Rye (Hastings' Dictionary)

Kussemeth occurs three times in the Bible. Twice it is tr'' by AV ' rye ' (Ex 9^^ Is 28^ m ' spelt ' ; RV in both passages ' spelt '). It is also tr'* in AV 'fitches' (Ezk 4», AVm and RV 'spelt'). The LXX gives in the first and third of the above references SKvpa, and in the second ^ia. 6\vpa may, and f^a does, mean ' spelt,' which is the seed of Tritkum spelta, L., a wild wheat.

Notwithstanding the authority of the LXX, we think that kussemeth is the same as the Arab, kirsanah, commonly pronounced kirsenneh. This is a leguminous plant, Vicia Ennlia, L., near the lentil in its general aspect. It is an annual, with pinnate leaves of 8 to 12 pairs of oblong, retuse leaflets, and a tortulose • The only way in which Josephus* reckoning of the books ol the Bible as twenty-two can be accounted tor ia by luppoaing that he reckoned Judges and Ruth aa one book.

SABACHTHANI SABBATH 315 pod, 1 in. Ion-' and J in. broad, containing 3 to 4 seeds, larger Uian those of the lentil. It is exceed- ingly common, being exten.sively cultivated for fodder, and for the seeds, which reseml)le those of the lentil. The substitution of r for the first s and n for m produces the classical Arab, form kirsanah. Evidently Jerome adopted this view, translating the word by vicin. Rye is unknown in Bible lands, bpelt is not cultivated, and is unknown here in the wild state.

Perhaps the best rendering would be ' vetch,' with a marginal note, ' the seed known l>}' the Arabs a-s kirxennelt, properly AirianaA ' (but see art. Brkad in vol. i. p. 316''). G. E. Post. s SABACHTH&NI.— See Eu, Eli, Lama Sabach- THANI. SAB^ANS, 8EBA, SHEBA.— The pnrpose of this article is to explain and differentiate the em- ployment of these terms, leaving ethnological and other information to be given under the articles Seba and Siieba.

Sabaeans occurs only twice In RV: once Is 45" (D'xjj ; B Za^acln, A Zt^weiii) as the gentilic name from SeM, and once Job 1" (nJy', LXX om.) as that from Shelia. Other two instances occur in AV: Jl 3 [Heb. 4]', where RV substitutes 'men of Sheba' as tr. of D-N?,f> (LXX om.) ; and E/.k 23''% where RV and AVm, following the Kethibh D'k310, substitute ' drunkards ' [A V ' Sab;eans ' follows the Kcri o'!<?3 ; B om.

, A olvuiUvoi], The text here is almost certainly corrupt, and it can hardly be said that Cornill, Bertholet, or Kraetzschmar have been very successful in their attempts at restoring it. Seba (k;9, Za^i.) is mentioned in Gn 10' ( = 1 Ch 1«, B i:a,3dT) as a son of Cush ; in Is 43' (B -Zofivr,) the name is coupled with Cush, and in Ps 72" with tjliolm. Sheba (n??

, usually ra/94) is variously described as (1) a grandson of Cush Gn 10' ( = 1 Ch 1», B Zajia-v); (2) a son of Joljtan Gn W^ (A 2a;SeO, E 2a;3aO) = l Ch 1» (A •Za.fi&v) ; (3) a son of Jokshan On2.5» (A Za-^iv, E 2a(3<i) = I Ch 1^ (B Zajial, A 2a,9d). The queen of Sheba (1 IC lO'-''- "■'8=2 Ch Qi.a. ». H) visited Solomon, bringing with her great stores of gold, precious stones and spices ; the trading companies of Sheba are referred to in Job G"> (B Za.

^ol, K »• • 'Efff/Sot, A''" 'Kat^oi), Is 60», Ezk i't'"- ^ (associated with Ka'amah, Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Cliiluiad) 38" (with Dedan and Tarshish) ; its gold is mentioned in Ps 72" (Bx 'Apajila), and its frankincense in Jer 6"; in Ps 72'° the name is coupled with Seba (' the kings of Sheba [Bx ^(uriXeit 'Apd^ue] and Seba shall ntl'er gifts '). J. A. Selbie. SABANNEUS (B SujSai'TOioDs, A BnwotoOs, AV Bannaia), 1 I'^s 9". The corresponding name in Ezr 10" is Zabad. SABANNUS(2ii/9on'0!

,AVSabban), 1 Es8«"(LXX "). — Mouth the son of Sabannus corresponds to Noadiah the son of Biunui, Ezr 8".