1. Ashlshuh', tTJJirX (2 Sam. vi, 19 ; 1 Chron. xvi, 3 ; Cant, ii, 5 ; Hos. iii, i). The real meaning of this word, according to the conclusions of Gesenius (Thes. Heb. p. 166), is a cake of pressed raisins (q. v.), such as are a common refreshment in the East, especially for travellers. See Cake. He derives it from a root signifying to compress, and this is confirmed by the renderings of the Sept. (Xayavov, apopiri], ir-ippaTo) and of the Vulgate (simila, but in Hos. vinacia, in C\\\\i. jlores, where the Sept. has i^ivpci), and also by the indications of the Targum Pseudojon. and the Mislina (Nedurim, 6, § 10). In the passage in Ilosea there is probably a reference to a practice of offering such cakes before the false deities. The rendering of the A. V. is parhaps to be traced to Luther, who in the first two of the above passages has e'm Xossel Wem, and in the last Kanne We'tn; but primarilj' to the in- terpretations of modern Jews (e. g. Gemara, Baha Ba'hra, and Targum on Chronicles), grounded on a false etymologj' (see Michaelis, quoted by Gesenius, and the observations of the latter, as above). It will be observed that in the first two passages the words "of wine" are interpolated, and that in the last "of wine" should be "of grapes." See Feuit.
2. Ne'hel, ^25 (Isa. xxii, 24), which is commonly used for a bottle (q. v.) or vessel, originally probabh' a skin, but in later times a piece of pottery (Isa. xxx, 14). But it also frequently occurs (Psa. Ivii, 9, etc.) with the force of a musical instrument (A.V. gener- ally "psaltery," but sometimes "viol"), a meaning which is adopted l)y the Targum, and the Arabic and Vulgate (inusici), and Luther, and given in the margin of the A. V. The text, however, seems to have aimed to follow the rendering of the Sept. (confusedh^ f tti- KOi^tapivoC), and with this agree Gesenius (Comment. in loc.) and Ftirst {Hehr. Haridw. s. v.), as being agree- able to the parallel ni:riX, Jow/s ("cups," Vulg. cra- ierrt-).— Smith, s. v. See Musical Instruments; Pitcher.
Flake is the rendering in the A. V. at Job xli, 15
(" the flakes of his [i. e. leviathan's] flesh are joined together," 1p3'J, have clung, i. e. are rigid), for bsp, mappnV, sometliing pendidous (elsewhere only Amos viii, 6, for refuse of grain, as that which falls away in winnowing, i. e. chaff), referring to the deiolaps or flabby parts on the belly of the crocodile (q. v.), which are firmly attached to the body, instead of loosely hang- ing as in the ox.
FLAJ^IBOYANT
588
FLAMEN
Flamboyant (Fr. flambeau = a torch), "a term applied by the antiquaries of France to the 5tyle of architecture which was contemporary in that country with the Per- jiendiciilar of Enghmd, from the tiame-like wav- ings of its tracery. It ought perhaps to be re- garded as a vitiated Dec- orated rather than a dis- tinct stj'le, tliough some of its characteristics are peculiar, and it seldom possesses the purity or boldness of earlier ages ; in rich works the intri- cacy and redundancy' of the ornaments are some- times truly surprising. One of the most striking and universal features is the waving arrangement
of the tracery of the ^ ,, . ,
. , , ,, &t. Uiitn, Koiieu.
■wmdows, panels, etc. —
Parker, Glossary of Architecture, s. v.
Flame (prop. 2iip, la'hab, (p\6'0, the incandescent vapor of fire, with which latter term it is usually found connected in the Bible. The onl}' thing respecting fire which calls for explanation here is its symbolical use. In this we maj' distinguish a lower and a higher sense : a lower, when the reference is simply to the burning heat of the clement, in which respect any vehe- ment affection, such as anger, indignation, shame, love, is wont to lie spoken of as a fire in the bosom of the in- dividual affected (Psa. xxxix, 3; Jer. xx, 9); and a higher, which is also bj' much the more common one in Scripture, when it is regarded as imaging the more distinctive properties of the divine nature. In this symbolical use of fire the reference is to its powerful, penetrating agency, and the teiTible melting, seeming- ly resistless, effects it is capable of producing. So viewed, fire, especially a " flame [1^23] of fire" (Exod. iii, 2), is the chosen symbol of the holiness of God, which manifests itself in a consuming hatred of sin, and can endure nothing in its presence but what is in accordance with the pure and good. There is consid- erable variety in the application of the sj'mbol, but the passages are all explicable by a reference to this fun- damental idea. God, for example, is called "a con- suming fire" (Heb. xii, 29 ; comp. T^'jV'r?) <'*'^ intense flame); to dwell with him is to dwell "with devour- ing fire" (Isa. xxxiii, 14); as manifested even in the glorified Redeemer, "his eyes are like a flame of fire" (Rev. ii, 18); his aspect when coming for judgment is as if a fire went before him, or a scorching flame com- passed Jiim about (Psa. xcvii, 3; 2 Thess. i,8) — in these, and many similar representations occurring in Scrip- ture, it is the relation of God to sin that is more espe- cially in view, and the searching, intense, all-consum- ing ojjeration of his holiness in regard to it. They who are themselves conformed to this holiness have nothing to fear from it; they can dwell amid its light and glory as in their proper element ; like Moses, can enter tlie flame-enwrapping cloud of tlie divine pres- ence, and abide in it unscathed, though it ajipear in the eyes of others " like devouring fire on the top of the mount" (Exod. xxiv, 17, 18). Hence wo can eas- ily explain wliy in Old-Testament times the appear- ance of fire, and in particular the pillar of fire (envel- oped in a cloud, as if to sliade and restrain its exces- sive brightness and power), was taken as tlic appropri- ate form of the divine presence -;ind glorj- ; for in those times, which were more peculiarly the times of the law, it was the holiness of God that came most prominent-