A hypocritical course cannot be concealed indefinitely. (Luke 12:1-3) Hypocrites are condemned by God as unworthy of life everlasting. (Matt. 24:48-51) Therefore, a Christian’s love and faith must be without hypocrisy. (Rom. 12:9; 2 Cor. 6:4, 6; 1 Tim. 1:5) The wisdom from above is not hypocritical.—Jas. 3:17.

HYSSOP

The plant used by the Israelites in Egypt to splash the blood of the passover victim on the two doorposts and the upper part of the doorway of their houses. (Ex. 12:21, 22) At the inauguration of the Law covenant, Moses employed hyssop in sprinkling the book of the Law and the people. (Heb. 9:19) Hyssop also figured in the cleansing ceremony for persons or houses previously infected with leprosy (Lev. 14:2-7, 48-53; see LEPROSY), and in preparing the ashes to be used in the ‘water for cleansing,’ as well as in spattering this water on certain things and persons. (Num. 19:6, 9, 18) David thus appropriately prayed to be purified from sin with hyssop.—Ps. 51:7.

Uncertainty surrounds the exact identification of hyssop. The Hebrew term ʼe·zohvʹ and its Greek equivalent hysʹso·pos may, in fact, embrace several different kinds of plants. Among those that have been suggested are the common caper, the thorny caper, common sorghum, marjoram, wall rue and maidenhair spleenwort.

According to various modern scholars, the hyssop of the Hebrew Scriptures is probably marjoram. This plant of the mint family is common in Palestine. Under favorable conditions it attains a height of one and a half to three feet (46 to 91 centimeters). Its branches and thick leaves are hairy and, if bunched together, can easily hold liquids for splashing. The fact that marjoram is found growing in rock crevices and walls harmonizes with 1 Kings 4:33. However, other scholars, although identifying hyssop with marjoram in all other Hebrew Scripture passages, believe that in this verse “the hyssop that is coming forth on the wall” may denote a fern such as wall rue or maidenhair spleenwort.

The hyssop mentioned in connection with Jesus Christ’s impalement (John 19:29) is thought by some to refer to common sorghum, a tall, small-grained plant with long, broad leaves. Since this plant commonly attains a height of at least six feet (1.8 meters) in Palestine, it could have provided a stalk or “reed” of sufficient length to convey the sponge of sour wine to Jesus’ mouth. (Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36) Others think that even in this case hyssop may be marjoram and suggest that a bunch of marjoram may have been attached to the “reed” mentioned by Matthew and Mark. Still another view is that John 19:29 originally read hys·soiʹ (pike, javelin), not hys·soʹpoi (hyssop); hence the renderings “on a pike” (AT) and “on a spear” (Mo).

IBHAR

(Ibʹhar) [he (God) chooses].

One of the sons born to King David in Jerusalem after he transferred his residence there from Hebron.—2 Sam. 5:13-15; 1 Chron. 14:4, 5.

IBLEAM

(Ibʹle·am).

A city in the territory of Issachar but assigned with its dependent towns to Manasseh. The Manassites, however, failed to dispossess the Canaanites from Ibleam. (Josh. 17:11-13; Judg. 1:27) Undoubtedly Ibleam is the same as the Bileam in Manasseh given to the Kohathite Levites. (1 Chron. 6:70) But the parallel passage mentioning Levite cities in the territory of the half tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 21:25) reads “Gath-rimmon” instead of “Bileam” or “Ibleam.” Generally this is attributed to scribal error, “Gath-rimmon,” the name of a city in Dan, probably having been inadvertently repeated from verse 24.

Many scholars believe that Ibleam corresponds to Ybrʽm, a city listed among the Palestinian conquests of the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Near Ibleam, King Ahaziah of Judah was fatally struck down at the command of Jehu. (2 Ki. 9:27) Later, Jehu’s dynasty ended with the assassination of Zechariah at Ibleam (according to the Lagardian edition of the LXX).—2 Ki. 15:10-12, JB, NW, RS.

IBNEIAH

(Ib·neʹiah) [Jehovah builds up].

Son of Jeroham; a Benjamite head of a paternal house returning from Babylonian exile.—1 Chron. 9:1-3, 7-9.

IBNIJAH

(Ib·niʹjah) [Jehovah builds up].

A Benjamite, forefather of a certain Meshullam.—1 Chron. 9:7, 8.

IBRI

(lbʹri) [a Hebrew].

Son of Jaaziah; a Merarite Levite of King David’s time.—1 Chron. 24:27, 30, 31.

IBSAM

(Ibʹsam) [fragrance of balsam].

One of the sons of Tola; a paternal head of the tribe of Issachar.—1 Chron. 7:1, 2.

IBZAN

(Ibʹzan) [swift].

The one who succeeded Jephthah as judge of Israel. Ibzan was the father of thirty sons and thirty daughters, indicating that he was a polygamist and evidently also a man of some means. He procured thirty daughters as wives for his sons. After judging for seven years Ibzan died and was buried in his native city of Bethlehem, likely the Bethlehem in Zebulun.—Judg. 12:7-10; Josh. 19:10, 14, 15; see BETHLEHEM No. 2.

ICE

Water in its solid state, produced by freezing. Both Elihu and Jehovah God called Job’s attention to the marvel of ice, the Almighty saying: “Out of whose belly does the ice actually come forth . . . ? The very waters keep themselves hidden as by stone, and the surface of the watery deep makes itself compact.” (Job 36:1; 37:10; 38:1, 29, 30) The formation of ice as here referred to is possible only because of a most unusual property of water. As the water in lakes and seas cools it becomes heavier. The lighter, warmer water is displaced by the heavier water and rises to the top. But when the water as a whole reaches about 39° Fahrenheit (4° Centigrade) this process reverses. The water becomes lighter as it nears the freezing point and remains as a layer above the warmer water beneath. This upper layer then turns to ice, “makes itself compact.” Being lighter than water, the ice keeps the waters beneath “hidden as by stone,” thus protecting marine life. Were it not for this phenomenon, all the lakes and even the oceans would in time become solid ice, thus making it impossible for man to live on the earth.

The psalmist speaks of Jehovah’s “throwing his ice like morsels.” This evidently refers to hail or sleet.—Ps. 147:17; see HAIL.

ICHABOD

(Ichʹa·bod) [Where is the glory?].

Posthumous son of Phinehas and brother of Ahitub; grandson of High Priest Eli. The name Ichabod, given to him by his dying mother while giving birth, signified that glory had gone away from Israel in view of the capture of the Ark and the deaths of Phinehas and Eli.—1 Sam. 4:17-22; 14:3.

ICONIUM

(I·coʹni·um).

An ancient city of Asia Minor lying about 2,320 feet (707 meters) above sea level. Iconium is presently known as Konya (Konia), located about 150 miles (c. 240 kilometers) S of Ankara on the southwestern edge of the central Turkish plateau. In the surrounding area, watered by streams flowing from mountains a few miles to the W, grain, sugar beets and flax are cultivated. Konya also has many irrigated gardens and fruit orchards. Although given the title Claudiconium during the rule of Emperor Claudius, not until Hadrian’s time (in the second century C.E.) was the city constituted a Roman colony.

In the first century C.E. Iconium was one of the principal cities in the Roman province of Galatia and lay astride the main trade route from Ephesus to Syria. The city had an influential Jewish population. Paul and Barnabas, after being forced to leave Pisidian Antioch, preached in the city of Iconium and its synagogue and there aided many Jews and Greeks to become believers. But when an attempt was made to stone them, they fled from Iconium to Lystra. Soon Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and stirred up the crowds there so that they stoned Paul. Thereafter Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe and then courageously returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the brothers and appointing “older men” to positions of responsibility in the congregations established in these cities.—Acts 13:50, 51; 14:1-7, 19-23.

Later, after the circumcision issue arose and was settled by the apostles and older men of the Jerusalem congregation, Paul seems to have revisited Iconium. It was on this second missionary journey that Paul took along Timothy, a young man having a fine reputation among the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.—Acts 16:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:10, 11.

Iconium was on the border between Phrygia and Lycaonia. This may explain why certain ancient writers, including Strabo and Cicero, assigned it to Lycaonia, whereas Xenophon called it the last city of Phrygia. From a geographical standpoint, Iconium belonged to Lycaonia, but, as indicated by archaeological discoveries, it was Phrygian in culture and speech. Inscriptions found at the site in 1910 show that Phrygian was the language used there for two centuries after Paul’s time. Appropriately, therefore, the writer of Acts did not include Iconium as part of Lycaonia, where the “Lycaonian tongue” was spoken.—Acts 14:6, 11.

IDALAH

(Iʹda·lah).

A boundary city of Zebulun. (Josh. 19:14-16) While its exact location is unknown, some link Idalah with Khirbet el-Huwarah, less than a mile (c. 1.5 kilometers) SW of the suggested location of Bethlehem in Zebulun.

IDBASH

(Idʹbash) [honey-sweet].

A man of Judah, evidently a son of the founder of Etam.—1 Chron. 4:1, 3; see ETAM No. 3.

IDDO

(Idʹdo) [Heb., ʽId·dohʹ, ʽId·dohʼʹ, Yeʽ·dohʹ, Yeʽ·diʹ, ʽId·doʼʹ; decked, adorned].

1. Son of Joah; a Levite of the family of Gershom.—1 Chron. 6:19-21.

2. Father of Ahinadab, the one serving as Solomon’s food deputy in Mahanaim.—1 Ki. 4:7, 14.

3. A visionary whose writings were consulted by the compiler of Chronicles for information concerning the affairs of Kings Solomon, Rehoboam and Abijah. Iddo’s writings are referred to as an “exposition,” a “commentary” or a “midrash.”—2 Chron. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22, NW, 1955 ed., ftn.

4. A prophet, father of Berechiah and grandfather of the prophet Zechariah. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Zech. 1:1, 7) This Iddo may be the same as No. 5.

5. A priest listed among those returning to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. In the days of High Priest Joiakim the paternal house of Iddo was headed by Zechariah. (Neh. 12:1, 4, 12, 16) He may be the same as No. 4.

6. [Yid·dohʹ; loving, beloved]. Son of a certain Zechariah; prince of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead in King David’s time.—1 Chron. 27:21, 22.

7. [ʼId·dohʹ; to happen unexpectedly, to overwhelm]. Head of the Nethinim temple slaves residing at Casiphia, two hundred and twenty of whom accompanied Ezra to Jerusalem in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:17, 20.

IDOL, IDOLATRY

An idol is an image, representation of anything or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined. Generally speaking, idolatry is the veneration, love, worship or adoration of an idol. It is usually practiced toward a real or supposed higher power, whether such power is believed to have animate existence (as a human or animal god or an organization) or whether it is inanimate (as a force or lifeless object of nature). Idolatry generally involves some form, ceremony or ritual.

NOT ALL IMAGES ARE IDOLS

God’s law not to form images (Ex. 20:4, 5) did not rule out the making of all representations and statues. This is indicated by Jehovah’s later command to make two golden cherubs on the cover of the Ark and to embroider representations of cherubs on the inner tent covering of ten tent cloths for the tabernacle and the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy. (Ex. 25:18; 26:1, 31, 33) Likewise, the interior of Solomon’s temple, the architectural plans for which were given to David by divine inspiration (1 Chron. 28:11, 12), was beautifully embellished with engraved carvings of cherubs, palm-tree figures and blossoms. Two cherubs of oil-tree wood overlaid with gold stood in the Most Holy of that temple. (1 Ki. 6:23, 28, 29) The molten sea rested upon twelve copper bulls, and the sidewalls of the copper carriages for temple use were decorated with figures of lions, bulls and cherubs. (1 Ki. 7:25, 28, 29) Twelve lions lined the steps leading up to Solomon’s throne.—2 Chron. 9:17-19.

These representations, however, were not idols for worship. Only the officiating priests saw the representations of the tabernacle interior and, later, of the temple interior. No one but the high priest entered the Most Holy, and that normally but once a year on the Day of Atonement. (Heb. 9:7) Thus there was no danger of the Israelites’ being ensnared into idolizing the golden cherubs in the sanctuary. These representations primarily served as a picture of the heavenly cherubs. (Compare Hebrews 9:24, 25.) That they were not to be venerated is evident from the fact that the angels themselves were not to be worshiped.—Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8, 9.

Of course, there were times when images became idols, although not originally intended as objects of veneration. The copper serpent that Moses formed in the wilderness came to be worshiped and therefore faithful King Hezekiah crushed it to pieces. (Num. 21:9; 2 Ki. 18:1, 4) The ephod made by Judge Gideon became a “snare” to him and to his household.—Judg. 8:27.

IMAGES AS AIDS IN WORSHIP

The Scriptures do not sanction the use of images as a means to address God in prayer. Such a practice runs counter to the principle that those seeking to serve Jehovah must worship him with spirit and truth. (John 4:24; 2 Cor. 4:18; 5:6, 7) He tolerates no mixing of idolatrous practices with true worship, as illustrated by his condemnation of calf worship, although the Israelites had attached his name thereto. (Ex. 32:3-10) Jehovah does not share his glory with graven images.—Isa. 42:8.

There is not a single instance in Scripture where faithful servants of Jehovah resorted to the use of visual aids to pray to God or engaged in a form of relative worship. Of course, some may cite Hebrews 11:21, which, according to the Catholic Douay Version, reads: “By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and adored the top of his rod.” Then in a footnote on this scripture it is held that Jacob paid relative honor and veneration to the top of Joseph’s rod, and the comment is made: “Some translators,