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Hussein I

(Encyclopedia)Hussein I ho͝osānˈ, –īnˈ [key], 1935–99, king of Jordan; educated in England at Harrow and Sandhurst. He ascended the throne (1953) after his grandfather Abdullah I had been killed (1951) by ...

Saudi Arabia

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Saudi Arabia säo͞oˈdē ərāˈbēə, souˈ–, sô– [key], officially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, kingdom (2015 est. pop. 27,752,000), 829,995 sq mi (2,149,690 sq km), comprising most of the ...

Bethabara

(Encyclopedia)Bethabara bĕthăbˈərə [key], place, on the Jordan, traditionally located at a ford just above the Dead Sea, where in the New Testament John was baptizing when Jesus came to him. RSV: Bethany, foll...

Paphlagonia

(Encyclopedia)Paphlagonia păfˌləgōˈnēə [key], ancient country of N Asia Minor, between Bithynia and Pontus on the Black Sea coast, in modern Turkey. A mountainous district with the Halys as its chief river, ...

domino theory

(Encyclopedia)domino theory, the notion that if one country becomes Communist, other nations in the region will probably follow, like dominoes falling in a line. The analogy, first applied (1954) to Southeast Asia ...

West Siberian Plain

(Encyclopedia)West Siberian Plain, an extensive region of continuous flatland, N Asia, comprising the western third of Siberia, Russia. It is bounded on the east by the Yenisei River, on the north by the Arctic Oce...

Heshbon

(Encyclopedia)Heshbon hĕshˈbŏn, khĕshbōnˈ [key], ancient city, E of the Jordan. It was an Amorite capital, located at the crossroads of the east-west road to Jericho and the north-south road paralleling the J...

Peor

(Encyclopedia)Peor pēˈôr [key] [Heb.,=opening], mountain, E of Jordan, to which Balak took Balaam to deliver his curses. In ancient times it was said to be near Heshbon. See Baal-peor. ...

Abdullah II

(Encyclopedia)Abdullah II äbdo͝olˈlä [key], 1962–, king of Jordan (1999–), b. Amman, educated at Sandhurst and Oxford in England and Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C. He joined (1984) the Jordanian militar...

Beer, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Beer bēˈər [key], in the Bible. 1 Unidentified place, to which Gideon's son Jotham fled. 2 Unidentified place, E of the Dead Sea between the Arnon and the Jordan, where Israel camped and dug a well...