Category:Dispersion

Dis*per"sion, n. Etym: [CF. F. dispersion.]

1. The act or process of scattering or dispersing, or the state of being scattered or separated; as, the Jews in their dispersion retained their rites and ceremonies; a great dispersion of the human family took place at the building of Babel. The days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished. Jeremiah 25:34.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: The separation of light into its different colored rays, arising from their different refrangibilities. Dispersion of the optic axes (Crystallog.), the separation of the optic axes in biaxial crystals, due to the fact that the axial angle has different values for the different colors of the spectrum.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Dispersion - (1.) (Gr. diaspora, "scattered," James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1) of the Jews. At various times, and from the operation of diverse causes, the Jews were separated and scattered into foreign countries "to the out-most parts of heaven" (Deuteronomy 30:4). (a.) Many were dispersed over Assyria, Media, Babylonia, and Persia, descendants of those who had been transported thither by the Exile. The ten tribes, after existing as a separate kingdom for two hundred and fifty-five years, were carried captive (721 B.C.) by Shalmaneser (or Sargon), king of Assyria. They never returned to their own land as a distinct people, although many individuals from among these tribes, there can be no doubt, joined with the bands that returned from Babylon on the proclamation of Cyrus. (See map, The Table of Nations) (b.) Many Jews migrated to Egypt and took up their abode there. This migration began in the days of Solomon (2 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 18:24; Isaiah 30:7). Alexander the Great placed a large number of Jews in Alexandria, which he had founded, and conferred on them equal rights with the Egyptians. Ptolemy Philadelphus, it is said, caused the Jewish Scriptures to be translated into Greek (the work began 284 B.C.), for the use of the Alexandrian Jews. The Jews in Egypt continued for many ages to exercise a powerful influence on the public interests of that country. From Egypt they spread along the coast of Africa to Cyrene (Acts 2:10) and to Ethiopia (Acts 8:27). (c.) After the time of Seleucus Nicator (280 B.C.), one of the captains of Alexander the Great, large numbers of Jews migrated into Syria, where they enjoyed equal rights with the Macedonians. From Syria they found their way into Asia Minor. Antiochus the Great, king of Syria and Asia, removed 3,000 families of Jews from Mesopotamia and Babylonia, and planted them in Phrygia and Lydia. (d.) From Asia Minor many Jews moved into Greece and Macedonia, chiefly for purposes of commerce. In the apostles' time they were found in considerable numbers in all the principal cities. From the time of Pompey the Great (B.C. 63) numbers of Jews from Palestine and Greece went to Rome, where they had a separate quarter of the city assigned to them. Here they enjoyed considerable freedom. Thus were the Jews everywhere scattered abroad. This, in the overruling providence of God, ultimately contributed in a great degree toward opening the way for the spread of the gospel into all lands. (2.)From the plain of Shinar - This was occasioned by the confusion of tongues at Babel (Genesis 11:9). They were scattered abroad "every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations" (Genesis 10:5, Genesis 10:20, Genesis 10:31). The tenth chapter of Genesis gives us an account of the principal nations of the earth in their migrations from the plain of Shinar, which was their common residence after the Flood. In general, it may be said that the descendants of Japheth were scattered over the north, those of Shem over the central regions, and those of Ham over the extreme south. See table showing how the different families were dispersed: Japheth - Families scattered to the north: Gomer Magog Madai Javan Tubal Meshech Tiras Cimmerians and Armenians Caucasians and Scythians Medes and some Persian tribes The Tibareni and the Tartars The Moschi and the Muscovites The Thracians Elishah Tarshish Chittim Dodanim The Greeks Etruscans and Romans Cyprians and Macedonians The Rhodians. Shem Families scattered to the central regions: Elam Asshur Arphaxad Lud Aram Some Persian tribes Assyrian founders of Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calneh and Resen Abraham The Lydians The Syrians Isaac Ishmael Jacob v The Hebrews The Edomites The Ishmaelites, who mingled with the Arab tribes descended from Joktan, in the line of Eber, from Arphaxad. Ham - Families scattered to the extreme south: Cush Mizraim Phut Canaan The Ethiopians and their colonies The Egyptians and their colonies The Libyans and Mauritanians The Canaanites, Phoenicians, and their colonies.