Waymark (Hastings' Dictionary)

In Jer 31=' i="l 'the virgin of Israel ' is called on to set up waymarks and make guide-posts to mark the way for the returning exiles. The Ileb. word tr'' 'waymark' is p7, which apparently means here a small stone pillar, similar to our milestones, with an indication ol routes and distances. The only other occurrences of the Heb.

term are 2 K 23" (of the tombstone of the man of God from Judah ; AV wrongly 'title,' RV 'monument') and Ezk 39" (of the stone to be set up to guide the burying party 900 WEALTH WEAVING to a corpse ; AV and RV ' sign '). In Jer 31 [Gr. 38]'-^ the LXX, confusing witli p'V (Zion), reads ffTijaou atavrriv, 2(e)niv ; in 2 K 23" it has dKbiriKov, and in Ezk 30" arj/ifiov, WEALTH i. Terms.— In OT 'wealth' is tr" of pn A(5n, tXoOtos, etc.

, clivitice ; S^n haijil, ttXoDtos, divitice [but also, as its proper meaning is ' strength,' 'resources,' Swa^is, etc.]; 3io tubh, properly 'good,' ' prosperity,' an Elizabethan sense of ' wealth ' ; nib kOah, properly 'strength'; d''}2} n'kliasim , to vTrap- Xoi'Ta, xpij^oTo, substantia [onlj' in post-exilic litera- ture ; the corresponding Aram, ['p;} in Ezra is tr'' 'expenses,' 'goods']; and in NT of tmopla, acqui- sitio. ' Wealthy 'tr. in AV v^.

^', Jer 49" ('quiet,' 'ease'), but Rv (from AVm) 'that is at ease'; ' wealthy place ' stands in Ps 16'- for r\y] ('satura- tion '), prob. eiTor for nrin 'a spacious place.' The common term for ' riches is icj;. u. National wealth would consist in the fertility, etc., of the soil, the minerals, streams, pasturage, population, cattle, etc. ; in the neighbourhood of the country to trade-routes, and in natural facili- ties of intercourse with other nations ; cf. Pales- tine, Trade.

Dt 8'-" describes the land as well- watered, rich in cereals, grapes, olives, ligs, iron, and brass. It is possible, however, that these verses come from an exUic editor, and that the colouring is heightened by an exile's fond recollec- tions of the ancient home of his people. The older description 'flowing with milk and honey,' Nu IS" (JE), suggests that the wealth of the land was chiefly pastoral.

Naturally, the settled govern- ment of the monarchy fostered trade, and pro- mated a certain accumulation of wealth, especially in the days when the Israelite States were inde- pendent and powerful, and were receiving, and not paying, tribute, e.g. in the days of Solomon (1 K 10"-^) and in the early days of Isaiah (Is 2'). Dt 8', ^ looks back to prosperous periods such as these.

Nevertheless, in view of the uncommercial character of the people, and the barrenness of large portions of the country, especially in Judaea, Israel can hardly have been wealthy, even in pro- portion to its population, as comjiared with great commercial and conquering nations.

We gather from the prophets of the 8th cent, that in Israel, as el-sewhere, the material well-being of the peojile generally was greater in the earlier stages of the history, before the development of civilization led to the accumulation of land in lar^e properties. The Jewish community in Palestine after the Exile was poor, and burdened with tribute to Persia ; and, as it seems, with weaJtliy nobles who preyed upon the necessities of their brethren (Neh 1» 5, Hag 1'-" 2i»- ", Zee 8'», Mai 3").

Time, no doubt, brought some improvement ; and a measure of prosperity resulted from the work of Nehemiah ; but the tone of the Psalms and other literature of the Persian and earlier Greek period suggests that the people generally, at any rate, were poor. There was, however, some revival of national wealth under the later Maccaboean kings, and still more under the Herods : witness the splendid buildings of Herod the Great.

In addition to a settled government, two other causes contributed to pro- duce this result. First, Palestine could not fail to profit in some measure by the growing prosperity of the Roman empire. Secondly, the Jews of the Dispersion often engaged in commerce and became wetuthy ; the sanctity of the temple brought vast crowds of pilgrims to Jerusalem for the great feasts, and increased the trade of the city ; also, devout Jews and proselytes sent costly ofl'erings to the temple.

In the thirty or forty years, however, before the fall of Jerusalem, Palestine sufieied »everely from misgovernment and disorder, iii. Individual wealth. — In the outlying pastoral districts we meet with men like Nabal in southern Judah (1 S 25) and Harzillai in Gilead (2 S 17-''-'-"), rich in Hocks and herds and slaves ; and their circumstances suggested the terms in which the wealth of the patriarchs is described, e.g. Gn 24".

The chief use which such men had for their pos- sessions was to maintain a great retinue, which gave tliera power and distinction. Another class of rich men consisted of chiefs, kings, priests, and other great othcials, like Gideon, Abimelech, Jeph- tliah, Kli, and the kings of Israel and Judah. Their authority brought them wealth (1 S 8"""). We learn from the prophets of the Sth cent. (Is S'"'" etc.)

, that towards the end of the in,,uarchy there grew up a class of great landowners ; and Neh 5 illustrates the process. In bad times the ' nobles and rulers' lent money, probably at exorbitant rates, on the security of the land, which became forfeit to them when the borrowers failed to fulhl their obligations. The allusions in the Prophets show that wealth had now become an instrument of luxury and display.

Apart from Solomon, we have no instance in the OT of the successful Israelite merchant, of wealth gained by trade. In the NT wealthy men like Joseph of Arima- tha?a and the young ruler appear upon the scene ; such, too, figure in parables (e.g. Lk IG'"*-), and in the teaching ; but none of them play any im])ortant part in the history of our Lord or the early Church. Ijoth in the Gospels (Mk 10^"") and elsewhere {e.g.

Ja 5'"*) wealth is represented as involving spiritual disadvantages, and as accompanied by highhanded injustice, and by persecution of the Church. W. H. Bennett.