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Ahand-bookofBiblegeography

44 JF

BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. A HAND-BOOK

OF

BIBLE GEOGRAPHY;

CONTAINING SOME ACCOUnT 01

THE CHIEF PLACES MENTIONED IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS,

DEsCRIPTIVE OF ThEIR

ANCIENT AND MODE EN CONDITIO^--" '^N•>A

-43 ILLUSTRATED BY ,

A SERIES OF NEW AND CORRECT MAPS.

LONDON: ^ JOHN W. PARKER, WEST STRAND M DCUC.XLIV. i London : Harrison and Co., Printers, St. Martin's Lane.

k GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE.

The natural features of the countries mentioned in the Bible, and known to the ancients, are but slightly altered from their original character; but the political divisions into kingdoms and states, having long since passed away, a brief notice of the passages in the Holy Scriptures in which they are referred to, may be useful. Nations are repeatedly spoken of, the term sometimes meaning, as it does now, the people of a country, but at others being a general term for all who were not Hebrews, (Isai. lv. 5;) and people, and tribe, occur in most chapters of the historical books. In the tenth chapter of Genesis we read of the kingdom founded by Nimrod, who shortly after the Flood "began to be a mighty one in the earth." In the history of Abraham numerous kings are mentioned, several of whom, however, seem to have ruled over only a single city each; and in the days of that patriarch there was a despotic monarch in Egypt. (Gen. xii. 15.) We read of the Jewish monarchs also, who were in theory limited monarchs, (Deut. xvii. 14 — 20,) though too frequently absolute, if not despotic, in practice. The rulers of the Edomites and Horites are styled dukes, (Gen. xxxvi. 15, 21); and prince is a title bestowed upon the heads of families, (Numb. xxii. 2,) and also on the attendants of kings, (Gen. xii. 15,) besides being applied to Our blessed Lord himself. (Isai. ix. 6.) When the Romans became masters of Judea, they divided the country into districts to which they gave the name of ethnarchies and tetrarchies, (Luke iii. 1,) which were ruled, subject to the Roman supremacy, by Jewish princes, while the 0 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. whole was considered a province of the Roman Empire, and the supreme governor was a Roman officer called a procurator, or president. This office at the time of the ministry and suffer ing of Our blessed Lord was held by Pontius Pilate, (Luke iii. 1); and in succession by Antonius Felix (Acts xxiii.) and Porcius Festus (Acts xxiv.) during the persecutions of the Apostle Paul. Some of the provinces of the Roman Empire were governed by officers termed proconsuls, or deputies, as they are styled in the Acts of the Apostles. (xiii. 7; xviii. 12;) the difference being that the procurators were the representatives of the emperor, while the proconsuls were appointed by the senate. Many of the countries mentioned in Scripture are now in the hands of the Turk?, and are by them divided into packalias, whose governors are nearly independent princes.

EXPLANATION OF MARKS AND CONTRACTIONS.

The following marks and contractions are used in this Work for the purpose of avoiding repetition. small capitals denote the Scriptural Dames of places. These names are divided into syllables, and the accented syllable is marked thus'. Italic letters denote the modern names. implies that no modern name is known. □ denotes that the site of the place in question is doubtful. % denotes the classical or modern appellation of a place, &c, men tioned by some other name in Scripture ; or a place connected with the history of the Bible, though not named there. ? implies that the fact asserted is not fully established, though con sidered probable. (I.) (II.), &c. signify that the position of the place or people will be found laid down upon the Map bearing the corresponding number. N., S., E., W., denote the cardinal points of the compass, — North, South, East, and West. N.E., S.E., 1 denote( the intermediate points, — North-east, South N.W., S.W.,| east, North-west, South-west.

Examples.

"A-ba'-na — Nahr Seybarany? (VII.)" implies that the Scriptural Abana is believed to be the stream now called Nahr Seybarany, but that some doubt exists on that point; and that the course of the Seybarany may be traoed on Map No. VII.

"Ab'-a-rim, (IV.)" shows that no modern appellation of this chain of mountains is known. 8 EXPLANATION OF MARKS AND CONTRACTIONS.

" A'-bel-Beth-Ma'-ac-ah — HiU, 45 miles ».w. of Damascus?" shows that the site of Abel-Beth-Maacah is supposed to be occupied by a mere village called HiU, situated 45 miles to the south-west of Damascus, con taining nothing remarkable, but that the fact of the identity of the two places cannot be regarded as fully established.

" A-dul'-lam, o 12 miles s.w. of Jerusalem? (IV.)" implies that no remains are known to exist that can be satisfactorily identified with that place, but that the best authorities regard the distance and bearing given as approaching the truth.

" JjE-ge'-an Sea," &c, implies that that Sea is not named in the Sacred Writings; but from its shores having been the scene of the labours of the Apostles, some notice of it is necessary.

All the distances given, are direct, and are measured either from the capital of the country, or from some place which occurs in Scripture in connexion with the one in question. LIST OF THE MAPS.

L THE WORLD; SHOWING THE SETTLEMENTS OP THE DESCENDANTS OP NOAH.

II. MESOPOTAMIA AND OTHER PARTS OP THE EAST, m. CANAAN DURING THE PATRIARCHAL AGES.

IV. JOURNEYS OP THE ISRAELITES FROM EGYPT TO CANAAN.

T. CANAAN AS DIVIDED AMONG THE TRIBES.

VI. DOMINIONS OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.

VIL KINGDOMS OP JUDAH AND ISRAEL.

VHL ASSYRIA, CHALDEA, AND MEDIA, ILLUSTRATING THE CAPTIVITIES.

IX. PALESTINE, ILLUSTRATING THE NEW TESTAMENT

X. PLAN OF JERUSALEM, ABOUT THE TIME OF OUR LORD.

XL TRAVELS OF ST PAUL

PLACES MENTIONED IN THE HOLY BIBLE.

A-ba'-na— Nahr* Seybarany? (VII.) tomb of Abel, whence comes the a river near Damascus, preferred, modern name. with the Pharpar, a neighbouring Ac'-cad — Tel* Nimrood, near Bag stream, by Naaman to " all the waters dad ? (II.) one of the four cities of Israel." (2 Kings v. 12.) founded by Nimrod. (Gen. x. 10.) Ae'- a-rim, (I V. )a chain of high Some travellers think it was situated mountains, of desolate aspect, which on the river Tigris, and that the extends along the eastern shore of gigantic pile of ruins which bears at the Dead Sea; Mounts Nebo, Peor, this day the name of the " hill of and Pisgah, are among its most re Nimrod," and is very similar in ap markable summits. (Numb, xxvii. 12.) pearance to the remains of Babylon, A'-bel-Beth-Ma'-ac-ah — Hibl, 45 marks its site ; but this is merely con miles s-w. of Damascus? (VII.) a jectural. large city in the north of Palestine, Ac'-cho — Akka, Acre, 80 miles n.w. probably in the territory of Naphtali, of Jerusalem, (V.) a sea-port of Pa in which the rebel Sheba was be lestine, between Tyre and Mount Car- sieged by Joab. (2 Sam. xx. 14 — 22.) nirl. It was granted to the Asherites, It is sometimes called Abel-Maim. but they were unable to obtain pos (2 Chron. xvi. 4.) session. (Judges i. 31.) In after-ages There are several other places the place was taken from the Syrians called A'-bel, with some addition, by Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of mentioned in the Scriptures, but their Egypt, who gave it the name of Pto- situations are not known with any lemais, which it bore in the time of certainty. the Apostles. (Acts xxi. 7.) A'-Bel-Miz'-ra-iM,(Gen.l. 11,) was Under the name of St. Jean d'Acre, in the neighbourhood of the Jordan, this place often occurs in the history near Jericho; and A'-bel-Shit'-tim, of the Crusades. It was captured by (Numb, xxxiii. 49,) in the plains of the Christians in 1104, recovered by Moab, near the mouth of the Jordan ; the Mohammedans in 1187, and taken A'-bel-Car'-maim, (called "the plain again, in 1191, after a memorable siege of the vineyards," in Judges xi. 33,) is of two years, by forces headed by the thought to have been near Rabbath- kings ol England (Richard I.), France Ammon; and A'-BelrMe-ho'-lah, (1 (Philip Augustus), and Jerusalem(Guy Kings xix. 16,) near Bethshan. de Lusignan). From this time it was Ae'-i-la — Nebi Abel, 14 miles n.w. regarded as the principal possession of Damascus, (IX.) the capital of a of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, small district in Syria, governed at and it became a very strong and the time of the preaching of John splendid city. At length it was cap the Baptist by a tetrarch, named Ly- tured by the Mameluke sultan of sanias. (Luke iii. 1.) Some few ruins Egypt, and utterly destroyed, in the remain, and some curious inscriptions year 1291. It then lay in ruins for nigh cut in the rocks; and in the neigh five hundred years, but in the middle bourhood is a large artificial mound of the eighteenth century became the which is traditionally stated to be the * Tel is an Arabic word often applied to a * Nahr ia an Arabic word signifying a hill, but properly signifying an artificial river. mound. 12 ACCHO ALEXANDRIA. seat of an independant Arab chief, small town standing in a grove of named Sheik Daher, and was im palms on a hill near the sea. proved by his successor Djezzar, who, A'-cra. See Jerusalem. in 1799, assisted by some English A'-dri-a, (XI.) That part of the sailors, defended it successfully against Mediterranean Sea which lies between the French army under Buonaparte. Crete, Libya, and Sicily, was an It gradually became a place of great ciently called the Adriatic Sea, though trade, but suffered severely from a the term Adriatic is now restricted to siege by the troops of the pacha of the gulf which runs northward from Egypt in 1832; it was also bombarded the Mediterranean, between Italy and by the allied British and Turkish fleet Greece. The vessel in which the in November, 1640, when it was re Apostle Paul suffered shipwreck was duced to a heap of ruins, and it is now for some time before that event but slowly recovering. "driven up and down in Adria." A-cel'-da-ma, (X.)apieceof ground (Acts xxvii. 27.) without the south wall of Jerusalem, A-dul'-lam, □ 12 miles s.w. of on the other side of the pool of Siloam. Jerusalem ? (V.) a city of Canaan, It was called the Potter's field, (Matt, whose king was killed by the Israelites xxvii. 7,) because an earth or clay under Joshua, (xii. 15,) and near which was dug in it, of which pottery was David concealed himself in a cave. made. But, it having been bought (1 Sam. xxii. 1, 2.) It was a consi with the money by which the High derable city even after the Christian Priest and rulers of the Jews pur era, but no traces of it now exist. chased the blood of Jesus, it was J jE-oe'-an Sea — Archipelago, thenceforward called " Aceldama," or (XI.) that part of the Mediterranean " the Field of Blood." Sea which lies to the north of Candia, A-cha'-i-a — Romana Atta, (XI.) between Greece and Asia Minor ; it properly signifies a small territory in is thickly studded with small islands, the neighbourhood of Corinth, but is several of which, as Chios, Coos, Pat- by St. Paul, as well as by profane mos, Rhodes, and Samos, are men writers, used as a general appellation of tioned in the New Testament, parti Greece. (Acts xix. 21 j 2 Cor. xi. 10.) cularly in the narrative of St. Paul's See JaVan. voyages. Ach'-me-tha — Hamadan, a city of Ap'-ri-ca, (I.) one of the three great Persia, midway between Tehraun and divisions of the world known to the Bagdad, (VIII.) the summer resi ancients, lying south of Europe and dence of the Persian monarchs, in west of Asia. It is very extensive, Media, where was found the decree but is little known, and its present in of Cyrus, permitting the rebuilding habitants are in a very low state of of the Temple and city of Jerusalem. civilization, though some of the most (Ezravi. 2.) striking monuments of early art are Achmetha, better known by the met with in African countries. The name of Ecbatana, was a very splen principal regions mentioned in the did city, being only surpassed in Scriptures are, Cyrene, Egypt, Ethio extent and magnificence by Babylon pia, and Libya; which see. and Nineveh ; but Hamadan is a Al. See Hai. miserable place, only remarkable for Ai'ja-lon — Yalon, 14 miles s.w. of possessing two ancient tombs, said to Gibeon, (VII.) one of the scenes of be those of Esther and Mordecai, to the miracle recorded in the Book of which the Jews of Persia make pil Joshua, (x. 12 — 14,) when, in a battle grimages. between the Israelites and the five Ach'-zib — Zib, 10 miles n. of Acre, kings of the Canaanites, "the sun (VII.) a sea-port of Palestine, assigned stood still, and the moon stayed, to the tribe of Asher, (Josh. xix. 29,) until the people had avenged them but which did not come into their pos- selves upon their enemies." sion. (Judges i. 31.) It is now a Al-ex-an-dri'-a— Iskeuderiah, 1 15 ALEXANDRIA ANTIOCH. 13 miles n.w. of Cairo, (XI.) a city of Am'-o-rites, (III.) the descendants Egypt, founded by Alexander the of Amor, son of Canaan, (Gen. x. 16,) Great. It was situated on the shore were a powerful people of Canaan at of the Mediterranean, a little west the time of the conquest of that country ward of the most western mouth of by the Israelites. Their original the Nile, became the residence of the settlement seems to have been in the Grecian rulers of Egypt, and was mountainous country about Jerusa long celebrated both for learning and lem, but they afterwards gained, by commerce. It was in a ship of Alex conquest, large possessions on the andria that St. Paul made his voyage eastern side of the Dead Sea by to Rome after his shipwreck at Jordan. They were in their turn Melita. (Acts xxviii. 11.) subdued by Moses, and, in accord The modern town, which is the ance with the Divine denunciation, chief arsenal of the pacha of Egypt, were to be " utterly destroyed," is built upon an artificial isthmus (Deut. xx. 17,) lest they, with the which connects a small isle (on which other idolatrous nations of Canaan, once stood the celebrated Pharos or should teach the Israelites to "sin lighthouse) with the mainland, where against the Lord their God;" but the ruins of the ancient city extend by craft, the Gibeonites, who belonged for miles along the shore, but are to the Amoritish race, (2 Sam. xxi. totally uninhabited. Its population 2,) escaped the general destruction. and trade are both considerable, and The word " Amorites," is sometimes many European merchants reside in it. used in Scripture as an appellation Am'-a-lek-ites, (IV.) a people re for the Canaanites in general. (1 Sam. siding in the desert country between vii. 14.) Canaan and Arabia, who are supposed Am-phip'-o-lis — Jenikevi, 50 miles to have resembled, in their wandering e. of Thessalonica, 25 s.w. of Philippi, life and predatory habits, the people (XI.) a city of Thrace, through which of that region at the present day. St. Paul and Silas passed after their They were defeated by the Israelites injurious treatment at Philippi. (Acts at Rephidim, (Exod. xvii. 8 — 13,) and xvii. 1.) The city was once an im afterwards by Gideon, (Judges vii. portant military post, the possession viii.) and by Saul. (1 Sam. xv.) of which was an object of contention From the time of David, (1 Sam. between Philip of Macedon and the xxx.) nothing is mentioned of them Athenians, but only a few ruins now as a people, thus fulfilling the denun remain. ciation of the Lord, " I will utterly An'-ak-im, or An'-ak-ims, (III.) put out the remembrance of Amalek The Anakim were probably a tribe of from under heaven." (Exod. xvii. 14.) Cuthite wanderers from Babel. They Am'-mon-ites, (V.) a nation de were a gigantic race, and when the scended from Lot, who possessed the Israelites approached Canaan they country east of Jordan, and north of were found dwelling in Hebron, De- the Dead Sea. (Gen. xix. 38; Deut. bir, Anab, &c, in the hill-countrv iii. 16.) They were hostile to the of Judea. The Jewish spies were Israelites, by whom they were con terrified at their appearance, (Numb, quered under David, (2 Sam. xii. 31,) xiii.) but Joshua conquered them, but they regained their independ when some retired to the sea-coast, ence after a time, and occupied the and others who still held Hebron and lands of Reuben and Gad, when those Debir were expelled by Caleb and his tribes were carried into captivity. nephew Othniel. (Josh. xi. xiv. xv.) They have since become confounded An'-ti-och — Antakia, 320 miles with the dwellers in the desert of n.e. of Jerusalem, (XI.) a very cele Euphrates, and their principal city, brated city in the north of Syria, Rabbath-Ammon, has long since be long the capital of the empire of the come, in the language of prophecy, Seleucidse, the " kings of the North," " a desolate heap." (Jerem. xiix. 2.) mentioned by the prophet Daniel, 14 ANTIOCH ARABIA. (xi. 6,) but especially claiming notice camped before the battle in which the as being the place where the disciples ark was taken by them. (1 Sam. iv. 1.) were first called Christians. (Acts xi. A'-phek, CD 10 miles s.w. of Mount 26.) It was visited by St. Paul and Tabor? (VII.) another encampment St. Barnabas, and is said also to have of the Philistines, in the valley of been the birth-place of St. Luke. Jezreel, previous to the battle of Gil- Antioch, which stands on the river boa. (1 Sam. xxix. 1.) Orontes (now called Aaszy,) about A'-phek, CD 25 miles u.s. of Tyre ? twenty miles from the sea, was one of (VII.) a city granted to the tribe of the most splendid cities of antiquity, Asher, (Josh. xix. 30,) but afterwards and even now, when viewed from possessed by the Syrians, who were a distance, it has a majestic appear defeated near it by Ahab. (1 Kings xx. ance, being placed upon two craggy 26—30.) hills surrounded by lofty walls; but Ap'-pi-i Fo'-rum, near Piperno, when approached it is discovered that 45 miles s.e. of Rome, (XI.) At this the modern city occupies but a small place St. Paul, when on his way as part of the space included within the a prisoner to Rome, was met by some walls, the rest being either garden- of the Christians of that city. (Acts ground or covered with ruins, the xxviii. 15.) place having been more frequently Ar. See Rabbath Moab. desolated by fire, earthquake, or war, A-ra'-bi-a, (II.) a large country than almost any other city. Antioch of Asia lying to the south of Palestine was one of the earliest conquests of and to the east of Egypt, memorable the Crusaders, being captured in as the scene of numerous remarkable 1097 by Godfrey of Bouillon, and it events recorded in the Scriptures. It remained the capital of a Christian is of a peninsular form, 1800 miles in principality for nearly two hundred length and 1200 in breadth, and is years, but at last was recovered by the bounded by the river Euphrates and Mohammedans in 1268, and has never the Persian Gulf on the east, the Red since been a place of any importance. Sea on the west, and the Indian Ocean Its present population is less than on the south, while on the north it 12,000, being not one-twentieth of is scarcely distinguishable from the what it once was. southern and eastern parts of Pales An'-ti-och op Pi-sid'-i-a — Yalo- tine. bach, 80 miles n. w. of Iconium, (XI. ) a It was in Arabia that those wonder city in the central part of Asia Minor, ful manifestations of the Divine power where St. Paul preached to the Jews, took place, which are recorded in the who answered him only with blasphe Pentateuch, — as the miracles of the mies, and being irritated at his decla burning bush, the passage of the Red ration that the Messiah should be Sea, the supply of quails and manna, preached to the Gentiles, procured and the giving of the Law from Mount his expulsion from the place. The Sinai. Its inhabitants, too, — who even Apostle and his companion Barnabas at this day present the lively image of retired upon this to Iconium. (Acts the patriarchal life, — afford a most xiii.) See Pisidia. striking instance of the literal fulfil An-tip'-a-tris, CD 22 miles s.e. of ment of prophecy. It was foretold of Cesarea ? (XI.) a town which having their ancestor Ishmael, " he will be a been rebuilt by Herod, was so called wild man; his hand will be against by him in honour of his father, Anti- every man, and every man's hand pater. To this place St. Paul was against him; and he shall dwell in brought by the Roman soldiers in his the presence of all his brethren," way to the governor of Judea at (Gen. xvi. 12,) and accordingly we Cetarea. (Acts xxiii. 31.) find in every age the Arabs living by A'-phek, C3 6 miles s.w. of Jeru the plunder of the neighbouring na salem ? (VII.) a place in the tribe tions ; though surrounded by powerful Judah, where the Philistines en states and in constant contact with ARABIA ARARAT. 15 them, ever roaming their deserts un (Syria of the two rivers,) (II.) was the subdued; and as "wild men" dwelling northern part of the country between in tents, possessed only of horses, cat the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, tle, and arms. called by classical authors Mesopo In the Scriptures the Arabians are tamia, and now styled by the Turks, sometimes termed " the children of its possessors, Al Jezireh, or the the East," (Judges vi. 3,) the inhabi Island. See Mesopotamia ; Syria. tants of that part of the country bor Ar'-a-rat — Armenia, (II.) The dering upon the river Euphrates being country styled in our Bible " the land intended ; in other places they are of Armenia," (2 Kings xix. 37,) is styled, in the original, Orebim, (2 called in Hebrew "the land of Ara Chron. xxi. 16,) whence their modern rat," from the mountain-chain upon name Arabians, is derived. one of the peaks of which the Ark It was in Arabia that the impostor rested. (Gen. viii. 4.) This peak is Mohammed first propagated his false the loftiest of the chain of Taurus, creed, which the fiery zeal of his fol and stands about midway between lowers in an incredibly short space of the Black and the Caspian Seas. Its time spread over many of the finest summit, which is found to have an regions of the earth, and which is elevation of 17,700 feet, has only re still professed by nearly one-third part cently been reached. The moun of the inhabitants of the globe ; it is, tain is highly reverenced by the neigh however, now to all appearance in a bouring tribes, who call it Agri Dagh declining state, and will assuredly one (the Great Mountain), Kuhi Nuah day disappear before the advance of (the Mountain of Noah), or Macis the Gospel of Truth. (the Mother of the World). A Chris A'-rad — Tel Arad, 50 miles s.e. of tian convent is situated at its foot, the Hebron, (V.) a city of the south of monks of which assert that the Ark Canaan, taken by the Israelites. still exists on the highest peak of the (Numb. xxi. 1 — 3.) It existed as a mountain, and they show a board town in the fourth century of the which they pretend was one of its Christian era, but a few ruins on a planks. hill are all that now remain. Armenia is an elevated table-land A'-ram, (II.) a vast tract of coun lying between the chains of Caucasus try lying between Mount Taurus and and Taurus, and occupying part of Canaan north and south, and extend the territory between the Black and ing east and west from the Mediter Caspian Seas. It is traversed through ranean Sea beyond the river Tigris. out by mountain-chains, but is in In this case it is represented by the general fruitful and diligently culti modern provinces of Syria, Al Jezireh, vated. It was once an independent and the southern part of Koordistan ; kingdom, but lying between the great but the term is not always used in this empires of Rome and Persia, it was extended sense. It is frequently re alternately possessed by each, and is stricted to Syria, under the name of now divided into several provinces, Aram Dammesek (the "Syria of which are shared by the Russians, Damascus" of 2 Sam. viii. 6 — Map Persians, and Turks. The Rus VI.) and the other portions are styled sians possess the northern part of Aram Zobah, Aram Beth-rehob, and the country, whieh borders on Geor Aram Naharaim, or Padan Aram. gia; the Persians have the eastern Of these latter, Aram Zo'-bah (VII.) part; while the Turks occupy the was a small state north of Damascus, western, called Armenia Minor by conquered by David, (2 Sam. x. ;) A'- the classical writers, and in the time ram Beth-re'-hob was another small of the Crusades, when it had kings of district to the south-west of Aram its own; this last is probably the Zobah, subjugated at the same time ; Minniofthe prophet Jeremiah, (li. 27. ) and Pa'-oan A'-ram, (the plain of The Armenians, under the name Syria,) or A'-ram Na-ha-ra'-im, of " the house of Togarmah," are Iti ARARAT ASHDOD. mentioned by Ezekiel (xxvii. 14) as of the Amorites, and upon its banks trading with Tyre, and they are still their king, Sihon, was defeated and the most commercial people of the slain by the Israelites under Moses. East, being found dispersed in every (Deut. ii. 32, 33.) country, and even met with in some Ar'-o-er, o 19 miles s.w. of Hesh- number in Europe. They are Chris bon? (VII.) a city in the territory of tians, dissenting in some particulars the tribe of Gad, on the river Arnon, from the Greek church, and are taken from the Moa bites by Sihon the highly esteemed for intelligence, in Amorite, and from him by the He dustry, and honesty. They are esti brews. (Numb, xxxii. 34 ; Deut ii. mated to amount to about 2,000,000, iii.) of whom 200,000 are resident in Ar'-o-er, □ 30 miles s. of Hebron ? Constantinople, where they are the (VII.) was also the name of a city of principal merchants. the tribe of Judah, situated among Ar'-gob, (V.) a fruitful dis the mountains to the south, to whose trict in the northern part of Bashan, inhabitants David sent presents out of possessed by the half-tribe of Manas- the spoils he had obtained. ( 1 Sam. seh beyond Jordan. (Deut. iii. 13.) xxx. 28.) Ar-i-ma-the'-a — Ramla, 15 miles Ar'-o-er was the name of several s.R. of Joppa, 20 n.w. of Jerusalem, other places, but there are no remark (IX.) was the city of "Joseph, who able events connected with them, was Jesus' disciple," (Matt. xxvii. neither have their positions been well 57,) by whom the body of Our blessed ascertained. Lord was honourably buried. Arima- The "cities of Aroer" mentioned thea was once thought to be the same by the prophet Isaiah, (xvii. 2,) are as Ramah where Samuel dwelt, (1 supposed to be the cities beyond Jor Sam. xxv. 1,) but this has been dis dan generally. proved. (See It a mail) Ramla has Ar-phax'-ad, (I.) a son of Shem, a Christian church and convent much (Gen. xi. 10,) born two years after resorted to by pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Flood, whose name is used (Gen. but it is otherwise a mere collection x. 22,) as the designation of a nation, of half-ruined dwellings, inclosed by probably the inhabitants of the a mud wall ; the ruins of several of country afterwards called Chaldea. the churches, an aqueduct, and other Ar'-vad-ites, (III.) a people de edifices of the ancient city, however, scended from Canaan, (Gen. x. 18,) attest its former splendour. who served as mariners to the Tyrians. Ark'-ites, (III.) the descendants (Ezek. xxvii. 8, 11.) They possessed of Canaan, (Gen. x. 17,) who oc a narrow strip of land on the coast of cupied a small district on the coast of Syria, to the north of the Zemarites, Syria. Their capital bore the name but their capital was the small isle of of Arke, or Area ; it was situated a Arvad or Aradus, opposite the main few miles north of Trip lis, was a land, or " Land of Hamath," (2 Kings large city in the time of the Roman xxv. 21,) and 120 miles n.e. of Tyre. emperors, and the birth-place of one It was a commercial state, and the of them, Alexander Severus. Though isle was entirely covered with lofty it existed as an important town in the buildings; it is now termed Rou- era of the Crusades, nothing now re Wadde, and has but few inhabitants, mains but some piles of rubbish con but there are numerous remains of the taining squared stones and broken walls and foundations of the ancient columns, collected on a hill which edifices which extend far into the sea. bears the name of Tel Arka. Many of the walls have crosses, mi Ar-me'-ni-a. See Ararat. tres, and crosiers sculptured on them, Ar'-non — Wadi Modjeb, (V.) a the isle having been the seat of a small river of Palestine which falls into bishop in the time of the Crusades. the Dead Sea on its eastern side. It Ash'-dod — Shdood, 23 miles s. of was formerly the southern boundary Joppa, 30 w. of Jerusalem, 12 n.e. of ASHDOD ASIA. 17 Askelon, (V.) a city of the Philis out, and with the latter at only one tines to which the Ark was conveyed point, the Isthmus of Suez, — and is when taken at the battle of Eben-ezer. bounded on the north by the Arctic (1 Sam. v.) Ashdod was captured Ocean, while the Pacific and Indian by Tartan, the Assyrian general, Oceans wash its eastern and southern (Isai. xx. l,)and afterwards by Judas shores. Its extent and population are Maccabeus, (1 Mace, x.,) bearing then very variously stated, but 15,000,000 the Greek name of Azotus, as it did square miles, and 450,000,000 of in the days of the Apostles. (Actsviii. souls, seems as near the truth as in 40.) Though it was once a sea-port, the absence of proper documents it is it is now a village on a hill two miles possible to get. inland, and has no remains of its for Asia is generally spoken of as a mer edifices, except one which, from country possessing a fertile soil and still bearing a stone cross upon its top, warm climate, and this is true of such is supposed to have been a Christian parts of it as were known in ancient church. Ashdod was long possessed times; but it is traversed, between by the Crusaders, but was taken from the 30th and 50th degrees of North them by the Mameluke sultan of latitude by a vast range of moun Egypt in 1256. tains and elevated plateaux or table Ash'-er, (V.) The possession of lands, the northern and southern sides the descendants of the eighth son of of which, and the included country, Jacob was a narrow strip of country present widely different aspects. On in the north of Canaan, having the the north are the vast plains of Sibe possessions of Zebulun on the south, ria, almost uninhabited, but watered and of Naphtali on the east ; the Land by large rivers which descend into of Hamath on the north, and the sea the Arctic Ocean ; — in the centre are on the west. (Josh. xix. 24-31. ) In its the steppes or elevated plains of boundaries were included the Phoe Tartary and Mongolia, little known, nician cities of Accho, Tyre, and Si- but memorable as the original coun don, whose inhabitants the Asherites try of the hordes of Scythians, by were unable to expel. It was a fruit whom the southern and western parts ful district, though in some parts of the world have been so often deso mountainous, and possessed mines, lated ;— while on the south are the but the tribe to whom it was granted fertile and populous regions of China, never fully occupied it. In after-times India, and Persia; on the west the it was included in the district of Gali country on the shores of the Euxine lee of the Gentiles, (IX.) and now and Mediterranean ; and on the south forms part of the pachalic of Acre. west the countries of all others most Ash'-te-roth — Mezareib, 55 miles interesting to the Christian, — Syria, s. of Damascus, 95 n.e. of Jerusalem, Palestine, and Arabia. It was only (V.) a place in the territory of the these southern countries that were Western Manassites, where had been known to the inspired writers and the residence of Og, king of Bashan. the authors of the apocryphal books, (Deut. i. 4.) It is styled Ashteroth- and therefore the term "Asia" is Carnaim (the horned), (Gen. xiv. 5,) used by them in a very restricted either from the two summits of a sense: in some cases it signifies the mountain between which it was built, empire of the Seleucidse, or Greek or more probably from the worship kings of Syria, namely, Syria, Meso of an idol named Astarte, which was potamia, and part of Persia, (2 Mace, represented with horns on its head. iii. 3,) but in general it only denotes A'si-a — Asia, (I.) is the largest of the peninsular district, shut in by the the continents, and the one in which chain of Taurus on the south, the most of the events recorded in the Mediterranean on the west, and the Scriptures took place. It lies to the Sea of Marmora and Black Sea on east of Europe and Africa, — being the north, which is called by geo connected with the former through graphers Asia Minor, and by its 18 ASIA ASSYRIA. present possessors, the Turks, Ana xx. 13, 14.) The ruins of the ancient tolia. city stand upon a hill, and consist of This is the Asia (XI.) in which a theatre, and several temples, all of St. Paul and Silas were at one time a splendid character. "forbidden of the Holy Ghost to As-syr'-i-a, or As'-shub, (II.) a preach the word," (Acts xvi. 6;) of kingdom of Asia, by whose monarchs which St. Paul speaks when he says, (1 the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel Cor. xvi. 19,) " The churches of Asia were carried into captivity. (2 Kings salute you ;" and by the coasts of which xvii. 23.) it was intended that the vessel which Both the extent of this kingdom was conveying the Apostle to Rome and the time of its foundation have should sail. (Acts xxvii. 2.) been greatly disputed; but it ap This country, in its western part, pears probable that a state was found was long the scene of the labours of ed, either by Nimrod or by Asshur, St. Paul, and numerous churches (Gen. x. 11,) in the region to the were planted in it by him, seven of north of Mesopotamia now forming which are particularly mentioned in the province of Koordistan, and that Revelation, chap. ii. iii. Most of by succeeding monarchs the kingdom them are threatened, and exhorted to was gradually extended, until it em repentance, and awfully has the braced all the Asiatic countries south threatening been fulfilled: the cities of Taurus, except Persia, Arabia, and have all, long since, sunk into decay, Palestine; such being the sense in if not to utter ruin ; '' the candlestick which the term Aturia or Assyria is is removed out of his place," and used by several of the ancient geo Christian churches can hardly be said graphers. None of its rulers, how to exist in them. The seven churches, ever, are mentioned in Scripture until as arranged by St. John, are Ephesus, the time of Jonah, (b.c. 825,) when Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, its capital, Nineveh, is spoken of as Philadelphia, and Laodicea; all of " that great city," (Jonah i. 2 ;) but which will be found noticed under about fifty years after we read of Pul, their respective heads. king of Assyria, who rendered the As'-ke-lon — Ascalaan, 15 miles n. kingdom of Israel tributary. (2 Kings of Gaza, 12 s.w. of Ashdod, ( VI I.) was xv. 19.) This monarch seems to have once a sea-port of the Philistines, and been the founder of the empire in its long after their day a splendid city, extended sense, as he was the first but is now, as prophesied by Zecha- who carried his arms beyond the riah, (ix. 5,) without a single inhabit Euphrates, and by his successors, ant, — a prediction the more remark Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser, the able, as it did not receive its fulfilment threatenings of the Lord against the for nearly two thousand years, the " rebellious house" of Israel were place having been destroyed by Sala- carried into effect. (1 Chron. v. 26 ; din, in the Crusades. There still 2 Kings xvii. 6.) Judah also was remain forty columns of rose-coloured threatened by another of the Assy granite, probably belonging to the rian rulers, Sennacherib, but was mi famous temple of Ashteroth, a large raculously delivered. (2 Chron. xxxii.) portion of a strong and lofty wall with The Assyrian empire, styled by the towers, and the ruins of several Lord himself, "the rod of mine Christian churches. Near Askelon, auger," (Isai. x. 5,) having fulfilled two large armies from Egypt were the purposes of the Almighty in the defeated by the heroes of the first chastisement of the apostate Hebrews, Crusade, in 1099 and 1100. was, in accordance with prophecy, As'-sos — Beriam, 30 miles s. of (Isai. xxx. 31; Micah v. 6; Zeph. Troas, 60 n.w. of Pergamos, (XI.) a ii. 13,) itself " beaten down ;" which sea-portof Asia Minor, whence St. Paul event occurred about the year 607 B.C., and St. Luke went to Mitylene, in when Nineveh was taken by Nabo- the neighbouring isle of Lesbos. (Acts polassar and Cyaxares, who parti ASSYRIA BA AL ATH . 19 tioned its territories between them, renowned for the schools of learning and founded the new empires of which it contained; with the rest of Media and Babylon. See Babylon; the country it fell first under the Media; Nineveh. power of Macedon, then of Rome, From that time to the present, the and finally of the Turks, by whom it original seat of the Assyrians has was held until the breaking out of the continued a mere province, ruled suc Greek revolution in 1820; during this cessively by Persian, Parthian, and contest it was repeatedly taken and Sassanian princes, — often contested for retaken, but it is now the capital of the by the Romans, and at length con new kingdom of Greece, founded in quered by the Saracens ; in the hands 1829. It is, however, a very mean of whose successors it now remains, it place, with less than J 8,000 inhabit being divided between the Persians ants, and derives its chief importance and the Turks, and peopled princi from the relics that yet exist to testify pally by a wild race called koords, of its ancient splendour. who pursue a nomade life, rearing At-ta-li'-a — Ad alia, 12 miles w. cattle and dwelling in tents, and of Perga, 300 w. of Antioch, (XI.) plundering the traveller. Yet the a place in Pamphylia, at which St. Gospel is not without its witnesses. Paul took shipping for Antioch. The country to the north of the (Acts xiv. 26.) It was an important site of Nineveh is occupied by a race sea-port, and the residence of the of Christian mountaineers, who are Roman prefect of Asia. A trium called Chaldeans, and were till re phal arch, and an aqueduct of Roman cently in a great measure independent. construction, several churches and They were divided into several tribes, towers bearing the Christian emblems and were estimated to amount to and the arms of many of the leaders 100,000 bouIs, These people, who of the Crusades, and the city walls of were long almost unknown in Europe, hewn stone, still remain, but all in a have been recently visited by travellers, ruinous state. who describe them as being hardy and t Au-ra-niVtis— Haouran, (IX.) industrious, and living in an orderly a very fertile country, to the east of manner under the sole government Jordan and south of Damascus, men of the patriarch and bishops of their tioned by the prophet Ezekiel, (xivii. church; but they have lately been 16,) under the name of Hauran, as cruelly persecuted and almost exter the border of Israel. In the time of minated by the Mohammedans. Our Lord it formed part of the Roman Ath'-ens — Athens, 53 miles e. of province of Arabia, of which Bostra Corinth, (XI.) a very celebrated city was the capital. It is now the chief of Greece, visited by St. Paul, whose agricultural district of Syria, but its " spirit was stirred in him, when he inhabitants, many of whom are Chris saw the city full of idols." (Acts xvii. tians, greatly resemble the Arabs in 16, margin.) He first addressed their appearance and mode of life. himself to the Jews, and being next A'-ven. See On. encountered by the philosophers, he A' -vim. See Hrvites. delivered before a public assembly a A-ze'-kah, CD 20 miles s.w. of Gi- noble oration, in which he preached beon, 12 w. of Jerusalem, (V.) the "the living God to them unknown," place to which the host of the five and with such success, that many of his kings who warred on Gibeon were auditors were " converted unto Christ." pursued, after their defeat at that city Athens, which stands on the side by Joshua. (Josh. x. 11.) and at the foot of a rocky eminence Az'-zah. See Gaza. near the sea, was founded by Cecrops, an Egyptian, about 1550 B.c. It was Ba'-al-ath — Baalbek, 35 miles the capital, first of a kingdom, next n.w. of Damascus, 47 n.e. of Sidon, of a republic, which was long the (VI.) a city in Lebanon built by Solo leading state in Greece, and was mon, (1 Kings ix. 18,) some remains 20 BAALATH BABYLON. of whose edifices are still in existence Such was Babylon, "the lady of according to the belief of most tra kingdoms," "given to pleasures," vellers. Here it is supposed stood (Isaiah xLvii. 5 & 8,) " the beauty the " house of the forest of Lebanon," of the Chaldees' excellency," (Isaiah (1 Kings x. 17,) and upon its foun xiii. 19,) the capital of a state growing dations in after-days arose a splendid daily more powerful, and by which temple of the Sun, whose ruins are the throne of the house of David classed with the noblest specimens was yet to be subverted, when the of ancient architecture. From this word of the Lord went forth agains: temple the city derived the name of it, by his prophets Isaiah and Je Heliopolis, or "City of the Sun," by remiah, and by them its utter sub which it was known to the Greeks and version was foretold: " The spoilers Romans : it is now a mere village. shall come unto her from the north Ba'-bbl — Birs Nimrood ? Baby the broad walls of Babylon lon, 70 miles s. of Bagdad, 290 s. shall be utterly broken and of Nineveh, 500 s.B. of Damascus, she shall become heaps .... with 550 e. of Jerusalem, (II.) On the out an inhabitant." (Jerem. Li.) This western bank of the river Euphrates, prophecy has been literally fulfilled. at the spot above pointed out, is In the days of the impious Belshazzar found a vast mound of brickwork, the city was taken by the Medes under consisting of four stages or towers the command of Cyrus, (b.c. 538,) rising to the height of 235 feet, who, upon the wreck of the Babylo and bearing evident marks of hav nian founded the Persian empire. ing been struck by lightning; this From that period Babylon sank rapidly is very generally supposed to be the into utter decay, and for many ages remains of the Tower of Babel, which, the site of the proud city has been after the dispersion of mankind, (Gen. only marked by the heaps of rubbish xi.) became the scene of idolatrous with which the marshy plain where worship, and around which the city it once stood, is plentifully studded. of Babylon was built. Of these piles six have been parti Nimrod is considered the founder cularly described by travellers: name of Babylon, but it was to Semiramis, ly, the Mound of Babel, which some queen of Assyria, (b.c. 1200?) that it suppose to mark the site of the Tower owed its splendour and its fame. She of Babel, while others conceive that and her successors so vastly enlarged structure to be represented by the it, that Herodotus speaks of it as Birs Nimrood, on the opposite side of being sixty miles in circumference, the river; the Kasr, or Palace, where built in the form of an exact square, were the Hanging Gardens; the Ant traversed by the river Euphrates, rum, or Western Palace; the Mujali- surrounded by a wide fosse and wails bah, or House of Captives, sometimes three hundred feet high, and furnished thought to have been the quarter in with fifty gates of brass. On the banks which the Hebrew captives were con of the river stood two palaces, of vast fined; Al Heimar, a pile consider dimensions and strongly fortified, and ably to the north-east of the rest, the river was crossed by a magnifi which has its present name from its cent bridge. To these wonders later red colour, but of whose history we writers add, a tunnel under the river are altogether ignorant; and the Birs connecting the palaces, and a garden Nimrood, which, though generally of large extent raised on lofty arches taken for the Tower of Babel, a recent by Nebuchadnezzar to gratify his traveller thinks was rather one of the wife Amytis, at whose wish some quarters of Babylon called Birs, Bur- thing like the mountains and forests sif, or Borsippa; these two last, which of her native Media arose in the are supposed to indicate the southern plain of Babylon. The existence of and the north-eastern extremities of these two structures, however, is Babylon, are 35 miles apart. These looked upon as doubtful. mounds have all a great similarity of BABYLON BENJAMIN. 21 appearance, being heaps of earth and Israelites at Edrei. (Numb, xxi.) It bricks surmounted by large portions was assigned to the eastern half-tribe of solid brickwork, and in most in of Manasseh. It lay to the north stances surrounded by canals. of Gilead, and by the Greeks and Babylon was unquestionably of vast Romans was called Batanaea. Its extent, but it appears to have been cattle and its oaks are spoken of in rather a tract of country walled round, Scripture as surpassing those of other than a city, in the modern meaning districts, and modern travellers are of the term. It consisted of several unanimous in describing it as the distinct quarters or towns, the names most favoured part of Palestine. of which have come down to us, and Be-ek'-she-ba — Bir" es-Seba, 9 whose ruins are spread over a space miles e. of Gerar? 32 s.w. of Hebron, nearly equalling the extent given by (V.) a place in the desert in the south Herodotus; but this space was not of Palestine, where Abraham and Abi- half inhabited, as an eye-witness, melech, king of Gerar, made a treaty, Quintus Curtius, (b.c. 323,) states (Gen. xxi. 32,) which they con that there was within the walls as firmed by an oath, whence its name, much arable and pasture land as which signifies " the well of the oath." would support the inhabitants during It was afterwards possessed by the a siege. This is no doubt an exag Simeonites; and for ages its situa geration, but it serves to show that tion on the border of Egypt made it though Babylon may have occupied a place of importance; hence it had much more ground, its population was a Roman garrison in the fourth cen probably not near so great as that of tury, and in the twelfth and thirteenth many modern cities. it was held by the Crusaders. It is Bab-y-lo'-ni-a — Irak Arabi, a pro now a mere village, and has but vince of Asiatic Turkey, (VIII.) a recently been re-discovered. country of Asia, called also the " Land It was in the wilderness around of Shinar," (Gen. xi. 2,) lying be Beershebathat Hagar wandered, when tween the Euphrates and the Tigris, expelled the house of Abraham, (Gen. to the south of Mesopotamia; once xxi.;) in it also the prophet Elijah one of the most fertile and populous sought refuge from the fury of Jezebel, districts in the world, but now, as (1 Kings xix.) It was there like foretold by the prophet Jeremiah, wise that Abraham "planted a grove, " a desolation." (l. 23.) It is one and called there on the name of the level plain of sand or marsh, only Lord, the everlasting God," and its inhabited by a few tribes of Arabs, neighbourhood long continued to be whose cattle find a scanty support the ordinary residence of his posterity. from the coarse herbage. The learn (Gen. xxviii. 10.) ing, commerce, and manufactures, Bbn'-ja-min, (V.) The possession for which the Babylonians were cele of the descendants of Benjamin, the brated, have of course altogether youngest son of the patriarch Ja disappeared, but the face of the cob, (Gen. xxxv. 18,) was a very country still bears ample testimony small tract of country, having the of the high state of civilization it once tribe of Ephraim on the north, enjoyed. It is intersected by canals that of Judah on the south, Dan on now half choked up, and gigantic the west, and the Jordan, which piles of ruins, the only remains of its divided it from Reuben, on the east. numerous cities, walls, mounds, and The city of Jerusalem was within its dikes, to confine the Euphrates to its boundaries, but by right of conquest channel, — all the work of the ancient belonged to Judah ; it also contained occupants, — meet the eye in every the cities of Bethel, GibeQn, Jericho direction. and Mizpeh. Ba'-shan— El Boltein, (V.) a fruit Saul belonged to this tribe, and ful district of Canaan beyond Jordan, upon the revolt after the death of the kingdom of Og, slain by the * Bir is an Arabic word signifying a well. 22 BENJAMIN BETHEL. Solomon, it alone, beside Judah, ad son of Augustus, the first Roman hered to the house of David. (2 Chron. emperor. xxxiv. 32.) Beth-ae'-a-ra, □ 8 miles s.e. of Ben Hin'-nom, Valley op. See Jericho? (IX.) This was a well- Jerusalem. known ford of the river Jordan, Be-re'-a — Beria, 45 miles s.w. of (Judges vii. 24,) at which, according Thessalonica, 200 n.w. of Athens, to the belief of many writers the (XI.) a place in Macedonia, visited Israelites crossed that river, (Josh. by St. Paul, who there made many ill- :) hence it was called "the house of converts among the Jews, and who the passage." It was also the scene of describes them as " more noble than the baptism of Our blessed Lord by those in Thessalonica, in that they John the Baptist, (John i. 28,) and is, received the word with all readiness on that account, visited to this day by of mind, and searched the Scriptures vast numbers of pilgrims from coun daily." (Acts xvii. 11.) tries professing the Greek or Romish Be'-red, s. of Gerar, (III.) a faith, who vainly hope to obtain by part of the wilderness of Shur, near such means the pardon of their sins. which Hagar, when fleeing from Sarai, Beth'-a-ny — Lazari, 2 miles e. of was met by an angel, and commanded Jerusalem, (IX.) a town on the side to return, the future fortunes of her of Mount Olivet, where Lazarus was child, then unborn, being also stated raised from the dead, (John xi.) and to her. (Gen. xvi. 12.) in the neighbourhood of which the Ber'-o-thai — Baalbek, 35 miles ascension of Our blessed Lord took n.w. of Damascus ? (VI.) a city in place. (Luke xxiv. 50 — 52.) A hollow Syria conquered by David in his war in the floor of a cave near the village with Hadadezer, (2 Sam. viii. 8,) and is still shewn as the grave of Lazarus. from which he acquired much spoil. Beth'-el — Beit-in, 17 miles n.e. In the margin of our version it is of Jerusalem, 87 s.«. of Dan, (III.) called Chun. See Baalath. the scene of the vision of Jacob. Bes'-or — Wadi* Gaza, near Gaza, (Gen. xxviii. 11 — 18.) The name (VII.) a small stream in the south of was afterwards given to a city in its Palestine. On its banks a part of neighbourhood " called Luz at the David's men halted while the rest first," (Gen. xxviii. 19,) which on pursued the Amalekites. (1 Sam. xxx. the division of the kingdom of David 9, 10.) It is sometimes confounded became a part of the kingdom of with the "river of the wilderness," Israel. Jeroboam set up in it one of (Amos vi. 14,) but that lay to the s. w. the golden calves, the other being near the modern town of El Arish. placed at Dan, and so much did Be'-tah — Homs, 68 miles n. e. of idolatry in consequence prevail, that Baalbek ? (VI.) a city of Syria, taken the prophet Hosea (x. 5) reproachfully by David from Hadadezer, (2 Sam. changed the name of Bethel (signify viii. 8.) In the First Book of Chro ing the house of God,) to Beth-aven, nicles (xviii. 8,) it is called Tibhath, (the house of idols,) that being the and if it be correctly identified, was name of a place a short distance n.e. in after days a very celebrated city of Bethel (?) of which no traces now under the name of Emesa. remain. At Bethel was inflicted Horns is an inconsiderable place signal punishment on the "little occupying one corner of the space children" who mocked Elisha. (2 inclosed by the ancient walls; it has a Kings ii. 23, 24.) large ruined castle on a hill, and a This place was destroyed by the handsome sepulchre with an inscrip Assyrians, but was rebuilt after the tion in honour of Caius Csesar, grand- return of the Jews from Babylon, * Wadi is an Arabic word properly signi (Ezra ii. 28;) it was a place of con fying valley ; but in this, as in many other sideration even in the thirteenth cen instances, it is the appellation also of the tury, but it is now uninhabited : its small stream by which the valley is watered. ruins extend over a large space of BETHEL BETHLEHEM. 23 ground, and among them the founda of the church below. This latter, tions of several churches may be traced. which is, in fact, an excavation in the Beth-es'-da, Puol op. See Jeru rock similar to those in which the salem- Bethlemites at the present day house Beth-ha'-ran, □ 16 miles n.e. of their cattle, is reached by a flight of Heshbon, 12 s.e. of Jericho? (VII.) steps, and is thirty-seven feet in a place in the plains of Moab, and length, twelve^in width, and ten in in the territory of the Reubenites, height. It is paved with marble, and rebuilt and fortified by the Gadites most superbly ornamented, and re after its destruction in the war against ceiving no light from above, is illu the Amorites. (Numb, xxxii. 36.) minated by thirty-two silver lamps, By Herod the Great its name was the presents of Christian princes. In changed to Livias, in honour of Livia, its sides are ten recesses or places for the wife of his patron, the Emperor prayer, said to correspond with the Augustus. number of stalls for cattle that it Beth-ho'-ron — - Beil-ur, 7 miles once contained; and at the eastern n.w. of Gibeon, 8 n.e. of Ajalon, extremity is an arch, under which (VII.) Two " fenced cities, with walls, stands the Altar of the Nativity, gates, and bars," were erected by Solo indicating the supposed spot where mon at this place, (2 Chron. viii. 5,) Our blessed Lord first appeared in some ruins of which still remain, " the likeness of man." In front of seated on two adjoining hills and the altar is a star of marble and commanding a steep and rugged pas jasper surrounded by a silver plate sage through a narrow valley. In this which bears a Latin inscription, im pass a Roman army retreating from porting, "Here Jesus Christ was Jerusalem (a.d. 66,) was almost born of the Virgin Mary." On one wholly destroyed by the Jews. side of the altar is a marble recess Beth-'le-hem ' — Beit-el-lahm, 6 now decorated with rich hangings, miles s. of Jerusalem, (IX.) the "city which the monks point out as the of David," (Luke ii. 4,) and the place " manger," in which the Holy Infant of the nativity of Our blessed Lord, was laid; opposite to which is another stands on a small elevated plateau at recess where the Wise Men took their the extremity of a wide but barren seats ; and a second small altar re valley, which reaches northward to presents the table on which their gifts Jerusalem, — the Valley of Rephaim were laid. In a subterraneous pas of 2 Sam. v. 18. It is now a mean sage which leads from the church, is place with about 3000 inhabitants, shown a cave where the infants slain all of whom are Christians, and it pos by Herod (Matt. ii. 16,) are reported sesses a large convent belonging to to have been buried, and another the Greek, Armenian, and Romish contains the tomb of St. Jerome, a churches, who each occupy distinct celebrated Father of the Church who portions. This convent, which is a resided for many years at Bethlehem, strong building resembling a fortress, and was the author of that version of was built by the pious Empress He the Holy Scriptures called the Vul lena, the mother of the first Christian gate, which is used by the Romish emperor of Rome, Constantine the church; an adjoining cave is pointed Great, in the early part of the fourth out as his study, and even his portrait century ; it has been repeatedly de is said to be miraculously stained on vastated, but still preserves much of the rock over the Holy Manger, but its original structure. It has two modern travellers have not been able churches, one under the other; the to discover it. upper church is supported by forty- In the neighbourhood of Bethlehem eight marble pillars, and has some are several places which are pointed remains of mosaic work on its walls, out as the scene of various remark and a marble star on the pavement, able events recorded in Scripture, but pointing out the most sacred portion their identity is very questionable. 24 BETHLEHEM BITHYNIA. Some notice of them will be found rently, were struck dead. (I Sam. vi.) under the head Jerusalem, along Traces of a large city still exist. with the Holy Places of that city. Other places named Beth'-she- Bethlehem is generally mentioned mesh are mentioned in the Scriptures, in the Holy Scripture as "Bethlehem one of them being the Egyptian city of Judea," or, "Bethlehem Ephra- otherwise called On. See On. tah," as there was another Bethlehem Beth-u-li'-a— Safet, 12 miles n. of in the territory of Zebulun, (Josh. xix. Tiberias? (VII.) a city of Upper 15,) believed to have been situated Galilee, situated on a lofty mountain, 15 miles n.w. of Mount Tabor, but besieged by Holofernes, but delivered not the scene of any remarkable by Judith in the manner related in the event. apocryphal book bearing her name. Beth-nim'-rah — Nymrein, 10 miles It is supposed to be the "city set on a n.e. of Jericho, 9 n.w. of Beth-haran, hill," alluded to by Our Lord, in his (VII.) one of the Amoritish cities, Sermon on the Mount, (Matt. v. 14,) rebuilt by the tribe of Gad. (Numb, which was delivered in its neighbour xxxii. 36.) hood. Beth'-re-hob — Hereibe, 27 miles Safet at present is a heap of ruins, s.e. of Sidon, (VII.) a place in the having been destroyed by an earth north of the Promised Land, visited quake in 1837 ; but up to that time by the "men which Moses sent to it had a considerable Jewish popula search the land," (Numb. xiii. 21 ; tion, being one of the four cities in xiv. 36,) and after its conquest as Palestine to which they attach peculiar signed to the tribe of Asher. (Josh, sanctity, and for ages it was the seat xix. 28.) Whether it was ever pos of a kind of university for the educa sessed by the Asherites does not ap tion of their rabbins. pear, but in the time of David it was Beth'-zur, □ 12 miles s. of Jeru the capital of a small Syrian state salem, 10 n.e. of Hebron ? (VII.) a dependant upon Zobah. (2 Sam. x.) city of Judah, (Josh. xv. 58,) fortified Beth-sa'-i-da. See Capernaum. by Rehoboam, when making prepara Beth'-shan — Sisan, 6 miles s.e. tions to subdue the revolted ten tribes. of Mount Gilboa, 10 n.w. of Jabesh- (2 Chron. xi. 7.) It existed in the Gilead ? (V.) a place situated in the : time of Jerome, (in the fourth century tribe of Issachar, but belonging to a.d.,) and near it was a fountain in that of Manasseh, (Josh. xvii. 11,) which it was believed that Philip the to the walls of which the bodies of Deacon baptized the treasurer of Can- Saul and his sons were fastened by dace, the queen of Ethiopia. ( Acts viii.) the Philistines after the battle of Be'-zer, CD 40 miles s. of Ramoth- Gilboa. (1 Sam. xxxi. 12.) In the Gilead? (V.) one of the cities of declining age of the Jewish monarchy, refuge for the unintentional slayer, a body of Scythians, it is said, settled (Deut. iv. 43,) was situated in the themselves here, whence the town is territory of the Reubenites, and from mentioned by profane authors by the its position on the verge of the desert name of Scythopolis. In the fourth of the Euphrates, is styled "Bezer in century of the Christian era it was a the Wilderness." Some writers sup large city under that name, and though pose it to be the same as Bozrah, one now reduced to a mere village, its of "the cities of the land of Moab" former splendour is sufficiently evident mentioned by Jeremiah, (xlviii. 24.) from the extent and stateliness of its If it be Bozrah at all, which is very ruins. doubtful, it is more probably the Boz Beth'-she-mesh — Ain Shems, 8 rah of Edom. (Gen. xxxvi. 33.) miles s.e. of Ekron, 8 s. w. of Kirjath- Be'-zeth-a. See Jerusalem. jearim ? (V.) the place to which the Bi-th yn'-i-a — the northern part of Ark, when restored by the Philistines, Anatolia, (XI.) a province of Asia was brought back. Some of the inha Minor, lying on the southern shore of bitants approaching the ark irreve the Black Sea and the Sea of Mar- BITHYNIA CANAAN. 25 mora, and having on the south Phry- Hiram not ;" and he gave the name gia and Galatia, and on the west the of Cabul (or dirty) to them. Asia of the Scriptures. It is a large J Ce-sar-e'-a. See Cxsarea. and fruitful country, and though now Ca'-lah, □ 40 miles s.e. of Nine under the sway of the Turks, has veh ? (II.) one of the cities founded many Christian inhabitants. St. Paul by Asshur, the son of Shem, (Gen. x. and Timothy proposed to preach the 11,) or, as in the margin, by Nimrod, word in Bithynia, "but the Spirit the son of Cush : this latter view is suffered them not," (Acts xvi. /;) supposed to be the most correct. the Gospel, however, speedily reached Nothing is known of its history. this country, as the First Epistle of Cal'-neh — Tank i-Kesrah, 20 miles St. Peter is addressed to the stran s.e. of Accad, US s.e. of Bagdad? gers scattered through Asia and Bi (II.) a city in the Land of Shinar, one thynia. of the four styled the beginning of the Bithynia was a kingdom of con kingdom of Nimrod. (Gen. x. 10.) It siderable note in ancient times. It is supposed to be the same as the contained several important cities; Calno and Canneh of the prophets among them were Nice and Chalcedon, Isaiah and Ezekiel, and the Ctesiphon in which were held several ecclesias of the Greeks. This latter, which was tical councils ; the creed used in the rebuilt by one of the Seleucidse, or Communion Service, called the Nicene Greek kings of Syria, and peopled Creed, was drawn up at one of these by colonists forcibly removed from councils. Babylon, succeeded to the renown of Boz'-rah — Bosxra, 44 miles n.e. of that city, and was for ages the winter Ramoth-Gilead, (VI.) Two places residence of the Parthian and Per called Bozrah are mentioned in the sian monarchs; from the ruins of the Scriptures, one in Moab, the other in palace of one of the latter the place Edom. The site of the latter is quite has its modern name, signifying the uncertain, (see Bxzer,) but the former Hall of Chosroes. It was captured by is undoubtedly the place mentioned the Saracens, (a.d. 637,)and destroyed above, which was once a very strong to furnish materials for a new city, and splendid city, and under the name now called Bagdad, which the con of Bostra was the capital of the querors erected for their capital about Roman province of Arabia, (IX.) twenty miles off. It is now nothing but a heap of ruins Cal'-va-ky. See Jerusalem. tenanted by a few Arab families, for Ca'-na — Kafir* Kenna, 14 miles "judgment is come upon Bozrah." s.w. of Capernaum? 4 n.e. of Naza (Jerem. xiviii. 24.) reth, (IX.) a town of Galilee, the " I have sworn by myself, saith the scene of the first miracle of Our Lord, that Bozrah shall become a Lord, (John ii.) and where also the desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a nobleman of Capernaum besought curse; and all the cities thereof shall him to heal his son, and had his be perpetual wastes." (Jerem. xiix. prayer granted. (John iv. ) 13.) In this passage "Bozrah" is The fountain which is said to have put for "Moab," and how literally supplied the water on which the the threat has been fulfilled may be miracle at the wedding-feast was per seen by reference to that article. See formed, is still pointed out, and a Moab. ruined church covers the supposed site of the house where it occurred. Ca'-bui., in the north of Gali Ca'-na-an, (I.) the grandson of lee, and s.e. of Tyre, (VII.) a tract of Noah, the ancestor of the idolatrous land containing twenty cities presented * Kafir is an Arabic word signifying in by Solomon to Hiram, king of Tyre, fidel, and is applied by the Mohammedans ty in return for his services in building all who do not believe in their false pro the Temple at Jerusalem. (1 Kings phet. It is applied to this place because the ix. 13.) The cities, we learn, "pleased j population is chiefly Christian. B 26 CANAAN CARIA. nations termed Canaanites, (Gen. x.) miles n. of Capernaum, and that Beth - who for a while possessed the territory sa'-i-da (supposed to be the Livias of afterwards known as the Promised Josephus,) stood 5 miles n.e. of Cho Land, Palestine, or Judea, but were, razin, on the eastern side of the river by the Divine command, to be, some Jordan just where it enters the lake. exterminated, and others rendered Caph'-tor. See Appendix. tributary, by the Israelites. (Deut. Cap-pa-do'-ci-a — part of Karama- xx. 11 — 17.) This, however, was by nia, (XI.) a country in the south-east no means completely effected, and ern part of Asia Miuor, to the north of the most disastrous consequences re the chain of Taurus, and on the east sulted to the disobedient Hebrews: bordering on Armenia. After having having thus forfeited the protection been long an independent kingdom, it of their Almighty Father, they fell into was reduced to a Roman province idolatry, and "the Lord sold them into about the time of the birth of Our the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan," Lord. The inhabitants bore among (Judges iv. 2,) and suffered other the Greeks and Romans a proverbially rulers also to oppress them, antil at bad character, and they and the Ar length, the measure of their iniquity menians, under the name of "the being full, they were " led captive out house of Togarmah," are spoken of by of their own land." (Amos vii. 11.) the prophet Ezekiel (xxvii. 14,) as The Canaanitish nations were ele supplying the Tyrians with " horses ven in number: namely, the Sidonians, and horsemen and mules ;" they were, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgash- indeed, the great slave-dealers of ites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvad- antiquity. Cappadocians are men ites, Zemarites, and Hamathites, all tioned among other strangers assem of whom are noticed in their respective bled at Jerusalem to celebrate the places; and their country, which ex feast of Pentecost, (Actsii. 9,) whence tended from Sidon and Laish in the we see that the Jewish religion had north, to Gaza and Zeboiim in the spread in that quarter ; and from the- south, (Gen. x. 16 — 19,) will be found commencement of the First Epistle of described under Palestine. St. Peter, it appears that the Gospel Ca-per'-na-um — near Khan Min- was early introduced there. Under yah, 17 miles n.e. of Nazareth, 6 s. w. the Greek empire, Christian churches of Bethsaida ? ( I X. ) a city of Galilee, existed in this country until the tenth the ordinary residence of Our Lord century, but the province was then during a great part of his ministry; seized by the Mohammedans, and the hence termed, "his own city." (Matt. light of the Gospel was long supposed ix. 1.) Here he performed numerous to have altogether disappeared, but miracles, and in its neighbourhood he recent researches have shown that it delivered the Sermon on the Mount ; still exists. yet its inhabitants "repented not," Car'-che-mish — Kerkisipah, 300 and therefore their city was included miles n.w. of Babylon, 25 e. of Tiph- with Chorazin and Bethsaida, in a sah, (VIII.) a strong city on the fearful denunciation. (Matt. xi. 24.) eastern bank of the Euphrates, where So completely has the prediction been that river is joined by the Chaboras, fulfilled, that although all the cities commanding the passage from Syria mentioned are known to have been into Mesopotamia. Pharaoh Necho, rebuilt after their destruction by the of Egypt, was there defeated by Ne Romans in the last war against the buchadnezzar. (Jer. xLvi. 2.) Under Jews, they have now utterly disap the name of Circesium or Cercusium, peared, so that though numerous ruins it was the frontier fortress of the are met with on the shores of the sea Roman empire towards Persia; it now of Galilee, not one of them can be belongs to the Turks, and is a place satisfactorily identified. It is thought, of no importance. however, that Cho-ra'-zin stood on $ Ca'-ri-a — part of Anatolia, (XI.) the north-west shore of the lake, 2 a small province in the south-west of CARIA CESAREA. 27 Asia Minor, on the coast of which (the modern provinces of Azerbijan were several Greek colonies ; among and Irak Ajemi,) that the captive them were Miletus and Cnidus, visited ten tribes were conveyed. (2 Kings by St. Paul. It had Lydia on the north, xvii. 6.) and Phrygia and Lycia on the east, The Caspian is the largest salt with the sea on the west and south. lake in the world, extending nearly Car'-mel — Kurmel, 9 miles s.e. of 800 miles from north to south, with Hebron, (VII.) a town in the south an average breadth of more than ern part of the territory of Judah, the 200 ; it receives the Volga, Ural, residence of Nabal. (1 Sam. xxv.) It Kur, and some other large rivers, yet existed as a town in the time of St. its depth is but inconsiderable, and Jerome, (a.d. 400,) and though now its navigation dangerous from sand a mere village, has still the remains banks and violent winds. Its level is of several Christian churches, and a considerably below that of the Black large Roman fortress. Sea or the Mediterranean, as is also Car'-mel is also the name of a the case with the Dead Sea, in Pa range of hills, which runs for some lestine, and other salt lakes. distance with a north-westerly direction Ce'-dron, Brook. See Jerusalem. through the central part of Palestine, Cen'-chre-a. See Corinth. and terminates in a bold headland, Ces-a-re'-a — Kaisariyah, 80 miles called, pre-eminently, Mount Car'- s.w. of Accho, 34 n. of Joppa, 55 mel, (V.) and forming the south n.w. of Jerusalem, (IX.) a sea-port western limit of the bay of Acre. of Palestine, originally a fort belong This mountain, which has an eleva ing to the Syrian kings, and called tion of 1500 feet, is still clothed with Strato's Tower, from its founder; it wild vines and olives at its base, and came afterwards into the hands of higher up with oaks and pines, but Herod the Great, who rebuilt it in the surrounding district has lost, the Grecian style, and formed a com through neglect of cultivation, much modious harbour, giving to it the of its ancient fertility, and is no longer name of Cesarea, in honour of his "the habitation of shepherds." Its patron, the Roman emperor. His summit is crowned by a Christian grandson Agrippa here met his death, convent, — founded in the twelfth cen (a.h. 44,) while assisting at the cele tury, but several times since destroyed bration of some heathen games, and and rebuilt, — occupying, according to listening with complacency to the im tradition, the spot where the prophet pious flattery of the spectators. (Acts Elijah's sacrifice was consumed by xii. 21—23.) Judea then became a fire from heaven, (1 Kings xviii.) and second time a Roman province, and in its side towards the sea are nu Cesarea was the usual residence of merous caves, one of which bears the the chief governor in Palestine. In name of the School of Elijah, and is it was stationed a number of Roman much venerated both by Jews and troops, one of whose centurions, Cor Mohammedans. Upon the top of nelius, was converted by the preaching Carmel also the prophet obtained rain of St. Peter. (Acts x.) Philip the in answer to his prayer, after the land evangelist also resided in it, and it had suffered a three years' drought ; was at Cesarea that St Paul was and upon its flanks, by the river long detained in prison before he was Kishon, he executed the judgment of transferred to Rome, and where he the Lord upon the idolatrous priests delivered his defence of himself before of Baal. (I Kings xviii. 40—45.) King Herod Agrippa and the Roman + Cas'-pi-an Sea, (VIII.) a salt governor. (Acts xxiv. — xxvi.) lake or inland sea of Central Asia, Cesarea continued to be a consider lying between Russia and Persia. It able city until the time of the first is here noticed, as it has long been Crusade, when it was taken by storm supposed that it was to the neigh in 1104 by Baldwin I. of Jerusalem, bourhood of its south-western shores and almost totally destroyed ; its edi- 82 28 CESAREA CHUN. flees have ever since furnished build The term Chaldeans, also, is used ing materials for the different towns in a variety of senses in the Scriptures, along the coast, and very little of the and in ancient writers. The mention work of Herod now remains. of them in the Book of Job, (i. 17,) This Cesarea is in ancient writers exhibits them as a warlike predatory often termed Cesarea of Palestine, race ; while by Daniel they are spoken to distinguish it from of as a class of the inhabitants of Baby Ces-ar-e'-a Phil-ip'-pi —Baniaa, 28 lonia, who pretended to a knowledge miles n. n. of Tiberias, ( I X. ) This, the of futurity, and profane writers de city of Dan, where Jeroboam set up scribe them as priests, soothsayers, one of his golden calves, (1 Kings xii. and astrologers. It is believed, how 29,) is the Cesarea visited by Our ever, that the priestly Chaldeans were blessed Lord, (Matt. xvi. ; Markviii.) of old a distinct class of the people of and it is somewhat remarkable for the Babylonia, and that their name was changes of name it has undergone. assumed by a body of mercenary It was at first called Leshem, or Laish, troops from Caucasus, who being em and was inhabited by a Canaanitish ployed by the Assyrian monarchs to tribe, who, " dwelling carelessly, after guard Babylon, then a province of the manner of the Zidonians," their empire, revolted, and took the (Judges xviii. 7,) were surprised and name of Chaldeans to reconcile the put to the sword, and their city de Babylonians to their sway; a view stroyed, by a band of Danites. The which is supported by the words of conquerors built a city in its stead, the prophet Isaiah, (xxiii. 13.) which they called Dan, but which Char'-ran. See Haran. the Syrian Greeks afterwards styled Che'-bar — Khabur, ( VIII.)ariver Paneas. Philip the Tetrarch, son of Mesopotamia, termed Chaboras of Herod the Great, adorned the by the classical geographers, flow city with many stately edifices, and ing into the Euphrates at Carchemish. called it Cesarea, in honour of Tibe It is the scene of a vision of the pro rius; but his grand-dephew, Herod phet Ezekiel, (i. 1.) Agrippa, changed the name to Nero- Chin'-ne-reth. See Galilee, nias, in honour of Nero. It after Sea op. wards recovered the appellation of Chi'-os — Khio, 70 miles s.w. cf Paneas, under which name it often Mitylene, 70 n.w. of Samos, (XI.) occurs in the history of the Crusades, an island in the jEgean Sea passed by being the seat of a bishop, and having the Apostle Paul on his voyage from a strong castle which belonged to the Macedonia to Palestine. (Actsxx. 15.) Knights of St. John. This castle, This island is about thirty miles or perhaps a more recent structure, long and fifteen broad, and lies very still remains, in good condition, but near the coast of Asia Minor. It is the city is now represented by a few naturally one of the most beautiful miserable huts. and fruitful spots in the whole Archi Chal-ue'-a, (VIII.) This term pelago, and was of old celebrated for sometimes denotes the Babylonish its fruits and marble. The inhabit empire, ( Dan. ix. 1,) sometimes only ants were till recently very numerous, the country in the neighbourhood of chiefly Greeks, rich and unwarlike ; Babylon, (Jerem. ii. 24,) and some they, however, embarked in 1822 times a part of Arabia towards the in the contest between their country Euphrates, (Job i. 17,) now called men and the Turks, when the latter Irak-Arabi. The Chaldean empire landed a large force, who either mas was founded by Nimrod, but it was sacred or made slaves of the whole not till the final overthrow of the population, and reduced the island to a Assyrian empire (b.c. 607,) that it desert, from which state it has but became powerful, nor did it long imperfectly recovered. endure, being in its turn subverted Cho-ra -zin. See Capernaum. ~iy the Medes. See Babylon. Chun — Baalbek. 35 miles n.w. of |( CHUN CORINTH. Damascus ? (VI.) the name giveu in broad, and is still populous and pro the First Book of Chronicles (xviii. ductive. It is possessed by the Turks, 8,) to a city captured by David, and having been captured by them from the called Berothai in 2 Sam. viii. 8. Knights of St. John in tl.e year 1522. See Berothai. Cor'-inth — Corinth, 53 miles w of Ci-lic'-ia — part of Karamania, Athens, (XI.) a splendid city of an (XI.) a long and narrow province in the cient Greece, placed on the western south-eastern quarter of Asia Minor, side of the isthmus of the same name, lying between the range of Taurus which connects the Peloponnesus, or and the sea, opposite to the island Morea, with Northern Greece. It of Cyprus. It was regarded by the stood at the foot of a lofty rock, — ancients as a poor and barbarous which was crowned by a strong for region, and its inhabitants were noted tress called Acro-Corinthus, and is pirates. It, however, contained some still occupied by a ruined castle,— cities, as Tarsus, the birth-place and was the capital of a small state, of the Apostle Paul, (Acts xxi. 39,) which founded numerous colonies and who is believed to have introduced had a most exu nsive trade ; its inha the knowledge of the Gospel, (Acts bitants were famed for their learning xv. 41;) but the country has been for and their manufacturing ingenuity, aa uiauy ages in the hands of the Turks, also for their luxurious mode of life. and now contains scarcely a single It was captured and burnt by the Christian church. Romans, (b.c. 146,) but was rebuilt by Clau'-oa — Gozzi, 25 miles s.e. of Julius Caesar about one hundred years Fhenice, (XI.) a small island off the after, and became the capital of the southern shore of Crete, passed by St. Roman province of Achaia, or Greece. Paul in the vessel that was wrecked This was its condition when visited at Melita. (Acts xxvii. 16.) by St. Paul, (Acts xviii.;) and the Cni'-oub, , 150 miles n.w. of Apostle resided in it a considerable Myra, (XI.) a sea-port of Curia, time, and founded a church to which passed by St. Paul on his voyage to he afterwards addressed two Epistles. Rome. (Acts xxvii. 7.) Cnidus was Corinth, after suffering from the a Greek colony, but is now alto Goths in the third century, and from gether uninhabited; its ruins, how other barbarians in succeeding ages, ever, are very extensive, and of the in the thirteenth fell into the hands most magnificent description, being of a French adventurer, who founded chiefly of marble, and furnishing a principality in Greece, of which examples of the different styles of Athens and Corinth were the chief Grecian architecture. places. From his descendants it was Co-los'-sb — near Khonas, 21 miles captured by the Turks in 1460, and E. of Laodicea, (Xl.)acityof Phrvgia, it is now the second town of the to whose inhabitants one of St. Puul's kingdom of Greece. Though once Epistles is addressed. The city is famed for its splendid edifices, it has said to have been destroyed by an suffered such repeated devastation earthquake in the reign of the from fire and earthquake, that it has Emperor Nero, and very few remains sunk into a thinly peopled town, of it now exist. spread over a large tract of ground Co'-os — Km, or Stanco, 50 miles and interspersed with ruins, and is in a of Miletus, 50 n.w. of Rhodes, spring and autumn so exceedingly un (XI.) an island in the ^Egean Sea, healthy as to be almost uninhabitable. passed by St. Paul after his parting On the eastern shore of the isthmus, from the elders of the church of about 9 miles distant from Corinth, Ephesus. (Acts xxi. 1.) Coos was are a few remains of the town of formerly famous for its wines, its Cen'-chre-a — Kenkries, (XI.) of manufacture of fine transparent vest which the pious Phtbe was a " ser ments, and its temple of ^Esculapius. vant." (Rom. xvi. 1.) Cenchrea was It is about twenty miles long and five considered as a second port to Corinth, 30 CORINTH CYPRUS. and the road between the two places, in Scripture, it is necessary to pay according to the Greek historians attention to the context to ascertain and geographers, was once lined from which of the above countries with temples and sepulchres, but they they came. have now all disappeared, and the Thus the "Cush" of Isaiah xi. 11, site of Cenchrea is only to be and Zephaniah iii. 10, is believed to discovered by the broken foundations be India; while the Cushite wife of of its buildings, which extend some Moses, of whom Miriam and Aaron distance out to sea. complained, (Numb. xii. 1,) was a Cbbte — Candia, (XI.) a large native of Arabia, and the Cushites in island of the Levant, or Eastern Me the army of Shishak, king of Egypt, (2 diterranean, lying south of the Morea Chron. xii. 3,) came from Ethiopia. and west of Cyprus, whose inhabit See Ethiopia. ants are very unfavourably spoken of Cy'-prus — Cyprus, (XI.) an island by ancient writers; and "this witness near the southern coast of Asia Minor, is true," says St. Paul, in his direc the birth-place of Barnabas, (Acts tions to Titus, appointed by him to iv. 36,) and a prominent scene of the the charge of the Christian churches labours of St. Paul, who there con founded there. (Titus i. 13.) verted the Roman governor, Sergius Crete had once, it is said, a hun Paulus, and punished the sorcerer dred considerable cities, whence by Elymas with blindness for a season. classical writers it is often called (Acts xiii.) Hecatompolis ; it was also an inde Cyprus, though somewhat larger, pendent kingdom, and its inhabitants much resembles Crete in its appear were highly esteemed for skill and ance and products. Traversed by courage in navigation and war. At two chains of mountains, it is watered the time of the Apostle Paul's visit by numerous streams, which, how it was a province of Rome; next it ever, have been suffered to spread passed to the Greek empire, from over the once fertile plains, and have which it was wrested by the Saracens now converted most of them into in 823, recovered in 981, and obtained pestilential marshes; yet in spite of from the Latin emperors of Constan this neglect the island still produces tinople in the thirteenth century by large quantities of grain, wine, oil, the Venetians, who held it above four silk, cotton, fruit, and live stock ; has hundred years. From them it was noble forests of oak and dye-woods, taken, after a twenty-four years' siege and mines which still afford copper, of the capital, Canea, in 1669, by the a metal said to have been first dis Turks, who are its present possessors. covered in this island, and deriving its Crete, which is about 160 miles in Latin name (cuprum) from that cir length and from 15 to 40 in breadth, cumstance. The inhabitants of this is traversed from east to west by a island are about 80,000 in number, lofty chain of mountains, with fruitful of whom two-thirds are Greeks, and plains descending to the sea, and was the remainder Turks. anciently so famous for its viues,olives, Cyprus was first colonized by the and other produce, and its genial cli Phoenicians, to whom succeeded the mate, that it bore the name of the Greeks, and at one time it was Happy Island, but it is now neglected, divided into nine separate states. unhealthy, and comparatively desert. Afterwards it was possessed, in suc The inhabitants, about 150,000 in cession, by the Egyptians, Persians, number, are principally Greeks. Macedonians, Romans ; and was in Cush, (I.) the son of Ham, (Gen. 1189 captured from a Greek prince x. 6,) whose descendants are believed who bore the title of Emperor, to have peopled India, Babylonia, by Richard 1. of England, and by Arabia, and Ethiopia. Hence, when him bestowed upon Guy do Lusignan, the Cush'-ites (often rendered in our the expelled king of Jerusalem. One version " Ethiopians,") are spoken of of Guy's descendants sold the state to CYPRUS DECAPOLIS. 31 the Venetians in 1489, and from them St. Paul, and the city was the scene it was wrested by the Turks in 1571, of his first labours as a Christian who have held it ever since. teacher, (Acts ix. ;) many spots con Cy-re'-ne — Grennah, 500 miles nected with his history are pointed n.w.of Alexandria, (XI.) a city on the out, and one of the gates at the pre northern coast of Africa, from which, sent day bears his name, as his me or its territory called Cyrenaica, came mory is highly respected even by the Simon, who was compelled to hear for Mohammedans. a while the cross upon which Our Damascus stands upon a fertile blessed Saviour was about to suffer for well-watered plain, near the verge of the redemption of mankind. (Matt. the Syrian desert, and is still a large xxvii. 32. ) From it also came devout and handsome city, adorned by several Jews to celebrate the feast of Pente noble mosques that were once Chris cost, (Acts ii. 10,) and Lucius, a pro tian churches; it is a place of great phet and teacher in the church at trade, and has some considerable Antioch. (Acts xiii. 1.) manufactures. Its population is esti Cyrene was a Greek colony, founded mated at 100,000, of whom 12,000 are by Battus, a Spartan, who became its Christians, and there are also many king, (b.c.6'31,) and it was afterwards Jews. The Christians have several the capital of Libya under the Romans. churches and monasteries,one of which, Its inhabitants were a commercial belonging to the Romish church, is people, and were famed for their learn particularly noticed by travellers. ing and refinement. In the fourth Dan, (V.) The possession of the century of the Christian era the city tribe of Dan lay along the sea-shore was destroyed by the savage tribes in the south of Palestine, between of the interior; its ruins, which are the territories of Simeon on the south extensive and of a splendid character, and Ephraim on the north; with particularly its tombs hewn in the those of Judah and Benjamin on the rock, are now only tenanted by wild east. It was a fertile district, but of animals, and the surrounding country small dimensions, which occasioned is little else than a desert of sand and the tribe to send out some of its marsh, though once rivalling Egypt members in search of other settle in productiveness. ments. (Judges xviii.) Dan. See Cesarea Philippi. Dal-ma'-tia. See Illyricum. Da'-vid, City op. See Jerusalem. Da-mas' -cus — El-Sham, 500 miles X Dead Sea. See Salt Sea. n.w. of Babylon, 140 n.e. of Jeru De'-bir, CD 8 miles s.w. of He salem, (V.) a city in Syria, one of the bron, 19 s. of Libnah ? (V.) a city oldest in the world, being mentioned destroyed, with its inhabitants, by in the history of the patriarch Abra Joshua. (Josh. x. 38, 39.) It seems to ham. (Gen. xv. 2.) It was the have been repeopled by the Canaan- capital of a state conquered by David, ites, as it was again taken by Othniel, (2 Sam. viii.) but which recovered its the nephew of Caleb. (Judges i. 13.) independence and severely harassed It was also called Kirjath-Sepher, the Israelites. At length it was con usually interpreted the City of Letters, quered by the Assyrians, B.c. 740, whence it has been conjectured that (2 Kings xvi. 9,) and from that the Canaanites had there a kind of period, as predicted by Isaiah, (xvii. college, but the term is more properly 3,) "the kingdom has ceased," for rendered the City of the Oracle. it has never since been the capital There was another De'-bir, (VII.) of an independent state, but repeat in Gilead, (Josh. xiii. 26,) called also edly changed masters, until it came Lodebar. See Lodebar. into the hands of the Mohammedans, De-cap' -o-lis, (IX.) a district in the its present possessors, twelve hun eastern part of Syria and Palestine, dred years ago. (See Syria.) Near containing ten principal cities, whence Damascus occurred the conversion of its name, hut ancient authors give 32 DECAPOLIS EDOMITES. different lists of them. From this Do'-than, — near Safet (Bethulia) ? district came multitudes to Our blessed (III.) a place in the north of Ca Lord at the commencement of his naan, whither Joseph repaired to ministry, (Malt. iv. 25,) and in it seek his brethren, and where he was some of " the wonderful works that by them sold to the Ishmaelite mer he did" were performed, as the chants. (Gen. xxxvii.) A well with healing of the demoniac at Gadara. a marble cover supported by pillars (Mark v.) is traditionally pointed out as the Der'-be — Devli, 90 miles s.e. of "pit" into which Joseph was cast. Iconium? (XI.) a city of Lycaonia, There was another place called to which St. Paul and Barnabas Do'-than, about 5 miles n. of Tirzah, retired from their persecutors at and 12 n.e. of Samaria, (VII.) Iconium. (Acts xiv. 6.) Of it or the in which the prophet Elijah was neighbouring city of Lystra, Timothy surrounded by the troops of Ben- was a native. (Acts xvi. 1.) It was hadad: these being miraculously a strong city situated at the foot of smitten with blindness, were led by the chain of Taurus on the northern the prophet to Samaria, but were then side, but not even its ruins are now set at liberty by his direction ; in discoverable, those which were taken return for which "the bands of Syria for it having been lately ascertained came no more into the land of Israel." to belong to Lystra. (2 Kings vi. 13—24.) Di'-bon — Diban, 5 miles n.b. of Aroer, (V.) a city of Moab rebuilt by East, The, (II.) in Hebrew, Kb/- the Gadites, but lying in the territory dem, a general term with the Sacred of Reuben. (Numb, xxxii. 33, 34.) writers for numerous countries on the After the captivity of the Reubenites east of Palestine. Sometimes it is it was lepossessed by the Moabites, applied to Arabia, Moab, or Ammon, (Jerem. xi/viii. 18,) and though de (Job i. 3; Jerem. xLix. 28,) but stroyed with the other cities in that more usually to the countries beyond quarter by Nebuchadnezzar, it arose the Euphrates, even though lying to again, and was a considerable town in the north of Canaan. (Gen. xxix. 1 ; the time of Jerome. Its ruins, which Numb, xxiii. 7; 1 Kings iv. 30; stand on a fine plain near the river Matt. ii. 1.) Arnon, are of large extent, but not E'-bal, Mount. SeeSheCHeM. otherwise remarkable, and in the Ec-bat'-a-na — Takht i-Suleiman, midst of them is an Arab village. 150 miles n.w. of Hamadan ? (VIII.) Dor — Tortura, 22 miles s.w. of a city of Little Media, mentioned in Accho, (VII. ) a sea-port of Phoenicia, the Book of Tobit, (vii 1,) supposed once the seat of a king, (Josh. xi. 2,) by some writers to be the Achmethaof assigned to the tribe of Manasseh, Ezra, (vi. 2,) but most probably not though situate in the territory of so. The ruins of its buildings stand Issachar, (Josh. xvii. 11,) but from on the side of a lofty hill, on the top which they could not expel the of which is a vast marble platform Canaanites. Its possession was after supposed to have been used by the wards contended for by the Greek Magi for the celebration of their kings of Egypt and Syria, and when idolatrous rites. the Romans became masters of Syria E'-oen. See Appendix. they declared it an independent state ; E'-do-mite9, (V.) the descendants but it passed shortly after into the of Esau, who, having expelled the hands of Herod, by whom its harbour Horites, (Deut. ii. 12,) possessed the was improved, and many buildings rocky and desert country on the erected, the ruins of which are still south and east of Palestine, called magnificent. It was a bishop's see from them Edom or Idumea, the in the time of Constantino the Great, Arabia of Roman authors. They (a.d. 330,) but it soon after fell into refused a passage through their country decay, and is now a mere village. to the Israelites when journeying from EDOMITES EDREI. 33 Egypt towards Canaan, (Numb, xx.) was "of the fatness of the earth," is and in after-ages joined in oppressing now covered with the sand of the them, particularly after the destruc surrounding deserts unchecked by the tion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, hand of man, and its sumptuous " laying hands on their substance, edifices have for ages been lost to the and standing in the cross way to cut eyes of civilized nations; it is no those off that escaped, and delivering longer the high road of commercial those up that remained, and speaking intercourse between the East and the proudly in the day of their distress." J West, and instead of its swarming (Obad. 12 — 14.) Before this time they and opulent population, it is only had been subdued by David, (2 Sam. traversed by robber tribes from other viii.) but had recovered their inde quarters, who, in unconscious accord pendence, and had become a wealthy ance with prophecy, declare, " None commercial people; and now they shall pass through it." (Isaiah xxxiv. took possession of the southern part 10.) From these causes the very- of Palestine, and maintained them existence of the ruins of Petra was selves there till the time of the As- till recently unknown, although the monean prince John Hyrcanus, (b c. city was once a commercial state 130,) by whom these settlers were rivalling Tyre, and in the early ages subdued, and compelled to adopt the of Christianity was the see of an Jewish religion and observances; this archbishop. They have, however, tract in the south of Palestine is the of late years been visited, and their Idumea of the classical writers, and situation is found to have been by the also of the New Testament. (Mark prophet described with literal exact iii. 8.) Those who remained in their ness : " Thy terribleness hath deceived original country had in the mean thee, O thou that dwellest in the time associated themselves with the clefts of the rock, that holdest the descendants of Nebaioth, the son of height of the hill : though thou should- Ishmael, (Gen. xxv. 13,) and hence est make thy nest as high as the forth the united tribes were known to eagle, I will bring thee down from the Greeks and Romans as the Na- thence, saith the Lord." (Jerem. ba'-th.s-ans, (IX.) whose capital was xLix. 16.) The ruins occupy a rocky Petra, called Sela or Joktheel in the platform in a valley sunk farsbelow Scriptures. (2 Kings xiv. 7.) This the surrounding mountains, the only was a great commercial emporium, and approach being through a deep defile when, after repeated attacks, it was but a few feet wide and two miles taken by the Romans from its king, long. When this is passed, the tra (a.]>. 105,) it was constituted the veller sees a whole city hewn out capital of their possessions in Arabia. j of the rock, with statues and broken But at length its commerce was columns, all of a pale rose-coloured directed to other channels, its inha granite ; temples and theatres occupy bitants withdrew, and ''the city sat the centre of the platform, and the solitary, that was full of people." rock on one side is hollowed out into For their conduct towards "their private dwellings and tombs. The brethren," the Israelites, the Lord houses are mostly small and plain, had declared, " Thou shalt be deso but the public edifices exhibit all the late, 0 Mount Seir, and all Idumea, beauty of Grecian architecture, and even all of it," (Ezek. xxxv. 15,) the tombs rival those of Egypt in the " and there shall not be any remain extent and variety of their decorations, ing of the house of Esau, for the as well as in their state of perfect Lord hath spoken it." (Obad. 18,) preservation. and these denunciations have received Ed'-re-i — El Draa, 3 miles n. of their full accomplishment. No nation Ashteroth, (VII.) a place at which that can he identified as Edomites Og, the king of Bashan, was defeated now exists, or has existed for nearly and slain by the Israelites. (Numb, two thousand years; the country that xxi. 33-35.) It was allotted to the b3 34 EDREI EGYPT. Eastern Manassites, and though seve mountain barrier, the valley attains ral times destroyed was a large town to double its former width. At length in the time of Jerome, and the see near Cairo, the modern capital, the of a bishop. A mean village occu mountains turn off abruptly east and pies its site, and scarce any traces of west, and the river, which has hitherto the ancient city remain. flowed in one mighty stream, spreads E'-GTPt, (IV. )a country of Northern out into numerous branches that Africa, the scene of the bondage of the separate more and more widely as Israelites, once the seat of a power they approach the sea, thus inclosing ful monarchy, but now, as foretold and fertilizing a large triangular tract by Ezekiel, (xxix. 15,) " the basest now called Bahireh, or Lower Egypt, of the kingdoms," — a poor depen but anciently termed by the Greeks, dency of the Turkish empire, — from its resemblance in shape to one extends from the Mediterranean sea of the letters of their alphabet, the on the north to Ethiopia or Nubia Delta. This district, the most pro on the south, and from the border of ductive part of the country, measures Palestine and the Red Sea on the east in extreme width from east to west to the desert of Barca on the west. Of 160 miles, and extends more than this vast tract, however, much the 100 miles north and south, making the greater portion is a mere desert, and whole distance from Syene to the sea, not above one-sixth part is inhabited; along the course of the river, full for, from rain seldom falling, agri 600 miles, though little more than culture is of necessity confined to such 500 in a straight line. parts as are watered by the Nile, its The valley of the Nile is supposed only river ; but the productiveness of to have been the cradle of Egyptian these districts is such, owing to the civilization, and it abounds with the inundation of the soil by the periodical ruins of temples, tombs, and pyra rising of the stream, that it has from mids, the construction of which bears the earliest times served as the granary evidence to the truth of the represen of the neighbouring countries, and tations of Scripture respecting the high even in its present fallen state can still civilization of Egypt in the earliest export corn in largo quantities. Its times, as their present state does to population, a mixture of many races, the fulfilment of the prophetic denun is now estimated at not more than ciations with which the writings of 2,500,000, of whom but a small pro Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other portion are Christians, — these are inspired writers abound, against the termed Copts, and are supposed to be great oppressor of Israel. the descendants of the ancient Egyp Egypt was peopled by Mizraim, the tians; excepting a few European mer son of Ham, (Gen. x. 6,) and hence chants, the rest are Arabs, Turks, or in the original Scriptures it is usually Jews. termed Mitzraim, but sometimes " the The Nile, by which the country is land of Ham." (Psal. cv. 23.) It traversed from south to north, enters was visited by the patriarch Abraham, Egypt at Syene, or Essouan, and on occasion of a famine in Canaan, flows for near 400 miles through a (Gen. xii. 10,) and a similar cause valley in general not more than five led to the settlement in it of his miles broad, hemmed in on each side posterity. (Gen. xlii. 1, 2.) Though by a continuous chain of rocks by the country had been preserved from which the included strip of cultivated destruction by the heaven-inspired land is preserved from being over prudence of one of their number, whelmed by the sands of the adjoining the Israelites were after a time griev deserts. To this district, now called ously oppressed by a " new king, Said, or Upper Egypt, succeeds which knew not Joseph," (Exod. i. another, Vostani, or Central Egypt, 8,) but were delivered from their about 150 miles in length, in which, bondage by Moses, and the Egyptians m the falling-back of the western rashly pursuing them perished in EGYPT ELAM. 35 the Red Sea. (Exod. xiv.) From invasion of a French army, under this time, for a while, we read no Buonaparte, — they were expelled and more concerning Egypt in the Scrip- almost exterminated by the sangui rures, but the sculptures and paint nary and treacherous proceedings of ings of the temples and tombs suffi a Turkish soldier of fortune, Mehemet ciently speak of its greatness. In Ali, who, though nominally the vassal the time of Rehoboam, (b.c. 971,) of the Sultan, has for some years Jerusalem was captured by the Egyp ruled the country as an independent tian king, Shishak, (1 Kings xiv.) prince. He has raised regular fleets supposed to have been the same as and armies, and has endeavoured to the famous Sesostris of the Greek restore the prosperity of his dominions writers; and after that period its by the introduction of science and history becomes mixed up with that art from Europe. See Alexandria; of Palestine, as, when pressed by the Memphis ; No. rising power of the Assyrians, the E'-gypt, River op — Wadi Arish, 50 Hebrews frequently looked to Egypt miles w. of Beersheba, (IV.) a small for help, (2 Kings xvii. 4; xviii. 21,) stream often spoken of as the south though warned by the prophet not west boundary of the Promised Land. to "strengthen themselves in the (Gen. xv. 18; Josh. xv. 4; 1 Kings strength of Pharaoh, and to trust viii. 65.) It is sometimes called also in the shadow of Egypt." (Isai. Sihor, (Josh. xiii. 3,) but in most xxx. 2.) In these expectations they cases that name refers to the Nile. were deceived, and heavy judgments Ek'-ron — Akir, 12 miles n.e. of are denounced against the treachery Ashdod, 8 n.w. of Bethshemesh ? of Egypt, (Ezek. xxix.) which have (V.) a city of the Philistines, as been most signally fulfilled. signed to the tribe of Dan, (Josh, " There shall be no more a prince of xix. 43,) but not possessed by them; the land of Egypt," is the doom pro it, however, became a part of the nounced, (Ezek. xxx. 13,) (about b.C. Hebrew territories in the time of 572,) and from that time the country Jonathan Maccabeus. (1 Mace. x. 80.) has been ruled by foreigners. By To Ekron the ark was brought from Nebuchadnezzar its native king was Ashdod, but it was speedily removed dethroned and put to death, (b.c. 071,) through fear of the Divine vengeance. as had been foretold by the prophet (1 Sam. v. 10—12.) AtEkronwas a Jeremiah, (xLiv. 30;) after his time famous temple of Beelzebub, to which the country was ruled by the Per Ahaziah, king of Israel, sent to in sians, (b.c. 525 — 332,) next by the quire whether he should recover of a Greek Ptolemies, (b c 301—30,) and hurt he had received, — for which lie at length was annexed to the empire of was reproved, and warned of his Rome, about thirty years before the approaching end, by the prophet birth of Our Lord. In the seventh Elijah. (2 Kings i.) Zephaniah century of the Christian era it was foretold (ii. 4) that " Ekron shall be conquered by the Arabs, whose rulers, rooted up," and this has been accom termed Caliphs, made some unavail plished, as its site is now occupied by ing efforts to restore its prosperity. a village, where no remains of anti On the decline of their empire, Egypt quity exist. became the prize of various hordes of E'-lam, (I.) a son of Shem, (Gen. barbarians, and was next ruled for x. 22,) who settled in a part of the a time by a body of revolted merce country now called Persia. Some nary guards called Mamelukes; these times the name Elam is used in the in 1517 were obliged to acknowledge prophetical writings for the empire of the supremacy of the Ottomans, but Persia, (Isai. xi. 11; Jerem. XLix. 34; they continued the actual rulers of Ezek. xxxii. 24,) but in other cases the country until within the last few it applies only to a province to the years, when, — their power having south of Media, termed by classical been previously weakened by the writers Elymais ; such was the Elam of 36 ELAM EPHESUS. which Chedorkvomer was king, (Gen. Em'-ma-us — Gebeby, 8 miles n.w. xiv. 1,) and from this district doubt of Jerusalem, (IX.) a village towards less came the Elamites mentioned with which the two disciples were journey the Medes, among the devout men ing when Our Lord entered into con who repaired to Jerusalem to celebrate versation with them, " but their eyes the feast of Pentecost. (Acts ii. 9.) were holden, that they should not E'-lath — El Akabah, 1G0 miles s. know him." (Luke xxiv. lb'.) It is of Jerusalem, (VI.) a sea-port of the now a very small and poor place Edomites, situated at the head of the seated on a hill, but its population is eastern gulf of the Ked Sea, captured chiefly Christian. by David, and made the station of En'-ge-di — Ain*-Jiddi, 22 miles his ships that traded to Ophir by s.K. of Hebron, (VII.) a place in the Solomon. (1 Kings ix. 26.) The Edom wilderness of Judah, near the western ites recovered it in the reign of shore of the Dead Sea, abounding in Joram, and it soon after fell into the caves, in which David concealed him hands of Rezin, king of Syria. (2 Kings self from the pursuit of Saul. (I Sam. xvi.fi.) Under the Greek and Roman xxiii. 29. ) It was called also Hazezon rulers of Egypt, it retained its im Tamar, or the City of Palm-trees, portance, and was the port where and was celebrated for its vineyards much of the rich merchandize of and its camphire or cypress trees, India was landed; but it fell into (Song of Sol. i. 14,) but the region decay in the seventh century, and is in which it stands is now particularly now represented by an old fortress, dreary and barren. which serves as a halting-place to the En Mish'-pat. See Kadesh. Mohammedan pilgrims on their jour E'-non, O 2 miles n.e. of Salim, ney between Damascus and Mecca, 25 n.e. of Samaria? (IX.) a place El-b-a'-lah — El Aal, 1 mile n.e. near the river Jordan where John of Heshbon, (VII.) a city of Moab baptized. (John iii. 23.) rebuilt by the Reubenites. (Numb. En Ro'-obl. See Jerusalem. xxxii. 37-) It shared in the common En' She-mesh, Waters op. See destruction of the Moabitish cities, Jerusalem. (Isai. xv. 4,) but numerous fragments Eph'-e-sus — Aia-soluk, 40 miles of buildings, the foundations of the s.B. of Smyrna, (XI.) a city of Lydia, walls, and many large stone cisterns, famed for its temple of Diana, and still remain to point out its site. for the addiction of its inhabitants to E'-lim — Wadi Oharendel, 8 miles magical arts. It was situated in a s.B. of Marah, (IV.) a station of the fertile plain near the sea, was the most Israelites on the eastern shore of the celebrated of the Greek colonies on the gulf of Suez, " where were twelve wells coast of Asia, and carried on an active of water, and three score and ten commerce. Ephesus was visited re palm-trees." (Exod. xv. 27.) The peatedly by St. Paul, who, on one spot is near the small sea-port of Tor, occasion, resided there for three years, and nine of the wells yet remain, the and founded a church to which one other three having probably been of his Epistles is addressed. His filled up by the sand drifted from the success in making converts aroused desert, but the palm-trees are much the jealousy of the heathen artificers, more numerous than of old, forming who made " silver shrines for Diana," a large grove. — that is, little boxes in the form of El-Pa' -ban. See Paran. models of the temple, with an image E'-mims, (III.) a Canaanitish tribe, of the goddess within, — and they raised of gigantic stature, (Deut. ii. 10,) a tumult in which the Apostle was occupying the territory afterwards pos endangered. (Acts xix.) sessed by the Moabites, and destroyed The church founded at Ephesus by Chedorlaomer and his allies in the is charged by the Son of man with plain of Kirjathaim, near Heshbon. * Ain ia an Anibic word signifying a (Gen. xiv. 6.) spring or fountain. ' EPH ESUS EUPHRATES. 37 declining in religion, and in conse writers, but with very different signifi quence threatened with the removal cations. By the former, the term of the candlestick, (Rev. ii. 1 — 7,) and Cush, translated Ethiopia, is applied the threat has long ago been executed. to at least four different countries After encountering a variety of vicis peopled by the posterity of the eldest situdes, it fell in the fourteenth cen son of Ham, (see Cush,) but by the tury into the power of the Ottomans ; latter it is restricted to the countries to and now the heathen temples and the south of Egypt, now called by the Christian churches have alike Europeans, Nubia, Sennaar, and disappeared, and a miserable Turkish Abyssinia, the last bearing among the village occupies a portion of the site natives the name of Itiopia. It is of the great city, the rest being a thought probable that the Ethiopian dreary uncultivated plain, with a few nobleman baptized by Philip (Acts scattered ruins here and there, but viii.) belonged to this latter country, not one single entire edifice of any as Candace is known to have been a description. common name of its queens, and that E'-phra-im, (V.) The district as on his return he may have spread signed, in the allotment of the Pro abroad the knowledge of Christianity. mised Land, to the Ephraimites, was It is at all events certain that a bounded on the north by the posses Christian church existed there at a sions of the Western Manassites, on very early period, and in spite of the the south by those of the Benjamites civil wars by which the country has and Danites, and extended east and for ages been afflicted, it still subsists, west from the river Jordan to the though mixed with many Jewish Mediterranean. (Josh, xvi.) It was in observances, and disfigured by super many parts mountainous and woody, stitious rites and idle legends. but along the coast stretched a fer These Ethiopians appear to have tile plain. The Ephraimites were been of old a polished and commercial a numerous tribe, and their territory people, and it has been considered contained several important cities, probable that it was from them that among them Shi'.oh and Shechem, the Egyptians derived their civiliza and Samaria, the capital of the king tion. Their country has in modern dom of Israel. times been little visited, but it is Eph'-bath, (III.) the ancient name known that the most northern part, of the place afterwards called Beth called the Island of Meroe, contains lehem. (Gen. xxxv. 19.) temples ai.d tombs, which in magni E'-rech — frka, 110 miles s.e. of tude and beauty rival those of Egypt. Babylon? (VIII.) one of the cities Eu-phra'-tes — Frat, (II.) a river founded by Nimrod in the land of of Western Asia, rising in Armenia, Shinar. (Gen. x. 10.) It is believed and, after a winding course of 1400 to be represented by a gigantic mound miles between the deserts of Syria and on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, the plains of Mesopotamia, forming a but nothing is known of its history. junction with the Tigris, and with it E'-tham — Ajerud, 60 miles e. of falling into the Persian gulf, 130 Rameses ? (IV.) one of the stations miles below the union. The Eu of the Israelites in the journey from phrates is mentioned in the Book of Egypt, described as being " in the Genesis ( ii. 14,) as one of the four edge of the wilderness," (Exod. xiii. rivers that encompassed the garden 20,) and supposed to have been near of Eden, and is often spoken of as the head of the western arm of the the natural boundary of the Promised Red Sea, now called the gulf of Suez. Land. (Gen. xv. 18.) Except the At Ajerud is a small castle, and it is Nile, it was the largest stream known a regular halting-place for the cara to the Hebrews, and hence is often vans between Egypt and Arabia. spoken of as " the great river," and E'-thi-op-i-a, (I.) This term is sometimes "the river" only. used by both the sacred and profane On the banks of the Euphrates 38 EUPHRATES GALATIA. were once many large cities, as Fair Havens — Mitropoli, 80 miles Tiphsah, Carcheinish, Corsote, Ma- e. of Cape Salmone ? (XI.) a har cepracta, Perisabor, Sura, and Ur- bour on the southern shore of Crete, choe, beside the mighty Babylon ; but visited by St. Paul in his voyage all the cities of the Chaldees are now to Rome. (Acts xxvii. 8.) It was a " a desolation, a dry laud, and a large town in the fourth century, wilderness," ( Jerem. li. 43,) and not but no traces of it now remain. a single considerable town exists along the whole course of the river, Gah (V.) The district assigned except Bussorah, which stands upon to the Gadites was a part of the pos the margin of the united streams. sessions of the Amorites, and was Eu'-rope, (I.) is the smallest of the situated on the eastern side of the great divisions of our globe, but now Jordan, with the lands of the Reu- every way the most important, from benites on the south, and those of the which the blessings of Christianity, Eastern Manassites on the north ; on and its attendant civilization are the east it extended to the Syrian spreading to the most distant and desert. (Deut. iii.) In this district barbarous regions. It lies to the was the Land of Gilead, a tract re north of Africa and the west of Asia, markable for its fertility, and the being separated from the former by scene of many remarkable events the Mediterranean, and from the recorded in the Scriptures. The latter by the Ural Mountains, the chief cities of the tribe were Ramoth- river Volga, and the Black Sea. Gilead, Jabesh-Gilead, Mahanaim, Europe has but a limited connec Jazer, Rogelim, and Succoth. tion with the geography of the Bible: J Gad'-a-ra — Om-keis, 18 miles the Gospel was early planted in its s.e. of Capernaum? (IX.) a city on southern parts, (as Greece and Italy,) the eastern side of the sea of Galilee, and these are the only portions men in the neighbourhood of which, styled tioned in the Scriptures; they will be the country of the Gadarenes by St. found under their respective heads. Mark, and of the Gergesenes by St. J Eux'-ine Sea, (XI.) an inland Matthew, Our Lord met, and healed, sea lying between Russia and Turkey, " two possessed with devils, coming and communicating with the Medi out of the tombs, exceeding fierce." terranean by the Sea of Marmora. (Matt. viii. ; Mark v.) It is 700 miles in length and 350 in Gadara was a large city, at that breadth, has bold rocky shores, and time the capital of the Roman pro is of difficult navigation. Among vince of Persea; it had been ruined other countries on its southern shores in the wars of the last of the Asmo- lie Bithynia and Pontus, mentioned nean princes, but was rebuilt by Pom- in the Acts of the Apostles. pey, and is mentioned by Josephus E'-zi-on-Ge'-ber, □ near Akabah as strongly fortified. The founda (Elath) ? (IV.) a place on the eastern tions of the houses still remain, as well gulf of the Red Sea, in the Land of as two theatres. — one, very hand Edom, where the Israelites encamped, some and in good preservation ; and (Numb, xxxiii. 35 ;) afterwards the in the rocks around are numerous place where the ships with which tombs highly ornamented with sculp Solomon traded to Ophir were built. tures, which now serve as the dwell (1 Kings ix. 26.) It was long pos ing places of many families of Arabs. sessed by the Jews, as Jehoshaphat Ga-la'-ti-a — part of Anatolia, fitted out a fleet there, which, how (XI.) a province in the central part of ever, was wrecked. (1 Kings xxii. 48.) Asia Minor, lying between Pontus and It was known as a sea-port to the Bithynia east and west, and Paphla- Greeks and Romans under the name gonia and Lycaonia north and south. of Berenice, and in the neighbour It was peopled, it is said, by a colony hood of Akabah is still a haven which of Gauls, who, mixing with the settlers the Arabs call the Port of Gold. from the Grecian cities on the coast GAXATIA GATH. 39 and adopting their language, acquired of Palestine, so called from its situation the name of Gallo-Grecians. They on the eastern border of Galilee, long had kings of their own, but (Mark i. 16;) also styled, from neigh their country was reduced to the bouring towns, the sea of Chinnereth form of a Roman province, b.c. 26. or Chinneroth, (Numb, xxxiv. 11; The Galatians are described as a Josh. xii. 3,) or of Tiberias, (John vi. warlike race, but ignorant and un 1,) and the lake of Gennesareth. civilized, and sacrificing human vic (Luke v. 1.) It is about twelve tims to their idols. Many Jews were miles in length by seven in extreme settled among them, and St. Paul breadth, and surrounded on all sides made numerous converts in their by lofty hills, through which the country, to whom he addressed one Jordan and several smaller streams of his Epistles. The "strangers force their way. The Jordan tra scattered throughout Galatia," are verses the lake, entering it near the also among the people to whom St. supposed site of Bethsaida, and leav Peter wrote. (I Peter i. 1.) ing it near that of Gergesa. The Gal'-i-leb — part of the pnchalic of scenery is remarkably beautiful, but Acre, (IX.) This, the northern part from the breaks between the hills of Palestine, was divided into Upper "come down storms of wind upon and Lower Galilee, the former being the lake," which render its naviga often called Galilee of the Gentiles, tion, now seldom attempted, exceed from its population being in part inglydangerous. Such was the storm heathen. (Matt. iv. 15.) This part was that suddenly arose as Our Lord mountainous and barren, and had was sleeping in the ship : " then he few cities; but Lower Galilee, or the arose, and rebuked the wind and the plain between the sea of Gennesareth raging of the water : and they ceased, and the Mediterranean, was fertile and and there was a calm." (Luke viii. extremely populous. It is little men 24.) On the shores of the lake were tioned in the Scriptures before the formerly several considerable cities, time of Our Lord's ministry, but we and numerous ruins are still met learn that then its inhabitants, who with, but their identification is ex were rude and turbulent, were vehe ceedingly doubtful. The only place mently opposed to their Roman rulers, of any importance is now called Taba- and spoke a corrupt dialect. (Luke reeah, which represents the ancient xiii. 1 ; Mark xiv. 70.) Among them, Tiberias. The lake still abounds with however, Our blessed Lord chose his fish, as when the Apostles left their disciples, and he so long resided in nets to become " fishers of men," their country, that he was himself (Mark i. 17,) but the fishery is now styled a Galilean. ( Matt. xxvi. 69.) little attended to. Very many of his miracles were wrought Ga'-reb. See Jerusalem. there, and thither he directed his Gath, CD 7 miles e. of Ashdod, disciples to repair to meet him after 25 w. of Jerusalem ? (VII.) one his resurrection. (Matt. xxviii. 7, 10.) of the Philistine lordships, conquered The cities of Nazareth, Nain, Caper by David, (1 Chron. xviii. 1,) and for naum, Chorazin, Tiberias, Cana, and tified by Rehoboam, (2 Chron. xi. 8,) perhaps Bethsaida, all scenes of the but in the time of the prophet Micah ministry of Our Saviour, were in (b.c. 750,) independent Galilee. They were desolated by There appear from profane authors the Romans in the war which ended to have been at least three other in the destruction of Jerusalem, towns called Gath, but their situa (a.d. 70,) and have never recovered tions are altogether unknown, except their former importance. that two of them were in the neigh Gal'-i-i.ee, Sea op — Bahr* el Ta- bourhood of the first, but nearer to bareeah, (IX.) a lake in the north the sea, and that the other, mentioned * Bahr ig an Arabic word signifying a in 1 Chronicles vii. 21, was on the lake. border of Egypt. 40 GATH-HEPHER GEBAL. Gath-hb'-pher, en 10 miles n.w. who gave it the name of Constantia, of Mount Tabor? (VII.) was the in honour of his sister, but in the birth-place of the prophet Jonah. (2 time of the Crusades, when it was a Kings xiv. 25.) It is mentioned as strong and well-tbrtified town, it was existing in the fourth century of the again called Gaza. Christian era. The modern town stands upon a hill, Ga'-za — Ithazze, 15 miles s. of As- encircled by the ruins of a triple wall, kelon, 51 s.w. of Jerusalem, (III.) and surrounded by most productive a strong city of the Philistines, as orchards and gardens. Though once signed to the tribe of Judah, (Josh. a sea-port, it has now, through the xv. 47,) but not possessed by them till growth of new land, two miles of salt after the death of Joshua. (Judges i. marshes between it and the sea. It 18.) After a time it became again is still a place of considerable trade, independent, though, under the name and the handsomest and largest town of Azzah, it is mentioned as one of in the south of Palestine, with a Solomon's frontier cities. (1 Kings population of 16,000 persons, among iv. 24.) whom are many Christians. Samson, who had before carried Ge'-ba, □ 2 miles s.w. of Mich- off its gates, was on his betrayal into mash, 3 n.e. of Kamah? (VII.) a the hands of his enemies, blinded, and city of the tribe of Benjamin given set to " grind in the prison-house " at to the Levites of the family of Kohath Gaza ; there it was that, brought into for their dwelling. (Josh.xxi.17.) It the temple of Dagon to make them was rebuilt, or perhaps only fortified, sport, he "took hold of the two by Asa, king of Judah, with a part middle pillars upon which the house of the materials collected by Baasha, stood " . . . " and bowed himself with the king of Israel, for fortifying all his might; and the house fell Ramah, "that he might not suffer down upon the lords and upon all any to go out or come in " to Judah. the people that were within." (Judges (1 Kings xv.) It was a frontier town xvi.) of Judah, and hence " from Geba to Gaza was in succession possessed Beersheba" is a phrase used (2 Kings by the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Per xxiii. 8,) to express the extent of that sians, — captured, after a desperate re kingdom. sistance, by Alexander the Great, — Ge'-bal — Djebail, 65 miles n.e. of and was repeatedly taken during the Tyre, (VI.) a sea-port of Phoenicia, contests between the Greek rulers of whose inhabitants served as the Egypt and Syria, thus fulfilling the calkers of Tyre. (Ezek. xxvii. 9.) prophecy, "The king shall perish They were famous for their skill in from Gaza." (Zech. ix. 5.) About squaring stone, and are the "stone 100 B.C. it was destroyed by the squarers" alluded to in the account Jewish king, Alexander Jannreus ; of the building of Solomon's Temple. was rebuilt by Herod the Great, but (1 Kings v. 18.) Their city had a again destroyed in the time of our celebrated temple to Adonis, the Saviour by the Jews in retaliation Tammuz of Scripture, whose worship for a massacre of their countrymen prevailed among the idolatrous He at Cesarea ; hence it was "a desert," brews. (Ezek. viii. 14.) By classical when the Acts of the Apostles were writers Gebal is called Byblos. It written. (Acts viii. 2b.) The old city was possessed for nearly two hundred had stood on a hill 12 miles from years by the Crusaders, and is still the sea, and had a port, called Ma- a large town, having a Roman castle jumas, at the mouth of the brook more than a mile in compass, and the Besor, and to this after a while the ruins of several Christian churches. name of Gaza was transferred; thus A second Ge'-bal is mentioned in the old city was " forsaken." (Zeph. Psalm Lxxxiii. 7, which is the moun ii. 4.) It was made a bishop's see in tainous tract to the south of the Dead the days of Constantino the Great, Sea, part of the ancient Edom. GENNESARETH GILBOA. 41 Gen-nes'-a-reth, Lake op. See Jerusalem ? (VII.) a city in the ter Galilee, Sea op. ritory of the Danites, assigned to the Ge'-rar, □ 9 miles w. of Beer- Levites of the family of Kohath. sheba? (III.) a city in the south of (Josh. xxi. 23.) Palestine, the capital of the "kings Gie'-e-ah — Jeba, 5 miles n. of Je of the Philistines," with two of whom, rusalem, (VII.) a city of the tribe of each of the name of Abimelech, Benjamin, sometimes called Gibeah Abraham and Isaac had numerous of Saul, it being the residence of his transactions. (Gen. xxi. xxvi.) The family. The misconduct of its in patriarchs both resided at Gerar for habitants gave occasion to a contest a considerable time, and were kindly between their own and the other treated by its rulers. tribes, which ended in the almost $ Ger'-a-sa — Djeraish, 36 miles s.e. total destruction of the Benjamites. of Gadara, (IX.) a city of the dis (Judges xx. xxi.) trict beyond Jordan called Decapolis. Gie'-e-on — Jib, 17 miles n.w. of It was known to the Jews by the name Gilgal, (V.) "a great city, .one of of Gergesa, and thus gave name to the royal cities,'' the capital of a tribe " the country of the Gergesenes," in of Canaan ites, who having deceived which the demoniacs that dwelt in Joshua into making a league with the tombs were healed by Our Lord. them, were upon the discovery of their (Matt. viii.) This country lay between artifice, condemned to be " hewers of the two cities of Gerasa and Gadara, wood and drawers of water," for the and hence was called indifferently by service of the tabernacle, (Josh, ix.) the name of either. The ruins of which was established in their city. Gerasa prove it to have been a mag (1 Chron. xxi. 29.) The neighbour nificent city, though not of very great ing kings then combined against them, extent. They occupy two hilis, one but were defeated by Joshua. See covered with the ruins of houses, the Aijalon. other with those of theatres, temples, Many of the Gibeonites were slain and colonnades, — one of the latter of a by Saul, (1 Sam. xxii.) and in ex circular shape being particularly beau piation of the crime, seven of Saul's tiful, — and they are inclosed by a wall posterity were given up to them by which forms nearly a perfect square, David, and hanged by them " in the each side facing one of the cardinal hill before the Lord ... in Gibeah points. of Saul." (2 Sam. xxi.) The Gibe Ger'-i-zim, Mount. See Shechem. onites were carried into captivity Ge'-shur, □ 15 miles s.e. of Abel- along with the Jews, and a certain beth-Maacah ? (VI.) a city, the number of them returned with them. capital of a small district or king (Nehem. vii. 25.) dom in the north of the Promised During the civil war between Ish- Land assigned to the Eastern Manas- bosheth and David, the remarkable sites, but not conquered by them. combat between twelve champions of (Josh. xiii. 2, 13.) In the time of each army took place in a field near David it had a king, whose daughter Gibeon, whence the spot received was the mother of Absalom, (2 Sam. the name of Helkath-hazzurim, or iii. 3,) and with him Absalom took the Field of Strong Men. (2 Sam. ii.) refuge after the murder of his brother This encounter was followed by a Ainnon. (2 Sam. xiii. 37.) general battle in which the troops of The Ge'-shur ravaged by David David proved victorious. (2 Sam. iii.) while in the service of Achish, king Gie'-lites, (VI.) a people on the of Gath, (1 Sam. xxvii. 8,) was some Phoenician coast, whose principal city place now unknown in the country of was Gebal. (Josh. xiii. 5.) See Gebal. the Ge'-shur-ites, on the south of Gf-hon, Valley op. See Jeru Palestine. (VI.) salem. Geth-sem'-a-ne. See Jerusalem. Gil-bo'-a, Mountains op — Djebel Gie'-be-thon, □ 20 miles w. of Gilbo, (VII.) a range of barren 42 GILBOA GREAT DESERT. mountains near the southern extre iv. 20;) here also they kept the mity of the sea of Chinnereth, the passover, and here the supply of loftiest peaks being about 1200 feet manna, by which they had been so high. Here was fought the battle in long sustained in the Wilderness, which Saul and his sons were de ceased. There appears to have been feated and killed by the Philistines. afterwards an altar at Gilgal, at (1 Sam. xxxi.) which the people met to acknowledge Gil'-e-ad — Djelaad, (V.) a general Saul as their king, (1 Sam. xi. 15,) name for the country on the east of and in the same place, for his dis Jordan possessed by the Reubenites, obedience to the Divine command Gadites, and Manassites, the northern respecting "the sinners the Amalek- part, however, being also called Ba- ites," the prophet Samuel announced shan, and Argob. Gilead, though tra to him, "The Lord hath rejected thee versed by a range of mountains of the from being king over Israel." (1 Sam. same name, was the most beautiful xv. 26.) and productive part of the Promised Gir'-gash-ites, (III.) a tribe of Land ; its balm is often spoken of in Canaanites inhabiting the country the Scriptures. Jair and Jephthah, about the southern and eastern shores judges of Israel, as well as the prophet of the sea of Chinnereth, (Josh. iii. Elijah, were natives of this district. 10,) but imperfectly subdued by the The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Hebrews. The city of Gergesa, or Manasseh, had this district granted Gerasa, is supposed to have derived to them by Moses before the con its name from them. See Gerasa. quest of the country west of Jordan, Go'-ath. See Jerusalem. and when returning to their posses Go'-lan, □ 53 miles n.w. of Ra- sions from the war under Joshua, they moth-Gilead ? (V.) a city of refuge, in erected in Gilead near the river "a the district of the Eastern Manassites, great altar to see to," which caused (Deut. iv. 43.) From it the country the other tribes to suspect them of on the north and east of the sea of an attachment to idolatry ; but they Galilee was in the time of Our Lord " gave them good satisfaction," alleging called sometimes Gaulonitis; it is now that their altar was only erected as a styled Jaulan. witness of their kindred with the rest Go'-mer, (I.) the son of Japheth, of the Israelites, that it might not be (Gen. x. 2, 3,) was the father of va said to their children in future times, rious tribes, by whom the northern and " Ye have no part in the Lord." western parts of Europe are supposed (Josh, xxii.) Gilead was ravaged by to have been originally peopled. the Assyrians, and its inhabitants Go'-shen — part of Lower Egypt, carried into captivity, some time before (IV.) the district assigned for the the subversion of the kingdom of dwelling-place of the Israelites in Israel, of which it formed a part, (1 Egypt, (Gen. xlvii.) is supposed to Chron. v. 26,) and the Ammonites have extended on the eastern side of and Moabites, its former possessors, the eastern or Pelusiac branch of the who had been driven to the east and Nile, from the neighbourhood of the south, again dwelt in it. (Isai. xv.) Red Sea to that of the Mediterranean. These also were removed by Nebu The country was well suited for chadnezzar, (Jerem. ix. 26,) but they pasturage ; and as this is the only were allowed to return by Cyrus. quarter where Egypt is exposed to See Ammonites ; Moabites. the invasion of an enemy by land, it Gil' -gal, CD 5 miles s.e. of Je is supposed to have been assigned to richo ? (IV.) a place where the Israel the Israelites in order that they might ites encamped after their passage serve as a barrier against the bar through the Jordan. Here they set barous tribes of the Desert of the up twelve stones "taken out of the south of Canaan and of Arabia. midst of Jordan,'' as a memorial Go'-zan. See Media. of their passage of that river, (Josh. * Great Desert, (VIII.) the GREAT DESERT HARAN. 43 vast sandy tract stretching from the a part of the valley between the two east of Palestine and Syria to the chains of Lebanon, afterwards called Euphrates. The rule of David and Coele-Syria, but the former extended Solomon extended over this region, northward along the coast of Syria and the latter built in it " Tadmor in as far, perhaps, as the site of Antioch. the wilderness," (2 Chron. viii. 4,) It was from this district that the afterwards a celebrated city called king of Assyria brought " men from Palmyra. See Tadmor. Hamath" to dwell in the cities from Great Sea, (II.) the name by which he had carried away the Isra which the Mediterranean Sea is elites, (2 Kings xvii.) and to which usually called in the Scriptures, Jehoahaz, deposed by Pharaoh Ne- (Numb, xxxiv. 7,) it being the largest cho, was conveyed. (2 Kings xxiii. 33. ) body of water with which the He A city called Ha'-math — Hamah, brews were acquainted. See Medi 110 miles n.e. of Damascus, (VI.) is terranean. also spoken of by Jeremiah (xLix. 23,) Greece. See Javan. as conquered by the Assyrians, and Sennacherib enumerates the king of Hai, or Ai, □ 5 miles n.e. of Hamath among the princes subdued Bethel, 8 n.w. of Jericho? (III.) by him. (Isni. xxxvii. 13.) This a royal city of Canaan, near which prince was probably the ruler, and Abram dwelt for a while after his this city the capital, of " the Land of return from Egypt. (Gen. xiii. 3.) Hamath," as it was far removed from It was taken by stratagem by Joshua, the small kingdom of the same name. and burnt, its king being hanged, but It was known to the Greeks under the the spoil, instead of being as usual name of Epiphania, and was a very destroyed, was in this case by Divine flourishing city under the Seleucidee ; command given to the people. (Josh, but few traces of its splendour remain, viii.) as it has been repeatedly devastated Ha'-lah. See Media. by earthquakes. The modern town, Ham, (I.) one of the sons of Noah, however, which stands in a narrow (Gen. x. 1,) whose sons, Cush, Miz- valley on the river Orontes, is large, raim, Phut, and Canaan, peopled the and carries on a considerable trade ; southern parts both of Asia and its inhabitants are estimated at 30,000, Africa. The settlements of each are of whom about 1000 are Christians. noticed under their respective names. Ha'-nes— Safnas, 20 miles s.e. of Ha'-math — in the pachalic of Acre, Zoan? (IV.) a city of Egypt, to (VI.) a small kingdom of Syria, on which ambassadors from Hezekiah the northern border of Canaan, from repaired to seek assistance from Pha which it was approached by a pass in raoh against the Assyrians; but the Mount Hermon styled " the entering Egyptians "were all ashamed of a in of Hamath," (2 Chron. vii. 8.) Its people that could not profit them." king was friendly to the Israelites in (Isaiah xxx. 4, 5.) It is called Ta- the time of David, (2 Sam. viii. 9, hapanes by Jeremiah, (ii. 16.) 10,) but Solomon seems to have made Ha'-ra. See Media. himself master of the country, (2 Ha'-ran — Harran, 30 miles s.e. of Chron. viii. 4 ;) it appears, however, Ur, (II.) a place in Mesopotamia, to to have recovered its independence, which Terah removed from Ur, and as it is mentioned as having been where he died. (Gen. xi. 31, 32.) It conquered by Jeroboam II. (2 Kings is mentioned by the prophet Eze- xiv.) two hundred years after. kiel as trading with Tyre "in blue Ha'-math, or the Land op Ha'- clothes, and broidered work, and in math, the country of the Ha'-math- chests of rich apparel, bound with ites, (III.) an expression often used cords, and made of cedar," (Ezek. in the Scriptures, denotes a much xxvii. 23, 24,) and was, in the time of more extensive tract than the above Our Lord, a considerable town called kingdom. The latter occupied only Charoe by the Greeks and Romans, 44 HARAN HESHBON. and in the New Testament Charran. pelah, in which the patriarchs were (Acts vii. 2, 4.) It is now only a buried ; but little is known about it, village in a sandy plain, inhabited by as neither Christians nor Jews are a few Arabs. ever allowed to enter it. Hav'-i-lah, (VI.) a place or Hel'-bon — Haleb, (Aleppo,) 200 country forming one boundary of the mikaS n.e. of Damascus, (VI.) a city territory of the Amalekites. (l Sam. mentioned by the prophet Kzekiel, xr. 7- ) Its situation is somewhat un (xxvii. 18,) as furnishing Tyre with certain, but it probably formed a part wine; in the Second Book of Macca of the Arabian Desert on the frontiers bees it is called Berrhcea, the name of Edom. given it by one of the Greek kings of The Land op Hav'-i-lah, the site Syria. It rose greatly in Importance of the garden of Eden, (Gen. ii. 11,) is upon the fall of Palmyra, in the seventh altogether unknown. See Appendix. century of the Christian era, and has He'-bron — El Khalil, 32 miles ever since continued one of the great n.e. of Beersheba, 22 s.w. of Jeru est commercial cities of the East. salem, (III.) a city of the tribe of Aleppo was for ages the largest town of Judah, called likewise Kirjath-Arba, Syria, and though ruined by an earth (Josh. xxi. 11,) of very ancient date, quake in 1(122, has at the present (Numb. xiii. 22,) was the residence day 60,000 inhabitants. It stands on of Abraham, and the sepulchre of his an open elevated plain, but is sur family, and it was also the birth-place rounded by gardens and orchards, and of John the Baptist. It was a royal is esteemed one of the most healthy city of the Canaanites, when taken towns in the country. It has a castle and destroyed by Joshua, (Josh. x. and a strong wall of Saracenic archi 36, 37,) but it was apparently rebuilt tecture, and the houses are hand by the Canaanites, as it was a few somely built of stone. The mosques years after captured by Caleb, and are numerous, and there are beside with its neighbourhood granted to several Christian churches and con him, "because that he wholly followed vents, and soma Jewish synagogues. the Lord God of Israel." (josh. xiv. Her'-mon, Mount — Jebel es-Sheik, 13, 14.) David made it the seat of 30 miles s.w. of Damascus, (III.) the his kingdom in the early part of his highest point of the mountain-chain reign, (2 Sam. ii. 2—4,) and to it the called Anti-Libanus on the east of the chiefs of the tribes came to anoint him Jordan, near the northern extremity king over "all Israel and Judah." of Canaan. (Deut. iv. 48.) It was (2 Sam. v. 1—5.) During the Baby called Sirion by the Sidonians, and lonish captivity, the Edomites pos Sheuir by the Amorites. (Deut. iii. sessed themselves of a large part of 9.) In its neighbourhood dwelt some the territory of the tribe of Judah, of the Hivites after their expulsion by and made Hebron their capital, nor the Philistines from the south-western was it recovered by the Jews until part of Palestine. (Josh. xi. 3.) the time of John Hyrcanus. (b.c. 130.) There was another Mount Her'- See Edom. mon in the central part of Palestine, Hebron is now a miserable place, west of the Jordan, and not far from chiefly inhabited by Arabs, but with Mount Tabor. This is the mountain some Jews among its population, as alluded to by David in Psalm lxxxix. from containing the reputed tombs of 12, "Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice the patriarchs, it is esteemed among in thy name." It is of much less them a holy city. The "pool" over elevation than the northern Mount which David hung up the murderers Hermon. of Ishbosheth, (2 Sam. iv. 12,) is Hesh'-bon — Heshban, 19 miles n.e. pointed out, but the only remarkable of Aroer on the Arnon, (VII.) the building is a Mohammedan mosque, capital of Sihon the Amorite, taken once a Christian church, which is and destroyed by the Israelites, ^ supposed to cover the cave of Mach- (Numb, xxi.) but rebuilt by the Reu- HESHBON ICONIUM. 45 benites, to whom it was allotted. part of the country about Shechem, (Numb, xxxii. 37.) It was repos (Josh. ix. 1,) but part of them mi sessed by the Moabites during the grated still further north, to the vici captivity of the Israelites, and was nity of Mount Hermon. (Josh. xi. 3.) evidently a place of strength, (Jerem. They were ordered, like the rest of xiviii. 45,) but was overthrown by the Canaanites, to be "utterly des Nebuchadnezzar. The ruins of a troyed" by the Israelites, (Deut. xx. considerable city cover the sides of a 17,) but a portion of them, the hill, and a few broken columns are Gibeonites, escaped this doom by yet standing ; there are also many stratagem, (Josh, ix.) and others by deep wells sunk in the rock, but not the neglect of their conquerors, as a single edifice is entire. One of the they are included among the tributaries fish-pools, however, mentioned by Solo of King Solomon. (2 Chron. viii. 7.) mon, (Cantic. vii. 4,) is still to be seen. Ho'-bah, CD 12 miles n.w. of Da Hin'-i>EK-el. See Tigris. mascus? (III.) a place to which Hi-er-ap'-o-lis — Pambouk-Kalesi, Abram pursued the host of Chedor- 8 miles n. of Laodicea, (XI.) a city laomer and his allies, after they had of Phrygia, in which was a Christian plundered Sodom, and carried away church, mentioned by St. Paul in his Lot as a prisoner. (Gen. xiv. 15.) Epistle to the Colossians. (iv. 13.) Hor, Mount, , 150 miles n.e. The city, which has been long since of Mount Sinai, 5 w. of Petra,(III.) utterly ruined by repeated earth a mountain, rising about 1500 feet quakes, was once a very splendid one, above the elevated plain in which it but it was chiefly remarkable for its is situated, in the northern part of warm mineral waters, which, from Arabia Petrasa, on which Aaron died, their petrifying quality, were esteemed (Numb. xx. 28,) and where his pre one of the wonders of Asia. Where- tended tomb is still shown, his memory ever they flow they deposit a large being highly reverenced by the Arabs. quantity of calcareous matter, which The tomb is a small monument about speedily hardens, and now forms walls three feet high, formed of rough and causeways where were once the fragments of stone and marble inter beds of torrents. The whole face of mixed ; it stands under a low white the hill on which the ruins stand, and building crowned by a cupola, and is which is crowned by a fortress, is thus shut in by iron gates. When visited encrusted, and from its white appear by a recent traveller, it was found to ance the modern name, signifying the be guarded by an old Arab hermit, Cotton Castle, is derived. and the tomb was covered with a Hit'-tites, (III.) a Canaanitish tattered pall. tribe, dwelling in the southern part Ho'-reb. See Sinai. of Palestine, in the neighbourhood Ho'-rites, (III.) a people who in of Hebron. (Gen. xxiii.) Their ex habited the mountains of Seir in the termination was not effected when land of Edom, and were oppressed by their land was subdued, as we read of Chedorlaomer. (Gen. xiv. 6.) Their the children of Israel dwelling among land was afterwards given to Esau for them in after-times, (Judges iii. 5;) a possession, (Deut. ii. 5,) and it is of King Solomon making them his probable that they became incorpo tributaries, (2 Chron. viii. 7;) and rated with his descendants. See Edom. even of their kings, (2 Kings vii. 6,) as late as the reign of Jehoram, king I-co'-ni-um — Konieh, 90 miles of Israel, (b.c. 892.) n.w. of Derbe, 80 s.e. of Antioch of Hi'-vites, (III.) one of the idola Pi&idia, (XI.) a city of Lycaonia, to trous nations of Canaan, called also which St. Paul and Barnabas returned A-'vims, originally dwelling on the when driven from Antioch. Here southern coast about Gaza, but ex they remained for some time, "speak pelled by the Philistines. (Deut. ii. ing boldly in the Lord," but a fresh 23.) They then retired to the central persecution arising, withdrew to Derbe 46 ICONIUM ISH-TOB. and Lystra, (Acts xiii. xiv. ;) after a Illyricum is divided between the while, however, they returned, and Austrians and the Turks, — the former ordained elders in the churches of possessing the northern and western Iconium and the other cuius. (Acts districts, the latter the southern and xiv. 21—23.) eastern. The inhabitants of the Aus Iconium was an ancient city, but trian part are Christians; there are not of any great consideration until many Christians in the Turkish terri about the end of the eleventh century tory also, but they are of wild and of the Christian era, when it became lawless habits, and in a great measure the capital of the Turkish sultans independent. driven from Nice, in Bithynia, by In'-di-a, (I.) a large country of the the arms of the Crusaders. By these south of Asia, alluded to under the princes numerous mosques and colleges name of Cush by the prophets Isaiah were erected, principally of marble, (xi. un11,) and Zephaniah, (iii. 10,) which give to the present city a noble and mentioned in the Book of Esther appearance from a distance, but its as one of the provinces of the Persian houses are chiefly mud huts, and its empire. (Esth. i. 1 ; viii. 9.) public buildings are all falling into India, or Hindostan, is bounded on decay. The city, which is surrounded the north by the Himalaya mountains, by a lofty wall, is still, however, the and the rivers Brahmaputra and Indus, capital of a large district, and has by which it is separated from Tibet, 30,000 inhabitants, mostly Moham Tartary, and Persia ; is washed on medans, but there are two Christian the east and west by the Bay of Ben churches. The plain upon which it gal and the Arabian Sea, and termi stands, though remarkable for its nates in a point on the south, where a fertility, is little cultivated ; it is narrow strait separates it from the backed by mountains, and was in May, island of Ceylon. Its estimated ex 1832, the scene of a battle, in which tent is one-third of that of Europe, the troops of the Sultan were defeated and it is divided into a great number by those of the pacha of Egypt. of states, which, after having been Id-u-me'-a, (IX.) In the prophe repeatedly overrun by Mohammedan cies of Isaiah (xxxiv. 5,) and Ezekiel armies, are now all, directly or in (xxxv. xxxvi.) this name applies directly, under the government of to the original country of the Edom- Great Britain. The inhabitants, sup ites about Mount Seir; but in the posed to amount to 130,000,000, are New Testament (Mark iii. 8,) it split into a great variety of religions denotes the southern part of Judea, sects, of which the most considerable which had been conquered by the is now that of the Brahmins ; this, in Edomites during the captivity of the its separation of the people into castes, Jews in Babylon. See Edom. or hereditary professions, resembles I'-jon, O 28 miles s.w. of Dan, the religion of ancient Egypt, and is 33 s.w. of Abel-beth-Maacah? (VII.) also, like it, a pitiable system of gross a city in the tribe of Naphtali, idolatry : efforts, however, are making destroyed by Benhadad, the Syrian, to diffuse the truths of Christianity, when he invaded the kingdom of and with that object, bishops of the Israel at the instigation of Asa, king Church of England have of late years of Judah. (1 Kings xv. 20.) been established in the three greatest Il-ly'-ri-cum — Croatia, Dalmatia, cities of the country, Calcutta, Ma Bosnia, (XI.) a country lying on the dras, and Bombay. eastern shore of the Adriatic Gulf, Ish'-Tob, (VI.) the inhabitants of to the north of Macedonia. St. Paul the country called the Land of Tob, says, (Rom. xv. 19,) that he "fully in which Jephthah led a lawless life preached the Gospel of Christ" upon when expelled by his brethren from its borders, and that Dalmatia, the his father's house. (Judges xi.) It lay southern part of it, was visited by to the north of Gilead, and was in the Titus. (2 Tim. iv. 10.) At present time of David possessed by a people ISH-TOB JABBOK. 47 who leagued with the other Syrians lebrated countries of Europe, as having and the Ammonites against that king, been the seat of the Roman empire, but were conquered by him. (2 Sam. x. ) is not often mentioned in the Scrip Isles, The, (I.) a general na tures, but we know that the Gospel given by the earlier Sacred writers was early preached in it by the Apo to the distant countries of the Great stles Peter and Paul. It is a large Sea, (Isai. xli. 5 ; Psal. lxxii. 10,) country of Southern Europe, of pe thus applying to the modern countries ninsular shape, composed of two por of Spain, Italy, Greece, and Asia tions, which differ greatly from each Minor. They are sometimes more other in almost every respect : — one, particularly termed Isles of the Gen in the north, a fruitful and well- tiles, (Gen. x. 5 ;) sometimes the Isles cultivated plain; the other, a nar beyond the Sea, (Jerem. xxv. 22;) row tract traversed throughout by the Isles of Chittim, (Jerem. ii. 10 ;) a range of mountains, and greatly or, the Isles of Elishah, (Ezek. xxvii. neglected by its inhabitants, who are 7,) the Greek islands being intended far less intelligent and industrious than in the last passage. those of the other region. Italy is Is'-ra-el, Kingdom op, (VII.) the washed on three sides by the Medi name given to the northern and east terranean and the Adriatic seas, and ern parts of Palestine, after the sepa on the north is inclosed by the lofty ration of the country into two states chain of the Alps, which separates it in the time of Rehoboam, (b.c. 976,) from France, Switzerland, and Ger as the punishment of the sins of the many. Its population is estimated latter years of Solomon. (1 Kings xi. at 22,000,000. The people are Ro 11, 12.) It comprised ten of the tribes, man Catholics. Except during the those only of Judah and Benjamin existence of the Roman empire, (the remaining under the rule of the house first four centuries of the Christian of David. (1 Kings xii. 20, 21.) Its era,) Italy has in all ages been divided first monarch was " Jeroboam the into a number of states, and has fre son of Nebat, a mighty man of war," quently been overrun by foreigners, often mentioned in Scripture as he which makes its history more com " who made Israel to sin," he having plicated than that of most other coun greatly encouraged idolatry. His suc tries. It is at present divided between cessors generally followed his evil ex the emperor of Austria and some ample ; and at length, after enduring all branches of his house, the kings of the miseries of anarchy and civil war, Naples and Sardinia, and the Pope. under nineteen different kings, many It-u-re'-a, Je'-dur, (IX.)a district of whom gained the throne by the of Syria, in the neighbourhood of murder of their predecessors, the Mount Hermon, had its name from its kingdom was broken up and the early inhabitants, the descendants of people carried into captivity by the Jetur, the son of Ishmael, (Gen. Assyrians. (b.c. 721.) See Palestine. xxv. 15,) who were conquered by the Is'-sa-char, (V.) The possession tribes settled beyond Jordan. ( 1 Chron. of this tribe lay in the central part of v. 19.) They recovered their pos the Promised Land, haviDg the tribe sessions during the captivity of the of Zebulon on the north, the Western Israelites, and though again subdued Manassites on the south and west, by Aristobulus I. (b.c. 105,) had and the river Jordan on the east. afterwards princes of their own. In Their territory, though limited, was the time of Our Lord they had been fertile, containing the plain of Me- again conquered, as Philip, son oi giddo. The chief cities in this dis Herod the Great, was then tetrarch trict were Aphek, Bethshan, Jezreel, of Trachonitis and Iturea. (Luke iii. Megiddo, Shunem, and Taanach, but 1.) At present the country is only some of them belonged to the Ma occupied by roving hordes of Arabs. nassites. It'-al-v, (XI.) one of the most ce Jae'-bok — Wadi Zerka, (III.) a 48 JABBOK JAVAN. small stream which rises in the moun Noah, (Gen. v. 32,) whose descend tains of Gilead, and after a winding ants peopled Asia Minor and the course of fifty miles enters the Jor Isles, (or distant countries of the dan about forty miles south of the Mediterranean,) andafterwards spread Sea of Galilee. Near it Jacob wrest themselves over the west and north led with an angel, ss related in of Europe and the north of Asia. Genesis xxxii. It formed the boun J at'-tir, CD 1 1 miles s. w. of He dary between the Amorites and Am bron ? (VII.) a city belonging to the monites, and from its stream being tr.be of Ju.lah, situated in the moun rapid, broad and deep, still justifies tains, (Josh. xv. 48,) appointed one the expression, " The border of the of the Levitical cities. (Josh. xxi. 14.) children of Amnion was strong." Ja'-van, (I.) a son of Japheth, (Numb. xxi. 24.) Its banks are (Gen. x, 2,) was the ancestor of the richly wooded, and the surrounding people who settled in Asia Minor and scenery is remarkably beautiful. Greece; hence his name is used in Ja'-besh-Gil'-e-ad, o 10 miles the Hebrew Scriptures to denote the s.e. of Iiet 1 1 sh.-in ? (V.) a town in the latter country. (Isai. i.xvi. 19; Ezek. territory of the Gadites, destroyed by xxvii. 13; Dan. viii. 21.) the Israelites for neglecting to join Greece, called Javan in the Old, the army levied against the Benja- and Achaia in the New Testament, is niitos. (Judges xxi.) It was rebuilt, a country in the south-east of Europe, and its inhabitants having been de of limited extent, but one of the livered from the Ammonites by Saul, most celebrated regions of the earth. (1 Sam. xi.) afterwards removed the Though itself largely indebted to bodies of that monarch and his sons Egypt, it is regarded as the parent of from the walls of Bethshan, where civilized Europe, and is renowned they had been exposed by the victo alike for the actions or works of its rious Philistines after the battle of heroes, its poets, its sages, and its Gilboa, and gave them burial. (1 sculptors; and, more than all this, Sam. xxxi.) it was in the language of Greece that Jae'-neh — Yebna, 10 miles n.e. a large portion of the Holy Scrip of AshdoJ, 10 n. of Gath? (V.) a tures was written, and in its cities Philistine city, near the sea, taken by the glad tidings of salvation were Uzziah, king of Judah, (2 Chron. early proclaimed by the Apostles. xxvi. 6,) and afterwards burnt in the The Greeks were of old an active wars of the Maccabees. (2 Mace. xii. enterprising people, who sent out 9.) By the Greeks and Romans it colonies to most of the countries was called Jamnia, and it had a known to the Jews, and hence the capacious port at a short distance from name " Greek " in the New Testa the city. It is still a large village, ment is sometimes used to denote the and stands on a fine open plain sur whole Gentile world. (1 Cor. i. 23, 24.) rounded by hills, well watered, and First a collection of numerous covered with herbage. small independent states, almost con Ja'-haz, O 10 miles s. of Hesh- stantly engaged in war among them bon? (VII.) a place at which Sihon selves, or against their Persian or the Amorite was defeated and killed. Macedonian neighbours, yet enjoying (Numb. xxi. 23, 24.) It was assigned a consideration and importance to the Reubenites, (Deut. ii. & iii.,) greater than they have ever since and was afterwards appointed one of done ; — then subdued by the successors the Levitical cities, (josh. xxi. 36.) of Alexander, and after awhile rescued On the decline of the Jewish monarchy by the Romans only to become a It was repossessed by the Moabites, mere province of the mighty empire of but was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, Rome; — then existing as a somewhat (Isai. xv. 4; Jer. xlviii. 21,) and does more important part of the Eastern not appear to have ever been rebuilt. empire ; — next parcelled out into nu Ja -pheth, (I.) one of the sons of merous petty dukedoms and counties JAVAN— JERICHO. 49 by Norman, Venetian, and other ad termed the Sea of Jazer by the pro venturers ; — and lastly conquered and phet Jeremiah, (xLviii. 32,) while held in the most abject bondage by foretelling the desolation of Moab. the Turks, — it is only of late years Jeb'-u-si. See Jerusalem. that Greece has become a kingdom Jeb'-u-sites, (III.) a tribe of Ca- ruled by one sovereign. naanites, who possessed the country The kingdom of Greece includes round about Jerusalem, (Judges i. all the countries originally known as 21,) and were not wholly subdued Hellas, or Greece, but not those until the time of David. (2 Sam. v. (Thessaly, Macedon, Crete, Cyprus, 6 — 9. ) See Jerusalem. &c.,) which, bordering it on each Je-hosh'-a-phat, Valley op. See hand, came in time to be considered Jerusalem. as Grecian. It consists of three por Jer'-i-cho — near Rihhah, 5 miles tions, namely, — Morea, the ancient n.w. of Gilgal, 18 n.e. of Jerusalem, Peloponnesus; — a tract to the north, (V.) a city of Canaan, the first con called Livadia, comprising the former quest of the Israelites after their states of Attica, Bceotia, Phocis, crossing the Jordan. Its walls mira Locris, vEtolia, Acarnania, and Doris ; culously fell to the ground, and it was — and the island of Egripo (Eubcea) captured and burnt, a judgment being on the coast of Attica, and numerous denounced upon whoever should re smaller ones in the southern and build it. (Josh, vi.) It was, however, western part of the Archipelago; rebuilt, by Hiel the Bethelite, five those to the east still belong to the hundred years after, but, as had been Turks. The country is traversed in foretold, "he laid the foundation all directions by lofty mountain- thereof in Abiram his first-bora, and chains, but it is watered by numerous set up the gates thereof in his youngest small streams, and where diligently son Segub." (1 Kings xvi. 34.) It cultivated, produces in abundance stood in the territory of the tribe of grain of different kinds, vines, olives, Benjamin, had a school of the pro and other fruits, cotton, hemp, tobacco, phets in the days of Elijah, (2 Kings madder, and indigo, but the much ii. 5,) and became a great city. Jeri greater part is neglected. Its capital cho was adorned with many splendid is Athens, and it has a few sea-ports, edifices by Herod the Great, and was as Nauplia in the Morea, and Hydra repaired by the Emperors Adrian and in the Archipelago, which carry on an Justinian, after it had suffered from active commerce, but the other parts war, but was totally destroyed about have not yet recovered from the the year 1188 by the troops of Sala- effects of the slavery in which they din. It was lately represented by one have for so long a period been held. of the most wretched villages in Pales It is taken altogether to contain tine wholly inhabited by Arabs, but 14,000 square miles and 500,000 in even this has now perished, having habitants, who principally belong to been burnt by the Egyptian troops on the Greek church, but there are some their retreat from Syria in January, Catholics and Jews. 1841. Not a vestige of the proud Ja'-zer — Ain Hazier, 17 milesn.w. palace of Herod, who here closed his of Heshbon, (V.) a place in the plain life, remains, but the spring whose at the foot of Mount Gilead, assigned, waters were "healed" by the prophet after the conquest of the country from Elisha (2 Kings ii. 21,) is still pointed Sihon the Amorite, to the tribe of out ; it is a remarkably copious and Gad, on their representation to Moses brilliant fountain, shaded by a grove that its territory would afford suit of palms, and the only one in the able pasture-ground for their numer neighbourhood. ous cattle. (Numb, xxxii. ) The city Jericho stood in the plain at the was afterwards bestowed on the Le- foot of the mountains that extend vites, (Josh. xxi. 39,) and in its from Jerusalem to the Jordan, whence neighbourhood was a small lake, the expression, "going down from c 50 JERICHO JERUSALEM. Jerusalem to Jericho," (Luke x. 30,) separated from the other hills by a in Our Lord's parable of the Good deep ravine called by Josephus, Tyro- Samaritan. The scenery between the poeon, or the Valley of Cheesemongers ; two places is wild and savage in the this ravine was crossed by a bridge extreme, and the district is, as of old, connecting Zion and Moriah. Acra infested by bands of robbers, so that all and Moriah had each a wall of its who traverse it, except protected by own, with numerous towers, and the an armed escort, are still in imminent whole city was inclosed by a lofty wall danger of " falling among thieves." which at the time of the destruction Je-ru'-sa-lem — El Koddes, (the of Jerusalem by Titus was about House of Holiness,) 140 miles s.w. of lour miles in circumference. The Damascus, 550 w. of BabyloD, 40 s. of modern city is chiefly confined to the Samaria, 33 s.e. of Joppa, (VI.) the hill Acra, and occupies scarce one- capital of the kingdom of David, which half of the space of the ancient one. contained the Temple of Solomon, and The valley of Gihon, on the western which witnessed the Great Sacrifice, side of the city, is of little depth, and tven Christ the Lord, offered up for increases in width to the southward, the redemption of fallen man, — which where it is rather a sunken plain, and has suffered more frightful vicissitudes terminates in what is supposed to be than almost any other city, and is the valley of Rephaim, (Isai. xvii. 5,) now reduced to a mean town in through which runs the road to Beth the hands of the Turks, — has at all lehem. On the western side of the times borne, and still bears, a name two valleys are the hills Goath and expressive of its sanctity. Its first Gareb, (jerem. xxxi. 39,) and in the designation seems to have been Salem, lower part of Gihon rises a spring or Peace, (Gen. xiv. 18,) afterwards from which the stream of the same Jerusalem, the Habitation of Peace : name flows along the western and and the Jews gave it an appellation, southern sides of Mount Zion, through Kadushah, The Holy, from which its the valley of Ben Hinnom, and joins present name among the Moham the Cedron near the fountain of En- medans is derived. rogel, mentioned in 1 Kings i. 9. On referring to the Plan of Jeru There is some little cultivation in the salem (X.) it will be seen that the western valleys, but the valley of city stands upon hilly ground, rising Jehoshaphat on the east, and that of from a rocky plain on the north, and Ben Hinnom on the south, are deep is inclosed on the east, west, and south and barren ravines ; the latter is par by deep valleys, through which flow ticularly gloomy, well according with the streamsofCedronand Gihon; these the abominable rites once celebrated have always been its extreme limits, there, (2 Chron. xxxiii. 6,) and the but its extent has greatly varied at former is a melancholy spot filled different periods. It probably reached with the sepulchres of the Jewish its greatest extent under the Hero- population, and containing also the dian princes, about the time of Our reputed tombs of several of the pa Lord's ministry, and then the city triarchs, of Absalom, and of King occupied three distinct hills — namely, Jehoshaphat. The brook Cedron, Acra, in the centre, believed to have called also the waters of En-shemesh, been, in common with a rocky plain to which flows through it in a deep bed, the north, called Bezetha, the resi is in winter only a yard wide, and is dence of the great bulk of the popu dry in summer. It is crossed by a lation; — Mount Moriah, on which small bridge, which leads to the Mount stood the Temple, on the east of Acra of Olives; at the foot of the mount and connected with it by filling up the on one side is the garden of Gethse- intervening valley ; — and Mount Zion mane, inclosed by a stone wall and to the south, which seems to have con still containing a few aged olive- tained the royal palace, and the resi trees, and on the other is the village dences of the chief priests, and was of Bethany. On the north of the city JERUSALEM. 51 is the only level ground, the site of I In the wall, as rebuilt by Nehe the suburb of Bezetha, but now par miah, were the following eleven gates, tially occupied by olive-grounds. This many of them having the same names, also was once bounded by a ravine, and probably the same situations, as which separated it from the plain of those of the former city. Scopus to the north, but the ravine Proceeding north-westward from was filled up by the Romans during Mount Moriah, the first gate was the the last siege of Jerusalem. Sheep Gate, between which and the The founder of Jerusalem is un next gate (the Fish Gate,) stood the known, but in the time of Abraham Towers of Meah and Hananeel ; be it was, under the name of Salem, the yond this, inclining southward, were, city of a king named Melchizedek, in succession, the Gate of Ephraim, who "was the priest of the most the Old or Corner Gate, (near which high God." (Gen. xiv. 18.) At the was the Tower of Furnaces,) the Valley time of the invasion of Canaan by the Gate ; and a gate on the south (the Israelites it was possessed by the Middle Gate,) opening on to Mount Jebusites; their city, termed from Zion. From this point the wall them Jebusi, which probably stood ran eastward to and joined the south on the hill afterwards called Acra, was west extremity of Mount Moriah, burnt by the tribe of Judah, and was thus inclosing Acra, and bearing the afterwards rebuilt and occupied by name of the Second Wall. From the Benjamites, the Jebusites retiring the south-east point of the wall of to the strong hill to the south, called Mount Moriah, another wall, the Old Mount Zion, whence they were driven Wall, inclosing Zion, ran southward by David, who fortified his conquest, along the edge of the valley of Je- calling it " the City of David," and hoshaphat to the valley of Ben Hin- rendered it and the lower city the nom, having, in succession, the Gate capital of his dominions. By Solomon of Miphkad, the Horse Gate, Water the Temple, — a splendid but not very Gate, (where was the King's Pool, large building, — was erected on Mount and near which, on a rocky point Moriah, and from various passages of land fifty feet high branching out of Scripture we learn that the three from Mount Moriah, it is believed hills were walled, and two castles stood the castle of Ophel,) and the called Millo and Ophel were built for Prison Gate : then it proceeded, with the defence of the city, but their out any opening, westward along the positions are not well ascertained, and valley of Ben Hinnom; and next nothing is certainly known of the running northward up the valley of size or appearance of the city, until Rephaim, in which was the Gate of after its restoration by Nehemiah. the Fountain, it joined the wall of About five hundred and sixty years Acra at the Dung Gate, at the en after its becoming the capital of the na trance of the valley of Gihon. tion, Jerusalem was taken by the Chal The lowering of Acra and the joining deans, (2 Chron. xxxvi.) its Temple it to Mount Moriah was effected by destroyed, and its walls broken down, the Maccabees, the rebuilding of the (b.c. 687,) and though the Jews, Temple and the raising of numerous when restored to their native land, towers by Herod the Great ; the erec (b.c. 536,) made a beginning of re tion of a splendid palace was com building the city, they met with much pleted by the same monarch, and the opposition, (Ezra iv. v.) and it was Third Wall was built by Agrippa, his not till the time of Nehemiah, (b.c. grandson, to inclose Bezetha ; but 445,) that the design was accom beyond this, little alteration is known plished. From the Book of Nehe to have been made in the city until miah, and the statements of Josephus, it was destroyed by the Romans. the Jewish historian, we gain all our (a.d. 70.) knowledge of the topography of Jeru After this event a Roman city f salem. erected on the site of the Tempi' 52 JERUSALEM. tho Emperor Adrian, (a.d. 132,) and between fifty and sixty feet high, called Tfllia, and it is around this strengthened by numerous towers ; spot that the modern city stands. the lower part of the largest of the The name of Jerusalem was resumed towers, called the Castle of David, is in the time of Constantino the Great, evidently very ancient, and is believed (a.d. 330,) whose mother, Helena, by some to be the work of Herod ; the visited Palestine, and erected numerous same is perhaps the case with some of churches on the spots supposed to be the others. Some parts of the walls the scenes of events in the ministry also exhibit fragments of Jewish and suffering of Our Lord. In 614 masonry. the city was taken by the Persians On theeastern side of Mount Moriah, under Chosroes, and recovered by the lower part of the wall is composed the Greek Emperor Heraclius in of vast blocks of stone, twenty feet 628 ; and again in 637 it was cap long and five or six in thickness, which tured by the Saracens, who erected a are, with much probability, supposed mosque upon the site of the Temple, to have formed a part of the inclosure and by them it was held for more of the second Temple, if not of that of than four hundred years ; but having Solomon. Just within the wall at the been taken in the year 1076 by a north-east corner of Mount Moriah barbarous tribe called Turks, the op is, what passes incorrectly for the Pool pressions these new masters practised of Bethesda, but is probably a part of on the numerous Christian pilgrims the fosse of the fortress Antonia, (the who wished to visit the Holy Places, " castle " of Acts xxi. 37,) now dry became so intolerable, that a general and overgrown with grass; its sides are confederacy of the more powerful formed of layers of large stones clamped European states was formed, and the together with iron and covered with a expeditions called the Crusades, having kind of rough plaster : at the oppo for their object the recovery and site, or south-western end, is the foot possession of the Holy Sepulchre, were of the arch spoken of by Josephus undertaken, (a.d. 1096.) The effort as crossing the Tyropoeon ; and some was at first successful ; Jerusalem traces of the southern wall of Zion was taken, and Palestine and the may still be seen in the sides of the western part of Syria converted into a gloomy valley of Ben Hinnom. Beside Christian state; but at length the these, — the sepulchres in the valley Mohammedans again prevailed, Jeru of Jehoshaphat, some smaller ones in salem was captured by Saladin in that of Ben Hinnom, and others called 1187, and though restored by treaty the Tombs of the Kings, and of the in 1228 was again seized by a fierce Judges, in the plain to the north of horde of Tartars in 1244, and has the city, are all the remains that ever since been under the dominion have been discovered of the Jeru of the followers of the impostor salem of the Scriptures; nor can it Mohammed. be expected that it should be other The modern city of Jerusalem is wise, when Our blessed Lord himself described by most travellers as the declared of its most glorious edifice : very picture of desolation. "The " Verily I say unto you, There shall heathen have laid Jerusalem in heaps." not be left here one stone upon ano (Psal. Lxxix. 1.) It has neither com ther, that shall not be thrown down." merce nor manufactures ; its streets (Matt. xxiv. 2.) are only narrow lanes between high The inhabitants of the modern city stone walls with an occasional small have been lately estimated at about grated window; it is very scantily 12,000, of whom one-third are Mo supplied with water; and its soil is hammedans, and the general lan generally too rocky to allow of the guage is a corrupt Arabic. The growth of trees, or even of herbage. Jews, who are reckoned at 3000, are It is surrounded by an embattled mostly aged people, who repair to wall, mainly of modern construction, Jerusalem to die, and are supported JERUSALEM. 53 while they live by the charity of their diately in front of the entrance is a brethren in other countries; they slab of marble called the Stone of dwell in the valley between Mounts Unction, and said to be that on Moriah and Zion, and have seven which the body of Our blessed Lord small synagogues, in which their time was laid to be prepared for burial ; is principally passed. The Christian near to this is the Chapel of the population is of two classes, native Crucifixion, a handsome dome-covered and foreign; the first belong almost apartment lined with marble, and wholly to the Syrian church, the latter, reached by a flight of about twenty exclusive of the pilgrims, — who to the steps. It is reported to cover the part number of from 20,000 to 30,000, of Mount Calvary upon which the repair to the city from Catholic coun crucifixion of Our Lord took place, tries, and from Russia, Greece, and and in a vault beneath is a hole sur Armenia, at Easter in each year,— are rounded by a silver plate, in which principally members of the various the monks assert that the cross of Our convents; but of late, through the Saviour was placed. Several portions exertions of the Church Missionary of the church branching out from the Society, a Protestant congregation has main body are possessed by the Catho been formed, and the Liturgy of our lics, Greeks, and Armenians; these Church is now read in the Hebrew are all large and handsome chapels ; language within the walls of Jeru and there are small places for prayer salem every Lord's day. In virtue around its sides for the Syrians, Ma- also of an arrangement between the ronites, Copts, and other sects of heads of the English and the Prussian Eastern Christians. Altars, alleged Church, a Bishop of Jerusalem has to point out the spots upon which been recently appointed, who has every minute particular of the cruci taken up his residence in that city, fixion occurred, are scattered up and and has assumed the care of the down, and in the centre stands the scattered churches, not only of Pales chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, a small tine, but of Egypt and Assyria. roofed building, richly ornamented Of the public edifices of the city, with gilding, and lined with marble. the two most remarkable are the It is divided into two chambers ; the Mosque of Omar and the Church of outer one containing a stone upon the Holy Sepulchre. The Mosque which the angel is stated to have sat stands on Mount Moriah, which is when announcing to the women the still walled in, and occupied solely by resurrection of their Lord, — and the edifices for the purposes of devotion. inner, the sepulchre itself, a plain It is now a grass-plat with trees, tomb, covered by a broken slab of having in the centre a platform of white marble ; this chamber is very marble, upon which the Mosque of small, is lined with verd antique, and Omar, and another mosque, once a lighted by upwards of fifty lamps Christian church, are placed. The kept constantly burning. former edifice is supported by marble The residence of the Moslem gover pillars, and is gorgeously decorated nor is near the site of the Temple, with gilding and mosaic ; the latter is and the street that leads thence to the more plain. Particular care is taken western gate of the city, has been to exclude Christians from either, but named Via Dolorosa, the Dolorous in some few instances the prohibition Way, as, the house of the Governor has been relaxed. being identified with the judgment- The Church of the Holy Sepulchre hall of Pilate, it is affirmed that Our stands within an inclosure near the Lord was led along that road to Cal western wall of the city. It is a vary. The spot where Simon the Cyre- round domed building, erected by the nian was compelled to bear Our Sa Empress Helena, originally of Grecian viour's cross is also pointed out, as well architecture, and has within a gallery as the residences of Uriah, Annas, all round supported by pillars. Imme Caiaphas, Zebedee, Mark, and Thorn* 54 JERUSALEM JOPPA. the rich man and Lazarus ; the palaces and the tradition which marks out of David and Herod ; the scene of I some of these localities must be abso the death of Judas, and the Potter's lutely groundless, but there are strong Field ; the prison in which St. Peter reasons for believing that the place was confined, and the scene of the mar shown as the Holy Sepulchre, is really tyrdom of St. Stephen ; the stone upon that in which the body of our Lord which Moses broke the tables of the was laid. Law, and the one with which the Jez'-re-el, □ 17 miles n.e. of Sa sepulchre of Our Lord was secured. maria? (VII.) a town in the territory In the valley of Jehoshaphat are of the tribe of Issachar, which stood shown, beside some tombs, — those of in a valley of the same name, where the Virgin Mary, her father, mother, the Amalekites and Midianites, who and the high-priest Caiaphas, all in "lay along in the valley like grasshop one cave, being of the number,— the pers for multitude," were defeated by pools of Siloam, and the fountain En- Gideon with only three hundred fol rogel. On the Mount of Olives are ex lowers. (Judges vi. vii.) In after- hibited,— the place where the destruc times there was here a palace of the tion of the Temple was announced ; kings of Israel, which witnessed the that occupied by the slumbering dis death of the impious Jezebel and the ciples ; and a stone slab, with an im extermination of the family of Ahab. pression said to be the print of Our (2 Kings ix. x.) Lord's foot at the instant of his Jok'-tan, (I.) a descendant of ascension. On the north of the city are Shem, (Gen. x. 25,) whose posterity the reputed Tombs of the Kings of are supposed to have peopled the Judah— more probably the monument country on the south of the Caspian of Helena, queen of Adiabene, a con Sea; the modern Arabs also claim vert to Judaism, (a.d. 50,) bearing a him as their ancestor. considerable resemblance to the cavern- Jor'-the-el. See Eeom. tombs of Egypt ; on the west, the two Jop'-r-a — Jaffa, 33 miles n.w. of pools of Gihon. To the south, the Jerusalem, 34 s. of Cesarea, (VII.) road to Bethlehem is thickly studded a very ancient sea-port of Palestine, at with chapels, each said to mark the which the timber for Solomon's Tem scene of some wonderful event ; as, the ple was landed, (2 Chron. ii. 16,) and well from which David'schiefs procured where Jonah embarked in his vain him drink at the hazard of their lives; attempt to " flee unto Tarshish from the rock on which Elijah lay down to the presence of the Lord." (Jonah i. sleep when fleeing from the fury of 3.) Joppa remained in the posses Jezebel, and left there the impres sion of the Phoenicians and Syrians sion of his figure: and the Bethlehem until the time of the Maccabees, monks point out the tomb of Rachel ; when it was acquired by the Jews, the house of the prophet Habakkuk ; and Herod the Great expended large the trench in which the army of Sen sums in improving its haven. The nacherib was buried; the Cistern of Apostle Peter resided for some time the Kings, where the star re-appeared at Joppa, and had there the vision to the wise men; the birth-place of that led to the preaching of the John the Baptist ; the field in which Gospel to the Gentiles; and in the the angels appeared to announce to same place he raised to life Dorcas, the shepherds the "good tidings of a woman " full of good works and great joy," (Luke ii. 8 ;) a cave, now alms' deeds." (Acts ix. x.) a chapel, where it is said the Virgin Jaffa was for nearly two centuries and the Holy Child were hid for a possessed by the Crusaders, but was short time before their flight into taken from them by the Mamelukes Egypt. From the alteration that the in 1256, and has not since been a very site of Jerusalem has undergone, place of any consequence. In 179U the identification of any particular it was captured by the French under spot is rendered extremely difficult, Buonaparte, who there massacred a .TOPPA -JUDAH. 55 number of his prisoners in cold blood. from four to twelve miles, and is sunk The town, which stands upon a hill considerably below the level of the on the sea-shore, is particularly dirty surrounding country. In its centre is a and ill-built, and contains nothing of sunken valley three-quarters of a mile interest, but it is surrounded by broad, covered with trees and a tangled gardens which yield fine fruit in great thicket of luxuriant herbage, where abundance. It is inhabited by about the turbid and impetuous stream of the 7000 persons, 3000 of whom are Chris Jordan forces its way in a deep channel tians, but for a few weeks in the year cut through a sandy bed ; the general the population is greatly increased, width of the river is about thirty yards, this being the port at which the pil and its banks are high and precipitous, grims for Jerusalem usually disembark. but in the months of February and Jor'-dan — Sheriat el-Kebir, (V.) March it surmounts them, and rapidly the only considerable river of Pales spreads over the thicket, though not tine, traverses the whole country from to so great an extent as formerly. north to south. It is formed by the (Josh. iii. 15.) This thicket shelters junction of two small streams which at other times a great number of bears rise in the chain of Anti-Libanus, and other wild animals, but they are near the ruins of Cesarea Philippi, driven out by the rising of the waters; or Dan, and after crossing a marshy to this, and the furious spreading of the lake called Bahr el-Houle, (" the swollen stream, the prophet Jeremiah waters of Merom," of Joshua xi. 5,) alludes, (xi.ix. 19; xii. 5.) opens at the distance of about forty In the Scriptures the phrase "be miles from its source, into the lake of yond Jordan" often occurs : its mean Gennesareth, or sea of Tiberias, ing must depend upon the book in issuing from which it traverses a which it is found. In the books of sunken valley, called El Ghor, and is Moses and of Joshua, it signifies the finally lost, after a course of 150 country on the western side of the miles, in the Sea of the Plain, or river; but afterwards, when the Is Dead Sea. raelites had gained full possession of The river Jordan is alike celebrated the Promised Land, it only applies to as the scene of several miraculous the country on the eastern side, or events, and remarkable in its natural the district of the tribes of Reuben, features. Its waters " stood and rose Gad, and Manasseh. up upon an heap" to allow the JiZ-dah, (V.) The district of the passage of the children of Israel to descendants of Judah was situated in possess their heritage, (Josh, iii.) the south of Palestine, and at first they were divided by he prophets occupied all the country between the Elijah and Elisha, (2 Kings ii.) and Dead Sea, the Desert, and the Medi they were employed by John in the terranean, (Josh, xv.) but a portion of baptism of Our blessed Lord. (Matt. this was afterwards assigned to the iii. 13 — 17-) To the supposed scene tribe of Simeon. (Josh. xix. 9.) It of this latter event, which is near was, however, still the largest of the Jericho, thousands of pilgrims annu districts, as the tribe was the most ally repair, and plunge into the stream numerous and important. It had the in the vain hope of thus attaining that Dead Sea on the east, the possession remission of their sins which can only of Benjamin on the north, those of spring from the merits of "the Lamb Dan and Simeon on the west, and the slain from the foundation of the wilderness of Zin on the south. It world." (Rev. xiii. 8.) See Betha- is almost encircled by lofty barren bara. hills, the "hill-country of Judea," The plain of Jordan, or the dis- (Luke i. 65,) but has fertile vales in tric between the sea of Tiberias and the centre, particularly about Hebron. the Dead Sea, is a sandy tract bounded Its principal cities, beside Jerusalem — on each side through its whole length which was considered as belonging by mountains; it varies in breadth rather to all the tribes in common — 56 JUDAH KENITES. were Hebron, Adullam, Bethlehem, hostility of the Edomites compelled Bethzur, Maon, and Tekoa. To this them to adopt a more circuitous route. tribe was made a prophetic promise Kar'-tan, CD 10 miles s. of Ke- that the regal power should not de desh ? (VII.) a city in the territory of part from it until the coming of the the tribe of Naphtali, near the sea of Messiah. (Gen. xLix. 10.) See Pa Chinneroth, given to the Levites of lestine. the family of Gershom. (Josh. xxi. JiZ-dah, Kingdom op, (VII.) 32; 1 Chron. vi. 76.) When the ten tribes revolted from Ke'-dar, (VIII.) This was the Rehoboam, (b.c. 976,) Judah and second son of Ishmael, whose family Benjamin alone remained faithful to probably became more numerous or the house of David. (1 Kings xii. 23.) warlike than those of his brethren. The tribe of Benjamin being but Isaiah (xxi. 16, 17,) speaks of "the inconsiderable in number, the new glory of Kedar," and "the archers kingdom received its name only from and mighty men of Kedar." The the former. The kingdom of Judah Turcomans, a wandering race of shep endured, under the reign of twenty herds, in Asia Minor and Mesopota princes, for the space of three hun mia, remarkable for their black tents, dred and eighty-nine years; and are understood to be s-okeu of under though some of these princes were the name of Kedar in Canticles, (i. 5,) wicked rulers, the country was in great and by Ezekiel. (xxvii. 21.) measure exempt from the factions and Ked'-e-moth, CD 10 miles s.B. of rebellions which disturbed the king Jahaz? (VII.) a city of Moab, as dom of Israel, and the line of here signed by Moses to the Reubenites. ditary succession was but in two (Josh. xiii. 18.) It became afterwards instances broken. At length, alter a Levitical city. (Josh. xxi. 37.) repeated warnings, the sins of both Ke'-desh, LJD 10 miles n. of Kar- princes and people caused the Lord to tan ? (VII.) a city in the land of the "give them into the hands of the tribe of Naphtali, near the Waters of king of the Chaldees," when the royal Merom, appointed one of the cities of family was cut off, Jerusalem levelled refuge, (Josh. xx. 7,) and given to with the earth, and the people carried the Levites of the family of Gershom. to Babylon, (b.c. 587.) See Palestine. (Josh. xxi. 32.) Ju-de'-a. See Palestine. Ke'-nath-No'-bah — Kanneytra, 12 miles n.e. of Golan, 40 s.w. of Ka'-desh, or Ka'-desh-Bar'-ne-a, Damascus, (VII.) a city in the dis I — I 52 miles s.e. of Beersheba? (IV.) trict of the Eastern Manassites. It called also En-Mishpat, where Che- was originally called Kenath only, but dorlaomer and his allies snioto the took the name of Nobah from a Amalekites and Amorites, (Gen. xiv. Manassite who captured it from the 7,) was afterwards a station of the Amorites. (Numb, xxxii. 42.) In Israelites on the southern border of the time of Josephus, under the name the Promised Land. (Numb. xiii. 26.) of Canatha, it was one of the cities of From it they dispatched twelve men the Decapolis. to "search out the land," and being Ken'-ites, (III.) a tribe of Ca- disheartened by their report on their naanites, who dwelt among the Ama return, broke into murmurings, which lekites in the wilderness on the south were punished by their being doomed of Canaan. (Judges i. 16.) As having to wander in the Wilderness until they shown kindness to the Israelites when were utterly consumed. (Numb, xiv.) wandering in the Wilderness, they Thirty-eight years after, when the were spared by Saul, when he marched generation that came out of Egypt against the Amalekites, but ordered was nearly extinct, the Israelites re to seek a new habitation. (1 Sam. turned to this spot, (Numb. xx. 14,) xv. 6.) They appear to have re and proposed to enter at once upon moved into the territories of the tho land of their possession, but the Israelites, as David includes them KENITES LEBANON. 57 among the people of his own country xxiv. 24.) In the prophecy of Daniel whom he pretended to Achish, king (xi. 30,) it applies only to the Ro of Gath, to have spoiled. (1 Sam. mans ; and in the Apocrypha, Perseus, xxvii. 10.) They thus were included king of Macedon, is called "King of in the Babylonish captivity, as had the Citims." (1 Mace. viii. 5.) been, near a thousand years before, predicted by Balaam : " And he looked La'-chish, □ 22 miles s.w. of Je upon the Kenites, and took up his para rusalem ? (VII.) a royal city of the ble, and said, Strong is thy dwelling- Canaanites, taken and destroyed by place, and thou puttest thy nest in a Joshua. (Josh. x. 32.) It was as rock. Nevertheless the Kenite shall signed to the tribe of Judah, and was be wasted, until Asshur (Assyria) shall fortified by Rehoboam. (2 Chron. xi. carry thee away captive." (Numb. 9.) To it, Amaziah, king of Judah, xxiv. 21, 22.) fled from the conspiracy of his nobles, Km — Koordistan, a province on but was pursued and put to death the frontier of Turkey and Persia, there. (2 Kings xiv. 19.) It was (VIII.) the original seat of the besieged by Sennacherib, and probably Assyrian empire, but probably not destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, (Jerem. the country to which Tiglath-pileser xxxiv. 7,) as no traces of it afterwards sent the inhabitants of the kingdom appear in history. Its inhabitants of Damascus after his conquest of are charged by the prophet Micah that state. (2 Kings xvi. 9.) (See with having introduced idolatry into Appendix.) the kingdom of Judah : " O thou in The province of Koordistan, a habitant of Lachish she is the mountainous district, is now nominally beginning of sin to the daughter of divided between the Turks and Per Zion : for the transgressions of Israel sians, but is peopled by a fierce race were found in thee." (Micah i. 13.) of wandering shepherds, who make La'-ish. See Cesarea Philippi. war upon both, and have repeatedly La-od-i-ce'-a — Eski-hisar, 50 miles ravaged their richest provinces. s.B. of Philadelphia, (XI.) a city of Kr-shon — Mu/ratta,(VII.)astream Phrygia, one of the Seven Churches of Palestine, which rises in the hills of Asia, once celebrated for its mag on the eastern border of the Plain nificence, but now a mere heap of of Esdraelon, and falls into the Medi ruins. It is, in the Revelation, re terranean Sea in the bay of Acre. It buked for its lukewarmness in the is usually a scanty stream, and is cause of the Gospel, and counselled to almost lost in its passage through the repent, (Rev. iii. 1 5 — 19,) but not hav sands of the bay, but in the rainy sea ing attended to the warning, it has son (November to March,) it becomes been utterly rejected. After being a swollen and impetuous flood. In this several times desolated by earth stream perished the host of Sisera, quakes, and frequently taken and re (Judges v. 21,) and on its banks the taken by the Turks, Tartars, and prophet Elijah executed the sentence Greek emperors, it has been abandoned of the Mosaic law, (Dent. xiii. 9,) by by men, and its Christian character putting to death the idolatrous priests is altogether lost, none of its churches of Baal. (1 Kings xviii. 40.) existing even in ruins, and its principal Kit'-tim, (I.) a general name for remains being those of heathen edi certain countries of the Mediterranean. fices : its three stately theatres are only In its widest sense it applies to both tenanted by wild beasts, while wan Greece and Italy, as in the prophecy dering shepherds sometimes encamp of Balaam, respecting the conquest of in the ruins of a vast circus, which once Persia by the Greeks under Alexander, contained thirty thousand spectators. and the subjugation of Judea by the Leb'-a-non — Jebel Libnan, ondJebel Romans: "Ships shall come from the es-Sharki, (III.) a range of moun coasts of Chittim, and shall afflict As tains springing out from the table shur, and shall afflict Eber," (Numb. land of Asia Minor, by which Pales- c3 58 LEBANON LUDIM. tine is traversed from north to south kiah, (Isai. xxxvii. 8,) and though through its whole extent. In Syria probably destroyed at the captivity, the range consists of two distinct was again rebuilt, and was a large chains, — the western called by clas town in the fourth century of the sical writers Libanus, and the eastern Christian era. Anti-Libanus; but the western ter Lie'-y-a, (XI.) a country of North minates on the coast on the north of ern Africa, lying to the west of Egypt. Palestine, and thus furnishes a barrier Its interior was desert and barbarous, against invasion from the north, often but on its shores were numerous large alluded to by the prophets. The east cities, colonized from Greece, whose ern chain runs southward, giving out inhabitants were rich and polished. numerous branches, and inclosing the From the interior came the Lubims, river Jordan and the Dead Sea, and "a huge host, with very many cha at last terminates in the desert of riots and horsemen," defeated along Sinai on the shores of the Red Sea. with the Ethiopians by Asa, king of The eastern chain is in general not so Judah, (2 Chron. xvi. 8;) and from lofty as the western, but one peak the cities, of which Cyrene was the near the head of the river Jordan, chief, some of the devout men who supposed to be Mount Hermon, has a repaired to Jerusalem to keep the height of 12,000 feet. See Hermon. feast of Pentecost. (Acts ii. 10.) The numerous allusions of the Libya, under the name of Barca, inspired waters show that the western now forms a part of the regency of chain of Lebanon, to which they Tripoli, the most eastern of the Bar- almost exclusively refer, was anciently bary States. The interior is, as it has noted for its stately cedars, and for ever been, a desert hardly to be its great fertility in some places. Its traversed, and the country along the cedars have now nearly disappeared, shore, though naturally fertile in a but their place is supplied by firs and high degree, has for ages been aban the valonea oak and sumach ; the vine, doned to the wanderers of the interior, the mulberry, and the olive, are culti who pasture their flocks at certain vated on terraces like flights of steps seasons of the year, among the ruins on the sides of the mountains, and of the once famous cities of Cyrene, the valleys produce wheat, cotton, Ptolemais, Berenice, and others. See tobacco, hemp, indigo, and sugar. Cyrene. Bears, wolves, and other wild animals Lod'-e-bar, □ 12 miles n.e. of Ma- abound, as well as birds of prey, but hanaim? (VII.) a place in Gilead, these mountains are the best peopled in the south-eastern part of the dis part of the country ; a large propor trict of the Eastern Mannassites, called tion of the population consists of Debir, in the Book of Joshua, (xiii. Christians of various sects, who live 26.) Machir, the son of Ammiel of in the undisturbed enjoyment of their this place, was one of the faithful religion. See Palestine. subjects who succoured King David Le-bo'-nah — Leban, 4 miles n.w. of when expelled from Jerusalem by his Shiloh, (VII.) a village in the tribe rebellious son Absalom. (2 Sam. xvii.) of Ephraim, near which the virgins of Lud, (I.) one of the sons of Shem, Shiloh were surprised and carried off (Gen. x. 22,) whose descendants are by the Benjamites. (Judges xxi. 19 — believed to have peopled the western 24.) part of Asia Minor, called from them Lie'-nah, rzi 15 miles s.w. of Je Lydia. rusalem ? (VII.) a Levitical city in Lu'-dim, (I.) a people of Northern the territory of the tribe of Judah, Africa to the west of Egypt, were which revolted against Jehoram, descended from Lud, the son of king of Judah, "because he had Mizraim. (Gen. x. 13.) They are forsaken the Lord God of his fathers." several times mentioned in the pro (2 Chron. xxi. 10.) It was besieged phetical writings among the allies of by Sennacherib in the reign of Heze- Egypt, and seem to have been re- LUDIM LYSTRA. 59 nowued as archers. (Isai. Lxvi. 19 ; to have suffered martyrdom in the Jerem. xLvi. 9.) They are enume neighbourhood. The town is now a rated by Ezekiel (xxvii. 10,) among mere heap of ruins, but a part of the the hired soldiers of the Tyrians. In church still stands, having been con the passages in Jeremiah they are verted into a mosque by the Moham called Lydians in our version, but medans, who profess great respect for they must not be confounded with the memory of St. George. the Lydians of Asia Minor. Lyd'-i-a — part of Anatolia, (XI.) a Ldz. See Bethel. maritime province of Asia Minor in Lyc-a-o'-ni-a — part of Karamania, the time of the Apostle Paul, by (XI.) a small province in the south whom a Christian church was founded eastern part of Asia Minor, separated in Ephesus, its principal city, (Acts by the chain of Taurus from Cilicia xxi. ;) it also contained four others of on the south, with Cappadocia on the Seven Churches of Asia, — that is, the east, Galatia on the north, and Smyrna, Thyatira, Philadelphia, and Phrygia and Pisidia on the west. Sardis. It was bounded by the sea Its inhabitants were a mixed race on the west, by Mysia on the north, who spoke a corrupt Greek largely Phrygia on the east, and Caria on the intermixed with Syriac words, "the south, but had once been the seat of speech of Lycaonia," as it is termed a kingdom extending over a great in Acts xiv. 11. It contained, among part of Asia Minor, and destroyed by others, the cities of Iconium, Derbe, Cyrus. Its inhabitants, who were sup and Lystra, famous for the labours posed to be descended from Lud, the and sufferings of St. Paul and Bar son of Shem, (Gen. x. 22,) were nabas. luxurious in their manners, and gained Lyc'-i-a — part of Anatolia, (XI.) a great wealth by commerce ; the Gos province on the sea-coast of Asia pel was early planted among them, Minor, of small extent, lying south of and still exists, though the country Phrygia, having Caria on the west has for ages been possessed by the and Pamphylia on the east, was peo Mohammedans. pled by a body of Cretans, who were Lys'-tra — Bin-bir-Kilisa, 30 miles infamous for their piracies, until n.w. of Derbe, 60 s.e. of Iconium, subdued by the Romans shortly before (XI.) a city of Lycaonia, in which the the birth of Our Lord. It was a fer miraculous cure of a lame man by tile region, and had numerous cities, St. Paul and Barnabas induced the chiefly founded by Greek colonists. Of people to " lift up their voices, saying these, Myra and Patara are the only in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods ones mentioned in Scripture. are come down to us in the like Lyd'-da — Lud, 15 miles s.e. of ness of man. And they called Bar Joppa, 18 n.w. of Jerusalem, (IX.) a nabas, Jupiter : and Paul, Mercurius, town of Palestine, called Lod by because he was the chief speaker." Nehemiah, (vii. 37,) where St. Peter They then offered to sacrifice oxen to miraculously healed Eneas, on which them, but were prevented by the "all that dwelt in Saron and in Apostle's remonstrances ; and certain Lydda turned to the Lord." (Acts Jews coming shortly after from An- ix. 33 — 35.) Lydda was at this time, tioch and Iconium, persuaded the according to the Jewish historian, people against them, and caused them Josephus, a large town, and bore with to stone St. Paul, who was left for the Romans the name of Diospolis. dead, but revived, being preserved for The Emperor Justinian, in the sixth other sufferings in the service of his century, built a magnificent church heavenly Master, and the next day here and dedicated it to St. Peter, left the city. (Acts xiv.) which having fallen into decay was Lystra, which became a bishopric repaired by the English King, Richard under the Greek emperors, has long I., during the Crusades, and dedicated ceased to be inhabited, but some very anew to St. George, who was believed extensive ruins standing upon a hill, CO LYSTRA MAGOG. and containing among them several time before the fall of the Greek large churches, have been recently empire, (a.d. 1453.) It is a rough ascertained to belong to it; they mountainous country, and its Christian were formerly ascribed to Derbe. inhabitants, who are very numerous, have always maintained themselves in Ma'-a-chah, (VI.) a small district a great measure independent of the of Syria on the northern border of Turks. Of the large cities that it Palestine, assigned to the Eastern once contained, the only one of any Manassites, but unsubdued by them. importance now is Salonika, a sea (Josh. xiii. 11 — 13.) Its people, termed port, the ancient Thessalonica. Maachathites, joined in a confederacy Mao'-a-i, (I.) one of the sons of against David, but were conquered by Japheth, (Gen. x. 2,) whose descend him. (2 Sam. x. ; 1 Chron. xix.) ants are believed to have peopled the Ma-ce-do'-n-i-a, (XI.) a large pro country to the north of Assyria, called vince of European Turkey, lying to the Media. See Meoia. north of Greece, and extending from Ma'-gog, (I. ) the country of a people the jEgean to the province of Albania called Gog, respecting whom there on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It are several prophecies in the Scrip was formerly more extensive, and was tures. (Ezek. xxxviii. xxxix. ; Rev. a kingdom whose inhabitants were xx. 8.) The name Magog appears in esteemed barbarians by the Greeks ; Genesis (x. 2,) as that of a son of but one of its rulers, Philip, by arms Japheth, and his descendants are and intrigue, made it the principal supposed to have peopled the vast power in Greece, and his son, Alex tracts in the centre of Asia, known to ander the Great, the "rough goat," the ancients as Scythia, and to the or "king of Grecia," of the Book of moderns as Tartary. These people, Daniel, (viii.) overthrew the "ram," described by Ezekiel as "riding upon or king of Persia, and founded an horses, a great company," armed empire which extended over Greece, chiefly with bows and arrows, have Egypt, and Asia. This empire, how repeatedly advanced in hordes from ever, at his death, (b.c. 323,) was their deserts, spreading themselves divided by his principal officers among over the civilized countries of Europe themselves, into numerous indepen and Asia, and in many cases making dent states, and Macedonia, after permanent settlements. The barba existing as a kingdom for about one rians by whom, as prophesied, (Dan. hundred and fifty years longer, was viii.; Rev. xii. 17,) the Roman reduced to the form of a Roman pro empire was overthrown, were originally vince. This was its state at the time Scythians ; and the Turks, by whom of the travels of St. Paul, who was the Christian church has been for directed to enter it by a vision, (Acts ages afflicted in the countries where it xvi. 9,) and by whom its principal was first planted, spring from the cities, as Thessalonica, Berea, Am- same stock. phipolis, and Philippi, were visited. Tartary is a vast region, occupying The Gospel was readily received in the elevated table-land in the centre the country, and the converts at of Asia, extending from the neigh Philippi and Thessalonica are greatly bourhood of the Black Sea to the Sea commended by the Apostle for their of Japan. On the north lie the plains charity to the distressed Christians in of Siberia; on the south, Persia, Judea on occasion of a famine there. India, Burmah, and China. The (2 Cor. viii. 1—5.) western and the eastern parts are Macedonia having passed from the subject, respectively, to Russia and Roman empire to the Greeks, was in China, but the central part is divided the middle ages parcelled out, like into a number of independent states, Greece, into several small states, ruled of which little is known. The govern by foreign adventurers, but was at ment is generally on the patriarchal length subdued by the Turks a short model, and, like the Israelites in the MAGOG MEDEBA. 61 earlier periods of their history, the part of the territory of the tribe of people have few towns or villages, but Judah, (Josh. xv. 55,) in the "wilder roam at large over the extensive plain, ness," or uncultivated country, around in order to find water and pasturage which, David resided for a while, when for the herds in which all their riches forced to retire from the court by the consist. enmity of Saul. Near it were the Ma-ha-na'-im, □ 12 miles s.w. possessions of Nabal, whose churlish of Lodebar, 65 n.e. of Jerusalem? ness provoked the anger of David, (III.) a place east of the Jordan, but who was saved from harm by the in the Land of Gilead, where Jacob, in address of his wife Abigail. (1 Sam. his return to Canaan, had his vision xxv.) of angels coming to meet him : " And Ma'-rah — Bir Howara, 8 miles when Jacob saw them, he said, This n.w. of Elim ? (IV.) a halting-place is God's host : and he called the name of the Israelites on the shores of the of that place Mahanaim," (Gen. xxxii. Red Sea, where the waters were too 1, 2,) that is, Two Hosts, or Camps. bitter for drinking, but were sweet A city afterwards arose here, which, ened by a certain tree being thrown on the conquest of the Amorites, was into them by Moses under the direc assigned to the tribe of Gad, but was tion of the Lord. (Exod. xv. 23—25.) bestowed upon the Levites. (Josh, There are several fountains of xiii. 26; xxi. 38.) It is believed to bitter water described by travellers have stood at the foot of a mountain, on the shore of the Red Sea ; the one and was apparently a place of strength, believed to be Marah is a circular as it was the stronghold of Ishbosheth, pool, of about sixty feet round, of the son of Saul, while contending for peculiarly bright and tempting ap the kingdom of Israel, (2 Sam. ii. 8,) pearance; but its waters are so into and David also retired to it during the lerably nauseous, that even the Arabs rebellion of Absalom. (2 Sam. xvii.) refuse to drink of them, though they Ma-nas'-seh, (V.) one of the tribes take those of the other fountains with of Israel, the only one that had pos readiness. It rises in an elevated sessions on both sides of the Jordan. mound surrounded by sand-hills, and The most considerable part lay east of has a few small date-trees growing that river, which formed its western around it. boundary ; on the south were the pos Med'-e-ba — Madeba, 17 miles n.e. sessions of the tribe of Gad, while on of Dibon, (VII.) a city of the Moab- the north and east it extended into ites, assigned to the tribe of Reuben, Syria and the desert, though it did not (Josh. xiii. 9,) but after the captivity till the time of David and Solomon of the Israelites re-possessed by the attain the extent assigned to it by children of Moab. (Isai. xv. 2.) Near Moses. (Josh, xiii.) It included the it the Ammonites and Syrians were fertile district of Bashan, and had signally defeated by Joab. (1 Chron. numerous cities, of which Ashteroth- xix.) With the other cities of Moab, Carnaim, Beeshterah, Bethsaida, Ge- it was destroyed by Nebuchad shur, Laish, and Mizpeh, were the nezzar, but was rebuilt, and was a principal. The district on the west considerable town in the fourth cen of Jordan lay between the possessions tury of the Christian era. Its ruins, of Issachar and Asher on the north, a little distant from the modern and those of Ephraim on the south. village, stand upon a hill and stretch It was one of the most fertile parts of into the plain beneath ; there are the the country, including the great plain remains of a temple constructed of of Megiddo; it was, however, small, blocks of stone of very large size, and but the tribe possessed several cities fragments of many other buildings, situate within the territory of other but the only perfect structure is a tribes. (Josh. xvii. 11.) large reservoir for water, nearly 400 Ma-' on — Maan, 2 miles s.e. of feet square, which is surrounded by a Carmel, (V.) a place in the southern well-built massive wall. MEDIA MELITA. Me'-di-a — Azerbijan, Irak Ajemi, Africa; it washes the coasts of Pales inNorthern Persia,(VIII.)anancient tine, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, kingdom of Asia, lying on the southern Italy, and Egypt, all countries re shore of the Caspian Sea, to the north nowned in the history of the world, of Persia, with Armenia and Assyria which were blessed with the earliest to the west, and Parthia to the east. preaching of the Gospel, as well as It was at first a province of the with the first dawn of civilization. Assyrian empire, but became inde From the Straits of Gibraltar to the pendent, (b.c. 747;) was enlarged by coast of Palestine it exceeds 2000 the conquest of Persia about one miles in length, but its breadth greatly hundred years after, and at length, by varies; including its islands, "the the successive captures of Nineveh isles of the sea" of the Prophets, it (b.c. 607) and Babylon, (b.c. 538,) is estimated to occupy an area of became, under the title of the Persian 740,000 square miles. It commu empire, the leading state of Western nicates with the Atlantic on the west, Asia. One of its kings was Cyaxares, the Black Sea and Sea of Marmora who conquered Babylon, and is styled on the east, and on the north gives in the Book of Daniel, (v. 31,) off the large branches called the Darius the Median. His nephew Adriatic and the ^Egean. Of the Cyrus succeeded him in the empire numerous rivers that flow into it, the of Persia, and one of his earliest acts Nile is at once the largest, and the was to terminate the captivity of the most important in sacred geography. Jews. (Ezra i.) Me-gid'-do, n 5 miles s. w. of Jez- The "cities of the Medes" are reel, 3 s. of Ibleam? (VII.) a royal mentioned in 2 Kings xvii. 6, as the city of the Canaanites, made tributary place of the captivity of the Israelites, by the Israelites, (Judges i. 27,) and but travellers have failed satisfactorily assigned to the Western Manassites, to identify the particular places in though lying within the territory of tended. Habor was, perhaps, the Issachar. (Josh. xvii. 11.) It was modern Abhar, not far from Casbin, fortified by Solomon, (1 Kings ix. 15,) in the neighbourhood of the Caspian at it Ahaziah, king of Judah, died of Sea, and Halah and Hara are probably his wounds inflicted by Jehu, (2 represented by Holwar and Zamah, Kings ix. 27,) and in the neighbour places not very distant from Bagdad, ing plain Josiah was defeated and and abounding in remains of buildings slain by Pharaoh Necho. (2 Kings of high antiquity. xxiii. 29.) On this plain also the On the rise of the Persian empire army of Jabin was destroyed by Media sank from a kingdom into a Deborah and Barak, (Judges v.) and province, and has so remained ever several battles were fought during the since, but for a long time its inha contests of the Syrian and Egyptian bitants continued a distinct nation, kings of the Greek dynasties; here having a language of its own, and likewise were frequent conflicts during containing among them Jews, some the Crusades, and here the Turkish of whom are mentioned as resorting army was defeated by the French in to Jerusalem to keep the feast of the year 1799. The plain is about Pentecost. (Acts ii. 9.) thirty miles from north to south, £ Med-i-ter-ra'-ne-an Sea, (II.) and eighteen miles from east to the largest body of water known to west; it occupies a hollow between the inspired writers, i6 therefore often the mountains of Galilee and Samaria denominated in Scripture the Great north and south, and Mounts Tabor Sea, (Numb, xxxiv. 6, 7,) and some and Carmel east and west. It is times the Sea of the Philistines, well watered, is almost a perfect flat, (Exod. xxiii. 31,) or the Uttermost has scarcely any villages, and but few Sea. (Deut. xi. 24.) trees, but is still fertile, and is the The Mediterranean divides the most productive district of Palestine. three continents of Europe, Asia, and Mel'-i-ta — Malta, (XI.) an island MELITA MESHECH. 63 in the Mediterranean Sea, upon which n.w. of Thebes, (IV.) a famous city St. Paul was shipwrecked, but was of Egypt, once the capital of the whole country, became on the inva treatedwith "nolittlekindness." by the "barbarous (Actsaxxvii. people" ) sion of the Shepherd-kings, (the date Malta was originally colonized by of which is uncertain, perhaps 1176 the Phoenicians, and next possessed b.c.,) the capital of Lower Egypt only, by the Greeks of Sicily, but about and lost that dignity when the royal 500 B.c. was conquered by the Car residence was, removed to Alexandria thaginians, who made it a place of by the Ptolemies, (b.c. 300.) It great commerce. It next came into still, however, continued a great city the hands of the Romans, who held until the conquest of Egypt by the it at the time of St. Paul's sojourn, Saracens, (a.d. 641,) who founded a and it was then famous for its com new city (Al-Kahira, or Cairo) near modious harbour, a well-built city, its it, and destroyed the old one for the excellent honey, and its skilful artifi sake of its materials. cers, especially its weavers of fine Under the name of Noph this city linen. It was afterwards possessed is frequently mentioned in the prophe in succession by the Goths, Vandals, tic denunciations against Egypt, and Arabs, Normans, and Sicilians, and the prophet Jeremiah in particular in 1530 was bestowed by the Emperor says, (xlvi. 19,) " Noph shall be Charles V. on the Knights of St. waste and desolate without an inha John, one of the military orders bitant," and this has been literally founded during the Crusades. These fulfilled; for though near a village called Metrahenny, 12 miles s.w. oia new masters, who held the island for more than two hundred and fifty Cairo, on the western bank of the Nile, . years, sustained in it a famous siege there are numerous traces of build from the Turkish sultan, in 1563, and ings, and blocks of sculptured granite constructed the vast fortifications for abound, which are considered to which the place is now so remark belong to the proud capital of the able. In 1798 it was surrendered Pharaohs, there is not one entire through treachery to the French, but structure, nor does a single human in 1801 was captured by an English being dwell there. armament, and has been ever since a Me'-rom, Waters op — Bahr ei- military station, at which a large Houle, (VII.) a small lake, north of British force is maintained. that of Tiberias, through which the Malta, which lies about 100 miles river Jordan flows; it is little more s.w. of Syracuse, in Sicily, is a low than a marsh in summer, and partly rocky island, about 60 miles in cir choked with reeds and rushea Upon cumference, naturally so barren that its banks the Israelites under Joshua earth is brought to it in shiploads defeated Jabin, king of Hazor, and his from other countries, but producing allies, " and chased them unto Great fruits in abundance wherever soil can Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-main, be found. Its inhabitants, including and unto the valley of Mispeh east those of a few small neighbouring ward," places at a very considerable isles, are estimated at 120,000. They distance, " and smote them, until they are extremely industrious and enter left them none remaining." (Josh. xi. ) prising, and still carry on some con Me'-shech, (I.) a son of Japheth, siderable manufactures, particularly of (Gen. x. 2,) whose descendants are cotton. They are for the most part believed to have first peopled the Roman Catholics. The capital is country of Caucasus between the called Valetta, and is seated on a Black and Caspian Seas, and after tongue of land on the northern side wards, in conjunction with the de of the island, between two bays, in scendants of Tubal, spread over the one of which St. Paul is supposed to plains to the north now comprised, have landed. under the name of Tartary, in the J Mem'-phis — near Cairo, 300 miles empire of Russia. 64 MESOPOTAMIA MITYLENE. Mes-o-po-ta'-mi-a — Al Jezireh, a five chiefs called the " dukes of province of Asiatic Turkey, (II.) the Sihon." (Josh. xiii. 21.) On this country between the two rivers Eu occasion they were almost extermi phrates and Tigris, (Gen. xxiv. 10,) nated for having tempted the Israel also called Padan-Aram, (Gen. xxviii. ites to sin ; but in the course of time 2,) being considered a part of Aram, they recovered their power and united or Syria. It is bounded on the north with the Amalekites and other tribes by a part of the chain of Taurus, has in reducing the Hebrews to bondage; the Tigris on the east and the Eu being, however, soon after severely de phrates on the west, and on the south feated by Gideon, (Judges vii. viii.,) the ancient district of Babylonia, or they ceased to exist as a people, and Land of Shinar, (Gen. xi. 2,) where their remnant became incorporated were the first habitations of men after with the Moabites and Edomites; thus the Deluge. Ur of the Chaldees and the country of the Southern Midianites Haran, celebrated in the histories of is spoken of as part of Edom, in the Abraham and Jacob, are in Mesopo story of Hadad, one of the adversa tamia ; in which country many Jews ries of Solomon. (1 Kings xi. 17, 18.) remained after the termination of the Mi-le'-tus — Palat, 40 miles s. of Babylonish captivity, and from whence Ephesus, (XI.) a sea-port ofCaria, to came some of them to Jerusalem to which the elders of the church at keep the feast of Pentecost, at the Ephesus repaired to meet St. Paul. time that the gift of tongues was (Acts xx.) It was anciently a very bestowed upon the Apostles. (Acts famous and splendid city, the capital ii. 9.) In the northern part it is of the Greek colonies on the coast mountainous, but stretches southward of Caria and Ionia; its citizens in fertile plains, once the dwelling- traded to remote parts, and estab place of the patriarchs, and now lished numerous colonies on the Hel possessed by wandering tribes from lespont, Bosphorus, and Euxine. Its the Arabian desert. It has been ruins are of the most magnificent ruled in succession by the Assyrians, description, principally of marble, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Ro whence its modern name, signifying mans, and Saracens, and is now a The Palaces. Miletus existed as a large pachalic of the Turkish empire. city till the eleventh century, when, in Mid'-i-an-ites, (IV.) a people common with many of the neighbouring descended from Midian, the son of places, it was destroyed by the Turks. Abraham by Keturah. (Gen. xxv. 2.) Min'-ni — part of Armenia, (VIII.) They occupied a large tract of country a kingdom of the north, from which reaching from the north-eastern part a part of the army destined to destroy of the Dead Sea far into the penin Babylon was to come. (Jerem. li. sula of Sinai, this latter being the 27.) See Ararat. Land of Midian, of Exodus iii., Mish'-e-al, □ 40 miles s.w. of where Moses kept the flocks of Jethro. Abdon ? (VII.) a city of the tribe of They are hence distinguished into the Asher, given to the Levites of the Southern and Northern Midianites, of family of Gershom. (Josh. xxi. 30.) whom the first long retained a know It stood near the sea, in the neigh ledge of the true God, as appears by bourhood of Mount Carmel. the story of Jethro, while the others Mit-y-le'-ne — near Castro, 30 were sunk into the grossest idolatry. miles s.w. of Assos, (XI.) the capital (Numb, xxii.) The Midianites, who of the Isle of Lesbos, visited by St. were, like the Edomites, a commercial Paul, in his journey from Corinth to people, (Gen. xxxvii. 2R,) appear to Jerusalem. (Acts xx. 14.) It was a have been early conquered by the bishop's see in the early ages latter, (Gen. xxxvi. 35,) and after Christianity, but only a few ruins wards by the Amorites, as at the time now remain. of the passage of the Israelites through Lesbos, now called Metelen, from their country, they were governed by a corruption of the name of the former MITYLENE MOABITES. 65 capital, is a fertile island on the coast vided their territory from that of the of Asia Minor, fifty miles long and Ammonites; but before the conquest ten broad, anciently celebrated for its of Canaan, they were dislodged from .wines, and the luxurious manners of the northern part of their country and its people. It is now principally in forced beyond the Arnon by the habited by Greeks, but belongs to the Amorites. Though spared by Divine Turks. Its capital is called Castro, command by the Israelites in their and is a poor place. progress towards Canaan, (Deut. ii. Miz'-peh, □ 8 miles n. of Lode- 9,) they heavily oppressed that people, bar? (III.) a place in Mount Gilead, but were repressed by Ehud, who where Jacob and Laban made a slew their king and cut off their army, covenant. (Gen. xxxi. 49.) It was (Judges iii.) and were rendered tribu afterwards the residence of Jephthah, tary by David. (2 Sam. viii.) After who was there solemnly made " head a time they became again independent, and captain" over the people of (2 Kings iii.) and when the tribes Gilead. (Judges xi.) of Reuben and Gad were carried into From this place the district of captivity, advanced northward and Gilead is sometimes called the Land repossessed their ancient inheritance. of Mizpeh. (Josh. xi. 3.) They had on many occasions shown AMiz'-PEhof Mo'-ab, to which David great enmity to the Israelites, and for repaired to seek the protection of the this the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, king of Moab for his family, is men Ezekiel, Amos, and Zephaniah, de tioned in 1 Sam. xxii. 3, but whether it nounced heavy woes against them, is the same as the above is uncertain. which were fulfilled in the desolation Mi/-peh,CZi8 miles s.w. of Gibeah, of their country by Shalmanezar, 9 s. w. of Ramah, 6 w. of Jeru shortly before the fall of the kingdom salem ? (V.) a place in the tribe of Israel, and by Nebuchadnezzar, a of Benjamin, (Josh, xviii. 26,) where few years after the capture of Jeru there were frequent assemblies of the salem. When the Jewish captives people previous to the introduction of were released by Cyrus, the Moabites monarchy among the Hebrews. Here also were set at liberty, and they the war against the Benjamites was de returned to their country, where they termined on, (Judges xxi.) here was rebuilt and fortified their cities, and the ordinary residence of the prophet continued independent until the time Samuel, (1 Sam. vii.) and here Saul of the Maccabean kings, John Hyr- was anointed, chosen by lot, and canus and Alexander Janneus, (b.c. acknowledged as king. (1 Sam. x.) 135 — 78,) when they were subdued The place was fortified by Asa, king by the Jews, and from this period of Judah, with a part of the materials they disappear from history, being collected by Baasha for fortifying gradually incorporated with the neigh Ramah, (1 Kings xv. 22,) and be bouring tribes of the desert. Their came afterwards the residence of country afterwards passed into the Gedaliah, the governor of the He hands of the Romans, and from its brews appointed by the Chaldeans, fertility and beauty became a favourite who was there treacherously killed by district; its numerous cities were Ishmael. (Jerem. xli. 2.) adorned by them with splendid tem There was another Miz'-peh, in the ples, and many of them were towns of territory of the tribe of Judah, (Josh. consequence in the fifth century after xv. 38,) supposed to have been near the birth of Our Lord, but now not Hebron. one of them is inhabited. Though Miz'-ra-im. See Egypt. the soil is so rich that it would support Mo'-ab-ites,(V.)apeopledescended almost any number of inhabitants, from Lot, (Gen. xix. 37,) originally it is rendered useless by the presence possessed the country on the east of the Bedouins, or wandering Arabs, of the Dead Sea and Jordan as far who pitch their tents among the north as the river Jabbok, which di ruined temples and palaces, and by GG MOABITES NAZARETH. their violence effectually prevent the where Our Lord restored to life the cultivation of the land, and do not widow's son. (Luke vii.) allow it to be even traversed in safety. Naph'-ta-li, (V.) The district Thus is fulfilled the threatening : allotted to this tribe lay in the north " Behold the days come, saith the of Palestine, beyond the sea of Chin- Lord, that I will send unto [Moab] nereth, having the possessions of the wanderers, that shall cause him to Asherites on the west and north, those wander, and shall empty his vessels of the Eastern Manassites on the and break their bottles," (Jerem. east, and those of Zebulun on the xlviii. 12;) and from this cause, they south. It occupieda plain that stretches " that dwell in Moab leave the cities from the western chain of Lebanon and dwell in the rock," and in fear to the river Jordan, and was extremely and danger resemble " the dove that fertile, and had several cities, as maketh her nest in the sides of the Hazor, Kedesh, and Kirjathaim, or hole's mouth." (Jerem. xlviii. 28.) Kartan. Lying on the frontier of the Mo'-ab, Plainsop. See Palestine. kingdom of Israel, however, it was Mo-ri'-ah, Mount. See Jeru frequently ravaged by enemies, par salem. ticularly by Benhadad, the king of My'-ra — Myra, 150 miles s.e. of [ Syria, at the instigation of Asa, king Cnidus, (XI.) a city of Lycia, situ of Judah, (1 Kings xv. 20,) and its ated about three miles from the sea, ! inhabitants were carried into captivity but having a port at which St. Paul by Tiglath-pileser nineteen years embarked in a ship of Alexandria for before the destruction of the king his voyage to Rome. (Acts xxvii. 5.) dom. (2 Kings xv. 29.) The country Myra still exists as a small town, was afterwards peopled principally by and is held in great veneration by the Gentiles, to which the prophet Isaiah Greeks, as they believe that not only alludes (ix. 1, 2,) when speaking of St. Paul preached in it, but also that the future ministry of the Messiah in St. John was buried there. The " the land by the way of the sea :" remains of the ancient city, which " The people which sat in darkness occupy a lofty hill, consist oi a very saw great light, and to them which large theatre and several other edifices, sat in the region and shadow of death, among which have been found numer light is sprung up." ous statues executed in a masterly NaZ-a-reth — Nassara, 17 miles etyle of art. s.w. of Capernaum? 70 n. of Jerusa Mvs'-i-a — part oi Anatolia, (XI.) a lem, (IX.) a small city of Lower Ga small province forming the north lilee, standing on the side of a hill at western part of Asia Minor, washed the northern extremity of the Plain of by the Propontis and Hellespont on Esdraelon, the ordinary residence of the north, and the iEgean on the Our blessed Lord previous to the west, with the provinces of Bithynia commencement of his public ministry, and Phrygia on the east, and Lydia (Luke ii. 51;) whence, as well by his on the south. Its southern and wes followers (Acts iii. 6; x. 38,) as in tern part bore the name of Troas, the inscription written for his cross and was the scene of the Trojan war. by Pontius Pilate, (John xix. 19,) The province was visited by St. Paul, he was styled Jesus of Nazareth. (Acts xvi. 7, 8,) and it contained Here Our Lord " went into the syna Pergamos, one of the Seven Churches gogue on the Sabbath day, and stood of Asia, beside Assos and Adramyt- up for to read," when applying to tium, places mentioned in the narra himself the words of the prophet tive of St. Paul's travels. Isaiah, (lxi. 1,) " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath Na-ba-thje'-i. See Edom. anointed me to preach the Gospel," Na'-in, Ch 18 miles s.w. of Caper the multitude rose upon him, " thrust naum ? (IX.) a small city of Lower him out of the city, and led him unto Galilee, near the foot of Mount Tabor, the brow of the hill whereon their NAZARETH- -NILE. 67 city was built, that they might cast Ne-bo, Mount — Jebel Attarus,25 him down headlong: but he passing miles s.e. of Jericho? (V.) one of through the midst of them, went his the Mountains of Abarim, where way." (Luke iv.) Moses died. (Deut. xxxii. 49.) Jebel Nazareth is not mentioned in the Attarus is the loftiest of the moun Old Testament, nor was it the scene tains in its neighbourhood ; it is of a of any remarkable events until the very dreary and barren aspect, and time of the Crusades, when it was has on its top a large pile of stones, the see of an archbishop, and was fre the origin and object of which are quently taken and retaken, — being, now unknown. from its commanding a large extent J Nile, (IV.) the only river of of fertile country, a post of great Egypt, and one of the longest and importance. It is now a small stone- most remarkable in the world. It is built town, with about 3000 inha formed by the junction of two streams bitants, the greater part Christians, called the White and the Blue Rivers, and contains several objects which which rise, respectively, in Abyssinia are visited by pilgrims of the churches and Dar Foor, countries very con of Rome and the East. The Empress siderably south of Egypt, and its Helena built a church over a vault length from the furthest point that said to have been the residence of has been explored to the Mediterra the Virgin Mary ; a church upon the nean is upwards of 1800 miles. It is same site is now occupied by a body in the Scriptures sometimes called of Romish friars, which is very gau Sihor, (Josh. xiii. 3,) but more com dily decorated, and the fathers assert monly, " the River," and the present that from the cavern below, the Holy inhabitants of its banks style it Nil, or House, as it is called, now at Loretto, Bahr Nil, which has the same meaning. in Italy, was removed by angels. The course of the Nile through They also point out two pillars at the Egypt, audits prominent features, have entrance of the cave, which they state been already described. See Egypt. to occupy the precise spots where The great annual inundation for stood the angel and the Virgin at the which this river is so remarkable, is time of the Annunciation; one of occasioned by the heavy rains that the pillars is broken in two, and the fall in the mountains of Abyssinia in upper part is said to be miraculously April, but the swelling of the stream self-supported, though in fact it is is not perceptible in Egypt till the attached to the roof of the cavern. beginning of June; it attains its In other parts of the town and its greatest height in the beginning of neighbourhood are pointed out, — the October, and then gradually sinks hill from which the people endea until the following April, when the voured to cast down Our Lord ; the river is at its lowest. The height of synagogue in which He offended the inundation varies greatly in differ them; a large stone upon which He ent parts, being 30 to 35 feet in and his disciples are said to have Upper Egypt ; near Cairo 24 feet ; and once dined ; the workshop of Joseph ; in the part of the Delta near the sea, a fountain to which the Virgin used only 4 feet : these heights are essen to repair to draw water ; and numer tial to the cultivation of the different ous other "Holy Places;" of which districts, and in general they are at the hill and the fountain are perhaps tained ; but when the river sometimes the only ones that have any proba either falls below or exceeds them, bility of being really what they are famine in the one case, and the asserted to be. destruction of towns and villages in Beside the Romish church, which the other, is the certain result. The is dedicated to the Annunciation, waters are always charged with a vast there are several others, as the Chris quantity of sediment, which gives tians, of various sects, form three- them a disagreeable colour ; they are or fourths of the population. dinarily of a whitish cast, but when the 68 NILE- — NO. inundation commences, they change, the governors of the provinces of first to a green, and then to a brown Media and Babylonia conspired against ish red, and are excessively turbid, yet him, and besieged him in Nineveh. they are at all times, except for a Rather than fall alive into their hands, month at the beginning of the rise, he destroyed himself and his trea particularly pleasant to the palate, sures, and the city also was burnt, whence we see the force of the threat (b.c. 717;) but his dominions being ening against Pharaoh, " The Egyp partitioned by the confederates, Ni tians shall loathe to drink of the water neveh was rebuilt, and became the of the river." (Exod. vii. 18.) capital of the Median state. About The Nile produces vast quanti one hundred years after, the city was ties of fish, which form a large part again besieged and taken by Nabopol- of the food of the inhabitants of its assar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar, banks; that this was also the case and then all the particulars of the formerly, we see in the regret ex fearful prophecy of Nahum, styled pressed by the Israelites in the desert, " the burden of Nineveh," were ful for the " fish which we did eat in filled to the letter: — " The horseman Egypt freely," (Numb. xi. 5 ;) and in lifteth up both the bright sword and the judgment upon Egypt for its the glittering spear; and there is a oppression of Israel, the fishers are multitude of slain, and a great number particularly mentioned. (Isai. xix. 8 of carcases .... there shall fire de — 10.) The "paper reeds" men vour thee, the sword shall cut thee off. " tioned in the same chapter, (ver. 7,) Some attempts to re-establish the are the papyrus, a tall rushy plant, city were afterwards made, as Roman from which a kind of paper was pre authors mention a city called Ninus, pared, for which Egypt was for many in the time of the Emperor Augustus ; ages celebrated ; but the plant is now and Arabian authors speak of a castle very rare, and is not applied to any of Ninivi, in the thirteenth century; useful purpose. . these, however, have all disappeared, Nin -b-veh, — 290 miles n.e. of for the Lord had said, " There is no Babylon, 220 miles n.w. of Bagdad ? healing of thy bruise, thy wound is (VIII.) one of the cities founded by grievous," (Nahum iii. 19 ;) and the Nimrod, or Asshur, (Gen. x. 11,) site of " Nineveh, that great city," which became the capital of the Assy (Jonah 12,) is now apparently a mere rians, and is described in the Book of track of hilly ground ; but these hills, Jonah as " an exceeding great city," wherever the outer covering of earth of three days' journey, (Jonah iii. 3,) is removed, are found to be piles of and spoken of by profane writers as brick-work, cemented with bitumen, equalling, if not exceeding, Babylon like the mounds of Babylon ; they ex in size and splendour, in the strength tend nearly ten miles along the river, of its fortifications, and in its com and almost as much inland, to the merce. It was situated on the eastern foot of a range of hills ; two of them bank of the river Tigris, most probably are covered by Koordish villages, one opposite the spot now occupied by the called Koyunjuk, and the other Nebbi modern town of Mosul. Its wicked Yuma, from a notion that its mosque ness occasioned the mission of the covers the tomb of the prophet Jonah. prophet Jonah, (b.c. 802,) which pro The only portion at all distinguishable duced a temporary reformation; but from the rest, is a space about four succeeding prophets speak of the miles long and two broad, surrounded Ninevites as proud and cruel, and by a deep moat and portions of a denounce fearful judgments against triple wall, from ten to fifteen feet them, which have long ago had their high, which travellers in general are full accomplishment. inclined to consider as the site of the The Assyrian monarch, Sardana- royal palace. palus. having provoked the enmity of No, or Am'-mon No, — 300 miles his subjects by his weakness and vices, s.e. of Memphis, (II.) a city of Upper NO PALESTINE. C!> Egypt, which hecame the capital of xxx. 17; Amos i. 5,) threatened with the Egyptian kings when driven from desolation ; and so fully has this been Memphis by the Shepherds. (1176 accomplished, that all that now re B.C. ?) By profane writers who call mains of the great city is a single it Thebes, or Diospolis, it is spoken of obelisk of granite, bearing the name as one of the largest and most splendid of Osirtasen I., the king supposed to of cities, and this is supported alike by have been the patron of Joseph. the vast extent of its ruins, and by O'-phel. See Jerusalem. the language of the inspired writers, O'-phir. See Appendix. who term it "populous No," and speak of it as equalling Nineveh. It Pa'-dan - A-'ram. See Mesopo is several times mentioned by the tamia. prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel in Pal'-es-tine, (IX.) This name, by the denunciations against Egypt, the prophet Isaiah, (xiv. 29,) is ap (Jerem. XLvi. ; Ezek. xxx. ;) and plied to the whole of the country once though Nebuchadnezzar, Cambyses, possessed by the Israelites, and this is the Romans, and the Saracens, have the sense in which it is now generally all exerted their powers against it, it used ; but in the writings of Moses still presents the remains of some of the it is limited to the sea-coast occupied most splendid edifices in the world. by the Philistines, the rest being The ruins of Thebes occupy the called Canaan. (Exod. xv. 14, 15.) whole valley of the Nile, on both sides The whole country is also styled in of the river, for an extent of nine the Bible the Land of Israel, (1 Sam. miles ; they consist of temples of vast xiii. 19,) or the Land of Promise, dimensions covered with sculpture, (Heb. xi. 9;) by the Romans it was obelisks, colossal statues, and ranges sometimes called Palestina, but more of tombs, the latter being chiefly usually Judea, and in the middle ages, hewn out of the rocks which form the as at present, it bore the name of western boundary of the valley. No Palestine, or the Holy Land. less than nine distinct villages or The first indication in the Scriptures towns are found scattered, with large of the extent of this country is in intervals between them, over the Genesis xv. 18, where the Lord, in space once occupied by the single renewing his covenant with Abram, city ; the principal bear the names of says, " Unto thy seed have I given ftfedinet Aboo, Luxor, and Karnac. this land from the river of Egypt Nod, Land op. See Appendix. unto the great river, the river Eu Noph. See Memphis. phrates;" and in Numbers xxxiv. the border is on all sides distinctly Ol'-ives, Mount op. See Jeru traced, whence it appears that (though salem. the Hebrews were only in possession On — Matariyeh, 10 miles n.e. of of so extended a territory during the Cairo, (IV.) a city of the Delta or reigns of David and Solomon,) the Lower Egypt, in the neighbourhood true boundaries of the Promised Land of the Land of Ooshen, of which were, the Great Sea, or Mediterranean, Potipherah, the father-in-law of on the west, the Euphrates' on the Joseph, was the priest, or prince. east, the western chain of Lebanon (Gen. xLi. 45.) With the heathens in on the north, and the desert tracts of after-ages, it was famed for its temple Eastern Egypt and Northern Arabia of the Sun, whence it had the name on the south. If the land only which of Heliopolis ; it was also a celebrated is capable of cultivation be considered, seat of "the wisdom of the Egyp the country thus limited lies between tians." (Acts vii. 22.) With the the 31st and 34th degrees of North prophets, it bears likewise the names latitude, and the 34th and 3Cth de of Aven, or Beth-Shemesh, both re grees of East longitude, having a ferring to its idolatries : it is in these length of 180 miles, with an average passages (Jerem. xr.iii. 13; Ezek. breadth of more than 60, and con- 70 PALESTINE. taining 11,000 square miles. David ticed in the Scriptures, as the Mount subdued many of the small Syrian of Beatitudes, near Tiberias, Mount states beyond Lebanon, and his do Tabor, and the Little Mount Hermon, minions have been estimated at 26,000 in the plain of Esdraelon; and also square miles, or about half the area of several small ranges, which have England; but these conquests were generally a direction east and west, soon lost, and the country returned and inclose the fertile vales and plains to its original boundaries, which inclose of Nazareth, Megiddo, Jezreel, Sa a space somewhat larger than Wales. maria, Mamre, and Sorek. The south The desert tracks reaching to the ern ranges form the " hill-country Euphrates on the east, and to the of Judea," which most travellers de river of Egypt and the head of the scribe as the very picture of desolation Red Sea on the south, are not in and sterility. These ranges on their cluded in either of these estimates, western face slope gradually into the as they were mere pasture-land at Plain of the Sea, or tract on the shore best, and were, in part at least, occu of the Mediterranean, — the land of pied by the enemies of the Israelites. the Philistines, — are well wooded, and Palestine is a mountainous, but not are even now the best cultivated part a barren country. It is described of the country ; but on the east, their by Moses as " a good land .... sides are precipitous and barren, and a land wherein thou shalt eat bread they overlook, in most places, a rocky without scarceness; thou shalt not plain, encumbered with pebbles, which lack anything in it," (Deut. viii. 7, 9;) stretches either to the valley of the but its mountains form its most cha Jordan or to the desolate shores of the racteristic feature, whence the numer Dead Sea. ous allusions of the inspired writers. Palestine, however, is very far from These mountains, which are princi being in any part a barren country : pally of limestone of a whitish or pale it is, as described by Moses, " a land of yellow colour, and abound in caverns, brooks of water," for almost every all belong to that vast chain which hill has its rivulet ; and as many of springing from the table-land of Asia the productions which the lawgiver Minor, runs southward through Syria enumerates, " vines, fig-trees, pome and Palestine, and terminates in the granates, and oil-olive," do not re desert of Sinai, on the shores of the quire a rich soil, the region which some Red Sea. As already stated, (see travellers have represented as little Lebanon,) one part of the chain better than a desert, is by the Oriental forms the boundary of the country regarded as more valuable than if it towards Syria, and terminates on the were occupied by corn-fields. Corn, coast, while the other runs southward, however, is produced in large quanti inclosing the river Jordan and the lake ties in some parts, especially in Gali of Gennesareth, and the Dead Sea. lee and beyond the Jordan ; and the Hills of moderate elevation, and natural fertility of the soil is shown clothed with trees, (principally oaks,) by the vast size which many vegetable run in the same direction through the productions attain. The ears of the eastern part of the country, the ancient Heshbon wheat are now found three districts of Bashan and Gilead. Oppo times the size of the English ones ; site Jericho they almost disappear, some travellers have seen clusters of leaving for some miles an open tract, grapes nearly twenty pounds in weight, supposed to be the Plains of Moab, and vine-stocks more than a foot in where the enumeration of the Israel diameter, while others speak of fruit- ites took place, (Numb, xxvi.;) but trees as large as oaks, and of sycamore- they rise into lofty and barren moun trees whose foliage would shelter thirty tains as they traverse Moab, on the persons with their horses and camels. eastern shore of the Dead Sea. On the The coast of Palestine, which com western side of Jordan, the country mences at the " river of Egypt." presents numerous single hills no (Wadi El-Arish.) stretches thence in PALESTINE. 71 a direction somewhat to the east of of Dor bears in classical geography north, for a distance of 220 miles, to a the name of Phoenicia, and it was point a little north of Tyre, where the never fully possessed by the Israelites, mountains of the western chain of who were not intended to be a mari Lebanon terminate on the sea-shore, time people. after having long run parallel to it a We learn from the Scriptures that few miles inland. In its southern part, Palestine was peopled by the descend the coast is low and sandy, and not ants of Canaan, (Gen. x.) who were distinguishable from that of Egypt; divided into numerous tribes. For but beyond the brook Besor, (Wadi their sins the country was taken from Gaza,) where commences the country them and transferred to the posterity of the Philistines, though still low, it of Abraham, (Gen. xv.) and of the is fertile wherever cultivated, and manner in which the land was divided abounds in ruins of ancient cities. among its new as well as its old pos Askelon, Joppa, Cesarea, Dor, stand sessors we have full accounts. These, here, but "their glory is departed." and the divisions of later times, which Beyond Cesarea, the coast rises ; and are often alluded to in the New Testa a few miles further it terminates in ment, may be briefly noticed here. the noble promontory of Carmel, one Proceeding inland from Tyre, we of the most striking objects in the observe, on referring to Maps III. V. Levant, or Eastern Mediterranean, and IX. the Sidonians and Perizzites, The shore then falls back, forming the the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Zebu- capacious hay of Acre, the only place lun, and Issachar, occupying the dis now deserving the name of a harbour trict afterwards called Galilee; — between Alexandria and Scanderoun, south of them, the Northern Hivites, in the extreme north of Syria. and the Western Manassites and The country from Acre to Tyre, a Ephraimites, in Samaria;— further distance of thirty miles, is a luxuriant south, the Jebusites, Southern Hitt- plain, but the shore is bold and rocky, ites, and Amorites, and the tribes of presenting numerous lofty white cliffs, Benjamin and Judah, towards the most of them bearing the ruins of Jordan and the Dead Sea ; and the fortifications and other buildings ; of Philistines, and the tribes of Dan and these cliffs two, now called Ras el- Simeon, on the coast ; all in the dis Nakhora, and Ras el-Beyad, are par trict of Judea, the southern part ticularly remarkable ; the first is the bearing also the name of Idumea. (See Ladder of Tyrus, mentioned in the EdomJ) — On the eastern side of the First Book of Maccabees (xi. 59,) and Jordan, the Eastern Manassites are the other has in all ages borne a name seen occupying the north-western part descriptive of its appearance, its pre of the Roman province of Arabia, sent as well as its ancient appellation once the kingdom of Og of Bashan : signifying the White Cape. On the — and in Perea, the Gadites and shore are seen, — first, Achzib ; then a Reubenites, the latter tribe bordering vast ruined castle called Scandalium, on Moab on the south, and the whole and attributed to Alexander the Great ; three possessing part of the lands of next, on a cape called Cape of the the Moabites and Ammonites, and Fountain, some cisterns named after touching on the Syrian desert, over Solomon, which supplied Tyre with which they exercised a right of pas water by means of an aqueduct ; and ture, and gradually spread themselves, then a small sandy peninsula contain in consequence of their conquest of ing Sour, the miserable representa the Hagarites and other wild tribes. tive of "the crowning city." A few (1 Chron. v. 18—22.) miles further to the north-east, a river The river Jordan, which has been now called Leittani falls into the sea already noticed, is the only consider on the southern side of the mountains, able stream in Palestine ; the others and here the coast of Palestine termi being mostly torrents in winter, and nates. The whole line of coast north nearly or quite dry in summer. The 72 PALESTINE. principal are, the Kishon, celebrated pressively hot, almost throughout the for the defeat of Sisera, (Judges iv. ) year, while in the mountains the cold of which falls into the bay of Acre ; the winter is severe. In the low country, brooks Kanah, Sorek, and Besor, however, the winter is chiefly charac which flow into the Mediterranean ; terized by abundant rains, which are the Jabbok (which divided the terri almost entirely confined to that season. tories of the Ammonites and the Moab- They are very copious, and attended ites,) falling into the Jordan, and the by thunder, lightning, and hail, which Arnon into the Dead Sea, on the are seldom seen in summer : hence eastern side; and the Kidron, or the impressiveness of the sign of Cedron, which flows through the thunder and rain in the wheat-harvest, valley of Jehoshaphat into the same which testified the displeasure of the sea on the west. Lord at the demand for a king that The chief productions of Palestine the Israelites had made. (1 Sam. xii. are still such as are named by Moses 17.) The rains, though they fall — wheat, barley, and honey, vines, almost without intermission, are dis figs, pomegranates, and olives; to tinguished as " the former and latter which may be added dates, oranges, rains," and their importance to agri lemons, melons, bananas, and nume culture appears from an expression in rous other fruits; and palms, mul the Book of Proverbs, where the berry-trees, pines, cypresses, valonea king's favour is described as " a cloud oaks, as well as sugar-canes, cotton, of the lattar rain." (xvi. 15.) hemp, tobacco, indigo, cochineal, rice, The seasons in Palestine are dis maize, millet, sesamum, and behar, a tinctly pointed out in Genesis viii. 22, tree producing a precious balsam. The in the Lord's gracious promise to absence of all security of property Noah and his descendants: " While the under the government of the Moham earth remaineth, seed-time and har medans prevents anything like careful vest, and cold and heat, and summer cultivation, but in spite of the neglect and winter, and day and night shall of ages, the land, wherever it is at not cease." Seed-time is the period all attended to, still repays most immediately following the hot season, amply the labour of the husbandman. and includes the months of October The general aspect of the country, and November : it is cloudy and however, is the same as that of the stormy. Next comes Whiter, with rest of the Turkish dominions. The rain and violent hail in the plains and towns are all small and desolate- frost and snow in the hills, and ex looking places, with narrow lanes for tending from the end of November to streets, and surrounded by a stone the end of January. From this to wall. Turkish mosques are found in the beginning of April, the weather all, and in many of them are Christian continues cold, though less rigorous churches or convents, frequently large than before, but toward the middle of strong stone buildings like fortresses ; March furious thunder-storms occur, in some there are Jewish synagogues. the cold disappears, the heat rapidly In the immediate neighbourhood of increases, and the barley-harvest com the towns, the country is often well mences in some places before the end cultivated, and vast quantities of fruit of the month. Next follows the Har are produced, and in the centre of the vest, extending from the beginning country is a large tract of corn-land, of April to the beginning of June, occupying the Great Plain of Scrip ushered in by the " latter rains," (so ture; but in general the districts at called from occurring at the comple a distance from the towns are utterly tion of the agriculturist's year,) but uncultivated. soon becoming dry and warm. The The climate of Palestine varies with Summer follows, comprehending the the surface of the country, more than months of June and July; the heat with the seasons. The plains both of is then great ; but it is much exceeded the desert and the sea-coast are op in the following months of August PALESTINE. 73 and September, the Hot Season, to them elsewhere being here per which is by far the most unpleasant formed by camels, mules, oxen, or and unhealthy part of the year, accom buffaloes. panied as it is by pernicious blasts of The population of Palestine is one wind from the desert, destructive alike of a very mixed character, and its to animal and vegetable nature, which amount is a point upon which little is remind the traveller of that affecting known. From the numbering of the image of human mortality employed people so fatally made by David, by the Psalmist, (ciii. 15, 16,) "As (2 Sam. xxiv. ) it has been inferred for man, his days are as grass : as a that at that time it amounted to flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 5,000,000, but in this number, per For the wind passeth over it, and it haps, the inhabitants of the conquests is gone." of that monarch are included. In Palestine is described by Moses, as modern times the country has usually u a land whose stones are iron, and been considered as a province of Syria, out of whose hills thou mayest dig and its population is not separately brass, [copper,]" (Deut. viii. 9;) and estimated ; buf, judging from the latest although the state of the country has documents on the subject, it seems for many ages prevented the mineral probable that Palestine may contain treasures of Lebanon from being dili 600,000 inhabitants, of whom 400,000 gently sought for, it is known that are Mohammedans, 170,000 Christians iron, lead, silver, and coal exist there, of various sects, and 30,000 Jews. and a copper mine also is mentioned. The Christians and Jews are found Most of the mountains of Palestine chiefly in the towns, exercising various are, as already stated, of limestone, trades, while the open country is oc but there are numerous traces of cupied by Arab herdsmen, who lead a volcanic action, particularly in the wandering life. That part of the rooks along the course of the Jordan mountains of Lebanon immediately and the Dead Sea, and there metallic north of Palestine is peopled by vari veins may be presumed to exist. ous sects of heretical Mohammedans, Some of the animals mentioned in (as the Druses and Mutualis,) who the Scriptures as inhabiting Palestine, are skilful cultivators, and who being are now no longer to be met with. usually armed, have in great measure Wolves and bears are found in Leba preserved themselves from the oppres non, but neither lions, leopards, nor sions which the Turkish governors hysenas : of the former existence of exercise in the towns and the low the lion we have numerous proofs, country. (Judges xiv. 8 ; 1 Kings xiii. 24,) and Of the history of Palestine, abound that of the other animals is justly ing as it does in matters of interest inferred from places bearing the He and importance superior to that of brew names of the leopard (nimir, any other country in the world, a very Nimrah,) and the hyaena (tsabua, brief summary is all that can be here Tseboim or Zeboim,) being mentioned. attempted. (Numb, xxxii. 3; 1 Sam. xiii. 18.) At the Divine command, Abram, In Lebanon also are seen a great the future father of the Hebrews, left variety of animals of the deer kind, the country near the foot of the chain and birds of prey are very numerous. of Taurus, (b.c. 1921,) and came into Cattle, sheep and goats are possessed the land of Canaan, — then possessed by the Arabs who now range at will by the idolatrous posterity of Ham, but over the greater part of Palestine, but promised to the patriarch and his probably not in anything like equal descendants. Here accordingly they number to the flocks and herds of the fixed their residence, but the advance patriarchs. The Jews were forbidden ment of Joseph, the great-grandson of to "multiply horses," (Deut. xvii. 16,) Abraham, caused the removal of the and they are still comparatively scarce, Israelites into Egypt, (b.c. 1706,) almost all the labour usually assigned where they were at first kindly treated ; D 74 PALESTINE. but when "a kin^ arose that knew seceded from the house of David, and not Joseph," nor the services he had under the conduct of Jeroboam esta rendered to his adopted country, they blished the Kingdom of Israel ; a state were reduced to a state of bondage, which having yielded to idolatry, was from which they were at length (b.c. torn by contending factions and civil 1491) delivered by Moses, the chosen wars, most of its rulers meeting violent instrument of the Lord, not only for deaths; it lay exposed to the attacks rescuing them from their oppressors, of the Syrians and the Assyrians, but for converting a great family of by which latter power it was first shepherds into a nation of warriors, rendered tributary, and next utterly and at length a highly cultivated com subverted, after a duration of some munity. Under his guidance they, what more than 250 years. (b.c. 976— after forty years' wandering in the 721.) The southern part formed the Desert, approached their promised in Kingdom of Judah; it endured 389 heritance, and under his successor years under nineteen kings, whose Joshua they subdued great part of it; hereditary succession was but in two but not fully executing the Divine instances disturbed. (2 Kings xi. ; commands respecting the idolaters, 2 Chron. xxxvi.) Both kings and they themselves fell into many of their people at times fell into the same sins sinful practices, and were punished by as the Israelites, but the Lord raised being grievously oppressed by the up a succession of prophets who re nations they had neglected to subdue. called them to a sense of their duty Upon their repentance the Lord raised to their Great Ruler ; and though up in succession numerous deliverers, exposed to occasional inroads from who under the name of Judges ruled the Egyptians, Edomites, and Assy the land they had served; but at length rians, and disturbed by conspiracies to the Israelites, objecting to the ill con which more than one of their kings fell duct of the sons of Samuel, though he victims, their state was comparatively himself "peaceably and religiously prosperous and happy. The destruc judged Israel," " gathered themselves tion of the kingdom of Israel added to together, and came to Samuel unto the strength of Judah, as numerous Ramah....and said, Make us a king to fugitives from the northern tribes judge us like all the nations ;" a de sought refuge among their brethren; mand which the Lord granted in anger, the land being but partially occupied saying to Samuel, " They have not re by the strange nations transplanted jected thee, but they have rejected me, thither, the Jewish kings in a measure that I should not reign over them." resumed their authority over it, and one Saul, a Benjamite, was accordingly of them, the pious Josiah, destroyed all appointed their first king, (b.c. 1095,) the idolatrous altars " in the cities of but no blessing rested upon the change ; Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, after a reign of warfare and blood, even unto Naphtali and cut down Saul perished in battle, and the new all the idols throughout all the land of kingdom was distracted by a civil war Israel." (2 Chron. xxxiv. 6,7.) But between his son Ishbosheth and David, the people of Judah, unwarned by the to whom it had been divinely given, fate of Israel, had fallen into a state which lasted six years and was only of sin from which the exertions of a terminated by the assassination, of the single pious king could not redeem son of Saul. The reign of David was them; ''and the Lord said, I will long and glorious, but after his sin it remove Judah also out of my sight, was embittered by the rebellion of as I have removed Israel, and will Absalom and the intrigues of Ado- cast off this city Jerusalem which I nijah ; and his successor Solomon fall have chosen, and the house of which ing into idolatry, the country was split I said, My name shall be there." into two hostile states upon his death. (2 Kings xxiii. 27.) (b.c. 976.) This denunciation shortly took The northern and eastern tribes effect: Josiah himself was slain in PALESTINE. battle; of his sons, one (Jehoahaz), Palestine, except a few of the cities after usurping the throne a few on the sea-coast. But their kingdom months, died a captive in Egypt, to was already on the decline : the reli which country his other son (Jehoia- gious differences between the sects of kim) became tributary ; and the state Pharisees and Sadducees led to poli existed but a few years longer, ruled tical convulsions; a civil war broke by three wicked princes, who having out between the brothers Hyrcanus II. been rendered tributary by Nebuchad and Aristobulus, and at length the nezzar, the king of Babylon, by their Romans interfered, captured Jerusa fruitless efforts to shake off the yoke lem, (b.c. 63,) plundered the country, brought about the utter desolation of and finally transferred its sovereignty their country. (b.c 587.) to Herod, an Idumean, (ac. 37,) who After a seventy years' captivity*, speedily procured the death of the the Jews were allowed to return to former competitors. Judea, (b.c. 536,) where they rebuilt Herod, though styled king, was their cities and the Temple, and were in reality scarcely more than the ruled by their high-priests in subordi viceroy of the Roman emperors, and nation, first to Persian, then to Syrian his affectation of foreign manners and governors, and were suffered to enjoy encouragement of idolatry rendered their religious rites without interup- him detested by his subjects. He tion, until about 168 n.c, when the founded or rebuilt numerous cities, attempts of Antiochus Epiphanes, but his adorning them with splendid king of Syria, to compel them to wor edifices for the celebration of the ship the gods of the heathen, drove Grecian games caused him to be them into rebellion. This movement looked upon as a Gentile in heart, was first headed by an aged priest, nor could he by rebuilding the Temple named Mattathias, and upon his death at Jerusalem reconcile the Jews to his by his sons Judas, Jonathan, and sway. Supported by foreign troops, Simon, and after a twenty-five years' his reign was one scene of bloodshed,' struggle terminated in restoring Judea and his cruelty was vented alike on to independence. (b.c. 142.) Its de the infants of Bethlehem (Matt. ii. liverers, who are known in history as 16,) and upon his own family. By the Maccabees, (from the appellation his will he shared his dominions Makabi, " the Hammerer," given to among three of his sons, of whom one Judas, the one of them most eminent (Archelaus)had much the largest share for his strength and courage,) became of territory, and bore the title of Eth- its rulers, the office of both high- narch, while his two brothers (Philip priest and supreme ruler being united and Antipas) were styled Tetrarchs, in Simon, whose grandson ( Aristo- — an arrangement which was suffered bulus) took the title of king. (b.c. 105.) to subsist for a while ; but at length The Maccabees, once established, Archelaus was deposed, and Judea diligently applied themselves to extend was formally annexed to the Roman and consolidate their possessions. empire, (a.d. fi,) being governed by Simon reduced several fortresses that procurators, whose cruelty and extor the Syrians yet held ; his son, John tions provoked frequent risings. The Jlyrcanus, destroyed Samaria, and other districts were left in the hands subdued the Idumeans, and made con of the sons of Herod, but in subordi quests in Moab. The next sove nation to the Roman commander in reigns in succession extended their Syria. After a time, through the per rule on all sides, so that in less than sonal favour of the Emperor Caligula, seventy years from their finally shak the whole of Herod's dominions were ing off the yoke of the Syrians, they bestowed, with the title of king, upon had become possessed of the whole of Herod Agrippa, one of his grandsons, * The captivity of the Jews is reckoned mentioned in the Acts as " Herod the to commence B.C. 606, when Jehoiakim was king," by whose command the Apostle rendered tributary by Nebuchadnezzar. James was put to death, and Peter 76 PALESTINE PARAN. imprisoned. He himself soon after Mohammedans have ever since re miserably perished, as related in mained in possession of the country, Acts xii., and was succeeded in his though it has frequently changed title and his dependent station by his hands among them. It has been for son Agrippa II., before whom and the last three hundred years (since the Roman governor (for the whole 1516) a province of the Turkish conduct of affairs rested with the empire, and is divided into several latter,) St. Paul made his defence at small governments, subordinate to the Cesarea. (Actsxxvi.) But these mo- pachas of Damascus and Acre, and it narchs had no power to shield their has been exposed to all the miseries countrymen from the oppression of that a succession of tyrannical gover their Roman rulers, and, after many nors, frequently at war among them less serious outbreaks, a regular war selves, could inflict. In the year 1832 commenced, (a.i>. 66,) which endured it was seized by Mehemet Ali, the four years, and then terminated in pacha of Egypt; but after retaining the events which had been foretold it for eight years, and provoking for alike by Moses (Deut. xxviii.) and midable rebellions by his extortions by Our Lord, (Matt. xxiv.) as the and tyranny, he was obliged to with punishment of " the rebellious house draw his troops early in the year 1841, of Israel," — the destruction of the after a short struggle with the army Temple and city of Jerusalem, and of his master the Sultan, and the naval the dispersion of their nation. forces of Great Britain and Austria. From this period the history of J Paph-la-go'-ni-a — part of Ana Palestine has no connection with the tolia, (XI.) a country of Asia Minor, Scriptures, except as exhibiting the on the shore of the Black Sea, lying to fulfilment of prophecy in the miseries the north of Galatia, and having Pon- which the Jews who have remained in tus and Bithynia east and west. It is it have in all ages endured, having traversed by two chains of mountains, been alike persecuted by every one of but contains fertile plains, and once its long succession of foreign masters. had many large cities. It formed a Whilst a province of the Roman em part of the empire of Mithridates, but pire it was repeatedly ravaged by the in the time of the Apostles was pos Persians, and was in the seventh cen sessed by the Romans, by whom it was tury conquered by the Saracens, who considered as a part of Galatia, and its erected a mosque upon the site of the inhabitants, in common with those of Temple of Solomon. The Saracen that province, are spoken of as simple, power was subverted by a fierce race superstitious, and uncultivated. of Tartars, called Turks, (a.d. 1076,) Pa'-phos — Baffb, 95 miles w. of and this event, as already noticed, (see Salamis, (XI.) a city of the island of Jerusalem,) led to an association of Cyprus, visited by St. Paul, who there the Christian princes, whose efforts converted the Roman governor, Ser- for the recovery and possession of the gius Paulus, and also struck with Holy Land extended over a period of blindness Elymas the sorcerer. (Acts two hundred years, (a.n. 1095— 1 291,) xiii.) Paphos was celebrated in an and are known in history by the cient times for its splendid temples name of the Crusades. Palestine was and its excellent harbour, but no traces once more conquered, and for a while of the former exist, and the harbour converted into a Christian kingdom. being partly filled up is now small The Mohammedans, however, under and unsafe. The modern town is an Saladin, broke up this state after it inconsiderable place, with two ruined had existed nearly ninety years, (a.d. castles ; but it has some trade inthe ex 1099 — 1 187,) though some portions of port of silk and cotton, which are raised it remained for more than one hundred abundantly in the neighbourhood. years longer in the hands of the Chris Pa'-ran, Wilderness op — El Tyh, tians. At length the Crusaders were (V.) the desert country on the south totally expelled, (a.d. 1291,) and the of Palestine, extending southward PARAN — -PERGAMOS. 77 towards the peninsula of Mount Sinai, bearing the name of St. John. The that mountain and Horeb being some monastery stands on the summit of a times called Mount Faran. (Dent. hill, in the side of which is a cave, xxxiii. 2; Habak. iii. 3.) It is spoken the reputed scene ofa the vision of the of by Moses, as " that great and ter Apostle. rible wilderness," (Deut. i. 19,) and Pe-ni'-el, or Pe-nu'-el,ch11 miles modern travellers describe it in the n.e. of Succoth ? (III.) a place on the same terms. It was the dwelling- river Jabbok, where Jacob wrestled place of Ishmael, (Glen. xxi. 21,) as with the angel, and where his name also the scene of the forty years' wan was changed from Jacob to Israel. dering of the Israelites, and in it (Gen. xxxii. ) Afterwards a city ex David sought refuge upon the death isted here, which was destroyed by of Samuel. (1 Sam. xxv. 1.) Gideon on account of its inhabitants Par'-thi-a — Khorasan and Irak, refusing refreshment to his army (VIII.) a country on the north of when pursuing the Midianites. (Judges Persia, near the Caspian Sea, inha viii. 8, 17.) It was in the territory bited by a Scythian tribe famed for of the tribe of Gad, not far from Ra- their skill in archery and horseman moth-Gilead, and having been rebuilt, ship, but described by the Romans as was fortified by Jeroboam, (1 Kings cruel and treacherous. Parthia, after xii. 25,) as one of his frontier cities. forming a province of the Assyrian X Pe-r*'-a — part of the pachalic of and Persian empires, became an in Damascus, (IX.) This is properly dependent kingdom, (256 B.c.,) which the name only of the country east of gradually increased in power, and in Jordan, between the rivers Jabbok the time of the Apostles was a for and Anion, once possessed by the midable rival of the Romans, its rule Moabites; but by Joseph us and the extending over the greater part of Greek geographers the term is often Asia ; but it was afterwards broken up extended to the whole of the territory by the Persians, (a.d. 226.) Parthians beyond Jordan, or the land of the are mentioned among the other na tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad, tions resorting to Jerusalem at the under which heads it will be found feast of Pentecost. (Acts ii. 9.) described. In the time of Our Lord, Pat'-a-ra — Patara, CO miles e. of the smaller district was ruled, with Rhodes, (XI.) a sea-port of Lycia, the title of tetrarch, by Antipas, one where St. Paul embarked for Tyre of the sons of Herod the Great, the upon his return to Jerusalem from rest of Persea, in its extended sense, Macedonia. (Acts xxi. 1.) It retains belonging to Philip the Tetrarch, its ancient name; but only a few mentioned by St. Luke. fragments remain of its stately build Per'-ga — Kara-hisar, 12 miles e. ings, and its harbour is choked up of Attalia ? (XI.) the capital of Pam- with sand. phylia, near the sea-coast, twice Pat'-mos — Patino, 40 miles w. of visited by St. Paul. (Acts xiii. 13 ; Miletus, (XI.) a small island of the xiv. 25.) It had a very celebrated jEgean Sea, where St. John wrote temple of Diana, and was a place his Revelation, (Rev. i. 9,) having of great importance : it has still a been banished there by the Roman theatre of large size, several temples, emperor Domitian, "for the word of and other remains of antiquity. God, and for the testimony of Jesus Per'-ga-mos— Bergamo, 50 miles Christ." n. of Smyrna, 40 n.e. of Sardis, (XI.) Patino is one mass of rock, of a a city of Mysia, one of the Seven lofty conical form, about 15 miles Churches of the Apocalypse. It was in circumference, barren and desolate, long the capital of a small kingdom but with several good harbours. Its of the same name, and was renowned inhabitants, about 2000 in number, for the library that its kings collected. are all Greeks, and in the only town In the time of the Apostles it was the of the island is a church and monastery capital of the Roman province of 78 PERGAMOS PERSIA. Asia, and is even now a considerable typified in the prophecy of Daniel by town. The remains of its theatres, the silver part of the image in Nebu temples, and amphitheatres, are still chadnezzar's dream, (ii. 32, 39,) as is very considerable and of great beauty, its own overthrow by Alexander the and the houses of the modern inha Great under the symbol of the contest bitants are in many instances almost of the ram and the goat. (viii. 7.) It entirely constructed of sculptured was a very great empire, extending, as marbles from the ruins. It is one of we learn from Scripture, as well as the Churches which still preserves a from profane writers, "from India Christian community, but the chief even unto Ethiopia." (Esth. i. 1.) part of the population are Moham The Jews were among its subjects, as medans. were also the Phoenicians, and were Per'-iz-zites, (III.) an idolatrous very mildly treated; but the Egyp tribe, situated in the northern part of tians, who had fallen under its yoke the Promised Land at the time of its with the other conquests of Nebu conquest under Joshua. (Josh. xvii. chadnezzar, bore its rule very impa 1 5. ) Their name signifies wanderers, tiently ; and the fruitless attempts of and from a passage in the history of Xerxes and other of its monarchs to Abraham (Gen. xii. 6 ; xiii. 7,) it has conquer Greece form one of the most been inferred that they did not settle interesting portions of ancient history. in Canaan until after the other nations. For nearly two centuries the arms or They were, however, equally with the gold of the Persians kept Greece them, devoted to destruction, (Deut. in ceaseless commotion, but the won xx. 17,) but a remnant of them ex derful exploit known as the Retreat isted in the time of Solomon, (2 Chron. of the Ten Thousand, (i).c. 404,)having viii. 7,) and perhaps in the days of revealed the weakness of the empire, Ezra. (ix. 1.) Philip of Macedon, who had gained Per-sep'-o-lis— Tchil Minar, 240 the supremacy in Greece, determined miles s.e. of Shushan, (VIII.) an to retaliate; he was assassinated in ancient city of Persia, which though the midst of his preparations, but his regarded from very early times as son and successor, Alexander, more the capital of the country, seems not than fulfilled all his expectations. to have been the royal residence, Passing into Asia, with 30,000 foot but rather the burial-place of the and 3000 horse, (b.c. 334,) he defeated kings, and a "treasure city." Hence the Persians in three great battles; it is not mentioned in the Bible, their king (Darius Codomannus) was but in the Second Book of Macca assassinated, and the whole empire bees (ix. 1, 2,) we read of an un fell into the hands of Alexander, after successful attempt to rifle its trea whose death (b.c. 323) it was por sures made by Antiochus Epiphanes, tioned out into kingdoms by his king of Syria, the great oppressor of generals. the Jews. The palace was burnt by From one of these kingdoms, that Alexander, in revenge for the Grecian of Syria, a tribe to the north of temples destroyed two hundred years Persia, the Parthians, revolted b.c. before by the Persians ; its remains 256, and formed a kingdom which in occupy a rocky platform, 1800 feet cluded Persia, and subsisted till a.d. long and 1200 wide, in front of a hill, 226, when the native Persians became and surrounded by a low wall of stone ; independent, and under successive they consist of numerous tall and monarchs pushed their conquests in slender marble columns, several flights every direction, being formidable and of steps, and two highly ornamented often successful rivals to the declining gateways covered with sculptures, but Roman empire. Palestine and Syria not one entire building is found. were repeatedly overrun by these Per' -si-a, (VIII.) an empire of Asia princes, but at length the last of their which arose from the destruction of dynasty, called the Sassanides, was the Babylonian, (b.c. 538;) an event defeated and killed by the Saracens, PERSIA- PHOENICIA. 70 (a.d. 637,) and Persia has been ever thirteenth century by the Turks, since a Mohammedan state. The maintained by arms its independence ancient religion of the Persians was for more than eighty years, and at the worship of fire, and this form of length surrendered on honourable and idolatry is even now not quite extinct. advantageous terms. Its modern The modern kingdom of Persia, name, signifying the City of God, was which has greatly sunk in importance bestowed upon it by the Turks, and is of late years, in consequence of civil a proof of the estimation that it en wars, and has been curtailed in its joyed even with its enemies. boundaries by the conquests of Russia, Phil'-ip-pi — Filibah, 25 miles n.e. may be described as a succession of of Amphipolis, (XI.) a city of Thrace salt and sandy plains, extending from conquered by the Macedonians, but the Indian Ocean on the south to the in the time of the Apostles a Roman mountains of Elborooz and Hindoo colony. In it Paul and Silas were Koosh (a continuation of the chain of barbarously used, but the Apostle Taurus) on the north, and from the had founded a Christian church, and Persian Gulf and the mountains of the gaoler to whose care he was com Louristan (east of the river Tigris) on mitted became one of his converts. the west to the wild regions known as (Acts xvi.) To this church one of Cabool and Baloochistaun on the east. St. Paul's Epistles is addressed. Its climate is hot, its soil fertile only Phi-lis' -tines, (III.) a people de in the immediate neighbourhood of scended from Mizraim, (Gen. x. 14,) water, and its few towns generally in who having expelled the Avim settled a ruined state. The inhabitants are in their place in the south-western esteemed witty, polite, and ingenious, part of Canaan. Their country was but deceitful and licentious; their assigned to the tribe of Judah, (Josh, number is estimated at 9,000,000, but xv.) but was not conquered by them ; this includes many wandering tribes it extended from Gaza to Jabneh, who move at will over the plains, and and was divided into five lordships pay but very limited obedience to the named after the principal cities, Ash- commands of the king. dod, Askelon, Ekron, Gath, and Pe'-thor. See Appendix. Gaza. They were a warlike and a Phe-ni'-ce — Sphakia, 55 miles n. w. commercial people, and heavily op of Fair Havens, 25 n.w. of Clauda ? pressed the Israelites in the early (XI.) a harbour of Crete, in which ages of their commonwealth, captur it was proposed that the ship should ing the ark, and slaying Saul; but winter on St. Paul's voyage to Rome. they were repeatedly defeated by (Acts xxvii. 12.) It had its name David, and in after-times Uzziah, king from its having been settled by the of Judah, took most of their principal Phoenicians. cities. (2 Chron. xxvi. 6.) Like the Phi-la-del'-phi-a — Allah Shehr, rest of the people of Palestine they 35 miles s.e. of Sardis, 50 n.w. of were in succession conquered by the Laodicea, (XI.) one of the Seven Babylonians, the Egyptians, and the Churches of Asia, situated in the pro Persians, and they have long ceased vince of Lydia, the bishop of which is to exist as a nation, thus fulfilling the commended for his diligence and prophecy, " The remnant of the Phi patience, and encouraged by most listines shall perish, saith the Lord graciouspromises of Divine protection. God." (Amos i. 8.) (Rev. iii. 8 — 13.) These promises Phoj-ni'-ci-a, or Phe-ni'-ce — part of have been signally fulfilled. It is the pachalics of A ere and Tripoli, (IX.) still a large town with a considerable the portion of the sea-coast of Pales Christian population, has been exempt tine and Syria, extending from Dor, from many of the calamities by which south of Mount Carmel, to Aradus, the neighbouring cities have been (Arvad,) 55 miles n. of Gebal. The overwhelmed, and upon the occasion southern part of this territory was as of the conquest of the country in the signed to the Israelites, but they did 80 PHCENICIA PIBESETH. not obtain possession of it; on the proverb. The country, which is a contrary, they lived on friendly terms high and fertile table-land in the north, with the inhabitants, (1 Kings vii. 13; but low and marshy in the west and ix. 11, 12,) and carried on a commer south, was once the seat of a monarchy, cial intercourse with them. (Ezek. but this was conquered by Cyrus, and xxvii. 17.) The northern part, from it afterwards formed a province of its bordering upon Syria, bore the Persia, and of the kingdoms of Syria name of Sy'-ro-Phoj-ni'-ci-a : of this and Fergamos; at the time of the district was the woman whose faith Apostles it belonged to the Romans, and humility procured the healing of by whom it was divided into two pro her daughter at the hands of Our vinces, one of which, termed Phrygia Lord. (Mark vii. 26.) Pacatiana, is mentioned in the super The Phoenicians were the most re scription of St. Paul's First Epistle to nowned navigators and manufacturers Timothy. Phrygia contained nume of antiquity ; they founded numerous rous large cities, in several of which colonies, and are believed to have Christian churches were early planted, visited India on the one hand and as at Colosse, Hierapolis, and Lao- Britain on the other. Of their cities, dicea. which were very numerous, Accho, Phut, (I.) one of the sons of Ham, Tyre and Sidon, are repeatedly men (Gen. x. 6,) by whose descendants tioned in the Scriptures. Each city the north-western parts of Africa, is believed to have been an indepen called Numidia and Mauritania by dent state, generally ruled by a king, the classical writers, were peopled. but the whole were united in a kind They are mentioned by the prophet of commercial league, of which Sidon Nahum (iii. 9) as the allies of the was once the head, but was supplanted Egyptians. Their shores were occu by Tyre. Heavy judgments are de pied by Phoenician or Greek colonies, nounced by the prophets against the and the nation furnished numerous idolatry of these cities, which was auxiliary or mercenary troops to the frequently a stumbling-block to the army of Carthage. Upon the fall of Israelites, as well as against their that republic the country was formed pride, cruelty, and luxury, and these into Roman provinces, which remained threatenings received their fulfilment attached to the Eastern empire until from the ravages of the Assyrians and wrested from it by the Vandals in the Babylonians, at the time of the sub fifth and the Saracens in the seventh version of the Jewish kingdoms, and century of the Christian era. During in the case of Tyre also from the this period numerous Christian Greeks under Alexander. See Pa churches had been founded here, but lestine; Sidon; Tyre. they have now almost entirely disap Through the favour of the Romans, peared, as well as the arts and com several of the Phoenician cities were merce, the country being in the hands bestowed upon Herod and his family, of the Mohammedans, and divided and in the time of the Apostles there into several states which until very were Christian congregations in most recently were nothing better than of them. (Acts xxi. 4, 7; xxvii. 3.) nests of pirates. They have, how Their present state may be seen under ever, received such severe chastise their respective heads. ment of late from European powers Phryg'-i-a — part of Anatolia and that they have in a great measure Karamania, (XI.) a large country in relinquished their atrocious practices. the central part of Asia Minor, lying Pib-'e-seth— Tel Basta, 30 miles n. to the south of Galatia and north of of Aven, (IV.) a city of Lower Egypt, Pisidia, with Lycaonia on the east, whose destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and Caria and Lydia on the west. was foretold by the prophet Ezekiel. Its inhabitants, who were of Thracian (xxx. 17.) Under the name of Bu- origin, are described by ancient writers bostis, it is celebrated among profane as superstitious and effeminate to a writers for its magnificent temples, to PIBESETH RABBATH MOAB. HI which, at certain times of the year, though Mohammedans have been its almost the whole population of the rulers for the last 500 years, the Gospel country is said to have resorted. there has still numerous followers. Pi-ha-hV-roth, □ 12 miles s.e. Ptol-e-ma'-is. See Accho. of Etham ? (IV.) one of the encamp, Pu-te'-o-li— Pozzuoli, 200 miles ments of the Israelites immediately n.w. of Rhegium, 116 s.e. of Rome, before their passage of the Red Sea. (XI.) a town of Italy, on the bay of (Exod. xiv. 2.) The name signifies Naples, where St. Paul landed on his "the mouth of the valley, or pass," last journey to Rome. (Actsxxviii. 13.) and it is believed to apply to a narrow Finding there a Christian church, strip of land at the bead of the Gulf the Apostle abode with them seven of Suez, hemmed in by the mountains days, and then departed for Rome. of Attaka (which run from the shore Puteoli was founded by the Greeks, of the Gulf to the bank of the Nile but became a Roman colony, and was near Cairo) on the west, and the sea famous for its mineral springs. It on the east. has still numerous remains of temples Pi-sid'-i-a — part of Anatolia, (XI.) and baths, but is now an inconsider a small country in the southern part able town, and is only remarkable for of Asia Minor, lying between Phrygia its insalubrity. and Pamphylia north and south, and Lycaonia and Phrygia east and west. Quicksands, The— in the Gulfs It is a rough mountainous country, of Sart or Sidra and Cabes, (XI.) whose inhabitants were conquered by The great hollow in the African coast the Turks after having maintained of the Mediterranean to the west of their independence against the Per Egypt, between Cyrene and Tunis, is sians, the Greeks, and even the Ro in many parts encumbered by rocks mans, though the last gave the title and shoals to a degree which renders of colony to Antioch of Fisidia, almost it exceedingly dangerous, even in mo its only city. This latter place was dern days, and it was scrupulously visited by St. Paul and Barnabas. avoided by the ancient navigators. (Acts xiii.) These rocks and shoals it was, that Pi-'thom, □ 55 miles n.e. of Ra- the mariners of St. Paul's ship feared meses ? (IV.) one of the " treasure- to encounter. (Acts xxvii. 17.) cities" of Lower Egypt, built by the Israelites for Pharaoh. (Exod. i. 11.) Rab'-bah, or Rab'-bath Am'-mon Pon-'tus — part of Asia Minor, — Amman, 18 miles s.e. of Ramoth- (XI.) a large country on the southern Gilead, 54 n.e. of Jerusalem, (V.) shore of the Black Sea, to the north of the capital city of the Ammonites, Cappadocia, and the east of Paphla- taken by David, (2 Sam. xii.) but gonia and Galatia. It was long the recovered by its original inhabitants. seat of a kingdom, and at one time its After the destruction of Jerusalem, it influence was very great in Asia, Mith- was ravaged by Nebuchadnezzar, ridates, one of its sovereigns, being (Jerem. xLix. 2 ;) and though rebuilt a formidable rival of the Romans. by one of the Greek kings of Egypt, Upon his death (b.c. 63,) it came and from him named Philadelphia, is under Roman influence, but was not now what it was prophesied it should reduced to the form of a province until be, "a desolate heap." Its ruins lie several years after. The western part in a small valley between barren hills, of the country was fertile, and its and consist of only the foundations of people civilized, but the eastern part private dwellings, none of the temples was barren, and inhabited only by and other public edifices, for which the barbarous tribes. Christianity was Greek city was celebrated, existing. early established in this country, as It was at the siege of this place, the strangers scattered through Pontus under Joab, that Uriah the Hittite was are among the people addressed by St. treacherously slain. (2 Sam. xi. 17.) Peter in his First Epistle, (i. 1 ;) and RaF-bath Mo'-ab— ifaiio, 10 miles d3 82 RABBATH MOAB RED SEA. s. of Aroer, (V.) the capital city of travellers to occupy the same spot as the Moabites, stood on a small stream the pillar set up by Jacob. called the Stream of the Brooks — Ra-me'-ses, or Ra-am'-ses, n 5 Wadi JJeni Hammad, a few miles miles n.e. of On, 55 s.w. of Pithom ? south of the river Arnon. It was (IV.) one of the "treasure cities," divided into two parts by the stream, built by the Israelites while in bond and appears, as well from Scripture as age in Egypt, (Exod. i. 11,) and from from its remains, to have been a which they took their departure on strong and stately city. It was de their journey towards Canaan. (Exod. stroyed by Sihonthe Amorite, (Numb. xii. 37.) It was situated in the Land xxi. 26,) and again by the Assyrians, of Goshen, which is thence styled the (Isai. xv. 1 ; Jer. xLviii.) but existed Land of Rameses. (Gen. xivii. 11.) as a large city, under the Grecized Its site is supposed to have been near name of Areopolis, (it is termed Ar, a large pool called Birket el-Hadj, or Ariel, by Moses and Isaiah,) in (the Pilgrims' Pool,) 14 miles N.w. of the fourth century after the birth of Cairo, where the pilgrims from Egypt Our Lord; it is said then to have to Mecca assemble at the present been overthrown by an earthquake. day. Of its remains, the most striking is a Ra'-moth-Gil'-e-ad — Ramya, 9 vast theatre, the largest in Syria, miles s. of Mahanaim, 28 n. of Hesh- hewn out of the rock on one side of bon, 44 s.e. of Jezreel, (V.) a city of the stream, while on the other side is refuge, and Levitical city, in the the interior wall of a temple, adorned Land of Gilead, and in the tribe of with sculpture, and in front the shafts Gad. (Josh. xx. 8 ; xxi. 38.) It fell of several columns of large dimen into the hands of the Syrians in the sions. There are also the remain) time of Ahab, and, in endeavouring of a colonnade of Corinthian architec to recover it, he was slain. (1 Kings ture, the columns of which are quite xxii.) His son Joram, however, was perfect and remarkably beautiful, and possessed of it, and held it against numerous other buildings, whose cha Hazael, king of Syria, but being racter and purposes have not been wounded, was obliged to retire to his very distinctly ascertained. palace at Jezreel. In his absence, Ra'-hab, (IV.) a name signifying Jehu, one of the captains of the host pride or strength, given in the Psalms at Ramoth, was anointed king by (lxxxvii. 4; lxxxix. 10,) and by the a prophet, and commissioned to extir prophet Isaiah (lL 9,) to Egypt ; it pate the idolatrous house of Ahab. it seems to have been applied more (2 Kings ix., x.) After this period, particularly to the district called by Ramoth-Gilead (sometimes called Ra- the Greeks the Delta. See Egypt. moth-Mizpeh) is no more mentioned Ra'-mah — Soba, 7 miles n. of Jeru in the Scriptures, and its history salem? (VII.) a city in the moun cannot be satisfactorily traced. The tains of Ephraim, where the prophet modern town contains nothing remark Samuel resided, (1 Sam. vii. 17,) and able. in the Naioth (or college of prophets) Red Sea, (IV.) a vast gulf of the of which he sheltered David from the Indian Ocean, which forms a part of pursuit of SauL (1 Sam. xix. 18, 19.) the boundary between Asia and Africa, This place has often been confounded and is repeatedly mentioned in the with the Arimathea of the New Tes Scriptures, it having been the scene tament. See Arimathea. of the miraculous passage of the Another Ra'-mah, where Rachel Israelites and the destruction of their was buried, (Gen. xxxv. 20,) lies Egyptian pursuers. (Exod. xiv.) It near the former; it is now called is entered on the south from the In Er-Ram, and what is believed to be dian Ocean by a strait which bears Rachel's tomb is still shown. This the name of Bab el-Mandeb, (the is a small square stone building with Gate of Tears,) and runs in a north a dome, and it is thought by most westerly direction for about 1400 RED SEA REPHIDIM. 83 miles between Arabia on the east After being for ages neglected, the and Ethiopia and Egypt on the west, Red Sea has of late years been again having an average breadth of 140 resorted to, and is now navigated by miles, and flanked at a short distance steam-vessels as furnishing a mode of from each shore by chains of moun speedy communication with India. tains, from 3000 to 6000 feet nigh. Re'-hob, CD 8 miles e. of Aphek ? At length it divides into two arms, (V.) a Levitical city in the territory which run north-west and north-east, of the tribe of Asher. (Josh. xxi. 31.) and inclose the rocky peninsular tract It lay among the mountains near now called Jebel Mousa by the Arabs, Mount Hermon, and probably was but by Europeans the Peninsula of soon lost by the Israelites, as in the Sinai, where occurred many of the reign of David we read of a Syrian wonderful events recorded by Moses ; state in this quarter called Beth- as the giving of the Law. (Exod. Rehob. See Aram. xix. &c) The eastern arm, called the Re-ho'-both, O 50 miles s. of Ni Sea of Akabah, is 15 miles in breadth neveh ? (II.) one of the cities founded and 100 in length, and terminates at by Asshur, or perhaps by Nimrod. the spot where once stood the ports (Gen. x. 11.) It was probably a place of Elath and Ezion-Geber, the sta of great importance, as it is empha tion of the trading-fleets of Solomon ; tically styled "the city Rehoboth," the western arm, with a width of 20 but all memorial of it has perished. miles, has a length of 180, and now The only attempt at identifying it, is terminates at the town of Suez, — near with Birtha, a city on the western which (the channel there being about bank of the Tigris, and this only de two-thirds of a mile wide,) it is pends upon the two words Birtha and presumed the passage of the sea by Rehoboth having the same meaning, the Israelites took place, — though "streets." Birtha existed in the the gulf evidently once extended much fourth century of the Christian era, further northward. but has now long disappeared, and From the time of Solomon at least nothing remarkable is recorded of it (b.c. 1016—976,) to the sixteenth in history. century of the Christian era, the Red Reph -a-JM8, (III.) a tribe of the Sea was the great channel for the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, of commerce of Europe and Western gigantic stature, defeated by Che- Asia with the remote countries of the dorlaomer. (Gen. xiv. 5.) They pos East; but at the last-mentioned sessed the country about Bashan, and period, the discovery of the passage to Og, king of that district, is said to India round the Cape of Good Hope have been of their race. They were caused it to be in a great measure driven out by the Girgashites, and forsaken ; its navigation, however, perhaps retired to the southward, as has in all ages been difficult and a place near Jerusalem long bore the dangerous, in consequence of its want name of the valley of Rephaim, (Isai. of secure harbours, the prevalence of xvii. 5,) (X.) but they seem to have strong winds which blow almost with been extinct before the conquest of out intermission, and the reefs of Canaan by the Israelites. coral by which its shores are lined; Reph'-i-dim, □ 25 miles n.w. of these indeed are so abundant, and of Mount Sinai? (IV.) one of the sta a bright red colour, that it has been tions of the Israelites in the wilder supposed that the sea received its mo ness, where they were miraculously dern appellation from that circum supplied with water from the rock, stance; but this is erroneous: it is (Exod. xvii.) and where also the Ama- only a translation of Edom, the name lekites attacked them, but were de of a country on its shores, and clas feated. The true situation of Rephi- sical authors accordingly call it the dim is very uncertain ; but the rock Sea of Idumea, or Edom ; its Hebrew from which the water flowed is still name is Yam Suph, the Sea of Weeds. pointed out by the tradition of the 84 REPHIDIM RHODES. monks of the convent of Mount Sinai : thia, mentioned in the apocryphal it is a block of granite about twelve Book of Tobit. (i. 14.) Under the feet high, with several deep furrows name of Arsacia, it was the capital of from one to three feet long, from the Parthian monarchy, about the which it is asserted the water flowed. time of Our Lord : it is now a mere Re -sen, □ 20 miles s. a. of Nine village. veh, 20 n.w. of Calah? (II.) Rhe'-gi-um — Reggio, 75 miles n.e. one of the cities founded by Asshur, of Syracuse, 200 s.e. of Puteoli, or more properly by Nimrod, (Gen. (XL) a town of Italy, on the Straits x. 12,) described by the sacred his of Messina, opposite Sicily, visited by torian as " a great city." Like the St. Paul on his voyage from Melita other cities in this quarter, however, to Rome. (Acts xxviii. 13.) it has utterly perished, and nothing is Rhegium was founded by a colony known of its history. Some authors of Greeks in a very early age, and was have endeavoured to identify it with long an independent state. At length Larissa, described by a Greek histo it was united to Rome, and it was one rian (Xenophon) as a very large but of the last places held in Italy by the ruined city, near the above spot, Eastern emperors. In the eighth about 400 b.c, but their arguments century it was captured by the Sara are by no means conclusive. cens from Sicily, and held by them Re'-seph— Resapha, 52 miles n.w. until the eleventh, when it was con of Tiphsah, (VI.) a city in the country quered by the Normans, and it has near Euphrates, included in the num ever since formed a part of the king ber of those that Sennacherib boasted dom of Naples. In the sixteenth of overthrowing. (2 Kings xix. 12.) century it was three times captured It would appear to have been once an and burnt by the Turks, and in 1783 independent state, and it is thought it was totally destroyed by an earth to be the same as the Resapha of quake. It has been since rebuilt, the Greeks, a considerable city in the and is now the neatest and most com time of the Seleucidre; but this is mercial town in the south of Italy, doubtful. having a population of 20,000 inha Reu'-ben, (V.) The descendants bitants. of Reuben, the eldest son of the patri Rhodes — Rhodes, 50 miles s.K. arch Jacob, had a possession granted of Coos, 00 w. of Patara, (XI.) a to them on the eastern side of the beautiful, fertile, and healthy island Jordan, extending along the shore of of the Levant, on the coast of Caria, the Dead Sea, as far south as the once one of the most celebrated mari river Arnon, and thus including Mount time states of antiquity, and famed for Nebo and the northern part of the its vast brazen statue in honour of mountains of Abarim. (Numb, xxxii. the Sun, called the Colossus. It is 33.) They had the Gadites on the about 40 miles in length, by 18 in north, and on the east the Ammon breadth, with a circumference of 1301; ites. Their country, from which its inhabitants, who are chiefly Greeks, they drove the Amorites, was a very are about 20,000 in number, and they fertile district, and contained among are still esteemed good sailors and others, the cities of Heshbon, Ele- shipwrights. alah, Aroer, Dibon, and Kirjathaim. Rhodes is believed to have been The territory of Reuben formed a originally peopled by the Phoenicians, part of the kingdom of Israel, and its but it was afterwards a Greek re inhabitants were carried into cap public, which was allowed to retain its tivity some time before the final break nominal independence until near the ing up of that state. (IChron. v. 26.) close of the first century of the Chris See Moabites. tian era ; this, therefore, was its con Rha'-ges, or Ra'-ges — Veramin, dition when visited by the Apostle 190 miles n.e. of Hamadan ? (VIIL.) Paul. (Acts xxi.) It afterwards was a city of Media, on the border of Far- several times won and lost between RHODES ROME. 85 the Greeks and the Mohammedans, tract in Central Italy which, from and at length about the end of the being ruled by the Pope, bears the thirteenth century it was the seat of name of the States of the Church, an independent piratical state formed and has an area of 14,000 square miles by the junction of several bands of and a population of 2,600,000 persons. Christian and Moslem corsairs. From The city stands on both banks of the them it was captured in 1310 by the river Tiber, about twenty miles from Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, the sea, but occupies only a small and remained the chief possession of portion of the site of ancient Rome, that order for more than two hundred having decayed almost as much in years, their sway extending over Cos extent as in political importance. It and several of the adjacent islands, as still, however, contains many splendid well as to some places on the main remains of antiquity, as well as a land. At length, after repulsing modern church (St. Peter's) which several furious assaults of the Moham has been pronounced the noblest medans, it was obliged to capitulate Christian temple in the world. The Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by Italy was distracted, obtained the " brimstone and fire from the Lord sovereignty of the city and a small out of heaven," (Gen. xix. 24 ;) and surrounding district, which they took the East Sea, from its position with every opportunity to enlarge. They regard to Jerusalem. (Ezek. xlvu. also profited by the darkness of the 18.) With the classical writers, it times (a.d. 590—1214) to put for had the name of Lacus Asphaltites, ward claims founded upon perversions from the asphaltum or bitumen found of Scripture, which were for a while upon its shores ; and in modern days, submitted to, and which rendered it bears with Europeans the appella them in effect the masters of Chris tion of the Dead Sea, from its usually tendom ; but at length the glorious calm and unruffled surface, and the era of the Reformation (a.d. 1517) dreary aspect of its shores. The lake arrived, when both the spiritual and is inclosed on each side by lofty moun the temporal power of the Popes were tains, with scarcely a tree or a blade disputed, and at the present day the of grass, and consequently both ani Pope is merely the ruler of a petty mals and birds of every kind are ex state utterly destitute of all political ceedingly rare in its neighbourhood, importance, and only existing in con which gives an air of deathlike still sequence of the mutual jealousies of ness to the region. its neighbours, By the Jewish historian, Josephus, the Dead Sea is stated to be 72 miles Sal'-a-mis — Costanza, 95 miles e. in length and 19 in breadth; but it of Paphos, (XI.) a city in the isle of seems now to have a much less extent, Cyprus, where St. Paul first preached having of late years been accurately on his visit to that island. (Acts xiii, surveyed, and found to be but 45 5.) It was in consequence, in after- miles from north to south, and 11 days, made the chief ecclesiastical see ; miles from east to west, at its widest but having been repeatedly destroyed part. There is, however, a sandy by war or by earthquakes, the honour valley, the bed of a winter-torrent, has been removed to a neighbouring which extends 3ome miles further town of more recent origin, Nicosia. south, and may once have formed a It is now a very inconsiderable place. part of the lake ; it was at one time Sal'-chah, CD 10 miles s. of Edrei, viewed as a continuation of the bed of (VII.) one of the cities of the Amor- the Jordan, but this has been satis ites, in Bashan, of which it appears factorily disproved, as the valley slopes to have been a frontier town. (Josh, towards the river. It is now termed xiii. 11.) In the partition of the El GJuir, (a name also given to the land, it fell to the lot of the Eastern Valley of the Jordan, ) and is supposed to Manassites. (Josh. xiii. 31.) be the Valley of Salt, where the Edom- S a'-lem, (III.) The name borne in ites were more than once defeated by the days of the patriarchs, (Gen. xiv. • This Arabic term signifies the Sea of Lot. SALT SEA SAMOTHRACE. 87 the Israelites. (1 Chron. xviii. 12 ; 2 the Romans by siding with them in Kings xiv. 7.) The waters of the the war under Titus, against the lake, whose transparency forms a Jews; they were, however, expelled striking contrast to the turbid stream in the time of the Emperor Adrian, of the Jordan, are much more bitter (a.d. 135,) and the city sank into in and nauseous to the taste than those significance, from which it has never of the ocean ; they are also remark recovered, though it was the see of a ably buoyant ; but the statement of old bishop in the time of the Crusades. travellers, that the human body would Its former splendour, however, is not sink in them, is as devoid of foun manifested by numerous columns of dation as that which represents, that exquisite beauty, which are supposed not a bird could skim their surface in to be the remains of Herod's palace, safety. It appears, however, certain, and by the traces of a noble church that they contain no fish, or other erected over the alleged prison of living creatures; that their depth is St. John the Baptist. The modern in many places so great as to be al village is situated among olive-groves most unfathomable ; and that numer on the side of a hill, and its houses ous hot springs and other indications are remarkable for the beautiful frag of volcanic action occur both on its ments of Grecian architecture which shores and in the rocks and sand are worked up into the walls of the banks with which the lake abounds. dwellings. The population is mostly Salt, Valley op. See Salt Sea; Mohammedan, but there are a few SioniM, Vale op. Christians and Jews, and a small Greek Sa-ma'-ri-a — Sebaste, 40 miles n. convent. of Jerusalem, 7 n.w. of Shechem, Sa-ma'-ri-a was also, in the time of (VII.) a city in the district of the Our Lord, the name of the central tribe of Ephraim, founded by Omri, district of Palestine. See Palestine. king of Israel, (1 Kings xvi. 24,) and Sa'-mos — Samo, 20 miles n.w. of from his time the capital of that state. Miletus, (XI.) an island on the coast It was desolated by the Assyrians, of Lydia, lying midway between Ephe- when the Israelites were carried away sus and Miletus, visited by St. Paul captive, (2 Kings xviii) but was re- and his companions on their return peopled by colonists from other coun from Macedonia, when the Apostle tries, who adopted in part the Jewish "hasted, if it were possible for him, religion; their principal place, how to be at Jerusalem the day of Pente ever, after the time of Alexander the cost." (Acts xx.) Great, (b.c. 332,) was Shechem, though Samos is a rather large and fertile they are only known by the name of island, traversed by a range of hills Samaritans. A bitter rivalry sprang which produce various minerals, and up between them and the Jews upon especially marble, for which it was the return of the latter from Baby famed of old, and of which was built lon, in consequence of which, John a very celebrated temple of Juno, Hyrcanus, one of the Maccabees, the ruins of which still exist. Samos destroyed Samaria, (b.c. 110,) which was once governed by kings of its lay in ruins for near sixty years, own, but shortly after the time of but was afterwards partially restored the Apostles it was, with many of by the Romans; its restoration was the neighbouring islands, reduced to completed by Herod the Great. This the form of a Roman province. It ruler surrounded it with lofty walls, now belongs to Turkey, but its inha built a splendid palace and other bitants are principally Greeks. magnificent edifices, and gave to the Sa-mo-thrace — Samothraki, SO whole the name it now bears, of miles n.B. of Troas, (XI.) an island Sebaste, in honour of his patron, the on the coast of Thrace, visited by St. Emperor Augustus. He also settled Paul on his voyage from Troas to in it a large colony of Greeks ; and Macedonia. (Acts xvi. 11.) their descendants obtained favour with This island was in ancient times 88 SAMOTHRACE SHECHEM. very famous for certain idolatrous been strongly fortified, and there are ceremonies, or " mysteries," as they the ruins of several Christian churches, were termed, exclusively practised in its port having been, under the name it, and it bore a kind of sacred cha of the Harbour of St. Simeon, a racter among the Greeks long after famous maritime station in the time the commencement of the Christian of the Crusades. The modern village era. During the middle ages it was stands on a sandy plain at the mouth possessed by the Venetians, but was of the river, a mile to the west of wrested from them by the Turks, to the ancient city, and is still a place of whom it still belongs. It is about some trade. twenty miles in circumference, and Sha'-ron, or Sa'-ron, □ 15 miles has a population of 3000 inhabitants. n. of Lydda, 16 n. e. of Joppa ? Many remains of heathen temples (VII.) a place in the territory of the exist on the island, and also several tribe of Ephraim, which gave name to ruined fortresses erected by the Ve a fertile tract on the coast in the netians. neighbourhood of Joppa, (Isai. xxxv. Sar'-dis — Sart, 30 miles s, of 2,) celebrated for its roses. (Cantic. Thyatira, 35 n.w. of Philadelphia, ii. 1.) There was a district of the (XI.) a city of Lydia, one of the same name in Bashan or its vicinity, Seven Churches. (Rev. iii. 1.) This but its exact situation is not known. was of old a very famous city, the (1 Chron. v. 16.) capital of the kingdom of Lydia. It She'-ba. See Appendix. stood in a rich plam on the banks of a ShV-chem, or Si'-chem — Nablous, stream that brought down grains of or Naplous, 7 miles s.e. of Samaria, gold from the mountains, and was (III.) a very ancient city of Canaan, celebrated for the numerous sieges it where Abram erected an altar on his withstood from various nations. Un first arrival in that country, (Gen. xii. der the Persians, it was the capital of 6, 7,) and where afterwards Jacob a large province or satrapy, and being and his family resided. (Gen. xxxiii.) burnt by the Greeks, (b.c. 004,) it It stood in a pleasant valley between gave rise to the wars between the two hills, — that on the north being Greeks and Persians. Though it was Mount Ebal, that on the south Mount early a Christian city, its works were Gerizim, — where the imposing cere found "not perfect before God," (Rev. mony of the recital of the blessings iii. 2,) and it has for ages sunk to the and curses of the Law was performed, condition of a mere village, with according to Divine command, under scarcely a single Christian inhabitant. Joshua, (Josh, viii.) an "altar of Sa-rep'-ta. See Zarbpthah. whole stones" being erected on the Sco'-pus. See Jerusalem. former hill, in commemoration of the Scy-thop'-o-lis. See Bethshan. transaction. Se'-ir. See Edom ; Horitbs. Shechem was a city of refuge in Se'-la — Petra, 105 miles s.e. of the district of the Ephraimites, (Josh. Jerusalem? (VI.) a place in Edom, xx. 7,) and after the destruction of captured by Amaziah, king of Judah, Samaria by the Assyrians became one and by him named Joktheel. (2 Kings of the cities of the new colonists, (2 xiv. 7.) See Edom. Kings xvii.) who are known as Sama Se-leiZ-ci-a — Suadeyah, 20 miles ritans, and who, not being allowed by w. of Antioch, 120 n.e. of Salamis, the Jews to contribute to the re (XI.) a city of Syria, serving as the building of the Temple at Jerusalem, port of Antioch, where St Paul em (Ezraiv.) set up a rival one on Mount barked for Cyprus. (Actsxiii. 4.) It Gerizim, which, — accusing the Jews stood on the side and summit of a rock of altering the text of the Scriptures, — a mile from the sea, having in the plain they affirmed to be the site of the below a walled harbour, which commu altar of Joshua. From this cause, an nicated with the sea by a canal cut in inveterate hatred sprang up between the rock. Its remains show it to have them, and it continued unabated in SHECHEM SICILY. the time of Our blessed Lord, as we death. (Josh. xi. 12.) The city was see by the account of his conversation rebuilt, and was assigned to the tribe with the Samaritan woman at the of Zebulun. (Josh. xix. 15.) well, called Jacob's well. (John iv.) Shi'-nar, Land op. See Baby A small congregation of this people lonia. still exists at Nablous; they have a Shu'-nem, CD 20 miles s.W. of copy of the Books of Moses (the only Mount Gilboa, 30 s.e. of Mount Car- part of the Scriptures that they re mel? (VII.) a place in the territory ceive,) which they pretend was writ of the tribe of Issachar, where the ten by Fhinehas, the grandson of Philistine host encamped before the Aaron, and they still make a pilgrim battle of Gilboa, (1 Sam. xxviii. 4,) age four times a year to the top of and where the prophet Elisha restored Mount Gerizim, where there are some to life the child of the pious woman ruins, apparently of a fortification, by whom he had been hospitably en but which they look upon as the tertained. (2 Kings iv.) remains of the altar of Joshua. Shur, Wilderness op, (IV.) Shechem is in the New Testament This name is given to two distinct called Sychar ; but by the Romans, portions of the Great Desert which about the same time, it was styled lies between Palestine, Arabia, and Neapolis, of which its present name is Egypt. The first is the desert south a corruption. It is now one of the of Beersheba, where Hagar, fleeing largest and most pleasant towns in from Sarai, was admonished by un Palestine, having a population of angel to return, (Gen. xvi. ;) the 8000 persons, and its olive-grounds second is a smaller tract on the border are exceedingly productive. of the Red Sea, where the Israelites Siikm, (I.) one of the sons of Noah, wandered for three days after their (Gen. vi. 10,) by whose posterity the miraculous passage, and being in want southern countries of Asia were peo of water, " murmured against Moses, pled. From him was descended saying, What shall we drink ?" Abraham, and consequently the house (Exod. xv. 22—24.) of Israel. Shu'-shan — Susa, 210 miles s.e. Shi'-loh — Seilum, 27 miles n.e. of of Achmetha, 115 s.w. of Ispahan ? Jerusalem, (V.) acityof the Ephraim- (VIII.) a city of Elam, the resi ites, where the tabernacle was set up, dence of the Persian court in the under Joshua, (xviii.) and where it time of Nehemiah, (i. 1,) as it had remained until the time of Eli, 300 before been of Belshazzar. (Dan. years after. It seems to have been viii. ) It was the scene of the events once an ordinary residence of pro recorded in the Book of Esther. Its phets, (1 Kings xiv.) but was after supposed site is in a hollow inclosed wards notorious for idolatry, and ap by lofty hills, and traversed by a river, pears to have been signally punished. over which was once a noble bridge. (Jerem. vii. 12, 14 ; xxvi. 6, 9. ) It, The ruins of a vast edifice of marble, however, existed as a city after the supposed to have been the palace, yet destruction of Jerusalem. ( Jerem. xLi. remain, as well as a tomb, said tra 5.) In the fourth century of the ditionally to be that of the prophet Christian era, the foundations of the Daniel, and numerous inscriptions in altar of burnt offerings were still the cuneiform character similar to pointed out, but no traces of it, or those at Babylon. of the city, now remain. Si'-chem. See Shechem. Shim'-ron, CD 21 miles s.e. of Si'-ci-ly — Sicily, 100 miles n. of Achshaph ? (V.) a city of Canaan, Melita, (XI.) a fertile island, the whose kmg confederated with Jabin and largest in the Mediterranean, adjoin the other princes of the north of Pales ing the southern part of Italy, visited tine against the Israelites; being by St. Paul on his voyage to Rome. defeated at the waters of Merom, his (Acts xxviii. 12.) city was burnt, and himself put to Sicily is an island of a triangular 90 SICILY SIDON. shape, about 180 miles from east to city of Phoenicia, mentioned in the west, and 130 miles from north to Book of Joshua (xi. 8) as Great south ; its population is estimated at Zidon, and esteemed the oldest com 1,800,000, who are ignorant, turbu mercial city in the world, it being the lent, and superstitious. It has, from parent of Tyre, though afterwards the earliest times, been famed for its surpassed by that place. The Sido- abundant produce of corn, and now nians are said by ancient writers furnishes also silk, cotton, rice, sugar, to have invented arithmetic, and olive-oil, wine, and fruit, though its also to have been the first manu agriculture has long been greatly facturers of glass and linen, but all neglected. It is traversed in every these arts are more probably Egyptian direction by lofty hills, and on its in their origin ; they were also skilful eastern shore occurs thestupendous vol workers in timber. (1 Kings v. 6.) cano of Mon Gibello, or Etna. It still Sidon was anciently governed by contains some considerable cities, but kings, one of whom was the father of these were once much more numerous. Jezebel, the wicked queen of Ahab, Sicily was early colonized by the (1 Kings xvi. 31 ;) and joining the Greeks, who built many splendid other oppressors of Israel, it was cities, which mostly formed indepen prophetically doomed to destruction : dent states. The Carthaginians next " I am against thee, O Zidon, and I conquered great part of the country, will be glorified in the midst of thee, but were expelled by the Romans, and they shall know that I am the (b.c. 240,) to whose empire the island Lord, when I shall have executed continued nominally attached until judgments in her." (Ezek. xxviii. 22.) seized by the Saracens in the eighth Sidon has accordingly been since re century. The Saracens were subdued peatedly destroyed, having been con about the year 1100 by some Norman quered in succession by the Assyrians, adventurers, who had received a grant Persians, and Greeks, the Romans, of the island from the Pope. About Saracens, and Crusaders; upon the three centuries after, (a.d. 1430,) it expulsion of the latter, (a.n. 1289,) it was annexed to the neighbouring state lay in ruins until the time of Fakr ed- of Naples, and now forms with it the Din, one of the chiefs of Lebanon, kingdom of the Two Sicilies. who, early in the seventeenth century, Sid'-dim, Vale op — El Ghor, endeavoured to form an independent (III.) the country in the south of state in Syria, and, with the view of Canaan, where once stood the guilty obtaining assistance from Europe, re cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, built many of the ruined towns of the Zeboiim, and Zoar, now in great part coast. Sidon has ever since been an occupied by the Salt or Dead Sea. important town, and is now reckoned (Gen. xiv. 3.) What remains of it, to contain 7000 persons, many of to the south of that lake, was known whom are Christians. It was recently in after ages as the Valley of Salt, possessed by the pacha of Egypt, but where the Edomites suffered defeats his troops were expelled, after consi from David (1 Chron. xviii. 12) and derable resistance, by the Allied forces, Ahaziah, (2 Kings xiv. 7 ;) this is a on the 26th of September, 1840. Its sandy valley in the dry season, and a neighbourhood produces much silk, salt marsh at other times, terminating and it has still a good trade in olive- about twelve miles from the lake, in a oil, corn, and dye-woods. range of sandstone cliffs of moderate Sidon stands upon an elevated plain height; the whole forming an awful on the sea-coast, having a mole which contrast to its former state, when it is joins a small isle to the shore, and described as having been " even as the which formed of old a harbour ; this garden of the Lord." (Gen. xiii. 10.) harbour, however, has long been de Si'-don, or Zi'-don— Saide, 22 miles stroyed, being choked up with granite n.k. of Tyre, 124 n.e. of Jerusalem, columns from the ruins of the old city, (III.) a very ancient and famous which extend considerably beyond SIDON SINITES. 9] the walls of the modern town, but Ezekiel (xxx. 15) " Sin, the strength present nothing remarkable. of Egypt," is supposed to have been Si-do'-ni-anb, (III.) the descend situated near the sea, at the mouth of ants of Sidon, the son of Canaan, the eastern branch of the Nile, and to (Gen. x. 15,) inhabited the northern be the place called Pelusium by the part of the coast of Phoenicia. They Greeks, which was always looked upon early applied to maritime affairs, and as the great barrier of Egypt in that having a strong city, lived at home in quarter ; but some writers think Zoan, luxury and security ; whence the in near Memphis, to be referred to. habitants of Laish are spoken of as Six, Wilderness op, (IV.) one " dwelling carelessly, after the manner of the stations of the Israelites in the of the Sidonians, quiet and secure." Wilderness, where they first received (Judges xviii. 7. ) Their country was, the supply of manna, as also quails. from its situation on the border of (Exod. xvi. 13—15.) It lay near both countries, called Syro-Phoenicia, the shore of the Red Sea, " between and, under the name of " the coasts Elim and Sinai," (Exod. xvi. 1,) but of Tyre and Sidon," is mentioned in its position cannot be more closely the New Testament as having been determined. visited by Our blessed Lord, who there Si'-nai, Mount — Jebel Serial, 25 performed his usual acts of mercy in miles s.e. of Rephidim ? (IV.) a healing the sick, (Matt. xv. ; Mark mountain of Arabia Petrea, upon vii.,) and also by St. Paul, and pro which the Law was delivered to the bably by other Apostles; Christian Israelites : " And Mount Sinai was churches being found there at a altogether on a smoke, because the very early period. (Acts xxi. 7; Lord descended upon it in fire ; and xxvii. 3.) the smoke thereof ascended as the Sil'-o-am, Pool op, (X.) A spring smoke of a furnace, and the whole or fountain flowing from beneath the mount quaked greatly." (Exod. xix. rock, under the walls of Jerusalem, 18.) in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which The southern part of the peninsula is enlarged into a small pool or reser of Arabia Petrea, or of Mount Sinai, voir. This pool is also called " the as it is often called, is one mass of Fountain of the Stairs ;" as one of the granite rocks, with an elevation of flights of steps leads down to a plat from 6000 to 8000 feet above the form, and another to the water, which level of the sea. To this whole tract is fresh and good. There are the the name of Horeb seems properly to remains of a Christian church that belong, and not to any one mountain. once adorned the entrance of this Two of the loftiest of these moun pool, in which Our Saviour directed tains, which lie about 25 miles s.e. the blind man to wash himself. (John of Jebel Serbal, have long been re ix.) garded as Horeb and Sinai, but Sim'-e-on, (V.) This tribe pos erroneously ; their modern names are sessed a tract of land in the south of Jebel Mousa and Jebel Katerin, the Canaan, lying on the sea-shore, with latter mountain having at its base a the possessions of Dan to the north, convent of Greek monks, which was those of Judah on the east, and the strongly built of stone by the Em Arabian desert on the south. It had peror Justinian, in the sixth century ; originally belonged to the tribe of on the top of the presumed Sinai Judah, but was found greater than are also small places of worship, both they needed. (Josh, xix.) It was for Christians and Mohammedans, better fitted for pasturage than for but they have been suffered to fall cultivation, and contained but few into ruin. cities ; Beersheba, Ziklag, and Gerar, Sin'-ites, (III.) a people of Ca were the principal places. naan, (Gen. x. 17,) dwelling in Le Sin— Tineh, 110 miles n.e. of banon, north of the Sidonians and Memphis? (IV.) The city called by south of the Arkites. Their district 92 SINITES SPAIN. retained their name in the fourth again possessed by the Mohammedans, century of the Christian era, but they and held by them ever since. are little noticed in history. In 1344, the Knights of St. John of Smyr'-na — Smyrna, or Izmir, 40 Jerusalem, then stationed at Rhodes, miles n.w. of Ephesus, 50 s. of seized a fort which commanded Smyrna Pergamos, (XI.) a large and very and its harbour, and maintained ancient city of Lydia, in Asia Minor, themselves there until 1401, when one of the Seven Churches, (Rev. ii. they were expelled by Timour, who, 8,) which early suffered persecution, as before stated, tilled up the mouth but now enjoys a much greater degree of the harbour ; he at the same time of consequence than any other of the desolated the town, making war Seven. It stands at the head of a alike upon the Turks and the Chris noble gulf of the same name, on the tians. shores of which are found the remains Spain, (I.) a large country in the of Phocsea, Clazomene, and several south-west of Europe, is but slightly other celebrated Ionian cities ; Clazo connected with Scripture history, as it mene being represented by the modern is only mentioned in reference to a Vourla, well known as the frequent projected visit of the Apostle Paul, station of late years of the English (Rom. xv. 24, 28,) which he is not fleet in the Levant. Smyrna has the known to have paid. most European commerce of any town Spain and Portugal, — which are in in the Ottoman dominions, and of its reality parts of the same country, population, estimated at 120,000, more though politically divided into two than one-fourth are Christians. Its independent and often hostile states, exports are principally silk and dye- — occupy a large peninsular tract, stuffs. The town is about four miles divided on the n.k from France by in circuit, very beautifully situated, the lofty mountain-range of the Pyre but almost annually visited by the nees, but on all other sides washed by plague, and infested beyond measure the sea. The extent of this penin with flies and mosquitoes. It stood sula is about 650 miles east and west, originally upon a hill, but is now built and 550 north and south, or about along the sea-shore, the ancient har 200,000 square miles, with a popula bour, the mouth of which was blocked tion of 18,000,000. The whole coun up (a.n. 1401,) by Timour being try is traversed by ranges of moun now a swamp in the centre of the tains, between which (especially in town. Spain,) extend vast level plains, which, Smyrna has been so repeatedly however, are more commonly occupied overthrown by earthquakes (ten of as sheep-walks than as corn-fields. such visitations, at least, being re The people are Roman Catholics; corded,) and ravaged by war or fire, they are generally indolent, ignorant, that scarcely anything remains of the and bigoted, so that civilization is at ancient city except in the shape of a very low ebb. fragments worked up in the walls of Of the history of the Spanish pe the modern houses; these, indeed, ninsula, it is here sufficient to remark, are very numerous, and often of great that the country is supposed to have beauty. The history of the place been peopled by the descendants of differs little from that of the other Tubal, one of the sons of Japheth. Ionian cities. It was once indepen (Gen. x. 2.) It was once the seat of dent, and a member of the Ionian numerous Carthaginian colonies, and league ; then subject to the successors was indeed a possession of that people ; of Alexander, next to the Romans, but they were expelled by the Romans, next to the Seljukian princes; re (b.c. 240,) whose empire, five hundred covered and rebuilt by the Greek years after, was subverted by the emperors in the thirteenth century, Goths, and these in their turn yielded (to which era most of the ancient to the Arabs, (a.d. 71 1.) The Chris buildings belong,) but shortly after tians then retired to the mountains of SPAIN SYRIA. on the north, formed numerous petty a.n. 884, when it was taken and de states, and waged ceaseless war with stroyed by the Saracens ; it has only the infidels, gradually gained ground been partially rebuilt, and is now upon them, and at length, after a chiefly confined to a small island struggle of more than seven hundred which formed one of the five divisions years, subverted the last of their of the ancient city. Having also kingdoms. (a.d. 1492.) Most of the often suffered from earthquakes, but Christian states were at that time few traces of its ancient edifices are united under one head, and the penin left; the most remarkable is the sula has since been divided only into Temple of Minerva, which now serves the two kingdoms of Spain and Por as the cathedral church. tugal, — the latter a small country on Syr'-i-a— Syria or Sham, (VII.) a the west of the former. large country of Western Asia, ex Suc'-coth, □ 11 miles s.w. of tending on the north and east of Ca Peniel ? (VII.) a place near the naan. Great part of it was subdued mouth of the river Jabbok, where by David, (2 Sam. viii. 10.) but it Jacob pitched his tent on his return revolted, and its leader was one of the from Mesopotamia, (Gen. xxxiii. 17.) "adversaries" raised up by the Lord Its site was afterwards occupied by a to punish the idolatry of Solomon. city of the Gadites, (Josh. xiii. 27,) (1 Kings xi.) From this time forward, the inhabitants of which were severely for near two hundred and fifty years, punished by Gideon for their churlish its kings were persevering enemies to refusal to supply food to his men when the Hebrews, particularly those of the pursuing the Midianites. (Judges viii. kingdom of Israel, ravaging the land 17. ) In the " clay ground," or valley almost yearly, and making conquests of the Jordan, between this place and on the eastern side of the country Zarthan, □ 6 miles n.w. ? were cast from Ramoth-Gilead (1 Kings xxii. the brazen vessels for the Temple of 3,) to Elath, (2 Kings xvi. 6,) but it Solomon. (1 Kings vii. 46.) at length fell a prey to the rising Assy Suc'-coth, or So'-choth, is also rian empire, B.C. 740. (2 Kings xvi. 9.) the name of the first encampment of From the Assyrians it passed to the the Israelites on their coming out of Persians, (b.c. 538,) and from them Egypt. (Exod. xii. 37.) It probably to the Greeks, who (b.c. 301) made lay about 20 miles e. of Raamses, but it the seat of an empire, known in nothing certain is known about it. history by the name of that of the Sy'-char. See Shechem. Seleucidse, which at one time extended Sy'-ra-cuse— Siragoza, 100 miles from the frontier of Egypt to the n.e. of Melita, 75 s.w. of Rhegium, borders of the Caspian, but which, (XI.) a very large and famous city, weakened by the civil wars of divers situated on the eastern coast of Sicily, pretenders to the crown, fell an easy visited by St. Paul in his voyage to prey to the Romans, (b.c. 65.) The Rome. (Acts xxviii. 12.) It was Seleucidae adorned their empire with founded by a colony of Corinthians, numerous stately cities, and endea (B.C. 700,) and became the capital of voured to force the Grecian idolatry the island, being sometimes ruled by on their subjects, which being vehe kings, at other times a republic. It mently resisted in many quarters, and was built partly on a small island, and more particularly by the Jews, as partly on the shores of a noble har related in the apocryphal Books of bour, had a powerful fleet, and a Maccabees, greatly hastened the down- very numerous army. The city suc fal of their power. cessfully withstood alike the power of In the time of Our Lord Syria was the Athenians and of the Carthagi a province of the Roman empire, nians, but, after a two years' siege, having Judea as one of its dependen fell into the hands of the Romans. cies, and from that time forward the (b.c. 212.) It still, however, re history of the two countries has much mained a place of consequence until in common. Both were ravaged by 94 SYRIA TARSUS. the Persian armies of Sapor (a.d. Tad-'mor — Tadmor, (Palmyra,) 260) and Chosroes, (a.d. 6U— 622;) 250 miles n.e. of Jerusalem, 125 n.e. both fell a prey to the Saracens at of Baalbek, (VI.) a city built by the commencement of their career of Solomon, (1 Kings ix. 18,) situated conquest, (a.d. 637 0 both shared in in an oasis or fertile spot in the great the vicissitudes of the Crusades, (a.d. Syrian desert, watered by three plenti 1095 — 1291,) and both were afterwards ful springs. Of its history in Jewish possessed by the Egyptian Mame times nothing is known; but in the lukes for more than two hundred years, third century of the Christian era it until they were conquered by the was a Greased city, a place of vast Turks, (a.d. 1516,) to whose sway trade and riches, so powerful that its (after some years' submission to the ruler, Odenatus, took the title of king, pacha of Egypt,) both countries have and was associated to the Roman recently returned, in consequence of empire. His widow, the celebrated the active measures of a British and Zenobia, assumed the title of Empress Austrian force in alliance with the of the East, and endeavoured still Sultan. more to augment the power of the Damascus and Antioch were an state, but was defeated by the Ro ciently the principal cities of Syria, mans and carried into captivity, (a.d. and there appear to have been nu 273.) Little more is known of the merous Jewish communities in each, history of the city; in the sixth cen in consequence of which the Gospel tury it was the see of an archbishop, was preached in those places by the and was strengthened as a defence Apostles, and they were the scene of against the wild tribes of the desert, several remarkable events in the early but from that time it was utterly un history of the Christian religion. known to Europeans until its gorgeous Sometimes in the Bible the name ruins, of white marble, scattered over Syria is confined to the country about an area of some miles, were accident Damascus, (1 Kings xix. 15,) but at ally discovered about a century ago. other times it signifies as well the sea- Tap'-pu-ah, □ 15 miles e. of She- coast, or Phoenicia, (Acts xviii. 18,) chem ? (VII.) a royal city of the and in profane writers it very fre Canaanites, whose king was slain by quently includes the whole territory the Israelites under Joshua (Josh. xii. between Taurus and the Arabian 17.) In the division among the tribes, desert, and the Mediterranean and the city was assigned to the Ephraim- the Euphrates. These countries are ites, but its territory was bestowed described under the heads Mesopota on the Manassites. (Josh. xvii. 8.) mia, Palestine, Phoenicia. Tar'-shish. See Appendix. Sy'-ro-Phos-ni'-ci-a. See Phoj- Tar'-sus — Tersoos, 300 miles n. of Cesarea, 90 n. w. of Antioch, (XI.) a city of Cilicia, the birth Ta'-bor, Mount— Jebel Tur, 7miles place of the Apostle Paul, (Acts xxi. s.e. of Nazareth, (III.) a moun 39,) who retired thither for a while to tain of Galilee, the reputed scene of avoid the fury of the Jews upon his Our Lord's transfiguration. (Matt, miraculous conversion, but was after xvii.) It is an insulated hill of a wards fetched thence to Antioch by conical form and beautifully wooded, Barnabas. (Acts ix. 30; xi. 25, 26.) rising about 1000 feet from the neigh Tarsus was a city of very ancient bourmg plain. On its top, which is date, standing about six miles from flat and about a quarter of a mile the sea, but a place of great trade ; it across, are the ruins of numerous was believed to have been founded dwellings, supposed to represent the by a Greek colony, and long held a city of Tabor mentioned in 1 Chroni high rank as a place of learning. Its cles vi. 77. The whole is surrounded inhabitants entered warmly into the by a strong wall, the hill having been disputes of the Roman factions about a military post on many occasions. the time of Julius Ciesar, in conse- TARSUS TIBERIAS. Do quence of which the city was plun try lying to the east of Mace dered by one party, but rewarded with donia, with which state it was fre the freedom of Rome by the other; quently at war. It extended from thus St. Paul was born a Roman the jEgean Sea to the Euxine, was citizen. (Acts xxii. 28.) poor and mountainous, and inhabited Tarsus was one of the earliest con by a hardy warlike race, who com quests of the Crusaders, but was monly served as mercenaries in the by them restored to the Greek em armies of foreign states. Josephus pire. It is believed, from the appear informs us that they composed a part ance of its ruins, which occupy a space of the life-guard of Herod the Great, of twelve miles in circumference, to and they continued to be employed have been destroyed by an earth by his successors as long as the Jewish quake, and it has now sunk to a very kingdom existed. inconsiderable place, but it still has Thrace is now a province of Euro two Christian churches belonging to pean Turkey, having been wrested the Greeks and the Armenians. from the Greek empire by the Otto Taverns, The Three — Castella, mans early in the fourteenth century, 25 miles s.e. of Rome, (XI.) A place but a great proportion of the popula where St. Paul was met by the Chris tion are Christians. tians of Rome. (Acts xxviii. 15.) Thy-a-ti'-ra — Ak-hisar, 40 miles See Appii Forum. s.e. of Pergamos, 52 n.e. of Smyrna, Te-ko'-a — Tekoa, 12 miles s.e. of (XI.) a city of Lydia, one of the Jerusalem, (VII.) a city in the terri Seven Churches, censured on account tory of Judah, whence came the of the prevalence of false doctrine. woman whom Joab employed to pro (Rev. ii. 20.) Little is known of cure the pardon of Absalom. (2 Sam. its history. Some inscriptions have xiv. 2.) The prophet Amos was a been found which speak of it as a herdsman of this place, (Amos i. 1,) great city, but they are its only re and in its neighbourhood the Moabites cords, and it is now a very poor place, and their allies who had invaded having, however, still many Chris Judah turned their arms against and tians among its population. The plain destroyed each other. (2 Chron. xx.) upon which it stands is fertile, and Thes-sa-lo-ni'-ca — Salonika, 50 produces much cotton. miles w. of Amphipolis, 45 k. of Ti-be'-ri-as — Tabareeah, 14 miles Berea, (XI.) a city of Macedonia, n.e. of Nazareth, 5 s. of Capernaum ? the capital of that province under the (IX.) a city of Galilee, on the Romans, where St. Paul, though op western shore of the sea of Galilee, posed by the Jews, made numerous sometimes called from it, the sea of converts, to whom two of his Epistles Tiberias. (John vi. 1.) It is little are addressed. It continued a con mentioned in the Scriptures, having siderable city under the Greekempire, been only built by Herod the Tetrarch, but in the thirteenth century fell into son of Herod the Great, near the site the hands of the Venetians, who held of an ancient town thought to have it till 1431, when it was conquered by been Chinnereth. (Deut. iii. 17.) It the Turks, to whom it still belongs. was destroyed in the last war between Salonica is situated on a gulf of the the Jews and the Romans, but was same name, and is still a large com rebuilt, and has been almost ever mercial town ; its population, estimated since, the seat of a kind of college of at 70,000, is principally Greek or the J ewish rabbins, and at the present Jewish, the Turks being very few in day its population (about 2000,) is number. The remains of the ancient more than half Jewish. The Chris city are not very extensive, but there tian population is now very small, but still exists a colonnade of Corinthian in the time of the Crusades the city architecture, of extreme beauty and was the seat of a bishop, and also an in good preservation. important fortress. In its neighbour Thrace — Roumelia, (XI.) a coun hood the Christian army was signally 9fi TIBERIAS TYRE. defeated by Saladin, in 1187. Tibe Ti'-ras, (I.) one of the sons of rias suffered greatly from an earth Japheth, (Gen. x. 2,) is supposed to quake in the year 1837, which threw have peopled the country on both sides down its ancient stone wall and towers. of the Hellespont, or the north of Asia Ti'-gris— Tigris, (II.) a large river Minor and the country in Europe of Asia, generally identified with the called from a corruption of his name, Hiddekel of Genesis ii. 14, one of the Thrace. See Thrace. rivers that watered the Garden of Tir'-zah, C3 10 miles n.e. of Sa Eden. It rises in the mountains of maria ? (V.) a city of the tribe of Armenia, not very far from the Eu Ephraim, the residence of the kings phrates, pursues a nearly parallel course of Israel before the building of Sama with that stream for 800 miles, and at ria by Omri. (1 Kings xiv. 17 ; xvi. length joins it below the site of Baby 6, 8, 9, 15, 23.) It had been a royal lon, and with it flows into the Persian city of the Canaanites, (Josh. xii. 24,) Gulf. The countries included between and is spoken of by Solomon as a the rivers are the regions of Mesopo beautiful city. (Cantic. vi. 4.) tamia and Babylonia, famous alike Towers op Jerusalem. See Je in sacred and in profane history. The rusalem. Tigris is not so large a river as the Trach-o-ni'-tis — El Ledja, (IX.) Euphrates, but its current is much a rough mountainous district, to the more rapid. Upon its banks once south of Damascus, bordering on stood the famous cities of Nineveh, the Syrian desert on the east, and Resen, Rehoboth, Accad, and Calneh, Iturea on the west, inhabited like to which succeeded Opis, Sittace, and them by a wild race of Arabs, who Seleucia, as these in their turn have render travelling unsafe. This coun given place to Bagdad, Mosul, and try was bestowed upon Herod by the Diarbekir, which still are places of Romans, on condition of his clearing importance, and are held by the Turks it of robbers, and upon his death it as frontier garrisons towards Persia. became the possession of his younger Tim'-nath-Se'-rah, CH 16 miles w. son Philip, who was its ruler or of Shiloh ? (VII.) a city built by tetrarch in the time of Our Lord. Joshua upon the inheritance given (Luke iii. 1.) him by his countrymen after his divi Tro'-as, , 130 miles s.e. of sion of the Promised Land. (Josh. Philippi, 30 n. of Assos, (XI.) a city of xix. 49, 50.) It was situated in the Mysia, where St. Paul had the vision territory of the Ephraimites, "on the of a man of Macedonia, who " prayed north side of the hill of Gaash," and him, saying, Come over into Mace in it the great successor of Moses was donia, and help us," (Acts xvi. 9;) buried. (Josh. xxiv. 30.) What passed and where also Eutychus was raised for his tomb was still in existence to life. (Acts xx. 9—12.) Troaswas in the time of Jerome, (a.d. 400,) but built by Alexander the Great, and nothing now remains of it. stood near the site of the renowned Tiph'-sah — El Oeir, 360 miles n.e. Ilium destroyed by the Greeks: at of Jerusalem, (VI.) a city on the the time of the Apostle's visits it was Euphrates, mentioned as one of the a colony of Rome, and the few ruins extreme points of Solomon's kingdom. which now remain, all belong to the (1 Kings iv. 24.) Under the name period of that empire. of Thapsacus it is often mentioned by Tu-'bal, (I.) a son of Japheth, classical writers, as the place at which (Gen. x. 2,) to whom, in conjunction the Euphrates was most usually crossed with Meshech, the peopling of the by great armies, it being there ford- northern regions of Asia is ascribed. able. Some writers, arguing on a forced Another Tiph'-sah, mentioned as analogy of name, think that Spain the scene of the cruelty of Menahem, was colonized by a tribe of his (2 Kings xv. 16,) stood in the territory descendants. See Spain. of the Ephraimites, near Shechem. Tyre— Sour, 22 miles R.W. of TYRE. 97 Sidon, 102 n. of Jerusalem, (V.) a ants were most barbarously treated; city of Phoenicia, once the most and their commerce was almost anni famous commercial state in the world, hilated by a subsequent measure of of the variety and extent of whose the conqueror, who founded a city in dealings we have a lively picture in Egypt, called Alexandria, to which the Book of Ezekiel. (xxvii.) All the greater part of the trade of the its glory, however, has long since East was soon transferred. passed away, and its modern repre The city, however, arose again, sentative does not even occupy the recovered something of its ancient same site as the ancient city, which, importance, and was a considerable instead of the resort of busy nations, place under both the Roman and has now become "a place for the Greek empires; and even flourished spreading of nets," — a doom de under the sway of the Saracens, as at nounced when at the height of its the period of the First Crusade, (a.d. power and splendour. (Ezek. xxvi. 5.) 1099,) it is described as a strong and Tyre was a colony of Sidon, but stately town, with a noble port, and speedily surpassed its parent ; it be lofty triple walls. It was besieged came the head of the league of the and taken by the Christians in 1124, Phoenician cities, was renowned for and rendered the see of an archbishop, its manufactures, and planted nu and for a while after the battle of merous colonies in foreign countries, Tiberias, (a.d. 1187,) its walls, which of which Carthage was one. Of its resisted all the efforts of the renowned splendour and beauty we have ample Saladin, contained all that remained details in the prophecies of Isaiah and of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem. Ezekiel, but we there meet also with At length it was captured in 1289, by the fearful declaration, "I am against the Egyptian Mamelukes, and though thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many the inhabitants were allowed to with nations to come up against thee, as draw in safety, the churches and the sea causeth his waves to come up," fortifications were destroyed, and the (Ezek. xxvi. 3,) and the history of harbour choked up with the rubbish. the city is full of examples of its ful From this blow Tyre has never filment. recovered: it lay deserted and in The Tyre of the Old and the New utter ruin for near five hundred Testaments are two distinct cities. years, and though about eighty years The -more ancient Tyre stood upon the ago, one of the mountain tribes of mainland, but after being besieged by Lebanon took possession of it and Nebuchadnezzar for thirteen years, as endeavoured to render it again a place Ezekiel had foretold, it was by him cap of trade, the attempt has only very tured and destroyed, (580 b.c. ?) the partially succeeded. Like the rest of inhabitants retiring to a small island Syria, Tyre fell into the hands of the three-quarters of a mile oif, whither, Pacha of Egypt in 1832, and was being without shipping, the victor retained by him until the year 1840, could not pursue them. Here they when the town was surrendered, with raised a new city, which is said in out resistance, to the forces of the splendour to have rivalled the former, Sultan and his allies, on the same day and of which the foundations may (September 26) that its ancient rival yet be traced a considerable distance Sidon, was stormed and captured by out to sea. They next became sub English men-of-war. ject to the Persians, and in their cause Tyre is now a miserable place, the city long resisted all the efforts of with less than 3000 inhabitants, Alexander the Great, but was at last about one half of them Christians; taken by joining the isle to the main it occupies but a fourth part of the land by a mole, for the construction of space inclosed by the ancient walls, which the ruins of the ancient city and exports only some cotton and supplied materials, (b.c. 332.) The tobacco grown in the neighbour city was destroyed, and the inhabit hood. Though a few palm-trees rear ■ TYRE ZEPHATH. their heads amidst the sands, its Za'-red — Nahr el-Ahsa, (IV.) a aspect is described as desolation it small stream in the south-eastern part self. The isle is strewed in every of Palestine, rising in the mountains direction with ruins, the port is of Edom, and falling into the Dead choked up, and the isthmus is covered Sea. It formed the southern boun with shifting sand-hills, which rise dary of Moab, and the Israelites, as high as the walls, and threaten at when approaching the Promised Land, no distant day to overwhelm the mi encamped upon its banks. (Numb. serable representative of " the crown xxi. 12.) ing city, whose merchants were princes Zar'-e-phath — Sarfend, 15 miles and her nobles the honourable of the n.e. of Tyre ? (VII.) a town upon earth," and to render it as desolate as the Phoenician coast, where Elijah the its predecessor. prophet resided, in the house of a poor widow, as directed by the Lord, U'-la-i — Kuran, (VIII.) a river when he fled from the fury of Ahab. of Elymais, or South-western Persia, (1 Kings xvii.) A famine prevailed upon the banks of which stood " Shu- at the time, but both the prophet and shan the palace," the scene of Daniel's his entertainer were miraculously pro vision of the ram and the he-goat, vided for, and the widow's son was typifying the subversion of the Per raised from the dead ; to these facts sian empire by Alexander. (Dan. viii. Our blessed Lord alludes, when speak 2.) The river rises in the mountains ing of his own rejection by his coun of Khusistin, and flows with a south trymen. (Luke iv. 26.) westerly course into the Shat ul-Arab, Sarfend stands near the sea-shore, or united stream of the Euphrates and upon a hill, the slopes of which are Tigris, not far from the head of the covered with vineyards ; and numerous Persian Gulf. handsome tombs cut in the rock show U'-phaz. See Appendix. that it was once a populous city. Ur — Or/a, 30 miles n.w. of Zee'-u-lun, (V.) This tribe pos Haran, (II.) a city in the north of sessed a small territory in the northern Mesopotamia, the original seat of part of Palestine, in the neighbour Abram, (Gen. xi. 28,) but left by him hood of the sea of Galilee, which in obedience to the Divine command : formed its eastern border; on the " Get thee out of thy country, and north lay the tribe of Naphtali; on from thy kindred, and from thy the west, Asher; and on the south, father's house, unto a land that I will Issachar. Its chief towns were Chis- shew thee, and I will make of thee a loth-tabor, Gath-hepher, and Shimron. great nation, and I will bless thee and It was ravaged by Tiglath-pileser, make thy name great." who carried its inhabitants into capti Under the name of Edessa, this vity. (2 Kings xv. 29.) It was in this place was an important city during the region that Our blessed Lord com contests of the Roman and Persian menced his ministry, as had been empires ; it was also, for fifty years, foretold by the prophet Isaiah, (ix. I. a.j). 1101—1152) the capital of a 2 ; Matt. iv. 13—16.) Christian principality, the only one Zem'-ar-ites, (III.) a people de founded by the Crusaders beyond the scended from Canaan, the grandson Euphrates ; and at the present day, of Noah, (Gen. x. 18,) who inhabited as Orfa, it is the principal town of the the northern part of Canaan. They country, is surrounded by lofty walls, are supposed to have occupied tne and is a place of considerable trade ; its sea-coast beween the Arvadites to the population is principally Turkish, but it north, and the Arkites to the south. has two or three Christian churches. Zs -phath — Sufah, 8 miles s.B. of Uz, Land op. See Appendix. Arad ? (V.) a place in the neighbour hood of the Wilderness of Zin, where Walls op Jerusalem. See Jeru the Hebrews, in attemping to enter salem. the Promised Land, in disobedience ZEPHATH ZUZIMS. 99 to the Divine command, were defeated mised no more to seek his destruction. by the Amalekites and the Canaan- (1 Sam. xxvi.) ites. (Numb, xiv.) There is another Ziph mentioned Zik'-lag, □ 16 miles s.w. of in Josh. xv. 24, among " the utter Gath ? (VII.) a city in the territory most cities of the tribe of the children of the Simeonites, but possessed by of Judah toward the coast of Edom the Philistines, till Achish, the king southward," which is supposed to of Gath, bestowed it upon David, have stood about 20 miles more to the (1 Sam. xxvii. 6,) who made it his south, but no traces of it now remain. residence, until, by the death of Saul, Zo'-an — San, 20 miles n.w. of he became king, and removed to He Hanes ? (IV.) a very ancient city of bron. (2 Sam. ii. 1 ; iv. 10.) Egypt, in all probability the capital Zm, Wilderness op — Wadi el- at the time of the sojourn of the Israel Arabah, (VII.) a wild and desert ites in that country, (PsaL lxxviii. tract, of varying breadth, and having 12,) and even down to the days of the an ascent from south to north, which prophet Isaiah, (xix. 11.) It is in reaches from the head of the Gulf of cluded in the threatening, " I will Akabah, or eastern arm of the Red make Pathros desolate, and will set Sea, to the cliffs near the southern fire in Zoan, and execute judgments in extremity of the Dead Sea. The No," (Ezek. xxx. 14,) and it has long valley is hemmed in on both sides by disappeared from the face of the earth. mountains, those on the east being the It was known to the Greeks under the mountains of Seir, and those on the name of Tanis, and gave its name to west a lower chain, which gradually one of the branches of the Nile, upon sinks to the level of the adjoining which it stood. desert table-land. In winter, the Zo'-ar, CD 22 miles s.w. of Rab- valley is the bed of several mountain bath Moab? (III.) a city in the torrents, but at other times has neither neighbourhood of the Dead Sea, one water nor herbage. The Israelites of the cities of the Plain, but saved traversed this valley in their way from the awful fate of the rest in con towards Canaan, and murmured sequence of the intercession of Lot, against the Lord on account of the who for a time took up his abode in want of water, (Numb. xx. ;) and in it. (Gen. xix. 23, 30.) It existed in consequence of their conduct on that the days of the prophets Isaiah (xv. 5) occasion, both Moses and Aaron were and Jeremiah, (xlviii. 34,) but was excluded from entering the Promised probably then overthrown with the Land. Miriam, the sister of Moses, rest of the cities of Moab. died at this place, as did Aaron in its Zo'-bah. See Aram. neighbourhood. Zo'-rah, □ 5 miles e. of Ekron ? ZY-on. See Jerusalem. (VII.) a city in the territory of the Ziph — Dhahrat el-Zif, 4 miles n. Danites, the birthplace of Samson. of Maon, 15 miles n.w. of Engedi, (Judges xiii. 2.) It was fortified by (V.) a town in the south of the terri Rehoboam, (2 Chron. xi. 10,) and tory of the tribe of Judah, the inha existed, under the name of Zoara, in bitants of which endeavoured to betray the fourth century of the Christian era. David into the hands of Saul. (1 Sam. Zu'-zims, (III.) a gigantic race who xxiii. 19—26.) At the hill of Hachi- inhabited a part of the territory east lah in its neighbourhood David spared of Jordan, afterwards possessed by the life of Saul, whom he surprised the Amorites, but were destroyed by sleeping in the midst of his host, and Chedorlaomer, in the days of Abra who in return blessed him, and pro ham. (Gen. xiv. 5.) APPENDIX.

Thkre are numerous places mentioned in the Scriptures, the positions of which have not yet been settled with sufficient accuracy to justify their insertion in a map; yet, without some notice of the probable localities of a few of the principal of them, any system of Bible Geography must be incomplete. Caph'-tor, the original country of the Pe'-thor, the city of Balaam, (Numb, Philistines, (Dent. ii. 23,) is in many an xxii. 5,) described as standing " by the cient versions of the Scriptures translated river of the land of the children of his Cappadocia, but the original of Jeremiah people," is thought, with some probability, xlvii. 4 shows that the country of the to have been situated on the river Eu Caphtorim was an island, and the more phrates, near Tiphsah mentioned in the probable opinion seems to be that it was First Book of Kings, (iv. 24.) either Crete or Cyprus. She'-ba, whence came a queen to visit E'-den. Of the very many localities Solomon, (1 Kings x. 1,) is by some sup that have by different writers been assigned posed to be Ethiopia; but it is more gene to the Garden of Eden, only two seem rally regarded as a country in the south entitled to any attention. The first places west quarter of Arabia. it upon the Shat ul-Arab, or united stream Tar' shish. This word is supposed to of the Euphrates and Tigris, near the denote in general the northern coast of head of the Persian Gulf; while the second, Africa about Carthage, and the southern which is now generally regarded as the part of Spain, (Ezek. xxvii. 12,) in which more probable of the two, fixes it in Ar latter country the Tyrians had numerous menia, near the sources of the Euphrates settlements for trade, of which the most and Tigris, the other two streams to make important was called Tartessus (the modern up the " four heads" mentioned in Scrip Cadiz.) This being a distant voyage, the ture (Gen. ii. 10) being the Phasis (Pison) ships employed in it were of course larger and Araxes (Gihon) of classical geography, and stronger than others, and hence the now called Aras, which once were separate term "ships of Tarshish" denotes stately rivers, but now flow together into the vessels, and furnishes the Psalmist with a Caspian Sea. forcible image of the power of the Lord : Kir, the country to which the people " Thou break est the ships of Tarshish with of Damascus were carried captive by the an east wind." (Psalm xLviii. 7.) A voyage Assyrians, (2 Kings xvi. 9,) is believed to to Tarshish (Jonah i. 3) appears usually to be a region on the western shore of the have denoted a voyage to any distant coun Caspian Sea, now inhabited by the Usbek try of the West, as did a voyage to Ophir, Tartars, through which flows a large river one to the East ; but in the narratives of (the Cyros of the Greeks,) which still the voyages of Solomon's fleets (1 Kings bears the name of Kur or Kier. ix. 28; 2 Chron. ix. 21) the terms Ophir Nod, Land op, the place to which the and Tarshish are used for one and the murderer Cain retired, (Gen iv. 16,) has same place ; the eastern coast of Africa is been placed in the desert of Arabia, or in supposed to be here intended. Susiana, in the south of Persia : the word U'-phaz, mentioned in Jeremiah x. 0, " Nod " may not be the name of any place, and Daniel x. 5, as a country producing but merely an appellative, signifying gold, is supposed to be some one of the " banishment," or " flight," Cain being only countries included in the general term stated to have retired to the east of Eden. Ophir, but which particular one is alto O'-phir, the country from which Solo gether uncertain, though it seems probable mon procured gold, almug-trees, and pre from the passage in Jeremiah, that it was cious stones, (1 Kings x. 11,) is often sup. one of the most remote. posed to have been in the further part of TJz, Land op, the residence of the pa India, as the Malay peninsula, or Ceylon > triarch Job, is believed to have been a part but it is properly a general name for the of Arabia, in the neighbourhood of the rich maritime countries to the south and Euphrates, and to have extended north east of Palestine, as the shores of the Red ward into Syria towards Damascus. ( Jerem. Sea, the eastern coast of Africa, and also, xxv. 20.) It was peopled by the descend perhaps, what are now known as the East ants of 0z, one of the grandsons of Shein. Indies. (Gen. x. 23.) i - -v— \ i \ y\, v y -. V — ..- \

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Dominions of David and Bolcmon VII.

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