Decree (properly דָּת dath [Da 2:9,13,15, elsewhere "law"], δόγμα [Lu 2:1; Ac 16:4; Ac 17:7, elsewhere "ordinance"], an edict; also גָּזִר, gazar' [Es 2:1, κρίνω [1Co 7:37, elsewhere usually "judge"], to determine; but represented by several other Heb. words), an official resolution passed by magisterial authority (see Crabbe's Engl. Synonymes, s.v.). Among the Orientals the enactments of the kings were proclaimed publicly by criers (Jer 34:8-9; Jon 3:5-7), who are designated in Daniel (Da 3:4; Da 5:29) by the term כָּרוֹזָא, karoza', the herald. They were made known in distant provinces, towns, and cities by messengers sent for that purpose (1Sa 11:7; Ezr 1:1; Am 4:5). The message thus to be communicated in any town or city was publicly announced when the messenger had arrived in the gate of the city, or in some other public place. At Jerusalem it was announced in the Temple, where there were always a great many persons present. It was for the same reason that the prophets were accustomed to utter their prophecies in the Temple. SEE PROCLAMATION.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More