ORION
ORION
Job 9:9, one of the brightest constellations of the Southern Hemisphere. The Hebrew chesil signifies, according to the best interpreters and the ancient versions, the constellation Orion, which, on account of its supposed connection with storms and tempests, Virgil calls “nimbosus Orion,” stormy Orion. In Job 38:31, fetters are ascribed to him; and this coincides with the Greek fable of the giant Orion, bound in the heavens for an unsuccessful war against the gods.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Orion
occurs three times (Job 9:9; Sept., Vulg. Orion; 38:31, ; Arctuus; Amo 5:8, Orion) in the A.V. as the rendering of the Heb. kesil ^from ; to be fat, and hence either to be strong or to be dull, languid. The last sense prevails in most derivatives, and thus , kesil, commonly means fool or impious person (as Psa 49:10; Ecc 2:14), but in Job 9:9 (comp. 38:31; Amo 8:5) is plainly applied to one of the greater constellations of the sky. It is here understood by most ancient interpreters to refer to the large and brilliant constellation Orion, or the Giant, situated in the southern hemisphere with respect to the ecliptic, but which is crossed near its middle by the equinoctial. It is known by the three bright stars in its belt. The giant of Oriental astronomy was Nimrod; the mighty hunter, who was fabled to have been bound in the sky for his impiety. The two dogs and the hare, which are among the constellations in the neighborhood of Orion, made his train complete. There is possibly an allusion to this belief in the bands of kesil (Job 38:31), with which Gesenius (Jes. 1:458) compares Pro 7:22. It the Chronicon Paschale (p. 36) Nimrod is said to have been a giant, the fouder of Babylon, who, the Persians say, was deified and placed among the stars of heaven, whom they call Orion (comp. Cedrenus, p. 14) SEE NIMROD. In Isa 13:10 the word kesilim is rendered constellations, i.e. the Orions or giants of the sky, the greater constellations similar to Orion. Some Jewish writers, the rabbins Isaac Israel and Jonah among them, identified the Hebrew kesil With the Arabic sohail, by which was understood either Sirius or Canopus. The words of R. Jonah: (Abulwalid), as quoted by Kilm’chi (Lex. heb. s.v.), are, Kesil is the large star called in Arabic Sohail, and the stars combined with it are called after its name kesilim. The name Sohail, foolish, was derived from the supposed influence of the star in causing folly in men, and was probably an additional reason for identifying it with kesil. See Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 701; Niebuhr, Descript. Arabice, p. 112; Ideler, Ueber Ursprung und Bedeuturng der Sternnamen, p. 240, 263; Michaelis, in Suppl. p. 1319 sq. SEE ASTRONOMY.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Orion (2)
a mythological personage of the Greeks, was represented as a gigantic hunter, and reputed the handsomest man in the world. His parentage is differently stated. According to the commonly received myth he was the son of Hyrieus, of Hyria, in Boeotia, and was called in his native country Kandaon. Another account makes him a son of Poseidon and Eurvale, while some say that he was Autochthonos, or earthborn. So immense was his stature that when he waded through the deepest seas he was still a head and shoulders above the water, and when he walked on dry land his stature reached the clouds. Origin was a general favorite, and soon rendered himself celebrated. Diana took him among her attendants, and even became deeply enamored of him. His gigantic stature, however, displeased Enopion, king of Chios, whose daughter Hero or Merope he demanded in marriage. The king, not daring to deny him openly, promised to make him his son-in-law as soon as he delivered his island from wild beasts. This task, which Enopion deemed impracticable, was soon performed by Orion, who eagerly demanded his reward. Enopion, on pretense of complying, intoxicated his illustrious guest, and put out his eyes on the sea-shore, where he had laid himself down to sleep. Orion, finding himself blind when he awoke, was conducted by the sound to a neighboring forge where he placed one of the workmen on his back, and, by his directions, went to a place, where the rising sun was seen to the greatest advantage. Here he turned his face towards the luminary, and, as is reported, he immediately recovered his eyesight, and hastened to punish the perfidious cruelty of Enopion.
Aurora, whom Venus had inspired with love, carried him awav into the island of Delos, to enjoy his company with greater security; but Diana, who was jealous of this destroyed Orion with her arrows. Some say that Orion had provoked Diana’s resentment by offering violence to Opis, one of her female attendants, or, according to others, because he had attempted the virtue of the goddess herself. According ton Ovid, Orion died of the bite of a scorpion, which the earth produced, to punish his vanity in boasting that there was not on earth any animal which he could not conquer. It is said that Orion was an excellent workman in iron, and that he fabricated a subterraneous palace for Vulcan. After death Orion was placed in heaven, where one of the constellations still bears his name. The constellation of Orion, situated near the feet of the bull, was composed of seventeen stars, in the form of a man holding a sword, which has given occasion to the poets often to ‘speak’ of Orion’s sword. As the constellation of Orion, which rises about March 9, and sets about June 21, is generally supposed to be accompanied at its rising, with great rains and storms, it has acquired the epithet of aquosus, given it by Virgil. Orion was buried in the island of Delos, and the monument which the people of Tanagra, in Boeotia, showed, as containing the remains of this celebrated hero, was nothing but a cenotaph. The daughters of Orion distinguished themselves as much as their father, and when the oracle had declared that Boeotia should not be delivered from a dreadful pestilence before two of Jupiter’s children were immolated on the altars, they joyfully accepted the offer and voluntarily sacrificed themselves for the good of their country. Their names were Menippe and Metioche.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Orion
Heb. Kesil; i.e., “the fool”, the name of a constellation (Job 9:9; 38:31; Amos 5:8) consisting of about eighty stars. The Vulgate renders thus, but the LXX. renders by Hesperus, i.e., “the evening-star,” Venus. The Orientals “appear to have conceived of this constellation under the figure of an impious giant bound upon the sky.” This giant was, according to tradition, Nimrod, the type of the folly that contends against God. In Isa. 13:10 the plural form of the Hebrew word is rendered “constellations.”
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Orion
The constellation (Job 9:9; Job 38:31-32; Amo 5:8). Kecil, “a fool” or “wicked one.” The Arabs represent Orion as a mighty man, the Assyrian Nimrod, who rebelled presumptuously against Jehovah, and was chained to the sky as a punishment; for its rising is at the stormy season. (See NIMROD.) Sabaism or worship of the heavenly hosts and hero worship were blended in his person. The three bright stars which form Orion’s girdle never change their relative positions. “Canst thou loose the bands of Orion?” is God’s challenge to self sufficient man; i.e., canst thou loose the bonds by which he is chained to the sky?
The language is adapted to the current conceptions (just as we use the mythological names of constellations without adopting the myths), but with this significant difference that whereas those pagan nations represented Orion glorified in the sky the Hebrew view him as a chained rebel, not with belt, but in “bands.” Orion is visible longer and is 17 degrees higher in the Syrian sky than in ours. Rabbis Isaac, Israel, and Jonah identified Hebrew Kesil with Arabic Sohail, Sirius, or Canopus.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Orion
ORION.See Stars.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Orion
One of the rich constellations in the south. (Job 9:9)
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Orion
o-ron: A brilliant constellation dedicated to Nimrod or Merodach. See ASTRONOMY, II, 11.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Orion
Orion [ASTRONOMY]
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Orion
[Ori’on]
kesil, ‘strong.’ Supposed to refer to the constellation now known by this name, which Orientals call ‘the giant.’ Job 9:9; Job 38:31; Amo 5:8. In Isa 13:10 kesil is translated ‘constellations.’
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Orion
Orion (o-r’on). A constellation of about 80 stars, south of Taurus, and, partly, of the equator. Job 9:9. The constellation is also mentioned, in Job 38:31 and Amo 5:8.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Orion
Ori’on. (the giant). A large and bright constellation of 80 stars, 17 large ones, crossed by the equinoctial line. It is named after a mythical personage of the Greeks, of gigantic stature, and “the handsomest man in the world.” The Arabs called it” the giant,” referring to Nimrod, the mighty hunter, who was fabled to have been bound, in the sky for his impiety. Job 9:9. Also alluded to in Job 38:31.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
ORION
constellation of
Job 9:9; Job 38:31; Amo 5:8