So'rek (Heb. Sorek', pl^ib, red; Sept. ^wpi]K [in some copies compounded with a part of the preceding word]), the name of a valley (5n3, wady) in which lay the residence of Delilah (Judg. xvi, 4). It appears to have been a Philistine place, and possibly was nearer Gaza than any other of the chief Philistine cities, since thither Samson was taken after his capture at Delilah's house. Beyond this there are no indications of its po- sition, nor is it mentioned again in the Bible. Eusebi- us and Jerome {Onomasf. I'lup/;^) state that a village named Capluirsorech was shown in their day "on the north of Eleutheropolis, near the town of Saar (or Saraa), i.e. Zorah, the native place of Samson." Zorah is now supposed to have been fully ten miles north of Beit- Jibrin, the modern representative of Eleutheropolis, though it is not iinpossible that there may have been a second further south. Van de Yelde {Memoir, p. 350) proposes Wddi/ Siinsim, which nnis from near Beit- Jibrin to Askulan ; but this he admits to be mere con- jecture. On the south side of the ritlge on which the city of Zorah stood, and between it and Bethshemesh, runs a wide and fertile valley, whose shelving sides of white limestone are admirably ada])ted for the cultiva- tion of the vine. It winds away across the plain, pass- ing the sites of Ekron and Jabneel. This may possi- bly be the valley of Sorek. Its modern name, W'aili/ es-Surdr, bears some remote resemblance, at least in sound, to the Biblical Sorek (Porter, Handbook, p. 282). "The view up this valley eastward is pictures(pie. The vale, half a mile across, is full of corn, and in the middle runs the white shingly bed of the winter tor- rent. L<iw white hills flank it on either side, and the high rugged chain of the mountains of .Jiidah forms a pretty background" (Conder, Tent Work in J'alest. ii,
The word Sm-elc in Hebrew signifies a peculiarly choice kind of vine, which is said to have derived its name from the dusky color of its grapes, that perhaps being the meaning of the root ( (iesenius, Thesaiir. p. 1342). It occurs in three passages of the Old Test. (Isa. V, 2; .ler, ii, 21; and, with a modilication. in (ien. .\lix, II). It ap|iears to be used in modern Arabic for a certain |)ur|)le gra|)e, grown in Syria, and highly es- teemed, which is noted for its small raisins and minute soft pilis, and produces a red wine. This being the
SORORES
887
SOTAI
case, the valley of Sorek may have derived its name from the growth of such vines, though it is hardly safe to affirm the fact in the unquestioning manner in which Gesenius (ifrtW.) does. Ascalon was celebrated among the ancients for its wine ; and, though not in the neigh- borhood of Zorah, was the natural port by which any of the productions of that district would be exported to the west. See Vine.
Sorores (sig/eis). See Agapkt.e.
SORORES ECCLESI^ (si^/ers of the Church), a name given in early times to nuns.
Sororia, in Roman mythology, was a surname of Juno. The sole survivor of the famous contest of the Horatii and the Curiatii is said to have erected an altar to the goddess, under this name, after he had been puri- fied of the murder of his sister (Livy, i, 26),
SorrOTV (representing in the A. V. many Hebrew and several (ireek words), mental pain or grief, arising from the privation of some good we actually possessed. It is the opposite to joy. This passion contracts the heart, sinks the spirit, and injures the health. Script- ure cautions against it (Prov. xxv, 20; Eccles. xiv, 1- 3; XXX, 24, 25; 1 Thess. iv, 13, etc.), but Paul distin- guishes two sorts of sorrow — one a godly, the other a worldly sorrow (2 Cor. vii, 10): "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." So the wise man (Eccles. vii, 3) says that the grave and serious air of a master who reproves is more profitable than the laugh- ter and caresses of those who flatter. Our Lord upbraided that counterfeit air of sorrow and mortification which the Pharisees affected when they fasted, and cautioned his disciples against all such aifectation which proposes to gain the approbation of men (Matt, vi, 16). — Calmet. See Grief. Though sorrow may be allowable under a sense of sin, and when involved in troubles, yet we must beware of an extreme. Sorrow, indeed, becomes sinful and excessive when it leads us to slight our mercies, causes us to be insensible to public evils; when it di- verts us from duty, so oppresses our bodies as to en- danger our lives, sours the spirit with discontent, and makes us inattentive to the precepts of God"s Word and to the advice of our friends. In order to moderate our sorrows, we should consider that we are under the direc- tion of a wise and merciful Being; that he permits no evil to come upon us without a gracious design ; that he can make our troubles sources of spiritual advantage ; that he might have afllicted us in a far greater degree; that though he has taken some, yet he has left many other comf<irts; that he has given many promises of relief; that he has supported thousands in as great troubles as ours; finally, that the time is coming when he will wipe away all tears, and give to them that love hira a crown of glory that fadeth not away. — Buck. See Resignation.