VAIZATHA; VAJEZATHA. One of the sons of Haman (Est. 9:9).
VALLEY GATE. Is placed (Neh. 3:13) between the “tower of the furnaces” and the “dung gate”; from here Nehemiah (2:13) set out on his ride down the “Gai” (Hinnom) to Siloam, and, too (12:31,38), from here the Levites commenced their compass of the city in two directions. It must have been an ancient gate, for Uzziah added towers to it (2 Chr. 26:9). It was probably near the Southwest corner of the city and near to, if not identical with, the gate found by Bliss near (now in) the Protestant Cemetery.
VANIAH. A son of Bani, who had married a foreign wife (Ezra 10:36).
VASHNI. The first-born of Samuel as the text now stands (1 Chr. 6:28) (13); but in (1 Sam. 8:2) the name of his first-born is Joel.
VASHTI. Beautiful, the queen of Ahasuerus, who was deposed from her royal dignity because she refused to obey the king when he desired her to appear in the banqueting hall of Shushan the palace (Esther 1:10-12). (See ESTHER.)
VIAL. In modern English means “a tiny flask” (1 Sam. 10:1).
VINE. The well-known valuable plant (vitis vinifera) very frequently referred to in the Old and New Testaments, and cultivated from the earliest times. The first mention of this plant occurs in (Gen. 9:20-21). That it was abundantly cultivated in Egypt is evident from the frequent representations on the monuments, as well as from the scriptural allusions (Gen. 40:9-11; Psa. 78:47). The vines of Palestine were celebrated both for luxuriant growth and for the immense clusters of grapes which they produced, which were sometimes carried on a staff between two men, as in the case of the spies, (Num. 13:23) and as has been done in some instances in modern times. Special mention is made in the Bible of the vines of Eshcol, (Num. 13:24; 32:9) of Sibmah, Heshbon and Elealeh (Isa. 16:8-10; Jer. 48:32) and of Engedi (Sol. 1:14). From the abundance and excellence of the vines, it may readily be understood how frequently this plant is the subject of metaphor in the Holy Scriptures. To dwell under the vine and tree is an emblem of domestic happiness and peace, (1 Kings 4:25; Psa. 128:3; Micah 4:4) the rebellious people of Israel are compared to “wild grapes,” “an empty vine,” “the degenerate plant of a strange vine,” etc. (Isa. 6:2, 4; Jer. 2:21; Hosea 10:1). It is a vine which our Lord selects to show the spiritual union which subsists between himself and his members (John 15:1-6). The ancient Hebrews probably allowed the vine to go trailing on the ground or upon supports. This latter mode of cultivation appears to be alluded to by Ezekiel (Eze. 19:11-12). The vintage, which formerly was a season of general festivity, began in September. The towns were deserted; the people lived among the vineyards in the lodges and tents (Jud. 8:27; Isa. 16:10; Jer. 25:30). The grapes were gathered with shouts of joy by the “grape gatherers,” (Jer. 25:30) and put into baskets (Jer. 6:9). They were then carried on the head and shoulders, or slung upon a yoke, to the “wine-press.” Those intended for eating were perhaps put into flat open baskets of wickerwork, as was the custom in Egypt. In Palestine, at present, the finest grapes, says Dr. Robinson, are dried as raisins, and the juice of the remainder, after having been trodden and pressed, “is boiled down to a sirup, which, under the name of dibs , is much used by all classes, wherever vineyards are found, as a condiment with their food.” The vineyard, which was generally on a hill, (Isa. 5:1; Jer. 31:5; Amos 9:13) was surrounded by a wall or hedge in order to keep out the wild boars, (Psa. 80:13) jackals and foxes (Num. 22:24; Neh. 4:3; Sol. 2:15; Eze. 13:4-5; Mat. 21:33). Within the vineyard was one or more towers of stone in which the vine-dressers lived (Isa. 1:8; 5:2; Mat. 21:33). The vat, which was dug, (Mat. 21:33) or hewn out of the rocky soil, and the press, were part of the vineyard furniture (Isa. 5:2).
VINEGAR. Heb. hometz, Gr. oxos, Fr. vin aigre; i.e., “sour wine.” The Hebrew word is rendered vinegar in Ps. 69:21, a prophecy fulfilled in the history of the crucifixion (Matt. 27:34). This was the common sour wine (posea) daily made use of by the Roman soldiers. They gave it to Christ, not in derision, but from compassion, to assuage his thirst. Prov. 10:26 shows that there was also a stronger vinegar, which was not fit for drinking. The comparison, “vinegar upon nitre,” probably means “vinegar upon soda” (as in the marg. of the R.V.), which then effervesces.
VINEYARDS, MEADOW (PLAIN) OF THE. (Judges 11:33). See MEADOW.
VIOL. Heb. nebel (Isa. 5:12, R.V., “lute;” 14:11), a musical instrument, usually rendered “psaltery” (q.v.)
VIRGIN. In a prophecy concerning our Lord, Isaiah (7:14) says, “A virgin [R.V. marg., ‘the virgin’] shall conceive, and bear a son” (comp. Luke 1:31-35). The people of the land of Zidon are thus referred to by Isaiah (23:12), “O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon;” and of the people of Israel, Jeremiah (18:13) says, “The virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.”
VOPHSI. Father of Nahbi the Naphtalite spy (Num. 13:14).
VOWS. Voluntary promises which, when once made, were to be kept if the thing vowed was right. They were made under a great variety of circumstances (Gen. 28: 18-22; Lev. 7:16; Num. 30:2-13; Deut. 23:18; Judg. 11:30, 39; 1 Sam. 1:11; Jonah 1:16; Acts 18:18; 21:23).
VULGATE, THE. The Latin version of the Bible. The influence which it exercised upon western Christianity is scarcely less than that of the LXX. upon the Greek churches. Both the Greek and the latin Vulgate have been long neglected; yet the Vulgate should have a very deep interest for all the western churches, many centuries it was the only Bible generally used; and, directly or indirectly is the real parent of all the vernacular versions of western Europe. The Gothic version of Ulphilas alone is independent of it. The name is equivalent to Vulgata editio (the current text of Holy Scripture. This translation was made by Jerome-Eusebius Hieronymus –who way born in 329 A.D. at Stridon in Dalmatia, and died at Bethlehem in 420 A.D.