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Bible Dictionaries
Dispersion
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Dispersion, Jews of the. The "dispersed," or the "dispersion," was the term applied to those Jews who continued in other countries after the return from Babylon. Babylon thus became a centre from which offshoots spread; and colonies of Jews established themselves in Persia, Media, and other neighboring countries. The result of Greek conquest was to draw off Jewish settlers to the west. Hence they were found in the cities of Asia Minor, enjoying privileges from the Syrian kings. Settlements were also formed in Egypt, extending themselves along the northern coasts, and possibly also into the interior. See James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1. And, after the capture of Jerusalem by Pompey, Jews were introduced at Rome. The dispersed, however, all looked to Jerusalem as the metropolis of their faith; they paid the legal half-shekel towards the temple services: they had with them everywhere their sacred book, which thus became known to the Gentiles, Acts 15:21; while a wholesome influence was perceptible on themselves.
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Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Dispersion'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/d/dispersion.html. 1893.
