Latin. Name of the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, the oldest of several ancient translations of the original Hebrew scripture into the Greek language. This was done in stages, between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, in Alexandria. The name, meaning ‘seventy’, derives from the traditional idea that seventy Jewish scholars made its translation, for Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BC). It is therefore also simply called LXX. The Septuagint includes some books not found in the Hebrew Bible, which the Eastern Orthodox Churches have also incorporated in their canon, whilst many Protestant Bibles follow the Jewish canon, excluding these additional books. The Roman Catholic Church uses only some of the additional books.

Shabbat (‏שַׁבָּת‎)

Hebrew for the Sabbath, the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of complete rest, study and special worship, observed from sunset Friday evening to sundown Saturday evening, though some festivals, in Hebrew known as chagim (‏חַגִּים‎), are also considered to be Shabbatot (Sabbath days), regardless of the day of the week on which they fall. One who traditionally observes the legal requirements for Shabbat is called Shomer Shabbat (שׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת). One of the Ten Commandments requires the sanctification of this day. The word is derived from the Hebrew verb shavat (שׁבת), meaning ‘to cease [from work]’, although it is commonly translated as ‘(to) rest’.

Sisera (סיסרא)

Hebrew. Captain of Jabin's army who, after his troops were destroyed by the army of Barak in the valley of Jezreel, fled to the settlement of Heber the Kenite in the plain of Zaanaim. There Jael, Heber's wife, received him into her tent with deceptive hospitality, giving him some milk to drink. After this he lay down exhausted and soon sank into a deep sleep. Whilst he lay asleep, Jael sneaked up to him, took a hammer and forcefully drove one of the tent pegs through his temples, killing him on the spot.

Synoptic Gospels

The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the first three books of the canonical New Testament, so called because they display a high degree of similarity. The word synoptic derives from the Greek word synopsis (συνόψις), meaning ‘giving a similar summary or outline’, a word which itself is related to the word opse (όψη), signifying ‘view’ and ‘likeness’. The term refers to fact that those three gospels share the same theme, point of view, content, order of events and style, and differ significantly from the fourth gospel, i.e. the gospel according to John.