Star

The Bible treats the stars as the noblest work of the Creator (Ps 8» 10', Job 2.">', Wis 7-"), insisting on their brightness (Dn 12'), their heiglit above the earth (Is 14", Ob *, Job 22'-), and especially their number (Gn 15» 22" 26\ Ex 3'2'3, Dt 1'" 1U« 28«^ Jer 33-'^, Neli 9=», He 11'^ etc.)

They are sometimes poetically rejiresented as living beings ('sang together,' Job 38'; 'fought against Sisera,' Jg 5), and the darkening of the stars is treated as a sign of coming distress (Jl 2'" 3'°, Am 8», Is 13'» 34«, Ezk 32' », Mt 24-», Mk 13-», Lk 21'«>, Rev pass.), liut tliey were created by God (Gn 1', Am 5", Ps 74" 13G', Job 9', Sir 43") to give light (Gn 1'", Jer 31"°) ; He gave them their paths according to fixed laws (Jer 33^, Job ,38^), and Uiey are .

subject to Him (Job 9', Is 4.')'^ Ps 147*, Bar 3", Ep. Jer '"), who calls tliem by tlieir names (Is 40"). It follows that star-worship is rigorously forbidden (Dt 4'» 17"-"); though introduced by Manasseh (2 K 21», cf. 23<- »• " ; Am .5^ does not nece».sarilj| imply its existence at an earlier date, cf. Driver in Smitli, Dll, art. 'Amos'), and several times mentioned at a later date (Zcph 1", Jer 7'" 19" 44", Wis 13'), it is always spoken of with reproba- tion (cf. also 2 K 17", Jer 44'"-").

On the sources of this star-worsliip among the Jews see W. Lotz in Hcrzog, BE- xiv. ()"J4. For the stars known to the Israelites and for astrological views see Astro- nomy AND Astrology ; for the star of the Magi see Magi. P. V. M. Benecke.