(see JEHOVAH) he is sure of the outworking of his purposes; nothing can be done beyond what his will permits. (Isa. 46:10, 11; 55:10, 11) His long-suffering in permitting conditions that are within his power to change has been with a definite purpose or end in view; therefore he is happy. The apostle Paul writes: “God, although having the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, tolerated with much long-suffering vessels of wrath made fit for destruction, in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory.”—Rom. 9:22-24.

Therefore, as the psalmist exclaims: “The glory of Jehovah will prove to be to time indefinite. Jehovah will rejoice in his works.” (Ps. 104:31) He is the greatest and foremost Giver, never changing or letting his generosity and merciful, loving attitude be turned to bitterness because of ingratitude on the part of creatures. “Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the celestial lights, and with him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow.” (Jas. 1:17) His son Jesus Christ, resting full confidence in his Father and always doing the things that please Him, is happy. (John 8:29) Even when undergoing trials and sufferings Jesus had an inward joy.—Heb. 12:2; compare Matthew 5:10-12.

THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

All the happinesses promised in the Bible are contingent upon right relationships to God; all of them are realized on the basis of love of God and faithful service to him. True happiness cannot be achieved apart from obedience to Jehovah. His blessing is essential for happiness, as one of his ‘good gifts’ and ‘perfect presents.’

Happiness does not find its source in amassing material wealth or power. Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) The one who gives consideration to the lowly one, thereby enjoying the happiness of giving, is promised: “Jehovah himself will guard him and preserve him alive. He will be pronounced happy in the earth.” (Ps. 41:1, 2) The things that contribute to true happiness are knowledge of Jehovah, wisdom from him and even his correction and discipline. (Prov. 2:6; 3:13, 18; Ps. 94:12) The truly happy person trusts in Jehovah (Prov. 16:20), delights in and walks in His law (Ps. 1:1, 2; 112:1), observes justice (Ps. 106:3) and fears God.—Ps. 128:1.

A HAPPY NATION

Happiness can be the lot of an entire nation or people, if the nation truly follows Jehovah as its God and obeys his laws. (Ps. 33:12; 144:15) The nation of Israel, after David’s righteous administration and during the time that King Solomon followed Jehovah’s law, was secure and happy, “like the grains of sand that are by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.” (1 Ki. 4:20, 25; 10:8; 2 Chron. 9:7) This demonstrates the influence of righteous rule on a nation. (Compare Proverbs 29:2, 18.) Jesus made clear the requirement for national happiness to the nationalistic Jews who thought that, because they were the fleshly descendants of Abraham and Jacob, they were the ‘happy nation whose God is Jehovah.’ (Ps. 33:12) He plainly told them that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and “given to a nation producing its fruits.” (Matt. 21:43) The apostle Peter later applied the term “nation” to the spiritual ones in union with Christ, saying: “You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”—1 Pet. 2:9.

CHRIST’S COUNSEL ON HAPPINESS

Jesus strikingly opened his Sermon on the Mount by enumerating nine happinesses, naming qualities that bring one into God’s favor, with the prospect of inheriting the kingdom of the heavens. (Matt. 5:1-12) It is notable in these happinesses that, neither the condition in which one finds himself because of time and unforeseen occurrence, nor the purely humanitarian acts one might perform bring the blessing of happiness. True happiness stems from those things that have to do with spirituality, the worship of God and the fulfillment of God’s promises. For example, Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . ” (AV), or, more understandably rendered: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.” (Matt. 5:3) He goes on to say: “Happy are those who mourn, since they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) From the context (vss. 3 and 6) it is evident that he does not have in mind all persons who mourn for any reason. He indicates that the mourning would be because of their spiritually needy state and their hunger and thirst for righteousness. Such mourners would be observed and favored by God with his blessing of spiritual satisfaction, just as Jesus promises: “They will be filled.”—Compare 2 Corinthians 7:10; Isaiah 61:1-3; Ezekiel 9:4.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ, through the angelic messenger, proclaims seven happinesses. (Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14) The book declares, in its introduction: “Happy is he who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and who observe the things written in it” (1:3), and in its conclusion says: “Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority to go to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city [New Jerusalem] by its gates.”—22:14.

TAKE DELIGHT IN JEHOVAH

In summary, it is clear that those achieving real happiness are the “holy nation” of God (1 Pet. 2:9), along with all others associated with that nation who serve and obey Jehovah from the heart. The psalmist says: “Rejoice in Jehovah, O you righteous ones, and give thanks to his holy memorial.” (Ps. 97:12) The apostle Paul echoes this admonition in writing to the Christian congregation: “Always rejoice in the Lord. Once more I will say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) It is, therefore, not in one’s wealth or wisdom, nor in one’s accomplishments or might that a person can find happiness. It is in knowledge of Jehovah, who counsels: “Let not the wise man brag about himself because of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man brag about himself because of his mightiness. Let not the rich man brag about himself because of his riches. But let the one bragging about himself brag about himself because of this very thing, the having of insight and the having of knowledge of me, that I am Jehovah, the One exercising loving-kindness, justice and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I do take delight.”—Jer. 9:23, 24.

HAPPIZZEZ

(Hapʹpiz·zez) [the shattering].

An Aaronic priest designated by lot in David’s time as chief of the eighteenth priestly division.—1 Chron. 24:1-7, 15.

HARA

(Haʹra).

A site to which Assyrian King Tilgath-pilneser (Tiglath-pileser III) transported Israelite captives. (1 Chron. 5:26) Similar references (2 Ki. 17:6; 18:11) to a later Assyrian exile tell of Israelites’ being taken to “the cities of the Medes” (Masoretic text) or “the mountains of Media.” (LXX) Many scholars feel that the Septuagint reading may be the correct one and suggest that at 1 Chronicles 5:26 “Hara” (Ha·raʼʹ, perhaps an Aramaic form of the Hebrew word for “mountain” [har]) became a proper name when the phrase “of Media” was inadvertently omitted. If this assumption is correct “Hara” may have applied to “the mountains of Media” E of the Tigris River valley. However, some who consider the Gozan of 2 Kings 17:6 and 18:11 to be a place (as in JB, RS) and not a river believe that “Hara” possibly was a local designation for the Karja Baghlar, the mountainous region in Turkey N of Tell Halaf (a site of NE Syria).

HARADAH

(Har·aʹdah) [trembling].

A site where the Israelites encamped while on their way to the land of Canaan. (Num. 33:24, 25) Its location is today unknown.

HARAN

(Haʹran).

[Heb., Ha·ranʹ, mountaineer]

1. Son of Terah and brother of Abram (Abraham) and Nahor. Haran fathered Lot and two daughters, Iscah and Milcah; the latter married her uncle Nahor. Haran died before Terah and Abram left Ur of the Chaldees.—Gen. 11:26-31.

2. A descendant of Gershon through Shimei; tribe of Levi.—1 Chron. 23:6-9.

[Heb., Hha·ranʹ]

3. A son of Caleb by his concubine Ephah, and “father” of Gazez; tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:3, 42, 46.

4. A city of northern Mesopotamia, where Abram (Abraham) resided temporarily and where Terah his father died. (Gen. 11:31, 32; 12:4, 5; Acts 7:2-4) The name “Haran” also seems to have embraced the surrounding area, for Haran is listed among the “nations” conquered by the kings of Assyria.—2 Ki. 19:11, 12.

Some time after leaving Haran, Abraham sent his oldest servant to his relatives (apparently residing at Haran or a nearby town, “the city of Nahor”), to find a bride for his son Isaac. (Gen. chap. 24) Later, Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, went to Haran to escape the wrath of his brother Esau and also to find a wife among the daughters of his uncle Laban. (Gen. 27:42-46; 28:1, 2, 10) At a well, evidently near Haran, Jacob met Rachel.—Gen. 29:4-12.

In the eighth century B.C.E., Assyrian King Sennacherib tried to intimidate Judean King Hezekiah with messages boasting about his forefathers’ conquest of Haran and other places.—2 Ki. 19:8-13; Isa. 37:8-13.

Assyrian sources seem to refer to Haran as Harranu (meaning “road”), perhaps because of being on the caravan route linking it with cities such as Nineveh, Asshur, Babylon and Tyre, as well as the land of Egypt. (Compare Ezekiel 27:23.) The name of the ancient city is preserved in modern Harran, situated on the Belikh River, about sixty-eight miles (109 kilometers) N of its junction with the Euphrates. But some believe that the ancient site itself lies to the N of modern Harran. Certain scholars see evidence for patriarchal residence (as described in the Bible) in the correspondency of ancient place-names in this area to such personal names as Serug, Nahor and Terah.—Gen. 10:22-26.

HARARITE

(Harʹa·rite) [mountain dweller].

The designation of certain of David’s mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:8, 11, 33; 1 Chron. 11:26, 34, 35) They were perhaps from the hill country of Judah.

HARBONA

(Har·boʹna) [donkey driver].

One of Ahasuerus’ seven court officials sent to convey to Queen Vashti the king’s word for her to appear before him. Then, at the time that Haman’s scheme to exterminate the Jews was exposed, Harbona’s mentioning the fifty-cubit stake Haman had made for Mordecai prompted Ahasuerus to order that Haman himself be hanged on it.—Esther 1:10-12; 7:9, 10.

HARE

A gnawing animal closely related to but larger than the rabbit and differing from the latter in that its young are usually not born in an underground burrow and are active at birth, fully furred and having open eyes. The hare is known by its divided lip, long ears, cocked tail, and for its long hind limbs and feet, so useful for a speedy escape from its enemies. The fastest hares are said to attain a speed of as much as forty-five m.p.h. (c. 72 k.p.h.). The average length of the animals, of which there are numerous varieties, is about twenty-five inches (c. .6 meter). Their usual coloration is grayish or brownish.

The hare was prohibited as food under the Law given through Moses and is referred to as a chewer of the cud. (Lev. 11:4, 6; Deut. 14:7) Hares and rabbits, of course, do not have a multi-chambered or multi-parted stomach and do not regurgitate their food for rechewing, which characteristics are associated with the scientific classification of ruminants or cud chewers. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that such modern scientific classification was not the basis for the Hebrew word for ‘cud chewing’ in Moses’ day. Hence, there is no foundation for judging the accuracy of the Bible statement by this restricted, relatively recent conception of what constitutes a cud-chewing animal, as done by many critics.

In the past, commentators with faith in the inspiration of the Bible record saw no error in the statement of the Law. Observed The Imperial Bible Dictionary (Fairbairn, 1874, Vol. I, p. 700): “It is obvious that the hare does in repose chew over and over the food which it has some time taken; and this action has always been popularly considered a chewing of the cud. Even our poet Cowper, a careful noticer of natural phenomena, who has recorded his observations on the three hares which he had domesticated, affirms that they ‘chewed the cud all day till evening.’”

Scientific observation of hares and rabbits in more recent years, however, indicates that even more than seeming cud chewing is involved. Writes François Bourlière (The Natural History of Mammals, 1954, p. 41): “The habit of ‘refection,’ or passing the food twice through the intestine instead of only once, seems to be a common phenomenon in the rabbits and hares. Domestic rabbits usually eat and swallow without chewing their night droppings, which form in the morning as much as half the total contents of the stomach. In the wild rabbit refection takes place twice daily, and the same habit is reported for the European hare. . . . It is believed that this habit provides the animals with large amounts of B vitamins produced by bacteria in the food within the large intestine.” On the same point, the work Mammals of the World (Vol. II, p. 647) notes: “This may be similar to ‘chewing the cud’ in ruminant mammals.”

HAREPH

(Haʹreph) [autumn, or, sharp].

A descendant of Judah; son of Hur and the “father of Beth-gader.”—1 Chron. 2:3, 50, 51; see BETH-GADER.

HARHAIAH

(Har·haiʹah).

Father of Uzziel. Harhaiah’s son, a goldsmith, did repair work on the wall of Jerusalem under the direction of Nehemiah.—Neh. 3:8.

HARHAS

(Harʹhas) [perhaps, glitter, splendor].

Grandfather of Shallum the husband of the prophetess Huldah. (2 Ki. 22:14) In the Masoretic text his name is given as Hasrah at 2 Chronicles 34:22.

HARHUR

(Harʹhur) [possibly, violent heat, fever, or freeborn].

Ancestral head of a family of Nethinim temple slaves. “The sons of Harhur” are listed among those returning with Zerubbabel from Babylon in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:1, 2, 43, 51; Neh. 7:46, 53.

HARIM

(Haʹrim) [dedicated].

1. An Aaronic priest selected by lot to head the third of the twenty-four priestly divisions organized by David. (1 Chron. 24:1, 3, 7, 8) “Sons [or descendants] of Harim” are mentioned among the postexilic priests: 1,017 returned from Babylon in 537 B.C.E. (Ezra 2:1, 2, 36, 39; Neh. 7:42) Adna was the head of this paternal house in the following generation.