Cor (Hastings' Dictionary)

See Weights and Measures. CORAL (n'ON-i) is twice (or thrice, if we include Pr 24' where ' too high ' is tr. of s.ame word) mentioned in OT, Job 28"* and Ezk 27"; and aa coral is abundant in the waters of the Rlediterranean, the reference in the latter to Syria as a ' merchant in coral ' is peculiarly appropriate (cf. Dillm. Job 28").

Red coral (Corallitim nwrutn) is proliably meant, as being specially suited for ornament ; out from the rareness of ornaments of this material, found amongst those of Egypt and Phcenicia, we may conclude that it was not in much request, at least in OT times ; on the other hand, the material may have crumbled away, or been cisaolved. COR-ASHAN CORINTH ■47'j The polyps, or animals producing coral, belong to those members of the Actinozoa which secrete a hard, generally calcareous, skeleton.

They flourish in the warm v«aiers of the Mediterranean and Indian (,cean, where these are clear and free fioni sediment, at various depths down to about 80 fathoms or more. The most important fisheries are off the coast of Tunis, Algeria, Naples, Genoa, Sardinia, and Corsica. E. ill'LL. COR-ASHAN (AV Chor-ashan, 1 S 30>) is the pnsinl nailing (I'fv""''") of MT, but the orig. text was undoubtedly Bor-ashan (';'"i'3), as is evident from the LXX (A Bupao-di/, B liripadpec) . Cf.

notes of Budde, Driver, and Wellh. ad loc. The place may be the same as Ashan of Jos 16^^ 19". J. A. SKl.lilE. CORBAN (Ileb. ^TPr iorbSn) means (1) an obUilion ; * (2) a gift. The word occurs Mk 7" 'If a nuvn shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given (to God), ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother' (cf. Mt 15' RV).

The Talmudic treatise Xidarim (=vows) discloses that the Jews were nmcli addicted to rash vows ; and t?"[^, or its ei|uivalent -'V (^ = iOnas, which according to Levy is a corruption of ^J'l', iondin), was in constant use ; so that it gradually became a mere formula of inter- diction, without any intention of making the thing interdicted 'a gift to God.' A man seeing his house on tire says, ' My tallith shall be (forban, if it is not burnt,' AW. iii. (!.

In making a vow of abstinence he says, ' Konas be the food (vi. I) or the wine (viii. 1) which I taste.' When a man resolves not to plough a field, he says, ' Konas be the field, if I plough it,' iv. 7. Repudiation of a wife is thus expressed, ' What my wife migiit be benefited by me is konas ("^ ^Jl! 'O'i'f "J'^), because she has stolen my cup' or 'struck my son,' iii. 2; while the preei.se Ileb. formula of our text is IJ'Ji^ *? "'!;?! ■?!?':•. viii. 11 (Lowe's Mishiia). In Ned'irim, c. ix.

, retractation of, and absolu- tion from, vows is considered. The problem wa.'i a knotty one. Oblations were needed for the sanctuary, and vows were a fruitful source of income ; and besides this, Dt 2:!-'-^ most rigorously forbade any retractation of vows ; and therefore the Rabbis, while they did not encourage vows, ruled that when made they mu.it be kept. Here arises an extreme case.

A man in haste or passion has vowed that nothing of his shall ever again go to the maintenance of his parents. Must that vow hold good? 'Certainly,' the Rabbissay. 'It is hard for the parents, but the law is clear, vows must be kept.' Thus, as often, did they allow the literal to override the ethical. Jesus revealed a different 'spirit,' as He rulid that 'duty to parents is a far higher law than fnllilinent of a rash vow.' R. Eliezer ben llyrkanos (c. \.l).

90), who felt in several ways the influence of Christianity, was apparently the first Rabbi to advocate retracta- tion of vows. I render Xedarim !>' thus : ' R. ICliezcr said that when rash vows infringe at all on parcnial obligations, Rabbis should suggest a retractation (lit. open a door) by apjiealing to the honour duo to pareliLs. The sages dissented. R. Zadok said, instead of appealing to the honour due to parents let them appeal to the honour due to God ; then might rash vows cease.

The sages at li-ngth agreed with R. Kliezer, that if the case be directly between a man and his parents (as in Mt Lj"), they might suggest retractation by appealing to the honour due to parents.' Litkhati'KE.— Tliobcstchiddntlon Is direct ft'om the Mishnn; In thlM 501190 very frequently tn Lv and Nu (all P), olsowkcro F.zk •-•(iM lo only. •• rnvuriqbl, 188, 6v next fnim Kderslielm, Li/e ami Tinier nf .fmus, c. xx\i. ; Mt 1.

V and Mk "" arc diversely discussed tiy Wctsadn, Grotius, LiKhtfoot {Uvr. IJtO.}, Morisoii, and in Wunselie's Krliiiiternng. J. T. Marshall.