King James Bible Dictionary

Light; the sun, (Genesis 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jeremiah 43:13) and Aven (Ezekiel 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have "Heliopolis" ("city of the sun") instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The "city of destruction" Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. "of Heres;" Heb. Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., "city of the sun") may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the "city of the sun-god" shall become the "city of destruction" of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship of the true God be established.

In ancient times this city was full of obelisks dedicated to the sun. Of these only one now remains standing. "Cleopatra's Needle" was one of those which stood in this city in front of the Temple of Tum, i.e., "the sun." It is now erected on the Thames Embankment, London.

"It was at On that Joseph wooed and won the dark-skinned Asenath, the daughter of the high priest of its great temple." This was a noted university town, and here Moses gained his acquaintance with "all the wisdom of the Egyptians."

pain; force; iniquity

1. Capital of lower Egypt
Genesis 41:45; Genesis 46:20

2. A leader of the Reubenites who rebelled against Moses
Numbers 16:1

1. the son of Peleth and one of the chiefs of the tribe of Reuben, who took part with Korah, Dathan and Abiram in their revolt against Moses. (Numbers 16:1) (B.C. 1491.) His name does not again appear in the narrative of the conspiracy, nor is he alluded to when reference is made to the final catastrophe.
2. (abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On." (Genesis 41:45) comp. ver, Genesis 41:60 and Genesis 46:20 (On is to be remembered not only as the home of Joseph, but as the traditional place to which his far-off namesake took Mary and the babe Jesus in the flight to Egypt. The two famous obelisks, long called "Cleopatra's Needles," one of which now stands in London and the other in Central Park in New York city, once stood before this city, and were seen by the children of Isr'l before the exodus, having been quarried at Syene on the Nile, erected at On (Heliopolis) by Thothmes III., B.C. 1500, and inscriptions added by Rameses II. (Sesostris) two hundred years later. They were taken to Alexandria by Augustus C'sar A.D. 23, from which they were removed to their present places.

ED.)
3. the title of p, 53, and Mahalath-leannoth, the title of Ps. 88. The meaning of these words is uncertain. The conjecture is that mahalath is a guitar, and that leannoth has reference to the character of the psalm, and might be rendered "to humble or afflict," in which sense the root occurs in ver. 7.
4. a city "in the district near the wilderness" to which our Lord retired with his disciples when threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)

ON, pre. [Latin in; Gr. Hence they denote nearness, closeness or contiguity, and from meeting the Latin in and the English un have their power of negation or opposing.]

1. Being in contact with the surface or upper part of a thing and supported by it; placed or lying in contact with the surface; as, my book is on the table; the table stands on the floor; the house rests on its foundation; we lie on a bed, or stand on the earth.

2. Coming or falling to the surface of any thing; as, rain falls on the earth.

Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken.

Matthew 21:7.

3. Performing or acting by contact with the surface, upper part or outside of anything; as, to play on a harp, a violin, or a drum.

4. Noting addition; as heaps on heaps; mischief on mischief; loss on loss.

5. At or near. When we say, a vessel is on shore, we mean that she is aground; but when we say, a fleet on a ship is on the American coast, or an isle is situated on the coast of England, we mean only that it is near the coast. So we say, on each side stands an armed man, that is, at or near each side.

So we say, Philadelphia is situated on the Delaware; Middlebury is on the Otter Creek; Guilford stands on the Sound; that is, near the river or Sound, instead of on the bank, side or shore.

6. It denotes resting for support; as, to depend on to rely on; hence, the ground of any thing; as, he will covenant on certain considerations or conditions; the considerations being the support of the covenant.

7. At or in the time of; as, on the sabbath we abstain from labor. We usually say, at the hour, on or in the day, in or on the week, month or year.

8. At the time of, with some reference to cause or motive. on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress or uniform.

9. It is put before the object of some passion, with the sense of towards or for. Have pity or compassion on him.

10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. Hence, on thy life.

11. Denoting a pledge or engagement, or put before the thing pledged. He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honor.

12. Noting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling or resting on on us be all the blame.

His blood be on us, and on our children. Matthew 27:19.

13. In consequence of, or immediately after. on the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded.

14. Noting part, distinction or opposition; as on one side and on the other. on our part, expect punctuality.

ON the way, on the road, denote proceeding, traveling, journeying, or making progress.

ON the alert, in a state of vigilance or activity.

ON high, in an elevated place; sublimely.

ON fire, in a state of burning or inflammation, and metaphorically, in a rage or passion.

ON a sudden, suddenly.

ON the wing, in flight; flying; metaphorically, departing.

ON it, on't, is used for of it. I heard nothing on't. the gamester has a poor trade on't. [This use is now vulgar.]

Upon is used in the same sense with on often with elegance, and frequently without necessity or advantage.

ON, adverb

1. Forward, in progression; as, move on; go on

2. Forward, in succession. From father to son, from the son to the grandson, and so on

3. In continuance; without interruption or ceasing; as, sleep on take your ease; say on; sing on; write on

4. Adhering; not off; as in the phrase, 'he is neither on nor off, ' that is, he is not steady; he is irresolute.

5. Attached to the body; as, his clothes are not on

To put on to attach to the body, as clothes or arms.

ON, when it expresses contact with the surface of a thing, is opposed to under, off, or within, and when it expresses contact with the side of a thing, is opposed to off.

ON is sometimes used as an exclamation, or rather as a command to move or proceed, some verb being understood; as, cheerily on courageous friends; that is, go on move on