sympathy, ‘weeping with people who weep.’—Rom. 12:15.

However, in view of the weakening effect of mourning and grief (Ps. 6:6, 7; Luke 22:45; Acts 21:13; 2 Cor. 2:6, 7), Christian sorrow is shown always to be tempered, balanced, and even overshadowed by hope and strength-giving joy. (Matt. 5:4; 1 Cor. 7:29, 30; 2 Cor. 6:10; compare Nehemiah 8:9-12.) Even in his day King David manifested a balanced, sensible and principled viewpoint as to mourning, so that, while the child conceived through his adulterous relationship with Bath-sheba was ill, David fasted and lay on the earth, seeking the true God in the child’s behalf. But, learning of the child’s death, David thereupon got up, washed, rubbed himself with oil, changed clothes, prayed to Jehovah, and then requested food and began to eat. In explaining his acts to his surprised attendants, he stated: “Now that he has died, why is it I am fasting? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but, as for him, he will not return to me.” (2 Sam. 12:16, 19-23) Later, however, he needed help from straight-speaking Joab to pull out of his state of deep grief over his son Absalom’s death.—2 Sam. 18:33; 19:1-8.

Though “all creation keeps on groaning,” the sufferings of the Christian are minor compared to the glorious hope ahead (Rom. 8:18-22; 1 Pet. 1:3-7), and the promise of the resurrection enables him not to “sorrow just as the rest also do who have no hope.”—1 Thess. 4:13, 14.

Mourning and fasting without obedience to Jehovah’s word are insincere and of no benefit. (Zech. 7:2-7) However, “sadness in a godly way makes for repentance to salvation.” Such sadness is the result of a person’s seeing a wrongdoing as a sin against God. It moves him to seek God’s forgiveness and to turn around from his wrong course. “But the sadness of the world produces death.” Although a person may be sad that his wrong was exposed and that this has meant loss to him, he has no desire to gain God’s forgiveness. (2 Cor. 7:10, 11) For example, Esau’s tears shed selfishly in hope of regaining his forfeited birthright had no effect on Isaac nor on God.—Heb. 12:16, 17.

FIGURATIVE AND PROPHETIC USE

Figuratively, even the land is represented as mourning due to devastations caused by invading armies or by a plague. (Jer. 4:27, 28; Joel 1:10-12; contrast Psalm 96:11-13.) In its desolation, the land would grow up in weeds and develop a neglected, uncared-for appearance, like that of a person who has not attended to his face, hair or clothing while in mourning. Similarly, land devastated by a plague upon the crops presents a mournful sight.

The “sign of the Son of man” and Christ’s revelation are to cause all the tribes of the earth to “beat themselves in lamentation,” or “in grief.” (Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7) Upon symbolical “Babylon the great” plagues—death, mourning and famine—are foretold to come “in one day,” causing those who have benefited from her to weep and mourn. (Rev. 18:2, 7-11, 17-19) By contrast, the New Jerusalem brings in conditions upon earth in which tears, death, mourning, outcry and pain pass away for all time.—Rev. 21:2-4.

MOUTH

While God designed this organ to receive and prepare food for the stomach, he created the human mouth for speaking also. All such speech should result in praise to Him. (Ps. 34:1; 51:15; 71:8; 145:21) The psalmist has declared that everything that has breath will praise Jehovah; therefore humans must use their mouths to do this if they desire to live. The apostle Paul explains that belief in God and his Son, even believing with the heart, is not enough. It has to be accompanied by public declaration in order to bring salvation.—Ps. 150:6; Rom. 10:10.

JEHOVAH PROVIDES MOUTH WITH WORDS

In harmony with his purpose and his right and power as Creator, Jehovah can put the proper words into the mouth of his servant. In the case of his prophets, he did so miraculously, by inspiration. (Ex. 4:11, 12, 15; Jer. 1:9) In one instance he caused even a dumb animal, an ass, to speak. (Num. 22:28, 30; 2 Pet. 2:15, 16) Today God’s servants can have his words in their mouths, not by inspiration, but from his inspired written Word, which equips them completely for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) They no longer have to wait for Christ to come to provide the good news, nor do they need to go to some other source for what they preach. They have it right before them, ready to speak, as they are told: “The word is near you, in your own mouth and in your own heart.”—Rom. 10:6-9; Deut. 30:11-14.

CAN BRING LIFE OR DEATH

It follows that the proper use of the mouth is vital, and so Jehovah declares it to be. His Word says: “The mouth of the righteous one is a source of life.” (Prov. 10:11) The mouth, therefore, has to be guarded most carefully (Ps. 141:3; Prov. 13:3; 21:23), for stupid misuse of it can bring its owner to ruin. (Prov. 10:14; 18:7) God holds a person accountable for what that one brings forth from his mouth. (Matt. 12:36, 37) One may speak hastily, making a rash vow. (Eccl. 5:4-6) He may flatter another, to that person’s overthrow and his own condemnation. (Prov. 26:28) It is especially important to guard one’s mouth when before the wicked, because a slight deviation from what God’s wisdom directs his servant to say can bring reproach on God’s name and may cause that one’s death. (Ps. 39:1) Jesus gave a fine example of submissiveness to God’s will without complaint or any reviling of his wicked opposers.—Isa. 53:7; Acts 8:32; 1 Pet. 2:23.

The Christian must exercise constant vigilance, for he is imperfect; therefore he needs to watch his heart. Jesus said that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes forth from the mouth, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34; 15:11) The mind can help the heart and preserve the soul by not letting everything come forth from the mouth without thought, without considering the consequences. This requires the person to use his mind to apply the good things learned from God’s Word.—Prov. 13:3; 21:23.

A POWERFUL INSTRUMENT

Since the power of the mouth is great for good or bad, when Jehovah guides the mouth, great results are attained. He made Isaiah’s mouth “like a sharp sword,” and the words in Jeremiah’s mouth “a fire.” Jehovah backed up their prophetic words by his power and they came true. (Isa. 49:2; Jer. 5:14) On the other hand, it is dangerous to listen to anything that comes out of the mouth of a person known to be an apostate; it can bring a person to ruin.—Prov. 11:9.

FIGURATIVE USE

God represents himself symbolically as having a mouth. None of his pronouncements are uttered to no purpose, in vain; they will be fulfilled to the smallest detail. (Isa. 55:10, 11) Therefore, those who desire life must live by every word proceeding from his mouth. (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4) When on earth his Son Jesus Christ conformed his whole life to his Father’s words and now has universal authority granted him. As Jehovah’s king, he will strike the earth with “the rod of his mouth.” (Isa. 11:4) The vision of Revelation shows him smiting the nations with a long sword proceeding out of his mouth. (Rev. 19:15, 21) This figure of speech evidently represents the authority he will exercise in command of all Jehovah’s heavenly armies in ordering and supervising the warfare that results in the execution of God’s enemies.

“Mouth” is often used synonymously for speech or the power of speech, as can be seen from some of the instances cited above. The rule governing evidence in a case under the Mosaic law, and also followed in the Christian congregation, is that a person may be found guilty only “at the mouth,” that is, on the testimony, of two or three witnesses. (Deut. 17:6; Matt. 18:16; compare 2 Corinthians 13:1.) A few other examples of similar usage are found at Job 32:5; Psalm 10:7; 55:21; 78:36; Ezekiel 24:27; 29:21; Luke 21:15; Romans 15:6.

In addition, “mouth” may have reference to the opening of something, such as of a well (Gen. 29:2), a bag (Gen. 43:12; 44:1, 2), a cave (Josh. 10:22) or an opening in the earth (Num. 16:32), and to the receiving of shed blood by the ground. (Gen. 4:11) Sheol, mankind’s common grave, is spoken of as having a wide mouth, so as to receive many dead.—Isa. 5:14.

THE PALATE

The palate is the roof of the mouth separating the mouth from the nasal cavities, and having a soft part that forms a curtain between the mouth and the pharynx. In the Scriptures, “palate” is, in some cases, used nearly synonymously with “mouth.” Some translations, in fact, render the Hebrew word for “palate” as “mouth.”

Both Job and Elihu make a comparative use of the word when they liken the palate’s ability to discriminate taste to man’s judgment as to what is right and wise. (Job 12:11; 34:3) That the palate has a function in tasting is not erronous, as sometimes claimed. This can be seen by observing the part played by the palate in swallowing. Food is pressed by the tongue against the palate and spread out as it moves back into the pharynx, which is a tube leading toward the stomach and connected also with the nasal passages. This brings about better diffusion of the aroma of the food into the nasal passages, which greatly contributes to what is commonly called “taste.”

MOZA

(Moʹza) [a going forth].

1. A descendant of Judah and son of Caleb by his concubine Ephah.—1 Chron. 2:46.

2. A Benjamite and descendant of King Saul. He was the son of Zimri and father of Binea.—1 Chron. 8:33-37; 9:42, 43.

MOZAH

(Moʹzah).

A Benjamite city. (Josh. 18:21, 26) The ancient site is considered to be at or near Qaluniya, a village about three miles (5 kilometers) W-NW of Jerusalem. Jar handles stamped with the name “Mozah” have been found at Jericho and Tell en-Nasbeh.

MULE

The hybrid offspring of a he-ass and a mare. The mule’s body resembles that of the horse, but its short, thick head, long ears, short mane, small feet and its tail terminated by a tuft of long hairs are characteristic of the ass. The mule combines some of the finer qualities of both parents: the endurance, hardiness and surefootedness of the ass, and the strength, vigor and courage of the horse. The animal is less prone to disease than the horse, displays greater patience when bearing heavy burdens and enjoys a much longer life-span. The hinny, the offspring of a stallion and a she-ass, is smaller than the mule and lacks its strength and beauty. Both sexes of the mule, with rare exceptions, are sterile.

These animals were among the gifts brought to Solomon by kings desiring to hear his wisdom. (1 Ki. 10:24, 25; 2 Chron. 9:23, 24) Other mules may have been obtained from traders, such as the Phoenicians. (Ezek. 27:8, 9, 14) In the time of David, mules were used as mounts by prominent persons. David’s own she-mule was assigned for Solomon’s use on the occasion of his anointing at Gihon.—2 Sam. 13:29; 18:9; 1 Ki. 1:33, 34, 38, 39.

Mules were valued as burden-bearers. (2 Ki. 5:17; 1 Chron. 12:40) Jehovah, by means of his prophet Isaiah, indicated that mules would be one of the means of transport for bringing his scattered people to Jerusalem. (Isa. 66:20) It is therefore of note that in fulfillment of prophecy those returning from Babylonian exile brought with them 245 mules in addition to other beasts of burden.—Ezra 2:66; Neh. 7:68.

Humans are counseled not to make themselves persons without understanding, like a horse or a mule whose spiritedness must be curbed by means of a bridle or a halter.—Ps. 32:9.

MUPPIM

(Mupʹpim) [perhaps, wavings].

One of the “sons” of Benjamin. (Gen. 46:21) He is evidently identical with Shephupham (Num. 26:39), Shephuphan (1 Chron. 8:5) and Shuppim.—1 Chron. 7:12.

MURDER

The original-language words variously rendered kill, murder and slay refer to the taking of a life, the context or other scriptures determining whether the deliberate and unauthorized or unlawful taking of another person’s life is involved. For example, in the command, “You must not murder” (Ex. 20:13), the Hebrew word for “murder” (ra·tsahhʹ, literally meaning “to break” or “to dash in pieces”) here clearly refers to deliberate and unlawful killing. But at Numbers 35:27 the same term denotes an act that an avenger of blood was authorized to carry out. Therefore, the command, “You must not murder,” has to be understood within the framework of the entire Mosaic law, which authorized the taking of human life under certain circumstances, as in the execution of criminals.

EARLY HISTORY

Almost from the beginning of human history murder has been known. Through his disobedience, the first man Adam passed sin and death to his offspring, thus, in effect, proving himself to be a murderer. (Rom. 5:12; 6:23) Since it was the Devil who deliberately contributed to this development by inducing Adam’s wife Eve to sin, the Greek term an·thro·po·ktoʹnos, “murderer” or “manslayer,” is rightly applied to Satan.—Gen. 3:13; John 8:44.

Less than 130 years afterward the first violent murder, a fratricide, occurred. Cain, Adam’s firstborn son, motivated by envious hatred, murdered his righteous brother Abel. (Gen. 4:1-8, 25; 5:3) For this act Cain was cursed in banishment to become a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth. (Gen. 4:11, 12) Not until after the flood of Noah’s day did God authorize humans to administer capital punishment for murder.—Gen. 9:6.

UNDER THE LAW

Centuries later the Mosaic law was given to the Israelites and it included extensive legislation regarding the taking of human life. It differentiated between deliberate and accidental slaying. Factors considered as weighing against one claiming to be an accidental manslayer were: If he (1) had been a former hater of the slain person (Deut. 19:11, 12; compare Joshua 20:5), (2) had lain in wait for the victim (Num. 35:20, 21) or (3) had used an object or implement capable of inflicting a mortal wound. (Num. 35:16-18) Even slaves, if killed while being beaten by their masters, were to be avenged. (Ex. 21:20) Whereas the death penalty was prescribed for deliberate murderers and a ransom was ruled out in their case, unintentional manslayers could preserve their lives by availing themselves of the safety accorded them in the cities of refuge.—Ex. 21:12, 13; Num. 35:30, 31; Josh. 20:2, 3; see CITIES OF REFUGE.

Certain deliberate acts that indirectly caused or could have resulted in the death of another person were considered tantamount to deliberate murder. For example, the owner of a goring bull who disregarded previous warnings to keep the animal under guard could be put to death if his bull killed someone else. In some cases, however, a ransom could be accepted