(9) Earthquake at Philippi. This has often been considered a miraculous manifestation of Divine power, called forth for the release from prison of St. Paul and Silas (Acts xvi :26 ff.), A. D. 51.
4. Prophetic. Earthquakes being amongst the most terrible and impressive of natural phenom ena, are made use of in the Bible for prophetic imagery connected with future calamitous events; thus: (I) 'She (Ariel or Zion) shall be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake' (Is. xxix :6, R. V.). (2) 'And there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places' (Matt. xxiv :7). (3) 'And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake' (Rev. vi :12). (4) 'And he (the angel) taketh the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth ; and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earth quake' (Rev. viii :5). (5) 'And there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons' (Rev. xi:13). (6) 'And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth' (Rev. xvi :18). (E. Hull, Hastings' Bib. Pict.) EAST (E'st). This word, which is used by Eng lish writers in only two senses, viz., to denote either the quarter of the heavens where the sun rises. or the regions in the eastern part of the world, has frequently three senses in the Author ized Version of the Bible.
(1) It is sometimes used to mean the sun-rising (Bch, rr,;;, mi:-rawkh', rising, Ps. ciii:t2), 'as far as the east is from the west.' (2) It very frequently corresponds to :7'7,, keh dem, (what is in front of before), the name given by the ancient Hebrews to a certain region.
without any regard to its relation to the eastern part of the heavens, comprehending not only Arabia Decerta and the lands of Moab and Am mon, which really lay to the cast of Palestine. blur also Armenia, Assyria, Mesopotamia. Babylonia, and Chakkca, which were situated rather to the north than the east of Jud:e.t. Its geographical boundaries include Syria. the countries beyond the Tigris and Euphrate s. the shores of the Indian ocean and of the Arabian gulf. The name given to this entire region by the Hebrews was the land of Kedem or East. and its miscellaneous population were called by them Sons of the East, or Ori entals. It scenic that the inhabitants of this region were distinguished for their proficiency in the arts and sciences and were addicted in the time of Isaiah to superstition (Is. xxvi).
(3) The wise men, who came from the East to Jerusalem at the birth of the Saviour. no doubt belonged to that region, 'saying. We have seen his star in the East.' Campbell remarks that 'to see either star or meteor in the east,' means.
in English, to see it in the East-quarter of the heavens, or looking eastward. But this cannot be the Evangelist's meaning. The meaning mani festly is, that when the magians themselves were in the East, they saw the star. So far were they from seeing the star in the East, according to the English acceptation of the phrase, that they must have seen it in the West, as they were by its guid ance brought out of the East country westwards to Jerusalem.