SUN-WORSHIP

sun'-wur-ship: The splendor of the sun makes it a natural object of adoration, once the purer idea of the one true God (Romans 1:20-21) is parted with, and in most ancient nations the worship of the sun was an outstanding feature. It is found in Babylonian and Assyrian (Samas; special seats of sun-worship were Sippara and Larsa); in Egypt it is a leading feature of the religion (Ra, and, under special phases, Horus, Tum, Aten; a special seat of sun-worship was Heliopollis, the Old Testament On, called in Jeremiah 43:13 Beth-shemesh, "house of the sun"). Other cities bore the same name: Beth-shemesh (Joshua 15:10 = Ir-shemesh; Joshua 19:41, in Judah; Joshua 19:22, in Issachar; Joshua 19:38, in Naphtali; see BETH-SHEMESH ). Allusions to, and warnings against, sun-worship are frequent in the Old Testament, as in Leviticus 26:30; 2 Chronicles 14:5; 34:4,7; Isaiah 17:8; 27:9; Ezekiel 6:4,6, in which passages for the King James Version "images," "idols," the Revised Version (British and American) has "sun-images" (which see); Job 31:26-27 and numerous passages show that this form of idolatry latterly penetrated deeply into Judah--even into its temple-worship (2 Kings 23:5,11, "horses .... given to the sun" (see under HORSES OF THE SUN ,

"Chariots of the Sun"); and Ezekiel 8:16). Josiah's reformation took account of these abuses (2 Kings 23:5,11 ff; 2 Chronicles 34:4,7), and Ezekiel strenuously denounced them (2 Chronicles 8:16 ff).

James Orr

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.