Arabia) is sandwiched in between two references to Solomon’s trade with Ophir.—1 Ki. 9:26–10:11.

OPHNI

(Ophʹni).

A city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:21, 24), commonly linked with the Gophna mentioned by Josephus (Wars of the Jews, Book III, chap. III, par. 5) and considered to be modern Jifna. This site is about three miles (5 kilometers) N-NW of Bethel and therefore seemingly N of Benjamite territory. (Josh. 18:11-13) For the identification to be correct, it must be assumed either that Ophni was a Benjamite enclave city in Ephraim or that the Benjamite boundary extended northward near Bethel to include this suggested site of Ophni.

OPHRAH

(Ophʹrah) [perhaps, young one].

1. A descendant of Judah through Meonothai.—1 Chron. 4:1, 14.

2. A city of Benjamin. (Josh. 18:21, 23) Its relative location may be inferred from the narrative about Israel’s encounters with the Philistines during Saul’s reign. From their camp at Michmash bands of Philistine pillagers sallied forth in three different directions. One band went westward on the road to Beth-horon, while another traveled eastward on “the road to the boundary that looks toward the valley of Zeboim.” Since at least part of the Israelite army was encamped at Geba to the S of Michmash, apparently the Philistine band taking the road to Ophrah went northward. Accordingly, this would place Ophrah to the N of Michmash.—1 Sam. 13:16-18.

Geographers often equate Ophrah with the city called Ephraim (2 Sam. 13:23; John 11:54) and Ephrain (2 Chron. 13:19), thought to be represented by et-Taiyibeh (about 4 miles [6.4 kilometers] E-NE of Bethel). But this identification is open to question, because it would seemingly locate Ophrah outside Benjamite territory.

3. The home of Gideon and the place where Jehovah’s angel commissioned him to save Israel out of Midian’s palm. (Judg. 6:11-32) After his victory over the enemy forces, Gideon made an ephod from the contributed spoils and exhibited it at Ophrah. Subsequently this ephod became an object of idolatrous veneration. (Judg. 8:24-27) Later, after Gideon’s death and burial at Ophrah, his ambitious son Abimelech “killed his brothers . . . seventy men, upon one stone, but Jotham the youngest . . . was left over.” (Judg. 8:32; 9:5) Not counting Abimelech, Gideon had seventy sons. (Judg. 8:30, 31) Therefore, since Jotham escaped the slaughter, apparently Abimelech killed only sixty-nine sons at Ophrah. Jotham’s later words concerning the incident merely appear to point to Abimelech’s intention to kill all seventy sons. (Judg. 9:18) However, as a Jewish commentary fittingly observes: “It is still correct to speak in round numbers of ‘seventy’ slain.”—The Soncino Books of the Bible, Joshua and Judges, edited by A. Cohen, p. 234.

This Ophrah apparently lay in Manasseh’s territory W of the Jordan and may also have been in the vicinity of Shechem (Josh. 17:7), as that city was the home of Gideon’s concubine by whom he fathered Abimelech. (Judg. 8:31) Another et-Taiyibeh is often suggested as a possible identification, but this site lies about sixteen miles (26 kilometers) E-NE of Shechem.

OREB

(Oʹreb) [raven].

1. A prince of Midian. Oreb and Zeeb were in the Midianite army of Kings Zebah and Zalmunna that Gideon and his 300 put to flight. The two princes were captured and put to death by men of Ephraim and their heads were brought to Gideon.—Judg. 7:24, 25; 8:3-5; Ps. 83:11.

2. The rock where Midianite prince Oreb was executed and that came to bear his name. Its location is unknown.—Judg. 7:25; Isa. 10:26.

OREN

(Oʹren) [cedar tree].

A son of Jerahmeel in the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:25.

ORIENTALS

(Ori·enʹtals) [Heb., literally, “sons of the East”].

The populace of those lands viewed by Hebrew writers as “the East.” This area was beyond the boundary of Israel not only to the E but also well up to the N and southward into Arabia. (Gen. 25:6; Jer. 49:28) Thus, when Jacob went to Laban’s household at Haran, he went “to the land of the Orientals,” NE of Canaan.—Gen. 29:1.

Job is called “the greatest of all the Orientals.” (Job 1:3) The forces that oppressed Israel before Gideon rose up and vanquished them were comprised of Amalekites and the Midianites in addition to “the Easterners,” otherwise unidentified. (Judg. 6:3, 33; 7:12; 8:10) The Orientals, noted for their wisdom, were, however, surpassed in this respect by Solomon. (1 Ki. 4:30) The so-called “wise men” or Magi who visited the young child Jesus were “astrologers from eastern parts.”—Matt. 2:1, 2, 11.

ORNAMENTS

Bible references and the evidence unearthed by archaeologists reveal, not only an interest in ornamentation from very ancient times, but also great ability and skill in producing ornamentation of high artistic caliber. Artisans did highly decorative work in weaving, embroidery, wood- and ivory-carving and in metalworking. The remains of palaces in Assyria, Babylon, Persia and the city of Mari all give evidence of rich decorating, with large murals on interior walls and finely carved bas-reliefs depicting scenes of war, hunting and palace affairs adorning both inner and outer walls. Palace doorways were often guarded by great figures of mighty beasts. The representations of the king and others in the reliefs reveal fine embroidery on their garments. Even the gear of the horses is highly decorated with tassels and engravings. (Compare the necklaces of the Midianites’ camels; Judg. 8:21, 26.)

Tomb paintings provide the principal source of evidence from Egypt, although some artifacts in the form of throne chairs, royal chariots and other items have survived. The paintings depict even foreign nomads as wearing brightly colored and patterned dress. The royal tombs at Ur in Mesopotamia produced some of the best finds in ancient jewelry, some of it of considerable intricacy in its construction. Lovely blue and gold necklaces, a headdress of delicately hammered gold and silver leaves and flowers, as well as a harp of beautifully inlaid wood with engraved shell plaques bearing scenes of animal life, are a few of the many treasures unearthed there.

Throughout Near Eastern lands pottery of all styles, and elaborately ornamented cosmetic boxes, ointment jars, mirror handles and palettes for mixing cosmetic pigments have been found, frequently of carved ivory or bone.

HEBREW AND CHRISTIAN ORNAMENTATION

The Bible lays greatest emphasis on spiritual beauty rather than on material adornment. Parental discipline is “a wreath of attractiveness” to one’s head “and a fine necklace” for the throat, a “crown of beauty”; “lips of knowledge are precious vessels” superior to any gold vases of an artisan; “as apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time for it,” and “an earring of gold, and an ornament of special gold, is a wise reprover upon the hearing ear.” (Prov. 1:9; 4:9; 20:15; 25:11, 12) A pretty woman lacking sensibleness is likened to “a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig.” (Prov. 11:22) These texts, while exalting spiritual qualities, also show that the Bible writers and those reading their writings were well acquainted with all such ornamentation.

Moderation is encouraged, particularly in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Women were “to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb, but in the way that befits women professing to reverence God, namely, through good works.” (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) Peter could call upon examples of pre-Christian times in urging that women seek the beauty of “the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible apparel of the quiet and mild spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God,” pointing to women such as Sarah who so adorned themselves, “subjecting themselves to their own husbands.” (1 Pet. 3:1-6) Thus, if followed, the Scriptures provide the guide to a proper evaluation of ornamentation and jewelry and good balance in its use.

Both men and women wore ornaments in ancient times, and this was true among the Hebrews. Early mention is made of jewelry in the form of a gold nose ring and also bracelets given to Rebekah by Abraham’s servant. (Gen. 24:22, 30, 47, 53) Joseph, upon becoming Pharaoh’s prime minister, received a gold necklace and the monarch’s own signet ring. (Gen. 41:41-43) Such signet rings or seal rings were common in all the Bible lands, frequently being worn on a cord around the neck. (Compare Genesis 38:18.) They served to affix the signature or official seal of the individual to documents and hence, if granted to another person to carry, identified him as a bona fide and authorized representative of the ring’s owner.

At the Exodus the Israelites obtained many silver and gold articles from the Egyptians, and doubtless from these came many of the brooches, earrings, rings and other items they contributed for the preparation of the tabernacle, even as they had wrongly contributed gold earrings for the forming of an idolatrous calf. (Ex. 12:35, 36; 32:1-4; 35:20-24) The tabernacle and its equipment saw much work by artisans skilled in woodworking and working with precious metals and gems as well as weaving and embroidering. (Ex. 35:25-35) The later temple by Solomon was even more gloriously adorned; its cedarwood panels, doors of oil-tree and juniper wood were carved with such figures as gourd-shaped ornaments, garlands of blossoms, cherubs and palm-tree figures and overlaid with gold, while the two copper pillars in front of the structure had network, chainwork, pomegranates, and lily work adorning their capitals. (1 Ki. 6:18, 29, 35; 7:15-22) Solomon showed great appreciation for artistic beauty and his great gold-overlaid ivory throne, with lion figures alongside each arm and twelve more on the six steps before it, was unique in the ancient world.—1 Ki. 10:16-21.

ORNAMENTATION IN PROPHECY

Because of his blessing upon Jerusalem, Jehovah likened this capital of Judah to a woman clothed with costly garments, richly ornamented and bejeweled. Her loss of spirituality and her spiritual prostitution with the nations led to her being stripped of her adornments and left as if naked. (Ezek. 16:2, 10-39) Such stripping came, not only in a spiritual way, but also literally as her greedy conquerors took the city’s wealth, including the bangles, headbands, moon-shaped ornaments, eardrops, bracelets, veils, headdresses, step chains, breastbands, “houses of the soul” (perhaps referring to perfume receptacles), ornamental humming shells, finger and nose rings that “the daughters of Zion” had worn. (Isa. 3:16-26) It would be a time of mourning, for in mourning ornaments were customarily removed.—Ex. 33:4-6.

However, when Jehovah repurchased Zion from Babylonian captivity, he would figuratively build her with a sapphire foundation, with battlements of rubies and gates of fiery glowing stones, this because of the peace and righteousness he would bring (Isa. 54:7, 8, 11-14) and she would be clothed with bridelike attire and ornaments. (Isa. 49:14-18; compare 61:10.) This latter picture resembles somewhat the description of the New Jerusalem with its pearl gates and gemlike foundations, and its being prepared as “a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:2, 9-21) Again, it is evident that the ornaments and adornment relate to spiritual qualities and blessings that result from God’s approval and favor.

By contrast, Babylon the Great, the symbolic woman committing fornication with the kings of the earth, decks herself with royal garb and ornaments and lives in shameless luxury, but is to be stripped of all her gorgeous finery, made naked and destroyed. Her beauty is false, and she ‘glorifies herself’; hence her ornamentation does not represent divine blessing and favor but, rather, her own pretenses and the benefits her harlotrous course pays her in the way of power and wealth.—Rev. 17:3-5, 16; 18:7-20; see ANKLET; BEADS; BRACELET; BROOCH; EARRING, JEWELS AND PRECIOUS STONES; NECKLACE; NOSE RING; RING.

ORNAN

(Orʹnan).

A Jebusite from whom David bought the threshing floor that later became the site for the temple. (1 Chron. 21:18-28; 2 Chron. 3:1) Ornan is also called Araunah.—See ARAUNAH.

ORPAH

(Orʹpah) [possibly, (stiff-)necked, rain cloud, or, gazelle].

The Moabite wife of Chilion, and, like Ruth, a daughter-in-law of Naomi. (Compare Ruth 1:3-5 with 4:10.) After the husbands of all three died, the childless widows, Naomi, Orpah and Ruth, began the journey from Moab to Bethlehem. At a certain point Naomi urged her two daughters-in-law to go back to their mothers’ homes and marry in Moab, but they both kept saying to Naomi, “No, but with you we shall return to your people.” Orpah had dealt kindly with her mother-in-law, for whom she evidently felt considerable affection. (Ruth 1:8-10) Her inclination to continue on with Naomi may have been in part the result of having enjoyed life in an Israelite family. But Naomi now stressed the strong probability that for these two Moabite widows to continue with her might mean a life of widowhood in Judah, inasmuch as Naomi had little hope of remarrying so as to bring forth sons and, even should this happen, she was sure that Orpah and Ruth would not want to wait until such sons matured so that they might perform levirate marriage toward these Moabite widows. Orpah’s affection and appreciation were not enough to keep her going along in the face of such a possible future, and, after much weeping, she bade farewell to Naomi and Ruth, and returned “to her people and her gods.”—Ruth 1:3-15.

ORPHAN

See FATHERLESS BOY.

OSPREY

[Heb., peʹres].

One of the “flying creatures” decreed as unclean and not to be eaten, according to the Law covenant. (Lev. 11:13; Deut. 14:12) Its Hebrew name (peʹres) literally means “the breaker.” Understanding this to refer to the breaking of bones by a bird of prey, the Authorized Version renders peʹres as “ossifrage,” a name deriving from Latin and meaning “bone-breaker.” However, ossifrage in English is rather indefinite, since the name has been variously applied to three distinct birds: the lammergeier or bearded vulture, the giant petrel, and the osprey. The