corresponding form
quthvrion
: Arat.
Phaen.
402 & c. [
ara
Cic.]; Hyginus,
xxxix.; comp. Eurip.
Iph. Taur.
243; Hesych. Suid.
quthrivoi"
:
qumiathrivoi"
. The word is an adjectival form derived from
qusiavzw
(LXX. Ex. 22:20, & c.), like
qumiathvrion, perirranthvrion, iJlasthvrion, caristhvrion
& c., and, expressing generally that which is connected with the act of sacrifice, it is used specially in a local sense to describe the place of sacrifice (compare
deipnhthvrion, oJrmhthvrion, fulakthvrion
, & c.).
The usage of the word in the LXX. is of considerable interest. It is the
habitual rendering of j'Bezmi , H4640, as applied to the altar of the true God,
from Gen. 8:20 onwards, in all the groups of books (more than 300 times). It
occurs once as a variant for iJlasthvrion ( tr<P&oK' , H4114) in Lev. 16:14; once
again as a rendering of hm;B; , H1195 in 2 Chron. 14:5; and once in a clause
which varies widely from the Hebrew text (Ex. 27:3; comp. 38:3).
On the other hand j'Bezmi , H4640 is rendered also by bwmov" (more than
twenty times), and once by
sthvlh
, 2 Chron. 33:3 (
qusiasthvrion
Compl.). There is however a general difference of usage between
qusiasthvrion
and
bwmov"
.
Qusiasthvrion
is characteristically the altar of God, and
bwmov"
the altar of idolatrous or false worship. Thus
bwmov"
is used of idol altars, Ex. 34:13
(
ara
); Deut. 7:5 (
ara
); Is. 17:8 (
altare
), & c., and in the Apocrypha, 1 Macc. 1:54, 59; 2:23; 2 Macc. 10:2. It is used also of the altar of Balaam, Num. 23:1 ff., and of the altar of the Reubenites, Josh. 22:10 ff. (contrast Heb. 13:28 f.
qusiasthvrion
, and in v. 19
bwmov"
and
qusiasthvrion
are opposed). In
accordance with this usage it is found seven times as a rendering of hm;B; ,
H1195 (high place). It is never used, I believe, of the altar of God in the translation of the Books of the Hebrew Canon. In some of the later Books it is so used: Ecclus. 50:12, 14; 2 Macc. 2:19; 13:8 (not 10:2); but 1 Macc. follows the earlier precedent (1 Macc. 1:47, 59; 2:23 ff. 45; v. 68).
It must, however, be added that qusiasthvrion is not unfrequently used of idol altars: Judg. 2:2; 6:25, 28, 31 f.; 1 Kings 16:32; 18:26; 2 Kings 11:18; 21:5; 23:12; Ezek. 6:4 ff.; Hos. 10:1, & c.
As a general rule, but by no means uniformly, bwmov" was represented in the Old Latin by ara and qusiasthvrion by altare , and traces of the distinction remain in the Vulgate.
The exact relation of bwmov" to qusiasthvrion in 1 Macc. 1:59 (comp. Jos. Antt. 12.5, 4), Ecclus. 50:11 f. is not easy to determine. Perhaps qusiasthvrion is (see below) the altar-court.
In the Gospels and Epistles of the N. T.
qusiasthvrion
is used of
(1) The brazen altar of burnt-offering, Matt. 5:23 f. (
altare
). Matt. 23:35 & c. (
altare
).
(2) The golden altar of incense, Luke 1:11,
to; qusiasthvrion tou' qumiavmato"
.
(3) And generally of the altar (
a
) for the worship of Jehovah: James 2:21 (O. L. and Vulg.
altare
); Rom. 11:3 (LXX.) (
altare
).
( b ) for the Levitical service: 1 Cor. 9:13 (O. L. altarium , Vulg. altare ); 10:18 ( altare ).
In the Apocalypse it is used, according to the general interpretation, of