The Definition of the word On

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, "called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 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."