long slices or strips and dry in the sun; as, jerk beef. See Charqui.
Jerked (imp. & p. p.) of Jerk.
Jerking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Jerk.
Jerk (v. t.) To beat; to strike.
Jerk (v. t.) To give a quick and suddenly arrested thrust, push, pull, or twist, to; to yerk; as, to jerk one with the elbow; to jerk a coat off.
Jerk (v. t.) To throw with a quick and suddenly arrested motion of the hand; as, to jerk a stone.
Jerk (v. i.) To make a sudden motion; to move with a start, or by starts.
Jerk (v. i.) To flout with contempt.
Jerk (n.) A short, sudden pull, thrust, push, twitch, jolt, shake, or similar motion.
Jerk (n.) A sudden start or spring.
Jerker (n.) A beater.
Jerker (n.) One who jerks or moves with a jerk.
Jerker (n.) A North American river chub (Hybopsis biguttatus).
Jerkin (n.) A jacket or short coat; a close waistcoat.
Jerkin (n.) A male gyrfalcon.
Jerking (n.) The act of pulling, pushing, or throwing, with a jerk.
Jerkinhead (n.) The hipped part of a roof which is hipped only for a part of its height, leaving a truncated gable.
Jerkwater (a.) 支線的；鄉下的 Small and remote and insignificant; as, a jerkwater college.
Syn: one-horse, pokey, poky.
Jerkwater(a.) (Railroads) Off the main railroad line. [Archaic]
Jerkwater (a.) Small and remote and insignificant; "a jerkwater college"; "passed a series of poky little one-horse towns" [syn: jerkwater, one-horse, pokey, poky].
Jerkwater (a.) （某地）偏僻而不重要的，偏遠的 Used to describe a place that is small, not important, and a long way from other places.
// I grew up in a jerkwater town in the middle of nowhere.
Compare: Backwater
Backwater (n.) [C] 回水，滯水 A part of a river where the water does not flow.
// We tied the boat up in a quiet backwater overnight.
Jerky (a.) 急動的；抽筋的 Moving by jerks and starts; characterized by abrupt transitions; as, a jerky vehicle; a jerky style.
Jermoonal (n.) (Zool.) The Himalayan now partridge.
Jeronymite (n.) One belonging of the mediaeval religious orders called Hermits of St. Jerome.
Jeropigia (n.) See Geropigia.
Jerquer (n.) A customhouse officer who searches ships for unentered goods.
Jerquing (n.) The searching of a ship for unentered goods.
Jerquing (n.) The searching of a ship for unentered goods.
Jerry-built (a.) Built hastily and of bad materials; as, jerry-built houses.
Jerseys (n. pl. ) of Jersey.
Jersey (n.) The finest of wool separated from the rest; combed wool; also, fine yarn of wool.
Jersey (n.) A kind of knitted jacket; hence, in general, a closefitting jacket or upper garment made of an elastic fabric (as stockinet).
Jersey (n.) One of a breed of cattle in the Island of Jersey. Jerseys are noted for the richness of their milk.
Jerusalem (n.) 耶路撒冷 The chief city of Palestine, intimately associated with the glory of the Jewish nation, and the life and death of Jesus Christ.
Jerusalem artichoke [Perh. a corrupt. of It. girasole i.e., sunflower, or turnsole. See Gyre, Solar.] (Bot.) 菊芋 (sunchoke) 也稱為耶路撒冷朝鮮薊 (Jerusalem artichoke)，不過跟耶路撒冷或朝鮮薊沒什麼關係就是了。它是一種可食用的塊莖，源於美洲，後來傳到歐洲與中國。生長於地底下，外型看上去有點像馬鈴薯或薑。The Spruce 報導，菊芋的風味帶點堅果香，如果真要比喻，可能就像朝鮮薊心和馬鈴薯混合的味道。
(a) An American plant, a perennial species of sunflower ({Helianthus tuberosus), whose tubers are sometimes used as food.
(b) One of the tubers themselves.
Jerusalem cherry (Bot.), 「玉珊瑚」、「珊瑚豆」、「耶路撒冷櫻桃」(Jerusalem cherry，Madeira winter cherry，Christmas cherry，學名 Solanum pseudocapsicum)；另個品種為「假玉珊瑚」、「假耶路撒冷櫻桃」(False Jerusalem Cherry，Winter cherry，學名 Solanum capsicastrum)。兩者頗為相似，但後者有較光滑的枝條，較短的葉片，及稍為亮麗並稍大的果實。過去認為它們是兩個不同品種，但目前兩者常被視為相同植物，而統稱為「玉珊瑚」、「耶路撒冷櫻桃」。The popular name of either of two Solanum ({Solanum Pseudo-capsicum"> species of Solanum ({Solanum Pseudo-capsicum and Solanum capsicastrum), cultivated as ornamental house plants. They bear bright red berries of about the size of cherries.
Jerusalem oak (Bot.), 【植】總狀花藜（一種葉子有香味的藜屬植物）；土荊芥 An aromatic goosefoot ({Chenopodium Botrys), common about houses and along roadsides.
Jerusalem sage (Bot.), Bethlehem Sage (伯利恒鼠尾草) 又叫Jerusalem Sage (耶路薩冷鼠尾草)，學名是Pulmonaria saccharata Mrs Moon，一個俗名Lungwort，所以中文名叫肺草。過去也一直被很多人當雜草，近年來才受園藝界的重視，及一般人家當做庭園植物。主要因為新品種的葉子比較美麗，很多時有圓點，而花集合了藍、粉等色，花的顏色也更深，更豔。
肺草春天開花，花期長。喜歡肥沃土壤，可以多用堆用堆肥土及泥苔土peat moss。需樣陽光花色才美，但也可以有少許蔭，特別在熱帶，最好植樹蔭下。為防蟲害，不要夜間澆水。 A perennial herb of the Mint family ({Phlomis tuberosa).
Jerusalem thorn (Bot.), 刺馬甲子(= Christ's-thorn) ；扁葉軸木(= horsebean) （美洲的一種豆科灌木,用作籬笆或飼料） A spiny, leguminous tree ({Parkinsonia aculeata), widely dispersed in warm countries, and used for hedges.
The New Jerusalem, Heaven; the Celestial City.
Jerusalem (n.) Capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel (although its status as capital is disputed); it was captured from Jordan in 1967 in the Six Day War; a holy city for Jews and Christians and Muslims; was the capital of an ancient kingdom [syn: Jerusalem, capital of Israel].
Jerusalem (n.) Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the "city of God," the "holy city;" by the modern Arabs el-Khuds, meaning "the holy;" once "the city of Judah" (2 Chr. 25:28). This name is in the original in the dual form, and means "possession of peace," or "foundation of peace." The dual form probably refers to the two mountains on which it was built, viz., Zion and Moriah; or, as some suppose, to the two parts of the city, the "upper" and the "lower city." Jerusalem is a "mountain city enthroned on a mountain fastness" (comp. Ps. 68:15, 16; 87:1; 125:2; 76:1, 2; 122:3). It stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Palestine, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines.
It is first mentioned in Scripture under the name Salem (Gen. 14:18; comp. Ps. 76:2). When first mentioned under the name Jerusalem, Adonizedek was its king (Josh. 10:1). It is afterwards named among the cities of Benjamin (Judg. 19:10; 1 Chr. 11:4); but in the time of David it was divided between Benjamin and Judah. After the death of Joshua the city was taken and set on fire by the men of Judah (Judg. 1:1-8); but the Jebusites were not wholly driven out of it. The city is not again mentioned till we are told that David brought the head of Goliath thither (1 Sam. 17:54). David afterwards led his forces against the Jebusites still residing within its walls, and drove them out, fixing his own dwelling on Zion, which he called "the city of David" (2 Sam. 5:5-9; 1 Chr. 11:4-8). Here he built an altar to the Lord on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24:15-25), and thither he brought up the ark of the covenant and placed it in the new tabernacle which he had prepared for it. Jerusalem now became the capital of the kingdom.
After the death of David, Solomon built the temple, a house for the name of the Lord, on Mount Moriah (B.C. 1010). He also greatly strengthened and adorned the city, and it became the great centre of all the civil and religious affairs of the nation (Deut. 12:5; comp. 12:14; 14:23; 16:11-16; Ps. 122).
After the disruption of the kingdom on the accession to the throne of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Jerusalem became the capital of the kingdom of the two tribes. It was subsequently often taken and retaken by the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and by the kings of Israel (2 Kings 14:13, 14; 18:15, 16; 23:33-35; 24:14; 2 Chr. 12:9; 26:9; 27:3, 4; 29:3; 32:30; 33:11), till finally, for the abounding iniquities of the nation, after a siege of three years, it was taken and utterly destroyed, its walls razed to the ground, and its temple and palaces consumed by fire, by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25; 2 Chr. 36; Jer. 39), B.C. 588. The desolation of the city and the land was completed by the retreat of the principal Jews into Egypt (Jer. 40-44), and by the final carrying captive into Babylon of all that still remained in the land (52:3), so that it was left without an inhabitant (B.C. 582). Compare the predictions, Deut. 28; Lev. 26:14-39.
But the streets and walls of Jerusalem were again to be built, in troublous times (Dan. 9:16, 19, 25), after a captivity of seventy years. This restoration was begun B.C. 536, "in the first year of Cyrus" (Ezra 1:2, 3, 5-11). The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah contain the history of the re-building of the city and temple, and the restoration of the kingdom of the Jews, consisting of a portion of all the tribes. The kingdom thus constituted was for two centuries under the dominion of Persia, till B.C. 331; and thereafter, for about a century and a half, under the rulers of the Greek empire in Asia, till B.C. 167. For a century the Jews maintained their independence under native rulers, the Asmonean princes. At the close of this period they fell under the rule of Herod and of members of his family, but practically under Rome, till the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70. The city was then laid in ruins.
The modern Jerusalem by-and-by began to be built over the immense beds of rubbish resulting from the overthrow of the ancient city; and whilst it occupies certainly the same site, there are no evidences that even the lines of its streets are now what they were in the ancient city. Till A.D. 131 the Jews who still lingered about Jerusalem quietly submitted to the Roman sway. But in that year the emperor (Hadrian), in order to hold them in subjection, rebuilt and fortified the city. The Jews, however, took possession of it, having risen under the leadership of one Bar-Chohaba (i.e., "the son of the star") in revolt against the Romans. Some four years afterwards (A.D. 135), however, they were driven out of it with great slaughter, and the city was again destroyed; and over its ruins was built a Roman city called Aelia Capitolina, a name which it retained till it fell under the dominion of the Mohammedans, when it was called el-Khuds, i.e., "the holy."
In A.D. 326 Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with the view of discovering the places mentioned in the life of our Lord. She caused a church to be built on what was then supposed to be the place of the nativity at Bethlehem. Constantine, animated by her example, searched for the holy sepulchre, and built over the supposed site a magnificent church, which was completed and dedicated A.D. 335. He relaxed the laws against the Jews till this time in force, and permitted them once a year to visit the city and wail over the desolation of "the holy and beautiful house."
In A.D. 614 the Persians, after defeating the Roman forces of the emperor Heraclius, took Jerusalem by storm, and retained it till A.D. 637, when it was taken by the Arabians under the Khalif Omar. It remained in their possession till it passed, in A.D. 960, under the dominion of the Fatimite khalifs of Egypt, and in A.D. 1073 under the Turcomans. In A.D. 1099 the crusader Godfrey of Bouillon took the city from the Moslems with great slaughter, and was elected king of Jerusalem. He converted the Mosque of Omar into a Christian cathedral. During the eighty-eight years which followed, many churches and convents were erected in the holy city. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was rebuilt during this period, and it alone remains to this day. In A.D. 1187 the sultan Saladin wrested the city from the Christians. From that time to the present day, with few intervals, Jerusalem has remained in the hands of the Moslems. It has, however, during that period been again and again taken and retaken, demolished in great part and rebuilt, no city in the world having passed through so many vicissitudes.
In the year 1850 the Greek and Latin monks residing in Jerusalem had a fierce dispute about the guardianship of what are called the "holy places." In this dispute the emperor Nicholas of Russia sided with the Greeks, and Louis Napoleon, the emperor of the French, with the Latins. This led the Turkish authorities to settle the question in a way unsatisfactory to Russia. Out of this there sprang the Crimean War, which was protracted and sanguinary, but which had important consequences in the way of breaking down the barriers of Turkish exclusiveness.
Modern Jerusalem "lies near the summit of a broad mountain-ridge, which extends without interruption from the plain of Esdraelon to a line drawn between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean." This high, uneven table-land is everywhere from 20 to 25 geographical miles in breadth. It was anciently known as the mountains of Ephraim and Judah.
"Jerusalem is a city of contrasts, and differs widely from Damascus, not merely because it is a stone town in mountains, whilst the latter is a mud city in a plain, but because while in Damascus Moslem religion and Oriental custom are unmixed with any foreign element, in Jerusalem every form of religion, every nationality of East and West, is represented at one time."
Jerusalem is first mentioned under that name in the Book of Joshua, and the Tell-el-Amarna collection of tablets includes six letters from its Amorite king to Egypt, recording the attack of the Abiri about B.C. 1480. The name is there spelt Uru-Salim ("city of peace"). Another monumental record in which the Holy City is named is that of Sennacherib's attack in B.C. 702. The "camp of the Assyrians" was still shown about A.D. 70, on the flat ground to the north-west, included in the new quarter of the city.
The city of David included both the upper city and Millo, and was surrounded by a wall built by David and Solomon, who appear to have restored the original Jebusite fortifications. The name Zion (or Sion) appears to have been, like Ariel ("the hearth of God"), a poetical term for Jerusalem, but in the Greek age was more specially used of the Temple hill. The priests' quarter grew up on Ophel, south of the Temple, where also was Solomon's Palace outside the original city of David. The walls of the city were extended by Jotham and Manasseh to include this suburb and the Temple (2 Chr. 27:3; 33:14).
Jerusalem is now a town of some 50,000 inhabitants, with ancient mediaeval walls, partly on the old lines, but extending less far to the south. The traditional sites, as a rule, were first shown in the 4th and later centuries A.D., and have no authority. The results of excavation have, however, settled most of the disputed questions, the limits of the Temple area, and the course of the old walls having been traced.
Jerusalem, Vision of peace.