EQUAL (e'kwal), (Heb. 1:11, taw-kan', Ezek.
xviii:25),, primitive root, balance, to measure out. (Heb. may-shawr', Ps. xvii:2), from prim itive root, V:, yaw-shar', to make even. (Heb. yo-sher', Prov. xvii:z6), to be straight or even, upright; equal in the sense of equity,justice, righteousness. In general then it signifies (1) Just; righteous (Ezek. xviii:25). (2) Of the same excellency and dignity ( John v:18 ; Phil. ii:6). (3) An intimate companion; one of the same age, station, and opportunities (Ps. lv:13; Gal. ia4).
ER (Er), (Heb. ayr, watchful).
1. Judah's eldest son, who married Tamar, but who, being wicked, brought himself to an untimely end (Gen. xxxviii:7; Num. xxvi:19), B. C. 1896.
2. A descendant of Shelah, the son of Judah (t Chron. iv :21), B. C. about 1896.
3. In the genealogy of Christ he is given as the son of Jose, and father of Elmodam (Luke iii :28), B. C. about 725.
ERA (e'ra), a series of years commencing from a certain point of time called an epocha.
The generality of authors use the terms era and epocha in a synonymous sense; that is, for the point of time from which any computation begins.
(1) Jewish. The ancient Jews made use of several eras in their computation: ( t) Some times they reckoned from the deluge; (2) some times from the division of tongues ; sometimes from their departure out of Egypt ; (3) and at other times from the building of the temple; (4) and sometimes from the restoration after the Babylonish captivity ; (5) but their common era was from the creation of the world, which falls in with the year of the Julian period 953; and conse quently they supposed the world created 294 years sooner than according to our computation ; (6) but when the Jews became subject to the Syro-Ma cedonian kings, they were obliged to make use of the era of the Seleucidm in all their contracts, which from thence was called the era of contracts. This era begins with the year of the world 3692, of the Julian period 4402, and before Christ 312.
(2) Profane History. In profane history are reckoned five eras: (I) The founding of the Assy rian empire, B. C. 1267; (2) the era of Nabonas sar, or death of Sardanapalus, B. C. 747 ; (3) the reign of Cyrus at Babylon, B. C. 538; (4) the reign of Alexander the Great over the Persians, B. C. 330; (5) and the beginning of the calendar of Julius Ctesar, B. C. 45.
(3) Christian. The era in general use among the Christians is that from the birth of Jesus Christ, concerning the true time of which chronol ogers differ ; some place it two years, others four; and again others five, or even seven years before the Vulgar era, which is fixed for the year of the world oat; but Archbishop Usher, and after him the generality of modern chronologers, place it in the year of the world 4000.
(4) Julian Period. In 1582 Joseph Scaliger proposed a new method of chronological compu tation by what he called the Julian Period. He found chronologers, astronomers. and ecclesias tical authorities using the cycle of the sun. 28 years; the lunar cycle, t9 years, and the period of the Roman Indiction. 15 years. The year one of each of these cycles he found might have oc curred 4.713 years before the Christian era, and that such unity or concurrence of their unitary years could not happen again for 7,98o years (28 X i9 X t5 = 798o). This arbitrary point he proposed to assume as a starting point for chro nology, and to name the ensuing period the Julian—an unfortunate name, leading an ordinary reader to confuse it with Julius Caesar's reformed calendar. In it the year one of the Christian era is Julian 4714, which was to of the solar cycle, 2 of the lunar, and 4 of indiction.
Chronologers have found this arbitrary period convenient for certain purposes, especially for de noting without ambiguity the years before our common era, and for comparing different eras. Thus the Olympiads began in July of Julian period 3938 (B. C. 776) ; the Seleucid era in Julian (13. C. 312) ; the Varronian Roman era April ;et, Julian 3961 (B. C. 753) ; Usher's era of Crea tion, Julian Ito C. 4004) ; Julius Cxsar's re mulled calendar Jan. t. Julian 4669 C. 45)• Obsert e the sum of these pairs of numbers is always 4714. From the number of a year of the Julian period during the Christian era subtract 47t3 to get the common date; thus the French Retolutionary era is Julian 6505, Sept. 22; 6505— = t792, our date.
For much information on these matters see Du Glosso•ium Media. et Infinur Lotinitatis, s. v. Annus; Nicholas, Chronot. of Hist.; Oxford "rabies, and Encyc. Brit., s. vv. Calendar and Chro nology. (See CURONOLOGy.) S. NV.
ERAN (e'ran), (Heb. ee-rawn', watching), son of Shutelah, son of Ephraim (Num. xxvi:361, and the founder of the family of Eranites (B. C. 1856).