On
“Strength”
Summary
On refers to both an ancient Egyptian city known as Heliopolis ("City of the Sun") and a Reubenite leader who joined Korah's rebellion against Moses.
☩The City of On (Heliopolis)
On was an important city in Lower Egypt, located about twenty miles north of ancient Memphis and ten miles northeast of modern Cairo. The city was known by several names: the Hebrew On, the Greek Heliopolis ("City of the Sun"), and Beth-shemesh ("House of the Sun"). The ancient Egyptian name was AN or AN-T. The city served as a major religious center dedicated to sun worship under the name Ra (the sun god) and Atum (the setting sun). The priests of On were celebrated for their wisdom and religious learning, even in the time of the Greeks. Eudoxus and Plato are said to have studied under its priests. Joseph married Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, making this city significant in Israel's patriarchal history. The Septuagint adds On to the cities built by Israelite slaves, alongside Pithom and Raamses. Jeremiah prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar would break the pillars (likely obelisks) of Beth-shemesh in Egypt. Ezekiel refers to the city as Aven (meaning "wickedness" or "vanity"), perhaps alluding to its idolatry. One famous obelisk erected by Usertsen I of the Twelfth Dynasty still stands at the site.
☩On the Reubenite
On was a son of Peleth and a chief of the tribe of Reuben who joined Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in their revolt against the authority of Moses and Aaron. He is mentioned among the leaders of this conspiracy in Numbers 16:1 but does not appear in any subsequent accounts and is not named in the final punishment. This has led to speculation that he repented and withdrew from the conspiracy. According to Rabbinical tradition, his wife persuaded him to separate from the rebels, thus saving his life. Josephus omits the name of On entirely in his account of the rebellion.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "On," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "On (1)," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Philip Schaff and Johann Herzog (ed.), "ON," in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. VIII (Funk and Wagnalls, 1908–1914).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "On," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 5.Andrew Robert Fausset, "On (1)," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).