ELIXIR (from the Arabic al-iksir, probably an

See also:

• ADAPTATION (from Lat. adaptare. to fit to)

adaptation of the Gr. Eilpiov, a

See also:

• POWDER (through O. Fr. puldre, modern poudre, from Lat. pulvis, pulveris, dust)

powder used for drying wounds, from Opbs, dry)  , in alchemy, the medium which would effect the transmutation of base metals into gold; it probably included all such substances—vapours, liquids, &c.—and had a wider meaning than " philosopher's stone." The same term, more fully elixir R . V. marg. is an alteration to remove from Elisha the suggestion of an untruth . The Gilgal of Elisha is near the Jordan—comp. vi . I with iv . 38, rut, e'irv,—and cannot be other than the great sanctuary 2 M. from Jericho, the local holiness of which is still attested in the Onomastica . It is true that in 2 Kings ii . I Bethel seems to lie between Gilgal and Jericho; but v . 25 shows that Gilgal was not originally represented as Elisha's residence in this narrative, which belongs to the Carmel-Dothan series . On the other hand, for the identification with the Gilgal (Jiljilia) S.W. of Shiloh, see G . A . Smith, Ency . Bib .

(s.v . Gilgal);

Burney, op. cit., p . 264; Skinner, Century Bible: Kings, p . 278 . vitae, elixir of life, was given to the substance which would indefinitely prolong life; it was considered to be closely related to, or even identical with, the substance for transmuting metals . In pharmacy the word was formerly given to a strong extract or tincture, but it is only used now for an aromatic sweet preparation, containing one or more drugs, and in such expressions as " elixir of vitriol," a mixture of sulphuric acid, cinnamon, ginger and alcohol .