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Bible Dictionary

Vanity

Falsehood or deceit (Ps. 12: 2; Ps. 24: 4; Ps. 144: 8, 11; Prov. 30: 8). Empty, transitory, or fleeting (Eccl. 1: 2-4; Eccl. 12: 8).

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Bible Dictionary

Vashti

Queen of Ahasuerus (Esth. 1; Esth. 2); deposed in favor of Esther (Esth. 2: 17).

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Veil

Worn by women (Gen. 24: 65; Gen. 38: 14; Ruth 3: 15; 1 Cor. 11: 5-10); of the temple, see Temple; on Moses’ face (Ex. 34: 34-35); its spiritual significance (2 Cor. 3: 7-15).

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Bible Dictionary

Vine

Palestine has always been famous for its vines (Deut. 8: 7-8). The growing of grapes was part of the regular occupation of the Israelites after the settlement in Canaan. The vine was frequently regarded as a symbol of the Jewish or Christian Church (Ps. 80: 8-17; Isa. 5: 1-7; Isa. 27: 2-3; Jer. 2: 21; Ezek. 19: 10-14; Matt. 21: 33-40; Mark 12: 1-9; Luke 20: 9-16; see especially John 15: 1-8).

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Bible Dictionary

Viol

A large harp, its shape and number of strings being uncertain. The same Heb. word is also translated psaltery.

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Vows

These were of two kinds: (a) dedication - some person or thing was given to the Lord (Lev. 27: 1-24); (b) abstinence - a promise made to abstain from some lawful act or enjoyment (Num. 6: 3). No unnatural mutilation was permitted (Lev. 19: 28; Deut. 14: 1, etc.). Nothing already holy to the Lord, or intrinsically unholy, or blemished in the slightest degree, could be offered as a vow (Lev. 27: 26; Deut. 23: 18; Lev. 22: 23). Provisions were made for ransoming votive offerings that could not be fitly sacrificed (Lev. 27: 11). The vows of dependent women (wives or daughters) did not stand unless ratified explicitly or implicitly by the husband or father (Num. 30: 3-16; cf. Jer. 44: 19). Vows often had an entreating character; they were offered in order to obtain some favor from Jehovah (Gen. 28: 20; 2 Sam. 15: 7-8).

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Bible Dictionary

Vulgate

The name of the Latin (or “common”) version of the scriptures in use since the days of Jerome (4th century A.D.), which before his time was known as the Old Latin. The Vulgate was the Bible of the Middle Ages and the parent of all the translations into the modern languages of Western Europe.

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Bible Dictionary

Vulture

See Gier eagle .