WADI -- Except during the rainy season the riverbed is dry Gen 26:19 Palestine has hundreds of these wadis but the word wadi is not used in the bible
WAFER -- Made for meal offerings they are a thin cake made of dine, unleavened flour and anointed with oil Exod 29:2 Honey is used to sweeten the Wafers sometimes. Exod 16:31
WAGES -- Payment for work rendered by common laborers or field hands. At the end of the workday wages were paid daily, Lev 19:13
WAGON -- A wooden cart cruddy made pulled by oxen Gen 45:19
WALL -- Stone or brick pile high in a massive fence around a city for protection against enemy attacks and keep wild animals out II Sam 18:24 Houses and towers were built on these walls Isa 2:15
WAR -- Between nations or tribes armed conflicts Hebrews called conflicts with enemy nations the Lord's battles Num 10:9 An age without war was envisioned by the prophets Mic 4:3 Weapons of battles were spears, archers, and slingers, horses and chariots.
WARD -- Lockup room or a prison cell, the word ward was also used for a detachment of soldiers on guard duty Acts 12:10
WARDROBE -- A storage area or place where royal robes or priestly threads vestments were kept II Kings 22:14
WARP -- In head-spun cloth it was the long threads. In the loom and crossed by the woof, or threads running in the opposite direction these threads are extended lengthwise.
WASH -- To cleanse Matt 27:24 After a journey cleaning the feet, washing the hands before meals were considered religious duties Matt 15:2
WATCHMAN (SENTINEL) -- Stationed at the city gates a guard or sentry, also patrolling the streets and calling out the hours of the night. II Sam 18:24-27
WATCHTOWER -- A tall lookout post which could provide early warning of approaching dangers Isa 21:5-11
WATER -- Water was a precious commodity in the Palestine's arid climate. People were dependent on cisterns or wells during the dry summer and fall. Travelers had public wells or reservoirs that were provided for them. Gen 26:19 When Jesus promised the "water of life" to a sinful Samaritan woman it didn't come from a well. John 4:10-14
WATER OF JEALOUSY -- Prescribed for a woman accused of adultery by her husband a mixture of water with dust Num 5:11-31
WATER OF SEPARATION (WATER OF CLEANSING) -- To purify a person after defilement after the contact with the dead, water mixed with ashes Num 19:13-22
WATERPOT -- Used for holding, storing water for the household, a large clay vessel. John 2:6-7
WATERS OF MEROM -- Ten miles north of the Sea of Galilee a lake through which the Jordan River flows on is southward passage Josh 11:5-7
WAVE OFFERING (ELEVATION OFFERING) -- A sacrifice animal presented to God by waving it before the Lord to celebrate restoration of a right relationship with God. Exod 29:24
WAX -- While making honey bees form a substance called wax. In the bible the word is used figuratively for the punishment of the wicked in God's presence Ps 68:2
WAY OF THE SEA -- It ran from Sidon in Phoenicia to Egypt, a road, passing through Palestine Isa 9:1
WAY, THE -- Used by the enemies of the early church a term of contempt for the Christian faith. Acts 9:2 ; 24:14 , 22
WEASEL -- An unclean animal Lev 11:29
WEAVER -- An unclean animal possibly the polecat or mole. Lev 11:29
WEDDING -- A marriage ceremony where the entire community participated. The festivities continued for seven days Matt 25:6-10 ; Luke 12:36 ; 14:8
WELL -- To reach groundwater a large pit dug in the ground. John 4:6 Figuratively used for salvation Isa 12:3 Wisdom Prov 16:22 The remark of "wells without water" spoke of the futility of wickedness II Pet 2:17
WHALE -- A large sea-dwelling mammal Gen 1:21 The Great Fish or enormous white shark, common in the Mediterranean Sea or a Megalodon shark. . Jon 1:17 The Megalodon shark is estimated to have been considerably larger than the great white shark, estimated at up to 17 m (56 ft) and 59,413 kg (130,983 lb)
WHEAT -- Ground and baked into bread a grain. I Kings 5:11 The wheat harvest was observed as a time of celebration and festival . Exod 34:22
WHIRLWIND (GALE, STORM) -- A great storm Job 37:9 A whirlwind transported Elijah to heaven II Kings 2:1 , 11 Figuratively the word can be used for swift and sudden destruction Isa 17:13
WICKEDNESS -- Wrongdoing, Evil and malice.
WIDOW -- A woman who has lost her husband in death. Mosaic law required fair and just treatment of widows Exod 22:22 Visiting the fatherless and widows in the New testament was cited as evidence of true religion Jas 1:27
WIFE -- A married woman Wives are urged to respect and love their husbands and to be faithful to them Eph 5:33 ; Pro 31:11-12 Husbands and wives are to fulfill each other's needs and to be mutually committed to each other I Cor 7:2-5
WILDERNESS -- A region with little vegetation, a dry , desolate, uncultivated. In the Judean wilderness is where John the Baptist preached. Matt 3:1
WILDERNESS WANDERINGS -- For forty years after they left Egypt the aimless course taken by the Hebrew people in the Sinai Peninsula This was their punishment fro their sins from God. Deut 1:1 ; Josh 5:6 Until they arrived in Canaan God provided food and guidance through Moses Exod 16:35 ; Neh 9:24
WILL OF GOD -- God's wish and desire for His people
WILLOW (POPLAR) -- A tree that grew by streams Ps 137:1-2 Its branches were used for booths at the Feast of Tabernacles. Lev 23:40
WIMPLE (CLOAK) -- Used by women a scarf, mantle, or shawl worn around the neck Isa 3:22
WIND -- Air movement. In Jer 49:36 the bible speaks of the "four winds" North wind Job 37:22 Warm south wind Luke 12:55 cool west wind Luke 12:54 Scorching east wind Job 27:21 Also Jesus illustrated the freedom of the Holy Spirit in John 3:8 with the mysteries of the wind.
WINDOW -- A small opening in a public building or house which lets in a cool breezes and light. I Chron 15:29
WINE/STRONG DRINK -- - Fermented to produce a strong beverage from the juice of grapes which was very popular among the Jews. (Gen 40:11) wine comes from processing the grapes. Sometimes called the "blood of the grapes" Gen 49:11; Deut 32:14 ; The principal and most prized products of Palestine was the wine. To produce the wine a wine press was used. (SEE WINE PRESS) Then the grape juice would go into amphorae (Jer 13:12 or skins (Josh 9:13.) The amphorae or skins had to be good shape so the fomentation would not break them. ( Matt 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38)
Referred to as Strong drink sinfulness (Rom 13:13 ; 1st Cor 5:11 ; 6:10 ; Gal 5:21 ; Prov 31:6)
Wine was prohibited to priests before they officiated at the altar (Lev 10:9)
Prohibited to Nazarites (Num 6:3) It was denounced for excessive consumption of wine (Prov 20:1 ; Eph 5:18)
Economic and social ruins to a family (Prov 20:1 ; 23:20-21 , 23, 29-35)
Titus and Timothy was told b y Paul not to choose ministers from the church who were not lovers of wine (Tit 1:7 ; 1t Tim 3:3)
WINEBEBBER (DRUNKARD) -- Someone addicted to wine Prov 23:20-21 They accused Jesus of being a winebibber because He befriended sinners Matt 11:19
WINEPRESS -- In the wine making process a vat or tank where the juice of grapes were squeezed from the grapes. Usually it had two parts that were hewn out of rock, upper vat where the grapes were crushed and a lower vat that received the juice. Judg 6:11 ; Isa 63:2-3
WING -- Expression for God's protection symbolic Exod 19:4 He delivers His people on the wings .....
WINNOWING -- Beating the stalks and throwing them into the air is the process of separating chaff or straw from the the grains. Symbolically to rid oneself of worldly desire or sin. Matt 3:12
WINTERHOUSE (WINTER APARTMENT) -- In the winter a dwelling used by kings Jer 36:22
WIDOM -- Knowledge guided by understanding and insight. God is the source of wisdom Prov 9:10 Wisdom more valuable than riches Prov 8:11 and with it produces good fruit Jas 3:17 The key that opens the hidden treasures of God's wisdom is Christ Col 2:3
WISDOM LITERATURE -- A distinct category of literature in the Bible which includes some of the psalms, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and Job. These were named this because they deal with some of the most important philosophical and ethical issues of life.
WISE MEN -- Astrologers from Persia or Mesopotamia often referred to as the magi, they are the ones who brought gifts to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem Matt 2: 10-11
WITCHCRAFT -- The practice of black magic or sorcery by witches and wizards,, God denounced this activity Deut 18:10
WITNESS -- Someone who gives testimony regarding another person's character or an event. Of a capital offense ti took at least two persons to convict a a person under Mosaic law. Deut 17:6 False witnesses were punished severely Deut 19:18-19 As a believer you are empowered to serve as a witnesses for Christ Acts 1:8
WIZARD (SPIRITIST) -- A male practitioner of black magic, who claimed to have secret knowledge given by a spirit from the dead or a male witch. II Kings 21:6 Wizards were put to death by stoning under Mosaic law. Lev 20:27
WOE -- An expression of distress or extreme grief Matt 24:19 The word can be used for expressing the threat of future punishment Jer 48:46
WOLF -- A membe of the dog famil a fierce wild animal which posed a threat to sheep Isa 11:6 False prophets were given this name figuratively by Jesus Matt 7:15
WOMB -- Women with no children or barren and the women regarded themselves as cursed by the Lord I Sam 1:5-10 Children was believed to be a blessing from God and described as "fruit of the womb" Ps 127:3-5
WOOL -- It was highly prized by the Jews for making clothes, the fur like coat of sheep Prov 31:13 Moths was a problem because of its vulnerability to them. Matt 6:19
WORD OF GOD -- Especially through Jesus and the Bible God's revelation of Himself to man. Heb 4:12 Christians accept as the Word of God testifies to Jesus as the eternal and living Word of God , the written Scriptures. John 1:1 ; 5:39
WORK -- Labor in a worthwhile cause or fruitful activity. Our work as Christian's should be performed as a service to the Lord Eph 6:6-8
WORKS -- Performed as an expression of a believer's commitment to Christ as Good deeds. Eph 2:9 Works cannot justify or save We are created in Jesus Christ in order to perform the good works for the building of God's kingdom. Eph 2:10
WORM -- An insect which consumed dead flesh and destroyed plants Job 7:5 Symbolically of human insignificance or helplessness Isa 41:14 and frailty Ps 22:6
WORMWOOD -- Noted for its bitter taste, a plant. Jer 9:15 To describe something offensive or sorrowful the phrase "gall and wormwood" would be used. Deut 29:18
WORSHIP -- The adoration and praise of God expressed both privately and publicly Deut 6 ; I Chron 16:29
WORTHY -- Merit or value. God redeemed us, made us kings and priests, and will share His reign with us so the Lamb of God is worthy of our praise. Rev 5:9-14
WRATH -- Indignation or strong anger False accusation by kindle Human wrath Gen 31:36 God's wrath is against ungodliness Rom 1:18 Idolatry Ps 78:58-59 unbelief John 3:36
WRITING -- It is thought that the Hebrews learned writing from the Egyptians, the writing was done on stone, clay tablets papyrus, and animal skins.
