Reference: Astronomy
American
The science, which treats of the heavenly bodies, was much studied in Asia in ancient times. The Chaldeans excelled in it. The Hebrews do not appear to have made great proficiency in it, though their climate and mode of life invited to the contemplation of the heavens. Revelation had taught them who created and governed all the world, Ge 1:1; 1-31, and the infinite presence of the one living and true God filled the universe, to their minks, with a glory unknown to others, Ps 19.1-14; Isa 40:26; Am 5:8. The Bible does not aim to teach the science of astronomy, but speaks of the sun, moon, and stars in the familiar language of mankind in all ages. The following heavenly bodies are alluded to particularly in Scripture: Venus, the morning star, Isa 14:12; Re 2:28; Orion, and the Pleiades, Job 9:9; 38:31; Am 5:8; the Great Bear, called "Arcturus," Job 9:9; 38:32; Draco, "the crooked serpent" Job 26:13; and Gemini, "the twins," 2Ki 23:5; Ac 28:11. The planets Jupiter and Venus were worshipped under various names, as Baal and Ahtoreth, Gad and Meni, Isa 65:11. Mercury is named as Nebo; in Isa 46:1; Saturn as Chiun, in Am 5:26; and Mars as Nergal, in 2Ki 17:30. See IDOLATRY and STARS.
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In the beginning God created heaven and earth.
The men of Babylon made Succothbenoth; The men of Cuth made Nergal; They of Hamath made Ashima;
And he put down the Chemarims which the kings of Judah had set to burn offerings in the hill altars in the cities of Judah round about Jerusalem and also them that burnt sacrifices unto Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
"He maketh the wains of heaven; the Orion, the seven stars, and the secret places of the south.
"He maketh the wains of heaven; the Orion, the seven stars, and the secret places of the south.
With his spirit hath he garnished the heavens, and with his hand hath he wounded the rebellious serpent.
Hast thou brought the seven stars together? Or art thou able to loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth the morning star or the evening star at convenient times, and convey them home again?
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, thou fair morning child! How hast thou gotten a fall, even to the ground; thou that didst subdue the people?
Lift up your eyes on high, and consider who hath made those things, which come out by so great heaps; and he can call them all by their names. For there is nothing hid unto the greatness of his power, strength, and might.
Bel is fallen, and Nebo is broken down: whose images were a burden for the beasts and cattle, to overladen them, and to make them weary.
But as for you, ye are they that have forsaken the LORD, and forgotten my holy hill. Ye have set up an altar to Fortune, and given rich drink offerings unto the planets.
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the LORD is his name.
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the LORD is his name.
Yet have ye set up tabernacles to your Moloch, and images of your Idols, yea and the star of your god Rempha: figures which ye made to worship them.
After three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose badge was Castor and Pollux.
And so will I give him the morning star.
Easton
The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of the starry firmanent (Am 5:8; Ps 19). In the Book of Job, which is the oldest book of the Bible in all probability, the constellations are distinguished and named. Mention is made of the "morning star" (Re 2:28; comp. Isa 14:12), the "seven stars" and "Pleiades," "Orion," "Arcturus," the "Great Bear" (Am 5:8; Job 9:9; 38:31), "the crooked serpent," Draco (Job 26:13), the Dioscuri, or Gemini, "Castor and Pollux" (Ac 28:11). The stars were called "the host of heaven" (Isa 40:26; Jer 33:22).
The oldest divisions of time were mainly based on the observation of the movements of the heavenly bodies, the "ordinances of heaven" (Ge 1:14-18; Job 38:33; Jer 31:35; 33:25). Such observations led to the division of the year into months and the mapping out of the appearances of the stars into twelve portions, which received from the Greeks the name of the "zodiac." The word "Mazzaroth" (Job 38:32) means, as the margin notes, "the twelve signs" of the zodiac. Astronomical observations were also necessary among the Jews in order to the fixing of the proper time for sacred ceremonies, the "new moons," the "passover," etc. Many allusions are found to the display of God's wisdom and power as seen in the starry heavens (Ps 8; 19:1-6; Isa 51:6, etc.)
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Then said God, "Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the night; that they may be unto signs, seasons, days and years. And let them be lights in the firmament of heaven, to shine upon the earth." And so it was. read more. And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and he made stars also. And God put them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, and to rule the day and the night, and to divide the light from darkness. And God saw that it was good:
"He maketh the wains of heaven; the Orion, the seven stars, and the secret places of the south.
With his spirit hath he garnished the heavens, and with his hand hath he wounded the rebellious serpent.
Hast thou brought the seven stars together? Or art thou able to loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth the morning star or the evening star at convenient times, and convey them home again? read more. Knewest thou the course of heaven, that thou mayest set up the ordinance thereof upon the earth?
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, thou fair morning child! How hast thou gotten a fall, even to the ground; thou that didst subdue the people?
Lift up your eyes on high, and consider who hath made those things, which come out by so great heaps; and he can call them all by their names. For there is nothing hid unto the greatness of his power, strength, and might.
Lift up your eyes to heaven and behold the earth beneath. For heaven shall vanish away as smoke, and the earth shall wear away as a vesture, and the inhabiters thereof shall perish away after the same manner: but my salvation shall endure ever, and my righteousness shall not perish.
"Thus sayeth the LORD which gave the sun to be a light for the day, and the moon and stars to shine in the night: which moveth the sea, so that the floods thereof wax fierce: his name is the LORD of Hosts.
For like as the stars of heaven may not be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and of the Levites my ministers."
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: If I have made no covenant with day and night, and given no statute unto heaven and earth;
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the LORD is his name.
Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the LORD is his name.
After three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose badge was Castor and Pollux.
And so will I give him the morning star.