Biblical Encyclopedia: V

Vachinor

(2 Macc. 12:35) — a military commander, in the days of Judas Maccabeus.

Vaiezatha

(a Persian word: white, pure) (Esther 9:9) — one of the sons of Haman, killed by the Jews in Susa, under the circumstances described in the Book of Esther (9:9).

Vala

(from a root meaning: to fall away) (Josh. 15:29) — a city in the tribe of Simeon; also called Baalah (Josh. 15:29), and Bilhah (1 Chron. 4:29).

Valley of Jehoshaphat Josaphat

- mentioned only in Joel 3:2, 12. This narrow valley extends north and south between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, and the Kidron brook runs through it. Some identify it with the king's dale of Genesis 14:17 and 2 Samuel 18:18, supposing that it received its name either as the alleged burial place of King Jehoshaphat or as the site of his great victory over the Moabites and their allies (2 Chr 20:25). It is also called the Kidron Valley after the stream flowing through it.

In ancient times it served as a burial ground for the lower classes. Many tombs remained in its rocks in the source's day, and Jerusalem's Jews were buried there.

Valley of Rephaim

(Josh. 15:8; 18:16)—a valley near Jerusalem, most probably south of the city toward Bethlehem. Bethlehem was evidently not far from it (1 Chron. 11:15–18). Scripture shows that the valley was fertile and rich in grain fields (Isa. 17:5). Its chief biblical interest lies in the repeated battles there between David and the Philistines (2 Sam. 5:18; 23:13; 1 Chron. 11:15). The source says that Arabs knew it as el-Beka'a.

Valley of Salt

(2 Sam. 8:13; 1 Chron. 18:12; 2 Chron. 25:11)—the region in which David’s forces defeated the Edomites and, centuries later, Amaziah struck them again. It is usually sought south of the Dead Sea, perhaps in the Arabah or near the salt formations at its southern end; the exact limits are uncertain.

Valley of Shaveh Saby

(Gen. 14:17; 2 Sam. 18:18)—the valley near Jerusalem where the king of Sodom and Melchizedek met Abraham after his victory over the eastern kings. It is also called the King’s Valley. The source follows an older traveler in associating it with the Kidron Valley, but the precise location remains debated.

Valley of the sons of Hinnom, Hinnom, Ge-Hinnom

(Josh. 15:8; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 2:23, and elsewhere) — a deep and narrow ravine with steep sides on the south and west of Jerusalem; the valley, it is thought (Stanley), received its name from an ancient hero, a son of Hinnom, who had his possessions there. A small brook, flowing into the Kidron, runs along the bottom of the valley. Here, even in Solomon’s time, high places were erected and shrines built to Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13). Ahaz and Manasseh burned incense to idols here, and the former made his sons pass through the fire (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3). The abominable custom of sacrificing children to Molech at Topheth, at the southeastern end of this valley,

Valley of Zephathah Maresa

(2 Chron. 14:10)—a valley near Mareshah where King Asa of Judah defeated Zerah the Cushite. Chronicles gives Zerah an army of one million men and three hundred chariots, while Asa fielded 300,000 men from Judah and 280,000 from Benjamin.

Valley, valleys.

The names of valleys and plains are given in the Old Testament by various Hebrew terms:

Vania

(from a root meaning “to build”) (Neh. 8:7) — one of the Levites, a contemporary of Ezra, who together with others explained the law of God to the people. He is also called Bani (Neh. 9:4).

Vania

— two persons mentioned in the Book of Nehemiah, namely: 9:4, 5 and 10:14.

Vanna

(2 Esdras 5:26) — one of the Levites, in the days of the priest Ezra.

Vannus

(2 Esdras 9:34) — his sons are listed among those who returned from captivity with Zerubbabel. In Nehemiah (7:15) it reads: Binnui.

Vannus

(2 Esdras 9:34 [as given]) (in the First Book of Ezra, 10:38, it reads: Bani, or Binnui) — of the Israelites who returned from captivity and signed a pledge to put away his foreign wife.

Vaphres

(Jer. 44:30) — king of Egypt, contemporary of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. To him fled the Jews remaining in their land after its devastation by Nebuchadnezzar. See Hophra.

Varad

(Gen. 36:29 [as given]) — father of Hadad, who was king of Edom.

Varchus.

See 2 Esdras 5:32. See Barkos and Barkos.

Vasalem

(2 Esdras 5:31). In the First Book of Ezra (2:52) this name is read as Bazluth, and in Nehemiah (7:54) as Bazlith — a servant at the Temple, who returned from captivity in the reign of Darius.

Vasara

(1 Macc. 5:26) — one of the cities of Gilead.

Vashti

(from old Persian: beautiful woman) (Esther 1:9) — queen, wife of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, who refused to appear before the king during a feast, and for this, on the advice of the king’s counselors, was deprived by him of her royal dignity. Esther took Vashti’s place at the king’s side. Vashti’s refusal to obey the king’s command was based, it seems, on a Persian custom that considered it degrading to a woman’s honor to appear before men after a banquet — which agrees with the accounts of Plutarch and Herodotus.

Vaskama

(1 Macc. 13:23). According to the testimony of Josephus, Vaska [Bascama] was a locality in Gilead. It is thought that here Jonathan, brother of Judas Maccabeus, was treacherously slain by Trypho. Its exact location is unknown.

Vassai

(2 Esdras 5:16). In the First Book of Ezra (2:17) it reads Bezai, and in Nehemiah, Vezai — one who returned from captivity in the reign of Darius.

Vasthai

(2 Esdras 5:31). In the First Book of Ezra (2:49) it reads: Besai; in Nehemiah (7:52): Vesai — a doorkeeper at the Temple, who returned from captivity in the reign of Darius.

Vavi

(2 Esdras 8:37) — son, or descendant, of Zechariah, of the persons who returned from captivity with Ezra. In the First Book of Ezra (8:11 [as given]) he is called Bebai.

Vazlith

(Neh. 7:54). In the First Book of Ezra (2:52) it reads Bazluth, and in 2 Esdras it is read as Vasalem (5:31) — father of those who returned from captivity, later doorkeepers at the church of Jerusalem.

Vegetables, greens, and all garden herbs

(Gen. 1:30, Job 39:8, Ps. 37:2, Prov. 15:17, Luke 11:42, Rom. 14:2)—under this heading belong: greens and garden plants generally, melons, gourds, cucumbers, onions, garlic, beans, peas, cumin, dill, mint, bitter herbs, and so on. See under each of them by its proper name.

Veil

(Gen. 24:65; 20:16). The veil is an essential part of Eastern women’s dress and completely covers the face. To lift a woman’s veil was among the gravest insults that could be offered her. In many places women of loose conduct were distinguished by the absence of a head covering. Tamar covered her face when she wished to appear as a prostitute only so that her father-in-law would not recognize her.

Veil.

a) (masak) (Exod. 26:36, 37; 39:38) — a covering or curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle, of many-colored cloth, adorned with embroidered work and fastened to five posts of acacia wood. Another veil was hung at the entrance to the court of the tabernacle (Exod. 27:16, and elsewhere). Finally, the veil that covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies was likewise so called; this last veil bore a special name: “the veil of the screen” (Exod. 35:12, and elsewhere). It was this veil in the temple of Jerusalem that, when the Lord Savior gave up the ghost on the cross, was rent in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51).

Vengeance

—the taking of retribution for injury. The law rejects private malice: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge ... but you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). Paul repeats, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God,” and commands believers to feed an enemy who is hungry and give drink to one who is thirsty (Rom. 12:19-21; Prov. 25:21-22). Christ expands love beyond the circle of friends and embodies mercy toward enemies (Matt. 5:43-48; Luke 10:25-37). Entrusting judgment to God is not indifference to justice; it refuses personal hatred and retaliatory evil.

Vermilion

(Jer 22:14) - a red mineral pigment used in antiquity for painting houses and highly valued for decorating Hebrew dwellings and making images. Pliny describes cinnabar as reddish sand found in silver mines. Travelers reported that the eastern custom of painting ceilings with vermilion and sometimes gilding them continued into the nineteenth century. Images of Jupiter were colored with vermilion on solemn days, and it was therefore regarded as a sacred pigment.

Vesai

(Neh. 7:52) (perhaps from the Sanskrit: bijaya, “victory”; according to Gesenius, “conqueror”) — one of the persons whose sons returned from Babylon after the captivity. In the First Book of Ezra (2:49 [as given]) it reads Vesai, and in 2 Esdras (5:31) Vasvai.

Vetirus.

See 2 Esdras 5:17. It is difficult to determine whether this is the name of a person or of a locality.

Vilem

(2 Esdras 2:16) (in the First Book of Ezra, 4:15, it is read Bishlam) — one of the members of the council in Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, who set forth in a letter to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, the danger from the rebuilding of the rebellious and treacherous city of Jerusalem. As a result of this letter, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, by order of Artaxerxes, was halted until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

Village, or Settlement

(Lev. 25:29, 31; Josh. 15:46 and elsewhere)—a group of houses or dwellings without surrounding walls, in contrast to a fortified city. Scripture often mentions villages alongside cities. The source explains that they began as temporary huts, gradually became permanent and more closely built dwellings, and thus developed into villages in the proper sense. Because they stood in open country, they could also be called small unwalled towns (Deut. 3:5).

Vine of Sodom

(Deut. 32:32)—a figurative expression for the corrupt character and bitter fruit of an apostate people: “their vine is of the vine of Sodom.” The encyclopedia also discusses a plant found near the Dead Sea and traditionally called the apple of Sodom, commonly identified in its period with the osher, or Calotropis procera. Its inflated, orange-like fruit encloses fibers and seeds rather than nourishing pulp and collapses when pressed. This botanical identification is a later proposal and is not required by the biblical metaphor.

Vinegar and Sour Wine

(Prov. 10:26)—biblical “vinegar” commonly means wine that had soured or an inexpensive acidic wine drink, sometimes diluted with water. Bread dipped in such liquid was ordinary food for laborers (Ruth 2:14). Nazirites were forbidden wine vinegar and other grape products during their vow (Num. 6:3).

Virog

(2 Esdras 5:19) — of the cities of Israel. In the Book of Ezra (2:25) and in Nehemiah (7:29) it is read: Kiriath-jearim.

Vision

(Num. 24:4)—a divinely granted disclosure in which God made his will or message known. Scripture records visions received at night in sleep and visions given while awake. Among those who receive visions are Abraham (Gen. 15:1), Jacob (Gen. 46:2), Moses (Exod. 3:2-3), Samuel (1 Sam. 3:2-15), Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4-17), Eliphaz (Job 4:12-16), Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-8), Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:4-14), Daniel (Dan. 2:19; 7–10), Amos (Amos 7:1-9), Joseph (Matt. 1:20), Zechariah (Luke 1), Paul (Acts 9:3-12), Ananias (Acts 9:10-12), Cornelius (Acts 10:3), Peter (Acts 10:9-17), and John in Revelation. Biblical visions are not techniques for private divination; they are acts of divine revelation judged by their fidelity to God’s word and purpose.

Vokk.

See 2 Esdras 8:2. In the First Book of Ezra (7:4) it reads: Bukki; and in 2 Esdras (1:3): Boris.

Vows.

In the Old Testament Church, besides the sacrifices to God required by the Law, besides the festival offerings and freewill offerings, there were also votive offerings (Lev. 22:18, 21). Vows were made by believers either in thanksgiving to the Lord for heavenly help received, or in prayer for God’s help. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If (the LORD) God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go (to Haran), then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be