teacher concerning the qualities, works and purposes of his Father. (Matt. 11:27) He had the next most vital qualification of a good teacher in that he loved those whom he taught. (Mark 10:21; John 13:1, 34; 15:9, 12) Few teachers have loved their disciples so much that they were willing to give their lives for them, as Jesus did. (John 15:13) He had an understanding of the minds of his listeners. (John 2:25) He had deep discernment. (Luke 6:8) He had no selfish interests at heart in his teaching, for he was sinless and without guile. (Heb. 7:26) He did not teach with the philosophical words of the scribes but used everyday illustrations that could be understood by all. For this reason his teachings are still understandable today. His teaching was full of illustrations.—See ILLUSTRATIONS.

Jesus’ teaching included reproof and discipline. (Mark 8:33) He taught by example as well as word, carrying out a vigorous campaign of preaching and teaching. His speech was with an authority that none of the scribes could match; accompanying this was God’s holy spirit, which gave his teachings the stamp of heavenly backing, so that he could, with authority and power, command the demons to come out of those who were possessed by them. (Mark 1:27; Luke 4:36) He was bold and fearless in denouncing false teachers who would hinder others from hearing his teachings.—Matt. chap. 23.

EDUCATION AND THE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

Jesus’ disciples followed his footsteps in Christian educational work and had success similar to his. They not only preached the good news of God’s kingdom everywhere but also taught. (Acts 2:42) They, like Jesus, were bold, speaking with authority. (Acts 4:13, 19, 20; 5:29) God’s spirit empowered them and manifested his approval of their teaching. They taught in the temple, in synagogues and from house to house. (Acts 5:16, 21; 13:14-16; 20:20) They met with fellow Christians for teaching and inciting one another to love and fine works.—Acts 20:7, 8; Heb. 10:24, 25.

The apostle Paul described the different offices and activities in the congregation that were filled by mature men, among them being teachers, and he showed that the purpose of all these activities was that of education, with a view to the training of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ. (Eph. 4:11-16) A regular program of education in God’s Word was carried on by the congregation, as outlined in 1 Corinthians, chapter 14. All the members of the Christian congregation were to be teachers, even the women members, to make disciples of the people of the world. (Acts 18:26; Heb. 5:12; Rom. 12:7) But within the congregation itself mature men were appointed to oversight, as, for example, Timothy and Titus. (1 Tim. 2:12) Such men had to be those qualified to teach the congregation and to correct things that may have gotten out of line and they were to use extraordinary care to ensure that their teaching was accurate and healthful.—1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:2, 3; Titus 2:1.

On the subject of physical education the Bible has little to say, except that the apostle Paul counsels: “For bodily training is beneficial for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) Physical activity is required, however, in energetic preaching and teaching, which is encouraged. Jesus did a great deal of walking. So did his disciples, and with Paul it included much travel, which in that time meant much foot work.

The Bible gives limited comment on education of an unbiblical nature. It warns Christians not to be involving themselves in philosophies of men nor taking time to delve into foolish and unprofitable questions, and strongly counsels against mental intercourse with those who do not believe God and his Word. (1 Tim. 6:20, 21; 1 Cor. 2:13; 3:18-20; Col. 2:8; Titus 3:9; 1:14; 2 Tim. 2:16; Rom. 16:17) Christians counted it service to God when they performed the secular work necessary to provide properly for their families. Often some form of education and training was required to equip them for such secular occupation. (1 Tim. 5:8) But from the history of early Christianity we find that, primarily, they were interested in any legitimate method for getting the “good news” preached, in Bible education for themselves and all who would hear them. (1 Cor. 9:16) As Professor E. J. Goodspeed says, in Christianity Goes to Press, 1940:

“The Christians from the moment they awoke to the possibilities of publication in spreading their gospel over the world availed themselves of them to the full, not only publishing new books but searching out old ones for publication, and this genius for publication has never forsaken them. It is a mistake to suppose that it began with the discovery of printing; it was characteristic of Christian attitudes from A.D. 70 on, gathering strength as the great fruitfulness of the method emerged. Even the barbarian invasions and the Dark Ages could not quench it. And it is all an evidence of the tremendous dynamic which informed the whole of early Christian life, which sought not only by deed and word but by all the most advanced techniques of publication to carry the gospel, in its fulness and without reserve, to all mankind.”—See RABBI; SCHOOL; SYNAGOGUE; TUTOR.

EGLAH

(Egʹlah) [heifer].

The mother of King David’s sixth son Ithream, born to him in Hebron.—2 Sam. 3:5; 1 Chron. 3:3.

EGLAIM

(E·glaʹim).

Evidently one of the geographical extremities of Moab, that, according to Isaiah 15:1, 8, was due to ‘howl’ over that nation’s despoiling. The exact location of the ancient site is unknown. However, Eglaim and a similar name, Agallim, mentioned by Eusebius as seven and four-tenths miles (11.9 kilometers) S of Rabba, may be preserved at Rujm el-Jilimeh in that area or at Khirbet Jeljul, a location dating from Nabataean-Roman times, a little farther S.

EGLATH-SHELISHIYAH

(Egʹlath-she·liʹshi·yah) [third Eglath, or, third young cow (heifer)].

A term used by Isaiah (15:5) and Jeremiah (48:34) in their pronouncements of doom against Moab, apparently referring to a site in that nation. Some hold that there were three towns in one vicinity with the same name, and that the third (the “third Eglath,” AT), is here the target of the prophets’ utterances. A precise identification of such sites has never been made.

Many scholars, however, are of the opinion that the Hebrew (ʽegh·lathʹ sh^eli·shi·yahʹ) should not be transliterated as a proper noun. They view it as a symbolic expression and would translate it as “a heifer of three years old.” (Dy, JP; see AV, Ro.) In this case, the prophets might be likening vanquished Moab to a sturdy, young, though full-grown cow, but from which are heard only pitiful ‘cries’ of anguish.

EGLON

(Egʹlon) [circle, place of heifers, calf, frisking around].

1. A king of Moab in the days of the judges, who oppressed Israel for eighteen years, “because they did what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes.” (Judg. 3:12-25) Eglon was head of the confederacy of Moab, Ammon and Amalek in their assault upon Israel. His downfall came when left-handed Ehud, after presenting the customary tribute said: “I have a secret word for you, O king.” In the privacy of his cool chamber atop the flat roof of his palace, Eglon, after dismissing his attendants, rose up from his throne to receive what Ehud said was “a word of God.” Thereupon Ehud thrust into Eglon’s very fat belly a double-edged sword so that “the handle kept going in also after the blade,” and “the fecal matter began to come out.” Says Clarke’s Commentary (Vol. II, p. 114, col. 1): “Either the contents of the bowels issued through the wound, or he had an evacuation in the natural way through the fright and anguish.”

2. A royal Canaanite city whose king joined a confederacy against Gibeon when that city made peace with Joshua and Israel. Joshua slew the five kings involved, staked them, and later conquered Eglon, devoting its inhabitants to destruction. (Josh. 10:1-5, 22-27, 34, 35; 12:12) It was thereafter included in the territory of the tribe of Judah. (Josh. 15:39) The original site is believed to be found at Tell el-Hesi, some sixteen miles (26 kilometers) NE of Gaza, and about seven miles (11 kilometers) SW of the site of Lachish, and thus near the edge of the Plains of Philistia. The ancient name, however, is preserved at the ruins of Khirbet ʽAjlan, a few miles distant.

EGYPT, EGYPTIAN

Egypt and its inhabitants are referred to over 700 times in the Bible. The English name for this land comes from the Greek Aiʹgy·ptos by way of the Latin Aegyptus. Some scholars suggest that the Greek form was, in turn, derived from an Egyptian name for the city of Memphis (Hi-ku-Ptah), an ancient capital of Egypt.

In the Hebrew Scriptures Egypt is usually designated by the name Mizraim (Mits·raʹyim) (compare Genesis 50:11), evidently pointing to the prominence or predominance of the descendants of that son of Ham in the region. (Gen. 10:6) The name Misr is applied to Egypt even today by Arabs. In certain Psalms it is called “the land of Ham.”—Ps. 105:23, 27; 106:21, 22.

The Egyptians commonly referred to their country as Kemyt, meaning “black.” While Plutarch (Greek writer of the first century C.E.) explained this name as contrasting the black soil of the Nile valley with the surrounding sandy desert, it is possible that Kemyt corresponds to the Hebrew name Ham (hham), suggested as meaning “swarthy” or “sunburnt.” If this latter suggestion is correct, the name Kemyt could originally have related to the dark complexion of most of the Hamites. Another Egyptian name frequently used was tawy, the “two lands,” that is, of Upper and Lower Egypt.

BOUNDARIES AND GEOGRAPHY

In ancient and modern times, Egypt has owed its existence to the Nile River, with its fertile valley stretching like a long, narrow green ribbon through the parched desert regions of northeastern Africa. “Lower Egypt” comprised the broad Delta region where the Nile waters fan out before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, at one time through at least five separate branches, today by only two. From the point where the Nile’s waters diverge (in the region of modern Cairo) to the seacoast is about a hundred miles (160.9 kilometers). The site of ancient Heliopolis (Biblical On) is found a short distance N of Cairo, while a few miles S of Cairo lies Memphis (usually called Noph in the Bible). (Gen. 46:20; Jer. 46:19; Hos. 9:6) To the S of Memphis began the region of “Upper Egypt,” extending up the valley all the way to the first cataract of the Nile at Aswan (ancient Syene), a distance of some 600 miles (965.4 kilometers). Many scholars, however, consider it more logical to refer to the northern part of this section as “Middle Egypt.” In this entire region (of Middle and Upper Egypt) the flat Nile valley rarely exceeds twelve miles (19.3 kilometers) in width, and is bounded on both sides by limestone and sandstone cliffs, which form the edge of the desert proper.

Beyond the first cataract lay Ethiopia (or, Nubia), so that Egypt is said to have reached “from Migdol [a site evidently in NE Egypt] to Syene and to the boundary of Ethiopia.” (Ezek. 29:10) While the Hebrew term Mits·raʹyim is regularly used to stand for the entire land of Egypt, many scholars believe that in some cases it represents Lower Egypt, and perhaps “Middle Egypt,” with Upper Egypt being designated by “Pathros.” The reference to ‘Egypt [Mizraim], Pathros, and Cushʼ at Isaiah 11:11 is paralleled by a similar geographical lineup in an inscription of Assyrian King Esar-haddon, who lists within his empire the regions of “Musur, Paturisi and Cush.”

Bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the N and the first cataract of the Nile and Nubia-Ethiopia on the S, Egypt was hemmed in by the Libyan Desert (part of the Sahara) on the W and the Red Sea Desert on the E. Thus, for the most part, it was quite insulated against outside influence and protected from invasion. The isthmus of Sinai on the NE, however, formed a bridge with the Asiatic continent (1 Sam. 15:7; 27:8) and over this land-bridge came commercial caravans (Gen. 37:25), migrants and, in time, invading armies. The “torrent valley of Egypt,” usually identified with Wadi el-ʽArish in the Sinai Peninsula, evidently marked the northeastern extremity of Egypt’s established domain. (2 Ki. 24:7) Beyond this lay Canaan. (Gen. 15:18; Josh. 15:4) In the desert to the W of the Nile there were at least five oases that came to form part of the Egyptian kingdom. The large Faiyum oasis, about forty-five miles (72.4 kilometers) SW of ancient Memphis, received water from the Nile by means of a channel.

Economy dependent on Nile

Whereas today the desert regions lining the Nile valley provide little or no vegetation to sustain animal life, the evidence is that in ancient times the wadis or torrent valleys contained many wild oxen, antelopes and other game animals hunted by the Egyptians. Still, rain was evidently scant and today is negligible (Cairo receiving but two inches [5 centimeters] annually). Thus life in Egypt depended on the waters of the Nile.

The Nile’s sources take their rise in the mountains of Ethiopia and neighboring lands. Here seasonal rainfall was sufficient to swell the river’s flow, causing it to flood its banks in Egypt each year during the months of July to September. (Compare Amos 8:8; 9:5.) This not only provided water for irrigation canals and basins but also deposited valuable silt to enrich the soil. So fertile was the Nile valley, and also the Delta, that the well-watered region of Sodom and Gomorrah viewed by Lot was likened to “the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt.” (Gen. 13:10) The amount of inundation was variable; when low, production was poor and famine resulted. (Gen. 41:29-31) The complete failure of the Nile inundations would represent a disaster of the first order, converting the country into a barren wasteland.—Isa. 19:5-7; Ezek. 29:10-12.

Products

Agriculturally rich, Egypt’s main crops were barley, wheat, spelt (a type of wheat) and flax (from which fine linen was made and exported to many lands.) (Ex. 9:31, 32; Prov. 7:16) There were vineyards, date, fig and pomegranate trees, and vegetable gardens providing a good variety of products, including cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions and garlic. (Gen. 40:9-11; Num. 11:5; 20:5) The allusion to ‘irrigating the land with one’s foot, like a garden of vegetables’ (Deut. 11:10), is understood by some scholars to refer to the use of the Egyptian waterwheel and pump worked by the feet, illustrations of which are found on ancient monuments. It might also simply refer to all the footwork or walking involved in supplying water to a garden plot in a hot, rainless land.

When famine hit neighboring lands, people often made their way down to fruitful Egypt, as did Abraham early in the second millennium B.C.E. (Gen. 12:10) In time Egypt came to be a granary for much of the Mediterranean area. The ship out of Alexandria,