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abomination

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abomination


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Abomination  \A*bom`i*na"tion\,  n.  [OE.  abominacioun  -cion,  F. 
  abominatio.  See  {Abominate}.] 
  1.  The  feeling  of  extreme  disgust  and  hatred;  abhorrence; 
  detestation;  loathing;  as  he  holds  tobacco  in 
  abomination. 
 
  2.  That  which  is  abominable;  anything  hateful,  wicked,  or 
  shamefully  vile;  an  object  or  state  that  excites  disgust 
  and  hatred;  a  hateful  or  shameful  vice;  pollution. 
 
  Antony,  most  large  in  his  abominations.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  A  cause  of  pollution  or  wickedness. 
 
  Syn:  Detestation;  loathing;  abhorrence;  disgust;  aversion; 
  loathsomeness;  odiousness.  --Sir  W.  Scott. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  abomination 
  n  :  hate  coupled  with  disgust  [syn:  {abhorrence},  {detestation}, 
  {execration},  {loathing},  {odium}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Abomination 
  This  word  is  used  (1.)  To  express  the  idea  that  the  Egyptians 
  considered  themselves  as  defiled  when  they  ate  with  strangers 
  (Gen.  43:32).  The  Jews  subsequently  followed  the  same  practice, 
  holding  it  unlawful  to  eat  or  drink  with  foreigners  (John  18:28; 
  Acts  10:28;  11:3). 
 
  (2.)  Every  shepherd  was  "an  abomination"  unto  the  Egyptians 
  (Gen.  46:34).  This  aversion  to  shepherds,  such  as  the  Hebrews, 
  arose  probably  from  the  fact  that  Lower  and  Middle  Egypt  had 
  formerly  been  held  in  oppressive  subjection  by  a  tribe  of  nomad 
  shepherds  (the  Hyksos),  who  had  only  recently  been  expelled,  and 
  partly  also  perhaps  from  this  other  fact  that  the  Egyptians 
  detested  the  lawless  habits  of  these  wandering  shepherds. 
 
  (3.)  Pharaoh  was  so  moved  by  the  fourth  plague,  that  while  he 
  refused  the  demand  of  Moses,  he  offered  a  compromise,  granting 
  to  the  Israelites  permission  to  hold  their  festival  and  offer 
  their  sacrifices  in  Egypt.  This  permission  could  not  be 
  accepted,  because  Moses  said  they  would  have  to  sacrifice  "the 
  abomination  of  the  Egyptians"  (Ex.  8:26);  i.e.,  the  cow  or  ox 
  which  all  the  Egyptians  held  as  sacred,  and  which  they  regarded 
  it  as  sacrilegious  to  kill. 
 
  (4.)  Daniel  (11:31),  in  that  section  of  his  prophecies  which 
  is  generally  interpreted  as  referring  to  the  fearful  calamities 
  that  were  to  fall  on  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Antiochus 
  Epiphanes  says,  "And  they  shall  place  the  abomination  that 
  maketh  desolate."  Antiochus  Epiphanes  caused  an  altar  to  be 
  erected  on  the  altar  of  burnt-offering,  on  which  sacrifices  were 
  offered  to  Jupiter  Olympus.  (Comp.  1  Macc.  1:57).  This  was  the 
  abomination  of  the  desolation  of  Jerusalem.  The  same  language  is 
  employed  in  Dan.  9:27  (comp.  Matt.  24:15),  where  the  reference 
  is  probably  to  the  image-crowned  standards  which  the  Romans  set 
  up  at  the  east  gate  of  the  temple  (A.D.  70),  and  to  which  they 
  paid  idolatrous  honours.  "Almost  the  entire  religion  of  the 
  Roman  camp  consisted  in  worshipping  the  ensign,  swearing  by  the 
  ensign,  and  in  preferring  the  ensign  before  all  other  gods." 
  These  ensigns  were  an  abomination"  to  the  Jews,  the 
  "abomination  of  desolation." 
 
  This  word  is  also  used  symbolically  of  sin  in  general  (Isa. 
  66:3);  an  idol  (44:19);  the  ceremonies  of  the  apostate  Church  of 
  Rome  (Rev.  17:4);  a  detestable  act  (Ezek.  22:11). 
 




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