Expert: Clifford H. Readout, Jr. - 9/15/2008

Question
I'd simply like to know where (if there's a website etc...) I can locate the "meanings" of the --ites in the old testament. When I say -ites, I am referring to the Jebusites, Ammonites, Perrizites, etc... I would GREATLY appreciate your direction and assistance on this matter.

Thanks in Advance !!!!

Answer
Greetings, Pamela,

My Biblical research very seldom goes online, so I can't help you with a question about online resources.  Neither am I much of an expert on other external resources, but there are many resource books available.  My library is extensive, and I can recommend the "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia" as one of the more comprehensive tools for that kind of information.  You can also try some of the various Bible dictionaries. Christian Book Distributors (CBD) usually has excellent prices for such books. (I have no relationship with them, other than as a customer.)  You might Google the titles and categories of books, since some of them are very likely to be accessible online.

<http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/>
<http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/>
<http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/>
<http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bd/contents>

Some sites have several such resources available:
<http://bible.crosswalk.com/>
<http://bible.christianity.com/references/>

One cautionary note I can give you.  The best source of significant information about those ancient peoples will be the Bible itself.  Historians and archaeologists often discount what the Bible says about such things, but discoveries in the last century have shown us that it is a most reliable historical record for learning things about ancient tribes and peoples.

A good concordance (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is one of the best) or Bible software application (I use Accordance and Online Bible on the Macintosh) can help you quickly find every reference to those peoples, and what the Scriptures tell you about them will be revealing. Such capability is probably available online, too.

I hope this helps you a little.

Yours for Truth,

CR