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Austrian Succession, War of the

(Encyclopedia)Austrian Succession, War of the, 1740–48, general European war. In 1744 Frederick II, fearing the rising power of Austria, started the Second Silesian War by invading Bohemia; he was soon expell...

Obadiah, persons in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Obadiah ōˌbədīˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 Prophet, author of the book of Obadiah. 2 Ahab's major-domo. 3 Descendant of David. 4 One of David's mighty men. 5 Prince under Jehoshaphat. 6 Repairer of...

Obadiah, book of the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Obadiah, short prophetic book of the Bible. The prophet is otherwise unknown. The oracle which comprises this book dates from after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 b.c. The prop...

Nehemiah, persons in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Nehemiah nēˌəmīˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 Central figure of the Book of Nehemiah: see Ezra. 2 One who returned from the Exile. 3 Worker on the wall. ...

Nehemiah, book of the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Nehemiah, originally combined with Ezra to form a single book in the Hebrew canon. In the Septuagint, Ezra and Nehemiah are combined as Second Esdras. The book narrates the return to Jerusalem of Nehe...

Arpad, chief of the Magyars

(Encyclopedia)Arpad ŏrˈpäd [key], c.840–907?, chief of the Magyars. He led his people into Hungary c.895. The leaders of the Magyars and the first dynasty of Hungarian kings (St. Stephen I to Andrew III) were ...

M, letter of the alphabet

(Encyclopedia)M, 13th letter of the alphabet, usually representing a bilabial nasal as in the English much. It corresponds with the Greek mu. M is the Roman numeral for 1,000. ...

Maachah, persons in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Maachah or Maacah both: māˈəkə [key], in the Bible. 1 Absalom's mother. 2 See Maoch. 3 Idolatrous wife of Rehoboam. She was Absalom's daughter and mother of Abijah. 4 Caleb's concubine. 5 Wife of ...

Maccabees, books of the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Maccabees, two books included in the Septuagint and placed as the last two books in the Old Testament of the Vulgate; they are not included in the Hebrew Bible and are placed in the Apocrypha in Prote...

Mary, the mother of Jesus

(Encyclopedia)Mary, in the Bible, mother of Jesus. Christian tradition reckons her the principal saint, naming her variously the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady, and Mother of God (Gr., theotokos). Her name is the He...

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