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•KISHON winding, a winter torrent of Central Palestine, which rises about the roots of Tabor and Gilboa, and passing in a northerly direction through the plains of Esdraelon and Acre, falls into the Mediterranean at the north-eastern corner of the bay of Acre, at the foot of Carmel. It is the drain by which the waters of the plain of Esdraelon and of the mountains that surround it find their way to the sea. It bears the modern name of Nahr el-Mokattah, i.e., “the river of slaughter” (comp. 1 Kings 18:40). In the triumphal song of Deborah (Judges 5:21) it is spoken of as “that ancient river,” either (1) because it had flowed on for ages, or (2), according to the Targum, because it was “the torrent in which were shown signs and wonders to Israel of old;” or (3) probably the reference is to the exploits in that region among the ancient Canaanites, for the adjoining plain of Esdraelon was the great battle-field of Palestine.
This was the scene of the defeat of Sisera (Judges 4:7, 13), and of the destruction of the prophets of Baal by Elijah (1 Kings 18:40). “When the Kishon was at its height, it would be, partly on account of its quicksands, as impassable as the ocean itself to a retreating army.” (See DEBORAH.)
•KISS of affection (Genesis 27:26, 27; 29:13; Luke 7:38, 45); reconciliation (Genesis 33:4; 2 Samuel 14:33); leave-taking (Genesis 31:28,55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Samuel 19:39); homage (Psalm 2:12; 1 Samuel 10:1); spoken of as between parents and children (Genesis 27:26; 31:28, 55; 48:10; 50:1; Exodus 18:7; Ruth 1:9, 14); between male relatives (Genesis 29:13; 33:4; 45:15). It accompanied social worship as a symbol of brotherly love (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14). The worship of idols was by kissing the image or the hand toward the image (1 Kings 19:18; Hos. 13:2).
•KITE an unclean and keen-sighted bird of prey (Leviticus 11:14; Deuteronomy 14:13). The Hebrew word used, ’ayet, is rendered “vulture” in Job 28:7 in Authorized Version, “falcon” in Revised Version. It is