Cor. i. 11) My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom' (ii. 4). Besides knpúσow and its cognates there are several other words which are rendered preach in our translation of the N. T.; and though it would have been desirable that their proper meaning had been more exactly adhered to, yet as the way in which they are rendered does not generally convey a false idea, it is scarcely necessary that we should particularly notice them (Campbell, Gospels, i. 371, 373, 381, 384, 385, 388). PRECIOUS STONES of shades. That this stone was highly valued in ancient times appears from what Job says of it in his eulogium of wisdom: 'The topaz of Cush' (E. T. Ethiopia) shall not equal it; neither shall it be valued with pure gold' (xxviii. 19). By Cush we here understand Arabia, a country whence came precious stones (Ezek. xxvii. 22). 3. The carbuncle. 4. The emerald: so the word TD (nophech) is rendered in Exod. xxviii. 18 and Ezek. xxviii. 13, but the particular stone which is intended is very uncertain. PRECIOUS STONES. The earliest notice,' 5. The sapphire is a transparent stone of a says Rosenmüller, of certain precious stones beautiful blue colour, but of various shades: the known by the ancient Hebrews occurs in Exod. finest are of a deep azure. Hence the statement : xxviii. 17-20, in the description of the breast-They saw the God of Israel, and there was plate belonging to the official dress of the high- under his feet as it were a paved work of a priest. It contained twelve precious stones on sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven which were engraven the names of the twelve in his clearness' (Exod. xxiv. 10). In lustre, tribes of Israel. These then are the most ancient hardness, and value it is second only to the gems or cut stones known in history.' In de- diamond. Job shews the value which was termining the signification of the Hebrew names set upon it when, in eulogising wisdom, he says: of the precious stones contained in the breast-It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, plate of the high-priest our principal guides must be the Septuagint and Josephus, who, it is worthy of remark, agree in almost every particular. In Ezek. xxviii. 13 the king of Tyre is represented as covered with the same precious stones as were in the breast-plate of the Jewish highpriest. In the Hebrew text indeed, and so also in the E. T., only nine of the stones enumerated by Moses are mentioned-the seventh, eighth, and ninth being omitted, and the order of the others is also somewhat changed; but in the Septuagint all the twelve stones are named. It is difficult to determine whether the translator on his own authority supplied the three omitted stones, or whether they formed part of the original text, and came to be dropped out in the course of transcription. with the precious shoham,' or the sapphire (xxviii. 16; see also Ezek. i. 26; x. 1). Jeremiah, lamenting the change which had passed on the Nazarites, says: Their polishing was of sapphire' (Lam. iv. 7). This word is rendered 6. D (Yahalom). in the E. T., in Exod. xxviii. 18, among the stones in the high-priest's breast-plate, the diamond; but TDW (shamir) is the word used to signify diamond. It may even be questioned whether the Israelites in the wilderness would have a diamond of such a size as would admit of the name of one of the tribes being engraved upon it, or whether it could have been engraved at all. The yahalom is understood to be the onyx. Of this stone there are several varieties, accord ent colours alternate in it. White and reddish stripes alternating form the sard-onyx, so called as if it were a combination of the sardius and the onyx; white and reddish grey, the chalced-onyx; greyish-white and yellow-brown or tawny the memphit-onyx, etc. The different kinds of onyx have from early antiquity been used for rings, seals, and cameos, and accordingly they are often found in collections of antiques. In Rev. xxi. 19, 20, it is said: "The founda-ing to the manner in which their strata of differtions of the wall of the city' (New Jerusalem) were garnished with all manner of precious stones; and the list which follows corresponds nearly, though not entirely, with the stones in the breast-plate of the high-priest; but this want of perfect correspondence may not improbably be the result of the translation being in the one case of Hebrew names, while in the other it is of Greek names; and in point of fact there is a degree of uncertainty as to several of the stones in the high-priest's breast-plate. The following, according to Rosenmüller, are the stones said to be in the breast-plate of the high-priest. We deem it unnecessary to give any particular description of them, as description can give but little idea of them to the general reader, and in fact of most precious stones there are also considerable varieties. 1. The sardius, called by modern authors the carnelian. It was called by the ancients sardius, from Sardis, the capital of Lydia, where it was early known. It was called the carnelian from its colour-a carne being like that of raw flesh. The best specimens came from Babylon. It is susceptible of a beautiful polish, and is highly valued for seals and other ornaments. 2. The topaz. Yellow is the prevailing colour of this stone; but it passes into a great variety 7. The ligure or hyacinth (vakios). 8 The agate. 9. The amethyst. 10. The chrysolyte. 11. The shoham or beryl. This stone (E. T. onyx) is mentioned in Gen. ii. 12 as one of the productions of the country of Havilah. Job speaks of the shoham as a very precious stone, enumerating it along with the gold of Ophir and the sapphire (xxviii. 16). Among the materials which David collected for the building of the temple there were, according to 1 Chron. xxix. 2, shoham stones. 12. The jasper. Such, according to Rosenmüller, were the twelve stones in the high-priest's breast-plate. They do not correspond, in various instances, with the names given in the E. T. or by other writers, and it must be admitted that there is considerable uncertainty as to some of them. Besides the twelve stones in the high-priest's | breast-plate, there are found in the O. T. three other names, by which it is supposed, with more or less certainty, that certain precious stones are meant. Shamir, which is mentioned in Jer. xvii. 1; Ezek. iii. 9; Zech. iii. 12, Gesenius considers as the diamond (834). In the first of these passages our translators render it the diamond, and this interpretation of it is peculiarly appropriate : The sin of Judah is written with an iron style; with the point of a diamond graven upon the table of their heart.' This quite corresponds with the opinion that the diamond is meant, since, according to Pliny, artists who engraved on stones made use of small pieces of diamond set in iron for the purpose. Nor is there anything in the other two passages where the word occurs, and where it is translated adamant, which is incompatible with this interpretation, hardness being the idea which it is employed to express. In Is. liv. 12 we read: 'I will make thy windows of 27 (kadkoa; E. T. agates), and thy gates of p' (ekdah; E. T. carbuncles); but what stones are here meant it is difficult to say (Rosen. Min. 26-45). There are other words which are rendered agate and carbuncle in the account of the high-priest's breastplate. The stones with which the foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem were garnished appear to have corresponded generally with those in the breast-plate of the Jewish high-priest, though from the names of the latter being in Hebrew, while those of the former are in Greek, it is not always possible to identify them. PREDESTINATE, to appoint beforehand to some particular end. Thus the people of God were predestinated before the foundation of the world' to be called, to be justified, to be sanctified, to be glorified, according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will' (Rom. viii. 29, 30; Eph. i. 4-6, 11, 12). This we hold to be at once a scriptural and a rational doctrine-so scrip tural and so rational that we cannot but wonder how any pious persons can for a moment hesitate to receive and acknowledge it. The outcry which is often raised against Calvinism is commonly the result of not understanding what Calvinism is, and of distorted views of it. PRESENT. 1. At hand, within view as to place (1 Sam. xiii. 15). 2. Just now, as to time (1 Cor. iv. 11). God is represented as present when he utters his mind, displays his glory, favour, wrath, or other symbol of his existence. God and Christ are present with the saints in the ordinances of the gospel, in the influences of his grace, and continued care of his outward providence (Ps. xlvi. 1; Matt. xviii. 20; xxviii. 20). To be present with the Lord is to be in heaven enjoying the immediate views of his glory and the fruition of his love (2 Cor. v. 8). To be present in spirit is to be near in respect of direction, will, and inclination (1 Cor. v. 3). This present world is one abounding with earthly delights, and also with troubles, temptations, and corruptions (Titus ii. 12). The present truth is that which is notably op PRESENTS posed, and so difficult, and yet much for the honour of Christ, to cleave to in principle and practice (2 Pet. i. 12). Ministers present their hearers as chaste virgins to Christ when, through their means, they come to appear at his judg ment-seat sound in principle, lively in faith, single in affection to Christ, and holy in their lives and conversation (2 Cor. xi. 2; Col. i. 22, 28). PRES'ENTS, gifts tendered to express regard for or testify subjection to another, to strengthen friendship, or obtain favours. The practice of making presents was and still is very common in Eastern countries. Even kings and princes, and other great men, were not above receiving presents, and that not merely from their equals, but from persons of inferior rank. A man's gift,' says Solomon, maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men' (Prov. xviii. 16). When Jacob consented, though very reluctantly, to Benjamin's going down with his brethren to Egypt, as required by Joseph, he said: If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds' (Gen. xliii. 11). When Saul was chosen king of Israel it is said: 'But the children of Belial despised him, and brought him no presents' (1 Sam. x. 27). It was not deemed unsuitable in early times to make presents to prophets, such as Samuel (1 Sam. ix. 7, 8), Elisha (2 Kings v. 5; viii. 8, 9). These presents consisted not only of silver and gold, but of changes of raiment and other articles, and even of eatables (Gen. xlv. 22; 1 Sam. 2 Chron. ix. 23, 24). They were often of very xvii. 18; 1 Kings xv. 18, 19; 2 Kings v. 5; inconsiderable value, such as one would think unworthy of being either offered or accepted. When Saul went in search of his father's asses his servant proposed that they should go to The present which the wise men from the East made to the new-born Saviour is perhaps often looked on as an individual and insulated fact; but it will be seen that it was in correspondence with a very general custom in Eastern countries : And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh' (Matt. ii. 11). This ancient custom prevails in the East to the present day. 'When,' says Maundrell, you would make a visit to a person of quality here, you must send one before with a present to bespeak your admission, and to know at what hour your coming may be most seasonable.' | justly applies this thought to Ps. lxxii. 10. And in another place he says: 'Went to wait upon the pasha of Tripoli, having first sent our present, as the manner is among the Turks, to procure a propitious reception.' 'It is counted uncivil to visit in this country without an offering in hand. All great men expect it as a kind of tribute due to their character and authority, and look upon themselves as affronted, and indeed defrauded, when this compliment is omitted. Even in familiar visits amongst inferior people you seldom have them come without bringing a flower or an orange, or some other such token of their respect to the person visited' (Maundrell, 26, 29). ever, in the East. It deserves to be remarked that in the East they not only uniformly send before them a present, or carry one with them, especially when they visit superiors, civil or ecclesiastical, but that this present is frequently a piece of money, and that of no great value. Among us a trifling present of money to a person of distinction would be deemed an affront; it is not so, how Indeed there are other things presented in the East besides money which would appear to us extremely low and mean, unworthy the quality of those that offer them or of those to whom they are presented. In what light would a European view the present of a governor of an Egyptian village who sent to a British consul fifty eggs as a mark of respect, and that in a country where these are so cheap as to be sold at the rate of ten a penny? (Har mer, Obs. ii. 291, 293.) Presents, however, were not always of inconsiderable value. The queen of Sheba gave king Solomon an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as those which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon' (1 Kings x. 2, 10). When the king of Syria sent a letter with Naaman to the king of Israel that he might recover him of his leprosy, he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand of gold, and ten changes of raiment' (2 Kings v. 5, 6. This present, it is probable, was intended chiefly for the king of Israel, and had respect partly to his rank as a king and partly to the great favour which was asked of him. Naaman, after he was cured, besought Elisha to 'take a blessing'-i.e. a present from him, which the prophet resolutely refused; but when Gehazi his servant, disappointed at his having done so, ran after Naaman, and, under a false pretext, solicited in his master's name a talent of silver and two changes of raiment, he gave him two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment' (v. 15, 16, 20-23), a present of considerable value. We have also an example of a large present sent by Ben-hadad the king of Syria to Elisha the prophet (viii. 9). The present which the children of Israel sent to Eglon king of Moab was a kind of tribute, or an acknowledgment of subjection; and the presents that are sent to powerful kings by other princes are frequently looked upon as an expression of inferiority or submission. Sir John Chardin has remarked that presents are viewed in this light in such cases, not only in Turkey, but through almost all the Levant, and he very That the presents there mentioned were of the nature of tribute or a token of submission the preceding and the following verses put beyond all doubt (see also Ps. xlv. 12; lxviii. 29; Is. lx. 9). The haughty Asiatic princes, however, often put that construction on presents that were not sent to them with any such intention. As they do so now, they probably did so anciently; to which some less powerful or distressed princes might the more willingly submit, as there was something equivocal in these marks of attention paid to powerful princes (Harmer, Obs. ii. 307). PREVENT is derived from the Latin provenio, which signifies to come or go before. This is one of the words which have changed their signification since our common translation was made, or at least it is used there in a sense in which it is not now employed. The ordinary meaning of the word, as it has been long used, is to hinder; and in this sense it occurs in our present translation of the Scriptures, as in Job iii. 12: Why did the knees prevent me'i.e. hinder me from giving up the ghost? It is, however, comparatively seldom that the word is used in this sense in our common translation. It more commonly conveys the idea of the Latin term from which it is derived-to go before. Of this we have a remarkable example in 1 Thess. iv. 15: We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not go before' (E. T. prevent) them which are asleep: the dead in Christ shall rise first.' The word may often with advantage be rendered to anticipate, as in Ps. cxix. 147, 148: I anticipated' (E. T. prevented) the dawning of the morning, and cried, I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes anticipate' (E. T. prevent) the night watches.' Is. xxi. 14: The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty; they anticipated' (E. T. prevented) with their bread him that fled. PRICKS. [GOADS.] So also in PRIEST, one whose office it is to perform religious services, particularly to offer up sacrifices. It is supposed by some that in the early ages of the world the fathers or heads of families performed the part of priests; but there is no particular evidence that the office was restricted to them. Every man appears to have offered up sacrifices for himself when circumstances called for it, as Cain, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, to whom we may perhaps add Job, as having also lived in early times, and his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (Job i. 5; xlii. 7-9). The Book of Genesis embraces a period of upwards of 2300 years; but only one priest is mentioned in it in connection with true religion- Melchizedek king of Salem,' who is also called 'the priest of the Most High God' (Gen. xiv. 18). One other priest is named in our common translation-Poti-pherah priest of On,' Joseph's father-in-law (xli. 45); and in Exod. ii. 16, 21 we also read of Jethro priest of Midian,' Moses' father-in law; but in both cases the word is rendered in the margin prince; and as the Hebrew term has both significations, it cannot certainly be determined in which sense it is to be taken in these passages. When the Israelites, after coming out of | Zadok, of the line of Eleazar, who even in the Egypt, were encamped before Mount Sinai, reign of David was a chief priest as well as Moses was commissioned by God to say unto Abiathar, was now invested with the office alone them: Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of (2 Sam. xx. 25; 1 Kings i. 7; ii. 26, 27, 35); priests and an holy nation' (Exod. xix. 6) and it continued in his line until the time of words which have the aspect of the office being the Babylonish captivity (1 Chron. vi. 8-15). exercised somewhat generally, though perhaps they were so called because they were to be devoted to God, and to be much employed in his service (1 Pet. ii. 5, 9). There were already priests among the Israelites, for when Moses was in the mount with God he received this charge: Let the priests also which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them' (xix. 22); and shortly after Moses 'sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord' (xxiv. 5). Who these young men were whether they were priests-does not exactly appear, though it is most natural so to understand the passage. We now come to the institution of an established order of priests among the Israelites. Aaron and his sons were, by the command of God, appointed to this office (Exod. xxviii. 1), and it was made permanent in his family (xl. 15; xxv. 12, 13). A peculiar dress (holy garments for glory and for beauty') was to be worn by them (Exod. xxviii. 2-43), and they were to be consecrated to the office by sacrifices and other ceremonies (xxix. 1-37). The office of the priesthood was confined to Aaron and his family; but the whole of the other descendants of Levi were appointed to minister unto them in services of a subordinate nature, and as such were called Levites (Num. iii. 5-10). This kindled the jealousy of Korah and others of the family of Levi, who, not content with the office to which they were appointed, sought the priesthood also, and they were joined in their rebellion by Dathan and Abiram, and others of the chief men of Israel, who appear to have been of the tribe of Reuben, who were probably animated by a similar jealousy of Moses. It was an alarming movement, but the earth clave asunder, and opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and all that appertained unto them;' thus miraculously vindicating the title of Aaron to the priesthood, and the authority of Moses as the leader of the Israelites (Num. xvi. 1-40). Aaron, in whose family the office of the priesthood was entailed, had four sons-Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; but the former two were struck dead by fire from heaven 'when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai,' and the priesthood was consequently confined to the line of the latter two. From Aaron the office of chief priest descended to his son Eleazar, and from him to several of his descendants in succession (Num. xx. 25-28; xxii. 10-13; 1 Chron. vi. 46). It was afterwards transferred to the race of Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son, but for what reason is not known. Eli, according to Josephus, was the first high-priest of the line of Ithamar (Antiq. v. 11. 5; viii. 1. 3); and the office continued in his family until the beginning of Solomon's reign, when Abiathar was removed from it on account of his taking part with Adonijah in his attempt to usurp the throne; and Previous to this David had distributed the priests-both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar-' according to their offices in their service. And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their father, and eight among the sons of Ithamar.' These were divided by lot into twenty-four courses for the service of the house of the Lord (1 Chron. xxiv. 3-19). It might be supposed that the priests would reside as a body in the place where the tabernacle was, and after the temple was built in Jerusalem; but though numbers of them did probably congregate in that city, this was not necessarily the case. In the division of Canaan among the tribes of Israel no part of it was allotted to the tribe of Levi-'the Lord was their inheritance;' but forty-eight cities were given to them by lot out of the other tribes, with their suburbs for their cattle, and for their substance;' and of these forty-eight cities thirteen were assigned to the priests out of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Simeon-all of them on the west of the Jordan and in the south of Canaan (Josh. xiv. 3, 4; xxi. 1-4); so that they were not far distant from the seats of either the tabernacle or the temple. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, who was of the course of Abia, one of the courses originally appointed by David, dwelt at Jerusalem only 'while he executed the priest's office in the order of his course.' 'As soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house,' which was in the hill country of Judæa (Luke i. 5, 8, 23, 39, 40). The priests do not appear to have been any way distinguished for piety. There were doubtless good men among them; but the office was no security that would not be filled by wicked and unprincipled men. Witness the sons of Eli. It is said they were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.' Such was their rapacity of the sacrifices that it is said the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord; for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.' It is even stated that they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.' Such indeed was their wickedness that it brought on them and their father's house perhaps the most fearful doom that is to be found in the Scriptures (1 Sam. ii. 12-36). It is to be hoped there were not many examples of such utter depravity among the priests as this; but yet we have in subsequent times much and strong evidence of the irreligion and wickedness of the priests both in the historical books of Scripture, as in 2 Kings xii. 4-8; xvi. 10-16; xxiii. 5-12; 2 Chron. xxix. 34; xxxvi. 14; Ezra ix. 1, 2; Neh. xiii. 4-9, 28, 29; and in the writings of the prophets, as in Is. xxviii. 7, 8; Jer. i. 18; ii. 8, 26, 27; v. 31; viii. 10;* xxvi. 8; Lam. iv. 13; Ezek. xxii. 26; Micah iii. 11; Zeph. i. 4; Mal. i. 6-14; ii. 1-10). Of pious priests we have examples in the prophet Jeremiah (i. 1), in Ezra (vii. 1, 12), and in Zacharias the father of John the Baptist (Luke i. 5, 6). On the return of the Jews from Babylon Jeshua the son of Jozadok held the office of high-priest, and he took a chief lead in the restoration of the Jewish polity. He was of the line of Eleazar, and from him we find the line of high-priests continued down to Jaddua in the time of Alexander the Great (1 Chron. vi. 15; Ezra iii.; Zech. iii. 1; Neh. xii. 10, 11). Its subsequent course it is more difficult to trace, as the line of succession was often broken. There were great irregularities in regard to the appointment of the high-priest. Changes were frequent. The office was often obtained by interest, by intrigue, by bribery, and in some cases even by murder. Instead of being held for life, it was often held for but short periods. It was no uncommon thing for one high-priest to be deposed to make room for another. The office was held by princes of the Maccabean family for about 130 years. They were both high-priests and chief civil rulers; but though of the line of Eleazar, they had not by birthright a claim to the office.* The Romans having sub jected the country and appointed Herod king, he and succeeding members of his family, and afterwards the Roman governors themselves, took it upon them to appoint the high-priests and to remove them as suited their humour, interest, or political views. They put them in * Some members of the Maccabæan family, though of the sacerdotal order, were not only civil rulers, but at the head of military affairs, and fought many a hard battle. This, however, is not the first time we find priests acting in a civil and even a military capacity. In the account of David's being raised to the throne of Israel it is said: These are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him: of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred; and Zadok, a young mighty man of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains' (1 Chron. xiii. 23, 26-28). Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, had his name among David's three worthies; and David set him over his guard (1 Chron. xi. 22-25; xxvii. 5, 6). He was afterwards raised by Solomon to be commander-in-chief in the room of Joab (1 Kings ii. 35; iv. 4). Jehoiada, another priest of that name, appears to have acted as regent of the kingdom of Judah in the minority of Joash the son of Ahaziah (2 Kings xi. 12). Among the Jews who returned from Babylon mention is made of priests to the number of an hundred and twenty-eight who ' were mighty men of valour' (Neh. xi. 14). In Josephus, the Jewish historian, we have also an example of one who was a priest by descent (though he does not appear ever to have exercised the functions of a priest) acting in a civil capacity, and even as a military commander in the last war with the Romans (Joseph. Life, i. 7, 12, 24). and out in the most arbitrary manner. Some enjoyed the office but a short time; and those who had been deprived of it were sometimes restored again. In the last years of the Jewish nation the changes were particularly rapid. The priests, and particularly the high-priests, instead of being examples of piety and morality, were often examples of all that was wicked, unprincipled, and worthless (Joseph. Antiq. xviii. xix. xx. passim). Of those who discharged the functions of highpriest during the decline of the Jewish polity there are two particularly mentioned in the N. T. -Annas and Caiaphas. In Luke iii. 2 it is said, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests.' In John xviii. 13 we are told that the officers who had apprehended our Lord 'led him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.' In Acts iv. 6 we read of 'Annas the high priest and Caiaphas.' By the original constitution of Moses there could be only one high-priest at one time, and the appointment was for life; and it does not appear that either Herod or the Roman authorities ever appointed two high-priests together. But in these passages Annas and Caiaphas are both plainly called high-priests; yet it is also plain from the accounts of our Lord's trial that in point of fact Caiaphas was the only high-priest 'that same year,' as is twice emphatically stated by John (xi. 49; xviii. 13). This very expression is indicative of the changeableness of the office. Annas had doubtless been the high-priest previously, and perhaps was so again shortly after this. But as changes of the office had by this time become frequent, it was probably usual from courtesy to continue to give the title to those who had ever enjoyed the dignity. The expressions 'chief priests,' 'the chief of the priests,' occur in Ezra viii. 24; x. 5; Neh. xii. 7; and the chief priests' is of still more frequent occurrence in the Gospels and also in the Acts. Though it may include, it probably does not refer simply to high-priests, but is to be understood of leading priests generally, or specially of the leaders of the courses into which David distributed the priests (1 Chron. xxiv. 1-19). Jewish writers speak of the sagan as a deputy of the high-priest who officiated for him in the case of sickness and on other occasions when he might not be able to perform the duties of his office. Perhaps there is a reference to the sagan in 2 Kings xxv. 18, where mention is made of Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest.' Now both might come to pass under the name of high-priests; and when Luke states that when John commenced his ministry 'Annas and Caiaphas were the high-priests,' there is no improbability in the supposition that the one may have then been the high priest strictly so called-perhaps Annas, as being the older man, and Caiaphas, his son-in-law, may have been his sagan, though he certainly was afterwards high-priest; all which circumstances taken together would easily account for both of them being called 'the high priests.' PRINCIPALITY. 1. Royal state, or the attire of the head marking the same (Jer. xiii. |