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Title: The Astronomy of the Bible
An Elementary Commentary on the Astronomical References
of Holy Scripture
Author: E. Walter Maunder
Release Date: April 8, 2009 [EBook #28536]
Language: English
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THE ASTRONOMY OF THE BIBLEFrom the Painting by Sir Edward Burne-Jones in the Birmingham Art Gallery.
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
"We have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him."
[Frontispiece.]ToList
THE ASTRONOMY OF THE BIBLEAN ELEMENTARY COMMENTARY ON THE
ASTRONOMICAL REFERENCES
OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
BY
E. WALTER MAUNDER, F.R.A.S. AUTHOR OF'THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH: ITS HISTORY AND WORK,'
AND 'ASTRONOMY WITHOUT A TELESCOPE'
WITH THIRTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS
NEW YORK
MITCHELL KENNERLEY
Richard Clay & Sons, Limited,
BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND
BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.
To
MY WIFE
My helper in this Book
and in all things.
PREFACE
Why should an astronomer write a commentary on the Bible?
Because commentators as a rule are not astronomers, and therefore either pass over the astronomical allusions of Scripture in silence, or else annotate them in a way which, from a scientific point of view, leaves much to be desired.
Astronomical allusions in the Bible, direct and indirect, are not few in number, and, in order to bring out their full significance, need to be treated astronomically. Astronomy further gives us the power of placing ourselves to some degree in the position of the patriarchs and prophets of old. We know that the same sun and moon, stars and planets, shine upon us as shone upon Abraham and Moses, David and Isaiah. We can, if we will, see the unchanging heavens with their eyes, and understand their attitude towards them.
It is worth while for us so to do. For the immense advances in science, made since the Canon of Holy Scripture was closed, and especially during the last three hundred years, may enable us to realize the significance of a most remarkable fact. Even in those early ages, when to all the nations surrounding Israel the heavenly bodies were objects for divination or idolatry, the attitude of the sacred writers toward them was perfect in its sanity and truth.
Astronomy has a yet further part to play in Biblical study. The dating of the several books of the Bible, and the relation of certain heathen mythologies to the Scripture narratives of the world's earliest ages, have received much attention of late years. Literary analysis has thrown much light on these subjects, but hitherto any evidence that astronomy could give has been almost wholly neglected; although, from the nature of the case, such evidence, so far as it is available, must be most decisive and exact.
I have endeavoured, in the present book, to make an astronomical commentary on the Bible, in a manner that shall be both clear and interesting to the general reader, dispensing as far as possible with astronomical technicalities, since the principles concerned are, for the most part, quite simple. I trust, also, that I have taken the first step in a new inquiry which promises to give results of no small importance.
E. Walter Maunder.
St. John's, London, S.E.
January 1908.
BOOK I
THE HEAVENLY BODIES
Chapter I. The Hebrew and Astronomy
Modern AstronomyâAstronomy in the Classical AgeâThe Canon of Holy Scripture closed before the Classical AgeâCharacter of the Scriptural References to the Heavenly BodiesâTradition of Solomon's Eminence in ScienceâAttitude towards Nature of the Sacred WritersâPlan of the Book 3Chapter II. The Creation
Indian Eclipse of 1898âContrast between the Heathen and Scientific AttitudesâThe Law of CausalityâInconsistent with PolytheismâFaith in One God the Source to the Hebrews of Intellectual FreedomâThe First Words of Genesis the Charter of the Physical SciencesâThe Limitations of Scienceâ"Explanations" of the First Chapter of GenesisâIts Real PurposesâThe Sabbath 12Chapter III. The Deep
Babylonian Creation MythâTiamat, the Dragon of ChaosâOvercome by MerodachâSimilarity to the Scandinavian MythâNo Resemblance to the Narrative in GenesisâMeanings of the Hebrew Word tehomâDate of the Babylonian Creation Story 25Chapter IV. The Firmament
Twofold Application of the Hebrew Word raqiaââIts Etymological MeaningâThe Idea of Solidity introduced by the "Seventy"âNot the Hebrew IdeaâThe "Foundations" of Heaven and EarthâThe "Canopy" of HeavenâThe "Stories" of HeavenâClouds and RainâThe Atmospheric CirculationâHebrew Appreciation even of the Terrible in NatureâThe "Balancings" and "Spreadings" of the CloudsâThe "Windows of Heaven"âNot Literal Sluice-gatesâThe Four WindsâThe Four QuartersâThe Circle of the EarthâThe Waters under the EarthâThe "Depths" 35Chapter V. The Ordinances of the Heavens
The Order of the Heavenly MovementsâDaily Movement of the SunâNightly Movements of the StarsâThe "Host of Heaven"âSymbolic of the Angelic HostâMorning StarsâThe Scripture View of the Heavenly Order 55Chapter VI. The Sun
The Double Purpose of the Two Great Heavenly BodiesâSymbolic Use of the Sun as Light-giverâNo Deification of the Sun or of LightâSolar Idolatry in IsraelâShemesh and កeresâSun-spotsâLight before the Sunâ"Under the Sun"âThe Circuit of the SunâSunstrokeâ"Variableness"âOur present Knowledge of the SunâSir William Herschel's TheoryâConflict between the Old Science and the NewâGalileoâA Question of EvidenceâA Question of Principle 63Chapter VII. The Moon
Importance of the Moon in Olden TimesâEspecially to the ShepherdâJewish Feasts at the Full MoonâThe Harvest MoonâThe Hebrew Month a Natural oneâDifferent Hebrew Words for MoonâMoon-worship forbiddenâ"Similitudes" of the MoonâWorship of AshtorethâNo mention of Lunar PhasesâThe Moon "for Seasons" 79Chapter VIII. The Stars
Number of the Starsâ"Magnitudes" of the StarsâDistances of the Stars 95Chapter IX. Comets
Great Comets unexpected VisitorsâDescription of CometsâFormation of the TailâPossible References in Scripture to Comets 103Chapter X. Meteors
AerolitesâDiana of the EphesiansâStar-showersâThe Leonid MeteorsâReferences in ScriptureâThe Aurora Borealis 111Chapter XI. Eclipses of the Sun and Moon
Vivid Impression produced by a Total Solar EclipseâEclipses not Omens to the HebrewsâEclipses visible in Ancient PalestineâExplanation of EclipsesâThe SarosâScripture References to EclipsesâThe CoronaâThe Egyptian "Winged Disc"âThe Babylonian "Ring with Wings"âThe Corona at Minimum 118Chapter XII. Saturn and Astrology
The "Seven Planets"âPossible Scripture References to Venus and Jupiterâ"Your God Remphan" probably SaturnâThe Sabbath and Saturn's DayâR. A. Proctor on the Names of the Days of the WeekâOrder of the PlanetsâAlexandrian Origin of the Weekday NamesâThe Relation of Astrology to AstronomyâEarly Babylonian AstrologyâHebrew Contempt for Divination 130BOOK II
THE CONSTELLATIONS
Chapter I. The Origin of the Constellations
The "Greek Sphere"âAratusâSt Paul's Sermon at AthensâThe Constellations of Ptolemy's CatalogueâReferences to the Constellations in Hesiod and HomerâThe Constellation Figures on Greek CoinsâAnd on Babylonian "Boundary-stones"âThe Unmapped Space in the SouthâIts ExplanationâPrecessionâDate and Place of the Origin of the ConstellationsâSignificant Positions of the Serpent Forms in the ConstellationsâThe Four "Royal Stars"âThe Constellations earlier than the Old Testament 149Chapter II. Genesis and the Constellations
The Bow set in the CloudâThe Conflict with the SerpentâThe Seed of the WomanâThe CherubimâThe "Mighty Hunter" 162Chapter III. The Story of the Deluge
Resemblance between the Babylonian and Genesis Deluge StoriesâThe Deluge Stories in GenesisâTheir Special FeaturesâThe Babylonian Deluge StoryâQuestion as to its DateâIts Correspondence with both the Genesis NarrativesâThe Constellation Deluge PictureâIts Correspondence with both the Genesis NarrativesâThe Genesis Deluge Story independent of Star Myth and Babylonian Legend 170Chapter IV. The Tribes of Israel and the Zodiac
Joseph's DreamâAlleged Association of the Zodiacal Figures with the Tribes of IsraelâThe Standards of the Four Camps of IsraelâThe Blessings of Jacob and MosesâThe Prophecies of BalaamâThe Golden CalfâThe Lion of Judah 186Chapter V. Leviathan
The Four Serpent-like Forms in the ConstellationsâTheir Significant PositionsâThe Dragon's Head and TailâThe Symbols for the NodesâThe Dragon of EclipseâHindu Myth of EclipsesâLeviathanâReferences to the Stellar Serpents in ScriptureâRahabâAndromedaâ"The Eyelids of the Morning"âPoetry, Science, and Myth 196Chapter VI. The Pleiades
Difficulty of IdentificationâThe most Attractive ConstellationsâKimahâNot a Babylonian Star NameâA Pre-exilic Hebrew TermâThe Pleiades traditionally SevenâMĂ€dler's SuggestionâPleiades associated in Tradition with the Rainy SeasonâAnd with the DelugeâTheir "Sweet Influences"âThe Return of SpringâThe Pleiades in recent PhotographsâGreat Size and Distance of the Cluster 213Chapter VII. Orion
KesilâProbably OrionâAppearance of the ConstellationâIdentified in Jewish Tradition with Nimrod, who was probably MerodachâAltitude of Orion in the SkyâKesilimâThe "Bands" of OrionâThe Bow-star and Lance-star, Orion's DogsâIdentification of Tiamat with Cetus 231Chapter VIII. Mazzaroth
Probably the "Signs of the Zodiac"âBabylonian Creation StoryâSignificance of its Astronomical ReferencesâDifference between the "Signs" and the "Constellations" of the ZodiacâDate of the ChangeâAnd of the Babylonian Creation EpicâStages of AstrologyâAstrology Younger than Astronomy by 2000 YearsâMazzaroth and the "Chambers of the South"âMazzalothâThe Solar and Lunar ZodiacsâMazzaroth in his Season 243Chapter IX. Arcturus
âAsh and âAyishâUncertainty as to their IdentificationâProbably the Great BearâMezarimâProbably another Name for the Bearsâ"Canst thou guide the Bear?"âProper Motions of the Plough-starsâEstimated Distance 258BOOK III
TIMES AND SEASONS
Chapter I. The Day and its Divisions
Rotation Period of VenusâDifficulty of the Time Problem on VenusâThe Sun and Stars as Time MeasurersâThe apparent Solar Day the First in UseâIt began at SunsetâSubdivisions of the Day IntervalâBetween the Two EveningsâThe Watches of the NightâThe 12-hour Day and the 24-hour Day 269Chapter II. The Sabbath and the Week
The Week not an Astronomical PeriodâDifferent Weeks employed by the AncientsâFour Origins assigned for the WeekâThe Quarter-monthâThe Babylonian SystemâThe Babylonian Sabbath not a Rest DayâThe Jewish Sabbath amongst the RomansâAlleged Astrological Origin of the WeekâOrigin of the Week given in the Bible 283Chapter III. The Month
The New Moon a Holy Day with the HebrewsâThe Full Moons at the Two Equinoxes also Holy DaysâThe Beginnings of the Months determined from actual ObservationâRule for finding EasterâNames of the Jewish MonthsâPhĆnician and Babylonian Month NamesâNumber of Days in the MonthâBabylonian Dead ReckoningâPresent Jewish Calendar 293Chapter IV. The Year
The Jewish Year a Luni-solar oneâNeed for an Intercalary MonthâThe Metonic CycleâThe Sidereal and Tropical YearsâThe Hebrew a Tropical YearâBeginning near the Spring EquinoxâMeaning of "the End of the Year"âEarly Babylonian Method of determining the First MonthâCapella as the Indicator StarâThe Triad of StarsâThe Tropical Year in the Deluge Story 305Chapter V. The Sabbatic Year and the Jubilee
Law of the Sabbatic YearâA Year of Rest and ReleaseâThe JubileeâDifficulties connected with the Sabbatic Year and the JubileeâThe Sabbatic Year, an Agricultural oneâInterval between the Jubilees, Forty-nine Years, not FiftyâForty-nine Years an Astronomical Cycle 326Chapter VI. The Cycles of Daniel
The Jubilee Cycle possessed only
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