.*.-^-^i //-5 z. s^ ,.^Jt^»*/T LIBRARY OF THE i Theological Seminary,^ PRINCETON, N.J. |< ("^ V\ b Case, Divkion ..S.S?. .fe.Q.V HlieJf, Seclipp..* rA.D.- 1 Booli, No,...**. ....C.o?^..A.. -\ ^ I GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE: COMPILED FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. BY J. w. & J. a/alexander. REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN i SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. i AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. 1 PHILADELPHIA: • No. 146 CHESNUT STREET. 1830. j Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit : BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-first day of April, in the fifty fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America A D 1830 PAUL BECK, Jun. Treasurer in trust for the American Sunday School Union of the said District, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit :— " A Geography of the Bible : compiled for the American Sunday School Union By J. W. and J. A. Alexander.— Revised by the Committee of Publication of the American S. S. Union." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, " An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned"— and also to the Act, entitled, " An Act supplementary to an Act en- titled, "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of -Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies daring the times therein mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Stereotyped by L. Johnson.... PhiladelpMa. *>■ PREFACE. In presenting to the students of the Bible a work, which, from the very nature of the subject, can lay no claim to originality, it is but just that the sources should be men- tioned from which information has been drawn. The Sa- cred Geography of Wells, as published in the supplemen- tary volume to Calmet's Dictionary, has been consulted, as well as more recent works upon this branch of sacred an- tiquities. The Scripture Gazetteer of Mansford, published in England during the present year, reached this country about the time when our labours were drawing to a close. On many important points, however, we have obtained new light from that valuable compend. The discoveries of recent travellers, the opinions of judicious commentators, and the various systems of modern geography, have not been neglected ; while we have placed most reliance upon a sedulous examination of the Holy Scriptures themselves. We have had constantly before us the elaborate work of Rosenmueller, in the geographical part of which, this sub- ject is treated in detail— and owe so much to his labours, both as to matter and arrangement, that to withhold this distinct notice of our obligation, would amount to the de- nial of a debt.* The work now offered to the public, is intended to be a manual for teachers in Sunday schools. It is believed that the only method by which correct ideas upon the geogra- phy of the Bible can be communicated to the pupils, is by leading the instructors to an intimate acquaintance with the subject. With this conviction, we have been unwilling to * Handbuch der Biblischen Alterthumskunde, von Ernst FHedr. Karl /?osenmu//er.— Leipzig, 8vo. (1823—1829.) In parts. IV PREFACE. limit ourselves to such a sketch as might be suitable merely for children ; while this compilation may be read with pro- fit by any pupil in a Sunday school, who is in any proper measure familiar with common geography. The character and intention of the following pages will be misunderstood, if it is not borne in mind that they con- stitute a book of reference, rather than a work for immedi- ate and continuous perusal. And while we indulge the hope that those who are solicitous to understand the vari- ous geographical allusions of the Bible-, will find important assistance in those outlines, we are bound to acknowledge that many names of places which occur in the sacred writ- ings are not even mentioned ; for the simple reason, that after some research, we have been unable to arrive at any thing more concerning them than bare conjecture. The interest of the reader in the description of countries, might have been greatly increased by a more enlarged view of sacred history. We were admonished by the unexpected size of the volume to deny ourselves the satisfaction of making these additions. It is highly important that every text of Scripture to which reference is made, should be carefully examined. Without attention to this, the great design of this book, as an aid in the study of the Bible, will be frustrated. James W. Alexander, J. Addison Alexander. Princeton, April 19, 1829. CONTENTS. Eden, Page 7 Divisions of the Earth among the Sons of Noah. 10 The Descendants of Japheth, - ~ - - 11 J, ,, ,, Ham, - - - - 12 » „ „ Shem, - - - - . 13 Countries of Japheth's Descendants, - - 14 Armenia, -------15 Media, - - - ^^ - - - - 17 Elam, - - - - '^*'' - . - - 18 Persia, --------19 Babylonia and Chaldea, - - - - 20 Cities, Sfc. of Babylonia, - - - - - 21 Assyria, - - - --- - _ 24 Remarkable places in Assyria, - - - - 25 Mesopotamia, -------27 Asia Minor, - - - - -- -29 Divisions of Asia Minor, - - . - 30 Aram, or Syria, ------- 37 Mount Lebanon, ------ 38 Rivers of Syria, ------ 39 Divisions of Syria, - - - - - ib. Cities, S^c. -------41 Climate, Soil, and Language, - - - - 45 Arabia, --------46 Arabia Deserta, - - - - - - 47 Arabia Petrcea, -- - - - - -51 Arabia Felix -------58 Egypt, --------61 Lower Egypt, ------ 64 Middle Egypt, - - - - - - - 66 Upper Egypt, ------ ^ft. A 2 5 vi contents. Ethiopia Proper, ------ 68 North Africa, 69 Countries denominated in the Bible, The West, 71 Islands of the Egean Sea, . . . . ib. GreecBf --------73 Italy, --------76 Spain, --------77 India, --------78 Palestine, - ib. Boundaries and extent, 79. Face of the country, 80. Mountains, 81. Caves, 87. Plains and Valleys, ib. Deserts and Forests, 92. Lakes, 94. Rivers and Brooks, 97. Springs, Wells, and Cisterns, 100. Fertility, 102. Original inhabitants, 102. Division of the land among the twelve tribes, 108. Division of the land under the Kings of Judah and Israel, 117. Divisions of Palestine under the Romans, 118. Peraea, 119. Galilee, 124. Samaria, 132. Judea, 139. Land of the Philistines, - - - - 162 Phenicia, -------- 165 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. EDEN. The Geography of the Bible may be said to begin with the origin of the human race. No sooner do we read of the creation, of man, than we find the place mentioned in which his abode was fixed. It was no doubt intended, that we should be informed where this happy land was situated ; for a number of circumstances are particularly stated, as if to direct our minds to the very spot where our first parents had their probation. The first question, there- fore, which demands an answer, relates to the garden of Eden. It must be acknowledged, in the outset, that our know- ledge of the countries which occur in the antediluvian history is very small ; while at the same time we may be assured that nothing has been withheld in the inspired re- cords, which is necessary or important to be known. If entire satisfaction cannot be attained upon these subjects, it is because no great practical advantage could result from more minute descriptions. Many pious and learned men have diligently examined all the existing sources of in- formation, yet the opinions of commentators and geogra- phers are still various, and often contradictory. The residence of our first parents, in their state of inno- cence and bliss, was called Eden or Delight. In seeking the spot where this garden was planted, we must first de- termine upon those marks which are certainly given in the word of God. 1. We are informed (Gen. ii. 8.) that Eden was eastward; that is, as we suppose, eastward from the country of the Israelites, or the land in which Moses wrote. This term is of course very general in its signification, and may apply to any of the countries upon the river Euphrates, for they all lie to the east of Palestine. 7 8 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 2. We have the name of a river, Euphrates, which flowed out of Eden, and which has retained almost the original name, until the present day. Upon this river, then, in some part of its extensive course, we may, with certainty, place the garden of Eden. 3. We have a second river mentioned, namely, the Hid' dekel, which almost all historians acknowledge to be the Tigris, The eastern names of the Tigris are mere abbi-e- viations of the ancient word, as Degil, Diklath, Diklat, and Degola. Besides this, the prophet Daniel tells that he had the vision " of the latter days," in Babylonia, by the side of " the great river, which is Hiddekel." The only great river of which he could speak, is the Euphrates, or Tigris, and we are certain that it was not the former. We have thus arrived at the conclusion, that the eastern region in which Eden was situated lay in some country where the Tigris and the Euphrates approach one another, as we would not give the dimensions of some hundreds of miles to the Paradise, in which Adam was placed " to dress it and to keep it." (Gen. ii. 15.) 4. We find Eden mentioned in other parts of Scripture ; and from the countries with which it is named, we may form some idea of its situation. In 2 Kings xix. 12, we read of Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar. Gozan was in Media, Haran and Rezeph in Mesopotamia. Again, in Ezekiel xxvii. 23, we read of Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, and the merchants of Sheha, Assur, and Chilmad. Canneh was upon the Tigris, in ancient Parthia, (See page 23.) and Asshur or Assyria lay along the upper part of the same river. Hence the land of Eden could not be, as some strangely suppose, in Babylonia, but further north in Me- dia, Armenia, or Mesopotamia. It remains then to be determined, in what part of these rivers we are to place the garden of Eden ; whether at their source, in their middle course, or near their junction. The remarks of a late ingenious writer are just and appropriate. '' We have seen that the country of Eden was somewhere in Media, Armenia, or the northern part of Mesopotamia : all mountainous countries ; and affording, instead of the sick- ening plains of Babylonia, some of the grandest, as well as the richest scenery in the world. A river or stream rising in some part of this country, entered the garden ; where it EDEN. 9 was parted into four others ; in all probability, by first fall- ing into a basin or lake, from which the other streams is- sued at different points, taking different directions, and growing into mighty rivers ; although at their sources in the garden they would be like all other rivers, mere brooks, passed by a stepping-stone, or a plank, and forming no barrier to a free communication between the parts of the garden."* The Euphrates has its source in the central mountains of Armenia, near the lake Van or Arsissa. It is formed by two streams, which first flow west ; after their junction near Hebban in Mount Taurus, the- river bends to the S. W. and joining a smaller stream, pursues a course as if to reach the Mediterranean ; but being turned by the moun- tains of Caucasus, changes its direction to S. E ; joins the Tigris at Korna, forming the Shatel-Arab, which falls into the Persian Gulf by several mouths. Near the foun- tains of the Euphrates, we find those of the Hiddekel. The Tigris rises near the head of the Euphrates ;t that is it which goeth eastward to Assyria; (see the margin, Gen. ii. 14 ;) or, as many critics translate it, before Assyria. This great river divided Assyria from Mesopotamia, and is, as has been said, the Hiddekel of the Scriptures. The Pison (Gen. ii. 11,) is not so easily discovered, but is generally supposed to be the Phasis or Absarus of the an- cients. The Havilah which is compassed by this river is different from the country of this name, which is in Ara- bia, and which will be mentioned hereafter. It may rea- dily be taken for Colchis, between the Black Sea and the Caspian. The river Phasis flows through Mingrelia, and falls into the Black Sea. The country through which it passes was celebrated among the ancients for its gold. The Gihon (Gen. ii. 13.) is said to compass the whole land of Ethiopia. The Hebrew word, which we trans- late Ethiopia, is Cush, a term used to denote various le^ gions, both in x\sia and Africa. Now as no one will con- tend that the river Gihon encircled either Ethiopia Proper, or the part of Arabia so called, we have to seek for some other land to which the word Cush may be applied. It is thought by many that the first settlement of Cush, the * Scripture Gazetteer, by J. GriflBth Mansford. Lond. 1829. p. 133, t See Darby's Geographical Dictionary, 10 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. son of Ham, was made in Susiana : (see Elam.) Upon this supposition we may take the Gihon to be the river Kerah, which the Greeks called Gyndes, apparently a corruption of the Hebrew name. This river " encompases" the east- ern border of Susiana. The opinion, however, most com- monly received is, that this is the river Oxus, which is even now called by the Arabs Jihon, and which falls into the Sea of Aral. Unsatisfactory as all our investigations must be concern- ing a country which was perhaps desolated by the universal deluge, we may still, it is thought, be safe in placing the garden of Eden in or near Armenia. "Mr. Faber sup- poses," says the author already named, " that the Lake Arsissa covers the site of Eden ; and that the change which carried the heads of the rivers to a greater distance from it, was occasioned by the Deluge. But it is far more pro- bable that this change, considering that the courses of all the streams remain unaltered by that event, might have taken place at man's expulsion from the garden ; when God may have chosen to obliterate this fair portion of his works, unfitted for any thing but the residence of inno- cence ; and to blot at once from the face of the earth, like the guilty cities of the plain, both the site and the memo- rial of man's transgression — an awful event; which would add tenfold horrors to the punishment." The Land of Nod, to which Cain went, after the murder of Abel, (Gen. iv.l6.) was on the east of Eden. Nothing further is known concerning its situation. As little has been discovered as to the site of the city of Enoch. (Gen. iv. 17,) DIVISION OF TKX: EARTH AMONG THE SONS OF NOAH. The tenth chapter of the book of Genesis contains an account of the descendants of Noah, which, brief as it is, affords the only clue to the perplexed history of nations. Although the inattentive reader might pass slightly over this, as an uninteresting catalogue of names, yet it will be DIVISION OF THE EARTH. 11 found, as we proceed, that constant appeals must be made to this inspired document. It should be remembered in all these inquiries, that the names of countries were, in early times, scarcely any thing else than the names of their first inhabitants. Almost every one of these persons gave name to some tribe or people ; and in some cases, the nation may be discovered, when we find no record of the founder, ex- cept in this genealogical table. In seeking to fix the abode of these people, after the lapse of thousands of years, we labour under great difiicul- ties, and little more can, in many cases, be expected, than probable conjectures. The three sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, may be considered as the representatives of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Not that they were severally confined to these parts of the earth, but that this distinction may for the most part be diseerned, as will appear from the follow- ing Table, which contains the results at which learned men have arrived. This, in order to be understood, must be compared with the tenth chapter of Genesis. The Descendants of Japheth. I. Gomer; whence the Cimmerians, on the northern coast of the Black Sea. — From him descended, 1. Ashkenas ; whose settlement is unknown, but conjec- tured to be between Armenia and the Black Sea. 2. Riphath; the inhabitants of the Riphean range of mountains. 3. Togarmah; the Armenians. II. Magog ; from whom the inhabitants of Caucasus, and the neighbouring countries : Scythians. III. Madai ; the Medes. IV. Javan ; the lonians, Greeks. — From him, 1 . Elisha ; the Greeks, in a limited sense. 2. Tarshish ; Tartesus in Spain. 3. Kittim ; the Cyprians and other Islanders, and the Macedonians. 4. Dodanim ; the Dodonians in Epinis. V. Tubal; the Tibarenes of Pontus. 12 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. VI. Meshech ; the Moschi of the Moschian mountains, between Iberia, Armenia, and Pontus. VII. Tiras ; the Thracians, or people upon the Dniester. The Descendants of Ham. I. Cush; the Ethiopians and South Arabians. — From Cush descended, 1. Nimrod; the first king of Shinar, or Babylonia and Mesopotamia, where he built the cities of Erech, &c. (See Babylonia.) 2. Seba; Meroe. (See Ethiopia.) 3. Havilah ; the Hauloteans of South Arabia. 4. Sabtah ; Sabota in South Arabia. 5. Raamah; Rhegma in South-eastern Arabia. — From Raamah come, (1.) Shebah; probably in South Arabia. [2.) Dedan ; Daden, an island in the Persian Gulf. Sabtecha ; on the east coast of Ethiopia. II. Mizraim; the Egyptians. — From Mizraim come, 1. Ludim, > ^^^^1,1 African nations. %. Anamm, ) ^ "^ 3. Lehabim or Lubim; the Lybians. 4. Naphtuhim; between Egypt and Asia. 5. Pathrusim ; in Pathrures, a part of Egypt. 6 Casluhim ; the Colchians. — '' Out of whom came," Cl.^ Philistim; the Philistines. (2.) Caphtorim ; the Cretans. III. Phut ; the Mauritanians, or Moors. IV. Canaan ; the original inhabitants of Palestine. — From Canaan descended, 1. The Sidonians, or Phenicians. 2. The Hethites, about Hebron. 3. The Jebusites, in and around Jerusalem. 4. The Amorites, east and west of the Dead Sea. 5. The Girgasites. 6. The Hivites, at the foot of Hermon. 7. The Arkites, at the foot of Lebanon. 8. The Sinites, in the region of Lebanon. DIVISION OF THE EARTH. 13 9. The Arvadites, on the Phenician island Arabus, and the opposite. coast. 10. The Zemarites, of the Phenician city Simyra. 11. The Hamathites, of Epiphania, on the Orontes. The Descendants of Shem. I. Elam; from whom came the inhabitants of Elymais in Persia. II. Asshur ; the Assyrians. III. Arphaxad ; in the northern part of Syria, (Arra- pachites.) — From him came, Salah ; whose descendant was, Eber ; forefather of the Hebrews, and from him came, 1. Peleg ; and 2. Joktan ; ancestor of the following Arab families : (1.) Almodad. (2.) Sheleph ; Selapenes in South Arabia. /3.) Hazarmaveth ; of Hadramaut. (4.) Jerah ; near the last. (5.) Hadoram. (Q.S Uzal ; Sanaa in South Arabia. (7.) Diklah. (8.) Ohal. (9.) Abimael. (10.> Sheba; the Sabeans, in South Arabia. ?11.) Ophir ; probably in Oman, of Arabia. ^12.) Havilah; ofHaulan. (13.) Jobab; the Jobabites, between Hadramaut and Oman. IV. Lud ; probably origin of some Ethiopian people. V. Aram; Syrians and M esopotamians. From Aram sprang, 1. Uz ; north of Arabia Deserta. 2. Hul ; perhaps in Coelo-Syria, 3. Gether. 4. Mash; the inhabitants of Mount Masius, north of Nesibis. This table will become more intelligible, v/hen we shall have examined the several countries, one by one. B 14 GEOGRAPHY OF THE JBIBLE. Countries o/" Japheth's Descendants. The regions inhabited by the descendants of Japheth, are sometimes simply called the North. (Dan. xi. 6, 7, 8.) Japheth signifies enlargement ; and Providence did in a wonderful manner enlarge the boundaries of Japheth. (Gen. ix. 27.) It will be necessary more minutely to examine some of the nations mentioned in the preceding table. I. Riphath. (Gen. x. 3.) This name is so much like that of the Riphean or i2/iipean mountains spoken of by the Ro- mans, and which they imagined to be at the extreme north, that it is natural to suppose that the descendants of Riphath were spread over the northern coasts of the Black Sea. II. Gamer. The Cimmerians probably took their name from Gomer. They resided north of the Black Sea, in the country now called Krim, and upon the rivers Don and Danube. From the same origin came the nations who were known under the various names of Cimbri, Umbri, and Cambri, in the northern and central parts of Europe. Hence arose the Gauls, Celts, and Gaels. They are men- tioned among the northern nations, which should accom- pany Gog in his conquests ; (Ezek. xxxviii. 6.) Gomer and all his hands. III. Ashkenaz. Except in the list of the families of na- tions, (Gen. X.) we find Ashkenaz only once named in the Bible, (Jer. li. 27.) and then in connexion with Ararat and Minni, provinces of Armenia. The utmost which we are able to say of this nation is, that it was near mount Cauca- sus, east and south-east of the Black Sea. IV. Gog 9.nd Magog. Gog is generally supposed to be the name of the people, and Magog the name of the coun- try^ which comprehended the northern parts of Armenia, the space between the Black Sea and the Caspian, and the borders of Scythia. (Gen. x. 2, Ezek. xxxviii. 2.) We shall not attempt to answer the question concerning the Gog and Magog of the Revelation, (xx. 7 — 9,) which be- longs to the interpretation of prophecy. IV. Meshech and Tubal, are named in connexion with DIVISION OF THE EAJITH. 15 Magog, (Ezek. xxxviii. 2,) and are almost always united in the scriptural notices of them. (Ezek. xxvii. 13, xxxii. 26, xxxix. 1.) In like manner the Greek writers place the Mos^ chi and Tibareni in conjunction : these are probably the same people. They inhabited the regions south of the chain of Caucasus, from the S. E. part of the Black Sea to the river Aras, or Araxes. They traded with Tyre in persons of men, and vessels of brass : (Ezek. xxvii. 13;) the Circassians, who inhabit this part of the world, have been noted, for ages, as slave-dealers ; while travellers inform us that copper is abundant in mount Caucasus. When the Psalmist speaks (Ps. cxx. 5,) of Mesech and Kedar, he may be understood to signify northern and southern barbarians. VI. Togarmah, Ararat, and Minni. These names are here set in conjunction, because they denote a single country, Armenia. — Togarmah is mentioned with Gomer, (Gen. x. 3, Ezek. xxxviii. 5,) and also with Meshech and Tubal, (Ezek. xxvii. 14.J The history and traditions of the Ar- menians represent them as the descendants of Togarmah, At the same time it should be mentioned that Bochart and Wells suppose Togarmah to be Cappadocia. We read not only of mount Ararat ; but of the kingdom of Ararat ; (Jer. li. 27. Isa. xxxvii. 38, margin ; 2 Kings xix. 37, margin ;) this was in the north-eastern part of Armenia. Minni, (Jer. li. 27,) seems to be the ancient Minyas, near to mount Ararat, and either a part of Armenia, or an adjacent district. Under this head it will be proper to consider ARMENIA. The boundaries of Armenia may be thus stated : Colchis and Iberia on the north ; Media on the east ; Mesopotamia on the south ; Pontus and Cappadocia on the west; and the Eu- phrates and Syria on the S. west. From the earliest times, this country has been divided into two parts, Cheater and Less Armenia. The latter is now a part of Natolia, lying upon the western side of the Euphrates. It includes por- tions of Cappadocia, Cihcia, and Pontus, — or the modern Caramania, Merash, and Siva, and is under Turkish go- vernment. Greater Armenia is on the east of the Euphrates, separated by mount Taurus from Mesopotamia and Kurdis- 16 , GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. tan, (or ancient Assyria,) and contains fifteen provinces, nine of which belong to Persia. Armenia has been con- sidered by travellers one of the most beautiful and fertile countries of the earth. Ararat was that part of Persian Armenia in which is found the modern Erivan. (Lon. 44° 10' E. lat. 40° 20' N.) Mount Ararat, upon which the ark rested, is unanimously agreed to be Mount Masis, called by the Turks Agridah, in the north-east part of Armenia. It has two peaks called the Greater and Lesser Ararat. The discoveries of modern travellers have placed it beyond a doubt that this is the true Mount Ararat. Since the days of Noah, it is probable that no human being has reached its summit : " the impos- sibility of reaching its extreme summit," says Mr. Morier, " was decided some years ago, by the Pasha of Beyazid. He offered large rewards to any one who should reach the top ; but although many Curds, who live at its base, have attempted it, all have been equally unsuccessful." These heights, the snow and ice of which are sometimes visible nearly 200 miles off, are at least 15,000 feet in altitude.* The early history of Armenia is involved in obscurity. If the profane historians are to be believed, the first kings of Armenia, whose names are scarcely known, were dis- placed by Ninus, king of Assyria. We can arrive at little that is credible, until the time of Astyages, king of Media, who subdued the country and made its kings tributary. When Media, in its turn was conquered by Cyrus, Armenia became a province of the Persian Empire ; and again under another conqueror, Alexander the Great, was annexed to the Macedonian dominions. Antiochus the Great, of Syria, was afterwards their sovereign, but lost the greater part of Armenia by a rebellion. Artaxias then reigned as an inde- pendent king of Greater Armenia. The Romans and Par- thians long contended for the throne, until finally it be- came, under Trajan, a Roman province. VII. Scythians. The Apostle Paul speaks (Col. iii. 11,) of " Barbarians and Scythians." This name was used in an- cient times to denote, not only a particular people, but all those wandering tribes whose residence was north and east of the Black and Caspian Seas. The Apostle seems to speak * Mansford, DIVtSION OF THE EARTH. 17 of the Scythians, meaning barbarous nations in general. Beth-shean, (Josh. xvii. 11, 16,) is supposed to have been called Scythopolis, or City of the Scythians, from some oc- currence during the invasion of Palestine by these tribes, probably 631 years before Christ. MEDIA. Media was called by the Hebrews Madai, (Gen. x. 2,) and lay south and west of the Caspian sea, south of Arme- nia, and north of Persia, including the provinces now called Azerbijan, Ghilan, Mazanderan, and Irak-Adjemi. This country, which is rather greater in extent than Spain, lies between 35° and 40° N. lat. and was among the richest and most fruitful kingdoms of Asia. It is divided into two parts ; Atropatene or Lesser Media on the N. west ; and Greater Media on the south. Atropatene is now called Azerbijan, The wealth of this land is now almost at an end, and its fields and towns have become deserted under a despotic government. Cheater Media (now Irak-Adjemi) is a moun- tainous country, with many fertile valleys. Its climate is temperate and its atmosphere healthful. The skies of Per- sian Irak, like those of Italy, are proverbially beautiful. Those regions, however, which are near the Caspian sea, are unhealthy, though abundant in fruits and grain. Achmetha or Ecbatana, the chief city of Media, is men- tioned in the book of Ezra, (vi. 2,) as the place where the records of the kingdom were preserved. In the Apocry- pha, (Jud. i. 2 — 10,) may be found some description of this city, which was splendid and well fortified. Its place is occupied, as is supposed, by the modern city of Hamadan, (lat. 34° 54' N. long. 46° E.) Media was subject to the Assyrian Empire until the time of Tiglath-Pileser, (Arbaces) who usurped the government of both countries. This monarch carried many of the Israelites east of Jordan to Media. (2 Kings xv. 29, 1 Chron. v. 26.) A revolt in the time of Sennacherib, the grandson of Tiglath-Pileser, separated Media from Assyria : Dejoces was then their king. After many conflicts with the Assyrians, he left the kingdom to Phraortes, who added Persia to his realm. (See p. 19.) Cyaxares, the son of Phraortes, took and destroyed Nineveh, and his son Astyages was his successor. Cyax- b2 18 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. ares the second, the uncle of Cyrus the Great, gave up the kingdom to his more celebrated nephew, under whom Per- sia and Media became one kingdom. The Medes were employed, in the hand of God, as the instruments for executing his decrees against Babylon : Be- hold, I will stir up the Medes against them. (Isa. xiii. 17, 18, xxi. 2, 3. ) Their punishment was also foretold by Jere- remiah, (xxv. 25,) who says that they were to drink of the cup of the wrath of God : which was fulfilled undei Cyrus. Darius succeeded to the kingdom of Belshazzar, king of Chaldea, and was himself succeeded by Cyrus. After this the Medes and Persians are mentioned as belong- ing to one empire. ELAM. The nation which descended from Elam, the son of Shem, (Gen. x. 22,) is named in conjunction with the king of Shinar, (Gen. xiv. 1,) and in other places, (Isa. xxi. 2, Jer. xxv. 25,) with Media. The Elamites appear (Ezr. iv. 9,) among the people of the Persian empire, and Daniel is said to have resided at Shushan, which is in the vrovince of Elam. (Dan. viii. 2.) The Greeks and Romans gave this country the name of Elymais. It made a part of the ancient Susiana, now called Kusistan. Susiana, oi Kusistan, the Elam of the Bible, is bounded by Persia or Farsistan on the east ; Babylonia on the west ; Media on the north; and the Persian gulf on the south. In the northern and eastern parts it is mountainous, in the southern portion, upon the sea, low and marshy. The Elamites or Ely- maeans were a warlike people, celebrated for their use of the bow. (Isa. xxii. 6, Jer. xlix. 35.) Shushan, the capital of Elam, was situated upon the an- cient Choaspes, now called Kerrah. It was called Susa by the Greeks, and is said to have been 15 miles in circum- ference. Here stood the celebrated palace of Ahasuerus, (Esth. i. 5,) and amongst its ruins, the inhabitants still pre- tend to show the tomb of the prophet Daniel. Ezekiel speaks of Elam as a great and terrible nation, (xxxii. 24,) which should be visited by the judgments of God. After being subdued by the Chaldeans, Shushan became the resi- dence of their kings. (Dan. viii. 1, 2.) Elamites are named (Acts ii. 9,) together with Medes and Parthians, as being PERSIA. 19 present at the miraculous occurrences of the day of Pente- cost. The history of Elam as a separate country is not re- ferred to in the Scriptures, as in later ages it was a part of the Persian Empire. PERSIA. The country which we know under the name of Persia, was called by the Hebrews Paras, by the Greeks Persis, and by its inhabitants Fars. It is bounded by Kerman or Caramania on the east ; by Irak-Adjemi or Southern Me- dia on the north ; by Laristan and the Persian Gulf on the south ; and by Kusistan on the West. The country with- in these limits is about equal in extent to France. But while these are the boundaries of Persia Proper, it is to be observed that the Persian empire was far more extensive, including, at some periods, both Elam and Media, Within limits so large as those abovementioned, great varieties of soil and climate are to be expected. The southern part, which lies upon the sea, is a sandy plain, rendered almost uninhabitable by the heat and drought, and the prevalence of the pestilential wind. The interior and northern districts, on the contrary, contain high lands of great beauty and fertility, lofty mountains, and valleys covered with verdure. The vale of Shiraz is celebrated for its cattle, its fruits, and its wine, as well as for its healthful atmosphere. In the northern parts of Farsistan the moun- tains, which branch out from the range of Taurus, are high and rugged, and the valleys are inhabited principally by wandering shepherds and herdsmen. The geography of Persia Proper is scarcely alluded to in the Bible, though its history deserves to be carefully studied as illustrating that of the Hebrews. The early inhabitants of Persia appear to have main- tained an independent government for some centuries, until being subdued, they became subject to the Assyrian em- pire. From this state of dependence they were in a mea- sure delivered by Arbaces or Tiglath-Pileser, and for some time had at least the appearance of a separate kingdom. They were conquered and made a part of the Median king- dom by Phraortes. The celebrated Cyrus united Persia 20 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE and Media as one kingdom, about 500 years before Christ It was he who took Babylon, restored the Jews, and order- ed the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple, and who was predicted by name, as the shepherd of the Lord, and the deliverer of Israel. (Isa. xliv. 28, xlv.) The successors of Cyrus, as given by Ezra, are Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Ahasuerus was Cambyses, the conqueror of Egypt. Artaxerxes is the king elsewhere called Smerdis the Magian, by whose decree the rebuilding of Jerusalem was stopped. Darius has, in profane history, the additional name of Hystaspes. Under his patronage the temple was finished. Xerxes, who is omitted by Ezra, as having no connexion with sacred history, but who is named by Daniel, was the celebrated invader of Greece. Artaxerxes Longimanus (so called from the length of his handsj is supposed to be the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. With this prince ends the history of Persia as connected with the Scriptures. BABirZiONIA AND CHAZ.DISA. It is easy to determine the general situation of this great country, which lay on both sides of the river Eu- phrates, while its particular boundaries are not so evident. The Persian Gulf was certainly its southern limit ; on other sides it is more difficult to draw the line. Perhaps we may place Mesopotamia and Assyria on the north ; Persia and Susiana on the east ; and the stony and desert Arabia on the west. This country is now called Babylonian or Arabian Irak. The south-western part of Babylonia, upon the borders of the Arabian desert is called the land of the Chaldeavs, or Chaldea, by Jeremiah, (xxiv. 5, xxv. 12, 1. 8,) and Ezekiel, (xii. 13.) The two names Babylonia and Chaldea are generally applied to the same country. Its ancient name was Shinar. Nimrod built a city sailed Ba- bel, in the land of Shinar ; (Gen. x. 10.) The spoils of the temple, as we are told, (Dan. i. 1, 2,) were carried into this country. By the prophet Isaiah (xxi. 1,) it is named the desert of the sea, perhaps because the overflowing of the Euphrates resembled a sea. Babylonia is a level country, subjected to constant inun- BABYLONIA AND CHALDEA. 21 datioDS from its two great rivers, especially from the Eu- phrates, which has the lower banks. In consequence of this it was intersected by numerous canals, some of which were remarkably large. These are minutely described by ancient writers. Hence it was said to dwell upon many waters. (Jer. li. 13.) The climate of this country is such as to be agreeable and healthful during most of the year, notwithstanding the prevalence of great heat. There is little rain, even in win- ter, and the atmosphere is peculiarly clear. The ancients ' speak of it as a land eminent for its fertility. It was rich in grain and in dates, but produced no vines, figs, or olives. CITIES AND REMARKABLE PLACES IN BABYLONIA. I. Babel, or Babylon, was the chief city of the king- dom, and is called by Jeremiah, (1. 12,) the mother, or me- tropolis, of Chaldea. It is also called Sheshach. It was, probably the first city built after the flood, by Nimrod, upon the same ground where the tower of Babel stood, and where the memorable confusion of tongues took place. (Gen. xi. 1 — 9.) All that relates to the early history of this city is so obscure, and the accounts of the heathen so contradictory, that an entire silence seems most judicious. Its situation was about 32° 25' north latitude, and 44" east longitude from Greenwich. Nebuchadnezzar raised this city to its greatest glory, so that it became the seat of universal empire, and the wonder of the world. " The city, at that period, stood on both sides the river, which intersected it in the middle. It was, according to the least computation, 45 miles in circum- ference ; and according to Herodotus, 60 miles. Its shape was that of a square, traversed each way by 25 principal streets; which of course intersected each other, dividing the city into 625 squares. The walls, from the most mo- derate accounts, were 75 feet in height, and 32 in breadth ; while Herodotus makes them 300 in height and 75 in breadth." — " They were built of brick, cemented with bitumen instead of mortar, and were encompassed by a broad and deep ditch, lined with the same materials, as were also the banks of the river in its course through the city. The houses were three or four stories high, sepa- rated from each other by small courts or gardens, with open 22 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. spaces, and even fields, interspersed over the immense area enclosed within the walls. Over the river was a bridge, connecting the two halves of the city, which stood, the one on its eastern and the other on its western bank. The bridge was five furlongs in length and 30 feet in breadth, and had a palace at each end, with, (as is said,) a sub- terraneous passage from one to the other. Within the city was the temple of Belus, or Jupiter, which is described as a square of a quarter of a mile." [Abridged from Hans- ford's Bib. Gaz.] The reader may find in various histories, particular descriptions of this tower, and also of the palaces, and the hanging gardens. With justice might such a place be called great, (Jer. li. 58,) " the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency," (Isa. xiii. 19,) and a proud and luxurious city, (Isa. xlvii. 1 — 8.) In the Revelation of John it is used as a type of the Roman power. (Rev. xiv. 8, xvi. 19, xvii. 5, xviii. 10.) The first notice of a king of Babylon in the Scriptures, is during the reign of Hezekiah, when Berodach-baladan sent letters and presents to congratulate the king of Judah upon his recovery. (2 Kings xx. 12.) This Baladan was the first independent king of Babylon, after their deliver- ance from Assyrian power, and is elsewhere called Nabo- nassar and Belesis. About 747 years before Christ, this prince, with Arbaces of Media, (Tiglath-Pileser,) besieged Nineveh, and obtaining the victory, divided the former Assyrian monarchy into the two kingdoms of Nineveh and Babylon. After several reigns Babylon became again sub- ject to those kings of Assyria who are so often named in the history of the Jews ; viz. Tiglath-Pileser, Sennache- rib, and Esarhaddon. Under Nabopolassar, Babylon be- came independent of Assyria, and the seat of universal empire. This king was the father of Nebuchadnezzar, who extended his conquests as far as Palestine, took Jeru- salem, and made Judea tributary. His son Evil-Merodach (2 Kings xxv. 7, Jer. lii. 31,) was murdered by his bro- ther-in-law Neriglissar, who then ascended the throne. Then follow Laborosoarchod, and Nabonadius or Belshaz- zar. (Dan. v. 1.) According to the prophecies, Babylon was, in a remarkable manner, destroyed by Cyrus. (Jer. xxv. 11, 12, Isa. xlv. 1 — i, Jer. li. 11, Isa. xiii. 17, xxi. 2, Jer. 1. 38, li. 36, 1. ^, li. 39, 57.) In these predictions BABYLONIA AND CHALDEA. 23 almost every circumstance of the siege and capture is dis- tinctly foretold. The glory of Babylon passed away according to the word of the Lord, so that it has been difficult, in modern times, to discover the place where it stood. Within a few years, however, it seems to be made certain that the spot is in the vicinity of the town of Hilleh, in the Pachalic of Bagdad. Here remains a prodigious monument, conjec- tured to have belonged to the great tower. Innumerable quantities of bricks have been dug up, many of which con- tain inscriptions ; also lines of brick-work, and old founda- tions. These caverns and ruins are infested by wild beasts, so as to be often inaccessible. II. Dura, an extensive plain around Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar erected the golden image. (Dan. iii. 1.) III. Erech, was a city built by Nimrod. (Gen. x. 10.) This was called Erecca and Aracca by the Greeks, and is supposed to be the place upon the river Tigris, near the borders of Susiana, whence the Archevites were brought by Esarhaddon to colonize Samaria. (Ezra iv. 9.) IV. Acad, or Achad, another city of Shinar, built by Nimrod. (Gen. x. 10.) It is also called Arch ad. Scarcely any thing is known of its position. About six miles from Bagdad a ruin is found, at a place called Akar-kouff, which (it is imagined) marks the spot where Achad was built. V. Calneh, is the fourth of Nimrod's cities. Probably the same with Calno, (Isa. x. 9.) and Canneh, (Ezek. xxvii. 23.) It stood upon the Tigris, and was known by the Greeks under the name of Ctesiphon. It was long the chief city of the Parthians. It seems to have been a place of note, (Amos vi. 2, Isa. x. 9,) and is mentioned by Eze- kiel as a town which traded with Tyre, (xxvii. 23.) VI. Cutha, a region about the lower Euphrates. (2 Kings xvii. 24.) Babylonia was a country well situated for commerce. Its great navigable rivers opened to it the trade of Syria and Asia Minor from above, and of India, Persia, Arabia, and 24 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. Africa from below. Babylon was the centre to which all the treasures of merchandize were brought. It was a land of traffic, a city of merchants. (Ezek. xvii. 4.) The looms of Chaldea produced wares which were precious in the earliest times. We read of a goodly Babylonish garment, (Jos. vii. 21,) more than 1400 years before Christ. It was a country, also, where the sciences were cultivated, al- though perhaps in a manner rather superstitious than pro- found. They had their astrologers, star-gazers, and monthly proguosticators ; (Isa. xlvii. 13, Dan. i. 20, ii. 2, 10, 27, iv. 7, V. 7, 11.) The language of Chaldea was not unlike that of the Hebrews ; and some parts of the Old Testament are writ- ten in Chaldee. ASS7RXA. 'w Assyria derives its name from the Hebrew Asshur, the second son of Shem. (Gen. x. 22.) As the Greeks called him Assur, the name of the country very naturally became Assyria. It has been doubted whether Nimrod or Asshur was the first settler of this country. In the verse above cited, the words may be rendered as in the margin, " Out of that land he (Nimrod) went into Assyria;" and the opinion is most probable that Nimrod was the founder. Assyria Proper is to be distinguished from the kingdom of Assyria, in the same way as China is distinguished from the Chinese Empire ; the latter term being used to denote in general those adjacent countries which were at various times subject to the kings of Assyria. Assyria was bounded on the north by Armenia, the Gor- dian mountains, and mount Niphates ; on the west by the Tigris and Mesopotamia; on the south by Persia; and on the east by Media. This country, with Kurdistan, is now subject to the Pacha of Mosul. It is a well watered and fruitful land, and once enjoyed extensive commerce. Grain, fruits, wine, cotton, and manna are produced in abundance. Hence the praises of the wicked Rab-shakeh, (2 Kings xvii. 32, Isa. xxxvi. 17.) The Tigris is the principal river of Assyria, and was called Hiddekel by the Hebrews. The greater and the ASSYRIA. 25 smaller Zab- or Dsab, run into this river from the east in a direction almost parallel. Assyria was divided into six provinces, of which the most northern was Arrapachitis or Arphaxad. (Gen. x. 2-2,. 24.) South of this was Calachene, supposed to be the Ha- lah or Chalach mentioned 2 Kings xvii. 6, xviii. 11. Fur- ther south was Adiabene. North-east of the last lay Arbe- litis. South of these Apolloniaris ; and bordering on Susi- ana was Sittakene. REMARKABLE PLACES IN ASSYRU. I. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, (2 Kings xix. 36, Isa. xxxvii. 37, Jon. iii. 6, Nah. ii. 8.) The name means " the dwelling-place of Ninus." It was situated on the eastern bank of the Tigris, opposite to the place where Mosul now stands, and ruins are still pointed out as the re- mains of this ancient city. It was probably founded by Nimrod, who was also called Ninus. The ancient name may be recognized in Numia, a village which is there at present. Nineveh was little inferior in size to Babylon. The dimensions given in history are as follows : 19 miles in length, 11 in breadth, and 60 in circumference. From what is said in Jonah, (ch. iv. 11,) we might calculate the number of its inhabitants, at the least, at 600,000. It was "a city of three day's journey," (Jon. iii. 3,) or 60 miles in circuit. The walls are said to have been a hundred feet high, and wide enough for three chariots to pass abreast, and fortified by 1500 towers, each 200 feetin height. Accord- ing to prophecy, it was destroyed by the aid of its great river, and in a sudden and terrible manner, (Nah. i. 10, ii. 6,) by the Medes and Babylonians. It was a wicked and luxurious city, and hence was destined to be smitten by the judgments of God, as he declared by his prophets, (Nah. iii. 1, Zeph. ii. 13—15.) II. Rehoboth ; a city built by the founder of Nineveh, (Gen. X. 11, 12,) as were also the two which follow. Of this place nothing is known. Let it be distinguished from the birth-place of Saul, king of Idumea. (Gen. xxxvi. 37.) III. Calah, (Gen. x. 12,) is supposed by Dr. Wells to be C 26 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLfi. the same with Halah. The general opinion is, however, that it was upon the Zad, or Lyons. IV. Kir, to which the conquered Damascenes were exiled, (2 Kings xvi. 9, Amos i. 5,) did not strictly lie within Assyria, but was under Assyrian dominion. Hence the Syrians are said, (Amos ix. 7,) to have been brought. It was probably a region near the river Kur, or Kuros, which flows between the Black Sea and the Caspian, and falls into the latter, after uniting with the Araxes. This is about the site of the modern Georgia. V. Hahor was a place on the river Gozan, where Shal- maneser placed a part of the captive Israelites, (2 Kings xvii. 6.) It is thought to be the mountainous tract be- tween Assyria and Media. The river Gozan is that which is now called Kisil-Osan. It is not known whether there was an uninterrupted line of kings from Asshur or Nimrod to Sardanapalus. The first monarch mentioned in the Bible is Pul, who, about 770 years before Christ, made Menahem, king of Israel, tributary to the x\ssyrians. (2 Kings xv. 19.) Sardanapalus is supposed to have been the son of Pul. He was besieged, as has already been said, by Arbaces and Belesis, and in despair set fire to his palace, and was consumed ; before Christ 747. Arbaces, or Tiglath-Pileser, then fixed his seat of government at Nineveh, and proceeded to invade Palestine, and carried the inhabitants of the north of that country to Assyria. (2 Kings xv. 29.) Salmanaser, or Sal- mon, the successor of Tiglath-Pileser, took Samaria, cast Hoshea into prison for life, and transplanted the remnant of Israel to Halah, Habor, and other Assyrian and Median cities. (2 Kings xvii. I.) Thus ended the kingdom pf Israel, which had continued 254 years. Sennacherib, the monarch who succeeded, attempted the subjugation of the kingdom of Judah, but was disappointed by the miraculous destruction of his vast army in a single niglit. (2 Kings xviii. 13 — 37, Isa. xxxvi. xxxvii.) After a reign of eighteen years, Sennacherib was assassinated by two of his sons ; the third son, Esarhaddon, hitherto vice- roy of Babylon, succeeded to the throne. (2 Kings xix. 37, Isa. xxxvii* 38.) Of this king we read scarcely any thing MESOPOTAMIA. 27 except that he sent colonists to Samaria. (Ezra iv. 2.) He reigned over both Assyria and Babylonia, and is by some supposed to be the king of Assyria who took Manasseh pri- soner, and subdued Judea. About 120 years after Esar- haddon, Cyaxares, king of Media, and Nabopolassar, the viceroy of Babylon, united their forces against Assyria, destroyed Nineveh, and divided the kingdom ; so that As- syria itself became a Median province. SVZESOPOTAIMEXA. The extensive country which lies between the Euphrates and the Tigris, from their sources to Babylon, between the 33d and 38th degrees of N. latitude, is called Mesopotamia. The name signifies, in Greek, between the rivers. In He- brew it is called Aram-Naharaim, i. e. Aram or Syria of two rivers, and Padan-Aram, the plain of Syria. The modern Arabic name is Algesira or El-jesira, the island, or peninsula. On the west lie Armenia, Asia Minor, and Syria ; on the south the Arabian desert and Babylonia, (or Arabian Irak ;) on the east Kurdistan ; and on the north Greater Armenia. In addition to the Euphrates and Tigris, which have been already mentioned, there is no account given in the Bible of any other river of Mesopotamia except the Chabo- ras, or Chebar, on the banks of which a Jewish colony was planted by Nebuchadnezzar, (Ezek. i. 1, 3, iii. 15, 23, X. 15, 22, 2 Kings xxiv. 15,) and where likewise the pro- phet Ezekiel sojourned. This was a large and navigable river, different from the Chabor. It fell into the Euphrates : now El-Khabur. Towards the north Mesopotamia is separated from Ar- menia by the southern branch of mount Taurus. This range was by the Hebrews called Mash, (Gen. x. 23,) and by the modern Arabs, Judi. The north-eastern district of Mesopotamia, through which the Mygdonius flowed, was anciently called Mygdonia. Its chief town was Nisibis, and bears the same name at this time. It is proper to mention this place, as some have sup- posed, but without foundation, that it is the same with the Zobah of the Bible, (1 Sam. xiv. 47, 2 Sam. viii. 3,) which was a town of Ccele-Syria. 26 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. PLACES IN MESOPOTAMIA, MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE. I. Ur of the Chaldees, the birth-place of Abram, (Gen. xi. 27, 28,) In the fourth century it was the theatre of a war between the Roman emperor Julian and the Persians. It cannot be denied, however, that there is a place in Chal- dea Proper, which the eastern Jews still call Ur of the Chaldees, as Mr. Wolff, the missionary, informs us, and which is generally known by the name of Or/a; the latter is the ancient Edessa. II. Haran. Here Terah stopped on his journey, (Gen. xi. 27, 28.) and died. The name of this place remains un- altered. Lat. 36° 52' N. long. 39° 5' E. of Greenwich. It is in the north-east part of Mesopotamia. The country is barren and uninviting. The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, destroyed this town, (2 Kings xix. 12, Isa. xxxvii. 12,) and in the time of Ezekiel it carried on trade with Tyre. (Ezek. xxviii. 23.) This place is in the New Testament, (Acts vii. 4,) called Charran. III. Tel-ahih, a place upon the river Chebar, where some of the Jewish exiles lived, and whither Ezekiel went. (Ezek. iii. 15.) Probably this stood upon the ground occu- pied by the modern Thalaba. IV. Carchemish, was upon the Euphrates. It was taken by Pharaoh Necho, and then by Nebuchadnezzar. (2 Kings, xxiii. 29, Jer. xlvi. 2, 2 Chron. xxxv. 20, Josephus Antiq. B. X. c. 6.) It was called by the Romans, Circesium, and is now known as Kirkisia. It stood at the spot where the Chebar falls into the Euphrates. V. Hena, (See 2 Kings xix. 12, Isa. xxxvii. 12, as above,) is thought to be the same with the modern Anah, which lies upon both sides of the Euphrates, and abounds with fruit. VI. Sepharvaim, was one of the places whence Shalma- neser sent colonies into the land of Israel. (2 Kings.xvii. 24, xviii. 34, Isa. xxxvi. 19.) It would appear (2 Kings xix. 13, Isa. xxxvii. 13,) that it was a small kingdom. It is thought to be the same with Siphara. ASIA MINOR. 29 VII. Thelasar, lay, as we conjecture, in th€ same region, although we are entirely ignorant of its exact position. (2 Kings xix. 12, Isa. xxxvii. 12.) It has been thought that this was the same with Ellasar, (Gen. xiv. 1.) In very early times we read of Chushan-rishathaim, (Judg. iii. 8,) king of Mesopotamia, but hear little after- wards of the history of this country until we find it a part of the Assyrian, Persian, and Macedonian empires. ASIA 2MEZNOR. The name of Asia Minor is given to that large peninsula which stretches out into the Mediterranean, at the west of Asia, it is included between -36° and 42° N. lat. and 26° and 39° E. long, from Greenwich. It extends on the east to the Euphrates, north to the Black or Euxine Sea, west to the Sea of Marmora, the Hellespont, and the Dardanelles, and south to the Mediterranean. When mentioned in the New Testament it is simply called Asia, (Acts xix, 26, 27,) yet this name is generally given to a small portion of the peninsula, comprehending, as far as we can learn, Lydia in its largest sense, including Ionia and ^olis. (Wells.) (Acts xvi. 6, ii. 9, vi. 9, xix. 10, 22, xx. 16, xxi. 27, xxiv. 19, 1 Cor. xvi. 19, 2 Cor. i. 8, 1 Pet. i. 1, Rev. i. 4, 11.) The name of this country is now Anadoli, or Natalia, from the Greek, meaning the rising of the sun. The French and Italians call it the Levant, which has the same meaning. The face of the country is mountainous. Mount Taurus, which is one of the principal ranges of Asia, begins in the region adjacent to the -^gaean sea, and presents to view a a chain of snow-clad mountains which stretch in a curve through the whole land. Between these and a more north- ern chain, there are numerous valleys, which, though na- turally fertile, are mostly unproductive at this day. The chief river of Asia Minor is the ancient Halys, now called Kisil-Irmak, which rises in the S. E. part, takes a course first eastward and then northward, and passing through a part of Cappadocia, Galatia and Pontus, falls into the Black sea near Basira. The Iris, (now Jekil-Irmak,) rises near Kara-Hissar and c 2 30 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. falls into the Black sea, near Samsun. The Pyramus (now Dscheihan,) flows to the Mediterranean. The climate is moderate, on account of the sea-hreezes which refresh the land upon three sides. During the greatest prevalence of heat, the mountains afford a salutary resort. The soil varies in different parts ; but although there are many fertile vales, not half the arable land is un- der cultivation. The productions of the earth are wheat, rice, tobacco, saffron, olives, and cotton. DIVISIONS OF ASIA MINOR. By the ancients, Asia Minor was divided into twelve principal countries, some of which were separate kingdoms. Three of these were northern, bordering on the Black Sea, Yiz. Pontus, Paphlagoma,3,ndBithynia; three western, upon the Egaean sea, viz. Mysia (including Troas,) Lydia, (with a part of .^olis and Ionia,) and Caria, (which took in Do- ris and the remainder of Ionia;) three southern, viz. Lycia, Pisidia, (with Pamphylia) and Cilicia; three in the in- terior, viz. Phrygia (with Lycaonia,) Galatia, and Cappa- docia (with the smaller Armenia.) Most of these are mentioned in the New Testament, as Asia Minor was the principal field of labour of the Apostles Peter and Paul. I. Pontus, lies in the north-east, upon the Black Sea^ and reaches from the river Halys as far east as Colchis. It is bounded west by Paphlagonia, and south by Cappadocia. The descendants of Tubal are supposed to have been its earliest inhabitants. Pontus and Cappadocia formed one province under the Romans. There were Jews residing in Pontus during the time of Christ. (Acts ii. 9.) The gospel was preached there at an early date. The apostle Peter directs his first epistle to them, among others. (1 Pet. ii 1.) This was the birth-place of Aquila, (Acts xviii. 2J, 3, 18, 26, Rom. xvi. 3, 1 Cor. xvi. 19, 2 Tim. iv. 19,) who was the companion of Paul. Among the principal towns were Amasia, Themiscyra, the residence of the Amazons, Cerasus, whence cherries were first brought to Europe, and derived their name, (ce~ rasa, Latin ; cerises, French) Trapezus, now Trebizonde ; these are not recorded in the Scriptures. In the Apocry- ASIA MINOR. 31 pha Sampsameis mentioned ; (IMac. xv. 23;) probably the modern Samsun, a trading town at the mouth of the Iris, of 700 families. II. Paphlagonia, was divided by the Halys from Pontns, and on the west by the river Parthenius (now Bartin) from Bithynia. On the north bounded by the Black sea, on the south by Galatia. The eastern part has lofty mountains ; the western is a well-watered plain. The chief town was Sinope, upon a river of the same name (now Sinob) which falls into the Black sea. This was the birth-place of Dio- genes the Cynic. III. Bithynia was separated from Paphlagonia, on the east by the river Parthenius ; on the west were the sea of Marmora, and the river Rhyndacus (now Mehullidsch ;) on the north the Black sea, and on the south Phrygia and Galatia. The river Sangarius (now Sacari) falls into the Black sea. Olympus is the principal mountain. Among its cities, two are worthy of notice ; Nice which was formerly called An- tigonia, and now Isnik, at which was held, A. D. 3'25, the first general council, at which Arianism was condemned : and Chalcedon, now called Kadikjoi, where was held, A. D. 451, the fourth general council, at which the Eutychians were condemned.* The apostle Paul was prevented from visiting Bithynia. (Acts xvi. 7.) IV. Mysia was bounded north by the Propontis, or sea f Marmora ; west by the Hellespont ; south by jEolis ; and se- parated from Bithynia on the west by Aesepus or Aesapus, now called Spiga. If we take in JEoIis, as was done in later times, the southern boundary will be the river Her- mus (now Sarabad,) which is the northern limit of Lydia. Mysia is even now a beautiful and fertile country. In the northern part was Troas, or the region of ancient Troy, Not far from the site of this was Troas, (now Eski-Stam- but) which was twice visited by the apostle Paul, (Acts xvi. 8, XX. 6,) and is mentioned in his epistles (2 Cor. ii. 12, 2Tim. iv. 13.) * The Arians were followers of Anus, who denied the proper divinity of Christ, and considered him an exalted being created before all worlds, and by whose instrumentality the worlds were made. The Eutychians were also ancient heretics, who denied that there was any distinction of natures in Christ, 32 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. Assos (Atts XX. 13, 14,) was opposite to the island ofpS;-^ Lesbos; it is now a miserable hamlet, called Beiram. '^' Pergamos, is memorable as the place where one of the seven churches mentioned in the Apocalypse, existed. (Rev. i. 11.) Its modern name is Bergamo. This town was built upon the northern bank of the Caicus. The heresy of the Nicolaitanes corrupted the church of Perga- mos, for which it was reproved. (Rev. ii. 14 — 16.) It has at present about 30,000 inhabitants, including 3,000 Greek Christians. It is about 60 miles north of Smyrna. V. Lydia was bounded east by Greater Phrygia ; north by jEolis or Mysia ; west by Ionia and the jEgean sea, and on the south by the river Meander, which divided it from Caria. The country is generally level. The Tmolus was its principal mountain, and the Pactolus and Cayster its chief rivers. The Pactolus was celebrated for its golden sands. Some have supposed that the descendants of Lud (Gen. x. 22,) peopled Lydia ; but there is a people called Lud who lived in Africa. (Gen. x. 13, Isa. Ixvi. 19, Jer. xlvi. 9, Ezek. xxvii. 10, xxx. 5.) The New Testament mentions three Lydian cities, Thy- atira, Sardis, and Philadelphia. Thyatira, the most northern of these, was upon the river Lycus, between Pergamos and Sardis. It was the birth- place of the pious Lydia, (Acts xvi. 14, 15, 40,) and con- tained one of the seven churches of Asia; (Rev. i. 11;) it still exists under the name of Ak-hisar, and contains a num- ber of nominal Christians. (Rev. ii. 18 — 29.) Sardis was the chief city of Lydia, and until the time of Croesus, who was conquered by Cyrus, the centre of the Lydian monarchy. It lies on the bank of the Pactolus, near mount Tmolus. Here also was one of the seven churches; (Rev. i. 11, iii. 1 — 6;) a wretched village call- ed Sart still remains. We are informed that " a few names" are found even in Sardis, who received with gratitude the New Testament in modern Greek. Philadelphia, the seat of one of the seven churches of Asia, about 70 miles S. E. -from Smyrna, and 25 from Sar- dis. It was situated upon a branch of Mount Tmolus. In this place was one of the seven churches, to whom the Saviour directed his message by John. Here are to be seen the relics of a noble city, and it is still called by the ^ ASIA MINOR. do Turks, Alah-sher, ' the beautiful city.' About a thousand ^ Christians reside here. (See Rev. i. 11. iii. 1 — 14.) "Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia," says Gibbon, "Philadelphia is still erect — a column in a scene of ruins." VI. Ionia was considered by the ancients as the garden of Asia. It was bounded east by Lydia ; north by Mysia ; west by the ^gean sea ; and south by Caria. Its chief cities were Miletus, Phocea, Ephesus, and Smyrna. Smyrna is the most northern, and is called by the Turks Ismir. It is situated upon a bay formed by the little river Melos. In all Asia there was no city more beautiful. Al- though frequently destroyed by earthquakes, it contains even now as many as 120,000 inhabitants, and carries on an important trade with Europe and America, being the principal commercial town in the Levant. The Greeks have here a bishop and two churches. The church of Smyrna enjoyed the labours of the mar- tyr Polycarp, and was commended by the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rev. i. 11, ii. 8 — 11.) There is no city of Asia Minor in which the Christians are in a better condition. Ephesus, was, under the Romans, the capital of procon- sular Asia, and stood about five miles from the mouth of the river Cayster, and 45 S. of Smyrna. Here was the temple of Diana which became the wonder of the world and of posterity. Its length was 425 feet, its breadth 220, and it was supported by 127 columns 60 feet high. On the night of Alexander's birth it was set on fire by one Herostratus, but was rebuilt with still more splendour than before. In this edifice was the wooden statue of Diana, which the Ephesians supposed had fallen from heaven. (Acts xix. 35.) Little models of this temple were made of silver, and sold to the devotees, (xix. 24.) Christianity was here introduced by the apostle Paul, about A.D. 54. (Acts xviii. 19, xix. 8.) It was visited also by Apollos, (Acts xviii. 24,) and was the place where Onesiphorus showed kindness to Paul. (2 Tim. i. 18.) The church here was addressed in an epistle by this apostle, and afterwards by our Lord himself. (Rev. i. 11, ii. 1—7.) A poor Turkish village is all that remains of the splendid Ephesus. Trogylliunij a town at the foot of Mount Mycale, where 34 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. the apostle Paul tarried for a night on his journey from Assos to Miletus. (Acts xx. 15.) Miletus, in the southern part of Ionia, was second only to Ephesus in splendour. At present there are only the ruins of certain palaces and temples, near a shepherds' village called Palat, near the mouth of the Meander. Here it was that Paul gathered the elders of Ephesus, and bade them farewell ; (Acts xx. 17 ;) here he left Trophimus sick, on one of his journeys. (2 Tim. iv. 20.) VII. Caria, was situated at the S. west extremity of Asia Minor, and bounded east by Lycia and Phrygia ; north by Lydia and Ionia ; west by the ^gean, and south by the Mediterranean sea. The land is mountainous, and was early settled by the Phcenicians. Cnidus was a city on the point of a peninsula, and was passed by the apostle Paul, (Acts xxvii. 7,) on his first voyage, as a prisoner, to Rome. VIII. Lycia was bounded on the west by Caria ; south by the Mediterranean and Syrian sea; east by Pamphylia; and north by Phrygia. The country is very mountainous, and the Taurus here has its south-western commencement. Among the many cities of this province, only two are no- ticed in the Bible: viz. Patara and Myra. Patara was a large and rich sea-port town. It was call- ed Arsinoe by Ptolemy Philadelphus, in honour of his queen. Here the apostle Paul once embarked for Phoenicia, on his way to Jerusalem. (Acts xxi. 1, 2.) Near the ruins of Patara stands an ordinary village, called Scamandro. Myra was one of the six great cities of Lycia, and a sea- port. Here also Paul touched, (Acts xxvii. 5,) on his voyage to Rome, and took ship for Italy. IX. Pamphylia was east of Lycia, bounded south by the Mediterranean ; north by Pisida; and east by Cilicia. The country is hilly, and is watered by the river Eurymedon (now »S'^ Nicholas.) ^Attalia was a city visited by the apostle Paul (Acts xiv. 25,) in his travels through Asia Minor. It is upon the sea, at the place where the river Cataractes falls from a height into the sea. At the present day it is known by the names Attalia, Antalia, and Satalia, ASIA MINOR. 35 Perga was once the capital of the province, and stood near the sea upon the river Cestrus. Paul was twice in this city. (Acts xiii. 13, 14, xiv. 25.) It is supposed to be the same with Kirahisar, in a district called Tekieh. X. Pisidia, was chiefly among the mountains of Taurus, north of Pamphylia. There was an Antioch in Pisidia which must be carefully distinguished from the Syrian An- tioch, as well as other cities of the same name. In a syna- gogue of this city Paul preached a memorable discourse, (Acts xiii. 14 — 41,) and was expelled by the people, (ver. 50, 2 Tim. iii. 11.) An insignificant town, called Ak- Shehr, occupies the ancient site. XI. Cilicia stretches along the coast of the Mediterranean from the river Melas, which divides it from Pamphylia, towards Syria, where it is bounded by the mountain Ama- nus. Taurus is its northern limit. Tarsus, the birth-place of the apostle Paul, and the chief city of Cilicia, was situated in a fertile plain upon the river Cydnus, (now Kara-Su.) (Acts xxi. 39.) Although sub- ject, in the apostle's time, to the Roman sway, it was a free city ; that is, it had its own municipal government, and its own laws. From this privilege, or possibly in conse- quence of some honour conferred on his immediate ances- try, Paul was a Roman citizen. (Acts xvi. 37, xxii. 29.) It is now a poor, dilapidated town, belonging to Cyprus. XII. Cappadocia was bounded on the east by Armenia ; north by Potus ; west by Lycaonia ; and south by Cilicia. It is a hilly but fertile tract of country. Christianity was introduced into Cappadocia at a very early period. The Christians of this province are mentioned by the apostle Peter in his first epistle, (i. 1.) Some of these had probably been converted on the day of Pentecost. (Acts ii. 9.) XIII. Lt/coonia was bounded east by Cappadocia ; north by Galatia ; west by Phrygia ; south by Iscauria and Cili- cia. It is uncertain whether the dialect of Lyconia (Acts xiv. 11,) was the old Assyrian language, or a corruption of the Greek. Iconium was the principal city, and was situated at the foot of mount Taurus. Its present name is Conia, and it 36 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. is the seat of a Pacha. Here the gospel was preached byPaul and Barnabas, (Acts xiii. 51, xiv.l,) and with great success, and although they were speedily forced to leave the place (ver. 6.) and proceed to Lystra and Derbe. The latter was east of Iconium, at the foot of the range of mountains call- ed Anti-Taurus, and was the birth-place of Gaius, the fellow- traveller of Paul. (Acts XX. 4.) Lystra was south of Ico- nium, and is signalized by a miracle of the apostle, (Acts xiv. 8 — 19,) and as being the birth-place of Timothy, the coadjutor of Paul. (Acts xvi. 1, 2, 2 Tim. iii. 11.) XIV. Phrygia was bounded east by Cappadocia ; north by Galatia and Bithynia ; west by Mysia, Lydia and Ca- ria ; and south by Lydia and Pisidia. The land is fertile and generally level. Several large rivers flow through it, as the Meander and the Marsyas, which after their junction fall into the iEgean sea, and the Hermus, (now the Sarabad.) In the New Testament we find three cities of Phrygia, which were all in the same region, viz. Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. Colosse, or perhaps more properly Colasse, was a city on the river Lycus, (now the Gorduk.) Upon the same spot are a castle and village called Chonos. About A. D. 65 Colosse was overwhelmed by an earthquake. Before this, however, a Christian church had been established here, of which Epaphras was the pastor. (Col. i. 7, iv. 12, 13.) An epistle directed to this church is still extant among the books of the New Testament. The apostle Paul had twice visited the northern part of Phrygia; but it does not appear that he had ever been at Colosse. (Acts xvii. 6, xviii. 23, Col. ii. 1.) Laodicea^ upon the river Lycas, was the chief city of the province called Phrygia, Pacatiana, (1 Tim. vi. 22,) and a place of trade, much visited by Jews. The Turkish name is Eski-hissar, and the town lay upon the confines of Phrygia and Lydia about 40 miles east of Ephesus. Let this be distinguished from Laodicea combusta, which was in the eastern part of Phrygia, and also from Laodicea ad Mare* which occupied the ground of the present port of Aleppo, and from Laodicea ad Libanum, which was near * This, and not the Laodicea of the Apocalypse was the place de- stroyed by the earthquake of 1822. — See Mansford's Scripture Ga- zetteer, p. 314. London 1829. SYRIA, OR ARAM. 37 mount Lebanon in Syria. There was a church here, when Paul wrote to the Colossians, (ch. iv. 16.) and to this church were directed the warnings recorded in the Apoca- lypse. (Rev. i. 11, iii. 14—22.) Hierapolis (now Pambuk-Kulassi) was south of Laodicea, and though remarkable for its hot baths and its ancient splendour, is mentioned but once in the Bible ; (Col. iv. 13 ;) it was five miles from the city last mentioned. XV. Galatia was bounded on the north by Paphlago- nia ; west by Bithynia and a part of Phrygia ; south by Phrygia and Cappadocia; and east by Cappadocia and Pontus. The inhabitants were Celts, or Gauls, who settled here some centuries before Christ. The Galatians were a warlike people, and often served in foreign wars. Ancyra, (now Angura or Enguri,) was the chief city. Christianity was introduced into Galatia by the apostle Paul, (Gal. i. 6, 8, iv. 13,) who visited the country twice. The first of these visits was in company with Silas and Timothy, (Acts xvi. 6,) about the year 53, as is supposed ; the other, four years later, on his return from Corinth. (Acts xviii. 23.) One of his companions in labour, by name Crescens, (2 Tim. iv. 10,) appears to have preached in Galatia. SYRIA, OR ARAM. - ' Syria, called Aram in the earlier Scripture writings, from Aram, the son of Shem ; an extensive empire of the East, including, in its largest sense, all the country between the Mediterranean sea and the river Cydnus on the west ; the Euphrates on the east ; and from mount Taurus on the north, to the confines of Egypt and Arabia,, on the south. It has usually been divided, for description's sake, into Upper Syria, or Syria Proper ; (which was that so de- nominated, before it was conquered and incorporated with Assyria;) Ccele-Syria, or Hollow Syria, so called from its situation between the two great ridges of Libanus and Anti-Libanus : and Syria Palestina, which included the Holy Land, and that maritime border on its north-western side which the Greeks called Phoenicia." (Mansford.) D 38 OEOORAPHY OF THE BIBLE. MOUNT LEBANON. The greatest and most famous range of mountains in Sy- ria is Lebanon, an extensive and lofty chain, which stretches from the sea-shore in two parallel branches from south- west to north-east. The more southern of these is Anti- Libanus, or that which is over against Lebanon Proper. An eastern branch of this is called by Moses Herman, (Deut. iii. 9,) and also Sion. (Deut. iv. 48.) In the former of these texts we are told that the Sidonians called it Sirion, and the Amorites Shenir. Both these names mean " a coat of mail." In the later books of the Old Testament they are distinguished from one another. (1 Chron. v. 23, Song Sol. iv. 8.) Amana was probably a peak of the same moun- tain. Between Libanus or Lebanon and Anti-Libanus, is included, as is stated above. Code- Syria. Lebanon was so called from its whiteness, not only because of its eternal snows, but from the hue of its limestone rocks. From these rocks flowed the purest water, (Song Sol. iv. 15,) and above them the mountain summits were covered with snow. Hence we may discern the beauty, and propriety of the comparison, (Jer. xviii. 14,) Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field 7 or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be for- saken ? The lower parts of the mountain are as delightful as the heights are terrible. To enjoy the pure air and charm- ing prospects of these, Solomon erected buildings there. (1 Kings ix. 19.) The wine of these tracts is celebrated. (Hos. xiv. 7.) The Cedars of Lebanon have become proverbial, and ex- cel those of all other lands. Besides their uncommon size and beauty of shape and foliage, they send forth a bal- samic odour, which seems to be meant by " the smell of Lebanon." (Hos. xiv. 6, Song Sol. iv. 11.) This cedar was abundant in ancient times : of this wood were built the city of Persepolis, the temple at Jerusalem, and the palace of Solomon ; and in the last of these so much of this material was used, that it was called, (1 Kings vii. 2, x. 17,) the house of the forest of Lebanon. The Tyrians used it in ship-building. (Ezek. xxvii. 5, 6.) Mount Hor was probably a north-eastern branch of Le- SYRIA, OR ARAM. 99 banon, (Num. xxxiv. 7, 8,) and the northern boundary of the land of Israel. RIVERS OF SYRIA. The Oronfes and the Eleutherus are the most distinguish- ed rivers of Syria; but we pass them by, as they are not named in the Bible. The Abana was a river of Damascus, mentioned (2 Kings V. 12,) by Naaman the Syrian. It is generally said that it was one of the branches of the Chrysorroas, (now Baradi,) which rises in Anti-Libanus, and, dividing into five streams, waters the whole country around Damascus, so as to make this region, in the midst of the desert, truly fertile and beautiful. The Pharpar, named in the same connexion, is proba- bly the river now called Fidsheh. It rises north-west of Damascus, and unites its clear and beautiful waters with those of the Baradi. DIVISIONS OF SYRIA. Syria Proper embraces that country which lies be- tween the mountains Amanus and Lebanon on the north and south ; and between the Euphrates and the Mediter- ranean on the east and west : it was divided, during David's time, into several small kingdoms, which are thus named in the Scriptures. I. Aram-Zoba. It should be remembered that Aram is the Hebrew name of Syria. This portion of Syria lay upon the Euphrates ; for when David went to " recover his bor- der" upon this river, (2 Sam. viii. 3, 1 Chron. xviii. 3,) he smote Hadarezer, king of Zobah. After this, Hadare- zer brought as allies " the Syrians that were beyond the river ;" (2 Sam. x. 16;) that is, Mesopotamians from the east of Euphrates. Berothai, (2 Sam. viii. 8,) is probably the modern Beyroot; and if so, Aram-Zobah extended westward to the Mediterranean. Zobah is often mentioned, (1 Sam. xiv. 47, x. 6, 1 Kings xi. 24, 25,) and is placed, with much probability, between Damascus and Aleppo. II. Aram-Dammesek, (2 Sam. viii. 5, 6,) or the Syrians of Damascus. A part of Damascene Syria, seems to be 40 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. meant by the land of Hadrach, (Zech. ix. 1,) which is con- nected with Damascus. III. Aram-Maachah, (1 Chron. xix. 6,) translated Syria- Maachah, and sometimes called simply Maachah, (2 Sam. X. 6, 8,) seems to have been situated south of Damascus, on the east of the Jordan, and north of the Hebrew coun- try; for the Reubenites and Gadites, (Deut. iii. 14. Jos. xiii. 13,) possessed as far north as Maacha. IV. Aram Beth-rehob. The Syrians of Beth-rehob, (2 Sam. X. 6,) were allies of the Ammonites against David. It lay upon the northern frontier of the Israelites' territory ; for Laish which was taken by the Danites, (Judg. xviii. 28,) was near to Beth-rehob, and the Asherites are said (Judg. i. 31,) not to have driven out the inhabitants of Rehob. We may therefore consider this as the country now called Ard-eU hhule, at the foot of Anti-Libanus, near the sources of the Jordan. Hul was the name of a son of Aram. (Gen. x. 23.) V. Hamath was a province upon the Orontes, with a city of the same name, which it still retains. In Genesis, (x. 18,) the Hamathites are named among the descendants of Ca- naan ; and in later times we read of Hamath as the northern limit of the land of the Hebrews. (Num. xiii. 21, xxxiv. 8, Josh. xiii. 5, Judg. iii. 3.) In David's time Toi was king of Hamath. (2 Sam. viii. 9.) VI. Arpad is always joined with Hamath, (2 Kings xviii. 34, xix. 13, Isa. x. 9, xxxvi. 19, Jer. xlix. 23,) whence we infer that it was, perhaps, adjacent to the latter upon the east. VII. Hauran is named by Ezekiel, (ch. x.vii. 16, 18,) as the future boundary of Israel upon the north. The name is retained in the Greek Auranitis or Oranitis, and the coun- try reaches from the sea of Tiberias, on the east of the Jor- dan, as far north as Damascus. VIII. Geshur, a district of Syria, bordered upon the north of the Hebrew territory, (2 Sam. xv. 8, 1 Chron. ii. 23,) and lay between Mount Hermon, Maachah, and Ba- shan. (Deut. iii. 13, 14, Josh. xii. 3, 4.) The Geshurites SYRIA, OR ARAM. 41 and Maachathites were not expelled by the Israelites under Joshua; (Josh. xiii. 2, 13,^ and in David's reign Geshur had its own king, Talmai, (2 Sam. iii. 3,) whose daughter, Maachah, was the mother of Absalom. (2 Sam. xiii. 37, XV. 8.) The name Geshur signifies a bridge ; from this comes the Arabic Jisr or Jisser ; and in this region, where we place Geshur, between Mount Hermon and the sea of Tiberias, there is now a bridge over the Upper Jordan, called Jisr Beni-Jakub, " the bridge of the sons of Jacob." IX. Abilene was governed, about the time of Christ, (Luke iii. 1,) by a certain Lysanias, who had the title of Tetrach. It was probably adjacent to Galilee, Ituria, and Trachonitis ; being north-west of Damascus, and south of Heliopolis or Balbec. Here was the city of Abela. At the present day, under the Ottoman power, Syria is divided into five districts, under as many Pachas, or go- vernors ; viz. (1.) The Pachalic of Hhaleb or Aleppo, comprising Aintab, Badshasse, Alexandrette, and Antakia. (2.) The Pachalic of Damascus, including Hebron, Jerusa- lem, Nablus, Bostra, Hhoms, and Hhamah. (3.) The Pa- chalic of Tarablus or Tripoli, to which is subordinate the country on the coast, from Dschebail (Byblus) northward to Latakia. (4.) The Pachalic Seida or Akka, from Dsche- bail southward to Jaffa, including the mountain of the Dru- ses. (5.) The Pachalic of Gaza, in which is Jaffa, CITIES, AND REMARKABLE PLACES IN SYRIA. We shall find it most convenient, in enumerating the places of Syria which are mentioned in the Scriptures, to proceed regularly from north to south. I. Seleucia was a sea-port town, built by Seleucus Nica- tor, the first Grecian king of Syria, near the mouth of the Orontes or Aasi. Here the apostle Paul took ship for Cy- prus. (Acts xiii. 4.) A village may still be found there, in- habited chiefly by Armenians, and called Kapse. II. Antioch, on the Orontes; about midway between Constantinople and Alexandria, in 35° 17' north latitude, and 36° 45' east longitude from Greenwich. It was about d2 4» GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. SO miles from the sea, and long the residence of the Syrian kings. The apostle Paul and Barnabas preached at An- tioch, and here the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts xi. 26, xiii. 1, xiv. 21, xv. 22, Gal. ii. 11—21.) The poor remains of this splendid city are called by the Arabs, Antakia. A few Greeks and Armenians reside here. III. Helbon or Aleppo, called likewise Chalydon and Hhaleh was one of the most ancient, rich, and populous of the Syrian cities. Its trade with Tyre is noticed by the prophet Ezekiel, (ch. xxvii. 18.) It is even now one of the most agreeable cities of Turkey, and contained in 1815 something less than 100,000 souls. In 1822 it was almost entirely destroyed by a tremendous earthquake. IV. Rezeph, was mentioned by Rab-shakeh, (2 Kings xix. 12, Isa. xxxvii. 12,) among the cities of Mesopotamia and Syria, which the Assyrians had taken. It stood about a day's journey west of the Euphrates, where the modern Arsoffa is found. V. Tiphsah was the boundary of Solomon's kingdom to- wards the north-east, as Gaza, (or Azzah,) was upon the south-west. (1 Kings iv. 24.) The name signifies a ford, and it was probably a crossing-place upon the Euphrates. It is supposed to be a different place jQ^om the Tiphsah, which was conquered by Menahem. (2 Kings xv. 16.) VI. Rehohoth by the river, (Euphrates,) which is named as the native place of Saul, king of Edom, (Gen. xxxvi. 37,) is probably the same as to situation with the modern Errachahi, an Arabian town near the Euphrates. VII. Hamath, on the Orontes, is very frequently men- tioned in the Old Testament. This was, in David's time, the capital of a small kingdom, (see p. 40 above,) and is called Hamath the great by Amos, (ch. vi. 2.) It was con- quered by the Assyrians during the reign of Hezekiah. (2 Kings xvii. 24, xviii. 34, xix. 13, Isa. x. 9, xxxvi. 19.) The name in later times was £3pip/iawia,but it has at present resumed its old name. VIII. Riblah was one of the places through which the north-eastern line of the Hebrew territory passed. (Num SYRIA, OR ARAM. 43 xxxiv. 11.) When the Chaldeans conquered Jerusalem, this city belonged to the district of Hamath, (-2 Kings xxiii. 33, Jer. xxxix. 5, Hi. 10,) and was the place of the con- queror's head-quarters. Its exact situation cannot be dis- covered. IX. Tadmor or Thamar, a city built by Solomon, (1 Kings ix. 18. 2 Chron. viii. 4,) between the Euphrates and Hamath, and south-east of the latter. The Hebrew name signifies a Palm-tree, and hence the Greeks called it Palmyra, "the city of palms." It was about 160 miles from the Mediterranean. The ruins still existing show that it was one of the most glorious of ancient cities. At present it is "a forest of Corinthian pillars, erect and fallen," in the midst of an arid desert. It is 200 miles south-east of Aleppo. Lon. 38° 50' E. lat. 33° 20' N. X. Baal-gad was situated, (Josh. xi. 18, xii. 7,) in the valley of Lebanon, under mount Hermon, and was among the places unconquered by the Israelites at the death of Joshua. (Josh. xiii. 5.) By the Greeks it was called Heliopol'is, and by the modern natives Balbec, both of which mean the city of the sun. It was, perhaps, the place called (Song Sol. viii.) Baal-hamon ; and also, (1 Kings ix. 18,) Baalath. It is situated at the foot of Anti-Lebanon, just w here the moun- tain ends in a plain, and presents to the traveller a magnifi- cent spectacle of ruins, among which, those of the temple of the sun are most conspicuous. Balbec is 37 miles north of Damascus. Lon. 37° -20' E. lat. 34° 22' N. XI. Damascus* The most ancient city which now exists. The Hebrews called it Dammesek, the Arabs Dimashk, the Syrians Darmsuk, and the modern inhabitants El- Sham. By the Arabs it is numbered among the four eastern Para- dises. It is situated upon the river Baradi, (the ancient Chrysorroas,) 200 miles from Antioch. Its population is at least 100,000. The ancient walls are in ruins, but the city is still distinguished for its trade. The water is unequalled, and the climate a perpetual spring. It was the native place of Eliezer, the servant of Abraham; (Gen. xv. 2;) it was subdued by David, (2 Sam. viii. 5, 6,) who placed a garri- son there. During the latter part of Solomon's reign it was invaded and possessed by a certain Rezon. (1 Kings xi. 44 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 23, 24, 25.) Long after this, Asa, king of Judah, entered into a league with Benhadad, the king of Damascus, (l Kings XV. 18 — 22.) Jeroboam II. conquered this city. (2 Kings xiv. 28.) In New -Testament times, we find it under subjection to Aretas, king of Arabia, from whose governor the apostle Paul escaped. (2 Cor. xi. 32, 33.) XII. Hobah, a place north of Damascus. (Gen. xiv. 15.) Abram pursued thus far the kings whom he conquered. A hill is still shown to travellers, near Damascus, which is said to be the same place, and which bears the same name. XIII. Beth-Eden, or House of Pleasure, is referred to by the prophet Amos, (ch. i. 5,) and appears from this passage to have been the seat of a kingdom 770 years before Christ. The modern village Ehden, on mount Lebanon, is by the oriental Christians supposed to be within the limits of the terrestrial Paradise. The modern traveller, Burckhardt, found a place still nearer to Damascus, which had a name of the same signification ; viz. Beit el-Dschanne, and which is probably the house of Eden mentioned by the prophet. XIV. Berothai or Berothah is supposed to be the modern Beyroot ; but this is left in great uncertainty, and we are constrained to confess our ignorance. (2 Sam. viii. 8, Ezek. xlvii. 16.) XV. Betah is mentioned in connexion w^ith Berothai, (2 Sam. viii. 8,) and is likewise unknown. The same must be said of Sibraim, (Ezek. xlvii. 16,) a neighbouring plac€. XVI. Ziphron, Zedad, and Hagar-enan were upon the north-eastern frontier of Israel, but their exact position is undetermined. (Num. xxxiv. 8 — 10, Ezek. xlvii. 15.) XVII. Hazar-hatticon, or Middle-court, was situated^ (Ezek. xlvii. 16,) on the borders of Hauran or Auranitis, and consequently upon the south-east border of Syria. XVIII. Helhlon appears, (Ezek. xlvii. 15, xlviii. 1,) to have been near the Mediterranean, on the south-west bor- der of Syria. SYRIA, OR ARAM. 45 .1, ^^^- ^^'«^' P Sam. X. 16, 17,) was probably upon the south-eastern frontier of Syria. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND LANGUAGE OF SYRIA- ''Syria divides itself into three tracts of country, verr different in character. That portion which is adjacent to the Mediterranean sea, is a hot, moist, unhealthful, but ex- tremely fertile valley. The part next in order consists of a double range of parallel mountains, running from south- west to north-east, with innumerable cliffs, narrow vallevs and ravines. The air is here dry and salubrious, and on the western branches of the mountain, natural terraces al- ternate with well-watered vales, which have the most gen> tie and productive soil ; while, on the other hand the eastern heights are mountain-deserts, which approach to the third region. The last appears to be an extensive level of rocks and sands, with endless plains. The spring and autumn are pleasant in Syria, and the summer is moderately warm m the hill country ; but in the plains the heat be- gins suddenly, as soon as the sun reaches the equator and lasts until the end of October. The winter, on the 'con- trary, is so mild that pomegranates, dates, bananas, and other delicate trees and plants grow and flourish in the open fields, while the peaks of Lebanon are glistening with ice and snow." (Rosenmuller.) Syria is subject to earthquakes, and to destructive visita- tions of the locust. The language of ancient Syria bore a close resemblance to the Hebrew and Arabic, but was still more like the Chaldee. At present the Arabic has in great measure sup- planted the Syriac language. Syria was, in the earlier ages of its history, divided into a number of petty kingdoms, as Zobah, (1 Sam. xiv 47 2 Sam viii 3^) Geshur, (-2 Sara. iii. .3,) Maachah, (2 Sam, X. b,) and Damascus. The kings of these countries were in almost constant war with the Hebrews. Saul contended with the kings of Zobah, (1 Sam. xiv. 47,) and David with Hadadezer, of the same region, (2 Sara. viii. 5.) During the reign of Solomon, a king of Zobah of this name 18 also mentioned. (1 Kings xi. 23.) Tabrimon, king of Syria, was an ally of Abijah, (1 Kings xv. 19,) but their descendants, Benhadad and Asa, were at war. The kings 46 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. of Israel and Judah, Ahab and Jehoshaphat, entered into a league against Benhadad the second, (1 Kings xxii. 3, 4,) but without success ; for the latter besieged Samaria, and caused great distress in Israel. (2 Kings vi.) Hazael con- quered Israel, and oppressed it all the days of Jehoahaz ; (2 Kings X. 32, xii. 17, 18, xiii. 22 ;) but Benhadad HI. was made tributary by Jeroljoam II. of Israel. (2 Kings xiv. 28.)- Rezin, by means of an alliance against Judah, with Pekah, king of Israel, sought to gain possession of Jerusa- lem ; but Ahaz called to his assistance the power of the As- syrians, who slew Rezin, took Damascus, and carried the people of it captive to Kir. (2 Kings xvi. 7, 8, 9.) Syria then became subject, in turn, to Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian dominion. ARABIA. Arabia is that great peninsula which is bounded on the north by part of Syria, Diarbeker, and Irak ; on the east by the Euphrates and Persian Gulf; on the south by the In- dian ocean ; and on the west by the Red sea, Palestine and part of Syria. By the inhabitants it is called Jesirat el- Arab, or the peninsula of the Arabs. The ancient Hebrews denominated this region the east country, (Gen. xxv. 6,) and its inhabitants the children of the east. (Judg. vi. 3, Job i. 3, 1 Kings iv. 30, Isa. xi. 14.) By Arabia they meant only a small district of the country now so called. (Ezek. xxvii. 21, 2 Chron. xxi. 16, 17.) Thus the Arabians are placed in connexion with the Phi- listines. (2 Chron. xxvi. 7.) By all the kings of Arabia, (1 Kings X. 15, Jer. xxv. 24,) we many understand the chiefs of wandering tribes, who, like the modern Bedouin Arabs, lived in tents. (Isa. xiii. 20.) When the apostle Paul speaks (Gal. i. 17,) of having visited Arabia, he means the northern part, adjacent to the country of Damascus ; but when he says that Sinai is in Arabia, (ch. iv. 25,) he uses the name in its extended signification. Arabia has long been divided into Arabia Pefraa, Ara-- bia Deserta, and Arabia Felix ; that is, Stony, Desert, and Happy Arabia. ARABIA. 47 I. ARABIA DESERTA. This country extends as far east as the Euphrates, which divides it from El-Jesira (Mesopotamia,) and Arabian Irak (Babylonia.) It is mostly a sandy desert, of great extent, %vith scarcely vegetation enough to support the camels by which it is traversed, with a few meagre herbs, and with scarcely any water except what is collected from the rains of winter. The air is pure and dry, and the heaven usu- ally unclouded. These deserts are visited by a pestilential blast, by the Arabs termed the Sam wind, by the Persians Samoun, by the Turks Simoom or Samiel. It continues only a few minutes, but is suffocating and fatal to those who breathe it. It dries up the skins of water, and leaves the bodies of such as are slain by it in such a condition, that the limbs fall to pieces upon being touched. The Hebrews called this destructive blast the East-wind, (Gen. xli. 6, 23,) and the Tflnd out of the wilderness, (Job i. 19, Isa. xxi. 1, 2, Jer. xiii. 24, Hos. xiii. 15.) Ever since the days of Abraham these deserts have been wandered over by tribes of Arabs, who reside in tents, and move from place to place with their herds and flocks. They are divided into clans, each of which has its Sheikh or chief. They are a warlike and unconquered people, and are at the present day called Bedouins. Such were the descendants of Abraham by Hagar and Keturah. (1 Chron. V. 10, Isa. xiii. 20.) The wealth of these people, like that of the patriarchs, consists mainly in cattle. (Gen. xiii. 2—5, xxiv. 35, Job i. 11, 13, 17.) These various Arab tribes are all descended from Shem. Aram, the fifth of Shem's sons, and he who gave name to Syria, had four sons, (Gen. x. 23,) of whom Uz or Hur was the eldest. The eldest son of Abraham's brother Na- hor had the same name, (Gen. xxii. 21,) and both descend- ed from Arphaxad. (Gen. xi. 10.) From one of these de- scendants of Shem, the land of Job was called Uz, (ch. i. 1,) and he is himself described as abounding in that kind of wealth which is peculiar to a Bedouin Sheikh. Jeremiah speaks of all the kings of Uz, (Jer. xxv. 20,) whence we infer that it was an extensive district ; while from another 48 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. passage it would seem that the Edomites possessed this country. (Lam. iv. 21.) This country must, however, be distinguished from Edom itself, as they are separately mentioned by the same prophet. (Jer. xxv. 20, 21.) We may therefore take Uz for the northern part of Desert Arabia, between the country of Damascus, and the Euphrates. At the same time many have maintained that Uz was in Idumea. DESCENDANTS OF HAGAR. The descendants of Abraham and Hagar, are called some- times Hagarites and sometimes Ishmaelites. The former of these were near Gilead, (1 Chron. v. 10,) and had war with the Reubenites. They are also mentioned in con- nexion with the Ishmaelites and Moabites. (Ps. Ixxxiii. 7.) They seem to have been rich in cattle. (1 Chron. v. 21.) There is a region still called by their name, Hadshar or Hqjar, in the district of Bassora, east of Nadsched and north of Oman, celebrated for its asses and camels. The Ishmaelites are distinguished from the Hagarites. (Ps. Ixxxiii. 6.) Ishmael had 12 sons, (Gen. xxv. 12 — 16,) and these, or their descendants, spread over that part of Arabia which lies between Havilah and Haulan, (S. E. of Palestine,) to Shur, near Egypt. Even in Jacob's time they traded with Egypt, (Gen. xxxvii. 25, xxxix. 1,) and are specified to be descendants of Midian. (Gen. xxxvii. 28.) In Gideon's time the Ishmaelites and Midianites are spoken of as the same people. (Judg. viii. 22, 24, 26.) The descendants of the two eldest sons of Ishmael, Ne- bajoth and Kedar, (Gen. xxv. 13,) are the Nabatheans and Cedrei of the Greeks and Romans. (Isa. Ix. 7.) The N abatheans were scattered over all the three Arabias. The Kedarites dwelt, like the modern Bedouins, under black tents, (Sol. Song i. 5,) which were collected into little vil- lages or encampments. (Isa. xlii. 11.) They were rich in herds, (Isa. Ix. 7, Jer. xlix. 28, 29,) and were warlike and expert archers. (Isa. xxi. 16, 17, Ps. cxx. 7.) It is not said where they made their settlement.* * In connexion with Kedar, Jeremiah (xlix. 28, 30, 33,) speaks of the kingdoms of Hazor, By this name are probably meant those Arabs who had fixed dweUings in the countries traversed by the wandering tribes. ARABIA. 49 The next son of Ishmael, of whose posterity we read, is the sixth, Dumah. In Isaiah (xxi. 11,) a prophecy is di- rected against this people. Tradition informs us that they dwelt on the borders of the Syrian desert, near Irak, seven days' journey from Damascus. Tema was the ninth son of Ishmael. (Gen. xxv. 15.) This name is mentioned by Jeremiah, (xxv. 23,) with Dedan and Buz, two other Arab tribes. They are spoken of by Isaiah, (xxi. 13,) in connexion with the caravans of Dedan. Jetur and Naphish, the tenth and eleventh of Ishmael's sons, were the progenitors of those who fought against the Reubenites, (1 Chron. v. 19, 20,) in the time of Saul. We suppose that they dwelt near the tribe of Gad. DESCENDANTS OF KETURAH. The sons of Abraham and Keturah were Zimram, Jok- shan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Midian alone seems to have had any distinguished descendants. We have already seen that in Jacob's time they had united with the Ishmaelites ; (Gen. xxxvii. 25, 27, 28, 36 ;) we may add, that they were also nearly allied with the Moab- jtes. (Gen. xx:xvi. 35, Num. xxii. 3, 4, 7, xxv. 1, 6.) Mi- dian is joined with Ephah by Isaiah, (Ix. 6.) Their country extended along the east of Palestine in Desert Arabia. (See p. 54.) Shuah was the youngest son of Keturah. (Gen. xxv. 2.) Bildad the Shuhite was probably one of his posterity. Jokshan, the second son, was the father of Sbeba and Dedan. (Gen. xxv. 3.) From Shebathe Sabeans are thought to have descended. (Job i. 15.) Dedan inhabited a part of Idumea, the land of Esau. (Jer. xlix. 6. Ezek. xxv. 13.) Another tribe of this name, but of different extraction, (Gen. x. 7,) dwelt in Southern Arabia, on the Persian Gulf. Among the sons of Dedan were the Ashurim, Letushim, and Leummim, (Gen. xxv. 3,) of whom we know nothing. AMMONITES. The Ammonites were the descendants of Amjnon or Ben- Ammi, who was the son of Lot, and brother of Moab. (Gen. xix. 14, 30 — 38.) They spread themselves over the coun- tries east and north-east of the Moabites, who were nearer E 60 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. to the Dead sea. These countries were, before this, occu- pied by various tribes of giants, and the Ammonites subdued and supplanted the Zamzummim. (Deut. ii. 21.) Their kingdom was at first bounded by the river Jabbok on the north ; and separated from Moab on the south by the Ar- non. From this land, however, they were subsequently driven by the Amorites, and possessed a district more to the east. (See p. 51.) The country between the rivers was taken from the Amorites by the children of Israel, (Num. xxi. 24,) and appropriated to the tribes of Gad and Reuben. The Am- monites made war against Israel, (Judg. xi. 13,) in the days of Jephthah, for the recovery of this territory. Still later they besieged Jabesh-gilead, (1 Sam. xi. 1,) which was de- livered by Saul. With David they were upon terms of friendship (2 Sam. x. 2,) until their insolence led to their overthrow, (xi. 1.) In almost every age of the Hebrew commonwealth, there was enmity between the Ammonites and the people of Israel ; and against this nation many pro- phecies are directed. (2 Chron. xxvii. 5, Amos i. 13, Zeph. ii. 8, Jer. xlix. 1—5, Ezek. xxi. 28, Neh. iv. 3.) Rabbath was the chief city of the Ammonites, (Deut. iii. 11,) which is also called Rabbah, (Josh. xiii. 25,) or the great. It was taken by David, (2 Sam. xii. 27,) and was called by Joab the city of waters from the river which passed through it. Jeremiah predicted its ruin, (xlix. 1, 2.) By Josephus, the great Jewish Historian, it is called Ra- batha, but was also known under the name of Philadelphia. It was a great city even at the time of Christ, as appears from the ruins which still remain. It is now called Amman, and lies upon the stream Moiet-Amman, about 20 miles S. east of Szalt. Aroer, which must be distinguished from that upon the Arnon, (See p. 1 10,) lay in the midst of the river of Gad^ (2 Sam. xxiv. 5,) that is, the Jabbok, now Wadi Serka, which was the dividing stream between Gad and Ammon. Abel-keramim. The reader will find this name trans- lated the Plain of the vineyards. (Judg. xi. 33.) In the second century a place called Abel was still known, about six miles firom Rabbah. Minnith, a place famous for wheat, as was all this land, was about four miles from Heshbon on the road to Rabbah. (2 Chron. xxvii. 5, Ezek. xxvii. 17.) ARABIA. 51 II. ARABIA PETRiEA, OR STONY ARABIA. This country well deserves to be so called, on account of its numerous rocks; yet the name was, in fact, derived from its ancient capital, Petra, (a rock.) A part of Ara- bia Petroea, lying upon the Elanitic gulf, was called Naba- thea, from a tribe already mentioned, (see p. 48,) who ex- tended themselves also in the Desert and the Happy Arabia. Arabia Petraea is encircled by Arabia Deserta, Arabia Felix, Palestine, Egypt, and the Arabian gulf, and is the north-western division. It will be useful to examine the countries included within these limits more minutely, 1. THE COUNTRY OF THE MOABITES. The northern part of Arabia Petraea, was in very early times, possessed by the descendants of Moab, the brother of Ammon. (Gen. xix. 37.) This tribe spread itself along the eastern side of the Dead sea, after expelling the Emim^ a race of giants, (Deut. ii. 9, 10,) and had the Jabbok for their northern boundary. From this region, however, they were driven by the Amorites, so that the Arnon became their northern limit. (Num. xxi. 13, 36, Judg. xi. IB.) The Israelites passed through their land, regardless of the hatred of Balak, (Num. xxii. — xxiv.) without dispossess- ing the Moabites, who were exceedingly alarmed at this unexpected host. (Num. xxii. 3, Deut. i. 5, ii. 18, 29, xxix. 1.) After the death of Joshua, the Hebrews were, for a time, subject to the king of Moab, (Judg. iii. 12 — 30.) JSaul and David were both engaged in wars against this people, (1 Sam. xiv. 47, 2 Sam. viii. 2, 1 Chron. xix. 2.) The country of the Moabites was fertile and agreeable. In times of famine it was the resort of sufferers from Pales- tine ; as in the case of Ruth. In wine and grain it was abundant, (Isa. xvi. 8, 9, 10,) and its meadows were cover- ed with innumerable flocks, (2 Kings iii. 4.) The northern part of the land, now called Belka, is the best pasture- 0^ ground in all Syria. The southern part, or Moab Proper, is now called Karak or Kerek, from a city of the same name. The Arnon, (now Wadi-mujeb,) is the principal river of Moab. (See p. 100.) 4 52 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. The Zared or Zered was a stream further south, flowing from mount Abarim. Upon its banks the Israelites once encamped. (Num. xxi. 12, Deut. ii. 13.) The Nimriniy (Isa. xv. 6,) was probably a stream in the northern part of Moab, near to Beth-Nimrah. (See p. 111. Mountains are numerous in this land ; but three only are named in the Scriptures; viz. Peor, (Num. xxiii. 28,) in the vicinity of Nebo and Pisgah. (See p. 86. Upon this we may suppose the idol Baal-Peor, (Num. xxv. 3, 5,) to Iiave been worshipped. Luhith, (Isa. xv. 5, Jer. xlviii. 5,) an elevation near a town of this name, between Areopolis and Zoar. Abarim, upon the southern border of Moab, where it joins Edom or Idumea, (Num. xxi. 11. xxxiii. 44, 47, 48.) The modern mount Dhana is probably a part of Abarim. The principal cities of Moab were Ar and Kir-Moah. 1. Ar was the capital, (Num. xxi. 15, Deut. ii. 18, Isa. XV. 1,) and was called also Kabbah, or the great, (Josh. xiii. 25,) and Rabbath-Moab, in the same manner as the chief town of the Ammonites was called Rabbath- Amnion, (see above.) By the Greeks it was named Areopolis, city of Mars. Its ruins have been discovered by modern travel- lers, and near them two copious fountains. (Num. xxi. 15.) 2. Kir of Moab, the bulwark or city of Moab, (Isa. xv. 31,) is also called Kir-hareseth and Kir-heres, (Isa. xvi. 7, 11, Jer. xlviii. 31,) and was the principal fortress of the land. It was destroyed by Joram, king of Israel, but must have been rebuilt before these prophecies were pronounced. Kerek or Karak is the modern name ; and among its ruins dwelt, in 1812, about 400 Turks and 150 Christians. The prophet Jeremiah mentions a number of Moabitish cities and towns, (ch. xlviii.) most of which were taken from the tribes of Gad and Reuben. Among these were Heshbon ; (see p. 109,) Madmen, which is no where else named ; Horonaim, probably upon mount Luhith. (See above.) Beth-diblathaim (v. 22,) is the Diblathaim of Moses, (Num. xxxiii. 46.) These places, so far as any thing is known of them, are described, under the towns of Israel, ARABIA. 53 II. EDOM, OR IDUMEA. Upon the southern borders of Moab, lay the country of Edom, called Idumea by the Greeks and Romans. IJdom was one of the names of Esau, (Gen. xxv. 30,) whose de- scendants peopled this region. It is now called Sherath, and extends from the south-east end of the Dead sea towards the Elanitic Gulf, which is a branch of the Red sea. It was inhabited, prior to this, (Deut. ii. 11, 22,) by the Ho- rim, or dwellers in caves, who still continued to the north- east districts. (Gen. xxxvi. 20.) Teman a grandson of Esau, (Gen. xxxvi. 11,) gave name to a part of the land. (Jer. xlix. 7, 20, Ezek. xxv. 13, Obad. 9.) Here dwelt Eliphaz the Temanite. (Job ii. 11.) The Edomites were perpetual enemies of Israel, (1 Sam. xiv. 47, 2 Sam. viii. 14, Ps. Ix. 8, 9, 1 Chron. xviii. 12, 13, 1 Kings xi. 15, 16,) but were generally kept in subjection ; yet in later times we find them extending north-east as far as Hauran, and south as far as Dedan in Arabia. (Jer. xlix. 8 — 20, Isa. xxxiv. 6, Ixiii. 1, Ezek. xxv. 13.) The Scriptures men- tion only a few cities of Edom : of those named, Gen. xxxvi. 31 — 39, there is very little upon record. Sela, (meaning Rock,) was the most noted city of ancient Idumea ; it was called Petra by the Greeks. (See p. 51.) Its name was changed to Joktheel (2 Kings xiv. 7,) by Amaziah. We are told that it was three days' journey from Jericho. The village of Wadi-Musa is supposed to stand on its ruins, which are in a deep valley, out of which rises Mount Hor, the place, it is said, of Aaron's burial. (Num. XX. 27, 28, xxxiii. 37, 38.) The high rocks and deep defiles of these mountains constituted the great citadel of the Edomites, (Obad. 4. Jer. xlix. 10, 16,) and are de- scribed as being still wonderfully adapted for desperate de- fence. Mount Seir is a mountainous tract stretching from the southern point of the Dead sea, to the gulf of Acaba or Ezion-geber. It is now known at different parts of its course by the names of Djibal Shera, Djibal Hesma, and El Djibal. The mean height of this range is about 4,000 feet. Kadesh, in the desert of Zin, is to be distinguished from a place of this name in the desert of Paran. The former e2 64 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. was near to Selah, but its exact position is undetermined. (Num. XX. 1, xxxiii. 36.) Elath and Ezion-geber were two noted sea-ports upon the Elanitic branch of the Red sea, (Deut. ii. 8,) where the modern town of Akaba now stands. We place them together, because it is now impossible to discover the dif- ferent sites of these sister towns. Here Solomon built the ships (1 Kings ix. 26—28, x. 21, 22,) which traded with Ophir. III. THE AMALEKITES. The Aiualekites, whose land was west of Edom, are mentioned as early as the days of Abram, (Gen. xiv. 7,) and are called in the prophecy of Balaam, (Num. xxiv. 20,) the first of the nations. When Chedorlaomer (Gen. xiv.) had conquered the Rephaims and the Horites of Seir as far as the desert of Paran, (ver. 6.) he returned to Ka- desh and smote all the country of the Amalekites. Hence it appears that they dwelt between Kadesh, Seir, and En- gedi, adjacent on the north-west to Philistia, and south to Egypt or the desert of Sinai. They were the first enemies to oppose Israel on their journey from Egypt, (Ex. xvii. 8 — 13,) and after an obstinate continuance of hatred, (Judg. iii. 13, vi. 3, 1 Sam. xxvii. 8, 9, 2 Sam. viii. 11, 12,) their few remains were destroyed under Hezekiah. (1 Chron. iv. 43.) IV. THE KENITES. Are supposed to have dwelt near the Amalekites, in the south-western part of Arabia Petrsea. V. THE MIDIANITES. The fourth son of Abraham and Keturah, (Gen. xxv. 2,) was Midian. (See p. 49.) There was a land of Midian in the neighbourhood of the mountains Sinai and Horeb, (Ex. iii. 1. xviii. 5,) where Jethro resided. These people, who were friends of Israel, must not be confounded with those who were allies of Moab. (Num. xxii. 4, 5.) The latter were frequently at war with the Hebrews, and were in a signal manner overthrown by Gideon, (Judg. vi. 1 — 6,) so that they gave little trouble in subsequent periods. (Judg. ARABIA. 55 vi. 7, vii. viii. See also Psal. Ixxxiii. 9 — 12, Isa. ix. 4. X. 26, Hab. iii. 7.) A town called Moilah is still in ex- istence, which is probably the Madian of the ancients. Midian was celebrated for its camels, (Judg. vii. 12, Isa. Ix. 6,) and the descendants of Ephah, eldest son of Midian, were rich in camels and dromedaries. (Isa. Ix. 6.) VI. THE PENINSULA. OF MOUNT SINAI. The southern part of Arabia Petraea is a peninsula form- ed by two arms of the Red sea, which stretch into the land, the one in a north-east, the other in a north-west di- rection. The eastern is the Elanitic gulf already men- tioned ; the western is called by the ancients the Heroopo- litan gulf, and now the Sea of Suez. This peninsula is bounded on the north by the desert of El-Tyh. That part of the Arabian gulf which washes its southern coast is call- ed, as above, the Red sea. So many contradictory accounts are given of the causes which produced this name, that we shall leave it undetermined, as a matter of small importance. Upon the north of this peninsula is the chain of mountains called El-Tyh, of which Sinai and Hor form the southern portion. It is this region of country, broken and moun- tainous, which is noticed in the Scriptures under the name of the TVilderness of Sinai. (Ex. xix. 1. Num. i. 1.) North of the mountain Zebeir is a frightful waste, without vegetation or water. With justice was this land called (Deut. i. 19, viii. 15,) a great and terrible wilderness, (Jer. ii. 6,) an uninhabited, dark, and parched land, (Num. xx. 5,) a place of no seed, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates, or water. MOUNT SINAI. This is certainly the most distinguished spot in the pen- insula of which we have spoken. We are not to under- stand by the name of Sinai, a single hill or peak ; but a prodigious mountain pile, which, according to Burckhardt, is from 30 to 40 miles in diameter, and comprehends many separate peaks, the highest of which is that called Djibel- Musa, or the mountain of Moses. On the west of this, but of less height, is Mount Catherine, and these two peaks form that to which the name Sinai particularly belongs. 56 OEOORAPHY OF THE BIBLE. Horeh and Sinai were either the same mountain or different parts of the same pile. That which in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers is called Sinai, (Ex. xix. 20, xxiv. 16. xxxi. 18, xxxiv. % 29, Lev. vii. 38, xxvi. 46, iii. 1,) is in Deuteronomy called Horeb. (i. 6, iv. 10, 15, v. 2, xviii. 16, xxix. 1, Mai. iv. 14.) It is inferred from the ac- counts of the latest travellers that the Horeb from which a stream of water was miraculously brought, (Ex. xvii.) is the mountain now called Serbal, 20 or 30 miles distant from Sinai. At the same time it is granted that, when speaking in a general way of these mountains, the term Horeb is used ; while in particular relation of events Horeb and Sinai are made distinct : the former lying considerably to the west or north-west of the latter. There is a celebrated convent upon mount Sinai.* JOURNEYINGS OF THE ISRAELITES. There is no subject in all sacred Geography which pre- sents so many difficulties, as the path of the Israelites on their pilgrimage from Egypt to the promised land. To detail all that has been written for the purpose of tracing this path, would fill volumes, and at the end leave the reader undecided as to many points. In a work as concise in its plan, and humble in its pretensions as this must be, nothing more than a sketch of the general results can be demanded. 1. The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. (Num. xxxiii. 5.) Rameses was a city in the land of Goshen, about 6 or 8 miles above the modern Cairo. Succoth means a place of booths, and was probably a mere halting-station for caravans, or travelling-companies. Their course was a little northward. 2. Etham, ''in the edge of the wilderness." (ver. 6.) This was a march of about 60 miles, although the gulf was probably nearer to their place of setting out, than at the present day, making the journey 40 miles. This is even now a wilderness or parched and stony desert. 3. Pi-hahiroth. From Etham they were commanded to return, to a place between Migdal and the sea, opposite to * See Mansford, and Rosenmiiller. ARABIA. «I Baal-Zephon. (Ex. xiv. 9, Num. xxxiii. 7.) This was a narrow pass, shut in by the sea on the east ; mountains on the west ; and a small bay on the south. 4. Passage through the Red sea. (Ex. xiv. 22.) The precise place where this astonishing miracle was wrought, is fixed by Dr. Mansford about 20 miles below Suez, oppo- site the valley of Bedea: where the channel was suffi- ciently broad and deep to make the miracle worthy of its Author and its object ; the gulf being three leagues over, with water 14 fathoms deep. The north cape of this bay is still called Ras-Musa — the cape of Moses. They made three day's journey in the desert of Etham, still a sandy and gravelly plain, called El-Ahta. 5. Marah. (Ex. xv. 23. Num. xxxiii. 9.) The bitter well of Howara is thought to be the spot. It should be ob- served that the Israelites were now going southward, keep- ing near to the coast of the Red sea. 6. Elim ; where were twelve wells, and seventy palm- trees. (Num. xxxiii. 9.) This is placed in the vale of Gha- randel ; here there is a copious spring, with palm or date trees. 7. After coming still nearer to the sea, (ver. 10,) they again receded from it, going into the heart of the desert, which brought them to — 8. The wilderness of Sin, (ver. 11,) at the foot of the mountainous ridge El-Tyh. (See p. 55.) 9. 10. Dophkah and Alush ; (ver. 12, 13;) of these places nothing is known. 11. Rephidim, on tfie edge of the desert of Sinai, (ver. 14.) 12. Desert of Sinai, (ver. 15. See Mount Sinai.) Leav- ing this, (Num. x. 12,) they came to the desert of Paran, in which extensive waste they had various encampments ; as at — 13. Taberah, or Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of hist. (Num. xi. 31 — 34.) From this place the stations north- ward are — 14. Hazeroth. (Num. xi. 35.) 15. Rithmah. (xxxiii. 18.) 16. Rimmon Perez, (ver. 19.) 17. Libnah. (ver. 20.) 18. Rissah, 19, Kehelathah, 20, Shepher, 21, Hara- dah, 22, Makheloth, 23, Tahath, 24, Tarah, 25, Mithcab, s# GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 26, Mashmonah, ^7, Moseroth, 28, Bene-jaakan, 29, Hor- hagidgad, 30, Jotbathah, 31. Ebronah, 32, Ezion-gaber. (Num. xiv. 25, xxxiii. 22 — 35.) In all this course they were retracing their steps ; having gone northward from Mount Sinai to Rissah, thence southward to Ezion-gaber. To fix the exact situation of any of these places would be vainly attempted. •33. The desert of Zin. This is a valley stretching along the whole western side of Mount Seir ; which, like it, ex- tends from the Dead sea on the north, to the Red sea on the south. It is about five miles across, and is now called El-Ghor. Into this valley the people came from the plain of Elath and Ezion-gaber. (Num. xii. 16, xx. 1, 14, xiii. 4.) 34. Mount Hor. (Num. xxxiii. .37.) Leaving Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, they came to Mount Hor, " in the edge of Edom;" a mountain on the eastern side of the desert of Zin, and standing on the western edge of Seir. Here Aaron was buried. (Num. xx. 22 — 28.) 35, -36, 37, 38, Zalmonah, Punon, Oboth, Ije-abarim. 39. Zared; (now the Wady Ben Hammed.) From the Zared they marched to Dibon-gad. 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, Beer, Almon-diblathaim, Mat- tanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth, Pisgah — which last is the part of Mount Abarim, at which they crossed. (See p. 86. The reader who would attain to any distinct notion of this journey must be provided with a correct map, upon which the track is marked. In the sketch above, we have borrowed almost entirely from Mansford's Scripture Gazet- teer, in which the discussions relative to this journey may be found, III. ARABIA FELIX, OR YEMEN. The southern part of Arabia, or the peninsula between the Persian Gulf and the Red sea, was called by the an- cients Arabia the Happy, because of its superior fertility, its fragrant spices, or from the mere national partiality of its inhabitants. Its name at the present day is Vemen. The face of the country and its qualities vary in different parts. Upon the coast the land is mostly flat, sandy, un- productive, and exposed to drought and excessive heat. ARABIA. 09 The interior of the country is hilly, barren it is true in some districts, while in many others are found fertile heights, good water, healthful air, delightful landscapes, and abundance of the fruits of the earth. Here are pro- duced the sugar-cane, rice, wheat, barley, lemons, oranges, citrons, pomegranates, figs, and sweet grapes. Frankin- cense, myrrh, and cassia were brought from Arabia Felix in the earliest times. Coffee is abundant, but has been used as a refreshing beverage only since the fifteenth cen- tury. The southern part of Arabia was known among the Is- raelites by the name of Ethiopia, (Cush,) a term which had the same extent of meaning as India has among the moderns. We are so much accustomed to think of Ethio- pia as a country of Africa, that we are liable to fall into mistakes in reading the Scriptures. The Ethiopian woman whom Moses married, (Num. xii. 1,) can scarcely be con- sidered as an African, but was probably a South-Arabian. When Habakkuk (iii. 7,) speaks of the affliction of Cushan and Midian, we are to understand it of the same people. In one place, (2 Chron. xxi. 16,) the Arabians who dwelt near the Ethiopians, are mentioned ; from which we infer that the southern inhabitants of this peninsula were called Ethiopians. Southern Arabia was peopled by the descendants both of Ham and Shem. The children of Ham. — Cush the eldest son of Ham, (Gen. X. 7,) had five sons, Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raa- mah, and Sabtecha. The posterity of these appear to have spread themselves over the southern part of Arabia, and the country on the opposite side of the Red sea. Seba must be sought in African Ethiopia. Havilah probably gave name to Haulan a part of Arabia Felix. Sabtah is found in the name Sabatha or Sabotha, a sea-port upon the Red sea. Raamah is mentioned (Ezek. xxvii. 22,) among the places which traded with Tyre. Sheba and Dedan were sons of Raamah ; from them de- scended the people mentioned, Ezek. xxxviii. 13, living near the Persian Gulf. We know from history that there was a country here called Daden. Sabtecha, the fifth son of Cush is supposed to have set- tled in Caramania or Kerman. We need scarcely add that we know almost nothing of these tribes. 60 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. The children of Shem who dwelt in southern Arabia, de- scended from Joktan, the second son of Shem's grandson Eber. (Gen. x. 25, 26.) Joktan had no less than thirteen sons, whose dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east, (ver. 30.) Mesha is taken by- geographers to be the country which the Greeks called Mesene, near the modern Bassora. Sephar means the sea- coast, and is supposed to lie near the Red sea, somewhere about the modern Tehamah. It will not be expected that after so many ages we can discover the abodes of these sons of Joktan ; some imperfect hints may be derived from simi- larity of names, and we shall add all that seems worthy of recollection. 1. Sheleph. (Gen. x. 26.) From him came the Sala- peni, a nation in the interior of Arabia Felix. 2. Hazarmaveth. Hence the modern Hadramaut, bound- ed west by Yemen ; south-east by the ocean ; north-east by Oman ; and north by a great desert. 3. Uzal, the sixth son of Joktan, (ver. 27,) is by the whole of the Arabs said to have founded the city of Sanaa in Yemen, which bore his name as late as the 6th century. Sanaa is the chief town of Yemen, 240 miles N. N. E. of Mocha, and 450 S. E. of Mecca. Lat. 17° 28' N. 4. Sheba, the tenth son of Joktan, (ver. 28,) must be distinguished from a son of Raamah, already mentioned, who bore this name, (ver. 7,) as well as from Sheba the grandson of Abraham. (Gen. xxv. 3.) The Sheba of whom now we speak is supposed to be the father of the Sabeans. A certain queen of Sheba or Saba, attracted by the celebrity of Solomon's wisdom and power, was led to visit this mon- arch, (1 Kings x. 1, 4, 10, 2 Chron. ix. 1,) and made him presents of gems, gold, and costly spices, — articles for which the Sabeans were famous among the Greeks. The fabu- lous accounts of the Arabians pretend that the name of this queen was Balkis, and a palace is now shown in Djof, a province of Yemen, which is called the palace of Balkis. There is reason to believe this was the country of Sheba. 5. Ophir was the place whence the ships of Solomon brought gold and spices and precious stones to Elath and Ezion-geber. (1 Kings ix. 28, x. 11, 2 Chron. viii. 18, ix. 10.) The gold of Ophir is frequently noticed in the Scriptures. (Job xxviii. 16, Ps. xlv. 9, Isa. xiii. 12, 1 Chron. xxix. 4, Job xxii. 24.) But where was Ophir ? EGYPT. 61 " Not fewer than fifteen or sixteen countries," says Mr. Home, " have been assigned by various commentators and critics, as the site of Ophir." Among these, the only three which seem worthy of attention are India, Zanguebar on the African coast, and Southern Arabia. The reader, after investigating this perplexed subject, may form his own de- cision ; that which seems least encumbered with difficulties, is that it was in Arabia. It is scarcely probable that as early as the days of Job (xxii. 24,) there should have been any commerce with Zanguebar or India. The name of Ophir is mentioned in connexion with those which un- doubtedly belong to southern Arabia, (Gen. x. 29,) and es- pecially with Sheba. From all the older Greek writers, we find that gold was found in Arabia ; and indeed it is by no means necessary to suppose that the wares which were shipped at Ophir, were the productions of that coun- try alone. i» , i • iu Of the other sons of Joktan, we can find nothing suffi- ciently definite to be deserving of notice. The Arabic language is derived from that widely ex- tended tongue which was used by the descendants of Shem, and closely resembles the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Syriac. It has been a spoken language for many centuries, with little change, in comparison with the alterations of Euro- pean dialects. EGYPT. The country lying upon the river Nile, from the middle of its course to its mouth, in the north of Africa is known by the name of Egypt. The word used in the OH Testa- ment, and which is translated Egypt, is Mizrahn, (Gen. x. 6,) after the second son of Ham. (Isa. xix.) The ancient name of the land was Hain. (Ps. Ixxviii. 51. cv. 23, 27, cvi. 22.) In the poetical parts of the Bible it is sometimes called Rahab. (Isa. li. 9, Ps. Ixxxvii. 4, Ixxxix. 10.) The modern Arabic name Missr is evidently an abbreviation of the Hebrew Mizrahn. Extent and boundaries. Egypt may be viewed as the great valley of the Nile, lying nearly north and south, and hemmed in on the east and west by chains of mountains, F 62 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. which are sometimes near the river, and sometimes distant. This valley, however, does not reach as far as the Mediterranean, but ends where the river is divided into several branches, which embrace the Delta, the most fertile part of Lower Egypt. These branches shoot out north-east and north-west, and the country included forms a triangle, whence it was called the Delta from the Greek letter which has that shape. The northern and southern limits of Egypt are given by the prophet Ezekiel, (ch. xxix. 10, XXX. 6,) — from the tower of Syene even to the border of Cush, or as it may be read, from Migdol (tower,) to Syene ; meaning in either case, the whole length of the country. Syene is in latitude 24° 0' 45", and Alexandria 31° 11' 33", making the length 500 miles. On account of the windings of the Nile, the valley is 600 miles long. To the east of the Delta, on the borders of Palestine and Arabia Petreea, is the Desert of Shur, (Gen. xvi. 7, xx. 1. XXV. 18, Ex. XV. 22,) now called Djofar. The country about the cataracts of the Nile, (Syene) on the south of Egypt, has a picturesque appearance ; but Lower Egypt, especially the Delta, is flat and uninteresting. The skies present always the same cloudless and unvarying ap- pearance. The Nile is the only river of Egypt, and was called by way of pre-eminence. The River. (Gen. xli. 1.) It is some- times called Sihor or Shihor. (Isa. xxiii. 3, 1 Chron. xiii. 5.) The true source of the Nile has been made the sub- ject of so much dispute, that it will be enough to say, that its principal tributary is the Abiad or White river, which rises near the equator, in the mountains of the moon, and falls into the Nile about the 16th degree of north latitude. According to Bruce, the real springs of the Nile are in Sa- calo, a province of Abyssinia. This great river flows 1200 miles without the addition of a single stream. The Egyptians might justly prize such a river, upon which their very existence was made to depend ; for in this land where rain is almost unknown, the overflowing of the Nile is absolutely necessary to all vegetation. Its water, after being filtered, is acknowledged by all travellers, ancient and modern, to be peculiarly sweet and even de- licious. (Jer. ii. 18.) We may from these circumstances form some idea of the nature of that afflictive judgment by which the waters were turned into blood. (Ex. vii. 17.> EGYPT. 68 In the beginning of June the Nile begins to rise in its southern parts, and continues to become higher, without overflowing its banks until the end of July ; but from the beginning of August until the end of September the whole land is generally under water. From the middle of August until the end of October, the valley may be said to resemble a sea. (Amos viii. 8, ix. 5.) The rich earth and vegetable remains which are thus spread over the surface of the ground, when the inundation ceases, added to the refresh- ing moisture which continues, fertilize the soil in a manner which no artificial means could imitate. By canals and trenches and other means, the whole adjacent regions re- ceive the benefit of these floods. The water w^as in cer- tain cases directed in some unknown way by the foot of the husbandman. (Deut. xi. 10.) The history of Egypt abounds with records of distress and famine, caused by the failure of this inundation ; and the prophets denounced this as a punishment upon that wicked nation. (Isa. xix. 56, Ezek. XXX. 12.) The climate and fertility of Egypt demand some consi- deration. In a country so extended, variety of temperature must be expected. In Upper Egypt the heat is often as great as it is under the equator. In Lower Egypt the climate is more temperate. Throughout the year the nightly dew is so heavy, as to resemble gentle rain. In summer many dis- eases prevail ; and of old there were some of a dreadful nature, peculiar to this land. (Deut. xxviii. 27.) The fer- tility of Egypt was celebrated among ancient nations, and at the present day, there is no country more amply sup- plied with grain, fruits, and garden-plants. In Lower Egypt are oranges, lemons, figs, dates, almonds, and plan- tains in great plenty. Flax continues to be cultivated. (Ex. ix. 31.) Egyptian cotton is well known in the com- mercial world. Maize or Indian corn, melons of various sorts, and grapes are also abundant. GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. At a very early period Egypt was divided, either into two, or three parts ; viz. into Upper and Lower Egypt, or Upper Egypt, (Thebais,) and Middle Egypt, (Heptanomis, Heptapolis,) and Lower Egypt, including the Delta and ad- joining provinces. We shall speak of three divisions, be- ginning at the north. 64 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. I. LOWER EGYPT. . (I.) THE EASTERN PART OF LOWER EGYPT, AS FAR AS THE DELTA. 1. The desert of Shur. This barren and sandy tract lay upon the south-west of Palestine, between the Mediterra- nean and the Red sea, as far as Pelusium, and is called by the Arabs El-Djefar. To this region Hagar attempted to fly. (Gen. xvi. 7.) Etham, {^um. xxxiii. 8,) was probably the southern part of this desert. It is frequently noticed in the Bible. (Gen. xx. 1, xxv. 18, 1 Sam. xv. 7, xxvii. 8.) 2. Sin is called the strength of Egypt, Ezek. xxx. 15, 16. This place was the Pelusium of the Greeks, and the Farama of the moderns. It was the bulwark of Egypt upon the east. Its ruins were discovered by the French, when they invaded Egypt under Napoleon. 3. Goshen was the district which Joseph allotted to his father and his brethren ; (Gen. xlv. 10, xlvi. 28, 29, 34, xlvii. 1, 4, 27, 1. 8 ;) and was situated, as nearly as we can learn, north of Pelusium, south-west of the desert of Shur, and on the east of the most easterly branch of the Nile. It was a district of the land of Rameses, (Gen. xlvii. 11,) which was in the north-eastern part of Egypt. Although this was beyond the reach of the Nile, yet it was for the purposes of shepherds, who wandered with their flocks, the best of the land. (Gen. xlvii. 6, 11.) 4. Raamses and Pithom, were the treasure-cities, (Ex. i. 11,) built by the Israelites during their slavery. Of these there are no remains, and no credible history. 5. Phibeseth is named by the prophet Ezekiel, (xxx. 17,) among the cities which should be destroyed by Babylon. It is the same with the Bubastis of the Greeks, one of the most celebrated of African cities. The French travellers have described its ruins as vast and splendid. 6. On. This name signified in the language of Egypt Light, and the Sun, and it was called by the Greeks Heli' EGYPT. 65 opolis, City of the Sun, and by the KehTevrs Beth- Shemesh, a word of the same meaning. It was east of the Nile, about five miles from the modern Cairo. (Jer. xliii. 13.) The father-in-law of Joseph, was a priest of On, (Gen. xli. 45,) that is, doubtless, a priest of the Sun. The city is now- destroyed, according to the prophecy above-cited, yet some of its obelisks and columns are preserved at Rome, (II.) THE DELTA. 1. Tahaphanes or Tehaphnehes, (Jer. ii. 16, xliii. 7 — 9, xliv. 1, xlvi. 14, Ezek. xxx. 18,) called also Tahpanhes, is the city which the Greeks knew by the name of Daphne, Its situation was near Sin or Pelusium. To this place the Jews resorted after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, taking with them the prophet Jeremiah. (Jer. xliii. 7 — 9, xliv. 1.) Here the king of Egypt had a palace; (ver. 9 ;) and the place seems to have been distinguished. (Ezek. xxx. 18.) 2. Zoan. One of the oldest cities in the world, (Num. xiii. 22,) having been built only seven years later than Hebron. The name in Greek was Tunis, and it stood upon the eastern side of the Tanitic arm of the Nile. It was long the residence of a line of kings. (Isa. xix. 11 — 13. xxx. 4.) Indeed it seems to have been the place where Moses wrought miracles in the presence of Pharaoh. (Ps. Ixxviii. 12, 43.) The ruins of Zoan, are called ^San by the Arabs. Many columns and obelisks, covered with hiero- glyphics are still visible. (III.) LOWER EGYPT WEST OF THE DELTA. The western arm of the Nile was called Lybia and sepa- rated the country of the same name from Egypt. Of its numerous cities, the ruins of which may still be seen, the only one mentioned in the Bible is — Alexandria. This place is famous in profane history, but is merely named, in passing, by the evangelist Luke. Among the opposers of the martyr Stephen, (Acts vi. 9,) some were Alexandrians. Apollos, was a Jew of Alexan- dria, (xviii. 24,) and it was in a ship of Alexandria (xxvii. 6,) that the apostle Paul sailed from Asia Minor to Italy. F 2 m GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. This city was founded by Alexander the Great, about 333 years before the birth of Christ, upon a small strip of land, between the sea of Mareotis and the Mediterranean. It was long the regal capital of the Ptolemies, and was cele- brated as well for its learning as its commerce. Further details would serve no useful purpose in the interpretation of the Scriptures. It is 125 miles north-west of Cairo, and " is reckoned to have about 14,000 or 15,000 inhabitants."* II. MIDDLE EGYPT, (now WOSTANI.) 1. Memphis, called also Noph, (Ezek. xxx. 13, 16,) stood about 15 miles above the site of Old Cairo, upon the Nile. It was built in the early ages of Egypt, and was the me- tropolis of Middle Egypt. According to ancient historians it was 150 furlongs in circumference, yet fell beneath the judgments of the Almighty, (Isa. xix. 13, Jer. ii. 16,) and is now a pile of ruins. Lat. 30° 18' north. 2. Hanes. The prophet Isaiah laments in a certain place (xxx. 4,) that Jewish ambassadors had gone to Hanes; from which we infer that this was one of the seats of go- vernment in those days. It is supposed to be the Great Herakleopolis of the Greeks. This city was south of Mem- phis, upon an island in the Nile. A few of its remains exist at present. III. UPPER EGYPT. The southern division of Egypt was called by the He- brews Pathros, by the Greeks and Romans Thebais, and by the Arabs Said, In the genealogy of the nations (Gen. x. 14,) the Pathrusim are stated to be descendants of Mizraim. Isaiah and Jeremiah distinguish this from Egypt Proper ; (Isa. xi. 11 ;) so did also the Greeks and Romans. Judg- ments are pronounced against it by Ezekiel, (xxx. 14.) In the Scriptures, two places of Upper Egypt are men- tioned: viz. 1. No, or Amon-no, is supposed to be the celebrated city of Thebes. The Egyptians considered this as the oldest * Darby EGYPT. 67 city upon earth. It was originally built upon the eastern bank of the INile, but in later times extended itself on the western. To this the prophet Nahum makes a striking allusion, (ch. iii. 6.) It was likewise probably begirt with many canals. Thebes was the capital of Upper Egypt, and was styled the city of a hundred gates. For a minute ac- count of its ruins, see the journal of the Rev. Mr. Jowett, Feb. 1819. 2. Syene has already been named as the southern bound- ary of Egypt. (Ezek. xxix. 10, xxx. 6.) It was built upon a peninsula of the Nile, about the spot where the modern Aswan stands. (See p. 62. The history of Egypt is so intimately connected with that of the Hebrews, that a few words upon this subject will not be misplaced. After being founded, as has been already stated, by Mizraim, Egypt weis governed by its own princes for about a hundred years, when it was con- quered by the Shepherds, or Cushites, from Arabia or Chal- dea, and who, after remaining in power about 2G0 years, were driven out by Amosis. The Pharaoh whose name occurs in the history of Abraham was probably one of these Shepherd kings. Joseph was brought as a slave into Egypt only a few years after the expulsion of this race. The kings of Egypt were all known by the name of Pharaoh, but we are not able to give the additional name of the mo- narch who was destroyed in the Red sea. His successor is thought to have been the famous Sesostris. Solomon married the daughter of one of the Pharaohs. During the reign of Rehoboam, Palestine was invaded by Shishak, king of Egypt, who took Jerusalem and despoiled the tem- ple. (2 Chron. xii.) In the time of Hezekiah, Sebachon, or So, king of Ethiopia, extended his dominion over Egypt, and afterwards became an ally of Hoshea, king of Israel. (•2 Kings xvii. 4.) Sennacherib invaded Egypt during the reign of Sevechus, the son of So. Psammetichus was the next king, after an inter-regnum of a few years, and was succeeded by Nechus, or Pharaoh-Necho, who invaded Assyria, took captive to Egypt Jehoahaz king of Judah, and laid a tribute upon the Jews. (2 Kings xxiii. 2 Chron. XXXV.) Not many years after Egypt was subdued by Ne- 68 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. buchadnezzar ; and " the king of Egypt came not any more out of his own land." (2 Kings xxiv. 7.) About 536 years before Christ, Cyrus, having taken Babylon, conducted his army into Egypt, but the total overthrow of its power and independence was accomplished by his son Cambyses, 525 years before Christ, according to the numerous pro- phecies against this wicked kingdom. (Jer. xliv. 30, xlvi. 25, 26, Ezek. xxix. xxx. 13 — 15, Isa. xix.) Egypt was now a Persian province, but was with great difficulty kept in subjection. Alexander the Great (332 B. C.) became the ruler of Egypt, being received rather as a deliverer, than a conqueror. After Alexander's death the kings of Egypt were the celebrated Ptolemies, who reigned in suc- cession until about thirty years before the nativity of Christ, at which time Egypt became a Roman province. The Pyramids of Egypt are not mentioned in the Bible, which could scarcely be the case if, as some imagine, they were erected by the children of Israel. The language of ancient Egypt was essentially different from all those spoken in Asia, as is evident from the re- mains of it in the Coptic. The latter has been a dead language since the eighth century, and the Copts of modern Egypt speak the Arabic. There are, however, some Cop- tic works in existence ; and among the rest, translations of the Bible. ETHIOPIA. The Ethiopians of Arabia have been already mentioned ; we come now to speak of Ethiopia Proper, a country south of Egypt, extending further southward to unknown limits. It joined Egypt somewhere about the smaller cataract of the Nile, and was bounded on the east by the Red sea and Indian ocean, and on the west by Lybia and regions un- known. It may be said to have embraced what are now called Nubia and Abyssinia. It was a mountainous and well-watered country ; hence we read of the rivers of Ethi- opia, (Zephan. iii. 10, Isa. xviii. 2.) The river Astaboras, or Atabara was thought by Bruce one of the most beautiful rivers of the earth. The banks of the Nile abound with NORTH AFRICA. the papyrus or reed of which paper was first made ; these are the bulrushes mentioned, Isa. xviii. 2, and are still in use for the purpose of making boats or rafts. The northern part of Ethiopia or Nubia is a sort of island formed by the Nile and the rivers Astabus and Astaboras. This was called by the Hebrews Seba, (Isa. xliii. 3,) and by the Romans Meroe. The eldest son of Cush, (Gen. x. 7,) was Seba, which name was given to this land, a rich and commercial country. (Ps. Ixxii. 10.) The inhabitants are said by Isaiah (xlv. 14,) to be men of stature ; and this agrees exactly with the words of the oldest Greek histo- rian—" they are said to be the tallest of men."* Chub was the name of a nation, noticed by the prophet Ezekiel, (xxx. 5,) among other African tribes. They are generally said to have dwelt in Nubia. The Sukkihns, (2 Chron. xii. 3,) who accompanied Shi- shak in his invasion of Judea, were probably a tribe of Ethiopians, from the western coast of the Red sea. The Ethiopian queen, Candace, whose treasurer (Acts viii. 27,) was baptized by Philip, was a princess of Meroe, where women held the sovereign power. '' The spies of Nero," says a Roman historian, " brought intelligence that a female reigned in Meroe, whose name was Candace, which name has been common to their queens for many years."t /. i * v The Ethiopic language is a dialect of the Arabic. Of the history of Ethiopia, as distinct from that of Egypt, very little is known, and nothing which has any important connexion with the people of Israel. VORTH AFXaCA. It is not unreasonable to suppose that some of the de- scendants of Mizraim mentioned in the genealogical list, (Gen. X. 13, 14,) were the origin of those nations who dwelt in northern Africa, west of Egypt. This opinion is rendered more probable by the remarkable co-incidence of names. * Herodotus, B. iu. ch. 20. t Pliny, Nat. Hist. B. v. cb. 29. 70 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 1. The Lehabim, whom we take to be the same with the Ltibim. (Nah. iii. 9, 2 Chron. xii. 3, xvi. 8, Dan. xi. 43.) From the very name we are led at once to think of the Lybians, especially as they are constantly named in con- nexion with the Egyptians. The Greeks and Romans called all the coast Lybia, which lay between Egypt and Carthage. 2. The Ludim or Lydians, are spoken of by Isaiah, (Ixvi. 19,) as good archers; and by Jeremiah and Ezekiel as allies of Tyre and Egypt (Jer. xlvi. 9, Ezek. xxvii. 10, XXX. 5.) They must be distinguished from the Lydians of Asia, who descended from Shem. (See p. 32.) AH at- tempts to fix the exact place of their dwelling are fruitless. 3. The Casluhim are almost universally granted to be the Colchians, who emigrated from Africa to the coast of the Black sea. 4. Put or Phut was the third son of Ham. (Gen. x. 6.) Cush and Phut are almost always connected, and although called Lybians in our translation, the Hebrew names are distinct. (Jer. xlvi. 9, Ezek. xxx. 5, xxxviii. 5, Nah. iii. 9.) By this name were called the people since known as Mauritanians or Moors. They were hireling soldiers of the Egyptians and Tyrians, (Jer. xlvi. 9, Ezek. xxvii. 10, xxxviii. 5,) and proved themselves to be genuine warriors in many engagements with the Romans and Carthaginians. 5. Pul (Isa. Ixvi. 19,) is considered to be the island Phi- lae, in the Nile, between Egypt and Ethiopia. 6. Cyrene is the name of a country, as well as of its chief city. It was called likewise Cyrenaica and Pentapo- lis, and the capital was situated in a fertile region about 500 miles west of Alexandria. Great numbers of Jews re- sided here. A certain Simon, a Jew of Cyrene, was the person who bore our Saviour's cross to the place of his death. (Matt, xxvii. 32, Mark xv. 21, Luke xxiii. 26.) Some of the Cyrenians are mentioned, (Acts xi. 20,) among the earliest Christians. Lucius of Cyrene (xiii. 1,) appears as a preacher at Antioch. This country now belongs to Tripoli. (71) COXTNTRZES IXTEST OF PAZ.ESTZKE. We read in the Bible of the islands of the sea, and the isles that are in the sea. (Isa. xi. 11, xxiv. 15, Ezek. xxvi. 18.) By these terms we are to understand, not islands only, but all places which were reached by sea, (Ezek. xxvii. 3, Esth. X. 1, Isa. XX. 6,) and especially the regions west of Palestine, whether islands or not. These countries they called, in a general way, Tlie West; for thus the word l^ea in the verses cited above may be understood ; as it is known that the Hebrews had the same word for the sea and the west, on account of their position with respect to the Me- diterranean. ^ I. ISLANDS OF THE EGEAN SEA. 1. Samothracia, (now Samandrachi,) is a small island of the Archipelago, near the coast of Romania, and north of the isle of Imbro. It is 17 miles in circumference. The apostle Paul passed it on his way from Troas to Macedonia. (Acts xvi. 11.) It is now chiefly inhabited by fishermen. 2. Lesbos, now Mitylene ; from its ancient capital of that name which was visited by the apostle Paul on his way from Ephesus to Macedonia. (Acts xx. 14.) Some remains of the old city are found near Castro the principal place. Population : from 2,000 to 3,000 Greeks, 4,000 Turks and some Jews. '' ^ % 3. Chios, now called Scio, is also mentioned in the apos- tle's voyage, (Acts jfx. 15.) It is a mountainous island about 32 miles long, and 1^5 broad, situated north-west of Samos. The chief production of the island is the mastich. Scio was a few years ago supposed to contain 110,000 inhabit- ants, but in 1822 the Turks massacred, or led into slavery at least 30,000 persons. 4. Samos, the native place of Pythogoras, is on the coast of Natolia, 32 miles long and 22 broad. The inhabitants, who are mostly Greeks, amount to 12,000. It was visited by the apostle Paul. (Acts xx. 15.) 72 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 5. Patmos (now Patimo or Patmosa,) is a small island between Samos and Naxos, 20 miles in circumference. The Romans used this barren spot as a place of exile for con-s^ victs ; and here the apostle John was sent, on account of his testimony to the truth ; and here he wrote the Apocalypse, or Revelation, (ch. i. 9.) A cavern is still shown to travellers, which is said to have been the retreat of the apostle. 6. Coos or Cos, (now Stanchio,) lies 12 miles north-east of Stampalio, and 40 north-west of Rhodes ; is 23 miles long and ten broad. This was the native place of Hippo- crates the Physician, and Apelles the Painter. The apos- tle Paul came to Coos on his way from Asia Minor to Je- rusalem. (Acts X3^ 1.) 8. Rhodes is 40 miles long, and 15 broad, and is situated at the south-western point of Asia Minor, at the entrance of the Gulf of Macri. It is supposed to have derived its name from the Rhodanim or Dodanim, (Gen. x. 4,) de- scendants of Japheth. The apostle Paul touched at this island, (Acts xxi. 1,) on his way from Miletus to Jerusalem. The Greek population of Rhodes is about 18,000. The number of Jews is about 1000. 9. Cyprus is a large island of the Mediterranean, about 200 miles in length, and 60 at its greatest breadth. This is by many scholars supposed to be the Chittim or Kittim of the Bible. (Dan. xi. 30.) It was probably iirst peopled by these descendants of Javan, (Gen. x. 4,) but we cannot with propriety restrict this word to a single island. '• The land of Chittim, and the isles of Chittim denote, in general, the maritime countries and islands of the Mediterranean, Greece, Italy, Crete, Cyprus, Corsica, '^c. Thus Balaam foretold, (Num. xxiv. 24,) that ' ships should come from the coast of Chittim, and should afflict Asshur, (the Assyri- ans,) and afflict Eber ;' (the Hebrews ;) representing the Grecian and Roman invasions."* Cyprus is a rich and fertile island, long celebrated for its wines. In the Acts of the Apostles, (iv. 36,) we read of a certain Joses, a native of Cyprus, who devoted all his pro- perty to the cause of Christ, and was afterwards known by ♦ Home's latroduction, Vol. iii. p. 524. — Littell's edit. COUNTRIES WEST OP PALESTINE. 73 the name of Barnabas. The persecuted Christians, (xi. 19,) resorted to this island, and Paul and Barnabas landed here, after sailing from Seleucia. (Acts xiii. 4.) Salamis, on the eastern coast, was the principal city. No remains of this are now visible. Paphos, a city on the south-western coast, also visited by these early missionaries, (xiii. 6,) is now called Pafo or Bqfa. Cyprus has been, since the commencement of the Greek revolution, the scene of innumerable barbarities ; 25,000 Greeks were massacred in Paphos and adjacent towns. Se- venty-four villages, containing 18,000 Christians have been destroyed by the Turks. 10. Crete or Candia is a large island to the south of the Archipelago, 200 miles in length and 50 in breadth, and 500 miles south-west of Constantinople. The climate is delightful ; the sky always unclouded and serene ; the V, inds mild, and refreshing breezes. This is by some sup- posed to be the Caphtor of the Hebrews. (Gen. x. 14.) In the Acts of the Apostles Salmone is mentioned, (xxvii. 7,) as a place touched at by the apostle Paiil, and is the eastern cape of the island. T%e Fair Havens and city of Lasea, (ver. 8,) were on the south-western coast. The haven of Phenice was on the western part of this coast. The wind Euroclydon (ver. 14,) or eastern tempest is the wind called by seamen the Levanter. The little island called Clauda, (now Gozzo,) lies south of the western end of Crete. This was the residence of Titus, who was left by the apostle Paul, (Tit. i. 5,) to " set in order the things that were wanting, and ordain elders in every city." The Cretans were famous among the Greeks for deceit, falsehood, and low cunning ; in confirmation of which the apostle cites Epimenides, one of their own poets. (Tit. i. 12, 13.) II. GREECE. It would be inconsistent with the design of this work, to go far into the description of Greece and Rome. These countries, while they are celebrated in profane history have but a secondary place in the geography of the Bible. The Greece of the Old Testament is not exactly the same with G 74 OEOORAPHY OF THE BIBLE. the Greece of the New : by the former was meant Mace- donia, Epirus, Greece Proper, and the Morea ; by the lat- ter, the last two alone. Cheece or Grecia was known by the name of Javan among the Hebrews. In our English Bible, the latter word is sometimes used, (Isa. Ixvi. 19, Ezek. xxvii. 13,) and sometimes the modern name Greece. (Zech. ix. 13, Dan. viii. 21, Joel iii. 6.) Javan was (Gen. x. 2,) the fourth son of Japheth. The following places of Greece are named in the Scriptures : — 1. Macedonia, which was included under the name Kit- tim, (see p. 72,) was at the time when it was visited by Paul, a Roman province, bounded on the north by Dar- dania and Moesia ; east by Thrace ; west by Illyria ; and south by Thessaly and Epirus. Christianity was planted in this province by the apostle Paul himself, and several of its cities are mentioned in the Acts and Epistles. Nicopolis, (now Nikopi,) was upon the river Nessus, (now Karasu,) which divided Macedonia from Thrace. From this place the epistle to Titus (iii. 12,) was written. Philippi was a city of Macedonia Prima, or the first part of Macedonia, for so Mr. Home understands the words which are translated (Acts xvi. 12,) the chief city of that part of Macedonia. It received its name from Philip king of Macedon, and stood near the Egean sea on the river Strymon. Julius Caesar planted a colony here, which was afterwards enlarged by Augustus, so that the Philippians were Roman citizens. (Acts xvi. 12.) The apostle Paul founded a church here, to which he also wrote an epistle. (Acts xvi. 1 Thess. ii. 2, Philip, i. 1.) The place is now occupied by a hamlet called Filiba. Neapolis was on the coast of the Egean, near the bay of Strymon, opposite to the isle of Thasus, and between Ab- dera and Philippi. (Acts xvi. 11.) Amphipolis was a city at the mouth of the river Strymon, and was at one time the capital of eastern Macedonia. Paul and Silas, (Acts xvii. 1,) in going to Thessalonica, passed through Amphipolis, as well as — Apollonia, which was situated upon a jutting cape be- tween ThessaJoiiica and Philippi. Thess{:lonica was, at a more early period, called ThermcB, COUNTRIES WEST OF PALESTINE. 75 Under the Romans it was the capital of one of the four di- visions, and the residence of the Praetor. In the days of the apostle many Jews dwelt there, (Acts xvii. 1,) some of whom, together with a number of Gentiles were converted to Christianity. (Acts xvii. 1 — 10, I Thess. i. 5, ii. 1.) This was the native place of Aristarchus and Secundus, (Acts XX. 4, xxvii. 2,) who were companions of Paul in his travels. Sal(michi, as it is now called, is the great mart for all the neighbouring countries, and after Constantinople the chief commercial city of European Turkey, and the residence of a Greek archbishop. Berea, (now Veria or Kara- Veria,) is near the celebrated Mount Pindus, south-west of Thessalonica. Here an up- roar was caused by the Jews, (Acts xvii. 10 — 15,) and here Sopater, the companion of Paul, (Acts xx. 4,) was born. 2. niyricum. The apostle Paul says in his epistle to the Romans, (xv. 19,) that he had fully preached the gospel of Christ, as far as lUyricum. This name was applied to a country lying north-west of Macedonia, and answering nearly to the modern Dalmatia. The southern part of niyricum was the Dalmatia to which Titus once went. (2 Tim. iv. 10.) 3. Athens. To this most celebrated city of ancient Greece, the apostle Paul came, after leaving Berea. (Acts xvii. 10 — 15.) For an account of its power, its laws, its literature, its arts, and its base superstition, the reader is referred to the various histories of Greece. It is only as a place honoured by the preaching of Paul, that it now de- mands our notice. Athens is situated on the Gulf of Engia, (ancient Saronic Gulf,) 100 miles north-east of Lacedemon, and 320 south by west of Constantinople. Long. 23° 57' east of Greenwich. Lat. 38° 5' north. The Areopagus or Hill of Mars, on which the apostle preached, (Acts xvii. 19,) was a steep and rocky height in the centre of Athens, where a celebrated court was held, the judges of which were called Areopagites ; Dionysius (ver. 34,) was one of these. Athens was the capital of Attica. 4. Achaia^ (Acts xviii. 12, Rom. xvi. 5, 2 Cor. xi. 10, 1 Thess, i. 7, 6,) in its most limited sense, is taken for the 76 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. region between Arcadia and the Gulf of Corinth ; in a more extended v 25.) In the time of Christ this city was very flourishing, by means of its tishery and commerce. It is now in ruins. 13, 14. Chorazin and Bethsaida, also mentioned in Matt, xi. 21, 22, 24, Luke x. 13 — 15, as places where Jesus had wrought mighty works, were also situated on the sea of Galilee, though their precise location is no longer known. Bethsaida was the residence of Andrew, Peter, and Philip. (John i. 44.) In John xii. 21, it is called Bethsaida of Galilee, to distinguish it from another Bethsaida beyond Jordan. (See p. 121.) 15. Magdala, to which Christ retired after feeding the four thousand upon seven loaves, (Matt. xv. 39,) was situ- ated on the sea of Galilee, south of Capernaum. To this place belonged the woman mentioned Mark xv. 40, xvi. 9, Luke viii. 2 ; who is, therefore, called Mary Magdalene^ i. e. Mary of Magdala. 16. Still further south, upon the same side of the lake, stands Tiberias ; so called, in honour of the emperor Tibe- rius, by Herod Antipas, who built the place, and made it the capital of Galilee. This is the Herod whom Luke (iii. 1,) calls Tetrarch of Galilee; who beheaded John the Baptist, (Matt. xiv. 3-— 11,) and who sought the life of Christ himself. (Luke xiii. 31.) He resided, probably, in Tiberias himself; which may be the reason that the Sa- viour never visited the place. When the Romans made war upon the Jews, this place surrendered without waiting for a siege. On account of this timely submission, the Jews of Tiberias remained unmolested, and that city after-^ wards became a celebrated seat of Jewish learning. 130 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. In early times, Tiberias was a bishop's see. In the seventh century, it was taken by the Saracens ; and though it passed into the hands of Christians at the time of the Crusades, it returned to the possession of the Mohamme- dans, near the end of the thirteenth century. It is now called Tabaria, and is still a considerable place. It is chiefly inhabited by Turks, though there are some Christians resident there, and several hundred families of foreign Jews, who enjoy perfect religious liberty. The town is situated on a plain, surrounded by hills. It is ex- cessively hot, and very unhealthy. 17. Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first re- corded miracle, (John ii. I — 11,) is still a neat, though poor village, a few miles north of Nazareth. It is under the government of a Turkish officer, but is chiefly inhabited by Christians. The inhabitants point out a house to strangers, as the very one in which the water was turned to wine ; and also the ruins of a church, built here by the empress Helena fifteen hundred years ago. 18. Gath-hepher, (or Gittah-hepher,) so called, to distin- guish it from other places called Gath, was the birth-place of the prophet Jonah, (2 Kings xiv. 25,) and belonged to the tribe of Zebulon. (Josh. xix. 13.) It was, probably, situated in the land of Hepher, mentioned 1 Kings iv. 10. 19. Nazareth, now called Naserah, where the mother of Jesus dwelt, and where he himself spent his early life, from which circumstances he derived the title of Jesus of Nazareth, (Mark xvi. 6, Matt. xxi. 11, Luke xxiv. 19, John i. 46, Acts ii. 22, &c.,) is situated to the south of Cana, partly in a valley, and partly on the declivity of an adjacent hill. A hill is to this day pointed out on the south of Nazareth, as the one from which the people of the place attempted to precipitate the Saviour. (Luke iv. 29.) After the expulsion of the Europeans from the Holy Land, about the end of the thirteenth century, this place gradually dwindled into insignificance, until the year 1620, when the Roman Catholics obtained permission from the emir of the Druses to rebuild the church of the Annuncia- tion, which had fallen to ruins. From that time the town increased, and is now one of the most important places in PALESTINE. 131 the pachalic of Acca. The Christian inhabitants of Naza- reth enjoy a degree of toleration unknown elsewhere in Syria or the Holy Land. In this place there is a Franciscan convent rebuilt in 1730. Within its walls is the church of the Annunciation, erected, it is said, upon the spot where Mary received from the angel the annunciation of the birth of Christ. (Luke i. 31.)- This is the finest church in the country, excepting that of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. On the south side of the town there is another church, said to be built upon the site of the synagogue in which the Saviour taught. (Luke iv. 16.) Here, too, the people pretend to show the very house inhabited by Joseph, and the well from which the Virgin Mary drank. The inhabitants of Nazareth are said to diiFer from the other people of the country, both in personal appearance, and in speech. 20. Daberath, a city of the Levites, in the land of Is- sachar, (Josh. xix. 12, xxi. 28,) is probably the same with the modern Dabury, at the foot of Mount Tabor. 21. A mile or two south-west of Nazareth, are shown the ruins of Endor, a town belonging to Manasseh, but within the bounds of Issachar, (Josh. xvii. 11. — Seep. 116,) near which Barak defeated Sisera. (Judges iv. Ps. Ixxxiii. 10, 11.) Here dwelt the woman that had a familiar spirit, of whom Saul went to inquire when forsaken by the Lord. (1 Sam. xxviii. 7 — 25.) A cave is still pointed out to tra- vellers as the one which she inhabited. 22. The " city called Nain,'' at the gate of which Jesus raised the widow's son to life, (Luke vii. 11 — 15,) is now a small village, not far from Endor, southward from Mount Tabor, inhabited by Jews, Mohammedans, and Christians 23. A little to the south of Nain, stood Shunem, another of the towns of Issachar. (Josh. xix. 18.) Here the Philis- tines encamped, before the battle in which Saul was slain. Here, in later times, dwelt the woman with whom Elisha lodged on his journeys from Gilgal to Mount Carmel, (2 Kings iv. 8 — 37,) and whose son he raised from the dead. The account of this miracle given after Elisha's deatl- by 132 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. his servant Gehazi to the king, was the occasion of the res- toration of the widow's lands. (2 Kings viii. 1 — 16.) From this place, too, came Abishag (for that reason called) the Shunamite. (1 Kings i. 3, ii. 17, 21, 22.) 24. Aphek, another town of Issachar, near which the battle was fought in which Saul and Jonathan were slain, (1 Sam. xxix. 1, xxviii. 4,) was situated on the plain of Jezreel or Esdrelon. There was another Aphek in the tribe of Asher, on the northern frontier of the land of Canaan, near Mount Leba- non, (Josh. xiii. 4, xix. 30, Judges i. 31,) in which quar- ter there is, at the present day, a village called Aphka. This is probably the place mentioned in 1 Kings xx. 26 — 34. Which of these Apheks is the one recorded in Josh. xii. 18, cannot now be ascertained. 25. Megiddo (Josh. xii. 21,) was also a city of Manasseh, within the bounds of Issachar, situated on or near the brook Kishon. (Josh. xii. 11. — See p. 99, 114.) Solomon fortified the place, (1 Kings ix. 15,) and assigned it as the residence of one of his purveyors ; (iv. 12.) Two kings of Judah, Ahaziah and Josiah, died in battle at Megiddo. (2 Kings ix. 27, xxiii. 29.) 26. Taanach is repeatedly mentioned in connexion with Megiddo, (Joshua xii. 21, xvii. 1 1, Judges i. 27, v. 19, 1 Kings iv. 12, 1 Chron. vii. 29,) very near to which it no doubt stood. It was within the bounds of Issachar, but assigned to the Manassites ; who, however, were unable to expel the old inhabitants. (Judg. i. 27.) Afterwards it was given to the Levites. (Josh. xxi. 25.) III. SAMARIA. ^ The name Samaria was originally applied to a hill, which Omri, king of Israel, bought of one Shemer, and built a city upon it, which he also called Samaria. (1 Kings xvi. 24.) This city became the capital of the kingdom of Israel. We find the name used, however, to denote a re- gion of country, in 1 Kings xiii. 32, and 2 Kings xvii. 24, 26, &/C., in which sense it is constantly employed by latej writers. PALESTINE. 133 The region bearing this name, was bounded on the north by the plain of Esdrelon in Galilee, on the east by the Jor- dan, on the south by a district of Judea, and on the west by a narrow strip of land, belonging also to Judea, and di- viding Samaria from the sea. The most important places in Samaria, which are men- tioned by the sacred writers, are the following : — 1. Beth-shean, a town belonging to Manasseh, within the bounds of Issachar,, (Josh. xvii. 11. — See p. 114,) from which, however, the Manassites were unable to expel the Canaanites. (Josh. xvii. 12, Judg. i. 27.) In the time of Saul, this place belonged, probably, to the Philistines, as they there exposed his body. (1 Sam. xxxi. 10.) Afterwards, however, it must have become subject to the king of Judah, as it is included among Solomon's dominions. (1 Kings iv. 12.) Beth-shean was situated on the borders of Galilee and Samaria, upon the edge of the great plain of Jordan, where the ground begins to rise from a level into mountain- ous elevations. The Greeks called it Scythopolis. (See p. 117.) It is now in ruins. 2. Jezreel, a town of Issachar, (Josh. xix. 18,) was situ- ated on the plain of the same name. (See p. 88.) It was one of the places over which Ishbosheth, Saul's son, reigned, after his father's death. (2 Sam. ii. 9.) Before the battle of Gilboa, in which Saul was slain, the Israelites encamped "by a fountain* in Jezreel." (1 Sam. xxix. 1.) The bat- tle took place at no great distance, so that the first news of the catastrophe reached Jezreel. (2 Sam. iv. 4.) Ahab, king of Israel, and Joram, his successor, both re- sided in Jezreel. (1 Kings xviii. 44 — 46, xxi. 1.) At Jez- reel, Jezebel the wife of Ahab, and Joram his son, were filain by Jehu. (2 Kings ix. 33, viii. 29, ix. 15, 24.) 3. Dothan, the place where Joseph was sold by his bre- thren, (Gen. xxxvii. 17,) and where the Syrian troops at- tempted to seize Elisha, (2 Kings vi. 13—23,) was situated not far from Beth-shean and Jezreel, at a narrow pass through the mountains of Gilboa, leading into Judea. * On the same spot the Crusaders encamped, A. D. 1183, when about to engage with Saladin. M 134 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 4. The city of Samaria was built by Omri, king of Is- rael, after the burning of the palace at Tirzah, on a hill which he purchased from a man named Shemer. (1 Kings xvi. 18, 24.) This city was the metropolis of the ten tribes, or the kingdom of Israel, as Jerusalem was of the kingdom of Judah. Thus we read in the books of Kings, that such and such persons ''reigned over Israel, in Samaria." (1 Kings xvi. 29, 2 Kings iii. 1, xiv. 23, xv. 23, &c.) Here too they were buried. (1 Kings xvi. 28, xxii. 37, &lc.) Hence the language of Isaiah, (vii. 8, 9,) "The head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Ephraim [i. e. Israel] is Sama- ria." We learn from 2 Kings x. 2, that Samaria was a fenced or fortified city. It was twice besieged by Ben-Ha- dad, king of Syria, without success. (1 Kings xxi. 1 — 20, 2 Kings vi. 24, fcc. vii. 6, 7.) It was taken, however, by Shalmeneser, king of Assyria, after a siege of three years. (2 Kings xviii. 9, 10.) After this period, it ex- perienced many vicissitudes, passing, by turns, through the hands of the Syrians and the Romans ; but did not regain its ancient splendour till the time of Herod the Great, who enlarged and adorned it, and increased its population by introducing sixteen thousand emigrants. Among the public edifices which he built, was a temple to Augustus Caesar, from which the city obtained the Greek name Stbaste, corresponding to the Latin Augusta. The city has now almost wholly disappeared. It was situated in a valley surrounded by hills. The soil was very rich, and is, to this day, assiduously cultivated ; so that a mo- dern traveller observes, that Samaria is now a mere garden. The ruins of a church are still visible, erected by the em- press Helena, upon the spot where John the Baptist was supposed to have been beheaded; and his grave is still pointed out, with those of the prophets Obadiah and Elisha, in a subterraneous chapel. 5. South of Samaria, between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, (see p. 9,) stood Shechem, or Sichem, one of the oldest cities of Palestine. It was a city in Jacob's time, (Gen. xxxiii. 18,) if not in Abraham's. (Gen. xii. 6.) When Jacob returned from Mesopotamia, it was in the possession of Hamor, a Hivite Prince. On the division of the land among the tribes, this city fell to Ephraim, (Josh. xxi. 21,) but was afterwards set apart for the Levites. PALESTINE. 135 Here Joshua assembled the people before his death, and renewed the covenant between them and the Lord. (Josh, xxiv.) After the death of Gideon, Shechem became a seat of idolatrous worship, the people worshipping Baal- berith there. (Judg. viii. 33, ix. 4, 46.) The people of Shechem resisted the usurpation of Abimelech, who there- fore brought an army against it, and "took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt." (Judg. ix. 45.) It was rebuilt again, however; for David mentions it, Ps. Ix. 6; and we read, in 1 Kings xii. 1, that all Israel came to Shechem, after the death of Solomon, to make Rehoboam king. On his refusing, however, to accede to their request, ten tribes chose Jeroboam for their sovereign, who fixed upon She- chem as his royal residence, and built [i. e. rebuilt] and adorned it; (xii. 25.) On the return of the Jews from captivity, the mixed race who inhabited Samaria, desired to assist in the erec- tion, and participate in the privileges, of the temple at Je- rusalem, but were refused. They consequently built a tem- ple for themselves upon Mount Gerizim, where, under the direction of a Jewish priest, Manasseh, they worshipped in strict observance of the law of Moses. (See John iv. 20.) This temple stood two hundred years, and was finally des- troyed 129 years before the birth of Christ. In the New Testament, Shechem is called Sychar. (John iv. 5.) By the Romans it was called Flavia Neapolis, in honour of the emperor Flavins Vespasian. Neapolis has been corrupted by the Arabs into Nablus, which is the present name. It is still a considerable place, and its site is remarkably plea- sant and productive. In the vicinity, travellers are still directed to the graves of Joseph, Joshua, and Eleazar. (Josh. xxiv. 29, 30, 32, 33.) Without the town is Jacob's well, (John iv. 56,) so called, because '' near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph." (John iv. 3, Gen. xlviii. 22.) Here the descendants of Joseph interred his bones, according to his own request. (Gen. 1. 25, Josh. xxiv. 32.) 6. Gilgal, where one of the petty Canaanitish kings resided, (Josh. xii. 23,) was situated on the plain of Sha- ron, (see p. 88,) in the neighbourhood of Shechem, and 136 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. * ' beside the plains of Moreh." (Deut. xi. 30.) There was another Gilgal in Judea. 7. Thehez was situated north-east of Shechem, with which city it took part in resisting the usurpation of Abim- elech, who besieged the place and took it ; but just as he was setting fire to a tower, in which the inhabitants had taken refuge, a woman threw a piece of a mill-stone on his head, and his armour-bearer slew him. (Judg. ix. 50 — 54.) 8. Respecting the situation of Luz, (Judg. i. 22 — 26,) Aruma, (Judg. ix. 41, 2 Kings xxiii. 36,) and Asher, (Josh, xvii. 7,) little is now known. 9. Abel-Meholah, which was probably the birth-place of Elisha, (1 Kings xix. 16,) and is mentioned in the ac- count of Gideon's victory over the Midianites, (Judg. vii. 22,) was situated in the plain of Jordan, between Shechem and Beth-shean. (See pp. 133, 134.) 10. Zartanah, or Zereda, or Zeredathah, the native place of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, (1 Kings xi. 26,) was situated on the west bank of the Jordan, near Beth-shean, (1 Kings iv. 12,) directly opposite to Succoth. Between these places Solomon caused brazen vessels for the tem- ple to be cast. (1 Kings vii. 46, 2 Chron. iv. 17.) 11. Aenon, near to Salim, where John baptized after he left Bethabara, (John iii. 23 ; or Bethany, — see p. 123, note,) was situated south of Beth-shean, in the plain of Jordan. The Salim mentioned in the verse just cited, is probably the same with that in Gen. xiv. 18, as this situation would agree much better with the history, than that commonly adopted, viz. that the Salem there mentioned was Jerusalem. 12. Lebonah, (Judg. xxi. 19,) south of Shechem, on the western side of a delightful valley. 13. Shiloh, where Joshua set up the tabernacle, and whence he sent surveyors to make a partition of the land (Josh, xviii. 1,) was situated between Lebonah and Bethel. Here all the children of Israel assembled, several times a year, to celebrate the festivals. On one of these occasions, ' PALESTINE. 137 \\ie men of Benjamin stole the daughters of the men of Shiloh. (Judg. xxi.) The tabernacle was afterwards re- moved to Gilgal. (1 Sam. x. 8, xi. 15, xv. 33, Jer. vu. 12 14 Ps. Ixxviii. 58, &c.) Shiloh was the residence of the prophet Abijah. (1 Kings xiv. 2.) There is now no relic of it visible. 14. Bethel was situated between Shechem and Jerusa- lem. It was originally called Luz. (Gen. xxviii. 19, xxxv. 6 Josh, xviii. 13, Judg. i. 23.) But when Jacob had seen two visions of the Lord upon the spot, he gave it the name of Bethel, or the House of God, (Gen. xxvui. 10---19. xxxv. 1 7, 9—15,) and ever afterwards regarded it as sacred. When the Hebrews invaded Canaan, Bethel was the residence of a petty king. (Josh. xii. 9,) It was assigned by Joshua to the tribe of Ephraim ; but the Canaanites re- gained and kept possession of it, till at length the Ephraim- ites obtained it, through the treachery of one of the inhabit- ants. (Judg. i. 2-2—26.) The tabernacle was for a long time stationed at Bethel. (Judg. xx. 27, 1 Sam. x. 3, Hos. ^"ifter the death of Solomon, Bethel belonged to the nevv kingdom of Israel, and was selected by Jeroboam as one of the two places to be appointed for the worship of his golden calves, (1 Kings xii. 28—33,) probably on account of its ancient reputation for superior sanctity. In the reign of Jeroboam II. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, accused the prophet Amos (who had been sent to denounce him,) of a conspiracy against the king ; in consequence of which he was expelled from Bethel. (Amos vii. 10—13.) We read in 2 Kings x. 29.) that Jehu, though he abolished the wor- ship of Baal in his dominions, " departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin ; to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan." Amos uses the phrase *' coming to Bethel" to denote idolatrv ; (iv. 4 ;— see also v. 5 ;) and the prophet Hosea, thinking the place unworthy of its ancient name, (the house of God) calls it Beth-aven, or the house of ini- quity ; (v. 8, iv. 15, X. 5, 8.) There was another Beth- aven, however, which is mentioned Josh. vii. 2, (as being east of Bethel,) and 1 Sam. xiii. 5. Also, a wilderness of Beth-aven. (Josh, xviii. 12.) The threatenings denounced m2 138 GEOaRAPHY OF THE BlBLE against Bethel by Amos, (iii. 14,) were fulfilled by Josiah, king of Judah. ('2 Kings xxiii. 15.) One of the priests sent back from Assyria to teach the people " the manner of the God of the land," took up his abode in Bethel. After the inhabitants of Bethel were carried into cap- tivity, colonists from Judah and Benjamin took possession of the place, (Ezra ii. 28, Neh. vii. 32, xi. 31,) who were themselves carried captive at a later period. The latter^ however, or their descendants, returned, and resumed their former possessions. 5. Tirzah was the residence of the kings of Israel, from Jeroboam (who removed thither from Shechem,) to Zimri, who, when besieged by Omri in his palace, to avoid cap- tivity, set fire to the house, and perished in the flames. (1 Kings xvi. 18.) Omri, his successor, built Samaria. (See p. 134.) The precise situation of Tirzah is unknown. It was probably within the bounds of Ephraim. 16. " When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua, the son of Nun, among them. According to the word of the Lord, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah, in Mount Ephraim ; and he built the city and dwelt therein." (Josh. xix. 49, 50.) And when he died, '' they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in Mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash ;" (xxiv. 30. — See p. 84.) The name is written Timnath-heres, in Judg. ii. 9. 17. Two places of the name of Shamir are mentioned in Scripture ; one in Mount Ephraim, where Tola, the judge, resided, (Judg. x. 1,) the other in the mountains of Judah. (Josh. XV. 48.) 18. The city of Ephraim, mentioned in 2 Sam. xiii. 23, and John xi. 54, was situated, probably, in the desert of Beth-aven, within the bounds of the tribe of Ephraim. It is uncertain whether the Ephraim which Abijah, king of Judah, took from Jeroboam, king of Israel, (2 Chrou. xiii 19,) was the same with that just mentioned. PALESTINE. 139 19. Seirath, on Mount Ephraim, was the place to which Ehud fled after he had slain Eglon, king of Moab. (Judff iii. 26, 27.) IV. JUDEA. The name Jitdea denotes, sometimes the whole land of Israel west of Jordan, sometimes the southern part of it. In the latter sense, it was bounded, on the north by Sama- ria, on the east by the Dead sea, on the south by Arabia, and on the west by the Mediterranean. The territory of Judea on the sea-coast, extended as far north as Ptoleiiiais, in a narrow tract of land forming the western boundary of Samaria, and dividing that province from the sea. Judea comprehended the territory of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Simeon; (see p. 117 ;) and it appears from a passage in the Apocrypha, that, in later times, a part of Samaria and Galilee was added to Judea. (1 Mac. x. 25.) When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Chaldees, and the Jews carried captive into Babylon, the Idumeans took ad- vantage of their absence to seize upon the south-western district of Judea. Though they afterwards embraced the Jewish religion, and amalgamated with the Jews, the dis- trict which they inhabited continued to be called Idumea, under which name it is mentioned, Mark iii. 8. The following are the most important places of Judea mentioned in the Bible : — 1. Jericho, the City of Palm-trees, (Deut. xxxiv. 3,) situ- ated six or eight leagues east of Jerusalem, in the plain of Jordan, was one of the oldest cities in the Holy Land. It stands first among the Canaanitish kingdoms, enumerated by Joshua, (xii. 9,) and was the first place attacked by the Israelites after passing the Jordan. When taken, it was reduced to ashes, and the inhabitants all destroyed, with the exception of one family. (Josh. vi. 21 — 25.) Notwith- standing the curse which Joshua pronounced upon the man who should rebuild Jericho — He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it, (vi. 26,) we soon find it again mentioned as a city. (Judg. iii. LS, 2 Sam. x. 4, 5.) These texts, however, may refer simply to the ruins of the old town ; for we do not find the fulfilment of the prophecy recorded 140 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. till the reign of Ahab, in whose days '' Hiel the Bethelite, built Jericho : he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram, his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua, the son of Nun." (1 Kings xvi. 34.) The city itself, however, appears to have flourished. In the days of Elijah and Elisha there was a school of the prophets here ; and both those men of God appear to have resided much at Jericho. In the neighbourhood of this place was the spring, the waters of which Elisha healed. (2 Kings ii. 19 — 22.) The spring is still pointed out to travellers, who describe the water as remarkably copious and excellent. We read in Ezra ii. 34, and Nehem. vii. 36, that three hundred and forty-five of the inhabitants of Jericho, who had been carried captive, returned to Judea with Zerub- babel, and in IS eh. iii. 2, we find them at work upon the walls of Jerusalem. Jericho is several times mentioned in the Gospels. Here Zaccheus, the publican, resided, (Luke xix. 1 — 10,) and here Jesus healed two blind men. (Matt. xx. 29, Mark X. 46.) Under the Romans, Jericho was the second city of Pa- lestine. It was one of the royal residences of Herod the Great, who died there. It was laid waste by Vespasian, but rebuilt by Adrian. In the war of the crusades it was again reduced to ashes, and its place is now occupied by a miserable hamlet called Riha. 2. Gilgal, the first encampment of the Hebrews, after the passage of the Jordan, was situated south-east of Jeru- salem, between that city and the river. Here the twelve stones were set up, which had been taken from the midst of Jordan, as a memorial of the wonderful event there wit- nessed. (Josh. iv. 20.) This place continued for seven years to be the head quarters of the Israelites, during the war which Joshua carried on against the Canaanites. (Josh. ix. 10, X. 6, 9, 15, 43.) The tabernacle also remained here until it was removed to Shiloh, (Josh, xviii. 1,) from which place it was again brought back to Gilgal, as appears from 1 Sam. X. 8, xi. 15, xv. 33. Gilgal is mentioned, 1 Sam. vii. 16, as one of the places to which Samuel went in circuit, yearly, to administer jus- ' ^ PALESTINE. 141 tice. At Gilgal, he assembled the people to " renew the kingdom," that is, to confirm the appointment of Saul. (1 Sam. xi. 14, 15.) Gilgal is also mentioned in the his- tory of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. (2 Kings ii. 1, iv. 38.) In later times it became notorious for the idolatrous rites celebrated there. To this circumstance, Amos (iv. 4, 5,) gjid Hosea (iv. 15, ix. 15, xii. 11,) allude. The place has now totally disappeared. 3. Engedi, or Hazazon-tamar, (2 Chron. xx. 2,) was situated near the middle of the western shore of the Dead sea. It was celebrated for its palm-trees. The "strong holds at Engedi," where David hid himself, (1 Sam. xxiii. 29,) were probably caves in the neighbourhood of this city. In Canticles (i. 14,) we read of the vineyards of Engedi; and we learn from modern travellers, that this region has, in later times, been celebrated for its wine. 4. Ziph was the name of two cities belonging to the tribe of Judah. The one was situated at the southern ex- tremity, on the borders of Edom ; (Josh. xv. 24 ;) the other much further north, on a hill of the same name, eight Ro- man miles east of Hebron. This Ziph was one of the cities which Rehoboam fortified. (2 Chron. xi. 8.) In the neigh- bourhood of this place, was the wilderness of Ziph, where David fled from Saul's persecution. (1 Sam. xxiii. 13 — 24.) (See p. 93.) 5. Carmel, (Josh. xv. 55, 1 Sam. xv. 12,) a city on a hill of the same name, (see p. 85,) was situated a few miles to the east of Ziph. Here were the possessions of Nabal, the husband of Abigail, to whom David made application for provisions. (1 Sam. xxv. 2, &-c.) Abigail, whom Da- vid married after Nabal's death, is called (1 Sam. xxvii. 3,) a Carmelitess. 6. Maon, where Nabal resided, though his possessions were in Carmel, (1 Sam. xxv. 2,) was situated south of the latter place. (Josh. xv. 55.) In the neighbourhood was the wilderness of Maon ; (p. 93.) 7. Zoar, one of the five cities in the vale of Siddim, which was spared, at Lot's request, when the others were 142 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. destroyed, (Gen. xix. 21,) was situated at the southern ex- tremity of the Dead sea. In the first century of the Chris- tian era, it was a bishop's see. It is now an inconsidera- ble village. The situation is exceedingly unhealthy, and the people very poor. 8. Aiath, (Isa. x. 28,) or Aija, (Neh. xi. 31,) or Ai, was situated on an elevated spot east of Bethel. (Josh. viii. 11.) It is mentioned several times in the history of Abraham. (Gen. xii. 8, xiii. 3.) It was burnt by Joshua, (Josh. viii. 24, 25,) but afterwards rebuilt. After the return of the J«ws from captivity, the Benjamites, to whom the place belonged, resumed possession of it. (Neh. xi. 31.) 9. There appears to have been two places of the name of Migron ; one near the northern frontier, mentioned Isa. x. 29 ; the other, further south, near Gibeah, mentioned 1 Sam. xiv. 2. 10. South of Migron, and east of Beth-aven, lay Mich- mash^ (1 Sam. xiii. 5,) a town of Benjamin. (Ezra ii. 27, Neh. xi. 31.) This place is several times mentioned in the account of Saul's wars with the Philistines. (1 Sam. xiii. 2, 5, 10, 16, 23, xiv. 5, 31.) In Isaiah x. 29, we read of a pas- sage, or narrow pass, between two rocks south of Michmas, which we find minutely described in 1 Sam. xiv. 45. This pass appears to have been highly important as a military post. (1 Sam. xiii. 2 — 4.) It was taken by Jonathan and his armour-bearer, in the face of a Philistine garrison. (I Sam. xiv. 13—22.) 11. Geha, called (Judg. xx. 10, 1 Kings xv. 22,) Geha of Benjamin^ to distinguish it from another Geba, in the tribe of Asher, not mentioned in the Bible, was situated between Shechem and Jerusalem. It was one of the most northerly places in Judea, as appears from 2 Kings xxiii. 8. and Zech. xiv. 10, where the phrases, ''from Geba to Beersheba," " from Geba to Rimmon," are used to denote the whole length of Judea. It was one of the cities as- signed to the priests out of the tribe of Benjamin. (Josh, xviii. 24, xxi. 17.) In the neighbourhood of this place, David defeated the Philistines. (2 Sam. v. 25.) Geba is also mentioned by Isaiah ; (x. 29.) PALESTINE. , * 143 12. Gibeah of Benjamin, (1 Sam. xiii. 2, 15, 2 Sam. xxiii. 29, Judg. xix. 14, xx. 4,) so called to distinguish it from another Gibeah in Judah ; also Gibeah of Saul, because Saul resided there. (1 Sam. x. 26, xi. 4, xv. 34, Isa. x. 29.) The people of this place demanded seven of Saul's sons from David, and hung them. (2 Sam. xxi. 1 — 9.) Long before this, the inhabitants of Gibeah had been guilty of a piece of cruelty so atrocious, that, as the sacred historian declares, " there was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt." (Judg. xix. 30.) The other tribes, indignant at the outrage, demanded the offenders to be given up ; but the Benjamites refusing to deliver them, the whole nation rose in arms against this single tribe, and though at first repulsed, at last succeeded in destroying Gibeah, and twen- ty-five thousand men of the tribe of Benjamin. (Judg. xx. 46.) By this deed, the people of Gibeah became infamous in Israel, so that the prophet Hosea alludes to their- wick- edness as if proverbial ; (ix. 9, x. 9.) 13. Gibeon was situated five Roman miles north-west of Jerusalem. It is not mentioned among the royal cities enumerated in Josh. xii. 9 — 24, nor is there any mention of a king of Gibeon in Scripture ; though Joshua describes it as a "great city, like one of the royal cities;" (x, 2.) The ambassadors who came to Joshua from Gibeon, say, "our elders and all the inhabitants of our country," not "our king." (Josh. ix. 11.) It is probable, therefore, that in it, and the three cities connected with it, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim, (Josh. ix. 17,) there prevailed a sort of democratic government. In the ninth chapter of Joshua, we have an account of a ^ratagem practised by the Gibeonites, in order to escape destruction, in consequence of which a league was made with them by Joshua. When the deception was discovered, the children of Israel, though they spared their lives, de- graded them to the meanest offices in the service of the sanctuary. Soon after, Joshua was called upon to act as protector of his new allies. Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusa- lem, when he heard that the Gibeonites had made a sepa- rate peace with the invaders, combined with four other Canaanitish kings to destroy the city, but was himself de- feated and destroyed by Joshua. (Josh, x.) 144 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. On the division of the land among the tribes, Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim, fell to the lot of Benjamin. (Josh, xviii. 15.) Afterwards, however, Gibeon was given to the priests and Levites. (Josh. xxi. 17.) In the latter part of David's reign, the sanctuary was at Gibeon, and the high priest Zadok, dwelt there ; (1 Chron. xvi. 39, 40, xxi. 29 ;) and there Solomon went to offer sacrifices on his accession to the throne. At the pool of Gibeon a battle took place between twelve of David's men, and twelve of Ishbosheth's, in which every man was killed. (2 Sam. ii. 13.) This pool is no doubt the '' great waters in Gibeon," mentioned by Jeremiah; (xli. 12.) We read in 2 Sam. xx. 8, that Joab assassinated Amasa, " at the great stone, which is in Gibeon," probably a memorial of the battle above mentioned. 14. Chephirah (Josh. ix. 17,) belonged to the tribe of Benjamin before the captivity, and was re-occupied by the Benjamites who returned. (Josh, xviii. 2B, Ezra ii. 25, Neh. vii. 29.) 15. Beeroth, another of the cities of the Gibeonites, (Josh. ix. 17,) also belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, and was also re-possessed by them on their return. It lay at the foot of the hill on which Gibeon was built. To this place belonged the two men who murdered Ishbosheth. (2 Sam. iv. 2, 3.) 16. Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim, (Josh. xv. 9,) also called Kirjath-baal, (Josh. xv. 60,) and simply Kirjath, (Josh, xviii. 28,) was situated on the borders of Benjamin and Judah, for which reason it is reckoned among the cities of both tribes. (Josh. xv. 60, xviii. 28.) But in Judg. xviii. 12, it is called Kirjath-jearim in Judah. In this place the ark of the covenant remained twenty years, after it was removed from Beth-shemesh, (1 Sam. i. 2,) until David having obtained possession of Jerusalem, fixed the sanctuary there. (2 Sam. vi.) 17. Ramah, called also Ramathaim-zophim, was situated on a hill north of Jerusalem, between that city and Bethel. It seems probable, from Judges xix. 13, and Hosea v. 8, that it was not far from Gibeah. Here the prophet Samuel was born. (1 Sam. i. 1.) Here he dwelt; (ix. 18.) Here PALESTINE. 145 he anointed Saul to be king over Israel; (ix. 27, x. 1.) Here, in all probability, he died; and here he certainly was buried ; (xxv. 1.) Ramah, though it belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, (Josh, xviii. 25,) was included in the kingdom of Israel. JBaasha, the second king after Jeroboam, fortified and gar- risoned it ; (1 Kings xv. 7, 2 Chron. xvi. 1 ;) but Asa, the contemporary king of Judah, having bribed the king of Sy- ria to invade Baasha's northern provinces, and thereby compelled him to withdraw his garrison from Ramah, re- gained possession of the place, (1 Kings xv. 18, 2 Chron. xvi. 2---6,) which afterwards continued subject to the kings of Judah. When Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans, Ramah was the head quarters of Nabuzar-adan, the captain of the guard. There he brought his captives, and among the rest the prophet Jeremiah, who, however, was there set at liberty. (Jer. xl. 1.) The same prophet represents Rachel, who was buried in the neighbourhood of Ramah, (1 Sam. X. 2,) as mourning there over the captivity of Israel. (Jer. xxxi. 15.) In the New Testament, Ramah is called Arimathea, (a corruption of Ramathaim.) To this place belonged Joseph, in whose tomb Christ was buried. (Matt, xxvii. 57, Luke xxiii. 50, 51, John xix. 38.) On the hill where Ramah once stood, there is now a vil- lage, situated in the midst of ruins, and called Samuel by the Arabs who inhabit it. Ramah is not to be confounded with Ramlah, a town further west, upon the sea-coast, built in the eighth century. 18. Gallinu (1 Sam. xxv. 44, Isa. x. 30.) 19. Laish. (Isa. x. 30.) 20. Anathoth, one of the towns of Benjamin allotted to the priests, (Josh. xxi. 18,) was situated three Roman miles to the north of Jerusalem. — It was the birth-place of Jeremiah, (Jer. i. 1,) who denounces threats against the inhabitants, because they attempted to forbid his prophesy- ing in the name of the Lord. (Jer. xi. 19 — 22, 25.) It was also the native place of Abiezer, one of David's mighty men, (2 Sam. xxiii. 27,) and the place to which Abiathar N 146 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. was confined by Solomon, because he had taken part with Adonijah. (1 Kings ii. 26.) Among the Jews who returned from captivity with Zerubbabel, there were 128 men of Anathoth. (Ezra ii. 23, Neh. vii. 27.) 21, 22. Madmenah and Gehim. (Isa. x. 31.) 23. Noh, a '' city of the priests," (1 Sam. xxii. 19,) in the land of Benjamin, (Neh. xi. 32,) was within sight of Jerusalem, towards the north. Here David obtained from Abimelech the priest, shew-bread,* to appease his hunger, and the sword of Goliath to defend himself, when he fled from Saul. (1 Sam. xxi. 1 — 9.) For this connivance, Saul put to death not only Abimelech himself, but all the " men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep," in Nob, the city of the priests ; (xxii. 19.) 24. Gezer, on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin, (Josh. xvi. 3,) was the residence of a Canaanitish king, (Josh. xii. 12,) who came to the aid of Lachish, when be- sieged by Joshua, but was totally defeated. (Josh. x. 33.) The city seems, however, to have continued in the pos- session of the Canaanites ; for the Ephraimites, though they made them tributary, could not drive them out. (Josh. xvi. 10, Judg. i. 29.) In the reign of Solomon, the place was conquered ; not by Solomon himself, but by his father-in- law, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who ''had gone up and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaan- ites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife." (1 Kings ix. 16.) Solo- mon rebuilt it; (17.) 25. Upper and Nether Beth-horon (Josh. xvi. 3, 5,) were situated about 12 Roman miles north-west of Jerusalem, the former on the brow of a hill, the latter in a valley below, the descent to which is called (Josh. x. 11,) the going down to Beth-horon. These towns were built by Sherah, a grand- daughter of Ephraim. (1 Chron. vii. 24.) Though suf- ficiently strong by nature, they were fortified by Solomon. (1 Kings ix. 17, 2 Chron. viii. 5.) Here a bloody battle * The shew-bread had, no doubt, been removed to the priest's house, be- cause fresh was to be furnished on the morrow. PALESTINE. 147 was fought between Judas Maccabseus and the Syrian gen- eral Nicanor, in which the army of the latter was cut to pieces. C2,Maccab. xv. 25—27.) 26. Emmaus, which is mentioned only once in the New Testament, (Luke xxiv. 13,) as the place to which the two disciples were journeying on the day of Christ's resurrec- tion, is there stated to have been distant sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, piobably towards the north. There was another Emmaus in the western part of Ju- dea, which will be described hereafter. 27. Mizpah, in Benjamin, (Josh, xviii. 26,) appears to have been situated north of Jerusalem, and at no great distance. Before there were kings in Israel, the assemblies of the people or their representatives were held at Mizpah, (Judg. XX. 1, xxi. 15, 1 Sam. vii. 5—7, x. 17,) probably on ac- count of its central situation. In later times, Asa, king of Judah, fortified Mizpah as a defence against the invasions of the kings of Israel ; using, for this purpose, the mate- rials which Baasha, king of Israel, had brought to Ramah, with a similar design. (2 Chron. xvi. 6.) Here Gedaliah resided, Nebuchadnezzar's governor of Judea, (Jer. xl. 6,) who was afterwards murdered by Ishmael. (Jer. xli. 1 — 6, 2 Kings XXV. 25.) ^ After the return of the Jews from captivity, Mizpah was rebuilt and occupied ; and in Neh. iii. 17, 19, we find the men of Mizpah working upon the walls of Jerusalem. No vestige of this city now remains. There was another Mizpah in the western part of Judea. 28. Jerusalem. Ancient Jerusalem was situated upon several hills, originally separated by deep valleys, which, however, in process of time, were in a great measure filled up. The highest of these hills, upon which stood what was called the upper town, or south-western portion of the city, still retains its ancient name of Zion, which is often used in Scripture to denote the whole city. (Ps. Ixxviii. 2, 5, 22, cii. 13, 16, ex. 2, Isa. iv. 3, x. 24.) Opposite this upper town, upon Mount Zion, towards the north-east, stood the tower-town, built upon another hill, called by the Greeks Acra, or the citadel, firom a castle built there by 148 GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. Antiochus Epiphanes. South of Acra was a third hill, Mount Moriah, originally separated from it by a valley, but united to it by Simon Maccabaeus, who filled up, the valley, destroyed the castle of Antiochus, and levelled the peak of Acra, in order that the temple, which stood upon Moriah, might not be overtopped by any profane edifice. Mount Moriah was connected with Mount Zion by a bridge, thrown across the valley that divided them. Josephus mentions yet a fourth hill, called Bezetha, (or the neiv town,) because first added to the city by Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great. At the time of Josephus, who lived soon after Christ, the whole city, except where it was inaccessible, was surround- ed with a triple wall, furnished with breast-works, (called in Scripture bulwarks and ramparts, (Psa. xlviii. 13, Lam. ii. 8,) and with towers. (2 Chron. xxvi. 9, 15.) Two of these are mentioned particularly in the Bible — the tower of Hananeel, (Jer. xxxi. 38, Zech. xiv. 10,) and the tower of Meah. (Neh. iii» 1, xii. 39.) These towers were square, 20 ells high above the wall, and 200 ells apart. J 'rusalem was furnished with gates on three of its sides only, the sou(;h side of Mount Zion being inaccessible. After tlie return 4.w:<. rX ^ f)^ M' i^'^^