LINEN (lin'en). Several Hebrew and Greek words are translated linen, among them the fol lowing: 1. Pish-teh' (Heb. r1:7)1P-kr, carded) is ren dered "linen" in I.ev. xiii:47, sq.: Deut. xxii :It; Jer. xiii :I, etc.; and "flax" in Josh. ii :6; Judg. xv :14 ; Prov. xxxi :33; Is. xix ; Ezek. xl :3; Hos. ii :5, 9. It was used, like our "cotton," to de note not only flax (Judg. xv :14), or raw material from which the linen was made, but also the plant itself (Josh. ii :6), and the manufacture from it. It was used for nets (Is. xix:9), girdles (Jer. xiii :t), measuring lines (Ezek. x1:3), as well as for the dress of the priests (xliv :17, i8). (See FLAx.) 2. Boots (Ileb. y)D, from root signifying ,whitencss), always translated "fine linen," except in 2 Chron. V:I2 ("white linen"), is apparently a late word, and probably the same with the Greek 136a(tos, boos'sos. It was used for the dresses of the Levite choir in the temple (2 Chron. v:12). It is spoken of as the finest and most precious stuff woYn by kings (t Chron. xv: 27). The dress of the rich man in the parable was purple and fine lznen 03140.0c, Luke xvi: 19). "Fine linen," with purple and silk, are enumerated in Rev. xviii :12 as among the mer chandise of the mystical Babylon. It is a matter of dispute whether cotton or linen is meant by this word.
3. Shaysh (Heb. TiT;) , blfached), an Egyp tian word referring chiefly to the Egyptian bys sus, which was brought to Tyre (Ezek. xxvii :7), and was among the offerings brought out of Egypt by the Israelites (Exod. xxv :4; xxxv :6). The exact material of which shaysh was made is difficult to determine, our translators hesitating whether linen or silk should be used (Gen. xli: 42, marg. "silk"; Prov. XXXi :22, "silk" in the text).
4. Ay-loon' (Heb. 111:1, twisted) occurs only in Prov. vii:i6, and there in connection with Egypt. It was probably a kind of thread, made of Egyptian flax, and used for ornamenting the coverings of beds with tapestry work.
5. Bad (Hell. 1;, perhaps from its sefiara tion for sacred uses) is a word emeloyed in de scribing the linen dresses worn in religious cere monies, and may refer to the cloth made from the shoysh, or yarn. It occurs in Exod. xxviii:
42; xxxix :28; Lev. vi :to; xvi :4, 23, 32; Sam.
ii:18; xxii:r8; 2 Sam. vi:14; Chron. xv:27: Ezek. ix:2, 3, 1; x:2, 6, 7; Dan. x:5; xii:6, 7. Celsius is of the opinion that bad signifies the finest and best Egyptian linen. For fuller discus sion of the whole subject see BYSSUS.
Figuratitle. Fine white linen is in Scripture the emblem of innocence or moral purity (Rev. xv:6), though it is also mentioned as a mark of luxury (Luke xvi:19).
LINTEL .(1In't61).
1. (Heb. ah'yil, a pilaster or pillar in the wall), a beam forming die upper frame of a door (t Kings vi:31), elsewhere "post." 2. (Heb. 742, kaf-tore', a chaplet), Amos ix:1; Zeph. ii:14. The rendering "knop" would be more correct, which is found in all other passages.
3. (Heb. "rjr:;',;, mash-kofe', a projecting cover), Ex. xii:22, 23. The upper door post (Ex. xii:7), which is undoubtedly the correct rendering.
LINUS (11'nus), (Gr. Atvos, lee'nos), one of the Christians at Rome whose salutations Paul sent to Timothy (2 Tim. iv:21).
He is said to have been the first bishop of Rome after the martyrdom of Peter and Paul (Irenwns, Adv. Hcereus, iii. 3; Euseb. Hist. Eccl. iii. 2, 4; v. 6). (A. D. 64.) LION (Iriin), (Heb. ar-ee').
The most powerful, daring, and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice. Being very common in Syria in early times, the lion naturally sup plied many forcible images to the poetical lan guag-e of Scripture, and not a few historical inci dents in its narratives. This is shown by the great number of passages (about 13o) where this animal, in all the stages of existence—as the whelp, the young adult, the fully mature, the lion ess—occurs under different names, exhibiting that multiplicity of denominations which always re sults when some great image is constantly pres ent to the popular mind.