LIBRARY PRINCETON, BT. J. DONATION OF S A M I! E L A G N E W , /"" « III' ¥ II ILlIltLPHIi. V'A . Ao. ... .'/ ' . S (j Case, -\ Sh elf, Section 3i I _JB ook, Ho |_.. . 7VS? f SAMUEL T. ARMSTRONG, THE PUBLISHER OF THIS WORK, Offers to his numerous and liberal Patrons the most sin- cere thanks for their encouragement afforded him in this un- dertaking; and while doing this, he respectfully requests a con- tinuance of their favors, in his line of Business. At his Theo- logical Bookstore, No. 50, Cornhill, Boston, he offers to the Religious Public, in particular, a. very general assortment of valuable Books, Bibles, Psalm Books, Psalters, Primers, Tes- taments, and School Books, as cheap as at any store; he has recently published at his presses the following works, Dr. Bu- chanan's Christian Researches in .Asia, complete, in one vol- ume, Dr. Owen's Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews in 4 volumes, Smith's Dissertation on the Prophecies, Foster's Essays, The Gospel Treasury, The Evangelical Instructor, Baxter's Saint's Rest, The Platform of Church Discipline, Hymns for Infant Minds, Watts on Christian Communion, Abbot's Sermons to Mariners, Life of David Brainerd, The Young Minister's Companion, Hymns £>r Family Worship, by Rev. John Codinan, Emerson's Evangelical Primers, a new volume of Sermons by Dr. Emmons, Life of Mrs. Ramsay, The Nature, Extent, and Province of Human Reason, consid- ered, The Imitation of Jesus Christ, by Thomas a Kempis, Milner's History of the Church of Christ, and many others, besides which he is constantly supplying himself with all the approved works published in every part of the union. Every favor gratefully acknowledged. As but a small part of the^papers were returned before pub- lication, it is presumed a large number of Subscribers will not find their names on the list at the end of the volume, to all such he offers this as an excuse, and hopes in future to receive their names in season. Titles were annexed w hen known. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/sacredgeographyoOOpari SACRED GEOGRAPHY: OR, A ^ GAZETTEER OF THE BIBLE. CONTAINING, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE COUNTRIES, KINGDOMS, NA'HONS AND TRIBES OF MEN, WITH ALL THE VILLAGES, TOWNS, CITIES, PROVINCES, HILLS, MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, LAKES, SEAS, AND ISLANDS, MENTIONED IN THE SACRED SGR1PIURES, OR APOCRYPHA, INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, FULFILMENT OF TROPHECIES, AND PRESENT CONDITION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACES. BY ELIJAH * PARISH, D. D. MINISTER OF BYFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, Embellished with a new Map of the Principal Countries mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, Here through the flow'ry walks of Eden rove, Court the soft breeze, or range the spicy grove; There tread on hallowed ground, where angels trod, And vev'rcnd Patriarchs talk'd as friends with God. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL T. ARMSTRONG. No. 50, CorntuH. 1813. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT. BE it remembered, that on the ninth day ol* March, A. D. 1813, and in the thirty seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, Samuel T. Armstrong, 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: "Sacred Geography: or, a Gazetteer of the Bible. Containing, in alphabetical order, a geographical description of all the Countries, Kingdoms, Nations and Tribes of Men, with all the Villages, Towns, Cities, Provinces, Hills, Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Seas, and Islands, mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures or Apocry- pha, including an account of the Religion, Government, Population, fulfilment of Prophecies, and present condition of the most important places. By Elijah Parish, D D. Minister of Byfield, Massachusetts. Embellished with a new Map of the principal countries mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures. Here through the flowery walks of Eden rove, Court the soft breeze, or range the spicy grove; There tread on hallowed ground, where angels trod, And rev'rend Patriarchs talk'd as friends with Godl'* In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, intitled, u An act for the encouragement of learning, bv securing the copies of maps, charis, Qfid books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein men- tioned;" and also an act, intitled, "An act supplementary to an act intitled, 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 extending 1 lie benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." WM. S. SHAW, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. J^HE hour of retribution is rapidly approaching, when every litera- ry attainment, however splendid in view of the world, which has not a religious influence, will appear more empty, than the bubble, glittering with the colors of the rainbow. Impressed with this awa- kening fact, the Christian Pastor is solicitous, that all his studies should enrich his sermons, for the spiritual benefit of those, who hear him. He also, deems it a privilege, to publish those results of hi-, inquiries, which may extend his services beyond the limited sphere ol his personal labors, which mav, by the blessing of Heaven, continue his usefulness, after he slumbers in "the narrow house." Every literary production, which elucidates the Book of God, has such a tendency. This sacred volume is the luminous Star, directing all nations to the New Jerusalem. That author, then performs a reli- gious service, who renders the meaning of the sacred writers more evident, or the reading of thtm more interesting or pleasant. How many thousands and thousands neglect the scriptures, never acquiring the necessary knowledge of their contents, not because, they are infi- dels, not because, they are abandoned to vice, not because, they have any specific objection to them; but because, the Scriptures appear obscure, or unintelligible. "How can they understand, unless some man should guide themr" They read of Canaan and Mesopotamia, of Cush and Misraim, of Anakims and Ishmaelites; they search their Geographies, but find nothing to satisfy their inquiries. Is if. strange then, that the sacred history should become dull, and te- dious? Not only the pleasure, but the confidence of the reader may be increased, by learning the character and situation of places. To il- lustrate this, a multitude of instances might be mentioned. Had Egypt been a barren country, seven years of plenty would not have supplied seven years of famine. Had Arabia been a fertile land, no good reason could have been given for the rain of "angel's food." As the Red Sea and the Jordan lay in the march of Israel, we readily perceive, that their waters must have been divided. In describing the ancient and modern state of many cities and na- tions, the writer, without stopping to moralize, spontaneously deline- ates the most exact fulfilment of prophecy. So unavoidable is this PREFACE. that even infidels have sometimes, unwillingly, promoted the cause of revelation. Volney's account of Jerusalem and Egypt confirms this. The opportunity of defending the banner of Christianity, has been a most pleasant circumstance attending this compilation. Geography has claimed a place in various dictionaries of the Bi- ble. Why then should it not occupy a separate volume? Who is satisfied with the scanty information, found in those works? To the lovers of sacred Geography may not a scripture Gazetteer be a men- tal banquet? A respectable and learned writer considers the present zeal to acquire a knowledge of Palestine, among "the signs" of the approaching millennium* He says, "The signs of the times all con- cur to teach us, that we are fast approaching towards the catastrophe of the great drama. We have seen Palestine, the predicted stage on which Antichrist, with his congregated vassals, is doomed to perish, brought forward in a remarkable manner to public notice."* And is it not natural to suppose that a country becoming so interest- ing to all the world, will be more known, before the grand catastrophe arrives. Soon will Christianity, long banished from the first tem- ples of her residence, long banished from the thrones of the Csesars, in sackcloth wandering in the wilderness, re-enter Palestine in tri- umph, raise the ruined walls of Jerusalem, rebuild the temple oa Mount Zion, and sway the sceptre on the throne of David; yet scarcely any region of the globe is now so little known. Some Geographers of great eminence, silently pass by this country, as though it were involved in the odium of Christianity. Though the compiler fondly hopes to afford pleasure and improve- ment to the lover of Sacred Geography; yet, so far is he from pre- suming, that this first essay is perfect, that he respectfully solicits any suggestions from his readers, which may improve the work. He detei mines, that no pains shall be wanting, if his life be spared, to render it as perfect as his abilities permit. This being designed for a useful family book, a huge and fair type has been used, and some things of curious geographical speculation have been omitted, or transiently noticed. Generally, the various opinions oi learned men have been stated, and the reader left to make his own decision. Consequently, in some instances, it may seem as if the compiler en- tertained different opinions on the same point. Some may think the account of a few remarkable places too par- ticular. Another person, may, perhaps, ponder on these scenes with Dr. Buchj.Tian. See Christian Researches, published by S. T. Armstrong. PREFACE. deep interest, and growing delight, his heart throbbing with wonder and gratitude, his eyes suffused with sacred affection. While he discards the weakness of superstition, he indulges the sensibilities of a man; while he reasons like a sage, he feels as a saint, and wishes the description more minute, more full. I shall never envy the man his sensations, who can read with indifference a description of the pla- ces, where prophets and apostles preached the word of life, where the Son of God ruled the storm, and raised the dead. I shall never envy the man, who can without emotions, undescribable, ascend mount Sinai, where God himself came down, where the voice of the trum- pet waxed louder and louder, where Moses spake, and God answer- ed him by a voice. I pitv the man, who can read the present state of Chorazin, or Tyre, or the seven churches of Asia, and not bow to the force of truth, his faith confirmed, his heart trembling. I pity the man, who can view, unmoved the Rocks smitten by Moses, whence the waters gushed, and the stream flowed to refresh the camp of Israel. I pity him, whose heart does not thrill with unutterable tenderness, while he reads a description of Gethsemane, echoing the sighs and prayers of his suffering Redeemer, or the hill of Calvary, crimsoned with his blood, or of the holy sepulchre, where his body was laid, or the Mount of Olives, graced with his last footsteps, as he ascended to glory. In this work the compiler has often borrowed the stvle of the au- thors, quoted; not always, because he thought it the most laconic or perfect; but among other reasons, because, as it respects travels, there is a certain interest produced by the words of one, who himself saw what he describes: he gives vividness and life to his subject. For borrowing from others, I may, to use the words of the Encyclopedia, "plead the common law of authorship in justification." This is a Geographical Dictionary, and the learned Mr. Chambers remark?, "that such works are supposed to be in a great degree, the composi- tions of other people, and that their quality gives the authors a title to every thing, which may be for their purpose, wherever they find it. If you ask them their authority they will produce you the prac- tice of their predecessors of all nations and ages. But as the com- piler in this work has quoted authors of established reputation, he presumes to hope, that the style and matter may be satisfactory. A laudable curiosity prompts the reader to inquire what were the sources of information enjoyed by his author. To this I only say, that a considerable portion of the work, was necessarily taken from the Bible. Several of the most interesting articles have been col- lected from the Asiatic Researches. The Encyclopedia has repeated PREFACE. Iy made very liberal contributions. A Dictionary of the Bible in 3 vols, anonymous, printed in London 1759, has afforded more con- stant aid, thdn perhaps any other work. From the Scripture Geog- raphy of Dr. Wells, I have largely borrowed. I need not add, that Calmet has contributed something to almost every page. A Geo- graphical Dictionary of the Bible, entitled, Onomasticon Urbium et Locorum Sacra; Scriptures , &c. written by Eusebius in the fourth cen- tury, and afterwards translated from the Greek into Latin, and im- proved by St. Jerome, I have quoted in almost every article. The following works have also been carefully consulted, and often quoted. Opera Jacobi Bonfrerii,hc. Descriptio Terra; Sanctce Rro- cardi Monachi, Sec. Geographia Sacra ex Veteri et Novo Testamento, &c. Descriptio Terra; Chanaan, &c. et Index Geographicus, auctore Nic-Sanson, et'tam Notce Jo/iannis Clerici, &c. To name all the Travels, Gazetteers, Geographies, Commentators, and other books, from which extracts have been made, would be thought superfluous. Were it not ostentatious, it would be pleasant and flattering to my- self, to acknowledge the encouragement and aid of several respecta- ble Friends, who have kindlv furnished me with rare and valuable books. These generous Patrons will do me the justice to believe, that I prize their friendship, as I ought, and accept my warmest gratitude. Though it is not without very serious drjjidence, that I present this work to the public; yet may I not be permitted to say, that if the reader find the advantage and the entertainment, which have rendered the labor of compiling it so pleasant, I shall, not only think myself to have been well employed, but doubly rewarded. E. PARISH, By field, March 9, 1813. SACKED GEOGRAPHY; OR, GAZETTEER OF THE BIBLE. A ASAR, a town of Palestine, in the tribe of Judah, between Azotus and Askalon, which in the time of Jerome was a, hamlet. ABANA, a river of Damas- cus, mentioned by Naaman, the king of Syria's general, in these terms, *are not Abana andPharphar rivers of Damas- cus, better than all the rivers of Israel,' 2 Kings v, 12. Calmet is of opinion, that this river is the same with Barrady or Chry sorrhoas, which, accord- ing to Maundrill, derives its source from the foot of mount Libanus towards the east, and runs round Damascus and through it, and so continues its course, till its waters are lost in the wilderness, at the distance of four or five leagues from the city. The compil- ers of the Encyclopedia sup- pose its source is in mount Hermon, and that it falls into the Phenician sea to the north of Tripolis. The Greeks cal- led it Chrvsorrhoas. Lat. 31, 20. 2 AB \Rl\f, a chain of moun- tains between the Jordan and Anion, (Numb, xxvii, 12,) reaching a great way into the tribe of Reuben, and the coun- try of the Moabites; composed of many hills, under different names. The mountains, Ne- bo, Pisgah, and Peor, were parts of the Abarim. See the article Nebo, &.c. They were high mountains and of steep ascent, separating the land of Canaan from the Am- monites and Moabites. From their summits was a grand view of Canaan. According to Josephus they stood opposite to Jericho, and were the last station of Israel, excepting one, as they were entering Canaan. Lat. 31, SO. Kimpton. ABEL-BETHMAACHAH, a city of Palestine, placed by- Jerome in the tribe of Judah, between Eleutheropolis and Jerusalem; but more probably it was a city in the tribe of Naphtali, in the north of Pales- tine; for here we find a place of this name, taken by Benha- ABE ABE dad, king of Syria. 1 Kings xv, 20; and afterwards by the king of Assyria, 2 Kings xv,29. ABEL KERAMIM, a town, which lay east of the Jor- dan, in the country of the Am- monites, where Jephthah de- feated that people; it abounds in vines; it was also called Abela. Abila signifies a mountain, in the Phenician language. Prob- ably therefore, this town was built on a mountain. ABEL THE GREAT, the name of a large stone lying in the field of one Joshua, a Beth- shemite, on which the ark was placed, when it was sent back by the Philistines. It is thought to have been called by this name, which signifies great mourning* on account of the vast number of Bethshemites, that were punished by God on this occasion, for we are told (1 Sam. vi, 18,19;) that no less than fifty thousand, three- score, and ten Bethshemites were smitten for looking into the ark of the Lord. Lat. 32 36. 'A B EL A, See Abel- keranaim, a city in the land of Bashan, in the half tribe of Manasseh, 12 miles fiom Gadara, east. Jerome says, it was remarkable for good wine. Lat. 33, 5. ABEL-MEHOLAH, OR ABELMEA, being the coun- try of Elijah, (1 Kings xix, 16.) It was also the birth- place of Elisha the prophet. According to Eusebius, it was sixteen miles distant from Scythopolis; it was situated on the west of Jordan, between the valley of Jezreel and the village of Bethmaela in the plains of Jordan, where the Midianites were defeated by Gideon. Lat. 32, 121. ABEL-MIZRAIM, a place some distance west from Jeri- cho and Jordan, and not far from Hebron. It was before the threshing floor of Atad, but on account of the mourning here for Jacob, it was called Abel- Mizraim, signifying, the lamen- tation of the Egyptians, the peo- ple of the place supposing that all the people, who composed this funeral procession were Egyptians. Some suppose it was between the Jordan and the city of Jericho. ABEL-SHITTIM, or SHITTIM, a city situate in the plains of Moab beyond Jordan, opposite to Jericho. (Numb, xxxiii, 49; and xxv, 1; and Josh, ii, 1.) Eusebius says it stood in the neighbor- hood of mount Peor. Moses encamped at Abel-Shittim, ABE ACC sometime before the Hebrew army passed the Jordan. Here the Israelites fell into idolatry and worshipped Baal-Peor, for which God punished them, so severely by the hands of the Levites. The place stood north-east from the Dead Sea, and received its name from the great number of Shittim or Sittim trees, which grew there. As Abel denotes mourning in Hebrew, some have thought, this place received its name on account of the mourning and lamentations of the people here, on account of the destruc- tion made among them for the sin above mentioned. See Numb, xxv, 1 — 9. Some of them being hanged, others slain, others dying of the plague, to the number of twen- ty-four thousand. Whether Abel-Shittim and Shittim were two places is somewhat uncer- tain. Perhaps Shittim was the city, and Abel-Shittim the valley or plain, where was an encampment of Israel. ABEN-BOHAN, See Bo- ian. Lat. 31, 31. ABEZ, a city belonging to the tribe of Issachar. Josh. i9,20. ABILA, or Abel, hobal, or Hoba, or Abelbeth-ma- ACHA,OR ABEL-MAIN,atOWIl, north of Damascus, between Libanus and Anti-Libanus. Joab besieged this town, dur- ing the revolt of Sheba. Lat. 32, 22§. ABILENE, a small canton in Coelo Syria, between Leba- non and Anti-Libanus. lr lay west from Damascus. The town of Abilene stood at the bottom of the valley on the bank, of Chrvsorrhoas, the channel of which Mr. Maundrel says, is very rocky. Here Ly- sanias was governor in the 15th year of Tiberias, Luke iii, 1. This was a considerable town, and its vineyards were exten- sive and fruitful, as we are in- formed by Jerome and Eusebi- us. Being the capital, it gave name to the district around. Eusebius says it lay between Paneas and Damascus. This is only one of many instances in which we -shall find the same place obscured by having more than one name. See Abel- beth-maachah. ACCARONatown ofJu- dea. It was the boundary of Philistia north, not far from Bethshemcth and the sea. This town was famous for the idol Baalzebub, who was wor- shipped here under the same attributes with Achor, the god of flies; from this circumstance, according to the celebrated Bryant, this city derived its name. It is 34 miles from ACA ACH Jerusalem. It first fell to the lot of Judah, and was after- wards given to the tribe of Dan. L:it. 31, 55. Long. 34, 57, E. ACCAD, a city built by Nimrod, the situation of which is not very well known, The 3' ptuagint read it Archad. Gen. x, 10. Jerome says, it was a city of Babylon, that in his d iv it was called Nisibis, that it w s besieged and taken by the Romans, and in a few ) cars after delivered to the Per- sians. Lat 32, 5. ACCHO, afterwards called Ptolemais, lies north of mount Carmel with a harbor to the sea. It fell to the tribe of Ashefby division, Judges i, 31.% The Israelites would noi extir- pate the inhabitants of Accho, and it continued in the hand of the Canaanites. See Acre. It has for 300 years been sub- ject to the Turks, and is re- markable for castles, palaces, and churches in ruins. It is thinly inhabited, but has an old church and a bishop. Lat. 32, 58. ACELDAMA, that Is, the inheritance or potidh of blood; by this name was that field cal- led, which the priests purchas- ed with the thirty pieces of silver, that had been given to Judas Iscanot, as the price for the blood of Jesus Christ, (Matt, xxvii, 8; and Acts i, 18.) Judas having brought this money back into the tem- ple, and the priests thinking it was not lawful to make use of it for the service of so holy a place, because it was the price of blood, they bought a potters field to be" a burying place for strangers. This field is shown at this day to travellers. It lies south of Jerusalem; the place is small, and covered with an arched roof. 'It is said to have been the same with the Fullers field, lying on the South side of Jerusalem, where thty whitened their cloth,* Isaiah vii, 3. It was the pot- ters field, where they dug their materials, of course, it must have been entirely barren; and was, therefore, bought as a bu- rying place for straiigers. ACHAIA, a province of Greece of which Corinth was the capital, where St. Paul preached, ^Actsxviii, 12;) and St. Andrew suffered martyr- dom. This province of the Peloponnessus was bounded west by the Ionian sea, south by Elis and Arcadia, and east by Sicyonia. It is now called Romania, Aha in the Morea. The Romans divided all Greece into two provinces Mac- edonia, an d Achaia. Under ACII ACR the former they include Epirus and Thessaly; under the latter, Greece, properly so called, and the Peloponnessus. The word Greece in the Old Testament was used in its most extensive sense, and included Macedo- nia. In the New Testament it does not include Macedonia, and is equivalent to Achaia in the Roman sense of the word, that is, including not only Greece proper, but the Pelo- ponnesus in which lay Achaia proper. Lat. 36, 30. ACHMETH/N, (Ezra vi, 2.) See the article ILcbatana. But some suppose it does not denote a place, or town; but a box or press, in which the old rolls of the Medo-Persian court were deposited. ACHOR, a valley in the territory of Jericho, and in the tribe of Benjamin, or on the north border of Judah, where Achan,-his sons, and daughters, were stoned to death. The valley lay along the Jordan, not far from Gil^al; it was so cal- led from Achan, or as others, more probably suppose, from the trouble suffered there on his account, Achor in Hebrew signifying trouble. Lat. 31, 44. ACHSAPH, a city belong, ing to the tribe of Asher, the king of which was conquered by Joshua (xii, 20.) It is thought probable, that Ach- saph and Achzib are but dif- ferent names for the same town, of Ecdippa upon the coasts of Phoenicia and not far from mount Tabor. See Achzib .In the time of Jerome, about four hundred years after Christ, this was a small village called Chasalus. ACHZIB, a city belonging to the tribe of Asher, (Josh, xix, 29;) thought to be the same, which the Greeks called Ecdippa, and at present is cal- led Zib. It was situated near the Mediterranean sea, be- tween Tyre and Ptolemais. See Achsaph. In the fribe of Judah was another town of the same name. ACRA, one of the hills in Jerusalem, on which stood the tower or old city, which was the old Jerusalem, to which was afterwards added Zion, or the city of David. Probably it was called Acra, from the fortress, which Antiochus built there, in order to annoy the temple, and which Simon Maccabeus took and razed to the ground. He spent three years in levelling the mountain. Here was afterwards built the palace of Helena, also another for Agrippa. ACRABATENE, a district ofJudea, extending itself be- tween Shechem and Jericho, in- ACR ACR dining to the east, about twelve miles in length. Josephus frequently mentions this place. Acrabatene, another dis- trict of Judea on the fron- tier of Iduniea, towards the southern extremity of the Dead Sea. See Macab.' v, 3. ACRE, or Acco, or St. John de Acre, a sea port town, on the Phoenician coast in Syria. Its ancient name was Acco, or Accho, and is called by the Arabs Akka. It was afterwards denominated Ptole- mais, from one of the Ptole- mys in Egypt, and Acra, on account of its fortifications, and importance; whence the knights of St. John, of Jerusalem called it St. John de Acre. The situ- ation of Acre has every possi- ble advantage both of sea and land; it is encompassed on the north and east, by a spacious and fertile plain, on the west by the Mediterranean, and on the south by a large bay; ex- tending from the city to mount Carmel, a strong town, and convenient harbors. It was strong enough to resistthe arms of Israel, when they sub- dued the surrounding country. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Accho. Here the apostle Paul preached the gospel; here Titus tarried some timefto make preparation for the siege of Jerusalem; here met a general council in the twelfth century. This city successively under the domin- ions of the Romans and of the Moors, and afterwards for a long time, was the theatre of contention, between the Chris- tians, and the infidels in the progress of the crusades. In 1189 the armaments of Europe burst on this devoted place; for two years they pressed the seige; nine battles displayed the courage of the warriors; the besiegingcamp was thinned by sickness, by famine, and the sword. Despair began to pre- vail; in the spring of the sec- ond year the royal fleets of England and France arrived in the bay of Acre; Acre sub- mitted, but not till three-thous- and Moslems were beheaded; one hundred thousand Chris- tians had fallen in battle, and a greater number perished by disease. After the loss of Je- rusalem, in unsuccessful at- tempts for recovering the Holy Land, from the possession of the Saracens, renewed by St. Louis, with the co-operation of Edward I, and other pow- ers, Acre became the metrop- olis of the Latin Christians, and was adorned with strong and stately buildings, with aqueducts, an artificial port, ACR ACtt and a double wall. Its pop- ulation was increased, by an influx of pilgrims and fugitives, and the trade of the east and west was attracted to this con- venient station. The city was besieged by Turks under Sul- tan Khali), at the head of a large army, furnished with a tremendous train of artillery. After a seige of thirty-three days, the double wall was forced by the Moslems, the principal tower yielded to their engines, and the city was en- tirely destroyed, May, 19, 1291. Sixty thousand Chris- tians were devoted to death or slavery; a miserable remnant with the king of Jerusalem, the patriarch, and the great master of the hospital, fled to the sea shore, and escaped to Cyprus. It was famous in the time of the Crusades. Here Edward I, was wounded by a poisoned arrow; he was cured by his wife Eleanor, who suck- ed the poison from his veins. After the expulsion of the cru- saders, Acre exhibited a scene of magnificent ruins, and re- mained in a degree deserted, and desolated, till about the year 1750, when it was fortifi- ed, by Dahier, an Arabian Sheick, who obtained the ap- pellation of Prince of St. John of Acre, and maintained his independence against the whole force of the Ottoman empire, till the year 1775, when he was basely assassinated, by or- der of the Ottoman porte, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. The new city is smal- ler than the old; its inhabitants, lately, were forty thousand. The Greeks have here two churches, the Latins three, the Maronites one, it is a bishop's see. The Jews have one small synagogue, the Mahom- etans three mosques. Acre has been rendered, by the works of Dijezzar, one of the principal towns on the coast. The mosques of this Pacha are much admired. The Ba- zar, or covered market, is not inferior to the bazars of Aleppo, and its public fountain is supe- rior in elegance to those of Damascus. The widest street is completely filled by a pass- ing camel; the place is un- healthy; it has lately been brought into notice by the siege of Bonaparte and his re- pulse by Sir Sidney Smith, a celebrated English officer, in 1798. The principal articles of commerce at Acre are corn and cotton: but the trade is mo- nopolized by the Pacha in his own hands. The French have usually a consul in this place, and Russia a resident. It is ADA ADI twenty-seven miles south of Tyre, seventy north of Jerusa- lem, eighty-two west of Damas- cus, lat. 32, 40, north, long. 39, 25, east. I only add that the port of Acre is one of the best on the coast; the town shel- ters it from the north and north west winds. The fortifications at present are of no great im- portance. ^ Mount Carmel, which commands the town to the south, is a flattened cone, very rocky, 2,000 feet high. Mariti, D^Anville, &c. ADADA, a city in the southern part of Judea. Josh, xv, 22. ADAD-RIMMON, orHA- dad-rimmon, a city in the valley of Jezreel, (2 Kings xxiii, 29.) There the fatal battle was fought in .which Jo- siah,king of Judah, was killed by the forces of Pharoah-Ne- cho, king of Egypt. It is sit- uated ten miles from Jezreel, and seventeen from Ccesareain Palestine. ADAM, or Ado m, (Josh, iii, 16;) a city situated on the banks of the River Jordan, to- wards the south of the sea, Cinnereth or Galilee. In the vicinity of this town, the wa- iters of the Jordan were arrest- ed, that the Israelites might pass over the channel on dry ground. ADAMAH, or Admah, one of the five wicked cities, which were destroyed by fire from heaven, and buried un- der the waters of the Dead Sea, (Gen. xit, 2; and Deut. xxii, 23.) It was the most easterly of all those, which was.swallow- ed up, and there is some prob- ability that it was nor entirely sunk under the waters; or that the inhabitants of the country built a new city of the same name upon the eastern shore of the Dead Sea; for Isaiah, ac- cording to the Septuagint says, 'God will destroy the Moab- ites, the city of Ar, and the remnant of Adamah.' Ad am ah, was also a city of the tribe of Naphtali, (Josh, xix, 36.) The Septuagint, call it Armath, and the Vul- gate, Edema. ADASA, was a city of Ca- naan, in the tiibe of Ephraim, Lat. 33. ADIDA, a city of Judah, at which place Simeon Macca- I asus encamped, in otder to dispute the entrance into the country with Tryphon, who had treacherously seized on his brother Jonathan at Ptolemais. Both Eusebius and Jerome tell us, that all the open plain about Eleutheropolis north and west, was in their time called Sephela. And in I Macab. ADR ADU xii, 38, it is said, that Simeon "set up Adida in Sephela, and made it strong with gates and bars." Lat. 31,44. ADITHA, or Ada th a, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah, (Josh, xv, 36.} ADORAIM, a town of Pal- estine in the tribe of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam. ADRIA, a city upon the Tartario in the state of Venice. It gives name to the Adriatic sea, which is sometimes called Adria, as in Acts xxvii, 27. ADRIA, the Adriatic sea. Here the ship in which St. Paul was a prisoner was over- taken with a dreadful storm. Fearing they should fall upon the quicksands, they struck sail, and let their ship drive. This tempest continued a whole fortnight. It has with some propriety been asked how this ship, tossed up and down the Adriatic, should drive on the island of Malta. The easy solution is, that anciently this name extended beyond the limits of the Adriatic gulf, and was given to an indeterminate portion of the sea, as we now say the Levant, &c. Ptolemy says that Sicily was bounded east by the Adriatic, that Crete was washed on the west by the Adriatic, and Strabo says that the Ionian gulf is a part of that, 3 which in his time was called the Adriatic sea. The whole sea adjacent to Sicily, the Ioni- an, and Tuscan seas, on the south-west of Italy, were cal- led Adria. ADRUMETUM, or Ad- 'ramyttium, a cityofLybia in Africa, capital qf the prov- ince of Byzantium We read in the Acts of the Apostles, (xvii, 1, 2;) that Sr. Paul in his first voyage to Italy, em- barked in a vessel that was going to Adrumetum. But Calmet, Wells, and Whitby, think it much more probable, that we should read Adram- my ttiu m in the text, because we know St. Paul was going into Asia, as St. Luke testifies; and Adrammyttium was a maritime town of Myssia in Asia Minor, over against the island of Les- bos, at the foot of mount Ida. ADULL AM, a city belong- ing to the tribe of Judah, (Josh, xv, 35;) situated in the south- ern part of this tribe and west from Hebron toward the Dead sea. Rehoboam rebuilt this place, and strengthened it with good fortifications. (Chron. xi, 7, 8;) Eusebius says that in his time, it was a large town, ten miles from Eleutheropolis, eastward. Jerom says that in his day it was not a small tow.. MGY iENA Judas Macc.abzeus, encamped in the plain of Adullam, and there passed the Sabbath-day, (2 Mace, xii, 38.) Joshua kill- ed the king of Adullam, (xii, 15.) David hid himself in the caveofAdullam, (lSam.xxii,l, 2,&c.) and here his parenfs,and a number of valiant men re- paired to him. This place, once called the glory of Israel, has long been reduced to ruins. In most of the mountains of Canaan were caverns, where in time of war the people con- cealed themselves. Kimpton. ADUIV1MIM, a town and mountain in the tribe of Benja- min. Josh.xv,9;xviii,17. Some place it to the south, others to the north of Jericho. It is sup- posed, that this town is on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, and that here the traveller was robbed, mentioned Luke xth, who was so kindly relieved by the good Samaritan. The^lace was notorious for the haunt of robbers, so much so, that a castle was built there for the defence of travellers. Its very name is supposed to express its character; it signifies the red, or bloody ones. ^EGYPT, See Egypt. . JEGYPT, river of, a stream which was the limit of Judea south. God promised to Abraham to give him all the country between the Eu* phrates and the river of Egypt. Some have thought this was the Nile, but evidence is want- ing, that the territories of Israel ever did extend to the Nile. It seems that the river of E- gypt was a small stream, for the Scriptures call the Euphra- tes a great v'ixcy compared with this; but this is not true, if the Nile be intended. See Egypt, river of. Lat. 31, 10. iELMOR, a sacerdotal city in the tribe of Benjamin. /ENAM, oriENAN a town of Canaan, in the time of the patriarchs, but a deserted place in the fourth century. It stood on the road to Tinmath, which was a considerable village, be- tween Jerusalem and Diospolis. Here was a spring from which the place received its name, and here was an idol, worshipped by the heathen inhabitants with great veneration. There is, however, a dispute, whether the word be not an appellative, signifying, an open place, as it is in our bibles, or the dividing of two roads, or two eyes, as a traveller in such a place looks both ways to as- certain, which is the right, or two fountains or wells. The Septuagint consider it a proper name, and translate it at the gates of JEnan, Gen. xxxviii. yELl JEN 14. Bottfgenus. See En aim. .ELIA.CAPITOLINA, a name given to Jerusalem, and therefore mentioned litre, when the emperor Adrian, about the year of Jesus Christ, 1S4, set- tled a Roman colony in it, and entirely banishefl the Jews, for- bidding them on pain of death to continue there. See Jeru- salem. This name was given it be- cause iElius, was of Adrian's family; and it was called Capi- tolina from Jupiter Capitolinus, to whom the city was conse- crated, and to whom a temple was built on the spot where Jesus rose from the dead. It went by this name, till the time of the emperor Constantine, when it resumed that of Jeru- salem. However, the name /Elia was not long abolished, for it was so called long after Constantine, as may be seen in Greek, Latin, and Mahometan authors. Jerome says that the Jews were now forbid to cir- cumcise their children; he says also that the Jews at this time bought permission of the Ro- man soldiers to look on Jerusa- lem, and shed tears over it. Thus the people, who bought Jesus Christ with money, were obliged to pay a price, even for the indulgence of their own , tears. Old men and women loaded with rags and years were seen going up mount Olivet, to lament the ruin of the temple. This sight they purchased very dearly. A marble Venus was set up on Calvary, on the reck where the cross had stood; a marble hog was placed on the gate, which looked toward Bethlehem, a grove was planted in honor of Adonis, to whom was dedicat- ed the cave in which our Sav- ior was born. Notwithstand- ing the gross indignities offer- ed to these places, consecrated by the birth, death, and resur- rection of Jesus Christ, still they were venerated by Chris- tians, and greatly respected by many of the pagan world. These insulting pollutions of sacred places, were followed with one advantage, they con- tributed to identify and per- petuate the knowledge of the very places, where those inter- esting events took place, and to keep them in remembrance for a day of subsequent honors. JEN or Ain a city, first given to the tribe of Judah; but afterwards yielded up to the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xv, 32; 1 Chr. iv, 32. JEn signi- fies a fountain, and is to be met with in composition in the names of several cities. AIN-CHARIN, a village of AFR AHA Palestine, 6 miles from Jeru- salem. AFRICA, one of the four quarters of the world, being a peninsula joined to Asia by the narrow isthmus of Suez, and situated between 37 north, and 35 degrees south latitude, and between 18 west and 51 east longitude from London. It is 4320 miles in length, from north to south, and 4200 miles in breadth from east to west. Africa is bounded by the Med- iterranean sea, which separates it from Europe on the north, by the isthmus of Suez, the Red Sea, and theEastern ocean; which divide it from Asia on the east, by the Southern ocean on the south, and by the At- lantic or western ocean, which separates it from America on the west. Africa was princi- pally peopled by Ham and his descendants. Mizraim peopled Egypt. The Pathrusim, the Naphtuhim, the Casluhim, and the Ludim, peopled other parts of the country, the limits of which are not at this day dis- tinctly known. It is thought that many of the Canaanites, being driven out of their coun- try by Joshua, retired into Af- rica. Sanson in his Index Ge- ographicus, says that Gush and Canaan were not content with their lot, that they sought other settlements, and seized certaia territories belonging to Shem. AGABA, a fortress near Jerusalem. AGALLA, a city of Pales- tine on the east of the Dead Sea in the land of Moab. See Eglaim. AGRIPPIAS, a town of Palestine on the Mediterra- nean, about two miles and a half from Gaza. Herod the Great gave the town this name in honor of Agrippa his friend, and the favorite of Augustus. AHA VA, a river of Baby- lonia, or rather of Assyria, where Ezra (viii, 15) gathered those captives into a body, whom he brought with him into Judea. In this region the Diava, or Adiavana, is now known, on the banks of which Ptolemy places the city of A- bane or Aavane. It wras com- mon for travellers going from Babylon to Jerusalem, to pro- ceed northerly at first to avoid the scorching heat of the Ara- bian desert, then turning west, they passed through Syria into Palestine. This is probably the country called Ava, 2 Kings xvii,and xviii, and xix, whence the kings of Assyria translated the people called Avites into Palestine, and where in their room, they settled some of the captive Israelites. Ezra de- ALN ALE signing to collect, as many Is- raelites as possible, made a halt here, and sent agents into the Caspian mountains, to invite the Jews scattered there, to join him. Ezra viii. Izates, king of the Adiabenians, and his mother Helena, became con- verts to Judaism after the death of Christ; an argument that Jews still remained in that country. AI, or HAI, a town of Ca- naan, three leagues from Jeri- cho, and one league from Be- thel. This place is mentioned in the history of Abram, who both before, and after his go- ing into Egypt, pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai, or Hai. Jerome and Eusebius tell us, that some remains of this place existed in their day. Joshua attacked Ai a second time, took it by stratagem, hung the king, and burned the town. A I, a city of Moab, taken and plundered by the Chalde- ans. Jer. xlix, 3. A IN, a city given to the tribe of Simeon. AIN-CHARLM, a village of Palestine, 6 miles from Je- rusalem. AJALON, a city of the tribe of Dan, assigned over to the Levites of Koah's family. It was situated between Tim- nah and Bethshemcsh, and probably is that spoken of by Joshua, when he said to the moon, (chap, x, 12,) 'Thou moon stand still in the valley of Ajalon.' But the Danites could never drive out the Am- orites from Ajalon. There were three other cities of this name; one was in the tribe of Benjamin, three miles east- ward from Bethel; (2 Chr. xi, 10;) another in the tribe of Ephraim, two miles from Shechem, as you go to Jeru- salem and to the east of Betho- ron; this was a city of refuge; another was in the tribe of Zebulon, the situation of which is not exactly known. Lat. 31, 37. AKRABBIM, or Acraba- thine, a village situate in the south east corner of the tribe of Judah, about nine miles from Neapolis. ^ ALAMELECH, a city of Canaan in the tribe of Asher. ALEMA, a great and strong city in the country of Gilead, beyond Jordan. (1 Mace, v, 25. Lat. 32, 7. ALEXANDRIA, a cele- brated city in Egypt, (Acts xviii, 24 and xxvii, 6.) built by Alexander the great, situated between the Mediterranean and the lake Mceris. Alexan- dria is often to be met with in the latin texts of those books in the Old Testament, which ALE ALE were written before the reign of Alexander, as in Nahum, iii, 8, Jer. xlvi, 25, and Ezek.xxx, 14, 15, 16. But this name is no where in the original He- brew; instead of which, we there read No, which is thought to be a city of Diospolis in the Delta, between Busiris and Mendesa. The Arabians in- form us, that Alexandria was called Caissoun, before Alexan- der the great, rebuilt or enlarg- ed it. Dinocrates, who pre- pared the plan of it, was the same architect, who rebuilt the temple of Diana at Ephesus, which had been burnt by Eu- rostratus. Aridoeus, Alexan- der's brother, was charged with the care of carrying the body of this prince from Babylon to Alexandria* He employed two years in making preparations for its removal, the pomp of which is described by Diodo- rus Siculus. There had been a prophecy current, intimating that the place where Alexander should be buried, should flour- ish and be very prosperous. The governors, therefore, of the several cities and provinces, disputed with one another, who should have the honor and ad- vantage of possessing his body. There was a proposal for car- rying it to Aigua in Macedo- nia, where generally the kings of this country had been buried, but Egypt carried it. His body therefore was deposited first of all at Memphis; but was after- wards removed to Alexandria. It is said to have been laid in a coffin of gold, and to have been embalmed in honey. The happy situation of this city, be- tween the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and upon the river Nile, drew thither the com- merce of the east and west, and in a little time rendered it one of the most flourishing cities in the world. It soon became the capital of Egypt; though now it is no more than a village, having in it, nothing remarka- ble, beside its ruins, the remains of its past grandeur. For two hundred years after the death of Alexander, it was the resi- dence of his successors. This city was taken from the Chris- tians bv Amrou Ebn-el-/\as, •i ' general of the Califf, about the middle of the 7th century, after a siege of 14 months, in which he lost 23,000 men. Alexan- dria then contained 4,000 baths, 12,000 sellers of vegetables, 4,000 palaces and 4,000 Jews, who paid tribute, &c. sometimes the Jews amounted to 100.000, &c. What is much to be re- gretted by the lovers of books, the library was destroyed by this ignorant, bigotted Arab, in ALE ALE which successive kings had col- lected more than 400,000, or as others write, 700,000, manu- scripts, or volumes. Among the remains of ancient opulence in this city, are two obelisks full of hieroglyphics, also Pom- pey's pillar, which is one entire piece of granite, 40 feet high and 25 in circumference. The ancient Pharos, famous among the ancients, as one of the seven wonders of the world, is now a castle, and useful in directing vessels into the harbor. This town consists chiefly of one street, along the harbor, the rest being a waste of forsaken ruins. Part of the ancient walls are standing, having great square towers 200 paces apart. Each of these would contain 200 soldiers, and had a cistern, which received the water of the Nile. The gates are of Thebaic and granite marble. But the immense traffic of this place has in a measure been lost, since its subjugation by .the Turks, and especially since the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope. Still the com- merce is not inconsiderable; it is the principal harbor of Egypt. The town is low, and a canal from Faoua brings the waters of the Nile, during the inunda- tion into reservoirs, which is pre- served for use through the year. It is said this canal is the only circumstance, which makes Al- exandria a part of Egypt. From its being situated with- out the Delta, it really belongs to Lybia. Here is still seen the church of St. Mark. They show part of the pulpit in which they say the Evangelist preach- ed. The outside of the church is faced with stones of different colors. The body of St. Mark, who it is said was the first bishop of Alexandria, was de- posited in this church, where it continued till some Venetians carried it to Venice, where is a famous church, called St. Mark's. The population is reckoned at 30,000. The Turks call it Scanderia, or Es- canderia. It is 33 miles South West from Rosetta, about 100 north westerly from Cairo. On the 4th of July, 1788 Al- exandria was taken by assault, by the French army under the command of Napoleon Bona- parte; he put to flight the Arabs and Mamelukes, who defended the place, killing about 300 of them. In the year 1801, the place was taken again by the English army under the command of General Hutchin- son, and by an article in the preliminaries of peace, Egypt was to be restored to the Sub- lime Ottoman Porte. Alexan- AMA AMA dria is situated in Lat. 31, 11, N. long. 30, 16, E. To this I may add that the city is built over against the little island of Pharos, which has been joined to the land, and for the security of the port, the Turks have here built a fort. In this isle the SEVENTY-two Interpreters are said to have translated the Hebrew bible into Greek, in so many distinct cells or apart- ments. This work, from the number of persons employed, is called the Septuagint. ALMON, a city belonging to the tribe of Benjamin (Josh, xxi, 18) Calmet takes it to be the same with Alemeth. It was given to the priests of Aaron's family (1 Ch. vi, 60. ALUSH, one of the Hebrew encampments in the wilder- ness; it was in the region of the Edomites, near the city Petra. AMAD, a city belonging to the tribe of Asher, (Josh, xxix, 26.) Lat. 33, 1. AMALEK, a mountain of Palestine in the tribe of Ephra- im, on which the town of Pi- rathon was built, and where Abdon, the son of Hillel, judge of Israel, was buried, 1156 B. C. Lat. 28, 30. AMALEKITES, a power- ful people, who dwelt in Ara- bia Petrea, between the Dead sea, and the Red sea; or be- tween Havilah and Shur, 1 Sam. xv, 7, sometimes in one canton and sometimes in another. It does not appear, that they had cities; there is but one, mentioned in the scriptures; they lived generally in hamlets, caves, and tents, and seem to have had the same fe- rocious character with the modern Arabs. The Israe- lites had scarce passed the Red sea on their way to the wilderness, before the Amal- ekiies came to attack them in the deserts of Rephidim, Exod. xvii, 8,, &c. and put those to the sword, who were obliged, either through fatigue or weakness, to remain behind. Moses by God's command, directed Joshua to fall upon this people; to record the act of inhumanity, which they had committed, in a book in order to have it always before his eyes, and to avenge it, in the most remarkable manner. Joshua therefore fell upon the Amalekites and defeated them, while Moses wars upon the mountain, with Aaron and Hur in company. During the time of the engagement, Moses held up his hands, to which the success of the battle was owing, for as often as he let down his hands Amalek pre- AMA AMA Vailed, but Moses's hands being tired, Aaron, and Hur support- ed his arms, and held them ex- tended, while the battle lasted, which was from morning', till the approach of night, when the Amalekites were cut in pieces. This happened in the vear of the world 2513 before Christ 1491. The ground of the enmity of the Amalekites, against the Israelites, is generally supposed to have risen from the remem- brance of Jacob's depriving their progenitor, both of his birthright and blessing. Their falling upon them, however, and that without any provoca- tion, when they saw them re- duced to so low a condition, by the fatigue of their march, and the excessive drought un- der which they labored, was an inhuman, barbarous action, and justly deserved the attack which Joshua gave them. But the reason why God thought fit to denounce a perpetual war against them is to be resolved into this. Knowing that the Israelites were preordained by God, to be put in possession of the land of Canaan, they came against them, with an armed force in hopes of frus- trating the designs of Provi- dence, concerning them. Un- der the Judges (v, 3,) we see '4 . the Amalekites, joined with the Midianites and Moabites in a design to oppress Israel: but Ehud delivered the Israelites from Eglon, king of the Moa- bites; Judges iii, and Gideon chap, viii, delivered them from the Midianites and Amalekites. About the year of the world 2930 the Lord said to Samuel, "Go to Saul, 1 Sam. xv, 1, &c. and say, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I reme mber that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." Saul marched, therefore, against the Amalekites, advanced as far as their capital, and put all the people of the country to the sword; but spared the best of all the cattle and moveables, and so violated the command of God. This act of disobedience was the cause of Saul's misfor- tunes, and his being rejected by God. After this war, the Amalekites scarce appear any more in history; however, about the year of the world 2949, a troop of Amalekites came and pillaged Ziklag, which belong- ed to David, I Sam. xxx, AMA AMA where he had left his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. But he returning from an expedi- tion, which he had made in the company of Achish into the valley of Jezreel, pursued them, overtook and dispersed them, and recovered all the booty, which they had carried from Ziklag. The Arabians main- tain Amalek to have been the son of Ham, and grandson of Noah, that he was the father of Ad, and grandfather of Sched- ad. Calmet thinks that this opinion is by no means to be rejected; as it is not very prob- able that Amalek', the son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau should be the father of a peo- pfe, so powerful and numerous as the Amalekites were, when the Israelites departed out of Egypt. Moses in the book of Genesis xiv, 7, relates, that in Abraham's time, long before the birth of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz, the five confeder- ate kings carried the war into Amalek's country, about Ka- desh; and into that of the Am- orites, about Hazezon-tamar. The same Moses, Numb, xxiv, 20, relates that the diviner Baalam, observing at a dis- tance the land of Amalek, said in his prophetic style, 'Ama- lek is the first, the head, the original of the nation, but his latter end shall be, that he per- ish for ever." Our commen- tator observes that this epithet, "the first of nations cannot cer tainly agree with the Am ale kites, descended from th son of Eliphaz, because the generation then living was but the third from Amalek. Be- sides, Moses never reproaches the Amalekites with attacking their brethren the Israelites as an aggravating circumstance, which he would not have omit- ted, were the Amalekites de- scended from Esau, in which case they had been the breth- ren of the Israelites. Lastly, we see the Amalekites, almost always joined in scripture, with the Canaanites and Philis- tines, and never with the Edo- mites; and when Saul made war with the Amalekites and almost utterly destroyed them, we do not find that the Edo- mites, made the least motion toward their assistance, or to revenge them afterwards. Thence it is thought probable, that the Amalekites, who are so often mentioned in scripture, were a people, descended from Canaan, and devoted to the curse, as well as the other Am- orites, and very different from the descendants of Amalek, the gnndsonofEsau. Theaccount which the Arabians give us, of AMA AMA the Amalekitcs, destroyed by Saul, are as follows. Amalek was the father of an ancient tribe in Arabia, exterminated in the reign of Saul. This tribe con- tained only the Arabians, who are called pure, the remains of which were mingled with the posterity of Joktan and Adnan, and so become Mosarabes or Monstaarabes, that is to say, Arabians blended with foreign nations, they farther believe that Goliah, who was overcome by David, was king of the Amalekitcs, and that the giants, who inhabited Palestine in Joshua's time, were of the same race; that finally part of the Amalekites retired into Africa, while Joshua was yet living, and settled upon the coast of Barbary, and along the Mediterranean sea. The son of Amalek was Ad, a celebra- ted prince among the Arabians. Some make him the son of Uz, and grandson of Aram, the son of Shem. Let this be as it will, the Mahometans say, that Ad was the father of Ad, who was the father of an Arabian tribe, called Adites, who were exterminated, as they tell us, for not hearkening to the patriarch Eber, who preached the Unity of God to them. Ad was the father of two sons Schodad and Shcdid. Notwithstanding the length of this article, it would be un- pardonable not to notice the remarkable fulfilment of proph- ecy respecting this people. Balaam prophesied, "Amalek was the first of nations, but his latter end shall be, that he perish forever." This most potent kingdom shall be blot- ted from existence. This was only confirming what Moses had said before, Exod. xvii, 14. "Write this for a memo- rial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly put out the rente m- berance of Amalek from under heaven." Saul in a great measure ex- ecuted this sentence. After this, David smote the land, and left neither man nor wom- an alive. Where is now the name of Amalek? Where does this people live? Wrhere are the records of their exploits? They have "perished for ever,'* "the remembrance of them is put out from under heaven." AMAN, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 26. Lat. 31, 7. AMANA, a valley of Ca- naan, between the two seas, where Gog and his congregat- ed hosts will be buried, after their discomfiture in the battle of the great day of God Al- AMA AMM mighty, which some learned men expect will take place fifty-four years from this time, 1812. In this valley of passen- gers, lying east of the great sea, the stench of the putrefy- ing hosts will be such, that travellers will stop their noses; all the people of Israel will be employed seven months in bu- rying the slain; after this many individuals will be appointed to search for what remains. Ezek. xxxix, 11 — 15. AMANA, a mountain men- tioned in the song of Solo- mon; Lat. 31, 7: some are of opinion that it was in Cilicia, to which country the govern- ment of Solomon did extend. Some suppose the following mountain is intended. Amana, a mountain east of Jordan in the half tribe of Manasseh,nine miles from lake Meron. The mountain was three leagues in circuit, and at the base is a fine vineyard; the top is always covered with snow, for which reason the A- rabs call it the old man's moun- tain. Sanson says, it was not far from the fountains of Jor- dan. Lat. 33, 2G. AMATH, or Ematii, a city of Syria; the same with Emesa on the Orontes. AMATHUS, a city east of Jordan, twenty-one miles to Fella on the south. Reland conjectures that Amathus and Ramoth-Gilead are the same. AMATHEANS, a people descended from Amath, a son of Canaan. It is supposed they inhabited Amath in Syria. AMANAH, in the Jewish writers is the same as mount Hor, which rose in the north- ern boundary of their country. AMMAH, a hill of Pales- tine, near Hebron, mentioned 2 Sam. ii, 24. It signifies the hill of two ways, where two roads turn off. At the foor. of the hill was a pool of water. AMMAN, the capital city of the Amonites in Arabia, called in Scripture Rabbath Ammon, but in profane au- thors, Philadelphia. In the time of Eusebeus, he says it was an illustrious city. See Rabbath. AMMON, See No-Am- MON. AMMONITES, a people descended from Ammon, the son of Lot. The Ammonites destroyed those giants, which they called Zamzummims, (Deut. ii, 19 — 21) and seized upon their country. God for- bad Moses, and by him the children of Israel (ib. 19) to attack the Ammonites, because he did not intend to give their lands to the Hebrews. Before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, the Ammoritcs had AMM AMM by conquest got a great part of the country belonging to the Ammonites, and Moabites. This, Moses retook from the Amorites and divided between the tribes of Gad and Reuben. In the time of Jepthah the Ammonites declared war a- gainst the Israelites, (Judg. xi,) under pretence that they de- tained a great part of the coun- try, which had formerly been theirs, before the Amorites possessed it. Jepthah declared, that as this was an acquisition, which the Israelites had made in a just war, and what they had taken from the Amorites, who had long enjoyed it by right of conquest, he was un- der no obligations to restore it. The Ammonites were not sat- isfied with this mode of rea- soning. Wherefore Jepthah gave them battle and defeated them. The Ammonites and Moab- ites generally united, whenever there was any design set a foot for attacking the Israelites. After the death of Othniel, the Ammonites and Amalekites joined with Eglon, king of Moab, to oppress the Hebrews, whom they subdued, and gov- erned for the space of eighteen years, till they were delivered by Ehud, the son of Gera, who slew Eglon, king of Moab. Sometime after this, the Ammonites made war against Israel and greatly distressed them, but God de- livered the Israelites at this time from the oppressions of the children of Amnion, by the hands of Jepthah, who having attacked them, made a very great slaughter among them, (chap, xi.) Naash, king of the Ammonites, having sat down before Jabesh-Gilead, reduced the inhabitants to the extrem- ity of demanding a capitula- tion. Naash answered, that he would capitulate with them upon no other conditions, than their submitting to have the right eye of every one plucked out, so that they might be made a reproach to Israel: but Saul coming seasonal)1}' to the relief cf Jabesh, delivered the city and people from the barbarity of the Ammonites. David had been the king of Amnion's friend; and after the death of this prince, he sent ambassadors to make his com- pliments of condolence, to Ha- nun, his son and successor, who imaginingthatDavicPs nm- bassadors had come as spies to observe the strength and the condition of his kingdom, treat- ed them in a very abusive manner, (2 Sam. x, 4,) for which David was avenged, AMM AMM chap, xii, 3, he put them, as it may be read, to saws and har- rows, &c. i. e. to servitude. David revenged this indignity, thrown upon his ambassadors, by subduing the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Syrians, their allies. Amnion and Mo- ab continued under the obedi- ence of the kings, David and Solomon, and after the separa- tion of the ten tribes, they were subject to the kings of Israel till the death of Ahab in the year of the world 3107. Two years after the death of Ahab, Jehoram, his son, and successor of Ahaziah, defeat- ed the Moabites, (2 Kings hi,) but it does not appear that this victory was so complete as to reduce them to his obedience. At the same time the Ammon- ites, Moabites, and other peo- ple, made an irruption upon the lands belonging to Judah, but were forced back and rout- ed by Jehoshaphat. 2 Chron. xx, 1, 2. After the tribes, Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, were carried into captivity, by Tiglath- pileser in the year 3264, the Ammonites and Moabites, took possession of the cities, belong- ing to these tribes. Jeremiah (xlix, 1) reproaches them for it. The ambassadors of the Ammonites were some of those to whom this prophet, (chap, xxvii, 2 — 4) presented the cup of the Lord's fury, and direct- ed them to make bonds and yokes for themselves, exhort- ed them to submit themselves to Nebuchadnezzar, and threat- ening them, if. they did not, with captivity and slavery. E- zekiel (xxv, 4 — 10) denounces their entire destruction; and tells them that God would give them up to the people of the east, who should set their pal- aces in their country; so that there should be no more men- tion of the Ammonites among the nations; and all this as a punishment for their insulting the Israelites, upon the calami- ties they suffered, and the de- struction of the temple, by the Chaldeans. It is believed that these misfortunes happened to the Ammonites, in the fifth year after the taking of Jerusalem, when Nebuchadnezzar made war against all the people, that dwelt upon the confines of Ju- dea, in the year of the world 3420. It is also thought prob- able, that Cyrus, gave the Am- monites and Moabites the lib- erty of returning into their own country, from whence they had been removed by Nebuchad- nezzar, for we see them in the place of their former settle- ment, exposed to those revo« AMM AMM lutions, which were common to the people of Syria and Palestine, subject sometimes to the kings of Egypt, and at other times to the kings of Syria. We are told by Poly- bius, that Antiochus the Great took Rabbath or Philadelphia, tfieir capital, demolished the Walls, and put a garrison in it, in 3806. During the persecu- tions of Antiochus Epiphanes, Joseph us informs us, that the Ammonites shewed their hat- red to the Jews, and exercised great cruelties against such of them, as lived about their country. Justin Martyr says, that in his time, there were still many Ammonites remaining; but Origen assures us, that when he was living, they were known only under the general name of Arabians. Thus was the prediction of Ezek. (xxv, 10) accomplished, who said that the Ammonites should be destroyed in. such a nianner as not to be remembered among the nations. Zeehariah also says, chap, ii, ''Amnion — shall be as Gomorrah." Their very «name is accordingly, now ex- tinct. They are known only in the records of other times. I cannot omit taking notice here, observes the good Dr. Wells of the dispensations of Providence in assigning the first settlements of the descend- ants of Abraham and Lot. The land of Canaan was to be in due time in possession of the Israelites, the sons of Jacob. South of Canaan settled Ish- mael in the wilderness of Pa- ran, and west of mount Scir, which was to be the possession of Esau, the brother of Jacob. East of mount Seir, the Midi- anites seated themselves, with the other sons of Keturah. North of these were found the two sons of Lot, Moab and Be- nammi. It is worthy of notice that Providence made room for these settlements of Abram's children, Israel excepted, by the great slaughter of the orig- inal inhabitants by Chedorla- omer, king of Elam, and his confederates. That we might understand this fact seems to be the design of Moses in giv- ing an account of the con- quests of Chedorlaomar over these countries, Gen.xiv,5 — 7. AMORITES, ob Amorr- hites, a people descended from Amorrhceus, according to the Septuagint and Vulgate; Emoraeus according to other expositors; Hzemori, according to the Hebrew; or Emorite, ac- cording to our version of the Bible, who was the fourth son of Canaan, Gen. x, 16. The Amorites, first of all, peopled the mountains lying to the west of the Dead sea; they AMO AMP had likewise establishments to the east of the same sea, be- tween the brooks of Jabbok and Arnon, whenee they forced the Ammonites and Moabites. Numb, xviii, 30,21,29; Josh, v, 1; and Judg. xi, 19, 20. Moses made a conquest of this country from their kings, Si- hon and Og, in the year of the world 2553. The prophet Amos (ii, 9) speaking of the gigantic stature and valor of the Amorites, com- pares their height with that of cedars, and their strength with that of an oak. The name Amorites is often taken in scrip- ture for all Canaanitcs in gen- eral. The lands, which the Amorite possessed on this side Jordan, were given to the tribe of Judah; and those which they had enjoyed beyond this river were distributed between the tribes of Reuben and Gad. In- deed there seems to have been very different tribes of men ©ailed by this general name. Amorrhites, inhabited a part of mount Lebanon, E.ist of Phenicia. Amorrhites, dwelt in mount Gilead, between the rivers Jabbok and Arnon. Amorrhites, inhabited the mountain of Paran, between mount Sinai and Kadesh Bur- nea, Gen. xv. As their He- brew name signifies branch- ing or spreading; it may, there- fore, simply mean the people who live in the numenous and extensive branches of mount Paran, Gilead, and Lebanon, Wells, &c. AMPHIPOLIS,a city lying between Macedon and Thrace, but depending on the kingdom of Macedon. It is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (xvii, 1.) St. Paul and Silas, being delivered out of prison, left Phillippi, went to Thessa- lonica, and passed through Am- phipolis; but it does not appear, that any church was formed there: It has its name from be- ing encompassed by the river Strymon, the old boundary be- tween Thrace and Macedon. It was built by Cimon the famous Athenian, 470 years before Christ, and settled with a col- ony of 10,000 people. It is now called Emboli by the Turks; but is not a place of much importance. Lat. 41, 50. ANA, a city of Arabia De- serta on the Euphrates. Upon an island near it is a very fine mosque. For half a league round the town is a fruitful soil, beyond which is a fright- ful desert. ANAB, a city in the moun- tains of Judah. Josh, xi, 22, Lat. 31, 12. ANA ANA ANAHARATH.a city be- longing to the tribe of Issachar. Job'h. xix, 19. Lat. 32, 32. ANAKIMS, a people de- scended from Anak, who was the son of Arba; Nurnb. xhi, 22. These people, like their fathers, were giants, and terrible for their fierceness. But Caleb, assisted by the tribe of Judah, took Kirjath-arbaand destroyed the Anakims; Judges i, 20. There seems to have been several races of giants in Pal- estine. The Emims, Repha- ims, &c. See Rephaims. The Anakims, or the sons of Anak, were the most famous giants of Palestine. They dwelt at Hebron, and in the vicinity. Their stature was so much above what was com- mon, that the Israelites, who were sent to view the promis- ed land, told the people at their return, that they had seen giants, who were of so monstrous a size, that the Is- raelites in comparison were but grasshoppers. Numbers xiii, 23. The Septuagint sometimes translate the word Gibbor, giant ', though literally it signifies no more than a strong man, a man of valor and bravery, a warrior. For example, they say, that Nimrod was a giant before the Lord, Gen. x, 8, 9; that the sun rises 5 like a giant to run his course, Psalm xi, 5: that the Lord will destroy the giant and the warlike man, Isaiah iii, 2; that he will call his giants in his wrath to take vengeance of his ene- mies, Isaiah xiii, 3; that he will destroy the power of Egypt by the sword of his giants, that is to say, of his warriors, Ezekiel xxxii, 12, 21, 27. It is very probable, that the first men were of a strength and stature much superior to those of mankind at present, since they lived longer; long life being commonly the effect of a vigorous constitution. The scripture says that there were many of these mighty, men upon the earth when Noah appeared, and that .there were some before, and after the sons of God had an inter- course with the daughters of men. The text in Moses runs thus, "there were giants in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bear children to them." Sev- eral of the ancient authors, led into mistake by the apocry. phal book of Enoch, have as- serted, that giants were the production of a marriage be- tween angels and the daugh- ANA ANA ters of men. This opinion they founded, likewise, upon the text of me Septuagint, which in some copies stand thus, Gen. vi, 2, The angels of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and fair, and all which they chose. But Moses in this place means nothing else, but that the men of Seth's family, which was the family of the righteous, and the sons of God, were corrupt- ed by their affections to the women of Cain's race, who are here described under the name of the daughters of men. Thus St. Chrysostom, Theodoret, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Austin and many more, have explained it. As to the existence of Gi- ants, several writers, ancient and modern, have imagined, that the giants spoken of in scripture, were indeed men of an extraordinary stature, but not so much above what was common as some have fancied, who describe them as three or four times larger, than men are at present. They were, say they, men famous for the violences, which they commit- ted, and for their crimes rather than their strength, or the greatness of their stature. But it cannot be denied, that form- erly there were men of a stature, mucli above common men, without contradicting scripture, and the most certain histories and traditions of all people. Moses, Deut. iii, 11, speaks ofOg, the king ofBaashan's bed, which was 9 cubits long, and four wide, that is fifteen feet four inches and an half long. Goliah, was six cubits and a span In height, that is to say, ten [feet seven inches; 1 Sam. xvii, 4. These giants were still common in Joshua's and David's times, when the life of men was already so much shortened, and as may be presumed, the size and strength of human bodies very much diminished. Calmefs Diet. The ancient writers, who make mention of giants, are Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, Pliny, Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Plutarch, &c. Mr. Whiston in his Original Records, has a supplement concerning the old giants, where, according to the apocryphal book of Enoch he divides the giants into three kinds and in this division thinks himself countenanced by the words of Moses, Gen. vi, 2, &c. the first and lowest kind of which are in stature from 4 cubits to 15, the second are called Nephilim, from 15 to forty, and the third or great ANA ANT giants 40 cubits at least and many times above. AN AMI M, whether this b* the name of an individual or a nation or tribe of men has been doubted. But as this and many other words of the same species, have plural terminations in Hebrew, it may be presumed they signify a people, or nation. The Anamim were descend- ants of Mizraim, a son of Ham, who settled in Egvpt. Lat. 26, N. ANATHOTH, a city of Palestine belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xxi, 18. About three miles distant from Jerusalem, according to Euse- bius and St. Jerome; or twenty furlongs according to Josephus. This was the birth place of the prophet Jeremiah. It was given to the Levites of Koath's fami- ly, for their habitation, and to be a city of refuge. After the death of his father, Solomon ordered Abiathar the priest, who had joined the party of Adonijah, to retire to Ana- thoth. Lat. 31,47- ANEM, a city of Palestine, belonging to the tribe of Ma- nasseh, given by lot to the Le- vites of Koath's family, 1 Chr. vi, 10. Anem, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 50. It was eight or ten t miles east of Hebron. ANER, a Levitical city on the west of Jordan in the half tribe of Manasseh. ANGE, a mountain men- tioned in the Latin text of Ju- dith ii, 21. The text, says this mountain lies to the left of Ci- licia; it is the highest in these parts. Strabo says, it is always covered with snow, and that from its summit the Euxine and sea of Cilicia are both vis- ible. ^ ANTARADA, a city of Syria, lying on the continent, opposite to the island Aradus, or Arada. Though this town is not mentioned in scripture; yet mention is made of Arada, or Arva, or the Arvadites. Antarada is now called Tortosa, and is noted for its fine harbor. ANTHEDON, see Agrip- PIAS. ANTIOCH, according to Mr Wells, there were no less than sixteen cities of that name in Syria and other countries; but the Scripture speaks only of the greater Antioch, which was the capital of Syria; and of another Antioch of Pisidia; Antioch the capital of Syria was frequently called Antiochia Epidaphne, from its neighbor- hood to Daphne, a village where the temple of Daphne stood. Antioch of Syria, ii we believe St.Jerome, was formerly called Riblath or Riblatha, of which ANT ANT there is mention in the book of Numbers xxxiv, 11; in the 2 book of Kings xxiii,33;xxvii, 6; xxix, 21; and in Jeremiah xxxix, 5; liii, 9; x, 26, 27. Theodoret says, that in his time, there was a city called Riblath, near Emesa in Syria, which is very contrary to St. Jerome's opinion. However this may be, it is certain Anti- och was not known under this name, till after the reign of Se- leucusNicanor,who built it,and called it Antioch, in memory of his father Antiochus in the year 301 before the Christian era. Hence there is no mention of this Antioch in Scripture, ex- cepting in the book of Macca- bees, and in the New Testa- ment. Here resided the kings of Syria, successors of Alexan- der the Great. Then it was a beautiful, flourishing, and illus- trious city, though at present scarce any thing remains, but a heap of ruins. However, the walls are still standing; but within these walls, there is no- thing but gardens, ruins, and shattered houses. The river Orontes runs near the city on the outside. The Bishop of Antioch has the title of Patri- arch, and at all times has had a great share in the affairs of the eastern church. The city of Antioch was in form almost square; it had a great number of gates, and part of it on the north side was raised upon a high mountain. It was adorn- ed with galleries and fountains, palaces and magnificent tem- ples; it was strongly fortified by art and nature. Ammianus Marcellinus says, that it was celebrated throughout the world, and that no other city exceeded it either in fertility of soil, or in richness of trade. The emperor Vespasian Titus, and others granted it very great privileges; but sometime after- ward it underwent several revo- lutions,havingbeen almost total- ly demolished bytwo successive earthquakes, one of which hap- pened in the fourth, the other in the fifth centuries. In 548, it was taken and burned by the Persians, and all the inhabitants put to the sword; four years af- ter this, Justinian rebuilt it, in a more beaut iful and regular man- ner, than it was before. The Persians however took it a second time in 574, and destroyed its walls. In 588, it suffered again by a dreadful earthquake, by which upwards of 60,000 persons perished. It was once more rebuilt, but taken by the Saracens in 637. Nicephoras Phocas retook it in 966, but afterwards it was a- gain taken by the Saracens. The Christians in the crusades took it in 1098; but it was tak- ANT ANT en and demolished by the Sa- racens in L268 As to its sit- uation Mi Wells says it lay on both sicks the river Orontes, about 12 miles distanl from the Mediterranean sea. The place is worthy of remembrance on account of several interesting events, which here took plate. Here the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Chris- tians, having before been call- ed, by way of derision, Naza- reftes, as the Jews scornfully call them to the present time, and as the Pagans called them Galileans. Here was the fre- quent residence of several Ro- man emperors, especially Verus and Valens, who spent a great part of their time in Antioch. Here was the birth place of St. Luke the Evangelist, of The- ophilus, Antiochenus. The celebrated martyr Ignatius was bishop of this place. Here St. Paul and Barnabas preached a whole year. Joseph us says it was the third city of the Ro- man provinces; it was in fact for along time, the most pow- erful city of the East. It was famous among the Jews for the jus civitatis, or right of citizenship, which Seleucus had given to them in common with the Greeks and Macedonians. This consideration, involving privileges, dear to their hearts, rendered this place so desirable to the early Christians, who were at first considered as a sect of Jews, and who, there- fore, could here perform public worship, and enjoy all religious privileges without any persecu- tion or disturbance. This also accounts for the zeal of the apostles in introducing the gospel here. The present state of this city is thus described by Mr. Volney. "This city," saith he, "anciently renowned for the luxury of its inhabi- tants, is now no more than a ruinous town, whose houses, built with mud and straw, and whose narrow and miry streets, exhibit every appearance of misery and wretchedness. It is situated on the southern bank of the Orontes, at the ex- tremity of an old and decayed bridge, and is covered to the south by a mountain, upon the slope of which a wall was built by the Crusaders. The dis- tance between the present town and mountain, may be about four hundred yards, which space is occupied by gardens and heaps of rubbish, but pre- sents nothing interesting." Such is the condition of the celebrated Antioch. So tran- sient is the glory of this world. Lat. 35, 30.* Antioch of Pisidia, mention- ed in Acts xiii, 14. Si. Paul and Barnabas preached here, ANT APH and the Jews, concerned to see that some of the Gentiles had received the gospel, raised a sedition against St. Paul and Barnabas, and obligec\ them to leave the city. Lat. 38, 50. ANTIPATRIS,(Actsxxiii, 31,) a town of Palestine on the border of Samaria, anciently called Caphar-Saba, according to Josephus, but of this Jerome expresses strong doubts; it was named Antipatris by Herod the Great, in honor of his father Antipater. It was situated in a pleasant valley, near the mountains, in the way from Jerusalem to Cassarea. Jose- phus places it about seventeen miles from Joppa; it was 42 from Jerusalem, and 26 from Ceesarea. Here Paul and his guard made a halt on their way to Caesarea. Lat. 32, 19. ANTONIA, a tower or for. tress of Jerusalem, situated to- wards the west and north angle of the temple, and built by Herod the Great in honor of his friend M. Anthony. It stood upon an eminence cut steep on all sides, and enclosed with a wall, three hundred cu- bits high. It was built in the form of a square tower, with a tower at each corner to defend it; there was a bridge or vault, whereby a communication was • kept up between this tower and the temple, so that as the tem- ple was in some sort the cita- del of the town, the tower of Antonia was the citadel of the temple. The Romans gener- ally kept a garrison in this tower; and from thence it was, that the tribune ran with his soldiers to rescue St. Paul out of the hands of the Jews, (Acts xxi, 31, 32,) who had seized him in the temple, designing to put him to death. ANUA, a village fifteen miles from Neapolis, otherwise called Shechem, in the way to Jerusalem. APAMEA, a city of Syria on the Orontes, probably the same place called Shepham. Apamea, a city of Phrygia; this city was called Kibotos, the ark, and on its medals is an ark, with a man receiving a dove flying to him, and part of the inscription is Noey hence it has been supposed, that the ark rested near this place. APHvEREMA, a place, mentioned 1 Macab. xi, 34, taken from Samaria, and add- ed to Judah, being so called because its name signifies in the Greek language, a thing taken from another. It may here be observed with advan- tage to the reader, that the books of the Maccabees, being written in Greek, several names are varied according to the Greek form. This being re- API! APP collected may sometimes pre- vent mistakes. If the place be not found in this Gazetteer un- der one name, probably it may under another. Thus Aecaron is the same with Ekron, Ama- this is the same as Hamath, Gazara with Gozor, Bethsura with Bethshur, Bosora with Bo- sor, &c. Sometimes the same place has different names, or seems to have, from the mis- takes of copyists, or a change in the pronunciation in the lapse of ages, as well as the different terminations of the languages into which the word is translated. ThusZabadeans, which in Maccabees is said to be the name of some Arabians, is probably a corrupt reading for Nabatheans, and so of other names, noticed in the margin of our bibles. APHARSACHITES, or Apharsathchites, people sent by the kings of Assyria to inhabit the country of Sa- maria, in the room of those Israelites, who had been re- moved beyond the Euphrates, Ezra v, 6. They with the other Samaritans opposed the rebuilding of the walls of Je- rusalem. APHEK, a city of Syria near Libanus, on the banks of the Adonis, between Heliopo lis and By bios. Probably it is the same mentioned by Paul Lucas, which has been swal- lowed up in a lake, nine miles in circuit, in which may be seen several houses entire un- der the water. The ancients say, that the soil in this region was bitumenous, which con- firms those who suppose, that the earth under the city being consumed, the city sunk at once, and a lake has risen over it. 1 Kings xx, 26. Aphek^hz name of several oth- er cities mentioned inScripture. 1. Aphek in the tribe of Judah where the Philistines encamp- ed, when the ark was brought from Shiloh, which was taken by them in battle, 1 Sam. iv, 1, 2, &c. It is thought to be the same with Aphekah, men- tioned in Josh, xv, 53. 2. Aphek, mentioned in the valley of Jez- reel, where the Philistines en- camped, while Saul and his ar- my were near Jezreel, upon th^ mountains of GJlboa, 1 Sam. xxix, 1, &c. 3. Aphek, a city belonging to the tribe of Asher, and the country of the Sidoni- ans; Josh, xix, 30, and xiii, 4. APPII-FORUM, a place in Italy about 50 miles from Rome; so called from the same Appius, who gave name to the Appian way. Lat. 41, 25. APPOLONIA, a city of Macedonia through which and ARA ARA Amphipolis, St. Paul passed in his way to Thessalonica, Acts, xvii, 1; where Cesar Augustus learned the Greek language. The name also of a city in the west of Canaan. AR, Ariel of Moab, or Rabbath Moab, Numb, xxi, 28; Isa. xxix, 1; Deut. iii, 11, &c. The capital of the Moabites situared upon the river Anion which divided it in two. St Jerome, says that this city was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, while he was a young man. 'ARABIA, desert of, that desolate region in which the Israelites wandered forty years, after leaving Egypt. The Mahometans reduce these forty years to forty days. One of their poets sarcastically says of the Jews, they are always wan- dering in a desert. ARABIA, a celebrated country of Asia, bounded west by the Red -Sea, and the isth- mus of Suez; north-east by the Euphrates, which divides it from Diarbeker, the ancient Mesopotamia; east by the gulf of Persia and Ormus, and south by the Indian ocean. On the north this country runs up to an angle, about 100 miles east of Palmyra, which is not included in Arabia. Arabia lies between Lat 12, 30, and 31, 30 north, and Long. 34, and 59 east, being 1800 miles in length from the strait of Ba- belmandel to the opposite point on the Euphrates. The me- dial breadth is about 800 miles. From the proximity of the Eu- phrates to the Mediterranean, Arabia is a peninsula; and one of the largest in the world. Arabia Proper, however is more narrow, including lit* le more than was anciently called Arabia Felix. We learn from scripture, that the first division of this country was. into Ara- bak, and Kedem the first sig- nifying west, the latter east, de- noting the situation of the two regions. More than two thous- and years ago, Ptolemy divid- ed the peninsula into three parts, Arabia Petrea, Arabia Deserta, Arabia Felix. Arabia Petrea was bound- ed by Syria and Arabia Deser- ta, on the east; by Egypt, or the isthmus of Suez, which separates A^ia from Africa, on the west; by Palestine, the lake Asphaltites, and Ccelo- Syria on the north, and by Ara- bia Felix on the south. This tract admitted of little cultiva- tion, being in great part cov- ered with sand and rocks, with here and there a fruitful spot. The metropolis was Petra, by the Syrians called ARA AKA Rakam, and by the scriptures Joktheel. Arabia Desertay was bound- ed on the north by the Euphra- tes, which separated it from Mesopotamia; on the west by Syria, Judea, and Arabia Pc- trea; on the east by a ridge of mountains, which separated it from Babylonia and Chaldea; on the south by Arabia Felix, from which it was separated by a ridge of hills. By far the greatest part of this section of the country, as well as the pre- ceding, was a lonesome desert, diversified only with plains of Siind and mountains of rocks. Unless sometimes at the equi- noxes, these regions were nev- er refreshed with a shower of rain. The few vegetables, which struggled for existence, were scorched by burning suns, which drank up the scanty dews of the night. Hot pois- onous winds are often fatal to travellers. The most intolera- ble is called Samiel. A thick haze gives notice of its ap- proach; at sight of which the people throw themselves with their faces on the ground, and so continue till the gale is over, which sometimes is only mo- mentary in its continuance. Those, who neglect this pre- caution, suffer instant death. The immense fields of burning sands, when roused by the 6 howling winds of the desert, are agitated like the rolling billows of the ocean; they rise into hills and mountains; whole caravans, men and beasts, are buried and lost. In this country the tribes of Israel wandered forty years; manna was rained from heav- en for their support; for here are no pastures to support flocks or herds; here are no vallies of corn; no trees of fruit; no olive yards, nor vines, blushing with grapes. All is a lonesome desert, a region of desolation. No spacious inn, no hospitable cottage, welcomes the weary traveller; at night the sand is his couch; the heavens are his covering, the provision in his sack, and the water in his bottle, are his only support; his camels his only protectors. When he has prepared his frugal meal, the Arab ascends the highest hill, which is near, and calls to all his brethren of the faith- ful to cotne and partake with him, though probably, not a soul is within a hundred miles. This custom might have its origin in humanity and kind- ness; probably, sometimes a poor starving brother might be discovered among the burning sands. Wells and fountains of water are rarely found; still in these regions of barrenness ARA ARA are scattered oases of fruitful land, like islands in the ocean. These, are delighfnl spots to the miserable Arab. Here he encamps, till he has consumed every thing, which the soil has produced,, and then he ven- tures across the Frightful des- ert to find another verdant field. Arabia Felix was bounded on the north by the two coun-. tries just described, on the south by the Red Sea; on the east and west, by part of that sea, the Arabian and Persian gulfs. In this region are Mec- ca and Medina. The soil is ex- cellent, producing balm ofGil- ead, manna, myrrh, cassia,aioes, frankincense, spikenard; also cinnamon, pepper, cardamum, oranges, lemons, pomegranites, figs, and other fruits. Its coffee and dates are the best in the world; here is but little wood, and few trees of timber. A stranger first reaching these shores would doubt the pio- priety of the name, given to the country; but as he advan- ces into the central parts, the woods dropping balm, the ver- dure of the hills, the luxuries of the vales, the soft breezes of cassia, and other perfumes, with the fruits of every climate, inviting his taste, soon con- vince him that he is in Arabia the Happy. We have no certain account, when the above countries were first peopled; most probably, however, it was soon after the flood. The Oriental histori- ans divide the Arabs into two classes, the old, lost Arabs, and the present. Concerning the former, nothing has come down to us, but the names of several tubes, and a number ot re- markable traditions. The pres- ent Arabs descended from Kahtan, the same as Joktan, the son of Eber, a descendant of Ishmael. Ishmael and his mother Hagar, having been dismissed from the family of Abram entered into the wilder- ness of Paran, (see Paran.) The sacred historian also in- forms us, that while he resided in the wilderness, he married an Egyptian woman. The Arabian writers say that he also married the daughter of Modad king of Hejaz, lineally descended from Jorham, the founder of that kingdom. By the Egyptian, he was probably the father of the Scenites, or wild Arabs. The present inhabitants of the country are divided into such, as dwell in cities, and those who live in the fields. These last live in tents, in desert places, and are called Be- doweens, being much more honest than those in the cities. ARA ARA The Arabs arc, also, divided into pagans and Mahometans. These last are the people, who have in days past conquered a great part of Asia, Africa, and Earope. These were the foun- ders of the four great monar- chies of the Turkish, Persian, Morocco, and Mogul empires. The Arabs have camels and the finest horses; in some parts arc lions, tigers, wolves, bears, and jackalls. It is well known, that the Arabians put the great- est value on their horses. Of these they have two races, one of which are said to derive their origin from the studs of king Solomon. However this may be, they are capable of the greatest fatigues, and can pass whole days without food. They are said also to show astonish- ing courage in the field of bat- tle, and it is even asserted, that when a horse of this race finds himself wounded and unable much longer to bear his rider,, he retires from the field, and conveys him to a secure place. If the rider fall on the ground, his horse will remain with him, and neigh till assistance comes. They arc brought up in their tents with the family, and are carefully tended, and as fondly caressed, as their children. The modern Arabs estimate their wealth, by the number of their camels. Possessing these, they want nothing, and fear noth ing. If attacked b\ an enemy, the Arab flies fifty leagues into the desert with his camels; all the armies of Bonaparte, would per- ish in pursuit of him. The population of this country is very uncertain; some learned writers have supposed it to be 17,000,000. The heat of this country, as in Turkey, and all over Arabia, makes ii pleasant for the inhab- itants to sleep in the open air. Hence their houses, which are generally but one story high, are flat on the top. This prac- tice may account for the early knowledge these nations ob- tained of astronomy, and ex- plain several passages of scrip- ture. The different rooms of their houses have no commu- nication, excepting with the hall. Their kitchens and office houses are separate from tiie mansion house. Their furni- ture consists chiefly of carpets; their beds are two thick cotton quilts. Their mosques, like our meeting houses, are buildings for religious purposes; they are square, and of stone, and much alike in all Mahometan coun- tries. Before the great door is a court, paved with marble, having low galleries round it; the roof is supported by marble pillars. These galleries are AKA ARA places of ablution, before the people enter the mosque. Near every mosque are six high towers, or steeples, called min- arets, each of which has three little open galleries, one above another. These steeples and mosques, are covered with lead, and adorned with gilding, and other ornaments. From these, the people are called to prayer, not by a bell, but by officers appointed for the purpose. Near most of the mosques is the tomb of the founder, and a place of entertainment for strangers, with apartments for prayer and reading the Koran. No man is allowed to enter a mosque without pulling off his shoes and stockings. Women are never allowed to enter these sacred buildings. In former times the Arabs were celebrated for their pro- gress in the sciences; but they are now far from being a learn- ed people. Yet education is not entirely neglected. Many of the common people learn to read and write. Girls are in- structed apart by women. In the chief cities are colleges for astronomy, medicine, philoso- phy, and astrology. In Arabia the knowledge of medicine is at a low ebb. The Arabians inherit the land of their fathers, the first proprietors of the country. It Was prophesied in scripture that they should be invincible, and though apparently a de- fenceless people, they have never been subdued by any in- vader. Their millions of in- habitants are so many witnes- ses for the truth of revelation. Every man's hand is against them, and theirs against every man's, yet they shall dwell se- curely among their brethren. The body of the nation has es- caped the yoke .of the most powerful monarchies. The arms of Sesostris and Cyrus, of Pompey and Caesar, of Tra- jan and Bonaparte, have never achieved the conquest of Ara- bia. The present sovereign of the Turks may exercise a shadow of jurisdiction; but his pride is reduced to solicit the friendship of a people, whom it is dangerous to provoke, and fruitless to attack. Their do- mestic fueds, are suspended on the approach of a common en- emy; and in their last hostili- ties, against the Turks the car- avan of Mecca was attacked and pillaged by four score thousand of the confederates. When they advance to battle the hope of victory is in the front; and in the rear, the as- surance of retreat. Their horses and camels, which in eight or ten days can perform a march of four or five hundred miles. ARA ARA disappear before the conqueror; the secret waters of the desert elude his search, and his victo- rious troops are consumed with hunger, thirst, and fatigue, in pursuit of an invincible foe, who scorns his efforts, and safely reposes in the heart of the burning solitude. The Arabs are robbers on the land, and pirates on the sea; they have this character from the sands of Morocco to the shores of Madagascar, from the banks of the Indus to the plains of Gambia, yet they are remarka- ble for their hospitality. They were the most ancient civilized people. The merchants of Tyre had explored the Islands of Britain, before the Chinese had discovered Japan. When the literati of India or China can show us a volume as an- cient as the writings of Moses, they may with more confidence boast of their high antiquity. The Arabs are in general Ma- hometans, some of them are Pagans. This cbuntry was the birth place of Mahomet; he taught the necessity of believ- ing in God, the existence of angels, the resurrection, and future judgment, and the doc- trine of absolute decrees. The duties which he enjoined were prayer five times a day. fasting, charity, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Their religion forbids the use of images, though an- ciently they were idolaters, and the same rites, which are now practised by Mahometan's were invented and practised by idol- aters. At an awful distance they cast away their garments; seven times with hasty steps they encircled the temple of Mecca; built as thev said b\ Abram and Ishmael, and kissed the black stone which they be- lieved was brought from heaven by Gabriel; seven times they visited and adored the adjacent mountains; seven times they threw stones into the valley of Mina, and the pilgrimage was then concluded, as at the pres- ent day, by a sacrifice of sheep and camels, and the burial of their hair and nails in conse- crated ground. The temple was adorned or defiled, with 360 idols of men, eagles, lions, and antelopes. Most conspic- uous was the statue of Hebal, of red agate, holding in his hand seven arrows without heads or feathers, the instru- ments and figures of profane di- vination. The devotion of the ruder ages was content with a pillar or a tablet, and the rocks of the desert, were hewn into gods or altars in imitation of the black stone at Mecca. From Japan to Peru, all round the globe, the use of sacrifices has prevailed, and the votary ARA ARA has expressed his gratitude or his fear by destroying or con- suming in honor of the gods, the most precious of their gifts. The life of man is the most precious oblation to deprecate any calamity, therefore the al- tars of Phoenicia and Egypt, of Rome and Carthage, have been polluted with human' gore. The Arabs long continued the practice. In the third century, a boy was annually sacrificed by the tribe of the Dumatians; and a royal captive was impi- ously slaughtered by the prince of the Saracens. The father of Mahomet himself, was de- voted to the altar by a rash vow; and with difficulty ran- somed by a hundred camels. The Arabs, like the Jews, ab- stain from swine's flesh, and circumcise their children. The Banians are a sect toler- ated here. They profess to love very thing, which breathes, to assist every tiling, which is in pain, to abhor the spilling of blood, and to abstain from food, which has enjoyed life. Milk, butter, cheese, rice, and vege- tables, are their only food. By their dress, which is a white robe, and rose colored turban, they are known to the birds, which instead of flying, flock round them to be fed. The Europeans trust them to do all their business with the Arabs, and they are always found honest. Mecca is the principal city, and is supported by the resort of pilgrims, 70,000 of whom, visit the place every year. The buildings are mean. It is 34 miles from Judda. Lat. 21,45; long. 40,55 east. It is an in- land town surrounded by hills, a day's journey from the Red Sea. On one of the hills is a cave, where they suppose Ma* hornet retired for his devotions, and where he received the Ko- ran from Heaven, brought by- Gabriel. It is the holy city of Mahometans; no Christian is allowed to enter it. The tem- ple of Mecca has 42 doors, and is said to be nearly 670 yards in length, and 570 in breadth. In the centre is a paved court, on all sides of which are cells, for those who consecrate them- selves to a life of devotion. The Caaba, in the middle of the temple, is 20 paces square, and 24 feet high, covered with rich silk, and the centre is a- dorned with large letters of gold. The door is covered with plates of silver, before it is a curtain thick Avith gold em- broidery. This sacred Caaba is the principal object of the pilgrim's devotion, and is open but two days in six weeks, one for the men, and one for the women. Its walls are marble. ARA ARA hung round with silk, and lighted by four silver lamps. Twelve paces from the Caaba, they pretend to show Abra- ham's Sepulchre. After per- forming their devotions, the pilgrims retire to a hill, where, after various ceremonies, they are pronounced Kadgies and saints, and suppose heaven is sure. The next morning they go two miles from the city, where they suppose Abram offered up Isaac. Here they pitch their tents, and throw seven small stones against a lit- tle stone building. This is done in defiance of the devil. Those who are able, then make an entertainment, to which the poor are admitted. In the Caaba is one relic, sacred as the cross is to the Catholics. It is a black stone, brought by Gabriel from Heav- en, for the construction of this edifice. This stone, they say, was first of a clear, white col- or, dazzling the eyes of people at the distance of four day's journey. By weeping so long and so abundantly for the sins of mankind, it became opaque, and finally black. This tender- hearted stone, every Mahome- tan must kiss, or touch, every time he goes round the Caaba. They suppose the temple foun- ded on the stone upon which Jacob rested his head at Bethel, when flying from the wrath of Esau. Aden is a seaport of Arabia Felix, on a coast of the Indian Ocean. It has a good harbor, and was formerly a mart of extensive commerce, which is now inconsiderable. It is the capital of a country to which it gives name. Me- dina is a small, poor place, surrounded with walls. In the temple is the tomb of Ma- homet surrounded by curtains and lighted by lamps. Muskat is a considerable town with a good harbor, much visited by English ships. Mo- cha on the Red Sea, near the strait of Babelmandel, has 10,000 inhabitants, and is cele- brated for its excellent coffee. Arabia is governed by a number of petty princes, styled sheriffs, or imams, king and priest are united in the same person. These are absolute in temporals and spirituals; the succession is hereditary; the laws are found in the Koran and its commentaries* The Tehama is a region of sand, about two day's journey in breadth, which surrounds the peninsula of Arabia, from near Suez to the mouth of the Euphrates. This circle of des- olation was probably once the bed of the sea, whi^h is still retreating. Strata of salt, and in some places hills of salt, are ARA ARA scattered round these dismal plains. Written mountain, or moun- tain of inscriptions, is a moun- tain or chain of mountains, in the wilderness of Sinai, on which for a great extent, the marble of which the mountain consists, is incribed with innu- merable characters, reaching from the ground, in some pla- ces to the height of twelve or fourteen feet. In the third century these were mentioned by a Greek, and some of them have been copied by Pocoke and other travellers. The vast number of these inscriptions, the place in which they are found, and of course the length of time for executing the task, have induced a notion by no means unnatural, that they are the work of the Israelites, dur- ing their 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The trans- lator of Vofney's travels as- cribes these inscriptions to the pilgrims, who visit mount Si- nai. But until this part of the world shall become more ac- cessible to travellers, nothing ©f certainty will be obtained concerning these mountains. It would be unpardonable not to mention the present state of the Arabians. About the year 1758 Abd al Vehab began to promulgate a new religion; though at first he kept some terms with the doctrines of the country, he soon presented a religion entirely new. He ac- cused the whole Mahometan church of being infidels and idolaters. By degrees his fol- lowers increased, and he began to destroy the shrines of Ma- homet, and the tombs of the saints, and before his death his fame and his riches were great. He was succeeded by his son Mohammed, who being blind remains always at home, but he has assu med the title of supreme pontiff of their religion; and employs, as his deputy, AW1 al Azir, and though eight}' years of age, he prophecies that he shall not die, till the Waha by- religion is completely establish- ed in Arabia. He waits on Mohammed twice in a week to receive his orders. All Ara- bia, it may be said, is subject to their control, and so are they reverenced by their followers, that when going to battle, they solicit passports to the porters of paradise, which they suspend round their necks, and then proceed with daring valor. Al- though the Wahabees, as they are called, possess the power and riches of the country, they retain all their ancient simplic- ity of manners. They sit on the ground, dates are their food, and a cloak is their bed and their cl@thing. For many ARA ARA years they did not attack the holy cities; but finally Aziz sent a large army into the sa- cred territory, who entered Mecca, broke down the tombs and shrines, and proceeded to Jedda and Oman. A brother of the Sultan of Muschat has embraced the new religion, and compelled the people of the open country to follow his example, the city and its envi- rons alone remain subject to the Sultan. The Wahabees have conquered the tribe of Outab, celebrated for their skill in ship building and navigation, and are forming a maritime force. When this is accom- plished, they will proceed to the conquest of Bossora, and Bagdat, and thence to the gates of Constantinople. They have written to the king of Persia, and the Turkish em- peror, requiring them to em- brace their religion. To the king of Persia their general writes, "We fly unto God, for refuge against the accursed Sa- tan. In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. Prom Abd al Aziz, chief of the Mussulmans to Futteh Aly Shah) king of Persia. Since the death of the proph- et Mohammed, son of Abd Allah, polytheism and idolatry have been promulgated among his followers. For instance, at 7 Nerjif and Kerbela, the people fall down and worship the tombs and shrines, which are nu.de of earth and stone, and address their prayers to the persons contained in them. As it is evident to me, the least of the servants of God, that such practices cannot be agreeable to our lords Ally and Hussein, I have used every exertion to purify our holy religion from these vile superstitions, and by the blessing of God have long since eradicated these pollu- tions from the territory of Ne- jid, and the greater part of A- rabia; but those who attend on the mausole i, and the inhabi- tants of Nejif, being blinded by covetousness, and worldly interest, encouraged the people to a continuation of these prac- tices, and would not comply with my exhortations. I there- fore sent an army of the faith- ful, as you may have heard, to punish them according to their deserts. If the people of Persia are addicted to these superstitions, let them repent; for whosoever is guilty of idol- atry and polytheism shall in like v manner be punished. Peace be to him who obeys this direction." Travels ofMir- za Abu Taleb, translated from the Persian, quoted in the Chris- tian Observer, Vol X. — To this I add the following from the, ARA ARA travels of lord Valentia, vol. ii. The Wahabees entered Mecca on the 27th of April 1803, lev- elled eighty of the tombs, be- longing to the descendants of Mahomet, and the tomb also of his wife Kadiza, plundered the holy places, but left the Caaba. Mecca was, however, repossessed by its sherrifte. In 1804, Medina, the second city in Arabia, was taken by the Wahabees, who plundered all the treasures, which had been accumulating there for ages by the contributions of the faithful. The tomb of Mahomet him- self was destroyed. The Arabs will soon be united under one master. Arabia is for ever lost to the Sultan, who consequent- ly is no longer head of the Ma- homedan religion. Mecca can- not be again visited by pil- grims, according to the order of the prophet. The mighty fabric of Mahometanism must be considered as having passed away, when Suad entered Mec- ca in 1803. Maundrel, Shaw, Park, Niebuhr, Bruce, Pocoke, Sonini, Gibbon, Modern Geog. ARACEANS, or Arkites, people descended from Arak, son of Canaan, who dwelt in the city of Acre, near the foot of Lebanon. In the latter times of the Jewish Commonwealth, this city was a part of i\grippa's kingdom* ARACH, a city of Chaldea, built by Nimrod, the grandson of Cash, Gen. x, 8. This in all probability is the town of Aracea, placed by Ptolemy in the Susiana on the Tigris, be- low its confluence with the Euphrates, Ammian calls it ArecKa. From this city the Arcetsean plains, which abound with Naptha, and sometimes take fire, derive their name. Probably from the name of this place, the Arabians have named Iraca, or Irack, a large province, of Asia, extending along the waters of the Tigris, a distance of ^twenty days journey, its breadth eleven days journey. The capital of this province under the Chaldeans and As- syrians was Babylon; since it has been possessed by the Arabs, Bagdat has been the capital. By the Greeks and Latins, this province was cal- led Chaldea and Babylonia. Lat. 31, 10. ARAD, a city lying to the south of Judah and the land of Canaan, in Arabia Petrea. The Israelites having advanced, to- wards the land of Canaan, Numb, xxi, 1, the king of Arad, opposed their passage, defeated them, and took a booty from them. But they devoted his country, as a thing accurs- ed, and destroyed all the cities thereof, as soon as they became ARA ARA masters of the land of Canaan, Numb, xxxiii, Arad was re- built and Eusebius places it in the neighborhood pf Kades, at the distance of twenty miles from Hebron. The Israelites in their passage through the wilderness, having departed from Scpher, came to Arad, and tlunce to Makkelath. ARADUS, a small island on the coast north of Tripchs. It is two miles and a half from the Main, and a mile in com- pass. It is supposed to have been settled by a son of Ca- naan, since we find the Arva- dite mentioned among his de- scendants, it is also thought to be the same place, which in the book of Kings and in Isa- iah is called Arpad, or Arphad or Arvad. "It seemed to the eye, said Mr. Maundrel, to be not above two or three furlongs in length, and to be filled up with tall buildings, like castles. The ancient inhabitants of this little island were once famous navigators, and possessed the continent as far as Gabala. ARAM, is frequently ren- dered Syria, yet they do not mean precisely the same coun- try. In some ancient writers Aram includes Mesopotamia, Hence Jacob in Hebrew is cal- led an Aramife, though in our version, a Syrian. In Hosea xii, 12; by Syria must be un- derstood Mesopotamia, "Israel served for a wife, and for a wife kept sheep," which was done in Mesopotamia* Nor did Aram include all Syria, but that portion which was settled by the nation of Aram, that is the northern and eastern parts. From the Hebrew Aram the old Greek writers seem to have distinguished the inhabitants by the name of Arimi, which we find in Homer's Iliad ii, 783. The name Syri or Syrai is not found in that ancient poet. ARARAT, a famous moun- tain in Armenia, on which No- ah's ark is said to have rested after the deluge, Gen. viii, 4. It is affirmed, but without any good proof, that some remains of Noah's ark are still to be seen upon the top of this mountain. John Strue in his voyages, assures us, that he went up to the highest part of it, and that an hermit, who abode there, declared to him, that some broken pieces of the ark, were there to be seen, and at the same time, presented him with a cross, made of the wood of this famous vessel. But M. de Tournefort, who was upon the spot, assures us that there was nothing of the kind to be seen, that he found the top of mount Ararat inac- cessible, both by reason of its great height, and of the snow^ which perpetually covers it. This mountain is situated ARA ARA twelve leagues east of Erivan, in a vast plain, having no other mountain near it on either side. Josephus, says, that the remains of Noah's ark were still to be seen in his time, in the canton of Abdiabene, called CrsroK*, a country remarkable for pro- ducing great plenty of cinna- mon. That part of the mountains of Ararat, on which the ark rested is called by many of the eastern nations, Ar-uag, or Parmak-Dagh, the finger mountain, because it stands up- right by itself, like a finger by itself, it is so high, as to be seen at the distance of ten days journey, according to the stages of the caravan; the city of Tau- ris is near this mount. Tav- ernier says, there are many monasteries upon mount Ara- rat, that the Armenians called it Meresoussar, because the ark stopped there. It is, as it were, taken oft", from the other mountains of Armenia, which make a long chain, and from the rriiddle to the top of it, is often covered with snow for three or four months in a year. There are some authors, how- ever, that are of opinion that the ark rested on a mountain near Apamea in Phrygia. John Shuir, however, affirms that he ascended mount Ararat in Armenia and that some pieces of the ark were then to be seen. It is also, well known, that in the vicinity of this mountain were preserved more authentic accounts of the ark, than in almost any other part of the world. The region about Ararat was esteemed among the ancients as a re- markably central situation; not only well calculated to supply its own inhabitants; but for the migration of colonies to other parts of the world. The re- gion is very fruitful, especially in the part, where it is reported the Patriarch made his descent from the summit of the moun- tain. This country is also re- markably elevated. Such a country must be peculiarly eligible, immediately after the flood, being the soonest dry, and of course habitable. This mountain has in all ages since the deluge retained the name of Ararat. Is not this very conclusive evidence? Tourne- fort, who has particularly de- scribed this mountain, though he was not successful in reach- ing the top, says it consists chiefly in free stone, or calca- reous sand stone. It is a de- tached mountain in the form of a sugar loaf, in the midst of an extensive plain, and has two summits. The lowest is most sharp, the highest, which is sup- posed to be that on which the ARG ARG ark rested, lies north-west' from the other, and raises itself far above all the mountains of the country, and is generally white with snow. Various ancient writers as- sert the ruins of the ark were visible in their day. We have room to mention only a few. One relates, that in his time people carried about them, pieces oi' wood taken from the ark, as an amulet or chain), against accidents «id diseases. Berosus, who wrote 2,000 years ago, says that in his day, they scraped off the pitch as a charm. Some of the Christian fathers declare, that the wreck of the ark existed in their time. In the second centuiy Theo- philus makes this assertion. In the fourth century, the elo- quent Chrysostom speaks of the fact as though it were fa- miliarly known to his people. "Do not," saith he, "do not those mountains of Armenia, bear witness to the truth? Those mountains where the ark first rested; and are not the re- mains preserved there to this day." Eusebius and Jerome both assert that in their time pieces of the ark still remained. ARGOB, a canton lying be- yond Jordan, in the half tribe of Manasseh, and in the coun- try ot Bashan, one of the most fruitful on the other side of Jordan. In the region of Argob there were sixty cities called Bashan-havoth jair, which had very high walls and strong gates, without reckoning many villa- ges and hamlets, which were not enclosed, Deut. iii, 4, 14; and 1 Kings iv, 13. But Ar- gob was more particularly the name of the capital city in the region of Argob, which Euse- bius says was fifteen miles west from Geresa. Lat. 32, 57. Argob, a place in Samaria, near the royal palace, where Pekah, son of Remaliah, assas- sinated Peakaliah, a king of Israel. It lay in the tribe of Manasseh; it was a fertile tract of country. ARIEL, or Ar, the capital city of Moab, frequently men- tioned in scripture. See the article Ar. The Arnon ran through the place and divided it into two towns. ARIEL, is likewise taken for the altar of burnt offerings, or for the city of Jerusalem, Isa. xxix, 1, 2, 7, and Ezek. xl, 15, 16; Ariel, literally signifies a Lion. See 1 Chron. xi, 22; Aquila and Symmachus say, Ariel signifies the Lion of God, and suppose it allegor- ically denotes the temple or city of Jerusalem, which is strong and powerful. Bonfrerius says that in Isaiah, Ariel denotes Je- rusalem, and in Ezek. the altar. ARM ARM ARIMANON, a city of refuge in Canaan beyond Jor- dan. Perhaps, the same as Ramoth in Gilead. ARIM ATHEA, the city of Joseph the counseller, who beg- ged the body of Jesus, Luke xxiii, 50; &c. from Pilate, and who having taken it down from the cross, wrapped it in linen, andlaid it in a sepulchre, that was hewn in a stone, in which man never before was laid. St. Jerome places this citv between Lyda and Joppa, ARMAGEDDON, a cele- brated place in Canaan repeat- edly mentioned in scripture. Eusebius says it is where An- tichrist and the devil will col- lect their armies to fight against God and his saints. Megeddo was a city in the half tribe of Manasseh, west from the Jor- dan, near the Kishon, and not far from mount Tabor. To this name, if we add hur, Mr, or ar, we may form Armaged- don, which signifies, according to Pool and Faber, the destruc- tion of Megeddo, a name very ap- propriate to Megeddo, consid- ering the bloody scenes, which have been exhibited in its vi- cinity. Here the good king Josiah received a mortal wound in a battle with Necho, king of Egypt, and was carried dead in his chariot from the field of bat- tle to Jerusalem, 2 Kings xxiii. Near this town, also, Barak vanquished the forces of Sisera, Judges v. "There fought the kings of Canaan by the waters of Megeddo. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera." These royal battles are suppos- ed to be only shadows or em- blems of that greater battle of the great day of God Almigh- ty, which is to be fought near this town. Rev. xvi, 16. And he gathered the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to a place, called in the He- brew tongue, Armageddon. It is the concurrent opinion of learned divines, that when the sufferings of the Church shall draw to a close, after a period of twelve hundred and sixty years, which it is expected will terminate about A. D. 1866, that then Antichrist, who has already begun "to rule the kings of the earth," will go forth to destroy the people of God in Palestine. There the gigantic power, now crushing the nations under his feet, will come to his end, and none will help him. This Antichrist "shall do according to his will," till the indignation of God shall be accomplished. He shall execute the office given him, as a minister of Divine ven- geance. After having been the scourge of God in other coun- ARM ARM tries, and made the sword of Almighty wrath, chunk with the blood of the nations, he shall enter the glorious, holy land of Palestine; and he shall plant the tabernacle of his pal- ace between the seas. "He shall proceed," say the proph- ets, "and come as a storm, and as a cloud cover the land, he shall go from his place, from the north parts of the world; to carry away silver, and gold, and goods, and great spoil," collected by the Jews from all countries. He will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken. God will then rise in his vengeance, "he will send pestilence and blood; and rain an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, and fire and brim- stone" upon him. While his immense armies cover the mountains of Israel, the abus- ed elements become the en- raged ministers of Divine ven- geance. The atmosphere no longer yields its vital energy; the earth no longer supports their weary limbs; the moun- tains are thrown down, floods of rain and ponderous hail- stones, drown and destroy their camps. The stars fight against them, the gentle breeze is changed to a howling tempest; the fiery bolts of heaven destroy the fields, and consume the le- gions of war; a fatal pestilence lurks in every breath; the air is death. "Thev have fought against Jerusalem;" therefore, saith God, "every man's sword shall devour his brother;" dis- cord and dismay shall seize them; "their flesh shall consume away, while they stand on their feet, and their eyes shall con- sume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." "These plagues shall come in one day;" "in one hour these judgments come;" "in one hour is he made desolate." Only "a sixth part," of his army will survive to re- turn to the north country. God invites "the fowls and beasts to come and eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the blood of his princes and men of war." "It is come; it is done, saith the Lord God." The weapons of this vast Antichristian army, which is destroyed, will supply the whole land of Israel, "with fuel for seven years." They will cut no wood from their fields or forests. On the east side of the sea shall they bury them, and seven months, shall all the nations of Israel be bu- rying them, that they may cleanse the land from contagion. This battle and overthrow of Antichrist is the same mention- ed in Revelations. It is fought in the same place, and at the ARM ARM same time. There the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, gather the kings of the earth and of the whole world to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. They gather them together to a place called Ar- mageddon, which lies between the Galilean and Mediterranean seas. All these enemies of Christ are to perish at the close of the twelve hundred and sixty years. Hence it is evident from proph- ecy, that not far from the pres- ent time Antichrist will unite witK the papal powers; they will go forth to the holy land, and there between the seas will be destroyed together. These days will be terrible. Alas, who shall live when God doeth this. Such a time has not been since there was a na- tion. As the trembling of Si- nai, the darkness and the thun- der, were signs of the present God; so the fall of thrones, the dismay of nations, and the dis- solution of empires, display the wrath of Jehovah, and the exact fulfilment of prophecy. The sun is dark, the moon is blood, the stars are falling. Though the prophecies are of old, they perfectly accord with the appearances of the present day. This Antichristian pow- er, after having devoured the flesh of the great Harlot, and made her desolate, has formed «n alliance with her; she has actually set the crown on his head, and given him "her pow- er, her seat, and great authori- ty." A combination of their force to destroy real Christiani- ty, to persecute and "crush" the people of God, is highly probable. "The fury of God will then come in his face," as prophecy has long declared, "and the fire of his wrath will burn," and this Antichristian "mighty army of many nations shall fall, and their bones cover the land of Israel." ARMENIA, a province of Asia, consisting of Modern Turcomania, and part of Per- sia; having Georgia on the north, Curdistan, the ancient Assyria on the south, and Na- tolia or Asia Minor on the west. This province includes the sources of the Tigris and Eu- phrates, the Araxes and Pha- sis; and here also the province of Eden, in which Paradise was situated, is by some supposed to lie. The name Armenia, is thought to be derived, either from Aram the Father of the Syrians, or from Harminni, the mountain of the Mineans. Moses, Gen. viii, 4, says that the ark rested upon the moun- tains of Armenia, according to the Vulgate; but it is the moun- tains of Ararat, by the Septua- gint and Hebrew reading. In the second book of Kings, chap. ARN ARO xix, vcr 27, and Isa. xxxvii, 38, it is said that the two sons of Senachcrib, after having kil- led their father, escaped into Armenia. It is one of the most healthy provinces of all Asia; the air is mild, the soil is rich, and well watered with many streams and large rivers. On this account perhaps, some have supposed it to be the paradise or garden of Eden, mentioned in Genesis. The frontiers, though mountainous, are fertile. Formerly it was an independent kingdom; but is now subject, partly to Persia, and partly to the Turks. The part subject to the Persians is called Upper or Grand Arme- nia, and sometimes Eastern; the other part is called Lower or Little, or Western Armenia. The people are sober, indus- trious, and enterprizing. Mer- chants of Armenia are found in almost every considerable port of Asia and Europe. They are Christians. It is said a million souls in this country profess Christianity, though they are subject to Mahometan masters. Their clergy consist of monks, preach- ers, doctors, bishops, archbish- ops, and patriarchs. Erze- ram is the capital of Armenia. Polygamy is not allowed; of course the people are more nu- merous, than in any other prov- 8 ince of the Turkish empire. The celebrated mountain Ara- rat, on which, or some other summit of the same range-, the ark of Noah rested, is in this country. (See Ararat. J ARNON, a river or brook frequently mentioned in scrip- ture; its spring head is in the mountains of Gilead, or of the Moabites; it discharges itself into the Dead Sea. Ancientlv this river was the dividing line between the Amofites and Mo- abites, and afterwards it was the line between the Moabites, and those tribes of Israel, who settled east of Jordan. They possessed from Anion to the mount of Hermon. Bonfrerius. AROER, a city of Judea, belonging to the tribe of Gad, Deut. ii, 36, &c. situated on the northern banks of the brook Arnon, at the extremity of that country, which the Hebrews possessed beyond Jordan. Eu- sebius says, that in his time, Aroer, was seared on a moun- tain. There appears to have been several towns of this name in Palestine. See Josh, xiii, 25, Judg. ii, 33; 1 Sim. xxx, 28, &c. This, however, is doubted by others, and not without some good reasons. "The city in the midst of the river," and "the ci'v in the river," Sec. ma\ doubtless mean the same place. It is ARP ASH supposed the city might con- sist of two parts, one standing on the bank of the river, the other in the river, or on a piece of ground surrounded by the water of the river, an island in the Anion. This opinion seems countenanced not only from the city in the river be- ing mentioned with Aroer; but also from the very name Aroer. The Hebrew word seems to be compounded from the word Ir, a city repeated or doubled, im- plying, that Aroer, was a double city, or two cities unit- ed in one. What is said in the text above seems to favor this. When we read that they pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city, that lies in the midst of the river of Gad; this last phrase is exegetical, to ex- plain on what part of the town they lay, viz. on that part, which lies in the midst of the river of Gad. It was eighteen miles north from Jerusalem. ARPAD, is thought to have been a city of Syria. It was always placed with Hamath, 2 Kings, xviii, 34, xix, 13, Isa. x, 9, xxxvi, 19, xxxvii, 13; Jer. xlix, 23. Senacherib boasts of having reduced Ar- pad and Hamath, or of having destroyed the gods of those two places. Hamath is known to be the same with Emesa; and it is thought that Arpad is the same with Arad or Arvad, as it is sometimes called in Hebrew. See Arad. Dr. Wells says that Arvad or Urphad lay above the land of Hamath, overagainst which lies the island of Aradus, which name contains traces of the Hebrew Arpad or Arvad. This city after having been tak- en by the Assyrians, was ruined by the Chaldeans, Jer. xlix,23, but seems afterwards to have been rebuilt. ARSARETH, the country where it is supposed the ten tribes of Israel may be found, 2 Esdras, xiii, 45. See Is- raelites. ARVAD, a city of Phenicia, situated on a small island, south- ward of Tyre, and a league from the continent. See Aradus. ARUBOTH, or Araboth, a city or country belonging to the tribe of Judah, ( 1 Kings iv, 10) the true situation of which is not known. ARUMAH, a city near She- chem, (Judges ix, 41) where Abimelech dwelt. ASH AN, a city of Palestine, belonging to the tribe of Judah, (Josh, xv, 42) but yielded to the tribe of Simeon, (Josh, xix, 7.) La't. 31, 22. ASHDOD, one of the five governments, belonging to the Philistines. A s h d o d .ovAzoth, according to the Vulgate, or Azotus, ac- ASH ASH cording to the Greek, a city, which was assigned by Joshua (xv, 4, 7) to the tribe of Judah, and afterwards given to Dan; but was possessed a long time by the Philistines, and render- ed famous for the temple of their god, Dagon. It lies upon the Mediterranean sea, about nine or ten miles north of Gaza. Here Philip, the evangelist, preached the gospel, and a church was continued till the ravages of the Saracens. In the times, when Christianity flourished in these parts, it was made an Episcopal see, and continued a fair village, till the days of St. Jerome. The pres- ent state of Ashdod is thus described by Dr. Wittman: "pursuing our route March 14, through a delightful country, we came to Ashdod, by the Greeks called Azotus, a town of great antiquity, provided with two small entrance gates. In passing through the place, we saw several fragments of columns, capitals, and cornices of marble. Towards the cen- tre is a handsome mosque with a minaret. By the Arabs the place is called Mezdel. Two miles to the south on a hill is a ruin, having in its centre a lofty column, standing entire. The delightful verdure of the surrounding plains, with a great abundance of fine, old olive trees, rendered the scene charm- ingly picturesque. In the vil- lages, tobacco, fruit, and veg- etables, in great plenty are cul- tivated by the inhabitants; the fertile and extensive plains \ it Id an ample produce of corn. At this time the wheat was just coming into ear; the harvest here takes place the latter part of April, or beginning of May. Ashdod may be seen from a hill near Joppa. In Sam. v, 2, Uzziah, king of Judah brake down the walls of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod." To build cities about another city would be very remarkable; but to build towers might be use- ful. Probably what are called cities were watch towers. One of which was standing a few years ago, which Dr. Wittman saw. Herodotus says, ''That Psammetichus, king of Egypt, lay with his arms nine and twenty years before Azotus, so that of all the cities, which we know, none ever maintained so long a siege." Judas Macca- baeus, (Mace, ix, 18,) was kil- led on mount Azotus. This place is memorable for the temple of Dagon into which the ark of God was brought and set by the side of Dagon. Of Ashdod the prophets fore- told terrible things; and histo- ry has recorded their terrible fulfilment. Jerome sa^ ASH ASH Ashdod should drink "the cup of divine fury." Amos says, "The Lord will cut off the in- habitant from Ashdod." Ze- phaniah says, "they shall drive out Ashdod at noon day." Ac- cordingly in Macca. x, 77, we read of the complete destruc- tion of Ashdod or Azotus. Jonathan set fire to Azotus, and the temple of Dagon he burn- ed: those burned and slain were about eight thousand. The temple, the city, and the very suburbs, were destroyed. The dead bodies of the slain were not buried, but piled in heaps by the way side. Some- time after, the city was again burned, and two thousand of the people destroyed. 1 Mace. xvi, 10. To recapitulate the calamities of this city, would show the terrible fulfilment of prophecy. King Uzziah took the city and demolished the walls, and built a garrison to command the place; Tartan, the Assyrian general, took it by assault, and left there a garri- son; Nebuchadnezzar took and ravaged the city; Alexander the Great, in his all conquering march, took Ashdod; Jonathan, the Jewish Maccabee, took the eity, and burned it to ashes. ASHDOTH, was a city in the tribe of Reuben, called also Ashdoth-Pisgah, because it lay near the mountain, or perhaps springs of Pisgah. Lat. 31, 30. ASHER, a city of Canaan. Asher, this tribe lay in the north-west coiner of Canaan, extending on the Mediterra- nean for 56 miles, bounded north by the mountains of Leb- anon, east by the tribe of Naph- tali; and south by Zebulon. But this tribe never di«ove out all the nations of the country, nor obtained possession of all the territory allotted to them. Whether this was a frown of Providence for their sins, or whether it was owing to the cowardice of the people, or whether their actual possessions satisfied their wants, we are not informed, Their soil produc- ed a plenty of the comforts and luxuries of life, and abounded in mines. They, however, tamely submitted to the tyran- ny of Jabin, king of Canaan; but assisted Gideon in his pur- suit of the Midianites. At the coronation of David they at- tended with forty thousand war- riors. When this tribe came from Egypt their warriors were 41,500; in the wilderness they amounted to 53,400. Jacob had prophesied, to use the trans- lation of Dr. Clarke, "From Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall produce royal dain- ties." "This refers," says the Doctor, "to the great fertility ASI ASM of the lot, which fell to Asher, and which appears to have cor- responded with the name, which signifies happy or blessed, and whose great prosperity Moses dt scribes in this figurative way, "Let Asher be blessed with children, let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot inorf" Deut. xxxiii, 24. Within the limits, which were granted to this tribe, was the celebra'ed city of Twe, cal- led by tlie Hebrews Zor; hence the surrounding country, it is thought, came to be called Sy- ria. Here was also the city of Achzib, at the present called Tib; also Accho, afterwards called Ptolemais, but now cal- led Acra, or Acre, or St. John de Acre. ASHNAH, a city in the tribe of Judah. Joshua xv, 33. ASIA, one of the four grand divisions of the earth, situated between 25, and 148 degrees, east from London, and between the equator and 72 degrees of north latitude, bounded by the Frozen ocean on the north, by the Pacific ocean on the east, by the Indian ocean on the south, by the Red sea on the south-west, by the Mediterra- nean and Euxine seas, Sec. on the west and north-west; being 4800 miles long, from east to west, and 4300 broad, from north to south. This quarter of the world is designated by the eastern, mid- dle, and western divisions; the first comprehending the empire of China, Chinese Tartary, and the. oriental islands, lying south and eastward of China. The second or middle division, comprehending Persia, Arabia, Astracan, and Circassian Tar- tary, and Turkey in Asia. The word Asia, when put alone, un- less otherwise determined by the context, signifieth one of. the four quarters of the world. That part of it, which lies be- tween mount Taurus on the east, and the Hellespont on the west, is called the Asia Minor, or Natolia. The ancient Hebrews were strangers to the division of the earth into three or four parts, and wTe never find the name Asia, in aViy book written in the Hebrew. This nation seemed to think that the conti- nent consisted only of Asia- Minor, and Africa. The rest of the world, and even Asia- Major," were comprized under the name of the isles of the Gentiles, (Gen. x, 5.) According to Dr. Wells the Lesser Asia or Natolia, con- tained the provinces of Bythy- nia, Pontus, Galatia, Cappado- cia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Pisi- dia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Mysia, Troas, all of which are mention-. ASK ASK ed in scripture, and may be found in this work, described under their own names; also Lydia, with Ionia, and ./Eolis, these two last being sometimes included in Lydia; also Caria, which often includes Doris, and Lydia. Of these Lydia and Caria, in their largest sig- nification, with Mysia and Phrygia, including Troas, or Phrygia Minor, made the Ro- man proconsular Asia, and has been supposed to be the Asia of scripture. But it seems evident from reading St. Paul's travels, that Mysia, Phrygia, and Troas, are considered dis- tinct from Asia. Hence the most learned have concluded, that by Asia in the New Testa- ment is to be understood Ly- dia, including Ionia and iEolis. In these provinces lay the sev- en churches of Asia, 'addressed in the Revelation of St. John. See Ephesus, &c. ASKELON, orAsKALON, a city in the land of the Philis- tines, situated between Azoth and Gaza, upon tiie coast of the Mediterranean sea, about 40 miles west from Jerusalem. It is said to have been of great note, among the Gentiles for a temple, dedicated to Derceto, the mother of Semeramis, here worshipped in the form of a mermaid; and for another of Apollo, where Herod the father of i\ntipater, and grandfather of Herod the Great, served as priest. Of the fish in a pond near the town the people dared not to eat, because they were dedicated to Derceto. The tribe of Judah, after the death of Joshua, (Judges i, 18) took the city of Ashkelon; being one of the five governments be- longing to the Philistines. The place at this day is very incon- siderable. The prophet Jere- miah,foretold that that "Ashke- lon should be a desolation, " (chap, ii, 4.) Accordingly it was taken by the armies of Ju- dah; it was taken and ravaged by the Assyrians; it was de- stroyed by the Chaldeans, and though afterwards rebuilt, it was again besieged and taken by Alexander, and again by the Maccabees. The wine of. Ashkelon, and the cypress tree, a shrub, that was very much es- teemed, and very common in this place, are frequently men- tioned. This town was the birth place of Herod the Great, and hence he is called, Herod the Ascalonite. A Christian church was formed in the town soon after the ascension of Christ, and in the early times of Christianity, this was the res- idence of a bishop, and in the course of the holy wars, or cru- sades, the town was beautified and secured with a new wall. APH APP and many iranificent buildings by fachard I. of England. Oi igen says that there are wells at Ashkelon, said to have been dug bv Abraham and Isaac. ASHTAROTH, or Ash- taroth Karnaim, one of the principal cities belonging to Og, king of Bashan, given to the half tribe of Mahasseh east of Jordan. The word Karnaim, in Hebrew denotes two homed, from which some have supposed, that the city stood on two hills, or else was so built, as to resemble two horns; but by others it is thought more probable, that as Ashta- roth was an idol much wor- shipped at that period in those countries, and as the moon was understood by this name, and the usual mode of draw ing the picture of the moon was with two horns, that, therefore, from a temple of this idol, the place received its name, and was cal- led Ashtaroth Carnaim, or Ash- taroth, or Carnaim, lMaccab. v, 26, 43, 44. "All the heath- en fled into the temple, that was at Carnaim." This last name is sometimes changed to Carnion, 2 Maccab. xii, 21 — 26. Then Maccabeus march- ed forth to Carnion, and to the temple of Artugatis, and there he slew five and twenty thous- and persons. This place for a long time has been only a petty village, called Karnion. ASMONiEANS, a name given to the Maccabees, de- scendants of Mattathias. This family became illustrious in the later times of the Jewish Commonwealth. They enjoy- ed the chief authority, and be- came the pillars of religion and civil liberty, they descended from Aaron, and of right inher- ited the pontificial office. ASPHALTITES, See ASPHAR. ASPHAR a lake mention- ed in the first book of Macca- bees ix, 33, where it is said, that Jonathan and Simon his brother, retired into the desert of Thecoe, near the lake As- phar. Calmet thinks it prob- able, that this lake is the same with thk lacus Asphaltites, or the lake of Sodom, which we are told by Maundrel, the pres- ent inhabitants adjacent to this lake, call the lake of Lot. It was named lacus Asphaltites, on account of the great quantity of Asphaltus,or bitumen produced in it, being in such quantities, that no fish can live in the wa- ters; nor can a man without difficulty sink in them, by rea- son of their weight and density, sometimes there are pieces of bitumen to be seen on the top of the waters, as large as a ASS ASS boat; this the Arabians use in their medical preparations, but more especially in embalming dead bodies. The lake As- phalt ites receives all the waters of Jordan and of the b/ooks Arnon and Jabbok, and other waters, which descend from the neighboring mountains, and notwithstanding it has no visi- ble outlet, it does not overflow, See Salt Sea. Lat. 31, 28. ASSOS, a seaport situated on the south-west part of Troas, and over against the island of Lesbos. St. Luke and some other of St. Paul's companions, in his voyage, Acts xx, 13, 14, went by sea from Troas to As- sos; but St. Paul went by land, and meeting them at Assos, they all went to My tel- enet Jerome says, that Assos was near the city of-Troy. It seems to have been built on a hill, and near it were those famed quarries of the Sarco- phagus stone, which, it is said, consumes dead bodies in forty days, the teeth excepted. It was much near* r by land to Troas than by water, a promon- tory running far into the sea between the two cities; this might be the reason why St. Paul chose to travel by land. Lat. 40,3. Broivn^Kimp- ton. ASSYRIA, an ancient king- dom of Asia, comprehending those provinces of Turkey and Persia, which are no v called Curdistan, Diarbec, and Irac Arabia; being bounded by Ar- menia on the north, Media and Persia on the east, Arabia on the south, and the river Eu- phrates, which divides it from Syria and Asia- Minor on the west. It is supposed that Ashur the. son of Shem, settlrd in this country, and gave it his own name. It is believed that he originally dwelt in the land of Shinar and about Babvlon, but that he was compelled by the usurper Nimrod to go thence, and settle higher to- wards the springs of Tigris, in the province of x4.ssyria, so called from him, where he built the famous city of Nineveh, and those of Rehoboth, and Calah, and R; sin. This is the sense, which is generally put upon the words of Moses, Gen. x, 11, 12. But Bochart explains the text of Moses in a different way. He under- stands it of Nimrod, who left his own country and attacked Assyria, of which he became master, and there built Nine- veh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Re- sin; here he established the seat of his empire, and be- came the most powerful, and probably the first monarch of the East. ATI! ATH ASTAROTH, the name of two chics mentioned in Scrip- ture, one of which is in the tribe of Gad bevond Jordan, Num. xxxii, 34, thought to be the same with Ataroth Shopan, which was given to the tribe of Gad; and another upon the frontiers of Egypt between Ja- nohah and Jericho, Josh, xvi, 7; thought to be the same with Altaroth-Maddar mentioned in Josh. x*i, 5 and xviii, 13. ATACH, a city ii> the tribe of Judah, 1 Sam. xxx, 30. ATAROTH, see Asta- R0TH. ALTHAR, a city in the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 7. Athens, an ancient city of A. 'ui.i, a province of Greece. Lab 38, 4, N. long. 24, 3, E. I -till retains its ancient name; and is the capital of a diuchy, or province, in the middle of an extensive, barren plain, re- markable for its health and beauty. Few cities have been so renowned for their valor,^ their power, or their science. The light of their splendid tal- ents still shines, the eloquence of their orators is still heard with delight. This city, it is supposed, was founded 1580 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, 830 years before the building of Rome, to which adding the time, which has since elapsed, 1812, it will be 9 3400 years since Athens was built. Dr. Chandler, and Mr. George Wheeler, inform us, that this is yet a city of consid- . erable importance, about four miles in circuit; the streets are narrow, and the houses built near together. The population is about 10,000. The monu- ments of ancient magnificence _ are numerous; here are the ruins of opulent porticoes, col- leges, theatres, towers, and tombs, also, of temples, once sacred to Neptune, Minerva, and Jupiter. Some of the mar- •ble columns are more than forty feet in length. The inhabitants are still distinguished for their dexterity, sprightliness, and acuteness of genius. Two, thirds of them are Christians of the Greek church. This place is the seat of an arch-bishop, whose revenue is about 4000 dollars a year. In the city and neighborhood are about 200 churches, 52 of which have ministers belonging to them. The others are seldom used, excepting on anniversary occa- sions for the honor of their founders or benefactors. The Turks have five mosques, four in the town, and one in the cas- tle. This last Mas once the temple of Minerva, and is said to be the finest monument of architecture in the world. The Christians, to avoid the cruel ATH ATH tribunals of the Turks, *as far as possible, have formed a little body politic among themselves. Having divided the city into eight parts, they elect one man from each of these sections, most distinguished for his piety and wisdom, to constitute a court to judge between Chris- tian and Christian. To this elected body they refer all their important concerns. They have convents for men and women. In the year of Christ 52, during the reign of Claudi- us, St. Paul came to Athens, and though it was contrary to law to introduce any new De- ity, yet having on his way from the port to the city observed an altar dedicated to the "Un- known God," he seized this circumstance tojustify himself for preaching Jesus Christ. Though they complained, and called him a babbler, and ar- raigned him before the Areo- pagus, his eloquent discourse converted Dionysius one of the court, who was afterwards a bishop of the city. This is a seaport, situated on the north- east coast of the gulph of En- gia, in the Archipelago; the harbor is large and secure, and the entrance is commanded by the citadel; it is 300 miles south- west from Constantinople. Having mentioned the Areopa- gus, some account of that re- nowned tribunal in this city, may well be here expected. (See Ency.) Areopagus, was a sover- eign tribunal at Athens, famous for the justice and impartiality of its decrees, to which the gods themselves are said to have submitted their differen- ces. Plutarch attributes the establishment of the Areopa- gus to Solon. The judges of this court, who under Draco, decided only in cases of mur- der, now took cognizance of all crimes, and the same tribu- nal, which inflicted capital pun- ishment on murder, poisoning, burning of houses, theft, &c. struck at the roots of those ciimes by arraigning idleness, luxury, and debauchery. Equally attentive to stimulate the indolence of the young, and the languor of the old, these sages roused in the one the laudable ambition to serve the state, and restored to the others their former activity. The judges of the Areopagus, says Isocrates, were more industri- ous to prevent crimes, by re- presenting them in an odious light, than to establish modes of punishment. It was their opinion that the enemies of the state were the instruments des- tined by the gods to punish the wicked; but that it was their province to correct and ATH ATM reform public and private man- ners. They were vigilantly attentive to the conduct of all the citizens, but particularly to that of youth. They well knew that the impetuosity of juvenile passion, gave the most violent shocks to health and growing virtue, that it was the duty of inspectors of education, to soften the austerity of modern discipline with innocent pleas- ure, and that no recreations were more eligible than bodily exercises, which enable a young man to give a good ed- ucation its full play, which im- prove health, give a pleasurable and agreeable vivacity, and even fortify the mind. The fortunes of the Athenians were too unequal to admit the same mode of education; and, there- fore, the you'h were trained in a manner suitable to the rank and circumstances of their re- spective families. Those of the inferior class were taught agriculture and commerce; from this principle, that idleness is followed by in- digence, and that indigence cre- ates the most daring and a- trocious crimes. Having thus endeavored by wise precautions to preclude the entrance of moral evil, they thought they had little to fear. Not satisfied with having es- tablished good laws, they were extremely careful to see that they were observed. With this view, they divided the city into quarters, and the country into cantons. Every thing passed under their eyes; they were acquainted with the pri- vate conduct of every citizen. Those, who had been guilty of any irregularity were cited be- fore the magistrates and were reprehended, or punished in proportion to their misdemea- nor. The same Areopagites, obliged the rich to relieve the poor. They repressed the in- temperance of the youth, by a severe discipline. Yet this authority, however great it may seem, was subject to the laws; by them rewards and punish- ments were determined; and those respectable judges gave an account of the exercise of their trust to public Censors, who were placed betwixt them and the people, to prevent the aristocracy from growing too powerful. The most important qualifi- cations were required in those who entered into the Areopa- gus. Solon made a law, by which they, who had not been archons for a year should not be admitted members of the Areopagus. To give more force to his law, he subjected himself to it, and was only ad ATH ATH mitted on that title. Such re- spect was paid them, that peo- ple presumed not to laugh in their presence, and so well es- tablished was their reputation for equity, that those whom they condemned, or dismissed without granting their petition, never complained, that they had been unjustly treated. The first substances with which they gave their suffrages, were not small pieces of the bones of a hog, as some au- thors assert, but sea shells, for which, pieces of brass of the same form, termed spondyla^ were afterwards substituted. The substances with which they voted were distinguished" by their form and color. Those, which condemned were black, and perforated in the middle; the others were white, and not perforated. The precaution of piercing the black ones, tends to prove that the court of Areopagus sat in the night, for what end did it serve to pierce the 'black shells, or flints, if the j ndges could have seen them? But as they passed sen- tence in the dark, it is evident, that a difference besides that of color was necessary. After the suffrages were collected, they were taken out of two urns, in which they had been placed and put into a third vase of brass. They were then counted and as the num- ber of white or of black flints was higher or inferior, one of the judges drew with his nail, a shorter or a longer line on a tablet with a waxen surface, on which the result of each cause was marked. The short line expressed acquittal, the long condemnation. To this mode of condemning or ac- quitting persons, reference is undoubtedly had, Rev. ii, 17. "To him that overcom^th will I give a white stone." We find in ancient authors some decisions of this tribunal, which bear the strongest marks of justice, though their objects are not interesting. We shall here quote an anecdote from A u- lusGelliusand Valerius Maxi- mus, of a woman, who was ac- cused of having poisoned her husband and her son; she was taken and brought before Dola- bella, who Mas then proconsul of Asia. She was no sooner in his presence, than she owned the fact, and added, that she had very good reasons for putting her husband and her son to death. "I had," said she, "to my first husband a son, whom I tenderly loved, and whose virtues rendered him worthy my affection. My second husband, and the son whom I bare to him, murdered my favorite child. I thought AVA AVI it would luivc been unjust to h ve suffered those two mon- sters of barbarity to live. If you think. Sir, that I have com- mitted a crime, it is your province to punish it; I cer- tainly shall never repent of it. This affair embarrassed Dola- belia. She was afterwards sent to the Areopagus; and that court, when they had ex- amined her a longtime, order- ed her and her accuser to ap- peal before them again a hun- dred years after, from the first day of tier trial. AT HON, a frontier city of Arabia. ATROTH, a town in the tribe of Gad, east from Jordan, Num. xxii, 35. ATTALIA, a city of Pam- phyha, situated on a fair bay, whither St. Paul and Barnabas, Acts xiv, 25, went to preach in the year of Christ 45. The place is now called Sattalia; being well situated for trade, the Turks keep the fortifica- tions and castle in repair. The city is supposed to be nearer the s a than formerly. Lat. 36, 50. AVA, a place or country mentioned 2 Kings xvii,24,but where situated, it is difficult to determine. In Deut. ii, 23, we read of the Avim; but in the same place, we also read, that they were destroyed, and that the Caphtorim, or Philis- tines dwelt in their stead. Nor does it appear, that the king of Assyria was sovereign of this country, where the Avim are said to dwell. The opinion of Grotiu.s seems to be probable, who has observed that Ptolemy has mentioned a people of Bac- triana, under the name of A- vadice. It may also be here remarked, that the place called Ava may probably be the same, which is called Ivah in the 18th chapter, ven>e 34. AVEN, a city of Ep;ypt mentioned Jcr. xxx, 17, "The young men of Aven and Phi- beseth shall Full by the sword, and these cities shall go into captivity." It is supposed to be the same as On and Helio- polis, which see. The proph- ecy, however, has been fulfill- ed. The place was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar; a modern writer says, "the place is gone to ruin, and very few remains of it are left." Aven, a plain in Syria; it is called the valley of Lebanon, and lies in Celo Syria, the vale between Lebanon and Anti-li- banus, is one of the most fer- tile spots of the world. AVIM, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, 23. It lay between Bethel and Pa- rah. Lat. 31, 46. A VIMS, people descended AVA AZM from Heverus, the son of Ca- naan. This people at first dwelt in the country, which was af- terwards possessed by the Caphtorims, or Philistines. The Scripture says expressly, that the Caphtorims drove out the Avims, who dwelt in Haz- erim, even unto Azzah, Deut. ii, 23. By Azzah is under- stood Gaza, and by Hazerim is probably meant Hazeroth, Num. xi, 35; near to which place the children of Israel had one of their stations, as they were marching through the desert. There were also Avims or Hivites, at Shechem,orGibeon, and consequently in the centre of the promised land; Josh, xi, 19, for the inhabitants of Shec- hem, and the Gibeonites were Hivites. Lastly, there were some of them beyond Jordan, at the foot of mount Hermon. Bochart thinks that Cadmus, who conducted a colony of Phoenicians into Greece, was a Hivite. His name, Cadmus, comes from the Hebrew Ke- dem, the east; because he came from the eastern parts of the land of Canaan. The name of his wife Hermione was taken from mount Hermon, at the root of which the Hivites dwelt. The metamorphosis of Cad- mus's companions into ser- pents, is founded upon the sig- nification of the name of Hi- vites, which in the Phoenician language signifies serpents. A ViTES, a tribe of the Sa- maritans, which came from A- vah, or Ivah, supposed to be in the north-west of Chaldea, and to be destroyed by Senna- charib; they worshipped the idols Nibhaz and Jahtak, 2 Kings xvii, and Isaiah xxxvii, 13. AVITH, the capital of Ha- dad, king of Edom. Gen. xxxiv, 35. AZEKAH, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 35. The Philistines, in whose army was Goliah, were encamped at Shocoh and Azekah, 1 Sam. xvii, 1, which lay to the south of Jerusalem, and the east of Bethlehem, about four leagues from the former, and five from the latter. Eusebius and Jer- ome tell us of a town in their time, called Ezeca, between Eleutheropolis and Jerusalem, which might probably be this Azekah, as this lay in that neighborhood. Lat. 31, 34. AZEM, a city of Judea, be- longing to the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 3. AZMAVETH, or Beth- Azmaveth, Neh. xii, 29, and vii, 28, a city thought to be in the tribe of Judah, adja- cent to Jerusalem and Ana-*, thoth. BAA BAA AZNOTH-TABOR, Josh. xix, 34, or simply Azanoth, or Azoth, a city which Euse- bius places in the plain, not Fat from Diocesaria. Lat. 32,32. AZOTH, or Azotus, sec Ashdod. Joshua utterly destro)ed all the Anakims in the land of Israel, excepting in the cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. Josh, xi, 22. AZZAH, see Gaza. BAAL AH, otherwise Kir- jathjearim, Josh, xv, 9, and 1 Chr. xiii, 6. A city of Ju- dah, which was yielded up to Simeon, not far from Gibeah; here the ark was stationed for some time. It stood on the road from Jerusalem to Dios- polis, ten miles distant. Lat. 31,49. See Kirja thjea rim . B a ALAH,a mountain of Israel in the tribe of Judah, toward Askalon and Gaza. Lat. 32,21. BAALATH, a city in the tribe of Dan, Josh, xix, 44, and 1 Kings ix, 18. This is also the name of a citv, which was built by Solomon. See 2 Chr. viii, 6. Others, however, sup- pose, that the city built by Sol- omon might be Balbec, which see. BAAL-BEER, a city lying to the south of the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 8. BAALBERITH, a temple of Baal on a hill, not far from Shechem, from which the peo- ple of that place took seventy pieces of silver, and with this sacrilege rewarded Abimclech, the demagogue of the day, for aspiring to destroy the republic, and changing it to a monarchy, putting the crown on his own head. With this money he hired a mob to follow and aid him in murdering seventy of his brethren, that he might have no rival, Judg. ix. Lat. 32, 6. BAAL -GAD, a city situat- ed at the foot of Mount Her- mon, Josh, xi, 17, and xii, 7, which lies to the south of Li- banus and Damascus, at the north-east part of the promised land. B^nfrerius places this town in the valley between Lebanon and Herman7. Lat. o .-> no OO, Ji. BAAL-HAZOR, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, where Absalom kept his flocks, 2 Sam. xiii, 23. It lay between Bethel and Jericho, eight miles from Jerusalem. Htre Absa- lom had his shearing feast and murdered his brother, because he had two years before viola- ted his sister, Lat. 31,51. BAAL-HERMON,a moun- tain of Canaan near Lebanon, on the confines of the country, it is generally placed northward of the tribe of Issachar, and the great plain, 1 Chron. v, 23. Some suppose it a part of BAA BAB mount Hermon, or that it was a temple of Baal on Hermon. BAAL-MEON, a city in the tribe of Reuben, Num. xxxii, 38; 1 Chr. v, 8. The Moabites took B aal-meon from the Reubenites, and were mas- ters of it in the time of Eze- kiel, xxv, 9. In the time of Jerome, it was a populous vil- lage, near Baaru in Arabia, where were hot-springs or baths. It was destroyed by the Chaldeans, Numb, xxxii, 38; it seems, however, to have been rebuilt, and a city of some importance in the time of the Maccabees. Lat. 31, 34. BAAL-PERAZIM, the place were David put to flight the Philistines, 2 Sam, v, 20. It cannot be far from Jerusa- lem, since it lay in the valley of Rephaim. Some place it four miles from Jerusalem, south-west. BAAL-SHALSHISHA, 2 Kings, iv, 42, a place, which according to St. Jerome, and Eusebius, is situated at the distance of fifteen miles north of Diospolis, in the tribe of Ephraim or Dan. BAAL TAMAR, the place where the children of Israel engaged those of the tribe of Benjamin, Judg. xx, 33, which according to Eusebius was near Gibcah. The Canaanites here worshipped Baal, in a grove of palm trees. Lat. 31, 52. BAAL ZEPHON, a place on the Red sea, "over against" one of the encampments, of Israel in the wilderness, be- tween Migdol and the sea. Baalzephon is thought by ma- ny learned men to have been the name of an idol, which was supposed to keep the borders of the country and to hinder their slaves from running away. Zephon is thought to signify to watch or spy; but it is also said to signify north. This, then might be a temple stand- ing at the North point of the Red sea, where Suez now is. BABEL, or BABYLON, a term, Which in the original im- port of.the word, signifies con- fusion, and, therefore, used for the name of the city and prov- ince in which the famous tower of that name was building, when God confounded the lan- guage of those men, who were employed about this edifice, so that they could no longer un- derstand one mother. Gen. xv, 9. See Babylon. The s\ bils say, that when morals spoke one tongue and would build a tower by which they might scale heaven, the gods sent a whirl wind and o- verturned the tower, and pro- duced divers languages among them. Various are the senti- BAB BAB ments of authors concerning the manner in which the con- fusion of languages at Babel was effected. But as a dis- quisition of (hat kind is a mat- ter of mere curiosity and con- jecture, and no part of the proper subject of this work, we roust refer the curious reader to the commentators, for their exposition upon this point. Some modern travellers pre- tend to have found out the ru- ins of this renowned structure; but they differ much in their accounts, concerning the situ- ation of them. Some think they have met with these ruins, about eighi or nine miles north- west of Bagdad; while others pretend to have found them, thirty-six miles to the south- west of that city upon the Eu- phrates. Others again look for them considerably lower upon that river. They vary no less in their description of these ruins; and indeed by their sev- eral accounts of them, it is ob- served that none of them ap- pear to be the remains of the original tower of Babel. BABYLON, the capital of Chaldea, built by Nimrod, Gen x, 10; in the place where the tower of Babel was begun. Babylon being the capital of Nimrod's empire, its antiquity is not to be questioned, and indeed profane authors them- .10 selves, who knew nothing of the scriptures, make the son of Belus, whom they will have to be the founder of Babylon, to have lived two thousand years before Semiramis. Oth ers ascribe the foundation of it, to Belus the Assyrian, father of Ninus, and others to Scmf- ramis. Marsham brings down the foundation of this city, as late as the time of Nabonassar. But the opinion most general- ly followed and best ground- ed, is, that Nimrod founded it, Belus enlarged it, and SemJ iramis added so many great works and otherwise adorned it, that she might not improper- ly be called the foundress. But Nebuchadnezzar was the per- son, who put the finishing hand to it, and made it one of the great wonders of the world. The following is a descrip- tion of Babylon in its greatest splendor, chiefly collected from Herodotus, who was upon the spot, and is the oldest and most reputable author, that has treated upon this matter. The whole city, which stood on a large plain, consisted properly of two parts, which were di- vided by the river Euphrates. The walls were every way pro- digious; they were in thickness, 87 feet, in height 350 feet, and in compass, 480 furlongs; these walls were drawn around the BAB BAB city, in form of an exact square; they were surrounded on the outside, with a vast ditch, full of water, and lined with bricks, on both sides. In every side of this great square, were 25 gates, that is, an hundred in all, which were made of solid brass; between every two gates, there were three towers, and four more at the four corners, and three between each of these corners, and the next gate on either side, every one of these towers was ten feet higher than the walls. From these 25 gates, in each side of this great square, went 25 streets in straight lines, to the gates over against them on the opposite side; so that the whole number of streets was 50, each fifteen miles long, of which 25 went one way and 25 the other, directly crossing each other, at right angles; and besides these, there were also four half streets, which had houses only on one side, and the wall on the other; these went around the four sides of the city next the wails, and were each of them, 200 feet broad and the rest about 150. Bv these streets thus crossing each other, the whole city was cut into 676 squares, each of which was four furlongs and a half on every side. Round these squares, on every side towards the streets stood the houses. The space within, in the middle of each square was void ground, employed for yards, gardens, &c. A branch of the river Eu- phrates ran across the city, from the north to the south side: on each side of the river was a key on an high wall of the same thickness with those of the city. In these walls over against every street, that led to the river, were gates of brass, and from them de- scents, by steps to the river. The bridge was not inferior to any of the other buildings, either in beauty or magnifi- cence; and before it was be- gun to be built, they turned the course of the river Euphra- tes and laid its channel dry, for the purpose of laying the foundation more conveniently, and to raise artificial banks on both sides the river, to secure the country from those annual inundations, by which it over- flows its banks. The river, being turned out of its course, to facilitate these works, was received into a prodigious ar- tificial lake, dug, for that pur- pose, to the west of Babylon; this lake was 52 miles square, and 35 feet deep, according to Herodotus, and 75 according to Megasthenes, Into this lake was the whole river turned bv ARA ARA an artificial canal, till the work was finished. But that the Euphrates, in the time of its increase, might not overflow the city through the gates, on its side, this lake with the ca- nal from the river, was still pre- served. The water received into the lake, at the time of these overflowings, was kept there all the g year as in a common reservoir, for the benefit of the country, to be let out by sluices, at all conve- nient times, for watering the lands. At the two ends of the bridge were two palaces, which had a communication with each other by a vault, under the river; the old palace, which stood on the east side of the riv- er, was 30 furlongs in circum- ference; and the new palace, on the other side of the river, was 60 furlongs in compass. It was surrounded with three walls, one within another, with considerable spaces between them. These walls, as also those of the other palace, were embellished with an infinite variety of sculptures, represent- ing all kinds of animals. In this best palace were the hang- ing gardens, so much celebrat- ed in history; these were of a square form, each side being 400 feet long. They were car- ried up into the air in the man- ner of several large terrassess, one above another, till the height equalled that of the walls of the city. The ascent was from terrass to terrass by stairs, ten feet wide, and the whole pile was sustained by vast arch- es, raised upon other arches, one above another and strength- ened by a wrall 22 feet thick. On the top of these arches were laid large flat stones, 16 feet long, and four broad; these were lined with bricks, closely- cemented together with plaster; and that covered with sheets of lead, upon which lay the mould of the garden. Anoth- er of the great works of Baby- Ion, 'was the temple of Belus. The riches of this temple in m statues, tables, censers, cups, and other sacred vessels, all of massy gold, were immense. Among other images, there ♦ was one of forty feet high, which weighed one thousand Babylonish talents of gold. Not long after the time of Al- exander, wrho died here, the city began to decline by the building of Seleucia, about forty miles above it, by Seleucus Nicanor, who is said to have erected this new city from hatred to the Babylonians, and to have drawn out of Babylon 500,000 persons to people it, so that the ancient city was in the time ofCurtius, the historian, lessened -one fourth part, in the time of Pn- BAB BAB ny reduced to desolation, in the days of St. Jerome, turned into a park. Mr. Rawolf, who passed through the place, where stood tins once famous city, speaks of its ruins in the following manner. "The village of Elugo, is now situated, w!vre stood Babylon of Chaldea. I could have never believed that this powerful city, once the most stately and renowned in all the world, and situated in the fruitful country of Shinah, could have stood there, had I not seen by the situation of the place, by many antiquities of great beauty, which are to be seen, and especially by the bridge over the Euphrates of which some piles and arches ofincredible strength are still remaining, that it certainly did stand there." Now the reader may com- pare Isaiah's description, of the condition, to which Baby- lon should be reduced after its fail with the account given of its present state by this travel- ler. "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees 'excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom, and Gomorrah; it shall not be inhabited, neither shall the .Arabian pitch his tent there, neither shall the shep- herds make their folds there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, and the owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance' there. And the wild beast of the is- land shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces," Isa. xiii, 19, &c. In unison with the above, I take from the Gazetteer ol the Eastern Continent, a brief, but more particular and minute ac- count of the gradual decline of Babylon, and the fulfilment of various prophecies. Jeremiah prophesied "that the mighty men of Babylon would for- bear to fight, they have remain- ed in their holds; their might hath failed; they became as women." Agreeably to this, Xenophon tells us, that "when Cyrus came before the place, he could not provoke them to venture forth, and try the for- tune of arms, though he sent a challenge to the king." A variety of other circumstances, in the progress of its destruc- tion are foretold, which history confirms. The same prophet said, "that it should become desolate, that it should not be inhabited, that wild beasts of the desert should be there." Let us examine if Babylon has fal- len; if these circumstances have taken place; if so, then our BAB BAB faith in revelation is confirmed. Diodorus Siculus says, that in his time, but a small part of the city was inhabited. Its destruc- tion had then begun; it was gradual. Not long after, S'ra- bo relates that the Persians had demolished a part of the city; that the court was removed to Seleucia; that the great city had become a desert. In the time of Pliny, Babylon, was a place of "solitude." Maximus Ty- rius mentions its "lying waste and neglected." Consta:; he says, "there was a heap of ru- ined buildings, like a mountain, which was probably the tower of Nimrod." Jannier savs, "in this neighborhood ue saw the foundation of a city, and some of the walls standing, up- on which six coaches might go abreast." The chronicles of the country said, "Here stood Baby- lon." Mr. Hanwav tells us that in 1743, "These ruins were so effaced, that there was hardly any vestiges of them, to point out the situation of the city. Mr. Jackson in 1797, was at Bagdad, and says, that at a little distance are still to be seer, some ruins of ancient Baby- lon;" but it seems he did not go to examine whether it was true. Mr. Wood, who visited the ruins of Palmyra in 1751, presumes to say, "There is not a stone to tell where Babvlon was situated." By these brief extracts from various travel- lers, we see how gradually, how punctually the prophecies res- pecting Babylon, have been ful- filled. "They shall not take of thee a stone lor a corner, nor a stone for foundation; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord." Lat. 53, 12. BABYLONIA, a province BAS BAxM of Chaldea, or Assyria, of which Babylon, was the capital. Here Christianity was early received by the Jews and Pagans; here the apostle Peter wrote one, if not both his letters to his dis- persed brethren of Judah; here the Jews, since the destruction of Jerusalem, have had famous synagogues. BACA. See Bekaa. BACHUR, or Bahurim, or Backer, or Bachora, or Choraba, or Choramon, the place had all these names, a village near Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin, on the road to Jordan. Here Shimei cursed David, and sent stones at him. Lat. 31, 44. BALA, otherwise called Zo- hae, or,ZoAE, a city of the tribe of Simeon, (1 Chr. ix,15) said to receive its name Bala, that is, swallowed up, from its being sunk, just at the time as Lot left if. This name, there- fore, was given to the place where the city had stood, rather than to the city itself. Eusebius however says, the place was the only one, near Sodom, pre- served, and that it continued in his day; it stood near the Dead Sea, and was a military post or garrison of the Romans; the soil produces balsam and dates. BAMOTH, Moses says, (Num. xxi, 19, 20) that the Hebrews went from Nahaleel to Bamoth, and from Bamoth to the valley, which is in the country of Moab. Eusebius says Bamoth is a city of Moab, upon the river Anion. Here was the forty-second encamp- ment of Israel. Lat. 31, 20. BAMOTH-BAAL, a city beyond Jordan,which was given to the tribe of Reuben, Josh, xiii, 17. Eusebius says it is situated in the plain where the river Arnon runs. Lat. 31,33. BARBARIANS, in the He- brew sense, a stranger, who knows neither the holy lan- guage, nor the law. TheGreeks considered all people, but them- selves, or those governed by laws like them, barbarians. The Persians, Egyptians, Hebrews, Arabians, Gauls, Germans, and even the Romans, they viewed as barbarians. St. Luke calls the people of Malta Barbari- ans. St. Paul represented all mankind as Greeks or Barba- rians. Political writers now often call those barbarians, who are in that stage of society be- tween the savage and civilized state, that is, the shepherd state. Most probably the word is de- rived from berbir, a shepherd, whence Barbary, the country of the wandering shepherds, or of Barbarians* BARIS. See Antonio. BASCAMA, orBAScA, a AKA ARA towjn in the tribe of Judah, v. lure Jonathan Maccabseiis was killed: 1 Macca. xiii, 23. Lat. 32, 10. ' BASHAN, or Batanea, one of the most fertile cantons of Canaan, which was bounded on the west by the river Jordan, on the east by the mountains of Gilead, on the south by the brook Jabbok, and on the north by the land of Geshur. The whole kingdom took its name from the hill of Bashan, which is situated in the middle of it, and has since been called Ba- tanea. It had no less than sixty walled towns, besides villages. It afforded an excellent breed of cattle, and stately oaks, and was in short, a plentiful and populous country, given to the half tribe of Manasseh. Og, king of the Amoiites, possessed the kingdom of Bashan, when Moses conquered it. The Re- phaim dwelt in Bashan. Sanson. BASIOTHIA,orBizjoxH- jah, a city of Canaan, in the tribe of Judah. (Josh, xv, 21.) The Septuagint, instead of this name, read, "their towns and their farms." BATANEA. See Bashan. BATHZAKHANAS, a place situated in the neighbor- hood of Bethsura, celebrated for the battle, fought between Antiochus Eupator, and Judas Maccabeus. (1 Macca. vi, 32, 33.) Epiphanius says, that the prophet Habbakuk was born in this vicinity. BEALOTH, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 24. Lat. 31, 8. • BEER, which signifies a well, is also the name of a city, four leagues from Jerusalem, in the way to Sheehem. (Jud. ix, 21.) Mr. Maundrel tells us that Beer is pleasantly situ- ated upon an easy declivity facing the south, that near the foot of the hill is a fountain of excellent water, and that above it are the remains of a church erected by the empress Helena. BEER-ELIM, the well of the princes, (Isa. xv, 8) is thought to be the same with that mentioned iri the book of Numb.xxi, 18, under the same name. Here the howling of the distressed Moabites was heard, when they were invaded by the Assyrians. Numb. xxi, 18; Isa. xv, 8. BEER LAHAI-ROI,a well situated between Kadesh and Bered, thus denominated by Hagar. BEEROTH, a city belong- ing to the Gibeonites, which was yielded afterwards to the tribe of Benjamin. (Josh, ix, 17; 2 Sam. iv, 2.) Eusebius places it seven miles from Je- rusalem, in the way toNicopo- lis. Maundrel says, that it en- joys a pleasant situation, on the side of a hill declining to the BEE BEN south. At the foot of the hill is a fountain of excellent water. At the upper part of the town is an old church, built by the empress Helena. Lat. 31,51. Beerot ii, the twenty -eighth station, whence the children of Israel, marched to Mosera, (Deut. x, 6) and which Euse- bius places, at the distance of ten miles from the city Petra. This place in Numb, xxxiii, 31, 32, is called Bene-Jaakan, instead of Beeroth-bene-Ja- akan. It lies a little north from Ezion-geber. BEERSHEBA, the well of an oath, or the well of seven, so called, because that Abraham made here an alliance with Abimclech, king of Gerar, and gave him seven ewe lambs, as a pledge of that covenant, to which they had sworn. Bcersheba was at first given by Joshua to the tribe of Judah, and afterwards a cession of it, "was made to Simeon. Josh. xv, 28, and xix, 2. It was twentv miles from Hebron, to- wards the south, and 42 from Jerusalem. The limits of the holy land, are often expressed, From Dan even unto Beer- sheba; 2 Sam. xvii, 11, &c. The two places were 156, or 160 Roman miles apart, Dan was the northern, and Beershe- ba the southern extremity of the land. In process of time, a considerable town was built here, called by pagan writers Berzimma, or Bersabe. The place, was well fortified, when governed by Christian princes, and as a frontier town it was considered a place of im- portance. When the Romans held this country, Beersheba was a garrison. BEKAA, a valley of Syria, anciently called Coelo Syria which separates the chain of mountains, denominated Anti- Libanus, from the Libanus of the Druses, or Maronites, a most fruitful district of all Syria. But the reverberation of the sun's rays, between the mountains, renders the heat intense. The north winds, however, cool the atmsophere and the country is not unheal- thy. Before the earthquake of 1759 this whole region was covered with farms and villa- ges, but that calamity, and the subsequent wars of the Turks, have produced a gener- al desolation. In this vale is situated the famous Balbec. BENE-BERAK, a town of Canaan in the tribe of Dan. Joshua xix, 45. BENE-JAAKAN, a station of the Israelites in the desert, be- tween Moseroth andHor-hagid- gad. Numb. xxxiii, 42. Lat.30. BENJAMIN, this tribe lay to the north of Judah, and south from Ephraim; it had the Jordan east, and the tribe BEN .BER of Dan interposed between Benjamin and the sea. Jacob had said, ("Benjaipin shall raven as a wolf," and wolves the men of this tribe were. They at different times, dis- played* the rude ferocity of their courage, till they were finally almost annihilated as a people. Bold in their wicked- ness, they patronized the lewd wretches of Gibeon, which drew on them the just ven- geance of all the other tribes. Yet such was the fury of their courage, that twice with only 25,000 men they defeated 360,000 of the other tribes, and slew 40,000. In a third battle they were defeated, and their whole tribe, excepting 600 men, destroyed. These fled to the rock Rimmon. When the other tribes had time for cool reflection, they were griev- ed for the almost entire extir- pation of their brother Benja- min. Accordingly they pro- cured young women from Ja- bez Gilead, and from Shiloh, to be wives for the 600 sur- viving Benjamites, (Judges xx, and xxi.) It was not per- haps much more than half a century after this, that Ehud arose and delivered the coun- try from the Moabites. Saul and Ishbosheth, the first kings of Israel, were of this tribe, so were Modecai and Esther. But 11 the greatest honor of this tribe was Saul of Tarsus, afterwards Paul the apostle. When this tribe came from Egypt they had 35,400 men, able to bear arms; in the wilderness they amounted to 45,600; when Da- vid numbered them, a little before his death, they were about 60,000. In this tribe was the temple, and the city of Jerusalem. When the other ten tribes revolted with Jero- boam, Benjamin faithfully ad- hered to Judah and the house of David, and shared in the blessings of their religious priv- ileges. Under Jehosophat the militia of Benjamin were 380,000. After the captivity vast numbers of them returned to Jerusalem. BEON, Numb, xxxii, 3; otherwise Bean, 1 Maccab. v, 4; a city beyond Jordan, which Eusebius says belonged to the tribe of Reuben. BERA, See Beer. BEREA, a city of Macedo- nia, where St. Paul preached the gospel with great success, Acts xvii, 10, 13. Lat. 40, 45. BERED, a city of Palestine, not far from Gaza. The well, where Hagar rested herself, flying from her mistress, was in this region. BERITH, or Bar atres, a city of Phoenicia on the Medit- erranean, between Biblos and BES BET Sldon, fifty miles north from Sidon. It is doubted whether this place is mentioned in scrip- ture, but there are several cities of this name in Palestine. BEROTH, a city of Syria conquered by David, 2 Sam. viii, 8; perhaps it was Berytus in Phoenicia. BEROTHAH,orBEROTH, a citv mentioned in Ezekiel, xlvii, 16; thought to be the same with Beroth of Syria. BERSABA, a town in Gal- ilee between upper and lower Galilee. BESETHA, a mountain in Jerusalem, north from the tem- ple. BESIRA, or the well of Sirah, two miles and a half from Hebron. BESOR, a brook, 1 Sam. xxx, 9, which falls into the Mediterranean, between Gaza and Rhinocorura. This is the brook of the wilderness, men- tioned Amos vi, 14, which many have taken for the brook or river of Egypt, which is spoken of in several places of scripture, as Josh, xv, 4, 47, &c. and which Calmet thinks is no other than the Nile, or its most eastern branch. Dr. Shaw represents this as a small stream, not deserving the rnme of a river. Here 200 of Da- vid's men remained, overcome with fatigue, «whjle the other 400 pursued those Amalekites, who had burned Ziklag. It is thought that the Ethiopian eunuch was .baptized in this brook, Acts viii, 26 — 39. I think Sanson correct in saying this seems to be sometimes, called the torrent, or river of Egypt. Lat. 31,10. BETAH, or Tibhath, a city of Syria, taken by David from Hadadezer, 2 Sam. viii, 8, and thought to be the same with Beten, which Josh, xix, 25, sets down as belonging to the tribe of Asher. BETHAB ARA, a place be- yond Jordan, where John the Baptist baptized, John i, 28. Bethabara, which in the He- brew, signifies the house of passage, is thought to be the place, where the Israelites pas- sed the river Jordan, under Joshua; and it is believed, that there was the common ford of this river. It is also supposed by some, that this is the very spot where John stood when he baptized the Lord Jesus Christ. In the time of Eusebius many were zealous to be baptized at this place, and resorted here for the purpose. But some writers suppose it was the place where Jacob crossed the Jordan, a little south from the sea of Tiberias. Lightfoot says much to prove, it lay north-east from that sea. BET BET BETHANATH, a city of the tribe of Naphtali, Josh, xix, 38 ^ BETHANIM, a village four miles from Hebron, and two miles from the oak or pme, u here Abraham entertained the angels. BETHANY, a considerable place, situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, or on the mount, about fiheen furlongs eastward of Jerusalem. Here it was,that Martha andMary lived, with their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, John ix, 18; and it was here, that Mary poured the perfume, on our Savior's head. Bethany is but a very small village. One of our modern travellers acquaints us,thatnear the entrance of the place, there is an old ruin, called the castle of Lazarus, supposed to have been the mansion-house, where he, and his sisters lived. At the bottom of a descent, not far from the castle, you see his sepulchre, which the Turks hold in great veneration, and use it for an oratory, or place of prayer. Here going down by 25 steps, you come at first, into a small square room, and thence creep into another, that is less, about a yard and half deep, in which the body is said to have been laid. About a bow- shot thence, you pass by the place, which they say was Mary Magdalene's house, and thence descending a steep hill, you come to the fountain of the apostles, which is so cal- led, because, according to tra- dition, these holy persons were wont to refresh here, between Jerusalem and Jericho, as very probably they might, because the fountain is close to the road side, and is very inviting to the thirsty traveller. This village was famous for its figs. From Jerusalem Jesus Christ having led his disciples to mount Olivet, as far as to Bethany, here he lifted up his hands and blessed them, and while he blessed them, they beheld; he was separated from them, taken up, and carried into heaven, a cloud receiving him out of their sight. The spot now shown for the place of our Lord's ascension is at the top of mount Olivet, where anciently was a large church, built in honor of that glorious triumph. An octagonal cupo- la, eight yards in diameter, is now standing; as they say, over the very spot where were the last footsteps of the divine Sa- vior in this world. BETH-ARABAH, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 6, and afterwards given to that of Benjamin. Josh, xviii, 22. BET • BET BETHARAN, orBETHA- ram, Numb, xxxii, 36, and Josh xiii, 27, a fenced city be- yond Jordan, towards the Dead Sea, and afterwards called Li- vias. BETHAVEN, the same with Bethel. This city upon the revolt of the ten tribes, be- longed to the kingdom of Is- rael, and was, therefore, one of the cities, where Jeroboam set up his golden calves; whence the prophet Hosea iv, 15, in derision calls it Bethaven, the house of vanity or' idols, in- stead of Bethel, that is, the house of God, the name, which Jkcob formerly gave it, when he had the vision there of the mysterious ladder, Gen. xxviii, 19, and the angels ascending and descending, from heaven to earth. BETHBARA, a place^ be- yond the river Jordan. Judg. vii, 24, thought to be the same with Bethabara. It lay between the Jordan and Dead Sea. Here Gideon called the people of Ephraim to post themselves to. to arrest the flying Midianites. This place was south from the sea of Galilee. Lat. 32, 11. BETHFASI, a city in the tribe of Judah, which the two Maccabees, Simon and Jona- than, fortified. 1 Mac. ix, 62, 64; and where Bacchidcs be- sieged them without any sue- cess. BETHBAR, a city of the tribe of Dan. 1 Sam. vii, 11. In a battle between the Israel- ites and Philistines, the former pursued the latter to this place, 1 Sam. vii, 11, and near this place Samuel set up his Eben- ezer. Lat. 31, 52. ^ BETH-DAGON, a city of Canaan in the tribe of Asher. The name imports house or temple of D agon. BETH-DAGON,acity of Ca- naanin the tribe of Judah; so cal- led, probably, because here, was a temple of Dagon, before the country was conquered by the Israelites. BETHEL, a city, which lay to the west of Hai, about eight miles to the north of Jerusalem, in the confines of the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin. The rabbins tell us, that the stone on which Jacob rested his head at Bethel, was put into the sanctuary of the temple, which was built after the return from captivity; that the ark of the covenant was placed upon this stone, and that long after the ruin of the temple, the Jews had a custom of lamenting their ca- lamities upon it. The Mahom- etans believe, their temple at Mecca to be founded on this very stone, and have a great BET BET veneration for it. Lat. 81, 48. BETH-EMEK, a frontier city of Ashcr, Josh, xix, 27. BETHER. There is mention of the mountains of Bethcr, in the song of Solomon, ii, 17, and viii, 14. The word Be- ther, which in the 2d chap, of Canticles, our translators of the Bibie, and the author of the Vulgate, have retained, is in some Latin copies of the Bible read Bethel, instead of Bether. But in the eighth chapter of the Canticles, the mountains of Bether, as the Hebrew has it, is bv our translators, as well as by the Septuagint, and the au- thor of the Vulgate Bible, ren- dered the mountains of Spices. Inquiry has been made, what this Bether is, and how it is situated; some take it to be Bethoron, called Bether in Eu- sebius, Bethara in Josephus, and Bcthra in an old itinerary. There is frequent mention of Bether in the writings of the Hebrews. It was taken by the emperor Adrian, in the rebel- lion of Barchochebas, 100 years after Christ. "The number of Jews inclosed in it was so great," says the Gemara, "that the blood, which run from the dead bodies into the sea, car- ried stones along with it as large as four seahs, (the seah being a measure, that held a peck and a pint,) and that it ran four miles into the sea.' But it is observed that there were two cities of this name, one twelve, and the other fifty- two miles from Jerusalem. Lat. 31,48. BETHESDA, the Hebrew name for a pool or public bath, which had five porticos, piaz- zas, or covered walks, around it. This bath, for its singular usefulness, was called Bethes- da, or the house of mercij, be- cause, as Pool in his Annota- tions observes, the erecting of baths was an act of great kind- ness to the common people, whose indispositions, in hot countries, required frequent bathing; though the generality of expositors think, it had this name, from God's great good- ness to his people, in giving sugIi healing virtues to waters, as this pool had. However,some will have the word Bethesda, to be the sink-house or drain, because the waters which came from the temple and the place where the victims were washed, flowed thither. Mr. Mack night in'his Harmony of the Gospels, concludes that their opinion, seems to be without a proper foundation, who affirm, that this pool served for washing the sheep designed for sacrifice, before they were driven into the temple; and for washing the entrails of beasts sacrificed BET BET there; besides, he thinks it in- consistent with the situation of Bethesda, near the sheep gate or market, as our English translators have rendered the Greek, though some copies have it in the south-east wall of the city; or according to the compilers of the Universal His- tory, in that which was on the north-east, a great way from the temple. However, this may be, we are told, John v, 2, 3, &c. that in the porticos of this bath, at the time of a certain feast (which is generally supposed to be the passover) there lay a multitude of impotent folks, such as blind, halt, and with- ered, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the wa- ter; that is, moved it in a sen- sible manner. Whosoever, then, first stepped into the pool, after the troubling of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had. Some writers confine the miracle of the pool of Bethesda, to the season of this particular feast, mentioned ver. 4, which our translators render at a certain season, meant at that season; that is, the season mentioned verse 1. That the waters of Bethesda, should at this time have ob- tained a miraculous healing quality, was, without doubt, in honor of the personal ap- pearance of the Son of God on earth. Perhaps it was intend- ed to show, that Ezekiel's vis- ion chap. 47, of waters issuing out of the sanctuary, was about to be fulfilled, of which waters it is said, ib. ver. 9, "They shall be healed, and every thing shall - live whither the river cometh." But it must be observed, that the fourth verse of this chapter of St. John, is not in the Cambridge M.S. which formerly was Beza's, nor in one or two more of great au- thority. See Dr. Mill's judg- ment in that part of his Prole- gomena to which he refers the reader in his note on the text. But though it should be re- jected, the difficulty for which some would have it cancelled, Mr. Macknight observes, re- mains still; because the seventh verse implies, that cures were performed in this pool, and that only one at a time, was cured, and consequently, that these cures were miraculous. If so, it is as easy to conceive, that an angel moved the water, and gave it its healing quality, as to fancy, those cures were performed miraculously any other way. Grotius thinks that the angel is said to have descended, not because he was ever seen to do so, but because BET BET the Jews were persuaded, that God brought such things to pass by the ministration of an- gels; so from that violent mo- tion of the water, and the cure following it, the presence of an angel was with reason suppos- ed. The learned Dr. Ham- mond supposed, that the wa- ters became medicinal by being impregnated with a healing warmth from the blood and entrails of the sacrificed beasts, that were washed there; and that the angel or messenger in the text, is an officer or ser- vant of the high priest, sent by him to stir the pool. The great Bartholine supposes, that these waters were naturally medicinal, and that this com- motion was occasioned by an extraordinary fermentation, of some mineral in them; and therefore he makes the angel no more than a divine power, which originally gave this effi- cacy. See Whitby' 's Annota- tions, and Bp. Smallbrooke }s Vindication. Whoever saw a circle of per- sons round the springs of Balls- ton, waiting "the moving of the waters" by the fixed air, at which moment they sink their vessels to take the water for drinking, without forcibly re- collecting a somewhat similar circumstance at Bethesda? May not the narrative give a sketch of the popular opinions of the Jews? If it were a mineral spring; if at times the gases discharged themselves with violent ebulitions of the water, as is common; if the people, as they doubtless would, im- agined that the water had pe- culiar virtue, during this agi- tation, would not the Jews as- cribe this to the presence of an angel, and would not the- story be related as it is? Tertullian says that the vir- tue of the pool ceased, after the Jews had rejected the Sav- ior, and a late traveller assures us that now it is dry. The pit, which it seems was once full of water, is 120 paces long, 40 broad, and 8 deep. At one end is some ancient arches, which the people say are the porches in which ,sat the mul- titude of the lame, the halt, and blind. BETH-GAMUL, a city of the Moabites, in the tribe of Reuben, Jer. xlviii, 23, the Moabites seized the place a- gain, and it was afterward rav- aged by the Chaldeans. BETHHACCEREM, Jer. vi, 1, a city situated on an em- inence noted for its vineyards, between Jerusalem and Teko- ah. Neh. iii, 14. BETH-HOGLA, the name of two places; one part of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 6, fix- BET BET ed by Eusebius eight miles from Gaza; the other (ibid, xvii, 21,) St. Jerome places eight miles from Jordaa in the tribe of Benjamin. BETH-HORON. There is mention in Scripture of two cities of this name within the bounds of Ephraim. Josephus speaks of Beth-Horon, or Bai- thoro, as twelve miles and a half from Jerusalem. The rabbins say, that the army of Sennacherib perished in the going down of Beth-Horon, and the way was "so narrow, say theTalmudists, that if two camels attempted to go through together, they both fell. Josh. x, 10. While the enemies of Israel were flying before Josh- ua, through this narrow pass, and thronged together,the Lord cast great stones from heaven upon them; and more died by the hail stones, than by the swords of Israel. While Ces- tius the Roman general, was retreating from Jerusalem, the Jews did not press upon him, till he reached this narrow de- scent, then they hurried upon him, and overwhelmed him with their darts. BETH-JESIMOTH, a city in the tribe of Reuben, Josh, xiii, 20. It was afterwards possessed by the Moabites. Ezek. xxv, 9 foretold the des- truction of this, as well as the other cities of Moab. They were destroyed by the Chalde- ans, Josh, xiii, 20. Eusebius places this city ten miles from the river Jordan. BETHLEBAOTH, a city of Palestine in the tribe of Sim- eon, sometimes called Leba- oth. BETHLEHEM, a famous city in the land of Canaan, where King David was born, and where a still greater King, our Lord Jesus Christ, was born. It is sometimes called Ephrath, or Ephratah, and sometimes Bethlehem Ephra- tah, sometimes Bethlehem Ju- dah, to distinguish it from an- other Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulon. It lies about six miles from Jerusalem south or south-west, in the way to He- bron, as Eusebius and St. Jer- , orae tell us, who add, that the monument of Jesse, father of David, was shown herein their time. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that about one hour and a quarter's distance from Beth- lehem, southward, are shown those famous mountains, pools, and gardens, which are said to have been the contrivance and delight of Solomon. To these works and places of pleasure, that prince is supposed to al- lude, Eccl. ii, 3, 6, where, a- BET BET mong the instances of his mag- nificence, he reckons his gar- dens, vineyards, and pools. The pools are three, lying in a row above each other, so disposed, that the waters of the uppermost run into the sec- ond, and those of the second into the third. Their figure is quadrangular. The breadth is the same in all, about 90 paces. The first is about 160 paces long, the second 200, the third 220. They are all lined with wall, and plaistcred, and con- tain a great depth of water. Close by the pools, is a castle of modern construction; and about the distance of 140 paces from them, is the fountain from which they principally derive their waters. This, the friars insist is that sealed fountain to which the holy spouse is com- pared, Cant, iv, 12. And they pretend a tradition, that king Solomon shut up those springs, and kept the door of them sealed with his signet, that he might preserve the waters for his own drinking, in their nat- ural freshness and purity. Nor was it difficult thus to secure them, they rising under ground, and having no avenue to them, but by a little hole, like the mouth of a narrow well. Through this hole, you de- scend about four yards direct- lv down, but not without some .12 difficulty; and then arrive in a vaulted room fifteen paces long, and eight broad. Joining to this is another room, of the same form, but somewhat less. Both these rooms are covered with handsome stone arches, very ancient, and perhaps, says Mr. Maundre!, truly the work of Solomon. You find here four places, at which the water rises. From these sources it is conveyed by little rivulets into a kind of bason, and from thence, by a large subterrane- ous passage down into the pools. In its way to the pools, an acqueduct of brick pipes, receives part of the streams, and carries it by many turnings and windings about the moun- tains to Jerusalem. The pools, it is probable enough, may be the same with Solomon's, there not being the like store of ex- • cellent spring water any where else, throughout all the Holy Land. What has hitherto been de- scribed lies south of Bethle- hem. On the west is shown the well of David, so called, because it is taken for that whose waters David so pas- sionately desired, 2 Sam. xxiii, 15. It is a well, or rather a cistern, supplied only with rain, without any natural excellency in its waters. About two fur- longs beyond this well, are re- BET BET mains of an aqueduct, which anciently conveyed the water from Solomon's pools to Jeru- salem, and may well, says Mr. Maundrel, be allowed to be in reality what it is pretended for. The aqueduct consists of stones perforated. These are let into each other with a fillet, framed round about the cavity, to prevent leakage, and united to each other with so firm a cement, that they will some- times sooner break through a kind of coarse marble, than be separated. This train of stones was covered, for its greater security, with a case of smaller stones, laid over it, in very strong mortar. The whole seems to be endued with such absolute firmness, as if it had been designed for eternit}-. But the Turks have demon- strated in this instance, that nothing can be so well wrought, but they are able to damage or destroy it. For of this strong aqueduct, carried five or six leagues, with such vast expense and labor, you see now only here and there a frag- ment remaining. Bethlehem was a city not considerable for its extent or riches; but was infinitely so on account of the Messiah's birth. Bethlehem is situated upon the declivity of a hill, or as Mariti calls it, a lofty moun- tain, about two leagues from Jerusalem. It is generally visited by pilgrims, and at present is furnished, not only with a convent of the Latins, but also with one of the Greeks, and another of the Armenians. Here are shown you the se- pulchres of Jesse and David, although, as Bonfrerius ob- serves, David was buried in Jerusalem; also, the very place, where our Savior was born, the manger in which he was laid, and the cave or grot in which the blessed virgin, hid herself and her divine Babe, from the malice of Herod, for some time, before their de- parture into Egypt. The grot is formed in a chalky rock, but this whiteness, they will not have to be [natural, but occa- sioned by some miraculous drops of the blessed virgin's milk, which fell from her breast, when she was suckling the holy infant; and so much are the inhabitants of Bethle- hem possessed with this opin- ion, that they believe the chalk of this grotto has a miraculous virtue, for increasing women's milk, and it is taken very fre- quently for this purpose. Here are shown you likewise the chapel of St. Joseph, the sup- posed father of our Lord, the chapel of the innocents, and BET BE! also those of St. Jerome, St. Paula, and Eus'oehium. A- bout half a mile eastward f."0in the town, you see the field, where the shepherds were witching their flocks, when they reeeived the glad tidings of the Savior's birth; and not far from the held, the village, where they dwelt. Bethlehem is 'it present a considerable plaec, from which is a delight- ful prospect. It is surrounded with hills and vallies. The sit- uation is pleasant. It has sev- eral fine streets, and a church ■:i the form of a cross, erected by the famous Helena, also several chapels. In the town are GOO men able to bear arms, 100 of these are Christians. Six miles from Bethlehem were the vineyards of Engeddi. The complexion of. the people is very dark, almost approach- ing to black. The females are betrothed as soon as they are born, and married at twelve years of age. They cover their heads with a long veil, which flows loosely down their backs. The sides and top of the mountain are enriched with fine vineyards, banked with walls, which cost immense la- bor. The grapes are large, and of a rieh flavor. Here are figs and other fruit, which are the principal support of the in- habitants. The soil is rich, the fruits excellent; their white wine is celebrated, though it i strong and "heady." Here says a Mahometan writer, "Je- sus, on whom be peace, wa* born of his mother." It is 6 miles south from Jerusalem. Lat, 31, 50; long. 35, 25, E. Bowen, Adams, Mariti, J'olneij. BETII-MEON, a city be- longing to the Moabites, in the tribe of Reuben, Jer. xlviii, 23. This is probably the same as Baalmeon. Not only this but all the places in this region were possessed by the Moabites before the people of Israel took possession of the country; though the Amorites had expelled them, the Moab- ites seem to have taken posses- sion again, after the ten tribes were carried into Assyria. Hence many cities, which had belonged to Israel, as Hesh- bon, Jazer, Dibon, and others, Jeremiah represented as cities of the Moabites. BETH-NIMRAH, a city of Judah, belonging to the tribe of Gad. Numb, xxxii. 36. BETHOANNABA, Cal- met supposes this may be Nob, where the tabernacle continued sometime in the reign of Saul. BETHOM, or Bethoba, or Bethoron, or Julias, ii bore all these names, the birth. place of the prophet Joel. BETH-PALET, according BET BET to Joshua (xv, 27;) or Beth- phelet, according to Nehemi- ah (xi, 26;) was a city in the most southern part of Judah; and one of those which was yielded up to the tribe of Sim- eon. BETH-PAZZIZ, a city of Palestine belonging to the tribe of Issachar, Josh, xix, 21. BETH-PEOR, a city of Moab, given to the tribe of Reuben; Deut. iv, 46; where the God Peor was worshipped. BE TH-PHAGE, a small village of the priests, situated on mount Olivet, and as it seems, some what nearer Jeru- salem than Bethany. The distance between Beth-phage and Jerusalem is computed at fifteen furlongs. Yet the Tal- mudists say that a Beth-phage was within the walls of Jerusa- lem; it is possible a street might bear this name, which led to the Beth-phage, which produc- ed figs, without the city. It is uncertain whether a village rose, here, or a number of houses, or only the habitations of the gardeners, who might raise figs and other fruit for the Jerusalem market. BETH-BEHOB, See Re- HOB. BETHSAIDA, a city of which there is no mention in the Old Testament though it frequently occurs in the New, the resson of which is, that it was but a village, as Josephus tells us, till Philip the Tetrarch made it a magnificent city, and gave it the name of Julius, out of respect to Julia the daughter of Augustus, Cesar. Its original name in Hebrew imports a place of fishing, or of hunting, and for both these it was very commodiously sit- uated. As it belonged to the tribe of Naphtali, a country re- markable for a plenty of deer, Gen. xlix, 21; and as it lay on the north end of the lake Gen- esareth, it was so commodious for the latter that we find Peter and Andrew, who were inhabi- tants of this city, were fisher- men by trade. Wells. See Bethzaidia. BETH-SHAN, or Beth- She an, a city belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh, on the west of Jordan, and not far from that river. But the peo- ple of Manasseh, were notable to drive the natives from this place. It was a considerable city in the time of Eusebius, and St. Jerome, and was then called as it had been for sever- al ages before, Scythopolis, or the city of the Scythians, as the Sep'tuagint, Judges i, 27; reads it. It is supposed to take its name from tome re- markable occurrence here, when the Scythians made an BET BET inroad into Syria. It is said (2 Maccab. xii, 29;) to be si* hundred furlongs from Jeru- salem. After the battle on mount Gilboa, the Philistines took the body of Saul, and fas- tened it to the wall of Beth- shah, 1 Sam xxxi, 10. This place was the limit of Galilee south and before the Babylo- nish captivity, was reckoned within the land of Israel, but after that period it was not in- cluded. The city was a mile and a half from the river Jor- dan. Probably a district round the town bore the same name and mi'ght be on each side of the river. This city is more generally known by the name of Scythopolis. BETH-SHEMESH, a city in the tribe* of Judah, belong- ing to the priests, Josh, xxi, 16. This place was thirty miles from Jerusalem. This was also the name of a city in the tribe of Issachar, Josh, xix, 22, and there are some, who take notice of a third city of this name in the tribe of Naphtali, ib. 38, and Judges, i, 33. Bethshemesh, was also a city of Egypt; probably theHe- liopolis of the Greeks, and the On, mentioned Gen. xli, 45. In the time of Ezekiel it retain- ed the same name, Ezek. xxx, 17. In the temple here was an annual festival in honor of the sun. BETHSHITTAH, ( on pursued the Midianites to this place, Judges vii, 22. It probably lay in the tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan. BETHZURA, or Beth- shur. See Bethzur. BETH-TAPPUAII, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15, 53, situated in the way to Egypt, fourteen miles from Raphia, and of course not far from the Nile. BETHUL, a city in the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 4. Sozo- man, says the town was popu- lous; we find a bishop of Bcthe- lia among those of Palestine. See Bethulia. BETHULIA, a city cele- brated for enduring the siege of Holofernes, at which he Nvas killed by Judith. Our modern travellers to the Holy Land, almost unanimously agree, that Bethulia is situated in the tribe of Zebulun, about a league from Tiberias, towards the west, where they pretend that some marks of Holofernes's camp are still to be seen; but this however is certain, that both Judith and her husband were of the tribe of Simeon, Judith viii, 1, and ix, 2, and for what purpose they should remove to so great a distance from their own inheritance, and settle in a different tribe, is not easy to find out. Since, therefore, the scripture takes BET BET notice of a place in the tribe of Simeon, named Bethul, a place dependent on Gaza of the Phil- istines, and famous for its tem- ples, which are very remarka- ble, both for their antiquity and fine structure, (from whence not unlikely, it had trie name Bethulor the house of the Lord.) there is much more reason to conclude, in the opinion of Calmet, that this was the place, since the otherto vn which trav- ellers talk of in the tribe of Zebulun, must be of too mod- ern a date, to be the city intend- ed here; because we find neither Joshua, nor Josephus, nor Euse- bius, nor St. Jerome, make any mention of it. Caimefs dis- sert, and comment. Bethuj^ia, a town of Pales- tine, in the tribe of Zebulun, two miles from the Dead Sea. The learned author from whom the preceding article is extracted would have saved himself trouble, if he had examined the seventh chap, of Judith, and would doubtless have con- cluded that there were two towns of this name, and also have felt more charity for mod- ern travellers. In the third verse, the camp of Holofernes is said to have extended from Bethulia to Cyamon, which is over against Esdrelon. Esdre- lon or Jezreel, we all know, was not in the tribe of Simeon, but in that of Issachar, border- ing 0:1 the tribe of Zebulun, ntar the Dead Sea. BETHZAIDA, or Beth- s a i d \ , s ee Bethsa ida . "Woe unto thee Chorazin; woe Unto theeBethsaida, for if the migh- ty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been dor.e in you, they had a great while ago repented, sit- ting in sackcloth and ashes." This "woe" has long since been executed. Hence we may infer that Jesus Christ did not speak without author- ity. God has punished th< m for their disregard of J.-sus Christ. Five or six poor cottages are all which now remains of this populous town. Topo- grahic Diet. BETH-ZUR, or Beth su- ra, a city belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 53; being opposite to soutli Eclom, and a place of great strength, defending the passage into Ju- dah, on the south side of Idu- mea. We read in the second book of Maccabees, xi, 5; that Bethsura was only five fur- longs from Jerusalem, but this is an obvious mistake; Eusebi- us places it at the distance of twenty miles from Jerusalem, in the way towards Hebron. At the foot of mount Bethzur is a spring where 'it is si«id the eunuch of queen Candaec was baptized. Bethzur, or Bethsur, sign;- BliZ BEZ the house of the rock, or the temple on the rock. The rock or mountain, the original refuge of mankind, are objects ,i commemorated on med- al."!). BETOMESTttAM, or BeTOM ASTHEM, (Jlldltl) '.V, 6, and xv, 4;) a city of Judah, over against Esdraelon, near Doathim. BETQNIM, a city of the the tribe of Gad, Josh. 13, 26; towards the north extremity of this tribe, and bordering on Manasseh. BEZEK, a city in the tribe of Judah. Eusebius and St. Jerome, say, that there were two cities of this name in their days, pretty near one another, about seventeen miles from Sichem, in the way to Scytho- polis, or Bethshan. Calmet is of opinion that Bezek was situ- ated, near the passage of the river Jordan at Bethshan; and Wells thinks, that there was no more than one city of this name, which was in the tribe of Judah. About 100 years since, this was a small village. Lat.32, 21. BEZER, or Bozra, or BosTRA,a city beyond Jordan, given by Moses to the tribe of Reuben, Deut. iv,43; and de- signed by Joshua (chap, xx, ver. 8;) to be a city of refuge. The scripture speaking of Be- , generally adds, in the wil- derness, because it lay in Ara- bia Deserta, and the eastern part of Edom, encomposed on all sides with deserts. Isaiah xxxiv, 6; threatens Bozra with very great calamities. "The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, and their land shall be soaked with blood; the smoak thereof shall go up for ever; thorns shall come up in her palaces, and there shall the great owl make her nest, and the vultures be gathered." He also describes a conqueror re- turning from Bozra, with his garments all dyed in blood. This conqueror is believed by some to be Judas Maccabeus, who took this city, and made great ravages in it, killing all the males, he found there, plundering the city, and then setting it on fire. Jeremiah likewise (chap, xlviii, ver. 24, 25, and xlix, 13, 22, &c, threat- ens Bozra in a terrible manner, and it is likewise believed by some, that these menaces, were accomplished when Nebuchad- nezzar carried his arms into Edom, and the neighboring provinces five years after the taking of Jerusalem. We know not, saith a learned writ- er, that any vestige of this city remains at the present time. Eusebius places Bozra, at four and twenty miles from Adraa BOT BOG or Edrai. This city is said to belong sometimes to Reuben, sometimes to Moab, and some- times to Edom, because, as it was a frontier town, to these three provinces, it sometimes, was in the hands of one, and sometimes of the other, as force or chance of war decided. There are Bishops of Bozra, whose names are subscribed to the decrees of several councils. Some Geographers allow sev- eral cites of this name. Lat. 31,43. BEZETH, a city on this side Jordan, which Bacchides supposed, and threw all the in- habitants into a great pit, 1 Mace, vii, 19. BEZETHA, a division, or district of Jerusalem, situated on a hill, encompassed with good walls, being, as it were, a new city added to the old. It was in the north part of the city. BEZOR, SeeBEsoR. BIBLUS, a city of Phoeni- cia, See Biblos. BILE AM, a city in the tribe of Manasseh, on the other side of Jordan. It was given to the Levites of Koath's fam- ily. 1 Chr. vi, 70. * BITHYNIA, forms one of the districts of Natolia and is the nearest province to Turkey in Europe, being separated only by the strait called Thracian Bosphorus. Its principal cit- ies are Prusa, Nice, and Nic • omedia. This province lies on the south of the Euxine sea, west of Pontus and Galatia, north of Asia proper, and east of the Propontis. It was famed in the time of the Argonautic expedition; which might be during the reign of Rehoboam, if not much earlier. It is now called Becksangil; and if culti- vated would be a fruitful coun- try. When Paul first travelled for Europe, the Holy Ghost allowed him not to preach here, Acts xvi, 7. But afterwards a church was planted, and a number of Jews and others be- lieved, 1 Pet. i, 1; the centuri- ators of Madgeburgh trace the history of Christianity here till the 10th century: nay there still remain some vestiges to the present time. At Nice in this province, was held the first general council; also the fourth general council at Glial* * cedon, on the strait of Constan- tinople. BOCHIM, the place of weepers. It is certain that the battle between David and the Philistines, in the valley of Bochim was fought near Je- rusalem, wherefore unless two places are distinguished by the name Bochim, it must be al- lowed this was near Jerusa- lem. ! ftYB C&A BOIIAN, a great rock men- ned Joshua xviii, 17. "The -'one of ;i man named Bohan, 10 was of the tribe <>i Reuben. i his mighr be a boundary, or I might be setup to commem- orate some remarkable event, like that of Jacob at Bethe! and many others in different quar- ters of the woiid^|s* BOZKZ, the nine of a rock, which Jonathan the son of Saul, limbed up, when he went to attack the Philistines. 1 Sam. 15, 4. BOZHATH, a, city in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 39. JLat. O I, O /. BOZRA, or Bezer, or son, a town of Palestine, 60 miles south-west from Da- mascus. BUZ, a region of Arabia, perhaps on the border of Idu- mea. Lat. 27, 40. BYBLOS, a city of Pheni- i i, lying between Sklon and Orthosia, famous for the wor- ship of Adonis. The river lonis having its source in Li- oauus, passes by this town. At ain seasons, it overflows its inks, and from a species of red th, over which it runs, the water becomes red as blood. So ne are of opinion, that the ; ncicnts of Gebal, so skilful in itime affairs, mentioned Kzek. xxvii, were the citizens «f Bvblos, in the Hebrew called 13 Gebal. The 'own was situated* at the foot of .Lebanon, on the Mediterranean, opposite to some of the ancient cedars now remaining: most of the people are Turks, who have three mosques; the Christians have one church. Lat. 34,17. Lon. 36, 20. La Rouge. IMciak, CABBON, a city in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 40. Lat. Si, 37. CABLL, the name, which Hiram king of Tyre, gave to the twenty cities in Galilee, given him by Solomon, for the great services he had rendered him, in building the temple. (1 Kings ix, 13.) It is but rea- sonable to suppose, that they lay near to lyre, of which Hi- ram was king. CADUMIM, a brook of Pa- lestine, mentioned in Judges v, 21, having its source in mount Tabor. Lat 32, 37. CAIPH A, a town at the foot of mount Carmel, on the north side of the bay of Ptolemais, fifteen miles from Acre, by land, round the head of the bay it is thirty miles. CiESARfiA, a city of Pa- lestine of the first rank, which after being greatly decayed, was rebuilt by Herod the Great, and thus called in honor of Au- gustus Caesar, being before called the tower of Strato. This city stood on the sea <;ide, oji CMS CAL the coast of Phoenicia, between Dor and Joppa, upon the pass into Egypt, and was very con- venient for trade, but had a bad harbor. To remedy this, he ordered a mole to be made, in the form of a half moon, and large enough to contain a royal navy. It was 200 feet long, and the stones were 50 feet long, 18 wide; the water 120 feet deep. The buildings of this town, were all of marble. This city was six hundred fur- longs from Jerusalem. Here it was, that king Agrippa was smitten of the Lord, for not giving God the glory, when the people saluted him as God. Cornelius the centurion, who was baptized by St. Peter, lived at Cassaria, Acts x, 1, Sic. There Philip the deacon, with his four maiden daughters, had their habitation. At Cassarea, the prophet Agabus foretold to Paul, that he would be bound, and confined by his enemies, at Jerusalem. The same apostle continued a prisoner two years at Ca3 area, till he was con- ducted to Rome, where he had appealed to Nero's tribunal. At Ccesarea, Eusebius, the ec- clesiastical historian, was born. It is 40 miles north from Acre, and 30 south from Joppa, and 75 north-west from Jerusalem. Lat. 32, 37. CCESAREA PHILIPPI, once called Paneas and Dan, a town of Palestine, at the head of the Jordan, 20 miles east from Damascus, and one hundred, north-east from Jerusalem. See Dan. The woman healed by our Savior, (Matt, ix, 20) lived in this town. It is reported, that on her return, she grateful- ly erected a statue in honor of her Benefactor. Julian dis- placed it, and set his own in its place. But the Christian in- habitants, removed the statue of Christ into their church, that of Julian, was destroyed by lightning. Lat. 33, 17. CALAH, a city of Assyria, built either by Asher or Nim- rod, Gen. 10, 12. Calah, a country about the land of the river Lycus. It is probable, that the country took its name from its capital, Ca- lah. Pliny mentions a people called Clarista, through whose country the Lycus has hs course. CALEB, a cannon in the tribe of Judah, in which the cities of Kirjath-sepher and He- bron, were situated. 1 Sam. 30, 14. CALNEH, a city ik\ the land of Shinah, built by Nimrod, and the last city mentioned (Gen. x, 10) as, belonging to his kingdom. It is believed to be the same with Cab.o, mentioned in Isaiah x, 9, and GAL CAN Willi Canch in EzeJcxXvii, 23. Probably it was in Mesopota- mia, since these prophets join it with Haran, Eden, Assyria, and Chilmad, which carried on a trade with Tyre. It is said by the Chald.ee interpreters, as also by Eusebius and Jerome, to be the same with Ctesiphon, standing upon the Tigris, about three miles frorp Selcueia, and that i'or some time it was the capit.il of the Partisans, and greatly enlarged by Pucorus, one of their kings. CALVARY,' or as it is cal- led in Hebrew, Golgotha, that is, a place of skulls. It was a small eminence or hill, to the north of mount Zion, to the west of the ancient Jerusalem, and being appropriated to the execution of malefactors, was therefore shutout of the walls, as an execrable and polluted place; but since it has been an altar, on which propitiation has been made, for the world, it has recovered itself from that infa- my, and has always been rev- erenced and resorted lo, with such devotion by all Christians, that it has drawn the city round it, and now stands in the mid- dle of Jerusalem; a great part of the Hill of Zion being shut out to make room for mount Calvary. See Jerusalem. This mount, is likewise hon- ored with a stately church, e- rected by Helena, mother to Constantine the Great, called the church of the sepulchre, as being built over the place, where our Lord's sepulchre was. This.church is enriched with abundance of magnificent ornaments, and mount Calvary- is more honored by Christians, than old Jerusalem ever was by the children of the syna- gogue. CAMON, a city in the tribe of Manasseh, on the other side of Jordan, Judg. x, 5. Lat. 32, 34. CAMAN, a city of Pales- tine, on the west side of the Jor- dan, situate on a great plain, six miles from Lego. CAMP OF DAN,5 in the Holy Land, between Zorah and Lshtaol, Judg. xiii, 25. CANA OF GALILEE, a Utile town where Jesus per- formed his first miracle, (John ii, 12.) This is called Cana of Galilee, to distinguish it from Caua or Kana, mentioned in Joshua xix, 28, belonging to the tribe of Asher, not far from Sidon, and much farther north, than Cana of Galilee, which lay in the tribe of Zeb- u ion, and not far from Naz- areth. This was a small town in the time of St. Jerome. Concerning the present state of Cana in Galilee, Arvieux says, that though it was formerly a city, it is now a village, almost deserted. Here is a church CAN CAN built by Helena in the place, where the marriage feast was held. It is a building of wrought stone, forty paces long, and twenty wide. The roof is sup- ported by a row of columns. The building is yet entire, but used as a mosque: On the doors of the court are sculptured va- ses, or water pots, to represent those, which held the water, changed to wine. Lat. 32,49. CANA, was also a place in the tribe of Asher. Cana, the name of a brook on the confines of Ephraim and Mannasseh. ' CANAAN, Land of, the country so named from Ca- naan, the son of Ham. The land of Canaan lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of Arabia; on the south it is bounded by the wilderness of Paran, Idumea, and Egypt; on the west by the Mediterranean, called in He- brew the great sea; to the north by the mountain of Libanus. Its length, from the city of Dan, (since called Cacsaria Philippi, or Paneadis, which stands at the foot of these mountains) to Beersheba, is about sixteen hundred fur- longs, or 200 miles, and its breadth from the Mediterra- an sea, to the eastern borders, is eighty miles. This coun- try, which was first called Ca- naan, from Canaan the son of Ham, whose posterity posses- sed it, was afterwards called Palestine, from the people, which the Hebrews call Philis- tines, and the Greeks and Ro- mans, corruptly, Palestines, who inhabited the sea coast. It likewise hud the name oi the Land of Promise, from the promise God made Abraham of giving jit to him; that of the Land of Israel, from the Israel- ites having made themselves masters of it; that of Judah, from the tribe of Judah, which was the most considerable of the twelve; and lastly the hap- piness it had of being sancti- fied by the presence, actions, miracles, and death of Jesufc Christ, has given it the name of the Holy Land, which it re- tains to this day. The first inhabitants of this land, therefore, were the Ca- naanites, who were descended from Canaan, and the eleven sons of that patriarch; here they multiplied exceedingly; trade and war were their first occupations, these gave rise to their riches, and the several colonies, scattered by them, over almost all the islands and maritime provinces of the Mediterranean. The measure of their idolatry and abomina- tions was completed, when God delivered their country into the hands of the Israelites, under Joshua. As God had CAN GAN" " mded this people, who long before had been cursed by him, to be treated with the utmost rigor, J<;shua extirpa- ted great numbers of them; and Obliged the rest to fly, e into Africa, some into Greece; Nay, there are some writers, who stem persuaded, that many of them went into Germany and Selavonia, and that o'herseame imo America. But Calmet thinks they with- drew into Africa. In St. Athanasius' time the Africans still said they were descended from the Canannites. It is agreed, that the Punic tongue was almost entirely the same with the Canaankish, and He- brew language. The colonies, which Cad- mus carried into Thebes, in Bceotia, and his brother Cylix into Cilicia, came from the stock of Canaan. The isles of Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Cy- prus, Corfu, Majorca, and Minorca, Gades, arid Ebusics, are thought to have been peo- pled by the Canaanites. Bo- chart, in his large work entitled Canaan, has set all this matter in a good light; and F. Calmet has taken some pains to in- quire particuLuly into what country the Canaanites retired, after their expulsion from their own by Joshua, and has ex- amined the several arguments produced by those, who affirm; that they settled iri Armenia. Those, who are inclined to know what particular towns and territories of Canaan fell to the share of each tribe of the Hebrews, upon the division of this land among them by Joshua, will find the necessary information in the course of this work. We shall make this one remark, which Masius in his commentary furnishes us, viz. that as Jacob and Moses, at the approach of their death, foretold the very soil and situa- tion of every particular country, that should fall to each tribe, so upon this division by lots, it accordingly came to pass. To the tribe of Judah, there fell a country abounding with vines and pasture grounds, (Gen. xlix, 11.) To that of Asher, one plenteous in oil, iron, and brass, (Dent, xxxiii, 24, 25. To that of Naphtali one extending from the west to the south ofJudea, (ib. ib. 23.) To that of Benjamin, one in which the temple was after- wards built. To those of Ze- bulon and Issachar, such as had plenty of seaports, (Gen. ib. 13. ) To those of Ephraim and Mannasseh, such as were re- nowned for their precious fruits; (Dent. ib. 14) and to those of Simeon and Levi no particular countries, the former had a portion with Judah, and the other was scattered among- CAN- CAP the several tribes. It must needs be the height of inso- ience or stupidity not to ac- knowledge the Divine inspira- tion in these predictions, and the Divine direction in those lots. See Judea. Many of the old inhabitants of the north- west of the land of Canaan, par- ticularly on '.he coast of Tyre and Sidon, were not driven out by the children of Israel, whence this tract seems to have retained the name of Canaan, a great while after the other parts, in- habited by the Israelites, had lost that name. The Greeks called this tract, inhabited by the old Canaanites, along the Mediterranean sea, Phoenicia; the more inland parts, as being inhabited partly by Canaanites, and partly by Syrians, Syro- phoenicia; and hence the wo- man said by St. Matthew (xv, 22) to be a woman of Canaan, whose daughter Jesus cured, is said by St. Mark, (vii, 26) to be a Svrophcenician. CANAANITES, people de- scended from Canaan, whom the Israelites drove from their country. Procopius says, that they first retreated into Egypt, and gradually penetrated the continent of Africa, where they built many cities, and spread themselves over vast regions, till they reached the strait of Gibraltar, preserving their old language with little alteration. This author adds, that in the ancient city of Tongis, found- ed by them, were two great pillars of white stone, near a large fountain, inscribed with Phoenician characters; "We are people preserved by flight from that robber Jesus (Joshua) the son ofNaver, who pursued us." In the time of Athansius, the Africans continued to say> that they were descended from the Canaanites; when asked their origin, they answered Canani. It is agreed that the Punic tongue was nearly the same as the Canaanitish and Hebrew. Noah denounced a curse of the basest servitude against Canaan. The truth of which their whole history con- firms. CAPERNAUM, a city cel- ebrated in the gospels, being the place where Jesus usually resided, during the time of his ministry. It stood on the coast of the sea of Galilee, in the borders of Zebulon and Naphtalim, Matt, iv, 15, and consequently towards the up- per part. It took its name, no doubt, from an adjacent spring of great repute, and which according to Josephus, was by the natives called Ca- pernaum. As the spring might be some inducement to the building of the town, so its be- ing a convenient place to sail from Galilee, to any part en CAP C!A? the other side of the sen, might be some motive to our Lorfl lor removing fiom Naza- reth, and making this the place of his most constant residence. Upon this account Capernaum tHrtts highly honored, and said by our Lord himself, to be ex- alted unto heaven; but because it made no right use of this signal favor, it drew from him the severe denunciation, that it should be brought doivn to hell, Matt, xi, 23; which has cer- tainly been verified; for so far is it from being the metropolis of all Galilee, (as it once was) that it consisted long since, of no more than six poor fisher- men's cottages,and may perhaps be now totally desolate. JFclls. Yet probably its ruin was gradual., and by natural means. In the time of Jerome it was a town. In the seventh and eighth centuries, it still exist- ed; but though the Divine thrcatcnings are slow in their execution, they are certain. No such town as Capernaum now exists. Bonfrerius says it was most advantageously situated on the lake at the entrance of the Jordan, and that its name denoted the Fair village, or vil- lage of consolation. Lat. 32,44. 1 C API! AR- JAMA, a place in the tribe of Naphtali. CAPHAR-SALAMA, or C a v u a bsSja fl a w a , a place not far from Jerusalem, near which a battle was fought between Ju- das and Nieanor, who wasvan- quished and lied, with the loss of five thousand troops, 1 Mace. vii,31. Its name signifies the village of peace. CAPHAR-SOREK, a town of Palestine. It is thought to have been named from the brook or vallev of Sorek, where Delilah lived.' CAPHTOR, the island Caphtor, whence came the Caphtorims, otherwise called the Cherethims or Cherethites, or Philistines, Gen. x, 14; Deut. ii, 23; Jer. xlvii, 4; and Amos ix, 7. The generality of in- terpreters believe,that by Caph- tor was signified Cappadocia; and that the Philistines and Cherethims came from thence. But F. Calmet, endeavors to show, that they were originally from the isle of Crete. The manners, arms, relig- ion, and gods of the Cretans, and Philistines were the same. The arms of the one and the other were bows and arrows. Dugon. Wells supposes, that the Caphtorims came from Egypt, and .that the name Caphtor seems still to be preserved in an old city of Egypt, named Coptus; and Sanson places Caphtor between Egypt anc the'land of Canaan. Lat. 30. CAR CAll CAPPADOCIA, a prov- ince of Asia Minor, to whom, with several other people, St. Peter directs his first epistle. It was bounded west by Gala- tia, south by Armenia, east by the mountains of Anti-Taurus. Though the inhabitants of this country were anciently notori- ous for their wickedness; after the introduction of Christianity among them, several great and good men did honor to Cap- padocia. Among these were two Gregories, Basil and St. George. Christianity flourished here till about the ninth century, nor is it now whollv extinct. CARCHEMISH, a town upon the Euphrates, belonging to the Assyrians. Necho, king of Egypt, took it from the king of Assyria, 2 Chron. xxxv, 20. CARIA, a south-western district of Asia Minor. Its western part was called Doris, and occupied by Grecian col- onies. In Doris was Miletus. Carpenter. CARMEL, a city in the tribe of Judah, situated on a mountain of the same name, in the southern part of Palestine, Josh, xv, 5B. St. Jerome says, that in his time the Romans had a garri- son in this city. Upon this mountain, Saul returning from his expedition against Amalek, erected a triumphal arch, 1 Sam. xv, 12. Carmel is ten miles from Hebron to the «. Carmel, a mountain to the south of Pcolemais, and the north of Dora, upon the Med- iterranean. At the foot of this mountain, on the north side run the Kishon; and a little further the river Beleus. Jose- phus makc-s Carmel to be a part of Galilee, but it belonged rather to the tribe of Manasseh, and to the southern part of the tribe of Asher, Josh, xv, 26. On the side next the sea, there is a cave shown, where some suppose the prophet Elijah de- sired Ahab to bring Baal's false prophets, when the fire from heaven descended upon the burnt sacrifice, 1 Kings xviii. It is a rocky mountain 2000 feet high, once cultivated, but now overgrown with brambles, wild vines, and olive trees. On the summit is a chapel, dedi- cated to the prophet Elijah, from which is an immense prospect over sea and land. It is 20 miles south of Tyre, and 70 north from Jerusalem. Lat. 32,40. Both Tacitus and Suetonius speak cf the god of Carmel; whom Vespasian went to con- sult when he was in Judea; but they tell us there was neither temple nor statue upon the ♦mountain; that there was < altar, plain, and even then ven- erable for its antiquity. This CAR CAR altar of Carmel had its original from the altar of God, which the ancient Hebrews erected, and which Elijah repaired, when he summoned Ahab and his false prophets :o appear there. This altar the heathen held in such veneration, that when they became masters of the country, they did not presume to place an image near it. They even repaired to it as to an oracle. As Thevenot tells us, mount Cai mel is ten miles from Acre. At die foot of the mountain stands the village Caiphas, wliicn was formerly a town. Here is a convent of barefoot- ed Carmelites, a sort of monks so named. Thevenot found here two French fathers, and an Italian brother, who had been twenty years there. They observe very severe rules; they are removed from all worldly conversation; they neither eat flesh nor drink wine, and if such supports become neces- sary, they must go to another place. Nor do they suffer pil- grims to eat flesh in their con- vent, though they may drink wine. This convent is not on the top of the mount, where was a very fine monastery be- fore the Christians lost the Ho- ly Land, the ruins of which are still to be seen; but it is a very little one, somewhat lower. Two or three monks fill it. 14 who would have much ado to subsist, if they had not alms given them. They say, that it is the place where the proph- et Elijah lived; and that their church, which is neatly cut in the rock, is the spot where he sometime abode. About the convent is a pretty hermitage. Though the convent be very small, it contains a commodi- ous and neat apartment, in which pilgrims lodge; but they must not exceed the number of six. At the distance of a league from the convent, is a well, which the prophet Elijah is said to have caused to spring out of the ground, and a little over it is another, reported to be no less miraculous; the wa- ters of both are very pleasant and good. Close by the last fountain, are stately ruins of the convents of St. Bocard, who was sent thither by St. Albert, patriarch of Jerusalem, to reform the hermits, who liv- ed there, without rule, or com- munity. Not far from thence is the garden of the stone melons, concerning which they tell }rou, that Elijah passing that way, desired a melon from a man, who was gathering them, who in contempt replied to the prophet, that they were stones, and not melons, upon which all the melons were immediate- CAR CAS |y turned into stones. Le Bruyn tells us, that these stone mel- ons have the same shape on the outside, as natural ones, and if opened, they have the same cavities, as the true ones; they have also some smell, which is pleasant. Near the convents are shown the grots of the prophets, Eli- jah and Elisha; there is a third, also, but it is walled up. Lower down the mountain is the cave, where the prophet Elijah in- structed the people. It is cut very smooth in the rock, both above and below, it is about twenty paces in length, fifteen in breadth, and very high, and I think, says Thevenot, that it is one of the finest grots, that can be seen. The Turks have made a little mosque there. Mount Carmel, says D'Ar- vieux, advances considerably into the sea, and forms a cape or promontory, the most elevated of any on the coast; the smaller mountains of this group may be cultivated, and have a good soil, deep and fertile, capable of pro- ducing in a very uncommon de- gree. There were formerly ma- ny more vineyards than at pres- ent. TheC hristians who inhabit part of these villages, cultivate only as many vines as may fur- nish what wine they want, and dried grapes for their own con- sumption. They neglect the cultivation of fruit trees, whicb here would reach great excel- lence, asjmay easily be inferred from those here gathered,though chiefly from wild stocks. They have delicious melons and wa- ter-melons. Mount Carmel, says Volney, is a flattened cone, and very rocky. We still find brambles, wild vines, and olive trees, which proves, that industry has formerly been employed, even on this ungrateful soil. On the summit is a chapel, ded- icated to the prophet Elias, which affords an extensive prospect over the sea and land. To the south the country pre- sents a chain of rugged hills, on the top of which are oak, and fir trees, the retreat of wild boars and lynxes. As we turn towards the east, at 6 leagues distance, we perceive Nasra, or Nazareth, so celebrated in the gospels. Lat 31,7. CASIPHIA. Ezra viii, 17, says, that being on the point of returning to Judea, he sent to Iddo, who dwelt at Casiphia. Calmet is of opinion that he meant Caspius, near the Cas-. pian Sea, between Media and Hyrcania, where there were many captives. Others think this distance to be too great for such a mission, and sup- pose it must have been near Babylon. CAS CEN CASLUHIM. The Cask, him are not improperly thought to have been settled in the country east of Egypt, called Cisiotis, where is a mount Casius; both which retain somewhat of the Casluhim. And this situation is confirmed by what Moses adds, that from them sprang the Philistines; who in process of time made themselves masters of the ad- joining tract, the land of Ca- naan. This people descended from Mizraim, a son of Ham. Egypt is sometimes calledMiz- raim, after the name of one of its principal settlers. CASPHIN, a town on a lake, 6 miles from Jamnia, fa- mous in the wars of the Mac- cabees. , CASPHOR, a city in the land of Gilead, taken by Judas Maccabeus, 1 Mace, v, 26, and thought it to be the same with Heshbon. CASPIAN, this word is not mentioned in Scripture; but some have supposed, that it was meant, (Ezra xi, 17) "I sent then to Iddo, the chief of those, who dwell at Casiphia." It is said that Artaxerxes and others transplanted a great num- ber of Jews into Hyrcania, near the Caspian sea. Grosus tells us, that these Jews were very much increased in his time, and were in hopes of re- turning to Judea, the land of their fathers' sepulchres. This author says that Alexander the Great shut up a great number of Jews, within the Caspian gates. Ezra, on his march from Babylon to Palestine, was desirous of having some Nethi- nims to serve in the temple; that is, servants, dedicated or devoted to the lower or menial services of the temple. He, therefore, sent to Iddo, the head of these Nethinims, who were probably at work in the mines of the Caspian mountains, be- tween Media and Hyrcania. He obtained two hundred and fifty- eight persons. CASPIS, mentioned in 2 Macca. xii, 13, is also thought to be the same with Heshbon, in the tribe of Reuben. This town was not far from Jamnia; it was a strong city, fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers countries. CEDRON, "a temporary torrent or brook, running in the valley between Jerusalem and mount Olivet. It is, how- ever, a brook only in the win- ter, or immediately after great rains, being entirely dry at all other times. See Kidron. CENCHREA, was the east- ern port of Corinth, almost nine miles distant. This was a con- siderable town; it enjoyed the privilege of coining money, and CHA CHE here very early was planted a Christian church. St. Paul respectfully mentions one of its female members. CHALDEA, a country of Asia, known in the most an- cient times by the name Shi- nah, Shinar, Sec. lies between 30 and 35 degrees of north latitude; and was bounded, ac- cording to Ptolemy, on the north, by Mesopotamia; on the east by the Tigris; on the west by Arabia Deserta; on the south by the Persian gulf, and part of Arabia Felix. The metropolis of Chaldea was Bab- ylon, whence the country more immediately in the neighbor- hood of this city, was generally, by profane writers, termed Bab- ylonia. The name Chaldea is no where to be met with in the Hebrew text; the Hebrew word being Chasdim, whence Josephus thinks, and Dr. Wells is of the same opinion, that the name of Chaldea was taken from Chesed, one of the sons of Nahor, Abram's brother. The Babylonians were famed for learning, particularly the Chaldeans, who were, as is said, their priests, their philosophers, astronomers, astrologers, sooth- sayers, &c. and in respect to this pretended claim to learning and supernatural knowledge, the Chaldees are distinguished from the Babylonians, and are said to have inhabited a region peculiar to themselves, next t< the Arabians, and the Persiai gulf. As the Chaldees were pecu- liarly the men of learning in this nation, so the Babylonians, properly so called, appliet themselves to the arts. See Babylon and Assyria. Th< bounds, which we have assign- ed to Chaldea are taken froi profane writers; but in the sa- cred Scriptures, it is plain that Chaldea, certainly, at some pe- riods, advanced further north, and included part of Mesopo- tamia, particularly, it may be supposed along the Tigris. Acts vii, "The God of glory appeared to our father Abra- ham, when he was in Mesopo- tamia, before he dwelt in Char- ran, and said unto^ him, "Get thee out of this country. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldees, and dwelt in Char- ran." Here we see that "A- bram was in Mesopotamia," and "came out of the land of the Chaldees;" therefore, some part of Chaldea must have been in Mesopotamia. CHARACA, a city of the tribe of Gad, whence Judas Maccabeeus drove Timotheus, 2 Mace, xii, 17. CHEBAR, a river in Chal- dea, where the prophet Ezekiel saw several of his visions. It CHE CHE is thought by some to have been a kind of canal, cut from the Tigris to the Euphrates; or it may be a river, which has its rise near the head of the Tigris, running through Mesopotamia to the south-west, and falling into the Euphrates, a little south of Charchemish. Brown. CHELMON, a city oppo- site to Esdraelon, near which, part of Holofernes' army was encamped, before he went to lay siege to Bethulia, Judith vii, 3. CHEPHIRAH, a city of the Gibeonites, afterwards given up to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, ix, 17; xviii, 26. CHERETHIM, a people, supposed to be the same as the Philistines. David's life guard were Cherethites and Pelethi- tes. Perhaps he chose to ven- ture himself in the hands of foreigners, rather than of his own countrymen; or possibly his guard might be so denom- inated from adopting the arms, discipline, or dress of those warlike tribes. CHERITH, a brook, which according to Jerome, was on the east, or beyond Jordan; it falls into this river below Bethsan. Near this brook, and in the valley, through which it runs, the prophet Elijah lay concealed for some time, to a- void the persecution of Jezebel; and here the ravens, every morning and evening, brought him bread and meat, 1 Kings xvii, 3, 4. But others, and I think for a good reason, sup- pose it to be a western branch of Jordan. God says to Elijah, "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith." Here the expression, turn thee eastward, evidently implies that Elijah was on the xvest side of Jordan, for had he been on the east side, thus to have gone to a brook, which ran on the east side, Avould have been to turn west- ward, unless the prophet had been already in the angle, be- tween the two streams. Thus the case is, after all, doubtful. Calmet places it, as an eastern branch, and Wells and Kimp- ton suppose it a western branch of the Jordan. I think it was on the confines of Ephraim and Benjamin. Whether the birds carried the food immedi- ately to him, or whether they only carried it to their own young, and the prophet had ad- dress to climb, and take a share with the young eagles or ravens, has been a question among learned men. I have hardly faith to believe, with Mr.Brown, that the birds brought "the bread and flesh from some person's table." CHESALON, a city in the CHI CHI tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 10, thought to be the same as Jearim. CHESIL, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 30. Euse- bius calls it, Exalus, and places it in the southern part of Judah, and ten miles from Diocesa- ria. Calmet says it was a city on the side of mount Tabor. CHESULLATH, a city sit- uated on the side of mount Ta- bor, Josh, xix, 18. CHEZIB, this is thought to have been the same place with that called Achzib, in Josh, xv, 44, and in Micah i, 14. Jerome and Eusebius say it was situated near Ad u 11am, which was a little west from Hebron. C H I D O N, the threshing floor of Chidon is the place where Uzzah was suddenly struck dead, for having rashly laid his hands upon the ark, which tottered in the cart, ( 1 Chr. xiii, 9.) In the second book of Sam. vi, 6, this thresh- ing floor is called the threshing floor of Nachon. We do not know whether the names of Nachon and Chidon, are the names of men or places. CHIMHAM, a town of Pa- lestine, six miles from Jerusa- lem, in the vicinity of Bethle- hem. This place David gave to Barzillai the good old Gil- eadite. CHIOS, an island in the Archipelago, next to Lesbos. It is over against Smyrna, and is not above four leagues dis- tant from the Asiatic continent. From Troas, St. Paul went on foot to Assos, where, with St. Luke, and the rest of the com- pany, that were come thither by sea, he embarked, and thence came to My telene; then passing by Chios, he arrived at Samos, (Acts xx, 15.) But it does not appear from history, that any church was gathered here for a long period after the age of the apostles. Even in the fourth Christian century, human sacrifices were continu- ed here; but in subsequent ages, we find churches, and their bishops attending the gen- eral councils. In the isle of Chios the Chris- tians now enjoy more freedom, than in any part of the Turkish dominions. A Turk here can- not strike or abuse a Christian, without being exposed to pun. ishment. They carry the cross in procession, and enjoy their religion with all freedom. The island was anciently celebrated for its marble, its figs, and wine. It was celebrated, as the paradise of Greece. The island is 80 miles in circuit, and has about 60 towns and villages. The soil is fertile, well watered, and yields annu- CHI CHI ally 170 tons of wine. They also export large quantities of turpentine or mastic, the best in the world. In this they pay their tribute to the Grand Seign- or; they also export olive oil. But little rain falls here, yet every thing is plenty. They manufacture silk, tapestry, sat- in, damask, &c. Earthquakes are frequent. The wealthy are idle; the men of business are sharpers, and the sciences are neglected. The men have dis- agreeable countenances; the women are beautiful, and white as the jessamine, which they wear. The population of the island is 50,000 of which the greater part are Greeks, 2000 are Turks, 1000 are Catholics, and a few are Jews. The Lat- ins have 301 churches, and the Greeks 500. In this island is a village, where the h pers of this and the neighboring islands are sent. In 1801 there were in the hospital, 200 of these wretched people. Several of these had lost one, or both eyes; others, their fingers, toes, or nose. The limbs of the great- er part were contracted, their hands and legs were swollen. This disease is externally con- fined to the legs, arms, and head; yet a cough, a hoarse- ness, pain in the stomach, and difficulty of digestion is expe- rienced. The island is govern- ed by Christians, subject to the Turks. JVittman. Chios, the capital of the above island, is well built on wide streets. Most of the in- habitants are Christians, and most of the churches are Greek; but the Latins have five. The Capuchines have alarge church, and keep a school, where they teach religion and the learned languages. The Jews have synagogues, and the Turks have mosques here. No Chris- tian is allowed to lodge in the castle. The citizens claim Homer as their townsman, and pretend to show strangers the place where he formerly kept school. On a kind of table, hewn out of the rock, it is sup- posed, that the schoolmaster sat; around are seats for the pupils, cut in the rock. The town contains about 20,000 people. JVittman, Pocoke, &c. CHITTLM, or Kittim. Le Clerc and Calmet, in their comments upon Gen. x, 4, have shown, that Chittim is the same with Macedonia, peopled by Kittim, the son of Javan, and grandson of Noah. Basnage, by the word Chittim, under- stands the Cutherans, inhabit- ants of the Susiana, near Baby- lon, and subject to Nebuchad- nezzar. Bochart supposes the Romans to be meant by Chit- tim. But the author of die first CHO C1L book of Maccabees under- stands it of Macedonia: for chap, i, 1, he calls, Alexander king of the Chittims; and chap, viii, 5, he says, that Perseus, king of the Chittims, was over- come by the Romans. Balaam, Numb, xxiv, 24, says, "And ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim, and shall af- flict Asher." Le Clerc ob- serves "this place clearly proves that Macedonia is meant by the word Chittim, because the Assyrians were conquered by Alexander and his succes- sors. But •another writer of merit adds, I do not see suffi- cient reason for restraining the word Chittim to Macedo- nia, which was not particularly a maritime country. Why not in- clude allGreece? At least the isl- ands of the Archipelago,and per- haps up the Bosphorus, whence vessels might sail to Tyre, as they do now to Egypt. The Greek colonies, scattered about the Mediterranean, might also be included, consequently, Sic- ily, Sardinia, and most of Italy. CHORAZIN, a town of Ju- dea, supposed to have stood on the sea of Galilee, and two miles from Capernaum, but not on the western coast of that sea in Galilee, as some have supposed, but on the east, in the region of Argob. Though Chorazin is reckoned among the cities, where most of our Savior's miracles had been done, it is never mentioned, but by two of the Evangelists, and not once in the Old Tes- tament. St. Matt. *xi, 21, and St. Luke x, 23, mentions it only in a discourse where our Lord upbraids it, for its infi- delity. See Bethsaida. His woe pronounced upon them has been awfully executed. Both Jerome and Eusebius declare that the place was deserted in their day. D'Anville. CHOZEBA, a town of Ju- dah, mentioned in 1 Chron. iv, 22. CHUB, a word which we meet with in Ezekiel xxx, 5; and which occurs in no other part of scripture. Calmet takes cub, to be the habitation of Cu- bians, placed by Ptolemy in the Mareotis. Sanson thinks it a region or settlement in Africa, between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Lybia, in Lat SO. CILICIA, a country in the south-east of Aria Minor, and ly ing on the northern coast, at the east end of the Mediterra- nean sea; the capital city of which is Tarsus, the native city of St. Paul, Acts xxi, 39; this ancient kingdom, lying be- tween 36th and 40th degree of north latitude, is bounded on the east by Syria,- or rather by mount Amana, which separ- CIN t Christians in times of penitence, and trou- ble. Aristotle says they shear- ed their goats. Boiven's folio Gtjov,vol. 2. CINNERETH, or Cin- eroth, a ciiy of the tribe of Naphtali, to the south of which lay a great plain, which reach- ed as far as the Dead Sea, along the river Jordan, Joshua xi, 2; xii,3; andxix, 35. Many be- lieve, with a great deal of prob- ability, that Cinnereth was the same with Tiberias; and as the lake of Genesarcth, which is in J5 Hebrew called the lake of Cin- nereth, is without doubt thai of Tiberias, there is some rea- son to believe, that Cinnereth and Tiberias are likewise the same city: Reland however is of a coatraiy opinion. See Gati/ee, Sea of. CLAUD A, an island of the Adriatic sea, which lies south- west from Crete. It is now called Goza. Paul and his companions sailed by it in their voyage to Rome. Acts xxvii, 16* Lat. 33, 51. CNIDUS, once a city of Ca- na in the canton of Doris, noto- rious for the worship of Venus, and now a pile of ruins. It stood on a promontory, now called cape Crio, and had two ports, one on each side. , Here was a famous statue of Venus, made by Praxiteles. Topo- graph Dictionary. CO, a city of Egypt, and capital of the province, called Cyppolitana. Whether this be the same place as the next ar- ticle is uncertain, 1 Kings x, 28; "and Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and lin- en yarn." The words may be rendered, and they' brought horses to Solomon from Egypt, and from Mihoc. Pliny says that the country of the Troy- lodytes, near Egypt, was called Michoc. Others translate the passage, and they brought hors- Col coo es and thread spun. Jarchi supposes, that it means a string of horses, that is they brought horses, in strings, fastened from the tail of one to the other/ COA, a town probably in Arabia Felix. Lat. 16, 15. CCELO-SYRIA, in the larger sense of the word, was the name of the whole country lying southward of Seleucia, and extending as far as Egypt and Arabia: but this word is prin- cipally applied to the ytlley ly- ing between Libanus and Anti-Libanus. The word oc- curs only in the apocryphal writings of the Old Testament, or in the sacred scriptures, this country may be included in Aramt or perhaps Syria of So- ba, or Aram Soba* COLOSS/E, a city of Phry- gia, which Herodotus tells us, stood where the river Lycus, running under ground, disap- pears. But this river, rising again five furlongs from this city, empties itself into the riv- er Meander. It is generally agreed among learned men, that Colossae stood at no great distance from Laodicea and Hi- erapoiis, whence we find St. Paul mentioned the inhabitants of these three cities together, Col iv, 13. This city, Dr. Wells informs us, has been long fcince quite buried in ruins, the memory of it being now chiefly preserved by the epistle, whicfii St. Paul wrote to the inhabi- tants. Concerning the present state of Colossae however a travel- ler informs us, that the place is now called Conos by the Turks; it is situated very high upon a hill, the plains under it are very pleasant; but we were no sooner entered into it, saith he, than we thought fit to leave it, the inhabitants being a vile sort of people, so that we doubt- ed of our safety among them. There still remain some poor Christians, notwithstanding, those horrid abuses which they are forced to endure, but with- out any church or priest, they are poor, miserable Greeks, who in ignorance and oppres- sion, still retain the profession of Christianity, though they have forgot their own language, and speak only Turkish. Trav- elling from this place in six hours we reached Laodicea. COOS, an island in the Archipelago, lying near "the south-west point oi Asia minor, and having a city of the same name. "From Miletus," Paul and his companions, in his journey to Jerusalem, "came in a straight course to Coos, and the next day to Rhodes, Acts xxi, 1." This island is now called Stancho, and is sub- ject to the Turks; it is 56 nr coo COR north-west from Rhodes, and 100 miles in circuit. This was the birth place of Hypo- crates the physician, and Apel- ]es the painter. Lat. 37, 1. N. Long. 27,44, E. A traveller recently there says, this is a beautiful and fe rtiie isl a nd ab o u n d i ng in com, fruit, and vegetables. Grapes, figs, lemons, and oranges are produced in abundance; nu- merous flocks and herds are scattered over the plains. The population is estimated at four thousand souls, two thousand Turks, one thousand Greeks, and one thousand Jews. To each of these nations, a distinct quarter is assigned, in the town of Stancho. In an excursion of our traveller, he says, that he met with vineyards and gar- dens of lemon trees, which bore an immensity of fruit. The fig, almond, pomegranite, and mulberry trees, were cultivat- ed in stone enclosures, which gave the country a neat ap- pearance. On the sides of the mountains, are fir, cypress, and olive trees. The chief town of the island, bearing the same name, stands on the eastern shore; it is large and well built. It is well for- tified and defended by a castle. The streets are narrow; the houses are of stone well plais- tered. having flat roofs, and are neat in their appearance. The place was once famous for its temple of j'Esculapius; but more so, for its celebrated statue of Venus, rising naked from the sea, formed by the great Apelles. To render his work perfect, it is said, that he as- sembled all the women of the island to unite their best fea- tures, and most delicate linea- ments in this model of beauty. It was carried hence to Rome bv Augustus. The house of Hypocrates in ruins is yet shown to travellers; it was of stone. A huge. cypress tree is a curios- ity. From the extremity of its branches on one side to the opposite is one hundred and twenty nine feet; its trunk is thirty four feet in circumference. The enormous branches are supported by twenty large and beautiful coluins of marble. Under the tree is a fountain, a tomb of a Turkish saint, and several coffee houses; two thousand people may be shel- tered in its shade. Lat. 36,, 40. Long. 27, 30, Thevenott Mariti, Adam. CORINTH, a celebrated city, the capital of Achaia, seat- ed on the isthmus, which sep- arates Peloponnesus from Atti- ca. This city was one of the best peopled and most wealthy of all Greece. Its situation, between two seas, drew the eon COR trade of both the east and west, from all parts. Its riches pro- duced pride, ostentation, effem- inacy, and all manner of vices. Lasciviousness, in particular, was not only tolerated here, but in a manner consecrated by the worship of Venus, and the public prostitution of those, who were devoted to her; a thousand lewd women were devoted to one temple. But what this city was most mem- orable for, among the heathen authors, was its citadel, which was called Acro-corinthus, from its being built on a high mountain or rock; and for its insolence against the Roman Legates, which induced L. Mummius to destroy it; but in its conflagration, so many statues of different metal were melted down, that the remains of them made the famous Co- rinthian brass, which was ac- counted more valuable than gold. After this destruction, it was restored by Julius Cae- sar to its former splendor, and in a short time became the most beautiful city of Greece. The neat order of the pillars, which are used at this day in the decoration of all fine build- ings, took from this place the name of Corinthian pillars. The citizens made high pre- tensions to politeness, philos- ophy, and learning. Such was the state of Corinth, when St. Paul came to preach the gospel there, in the year of Jesus Christ 52, Acts xviii, 1, 2, &c. This city enjoyed its liberty, and immense traffic,, till A. D. 146. It was then deemed the strongest city in the world; it was also the most splendid and opulent, and the unrivalled seat of the fine arts, when it was taken and burned by the Romans, and again in A. D. 268 it was burned by the Heruli. By an earthquake it was again al- most ruined in 525. About 1180, Roger, king of Sicily, took and plundered the city. Since 1458 it has most of the time endured the tyranny of the Turks, and is so decayed at present, that the population docs not exceed 1500 souls, one half Mahometans, the other half Christians. Lat. 38, 14, N„ Long. 28, 13, E. CRETE, an island in the Mediterranean, now called Can- dia. St. Paul made Titus, his dear disciple, bishop of Crete, charging him to rebuke the people of this island severely, to prevent their being fond of Jewish fables and human ordi- nances; he adds, chap, i, 12, 13, "the Cretians, as one of their own poets (or prophets) bears witness, are always liars; evil beasts." This Cretian CUE CVS prophet of whom the apostle speaks, is thought to be Epi- menides, though St. Chrysos- ii, Theodnret, and many oth- ers, make Callimachus the au- thor of this remark. The char- acter of this people was thor- oughly established for lying. Whetl Ulysses designs to de- liver a falsehood, he always assumes the character of a Cre- tian. In common speech to Cretanise signified to tell lies. 'VWisji/stiJies St. Paul. Poly- bius represents them as addict- ed to piracy, robbery, and ev- ery crime. See Caphtor. It was one of the noblest isl- ands in the Mediterranean, be- ing formerly called Hecatom- polis, the island of a hundred cities; it was also called the happy island, from the richness of the soil, and salubrity of the air. Its principal city is Can- dia, formerly strong, rich, and populous. The produce is corn, wine, oil, wool, silk, and honey. Candia is 200 miles long, and 50 broad. Not an eighth part of the houses are now inhabited. More than a thousand cities, towns, and vil- lages, are reduced to less than 300. It is 500 miles S.W. from Constantinople. Theve- not. Crete, the capital, once an opulent and populous city, is little better than a desert, cov- ered with rubbish. It now con- tains scarcely 10 or 12,000 Turks, 2 or 3000 Greeks, and about 60 Jews. So does des- olation follow the Turkish gov- ernment and the Mahometan religion. CUSH. The Vulgate, Scp- tuagint, and other interpreters, both ancient and modern, gen- erally translate Cush, Ethiopia: but there are many passages where this translation cannot take place. Cush, is the name of the cotiiifry watered by the Araxes. They who in translating the situation of Eden, have made Cush, Ethiopia, made way for tiiat unwarrantable opinion, which Josephus and several others have entertained of the river Gihon's being the Nile. In this place, Gen. ii, 13, the LXX translation, renders the word Cush, by the name of Ethiopia, and this mistake is not only followed, by our Eng- lish version, but in the same particular, in several other places. See the articles Eden, Gihon, Pison, &c. Cuth is the same as Cush. The Chaldees generally put the tau, where the Hebrews use the schin; they say Cuth instead of Cush. See Cuth. But Ethiopia is frequently in the Hebrew called Cush; and Josephus says, that they called themselves by this name, and that the same name was cus CUT given them* by all Asia. St. Jerome tells us, that the He- brews call the Ethiopians by the same name, and the Sep- tuagint gives them no other. Jer. xiii, 23, says, "Can the Cushaean, or Ethiopian, change his color." In Ezek. xxix, 10, the Lord threatens to reduce "Egypt to a desert, from the tower of Syene, even unto the border of Cush, or Ethiopia," and in Isaiah xi, 11, he says, "he will recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush." All these marks agree with Ethiopia, properly so called, which lies to the south of Egypt. Bochart has shown very clearly, that there was also a country, called the land of Cush, in Arabia Pe- trea, bordering upon Egypt; that this country extended it- self principally upon the east- ern shore of the Red Sea, and at its extremity, to the point of this sea, inclining towards Egypt and Palestine. Thus there are three countries of the name of Cush, described in Scripture, and all confounded by interpreters, under the gen- eral name of Ethiopia. It is very probable, that the disli- kes in Arabia might pass over the Red Sea into the neighbor- ing parts of Africa, and plant colonies in Ethiopia or Abys- sinia, as the country is now called; so that Cush might still be the father of the Ethiopians. The places of Scripture, which are supposed to refer to this Ethiopia are Isaiah xviii, 1; Zeph. iii, 10, and 2 Chron. xii, 3. The descendants of Cush, I may add, excepting Dedun, are all found in Arabia, which confirms the opinion, that Ara- bia is principally intended by Cush. Seba, the first son of Cush, probably seated himself in the south-west of Arabia, for there we find a city called Sabe. On the south-east of Arabia, we find another city, called Sabana, where we may therefore, sup- pose that Sheba settled. He was the grandson of Cush by Raamah. He probably lived in the neighborhood of his father and brother, fer we al- ways find them mentioned to- gether. P2zek. xxvii, 22, "The merchants of Sheba and Raa- mah were thy merchants," and xxxviii, 13, "Sheba and Dectan, and the merchants of Tar- shish," &c. CUTH, or Cuth ah, a prov- ince of Assyria, which, as some say, lies upon the Araxes, and is the same with Cush: but Sanson and others take it to be the same with the country, which the Greeks called Su- siana, and which to this very day, says Dr. Wells, is by the inhabitants called Chusestan. C\T I V. Calmet is of opinion that Cuthah and Scythia, arc the same, and that the Cuthites, who were removed into Sa- maria by Salmancser, 2 Kings acvii, 24, came from Cush or Cuth, mentioned in Gen. ii, 13. See Cush. CUTHITES, see Cuth. CYPRUS, a famous island in the Mediterranean, situated between Cilicia and Syria. Wells supposes it to be distant from the main land, Syria, a- bout one hundred miles, and about sixty miles from Cilicia; to be extended in length from cast to west, about 200 miles, and in breadth sixty. On ac- count of its fertility, the an- cients called it, the rich and happy island; but so infamous was it for luxury, and all kinds of debauchery, that it gave the name Cypris, or Cypria, to Venus, who was its chief god- dess in the times of heathen- ism, when they used to conse- crate their women to impurity, and by law compel them to lie with strangers, as did the Baby- lonians. The apostles Paul and Barnabas departed from Antioch, embarked atScleucia, and landed in the isle of Cy- prus, Acts xiii, 4, 5, 6, &c. While they continued at Sala- mis, they preached Jesus Christ in the Jewish synagogue; and thence they went and preached in all the cities' in the island. Barnabas visited the island rt second time, and is considered its first bishop, and to havi suffered martyrdom here. This island formerly con- tained nine kingdoms, tributa- ry to Egypt, and soon after to the Romans. From the em- perors of the west, it passed to those of the east, but it was taken from them by the Arabs, under the reign of Heraclius. Achain of mountains, the highest of which are Olympus, St. Croix, and Buffavent cross the island from cast to west. At certain seasons the beds of their rivers are entirely dry; owing to the want of rain. Historians as- sure us, that in the reign of Constantine no rain fell in this island for 30 years. Of a great number of cities, nothing re- mains but the name, and the ruins. Famagusta and Ni- cosi arc the only places of im- portance, unless Larnic,' where the European merchants have their factory, may be classed in the same rank. Besides these Cyprus contains 7 cita- dels. The soil is fertile, the climate healthy. The women have beautiful eyes. The Greeks are fond of pleasure. When the Turks conquered Cyprus, in 1570, they reckon* ed in it 70,000 men, subject to capitation, and one million souls in the whole. The pres- ent population is scarcely CYP CYR 40,000. The island once a- bounded with mines of gold, silver, copper, iron, marcasite, rock allum, and even emeralds; but of these ancient produc- tions nothing now remains, ex- cept the remembrance, and the names of the places where they were procured. The present government fetters cu- riosity and forbids every kind of research. The locusts here are a great scourge, their visits in some years are at stated pe- riods; they destroy the herb- age of the ground, and foliage of the trees, and sometimes cover the earth nearly a foot thick. Witt man. Cyrus conquered this island; seventy years after the Per- sians were driven away by the Greeks. In Anno Mundi 3950 ' Clodius and Cato robbed the king of the island to the amount of more than six million dol- lars, and made it a Roman province. The Jews were numerous there, who having murdered 240,000 of the isl- anders, they were banished a- botit A.D. 118. In 648 Cy- prus was taken by the Saracens; but it was recovered by the •emperor of Constantinople a- bout 957. In 1151, Richard, king of England, drove out the Turks, and gave the island to Lusignan, the tutelar king of Jerusalem. He and his pos- terity retained it about .300 years. His male issue failing, the Venetians seized the isl- and about A.D. 1473. The Turks, after a desperate war wrested it from them in 1570, and continue to be its masters. The political, literary, and re- ligious state of Cyprus is de- plorable. Lat. 35,30. CYRENE, a city of Lybia in Africa, of great note, and one of such power as to con- tend with Carthage, this city is famous in profane writ- ers, for being the birth place of Eratosthenes the mathemati- cian, and Callimachus the poet; and in holy writ, as being the birth place of Simon, whom the Jews compelled to bear our Savior's cross, Matt, xxvii, 32; and Luke xxiii, 26. Lat. 50. 40. Cyrene, a country of Asia to which Tiglath-pileser trans- ported the captives, whom he had taken at Damascus, as the prophet Amos, twenty-five years before, had foretold, Amos i, 5; "I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitants from the plain of Aven, — and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the Lord." They were accordingly carried into Iberia or Albania, where the river Kir or Cyrus runs, and which falls into the Caspian sea. Josephus says they were carried into Upper Media, DAM DAM Amos says the Ara means were originally of Kir, intending probably to include Mesopota- mia, and the region beyond the Euphrates, whence the Arame- ans or Syrians really came. They were the descendants of Aram the son of Shem. DABERETH, a town of Palestine in the tribe of Zebu- lon, or on its border in the tribe of Issachar; it was ceded to the Levites, and lay in the great plain at the extremity of Gali- lee and Samaria. Possibly it may be the town mentioned by Jerome, which he calls Dabira, towards mount Tabor. Mr. Maundrel also mentions Debo- ra near the foot of Tabor. DABIR, a town in the tribe of Gad. DALMANATHA, a region east from the sea of Galilee. See Magdala. DALMATIA, a part of old Illyria, lying along the gulf of Venice in Europe. Titus preached the gospel here, 2 Tim. iv, 10. Since which the Christian religion has been con- tinued here. DAMASCUS, a celebrated city in Syria. It was for a longtime the capital of a king- dom, called the kingdom of Damascus. It was a city so long ago as the time of Abraham; and we are informed that this patriarch reigned there, imme- 16 diately, after Damascus the founder. Benjamin of Judela -says, that the river Abana or Amana, waters the city of Da- mascus, and Pharphar the coun- try about it. Travellers in- form us, that the river which runs into Damascus, is still at this day called Tarfar or Tarfa- ro; Farfaro or Fir, or Pir. Stephen the geographer calls the river of Damascus, Bara- din; and Maundrel assures us, that the Syrians call it Barrady. Several writers have been of opinion, that Cain and Abel dwelt near Damascus, and that this city takes its name from the blood of Abel; dam, in He- brew signifying blood, and sack, a righteous' person; and they still shew in these parts, Abel's monument. The Jews and Christians have a tradition, that Paradise was situated in the valley of Damascus. The beauty and fertility of this pl«ce induced the inhabitants to be of this opinion, though it is at a good distance from the Tigris amlEu- phrates. "This city," saith he, "is one of the most venerable for antiquity in the whole world being the birth place of Eliez- er, the steward of Abraham, Gen. xv, 2; nor less considera- ble on account of its strength and greatness, being for a long time the capital of Syria, and DAM DAM the residence of the Syrian kings, mentioned in the Old Testament. To pass by other titles, it is styled by Julian the "Eye of the East." Our author acquaints us, that certainly no place in the world can promise the behold- er at a distance, greater volup- tuousness, insomuch that the Turks have a tradition that their prophet coming near Da- mascus, took his station upon a precipice for some time, to view the city, and consider its ravishing beauty, but would not tempt his frailty by enter- ing it, but departed, with this reflection, that there was but one paradise, designed for man, and for his part, he was resolv- ed not to take his in this world. The city is situated on a plain, of so great extent, that you can but just discern the mountains, that compass it on the farther side. It stands on the west side of the plain, at not above two miles distance from the place, where the river Barradv breaks from between two mountains; its gardens, ex- tending almost to the very place. The city is of a long strait figure, its ends pointing, nearly north-east, and south- west. It is very slender in the middle, but swells bigger at each end, especially at that to the north-east; in its length as far as I could judge by my eye, says. Mr. Maundrel, it may extend nearly two miles. It is thick set, with mosques, and steep- les, encompassed with gardens; and appears like a noble city in a vast wood. The gardens are thick set with fruit trees of all kinds, kept fresh and verdant by the waters of Barrady. You discover in them many turrets, steeples, and summer hous- es, frequently peeping from the green boughs. The great- er part of this pleasantness, and fertility proceeds from the waters of Barrady, which sup- ply the city, and gardens in great abundance. This river, as soon as it issues from be- tween the cleft of the mountain into the plain, is immediately divided into three streams, of which the middle and largest runs directly to Damascus, through a large open field cal- led Ager Damascenus, and is distributed to all the cisterns, and fountains of the city. The other two (which seem to be the work of art) are drawn round, one to the right hand, the other to the left, on the borders of the gardens, into which they are let (as they pass along by little currents, and so dispersed over the vast wood. Every garden has a fine quick stream running through it, which serves not only for wat- DAM DAM oring the place, but is also im- proved into fountains, and other water works, very delightful. Birrudy, being thus divided is almost wholly drunk up by the city, and gardens. What small part of it escapes, is uni- ted in one channel again, on the south-east side of the city; and after about 3 or 4 hours course, finally loses itself in a bog without ever arriving at the sea. The Greeks and from them the Romans call this river Chrysorrhoas, i. e. Golden Stream. But as for Abana, and Pharphar, rivers of Damas- cus, mentioned 2 Kings v, 12; I could find, saith my author, no memory of so much as the names remaining. They must, doubtless, have been only two branches, of the river Barrady, and one of them was probably the same stream, that now runs through Ager Damascenus, directly to the city which seems by its serpen- tine or winding course, to be a natural channel. The other I know not well where to find: but it is no wonder, seeing they may, and do turn, and alter all the courses of this river, ac- cording to their own conve- nience and pleasure. We went to see the church of St. John Baptist, now con- verted into 3l mosque, and held too sacred for a Christian to enter or almost to look into. In this church are kept tlie head of St. John, and some other relics, esteemed so holy that it is death, even for a Turk to presume to go into the room, where they are kept. We were told here by a Turk of good fashion, that Christ was to descend into this mosque at the day of judg- ment, as Mahomet was to do in that of Jerusalem. We went also to visit the house of Ana- nias, (Acts ix, 17.) The place where he restored sight to St. Paul, (Acts xix, 17) is a small grotto or cellar, it affords noth- ing remarkable, but only that there are in it a Christian altar, and a Turkish praying place. The place of St. Paul's vision is about half a mile distant, eastward. It is close by the way-side, and has no building to distinguish it. There is a small rock or heap of gravel, which serves to point out the place. About two furlongs nearer the city, is a small tim- ber structure. Within is an altar erected, where you are told, the Apostle rested in his way to the city, after the vision, (Acts ix, 8.) Being returned to the city, we were shewn the gate, at which St. Paul was let down in a basket, (Acts ix, 25.) This gate is about two DAM i BAN furlongs distant from the east gate, which renders it of little use. The last thing Mr. Maun- clrel tells us that he and his companions went to see, was the street called Straight, (Acts ix, 11.) It is about half a mile in length, running from east to west through the city. It being narrow, and the houses jutting cut in several places on both sides, you cannot have a clear prospect of its length and straightness. In this street is shewn the house of Judas, with whom Sf. Paul lodged; and in the same house is an old tomb, said to be that of Ananias. The Turks have a reverence for this tomb, and maintain a lamp always burning over it. There is in this city a Latin convent. Damascus lies near due east from Sidon, it being esteemed three days' journey distant, the road lying over the mountains, Libanus and Anti-Libanus, out of the last of which pours down the large river Barrady, with great impetuosity. Damascus is the rendezvous of all the pil- grims, going to Mecca from the north of Asia. Their num- ber is from 30 to 50,000. At Damascus there is an immense fair. Caravans follow the route known in the time of Abram. I may add, that from the gar- dens cf Damascus were orig- inally transplanted the fruit tree, thence called Damascen, and the rose, thence called the Dam- ask rose, and the branchings of silk, linen, &c. being one of the inventions of the inhabitants, or at least those sorts of stuffs being brought into these parts of the world from this city, are called by the name of Damasks. Volney, Mocquet, D'Arvieux, and other travellers, have de- scribed Damascus. They men- tion many curiosities here, as the house of Naaman, now a hospital, and the tomb of Ga- hazi. They say, it is one of the most commercial cities of the Ottoman empire; it has ma- ny rich manufactures; the peo- ple are witty, cunning, and po- lite. The Christians are chiefly of the Greek church, of whom there are 1,200. The city at present is increasing; the pop- ulation is 180,000. DAN, this tribe had its por- tion on the Mediterranean sea, though the Philistines contin- ued to hold a large portion of the coast. From the north-east to the south-wTest they joined toEphraim, Benjamin, andJu- dah; Simeon was their neigh- bor on the south-west. This tribe was shut up in a small ter- ritory of not half the extent of several other tribes,which prob- ably led them more readily to engage in war and foreign conquests. For a long time DAN DAN die Amoritcs retained a great portion of their little country. Therefore, when they were in- formed of a promising enter- prize, they march to the^re- motest part of their country, near the head of the Jordan, to attack the people of Laish, and leave a colony there. In their way with an army of 600, they robbed Micahof his idol, which became an occasion of their idolatry. While their breth- ren were oppressed by Jabin, the tribe of Dan showed little concern, but continued to pur- sue their commerce, for which their situation was favorable. Sampson was of this tribe, and proved a terrible enemy to the Philistines. Though Dan had but one son, (Gen. xlvi, 23) yet when this tribe came forth from Egypt, about 210 years after, they amounted to 62,700. When they were numbered again in the wilderness, they amounted to 64,400. At the coronation of David 28,600 of this tribe attended. Tho' their inheritance was a small dis- membered fragment broken from Judah, the soil was rich and vastly productive. On his death bed Jacob blessed Dan in these words, "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, who bite th the horses heals, so that his ri- der shall fall backwards." By which Jacob intended that tho' this tribe should not be the most powerful or celebrated, it should still be terrible to its enemies; it should produce a mightyprince, as was the son of Manoah, who should carry terror to the gates of their foes. As a serpent or an adder, he should manage with cunning and address, and his enemies should fall "back- wards" and be confounded. By stratagem and cunning, more than by valor, it is inti- mated that he should gain his conquest. So it proved in the expedition to Laish; and so it was when Sampson burned the corn of the Philistines, and tore down their temple. Dr. Clark. Dan, the city of Dan was situated at the northern ex- tremity of the land of Israel, in the tribe of Naphtali. "From Dan even to Beersheba," is a phrase frequently used in Scrip- ture to denote the two extrem- ities of the Land of Promise, 1 Sam. xxx. 2; 2 Sam. iii, 10. Dan lying northward, and Beer- sheba southward. The city Dan, was seated at the foot of mountLibanuSjiipon the spring of Dan or Jordan; and several authors have been of opinion, that the river Jordan took its name from Jo?-, a spring, and Dan, a city, situated near its DEB source. Here Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, set up one of his golden calves, (1 Kings xii, 29) and the other at Bethel. Lat. 33, 17. DAN- JO AN, supposed to be the same place called Dan, which see. DANNAH, a city in the tribe of Judah, the same as Debir. DASSEN, a city of Assy- ria, between Nineveh and Chal- dea, built bvT Asher. See Resen. DATHEMA, or Dath- man, a fortress in the land of Gilead, whither the Jews be- yond Jordan retired, and main- tained themselves against the attacks of Timotheus, till Judas Maccabeus came to their relief. DE \D SEA, see Salt Sea. Between Lat. 31,5. & 31, 23. DEBIR, otherwise Kirjath- sepher, or the City of- Letters; or Kirjatharba, or Kirjithsana, a city in the tribe of Judah, very near Hebron. The first inhab- itants were giants, of the race of Anak. Debir was one of the cities, belonging to the Le- vites. The word Kirjath de- notes a city; Sepher denot s a brook; Sana signifies to sharp- en. Hence some have suppo- sed this was a city having a university, or literary academy . of the Canaanites; others fancy the records of the nation were kept here. O.hers suppose, that the name signifies an ora- DEH acle, or the secret part of a tem- ple, where the responses were given. DEBIR, the name of a town beyond Jordan; in the tribe of Gad, (Josh, xiii, 26) also the name of a city of Benjamin, which before belonged to the tribe of Judah. DECAPOLIS, a country in Palestine, so called, because it contained ten principal cities, some on this, and some on the other side of Jordan. There is mention of this country in Matt, iv, 25, and in Mark v, 20. These towns lay in Iturea and Peraea. Pliny says, those ten cities were Scythopolis, Philadelphia, Raphanse, and Gadara. Hippos, Dion, Pella, (where the Christians fled from the siege of Jerusalem, as Christ had warned them,) Gerasa, Ca- natha, and Damascus. Lat. 32, 35. DEDAN, a city probably seated on the Persian gulf, Ezek. xxvii, 15. It furnished the merchants of Tyre with ivory, which in all probability, was imported from India. It also supplied ebony, which was also an article received from India. Lat. 30, 35. DEHAVITES, a people mentioned in the book of Ezra, iv, 9; the same, as Calmet thinks, who are said in the second book of Kings, xvii,. DE5> ©IB 14; to have been brought by the king of Assyria, from Ava, into Samaria; the Dehavites bring a people of Ava, and perhaps of that Canton of As- syria, watered by the river Diaba. DERBE, a city of Lycan- nia, whither St. Paul and Bar- nabas, retreated after having been driven from Iconium, Acts xvi, 6; in the year of Je- sus Christ 41. Gaius, a disci- ple of St. Paul and St. John the evangelist, were natives of Derbe. It was 20 miles S. E. ofLystra. Modern authors dispute whether the place is destroyed, or is the same, now called "Dewas. Lat. 38. Car- penter, Moll. DESARTOF BETHSAI- DA, the place where Jesus Christ fed the people with five loaves and two fishes, John vi, 15. It lay on the east side of the Galilean sea. THE DESART OF SIN, there are two desarts of this name mentioned in scripture; the first it written purely sin, Exod. xvi, 1; and lies between Elim, and mount Sinai; the sec- ond is written zin, Numb, xx, l;and lies near Kadesh-barnea, where Miriam the sister of Moses died. THE DESART OF SI- NAI, is that which lies about, and is adjacent to mount Sinai. The people encamped there a long time: and received the greatest part of those laws, which are written in the book of Moses, Exod. xix, 2. DESSAU, a town or castle, near which the Jews lodged themselves under the conduct of Judas Maccabeus, 2 Mace. xiv, 16. DIBLATHA, Diblatha- IM, Or HoLMAN-DlBLATHA- im, a town in the land of Ca- naan, situated on the east side of the Jordan, at the foot of Mount Nebo. In Jer. xlviii, 22; we read of Beth Diblatha- im, which imports the temple of Diblathaim. DIBON, a city of Moab given to the tribe of Gad, by Moses, Numb, xxxii, 3, 33, 34; and afterwards yielded up to the tribe of Reuben, Josh. xiii, 9. It is thought to be the same with Dibon-Gud, Numb, xxxiii, 45; which was one of the encampments of the He- brews under Moses. Jeiome says,that it was indifferently cal- led Dibon or Dimon. Euse- bius says that in his day it was a large town, situate on the banks of the Arnon. It was so called from its softly flowing waters; the Arnon was here probably gentle and quiet. Lat. 31, 50. Dibon, in the tribe of Ju- dah is thought to be the same DIG DOR with Debir, orKirjath-sepher, for the Septuagint calls that place Dibon, which in the He- brew is called Debir, Josh, xii, 26. DIMNAH, a city in the tribe of Zebulon, Josh, xxi, 35; given to the Levites of Merari's family. DIMON, probably the same place as Dibon. Jeremiah prophecies, that "the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood." Such should be the slaughter of the people there, that the Anion should be turned to blood. DIMON AH, a town in the southern part of Judah, Josh. xv, 22. DINABAH, a city of Edom, Gen. xxxvi, 32; 1 Chron. i, 43; the Chaldee root imports fatness, the Arabic, oil; the form of the word implies, the giver of abundant quantities of oil; so called doubtless from the plenty of this commodity, produced in the neighborhood. DINAITES, a people, who opposed the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, after the return of the people from Babylon, Ezra iv. DINHABAH, a city of Edom, where Beia reigned who was the son of Beor, of the race of Esau,Gen. xxxvi, 32. DIOSPOLIS, a city of Egypt, probably referred to by the prophet Nahum, and is perhaps the same as No-Am- mon. See Amnion. DODANIM, a people who descended from Japhet, who settled on the western coast of Asia Minor. There we find in ancient writers a country called Doris. The Dorans formed such a respectable part of the Grecian armies, that Dorica-castra, or the Doric camp is taken by Virgil to de- note the whole Grecian camp. This appears more probable from what the Greeks say of Dorus, the father of the Dori- ans, that he was the son of Nep- tune. Japhet might be deem- ed by them the god of the sea, because his posterity inhabited the islands of the sea. DOPHKAH, the ninth or tenth encampment of the Is- raelites in the wilderness. From the wilderness oi Sin, they went to Dophkah,and from Dophkah to Alush, Numb, xxiii, 12. DOR, or Dora, the capital of a country in the land of Ca- naan, called in Hebrew, Ne- phat-Dor, Joshua (xii, 23; Con- quered it, and killed the king. He gave the city Dor to the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, but they suffer- ed the Canaanites to retain' it, id, xvii, 11, Dor is situated upon the Mediterranean sea, with a very bad port between DOR DUtf Cacsarea and mount Carmel. Antiochus Sidetes besieged Tryphon, the usurper of the kingdom of Syria, in this city. Jerome says it is nine miles from Caesarea, and in his clay was desolate and uninhabited. Dor, being situate on a penin- sula projecting into the Medit- erranean, rendered it verv se- cure from attack by land. This city was governed by its own laws, and enjoyed the right of asylum. The modern name is Tartoura; it now consists of a single street towards the sea. A market is held here, to which the Arabs bring their plunder, and the neighboring peasants their cattle and fruir, which they barter for rice and linens, brought from Egypt, in small craft, because the water of the port is so shallow, as not to admit large vessels. There is no mosque in the village; but the inhabitants assemble on a plat- form, raised two feet and en- circled with a wall, and there attend public worship. The coffee house is the best build- ing and the most frequented of any place in town. The place furnishes no water which can be drunk, excepting from a fountain which issues from a rock ten or twelve feet from the shore in the sea, where at high water, it is covered with the waves. The neighborhood is 17 naked and destitute of trees, but yields grain. D^Arvieux. DOTHAN, or Uothaim, a town twelve miles north of Samaria and 44 north from Jerusalem, and six west from Tiberias. Joseph's brethren where at Dothan, when they sold him to the Ishmaelitish merchants, who came from Gil- ead, Gen. xxxvii, 17. The camp of Holofornes extended from Dothan, or Dothaim, to Belmain, Judith, vii, 3. Trav- ellers assert, that wells and fountains abound in this neighborhood at the present time, and the cistern, or dry pit, in which Joseph was confined by his brethren, is still shown. This is mentioned by several travellers. The name of the place in Chaldee signifies grass. This agrees well with its being selected by the sons of Jacob for feeding their cat- tle. In these countries, where water is found, there generally the grass is luxuriant in its growth. DUMAH, a town in the tribe of Judah, and in the south- ern region of Darom; it was seventeen miles from Eleuthe- ropolis. Lat. 29. DURA, a great plain in the neighborhood of Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar's gold- en image of threescore cubits in height was set up to be wor- KAS ECB dipped, which Shadrach, Mcs- hech, and Abednego refusing to do, were cast into a fiery furnace, Dan. hi, 1, &c. EAST. By the east, the Hebrews describe frequently not only Arabia Deserta, and the lands of Moab and Amnion, which lay to the east of Pales- tine, but Assyria, Mesopota- mia, Babylonia, and Chaldea, which lie rather to die north, than to the east of Judea. It is said, Gen. xi, 1, 2, that the "sons of Noah having but one language, departed from the east, and came into the land of Shinar." Here some difficul- ties have been raised; for the land of Shinar is not the west of Armenia, where the ark is supposed by many to have rested; and Armenia does not lie to the east of Babvlonia, where the land of Shinar was. It is with painful regret, that we find our limits forbid a discussion of this subject. We only say, that in the learned Asiatic Researches, it is made abundantly evident, that the original country of Abraham was far east from Mesopota- mia, between the Tigris and Euphrates, on the eastern bank of the Gihoon, and between that stream and the Jaxartes, exactly answering the Syriac word Mesopotamia, i. e. be- tween the rivers. This name travelled westward with the colony, who settled in Shinar. EBAL, a celebrated moun- tain, in the tribe of Ephraim, near Shechem, over against mount Gerizim. These two mountains are so near each other, that nothing but a valley of about two hundred paces wide separates them, and in this valley is the town of Shec- hem. The two mountains arc much alike in length, height, and form; their figure is a semicircle, and on the side of Shechem they are so steep, that there is not the least shelv- ing in them; they are at most half a league in length; but if they are alike in tiie particulars abovementioned, in another they are very unlike; for Ebai is entirely barren; Gerizim is fruitful. EBENEZER, that is, the stone of help, which was 'near Bethsiiemeth, according to Jer- ome, in the north of Judah. ECBATANA, a city of Me- dia, which, according to Hero- dotus, was built by Dejoces, king of the Medes, and encom- passed with seven wails of un- equal heights, and different col- oi s; the first was white, the second black, the third red, the fourth blue, the fifth a deep red, the sixth was done over with silver, and the seventh gilded. For beauty and mag- : ECB mm nificence this city was a rival to Babylon and Nineveh. The wails were 24 miles in circuit, more than a hundred feet in height, seventy-five feet broad; the towert. upon the gates one hunched and fifty feet higher, all built of hewn and polished stones, each ni:ie feet long, and four and a half broad. This is a description of the inner wall. The others were not so high. The royul palace was a mile in circuit; some of its beams were silver; the rest were ce- dar, strengthened with plates of gold. This was the residence of fhePeisian kings in summer, as Susa was in winter. The first book of Judith attributes the building of this city to Ar- phaxad, who, in the opinion of Usher and Dr. Prideaux, is the same with Dcjoces, though F. Calmet takes him to be no other than Phraortes, the suc- cessor of Dejoces. Josephus says this city was built by Dan- iel the prophet. In the Vul- gate Bible, Ezra vi, 2, we read, at Ecbatana in Media, was found a copy of Cyrus's edict, by which the Jews were per- mitted to return to their own country. But several interpreters trans- late Achmetha, which is the original, and which our trans- lators have retained, a strong vox, a press, a coffer, which lay amongst the old records of Me- dia; this, though the most modern, Le Clerc assures us is the true readinr. Lat. 37,15. EDAR, a tower near Jeru- salem. EDEN, a valley between Libanus and Anti-LibrmuS, ac- cording to the learned Huetius. The place is referred to Amos i, 5. "I will break the bar of Damascus, and cut off the in- habitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holds the sceptre from the house of Eden. Hue- tius observes, that this valley deserved the name of Eden, or rather Beth-Eden, the House of Pleasure, by reason of its fertility and pleasantness. This induced some to believe, that Paradise stood here, and the rather because they found in the neighborhood a town call- ed Paradise, mentioned by Pli- ny, lib. i, cap. 23, and Ptolemy. They persuaded themselves, also, that here Adam was cre- ated, and Cain killed his broth- er. This seems to be the place Mr. Maundrel notices in his journey, going from Damascus towards Tripoli; having trav- elled four hours and a half from Damascus, he came to a small village named Sinre,near which is an ancient structure, on the top of a high hill, supposed to be the tomb of Abel, who., some say, was murdered in this EDE EDE place. The tomb is thirty- yards long, and yet is believed to have been just proportioned to the stature of Abel. Here, (adds Mr. Maundrel) we en- tered into a narrow gut, between two steep rocky mountains, the river Barrady running at the bottom. On the other side of the river were several tall pillars, which ex- cited our curiosity to go and take a nearer view of them. We found them part of the front of some ancient and very magnificent edifice, but of what kind we could not conjecture. Now it is not unlikely that this valley might formerly have the name of Eden given to it; no doubt but it was esteemed a pleasant place, and this was the inducement to build here an edifice, which by reason of its pleasant situation was called Beth-Eden. Eden, a village near Tripoli in Syria on Mount Libanus, where some likewise have placed the earthly Paradise. This village is also noticed by Mr. Maundrel, who tells us that having gone for three hours across the plains of Tripoli, he arrived at the foot of Libanus, and thence con- tinually ascending, not with- out great fatigue, came in four hours and a half to a small village called Eden, and in two hours and a half more to the cedars. Eden, a place in the prov- ince of Thelasar, 2 Kings xix, 12. "The children of Eden who were in Thelasar," and again Isaiah xxxvii, 12, "The children of Eden wh6 were in Thelasar." But, saith the learn- ed Sanson, where this Eden is, it is not easy to sayT, unless Thelasar be Edessa. Edessa was a city of Mesopotamia, the country in which some have placed the Eden of our first parents, and was built four hundred years before Christ. Eden, a province in the East, where Paradise was sit- uated. Gen. ii, 8. See Par* adise. The self love and partialities of mankind have their, influ- ence in locating this happy spot, as well as in deciding a thousand other questions of much greater * importance. Several nations seem to have imagined their dignity was concerned in placing the gar- den of Eden within their bor- ders. This, with the partial knowledge obtained, concern- ing the geography of remote countries, have greatly em- barrassed the subject. Pos- sibly, another difficulty may have arisen from our local ideas. Eden has been supposed, some small circumscribed spot; but, -,DE EDE perhaps, if we carefully ob- serve, we shall find, that the sacred writer selects two Dis- tricts. First, that of Eden, which, it may be presumed, was a considerable place, per- haps a large and fruitful coun- try, as we say India, or Italy. Secondly, God selected from this country a garden, which was in Eden. Or, as one wri- ter renders it, "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, beyond Kedem" The Scptu- agmt thus translates the pas- sage, "God planted a paradise in Eden." In the country of Eden a particular spot was de- voted to the purposes of a garden. In imitation of this, we read in the poets of the garden of Adonis, of the Hes- perides, &c. The word Eden, which in the Hebrew tongue, according to its primary acceptation, signifies pleasure, and delight, in a secondary sense is fre- quently made the proper name of several places, which are either more remarkably fruit- ful in their soil, or pleasant in their situation. Now, of all the places which go under this name, the learned have looked upon the following four, as the most suitable countries in which to inquire for the ter- restrial Paradise. The first is that which we have just notic- ed, and which the prop] Amos, i, 5, seems to take no- tice of, when he divides Syria into three parts, namely Dam- ascus, the plain of Aven, and the house of Eden, called Cce.lo- Syria, or the Hollow Syria, because the mountains of Libanus and Anti-Libanus enclose it on both sides, and make it a valley. The second place, where many learned men have sought for the coun- try of Eden, is Armenia, be- tween the sources of the Ti- gris, the Euphrates, the Ar- axis, and the Phasis, which they suppose to be the four rivers, specified by Moses, Gen. ii, 10, &c. The third place, and that where the coun- try of Eden, as mentioned by Moses, seems, to the authors of the Universal History, most likely to be situated, is in Chaldea, not far from the banks of the river Euphrates. To this purpose, when we find Rabshekah, vaunting of his master, 2 Kings xix, 12, and Isa. xxxvii, 12, "Have the Gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Ha- ran, and Rezeph, and the chil- dren of Eden, which were in Thelasar?" As Thelasar in general signifies any garrison or fortification, so here more particularly, it denotes that EDE EDE sirong fort, which the children of Eden held in an island in the Euphrates, towards the east of Babylon, as a barrier against the incursions of the Assyrians, on that side; and therefore in all probability the country of Eden lay on the west side, or rather on both sides of the river Euphrates, after its conjunction with the Tigris, a little below the place where, in process of time the famous city of Babylon was built. This country, all au- thors agree,for its pleasantness, and fruitfulness, answers the character, which Moses gives of it. But in order to ascer- tain the place where the gar- den of Eden was situated, from a consideration of his description of the four rivers, we must refer the reader to what will be said under the name of each of these rivers, and under the article Paradise, whence he may see the several claims that each of the three countries, already mentioned have to this garden." But the fourth deserves particular no- tice, as it has been brought forward more recently, and from very high authority. In the Researches of the learned Asiatic Society, we are in- formed, that according to an- cient tradition, countenanced by the sacred books of the Persians and Hindoos, the Parents of mankind lived in that mountainous tract, which extends from Bolku and Can- dahar to the Ganges. Accord- ingly, says the learned writer, in this tract is found a spot minutely answering the de- scription, which MosCs has given of Eden in the book of Genesis. A winding brook forms a small lake, from this lake issues four large rivers. The first was called Pbispn, but now the Landi-Simlh. Gold is still found in its sands* and precious stones in die vi- cinity. The second was Gi- hon. This is now the Hir- Mend; the country through which it flows is the ancient Cusha. The third was Hid- dekel, that is now supposed to be the Bahlac. The fourth was called the Frat, or Eu- phrates, but is now the Cun- daz. Though every country on the globe has been searched to find a situation like that de- scribed by Moses; though many other places have been supposed the favorite abode of the first human pair; yet no one, it is said, has been found so entirely correspond- ing with the description given in the book of Genesis. Ac- cordingly, what is worthy of notice, as showing what strong; KDO EDO impressions the tradition has m iJe in the neighborhood, the Hindoos have placed a destroy- ing angel to represent that de- scribed in Genesis, which is the image of a cherub or y- »ung man, with the countenance, the wings, and talons of an eagle, at the entrance or gate of the passes leading to this suppos- ed garden of Eden. See the article East. EDOM, Land oj] in its most prosperous state was bounded N- by Canaan, and the lake Asphaltites, E. by Midian, S. by the Red Sea, W. by the Amalekites. This country is mountainous and desert, with few streams; but many springs supply the peo- ple with water. The most remarkable places in Edom were Teman, Bozrah, Dedan, Eziongeber, Elath, Mount Hor, where Aaron died, &c. The Edomites descended from Esau, the brother of Ja- cob. Before their birth it was revealed to their mother that "the elder should serve the younger." In blessing Jacob, the younger, the father said, "Be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother 's sens bow down to thee." To Esau, he said, "Thou shalt serve thy brother." The intelligent reader does not need to be in- formed, that such prophecies refer less to the persons _ad dressed, than to their posteri- ty, the people who may de- scend from them. These prophecies then lead us to ex- pect that the Edomites shall be found tributaries to the de- scendants of Jacob, who were the Israelites. See 1 Kings xi, 16, and 1 Chron. xviii, 12; where these prophecies are verified in history. David fought and conquered the E- domites, 2 Sam. viii, 14. Ht put garrisons in Edom, and all they of Edom became David's servants. In this state of sub- jugation, they continued about one hundred and fifty years, governed by officers, appoint- ed by the kings of Judah. In the time of Jehosophat, it is said, there was no king in Edom, a deputy was king. But in the time of Jehoram his son, they revolted, recov- ered their libertv, and made a king over themselves, 2 Kings viii, 20. This had been fore- seen in prophecy. "Thou shalt break his yoke from oft" thy neck." But afterward Amaziah, king of Judah, "slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war," 2 Kings xiv, 7. And other ten thousand left alive, did the children of Judah earn away captive and brought them unto the top of the rock on EDO EGY" which Selah was buiit, and cast them down from the top of the rock, and they were broken all in pieces. Elah, that distinguished haven on the Red Sea, Uzziah took from them. Afterwards Ju- das Maccabeus conquered them and killed twenty thou- sand at one time, and more than twenty thousand at anoth- er time; Hebron he took, pul- led down the forts, and burned the towers. His nephew Hyr- canus took other cities, and compelled them to fly from their country or adopt the Jew- ish religion. They were cir- cumcised and incorporated with the Jewish church. Thus have the Edomites at different times been conquered and made tributary to the Jews, though the Jews were never subdued by them. This is the more noticeable, from their warlike character. A state of vassalage did not extinguish their martial spirit. They were uhvavs a turbulent, furious race of men. But their light has gone out; their very name is almost forgotten. About the iirst century after Christ their name was abolished, and the remnants of the tribe scattered among the Arabs and Jews. The prophets had also foretold this. Obadiah ver. 10, "For ihy violence against thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and' thou shalt be cut oft* for ever;" and again, ver. 18, "There shall not be any re- maining of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it." The country of Edom is now the range of wild Arabs. Newton. ED RE I, a town beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manas- seh, Josh. xiii,31. This was the capital of Bashan. In the first ages of Christianity, this place was the residence of a bishop. Also the name of another town in the tribe of Naphtali. Josh, xix, 37. EDUMA, a' village of Pal- estine, twelve miles east from Sheehem. EGLAIM, IsaS. xv, 8, or Gallini, 1 Sam. xxv, 44, a city be\ond Jordan, to the east of the Dead Sea in the land of Moab. EGLON, the name of a city in the tribe of Judah. This place was not far from La- chish, and twelve miles from Eleutheropolis east. In the time of Eusebius, it was a large town. This was a royal city in the clays of Joshua, its king was destroyed by the He- brew commander. Lat. 31,34. EGYPT, a country of Af- rica, situated between the 48th and 53d degrees of E. longi- tude, and the 24th and 33d of N. latitude, being 600 miles KGY EGY long, and 500 broad, it is bounded south by Ethiopia, north by the Mediterranean Sea, east by the Arabian Gulf or the Red Sea, and the Isth- mus &f Suez, and west by Lybia. Egypt, called by its ancient inhabitants Chemia, and by the Copts at present Chemia, was so named, as is supposed, from Ham the son of Noah, being more than once styled the land of Ham, in the book of Psalms. But the name by which it is generally denot- ed in scripture, is, the land of Mizraim, who was a son of Ham; whence the Arabians and other oriental nations still call it Mesr; but the reason of its being called Egypt, is various- ly accounted for. Nothing is more common in Scripture, than the name of Egypt. This country, properly speaking, was the cradle of the Hebrew nation. Joseph being carried thither, and sold a slave, was soon, by Providence, es- tablished governor, and as it were viceroy, of all Egypt. Hither he invited his father and all his family, to the num- ber of about seventy persons; and after an abode of two hun- dred and fifteen years, they de- parted thence, in number six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men ca- pable of bearing arms, beside 18 women and children. The king of Egypt not permitting the Hebrews to leave his coun- try, Moses afflicted Egypt with ten plagues, before this obsti- nate prince could resolve with himself to let such a number of people go, whom he had enslaved, and from whom he had received great services; and after he had dismissed them, and compelled them to go away, he repented, pursued them with his army, and per- haps imperceptibly in a dark night followed them into the channel of the Red Sea, where he perished with all his forces. The Egyptians have been thought the inventors of all arts and sciences: they commu- nicated their false theology to the Greeks, who, it is on all hands allowed, received the names of their deities from the Egyptians; these carried su- perstition and idolatry farther than any other people, worship- ping stars, men, animals, and even plants. In imitation o£ them, the Hebrews adored the golden calf in the wilder- ness; and Jeroboam set up the like figures, which he recom- mended to his people, as ob-< jects of worship, which were objects of Egyptian worship. This country, once proverbially fruitful, and which su.ppor.ted 8,O0O,Q0O inhabitants, beside EGY EGY exporting vast quantities of provisions, has now greatly declined. For twelve hundred years, it has been subject to a people, who have not been agriculterists. This accounts for the depopulation of this country as well as Palestine. The inhabitants of Egypt, now are not probably more than 2,500,000. The cultivated lands are every year decreas- ing; sands are accumulating in their fields. When rain falls there is general joy, the people assemble in the streets; they sing; they are all in motion; they shout, Ye Allah, ye Mob- arek, i. e. Oh God, oh bles- sed. Volney. The great reservoirs of water, or artificial lakes, which once were employed for watering their fields, as the Moeris, Ba- hira, and Mareotis, &c. by the present vicious government are suffered to be destroyed. Of 80 canals, used for watering the country, several of which were 60, 90, and 120 miles long, all excepting six, are nearly filled up. Lands, which for- merly were loaded with wheat, wine, and fruit, are now barren deserts without a tree, plant, or shrub. It is asserted that formerlyEgy pt su pplied the Ro- mans annually with 20,000,000 bushels of wheat. The climate of this country seems to be healthy. Old men are numerous; many ride on horseback at 80 years of age. In the hot season, they live chiefly on vegetables, pulse, and milk. They bathe often, eat little, and seldom drink fer- mented liquors, but mingle much lemon juice in their food. Diseases of the eyes are com- mon, from the reflection of the sun from the sand and other glaring objects. Eight thou- sand blind people are support- ed in the grand mosque of Cairo. Fulmonary consump- tions, which in cold countries, and particularly in New Eng- land, destroy so many persons in the blossom of youth, are unknown in the warm climate of Egypt. The plague is not a native of Egypt, but is often imported in Turkish vessels, begins its dreadful course in the seaports, travels to Cairo, and even Syene, and some- times sweeps off 2 or 300,000 persons. It always stops, or ceases to be mortal in June. The splendid and magnifi- cent ruins scattered Over this country, give proof of high cul- tivation enjoyed by the ancient inhabitants. The pyramids, to mention no other monuments of their labors, are noticed by all travellers. Three of these are distinguished from the rest, on account of their enormous EGY EGY size. They are of stone; the largest is 600 feet high, and covers 8 or 10 acres of land. Different have been the opin- ions of learned men con- cerning the design of these im- mense piles. Some have sup- posed them royal tombs; some have thought them altars; the learned Bryant supposes them temples, dedicated to the wor- ship of the Deity; it appears that idols of the highest anti- quity were shaped in the form of a pyramid. The labyrinth, cut from a marble rock, con- tains twelve palaces, having in the whole, 1,500 rooms, con- nected with 12 halls. There are also 1,500 houses formed in the same manner. Sonini. The mummy pits contain the generationSjWhich are gone; some of these embalmed bod- ies, are perfectly preserved, though they have been dead 3000 years. The government is dreadful. The prophet Eze- kiel has foretold thousands of years ago, "Egypt should be- come the basest among the kingdoms, for I will diminish them, and they shall no more rule over the nations," Ezek. xxix, 11. "And there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt," Ezek. xxx, 13. All this has been remarkably veri- fied. To effect which, Provi- dence has introduced a singu- lar course of events. Previous to the middle of the thirteenth century, a number of slaves, bought by the Egyptian mer- chants, and sold to private peo- ple, had been purchased by the Sultan, who had given them a military education, and employ- ed them to defend the maritime towns of the kingdom. The occasion of this measure was, the Egyptians, by a long course of political slavery, had become so cowardly, treacherous, and base, that they were incapable of exercising military talents. On the contrary, these strangers having no friends, but in their own corps, turned all their at- tention to the military art, and made excellent soldiers. These Mamelukes, as they were called in 1250, assassin- ated the reigning Sultan, and made themselves masters of all Egypt, and chose a Sultan from their own body. This author- ity, they have never wholly lost. Though there have been revolutions among themselves, as in 1382, and though they were conquered by the Turks in 1517, yet the conquerors thought proper to establish a new government of Mamelukes, so that yet there "is no more a prince of the land." To un- derstand this, we must be in- formed that the race of Mame- lukes is not continued bv chil- EGY EGY dren succeeding their parents. On the contrary, Mr. Volney, (who certainly did not inten- tionally, though he did in fact, confirm the inspiration of the prophets) assures us, that during the 550 years in which there had been Mamelukes in Egypt, not one of them has left issue, all their children perish in the first or second descent. The means by which the Mame- lukes are kept in existence is the same, as that by which they were first introduced, by slaves bought from the banks of the Cuban and Phasis. "It is a base, miserable kingdom; the situation of the common peo- ple is most calamitous. They are distressed by poverty, rob- bed by the Arabs, and oppres- sed by the Mamelukes. The whole conversation, when neigh- bors meet, relates to the mur- ders, the bastinadoes, and exe- cutions, the insurrections, and Sufferings of the country. A sentence of death is instantly executed, though pronounced without the form of a trial. The officers, who go the rounds in the streets by day or night, are accompanied by executioners, who carry leathern bags for re- ceiving the heads, which they may cut off during their excur- sion. When a person is sum- moned before a Bey, i.e. a prin- cipal officer of the government, a sum of money is demanded. If he deny his ability to pay the sum, he is thrown on his back, and receives 300 or 400 blows on the soles of his feet, or is perhaps instantly put to death. There is a general similarity of character wherever the Ma- hometan religion prevails. The precepts of the Koran give a peculiar complexion to the hu- man mind. The best people in the country are the Christian Copts. They are ingenious, have skill in business, and are much employed as writers and accomptants. Their women have pleasant countenances, black eyes, and elegant forms. The Arabs are the most nume- rous people. Some of them cultivate their lands, and tend their flocks. Others employ themselves only as shepherds. Bedoween Arabs are more in- dependent, are ferocious, and live in warfare. As hi every other part of the globe, so here, the Jews are hated, and a bye word. They are the rivals of theCopts in those employments, which require some learning. The furniture of a Bedoween family is a mill to grind coffee and corn, a round iron platea on which they bake their cakes, a coffee pot, a few goat skins for holding water, and a tent cloth, in which their furniture EGY EG\ is wrapped, when they remove. At their entertainments the provisions are plenty, but they June neither chairs, plates, spoons, forks, nor napkins. T|le Koran has covered the •ountry with darkness. Egypt is far inferior to itself in former times. The present learning consists of a little arithmetic, a few nostrums in medicine, the precepts of the Koran, and the jargon ofastrology. Though the prevailing religion is Ma- hometan, yet there are many Christian Copts, who have their priests and monasteries. Noth- ing can be more vile to Ma- hometans, than Christians. They consider their dissolute females profaned, if they are only seen by a Christian. Some of the Mahometan en- thusiasts spend their lives re- peating the word Allah. Others crouch under a wall, and live on charity. Some beat their heads with a stone; some sing hymns, covered with garlands, and others stand naked and motionless through life, never asking for any thing, or giv- ing thanks for what is given them. I shall conclude the account of Egypt with a few miscella- neous remarks, which may re- ceive some additional interest from having been very recently made by two learned gentle* men in 1801. ''On the banks of the Nile, saith he, the Arabs cultivate melons, gourds, to- bacco, indigo, Indian corn, and other vegetables. The water of the Nile, not only fertilizes the lands between its streams; but on each side of its exter- nal channels, and even where the inundation does not appear. The cause may be, the ground im bibes the water below its surface, the roots striking down some depth, reach the nourish- ment of the water. The water which the farmer needs is often in a canal below the level of the land, which he must re- fresh. In Egy.pjjjfiiel is the article most difficult to be found; it is ordinarily brought from Asia Minor. When the English army was there, they were un- der the necessity of purchasing cow dung from the Arabian women, who form it for L.ile, into cakes, mixed with straw, and dry it on the sides of their houses. This custom is not unknown in other eastern countries. Thus the gay Voltaire was indebted to his ignorance of Oriental cus- toms, for the pleasure of his sarcasms, respecting Ezikiel the prophet. In Egypt, as the night sets in, the people retire to rest; many of the men lie out abroad, scattered over the EGY EGY plains, like a flock of sheep, with their clothes under them, and covered with a large hand- kerchief, which they wear in the day time across their shoul- ders. This is the usual practice of the Arabs, during summer. Two seasons of the year are known to this country, spring and summer. Neither snow, nor hail, are seen here, once in half a century. Summer continues from the beginning of March to November; the whole of this time the sun is sparkling, the air is inflamed, and is by nine o'clock in the morning insupportable to Europeans, who may be abroad. Cairo, or Grand Cairo, is a large city and capital of the country. The inhabitants are, like Egypt in general, a mix- ture of Arabs, Copts, or an- cient Egyptians, Greeks, Ar- menians, Turks, and Mame- lukes. The Arabs are the most numerous class, as is indeed the case in every part of the coun- try. The number of the Chris- tians is very inconsiderable. Arabic, which is the common language of the country, is al- most exclusively spoken in Cairo. The Arabs marry young, and have many chil- dren; but sickness sweeps them away. Their want of proper nourishment, and the filthy state in which they live, pro- duce a dreadful mortality. The houses are in general very spa- cious; the upper stories are of bad brick; and have a misera- ble shabby appearance. The lower or ground story is of stone, without any thing like windows, towards the streets, which are winding, and so narrow, that there is scarcely room for two horses to move abreast. The fronts of the houses in the principal streets, have in the lower story, small recesses, disconnected with the house, which serve as shops, two feet from the ground, a- bout ten feet square. These rooms appear to be described Ezek. xxxiii, 30, "by the walls and doors of the houses." We do not suppose the people were so uncultured as to as- semble at the doors of houses, to talk against the prophet. These rooms were shops,where the opposers of the prophet met to prate against him and his sermons, the resort of news- mongers, tipplers, and idlers. A traveller lately here, says, "We took a walk in the Bey's garden, &x. — when we came away the old man rose, a com- pliment very unusually paid by Turks to the Franks." This may answer the inquiry which is sometimes made, "Why would not Mordeeai rise be- fore Haman?" Esth. v, 9. He stood not up nor moved for him. Our traveller observes, EGY EGY it is very unusual for persons of a different religion to rise up and show respect to one another. Mordecai did no more than the custom of the country allowed, and was, therefore, sniiltv of no incivil- ity. Another traveller relates, that in Oran, a person had turned Mahometan; afterwards he rose up and complimented the French consul, from whom he had received some favor. He was instantly reproved by a Mahometan, who said, How came you to stand up and bow to that infidel? It is beneath thee, to stand up for the em- peror of the Christians. Cairo, may be regarded as the metropolis of all Africa; no other city on that continent, can, perhaps, boast a sixth part the population. It consists of three towns about a mile apart, Old Cairo, New Cairo, and the port termed Billao. The an- cient town had the name of Mesra. The Arabs now call it Mesr, or Messer, from Miz- raim. Old Cairo is reduced to a small place, though it is the harbor for boats, which come from Upper Egypt. Some of the Beys have country houses to which they retire, when the country is overflowed by the Nile. New Cairo stands about three miles from the river, and extends nearly two miles east- ward towards the mountains, and is 7 miles in circumference. It is surrounded by a stone wall with battlements, and every 100 paces are towers capable of hold- ing many people. The French repaired this wall, when in pos- session of Cairo. From Jo- seph's Hall, there is a delight- ful prospect over the city, the Pyramids, and ail the country round. The city is exceeding- ly populous, containing nearly 300,000 souls; several families living in one house, and a num- ber of people in each room. In the busy time of the day the streets are so crowded, that it is difficult to pass. The hous- es of the better sort are of hewn stone, 2 or 3 stories high. Those of the lower class are of sunburnt brick. Ignorance and barbarity reign within. None but merchants can read or write. In Old Cairo, the Copts havejl2 churches and a convent. The Roman Catholics have a hospital, belonging to the fath- ers of the holy land. In New Cairo are 26 Synagogues, one of the ancient Essenes, who reject all oral traditions. It is on the Nile, 100 miles from its mouth. There are not less than 300 mosques in Cairo, the lofty minarets make a very picturesque appearance. The Europeans have consuls and factors here; ar.d it was a place .1. EGY £GY of very great trade, before the "cape of Good Hope was discov- ered. It was taken by the French commanded by Bona- parte, July 23, 1797, but after- wards abandoned. The goods entered at Cairo in 1783, a- mounted to 6 or 7 millions sterl- ing. Rice, corn, flax, and coffee exported were valued at, about 2 millions, besides oth- er articles. Long. 31, 27, east, Lat. 30, 2, north. We. only add, that, the Jews have a syn- agogue at Cairo, which they say was built more than 1,600 years ago. Among many an- cient manuscripts, which they possess, is one containing their laws, which they pretend was written by Ezra. It is kept in a niche; a curtain is drawn be- fore it; a lamp is left continu- ally burning, and no person is allowed to touch it. The inhabitants are supplied with wTater in part from Joseph's well, which is two hundred and eighty feet deep, and forty in circuit. It has a winding gal- lery by which men and cattle descend to bring up the water. The well and the gallery are hewn out of the solid rock. The water is drawn by means of large wheels, which are moved by oxen or buffaloes. Water is also brought from the Nile. This furnishes employment for a number of people, who bring it in leather bags, laid on asses or camels. The poor, who cannot afford to buy, go to the river themselves, and bring the water on their heads in earthen pitchers. In the vicinity of Cai- ro is the place to which Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus fled from Herod. The grotto in which they concealed them* selves is still shown. A Chris- tian church is built over it, the priests obligingly show their Coptic books and other cu- riosities of the place. Po- coke, Lusignan, So?imi, Invin^ Mariti. EGYPT, River of, or Brook, is frequently mentioned in scripture, as the southern limits of the land of Promise, on the side of Egypt. What this riv- er of Egypt is, has been the subject of much inquiry. Several have taken it to be the brook. Besor, otherwise the brook of the wilderness, 1 Sam. xxx, 10; situated between Ga- za and Rhinocorua. Calmet and Le Clerc are clear that it is the Nile, the only river, which flows through Egypt. Amos vi, 14, takes notice of it by the name o^ the river of the wilderness, because, say they, the most eastern arm of the Nile, and the nearest to Canaan, was near Arabia, or the wilder- ness, and watered that canton culled by the Egyptians, Ara.-. EGY EKtt bian. On the contrary Mr. Poole thinks the Nile cannot be meant by the river of Egypt, from its being put in opposition to the great river Euphrates, but Sihor, which he supposes to be a small river, dividing Egypt from Canaan. Dr. Wells is decidedly of the same opinion, and we think his reason- ing conclusive. I come now, saith he, to speak of this prom- ise [of the land of Canaan] and to begin with the two ex- tremes, here assigned, "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphra- tes." We inquire says the Dr. what river is this river of Egypt? That the Nile is not intended, is understood by this text. The Euphrates being styled the great river, it may reasonably be inferred that the other river is not a great one, consequently it cannot be the Nile, for the Nile is larger, than the Euphrates, especially that part of the river, which washed the border of Israel, Numb, xxxiv, 5; Moses speak- ing of the south border of Israel says, "it shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and its goings out shall be at the sea." Accordingly we read Joshua xv, 4; that the south coast passed toward Az- mon and went out unto the river of Egypt, and the goings 19 out of that coast were at the sea." From both these places it is evident, that the river of Egypt was certainly a part of the south boundary of Canaan. But every one knows that the country divided among the twelve tribes never reached the Nile, never included any part of Egypt. It follows that the river of Egypt is not the Nile, and was also a smaller stream. Accordingly not far from Rhinocorura, on the south border of Israel we find such a water. The learned Bonfreri- us, in his map of the Holy Land, calls this stream th^ tor- rent or river of Egypt. See Si/io r. EKRON, a city and govern- ment of the Philistines. It fell by tot to the tribe of Judah, in the first division made by Josh- ua, xv, 45; but afterwards it was given to the tribe of Dan, id. xix, 43. It was situated very near the Mediterranean, be- tween Ashdod and Jamnia. Ek- ron was a powerful city and it does not appear by history, that the Jews were ever sole pos- sessors of it. The idol Baal- zebub was principally adored at Ekron', 2 Kings i, 2, &c. All vestiges of this once powerful city have been extinct for many centuries. Zephaniah prophesied that "Ekron should be rooted up," chap, ii, 4. ELA ELA Baal- zeb ab, the Aleim of the Philistines, was worshipped at Ekron, 2 Kings i, 2, 3; vi, 16. It seems that he was their Escu- lapius, or god of medicine. The Septuagint translate the word Baal, the fly. Nothing is so mean and miserable as not to have been an object of idolatry. The worship of ser- pents has been extensive. The Hottentots at this day, like the Ekronites, adore an insect, or fly, as a benign deity. This fly is as large as the little fin- ger of a child. The back is green, the belly speckled with white*and red. It has too wings and two horns. To this winged deity they render the highest tokens of veneration. When it honors a village with its visit, the people collect to- gether in transports of devo- tion, singing and dancing while itjtarries. As a thank offering, they kill two fat sheep, nor can you make a Hottentot believe, that this insect does not bring favor and prosperity to the in- habitants. ELAH, the name of the val- ley, where the Israelites were encamped, when David fought Goliah, who was 12 feet 8 inches in height, and/vvhose coat of mail weighed 189 pounds Troy. This vale lay on the road from Eleutheropolis, to Je- rusalem. ELAM. See Persia and Elath. ELATH,'orELOTH,or£/a- mz, FJas, Elan and Eton, also Ailath, a port of Idumea, situa- ted upon the Red sea, called by all these names, and which Da- vid 'in his conquest of Edom took; 2 Samuel viii, 14, and there established a trade to all parts of the world. His son, built ships in Elath, and sent them from thence to Ophir for gold, 2 Chron. viii, 17, 18. It continued in the possession of the Israelites, about an hun- dred and fifty years, till in the time of Joram, the Edomites recovered it, 2 Kings viii, 20; but it was again taken from them by Azariah, and by him left to his son, 2 Kings xiv, 22. His grandson Ahaz, how- ever, lost it again, it being taken by the king of Syria, id. xvi, 6; the Syrians had it in their hands a long while, till after many changes under the Ptole- mais, it came into the posses- sion of the Romans. Elath was a commodious haven, ad- joining the south-east part of Edom. It was for a long time a station for the shipping, em- ployed in the India trade. It is near the road, which the Egyptians travel in their pil- grimages to Mecca. Remains of this city were visible in the 14th century. It was former- ELB ELE ly a great mart for the Tyrians. Topographical Dictionary. Eloth was 157 miles from Gaza; it lay on the extreme part of Palestine, according to Jerome, but he should have •said of Edom. Formerly it was the residence of a bishop. At present nothing remains of this commercial city, but an ancient tower. Formerly here was a fort, and had fruitful fields in the vicinity; but fort and fields, and city are gone. Lat. 29 N. ELE ALEH, a town belong- ing to the tribe of Reuben, Numb, xxxii, 37. Eusebius places it at the distance of a mile from Heshbon. This town and Heshbon were taken by the Moabites, and while in their possession they were ter- ribly ravaged by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, Num. xxxii; Isaiah xv, and Jer. xlviii. Lat. 31, 43. ELE AS A, the name of a place in the tribe of Benjamin, where there was a battle fought between Judas Maccabeus on the one side, and Bacchides and Alamas, the high priest of the Jews, on the other. EL-BETHEL and El-e- lohe IsRAEL,|thenameoft\vo altars, built by Jacob after his re- turn to Canaan. The first signi- fies that God was still the God of Bethel to him in performing the promises there made. The second implies that the mighty God was still the object of worship to him and his off- spring. Gen. xxxiii and xxxv. ELEPH, a town of Pales- tine in the tribe of Benjamin. ELEUTHEROPOLIS, a city of Judea, and though not mentioned in the Bible, it is proper to be inserted in this work, because on account of itsjimportance in the time of Eu- sebius and Jerome, they made this city the point whence they estimated the distances of oth- er towns,and having often quot- ed them in this particular, this place would naturally be look- ed for by every careful reader. But a difficulty still remains, to fix the exact position of this place. Enough, however, is known to answer the most ne- cessary purpose,and from which we may very nearly infer the situation of other places, men- tioned in connexion with this. Josephus says, this town was twenty miles from Jerusalem; another writer says, that it was twenty-four miles from Ashke- lon, and eighteen from Lydda. Eusebius says, that it was five miles fromGath, six from Lachish, twenty -five from Ge- rar, twenty from Jattir, and eight from Keilah. It was in the tribe of Judah, toward the region of the Philistines, and ELI ELI was not built, till after the des- truction of Jerusalem. ELEUTHERUS,ariverin Syria, the source of which lies between Libanus and Anti-Li- banus, 1 Mace, xi, 7. After it has watered the valley, situated between these two mountains, it discharges itself into the Mediterranean. (See Maun- drel.J ELICIANS, Judith chap, i, mentions Arioch, king of the Elicians; the Greek and Syriac read of the Elymeans, that is, the ancient country of the Per- sians. In Genesis we read of Arioch, king of Ellasar; this might be the city of the Eli- cians. ELIM, the seventh encamp- ment of the Israelites in the wilderness, where they found twelve fountains and seventy. palm trees, Ex. xv, 27. From Elim they went to the wilder- ness of Sin. Elim lies in the north skirt of the desert, two leagues from Tor, where are now nine wells, and two thou- sand palm trees. (Shaw.) The place where Israel en- camped seems to have been fruitful and pleasant to them, compared with the desert re- gion around. Lat. 29, 15. Dr. Shaw says, we have a distinct view of mount Sinai from Elim, the wilderness of Sin Iving between them. We were twelve hours in travelling to the desert of Sinai, which consists of a beautiful plain three miles wide and nine long, closed to the south by some of the lower eminences of Sinai. In this direction some of the higher branches of the moun- tain make such encroachments on the plain, that they divide it into two, each of them spa- cious enough to have holden the camp of Israel. That to the east may be the desert of Sinai, where Moses saw the burning bush. The convent of St. Catherine is built over the place of that Divine appear- ance. The building is nearly three hundred feet square, and more than forty high, built of stone with mortar. The fraternity of Basil do not enter the chapel, till they have pull- ed off their shoes. ELISHA, Fountain of, is a fountain which sends a stream through the plain of Jericho, passing south of Gilgal, and dividing into several branches, falls into the Jordan. This is the spring sweetened by Eli- sha. ELISHAH, Isles of, Jose- phus says, iEolia, or at least the Ionian or iEolian islands, w ere named from Elishah, who was the son of Javan. These islanders traded with Tyre in purple, a great many of the ELT EMM purple fish being caught near the mouth of the river Eurotas. Concerning Tyre Ezekiel says, "Blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee." The Tyrians wore clothing imported from those islands. It seems that purple must have been a fash- ionable color, for Tyre herself was in possession of a famous purple dye, which was prover- bial for its beauty; yet she im- ported purple clothes of Eli- shah. Ancient writers frequently speak of the purple of Laconia. ELKOTH, a village in Gal- ilee, noted for the birth of the prophet Nahum. ELLASAR, a country of Asia of which Arioch was king, as related Gen. xiv, 1. Dr. Wells supposes, that this was a kingdom of Arabia, whose inhabitants are by Ptolemy called Elisari. Bonfrerius thinks it uncertain whether Ellasar was a city or country. It is also uncertain whether it be not the same with Ellas, in Ccelo-Syria, or Thelasar in Mesopotamia. ELON, a city in the tribe of Dan. Lat. 31, 41. El on, a eity in the tribe of Naphtali. Lat. 33, 8. ELTEKAK, or Eltekeh, a city in the tribe of Dan, giv- en to the Levites of Koath's family. Lat. 32, 47. ELTEKON, a town in the tribe of Judah, upon the con- fines of the tribe of Benjamin. ELTOLAD, a town in the tribe of Judah, which was af- terwards given to the tribe of Simeon. ELYMAIS, a city and cap- ital of Elam, or the ancient country of the Persians. 1 Mace, vi, 1, informs us that Antiochus Epiphanes, under- standing there were very great treasures in a temple of Ely- mais, determined to plunder it, but the citizens resisted him, and obliged him to fly. Lat. 30,25. EMESA, a town on the river Orontes, eighteen miles from Laodicea, and not far from the Lebanon. See Hamath. EMIMS, the ancient inhab- itants of the land of Canaan, to the east and northeast of the Dead Sea. They probably descended from Ham; they were a numerous, gigantic, and warlike race of men. Chedor- laomer defeated them at Sha- ven Kiriathaim, Gen. xiv, Josh, xiii. Anah, the Hivite, also, attacked a body of them and vanquished them, seized their country, and united with those who survived the slaughter. Deut. ii, 10. EMMAUS, a village sixty furlongs, or seven miles and a half from Jerusalem, on the north side, celebrated for what happened to CleOpas and an- ENA other disciple, Luke xxiv, 13, who were going thither upon the day of our Savior's resur- rection. A church has been built here, on the spot where the house of Cleopas stood. The Romans planted a colony here, and Vespasian left eight hundred soldiers in Judea, and gave them the village of Em- maus. In this Emmaus were hot springs, and the inhabitants had a tradition, that Jesus Christ washed his feet in these waters, and communicated to them a healing power. Such was the malice of Julian, the apostate, toward Jesus, that he ordered these springs to be stopped up. Emmaus, a town nearLyd- da, 22 miles north-west from Jerusalem, in later times called Nicopoiis. Emmaus, a town near Ti- berius. All these places re- ceived their names from their hot baths. ENAIM, a town of Pales- tine in the tribe of Judah. The word Enaim is supposed to signify the wells, a probable place to meet company, in those countries where water is rare, and therefore, here Ta- mar sat, Gen. xxxviii, 14. Others suppose not a town or well, but the dividing of two ways is denoted; an open place it is translated in our bibles. ENABRIS, a place be- tween ScythopOlisandTiberias. ENAM, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh. xv,34. Lat. 31,27. END OR, a city in the tribe of Manasseh, Josh, xvii, 11, where the witch lived, whom Saul consulted, a little before the battle of Gilboa, 1 Sam. xxviii, 13. This was an ancient and considerable town, belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh, on the west side of Jordan. It was four miles south from mount Tabor. Eusebius says that it was a large town in his day. Lat. 32,21. EN-EGLAIM, the fountain of calves, Ezekiel xlvii, 10; speaks of this place in opposi- tion to Engedi. "The fishers ' shall stand upon it, from Enge- di even unto En-eglaim, they shall be a place to spread forth nets." St. Jerome says, that En-eglaim is situated on the Dead Sea, where the 'river Jor- dan runs into it. The word En so often perfixed to the names of places, signifies a well; these were doubtless so called on account of their wells. The passage of Ezekiel above quo- ted may signify, Ministers la- boring in the go pel from one end of the world to the other, says a pious writer. May it not more literally refer to the "heal- ing" of the waters in the Dead Sea, which now are so malig- nant that no fish can live in them; but in the millennium* ENG KNG they wUl become pure, and be stored with libh, so that the whole sea from shore to shore, shall be covered with the boats of fishermen, Engedi being on one side, and En-eglaim on the opposite shore. EN-GANNIM, the name of two cities, one in the plain, belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 34; the other in the tribe of Issachar, id. xix, 21. It was given to the Levites of Gershom's family. ENGEDI, otherwise Haz- azon Tamar, that is to say the palm tree city, 2 Chr. xx, 2; because there was a great number of palm trees, in its territory. It abounded with Cyprus vines, and trees, which bore balm. Solomon in his song i, 14; speaks of the vine- yards of Engedi. This city, according to Josephus, stood near the lake of Sodom, thirty- seven miles and a half from Je- rusalem, not far from Jeri- cho; and the mouth of the river Jordan. Engedi in the He- brew, means the kids. This city lay in the tribe of Judah, and was remarkable for produc- ing camphire, and balm of Gil- ead. In the time of Jerome it was a very great village. This was an ancient city, possessed by the Amorites, here the arm- ies of Amnion and Moab en- camped, as theymarched against Jehosophat; 2 Chron. xx, 2. At Engedi was a remarkable cave, so large, that it afforded shelter for David and six hun- dred men, and yet there was so much room left, that Saul en- tered and retired without per- ceiving that any one was there. Indeed the whole country of Judea, being mountainous and rocky, has numerous caverns in different parts. Josephus tells us of a numerous gang of banditti, who having infested the country, and being pursu- ed by the army of Herod, retir- ed into certain caverns, almost inaccessible, near Arbela in Galilee, where, with great diffi- culty they were subdued. Some of these caverns were natural; but others were artifi- cial, cut in the solid rock. Be- yond Damascus, say s Strabo, are two mountains called Trachon- es, from which the country has the name of Trachon- ites, and from hence towards Arabia, and Iturea, are certain rugged mountains in which are deep caverns, one of which will hold four thousand men. Tavernier speaks of a grot, be- tween Aleppo and Bir, that would hold nearly three thous- and horse. Three hours dis- tant from Sidon, about a mile from the sea, rises a high rocky mountain, in the sides of which are hewn a multitude of grots, all very little differing from each other. Thee have entrances ENH ENO -about two feet square; on the inside you find in most, or all of them a room of about four yards square. There are two hundred of these subterraneous rooms, formed probably for the dwellings of the living, not the dead. The habitations of the Troylodytae were of this kind, in Upper Egypt, and elsewhere. The Hontes of mount Seir were, as their name imports, Troy- lody tes. Strabo mentions those, who dwelt on each side of the Red Sea. The Koran speaks of the Thamud, a tribe of Ara- bians, who to secure them- selves, hewed houses out of the mountains. Thus on account of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens, which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. Here they secured themselves in the time of invasion, Judges vi, 2. See also 1 Sam. xiii, 6; and Jer. xli; and Hosea x, 8. Lat. 31, 11. Burdens Oriental Customs. En c edi, desert of a forest near the city of the same name, in which probably was the cave above mentioned. ENHADDAH, a city be- longing to the tribe of Issachar, Josh, xix 21. ENHAKKORE, the well of him who cried, the name of the well which was miraculous- ly opened to allay the thirst of Sampson after his slaying the thousand Philistines, with the jaw bone of an ass. Our Eng- lish bibles imply, that the well was opened in the bone; but the word Lehi signifies the place where he was, as well as a jaw bone, therefore, it is more nat- ural to suppose, that a spring gushed from the ground where he was, than from the bone, es- pecially as the name of the well or fountain continued in subse- quent ages. ENHAZOR, a city of Naph- tali. Josh, xix, 37. ENMISPHAT, Moses says, Gen. xiv, 7; that the kings Chedorlaomer, Amraphel, and the rest, having traversed the wilderness of Paran, came to Enmisphat, or the fountain of Mishpat, otherwise called Ka- desh. See Kadesh. Mishpat signifies judgment, the place was not so called, till Moses drew from it the waters of strife, and the anger of God fell on Moses and Aaron. ENOCH, the first city of which we read in scripture, probably not far east from Eden; but its situation is not known. Ptolemy, in describ- ing Susiana, mentions a city, which without its suffix was called Anuch, or Anoch; but whether it be the same men- tioned by Moses is uncertain. ENON, the place when John EPII EPH the Baptist baptized, "because there were many waters there," John iii, 23. It was situated between Salim and Jordan, in the halt" tribe of Munasseh. Enon, saith Dr. Wells, signifies "a place, of springs " It was eight miles from Scythopolis, and fifty- three north- cast from Jerusa- lem. Lat. 32, 14. ENROGEL, another name for the fountain of Siloam, on the east of Jerusalem, at the foot of mount Zion. It was on the line between the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and in the king's garden. Here Ahim- aaz and Jonathan concealed themselves to gain information respecting the plot of Absalom. ENSHEMESH, fountain of the sun, on the frontiers of Ju- dah and Benjamin. Whether this was the name of a town, or spring of water, is uncertain. The Arabians give. this name to the ancient metropolis of Egypt; which the Hebrews call On, and the Greeks, Heliopolis. EPHESUS, a celebrated city of Ionia, in Asia Minor, situated upon the river Cayster. Among heathen authors, this city was much noted for its famous temple of Diana, which foi its extent and workmanship, was accounted one of the sev- en wonders of the world. It is said to have been 425 feet long, 20 220 broad, and to have been supported by 127 pillars of marble, 70 feet high, of which 27 were most curiously wrought, and all the rest pol- ished. The famous architect who contrived the model em- ployed so much art and curios- ity, that it took up two hun- dred years, or as some histories say 400 years, before it was finished, though it was built at the common expense of all Asia proper. The first time Si. Paul came to Ephesus was in the year of Christ 54; he stayed a few days, and went to Jerusalem, Acts xviii. Seme months after he returned and continued there three years; but was obliged to leave the city, id. xix, 24; upon a sedi- tion which was raised by De- metrius, a silversmith, whose trade consisted, chiefly, in mak- ing li!.tle silver temples, or rep- resentations of Diana. Here St. Paul wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians. Ephesus, above all other places in the world, was noted of old for the study of Magic, and all secret and hidden arts, inso- much that the Ephesian letters, so often spoken of by the an- cients, which were certain ob- scure my sticalspells or charms, by which they endeavored to heal diseases, and drive awav evil spirits, seem to have been EPH EPH first invented in this city. Cer- tain Jews who took upon them to exorcise persons, possessed with a devil, for which they were to have money, having one day performed this office, in the name of Jesus Christ, the possessed fell on them, tore off their clothes, wounded them, and scarce suffered them to escape alive. This accident frightened the inhabitants, Jews and Gentiles; and several per- sons addicted to mystical arts, publicly burnt their books re- lating to such subjects, the value of which amounted to about 7,000 dollars, or accord- ing to other calculations, to 27,777. Acts xix, 14. The apostle in the last jour- ney, which he made to Rome, took Ephesus again in his way, and while he was a prisoner at Rome, being informed that the Christians at Ephesus stood firm in the faith, he wrote an epistle to them, which, Mr. Locke observes, is not written in the formal way of reasoning and argumentation, but is all, as it were, in a rapture, in a style, far above the plain di- dactic method. Aquila and Priscilla, with whom St. Paul lodged at Cor- inth came thence with him to Ephesus, and made some stay there, Acts xviii, 2, 3; 8. A- pollos, likewise, came and preached there; and the apostle St. John, passed a great part of his life at Ephesus, and died there, when Timothy, was made first bishop of Ephesus by the apostle, who laid his hands on him. Of this famous city nothing but ruins now remain. Of the temple of Diana nothing is to be seen, but a few broken pillars. The lofty church of St. John is converted to a Mahometan mosque. Its larg- est pillar is twelve feet in cir- cuit; this church yet lifts up its head in mournful dignity over surrounding cottages and ruins. In every walk the trav- eller stumbles over broken col- umns, subverted temples and palaces. The whole town con- tains only 40 or 50 families of Turks, who are herdsmen and farmers, living in low cottages of dirt, covered on the top with earth, and sheltered from the extremity of the weather by mighty masses of ruinous walls, the pride and ostentation of former days, and in these, the emblems of the frailty and transient vanity of human glory. This handful of miser- able outcasts is all which re- mains of the immense popula- tion of Ephesus. Here is not a single Christian family to in- voke the name of Jesus. So dreadful an evil it is for pro- EPH EPI1 lessors "to forsake their first love, and not to remember whence they have fallen, and repent." Literally has Christ fulfilled his threatening, against this churcfi, "Thy candlestick shall be removed out of his place," Rev. ii. The descrip- tion of an* eye witness must be interesting. Dr. Chandler says, The inhabitants are a few Greek peasants, living in ex- treme wretchedness, depend- ance, and insensibility; the re- presentatives of an illustrious people, inhabiting the wreck of their greatness, under the walls of the glorious edifices which they raised, and some beneath the vaults of the stadium, once the crowded scene of their diversions, and some by the abrupt precipice, in the sepulchres which received their ashes. Its streets are ob- scured and overgrown. A herd of goats was driven to it for shelter from the sun at noon, and a noisy flight of crows from the quarries seemed to insult its silence. We heard the patridge call in the area of the theatre. The glorious pomp of its heathen worship is no longer remembered, and Chris- tianity, which was here nursed by apostles, and fostered by general councils, until it in- creased to fulness of stature, barely lingers on, in an exist- ance hardly visible. This city was celebrated for the worship of Diana, her image* supposed by them to have fallen down from heaven, was small and of wood, but very gorgeously at- tired, each hand was supported by a bar of gold, and a veil from the ceiling concealed it, except when the service re- quired it should be visible. So sacred was this temple, that the immense treasures were secure for many ages. But we now seek in vain for the tem- ple itself; the city is prostrate, and the goddess is gone. Eph- esus had a good harbor, on a gulf of the same name, 40 miles south from Smyrna, long. 27, 58 E. lat. 37, 48 N. Ricaut, Arewtont Thevenot^ Wells. EPHESDAMMIM, a place between Shochoh and Azekah, on the west of the valley of Elah. Here the army of Philis- tia was encamped, when Goliah insulted the host of Israel. Here they were found again after the coronation of David, and suffered a great slaughter. EPHRALM lay on the'south side of Samaria, extending from the Mediterranean to the Jor- dan, bounded south by Benja- min and a small part of Dan. The country in general is rocky and mountainous, but the low lands arc remarkablv EPH EPI rich and fruitful. Joshua be- longed to this tribe, as did Deborah, and several other em- inent persons. The territory was small for this populous tribe; but when they requested more from Joshua, he only en- couraged them to complete the expulsion of the Canaan- ites. When the census was taken, as this tribe left Egypt, the warriors were 40,500; but in the wilderness they were re- duced to 32,500. The united population of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, amounted to 72,700 men, when they came from Egypt. So was verified the promised fruitful- ness of Joseph. For about 320 years the tabernacle was con- tinued at Shiloh, which was in this tribe. When the ark was taken by the Philistines, the soldiers of Ephraim acted in a cowardly manner. At the cor- onation of David 20,800 troops from this tribe were present. Jeroboatfs was of this tribe, and decoyed his ! irethrerj and nine other tribes to revolt from Ju- dah and Benjamin, This sep- arate government continued 254 years. As this was the leading tribe, most or all tlte kings being from Ephraim, all the tribes were sometimes de- nominated Ephraim. Ephraim, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, towards Jor* dan, thought by some to have been the place where Jesus re- tired with his disciples, a short time before his passion, John xi, 54. The wood or forest of Ephraim, in which Absa- lom's army was routed, and himself killed and buried, 2 Sam. xviii, 6, &c. v#as situate east from Jordan; . so named perhaps from lying on the river opposite to the tribe of Eph- raim. Ephraim, a city of Pales- tine in the tribe of Benjamin, eight miles from Jerusalem, and according to Eusebius near to Beth I. EPHRAH, a city of Eph- raim, and the birth place of Gideon. Its exact situation is not known; but it is thought to be the same as Ophrah. Lat. 32,29. EPH RAT AH, a word which we meet with in Psalm exxii, 6, to denote the lot of Ephraim. Ephratah is also used for the town of Bethle- hem, Micah v, 2. See Bethle- hem. EPHRON, the name of a city situated beyond Jordan, which Judas Maccabeus took and sacked at his return from an expedition against Timo- theus, genera] of the Syrians, 1 Mace, v, 46, &c. EPIPHANIA, a city of Syria, and probably another ESII ETA name for Hamath. It stood on the Orontcs, between Antioch and Apamea. EPIRUS, a province of Greece, on the coast of the Ionian sea, having Albania north, Thessaly south, the o- cean west. ERECH, a city of Chaldea built by Nimrod, Gen. x, 10. It probably stood on the east bank of the Tigris, below its junction with the Euphrates. Flom this city probably the Erectean iields had their name, which abound, with Naptha, and sometimes take fire. This place has also been called A- raka, which is in Susiana. It has also been supposed to be the same as Edessa. See Hol- ben. EREMON, a large village of Judea, sixteen miles from Eleutheropolis. The same, probably as Rimmon. ESDRAELON, a more modern name for the valley of Jezreel, in the tribe of Issa- char. It was ten miles from Scythopolis. ESDRELA, the name of a village on the above plain, to which probably it gave its name, or the plain of Esdrela, as it is sometimes called. ESHCOL, the valley of or brook of, or valley of grapes, a fertile vale in the land of Canaan, and south part of Ju- dah. Here the Hebrew spies, while surveying the country, cut a bunch of grapes to carry back to the people, as a speci- men of the delicious fruit, which they might soon enjoy. The bunch of grapes was as large as two men could well carry. ESHTAOL, a town of Pal- estirie, which the tribe of Judah yielded to Dan. Eusebius says, this place was ten miles from Eleutheropolis. Lat. 31, ESHTEMOA, a city of Judah, given to the Levites; it is uncertain whether it be not the same with the next article. Joshua xxi, 14. ESHTEMOTH, a city in the southern part of Judah. Josh. xv, 50, and xxi, 14; 1 Sam. xxx, 18. A cession was made of it to the priests to be an habitation for them. 1 Chron. vi, 58. It was a large town in the region of Elemheropolis. Lat. 31, 10. % ESSA, a town of Palestine on the east of the Jordan. ETAM, a city in the tribe of Judah, lying between Beth- lehem and Tekoah. 2 Chron. xi, G. The rock of Etam was that to which Sampson retired, af- ter having burned the harvest of the Philistines. Judg. xv,8. From a noted spring, near this place, which was perhaps the ETH ETH fountain of gardens, Pilate, and probably Solomon long before, brought water by an aqueduct into the city of Jeru- salem. ETHAM, the third station of the Israelites after their coming out of Egypt. Etham must have lain toward the point of the Red Sea. Num. xxxiii, 6; Ex. xiii, 20. From Etham the Hebrews went to Pihahiroth. The wilderness on both sides of the sea was called Etham. Perhaps it is the same place, which has since been called Butham or Bu- thus. ETHER, a place in Pales- tine, twenty miles from Eleu- theropolis, in the south of Ju- dah, first allotted to Judah, and afterwards given to Sime- on; in the fourth centurv it was a large village. ETHIOPIA, properly so called, is a very extensive coun- try of Africa, comprehending Abyssinia, Nubia, and Abex. It is bounded by Egypt and the dtsart of Barca on the north, by the Red Sea and In- dian ocean on the east, bv Anian and the unknown parts of Africa on the south, and by other unknown countries on the west. There is frequent mention in scripture of Ethio- pia; but it must be observed, that by this name, we are not always to understand Ethio- pia, properly so called. Under the article Cush> we have al- ready shown, that by what is generally translated Ethiopia, that country is meant, which lies upon the eastern coast of the Red Sea, and at that point of the sea, which joins to E- gypt. Zipporah the wife of Moses, who was of Midian, upon the Red Sea, is called a Cushite or Ethiopian. In short there are three countries called Cush, and generally translated Ethiopia. 1. The land of Cush, upon the river Gihon; 2. Cush upon the eas- tern shore of the Red Sea; 3. The land of Cush, situated above Thebais and the up- per Egypt; and for want of making this distinction several writers have fallen into very considerable errors. According to the chronicle of Axum, the truth of which is next to that of the sacred writings, in the opinion of the Abyssinians, this country was peopled 1808 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Two hundred years after its settle- ment, it was so destroyed by a flood, that it was called Oure Midra, or ''a country laid waste," or as it is called in scripture itself, "a land which the waters or floods had spoil- ed." Isa. xviii, 2. The first ETH ETH inhabitants are supposed to have come from Palestine, and in the opinion of some learned men, they were the Canaan- ites, who fled before the all conquering banner of Israel. To confirm this by another circumstance, Procopius men- tions that in his time two pil- lars were known in Maurita- nia with this inscription in the Phenician language. "We are Canaanites, flying from the face of Joshua, the son of Nun, the robber." Some authors,however, are of opinion, that Ethiopia received its first inhabitants from the country lying on the east of the RedSea. According to them the descendants of Cush, having settled in Arabia, gradually mi- grated to the south-eastern ex- tremity of that country; thence they readily crossed the strait of Babelmandel into Africa, and entered the country, called Ethiopia. This migration, ac- cording to Eusebius, took place during the residence of Israel in Egypt; but according to oth- ers not till they had entered Ca- naan, and enjoyed the govern- ment of the Judges. Mr. Bruce mentions a tradition yet extant in Abyssinia, and which they say has existed from time imme- morial, that very soon after the flood, Cush, the grandson of No- ah, with his family, passed thro' Albara, one of the districts of Abyssinia, then without inhab- itants; and travelled till they came to the ridge of mountains, which separates that district from the rest of Abyssinia. Being still terrified with the remembrance of the flood, and fearing a repetition of the same calamity, they dared not to set- tle in the level plains; but as- cended the mountains. Here Cush and his people, with un- describable labor, requiring arts and instruments utterly un- known to us, formed them- selves commodious and won- derful habitations in the heart of the mountains, composed of solid granite and marble. These dwellings are now entire, and will remain so, till the consum- mation of all things. Always avoiding the low countries, they advanced along the different ridges and chains of mountains, across the whole continent of Africa. According to this tra- dition, they built the city of Axum, about the time of Abra- ham. But other writers sup- pose Ethiopia was conquered by Moses, who afterwards be- came the Lawgiver of Israel. They say that the Ethiopians having made an irruption, and conquered the country, as far as lower Egypt, that the ora- cles, while the kingdom was trembling for its existence, ETH EUF gave advice that Moses should be placed at the head of the armies. While the Ethiopi- ans were expecting hi>n to as- cend the banks of the Nile, Moses chose a remote march, through a country infested with serpents, and to preserve his troops, he constructed a number of baskets, which he filled with the birds, called Ibis, celebrated for their an- tipathy to serpents. As soon as his army entered this dan- gerous region, the birds were let loose; they cleared the way for Moses to advance in safety. The Ethiopians thus attack- ed in a quarter, unexpected, were routed and driven to their capital Jlferoe, a place almost impregnable, by being sur- rounded by the waters of three rivers, the Nile, Astorphus, and Astaboras. The daugh- ter of the Ethiopian monarch, however, happening to see Moses from the wall of the city, fell in love with him, and offered to deliver up the city, if she might become his wife. Moses accepted the offer, but treated the citizens with great" severity. After this, he rav- aged the whole country, dis- manded all the places of strength, rendered the country incapable of soon invading E- gypt again, and returned home in triumph, after an absence of ten vears. From the time cf Moses to Solomon, we hear nothing of Ethiopia or Abyssinia. After this we have a regular history. ETROTH, a city of Ca- naan, east of Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. See Ataroth. EUPHRATES, a famous river of Asia, the source of which is in the mountains of Armenia. It runs through the frontiers of Cappadocia, Syria, Arabia De- serta,Chaldea,and Mesopotamia, and thence falls into the Persian gulph. In its course it separ- ates Diarbeck from Syria, and from Arabia. At present, it discharges itself into the sea, through a channel which is common to this river and the Tigris, having united with it 60 miles from the gulf; but formerly it had a particular channel of its own; and in Pli- ny's time, there were footsteps of this old channel to be seen. Moses, Gen. ii, 14, says, that the Euphrates, is the fourth of those rivers, the source of which was in Paradise. ■ The scripture calls it the great river, and assigns it for the eastern boundary of that land which God promised to the Hebrews. Deut. i, 7, Josh, i, 4. Profane authors inform us, that the Euphrates overflows its banks in the summer, like the Nile, when the snow upon the moun- tains of Armenia begins to melt. The violent tide in the Persian EUP EZI Gulf, causes a reflux higher than thirty leagues above the mouth of the Euphrates. The Arabians are persuaded, that the waters of this river are very healthful, and have the virtue of curing all sorts of diseases. They say it is better than wine or spirits. Jackson. The current of this river is slow; yet owing to the sloth of the people on its banks, it is less useful for navigation, than might reasonably be expected from the great body of water which it contains. They do not remove the stones from its channel; they suffer it to separ- ate into different streams, so that a pilot is necessary to as- certain which is to be chosen. The countries through which the Euphrates runs, are in gen- eral delightful plains, decked with verdure and flowers, with willows and palm trees, fertile fields and rich pastures. The water, though considered as U universal medicine, is generally foul and muddy, and in passing through some deserts it be- comes yellowish. When die snow melts on the mountains of Armenia, this stream is broad and deep. It is generally* about 4 or 500 feet broad. The A- rabians distinguish different parts of this river by the Great- er and Less. The Greater/lhey sav, falls into the Tigris near 21 the cities of Ambar and Fe!u- jah. The Minor, which how- ever is really the largest stream, after forming the Nabathean fens, on the east of Arabia De- serta, discharges itself into the Tigris at Karnah. To prevent the water from inundating the adjacent country, attempts have been made to divide the cur- rent, but the efforts have not answered expectations. Some writers have placed the garden of Eden just below the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates. This river is put for the Ma- hometan powers, who inhabit its banks; it is "to be dried up," or the power of the people crushed at the commencement of the millenium. EZIONGABER, a city of Idumea, or Arabia Deserta, cast from the Red Sea, and upon the western side of a gulf of this sea, called the gulf of Elan. After the Israelites had been sometime atEbronah, they came to Eziongaber, whence they went into the wilderness of Sin, where the city of Ka- desh was situated, Num.xxxiii, 35. At the port of Ezion- gaber, Solomon equipped his fleet for the voyage to Ophir, 1 Kings ix, 26. Near the mouth of this harbor there was a ridge of rocks upon which the fleet of ships was lost, which had been fitted out for Ophir, by GAA GAD Jehoshaphat, in conjunction with Ahaziah, king of Israel. From these rocks the place took its name, Eziongaber, signifying the back bone of a man, which these rocks resem- bled. (See Prideaux Connect, part i, book i.) Dr. Shaw sup- poses this to be the same, which is now called by the Arabians Meenah- el- Dsahab, or the "port of gold." It lies in the gulf of Eloth, two day's journey, or a- bout 60 miles from mount Si- nai; the harbor is spacious and has plenty of lobsters, and oth- er shell-fish. Lat. 28, 20. FAIRHAVEN, a port in the island of Crete, Acts xxvii, 8. Here was a large village. Jerome and others speak of the place as a town. FOREST OF BETHEL, was the place whence Elisha brought those bears, which de- voured the children of Bethel, who insulted him, 2Kingsii,24. Forest of Ephraim. See Ephraim. Forest of Hareth, was situated in the tribe of Judah, whither David retired. See Hareth. Forest of Lebanon. See Lebanon. GAASH, a hill in the inher- itance of Ephraim, to the north of which stood Timnath Serah, a place celebrated for Joshua's tomb, Josh, xxiv, 30. The brook or valley of Gaash, men- tioned in 2 Sam. xxiii, 30, was probably at the foot of the mountain of the same name. Hiddai mentioned ibid, was al- so in the valley of Gaash. In the fourth century the sepul- chre of Joshua,the commander of Israel, was shown here. Lat.32,2. GAB A, a city of Benjamin assigned to the Levites, Josh, xviii, 24. GABARA or Gabaroth, a town of Palestine in Galilee. Josephus speaks of it as a prin- cipal city. Roland, however, supposes that transcribers have written Gadara for Gabara. See Gadara. GABETHON, a town of Dan, appropriated to the Le- vites; but the Philistines re- tained it a long time. GAD, tribe of. The portion of this tribe lay east of the Jordan, having the half tribe of Manasseh north, Reuben south, and the mountains of Gilead east. They, however, marched over Jordan with the other tribes to subdue the Canaanites for their brethren, or that they might have a quiet habitation. They returned, not only victo- rious, but loaded with spoil. Moses, the lawgiver of Israel, advanced with their hosts till they entered the limits of this tribe, then ascended the moun- tain of Nebo, and expired. When this tribe emerged from the slavery of Egypt, GA£> GAD thair able men were 45,650, but when numbered in the wilderness they had decreased to 40,500. The tribe of Gad was dis- tinguished for its intrepid valor. When David was in distress, because of Saul, and was con- cealed at Ziklag, and at the season when the Jordan had overflown its banks, then eleven captains from the tribe of Gad plunged into the swelling flood, proceeded to David, and rout- ed his enemies from the east to the west. "Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were swift as the roes on the mountains." The situation of this tribe, on the frontiers of the country, and ever exposed to attacks from the Arabs, compelled them to maintain the spirit of soldiers. Jacob had said, "Gad, a troop shall over- come him, but he shall over- come at the last," or as Dr. Clarke translates the passage, "Gad, an army shall attack him, and he shall attack in re- turn." "It is likely," saith the Dr. "that this prophecy had an especial fulfilment, when this tribe, in conjunction with Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh obtained a great vic- tory over the Hagarites, taking captive 100,000 men, 2000 as- ses, 50,000 camels, and 250,000 sheep. Gad, river oj] a river of Ca- naan rising in the eastern bor- ders of Gad, and running to the south limit of Reuben. It is thought to be the same as the Anion. See Arnon. GADARA, a celebrated city beyond Jordan. Josephus says it was the capital of Perea, sit- uated eastward of the lake of Tiberias, sixty furlongs from the shore. It gave its name to a canton beyond Jordan, and St. Mark v, 1, says, that our Savior, having; passed the sea of Tiberias, came into the country ol the Gadarenes, St. Luke viii, 26, says the same, but St. Matt, viii, 28, calls it the country of the Gergascnes, however, there are some Greek copies, which read Gadarenes. But we are told, that Gergasa was near Gadara, and the ter- ritory belonging to it larger, than that of this last city, as the lands belonging to the one were included within the oth- er, some of the evangelists might say, the country of the Gergasenes, others the country of the Gadarenes. This being a frontier part of the country, they might raise swine to sell to their Gentile neighbors, or probably, as is usual in such cases many Gentiles might live here, so near the line, and raise swine. The}' desired Christ to leave their country, and in 40 GAL GAL years their country was des- troyed. See Gerasa. GADARA, a city of Pales- tine. Perhaps the same as Gazer, Gazera, Gedor, Gadera, Gador, Gadaroth, frequently mentioned in Josephus and the book of Maccabees. Its situ- ation is uncertain, but probably was near to Jarnnia. ,GADI, a town of Palestine in the south part of Judah, where Bani, a gallant officer in David's army was born. The same place probably as Gadah, or Hazor-Gaddah. GALATIA, a province of Asia Minor, bounded on the west by Phrygia, on the east by the river Halys, on the north by Paphlagonia, on the south by Lycaonia. It took its name most probably from the Gauls, who under their captain Leonorius, as Strabo informs us, left thur own coun- try in Europe, and having rav- aged Italy and Greece, burned the city of Rome, passed into the Asiatic continent; and ad- vanced as far as Babylon, car- rying conquest and ruin where they went; but being broken by Attalus king of Pevg;!mus, and driven out of other parts, ihey were at last confined to this province, where, in a short time, they established their own lan- guage, which, as St. Jerome informs us, was in use in his time, and very much like that which the people of Triers or Treves, in the European Gaul, were known to speak. This re- lation is confirmed by the unit- ed opinion of antiquity. GALATIANS, a people mentioned 2 Maccab. viii, 20, inhabitants of the above coun- try. To encourage his people against their enemies, Judas Maccabeus reminds them of the valiant exploits performed by their ancestors, and among other things tells them, that eight thousand of their coun- trymen had slain one hundred and twenty thousand Galatians. The history of these ancient Galatians, Gauls, or French, is full of such bloody events. About four hundred years be- fore Christ, the French or Gauls marched an army into Italy; not a man returned, every in- dividual was slain. In other expeditions for plunder and murder, they engaged, but ow- ing to their want of discipline, were generally unsuccessful. Yet so terrible to the old Ro- mans were their fierceness and ferocity, that on the first report that a French army was march- ing, extraordinary levies of troops were made, public prayers and sacrifices were of- fered to the gods, and the laws for a time were abolished, or suspended, which granted im- GAL GAL inanity from military services to priests and old men. Every man was armed who could hold a weapon, on the approach of a French army. In one of their expeditions into Greece 279 years B. C. an army of 165,000 was routed with dreadful slaughter. Brennus their com- mander, being wounded, and finding his cause desperate, he assembled his chief officers, and advised them to kill all their sick and wounded, and make the best retreat they could. Ac- cordingly 20,000 poor wretches were murdered by their breth- ren. The commander murder- ed himself. This agrees with some modern facts, and proves the uniformity of their charac- ter. Their name, Gauls, in the Celtic language signifies brave or rather -warlike, and such the nation was then allowed to be by all who knew them. Their history, like that of the Arabs, shows the permanency of char- acter in a family or nation. For three thousand seven hun- dred years the family of Ish- mael have been robbers and murderers. The character of the Gauls has continued much the same ever since they were known in history. Five hun- dred and eighty-eight years be- fore Christ, they broke into Italy with all the fury of sav- age conquerors; about two hun- dred years after they returned, plundered and burned the city of Rome, and about two hun- dred and seventy years before Christ, they lifted their bloody sword over Asia Minor, and settled a colony in Galathi. St. Paul visited Galatia, A. D. 50 or 51, and founded a number of churches. In 52 he wrote them a letter, and visited them again in 53. From his letter it seems, that Christianity itself did not alter their national char- acter. They received him not merely with the? ardent affec- tion due to an apostle, but as if he were an angel or Jesus Christ himself. They were ready to give him their eyes; yet "soon" after, such was the fickleness and ferocity of their temper, that they became his enemies, merely because he told them the truth. He com- plains that they behaved as if they were "bewitched," or pos- sessed with evil spirits, or un- der the influence of enchant- ment. Folio Geog. of Moll , vol.ii. GALILEE, a northern fruit- ful province of Palestine, which consisted of what had been the territories of Issachar, Zebulon, Naphtali, and Asher, with part, as some say, of Dan and Parea, beyond the Jordan. On the north it is bounded by Leba- non and Syria, on the west by Phenicia, on the south Lv GAL GAT Samaria, on the east mostly by the river Jordan and the sea of Galilee. It is generally divided into two parts; the Upper and the Lower Galilee, the former is called Galilee of the Gentiles, Matt, vi, 15, either because it was chiefly possessed by the Gentiles with Jews interspersed amongst them, or rather be- cause it bordered upon Gentile nations, such as the Phenicians, Syrians, and Arabians. The whole country was fruitful and well cultivated, and the people industrious. .The number of its towns and villages was pro digiously great, and so popu- lous, that the least of them did not contain less than fifteen thousand souls. The natives were a bold intrepid race of men, but their wealth and prowess made them seditious, and prone to rebel against the Romans, for which they some- times severely suffered. Whit- by's Alphabetical Table. Every one knows that our Savior was called a Galilean, because he was brought up at Nazareth, a city of Galilee. His disciples and other Chris- tians in general, were likewise called Galileans, because the apostles were of Galilee. Galilee, sea of, a lake of delicious water in Palatine; it is 6 miles wide from east to west, and 18 long from north to south. It is viewed with veneration by Christians from having been frequented by Christ and his apostles. It abounds with delicate fish. The Jordan passes through this lake. GALLIM, a town of Ca- naan east from the Jordan, in the land of Moab. fMariti.J It was eight miles south from the city of Ar. Lat. 31,32. GAROB, a hill near Jerusa- lem. GATH, or Geth, a cele- brated city of the Philistines, and one of their five principali- ties. 1 Sam. vi,17. It stood on a hill east of Ashdod, on the coast of the Mediterranean. It is fa- mous for having given birth to Goliah. Id. xvii, 4. David made a conquest of it, in the beginning of his reign over all Israel. Gath stood about 5 or 6 miles from Jamnia, about 14 south of Joppa, and thirty two west of Jerusalem. Several more of the name of Geth or Gath, are mentioned in Euse- bius and St. Jerome, whose situation according to them, plainly shows them to have been different places from this and from each other, beside those which had an adjunct to distinguish them. GATHOPHER, or Gath- epher, or Gath, in Galilee, GEU GAZ was the birth place of the prophet Jonah. 2 Kings xiv, 25; Josh, xix, 13, makes this city to be part of the tribe of Zebulon; and St. Jerome says, that it was two miles from Sephoris, otherwise called Di- ocesarea, and that the tomb of the prophet Jonah was then to be seen there. GATHRIMMON, a city belonging to the tribe of Dan. Josh xix, 45. St. Jerome pla- ces it ten miles from Diospo- lis, on the way from Eleuther- opolis. It was given to the Levites of Koath's family. Gathrimmon, a city in the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, and was also given to the Levites of Koath's fam- ily. Josh, xxi, 25. Gathrimmon, a city in the tribe of Ephraim given to the Kohathites. GAULON, or Golan, a ci- ty of Canaan, east of the Jor- dan, from which the province of Gaulonitis had its name; it lay in the half tribe of Ma- nasseh; it was ceded to the Levites of Gershom's family, and was also a city of refuge. In the time of Eusebius it was a considerable town. It was in the Upper Galilee, and the birth place of Judas, the head of the Galileans. Lat. 32, 48. GEUCLONITIS, a prov- ince of Canaan, extending from Perea to mount Lebanon. GAZA, a city of the Philis- tines, by Joshua xv, 47, and 1 Sam. vi, 15, made part of the tribe of Judah. It was one of the five principalities of the Philistines, situated towards the southern extremity of the prom- ised land. In the Hebrew text, it is called Aza or Hasa, with an Hain or Ainy which the Sep- tuagint express sometimes by a G. Stephens, the geogra- pher says, that in his time the Syrians still called it Aza. It is situated between Raphia and Askelon. The advantageous situation ofGazawasthe cause of the many revolutions to which it has been subject. It first belonged to the Philistines, then to the Hebrews. It re- covered its liberty in the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz, and was reconquered by Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii, 8. It was subject to the Chaldeans, who con- quered Syria and Phenicia. Afterwards it fell into the hands of the Persians. They were masters of it, when Alexander besieged, took, and destroyed it. He rendered it a desert, says Strabo. He dismantled it, and a new city, or another city rose from its ruins, nearer to the sea. After which, an- cient writers speak of old Gaza, and Strabo mentions, Gaza the desert, which agrees with Acts viii, 26. The new city was called Majuma. In this de- GAZ GAZ struction were verified the pre- dictions of the prophets, "I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour her palaces, Amos i, 7. "Gaza shall be forsaken," Zeph. ii, 4. It was afterwards possessed by the Kings of Judah. Antio- chus the Great, took, and sacked it. The Asmoneans, or Maccabees, took it several times from the Syrians, 1 Mace, xi, 61, and xiii, 43. Alexan- der Jannaeus, king of the Jews, took and destroyed it. Gab- binus repaired it, and coins are to be seen, which were stamp- ed in this city. Augustus gave it to Herod the Great; but it was not under the obedience of his son Archelaus. St. Luke, Acts viii, 26, says, that Gaza in his time was a desert place; meaning in all probability, that the old city of Gaza, situated upon a mountain, and not Ma- juma or new Gaza, which was very populous. The emperor Constantine gave Majuma the name of Constantia, in honor of his son, and granted it the honors and privileges of a city, independent of Gaza. But the emperor Julian deprived it of both its name and privileges. Some marks of the ancient grandeur of Gaza are now seen in the marble columns, which support their dirty cottages, and it has a better appearance, than most of the places in Pal- estine; but the suburbs are nothing but wretched huts of . mud; and on the roofs they sow and plant, as in gardens, the vicinity is undescribably delightful by a number of ex- tensive gardens, cultivated in the best manner; the olive trees and fields of wheat increase the beauty of the prospect. A disease of the eyes is common here, and many of the people are led through the streets, en- tirely blind. While the French army was here, a few years since, 509 of them died with the plague. In the town is a considerable number of Chris- tians; they live in a particular part of the city by themselves; as do those of different reli- gions. From the walls of Ga- za, we view at once the sea, separated by a sandy beach, a quarter of a league wide, and the country whose date trees, and flat and naked aspect, as far as the eye can discern, re- minds us of Egypt; in fact, in this latitude, the soil and the climate appear to be truly Ara- bian. The heat, the drought, the winds, and the dews, are the same as on the banks of the Nile. The inhabitants have the complexion, the stature, the manners, and language of the Egyptians, rather than the Sy- rians. Gaza standing on an GA2 GEB eminence, is rendered pictur- esque by the number of its fine minarets or spires, which rise Majestically above the buildings, and by the beautiful date trees interspersed. A fine plain commences three miles from the town, in which are several groves of olive trees. Near the town the view be- comes more interesting, the olive trees arc more plenty. A mile from the town is a com- manding hill. The town stands three miles from the sea, hav- ing an indifferent port. It is in the south-west corner of Ca- naan, on the skirts of the desert towards Egypt; The gates of this ciry, Sampson carried a- way, and here afterwards he pulled down the temple of Dagon on the lords of the Philistines; here Philip baptiz- ed the Eunuch of Ethiopia. The town has now about 2000 inhabitants, and has a manu- facture of cotton, which em- ploys 500 looms here, and in the vicinity. The articles of commerce are furnished by the caravans, which pass between Egypt and Syria, and the Arabs, who bring their plunder here, and sell it for less than its val- ue. The town has a strong eastle with two iron gates, over against which is die Seraglio of the Basha. At a little distance from the town is shown a pile 22 of rubbish, which, they pretend, is the ruins of the temple, pul- led down by Sampson. The Greeks have here a handsome church; the roof is supported by marble pillars of the Corin- thian order, with all their prop- er ornaments. The Armenians have a church here. Without the ciry are some beautiful mosques, which once were christian churches. U->der the government of the Sai.giac, who resides here, are three hun- dred villages. The country round Gaza is very fruitful, producing spontaneously, pom- egranites, dates, oranges, and flowers, which are in great re- pute at Constantinople. The French army took Gaza in 1797, but soon deserted it. It is 50 miles S. W. from Jeru- salem. Lat. 31 28; long. 34, 44. JVittman, T/ievenot, fiozv- en> Top. Diet. Volney. GAZA, a city of Ephraim, 1 Chron. vii, 28. GAZER, or Gezer, a city not for from Joppa on the south west corner of Ephraim; but the Canaanites kept possession of it for a long time. Judges i, 29. GEBA, one of the cities of Benjamin mentioned in Josh, xviii, 24, Sec. _ GEBAL, this word is to be met wi|h only in Psalm lxxxiii, .7. Gebal, Amnion, and Ama- lek. JBut the Chuldee and the GEB GEH Samaritan version, instead of mount Seir, sometimes put mount Gebla. Josephus, like- wise, speaks of the Gebilitts, to the south of Palestine, and Stephens, of the Gabalek, in Arabia, which is the same with the country of Arnalek. Eu- sebius and Jerome often men- tion the Gebalene in Idumea, and its capital, Petra. From these circumstances it may be gathered, that the country, which the Psalmist calls Gebal, lies south of Judah, and in south Idumea. Gebal signi- fies a mountain. It was prob- ably a kingdom, or indepen- dent sovereignty, because it is connected, or mentioned with such powers by David. Gebal, the name of a hill in Phenicia, perhaps the same which is sometimes called By- blus. Pliny calls it Gabale, and its modern name is Gibyle. This was the region of the Gibelites, mentioned, Joshua xiii, 5. jrlence Solomon had his Tyrian stone cutters, 1 Kings v, 18. The ancients of Gebal were occupied in mak- ing and repairing the Tyrian ships, Ezek. xxvii, 9. Byblus was famous for a temple of Adonis or Tammuz, it now has a ditch round it, with some square towers, but is miserably poor, and remarkable only for itsbrokenpillarsand other ruins. GEBIM, a place mentioned in Isaiah xx, 31. It is supposed tohave been a city of Benjamin. GEDER, is probably the same as Gadro, t Chr. iv, 39, and Gederoth, 2 Chr. xxiii, 18; Gedor, Josh, xv, 58, and Gazer, Gazera,and even Gadara or Ga- dera,in the Maccabees. It was a city in the tribe ofEphraim,ap- propriated to tlv Le'vites. Josh- ua fought and slew the king of this place; yet the Ephraimites were not able- to expel the Ca- naan ites. GEDEROTH, the name of two cities in the tribe of Judah; one of which lay south-west from Jerusalem, and was taken by the Philistines in the time of Ahaz, Joshua xv, 21. GEDOR, or Geder, the name of a place, see Geder« GEHENNOM, a valley, ly- ing on the south and east of Jerusalem, through which ran the brook Kidron. In the Sy- riac the word signifies hslL The Arabic root signifies to shriek, and to complain, to im- plore, whence Simon would render Gehinnom, the valley of lamentation, and he enfor- ces this by referring to the la- mentations, or shrieks of the children, who were heie sacri- ficed to Moloch, Josh, xv, 8. But as it is called the valley of the son of Hinnom, some have supposed, it was so denomin- ated from the name of a family. Gehinnom having been the GEtf GER the scene of much cruelty, to :dcr such idolatry odious, the place was devoted to filthiness and pollution. It has been said that fires were continually burn- ing here to consume the filth carried there from the city. Thus the ideas of wickedness, pollution, and punishment, u-. nite to justify the Syriac lan- guage in deriving its name for HeII,from the valley of Hinnom. GEL1LOTH, *«? Gilcal. Some, however, suppose it to be the place beyond Jordan, where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Ma- nasseh, erected a monument to perpetuate their relation to the other tribes. Others suppose it was named from the form of the hills in the district. Geli- Joth signifies the circles. GEN AM, or Ganais, the valley of Nairn, a village in the great plain of Samaria. GENES AR, or Genes a- ketk, see Cinnereth, and Gal- ilee, Sea of. GENN tSAKETHJandof, the region along the above lake. The Jews believed it to be the most fruitful spot in the world. They said no plant or fruit came amiss to this place. It was equally famous for its delicious air and crystal waters. The length of this remarkable tract was four miles, the breadth two and a half. Some conjecture its name was derived from two words signifying a garden and a prince, the garden of a prince, or a princely garden. Jose- phus attributes the extraordi- nary fruhfulness of the ground to the peculiar Providence of God, as if he took delight in this spot of ground; it was a common saying among the Jews, that God loved the sea of Gennasareth more than any other ?ea. GERAR, a royal city of the Philistines, situated not far from the angle, where the south and west sides of Palestine meet, and the country to which it gave name, extended itself . into Arabia1 Pajtrae. This city could not be far from Gaza. Jerome says, it was three days journey from Jerusalem. So- zomen mentions a brook, near to Gerar, on which was a mo- nastery in his time. GERASA, or Gergesa, a city east of the Dead Sea, by some placed in Ccelo Syria, and by others in Arabia. See Ga- dara. Probably, however, this place lay on the lake of Gali- lee, within the district of De- capolis, and not far from Gada- ra. Hence one Evangelist says, it was in the country of the Gad- arenes, that the swine ran down into the lake, ckc. Another says, it was the country of the Gergesenes, because, .probably, the event took place in the re- gioiiv between these two cities* GKR cm- #nc writer had one town in his eye, the other town occurred to the other. Ongen says, that in his time, people showed the precipice on the sea of Tiberi- us from which the swine rush- ed into the water. Lat. 32,31. GERGESENES, see Ga» dara. 'GERIZIM, the name of a mountain near Shechem, in the tribe of Ephraim, in the prov- ince of Samaria. The city of Sechem lay at the foot of two mountains, Ebal and Gerizim, the former of which was a very barren mountain, the latter fruitful. God had commanded, that the Hebrews, after the pas- sage of the river Jordan, should go to the mountains, Ebal, and Gerizim; and that the twelve tribes should be divided, so that six might have their sta- tion on mount Gerizim, and six on mount Ebal; the former were to pronounce blessings upon those, who should ob- serve the law of the Lord, and the latter curses against those, who should violate it, Deut. 3fi,29; and xxvii,12. See Ebal. The Samaritans maintain, that Abraham and Jacob erected altars at Gerizim, and that there Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. See Moriah. Mr. Maundrel observes, that neither Ebal, nor Gerizim, have much to boast of on account of their appearance; yet Gerizim seems to be the most verdanS and fruitful. Ebal is scorched, having a southern aspect; Geri- zim, fronting the north, is in a manner sheltered from the sun by its own shade. GERRENIANS, or Ger- itiEANs, spoken of in the sec- ond book of Macca. xiii, 24, are in all probability the inhab- itants ol Gerar. See Gerar. GERSI, when David tarri- ed some time at Ziklag, he made inroads upon the territo- ries of Gerzi, probably, it lay among the mountains of Seir, as Ziklag was ;on the southern border of Judah. GESHUR, inj Syria, had its own peculiar, independent king, whose daughter David married, who was the mother of Absa- lom, 2 Sam. xv, 8. Absalom, after the murder of his brother Ammon, retired to the king of G shur, his grandfather,Ib.xiii. Gl AH, a valley, not far from G.ibt.on, 2 Sam ii, 24. GEUEL, or GuELo?^ GueL GEZER, or Geder, see Geder. GEZRITES, or Gerzites. These Gezrites Mr. Wells takes to be the same with the Gerrenians, or inhabitants of Gerar. See the article Gerre- nians. GETHSEMANE, may sig- nify the oil press. This was a village in the mount of Olives, whither Jesus Christ sometimes am retreated in the night time. It was in a garden belonging to this village, that he was pray- ing, when arrested by Judas and the others, who were con- ducted by him. See Matt, xxvi, 36, &c. This garden is a level plat of ground, about fifteen rods square, lying between the foot ot mount Olivet and the brook Cedron. It is now well covered with olive trees; some of them so remarkably an- cient, as to be thought the same which were there in the time of our Savior. At the upper corner of the garden is a flat naked ledge of rock, reput- ed to be the very spot on which the apostles Peter, James, and John fell asleep during the dreadful agony of our Lord. A few paces distant is a grotto, said to be the place, in which the Savior of the world under- went that -bitter part of his pas- sion. Eight paces from where the apostles slept is a small shred of ground twelve yards long and one broad, supposed to be the very same path in which the traitor Judas walked up to Jesus Christ, saying, "Hail, Master," and kissing him. This narrow path is separated by a wall out of the midst of the garden, as an accursed piece of land. This work is the more remarkable, as probably it was done by the Mahome- tans, who, as well as the Chris- tians, detest the very ground on which was manifested such infamous treachery. GEZER, a town on the south quarter of Canaan, which David smote, 1 Sam. xxvii, 8. These people might be a col- ony from Gazer, and change the former name of the coun- try Gerar, into Gezer. These Gezerites or Gerarites are prob- ably the Gereans of whom we hear in the time of the Macca- bees. Which of these places it was that Pharaoh took and burned, and gave as a dowry with his daughter to Solomon, and who repaired it, is wholly uncertain, 1 Kings ix, 15. GIBBETHON, a city of the tribe of Dan, allotted to the Levites, Josh, xxi, 23. This was a strong place, and endur- ed a long seige against Nadab. 2 Chron. xvi. GIBBEAH, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, lying north of Jerusalem, about twenty or thirty furlongs, built upon a hill as its name imports. See Geba. This city is celebrated upon several occasions; it gave birth to Saul, the first king of Israel, for which reason it is frequent- ly called Gibeah of Saul. It is also notorious for its sins, and for that particularly which was GIH GIH Committed by forcing the young Levite's wife, Judg. xix. Gibe ah, a town in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 57. Gibe ah, a hill of Palestine, where Eleazar was buried. Josh, xxiv, 33. GIBEON, a city seated on an eminence, about thirty furlongs from Jerusalem northward, and not far from the city of Gibeah. Eusebius tells us that it was a town or village in his time, re- taining its ancient name, four miles west of Bethel. See Geba. This was the capital city of the Gibeonifes. GIBL1TES, Josh, xiii, 5. The same as Byblites. See Byblos Gf BLOS, a city of Phenicia, whose people were skilful in cutting wood and stone, and ship building. See Byblos. GIHON,' one of the four rivers, the source of which was in paradise, Gen. ii, 13. See .Eden, Paradise, Pison. This "being the second river, men- tioned by Moses, as flowing out of Paradibe, it is said irytbe original to compass or iini along the whole land of Cush, which the Septu igint translate Ethiopia, and this mistake is all along followed by our Eng- lish version; whereas by the land of Cush is meant proba- bly some part of Arabia, cer- tainly not Africa. This mis- take led Josephus and several others into a notion, that the river Gihon was the Nile. They have run into another error, and taken Pison for the Ganges by which they make the Garden of Eden contain the greatest part of Asia and some part of Africa. Patrick, Bedford, Shuckford. The Arabians believe that this is the Oxur, a river, which has its rise in the mountains of Imaus, and rims from east to west, whence it comes near the country of the Choraruem, it winds much, and seems to return towards the place of its original, but afterwards it turns back and discharges its waters into the Caspian sea. This riv- er, which the Arabians call the Gihun separates Turkey from Persia. Others believe, that Gihon is the western channel made by the Tigris and Eu- phrates, when after their con* flux, they separate again from one another to enter the sea. This is the opinion of Calvin, Scaliger, and many moderns; but this has no reason of sup- port; for this union and separ- ation of the two rivers are mod- ern and the effect of art or hu- man labor. Others on the contrary maintain that Pison is the western channel, tlntt separ- ates the conflux of the Eu- phrates and Tigris, and that GIH GIL Gihon is the eastern, which is formed after the union of these two rivers. As a proof of this opinion, they assert, that the land of Cush in which the Gi- hon runs, in Cissia, or the Chuzestan. This is the opin- ion of Bochart, Huet, Wells, &c. but Sanson, Reland, and Calmet with more plausibility, take the river Araxes to be the Gihon of Moses. For this rivrr as well as the Tigris and Euphrates, has its source in the mountains of Armenia and pur- suing; a • different course falls into the Caspian sea. Another circumstance is worthy of no- tice, Gihon in Hebrew, denotes rapid, impetuous, violent, this remarkably applies to the Araxes. Ecclesiasticus speaks of the floods of Gihon as rilling all things. See Araxes. Gihon, was also the name of a fountain to the west of Je- rusalem, at which Solomon was anointed king, by the .high-priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan, 1 Kings i. Hezekiah ordered the upper channel of Gihon to be con- veyed to Jerusalem, that the enemy, when the city was be- sieged, might have no advan- tage of these waters, 2 Chron. xxxii, 30; also for the advan- tage of the citizens. This was done A. M. 3291, and ante A. D. 709. GILBOA, a mountain of Canaan, celebrated for the death of Saul and his son Jona- athan, 1 Sam. xxxi, 1, 2. Eusebius and St. Jerome in- form us that this mountain was six miles from Bethsan or Scythopolis. David in that mournful song, whhh he com- posed in honor of Saul and Jonathan, intimates, that this mountain was fruitful. "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, or fields of offer- ings; for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away," &c. 2 Sam. i, 21. It is 60 miles north from Jerusalem. Lat. 32, 22. GILEAD, part of that ridge of mountains, which r-uns from Lebanon southward, on the east of the Holy Land and gave their name to the whole country, which lies on the east of the sea of Galilee, and included the mountainous re- gion called in the New Testa- ment Trachonitis. This range of mountains separated the land of Israel from Arabia Des- erta, and was more than 200 miles in length. Jer. xxii, 6; seems to say, that Gil-ad be- gins from mount Libanus* "Thou art Gilead to me, and the head of Libanus." Jacob at his return from Mesopota- mia, came in six davs to the GIL GIL mountains of Gilead, Gen. xxxi, 21, &x. where this pa- triarch, with Laban his father- in-law, raised a heap of stones in memory of their covenant, and called it Galeed,that is, an heap of witnesses, and which Laban called Jegar-sahadutha. Erom this pile oi the moun- tain, the whole chain was cal- led Gilead. These mountains were covered with a sort of trees, abounding with gum called the balm of Gilead, which the Scripture highly commends, Jer. viri, 21. Gilead, a mountain.of Pal- estine wtst of Jordan, Judges vii, 3. This mountain is men- tioned by Brockran, a monk, in his description of the Holy Land, as being not far from Gilboa. GILGAL, a celebrated place, lying to the west of Jor- dan, where the Israelites en- camped some time after their passage over this river, a con- siderable city was afterwards built there, which became fa- mous fur many events. Here, was the first resting place of Israel in the land of Canaan, after they had crossed the Jor- dan, after they had travelled forty years in the wilderness, where all their fathers had died; here were those stones taken from the channel of Jor- dan, piled up, as a memorial @f ' their wonderful passage, here the holy rite of circumcision was restored to the church, as a captive returns to his friends and family, after it had been taken from them for forty years, in the deserts of Arabia; here the first feast of the passover was celebrated with gladness at their entrance into the land of promise; here was the seat of the ark for seven years, here they first tasted the fruit and bread of Canaan and the man- na fails, and hence the Ca- naanites fled before them; "their hearts melted; neither was their spirit in them any more; because of the children of Israel," Joshua chapter iv, and v. In the fourth century it was said, that the twelve stones set up here by Joshua were to be seen. Gilgal was a seat for religious people, per- haps a seminary, Judg. ii, 1. "A messenger of the Lord came up from Gilgal." It was a seat of justice, Samuel in travelling the circuit, went yearly to Gilgal, 1 Sam. vii, 16; and here Saul was crowned king of Israel. G i l g a l, a territory, or kingdom in the land of Canaan, lying along the Jordan, and the sea of Galilee. The kinu: of this land was slain by Josh- ua. Here was a village called Gulgalis 4Q0 years after Christ. GIT GOG GILOH, a city of Judah. Josh, xv, 5. Ahitophcl was of Giloh. 2 Sam. xv, 12 and xxiii, 34. It was near the cities of the Philistines, and the haunt of David before he was king. GILON, Gelon, or Gel- won, a city of Judah, the birth place of Ahitophcl. 2 Sam. xxiii, 34. GIMZO, a city in the south of Judah, which the Philistines took in the reign of Ahaz, 2 Chr. xxviii, 18. GIRGASHITES, or Ger- cesenes, an ancient people of Canaan, whose habitation was beyond the sea of Tiberias, where we find some footsteps of their name in the city of Gergesa or Gergasa, upon the lake of Tiberias. The Jew- ish doctors inform us, that when Joshua came into the land of Canaan, the Girgash- ites took a resolution rather to forsake their country, than to submit to the Hebrews, and accordingly retired into Africa. Nevertheless it is certain that a good number of them staid behind, since Josh, xxiv, 11, informs us that he subdued the Girgashites, and they whom he overcame were certainly on this bide Jordan. GITTAH-KEPHAH, a town of Palestine, in the east- ern part of Zebulon, See Gath- epher. 23 ^ GITTITES, the people of Gath were so called, Joshua xiii, 3. GNIDUS, a promontory of Asia Minor, over against the island of Crete. Gnidus, the name of an island between Crete and the main of Asia. St. Paul in his voyage to Italy passed Gnidus; but whether it was the island or promontory, it is not certain. GOB, a place where two battles were fought between the Hebrews and Philistines. 2 Sam. xxi, 18. In Chroni- cles, we read Gezer instead of Gob, 1 Chron. xx, 4. The Septuagint, in some copies, read Nob instead of Gob, and in others Gath. GOG and MAGOG. We unite these two names, because Scripture generally joins them. Moses (Gen. x, 2) speaks of Magog, son of Japheth, but says nothing of Gog. Gog was prince of Magog, according to Ezekiel xxxviii, 2, 3, &c; xxxix, 1,2, &c. Magog sig- nifies the country, or people, and Gog signifies the king of that country. The generality of the ancients made Magog the father of the Scythians, or Tartars, and interpreters dis- cover many traces of these names in the provinces of great Tartary, as in those of Lug, and Mungugr, of Cangigu Gin- GOG GOL gui; also in the cities of these provinces, as Gingui and Cu- gui, of Corganguiand Caigui. Others say the Persians are descendants of Magog. Su idas and Cedroneus say, they are still called Magog in their own country. We find a people there called Magusians; and a description of philosophers, cal- led Magi. Some have imag- ined, that the Goths were de- scended from Gog and Magog, and that the wars described by Ezekiel, as undertaken by Gog against the saints, are those of the Goths, in the fifth century, against the Roman empire. Bochart has placed Gog in the neighborhood of Cau- casus. He derives the name of this celebrated mountain from the Hebrew Gogchasaiiy the fortress of Gog. He shews, that Prometheus, said to be chained to Caucasus, by Jupi- ter, is Gog. There is a prov- ince in Iberia south of Cauca- sus, called the Gogarene. The generality believe, with great reason, that Gog and Magog, in Ezekiel and the Revelations, are taken allegorically, for such princes as were enemies to the church. By Gog in Ezekiel, many understand Antiochus Epiphanes.the persecutor of the Jews; and Gog in the Revela- tions they suppose denotes An- tichrist. The Arabians call the de- scendants of Gog and Magog, Jagiouge and Magiouge, and believe that they inhabit the northern parts of Asia, beyond the Tartars, and Sclaves, or Selavonians, by the ancients called Chalybes. It is proba- ble that Gog and Magog, ac- cording to the idea of the Ara- bians, inhabited formerly the mountains of the Hyperbore- ans, and that they were known to the ancients by this name. This nation is certainly very fa- mous in antiquity, but we are not acquainted with the place of their ancient abode. We do. not doubt, but that they were some of the Scythians, and were confounded among the great and little Tartars; perhaps a- mong the Muscovites, and oth- er northern people. Gog and Magog have in a manner pas- sed into a proverb to express a multitude of powerful, cruel, barbarous, and implacable ene- mies to God and his worship. GOLAN, or Gaul an, a famed city on the east of Ti- berias, which pertained to Ma- nasseh and was given to the Levites. It gave name to the territory of Golan or Gaulani- tis, which extended from Pe- rea on the south, to Lebanon on the north, Deut. iv, 43; Josh, xxi, 27. About 300 years after Christ it was a con- siderable place. It was a city of Refuge. To provide secu- GOL fat those, ivho undesigned- [ipuid kill a man, the Lord commanded Moses, to appoint six cities of refuge \ or asyla, iii.tt whoever against Ins will should have spilt blood, might retire thither, and ha\e time to prepare his defence, before the judges, so that the kinsman of the deceased, might not pur- sue and kill him. Exod. xx, 13; Numb, xxxv, 11 — 13, &.c. Of these cities there were three on each side Jordan: On this side Jordan, were Kedesh of .Yaphtali, Uebron,i\nd Shcchem, beyond Jordan were Bjzer, Gclan,-M\d Ramoih Guead. Josh, xxi, 7, 8. They served not only for Hebrews, but for all strangers who might dwell in their country. The Rabbins confine the name of stranp;ers, to proselytes; but in -this, I think they depart from the de- sign of the law. Deut. xix, 1 — 8. The Lord also com- manded, that when the He- brews should multiply and en- large their country, they should add three other cities of refuge. As this command was never fulfilled;, the Rabbins say, that Messiah will accomplish it. jSLvntomdes, from the tradi- tions of the anckms, assures ns, that all the forty -eight cit* i:s, appointed for the habita- n oi the priests and Ltvites, were also cities of refuse; and that air the diSbruice between n was, that the six cities appointed by the law, were obliged to receive and lodge gratis, all who should My to them; whereas the other cities might refuse to admit such as fled to them, and were not o- bligcd to lodge them gratis. Besides the cities of refuge, ihe temple, and especially the altar of burnt offering, enjoyed the privilege of an asylum. The Rabbins say, that generally the altar was only for the priests. Those, who took sanctuary in the temple, were presently ex- amined by the judges, and if found guilty of murder, they were forced away even from the altar, and put to death with- out the temple. But if found innocent, they had a guard ap- pointed, to conduct them safely to some city of refuge. 'I hese cities were to be of easy access; to have good roads leading to them, and bridges, wherever there was occasion. The width of these roads was to be at least, thirty two cubits, or forty eight feet, At cross roads they set up posts with inscriptions, directing the wry to the city of Refuge. Every year on the fifteenth of Adar (February) the magistrates of the cities, inspected the roads, to see that they were in good condition. The city was to be well supplied with water and provisions. It was not allowed &0L lb make any weapons there, that the relations of the deceas- ed might not procure arms, to gratify their revenge. Lastly; it was necessary, that whoever took refuge there, should un- derstand a trade or calling', that be might not be chargeable; They used to send some pru- dent and moderate persons to meet those, who were pursuing their revenge for their relations) in order to dispose them to clemency and forgiveness, and to await the decision of justice. Though the mar. slave? had fled to the city of refuge, \ et he was not exempt from the pursuit of justice, Numb.xxxv, 12, an information was lodged against him; he was summon- ed before the judges, and the people, to prove that the mur- der was truly casual, and in- voluntary. If found innocent, he dwelt safely in the city to which he had retired; if other- wise, he was put to death, ac- cording to the law. Scripture is not very express, whether the affair was under the cog- nizance of the judges of the place, where the murder was committed, or of the judges in the city of Refuge to which the murderer had fled; and commentators are not agreed On this subject. Compare Deut. xix, 11, 12; Josh, xx, A -5; Numb, xlv, 25. But it appears to us, from the pas- sage of Joshua, that the fugi* tive underwent two trials, first in the city of refuge, where the judges summarily examin- ed the affair; secondly in his own city, where the magis- trates examined the cause more strictly. If the latter judges declared him innocent, they re- conducted him under a guard to the city of refuge. To inspire the greater hor- ror, even of involuntary blood- shed, the law punished it, by a kind of banishment, "for he was obliged to dwell in this city, without s;v'mg out, till the death of the high priest. There '|fas an asylum es- tablished at Athens by the Hcraclida, in the temple of MiseracortVia. Thesus also buik one there, in favor of slaves,' and of the poor, who should fly thither, from the op- pression of the rich. There was one in the isle of Calanria. The temple of Apollo at Del- phos, of Juno at Samos, of Msculapius at Delos, of Bac* chus at Epiiesus, and many oth- ers in Greece, had the privi- lege of being asyla. Romulus gave this right to a wood, ad- joining the temple of Vcjov'is. Ovid speaks of a consecrated wood near Ostium, that enjoy- ed the same prerogative. Aus- tin observes that the whole city of Rome was an asylum, open to all strangers. The LiOM GOS , umber of these privileged places was grown so great in Greece, under the emperor Ti- berias, that he was obliged to recall their licences, and to suppress them all; but his de- cree was little observed after his death. The right of asylum, passed from the temple of Jerusalem to the Christian churches. The emperors Gracian, Valeniinian, and Theodosius the Great, con- demned to banishment, to whipping, to the loss of hair and beard, all who, on their own authority, should take a man out of a church, who had fled thither for refuge, Hono- rius and Theodosius the young- er, ordered, that all such offen- ders should be punished, as if guilty of treason. But after- wards they were obliged to diminish these privileges, and to exempt certain crimes from the benefit of asylum. The emperor Justinian allowed, that they might take from asylum, air murderers, adulterers, rav- ishers, or stealers of Virgins. Also, he excepts public rob- bers, and those, who spoil fields in the night time. The right of asylum, subsists still in Italv, and in some other places. GOLGOTHA, a part of Calvary, where Jesus Christ was crucified. GOMORRAH, one of the live principal cities of the P.. tapolis, that was consumed by lire from heaven, as a punish- ment for its abominations, Gen. xix, 24, 25. Calmet thinks, that Gomorrah was the most northern of the five cities of Pentapolis, and that they are its ruins, which are said to be still seen in the Dead Sea, some- where about Engedi,*re Sodom. GOSHEN, a canton of E- gypt, which Joseph procured ior his father and his brethren, when they came to dwell in Egypt, Gen. xlvii, 6. It was the most fruitful part of the country, and its name seems to be derived from the Hebrew, Geshem, which signifies rain, because this province, lying very near the Mediterranean, enjoyed rain, which is very rare in other cantons, and more es- pecially in Upper Egypt. This country lay between Palestine and the city of Tanais,and some writers believe'the allotment of the Hebrews, reached south- ward, as far as the Nile, Josh, xiii, 3. Dr. Wells thinks oth- erwise, but supposes, that Go- shen lay in the eastern part of Egypt, not far from the Red Sea. This seems to be the general opinion of geographers. Some suppose that Cairo is the ancient Ramescs, and that Go- shen lay near it. Lat. 30. Shaw. GRE GRE Goshen, a tract of coun- try in the land of Israel, lying in the couth part of Judah, Josh. xv, 41. It was likewise so called by the people of Israel, after their settlement here on account of some likeness in this region to the Gobhen, where they had lived in Egypt. That this was distinct and sepa- rate from the Goshen of Egypt is evident from this, a city in Canaan is called Goshen, the country round it is called Go- shen, or the land of Goshen, but in Egypt we find no city of this name. Wells. Goshen, a city of the a- bovenamed country, in the tribe of Judah. GOZ AN, a river mentioned in 2 Kings, in the province of Gozan. The Rabbins have a fine story of this river, which they call Sabbaticus, and affirm that it never runs on the Sab- bath; but on that day is en- compassed with fire, to prevent any one from approaching it. Gozan, a province of Me- sopotamia. Pliny says it lay towards the sources of the Ti- gris. Sennacherib, when he had subdued the ten tribes, carried them captive beyond the Eu- phrates, to a country bordering on the river Gozan. Other writers place this country in Media. Lat. 41, 30. GREECE, this word is often of a very extensive signification in scripture, and comprehends all the countries inhabited by the descendants of Javan, as well in Greece as Ionia and Asia Minor. Since the time of Al- exander the Great, the name of Greeks is taken in a still moie uncertain and enlarged sense, because the Greeks being mas- ters of Egypt and of Syria, the countries beyond the Euphra- tes, and of other provinces; the Jews were used to call all those Gentile people Greeks, who were subject to the empire of the Greeks, either in the east or west. For which reason in the booksof the Maccabees, lMacc. i, 2; viii, 18; 2 Maec. iv, 36; xi, 24; iv, 15. In the gospels, and in St. Paul's writings, a Greek commonly signines a Gentile. Before God there is no distinc- tion between Jew and Gentile. In the books of the Old Tes- tament Greece and Greeks are mentioned under the name of Javan. Isaiah (ixvi, 19) says, that the Lord shall send his ambassadors to several people, and in particular to Javan,'who dwell in the isles afar off. Ezk. (xxvii, 13, 19) tells us, that Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, came to the fairs at Tyre. Dan- iel xi, 1, speaking of Darius the son of Hystaspes, or of Xerxes, that he shall stir up all against the realm of Javan. Lastly, Zechariah, ix, 13, de- clares, that God shall raise up had HAD the sons of Zion, against the sons of Javan; which hints at the wars carried on by Macca- s against Antiochus Epi- phanes and the Greeks, who possessed the kingdom of Sy- ria. In Daniel viii, 31; x, 20, Alexander the Great is descri- bed by the name of King of Javan. GREEKS, were, properly, the inhabitants of Greece; but this is not the only acceptation of the name in the New Testa- ment. It seems to import,- 1, Those persons of Hebrew de- scent who being" settled in cities where Greek was the natural language, spoke this language rather than their parental He- brew. They are called Greeks to distinguish them from those Jews who spoke Hebrew. 2. For such persons who were Greek settlers in the land of Israel, or in any of its towns. GUR, a narrow pass near Je- rusalem, where Ahaziah, king of Judah, was mortally wound- ed by Jehu. Lat. 32, 25. GURBAAL, a place mentioned only in the second book of Chronicles xxvi, 7. The Septuagint read it against the Arabians, who dwelt at Petra. HABOR.or Chabor,is sup- posed to be the mountainous country, lying between Media and Syria. This was one of the districts into which the Is- raelites were carried captive by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. Josh, xvii, 6. Habor, a city on the river Gozan; it has the reputation of being very ancient, and is sup- posed to have been a city of Media. 2 Kings xvii and xviii chapters; 1 Chron. v, 26. Lat. 33, 40. HACHILAH, a celebrated hill in the south part of Judea, southerly from Jeshimon, which was ten miles south from Jeri- cho. Here David for a season hid himself from Saul; here Jonathan the Maccabee, built the almost impregnable fortress of Massada, whose garrison murdered themselves, after the taking of Jerusalem by Titus. Lat. 31,14. HAD AD, a city of Benja- min. Lat. 31,38. HADAD-RIMMON, or Adad-rimmon, otherwise Maximianopolis. See Adad- rimmon. This city lay in the valley of Megiddo. HADASHA, a town in Ju- dah, Josh, xv, 37. The rab- bins say that this was one of the smallest towns in Judah,. having only fiftv houses. HADRACH, a city men- tioned by the prophet Zecha- riah, ix, 1. This place has been remarkably harrassed in successive ages, by the Greeks, HAM MAM by the Romans, by the Sara- cens, Turks, and European crusades. HAGARENEr>, a people descended from Abraham by Hagar. They constituted vt tribe of the Arabians, who are supposed to have settled round mount Sinai. The Arabians, generally, to this day pride themselves on being descended from Isiimael. Dr. Wells. HAI, or A i, a city a little east from Bethel. Jerome says that in his time the ruins were scarcely visible; but the place was still known. It was twelve miles from Jerusalem, Gen. xii, 8. HALAH, a country beyond the Euphrates in the north of Assyria, whither the king of Assyria transported the Israel- ites of the ten tribes. 2 Kings xvii, 6. HALHUL, a city in the tribe of Jndah, Josh. xv, 58, was probably near to Hebron. In the fourth century, a village in this vicinity was called Alul. HALIC ARNASSUS, a city of Asia Minor. The country of Herodotus and Dionysius, the historians. Lat. 56, 15. Sanson. HAMATH, the land of Ha- math is often mentioned in Scripture; its chief city had the same name. Indeed it seems there were several places calied Ha math. The kingdot© of Hamath lay on the north of - .Canaan, extending from the Mediterranean west, to Damas- cus, east. The extent of Ca- naan is often expressed, not only, as reaching from Dan to Beersheba; but from the enter- ing in of Hamath to the river of Egypt. Hamath, capital of the a- bove kingdom; it was situ- ated, not far from Tadmor. Solomon carried his arms a- gainst this city. This town was sometimes called Hamath Zobah. Hamath, a country within the land of Israel, where Solo- mon built store cities. This country might probably lie about Hammath Dor, in Gali- lee, where the lands were re- markably fertile. Hamath, a city in the tribe of Naphtali, near the entrance into Ccelo Syria. Hamath the Great, a city in the north part of Syria, Amos vi, 2. Jerome says this town was the same as Antioch. HAMMON, a city of Ash- er, Josh, xix, 28. It is not known whether this be the same with the city of the same nar«e, said to be in Naph- tali. I Chr. vi, 76. HAMONAH, a city where Ezekiel xxxix, 10, foretold that Gog and his people should HAH HAPv be buried. We know of no town of t! lis name in Palestine. Hamonah signifies multitude, and the prophet intended to show that the slaughter or' Gog's people would be so great, that the place of their burial might be called multi- tude' the Septuagint call it ma- riy men. There Antichrist or Gog "will come to his end, and none will help him." See Amarus, and Armageddon. HAMOTH-DOR, a city belonging to the Levites in the tribe of Naphtali. It is the same perhaps as Hamath, be- longing to the same tribe, Josh, xix, 35, which is believed by some to be Tiberias. See Ha- math. Lat. 32, 54. HANANEEL, a town near Jerusalem, so called, Zech. xiv, 10, lnd India. The paraphrast Jonathan says, the name of the first river is Phison, which environs the whole land of India. He probably means the country round the head of the Indus, and not Hindostan. HAVOTH JAIR, cabins or huts of the Arabians placed in a circle, as the Hottentots, and some tribes of America, place their huts, were so called. They were in the Batanea, east of Jordan, in the land of Gilcad, and half tribe of Ma- nasseh. HAZER GADDA, a city of Palestine lying in the south part of Judah. HAZEROTH, Hazerim, Hazor, Arezothaim, ail these names are applied to the same places, where the Hebrews en- camped in their journey through the wilderness, Numb. xi, 35. Also a town in Ara- bia Petrea. Probably this was the dwelling of the Hivites, be- fore they were driven away by the Caphtorim, who settled in Palestine. HAZEZON-AAMAR, this is the same as Engedi, upon the western coast of the Dead sea, Gen. xiv, 7. HAZOR, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, 2 Esdras xi, 33* Hazor, a oity in the tribe of Judah, Josh. xv,23. It seems by the words in Joshua there were three cities of this name in this tribe, and this is the opinion of the learned Sanson. Hazor, otherwise Hezront was also the name of a city in the same tribe, Josh, xv, 25, forty miles south-west from Jerusalem, and twelve from A .kdon. Hazor, a town in Arabia, Jeremiah xhx, 28, 33, "Hazor shall be a dwelling place for dragons, a desolation forever; no man shall abide theIe.,, This was once a celebrated city, and the capital of a king- dom. Probabiy the people, who settled here, might be a colony from Hazor in Judea. This town was taken and demolished by the Chaldeans; it is now blotted from exist- ence. Hazor, the name of a city in the tribe of Naphtali, and metropolis of all the kings of Philistia, Josh, xix, 36. HEB HEB Hazor, built by Solomon, 1 Kings, ix, 15. It is no contra- diction to say, that it was Ha- zor of Naphtali, which Solo- mon rebuilt or fortified* HEBREWS, so Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descend- ants are called. See Israelites. HEBRON, or Chebron, probably the most ancient city in the world, for it was built seven years before Zoan, or according to the LXX, Tanis, the capital of Lower Egypt, Numbers xiii, 22. Hebron was situated upon an eminence, twenty miles south of Jerusalem and twenty miles north from Beersheba. Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were buried near Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah, or the double cave, whiclv Abraham bought of Ephron, Gen. xxiii, 7, 8, 9. Near to this place was the oak. or turpentine tree, under which Abram received three angels, IcL 18. Euse- bius, Sozomen, and several other ancients, speak of the veneration, which not only Christians, but the very heath- ens themselves had for this turpentine tree. Hebron is still in being, but very much fallen from its an- cient lustre. It is now only a village, standing partly on a plain and partly on a mountain, from which is a pleasant pros- pect of the plain of Mamre, planted with vineyards. Here are now the ruins of a church, built by Constantine, and another built by Helena, sup- posed to be on the spot, where Abraham and Sarah were buried. It is now a mosque, much respected by Christians and Mahometans. Hebron is now the capital of a district, and twenty-two miles from Jerusalem. Mr. Volney says, the Arabs have no other name for this village than El-Kalil. the well beloved^ which is the name they usually apply to Abraham. The country adjacent to He- bron is an oblong hollow, five or six leagues in length, and not disagreeably varied by rocky hillocks, groves of fir trees, stunted oaks, and a few plantations of vines and olive trees. These vineyards are not cultivated with a view io make wine, the inhabitants be- ing'such zealous Mahometans, as not to permit any Christians to live among them. They are only of use to procure dried raisins, though the grapes are of an excellent kind. The peasants of Hebron likewise cultivate cotton, which is spun by their wives, and sold at Je- rusalem and Gaza. They have here a manufactory of soap, and another of glass, the only one HEB in Syria. They also make rings and bracelets, and otlier trink- , which are sent abroad to market, even to Constantinople. This is the most powerful vil- lage in the country, and can arm eight or nine hundred men. They are of an opposite faction and perpetual enemies of the people at Bethlehem. This discord has produced unceasing ci vil war. The people of differ- ent villages incessantly make inroads on each other's lands, destroying the grain and fruit trees, and carrying off sheep, goats, and camels. The Turks, in whose hands is the nominal government, are negligent in repressing these hostilities, their own authority being precari- ous. The Bedoween Arabs, who encamp on the plains, are in a state of warfare with the Turks. The peasants avail themselves of this circumstance to resist law and to do mischief. Hence arises anarchy and out- rages worse than despotism. Such is the dreadful state of Hebron. A particular account of this interesting place by D' Arvieux may be entertaining, "Quitting Bethlehem, n saith he, fckfor Hebron we entered on a difficult and rugged road, bordered on each side with vineyards, having on the right hand a village called Boticalli, where no Turk dares reside. HEB The only inhabitants arc Greeks, who cultivate the neighboring lands, which arc good and fertile, by which they are wealthy. After a journey of some miles we arrived at a monas- tery of Greeks, dedicated to St. George, whose chains and fetters perform miracles of heal- ing. About a league from the monastery, we saw the sealed fountain whose waters Solomon conducted to the temple of Je- rusalem, by means of a canal of stone very solidly built, which still conveys them thither. A hundred paces eastward of this sealed fountain, is a reservoir and sources of water, whose streams increase those which flow to Jerusalem. At length we arrived at the garden en- closed* but enclosed less by labor than by nature, the hills south and north of it being high and almost perpendicular. They are covered with aromatic plants. We left the main road about a league from Hebron, and turned to the left in order to see the valley of Mamre, where Abram dwelt. The founda- tions, and some very thick walls of hewn stone, are all that remain of the church, built here by the bishop of Jerusalem in the days of Constanfine. In approaching Hebron, we HE£ HEB saw the well of Jacob, and a vineyard, called the field of Damascus, of the earth of which Adam is reported to have been made. A grotto is also shewn here, where Adam and Eve resided after their ex- pulsion from paradise; and where they wept over Abel whom Cain slew at the end of this valley. The sepulchre of Caleb is shewn on a little hill. The city of Hebron is seven leagues from Jerusalem south- ward. It may boast of being: one 01 the most ancient cities in the world. It formerly stood on a hill to the north; but has insensibly changed its site in the course of its various re- buildings. A castle now stands on its highest elevation; and this is its only defence. Its inhabitants are Mahometans, and lay heavy contributions on the few Jews, whom they not without difficulty suffer to in- habit there. The Turks have so great a veneration for this city, that- they admit into it neither wine nor brandy. Water only is drank in it. St. Helena built a magnifi- cent church at ihe double cave, (on Machpelah) where the patriarchs were interred, and founded a bishopric with a con- siderable revenue. There is at the entry a great kitchen, where a soup made of pulse and herbs is daily distributed, by the dervises to all comers who need it; in memory it is said of what passed between Jacob and Esau. We partook of it; but we could not enter into this handsome church, now changed into a mosque: ad- mission being, therefore, for- bidden to all but Mussulmans. The entry of the double cav- ern is inside the church, and of course it is inaccessible to both Christians and Jews. Neither do the Turks themselves dare to enter it, for fear of losing their sight, which they say has happened to some, who were over curious. By means of an orifice, however, the first cav- ern may be inspected, m some degree by the help of torches. At this orifice, both Christians and Jews address their prayers. The religious and pilgrims burn lamps and tapers before it, which smoke it sufficiently. The situation of this city is every way agreeable, and its district is very fertile. It a- bouuds in vineyards, whose produce is excellent. The grapes are carried to Jerusalem, and make good wine. The country people make raisins of them, which are as yellow as gold, and of exquisite flavor. Generally speaking, the fruits have all the perfection, that can be desired. The city and I1EB IIEL its environs appertain to the government of Jerusalem, which maintains a Soubachi and a lew soldiers to enforce the payment of its duties; but the populace is so mutinous, that they rarely pay without force, and commonly a rein- forcement from Jerusalem is necessary. The peoph are brave, and when in revolt ex- tend the incursions, as far as Bethlehem, and make amends by their pillage for what is exacted from them. They are so well acquainted with the windings of the mountains, and know so well how to post them- selves to advantage, that they close all the passages, and ex- clude every assistance from reaching the Soubachi. In going out of Hebron we passed through the village of the holy Virgin, so called, be- cause tradition, says that here she rested, when fleeing to Egypt to escape the wrath of. Herod. The Turks dare not dwell here, believing that they could not live a week, if they attempt- ed it. The Gi-eeks have a church in this, village. This mutinous character of the peo- ple one would think was but a continuation of their ancient disposition; which might ren- der them fit instruments for serving David against Saul; and Absalom against David- The advantage they possess in their knowledge of the passes, &c. accounts also for the pro- tracted resistance which David made to Saul, and the necessi- ty of that king's employing a considerable force in order to dislodge his adversary; Da- vid was so well aware of this advantage of sta ion, that when Absalom had possessed him- self of Hebron, he did not think of attacking him there, but fled in all haste from Jeru- salem northward. Lat. 31,21. HEL VM, a town on the east of Jordan, where in a bat- tle between David and the Ammonites,and their allies, Da- vid was victorious. The place is now called Alamatha. HELBAH, a city in the tribe of Asher, Judg. i, 31; from which he would not, or could not drive out the Ca- naairtes. HELBON, a place near to Damascus, famous for its wine, perhaps the same which is now Aleppo; Ezek. xxvii. The Arabs now call Aleppo, Ha- lab. From this place the an- cient kings of Persia had their wine for their own tables. The city now has about 250,000 inhabitants; the Mahometans have 120 mosques or houses for public worship, and three colleges. Here are also numer- BEL HEL Otis Christians of all the de- nominations,which are found in these countries. Of the Greek church are 15 or 16,000, of the Armenians 12,000, of the Nestorian 10,000, of the Ma- ronite 1,200: here are also three churches of the Roman Catholics. Next to Constan- tinople and Cairo, this is the most important city of the Turkish empire, and is the capital of all Syria. It is 175 miles N. E. from Damascus. Lat. 36, 12. Long. 37, 40. HELEPH, a city in the tribe of Naphtali, Josh, xix, 33; on his frontier to the north, not far from Sidon. HELIOPOLIS, that is to say, the city of the sun, is called On, in the Hebrew, Gen. xli, 43; and xlvi, 20; but termed Heliopolis, both by the Septu- agint and Vulgate. Potiphar, who married his daughter Ase- neth to Joseph, was priest of Heliopolis. This city was situated upon the Nile, half a day's journey from Babylon in Egypt. Besides the city of Heliopo- lis, called On in Hebrew, there was another in Egypt, situated between Cairo, the town of Copte, and the Red Sea. Noth- ing remains of this city but an obelisk, yet standing of consid- erable size, and nearly seventy feet in heiq;ht, covered with hieroglyphics. Several others which stood here have been carried to Rome and Constan- tinople. A sycamore tree near this place has been famous for sheltering the holy family while in Egypt. Heliopolis, a city of Coelo Syria, supposed to have been referred to, Amos i, 5. "I will cut off the inhabitants from the plain of Aven, or the idol's camp, or the valley of iniquity. By Bickathaven, the prophet "is supposed to mean that place, which is now called Baalbeck, that is the valley of Baal. The prophet declared, that the in- habitants should be cut off; vve shall see that this has been gradually verified. The town stood at the foot of Anti-Liba- nus. Innumerable remains of the most opulent ruins are there to be seen. Many of the marble columns are fifteen feet eight inches in circumference, and forty four feet high; some, including their entabulatures, are seventy-two feet high. These ruins are the most beau- tiful and the best preserved of any in Asia. The ground is strewed with broken columns, mutilated capitals, the remains of pilasters, entabulatures, and cornices, around ruined courts, edifices and temples, which display all the ornaments of the richest architecture, are adorn- HEL HEN ed with the richest workman- ship of the sculpture. The garlands, the large foliage of the capitals, the sculpture of the wild plants, with which these ruins are covered, aston- ish the beholder. These marble ruins also contain tablets in the form of lozenges, on which are represented Jupiter, seated on his eagle; Leda caressed by the swan; Diana with her bow and crescent, with the busts of em- perors or empresses. Anoth- er circumstance, which appears more surprising, is the enor- mous stones, which compose these mouldering walls. Some of them are from twenty-eight to thirty-five feet long, and nine feet thick. In one place three stones extend one hundred and seventy-five feet and a half, one being fifty-eight feet and seven inches, the second fifty- eight feet and eleven inches, and the third exactly fifty-eight feet long, each of these are twelve feet thick; they are white marble. At a quarry, near these ruins, is a stone, hewn on three sides, which is sixty-nine feet and two inches long, twelve feet and ten inches broad, and thirteen feet three inches thick. By what means did the ancients move these huge and ponder- ous masses? The ruins of a temple, dedicated to the Sun, 25 is the most surprising object among the remains of this once populous and splendid city. This city lay in the way from Tyre to Tadmor, and doubtless had a liberal share in the opulent traffic of those populous cities. The state of Balbec is deplorable; under the malignant influence of the Turkish government, which like all despotisms, is hostile to commerce, it has become poor, wretched, and forsaken. In 1751, the population was esti- mated at 5,000, in 1784, the in- habitants were reduced to less than twelve hundred. In 1759 an earthquake produced im- mense havoc and ruin. The people, who remain are discour- aged and idle, cultivating a little cotton, maize, and water- melons for their support. Bal- bec is 110 miles south of Alep- po, and 50 N. N. W. from Damascus. Lat. 34. Long. 36, 45. E. HELKATH, a city in the tribe of Asher, which was giv- en to Gershom's family, Josh, xxi, 31. HEMONA, a village of Palestine in the tribe of Benja- min. HENA, a city near the Eu- phrates, between Mesopotamia and Arabia, 2 Kings xviii, 34. Lat. 33, 15. Sanson* HEIi HES HEPHA, a maritime town of Palestine, lying at the foot of mount Carmel. HE RES, a mountain of Pal- estine in the tribe of Dan. HERMON, a mountain which the Sidonians call Sirion, and the Ammonites Shenir. It is also called Sion, or rather one of its lower summits was so called, Deut. ix, 10. St. Jerome says, that this mountain lies higher than Paneas, and that in summer there was snow carried thence to Tyre, that the people might drink there in fresco. It was doubtless a southern spur of Lebanon. The Chaldee and Samaritan interpreters call it the mountain of snow. Hermon, a mountain of Canaan on the west side of Jordan, not far from mount Tabor. David is supposed to refer to this Hermon^ "Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name." "As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descends upon the mountains ofZion." Mr. Maundrel takes notice of this mountain, and says that in three hours and a half from the river Kishon, he came to a small brook, from which he had an extensive prospect of the plain of Esdra- elon. To the east six or seven hours distant, Nazareth was visible, and the two mountains Tabor and Hermon. He adds, we were sufficiently instructed by experience what the holy Psalmist means by "the dew of Hermon," our tents being wet with it, as if it had rained all night. Mr. Calmet however, doubts whether the name of Hermon was ever applied to any mountain, west of the Jor- dan, till days more modern than the writing of the Scrip- tures. Lat. 33, 20. HESER, a city in the land of Canaan and tribe of Judah, built and fortified by Solomon, perhaps the same as Hazor. HESHBON, a celebrated city twenty miles east of Jor- dan, according to Eusebius, and opposite to Jericho. It was the capital city of the Am- orites, and was given to the tribe of Reuben, Josh, xiii, 17, but was probably made over to that of Gad. Pliiry makes it to belong to Arabia. Solo- mon in his Song vii, 4, speaks of the waters of Heshbon, and the second book of Maccabees xii, 16, says that the lake of Caspis or Heshbon was two furlongs, or three hundred paces broad. Jerome and Eu- sebius both say it was at the period of their writing a noble city of Arabia among the mountains. JCimpton, HIE HIE HETHLON, a city men- tioned in Ezekiel xlvii, 15, and xlviii, I, as limiting the land of promise on the north side. HEZRON, a city in the south part of the tribe of Judah. HIDDEKEL, one of the rivers of Paradise, Gen. ii, 14. This being the third river, mentioned by Moses, "Which goeth toward the east of As- syria," or as it is better trans- lated, Which goeth along the side of Assyria, is by many thought to be the Tigris. The Tigris parts Assyria from Me- sopotamia, and meeting with the Euphrates below Bain Ion, they empty themselves into the Persian Gulf. JVells. HIERAPOLIS,was in Phry- gia and in the neighborhood of Colosse and Laodioea. It was destroyed by an earthquake, in the first ages of Christianity. St. Paul, writing to the Colos.iv,13, testifies of Epaphras, and says, that he abounds in zeal and af- fection for those of Hierapolis. This city, now called by the Turks Pambuck-Kulasi, or the cotton tower, by reason of the white cliffs rising in the vicinity, is a city of the greater Phry- gia, and lies under a high hill to the north, having to the south- ward a fair and large plain, five miles over, almost directly op- posite to Laodicea, the river Lycus running between, but nearer to Hierapolis, now ut- terly forsaken and desolate; but whose ruins are so glorious and magnificent, that they will strike one with horror at the first view of them, and with admi- ration of such walls and arches, and pillars of so vast a height, and so curiously wrought, still to be found there, that one mav well judge, that it was one of the most glorious cities, of the world. The numerous tem- ples, there erected in the times of idolatry, with so much art and cost, might sufficiently con- firm the title of the Holy City, which it had derived from the hot waters flowing from several springs, to which they ascribed a divine healing virtue, and which made the city so famous; and for this cause Apollo, whom both Greeks and Romans ador- ed as the god of medicine, had his votaries and altars here, and was very probably their chief deity. In the theatre, which is of a large compass, and height from the top, there being above forty stone seats, we found upon a curious piece of wrought marble, belonging to a portal, these words in Greek, To Apol- lo the chief president, a title pe- culiar to him. Where these springs arise, is a very large bath curiously paved with white marble, about which formerly stood several pillars now thrown HOIl HIV into it. Hence the waters make their way through several channels,which they have form- ed for themselves, oftentimes overflowing them, and which crusting the ground turns the superficial parts into a tophus. Several tombs still remain, some of them almost entire, very stately and glorious, as if it had been accounted a kind of sac- rilege to injure the dead, and upon that account they had ab- stained from defacing their monuments, which are entire stones of a great length and height, some covered with stones shaped into the form of a cube. It stands 17 miles north of Laodicea. Lat. 38,7. Lon. 29, 30. Dr. Smith, &c. HILEN, a city of Palestine in the tribe of Judah, eiven to the Levites. HINNOM, the valley of Hinnom, or of the sons of Hin- nom (Josh, xiii, 8, 2) lay to the south of Jerusalem. It was also called the valley of Tophet, and was remarkable for the cruel and barbarous worship of the god Moloch. See Gehennom. HIRSHEMESH, a city of Palestine in the tribe of Dan. HITTITES, the land of the Hittites is spoken of in Judges i, 26. The Hittites were the descendants of Heth. HIVITES, a people de- scended from Canaan, Gen. x, 17. They dwelt at first in the country, which was afterward possessed by the Caphtorims, or Philistines. The scripture says expressly, (Deut. ii, 23) that the Caphtorims, drove out the Avims or Hivites, who dwelt from Hazerim unto Az- zah. There were Hivites, like- wise, at Shechem and Gibeon, and consequently in the centre of the promised land, for the in- habitants of Shechem and the Gibeonites were Hivites, Josh, xi, 19, and Genesis xxxiv, 2. Lastly, there were some beyond Jordan, at the foot of mount Hermon, Josh, xi, 3. Bochart is of opinion that Cadmus, who carried a body of Phoenicians into Greece, was a Hivite. HOBAH, a place in Syria, mentioned only in Gen. xiv, 15. Abraham having armed his own people pursued the army, which had taken Lot, to Hobah, which was not far from Damascus. A learned writer supposes, it was the same as Abila, in the valley between Li- banus and Anti-Libanus, and north from Damascus. HOLON, a city of refuge, belonging to the priests, and situated in the mountains of Judah, Josh, xv, 51, and Josh, xxi, 15. HOLY LAND, see Pales- tine. HOR, a mountain in Ara- HOR nou bia Petrca, on the confines of Id u men, which Aaron was com- manded by God to ascend, and there to be gathered to his fath- ers. This mountain was af- terwards called Seir, and the name of Hor was laid aside, or onlv retained for a particular part or summit. See Seir. Dr. JFells. HOREB, a mountain in Ara- bia Petrea, very near mount Sinai, so that Horeb and Sinai seem to be onlv two hills be- longing to the same mountain. Sinai lies to the east, and Ho- reb to the west, so that when the sun rises, the latter is cover- ed with the shadow of Sinai. There is abundance of fruit trees on mount Horeb, and three fine springs, but there is none but rnin water on Sinai. At Horeb God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, Ex. iii, 1, 2, 3, &c. At the foot of the same mountain, Moses struck the rock, and drew wa- ter from it to satisfy the peo- ple's thirst, Ex. xvii,6. Lastly, Elijah retired to the same place to avoid the persecution of Jez- ebel, 1 Kings xix, 8. It is said Aery frequently in the He- brews, that God trave his law to the Israelites at Horeb, tho' in other places, this is said ex- pressly to have been done at Si- nai; as we have observed, Ho- reb mid Sinai, made in sort, but one mountain. For the several events', which happened upon this mountain, according to the modern commentators, it has received the title of the mount of God, as it is called in the last text referred to; and Josephus tells us, that the peo- ple of this country had a tradi- tion, that God in a more par- ticular manner dwelt there, and that, therefore, in reverence of the place, they always declined feeding their Hocks upon it. But the most remarkable thing to be seen at Horeb, is a solitary rock mentioned in Ex- odus xvii, which proclaims the divinity of revelation, with the various mouths, whence the waters gushed, and the streams, flowed, smitten by the rod of Moses. It is a rock of red marble, about 4 yards square. In all the openings or mouths, are horizontal, and iri some of them perpendicular, cracks, which could never have been produced by any tool. Like the rent in the rock of Calvary, it produces religious surprise in the most philosophical spec- tator. In this region, in the wilderness of Kadesh, is the other rock, mentioned in Num- bers 20th, from which water flowed, and a stream followed the camp, being twice smitten by the rod of ^vfrJses, 38 years after the other miracle. Front HOR HOR the bottom to the top now ap- pear various openings, whence the waters burst forth. Mr. Sandys says, that mount Sinai has three tops of a marvellous height, by which he probably means the Mount of Moses, the mount of St. Catharine, and mount Horeb, and this last (he says) is the most western of the three tops or mountains, which agrees very well to the circumstances of the sacred history. For according to this situation, mount Horeb must lie nearest to Rephidim. Near mount Horeb is the monaster}' of the forty martyrs. It is pleasant, has a fair church or chapel, dedicated to the blessed virgin, and a fine large garden. In this garden are apple trees, pear trees, walnut trees, orange trees, lemon trees, olive trees, and all other fruit trees, which grow in this coun- try. And indeed that little good fruit, which is eat at Cairo, comes from mount Ho- reb. Besides this garden, there are fine vineyards, and very good water there. A Greek monk lives always in this mo- nastery, and he whom we found there, says Thevenot, told us that he had been twenty years in it. He takes care to see the gardens dressed, and kept in order by some Arabs, who wil- lingly serve him. Not far from this garden is shown the stone, or rather place where the golden calf was mol- ten. It is in the very rock, where one may see a great head of a calf, cut to the life. And within this place, the Greeks say, that the riches and ornaments of the Israelites were cast, of which was made the head of the golden calf, that they worshipped, while Moses was with God on mount Sinai. But it is more probable, (as Thevenot observes) that the Greeks have cut the head of a calf in the rock, to mark the place where it was cast. [The Greeks supposed the head only was bestial.] HOREM, a city in Naph- tali, Josh, xix, 38. Its name imports destruction, or dedi- cated, consecrated. It has been thought, that it was so named from being devoted to destruc- tion; but it is certain that things might be irrevocably conse- crated, and yet not destroyed; but they were forever to be used and appropriated for the Divine service. So nothing for- bids our supposing that the property of this town might be vested in the national institu- tions, for the support of public worship. Its revenue was de- voted to the temple or taberna- cle of God. HORH AGIDG AD, or Hon - HOfi ICO oacidgad, or Gadcad, an encampment of Israel march- ing from Egypt, perhaps so called, because there they might be reviewed by troops. The word signifies the hill of troops. According to the map of Bonfrerius it was the twenty - ninth station of Israel, at the foot of a mountain, two miles from the Red sea. HORITES, an ancient peo- ple, who at the beginning dwelt in the mountains of Seir, be- yond Jordan, Gen. xiv, 6. They had princes and were powerful, before Esau made a conquest of their country, Gen. xxxvi, 20—30. The Horites, the descendants of Seir, and the Edomites, seem afterwards to have been confounded, and to have composed but one people, Deut. ii, 1 and xxxiii, 2, and Judg. v, 4. They dwelt in Ara- bia Petrea and Arabia Deserta, to the south-east of the prom- ised land. HORMAH, Herma, Har- ma, or Arma, it should be written Chorma or Cherma, this city was called Zephath, before the Hebrews gave it the name of Hormah, Judg. i, 17, which sigritfKts Anathema. Hor- mah belonged to the tribe of Simeon, in the south of Canaan. Lat. 31, 21. HORON, a city of Arabia, whence came Sanballat, Nch. ii, 10. IIOWNAIM,atownofthe Moabites, Isa. xv, 5. HAKOK, a city of Asher, the same probably as that, which is made part of Naph- tali, Josh, xix, 34. It was yielded to the Levites and as- signed to be a city of refuge, 1 Chron. vi, 15. The tribes of Asher and Naphtali, border- ing on one another, it is not surprising that a city lying on the limits of both should be sometimes attributed to the one, sometimes to the other. HUMTAH, a city of Ca- naan in the tribe of Judah. HUZZAB, a fortress, per- haps in Nineveh, or the name given to the city itself. IBLEAM, a town in the half tribe of Manasseh, en the west side of Jordan. It was given to the Levites for Gath- rimmon; but the Canaanites re- tained the place. ICONIUM, at present Cogni, formerly the capital of Lycao- nia in Asia Minor. St. Paul, coming to Iconium, Acts xiii, 5i; xiv, 1, Sec. in the year of Jesus Christ 45, converted ma- ny Jews and Gentiles. It is believed, that in his first jour- ney to this city, he converted St. Theca, so celebrated in the writings of the ancient fathers. But some wicked Jews excited the Gentiles to rise against Paul and Barnabas, so that they were at the point of offering IDU IDC violence to them, which oblig- ed them to fly to the neighbor- ing cities. St. Paul undertook a second journey to Iconium, in the year of Jesus Christ 51. A Christian church was planted and supported here for about 800 years. Iconium was made a Roman colony, probably by Adrian. The ravages of the Sar- acens and Turks reduced the Christians to a very low condi- tion. At present it is the most distinguished place in Carama- nia, and the seat of an Ottoman Beglerbey. It is surrounded by a strong wall, four miles in extent, and fortified with one hundred and eight noble tow- ers, at equal distances, yet a considerable portion of the city lies waste. The inhabitants are all Turks. Not a Jew, not a Christian may live within the walls; but they reside in the suburbs. The situation is de- lightful, on a spacious and fer- tile plain. The sheep are of the Syrian kind, the tails some- times weighing thirty pounds, which are laid on a light sledge, drawn by the sheep. Iconium is 110 miles from the Mediterranean. Lat. 38, 27, long. 33, 30. Folio Gcog. of Moll. vol. ii. IDAL\H, a city in the tribe of Zebulon, Josh, xix, 15. IDUMEA, or Edom, a province of Arabia, which de- rives its name from Edom or Esau, who there fixed his habi- tation. Or to be more exact, Idumea advanced into Judea on the south, and Arabia ad- vanced into Idumea on the north. Esau settled at first in the mountains of Seir, in the land belonging to the Horites, to the south-east of the Dead Sea, and the Mediterranean. The Idu means or Edomites, who were the posterity of Esau, had kings long before the Jews, Gen. xxxvi, 31. They were first governed by dukes or princes, and afterwards by kings. They continued inde- pendent to the time of David, when they were entirely con- quered, 2 Sam. viii, 14, and Isaac's prophecy, that Jacob should rule Esau completely accomplished. Uzziah, king of Judah, took from them the city of Elath, on the Red Sea, 2 Kings xiv, 22. But Rezin king of Syria retook it from Uzziah, and drove out the Jews. Some think that Esar-haddon, king of Syria, ravaged their country, Isaiah xxi, 11, 12, 13, and xxxiv, 1. Holofernes subdued them, as well as the other people, who dwelt round about Judea. Ju- dith iii, 14. When Nebuchad- nezzar besieged Jerusalem, the Idumseans joined him, and en- couraged him, utterly to des- IDU troy this city, and root up its j foundations- This cruelty •lid" not continue long unpun- ished. Nebuchadnezzar, five years after the taking of Jerusa- lem, humbled all the states, which bordered upon Judea, and in particular the Idu me- ans, Judas Maccabeus attack- ed and defeated them in seve- ral rencounters, but John Hyr- canus entirely conquered them, obliged them to receive cir- cumcision, and submit to oth- er observances of the Jewish law. They continued subject to the later kings of Judea, till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. They even came to the assistance of this city when besieged; and entered into it in order to defend it: they did not however continue there till it was taken, but returned into Iclumea, loaded with oooty. With respect to the religion of the Idu means, it is thought probable, that in the beginning they adored the true God, the worship of whom Esau learned in the house of his father Isaac. The Scripture does not re- proach the Idumeans with idolatry, nor does it any where mention their idols. Job, whom we suppose to belong to this country, and at least a part of his particular friends, worship- ped the true God. 2S ILL IIM, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 29. IJEABARIM, one of the encampments of the Israelites in the land of Moab, after their departure out of Egypt, Num, xxi; 11. This place was east from the land of Moab. IJON, orH&THLo.v, a fronr tier town of Canaan towards Damascus. ILLYRICUM, a province lying to the north-west of Macedonia, along the eastern coast of the Adriatic gulf, or gulf of Venice, being 480 miles, long, and 120 broad. It has Austria and part of Hungary north, Mysia or Servia east, part of Macedonia south. St. Paul, Rom. xv, 19, says that he preached the Gospel from Jerusalem round about to IU lyricum. So that he must have preached in Syria, Phoe- nicia, Arabia, Cilicia, Pam- philia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, Gal- atea, Pontus, Paphlagonia, Phrygia, Troas, Asia, Caria, Lycia, Ionia, Lydia, the isles of Cyprus and Crete, Thracia, Macedonia, Thesalia, and AT chaia.. It does not appear, however, that Paul preached in Illyricumj but travelled to its borders. Paley. The province of Illyricum was divided into two parts, Li- burnia north, which is now Croatia, and Dalmatia which IND JND Still retains its name. In this country are many Christians. INDIA, a country of Asia mentioned in Scripture, Esth. 3, 1, Sec. "Ahasuerus reigned from India to Ethiopia." This by very learned men is suppos- ed to refer to Hindostan rather than the present India. It has also been supposed that this country is referred to in Acts ii, 9, where among the enu- meration of foreigners then at Jerusalem are mentioned, "Dwellers in Judea." This certainly is liable to some cor- rection. Plausible reasons have been suggested for substituting India. It also deserves some notice, that while the people from Parthia, Media, &.c. are mentioned as natives or citi- zens of those countries, those of India and Mesopotamia are said to be "dwellers," or tem- porary residents, as the people while at Jerusalem, attending the religious festival, are called "dwellers." This suggests that a more remote and eastern Mesopotamia is intended, than the country between the Tigris and Euphrates; here the Jews were settled and fixed. But in the original Mesopota- mia, referred to by St. Stephen, the country of Abraham, and in India, it may well be supposed, the Jews had no fixed settle- ments; yet numbers have ad- ventured there for traffic and other purposes, as we know that rrianv of thffm at thai time had travelled to Africa and Europe, where they v#ere "dwellers." Still the learned have not arrived at certainty, or precision respecting India. India, on its most enlarged scale, in which the ancients appear to have understood it, comprises an area of near forty degrees on each side, including a space almost as large as all Europe, being divided on the west from Persia by the Ara- chosian mountains, limited on the east by the Chinese part of the further peninsula, confinevl on the north by the wilds of Tartary, and south extending to the isles of Java. This tra- pezium comprehends, there- fore, the stupendous hills of Thibet, the beautiful valley of Cashmire, the domains of Ne- paul, Asam, Siam, Ava, and Racan. By India may be un- derstood the whole of that country, where the primitive religion and languages of the Hindoos prevail at this day. This country has been inhabit- ed from the earliest antiquity by a people, who have no re- semblance, either in their fig- ure or manners with any of the nations contiguous to them; though different conquerors have established themselves at L\l) IND rent times, and in various parts of India; vet the aboriginal inhabitants have lost very little of their original eharacter. Af- ter so frequent subjeetions to their conquerors, still their sources of wealth are abundant, their manufactures of cotton surpass all the world, and their llatures, probably, remain un- altered, and though now hum- bled and debased, they for- merly, it may be supposed, were splendid in arts and arms, happy in their government, and eminent in various knowledge. Asiatic Researches, vol. i, page 418—421. The original population may be generally considered as indi- genouspr in otherwords, pecul- iar to this country. P'mkcrton. India it is supposed was set- tled by Ham, a son of Noah, or his posterity. See Asiatic Researches, vol. iii, page 490. The children of Ham, who founded in Iran or Persia, the monarchy of the firstChaldeans, invented letters, observed and narked the luminaries of the firmament, were dispersed at various intervals, and in various olo'.ues over land and ocean. The tribes of Misr, Cush, and Rama settled in Africa and In- dict, while some of the f-imily cd into Greece and Italy, supplanting part of the clans, who had preceded them, and uniting with others; while oth- ers of them, it is thought, found their way to Mexico and Peru, where rude traces of literature and mythology were discovered, resembling those of Egypt and India.. These facts corroborate Scripture prophecy. Noah fore- told that the children of Ham should be servants of servants. Seventy millions of them in India, not to mention the con- tinent of Africa, and the mil- lions in America are subdued and oppressed by one govern- ment of Europe. It is generally believed that Christianity was preached in India at a very early period. Socrates, who wrote in the be- ginning of the fifth century, says that when the apostles had taken their different lots, that Bartholomew chose India; but the middle India, he remarks, was inhabited by barbarous na- tions and did not receive the gospel till the reign of Con- stantine, (book i, chap. xv. ) But others *assert with much assurance, that St. Thomas preached the gospel in India. In the Asiatic Researches, vol. x, page 69, it is asserted that Christianity at a very early pe- riod, had made very great progress in the Peninsula. The1 venerable Pantaenus of Alex* andria visited India about the year 189, and there fount] IND 1SL Christians, who had the gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew, which he carried to Alexandria, where it was known in the time of St. Jerome^ In the year 325, at the council of Nice, John the primate of In- dia, was present and subscribed his name. In the sixth centu- ry there was a seminary for » Christians at Serinda; in 636 two monks went thence to Constantinople. In the ninth century Sighelm, bishop of Shereburn, was sent to India by Alfred in consequence of a vow. In the thirteenth cen- tury, before the Portuguese had visited the country, Marco Polo and others say, that Chris- tians were numerous in India. I might have been more par- ticular and mentioned Theoph- ilusj an Arian bishop, who e- recttcl churches in India about A.D. 354; also Marutha, a Hindoo bishop, who assisted at the Synod of Sides in Pam- J>hylia, A.D. £83, and that in 522 there were churches and priests, with the whole liturgy in Ceylon, also on the Malabar coast, and in the north-west of India. In these countries at that time were a vast number of churches. The mission of St. Thomas to India, with the surprising progress of the Christian religion are, there- fore facts sufficiently authenti- cated. Asiatic Researches, Vol. x, p. 73. When Vasco de Gama ar- rived at Cochin, on the west of Malabar, in the year 1503, he found Christian churches, and a Christian king; since which lit||e has been known respect- ingpthe Christians of India, till within a few years they have been visited by the learned and pious Dr. Buchanan, who as- sures us that more than two hundred thousand Christians now inhabit these countries, of pure morals, enjoying gospel ordinances, and colleges for the education of their youth; but as this interesting work is well known, I add no more. IONIA. SeeJavan. ISHMAELITES, a people descended from Ishmael. See Hagarenes and Arabians* for a very particular account of this wonderful people. ISLES OF THE GEN- TILES, the countries of Na- tolia and Europe. It is evi- dent from several passages of Scripture, that by the word which we have translated isle, the Hebrews understood not only such countries, as are on all sides surrounded by sea, but also such countries as were separated from them by water, or the lands to which they went by water, Is. xl, 10, 1 1 . In the opinion of another ISR ISU writer, is/and importssettlement or plantation , that is, a colony or establishment in opposition to a wild, unappropriated region. I shall add a few instances to confirm this opinion, and show that the sense would be im- proved by such a rendering of the word. "By these were the settlements of the Gentiles di- vided in their lands." The sacred writer had just enume- rated countries, which were not isles, in any proper sense; therefore, to call these isles of the Gentiles, must be improp- er, Job xxii, 30, "He shall de- liver the island of the innocent." How much more just to read settlement. Isaiah xlii, 15, I will make the rivers islands, i. e. on the rivers, I will plant colo- nies or settlements. Isaiah xiii, 21, Wild beasts of the islands i. e. vermin of the plantations. I only add that the Oases of Africa, which are small dis- tricts of verdure and popula- tion, surrounded by a desert of sand, are called islands among the Arabs, even at this day. No doubt such settlements or insulated colonies, were by the Hebrews called islands, though there was not a drop of water jiear them. ISRAELITES, a remarka- ble people, descended from Israel or Jacob. Thev were at first called Hebrews, be descendants of Heberand final ly Jcvvs^ This name was also often appropriate to the ten tribes, who revolted, and elected Jeroboam king, and for a long period constituted a separate kingdom, independent of the kingdom of Judah, which consisted of Judah and Benja- min. This division of the tribes into two kingdoms took place about 847 years before Christ. While the kingdom of Judah in a great degree maintained their religion in purity, the Israelites, or the ten tribes, abandoned themselves to infidelity, rejected the rites and solemnities enjoined in revela- tion, and plunged into all the absurdities of paganism. For their impiety they were finally conquered, and carried into captivity, and have long- ceased, "to be reckoned among the nations." In A. M. 3264, which was about two hundred eighteen years after their re- volt from the house of David. Tiglath-pileser took several cities, and carried away cap- tive the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Ma- nasseh, who were more exposed to invasion, lying on the fron- tiers of the country, east of the great river and lakes of the country. Nineteen years after. tSR A. M. 3283, and A. C. 721, Salmaneser took Samaria, the capital of the kingdom, after a siege of three years, and carri- ed the other tribes, beyond the Euphrates. The general opin- ion is, that these ten tribes have never returned from this cap- tivity. We may better exam- ine this for a moment after mentioning the ruin brought on the house of Judah. In the year A. M. 3398, about 134 years after the final captivity of Israel, the Lord gave Jehoi- akim, king of Judah, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. With the royal city, and its king, a part of the vessels, belonging to the tem- ple, fell into the hands of the conqueror. Daniel was among the captives; they were carried "into the land of Shinar," or Babylon. In A.M. 3401, in the seventh year of Jehoiachim, Nebuchadnezzar, again, carri- ed 3,023 Jews to Babylon. Again, five years after this, Jehoiachim was king, he and a part of his people were sent to Babylon. Finally,' in A.M. 3416, under Zedekiah, anoth- er conquest and captivity of -this people took place. From tiiis period begins the seventy years of captivity foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. The Jews were now removed to Babylon; Nebuchadnezzar de- ISR signing to make that city, the capital of his mighty empire, and of the East, introduced there a multitude of captives, whom he had taken from dif- ferent countries. Here the Jews established themselves and built them houses, as if they had been in their own country; here they had Rulers of their own election, and were governed by their own laws. We see a proof of this, in the story of Susanna, who was tried and judged by the elders of her own nation. In the year A. M. 3457, Cyrus per- mitted the Je7vs to return to their own country, but they had no permission to rebuild their temple, and their deliver- ance was far from being com- plete. But in 3486, which was twenty -nine years after, Darius by proclamation allow- ed them to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem. The Jews how- ever, assert that only the re- fuse of their nation returned front bylon, that the chief men ofjufjah continued in, or near E -byion, where they be- came|very numerous. In the Asiatic Researches, we learn, that a people have been recent- ly discovered in the East, who it is confidently believed are the lost ten tribes of Israel. These people are called Af- ghans. In Esdras xiii, 41 — ISR ISH •1?, we read, "that those ten tribes, who were carried pris- oners out of their own land, k counsel among them- selves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go fort!) into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, that they might there keep their statutes, which they had never kept in their own land — to that country it is a great way to go, namely of a year and a half, and the same region is called Arsareth." Accordingly, a considerable district under the .dominion of the Afghans is called llazareh or Hatarethy which might easily be formed from the word men- tioned by Esdras. In addi- tion to this, the Persian histo- rians assert that the Afghans are descendants of the Jews. It is also declared, that though this people, as the Jews often do, suave to conceal their ori- gin, their families are distin- guished by the very names of the Jewish tribes. Another strong evidence is, their lan- guage, of which I have seen a dictionary, says Mr. Vansittart, which has a manifest resem- blance to the Chaldaic. Here are four distinct arguments, or separate proofs that the Af- ghans are of Jewish descent, if so, probably the lost ten tribes. Thev have a tradition of a Jewish origin. 2. The best Persian historians, with whose empire they have always been connected, assert the same. 3. A large district of their country is called Hazaret, which may well be supposed to be the same as Azareth. 4. Their language is manifestly of Hebrew origin. To these we may add, as a distinct proof, the names of their families are denoted by those of the twelve patriarchs, Reuben, Judah, and Simeon, &c. The Afghans are" numerous; they are for- midable by their bravery and population. Dr. Buchanan speaks of them as a kingdom, of Jews. The ten tribes, saith he, so long lost, have at length been found. It has been suffi- ciently ascertained by the in- vestigations of the learned in India, that the Afghan and Py- ran nations consist of the Jew- ish tribes. When I was in the south of India, I asked the Black Jews, where their breth- ren the great body of the ten tribes were to be found. They answered promptly, that they were to be found in the north, in theregions adjacent toChal- dea, the very country into which they were first carried into captivity. On my return to Calcutta, I prosecuted the in- quiry, under the advantages, which my superintendance of 1SR IS1I the College of Fort William afforded me. Sir W. Jones had recorded it as his opinion, that the Afghans were Jews; and referred to various author- ities. A further investigation confirmed the judgment of this illustrious scholar. They are recognized to be Jews by their countenance, by traditions, by peculiar rites, and the obser- vance of the Sabbath. Josephus, who wrote in the reign of Vespasian, recites a speech made by king Agrippa to the Jews, in which he exhorts them to submit to the Romans, and expostulates with them in these words. "What, do you stretch your hopes beyond the river Euphrates? Do any of you think your fellow tribes will come to your aid out of Adiabene? Besides, if they would come, the Parthian will not permit it." We learn from this oration delivered to the Jews themselves, and by a king of the Jews, that the ten tribes were then captive in Media, under the Persian princes. In the fifth century, Jerome, author of the Vulgate, treating of. the dispersed Jews, in his notes upon Hosea, has these words: "Unto this day the ten tribes are subject to the kings of the Persians, nor has their captivity ever been loosed," and again he says, "the ten tribes inhabit at this day the cities and mountains of the Medes." There* is no room left for doubt on this subject. Have we heard of any expedition of the Jews, "going forth from that country, since that period, like the Goths and Huns to conquer nations? Have we ever heard of their rising in insur- rection to burst the bands of their captivity? To this day both Jews and Christians are generally in a state of captivity in these despotic countries. No family dares leave the king- dom without permission of the king. The tribes of the Afghan race are very numerous, and of dif- ferent casts. . They extend on both sides of the Indus, and in- habit the mountainous region, commencing in western Per- sia. They differ in language, customs, religion, and counte- nance, and have little knowl- edge of each other. Some tribes have the countenance of the Persian, and some of the Hindoo; and some tribes arc- evidently of Jewish extraction. Calculating then the num- ber of Jews, who now inhabit the provinces of ancient Chal- dea or the contiguous countries, and who still profess Judaism, and the number of those, who embrace Mahomedanism, or ISS ITU some form of it, in the same regions; we may be satisfied, that the greater part of the ten tribes, which now exist are to be found in the countries of their first captivity." ISSACHAR. This tribe was situated in one of the best ter- ritories of Canaan. It had the Mediterranean sea west,the Jor- dan, with a section of the sea of Galilee east, the half tribe of Manassch lay south, the tribe of Zebulon north. "Issachar," said Jacob, "is a strong ass couching down be- tween two burdens," &x. But the Chaldee gives another turn to this passage: "He shall sub- due provinces, and make those tributary to him, who shall re- main in the land;" or as it is in Dr. Clarke, "He saw his portion that it was good, and the land that it was fruitful, and he shall subdue the provinces of the people, and drive out their inhabitants, and those, who are left shall be his servants, and his tributaries." Grotius un- derstands the passage nearly in the same manner. In the song of Deborah she commends this tribe for their powerful assist- ance. "The princes of Issa- char were with Deborah." In Chronicles, they are said to be valiant men of might in all their families, and in all their gener- ations," i. e. through the whole period of their historv. 27 When this tribe left Egypt their soldiers were 54,400; in the wilderness they amounted to 64,300; in the time of David they were 143,600. Tola a judge, and Baasha the king, were the most distinguished men, produced by this tribe. They were a laborious, wealthy, and sober people. Two hun- dred of their principal men at- tended at the coronation of Da- vid, and brought much provi- sion with them. A number of them attended the solemn pass- over of Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxx, 18. This tribe inherit- ed a fruitful soil, watered by the Jordan, the Kishon, and several other streams. Several cele- brated mountains were in this tribe, as Gilboa, Carmel, &c. Here were also several famous vallies, as Jezreel and Megiddo. ITHNAN, a town of Judea, in the tribe of Judah. ^ ITTAH KAZIN, a town of Canaan, in the tribe of Zebulon. ITALY, see Rome. ITUREA, a province of Sy- ria, between Damascus and the tribe of Manasseh, to the east of the Batanea, and south of the Trachonites. Philip, one of Herod's sons, was tetrarch of Itu- rea, when St. John the Baptist, entered upon his ministry. Luke iii, 1. This country was much the same, as the kingdom of Bahan, it was an extensive tract, and given to the half tribe of JAB JAH Manasseh,onthe east of Jordan. Aristobulus, king or prince of the Jews, and son of 'Hyrcanus, early in his reign, made war upon the Itureans, and subdu- ed a great part of them. He gave them their choice, either to quit their country, or em- brace the religion of the Jews. They chose to be circumcised, rather than to march, and seek a new settlement. IV AH, a kingdom mention- ed 2 Kings xix, 13. Where is the king of Hamath and — Ivah? But where it was, or what was its character we need informa- tion. See Ava. JAAKAN, or Bene-Ja- akan, an encampment of Is- rael, between Gidgad, and Moseroth. JABBOK, a brook on the east of the Jordan, the spring of which is in the mountains of Gilead. It falls into the Jor- dan a little south from the sea of Tiberias. Near this brook the patriarch Jacob wrestled with the angel, and prevailed like a prince, Gen. xxxii, 22. The Jabbok separated the land of the Ammonites from the Gaulanites, and of Og king of Bashan. Lat. 32, 20. JABESH, or Jabesh-gil- ead, was the name of a city, in the half tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan. The scripture generally calls it Jabesh-gilead, because it lay in Gilead, at the foot of the mountains, which go by this name. Eusebius places it six miles from Pella, towards Gerasa, and consequently it must be eastward of the sea of Tiberias. JABNEEL, a town upon the frontiers of Naphtali, Josh, xix, 33. There is another of the same name in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 11. JACOB'S WELL or FOUNTAIN, a well near She- chem, at which our Savior con- versed with the woman of Sa- maria, John iv, 12. Jacob dwelt near this place, before his sons slew the inhabitants of Shechem. Formerly a church stood over this well, built in the form of a cross. They pretend to show the bucket, used by the woman of Samaria^ when she conversed here with Jesus Christ. The sick fre- quented this well, supposing, its water had a medicinal pow- er. The church has gone to ruin. This well is in the nar- row valley between Gerizim and Ebal, one mile and a half from Sichem. The well is sunk into a solid rock, three yards diameter, and thirty-five deep. Maundrell. JADUR, a city of Palestine, belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 21. JAHAZ, Jahaziah,oiJah- JAM JAP za, probably the Ziza of Ptol- emy, a city near Aroer, be- tween Medeba and Diblathaim on the north frontier of Moab, beyond Jordan, near which Si- hon was defeated by Moses; it was given to the tribe of Reu- ben, Numb, xxi, 23, and Dent, ii, 32. This is thought to be the same with Jahzah, situated to the north, and pretty near Arof the Moabites, Josh, xiii, 18. It was given up to the Le- vites, 1 Chr. vi, 73. Jahaz was ravaged by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, Isa. xv, 4. JAHAZAH, a city of the priests in Palestine; but where situated, it does not certainly appear, probably, however, it was the same as the above place. JAMNIA, a maritime town in Palestine, situated between Azotus and Joppa. It has a pretty good haven. We do not meet with the name of this place in the Hebrew text of Joshua, though we find it in the Greek, xv, 45. Josephus says it was given, up- on the division, to the tribe of Dan. We read in the second book of Maccabees, xii, 9, that the port of Jamnia was thirty miles from Jerusalem. When Christianity flourished here, this place was the residence of a bishop. The following is Dr. Wittman's account of Yebna, which appears to be the ancient Jabnia or Jamnia. Yebna, saith he, is a village about twelve miles from Jaffa, [Joppa] in a fine plain, surrounded by hills, and covered with herbage; a rivulet formed by the ruins sup- plies it with water. It is con- jectured that the rock Etam, where Sampson was surprised by the Philistines, was not far from this place. North-east from Yebna is a lofty hill, from which isa view of Bam- la, five miles distant. From a hill of easy ascent on the bor- der of the plain, Yebna, Ek- ron, Ashdod, and Askelon, were all in sight. Lat. 32. JANSHAH, a city in the tribe of Ephraim,upon the fron- tiers of the half tribe of Manas- seh, Josh.xvi, 6. It was twelve miles east from Shechem, and was taken and ruined by Tig- lath-pileser, king of Assyria, 2 Kings xv, 29. JANUM, a city of Palestine in the tribe of Judah. J APHETH,a province men- tioned by Judith, ii,25. Geog- raphers confess their ignorance of this province,wherefore some read it Jephlath, or Japha, or Jaffa. JAPHIA, a city of Galilee in the tribe of Zebulon, Josh* xix, 12, not far from Jotapata. This city was taken and cruel- ly ravaged bv the Romans. JAPHLETI, a town on the JAZ JEB frontiers of Benjamin and Eph- raim, Josh, xvi, 3. The king of this city was slain by Joshua. JAPHO,a town of Canaan, in the tribe of Dan, Josh, xix, 46. JARMUTH, or Jaramith, a city of Judah, whose king was killed by Joshua, x, 5. It is ten miles from Eleuthero- polis, north-east, and as many south-west from Jerusalem. In the fourth century it was yet a village. Jarmouth, a city of Pales- tine in the tribe of Issachar; it was given to the Levites, as a sacerdotal city, and it was also a city of refuge. It is supposed this may be the same asRamoth. JATTIR, a city in the tribe of Dan, Josh, xv, 48. It was afterwards given to the Levites of Kohath's family, Josh, xxi, 14. Eusebius says, that Jattir or Jether, or Jethira, is situated in the canton called Daroma, to- wards the city of Malatha, twen- ty miles from Eleutheropolis. It is probably the same as Eth- er or Athar. CalmeVs Diet. JAVAN. See Greece. JAZER, a city beyond Jor- dan, given to the tribe of Gad, and afterwards to the Levites, Josh, xxi, 30, and xiii, 25. It lay at the foot of the moun- tains of Gilead, near a brook of the same name, which falls into the Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome say, it lay eight miles west from Philadelphia, and fif- teen from Heshbon, and a little south of Ramoth Gilead, at the head of a large river, which fell into the Jordan, and since we read of the sea of Jazer, it is probable the town stood near the lake, which was the head of the river. Jerome says, that Jazer was remaining in his day. Lat. 31, 53. Jazer, sea of, the Hebre ws called all considerable waters, as rivers, ponds, lakes, seas. This sea was a lake mentioned Jer. xlviii, 32, it lay east of the tribe of Gad, in the north-east part of Canaan. JEARIM, mount Jearim of Judah, it might denote a woody mountain, or that on which Kirjath-Jearim was built. JEBUS, otherwise Jerusa- lem, one of the oldest cities in the world. See Jerusalem. Jebus was founded by Jebus the son of Canaan, and father of the Jebusites. JEBUSITES, a people de- scended from Jebus, who were settled in Jerusalem and the neighboring mountains. They were a warlike people, and withstood the arms of Israel, and retained Jerusalem in their possession, till the time of Da- vid. Even then this diminish- ed tribe of Canaanites displayed a daring temper; they rudely insulted him, as if their blind JEtt JER and lame could defend their strong walls against his army. Joab, however, took the place; but some of them were proba- bly spared, of whom was A- raunah, 2 Sam. v, and xxiv. JEHIED, a city of Palestine, in the tribe of Dan. JEHOSHEPHAT, valley of, called also the valley of Kidron, because the brook Ki- dron runs through it, it lies on the east of Jerusalem between the city and the mount of Ol- ives. JEGAR-SAHADUTHA, the name given by Laban to a heap or circle of stones erected by him and Jacob, as witness of an agreement between them. JERICHO, a city of Judea, between Jordan and Jerusalem. Josephus says, the whole space from Jerusalem is desert and rocky, and equally uncultivated and barren, between Jericho and Asphaltites. Yet the places near the town and above it are extremely fertile and delicious, so that it may justly be called a divine plain, surpassing all the other lands in Canaan, sur- rounded by hills in the manner of an amphitheatre. It pro- duces opo-balsamum myroba- lans, and dates. In modern times this place is called Ruha, and Mr. Volney informs us it is situated in a plain 6 or 7 leagues long, and 3 wide, a- round which are a number of barren mountains, which ren- der it extremely hot. Here was formerly cultivated the balm of Mecca. From the de- scription of the hadgis, this is a shrub similar to the pome- granite tree, with leaves like those of rue; it bears a pulpy- nut, in which is contained a kernel, which yields the resin- ous juice, called balm or bal- sam. At present not a plant of it is remaining in Jericho; but there is another species Zakkowi, which produces a sweet oil, celebrated for healing wounds. The Zakkoun re- sembles a plum tree; it has thorns four inches long, with leaves like those of the olive tree; but narrower and greener, and prickly at the end; its fruit is a kind of acorn, without a calyx, under the bark of which is a pulp and then a nut, the kernel of which affords the oil, which the Arabs sell at so dear a rate. This is the sole com- merce of the place. This city was in the tribe of Benjamin, about seven leagues from Jerusalem, and two from Jordan, Josh, xviii, 21. Moses calls it the citv of Palm trees, Deut. xxxiv, 3, by reason of the great number of these trees, growing in the plain of Jericho. Josephus says, that in the ter- ritory belonging to this city, JER JEU there were not only many- palm trees, but likewise the balsam tree, which produced that precious liquor, so much esteemed by the ancients. The valley of Jericho was water- ed with the rivulet, which formerly was salt and bitter, but was afterwards sweetened by the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings ii, 19, and its waters render- ed the plain of Jericho not only one of the most agreea- ble, but one of the most fer- tile spots of that country. Jeri- cho was the first city in the land of Canaan, taken by Josh- ua, ii, 1, 2. Joshua cursed the man, before the Lord, who should raise up and rebuild Jer- icho; "Let his first born die, said he, while he lays the foun- dation of it, and may he lose his youngest child, when he setteth up the gates." The imprecation of Joshua was not vain, for Hiel of Bethel about 530 years after this, having undertook to rebuild Jericho, lost his eldest son Abiram, as he was laying the foundations, and his youngest son Segub, when he hung the gates. There was however, some other city of this name in the tribe of Benjamin, before the time of Hiel. There was a city of' Palm trees in the time of the Judges iii, 13. David's am- bassadors, who had been in- sulted by the Ammonites, a- bode at Jericho, till their beards were grown again. Josephus sufficiently distinguishes these two places. After Hiel had repaired old Jericho, nobody made any scruple of dwelling there. Our Savior wrought some miracles at Jericho, and there it was that he was invited to abide with Zaccheus. Eu- sebius, however, instead of supposing there were two cit- ies in different places of this name, asserts that the city built by Hiel, which was hon- ored with the visits of our Sav- ior, was destroyed for the treachery of the inhabitants, during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans. The city standing in his day, and which is now a sorry village, was a third city built since the de- struction of Jerusalem; not on the very scite of the iormer, for the ruins of both the former cities were then to be seen. In A. D. 1659, Jericho was thus described by D'Arvieux. After having travelled a quarter of a league in a plain, we en- camped near the gardens of Jericho by the side of a small brook, and while our supper was preparing, we walked in the gardens and among the ru- ins of Jericho. This very an- cient city is now desolate, and consists of only about fifty poor JER JER houses in a bad condition , in which the laborers, who culti- vate the gardens, shelter them- selves. The plain around is extremely fertile, and watered by several rivulets, which run into the Jordan; yet with all these advantages only the gar- dens, which lie near the town are cultivated. We saw here abundance of trees, which bear fruit as large as plums, the stones are pounded, and yield an oil, which is a kind of bal- sam, excellent for bruises, cold humors, nervous contractions, and rheumatism. We visited the fountain of Elisha the pro- phet, which for ages has fur- nished the gardens with water. The head of these waters is en- closed in a basin of triangular figure, each side being about three fathoms long. It is lined with hewn stone. There is an orifice in one side, through which the water issues in a stream, large enough to turn a mill. It is said the water enters the basin through various o- penings, but its depth prevents an examination. We found in this basin fishes of a middling size, and cray-fish, which are so tame, that they come to the edge of the bank, when they perceive any body sitting and eating there. The country people have taught them this familiarity, by always giving them a share of their food. It is strictly forbidden to all Chris- tians to take these fish, or even to frighten them. The Greeks would infallibly excommuni- cate the man who should trans- gress this order. The peasants resort here from their labors to eat their meals in the hot sea- son, the fountain being shaded by a large fig tree. Were it not for the shade of this tree, the water would be too hot to be drunk. The brook of Elisha, says Dr. Shaw, which flows from the mountain of Quarantania, and waters the gardens of Jeri- cho with its plantation of plum trees and date trees, hath its banks adorned with several spe- cies of brook-thyme, water- cresses, betony, and other a- quatic plants, resembling the same in England. The situation of Jericho was pleasant, which might tempt Hiel to encounter the danger of building it, which circum- stance might also induce the prophets to establish a Theolo- gical Seminary, or school of the prophets in this town. The talmud of Jerusalem says, there were twelve thousand priests at Jericho to supply the temple at Jerusalem. A singular mis- fortune was, the place had no good water, the ground was barren. Elisha healed the wa- JEft JEft ters, since which the water has been sweet and refreshing, and the grounds, which are water- ed, have become fruitful. Jo- sephus says that in his time the country around was furnished with curious gardens, and thick groves of palm trees, and that great quantities of balsam, the choicest commodity of the country, were produced there. In the last days of the Jewish government this city was reck- oned next to Jerusalem . It had splendid palaces and theatres, and other magnificent build- ings; here Herod the Great di- ed. Mr. Volney says, it is now a ruinous village. Mr. Maimdrell tells us, that now Jericho is only a poor, dirty vil- lage, inhabited by Arabs. He was shown the house of Zac- cheus, which is a square build- ing of stone, on the south side of the town. He says that the fountain, whose water was ren- dered good by the prophet, is- sues in great plenty, and is sep- arated into small streams and conduits, through the fields which are by this measure, ren- dered very productive. The country between this place and Jerusalem is a rocky desert, and anciently was much in- fested with robbers. This probably induced the Savior to lay the scene of the good Sa- maritan's benevolence on this road. "A certain man went down from Jeiusalem to Jeri- cho, and fell among thieves" Luke x, 30. JERIMOTH, a city of Ju- dah, Josh, xv, 35. JERUSALEM, a very fa- mous and ancient city, capital of Judea, now a province of Turkey in Asia. According to Menetho, an Egyptian histo- rian, it was founded by the shepherds, who invaded Egvpt, in an unknown period of an- tiquity, probably while the Is- raelites were there. Accord- ing to Josephus, it was the cap- ital of Melchisedeck's kingdom, called Salem in the book of Genesis. And the Arabians assert, that it was built in honor of Melchisedeck by twelve neighboring kings; which he called Jerusalem. We know nothing of ir with certainty, however, till the time of king David, who took it from hqs Jebusites, and made it the cap- ital of his kingdom. It was first taken in the days of Jeho- ash, by Hazael the king of Syria, who slew all their nobil- ity, but did not destroy their city. It was afterwards taken by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who destroyed it, and carried away the inhabitants. Seventy years after, permission was granted by Cyrus king of Persia to the Jews, to rebuild JEM .TEH their city, which was done, and it continued the capital of Ju- dca till the time of Vespasian, emperor of Rome, by whose son, Ticus, it was totally de- stroyed. Under the emperor Tiberias, Pontius Pilate, being president of Judea, for the Ro- mans, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at the age of 33, was condemned to death on the false accusation of the* Jews, and cruciiied on mount Calva- ry, which was then without the walls of the city. In the year 66, of the Christian era, and the twelfth of the reign of Ne- ro, Gessius Florus, the procu- rator of Judea, had by his in- justice and extortion, reduced that rich country to a misera- ble condition; and adding cru- elty to rapine, was the princi- pal cause of the Hebrews at- tempting to throw off the Ro- man yoke. Being declared rebels, they began to commit every kind of iniquity. The Romans employed the severest punishments, to reduce these people to obedience, but still without effect. Having attack- ed Cestus Gallus, the governor of Syria, they obliged him to retire; and this success, inspir- ed them with fresh hopes and courage. The flames of war being thus kindled in Judea, Nero intrusted the management of it. to his general Vespasian, 28 who, accompanied by his son Titus, and a powerful army, arrived in Syria, in the year 67, of the Christian era. Ves- pasian, soon after being chosen emperor, sent orders to his son Titus, to continue the war a- gainst the Hebrews, who set out for Rome, where he arrived amidst the acclamations of the populace, in the year 70 of the Christian era. Jerusalem, at this time, was torn by different contending factions, and a prey to all the miseries of a civil war, within in its own walls. Nothing was seen throughout the whole city but slaughter, tumult, and murder; while patriotism was made a pretence for committing every species of atrocity. In this miserable state was the city of Jerusalem, and all Judea, when, on the 14th of April, in the year 70, Titus undertook the siege of the former, having encamped at the distance of 7 stadia, or a mile from it. On the 4th of May, Titus made himself mas- ter oi* the first wall of Jerusa- lem, and caused a great part of it towards the north to be de- molished. Notwithstanding this success, he offered very favorable terms to the besieged, if they would submit; but his offer was rejected. Five days after he took the second wall, from which, he was however JER JER repulsed; but in four days more, he regained and demol- ished what remained of it in the northern quarter. Having failed in his attempt, to batter down the third wall, Titus made new proposals to the He- brews, through the medium of Flavius Josephus, who had been taken prisoner, and after receiving his liberty, had at- tached himself to the Romans, and was with Titus in his en- campment. The greater part of the people were inclined to accept the easy conditions, pro- posed them by Josephus, in the name of the emperor, but being opposed by some zealots, Josephus was treated with ev- ery mark of indignity and re- proach. After this behavior, there remained no more mercy for the Hebrews. Titus caused the hands of those who had vol- untarily sought shelter in the Roman camp to be cut off, and sent them back to the city, and others were crucified in the sight of their countrymen. Famine, in the mean time, be- gan to make dreadful havoc among the people. The effects of hunger were so great, that a noble lady called Mary, devour- ed the flesh of her own son; this action appeared so unnat- ural to Titus, that he swore he would bury the remembrance *»f it under the ruins of Jerusa- lem. In order to hasten the capture of the city, he caused all the trees, which were within the distance of some miles, from Jerusalem, to be cut down, and employed them in his machines and military works. Having made every necessary disposi- tion for continuing his opera- tions with vigor, he applied his battering rams to the third wall, that is to say, the wall en- closing the fortress, and made himself master of the tower called Antonia. The Romans being desirous of getting pos- session of the temple, without destroying it, were obliged to sustain a fierce conflict in it. But a soldier instigated by some unknown motive, threw a burning torch into the north- ern part of it, where there was a great quantity of combustible materials, by which means it was set on fire. This magnifi- cent building, therefore was re- duced to ashes, and the He- brews, with great grief and sor- row, saw a monument destroy- ed which was the principal ob- ject, that had animated their hopes, and awakened their cour- age. In short, on the second of September, in the year 71 of the Christian era, and the 2d of the reign of Vespasian, the city of Jerusalem, fell en- tirely into the hands of Titus. It was then given up to be plun- JEK JEli dered by the soldiers, and most of its inhabitants were put to the sword. According to the order of Titus, the city was destroyed to its foundations, and even the ruins of the tem- ple were demolished. Josephus says, that the number of pris- oners, taken during the 'whole time of the war was 97,000; and the number killed in the city, during the same period, amounted to 1,000,000; but Tacitus, who lived in the first century, in the time of Vespa- sian and Titus, heard it report- ed, that the number of the be- sieged, including those of every age and sex, was only 600,000. Notwithstanding the destruc- tion of their country, a good many Jews remained in it, and even in Jerusalem, or rather in new buildings, which they erected amidst the ruins of the city; but they now paid tribute to the Romans, and were en- tirely subject to their laws. In the year 118, they attempt- ed to rebel, but were soon overcome by Tinius Rufus, the Roman president in Palestine. On account of the turbulent disposition of these people, Adrian, it appears, highly in- censed at their conduct, resol- ved the same year to level the city of Jerusalem with the ground; that is to say, those new buildings, erected by the Hebrews, to destroy three towns left by Titus, for the con- venience of the Roman garri- son, and to sow salt in the ground, on which the place had stood. Whatever may have been the cause that induced Adrian, to make this devasta- tion, and to show so much re- sentment, against the remains of a wretched nation, he fulfilled the prophecy of our Savior, who foretold, that neither in the city, nor the temple should one stone be left upon another. This, therefore, may be called the final destruction of Jerusa- lem, which took place forty- seven years after that of Titus. In the year 614, the Persians came before Jerusalem, which having fallen into their hands, was sacked and plundered. Ninety thousand Christians, of both sexes, and all ages and conditions, were made slaves in this war, and sold by the Persians to the Jews; who con- trary to the laws of humanity, butchered them in a cruel man- ner. In the year 628, Jerusa- lem was restored to the Em- peror Heraclius, who banished all the Jews, and interdicted them from approaching within three miles of the city. It was however, rebuilt by Adrian; and seemed likely to, have recovered its former gran* deur, being surrounded with JER JER walls, and adorned with several noble buildings; the Christians also being permitted to settle in it. But this was a short lived change; so that when the em- press Helena, "mother of Con- stantine the Great, came to visit this city, she found it in a most forlorn and ruinous situation. Having formed a design of re- storing it to its ancient lustre, she caused with a great deal of cost and labor, all the rubbish that had been thrown upon those places where our Savior had suffered, &c. to be remov- ed. In doing this they found the cross on which he died, as well as those of the two male- factors, who suffered with him; and as the writers of those times relate, discovered by a miracle, that which had borne the Savior of mankind. She then caused a magnificent church to be built, which en- closed as many of the scenes of our Savior's sufferings as could conveniently be done, and a- dorned the city with several other buildings. The emperor Julian is said to have formed a design of rebuilding the temple and city of Jerusalem, and of restoring the Jewish warship. This scheme was contrived, on purpose to give the lie to our Savior's prophecy, concerning the temple and city of Jerusa- lem, liamelv. that the first should be totally destroyed, without one stone being left upon another; and that "Jeru- salem should be trodden down of the Gentiles, till the time of the Gentiles were fulfilled." In this attempt, however, accord- ing to the accountsof the Chris- tian writers of that age, the em- peror was fru stated by an earth- quake and fiery eruption from the earth, which totally de- stroyed the work, consumed the materials which had been collected, and killed a great number of the workmen. This event has been the sub- ject of much dispute. Mr. Warburton, who has published a treatise expressly on the truth of this fact, has collected the following testimonies in its fa- vor. The first, is that of Am- mianus Marcellinus, who tells us, "Julian (having been already thrice consul) taking Sallust, prefect of the several Gauls, for his colleague, entered a fourth time on this high magis- tracy; and although his sensi- bility of the many and great events, which this year was likely to produce, made him very anxious for the future, yet he both pushed on the vari- ous and complicated prepara- tions for this expedition with the utmost application, and, having an eye in every quarter, and being desirous to eternise JER J Eli his reign by the greatness of his achievements, he projected to rebuild, at an immense ex- pense, the proud and magnifi- cent temple of Jerusalem, which had been with great difficulty, taken and destroyed by Titus. He committed the conduct of this affair to Alypius of Anti- och, who had formerly been lieutenant in Britain. When this Alypius had set himself to the vigorous execution of bis charge, in which he had all the assistance that the governor of the province could afford him, horrible balls of fire, breaking out near the foundations, with frequent and reiterated attacks, rendered the place from time to time, inaccessible to the scorched and blasted workman; and the victorious element con- tinuing, in this same manner, obstinately and resolutely bent, as it were to drive them to a distance, Alypius thought best to give over the enterprise." The next testimony is that of Gregory Nazianzen, speak- ing of the emperor Julian, he says, "after having run through a course of every other tyran- nical experiment against the faith, and upon trial despising all of them, as trifling and contemptible, he at last brought down the whole body of the Jews upon us; whom for their ancient turn to sedi- tious novelties, and an invet- erate hatred of the Christian name, he chose as the fittest instrument of his machinations. These under a show of great goodwill, which hid his secret purpose, he endeavored to convince from their sacred books and traditions, which he took upon him to interpret, that now was come the time, foretold, when they should re- turn to their own land, rebuild their temple, and restore the law to its ancient force and splendor. When these things had been thoroughly insinuated and heartily entertained, (for deceit finds easy admittance when it flatters our passions,) the Jews set upon the work of rebuilding with great attention, and pushed on the project with the greatest labor and applica- tion. But when now driven from their work, by a violent whirlwind, and a sudden earth- quake, they fled together for refuge to a certain neighboring church, (some to deprecate the impending mischief; others as is natural in such cases, to catch any help, that presents itself; and others, again, inveloped in the crowd, were carried along with the body of those Who fled,) there are who say the church refused them entrance; and that when they came tu the doors, which were ftride JER JER open, but a moment before, they found tliem on a sudden closed by a secret and invisible hand; a Hand accustomed to work these wonders to the ter- ror and confusion of the impi- ous, and for the security and comfort of godly men. This, however, is now invariably affirmed and believed by all, that as they strove to force their way in by violence; the fire which burst from the foundations of the temple, met and stopped them. One part is burnt and destroyed, and another is des- perately maimed, leaving them a living monument of God's commination and wrath against sinners. Thus the affair pas- sed; and let no man continue incredulous concerning this, or other miraculous works of God. But still a thins; the most wonderful and illustrious was, a light which appeared in the heavens, of a cross within a cir- cle. That name which impi- ous men before esteemed so dishonorable upon earth, was now raised on high, and equal- ly presented to the common view of all men; advanced by God himelf as the trophy of his victorv over unbelievers; of all trophies the most exalted and sublime. Nay, further, they who were present, and partakers of the miracle, we are now about to speak of, show to this very day, the sign or figure of the cross which was then marked or impressed upon their garments. For at that time, as these men, (wheth- er such as were of us, or stran- gers) were showing these marks, or attending to others, who showed them, each presently observed the wonder, either on himself or his neighbor; having a radiant mark on his body or on his garment, in which there is something that, in art and elegance, exceeded all paint- ing or embroidery. Notwith- standing these testimonies, however, this fact hath been strenuously contested by qth, ers, and indeed it must be owned, that the testimonies a- bovementioned are by no means unexceptionable. In the last particular, the propensity to the marvellous is so exceedingly great, that every one must at first sight, be struck with it. It is true indeed, the most mi- raculous part of it, as it seemed to be to Gregory, namely, the appearance of crosses upon the garments and bodies of some of the people, who were struck, may be explained upon a nat- ural principle, since we are as- sured that lightning will some- times produce effects of this kind: Out even this is no deci- sive proof of the authenticity of the relation, though it cannot JER JER by anv means discredit it, as some think. On the whole, however, it is not a matter of any consequence, whether this event happened with the cir- cumstances abovementioned or not. If Julian did make any attempt to rebuild the temple, it is certain that something ob- structed the attempt, because the temple was never rebuilt. If he made no such attempt, the prophecy of our Savior still holds good; and it surely, can- not be thought to detract from the merit of a prophecy, that nobody ever attempted to elude it or prove it to be a falsehood. Jerusalem, in its most flour- ishing state, was divided into four parts, each enclosed with its own walls; viz. 1. the old city of Jebus, which stood on mount Zion, where the proph- ets dwelt, and where David built a magnificent castle and palace, which became the resi- dence both of himself and suc- cessors, on which account, it was emphatically called the city of David. 2. the lower citv, called als© the daughter of Zi- on, being built after it; on which stood the two magnifi- cent palaces, which Solomon built for himself and his queen, that of the Maccabean princes, and the stately amphitheatre built by Herod, capable of con- taining 30,000 spectators; the strong citadel built by Antio- chus, to command and overtop the temple, but afterwards razed by Simon the Maccabee, who recovered the city from the Syrians; and lastly a sec- ond citadel, built by Herod, upon a high and craggy rock, and called by him Antonio* 3d, the new city, mostly inhab- ited by tradesmen, artificers, and merchants; and 4th, Mount Moriah, on which was built the famed temple of Solomon, and since then, that built by the Jews on their return from Bab- ylon, and afterwards built al- most anew, and greatly adorn- ed and enriched by Herod. Some idea of the magnifi- cence of this temple* may be had from the following consid- erations. 1. That there were no less than 163,300 men em- ployed in the work. 2. That notwithstandingthat prodigious number of hands, it was seven whole years in building. 3. That the height of this build- ing was 120 cubits, or 82 yards, rather more, than less; and the courts round it, about half as high. 4. That the front, on the east side, was sustained by ramparts of square stone, of vast bulk, and built up from the valley below, which last was 300 cubits high, and being added to that of the edifice amounted to 420 cubits; te> JER J EH which if we add, 5. The height of the principal tower above all the rest, viz. 60, will bring it to 480 cubits, which reckoning at two feet,, to a cubit, will a- mount to 950 feet; but accord- ing to the length of that meas- ure, as others reckon it, viz. at two feet and a half, it will a- mount to 1200 feet. Well might Josephus say, that the very de- sign of it was sufficient to have turned the brain of any but Solomon. 6. These ramparts, which were raised in this man- ner, to fill up the prodigious 'chasm made by the deep valley below, and to make the area of a sufficient breadth and length for the edifice, were 1000 cubits in length at the bottom, and 800 at the top, and the breadth of them 100 more. 7. The huge buttresses, which sup- ported the ramparts, were of the same height, square at the top, and 50 cubits broad, and jutted out 150 cubits at the bottom. 8. The stones, of which they were built, were, according to Josephus, 40 cu- bits long, 12 thick, and 8 high, all of marble, and so exqui- sitely joined, that they seemed one continued piece, or rather polished rock. 9. According to the same Jewish historian, there were 1453 columns of Parian marble, and twice that number of pilasters, and of such thick- ness, that three men could hard- ly embrace them, and their height and capitals proportion- able, and of the Corinthian or- der. But it is likely Josephus, hath given us these two last ar- ticles, from the temple of Her- od, there being nothing like them mentioned by the sacred historians, but a great deal a- bout the prodigious cedars of Lebanon, used in that noble ed- ifice, the excellent workman- ship of them adapted to their several ends and designs, to- gether with their buildings and other curious ornaments. The only thing wt venture to add is, what is affirmed in scripture, that all the materials of this stupendous fabric,were furnish- ed and adapted to their several ends, before they were brought to Jerusalem, that is, the stones in their quarries, and the cedars in Lebanon; so that there was no noise of axe, hammer, or any tool heard in rearing it. In the year 636, Jerusalem was taken by the caliph Omar; when the provinces of Syria and Palestine fell entirely into the hands of the Saracens; the city of Jerusalem was for several centuries governed by the ca- liphs. The government now became entirely Mahometan; and Mahometan Ism was the prevailing religion of the coun- try. The Turks, after they had JER JER made themselves masters of Damascus, and subdued the whole country around, carried their arms against Jerusalem;' which 'they took in the year 1076 of the Christian era, arrd of the Hegira, 469. -At the same time when Jerusalem was under the dominion of the Turks, the Christians, who re- sided in it were exposed to sueh great afflic'ioi.s, that their situation was worse, than when subject to the Saracens. Many of the western Christians, how- ever, still continued to visit the holy places; but for this indul- gence they were obliged to pay a very heavy tax. In the year 1093, among the many pilgrims, who resorted to Jerusalem, there was a French monk, of the city of Amiens, in Picardy, named Peter, who has since been dis-* tinguished by the name of Pe- ter the Hermit. Peter depart- ed from Syria, in the year 1395, in a merchant vessel, bound for Bari, in Apulia; and on landing there immediately went to pope Urban II, to whom he deliver- ed letters, from the patriarch and Christians of Jerusalem, requesting his assistance and support. At the same time he laid before him in the most pathetic terms, the unhappy sit- uation of these people, and in- formed him in what manner they were insulted and oppres- 29 sed, by the Mahometans, These letters, and the repre- sentations of Peter the Hermit, made such an impression on the pontiff's heart, that he resolved from that moment, to do every thing in his power to recover the Holy Land. Peter then went to various courts, and ap- plied to different princes, with a view of engaging them in the same design, and in every place in which he passed, he preached up the crusades. Though the effects were de- leterious, we may learn the a- mazing power of eloquence, from Peter the Hermit. He had visited the Holy Land, the city of Jerusalem, and the tomb cf his Savior. He had wit- nessed the sufferings of Chris- tians in that country. With his heart penetrated and over- whelmed with the subject, he returned to Europe. Travers- ing the nations of Christendom, he exhorted them to deliver their brethren from Mahome- tan oppression. Expressive of his deep concern and readi- ness to endure any hardships for the relief of the suffering Christians, his head was bare, his feet were naked, and his meagre body wrapped in a coarse garment. Thousands thronged around him; he des- cribed the woes of the saints in Jerusalem, and Europe was JRR JEB. roused. He mentioned the profanation of their Savior's tomb, and they were melted into tears. He conjured them to prove themselves the sol- diers of Jesus Christ, and they inlisted under the banner of the cross: he sighed, and millions marched to the Holy Land. The rustic enthusiast inspired the passions which he felt. The city was taken on the 15th of July, 1099, the third year after the Christians had set out from Europe to recover Palestine. Eight days after the city was taken, all the Chris- tian princes, generals, and com- manders, assembled, and elect- ed for king of Jerusalem, God- frey of Bouillon, duke of Lor- rain, who by his piety, pru- dence, and valor, was judged most worthy of that dignity. From the time that the city of Jerusalem remained under the power of the Western Chris- tians, that is to say, from the 15th of July, 1099, to the end of the year 1162? Jerusalem was governed by five Latin kings, and the church by eight patriarchs. On the death of the last king, Baldwin III. the af- fairs of the western Christians in Syria and Palestine began greatly to decline. The king- dom of Jerusalem considered in its whole extent, was already divided into four parts; that is to say, that which was properly called the kingdom of Jerusa- lem, the country of Edessa, the principality of Antioch, and the country of Tripoli. At present Jerusalem is call- ed by the Turks Cudsembaric and Coudsherijf] and is reduced to a poor thinly inhabited town, about three miles in circumfer- ence, situated on a rocky moun- tain, surrounded on all sides, except the north, with a steep ascent and deep vallies; and these again environed with oth- er hills, at some distance from them. The soil is for the most part stony, yet affords corn, wine, and olives, where culti- vated; but scarce any thing except grass, heath, and other spontaneous herbs and shrubs, which are left to run up to seed, grow at a distance from the city. The houses are built of flint stones, one story high. The top is flat and plastered, having battlements a yard high. In the day time they hide from the sun under the roof; in the night they walk, eat, and sleep on it. The number of inhabi- tants are said to be about 12 or 14,000. Some streets seem to be ruins rather than dwelling houses. Within the walls, large places lie desolate, covered with stones and rub- bish. Their gardens are ill managed, being surrounded J£R Jtift with low walls of mud; they arc constantly washing down, and requiring new repairs. The citizens are taylors, cooksj smiths, or shoemakers; a poor wicked race, the- scum of differ- ent nations, principally Arabs. The stately church erected by the empress Helena on mount Calvary, is still standing. It is called the church of the sepulchre; and is kept in good repair by the generous offer- ings of a constant concourse of pilgrims, who annually resort to it, as well as by the contri- butions of several Christian princes. The walls of this church are of stone, and the roof of cedar, the east end in- closes mount Calvary, and the west the holy sepulchre: the former is covered with a noble cupola, open at top, and sup- ported by sixteen massive col- umns. Over die high altar at the east end, is another stately dome. The nave or body of the church constitutes the choir; and in the inside isles are shown the places, where the most remarkable circum- stances of our Savior's passion were transacted, together with the tombs of Godfrey and Baldwin, the two first Chris- tian kings of Jerusalem. In the chapel of the crucifixion is shown the very hole in the rock in which the cross is said to have been fixed. The altai in this chapel hath three crosses on it; and is richly adorned; particularly with four lamps of immense value that hang be- fore it, and are kept constantly burning. At the west end is that of' the sepulchre, which is hewn in that form out of the solid rock, and hath a small dome, supported by pillars of porphyry. The cloister round the sepulchre is divided into sundry chapels, appropriated to the several sorts of Christians, who reside there; as Greeks, Armenians, Maronites, Jacob- ites, Copts, Abyssinians, Geor- gians, &c. And on the north- west side are the apartments of the Latins, who have the care of the church, and are forced to reside in it constantly; the Turks keeping the keys, and not suffering any of them to go out, obliging them to re- ceive their provisions at a wicket. At Easter there are some grand ceremonies per- formed in the church, repre- senting our Lord's passion, crucifixion, death, and resur- rection, at which a vast con- course of pilgrims commonly assist. But a more minute descrip- tion of the church of the sep- ulchre written by a gentleman on the spot, may be more in« tcresting. JfM Jerusalem, Oct. 18, 1800— About 2 o'clock we went to the church, called the church of the sepulchre, as being built over the holy sepulchre, in company with the superior of Our convent, with whom I should observe, we had made an arrangement to visit Beth- lehem on the following morn- ing* Escorted by several of the Reverend Fathers, we pass- ed through a solemn and grand entrance, into a lofty and ca- pacious building, somewhat less than a hundred paces long, and not more than sixty wide, supported by several very large marble pillars of the Corinthian order, and the dome of which Was built of the cedar of Leb- anon. Preparation having been made for our visit to this sanc- tuary, it was lighted up with more than usual spkndor,which had a very striking and awful effect. In the centre of the building is the holy sepulchre, Which is now cased over with marble for its better preserva- tion. But for this precaution, indeed, it would ere this have been broken into fragments by the pilgrims, and carried away, as so many precious relics. The sepulchre was affirm a Cave, hewn in the rock under ground; but the rock having been since cut away in every direction, it appears now in the form of a grotto above ground* In bestowing on it a close in- spection, we met with the stone on which they told us the an- gel was seated when Mary sought the body of Jesus. This stone had been removed from the entrance. The small build- ing or chapel in which the sep- ulchre is inclosed, was lighted by several large and handsome lamps, a certain number of which are always kept burning. We were next conducted to all the interesting places, which respected our Savior, previous- ly to his death; such as the spot where he was confined before his trial and condemna- tion, that where he was scourg- ed, and the crown of thorns placed on his head; that where he was nailed to the cross, &.c. We saw the fissure in the rock, which was rent by the earthquake, at the time he gave up the ghost; we saw the place where the soldiers cast lots for his garments, and the spot where his body was em- balmed. The governor of Je- rusalem resides on the spot where stood the house of Pon- tius Pilate, where Peter denied his master. On the site of Solomon's temple is a mosque, which Christians are not allow- ed to enter. Many of the churches, e- rccted in memory of some rer JEft JER markabte gospel-transaction, have been since converted in- to mosques; into some of which money will procure admittance, but not into others. Both the friars and other Christians are kept so poor by the tyranny of the government, that the chief support and trade of ihe place, subsist by providing strangers with food and other accommodations, selling them beads, relics, and other trinkets, for which they are obliged to p iy considerable sums to the S.mgiac, or governor, as well as to his officers; and those are seldom so well contented with their usual tax, but they frequently extort some fresh ones, especially from the Fran- ciscans, whose convent is the common receptacle for all pil- grims, and for which they have considerable allowances from the pope, and other crowned heads, besides the presents, which strangers gen- erally make them at their de- parture. The most remark- able antiquities in the neigh- borhood of Jerusalem, are 1. The pools of Bethesda and Gihon, the former 120 paces long, 40 broad, and at least 8 deep, but not without water; and the old arches which it still discovers at the west end, are quite dammed up; the oth- er, which is about a quarter of a mile without Bethlehem gate* is a very stately relic, 106 paces long, and 60 broad, lined with a wail and plaster, and still well stored with water. 2. The tomb of the Virgin Mary, in the val- ley of Jehoshephat, into which one descends, by a magnificent flight of 47 steps. On the right hand as one goes down, is also the sepulchre of St. Ann, the mother, and on the left that of Joseph the husband of the Virgin- mother; some add like- wise, that of Jehoiakim her fa- ther. In all these are erected altars for priests of all sorts to say mass, and the whole is cut into the solid rock. 3.The tomb of king Jehoshephat, cut like- wise into the rock and divided into several apartments; in one of which is his tomb, adorned with a stately portico and en- tablature over it. 4. That com- monly called Absalom *s pillar or palace, as being generally supposed to be that which is said to have been erected in his life-time to perpetuate his memory. There is a great heap of stones about it, which is continually increasing. The superstitious Jews and Turks always throwing some as they pass in token of their abhor- rence of Absalom's unnatural rebellion against so good and holy a parent. The structure itself is about 20 cubits square, JEfi 3m raid 60 high, rising in a lofty square, adorned below with four columns of the Ionic or- der, with their capitals, entab- latures, &c. to each front. From the height of 20 or 40 cubits, it is somewhat less and quite plain} excepting a small fillet at the upper end, and from 40 to the top of it changes in- to a round, which grows grad- ually into a point, the whole cut out of the solid rock. There is a room within, considerably higher than the level of the ground without, on the sides of which are niches, probably to receive coffins. 5. A little eastward of this, is that called the tomb of Zac/iariah, the son of Barachia, whom the Jews slew between the temple and the altar, as is commonly supposed. This fabric is all cut out of the natural rock, 18 feet high, and as many square, and adorned with Ionic col- umns on each front, cut out likewise of the same rock, and supporting a cornice, the whole ends in a pointed top, like a diamond. But the most curi- ous, grand, and elaborate pie- ces, in this kind, are the grotts without the walls of Jerusalem, styled the royal sepulchres; but of what kings, is not agreed. Thev consist of a ereat num- ber of apartments; some of them spacious, all cut out of the solid marble rock, and mat justly be pronounced a royal work. In the neighborhood of Jerusalem is a spot of ground, about 30 yards long and 15 broad, now the burying place of the Armenians, which is shown as the Aceldama, or Field of Blood, formerly the Potters Field, and since styled Campo Sancto, or the Holy Field purchased with the price of Judas's treason, for the bu- rial of strangers. It is walled round, to prevent the Turks abusing the bones of Christians, and one half of it is taken up by a building in the nature of a charnel house. Besides the above, a great many other an- tiquities in the city and its en- virons, are shown to strangers, there being scarce any place or transaction, mentioned ei- ther in the Old or New Testa- ment, but they show the \ery spot of the ground, where the one stood and the other was cone; not only here, but over all Judea. In unison with what we have related, a traveller who was there in 1807, gives the follow- ing interesting information. Jerusalem seen from mount Ol- ivet, presents an inclined plane descending from west to east. A lofty wall fortified with towers and a Gothic castle encloses the whole city, but excludes a JEK JEU part of mount Zion, which it formerly embraced. Towards the west, and in the centre of the city, the houses are numer- ous and closely built; but in the direction of the east, and along the valley of cedars, large vacancies are observed; among others the area of the mosque, which is erected near the ruins of the temple, and the former site of a second palace of He- rod. The houses of Jerusalem are heavy square masses, built low, without chimneys, or windows: flat terraces, and sometimes domes form the roofs. Altogether they appear like prisons or sepulchres. The whole city resembles a cemetery in the midst of a des- ert. If you enter, you find noth- ing to compensate you for the gloom of the exterior. You lose yourself in narrow, crooked streets, without pavements, and full of abrupt declivities. You tread upon loose stones, and are enveloped in clouds of dust; pieces of linen spread from the top of one house to another, increase the darkness of the labyrinth, which is rendered still more dismal and disgust' ing by covered markets, ex- haling a most pestilential odor. A few mean shops, only serve to indicate the poverty of the inhabitants: and these are often shut, from an apprehension that the Cadi may pass by; not an individual is seen in the streets, or at the gates of the city. Now and then a peasant is discovered, stealing through this twilight and carefully con- cealing the fruits of his indus- try under his clothes, lest he should be plundered, and mal- treated by the soldiery; apart in a corner, you may observe an Arabian butcher killing some animal suspended by the hind feet from a mouldering wall; from the bloody arms, and the haggard, ferocious countenance of the man, you would be led to suppose, that had he been engaged, not in the business of his trade, but in the perpetration of murder. The only sound heard in this deicide country, and that merely at distant intervals, is the gal- loping of the Arabian horse, of which the rider is a Janissa- ry, either bring the head of a Bedowin to his master, or set- ting out to pillage the Fellah. In the midst of this extraor- dinary scene of desolation, your attention is arrested, by something still more extraor- dinary. Among the ruins of Jerusalem, there are two dis- tinct and independent classes of people, who find in their re* ligious faith resources, which enable them to triumph over JEE JER tins array of horror and misery. You have before you, on one side, a body of Christian Monks, whom neither the menaces of death, nor indignities, nor rob- beries of every description, can drive from the tomb of their Savior. Their canticles re- sound night and day, about the holy- sepulchre. Although plundered in the morning by a Turkish governor, they are still found in the evening at the fobt of Mount Calvary, praying on the spot, where Jesus Christ suffered for the salvation of man. They wel- come a stranger with a serene countenance and a cheerful heart. Without arms or troops, they are still able to protect whole villages, against lawless power. Women and children, driven like herds of cattle, at the point of the sabre, take ref- uge in the cloisters of these as. cetics. Their charity rescues the trembling victims, from the blows of the merciless Janissa- ry. In order to ransom their suppliants, they surrender to their pursuers, even the com- mon necessaries of life, that, which is almost indispensable for their own subsistence. Turks, Arabians, Greeks, Christians, all seek protection from the unarmed, defenceless minis- ters of true religion. It is here that we can say with Bos- suet, "that hands uplifted to heaven, vanquish more battal- lions, than those which wield the javelin and the scymetar." While the new Jerusalem is seen, "shining in the midst of a desert" you may observe between Mount Zion and the temple, another spectacle of almost equal interest. It i s that of the remmint of another peo- ple, distinct from the rest of the inhabitants; a people, indi- vidually the objects of univer- sal contempt; who suffer the most wanton outrages, without a murmur; who endure blows and wounds without a sigh, who, when the sacrifice of their life is demanded, unhesitating- ly stretch forth their necks to the sabre. If a member of this community, thus cruelly pro- scribed and abused happens rb die, his companion buries him, clandestinely during the night, in the valley of Jehoshephat, within the purlieus of the temple of Solomon. Enter their habi- tation and you find them in the most abject, squallid misery, and for the most part occupied in reading a mysterious book to their children, with whom again it becomes a manual for the instruction of the suc- ceeding generation. What these wretched outlaws, from the justice and the compas- sion of the rest of mankind, did two thousand years ago, they do still. Six times have they JER J£& witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem, and are not as yet dis- couraged; nothing can operate to divert their looks from Zion. We are surprised no doubt, when we observe the Jews, scattered over the face of the earth, but to experience, an as- tonishment much more lively, we have but to seek them in Jerusalem. The legitimate masters of Judea should be seen, as they are in their own land, slaves and strangers; they should be seen awaiting, under the most cruel and oppressive of all despotisms, a king, who is to work their deliverance. Near the temple — of which there docs not "remain one stone upon another," they still continue to dwell; and with the cross, as it were planted upon their heads, and bending them to the earth, still cling to their errrors, and labor under the same 'deplorable infatur.tion. The Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans, have disappeared from the face of the earth; and a small people, whose origin is anterior to that of these mighty nations, still survive amid the ruins of their country, with no alteration of manners, and no mixture of foreign blood. If there be any thing among man- kind, which bears the stamp of a miracle, it is to be found here most certainly. What 30 can be more marvellous ©r prodigious, even to the eye of a philosopher, than this ap- proximation at the foot of Mount Calvary, of the old and new Jerusalem, the one deriv- ing consolation, from the as- pect of that tomb, from which all the miseries of the other appear to spring. The decayed town of Jeru- salem will always be interest- ing to the believer in revela- tion. Here his fond delighted imagination fixes, not only on account of the splendid scenes, recorded in the Old Testa- ment, not only, because here the Son of God, accomplished the wrork of human redemp- tion; not only, because here the spark kindled, which, like the sun shall enlighten all na- tions; but here a constellation of prophecies are fulfilled. One or two we mention. Con- templating the city, its holy- temple, and majestic palaces, Jesus Christ prophesied, that in that generation, devastation should enter; that the time should come, that one stone should not be left upon anoth- er; all this came to pass, as has been related. Jesus Christ also prophesied, that "Jerusa- lem should be trodden down of the Gentiles;" that Gentiles should possess the place, not Jews. This we have seen has JEZ JOK been literally accomplished. Adrian, banished all the Jews. The place was settled by Ro- mans and other foreigners. The Jews are still persecuted by Mahometans, as they were banished by Romans. Jerusa- lem is still trodden down by the Gentiles. Is it possible to be an infidel? Long. 35, 25, east, lat. 31, 15, north. JESHANA, a city in the land of Canaan, and tribe of Ephraim. The same perhaps as Zin. Eusebius and Jerome place Zin seven miles north from Jericho. JESHIMON, the name of a desert in the tribe of Judah. JESHIMON, probably the same as Hesmona, Asemonia, Esem, Esemon, and Esemona, a city in the wilderness of Maon, belonging to Simeon; lying in the south of Palestine, or rather in Arabia Petrea. Joseph us calls it the wilder- ness of Simeon. JETHLAH, a city in the tribe of Dan. Josh, xix, 42. JEWS, see Jerusalem, Is- raelites, &c. JEZREEL, a celebrated ci- ty, situated in a valley of that name, in the half tribe of Ma- nasseh, on the west of Jordan, lying on the confines of this tribe, and that of Issachar, as appears from Joshua xix, 18. Ahab had a palace here, and this city is noted in scripture on account of the vengeance which God executed on him and Jezebel at Jezreel. St. Jerome says, that this was a considerable town in his time. It is now called Esdraelon. Wells's Geography. This was also the name of a city in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 56. This town is not far from Bethshan. Lat. 32,28. Jezreel, a fertile plain of Palestine, watered by the Kish- on. It is now called the plain of Esdraelon, and is remarka- ble for its rich soil. But Mr. Maundrel observes, that now it is uncultivated, and is a tract of pasturage for the A- rabs, who wander in this re- gion. JOKDEAM, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 56. JO.KMEAM, a city of Ephraim, which was after- wards yielded to the Levites of Kohath's family, 1 Chr. vi, 68. JOKNEAM, a city of Ju- dah, 1 Kings iv, 12. Jokneam, a city in the tribe of Zebulon, given to the Le- vites of Merari's family, Josh, xxi, 34, and Josh, xix, 11. It is the same, as Jokneam of Car- mel, Josh, xii, 22, where it is surnamed Carniel, by reason of its neighborhood to this moun- tain. JOP JOP JOKTHEEL, a city of Ju- dah. JoKTii£EL,arock,>vhichAm- aziah, king of'Judah, took from Edom, from the top of which, he threw down ten thousand of the Edomites, whom he had taken in battle. Eusebius is of opin- ion, that this roek is the city of Petrea, the capital of Arabia Petrea. The battle in which the Edomites were defeated, was fought in the valley of Salt, which it is supposed lay between Bozra and Palmyra. Pliny says, that the solitudes of Palmyra reached to the city of Petrea. It is probable, therefore, that Amaziah pushed his conquests, as far as this city, and gave it the name of Joktheel, that is, obedience to the Lord; implying, that he had obeyed God, or done his duty. JOPPA, a sea port town in Palestine, lying south of Cae- sarea, and anciently the only port to Jerusalem, whence all the materials, sent from Tyre, towards the building of Solo- mon's temple, were brought hither and landed, 2 Chron. ii, 1G. It is said to have been built by Japhet, and from him to have taken its name Japho, afterwards moulded into Jop- pa; heathen geographers speak of it as built before the flood. It is now called Jaffa. The town is now enclosed by a wall- flanked by several strong tow. ers with some cannon. To- wards the sea are two forts to defend the port and anchorage. It is inhabited by Turks and Arabs, with a mixture of Greeks, Maronites, and Ar- menians. The houses arc- small, and surrounded with the ruins of the ancient walls and towers. The Franks, Greeks, and Armenians, have each of them small houses for the re- ception of the pilgrims of differ- ent nations. The money paid by the pilgrims for permission to visit the Holy Land is, part of it, sent to Mecca, and part to the kislar-aga of Constanti- nople, but the customs belong to the pacha of Gaza, in whose jurisdiction it is situated. Jaffa was laid waste in the crusades, and afterwards destroyed by an earthquake. But it is some- what recovered; the parts near the sea are adorned with hand- some houses of stone, they are white and have domes and square towers. The town carries on considerable trade in soap and rice. The water is excellent. The harbor is shallow, and ow- ing to its rocky and shelving coast is pretty secure from at- tack by sea, the violence of the surf, and the heavy swell from the west; theunevenness of the ground, abounding in rocks anci shoals, make it extremelv haz JOP JOP ardous for ships to attack Jop- pa. The town stands on an eminence, nearly in the centre of which is an old ruinous build- ing, called the citadel, on the top of which is a tower, pro- vided with cannon; but seems rather calculated to overawe the citizens, than repel an invasion from abroad. The streets are narrow, uneven, and dirty. The houses, many of them, are fit shelters for swine, rather than comfortable habitations for hu- man creatures. Indeed it is not uncommon to see the fami- ly and cattle herd together in the same dwelling. Joppa was fortified by the English in A.D. 1800 and 1801. * An officer, with the army there at that time, remarks, that the jackals infest every part of the country and are numerous. During the day they confine themselves to their holes and lurking places; but sally out at night, saith he, in large bodies, in search of their fooc); they then rendezvous in the neighborhood of the towns and villages, molesting the in- habitants with the most disa- greeable of all howiings. He observes, that a great number of jackals came into the very camp every night, with such a yell, that with the howiings of the dogs, and the braying of asses and mules, a noise so hide- ous was made by them all, as would astonish and alarm any one, who was a stranger to such a scene. It is allowed by nat- uralists that the jackal is the an- imal denominated fox in scrip- ture. These animals we see are very tame; they enter the cities and camps; they are also very numerous. Is it strange then that Sampson should be able to take, or employ men to take, three hundred of them? In profane history it is said to be the place whence Perseus delivered Andromedia. It was taken by the French under Bo- naparte, in 1797. He retained the possession for forty days, in which time it was given up to universal pillage. The pres- ent population is 1200, or 1500, It was here that Bonaparte or- dered 6000 of the inhabitants, with 5 or 600 of the Turkish garrison, whom he had made prisoners, four days before, to be marched to the sand hills, a league on the way to Gaza, and there to be inhumanly shot. "I have seen, says Dr. Wittman, "the skeletons of these unfor- tunate victims, which lie scat- tered over the hills, a modern Golgotha:" It was here that Bo- naparte poisoned several hun- dred of his own sick and wound- ed soldiers: it is 7 leagues north- west of Gaza, and 11 west of Jerusalem. Lon. 35 east. Lat. 31, 45 north. JOR ' joi; JORDAN, a river of great note in the sacred writings. Some assert, that it derives its name from the Hebrew word Jor, which signifies a spring, and Dan, which is a small town near its source; cr ac- cording to others, it derives its name irom the two rivulets, Jor and Dan . But these etymo- logies are very dubious. First it is not true, that the river Jor- dan is formed of two rivulets, nor that one of them was called Dan, though the Geographical maps for the most part so de- scribe it. The visible origin of the Jordan, is a little stream, the source of which is in mount Libanus, and upon which the little town of Dan is situated, four leagues higher than Caesa- rea Philippi, where properly the Jordan begins. The other source of Jordan, and that the most considerable one, though the least apparent, is the lake Phiala, about four leagues from Caesarea Philippi to the south. Two miles from the lake is a stone bridge of three arches, called Jacob's bridge, supposed to be more ancient than thfedays of that Patriarch. This lake has a communication with Jor- dan underground, and furnish- es Ccesarea with such large supplies of water, that it might even there pass for a river. Secondly, the name of Da: much more modem, than that of Jordan. The Jordan from Caesarea Philippi runs through the space of about fifty leagues, till it discharges itself into the Dead Sea, where it is lost. In its course it forms the lake Semechon, at live Or six leagues distance from its spring. Thence it passes through the lake Tiberias. On bothsides along the Jordan, there is a great plain, which extends it- self from the lake of Tiberias, as far as the Dead Sea. Jose- phus says, that this plain is twelve hundred furlongs in length, and an hundred and twenty wide. Travellers ob- serve that lions, during the summer, hide under the trees and reeds along this river, whence they are driven, when the waters swell; Jeremiah alludes to this fact, xlxix, chap. 19; where he compares the en- emy, marching to attack Jeru- salem or Bab) Ion, "to lions, which come up from the swel- lings or intiuhdations of Jor- dan." Maundrel says, that die Jordan near Jericho, when he- saw it, was about sixty feet wide, and so rapid that a man could not swim against it; it is generally about nine feet deep, and except in fresh- ets runs two yards below the brink of its channel. The JOR JOT water is turbid, but very wholesome, But, though an- ciently, in March or April, this river overflowed its banks, while the snows were melting on Lebanon and Hermon, yet it seems evident From several modern travellers, that these floods are now less, and more rare. Perhaps the channel of the river is worn deeper; the same remark applies to several streams in our own country. The Talmudists say, "the wa- ters of the Jordan are not fit to be sprinkled on the unclean, because they are mixed wa- ters," meaning that they are mixed with the waters of other streams, which it receives. The reader will instantly recol- lect the declaration of Naaman the Syrian, 2 Kings v, 11, 12; who probably had adopted their opinion, and thought the waters of Damascus preferable to those of the Jordan. D'Ar- vieux says, "the Jordan is bord- ered with trees, which render its course very agreeable. The Jordan is very full offish, be- cause nobody catches them. What the fish have to avoid is not to be carried down into the Dead Sea, because there they instantly die. Higher up the Jordan, Mosquet say s, com- ing from Damascus, he passed many woods, and at length ar- rived at Jacob's bridcre, bv ■z>^> which we cross at no great dis- tance from the lake," I found, saith he, the water in the lake of Tiberias very soft and tran- quil, and very good to drink, on a bottom of white sand. The Jordan passes through the midst of this lake with a determined course, without mixing with its waters. As we approach the Jordan, says Volney, the country be- come more hilly and better wa- tered; the valley through which the river runs affords in most parts very good pasturage. As for the river itself it is very far from having the importance, which we are apt to give it. Between the two principal lakes the b.'eadth in general does not exceed sixty or eighty feet, the depth being about ten or twelve. In winter it over- flows this narrow channel, and swelled by the rains forms a sheet of water three quarters of a mile in breadth. Josephus, Calmet, Wells, Maundrel, Mar- in, Shaiv, &c. Jordan, plain of see Sid- dim vale of. JOTBAH, a city in the tribe of Judah, where Meshulle- meth was born, the mother of Amon,~king of Judah. 2 Kings xxi, 19, JOTBATH AH, an encamp- ment ot the Isratlites, between Horchagidgad and Ebronah, JUD JUD JfUDAH, this tribe was situ- ate in the south part of Pales* tine, and extended from the Dead Sea, to the tribes of Dan and Simeon west, Benjamin lying contiguous on the north. Judah held the most extensive territory, and was the most powerful of all the tribes. According to the prophesy of Jacob, Gen. xlix. This was to be a warlike tribe, and its civil polity was not to expire, till the Messiah should come. These things have been emi- nently fulfilled. At the time of the Messiah's birth a decree was published by Augustus Caesar, that Judea should be enrolled, in which registry Je- sus Christ was included. Hence Julian the apostate un- wittingly objected that Jesus Christ could not be a king, because he was a subject of Cassar. Eleven years after, Judea was actually made a Roman province, an assess- ment was made, or a tax levi- ed by Cyrenius, the sceptre, or power of self government, departed; the Jews no longer had the power of life and death. "Shiloh" had come, (See Dr. Clark.) The different degrees of Judah's power is expressed by a beautiful climax in the prophecy of Jacob. The tribe is compared to a lion's xvhelp, t@ a full grown lion, to a nurs'mg lioness, the most fierce of all creatures. Soon after their settlement in Canaan, their warlike character began to manifest itself. They were among the foremost to expel the ancient holders of the soil, the Canaan ites. The armies of Judqh marched against the Pcrezites, against Jerusalem, against the Canaanites of the mountain, and against the South, and the Valley, and against Hebron, and Debir, and Zephath, and Gaza, and Askelon, and Ekron, and many- other places, (Judges 1.) At their coming out of Egypt, the fighting men of Judah were 74,600. In the wilderness, when numbered again, they were 76,500. JUDEA, this name was originally applied, only to the territory, belonging to the tribe of Judah, in Palestine; but after the revolt of the ten tribes from David, when Judah and Benjamin were united in the same government, the name of Judea was applied to both ter- ritories. Afterwards, when the ten tribes were carried into captivity, and Judah seemed1 of course to possess the vacant lands of Simeon and Dan, all this south part of Palestine was called Judea. Finally, after the captivity and return of Judah from Babylon, and the whole JUD JUD country was ready to receive them, the name of Judea was extended to all the Holy Land, or at least, to all inhabited by the Jews. This was a mountainous part of Canaan, especially in the vicinity of Jerusalem and He- bron. The principal part of this country lies west from those mountains, towards the Mediterranean; but here are many hills. East from the mountains is the wilderness of Judea, extending to the Dead sea. In the wilderness of Ju- dea, John the Baptist first taught the people, and in this region Jesus Christ was tempt- ed, probably in the north part of the district, not far from Jericho. Some portions of this desert, so called, were not bar- ren nor uninhabited. Of the other parts the following ac- count is the latest which has reached us. In April 1800, Dr. Carlyle visited the monas- tery of St. Saba in the wilder- ness of Judea. He says, "The valley of St. Saba is an im- mense chasm in a rifted moun- tain of marble. It is not only destitute of trees, but of every other species of vegetation, and its sole inhabitants, except the wretched monks in the convent, are eagles, tigers, and wild Arabs. The monastery joins to the rock on the right, and stretches itself half way across the valley. You enter from the top, and descend by several nights of stairs, and through iron doors, to the platform on which the church stands. The monks are obliged to bring all their provisions from Jerusalem, and are constantly exposed to the depredations of the Bedoweens, or wild Arabs. These banditti, only a fortnight before I was there, Had made an attack on the convent; they had set on fire and plundered that part, which otherwise they could not reach, and murdered a considerable part of the peo- ple. It would have been im- possible for me to have accom- plished my visit here, had not the governor of Jerusalem fur- nished me with an escort of these very banditti, to protect me against their brethren. It is a matter of religious im- portance to be intimately ac- quainted with the state of this small, but interesting section of the globe. Jesus Christ fore- told in a very particular man- ner what should be the state of this region in the ages subse- quent to his residence here; do we not find his prophecies mi- nutely fulfilled? To ascertain this, we must study the instruc- tions of Christ, and study the present state of this country. Several of our Lord's parables JUT KAD were intended to rouse the at- tention of the Jews to a convic- tion of their dangerous situa- tion, in a political sense, though arising from their wickedness, as the cause, and as he accu- rately fixed the time and de- scribed the agents, we cannot too carefully impress our minds with the evidence, that his words were accomplished in the manner, at the time, and by the agents which he foretold. See Jerusalem, &c. JUDEA, wilderness of a neglected tract of country in Palestine, lying on each side of the Jordan. It was called a wilderness, not because it was absolutely uninhabited, but be- cause it was less populous, than other parts of the countrv. JUDGM EN E, fountain of, or fountain of Kadesh, south of the land of promise. These waters of Kadesh were called the waters of strife, beeause -Moses was there contradicted and provoked by the murmurs of his people. These waters were called the waiters of Judg- ment; because God here man- ifested his anger against Moses, and declared to him, that he should not enter the land of Canaan, because he had not honored him before all Israel. JUTTAH, a city of Pales- tine, in the tribe of Judah. Bonfrerius is of opinion, that 31 this is the Ashan of Joshua xiii, but Calmet thinks it more prob- ably the Ithnam of Joshua xv. Eusebius says that Ithnam was eight miles east from Hebron. KABZEEL, a city belong- ing to the tribe of Jud.h, Josh, xv, 21. It stood near the west shore of the Dead sea, and here Benaiah, the general of Solo- mon's army, was born, 2 Sam. xxiii, 20. KADESH, Kadesh-bar- nea, or Enmishpat, Gen. xiv, 17, a city celebrated for several events. At Kadesh, Miriam, the sister of Moses, died, Numbers xx, 1. Mr. Wells is of opinion, that Kadesh, which was situated in the wilderness of Zin, was a different place from Kadesh- barne:>, in the wilderness of Pa- ran, Ms arguments for which opinion are too lengthy to be inserted here, but may be seen, vol. i, of his Geography. Lightfoot is sanguine that these places were the same. In the time of Eusebius and Je- rome here was shown the sep- ulchre of Miriam. Another learned writer says, this was not Kadesii-barnea, the encamp- ment of Israel on the northern confines of Canaan, but another Kadesh on the confines of Idu- mea, not far from the Red sea. See Kimpton's Uistory of this Bible, p. 95. KAR KED KADESH NAPHTALI, this was the most eminent city in the tribe of Naphtali, and was so called to distinguish it from other cities, called Kadesh. This was not only a Levitical citv, but one of the three cities of refuge on the west side of Jordan. KADMONITES, ancient inhabitants of the land, whose habitation was beyond Jordan, to the east of Phoenicia, about mount Libanus, Gen. xv, 19. Dr. Wells says, that Kadmon- ites denote the same as East- erns, or Orientals, so that prob- ably these people lived east from the Jordan, whose lands were finally subdued by Israel, as the kingdoms of Og and Si- hon, the Moabites and Am- monites, were. KAIN, a city of Palestine, • belonging to the tribe of Judah. KAKA, a town of Palestine in the tribe of Judah, toward its south border. KANAH, a river of the south part of Manasseh, west of the Jordan. Some suppose it to be the same as the Che- rith; others suppose it runs west into the Mediterranean, Josh, xvi, 8. KANAH, see Cana. KARKAA, a town of Ca- naan in the tribe of Judah. KARKOR, a city north from the head of Arnon. KARNION, or Carniojt, a strong city of Palestine, which Maccabeus took from Timo- theus, slaying twenty-five thou- sand of the enemy, K ART AH, a town of Pales- tine, which was given to the Levites, in the tribe of Zebu- Ion. K ART AN, a city of Canaan in the tribe of Naphtali. It was a city of refuge given to the Levites of the family of Ger- shom. KASBON, a city of Canaan in the country of Gilead. KATTAH, a city in the tribe of Zebulon, Josh, xix, 15. KED AH, a city as some think by Josephus called Ca- mala, Jer. ii, 10, and xlix, 28. KEDAR, a district to the north of Arabia Felix, so called from Cedar the son of Ishmael according to Jerome, who in another place says, that Kedar was .uninhabitable. The peo- ple Kedareni dwelt in tents, like the other Scenites, Psalm cxxx, and were rich in cattle, Isa. 1. They were of a swarthy com- plexion, Cant, i, and excellent at the bow, Isa. xxi. KEDEM, a province of KEDEMOTH, a town in the tribe of Reuben, east from the brook Arnon, Josh, xiii, 18. It was one of the stations of the Hebrews in the wilder- KEt KEN fiess, Deut. ii, 26, and was given to i he Levites. KEDE8H, Josephus calls it Kadesa or Eacdesa, and the Greek of Tobit. xii, Cades. It lav O'l upper Galilee, above Naason, having; Sephel to the left or north. Kadesh was giv- en to the tribe of Naphtali, Josh, xix, 37, and afterwards a cession of it was made to the Levites of Gershom's family, and at length it was declared a city of refuge, Josh, xx, 7, and xxi, 32. Of this town was Barak, Judges iv. It stood on a mountain, twenty miles from Tyre. Kedesh, a town of Pa- lestine, in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 23. Its exact situa- tion is not known, it seems never to have been a place of much note. KEDRON, a town which from the defeat and pursuit of the Assyrians, 1 Mac. xvi, ap- pears to have stood on the road, which led from the higher Ju- dea to Azotus. In this war the place was burned bv the Jews. KEHELATHAH, an en- campment of the Israelites in the wilderness; when they left Rissa, they went to Kehela- thah, Numb, xxxiii, 22. KEILAH, a town in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 44. Eusebius places it at the dis- tance of seventeen miles from Eleutheropolis, on the side of Hebron. St. Jerome makes it to be only eight miles from Hebron. It is said that the prophet Habakkuk's tomb, was shown there. In the fourth century it was a place of some note. KENATH, a town in the tribe of Manasseh beyond Jor- dan. Numb, xxxii, 42. Eu- sebius says, it is in the Tra- chonitis, somewhere about Bozra, and four miles from Jogbekah. Pliny places it a- mong the towns of the Decap- olis. KENITES, a people, prob- ably descendants of Abraham by Keturah, who dwelt west- ward of the Dead Sea, and ex- tended themselves pretty fat? into Arabia Petrea, or from the south border of Israel to the Red Sea. Jethro, the fa- ther-in-law of Moses, and a priest of Midian, was a Ken- ite, Judg. i, 16, and 1 Cor. xi, 55; 1 Sam, xv,l,and in Saul's time the Kenites were mingled with the Amalekites. The Kenites were some of those people whose lands God had promised to the descendants of Abraham. Gen. xiii, 19. Yet, for the sake of Jethro, and per- haps also on account of their being children of Abraham, all of those, who submitted U the Hebrews, were suffered t* mB KID live in their ov, n country; the rest fled, in all probability, to the Edomites and Amalekites. The lands of the Kenites were in Judah's partition. The Ktrnires dwelt in mountains and mcks, which were almost inaccessible, Numb. xxiv,21. After the time of Saul, there is no more mention of the Kenites, though they still sub- sisted among the Edomues., Amalekites, and other Ara- bians. KENNIZITES, an ancient people of Canaan, whose land God promised to the descen- dants of Abraham. Gen. xv, 19. It is believed that this people dwelt in the mountains south of Judea. A grand-son of Esau was named Kenaz. He was probably the father of the Kennizites. KERIOTH, a town in the land of Moab, which was rav- aged by the Assyrians and Chaldeans. Amos ii, 2. KERIOTH- HEZRON, a city of the Holy Lain!, in the tribe of Judah. It was also called Hazor. KEZZIZ, a valley in the tribe of Benjamin. Josh, xviii, 21. KIBROTH-HATTAA- V AH, the graves of lust, one of the encampments of Israel in the wilderness, Numb, xi, 34, 35; so called because, when J they desired other food besides manna, of which they had be- come tired, God sent them quails in great abundance, but while the meat was yet in their mouths, he symote them and killed a great number of them. Psalm Ixxiii, 30. KIDRON, the brook runs in the valle) of Jehoshaphat, on the west side of Jerusalem, between the city and the mount of Olives. It has usually no great quantity of water, and is frequently quite dry; but upon any sudden rains, it swells and runs with great impetuosity; it was of singular service to the city, receiving the common sewers, and upon every such flood carried them off into the Dead Sea. Maimonides reports, that a foot causeway, or bridge, sup- ported on urches,extended from the temple across the valley of the brc>k Kidron, to the mount of Olives. Over this bridge the red cow was led away to be burned, in order to procure the ashes of purification. The design of the bridge was to preserve from pollution the per- son, who led away the heifer, whose ashes were to be a uni- versal cleansing; similar cau- tion was observed with the she goat. Not only the blood, poured at the foot of the altar in the KIR Km temple, but the filth, was con- ducted by a drain into the brook Kidron. This, effectu- al confutes the absurd notion of virtue imparted to the pool of Bethesda by the blood of the sacrifices, as some have believ- ed. KILMx\D, by some sup- posed to be a city of Media. Ezek. xxvii, 2S. KIN AH, a town in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 22. Lat. 31, 1. KIR, a city of Assyria or Media, to which the people of Damascus were carried captive by Tiglatbpileser. Josh, xv, 9. KIR-HERRES, Jer. xliii, 31, 36, the same with Rab- bath-Moab, otherwise called Ar, the capital of Moab. This city was ruined by the Chal- deans and Assyrians. See Ar. KIRJATH JEARIM, a city of Canaan, mentioned in Josh; xv, 9. The same as Baalah, and Kirjath-baal, Sec. It was in the tribe of Judah, near a forest, nine or ten miles north-west from Jerusalem. It was one of the cities of the Gibeonites. Here the ark of God continu- ed for perhaps 80 or 90 years after its return from the Philis- tines. Josh, ix, and xv, and lSam. vii, 1, and lChron. xiii. KIRJATH, a word which signifies a city, whence it is that we so often meet with it in the name of places in Palestine. There was a town of this nai near Gibeon, in the tribe of Benjamin. Josh, xviii, 23. KIRJATH. AIM,a town be-, yond Jordon ten miles from Mcdcba, westward. Josh, xiii, 19. In the time of Jerom and Eusebius, this was a flourish- ing village, inhabited wholly by Christians, and was called Kariatha. KIRJATH-ARBA, the an- cient name of Hebron, Judg. i, 10. KIRJATH HUZOTH, a royal city of Balak, king of Moab, supposed to have many handsome streets, as its name imports, Num. xxii, 39. KIRJATH-JEARIM, or Psaalah, a city of Judah, upon the confines of Benjamin, where the ark was lodged for many years in the house of A- minadab, till David removed it to Jerusalem. Urijah, the prophet, was a native of this place. Josh, xv, 9; 1 Chr. xiii, 6. This town is ten miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Di- ospolis or Lydda. KIRJATH-SANNAH, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 49. See Debir. KIRJATH. SEPHER. that is to say, the city of letter ,y or books, otherwise called Debir, a city in the tribe of Jnriah, one of those, which fell by lot KIS fcts to this tribe, and were after- Wards given to Caleb; it was taken by Othniel, to whom Caleb for his reward, gave his daughter Achsah in marriage, Josh, xv, 6, 7; Judg. i, 10—13. It is presumed by the learn- ed, that in this town was a seat of learning, a college, or university. Its other name, Debir, signifies an oracle; there- fore, most probably it was a religious seminary for the ed- ucation of priests. One cir- cumstance is worthy particu- lar notice; this seminary was in existence, as early as the days of Joshua, and, therefore, was evidently an establishment of the Canaanites, previous to the invasion of the Israelites. This fact goes far to prove that the invention of letters was antecedent to the time of Mo- ses, and that he was not taught the use of letters, or the art of writing on mount Sinai, as some have supposed. Moses himself gives no intimation of this sort, and letters were evi- dently in use before his day. See Debif» KISHION, a town of Issa- char, yielded to the Levites of Gershom's family. KISHON, a brook, which from mount Tabor runs east into the sea of Galilee. It seems that Tabor constitutes a part of the height of land, be- tween the Mediterranean Sea and the lake of Galilee. Some of its springs proceed east, some west. Or perhaps, as in several instances in New Eng- land,the same fountain may send part of its water to one point, and part in an opposite course, and on this account, two streams5having the same source, are called by the same name. See the next article. Indeed, since writing the a- bove, I find that Bonfrerius says, that this torrent has its fountain in mount Tabor; which has two channels, and two streams, proceeding to op- posite regions; one runs east to the sea of Galilee, and is called the Minor Kishon, the other running west, pours it- self into the Mediterranean, and is called the Greater Kish- on. Accordingly in his great map of the Holy Land, he has drawn the Kishon, like a canal by the base of Tabor, extend- ing from sea to sea. Kishon, a celebrated river in the land of Israel, having its source in mount Tabor, and descending west through the fertile plain of Esdraelon falls into the Mediterranean at the port of Acre. Several im- portant events have taken place near this river. It seems that the battle between Sisera and Barak was in this region, Judg. KIT LAC iv, and probably in the time of a violent freshet. Hence in her song Deborah says, "the river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river the river Kishon." When the prophet Elijah had convinced the people of Israel, that Jehovah was the true God, he commanded them to seize the prophets of Baal, and bring them to the brook Kishon, and he slew them there. Mr.Maun- drel tells us that this river takes its way down the plain of Es- draelon, and proceeds close a- Iong the foot of mount Carmel, to the sea. When he saw it, the water was low, but in pass- ing along the stream, he saw the places where many torrents in a rainy season fall from the mountains into the channel, which must raise it exceeding- ly at such times. " KITHLISH, a town belong- ing to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 40. KITRON, a city of Canaan appropriated to Zebulon, which those of that tribe could not take from theCanaanites, Judg. i, 30. It was a very strong place, and the greatest city in Galilee. It is noted in the Talmuds for being the place of a university. Here taught Rabbi Judah the holy, who died here. KITTIM. It may be doubt- ed whether this and a variety of similar words with a plural termination in Hebrew were the names of individuals or tribes. The latter is perhaps the most probable. Kittim was the son of Javan and great grandson of Noah. Kittim, if considered a people, descended from Japhet, and settled in Asia Minor or Greece. See Chittim. Josephus by Kittim understands the isle of Cy- prus; others the isle of Chios; others Cilicia, and others A- chaia. The first book of Mac- cabees and Calmet understand Macedonia. It calls Alexander, king of the Kittims, and says that Perseus, king of the Kit- tims was overcome by the Romans. Daniel speaks of the ships of the Kittims, which Bochart supposes were the Ro- mans, and that Kittim signifies Italy. But Calmet thinks that although the Roman fleet be meant, it was because it lay in the harbors of Macedonia. KOA, a region in Babylonia, Ezek. xxiii, 28. LACED^EMON, oth- erwise called Sparta, a cele- brated city in the Peloponne- sus, I Mace, xii, formerly a most powerful and flourishing commonwealth, the inhabitants of which were no less distin- guished for their eminent vir- tues and purity of manners, than for their warlike exploits, by L^K LAO which they acquired not only the sovereignty of Greece, which they maintained a great many years, but prescribed laws to a great part of Asia. The city stood on the Eurotas, and though smaller than Athens, was equal in power. In its most flourishing state it had no walls; the bravery of its citizens rendered walls unnecessary. In the time of Cassander, walls, however, were erected, which were destroyed by Philipcemen, 188 years after Christ. Some- time after, it was reduced to be a Roman province by Mum- mius. The present town of Misistra stands about a mile from the ancient Lacedsemon. LACHISH, a city of Pales- tine, in the tribe of Judah, Josh. x, 23, and xv, 39. Eusebius and St. Jerome tells us, that in their time there was a village called Lachish, 7 miles from Eleutheropoiis, southward. LAHMAS, a town in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 40. LAISH, was called Losem, also Puneas, and afterwards Ccesarea Fhilippi, and lastly, Nerorias. Some suppose Dan and Laish the same. But Cal- met says, that Dan was four miles distant towards Tyre. This was a place in the tribe of Asher, and subdued by soldiers from Dan. LAKUM, a city in the tribe of Naphtali, Joshua xix, 33. LAND, denotes often the country of the Israelites, or that particular district or coun- try immediately spoken of. See Earth. LAODICEA, there are sev- eral cities of this name, but the scripture speaks only of that in Phrygia, upon the river Lycus, near Colossae. Its ancient name was Diospolis. It was afterwards called Rhoas. Last- ly, Antiochus. The son of Stratonice rebuilt it, and called it Laodicea, from the name of his wife, Laodice. St. Paul never was in this city, and the faithful of Laodicea had "never seen his face in the flesh," Col. ii, 1. This city, according to Cice- ro, was one of the most com- mercial and wealthy of Asia. It is now a mass of rubbish andf ruins; the chief of which that have been mentioned by travellers, are three large am- phitheatres, and a circus. Ma- ny other ruin's of mighty fabric also proclaim its former gran- deur; but time and earthquakes have defaced all things, and left scarcely one stone upon anoth- er. Tacitus says, that when Nero was fourth time consul, Laodicea was shaken by an earthquake, but by its own riches being rebuilt, it suffered the same judgment again, when LAO LAO it was deserted by its inhabit- ants, and lost not only its opu- lence, but its name, and exist- ence, being now known only in the records of history. A modern traveller says, that Laodiceais now utterly desolat- ed, and without any inhabitant, excepting wolves, and jackals, and foxes. One of the theatres, which remain to proclaim the former opulence and popula- tion of the city, would contain 20 or 30,000 'people. * From another traveller we make the following extracts: Many traces of the city wall may be seen, with broken col- umns, and pieces of marble. Within the walls the whole surface is covered with pedes- tals and fragments. The lux- ury of the citizens may be in- ferred from their sumptuous buildings, and from two spa- cious theatres in the side of the hill, fronting northward and westward, eaih with its seats rising in numerous rows one above another. Beneath the hill on the north are stone cof- fins, broken, subverted, or sunk in the ground. Laodicea with Colosse its neighbor, was en- riched by sheep, whose fleeces exceeded the Milesian in soft- ness, and the jetty raven in col- or. Some shepherds came to the ruins with their flocks, and in the evening to the water 32 near our tent. I remarked on- ly two sheep, that were very black and glossy. Often dam- aged by earthquakes, Laodicea rose again by its own opulence, or the munificence of the Ro- man emperors. These resour- ces failing, the city became a scene of ruins. About A. D. 1097, it was possessed by the Turks,and submitted to Ducas, general of the emperor Alexis. In 1150 the Turks sacked some of the cities of Phrygia by the Meander; but were defeated by the emperor John Comnenus, who took Laodicea, and built anew, or repaired her walls. About 1161 it was again un- fortified. Many of the inhab- itants were then killed with their Christian bishop, or car- ried with their cattle into cap- tivity by the Turks. In 1190 the German emperor, Frederic Barbarossa, going by Laodi- cea, with his army toward Pa- lestine on a crusade, was so kindly received that he prayed on his knees for the prosperity of the place. In 1196 tiiis re- gion with Caria, was again dreadfully ravaged by the Turks. On the invasion of the Tartars in 1255, the sultan gave Laodicea to the Romans; but they were unable to defend it, and it fell again into the hands of the Turks. We saw no traces of cither houses, or LAS LEB churches, or mosques; all was silence and solitude. Sev- eral strings of camels passed eastward of the hill, but a fox, which we first discovered by its ears peeping over a brow, was the only inhabitant of Laodi- cea, 105 E. of Smyrna. Lat. 38, 30. That the world might learn his anger against careless sin- ners, God pronounced a woe against the "lukewarm" church of Laodicea; he declared to them, that he would "spue them out of his mouth," that is, utterly destroy them; judg- ments have fallen on them and they are destroyed; notachurch, not a Christian family, not a sol- itary hermit, remains to invoke the name of the Redeemer. Do not such fulfilments of prophecy establish the divinity of revelation? LASHAH. Moses, (Gen. x, 19) describing thed limits of the land of Canaan says, that it run southward as far as La- shah. The Chaldee and St. Je- rome think Lashah to be the same as Challirhoe, which lies northward of the Dead Sea, and discharges itself into it. But it is much more natural to understand it of the city of Lashah, Lusa, or Elusa, which was at pretty near an equal ens- tance between the Dead Sea and Red Sea. LASEA, a town on the is- land of Crete. Its exact situa- tion is not known. Carpenter. LEBANON, a celebrated mountain on the north of Pa- lestine, extending from the neighborhood of Sidon west, to the neighborhood of Damascus east, being 150 miles in extent. It consists of two principal chains or ridges; one of which is called Libanus, or Lebanon, the other Anti-Libanus. These ranges proceed in a parallel di- rection, and remarkably resem- ble each other; but which of them is Libanus, and which An- ti-Libanus, geographers have not uniformly agreed. Though men eminent in the science have thought otherwise, I think the southern range on the bor- ders of Palestine, is the Leba- non proper, or Libanus. This is the opinion of those who now inhabit the country.. If this range were not Lebanon, how should Lebanon be so familiar to the Jews, as it evidently was? The mountains of Lebanon have Armenia north, Mesopo- tamia east, the Mediteranean west. They are composed of four rampires, or retreating piles, one above another. The first grade is fruitful; the sec- ond is barren, being covered with rocks, flints, and thorns. The third, notwithstanding its superior elevation, enjoys a LEB LEV perpetual spring, the trees are always green, and the orchards loaded with fruit. The last ascent is uninhabitable, and covered with perpetual snow. Mr. Maundrel, Tacitus, Rad- zeville, Rasewolf, and perhaps some other writers, speak of Lebanon, as though it was always white with snow. Mr. Maundrel says that "the ce- dars grow among the snow." Perhaps he thought so; but bad he always lived in a coun- try of snow, he would have known better. It is true its name denotes white; so we call the highest mountains of New- England the White Hills; be- cause they were observed to be longer white with snow than the surrounding country; but no snow is found there except- ing in some shaded chasms, from June to October. They are free from snow, perhaps, four months in common years. Nor can justice be done to Lebanon without remarking, that La Roque says, that the snow of Lebanon begins to melt in April, and is not seen after July, nor is any left but in clifts, where the sun does not shine; he says, "the snow does not fall again till December." Thus the snow is absent from Lebanon, probably, rather long- er than from the highest moun- tains of New Ham pshire. W ith- out this, its prolific vegetation would be incredible and im- possible. LEBONAH, Judges xxi, 19. It is said, that Shiloh lies . northward of Bethel, and south- ward of Lebonah. Maundrel takes it to be a place called Chan Leban, four leagues from Sichem, southward, and two leagues from Bethel. LEGIO, though not men- tioned in scripture, it is fre- quently referred to in this work, and it is, therefore, of use to know its situation. It was a town of Palestine, which lay at the foot of mount Carmel, fifteen miles west from Naza- reth. It is supposed that the place is now called Legune. It was celebrated in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, and was the station of a Roman legion, to defend the passage from Ptolemais to Cassarea. LEVI, the third son of Ja- cob. This tribe, for refusing to worship the golden calf ob- tained the priesthood, which had been given to the oldest sons. Many excellent persons were of this tribe, as Moses, Aaron, Phinens, Heli, Samuel, Zacharias, John, and others. When they entered the wilder- derness their men were 22,300. To them were assigned 48 cities in the other tribes. I add a circumstance seriously LEV LIB mentioned by Dr. Wells. "A- mong the Levitical cities, thir- teen were assigned to the chil- dren of Aaron. All Levites were not priests; the priest- hood belonged to the house of Aaron, and concerning the thir- teen cities for the priests, it is worthy of notice that they all fell, one excepted, in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This providence in so ordering the lot, is not so noticeable on ac- count of the vicinity of Jerusa- lem to these tribes, where the priests were obliged to attend the solemnities of their religion, as in its being a provision a- gainst the revolt of the ten tribes in subsequent ages. Had the cities of the priests been situated in the tribes which re- volted, doubtless the kings of those revolted tribes would have forbidden the priests to go to Jerusalem, and the Jew- ish dispensation would have terminated before "the fulness of time" was come. We may believe that the all wise God did so order the lots of the thir- teen cities of the priests, that twelve of them fell within the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which adhered to the house of David. The other, it is prob- able, was on the border of Ju- dah, so as to receive no dis- turbance from its own govern- ment. It seems probable from scripture, that though ten tribes x generally revolted from David, yet we need not suppose that every individual village or town was immediately at the disposal of the insurgents, the kings of Israel. Accordingly we find, 1 Chron. vi, 57 — 60, that Ashan, the sacerdotal city, which was in the tribe of Sime- on, is reckoned in the tribe of Judah. LIBNAH, one of the en- campments of Israel in the wil- derness, Numb, xxxiii, 20. Libnah, a city in the tribe of Asher. Probably so called from the whiteness of the soil, as its name imports. L i b n a h , a city in the sou th- ern part of the tribe of Judah, about 12 or 16 miles south- west from Jerusalem, Josh, xv, 42, of which a cession was made to the priests for their habitations, and which was de- clared a city of refuge, 1 Chr. vi, 57. Kusebius and St. Je-. rotne say, that it was in the canton of Eleutheropolis; and that it was a village in the fourth century. This was once a strong city on the fron- tier towards Edom. In a neigh- boring plain 185,000 men of Sennacharib's army were de- stroyed in one night, probabl * by the Simoom, or fiery v\ ind of the desert, which is common, and often fatal to people, who LUU LYB are abroad; or, as the Hebrews express ir, by an [angel of the Lord. Topographical Dic- tionary. LIBIA, or Libia. See Iiybia LOD, otherwise Lydda, or Diospolis. See Lydda. LODEBAR, was probably beyond Jordan, and in the half tribe of Manasseh, and not far from Mahanaim; or a city of mount Gilead. Lat. 32, 17. LUBIMS, a people of Afri- ca, inhabiting the country near Egypt. The name is derived from a Hebrew root, which signifies to thirst, which very expressively describes Lybia, a sandy, thirsty land. See Lybia. LUDIM, a people frequent- ly mentioned in scripture. Bochart thinks that they were Abyssinians. In Isaiah lxvi, 19, Lud is associated with Pul or Phiil, and described as a na- tion, who draw the bow, also inJer. xlvi, 19. In Ezek. xxx, 5, it is in our translation taken for Lydia, being, however, mentioned with the mingled people or Abyssinians. It seems to.be plainly situate in Africa; but there were prob- ably two countries of this name. LUHITH, a place or can- ton in the Moabite country. Isaiah xv, b, andjer. xlviii, 5. Eusebius and St. Jerome say that Luhith is situated between the cities of Ar and Zoar, and consequent}) to the cast of the Dead Sea. In Lhe opinion of others, it was a mountain. From the passage in Jeremiah, it was evidently an elevated situation, but whether a hill, or a town on a hiil, it does not appear; but being associated with other places, which were towns, it probably was a town. Lat. 31, 35. LUZ, a city appropriated to the sons of Joseph, three miles from Sichem. Josh, xvi, 2; but Sanson says, this city was beyond the limits of Judea and probably in Macedonia. Luz, the ancient name of Bethel, Gen. xxviii, 19. See tfethel. Luz, a city in Arabia IV- trea. LYBIA, or Libya, was a province of Egypt, which in. the opinion of Calmet, was peopled by the descendants of Lehabim, the son of Mizraim. This province reached from Alexandria, as far as Cyrerle, and perhaps farther. Nahum iii, 9, or Libya, Jer. xlvi, 0. Some Jews, who came from Lybia to Jerusalem, were con- verted by the remarkable ser- mon of Peter on the day of Pentecost, and on their return probably gathered churches in their own country; but for LYC LYD more than a thousand years they have hardly had any ex- istence. This is now one of the most miserable countries in the world; it is chiefly a re- gion of sand and desolation in- habited by a few wandering Arabs, who plunder all they meet. The caravans of Africa take a circuitous rout to avoid these people. This country is now called Barca, and is separat- ed from Tripoli by the gulf of Sidra. It is characterized by its name, the desart of whirlwinds. Here once stood the temple of Jupiter Ammon. Lat. 29. LYCAONI A, a province of Asia Minor, which makes part of Cappadocia, having Galatia to the north, Pisidia to the south, Cappadocia to the east, and Phrygia to the west. St, Paul preached in Lycaonia in the cities of Iconium and Lys- tra. Paul and Barnabas plant- ed churches here, which were supported, till the country was subjugated by the Saracens. Lat. 59. LYC I A, a province of Asia Minor, having the province of Asia, properly so called, to the north, the Mediterranean to the south, and Paraphilia to the east. St. Paul, Actsxxvii,5, entered on board a ship at the port of Myra in Lycia, when he went to Rome, in order to ap- pear before Nero. Myria was the capital city of this province, it had anciently 23 cities, and several large towns. The Ly- cians were a colony from Crete, and were celebrated for their justice and equity in more an- cient times; but for sixty years before the birth of Jesus Christ, many of them on the sea coast devoted themselves to piracy. In Lycia was the mountain Chimera, a volcano six miles from the sea. Lat. 38. LYDDA, in Hebrew Lud, or Lod, by the Greeks and Latins called Lydda of Diospo- lis, lay in the way from Jeru- salem to Cassarea Philippi, four or five leagues to the east of Joppa, and about eleven from Jerusalem. Lydda belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. On the 12th of January, 1801, says Dr. Wittman, as we approach- ed the town of Lydda, we saw the Arab inhabitants busily em- ployed in sowing their barley. The soil of these fine and exten- sive plains is a rich and black mould, which with proper care and industry might be rendered extremely fertile. After the destruction of Je- rusalem, the Jews set up sever- al academies in different parts of the country, one was at Lyd- da, which produced many cel- ebrated Doctors. Lydda is by the Greeks, called Diospo- lis, or the city of Jupiter, pi oh LYD LYD ably because a temple in this city was dedicated to Jupiter. Since the Crusades, the Chris- tians have called the place St. George; because here that saint suffered martyrdom. Here the emperor Justinian erected a church. Another traveller says, that Lydda is situated in a plain, about a league north from Rama. It is so entirely ruined, as to be only a miser- able village, noticeable only lor a market held once in a week. The traders resort here to sell cottons and other com- modities. This ruined place was once, according to Jose- phus, equal to a great city. The Jews had a proverb that, the women of Lydda would knead their dough, go up to the temple at Jerusalem, offer their prayers, and return home, before it was leavened, imply- ing that they so arranged their household affairs and religious services, that they did not in- terfere with each other. Lat. 32, 6. LYDIA, a province of Asia Minor, peopled by the sons of Lud. There is mention of this country under the name of Lydia, only in the first book of the Maccabees viii, 8; Isaiah lxvi, 19 mentions it under the name of Lud, which perhaps may be spoken of the country of the same name in Egypt. Lydia was situated to the east of Ionia, south of Mysia, west of the great Phrygia, and north of Caria, between 37 and 39 of north latitude; but in the more flourishing times of their last kings Croesus and Alyattes, the territory was much more extensive. The principal cit- ies were Sandis, Philadelphia, Thyatira, Manesia, he. The Lydian kings were of three dynasties, all of whom togeth- er must have reigned about 6 or 700 years. After the country had been overrun by the Gomedians, or Cimmeri- ans, about Anno Mundi 3368, and after Croesus had extended his empire over the country, from the iEgean sea to the river Halys, Cyrus conquered Lydia. Since this, it has suc- cessively been the prey of the Greeks, Romans, Saracens, and Turks. Anciently, the Lydians were a remarkably wicked race of people; the women, it is said, earned their marriage portion by prostitu- tion, and after their subjugation, they gave themselves up to idleness and effeminacy. The gospel, however, was early in- troduced here, and some ves- tiges of Christianity remain to this day. Their music was soft and effeminate. Lydia, in Egypt is a prov- ince of that country peopled by MAC MAC Ludim, the son of Mizraim. Of this province the sacred authors speak frequently. See Jer. xlvi, 9; and Ezek. xxvii — xxxv. The situation and ex- tent of this Lydia, is not dis* tinctly known. See Ludim. Lat. 37, 30. LYSTRA, a city of Lycao- nia, of which Timothy was a native. Lat. 39, 15. MAACHATH, a city of the Amorites on the Jordan, near mount Hermon, Josh, xii, 5. It was situated in Naphtali. MAACAH, Maachah, or Beth-Maacha, a little prov- ince of Syria, to the east and north of the sources of the riv- er Jordan, upon the road to Damascus. MAARATH, a city of Ca- naan in the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 59. MACEDONIA, a large province of Greece, bounded on the north by the mountain of Hemus, on the south by Epirus and Achaia, on the east by the iEgean sea, and on the west by the Aonian and Adri- atic seas. Its ancient name was Emmathia; but from the kings of Macedon, it was after- wards called Macedonia, and became famous, being the third kingdom, which, under Alexander the great, obtained the empire of the world, and had no less than a hundred and fifty nations under its com- mand. Whitby. F. Calmet thinks, that Macedonia was peopled by Kittim. the son of Javan, and that, as often as Kittim, or Chittim is mentioned in the Hebrew text, Macedonia is to be understood. See Chittim. This country submitted to Rome about A. M. 3856; after being subject to the Romans nearly 1,600 years, it fell under the yoke of the Ottoman Turks, who still sway their fa- tal sceptre over this country. Some of its chief cities were Thessalonica,Amphipolis,Phil- ippi, Berea, and Polla. St. Paul was invited by the angel of this province, who appeared to him at Troas, to come and preach the gospel in Macedo- nia. Lat. 41. MACH AERUS, or Mache- ronte, a city and port east of Jordan, in the tribe of Reuben, north and east of lake Asphal- tites, about two or three leagues from the river, and not far from its mouth. Here John the Baptist was put in prison, and beheaded by order of Herod. Josephus. Lat. 31, 27. MACHPELAH, or Mac- pel a, the name of the plain in which the cave was situate, which Abraham bought of Ephron; it lay near to Hebron, and is the first piece of land MAG MAG mentioned in history, as sold or bought. In the cave here, Abraham and the other patri- archs with their wives were buried. Hence it is a great resort of pilgrims. A church built over the cave or tomb is now turned into a mosque, in- to which neither Jews nor Christians are allowed to enter; but are permitted to look through certain holes made in the walls. Here, says a trav- eller, "We Christians said our prayers in the best manner we were able. The Jews also at- tended with great assiduity, and poured out divers odoriferous things, and burned perfumes, and wax candles." M deValle. MaDMANNAH, or Me- demene, a city belonging to Simeon, Josh, xv, 31. It was first given to Judah. Eusebius places it towards Gaza. See Isaiah x, 31. It was deserted by its people for fear of the Assyrians. MADON, a city of the land of Canaan. Calmet believes the true reading to be M.iron, instead of Madon, and we know of a place called Maro- nia in Syria, about, thirty miles from Antioch, to the north of mount Libanus. Madon or Maron, is read in the Hebrew of Joshua xii, 19. MAGDALA. Where this city was is uncertain. St. Mark 35 says, that Jesus Christ came to Dalmanutha. St. Matthew says he went to Mageda; the Greek of Matthew is Magdala. The Syriac, Arabic, and several an-r cient Greek manuscripts read Magdan. The question is where was Magdan, or Dalma? nutha? Bochart thought Ma- gedan or Medan was a source of the Jordan, called Dan, at the foot of Lebanon. Here, invited by the pleasantness off the situation, and the conven- ience of traffic, great numbers of Arabs, Saracens, and Par- thians settled and kept a fair, for which reason it was called Medan, in Arabic, the fair, Hegesippus calls this place Melda or Meldan, which he interprets a fair or market. Of Meldan, says Calmet, may be made Delmana, or Del ma- nata, or Delmanu ha. Thus Medan, Magedan, Delm.ma, and Delmanutha, will be the same. Eusebius and Jerome place M .geclm near to Gerasa, eas> of the Jordan, and say that this district is still called Mag- adene. Others prefer reading Magdala, and place it in the vicinity of Gadar a and Tiberias, east from the lake of Gcnesa- reth, ai d suppose Dalmanutha to be ne r the city of Magdala; but considering the circum- stances of 'he fair, which was held near Phiaia, or the head MAK MAL of the Jordan, we prefer the opinion, which places Dalma- nutha, or Magdala in that situ- ation. Dr. Wells says that the place to which our Savior came lay between, or in the neighborhood of, Magdala and Dalmanutha, and that these were seated on the eastern side of the sea. Hammond and some others think that St. Mark intended to speak of Megiddo. Still I think the place was near the source of the Jordan. Lat. 28, 25. MAGED, or Mageth, a city beyond Jordan, which was taken by Judas Maccabeus, 1 Mace, v, 3Q. It is called Ma- ked in the Greek, and is prob- ably the same as Maachah. MAGOG. See Go?. M AH AN AIM,orM a naim, a city of the Levites, which belonged to the family of Me- rari, in the tribe of Gad, upon the brook Jabbok, Josh, xxi, 38; xiii, 26. It was on the border of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, east of the Jordan. Wells. Lat. 32, 21. MAHANE-DAN, or the camp of Dan, a place near Kir- jathjearim, where the six hun- dred Danites encamped on their way to Laish, Judg. xviii, 12. MAKAZ, a city, thought to belong to the tribe of Dan, 1 Kings iv, 9. Supposed to be the same as Maktesh, or En-Hakkore, Judges xv, IS. MAKELOTH," one of the encampments of the Israelites, during their journey in the desart, Num. xxxii, 25. MAKKEDAH, a city be- longing to the tribe of Judab, Josh, xv, 41. Eusebius says, that this city is eight miles from Eleutheropolis, towards the east. It was two miles east from Libnah, and 12 or 14 west from Jerusalem. Near the town we may suppose was the cave, where the five kings, who had fled before Joshua, hid themselves, whom he, after the battle, put to death. I hare just mentioned Eleutheropolis, and it is often mentioned thus incidentally, in this volume, though it is not found in scrip- ture, being of more modern origin. It is mentioned, be- cause Eusebius and Jerome reckon the distances of many places in Palestine from this city. It stood in the tribe of Judah. MAKTESH, a street in Je- rusalem, probably distinguish- ed for its commerce; its mer- chants had reason to mourn, when the city was invaded by the Chaldeans, Zeph. i, 11. MALATHA, a castle in Idumea, to which the younger Agrippa retired, after he had at Rome squandered his estate. We think Malatha may be the MAM MAO ikhcloth of Num. xxxiii, 25, 26. Eusebi us speaks of Mala- tha, and by comparing the passages in which it is men- tioned, it appears that this city was in the south of Jitdah, a- bout twenty miles from He- bron, < MALLOS, a city of Cilicia, situated upon the river Py ra- mus, the inhabitants revolted from Antiochus Epiphanes, because he had given this with the city of Tarsus, to one of his mistresses named Antio- chis, 2 Mace, iv, 30. MAMRE, plain of a fertile plain, near Hebron in Palestine. In this place Abraham dwelt, "building there an altar unto the Lord'," Gen. xviii, 18. The name of this plain was doubt- less derived from that Mamre, who went with Abraham in pursuit of Chedorlaomer, and to rescue Lot, who was prob- ably the owner of this plain, and from whom probably He- bron was sometimes called Mamre. This plain was doubt- less often called the vale of He- bron. We are told that it lay two miles south from the city. On this plain was the celebrated oak or pine tree under which Abraham entertained three an- gels. Constantine forbid the superstitious worship perform- ed here, and built a church on the place. A respectable his- torian, Sozomcn, says that this tree was standing in the fourth century, highly honored by pil- grimages and annual feasts. Near it, he says, was Abra- ham's well) much resorted to by heathen and Christians. MANASSEH was separat- ed in the land of Canaan. One half the tribe was settled in Galilee, north of Gad, in a wide region extending 70 miles from north to south, and from the sea to the Jordan. The other' half tribe were placed in the north-east corner of Canaan, having the tribe of Gad south, the sea of Galilee and the Jor- dan west, the mountains of Hermon, Bashan, and Gilead westerly. Gideon, Jephthah, and Elijah were of this tribe. When David was crowned king, 18,000 men from the western section of Manasseh attended- This tribe enlisted under the banner of Jeroboam. After the captivity, part of this tribe re- turned and dwelt at Jerusalem, 1 Chron. ix, 3. MANDIA, a place near Bethlehem, where Johanan, son of Kareah, overtook Ishmael the murderer of Gedaliah, Jer- emiah xli. MAON, a city of the tribe of Judah, in the most souther- ly parts belonging to the tribe. Josh, xv, 55* See also 1 Sam, xxiii, 24. This city is called MA& Mar Minois in the subscriptions of the Council of Chalcedon. Maon, a name of a wil- derness near Jeshimon, 1 Sam. xxv, 2. Maon, a district in Ara- bia, Judges x, 12. MARAH, or Mara, a word, which signifies bitterness. "When the Israelites came out ofEpjjt, Ex. xv, 23, being arrived in the desert of Etham, where they found the water so bitter, that neither themselves, nor their cattle could drink it. Therefore they gave the name of Marah, or bitterness, to this encampment. They then be- gan to murmur against Moses, saying, what shall we drink? And Moses, praying to the Lord, he showed him a kind of Wood, which being thrown in- to the water, presently made it palatable. This wood was called Alnah. The son of Si- rach seems to think the quality of the wood produced the ef- fect. "The Lord haih created medicines out of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor Mm: Was nut the water made sweet with wood? That the ■virtue thereof might be known." According to the Orientals this wood came from Noah to Moses, by succes- sion, Marah was on the east side of the western arm of the Red Sea, Diodorus, Mr* Shaw, and others, mention springs oi water now in this vicinity, which are bitter. Mr. Nie- buhr says, the pits of Moses are eight miles to the southward of Suez, bearing to the east. Here are now four pits of wa- ter, which are bitter. Egmont and Heyman say, that between Suez and mount Sinai, water issues from the ground, form- ing rivulets, which are so sa- line and sulphureous, as to be exiremely disagreeable. This place Wortley Montague sup- poses to be the Marah of scrip- ture; but it is forty miles south from the place, which Mr. Nie- buhr supposes to be Marah. Mr. Montague says, These waters at the spring are some- what bitter and brackish, and as they run over the sand, which is covered with bituminous salts, formed by the heat of the sun, they increase in saltness and bitterness. Lat. 29, 51. MAPABAH, a city of the tribe of Zcbulon. Josh, xix, 11. This tov\ n was the bound- ary of the tribe. MARESHA, a city of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 44. The prophet Micah, (i,I5) was a native of thib city , which was situated about two roilea from Eleutheropolis. It was near Mare&ha in the valley of Ze- phatah, where tiie famous bat- tle was fought* between Asa MED MED Ling of Jncluh, and Zerah king of Chus, in which Asa obtain- ed such a remarkable victory, 2 Chron. xiv, 10, defeating an army, consisting of a million, whom he pursued to Gerar. In 1 Mace, v, 66, is read Samaria instead of Marcsha. In the latter times of the Jewish commonwealth, this place be- longed to Idumea, as did sev- eral other southern cities of Judea. Maresha was settled by Jews and their allies in the time of John Hyrcanus. King Alexander Jannaeus took it from the Arabians. Pompey restored it to the first inhabit- ants. Gabinus rebuilt it, but finally the Parthians destroyed it in the war' of xXntigonus, a- gainst Herod. Josephus calls it a powerful citv. MASREKAH, a city of Idu- mea, Gen. xxxvi, 36. MEARAH, of the Sidoni- am, Josh, xiii, 4, a city pro- bably very near Sidon. Others think it to be a cavern. Mea- rah in Hebrew may signify a tavern. MECHERATH, the place of the nativity of Hepher, one of the vahant men in David's army, 1 Chr. xi, 36. MEDALAH, a city of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 51. MEDEBA, or Medaba, a city of Canaan beyond Jor- dan, in the southern part of Reuben, Josh, xiii, 16. Eu bins says, that Medeba was not far from Heshbon or Chesbon, Isaiah attributes it to Moab, because the Moabites took it from the Israelites. Josephus and some others ascribe it to the Arabians, because the Ara- bians had made themselves masters of it, towards the con- clusion of the Jewish monarchy. The inhabitants of Medeba having killed John Caddis, brother to Judas Maccabeus, Simon and Jonathan his breth- ren, revenged his death upon the children of Jambri, as they were conducting a bride, to the house of a man of quality, her. husband. This place continu- ed some ages after Jesus Christ, and by Ptolemy is called Me*- daia. MEDIA, the country of the Medes, called in Hebrew Ma- dai, and thought to be peopled by the descendants of Madai* son of Japheth, though some writers are of a different opin- ion. The expedition of the Argo- nauts, in which happened tht rape of Media, fell out in the year 2760, about forty years after the taking of Troy: so that there is nothing impossible in the conjecture of the Greeks, of Media's having taken its name from Medus, the son of Jason and Media; nor any thing Meg MEL Contrary to the scripture, which speaks of the Merles from the time of Salmaneser, and often since, in the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Esther, and in the apocryphal writings of Judith and Tobit. The boundaries of Media have not always been the same, as it has taken sometimes a larger and sometimes a smaller extent of country. Ptolemy makes the limits to the north, to be a part of the Caspian sea, the mountains of the same name, •and the Cadurians; to the west, the greater Armenia; to the east the country of the Partis- ans and Hyrcanians; and to the south of Persia, Susiana, and part of Assyria. The capital city of Media was Ecbatana. See Ecbatana. Rages was also in Media, Tobit i, 14, iii, 7',g&b.'afid Sal- maneser made the ten tribes of IsraeL which he carried beyond the Euphrates, to inhabit the cities of Media, 2 Kings, xvii, 6; xviii, 11. MEGIDDO, a city of the tribe of Manasseh, famous for the battle fought there, between Pharoahnecho, and king Josiah, when this last prince was de- feated and mortally wounded, Josiah xvii, 11; Judges i, 27; and 2 Kings xxiii, 29. In Judges v, 19, mention is made of the waters of Megiddo, which doubtless are the brook Kishon. It was a place of re- markable mourning to the peo- ple of Canaan, when Jabin's army was destroyed here, and to the Jews, when their good king Josiah was slain here. It was about 44 miles north from Jerusalem, near the great plain of Esdrelon, and was the scene of many battles, not only of these now mentioned of Pha- roah and Josiah, of Barak and Jabin; but of Gideon and the Midianites, of Saul and the Philistines, of Judas Maccabe- us with Tryphon, and in later ages here was the scene of bloody combats of the Tartars and Saracens. An ancient Geography calls it, the capa- cious field of battles. See Ar- mageddon. MEJARKON,the waters of Jarkon, a city belonging to the tribe of Dan. Josh, xix, 46. MEKONAH, a city of Pal- estine in the tribe of Judah, Nehem. xi, 28, probably the same as Mecanum, which St. Jerome places between Eleu- theropolis and Jerusalem, eight miles from the first. ME LIT A, now called Malta, a famous island in the Mediterranean sea, situated between the 15th and 18th de- grees of east longitude, and be- tween 35 and 36 degrees of north latitude. It is about 19 ME? MER or 20 leagues in length, 9 or 10 in breadth. Its length is from east to west, its breadth froei north to south. Its soil is stony and barren, yet it bears excellent fruit, melons, and cotton. Vast quantities of earfch are brought here, from Sicily, to enrich their rocky soil. The fortifications of Malta are stupendous. All the boasted catacombs of Rome and Naples, are trifles, to the im- mense excavations, the vast ditches here cut out of the sol- id rock. These extend many miles, Lat. 34. MEMPHIS, orNoPH, the ancient capital of Egypt. See JVop/i. About the time of our Savior this city was next to Alexandria, and it continued to be a place of importance till about A. D. 640, when it was utterly destroyed by the Sara- cens. Grand Cairo has since risen in the vicinity. But Memphis, according to the word of prophecy, is swept from the face of the earth, not a wreck or remnant remains. Probably the waters of the Nile cover its foundations. Lat. 29, 45. MELOTHI, a city of Cili- cia, perhaps the same as Mal- los, which see. MEPHAATH, a city of Reuben, yielded to the Levites of the family of Merari, Josh. xiii, 18; and xxi, 37. £us(5« bius says that in his time the Romans kept a garrison here, for the security of the country. MERAM, a place of trade in Arabia; the inhabitants val- ued themselves for their supe- rior understanding, and are classed with the Hagarenes, and the inhabitants of Theman; Baruch iii, 23. MERATHAIM, a prov- ince of Chaldea, lying on each side of the Tigris; it seems that Pekod, Koa, and Shoa were places in the vicinity. Pekod was near Nineveh, Jer. i, 21; and Ezekiel xxiii, 23. MEROM. The waters of Merom, at which place Jabin and the other confederate kings met to fight Joshua, are gener- ally supposed by the learned, to be the lake Semechon, which lies between the head of the river Jordan and the lake Genesareth; since it is agreed on all hands that the city Ha- zor, where Jabin reigned, was situated on this lake. But others think that the waters of Merom, or Merome, were somewhere about the brook Kishon, since there is a place of that name mentioned, in the account of the battle against Sisera, Judges v, 21. And it is more rational to think, that the confederate kings advanced as far as the MES MES brook Kishon, and to a pass which led into the country, to hinder Joshua from penetrating it, or even to attack him in the country where he himself lay encamped, than to imagine that they waited for him in the midst of their own country;. leaving all Galilee at his mer- cy, and the whole tract from the brook Kishon to the lake Seme- chon. Wells. MEROR, a place in the neighborhood of the brook Kishon, supposed to be a city of Galilee, whose inhabitants refusing to come to the assis- tance of their brethren, when they fought with Sisera, were put under an anathema. Judges v 23. ' MESALOTH, a town of Judea, 1 Maccabees ix, 2. MESHA.ctMessa. Mos- es says, Gen. x, 30, that the children of Joktan inhabited the country from Mesha, as thou goest into Sephar, a mountain of the east. The sons of Jok- tan possessed the whole coun- try, between mount Masino, and the mountains of Sephar, or Sepharaim. Calmefs Diet. Sanson places this town in Arabia Felix. Lat 15, 30. MESOBAH, the name of a place, mentioned 1 Chron. xi, 47 » MESOPOTAMIA, a Fa- mous province, situated be- tween the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The Hebrews call it Padan-aratrijGen. xxviii, 2, &c. and Aram- JVaharaim, (title of Pb. 60,) or Aram of the two rivers, because it was first peopled by Aram, father of the Syrians, and is situated between the two rivers, already mentioned. This country is much celebrated in scripture. Babylon was in Mesopotamia, till by vast labor and industry, the two rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates were united in- to one channel. The plains of Shinar were in the same coun- try. Often they gave it the name of Mesopotamia, Deut. xxiii, 4, &c. and sometimes that of Syria, Hosea xii, 12. Balaam son of Beor was of Mesopotamia, Deut. xxiii, 4. Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, kept the He- brews in subjection some time after the death of Joshua, Judg. iii, 8. Beside this country, com-" monly called Mesopotamia, in Greek, Padanaram and Aram-Naharaim in Hebrew, or Syria of the two rivers; some mention another, which was in Syria, between the rivers Mar- syas, and Orontes. This opin- ion is founded upon what fol- lows. Firs i, the term Meso- potamia signifies simply a coun- try between two rivers; so tint MES MIC this name may be given to any country, that has such a situation. Secondly, the title of Psalm lx, intimates, that David burnt Mesopotamia of Syria, and Syria of Zobah. But it is known that David did not make war with the king of Zobah, but to enlarge his conquests, as far as the Euphrates, and that Syria of Zobah was beyond this river. Thirdly, the book of Judith ii, 24, says that Holofornes went over the Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia; and destroyed all the hi°;h cities. Certain it is that this general came out of Assyria. Mesopo- tamia properly so called, was in subjection to Nebuchadnez- zar his master. He therefore passed over the Euphrates, to come into the Mesopotamia of Syria, of which we are speaking, very different from that known to the Greeks and Latins, which was between the Tigris and Euphrates. Mesopotamia was subdued by the Assyrians and Chalde- ans. After this it was succes- sively subjugated by the Per- sians, then by the Greeks, by the Romans, the Parthians, the Saracens, Seljukian Turks, Tartars, Turkmans, and finally the Ottoman Turks. Perhaps no portion of the earth has been more frequently drowned in 34 human blood, than this fair country. Anciently it con- tained twenty cities on the east bank of the Euphrates, four- teen on the west bank of the Tigris, and thirty-five in the intervening country. At pres- ent, though Chaldea be added, this country contains no distin- guished places except Karamet, Rakka, Monsul, Orfa, Nisibis, Bir, Gezir, Amad, and Kornah, with a very few others. Af- ter Cyrus gave the Jews liberty to return to Jerusalem great numbers chose to remain here. Many of them came, to Jerusa- lem, and heard Peter's sermon at Pentecost; they carried the knowledge of the gospel to their adopted country, nor has it yet been wholly extirpated there. See East. METHEY-AMMAH, was either Gath, or some other city near it, by which as a bridle of bondage, the Philis- tines kept the Jews in that neighborhood in a state of sla- very. David took this town from them, after they had holden it long, 2 Sam. viii. MICHMASH. Eusebius says that Mich mash in his time, was a considerable place, about three leagues from Jerusalem, towards Rama. Michmash was to the east of Bethaven, 1 Sam. xhi, 5. Near to this place was a lofty ledge of MID MID rocks, two of them, Seneh and Bozez faced Michmash and Gibeah, the one north, the other south. Jonathan and his armor bearer ascended one of these, and routed the garrison. MIDDIN, a city in'the tribe of Judah, Joshua xv, 61. MIDIAN, a country of Arabia on the east shore of the Red Sea, near its northern point. Into this country Mos- es fled from Egypt and marri- ed Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro. This people were fill- ed with terror, when they heard that Israel had passed through the sea on dry land. When the law was given on Sinai, the shaking of the moun- tain affected their country. "The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble." They were alarmed at the tremen- dous scene. These Midianites were probably descended from Cush, because the wife of Moses though a^Midianite, is also called a Cushite. At Midian may be seen the famous well, where Moses watered the flock of Schoaib, for this is the name, which the Mahometans give to Jethro. It seems, that the Orientals knew no other Midianites, but these on the Red Sea; but scripture evidently mentions another tribe or colony. It is apposed that these Arabians descended from Midian a son of Abraham by Keturah; their capital city was near mount Horeb. Kimpton. Midian, a country of Ca- naan lying on the east of the Salt Sea and south from Moab. The capital city was called Midian; is remains were to be seen in the time of Jerome and Eusebius, lying on the river Arnon, south from the city of Ar. They were very early a commercial people, and traded to Egypt in spices, balm, &c. some of them were concerned in buying Joseph, and selling him in Egypt. Some of the Elders from Midian attended those of Moab to bring Balaam, who was of this country to curse Israel. At the advice of this wicked man, a multitude of women from Midian, poured themselves into the camp of Israel on their north border, and enticed the men to uncleanness and idolatry. This sin brought a judgment on Israel, and twen- ty-four thousand of them were immediately destroyed. To punish Midian also, God di- rected Moses to send twelve thousand troops into the coun- try of Midian, and destroy all they could find, virgins ex- cepted. The Hebrews march- ed, and five kings of Midian were slain. Balaam, who was the occasion of all this mischief. MID MIC was among the victims de- stroyed. Their cities were burned, and nearly a million of their sheep, asses, and cattle were carried off; with thirty -two thousand virgins- In subse- quent|ages the Midianites recov- ered their strength, and for sev- eral years oppressed the He- brews; but they were finally routed in a wonderful manner by Gideon, and their kings, Oreb, Zub,Zebah, andZalmin- nah, with one hundred thirty- five thousand of the^ people, slain by the sword. They are now incorporated with the Ara- bians. Voltaire repeatedly suggests the improbability, that thirty-two thousand young women should be found in so small a country. It was twenty- four miles in length, and near- ly the same in breadth, which would amount to about248,000 acres. The young women would probably amount to about one fourth of the popu- lation, making the whole 128,000 souls. When Rome did not extend more than eight leagues in length and breadth, it supported more than 200,000 persons. fLivy.J For 400 years after the building of Rome each planter was allow- ed but two acres to support himself and family. Four acres constituted the whole estate of the celebrated Quintius Cincin- natus. But the territory (4* Midian, in a country much more fertile, than thai of Rome, and in a more delicious climate, would furnish every family of six persons with ir^c than eleven acres. Thus the Ljafv- ils of Voltaire are as weak as they are wicked. See letters of certain Jews to M. Voltaire. MIGDAL-FL, a city of Ju- dea, of the tribe of Naphtali, Josh, xix, 38. This word sig- nifies the tower of God. It was probably a strong hold on a rock, or on the top of a peak, ridge, or hill. MIGDAL-GAD, a citv of Palestine, of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 37. This name sig nifies the tower of Gad. MIGDOL. Moses says, that when the Iraelites came out of Egypt, Exod. xiv, 2, the Lord commanded them to encamp over against Pihahir^th; be- tween Migdol and the sea, over against Baal Zephon. It i s not known whether this Migdol was a city or only a tower. Tint itinerary of Antoninus has Mag- dolum, at about twelve miles from Pelusium. According to the description of Moses this place must have been near the north-west point of the Red Sea, and not far from Sin. It lay, therefore, on the extreme part of Egypt. The ravage o\ Egypt, therefore* froni Mir;- MIL MIL dpi to Syene, imported a des- truction of the whole country, Ezek. xxix, 10. Some have supposed it a hill, now called Kouabi. Lat. 28, 25. MIGRON, a village near Gibeah. Saul with six hun- dred men retreated into the cave of Remnon, in the neighbor- hood of Migron, 1 Sam. xiv, 2. MILETUS, a town on the continent in Asia Minor, and in the province of Caria, now called by the Turks Melas, and not far distant from it, is the true Meander, which though it encircles all the plain, through which it runs with many wan- ton mazes, and innumerable windings, yet in some places goes with such a current, as stirs up the earth and gravel from the bottom, which makes its waters not so clear and crys- talline, as might be expected. Whitby and JFells. St. Paul going from Corinth to Jerusalem passed by Miletus, and as he went by sea, and could not take Ephesus in his way, he caused the bishops and priests of the church of Ephesus to come to Miletus, Acts xx, 15, &.c. which was about twelve leagues from them. The town stands near the shore; and the people very early applied them- selves to navigation, and planted no less than eighty colonies a- broad, or as Seneca savs, three hundred and eighty. It was the only town that made much resistance to Alexander. This people being powerful and rich, abandoned themselves to luxu- ry, and lost their power, and opulence4. This place was once famous for an oracle of Apollo Did) mus. The temple having been destroyed by Xerxes, the Milesians erected another edi- fice, which on account of its extent, had no roof, and a sa- cred grove was planted within its walls. Dr. Chandler in- forms us, that Miletus is at present a mean place; the prin- cipal monument of its ancient magnificence is a theatre in ru- ins, four hundred and fifty-seven feet long, the external face be- ing marble. The whole scite of the town is covered with rub- bish, and overrun with thickets. The vestiges of the heathen city are pieces of the wall, broken arches, a square marble urn, scattered pedestals, and numer- ous wells. One of the pedes- tals supported a statue of the emperor Adrian, and another the emperor Severus, and has a long inscription with this cu- rious preamble, "The Senate and people of the city of the Mi- lesians, the first settled in Ionia, and the mother of many and great cities, both in Pontus, and Egypt, and various other parts of the world." MIL MIS From the number of forsaken mosques among the ruins, it is evident that once Mahome- tan ism flourished at Miletus. This whole region has under- gone frequent ravages by the Turks. One of their sultans in 1175, sent twenty thousand men witi1 orders to lay waste the i\ ■ . ... provinces, and bring him sea- svater, and, and an oar. Ah th< cities on the Meander and on tiie coast were ruined. Again, lear the close of the thirteenth century, Miletus was again dot. oyed by the victori- ous Qtfnnan. The power of Miletus was once extensive and illustrious. The Euxine, the Propontis, Egypt, and other countries, were visited by her navfes, arid settled by her col- onies. At present here are only a few shepherd's cottages. Lat. 37, 35. Long. 27, 53'. Sir Geo. IVheeler. St. Paul is thought by some to refer to this place, when he says, "Trophinus have I left at Miletus sick," because when he visited Miletus on the con- tinent, Trophinus went with him to Jerusalem, and St. Paul did not return to that Miletus', 2 Tim. iv, 20; Acts xx, 17. This was the mother town of Miletus in Caria, to which place a colony was led by Sarpedon, the brother of Minos. MILLO. This Hebrew word signifies filled up; and thus they called a very deep valley, which was between the old city of Jebus, or" Jerusab n and the city of David, built up in mount Zion, 1 Kings ix. 15, and 1 Chr xi, 8. David and Solo- mon caused this valley to be filled up, and made there a place for the people t>. issemble. Sol- omon also took a part of it, to build a palace for his queen, the daughter of Pharaoh. Millo, a city of Canaan, near to Shechem, The citizens of these two places made Abi- milech son of Gideon king, Judges ix, 6. But some sup- posed that Millo was an inhab- itant of Shechem; because they find no city called Millo. MINNI, or Merni. Jere- miah invites the kings of Minni, Ararat, and Ashkenaz to carry on a war against Babylon. Min- ni is thought *o have been the same as Minias, a province of Armenia. Perhaps Armenia took its name from Aram and Minni, i. e. Syria of Minni or Minias, mentioned by Nicholas of Damascus. MINNITH, a city beyond Jordan, four miles from Hesh- bon, in Arabia Petrea, upon the road to Philadelphia, as Eu- sebius relates- MISHEAL, a city of Cana- an, ol the tribe of Asher, Josh, xix, 26. Eusebius says it is near mount Carmel, upon the sea coast. MIT MIZ MISPH AT,a fountain, which is also called Kadesh, Gen. xiv, 7. Here Moses and|Aa- ron were judged. Grotius thinks the place was so called, because, here was a place of judgment, or the seat of a court for the neighborhood. MITYLENE, capital of the island of Lesbos, through which Si. Paul passed, as he went from Corinth to Jerusalem. Acts xx, 14. This town is on the east side of the island upon a peninsula, which has a good harbor on each side. The place has become so noted as to give its name to the whole island, which is now called Metelin. The isle is seven miles from the main land of Troas, and is one of the largest in the archi- pelago, on which account it is thought worthy a fortress, and the defence of. the Ottoman sword. The place has been fa- mous for giving birth to several illustrious men, as Pittacus, the wise Grecian, Theophanes, the historian, Alceus the poet, and Diophenes, the rhetorician. In the 5th and to the 8th century, we find Christian churches here. The island has been celebrated for its power, and learning. Apollo was their chief deity. The city is now the principal dock -yard of the Turkish em- pire. At present their chief commerce consists in grain, fruit, wine, butter, cheese, and pitch. The people are poor, and the houses mean. In the whole island, which is 140 miles in circuit, are 10,000 Turks and 20,000 Christians. MIZAR, a small hill, not far from Zoar, once a place of re- sort for David, and where pro- bably, he experienced some peculiar manifestations of Di- vine goodness, Psalm xlii, 6. MIZPAH, or Mispeh, a city of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 38, to the south of Jerusalem and the north of Hebron, or Eleutheropolis, a- bout six leagues from Jeru- salem. Calmet takes this to be the same with Mizpeh of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, 26; 1 Sam. vii, 5 — 7, which was a place of prayer and devotion, where the Hebrews often as- sembled: see 1 Kings xv, 22; 2 Chron. xvi, 6. Here Sam- uel dwelt; here Saul was a- no inted king. Mizpah, a city in the tribe of Gad, and in the mountains of Gilead. It was in this place that Laban and Jacob made a covenant together, Gen. xxxi, 49. This city is ascribed to Moab, 1 Sam. xxii, 3, because the Moabites conquered it. Mizpah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, [26. The name imports a watch tower, or a spot commanding an extensive prospect, and it is not strange that in a hilly country, always expos- MOA MOD ed to the inroads of surrounding enemies, there should be many places of this name. Mizpah. Josh, xi, 3, speaks of the Hivites, who inhabited the country of Mizpeh or Miz- pah, at the foot of mount Her- mon, and consequently towards the head of the river Jordan. Mizpah, a city in the tribe of Dan, where Gedaliah ruled the Jews. Kimpton. MIZRAIM, another name for Egypt, which see. MIZREHOTHMAIM, a city mentioned in Josh, xi, 8, and xiii, (5, thought by some to be Sarepta. The name signi- fies burning waters. Writers are agreed in supposing this place was near to Zidon. Some consider the word an appella- tive, implying salt pits or a place constructed for evapor- ating water by means of fire, the remainder when cold, form- ing salt; but the Hebrew com- mentator describes those places as salt pits, where the sea water is admitted into reservoirs, and exhaled by the sun, leaving the salt behind, Josh, xi and xiii. Others by this word, "burnings of waters, "understand it to mean sand dug at this place, and melted by fire to make glass. This opinion is strengthened by finding a plenty of sand suitable for this purpose in this region. To this place, whether a hot bath, as some others be* Heve, a glass house, or salt pit, the troops of Joshua pursued the army of Jabin, Josh, xi, 8. MOAB, a country of Pales- tine on the east side of the Dead Sea, and along the Jordan, upon its respectable branch, the Ar- non. The capital city of the Moabites was situated upon the river Arnon, and was called Ar, Areopolis, or Ariel of Mo- ab, or Rabbath Moab, that is the capital of Moab, or Kir- haresh,that is a city with brick walls. This country was at first possessed by a race of giants called Emims, Deut. ii, 11, 12. The Moabites made a conquest of them, and afterwards the Amorites took it in part from the Moabites, Judges xi, 13. Moses conquered that part be- longing to the Amorites, and gave it to the tribe of Reuben. The Moabites were spared by Moses; for God had forbidden him to molest them, Deut. ii, 9. But there always was a great antipathy between the Moabites and Israelites, which gave occasion for great wars between them. MODIN, a city or town in the tribe of Dan, celebrated for being the dwelling and bury- ing place of Mattathias and his sons, so well known by the name of Maccabees, 1 Mace, ii, 1, 15, and ix, 19. Eusebius says, that Mod in was not far from Diospolis, and that in his MOR MOS time was still to be seen there the tomb of the Maccabees. But Modin is not only famous for the tomb of the Maccabees, but also for the battle that was there successfully fought by an handful of men, under the con- duct of Judas Maccabeus, a- gainst Antiochus Eupator. The city stood on a mountain. Lat. 31, 42. MOLAD AH, a city of Pal- estine of the tribe of Simeon, given first to the tribe of Judah, but afterwards yielded to that of Simeon, Josh, xv, 26, and xix, 2. This place lay in the southern parts of Judah, it was also called Mikheloth. MORASTHI, a town of Judec, east from Eleutheropo- lis, the native place of the prophet Micah, Mic. i, 1. MOREH, a celebrated plain in the land of Canaan, situated between the two hills, Gerizim and Ebal, as may be seen, Deut. xi, 29, 30, where it is said "are they not in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champain over against Gilgal? beside the plain of Moreh." Jacob bequeathed this plain to Joseph as a mark of particular affection, John iv, 5. Here was Jacob's well, and near the plain was the hill Mo- reh, Judg. vii, 1. Jacob bought this field of Hamor the father of Shechem immediately after his return from Padanaram, It was doubtless the first land he ever possessed, as his own. He gave a hundred pieces of money for it, Gen. xxxiii, 19. Concerning the plain of Mo- reh, Mr. Maundrel says, it is a wide field, watered with a fresh stream, rising between it and Sychem, which makes it so exceedingly verdant, and fruit- ful, that it may well be regard* ed as a standing token of the tender affection, of the good pa- triarchJ.tcob,to the best of sons* MORI AH, a mountain in Jerusalem upon which the tem- ple was built by king Solomon, 2 Chron. iii, 1. It is thought that this was the place where Abraham was going to offer up his son Isaac; this supposi- tion is attended with great dif- ficulties. Instead of Moriah, the Samaritans read Moreh, and say that God sent Abra- ham near to Sichem, where Moreh certainly stood, and that it was to mount Gerizim to which Isaac was brought to be sacrificed. Maimonides says, that the place where David built his altar, in the threshing floor of Araunah, was the same where Abraham built his, upon which he bound Isaac. MOSEROTH, one of the encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness being in the neighborhood of Kedesh, and near to mount Hor, where Aaron died, Num. xxxiii, 30, MYS NAB This place is thought to be the same with Hazcroth. MYNDUS,an island in the Icarian sea, 1 Maccabees xv. MYRA, a city of JLycia, where St. Paul embarked on board a vessel of Alexandria in order to go to Rome, Acts xxvii, 5. Whether he found- ed a church, we are uncertain; but from the fourth to the ninth century, when the Saracens seized it, there were bishops in this place. Lat. 36y 40. MYSIA, a province of Asia Minor, bounded by the Propon- tis andBythynia north,by part of Phrygia east, Caria south, and Troas and a part of ihe Egean sea west. St. Paul preached in this country, Acts xvi, 7. From Mysia he went to Tro- as. In this province are the celebrated mountains of Olym- pus and Ida. Olympus, Mr. Tournefcrt calls, "a dreadful chain of mountains " After ascending Olympus for three hours on horseback, he found himself surrounded with snow and fir trees, which forbid the prosecution of his proposed journey to the top, to which it was yet a day's journey. Ida is also a chain oF mountains, and me different summits are distinguished by different names. In these mountains several rivers have their sour- . Lat. 41, N. 35 NAAMAH, a city of the tribe of Judah. Josh, xv, 41, Lat. 31, 51. Naamah or Naamath, a city from whence came Zo«. phar, one of Job's friends, Job ii, 2. Lat. 33, 7. NAARAN, a city of E- phraim, 1 Chron. vii, 28. This place is supposed by some tq be the same as Naarath. NAARATH, a city of the tribe of Ephraim, Josh, xvi, 7? situated according to Eusebi- us, five miles from Jericho* This is, probably, the same as Neara, mentioned by Josephus, and whence they brought wares: to refresh the palm trees of Jer- icho. Lat. 32, 51. NABATPL^EANS, or Na- bathites, the inhabitants o£ Nabathaea, a country of Ara^ bia, extending from the Eu- phrates to the Red Sea, the chief cities of which are Petra,. the capital of Arabia Dcserta, and Medeba. We scarce find any mention of this people in the writings of the Hebrews, before the time of the Macca- bees. During the several wars, that the Jews maintained against the Syrians, and while almost all the other nations, about them were against the He- brews, the Nabathceans alone showed them friendship. 1 Mace, v, 24, 25, &c. They received their name from theft NAI NAP ancestor Nebaiath, a son of Ish- mael, and appear to be one of the most civilized tribes of the Arabians; a part of them em- braced Christianity. NACHON, the name of a place in Judea, 2 Sam. vi, 6, which is called also Chidon in 1 Chroru xiii, 9. NAHALAL, a city of Zeb- ulon, Josh, xix, 15. It was yielded up to the Levites, and given to the family of Merari, Josh, xxi, 35. The children ofZebulondid not make them- selvescomplete masters of it,but permitted the Canaanites to dwell in it. Judg. ir 30. Its sit- uation is not exactly known. NAHALIEL, an encamp- ment of the Israelites in the wilderness. From Mattanah they went to Nahaliel, and thence to Bamoth, Numb, xxi, 19. Eusebius says, that Na- haliel is upon the Arnon, and that Mattanah is beyond the Arnon toward the east, twelve miles from Medeba. Nahaliel signifies, My river is the Lord. Perhaps this was a copious tor- rent; extraordinary things were said to be of God, or of the Lord. Lat. 31, 30. NAHASH, the* name of a city, 1 Chron. iv, 12. NAIN, a city of Palestine, where Jesus Christ restored the widow's son to life. Eusebius says, that this city was in the neighborhoo,d of Endor, and Scythopolis. Elsewhere, he says, that it was two miles from Tabor, towards the south. The brook Kishon ran between Ta- bor anpl Nain. Mr. Maundrel thinks that Nain was near mount Hermon. Nain, a town of Iduraea, where Simon, son of Gioras7 fortified himself. NAIOTH, near Ramah, a place where David withdrew, to avoid the violence of Saul? who sought him to put him to death. Samuel, with the sons of the prophets dwelt at Naioth, 1 Sam. xix, 23. NAPHTALI. This tribe extended into upper and lower Galilee, having Jordan east, and the tribe of Asher west, the mountains of Lebanon north. This tribe did not ex- pel the Canaanites of Bethanah and Bethshemesh, but made them tributary. Being a north- ern frontier, thev were always exposed to foreign invasion, and were the first to be made captive by the king of Assyria. The dying Jacob said, "Naph- tali is a hind let loose; he giv- eth goodly words;" but the Septuagint gives another ex- plication to these words. "Naphtali is a tree that puts forth young branches; the shoots of which are fine," com- mending his fruitfulness, and NAZ NAZ the beauty of his race; accord- ingly, though he had but four sons, yet this tribe when they came from Egypt had 53,400 men able to bear arms; but in the wilderness they were re- duced to 45,400. In their march through the wilderness they encamped on the north side of the tabernacle, between the tribes of Dan and Manas- seh. When Jesus Christ was upon earth he preached more frequently in this tribe and the vicinity, than any where else. XAPHTAHIM. The same remark: may be made concern- ing this name, which I have had occasion to repeat hi the course of this work, tliat it is some- what uncertain whether it de- signates an individual, or a people. That an individual bore this name is notdoubted. He was the fourth son of Miz- raim, Gen. x, 13. But as the termination is plural, it might denote his descendants, who settled in a part of Abyssinia; Napata was the capital city. It has been supposed thatNaph- tahim may be the Neptune of the pagans; he was said to be a Lybian, and his temples were generally on the sea shore. Sanson places this region in Egvpt. Lat. 30, 20. NAZARETH, a little city in the tribe of Zebulon, in lower Galilee, to the west of Tabor, and to the east of Prolemais. Eusebius says, it is fifteen milcrf from Legion, towards the east. This city is much celebrated in the scriptures, for having been the place where Jesus Christ usually resided for the first 33 years of his life, Luke ii, 51. It was there that he lived in obedience to Joseph and Mary, and from whence he took the name of a Nazarene. The house which he inhabited is said still to be pointed out to travellers. After he had be- gun to execute his mission, he preached there, sometimes, in the synagogue, which it is said is also yet standing, Luke iv, 16. But because his country- men had no faith in him, and were offended at the meanness of his original, he did not many miracles there, Matt, xiii, 51, 58, nor would he continue there, but fixed his habitation at Capernaum for the latter part of his life. The city of Naz- areth was situated on an emi- nence. St. Epiphanius says, that in his time, Nazareth was only a small village, and that to the reign of Constantino it was in- habited by Jews alone, exclu- sive of all Christians. Adam- naus, a writer of the seventh age, says, that in his time there were two great churches to be seen at Nazareth, one in the midst of the city built upon two arches, in the place where NA£ bur Savior's house had stood, tinder the two arches now men- tioned, was a very fine fountain, which furnished water to the whole city, and whence water was drawn also, by the help of a pulley, for the use of the church above. The second church of Nazareth was built in a place where the house stood in which the angel Gabriel re- vealed to the Virgin Mary the jnystery of our Lord's incarna- tion, and we are assured that the church of incarnation, which is supported by two arches, is in being to this day. Mr Maundrel tells us, that there is a convent built over what is said to be the place of annunciation. But as to the identity of another object, more durable in its nature, some cOn- 'iidence may be indulged. When Jesus Chri§t preached, Luke iv, 16, to his former sieighbors and friends the doc- trine of God's sovereign provi- dence, they were filled with wrath; they rose up and thrust trim out of the city, and led Mm unto the brow of the hill, on which their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. This hill, they now call the mountain of Precipita- tion. It is a mile and a half from the village; in going to it, •you first cross over the vale, in which Nazareth now stands? from which it appears the place does not now cover all the ground which it once occupied; then going down two or three furlongs, in a narrow cleft be- tween the rocks, you clamber up a short, but difficult way, on the right hand. At the top of this, you find a great stone standing on the brink of the precipice, which is said to be the very spot, whence had he not miraculously escaped, our di- vine Lord would have been thrown down by his enraged neighbors. Nazareth is 90 miles from Jerusalem, and 24 from Acre. D'Arvieux says, that the town is now situated at the foot of a mountain and surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains, leaving a little valley between them full of thistles and pebbles. The town is inhabited only by a few religions of the Holy Land, and by some poor Christians in their service. Both Turks and Christians have a great veneration for this neiehbor- o hood. Volney, who has more re- cently been at the place, says, that Nazareth is an inconsider- able village, one third of whose inhabitants are Mahotnetn the others 'are of the Greek church. The fathers of the Holy Land have an inn here, and a church. In thetirn-: NEB NEP Daher they were obliged to make a present to every wife whom he married, and lie was careful to marry one almost every week. Lat. 32, 42. NEAH, a city in the tribe of Zebulon, Joshua xix, 13. NEAPOLIS, now called JVapoli, a city of Macedonia, whit her St. Paul came after he had left the Isle of Samothracia, Acts xvi, 11. Hence he went to Philippi. From his time Christianity has been supported here, in the sixth and seventh centuries there were bishops in this place. Neapolis, or Naplouse, See Shechem. NEBALHAT, a city of Ca- naan in the tribe of Benjamin. NEBO, a city in the tribe of Reuben, Numbers xxxii, 38. This city being in the neighborhood of the country of Moab, the Moabites became masters of it, and in the time of Jeremiah it was in their pos- session, Jer. xlviii, 1. Nebo was also the name of a city of Juclah. See Ezra ii, 29; and x, 43; it is thought! to have been the village of Nabau, eight miles from Hebron,' to- wards the south, which was forsaken in the time of Euse- bius and St. Jerome. Nebo was likewise a moun- tain beyond Jordan, where >ses died, Dcut. xxxii, 49 . This mountain was near the Jordan, and opposite to Jericho. Lat. 31, 33. NEHELESHCOL, the brook or valley of grapes. This name was given to the place where the spies of Israel gathered the bunch of grapes, which they brought to the camp at Kadesh, on a pole between two men. The Hebrew word nehel, or nachal, denotes either a valley or a brook; this place was south of Canaan. NEIEL, a city in the tribe of Asher, or according to oth- ers in Naphtali, Joshua xix, 27. It is fifteen miles east from Ceesarea, and is situated on a mountain where, they say, are medicinal baths. NEKEB, a city of Palestine, belonging to the tribe of Naph- tali, Joshua xix, 33. Some suppose that this place is cal- led Adam, Joshua xix, 33. The word signifies an opening; a cave or grotto might be known in the place. Names derived from such a circum- stance were common in Pales- tine, where caves were numer- ous. NEPHI, oi-Naphthar, the. name of that place where Ne- hemiah found the muddy wa- ter, which was in the pit, where the holy fire had been hid, 2 Mace, i, 35. Copies vary concerning this word. Hie NIL NEPHTOAH, the name of a fountain in the tribe of Ben- jamin, Josh, xv, 9. Travel- lers are now shown this foun- sain, near vvhieh was a church dedicated to John the baptist. It is believed that Zacharias and Elizabeth lived here, and had their water from this spring, or it might be a city deriving its name from this fountain. Lat. 31, 47. NEPTHATH-DOR, a city in the tribe of Manasseh, called also Dor. NESIB, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 43. NETOPHA, or Neto- phath, a city and country be- tween Bethlehem and Ana- thoth, Ezra ii, 22. We find several persons in scripture that were natives of Netopha. The place was noted for the culture of olives and artichokes. NIBSHAN, a city of Judea, belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 62. NICOPOLIS, a city of Epirus, upon the gulf of Ambracia, where St. Paul passed his winter in the year 64. He sent word to Titus, who was then in Crete, to come to him there, Titus iii, 12. Some are of opinion, that the city of Nicopolis, where St. Paul intended to winter, was not that of Epirus, but that of Thrace, upon the borders of Macedonia, near the river Nes- sus. Lat. 38, 30. Carpenter. Nicopolis, a city of Pal- estine. It has been supposed to be the same as Emmaus, which see, NILE, a river of Egypt, and one of the most celebrated in the world. In scripture it is called Sihor or Shichor, from a Hebrew word, which signi- fies troubled; the water of this river being troubled or turbid. Le Clerc and Calmet suppose it is also called the River of Egypt; Pool is quite of anoth- er opinion. It is sometimes called the River. The sources' of the Nile were so much un- known to the ancients, that the search for them became a prov- erb to express any thing ridic- ulous or impossible. Kings and generals, and the heads of armies, made the attempt, and as often failed. The Ptolemies, the Caesars, the Alexanders, and Neros, were among the unsuccessful adventurers. This honor was reserved for James Bruce, Esq. a gentleman from Scotland, and a most distin- guished traveller. He resided several years at the coast of Abyssinia, and visited the foun- tains of the Nile. These foun- tains rise in a meadow in the district of Geesh. Lat. 11, N. Lon. 36, 55, 50, east from Grea. The Agows, uho re- NU- NIL vide in the vicinity, of these springs pay divine honors to the Nile. Here thousands of cattle have been sacrificed to the spirit of the river. Here the surrounding tribes annually assemble and make their offer- ings to the god of peace. All feuds and animosities are here terminated; the solemn anni- versary cancels all offences. The high priest of the Nile, if we may believe him, often sees and converses with the spirit of the river, who is styled, '"Most high God, Savior of the world, God of peace, father of the universe." To him they direct their prayers. [Bruce.] Still we ought here to remark, that our greatest geographers believe that the source, or head waters of the Nile, are not to be found in Abyssinia; but at least 700 miles to the south-west, among the mountains of the Moon, Gebel el Kumr. It is there call- ed Bahr el Abiad or the White iiver. Mr. Bruce himself ac- knowledges, that the White river "is three times as large" as that branch, which, coming from Abyssinia, he calls the Nile. He also confesses, "thnt were it not for the Abiad, or White river, whose inundations are perpetual, from its enjoy- ing the rains of both rainy sea- sons, the Nile itself would be dry eight months in a year, and at no time would it arrive across the Desert, in so much fulness, as to answer the pur- poses of agriculture in Egypt." The source of the real Nile is then, yet to be discovered. It may reflect some light on the subject, here to remark, that the mouth of the Niger, a great river of Africa, is as much un- known, as the source of the Nile. By recent discoveries, made by Park and Horneman, it has been rendered somewhat probable, that these two are the same stream. "The Niger rises from the chain of moun- tains, denominated the moun- tains of the moon,which proceed across the whole continent a- bout lat.ll,N. Whether theNi- ger falls into lakes in the region of Wangaru, and Ghanu, or whether it is the principal branch of the Nile, has not been absolutely ascertained. A late traveller favors the latter opin- ion, and informs us, that the peopleof Bambarra, on itb banks, have but one opinion on the subject. They declare, and one would suppose their testi- mony might be conclusive, that their people have ac- tuallv descended the Niger to JLgypt. They say, that its banks, between Tambucto and Cairo, are adorned with twelve hundred towns and cities. [See NIL NIL travels of J. G. Jackson.] This accords with the opinion of Ludolph in the seventeenth century. It was also the opin- ion of the ancient Roman and Arabian geographers. Hero- dotus, Pliny, Strabo, and oth- ers, all believed that the Nile and Niger were the same river. This seems to be confirmed by the most recent information from Africa. (See Quarterly Review, 1809.) This hypoth- esis will make the Nile the longest river in the stfobe. Without reckoning its smaller windings, its course must be somewhat more than 4000 miles. The greatest breadth of the river is about 100 rods, the depth of the water is 24 feet, its course is about 3 miles in an hour, and its rise is about 24 feet. Brown's Travels. Soon after the rise of the Abyssinian branch, this river runs through the great lake Dambia, and then makes along circuit towards its source, which it leaves 25 miles to the east, forminga sort of peninsula; after this, it runs through the re- maining part of Abyssinia into Nubia, and then into Egypt, till it arrives at Cairo; a little below which, it divides itself into two ^rcat branches, which, with the Mediterranean sea, form the island called Delta. The an- oients reckoned eleven mouths to the Nile, of which 7 are con- siderable. The country of Egypt, is not overflown, as some writers have asserted. In Upper E- gypt the high banks always prevent the expansion of the water. No part is overflown except the lower part of the Delta; the lands near the river are watered by machines, ai.d where the breadth of the coun- try renders it necessary, canals are cut to lead the water from the river; while two hundred thousand oxen are employed in drawing water from the pits and canals to irrigate their fields, and gardens. Homer, Xenophon, and Di- odorus Siculus testify, that the ancient name of this river was Egyptus; and the latter of these writers says, that it took the name of Nilus, only, since the time of a king of Egypt, cal- led by that name. Josh, xiii, 3, and Jer. ii, 18, call the Nile Sihor; and when the scriptures point out the limits of the land of promise, they often put the river of Egypt for its most southerly hunts, but whether this be the Nile is doubtful. The Greeks gave i.t the name of Melas; and Diodorus Sicu- lus observes, that the most ancient name bv which the Grecians have known the Nile, was Oceanus. The ancient .lb Egyptians paid Divine honors this river, and Called Jupi- Nilosj for which reason ic interpreters think, that Lord sometimes threatens in the prophets to smite the river of Egypt, to dry up, and kill its fishes, as it were to show the Egyptians the vanity of their worship, and the im- potence of their pretended dei- ty. See Isaiah xi, 15; Ezck. ::xix, 34, &c. Often the E- ptians have contentions a- mong one another, village a- inst village, to decide which shall have the first distribution of the waters into cheir canals, and when the overflowing comes to the height, which they desire, they celebrate a great festival all over the coun- try. While the Nile over- flows only to the perpendicu- height of twelve cubits, a famine necessarily follows in Egypt, Dor is the : less certain, should it exceed six- teen cubits, as Pliny says; so that the ju§t height of the in- undation is between twelve and sixteen cubits. The Milome- ter is a pillar erected in the middle ofthe Nile, upon which are marked the degrees, of the ascent of the water. There were several of these in differ- ent places of the Nile. At this d; "•.}■ there is one in the island, where the Nile is divided into 36 two arms, one of which passe.°, to. Cairo and the other to Gi- zah. There has been a great va- riety of opinions, concerning the cause of the overflowing of the Nile. Some have im- puted it to the nitre with which this river is impregnated, and causes its overflowings, by the vehement fermentations, during the violent heat of the sum- mer. But at present it is but little doubted that it is oc- casioned by the great rains, which fall in Ethiopia, in the months of June, July, and Au- gust, which are the winter months in that country. These waters carry along with them, much mud which very much contributes to fatten and en- rich the land, When the wa- ters are withdrawn, the culture of the land is very easy. The 1 is cas<: upon the mud, and with very little tillage it pro- duces in great plenty. NIMRAH, a city of the tribe of Gad, or rather of Reu- ben, situated to the east ofthe Dead Sea. Jer. xlviii, 34, speaks of the city of Nimrim, and its pleasant waters, Isa. xv, 6, also makes mention of the waters of Nimrim. St. Jerome, says, that Nimrim is situated upon the Dead Sea; and its name Nimrim; comes from the bitterness of its waters, which NIN Nusr have contracted this quality since the desolation of the city, as had been denounced by the prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah. The waters of Nimrim were made desolate, when the inhab- itants of the neighborhood, and especially the fishermen, were carried into captivity, by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, Jer. xlviii, 34; Isa. xv, 6. It is however a question whether Nimrim was not a place differ- ent from Nimrah. NINEVEH, the capital city of Assyria, founded by Asher, the son of Shem, Gen. x, 11, or as others read the text, by Nimrod the son of Cush. However this may be, yet it must be owned, that Nineveh was one of the most ancient, the most famous, the most potent and populous cities of the world. Though it is very difficult to assign the exact time of its foundation, it could not be long after the building of Babel. It was situated upon the banks of the Tigris; and in the time of the prophet Jo- nas, who was sent thither un- der Jeroboam the second, king of Israel, and as Calmet thinks, under the reign of Pul, father of Sardanapalus, king of As- syria, Nineveh was a very great city, its circuit being three days journey, Jonah iii, 3. Diodorus Siculus, who has given us the dimensions of it, says it was 480 stades in circumference, or 47 miles; and that it was surrounded with lofty walls and towers; the former being 200 feet in height, and so very broad, that three chariots might drive on them abreast, and the latter 200 feet in height, and 1500 in number; and Strabo allows it to have been much greater than Babylon. Diodo- rus Siculus was, however, cer- tainly mistaken, or rather his transcribers, as the authors of the Universal History suppose, in placing Nineveh on the Eu- phrates, since all historians, as well as geographers, who speak of that city, tell us in express terms, that it stood on the Ti- gris. At the time of Jonah's mission thither, it was so pop- ulous, that it was reckoned to contain more than six score thousand persons, who could not distinguish their right hand from their left, Jonah iv, 11, which is generally explain- plained of young children, that had not yet attained to the use of reason; so that upon this principle it is computed, that the inhabitants of Nintfveh were then above six hundred thou- sand persons. We have said Nineveh was a citv of three davs iournev. "Jonah entered the city a day's journey;" hence it seems, not the circuit, but NIN NUN1 the diameter of the city was three dav's journey. See Wells, Modern travellers say, that the ruins of ancient Nineveh, may still be seen on the eastern banks of the Tigris, opposite to the city Mozul. Profane historians tell us, that Ninus first founded Nineveh. But the scripture assures us, that it was Asher or Nimrod. See Assyria. Nahum and Zcphnniah, fore- told the ruin of this city in a very particular and pathetic manner. The dispute at the present time respecting the scite of this city is a wonderful fulfilment of prophecy. The place of its situation, as the learned Bochart has observed, "is not to be ascertained." Nahum i, 8, "With an over- running flood, he will make an utter end of the place thereof," that is, God will so destroy Nineveh, that the place where it stood shall not be known yi after ages. This construction is confirmed by fact, also by the 3d chapter and 17th verse, "Thy crowned shall be as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in a cold day; but when the sun rises, they flee away, and their place is not known, where they are" is it is rendered in our Bibles; but the last verb nor being expressed in Hebrew, it BUQ better be rendered, as it actu- ally is in the Vulgate, "their place is not known where they have been.'''' This rendering seems more just and signifi- cant. What can be more strik- ing. As when a grasshopper has flown away, you can per- ceive no footsteps, to show where he has been, so Nineveh shall be destroyed and not leave a trace behind to show where it stood. Lucian, a na- tive of the neighborhood, in the second century said, "that Ninus or Nineveh was so ut- terly destroyed, that there re- mained no footsteps of it, nor could one tell so much as where it stood." Must not such historic facts satisfy eve- ry intelligent mind that the Bible is the word of God? Several* prophets had foretold this improbable event; yet the event has taken place. Zepha- niah said, "The Lord will make Nineveh a desolation, dry like a wilderness; desolation shall be in her thresholds." Mod- ern travellers confirm the words of prophecy. Benjamin a Jew, who was there in the 12th cen- tury says, that "Nineveh is laid waste; yet many streets and castles are to be seen. Another traveller who was there in A.D,. 1300 asserts that Nineveh is totally laid waste; but by th<3 NIN NIN ruins it appears to have been the greatest city in the world." In the seventeenth century, The- venot tells us, "Some of its ruins of great extent are to be seen, even to this day." Ta- vernier says that Nineveh is now only a heap of rubbish." "Her ruins are ruined." God has made an utter end of her glory. Modern travellers also describe the climate of this country in unison with the ac- count of Jonah. "When the sun did arise — the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die." In the morn- ing when he expected to be most cool and comiortable, he found the burning sun intoler- able.— It was early in the eve- ning, says colonel Campbell, when the pointed turrets of the city of Mosul opened on our view% and communicated no Very unpleasant sensations to my heart. I found m\ self on Scripture ground, and could not help feeling some portion of the pride of the traveller, when I reflected, that I was within sight [of the place] of Nineveh, renowned in holy writ. Mosul is seated on a very barren, sandy plain, on the banks of the river Tigris, em- bellished with the united gifts of Pomona, Ceres, and Flora. The external view of the town is much in its favor, being en- compassed with stately walls of solid stone, over which the steeples of other lofty buildings are seen with increased effect. But though the outside be so beautiful, the inside is most detestable; the heat is so in- tense that in the middle of the day there is no stirring out; and even at night ; the walls of the houses are so heated by the day's sun, as to produce a disagreeable heat to the body, at the distance of a loot or even a yard. It was still the hot season of the year, and we were to travel throueh that countrv. over which the horrid wind, called by the ' Turks SamicI, sweeps its consuming blasts, Job calls it the East wind; its ravages extend all the way from the extreme cud of the gulf of Cambaya up to Mosul; it carries along with it Beaks of fire, like threads of siik; instantly it strikes deacr»those persons who breathe it, and consumes them inwardly to ashes; the flesh soon becoi black as a coal, and drops from the bones. Philosophers con- sider it a kind of electric fire, proceeding from nitrous ex- halations* The only possible method of escaping its fatal ef- fects is to fall flat on the ground, and so prevent inhal- NIN NO ing the vapor. Beside this, 9 Campbell, the ordinary heat of the climate is extreme- ly dangerous to the blood and lungs, and- even to the skin, which it blisters and peels from the flesh; so much affecting the eyes, that travellers are oblig- ed to wear a transparent cover- ing over them, to keep off the heat. The Samiel or Simoom is thus described by Mr. Bruce. On the 16th, at eleven o'clock, Idris cried out, "Fall on your faces, for here is the Simoom." I saw from the S. E. a haze, like the purple part of the rain- bow, &c. It was a kind of blush upon the air, and it moved very rapidly, for I could scarce turn to fall with my head on the ground, when I felt the heat of the current on my face. We all lay flat on the ground, as if dead, till Idris told us it was blown over. The meteor or purple haze which I saw, had indeed passed, but the light air, which still blew, was of heat to threaten suffocation. For my part, I found distinctly in my breast, that I had imbib- ed a portion of it, nor was I free from an asthmatic sensa- tion, till I ' had been some months in Italy, at the baths of Poretta, near two years after. A universal despondency took possession of our people; they ceased to speak to one another. D'Obsonvillc says he saw two travellers, who were struck by this wind during their sleep, and died on the spot. The country people, he says; are afraid of being surprised by it when they are asleep. As this wind approaches, the centinels of the camp rouse those who are asleep. I think that now we may account for the des- truction of 185,000 men in the army of Sennacherib, 2 Kings xix. The destructioit was in the ?ught. Probably the sol- diers were as insolent as their general, and the camp guards not watchful. Perhaps it had been an evening of riot, fol- lowed by a night of profound sleep. The whole number of the army is not mentioned; from their boasting it was probably very great. Perhaps not half were destroyed. The survivors, 'Vising early in the morning," discovered the rest of the army to be dead corpses. The usual despondency pro- duced by the wind is seen, in the surviving army immediate- ly returning: home. NO, or No- Ammo x, a city of Egypt, which St. Jerome al- ways translates by Alexandria, Nahum vi, 8. But it is rather the city of Diospolis, in the Delta, between Busiris to the south, and Mcndesium to the north. See Jer. xlvi,25; Ezek. NO NO &xx, 14, 15, 16, and Nahum iii,8. No- Amnion signifies, the habitation of Amrnon. It is much doubted where this city stood; Bochart thinks it the same as wis called Thebes. But it seems from good au- thority to have been a splendid and populous place. Temples, palaces, and columns adorned its squares, and in its walls were a hundred gates. Wells. Pliny says, that the oracle of Ammon was twelve days jour- ney from Memphis. Diodorus Siculus says, that the district where the temple stood, though surrounded with deserts, was watered by dews, which fell no where else in all that country. It was agreeably adorned with fruitful trees, springs, and vil- lages. In the centre rose the citadel, surrounded with three walls. Within the first, or in- most, was the palace; within the others were the apartments for the women and family of the king, also the temple and foun- tains for ablutions. Without these walls stood another tem- ple of Ammon, shaded by lofty trees, and near was the fountain of the sun, so called, from its extraordinary changes, being warm morning and evening, cold at noon, and hot at mid- night. A kind of fossil salt was dug here, clear as crystal, used by the Egyptians in their sacrifices, and thought to be a present worthy of kings. Jere- miah, Ezekiel, and Nahum prophesied the ruin of this place. "I will execute judg- ments in No; I will cut off the multitude in No\ No shall be rent in sunder; she was carried away; she went into captivity; her young children were dash- ed in pieces at the top of all her streets; they cast lots for her honorable men; all her great men were bound in chains." The ruin of this citv says Calmet, happened under Esarhaddon and Nebuchadnez- zar, and was completed by Sen- nacherib. Its ruins are yet visible, and justify the account of their extent and grandeur. From Diodorus we learn that the same city, which was call- ed Thebes, from Thebah, an ark, was also called Diospolis, the city of Jupiter, that is of Ham. The prophet Nahum calls it No-Ammon, the habita- tion of Ammon, or according to fourteen copies collated by Dr.Kennicott, Naeh, elsewhere it is called Nau, From which it may be remarked that No, Nueh, Arau, the different names of this town have certainly some reference to the patriarch Noah. Its other name Thebes, has equal reference to the ark, and Ammon refers to Ham, the progenitor of the people, NOB NOD addicted to this sort of worship. Amnion was the Jupiter of the Greeks. Hence we see, that the Greeks would naturally call the town Diospolis, which the Egyptians call No-Ammon. NOB, a sacerdotal city of the tribe of Benjamin. St. Jerome says that in his time, it was intirely destroyed, and that the ruins of it might be seen not far from Diospolis. It was 12 miles from Gibeah. When David was driven away by Saul, he went to Nob, and asking the High-priest Abim- elech, for some provision and arms, the priest gave him the show bread, which had been lately taken off the Holy table, and the sword of Goliah. Saul being informed of this by Do- eg, caused all the priests of Nob to be slain, and destroyed their city, 1 Sam. xxi, 22. At this place Sennacherib halted in his march to beseige Jerusa- lem, and here dwelt the chil- dren of Benjamin after their captivity. NOBAH, a city beyond Jordan. It took the name of Nobah from an Israelite of this name who had conquered it, Numb, xxxii, 42. Gideon pursued the Midianites, as far as this city, Judges viii, 2. Eusebius says, that there is a desolate place of this name, about eight miles from jHesh- bon, towards the south. Bu* this could not be the NoUah now mentioned, because it was much further to the north. NOD, or the land of AW, it was to this country, that Cain, withdrew after his fratricide, Gen. iv, 16. The Septuagint, as well as Josephus, read Naid instead of Nod, and have taken it for the name of a place, It is not easily known what coun- try this was, unless, perhaps it was the country of Nyse or Nysea, towards Hyrcania. St. Jerome and the Chaldea in- terpreters have taken the word Nod, in the sense of an appel- lative, for vagabond or fugitive. "He dwelt a fugitive in the land." But the Hebrew reads, "he dwelt in the land of Nod," Gen. vi, lb. NODAB, a country border- ing upon Iturea and Idumea, but now unknown. NOMADES, a tribe of Arabians, so called from their living without any fixed set- tlements in towns and cities, but wandered about with their flocks and herds, as they could find good pasturage. Hence the name has been applied to such wandering hordes in Af- rica and Scythia, as well as in Arabia. See Arabia. NOPH, or Memphis, a very famous city of Egypt, and till the time of the Ptolemais, NO p MOi* who removed to Alexandria, tlie place of residence for the ancient kings of Egypt. The kings of Egypt took great pleasure in 'adorning this city; and it continued in all its beau- ty, till the Arabians made a conquest of Egypt under the Caliph Omar. The general who took it, built another city just by it, and the Caliph's Fatamites, when they became masters of Egypt, added anoth- er to it, which is known tons, under the name of Grand Cai- ro: but the ancient Memphis stood on the western shore of the Nile, and what the Arabi- ans have built there from time to time, is on the eastern shore of that river. See Egypt. The prophets often speak of this city; they foretell the mis- eries it was to suner from the kinffs of Chaldea and Persia, &e. See Isaiah xix, 13; Jer. xli, 1; Hosea ix, 6; Ezekiel xxx, 13, 16. It is now com- pletely destroyed, nor is the spot on which it stood certain- ly known. Jeremiah had said ages before, "Noph shall be waste and desolate, without an inhabitant.'''' Not a family, not a cottage remains. Some of the ruins Le Bruyn says are yet visible on the banks of the Nile. Maiilet says, that pro- digious ruins, yetjpresent them- selves to prove the greatness of the city. He supposes that apart of the city is now cover- ed by a lake, and once when the water was remarkably low, he says, he discovered a kind of a city at the bottom, which ex- cited the admiration of everyone. Noph, or Memphis, was celebrated for the pyramids, the only remaining one of the seven wonders of the worldo This city stood above the Del- ta. Apis, kept in the figure of a ball, was worshipped in this city, Ezek. xxx, 13. The pyramids rise in a sandy plain; three are more distinguished, than the rest, for their enor- mous bulk, and are called Pharaoh's mountains. Of these three, two are closed, but the largest is open; travellers en- ter it and ascend to the top. Saith Mr. Norden, "the two most northerly pyramids are the greatest; and have live hundred feet perpendicular height; two others are much less. These four, stand near- ly on a line, about four hun- dred paces distant from each other." These pyramids are raised on a rock, which is ele- vated about eighty feet above the level of the surrounding country. The top of the rock was smoothed with some tool to form a proper base for the amazing structure which it was to support. The ext NOP NOP rial part of the pyramid is built chiefly of great square stones cut from the rocks along the Nile, and where at this day may be seen the caves, whence they were taken. The size of the stones are not equal. The number of stones, which form so many steps by the retreat- ing manner in which they are laid, are two hundred eight or ten. The external layers are compacted only by the weight of the stones without lime, lead, or cramps of iron. But as to the body, or inside, of the pyramid, it is full of irreg- ular stones, with mortar, lime, earth, and clay. In the central part of the pyramid is found a sarcophagus of granite, in the form of a parallelopiped with- out any ornaments. When struck, it sounds like a bell. The base of the pyramid, ac- cording to some travellers, cov- ers eleven acres of ground. What an immense labor to rear such a number of stupen- dous structures. Various have been the opinions of the learned respecting the design of the pyramids. Some have supposed them royal sepul- chres, and a supposed coffin of stone, found in one of them has tended to confirm this opinion. Le Bruyn says, they buried their dead where the pyramids stand. The Brah- . .37 mins of India, however, do not suppose that pyramids are re- positories for the dead. At Benares are several pyramids, on a small scale, compared with those of Egypt, with sub- terraneous passages under them, which are said to extend several miles. The pyramids are doubtless places of relig- ious worship. The very nar- row passage leading into the great pyramid of Egypt, was designed to render the holy apartment less accessible, and to inspire the worshippers with more solemn awe. When the Egyptian pyramids were described to several very learn- ed Brahmins they did not hes- itate to declare that they were places of worship , or designed for temples. They inquired, if they had not acommunication under ground with the river, and when informed that a well of water was now to be seen, they unanimously agreed that it was a temple devoted to the worship of Padma-devi, and that the supposed sarcophagus, or coffin, was a trough, which on certain festivals the priests filled with sacred water and lotos flowers. Their design seems to be the same as the tower of Babel. The build- ers there proposed a tower, whose top should be "sacred to the heavens." The Egyp- NOP NOP tian pyramids were intended for the same object, and were imi- tations of that erected on the plains of Shinar. Till lately, as far as I know, these vast piles have been viewed merely as objects of cu- riosity and admiration; but they may now be contemplated in another, and infinitely more in- teresting light; they are un- doubtedly everlasting monu- ments to prove the truth of a certain portion of scripture history. A few moments at- tention to this fact, it is pre- sumed, may be pleasant to the Christian Reader. If it be re- ported of any prince or sove- reign, that he has employed more than half a million slaves, in a particular work, should the narrator at the same time point to some immense structures, which have no parallel in the world, would not this strength- en and confirm his testimony? These pyramids were doubt- less a part of the labors per- formed by the Israelites, dur- ing their bondage in Egypt, six hundred thousand men, more than twenty years of age were employed in cruel bondage; and here are the monuments of their toils. 1st. The accor- dance between their known employment and these works, shows, who probably were the builders. The Bible expressly informs us, that the Israelites, were employed in making brick, that sort of brick, which required straw in the compo- sition, Exod. i, 14; "they la- bored in brick and in mortar," and v, 7, "Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick." Accordingly it appears from various travellers, that the internal construction, of these mighty masses, consists, among other materials, of bricks of this very description. This is true of the great pyramid, though the outside has a coat of stone, but the pyramids of Sakkara are composed wholly of these bricks. Thus the labor performed by Israel, and the work presented in the pyr- amids, are precisely the same. 2. The multitude, when in the wilderness lament their want of "the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, the garlick, which they eat freely, or gratis, in the land of Egyyt," Numb, xi, 15. Ac- cordingly, Herodotus, after mentioning with admiration the expense of their cloathing and food, says that on the pyra- mid was an inscription, expres- sing the expense of the differ- ent articles, which were the favorites of the people, and says "that the radishes, [prob- ably the leeks] the onions, and garlick, consumed by the NOP NOP builders of the pyramids, cost 1,600 talents of silver. No doubt these roots and vege- tables were cheap in that fruit- ful country, and this expense implies that there must have been a prodigious number of workmen, employed for a long time. 3. As to the number of per- sons employed in the erection of these piles, Diodorus Sicu- lus says, that 360,000 men were employed twenty years in constructing the pyramid of Chemnis. Herodotus says that 100,000 were employed in bringing stones, 10,000 at a time, who relieved each Other every three months. I sup- pose, therefore, that the num- ber given by Diodorus includes the whole population employed in all the departmentsof that pyr- amid,while the number given by Herodotus is that employed in a specific department; but that all were "relieved every three months." Is there any im- probability in supposing that the Israelites were relieved ev- ery three months? Exod. iv,27. We find that the mother of Mo- ses was not able to conceal the child more than three months. Aaron was also allowed to go and meet Moses at mount Ho-r reb, which according to Dr. $haw must have taken two months, which, had he been kept to labor without any inter, mission, would have been im- possible. Indeed we are in- formed by Moses himself that "the people labored in brick and in mortar, and in all manner of service in the field" Per- haps, the people were unable to endure constant labor in "the cruel bondage" of these public works. Perhaps, like the slaves in the American islands, they were allowed part of their time to raise provisions to sup- port their families, and the builders of the pyramids. We know in fact, that the people had flocks and herds. Not a "hoof" was left behind; there was a pascal lamb for every family. Hence it is evident that the people of Israel, like the builders of the pyramids, had intervals of time in which they were allowed to pay atten- tion to their own business and property; no inconsiderable ev- idence is this, that they were the same people. From the customs of the East, and several other circum- stances, it is very likely the na- tive Egyptians would not be employed on these structures,. History assures us, this was the custom of Sesostris, who caus- ed it to be engraven on his great works. "No Egyptian had any hand in this structure."*' This Sesostris., according u NOP NOP IVIr. Whiston, was the Pharaoh, who refused to let the Israel- ites go from his service. If strangers were employed, who would be more likely to be these strangers, than the Isra- elites, who at this time had be- come formidable to the govern- ment, and whom to crush, they adopted the most abominable measures, even the murder of their sons. This same custom of employing foreigners was afterwards adopted by Solo- mon, 1 Kings, ix, 17, "Solo- mon built, &c. — of the Amor- ites, Perezites, Hivites, &c. who were not of the children of Israel did Solomon levy a tri- bute of bond service; but of the children of Israel, did Solomon make no bondmen, but they were men of war." 5. It is matter of notoriety, to those acquainted with orien- tal countries, that in building, it is customary to employ bond- men. We have only, then to inquire whether the Israelites were bondmen in Egypt, to find another strong argument, that they reared those astonishing structures in that country, which still remain theAvonder of the world. The readers of this book are too well acquaint- ed with the history of Israel to allow the author to adduce any proof, that they "were bond- men in Egypt," that Egypt was to them a house of "bon- dage." To this we may add the positive testimony of Jose- phus, "that Israel was employ- ed on the pyramids.'' The last great pyramid was never finished. Might not this be expected, considering the con- fusion and distress, which must follow the death of the first born, and the death of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea? Indeed how could it be com- pleted, the builders were gone to Canaan. 6. Another circumstance to confirm the opinion which I have adopted is, that tne time in which these structures were raised corresponds with the period in which the Israelites were held in slavery. It is supposed this people were in Egypt 215 years, of which Jo- seph ruled 70, nor was it till a long time after, that the new king arose, "who knew not Jo- seph." Forty years may be allowed for the generation which succeeded Joseph, and would still retain a grateful sense of his useful services; this leaves 105 years for the period of their degradation. Now in conformity with this, Herodotus tells us, that for 50 years Rampsinitus oppressed the people, barred the avenues to the temples, and forbid the Egyptians to offer sacrifices, NOP OL1 that he made them labor ser- vilely for himself by building the pyramids; his brother suc- ceeded him, and ruled with the same spirit for 56 years. Is not here further evidence? For 105 or 6 years this people were subjected to every species of oppression. So detestable were these tyrants to the Egyptians themselves, that they were not willing to mention their names. Hence they call their pyramids by the name of the shepherd Philitis, who at that time fed his cattle in those places. They ascribe the work to a shepherd or shepherds, who came from Philistia, where Jacob was before he came into Egypt. They also say "that the first was built by Ar- moeus, or Aramoeus, "the Syrian;" the second by Am- mosis; the third by Inaron." This coincidence of names will appear complete, if we look at the words without their pre- fixes, a Mosis. In Hebrew his name was hy Mouseh, in Avon, his Aaron. All this supports our supposition, that the Isra- elites built the pyramids. Un- der the first name, the Syrian or Aramean is the very title given to Jacob, Deut. xxvi, 5. "A Syrian, ready to perish was thy father, and he went down into Egypt." — Then follow the names of the two chief leaders of the people, Moses and Aaron. Other evidence might be ad- duced from learned writers, but I trust this will satisfy the at- tentive reader, and afford new evidence to establish his faith in revelation. See Asiatic Re- searches. NOPHAH, a city of the Moabites, which afterwards be- longed to the Ammorites, and lastly to the Israelites, Numb, xxi 50. NOPHET, a city of Ma- nasseh, Josh. xvii. Lat. 32, 28. OBOTH, an encampment of the Hebrews in the wilder- ness. From Punon they went to Oboth, and from Oboth to Je-abarim, Numb, xxi, 10; xxxiii, 43. Ptolemy speaks of a city called Obodu, or Ebo- da, in Arabia Petrea, which is the same as Oboth. Pliny, and the geographer Stephanus, also mention it. Stephanus makes it belong to the Na- bathaeans, and Pliny to the Helmodeans, a people of Ara- bia. It was at Oboth that they worshipped the god Obodos, which Tertullian joins with Dusares, another god or king of this country. Lat. 30, 25. OLIVES, mount of. The mount of Olives was situated to the east of Jerusalem, and parted from the city only by the brook Kidron, and bv the valley of Jehoshaphat, which on OLI stretches out from the north to the south. It was upon this mount that Solomon built tem- ples to the god of the Ammon- ites, 1 Kings, xi, 7, and of the Moabites, out of complaisance to his wives, who were natives of these nations. Hence it is that the mount of Olives, is called the mountain of cor- ruption, 2 Kings xxiii, 13. Josephus says, that this moun- tain is at the distance of five stadia (or furlongs) from Jeru- salem, which makes 625 geo- metrical paces; or the length of a sabbath day's journey, says Stv Luke, Acts i, 12. The mount of Olives had three sum- mits, or was composed of three several hills ranged one after another from north to south. The middle summit is that from whence our Savior as- cended into heaven. It was upon that towards the south, that Solomon built temples to his idols. The summit, which is most to the north, is distant two furlongs from the middle- most. This is the highest of the three, and is commonly called Gallilee. In the time of king Uzziah, the mount of Olives was so shattered by an earthquake, that half of the earth that was on the western side fell down and rolled four furlongs, or five hundred paces from thence, towards the mountain, which was opposite to it on the east; so that the earth blocked up the highways, and covered the king's garden. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that he and his company going out of Jerusalem at St. Stephen's gate, and crossing the valley of Jehoshaphat, began immediate- ly to ascend the mountain; that being got above two thirds of the way up, they came to cer- tain grottos, cut with intricate windings, and caverns under ground, which were called the sepulchres of the prophets; that a little higher up were twelve arched vaults standing side by side, and built in memory of the apostles, who are said to have compiled their creed in this place. That sixty paces higher, they came to the place, where Christ is said to have uttered his prophecy concern- ing the final destruction of Je- rusalem; and a little on the right hand, to another, where he is said to have dictated a second time the Lord's prayer to his disciples; that somewhat higher is the cave of a saint, called Pelugia, a little above that a pillar, denoting the place, where an angel gave the blessed virgin three days warning of her death; and at the top, the place of our blessed Lord's as- cension. The same traveller; OLf OPIf also informs us, that he visited Bethany, now a small village, where was the house of Laza- rus, Martha and Mary, to which Jesus used to retire at night, after the duties of the day in Jerusalem, to escape from the stratagems of the Jews. At the entrance of the village is now an old ruin, wliich they call the castle oi' Lazarus, supposed to have been the mansion house of that friend to Jesus Christ. At the bottom of a smali de- scent, not far from the castle, is shown the sepulchre, out of which the good man was rais- ed by that enlivening voice, "Lazarus come forth." You descend into the sepulchre by twenty-five steps, at the bottom of which you are in a small square room; thence you creep down into a smaller room, a yard and half deeper, in which it is said the body was laid. This place is held in great ven- eration by the Turks, who use it for a place of prayer, and de- mand a tax for the admission of Christians. A bow shot thence, you pass the spot where was the house of Mary Mag- dalene, and thence down a steep hill you come to the Fountain of the apostles, so called, be- cause here they used to refresh themselves in their journey be- tween Jericho and Jerusalem, than which nothing can be more probable, as the weii is close by the side of the road, and very inviting to a thirsty traveller. ON, a city of Egypt men- tioned in the Hebrew. See Hcliopolis. The father in law of Joseph was priest of this city. Its situation has been discovered, about six miles from Cairo; but nothing re- mains, excepting great banks and hillocks, filled with little bits of marble, granite, and pot- sherds, some remains of a sphinx, and an obelisk, which is still standing, and which the new inhabitants, perhaps, found too heavy to be removed. Niebuhr. ONO, a city of Benjamin, Ezra ii, 3, &c. Lat. 31, 31. Ono, plain of a valley of Canaan, near the city of the same name. Nehemiah vi, 2. OPHIR , a country much celebrated in scripture, and about which the learned have proposed a great number of conjectures. It is agreed with great reason, that this is the country, that was peopled by Ophir, the son of Joktan. Mo- ses lets us know, that the thir- teen sons of Joktan dwelt from Mesha to Sephar, a mountain of the east, Gen.' xiii, 30. But as Mesha and Sephar are pla- ces, as much unknown, as Ophir itself, there was a ne~" OPH OPH gessity, of taking another method to discover the coun- try of Ophir. All the passa- ges have been examined in which mention is made of this country, and it has been ob- served, that the same ships that went to Tarshish, went also to Ophir; compare 1 Kings xxii, 48- with 2 Chron. xx, 36. and 1 Kings ix, 28; and x, 22, that these ships set out from Ezton-Geber, a port of the Red Sea, that three years were required for Solo- mon's fleet to make the voy- age to Ophir; that this fleet returned freighted with gold, peacocks, apes, spices, ivory, and ebony; 2 Chron. viii, 18, and ix, 10, &c. lastly, that the gold of Ophir, was in more esteem, than any other gold mentioned in scripture, and that the country of Ophir more abounded with gold, than any other, that was the i known. By these tokens search has been made for Ophir; but al- most all the interpreters have taken different ways. Josephus says, that the coun- try of Ophir is in the bidwsy and that it is called the gold country. It is thought he means Cheraonesus Aurea, known now by the name of Malacca. Lucas Holstonius, thinks we must fix upon India in general, or at the city of Supar, in the island of Cele- bos. Others place it in the kingdom of Malabar, or of Ceylon, or in the isle of Tapo- brana. Bochart, has labored to support this opinion. Epol- emus has placed Ophir in the island Durphe, in the Red Sea. Maffeus, believes it was Pegu, and it is said the Peguans pre- tend to be descended from those Jews, that Solomon set to work in the mines of this country. Lepenius, who has composed a particular treatise, concerning the country of O- phir, places it beyond the Ganges, at Malacca, Java, Su- matra, Siam, Bengal, Pegu, &c. Others have sought for the country of Ophir in Amer- ica, and have placed it in the island of Hispaniola. Postel and some others have placed it in Peru. Others have searched for it in Africa, on the eastern coast of Ethiopia; while others place it at Angola, others at Carthage, and others in Spain. F. Calmet is no less singular in his opinion: he places Ophir somewhere in Armenia, not far from the source of the Tigris and Euphrates, and to obviate the objection of the country's not bordering on the sea, and not being at distance enough for a three years voyage; he supposes, that Solomon's fleet made a trading voyage; and that in no one place if met with all the commodities it brought OPII OPH home; but on the const of Ethiopia took in apes, eb- ony, and parrots; in Arabia ivorv and spices; and at Ophir gold. And though this Ophir might be no maritime country, yet this hinders not, says he, why the gold produced, might not be brought by land car- riage, to some part of the Ti- gris and Euphrates, which at that time were a great way navigable. Grotius as well as Calmet is of opinion that Sol- omon did not send his fleet to any part, either of the east or west Indies; but only to a part of Arabia, situate on the main ocean, and that the Indians brought down their merchan- dize thither, to be bought by Solomon's factors, and shipped on board the fleet. Before the reign of David, the Hebrews did not apply themselves to maritime affairs. But when that prince made a conquest of Idumea and became master of two sea-port towns, Elath and Ezion-geber, he took the ben- efit of the situations of these two places, and there began this traffic. Solomon's suc- cessors, who were possessed of Idumea, still carried on the trade to Ophir, and made use of Ezicn-geber down to the time of Jchoshaphat. Most of these opinions are- too incon- clusive, at first sight, to merit 38 any discussion. But, though the compiler of this work pre- sumes not to decide the con- troversy, yet as it is often a matter of curious inquiry in the most respectable circles, where was the Ophir of Solo- mon, it may not be unpleasant to the reader to spend a few minutes on the subject. An epitome of the discussions of the celebrated Abyssinian trav- eller, and Dr. Doeg follow. Mr. Bruce very justly ob- serves, that in order to come to a certainty where this Ophir was, it will be necessary to ex- amine what scripture says of it, and to keep precisely to every thing like description, which we can find there, without in- dulging our fancy. 1st. The trade of Ophir was carried on from the Elanitic gulf, through the Indian ocean. 2d. There- turns were gold, silver, and ivo- ry, but especially silver, lKings x, 22. 3d. The time of the going and coming of the fleet was precisely three years, at no period more or less, 1 Kings x, 22; 2 Chr. xi, 21. Now if Solomon's fleet sailed from the Elanitic gulf to the Indian ocean, this of necessity must have been made by mon- soons, for no other winds reign in that ocean. What certainly shows this was the case, is the precise time of three years, in GPH OPH which the fleet went and came between Ophir and Ezion- geber. These mines of Ophir were probably what furnished the East with gold in the earliest times; great traces of excava- tion must therefore have ap- peared. But John Dos Santos says, that he landed at Sofala in the year 1586; that he sailed up the great river Cuama, as far as Tete, where, always de- sirous to be in the neighbor- hood of gold, his order had placed their convent. Thence he penetrated far above 200 leagues into the country, and saw the gold mines, then work- big at a mountain called Asura. At a considerable distance from these are the silver mines of Chicoua, at both places there is a great appearance of ancient excavations; and at both places the houses of the kings are built of mud and straw, whilst there are large remains of massy buildings of stone and lime. Every thing, then, conspires to fix the Ophir of Solomon, in the kingdom of Sofala, pro- vided it would necessarily re- quire neither more nor less, than three years to make a voy- age from Ezion-s:eber to that place and/rarshish, andhreturn. To establish this important fact, our author observes, that the fleet or ship for Sofala, parting in June from Ezion-geber, (sec Ezion-geber) would run down before the northern monsoon to Mocha. Here, not the mon- soon, but the direction of the gulf changes; and the violence of the south-westers, which then reign in the Indian ocean, make them at times felt even in Mocha roads. The vessel, therefore, comes to an anchor in the harbor of Mocha; and here she waits for moderate weather and a fair wind, which carries her out of the straits of Babelmandel, through the few leagues where the wind is vari- able. Her course from this is near- ly south-west, and she meets at cape Gardefan a strong south- wester, that blows directly in her teeth. Being obliged to return into the gulf, she mis- takes this for a trade wind, be- cause she is not able to make her voyage to Mocha, but by the summer monsoon, which carries her no farther than the straits of Babelmandel, and then leavesjher in the face of a contra- ry wind, a strong current to the northward, and a violent swell. The attempting this voyage with sails, in these circumstan- ces, was absolutely impossible, as their vessels went only before the wind: if it was performed at all, it must have been by oars: and great havoc and loss of OPH OPH men must have been the conse- quence of the severe trials. At last philosophy and observation, together with the unwearied perseverance of man, bent upon his own views and interescs, removed these difficulties, and showed the mariners of the Arabian gulf, that these period- ical winds, which in the be- ginning, they looked upon as invincible barriers to the trad- ing of Sofala, when once un- derstood, were the very means of performing this voyage, safe- ly and expeditiously. The vessel trading to Sofala sailed from the bottom of the Arabian gulf in summer, with the monsoon at north, which oarried her to Mocha. There the monsoon failed her by the change of the direction of the gulf. The south-west winds, which blow from cape Garde- fan in the Indian ocean, forced themselves round the cape, so as to be felt in the road of Mo- cha, and made it uneasy riding there. But these soon changed, the weather became moderate, and the vessel, we suppose, in the month of August, was safe at anchor under cape Gardefan, where was the port, which many years after was called Promon- torium Aromatum. Here the ship was obliged to stay till No- vember, because all these sum- mer months, the wind south of tlie Cape was a strong south- wester, as hath been before said, directly in the teeth of the voy- age to Sofala. But this time was not lost. Part of the goods bought to be ready for the re- turn was ivory, frankincense, and myrrh; and the ship was then at aprincipal mart for these. Our author supposes, that in November the vessel sailed with the wind at north-east, with which she would soon have made her voyage: but off the coast of Melinda, in the begin- ning of December, she there met an anomalous monsoon at south-west, in our clays first ob- served by Dr. Halley, which cut off her voyage to Sofala, and obliged her to put into the small harbor of Mocha, near Melinda, but nearer still to Tarshish, which we find here by accident, and which we think a strong corroboration, that we are right as to the rest of the voyage. In the annals of Abyssinia, it is said that Amda Sion making war upon that coast in the 14th century, in a list of the rebel- lious Moorish vassals, mentions the chief of Tarshish, as one of them, in the very situation, where we have now placed him. Solomon's vessel, then, was obliged to stay at Tarshish, till the month of April, in the sec- ond year. In May, the wind set in at north-east, and pro' OPH OPH bly carried her that same month to Sofala. All the time she spent at Tarshish was not lost, for part of her cargo was to be brought from that place; and she probably bought, bespoke, or left it there. From May of the second year, to the end of that monsoon in October, the vessel could not stir; the wind was north-east. But this time, far from being lost, was neces- sary to the traders for getting in their cargo, which we will suppose was ready for them. The ship sails, on her return, in the month of November of the second year, with the mon- soon south-west, which in a very few weeks, would have carried her into the Arabian gulf. But off Mocha, near Me- linda and Tarshish, she met the north-east monsoon, and was obliged to go into that port and stay there, till the end of that monsoon; after which a south- wester came to her relief in May of the third year. With the May monsoon she ran to Mocha within the straits; and was there confined by the sum- mer monsoon blowing up the Arabian gulf from Suez, arid meeting her. Here she lay till that monsoon, which in summer blows ncr.herly from Suez, changed to a south-east one, in October or November, and that very easily brought her up into the Elanitic gulf, the middle or end of December of the third year. She had no need of more time to complete her voyage, and it was not possible she could do it in less. Such is a very short and im- perfect abstract of our author's reasoning. We are now to give another ingenious conjecture concerning the situation of O- phir, by Dr. Doeg, "The first time," says he, "that Ophir, or rather Aujir, occurs in scrip- ture, is in Gen. x, 29, where the sacred historian, enumer- ating the sons of Joktan, men- tions Aiifir, as one of them." According to his account, the descendants of the 13 brothers, settled all in a contiguous sit- uation from Mesha, (the Mo- cha of the moderns) to Sephara a mountain of the East. Mo- ses, as everyone knows, denom- inates countries and the inhabit- ants of countries, from the pa- triarch from whom these inhab- itants descended. In describ- ing the course of one of the branches of the river of Paradise, the same Moses informs us that it encompassed the whole land of Havilah, &c. which abound- ed with fine gold, bdelium, and the onyx stones, and this land had its name from Havilah, the 12th son of the patriarch Jok- tan. Ophir or Aujii\ was Hav- ilah's immediate elder brother, and of course the descendants of the former, in all probability, OPIl OP! I iixcd their habitation in the neighborhood of the latter. It' then die land of Havilah a- bounded with gold and precious stones, the land of Ophir un- doubtedly produced the same articles. Here then we have the original Ophir; here was found the primary gold of O- phir; and here lay the Ophir mentioned in Job x, 24. But as navigation was then in its in- fanl state, the native land of gold, mentioned by Job, must have been much nearer home, than that to which the fleets of Solomon and Hiram made their triennial voyages. That sever- al countries on the south-east of Africa, abounded with gold long after the era of Job, is ev- ident from the testimony of Herodotus, Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, Ptolemy, Pomponius, Mela, &c. But that in these countries the Ophir of Solo- mon, could not be situated is plain, because his ships in the same voyage touched at Tar- shish, which lay in a very dif- ferent quarter. The Abyssinian traveller has placed this regio aurifcro in Sofa la, on the eastern coast of Africa, nearly opposite to the island of Madagascar. This hypothesis was current a hun- dred years before he was born; but I am persuaded, says our author, that it is not tenable. The Ophir oJ Solomon in whatever part of Africa it lay, must have been well known prior to his reign, both to the Phoenicians and the Kdomites. These people navigated their monarch's fleets, and therefore could be no strangers to the port to which they were bound. That it was in Africa is certain, and that it was on the west coast of that ^immense penin- sula, will appear more than probable, when we have ascer- tained the situation ofTarshish and the usual course of the Phoenician navigation. To these objects, therefore, we shall now direct our inquiries. Javan the fourth son of the patriarch Japhet, had four sons, Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim or Rodanim; among whose descendants were the isles of the Gentiles divided. The city of Tarsus on the coast of Cilicia, at once ascertains the region, colonized by the descendants of Tarshish. Having proved to a demon- stration, that the original Tar- shish was a region on the west- ern coast of Asia Minor, where either the patriarch of that name, or some of his imme- diate descendants, planted a colony, it remains to determine whether this w;is actually the country from which Solomon imported the vast quantities of OPH OPH silver, mentioned by the sacred historian. That it was not our author frankly acknowledges; and therefore, says he, we must look out for Solomon's Tar- shish in some other quarter of the globe. To pave the way for this discovery, he very justly observes, that it has at all times been a common prac- tice, to transfer the name of one country to another, in con- sequence of some analogy or resemblance between them. It has likewise often happened that when a commodity was brought from a very distant country, by a very distant peo- ple, the people to whom it was imported have taken it for granted, that it was produced in the region from which it was immediately brought to them. Of the truth of this proposition, no man acquainted with the Greek and Roman poets, can for a moment enter- tain a doubt. Hence the As- sy Hum Ammomum of Virgil, and the Assyrium malabatJirum of Horace, though these articles were the product, not of As- syria, but of India. The Jews, who were as little acquainted with foreign countries, as the Greeks and Romans, had very probabl}- the same notions with them respecting articles of com- merce, and if so, they would undoubtedly suppose, that the silver sold by the merchants of Tarshish, was the .product of that country. When the mis- take came to be discovered, they very naturally transferred the name Tarshish from the country of the merchants, to that of the articles which they imported. Let us now, says our author, try if we cannot find out where this country was. It need not now be shown, by quotations from I- saiah and Ezekiel, that the merchants of Tarshish traded in the markets of Tyre, with silver, iron, lead, and tin. To these authorities we shall add another from Jeremiah: "Silver, (says that prophet,) spread into plates, is brought from Tarshish." But in Spain, continues our learned disserta- tor, all those commodities, were found in the greatest abun- dance. All the ancient authors, who describe that region, dwell with rapture on its silver mines. Spain was then the region, which furnished Solomon's traders with the immense mass of silver he is said to have im- ported. This was the modern Tarshish, and indeed both Jo- sephus and Eusebius are posi- tive that the posterity of Tar- shish actually peopled that country. If this was an early opinion, as it certainly was, the Jews would of course denomi- oni OPH nate Spain, from the patriarch in question. It might Le shown that the inhabitants of Tarshish were strictly connected, with the Kittim or Grecians: I shall here produce an authority, which will prove to a demonstra- tion, that the Kittim had extend- ed their commerce into that part of Africa now called Barbary. The prophet Ezekiel, xxvii, 6, describing the splendor and magnificence of Tyre, tells us, "that the company of the Ash- urites made her benches of ivo- ry, brought from the isles of Kittim." In the first place I must observe, that there is pro- bably a small error in the or- thography of the word Ashurim. This term is every where in scripture translated Assyrians, which translation is certainly just. But how the Assyrians could export ivory from the isles of Kittim, and fashion it into benches for the Tyrian mariners, is in my opinion, a problem of no easy solution. The fact is, Ashurim should be Asherim, that is, the com- pany of the men of Asher. The tribe of Asher obtained its in- heritance in the neighborhood of Tyre, Josh, xix, 28. And Hebron and Rehol, and Hamon, and Canahj unto Zidon the great. The companies of the tribe of the Asherites then, and not the Ashurim, were the people, who manufactured the benches in question. Be that as it may, the ivory of which these implements were formed, was imported from the isles of Kittim, that is, from Greece and its neighborhood. These islands it is certain never produced ivory. They must, therefore, have imported it from some other country; but no other country to which the Greeks and their neighbors could have extended their commerce, except the north of Africa, produced that commodity. The conclusion then is, that the maritime states of Asia Minor, Greece, and probably the Hetru scans on the west coast of Italy, car- ried on a gainful commerce with Spain and Barbary, at a very early period. We have seen that the o- riginal Tarshish, on the coast of Asia Minor, did not pro- duce the metals imported by Solomon's fleet; that no Tar- shish is to be found in the eastern parts of the globe, that the Tarshish, we are in quest of, was undoubtedly situated somewhere towards the west of Judea; we have shown that the mercantile people of Asia Minor, Greece, and probably of Italy, actually imported some of those articles from the coast OPH OPH of Africa; we have hazarded a conjecture, that Spain was the modern Tarshish, and that very country from which Sol- omon imported his silver, and the Tynans their silver, iron, tin, and lead. Let us now make a trial whether we cannot exhibit some internal proofs in support of the hypothesis we have above adopted.— "The ancients divid- ed Spain into three parts; Beetica, Lusitania, and Trav- aconensis. Beetica is the mod- ern Andalusia. It stretched along the Fretum Herculeum, or the strait of Gibraltar, to the mouth of Gaudalquiver. This region is thought bysome tohave been the Elysian fields of the poets. The river Boetis which divides it is called Tartessus, by Aristotle, Stesichorus, Stra- bo, Pausanias, Steph. Bysant, and Avianus. Here too we have a city and lake of the same name. But Tartessus is positively the very same with Tarshish. The Greeks man- ufactured the rest, by chang- ing Tarshish into Tarsis, and in process of time into Tar- tessus. That the Phoenicians actually changed schin into than is certain; for Plutarch tells us in the life of Sylla, that in their language an ox was called thor, which is, no doubt, the same with the He- brew shor." From this deduction it ap- pears highly probable, at least, that the Spanish Beetica was originally called Tarshish. In- deed this similarity of names has operated so powerfully on the learned Bochart and on some other moderns of no mean figure, that they have positively am; * led, as Josephus had done before them, that the patriarch Tarshish actually set- tled in that country. This, I should think not altogether probable, but that his descend- ants, who settled on the coast of Asia Minor, colonized Bee- tica, and carried on an uninter- rupted commerce to that coun- try, along with the Phoenicians, for many centuries, after it was peopled, and that from the cir- cumstances above narrated, it was denominated Tarshish, are facts too evident to admit of contradiction. Let us now see, whether this Beetica, where I have endeav- ored to fix the situation of Tar- shish of the scriptures, was ac- tually furnished with those ar- ticles of commerce, which are said to have been imported from that country . To enlarge on this topic would be altogeth- er superfluous. Diodorus Sic- ulus, Strabo, Polybius, Pliny, Soiinus,and in one word, all the Greek and Roman historians, who have mentioned that re- gion, have unanimously ex- oni OPH hibited it, as the native land of silver, iron, and tin: to these, contrary to the opinions of the celebrated modern traveller, they likewise add gold in very large quantities. Our author having thus ascertained the situation of Tarshish, proceeds to prove, too largely for our in- sertion, that the Edomites and Tyrians had doubled the cape, and almost encompassed Afri- ca, long before the era of Sol- omon. Then referring to 1 Kings chapter ix, and x; 2 Chron. viii, 9; 2 Kings xxii; and 2 Chron. xx. He ob- serves that from these author- ities, it appears indubitable, that the fleets of Solomon and Hiram, sailed from Eloth and Ezion-geber; that the voyages to Ophir and Tarshish, were exactly the same performed at one and at the same time, by the very same fleet; which must necessarily have encom- passed the peninsula of Africa, before it could arrive at the country of Tarshish. This being the case, the traders might easily enough collect the geld on the coast of Guinea, or on what is now vulgarly called the Gold Coast. "The ivory they might readily pro- cure on the Barbary coast, op- posite to Tarshish. In Africa too, they might hunt asses, monkies, baboons, &c. and 39 peacocks, or rather parrots, and paraquets, they might sur- prise in the forests, which abounded on the coast. In Spain, silver, iron, lead, and tin, were, one may say, the na- tive produce of the soil. Ev- en at this early period, the Phoenician navigators had dis- covered the Cassiterides, or Scilly islands, and Cornwall, and from that region in com- pany with the merchants, may have supplied them with a rare commodity. "I have supposed that the navy of Solomon and Hiram, collected their gold in the course of their voyage, some- where on the coast of Africa, beyond the cape, for the fol- lowing reasons: had they found the golden fleece at Sofala, or any part of the coast of Africa, they would have chosen to re- turn and unlade at Eloth or Ezi- on-geber, rather than pursue a long and dangerous course,qu ite round Africa, to Tarshish; to which last country they might have shaped their course much more commodiously from Zi- don, Tyre, Joppa, &c. But being obliged to double the cape, in quest of some of these articles, which they were en- joined to import, they pushed onward to Tarshish, and re- turned by the pillars of Hercu- les to Tyre, or perhaps to Jop- OPH OPH pa, &c. Their next voyage, commenced from one or other of these ports, from which they directed their course to Tarshish; and having taken in part of their lading there, they afterwards coasted round Af- rica, and so arrived once more at Eioth or Ezion-geber. "Let us now attend to the space of time in which these v oyages were performed. We are told expressly 2 Chron. ix, 21; that once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, &c. This is exactly the time one would naturally imagine necessary to perform such a distant voyage, at a period when navigation was still in its infancy, and mariners seldom adventured to lose sight of the coast. Of this we have an ir- refragable proof in the history of a voyage round the very same continent, undertaken and accomplished in the very same space of time about two centuries after. 1 'We learn from Herodotus, that Nechus, one of the latter kings of Egypt, whom the scriptures call Pharaoh- A echo, built a great number of ships, both on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. The same historian informs us, that this enterprising monarch projected a voyage round the continent ©f Africa, which was actually accomplished in the space of three years. In this enterprise, he employed Phoenician mar- iners, as Solomon had done before him. These, we may suppose, were assisted in the the course of this navigation by charts or journals, or at least by traditional accounts derived from their owners. These navigators, says the his- torian, took their departure from a port on the Red Sea, and sailing thence, into the southern ocean, and in the be- ginning of autumn landing on the coast of Africa, there they sowed some grain, which they had carried out With them on board their vessels. In this place they waited till the crop was ripened; and having cut it down they proceeded on their voyage. Having spent two years in this navigation, in the third they returned to Egypt, by the pillars of Her- cules. These mariners, adds the author, reported a fact, which for his part, he could by no means believe to be true; namely, that in one part of their course, their shadows fell on their right; a circumstance which gives considerable weight to the truth of the re- lation. "Let it now be observed, that Phoenician mariners navi- gated the fleet of Solomon: the OPH OPH same people conducted that of Necho: the fleet of Necho spent three years in the course of its voyage; that of Solomon did the same about two centu- ries before; the fleet of Necho sailed from a port in the Red Sea; that of Solomon took its departure from Eloth to Ezion- geber situated on the same sea: the fleet of the former returned by the pillars of Hercules, that of the latter, according to the hypothesis, pursued the very same route. Such a coinci- dence of similar circumstances, united with those adduced in the preceding part of this arti- cle, seem to prove almost to a demonstration, that the navy of Hiram and Solomon perform- ed a voyage round Africa, in that age, in the same manner as that of Necho did two cen- turies after. "Upon the whole, I con- clude that the original Ophir, was situated on the south of Arabia Felix, between Sheba and Havilah, which last was encompassed by one of the branches of the river of Para- dise, that the name Ophir, was in consequence of its resemblance, in process of time, transferred to a region on the coast of Africa, and that from it, first Aufer and then Africa was denominated: that the primitive Tarshish was Cilicia, and that the Jews applied this name, to all the commercial states on the coast of Asia Minor, and per- haps of Italy, there being strong presumptions, that the Tyrrhenians were colonists from Tarshish, likewise ac- quired the name of Tarshish; that the Tyrians were strictly connected with the merchants of Tarshish, in their commer- cial enterprizes, that Tarshish was certainly situated west- ward from Judea, Phoenicia, &c. that no other countries in the western quarters, produced the commodities imported by the two kings, except Spain and the opposite coasts; that this country, in those ages, produced not only silver, iron, tin, and lead, but likewise gold ii\ great abundance, that the merchants of Kittim imported ivory, of which the Asherites made benches for the Tyrians; which commodity they must have purchased on the coast of Barbary; where the Jews and Phoenicians would find the same article; that Tarshish being situated in Spain, it was impossible for a fleet sailing from Eloth to Ezion-geber, to arrive at that country without encompassing Africa; that of course, the fleet in question did actually encompass that continent, that the Ophir of Solomon must have been sjtua- OPH OPH ted somewhere on the coast of Africa, to the west of the cape, because from it the course to Tarshish, was more eligible, than to return the same way back to Ezion-geber." Our author supports this con- clusion by other arguments and authorties, which our limits will not permit us to detail; but perhaps the article might be deemed incomplete, if we did not show how he obviates an objection, that will readily occur to his theory. "If the original Ophir was situated on the coast of Arabia Felix, and the modern region of the same name on the west coast of Af- rica, it may be made a ques- tion, how the latter country came to be denominated from the former.' ' "Nothing," says our author, "can be more easy than to an- swer this question. The prac- tice of adopting the name of an ancient country to a newly discovered one, resembling the other in appearance, in situa- tion, in figure, in distance, in the nature of the climate, pro- ductions, &c. has ever been so common, that to produce in- stances would be altogether superfluous. The newly dis- covered region on the coast of Africa, abounded with the same species of commodities by which the original one was distinguished; and of course the name of the latter was an- nexed to the former." Wheth- er the hypothesis of Mr. Bruce, or Dr. Doeg, respecting the long disputed situation of Solomon's Ophir > be the true one, I shall not presume to decide, though I think that most readers will prefer the sys- tem of the Abyssinian traveller, which is confirmed by the approbation of D'Anville, Dr. Robertson, and other great names. Both are plausible, both are supported by much ingenuity, and uncommon eru- dition. Subjudice lis est. OPHNI, a city of Judea, of the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, 24, OPHRAH, a city of Ma- nasseh, and the birth place of Gideon, Judg. vi, 11. Op h rah, a town of Benja- min, Josh, xviii, 23. ORTHOSIAS, a maritime city of Phoenicia, over against the island of Aradus, not far from Tripolis, 1 Mace, xv, 25. It was once the seat of a Christian bishop, and a place of great strength. Here are now seen manv interesting: an- tiquities; the place is now cal- led Tortosa. Maundrel. Lat. 34 40. PADAN-ARAM, probably the north west part of Mesopo- tamia. See Mesopotamia. PAL PAL PAHATH-MOAB, the name of a place in the country of the Moabites, Ezra ii, 6; and viii, 4; and x, 30. When Zerubbabel returned from Bab- ylon 2812 people of this place came with him, and 200 came with Ezra. Joab was a native of this town. PALESTINE, a country of Asia. Though we have already bestowed a liberal attention to this country, yet the intelli- gent reader will naturally re- quire a more distinct view of the present state of Judea, its inhab- itants, government, science, &c. The government is of the worst conceivable description; its influence is in a thousand ways deleterious and fatal. In each government the Pacha, being the image of the Sultan, is like him, an absolute despot. All power is united in his person, he is chief of the military and finances, of the police, and criminal justice. He has the power of life and death; he has the power of making peace; in a word, he can do every thing. The main object of so much authority is to collect the tribute, that is to transmit the revenue to the great propriety, who has con- quered, and who possesses the country by the right of his ter- rific lance. This duty fulfilled, no other is required from him, the means employed to accom- plish it, is a matter of no con- cern, those means are at his discretion, and such is the na- ture of his situation, that he cannot be delicate in his choice of them; for in the first place, he can neither advance, nor even maintain himself, but in proportion as he can procure money. Secondly, the place he holds depends on the favor of the Visir, or some other great officer, and this can only be obtained and secured by bid- ding higher, than his competi- tors. He must therefore raise money to pay the tribute, and also to indemnify himself for all he has paid to support his dignity, and make a provision in case of accidents. Accord- ingly, the first care of a Pacha, on entering his government, is to devise methods to procure money, and the quickest are in- variably thought the best. The established mode of collecting the Miri, and the customs, is to appoint one or more princi- pal farmers, for the current year, who in order to facilitate the collection, divide it and subdivide, even to the smallest villages. The Pacha lets these employments to the best bid- der, wishing to draw as much money from them as possible. The farmers, who on their side have no object in taking them, PAL PAL but gain, strain every nerve to augment their receipts. Hence those extortions to which they are the more easily inclined, as they are sure of being support- ed by authority; and hence in the very heart of the people, a faction of men, interested in multiplying impositions. The Pacha may applaud himself for penetrating into the most hid- den sources of private profits, by the clear sighted rapacity of his subalterns; but what is the consequence? The people de- nied the enjoyment of the fruit of their labor, restrain their la- bor to the supply of their neces- sary wants; the husbandman sows only to preserve himself from starving; the artist labors only to bring up his family; if he has any surplus, he carefully conceals ir. Thus the arbitrary conduct of the Sultan, trans- mitted to the Pacha, and to all his sub-delegates, by giving a free course to extortion, be- comes the main spring of a tyranny, which circulates through every ciass, whilst its effects, by a reciprocal re -ac- tion, are every where fatal to agriculture, the arts, com- merce, population, and to ev- ery thing, which constitutes the power of the state, or, the power of the Sultan himself. All the magistrates of the em- pire, culled Cadis, or Judges, depend on one principal chief, who resides at Constantinople, The title of his dignity is Cadi- elasker, or judge of the army, which title aione indicates, as I have already observed, that the power is entirely military, and resides wholly in the army and its general. This grand Cadi names the judges of the capital cities, such as Aleppo, Damas- cus, Jerusalem, &c. These judges again name others in the places within their dependency. But what is the qualification re- quired? Always money. All these employments, like those of the government, are sold to the best bidder, and rented in the same way from year to year. What is the consequence? That they who buy the office endeavor to recover the money advanced, to obtain interest and also a profit. What therefore can we expect from such dis- positions in men, who hold the baiance of justice in their hands, and decide on the property of their fellow citizens? The tribunal whence these Cadis issue their decisions, is called the Mahkama, or place of judgment. Sometimes it is at their own houses, but never is it at a place which corres- ponds with the idea, annexed to so sacred an employment. In an empty mean apartment the Cadi is seated on a mat ojf PAL PAL V/retched carpet. On each side of him are his clerks, and some domestics. The door is open to every body; the parties ap- pear; and there without inter- preters, advocates, or attornies, each pleads his own cause. Squatted on the ground, they state the facts, discuss, reply, contest, and argue again in their turns. Sometimes the de- bates are violent; but the cries of the clerks, and the staff of the Cadi soon restore order and silence. Gravely smoaking his pipe, and twisting the end of his beard round his finger, this judge listens, interrogates, and concludes by pronouncing a sentence without appeal, which at most allows but two months delay. The parties are never well satisfied; they retire, however, with respect and pay a fee, estimated at one tenth of the litigated prop- erty without murmuring at the decision, as it is invariably dictated by the infallible Koran. Daily experience proves, that there is no country where justice is more corrupted, than in Egypt, Syria, and no doubt all the rest of the Turk- ish empire. Venality is no where more open, nor more im- pudent. The parties may bar^ gain for their cause with their Judges as they would for any common commodity. Instan- ces of great sagacity and equity, no doubt are to be found, but (hey are rare, which is the very reason, why they are so cele- brated. Corruption is habitual and general; and how is it pos- sible to be otherwise, where in- tegrity may be ruinous, and in- justice lucrative; where each Cadi deciding without appeal, fears neither a revision of his sentence, nor punishment for his partiality; and where in short, the want of clear and precise laws, affords a thousand ways of avoiding the shame ok" an evident injustice, by open- ing the crooked paths of com- mentaries and interpretations? Miserable is the condition of the peasants. They are every where reduced to a little flat cake of barley, or dourra, to onions, lentiles, and water. They are so little acquainted with dainties, that they esteem strong oil, and rancid fat as del- icacies. Not to lose any part of their corn, they leave in it all sorts of wild grain, even tares, which occasions virtigoes and dimness of sight for sev- eral hours, as I have myself ex- perienced. In the mountains of Lebanon and Nablous, in time of dearth, they gather the acorns from the oaks, which they eat, after boiling or roast- ing them on the ashes. The truth of this has been authenti- PAL PAL cated to me, among the Dru- zes,by persons who have them- selves made use of them. We must therefore no longer accuse the poets of hyperbole, but it will only be the more difficult to believe that the golden age was the age of abundance. By a natural consequence of this misery, the art of cultiva- tion is in the most deplorable state; the husbandman is desti- tute of instruments, or has very bad ones; his plough is fre- quently no more than the branch of a tree, cut below a bifurcation. The ground is tilled by asses and cows, rarely by oxen; they would bespeak too much riches; beef is there- fore very scarce in Syria and Egypt, where besides, it is al- ways lean and bad, like all the meat of hot countries. In the districts exposed to the Arabs, as in Palestine, the countryman must sow with his musket in his hand. Scarcely does the corn turn yellow, before it is reaped, and concealed in Mat- inoures, or subterraneous cav- erns. As little as possible is employed for seed corn; be- cause they sow no more than is barely necessary for subsis- tence; in a word their whole industry is limited to a supply of their immediate wants; and to procure a little bread, a few Onions, a wretched blue shirt, and a bit of woolen, much la- bor is not necessary. The peasant lives, therefore, in dis- tress; but at least he does not enrich his tyrants, and the ava- rice of despotism is its own punishment. The degraded state of the arts and sciences, corresponds with the oppression of the government, and the miseries of the people. With regard to the useful arts many of them would be useless in this coun- try, which are considered ne- cessary with us, owing to the small quantity of furniture used among the Orientals. The whole inventory of a rich fam- ily there consists in a carpet, mats, cushions, matrasses, some small cotton cloths, copper and wooden platters for the table, a few stewing pans, a mortar and a portable mill, a little porcelain, and some plates of copper covered with tin. This, it should be remembered, is the furniture of a rich family. All our costly apparatus of curtains, beds, chairs, soffas, looking glasses, desks and plate, glasses and pictures, is entirely unknown to them. In the country they are limited to mere necessaries. Each house manufactures its own cloth; every one has a hand mill with which the women grind their corn. The sciences are un- PAL PAL known, the barbarism of Judea is complete. They have nei- ther seminaries, nor geometri- cians, astronomers, musicians, nor physicians. Scarcely do they know how to let blood. Scarcely have they heard that the world revolves round the sun. Being Mahometans, the Koran absorbs all their studies. There are two hundred vol- umes of commentaries upon the first verse; but these are rare; only two libraries are found in the country; these are small and of little value. The common people receive no instruction of importance. Their priests neither preach nor catechise. Children are taught to read the Koran, if Mahometans, and the Psalms, if they are Christians, and a' little writing. The very means of instruction are wanting; they Have scarcely any books. The reason is evident; a book here is a manuscript; the cose is very great. It requires the labor of months to produce one volume. The radical source of this mis- chief is concealed in the wicked government. Instead of pro- moting knowledge or the means of education, the iron hand of despotism is raised to quench the sparks of science and knowledge. The highest at- tainments of liberal science would not in these regions of 40 tyranny preserve the possessor from languishing in obscurity and indigence. While such a government lasts, the people must be poor and ignorant. The peculiar nature of their religion, their extreme poverty, ignorance, and servitude must be supposed to produce vari- ous traits of character, which must appear singular to us. Of all the subjects which at- tract attention in any coun- try, the moral character of the inhabitants is unques- tionably the most important. This demands the first atten- tion of the traveller, the histo- rian, and geographer. The task is arduous, but well re- wards the labor. The first ap- pearance of this people is dif- ferent fiom ours. Their dress is long and flowing; their beards are long; but their heads are shaved. In their salutations they never bend the body; they are almost continually seated through life; if they walk, it is always slowly and on business; never for pleasure. Their re- ligious exterior is equally dif- ferent from ours. Their con- versation, their gestures, their countenances, display their re- ligion. In the street, every one appears with his string of beads, and as they pass along, we hear nothing but emphati- cal exclamations of Ya Allah, PAL PAL Oh God! Allah akbad! God most great; Allah taaled, God most high. Every instant you hear a profound sigh, following some of the ninety-nine names of the Most High, such as Ya rani! Source of riches! Ya Jobhan! Oh most to be prais- ed! Ya mastour! Oh impenetra- ble. If a man sells bread in the streets, he does not cry, bread, but exclaims, Allah Ke- rim, God is liberal. If he sells water he cries, Allah djawad, God is generous, &c. The usual form of salutation is, God preserve thee; and of thanks, God protect thee. In a word, God is in every thing, and ev- ery where. They are also grave, and cold in every thing which they say or do. Their behavior is austere, serious, melancholy. They rarely laugh, and the gaiety of a Frenchman seems to them a wild delirium. They speak with deliberation, without passion,and without ges- tures; they listen without inter- rupting you, and are silent whole days together. Their belief in fatalism gives them an apathy of spirit; they neither regret what is past, nor are anxious respecting the future. The bed of death does not awaken sensibility in the Mahometan; he makes his ablution, says his prayers, professes his be- lief in Mahomet, requests that his head may be turned M* wards Mecca, and dies qui- etly. Volney. Ancient and modern writers confirm the history of Moses, when they speak concerning the products of this land. The apples, which they call apples of paradise, grow in clusters like grapes, frequently a hun- dred of them in a bunch, e- nough to fill a moderate basket. Their vines yield three crops of excellent grapes in a year. Descriptio Terrae Sanctae Bro- cardo Monaco, Chap. 11. But the people of this country, the same writer observes, chap. 12, are of every nation under the sun, among whom none are more corrupt than the Chris- tians. The reasons, he says, are evident, without implicat- ing the excellence of the gos- pel. When any one in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, of other Roman Catholic coun- tries is guilty of manslaughter, robbery, theft, incest, adultery, fornication, or treason, fearing he shall be brought to punish- ment, he flies to the Holy Land, as though this would wipe a- way his crimes; but it does not change his character. Here are Saracens, Syrians, Greeks, Turks, and Arabs, men of all denominations and countries, Maronites, Nestorians, Papists, and Mahometans. PAN PAN Hasselquist, says the olives are beautiful and of the best kind. Mr. Maillet says that honey is yet produeed in great plenty, and that they have a singular manner of feeding them. Another traveller says it is impossible for pulse, wheat, or grain of any kind to be richer or better tasted, than what is sold in Jerusalem. PAMPHYLIA, a province of Asia Minor, which gives name to that part of the Med- iterranean Sea, which washes its coast, Acts xxvii, 5. To the south, it is bounded by the Mediterranean, and to the north by Pisidia; having Lydia to the west, and Cilicia to the east. Wells's Geography. The whole country is fertile and well cultivated. The most unproductive lands are pastures for numerous herds of goats, whose hair is profitable, as materials for excellent cam- blets. In the low country the summers are extremely hot, and the people retire to the mountains. Perga is a city of this province, famous for a re- markable temple dedicated to Diana Pergea. The northern part of mount Taurus was in- cluded in this province, that ex- tensive and celebrated range of mountains on some part cf which it has been supposed the ark rested. Paul and Barnabas, preached at Perga and Pam- phylia, Acts xiii, 13; and xiv, 24. Being a commercial peo- ple, strangers flocked there, and among other nations many Jews took up their residence here; hence "the dwellers in Pamphylia," are mentioned as coming to Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Christianity is not entirely eradicated from this Country; but may be com- pared to a woman banished in- to the wilderness. Lat. 37, Long. 48, 51. PANEAS, a city of Syria, formerly called Leshcm after- wards Dan, from the conquest made of it by some Israelites, of the tribe of Dan, afterwards Paneas, at the foot of which it was situated; then Cesarea Philippi, in honor of the em- peror Augustus, to whom Phil- ip son of Herod the Great, con- secrated it. His father Herod had a good while before built a magnificent temple here to the honor of Augustus. Lastly young Agrippa changed the name of Ccesarea into that of Areronias, in honor of Nero. In the time of William of Tyre it was called Bcllnas. Some doubt whether Paneas be the same as Dan. Eusebius and St. Jerome make a manifest distinction in Dan; since they affirm, that Dan is four miles from Paneas, on the road t:, PAP PAR Tyre. But most writers con- found them together, and St. Jerome himself says in Eze-k- iel xlviii, that Dan, or Lcshem, was afterwards called Paneas. It was situated about the place whereJordan issues out of the ground, for this river has its source in the lake called Phi- ala, an hundred furlongs from Paneas. Lat. 33, 27." Paneas, or Panius, the same as mount Hermon, which see. PAPHOS, a celebrated city of Cyprus now called Baifo, lying on the western coast of the island, where Venus, who from hence took the name of Paphia, had her most ancient and celebrated temple, and here the Roman Procon- sul Sergius Pauius, whom St. Paul converted to Christianity, had his residence, Acts xiii, 6. The idolatry of Venus contin- ued here 400 years a,fter the introduction of Christianity; a bishop of -the -Greek church stih resides at Paphos. The figure under which Venus was worshipped was not human; but simply an upright stone. This worship was first taugjit at Paphos by Phoenicians, who came from Askelon, who had received it from the ancient Assyrians; the same pbjeqt is worshipped in India to this day. This tends to prove what is repeatedly suggested in this work, that the Philistines derive their descent from the original Assyria, very far east from the Euphrates, near the fountains of the great rivers of Asia. They worshipped the same deity under the same symbol. Lat. 33, 35. PARADISE. In the books of the New Testament, the word paradise is put for a place of delight, where the souls of the blessed enjoy everlasting happiness. Thus Jesus Christ tells the penitent thief upon the cross, "to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise," that is in the state of the blessed, Luke xxiii, 43. And St. Paul, speak- ing of himself in the third per- son, says, (2 Cor. xii, 4;) "I knew a man that was caught up into paradise, and heard un- speakable words, which it is not Lwful for a man to utter." Lastly, Jesus Christ in the Rev- elations, ii, 7, says, "to him that oyercometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God;" where allusion is made to the tree of life, that grew in the terrestial paradise. Paradise according to the original meaning of the word, signifies an orchard, or planta- tion of fruit trees. The Sep- tuagint makes use of the word paradise when they speak of the PAR PAR garden of Eden, which the Lord planted at the beginning of the world, and placed Adam and Eve there; and this famous garden is commonly known by the name of the Terrestial Par- adise. There has been many anxious inquiries, respecting its situation some have thought, that it never existed, and that, which is said of it in scripture, ought to be taken allegorically. Others believe it was out of the confines of this world. Others have pretended, that it was on- ly in the beginning, or before the creation of the material beings. It has been placed in the third heaven, in the orb of the moon, in the moon itself, in the middle region of the air, above the earth, under the earth, in a distant place con- cealed from the knowledge of men, in the place which is now possessed by the Caspian Sea, under the arctic pole, and in many places to the utmost southern regions. There is hardly any part of the world, in which it has not beerr sought for; in Asia, in Africa, in Eu- rope, in America, in Tartary, upon the banks of the Ganges, in the Indies, in China, in the island of Ceylon, in Armenia, under the equator, in Mesopo- tamia, in Syria, in Persia, in Babylonia, in Arabia, in Pales- tine, in Ethiopia, where the mountains of the jtpoon are; near the mountains of Libanus, Anti-Libanus, and Damascus. The learned authors of the Universal History, in their ac- count of rarities, natural and artificial in Syria, mention, "a spot which is still shown, as the place where once stood the garden of Eden, or terrestial paradise. And indeed it is in all respects so beautiful and rich, and yields so delightful a prospect from the adjacent hills that there is hardly another place in the world, that has a fairer title to the name it bears. Its proximity to Damascus, the capital of Syria, near the foun- tain head of the Jordan; its sit- uation between the Tigris, or Hiddekel, the Euphrates, the Phasis, or Phison, the Araxes, orGihon, (which last has those names from its vast rapidity a- bove all other known rivers) its bordering upon the land of Chus, famed for its fine gold; all these and many other marks, specified by Moses, with its charming and surprising fruit- fulness, and constant verdure, have induced a great number of commentators to believe," that celebrated spot was in this place, and to deem it the most valuable of all natural rarities of this country. Christians, however, need not be told, that howqver curious or amusing PAR PAR this inquiry may be, the deter- mination of it is of no import- ance, since we are all well as- sured, that the celestial para- dise is that place of pure and refined delight in which the souls of the blessed enjoy ever- lasting happiness . Of the great progenitor we are told, "that the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden." These words plainly indi- cate, that Adam was not creat- ed,within the precincts of Par- adise; and it is afterwards said upon his being turned out of the garden, "he was sent to till the ground, whence he was taken." Adam was doubtless created In the prime of his life, with all his powers and faculties in the highest degree of strength and vigor. His body would be graceful, and well propor- tioned; while his countenance was comely, and glowed with the lustre of youthful innocence. The poet thus describes our first parents: Adam the goodliest man, of men since born His sons; the fairest of her daughters, Eve. - for in their looks divine The image of their glorious Maker shone. MiLTON. Moses introduces our first parents into life, in the most natural manner, as having ca- pacities to acquire knowledge, senses to receive impressions from objects around them, and a sufficient degree of reason to form a judgment of the things perceived: yet all these faculties can only be considered, as so many instruments, by the ex- ercise of which they might be enabled to discharge the duties of their future life. The fol- lowing portrait of our first pro- genitor, when he first came into life, drawn by the inimitable pencil of Buffon, is extremely beautiful, while it is dissonant, from no part of the Mosaic history. "Let us suppose a man, in the same situation, with him, who first received existence, a man whose organs were perfectly formed, but who was perfectly new to himself, and to every object which sur- rounded him. Were he to give a history of his thoughts, and of the manner in which he received impressions, he might give such information as this. I remember the moment, when my existence commenced. It was a moment replete with joy, with amazement and anx- iety. I neither knew what I was, where I was, nor whence I came; I opened my eyes. But what an amazing increase of sensation! the light, the ce- lestial vault, the verdure of the earth, the transparency of the waters gave animation to my spirits, and conveyed pleasures, which exceed the power of ex- pression. At first I believed, PAR PAR that "all these objects existed within me, and formed a part of myself. When, turning mine eyes to the sun, his splen- dor overpowered me. I vol- untarily shut out the light, and felt a small degree of pain. During: this moment of dark- ness, I imagined that I had lost the greatest part of my be- ing. I was then roused with a variety of sounds. The sing- ing of birds, and the murmur- ing breezes formed a concert, which excited the most sweet and enchanting emotions. I listened and was convinced, that these harmonious sounds exist- ed within me. I made a step forwards; and afterwards re- newing my motion, I walked with my face turned towards the heavens, till I struck against a Palm-tree, and felt some de- gree of pain. Seized with ter- ror, I ventured to lay my hand upon the object, and perceiv- ed it to be a being distinct from myself, because it did not seem like touching my own body, nor give me a double sensation. I resolved then to feel every object I saw, and had a strong desire to touch the sun; but stretching out my hands to embrace the heavens, they met without any intermediate ob- ject. All objects appeared to me equally near, and it was not till after many trials, that I learned to use my eyes, as a guide to my hand. At last the train of my ideas was interrupt- ed, and I lost the consciousness of my existence. My sleep was profound, but having no mode of measuring time, I knew nothing of its duration. When I awaked, I was aston- ished to find by my side, another form, perfectly, simi- lar to my own. I conceived it to be another self; and in- stead of losing by my sleep, I imagined myself to be doub- led. I ventured to lay my hand upon this new being. With rapture and astonish- ment, I perceived it wa s not myself, but something much more glorious and desirable." This philosophical detail co- incides with the opinion, that excepting what portions of knowledge, Adam might ac- quire by the exercise of his senses, his Maker tausrht him every thing that was necessary for his comfort and subsistence. But before the Almighty gave any instructions to our first parents, we must suppose, he inspired them with the knowl- edge of the meaning, of every word, which they heard him speak; otherwise it would have been impossible, that he could have had any such communica- tion with them. The words, which they heard, and were PAR PAR made to understand, being im- printed upon their memories, would serve as the foundation of a language, which they would afterwards increase and en- large, as new objects began to multiply, and hence give rise to new terms and definitions. One of the first lessons taught to Adam by his infallible Director, would ^e the neces- sity of food, for the support of his life. Accordingly Moses informs us, that for this pur- pose a grant was made him, to eat of every tree of the garden, excepting one. At the same time it was made known to him, in what manner he was to repair the decays of nature, namely, by eating of the tree of life. Then, in order to qualify him for social intercourse, he was ordered to exercise his faculty of speech by giving names to different creatures. The author of the book of Ec- clesiasticus, says of our first parents, "They received the use of the five operations of the Lord; and in the sixth, he im- parted to them understanding." Our talents and the exercise of them, may be both said, to be given to us by God; and what- ever capacities we, receive from him, it is supposed that we ourselves must improve them, before we can attain to any acquirements whatever. Al- though Adam had heard and understood the words of God, yet Moses does not give the least hint that ever he attempt- ed to speak before this time. For if he had, as some ima- gine, innate knowledge and proper terms for every thing, presented to him, what occa- sion was there to bring animals before him, to see what names he would impose upon them? Some writers have endeavored to turn into ridicule the whole of this transaction, and have asked, how could all creatures upon earth appear at one time, before Adam?- Not only one, but many days would have clipsed, before he could give each a mime. But this objec- tion arises from not under- standing the words of Moses. What our translators render 'to see what he would call them? is in the original, 'to see what name he would call it. And whatsoever Adam called it, (viz. the living crea- ture) that was the name of it.1 The meaning seems to be no more than this: God brought a few creatures to Adam, to make him try to name them; and whatever he called any of them, that continued to be its name. And no doubt he would denominate every animal be- fore him, from its external ap- pearance, from its size, its color, PAR PAR «r its voice. And in process of time, he would give names to all those creatures, which providence brought within his view, or with which he after- wards became acquainted. The next thing in which God instructed Adam, though probably in a trance, or vision, was his near relation to Eve, as being part of his own body. This piece of knowledge was imparted to him, in order to cement the greater love and affection, between the two, during the remaining period of their lives. These, according to Moses, are all the transactions, in which our first parents were interest- ed, during their abode in Para- dise, till they lost their inno- cence, and forfeited the enjoy- ments of their happy situation. And nothing can be more evi- dent, than that the instructions, which they received, bespoke the infantile state of their minds: though there is no doubt, but further and higher •dispensa- tions of knowledge would have been communicated to them, as they became able to bear them, and had their minds ma- tured by experience and re- flection. Moses gives us no farther account of Adam's life, after leaving the garden, but that he begat some children, and died 41 at such an age. Yet we have no reason to doubt, but the venerable patriarch ever after led a life of penitence and of the strictest piety. The vari- ous communications which he had enjoyed with his Maker in Paradise, and which were prob- ably renewed to him after his fall, could not fail to make the deepest impressions upon his mind. The gracious respite he had met with, from the ex- ecution of the sentence denoun- ced against him, would make him cautious of offending for the time to come; lest the next violation of the Divine authority, should put an end to his existence. The cherubim and flaming sword, or the de- vouring flame on the east of Eden (which might continue burning all his life) would be to him what the vestiges of the ark were to Noah and his sons, an awful memorial of the dan- ger of incurring the Divine dis- pleasure. Besides, his worldly comforts being in a great measure withdrawn, his mind would be naturally disposed for relishing those pieasu.es, which flow from piety and reli- gion. It may not be improper, however, in this place to give a description of the Paradise of the Mahometans. The sen- suality and absurdity of that PAR PAR impostor, must be apparent to all men. Their religion has no consistency in its parts, and the description of the future enjoyment of the faithful, are miserable instances of human Weakness and folly. "The Paradise of the Mahom- etans, is by them said to be situated above the seven heav- ens, or in the seventh, and next under the throne of God; and to express the amenity of the place, they tell us, that the earth of it is of the finest wheat flour, or of the purest musk, or of saffron; and that its stones are pearls and jacinths, the walls of its buildings enriched with gold and silver, and the trunks of all its trees of gold, among which the most remark- able is the tree Tuba, or tree of happiness. They pretend that this tree stands in the pal- ace of Mahomet, though a branch of it will reach to the house of every true believer, loaded with pomegranites, dates, grapes, and other fruits of surprising bigness, and de- licious tastes, unknown to mor- tals. If a man desires to eat of any particular kind of fruit, it will immediately be present- ed to him; or if he chooses flesh, birds ready dressed will be set before him, and such as he may wish for. They add that this tree will supply the blessed, not only with fruit, but with silk garments also, and beasts to ride on, adorned with rich trappings, all which will burst forth from the fruit; and that the tree is so large, that a person mounted on the fleetest horse would not be able to gallop from one end of its shade to the other in 100 years. Plenty of water being one of the greatest additions to the pleasantness of any place, the Alcoran often speaks of the rivers of Paradise, as the prin- cipal ornaments. Some of these rivers are said to flow with water, some with wine, and others with honey: all of them have their sources in the root of this tree of happiness; and as if these rivers were not sufficient, we are told that the garden of this Paradise is also watered by a great number of less springs and fountains, whose pebbles are rubies and emeralds, their earth of cam- phor, their beds of musk, and their sides.of saffron. But all those glories will be eclipsed, by the resplendent and exqui- site beauty of the girls of Par- adise, the enjoyment of whose company, will constitute the principal felicity of the faithful. These (say they) are not form- ed of clay, as mortal women, but of pure musk; and are, as their prophet often affirms in PAR PAR his Alcoran, free from all the natural defects and inconve- niences incident to the sex. Being also of the strictest mod- esty, they keep themselves se- cluded from public view, in pavilions of hollow pearls, so large that, as some traditions have it, one of them will be no less than 16, or as others say, 60 miles long, and as many broad. With these the inhab- itants of Paradise may taste pleasures in their height; and lor this purpose will be endow- ed with extraordinary abilities, and enjoy a perpetual youth." The inquiry remains, Where was Paradise? The Compiler is far from being sanguine him- self, and cannot, therefore, be expected to satisfy his readers. From a writer, more distin- guished for his pietv, than his profound skill in geography, I give the following quotation. "We," saithhe, "suppose that Paradise stood in F.den, in Chaldea, at the conflux of the Tigris, or Hiddekel and the Euphrates, or a little beiow it. Here we find two of Moses's rivers by name, and below we find that the stream was parted into two large divisions, the eastern one may have been the Gihon, and the western, the Pison." [Brown.) It may be proper to observe that when some of these rivers are said to compass sueh lands, the word may be rendered, runs along t i. e. along the side, and Hidde- kel went not to the east of As- syria, but ran from Assyria eastward, or run before Assyria, i. e. between Moses and As- syria, Gen. ii, 11 — 14. But pray what has this to do with the description of Moses. Here you have two rivers above the garden, and two below; but the scripture says that one river went out of Eden, and after- wards parted and became foury not two. Most writers seem to have supposed, that four rivers watered the gaidcn, and that four proceeded from it, but, does the sacred text re- quire such a singalar place to be discovered? Directed by such an opinion, the learned Reland repairs to America to find this garden in such a place, and with him Calmet agrees. In the immense swell of mountains in that country large rivers of course have their rise, and proceed in every direction. There he finds the source of the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Phasis, and the Ar- axes; b.ut they do not rise frum one head, they flow in different courses, and are never united in one stream; but Eden lay on one stream, was watered only by one stream; this stream after leaving that region, at PAR FAR how great a distance we know not, but before it entered the ocean, was divided into four parts, and disembogued its waters by four mouths or "heads." Since it is a fact well known that rivers are now fre- quently changing their channels, sometimes running in one, sometimes in several channels, and since in the early ages, when these streams were larger, and the earth less settled and solid, their courses were prob- ably less fixed, is it to be sup- posed that we shall now find the river, or rivers of Eden, running in the same channels as in the time of Moses? When the ponds and lakes of the globe which filled the hollows and v lilies began to burst their ba riers, to rush from one val- ley to another to find the sea, they, probably, in some instan- ces overflowed large tracts, and often ran in many channels. By degrees some one of these channels, having a larger col- umn of water, or a softer soil, became deeper than the rest, and of course drew the waters from the other channels; the ponds and lakes were exhaust- ed, and a regular stream was formed. But even to this day, very often, near the sources of rivers, where the force of the waters to form a deep channel to exhaust the fountains was weaker, a few of the ponds and lakes still remain, as at the head of the Parker, the Merri- mac, the Amariscoggin, the Kenebec, and Penobscot. In- stead, therefore, of searching for the river of Eden, shall we not more probably ascertain the spot by attending to other characteristics of the place, and by exploring the course of the first colonies of men, and lis- tening to the traditions of those cou nti ies? See India and Eden. PARAN, or El-paran, a desert of Arabia Petrea, to the south of the Land of Promise, and to the north-east of the gulf Elanitis. Chedalaomer and his allies, coming to make war with the kings of Pentapolis, ravaged the country, as far as the plains of Paran, Gen. xiv, 6. Hagar being sent away from the house of Abraham, retired into the wilderness of Paran, where she lived with her son Ishmael, Gen. xxi, 23. The Israelites having decamped from Sinai, came into the desert of Paran, Numb, x, 12. It was from hence that Moses sent out spies to bring intelligence concerning the Land of Promise, Numb, xiii, 3, 26, and consequently, Kadesh is in the wilderness of Paran; since it was from Ka- desh that these men were sent. Moses seems to place mount Sinai in the country of Paran, PAk PAR when he says, (Deut.xxxiii, 2) that the Lord appeared to the Israelites upon the mount of Paran, Habbakuk iii, 3, seems to say the same thing. When David was persecuted by Saul, he withdrew into the wilder- ness of Paran, near Maon and Carmel, 1 Sam. xxv, 12. Ha- dad, son of the king of Edom, was carried, when a child, into Egypt, 1 Kings xi, 18. Those, who conducted him, came from the eastern parts of Idumea, into the country of Midian, thence into the country of Pa- ran, and then into Egypt; the greatest part of the habitations of this country were dug in the ground orin therocks,according to Josephus; and it was there, that Simon of Gerasi gathered together all that he took from his enemies. Dr. Shaw sup- poses,that Paran extended from Kadesh to Sinai, which is about 110 miles. Near Sinai were bushes or shrubs, but in gen- eral it was a naked desert. Paran, a city of Arabia Pe- trea, situated at three days jour- ney from the city of Elah to- wards the east. Eusebius tells us, it was this city that gave name to the desert of Paran. Bonfrerius seems to suppose, that to chis place Moses pro- posed to march the Israelites to offer sacrifice. Not in the de- sert of Paran, because that was more than three days journey distant, and destitute of all con- veniences; but in the desert of Sinai, and city of Paran the sacrifices must be offered, as God had commanded. PARTHIA, had Media on the west, Hyrcania on the north, Aria or Ariana on the east, and the desert of Carmania, now Karman, on the south. It is thought by some, that the Par- tisans were chiefly the descend- ants of those ferocious Gauls, or French, who broke into A- sia, a part of whom settled in Galatia. Others think them of Persian original. About A.M. 3754, Arsaces, a noble Parthi- an, revolted from Antiochus Theos of Syria, and erected a kingdom for himself. This, became a terror to Roman vet- erans, and sometimes carried its conquests from the Helles- pont to the Euphrates, and even to the Indus, and on the other side triumphed over Egypt and Lybia. This government was crushed about A. D. 232, by Artaxerxes, the Persian. Again Parthia was overrun by the Sar- acens about 640. The ancient Parthia is now the Persian Irak, situate in the heart of the em- pire. This tract is about 600 miles long, and 450 broad. The country is son1 ewhat hilly; but the air is healthy. Ispahan is the capital, and Cashan, Hamr PAT Pat dan, and other cities are places of note. Probably the Jews from Parthia, who heard Pe- ter's celebrated sermon, carried home some knowledge of the Christian faith; but for many ages there has been but little of Christianity here,except among the Armenian merchants, who settle here for traffic. This commercial people are found in almost every part of Asia, and vast numbers of them in all their wanderings support the Christian profession. PARTHIANS, the same with the Persians, known in scripture by the name of Elam- ites, till towards the time of Cy- rus. They were called Per- sians in the time of the prophets; and Parthians about the time of our Savior. However, the name Parthians we meet with only in the Acts of the Apostles, ii, 9, where they appear as dis- tinct from the Elamites, though they were originally but one people. PARVAIM, from this place Solomon had his gold with which he covered the inside of the temple. Perhaps it was Ophir, or Parbacia in Havilah. PASDAMMIM, a city of Palestine in the tribe of Judah. It was probably an ancient a- sylum. PATARA, a maritime city of Lycia, which once had a good harbor and numerous temples. Acts xxi, 1. St. Paul in his passage from Philippi to Jerusalem, came to Miletus, thence to Coos, thence to Rhodes, and from Rhodes to Patara, where having found a ship that was bound for Phoe- nicia, he went on board, and arrived at Jerusalem, to be at the feast of Pentecost. This town stood near the mouth of the river Xanthus, and was the capital of the province, being famous for an oracle, dedicated to Apollo. It was in this, a rival of Delphos; that being consulted in the summer, this, in the winter. It is now an inconsiderable town. Chris- tianity prevailed here from the fourth to the ninth century; but the Saracens have trodden this vine in the dust. PATHROS, a city and canton of Egypt, of which the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel make mention, Jer. xliv, 1, 15; Ezek. xxix, 14; xxx, 14. We do not very well know its sit- uation, though Pliny and Ptol- emy the geographer, speak of it by the name of Phaturis; and according to Bochart it appears to have been in Upper Egypt. Isai. xi, 2, calls it Pathros; and it is the country of the Pathrusim, the posterity of Mizraim, of whom Moses speaks, Gen. x, 14. Ezekiel PAT PAT threatens them with an entire ruin. The Jews retired thither, notwithstanding the remon- strances of Jeremiah; and the Lord says by Isaiah, that he will bring them back from thence. Pathros, the name of a region called Arabia Petrea, Isai. xi, 11. PATMOS,Pathmos,Pal- mosa, and now Patmosa, or Patino, is an island of the ar- chipelago, on the west of Na- tolia, between Samos and Ni- caria, 10 miles south-west from this last island, being twenty- five miles in compass. Its whole population is about 3000 souls. Its chief importance a- rises from its excellent harbors; but so miserably imbecile is the Turkish government, under which this island has fallen, that the people cannot avail them- selves of their ports. TheBar- bary corsairs have driven the islanders from their chief towns to the hill where St. John's monastery stands. This mo- nastery is really a citadel, con- sisting of several strong towers. It has an annual revenue of six thousand crowns, and supports one hundred monks. Over the gate of the convent are two large bells, which is a remarkable in- dulgence in Turkey, arising from their great veneration for St. John. It was to this island, that this apostle was banished by the emperor Domitian, A. D. 94; being on account of its dreadful rocks and shelves, one of the places to which the Ro- mans used to banish their state prisoners and criminals. Here it was, that the book of Reve- lation was written; a manuscript of which is carefully preserved here, and shown to strangers. They profess to show, likewise, the pulpit in which he preached, and the font in which he bap- tized. They also show a cave here in which they tell you, Cynops, a great magician, hid himself all the time that the apostle remained in the island. The Greeks believe, that the place has been haunted ever since his departure. The en- trance into the Hermitage of the Apocalypse, as it is called, is strait, being cut in the solid rock, and leads into the chapel, which is 8 or 9 paces long, and 5 wide, with a handsome roof in the Gothic style. On the left is the grot of St. John, the en- trance into which is 7 feet high, supported by a pillar in the middle. In this island are neither Turks nor Latins; the whole administration of civil affairs is entrusted to one or two Greek officers, whose chief business is to look after the poll tax, which amounts to 8000 crowns, FAT PAT and the land tax to 2000 more, beside some presents, which must be made to the captain bashaw, and his officers, who are ready enough to extort the last cent. Being a barren heap of rocks, this island might have continued for ever unnoticed, but for St. John. Only a few vallies are capable of some cul- tivation. It abounds, however, with partridges, rabbits, quails, turtles, pigeons, and snipes. Patmos has an excellent har- bor. The town, containing two hundred houses, is in the centre of the island, 5000 feet above the level of the sea, be- ing built of free white stone, it makes a pleasant appearance. The inhabitants of the convent are in reality the sovereigns of the country; their domains would not be sufficient for their maintenance, were it not for the possession of some lands in the neighboring isles, and the certain tribute they derive from the superstition of the Greeks. They have a college here for young men of the Greek per- suasion. These monks, called caloyers, are spread over all Greece. Scarce any of them can read; yet they all under- stand, how far the empire of superstition, can extend over ignorant minds. They keep their credulous countrymen in the most absolute subjection. They are even accomplices in their crimes, the profits of which they share, and sometimes en- gross. Not one of the pirati- cal vessels is without a caloyer, in order to give them absolu- tion in the very instant of com- mitting the most dreadful crimes. The Hermitage of the Apocalypse is on the declivity of a mountain, between the con- vent and the port of Scala. It leads to the church of the apoc- alypse, which is supported a- gainst a grotto in the rocks. The women of Patmos, who are to the men as five to one, (or as others say, twenty) are naturally pretty, and would be agreeable to strangers, were it not for their excessive use of paint, with which they perfect- ly disfigure themselves. A merchant of Merseilles hav- ing married one of them for her beauty, they imagined, that not a stranger could land in their island, but with similar views. Now a stranger no sooner appears in the streets, than every door is closely shut against him. Lorn 26, 21, east. Lat. 37, 24, north. Thevenot. Wittman. PATREA, a city of Achaia, standing on a hill, near the sea, 10 miles from the gulf of Le- panto. In the reign of pagan- ism, a young man and maid were every year sacrificed here PEL PEL to Diana. St. Andrew preach- ed here, and the pustom was laid aside. Kimpton. PAU, a city of Edom, the habitation of king Adar, Gen. .\xxvi, 39. PELETHITES, the Pele- thites and Cherethites were fa- mous under the reign of king David. They were the most valiant in the army of that pric.ee, and had the guard of his per- son. For the opinions of com- mentators concerning these bands, see the article Chere- thims. We are assured that Camby- ses, king of Persia, invading Egypt, and resolving to take Pelusium, he devised this stra- tagem. In an assault against the town, he placed a great number of cats, dogs, sheep, and such other animals, as the Egyptians held sacred, in the front of his troops. Thus the soldiers, that defended this city being Egyptians, durst not throw their lances or shoot their arrows for fear of wounding some of those animals. By this mean, Cambyses became mas- ter of the place. Lat. 31, 5. PELL A, a city beyond Jor- dan. Pliny places it in Deca- polis, and commends it for its fine wa ers. Stephanus places it in Ccelo Syria. There is nothing inconsistent in this, nor in what others affirm, that 42 Pella was in Perea in Batanea, in the country of Basan. Per- haps also, when Josephus speaks of Pella in the country of Mo- ab, he means the city of which we are speaking, which was situated in Perea in Batanea, in the country of Basan, which profane authors sometimes call Coelo Syria, and in the coun- try,which belonged to the Am- monites, the brethren and allies of the Mcabites; unless he con- founds Pella with Abila, in the country of Moab, called by Moses Abel-shittim, Numb, xxxiii, 49. As to the situa- tion of Pella, it was between Jabesh and Gerasa, six miles from Jabesh. It was also of the number of the ten cities, known by geog- raphers, as also in the gospel, by the name of Decapolis, Matt. iv, 25; Mark v, 20. Josephus relates, that under the reign of Alexander Janne- us, the Jews were masters of Pella, and destroyed it, because the inhabitants would not em- brace Judaism. The first Christians having been fire- warned by our Savior that Je- rusalem should be demolished, took refuge at Pella, as soon as they saw the fire of war kindled. Epiphanius says, that the dis- ciples were warned by the rev- elation of an angel to withdraw thither. This city belonged PEL PEL to the kingdom of Agrippa, who assisted the Romans. I suspect that Pella takes its name from Abila, or Abela. There were more cities than one named Abila; but the one, I mean, is called by geogra- phers, Abila of Batanea, and in scripture, Abel of the vines. Polybius distinguishes Abila from Pella, since he says, that Antioehus the Great, took Pel- la, Kamos, Gephros, Abila, Gadara, &c. Stephanus the geographer says, that the city •of Pella had Alexander the Great, for its founder, proba- bly, in the memory of the city of Pella, in Thessaly, where he was born. Abila and Pel- la were afterwards episcopal cities of the second Palestine. Josephus says, that Pella was one of the seven toparchies of Judea; but elsewhere, he calls it Betlephtepha, and Pliny gives it the same name. It is un- known where Betlephtepha was. The name of Pella is not in scripture; but it is men- tioned here, because often re- ferred to in this work, and is frequently mentioned by reli- gious writers, as the asylum of the Christians in Jerusalem, in the siege of Titus. PELON, a city of Judea, 1 Chron. xi, 36. PELUSIUM,acity of Egypt at the mouth of the eastern arm of the Nile, the nearest to Pales- tine. Pelusium, otherwise Da- mietta,was the key of Egyp<-, to- wards Phoenicia and Judea. Eze. (xxx, 15, 16,) speaks of it un- der the name of Sin, Lutum, Pelusium, and calls it the ram- part, or strength of Egypt; The Hebrew word, Sin, which sig- nifies mudfinswers to the Greek Pelusium, from Pelos, of the same signification. The Sep- tuagint read Sais, instead of Sin, in this place. Scripture speaks of the desert of Sin, be- tween Elim and Sinai, Exod. xvi, 1; Numb, xxx, 11. Ezekiel pronounces against Pelusium, '•''And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt, and will cut ojf the multitude of No. And i will set fire in Egypt, Sin shall have great pain" &c. It is thought these threats regarded the expedition of Nebuchad- nezzar, against this country. For the Lord had said to Eze- kiel, (xxix, 18, 19) "Son of man, behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnez- zar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey: and it shall be the wages for his army." Pelusium, by its situation, suffered the first efforts of the king of Babylon, and of the Chaldean army. Before Nebuchadnezzar's time, Pelusium had been at- tacked by Sennacherib, king of PEN PER Assyria. This prince attacked Sethon, otherwise Severus, king of* Egypt, and besieged Pelusium. Sethon was a prince void of prudence, and little ca- pable of government: he had alienated the minds of his sol- diers, and was forsaken by all, who could defend him. Hav- ing addressed himself to Julian, whose priest he was, he was bid to advance to Pelusium to meet Sennacherib, and God would send him assistance. He therefore put himseif at the head of such people as he could, and God sent against Sennache- rib's army a great multitude of rats, which in the night time gnawed the strings of the bows, and the thongs of the bucklers, of the Assyrians, by which their arms became useless to them. This is what the Egyp- tians related. But the sacred books of the Hebrews inform us, that an angel of the Lord, in one night slew eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib's army, 2 Kings xix, 35. PENIEL, or Penuel, a' city beyond Jordan, near the ford or brook Jabbok. PENTAPOLIS, a name given to the five cities, Sodom, G miorrah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar, which stood where the waters of the Dead Sea, now extend themselves. These towns for their great wicked- ness were destroved by fire, volcanic eruptions, and sinking of the earth, Gen. xiii, 19. PERAEA, a province of Palestine on the east side of Jordan, bounded north by Itu- rea, west b\ Judea, and Sama- ria. This country was the lot of Gad and Reuben. PERGA, an inland city of Pamphilia, standing on the river Caystrus, mentioned in Acts xiii, 14. Strabo speaks of the temple of Diana at Perga, sit- uated on an eminence near the city; and in this town Paul and Barnabas frequently preached; and to the close of the eighth century, we find a Christian church supported in the place. This was one of the most con- siderable towns of the prov- ince. Lat 37, 50. PERGAMUS, now Perga- mo, a cily of Natolia, in the province of Troas. It stands on a spacious plain, near the banks of the Caicus, and shel- tered to the north by a consid- erable hill. This was once the royal city of a powerful king- dom, swaying its sceptre over the provinces of Mvsia, iEolis, Ionia, Lydia, and Caria. Va- rious circumstances contribut- ed to give celebrity to this place. It wras the birthplace of Galen, the famous physician; here parchment was invented, and its royal library contained 200,000 vol u mcs. This place very early received the gospel. PER PER and a church was formed here; but she soon forsook her first love, and departed from the purity of the gospel, on which account a severe doom was pronounced against her, Rev. ii, 12, "And to the angel of the church in Pergamus write; these things saith he, who hath the sharp sword, with two edges," &c. Surrounded with a fertile country, which with proper cultivation would be an earthly paradise, the present inhabitants of Pergamus abhor labor and addict themselves to thefts and ro1 belies, being more pleased to seize a booty in their plains with rapine and violence, than with honest la- bor to purchase their bread, by cultivating the rich clods of their native soil; so that this city goes more and more to decay, merely for want of in- dustry; a few years past, there were 53 streets of this town inhabited; now there are only 22 frequented, the others are deserted, and their buildings are going to ruin. Here are many remains of antique build- ings, such as vast pillars of marble subverted. One place seems to have been a palace, still denoted by columns of polished maibie, which like buttresses support the wall for at least 50 paces in length. There are also the ruins of seveial churches, one of which, more spacious and magnificent than the rest, is by tradition of the Greeks, reported to have been dedicated to St. John, and a- nother to St. Demetrius, both which the Turks have relin- quished; the first because (as report goes) the walls fall, as much by night, as they are built by day, and the other, because the door of Menareth, or the steeple, which is above, where they call to prayers, points always towards Mecca, (which is S. E.) did in a mir- aculous manner, after it was built, turn itself north, to which that door now looks; but what deceit may have been contrived by the Greeks, I am not able to aver. There are also vast ruins without the city of arched work; and some remains of a theatre; it is probable, that such vast piles of buildings are relics of public edifices. Through the upper part of the city runs a verv' plentiful stream of water, which in many places was honored by antiquity, with magnificent arches in form of a bridge. It is observable that in the city are many vaults, under almost every house and street; which have been either cisterns or conveyances for wa- ter. The description of another traveller is more particular, but in both we read the execution of the Divine threatening, "Re- PER PEU pent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and fight against thee with the sword of my mouth." "They eat things sacrificed to idols, and com- mitted fornication, and held the doctrine of Balaam." Is it strange that our traveller should give the following melancholy description, "We went first to see the ruins of a palace, as it is judged to be, which lie in a street to the east part of the city; where we found five pil- lars of polished marble, of a- bout seven yards in length, the chapiters curiously wrought in a line equally distant: and fur- ther on, there being a larger space between, two other pil- lars, all which serve now only as so many props, to support a wall, that is built close to them. They are confronted on the other side of the street, with pillars of the same make, but whose chapiters are broken, two lying upon the ground. More eastward toward the plain, lie very famous ruins of a church dedicated to St. John, built of brick, about 56 paces in length, and in breadth thirty- two; the walls of a very great height, two rows of windows on each side. On each side of the church is a round build- ing, the one exactly agreeing with the other. The doors are very high; opposite to which is a great cavity in the wall; a vault underneath sustained by a great pillar; the foundation strength- ened by several arches and pil- lars. It is eighteen pares in diameter within, the walls very thick. In the upper part' of the city- is the rivulet Selinus, whose stream is very swift, running toward the south south-east into the Caicus; over which are built several stone bridges; some with two, some with three arches. By the stream not far from the great church, part of a wall is yet standing of about ninety paces. On the other side of Selinus, is a very handsome and large church, formerly called Saneta Sophia, into which you ascend byr sev- eral stone stairs; now polluted by the Turks, and made a mosque. We observed a pas- sage under ground from the castle to the Selinus, by which they supplied themselves with ■water. Along the side of an hill from the south-west are the remains of an aqueduct. On a hill to the west of the city, we met with several vast ruins with six great arches over a water, which seems to have been formerly a common sewer; and south of this a range of six arches more, with two large rooms. The former of these ruins, the Turks call Kiz-serai, or the women's se- raglio, telling us, that anciently PER PER they were kept there, accom- modating, according to their rude conception of things, the customs of former ages to the practice of their emperor at Constantinople, and fancying them to have been the very same. More southward is a- nother great ruined building with arches, situated pleasantly upon a hill; whence we had a good prospect of the city and the neighboring plain; hard by which is a theatre, that opens to the south, the marks of the steps still remaining. In the declivity of which almost at the bottom is a marble stone, about seven spans in length, and two in breadth. On the opposite side is a marble statue about two or three feet in the rubbish, which we caused to be removed by a poor Chris- tian, this being the only way to preserve it, the Turks being such professed enemies to all human figures, whether paint- ed, or in Mosaic, or wrought in brass or marble, that it would be quickly defaced and broken, if it appeared above ground. As we walked in the streets we observed vaults almost eve- ry where. The state of the Christians here is sad and deplorable, though for seven or eight hundred years Christianity flourished in this city, now there is not above fifteen fami- lies of Christians. Their chief employment is gardening, by which they get a little money to pay their kerache, or tax, and satisfy the demands of their cruel and greedy oppressors, and maintain a sad, miserable life. They have one church dedicated to St. Theodore; the bishop of Smyrna, under whose direction they are, taking care to send a priest to officiate a- mong them. Having satisfied ourselves with the view of Pergamus, on Thursday the 6th, about sunrise we set forward on our journey, toward Thyatira, our way laying almost due east, repassing the Cetius and Cai- cus; which last we forded at about two miles distance from the city. The present popu- lation is about 3000 Turks. Lat. 39, 5, north. Long. 27, 27, east, being 40 miles north- west from Thyatira, and 64 northerlv from Smyrna. PERIZZITES, the ancient inhabitants of Palestine, min- gled with the Canaanites. There is also great probability, that they themselves were Ca- naanites, but having no fixed habitations, sometimes dispers- ed in one part of the country, and sometimes in another, they were for that reason called Per- izzites, which signifies scatter- ed or dispersed. Pherazoth stands for hamlets or villages. PER PER i'he Pcrizzitcs did not inhab- it any certain portion of the land of Canaan; there were some of them on both sides the river Jordan, in the moun- tains, and in the plains. In several places of scripture, the Canaanites and Perizzites, are mentioned, as the two chief people of the country. It is said for example, that in the time of Abraham andLot,theCanaanites and Perizzites were in the land, Gen. viii, 7. The Israelites of the tribe of Ephraim, com- plained to Joshua, that they were too much circumscribed in their possession, Josh, xvii, 15. He bid them go if they pleased, into the mountains of the Perizzites and Rephaims, or giants, and clear the land, and cultivate it, and dwell there. Solomon subdued the remains of the Canaanites and Perizzites, which the children of Israel had not rooted out, and made them tributary to him, 1 Kings, ix, 20, 21, and 2 Chron. viii, 7. There is still mention made of the Periz- zites in the time of Ezra, ix, 1, after the return of the captivity from Babylon; and several Is- raelites had married wives from that nation. PERSEPOLIS, the noble metropolis of ancient Persia, situate in east long. 54, and north lat. 30, 50, where are still to be seen the most mag- nificent remains of a palace or temple, that are now in being on the face of the earth: they lie at the north end of that spa- cious plain, where Persepolis once stood; and are generally conjectured to be part of the palace of that Darius, who was conquered by Alexander. It is said in the second book of Maccabees, ix, 1, 2, &c. that this temple is at Elymais. It is known that the cities Elymais, and Persepolis were very differ- ent; besides Persepolis was in ruins, before the time of Anti- ochus, being destroyed by Al- exander: wherefore we must admit, that this is a mistake in the second book of Maccabees, or that the author has put Per- sepolis for the capital city of Persia, though its true name was Elymais and Kanaea. The authors of the Universal History think, that the most ancient name of Persepolis might be Elymais, derived from the ancient name of Per- sia, which was Elam; that in process of time, when Persia was called Pharas, this city miicht be called Pharasabad, and that the Greeks might translate either of these appel- lations into their own language by the word Persepolis, which signifies no more than the city of Persia. The following is the account which Dr. Wells gives of this place, and is some- PER PJift what different. Persepolis was the capital not only of the province, properly called Per- sis, but of the whole Persian empire; whence it is styled by the historian, Quintius Curtius, the Queen of the East. It was situated near the bunks of a river called Araxes, otherwise Rhogomanes, and now Bende- mir, it was built for the most part of Cyprus wood, the walls of the houses being of marble, procured from an adjoining mountain. Diodorus Siculus, who at large describes tins city, represents it as the richest and finest city in the world. And we may well believe him as to the riches of it, Alexander the Great finding here one hundred and twenty thousand talents in money for his own share, after the soldiers had made what spoil they pleased of plate, bul- lion, images of gold, and silver, andjewels of unspeakable value. But its chief beauty was the royal palace, built on an hill, surrounded with three walls, the first sixteen cub.ts high, the second thirty, and the third sixty; all of them of black, polished marble, with stately battlements, and in the circuit of the whole palace an hundred turrets, which afforded a most admirable prospect. Nor was the inside of less beauty, than the outside was of majesty; the roof shining with ivory, silver, gold, and amber; and the king's throne being wholly composed of gold and the richest pearls. But although it was thus rich and stately, and one of the greatest ornaments of the east- ern world; yet it was by Alex- ander, in a drunken fit, con- sumed with fire, at the insti- gation of Lais, an infamous courtezan, by way of revenge for the cities of the Greeks, which the Persians had former- ly burnt in Greece. Though Alexander, when sober, re- pented of his rashness, and or- dered that it should be rebuilt, yet it never rose to its former glory; the conqueror dying shortly after, and his purpose with him. Itwras so ruined in the time of Quintus Curtius, (who lived in the reign of Claudius Ceesar) that he ac- knowledges no footsteps of it could have been found, if not indicated by the river Araxes, on whose bank it stood. Not- withstanding this, several in- genious persons and travellers, and among them M. Thevenot, think, the place now called Tschel-minar is part of the an- cient Persepolis, not only be- cause of the river, which Dio- dorus Siculus, and others de- scribe under the name of the Little Araxes, now called Ben- demir, but also of many other indisputable marks, says The- venot; who gives a large ac- PER PER count of its ruins. The sum whereof is this: that they con- sist chiefly of three ranges of buildings, behind one another, from west to east; that they extend in length from north to south; that each of the two first ranges contains four build- ings and two courts; the last hath five buildings, whereof the third is the most extensive. Lat. 30, 30. PERSIA, a most ancient and celebrated empire of Asia, extending in length from the mouth of the river Araxes, to that of ihe Indus, about 1840 miles, and in breadth from the river Oxus to the Persian gulf, about 1089 miles. It is bound- ed on the north by the Caspian Sea, the river Oxus, and mount Caucasus, on the east by the river Indus, and the dominions of the great Mogul; on the south by the Persian gulf and the Indian ocean; en the west by the Tigris and Euphrates, which separate it from the ter- ritories of the grand Signior. From Sir William Jones, we learn that Persia is the name of only one province in this em- pire, which by the natives, and all learned Mussulmen is cal- led Iran. The same learned writer is confident, that Iran or Persia in its largest extent, comprehended within its out- line, the lower Asia, which he 43 says was unquestionably a part of the Persian, if not of the old Assyrian empire, "Thus may we look on Iran, as the noblest peninsula on this globe, and if Mr. Bailly had fixed on it as the Atlantis of Plato, he might have supported his opin- ion with far stronger arguments than any, which he has adduced in favor of Nova Zembla. If indeed the account of the At- lantis, be not purely an Egyp- tian fable, I, says Sir Wil- liam, should be more inclined to place them in Iran than in any region with which I am acquainted." The most ancient name of this country, however, was Elam, So called from Elam, the son of Shem from whom the first inhabitants descended. In the books of Daniel and Esdras, and from the time of Cyrus, who learned the art of riding in Media, and introdu- ced it here, it is called by the name of Peres and P haras, which signifies a horseman, or rider; hence the modern name of Persia. That Persia was originally peopled by Elam, the son of Shem, has been very generally admitted, but the truth is, that very little is known concern-? ing the ancient history of this celebrated empire. For this ignorance, which at first may PER PER seem strange, satisfactory rea- sons may be found in the su- perficial knowledge of the Greeks and Jews, and the loss of the Persian archives and historical compositions. "That the Grecian writers, before Xenophon had no acquaintance with Pers!/t, and that their ac- counts of it are wholly fabulous, is a paradox too extravagant to be mentioned, but says Sir W. Jones, their connexion with it in war or peace had been gen- erally confined to bordering kingdoms, under feudatory princes; the first Persian em- peror, whose life and charac- ter they seem to have known with tolerable accuracy, was the great Cyrus." Our learn- ed author, however, is so far from considering Cyrus as the first Persian monarch, that he thinks it evident, that a power- ful monarchy had subsisted in Iran for ages, before the acces- sion of that hero, and that in fact it was the oldest monarchy in the world. The evidence on which the learned Presi- ident rests this opinion is the work of a Mahometan traveller, compiled from the books of such Persians, as fled from their country upon the innovation in religion, made by Zoroas- ter. Sir William has no doubt respecting the authen- city of this work. If the Persian monarchy was thus ancient, then probably Iran or Persia was the original seat of the human race, whence colonies went forth to every part of the habitable globe. This opinion is actu- ally adopted by the learned President of the Asiatic Soci- ety, who strongly confirms it, by remarks on the most ancient language of Persia. This he shows was the parent of the Sanscrit, also of the Greek, the Latin, and Gothic. He, therefore, holds as a proposi- tion firmly established, "that Iran or Persia, in its largest sense, was the centre of popu- lation, of knowledge, of lan- guages, and the arts; w!:ich instead of travelling westward only, as it has been fancifully supposed, or eastward as it might with equal reason have been asserted, were expanded in all directions to all the re- gions of the world." He thinks that it is from good authority, that the Saxon chronicle brings the first inhabitants of Britain from Armenia, that the Goths have been concluded to come from Persia, and that both the Irish and old Britons have been supposed to have proceeded from the borders of the Cas- pian; all these places were com- prehended within the ancient Iran. Cyrus extended the PEtt PER bounds of this empire to the Red Sea and Ethiopia, or as it is said, over "all the earthy He was the benefactor of the Jews, after he had taken Bab- ylon, where they had been long confined in a miserable captivity. Deeply affected with the miraculous preserva- tion of Daniel in the den of lions, he published a royal edict in favor of the true re- ligion. The prophets repeat- edly foretold the coming of this mighty conqueror. "Cy- rus is my Shepherd." Josephus says, that the Jews of Babylon showed this pas- sage to Cyrus, that 'in the edict permitting their return, he ac- knowledged, that he had re- ceived the empire of the world from the God of Israel . The Orientals say, that Cyrus, by his mother, was descended from one of the Hebrew prophets, also, that his wife was a Jew, which may account for his kindness to that people. After the conquest of Babylon the forces of Cyrus consisted of 600,000 foot, 120,000 horse, and 2000 chariots, armed with scythes. The climate of this extensive country must be various. The cold provinces are remarkably dry; the parts which are ex- tremely warm, are sometimes moist. Along the coast of the Persian gulf, from west to east, to the mouth of the Indus, for four months the heat is exces- sive. It is insupportable even to the natives, they quit their houses, they retire to the moun- tains, sixty or a hundred miles from the sea. The villages and towns are forsaken, none but poor wretches, who guard the property of others, at the hazard of their lives, are found in the country. On the borders of Tartary the heat is equally great; though the atmosphere is not quite so malignant; but on the Caspian, in the north, the he&t and the unwholesome- ness of the climate are as great as on the gulf of Persia. From October to May, no country in the world is more pleasant, but the faint, yellow countenances of the people prove the malig- nity of the climate. It seldom rains, but a wind rises in the night, and renders them so cool, that people may wear a pretty warm garment. Snow falls on the mountains, and winter lasts from November to March. In the plains are no snows. At Shirauz, the capital of Persia Proper, a delicious cli- mate is enjoyed; they never endure the extremes of heat or cold. The country around is covered with a vast variety of flowers; and songs of innumer. able birds, give delight to the PER PER people. The nights are always clear; the dew, so pernicious to health in most other places, produces no ill effects here. In fact there is none during the summer; the brightest steel exposed till. night receives no rust. Tins dryness of the at- mosphere causes their build- ings to last a great while. Therefore it is that the ruins of Persepolis remain so entire. Another effect of this dryness is, thunder and earthquakes are seldom known. The winds, however brisk, seldom swell into Wtbrms or tempests. They sometimes experience a poisonous wind on the shores of the Persian gum At Gom- broon Mr. Tavernier says, that people often lind them- selves 'struck with a south wind;' they cry out, "I burn," and fall down dead. M. le Brun says, that he was assured, while there, that the weather was sometimes so excessively hot, as to melt the seals of let- ters. At such time the peo- ple go in their shirts, and are continually sprinkled with cold water; they even sometimes lie several hours in the water. One dreadful effect is the engender- ing of worms in the arms and legs, which cannot be extract- ed without great danger. The soil along the gulf is as barren as the climate is un- healthy; but some of the prov- inces are not unfruitful. Many parts suffer by the drought; but where they can turn water upon their plains or valleys they are abundantly rewarded. The provinces of Media, Iberia, Hyrcania, and Bactria, are fruitful. Wheat is the common grain of Persia, it is fair and clean. In times of scarcity, they make bread of rice, barley, and millet. Neither rye nor oats are culti- vated, except among the Ar- menians. Of rye these people make great use during lent, when they are not allowed to eat meat. The rice of Persia is the best in the world, and is eaten by all classes of people. For this reason they are exr tremely careful in its cultiva- tion. Three months after their fields are sown, the rice is transplanted, root by root, in- to other fields well watered; hence it is remarkably soft and delicious. Wine of various qualities is made in almost ev- ery province; that of Schiras, as has been suggested, is the best. A common proverb a- mong the people is, that to be happy, UA man must cat the bread of Yezd, and drink the wine of Schiras." Grain ripens quick in this country, and in some parts they have three crops in a year. PER PER Different sorts of metal are found in Persia; but no gold or silver mines are open at present, they do not work them for want of wood. But they have iron, copper, and lead; also sulphur, salt petre, and alum. Free stone and marble of various colors are plenty. The traveller frequently meets with plains 30 miles across, covered with salt, and others with sulphur and alum. In some places, salt is dug out of mines and used for building. The horses of Persia, though not so highly esteemed as those of Arabia, are remarkably fine. Their price is from 375 to 1875 dollars. Mules and asses are common, and of great use. Camels are very serviceable, called, "The ships of the land," because by them their inland commerce is carried on. Of the camel they have two kinds, the northern and southern; the latter is the smallest and s\viftT est, and will carry a load (If 700 weight, and trot as fast as a horse will gallop; the other will travel with a load of 1200 or 1300 weight. Their keeping costs little or nothing. They travel without halter or bridle, grazing on the road when hun- gry. They are directed entirely by the voice of the driver, which is a kind of a song, a quicker or slower time of which, ex- cites the camel to a slower or brisker pace. The camel in the spring sheds his hair, and his fleece is of more value than that of any tame beast. Fine stuffs are made of it, and in Europe they make hats with the addition of a little beaver. Sheep and deer are common through all Persia; beef is little eaten, and hogs are no where bred, except in a province or two on the borders of the Cas- pian. Wild beasts are not nu- merous; because there are l^ut few forests; but in Hyrcania, now called Tibristan, are abun- dance of lions, bears, tigers, leopards, porcupines, boars, and wolves. Grasshoppers and locusts fly about in such clouds as to darken the air. It is a well known fact that locusts are eaten in these countries. In some provinces are large, ven- omous scorpions. Those, who are stung by them, die in a few- hours. Wild and tame pigeons in vast numbers abound all over the country. They are kept chiefly for their dung, which is the best manure for melons. Persia is a country of moun- tains; many of them yield nei- ther metals nor springs of water, but few are shaded with trees. The mountains of Caucasus and Ararat, sometimes called the mountains of Daghestan, fill the space between the Cas- pian and Euxine seas. Those called TauruSjand their branch- PER PER cs, from Persia extend to Asia Minor and to India. Excepting the Araxes, which rises among the mountains of Armenia, and fills into the Kur or Cyrus, before it reaches the Caspian, there is not one nav- igable stream in Persia. On the north-east the Oxus divides Persia fro mtJsbecTartary. The Indus may aiso be reckoned a river of Persia, being its eastern boundary. This river ha^s a course of 1000 miles, and in April, May, and June overflows its banks. Southerly this country has the gulf of Persia or Bassora, the gulf of Ormus, and the In- dian ocean. North is the Cas- pian sea, which is really a lake 640 miles long,3 10 miles broad. The principal exports of Per- sia are silk, mohair, carpets, leather; also tobacco, fruit, wine, distilled waters, feath- ers, and horses. They export 22,000 bales of silk, each weighing 2G3 pounds. A very proiirable trade is carried on between Gombroon, and die Enq-lish at Surat in the East Indies* The Banians and Ar- menians are the principal a- gents in the traffic- of the coun- try. As to the government of Persia, it is an absolute mon- archy, the lives and estates of the people are entirely at the disposal of the prince. He has no congress, parliament, or council; but takes the advice of such ministers as are in, fa- vor. The law excludes those, who are blind, from the throne; hence the reigning prince gen- erally orders the eyes of all those of whom he has any jealousy to be torn out. The king has generally a great number of wives, who are waited on by eunuchs. If any else were to see one of them, even by accident, he would be punished by death. Therefore, when they travel public notice is given for all men to quit the road, and even their houses, and retire a great distance. The usual title of the king is, "The disposer of kingdoms;" he nev- er subscribes his name to any public act, but the grant runs thus, viz. "This act, or edict, is given by him whom the uni- verse obeys." . The modern Persians, like the Turks, plundering all the adjacent nations for female beauties, to be the mothers of their children, are men of good stature, shape, and complex- ion; but the Gaures or ancient Persians, are homely, ill-shaped, and clumsy, with a rough skin, and olive complexions. In some provinces, not only the complexions but the constitu- tion of the inhabitants, suffer PER PER greatly by the extreme heat, and unhealthy air. The Per- sian women are generally hand- some, and well- shaped, but much inferior to those of Georgia, and Circassia. The men wear large turbans on their heads, some of them very rich, interwo- ven with gold and silver; a vest girt with a sash, and over it a loose garment, something shorter with sandals, or slippers on their feet. When they ride, which they do every day, if it be but to a house in the same town, they wear pliant boots of vellow leather, the furniture of their horse is extremely rich, and the stirrups generally of silver; whether on horseback or on foot, they wear a broad sword and a dagger in their sash. The dress of the women does not differ much from that of the men; only their vests are longer, and they wear stiff- ened caps on their heads, and their hair down. With respect to outward be- havior says, an intelligent trav- eller, "the Persians are cer- tainly the Parisians of the East. Whilst a. rude and insolent de- meanor, peculiarly marks the character of the Turkish nation, towards foreigners and Chris- tians, the behavior of the Per- sians would, on the contrary, do honor to the most civilized nations^ they are kind, cour- teous, civil, and obliging, t«t all strangers, without being guided, by those religious prejudices, so very prevalent in every other Mahometan na- tion; they are fond of inquir- ing after 'the manners and cus- toms of Europe, and in return very readily afford any infor- mation in respect to their own country. The practice of hos- pitality is with them so grand a point, that a man thinks himself highly honored if you will enter into his house and partake of what his family af- fords; whereas going out of a house without smoaking a cal- ean, or taking any other re- freshment, is deemed in Per- sia, a high affront. Their usu- al drink is water and Sherbet, as in other Mahometan coun- tries, wine being prohibited; but of all Mahometan nations, they pay the least regard to this prohibition. Many of them drink wine publicly and almost all of them in private, excepting those, who have per- formed a pilgrimage to Mecca, and men of religion; they also are very liable to be quarrel- some when inebriated, which is often attended with fatal consequences. They eat opi- um, but in much less quanti- ties than the Turks; and indeed in every thing they say or do, eat or drink, they make a PER PER point to be as different from this nation, as possible, whom they detest to a man, beyond measure; esteeming Jews and Christians, superior to them, and much nearer to sal- vation. Every one knows that the religion of the Per- sians is Mahometan, and that they are of the sect of Ali, for whom they entertain the most extravagant veneration. Mr. Franklin heard one of his guides on the road reprove another for the expression, O God! O Ali! "No, no, (said his zealous companion,) Ali first, God second! this attach- ment is the source of their hatred to the Turks, and of many strange customs among themseh'es, which we have not room to enumerate; a few however, must be mentioned. "Their mode of living is as follows; they always rise at day-break, in order to per- form their devotions. Their first prayer is denominated nu- maz soobh or the morning pray- er; it is said before sunrise, after which they eat a slight meal, called nashtay or breakfast; this consists of grapes, or any other fruits of the season, with a little bread, and cheese made of goats milk, they afterwards drink a cup of very strong cof- fee, without milk or sugar; then the calean or pipe, is in- troduced. The Persians from the highest to the lowest ranks all smoak tobacco." "The second hour of pray- er is called numaz zohur, or mid-day prayer, and is always repeated, when the sun declines from the meridian. Their din- ner, or casht, which is soon af- ter this prayer, consists of curds, bread and fruits of va- rious kinds; animal food not being usual at this meal." "The third hour of prayer is called numaz asur, or the afternoon prayer, said about four o'clock." "The fourth hour of prayer, is numaz sham, or evening prayer, which is said after sun set; when this is finished, the Persians eat their principal meal, called shamni, or supper. This generally consists of a pilan, dressed with rich meat sauces, and highly seasoned various spices: sometimes they eat k'ibaah or roast meat. When the meal is ready, a servant gives notice thereof, and at the same time presents an ewer of water; they then wash their hands, which is an invariable custom with the Persians, both before and after eating. They eat very quick, conveying their food to their mouths with their fingers; the use of knives and forks, being unknown in Persia. Sherbets of differ- PEK PER ent sorts are introduced, and the meal concludes with a des- ert of delicious fruits. The supper being1 finished, the fam- ily sit in a circle, and entertain each other by relating pleas- ant stories, (of which they are excessively fond,) and also by repeating passages from the works of their most favorite poets, and amusing themselves at various kind of games. The fifth and last prayer, is styltd numaz akber, the last prayer, or sometimes nu- viaz s/ieb, or the night prayer repealed one hour after sup- per." The most remarkable law among the Persians respects marriage. A man may divorce his wife when he chooses, without assigning any other reason, for the divorce than that it is his pleasure. If he should change his mind he may again marry her, divorce her a second time, and a third time marry her; but here this privilege stops. No man is allowed to marry the woman whom he has thrice divorced. A widow is obliged to mourn four months for her deceased husband, before she can be married to another; but a con- cubine may form a new con- nexion the instant that her keeper expires. At the naming of children 44 in Persia, Mr. Franklin in- forms us that the following ceremony is observed: the third or fourth day after the child is born, the friends and relations of the mother assem- ble at her house, attended by music, and dancing girls hired for the occasion, after playing and dancing sometime, a mul- lah or p:iest is introduced, who taking the child in his arms, demands of the mother what name she chooses the infant should be called by; being' told he begins praying, and after a short time, applies his mouth close to the child's ear, and tells him distinctly three times, (calling him by name) to remember and be obedient to its father or mother, to ven- erate his Koran and his proph- et, to abstain from those things which are unlawful; and to practise those things, which are good and virtuous. Having repeated the Mahometan pro- fession of faith, he then re-de- livers the child to its mother; after which the company are en- tertained with sweatmeats and other refreshments, a part of which the females present, al- ways take care to carry away in their pockets, believing it to be the infallible means of their having offspring them- selves. The Persians excel more in PER PER poetry than in any other sort of literature; and astrologers are now in as great reputation, in Persia, as the Magi were formerly. Their books are all manuscripts, the art of printing, having not yet been introduced among them; they excel indeed in writing, and have eight dif- ferent hands. They write from the right hand to the left, as the Arabs do. In their short hand they use the letters of the alphabet; and the same letters, differently pointed, will have twenty different significations. In short, the Persians are born, with as good natural parts, as any people in the East, but make a bad use of them; being great dissemblers, cheats, liars, and flatterers, and having a strong propensity to voluptu- ousness, luxury, idleness, and indolence; vices, to which the Asiatics in general, are much addicted. Authors speak differently of the religion of the ancient Per- sians. Herodotus, who is the first that has given any account of it, says that they had neither temples nor statues, nor altars; that they looked upon it as a piece of folly to make anj^, or to suffer any; because they did not believe as the Greeks did that the Gods were of human original. They sacrificed to Jupiter on the highest moun- tains, and gave the name of God to the whole circuit of the heavens. They sacrificed also to the sun, the moon, and the earth; and the water, and the winds. They knew no other Gods anciently but these. Since that time they learned from the Syrians and Arabians to sacrifice to Urania, or the heavenlv Venus. A modern author pretends, that the Per- sians had just notions concern- ing the Deity, and believed in but one God alone, that they indeed admitted of two principles, one whereof was created and another uncreated, the created principle was the world. He also maintains, that the worship they paid to the sun and the fire was merely civil and relative. The mod- ern Persians refer their religion to Abraham, whom some con- found with Zoroaster, and others will have him to have been the master of Zoroaster. They think the world was cre- ated in six days, that at the be- ginning God created a man and a woman, from whom mankind are derived. That there have been several terres- trial paradises, one universal deluge, one Moses, and one Solomon. All this without doubt is taken from the history of the Jews, and from the tradi- tions of the Mahometans. PER PEK They hold one eternal God called in their tongue Jesdafl, or Oromazdes, which is the true God called by the Arabi- ans Alia, the author of all good. And also another God pro- duced by darkness, to whom they give the name of Aher- men, who is properly the Eblis of the Arabians, or the Devil, and the author of all evil. They have a very great veneration for light, and a very great aversion to darkness. God the creator of all things had produced light and darkness, and from a mix- ture of these too things, good and evil, generation and cor- ruption, and the composition of all the parts of the world are affected, and the world will always subsist, till the lighc withdrawing on one side, and the darkness on the other shall cause a destruction and dissolution. This is an abridgment of the doctrine of Zoroaster, which is still espoused by the Majians and Guebres, who are worship- pers of fire, and who always when they pray turn themselves to the rising sun. The following is a list of such kings of Persia as had any relation to the sacred history of the scriptures. Cyrus, the founder of the Persian monarchy, reigned nine years after the taking of Babvlon, that is from the year of the world 3466 to 3475. Cambyses, called Ahasue- rus, (Ezra iv, 6,) reigned sev- en years and five months. He died in the year of the world 3482. Orohastes the magian, cal- led Artaxerxes, Ezra iv, 7, pretending to be Smerdis, the brother of Cambyses reigned 5 months. He was killed by seven conspirators, one of which was Darius the son of Hystaspes. Darius son of Hystaspes is called Ahasuerus in the He- brew book of Esther, and Ar- taxerxes in the Greek of the same book. He reigned 36 years from the year of the world 3482 to the year 3519. Xerxes I. reigned 12 years, from the year of the world 3519 to 3531. Artaxerxes Lonsfimanus reigned 48 years, from 3531 to 3579. Xerxes II. reigned but one year, he died in 3580. Secundianus or Sogdianus, his brother and murderer, reigned seven months. Ochus, or Darius Nothus reigned 19 years, from the year of the world 3581 to 3590. Artaxerxes Mnemon reign * ed 43 years, and died in 3643* PER PHA Artaxerxes Ochus reigned 23 years, from the year of the world 3643 to 36661 Arsen reigned three years, and died 3668. Darius Codomanus was con- quered by Alexander the Great in 3674, after having reigned six years. It is allowed, that the most ancient among the inspired writers constantly intend Per- sia, when they speak of Elam and the kingdom of Elam. Thus, not to detain the reader with unnecessary quotations, when the prophet Jeremiah, xlix, 39, after denouncing many judgments against this country, adds these words, "but it shall come to pass in the latter days that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the Lord." He is always understood to mean the restor- ation of the kingdoms of the Persians by Cyrus, who sub- dued the Babylonians, as they had before subdued the Per- sians. It appears from verse 35 to verse 39, of the same chapter, that Elam must have been a very potent kingdom. "Be- hold I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I brrftg the four winds, from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them towards all those winds, and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come," &c. PETHOR, a city of Meso- potamia, of which the false prophet Balaam was a native. The Hebrews call this city Pethura. Ptolemy calls it Pachora, and Eusebius Pathu- ra. He places it in the upper Mesopotamia. Calmet takes it to be situated towards Thapsa- cus, beyond the Euphrates. St. Jerome, in his translation of the book of Numbers, xxii, 5, has omitted this name. He has only "To Balaam who dwelt upon the river of the Ammon- ites." He read the Hebrew otherwise, than we do now. The Septuagint have it, "To Balaam son of Beor Pathura, who dwells upon the river of the country of his people." Our translators have rendered it "Unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the chil- dren of his people." Certain it is that Balaam was of Meso- potamia See Deut. xxiii, 4. PETRA, a citv of Arabia. Lat. 30. PHARATHONI, a city of the tribe of Ephraifn, 1 Mace. ix, 50. This city is known by the name Pirathon in Judges xii, 15. Lat. 32, 12. PHARPAR,OrPHARFHAR, one of the rivers of Damascus, PHE PI IE or rather, it is an arm of the Barrady, or Chrysorrhoas, which waters the city of Da- mascus, and the country about it, -2 Kings, v, 12. The river of Damascus, has its fountains in the mountains of Libanus, as it approaches the city, it is divided into three arms, one of which passes through Damas- cus, the other two water the gardens roundabout, and then re-uniting, they lose themselves at four or five leagues from the city, towards the north. Maundrel. PHENICE, a port of the island of Crete, to the west of the island. St. Paul having anchored at Phenice, when he was carried to Rome, Acts xxvi, 12, advised the ship's crew to spend the winter there, because the season was too far advanced. See the Map. PHENICIA, or Phoenicia, a province of Syria, the limits of which have not always been the same. Sometimes its ex- tent has been defined from north to south, from Orthosia, as far as Pelusium. At other times its southern limit has been Mount Car m el and Ptole- mais. It is certain that from the conquest of Palestine by the Hebrews, its limits were narrow, and it had nothing of the country of the Philistines, which took up all the coast from Mount Carmcl, •! ngthe Mediterranean, as for as the borders of Egvpt. It had also very little extent on the land side, because the Israelites, who had all Galilee, shut it up to the Mediterranean. Before Joshua made the con- quest of Palestine, all the coun- try was possessed by the Ca- naanites, the sons of Ham, who were divided into eleven fami- lies, of which the most power- ful was that of Canaan, the founder of Sidon, and head of the Canaanites, properly so cal- led, to whom the Greeks gave the name of Phoenicians. It was only those that preserved their independence, not only under Joshua, but under Da- vid, Solomon, and the pre- ceding kings. But they were subdued by the kings of As- syria and Chaldea. Then they successively obeyed the Per- sians, Greeks, and Romans, and at this day they are in sub- jection to the Ottomans, riot having had any kings of their own for more than two thou- sand years. ' The cities of Phoenicia were Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais, Erdip- pa, Sarepta, Berythe, Biblos, Tripoli, Orthosia, &c. They had anciently possession of some cities in Libanus, and sometimes the Greeks com- prehend all Judeaiiuhename of PHI PHI Phoenicia. The name Phoeni- cia is not to be met with in any of the canonical books of scripture writ in Hebrew, which always read Canaan — See Canaan. It is said that the Phoeni- cians first invented the several arts of writing, navigation, commerce, and astronomy; and Bochart has labored to show, that they sent colonies to al- most all the isles and coasts of the Mediterranean sea. But the most famous of all their col- onies was that of Carthage. PHILADELPHIA, the same with Rabbah or Rubbath, the capital of the Aminonkes. See Rabbath. Some writers have mistaken this city for the subsequent one. Philadelphia, a city of Asia Minor; it lies 27 miles southeast from Sardis and 72 from Smyrna. This place, distinguished in scripture, for the purity of its faith and prac- tice, was by a gracious provi- dence longer protected from Turkish subjugation, than any of the other churches in this region; it was the last place, which surrendered, after hav- ing bravely sustained a seige of six years. In the address made to this church, Rev. iii. it is commended for its zeal, and not blamed for any vice. It is now distinguished for its privileges, which it obtained by express articles of capitulation, when it submitted to its Ma- hometan conquerors. They would have yielded their lives, could they . not have retained their Christian privileges. The place is now called Alashahir> or the Fair City, still retain- ing the form of a city, with something of trade, being in the road of the Persian Cara- vans, though the walls, which encompass it, are decayed in many places, and according to the customs of the Turks, are wholly neglected. There is little of antiquity remaining, unless the ruins of a church, dedicated to St. John, made a dunghill, to receive the offals of dead beasts. However, be- ing inhabited by many Greeks, it is adorned with twelve chur- ches; of which St. Mary's and St. George's are the chief. The situation of Philadel- phia, is on the rising of the mountain Tmolus, having a pleasant prospect over the plains beneath, well furnished with divers villages, and water- ed (as I take it) by the Pacto- lus. The only rarity, which the Turks show in this place to travellers, is "a wall of mens bones," which they report to have been erected, by the PHI PHI prince, who first took that city, who having slaughtered many of the beseiged in a sally, for the terror of those, who sur- vived, raised a wall of their bones, which was so well ce- mented, that the bones are yet entire. Other writers say these are not bones. Philadelphia contains 11,000 inhabitants, among whom are 2000 Christians, who have the possession of four churches, and enjoy the privilege of a Greek archbishop. Here are more Christians, than in any of the churches of Asia, Smyrna excepted. Their present state proves the divinity of revela- tion, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation." The inhabit- ants are chiefly supported by the manufacture of coarse cot- ton and carpets, and by the art of dying, which is said to be better understood here, than in any other part of the neigh- boring country. In the sub- urbs are many flocks of sheep with ponderous tails. It is forty miles E. S. E. of Smyrna, Ion. 28, 15, east; lat. 38, 28, north. Like the other cities of this country, Philadelphia has un- dergone many changes and rev- olutions. In A.D.' 1097, John Ducas, the Greek general to whom Laodicea submitted, took Sardis and Philadelphia by assault. It was again re- dueed about the year 1106, under the same emperor. Two years after, the Turks marched from the east with a design to plunder this and the maritime cities. In 1175 the emperor Immanuel, falling into an am- buscade of the Turks, not far from the sources of the Me- ander, retired to Philadelphia. In 1300 the conquests of sul- tan Aladin being divided, the inland part of Phrygia, as far Cilicia and Philadelphia, fell to Karaman. The town in 1306 was besieged by Alizuras, who took the forts near, and distress- ed it, but retired on the ap- proach of the Roman army. The Tripolines requested suc- Gor from the general, on his way by Kliara: and he defeated the enemy at Anlak. It is re- lated, that the Philadelphians despised the Turks, having a tradition , that their city had never been taken. After this exploit the grand duke Roger returned hither, by the forts of Kula and Tumus, and exacted money. In 1390, Philadelphia singly refused to admit Bjjazet; but wanting provisions was forced to capitulate. It was ancient- ly matter of surprise that Phil PHI PHI adelphia was not abandoned, and yet it has survived many cities less liable to earthquakes, and continues now a consider- able town, of large extent, spreading on the slopes of three or four hills. Of the wail with which it was encompassed, many remnants are standing, but with large gaps. The ma- terials of this fortification are small stones, with strong ce- ment. It is thick and lofty, and has round towers. The bed of the Cogamus, which is on the north-east side, was al- most dry. Going a little up the Cogamus, between the mountains, in the bank on the right hand, is a medicinal spring much esteemed, and resorted to in the hot months. It tastes like ink, is clear and tinges the earth with the color of ochre. Farther up beyond the town, on the left hand, is the wall, which it has been said, was built with human bones, after a massacre, by one of the sul- tans. That wonder is the remnant of a duct, which has conveyed water of a petrifying quality, as at Laodicea. This incr usted som.c vegetable sub- stances, which have peiished, and left behind, as it were their moulds. The bishop of Phil- adelphia was absent, says Dr. Chandler, but the proto-papas, his substitute, whom we went to visit, received us at his pal- ace, a title given to a very in- different house, or rather a cot- tage, of clay. We found him ignorant of the Greek tongue, and were forced to discourse with him, by an interpreter, in the Turkish language. He had no idea that Philadelphia existed before Christianity, but told us that it had become a city in consequence of the ma- ny religious foundations. The number of churches is twenty- four, mostly in ruins, and mere masses of wall decorated with painted saints. Only six are in a better condition, and have their priests. . The episcopal church is large, and ornament- ed with gilding, carving, and holy portraits. The Greeks are about three hundred families, and live in a friendly inter- course with the Turks, of whom they speak well. Nei- ther priests nor people under- stand Greek, yer the religious sen ices are performed in that language. The Phitadelphians are a civil pc< pie. One of the Greeks sent us a small vessel full of choice wine. Some families beneath t;ie trees, by a rill of water, invited us to alight and partake of their refreshments. They saluted us when we met. f'lij PHI Philadelphia being situated on one of the most capital roads to Smyrna, is much frequent- ed, especially by Armenian merchants. The khan, in which we lodged, was very filthy, but full of passengers. Mules ar- rived almost hourly, and were unladed in $Jie area. A cara- van goes regularly to Smyrna, and returns on stated days. Lat. SS, 40. PHIL1PPI, one of the chief cities of Macedonia, lying to the northwest of Neapolis, and formerly called Dathos, but afterwards taking its name from Philip, the famous king of Macedonia, who repaired it. In process of time, it became a Roman colony. St. Paul came hither in the 52d year of the Vulgar era, and there con- verted several people; and among the lest L\ dia a seller of purple. Acts xvi, 12, 13, &c. He also cured a servant maid, who had a familiar spirit, by which she foretold future events. These stirred up the whole city against St. Paul, and the magistrates caused him to be geized, and put in prison: but the day following, they Jet him go our, having been in- formed, that he was a Roman citizen and made an apology, for ti.eir ill treatment. 1 he Philippians were always 45 full of acknowledgments for the grace of faith, they had re- ceived from God, by the min- istry of St. Paul. They assist- ed him on several occasions; (Philip, iv, 16,) they sent him money, while he was in A- chaia, and being informed that he was a prisoner at Rome, they sent a deputation to him by Epaphroditus, proffering their service to him upon all occasions. Epaphroditus fell sick, and St. Paul in order to deliver the Philippians from the concern they were in, at hearing of his sickness, sent Epaphroditus to them again, when he was recovered, with an epistle which is received as one of the canonical books of scripture. This of all St. Paul's epistles is the most pa- thetic, and most full of kind and affectionate expressions. Near this town, lay the fields, Catnpi Philippic!, famous ftrr tv\o great battles, one between Julius Caesar and Pompey: the other between Augustus and Antony on one side, and Cassius and Brutus on the other. The place is now a scene of ruins; few inhabitants remain; but the traveller sees that once here were marble temples, sumptuous palaces, and other magnificent monu- ments, the broken remains of PHI PHI which give him a grand idea of ancient architecture. It is 70 miles north of Thessalo- nica, and 190 W. from Con- stantinople, lat. 42, 15 —Lucas. PHILISTIA, a territory of Canaan, now called Ascalon, with the region around. It contained the following cities, according to Bonfrerius, Gaza, Azotus, Askalon, Gath, Ekron, Joshua xiii, 3. This was a most troublesome neighborhood to Israel, occasioned them many grievous wars, and for many years, thev endured this bitter affliction and cruel bondage. Nor did they rise superior to these evils, till the time of Da- vid. Philistia was only a nar- row strip of land in the south- west corner, of Canaan, lying, about 40 miles along the shore, and extending about 15 miles back. Yet in the time of Saul, they invaded the Jews with an army of more than three hun- dred thousand men. In the reign of David they again made war and were subdued and continued tributary for one hundred and fifty years. See i Sam. iv. vii. &c. &c. PHILISTINES, a people of Palestine, who came thither from the isle of Caphtor, which perhaps means Egypt. See the articles Caphtor and Car naan; but India was their ori- ginal settlement. The time of their coming to Palestine is not known: however they had been a long time in the land of Ca- naan, when Abraham came thither in the year of the world 2083. The name Philistine is not Hebrew. The Septuagint generally translate it strangers. The Pelethitesana1 Cherethites were also Philistines, and the Septuagint sometimes translate Cherethims, Cretes. See the article Cherethims. The Philistines were a pow- erful people, even in Abraham's time; for then they had kings, and were in possession of sev- ral considerable cities. They are not comprehended in the number of nations, devoted to extermination and whose ter- ritory the Lord had abandoned to the Hebrews; however Josh- ua did not forbear to give their lands to the Hebrews, and to set upon them by command from the Lord, because they possessed a country, which was promised to the people of God. Josh, xv, 45 — 47, and xiii, 2, 3, but these conquests of Joshua must not have been all maintained, since under the Judges, under Saul, and at the beginning of the reign of Da- vid, the Philistines oppressed the Israelites. True it is, Shamgar, Samson, Samuel, and Saul, made head against them: But did not reduce their pow- PHI PI IK er, and they continued inde- pendent down to the reign of Davfd, who subjected them to his government. They continued in subjec- tion to the kings of Judah, down to the reign of Jehoram, son of Jchoshaphat; that is for about 24(5 years. However Jehoram made war against them, and probably reduced them to his obedience again; because it is observed in scrip- ture, that they revolted again, from Uzziah, and that this prince kept them to their duty, through the time of his reign. 2 Chron. xxi, 16, and xxvi, 6, 7. During 'he unfortunate reign of Ahaz, the Philistines made great havoc in the ter- ritories cf Jiidahj but life son and successor Hezekiah sub- dued them 2 Chron. xxviii, 18, and 2 Kings xviii, 8. Lastly they regained their full liberty under the latter kings of Judah; and we may see by the men- aces denounced against them by the prophets Isaiah, Amo^, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Eze- kiel, that they brought a thou- sand hardships, and calamities upon the children of Israel, for which cruelties, God threaten- ed to punish them. Esarhad- don besieged Ashdod, or A- zoth and took it. Isaiah xx. 1. And accoiding to Herodotus, Psammeticus King of Egvpt took the same city, after a siege of twenty-nine years. There is great probability, that Nebu- chadnezzar, when he subdued the Ammonites, Moabites, E- gyptians, and other nations, bordering upon the Jews, re- duced also the Philistines. Af- ter this they fell under the do- minion of the Persians; then under that of Alexander the Great, who destroyed the city of Gaza, the only city of Phoe- nicia, that durst oppose him. After the persecution of Ami- ochus Epiphanes. the Asmo- i 82 ins su-bjected under their obedience several cities of the Philistines, and Tryphon gave to Jonathan Maccubseus the government of the whole coast of the Mediterranean, from Tyre as far as Egypt, which in- cluded all the country of the Philistines. PHRYGIA, a province of Asia Minor, or Anatolia, or Natolia, as it is now called. This province is repeated!}' mentioned in the New Testa- ment. St. Paul travelled all over this country, comforting and animating the Christians. Phrygia proper, according to Ptolemy, whom we choose to follow, was bounded on the north by Pontus, and Bythynia, on the west by Mysia, Tro^s, and the JEgean sea, Lydia, Mreonia, and Caria, on the PER PER south by Lycia, on the east by Pamphyiia and Galatia. It lies between the 37 and 41 degrees of north latitude, ex- tending- in longitude from 56, to 62 E. In Phrygia Major were an- ciently several cities of great celt brity, such as Apamea, Laodicea, Hierapolis, Gordi- um, &c. There were also some famous rivers, such as Marsvas, Maeander, &c. The Maander is now called Man- dre or Mindre, and was much c< ..'■ bntted by the ancients for its windings and turnings. The Phrygians accounted themselves the most ancient people in the world. Their origip is extremely dark and uncertain, Josephus and St. Jerome say, they were de- scended from Togarmah, one of Corner's sons; and that they were known to the Hebrews under the name of Tigram- manes. Boeharl thinks that the Phrygians were the off- spring of Gomer the eldest son of Japheth. The ancient Phrygians are described as superstitious* voluptuous, and effeminate, wi bout ant pru- dence or forecast, and of such a servile temper, that nothing but stripes and ill usage could make them comply with their duty, which gave rise to sev- eral trite, and well known Proverbs. One was Sera sa* piunt Phrygcs, The Phrygians are wise too late. They are said to have been the first in- ventors of divination by the singing, flying, and feeding of birds. Their music common- ly called the Phrygian mood, is alleged by some as an ar- gument of their effeminacy. The change of music produces a change of manners. There- fore, in a Commonwealth, on- ly, the most grave music should be heard. Their gov- ernment was certainly monar- chical. Apamea was the chief emporium of all Asia Minor. Thither resorted merchants and traders from all parts of Greece, Italy, and the neigh- boring islands. The Phrygi- ans were for some time mas- ters of the sea, and none but trading nations ever prevailed on that element. For 2500 years they have been subject to the Lydians, the Persians, the Greeks, Rom- ans, and Turks. To these last they are yet in subjection; this fatal government every where puts out the light of science, of commerce, of Chris - tianity, and breaks down the spirit of man. Colosse, Colossus, since call- ed Chouse, or Chonos, or Ko- nos is situated on the south side of the Meander, in this PEL PEL province. It is mentioned by ancient geographers as a con- siderable city; and its inhabit- ants, to whom St. Paul wrote his Epistle, received Christian- ity from its earliest preaching. But Eusebius tells us that it was overturned by an earth- quake very quickly after, in the reign of Nero. It stood not far from Laodicea and Hi- erapolis, as one may gather chiefly from the canonical e- pistle above named. PHUT. "The descendants of Phut, who was the son of Ham," Gen. x, 6; Jer. xlvi, 9, &c. This people settled in Africa, but in what part it is not ascertained. Pliny men- tions the river Fut, near mount Atlas, and another writer sup- poses, this was a river of Mo- rocco, at whose mouth is the town of Agasia. From the time of Moses to that of Kezekiah, the prophets always mention this people, as the hired auxil- iaries of those nations to whom their prophecies have reference. It is however thought to be incredible, that the Phut men- tioned in Judith, as conquered by Holof ernes, should have been in Morocco. The Ara- bic versions understand by Phut a people in the southern part of Egypt, or perhaps rath- er in Nubia. According to Sanson, lat. 38. Calmet is of opinion that Phut settled either in the canton of Phtemphuti, mentioned in Pliny and Prol- emy, whose capital was '.' ', am in Low;er Egypt, inclining to- wards Lybia, or in the canton Phtenotes of which Buthus was the capital. PIBESETH, a city of E- gypt, Ezek. xxx, 17, called al- so Jew's town. It stood south from Sin or Pelusium, and on the same stream of the Nile. This place is also called Bu- bastis, which signifies a she cat, under which form Diana was worshipped in Egypt. PIHAHIROTH, the He- brews departing from Succoth came to Etham, Exod. xiii, 20. Then the Lord said to Moses, speak unto the children of Israel that they turn and en- camp before Pihahiroth, be- tween Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon, before it shall ye encamp by the sea. The word Pihahiroth may be explained by the pass of lit- roth, or the mouth of Hiroth. Moses in the book of Num. xxxiii, 18, calls it simply Hi- roth, in the Hebrew; and Eu- sebius, as also St. Jerome, in his book of Hebrew places, calls it by the same name. The Syriac version has ir, over a- gainst the ditches. The Sep tuagint in Excd. xiv, 2, trans- late it, over against the village; PIS PIS ©triers over against the place of liberty, or the pass of drought. Calmet takes Hiroth to be the same with the ci'y Heroum, or Heroopolis, situated at the ex- tremity or point of the Red Sea, orelsethecityofPhagroriopolis, placed by Strabo about the same place, and the capital of the canton of Phagroriopolis. There is great probability that Pihahiroth stands for the pass which was near Heroum. It was beyond this pass, that the Hebrews went to encamp upon the Red Sea. It was doubtless the pl..ce,or pass, through which the host of Israel marched to the west bank of the Red Sea. PIRATHON, a cky of the tribe of Ephraim, in the moun- tain of Amalek. Abdon judge of Israel was of this city, and was buried there, Judg. xii, 15. Bach ides caused this city to be fortified. It is called Phara- thoni, in 1 Mace, ix, 50. PISGAH, a mountain be- yond Jordan in the country of Moab. The mountains Nebo, Pisgah, and Abanm, &c. make but one chain of moun- tains. The whole chain was probably called Abarim, and Pisgah was one summit of Ne- bo, or perhaps the highest part; therefore, sometimes Moses is said to view Canaan from Ne- bo, and sometimes from Pis- gah, Deut. 3d, and 34th chap- ters. Nebo and Pisgah were, therefore, the same mountain. The name signifies high hill; it might be the highest summit or peak in that region, or the highest part of the mountain. But Eusebius has observed, that Aquila, who translated the Bible into Greek, always ren- ders pisgah by a word, which signifies cut out, and that in some places the Seventy do the same. Whence some suppose, that near the top of Nebo, steps were cut in, the side of the mountain, that people might easily ascend, and that this part was Pisgah. According to the Hebrew the prospect of Moses from Pisgah reached from Dan in the north, to Zoar in the south; but in the Samaritan pentateuch the prospect is more extensive, "all the land from the river of Egypt, to the river, the great river Euphrates, to the utmost sea." This was the extent of Solomon's do- minions, the utmost bounds of the royal power of the Jewish kings. Was this the same prospect, and seen ' from the same spot, which was exhibit- ed to our Lord by the tempter? It is much to be regretted that travellers have not more par- ticularly described the views from these mountains. This might determine the mountain where the temptation was pre PIS PIS sentcd, "where the utmost bounds of the ancient kings, the whole kingdom and do- minion of thy ancestors," were seen, or as St. Lnke figuratively says, all the world. P1SIDIA, a province of Asia Minor, having Lvcaonia to the north, Paraphilia to the south, Cilicia and Cappadocia to the east, and the province of Asia to the west. St. Paul preached at Antioch of Pisidia, Acts xiii, 14, and xiv, 21. This country, lying on the west cf mount Taurus, was once very populous, having 18 cities, and 20 episcopal sees; for sev- en or eight centuries Christian- ity flourished here; but the Turks destroy all that is good. The people were compared to liens for their courage. Anti- och was a famous city of this province. PISON, or Phison, one of the four great rivers, which watered the terrestrial paradise. Wc take it to be the Phasis, a famous river of Cholchis. Mo- ses says that it runs through all the land of Havilah, and that excellent gold is found there, Gen. ii, 11, 12. This river has its source in the mountains of Armenia, and discharges it- self into the Euxine sea. At the mouth it is about half a league wide, and in depth about 60 fathoms. There is hardly any river in the world, which makes more turnings and wind- ings, because of the mountains it finds in its way, whence it came to pass, that in the time of JPliny, there were an hundred and twenty bridges over this river, and this is perhaps what Moses hinted at, when he says, "Pison compasseth the whole land of Havilah," which land was taken to be Cholchis. The gold of this country is much celebrated. All antiquity ex- tols the riches of Colchis. Strabo observes that the rivers and brooks of this country, or of the neighboring countries, for we cannot tell how far its ancient limits might extend, carried lumps of gold, along with their waters, which the inhabitants gathered upon sheep skins with their wool on, or in wooden trays with holes bored in them. We think the gold of Uphaz, or Ophaz, Jer. x, 9; Dan. x, 5, sometimes mentioned in Scripture, is the same with that of Pison or of Phasis. Calmefs Diet. But Bochart and others believe Pi- son to be the western branch of the Tigris and Euphrates, after they are parted, which runs along the coast of Havi- lah in Arabia. Eusebius and Jerome believe that Pison is the Ganges, which passing in- to India, there falls into the PER PER ocean. A learned modern says, it is a great river of India, flow- ing from Paradise. Reland su p- poses it was the Phases. See India. PITHON, one of the cities that the children of Israel built for Pharaoh in Egypt, Exod. i, 2, during the time of their ser- vitude. This is probably the same city with Pathumos, men- tioned by Herodotus, which he places upon the canal made by the kings Necho and Darius, to join the Red sea with the Nile, and by that means with the Mediterranean. We find also in the ancient geographers, that there was an arm of the Nile, called Pathmetichus, Phatmicus, Phatnicus,or Phat- niticus. Bochart says, that Pi- thom and Ruamses are about five leagues above the division of the Nile, and beyond this river, but this assertion has no proof from antiquity. This author contentshimself with re- lating what was said of Egypt in his own time. Marsham will have Pithom to be the same as Pclusium, or Dami- etta. See Rameses, PONTUS. The province of Pontus in Asia Minor, is bounded by the Euxine Sea to the north, Cappadocia to the south, Paphlagonia and Gala- tia to the east, and the lesser Armenia to the west. It is thought St. Peter preached iu Pontus, because he addresses his first epistle to the faithful of this province, and to those of the neighboring provinces, 1 Pet. i, 1. St. Jerome in Gen* xiv, 1, puts Arioch, king of Pontus, with Chedorlaomer and his confederates, who came to make war with the inhabit- ants of the Pentapolis. But the Hebrew has MolechEllasar, king ofEllasar; Jonathan, 'king of Thalassar;' the Syriac, 'king of Dalassar, Isaiah xxxvii, 12, insinuates to us, that this coun- try of Thalassar, was either in the country of Eden or very near it, since he speaks of the children of Eden, that were at Thalassar, and testifies that this province was conquered by the kings of Assyria, with the oth- er provinces about the Tigris. The Scptuagint and Onkelos, as well as Le Clerc, and our version of the Bible, have kept to the original word Ellasar; St. Jerome has followed Sym- machus, in translating it king of Pontus. Grotius thinks he was king of the Elizarians, a people of Arabia, mentioned by Ptolemy. But it is much more credible, that he was a king, beyond the Euphrates, as well the other kings with Chedola- omer. Lat. 42, 30. POOLS OF SOLOMON, are distant two hours from POT PRO Bethlehem, the road lending to them, consisting entirely of rock, is almost impassable. These fountains are three, sit- uated in a sloping hollow of a mountain, one above another; so that the waters of the up- permost descend into the sec- ond, and those of the second into the third. They are near- ly square, and the breadth of all is nearly the same, being about eighty or ninety paces broad, and the first bout one hundred and siv.\ paces long, the second 200, and the third 220. They are li ed with stone and plastered. These pools supplied Bethlehem and Jerusalem with water; a garden near these waters is called the garden of Solomon, watered by rills, which descend from the rocks above. PTOLEMAIS, see Acre. POTTER'S FIELD, the field purchased with the silver, which had been given as the O price of our Savior's blood; it lay at the foot of mount Zion, on the west side of the valley of Hinnom. This was also called the field of blood; but is now denominated the Holy Field. It is a small plat of ground, not above thirty yards long, and about half as bio.id. One moiety of it is taken up by a square fabric, twelve yards ■46* high, built for a charnel house. The corpses are let down into it. See Aceldema,. PROMISE, /Wo/ a coun- try of Turkey in Asia, divided from Syria on the north by mount Libanus, or Lebanon; from Arabia Deserta on the east by the mountains of Seir; it has the deserts of Arabia Petrea south, and the Medi- terranean west. This country is called, indifferently, Canaan, Palestine, Judea, the H>ly Land, or Land of Promise. It was called Canaan from the son of Ham, whose posterity settled b< re, i\nc\ in Egypt, It was called Palestine from the Philistines, who possessed a large portion of the country; it was called Judea, from Judah, whose tribe was the most dis- tinguished and eminent, as Ja- cob had prophesied: "Thy brethren shall praise thee," or as it may be rendered, "Thy brethren shall pride themselves in being called by thy name." It was called the land of prom- ise, from being promised to Abram and his posterity; the Hoi}' Land it is called on ac- count of the signal favors by which it has been distinguish- ed by Providence. In one of her cities was "the habitations of his holiness." Here the Son of God was born; here he PRO PRO preached, bled, and finished the work of human redemp- tion. This country is 200 miles long, and 80 broad, contain- ing 16,000 square miles, and 10,240,000 acres, including lakes, rivers, mountains, &c. It lies between Lat. 31, 30, and 33, 20 N., and between Lon. 34, 50, and 37, 5, E. from London, At the time of Abram's coming into this country, it was divided into a great num- ber of tribes or petty kingdoms. When Joshua entered, many ages after, with an army of 600,000 soldiers, a great part of these nations were destroy- ed; most of those who surviv- ed became tributary, while a tew for a long time retained their independence, and were very troublesome neighbors to Israel. The first settlers of these countries were Ham and his eleven sons. They came from the confusion at Babel. Heth, one of these sons, settled near Hebron. The Hethites, or Hit- tites, extended their settlements to Beersheba, and the brook Besor, the south limit of Ca- naan. The Jebusites, or chil- dren of Jebus, another son of Ham, bordered on the Hittites north, and extended their towns to Jerusalem,which from them was called Jebus. On the east of Jordan were settled the Amorites, between the lit- tle river Arnon, on the south east, and mount Gilead on the north. The Girgashites set- tled next above the Amorites on the east side of the sea of Galilee. Further north, round the base of mount Lebanon, were found the Hivites. The sons of Sena are supposed to have given names to the desert of Sin and mount Sinai. The Pertzites dwelt along the west bank of the Jordan. As far as can be understood from the sacred records, such was the state of this country, with re- spect to its inhabitants, when Abram came here from Meso- potamia, Perhaps it may give a more lucid view of this in- teresting country to mention, briefly , the situation of various neighboring tribes, though they will be more particularly des- cribed under their particular names. The Ammonites, who were descended from Lot, by his youngest daughter, possessed a large territory on the east side of the Arnon, adjoining to the Amorites. The Moabites, descended from another incestuous son, by the eldest daughter, dwelt on each side the lower part of the PRO PRO Anion, and extended them- selves southward along the shores of the Dead Sea. The Amorites seized a part of their country, and confined them to the south part of their territory. The Midianites lay contig- uous to the Ammonites on the south, and the Moabites to the east of the Dead Sea. Their capital was Midian, it stood to the east of the Dead Sea. These people were descended from Midian, the son of Abram by Keturah. They were the enemies of Israel and often corrupted their morals and their religion. The Edomites descended from Esau, and inhabited round the mountains of Seir, on the south of Judea, and bordering on Arabia Petrea. The Amalekites early opposed the entrance of Israel into the land of Promise, for which God required his people to wage perpetual war with them till the name of Amalek should be blotted from the earth. The pretext for the enmity of this people was, that Jacob had supplanted their progeni- tor Esau. They dwelt along the mountains to the south of Judea. Baslian, the country of Og, lay on the north of Judea. In this kingdom was the exten- sive country of Argob, con- quered by Moses, Dent iii, 4. Next above Bashan lay Zo- 6ah, and on the north-east to- wards the confines of Syria, lay Hamath. This is a general view of ancient Canaan, when Joshua entered with the triumphant banner of Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel were located in the following order. After a march of forty years through the wilds of Arabia, they broke through the mountains of Seir, and en- tered the land of hills and val- lies, of springs and brooks "a land flowing with milk and honey." The tribes of Reu- ben and Gad were so delighted with their new situation, that they petitioned for liberty of settling on the spot without passing over Jordan, Numb, xxx ii, &c. Their prayer, on certain conditions, :was grant- ed. Accordingly, they remain- ed on the east side 'of Jor- dan; but as this country was rather more than their propor- tion, one half the tribe of Ma- nasseh took their lot with them. Accordingly their Lawgiver gave the southern part of this district to the tribe of Reuben, which extended from the north- east coast of the Dead Sea, along the eastern bank of the Jordan, and on the north was separated from the tribe o£ Piio PRO Gad by a small river, and on the south and south-east from the Moa biles and Amorites by the river Arnon. This province or tribe reached from Lat, 31, 40, to 32, 25, N. and from 36, to 37, E. Long, from London. The chief moun- tains were Pisgah, Nebo, and Phegor; the principal towns were Heshbon, Jasa, Ru moth- Baal, Bethphegor, Medaba, Edom, Bozra, Beth Jebhimoth, &c. &c. On the north of Reuben lay the tribe of Gad, extending up the Jordan on the eastern side, having the half tribe of Manasseh on the north, and rhe Ammonites on the east. This was likewise a fertile tract) af- fording good pasturage. The chief towns were Mahana- im, and Penuel, both so cal- led by Jacob, on account of the heavenly visions, which t'icre comforted his heart. Here was, also, Succoth, where he built booths for his cattle, also Mispha, Kabbah, Ramoth, and Rogclim, the native place of good old Barzillai, who supported David in has flight from Absalom. In this tribe Was also Sharon, and Enon, where afterwards John baptiz- ed mam' people. North of Gad extended the half tribe of Manassth to the head waters of the Jordan, and from the north-east to the south-west, in a crescent rose the mountains of Rermon, and Bashan, and Gilead. This canton was afterwards called Galilee of the Gentiles, bt ing as larg? as the portion of Reu- ben and Gad. It lay between Lat. 32, 36, and 33, 36, N. and Long. 36, 30, and 37, 20, E. East from the half tribe of Manasseh, across the Jordan lay the tribe of Naphtali. This was a very fruitful district, in the north of which were the two springs, Jor and Dan, the sources of the Jordan. This tribe extended from mount Lebanon down the river to the sea of Galilee, and contained many populous cities. Between this and the Mediterranean lay the tribe of Askfk. in the north- west corner oi the country. This region was remarkably fruitful in corn, wine, and oil. As Jacob had prophesied of Asher, '-His bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dain- ties." South of these was seated the tribe ol Zebulon, having the sea of Tiberias east, and the Mediterranean west, and bounded by the river Kishon south. The situation precisely verified the prediction of Ja- cob, many ages before, "Zeb- ulon shall dwell at the haven of PRO FRO the sea, and he shall be for a haven of ships." Moses had also prophesied in the same style, "that lie should suek the abundance of the seas, and of the treasures hid in the sand." From the sand of the river Be- lus, which watered this tribe, abundance of glass was made. Here were several ports and populous cities. Sicaminum, and Acre were celebrated har- bors on the same bay. Here were also Nazareth, Tabor, and Joppa. South of Zebulon lay the tribe of Issachar, extend- ing from the Mediterranean to the Jordan, opposite to the tribe of Gad. Here were many celebrated places, among which are Carmel, Gilboa, Jezreel, where poor Naboth ■was stoned for not selling his vineyard to Ahab, Shunem^ where lived the hospitable wo- man, who entertained the good prophet Elisha, Endor, where the Pythoness entertained Saul, and raised Samuel, Naln^ where Jesus Christ raised the widow's son, &c. South of Issachar was settled the other half tribe of Manas- seh; afterwards this canton was called Samaria, bounded west by the Mediterranean, east by the Jordan. This was a de- lightful portion of Canaan, re- markably varied in its appear- ance by plains and hills, and mountains, well watered and enriched with a luxurious soil. On the banks of the Jordan rose the splendid turrets of Bethshan; some of its marble ruins still remain. On its bloody walls were hung the bodies of Saul and Jonathan, after the defeat on mount Gil- boa. Other opulent cities en- riched this district. South of Samaria, Ephraim reached from the sea to the river Jor- dan, bounded south by Benja- min and Dan. The land of Ephraim was mountainous and rocky, but the valleys were fruitful. Sharon, and Shiloh, and many other cities stood in this region. Judea, properly so called, embi-aced the tribes of Benja- min, Judah, Dan, and Simeon. This was the most important section of the country, having the Mediterranean west, the tribe of Ephraim north, the Jordan and Dead sea east, and Idumea south. The soil here, likewise, was remarkably pro- ductive, the surface is beauti- fully varied with hills, and plains, and valleys, with de- serts, pleasant streams, springs, and rivulets, producing plenty of the comforts and luxuries of life. This is the warmest district of Canaan, lying in tat. 32; but the sea and the moun- tains in the vicinitv cool the PRO PRO air, and render the country de- lightful. Benjamin lay south of Ephraim, and had the Jor- dan east, and Philistia and part of Dan west, which lay be- tween Benjamin and the sea. sThe cities of this tribe were not so numerous, as those of some others; but they were the most celebrated. Here was Jerusalem, and other places rendered remarkable by the great events, which there took place. Here was mount Mo- riah and mount Zion, Nebo, Gihon, Olivet, and Golgotha, also Bethany, Gethsemane, Sec. See Jerusalem. The tribe of Judah lay south of Benjamin, extending south- east to the mountains of Seir, and the territory of Idumea, being 47 miles in length. It was bounded east by the Dead sea, and west by Dan and Sim- eon, which lay between Judah and the Mediterranean. This was the largest and most pop- ulous of all the tribes, the men were the most warlike; it was the royal tribe. P^xcept at the south, near the mountains,, where it was rather barren, this district was opulent in the pro- ductions of the field and gar- den. Here Abram and his de- scendants dwelt, ti!l they went down to Egypt; here are many sepulchres of the patriarchs. Between the tribe of Judah and the sea, lay the two remain- ing tribes of Dan and Simeon. Simeon lay at the south-west corner of Canaan, being bound- ed south by the brook Sichor, or river of Egypt; the territory was small and barren. The Philistines, however, for a long time held a great part of the coast, and a number of the principal cities in these tribes, as Gath, Accaron, Ashdod, or Azotos, Ascalon, and Gaza. Dan was bounded north by Ephraim, south by Judah and Simeon. Its greatest length from north to south, was 40 miles, 25 miles broad. The small extent of this tribe in- duced some of the inhabitants to emigrate to Laish, near the head watersof the Jordan, Judg. xviii, 7, &c. It was, however, a remarkably fruitful part of Canaan, abounding in wheat, oil, grapes, and all kinds of fruit. The most considerable towns were Joppa, now Jaffa, Ajalon, Zora, &c. We here remark, as we have concerning several other tribes, the remark- able fulfilment of Jacob's pro- phecy concerning the destinies of Simeon and Levi. These tribes felt the sad effects of their father's curse, as long as they existed, for their cruel slaugh- ter of the innocent Shechem- ites, "Cursed be their anger for it was fierce, and their wrath* PRO PRO for it was cruel; I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." Levi had no lot, nor inheritance among the tribes; only a few cities and territories were appointed to them, with the tithes, paid by the rest; but such was often the irreligion of Israel, that the tithes were poorly paid; God himself was robbed, and the Le- vites were reduced to poverty and want. As to Simeon, tho' he had a lot among his breth- ren, it was a frontier corner of the country, always exposed to be harassed by the Philistines on one side, and the Idumeans en the other. Their country was small, and loaded with bar- ren mountains. Hence from the beginning, they were ob- liged to seek a livelihood a- rriong the other tribes. Often they volunteered themselves as mer- cenaries to fight their battles, receiving some small share of the conquest for their reward; often they were employed a- broad as scribes, notaries, schoolmasters, &c. So dread- ful, so long continued, is the punishment of sin. Four hundred and seventy- six years after the settlement of the Israelites in the land of Ca- naan, the kingdom was divid- ed. Judah and Benjamin form- ed the kingdom of Judah. The other ten tribes were denomin- ated the kingdom of Israel. This kingdom, two hundred and fifty-four years after their independence, was demolished, and the people led away cap- tive by the Assyrians, and their country settled by strangers, who were called Samaritans. About one hundred and thirty years after this, the Babyloni- ans carried away the people of Judah, leaving their country uninhabited. About A. D. 70 the country was again taken by the Romans; Jerusalem was razed from its foundations; more than a million of people were destroyed, and the rest dispersed all over the world, in every part of which they are found at the present day, ac- cording to various prophecies. Jerusalem was again taken by the Persians in A. D. 614, and again by the Saracens in 636. In 1099 it was taken from the infidels by an army of Christians under Godfrey. The Chris- tians kept possession, till 1187, when it was again subdued by Suladin. In A. D. 1217 the Turks expelled the Saracens, and have retained the country to the present time. The modern Palestine, is now governed by a Beglerberg, whose seat is at Damascus. From the Turks we learn noth- ing respecting this country. From strangers they conceal PRO PRO every thing in their power; we shall present what has occurred most worthy of notice, from a considerable list of travellers and other writers. A general idea of the climate may be formed from the following cir- cumstances: In July, August, and September 1801, the ther- mometer never rose higher than 95 degrees of Farenheit. The sky was beautifully clear, with- out a cloud, the atmosphere pure and benign. In October and November the rains fell with violence. During the pre- ceding parts of the year, there had been little rain, but copious dews (even in a total suspen- sion of showers) were sufficient to brine: forward vegetation. The prevailing winds in sum- mer are from the north and north-west. In the latter part of November the rains cease to fall; the weather again be- comes pleasant and salubrious. At this season, before sunrise, the thermometer ranges from 42 to 53, at noon from 66 to 76. On the coast the seabreezes prevail through the day; in the evening they give place to a gentle land breeze, which continues till nine o'clock in the morning. In 1801 the weather in January was tem- pestuous, with heavy rains, vivid lightnings, awful and tre- mendous explosions of thun- der. In one instance was a lit- tle hail. But by the 10th of February the air became warm and^ranquil, the fields appeared verdant, and the aspect of the country cheerful. This country may be con- sidered, as rather mountainous; but in several parts are exten- sive plains, intersected with moderate hills. Near Joppa are such plains. As you ap- proach Jerusalem the moun- tains are lofty; their rocky sides are scarcely covered with earth, bearing at present noth- ing but olive trees, whose roots penetrate the crevices of the rocks. The trees conceal the barren appearance of the moun- tains. At present the country is very thinly covered with trees, having few woods or thickets. Wherever the land is capable of being cultivated, (unless it be entirely neglected by the lazy Turks) abundant crops of wheat, barley, Indian corn, tobacco, and cotton, are produced. Pomegranites, figs, oranges, lemons, citrons, mel- ons, grapes, and olives, are ev- ery where plenty. The mel- ons are large, weighing, com- monly 20 or 50 pounds. In December they have not lost their exquisite flavor. The people are excessively fond of them, and during the summer months, they furnish a great PRO PRO ;heir subsistence. But so wretched is the state of so- ciety, so hopeless their labors, that the fields of Canaan are generally open or unfenced. Where enclosures have been attempted,they are formed with the prickly pear tree. They use a wooden plough, drawn by one pair of oxen; barley, and wheat are sown in January and reaped in May. Numerous flocks of sheep and goats are spread over the country. The people live chiefly on vegetables; they eat no veal, and but little beef. Their most common meat is mutton and goats flesh. Grapes are a considerable article of food, and few can afford to make them into wine; that which is made is excellent. Their mules are large; their horses small and swift. They also enjoy the aid of the nobie camel. The inhabitants, who are chiefly Turks and Arabs, are extremely simple and abste- mious in their diet, which consists chiefly of salted olives, bad cheese, coarse bread, poorly baked, and rancid but- ter or oil. When they eat flesh, it is stewed with rice; water is their common drink. The people are in general of an ordinary stature, of a spare and thin make, but alert and ac- tive. Thev walk and run with 47 great speed, and being inured to privations and fatigue, they are capable of enduring great exertions for a long time, with very scanty sustenance. In this they remarkably resemble our Indians. Their hair is a shining black, very long, and dr. ssed in a fanciful manner. Their countenances are mea- gre and wan, and sometimes almost black. The rare oc- currence of pulmonary or con- sumptive complaints, and the numerous instances of longev- ity among the inhabi'ants, many of whom live to be 100, or 110 years of age, are argu- ments to prove the healthy climate of Palestine. As the character, if I may so term it, of this country is a subject of contest between Christians and Infidels, as the latter exult in the disadvantageous circum- stances in which they now find it, doubtless it will be expect- ed that this subject should be carefully examined. Some repetition will I e considered only as evidence coiroborated and multiplied. Vohaiie and other infidel writers have raised difficulties and objections a* gainst the authority of scripture itself, and strengthened the cause of impiety and atheism from the pretended sierility of Palestine. In answer to which, the Abbe Guenec, about the PRO PRO year 1780, communicated to the Academy of Inscriptions, and belles letters at Paris, two Memoirs concerning the fertil- ity of Palestine, in order to show that such objections had no solid foundation. In the first of them the au- thor proves, that from the cap- tivity of Babylon to the war of Adrian, Judea was always considered a rich and fertile country. The positive, and multiplied authorities of the writers of that period, Jews, Greeks, and Romans, not only attest in general the fertility of that country, but many of these writers enteringinto a particular detail of circumstances, prove it from the nature of the climate, the qualities of the soil, and the excellencies and variety of its productions. These are confirmed by proofs of another kind, but which are of a very convincing nature, even those resulting from a great number of medals struck, under the reigns of the kings of Syria, and Judea, and under the Ro- mans, both by Jews and Pagans, which all bear the symbols of a rich fertility. To these proofs are added a multitude of facts, recorded in the history of the Jews during this period; the efforts of the neighboring kings to conquer their country; the long and bloody wars that the Jews carried on with vigor and sometimes with success, against powerful princes, and nations', the tribute and taxes they paid to the kings of Egypt and Syr- ia, to the Romans, and to their own princes; the magnificence of their sovereigns, and among others of Herod; the troops he raised, and kept on foot; the temples, fortresses, palaces, and cities which he erected, and embellished, not only in his own country but in Syria, Asia Minor, and even in Greece; the immense sums he lavished among the Rom- ans, the donations he made to his own people, and the vast treasures, which he left behind him: all these circumstances concur in proving the fertility and riches of Palestine during that period. In the second Memoir the the Abbe Guenee considers the state of Palestine, as it was from the emperor Adrian to the Cal- iphate of Omar, which compre- hends a period of four centu- ries. From sundry facts, he shows that it could not have been the barren country, which it has been represented by some skeptical writers. He particu- larly mentioned the project formed by Adrian of building and embellishing Jerusalem, of forming it into a Roman colo- ny, and giving it his own name, PRO PRO u project of which he could nev- er have entertained a thought, if Judea, winch he had seen, and examined with his own eyes, had appeared to him such a barren and wretched country, as it is said to be by some, who have neither seen that country, nor examined the matter with care and attention. Our author also produces a variety of oth- er facts to show that Judea, after all that it had suffered from the desolations of war both in ancient and modern times, still remained at the pe- riod in question, fertile, rich, and populous. This is the idea, which the writers of the time, Pagan and Christian, as well as Jewish, have given of Palestine. Antoninus Marty n, a citizen of Placentia, who in the sixth century travelled to Palestine, and composed an account of his vovaB, a city of the tribe of Asher, in the north part of the tribe, given for a dwelling to the Levites of the family of Gershom, Josh, xix, 23. This city was in Syria upon the road of Hamath, Numb, xiii, 21, &c. and probably between Libanus and Acti-Libanus. The city of Dan or Laish was in the canton of Rehob. From this place the people of Asher could not drive out the an- cient inhabitants, Judg. vii, 31. Lat. 33, 16. Rehob, a kingdom in the north-west part of Canaan, 1 Sam. x, 6 — 8. REHOBOTH, a river of Idumea. Saul a descendant of Esau, who reigned in Idumea, was a native of the country bordering upon the river Re- hoboth. "Lat. 33, 30. Rehoboth, a town seated on the Tigris, near Nineveh, and ne:ir the mouth of the river Lycus. Rehoboth, a town of Edom, where Saul king of E- dom was born, Gen. xxxvi,37. REP REP Reboboth, the name giv- en to a well, which was dug by- Isaac, east from Gerar; so cal- led, because that the Lord there made room for him, Gen. xxvi, 22. REHUM. See Samaritans. REKEM, a city of Judea, of the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, 27. REMETH, a city of the tribe of Issachar, Josh, xix, 21; and the same with Ra- moth, 1 Chron. vi, 73. REMMON, or Rimmon, a city of the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 7; and probably the same that is ascribed to Judah, Neh. xi, 29. Eusebius places it to the south of Judah, six- teen miles from Eleutheropo- lis to the south. REMMON-METHOAR, a city bordering upon the tribe of Zebulon, Josh, xix, 13; to the east of that tribe, Lat. 32, 44. REPHAIM, the name of a valley near to Jerusalem, Josh. xv, 8, &c. The road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, Mr. Maundrel informs us, goes through this valley, which is famous for being the theatre of many victories gained by king David over the Philistines. Hence it has been supposed to receive its name from the Re- phaim being subdued here, or perhaps more probably from some of the Rephaim living here before the conquests of Joshua. REPHAIMS, the ancient giants of Canaan. There were anciently several families of them in this country. It is com- monly thought that they were descended from one called Rephah, or Bapha; but others imagine, that the word Repha- im properly signifies giant, in the ancient language of this people. There were of the Rephaim, beyond Jordan, at Ashteroth Karnaim, in the time of Abraham, when Che- dorlaomer made war against them, Gen. xiv, 5. There were also some of them in this country in the times of Moses. Og king of Baashan, was one of the posterity of the Repha- im, Josh, xii, 4. Also in the time of Joshua there were some of their descendants in the land of Canaan, Joshua xvii, 15. Lastly we hear of them still in David's time, in the city of Gath, 1 Chron. xx, 4, 5, 6. The giants Goliah, Sippai, Lahmi, and others, were some remains of the Rephaim. Their magnitude and strength are known from scripture. The valley of the Rephaim,, or giants, was a famous place in Joshua's lime, Josh, xv, 8, xviii, 16, and also in king Da- vid's, 2 Sam. v, 18, 22. It is REP REP mentioned, likewise, by Isaiah, ;\ii, 5. The Philistines en- camped there more than once, 1 Cliron. xi, 10; xiv, 9. It is also called in the Greek the valley of the Titans, and in our translation and the vulgate, the valley of the giants, and sometimes in the English ver- sion, the valley of Rephaim, as in the two last places quoted, and in 2 Sam. xxiii, 13. Joshua places ihe valley of Rephaim as one of the limits of the por- tion of Judah. It was very near Jerusalem, and it may be doubted whether it belonged to Judah or to Benjamin; be- cause of the proximity of these two tribes. Eusebius places it in Benjamin, but Josh, xvii, 16, and those passages of the book of Samuel, in which it is mentioned insinuate, that it be- longed to Judah, and was to zra, the descendants of Sheba, the son of Jokshan. The Sabeans, descendants of Sheba, the son of Cush, it is probable, were those* of Arabia Felix, famous for their spices; and it is the opinion of some, that it was from hence the queen SAL SAL fif Sheba came to hear the wis- dom of Solomon. The Psalm- ist, lxxii, 10, Jeremiah vi, 20, and Isa. Ix. 6, speak of the spices and riches of Seba or Sheba. The Sabeans, sons of Sheba, son of Rheumah, taken notice of in Ezek. xxvii, 22, and Joel iii, 8, are also thought to have dwelt in Arabia Felix. Sabeans, descendants of Jok- tan, are probably mentioned by Ezekiel, xxvii, and are sup- posed to have lived beyond the Euphrates. Sabeans are 'also placed in Africa, in the isle of Meroe. Josephus, Mr. Bruce, and others, believe, that the queen of Sheba was from this region, Abyssinia, and that an- ciently the name of Saba cjr Sheba was applied to Meroe. SALAMIS, was once a fa- mous city in the isle of Cy- prus, opposite to Seleucia, on the Syrian coast. It was the first place in the island where the gospel was preached, and was in the primitive times, made the see of the Primate, or metropolitan of the whole island. In the reign of the emperor Trajan, it was destroyed by the Jews, and rebuilt: but after that, being in the time of He- roditus, sacked and rased to the ground by the Saracens, it never recovered its former splendor, though out of its ru- ins, is said to have risen Fam- agusta, which was the chief place of the isle, when the Turks took it from the Vene- tians, in the year 1570. St. Paul came hither, with St. Barnabas, in the 44th year of the Vulgar era, and these con- verted Sergius Paulus, Acts xiii, 5. Lat. 35, 40. SALEHAH, a city of Ba- shan, called also Zalecha,Deut. iii, 10. Lat. 33, 22. SALEHAN, Salecha, or Salch a, a city in the kingdom of Og, in the country of Ba- shan, east from Jordan, in the extreme part of Manasseh. SALEM. The name of Sa- lem is given to Jerusalem, Ps. lxxvi, 2, "In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." The common opinion is, that Melchisedec, king of Salem, was king of Je- rusalem. Salem, or Shalem, a city of the Shechemites, where Ja- cob arrived at his return from Mesopotamia, Gen. xxiii, 18. Eusebius and St. Jerome, take notice of this city; but some commentators translate the He- brew thus: "Jacob came safe and sound to a city of She- chem." Shalem in Hebrew, may signify safe in health, &c. Salem, Jerome says, that a place near to Jerusalem was called Salem, to the west. Salem, or Salumias, a place in the vicinity of Scy- thdrpolis, eight miles distant. SAL SA1. Salem, the city of Sliiloh, is so catted by the Seventy. Sale M,the city where reign- ed the celebrated Melchisedec. Jerome and Reland think this was not Jerusalem. Jerome places it near Scythopolis,where in his time ruins were visible, of what was said to have been the palace of Melehisedec. Salem, or Salim, the place where John the Baptist, bap- tised upon the Jordan, John iii, 23. The manuscripts are very indifferent as to Salem and Sa- lim. The exact situation of this place is not known; it is however, supposed to be in the province of Samaria. SALISSA, Salisa, Baal- salisa, or Salisha, a city of Canaan, north from Jerusalem, and 15 miles from Diospolis, 1 Sam. ix, 4, 2 Kings iv, 42. SALMON, a city and sea- port in the island of Crete. St. Paul passed near this city, Acts xxvii, 7, in his way to Rome, in the year of Christ 60. Dr. Wells, however, supposes it was a cape and not a town which St. Paul passed with difficulty, and says it still retains this an- cient name. Others unite these opinions, and suppose this the name of a city on the cape of the same name. This city is gone, but the cape retains its ancient name. Lat. 34, 40. SALT SEA, a considerable body of water in Palestine, where once stood Sodom and several other cities, mentioned in Genesis xiv, 3. Josephus says, that it was seventy-two miles long, and nineteen broad. But perhaps, like many lakes in this country, its limits are con- tracted from its former state; for modern travellers assure us, that now it is no more, than 6 or 7miles broad. On its east and west sides rise very high moun- tains; on the north, where it receives the Jordan, extends the fruitful plain of Jericho. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that the water of the lake is salt to the highest degree, is bitter and nauseous, and has a bitumen- ous stench. But as we are in- formed, Gen. xiii, 10, that Lot chose this region for his herds and flocks, because it was well watered, we may suppose the waters then were not brackish. Quantities of bitumen are gathered in the vicinity, which in appearance exactly resembles pitch; but may be distinguish- ed from it by its sulphureous smell and taste: It is used as pitch by ship-carpenters; it is also good as a salve for ulcers and wounds. Pebbles are also found here, which burn, when held in a blaze, producing an intolerable stench, but lose nothing of their size. It has been supposed, that after the 9AL SAM cities were destroyed by fire, the ground on which they stood was sunk by an earthquake. But is it not possible, that all was effected in a very natural manner; that the lightning, which set the towns on fire, might consume the combusti- ble earth, charged with bitu- men and sulphur, and the Jor- dan would fill the excavation with its waters, which are the Salt Sea. The Jordan, the Arnon, the Kidron, and other streams, discharge their waters into this lake. It has no visi- ble communication with the sea. No fish can live in its wa- ters; hence it has been called the Dead Sea. This is the general account of authors, but the monks of St. Saba told Dr. Shaw, that they had seen fish caught here, and Dr. Pocoke swam in the lake nearly a quar- ter of an hour, and experienced no inconvenience. He says the water is very clear, and hav- ing had a bottle analyzed, it contained nothing but salt and a little alum. Dr. Shaw says, that huge hemispheres of bitu- men rise from the bottom, and as they touch the surface of the water, they burst with a great smoke and noise. Here are doubtless, submarine fires, which are said to have con- tinued burning, till after the days of the apostles. SALT, valley of. Interpret ters generally place it to the south of the Dead Sea towards Idumea; because it is said in scripture, 2 Sam. viii, 13, 1 Chr. xviii, 12, that Abishai killed there eighteen thousand Idumeansjthat Joab killed the re twelve thousand of them; and that a long while after this, Amaziah, king of Judah killed ten thousand Idumeans, 2 Kings xiv, 7, 2 Chr. xxv, 11. Galen informs us, that they made use of the suit of the lake Asphal tiies to season their meat; and that it was a stronger caus- tic, and digested much more, than the other salts; because,saic! he, it is more boiled. We see also by the Maccabees, 1 Mac. xi, 35, and x, 29, that the kings of Syria had brine-pits in Ju- dea. Ezekiel, xlvii, 11, says, that the shore and tire marshes on the Dead Sea, should be as- signed for the making of salt. Mr. Halifax, in his account of Palmyra, speaks of a great plain all covered with salt, from whence the whole countryround about is supplied. This plain is about a leaguefromPalmyra,and extends itself towards the east- ern parts of Idumea, the cap- ital city of which was Bozra. David beat the Idumeans in the valley of salt, as he returned from Syria of Zobah. SAMARIA, a province of SAM SAM Palestine, bounded west by the Mediterranean, east by the Jor- dan, north by Galilee, and •south by Judea proper. Hence Jesus Clu ist must need go through Samaria, u hen he went from Judea into Galilee, John iv. It was the country of the Ephraimites or the ten tribes. In the New Testament, Sama- ria always signifies the territory between Judea proper, and Gal- ilee, where the tribes of Eph- raim, Manasseh, and Issachar had dwelt, Acts viii. Samaria, the capital city of the kingdom of Samaria, or of the ten tribes. It was built by Omri king of Israel, who began to reign in the year of the world 3079, and died 3086, 1 Kings xvi, 24. He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer, the owner of the hill, for 3041 dol- lars, 67 cents; though some think there were already some beginnings of a city, because before the reign of Omri, there is mention made of Samaria, 1 Kings, xiii, 32, in the year of the world 3030. Samaria was situated upon an agreeable and fruitful hill, twelve miles from Dothaim, twelve from Merom. Jose- phus says it was a da) 's jour- ney from Jerusalem. The kings of Samaria omitted nothing, to make this city the strongest, the finest, and the richest possi- ble. Josephus says, that Herod built in the land of Sebaste, a city with a very fine wall of twenty furlong:-., and brought into it six thousand inhabitants; in the middle he erected a very large temple to Caesar, and made a grove about it of three half furlongs, and called the city St baste. Benjamin of Tudda sa\ s, that Sebaste is Sa- maria, where the palace of Ahab, king of Israel is still known. Now this city stood on a mountain, was well forti- fied, had springs, land, well wa- tered, gardens, a paradise, vine- yards, and olive yards. It is eight miles from Sychem? which stands in a valley be- tween Gerizim and Ebal, and has about a hundred Cutheans, observing the law of Moses only: they are called Samari- tans; and have priests of die seed of Aaron. They sacrifice in the temple, on mount Geri- zim on the day of the passover, and on feast days upon the al- tar built there of the stones set up by the children of Israel, when they passed over Jordan. Mount Ebal is dry, rocky, and stony. The following is the account of this city, as given by D'Ar- vieux. Napoli of Samaria is certain- ly taken for the ancient Sy- chem. This city is situated partly on the declivity of a SAM SAM mountain, partly on the begin- ning of a plain. It has been so often ruined and rebuilt, that the attempt to discover any of its ancient buildings would be fruitless. It is the only city of this province, and of course is the residence of the governor. One thing very remarkable in the mountain on which it is sit- uated is, that half of its sur- face is covered with trees, shrubs, and verdure, while the other half is arid and waste. There would be nothing extra- ordinary in this, if the bare di- vision had a northern aspect; manv others have this peculiar- ity, but these two distinctions of this mountain, divide the northern aspect equally between them, wiihout any other visi- ble distinction. There are gardens all round the city, not on the mountain but in the plain. These are watered by a little river, and by a number of rivulets, which render this plain of an admira- ble fertility. The orange trees, lemon trees, fig trees, pear and apple trees, are in perfection and produce excellent fruits. About a quarter of a league from the city is a fountain, which falls into a bason of white marble. About five hundred paces from the city, toward Je- rusalem, is a well, at which some say, Jacob watered the Hocks of Rachel: others say, that at which our Lord met the Samaritan woman. The Chris- tians venerate it, and keep it covered with great stones. On lifting up these stones, we de- scend into a vaulted cave, wherein is the mouth of the well. It appears to be of great antiquity, is well built, and may be thirty or forty feet to the surface of the water. SAMARITANS. The Sa- maritans are the people of the city of Samaria, and the inhab- itants of the province of which Samaria was the capital city. In this sense it should seem, that we might give the name of Samaritans, to the Israelites of the ten tribes, who lived in the city and territory of Samaria. However, the sacred authors commonly give the name of Samaritans, only, to those strange people, whom the kings of Assyria sent from beyond the Euphrates, to inhabit the kingdom of Samaria, when they took away captive the Is- raelites, that were there before. Thus we may fix the epoch of the Samaritans, at the taking of Samaria by Salmaneser, in the year of the world 3283. This prince carried away captive the Israelites, that he found in the country, and assigned them dwellings beyond the Eu- phrates, and in Assyria, -2 SAM SAM Kings xvii, 24. He sent other inhabitants in their stead, of which the most considerable were the Chuthites, a people descended from Cush, and who are probably of ihe number of those, whom the ancients knew by the name of Scythians. It does not appear, that there was any temple in Samaria, in common to all these people, who came thither from beyond the Euphrates, before the com- ing of Alexander the Great in- to Judea. Till that time, ev- ery one was left to his own dis- cretion, and worshipped the Lord, where he thought fit. But they presently compre- hended, from the books of Moses; which they had in their hands, and from the example of the Jews thtir neighbors, that God was to be worshipped in that place only, which he had chosen. So that since they could not go to the temple of Jerusalem, which the Jews would not allow,they bethought themselves of building a tem- ple of their own, upon mount Gerizim, near the city of Shec- hem, which was then their cap- ital. Therefore, Sanballat the governor of the Samaritans, ap- plied himself to Alexander, and told him he had a son-in-law, called Manasses, son to Jad- dus the high priest of the Jews, who had retired to Sa- maria with a great number of other persons of his own na- tion; that he desired to build a temple in this province, where he might exercise the high priesthood;that this undertaking would be the advantage of the king's affairs, because in build- ing a temple in the province of Samaria, the nation of the Jews would be divided, who are a turbulent and seditious people, and by such a division would be made weaker, and less in a condition to undertake new en- terprises. Alexander readily consent- ed to what Sanballat desired, and the Samaritans presently began the building of the tem- ple on Gerizim, which from that time they have always frequent- ed until very lately, as the place where the Lord intend- ed to receive the adoration of his people. The Samaritans having re- ceived the Pentateuch, or the five. books of Moses, from the priest, that was sent by Essar- haddon, have preserved it to this day, in the same language and character it was then, that is, in the old Hebrew, or Phoe- nician character, which we now call the Samaritan, to dis- tinguish it from the modern Hebrew character, which at present, we find in the books of the Jews. These last after SAM SAM their captivity changed their old characters, and took up those of the Chaldee, which they had been used to at Baby- lon; and which they continue still to use. It is wrong, says F. Caltnet, to give this the name of the Hebrew character, for that can be said properly only of the Samaritan text. The critics have taken notice of some variations, between the Pentateuch of the Jews and that of the Samaritans; but these varieties of reading chiefly re- gard the word Gerizim, which the Samaritans seem to have purposely introduced, to favor their pretensions, that mount Gerizim was the place, in which the Lord was to be adored. The other various readings are of small import- ance. The religion of this people was at first the Pagan. Ev- ery one worshipped the deity, they had been used to in their own country, 2 Kings xvii,25; xxx, 31. The Babylonians worshipped Succor h-benoth; the Chuthites, Nergal, the Ha- mathites, Ashima, the Avites, Nibhaz and Tartak; the Sep- harvites, Adrammelech and Anamelek. If we would enu- merate all the names of false gods to whom the Samaritans have paid a sacrilegious wor- ship, we should have enough t© d®. The Samaritans at present are very few in number. Jo- seph Scaliger being curious to know their usages, wrote to the Samaritans of Egypt and to the high priest of the whole sect, who resided at Neapolis in Syria. They returned two an- swers to Scaliger, dated in the year of the Hegira 998. By these letters it appears, that they believe in God, in his ser- vant Moses, the holy law, the mountain Gerizim, the house of God, the day of vengeance and of peace; that they value themselves upon observing the law of Moses, in many points more rigidly than the Jews themselves. They keep the Sabbath with the utmost strict- ness required by the law with- out sdrring from the place they are in, but only to the syna- gogue. They go not out of the city, and abstain from their wives on that day. They nev- er delay circumcision beyond the eighth day. They still sac- rifice to this day in the temple on mount Gerizim, and give to the priest what is enjoined by the law. They do not mar- ry their own nieces, as the Jews .do, nor do they allow themselves a plurality of wives. Their hatred of the Jews may be seen through all the history of Joscphus, and in several places of the New Testament. The Jewish historian informs SAM SAM us, that under the government of Coponius, one passover night, when they opened the gates of the temple, some Sa- maritans had scattered the bones of dead men there, to insult the Jews, and to inter- rupt the devotion of the festival. The evangelist shews us, that the Jews and Samaritans, held no correspondence together. There are still at this day- some Samaritans, at Shechem, otherwise called Naplouse. They have priests there, who say they are of the family of Aaron. Theyhave a high priest, who resides at Shechem, or at Gerizim, who offers sacrifices there, and who declares the feast of the passover, and all the other feasts, to all the dis- persed Samaritans. Some of them are to be found at Gaza, some at Damascus, and some at Grand Cairo. The Samar- itans have been scattered over several countries. They once had synagogues in Cairo, Da- mascus, Joppa, Gaza, Askelon, and Cesarea; but for a long time, their chief residence has been Naplouse, the ancient Si- chem. Benjamin of Tudela found there only one hundred of them, poor and miserable. In 1590 they wrote to Scaliger; they ask for charity, and con- sider themselves of the tribe of Joseph bv Ephraim; and speak 53 of their pontiff, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, and the two hundred and twentieth from Aaron. Their pontiffs never go out of the temple. The Samaritans offer sacrifices; the shoulder and some other parts they give to the priests. They celebrate seven feasts; they are monogomists, a*nd practise the ablutions of the law. The Jews they reproach with not observing continency, with go- ing out of the city, and light- ing fires on the Sabbath, and not obliging children to fast till they are seven years of age, while the Samaritans excuse none but children at the breast. In 1691 we hear from them a- gain. "We have here a small number," say they, ''who are very poor." They considered themselves as the only He- brews and Israelites. They despise, h ite, and fly from the Jews for fear of being contam- inated by them. They have preserved the Pentateuch with remarkable care; a providen- tial event to establish the au- thenticity of that portion of the sacred scriptures, before the utter extinction of this feeble colony. So lately as 1808 we learn that they continued at Naplouse, inhabiting old de- serted houses, in a bad part of the city, that their employ- ments just furnished them with SAM SAM bread, that they were in the most abject poverty. They marry only among themselves; if they are forced to touch a stranger, or his garment, they purify themselves as soon as possible. Their own dead are considered as impure, and are therefore burned by the Ma- hometans' or Christians. Like the wretched of all countries, the men are intemperate. The first day of the passover, they celebrate at midnight; a sheep is killed in the synagogue, roasted, and eaten there. They write that there are no Samari- tans in the East, excepting at Naplouse and Jaffa. These a- mount to two hundred persons, men, women, and children, composing thirty families. Thus are they oppressed and crushed. Hos. viii,7, "Theyhave sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk; the bud [or standing corn] shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up." Since the year 1788 they have not been able co repair to mount Gcrizim for worship; but have made their sacrifices in the city Naplouse. SAMOS, a famous island of the Archipelago upon the coast of Asia Minor, 80 miles in circuit. The Romans wrote to the governor of Samos in favor ot the Jews, in the time of Simon Maccabeus, 1 Mace, xv, 23. St. Paul went ashore on this island, as he went to Jerusalem, Acts xx,15. This isle was 40 miles south- east of Chios, and five miles from the continent of Asia. The lands are naturally fruit- ful, and the wines very pleas- ant, but commerce is discour- aged under the abominable government of the Turks, and the people are poor, not at- tempting to raise any thing only for their own wants. This was formerly an independent commonwealth, and carried on successful wars against their neighbors. But this island once so commercial and opulent, is now reduced to that miserable condition, that pirates land, and plunder, and murder with im- punity. No Turk dares to show his head here, lest he should be carried off by these rovers. The people have plenty of patridges, woodcocks, snipes, thrushes, woodpigeons, turtle doves, wheaters, and poultry. The inhabitants are clothed in the Turkish manner, except a red coif, and their hair hanging down their backs, with plates of silver, -or block tin, fastened to the ends. They have abun- dance of melons, lentilcs, kid- ney beans, muscadine grapes, and white figs, four times as big as the common sort, but SAM Aot so well tasted. Their silk is fine, and the honey and wax admirable. They have iron mines, and most of the soil is of a rusty color; they have also emery stone, and the moun- tains are of white marble. Py- thagoras was a native of this island. The inhabitants, about 12,000, are chiefly Greeks; have a bishop, who resides at Corea; Ion. 27, 13 east; lat. 37, 40 north. Tournefort, &c. SAMOTHRACIA, an isl- and of the iEgean Sea. St. Paul departing from Troas to go to Macedonia, arrived first at Sa- moihracia; then landed in Macedonia, thence he went to Neapolis, and then to Philippi, Acts xvi, 11. Samothracia is a small island lying off the coast of Thrace on the west. It is now called Samandrachi, and lias commodious harbors. The island is twenty miles in circuit; and pretty well culti- vated; it has no town of note, and is in the present age much frequented by priests. The island .was originally peopled by a colony of the Pe- Jasgi and Athenians, and after- wards by the Samians. It was anciently famous for the wor- ship of the Cabiri, or the great gods of the heathen. Foreign- ers of the first distinction deemed itan honor to be initiat- SAR ed into the mysteries of theSa- mothracian idolatry. Lat.41,40. ^ SANSANNAH, a city of Canaan belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 31. SAPHIR. The Greek cop- ies of Joshua xv, 48, place a city of this name in the moun- tains'^ Judah: but the Hebrew read Shamir. However, Mi- cah i, 2, speaks of the inhabi- tants of Saphir. But perhaps intends here the city of Sepho- ris in Galilee. Eusebius says, that there is a city named Sa- phir, situated between Eleuthe- ropolis, and Ashkelon. SARAMEL, or Sarama- el, a place mentioned in 1 Maccab. xiv, 28; supposed by some to be the same with Mil- lo, while others will have it, that Saramael is here put for Jerusalem. SARDIS, now Sart, a city of Asia Minor, formerly the capital of Croesus, king of the Lydians. St. John in his Revelation, iii, 1, 2, 3, &c. writing in behalf of Jesus Christ, to the angel or bishop of Sardis, says, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead. Be watchful and strengthen, the things, which remain that are ready to die; for I have not found thy .works perfect be- fore Qod. Remember, thero SAK fore, how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sar- dis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." We know not the name of the bishop, that was at Sardis. Some moderns have thought that it was Meiito, a famous bishop of this city, an apologist for the Christian religion, who wrote in the time of Marcus Aurelius, about the vear 170 or 175. If this were so, we must allow him to have been a bishop above 75 years; which is not easy to believe: for none of the ancients have said, that he was a disciple of the apostles, or that he lived a very long time. We ought not, therefore, to impute this antiq- uity tohirn without any proof; which besides is not very hon- orable to him, since St. John speaks of the angel of Sardis, in terms not very advanta- SAR geous tohim. The city stood on the Pactolus, and was the royal city of the Lydian kings, till Croesus, the last of them, was conquered by Cyrus, the first Persian emperor. In the time of Xerxes, being taken by the Greeks, it so startled him, that he commanded one of his attendants, to say aloud every day, while he was at dinner, "the Grecians have taken Sar- dis," continuing that memento, till it should be recovered. Being overthrown by a most terrible earthquake, it was re- built at the cost of Tiberias, and continued long to be the metropolis of Lydia: Strabo tells us, that it was a great and ancient city; yet of later date than the sta'te of the Trojans. It had in his time a castle well fortified; the mountain Tmolus hanging over the city, in the top of which was erected an high tower of white stone, built after the Persian manner, from whence is a pleasing prospect over all the adjacent plains; and a view of the Cay- ster. Out of the Tmolus flows the Pactolus; whose stream anciently brought gold with its current; from whence Croesus and his ancestors, amassed their riches: but now these springs of gold have failed. The rivers, Pactolus and Hylas, fall into the Hermus, and empty SAR SAR themselves into the Phocian Sea, now called Fogia, or rather Fochia. But whatever this city was in former days, it is now only a poor habitation of shepherds, living in low and humble cottages; yet the ancient pillars and ruins lift up their heads as unwilling to lose the memory of their ancient glory. However, here is a large cara- vansary, where there are hand- some lodgings for travellers; it lying on the great road from Smyrna to Aleppo, and the Turks have a mosque, formerly a Christian church. There are also a few Christians, who drag out their life in miserable seivitude, having neither church, priest, nor any Chris- tian privileges. So fatal are the threatenings of God against sin. While she had the name of being alive she was dead. Her divine Judge therefore said to her, "I will come on thee as a thief," to ruin and destroy, "and thou shalt not know what hour I will come." Sudden was their destruction, by a ter- rible earthquake. This city is seated at the foot of mount Tmolus, as Stra- bo has well described it. The castle, which is erected on a high and steep mountain, is almost inaccessible. But be- ing on the top, there appears the most pleasant prospect says Sir Paul Rycaut, that ev- er my eyes beheld, to which the Pactolus gives a wonder- ful embellishment, which turns and winds so delightfully through the plains, watering all, parts so as to make that coun- try fertile and rich, and from thence might occasion the sav- ing, that the Pactolus ran with golden streams. To the south of the town are extensive ru- ins, which show what Sardis was before earthquakes produ- ced its present desolation. East of the castle, are the ruins of a great church, the wor- shippers were insincere and wicked; they are gone, but the walls remain in mournful soli- tude. Northerly are seen oth- er vast ruins. Sardis is 70 miles E. from Smyrna. Lat. 38, 44, N. Long. 28, 30, E. Dr. Smith, &?t of those, who come into the presence of the lias, uncover themselves to the waist; others only uncover their breasts* Equals salute each other by kissing, when they meet, and repeat their compliments over and over again, and scrupu- lously observe the laivs of good breeding. In default of kin- dred, the estate is sold, and half the produce of it is given to the poor; the other half is devoted to the support of Chris- tianity. Great men have as many wives as they please; some have forty; but the chil- dren of masters by their ser- vants, do not inherit their fa- ther's property, but are viewed in the light of menials, though they are not compelled to labor. Calves and lambs are not eat- en, perhaps to promote the multiplying of their cattle and sheep. Like the Jews, they refuse to eat wild fowls. Hogs are not kept tame. The higher class of people rigorously ob- serve their fasts, though they take up a third part of the year, but the lower people eat when they can find food. The royal family are no longer con- fined on the mountains. Va- ientia's Travels, vol. iii, p. 156—160. SHEBA, a city of the tribe SHE SHE of Simeon, Josh, xix, 2, the same city as Beersheba, or per- haps the same as Shema, Josh, xv, 26. SHEBAM, a city beyond Jordan, in the distribution of the tribe of Reuben, Numbers xxxii, 3. See Sibmah. SHEBARIM, a place about Ai and Bethel. The inhabit- ants of Ai pursued the Israel- ites from the gate of their city as far as Sebarim. SHECHEM a city of Sa- maria, called otherwise Sychar, Neapolis or Naploase. Jose- phus says, that the people of the country called it Mabartha- After the ruin of Samaria by Shalmanezer, Shechem was the capital of the Samaritans, and Josephus says, -it was still so in the time of Alexander the Great. It was ten miles from Shiloh, forty from Jerusalem', and fifty-two from Jericho. St. Jerome says that St. Pabla visited the church, that was built upon Jacob's foun- tain. Antoninus Martyr, A- damnanus, and Viilabaldus, who wrote in the eighth centu- ry, speak of this church. At this place, just before his death, Joshua convened the tribes of Israel and gave them a solemn charge. The citi- zens of this place, with the family of Millo, set up Abime- lech, the bastard of Gideon, for their king; but in about three years, as might have been ex- pected from such a low born fellow, he destroyed the city and murdered the inhabitants. Jeroboam for a time made this place, after he had rebuilt it, the metropolis of his govern- ment. Long after this the Sa- maritans made it their capital, and as they were a drunken set of creatures, the city was called Sychar, or drunkenness. About A.M. 3870, Hyrcanus, king of the Jews, took, pillaged, and razed the city to the ground. It was rebuilt by Vespasian, a- bout A.D. 70, and called Fla- via and Neapolis. It is now called Napiouse, and is the capital of a small government under the Turks. Here live the only remains of the Samari- tans, which are known to exist. Near this town is the cele- brated plain of Moreh, situate near the two hills, Gerizim and Ebal, as maybe seen, Deut. xi, 29,30, where is said, "Are they not in the land of the Canaan- ites, which dwell in the cham- pain over against Gilgal, be- side the plain of Moreh." Ja- cob bequeathed this plain to Joseph, as a mark of particular affection, John iv, 5. Here was "Jacob's well," and near the plain was probably the hill Moreh, Judg. vii, l. Jacob bought this field of Ha- SHE SHE mor, the father of Sheehem, immediately after his return from Padau-aram; it was doubt- less the first land, which he ev- er possessed as his own. He gave a hundred pieces for it. Gen. xxxiii, 19. The critics have much disputed whether he paid so many pieces of mon- ey, or a hundred lambs or sheep. The word rendered money, is no where used in the Bible, but here, and in Joshua xxiv, 32, and Job xlii, 15. As the word here used, kesilah, signifies a lamb, it has been conjectured, that these pieces of money had the figure of a lamb stamped upon them, be- cause each piece on an average was the value of a lamb; hence also it might be called a lamb, kesitah, from the image, which it bore. A custom somewhat like this has certainly prevailed in several countries in modern times. Formerly a certain piece of English money was called an angel, because it bore the image of an angel. Hence also a Jacobus, a Joe, because those pieces bore the image of king James and Joseph. The Athenians had a coin, called bous, an ox, because it was stamped with a figure of an ox. Hence a person bribed to be si- lent, says, "I must be silent, a great ox walks upon my tongue," i. e. a sum of money had been given him, on which the figure of an ox was stamp- ed. The Latin word pecunia, money, and the English pecun- iary came from pecus, cattle, because cattle once constituted the substance of a man's prop- erty. The ancient Britons and Saxons had pieces of money on which were the image of a hog, horse, ox, or goat; probably from the circumstance, that the piece of money was supposed to be the price of the creature whose image it bore. See Dr. darkens Commentary . Mr. Parkhurstis of opinion that the kesitah bore the image of a lamb, and that these lamb coins of Israel, typified the Lamb of God, who in the Divine pur- pose, was considered, as slain from the foundation of the world, and who purchased us with his own blood. The con- jecture is pious, and may sug- gest useful reflections. Some others, of a similar cast of mind with the above writer, have supposed that St. Peter allud- ed to these ancient pieces of money, bearing the image of a lamb, when he tells the Jewish converts, that "they were not re- deemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot," 1 Pet. i, 18, 19. The Septuagint and Vulgate SHE SHE translate the word, sheep or lambs; but the Rabbins are generally of opinion, that it signifies a piece of money. B ichart and Eugubinus are of opinion that the Septuagint meant mince, and not lambs, in Greek hecatonamnoon,inh\Gdd of ekaton amnoon. A mina is worth 60 Hebrew shekels, and consequently 33 dollars.. M. de Pelletier is of opinion that kesitah was a Persian coin, stamped on one side with an archer, (kesitah or keseth in Hebrew signifying a bow,) and on the other with a lamb; that it was a gold coin, known in the East by the name of a daric, and in value about two dollars and a half. Several learned men, without mentioning its value, say it was a silver coin, the impression of which was a sheep. Calmet was of opinion that kesitah was a purse of gold or silver. In the East, at the present day, they reckon by purses. Jonathan and the Tar- gum of Jerusalem translate kesitah, "a pearl." It might doubtless be a purchase for money. Nor is this the first instance in the world of laud bought for money. One hun- dred and sixty- eii^ht yea; s be- fore this time, in this same re- gion, Abraham had bought a piece of land for a burying place, and weighed silver, as we often do gold, current with the merchants, in payment. Thus the first land in the world mentioned in history as bought, was for a tomb; the second was to erect a place of worship. Concerning this plain of Moreh, a modern traveller says, it is a wide field, water- ed with a fresh stream, rising between it and Sychem. This makes it so exceedingly ver- dant and fruitful, that it may well be regarded, as a stand- ing token of the tender affection of the good patriarch, Jacob, to the best of sons. Lat. 32, 9. SHEMA, a city of Judea belonging to the tribe of Ju- dah, Josh, xv, 26. SHEMER, the name of the mount upon which was built the city of Samaria, 1 Kings xvi, 24. This hill was famous before the building of Samaria, for the battle fought between Abijah, king of Judah, and Je- roboam king of Israel, when Abijah, at the head of four hundred thousand men en- camped on this mount, 2 Chr. xiii. This mountain was twelve miles from Dothaim, twelve from Merom, and four from Alharoth. SHENEH, the name of one of the rocks over which Jon- athan passed, to come at the garrison of the Philistines, 1 Sam. xiv, 4. SHE SHE SHEPH AM, a city of Syria, which was the eastern limit of of the Land of Promise, Num. xxxiv, 10, 11. This might be the s.ime with Apamea. SHEPHELAH, a fiat piece of ground or plain, north and north-west about Eleutherop- oplis. The city of Adida stood in this plain. SHESHACH, a name by which Jeremiah points out Babylon. This prophet being directed to cause all nations to drink the cup of the fury of the Lord, "The king of Shes- hach shall drink after them;" Jer. xxv, 26: and elsewhere, "How is Sheshach taken, and and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised. How is Babvlon become an aston- ishment among the nations.'"7 Now the question is, how Ba- bylon comes by this name? St. Jerome thinks, that Jeremiah uses this name for fear of of- fending Nebuchadnezzar, who was at this time besieging Je- rusalem. Calmet takes Shes- hach to be a pagan deity, wor- shipped chiefly at Babylon, and thinks that the prophet gives this city the name of its tutelar deity, in the manner he speaks of it elsewhere: "Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Me- rodach is broken in pieces." Our author also thinks it prob- able, that Sheshach is the moon, and at Babylon they celebrated feasts called Sacaean, accord- ing to Strabo, in honor of the moon. At one of these festi- vals the city might be taken, and using this name might be designed, not only to give warning of the event, but of the time, when it should take place. SHIBMAH, or Sibmah, a city of the tribe of Reuben. Num. xxxii, 38, Josh, xiii, 19, Isai. xvi, 8, speaks of the vines of Sibmah, which were cut down by the enemies of the Moabites. For these people had taken the city of Shibmah, Jer. xlviii, 32, and others of the country of Reuben, after this tribe was carried away in- to captivity by Tiglath-pileser. St. Jerome says, that between Heshbon and Shibmah, there was hardly the distance of five hundred paces. SHIHON, a city of the tribe of Issachar, Josh, xix, 19. Eu- sebius says, that in his time there was a place called Seon, at the foot of mount Tabor. SHILHIM, a city of Pales- tine belonging to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 32. SH1LOH, Josh, xviii, 19, 21, a famous city of the tribe of Ephraim, twelve miles or four leagues distant from Shec- hem, according to Eusebius; or ten miles according to St. Jerome. It was in Acrabatena, SHE SHI according to both of them. In St. Jerome's time Shiloh was entirely ruined, and nothing remarkable was found there, but the foundation of the altar of burnt offerings, which was in that place, when the taber- nacle was set up there. It was at Shiloh that Joshua, chap, xviii, 1, 2, assembled the peo- ple, to make a second distri- bution of the Land of Promise. It was in the same place that the tabernacle of the Lord was set up, when the people were settled in the country, Josh, xix, 50. The ark and taber- nacle of the Lord continued at Shiloh, from the year of the world 2560, when it was set up by Joshua, to the year of the world 2888, at which time it was taken by the Philistines, under the administration of the high priest Eli, 1 Sam. iv. It was there also that the prophet Ahijah dwelt, 1 Kings xiv, 2, Jer. vii, 12, 14, and xxvi, 6, 9, foretold that the temple of Jerusalem should be reduced to the same condition as Shiioh was. After the re- turn of the ark, out of the country of the Philistines, in- stead of taking it back to Shi loh, it was laid up at Kirjath- jearim, 1 Sam. vi, 21. Mr. Reland conjectures, that it is from the name of Shiloh, that Pausanias took occasion to say, that Silenus the compan- ion of Bacchus was buried irt Palestine. Benjamin of Tudela affirms, that the tomb of Sam- uel was still to be seen there. Upon the medals of Shechem, orNeapolis, we see Silenus re- presented; which should make us think that it was ra'ther at Shechem than at Shiloh, that they might expect to find the tomb of this demigod. After the ark was removed from Shiloh, it gradually dwindled away, till its ruinous stale be- came proverbial. As the young women of Shiloh were dancing in their vineyards, the 600 men of Benjamin, who had survived the almost entire slaughter of their tribe, came, and by sur- prise, seized every man a wife. Jud. xxi. Lat. 31, 59. SHIMRON, or Simeron, a city of Zebnlun, Josh, xix, 15. This name is also given to the mountain Shemer, upon which the city of Samaria was built. See Shemer- The city of Shimron is in Lat. 32, 43. SHINAR, or Sennaar, a province of Babylonia, where the tower of Babel was built, Gen. xi, 2. Calneh was built in the same country. Amra- phcl king of Slnnar, was a po- tent prince in the time of Abra- ham, Gen. xiv, 1. Daniel says, i, 2, that Nebuchadnezzar car- ried away the sacred vessels of SHi Sill the temple of Jerusalem, and put them in the temple of his gpd, in the land of Shinar. There is great probability that the mountains of Singares, or Sagras, as well as the city and river of Singare, take their name from Shinar, Sennaar, or Senear. See Babylon, Sec. The dispersion of mankind in the history of the world, was occasioned by the confusion of tongues, and took place in con- sequence of the overthrow of Babel, at the birth of Peleg: whence he derived this name; and it appears by the account given of his ancestors, Gen. xi, 10 — 16, to "have happened in the 101st year after the flood, according to the Hebrew chro. nology, and by the Samaritan computation, in the 401st. However, various difficulties have been suggested by chro- nologers concerning the true era of this event. Sir John Marshman and others, in order to reconcile the Hebrew and Egyptian chronologies, main- tain a dispersion of mankind before the birth of Peleg. Oth- ers, unable to find numbers sufficient for the plantation of colonies in the space of 101 years, according to the Hebrew computation, fix the dispersion towards the end of Peleg's life, thus following the computation of the Jews. Petavius assigns the 153d year after the flood, Cumber- land the 180,!i; and Usher, though he generally refers it to the time of Peleg's birth, in one place assigns the 131st af- ter the Hood, for this event. Mr. Shuckford supposes the dispersion to have been gradu- al, and to have commenced with the separation of some companies at the birth or Peleg, and to have been completed 31 years after. According to me calculation of Petavius, vhc number of inhabitants on the earth at the birth of Peieg, a- mounted to 32,768; Cumber- land makes them 80,000. Mr. Mede states them at seven thousand men, besides women and children; and Mr. Whiston, who supposes that mankind now double themselves in 400 years, and that they doubled themselves between the deluge and the time of David in 60 years at a medium, when their lives were six or seven times as long as they have been since, by his computation produces about 2389, a number much too inconsiderable for the pur- poses of separating and form- ing distinct nations. This dif- ficulty induced Mr. Whiston to reject the Hebrew, and to adopt the Samaritan chronolo- gy, as many others have done; which, by allowing an interval SHI SHI of 401 years between the Hood and the birth of Peleg, furnish- es by the last mentioned mode of computation, more than 240,000 persons. As to the manner of the dis- persion from the plain of Shi- nar, it was undoubtedly con- ducted with the utmost regu- larity and order. The sacred historian informs us, that they were divided in their lands; every one according to his tongue, according to his fami- ly, and according to his nation; and thus Mr. Mede observes, they were ranged according to their nations, and every nation by their families; so that each nation had a separate lot, and each family in every nation. The following fact will serve to give a general idea of their re- spective settlements: Japhet, Noah's eldest son, had seven sons, viz. Gomer, whose de- scendants inhabited those parts of Asia, which lie upon the iEgean sea, and Hellespont, northward, containing Phrygia, Pontus, Bithynia, and a great part of Galatia. Some of these were called Gomerasei; and Cimmerii, and according to Herodotus, they occupied this tract of country: and from these Gomerians, Cimmerii or Celts, Mr. Camden derives the an- cient Britons, who still retain the name Cymro or Cymrii. Magog, the second son of Ja- phet, was probably the father of the Scythians, on the east and north-east of the Euxine sea. Madai planted Media, though Mr. Mede assigns Ma- cedonia to his share. Javan was the father of the Grecians about Ionia, whose country lies upon the Mediterranean sea; the radicals of. Javan and Ionia being the same. To Tubal and Mesheck • belonged Cappa- docia and the country, which lies on the borders of the Eux- ine sea; and from them, mi- grating over the Caucasus, it is supposed the Russians and Muscovites are descended. Ti- ras occupied Thrace. The sons of Shem were five: Elam, whose country lay between the Medes and Mesopotamians, and was called by the Gentile writers Elymais; and Josephus calls the Elamites the founders of the Persians. Ashur, who was driven out of Shinar by Nim- rod afterwards settled in As- syria, and there built Nineveh and other cities; Arphaxad, who gave name to the country, which Ptolemy calls Arrapha- citis, a province of Assyria, though Josephus makes him the father of the Chaldees: Lud, who inhabited and gave name to the country of Lydia, about the river Meander, remarkable for its windings, in Asia Minor: SHI Sill and Aram, the father of the Sy- rians. Ham, the youngest son of Noah, had four sons, viz. Cash, whose posterity, spread int y the several parts of Arabia, over the borders of Edom, in- to Arabia Felix, up to Median and Egypt: Mizraim, the fa- ther of them, who inhabited Egypt and other parts of Afri- ca: Pnut,to whom Bochart as- signs the remaining part of Af- rica, from the lake Tritonides to the Atlantic ocean, called Lybia: and Canaan, to whom belonged the land of Canaan, whence the Phoenicians derived their origin. Dr. Bryant has advanced a new hypothesis on this subject, and supported it with his usual acuteness and learning. He maintains, that the dispersic n, as well as the confusion of tongues, was local, and limited to the inhabitants of the prov- ince of Babel; that the separa- tion and distribution recorded to have taken place in the days of Peleg, Gen. x,25; xxxi, 32, which was the result of Divine appointment, occasioned a gen- eral migration; and that all the families among the sons of men were concerned in it. The house of Shem, from which the Messiah was to spring, was par- ticularly regarded in this dis- tribution, the portion of his children was near the place of 57 separation; they in general had Asia to their lot; as Japhet had Europe, and Ham the conti- nent of Africa. But the sons of Chus would not submit to the Divine dispensation; they went off under the conducr of Nimrod, and seem to have been a long time in a roving state. However, at last they arrived at the plains of Shinar; and hav- ing ejected Asher and his sons, who were placed there by Di- vine appointment, seized his dominions, and Lid there the foundations of a great monar- chy. But afterwards, fea-ring lest they should be divided and scattered abroad, they built the tower of Babel, as a landmark to which they might repair; and probably to answer the pur- poses of an idolatrous temple, or high altar, dedicated to the host of heaven, from which they were never long to be absent. They only, namely, the sons of Chus or the Chuthites, and their associates from other families, who had been guilty of rebel- lion, against Divine authority, and of wicked ambition and ty- ranny, were punished with the judgment of confounded speech through a failure in labial ut- terance, and of the dispersion recorded in Gen. x, 8, 9; in consequence of which, they were scattered abroad from this city and tower, without any SHI SHU certain place of destination. The Chuthites invaded Egypt, or the land of Mizraim, in its infant state, seized the whole country, and held it for some ages in subjection; they ex- tended likewise to the Indies and the Ganges, and still farther into China and Japan. From them the province of Cushan or Goshen in Egypt derived its name. Here they obtained the appellation of royal shepherds; and when they were by force driven out of the country, after having been in possession of it for 260 or 280 years, the land which they had been obliged to quit was given to the Isn.eliies, who were also denominated shepherds, but should not be confounded with the former, or the antecedent inhabitants of Goshen. Babel, erected on Shinar, appears to have been the first temple raised by the apostate Cuthites, in honor of the Sun, and in subsequent ages it was equally the model for the pyr- amids of Egypt, the pyratheia of Persia, the pagodas of Hin- dostan, and the solar temples of Mexico. Nor was religious worship the only design of its erection. It is intimated in scripture that one object was to rear a kind of deacon or landmark to prevent their dis- persion. The sacred fire, which blazed on its lofty summit, was well adapted to answer such a purpose; the light of this proud altar, diffused on every side, would render conspicuous this celebrated tower through the extensive plains of Shinar. Diet. Bib. Encij. Horce Mo- saic. SHITTIM, a place on the Jordan, where the Hebrews encamped a considerable time, Numb. xxv. Lat. 31, 31. SHOPHAN, Sophan, or Zaphon, a city of the tribe of Gad, Numb, xxxii, 35, and xiii, 27. It stood a little east from the sea of Tiberias. SHUAL, a country of Isra- el, where the Philistines made an invasion in the time of Saul, 1 Sam. xiii, 17. The situa- tion of this canton of Shaul, or the Fox, is not known. SHUNEM, a city of Judea belonging to the tribe of Issa- char, Josh, xix, 18. The Phi- listines encamped at Shunem, in the great field or plain, and king Saul encamped at Gilboa, 1 Sam. xxviii, 4. Eusebius places Shunem, or Shulem, 5 miles from Tabor to the south. In this place the prophet Elisha was hospitably entertained by a good woman, whose child dying, he restored it to life, 2 Kings iv. SHUR, or Sur, a city in Arabia Petrea, which has given SHU SHU its name to the desert of Sur in the same country, Gen. xvi, 7; Exod. xv, 22. Ptolemy speaks of the city of Suratte in Arabia Petrea. This place was on the north-east side of the Red Sea. Lat. 30. Shur, or Sur, a desert of Arabia Petrea, extending be- tween Palestine and the Ara- bian gulf, into which the Israel- ites first came, after their march through the Red Sea, Exod. xv, 22. It is also said in Num. xxxiii, that from the sea, they went three days journey into the wilderness of Etham; whence some have concluded that E- tham and Shur are the same wilderness, or only differ as a part from the whole; it being supposed that Shur is the gen- eral name for the whole wilder- ness, and Etham, the name of that part lying near the encamp- ment of the same name. So little is known concerning the geography of these regions, that there is more room for doubt and disputation, than for decision and confidence. SHUSHAN, or Susan, or Susa, the capital city of Susi- ana, or of the country of Elam, that is, of Persia. It was the first province of the country, east of the Tigris. Dan. viii, 2, 3, &c. always gives it the name of the palace: "I was at Shushan, in the palace;" be- cause the kings of Chaldcehad tin -re a royal palace. From the time of Cyrus, the kings of Persia took up the custom of passing the winter here, and the summer at Ecbatana. The winter was very moderate at Shushan, but the heat of the summer was so great, that the very lizards and serpents, that were surprised by it in the street, were even burnt up by the heat of the sun. This city stands npon the river Ulai. It was in this city, and upon this river, that Daniel had the vis- ion of the ram with two horns, and the goat with one horn, &c. in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. It was also in this city of Shushan, that the history of Esther happened. It was here that Ahasuerus, or Darius, the son of Hystaspes, generally re- sided and reigned, Esther i, 1, 2, &c. .Pliny says, he rebuilt Shush.in, that is, he enlarged and adorned it. Nehemiahwas also at Shushan, when he ob- tained from king Artaxerxes the permission to return into Judea, and to repair the walls at Jerusalem, Nehem. i,l. Ben- jamin of Tudela, and Abul- farage, place the tomb of Dan- iel at Chuzestan, which is the ancient city of Shushan, the capital of Elam. Lighifoot says, that the out* SHU SID ward gate of the eastern wall of the temple in Jerusalem was called the gate of Shushan, and that upon this gate was carved the figure of the city of Shush- an, a memorial of gratitude for the decree, granted at Shushan by Darius, the son of Hystas- pes, permitting the Jews to re- build their temple. This was anciently a rich and splendid city. It is said that the walls, which encircled it were ce- mented with gold. Alexander the Great found here fifty thou- sand talents of uncoined gold, besides wedges of silver, and jewels of inestimable value. The place is now a heap of ru- ins. Through this city Haman conducted Mordecai on horse- back in a splendid manner to do him honor. This seems to us an odd way of honoring a man. But Mr. Pitts, in his travels, gives an account of a proces- sion in Algiers, not unlike this. "When a person turns Mahom- etan, to do him honor, lie is set on a stately horse, with a rich saddle, and fine trappings"; he is also cloathed in a rich man- ner, with a turban on his head; but nothing of all these is to be called his own, excepting two or three yards of broad cloth, which are given him, and laid on the saddle before him. Thus provided, he is led on the horse through the various streets of the city, for several hours; he is attended with drums, and other music, and twenty or thirty sergeants, who march on each side of the horse with naked swords in their hands. A crier goes before the procession, and with a loud voice gives thanks to God for the new proselyte. Shushan is now called Suster, and is 122 miles S. W. from Ispahan. It is now a handsome and large city, near the mountains, on the river Zemayne. Lat. 32, 30. SIBPAIM, a place, which terminated the Land of Promise towards the north, Ezek. xlvii, 16, says, that this city was be- tween the confines of Hamath, and those of Damascus. SICHAR, the same as Shechem, now Naplouse, the Hebrews give the name of Sichar, that is, drunkenness, to this place in derision. Isaiah calls the people of Ephraim, drunkards. SIDDIM vale of, once a luxuriant and delightful vale in the land of Judea. "All the plain was well watered every where as the garden of the Lord, like the fruitful land of Egypt," "before the Lord de- stroyed Sodom and Gomor- rah," which rose in this delec- table region. It is now the Salt Sea, sometimes called the SID SID Dead Sea, or sea of Asphal- tites. For Moses expressly informs us, that "these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is [now] the Salt Sea," Gen. xiv, 3. The same is confirmed Gen. xix, 24, 25. How far the destruc- tion of those cities was miracu- lous, or how far effected by natural means, it is not perhaps very important to inquire. Might not the lightning catch the inflammable substance with which those grounds abounded, and destroy the country? Saith Dr. Wells, these parts abound- ed with sulphureous and saline matter before the destruction of Sodom., That they abound- ed with bitumen, some infer from Gen. xiv, 10, where it is said that the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits, the He- brew Chemar, which we ren- der slime, the seventy interpre- ters render Asphaltus or bitu- men. And the learned Bochart, has a whole chapter to show, that it ought to be so rendered. But though bitumen is some- times used to denote brim- stone, yet properly speaking, it is a very different thing, and the word used by the sacred historian to denote brimstone, is different, namely, go phrith, which signifies an inflammable substance, but is not confined to brimstone, yet as brimstone is a volcanic product > >n, the rendering is not improper here. On comparing passages of natural history one with the other, it will appear that bitu- men is found in the richest soils; thus we read, Gen. xi, 3, that the builders of Babel had brick for stone, and Chemar (which we render slime) for mortar. Now the valley of Shinar, by the agreement of all writers, is represented as of a more than ordinary rich soil. In like manner we read, Exod. ii, 3, that the ark of bulrushes wherein Moses was put, was daubed with Chemar and pitch, which the Septuagint and oth- er versions render bitumen. Whence it seems rational to suppose, that the vale of Sid- dim abounding with pits of Chemar before its destruction, was of a like nature with the vale of Shinar, or the parts of Egypt along the Nile, that is, of a very fruitful soil. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that the water of the lake is salt to the highest degree, and that coming to the lake or sea, he passed through a kind of cop- pice of bushes and reeds. In the midst of which their guide, who was an Arab, showed him and his companions a fountain of fresh water, rising not a fur- long from the sea. Fresh wa- ter (says Mr. Maundrel) he SID SID ©ailed it, but we found it brack- ish. So that it seems it is only fresh comparatively, that is, not salt to the highest degree, as the sea itself is. But when we are told, Gen. xiii, 10, that one motive which induced Moses to prefer the plain of Jordan, particularly the part about Sodom, to so- journ in, was its being well watered, we may rationally suppose, that the waters in these parts were then not brackish, but fresh. And this may suf- fice to show, the natural state of the land of Sodom, and the adjoining cities before their overthrow, and what the same became afterwards, by the ter- rible but just judgment of God upon their inhabitants. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that coming within about half an hour of the sea, they found the ground uneven, and varied in- to hillocks, much resembling those places in England where there have been anciently lime- kilns. Whether these might be the pits, at which the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by the four kings, I will not (says he) determine. SIDE, a city of Pamphylia. The senate of Rome wrote to the inhabitants of Side, in favor of the Jews, desiring them to consider them as friends and allies, 1 Mace, xv, 23. SIDON, or Zidon, a fa- mous city of Palestine, found- ed by Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan, and one of the most ancient cities in the world. Strabo places Zidon fifty miles from Berytus, and twenty -five from Tyre. Joshua, xi, 8, calls it "Sidon the Great," by way of emi- nence. Josh, xix, 28, assign- ed Sidon to the tribe of Asher; but this tribe could never get possession of it, nor of the other maritime towns of its territory, Judg. i, 31. It is situate up- on the Mediterranean, in a fine country, one day's journey from Paneas, or from the foun- tains of Jordan, and has a fine harbor. Abulfeda places it six- ty-six miles, or twenty-two leagues, from Damascus. This city has been always famous for its great trade and naviga- tion. At present it is called Zaide. There are extant some ancient medals of Zidon, on which are seen ancient Phoeni- cian characters, which are the same as the Hebrew, and which were used by the Jews before the captivity of Babylon. The principal deities of the Zidoni- ans were Baal, and Astarte, or the sun and moon: they also worshipped Hercules. The Hebrews have often fallen into the idolatry of the Phoenicians, especially after Ahab, king of Israel, married Jezebel. Once this city surpassed SID SID Tyre itself; having for ages enjoyed an immense maritime commerce, it was the most op- ulent city in the world. The sacred writer knew not how to express a life of 'ease and pleas- art more forcibly than to say, "living after the manner of the Zidonians." They were the most celebrated shipbuilder's; "none were skilled to hew tim- ber like the Zidonians." The Sidonians were the principal architects of Solomon in build- ing the temple. In other arts they were equally distinguish- ed. Thev are said to be the 0 first people in the world who made crystal glass. She was the mother of Tyre. The place is very secure from its situation, and has been strongly fortified. Notwithstanding all this pros- perity , pleasure, and glory, the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, and Zcchariah, foretold the ru- in of this city. "Behold I am against thee, Oh Zidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of thee, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgments in her; f jr I will send pestilence and blood into her streets, and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her, by the sword upon her, on every side." This was accomplished in the time of Ochus, king of Persia; that monarch having come against them with an army, on account of their rebellion, the city was betrayed by her own king; the wretched inhabitants were seiz- ed with despair; they set fire to rheir own houses, and forty- thousand, with their wives, and their children, perished in the flames. According to Mr. Bruce's account, the harbor is now filled with sand, and the ancient pavements of the town are covered more than seven feet deep with dirt and rubbish. Mr. Volney says, that it is now an ill built, dirty city; its length along the sea is six hundred paces, its depth back is one hundred and fifty. The wall of the town is no better than that of a prison. The garri- son amounts to scarcely a hun- dred men. It is, however, a place of considerable traffic, being the chief port of Damas- cus, and the interior country. Their exports now are silk, and cotton. The chief manu- facture is cotton. The harbor is so choaked up, that only- boats can enter. The popula- tion may be 5,000. It is 45 miles west from Damascus. Copin says, the Turks have fourteen mosques here; the Greeks, the Latins, and Ma- ronites have each a church. Lat. 33, 40, long. 36, 7. SIHOR, or Sh ichor, a word which literally signifies trouble, SIL SIM and the name by which some writers, think the river Nile is sometimes called in scripture; its waters being generally troubled or turbid, Josh, xiii, 3; and Jer. ii, 18. But in our opinion it is more probably a smaller river, which falls into the Mediterranean, not far from Gaza. Not the Nile, savs Dr. Adam Clark, but a stream on the border of Egypt, near the isthmus of Suez. Lat, 31, 27. SIHOR LIBNATH, a place which cannot be far from Car- mel, Josh, xix, 26. Some are of opinion, it is a city in the western part of the tribe of Asher. Mr. Reland imagines, it may be either the city or the river of Crocodiles, which Pliny and Strabo, place in this country; and Calmet thinks Libnath to be the white pro- montory, between Ecdippe and Tyre; and Sihor to be a rivu- let in this canton. See Sihor. SILOAM, a fountain under the walls of Jerusalem, towards the east, between this city and the brook Kedron. Epiphani- us writes, that God produced this fountain at the request of the prophet Isaiah: but it was in being a long time before this prophet; and probably the same with the fountain Enrogel, or the Fuller's fountain, because the situation was the same, and that there was but one fountain on this side of the city. See Enrogei Josephus speak of- ten of the waters of Shiloe, or Siloam. He says, that when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Je- rusalem, this fountain increas- ed in its water, and that the same thing happened, when Titus laid siege to that city, that it supplied the Roman army; and furnished enough besides for watering the gar- dens. Isaiah viii, 6, insinuates, that its waters flowed gently and without noise. "Foras- much as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloh, that go softly," &c. Moconis says, that the wa- ter of this fountain is a little brackish, and has not a good taste. St. John speaks of the pool of Siloam, otherwise the pool of Bethesda, which was supplied by the fountain of Si- loam. Our Savior sent the man that was born blind, to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam, John ix, 7. See the article Bethesda. Formerly, a church was built over this fountain; but the church has gone to ruin: and a tanner now steeps his skins in the foun- tain of Siloam. SIMEON, the portion of this tribe was to the west and south of Judah; having Dan, and some remnants of Philis- SIM SIN tines north or north-west, the Mediterranean westerly, and Arabia south. Gaza and As- kelon were seaports within this tribe. To Simeon and Levi, their father had said, "I will di- vide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel." The posteri- ty of Simeon, for his sin in de- stroying the Shecheniites, were doomed to receive the most barren portion of Canaan, "neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah." Their portion was a dismembered fragment from the tribe of Judah. Oppress- ed with want, among the steri .e mountains, they went abroad to conquer other lands, among the mountaias of Seir, and in the desert of Gedor. Their lands not supporting them, they had recourse to literature. The targum of Jerusalem, and the Rabbins say, that the scribes and the learned men of the land were principally from this tribe. When this tribe came from Egypt, their men of war amounted to 59,300, but in the wilderness they were again numbered, when they were found to be reduced to' 22,200. It seems probable from this that the tribe gener- ally had been peculiarly guilty in the wickedness at Peor, as well as Zimri their chief prince, and that of the 24.000 destroy 58 ed at that time, a great part of them might belong to Simeon. Few distinguished men belong- ed to this tribe; their means of livelihood were small, and they wandered to obtain a living. At the coronation of David 7,100 of them were present. SIN, a wilderness on the east side of the western gulf, of the Red Sea, and north-west from Sinai; lat. 28, 35, also as some think a' city of Egypt, now called Damietta. SINAI, a mountain of Ara- bia Petrea, on the peninsula, formed by the two arms of the -led Sea. It presents three sublime summits of red granite, mount Sinai, mount Horeb, and St. Catharine's mount. Here God in thunder and darkness gave the law to Israel. The word used, Exod. xx, 18, is very different from that, which generally denotes light- ning, and literally signifies fireband, or torch, or lamp, and here denotes the flaming trees, on mount Sinai, blowing a- round the Divine presence. Lightning is understood which set on fire the shrubs and trees of the mountain. According-- ly, in the more circumstantial account in the preceding chap- ter, it is said, "that mount Si- nai was altogether on a smoke; because the Lord descended upon it in Jire, and the smoke SIN Sift thereof ascended, as the smoke of a furnace.'''' According to both Egmont and Heyman, "a tree in some measure re- sembling the tamarisk, which produces a very oily fruit, and from which a celebrated oil is pressed, grows in great quanti- ties on mount Sinai." These in a state of conflagration, must have given an awful pomp and splendor to the giving of the law. SeeHarmar^s Observations. But it is evident from sev- eral places of scripture, that mount Horeb is either an ad- joining mountain, to mount Sinai, or that they are only two different heads or risings, of one, and the same mountain. For what is in one passage of scripture related as done at Horeb, is in another passage of scripture related as done at Sinai. And as in the course of the journeyings of the Israel- ites, this miraculous bringing forth of water out of the rock in Horeb, is related to have been done at Rephidem, from whence the Israelites decamp- ing pitched next in the wilder- nesS of Sinai, Exod. xix, 1, 2; so after they were there pitch- ed or encamped, we read, Exod. xxxiii, 6; that the chil- dren of Israel stript themselves of their ornaments bij mount Horeb; because here they made the calf, as the Psalmist tells us, Psalm cvi, 19. Arjd the same is affirmed by Moses, Deut. ix, 8, 9; also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath; token I was gone up into the mount, (i. e. mount Sinai, )to re- eive the tables of the covenant, &c. Nay the covenant, which God made with the Israelites at mount Sinai is also said to be made with them in mount Ho- reb; and accordingly the ten commandments, which are set down, Exod. xx, as delivered from mount Sinai, are repeated Deut. v, as delivered from mount Horeb. Hence as it fol- lows,that the difference between mount Horeb and Sinai, can be no ©ther, than above assigned; so it follows also, that by the Israelites removing their camp from Rephidem into the wil- derness of Sinai, can be under- stood no more than their re- moving from one end or side to another of the same mountain, or at most from one mountain to another adjoining. The religious in these parts do, (now at least,) distinguish mount Sinai, which they call the mount of Moses, from mount Horeb, making them to be adjoining mountains, and besides these, there is a third, which they have a veneration for, called by them the moun- tain of St. Catharine. On the top of this mountain is a dome, under which is a place, whith- er the body of St. Catharine, SIN SIN (as they tell you,) was brought by angels immediately alter she was beheaded at Alexan- dria. They add, that the body remained there three hundred years; until a good monk, hav- ing had in the night a revela- tion, that the body was on the top of the hill, went next morning, with all the religious, who in procession brought it down to the monastery, where it was put in a fine silver shrine, that is still there. But though these particulars are fabulous, yet there is one real curiosity, observed by Thevenot, who tells us, that there are many stones on this mount, where- in trees are naturally represent- ed, and which if broken retain the same figure within; and that some of them are very large. During a thousand years, says Thevenot, the Greeks have been in possession of the monastery of St. Catharine, it being given them by the Greek emperor Justinian. It is a great monastery, and very strong; it had also an annual revenue of sixty thousand dol- lars from Christian princes. They gave, (adds Mr. San- dys,) alms daily to the Arabs, to be better secured from out- rages,yet would not suiTer them to enter the monastery, but. let it down from the embattle- ments. These monks have a bishop, called the !;i-shop of mount Sinai, on whom de- pends all the convents and chapels about that mountain, and likewise the convent of Tor. This bishop depends not on the patriarch of Alexan- dria. This great monastery of St. Catharine stands at the foot of mount Sinai, (or that which is now called) the mount of Mos- es. From which monastery there were formerly steps up to the very top of the mountain, computed fourteen thousand in number; at present some of them are broken, those that re- main are well made, and easy to go up and down. One may judge of the height of St. Cath- arine's mount, by this, which certainly, (says Thevenot,) is not so high as that by a third part, and yet has fourteen thousand steps up to the top. There was much snow both on the mount of Moses, and that of St. Catharine, when Theve- not was there, which was in February. There are in sev- eral places of Moses's mount, good cisterns, especially near the top was excellent water. There are two churches on it, one for the Greeks, another for the Latins. From the Greek church you enter that of lk< Latins, which is dedicated t the ascension of our Lor Near to that is a little mosqi SIN SIN and by the side of it, a hole, or little cave, where you are told, Moses fasted forty days; there is a small grot also at the side of the Latin church, where Moses is said to have hid him- self, when he desired to see God's face. On the top of this mount Moses is thought to have re- ceived from God the ten com- mandments, written on two ta- bles of stone. From this place one may easily see down into the convent cf St. Catharine, which is at the foot of the mount, and as it were, just under those, who are on the top of the mount. There you see a fair large church covered with lead, where they say the body of St. Catherine is. Be- fore the door of the church, within the precincts of the monastery, is a beautiiul mosque. As we were com- ing down, says Thevenot, we found by the way a great stone; and as the Greeks say, this is the place to which the prophet Elias came, when he fled from Jezebel. They tell you that Elias bein^' come to where this stone is, an angel appeared to him, and with a rod smiting vhat great stone, made it fall own in the wa"y, and forbade lias to go any further, tell- him, that since Moses had ^been in the Holy Land, he should not go to the top of this mount. A little lower is the foot of a camel, so well im- printed on the rock, that it cannot be better stamped oh the sand. The Moors and A- rabs say, it is the print of the foot of Mahomet's camel, which is left there, and they kiss it with great devotion. In several places of the mount we saw, says Thevenot, little chapels which have small houses near them, gardens full of fruit trees and good water. Heretofore these places were inhabited by hermits; in the mountains of Moses, in an- cient times, were above four- teen thousand. Afterwards the Greeks kept "monks in these hermitages, but at present there are none, because the Arabs molested them. Going to see the hermitages, Thevenot found three chapels together, with a passage from one to anotheV. Behind the altar of the third, dedicated to Elias, there is a hole in the rock, where Elias is said to have lived, during his stay in the mount. At the bottom of the mount is the great monastery of St. Catha- rine, well built, of good free- stone, with very high smooth walls. On the east side is a window, by which those with- in, draw up pilgrims into the monasterv, with a basket, which SIN SIN they let down by a rope, that runs in a pulley placed above at the window. By the same place they also let down vic- tuals to tlie Arabs. They only open the door of the con- vent to admit their bishop. From the top of Sinai the prospect is various and roman- tic. To the south-west ex- tends the valley of Rephidem, where the people of Israel, murmured for water, and re- ceived a supply from the flinty rock, beyond which towers the summit of mount Catharine and Nebo. More southerly extend the waters of the Red Sea The monks have a spa- cious garden, to which there is a subterraneous passage from their dwelling. This gar- den is well watered, and richly supplied with plants, trees, and fruit. In the convent is a church, 80 feet long, and 53 broad, having chapels on each side. Besides this church and its chapels, there are 17 other little churches or chapels, vnear this spot. After we had de- scended with no small difficul- ty, saith Dr. Shaw, the west- ern side of mount Sinai, we came into another plain formed by it, which is Rephidem. Here we still see that extraordinary antiquity, the rock of Meribah, which hath continued down to this day, without the least in- jury from time or accident. It is a block of granite marble, about six yards square, that lies tottering as it were, in the middle of the valley, and seems to have formerly belonged to mount Sinai. The waters which gushed out, and the stream which flowed, Psalm Ixxviii, 20, have hollowed across one corner of this rock a channel about two inches deep and twenty wide, appearing to be encrusted all over, like the in- side of a tea kettle, which has long been in use. Besides, we see all over this channel, a great number of holes, some of them four or five inches deep, and one or two in diam- eter, the lively and demonstra- tive tokens of their having formerly been so many foun- tains.. Shawns Travels. SINAI, desert of; that which lies around mount Sinai. The Israelites encamped here a long time; here they received the law; here Jethro, the father-in- law of Mosgs, came to the camp, and brought him his wife and children; here h» ad- vised Moses to appoint judges to decide small matters of con- trovers}'. This judicature, it is thought became the cele- brated Sanhedrim. The San- hedrim, or general council of the Jewish nation, consisted of seventy senators, who assem- SIN SIN bled together at fixed times, in order to determine the most important affairs of their church and state. The high priest was their settled president, and for that reason called Nasi, or prince of the Sanhedrims: in his absence there was a deputy called Abbeth-din, which sis:- limes, father of the house of judgment; as also a sub-deputy, called Chacam, i. e. the Wise; but all the rest had the com- mon name of Elders or Sena- tors. These senators were tak- en partly from among ihe priests and Levites, and partly out of the number of the infe- rior judges, who formed what they called the Lesser Sanhe- drim. They were all to be men of untainted birth, good learning, and profound knowl- edge in the law, both written and traditional. All eunuchs, and such as had any bodily deformity, were excluded from the Sanhedrim; as also usurers, gamesters, and such as made a gain of their fruits in the Sab- batical year. In short, those on- ly were to be admitted members of this council who were of mature age, had competent for- tunes, and were comely in their persons. The room in which this council met, was a rotunda, half of which 'was built without the temple, and half within. The Nasi, or prince of the council, sat upon a throne, elevated above the rest, at the upper end of the room, having his deputy on his right hand, and his sub-deputy on the left. The senators were ranged in order on each side, and by them, sat the secreta- ries, who were three in num- ber. One of these secretaries kept a register of such as were absolved, the second had the care of those who were con- demned to die, and the third registered the several pleadings of all contending parties. The authority of the great Sanhe- drim was very extensive. The council decided all causes brought before them, by way of appeal, from the inferior courts. The right of judging, in capital cases, belonged to this court only, nor could sen- tence of death be pronounced in any other place. In short, all private controversies of dif- ficult discussion, all matters re- lating to religion, and all im- portant affairs of state, were submitted to the determination of this august assembly, from whose sentence no appeal could be made. The formality to be observ- ed in bringing a law-suit be- fore the Sanhedrim, is thus described by Maimonides. "The business, (says he,) was first to be examined in the in- SIN SIN ferior courts; but if it could not be decided there, the judges sent to Jerusalem, to consult the judgment chamber, that sat upon the mount of the temple. From this tribunal, they proceeded to that which sat at the temple gate; and if the matter was not determined there, they came at last to the great council chamber, which was held in one of the apartments belong- ing to the temple; and this last council determined with so much justice and authority, that there were no divisions seen, during all the time that the sacred temple lasted. Ac- cording to the Jewish doctors, great caution was taken by this tribunal, in passing the sentence of death upon criminals; and such was the lenity used by them, that even after condem- nation, if any circumstance ap- peared favorable, in behalf of the culprit, he escaped the punishment allotted him. The manner in which they describe the nature of these proceedings is as follows. After the wit- nesses were heard, say they, and the matter in question de- cided, the judge put off the sentence, till the next morn- ing. The members of the Sanhedrim then went home, eat but little, drank no wine, and met again, two and two, in order to weigh all the par- ticulars of the trial. The next morning, he that had given his opinion for condemning of the criminal, had power to revoke it, but he who had once given his opinion for absolving him, could not alter his mine!. As soon as the judge had pro- nounced sentence, the male- factor was conducted to the place of execution, while an herald on horseback, proclaim- ed as he went along, 'Such an one is condemned for such a crime, but if any one can sav any thing in his behalf, let him now speak.' If it happened that any one came to the gate of the court of the temple, the door keeper gave intimation to the herald to bring back the prisoner, while two judges were appointed to hear what his friend had to say in his behalf, and to consider, wheth- er there was anything material in it. If there was, the crimi- nal was yet at liberty, but if not, he underwent the sentence, that had been pronounced a- gainst him." It has been a matter of great controversy among the learned, at what time this Sanhedrim, or great council of the Jewish nation, was firstv instituted; some of the Jewish doctors tracing it as far back as the time of Moses. But on a cir- SIN SIN cumspect view of the argu- ments on both sides the ques- tion, it evidently appears not to have commenced till the time of the Maccabees, and that either Judas or his broth- er Jonathan, was the institutor of it. The most substantial authority for this supposition is, that there are not any foot- steps to be found, either in sacred or profane history, of such an assembly, previous to the time of the Maccabees, when we read of it as being the senate of the nation, and that it grew into great power, which it preserved many years after. It was the highest court during our Savior's ministry, and matters of the highest im- portance were committed to their determination. In this state it continued for some time after, till at length by the final destruction of Jeru- salem, and the dispersion of the Jewish nation, the name and authority of that senate, was in a short time entirely lost. Kimptorf s History of the Bib'?. SiNIM. This place is men- tioned, Isaiah xlix, 12. Per- haps it would be prudent to pass by this article in silence, as many writers have done; but I presume this is one instance among others, which shews the information of the sacred writers in Geography, was su- perior to the most enlightened pagan writers, whose works have come down to us. In- deed, we think, it is not one of the least remarkable char- acteristics of the sacred vol- ume, that whenever any branch of science is incidently men- tioned or referred to, there is al- ways implied a superior knowl- edge of the subject. If we ex- amine the word, and the con- nexioji in which the prophet uses it, perhaps, it will be evi- dent, that he referred to the immense empire of China. It is certain that the Chinese books speak of their country under the appellation of Sin, which is sometimes spelled Tsin. This is and has been its name for two thousand years, and how much longer, we can- not say. By this name, China was first known in Europe; in books of voyages and travels, we read of Sin, Smica, and Sinenses. Look at the proph- ecy , every thing respecting it, is favorable to such an enlarg- ed application. It was the most illustrious prediction, ever uttered by the tongue of a prophet. Nay, the pronhet seems to be silent; the Messiah is introduced in person. In- stead of confining himself to the lost house of Israel, instead of addressing the diminutive SIN SIN tribes of Palestine, he raises his voice, and in strains of moving eloquence, addresses the Gentiles, the great family of man "hearken unto me, O ye distant lands; ye people, at- tend from afar." He offers himself "a light to the nations, and salvation to the end of the earth." His people "shall come from the north, and the west, and from the land of Si- nim." They come from "afar," the extreme north and west. Sinim, is placed in opposition to the west. It must there- fore be as far east as possible, "the end of the earth." Does not this describe China, Sin, Sinim? Indeed, the Chinese seem to have received some scattered beams from the lamp of Revela- tion. According to their tra- ditions; "in the deep gloom of night- the heavens were formed; the foundations of the earth were then laid; the atmosphere was then diffused round the habitable globe, and last of all man was created." Dots not this comport with the Mosaic history? They give some ac- count of the deluge, and the state of man before his expul- sion from Eden. "While the first state of heaven lasted," say their sacred books, "a pure pleasure and a perfect tran- quiilitv reigned over all nature. 59 There was neither labor, nor pain, nor sorrow, nor guilt* Nothing made opposition to the will of man. Every thing was beautiful, every thing was good; all beings were perfect in their kind." The philoso- phers, who adopt these tradi- tions say, "that man was united internally to the supreme rea- son, and that he practised all the external duties of justice. Then were no excessive rains, or impetuous winds; the sun and moon were never invelop- ed in clouds; the planets kept their course, universal love and harmony reigned." Their account of the subsequent con- dition is entirely different, "The pillars of ruaven were broken, the earth shook to it& foundations; the heavens sunk lower towards the north, the sun, the moon, and planets changed their motions — the grand harmony of nature, was disturbed." They say, the heavens sunk lower towards the north; i. e. perhaps at the delude. Is the inclination of the earth's axis here hinted at, which produces the diversity of seasons? The variety of the seasons, is never mentioned till after the flood; that the early ages enjoyed a perpetual spring is a general tradition. Martinius asserts, that a report had prevailed in China, SIN that when a rare animal, the Kilin, appeared, a hero of great sanctity would come and bring glad tidings of great joy to all nations. Confucius having learned that this animal had ap- peared, and been slain, he wept, and exclaimed, "My doctrine approaches its termination; I give place to a Legislator, who will cause wars to cease." This period corresponds with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Kilin, denotes the Lamb of God. The tears of Confucius were those of excessive joy. "The holy man," he exclaim- ed, "exists in the west." A universal expectation of such a Personage prevailed among the nations. The Roman histori- ans announced the fact. In the Gothic mythology, Thor is re- presented as the first born of the supreme God, and is styled in the Edda, the eldest of sons; he was esteemed "a middle di- vinity, a mediator between God and man." With regard to his actions, he is said to have wrestled with death, and in the struggle, to have been brought upon one knee; to have bruised the head of the great serpent with his mace; and in his final engagement with that monster, to have beat him to the earth and slain him. The victory however is not obtained, but at the expense of his own life. SIN "Recoiling back nine steps, he falls dead uppn the spot, suffo- cated with the floods of venom, which the serpent vomits forth upon him." The resemblance between this tradition, and the original promise, that the Seed of the woman, should bruise the ser- pent's head, and that the serpent should bruise his heel, is suffi- ciently obvious; to enter into a more minute comparison is unnecessary. Much the same notion, we are informed, is prevalent in the mythology of the Hindoos. Two sculptured figures are yet extant, in one of their oldest pagodas, the former of which represents Chreeshna, an incar- nation of their mediatorial God, Vishnu, trampling on the crushed head of the serpent; while in the latter, it is seen encircling the deity in its folds, and biting his heel. A tradition of a similar na- ture, appears to have been fa- miliar to the Chinese, though like Virgil in his Pollio, they misapplied it to the reign of one of their sovereigns. "At that time," says a Chinese his- torian, "a celestial spirit, pas- sing about in all directions, gradually introduced civiliza- tion, and softened the native ferocity of man. This was effected the more easily, since SIN SIN the dragon, which disturbed the whole world, by confound- ing heaven and earth together, had been slain. For after his destruction matters were ar- ranged, each according to his own proper rank and dignity." In short, whether we con- sult the religion of the Greeks, the Goths, or the Hindoos, we every where meet with a sort of mediatorial deity, engaged in combat with an envenomed serpent. Hercules and Apollo, ThorandChreeshna,seem all to be the same mythological per- sonage; all to be corruptions of the grand primeval declaration, "that the Seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent." A few of those traditions of the promised Savior, which are unconnected with the history of the serpent, shall now be taken into consideration. It is said, that Zeradusht, or Zoroaster, predicted in the Zendavesta, that in the latter days would appear a man called Oshanderbegha, who was des- tined to bless the eanh, by the introduction of justice and re- ligion. That in his time would likewise appear a malignant demon, who would oppose his plans, and trouble his empire, for the space of twenty years. That afterwards, Osiderbegha, would revive the practice of justice, put an end to injuries, and re-establish such customs as are immutable in their na- ture. That kings should be obedient to him, and advance his affairs; that the cause of true religion should flourish; that peace and tranquillity should prevail; and discord and trouble cease. From whatever source this singular opinion may have orig- inated, the Christian is led, al- most involuntarily, to compare the manifestation of Oshander- begha, with the first advent of the Messiah, and the appear- ance of Osiderbegha, with ,that awful day, when the victorious Son of God, shall descend from heaven with a shout, and com- mence his triumphant reign of a thousand years. It may per- haps be too presumptuous to asserj, that Zeradusht, was di- vinely inspired, when he deliv- ered this remarkable prediction; yet even, if such a supposition should be adopted, it will not be devoid of precedent in the sacred volume. The prophe- cies of Baalaam, were when delivered, of the most luminous description, and yet stand up- on record, and prove indispu- tably, that the Almighty was sometimes pleased to make even Pagan Seers subservient to his purposes, by employing them to reveal his purposes of mercy to mankind. AccordingtoAbulpharagius, SID SMY the Persian 'legislator wrote of the Advent oi the Messiah, in terms even more express, than those contained in the forego- ing prediction. "Zeradusht," says he, "the preceptor of the Magi, taught the Persians con- cerrjing the manifestation of Christ, and ordered them to bring gifts to him, in token of their reverence and submission. Be declared that in the latter days, a pure virgin would con- ceive; and that as soon as the child was born, a star would appear, blazing even at noon- day with undiminished lustre. "You, my sons," exclaims the venerable seer, "will perceive its rising, before any other na- tion. As soon therefore as you shall behold the star, follow it withersoever it shall lead you, and adore that mysterious Child, offering your gifts to him with the profoundesthumility. Here is the Almighty Word, which creatrd the heavens. Horce Mosaic 'eg, by Faber. SINITES, the Smites dwelt near Arce in mount Libanus. They were descendants of Ca- naan. SIGN. This is one of the names of mount Hermon, peut. iv, 48, It is probably of this mountain that the Psalm- ist speaks, Psalm exxxiii, 3, "As the dew of Heimon, and as the dew that descended up- on the mountains of Zion;" which is thought to be put for Sion. The union and the good understanding of the priests and Levites, is as agreeable as the dew which falls upon Her- mon and Zion, two contiguous mountains, which make only one chain of mountains. See Hermon. SIPHMOTH,the place where David sent the spoils he had taken from the Amalekites, 1 Sam. xxx, 28. S IRION, the name, that the Sidonians gave to mount Her- mon. Deut. hi, 9. See Hermon. SITNA, the name, which Isaac gave a well, which he dug in Gerar, Gen. xxvi, 21. SMYRNA, a city of Asia Minor, upon the Archipelago, having a fine harbor. St. John the Evangelist, in his Revela- tion, or rather Jesus Christ, by the mouth of St. John, thus speaks to the angel or bishop of Smyrna, Rev. ii, 9, "I know thy works, and trib- ulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich). — -Fear none of those things which thou shaft suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.'1 It is asked, who this angel, or riishop of Smyrna was? the generality think it was Poly- carp, who was made bishop of SMY SMY Smyrna by St. John, the evan- gelist; and there is some pro- bability, that it was the martyr- dom of Germanicus, and of the other martyrs of Smyrna, who suffered under Marcus Aureli- us, that St. John has here in view, when he says, "that the devil shall cause some of them to be put in prison." The tomb of this faithful minister and martyr is still shewn to travellers. One of them says, in our descent to the south- east, we entered the amphithe- atre, where St. Polycarp, the first bishop of this city, was martyred. In the sides are still to be seen the two caves, opposite to each other, where they used to enclose their lions; fighting with beasts being in ancient times the great diver- sion of the people in this coun- try, to this they generally con- demned their slaves, and espe- cially the poor Christians. On the side of the hill, but some- what lower, is the sepulchre of this great saint, Polycarp, which the Greeks solemnly visit, up- on the anniversary festival, consecrated to his memory. This custom has been contin- ued almost from the time of his martyrdom. Eusebius says, book iv, chap. 15, "So we gath- ered his bones, more precious than pearls, and better tried than gold, and buried them in the place which was fit for the purpose, where, (God willing) we being gathered togeth* r, the Lord will grant, that wi$i joy and gladness, we may t brate the birth-day of his mar- tyr, both for the remembrance of such as have been crowned before, and to the stirring up of such as shall strive." The poor Greek Christians are care- ful to keep the tomb of this martyr in handsome repair. The town extends along the shore, about half a mile on a e;entle declivitv. The houses of the English, French, and Dutch consuls, are handsome structures, these, with most of these occupied by the Chris- tian merchants, are washed on one side by the sea, forming a streetnamed Frank-street, from its beingsolely inhabited by Eu- ropean Christians. In the year 1763, the whole of this quar- ter was consumed by fire: the Iost sustained by this calamity in merchandize, was estimated at a million and a half of Turk- ish dollars, or near /.200,000 sterling. The port is one of the finest of the Levant, it be- ing able to contain the largest fleet, and indeed there are sel- dom in it less than 100 ships of different nations. A castle stands at its entrance, and commands all the shipping, which sail in, or out. There SMY SMY is likewise an old ruinous cas- tle, near a mile in circumfer- ence, which stands in the up- per part of the city, and ac- cording to tradition, was built by Helena: and near it is an ancient structure, said to be the remains of a palace, where the Greek council was held, when Smyrna was the metro- polis of Asia Minor. This city is about four miles in circumference, and nearly of a triangular form; but the side, next the mountain is much longer, than the other sides. The houses are low, and mostly built with clay walls, on account of the earthquakes to which the country is subject; but the caravansaras, and some other of the public buildings have an air of magnificence. The streets are wide, and al- most a continued bazar, in which a great part of the mer» chandize of Europe and Asia is exposed to sale, with plenty of provisions; though these are not so cheap, as in many other parts of Turkey, on account of the populousnessof the place, and the great resort of foreign- ers. Smyrna is said to contain 15,000 Turks, 10,000 Greek Christians, 1,800 Jews, 200 Armenians, and 200 PVanks. The Turks have 19 mosques; 2 churches belonging to the Greeks, one to the Armenians, and the Jews have 8 syna- gogues. The Romanists have 3 convents; there is also one, of the. fathers, Delia Terra Santa. Here resides an archbishop of the Greek church; a Latin bish- op, who has a salary from Rome, with the title of bishop of Smyrna, in partibus injidelium, and the, English and Dutch fac- tories have each their chaplain. The walls about the town are extremely pleasant, particularly on the west side of Frank-street, where there are several little groves of orange and lemon trees, which being always clothed with leaves, blossoms, and fruit, regale different senses at the same time. The vines, which cover the little hills about Smyrna, afford both a delightful prospect and a plenty of grapes, of which good wine is made. These hills are agreeably inter- spersed with fertile plains, little forests of olives, and other fruit trees, and many pleasure hous- es, to which the Franks usually retire during the summer. In the neighborhood of Smyrna, is great plenty of game and wild fowl, and particularly deer, and wild hogs. The sea also abounds with a variety of good iish. The European Christians arc here allowed all imaginable liberties, and usually clothe themselves after the European manner. SMY SMY The chief commerce of this city consists in raw silk, silk stuffs, programs, and cotton yarn. The city is the resort of merchants from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. How- ever, the unhealthiness of the situation, and more especially the earthquakes, from which, it is said, they are scarcely ever free for two years together, and which have been felt for 40 days successively, are an abate- ment of the pleasure, that might be enjoyed here. A very dread- ful one happened in June 1688, which overthrew a great num- ber of the houses, and the rock opening, where the castle stood, swallowed it up, and 5000 per- sons perished on this occasion. In the year 1758, so deso- lating a plague raged here, that scarcely a sufficient number of the inhabitants survived to gather in the fruits of the earth. In the year 1772 three fourths of the city was consumed by fire; and six years after, it was visited by the most dreadful earthquakes, which continued from the 25th of June, to the 5th of July, by which succes- sive calamities the city has been so much 'reduced, that its for- mer consequence is not likely to be restored. From history and the remains of antiquity, of which few are now to be seen, we mav learn what has been the state of this city. In 1675 their theatre was wholly ruined by the Turks, and the stones carried away to raise new edifices. At the de- struction, in one of the main walls, was found enclosed, a bushel of medals, of Gallienus the emperor, and perhaps this theatre which was almost as an- cient as the city itself, might have been repaired by Gallie- nus; and this copper coin there inclosed in memory of this em- peror. Over the gate of the up- per castle on a hill, the Roman eagle continues still engraved. The people, who built this city, came from Ephesus, and dispossessed the Leleger of their habitation, (as Strabo re- ports) afterwards the Lydians demolished the buildings; so that for the space £>£ 400 years, it was rather a village, than a city, until Antigonus, and after him Lysimachus restored it to its ancient splendor. The city was chiefly built on the side of the hill; and it is evident, since the great ruins round the town Mere diggedup to supply the new buildings with stone, that all those ruins east of the river Meles, were no other than tem- ples, and bury ing-places of the dead. After such a lapse of ages; after such serious calamities and changes, Smyrna is at this SOB SOD dav the rendezvous of mer* chants from almost every civ- ilized nation of the world, and the magazine of their merchan- dize. Here reside in security a great number of Christians of all nations, sects, and lan- guages. Here the Christian religion flourishes more than in any of the ancient churches of Asia Minor. God fulfils his promise made to them in Rev- elation: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." The streets are more open and better paved, and the houses better built, than in other towns of the country. Smyrna is twenty-five days journey from Aleppo by the caravans, six from Cogni, sev- en from Catagfc, and six from Satalia. The caravans of Per- sia often bring two hundred bales of silk in a year, beside cloth and drugs. The other commodities brought here, are thread made of goat's hair, cotton yarn, cotton in bags, and all sorts of carpets. The fortifications consist of a fort, a castle, and an old citadel. The town stands at the bottom of a large bay, 183 miles W. by S. from Constantinople. Lat. 38, 28, N. long. 27, 19, E. Cruthwell, Neivton. SOBAL, the city of Seir the Horite, Gen. xxvi, 30. SOCOH, Socho, or £ho* cho, a city of Judah, Josh, xv, 35, 1 Sam. xvii, 1. Heber, of whom mention is made in the Chronicles, repaired Socoh, 1 Chr. iv,18, and his family dwelt there. Eusebius says, there were two cities of Socoh, one the higher, the other the lower Socho, nine miles from Eleu- theropolis, towards Jerusalem. SODOM, the capital city of PentapoliSjWhich for some time was the dwelling place of Lot, the nephew of Abraham, Gen. xiii, 12, 13. The crimes of this city were came to such an height, that God destroyed it by fire from heaven, with three other neighboring cities, Gomorrah, Zeboim, and Ad- mah, which were as wicked as itself, Gen. xix. The plain in which they stood, which be- fore was pleasant and fruitful, like an earthly paradise, was first inflamed by lightning, which set fire to the bitumen, with which it was replete, and was afterwards overflowed by the waters of Jordan, which diffused themselves there, and formed the Dead Sea, or lake of Sodom. See Asphar. It is believed that Sodom \*as one of the southermost of the five cities thai were des- troyed, because it was near Zoar, which was beyond the southermost point of the Dead Sea. It is doubted whether SOD SOD Sodom stood within the space of tend that now is possessed by the sea, or whether it was only upon its border. The prophets speak often of the destruction of Sodom and Go- morrah, or make allusions to it, and every where insinuate that these places shall be des- arts, dried up and uninhabited; that they shall be places cov- ered with briars and brambles, a land of salt and sulphur, where there can be neither planting nor sowing, see Jer. xlix, 18, and 1, 40, Amos iv, 11. Josephus says, that round the lake Sodom, and the place where these cities once stood, are still to be seen the dismal effects of this dreadful catas- trophe. Strabo speaks of the ruins of Sodom, which were sixty furlongs in circumfer- ence, and were to be seen on the shore of the Dead Sea. The Notitia make express mention of Sodom, as an epis- copal city, though Mr. Reland cannot be persuaded, that it was ever rebuilt. Diodorus Siculus mentions the peculiar nature of the lake, which cov- ered the country, where Sod- om and the neighboring cities were formerly situated. The water of it is bitter and fetid to the last degree, so that nei- ther fish, nor any other crea- tures can live there. Tacitus 60 relates, that a tradition still prevailed in his days, of certain powerful cities having been destroyed by thunder and light- ning, and of the plain in which they were situated being burn- ed up. He adds, that traces of such a catastrophe evidently remained. The earth was parched, and had lost all its natural powers of vegetation, and, therefore, whatever hap- pened to spring up spontane- ously, or was planted by man, gradually withered away, and crumbled to dust. Strabo, af- ter describing the nature of the lake Asphaltites, adds that the whole of its appearance gives an air of probability to the prevailing tradition, that thirteen cities, the chief of which was Sodom, were once destroyed and swallowed up by an earthquake, and fire, and an inundation of boiling, sul- phureous water. Mr. Maun- drel visited this lake, and makes the following observa- tions: "Being desirous, saith he, to see the remains, if there were any, of those cities, an- ciently situate in this place, and which were made so dread- ful an example of the Divine vengeance, 1 diligently survey- ed the waters, as far as my eye could reach; but neither could I discern any heaps of ruins, n©r any smoke ascending above SOD SOP the surface of the water, as is usually described in the writings and maps of geographers. But yet, I must not omit what was confidently attested to me by the father guardian, and the procurator of Jerusalem, both, of them men in years, and seemingly not destitute either of sense or probity, that they had once actually seen of these ruins, that they were so near the shore, and the waters so shallow at that time, that they went to them, and found sev- eral pillars, and other fragments of buildings. The height of the water was, I suppose, the cause that we were deprived of this sight. Thevenot gives much the same account. He says that there is no fish in this sea, by reason of the extradr- dinary saltness of it, which burns like fire, when one tastes of it. And when the fish of the water Jordan come clown so low, they return back again against the stream; and such as are carried into it by the current of the water im- mediately die. The land with- in three leagues round the water, is not cultivated; but is white, and mingled with salt and ashes. In short, we must think that there iswa heavy curse of God upon that place, seeing it was heretofore so pleasant a country." According to Cieza some tradition of the miraculous de- struction of Sodom had travel- led to South America, before it was discovered by Colum- bus. The Peruvians believe that a race of giants was once destroyed by fire from heaven, on account of impurities, sim- ilar to those, which according to scripture drew down the vengeance of God upon Sod- om. . Faber. SOPHIRA. TheSeptuagint translate Ophir by this word. Sophira is supposed to be the same as Sofala, which is a kingdom on the east coast of Africa, extending south from Zanquebar, from the river Cuama to the river Del Espir- ito Sancto, that is from lat. 17 to 25 south. This country contains mines of gold, and is tributary to the Portuguese. The mines yield annually five millions of dollars. In this wealth, the Portuguese, the Arabs of Zidon, and Mecca, and the merchants of Quiloa, Morbase, and Melinda, all have a share. From India the Ara- bians bring goods to the a- moimt of 623,000 dollars. The merchants of Sofala exchange goods for gold from Mocaran- ga, whose prince is called the golden emperor. Moquet and many other learned men sup- pose, that Sofala is the Ophir SPA SPA to which Solomon sent his fleet, once in three years. By a variety of facts Mr. Bruce has rendered it very probable, that Ophir must have been in this region. It has been said that the inhabitants boast of having books, which prove, that in the time of Solomon, king of Israel, his subjects came to this country for gold. This opinion is confirmed by several ancient edifices, which seem to have been built by foreigners; also by several in- scriptions in unknown charac- ters. Sophira, the word of the Seventy, might easily become Sofala. Liquids are often put one for the other. West from Sofala is a mountain which is now called Ophir, and remark- able for its gold. Lopez, Bruce, Mollini, fValker. SOREK, the name of a brook that passed through the tribe of Dan; as also of a valley, where dwelt the famous Deli lab, Sampson's mistress, Jud. xvi, 4. This valley of Sorek was famous for choice wines, as may be gathered from Gen. xlvi, 11; Isa. v, 12; and Jer. ii, 21. Lat. 31,34. SPAIN, this is one of the few countries of Europe, which is mentioned in the scriptures. This country, to use the words "of an ancient writer, lies be- tween France and Africa, and is more fertile than either. Being enclosed by the ocean and the Pyrenees, it is not scorched like Africa, nor wearied with perpet- ual winds like France. Spain, as well as Europe at large, was probably first peopled by the Celtes; but the Spanish histo- rians derive the origin of their nation from Tubal, the fifth son of Japhet; asserting, that Spain had been a monarchy for 2226 years before the arrival of the Celtes. Till the coming of the Carthaginia-ns into Spain, however, nothing very certain can be affirmed of the Spaniards. This happened, not long before the first Punic war; the Car- thaginians reduced the country; but were afterwards expelled by the Romans. It is believed that Christiani- ty was plan'.ed in this country by the Apostles themselves, soon after the resurrection of their divine Master. Simeon Metaphrastes, who wrote in the ninth century, affirms, that the apostle Peter visited'Spaio. But almoat all the ancient Span- ish writers affirm, that the apos- tle James, the greater, the son of Zebedee, and brother of Jeflin, was the principal missionary of the Spaniards. Nor is it less probable, says a learned abbot, that St. Paul visited Spain. For he promised the Romans, that after visiting them he woukl SPA SPA o to Spain. Not a few writers, atin and Greek, testify that Si.Paul did execute this design. Epiphanius, in the fourth cen- tury says, that Paul did indeed come into Spain, and that Peter visited Ponms and Bithynia. Dorotheus, bishop of Tyre, clearly asserts, that St. Paul, after the assumption of Jesus Christ, by whom he had been called, and added to the cata- logue of the apostles, went from Jerusalem, preaching the gos- pel, as far as Illyricum, and Ita- ly, r SYR TAB tained Mumea, or Mount Seir, according to Brocardus Mona- chus; though in his map of the Holy Land, Bonfrerius places Syria Soba near the head vva- •tersof the Jordan. Syria of the two rivers, or Mesopotamia, then Syria of Damascus; Syria of Zobah, Syria of Maachah, Syria of Rehob, &c. were only so many different provinces of Syria, de- nominated from their situation with respect to these rivers or cities. Syria without any other appellation, stands for the king- dom of Syria, of which -Anti- och became the capital, after the reign of the Seleucidae. Before this time it was very rare to find the name Syria used by itself. The provinces of Syria were generally ex- pressed by the addition of the city, that was the capital of the province. SYRO-PKCENICIA, this is Phoenicia properly so called, of which Sidon. or Zidon, was the capital: and which having by right of conquest been united to the kingdom of Syria, and joined its old name, Phenecia, to that of Syria, just as Pales- tine was called Palestine of Syria, because it was con- sidered as making a part of Syria. In the gospel the Canazinitish woman is call- ed a Syro- phosnician by St. Mark, vii, 26; because she was of Phoenicia, which was then looked upon as making a part of Syria, and was in the juris- diction of the governor of this province. St. Matt, xv, 22,24. who wrote in Hebrew or Syr- ias, calls her a Canaanitish wo- man, because this country was really peopled by the Canaan - ites,Sidon being the eldest son of Canaan, Gen. x,15. Lat. 84,45, TAANATH-SHILOH, a place in the Holy Land, 10 miles east from Shechem. Near this spot was a village called Then- ath, as late as A. D. 400. TABATHA, a town or vil- lage of Judea, five, or according to others fifteen miles fromGaza. TABBATH, Judg. vii, 22. Where this place was situate is not known. TABERAH, an encamp- ment of Israel in the wilder- ness, Numb, xi, 3: Deut. ix, 22. The Hebrew word Taberah signifies jive; and the place was so denominated because afire went out from the tabernacle, and burnt a great part of the camp as a punishment of their murmurings. TABOR, a very remarka- ble mountain not far from Ka- desh, in the tribe of Zebu Ion and in the confines of Issachar and Naphtali. It has its name from its eminence, besides, it rises up in the midst of a cham- paign country, called the valley of Jezreef, or the great plain. TAB TAB Josephus tells us, thatthe height of this mountain is thirty stadia, and that on its top is a beautiul plain of twenty stadia in cir- cumference. Mr. Maundrel tells us, that this area is enclos- ed with trees on all parts, ex- cept towards the south, whence there is the most agreeable prospect in the world. The top of this mountain was an- ciently environed with walls, trenches,and other fortifications, of which some remains are still visible; and for many ages it has been believed that here it was, that our blessed Savior was transfigured in the pres- ence of his three apostles, Pe- ter, James, and John: though ater writers much doubt it. Ta- bor was opposite to mount Her- mon, and the Psalmist lxxxix, 12, puts these two mountains in opposition. Deborah and Barak assembled their army upon Tabor and gave battle to Sisera, general of the forces of Jabin. The mountain is two hours travel from Nazareth, east, and twelve miles from Ti- berias. It rises in so gradual an ascent, that it may be ascended on horseback. Mr. Marite represents the situation of Ta- bor as most delightful. Ris- ing amidst the plains of Gali- lee, it exhibits to the enchant- ed eye a charming variety of prospects. On one side there are lakes, rivers, and a part of the Mediterranean Mn, on the other is a chain o; liule hills with small vallies, shaded by natural groves, and enriched by the hands of the husbandman, with a great number of useful productions. Here you behold an immensity of plains, inter- sected with hamlets, fortresses, and heaps of ruins; there the eye delights to wander over the fields of Jezreel, or Megiddo, called by the Arabs, Ebn Aa- mer, which signifies the fields of the sons of Aaneer. A little further, you distinguish the mountains of Hermon, Gilboa, Samaria, and Arabia the stony. In short, you experience all those sensations which are pro- duced by a rapid succession of rural, gay, gloomy, and majes- tic objects. The inhabitants of Tabor long braved the valor of Roman armies. But in conse- quence of a severe drought, they were forced to surrender at discretion to Plaudus, the general of Vespasian. Several churches were built on this mountain by St Helen, who founded here several monaste- ries. Of the two, most remark- able, one was dedicated to Mo- ses, and inhabited by Cenobites, of the order of St. Benedict, who followed the Latin rites; the other was dedicated to the • prophet Elias, by monks of the order of St. Basil, attached to the rites of the Greek church. TAB TAH The kings of Hungary also e- rected here a spacious convent for some monks belonging to that nation, of the order of St. Paul, the first hermit. Tabor was also the seat of a bishop, dependent on the patriarchate of Jerusalem. In the crusades, when Godfrey of Bouillon seiz- ed on this mountain, he repair- ed the ancient churches, which were then falling into ruins. In 1113 the Saracen troops retook Tabor, and their sanguinary fu- ry gave them, as many victims, as there were priests and Ceno- biies. Afterwards this moun- tain again fell into the hands of the Christians; but the holy banner of the cross was not long displayed on its summit. The next year, Saladin tore it down and destroyed all the churches. In 1253 the Chris- tians took the place again, and rebuilt all the sacred edifices. At this time, it being customa- ry with the popes to give away empires, Pope Alexander, the fourth, granted Tabor to the Templars, who again repaired its ramparts. But in 1.290 the Sultan of Egypt took and de- stroyed the buildings of this mountain, since which they have never been rebuilt. This celebrated spot, is now desolate and uninhabited. The figure of Tabor is that of a- broken cone; the height is nearly three thousand feet; the summit two miles in circuit; on which was formerly a citadel and other buildings; some of the immense stones of which they were built, still remain; but how they were conveyed there baffles all con- jecture. By no art now known Gould such stones be carried up such a steep mountain. Lat. 32, 39. Tabor, a city on the a- bove mountain, which was as- signed to the Levites in the tribe of Issachar, Joshua xix, 22. Lat, 32, 32. Tabor, a plain lying be- tween Bethlehem and Bethel. TADMOR, a city built by Solomon, 1 Kings ix, 18, now called Palmyra, situated in a wilderness of Syria, upon the borders of Arabia Deserta, in- clining towards the Euphrates. Josephus places it two days journey from the Upper Syria, one days journey from the Eu- phrates, and six days journey from Babylon. He says there is no water any where else in the wilderness, but in this place. At this day are to be seen vast ruins of this city. There was nothing more magnificent in the whole East. There are still found a great number of inscriptions, the most of which are Greek, and the others in Palmyrenian characters. TAHAPANES, Tahpan- TAM TAN hes, oi-Taphnes, a city of E- gypt, Jeremiah, ii,16;iv, 3, often speaks of it, and we are told he was buried there. It is thought that Taphnis is the same as Daphnae Pelusiae, sixteen miles from Pelusium towards the souih, according to the itine- rary of Antonine. Jeremiah and the Israelites that were with him, retired to Taphnis; and when they were come thither, the Lord revealed to Jeremiah, that Nebuchadnezzar should take this city, and should set up his throne in the very place, where the prophet had hid stones.Thiswas then a royal city. TAHATH,an encampment of the Israelites in the wilder- ness. From Makeloth they went to Tahath, and thence to Tarah, Num. xxxiii, 26, 27. TAHTIM-HODSHI. This name imports the Netherlands, or land newly inhabited, and is supposed to designate that tract of country, lying about the lake Semechon, and north of Gennesareth, and between it and the head of Jordan, a marshy region, and hence the derivation of its name. It was in the tribe of Manasseh, east of the Jordan. TAMAR, a city of Judea mentioned in Ezekiel xlvii, 19; xlviii, 28, as one of the south- ern limits of this country. It must be about the south- ern point of the Dead Sea. Eu- sebius says, that Tamara is one days journey from Malis, or Malisha, going towards Elia or Jerti.salinn. Lat. 31, 7. TAMNA, a city of Canaan on the road from Jerusalem to Diospolis. TANACH, a city of the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan, Josh, xxi, 25, xii, 21. It was yielded up to the Levites, Judges i, 27. Euse- bius, St. Jerome, and Proco- pius of Gaza, say that even in their time it was a considera- ble place, three miles distant from Legio. It was not far from Endor and Megiddo; the Canaanites retained the pos- session of it long after the Is- raelites entered the country, Josh, xvii, and xxi. TANIS, a city of Egypt, in Hebrew Zuan. Moses affirms that Tanis, orZoan, is later by seven years, than the city of Hebron in Canaan, Num. xiii, 22, and the Psalmist asserts that Moses performed his mir- acles in the fields of Tanis, Ps. lxxxviii, 12, 43. This city was within the DeJta. Isaiah, xix, 11, 13, xxx, 24, addres- ses the princes of Tanis, who were conceited of their wisdom and prudence. He derides their false politics. In the time of this prophet, Tanis was the capital of the Lower Egypt. TAR TAR Ezekiel, xxx, 14, speaks of Zoan, but St. Jerome has trans- lated it by Taphnis, instead of Tan is, which two cities were very different from each other. Tanis was situate on that arm of the Nile, which was nearest to that of Damietta, west. Lat.31. TAPPUAH, or Taphon, the apple city, a city upon the frontiers of Manasse'n, but be-, longing to the tribe of Ephraim, Josh, xvii, 8. It is thought to be the same with En-tap- puah, ibid. 7. It was fortified by Bacchides, 1 Mace, ix, 50. Another town of this name, belonged to the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 34, and may be the same with Beth-tappuah men- tioned ibid. 53. Lat. 31, 21. TARAH, or Thare, an encampment of the Israelites in the desert. They came hither from Tahath, and went hence to Mithcah, Num. xxiii, 27. T ARAL AH, a city of Ju- dea belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xviii, 27. TARICHE A, a city of Gal- ilee, mentioned by Josephus, south from the sea of Tiberias. TARSHISH, see Tharsish. TARSUS, the capital of Cilicia, and the native city of St. Paul, Acts ix, 11; xxi,39. Some think it obtained the privileges of a Roman colony, because of its firm adherence to Julius Caesar; and this priv- ilege gave the inhabitants the favor of being citizens of Rome, which St. Paul enjoy- ed. Others maintain, that Tar- sus was only a free city, but not a Roman colony, in the * time of St. Paul, and that on the medals no footstep is found of this before the reign of Caracalla or Heliogabalus; and, therefore, the privilege of being a citizen of Rome belonged to the apostle, not from being a denizen of Tarsus, but by some personal right, that, his father or ancestors had obtain- ed. See -the ^commentators upon Acts xvi, 37. In He- brew, this place is called Tar- shish. Here one of the sons of Javan settled in these parts. The city of Tarshish or Tarsus stands in a plain on the banks of the river Cvdnus, and in ancient times it was a com- mercial and rich town. Here dwelt many Jews. Among them the parents of our apostle, being of the ancient sio£k, not entering in by the gate of proseiytism, but origin- ally descended both of them from the seed of Abraham, which seems to be the plain, and natural meaning of our apostle's styling himself an He- brew of the Hebrews. More- over, as Tarsus was a rich and populous city, so was it an TAR TEL Academy, furnished with very eminent men; insomuch that Strabo scruples not to say of them, that they excelled in all parts of polite learning, and philosophy, even those of Al- exandria and Athens. Rome itself was beholden to this nur- sery of learning for its best pro- fessors. Hence St. Paul, be- ing bred up in his youth in the schools of Tarsus, became so fully instructed in the liberal arts and sciences, and so well acquainted with the heathen au- thors. Nor is there any thing in the history of the Acts, which contradicts this opinion. For surely St. Paul might be taught school learning in Tar- sus in his younger years, or while he was a boy, yet when he came to be about the age of 16, be brought up in Jerusa- lem. But as our apostle had a learn- ed education, so/was he also brought up to a particular trade, according to the great maxim and principle of the Jews, that he who teaches not his son a trade, teaches him to be a thief. They thought it not only fit, but a necessary part of education for their wisest and most learned Rab- bins to be brought up to a manual trade, by which, if oc- casion required, they might be able to maintain themselves. 62 The trade that our apostle was taught, was that of teni-inakit g, at which he sometimes, and for special reasons, wrought, even after being called to the apostolate. At present Tarsus is reduced to a heap of ruins. The Greek church resembles a thatched barn, nor is that of the Armenians, much better, said to be erected by St. Paul. The people here show the mosque, where they say the prophet Daniel was buried. Lat. 36, 53, long. 34, 52. Lu- cas, Bowen. TEKOA, a city of the tribe of Judah, 2 Chron. xi, 6. It is so in the Greek, Josh, xv*, 6, but not in the Hebrew, nor in our translation. Eusebius and St. Jerome place Tekoa, twelve milessouth of Jerusalem. Men- tion is made of the wilderness of Tekoa, 2 Ch. xx, 20, which was not far from the Red Sea, 1 Mace, ix, 4. Amo», the prophet, was a herdsman of this town, Amos i, 1. To this place Jonathan the Maccabee retired fromBacchides,ihe gen- eral of Syria; to this city there was but one entrance. TELABIB, aplaceinChal- dea, between the rivers Chebar and Saocoras, Ezek. iii, 15. TELASSAR,Thelassar, a place belonging to the chil- dren of Eden. See Eden. The exact situation of this province THA THA is not known; but it is thought to have b Lni.i the country of Armenia, or neajr the head wa- ters of the Euphrates, because a place in that region is called Eden, and those places are mentioned, as being together, or the one included in the other, Isaiah xxxvii, and 2 Kings xix. '1 ELEM, a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh, h . 24, thought to be the saaw rlaim in the same tiibe, i Sam. xv, 4. Here Saul reviewed his army, when marching against the Amalt kites. TELHARSA, and Tel- mel ah, countries of which we know no more, than that those, who returned thence with Ze- rubbabel could not prove their genealogies, or even show that they were of the race of Israel, Ezra ii, 59. TFLIvJELA, probably a city of Chaidea. TEMAN.a place in Arabia Petrea, five tnjies from Petra. It was the station of a Rum an garrison. THARSHISH, a country to which Solomon sent his fleets, I Kings x, 22, 2 Ciu, ix, 11. A multitude of ppir)joi s have prevailed concerning this < oun- try. Josephus, the CI). Idee, and Arabic paraplvast ex, lain it of Tarsua, a ciU of Csl.i a: the Septuagint, St. Jerome, and Theodoret, understand it of Carthage. The Arabian geog- rapher will have it to be Tunis in Africa. Bochart makes it to be Tartessus, an island in the strait of Gades. By Thar- shish, M. Le Clerc under- stands Thassus, an island and city in the iEgean sea. Gro- tius thinks that the whole ocean was called Tharshish, and that the ships of Tharshish were those that are employed in voy- ages at sea, in opposition to the small vessels, that are used on- ly in most navigable rivers. The Seventy translate Thar- shish sometimes by The sea; and the scripture gives the names of ships of Tharshish to those, that were fitted out at Ezion-geber, on the Red Sea, and which sailed upon the ocean, as well as to those that were fitted out at Joppa, and in the ports of the Mediterranean. On one side we see that Thar- shish signifies the city of Tar- sus in Cilicia, and on the other side, we observe, that they fit- ted out ships of Tharshish, or ships logo to Tharshish, in pla- ces whence, we cannot sup- pose, that they went to Tarsus in Ciiicia. For example, the author of the book of Judith ii, 1^;, 13, describing the course or conquests of Holofcrnes, s ys, he went into Cilicia, and desttoved all the children of THA THA Tharshish, or Tharsis. Jonah, i, 3, ckc. flying from before the face of the Lord, went on ship board at Joppa" to go to Tar- shish, probably to Tarsis in Cilicia. The prophets, Isai. xxiii, 1, 14; lx, 19; and Ezek. xxvii, 12, 15; xxxviii, ±3, among the merchant ships, that came to traffic at Tyre, put those of Tharshish. Cilicia was altogether within reach from Tyre, and there is but litde probability that they should come from the coasts of the ocean to trade there. Lastly, the Psalmist, Pa. lxxii, 10, puts the kings of Tharshish with those of the isles: "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents." But by the isles or islands, are gen- erally meant those of the Med- iterranean, and the maritime places, whither the Hebrews were used to go by sea. From all these passages it may be concluded, that a country of Tharshish was upon the Med- iterranean, and that probably it was Cilicia. Therefore, w hen we see ships fitted out upon the Red sea, or at Ezion-geber, in order to go toTharshish,WT must conclude, one of these two things; either that there were two countries called Tharshish, one upon the ocean, and another upon the Mediterranean; or that ships of Tharshish in general, signify nothing els'-, luii ships, able to bear a long voyage, large nv r- chant ships, in opposition to the small craft intended for a coas ing trade, or in navigable rivers. Calmet. Let us now follow Dr. Weils, who f >r the most part agrees with Calmet. Tarshish, saith he, is a celebrated coun- try, often mentioned in the sa- cr d scripture, but where it is to be found, the learned have not been able to determine with certainty. We know that coun- tries were commonly denomin- ated from the persons by whom they were settled. Tarshish, a son of Javan, with his family, it is very evident, settled on the south-eastern coast of Asia Mi- nor. Here we find Tarsus^ a chief town of Cilicia, which carries, in its name, evident proof of being founded, either by Tarshish himself, or some of his descendants. Josephus,also, asserts, not only that the city was so called from Tarshish, but that the country round, for the same reason, was called Tarshish. This certainly ac- cords with the flight of Jonah, who wished to escape as far as possible from Nineveh, to accomplish which, it would be natural for him to embark at Joppa, and sail to Asia Minor. It is not improbable, that from THA THA the Lesser Asia, colonies might emigrate to the southern part of Spain. Accordingly we find TartessuSy a celebrated city of Spain, not far from the strait of Gibraltar. The change be- ing easy from Tarshish to Tar- tish, from which Tartessus is regularly formed. When the prophets mention the com- merce of Tarshish with Tyre, this situation/ as well as the ar- ticles enumerated, renders the fact probable. Ezek. xxvii, 12, "Tarshish was thy mer- chant, by reason of the multi- tude of all kinds of riches, Avith silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs." It is well known, that among the an- cients, Spain was celebrated for these very metals, enumerated by the prophet. It is also evi- dent, that the people of Tar- shish were expert seamen: Hence the whole Mediterrane- an sea seems to have been de- nominated the sea of Tarshish, though perhaps at first, the name might be applied only to the waters of their own coast, Cilicia. Dr. Wells, whom I have implicitly followed thus far, now proceeds to solve the great difficulty, which has perplex- ed, perhaps almost every one, who has attended to the subject. The difficulty is, if Tarshish lay any where on the waters of the Mediterranean, how could a fleet sail there, which Solo-> mon fixed out at Ezion-geber, a port of the Red Sea? Or rather, if he wished to send a commercial fleet to Tarshish, why did he not send it from Joppa, or some other port on the Mediterranean, which would have been a very short and safe voyage,instead of send- ing them down the Red Sea, through the Indian Ocean, round the Cape of Good Hepe, and across the Atlantic, a navi- gation round the continent of Africa, a distance of six or sev- en thousand miles. We can- not possibly discover his "wis- dom" in this. To this, the Dr. has an easy answer, if it were conclusive, or satisfacto- ry. He says .that, "because the descendants of Tarshish were wont to make longer voyages, and to adventure fur- ther into the open sea, than others in those days; it is not unlikely, but they had ships, built for this purpose, different both as to size and shape from those, commonly used by oth- ers; and hence, probably^ ves- sels built for long voyages and great burdens, were called ships of Tarshish, because they were built like the ships of Tarshish, properly so called. This to me, saith the Dr. seems si very natural and easy way THA, THA to account for Solomon's navy being called "a navy of Tar- shish," and for the ships built by Jehoshaphat's order, being called ships of Tarshish. For it is evident from what is said of the ships of Jehoshaphat, that they could not be called ships of Tarshish, as trading, either to Tarshish, or to any colony of it, nor yet from their sailing on the sea of Tarshish, or the Mediterranean sea. For scrip- ture tells us, that these ships were broken at Ezion-geber, which was a place confessedly on the Red Sea. Indeed it is highly probable that Jehosha- phat was not the first king of Judah, who attempted to send a navy of his to Ophir, but that he did it in imitation of Solo- mon, who had formerly sent a navy there with success. On the whole therefore, it appears, that the navy of Solomon was called a navy of Tarshish, and the ships of Jehoshaphat were called the ships of Tarshish, probably, because they were built after the fashion of those ships, which were used by the merchants of Tarshish. This may be the reason why the Sev- enty interpreters sometimes render the ships of Tarshish, by ships of the sea; i. e. in oppo- sition to smaller vessels used in shorter voyages, or for coast- ers. Thus far the learned Dr. This is all plausible and easy; but, how came the wise and good man to overlook 2 Chron. xx,;".6, 37, "And he (Jehosha- phat) joined himself with him (Ahaziah king of Israel) to make ships to go to Tarshish. And they made the ships at Ezion-geber." "And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish?1 Here the Jewish historians, in a few words, twice inform us, that the navy was not merely like that of. Tarshish, or the ships large, like those of Tar- shish; but that the design of the kings was, that this navy should sail to Tarshish; that they were disappointed, their navy was dashed on the rocks of the harbor, for which it is remarkable, and they were not able to go to Tarshish. Per- haps, the only method, there- fore, of solving the difficulty is, to suppose what is very proba- ble, that different and remote places, one on the Mediterra- nean, the other on the Red Sea, or Indian Ocean, were called Tharshish. We know that nothing is more common than for colonists to name the place where they settle, for that whence they came, and in this way to multiply places of the same name. This must, I think, be inevitably the fact, that some place in the Indian THA THA Ocean was called Tarshish, or that Solomon and Jehoshaphat fixed out ships in the Red Sea, to sail into the Mediterranean; this is so absurd, not to say impossible, that I think no one can hesitate to suppose there must have been a Tharshish somewhere in Arabia, India, or the southern part of Africa. Should a merchant or king fix out a fleet at Porto Belloy on the west side of Darien, to go to Cape Elizabeth, should we at all conclude, that it would not be Cape Eliz beth on the shore of Maine; should we not certainly conclude, that there was such a place some- where on the western side of the continent, though we had never heard that it was on the North- West Coast, about Lat. 59, north. Should we not be established in our conviction, if we knew, that this merchant or prince, possessed several fine ports on the gulf of Mex- ico, from which, with little ex- pense and hazard he might have sent his ships, had they been destined to our neighbor- hood? That the kings of Israel should send ships from ports in the Red Sea, to trade in the ports of the Mediterranean, is equally absurd, and defies all belief; yet this is the fact, un- less there was a Tharshish, be- side that in the Mediterranean. This subject is further illustra- ted under the article Ophir, which see. It may not be entirely out of place to add here, that a respec- table writer in the Asiatic Re- searches, thinks it more than probable that Sumatra must have been the Ophir of Solo- mon. This conjecture, he says, derives no small force from the word Ophir being really a Ma- lay substantive, of a compound sense, signifying a mountain, which contains gold. The na- tives have no written, or oral tradition on the subject,except- ing that the island has in torm- er times, afforded gold for ex- portation, and that the vessels were detained a long time, neui ly a year. It is probable, therefore, that they wintered, during the violence of the S. W. monsoon, either at Cey- lon, or on the N. E. coast, and completed their voyages, dur- ing the moderate part of the ensuing monsoon. (Vol. i, p. 338.) ' As the Ophir and Tarshish of scripture have such a rela- tion, Ave shall close this article, with an extract from the Ge- ographical Index, published with the late edition of Wells' Geography respecting Ophir. "If the region of Ophir took its name from Ophir, the son of Joktan, Gen. x, 29, as is THA THA usually supposed, we must, in order to ascertain where this region lay, discover where Ophir settled. Moses says ex- pressly, that the sons of Joktan dwelt between Mesha and mount Sephar, a mountain of Kedem. If we place Kedern at or near the head of the river Indus, we shall find the land of Havilah, brother of Ophir, in tlie land of Cabul, in that re- gion; and of consequence we may seek for Ophir not far dis- tant from it. To this agrees the sentiment of the Targumist on Eccles. ii,5, who says, " I plant- ed me all trees of spice, which the goblins and demons brought me out of India." We know no more likely opportunity for this bringing to Solomon, than that by the Ophir fleet; and it certainly supposes an inter-, course between Solomon and the regions where we have placed Ophir. The spice trees, we know, are natives of the hottest climates: and possibly the phrase "goblins and de- mons," may refer to the Ty- rian sailors, by whom Solo- mon's fleet was navigated; and to the deities, they worshipped; and with the rites they prac- tised in their voyage. We can hardly suppose that Solo- mon would let them erect their idols in any conspicuous places in his ships: but he could not prevent their customs at sea; nor their giving any names, they pleased to the vessels, they navigated; even those of gob- lins and demons. Instead cf a circuitous rouce to the head of the Euphrates, as Calmet would lead us, when the jour- ney by land would have been nearer, the voyage to India was direct and regular, as it still is; from the coast of Malabar, to Mocha, anciently to Berenice, Cossien, &c. in the Red Sea, being a line of intercourse never wholly abandoned. With re- gard to the length of time, three years, I presume we are to take it according to the Hebrew manner of reckoning, for part of the first year, the whole of the second year, and part of the third year. If then we sup- pose with Mr. Bruce, that Sol- omon's fleet, following the course of the winds during June, July, August, Septem- ber, and October, sailed down the Red Sea for the ocean: say they passed the straits of Babel- mandel in October, they might then proceed over to the Indus, spend one year in taking in their lading there, and repass the straits homeward, in the months of November, Decem- ber, January, February, March, and Apri-'. This the Hebrews would reckon three years, the space included being part of THA THA the first, and part of the third years. Supposing' the fleet to be arrived at the mouth of the Indus, it could do no business, except in places where com- merce was carried on, nor could it procure gold, except in some capital trading city: it was therefore^ under the necessity of advancing up the river, to some of those famous marts, which occupied its banks, anC in this navigation 'a considera- ble portion of time must have been consumed. We suppose, however, that the gold of O- phir was brought some way down the Indus, to a station, say, the present Moultan, and that here the Tyrians exchang- ed their cargoes for it. If it be thought unlikely, that the Jewish vessels should sail up the Indus, we may suppose that they went to the same places and ports as the Egyp- tian navigators afterwards did: that is to say, to Musiris, a har- bor on the Malabar coast, now Merjee, or to Barace, now Bar- celore. Pliny calls Musiris, the first emporium in India, and he gives an account of the time occupied in the naviga- tion between the two countries; informing us, that from Bere- nice ships take their departure about midsummer, and in thir- ty days reach the mouth of the Arabian gulf; thence in forty days to Musiris. , They begin their voyage home, early in December. We must under- stand that at this time the ves- sels followed the coast for the most part, to the mouth of the Indus, and thence, down the western shore of the continent to Musiris. But the object of these vessels was certainly com- modities, not the gold of O- phir; for in quitting the mouths of the Indus, they quitted the course to that country. We consider it, therefore, as very probable, that the difference of time was lost, either" in ascend- ing the Indus in those vessels which composed this fleet, or in trans-shipping into vessels of the country the goods they had brought, and receiving others in return. That the river Indus was capable of receiving ships of burden is evident from the his- tory of Alexander. The fol- lowing extracts are from Mr. Arrowsmith's large map of the course of the Indus, and agree perfectly with what we have suggested. It is the opinion of major Rennell, that under the Ptolemies, the Egyptians extended their navigation to the extreme point of the In- dian continent, and even sailed up the Ganges to Palibothra% now Patna. What major Ren- nell supposes might be done in TAR THE the Ganges, I suppose might be done in the Indus. "The river Indus admitted of an uninterrupted navigation from the sea up to die gulf of Cutcli to Lahore, for vessels of near 220 tons: a distance of about 760 geographical aiiles." "Scylax built vessels and sail- ed down the Indus," on the Cow o^ Cuwmull river, which joins the Indus about Lat. 32, 45. hi most three degrees high er than the branch, which com- municates with Lahore. "Al- exander built vessels on the Hydaspes, now Bebut river," in about the same latitude, but on a branch of the Indus, which is but small in comparison of the main river. From lat. S3 to 34 the river Indus was from three quarters of a mile to a mile across, in July 1733. At- tock Benares, probably the most ancient university for learning, a city reckoned sacred by the Hindoos, and a city of great trade in ancient time, is situated on the mdus at this part of the river. The name of the Indus, or Sinde river is Nilab. This Attock Benares precisely answers our purpose as to a commercial town on the Indus. The streams which fell into the Indus, from the Caucasean mountains, would convey the productions of the land of Ophir. An idea of 63 what these generally were, may be formed from major Wil- ford's description of the land of Chabila, adjacent to Ophir. He mentions particularly gold, as found near the surface of the earth; but purer still by digging to a considerable depth, and that it might be procured in great quantities. THEBEZ, a city of Canaan in the tribe of Ephraim, at the siege of which Abimelech was killed. Eusebius says there was a village called Thebez in his time, thirteen miles from Shechem towards Scythopoiis. Lat. 32, 18. THESSALONICA, called Salonichi, is the metropolis of Macedonia, and the seat of a Turkish prefect. It stands at the head of a gulf to which it gives its name, which makes up north from the Archipelago, lat. 40,40, N. long. 23, 12,£. The ci y is populous, and ten or twelve miles in compass. It stands partly on a hill, ; nd partly on its declvity. It is surrounded with walls, which are defended with three casties, provided with forty heavy can- non. The town carries on a considerable traffic, and has a multitude of Jews, bv whom the business is chiefly manag- ed. Here are 48 mosques, sev- eral of which were once splen- did churches, when Christian? THE THE ity flourished here. Here now are 30 Christian churches, and 36 synagogues for the Jews. One of the mosques, once the church of St. Demetrius, is said to be on the spot, where the house stood in which St. Paul preached. It is' a most noble building, supported by beautiful columns of marble, jasper, and porphyry. Stephen of Byzantium says', that this city was improved and beautified by Philip, king of Macedon, and called Thessa- ionica, in memory of the vic- tory, that he obtained over the Thessalnnians. Its old name was Thesttiat but Strabo and some others will have it, that it rook its name from Thessa- Wiica, the wife of Cassander, and daughter of Philip. There were a good number of Jews there, who were in possession of a synagogue, Acts xvii, 1, 2, 3, &c. St. Paul came thither in the year 52 of the vulgar era, and entering into the syn- agogue, according to his cus- tom, he preached to the con- gregation out of the scriptures, for three Sabbath days succes- sively, proving to them, that Jesus was the Christ, and that of necessity, he was to suffer and to rise again from the dead. Some Jews were con- verted to Jesus Christ, as also a great multitude of Gentiles, that feared God, and many women of quality. But the rest of the Jews, being pos- sessed by a false zeal, raised a great commotion in the city, and came in a tumult to the house of Jason, intending to seize Paul and Silas, who lodg- ed there, and to take them be- fore the magistrates, with a great cry, and saying, that these people were rebels and traitors against Caesar, main- taining (hat there was another king called Jesus, to whom their allegiance was due. How- ever, Jason and the brediren conducted Paul and Silas out of the city, on their way to Berea. About A.M. 3837 the Ro- mans took this city from the Greeks; and in A. D. 885 it was subjugated by the Sara- cens; but Simeon, a secretary of the Greek emperor, redeem- ed it with a large sum of money; and in A.D. 1 180 Wil- liam of Sicily took the city from the Greek emperor. In 1313 it was sold to the Vene- tians, and in 1430 it was taken by the Turks. The place is in a state of decay, like almost every other spot ol the globe, under the Turkish dominion, and exhibits a scene of mag- nificent ruins, witnesses of its former opulence and splendor, 260 miles W. of Constantino- the THE pie. Lat. 41,40. Martiniere, Lucas. Who were the first inhabi- tants of this and the other provinces of Greece, has been a question with the learned. Josephus affirms that Javan, the son of Japheth, settled this country. Bochart confirms this. Here it may be remark- ed, that most of our distin- guished writers on the prophe- cies, have with more pertinacity than wisdom given the four great monarchies of the world to the sons of Japheth or Shem. This, it seems, has been done to accommodate the event to the supposed prophecy of No- ah, which doomed the de- scendants of Ham or Cayman to perpetual slavery. "The whole continent of Africa was peo led principally by the de- scendants of Ham; and for how many ages have the bet- ter parts of that country lain under die dominion of the Romans, and then of the Sar- acens, and now of the Turks." "There never has been a son of Ham, who has shaken a sceptre over the head of Ja- pheth. Shem hath subdued Japheth, and Japheth subdued Shem; but Ham never sub- dued either." Mede, Newton. So precise a construction of the prophecy is unnecessary, es- pecially, if it contravene the records of history. Noah did not sa\ , that every individual of Canaan's children should oe slaves; still less did he say that every descendant from Ham should wear the yoke of bond- age. A common method of Providence is to raise an as- piring individual to the throne of despotism, to enslave the whole nation. These he har- nesses .in chains to tread down other countries. Accordingly, Dr. Hales says, "that the Ham- ites in general, like the Ca- naanites of old, were a seafar- ing race, and sooner arrived at civilization, and the luxu- ries of life, than their simpler pastoral and agricultural breth- ren of the other iwo families. The frst great empires of As- syria and Egypt were founded by them. The republics of Tyre, and Sidon, and Carthage were early distinguished for their commerce; but they soon fell to decay, and Egypt has become the basest of king- doms, successively in subjec- tion to the Shemites, and Ja- phethites, as have also the oth- er branches of the Hamites." The curse of Noah dooms the descendants of Canaan to sla- very. With regard to the oth- er descendants of Ham, they appear to have been "wiser in their generation," than the chil- dren of either Shem or of J;v THE THY pheth; and to them we un- doubtedly owe the rudiments of all the fine arts. As for the four great empires, the first, or Babylonian, was clearly * founded by Nimrod, after he had expelled or reduced to slavery the sons of Shem, who were originally settled in that country. The second may pos- sibly have been vested in the line of Shem, though even that point is far from being satis- factorily established: but the third, or the Grecian, if any credit be due to history, was erected not by the descendants of Japheth, but by those of Ham. Greece might probably have been first peopled by Ja- pheth; but those aborigines were soon conquered, and either ex- tirpated, or incorporated with a totally different race. It is impossible to derive the latter Greeks, so celebrated to this day for their proficiency in the arts and sciences, from the line of Japheth, unless we contradict the whole tenor of history. Di- odorus Siculus asserts, that some of the original leaders of the Athenians were Egyptians; and that the Athenians them- selves, were a colony from Sais in Egypt. Herodotus speaks in a similar manner of the Dorians, and Pausanias gives the same account of the Megareans. Lelex also, the father or leader of the Leleges, came from Egypt. The Pe- loponnesus was for the most part peopled by Dorians; and the Leleges established them- selves in Megara. In short, the most celebrated leaders of the Grecian colonies, such as Danaus, E'ectheus, Cecrops, Cadmus, and Phoenix, all came from Egypt. Hence it is man- ifest, that the Greeks were, strictly speaking, an Egyptian nation, and consequently not the descendants of Japheth, but of Ham. Horce Mosaic ce of Faber. THISBE, the country of Tobit, i, 2. It was to the right hand, that is, to the south of the city of Kadesh, the capital of Naphtali. Some have thought that Elijah the Tishbite was a native of the city of Thisbe in Galilee: but that he had been for a long time an inhabitant of the country of Gilead: "E- lijah, the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead," 1 Kings xvii, 1. THREE TAVERNS, a place thirty- three miles south from the city of Rome, where probably there were three houses of entertainment. Acts xxviii, 15. Lat. 41, 30. THYATIRA, a city, winch some ascribe to Mysia, and others to Lydia, or to Asia Minor, because it is upon the THY THY frontiers of these three provin- ces. This is what St. John says in his revelation, ch. ii, 18, 19, &c. "To the bishop or angel of Thyatira: "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy pa- tience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first: notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jez- ebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and se- duce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols: and I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that com- mit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds: and I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know, that I am he that searches the reins and the hearts: and I will give unto every one of you ac- cording to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest m Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you none oth- er burden, but that which ye have already; hold fast till I come, &c." It is not known who the angel or bishop of Thyatira was, to whom these words are directed. Ikit the following account from one who has visited the place, may be interesting to the Christian reader. We passed on, says he, south-east from Pergamus, through the plains, with hopes to find some ruins on the north side of the Phrygian river, (the Hermus) and being guided by Ferrarius, who placed Thyatira between Sardis and Pergamus, viz. thirty miles from Sardis, and eighteen from Per. am us. Toward the south is a ridge of hills; on the other side of which, in the way to Sardis, stands the city Thyatira, a colony of the Macedonians. When we supposed ourselves near to the place, wThich they called Mor- mor, or marble, from the large quarries, which exist there, and are the finest and whitest veins I ever beheld; of which there remained certain ru ined houses; evidently modern, as we under- stood afterwards, they had been deserted by the inhabitants, who removed thence to a more commodious situation, not far distant, which they denominat- ed from the white marble rocks of their old habitation Akhisar, or white castle. To that place, being about five English miles, we bent our course, and found a city well inhabited, and con- siderable for the trade of cou THY ton. At our entrance, casting our eyes on pillars and broken stones, with rare sculptures, and on inscriptions, which at a distance were so fair, that they seemed almost legible; we immediately apprehended, that this must have been the an< ient Tivyatira, which was more assuredly confirmed, so soon as we read an inscription, on what we took for a pedestal of a pillar, in the midst of the market place, which served^ to support the new buildings. The inscription in English begins thus; "The most potent coun- cils of the Thyatireans, &c." Proceeding forwards we found the stone of a sepulchre, of which a tanner made use, rilled with hides and lime, and on which there was an inscription mentioning likewise, the "most potent and most great city of the Thyatireans." We found also on a large sepulchre, plac- ed in an open court, belong- ing to a Turk of quality, in another inscription, mention of the "most excellent city of the Thyatireans;" with others to the same purpose. The city Akhisar, or Thya- tira, is situated near to that riv- er, which Pliny calls the Iaj- cas; which though it waters not the town, yet it improves and fertilizes 'those pleasant plains, through which it runs. THY The town itself receives so full a stream from, a neighboring hill, as is divided according to the report of the inhabitants, in- to 3700 rivulets, so that every house flows, and every street is. supplied, with full channels of delightful waters. The air is wholesome, and the country round rich and delightful, and agreeable to the foundation of so renowned a city, which, as it flourishes with trade, is more happy, than her desolate and comfortless sisters. Thyatira is 48 miles south-east Perga- mo, on a beautiful plain, 17 miles in extent, sown with corn and cotton. It is inhabited by about 5000 Turks, who have eight mosques. Amid so many inhabitants, so many mosques. so many mighty ruins of for- mer magnificence, not a single church of Christ remains, not a single person, unless it be a few "slaves, pretends to the Christian name. So fatally, so literally is the Divine threaten- ing executed, "I will kill her children; I will give unto eve- ry one according to, their works." Long. 28, 30, east, lat. 38, 48, north. Seally. The present state of the seven churches addressed in the rev- elation of St. John, is as seven pillars to support the Divine au- thority of scripture prophecy. Concerning these places, a THY THY traveller, Thomas Smith, B.D. who had visited them himself, makes the following serious and sensible observations* "By this short en id imperfect sur- vey, the curious reader may be sadly convinced, in what a de- plorable condition, these o.iee famous and el6rious churches of Asia ace at this day; churches which had the apostles for their founders, and which yielded so many martyrs, and which a- bounded widi so many myriads of Christians, whose patience and valor triumphed over the tyranny, the malice, and the hatred of their heathen perse- cutors, and which afteiHv'ard, when the empire became Chris- tian, and the civil power sub- mitted itself to the law and dis- cipline of Christ, and when the cross, which before was had in such execration, w;is held the highest ornament of the crown, advanced in splendor and gfory above what they h •' enjoyed in the times of heathenism, and which upon a due considera- tion of the circumstances, one might trulyenough judge should have been eternal, and placed almost out of all possibility of of danger and ruin, now turned into heaps of rubbish; scarce one stone left upon another, some of them utterly uninhab- ited, and the remains of all nor ribjy frightful and amazing. I shall not here lament the sad reverses and vicissitudes of things, and the usual dhanges and chances of mortal life, nor Upbraid the Greeks of lux- ury and stupidity, which have brought the->e horrid desola- tions upon their country; these are very useful, but very ordi- n iry speculations. Tl at which affected me wi;h the deepest anguish, and most sorrowful resentment, when I was upon the place, and does still, w: s and is a reflection upon the threat- ening made against Ephesus, in the second chapter ol the Reve- lations of St. John, who made his jbode in di.it city, and died there. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quiefd/j, and Will remove thy candlestick out of its place y except thou repent. And upon a far: i.e. and more serious con- sideration, as I sorrowfully- walked through tlii: ruins of til. t city, especially, 1 concluded most agreeabiy, not only to my function, but to the nature of the thing, and I am confident that rto vvibeorgiod man, who shall cast his eyes upon these loose and hasty observations, will deny the con< lusion to be just and true, that the sad and direful calamities, win h have ii volved these Asian churches, ought to proclaim to die pres- TIB TIB ent flourishing churches of Christendom, as much as if art angel were sent express from heaven to denounce the judgment, what they are to ex- pect, and what may be their case one day, if they follow their evil example, that their candlestick may be removed 'too, except they repent and do their first works; and that their se- curity lies not so much in the strength of their frontiers, and the greatness of their armies, for neither of these could de- fend the Eastern Christians from the invasion and fury of the Saracens and Turks, as in their mutual agreements, and in the virtues of a Christian life." At present this place is a miserable village, the houses are of mud and turf, low and mean. The Turks here are about five thousand, who have six or seven mosques; but here still are no Christians, except- ing a few slaves, and inferior workmen, employed in the cot- ton factory, which furnishes the principal employment of the place. It stands 26 miles N. ofSardis, 56 N. E. from Smyr- na. Lat. 38, 48. Long. 28, 6. Bycaut, Spon, %?c. TIBERIAS, a famous city of Galilee, situated at the south- ern extremity, and upon the western shore of the lake of Ge- nesareth, otherwise called the sea of Tiberias. It is thought that its old name was Cinne- refri, or Ha math, or Emarh, or Rakkath.oi Reccath. ButRelaud shows, that this is very doubt- ful, and is only founded upon this, that the sea of Cinnereth, was afterwards called die sea of Tiberias; which by no means proves that Cinnereth and Ti- berias were the same. Be- sides, he observes, that the por- tion of Naphtali did not begin towards the south, but a: Ca- pernaum, which is more to the north than Tiberias, and yet Cinnereth, Hamarh, or Rak- kath, belong to the portion of Naphtali, Joshua xix, 35, Ti- berias therefore, could not, since it is known that it was quite to the south of the lake of Tiberias. See Cinnereth, Josephus acquaints us, that this city was built by Herod Agrippa, in honor of the em- peror Tiberias. Its convenient situation soon rendered it a considerable city, so that in a short time it became the cap- ital of all Galilee. In the time of the Jewish wars, Josephus took possession of this city, and defended it bravely for some time: but being taken by Vespasian, part of its walls was beat down, and the city otherwise greatly demolished. In the days of its prosperity this city had thirteen syna- TIB TIB gogues, and an academy; here was the last session of the Jew- ish Sanhedrim; here the Tal- mud, the body of the Jewish civil and canon law, was col- lected. Epiphanius observes, that in the time of Constantine the Great, the Gospel of St.John, and the Acts of the Apostles, translated into Hebrew, were discovered by count Joseph, in the archives or treasury of Tiberias; and that before this time, no Christian was per- mitted to dwell at Tiberias, or at Capernaum, or at Nazareth, or at Diocassarea; and that count Joseph having obtained leave from Constantine to build a church there, in honor of Je- sus Christ, he made use of a great temple, called Adrianeum, which had never been finished or consecrated. This he com- pleted, and dedicated it to the use of the Christians. Lam- prideus de Severo, informs us, that the emperors Alexander, Severus, and Adrian, had in- tentions of placing Jesus Christ among the gods, and to con- secrate temples to him. "From whence it proceeds, that at this day," says the author, "temples without statues were seen in every city." Hasseiquist, speaking of an Arabian camp, which he found not far from Tiberias, at the foot of the mountain, where 64 Christ preached his celebrated sermon, says, "They made but- ter in a leather bag, hung on three poles, erected lor the pur- pose in the form, of a cone, and swung to and Jro> by two wo- men." The ancient people of Canaan, probably, adopted the same method of making but- ter, which is now practised in Barbary, and by the Bedow en Arabs. Dr. Shaw says, "their method is to put the mUk or cream into a goat's skin, turn- ed inside out, which they sus- pend from one side of the tent to the other, and then pressing it to and fro, in one uniform, direction, they quickly occa- sion the separation of the unc- tuous and vvheyey parts." So Stewart, in his travels to Me- guine, says, that the butter of the Moors, in the empire of Morocco, is made from all the milk, as it comes from the cow, by putting it into a skin, and shaking it, till the butter sepa- rates from it.:? See Prov. xxx. 33. This may show why but- ter-milk should be mentioned, as a dainty in scripture; the modernMoors are now so fond of butter- milk, which is their chief dessert, that when they would speak of the extraordinary sweetness, or deliciousness, of any thing, they compare it to butter-milk. Lat. 32, 35. TIbHATH, a city of Sy- TIG TIG ria, taken and plundered by- David; it was also called Betah. TIGRIS, though this river is not mentioned by this name in scripture, it ought to be de- scribed in this work, because reference is so often made to it. This famous river, which rises in Armenia, and discharges it- self into the Persian gi:lf, has been supposed, Moses calls Hiddekel, Gen. ii, 14. The ancients called it Digilito, and to this day it is called Degil, or Tigil. Josephus, the Chaldee pa« aphrast,the Arabian and Per- sian translators, call it Digilat. Pliny says, that its fountain, and so far as it runs smoothly, is called Dighto; but when it becomes more rapid, it is callrd Tigris, which in the language of the Mtdes, signifies an ar- row. He adds, that it rises in the Greater Armenia, in the midst of a plain, called Eli- gosine. It enters the lake Are- thusa, and crosses it, without mingling with its waters: after which it meets with mount Tarsus, where, plunging into he earth, it passes under the mountain, and rises again on h$ other side. The cave at vhich it enters, is called Zora- : nda: and in proof, that it is i ,e same river, it reproduces .a its opening, what had been eajst into it, at its entrance into the cave: thus says Pliny. Pto- lemy also places the spring of Tigris in the middle of Arme- nia. Lat. 39,30, north. Part of the same stream is called Hie, another part Digel, these uni- ted, probably form the Hi-dekel of Moses. Strabo seems to have taken for the fountains of the Tigris, its re-appearance out of mount Taurus: since he places it out of Armenia, and says it rises south of mount Niphates,which is a part of mount Taurus. The Tigris east, and the Eu- phrates west, are the bounda- ries of Mesopotamia, which lies between these rivers. Af- ter having passed through a large tract of land, from north to south, these two famous riv- ers discharge themselves, into the Persian gulf. At this day they unite in one channel; but formerly, they entered it sepa- rately, as Pliny observes; and in his time traces of the ancient channels, were still seen. The Tigris overflows its banks in the beginning of spring, occa- sioned by the melting of the snows, on t«he mountains of Armenia. The Tigris took its rise in the land of Eden, and was one of the four rivers, that watered the earthly Paradise, Gen. ii, 14. Thus far my au- thor; and here I repeat, that commentators and geographers seem to mistake the words of TIM TYR Moses. They perpetually as- sert, that "four rivers watered the earthly Paradise." Does the Bible say this? Is not the contrary asserted, Gen. ii, 10? "And a river." i. e. one river, "went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence," or after it had left the garden, "it was parted and became into four heads ," or by four months, emptied its waters into the sea. Instead of hunting the world over, to find four rivers, so contiguous, as to water the same garden, we have to look for a river, which, as it ap- proaches its outlet, separates into four streams, and has four mouths. Our maps, but how accurately I know not, have generally drawn the Indus in this manner, with four mouths. TIMNAH, a' city of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 10, 57. Judah, went to the 4city of Timnah; when he met with Tamar and committed incest with her,Gen. xxxviii,12. This was also the name of a city of the Philistines, where Sampson married his wife. It is thought to be the same with the former, and might then belong to the Philistines; being near their country. It continued in ex- istence, and was a village, A. D. 400. Lat. 31, 47. TIMN ATH-SERAH,a city of Canaan in the tribe of Eph- raim. The -place was in mount Ephraim, probably fertile and pleasant, for this place he se- lected from the whole country. Here he built a city, or per- haps vastly improved the for- mer town or city, for it is said, they gave him "the ck\." Here the Jewish commander was buried. Josh, xix, and xxiv. Lat. 32, 2. TIPHSAH, a city in the east part of Syria, on the Euphrates, (>00 miles north-west from Bab- ylon. Some geographers place it on the east, and others on the west side of the river; but as there was a famous bridge here, probably the city might stand on each bank. This was the frontier town on the nor h- east part of Solomon's exten- sive empire, 1 Kings iv, 24. TIPHSAH, acityofJudea, belonging to the tribe of Ephra- im, and six miles from Sama- ria. Shallum, son of Jabesh, having put to death Zechariah, king of Israel, Menhanam, gen- eral of this prince's army, pro- cured himself to be acknowl- edged king; 2 Kings, xv, 16, and the city of Tiphsah, having shut their gates against him, he took it by force, and exercised the utmost cruelty against the inhabitants. See JostphusAntiq. TIRZAH, a delightful city of Ephraim, the royal seat of the kings of Israel, from the TIS TOP time of Jeroboam,- the son of Ntbaty to the reign of Omriy who built the city of Samaria, which then became the capital of this kingdom. Joshua kil- led the king of Tiizah. Josh, xii, 24, Menahem, the son of Gadi, of Tirsah, slew Shallum, the usurper of the kingdom of Israel, who reigned at Samaria, and assumed the government himself. But the city of Tir- sah, shutting its gates against him, he made it feel the most terrible effects of his indigna- tion. See 2 Kings xv, 14, 16. To mark the excellencies of the church, she is said to be beautiful as Tirzah, Song vi, 4, Lar 32, 15. TlSHBITE, a city in the country of Gilead, beyond Jor- dan, being the country of the prophet Elijah, who thence took the name of the Tishbite, 1 Kings, xvii, 1, Epiphanius says, that Thisbe was in the country of the Arabians, be- cause in his time the whole dis- trict beyond Jordan belonged to the Arabians; this place is mentioned as late as A. D. 400. TOB, a country of Palestine, lying beyond Jordan, in the northern part of the portion of Manasseh. Hither it was, that Jepthah retired, when he was driven away by his brethren, Judges xi, 3, 5. This country is called Tobie, or Tubin. 1 Mace, v, 13; and the inhabi- tants of this canton were called Tubiens. TOCHEN, a city of Canaan, of the tribe of Simeon, 1 Chr. iv, 32 TOL AD, a city of the tribe of Simeon, 1 Chr. iv, 29, prob- ably the same asEltoiad, Josh, xv, 30; xix, 4. It was yield- ed by the tribe of Judah to that of Simeon. TOPHET. It is thought, that Tophet was the butchery, or place of slaughter at Jerusa- lem, lying to the south of the city, in the valley of the chil- dren of Hinnom. It is also said, that a constant fire was kept there, for burning the carcasses, and other fikhiness, that was brought thither from the city. It was in the same place, that they cast away the ashes, and r mains of the images of false gods, when they demolished their altars, and broke down their statues. Isaiah xxx, 33y seems to allude to this custom of burning dead carcasses in Tophet, when speaking of the defeat of Sennacheitb. Others think the name of Tophet is given to the valley of Hinnom, because of the sac- rifices, that were offered there to Moloch, by beat of drum, which in Hebrew is called Toph. Jeremiah vii, 31, upbraids TRA Tlil the Israelites, with having built temples to Moloch, in the val- ley of Hinnom, in Tophct, to burn their children there in the fire: "And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hin- nom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire." We may see by the same prophet, that Tophet was also a polluted and unclean place, where they used to throw the carcasses to which they refused burial. King Josiah defiled the place of Tophet, where the temple of Moloch stood, that nobody might go thither any more, to sacrifice their children to that cruel deity, 2 Kings xxiii, 10, 11. The cruelty of the heathen in sacrificing their children, to appease the ven- geance of their wicked gods, seems to be surpassed in sacri- ficing them, and even their own lives, to provoke the indigna- tion of men against their ene- mies. See 2 Kings iii, 27. TRACHONITIS. St. Luke iii, 1, speaks of tbeTra- chonitis, saying, that in the fifteenth year of Tiberias, Phil- ip, son of Herod the Great, was tctraich of Iturea, and of Tra- chonitis. This province had Arabia Deserta to the east, Ba- tanea to the west, Iturea to the south, and the country of Da- mascus to the north. Trachon- itis is often ascribed to Arabia, and rather belongs to it than to Palestine. Josephus says, it is situate between Palestine and Coelo Syria, and that it was peopled by Hush, or Chush, the son of Aram. The road to Trachonitis lay towards the lake Phiala, where were the sources of the Jordan. This province was full of rocks, which served as a harbor for a great number of thieves and robbers, who often found em- ployment for Herod the Great, as may be seen in Josephus. Eusebiussays, that the tribe of Manasseh, extended itself into Trachonitis, towards Boatra. Lastly, St. Jerome says it is be- yond Bostra, inclining towards Damascus. This country is called Argob; it was a craggy, mountainous region. Lat. 33. TRIPOLIS, a city of Phoe- nicia, lying upon the Mediter- ranean sea, between Botris to the south, and Area to the north. It is watered by a river that runs from Libanus, and is mentioned in the second book of Maccabees, Mace, xiv, 1, where it is said, that three years after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, after having made his escape from Rome, landed at Tripolis. Tins town lies on the same coast with Jamnio, and Joppa, but much higher TRI TRI north, beyond the limits of the Holy Land, in Phoenicia. A late traveller informs us, that the present town stands on the river Kadisha, a quarter of a league from its mouth, precise- ly at the foot of mount Liba- nus, which runs over it to the south, east, and north. It has no proper harbor, but a road. The environs of the town are laid out in orchards of pome- granate, orange, lemon, and mulberry trees. The com- merce consists wholly of coarse silk, which is constantly grow- ing worse, from the decay of the old mulberry trees. An American would naturally in- quire, why they do not plant others. But were the people to raise young trees, the officer of government would say, this man has money. He would send for him, and demand it of him. Should he deny that he had any, he would be bastina- doed. Should he, to escape death, confess, still the bastin- ado would be repeated, that more might be extorted. This solitary fact is a fair specimen of the miseries, endured by more than twenty-four million of people, crushed under the despotism of the Turkish gov- ernment. Not many years since, eight hundred citizens of this place were put to death in one day by the government. The town, though pleasantly sit- uated, is exceedingly unhealthy, epidemic fevers rage here every year. The population is reck- oned at sixty thousand, chiefly Turks, Christians, and Jews. The name denotes three cities, and it is said to be so called, because built by the joint ex- pense of the three cities, Tyre, Sidon,and Aradus. It seems to have been of no great note under the Romans, till made an episcopal see, under the arch- bishop of Tyre, in primitive times. But thriving by degrees, it was of principal account, by the time, the western Christians warred in the Holy Land; for when conquered by them, it was made one of the tetrarch- ies, or capital cities for the four quarters of their dominions; which were Jerusalem, for Pa- lestine; Edessa, for Comagena, or Mesopotamia; Antioch, for Assyria; and Tripolis, for Phoenicia. A city which I know not (says my author) by what good hap, has fared bet- ter than any of those parts, re- taining as much strength and beauty, as ever it had, if not augmented by the ruin of the rest. Mr. Maundrel gives us this account of it. "Tripoli is seated about half a mile from the sea. The greater part of the city lies between two hills; one on the east, on which is a TRI TUIr castle commanding the place; another on the west, between the city and the sea. This lat- ter is said to have been at first raised, and to be still increased, by the daily accession of sand, blown to it from the shore. On which occasion there goes a prophecy, that the whole city shall in time be buried with this sandy hill. But the Turks seem not very apprehensive of this prediction. For instead of preventing the growth of this hill, they suffer it to take its course, and make it a place of pleasure; which they would have little inclination to do, did they apprehend it was to be their graves. The marine is about half an hour distant from the city. The port is an open sea, rather than an inclosed har- bor; however it is partly de- fended from the force of the waves by two small islands, about two leagues from the shore, one of which is called the Bird, and the other the Co- ney-island, being so named from the creatures they pro- duce. For its security from pirates, it has several castles, or rather square towers, built all along the shore, at convenient distances. They are, says my author, six in number, but at present void of all manner of force, both of men, and ammu- nition. In the fields near the shore, appeared many heaps of ruins, and pillars of granite, and several other indications, that here must have been an- ciently some considerable build- ings. This agrees with what Casaubon, in his notes on Stra- bo, quotes out of Diodorus, viz. that Tripolis was anciently a cluster of three cities, stand- ing at a furlong's distance from each other; the first was a seat of the Aradians, the second of the Zidonians, and the third of the Tyrians. From hence it k probable, that Tripolis was a name given at first to three dis- tinct, but adjacent places, and not to one city. Thevenot says, Tripoli is a very pretty town, with a neat castle, at the foot of which runs a little river. Several gardens full of orange trees, and white mulberries, en- compass the town, which \s a mile from the sea. There are several towers to defend the coast. Le Bruyn observes: the city in itself is not very considerable, though the houses are built with free stone, and most of them pretty large and stately. The principal quar- ters of the city are very popu- lous The Bazar, or street of merchants, is in pretty good plight. The French and Italians have generally a Vice-consul residing there. The Arabians bring hither a great deal of ashes, of which they make soap and glass." TRO TRO TRO AS, a province of Na- tolia, bounded north by the Propontis, north-west by the Dardanelles, and south-west by the^Egean sea, and easterly by the province of Mysia. This province was blest with the visits and preaching of St. Paul, the gospel having been early planted. In this province stood the famous city Troy, or IlUum, on the river Scamandcr or Xanthus, a few miles from the coast of the ./Egean sea, or Ar- chipelago, formerly having a commodious harbor, formed by the island Tenedos, which lies along the coast, three leagues distant. This haven is now choked up with sand. Whether the fallen walls, and other ruins to be seen in this vicinity , are the remains of the ancient Troy, so famed by the poets for its ten years seige, or those of the new Troy, begun by Al- exander, and finished by Lysi- machus, is much disputed a- mong the learned. From the marble tombs, broken col- umns,sub terraneous arches, spa- cious canals, theatres, palaces, and temples, it is evident, that once here rose an opulent city. A plan and description of an- cient Troy has been lately published in the transactions of the Ro}al Society of Edin- burgh. According to the au- thor, the city cf Troy stood on the present scite of the modern village of Baunarba- chi, four leagues from the sea, and the residence of a Turkish Aga. Near the village is a marsh of tall reeds; the situa- tion is impregnable on all sides, except at Erin, "the hill of wild fig-trees," mentioned by Homer, which extended from the Soaean gate to the sources of the Scamander. A very in- teresting part of this work is the account of conical mounds or barrows, several of them a hundred feet in diameter at the base; these the author main- tains are the identical tombs, raised over the ashes of the heroes, slain in the Trojan war; some of them he supposes more ancient. He indulges himself in a particular descrip- tion of the tombs raised in honor of Esyetes, IIus, Ajax, Hector, Achilles, Patrocius, and Antilochus. Mr. Mariti a few years since visited this celebrated spot. He mentions the tu mili or barrows, which tradition appropriates to Achil- les, and Patrorlus, and Ajax. The plain of Troy, saith he, over which we rode, is uf very considerable extent, being twelve miles in length, and five or six bnx.d. It is fertile, and in a good state of cultivation. A great part of the land is laid TYR TYR »ut in pasturage, in which nu- merous herds of cattle browse. The rivers Scamander and Sim- ois run meandering through the plain, and near their confluence, where is now a village, was the scite, as is supposed, of the ancient Ilium. The Scaman- der has now little water; part of its ancient channel is cover- ed with grass. St. Paul repeatedly preached the gospel here, and here he left his cloak, his books, and his parchments. Here it was, on one occasion, that he con- tinued a farewell sermon till midnight. Here it was that he had a vision in the night, the form of a man appeared unto him, and invited him to pass over into Europe, to Macedo- nia, to promote the work of God there. TROGYLLIUM, a pro- montory of Mycale, near to Samos. Here is a town where St. P.ml tarried a whole day. TYRE. The ancient Tyre was upon the continent; Nebu- chadnezzar destroyed the city, and another was buili on an island, about half a mile from the main land. Alexander, >vhen he took the city, filled up the channel and joined the city to the continent, since which it has been a peninsula. Tyre was a famous city of Phoenicia allotted to the tribe 65 * of Asher, Josh, xix, 29, though it does not appear, that the Asherites ever drove out the Canaanites, who possessed the maritime cities of this canton. The city of Tyre is supposed to have been first built by a colony of Zidonians; the proph- et Isaiah, xxiii, 12, calls it, "The daughter of Zidon." It was at first, situated upon a high hill, on the continent, whose ruins are still remaining, under the name of Palsetyrus, or old Tyre. The place had so great a trade and wealth, that "Her merchants were princes, and her trafficers the honorable of the earth," ibid 18. Their riches and splendor were such as might be expect- ed from their immense traffic. The robes of the king were hung thick with emeralds. Though it had once been tak- en and destroyed by Nebu- chadnezzar, yet when Alexan- der the Great came before it, the city had qui e recovered itsdf, and was fortified with a strong wall round it on the brink of the sea, of an hundred and fifty feet in height, so that he had no way of approaching it, in order to make an assault, but by carrying a bank from the continent through the sea to the island, on which the city stood, which, in seven months time he accomplished, TYR TYR and at last took the place. Prideaux Connect. The name of Tyre recalls to the mind of the reflecting reader many events recorded in history, interesting to his heart, and deserving the atten- tion of legislators and Chris- tians. It would, therefore, be. unpardonable not to be some- what particular in our account of this celebrated city. It is now called Sour, and is situat- ed on a peninsula, which pro- jects into the Mediterranean in an oval form. It is a solid rock, covered with brown earth; it is eight hundred paces long, and four hundred broad. The isthmus is of sea sand; this circumstance renders the an- cient insular state of the place very evident, before Alexander joined it to the main land by a mole. The sea has lodged its sands on this mole, and formed the present isthmus. The place is now a miserable village, con- sisting of forty or fifty -poor families, who live obscurely on the produce of their few rods of land, and a trifling fishery. Their houses are no longer opulent dwellings, several sto- ries high, but wretched huts, ready to crumble to pieces. The most remarkable building is the ruins of an ancient Chris- tian church, near to which, amid piles of stones, lie two beautiful columns, with shafts of red granite, which would ere this have been carried off by the Turks, but their archi- tects have not skill enough to move them. Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Jerusalem, and marched against Tyre, the only city which braved the power of his victorious sword, the Tyrians resisted him for thir- teen years; but wearied with the miseries of the obstinate siege they retreated to the isl- and, a quarter of a league dis- tant. Afterward, when Alex- ander must conquer the world to gratify his savage pride, Tyre must be a bleeding vic- tim of his ferocity. Tyre was destroyed, but soon, after re- built. Adrian repaired the place, and it bocarne the capi- tal of the province. After- wards it fell into the hands of the Arabs. It was taken again by Baldwin II, king of Jeru- salem. In 1289 it was finally destroyed by the Sultan of E- gvpt; it was abandoned, and will never rise again. This history of Tyre exhibits the remarkable fulfilment of proph- ecy. While she yet rose in lull splendor; while her com- merce extended "beyond Eng- land to the north, and the Ca- naries to the south," while the shores of Arabia, the Red Sea, and Indian ocean witnessed the tyr TYR enterprize of her merchants and mariners; while she was, in the view «f the nations, what the city of London now is, the commercial metropolis of the Tvorld, her merchants princes, and her traders the nobles of the land, the prophets foretold her fatal doom. Isaiah says, "The burden of Tyre, howl, yc ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house. As at the report con- cerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of an- cient days?" "This ruin was foretold one hundred and twen- ty five years before its accom- plishment, and at a time when ihe Babylonians, who were to be the authors of this destruc- tion, were themselves the sub- jects and slaves of the Tynans, or of the Assyrian empire to which they belonged;and when, therefore, such an event ac- cording to human calculations was exceedingly improbable." (Lowth.J The prophet Eze- kiel adopted the same style, "The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pi- lots. And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come do?/n from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; and shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep bitterly for thee with bitterness of heart, and bitter wailing. And in their wailing they shall take up a bitter .lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sen? When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thcu filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth, with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandize. In the mean time when thou shall be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters, thv merchandize and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid', they shall be troubled in their coun- tenance. The merchants a- mong the people, shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shall be any more. They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers, I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock;, it shall ¥YR UK be the place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea." Passing by Tyre, from curi- osity only, says Mr. Bruce, I came to be a mournful witness of the truth of that prophecy, that Tyre, the queen of nations, should be a rock for fishers to dry their nets on, Ezek. xxvi, "5. Two wretched fishermen, with miserable nets having just given o\tr their occupation with very little success, I en- gaged them at the expense of their nets, to drag in those places, where thev said shell fish might be caught, in hopes to have brought out one of the famous purple fish. Mr. Vol ney, with all his hostility to revelation, has repeatedly yield- ed his testimony to support the cause of truth, though proba- bly, "it was not in his heart, neither did he think so," after viewing the ruins of Tyre, and quoting the twenty seventh chapter of Ezekiel, says, "The vicissitudes of time, or rather the barbarism of the Greeks of the Lower Empire, and the Mahometans, have accomplish- ed this prediction. Instead of that ancient commerce, so ac- tive and so extensive, Sour, (Tyre) reduced to a miserable village, has no Other trade, than the exportation of a few sacks of corn, and raw cotton, nor any merchant, but a single Greek factor in the service of the French at Saide (Sid on) who scarcely makes sufficient profit to maintain his family. Lat. 33,17. ULAI, a river that runs by the city Shushan in Persia, near the banks of which Dan- iel had a famous vision, Dan. viii, 2, 16. It is said to be the greatest river of the prov- ince, and that the Persian kings used no other water. UMMAH, a city of Canaan, of the tribe of Asher, Josh.xix, 30. It was situate between Aezib and Aphec. Lat. 32, 58. UPHAZ, a place where fine gold was obtained, whether it was Ophir, or some other place called Paz or Topaz, is uncer- tain. Calmut thinks it was the river Phasis, on the east of the Black or Euxine Sea, Jer. x, 9; Daw. x, 5, UR, a city of Chaldea, and the city of TV ah, and of Abra- ham.. Gen. xi, 28. God order- ed Abraham to leave the city of Ur, that he might bring him into the land of. Canaan, which he intended to give him and his posterity for an inher- itance. The situation of Ur is not known. Some think it was in Babylonia. Others con- found it with Orcha, or Or- cho, in Chaldea, according to Ptolemy and Strabo. Others take it to be Ura, or Sura, in Syria, upon the Euphrates, uz WOR Bochart and Grotius maintain, that it is Ura in Mesopotamia, two days journey fromNisibe. It is observed, that Chaldea and Mesopotamia are often con- founded together; and that it is said indifferently that this city is in one or the other of these two provinces. The word Ur, in* Hebrew signifies jire; and some authors have pretended, that when Moses says, God brought Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldces, he only intends to say, that God delivered him out of the fire, into which the Chaldees had cast him, for his contempt of their idols. Abra- ham came from the East. UZ, the name of a country; but where it was situated is uncertain. Some believe it was the region near the head of the Tigris, where Pliny and Strabo place the Uxii, and here pro- babiy Uz, the son of Aram did reside. The Hebrews call the country round Damascus, the land of Uz, and the Arabs call it Gaut or Gauta, which has the same import. It is also said that Uz, the son of Aram, built Damascus. Bo- chart, and the authors of the Universal History, and some others, place the land of Uz far south from Damascus, and almost directly east from the tribe of Reuben, and west from Chaidea in Arabia Deserta. They think, that this country received its name from Huz, the son of Nahor, the broth.r of Abraham; in the same gion Ptolemy places the A tae, or Ausitae. Spanheim and others reckon this to have been the country of Job, as it was near the Chaldeans, who plun- dered him of his cattle and slew his servants. His friends, ex- cepting one, were Arabians. Some suppose there was anoth- er Uz in the land of Edom, which had its name from Uz, the Horite. The Arabian wri- ters say that the Adites, who descended from Uz, the son of Aram, resided here for some time, before they removed into Arabia Felix, Lamentations iv, 21. From the connexion in Jer. xxv, 20, it might seem to be in Idumea, between Egypt and the Philistines; yet it does not appear natural to find a ter- ritory here containing a num- ber of kings. Bochart has learnedly shewn, in the first part of his Sacred Geography, that there were two countries of this name. UZZEN-SHERAH, a city of the tribe of Ephraim, built by Sherah, the daughter of Beriah, and grand-daughter of Ephraim, 1 Chr. vii, 22 — 24. This place was near to Bcth- horon. WORLD, in scripture is WOE WOR taken for the whole univer se comprehending the heavens, earth, sea, the elements, the angels, men, animals; in a word, all created beings. 2. It is taken only for the globe of the earth, the waters, and all things they contained. 3. For the race of mankind. Thus Jesus Christ say s to his apostles, John viii, 12, "I am the light of the world.1' A-. d elsewhere, xvii, 25, "0 righteous Father, the world hath not known thee;" and xv, 18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me be- fore it hated you." 4. The world is also put for the lovers of the world, ib. xv, 19, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but be- cause ye are not of the world, bi'i I have chosen you out of the world, the- el ore the world hateth you." And St. Paul says, Gal. vi, 14, "The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." And St. John says, 1 Eph. ii, 15, "Love not the world, or rhe things that are in the world: If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." How far the writers of the Holy Scriptures were acquainted with the world is not a little uncertain. And though it is of some conse- quence, we must speak of the probable extent of scripture geography, with some cau- tion. If a prophecy relate to Italy or Britain, we can by no means apply the prophecy, un- less, we have reason to be- lieve, that those countries were known. The great progenitor of the Jews, probably came from beyond the Gihoon, east- ward. To the east of this country are the borders of Hin- dostan. To the west is the land of Ghaznain, and the bor- ders of Touran, and Markand, and Samarchand, and Bakkara. To the north are the borders of Turkestan. This original country of Abraham is one of the most flourishing and pro- ductive, under. the government of the Koran. It abounds with everykind of fruit. and provision. Their herds and flocks are ex- cellent, and their hills are stored with rich minerals. Abraham did not fly from indigence, but idolatry; he did not seek riches, but a pure worship. The tenth chapter of Genesis has been thought to be a fragment of a larger work; for though doubt- less the writer was acquainted with the colonies east of the Caucassus, he mentions only the emigrations tc the west. Joshua reminds the Israelites of the counti y inhabited by their fathers, "beyond the flood," or the Gihoon. India is, undoubtedly, mentioned, Fsther i, 1, and the voyages Z.AB ZAR t^f Solomon's fleets to that country, would have been less difficult, than to some other regions, which have been de- signated as th-ir places of traf- fic. Nor is evidence wanting that the prophets sometimes had reference to China in their addresses. See Sinim. The Jews in their captivity having resided in the northern part of the Assyrian empire, it would be strange if their prophets had not acquired some knowledge of what has been since called Poland, or the southern part of Russia, perhaps as far as their ancient capital, which has been lately destroyed. To the west, "the islands afar off have not heard my fame, nor seen my glory." These might include not only the islet, of the Medi- terranean, but Spain, and per- haps Great Britain. The Bible has the pre-eminence over every otner book of equal antiquity, over every ancient book, most celebrated in the science of geography, Geographical Ex- cursions. ZAANANNIM, a city of Palestine, of the tribe of Naph- tali, A'licah i, 11. ZABADEANS, Arabians, who dwelt to the east of the mountains uf Gilead. Jonathan the Maccabee, overcame them. See 1 Mace, xii, 31. But it is very probable, that instead of Zabadeans, which is a name entirely unknown, it ought to be read Nabatheans, as Jose- ph us has done. The Nabathe- ans are well known. Z A I R, the same as Seir, which see. ZALMON, a mountain of Palestine near Shechem, Psal. lxiii. Lat 32, 9. ZALMONA, an encamp- ment of Israel, while in the wilderness. Some suppose this was the place where the brazen serpent was raised. ZAMZAMIMS, a race of mighty giants, who probably sprang from Ham, and who dwelt on the east of Jordan; they were finally destroyed by the Ammonites, Deut. ii, 20. ZANOAH, a city of Cana- an, built and inhabited by Je- kuthiel and his posterity. There were two places of this name, Josh, xv, 34, and 56, and ;Es- dras iii, 13. ZAPHON, a city of Cana- an, of the tribe of Gad, Josh, xiii, 27. ZAR A, a city of Moab. It was taken by Alexander Jan- nasus. Josephus. ZARED, or Zered, a brook beyond Jordan, and on the frontier of the Moabites. It discharges itself into the Dead Sea, or is perhaps a branch of the Anion. See Numb, xxi, 12; Deut. ii, 13, 14. Lat. 31, 6. ZARED, a valley in the ZAR ZEB land of Moab, through which the brook of the same name ran. Bonfrerius. ZAREPHATH, or Sarep- ta, a city of the Sidonians, situate in Phoenicia, between Tyre and Sidon, upon the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was remarkable for being the dwel- ling place of Elijah the prophet, (1 Kings xvii, 9, 10) while there was a famine in the land ©f Israel. The town consists now of only a few straggling houses on the top of the hills, half a mile from the Mediterra- nean. Probably the town, an- ciently, stood between these hills and the sea, an extent of ruins is now visible there. In the time of Jerome, and a long time after, they showed the place where the prophet lived. Since this, a church has been erected on the spot; the wine ofSareptawas celebrated. The place is now called Saraphan. Maundrel, Kimpton, p. 233. ZARETHAN, or Zare- tan, a place on the west of the Jordan, near to which the wa- ter of the river rose in a pile, a3 Joshua and the tribes passed the channel, at a distance be- low. Near this place in the plains of Jericho, and almost over against Succotb, were the great vessels of the temple east, Joshua iii, 16; 1 Kings v, 12. Z ARETH- SHAHIR, a city of the tribe of Reuben, beyond Jordan, Josh, xiii, 19. ZEBOIM, one of the four cities of Pentapolis, that was consumed by fire from heaven, Gen. xvi, 2, and xix, 24. Eu- sebius and St. Jerome speak of Zeboim, as of a city remain- ing in their time, upon the western shore of the Dead Sea. Therefore after the time of Lot and Abraham, this city must have been rebuilt, about the same place it was before. Mention is made of the valley of Zeboirn, 1 Sam. xiii, 18, and of a city of the same name in the tribe of Benjamin, Neh. xi, 34. This last is mention- ed as late as A. D. 400. ZEBULUN, a city of the tribe of Asher, but which probably was afterwards yield- ed to the tribe of Zebulun, whence it took its name, Josh, xix, 27. It was not far from Ptolemais, since Josephus makes the length of lower Gal- iite to be from Tiberias to Ptolemais. Elon, the judge of Israel, was of the tribe of Zebu u i, and was buried in this nlace, Judges xii. ZEBULON. This tribe ex- tending from the Mediterranean to the sea of Galilee, w is bet- ter situated for commerce than perhaps any other poition of Canaan. Had Jacob presided ZEM Z1D in the division of Canaan, he could not have described the portions of the tribes more exactly. He hud said, "Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he shall be for a haven of ships." When this tribe came out of Egypt it had 57,400 fighting men. In another re- view 39 years after, this tribe amounted to 60,500 fighting men. This- tribe and Naph- tali distinguished themselves in the war of Deborah and Barak, against Sisera. It is supposed that they were the first carried into captivity, be- yond the Euphrates by Pui and Tiglath-pileser, kings of Assyria. These tribes had the privilege of seeing and hearing Jesus Christ more frequently than any other portion of Israel. ZEDAD, a city of Syria, situate to the north of the land of Promise, Numb, xxxiv, 8; Ezek. xlvii, 15. ZELAH, a city of the tribe of Benjamin, Josh, xvii, 28, where Saul was buried, in the tomb of his father Kish, 2 Sam. xxi, 14. ZEM AR AIM, a city of Benjamin, near Bethel, Josh, xviii, 22. This also is the name given to the mount She- mer, 2 Chr. xiii, 14. The Ze- maraites were descended from the tenth son of Canaan, who is thought to have inhabited Simyra, a city of Phoenicia, near Orthosia. 66 Ze m a r a i m, a mountain near the above city, at the foot of which half a million troops of Jeroboam were slain by the army of Abijah, Josh, xviii, 22; 2 Chr. xiii, 4. ZEPHATH, a city of the tribe of Simeon, Judges i, 17. It is probably the same with Zephathah; and was called Hormah, or Anathema, after the victory obtained by the Is- raelites, over the king of Arad, Numb, xxi, 3; Judges i, 17. ZEPHATHA. The valley of Zephathah, near Maresha, is mentioned in 2 Chr. xiv, 10. ZEREDA,a city of the tribe of Ephraim, the place of the nativity of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 1 Kings xi, 26. ZEREDATHAH, other- wise called Zathau, a city of the tribe of Ephraim. ZlA, Ziha, Zie, Siha, or Siaha, a city of Canaan, east of the Jordan, and five miles west from Philadelphia. Zia, a part of Jerusalem, where those lived, who did ser- vice in the temple. ZIDD1M, a city of Canaan in the tribe of Naphtali. ZIDON. See Sidon. ZIGLAG, or Ziklay, a city which Achish, king of Gath, gave to David, while he took shelter in the land of the Philistines; and which after that aiways remained as a do- main to the kings of Judah, 1 Sam. xxvii, 6. The Amale- Z!0 ZIP kites took and plundered it in the absence of David. Joshua had allotted it to the tribe of Simeon, Josh, xix, 5. It was situate in the extreme parts of the tribe of Judah southward. ZIN, or Sin, a city to the south of the land of Promise, Numb, xxxiv, 4. Perhaps this may be the same with Senah, Ezra ii, 35, or Zin, Josh, xv, 3. This name seems also to be applied to a part, or to the whole of the desert of Paran. ZION, a mountain upon which the temple of the Lord was built, in Jerusalem, by Sol- omon, and where David built the city of David, over against, and to the north of the ancient Jebus, Ps. xlviii, 2, or Jerusa- lem, which stood upon the hill opposite to Zion. The scrip- ture generally puts mount Zi- on for the place, where the temple of the Lord stood; but strictly it wTas rather upon mount Moriah, which was one of the hills of which mount Zi- on was composed. Mr. Re- land pretends, that mount Zion was to the south of Jerusalem, and not to the north. The reader may consult his reasons. See Moriah. A part of Zion, situated on its extremity, was called Millo, of, or in, the city of David, 2 Chr. xxxii, 5. Modern travellers, who have been upon the spot, say, that Zion is the whole of the mountain, on which Jerusalem stands at this day, though not to the extent in which it an- ciently stood on the same mountain, this appears Psalms ix, 12, 15; lxv, 1; lxxxvii; Isai. Ixii, 1. It is swelled in several eminences or tops; as Moriah, Acra, Bezetha, and Zion, a particular eminence, or mount Zion proper, &c. encompassed on three sides, east, west, and south, with one continued, very deep, and steep valley, by means of which it was impreg- nable on these thrte sides, and always attacked, and taken, ac- cording to Josepbus, by the enemy on the north side, where mount Zion becomes level, and the vales of Gihon and Jehoshaphat, gradually lose themselves. This deep, and steep valley, incontestibly con- stitutes the compass of the old Jerusalem on those three sides, as plainly appears to any per- son, who has been upon the spot. ZIOR, or Si or, a city of Judea, of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 54. ZIPH, a city of the tribe of Judah, Josh, xv, 24. St. Je- rome says, that even in his time they shewed the village of Ziph, eight miles from Hebron. Ziph. It appears that there was still another ' city called ZOA ZOH 2iph, near Maori and Carmel of Judah, Josh, xv, 55. Ziph, wilderness oJ\ a desert in the tribe of Judah, on the border of Edovn, where David was a fugitive, lying to the south-east of Hebron; so ealled from Ziph, or Siph, a two-fold town in this tribe, the one more to the south, towards Idumea, on the confines of Elcutherop- olis, the other ehrht miles to the* east of Hebron, towards the Dead sea, inclining southwards, because, near mount Carmel. Plere was a mountain, mention- ed 1 Sam. xxiii, 14, in which David abode, said by Je- rome to be rugged, dismal, and always overcast. The name of the mountain is from the Hebrew word Zephath, which signifies pitch, an article in which this region abound- ed. Kim p ton. ZIPHRON, a city north of the Land of Promise, Numb, xxxiv, 9. St. Jerome says, that it is Zephirium in Cilicia. ZIZ. It is thought this is the same with Ziza, which Ptolemy places in Arabia Petrea. ZOAN, the most ancient royal city of Egypt, where re- sided the court of the Phara- ohs. Several of the miracles wrought by Moses, are said to have been exhibited in the fields of Zoan. By the Greeks this city was called Tanis, from which circumstance we are able to ascertain its situation, for Tanis was on the second mouth of the Nile, east, of course, and not far from the lied Sea. This branch of the river, from the name of- this city, was called the Tanitic mouth, or the mouth by Tanis. See Tanis. ZOAR, a city of Pentapo- lis, lying on the southern ex- tremity of the Dead sea. It was intended to be consumed by fire from heaven, together with the other cities, but at the intercession of Lot, it was pre- served, Gen. xix, 22. It had been called Bela, but when Lot entreated of the angel, that he might take refuge there, and often insisted on the small ness of the place, it received the name of Zoar, which in Hebrew signifies small or little. St. Jerome, however, supposes the place was called Bela, because as soon as Lot left it, it was swallowed up by an earthquake; Bela signifies to swallow up. ZOBAH, a kingdom of Sy- ria, not far from Damascus. Rehob and Hadezer were kings of this country, 2 Sam. viii. ZOHELETH. The stone of Zoheleth was near the foun- tain Royei or En-regel, just under the walls of Jerusalem, 1 Kings i, 9. Some think it was useful to the fullers, or zuz zuz whitsters, to beat their cloths upon, after they had washed them. When Adonijah ex- alted himself saying, I will be king, he slew sheep, and oxen, and fat cattle, by the stone of Zoheleth. ZORAH, a city of Judah, which was built, or fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chr. xi, 10. Zorah, a city belonging to the tribe of Dan, and the birth place of Samson, Judges xiii, 2. It was upon the frontier of this tribe, and that of Judah, not far from Esthael. ZUZIMS, certain giants, who dwelt beyond Jordan, and who were conquered by Ham, by Chedorlaomer and his al- lies, in the year of the world 2079, Gen. xiv, 5. The Vul- gate and Septuagint say, they were conquered with the Reph- aims in Ashteroth-karnaim. The Chaldee interpreters, have taken Zuzim in the sense of an appellative, for stout and val- iant men; and the Septuagint have rendered the word Zuzim robust nations. We meet with the word Z'.jzims only in this place. Calniet is of opinion, that the Zuzims, are the same with the Zamzummims. See Rephaims. THE END. ERRATA ET ADDENDA. In the article Damascus, for Ju- dela, read Tudela. In the article Paradise, for America read Ar- menia. ARBATTIS, a town of Palestine near to Galilee. ARBELA, a town of Galilee. A RCA, a city in the tribe of Asher. ARCE, the capital of Arabia Petrea. ARAXES, a celebrated river of Asia, supposed to have its source in mount Ararat, and by some thought to be the Gihon, mentioned in Genesir, as one of the rivers of Paradise. In Hebrew, Gihon sig- nifies impetuous, or to flow with impetuosity, so does Araxes in Greek, and this stream is large and rapid, especially, at the season, when the snows of the mountains dissolve. The noise of its waters is terrific, boats are dashed in pieces by its fury, and its violence disdains a bridge. See Gihon. ARBA. See Hebron. ARCHELAIS, a city of Judea, built by Archelaus, son of Herod the Great: it is supposed to have stood on the plain to the west of Jordan. Lat. 31, 54. ARCHI, a city or Palestine on the east of Jordan, in the tribe of Mar.asseh. ARETH, or Haueth, a forest of Judea, in which David concealed himself from Saul. SUBSCRIBERS'S NAMES. Capt. W. Andrews, Ipswich Wm. Atwood, Pclham, n. h. Daniel Abbot, Esq. Dunstable, n. h. Rev. Samuel Austin, D.D.Worcester Jonathan Aiken, a.b. Goffsto\vn,N.H. Dea. Phinehas A»ken, Bedford, n.h. Rev- Wm. Andrews, Windliam,Con. Leonard Adams, Dartm. college Josiah Adams, Byfield Gibbins Adams, do. Jonathan Adams, Providence, R. i. Samuel Arnold, do. Otis Ammidon, do. Capt. David Alexander, Dunbarton Mrs. Jane Aiken, Goffstown Rev. Thomas Andross, Berkely Dea. John Adams, Andover Benj. Allen, ll d Brighton Jonathan Burnham, Ipswich Benjamin Burnham, do. Benjamin Burnham, jun. do. Mrs. Ann Burnham, do. Mrs. Mary Baker, do. Charles Bowen, Esq. Northfield, 5 B. Brown, jrn. Vassalboro' Zach. Bro-. ., jun New Ipswich Josiah Batcheiler, jun. do. Francis Bliss, do. Capt. Asa Blodget,Nottingham, n. h. Elijah Brigham, jun. Westboro', 2 Wm. Beeton, do. Otis Brigham, do. Jacob Burbank, Washington, n. h. 5 Ch. A. Bagley, Goffstown, n. h. Capt. Nathan Barns, Bedford Miss Sally Burnham, Dunbarton Aver Brown, Hamilton Capt. Nathl. Burnham Rev.Wm.G Ballantine, Washington Amos Barrett, Hinsdale Rev. Abijah Blanchard, Principal of the Grammar School, and Su- perintendant of the Lancaster School, Waterford, n. y. 3 copies Nathaniel Bancroft, Reading Jonathan Bancroft, jun. do. Aaron Bancroft, do. Jedde Brown, do. David Ball, do. George Blake, Springfield Robert Blinn, Provid< nee, n. J. James Burrill, do. Nicholas Brown, do. Alpheus Billings, do. Rev. Joshua Bates, Dedham Moses Bricket, Newbury Mrs. Mary Burroughs, Boston. Rev. Ch. Burroughs, Portsmouth Hon. S. Betton, Esq. Salem, Me. Andrew Brimmer, Boston, 2 copies John L. Blake, student in Divinity, Providence, r. i. Ebtn. Burgess, Tutor Brown Uni» versity, Providence Rufus Brown, Bristol, n. v. Dea. Joshua Chaplain, Rowley Capt. William Colman, Byfield Wm. Church, Providence, r. i. Samuel Currie, do. Samuel Carlisle, do. Amos Clark, Dedham Rev. John Codman, Dorchester Oliver T. Cathcart, Goshen Rev. Thomas Crafts, Middleboro' Parker Cleaveland, Esq. Byfield Nehemiah Cleveland,Esq.Topsfield Moses Colman, Byfield Mary Coombs, Newburyport Mrs. Mary Colman, do. Thaddeus Chapin, Canandaigua,N.Y. Eli Clark, do. Jonathan Cogswell, Esq. Ipswich William Cogswell, jun. do. Nathan Choate, do. Abner Choate,' do. Joseph Choate, do. Mrs. Miriam Choate, do. John Choate, do. George Choate, do. Clarke Chandler, Esq. Col rain William Cogswell, Hampton Seth Cutter, jun. Pelham, n. h. Thomas Caileton, Vassalboro' Harvey Chapin, Springfield Rev. J. H. Church, Pelham, n. h. Rev. John Crane, d. d. Northbridgc Dea. John Craig, Bedford Lieut. Th. Caldwell, jr, Dunbarton Subscribers^ Names. l)ca. "flics. Cochran, New-Boston Dea. Robert Clarke, do. Daniel Cogswell, Ipswich Samuel Chandler,Esq. Bedford, n.h. Mellin Chamberlain, Dartrm Coll. Benjamin Colman, Byfield Jonathan Cuitis, a.b, Hallowell,Me. Nehemiah Dodge, Ipswich Dr. Edward Dean, Bath, n. h. 5 Capt- Richard Dole, Bedford Rev. Gordon Dorrance, Wmdsor Dr. Trumbull Dorrance, Dtdton F. Drake, Esq. Saratoga county.N.Y. Miss Susan Damarest, Waterford Richard Davis, Esq. do. Moses Dole, Byfield John Dole, do. Benj. G Dexter, Providence, r. i. John Dwinell, Manchester Frederick Dickenson, Northampton David Dunlap, Esq Brunswick, Me. Wendell Davis, Esq. Sandwich Miss Mary A. Davies, Newburyport Amos Emehy, Byfield Rev. Reuben Emerson, S.Reading,2 Rev. Joseph Field, Charlemont. Elisha Fisk, Wrentham, 5 copies Rev. Jona. Fisher, Bluehiil, Me. 5 Joseph Fowle, jun. Esq. Hampton Capt. Solo. Fay, Westboro' Josiah Forsaith, Goffstown, n. h. Stephen French, Bedford, n. h. Capt. Moses Foster, Hamilton Capt. Jos. S. Foster, do. Cooledge Forbush, Westboro' William Fay, do. Amos Ford, Windsor Miss Philena Francis, Hinsdale Dea. Benj. Farnum, Andover Elihu Fay, Westboro' Ann Francis, Newburyport. Thomas Giddings, Ipswich Samuel Giddings, do. Rev. Samuel Gile, Milton, 8 copies Elizabeth C. Griffin, Dracut Rev. Joseph Goffe, Sutton Elijah Gleason, Westboro' Jotham Gillie, Goffstown, n. h. Theodore Goff, Bedford Dr. Jonathan Gove, Esq. Goffstown William Green, Dumbarton Miss Clarissa Gove, Goffstowtt John Gilcrest, do. John Goodwin, Reading Rev. Eliph. Gillet, Hailowell, Me Samuel Godfrey, Providence, r. i. John H Greene, do. James Gould, Esq. Gill Thomas Gage, Byfield Nathan Guvney, jun Esq. Abington David Gilbert, Bristol, n. y. Jehemiah Hill, Boston Rev. Richard Hall, New-Ipswich Lieut. Nehe. Huichinson, Dunstable Mrs. Agnes Hemphill, Windham Elias Haskell, Waldoboro', Me. James HUweis, jun Wevtboro', Theophiius Hcnick, Gloucester Benjamin Haskell, do. 2 copies Rev. Daniel Huntington, Bridgwater Thomas Hammond, Dunbarton James S. Morton, Grafton George Henry, Merrimac 2 copies Rev. Moses Hallock, Piainfield John House, Waterford, n. y. John Heath, Esq. Roxbury James H. Harris, Dartm. College Joshua Holt, do. Geo. A. Hailowell, Providence, r. i. George Holroyd, do. Henry Hoppin, do. Benjamin Hoppin, do. Rev. WTalter Harris, Dumbarton Robert Hail, Goffstown Jared Hawks, Goshen William Hyde, St Co. Bath, Me. i Robert Howell, Newbury Dea. Joseph Hale, Byfield Dea. Joshua Holt, Greenfield Sarah Hale, Newburyport Thomas P. Ives, Providence Timothy Jones, Berlin, 5 copies Dr. Benj. A Joslin, Hoosack, n. y. Nathaniel Jaquiih, Reading J.,mes Jones, Goffstown James Jones, Greenwich Dr. Benjamin Jones, Lyndeborough Rev. Caleb Knight, Hinsdale, 10 Richard Knight, Do. Alva Kimball, Springfield Joseph Knight, Brown University. Daniel Low, Ipswich Subscribers^ Names. Jeremiah Low, Ipswich Shubael Lcvit, Hampton John Lawrence, Ashley Rev. Otis Lane, Sturbridge Rev. Joseph Lee, Royalston, Mass 5 D. K. Lighthall, Wateribrd, n. y. Charles Lewis, Reading Samuel Lees, Byfield Rev. Daniel Love joy, Fairfield, Me. Zebediah Lothrop, Providence Joshua H. Langley, Do. * Jonathan Lyman, Goshen Mrs. Priscilla Longfellow, Byfield Edmund Little, Newbury Rev. Bailey Loring, Andover John M'Kenzxe, Ipswich Rodolphus Miller. Esq. Westboro' Thomas Morse, jr Do. Miss Sally B. M'Qucston, Bedford Dea. Wm. Moore. Do. Dea. John Mills, Dunbarton Capt. Matthew S. M'Curdy, Do. . Lieut. Thomas Mills Do. Jedidiah Morse, D.D. Charlestown 2 Cyrus Mann, a.m. Dartmouth Coll. David Mighiil, Rowley Joseph R. Mason, Providence Joseph S. Martin, Do. Vv iiliam M'Qucston, Goffstown, Robert M'Gaw, Merrimac Col. Robert M'Gregore, Goffstown, Ambrose Marsh, Milton John Marble, Bradford Ebenezer New-hall New Ipswich Noah Norton, Abington, John Nelson, Leicester Miss Sally B. Neal, Goffstown Timothy Nichols, Reading Richard Nichols, Do. Rev.# S. Nott, Franklinton, Conn. Ephraim Noyes, Byfield Solomon Noble, Blancliord, Mass. Dorcas Noyes, Newburyport Miss Mary Orr, Bedford John Orr, Esq. Do. Mrs. Hannah Osgood, Andover Isaac Osgood, Esq. Do. Rev, Jona. Osgood, Gardner, Mass. James Perkins, Ipswich Mibs Lucy Perkins, Do. Jonas Patch, Ashby Jeremiah Prichard, jr. New Ipswich Wm. Parsons, Conway, Mass. Andrew Peters, Esq. Westboro' Joel Parker, Do Robert B Parkman, Do. William Parker, Goffstown, Jacob Peiiey, Dunbarton Nathan Parker. Esq. Merrimac Capt. William Parker, Dunbarton Aaron Philips, Merrimac 2 copies Breck Parkman, Esq Westboro* Charles Parkman. Do. Rev. Jcpthah Pool, Savoy Dr. Elijah Porter, Waterford; n. y. William Parker, Reading David Pratt, Do. Nathan Plummcr. Newburyport Jonas Parker, jr Reading Col. Nathan Parker, Do. Amos Parker, Do. Ira Pearson, Do. Joseph Perry, Dartmouth College James Palmer, Byfield Jacob Pcrley, Do. Amelia Parish, Newbury Theophilus Packard, Shelburne, 5 Charles Peabody, Bradford Caleb Packard, Springfield Lieut. Geo. Poor, Goffstown, n. h. William Parker, jr. Do. James Parker, Esq. Bedford William Parker, Goffstown Edward Page, Do. Thomas Pollard, Do. Capt. John Perrom, Manchester Rev. Warren Pierce, Milton, Samuel Poor, Newbury Josiah Parker, Byfield Col. Samuel Pearson, Providence, r. i. 25 copies Daniel Putman,jr. Lunenburg A. Picket, New-York John Palmer, Rowley Elisha Parish, Esq. Bristol, x. y. Esther Park, Newburyport Marcus Piatt, Foxborough Rev. EzekielRich, E. Greenwich Samuel Redington, Esq Vassalboro' Isaac Riddle, Esq. Bedford, n. h. William Riddle, Do. Daniel Roberts, Hamilton Subsoribers's Names. Rev. Eiisha Rockwood, Westboro' Philemon Richardson, Reading Azor Richardson, Do. Cornelius Richardson, Do. Asa Richardson, jr. Do. Hugh Riddle, Bedford Daniel Row, Goffstown Asaph Rice, Northborough Thomas Skwall, m. d. Ipswich, 30 Stephen Story, Do- Elisha Story, Do. Alvan Sanderson, Ashfield Rev. Jotham Sewall, Chesterfield Zach. Stearns, Gloucester Dr. John Stevens, Goffstown, n. h. Lieut. Moody Stevens, David Story, Esq Dunbarton Samuel B. Saltmash, Goffstown Rev. John Smith, Salem, n. h. Moses Scott, Esq. Waterford Jeremiah Spofford, Rowley, 5 copies Solomon Stickney^ Byfield Samuel C. Shuter, Do. Society of Social Friends,Dart.Col.5 John Sanderson, Middlebury, Vt. Augustus Saunders, Providence John Smith, Dunbarton Dr. Symmes Sawyer, Do. Joseph Sargent, Goffstown Jeremiah Searle, Newbury Rev. R. S. Storrs, Braintree, 2 cop. Frederic South gate, Tutor Bowdoin College Daniel M. Spafford, Rowley • Sarah Spragnes, Newburyport Mrs. Sally Somerby, Do. John Sleeper, Ditto James Tufts, Wardsborough Hon. Christopher Tappan,Hampton Hart Talbot, New Ipswich Stephen Thurston, Goffstown, n. h. Capt. Shubael Tenney, Dunbarton John Taylor, New-Salem, Saroh Tyler, Mcthuen Elizabeth Tenney, Byefield Capt. N. Tucker, Milton Oliver Taylor, Goshen, Mass. Rev. Samuel C. Thatcher, Boston David Tenney, Student Harv. Col. 5 Miss Mary Titcomb, Newbury John Taylor, Bristol, n. y. Kaac Upton, Reading Daniel Van Alstike, Esq. Water- ford, n y. Isaac Ver Velin, Ditto Guevt Van Schoonhaven, Esq. Do. John Vibbard, Ditto John Wheelock, l. l. d. President of Dart. College Thomas H. Wood, Halifax, Vt. Rev. Luther Wright, Medway Capt. Thomas Ward, Hampton Rev. Josiah Webster, Ditto Rev. Avery Williams, Xexington J. C. Washburn, Esq. Fairfax, Me. Newton Willey, New-Ipswich Franklin White, Springfield John Wilder, Hingham John Williams, Esq. Conway,Mass. Amos Warren, Charlestown Win. Whipple, Gloucester Lieut. Thomas Wallace, Goffstown Thomas Whittle, Ditto George Wood, Rowley Nicholas Woodbury, Hamilton Calvin Waldo, Esq Dalton William Ward, Worthington, E. Whitney, A. m. Waterford n. y. W. W. Woodward, Phiadelphia,2G> Samuel Woodbridge, Reading Susanna Winn, Ditto Joseph Wheeler, Ditto Capt. Abijah Weston, Ditto Palemon Wolcut. Cumberland Joseph Wood, Westminster Joseph Wardvvell, Dart. College Amos Wood, Ditto Eli Warren, Westborough Alfred Warner, Springfield Silas Wyman, Reading Thomas S. Webb, Providence, r i. Miss Esther Wadsworth, Milton, William White, Goshen Henry Whipple, Sa'cm 25 A. Woodward, Esq. Medfield, 15 Isaac Winslow, Esq. Boston Rev James W-lson,Providence,R.i. Gamaliel Wilder, Esq. Bristol, n. y. Jonathan Wilder, Ditto Rev. Nathan Waldo, Plainfield, n. y, **&& Nf inVW