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 THEEE MONTHS' EESIDENCE AT NABLUS, 
 
 AND AN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 THE MODEEN SAMAEITANS.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDKR 
 
 MILFOUD LANE, STilAND, W.C.
 
 THREE MONTHS' RESIDENCE 
 
 N'ABLrS, 
 
 AND AN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 THE MODEEN SAMAEITANS. 
 
 By Rev. JOHN MILLS, F.E.G.S., M.R.A.S. 
 
 MEMBER OF THE SYRO-EGYPTIAN SOCIETY, HON. SECRETARY OF 
 
 THE ANGLO-BIBLICAL INSTITUTE, AND AUTHOR OP 
 
 "the BRITISH JEWS," ETC. ETC. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 
 
 1864. 
 
 [7'he ru/ht of translation is reserved. 1
 
 
 JOHN LEE, ESQ., U.D., F.R.S., F.E.G.S., F.S.A., Q.C. 
 
 ETC. ETC., 
 LATE PEESIDENT OP THE KOYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, 
 
 %\% follctoing Morli 
 
 IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCEIBED, 
 
 AS AN EXPRESSION OF ADMIRATION FOE HIS VARIED LEARNING, 
 
 OF ESTEEM FOR THE SERVICES HE HAS RENDERED 
 
 TO THE SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY, 
 
 AND 
 
 OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KIND FRrENDSHIP FOR 
 
 HIS HUMBLE SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR 

 
 P E E F A C E. 
 
 The Samaritans, as Dean Stanley justly remarks, are 
 " the oldest and smallest sect in the world," and, I 
 may also add, perhaps the most interesting. Having 
 inhabited Nablus, where they now dwell, since the time 
 of Nehemiah, and ha\ing perpetuated their ancient 
 customs and sentiments, the life of such a people 
 cannot but be of importance, especially to the Bible 
 student. An increasing interest in them has been felt 
 by learned men in Europe since the time of Scaliger, 
 and a correspondence of small extent, and at distant 
 periods, was opened with them by certain Europeans.* 
 
 Several eminent travellers have given brief notices of 
 the Samaritans,! but no full account of them, so far as 
 I am aware, has ever been attempted. With the \dew 
 
 * These letters have been com- Samaritans" (London, 1855); Miss 
 
 piled and edited by M. De Sacy, Beaufort's "Egyptian Sepulchres 
 
 and published in Vol. XII. "Bib- and Syrian Shrines" (2 vols., Lon- 
 
 liotheque du Roi,'" Paris, 1831. don, 1862) ; Stanley on the " Sa- 
 
 f Robinson, in his " Biblical raaritan Passover," in a note to 
 
 Researches in Palestine" (3 vols., " Sei-mons in the East" (London, 
 
 London, 1847) ; Wilson, in the 1863) ; Grove, in a notice on 
 
 "Lands of the Bible" (2 vols., "Nablus and the Samaritans" in 
 
 London, 1847); Bowring, in his "Vacation Tourists" (London, 
 
 tract on "Samaria and the Sa- 1861); and Abbe Barges' " Les 
 
 niitrltans" (London, 1837) ; She- Samaritains de Naplouse" (Paris, 
 
 laby, in his "Notices of Modern 1855).
 
 Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 of endeavouring to supply this desideratum, I visited 
 tliem on two different occasions — once in 1855, and 
 again in 1860 — remaining with them some months. 
 During this time I had daily intercourse with Amram, 
 the priest, and he is my sole authority for all the im- 
 portant facts I have given concerning his people. In 
 eliciting information from him, I made Jewish life my 
 stand-point, so as to be able to compare the Samaritans 
 and Jews, to know in what they agreed and in what 
 they differed, and it is for the reader to judge how far 
 I have succeeded. I have purposely refrained from ad- 
 vancing any of my own speculations, or of making any 
 comments, hut have confined myself to merely record- 
 ing as faithfully as I could just what I saw and heard. 
 
 The first Part, being a brief survey of the neigh- 
 bourhood, and an account of the other inhabitants 
 of Nablus, will, I trust, be not less acceptable to the 
 reader. 
 
 Yohannah El Karey, a young Arab, and a native of 
 Nablus, whom I first met at Jerusalem and there en- 
 gaged to read Arabic with me, accompanied me to his 
 native place, and rendered me great assistance ; which 
 I am glad to aclmowledge here. 
 
 For fuller information on sundry Jewish points, I 
 must refer the reader to my " British Jews." 
 
 40, Lonsdale Square, London, 
 9)th November, 1564.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A GENERAL VIEW OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Natural Features — Mountains Gerizim and Ebal — Imad ed Din — 
 Ruins on Ebal — Ancient Tombs — Cave Ruins on Gerizim — Sama- 
 ritan Temple — Sacred Rock — Gilgal Stones — Valley of Shecliem 
 — Fountains — The Plain— Mount Salmon— Set es Salamiyah — 
 Sheech el Amud ......... 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SCRIPTURAL ASSOCLATIONS. 
 
 Abraham — Melehizedek — OflFering of Isaac — Jacob — Sacred Oak — 
 Idols, or Teraijliim — Joshua — Blessings and Cursings — Monu- 
 mental Stones — Joshua's Altar — Joseph's Tomb . . .34 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 TOWN OP NABLUS OR SHECHEM. 
 
 Name — Original Site — History — Singular Mounds — The City de- 
 scribed .......... 68 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 Population — Mussulmans— Native Christians — Protestants . . 94 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DOMESTIC LIFE. 
 
 Old Customs unchanged — House described — Arab Family — Food and 
 
 Meals — Arab Picnic — Samaritan Dinner . . . .105
 
 X CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 VISITORS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Salutations— Kissing the Hand— Standing — Smoking— Coffee . . 139 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DEATH AND ITS CONSEQUKNCES. 
 
 A Feast — Death of Im Dahud — Funeral and Burial — Lamentation 
 
 — Offering for the Dead — Dispute concerning Propei-ty . .148 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A SECOND MARRIAGE. 
 
 Abdallah's Second Love— Marriage— Arab Wedding . . .160 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TRAITS OF CHARACTER. 
 
 Love of Money — Untruthfulness— Deceit — Irreligion . . . 165 
 
 PAET II.-THE MODERN SAMIEITANS. 
 
 Introduction .......... 174 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 domestic LIFE AND DUTIES. 
 
 Desire for Offspring— Birth of a Child — Circumcision — Naming a 
 Child— Redemption — Arba Cauphoth — Tephillin — Mezuzah — 
 Bar Mitsvah — Talith — Marriage — Polygamy — Divorcement — 
 Chalitsah— Purifications — Food — Treatment of the Dead . .188 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. 
 
 Religion and the Nation — Officers — Articles of Faith — God — Messiah 
 — Future State — Resurrection— Future Misery and Happiness — 
 Forfdrcncss of Sins . . . . . . . .209
 
 CONTENTS. xi 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE SYNAGOOUE AND ITS SERVICE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Name — Synagogue described — Peculiarities of the Service — The 
 
 General Sei'vice-^Music of the Synagogue .... 22'2 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SABBATH AKD NEW MOON. 
 
 Sabbath Limits — Sabbath Rest — Sabbath and Conversation — Ap- 
 pearance of New Moon — Service for New Moon . . . 235 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN YEAR. 
 
 The Year described — Beginning of the Months- — Table of the New 
 
 Moons— Samaritan Months ....... 240 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN CALENDAR. 
 
 The Passover — Feast of Unleavened Bread — Pentecost — The First of 
 Tishri — Day of Atonement — Feast of Tabernacles — Feast of 
 Purim 248 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MOUNT GERIZIM AND THE HOLT PLACES. 
 
 Worship on Mountain — Sacredness of Gerizim — Names of Gerizim 
 
 —Sacred Tombs 268 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SOCIAL CONDITION. 
 
 Character of the Nablusites — Sufferings of the Samaritans — Euro- 
 pean Protection — Social Distinction ■ . . . . 275 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 LANGUAGE. 
 
 Arabic — Samaritan — Samaritan Alphabet — Hebrew or Sacred . . 282 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH. 
 
 History — Origin — Described — Facsimile — Its Divisions — Its Docu- 
 mentary Character — Its True Value — The Ancient Copy — Trans- 
 lations 294
 
 xii CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 SAMARITAN LITERATURE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Its History— A List of Works at Nablus 316 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ANTAGONISM OF SAMARITANS AND JEWS. 
 
 Ephraim and Judah — The old Spirit continued in the New Testament 
 
 Time — Same Spirit continued ...... 323 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Samaritak Chronology 330
 
 NABLUS 
 
 THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A GENERAL VIEW OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
 
 THE neighbourhood of Nablus, or Shechem, is one 
 of the most interesting and important spots men- 
 tioned in the early history of the Holy Land. There 
 is every reason to believe that venerable and sacred 
 associations have clustered around it from the earliest 
 period. In all probability, Gerizim had been a con- 
 secrated mount, and had witnessed the performance 
 of sacrifice and religious rites, ages before Abraham 
 and his grandson Jacob erected there their altars to 
 Jehovah. Nor is it unlikely that Ebal also had wit- 
 nessed similar solemnities. And in the early history 
 of the Israelites, as we shall subsequently see, She- 
 chem became the capital of the conquerors, and exer- 
 cised no small influence over the destinies of the 
 nation. 
 
 The great natural features of the neighbourhood are 
 the two mountains Gerizim and Ebal, standing erect
 
 2 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Gh. I. 
 
 like two giants, as if in defiance of each other, with the 
 little valley running between them ; and on the eastern 
 side the extensive and noble plain, stretching from north 
 to south. 
 
 .,,ir|il;!|ill|l(///*r. 
 
 ■6 mw 
 
 VALLEr OF NABLUS 
 
 i»LAIN 
 
 GERIZIM 
 
 1. Joseph's tomb. 
 
 2. Jacob's well. 
 
 3. Ruins on Mount Ebal. 
 
 4. Askar. 
 
 5. Ancient tomb. 
 
 6. Sit es Salamiyah. 
 
 7. Imad eJ Din. 
 
 8. Amud. 
 
 9. Samaritan sacred places. 
 
 We shall, first of all, take a general survey of the 
 two mountains. 
 
 It is difficult to determine the origin of the names of
 
 Ch. L] the modern SAMARITANS. 3 
 
 these mountains. Of Gerizim,* the most probable is 
 the one proposed by Gesenius, who derives it from the 
 name of an ancient tribe — the Gerzi or Gerzites, who, 
 it seems, had encamped here. The name of this people 
 is only once mentioned in history, and then in conjunc- 
 tion with the Geshurites and Amalekites, where it is 
 said that those nations were of old the inhabitants of 
 the land (1 Sam. sxvii. 8) ; referring, however, in this 
 instance, not to the neighbourhood of Mount Gerizim, 
 but to the south of Palestine, '' as thou goest to Shur, 
 even unto the land of Egji^t." If this derivation is 
 correct, Gerizim would mean " the hill of the Gerizites." 
 There is an instance of a similar derivation in another 
 neighbourhood. In Genesis x. 18, the Zemarites are 
 named as a Canaanitish tribe, but their name does but 
 once reappear in history, and then only in a local name 
 — the Mount Zemarain, with a city of the same name 
 thereon (2 Chron. xiii. 4; Josh, xviii. 22). 
 
 The name of Ebal f is, perhaps, still more uncertain. 
 The derivation given to it by Gesenius, bl^^^, void of 
 leaves, has no foundation. Amram, the Samaritan 
 priest — of whom more anon — derived it from b2ik, to 
 
 * The natives call it Et-Tur. as tlie name is not included in the 
 
 This name was given to it from Samaritan list of names of the 
 
 early times. The earliest author mountain. De Saiilcy, quoting this 
 
 that mentions this name is, I be- passage from a tliiferent manuscript, 
 
 lieve, El-Masudi, in his " Meadows has itTur-berik (vid.Chrestomathie 
 
 of Gold and Mines of Gems," wiit- Ai'abe, tom. ii. pp. 342, 343). 
 ten about the beginning of the + The names by which the natives 
 
 tenth century. He tells us that call this part of the mountain are 
 
 the mountain was so called by the Slt,esSa!a7ni7jah,iim\ImadcdI>in, 
 
 Samaritans themselves. This, how- from the tombs of two Mohammedan 
 
 ever, would seem to be a mistake, saints hereiiiafter noticed. 
 
 B 2
 
 4 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 mourn, from the fact that the slopes of this mountain 
 have heen the burial-places of the inhabitants of these 
 parts from the remotest ages. This derivation involves 
 the anomaly of exchanging Aleph and Ain ; but similar 
 anomalies being known to the Semitic languages, we 
 may, perhaps, accept it — at all events, until some other 
 more tenable be suggested. It may be, after all, that 
 the names of both mountains belong to a language far 
 anterior to the period of the Israelitish conquest — the 
 language of some aboriginal tribe now lost to history. 
 
 The height of these mountains, compared with that 
 of the mountain-chain to which they belong, is not 
 remarkably great. They both reach an elevation of 
 about 2500 feet above the level of the Mediterranean. 
 But the towns of Saphet, in the north, and Hebron, in 
 the south of Palestine, stand at no less an elevation 
 than 2800 feet ; while the two extremities of the chain 
 — ^Mount Hermon in the north, and the heights of 
 Sinai in the south — tower up to about an elevation of 
 from 10,000 to 11,000 feet. In relation, however, to 
 the immediate neighbourhood and the surrounding dis- 
 trict, Mounts Gerizim and Ebal appear to great advan- 
 tage. At their eastern abutments, the extensive and 
 noble plain stretches from north to south, whilst the 
 mountains themselves run in parallel ranges from east 
 to west, having the little valley of Shechem lying be- 
 tween. This valley has an elevation of about 1700 
 feet above the Mediterranean, and the mountains them- 
 selves tower up some 800 feet higher still, attaining the 
 aforesaid elevation of 2500 feet. The sight of both,
 
 Cir. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 5 
 
 lifting up their gigantic heads as twin lords of the 
 mountains of Ephraim, is very striking ; and the view 
 from their summits, extending from the high range 
 beyond the Jordan on the east, to the blue waves of the 
 Mediterranean on the west, is truly magnificent. 
 
 It has been the general opinion from a very early 
 date, that the two mountains differ essentially in their 
 appearance and fertility, Gerizim having by far the 
 preference. Some of the early travellers, such as 
 Benjamin of Tudela,* have confirmed this opinion. 
 Maundrell,f however, with his usual good sense and 
 discrimination, states that neither had much to boast of ; 
 and other modern travellers have endorsed his opinion, 
 which is, upon the whole, undoubtedly correct. From 
 the town (Nablus) to the eastern opening of the valley 
 — a distance of about a mile and a half — where the 
 two mountain ranges have their starting points, which 
 are, strictly speaking, the Mounts Grerizim and Ebal, 
 both mountains rise immediately from the valley in 
 steep and mostly precipitous declivities to the height, 
 as already said, of 800 feet ; and both, as seen from 
 the valley, are equally naked and sterile. But imme- 
 diately behind the city, and there only, Gerizim has the 
 advantage, owing to a copious stream that flows through 
 a small ravine at the west side of the town. Here are 
 orchards and gardens, full of life and vegetation. On 
 Ebal also, opposite the town, there are several gardens 
 and cultivated plots ; some are old, but the majority 
 are of late planting, and all are in a comparatively 
 
 * Travels, a.d. 1160-1173. t Travels, a.d. 1697.
 
 6 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 thriving condition. They can never, however, equal 
 those on the Gerizim side, on account of a deficiency of 
 water. Nor do the tops of the two mountains present 
 any very essential differences. All the difference that 
 does exist is decidedly in favour of ELal. Both are 
 cultivated to some extent, and bear crops of grain, as 
 well as affording pasturage for flocks of goats ; both, 
 however, are bare of trees. On Ebal, beyond the 
 highest ridge in front of the town, is a considerable 
 space, well cultivated, comprising several fine fields of 
 grain and some good vineyards. On its northern side, 
 and on its eastern brow also, it appeared much superior 
 to any part of Oerizim, so far as I could judge. The 
 northern slopes, with the adjoining undulating plain, 
 have a remarkably fine appearance. The whole district 
 is dotted with vineyards, olive-groves, cornfields, and 
 all the pleasing variety of a careful cultivation. In 
 fact, it is one of the richest and most delightful scenes 
 in the whole country. 
 
 I may as well, perhaps, add here, that both hills 
 are infested with jackals, which frequently strike up 
 nocturnal concerts, those of one hill answering 
 those of the other, and vieing with each other in 
 their antiphonal but hideous music. I was told 
 by the natives that Ebal was not unfrequently 
 visited by hysenas and other beasts of prey, 
 especially bears. None of these did I have the 
 satisfaction of seeing. One day, however, whilst 
 traversing the summit, two beautiful gazelles sprang 
 up before us ; and about half an hour afterwards.
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 7 
 
 whilst my eyes were intently fixed upon a curious 
 circle of stones, as I was walking towards it, I trod 
 upon a poor timid bare, which bounded off before I 
 had a moment's time to console it. These were 
 the only animals seen by me upon this mountain. 
 
 Before closing these remarks on Mount Ebal, I 
 will add a brief account of the remains I there met 
 with, in the course of several visits made during my 
 stay in the neighbourhood; and I feel the more 
 interest in so doing, inasmuch as no modern 
 traveller, so far as I am aware, has visited it, 
 with the exception of the late Mr. Bartlett, who 
 made one hasty scramble up its side. 
 
 About midway to the summit, fronting the city, 
 stands the only edifice now remaining on Mount 
 Ebal; this is called "Imad ed Din" — the pillar 
 of religion. According to the current tradition 
 this " Imad ed Din " was built over the tomb of a 
 Mohammedan saint of the same name (the building, 
 of course, receiving its name from the saint), who 
 flourished some 500 years ago. Since then the 
 mountain itself, especially the side upon which the build- 
 ing stands, has been commonly called by that name. 
 The building is used as a mosque; but some of the 
 native Christians told me that originally it was a 
 Christian church. It consists of two apartments. 
 The first, comprising the southern end of the 
 building, measures twenty-four feet long by twenty- 
 one feet mdc, and is surmounted by a dome. The 
 floor was partly paved with fragments of very
 
 8 NABLUS AND [Ch.I. 
 
 beautiful mosaic work, wrought in marble of red, 
 blue, and white. Some were of a circular form, 
 measuring thi-ee feet in diameter, and others were 
 square, of a somewhat similar size. The second, or 
 inner room, occupying the northern end, has a 
 length of twenty-four feet, and is ten and a half 
 feet in breadth. The floor here was covered with a 
 filthy straw matting, and in the middle was a large 
 wooden lamp-stand, made in imitation of a tree 
 with a goodly number of branches. On these a 
 number of lamps were hanging, together with a 
 formidable array of filthy rags, placed there by 
 pilgrims in honour of the saint, whose tomb, 
 they say, is in the northern wall, indicated by a 
 marble slab placed against it. In the front of the 
 building, on the north-western side, is a court, 
 measuring some forty feet square. In the north- 
 western corner of this court is a small and dirty 
 out-building of modern date. Into this, I was 
 informed, the Mohammedans go when maldng a 
 covenant with the dead saint regarding any object 
 they may have in view, promising if he gi-ant them 
 success, that they will in return make a feast to his 
 honour. Near this, and within the court, is a well 
 hewn out of the rock, measuring eighteen feet 
 square and about eighteen feet deep, with a flight of 
 ten steps leading down into it under a pointed arch. 
 
 Clambering up from this building until we 
 reached the top of the first ridge, we came to an 
 immense number of loose stones, which might
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 9 
 
 lead the traveller, at first sight, to conclude that 
 they must be the ruins of former buildings ; but 
 upon closer examination he finds that there is no 
 evidence to support such a conclusion. Continuing 
 our course eastward, and reaching the highest 
 ridge fronting the town, we find that the summit 
 forms a kind of circular mound enclosed by a wall 
 of loose stones. From a distance it appears like 
 the remains of a strong tower — and when approaching 
 it for the first time, I had great hopes that it would 
 prove to be something of the kind ; but, to my great 
 disappointment, I found that it was only the enclosure 
 of a very poor vineyard. Still, from the configura- 
 tion of the place, as well as from the vast number 
 of stones fit for building, I cannot but think that 
 some massive structure must have stood here in 
 former ages. Dr. Olin states, in his Travels, that he 
 saw, or imagined he saw, from Gerizim, the ap- 
 pearance of ruins on Ebal, nearly opposite Nablus, 
 but was unable to satisfy himself by a nearer ex- 
 amination. I have no doubt he saw what I am now 
 speaking of, and very naturally supposed it to be ruins. 
 Crossing these vineyards, with their shrubs and wild 
 flowers, which made every step we took redolent with 
 sweet odours, we came to a table-land on the north-east, 
 where there are several excellent vineyards and well- 
 tilled plots of ground. Here I stumbled upon what ap- 
 peared to me to be the remains of an ancient road. It 
 ran from this spot, in a northerly direction, towards the 
 summit of the mountain. I fully intended to examine
 
 10 NABLUS AND [On. I. 
 
 it carefully before leaving the neighbourliood, but failed 
 to do so. I am persuaded, however, that there was an- 
 ciently a road here, and, I should conclude, superior to 
 anything now found in the country. It struck me at 
 the time, from its apparent breadth and regularity, that 
 on careful examination it might prove to be the remains 
 of a Roman road, Palestine never having had good roads 
 excepting the few constructed by the Romans. 
 
 On various parts of the table-land at the top of the 
 mountain are several circular enclosures of loose 
 stones, some standing, in a tolerable state of preserva- 
 tion, whilst others are partly demolished, with the 
 stones scattered all around. Some of these stones 
 have all the appearance of having been selected, if not 
 prepared, for certain parts of the building ; but I could 
 not fully satisfy myself whether or not I could trace on 
 them the marks of hammer and chisel. One of these 
 enclosures measured 210 feet in diameter, and some 
 others are of similar dimensions. The question then 
 presented itself, what could these be ? Were they the re- 
 mains of any ancient constructions ? In reply it struck 
 me forcibly at the time, that most likely they belonged 
 to the aborigines, or perhaps to the Israelitish con- 
 querors of the time of Joshua. And here it is worthy 
 of observation that the Hebrew word I^JH {chatser), 
 generally rendered court or village, means in its topo- 
 graphical sense a village exactly corresponding to what 
 these might have been — namely, a stone wall having 
 tent-cloth drawn over it. It would be just the kind of 
 village suitable for a people during their transition
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 11 
 
 state from a nomadic to a settled life. Many such 
 villages are mentioned, especially in the early history of 
 the country ; such, for example, as Hazar-adar in the 
 extreme south (Num. xxxiv. 4), and Hazar-enan in the 
 extreme north (Num. xxxiv. 9), and in all prohahility, 
 these on Mount Ehal were of the same class.* 
 
 On the highest point, exactly fronting the temple 
 spot on Mount Gerizim, are the remains of another 
 enclosure, different from these. This is a square, 
 measuring 108 feet on every side, built mostly of large 
 stones. The south-eastern and south-western corners 
 are in a better state of preservation than the others. I 
 could not altogether satisfy myself, in this case also, 
 whether or not tools had been used in its erection^ 
 The space inside was entirely covered with luxuriant 
 grass, with the exception of one spot, a little to the 
 south of the centre — a circle of about a yard in 
 diameter, which was perfectly bare. Some 300 feet 
 east of this enclosure, we discovered an old cistern, 
 measuring two yards and a half in diameter, but filled 
 up with loose stones. A little farther down, still east- 
 ward, we found another cistern, in a better condition. 
 This was hewn out of the rock, and of a circular form. 
 Its mouth measured two feet three inches in diameter ; 
 but, inside, it measured some eighteen feet in diameter. 
 The bottom was covered with loose stones and rubbish ; 
 
 * The Yezicli, a Kvirdisli family of long strips of goat-liair cloth 
 
 not far from Aleppo, construct sewn together, and raised high by 
 
 their houses at present in the same long poles of wood, the roof is 
 
 fashion. They build a stone wall formed, which is impervious both 
 
 some five feet high, and by means to the rays of the sun and to rain.
 
 12 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 to what depth we could form no idea. Its present 
 depth is about ten feet. About eighteen feet to the 
 west of this well we saw what appeared to be some kind 
 of building, but covered to a level with the gi^ound with 
 loose stones and earth. We removed enough to dis- 
 cover what it was, and found it to be a piece of masonry, 
 forming a flight of steps leading down to some sub- 
 terranean place, most likely to the adjoining cistern. 
 The three upper steps were in a comparatively good 
 state of preservation, but lower down we could not 
 penetrate, as we were not provided with any implements 
 for digging. 
 
 Below this, but close by, Ave found unmistakable 
 evidences of a former dwelling. There were no im- 
 portant ruins, nor could we trace any form of building ; 
 but the spot was strewn over with fragments of pottery 
 and tessellated stones. 
 
 Some 600 feet further down the side of the mountain 
 we found another circular enclosure of loose stones, 
 measuring from sixty to seventy feet in diameter, but 
 the wall much smaller than those on the summit. On 
 its northern side was a ridge of rock, and, on examina- 
 tion, we found there an ancient tomb. The entrance 
 was completely blocked up with loose stones. We re- 
 moved enough to make a partial examination. Both 
 ante-chamber and tomb were hewn out of the rock. 
 The former was a square of nine feet, and the top was 
 worked into a pointed arch. The tomb itself, so far as 
 we could discern, was similar to those near the foot of 
 the mountain, which we shall presently notice.
 
 Cii. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 13 
 
 When we sat and reflected upon the historical con- 
 nections of Mount Ebal, it forcibly occurred to us that 
 perhaps we had just beheld some of the most sacred 
 spots in the history of the Israelitish conquerors. If, 
 according to the Hebrew text, Joshua built an altar on 
 Ebal, then there is no spot in its whole range more 
 favourable to its erection than that within the square 
 enclosure which we have just described. The spot 
 within it, so bare of all vegetation, might have been so 
 rendered from observances connected with the sacrificial 
 duties, such as the use of salt ; and the cisterns and the 
 dwelling close by, as well as the tomb, might have 
 belonged to the priest's family. This, of course, is 
 only bare supposition. 
 
 Along the base of the mountain we found a goodly 
 number of tombs hewn out of the rock, much after the 
 same style as those about Jerusalem, especially those 
 on the Hill of Evil Counsel. These tombs extend 
 from the south-eastern corner of Ebal westward beyond 
 the city. To describe them all would be tedious and 
 useless. A brief account of one must suffice, and will 
 serve as an example of the rest, with this proviso, that 
 the one under notice was the largest that I met with in 
 good preservation. It is one of three tombs belonging 
 to the same ante-chamber. This ante-chamber is hewn 
 out of the rock, but open towards the south and to the 
 sky. It measures thirty-one feet and three inches in 
 length, twenty-three feet and six inches in width, and 
 from nine to twelve feet in depth. The entrance into 
 the tomb is five feet and ten inches high, five feet and
 
 14 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Cn. I. 
 
 six inclies wide, and three feet and six inches deep. 
 There had been double doors to it, hewn out of the 
 rock itself, and of similar character with those in the 
 tombs of the kings at Jerusalem, so often described by 
 
 GROUND PLAN of AH ANCIENTTOMB. 
 
 O S 10 
 
 travellers. The doors themselves were not to be found, 
 but the holes wherein the pivots turned were easily dis- 
 tinguished. Having entered, we found the sei^ulchral 
 chamber to be a square room, measuring six feet eight 
 inches from east to west, and six feet eleven inches from 
 north to south, with a flat ceiling. On the three sides
 
 Cn. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 15 
 
 were niches for the dead. The one on the northern 
 side, opposite the entrance, was of a square form, with 
 an arched roof, and divided by a groove in the floor into 
 two compartments. On the other two sides there were 
 similar recesses, but a little smaller in size, and without 
 a groove in the floor. 
 
 This ante-chamber, with its suite of tombs, evidently 
 belonged to an early period in the history of the 
 country, and might have been originally the property 
 of one of the leading families of Israel. But I may 
 here remark that Amram, the Samaritan priest, told 
 me that the oldest Samaritan burial-ground was in 
 this locality, and the one under notice might have 
 belonged to that people. I have only to add on this 
 subject, that we found tombs apparently much older 
 than any in this locality a little to the west of the city, 
 on the slopes of Mount Ebal. 
 
 Before we leave this mountain there remains one 
 other spot to be visited. It is a little past the south- 
 eastern corner, close to the village called Askar. 
 When passing this place one day, and noticing that 
 a copious stream of water ran down past it, we traced 
 its course until we found that it issued out of an 
 artificial cave, which ran some distance into the moun- 
 tain. To the north of the cave, but close by, there 
 was a huge block of stone, upon which we at once saw 
 evident traces of art. The tout ensemble appeared as 
 if it had been prepared for a seat — a kind of rude 
 throne fronting the east. Clambering to the top, we 
 found that two shelves or steps had been chiselled
 
 16 NABLUS AND [Cu. I. 
 
 out of it. The upper one stood about forty inches 
 from the summit of the stone, and measured about 
 fifteen feet in length. The lower one stood about 
 twelve inches below this. A yard and a half lower 
 down was a platform of six feet square, hewn out of 
 the stone. Behind this was a hole chiselled out, 
 about three feet deep, and a little more than three feet 
 in diameter at the surface, but gradually narrowing, 
 until at the bottom it only measured twelve inches. 
 What could have been the object of this vast block of 
 rude art we could form no conjecture. 
 
 The entrance into the cave, judging from its present 
 appearance, had been richly adorned with a variety of 
 sculptures, though only a few traces, and those 
 imperfect, are now remaining. The cave itself is 
 hewn out of the rock, and is seven feet deep and three 
 feet wide. Along the centre of its floor an artificial 
 trough is sunk, one foot wide and six inches deep, in 
 which the stream flows. This trough, as well as the 
 cave in general, is worked with great care. Having 
 proceeded some sixty feet up the cave in a westerly 
 direction, the trough ceased, and the water flowed over 
 the whole floor. Wading along we found the water to 
 be intensely cold. Some seventy-five feet farther 
 brought us to a pointed arch in front of a grotto, which 
 had thousands of bats clustering on its roof. On our 
 left were two other grottoes, the three forming a kind 
 of triangle — north, south, and west. The one on the 
 south had an arched entrance, but not pointed. The 
 one on the west had no arch, and its floor was strewn
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 17 
 
 over with large blocks of stone, evidently hewn out 
 of the place. It was out of this grotto the stream 
 issued. We had now reached the end of the cave. 
 
 I ought to have observed that the stream did not 
 discharge itself from the mouth of the cave, but was 
 made to flow through a cavity on the southern side 
 near the mouth into another small cave, whence it 
 issued into a large square open reservoir hewn out of 
 the platform rock nearly in front of the cave.* 
 
 We shall now cross the valley and visit the remains 
 that still exist on Mount Gerizim. There are two 
 roads, or rather paths, leading up — one direct from 
 Nablus, the other from the valley, nearly a mile to the 
 east of the city. The easier one, and that which the 
 inhabitants have been accustomed to use from the 
 earliest ages, is the former. It leads through a small 
 ra\dne behind the city on the west, past several luxu- 
 riant gardens, and a copious stream of excellent 
 water, the principal supply of the city. About midway 
 to the top of the mountain the path divides into 
 two — the one on the right hand leading to neighbour- 
 ing villages, and that on the left leading to the top of 
 the mountain. Fifteen or twenty minutes of not very 
 hard climbing will bring us to the first ridge, and 
 another quarter of an hour will bring us to the highest 
 and eastern platform. This is the site of all that is 
 
 • This is called by the inhabi- thirty thousand at least. It is 
 
 tants, after the name of their used, to some small extent, to irri- 
 
 hamlet, A in Ankar, and is large gate the plain, 
 enough to supply a population of
 
 18 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Gh. I. 
 
 really interesting on Mount Gerizina. This part of the 
 hill is strewn all over with the remains of former 
 buildings, a full description of which would require 
 
 SAMARITAN TEMPLE 
 NORTH. 
 
 ISO FT 
 
 n 
 
 90 f"- 
 
 WEST. 
 
 [^ 
 
 vS 
 
 EAST, 
 
 SOUTH 
 
 100 200' 
 lilil 1 I M t I I I I I 
 
 more space than we can now devote to it. We shall, 
 therefore, confine ourselves to a brief survey of the 
 principal objects. 
 
 1. On our right hand, as we approach the principal
 
 Cn. I.J THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 19 
 
 niins, is the place where the Samaritans perform the 
 Pascal and other ceremonies. This spot we shall 
 describe more fully when we come to speak of the 
 Passover. 
 
 2. Leaving a vast amount of ruins on our left hand, 
 we come to the principal remains. They consist 
 mostly of an enclosure nearly square, measuring about 
 240 feet from east to west, and about 254 feet from 
 north to south. At the four corners are square pro- 
 jections of different dimensions, varying from sixty- 
 five to seventy-five feet in extent. These formerly 
 formed square rooms or towers. In the middle of 
 the southern wall is a similar one. The entrance into 
 the enclosure is in the middle of the northern wall, 
 and measures about seventeen feet in width. Near the 
 centre of the square is an octagonal building, having 
 its doorway on the northern side ; and close by, on its 
 north-eastern side, are the ruins of what must once 
 have been a most beautiful cistern. The present 
 remains of the walls of the enclosure vary in their 
 measurement from five to fifteen feet in height, and 
 from five to six feet in thickness. The stones are of 
 moderate size. I measured several, and the largest I 
 met with were about four feet nine inches long and 
 two feet four inches deep ; they are all well cut and 
 bevelled, as it is generally termed, in the Phoenician 
 and Jewish style. The eastern wall is built upon the 
 crest of the mountain, overlooking the noble plain 
 beneath. 
 
 On the north-western side, and joined to the enclosure, 
 
 c 2
 
 20 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 are walls, manifestly of similar date and character. 
 They form a square of about 150 feet on each side, and 
 are divided into three compartments — two small, and 
 one large. The smallest of these, adjoining the north- 
 western corner of the large enclosure, measures about 
 sixty feet from east to west, and about thirty-nine feet 
 from north to south. This has been used for a Moham- 
 medan cemetery. Attached to this, on its eastern side, 
 is the second compartment, measuring about ninety feet 
 from east to west, and about forty-nine feet from north 
 to south. Both these enclosures are several feet lower 
 than the main enclosure. To the north of these, and 
 from fifteen to twenty feet still lower, is the third com- 
 partment, occupying the remainder of the 150 feet 
 square. 
 
 From the entrance into the chief enclosure, the 
 remains of another wall appear, running obliquely to 
 the north-east, and, at a distance of 150 feet, there 
 appears to have been a large room on the right-hand 
 side, and a smaller one on the left ; now both in shape- 
 less ruins. 
 
 The square room in the north-eastern corner of the 
 main enclosure is now used as a mosque. It is sur- 
 mounted by a cupola of modern construction, and, 
 according to the Mussulman tradition, covers the remains 
 of Sheech Ghranem. 
 
 Such are the outlines * of these ruins, once the mag- 
 
 * For further account I must mains to be the niins of a Roman 
 
 refer my readers to "Murray's fortress; and to M. De Saulcy, who 
 
 Handbook of Syria ;" and Dr. has given a more minute but fanci- 
 
 Robinson, who believes these re- ful descriijtion, together with a
 
 Ck. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 21 
 
 nificent temple of the Samaritans, and occupjdng the 
 most imposmg site in the whole of Palestine.* 
 
 3. On the south-western side of this main enclosure, 
 and at a distance of some 240 feet from it, is a platform 
 of rock of rather a smooth surface, but irregular in its 
 outline. It has an inclination to the north-east ; and 
 measures forty-eight feet from east to west, and thirty- 
 six feet from north to south. Near the southern extre- 
 mity there is a hollow in the surface, measuring fifteen 
 inches by thirteen. At the north-western end there is 
 a kind of cistern hewn out of the rock. This cistern 
 appears to have been a very large work, but is now filled 
 with rubbish within six feet or less of the top. It is 
 covered with a very primitive kind of masonry. The 
 orifice, which measures nine feet in length, is made of 
 two moderately large unhewn stones, placed so as to 
 form a kind of arch, with a small one between them as 
 a lock. Two other stones are added to strengthen the 
 work. The whole is strongly but roughly finished, and 
 has all the appearance of an ancient work. With the 
 exception of the cistern, the whole place we are now 
 viewing is in its natural condition ; there are no traces 
 of art, no evidence of man's device. 
 
 grounclplan, but not a very accu- tending from tlie trans-Jordanic 
 
 rate one. Mr. Thomson, in his mountains on the east to the Medi- 
 
 *' Land and the Book," has given terranean on the west, upon the 
 
 a more correct groundplan. blue bosom of which I could dis- 
 
 • On my first visit, in 1855, by tinctly see the white canvas of 
 
 the assistance of my Samaritan some vessel. The view was much 
 
 guide, I was able to get up to the grander than even that from Mount 
 
 top of the mosque, and obtained Tabor, 
 thence a most glorious view, ex-
 
 22 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 According to the Samaritan tradition, this rocky 
 surface is the sacred shrine of Mount Gerizim from the 
 remotest ages. It was here that Abraham prepared to 
 sacrifice his son Isaac. This was the Bethel of Jacob, 
 where the heavenly messengers held communion with 
 the patriarch. Amram, the Samaritan priest, accom- 
 panied me on my first visit to the spot, and, on our ap- 
 proaching the place, he took off his shoes, because, he 
 said, it was holy ground. He informed me that the 
 surface of the rock was the ancient sanctuary of the 
 Most High ; and that the hollow on the southern side 
 was the Holy of Holies. There is no improbability in 
 supposing that the spot has been the sanctuary of 
 Gerizim from the earliest period ; the rock being the 
 altar upon which the sacrifices were slain and burnt, 
 and the cistern the receptacle of the blood, entrails, 
 &c. ; but what particular service had the hollow — 
 Amram's Holy of Holies — I cannot conceive. 
 
 I may here add, that on the north-eastern side of the 
 principal enclosure, I noticed an opening, apparently 
 into the earth, but I found it to be a trough, running 
 underneath the enclosure, in the direction of the rock 
 and cistern just mentioned, and emptying itself down 
 the eastern brow of the mountain. It might have had 
 communication with this very place ; and certainly had 
 with some place in that direction. It measured twenty- 
 two inches in depth, and twenty inches in width, and 
 was worked with burnt brick, well cemented inside. It 
 bore the same character as the one that communicates 
 between the Pools of Solomon and the Temple area.
 
 Cn. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 23 
 
 I have only to add, that originally the Hehrews, 
 like the Druids and other' ancient nations, performed 
 their religious ceremonies in the open air; and I 
 noticed more than one similar surface on Mount Ebal 
 — but without a cistern attached to them — upon which, 
 in all probability, similar rites were wont to be per- 
 formed. 
 
 4. Close to the western side of the main enclosure, and 
 running parallel to it, is a line of rocky slabs, called by 
 the Samaritans Aasher Bclatat, the ten stones ; it 
 appeared to me to be only a large rocky platform, divided 
 by natural fissures. The Samaritan tradition, however, 
 asserts that the twelve stones put up by Joshua at Gil- 
 gal (Josh. iv. 19—24), were removed from Gilgal, and 
 placed under these huge blocks, and that they remain 
 here to this day. But it is also said that the stones 
 under this altar are written upon. There is no evidence 
 that Joshua wrote at all upon the stones set up at Gilgal, 
 but only on the stones set up, according to the Hebrew 
 text, in Mount Ebal (Deut. xxvii. 1—8), which we shall 
 notice anon. Which of these were removed, according 
 to the Samaritan tradition, to Mount Gerizim, is a 
 problem. The tradition is undoubtedly ancient, and 
 referred to by early travellers. Benjamin of Tudela, 
 for example, tells us that in his time (a.d. 1162), the 
 tradition was, that the platform now referred to was an 
 altar built with the Gilgal stones. To me, as to most 
 if not to all modern travellers who have noticed it, the 
 character of the platform appeared doubtful. I could 
 not satisfy myself whether it was formed of detached
 
 24 NABLUS AND [Cu. I. 
 
 stones placed together, or was one rocky platform, 
 having fissures on its surface. Nor could I see the 
 reason why it is called the ten stones, as there were 
 evidently twelve, or rather, thirteen ; unless out of re- 
 gard to the ten trihes that formed the kingdom of Israel. 
 I have visited the place repeatedly, and, on one occasion, 
 in company with the Samaritan priest : on expressing 
 my doubts with regard to their tradition, he expressed a 
 perfect willingness to bring it to a test. The thought 
 of discovering the stones of Gilgal, or those written upon 
 by Joshua, was truly electrifying ; and I determined upon 
 excavating before leaving the neighbourhood. Knowing 
 the cupidity of the local government, and the fanaticism 
 of the people generally, I had to carry out my plan as 
 quietly as possible, and on the 26th of March, 1860, I 
 partly accomplished my object. I hired three Arabs, 
 and, together with my Arab friend Yohannah, we all set 
 to. The Arabs, as usual, sincerely believed that I 
 was seeking for some hidden treasure, nor would they 
 be persuaded otherwise, but halted continually at their 
 work until I had promised them a full share of the 
 spoil, and a certain sum of hackslieesh, should we fail 
 to find anything. We commenced at the middle stone, 
 and having uncovered the immediate earth, I found, to 
 my great satisfaction, that they were really separate 
 blocks of stone, and not one rocky platform. But next 
 came disappointment : the stones were so heavy that we 
 could not turn them over without tlie aid of mechanical 
 power, which we, unfortunatc^ly, did not possess. I ex- 
 amined the blocks as carefully as the circumstances
 
 Ch. L] the modern SAMARITANS. 25 
 
 would admit of, but could find no traces of any kind of 
 writing. The stones, however, were not sufficiently 
 uncovered to enable me to satisfy myself that there was 
 no writing on them. It is not impossible that the Gil- 
 gal stones are here, or even the ones written upon by 
 Joshua. I hope, some day, to be more fortunate in the 
 attempt to test the tradition. 
 
 As a conclusion to our brief survey of the antiquities 
 of Gerizim, I may add that the earth, all around the 
 spot where the temple stood, is strewn with the ruins 
 of former buildings. I picked up fragments of old 
 pottery, and I noticed several old cisterns here and 
 there, some very large, but all in ruins, and mostly 
 hidden from sight. 
 
 I have already mentioned the valley between the two 
 mountains — the valley of Shechem. It runs from east 
 to west, and extends from the eastern abutments of the 
 two mountains for several miles to the west. A por- 
 tion of it only belongs to our present notice, namely, 
 from its eastern opening to the city of Nablus, a dis- 
 tance of about a mile and a half. 
 
 At its very commencement, on either side, are the 
 two most interesting monuments of the neighbourhood, 
 Jacob's Well and Joseph's Tomb ; the former near the 
 foot of Gerizim, and the latter near the foot of Ebal, 
 as if keeping guard over the parcel of field bought by 
 the patriarch of the children of Hamor. These wc 
 shall again visit. A little farther on, and near the 
 centre of the valley, stands a small village, of which we 
 shall have something yet to say. About half-way from
 
 26 NABLUS AND [Ch.I. 
 
 the entrance of the valley to the town of Nabliis, we 
 come to the place where the two mountains approach 
 nearest to one another. Here the breadth of the 
 valley is about a quarter of a mile, or a little more. 
 Here also is the highest ground; and it forms the 
 watershed between the valley of the Jordan on the onfi 
 hand, and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. The 
 valley thus far is, at present, comparatively bare of all 
 lands of trees ; but I was told that, in former years, 
 there were numerous trees of various lands studding 
 the valley. As we proceed towards the city, the moun- 
 tains again recede, and the valley widens to about half 
 a mile or more. It is hardly in any part a flat level, 
 but is a gradual slope of the two mountains until they 
 dovetail into each other. The part nearest the city is 
 well wooded from side to side. The olive, as in the 
 days when Jotliam delivered his famous parable, is the 
 principal tree. Some of these have the appearance of 
 extreme age, far older than any in the neighbourhood 
 of Jerusalem. The town itself is surrounded by 
 orchards and gardens, where figs, mulberries, grapes, 
 almonds, oranges, apricots, and other fruit luxuriate. 
 The vegetables are various and abundant. Such are 
 its general characteristics. 
 
 This valley has been spoken of by travellers in the 
 most glowing terms, and depicted as one of the most 
 beautiful spots to be met with. Comparatively it is so. 
 To the traveller who reaches it from Egypt and 
 the south of Palestine, it appears like a kind of little 
 paradise ; and even when reached from the more verdant
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 27 
 
 and fertile north, it pretty well sustains its character. 
 Instead of stones, and rocks, and barrenness, which 
 almost universally characterize the country, especially 
 southward, we here meet with a strip of land hemmed 
 in on both sides by two gigantic mountains, somewhat 
 green with grass, and studded with olive-trees, and in 
 the vicinity of the town covered by gardens and 
 orchards, luxuriant with vegetation, though destitute on 
 the one hand of all traces of science, art, and taste, 
 but abounding on the other with rubbish and filth of all 
 kinds. Compared, therefore, with Palestine in general, 
 the valley of Nablus is a beautiful garden ; but with 
 similar localities in our own country it will not bear a 
 moment's comparison. Nevertheless, it contains within 
 itself all the natural resources necessary to make it 
 worthy of the most extravagant praise that could be 
 lavished on it ; and with European industry, and art, 
 and taste, I do believe that it could be made one of the 
 most charming spots upon the face of the globe. The 
 two great agents of fertility, as is well known, are heat 
 and moisture ; and in this valley there is an abundance 
 of both. 
 
 Perhaps I may as well notice the springs in the 
 town and its vicinity before going farther. The in- 
 habitants boast much of the abundance of water ; 
 and well they may. They speak of some scores 
 of springs in the town and its neighbourhood; 
 and I believe that, within some two miles' radius, 
 from thirty to forty really exist. In the town and 
 its immediate neighbourhood, however, they are more
 
 28 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 copious than numerous ; and here I felt somewhat 
 disappointed in the expectation I had formed from 
 some travellers. There is not a single spring watering 
 the valley from the Ehal side till we have passed the 
 city for some distance ; from Gerizim to the east of 
 the city there are two, whose sources are not far from 
 each other, and near the watershed, ahout midway 
 from the town to Jacob's Well. One of these dries up 
 during the summer months ; the other — Aln Daphne — 
 a very copious stream — runs through an underground 
 artificial channel for some distance, and issuing out 
 near the road, continues its course in an open channel, 
 past Jacob's Well, turning a mill on its way, and 
 emptying itself to water the plain. Close by, in 
 the little village of Baluta, is another excellent 
 fountain, called by the inhabitants A'ln Balata ; it 
 issues from a kind of subterranean chamber supported 
 by three pillars, and flows in a stream sufficiently 
 great to supply a population of twenty or thirty 
 thousand. These three are the only springs to the 
 east of the city, and within the Nablus valley ; but 
 these are copious enough to supply a very great popula- 
 tion. Within the city itself the principal supply is 
 derived from a stream descending along the ravine on 
 the western side of the town, which flows in abundance 
 along the channel of some of the streets. The 
 fountains are numerous. The most remarkable, Ain 
 el Kerun, is under a vaulted dome, and is reached by a 
 flight of steps ; the water is conveyed hence by con- 
 duits to two of the principal mosques and some
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 29 
 
 private houses, and afterwards seiTes to water the 
 gardens. The various streams run on the northern 
 side of the town into one channel, which serves to turn 
 a corn-mill that is kept going summer and winter. 
 
 There is one feature pointed out by Van de Velde as 
 belonging to this valley which I may as well mention. 
 Having described the beauty of the place, he proceeds 
 to say, " There is a singularity about the vale of 
 Shechem, and that is the peculiar colouring which 
 objects assume in it. You know that wherever there 
 is water the air becomes charged with watery particles, 
 and that distant objects beheld through that medium 
 seem to be enveloped in a pale blue or grey mist, 
 such as contributes not a little to give a charm to the 
 landscape ; but it is precisely these atmospheric tints 
 that we miss so much in Palestine. Fiery tints are to 
 be seen both in the morning and in the evening, and 
 glittering violet or purple coloured hues where the 
 light falls next to the long deep shadows ; but there is 
 an absence of colouring, and of that charming dusky 
 haze in which objects assume such softly blended 
 forms, and in which, also, the transition in colour from 
 the foreground to the farthest distance loses the hard- 
 ness of outline peculiar to the perfect transparency of 
 an Eastern sky. It is otherwise in the vale of 
 Shechem, at least in the morning and evening. Here 
 the exhalations remain hovering among the branches 
 and leaves of the olive-trees, and hence that lovely 
 bluish haze. The valley is far from broad, not 
 exceeding in some places a few hundred feet : this you
 
 30 NABLUS AND [Ch. I. 
 
 find generally enclosed on all sides ; there also the 
 vapours are condensed ; and so you advance under 
 the shade of the foliage along the living waters, and 
 charmed by the melody of a host of singing birds — 
 for they, too, know where to find their best quarters — 
 while the perspective fades away, and is lost in the 
 damp vapoury atmosphere." Now, allowing something 
 for the colouring of an eloquent and descriptive writer, 
 Mr. Stanley, in a note on this passage in his own 
 work, says, " These remarks on the moist atmosphere 
 of Shechem are so far confirmed by my own experience, 
 that the valley between Nablus and Samaria was, 
 when I saw it, wrapped in thick drizzling mist, such 
 as I saw nowhere else in Syria." Now, there is no 
 doubt that these gentlemen witnessed the appearances 
 of which they speak ; but it is a mistake to suppose 
 that such are common to the neighbourhood. During 
 my two visits to the place, I saw no phenomena of the 
 sort, although during my later stay I had them par- 
 ticularly in my mind, nor could I learn from the 
 inhabitants that they ever occurred. The subject, 
 however, is of no great moment ; it only shows how 
 the most trustworthy travellers may be led to wrong 
 conclusions from occasional appearances. I have only 
 to add, that most of the singing birds seem to have 
 caught a cold during my visit, for I heard only a few, 
 and those but feeble songsters. 
 
 To the east of the two mountains and of the valley 
 is a noble plain, stretching for several miles from north 
 to south. Both sides arc fianked by mountains ; on the
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 31 
 
 west, those of ELal and Gerizim ; and on the east those 
 lying between it and the Jordan valley. On the slopes 
 of these mountains nestle several thriving villages. The 
 plain, to some extent, is cultivated by the inhabitants 
 of these villages, who raise a considerable amount of 
 corn as well as other productions. The beholder might 
 still point to its waving corn-fields, now in the beginning 
 of the month of May, and say, in the words of our Saviour, 
 " Lift up your eyes and look on the fields ; for they 
 are white already to harvest " (John iv. 35). 
 
 Before we dismiss our brief account of the neigh- 
 bouring country, we may as well mention that Jerome, 
 in his work, " De Locis Hchraicis " (voce Gerizim), 
 locates the Gerizim and Ebal mentioned in Deut. 
 xi. 29, 30 ; Josh. viii. 30-35, not here, but in the neigh- 
 bourhood of the traditional Jericho, and charges the 
 Samaritans with gross error, or something worse, in 
 having placed them near Nablus. The monk had pro- 
 bably, with others before him, felt a difiiculty in the 
 history of the passage of the Jordan, to reconcile the 
 real position of the two mountains with the position 
 of the traditional Jericho; hence the selection of 
 two mountains nearer to Jericho, forgetting the pos- 
 sibility of the site of the conquered Jericho not being 
 yet discovered. But he seems to have laboured under 
 another difficulty, namely, the improbability that the 
 words of the law could have been heard across the 
 valley at Shcchem, as narrated by Joshua. We shall 
 recur to this point in our next chapter. But as to the 
 position of the two mountains — the Gerizim and Ebal
 
 r>2 NABLUS AND [Cn. I. 
 
 of Moses and Joshua — there can be no clouht. No spot 
 in Palestine is handed down by tradition with greater 
 certainty ; but, independently of this, the sacred text 
 defines the position beyond all question by placing 
 them " beside the plains of Moreh." 
 
 My reader will, probably, recollect that another 
 mountain-name is mentioned in the Old Testament in 
 connection with this spot, either as another name for 
 one of these two under notice, or as the name of a 
 peak of one of their ranges, i. e. Mount Salmon. 
 From the narrative in the Book of Judges (ix. 48), it 
 appears evident that Salmon must have been in the 
 immediate vicinity ; the name only occurs once again 
 in Scripture, namely, in Psalm Ixviii. 14, "white as 
 snow in Salmon." I felt a little curious to know 
 whether any tradition remained amongst the Samaritans 
 concerning this mountain, and whether the name had 
 entered in any way into their literature ; but they knew 
 nothing of it. Amram, as he himself informed me, 
 had never heard the name. 
 
 About one-third of the way up the side of Mount 
 Ebal, in front of the town, is a bold perpendicular rock, 
 some sixty feet high, called, after a Mohammedan 
 female saint, Sit cs Salamhjali. In front of the rock 
 there stands a building, consisting of two small cham- 
 bers and an ouah) for prayer, but all in a dilapidated 
 condition. Near the centre of the rock is a cave, 
 eighteen feet by nine ; and another, in the western 
 corner, twenty-one inches by eighteen, with its entrance 
 closed by a stone wall. The legend says that the female
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 33 
 
 saint died at Damascus, and when put into a coffin, 
 darted off through mid-air, and turned into this cave : 
 when the western corner opened of its own accord to 
 receive the holy remains. All the Mussulman pilgrims, 
 as well as the Nablusites, visit this tomb, bringing with 
 them a supply of oil to burn there to her honour. 
 Generally, they have some request to make of her, such 
 as to bless them with sons, or with riches, or to give 
 them success in any enterprise : promising, in return, 
 to be liberal with their lights to her honour. When I 
 visited the place, dozens of earthen bottles, which had 
 been used for carrying oil, lay scattered about ; and 
 scores of earthen lamps studded the ledges of the 
 rock, where they had been placed to burn out their 
 lights. From this saint, as already remarked, this 
 part of Mount Ebal is called by the natives Sit es 
 Salamiyah. 
 
 About half-way between the city and Jacob's Well, 
 and nestling in a bend of Mount Gerizim, is the mosque 
 Sheech el Amud (the saint of the pillar), so called from 
 a Mussulman saint. This saint, however, is only a 
 modern invention of the Mohammedans. By the 
 Samaritans, the building is simply called The Pillar, 
 their tradition identifying it with the pillar or stone set 
 up by Joshua. They also believe that the celebrated 
 oak under which Jacob buried the idols stood on the 
 same spot.* The Mohammedans come here occasionally 
 to pray, but no great honour is paid to the place, if we 
 may judge from its present dilapidated state. 
 
 * See page 48. 
 
 D
 
 34 NABLUS AND [Cii. II. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SCRIPTURAL ASSOCIATIONS. 
 
 rpHE most important neigliLourbood in the early his- 
 -^ tory of the country is that of Shechem. We have 
 ah'eady seen that it was a centre of religious associa- 
 tions hefore it became the subject of sacred histor}^, and 
 that many, even then, were the social and political inte- 
 rests that clustered around it. 
 
 It is noticed by the sacred narrative for the first time 
 in the account of the arrival of the father of the faith- 
 ful in the land of promise. "And Abram took Sarai, 
 his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their sub- 
 stance that they had gathered, and the souls that they 
 had gotten in Haran ; and they went forth to go into 
 the land of Canaan ; and into the land of Canaan they 
 came. And Abram passed through the land unto the 
 place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the 
 Canaanite was then in the land." — Gen. xii. 5, G. From 
 this brief narrative it is evident that the neighbourhood 
 was already in the possession of the Shechem family, 
 and the town, which has transmitted their name to 
 posterity, in all probability, was already built. The 
 patriarch halted at the " plain of Moreh," or rather, at
 
 Cii. II.] THE MODERN SAMAEITANS. 35 
 
 the oak of Moreli. Here the Almighty reappeared to 
 him, and gave him the promise of the whole land ; and 
 here Abraham built an altar to the Most High. The 
 whole narrative would suggest the idea that this oak of 
 Moreh was not a common one, but that the place was 
 already a consecrated spot, and the tree a sanctuary for 
 patriarchal worship : just as we find the same kind of 
 tree figuring in the druidical worship — and this, by the 
 way, is not the only point of similarity in the two sys- 
 tems of religion. This idea of the sanctity of the spot 
 will further appear if we admit that close by dwelt the 
 venerable Melchizedek, " priest of the Most High God," 
 who, in after years, went out with bread and wine to 
 meet the patriarch Abraham, and to bless him (Gen. 
 xiv. 18—20). That a town of the name of Salem stood 
 in the immediate neighbourhood seems to me to be 
 beyond all doubt. It is expressly mentioned, as we 
 shall yet see, in the history of Jacob (Gen. xxxiii. 18), 
 and again, after many ages, in the apocrj^ihal books 
 (Judith iv. 4) ; and again it reappears in the New Testa- 
 ment, in the history of the Baptist (John iii. 23). The 
 name still lingers there as the name of a village in the 
 valley that runs towards the Jordan from the plain, 
 occupying perhaps the very site of the ancient city. 
 That this was the Salem of Melchizedek appears to me 
 all but certain. It is true that Jerusalem is once called 
 Salem (Ps. Ixxvi. 2), and that Joscphus identifies the 
 Salem of Melchizedek with Jerusalem ; but the fact of 
 Jerusalem being once designated by that name is no 
 proof that it must have been the Salem of Melchizedek, 
 
 D 2
 
 36 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 though it would be enough to induce Josephus to iden- 
 tify it with the patriarchal Salem. On the other hand, 
 the geographical traditions, as transmitted down by the 
 Christian Fathers — especially Eusebius and Jerome — 
 as well as by the Samaritans, locate it in the neighbour- 
 hood of Gerizim and Ebal. In addition to this, no 
 other place answers so truly to the circumstances of 
 the narrative, when fairly weighed in all their bearings. 
 Our unavoidable conclusion, therefore, is, that the Salem 
 of the great priest stood in this immediate neighbour- 
 hood, and perhaps on the very site where the present 
 village of Salem now stands. 
 
 We cannot help thinking that the fact that this place 
 had been an ancient sanctuary, and that Abraham here 
 offered up his first sacrifice in the Promised Land, 
 might have been prominent in the mind of Moses 
 when he fixed upon tliis spot as the proper place to 
 proclaim the Law to the people immediately after their 
 crossing the Jordan to possess the land. " And it 
 shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath 
 brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to 
 possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon Mount 
 Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal. Are they 
 not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the 
 sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which 
 dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the 
 plains of Moreh ? " (Deut. xi. 29, 30.) Such was the 
 language of the great lawgiver, and he had probably 
 in his mind all the associations that rendered the spot 
 venerable and sacred, not the least of which would
 
 Cir. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 37 
 
 be that here dwelt Melchizedek the priest, to whom 
 even Abraham had paid tithe of all the spoil — that he 
 had officiated under the venerable oak of Moreh, and 
 on the heights of Gerizim, not to dumb idols, but to 
 the " Most High." 
 
 There is one other circumstance connecting the 
 patriarch with this place which I cannot pass unno- 
 ticed. It is the offering of his son Isaac. Let the 
 reader open the Bible, and read the whole passage that 
 refers to the subject (Gen. xxii. 1—14). At my first 
 \'isit to the Holy Land, on becoming thoroughly 
 acquainted with the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, I 
 could not still the conviction that the Temple mount 
 (Moriah) would in no way answer to the require- 
 ments of the narrative. A second visit only 
 strengthened this conviction ; and as I felt obliged 
 to relinquish the old opinion, I was forced to accept the 
 Samaritan tradition that the Moriah of Abraham was 
 Mount Gerizim— the only mountain in Palestine, as it 
 seems to me, that meets all the circumstances of the 
 case. Dr. Stanley has summed up the question in a 
 brief but lucid manner, and I cannot do better than 
 quote his words : — " What is affirmed by the Gentile 
 tradition -with regard to the connection of Gerizim 
 with Melchizedek, is affirmed by the Samaritan tradi- 
 tion with regard to its connection with the sacrifice 
 of Isaac. ' Beyond all doubt ' (this is the form in 
 which the story is told amongst the Samaritans them- 
 selves) ' Isaac was offered on Ai'-Gerizim. Abraham 
 said, "Let us go up, and sacrifice on the mountain."
 
 38 NABLUS AND [Cn. H. 
 
 He took out a rope to fasten his son, but Isaac said, 
 " No, I will lie still." Thrice the knife refused to cut. 
 Then God from heaven called to Gabriel, "Go down, 
 and save Isaac, or I will destroy thee from among the 
 angels." From the seventh heaven Gabriel called, 
 and pointed to the ram.' The place of the ram's 
 capture is still shown near the holy place ! The 
 Jewish tradition, as represented by Josephus, transfers 
 the scene to the hill on which the Temple was afterward 
 erected at Jerusalem ; and this belief has been per- 
 petuated in Christian times as attached to a spot in the 
 garden of the Abyssinian convent, not indeed on Mount 
 Moriah, but immediately to the east of the church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre, with the intention of connecting 
 the sacrifice of Isaac with the Crucifixion. An ancient 
 thorn-tree, covered with the rags of pilgrims, is still 
 known as the thicket in which the ram was caught. 
 But the Samaritan tradition is here again confirmed by 
 the circumstances of the story. Abraham was ' in the 
 land of the Philistines,' probably in the extreme south. 
 From Beersheba, or Gaza, he would probably be con- 
 ceived to move along the Philistine plain, and then, on 
 the morning of the third day, would arrive in the plain 
 of Sharon, exactly where the massive height of Gerizim 
 is visible ' afar off; ' and from thence half a day 
 would bring him to its summit. Exactly such a view 
 is to be had in that plain ; and, on the other hand, no 
 such view or impression can fairly be said to exist on 
 the road from l^eersheba to Jerusalem, even if what is 
 at most a journey of two days could be extended to
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS, 39 
 
 three. The towers of Jerusalem are, indeed, seen 
 from the ridge of Mar Elias, at the distance of three 
 miles ; but there is no elevation, nothing corresponding 
 to the 'place afar off' to which Abraham 'lifted up 
 his eyes.' And the special locality which Jewish 
 tradition has assigned for the place, and whose name 
 is the chief guarantee for the tradition. Mount 
 Moriah, the hill of the Temple, is not visible till the 
 traveller is close upon it, at the southern edge of the 
 valley of Hinnom, from whence he looks down upon 
 it, as on a lower eminence. And when from the cir- 
 cumstances we pass to the name, the argument based 
 upon it in favour of Jerusalem is at least equally 
 balanced by the argument which it yields in favour of 
 Gerizim. The name of Moriah, as applied to the 
 Temple hill, refers to the vision of David after the 
 plague. ' Solomon began to build the house in the 
 mount of "the appearance of the Lord" (Moriah), 
 Avhere he appeared unto David his father ' (2 Chron. 
 iii. 1). Some such play on the word is apparent 
 also in Gen. xxii. 8, 14 ; ' God will see ' — ' in the 
 mountain the Lord sJiall see,' where the Hebrew word 
 employed {Jehoxah-jireli) is from the same root. But 
 in the case of the mountain of Abraham's sacrifice, it 
 was probably in the first derived from its conspicuous 
 position as ' seen from afar oft' ; ' and the name was 
 thus aj^plied not merely to ' one of the mountains,' 
 but to the whole land (Gen. xxii. 2), an expression 
 entirely inapplicable to the contracted eminence 
 of the Temple. The Seventy, moreover, evidently
 
 40 NABLUS AND [Cn. II. 
 
 unconscious of its identification with the Mount 
 of Jerusalem, translate it ttjv jrjv r^y v-^rfkriv, ' the 
 highland ' — a term exactly agreeing with the appearance 
 which the hills of Ephraim, and especially Gerizim, 
 present to a traveller advancing up the Philistine plain, 
 and also with the before-mentioned expression of 
 Theodotus, ' the mountain of the Most High.' It 
 is impossible here not to ask whether a trace of the 
 name Moriah, as applied to Gerizim and its neigh- 
 bourhood, may not be found in the term ' Moreh,' 
 applied in Gen. xii. 6, to the grove of terebinths in the 
 same vicinity, of which the same translation is given by 
 the Seventy, as of Moriah, rrjv Bpvv rrjv vy^rrjXrjv, ' the 
 high oak ' ? Hebrew scholars must determine how far 
 the difference of the radical letters of rf^/D and n")")(2 is 
 an insuperable objection to its identification.* In 
 Gen. xxii. the Samaritans actually read Moreh for 
 Moriah." f 
 
 To this view of the subject the Rev. Dr. Thomson, 
 in his valuable work, " The Land and the Book," takes 
 a very strong objection, and considers Mr. Stanley's 
 arguments and criticisms mere "vagaries." To others, 
 
 * The etymolofjy and signification tion in other words. For example, 
 
 of these two words would not have rt>^r^ r rT\'n /-n • «-> 
 
 , . , . . , . ' 't''^ f^"™ '^l^ (^^- ^^- 25), 
 
 been subjects tor so varied conjee- ^ • tt v 
 
 tures but for the preconceived no- and rr")3 from ^!^3 (Ps. 
 
 tions of critics. There can be no cxxviii. 3). These instances have 
 
 grammatiad diflSculty in identifying been pointed out to me by an emi- 
 
 both, whatever difference of opinion nent Hebraist, Dr. Benisch, who, 
 
 there may be with regard to the being an Israelite, could have no 
 
 topogi-aphical question. Both are j)rediIection for the Samaritan tra- 
 
 derived from '^^^, to teach ; and dition. 
 
 we find instances of similar forma- f Sinai and Palestine, p. 260.
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 41 
 
 who are as thoroughly acqviaintecl with the localities 
 in question as Dr. Thomson is, they appear to be 
 most conclusive. Dr. Thomson seems to be moved 
 more with zeal for the Jewish tradition than for the 
 simple truth ; as if the facts in dispute had anything to do 
 with the truth or falsity of Judaism or Samaritanism ! 
 Every reader of the Bible is well aware that the local 
 establishment of the Jewish religion took place many 
 ages after these events. Dr. Thomson has ofiered only 
 one objection to Mr. Stanley's account that is worth our 
 notice — a geographical one, and let us see what is its 
 true value. His w^ords are these: — "Mr. Stanley's 
 geographical argument is more than feeble. It is almost 
 absurd to maintain that Abraham could come on his 
 loaded ass from Beersheba to Nablus in the time speci- 
 fied. On the third day he arrived early enough to 
 leave the servants ' afar ofl",' and walk with Isaac bear- 
 ing the sacrificial wood to the mountain which God had 
 shown him ; there build the altar, arrange the wood, 
 bind his son, and stretch forth his hand to slay him ; 
 and there was time, too, to take and ofter up the ram 
 in Isaac's place. That all this could have been done 
 at Nahliis on the third dajj of their journey is incre- 
 dible. It has always appeared to me, since I first 
 travelled over the country myself, that even Jerusalem 
 was too far ofi" from Beersheba for the tenor of the 
 narrative, but Nablus is two days' ride farther north."* 
 Such is the pith of the Doctor's argument. Now let us 
 turn to his own map, and see what the distance is from 
 * " Laud and the Book," p. 475, London edition.
 
 42 NABLUS AND [Ch.IL 
 
 Beerslieba to Nablus. And, on examination, Ave find 
 that he agrees with maps in general, and makes it to be 
 about sixty miles ; and Jerusalem about half the dis- 
 tance. If the Moriah at Jerusalem was the mountain, 
 then the patriarch had to travel ten miles a day to 
 reach his destination in three days ; and these ten 
 miles a day seem, to the Doctor, to be too great a 
 labour. I wonder whether he ever met with a Felachin 
 or Bedouin who travelled along so leisurely ? On the 
 other hand, let us suppose Mount Gerizim to be the end 
 of the journey. In that case, the distance per day 
 would only be twenty miles, and we believe there is 
 not a Felachin throughout the whole country, that 
 would not do it with his "ass" with ease. "We have 
 travelled more than double the distance in different 
 parts of the country ; and have passed again and again 
 from Jerusalem to Nablus in the shortest winter days — 
 a road, as Dr. Thomson well knows, far more trouble- 
 some than that along the Philistine plain. And taking 
 for granted that Abraham did all on the third day that 
 the Doctor specifies — which, by the by, is taken gratui- 
 tously — the distance would in no wise be too great. 
 And the narrative implies that the journey was not 
 to be made very leisurely : we are expressly informed 
 that the patriarch "rose early in the morning." Thus 
 would the narrative rather imply that the journey could 
 not have been to Jerusalem — a matter of three days' 
 travel of ten miles per day only — but at least as 
 far as Nablus. And when we consider that the local 
 position of the Temple mount at Jerusalem does really
 
 Cn. II.] THE MODERN SAIVIAPJTANS. 43 
 
 belie all the other circumstances of the narrative, and 
 how Gerizim completely answers all its conditions, we 
 cannot but conclude that the scene of the patriarch's 
 offering could not have been at the former, but in all 
 probability was at the latter place. 
 
 There is one other circumstance in connection with 
 the general subject which we may as well notice here. 
 We have already seen that Jerusalem became a place 
 of importance only in the time of David. There is not 
 a hint given in the sacred annals that intimates any 
 sacredness attached to the place until the vision of that 
 monarch (2 Chron. iii. 1). Sliechem, on the other 
 hand, had been selected as the metropolis of the con- 
 querors. And one cannot but think that there must 
 have been some peculiar reason why Moses selected the 
 two mountains Gerizim and Ebal as the proper place 
 where the Law should be read to the people. His words 
 are, "And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy 
 God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou 
 goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon 
 Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal." 
 AVould the selection not lead us to suppose that the 
 place was well known to the great lawgiver as a conse- 
 crated spot, where the patriarchs themselves had been 
 offering their sacrifices to the Most High ? 
 
 The great and solemn interest imparted to the place 
 by the visits of Abraham is further heightened by the 
 sojourn there of his grandson Jacob. On Jacob's return 
 from Padanaram, having crossed the Jordan at the usual 
 ford opposite Shechem (where his grandfather had pro-
 
 44 NABLUS xVKD [Cn.II. 
 
 Lably crossed ou liis first entry into the country), he 
 " came to Shalem, a city of Shechem," and here he 
 took up his abode for some time. Connected with his 
 stay there are a few incidents which cannot be passed 
 over without notice. 
 
 1. And, firstly, we are told that he "bought a parcel 
 of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of 
 the children of Hamor, Shechem' s father, for an hundred 
 pieces of money " (Gen. xxxiii. 19). This field, accord- 
 ing to tradition — and there is no reason to doubt its 
 accuracy in the present instance * — is the eastern open- 
 ing of the valley of Nablus, already described, together 
 with a portion of the plain in front of it. It was here 
 the patriarch, after his anxious journey, pitched his 
 tents ; and here, like his grandfather, he erected an 
 altar to the Most High, with the intention of settling 
 there. 
 
 Here, also, on the southern side of the "parcel of 
 field," and near the foot of Gerizim, did the patriarch 
 dig a well, which remains to this day. Its identity has 
 never been questioned : nor could it well be. It must 
 have been well known to the people during the Biblical 
 ages, so that the woman of Samaria could say to our 
 Saviour without any hesitation, that their father Jacob 
 had given them the well, and that he, and his chil- 
 
 * The language in the original is means a smooth or level cultivated 
 
 remarkalily descriptive of this spot, land, refers, beyond doubt, to the 
 
 and, in connection with the tradi- extensive, level, and cultivated plain 
 
 tion, leaves no doubt as to its genu- already described, 
 ineness. The sarZcA (Hl'^), whidi
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 45 
 
 dren, and his cattle had drunk of it (John iv. 12). It 
 is hewn out of the rock, on purpose to hold the rain 
 water, like the cisterns in general throughout the 
 country. 
 
 And here, let us bear in mind that the wells of 
 Palestine are of two kinds. One kind is the natural 
 well of spring Avater, which is, upon the whole, very 
 rare in the country. The other is the artificial well or 
 cistern, dug with no little labour and expense, and ren- 
 dered watertight, to hold the rain water. These are 
 the common wells of the country : and the one under 
 notice was of this kind. It is, therefore, to use the 
 language of the Old Testament narrative — the only cor- 
 rect language in the geographical description of Pales- 
 tine — not an din (]y), a well of living water, but a her 
 Oi^2), a cistern to hold rain water.* Consequently, it 
 must have been deep, to contain enough for the men 
 and the beasts throughout the dry months. And so we 
 found it was. In 1855, when we first visited the place, 
 we measured it as carefully as we could, and found it to 
 be nine feet in diameter, and a little more than seventy 
 feet deep. But older travellers found it much deeper ; 
 and I have no doubt that in the time of our Sa\dour 
 it was double its present depth, the stones and rub- 
 bish having now for ages been accumulating at the 
 bottom. 
 
 When I first saw it, there was a small dome over it, 
 
 * True to the language of the Samariych, the Samaritan Well ; 
 country, the natives still call it but the Samaritans themselves call 
 Beer. The Christiana call it Beer it Beer Jaciib, Jacob's Well.
 
 46 NABLUS AND [Cii. II. 
 
 under whicli we crept with some difficulty. Inside, 
 we found a large stone lying on the margin, and 
 covering a part of its mouth. Being seated upon it, 
 we mused awhile upon the wonderful associations of 
 the place, and the story of our Saviour's visit came 
 to our minds with touching power. Having just tra- 
 velled along the path that He had travelled, and sit- 
 ting, perhaps, upon the very stone upon which He sat 
 when " wearied with His journey," we read the affect- 
 ing narrative of His conversation with the woman of 
 Samaria (John iv.) ; and with the scene of the con- 
 versation hefore our eyes, every word seemed to he full 
 of life. But how few are there of the inhabitants who 
 now, as then, understand and feel those sublime utter- 
 ances of His, " God is a spirit, and they that worship 
 him must worship him in spirit and in truth " ! On my 
 second visit in 18G0, the mouth of the well was com- 
 pletely filled up, so that it was with difficulty I could 
 identify the spot where it was. Nor could I learn how 
 this had occurred. Some of my friends at Nablus 
 thought that the torrents during the rains of the pre- 
 vious winter were the cause ; but others believed that 
 it was done by the inhabitants of the little village close 
 by, on account of the well being bought by the Greek 
 Church. The well, however, was completely hid from 
 sight, to the great disappointment of many travellers 
 besides myself. 
 
 On further inquiry, I learnt from the Greek priest 
 that their Church had actually bought the well from the 
 Turkish Government, including a plot of ground sur-
 
 Cu. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 47 
 
 roundiug it, of 229 feet by 180 feet. For this they bad 
 paid, be told me, 70,000 piastres ; but another friend, 
 ])elonging to the same community, told me it was at 
 least 100,000. The priest and members of the com- 
 munity kept the matter as quiet as possible for the 
 present, until the proper time should come, when it is 
 intended to adorn the well in the most magnificent 
 style, and to build a splendid church over it. What a 
 pity and a shame it will be if one of the most interest- 
 ing and genuine spots in Palestine be buried under 
 marble slabs, and silver, and gold, out of the sight of 
 travellers, merely to gratify the superstitious tastes of a 
 religious community ! 
 
 Such is the brief history of Jacob's Well. But the 
 question which has struck many a traveller is, why the 
 patriarch should have dug a well at all, when there is 
 such a supply of spring water in the place ? We have 
 already seen that the present cit}^ is abundantly sup- 
 plied, and that a copious stream runs close by the 
 patriarch's well all the year round, and another similar 
 stream a short distance beyond Joseph's tomb at the 
 village of Asker. Why, therefore, should Jacob be at 
 the trouble and expense of digging himself a cistern ? 
 The difficulty is soon solved if we bear in mind that 
 these streams were in the possession of the natives — a 
 hostile people, and more powerful than the patriarch ; 
 and it would have been most imprudent of him to remain 
 dependent upon them for such a necessary blessing. 
 And moreover, it is not impossible, but highly probable, 
 that the stream which now runs past the well, in former
 
 48 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 ages ran westward towards the city. It has its source 
 in Gerizim, exactly on the watershed ; and, as far as I 
 could judge after some examination, it might flow west- 
 ward with as little difficulty as in its present course. 
 Thus, during the later summer months, the spring water 
 at the end of the valley and on the plain might not he 
 too much to supply the wants of the iuhahitants. If so, 
 it Avas a matter of necessity as well as of prudence 
 that he should he independent in this thing. At all 
 events, he would, as far as possible, avoid disputes 
 with the Shechemites such as arose between his father 
 and the Gerarites (Gen. xxvi. 17—21).* 
 
 There is another incident which connects the patriarch 
 Jacob with the spot which we must not forget to men- 
 tion : it is his burial of the family gods under the 
 sacred oak. We have already seen that close by stood 
 the oak of Moreh (Gen. xx. 6), held sacred in the eyes 
 of the people from the most ancient times, and famous 
 throughout the land, under which, in all probability, 
 Jacob's grandfather had built an altar unto the Lord. 
 This would render it doubly sacred in the eyes of Jacob 
 and his posterity. Consequently, it was under the shade 
 of this oak he buried the Assyrian gods which his wives 
 had brought with them. Before they quit the spot to 
 remove to Bethel, after the slaughter of the Shechemites 
 
 * Before dismissing tbis suliject assured by my Christian and Sama- 
 
 we may as well notice tbat Bucking- ritan friends that they had never 
 
 ham and other travellers have told beard of it. I have no doubt Mr. 
 
 us that there is another well in the B. was imposed upon by his drago- 
 
 town called Jacob's Well. I made man, as many besides him have 
 
 particular inquiry for it, and was been.
 
 Cii. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 49 
 
 by his sous, the narrative goes on to say : — " And 
 Jacob said unto his houshold, and to all that were 
 with him, Put away the strange gods that are among 
 you, and be clean, and change your garments : and let 
 us arise, and go up to Bethel : and I will make there an 
 altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my 
 distress, and was with me in the way which I went. 
 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which 
 were in their hand, and all their earrings which were 
 in their ears ; and Jacob hid them under the oak which 
 was by Shechem " (Gen. xxxv. 2—4). In allusion to 
 this fact, the oak, in subsequent ages, was called "the 
 oak of enchantments," D''J^^PQ P7^, which is loosely 
 translated in the authorized version the " plain of 
 Meonenim" (Judg, ix. 37). 
 
 The reason it was so called undoubtedly was, that 
 these earrings and household gods were used for 
 the purpose, and universally supposed to possess the 
 power, of charming away all kinds of evil ; a super- 
 stition generally prevalent throughout the East even 
 to this day. And it is curious, as well as satisfac- 
 tory, to notice how modern discoveries in Assyria have 
 enabled us to understand the whole bearings of the 
 incident. 
 
 It will be remembered that these gods were called 
 Tcraphivi (Gen. xxxi. 19), rendered " images " in the 
 authorized version ; and the discoveries made by 
 M. Botta, in one of the royal courts in the ruins of 
 Khorsal)ad, enable us to form a correct notion of their 
 
 E
 
 50 NABLUS AND [Cii. II. 
 
 nature and importance ; and I shall here avail myself 
 of the description given by Mr. Bonomi. 
 
 " This court, like the one we have left, is paved 
 with square kiln-haked bricks, stamped with a cuneatic 
 inscription, supposed to contain the name of the Idng 
 who built the palace. Before the three doors of the 
 fa9ade forming the porch, are holes the size of one of 
 the bricks, and about fourteen inches in depth. These 
 holes are lined with tiles, and have a ledge round the 
 inside, so that they might be covered by one of the 
 square bricks of the pavement, without betrajdng the 
 existence of the cavity. In these ca\'ities Botta found 
 small images of baked clay of frightful aspect, some- 
 times with lynx head and human body, and sometimes 
 with human head and lion's body. Some have the 
 mitre encircled at the bottom with a double pair of 
 horns ; they have one arm crossed on the breast, and 
 appear to hold a rod or stick, which is now too imper- 
 fect to allow of its shape being described. Others have 
 their hair rolled in large curls ; and others are human 
 in the upper part, but terminate with bulls' legs and 
 tails. Another curious circumstance respecting the pave- 
 ment is, that the tiles or bricks cease at the threshold of 
 the entrances, their places being supplied by a single 
 large slab of gypsum, covered with cuneatic inscriptions. 
 The slab of the centre is the entire length of the jamb, 
 about fifteen feet by nine feet nine inches wide, and 
 the inscription is divided into two columns, to obviate, 
 as we suppose, a difficulty which is commonly felt in
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODEKN SAMARITANS. 51 
 
 reading wide pages of letterpress. And now comes 
 the interesting question, For what purpose were these 
 secret cavities and long inscriptions placed at the 
 threshold ? As we have no analogous contrivances in 
 the temples of Eg}^5t or Greece, any attempt to account 
 for these peculiarities in the Assyrian structure may 
 by some he considered purely speculative ; neverthe- 
 less, we will venture to advance our surmises. In the 
 first place, we may conclude, from the constant occur- 
 rence of the emblematic figures at the entrances, that 
 this part of the palace, or temple, in the Assyrian 
 mind was of the greatest importance, and connected 
 with the religious opinions of the nation. We find the 
 principal doorways guarded either by the symbolic 
 bulls or by winged divinities. We next find, upon the 
 bulls themselves and on the pavement of the recesses 
 of the doors, long inscriptions, always the same, pro- 
 bably incantations or prayers ; and finally these secret 
 cavities, in which images of a compound character w^ere 
 hidden. Thus the sacred or royal jjrecincts were trebly 
 guarded by divinities, inscriptions, and hidden gods, 
 from the approach of any subtle spirit, or more palpable 
 enemy, that might have escaped the vigilance of the 
 king's bodj'guard. As regards the inscriptions, Botta 
 found that they were all repetitions one of another, 
 and that they, as well as the bricks, contained the 
 same name, either that of a divinity or of the king. 
 With respect to the clay images, he offers no remarks ; 
 but we would suggest that they are the D''3")n, ' Tera- 
 phim,' a name given to certain images which Eachel 
 
 E 2
 
 52 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Gh. II. 
 
 had stolen from her father, Lahaii the Syrian, and 'put 
 them in the camel's furniture and sat upon them;'* 
 evidences which favour the conclusion that the Teraphim, 
 Laban's gods, were no larger than the images we are 
 speaking of. The root, or original word, from which 
 
 Teraphim is derived, signifies to relax with fear, to 
 strike terror, or nS"), ' Kepheh,' an appaller, one who 
 makes others faint or fail ; t a signification that singu- 
 larly accords with the terrifying aspect of the images 
 found by Botta ; and from their being secreted under 
 the pavement near the gates, we conclude that they 
 were intended to protect the entrances of the royal 
 abode, by causing the evil-disposed to stumble even at the 
 very threshold. Again : the word Teraphim being in 
 the plural form, each individual figure is generally un- 
 derstood to have been a compound body, and this afibrds 
 further coincident evidence, as the Assyrian images 
 * Geu. xxxi. 19, 30, 34. i 2 Saiu. xxi. 16-22.
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 53 
 
 were likewise always a compound. Another word, 
 however, occurs to us to be equally worthy of conside- 
 ration, as it agrees so remarkably with the places in 
 which these images were found. It is the Arabic word 
 j»l? * tarf,' signifying a boundary or margin — a mean- 
 ing analogous to ' doorway,' the margin or boundary 
 of the chamber. Thus in both the Hebrew and the 
 Arabic we have significations immediately connected 
 with the gods Teraphim. Finally : we have another 
 illustration, furnished by the modern Persians, who call 
 their talismans 'Telefin,'* really the same word, the 
 / and the r being the same in some languages, and 
 easily interchanging in many. If these analogies in 
 themselves do not amount to actual proof that the 
 Teraphim of Scripture are identical with the secreted 
 idols of the Assyrian palace, they are, at all events, 
 curious and plausible : but when supported by what we 
 know of the existing characteristics and superstitions 
 of Eastern nations ; of the pertinacity with which all 
 Orientals adhere to ancient traditions and practices ; 
 of the strongly implanted prejudices entertained in the 
 court of Persia respecting the going out and coming in 
 of the Shah to his palace ; and of the belief in unseen 
 agencies, and the influence of the Evil Eye, f which has 
 prevailed in all countries, and still exists in some, more 
 especially in those of Asia and the south of Europe — 
 
 * Chardin, Voy., vol. ii. c. 10. tlie gate called Bab-el-hadeed. A 
 
 f From a superstition of the same Sheecli had informed him that, if he 
 
 kind, the late Viceroy of Egypt, ever went out of Cairo by that gate, 
 
 Moluunmed Ali, never, during his he would never return to the city a 
 
 long reign, left the city of Cairo by Pasha.
 
 54 NABLUS AND [Cn. II. 
 
 our conjecture seems to amount almost to a certainty ; 
 and we therefore have no hesitation in offering it for 
 consideration." * 
 
 And here it is curious to remark how the superstition 
 of the people still clings to trees. Although the patri- 
 archal or druidical form of worshipping the Most High 
 under their shade, especially under that of the oak, has 
 long ago hecome obsolete, yet in no country are the 
 people more awed by trees than in Palestine.! There 
 we meet with some sacred trees covered with hits 
 of rags from the garments of pilgrims in honour of 
 the trees. On others, we meet similar assemblages 
 of superstitious rags as charms. Some trees are the 
 haunts of evil spirits ; and, more curious still, wherever 
 we meet with a cluster of young oaks, the place is gene- 
 rally devoted to a kind of beings called "Jacob's 
 daughters," which, undoubtedly, had its origin in the 
 incident now under our consideration. 
 
 But we must further notice that under this same oak 
 did Joshua set up the gi-eat stone upon which he had 
 written the law of God, as we shall subsequently see 
 (Josh. xxiv. 2G). And again, under this same tree 
 Abimelech was made king by the men of Shech6m 
 (Judg. ix. 6). And lastly, in all probability, under the 
 same oak did Eehoboam meet the people when he was 
 to be made king in the stead of his father Solomon 
 (1 Kings xii. 1, &c.). 
 
 * Bonomi's " Nineveh and its seem to have erected their temples 
 
 Palaces," p. 179. near such trees. — Vid. Rawlinson's 
 
 f The most ancient nations had Monarchies," vol. i. p. 387. 
 their sacred trees. The Assyrians
 
 Cu. II.] THE MODERN SAI^.IARITANS. 55 
 
 How long this venerable tree, with its successors, 
 continued to be held sacred by the people, it is impos- 
 sible to say ; and the exact sj^ot where it stood is equally 
 uncertain. I felt an intense desire to discover the 
 place, and spent, in vain, many an hour in the search. 
 According to the Samaritan, as well as the Mohammedan 
 tradition, it stood where now stands the mosque ^;/n/f?, 
 on the foot of Gerizim, about half way between Jacob's 
 Well and Nablus. It is a small, lonely, and insignificant 
 building, with a court on its northern side, containing 
 a couple of mulberry-trees, as representatives, I suppose, 
 of the old famous oak. We shall have occasion to 
 notice this building again in connection with one or two 
 incidents of our narrative. 
 
 We must now pass down from patriarchal times to 
 the time of Joshua and the conquerors. Our reader 
 will probably recollect that to this very place Joshua led 
 the host of Israel after they had crossed the Jordan. 
 Moses had commanded them, when they should have 
 passed over Jordan, to march westward, until they 
 should come to the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, 
 and there hold a public and religious assembly in 
 honour of the God who had delivered them from the 
 bondage of Egjq^t. We shall now briefly recount the 
 circumstances. 
 
 1. And, firstly, let us hear the story of the blessings 
 and cursings. " And it shall come to pass," saith 
 Moses, " when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in 
 unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou 
 shalt put the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and the
 
 56 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 curse upon Mount Ebal. Are they not on the other 
 side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the 
 land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign 
 over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?" 
 (Deut. xi. 29, 30.) And again : — " And Moses charged 
 the people the same day, saying, These shall stand upon 
 Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come 
 over Jordan ; Simeon, and Leii, and Judah, and Issa- 
 char, and Joseph, and Benjamin : and these shall stand 
 upon Mount Ebal to curse ; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, 
 and Zebulun, Dan, and Napthali" (Deut, xxvii. 11—13). 
 Such were the divine instructions given by Moses to 
 his servant Joshua, and these, we learn, were faithfully 
 fulfilled. Having passed over the Jordan, the people 
 eventually came to the appointed place, and pitched 
 their tents on the plain to the east of the mountains, 
 already explained. On the day when the Law was to be 
 read, we are told that " all Israel, and their elders, and 
 officers, and their judges, stood on this side the arlv 
 and on that side before the priests the Levites, which 
 bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the 
 stranger, as ho that was born among them ; half of 
 them over against Mount Gerizim, and half of them 
 over against Mount Ebal ; as Moses the servant of the 
 Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the 
 people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words 
 of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all 
 that is written in the book of the law. There was not a 
 word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read 
 not l)ofore all the congregation of Israel, with the
 
 Cb. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 57 
 
 women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were 
 conversant among them " (Josh. viii. 33—35). 
 
 Let us now pause for a moment to review this won- 
 derful event. All the people betake themselves out of 
 their tents on the plain, and make their way from all 
 directions to the valley between the two mountains. 
 The ark is placed in the middle of the valley, with the 
 " heads of the people " ranged on each side. The 
 Levites of the one-half of the tribes, stood upon the 
 lower spur of Gerizim to read the blessings, and the 
 Levites of the other half stood upon the lower spur of 
 Ebal to read the curses. The vast congregation filled 
 the valley; and the women and children covered the sides 
 of the mountains like locusts. The Levites on Mount 
 Gerizim then read the blessings, and the Levites on 
 Ebal read the cursings — to which the vast assembly 
 responded. Amen ! What a sublime sight ! A congre- 
 gation and a service, compared with which all other 
 assemblies the world has ever witnessed dwindle into 
 insignificance ! 
 
 Those who have seen the spot, and have examined 
 it, can readily reahze the scene. Just where the two 
 mountains approach each other nearest are the two 
 lower spurs, looking like two noble pulpits prepared by 
 nature, and hero the Lc\'ites would stand to read. The 
 valley running between looks just like the floor of a 
 vast place of worship. The slopes of both mountains 
 recede gradually, and ofi'er room for hundi-eds of thou- 
 sands to be conveniently seated to hear the words of 
 the law. The first time I stood upon that lower spur
 
 58 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 of Gerizim, the whole scenery struck me forcibly, as 
 if Divine Providence had conformed its physical features 
 on purpose to meet the requirements of the occasion. 
 
 To this simple narrative an objection has been 
 brought, alleging that the distance between the two 
 mountains is too great for the human voice to tra- 
 verse. And this objection would have greater force 
 still with those who imagine the reading to have taken 
 place on the very summits of the mountains — an idea 
 which has no foundation in the Scripture narrative, 
 although some Christians, as early as Jerome, as well 
 as Josephus and the Talmud, seem to have adopted the 
 notion. In reply to this objection, authors have gene- 
 rally pointed out the great difference in the state of the 
 atmosphere in that country compared with that of our 
 own ; and how much farther one can see and hear in 
 Palestine than in Great Britain. Travellers have been 
 surprised at these apparent phenomena in Palestine and 
 Syria. We had a remarkable example on the very spot 
 under notice. One day when passing down the valley, 
 we heard two shepherds holding conversation. One was 
 on the top of Gerizim, out of our sight, and the other was 
 close by us in the valley. Dr. Piobinson mentions a spot 
 in Lebanon where the voice can be heard for two miles. 
 
 I am not aware whether any experiment to test 
 the point had ever been made upon the spot previous 
 to the one about to be mentioned. Having satisfied 
 myself more than once during my stay in Nablus of 
 its feasibility, and remarldng this to my native friends 
 there, a party, including Amram the priest, agreed to
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 59 
 
 go to the spot aucl test the question. Circumstances, 
 however, j)reventecl us from carrying out our resolu- 
 tion. But before I left the country two friends joined 
 me, the Rev. David Edwards, of Newport, and Mr. 
 John Williams, of Aberystwyth ; and on our way north- 
 wards from Jerusalem we resolved to make the experi- 
 ment. We had pitched our tent in the valley near the 
 foot of Gerizim, on the line between the two mountains, 
 where I have supposed the ark to have formerly stood. 
 I clambered up Gerizim, and Mr. Williams up Ebal, 
 Mr. Edwards remaining with the men at the tent. 
 Having reached the lower spur, I found myself stand- 
 ing as it were upon a lofty pulpit, and my friend found 
 himself similarly situated on Ebal. Having rested 
 awhile, I opened my Bible, and read the command con- 
 cerning the blessings in Hebrew ; and every word was 
 heard most distinctly by Mr. Edwards in the valley, as 
 well as by Mr. Williams on Ebal. Mr. Williams then 
 read the cursings in Welsh, and we all heard every 
 word and syllable. Before we descended, Mr. Edwards 
 requested us to sing, and gave out, "Praise God from 
 whom all blessings flow," &c. I commenced it upon 
 the tune Savoy, or the Old Hundredth ; but as I was 
 standing on a very elevated pulpit, I pitched the tune 
 in a key too high for them to join me. I was deter- 
 mined, however, to sing it through ; and if I ever sang 
 well and with spirit, I did so then on Gerizim, and 
 was heard most distinctly by all. And it was our im- 
 pression at the time, and still is, that, if the whole 
 area before and around us had been filled with the
 
 60 NABLITS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 hundreds of thousands of Israel, every soul amongst 
 them would have heard every note and word with per- 
 fect clearness. 
 
 2. Another important and interesting circumstance, 
 in connection with the general narrative, was the writ- 
 ing of the Law on prepared stones. Joshua had been 
 instructed by Moses concerning this. His words are 
 these : — " And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass 
 over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God 
 giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and 
 plaster them with plaster : and thou shalt write upon 
 them all the words of this law, when thou art passed 
 over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the 
 Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with 
 milk and honey ; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath 
 j)romised thee " (Deut. xxvii. 2, 3). The preparation 
 consisted in plastering the stone over with a kind of 
 cement, and whilst the cement was still moist, to -uTite 
 upon it with a style ; or, it might be, after it had dried, 
 to Avrite upon it with red paint. The latter would, 
 perhaps, be the more likely, as it would be more con- 
 formable with the Egyptian mode. Either of the two, 
 if preserved from all violence, would remain uninjured for 
 thousands of years in such a climate as that of Nablus. 
 
 The first of these monuments was a single large 
 stone, as we learn from the Book of Joshua : " And 
 Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of 
 God, and took a great stone, and set it up- there under 
 an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord " 
 (Josh. xxiv. 26), We are not expressly told that
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. Gl 
 
 Joshua had plastered this stone, or had written 
 upon it, only that it was a witness to all the words 
 of the Lord ; but we can hardly douht that it hud 
 the Law written upon it in order to be a sj)eaking 
 witness to future generations. However this may be, 
 there is one point in the history deserving our notice, 
 namely, that it was set uj) under an oak. This oak, 
 which in our version ought to have been translated 
 " the oak {*^^^\^, and the LXX., rrjv repfiivOov) that 
 Avas by the sanctuary of the Lord," was undoubtedly the 
 very oak under which Jacob had buried the idols. We 
 are further informed that it stood by the sanctuary of 
 the Lord, a place selected of old for the worship of the 
 Most High. We have already seen that this spot is 
 now pointed out by tradition to have been where the 
 present Amud stands ; and we are further told that the 
 very name Amud has been derived from the stone set 
 up by Joshua as a testimony to the children of Israel. 
 
 Beside this monument, Joshua erected other laro-e 
 stones, containing the words of the Law, and prepared 
 in a similar manner. As Moses had commanded that 
 he " should write upon them all the words of this law," 
 so we are informed in Joshua it was done. "And he 
 wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of 
 Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children 
 of Israel " (Josh. viii. 32). These stones, in all proba- 
 bility, were twelve in number, to represent the twelve 
 tribes of Israel. I believe these to be the stones to 
 which the Samaritan tradition refers as bein"- buried 
 on Mount Gerizim, as already narrated.
 
 G2 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 In addition to these monumental stones Joshua was 
 commanded by Moses to erect an altar upon the moun- 
 tain. His words are these: "And there shalt thou 
 huild an altar unto the Loed thy God, an altar of 
 stones : thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon 
 them. Thou shalt huild the altar of the Lokd thy God 
 of whole stones : and thou shalt offer burnt offerings 
 thereon unto the Lord thy God : and thou shalt offer 
 peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before 
 the Lord thy God" (Deut. xxvii, 5-7). In the Book 
 of Joshua we find that this was done : " Then Joshua 
 built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount 
 Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded 
 the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of 
 the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which 
 no man hath lift up any iron : and they offered thereon 
 burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace 
 offerings " (Josh. viii. 30, 31). That such an altar 
 was erected there can, of course, be no doubt ; but 
 upon which of the two mountains it stood is a matter 
 of dispute. The present Hebrew text tells us in 
 Mount Ebal, but the Samaritan text reads Mount 
 Gerizim. I shall not drag my reader into the contro- 
 versy to which this passage has given rise, but merely 
 state the difficulty. Dr. Kennicott, in his second dis- 
 sertation, has brought forward very strong reasons in 
 favour of the Samaritan lection. The pith of the 
 matter is this: (1.) The blessings, according to both 
 texts, were to be pronounced on Mount Gerizim — 
 Avhich would suggest that the altar and the law-stones,
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. C3 
 
 as the foundation of all blessings, would be placed on 
 the same mountain, and not on that of the cursingg. 
 (2.) There is no reason why the Samaritans should 
 select Gerizim for their temple any more than Ebal, 
 nor for their changing the text to support their choice. 
 As Dr. Boothroyd observes, " The controversy between 
 the Jews and Samaritans about their respective temples 
 is nothing to the purpose. The question, then, was, not 
 whether Gerizim or Ebal was the place of blessing, 
 but whether the temple at Jerusalem, or the temple at 
 Samaria, was the most holy place. If the Jewish 
 Temple had been built on Mount Ebal, the Samaritans 
 might have had some temptation to alter their copies ; 
 but as both mountains were unoccupied when they 
 reared their temple, they had their choice of erecting 
 it on either of the mountains : and is it in the smallest 
 degree probable, if they had found in their copy of the 
 Deuteronomy, the blessings addressed to Mount Ebal, 
 they would not have chosen that mountain for the site 
 of their temple ? Whereas, when their temple had 
 been built on Mount Gerizim, because there Moses had 
 ordered the covenant- stones and an altar to be erected, 
 it was quite natural that their enemies the Jews, 
 in order to discredit their temple, should alter the 
 names in the Book of Deuteronomy, and for Gerizim 
 insert Ebal " {rid. in loc). But all the ancient 
 versions are in favour of the Hebrew text, which shows 
 that if it has been tampered with, it must have been at 
 an early date. As there is but little chance of disco- 
 vering the sites of these monumental stones and altar,
 
 64 NABLUS AND [Ch. II. 
 
 it is of no importance, in an antiquarian point of view, 
 wliicli of the two readings is the correct one. 
 
 One other circumstance, connected with the j)lace, 
 remains to be noticed, namely, the burial of Joseph. 
 The favoured son of Jacob, before his death, instructed 
 his people, when God would deliver them out of Egypt 
 to possess the Promised Land, that they should take 
 him with them, and bury him in Palestine. His words 
 are these : " And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die : 
 and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this 
 land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, 
 and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children 
 of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall 
 carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being 
 an hundred and ten years old : and they embalmed 
 him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt " (Gen. 1. 
 24— 2G). The people's oath was sacredly fulfilled, as 
 we read in the Book of Joshua: "And the bones of 
 Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of 
 Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground 
 which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of 
 Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver : and it be- 
 came the inheritance of the children of Joseph " (Josh. 
 xxiv. 32). We have already seen that this "parcel of 
 ground" is in the eastern opening of the valley; and 
 tradition points out the lonely tomb on its northern 
 side, near the foot of Ebal, as Joseph's tomb. Nor 
 have we any reason to doubt that this was the site : it 
 answers well to all the conditions of the narrative. 
 
 There is nothing remarkable in the present struc-
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 65 
 
 ture. It is surrounded by a common-built stone wall, 
 six feet bigh and tbirty-eigbt inches thick, plastered on 
 the inside with mortar. The space within the wall 
 measures nine feet and five inches, from north to 
 south ; and nine feet and thirteen inches from east 
 to west. The corners nearly answer to the cardinal 
 points. The doorway is in the northern side ; and 
 opposite to it in the southern wall is a place for prayer, 
 looking towards Mount Gerizim, and marked by a 
 niche in the wall, over which are two slabs of stone, 
 with defaced Hebrew writing upon them : similar 
 niches are in the south-west and north-west corners. 
 The tomb itself is built diagonally across the floor, and 
 not parallel to the walls, as is usual, with the head 
 towards the door, and the feet towards the south-west. 
 It is built of common stone, plastered over with 
 mortar. It measures seven feet two inches long, three 
 feet six inches high, and three feet ten inches wide at 
 the floor, but narrowing as it rises, and at the top 
 terminating in a ridge. There are, also, two pillars 
 built of stone and plastered over, in the same style as 
 the tomb itself — one standing at the head and the 
 other at the foot — ha\T.ng cavities on their tops, to 
 hold the incense burnt by the worshippers who visit, 
 the place. The larger of the two measures nearly four 
 feet in height, and three feet in circumference. The 
 walls on the southern side of the tomb are scribbled 
 over with names of Samaritans, Jews, and Moham- 
 medans, written in their diiferent languages. 
 
 We have already seen that Joseph was embalmed m 
 
 F
 
 66 NABLUS AND [Cn. II. 
 
 Egypt, and, being the most important personage next 
 to the king, there is no donht that the usual append- 
 ages of royalty were placed with him in his coffin. 
 If this is the real tomb — and there is every reason to 
 believe it is — then underneath is the sarcophagus, and 
 even the mummy of Joseph, just as they were when 
 deposited by the conquerors. And most probably all 
 the appendages are still preserved within the sacred 
 chest, if we may so call it ; and when the time comes 
 to examine it, what w^onderful confirmation to God's 
 Word will its contents reveal ! 
 
 Mr. Stanley states,* after Bucldngham, that there 
 is another tomb called the tomb of Joseph, which he 
 identifies with the building we have already noticed 
 as Mosque Amud ; and tells us that it is said by the 
 Samaritans to be called after Eabbi Joseph of Nablus : 
 the authority for this tradition is not given. I put the 
 question more than once to Amram the priest, and 
 he assured me that he had never heard the place called 
 by such a name — neither after the patriarch nor any 
 other Joseph ; and that he was totally ignorant of any 
 other Joseph's tomb than the generally accepted one. 
 
 In conclusion, it is curious to observe how the 
 Mohammedan legend obscures the simple Scripture 
 narrative. The celebrated historian. El Mas'udi, tells 
 us that "they laid his body into a coffin of stone, 
 closed it vdth lead, and covered it with varnish, which 
 keeps out air and water, and threw it into the Nile, 
 at the town of Memphis, where there is a mosque of 
 
 * Siuai and Palestine, p. 241, note.
 
 Ca. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 67 
 
 Joseph, Some say Joseph ordered that he shoukl be 
 buried in the grave of his father Jacob, at the mosque 
 of Abraham." * And another version tells us that, 
 when Joseph died, " such high disputes arose among 
 the Egyptians concerning his burial, that they had 
 like to have come to blows ; but at length agreed to 
 put his body into a marble coffin, and to sink it in 
 the Nile, out of a superstitious imagination that it 
 might help the regular increase of the river, and 
 deliver them from famine for the future ; but when 
 Moses led the Israelites out of Egji^t he took up the 
 coffin, and carried Joseph's bones with him into 
 Canaan, where he buried them by his ancestors'." f 
 
 * Meadows of GolJ, &c., ch. iv. f Sale's Koran, note to chap. >;ii. 
 
 F 2
 
 68 KABLUS AND [Cu. III. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE TOWN OF NABLUS. 
 
 "E have already stated that the town stands about 
 a mile and a half up the valley from its eastern 
 opening, at the foot of Mount Gerizim ; and here it 
 may be observed, at the outset, that in its position it 
 is an exception to the general rule throughout the 
 whole country. All other towns are built upon eleva- 
 tions, as being more safe and secure from the attack 
 of enemies ; Nablus, on the contrary, is situate in a 
 valley at the very foot of Gerizim. The only pro- 
 bable reason for this anomaly is the fact that it is 
 one of the most ancient cities in the world — that it was 
 first built when the inhabitants were quiet and set- 
 tled, and no danger was apprehended from wandering 
 marauders. 
 
 The name of the town was Shechem (D?^^), rendered 
 by the LXX. Sychem (Sup^e/*) and Sildma (%iKi/j,a) ; 
 the word signifies " the shoulder," or more correctly, the 
 upper part of the back just below the neck. It might 
 have exercised the ingenuity of etymologists to find 
 out its derivation from some of the physical features 
 of the place (and relations more fanciful and far-
 
 Cn. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 69 
 
 fetched have been frequently resorted to), only that, in 
 the present instance, it is most likely a patronymic 
 derived from one of its princes (Gen. xxxiii. 19). 
 This is the only name by which the city was known 
 during the Old Testament history. In the New 
 Testament we have it under the name of Sychar 
 (Zv)(^ap), John iv. 5; and Sychem (Zv^efjb), Acts 
 vii. 16 — the Old Testament name, as above. Whence 
 came Sychar it is difficult to decide : * most likely it 
 was a nickname imposed upon it by the Jews, on ac- 
 count of the enmity they bore to the Samaritans ; if so, 
 the word would be probably derived from the Hebrew 
 shiklcor (n^li^), drunkard, in allusion to Isaiah xxviii. ; 
 or it might be from slicker (Ipt^^), falsehood, in allusion 
 to Habakkuk ii. 18. 
 
 These were its scriptural names : it was known, 
 however, by others. There is one mentioned by 
 Josephus which demands our notice, inasmuch as it 
 appears to have been founded upon the situation of 
 the city. He states that it was called by the people of 
 the country Mabortha, Ma^opOa (W. iv., viii. 1) ; and 
 Pliny, following the historian, calls it by the same 
 name, but wTites it Mamortha (H. N. v. 13). This 
 name has called forth much ingenuity of critics. 
 Eeland conjectures that both these forms are to be 
 corrected from coins, which, as he shrewdly remarks, 
 
 * The only passage where this Paulas, ep. kxxvi. et al.) ; but for 
 
 name occurs is the above ; and this correction there is no authority 
 
 Jerome maintains this to be a cor- in any known codex or version. 
 rupt reading for Sychem (Epitaph.
 
 70 NABLUS AND [Cii. III. 
 
 are less liable to corruption than manuscripts, wliich 
 read Mortliia (MopOva), and which he takes to be the 
 classical form of the Hebrew word Moreh, which was 
 associated with Shechem both in the Old Testament 
 and the rabbinical commentaries. Olshausen has 
 conjectured that the name is the Hebrew Maavarta 
 (b^J[n3^'.5), signifying thoroughfare, and thus called 
 from its being on the great route from Jerusalem to 
 Galilee. From Jerusalem to Nazareth, for example, 
 there are four days' journey, and Nablus is generally 
 selected by the traveller as the most convenient halt- 
 ing-place on the second day. It might have been so 
 in ancient times ; but why this place should, on that 
 account, be called by this name, any more than one 
 of the other halting-places, seems rather strange. It 
 may be this : that in the immediate neighbourhood are 
 the sepulchres of Joseph, Joshua, and Caleb, and others 
 of the illustrious fathers in Israel, and that the Jews 
 then, as now, felt it to be a great privilege to visit the 
 tombs of the pious. Consequently all the Jews to the 
 north of this place would make it a point of halting 
 here, when passing to or from Jerusalem, so that they 
 might have the opportunity of visiting the graves of 
 their eminent dead. In this manner Shechem would, 
 of course, become the greatest and most important tho- 
 roughfare on the route ; and would, naturally enough, 
 be called by the Jews Mabortha. According to this 
 supposition, we should bo led to conceive that a far 
 better state of feeling existed between the Jews and 
 Samaritans than is generally believed to have been the
 
 Cii. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 71 
 
 case. If such a deadly hatred, as is generally supposed, 
 did really exist between the two people, it can hardly 
 be conceived how the Jews, on the one hand, would 
 have made Shechem their halting-place at all; and, 
 on the other hand, how the Samaritans would have 
 allowed them. 
 
 I cannot keep thinking that the restricted sense of 
 " pass " may be the true idea of the name after all, and 
 to the Jewish mind and feelings it might have a double 
 meaning — physical and social. The gorge-like little 
 valley, hemmed in on both sides by a lofty mountain- 
 chain, would not inaptly suggest such a name to a city 
 nestling within its bosom ; and doubly so when that 
 city was the stronghold of their bitterest enemies, in 
 passing which they had, probably, to endure taunts, 
 ridicule, cursing, and perhaps something even worse. 
 Such a place would be to them a Mabortha — a pass not 
 easily forgotten. And such has been the character of 
 this city in all ages : its inhabitants have always been 
 domineering and insulting, from the time of the 
 Ephraimites, through the Samaritan period, down to 
 the present INIussulman bigots. 
 
 Ha\dng been rebuilt by Vespasian, after the Eoman 
 war in Palestine, it was called "Neapolis," the New 
 Town, of Avhich the present name, Nablus, is a modijEi- 
 cation, and is perhaps the only instance throughout the 
 country where a comparatively modern name has sur- 
 vived the original. 
 
 We may safely say at the outset that the city must 
 have stood somewhere in the immediate neiij;hbourhood
 
 72 NABLUS AND [Cii. III. 
 
 of the present town, inasmuch as we are informed in 
 the sacred narrative that it stood under one of the 
 spurs of Gerizim (Judg. ix. 7) ; and by Josephus that 
 it stood between Gerizim and Ebal (Ant. iv. \iii. 44) ; 
 and any one who has visited the place without having 
 any previous topographical theory to support, would, I 
 presume, conclude at once, from the great advantages 
 of the spot, that the town must have remained where 
 it now is through all former ages. But it is not so 
 with authors : the site has been disputed and shifted 
 over and over again, and in some instances placed on 
 spots too ridiculous to be noticed. The earliest and 
 the only ancient author we know of that makes a dis- 
 tinction between the old and the new towns, is Eusebius ; 
 if indeed he means to assert the fact, which seems 
 doubtful from his mode of expression (Onom. Tepe- 
 ^ivOos: %v)(eix). His contemporary, however, the Bor- 
 deaux Pilgrim, who visited the place in a.d. 333, 
 not only identifies the two cities, but also never calls 
 the city by its new name, Nablus, but only by its 
 ancient and biblical name, Sychem ; and most likely he 
 only thus expressed the general and perhaps universal 
 opinion that then prevailed among the inhabitants. 
 This was not only the Samaritan and Christian 
 tradition, but also the Jewish ; for we read in Midrash 
 Rabbali, that Shechem, in Mount Ephraim, is Napulis 
 (Sect. Masaar). But we shall not weary our readers 
 with conflicting opinions of ancient or modern date. 
 Probably the fact of the city being called by the Ro- 
 mans the " New Town," suggested the idea of its being
 
 Cii. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 73 
 
 built on a new site at some distance from the original 
 one. To us, however, it appears most evident that 
 Nablus stands on the same spot as the ancient city ; 
 and our reasons are the following. 
 
 But first of all, let us see for a moment whether any 
 other site be feasible. "VVe believe that no one who has 
 calmly considered the question on the spot, would 
 attempt to place the ancient city in any other place than 
 the present, except somewhere about the eastern end of 
 the valley, unless he had some wild theory to support. 
 Here, a little to the west of Jacob's Well, there is 
 room for speculation. And firstly, we find a small 
 poor \illage, with e\ddent remains of former and better 
 buildings. And again, adjoining the village is a large 
 mound, extending almost across the valley, in all pro- 
 bability the entombed remains of a small town. And 
 lastly, close by are streams of excellent water, sufficient 
 to supply a very large population. In my own mind, 
 I have no doubt that it was once the site of a flourish- 
 ing town : but not the ancient Shechem. It was the 
 town of Balata,* whose name is still retained by the 
 little village. And regarding one of the streams, we have 
 already intimated our belief that it might at one time 
 have been flowing on the other side of the watershed 
 towards the present Nablus. It is not at all improbable 
 that it was first turned in its present direction by the 
 inhabitants of Balata. If we accept the fact — and it 
 cannot well be rejected — that the "parcel of field," 
 which Jacob bought of Hamor, was at this end of the 
 
 • Vid. Parchi's Kaphta va-Fierach.
 
 74 NABLUS AND [Ch. III. 
 
 valley, it is impossible to conceive how tlie patriarch 
 would have selected a place so near the city for his 
 encampment, nor how the inhabitants would have 
 allowed him to possess land quite under their walls. 
 
 But let us now see what reasons there are for the 
 present site. The first and principal is its advantage 
 of a good supply of water ; and, in a climate like that 
 of Palestine, one might think that this alone would be 
 sufficient. We need not here expatiate upon so impor- 
 tant a blessing ; and a people who would have neglected 
 such a spot for their habitation, and built their town at 
 a place where no such supply was to be had, must have 
 lacked the instinct of self-preservation common to all 
 mankind. 
 
 Beside this, it is very evident that the road which 
 connected the valley with the summit of Mount Geri- 
 zim through all past ages, is the one ascending behind 
 the present city. It is true that there is another path 
 leading up from the valley, about half-way from the city 
 to Jacob's AVell ; but this has never been more than a 
 kind of by-path, used by few except shepherds. The 
 descent in one place is so steep that it never could have 
 been a roadway for any beast of burden ; and it shows no 
 sign of a frequented road like the former. But we need 
 not dwell upon this subject ; the present beaten track 
 carries its reality and antiquity uj^on its worn-out face. 
 
 Another evidence in favour of the present site is the 
 discovery of antiquities in and around the city. These 
 are neither numerous nor important in themselves ; but 
 as evidence on the subject in question they are of con-
 
 Cu. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 75 
 
 siderable value. They consist of portions of walls, 
 cisterns, fragments of potteries, and such like, all of 
 early date, and some most certainly of Hebrew origin. 
 These are either within the walls of the present city, or 
 in its immediate vicinity. As no such remains are to 
 he met with in any other part of the valley, it seems 
 to be a pretty certain proof that the present site is the 
 original one. I may here mention that I picked up 
 fragments of pottery and tessellated stones in several 
 parts of the valley, at some distance from the city, and 
 also on the plain between Jacob's Well and Joseph's 
 Tomb ; but all these evidently belonged to a period 
 subsequent to the Koman occupation. 
 
 I may also add — and let the reader take it for what 
 it is worth — that all the Christian traditions of the 
 place cluster around the present city. With the excep- 
 tion of the memorial of our Saviour conversing with 
 the woman at the well, all the traditions that have 
 lingered among the native Christians are located either 
 in, or close behind, the present town. It is here we 
 are shown the place where He sat to discourse with His 
 disciples ; here is shown the stone upon which He and 
 they used to sup ; here is yet seen the great rent in the 
 rock, and many of the other miracles which He per- 
 formed ; in a word, the spots held sacred by the Chris- 
 tians of the place are all situated within and around 
 Nablus. 
 
 There is one passage of Scripture which struck me 
 forcibly when reading it on the spot, as bearing much 
 on the present point. It is in the Book of Judges : —
 
 76 NABLITS AND [Cn. III. 
 
 " And Gaal spake again and said, See tliere come people 
 down by the middle of tlie land, and another company- 
 come along by the plain of Meonenim " (Judg. ix. 37) : 
 but more correctly rendered, "And Gaal spake again 
 and said. See there come people down by the summit 
 of the land, and another company come along by the 
 oak of enchantments." The point to which we refer is 
 lost in the common version, but it is made clear in the 
 corrected form which we have given. 
 
 Now Gaal " stood in the entering of the gate of the 
 city " (ver. 35), and looked towards the east. One com- 
 pany he saw coming down over one of the two moun- 
 tains — most likely Ebal — on his left ; and the other 
 company along the valley past the oak of enchantments. 
 This oak was the notable one of which we have already 
 been speaking. It must have stood either in the valley 
 between the two mountains, or at the foot of either of 
 them between the city and the opening of the valley ; 
 at all events it must have been to the east of the city. 
 It is clear also, from the language of Gaal, that it stood 
 "at some distance from the city, which could not have 
 been had Shechem been situated near the end of the 
 valley. Any one of my readers acquainted with the 
 locality will at once j)erceive that no spot answers all 
 the conditions of the narrative so exactly as Nablus. 
 
 There is another incident bearing upon this subject 
 to which we must refer — it is the address of Jotham to 
 the people of Shechem. Let our reader take up his 
 Bible and read the whole passage before we proceed, 
 which is too long for quotation here (Judg. ix. 7-21).
 
 Cii. III.] THE MODERN S.V3IARITANS. 77 
 
 Now, I know of no place, in the valley or on the 
 mountain,* that would fit the story so well as Nablus. 
 Jotham would have stood on one of those large projec- 
 tions on Gerizim that overlook the city. At dusk, when 
 the people would have all gathered themselves into the 
 city, and its doors shut — the din of the town ha\ing 
 ceased, and deathlike silence all around — he would have 
 harangued the people from his lofty pulpit, and, without 
 any unusual effort, would have made himself heard by 
 the whole population, and then withdrawn over the 
 mountain. Such public criers are to be heard commonly 
 in the Lebanon villages ; and I have seen Nablus many 
 a time in such a state of repose that any one might have 
 addressed the people from the same spot without any 
 extraordinary effort. And the narrative, thus under- 
 stood, in its natural and common-sense view, goes far 
 to prove that Nablus stands on the same spot as ancient 
 Shechem did. 
 
 Wliether Shechem or Nablus did, at a certain period, 
 extend beyond the limits of the present city is another 
 question. There is no doubt that one or the other, or 
 perhaps both, did, especially on the eastern side : the 
 fragments of walls and cisterns discovered there prove 
 it beyond doubt. 
 
 There is one other incident to which we must refer 
 
 * M. De Saulcy has quoted this of the narrative does not imply 
 passage for the purpose of pro\'ing that he stood upon the highest 
 tliat Shechem stood high up the point of the mountain— his stand- 
 mountain (Journey, vol. ii.), inas- ing upon any spur above the city 
 much as Jotliam stood in the top of would he narrated in exactly the 
 the mountain. But the language same manner.
 
 78 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Ch. III. 
 
 before dismissing this subject. Tbe coins of Nablus 
 are frequent under tbe emperors, and tbere is one tbat 
 seems to confirm, in no small degree, tbe view we bave 
 taken of tins question. In tbe coins of Titus, tbe type 
 was a palm or laurel, witb tbe name of tbe city written 
 among tbe brancbes. But afterwards. Mount Gerizim 
 was introduced, in tbe following fasbiou : — 
 
 Here is represented a building of some kind, most 
 likely a temple, witb a bigb tower close by, and a 
 staircase leading up from tbe city to tbe temple. It is 
 to tbese steps, beyond all question, tbe Bordeaux 
 Pilgrim refers, wbcn be says tbat tbere were 300 steps 
 leading up to tbe mountain {Itinerariiim) . M. de 
 Saulcy, for tbe purpose of reacbing tbe liigbest point 
 of tbe mountain, suggests tbat tbere must bave been a 
 mistake in tbe number of tbe steps, and proposes to 
 read 1500 instead of 300 ; upon wliicb bis Englisb 
 editor remarks, *' a very probable inference, wbicb 
 does not appear to bave struck M. de Saulcy, but wbicb 
 seems to result from tbe general accuracy of the 
 Pilgrim's descriptions, is, tbat, in tbe year 333, only
 
 Cu. III.] THE MODERN SAJIARITANS. 79 
 
 about 300 steps of this staircase were remaining. The 
 Pilgrim does not say that this is the whole of the 
 original staircase, but all he saw at the time ; and 
 that seems the more likely, as the staircase must 
 have worn out by degrees" (Narrative, p. 348). But 
 there is no room for such speculation. Any one ac- 
 quainted with the spot will be at once struck with the 
 corectness of the medal, and will not fail to see that 
 the temple is built on the spur of Gerizim, which 
 almost overhangs the town ; and just at a height to 
 require some 300 steps to reach it. On this point 
 the medal is most satisfactory ; and with it agrees 
 most distinctly the language of the Pilgrim, which 
 immediately adds, "thence, at the foot of the mount 
 itself, is a place the name of which is Sychem." * It 
 is singular that he should call the town by its old 
 name, and not by the new, Nablus. It is a jjroof that 
 he, at all events, identified the old and new cities, and 
 has thus transmitted to us probably the almost uni- 
 versal tradition then current, as already mentioned. 
 
 Now, connected with the evidence borne by this 
 coin to the relative position of the city and the moun- 
 tain, I wish to call the attention of my reader to two 
 points. The first is the circumstance, already com- 
 mented upon, of Jotham addressing the people of 
 Shechem. Let him, Avhilst reading the narrative, 
 examine the coin, and mark the spur upon which the 
 building stands, with the city down underneath, and 
 the flight of stairs connecting the two : and I presume 
 
 * Inde ad pedem montis ipsius locus est, cui nomenest Scchim.— It Incrarium.
 
 80 NABLUS AND [Cu. III. 
 
 he will not fail to observe most strikingly the topo- 
 graphy of the narrative. Let it be further observed 
 that the language of the Pilgrim perfectly agrees with 
 that of Scripture, when mentioning the height of the 
 mount. The latter says that Jotham " stood in the top 
 of Mount Gerizim;"* and the former says, that " there 
 go up steps to the top of the mount,"! both evidently 
 using common phraseology. 
 
 The other point to which I would refer is a passage 
 in the "Antiquities" of Josephus, where he relates the 
 circumstances of Jotham's address. There we are told 
 that Jotham "went up to Mount Gerizim, which over- 
 hangs the city Shechem."! Let the reader refer to the 
 medal once more, which will enable him to have a 
 fair appreciation of Josephus's language, and bear in 
 mind that the historian was well acquainted with the 
 locality. There is no spot within the valley that can 
 in any wise bear out such a description, except the site 
 of the present city of Nablus, as exhibited on the coin. 
 
 Let us now take a very brief survey of the history 
 of the town. We have already assumed that Shechem 
 was a most ancient town, much anterior to the time of 
 Abraham ; although the first time ive come into contact 
 with it is on the return of Jacob from Padanaram 
 (Gen. xxxiii. 18, 19). After the conquest of the 
 country by Joshua, it was made the capital of the 
 nation (Josh. xxiv. 1), for which its position in the 
 
 * D'''f'lJ'"irT Ii^i*i"121 f "Usque ad summniiimontem." 
 
 ,. ,,. , , , » ,r ,' r% • • n + To ouos TO TxpiZitv vrioxurai 
 Lit. "ill the head of Mount Gunzim" _ "• ... ...... ^ 
 
 (,Judg. ix. 7). 
 
 Ttis ^ixifiuv woXiu; (v. vil. \).
 
 Cn. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 81 
 
 very centre of the country rendered it most appro- 
 priate. An additional importance was conferred upon 
 it by creating it a Levitical town, and a city of refuge 
 (Josh. XX. 7 ; xxi. 21). During the time of the Judges, 
 Shechem seems to have retained its pre-eminence in spite 
 of all the vicissitudes of the nation. Abimelech suc- 
 ceeded in conquering and destroying it (Judg. ix.), but 
 it was soon rebuilt, and acquired its former power. In 
 the time of David, Jerusalem, from political motives, was 
 selected and made the capital ; but even after the reign 
 of the first three monarchs over the whole nation, 
 Shechem continued its supremacy in the public mind 
 as the rallying point of the nation. Consequently 
 Rehoboam found it necessary to resort thither to 
 decide the question of his succeeding to the throne 
 (1 Kings xii. 1). The nation being divided into 
 two kingdoms, Shechem continued to be the capital 
 of Israel, even when Tirzah had been selected as 
 the summer residence of the court. It was not 
 till the reign of Omri that it lost its dignity, 
 when that monarch built Samaria for his capital 
 (1 Kings xvi. 24). And here we lose sight of 
 Shechem — it is not mentioned henceforth at all in the 
 Old Testament, twice excepted — once by an earlier 
 prophet, and once by a later prophet. Hosea, re- 
 ferring apparently to its influence in the idolatry of 
 the Ten Tribes, says, "And as troops of robbers wait 
 for a man, so the company of priests murder in the 
 way to Shechem*" (vi. 9). And from Jeremiah 
 
 • Autli. version, " by cousent."' 
 
 G
 
 82 NABLUS AND [Cn. III. 
 
 we find that it still existed in his time (xli. 5). Not 
 long after this time it became the chief seat of the 
 Samaritans, who erected their temple on the top of 
 Gerizim. From Josephus we learn that the city was 
 taken and the temple destroyed by Hyrcanus, e.g. 129 
 (Antiq. xiii. 9 ; De Bell. Jud. i. 2, 6) ; but from the 
 New Testament we find that it still remained, and 
 apparently in a flourishing state (John iv. 5). 
 
 It appears that, during the Roman wars in Pales- 
 tine, Shechem suifered severely, and that it was 
 rebuilt, or, at least, repaired and beautified, by 
 Vespasian. It was then it received the name of New 
 Town. Coins were then struck bearing the impress 
 Flavia Neapolis, referring undoubtedly to Flavins 
 Vespasian, The town continued to exist, in spite of 
 all the misfortunes which befell the country, until the 
 year 1113, when it was destroyed by the Saracens. A 
 few years later (1120) we find that a council was held 
 here by King Baldwin II., and the town remained 
 henceforth in the hands of the Christians until the 
 year 1242, when it was taken by Aba Ali, and once 
 more came into the hands of the Mohammedans, in 
 whose possession it has ever since remained. 
 
 The town, as already observed, is situate in the 
 valley, about a mile and a half from its eastern 
 opening. It stands at the foot of Gerizim, and 
 stretches from east to west in an irregular form. 
 
 Just where the city stands there is hardly any flat 
 vaUey, the gradual slopes of the two mountains dove- 
 tailing into each other. The town is surrounded by
 
 Cu. III.] THE MODERN SAJIAIIITANS. 83 
 
 gardens and orchards, luxuriant with fruit-trees, hut 
 void of all style and taste. The roads leading to it 
 from all parts are in the most primitive and wretched 
 condition ; and the city itself is surrounded by all 
 kinds of filth. The valley between the town and 
 Mount Ebal is well nigh filled with mounds of rub- 
 bish — principally remains from the soap-manufac- 
 tories ; as is also the south-western side of the city. 
 But, notwithstanding all its disadvantages, there is 
 something very charming in the whole neighbourhood. 
 It may arise more from the climate, combined with the 
 associations of the place, than from its physical cha- 
 racter. To clamber up the side of Ebal, and look upon 
 the valley, ■with the town, gardens, trees, and mounds, 
 with the two gigantic mountains shutting them in 
 on both sides, is a most interesting sight. And in 
 addition, long lines of camels are frequently seen going 
 along the foot of Ebal — ships of the desert, carry- 
 ing on the traffic between Jerusalem and Galilee, just 
 as it was thousands of years ago. 
 
 But before we enter into the city, we must pause 
 awhile to examine these mounds. During my first 
 visit to the country, my attention, whilst remaining 
 in Jerusalem, was drawn to two considerable heaps of 
 ashes, which lay outside the city towards the north- 
 west, and not far from the Nablus road and the so- 
 called Tombs of the Kings. They are remarkable in 
 themselves, being of a bluish-grey colour, having no 
 grass or weeds growing upon them ; and their pecu- 
 liarity is greater when contrasted with the dark olive- 
 
 G 2
 
 84 NABLUS AND [Ch. III. 
 
 groves around tliem. These are commonly believed by 
 the natives of Jerusalem to be heaps of refuse from the 
 soap-manufactories of former ages. Mr. Finn, our 
 late English consul, however, and some other members 
 of the Jerusalem Literary Society, had conceived a 
 different idea of their origin. They thought that it 
 was not improbable they were ashes from the ancient 
 sacrifices. Consequently they requested Dr. Roth, of 
 Munich, when visiting Jerusalem in 1853, to carry 
 some samples with him to Germany for the purpose of 
 analyzing them, which he did, taldug one sample from 
 the top and another from the base of the mound. 
 During my stay there in 1855, Mr. Finn received the 
 result of that analysis, and kindly gave me a copy, 
 which is as follows : — 
 
 Ashes from Ashes from 
 the top. the base. 
 
 Soluble sUicic acid 1-212 1-421 
 
 Alkali 1-150 0'820 
 
 Oxide of iron 0-762 0-875 
 
 Calcium 45-239 44-654 
 
 Magnesium 6-7S5 4-996 
 
 Residuum, red liot, but insoluble . . 6-965 6-637 
 
 Carbonium 1-706 3-570 
 
 Phosphoric acid 0-716 0-849 
 
 Aluminum 3-750 2-866 
 
 Carbonic acid 30-610 32-540 
 
 98-895 99-228 
 
 Loss 1-105 0-772 
 
 100-000 100-000 
 
 Such was the result of the German analysis. It 
 was done, we were told, in Liebig's laboratory. But 
 we should mention that Dr. Roth observed that the
 
 Cn. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 85 
 
 analysis exhibited a small percentage of silicic acid, 
 which is never found in the ashes of flesh or bones ; 
 but he thought that this could be accounted for by sup- 
 posing that the ashes of the meat offerings, in which 
 silicum may be found, were likewise carried off to the 
 hills in question. 
 
 My curiosity being thus aroused, I also brought away 
 with me samples from the top and base of the larger 
 mound. When I reached Nablus my attention was 
 drawn at once to those heaps, as being exactly of the 
 same character as those at Jerusalem. I asked my 
 Samaritan guide what they were, and he told me that 
 they were carried thither from the city, principally from 
 the soap-manufactories. I brought samples of these 
 likewise. When I arrived home in England, I handed 
 them over to the Palestine Archaeological Association ; 
 and my friend Dr. Turnbull, who was then secretary of 
 the Association, requested Professor Faraday to analyse 
 them, which he Idndly did ; and the result is thus stated 
 in the Professor's communication to Dr. Turnbull : 
 
 " My deae Sik, — Though I have spent the best 
 part of two days over your packets (because of the 
 hopes attached to them), yet I shall have very little to 
 say about them, for they do not satisfy one's desire. 
 I find no evidence about them of their being ancient 
 ashes of burnt animal substances ; but conceive they 
 must be the results of operations now going on, at least 
 as respects those labelled ' Jerusalem.' The one from 
 the top of the heap at Jerusalem contains caustic lime, 
 which dissolves out by mere water, and gives lime-water :
 
 86 NABLUS AND [Cu.III. 
 
 there are even fragments of lime, the interior of which 
 is not yet carbonated, but dissolves without effervescence 
 in acids. There is no structure as of bone about 
 any of these pieces ; no carbon in the state obtained 
 from animal substances by burning ; no vitreous ash 
 or phosphate of lime. The charcoal which is there is 
 vegetable, soft, and easily burns in air. This sub- 
 stance would not remain on the top of a heap, or even 
 within three feet of its surface for a few years (perhaps 
 five at the utmost) without changing : the caustic lime 
 would have become carbonated. The substance from 
 the bottom of the heap, labelled ' Jerusalem,' is quite in 
 accordance : it contains no caustic lime — all is car- 
 bonated. It is just like what that from the top would 
 become in the course of a few years. That from 
 Nablus is, in all respects, like the last specimen. 
 
 " Whether these substances are the scrapings of any 
 lime-kiln or lime-works, or works (as of building or 
 plastering) in which lime has been used, can be judged 
 of only by those who know the condition of the heaps, 
 and the circumstances connected with them, and have 
 inquired into their history on the spot." 
 
 It is right that I should state here that no intima- 
 tion was given to the Professor that these specimens 
 were supposed by some to be the refuse of soap-boiling, 
 but only that they were the supposed ashes of the 
 sacrifices. The result, however, is perfectly satisfactory, 
 and altogether precludes the supposition of their being 
 animal remains. 
 
 We will now enter the city. It is surrounded on all
 
 Ch. III. J THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 87 
 
 sides by a wall, of very common structure, and in a 
 most dilapidated state, with two gates, one at the 
 eastern and the other at the western end of the town. 
 The gates are not made of brass, as some were in 
 ancient times, nor would it require so much trouble to 
 set them on fire as Abimelech had with its gates of 
 old. They are so rickety that, with no great effort, 
 their iron bars and locks would soon give way : yet 
 they are of no small importance in the economy of the 
 town. Here we still find a faint emblem of what gates 
 were in primitive times — the great emporiums where 
 all the public affairs of cities were transacted. The 
 gates of Nablus still retain their importance in part : 
 at the western gate the revenue department is still 
 located. It is presided over by an elderly Turk, of no 
 small dimensions, sitting like a lord on his Turkey 
 rug, smoking his pipe and sipping his coffee, thunder- 
 ing execrations every now and then at the Arabs, who 
 try to evade or dispute the toll ; but he is polite enough, 
 nevertheless, to imite you to join him in pipe and coffee, 
 when you have made his acquaintance. One of his 
 assistants is a keen, clever, and good-natured Greek. 
 All who pass through the gates with any commodities 
 to sell, and all purchasers, arc charged a certain toll 
 according to the value of their articles. The amount 
 thus received per diem varies very much, of course ; 
 occasionally nothing is taken : but sometimes as much 
 as 20,000 piastres is received, and frequently 10,000. 
 
 The main street, following the line of the valley 
 from east to west, runs almost in a straight line the
 
 88 NABLUS AND [Cu. III. 
 
 whole lengtli of the town, connecting the two gates ; 
 most of the other streets cross this, and are, almost 
 without exception, narrow, irregular, and dirty. Most 
 of them have a channel in the centre, along which a 
 stream of water runs. In the winter season these 
 streams are full, hut diminish during the summer 
 months, and several are dried up. This arrangement 
 of the water causes the town -to be very damp during 
 the winter months ; and, however pleasant it may be 
 in summer, it seems to be no good element in the 
 sanitary condition of the place. This state of the 
 streets, together with the fact of some of them being 
 arched, makes the town uncommonly sombre and dull. 
 Nevertheless, the inhabitants are most proud of it, and 
 think there is no place in the world to equal it. 
 
 When we speak of streets, our readers must not 
 imagine them to be similar to European streets, 
 formed by the front of lines of houses, private or 
 public ; but the streets of Nablus, like those of other 
 Oriental towns, are only passages between dead walls, 
 excepting where the bazaars break the monotony. 
 These are the Eastern shops or market-places, and 
 they are comparatively numerous in Nablus. They are 
 grouped according to the merchandise they contain, 
 and are situated principally in the main street. One 
 is for vegetables of all lands ; another for fruits, such as 
 oranges, lemons, citrons, &c. ; another for dried fruits — 
 raisins, olives, figs, &c. ; and last, but not least, 
 comes the group of well-stores of tobacco. The 
 principal bazaar is arched, and is very large and fine
 
 Cii. III.] THE jMODERN SAMARITANS. 89 
 
 for Nablus. It is the finest, by far, in Palestine, and 
 equals any, so far as I observed, in the largest towns 
 of the Turkish Empire. This is the clothing empo- 
 rium, and is well furnished with the bright silk produc- 
 tions of Damascus and Aleppo — the Abas of Bagdad — 
 calicos and prints from Manchester, in varieties too 
 numerous to be named — as well as the productions of 
 the town itself. 
 
 Besides the bazaars, the streets are enlivened by 
 workshops. These are like recesses in the walls, and 
 open to the streets ; and as you pass along from street 
 to street, you may observe all the handicraftsmen of 
 the town at work. These consist of silversmiths, 
 weavers, shoemakers, and all other kind of artizans 
 necessary to the well-being of a community. The most 
 extensive trades are the silversmith's and soap-making. 
 The former, in addition to the town and the towns and 
 villages around, has a good market beyond the Jordan, 
 especially among the Christians of Salt. Their pro- 
 ductions are of a very primitive character, but procure 
 for them a good trade notwithstanding. The latter is 
 considered superior, and has a demand, not only 
 through Palestine, but also in Egypt and other 
 countries. It is made of the ashes of the kali plant, 
 which grows in the country, mixed with olive-oil — the 
 oil of Nablus ha\dng the reputation of being of the 
 most pure land. Its other productions are fabrics of 
 cotton, wool, camels' hair, and silk. Nablus, being the 
 centre of a rich district, and, as of old, the gateway of 
 the trade between the northern and southern parts of
 
 90 NABLUS AND [Ch. III. 
 
 the country, as also between Jaffa and Beirut on the 
 one hand, and the trans-Jordanic districts on the other, 
 becomes, of necessity, the mart of an active traffic. 
 The consequence is that the inhabitants enjoy a greater 
 amount of the comforts of life than those of any other 
 town in Palestine. 
 
 All the houses are built of stone, and are heavy, 
 dull, and sombre. Each house stands detached from 
 its neighbour, and consists of several rooms, according 
 to its dimensions. I shall, in another chapter, give 
 a description of the one in which I lived, which will 
 serve as a fair specimen of the rest. 
 
 There are no public buildings worth mentioning. 
 There are five mosques, two of which were originally 
 Christian churches. 
 
 Nablus being one of the strongholds of Islamism 
 in Palestine, the inhabitants have been too bigoted 
 hitherto to allow any antiquarian research to be made 
 by Europeans. What antiquities may still be found 
 in the town and neighbourhood, is, of course, un- 
 certain ; but we can hardly doubt that future research 
 will discover valuable relics in the old capital of the 
 first conquerors. 
 
 JcicisJt Antiquities. — There are a few small portions 
 of the town remaining, in all probability, from ancient 
 times. The arched passage, or street, in the Samaritan 
 quarter, seems to be partly, at least, of this class. 
 There I observed several bevelled stones in the old wall, 
 of Jewish style and workmanship. I observed several 
 similar ones in other parts of the town.
 
 Cn. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 91 
 
 Other Jewish remains, in all probability, are the marble 
 troughs used at the principal streams. These are five 
 in number. The largest measures nine feet ten inches 
 in length, twenty-three inches wide, and twenty-eight 
 inches deep. They were dug up in the plain on the 
 eastern side of Gerizim, and were originally the 
 sarcophagi of the dead — most likely belonging to the 
 first conquerors. I fancied that on two of them I 
 could discover the vestiges of some land of writing or 
 inscriptions, but now too far worn off to be traced ; 
 some of them, if not all, had originally been ornamented. 
 Whilst we were examining them, the people, especially 
 the children, became so unruly, that we had to give up 
 our attempt. They had imagined, I suppose, that our 
 ultimate object was, through some magic or other, to 
 remove the troughs to England. "SYe made a rough 
 sketch of one of the ornaments. 
 
 Samaritan Antiquities. — The only remains belonging 
 to the Samaritans that I know of, are those connected 
 with the mosque El Hadra, " the green," or Hussan 
 El Yacub, " the wailing of Jacob," * as it is called. 
 It stands to the western side of the Samaritan quarter. 
 The present building is of modern date ; but up to 
 some 500 years ago it was the site of a Samaritan 
 synagogue, dating, according to tradition, anterior to the 
 Christian era, but wrested from its possessors by the 
 
 * These names liave Leen given tree, which still stands in the court, 
 
 to this mosque from the Moham- withered at the news of the lad's 
 
 medan legend that it was there death, but on his being found alive, 
 
 Jacol) wailed over the deatli of his became gi'een again, 
 son Joseph — that the aged mulberry-
 
 92 NABLUS AND [Ch. III. 
 
 Mohammedans, aucl converted into a mosque. A few 
 fragments of the ancient columns are built into the 
 present walls, together with one or two slabs inscribed 
 with portions of the Ten Commandments in Samaritan. 
 These are all the remains of Samaritan origin hitherto 
 discovered in the town. 
 
 Christian Antiquities. — There are no Christian re- 
 mains that I am aware of, excepting two buildings, 
 both being originally churches, but converted by the 
 Mohammedans into mosques. These are the Nosr 
 and the KJichir, both now well nigh in ruins, but 
 jealously guarded by the bigoted Mohammedans from 
 intrusion by any unbeliever. The most interesting is 
 the latter. Is stands in the main street, with its 
 entrance towards the eastern gate. It has a magnifi- 
 cent porch, its columns, and capitals, and pointed ai-ch 
 richly and beautifully ornamented, but now in a dilapi- 
 dated state. It is a work, apparently, of the twelfth 
 century. The church itself has been used for ages as 
 a mosque, but is now in ruins. No Jew or Christian is 
 allowed to enter it, nor even to examine it from the out- 
 side, except by furtive glances. Before I left the town, 
 however, I took French leave, and entered the court, 
 with the intention of viewing it ; but was soon sur- 
 rounded by a clamorous and insolent rabble, who were 
 ready to teach better manners to the Christian dog. I 
 had just time enough to notice the baptismal font, now 
 used as a water-trough. It consisted of the common 
 marble of the country, measuring outside twenty- six 
 inches in diameter, and thirteen inches deep. I noticed
 
 Ch. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITAXS. 93 
 
 also nine of the original columns of the church in 
 the wall. The remains indicated the building as of 
 Byzantine architecture. But without any further re- 
 search, I found that my only safe course was to retire 
 as quickly as possible.
 
 94 NABLUS AND [Cu. IV, 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 ^'^HE inliabitants of Nablus, with very few excep- 
 -*- tions, are Arabs. It is difficult to say what is the 
 number of its population, inasmuch as no census is 
 taken. I was told by one of the leading officials of 
 the town that it amounted to twenty or twenty-five 
 thousand. My impression, however, is, that it could 
 not be half that number. Perhaps from eight to ten 
 thousand would be nearer the mark. 
 
 The natives do not divide themselves according to 
 their nationalities, but according to their religion. It 
 is true that nationalities and creed coincide upon the 
 whole, except in the case of the native Christians, who 
 belong, with very few exceptions, to the Greek Church ; 
 and should any of these change their faith, and become 
 Protestant or Roman Catholic, they would be called 
 after the nation to which their new teacher happened 
 to belong. Thus the inhabitants are divided into four 
 communities : — Mohammedan, Christian, Samaritan, 
 and Jewish ; the Mohammedan numbering about 
 9400 ; the Christian, from 500 to 600 ; the Samaritan, 
 151 ; and the Jewish, about 100. 
 
 The people of Nablus and its dependencies have 
 been notorious for their spirit of independence and
 
 Cu.IY.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 95 
 
 bravery from the earliest ages. Whether there be 
 something in the locality of INIount Ephraim tending 
 to foster such a spirit, is not for us to decide ; but one 
 thing is evident, that neither the change of nationality 
 nor the change of religion has been able to quench it. 
 The present inhabitants still retain the old character. 
 No district in Syria has been more turbulent and less 
 manageable to the Turkish Government, than that of 
 Nablus and the surrounding villages ; and no people in 
 Palestine are so deeply imbued -svdth the fanaticism of 
 Islam. By those Europeans in Jerusalem who knew 
 them best, my stay amongst them was considered any- 
 thing but safe. Many a time, when walldng in the 
 streets, was I soundly cursed, with now and then an 
 intimation of something more practical. No violence, 
 however, was attempted : it all ended in words. 
 Perhaps, from circumstances which I shall yet mention, 
 their hatred of Christians was more intense than 
 usual ; but, at any time, Nablus is not the safest place 
 for a Frank to remain in. There is a mixture of 
 bigotry and gruffuess in all the inhabitants ; and even 
 in their highest officials, with one or two exceptions, 
 you miss that grace which characterizes the better class 
 of Mussulmans elsewhere. It is only right, however, 
 that I should mention here that I met with much 
 politeness from some of their leading men. Whether 
 it sprang from real feeling, or a mere hollow show, I 
 knew not, nor did it much matter to me, as long as I 
 could go in and out uninjured. My objects were 
 amongst the other communities.
 
 96 
 
 NABLUS AND 
 
 [Cii. IV. 
 
 The children, not bemg accustomed to Europeans, as 
 are the children of Jerusalem, and some other towns, 
 took a very great interest in me. My European dress 
 excited in them no little curiosity, hut especially my 
 hat — a jim-crow, with white calico around it, in the 
 form of a large turban. I, like other travellers, had 
 adopted such a head-dress for the sake of defending my 
 head from the rays of the sun, which pour down in 
 the hot months with such intensity as to deprive one 
 occasionally of one's senses, and even life ; and I had 
 no wish to lose the one or the other. But my wide 
 brim amused the children marvellously. As sure as I 
 made my appearance in the street, a number of them 
 would follow after me to sing my praises. And here I 
 may remark, en 'passant, that the Arabs are passion- 
 ately fond of singing. All things are done by them 
 singing, except quarrelling ; and they would even 
 quarrel singing, were it possible, quarrelling and sing- 
 ing being to them a second nature. Well, as sure as I 
 made my appearance in the street, in less than five 
 minutes a number of them would follow after me, to 
 give me a song, in their own language, of course. 
 Here it is : — 
 
 :i: 
 
 II 
 
 ?^S^E^S^:i 
 
 lie big head, he big head, full of living creepers. 
 
 ^z^zii; 
 
 ^± 
 
 ZftZZ^ 
 
 flczii— zazi«zz9:=ffii:; 
 
 Ue big head, he big head, full of living creeper."
 
 Ch. IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 97 
 
 and so on, da capo, for ever and ever. There is an old 
 Welsh adage that says, "The guilty are always 
 suspicious." And so it was with the children of 
 Nablus : they were covered with living creepers, and 
 would fain persuade each other that I was so too. I 
 knew, however, that I need not distrust myself on that 
 point ; and if their song pleased them, it did me no 
 harm. 
 
 Christianity was planted among the Samaritans 
 at Nablus by the great Founder Himself (John iv. 
 5-42). The same doctrine was received in several of 
 their cities through the subsequent preaching of the 
 Apostles (Acts viii. 25) ; and it appears that the esta- 
 blishment of flourishing churches was the result (Acts 
 ix. 31 ; sv. 3). We shall not attempt to follow the scanty 
 Christian records of Samaria through subsequent ages, 
 but merely observe that there still exists a remnant of 
 that community to this day. They are looked down 
 upon by their Mohammedan brethren with great con- 
 tempt, and frequently oppressed and ill-used. It is not 
 our purpose here to give a full account of this com- 
 munity ; but it would not be amiss, perhaps, to intro- 
 duce some of its leading members to the notice of our 
 readers. 
 
 The priest, Machaeel, a native, is a man of from 55 
 to 60 years of age ; moderate in size, thin, ^dth pale 
 face, wearing long hair and beard of a dark colour, 
 with black and piercing eyes. His countenance is not 
 very intelligent, but full of kindness; rather meanly 
 dressed, with a very largo dark blue turban on his 
 
 n
 
 98 NABLUS AND [Cn. IV. 
 
 head. At tliat time he was living in a small and poor 
 room, in consequence of some heavy misfortune which 
 he had met with the previous year. He gave me a 
 pitiful account of himself. He formerly possessed two 
 large flocks, kept at some distance from the town, 
 together with some productive fields. One morning it 
 was told him that hoth flocks had been stolen by a band 
 of Arabs from the Jordan ; and, hastening to the spot, 
 he found it to be the fact. He and his son went then to 
 laiow the fate of a servant who had been watcliing the 
 produce of the field, and, to their horror, they found 
 him murdered, and all the crop stolen and destroyed. 
 Thus, like Job of old, his all was gone in a day. To 
 add to his misfortune, some of the soldiers belonging 
 to the local government entered his house, and, with 
 violent hands, emptied it of all its furniture — much of 
 which was lost — and took possession of it : he and his 
 family were houseless in an instant. It was useless to 
 remonstrate ; nor had he the faintest hopes of redress 
 fi"om the government for these outrages. He said he 
 was thus treated merely because he was the Christian 
 priest. He was not at all an educated man, only able 
 to perform the services of his church, and that was all ; 
 but in total ignorance of all literature and science. In 
 spite of this he had a large amount of liberality. We 
 frequently conversed on religious topics, when he 
 always admitted the supreme authority of Scripture 
 on these matters, and not unfrequently conceded the 
 Protestant view of the case to be the correct one. His 
 position as a priest had not inflated him with the least
 
 Ch. IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 99 
 
 degree of pride or arrogance, but lie moved amongst his 
 people as one of the humblest. One could not but 
 admire him for his good temper and agreeable manners. 
 
 Next to the priest was the head of their convent, 
 Gregorios Tretalos, a native Greek, from the island of 
 Zante. He was a man of about 50 years of age, of 
 middle height, strongly built, with a good Grecian 
 countenance. He Avas an educated man ; conversant 
 with the literature of his Church and people, and had 
 studied the language of the country with great atten- 
 tion. He had left his native island to lead here a very 
 secluded and humble life. He was far more agreeable 
 and polite than one could have expected, and evinced 
 no small amount of liberality of sentiment. He was 
 remarkably modest in manner and opinion, but free 
 and communicative. We had much intercourse during 
 my stay with them ; and, from all I saw and heard of 
 him, he appeared to be a sincere and devoutly good 
 man in his own way. He seemed to have but little 
 spirit for instructing and improving his community : I 
 felt, notwithstanding, a great respect for his simplicity 
 and honesty of character. 
 
 Next to him came Girius Mazbar, the political head 
 of the community. He was under the middle size, and 
 of slight habit, well-formed features, with dark keen 
 eyes, and occasional glances that did not inspire one 
 with full confidence in his perfect integrity. He was 
 the best-looking of them all, and much better dressed 
 than any of his community. He possessed a very keen 
 intellect, and natural abilities of no common order. 
 
 H 2
 
 100 NABLUS AND [Ch. IV. 
 
 He seemed to be able to control himself far better than 
 any of his brethren ; and was much more polite in his 
 general behaviour than could have been expected from 
 one in his position. He was the best qualified, un- 
 doubtedly, of any in his community, to fill the office 
 which he held. 
 
 We hardly need to add that these Christians belong, 
 in faith and practice, to the Greek Church ; and very 
 fully participate in the general ignorance and super- 
 stition of Eastern Christianity. 
 
 A Protestant community had been formed here 
 by Dr. Bowen, the late lamented Bishop of Sierra 
 Leone. On my first visit to Nablus, in 1855, Mr. 
 Bowen was then residing in the place, and kindly 
 invited me to stay in his house as long as I remained 
 in the town. A better missionary never entered his 
 field of labour than w^as Mr. Bowen. He was emi- 
 nently calculated for his work among the Arabs. A 
 man with a noble, free, and warm heart, with none of 
 those punctilios too often observable in Europeans ; 
 those airs of superiority, which are so quicldy detected 
 and so keenly felt by the natives. There was nothing 
 forbidding in his manner — nothing that would suggest 
 to the native, " Come not near to me ; for I am holier 
 than thou!" He shook them cordially by the hand, 
 sat with them and smoked his pipe, and made them 
 feel that he was truly their brother. He introduced a 
 loom and an oil-press of superior qualities to the 
 natives, and commenced instructing them in several 
 useful arts, as well as in religion. A congregation was
 
 Cn. IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 101 
 
 formed, and a day-scliool also, both of wliicli appeared, 
 at the time, to be most promising. On the Sunday 
 morning, about thirty adults were present in the ser- 
 vice, besides several children ; and a native preacher, 
 a convert from the Greek community, delivered a very 
 warm discourse. Circumstances, however, called Mr. 
 Bowen back to England, after a little more than 
 twelve months' residence. When he had left, the 
 Protestant elements vvere too incoherent to unite and 
 prosper. In addition, not many months after his 
 departure, a sad calamity befell the little community. 
 The Rev. S. Lyde, a missionary, when passing through 
 Nablus, by some unaccountable misfortune shot a 
 dumb man, a Mohammedan, outside the city. This 
 man had officiously held Mr. Lyde's horse, and had 
 pertinaciously followed after him, demanding payment, 
 but refused. At last he stopped the horse, and took 
 hold, seemingly, of a loaded pistol that was in the 
 holster of the saddle, and in the struggle between him 
 and Mr. Lyde it went off, and the poor fellow dropped 
 dead on the spot. My friend Yohannah happened to be 
 with Mr. Lyde at the time, and at once perceived the 
 danger. Returning as quickly as possible, they made 
 their way to the father of the dead man. They 
 admitted the fact, and began to offer him blood-money, 
 which would have been accepted, and the matter settled, 
 according to Arab law, had the offender not been other 
 than Moslem. The father, with characteristic love of 
 hackshccsli, vclien he heard the price, exclaimed, "He 
 is not my son, he is your son," &c. But the rumour
 
 102 NABLUS AND [Cn. IV. 
 
 was already abroad, and rapidly spreading through the 
 city, that a Christian dog had killed a Moslem. They 
 were soon surrounded by a mob, which was rapidly 
 increasing, and Yohannah saw that their only chance 
 of escape was, if possible, to fight their way to the 
 governor's house, wliich they fortunately succeeded in 
 doing. Mahmoud Beck Abdul Hady, the governor, 
 sheltered Mr. Lyde, and retained him as prisoner. He 
 was soon afterwards tried at Jerusalem, and fined a 
 certain sum, to be paid to the father. Yohannah, 
 conscious of his own innocence, having safely lodged 
 Mr. Lyde at the governor's, returned homewards ; 
 but the Moslem fanaticism having been raised to a 
 frenzy, the mob were mad, and began to wreak their 
 vengeance upon the few Protestants. Yohannah was 
 beaten without mercy, and only escaped with his life 
 through the assistance of a Moslem friend. The 
 Protestant houses were broken into and plundered, the 
 inmates treated wdth gi-eat brutality, and one native, 
 father of the Prussian agent, was actually beaten to 
 death. The Protestant school-room was also broken 
 into, and the bell, the introduction of which had given 
 them great offence, was cut down and broken to pieces, 
 and the furniture destroyed. In fact, the little flock 
 which Mr. Bowen had so fondly gathered were thus 
 ruthlessly scattered in a day, and the good which he 
 had effected was more than destroyed. An indemnity 
 of 55,000 piastres was adjudged by the Porto to the 
 injured Christians, and paid some two years after ; but 
 this was but small compensation for the injury done.
 
 Cn, IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 103 
 
 On my ^dsit iu 18G0, there were a few still retaining 
 the Protestant name, but not much of its true spirit. 
 The best members had left the place, and were living 
 in Jerusalem. Those that remained were of very 
 inferior quality. They had not met to worship together 
 in public for some time till the first Sunday after my 
 arrival ; and I soon found that there existed such envy 
 between those who were expected to take the lead, that 
 I feared but little good could result from our meetings. 
 The day-school had continued, and was incomparably 
 the best in Nablus. The two teachers were converts 
 from the Greek Church, and educated in the Protestant 
 school at Jerusalem. Their attainments, though not 
 what one would have wished them to be, were sufficient 
 for their pupils. Their moral defects grieved me more 
 than their mental. They e^dnced much Idndness, 
 especially Yacub ; but both lacked that honesty so 
 essential in a teacher, but so lamentably wanting in 
 the Arab character. The school is supported by the 
 Mission at Jerusalem ; and I frequently sympathized 
 with Bishop Gobat in his arduous task of carrying 
 things on with such materials. 
 
 I cannot dismiss this subject without adding a few 
 words on missions to Palestine in general. The natives' 
 duplicity of character renders it a very difficult matter. 
 When conversing one day with the Greek priest, he 
 said, " You may get over my people to Protestantism for 
 a good dinner ; and they will return for another dinner. " 
 I had no reason to disbelieve him. My host was origi- 
 nally of the Greek, community, but had offered himself
 
 104 NABLUS AND [Ch.IV. 
 
 to the Protestants with the exi^ectation of a certain sum 
 of money. The money not being forthcoming, he gave 
 up his Protestantism in twelve months, and was now 
 endeavouring to introduce Pk,omanism with the same 
 hopes. Nor was he ashamed of avowing this. One 
 day, when trying to show him the wickedness of such a 
 course, he summed up his arguments: ''You received 
 from us the Grospel, the best of all things; and it is only 
 right that we should have some of your worldly things." 
 I could fill pages with facts on this point, were it of 
 any good purpose, that would shock and disgust every 
 honest mind. It is difficult to know how to deal with 
 such a people ; and is a subject upon which the best 
 and most experienced men may differ. In my humble 
 opinion, the best mission would be one to enlighten 
 and not to proselytize. Let the agent go amongst them, 
 and teach them the Word of God — not with the view of 
 forming a new and separate community, which only 
 adds to the difficulties ; but only for the sake of bring- 
 ing them to a knowledge of the truth. There is gene- 
 rally felt an over anxiety for results, and these results 
 become palpable only in the number of converts : hence 
 the importance of being able to report new converts. 
 This may arise from the best of motives, but I believe 
 it is not the healthiest state of things. Let the mis- 
 sionary do his work quietly, and in love; not creating a 
 division in the Christian community already exising, 
 but endeavouring to purify it through the truth, and 
 eventually the results will become apparent.
 
 Cn. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 105 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 DOMESTIC LIFE. 
 
 nnHE ancient manners and customs of Palestine are 
 -*- still retained among the Arabs and Samaritans. 
 Among the present Jewish population they are but 
 found in part, mixed up with the varied habits of the 
 nations and countries of their dispersion ; and thus 
 biblical life is only reflected by them to a very 
 limited extent. In all other communities, hoAvever, 
 we find the domestic scenes so frequently alluded 
 to in Scripture faithfully preserved. There are no 
 new monthly or yearly fashions about them, but the 
 old patriarchal modes still remain the custom down 
 to this day; and there is, perhaps, no spot in the 
 land where they are more genuine and less modified 
 by foreign influence than in Nablus. The essential 
 differences between the Samaritans and the Arab 
 population we shall subsequently point out ; but 
 in general life they are very similar. To know their 
 domestic life is interesting in itself ; but regarding it 
 as reflecting the moral condition of society, and as 
 forming a part of the history of the human mind, it 
 becomes important as well as interesting. To the
 
 106 NABLUS AND [Cn. Y. 
 
 biblical student and scholar it is of paramount im- 
 portance. There are hundreds of passages in holy 
 writ the meaning and beauty of which can never be 
 clearly seen without this knowledge, because their 
 present domestic scenes are just what they were in 
 biblical times. My object, therefore, in this chapter, 
 will be to lead the reader behind the curtain ; to show 
 him the actual state of the life and manners of the 
 inhabitants. This I cannot do better than by gi^ang 
 a brief but faithfuL narrative of what I witnessed 
 amongst them. 
 
 We must begin with the house where I took up my 
 abode. The entrance from the street was through a 
 heavy strong door. There were no inscriptions over it, as 
 is generally the case, especially with the Mohammedans ; 
 for they never set up a gate or door without writing 
 upon or over it some sentences from the Koran, or 
 from some of their eminent jjoets. It was strongly 
 barred on the inside (2 Sam. xiii. 18), to prevent any 
 one entering without its being first opened by the in- 
 mates. A heavy iron knocker was attached, and two or 
 three tremendous blows with this would generally suffice. 
 Warde, the little servant-girl, would then reply with 
 " Who is there ? " (Acts xii. 13.) If the voice was 
 known to her, and that the voice of a friend, the door 
 was opened ; but if not, the fact was communicated to 
 the family. Having entered, we find ourselves in a 
 small irregular court, with rooms of various size and 
 purpose surrounding it. And here let it be observed 
 that, to comprehend an Arab house, we must make
 
 Ch. v.] the MODErvN SAMARITANS. 107 
 
 this distinction between house and room. The ddr or 
 house consists of a number of rooms, many or few, 
 as the case may be ; but has no communication with 
 the next houses — it stands alone as the family's castle. 
 The belt or room, again, stands detached ; so that 
 there is no communication between the different rooms : 
 there are some exceptions, but this is the general rule. 
 So, in the present house all the rooms stood detached, 
 each room having one door, and that opening into the 
 court, which is uncovered, but screened from the 
 observation of all but the inmates by the high wall of 
 the house on all sides. We shall now enter one of 
 these rooms, the one where the family generally take 
 their meals and entertain their friends. This, described, 
 shall serve as an example of the rest. The first thing 
 we notice, close by the door, is a part of the floor 
 formed into a square, some inches lower than the 
 general floor : this is the atahi, or the place where they 
 take off and leave their shoes. Our habit of showing 
 respect is to take off the hat ; but their mode is to 
 take off their shoes. Consequently they never enter 
 places of worship, nor generally their own rooms, without 
 taking them off and leaving them thus at the door 
 (Exod. iii. 5 ; Josh. v. 15). Their feet and legs are 
 therefore naked, because neither male nor female ever 
 wear stocldngs.* The females, when in the house. 
 
 * The shoes worn in Nablus are mascus. These are comparatively 
 
 of two kinds. One is the loose expensive, and only worn by the 
 
 slipper-like shoe, made of morocco, better classes. The other kind is 
 
 and imported principally from Da- the common Arab shoe, in shape
 
 108 NABLUS AND [Ch. V. 
 
 never wear shoes. When in the room they are bare- 
 footed like the males ; but when out in the court they 
 wear the kulkols, a Idncl of wooden j)attens, or rather 
 sandals, with two upright bits of board under each, 
 which lift them from the ground from six to twelve 
 inches, as the case may be. When thus walking, the 
 woman looks just as if going on low stilts, stamping 
 along, until she reaches the door of the room, where 
 the ladliols are dropped off, and left on the outside 
 till she again leaves the room. The floor was made 
 of a mixture of mud and lime. On the farther side 
 from the door a narrow piece of carpet was stretched 
 by the wall, the whole length of the room, and 
 pillows laid against the wall. In this wall, which 
 fronted the street, were two windows. The windows 
 in Palestine are frequently only square holes in the 
 wall (Acts XX. 9) ; but these, like most of the windows 
 in Nablus, were ornamented with latticework. This 
 admitted air and light, although they depend more for 
 the latter from the doorway, as the door is seldom shut. 
 The lattice was sufficiently open to look through 
 (Judg. V. 28 ; Prov. vii. 6), and to observe anything 
 from the outside (Cant. ii. 9) ; but too high from the 
 street for any one, even on horseback, to look in. 
 The ceiling was a vaulted one ; it was plastered and 
 whitewashed, and like the walls (at all events when 
 
 similar to our own, but of the most fence to the feet from stones, but 
 
 clumsy and primitive make, manu- hardly any at all from cold or wet. 
 
 factured by the natives. They arc These are the shoes worn by the 
 
 made of goat's or sheep's skin, poorer class in the iovra, and uni- 
 
 poorly dressed ; and are some de- versally by the country people.
 
 Ch. v.] the modern SAMARITANS. 109 
 
 new), was without either inscriptions or adornments, 
 which are so common in the East. No timber was 
 used for any part, except for the frame of the door and 
 the latticework of the window. 
 
 There was no chimney to the room, nor to any other 
 room — chimneys are unknown to the natives. There 
 were none in ancient times ; although it seems from 
 the prophet Hosea (xiii. 3) that some houses in his 
 time had apertures through which the smoke escaped, 
 but not a chimney, as in the authorized version. 
 No chimneys are wanted : most of the poor people 
 go without fire, even in the coldest season, except for 
 cooking, which is always done in an outer room. 
 The room w^as warmed, when necessary, by bringing in 
 a brazier, in the form of a large dish placed on a stand, 
 filled wdth charcoal,* This was lit in the court, and 
 left there to burn until red hot — charcoal fumes being 
 most injurious to health — and then removed into the 
 room, and generally placed in the middle. 
 
 There was no furniture — no table, no chairs, no 
 stools, nor hardly anything we meet with in European 
 houses. The most important articles were a cradle for 
 the infant, argeelehs and pipes to smoke with, and a 
 stand for the lamp. This stand was made of wood, 
 and stood about three feet high : the top was a flat 
 surface, made to support three lamps, in the form of a 
 
 * Charcoal (and not coal, as ren- (Jer. xxx^-i. 22; John sviii. 18). 
 
 derecl in the authorized version), in Wood, and not charcoal, was used 
 
 all probability, was the usual fuel for cooking. . 
 for wanainL' rooms in ancient times
 
 110 NABLUS AND [Ch. V, 
 
 triangle. The lamp — ^tlie common lamp of the 
 country — was of earthenware, about the size and form 
 of a shell some three inches in diameter, with a 
 small grooved lip, upon which the burning end of the 
 wick rested. At night, the stand, with its lamps, was 
 placed in the middle of the room, the lamps fed with 
 olive oil, and one of them generally lighted. Some- 
 times the three were burning : even then the light was 
 very dim. I could easily comprehend the force of the 
 parable of the woman who had lost the piece of silver 
 lighting a lamp* to seek for it (Luke xv. 8). 
 
 On the wall, near the door, was a row of nails on 
 which to place the lanterns of the visitors. One of the 
 laws of the country is, that no one is allowed to go 
 out after sunset without a lantern in his hand.f 
 Therefore, should it be even a light beautiful night, 
 one must furnish himself with a lantern ; but should 
 it be dark, he cannot well do without it. The streets 
 are so narrow and rugged that it is almost impossible 
 to go along without a light ; and moreover one is in 
 danger from the hungry and savage dogs that infest 
 the streets. During the day they act as scavengers, 
 and whether walking about or lying, are quiet 
 enough ; but when the night comes on, they arousp 
 themselves, and assume quite another character. 
 
 * A lamp (Xv^vov), and not can- (Jol) xxiv. 14 ; Olia. 5 ; 1 Thess. 
 
 die, as the autliomed version ren- v. 2), the thieves of Palestine, like 
 
 ders it. those of other countries, choose the 
 
 t This law is enacted for the night to execute their foul deeds ; 
 
 sake of preventing robbery. In and to go without a light is a sign 
 
 modern as well as in ancient times of evil designs.
 
 Ch. v.] the modern SAMARITANS. Ill 
 
 They go about in all the ferocity of their nature, 
 barking and howling continually, and ready to pounce 
 upon any one if without a light. The Psalmist could 
 hardly select a more graphic comparison of the 
 importance of revealed truth, than a lamp unto his 
 feet and a light to his path (Ps. cxix. 105). I shall 
 never forget one night in Jerusalem, in returning from 
 the English consul's house to my lodgings at the 
 other end of the city, when, in a lonely dark spot, 
 surrounded by these ferocious brutes, my light nearly 
 went out. I never felt more anxious in my life. The 
 incident gave me a perfect idea of the description 
 which the Psalmist gives of his enemies : " They 
 return at evening : they make a noise like a dog, and 
 go round about the city " (Ps. lix. 6). The lantern is 
 of the same form as the one known in England as the 
 Chinese lantern, made generally of calico, but the 
 smaller size of paper ; and is a fair representation 
 of the ancient lanterns of the country. 
 
 Opening into the court on the floor, and adjoining 
 this room, there was another similar room, used as 
 a bedroom and store-room, and also sometimes as a 
 common dwelling-room, as circumstances might re- 
 quire. On the opposite side were the cooking and 
 lumber rooms, etc. On the first flight of steps, which 
 led up from behind the outer door, opened another room, 
 built over the rooms already described. This was the 
 family bedroom. And here let it be observed, that, 
 very unlike to our Western ideas and habit, the Easterns 
 sleep all as a family in the same room, parents with
 
 112 NABLUS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 their cliildren, and their children's wives should they 
 have any. And so they did of old (Luke xi. 7). On 
 the second flight was my own bedroom. It stood some 
 dozen feet above the floor of the court, running back- 
 wards, its fiirthest wall being the back wall of the 
 house. And now I must briefly describe it. The 
 door, a clumsy but strong one, had an iron lock and 
 key, after the European fashion. The window was an 
 unlatticed square opening, but closed with a strong 
 wooden shutter, which, for more than one reason, I 
 kept so during my stay there. Above the window was 
 a round hole, about a foot in diameter, and another 
 similar in the opposite wall ; these served me for 
 windows. In the centre of the room stood my bed. 
 It consisted of, firstly, an iron bedstead. The natives 
 themselves never used bedsteads. They only stretch 
 their bed upon the floor, and, the following morning, 
 generally fold it up and put it on the shelf (I'uksi) till 
 the evening. Scofiers have laughed at the passage 
 where Jesus commands the sick man to rise, and take 
 up his bed, and walk (John v. 8) ; conceiving that the 
 beds of all countries were something like our own. It 
 would indeed have been a singular command for the 
 poor fellow, to have to trudge away with mattress, 
 feather-bed, sheets, bedstead, and all on his shoulder ; 
 but in Palestine there is no such thing : there the whole 
 afi"air would be natural, and easily done. My host, 
 however, had known that we Europeans used bedsteads ; 
 and on a late visit to Jerusalem, when I first made his 
 acquaintance, he fell in with the said iron bedstead
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 113 
 
 among the Europeans, and bought it, and it was now at 
 my service. I was extremely glad, of course, to meet 
 with it. I saw at a glance that it was rather old and 
 decrepit, but I was very tender with it, taking great 
 care in getting in every night, lest we should part com- 
 pany before morning ; and thus it proved a faithful 
 friend as long as I remained there. 
 
 Secondly, on this was placed the usual bedding. It 
 consisted of a mattress, a cotton-wool bed, a sheet, a 
 blanket, a cotton-wool pillow, and a wadded quilt. On 
 the shelf of the window I placed one of my boxes, 
 which served for a dressing-table ; and there laid my 
 brush, comb, and et ceteras. On the floor I had a large 
 dish for a washing-basin. But my toilet appeared to 
 my friends as something very strange and superfluous ; 
 for they seldom washed themselves, and combing the 
 hair was quite out of the question. But what puzzled 
 them most was my night-dress — that I should change 
 my garments on going to bed. They themselves, like 
 their forefathers, and like most of the Eastern nations 
 at the present day, slept in their clothes (Ex. xxii. 27). 
 
 Another short flight of steps led to the roof of the 
 house, which was flat, as all the houses are. The roof 
 bad a battlement surrounding it, to prevent any one 
 falling into the street or court (Deut. xxii. 8). This 
 battlement was built of pottery^ — a kind of round pipe, 
 some twelve or fifteen inches long, and four or five in 
 diameter, similar to those used in this country for 
 drainage. It had somewhat the appearance of a net- 
 work, or rather a honeycombed wall. It was sufli- 
 
 I
 
 114 NABLUS AND [Ch. V. 
 
 ciently strong for the purpose, but I could easily 
 imagine that it would not he the safest defence after a 
 lapse of years. I am inclined to believe that it was 
 through this kind of battlement Ahaziah fell, when 
 apart from his family in his upper chamber * (2 Kings 
 i. 2) — a chamber similarly situated to the one I shall 
 now describe. This upper room was built on the 
 western side of the roof, and was spacious and airy — 
 in fact, it was the family saloon. The floor was covered 
 with carpet, and along two sides there was placed a 
 divan — a kind of rough wide wooden seat, covered 
 with a cotton-wool seat and pillows. In the side front- 
 ing the street were two large windows, almost filling 
 the extent of the wall ; and another fronting the space 
 on the roof. These windows were not latticed, but 
 glass ones, a new thing for Nablus. My host had fancied 
 some glass windows in Jerusalem, and was determined 
 to have some for his own upper room. The workman- 
 ship was most primitive, and would amuse our glaziers 
 amazingly ; but this was of no moment — they rendered 
 the room delightful, a perfect contrast to all the other 
 dark and sombre rooms in the house. In the corner 
 by the door was the place for the smoking apparatus, 
 together with a large jar of water, and cups to di'ink 
 from. 
 
 Last, but not least, it was furnished with a tole- 
 rably large square table. The natives never use tables, 
 nor ever feel the need of them. My host, however, 
 
 • Or it mi,i,'lit b;ive been a wooden I saw iu many other Louses, 
 balustrade of latticework, sueh as
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 115 
 
 knowing that we Europeans have them, and finding 
 this one on sale with the iron hedstead, bought it. 
 What its age might have been, I cannot say — one leg 
 was nearly gone, and the others were following quickly 
 after it ; but I was glad to find it there — it gave me no 
 little satisfaction. I took particular care of it, using it 
 as my desk, at which to read and write, and generally 
 to take my meals on ; and by tender usage, it served 
 me during my stay. 
 
 It is worthy of notice here that this land of room 
 is a fair representation of the " upper room " of the 
 Old and New Testaments, such an one as that wherein 
 our Saviour and His disciples ate the Passover (Mark 
 xiv. 15), and is still preserved j^rincipally for the enter- 
 tainment of guests W'ho are to be treated with honour, 
 as in the time of the j)rophet (1 Kings x\'ii. 19). The 
 modern Arabic name for such a room, in contradistinc- 
 tion to ardhjch, the room on the ground-floor, is aliych, 
 the Old Testament nvJ7 (dllijaJi), which literally means 
 upper chamber, although translated parlour (Judg. 
 iii. 20), chamber (1 Kings xvii. 23). The poorer class 
 of houses do not have this kind of room. 
 
 This upper room covered the western part of the flat 
 roof of the house, and in front of its door stood the 
 remaining portion, measuring some tw^enty-five feet 
 long by about twelve wide. It was partly adorned with 
 a variety of flowers, growing in all the luxuriance of 
 an Eastern climate, and used, as in time of old, for 
 many purposes. Friends and visitors frequently sat 
 there to converse and enjoy themselves, or to consult on 
 
 I 2
 
 116 NAELUS AND [Ch. V. 
 
 private matters (1 Sam. ix. 25, 26). But its most 
 common use by the family was to dry clothes, cotton- 
 wool, &c., as Ealiab did in the time of Joshua (Josh, 
 ii. 6). When anything which drew particular attention 
 happened in the street, the inmates ran to the top of 
 the house to view it from thence. I found it extremely 
 convenient as a promenade, especially on showery days, 
 or when too much occupied to go out. Sometimes I 
 found this exercise rather disagreeable. The roof 
 was a lofty one, and overlooked the houses on the 
 opposite side of the street. These were Mohammedan 
 houses ; and I knew I could not give a greater offence 
 to their inmates than to observe them. I gave them as 
 little cause of offence as possible ; but in spite of this 
 the glances I had of them irritated them not a little ; 
 and frequently their little urchins from their roofs in 
 return showered upon me the bitterest cursings, and 
 made the most offensive gestures it is possible to con- 
 ceive. But I had been trained to this Idnd of treat- 
 ment in Jerusalem, my lodgings there happening to be 
 in the midst of ]\Iohammedans. One day, however, I 
 met with a more serious incident : I, with two friends, 
 had gone to the top of a Christian's house, which stood 
 on a high ground in the town, for the purpose of viewing 
 the city and neighbourhood. This house happened to 
 overlook the court of a Mohammedan ; and, supposing 
 that we came there for the sake of having a sight of 
 his females, the poor fellow came up to the top of his 
 house quite in a hurry, and confronting us, requested 
 in a most peremptory manner to know what business we
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 117 
 
 had there. My Christian native friends, accustomed to 
 submit to the taunts and insults of their lordly neigh- 
 bours, were not a little alarmed, and, humbly replying, 
 told him what our real object was. Then in a most 
 insolent manner he commanded us to go down. This I 
 felt was a little too much, and I could not help retorting 
 that we should go down just when we pleased, and that 
 I would not give him a para to see all the females in 
 Nablus. I would certainly not have stirred for awhile, 
 on purpose to vex him, were it not for the importunity 
 of my friends, who were alarmed by my replies. They 
 feared that the affair would not end here, but we heard 
 nothing further of it. 
 
 This brief description of the house Vvill suffice to 
 give the reader a general notion of the houses in 
 Palestine, especially as it is what we may call a middle- 
 class house. Those of the wealthy are much larger 
 and better furnished, whilst those of the poor are much 
 inferior. To describe all the diflerences would carry us 
 beyond our present limits. There is one feature, 
 however, to which we must refer, as it bears upon an 
 interesting passage in the Gospel narrative, and the 
 more so that we arc not aware that any other traveller 
 has happened to notice it. In the Gospel written by 
 Mark we read that a sick man was borne by four men 
 to Jesus : " And when they could not come nigh unto 
 him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he 
 was : and when they had broken it up, they let down 
 the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay " (Mark ii. 4). 
 Now, to our European ideas of houses, this fact seems
 
 118 NABLUS AND [Cn. V- 
 
 to be anything but possible. But not so in Palestine. 
 During my stay in Jerusalem I frequently visited a 
 certain Jewish family. One morning I was asked into 
 a room which I had not previously seen ; on entering I 
 saw that the ceiling, instead of being a closed arch, 
 had a large round opening, and, being a fine day, was 
 also uncovered. The sight was quite new to me, and 
 the above passage at once recurred to my mind. I 
 immediately went up to the roof — the steps ascending, 
 of course, from the court — to examine it. It was a 
 round opening, two yards in diameter, and over the 
 centre of the room. It occupied the place where domes 
 are generally made on the roof of rooms. On inquiry 
 I found that it was left thus open during the dry 
 season to admit plenty of fresh air into the room ; but 
 when the rainy weather came on, it was covered with a 
 kind of tarpauling. I was now satisfied that our 
 Saviour was at the time in such a room, and that the 
 roof which was uncovered was a temporary one, similar 
 to the above tarpauling. The whole afiair, in this 
 light, became perfectly natural and easy. 
 
 I shall now introduce my reader to the family ; and 
 in so doing, their station in life must be borne in 
 mind. They were what we may call of the middle class 
 in Nablus, neither wealthy nor poor. My host pos- 
 sessed a very good shop in the great bazaar, and dealt 
 largely in flocks of sheep and goats, and had, appa- 
 rently, a thriving business. His brethren looked upon 
 him as a man of substance and position ; and, so 
 far, he was a respectable individual. His house was
 
 Gh. v.] the modern sajiaritans. 119 
 
 well supplied with all that were felt to be the neces- 
 saries and comforts of life ; and there was all the ap- 
 pearance of his being in easy circumstances. To bear 
 this in mind will enable us to enter more fully into 
 the state of domestic life in Palestine, and to estimate 
 that life as compared with that of our own country. 
 
 The family consisted of husband, wife, two sons, 
 and an infant daughter. The husband's name was 
 Abdallah (son of God), but now having a son whose 
 name was Dahud, he had assumed the name of his 
 son Ahu Dahud, i. e. the father of Dahud. This 
 assuming the name of the first-born son is a very 
 peculiar custom among the Arabs. The new name 
 thus adopted is not only used in common parlance, but 
 also on the gravest occasions, and even in legal docu- 
 ments. The custom affects the mother as well : she no 
 longer is known by her maiden name, but as the 
 mother of her first-born son, whatever his name may 
 be. My hostess, therefore, was Ini Dahud, i. e. the 
 mother of Dahud.* My host was thus relieved of a 
 name which was by no means characteristic of him 
 for one that was true and extremely suitable. 
 
 Abdallah, for so I shall call him in spite of 
 Dahud, was a big man, six feet high, strongly built 
 and well proportioned ; with a full roundish face, good 
 
 * The custom goes even further men are sometimes dignified in the 
 
 than this. When a man marries, same manner. And it is curious to 
 
 and is not blessed with a son, the observe that the same custom pre- 
 
 public gives him one by courtesy, vails among the Karens — a bar- 
 
 and then call him by the name of barous people in Burmah. 
 his imagined son. Even unman-ied
 
 120 NABLUS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 nose, and dark large eyes, looldng veiy quiet and 
 rather silly, except when moved with wild passions, 
 a thing which frequently happened. He wore loose 
 blue trousers, or rather pantaloons (sherivdl), not 
 unlike knickerbockers, a blue waistcoat {suderiyeh), 
 a snuff-coloured jacket, and a large blue turban dotted 
 with small white spots; the wristbands of his plaid 
 calico shirt hung generally lower than his jacket- 
 sleeves. His costume, and especially his turban, 
 became him well, and in appearance he was a truly fine 
 man — in fact, one of the most, if not the most sightly 
 man in Nablus. But he was a downright beetle-head : 
 he had just enough sense to get money and to relate 
 silly stories, but beyond that he had not so much 
 as a hair's breadth. The wife, Im Dahud, was in 
 figure somewhat spare and thin, about the middle 
 height, and better looking than the majority of their 
 women, but not handsome. Among the scores of 
 Arab women I saw, not one was decidedly handsome 
 — not to be compared with the most handsome of 
 British females. But, far to be preferred to beauty, 
 Im Dahud was a very sensible woman, and most 
 industrious. She reminded me frequently of the 
 virtuous woman spoken of so highly by Solomon 
 (Prov. xxxi. 10—31) ; and certainly, to a veiy great 
 extent, she deserved the same eulogy. Her dress, 
 like that of females generally, consisted of a kind of 
 full trousers with a skirt over them, and a loose jacket, 
 leaving her arms and neck rather bare. The most 
 peculiar part was the head-dress {siiffa) ; it was made
 
 Ch. v.] the MODEEN SAMARITANS. 121 
 
 to fit the head, having a small cap underneath, and 
 consisted of a kind of network made of silk, and 
 hanging down over the shoulders, widening as it 
 descended, and almost covering the whole hack. This 
 was thicldy sprinkled over with small round gold coins, 
 which gave it a most gaudy appearance. They told me 
 that its value amounted to ahout forty pounds of our 
 money ; and, from what I could judge, it seemed to he 
 ahout the truth. My hostess in Jerusalem had one 
 still more costly. All the females have this head- 
 di-ess, and wear it continually, whether indoors or 
 out : it is heavy and cumbrous. I have tried it on 
 repeatedly, and must say I would much rather they 
 had the honour of wearing it than myself. Im Da- 
 hud, like all other females who can any way afford it, 
 had other rich and expensive dresses kept for grand 
 occasions, the mysteries of which I never put myself 
 to the trouble of studying. 
 
 In addition to dress, Im Dahud, like other Eastern 
 females, beautified her person with those colourings so 
 much esteemed in the East, but so little agreeable to our 
 Western taste. Her eyelids were coloured black as jet 
 with what they call hold — a preparation of antimony 
 and soot, or frequently, among the poor, soot only. 
 This is applied with a small silver instrument like a 
 bodkin, being first dipped in water, and then into a bos 
 containing the kohl powder, and then carefully drawn 
 along the eyelids. It gives the eyes a jjeculiar, and to 
 them a most admired, expression. This was an old 
 custom among the women of Palestine, as well as those
 
 122 NABLUS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 of otlier Eastern countries. Jezebel painted her eyes (as 
 in the margin of the common version), as well as tired 
 her head, to look out at the window (2 lungs ix. 30), as 
 did the women in later times (Jer. iv. 30 ; Ezek. xxiii. 
 40). In addition to thus painting her eyes, Im Dahud 
 had, like their women generally, her nails and the tips 
 of her fingers stained red with henna. Some stain as 
 well the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The 
 use of henna was as ancient as that of the kohl, and 
 was practised in Egy[)t from the remotest ages.* 
 
 Im Dahud' s indoor costume was all that we have 
 described it. But whenever she went out, she uniformly 
 put on three additional garments : and no female ever 
 appears in the street, nor anywhere else, outside her 
 own house, without them. This out-of-door dress is as 
 ancient as the former. No change has taken place in 
 this, as in other matters, during thousands of years. 
 In the first place, she puts on her feet a pair of loose 
 half-boots, made of morocco. Then a large white sheet, 
 covering herself entirely from head to feet. And lastly, 
 a veil over her face. The last is, of course, to shield her 
 face from the gaze of the male sex. All those worn in 
 Nablus, so far as I noticed, with the exception of one 
 or two, were a kind of dark muslin handkerchief, thin 
 enough for the wearer to see through it, but sufficiently 
 thick and dark to hide her features. To see, for the 
 
 * Tlicre arc two interesting frag- female, witli tlic nails and ends of 
 
 ments of mummies at the Hartwell the fingers stained. The other is 
 
 Museum, still retaining the henna the right foot of a female, with the 
 
 stain. Ouc is the left hand of a stain on the great toe-nail.
 
 Ch.V.] the MODEEN SAMARITAJSrS. 123 
 
 first time, a number of them going together, is a most 
 ridiculous sight. Dragging along their large hoots, 
 enveloped in their izzar as in a shroud, with the dark 
 ugly veil contrasting so frightfully, they look just like 
 so many owls.* 
 
 Dahud, the elder son, was a young man of twenty- 
 one, married of course, and had been so for some 
 years. He was under the middle size, of full habit, 
 dumpy, with a round unmeaning face. He had none of 
 his father's fine appearance, nor any of his mother's 
 good sense ; but he had all the folly of his father. If 
 Providence had been a little less kind to him, I fear 
 he would have been a perfect idiot. His wife Haneh — 
 for she was not j^et an Iiu, nor likely to be — was a 
 young woman, wanting some three years or more to be 
 out of her teens. She was rather under the middle 
 size, and of somewhat spare habit, neither handsome 
 nor ugly ; but very quiet, Idnd, and affectionate. A 
 more unobtrusive creature never existed. 
 
 The younger son, Silman, was a lad of sixteen. He 
 
 * Let it here be understood that kohl. The process of tattooing is 
 
 I have only referred to females who a painful one. The skin is first 
 
 live in the to\\-ns. The country punctured in the required pattern 
 
 women, or Felachin, are differently — stai-s, dots, &c. — and a certain 
 
 clad. Their dress consists chiefly mixture of colouring matter is then 
 
 of blue-dyed linen, made like long rubbed in ; and lastly, the place is 
 
 shirts, with shawl girdles around bound up with a tight bandage, 
 
 their waists, and their heads covered The material most commonly used 
 
 with coloured handkerchiefs. Their for this purpose is a preparation of 
 
 persons are also tattooed, generally, gunpowder, which gives a bluish 
 
 on the forehead, lips, chin, breast, tinge to the tattooing. But these 
 
 arms, hands, and feet ; and tlie women never wear the white sheet 
 
 eyelids and brows coloured with nor the veil.
 
 124 NABLUS AND [Ch. V. 
 
 also would have been married if he had learnt to read 
 and write. His father had taken it into his head, and 
 quite right too, that Silman should have no wife till he 
 could read. If his father continues steadfast to the 
 rule, I fear Silman will never marry, as his taste was 
 far more for tobacco than for reading. Silman was a 
 handsome lad ; rather tall for his age, of slender habit, 
 and excellent face. He had all the good looks of his 
 father, and the graceful bearing of his mother ; and, 
 more than all, he possessed much of his mother's good 
 sense. In fact, he was the handsomest youth I met 
 with in Palestine. But he was filthily dirty to the last 
 degree. They were all bad enough in that respect, but 
 Silman excelled them all. I always felt a solicitude 
 lest he should come too near me. He had a thriving 
 colony upon his person, and his continual motions 
 showed that they roved over all the territory ; but liia 
 head was the capital. One day when he stood rather too 
 near the table, where I was dining, performing his usual 
 actions, my forbearance failed me altogether. " Silman, 
 comb your head ! A big fellow like you so filthy ! — comb 
 your head, boy, for shame ! " His father felt anxious 
 lest he should have a wife before he learnt to read ; and 
 I felt anxious lest he should have one before he had 
 learnt to comb his head. 
 
 The infant was a little girl, a few months old. What 
 amused me most in regard to her was the manner in 
 which she was dressed. She was bound in swaddling- 
 clothes from head to feet, all tightly covered, and 
 looked just like a little mummy.
 
 Ch. v.] THE I\rODERN SAMARITANS. 125 
 
 Last, but not least, came Warde, the servant-girl. 
 She was about twelve years of age — short, strongly 
 built, and very quick in all her movements. She 
 was more handsome than otherwise ; but one could 
 hardly discover her real features because of the smut 
 and dirt that covered her. Her face, hands, feet, 
 clothes, were all alike. She never deigned to wash 
 herself ; but, in true Ai-ab style, went on accumulating 
 from day to day, and only enjoying the luxury of a bath 
 every two or three months. 
 
 It was interesting to watch their daily conduct ; 
 and frequently very amusing, but at other times very 
 painful. Im Dahud went constantly on with her do- 
 mestic duties, with much quietness and order ; now and 
 then, however, lifting her voice, more in mirth than 
 auger ; and Haneli always near her, like a faithful and 
 obedient daughter, whose voice was hardly ever heard. 
 But she, also, like all mortals, had her trying moments, 
 expressed more in silence than in language. Dahud 
 spent the day in the shop, but left it now and then to 
 its fate, to pay a visit to household affairs. His presence 
 was always known by his croaking voice, sometimes in 
 loud laughter, and other times in wild passion. Silman 
 was nominally a pupil at the Protestant school, but 
 never did any one play the truant more constantly than 
 he, and found a thousand excuses for his conduct. His 
 great study was tobacco ; and whenever he could 
 stealthily enjoy a cigarette, he would joyfully avail 
 himself of the opportunity. He also knew how to be
 
 126 NABLUS AND [Ch. V. 
 
 passionate, and would have often indulged in this way, 
 but that he was somewhat repressed by a guilty con- 
 science for his daily conduct. As for Abdallah, full 
 of spirit, he always made himself heard, whether in- 
 doors or out ; either cracking jokes, singing, muttering 
 prayers, or in desperate fits of passion, which frequently 
 occurred. On those occasions he lost all control over 
 himself; and his strong deep voice, strained to its 
 utmost, reverberated through the whole place like the 
 roaring of a lion. He sometimes became quite frantic. 
 Even Warde, who was so full of drollery, and so ready 
 with her repartee, would then be as silent as a mouse 
 till the storm had passed away, which it always did 
 quickly. After all, there was underneath all these 
 jarrings and ebullitions of temper a large stratum of 
 good-nature and kindness. 
 
 I shall now come to the food. To give a full descrip- 
 tion of all the Arab dishes would be indeed a tedious 
 task, and quite apart from the object of these pages. 
 I shall, therefore, confine myself to the daily fare of 
 Abdallah' s family, only adding one or two other ex- 
 amples for the sake of further illustration. They them- 
 selves cared but little for any regular meal till the 
 evening, when the day and all its duties were over : 
 their principal meal was supper. But I had taken with 
 me my British habits. I wanted breakfast, and dinner, 
 and tea, and cared but little for supper. My breakfast 
 consisted generally of bread, milk diluted with hot water, 
 and sugar to sweeten it. The bread was made in the
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 127 
 
 form of a round cake, about as thick as my baud, of 
 wbeat flour coarsely dressed,* ratber dark, and frequently 
 sour. It was always baked fresh every morning. They 
 never think of baking enough for the week, nor even 
 for two days at a time — not they, indeed : sufficient for 
 the day is its own duties. These cakes, being ready, 
 were brought up to us in a most primitive style, hot, 
 and tough as leather. The milk was that of goats, the 
 only milk used in the country. The very few cattle 
 they have are never milked, but only used for tilling 
 the ground ; not as it was of old (Deut. xxxii. 14 ; 
 1 Sam. vi. 7). I thought but very little of Solomon's 
 promise to have goat's milk for food (Prov. xxvii. 27). 
 However nourishing it may be, I found it much too 
 strong; but, diluted with water, and sugar added, I 
 enjoyed it very well. I may here add that they have 
 butter and cheese, made, of course, from goat's milk ; 
 but these are more unpalatable than the milk itself, 
 and I preferred the dry bread. f 
 
 My dinner consisted of rice, bread, and sour milk. 
 The rice was cooked after their own fashion, and that 
 
 * In Nablus, as well as Jerusalem a female servant (Isa. xlvii. 1, 2). 
 
 and some other places, they had In Nazareth I saw two — mother 
 
 public mills; but in most country and daughter — grinding at the same 
 
 places, and by some families in mill (JIatt. xxiv. 41). 
 
 these towns, the grinding is still -|- The butter is veiy much like 
 
 performed, as in ancient times, lard in colour and taste; and the 
 
 with the hand-mill. These you cheese white and hard, like salty 
 
 hear early of a morning, grinding chip. The Arabs themselves are 
 
 for the family use. It is never very fond of the butter, and those 
 
 perforaied by the male sex, being who can afibrd it eat of it plenti- 
 
 too degrading for them, but by the fully, 
 wife or daughter, unless there be
 
 128 NABLTJS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 not tlie best in the world, and rendered yellow with a 
 kind of powder they much admired. The milk was 
 made sour and clotted, and forms a very common con- 
 comitant dish throughout the East. It is frequently 
 eaten with hread alone ; and renders the rice much 
 more palatable. It was highly esteemed in the East as 
 a refreshment from the earliest times (Gen. xviii. 8).* 
 I may add here that a small quantity of butcher' s-meat 
 — mutton or goat — was generally served. They them- 
 selves use it very sparingly, and the country people 
 seldom taste it. Nor is it to be very much desired : I 
 cared nothing for it. It is generally poor and tough, 
 and the mode of butchering makes it still more objec- 
 tionable. The very sight of it on the shambles — thin, 
 flabby, and not too clean, was quite enough ; and I felt 
 thankful that I could do well without it. Owing to the 
 warmth of the climate, it is slaughtered and cooked the 
 same day. I had found this out for the first time with 
 my Arab friends at Jerusalem, under somewhat vexations 
 circumstances. The premises within the outer wall of 
 the house were rather extensive, consisting of a couple 
 of gardens adjoining the court. Along these gardens 
 and court, a young beautiful gazelle skipped about from 
 morning till night ; and a more innocent lovely creature 
 was never seen. One morning, as usual, before I had 
 left the house for my rambles, I cultivated her friendship 
 
 * The Arabs have distinct terms jg clialav {^^), and the latter 
 for the milk in its simple state and ^..IL 
 
 when it is curdled ; and the same ^^'''^™«'' (''??V) 5 ^»^^t ^^'^^ ^^^S" 
 
 distinction prevails in the Hebrew tinction is not observed in the com- 
 
 of the Old Testament : the former mon version.
 
 Ch. v.] the modern SAMARITANS. 129 
 
 SO far as her timidity would allow ; but on my return at 
 dinner-time she was missing, and to my grief I found 
 that the poor little thing had been slaughtered, and 
 cooked for dinner — which made my dish doubly offen- 
 sive. The only compensation I received for the loss of 
 the gazelle was a vivid illustration of Abraham prepar- 
 ing the calf for his visitors (Gen. xviii. 7). 
 
 But to return.: My tea went oif better. A friend 
 had kindly furnished me with a supply of choice tea 
 before I had left London, which probably I should not 
 have thought of ; but now it was most acceptable. I 
 never pay any attention to culinary altairs, nor care what 
 is set before me, provided it be clean and wholesome ; 
 but I must confess that I then thought of my tea daily 
 before it came. I had no luxuries at this meal any 
 more than at breakfast and dinner — only the Arab cake, 
 without butter or cheese ; but the tea made up for all 
 defects. They themselves had never seen tea before, 
 but soon acquired a taste for it. 
 
 My object being to see Arab life in the country, and 
 to lead that life for a while, I submitted, of course, to 
 their mode of living, so far as food, &c., were concerned. 
 The most difficult part of the business was to jout 
 up with all the dirt there. I frequently felt that if, 
 according to the old saying, every one eats a peck of 
 dirt during his lifetime, and a peck only, I, for the 
 future of my life, should certainly leave it to others. 
 The only way of getting over it was to shut your ej'es as 
 much as possible to this condition of things. Some- 
 times it became very intolerable when the idea would 
 
 E
 
 130 NABLUS AND [Cn.V. 
 
 suggest itself tliat perhaps Silman, or some of the 
 others, had been rummaging after his Hve stock during 
 
 the cookuig process, and but you had only to banish 
 
 such thoughts as quickly as possible. 
 
 I may mention here that my kind host had procured 
 a few Imives and forks also for my use. These were a 
 curious set. One might have thought by their appear- 
 ance that they had been in use since the time of Noah, 
 only that we know that such articles have been treated 
 with scorn through all ages by the people of Palestine ; 
 they only make use of spoons, and even these are used by 
 comparatively few, who have introduced them in modern 
 times. Abdallah thought much of his laiives and forks, 
 and I left my own in my box lest I should seem to 
 undervalue his. One day he had the courage to use 
 them, and, placing the knife in his left hand and the 
 spoon in his right, commenced with all possible gravity ; 
 but, finding that Yohannah and myself were enjoying 
 the joke, he threw them away with indignation, and 
 never attempted it again. 
 
 When evening came, we all sat together at supper, 
 i. e. the males — the females serving. In the middle of 
 the room first described, a kind of polygonal stool, 
 about a foot high, was placed. Upon this a large round 
 copper tray was laid, on which stood a large dishful 
 of rice, with, generally, small bits of meat on the sur- 
 face, and a bowl of clotted milk. The bread was thrown 
 very unceremoniously on the floor — a cake for each 
 guest. A cruse of water was placed by, for any one to 
 drink as he had need.
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAIIARITANS. 131 
 
 The table being properly set, we all sat around it on 
 the floor like a band of tailors. The females squatted 
 in their usual corner, and waited upon the guests when 
 necessary. At supper I ahvays conformed to their 
 habit, using only spoon and fingers, and never insulting 
 them with knife and fork.* They did justice to the food 
 at these times. The few meals they took during the day 
 was certainly a sufficient reason for it ; but even then 
 they were large eaters. I have seen Dahud, as well as 
 his father, dining with me, and again supping together, 
 and devouring each time enough to support an ordinary 
 eater for a couple of days. Dahud gloried in this manly 
 feat ; whenever I mentioned it to him, he would then 
 make even an effort to excel. One day — a fast day of the 
 Greek Church — the priest's wife entered the room, and 
 caught him dining with Yohannah and myself, and 
 upbraided him for his impiety. " Oh ! " said he, imme- 
 diately, and with great humour, " I have been prajdng 
 to God to excuse my fasting, and my prayer has been 
 answered as you see." 
 
 Before we leave the table I may as well add a few 
 words with regard to their drinks. Their general and 
 almost only beverage is water. Of this they drink 
 heartily. I was quite surprised at the quantity of water 
 they consumed during supper. And not only at a repast, 
 but also during the day. The water at Nablus is cer- 
 
 * My first experiment in this invited, in company with my Jewish 
 
 way of managing my food was friend, Mr. Hiirwitz, to dine with 
 
 some years previous at Safet, in the chief Rabbi, and was there ini- 
 
 the north of Palestine. I was tiated into the Arabic fashion. 
 
 K 2
 
 132 NABLUS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 tainly good, and very grateful in such a climate ; but 
 ALdallah and others drank of it frequently, as if for a 
 wager.* My host and family never drank wine. They 
 had never been trained to it, and it would have been too 
 expensive for their frugal habits. Wine is made in 
 Jerusalem, and in other places by Christians and Jews ; 
 but none is made at Nablus, unless stealthily. It is 
 well known that the Mohammedan religion forbids its 
 use ; and the Nablusites being such staunch Mussulmans, 
 they neither use it themselves nor allow others to do so. 
 A poor Jewish family had lately removed thither from 
 Jerusalem, and had brought with them a quantity of 
 wine, partly for their own use, but principally to sell to 
 their Jewish friends and Christians. The fact reached 
 the ears of the governor, and some of his officials were 
 sent to seize the unlawful liquid ; and all that the 
 family were unable to conceal was taken from them by 
 force — not, however, to be poured out on the ground as 
 an unholy thing, but, as I was assured, to be swallowed 
 by these faithful functionaries themselves. This I could 
 easily believe, from other circumstances that came under 
 my own notice. The vast majority of Mohammedans, 
 nevertheless, are faithful to their Prophet's command. 
 The only strong drink I saw among the Christians 
 in Nablus was arrack, of what I suppose would be con- 
 sidered an inferior kind. There were a few, I believe, 
 addicted to this drink, but generally the Christian com- 
 munity were very abstemious. I did not see a single 
 individual amongst them under the influence of drink 
 
 * Tliey frequently drink it witli coffee, and even with milk.
 
 Ch. v.] the modern SAMARITANS. 133 
 
 except on one occasion — an elderly man, who, under 
 the inspiration of arrack, was more loquacious than 
 usual. 
 
 The males being satisfied, the tray and its contents 
 were then removed to the female corner, when they in 
 their turn served themselves, whilst the men went on 
 with their smoking and conversation. 
 
 One day a friend came and invited me and Yohannah 
 to dine with him outside the city on the following Satur- 
 day. I thanked him, and told him that we would hold 
 ourselves in readiness. The inhabitants are very fond 
 of going outside the town to dine, near the fine stream 
 that issues from the mount, on the south-western side 
 of the town. Saturday came, and Yohannah and I 
 went out for a walk to sharpen our appetites. At the 
 appointed time we were on the spot, and could see our 
 host coming, with two other friends, to join us, and 
 two servants following. One of the servants had a 
 large pot on his head full of rice, and the other a large 
 dish in one hand, and a jug with clotted milk in the 
 other. Having arrived at the dining-place, and the 
 pot being taken down, Yohannah was to have the honour 
 of raising the contents out of the pot into the dish. Our 
 host had brought a spoon for the purpose : what its age 
 was I could not imagine. The dinner being rather a 
 grand one, there were choice bits of meat scattered 
 among the rice ; and each time a piece presented 
 itself, Yohannah pounced upon it, grasping it with his 
 hand, and then laid it most daintily upon one side of 
 the dish. But before he had finished emptying the
 
 134 NABLCrS AND [Cn. V. 
 
 contents of the pot, the spoon broke, causing our host 
 to make a most doleful and indignant face at the loss. 
 But there was no help for it ; and Yohannah had now to 
 finish his task with the mere bowl. All being ready — 
 the dish, with its contents, the jug of milk, the cruse of 
 water, and the bread — we sat down, around the dish, 
 ujjon the grass, if indeed there was any grass at all ; 
 and I, being the stranger, was honoured with the 
 bowl of the old spoon to deal with. Before we com- 
 menced, our host apologized that he had not a small 
 dish for me. When I went out here and there amongst 
 them to dine or sup, I found they all ate from one dish, 
 but generally a small dish was provided for me as a 
 mark of honour to a stranger. But now there was no 
 small one, and my kind host began to apologize for it. 
 His idea was, of course, that perhaps I did not like to 
 dip my hand in the dish with them. "My good 
 friend," said I, " do not mention it for a moment ; I'll 
 do famously with the large one^ — in fact, I prefer it." 
 
 " Oh," said the friend who sat next me on the left 
 hand, "I'll make a place for him!" and with his 
 filthy hands began pressing up the rice, so as to make 
 a separate place for me on the side of the dish. 
 
 I stopped him as quicldy as I could. 
 
 " Oh, no, thank you — thank you ; I'll do without a 
 place." 
 
 A portion of the clotted milk being poured into the 
 middle of the rice, every one dashed his hand into it, 
 mixing it up to a proper consistency, and then de- 
 spatched it with the greatest celerity ; I following in
 
 Ch. v.] the modern SAMARITANS. 135 
 
 their wake as well as I could with the old spoon. I 
 need not add that full justice was done to the contents 
 of the dish ; the limpid water and fresh air of the 
 mountain lending their aid to give gusto to our picnic. 
 A few days after my arrival, I had the pleasure of 
 dining, for the first time, with the Samaritan priest. 
 The table was of the usual style, but better furnished. 
 On the middle stood a dish of rice, with bits of meat 
 imbedded in it. Another dish consisted of vegetable 
 marrows, emptied of the seeds, and stufi'ed with mince- 
 meat and spices. Another kind of dish was mincemeat 
 and rice rolled up in vine-leaves, looking like small 
 sausages. Lastly, a couple of fowls, with some tidbits, 
 the mysterious contents of which I could not penetrate. 
 Knowing something of our European fashions, Amram 
 had provided one of their small stools for me to sit 
 upon, and, to my surprise, a knife and fork. These 
 were given him by the Rev. Mr. Bowen (afterwards 
 the late lamented Bishop Bowen). His two nephews 
 stood by to serve at the table. Before we had com- 
 menced, an individual entered the room very uncere- 
 moniously, whom I knew not, but imagined by the 
 manner in which he was received that he was some one 
 of importance. He was Achmad Beek, the governor's 
 head kawas. He was under the middle size, but 
 strongly built, with dark, quick, and keen eyes ; dressed 
 more after the Turkish fashion, but a native of Nablus. 
 Although a Mohammedan, he was evidently under the 
 effects of strong drink. His actions were quick and 
 abrupt, and he talked very quick and indistinctly.
 
 136 NABLUS AND [Ch.V. 
 
 Taking off his blue jacket, lie observed to me, " You 
 Europeans eat with knives and forks, but we Arabs find 
 our fingers to be much more handy." Seating himself 
 at the table, he began, in true Arab style, to devour the 
 viands before him. A more voracious creature I never 
 saw in my life. I could not help glancmg at him con- 
 tinually. The amount of the good things present he 
 devoured, and in so short a time, was almost incredible. 
 He seemed like a wild animal. But in spite of all this 
 he managed to talk incessantly. The subject of his 
 conversation was money — who in Nablus was wealthy, 
 who had the largest flock, and was So-and-so of any 
 substance, and so on ; plotting, no doubt, in his own 
 mind how to plunder some of the j)oor wretches. I 
 attempted repeatedly to draw him into conversation 
 with regard to the country — its history, condition, 
 resources, and politics ; but with no success : most 
 likely he knew nothing of these things. He drank as 
 freely as he ate. Before he left the table he had 
 emptied two bottles of wine, each about as large as our 
 quart bottle. The rest drank water ; but, nothing 
 daunted by that fact, nor by the consideration of his 
 religion, this faithful son of Islam swallowed the for- 
 bidden fruit most greedily. When we had well nigh 
 finished the repast, our guest remarked that he was 
 rather minded to let none of it escape ; and we wickedly 
 encouraged him to carry out his inclination. At once 
 he plunged his hand into the remaining rice, made a 
 huge ball, and crammed it into his mouth. This drew 
 from the party roars of laughter, with which he seemed
 
 Oh.Y.] the modern SAMARITANS. 137 
 
 to be much pleased, just as if lie had accomplished 
 some wonderful feat. But what gave the finishing 
 stroke to the scene was, when he saw that I had finished, 
 he took up my plate, and picked the bones I had left, 
 one by one, as clean as an elephant's tusk. 
 
 Amram, on the other hand, conducted himself with 
 much propriety ; and one felt with him almost recon- 
 ciled to eat with the fingers. Every now and then he 
 would look out for a tidbit, take hold of it with his 
 hand, and then place it on my plate, as a mark of 
 respect to the stranger. The Bedouin manner is to 
 thrust it into one's mouth ; but Amram was satisfied 
 with putting it on my plate. It interested me not a 
 little to see the superior manner in which my Samaritan 
 friend managed things ; and gave me a vivid idea of 
 our Saviour dipping his hand in the dish with His dis- 
 ciples (Matt. xxvi. 23). The two nephews stood by, 
 one with a cruse of water in his hand, and the other 
 ready to serve according to Amram's words or motions. 
 
 Having finished our repast, one of the two held a 
 copper ibrik, not unlike a tea-kettle, and poured water 
 over our hands, whilst the other held the towel where- 
 with to dry them. The same service was done of old 
 by Elisha, to Elijah the prophet (2 Kings iii. 11). I 
 may here observe that I saw no one washing his hands 
 before eating, and but seldom after eating. I felt no 
 objection, of course, to the latter practice, and would 
 have rejoiced to see the former, because their digits were 
 never too clean . The washing hands before eating bread 
 referred to in the Gospel (Matt. xv. 2 ; Mark vii. 5 ;
 
 138 NABLUS AND [Ch.V. 
 
 Luke xi. 38) means, not the common washing for 
 the sake of having clean hands, but only ceremonial 
 ablution to sanctify the hands — a practice continued by 
 the Jews to this day. 
 
 Before we take leave of the table, I may here remark 
 that the people of Palestine are as fond now of feasting 
 as were those of former ages. Just as Adonijah, when 
 conspiring for the throne, made a feast to secure the 
 hearts of his partizans (1 Kings i. 9), so now, nothing 
 is so effectual to gain the same object as a good feast. 
 I was much amused one day by a friend who came to 
 consult how to establish himself in a certain position, 
 and who wound up his scheme with, — " Well," said 
 he, " I will make a good feast." One evening, when 
 discussing religious matters with the priest, in the 
 presence of a large party, he remarked, " These people 
 have no hearts of their own — a good supper will bring 
 them over to Protestantism, and another good supper 
 will bring them back to their own Church again." And 
 from what I had seen of them I had no great reason to 
 doubt the justness of his conclusion.
 
 Ch. VI.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 139 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 n^HE people of Nablus, as well as others in Palestine, 
 -*- are rather given to visiting one another — at all 
 events, I found them to be so. There was no lack of these 
 friendly calls. In the evenings especially I found my 
 room generally well filled ; and all being very commu- 
 nicative, nothing could have been more interesting to 
 me than such gatherings. My principal object in 
 dwelling amongst them being to become acquainted 
 ^\ith their domestic habits, these evening assemblies 
 gave me many excellent opportunities to observe their 
 manners. 
 
 When any one entered the room, the common salu- 
 tation was, " Good evening to you !" * Having taken off 
 his shoes, and seated himself (on the floor of course), 
 the salutation was repeated, accompanied with the lifting 
 of the hand, and touching the breast and forehead, or 
 the lips and forehead. This touching the breast and 
 
 * The Jew.s, all over the world, to any fiiend by another, they say, 
 
 retain the old formula, Shalom " Give my peace to So-and-so ;" and 
 
 A lechem, Peace be to you (Luke especially on jjarting, when one says 
 
 X. 5) ; and the Arabs use the same good bye, the response is always 
 
 phrase frequently, as, for example, "With peace," i. e. Go in peace 
 
 when they send their comx:)liments (Exod. iv. 18).
 
 140 NABLUS AND [Cn.YI. 
 
 forehead would be repeated again, and perhaps again, 
 according to the attention wished to he paid to the 
 visitor. At iirst I was a little bewildered at this end- 
 less repetition of good manners ; but, once being initiated 
 into the habit, I freely indulged in it. I was much 
 amused with some, especially the priest, between whom 
 and myself the kindest feelings existed. And we 
 wished to express our good feelings too, on these as well 
 as other occasions. Having entered and seated him- 
 self, he would then turn himself to me, and com- 
 mence the ceremony. Touching his breast and head, 
 with "Good evening to you," and I, of course, respond- 
 ing, the civility would not end until repeated at least 
 some half-dozen times. When the party happened 
 to have assembled before me, these repetitions being 
 made by most of them, I received and had to give 
 in return some forty or fifty such salutations be- 
 fore the ceremony was finished. When any one 
 entered, having a friend or friends present whom he 
 had not seen for a long time, these would stand &nr{ 
 embrace each other, and generally kiss each other too. 
 But their manner of Idssing is peculiar. They never 
 kiss the lips, as we Europeans do ; but only the cheeks 
 and shoulders. The right cheek is first Idssed, then 
 the left, and sometimes the cheeks only ; but generally 
 the shoulders also, in the same manner : just as they 
 did in ancient times (Gen. xxxiii. 4 ; xlv. 14, 15 ; 
 Luke XV. 20). It is most amusing to see Bedouins 
 especially going through this singular mode of 
 etiquette. During my stay with my Arab friends in
 
 Cit. YI.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 1-11 
 
 Jerusalem, I liad an opportunity of witnessing it. 
 Two Bedouin friends, calling upon my host, happened 
 to meet there one day. Falling upon the neck of each 
 other, in turn they kissed the cheeks and the shoulders, 
 and then asked after the welfare of their families, 
 wishing them peace and prosperity in the name of Allah. 
 This long list of inquiries and blessings being over, 
 they recommenced kissing and embracing, and repeat- 
 ing the very same questions and wishes ; and so over 
 and over again, and that with all the sedateness and 
 gravity imaginable. One might easily comprehend 
 such embraces and hugging between two dear relations 
 or lovers, after a long separation ; but here there was 
 nothing of the land — the performance was gone 
 through, apparently at all events, with the most placid 
 gra'sdty and coolness. 
 
 The Mohammedan will not generally salute any one 
 but a brother in faith ; and frequently when any one 
 of another creed salutes him, ever so kindly, he will 
 receive in return a sound cursing. The same spirit 
 Beems to have existed in Palestine in former ages : 
 hence the different conduct enjoined by Christ upon His 
 disciples (Matt. v. 47). 
 
 The women kiss each other on all occasions, and 
 carry the habit much further than the men. But 
 between the men and the women very great modesty 
 and decorum are observed. They never kiss each 
 other nor touch each other in public, and are very 
 reserved even in common salutations. 
 
 "Whenever the priest entered, all the children present
 
 142 NABLUS AND [Ch. VI. 
 
 would kiss the back of his hand ; as also those adults 
 who happened not to he familiar with him. This they 
 would do in church, or anywhere, when occasion gave the 
 opportunity. The same ceremony was performed with 
 any high person or officer. I had observed the same 
 respect paid to the Jewish Kabbis, who, as well as the 
 Christian priests, expect it from their people. At first I 
 was taken by surprise ; but when I fully understood its 
 real import — that it was an act of reverence and sub- 
 mission — I became upon my guard. Lest, however, I 
 should offend my new friends at Nablus, I submitted to 
 it until I had time to explain to them my reasons for 
 refusal. It struck me afterwards that most likely this 
 was the land of salutation rebuked by our Saviour, 
 which was so ostentatiously sought for by the Pharisees 
 of His time (Matt, xxiii. 7 ; Mark xii. 38). 
 
 When any one entered who was considered to be 
 more honourable than the rest, all present would rise 
 and stand, until he would come forward and be first 
 seated, and then they would resume their own seats. 
 What gave to the scene a peculiar air of novelty was 
 the stately and formal manner in which it was per- 
 formed, and the contrast of standing with the sitting 
 position — all being seated, tailor-like, on the floor. No 
 people, perhaps, are more observant of these marks of 
 distinction, nor more anxious to obtain them, than the 
 Arabs. A thirst for vain ostentation seems to be 
 deeply ingrained in their nature. I relieved them, as 
 soon as I could, from this pleasant duty of etiquette 
 with regard to myself, and taught them to receive me
 
 Ch. VI.] THE MODERN SAIIARITANS. 143 
 
 as one of themselves. The custom, however, was 
 interesting, and carried one's thoughts back to ancient 
 times, when the same civilities were paid to superiors 
 (Job xxix. 8). 
 
 The visitor being duly seated, the first mark of 
 friendship or respect, after salutation, was to hand him 
 a pipe to smoke. It was first well filled with tobacco 
 by the host ; or one of the company who was in the 
 act of smoking would hand his own pipe to him, as a 
 token of respect. The pipes mostly in use are the 
 common pipes of the country. They consist of a 
 bowl, made of earthenware coloured red and of a good 
 large size, with a wooden stem four to five feet long, 
 ornamented with a mouth-piece of amber. Some of 
 the stems are covered from the mouth-piece two- 
 thirds of the whole length with silk, attached at both 
 ends by gold thread, and a silk tassel hanging at the 
 lower end. The bowl generally is placed on a small 
 round brass tray, to preserve the matting or carpet, as 
 the case might be, from injury ; and also to receive the 
 ashes of the tobacco. A great many used cigarettes, 
 i. e. tobacco rolled up in thin paper, made for the pur- 
 pose, in the form of a cigar. This is a modern innova- 
 tion, and rather despised by the old orthodox party ; 
 but being very handy, a great many seemed to be 
 extremely fond of it. My host had two or three 
 argeelehs also, which were in frequent requisition. 
 This instrument consists of a glass vase, filled with 
 water, with a flexible leather tube, varying in length 
 from eight to twelve or more feet, ornamented with an
 
 144 NABLUS AND [Ch. VI. 
 
 amber moutli-piece.* The pipe-bowl is placed on the 
 top ; and when smoking, the smoke passes through the 
 water, and then enters the tube. The smoke is thus 
 made more agreeable, but the act of smoking the 
 ai'geeleh requires such exertion of the chest as to 
 render it very prejudicial to health. It is the favourite 
 instrument, notwithstanding, with the better class. 
 The tobacco used in the argeeleh is of a peculiar kind — 
 the toomhack of Persia. It is first well damped, and 
 then put in the pipe, and burnt by placing one piece 
 or more of live charcoal on the top. 
 
 The tobacco in general use is cultivated in the 
 country, and manufactured by themselves. I was told 
 that it is very mild, and of excellent flavour ; but being 
 no judge of that article, I cannot pronounce upon its 
 merits. Partly in self-defence, and partly to please 
 them, I made an effort now and then to consume a 
 cigarette ; and here and there I occasionally accepted the 
 pipe, and made a show of using it, merely as a matter 
 of politeness. This lesson I was taught for the first 
 time, some years previous, when in Egj'pt. One day, 
 when visiting a Jewish family in Cairo, the good lady 
 of the house — and one of the most portly of all the 
 daughters of Abraham that I have ever seen — charged 
 the pipe, made a few puffs so as to get it well lit, and 
 then handed it to mo. I could not refuse it, of course ; 
 and the lesson taught me how to act for the future, 
 with Arab as well as Jewish friends. But these people 
 
 * Some argeelehs are very ex- and ricbly ornaiueuted. 
 pensive, teing of costly materials
 
 Cn. VI.] THE MODERN SA:\rAllITANS. 145 
 
 were most inreterate smokers. I have seen as many as 
 a dozen or more smoldng at once in the same room, 
 and each one emitting volumes of smoke which actually 
 prevented us at times from seeing the faces of one 
 another. The only redeeming quality in the affair was, 
 that they never expectorated; and I have no recol- 
 lection of ever seeing an Arab do so whilst smoking. 
 Some of them were so addicted to smoking that they 
 were hardly ever separated from their pipes, except 
 when in bed ; and some of them even then, I was 
 told, indulged themselves with the pipe. Many carry 
 their pipes and tobacco with them wherever they go. 
 The pipe they carry in their hand (or, in the case 
 of people of position, it is carried behind them by a 
 servant) ; and the tobacco for their present use they 
 carry in a little bag made of silk or shawl-stuff, &c., 
 put into their bosom,* frequently accompanied with a 
 small pouch, containing flint, steel, and tinder. The 
 latter are now rapidly falling into disuse, by the in- 
 troduction of lucifers. These, and the cigarettes, they 
 find to be extremely convenient. One day, having 
 hired a couple of horses for Yohannah and myself, a lad 
 of about fourteen years of age came to look after them. 
 
 * The bosom is generally used as tinue to use the old leathern girdle, 
 
 a pocket. The loose robes, being having in it small pockets, in which 
 
 tied around the waist with a girdle, they carefully deposit theiz- coins ; 
 
 admit a large quantity of things. just as it was in the time of our 
 
 When common things are bought in Savioiu', who said, " Provide neither 
 
 the market, they are crammed into gold, nor silver, nor brass in your 
 
 the bosom, which was the custom purses" — l^um;, lit., girdles (Matt. 
 
 in early times (Luke vi. 38). The x. 9). 
 Felachin and Bedouin Arabs con-
 
 146 NABLUS AND '[Cn.YI. 
 
 When, at lunch, we offered some to our young Mussul- 
 man, he would not accept it, but looked dejected and 
 sullen. On further inquiry, we found he had lost his 
 tobacco — " I wish," said he, " I had lost all my clothes 
 instead." But we could not assist him out of his 
 dilemma, neither of us having tobacco with us — I 
 having never formed the habit of using it, and Yohan- 
 nah having left it off. 
 
 Next after the pipe came the coffee. They indulge 
 themselves very much in drinldng this beverage. 
 Every one who can afford it sips a cup many times 
 during the day. No visitor, therefore, to whom any 
 respect is to be shown is neglected. The berry, when 
 well roasted and pounded, is put to simmer over a slow 
 fire, and the coffee is then brought in, thick and strong, 
 without milk or sugar. The cup {finjan) is a tiny 
 thing, just about the shape and size of half a common 
 egg. Being without a handle, it is j)laced in another 
 cup {zarf), which very much resembles an egg-cup, 
 made of silver or brass, according to the circumstances 
 of the owner. My host had some of both lands. Some 
 of these, possessed by the wealthy, are very beautiful and 
 costly. The cup of coffee is brought forward on a small 
 tray ; and when it is drunk, the individual, returning 
 the cup, slightly inclines his head, and touching his 
 forehead with the right hand, salutes the host, who, 
 in return, does the same to the visitor. 
 
 My host indulged but little in lemonade and sweet- 
 meats. I only saw these luxuries on one occasion, 
 which I shall yet mention ; but elsewhere I was fre-
 
 Ch. VI.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 147 
 
 quently regaled with them. The lemonade, as made 
 by the natives, is most delicious. That which I had 
 at Damascus, cooled with the snow of Lebanon, 
 was one of the most grateful and refreshing drinks 
 conceivable. 
 
 L ii
 
 148 NABLUS AND [Ch. VII. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 DEATH AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. 
 
 T HAD not been long with my new friends when Im 
 ■*- Dahud died, and that under very distressing cir- 
 cumstances. One evening they made a feast in honour 
 of myself, and had invited a dozen or more of their 
 best friends. Food, tobacco, and coffee were in abun- 
 dance, but no wine nor intoxicating drink. Every one 
 present seemed to have enjoyed himself thoroughly; 
 and all, as I supposed, had passed off most agreeably. 
 I retired before the company had broken up ; and left 
 them in the enjoyment of warm but kindly conversa- 
 tion, and enveloped in clouds of tobacco smoke. Next 
 morning Yohannah informed me that some angiy words 
 had passed between Abdallah and his wife after I had 
 left. A poor fellow — idiotic, but very innocent — a rela- 
 tion of Abdallah, had invited himself to the feast, and 
 taken his place at the table. This was no little pro- 
 vocation to our host ; so he gave vent to his anger 
 when the guests were gone. Im Dahud replying, 
 "Pooh! never mind; we all know the poor fellow!" 
 this only enraged Abdallah the more ; and, in one of 
 his most violent fits of passion, he cursed her, and her
 
 Ch. VII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 149 
 
 t 
 mother, with a long list of her relations and friends, as 
 
 the Arahs do. "VYe were in the hopes, however, that 
 " halmy sleep " had restored peace and good feeling. 
 Not so ; his fierce conduct had now wounded her heart 
 deeper than ever. Soon after, when I was busily 
 occupied in the saloon, Yohannah came up in great ex- 
 citement, and told me that Im Dahud was -very ill, and 
 that he feared she had taken poison ; but advised me on 
 no account to go down, lest the Mohammedans should 
 try to fix her death upon me. She had all the symp- 
 toms of one having been poisoned. I sent him down to 
 seek and administer anji^hing which they happened to 
 have that would act as an emetic, but her friends 
 would allow nothing to be given her. They were 
 prevailed upon to send for a doctor, an Arab, who sent 
 his son, a lad of fifteen. Yohannah, being moved at 
 this, indignantly dismissed him, and requested that his 
 father should come immediately. In a very short time 
 the barber-doctor entered ; and having glanced at his 
 patient, took from her arm a quantity of blood, gave 
 her two pinches of snuff, and, withdrawing, oracularly 
 pronounced that she would be all right very soon. But 
 Yohannah had courage enough to tell him to his face, 
 " No ; what j^ou have now done is not worth a pin ! " 
 And so it was ; the poor woman was dying ; and in a 
 few minutes longer I was requested, in all haste, to go 
 down to pray with her. I went, of course ; and saw in 
 a moment that she was breathing her last. But such 
 a scene I had never witnessed before. The room was 
 crowded with her nearest relations and friends, most
 
 150 NABLUS AND [Ch. VII. 
 
 of whom were frantic with grief. Her brother sup- 
 ported her, and the rest were clustering around her, 
 enough to suffocate the poor creature ; lifting up their 
 hands, and bursting out in agonizing shrieks, peculiar 
 to their people. The sight was, in fact, indescribable ; 
 and one of the most heartrending a man could well 
 witness. I begged of them to move out, and give her 
 a little breathing room, but my voice was heard to very 
 little purpose : nothing could induce them to withdraw. 
 But she had already died in the midst of the tumult. 
 Abdallah was pacing the court like one distracted ; the 
 guilt of his conduct on the previous evening almost 
 driving him mad. Muttering to himself, " Why should 
 she do so ? I didn't beat her last night ! I have done 
 so, but she always forgave me. Why should she not 
 do so now ? " Poor fellow ! I could not help pitying 
 him. But there was one to be pitied more than all the 
 rest — her mother ; a small, elderly, but very interesting 
 woman, always pleasant, and full of kindness. How 
 she clung to her poor daughter — long after she had 
 expired — beating her own bosom, and lifting up her 
 voice in wild shrieks, quite bewildered ! The whole 
 scene gave me a very vivid idea of the ruler of the 
 synagogue's house of old, when his damsel had died 
 ■ (Mark v. 38). 
 
 Im Dahud had breathed her last about eleven o'clock 
 in the morning ; and by three o'clock in the afternoon 
 her funeral took place. Burying the dead on the same 
 day that they die was now to me a common thing ; but I 
 felt a little surprised and annoyed that my kind hostess
 
 Cn. VII.] THE SrODERN SAMARITANS. 151 
 
 should be so quickly removed. I very mucli respected 
 her, and mingled with them for her my grief and tears ; 
 and I felt a strong wish that she should not be buried 
 till the latest possible hour. In fact, I had no idea 
 that it would have been otherwise. At three o'clock, 
 however, I found that the friends had assembled, and 
 everything was ready, awaiting me to join the proces- 
 sion. The dead body was simply shrouded in white 
 clean calico, without any coffin, and laid upon the bier. 
 This was not unlike our own, only of very primitive 
 make, with a kind of low gallery round it, to prevent 
 the body from falling over by any accident. We went 
 along in a kind of procession, the females walking in 
 front of the corpse. In Mohammeddfi funerals there 
 are generally hired mourners, who chant their monoto- 
 nous solemn dirge, " La illah ilia Allah ! tv'Muham- 
 medhu mssul Allah/ " (No god but God ! and Moham- 
 med is the prophet of God !) repeating it continually 
 till they reach the place of interment; whilst the 
 female hired mourners perform their frantic wailing at 
 the house. And so were these hired mourners em- 
 ployed of old (Jer. ix. 17, 18 ; Amos v. 16). But here 
 there was no need of those skilful in lamentation and 
 wailing ; nature taught the females present to pour 
 out their simple dirges in most melancholy tones. I 
 could not help noticing that all present seemed to be 
 in their dishabille, the family not excepted; they had 
 come from their various occupations, just as they were, 
 without any change of clothing. Having reached the 
 Greek church, the priest, with much solemnity, per-
 
 152 NABLUS AND [Cn. YII- 
 
 formed tlie service in the native (Arabic) language, 
 during wliicli a large candle was placed at tlie head of 
 the corpse, and two smaller ones at the feet. A picture 
 of the Virgin Mary was also laid on the bosom. The 
 service being over, the nearest relations stepped forward 
 to take their last farewell of their departed one, and 
 amongst them the poor idiot fellow, weeping and sob- 
 bing most piteously. To see him and Dahud, especially, 
 kissing their best friend for the last time, was a most 
 touching sight ; it was enough to move the strongest 
 heart. We then proceeded to the Christian burjdng- 
 ground, on the western side of the city. The grave 
 was not finished, and we had to wait its completion. 
 After all, it was" found to be too short to admit the 
 coi-pse ; and, instead of extending it, they began 
 opening another. I forgot to ask the reason for this ; 
 in fact, I took very little notice of it at the time, being 
 more engaged in trying to comfort the bereaved. 
 Another singular thing I noticed was, that they had 
 no shovel nor mattock wherewith to dig, but only 
 used their hands and stones. Whilst they were thus 
 preparing the grave, I was told that the body was still 
 quite warm ; and, on placing my hand on the chest, I 
 found it to be so. I had felt anxious and sad all the 
 while, lest they were hurrying her to the grave whilst 
 life still lingered. Knowing that there was a Turldsb 
 doctor connected with the garrison, and that he had 
 partly received a European education, I was determined 
 she should not be interred till he should have examined 
 her. I sent Yohannah forthwith to request him to come ;
 
 Ch. VII. ] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 153 
 
 but, unfortunately, he was out of town. His assistant, 
 however, came ; and, after a short examination, pro- 
 nounced life to be extinct. Whilst awaiting his arrival, 
 we were in a state of intense suspense. The females 
 were lifting up their hands and voices towards heaven, 
 commingling their prayers and hopes that she was still 
 alive, and Abdallah announced that, if she were re- 
 stored, he would kill ten sheep for the poor, and 
 distribute a thousand piastres. But now, the decision 
 being given, there was nothing to be done but to 
 commit her to her long resting-place, although I still 
 had my fears. The grave was only some two feet deep, 
 the bottom surrounded with a rough wall of loose 
 stones, just deep enough to cover the body. When the 
 corpse was lowered into it, stones of sufficient size were 
 placed across, resting upon these walls, and thus 
 defending the corpse from being bruised by the 
 small stones and earth, doing the service of a cof&n. 
 Abdallah, now spealdng to the dead, repeated what he 
 had already said in the house and in the church, that 
 if she had injured him in any way during her lifetime, 
 he fully forgave her ; and begged her to forgive him all 
 his misconduct. The service being over, most of the 
 male friends present came up to Abdallah and the two 
 sons, and gave them kisses of condolence. 
 
 On our return from the grave, the priest and 
 myself conversed regarding the burial service, espe- 
 cially the praying for the dead. I told him very 
 freely my own opinion, in which, to my great sur- 
 prised, he fully acquiesced ; and yet he had just done
 
 154 NABLUS AND [Ch. VII. 
 
 that service, and would yet repeat it on the third, the 
 ninth, and the fortieth days. 
 
 I never realized the picture drawn by the Psalmist 
 of the frailty of human life before so much as on 
 •retiring that evening. " In the morning they are like 
 grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, 
 and groweth up ; in the evening it is cut down, and 
 withereth " (Ps. xc. 5, G). And so with poor Im Dahud. 
 The previous evening she was with us full of pleasant 
 mirth, but now numbered with the dead. 
 
 The females — a dozen or more — remained all night 
 at Abdallah's, almost continually lifting up their 
 voices in mournful lamentations. Early the next 
 morning they went out to the grave to sit there and 
 weep (John xi. 31). This they did for nine successive 
 days. 
 
 In the afternoon of the following day I went to 
 church, to witness the ceremony of offerings for the 
 dead. At the end of the service, which lasted about 
 half an hour, a large dish filled with wheat was laid 
 upon the middle of the floor, with a large loaf of 
 bread, having a burning candle stuck in the top. 
 The priest, having pronounced a blessing over them, 
 gave a handful of the wheat to each of the few 
 bystanders, and retained the rest for himself, according 
 to the law of his Church, The ceremony was repeated 
 six times during the first forty days after the burial — 
 and especially on the fortieth, this being the last day 
 of all their duties for the dead, on which it is believed 
 the body has decayed, and the spirit forsaken it.
 
 Ch. VII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 155 
 
 This is also the day for the dish of condolence ; it 
 is a kind of sweetmeat, called knafc, consisting of 
 a mixture of vermicelli, sugar, butter, almonds, and 
 spices : this was a very choice but rare dish with my 
 host. On this occasion, however, it was especially used. 
 To do me all the honour in his power, Abdallah, during 
 the morning, called me to witness them making the 
 knafe, and to have a share in the pleasure of mix- 
 ing it, with which, of course, I complied. When suffi- 
 ciently baked, it was taken to the grave and there eaten, 
 whether for their own satisfaction or in honour to the 
 dead I could not very well decide, because grief had 
 certainly ceased from Abdallah. 
 
 The days of mourning being over, a dispute arose 
 between the two families concerning the deceased's 
 property. The law among the Arabs on this point is 
 a very peculiar one. All that she possessed in her 
 maidenhood in the way of clothing and trinkets, &c., 
 belongs by right to her ; and all apparel, including 
 all kinds of personal adornments, which she receives 
 from her husband during her marriage state, also 
 belongs to her : but nothing else. Should the husband 
 die before the wife, everything is taken from her by 
 his family, excepting her apparel. This is one reason 
 — and a very sound one too — why the Ai-ab women 
 are so anxious to possess as mvich costly apparel as 
 possible. On the other hand, when she dies, and if 
 her parents survive her, one third of her property is 
 claimed by them, whilst the remaining two thirds are
 
 156 NABLUS AND [Cn. VII. 
 
 divided between the husband and children. This 
 claim was now brought by Im Dalmd's mother against 
 Abdallah ; and in deciding what really belonged to 
 her and what was the true value, a serious dispute 
 arose, which grew to a most angry contention. How- 
 ever, an evening was appointed to decide the question ; 
 and all met, some dozen or more, in my saloon. I 
 sat with them, by their request, not to take any part 
 iu the discussion, but merely to watch the proceedings, 
 and, if possible, to keep a little order. Whilst they 
 were regaling themselves with tobacco and coffee, 
 Girius Mazbar, the head of the Greek community, 
 related an anecdote about the late Tanoos, who had 
 been the head of the Protestants at Nablus. His 
 principal object in doing so, I supposed, was to give 
 me a further insight into the character of the people. 
 He said that on the day following the death of Tanoos, 
 he met two Mohammedans at the gate of the city, 
 going to the dead man's grave. " Why," said he, 
 " should you go to his grave, he being a Chris- 
 tian ? " "No," was the reply, "he was not a 
 Christian : he confessed before his death that there 
 is but one God, and that Mohammed is his prophet ; 
 and if we had known this in time, we should have 
 prevented the Christians burying him in their 
 cemetery. My brother " (referring to one of the two) 
 " saw last night in his dream four men removing him 
 from your burying-place to ours ; and if you were to 
 open his grave, you would find my story to be true."
 
 Ch.'VII.] the modern SAIIARITANS. 157 
 
 They -went and kissed liis grave, and doing so, 
 according to the superstition, they kissed him as their 
 brother in faith. The grave, however, was not opened, 
 and the circumstance still remained a mystery. The 
 man had led such a deceitful life that no one felt 
 any confidence in his profession, whether he was at 
 heart a Christian or a Mohammedan. 
 
 In the meantime Dahud had brought in all his 
 mother's apparel, and laid it on the floor. Before 
 commencing the discussion, I proposed that the priest 
 should act as chairman, and see that only one 
 should speak at a time. To this they consented, 
 but soon forgot it, chairman and all, and a most 
 clamorous dispute ensued. Abdallah asserted that 
 a portion of the apparel (laying it on one side) 
 belonged to his mother ; that he had given it to his 
 wife merely to use, and not to possess ; and that 
 she had also given it to Dahud' s wife in the same 
 manner. Whether this were the real fact I could not 
 very well satisfy myself : much less did it satisfy 
 the opposite party. Witnesses, however, were called 
 in who endorsed Ahdallah's statement ; and how- 
 ever unsatisfactory the whole case appeared to 
 be, it settled this j^art of the proceedings. Up to 
 this point the dispute had been sufficiently noisy; 
 but now it grew fiercer and fiercer. Girius Mazbar 
 evidently sided all through with the family of Im 
 Dahud, whether from conscientious motives or through 
 the influence of bribery I cannot say ; and being more
 
 158 NABLUS AND [Ch. VII. 
 
 self-possessed than the rest, had frequently the better 
 of the argument. The priest rebutted him most 
 violently, and frequently with very happy hits ; but in 
 fairly arguing the points, Yohannah only was able to 
 cope with him. 
 
 The most valuable portion by far of the apparel 
 was now removed, and the remainder, which virtually 
 belonged to Im Dahud, according to the story of 
 Abdallah and his witnesses, was eventually valued, 
 which amounted to 3G00 piastres. 1200 were given 
 to her mother ; 900 to Abdallah ; 600 to Dahud ; 600 
 to Silman ; and 300 to the infant, being a little girl — 
 the females only receiving half the amount which the 
 males have. Out of the above, fifty piastres were to be 
 given to the Church, and fifty to the priest. 
 
 The business was not settled till a late hour. None 
 of them, however, seemed to be tired. They had 
 wreaked their vengeance in the most unmerciful manner 
 on the tobacco during the whole debate : I never saw 
 such smoking. There was one very peculiar trait of 
 Arab character brought out, which I had not noticed 
 before — a trait which contrasted most singularly with 
 their vociferous talk and outbursts of passion. When 
 any one wished to reply to another, unless already 
 talking to him, he would first name him, and then 
 say, " Mascekum Ml clier " (Good evening to you), and 
 would repeat it over and over again till the individual 
 would reply, " Maseekum " ; never proceeding with his 
 argument until thus allowed by his opponent. The
 
 Ch. VII.] THE MODEKN SAMARITANS. 159 
 
 gentlemanly manner in which this was clone contrasted 
 most strangely with the fiery speech that followed. 
 Before separating, a deed of settlement was drawn up, 
 to which several present and myself attached our 
 names as witnesses ; without which Abdallah and 
 his family would he liable to a demand for the amount 
 till the third generation, when all claims would cease.
 
 160 NABLUS AND [Cn. Vni. 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII. 
 
 abdallah's second marriage. 
 
 'T'HE burjdng of one wife and the marrying of another 
 -^ generally follow each other rather quicldy among 
 the Arabs, if the widower be in circumstances which 
 enable him to carry out the custom of his people. 
 And so it was with Abdallah. The very evening of his 
 wife's death and burial the subject was broached, and 
 no fewer than eight females were recommended to his 
 notice. But it is right that I should add that, so far 
 as I could judge, he himself had no taste for the 
 subject that evening. Not many days, however, had 
 passed before he was able to enter into it with all his 
 heart. His principal confidant and adviser was the 
 priest. Indeed, the subject belongs to that functionary ; 
 and he pretty well manages all the match-making 
 among his community. The fathers go to him to give 
 an account of the beauty and virtue of their daughters ; 
 and the young men as well as widowers consult him in 
 the choice of wives. In this manner he becomes a 
 perfect adept in the female politics of his people. But 
 this match-making business exposes him to the danger 
 of soiling his hands with bribes ; and I fear they are
 
 Ch. VIII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 161 
 
 not always kept clean. Abdallah had already consulted 
 bim about having a wife for Silman, although the lad 
 had as yet made no progress in reading and writing. 
 I looked at that business more in the light of putting 
 in the wedge for himself ; and, a few days after, he made 
 no secret of it. In fact, he had become quite inflamed 
 upon the subject. His love had not yet centred upon 
 any indi\'idual, but he was determined to marry a young 
 wife, not more than twelve years old. Yohannah and 
 another, in fun, called his attention to a young widow 
 in Jerusalem, and her recommendations with regard to 
 beauty and property quite enraptured him. The plan 
 to obtain her was concocted, and during Easter "Week he 
 was to come up to Jerusalem to carry it into execution. 
 But before Easter Week came, he fell desperately in love 
 with another young girl of thirteen. There was no 
 little difficulty, however, in the way to obtain his 
 object. She was already betrothed to a son of the late 
 priest — a lad of eighteen, who had been hitherto unable 
 to save up enough money to marry her, although he 
 loved her as his own soul. The betrothal document 
 had been drawn up and signed three years ago, and it 
 contained an agreement that, should any one of the 
 parties refuse the other, 4000 piastres should be 
 paid for the breach of promise. The young woman's 
 father was now dead, and she was under the guardian- 
 ship of her grandfather. Abdallah soon got his 
 consent, and before I had left for Jerusalem to witness 
 the Easter Week ceremonies, Abdallah, through the 
 co-operation of the priest, was in a fair way of attain- 
 
 M
 
 162 NABLUS AND [Ch. VIII. 
 
 ing his object. I lectured both priest and Abdallah 
 on the wickedness of trying to get one that was virtually 
 the wife of another ; but to no effect. The following 
 week, in spite of the young man's giief and protes- 
 tation, the prize was secured. On my return from 
 Jerusalem, in about five weeks, I found Abdallah full 
 of joy with his new wife — a tall, handsome, and 
 graceful young woman. I had not seen her before. 
 She was certainly superior in her appearance to any one 
 I had yet seen in Nablus. He was evidently anxious 
 for my approbation ; and the moment she entered the 
 room, in his innocent and silly manner he asked me how 
 I liked her. "Extremely well," was the reply ; " she 
 is very handsome ; and I hope and trust you will live 
 together very happily." Lifting up his big eyes towards 
 heaven, in true Arab style, he added the usual ejacu- 
 lation, " Khamdu Ullali! " (Praise be to God !) 
 
 I felt a good deal of curiosity to witness a marriage 
 in the Greek church, having seen the ceremony per- 
 formed in most of the other communities, both Jewish 
 and Christian ; but none took place during my stay in 
 Nablus. One marriage was celebrated, but only pri- 
 vately, on account of recent deaths in the family. It 
 was the marriage of a son of the late priest, and brother 
 to the above unfortunate young man. I was invited to 
 witness the ceremony, and accepted it of course. The 
 men, about a dozen in number, sat together in one 
 room, and had Idndly provided a seat for mc ; but I 
 could hardly distinguish the company through the cloud 
 of tobacco smoke that enveloped them. The women
 
 Ch. VIII. ] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 163 
 
 sat together in another room. When the priest and all 
 had regaled themselves sufficiently with tobacco and 
 coffee, the bride and two female attendants were 
 brought in, dressed in their gaj-est attire. During the 
 ceremony, which was performed in the native language, 
 the marriage ring was placed on the bride's head, and 
 held there for a while by the bridesmaid ; and again on 
 the bridegroom's head, the groomsman doing the same 
 service for him. The bracelets which were presented 
 by the bridegroom to his bride were also used in a 
 similar manner. The young couple were then in- 
 structed to link the little finger of the right hand; 
 and during the ceremony, the priest slightly bumped 
 their heads together, to signify, I suppose, that they 
 were now united, and should never get to loggerheads 
 again. The ceremony being over, the young couple 
 continued to live as before for nearly a month. But 
 when the day for consummating the marriage arrived, 
 about four o'clock in the afternoon the bridegroom 
 invited a number of friends to a dinner, and the father 
 of the bride invited a party of his friends to a dinner 
 at his house. Before dusk, the bridegroom's part}^ 
 formed themselves into a procession, to fetch the young 
 wife to her husband's house, her owti future home. 
 Here a regular feast had been prepared for the whole 
 party, which, but for the mourning circumstances of 
 the family, would have been accompanied with music 
 and other amusements. On these occasions they gene- 
 rally put on their best apparel, and the females espe- 
 cially bedeck themselves with all their ornaments. And 
 
 M 2
 
 164 NABLUS AND [Ch.VIII. 
 
 this custom seems to have been strictly observed in 
 ancient times (Matt. xxii. 11). 
 
 The procession for conducting the bride to her hus- 
 band's house is not now performed by the Christians of 
 Nablus after sunset, when lanterns or torches would be 
 required, and does not therefore present a faithful pic- 
 ture of the whole ceremony as given in the New Testa- 
 ment (Matt. XXV. 1—6) ; their oppressed state has inter- 
 dicted them now for ages past from displaying some 
 observances still preserved in other parts of Palestine. 
 But there is much more show in the weddings per- 
 formed in the church than in the one just narrated. 
 These night processions I witnessed repeatedly among 
 the Mohammedans of the town : the large flaring 
 torches, with drums and music mixing with shrill 
 voices, creating no little stir.
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 165 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TRAITS OP CHARACTER. 
 
 TT'OHANNAH and I frequently discussed tlie charac- 
 -*- ter of his nation. Sometimes others would join us ; 
 and several times did they fully admit the whole 
 catalogue of the national \dces — not, however, to grieve 
 over it, but rather to excuse themselves. I have no 
 recollection of one instance when the winding-up of our 
 conversation was not thus : — " Well, you must forgive 
 us : it is in the nature of the Arab to do so." A minute 
 and faithful daguerreotj^De of their life would form a 
 sad picture. But here I should also say that it would 
 not be confined to any class or creed ; nor even to the 
 Arab people. At all events, the shade of difference would 
 be very slight. The whole people of Palestine, and of 
 the East generally, are very much alike. I shall now 
 name the general traits of character which I noticed 
 whilst amongst them. 
 
 1. The first and most prominent is the love of 
 money. It is sometimes said that Mammon is only 
 worshipped in commercial countries ; but this is a great 
 mistake — he is a universal god. He has too many
 
 166 NABLUS AND [Cn. IX. 
 
 devotees at home ; but no one of tlie human race seems 
 more devoutly m his service than the Arab. To obtain 
 money, he will work (but not too hard), and beg, and 
 lie, and pilfer — in fact, he will do anything and every- 
 thing ; and never did the eyes of a Jew or Gentile 
 glisten more brightly when receiving the idol coin than 
 do his. The expectation of a gift (baksheesh) is 
 universal ; from the governor to the professional beggar, 
 every one you look upon expects it from you ; and if 
 you make any purchases, overreaching, of course, is 
 the universal rule. One must calculate upon paying 
 three or four times the real value. Even those you 
 know, and with whom you have become acquainted and 
 friendly, will treat you in the same way. On many 
 occasions, when Yohannah had made purchases in the 
 bazaars, and when it was found out that they were not for 
 himself but for me, he was scouted and cursed even 
 by our most intimate friends, because he had bought 
 them at their usual value. Nor would they care to 
 conceal it from me, but would tell me, now and then, 
 that we Europeans had plenty of money, and that it 
 was only right that they should have a little of it. Nor 
 were they much better to one another. I have seen 
 them many a time, the buyer dodging for a while, dis- 
 puting the price, wrangling, cursing, and spitting at 
 the seller, and even attempting to force the sale at 
 his own price. So deep is the love of money that 
 honourable transactions are all but unlmown amongst 
 them. And how graphically does the state of society 
 amongst them illustrate and confirm the Apostle's
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 167 
 
 words — " for the root of all kinds of evil is the love of 
 money ! " * (1 Tim. vi. 10.) 
 
 2. Another trait, quite as common, is their untruth- 
 fulness. There is no depending upon any one ; nor 
 can you believe any story unless you have some evidence 
 besides the bare testimony of the narrator. Nor are 
 they ashamed of it : they seem to be lost to every sense 
 of truth. When it happens that you have detected 
 one of them in his lies, he never feels confounded nor 
 humiliated, but simply excuses himself as being an Arab. 
 Indeed, those from whom one might have expected 
 better things, and who, I had hoped, were to some 
 extent exceptions, I found more than once sheltering 
 themselves under the false coverlet that they were 
 Arabs. They took it as a matter of course that it was 
 not right for us Europeans to tell falsehoods ; but as 
 for them, as Arabs they were at liberty to say just what 
 they liked. Even the Protestants are infected with the 
 same leprosy. One day, after a long conversation with 
 a number of them in my room, I happened to make 
 some entries in my journal before they had all with- 
 drawn. In a day or two it was rumoured that I had 
 written to England to defame the Bishop of Jerusalem. 
 I was told who the author of the story was, and, when 
 I next met him, I demanded how he came to say such 
 a thing. 
 
 "Well, sir," was the reply, "I saw you writing, and 
 thought you were going to send home the things that 
 were said." 
 
 * Dr. TurnbuU's translation.
 
 168 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 " Yes ; but 3^011 ought not to do so — to charge me 
 with a thing I never intended ! " 
 
 " Well, sir," was the rejoinder, " it is our nature as 
 Arabs to tell untruths, and I hope God will give us a 
 better nature." 
 
 3. Another trait is deceit. There is no integi-ity — no 
 honesty of conduct among them. Their standard of 
 morality on this point is extremely low, or rather, is 
 lost altogether. Old and young, master and servant, 
 parents and children, are just on a level : none, seem- 
 ingly, have any sense of right and T\Tong. Honesty 
 has left the country. It is quite as bad now, I believe, 
 as it was in the time of the Psalmist, when he said of 
 his people, " They speak vanity every one with his 
 neighbour : with flattering lips and with a double heart 
 do they speak " (Ps. xii. 2). A Jewish friend, a rabbi 
 in Jerusalem, when discussing with me one day the 
 moral state of his own community, said, "I'll tell you 
 our state in a few words. We are exactly in the state 
 our forefathers were in the time of Jeremiah — ' Take 
 ye heed every one of his neighbour (or friend), and 
 trust ye not in any brother : for every brother will 
 utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with 
 slanders. And they will deceive every one his neigh- 
 bour, and will not speak the truth : they have taught 
 their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to 
 commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of 
 deceit ' (Jer. ix. 4-6). And well did he speak ; for a more 
 correct picture of the present state of society amongst 
 the whole of the inhabitants could not be drawn."
 
 Ch.IX.] the modern SAMARITANS. 169 
 
 When this state of morals has revealed itself to any- 
 one whilst yet amongst them, things become every now 
 and then unpleasant and embarrassing : one hardly 
 knows how to act. Frequently you know well enough 
 that all their professions of friendship, and so forth, are 
 mere bosh. When, for example, you are received into a 
 house with a strain of eloquence : " You are my son, 
 this house is yours, and everything in it is at your com- 
 mand ; " or in the bazaar, when you are accosted with, 
 *' Take what you like : all is yours," and afterwards 
 three or four times the value will be exacted from you ; 
 upon all such occasions, you know how to act; but 
 not so upon others : because the Arab is singularly 
 capable of concealing his deceit. Should you accuse 
 one of a dishonest action, he will immediately not only 
 defend himself, but also condemn all kinds of dis- 
 honesty, using the most eloquent language and stirring 
 action. And, moreover, all this is done with a conceal- 
 ment of the real feelings that is quite astounding. Not 
 a lineament moves to betray the inward man — not a 
 twitch of the muscles moves his countenance as an 
 index to his conscience. And how can it ? There is no 
 conscience : that has been seared through deceit from 
 childhood. 
 
 What astonished me most of all, and amused me not a 
 little, was the manner in which they deceive, or, at least, 
 attempt to deceive, one another. That they should 
 make hollow professions to strangers is not to be won- 
 dered at ; but that they should treat each other in the 
 same way is most unaccountable : yet so it is. The
 
 170 NABLUS AND [Cn. IX. 
 
 Arab will make tlie most liberal profession to liis 
 brethren, and seal it with an oath in the name of Allah 
 (God), But he will do it as a matter of course, not 
 only in spite of knowing it himself to be a lie, but also 
 knowing well enough that his friend is conscious of the 
 same fact. And so they go on through life. No one 
 trusteth his friend, nor putteth any confidence in a 
 guide ; but even keepeth the doors of his mouth from 
 her that lieth in his bosom (Micah vii. 5). Nor was it 
 much better when Christianity was first preached among 
 them. " Wherefore," saith the Apostle, " putting away 
 lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour : for 
 we are members one of another " (Eph. iv. 25). And 
 again, "Lie not one to another" (Col. iii. 9). This, 
 however, is a hard task to the Arab, "until God," as 
 Girius said, " shall give them a better nature." 
 
 One day a man was passing along the streets, an- 
 nouncing in a loud tone that he had found a lost over- 
 dress (aha), and whoever had lost it might come to him 
 for it. 
 
 " There," said I to Yohannah — "there is one honest 
 Arab ! " 
 
 "Ah, sir!" said he, "it is all deceit. If any one 
 were to go and claim it, the man would curse, and swear 
 that it was not his, and would never give it up. He only 
 makes a show of honesty, but does not mean it : and 
 so are all these people." 
 
 4. As a matter of course, from what has been said, 
 the people are extremely irreligious. There is no 
 country in the world with a greater show of religion in
 
 Cn. IX.] THE MODERN SMIARITANS. 171 
 
 some form or other ; but there is no country with less 
 rehgious sincerity. By their language, you might sup- 
 pose them to be the most God-fearing people in exist- 
 ence. What you hear from morning till evening, and 
 on all occasions, is "Praised be God!" {cilhhamclu 
 lilldh,) "Thank God!" {alhamed liUah,) "Please 
 God ! " {anshallah ,) and such like ; but in their mouths 
 these are words without meaning. Even when you ask 
 a person how he is, it may be that the reply will be to 
 the effect, " Praised be God ! I am praying for you." 
 And never are they more eloquent than when defining 
 the duties one man owes to his fellow, as a matter of 
 religion. In fact, their hj^ocrisy becomes unbearable. 
 If they never mentioned religion at all, their deceit 
 would not be so offensive. But no : they must put on 
 the sacred garment on every occasion, although too thin 
 to hide the deformity of their character. My host 
 would frequently pass the door of my bedroom early of 
 a morning muttering his prayer, to show off his deep 
 piety ; although he knew well enough, and ought to have 
 known that I knew it too, that he had not a shadow of 
 piety about him. The next moment, perhaps, he would 
 be in a passion, cursing all around him. And this 
 leads me to remark, that there is nothing more shocking 
 in their character than the universal habit of cursing. 
 They all seem as if they had imbibed it with their 
 mothers' milk. They use it on the most trifling provo- 
 cations, and in the most offensive forms. With the 
 Arab, it is not enough to curse the individual, but he 
 must also curse his father and grandfather, as well as his
 
 172 NABLUS AND [Ch. IX. 
 
 children ; and, when the chain is finished, the closing 
 curse will he that of his religion. Children even thus 
 curse their parents, especially their mother ; and hus- 
 bands their wives. Few were more free amongf the 
 non-Mohammedan community in this vulgar and un- 
 godly language than my host at Nablus. Cursing his 
 wife, with all her relations, was an every-day affair. One 
 day I noticed a passionate quarrel between him and his 
 sister, when he used the most blasphemous language — 
 cursing her, her husband and child, and father and 
 mother, and religion, with & finale too horrible to men- 
 tion. But when the Arab turns from his wife to his 
 mare, the scene becomes amusing. The beast never 
 shares in the blows which he so freely awards to his 
 wife ; only in the violent language. The poor animal 
 is taunted with the ill fame of its father and mother ; 
 is spat upon ; and the tirade winds up with a prayer 
 that all its offspring may be females. 
 
 Other traits may be named — cruelty, for example, 
 which is very common towards man and beast. And 
 especially vainglory. This is most prominent, and 
 frequently exhibits itself most amusingly. The Diatre- 
 pheses are numerous enough in all countries, but no- 
 where do they abound more than in Palestine. Never 
 was the Apostle's advice more needed than at present — 
 " Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory ; but 
 in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than 
 themselves" (Phil. ii. 3). 
 
 The Arabs, notwithstanding, have some redeeming 
 qualities. There is a gentleness of manner strangely
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODEKN SAMARITANS. 173 
 
 mixed with their character, not found among persons 
 of the same class in Europe ; and, when their confi- 
 dence is won, they exhibit no little kindness and hospi- 
 tality. No one can fail to observe their sobriety ; and 
 in this they give an example most worthy to be fol- 
 lowed. " When God," as Girius said, " shall give them 
 a better nature," the Arabs will be a fine race of 
 people.
 
 PAET IL— THE MODEM SAMAEITANS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE origin of the Samaritans is briefly told in 
 2 Kings xvii. In that narrative we are informed 
 that Sahnaneser, after the captivity of the Ten Tribes, 
 transplanted colonists from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, 
 Hamath, and Sepharvaim into the cities of Samaria. 
 These people eventually intermixed with the compara- 
 tively few Jews who were left in the country. This 
 mixture formed the nucleus of the Samaritan nation. 
 The majority being ignorant of the Jewish worship 
 and ceremonies, one of the captive priests was sent 
 back to his country to teach the new inhabitants how 
 to worship the God of Israel. This priest took up his 
 residence in Bethel, the ancient sanctuary of the 
 Israelites. 
 
 When Jerusalem and the Temple had been de- 
 stroyed, and Judah carried into captivity — some hun- 
 dred and thirty years after the above event — we find 
 that some of these Samaritans, residents of Shechem, 
 Shiloh, and Samaria, full of grief for the misfortune 
 of their brethren, were treacherously slain by Ishmael
 
 Introd.] NABLUS and THE MODEKN SAIIARITANS. 175 
 
 while on their way to the house of the Lord with 
 incense and offerings (Jer. xli. 4—8). 
 
 At the time of the return from Bahylon, it is evident 
 the Samaritans practised the Jewish rehgion, and 
 would have joined the Jews in rebuilding their Temple. 
 Their words were these : — " Let us build with you : for 
 we seek your God, as ye do ; and we do sacrifice unto 
 him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which 
 brought us up hither" (Ezra iv. 2). This offer was given 
 perhaps more from political than from religious mo- 
 tives ; and whether it were an expression of the sym- 
 pathy of the people, or a mere intrigue of their chiefs, it 
 is difficult to determine. At all events, it was refused. 
 " Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto 
 our God," was the reply; "but we ourselves together 
 will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus 
 the king of Persia hath commanded us" (ver. 3). Subse- 
 quently, in the time of Nehemiah, the most determined 
 opposition was offered to the Jews by Sanballat, who 
 was connected in some way or another with the 
 Samaritans ; but evidently more on political than reli- 
 gious grounds. This Sanballat was by birth a Horonite, 
 from beyond the Jordan (Neh. ii. 10) ; and in all pro- 
 bability was appointed governor over the Samaritans, 
 although the fact is not stated in the sacred record. 
 During Nehemiah's absence in Persia, a son of Joiada, 
 the high priest, was married to a daughter of Sanballat, 
 and subsequently, on account of his marriage, was 
 expelled by Nehemiah (xiii. 28).
 
 176 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Joseplius, in his Antiquities of the Jews (xi. 7, 8), 
 gives a similar story. His version is this : — That Ma- 
 nasseh, the son of John the high priest, had married 
 Nicaso, daughter of Sanballat, governor of the Sama- 
 ritans ; and to prevent Manasseh divorcing his daughter, 
 Sanhallat huilt a temple on Mount Gerizim, and placed 
 there his son-in-law as high priest. And this, accord- 
 ing to Josephus, was the origin of the Samaritan 
 service on Mount Gerizim. 
 
 This version of the historian is generally accepted as 
 a faithful narrative of the events briefly mentioned by Ne- 
 hemiah ; but this seems quite untenable — it must either 
 refer to circumstances which happened some hundred and 
 twenty years later than the time of Nehemiah, or it is 
 given in such a way as destroys all confidence in it. 
 According to our author, the event took place in the time 
 of Darius Codomannus, and not Darius Nothus of Nehe- 
 miah's time. His Sanhallat is not a Horonite, but a 
 Cuthite ; and the high priest is not Joiada and his son, 
 but John and his son Manasseh. If, therefore, Jose- 
 phus has given us in this instance a correct narrative 
 of facts, there must have been two Sanballats, whose 
 daughters had married sons of the then high priests 
 at Jerusalem, and whose sons-in-law were eventually 
 banished. That two such events, so very similar in all 
 their circumstances, should have occurred within about 
 a hundred and twenty years, is not impossible, though 
 improbable ; and what makes it more so is, that Josephus 
 has not mentioned a former Sanhallat in the time of
 
 Introd.] the modern SAMARITANS. 177 
 
 Neliemiah. It is evident that liis Sanballat cannot be 
 removed back to the time of Nehemiah : the chronology 
 of the whole chapter forbids it. The only conclusion 
 therefore is, that he, through some negligence or other, 
 left out Sanballat and his doings at the proper place, 
 but introduced him according to the version of the 
 vague and unchronological traditions of his people. 
 
 Such, briefly, is the sacred account of the origin of 
 the Samaritan people and their worship. They them- 
 selves, however, give us a very difi"ereut version. They 
 hold that they are the only pure and unmixed chil- 
 dren of Israel — the sons of Joseph, who have dwelt, 
 through all their past history since the conquest, in the 
 mountains of Ephraim ; that the Jews, on the other 
 hand, ever since the captivity, are beyond all doubt a 
 mixed people : and that they have tampered with the 
 Book of Joshua, and falsified their whole history. In 
 their own history and chronology, the Samaritans 
 prove, to their own satisfaction, that they are the only 
 true representatives of the Israelites who entered Pales- 
 tine under Joshua ; and that their priest's family can 
 trace their genealogy in an unbroken chain up to Aaron, 
 the first high j)riest of the nation. 
 
 The name " Samaritans " is generally believed to bo 
 derived from Samaria, the capital of the Ten Tribes ; but 
 when we come to consider the etymology of the word, 
 it becomes more difficult to determine. The Hebrew 
 name for the city and the district is Shomron (plpt^) ; 
 and the inhabitants would consequently be Shomronim 
 
 N
 
 178 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 (D'^^lpt^), just as we find the name to be in the only 
 place where it is made use of in Scripture (2 Kings 
 xvii. 29). But the Samaritans are not called Shom- 
 ronim, but Shomrim (D''"1Di^) — from the verb shamar 
 (IQti^)j to guard or keep watch. Their own explanation 
 of this is, that they have been so called because they 
 are the keepers of the law of Moses. The same idea 
 was entertained by several of the Christian fathers, 
 especially Epiphanius and Jerome, who had borrowed 
 it most likely from the Samaritans themselves. But 
 the most probable hypothesis is, that this name was 
 given them, in the first instance, by the Greeks, as the 
 inhabitants of the district of Samaria, and then retained 
 by themselves, whilst attaching to it the above significa- 
 tion. By the Jews they are called Cuthites (DTl^S) — a 
 term of reproach — as the descendants of the mixed 
 people who inhabited Samaria, as pre\dously explained, 
 a portion of which were natives of Cuthah. The same 
 term is applied by the Samaritans to the Jews, aver- 
 ring that the latter, ever since the captivity, are truly a 
 Cuthite nation. 
 
 Whatever may be said with regard to the origin and 
 name of this nation, the outlines of their history are 
 undeniable. At the time of the return from Babylon, 
 we find them dwelling in the cities of Ephraim, and 
 clustering around Gerizim as their sacred mountain. 
 No people, perhaps, have been more persecuted and 
 oppressed from age to age than they have ; but it has 
 served only to knit them the more closely together.
 
 Introd.] the modern SAIVIARITANS. 179 
 
 In ages past we find them inhabiting various cities in 
 Palestine,* and extending even to Constantinople ; but 
 now the remnant of their nation dwell only in Nablus. 
 There was a tradition amongst them, which has yet 
 hardly died out, that large numbers of their brethren 
 were dwelling in various parts of the world — in 
 England, France, India, and elsewhere — similar to the 
 vague notion of many Europeans concerning the lost 
 Ten Tribes ; and they have written concerning them 
 from time to time, in the hopes of becoming ac- 
 quainted with these their brethren. Nablus, however, 
 was in all ages, as it now is, their sacred city ; and here 
 they live together Gheto-like, on the south-western side 
 of the city, at the very foot of their sacred Mount 
 Gerizim. They have now dwindled down to a very small 
 number, and before many generations more have passed 
 away, this nation, in all probability, will have become 
 extinct. When I first visited them in 1855, the com- 
 munity consisted of forty families, amounting to a 
 hundred and fifty individuals. On my second \isit in 
 1860, there was an increase of one person ; which, on 
 my mentioning the fact, gave Amram no small satisfac- 
 tion. 
 
 In appearance the Samaritans are far superior to 
 their circumstances, as also to all others around them. 
 
 * Eclrisi, the Arabian geographer as well as later authors found them 
 
 of tlie twelfth centui-y, asserts that scattered through various to\^Tis. 
 
 the whole of the Samaritans were Vid. El Masudi's " Hyst. Encycl. " 
 
 then located in Nablus, wdth the vol. i. 114. " Benjamin of Tudela's 
 
 exception of one town on the road Travels," &c. 
 from Gaza to Egj'pt. But earlier 
 
 N 2
 
 180 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 I had seen individuals, among Arabs and Jews, of as 
 noble aspect as any 012 e of them; but as a com- 
 munity, there is nothing in Palestine to compare with 
 them. A straight and high forehead, full brow, large 
 and rather almond-shaped eye, aquiline nose, somewhat 
 large mouth, and well formed chin, are theii* chief 
 physiological characteristics ; and, with few exceptions, 
 they are tall and of lofty bearing. They seem to be 
 all of one tjq^)e, and bear an unmistakable family like- 
 ness.* 
 
 In this they differ from the Jews, who have assimi- 
 lated in physical as well as in moral qualities to the 
 nations among whom they have long dwelt. f On the 
 other hand, the small number of the Samaritans, their 
 habit of living together, their intermarriages, and 
 other circumstance^, all tend to preserve in them the 
 same physiognomic cast. And if the present com- 
 munity is a fair specimen of what the nation was in 
 ancient times, they must have been a fine race ; and 
 perhaps the fact of their being a mixed people would 
 strengthen us in this supposition. But to speculate 
 upon the subject would be as dangerous as it would 
 be out of place here ; although there are few spots 
 
 * " Many of tlie men were models according to their adojited nation- 
 
 of manly beauty, tall and dignified alities ; nor is this less the case in 
 
 in foi-m, and with lofty, oi)en, and other parts of the world. The 
 
 most engaging countenances." — jiresent state of the Jews as a waitoji 
 
 Mr. Grove, in "Vacation Tourists," is a most conclusive proof of the 
 
 1861. power of physical and moral con- 
 
 f Every one who is tolerahly ac- ditions to modify and change one 
 
 quainted with the subject knows and the same people to almost every 
 
 well how the Jews of Europe differ kind of type and colour.
 
 IxTROD.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 181 
 
 more iuviting to the ethnologist than is Palestine and 
 its people.* 
 
 Before I proceed any further, it may be desirable that 
 I should introduce my reader to the principal officials 
 of the community, notwithstanding that one of them 
 is since deceased. 
 
 First and eldest comes Shalmah Ben Tabiah, priest 
 of the Most High at Nablus, as he usually signed his 
 name. He was first made known to European scholars 
 through his correspondence with M. Silvestre de Sacy, 
 the illustrious French Orientalist. He was still alive 
 on my first \-isit to them ; and I felt no little interest 
 in seeing the venerable old man. On my first intro- 
 duction he wore a striped cotton giimhaz — a kind of 
 long open gown, overlapping in front, and fastened by 
 a silk sunnar, or girdle, above the loins. Over this he 
 
 * One of the best authorities on characters. The purest populations 
 the subject has summed up the of Europe are the Basques, the 
 question of race thus : — " The ex- Laps, the Poles, and the Frisians ; 
 tent to which the phenomena of yet who can predict any important 
 what is called race are liable to character to them all ? To attri- 
 over- valuation is considerable ; so bute national aptitudes and inapti- 
 rare and exceptional is any approach tudes, or national predilections and 
 to pure blood, and so little do antipathies, to the unknown in- 
 pedigi'ee and nationality coincide, fluences of blood, so long as the 
 The most powerful nations are the patent facts of history and the ex- 
 tnost heterogeneous. Yet the in- ternal circumstances remain un- 
 ference that mixture favours social exhausted, is to cut the (xordian 
 development wovdd be as unsafe as knot rather than to untie it. That 
 the exaggeration of the effects of there is something in pedigree is 
 purity. The conditions which ai-e probable ; but in the mind of the 
 least favourable for a prominent analj'tical ethnologist, this some- 
 place in the world's history, are thing is much nearer to nothing 
 the best for the preservation of old than to everything." — Latham.
 
 182 NABLUS AND ^ [Part II. 
 
 had a jihheh, a Idnd of loose robe of blue cloth. He 
 wore no stocldngs nor socks, but had a pair of siir- 
 maiyeli, or shoes, of yellow morocco leather. His 
 turban was large and of a red colour. He seemed to be 
 a man of about seventy years of age* — tall, thin, with 
 rather an elongated face, dark quick eyes, a Roman 
 nose, a long white beard, and an mtelligent look, though 
 without the open countenance I afterwards found his 
 people generally to possess ; but unmistakably possessing 
 that sinister glance of the eye so common in his country. 
 He spoke in a loud rough manner, with no mdication 
 of a better training than the commonest of his people. 
 After some few remarks, upon learning whence I had 
 come, his whole conversation turned upon the mission of 
 one of his people to England. This messenger — Yacub 
 esh Shelaby — had been sent to England the previous year 
 (1854) for the purpose of collecting alms for the benefit of 
 the Samaritan community, which was in gi-eat distress on 
 account of the oppression of the local government, and 
 of the failure of the crops in the preceding year (1853). 
 Shalmah had heard that Shelaby had met with gi'eat suc- 
 cess, but had remitted nothing up to that time, which had 
 put him in a terrible rage ; and he wished to know from 
 me the real facts of the case. I had nothing to tell 
 him except that I had seen the young man, and that I 
 had contributed my mite to the good cause ; so I endea- 
 voured to assuage his anger by persuading him to be 
 patient, and telling him I had no doubt that all would 
 
 * From their chronological table Sam.=A.i). 1790. 
 I find that he was bom in 6221 a.m.
 
 intkod.] the modern sajmaeitans. 183 
 
 eventually be right. But it was to no purpose : I could 
 neither introduce any other subject, nor calm the pre- 
 sent storm. The old patriarch was thoroughly taken 
 up with the matter, denouncing Shelaby in the most 
 unmeasured stj^le, and would listen to nothing else ; so 
 I left him to vent his wrath, in the hope of having a 
 calmer interview the next time. But he never could for- 
 get this wrong ; and I was sorry to find, after the lapse 
 of some years, that the wound was still unhealed, and 
 that the present priest felt equally sore upon this 
 point. Shalmah had never studied grammar, nor any 
 other science ; his information was extremely limited, 
 but he was uncommonly shrewd, and thoroughly versed 
 in the theology and literature of his own people. He 
 knew the law by heart, and was perfectly acquainted 
 with what Samaritan commentators and disputants had 
 written concerning it. He thus stood high among his 
 own people as a learned man, and deservedly so too ; 
 but his neighbours of other creeds knew little about 
 bis theological lore, and cared less. In one thing, how- 
 ever, he stood high in the estimation of all — as a necro- 
 mancer. No faith has a deeper root in the Oriental 
 mind than that of conjuration in its various branches ; 
 and Shalmah was an acknowledged master of all its 
 secrets. Here he stood alone ; and all sought him, both 
 Christians and Mohammedans, as well as his o\vn 
 people — all flocked to consult him, from the local 
 governor to the poorest inhabitant. The objects of these 
 consultations were as various as the people themselves 
 — the repulse of, or an attack upon, an enemy ; the
 
 184 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 success of a love aifair ; the removal of barrenness ; the 
 cure of a disease ; the warding off of an evil eye ; in 
 fact, anything and everjiihing believed to be subject to 
 the wizard's wand were laid before him with the greatest 
 confidence in his magic abilities; from which, I believe, 
 Shalmah derived a fair harvest. 
 
 Amram Ben Shalmah is the eldest son of the above, 
 and the present priest of the Samaritans.* He is of 
 middle size, rather full habit, dark eyes, fine Roman 
 nose, intelligent face, and open frank countenance, with 
 much kindness in his looks and manners. I was very 
 favourably impressed with him on our first interview ; 
 and much subsequent intercourse only deepened the 
 impression. He was then, of course, a family man. 
 He had been married for several years, but was without 
 male issue ; and fearing lest the priesthood should be- 
 come extinct — the Samaritan law being that the priest 
 must be of the same line — Amram had taken to himself 
 a second wife, and both he and the community were 
 greatly rejoicing at the birth of a son. Five years later, 
 I saw the child, and was pleased to find him a healthy, 
 handsome, intelligent, talkative, and most interesting 
 lad, the pride of his father. Both wives were hving 
 together ^\dth their husband on the best of terms. 
 
 During my later stay of two months in the place, I had 
 much communication with Amram ; not a day passing 
 without our spending some hours together. I found him 
 to be most intelligent in all questions pertaining to the 
 
 * From tbcir chronological table year 6247 a.m. Sam. =1816 a.d., 
 I find that Amram was born in the and is now in his forty-eighth year.
 
 Introd.] the modern SAIIARITANS. 185 
 
 history and literature of his people, but singularly defi- 
 cient in all other kinds of information. He loiew the 
 Pentateuch as well as their other books of service by 
 heart, and had a thorough acquaintance with all their 
 commentaries and literary works. I found him also to 
 be a man of great simplicity of character. Considering 
 his education and training, and the immoral influences of 
 all the circumstances that surrounded him, I was sur- 
 prised to find him so frank and honest. He was liberal- 
 minded and communicative, neither given to conceal nor 
 prevaricate, so far as I could judge, when discussing 
 religious or secular subjects. He was decidedly the most 
 favourable specimen of all the natives I met with, of any 
 creed, with the exception of two or three who had been 
 deeply impressed by the truths of the Gospel. I shall 
 ever retain for him the highest respect.* 
 
 I may as well add here, that I am indebted to him 
 for all the information I obtained upon Samaritan 
 matters. I have stated nothing of importance in the 
 following pages but on his authority. 
 
 Yacub Ben Aaron was a nephew of Amrani, and the 
 minister of the synagogue. He was a young man, twenty- 
 one years of age ; married, of course. He was rather 
 under the middle height, of spare habit, with large dark 
 eyes, a good nose, elongated and pale face, kind looks, but 
 
 * His liberal conduct to mc, I in the Samaritans ; and by a native 
 
 have every reason to believe, was Christian, Mr. Ode Azam, an old 
 
 ov^dng principally to the kind intro- and tried friend of Amram, with 
 
 ductions given me by James Finn, whom I had lived for some time in 
 
 Esq., the British Consul at Jerusa- Jerusalem. 
 lem, who had taken much interest
 
 186 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 a rather weak frame ; of the same type of countenance 
 and bearing as liis people, though not so goocl-looldug 
 as his uncle. On my first visit it was he who acted as 
 my guide through the town and neighbourhood ; and on 
 my second visit we instantly recognized each other as 
 old friends. 
 
 In a few days after my arrival, he and his uncle ex- 
 pressed a desire that I would teach them English during 
 my stay. I was glad of the opportunity, and readily 
 acquiesced, it being the first instance on record, I 
 believe, of a Samaritan official soliciting and submitting 
 to the teaching of a Gentile. It happened that I had 
 with me, amongst other books, a primer in Ai'abic and 
 English, published by the missionaries at Beirut ; and 
 this I used as a lesson-book. I gave them a lesson 
 daily; but Amram's zeal for acquiring English soon 
 died away. In about a week or nine days' time, placing 
 himself as usual in readiness for his lesson, " Oh," said 
 he, "I wish you could teach me English without any 
 trouble to myself — put it into my head just as I drink 
 coffee ! " And so, with a pipe of tobacco and a cup of 
 coffee, his English ended. Yacub, however, continued 
 his study with unabated zeal, as long as I remained 
 with them ; and I was surprised at the progress he made 
 in so short a time. 
 
 In conclusion, it is well that we should remark here 
 that the present family arc not descendants of Aaron, 
 but merely Levites. The last of the descendants of 
 Aaron died in the year G0G2 a.m. Sam. =: A.n. 1G31, 
 and the following year the first Levito was consecrated
 
 Introd.] the JIODEEN SAMARITANS. 187 
 
 to the office. Since that time the priesthood has been 
 invested in the present family. All the duties belong- 
 ing to the priesthood devolve upon the present priest, 
 although some of the most pompous ceremonies seem 
 to have ceased with the house of Aaron, as mentioned 
 elsewhere.
 
 188 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 DOMESTIC LIFK AND DUTIES. 
 
 /~\UR object in this chapter will be, to follow the 
 ^^ Samaritan through the stages of life, pointing cut 
 briefly the particular domestic duties enjoined upon him. 
 We shall begin with his birth. No people in the 
 world are more anxious for offspring than the people of 
 Palestine seem to be. To have children is a matter of 
 as great anxiety to them now-a-days as it was in 
 ancient times ; and to be reproached with barrenness is 
 as keenly felt by a wife of modern times as it was by 
 Hannah in days of j^ore (1 Sam. i. 5, 6). Under these 
 circumstances they never fail to make it still a matter 
 of prayer — the most sincere prayer, probably, they ojBfer 
 during life. Should this fail, there is no end to the 
 charms they resort to for the accomplishment of their 
 object. When a child is born, a messenger is de- 
 spatched without delay to announce the welcome news 
 .to the father, just as in the time of the prophet 
 (Jer. xix. 15) ; especially if it be a male child. All 
 their anxiety is for male issue — hence their common 
 expression of good wishes, "May you be blessed with 
 many sons." Daughters are never considered bless- 
 ings. When a female child is born, the messenger that
 
 Cu. I.] THE MODERN SAMAEITANS. 189 
 
 bears the news to the father never disgraces him T\ith 
 the truth, but even then, shoukl he be in the presence 
 of others, announces, " A man child is born unto thee." 
 Such is the unnatural but great distinction made be- 
 tween males and females in the East; not by Samaritans 
 only, but likewise by other creeds.* As an illustration 
 of this feeling, a native friend told me the following 
 incident : — The wife of one of his neighbours happen- 
 ing to be near her confinement, the husband, one day, 
 called him in, and requested him to read a portion of 
 the New Testament, adding, ' ' It may be that God will 
 gi'ant me a son." But, instead of a son, the mother 
 gave birth to twin daughters. The parents were quite 
 distracted. One of the children soon died ; and the 
 other followed in a day or two after. My friend had 
 not the least doubt that both deaths were caused by the 
 father ; and, from vexation on account of her little ones, 
 the poor mother followed the babes to the grave in less 
 than a fortnight. 
 
 When a man child is born, the first ceremony enacted 
 is to receive him into the Abrahamic covenant by cir- 
 cumcision. It is performed, upon the whole, in a 
 similar manner to that of the Jews,f with the foUowino- 
 
 * Nestorian parents used to con- the happy father, Lut days mi<Tht 
 
 eider the birth of a daughter a elapse before the neighbourhood 
 
 great calamity. When asked the knew of the birth of a daughter. 
 
 number of their children, they " Mission in Western Asia, " April 
 
 would count up their sons, and 1864. 
 
 make no mention of their daughters. f For a detailed account of the 
 
 The birth of a son was an occasion ceremony we must refer the reader 
 
 for great joy and gi-ving of gifts. to our " British Jews. " 
 Neighbours hastened to congratulate
 
 190 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 exceptions : — 1. Circumstances may cause the Jews to 
 defer it till the ninth, tenth, or eleventh, or even the 
 twelfth clay ; but with the Samaritans it is always per- 
 formed on the eighth day, and if possible on the eighth 
 hour of that day, after birth. The ceremony must be 
 performed on the eighth day, should it be even the Sab- 
 bath, as it was, undoubtedly, done by the Jews in the 
 time of our Saviour (John vii. 22). 2. The Jews have 
 sandakin, i.e. something answering to sponsors among 
 Christians, but the Samaritans have none. 3. The most 
 painful part of the ceremony as performed by the Jews — 
 the rent — is never done by the Samaritans. In this they 
 agree with the Karaite Jews, and call it a superfluous 
 cruelty. 4. With the Jews, the child is held, during 
 the operation, by the male sandak ; but with the 
 Samaritans it is held by the mother. Their reason for 
 this is, that the mother and her offspring are unclean 
 for eighty days ; therefore no one else could perform 
 the duty without being defiled. 5. With the Jews, the 
 ceremony is generally performed in the sj^nagogue ; but 
 the Samaritans, like the Karaite Jews, never perform it 
 in the synagogue, but always in the parents' house. 
 6. Lastly, with the Jews it is performed by a mohel — a 
 recognized person qualified for the work ; but with the 
 Samaritans it is generally performed by the priest. In 
 his absence any one acquainted with the mode of 
 operating may perform it. The ceremony being over, 
 they celebrate it, like the Jews, by a feast, prepared by 
 the parents at their own house, and enlivened by Arab 
 music and singing.
 
 Cn. L] THE MODEKN SAMARITANS. 191 
 
 Before the ceremony of circumcising takes place, the 
 parents and their friends choose a name for the child, 
 which is announced, as of old, during the performance 
 of the ceremony (Luke i. 59). The names employed 
 are scriptural ones, and mostly confined to those of the 
 Pentateuch and the Book of Joshua ; such as ALraheem, 
 Yacub, Yuseph, Amram, Benyamin,* &c. But here 
 we must observe that they, like the Jews, adopt two 
 names — one Hebrew, the circumcision name, which is 
 considered sacred, and used only among themselves ; and 
 the other Arabic : adding a surname, which is common, 
 and used in their intercourse with other people, and in 
 the common transactions of life. 
 
 At the birth of a female child the only ceremony 
 performed is that of naming. This is always done on 
 the third day, at the house of the parents. There is 
 no particular rite, nor any gathering of the people : it is 
 simply a private family affair. The parents choose the 
 name, and the priest announces it in the hearing of 
 those who may happen to be present, and the ceremony 
 is finished. 
 
 Formerly the Samaritans used to redeem the firstborn 
 
 * The Bible names ai-e mostly ter as it grows up, the friends give 
 
 significant, being conferred with it another name indicative of that 
 
 regard to some circumstance con- trait, adding "father" or "mo- 
 
 nected with the child's birth. It ther" to it, according to the sex. 
 
 is curious to find that the same Thus, if a boy be very quick at 
 
 idea still prevails among some na- work, he is named 4 -AAZe-jsa, father 
 
 tions of Asia. Among the Karens of swiftness ; or a girl clever to 
 
 of Burmah the parents name the contrive, she is called Na-Jcoo-ne- 
 
 child at its birth, but should it ex- mcu, mother of contrivance. 
 Libit any particular ti'ait of charac-
 
 192 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 child according to the commandment (Exod. xiii. 11, 12 ; 
 Num. iii. 47) ; hut now the ceremony is discontinued 
 on account of the poverty of their community. 
 
 Among the Jews, when the male child attains his 
 second year he is taught to wear the araha lianplwth, 
 or sacred dress with fringes, and continues to do so till 
 death, as a most solemn duty ; hut the Samaritans 
 never use it, nor, as I was assured hy Amram, have 
 they ever heen in the hahit of doing so. 
 
 Nor do they use the phylacteries or teph illin at prayer, 
 as the Jews do. As an instance of the animus existing 
 between the two people, I may here mention that, 
 when discussing this subject with Amram, he remarked, 
 " God, when He said, ' Thou shalt bind them for a sign 
 upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between 
 thine eyes' (Dent. vi. 8), only meant that the com- 
 mandments should be put into the understanding and 
 the heart, not on the forehead and arm ; but He has 
 left the Jews to use them as signs of their being the 
 children of Esau. Just as the red string was tied upon 
 his arm at his birth, so do they" (the Jews) "tie the 
 leathern thong around their arms." 
 
 For the same reason they never use the mezuzah,* 
 as the Jews do. 
 
 Among the Jews no one is considered a mem- 
 ber of the congregation of Israel until he has 
 attained his thirteenth year, when he becomes a 
 bar mitsvah, or son of the covenant. Up to this 
 
 • Pni-tioTi.s of tlic law wTittcn on nailed to tlic doorpost. — See "Bri- 
 vellum, and folded in a tube, and tish Jews," p. 28.
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 193 
 
 age, he is, according to the Jewish theology, under 
 the guidance and control of his parents ; but now 
 he becomes accountable, as a moral agent, for his own 
 actions ; and has, therefore, to pass through the ordeal 
 and ceremony of bar mitsvah. 
 
 The Samaritans, however, have no such initiation. 
 They hold that every one becomes accountable w^hen 
 he is able to distinguish between right and wrong ; 
 and every male child is received as a member of the 
 congregation so soon as he is able to read the law and 
 the prayers. 
 
 We may as well mention in this place that the Jews, 
 while engaged in the public service of the synagogue, 
 wear a kind of scarf with fringes of similar manufac- 
 ture to the arha kanphoth, called talith ; * but the 
 Samaritans have discontinued its use. The reason 
 given by Amram for this was, that the importance 
 of the talith being dependent upon the fringes 
 attached to the four corners, and the knowledge of 
 the exact colour of the fringes being lost, they deemed 
 it better not to wear them at all than to use wrong 
 ones. 
 
 The command is this : — " And the Eternal spake 
 unto Moses, saying. Speak unto the children of Israel, 
 and say unto them, that they make them a fringe in 
 the borders of their garments throughout their genera- 
 tions, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders 
 a thread of blue purple" (Num. xv. 37, 38). f The 
 word rendered here " blue purple" is -H^Dri [techeleth), 
 
 * See "Britisli Jews," j). 97. t Di". Beniscli's translation. 
 
 O
 
 194 NABLITS AND [Part II. 
 
 and refers, probably, to the sbell-fish from wbicb the 
 Tyrian purple was obtained, celebrated from the ear- 
 liest times. The uncertainty, however, as to the exact 
 colour, was the reason assigned by Amram for the dis- 
 use of the talith; but I have my suspicions that Amram's 
 version was only a part of the truth. In their letters, 
 written some two hundred years ago, to their supposed 
 brethren in England, we are expressly told that the 
 priest put on the talith when taldng the law out of its 
 place to exhibit to the congregation.* From which I 
 infer that it was the priest only that wore the talith ; and 
 one might have supposed that the ceremony had ceased 
 with the Aaronic line, but that Shalmah, Amram's father, 
 makes mention of the same fact, and adds that they 
 make fringes of the colour of the hyacinth.f I observed 
 the priest repeatedly, when bringing forth the law out of 
 the mnshah, enveloped in a talith-like garment, but 
 without fringes. 
 
 The Samaritans, like their neighbours, have a 
 strong antipathy to celibacy; and this feeling is 
 probably intensified amongst them by the paucity of 
 their number, combined with their strong desire for 
 offspring. This, together with an early development 
 in such a climate, leads them to marry at a very early 
 age. The males are marriageable at fourteen, and 
 the females at ten, and in some cases as early as 
 eight years of age. Among them, like their neighbours 
 of all creeds, affection has little to do in the matter. 
 
 * Correspondance des Samari- + Ibid., Lettre No. 9. 
 
 tains, Lettre No. 12.
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 195 
 
 The affair is settled for them by the priest and the 
 parents ; and the young man has, perhaps, never seen 
 his bride's face till the moment they become husband 
 and wife. As of old, the father seeks a wife for his son ; 
 and inasmuch as he has to pay a certain dowry to the 
 bride's father, he has to choose according to circum- 
 stances, the amount of dowry depending upon the age 
 of the bride and the position of her family. 
 
 We must here mention that the Samaritans never 
 intermarry with persons of another creed — whether cir- 
 cumcised or uncircumcised. And in addition to the pro- 
 hibition in the law to marry certain relations, they forbid 
 one to marry the daughter of a brother or sister, and 
 rail most bitterly at the Jews for doing so ; but it is not 
 unlawful to marry a cousin. 
 
 There is no regular ceremony of betrothment as 
 among the Jews. The priest merely hands over the 
 ring to the bride a few days before the marriage takes 
 place, as a token of betrothment ; and that is all. 
 
 To them, as to all Orientals, there are lucky and 
 unlucky days ; and the marriage-day must, of course, 
 he a lucky one. The only day fixed upon by them for 
 this important event is Thursday. The ceremony itself 
 is much more simple with them than with the Jews. 
 When the day arrives, the priest sends two men to the 
 bride's house in the morning to be witnesses of the agi-ee- 
 ment; and at midday they bring the bride and her 
 friends to the bridegroom's house, where the ceremony 
 is to be performed, the priest officiating. The service 
 consists of portions of the law ; and certain prayers being 
 
 2
 
 196 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 repeated, tlie marriage agreement read, and blessings 
 pronounced, all in the original Abranee, an unlmown 
 tongue to the parties most concerned, all is con- 
 cluded. In the evening a feast is made, followed 
 by music, singing, and dancing ; performed, however, 
 not by themselves, but by hired Mussulmans. On the 
 following Sabbath the young man is particularly expected 
 to attend synagogue, when the priest offers a set prayer 
 on his behalf. 
 
 As a people, they are not at all given to polygamy. 
 At present there is one good reason for the exercise 
 of this virtue — the number of women being so small 
 amongst them. Of late it has become a difficulty to 
 provide a wife for each of their young men ; for rather 
 than marry out of their own pale, they would prefer 
 becoming extinct as a nation. Amram, as a father 
 to his people, has frequently to exercise all the pru- 
 dence at his command in settling these affairs. There 
 is nothing in their theology prohibiting polygamy : it 
 allows any one to take more than one wife, if the first 
 be willing, but on that condition only. This condition, 
 however, did not anciently exist ; and it is now unne- 
 cessary, as the proportion of both sexes of itself forbids 
 polygamy. 
 
 ■ The Samaritans are not given to divorcement, like their 
 neighbours the Jews and Mohammedans. Whether 
 this be the result of more exalted ideas of the sacred- 
 ness of the marriage tie, is very questionable. It may 
 be owing, principally, to the paucity of their females ; 
 for should any one now put away his wife, he would
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAJIARITANS. 197 
 
 stand a fair chance of going without one for the re- 
 mainder of his life. And yet such a conclusion would 
 be hardly fair, since their modern theology forbids 
 divorcement, except only for the cause of fornication — 
 agreeing, on this point, with the Karaite Jews. 
 
 In further conversation with Amram on the subject, 
 he said that the divorced person was not allowed to 
 marry again, but was put to death, according to the law 
 (Lev. XX. 10). On putting the question to him. Did 
 they actually put the divorced to death? he assured 
 me that they formerly did. " The law," he said, " evi- 
 dently demanded it, and we complied with its demands." 
 The manner of putting to death for this crime was by 
 hanging with a cord. No such execution, however, had 
 happened in Amram' s time, nor in the time of his 
 father. He wished me to believe that they had had 
 no cause for the execution of the law for a long time ; 
 and in this he might have been right. I knew, how- 
 ever, of two cases, which had just occurred, which did 
 not very well agree with the assertions of the priest. 
 One was the case of Yacub Shelaby — the young man 
 already mentioned — whose intended bride, during his 
 absence in England, had been given to another. This 
 was justified on the plea of Yacub's dishonourable con- 
 duct as their messenger to England, coupled with the 
 report that he was living there like the Gentiles. The 
 other was the case of a near relative of Yacub Shelaby 
 — a deaf and dumb person. His wife, after they had 
 been living together for some time, was taken from 
 him, and given to another. He often called upon
 
 198 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 me, and endeavoured, by signs and gesticulations, to 
 tell me liis sad tale. He seemed to be in great 
 sorrow, poor fellow ! for bis wife. Tbe only reason for 
 such an act tbat I could learn, was his inability to 
 provide for tbe support of bis wife or of bimself. But 
 I could not accept Amram's version as a full and correct 
 account of tbeir laws of divorcement, especially with 
 regard to punishing the divorced. Tbat such a punish- 
 ment was enforced in certain cases there is no doubt ; 
 but not generally. Referring him to some passages in 
 the law on the point, he endeavoured to reconcile them 
 with what he had already told me ; but found the 
 passage in Deut. xxiv. 1—4, a little too much for his 
 ingenuity ; and dismissing it as well as he could, he 
 remarked that Moses could not give one law in Levi- 
 ticus and a different one in Deuteronomy. "No," said 
 he; "it is the Jews who have perverted tbe truth;" 
 forgetting, at tbe moment, tbat the very passage is in 
 their own law. 
 
 Among tbe Jews, and under certain circumstances, 
 when a wife becomes a widow, if without issue it is 
 the duty of the brother of her deceased husband to 
 marry her, or to set her free in order that she may 
 marry any other person. Tliis ceremony of setting her 
 free is called chalitsah* But tbe Samaritans have no 
 such ceremony ; nor would they allow any one to marry 
 the widow of his brother, even had both parties a desire 
 for it. According to Samaritan theology, it would be 
 in direct contradiction to tbe law. In proof of this, 
 
 * For the details, see "British Jews," p. 53.
 
 Ch. 1.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 199 
 
 Amram read to me the following passages : — " Thou 
 slialt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife : 
 it is thy brother's nakedness " (Lev. xviii. 16). " And 
 if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean 
 thing : he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness ; 
 they shall be childless " (xx. 21). I then read to him 
 the following passages : — " If brethren dwell together, 
 and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of 
 the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger : her 
 husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to 
 him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's 
 brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn 
 which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his 
 brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of 
 Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother's 
 wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto 
 the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to 
 raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not 
 perform the duty of my husband's brother. Then the 
 elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him : 
 and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her ; 
 then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the 
 presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his 
 foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say. 
 So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up 
 his brother's house. And his name shall be called in 
 Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed " 
 (Deut. XXV. 5—10). Upon this he remarked that the 
 word " brother " meant here one of the same family, and 
 not one born of the same parents. The law enjoined
 
 200 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 a duty under certain circumstances — circumstances that 
 would have occurred in former ages — between certain 
 relations, bat, of course, not the relations already for- 
 bidden by the law. Such is the Samaritan law and 
 practice ; and we may add here that the Karaite Jews 
 practise it in the like manner. But there is no doubt 
 that the Jews in the time of our Saviour understood 
 the Mosaic law and observed its practice as they do at 
 the present time (Mark xii. 19—27). 
 
 We shall now mention those j)rincipal observances, 
 the neglect of which would be considered a grave error 
 in the fulfilment of their daily duties. These duties 
 equally devolve upon both sexes. 
 
 Purifications. — And firstly of purifications. There 
 are seven things that defile ; four relative to both 
 sexes, and three confined to the female sex. These 
 are the following : — 1. The conjugal act; 2. Nocturnal 
 pollution ; 3. Touching any dead body ; 4. Touching 
 unclean birds, quadrupeds, or reptiles ; 5. A female, 
 through haemorrhage; 6. A female's menstrual dis- 
 charge, when she is to remain unclean for seven days ; 
 7. Child-birth, when the mother remains unclean for 
 forty-one days, if the child be male ; but if female, 
 for eighty days. On account of these defilements, they 
 most scrupulously purify themselves. When sacrifices 
 were off'ered, the ashes of a burnt heifer were kept to be 
 mixed with running water, and sprinkled upon the un- 
 clean person by one that was clean, according to the 
 law (Num. xix. 17-19). Now running water only is 
 used. At all events, if there is any substitute for the
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 201 
 
 heifer's ashes, it was concealed from me. I may add 
 here that they purify themselves, also, before enter- 
 ing upon any peculiarly sacred act, as we shall subse- 
 quently see. 
 
 Morning. — Wlien they rise in the morning, they 
 have no ceremonial washing of hands as the Jews have ; 
 whenever they wash themselves it is merely for the 
 purpose of cleansing. Their first duty is to repeat their 
 morning prayer, which is long and tedious. This must 
 be done the very first thing, not only before doing any 
 manner of work, but also before tasting either food or 
 drink; and, to use Amram's expression, " even before 
 a whifi" of tobacco be taken." It is generally offered 
 by each individual in private, although there is no law 
 against its being repeated in the hearing of the family. 
 The prayer is a set one, and is repeated in the early 
 morning and at sunset. Any one is at liberty to repeat 
 this, or any other prayer, as often as he pleases during 
 the day ; but the morning and evening prayer must on 
 no account be neglected. All their prayers are com- 
 posed in the Hebrew tongue, and, consequently, not un- 
 derstood except by one or two beside the priest. Still, the 
 sacredness of the language, combined mth the antiquity 
 of the prayer, impart to it a land of hallowedness which 
 has a strange hold upon the conscience of the people. 
 During the prayer, they always turn towards Mount 
 Gerizim : it being, we were told, the house of God, the 
 dwelling-place of His presence and majesty, and the 
 tabernacle of His angels. We ought here to remark 
 that the distinction between male and female, made in
 
 202 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 the Jewish morning prayer, is not made by the Sama- 
 ritans. The only distinction among them between the 
 two sexes in this matter is, that the female's prayer 
 is a little shorter than the male's. 
 
 Food. — When they sit to eat, a blessing is pro- 
 nounced before the food is served ; and thanks again 
 returned when they have finished. This duty devolves 
 upon the head of the family. 
 
 They make the broadest distinction in articles of food, 
 adhering faithfully to the law of Moses, and attaching 
 the greatest importance to its observance. They never 
 eat the flesh of any beast that does not chew the cud 
 and divide the hoof, according to the law (Lev. xi. 3—8 ; 
 Deut. xiv. 6—8) ; nor the flesh of a lawful beast un- 
 less killed by their own butcher, as we shall presently 
 observe. Swine are expressly forbidden ; and no other 
 flesh is held in so great a detestation by the Samaritans 
 — in which they agree with the Jews and the Moham- 
 medans. 
 
 All kinds of poultry, excepting those enumerated by 
 Moses as unclean (Lev. xi. 13—25), are considered law- 
 ful. All kinds of fish that have not fins and scales are 
 held unlawful (Lev. xi. 9-12). 
 
 Like the Jews, they hold it to be unlawful to partake 
 of flesh and butter (or milk) at the same meal, or even 
 to place them on the table at the same time. Six 
 hours must elapse after partaking of meat before milk 
 or butter can be taken. The Jews found this custom 
 upon the passage, " Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his 
 mother's milk" (Exod. xxiii. 19); but the Samaritans
 
 Ch. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 203 
 
 refuse to it the importance of a law of Moses, and only 
 observe it as a sanatory rule laid down by their sages. 
 
 They prepare their own eatables — bread, cheese, 
 butter, &c. ; and it is unlawful for them to eat any 
 made by either Jews or Gentiles. But the greatest 
 care is taken with regard to flesh. Cattle and poultry 
 must be slaughtered by their own butcher, who alone 
 is duly qualified for the duty. They, like the Jews, 
 call him shochet (lomi!^), killer ; and he has to pass 
 through a course of study and training before he is 
 qualified to kill according to the numerous rules pre- 
 scribed by their sages. Therefore it is not till two 
 elder shochets have pronounced any one to be duly quali- 
 fied that he is at liberty to undertake the duties of his 
 calling. The mode of killing is much the same as with 
 the Jews, so I need not here enter into further detail.* 
 
 It was most amusing, when discussing this subject, 
 to hear Amram ridiculing the Jews for not eating 
 the hind quarters of the animal, as related in Gen. 
 xxxii. 32 ; adding that the fact is there mentioned, not 
 in praise, but in derision for their folly. And yet, on 
 further talk, I found that they themselves do not eat it 
 unless a certain number of the sinews that are in the 
 thigh be taken out, just as the Jews do. Our friend, 
 in his eagerness to deride his old enemies, forgot for the 
 moment that the passage referred to the descendants 
 of the patriarch, who, according to his own account, 
 must be the Samaritans. He was not a little chagi-ined 
 when the question was put to him. What relation could 
 
 * See ' ' British Jews."
 
 204 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 there be between the patriarch's thigh and the hind 
 quarter of an animal ? " Oh," said he, " only to remind 
 us of the fact." 
 
 Much of the Samaritan ceremonies with reference to 
 the dying and the dead, agree with those practised by 
 the other communities of the land, which we have, to 
 some extent, described in another chapter ; but in 
 several particulars they differ, though mostly agreeing 
 with the Jews. 
 
 The Confession of Faith. — With the Samaritans, as 
 with the Jews, the dpng person is taught to say, as his 
 last words, " The Lord our God is one Lord." It is of 
 the greatest importance that the person should pro- 
 nounce this as his last utterance ; and it must be repeated 
 neither in Arabic nor in Samaritan, but in the original 
 Hebrew. Therefore, all their people — women and chil- 
 dren — are taught most carefully this much of the 
 sacred tongue. 
 
 When the person has expired, they immediately com- 
 mence the ceremony of purification by washing the 
 body carefully with clean water. This is done by per- 
 sons appointed for the duty from amongst themselves ; 
 and is much the same as the Jewish purification of the 
 dead. They have been accused of leaving the treat- 
 ment of their dead to hired Mussulmans or Christians, 
 but this is altogether false. 
 
 The relatives of the dead never rend their clothes,* 
 as do the Jews : for they consider it to be contrary to the 
 will of God. They light candles, however, merely, ac- 
 
 * In this tliey agree with tlie Karaite Jews.
 
 Gu. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 205 
 
 cording to Amram's interpretation, as ar token of respect 
 and honour to the dead ; and place them at the head 
 and feet. They have no definite number of lights on 
 the occasion, but multiply them according to the ability 
 or inclination of the nearest relations. 
 
 Mourning for the dead with them is a matter of feeling 
 only. They have no law, nor even any stereotyped custom, 
 to regulate them ; consequently no set time : some mourn 
 for a longer, and some for a shorter time, according to 
 circumstances. Nor are they given to indulge in this 
 feeling : their theological sentiments forbid it ; but are 
 rather induced to forget the dead as a duty towards 
 God as well as themselves. Nor do they, as the Jews 
 do, pray to the dead on any occasion. " We never 
 pray," exclaimed Amram, " even to living men, much 
 less would we pray to those that are dead : we only 
 pray to the living God." Nor do they pray on behalf 
 of the dead — the Jewish JiadisJi, or set prayer for the 
 dead, being unknown to them — believing that at death 
 the individual's doom is for ever settled. Consequently, 
 they have no Jewish jaJuiseit,* or anniversary of a 
 parent's death ; but, on the contrary, it is a point with 
 them never to mention the dead if possible, but to 
 endeavour to forget them. 
 
 At first I was rather surprised that the Samaritans 
 should have cultivated such sentiments in the midst of 
 creeds so essentially different, and especially as the 
 Pentateuch exhibits such illustrious examples of rend- 
 ing clothes and mourning for the dead as those of 
 * Nor do tlie Kai'aite Jews oLsurve kadish ov jahrUeit.
 
 206 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Jacob for tlie supposed death of his son Joseph, and of 
 Joseph at the death of his father (Gen. xxxvii. 34 ; 
 1. 3, 10), until I was reminded that the priest was 
 forbidden to mourn excepting for one near of kin 
 (Lev. xxi. 1-3) ; and that the high priest was in no 
 case to mourn for the dead (Lev. xxi. 10), which indi- 
 cated that, although mourning was not forbidden to the 
 people, still, not to make a show of, nor indulge in it, 
 signified a more thorough obedience to the will of God, 
 and a higher religious state of mind. 
 
 As of old, the house where the dead lies is rendered 
 unclean (Num. xix. 14) ; consequently the priest care- 
 fully avoids entering under that roof (Lev. xxi. 11). 
 
 Before the dead is carried to its final resting-place, 
 the body is carefully wrapped in a cotton shroud (John 
 xi. 44), and then placed in a wooden coffin. The coffin 
 is of the most primitive make — only a few planks 
 roughly nailed together. 
 
 It is curious to observe that no other natives of any 
 creed make use of coffins ; the Samaritans, however, 
 scrupulously follow the example given them by their 
 father Joseph (Gen. 1. 26). 
 
 The burying-ground is called by them the House of 
 the Dead ; but by the Jews of all sections it is called 
 the House of the Living. The use of this latter inap- 
 propriate name is for the sake of giving expression to 
 the Jewish belief in a general resurrection of the dead. 
 The same name is prevalent among the Karaite Jews, 
 as among the Jews generally. When mentioning this 
 fact to Amram, he laughed heartily, and exclaimed,
 
 Cii. I.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 207 
 
 with an air of triumph, " They are contrary to the 
 truth in this as in all other matters." But we cannot 
 help observing here the peculiar notions entertained 
 for the dead by Orientals generally, and by no people 
 more than the Shemites. The dead to them are not 
 truly dead, but rather in a Idnd of suspended ani- 
 mation ; whence the Mussulmans visit the tombs of 
 their dead, hold conversation with them, or at least 
 give them the news of the day, and ask the blessing 
 of their saints. The same notion is deeply inwrought 
 into the Jewish mind ; hence their visits and prayers 
 at the tombs of their eminent rabbis. Perhaps this 
 idea of the state of the dead lies as much or more at 
 the root of the denomination of their burial-ground as 
 the doctrine of a resurrection. And I could not but 
 think, in spite of Amram's comment, that the same 
 notion is shared by the Samaritans, as we shall have 
 occasion yet to observe. 
 
 Their present cemetery is situate on the brow of the 
 hill outside the gate on the western side of the town. It 
 has only been in their possession for about eighty years. 
 Previous to that time, they had one farther to the west, 
 a much more valuable plot of land than the present 
 one ; but being robbed of that by the Mohammedans, 
 they had no alternative but to accept this in place of 
 it. But their most ancient burying-place, according to 
 Amram's version, stood at the foot of Mount Ebal, not 
 far from the eastern end of the valley. The tombs in 
 that neighbourhood, which we have already described, 
 might have belonged to it; although, as previously
 
 208 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 remarked, similar tombs, and of still older appearance, 
 girt the base of the mountain for the distance of a 
 mile and a half or two miles. The base of Ebal has 
 undoubtedly been the necropolis of Shechem from the 
 earliest ages. 
 
 It only remains for us to mention that all the im- 
 portant passages of the law are read on the occasion of 
 an illness — not by the priest, but by an appointed in- 
 dividual. As soon as all hope of recovery is given up, 
 the reading of the law is commenced in the sick cham- 
 ber, and continued up to the patient's death ; and again 
 resumed after the purification, and continued to Num. 
 XXX. 1. After arranging the funeral procession, it is 
 again resumed, until the whole law is repeated. This 
 is followed by some few' prayers by the priest. I was 
 assured over and over again that the whole law was 
 always repeated on such occasions. But no death 
 having occurred amongst them during my stay in the 
 town I had not the opportunity of witnessing the cere- 
 monies.
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 209 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS COMlIUKITr. 
 
 /^UE, reader must not suppose that the cTomestic duties 
 ^-^ and ceremonies already explained have no relation 
 to the Samaritan religion ; on the contrary, they are all 
 essentials of that faith, and have, perhaps, a deeper 
 influence upon the conscience than other duties which 
 we may consider to he much more of a religious nature. 
 In the following pages, however, we shall treat of the 
 Samaritan faith in its more general and public aspect. 
 
 The Samaritan, like the Jewish idea of religion, is 
 national. To them their faith and people are syno- 
 nymous. To give up the one is to forsake the other. 
 That any one of their brethren could change his creed 
 and yet remain a Samaritan is beyond their compre- 
 hension. The thought has never struck them that 
 religion is a personal matter. To them it is a na- 
 tional code — a kind of compact between religion and 
 nationality, not to be separated. To cling to one is to 
 cling to the other ; and to leave one is to leave both. 
 Thus, they themselves make no diiTerence between their 
 political or national community and their religious 
 community, but to them both are one and the same. 
 
 p
 
 210 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Our object, however, in these chapters, is to speak of 
 them as a religious community only. 
 
 In this sense they are, according to their o-^ti belief, 
 the only peculiar people of God, with whom the Al- 
 mighty has entered into covenants, and which covenants 
 they faithfully keep. These, we were told, are seven in 
 number, and are as follows : — 1. The covenant of Noah 
 (Gen. ix. 14). 2. The covenant of Abraham concern- 
 ing circumcision (Gen. xvii. 9-14). 3. The covenant 
 of the Sabbath (Exod. xxxi. 12-17). 4. The covenant 
 of the two tables of the ten commandments (Exod. xx. 
 2-17). 5. The covenant of salt (Num. xviii. 19). 
 
 6. The covenant of the Passover (Exod. xii. 2, &c.). 
 
 7. The covenant of the priesthood (Num. xxv. 12, 13). 
 By virtue of these covenants, they are separated on the 
 one hand from all the Gentiles, and on the other hand 
 from the Jews, who are cursed, we are told, since the 
 time of Eli. Therefore, to distinguish themselves 
 from all others as a separate and peculiar people, their 
 choice appellation for themselves is Samaritan Israel- 
 ites. 
 
 Before we proceed, it mil be necessaiy to name the 
 officers of the community. These are only two in 
 number — the priest and the minister. Both offices 
 belong to the same family, and both are hereditary. 
 These, according to their religious constitution, are the 
 only offices that can belong to their community. No 
 matter how large it might be — were it to grow so great as 
 to be numbered by millions — there could be, according 
 to their interpretation, but these two offices.
 
 Ch.II.] the MODEEN SAMARITANS. 211 
 
 The priest, Amram, is the head minister. Upon him 
 devolves the performance of all the duties prescribed in 
 the law of Moses as pertaining to the priestly office. But 
 these are now comparatively few, because they have no 
 sacrifice — it being unlawful to sacrifice without a temple, 
 which they, at present, have not ; but instead of sacri- 
 fices, they offer certain prayers. These, together with 
 the priestly blessings, are made, on all occasions, by 
 the priest himself. 
 
 The Minister or Chazan. — Yacub, on the other hand, 
 has to read the public service on all occasions, both in 
 the S5^nagogue and out of it. To him also belongs the 
 duty of educating the people and their children. 
 
 But this distinction between the two offices seems to 
 be more theoretical than practical. I witnessed the 
 priest performing the common service on more than 
 one occasion ; and I could not distinguish where the 
 line of demarcation existed between the two, except the 
 pronouncing the priestly blessing. But the smallness 
 of the community, and the paucity of the family of 
 the priesthood, accounts for any irregularity that may 
 now occur. 
 
 The two officers united constitute their Beth Din, or 
 house of judgment. The priest, in virtue of his office, 
 sits supreme, and the minister second ; and before this 
 tribunal all Samaritan matters, whether social or re- 
 ligious, are settled. When any difficult matter occurs, 
 the priest calls others of the priestly family to assist in 
 deciding the case ; otherwise, all kinds of questions are 
 settled by the two officers only. Should any dispute
 
 212 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 arise between a Samaritan and any one of his Moliam- 
 meclan neighbours, he is amenable, of course, to the 
 Mohammedan tribunal of the town ; but in all matters 
 occurring among themselves as a people, their only 
 court is their own Bctli Din. 
 
 Formerly, when their community was larger and 
 more flourishing than at present, they conferred titles 
 upon their learned men — Chacham, Eahhi, Morenu, 
 similar to the Jewish titles ; these, however, were only 
 distinctions of honour, entitling the persons to no pri- 
 vilege with regard to religious offices. 
 
 The Samaritans have no formula of belief, or set 
 articles of faith. The only book amongst them resem- 
 bling a confession of faith is a Idnd of catechism drawn 
 up by one of their sages — Eabbi Ghazel Ben Ramiyahh. 
 This is divided into two parts : one concerning the 
 Eternal, and the other on certain social points, prin- 
 cipally marriage and the Sabbath. The whole is put 
 together in a loose, incoherent style, and is mostly of a 
 trifling nature. Their great and distinguishing points 
 are these four : — 1. To believe in odo Jehovah only. 
 2. To .believe in Moses as the only lawgiver. 3. To 
 believe in the Tor ah (law) as the only divine book. 
 4. To believe in Mount Gerizim as the only house of 
 God. These, we were told, are the cardinal points of 
 Samaritanism. But, so far as a more detailed theologi- 
 cal creed is concerned, the thirteen articles drawn up by 
 Maimonides * would as correctly express the Samaritan 
 as the Jewish faith. Our object at present, however, 
 
 * See "British Jews," p. 68.
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SA]\IA]IITANS. 213 
 
 is to bring forward some of the principal dogmas in 
 theology, pointing out how they are understood, taking 
 Amram for our commentator. 
 
 And here it is important to observe that their only 
 authority in theology is the Pentateuch : nothing is 
 divine and binding but the law of Moses. All their 
 dogmas are believed, whether rightly or wrongly, to be 
 founded upon that sacred volume. The other Jewish 
 sacred writers, whether prophets or historians, they 
 utterly ignore ; and the New Testament, of course, has 
 no influence with them. Nor are they led even by their 
 o^Ti sages, except in as far as they are able to show that 
 their teaching is founded upon the law.* Thus, they 
 hold that they are strictly and wholly the disciples of 
 Moses. It becomes, therefore, a subject of no little 
 interest to the biblical student to observe how most of 
 the principal doctrines of revealed truth are held by the 
 Samaritans to be the teaching of the law. 
 
 God. — The first article of belief with them, as with 
 ourselves, is the one regarding the Eternal. They 
 believe in one God, and one only. This they rightly 
 hold to be the great principle upon which every other 
 dogma hinges. Consequently, in Samaritan theology, 
 all begins and ends with that passage in the law, 
 " Hear, Israel ! the Lord our God is one Lord." This 
 
 * Let it not be supposed, from into two general sects, wliich were 
 
 what wc have said, that the Sama- separate from each other as much 
 
 ritans have always agreed on theo- as from the Jews. One of these 
 
 logical points ; they also have had was the Kushan, and the other 
 
 their divisions. Masudi teUs us Rushan. — Masudi, vol. i. pp. 115, 
 
 that in his time they were divided 116.
 
 214 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 glorious being they hold to be a spirit — unseen, un- 
 created, eternal — first and last ; and the author and 
 maker of all things. He is also the judge of all ; and 
 to Him only is prayer to be offered. Believing Him to 
 be manifested by different names, yet holding his nature 
 and person to be one, they deny a plurality of persons. 
 
 Here Ave ought to observe that the Samaritans have 
 been charged with cherishing idolatry in private, wor- 
 shipping the god Nergal in the form of a bird. Hence, 
 it has been alleged that they have the image of a bird 
 (dove) placed on the covering of their law. This charge 
 against them is as old as the authors of the Talmud, 
 and has been repeated in after ages. Nothing, how- 
 ever, it seems, could have been more unfounded. They 
 have no such image at present, and we were assured 
 that they never had any ; and there is no valid reason 
 to disbelieve their testimony. 
 
 The names by which they call the Almighty are 
 Jehovah, El, Eloliim, Shaddai, and Adonai. The first, 
 and most sacred of all, they use most frequently ; and 
 almost invariably begin a letter with the superscription 
 Besliem JcJiovah, or " In the name of Jehovah." The 
 correct pronunciation of the word Jehovah has been a 
 subject of much conjecture and dispute among critics 
 for many ages ; and De Sacy, in his correspondence 
 with Shalmah, endeavoured to elicit from the priest the 
 Samaritan pronunciation, but with no result ; either from 
 his misunderstanding the question, or from a disincH- 
 nation to answer it, the illustrious Frenchman was left 
 in the same uncertainty as before. Whenever Amram
 
 Ch. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 215 
 
 and myself came across the word, whether in conversa- 
 tion or in reading, he uniformly pronounced it Elwem, 
 the Samaritan pronunciation of Elohim. And I think 
 it may be safely concluded that the adopted pronuncia- 
 tion of the Samaritans through past ages has been, not 
 Adonai, like the Jews, but Elwem* 
 
 Messiah. — They have a firm belief in the coming of 
 Messiah.! They found this upon the words of Moses, 
 " The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet 
 from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ; 
 unto him ye shall hearken" (Deut. xviii. 15). They 
 differ, however, with regard to the character of the 
 Messiah, as well from Jews as from Christians. They 
 ridicule the Jewish idea of his being a king and a great 
 conqueror. His mission, they say, is not to shed blood, 
 but to heal the nations ; not to make war, but to bring 
 peace. He is to be, according to Moses' promise, a 
 great teacher, a restorer of the law, one that will bring 
 all the nations, by the illumination of his teaching, to 
 unite in one service to one God. Therefore his common 
 name with them is Taehali (n^rtJl),! or the Arabic 
 equivalent, Al Miidy, because it is he Avhose mission 
 
 * Tlie word Jeliovali, from very t They never call Him by the 
 
 ancient times, was, according to a name Messiah, that name not being 
 
 tradition founded on Lev. xxiv. 16, of Mosaic origin ; although, as 
 
 considered too sacred to be pro- Amram told me, they have no par- 
 
 nounced ; and the Talmudic authors ticular objection to the name, 
 
 believed that even he who thourjht J The better known name is 
 
 this name with its true letters for- Ilatah, or rather Hashali, the re- 
 
 feited his future life (Sanhedr. 90). storer. On my mentioning this to 
 
 Hence the uncertainty of its original Amram, he assured me they never 
 
 Ijronunciation. used it, and that the name was
 
 216 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 it is to turn the ungodly and unbelieving unto the 
 Lord. 
 
 With respect to the person of the Taehah, they 
 regard him merely as a man. He is not Moses, but 
 inferior to him.* Moses was the greatest of all the 
 servants of God. It was he that gave the law ; and 
 the office of the Taehah will be to. restore that law to 
 its purity, preach it to the world, and bring all the 
 nations over to its practice. In fact, he will be a 
 great teacher — a great reformer — expressly sent by the 
 Almighty, and endowed with the necessary qualifica- 
 tions to perform so great and glorious a work. 
 
 During one of our conversations on this subject, I 
 referred Amram to Gen. xlix. 10 : " The sceptre shall 
 not depart .from Judah, nor a lawgiver fi-om between his 
 feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the 
 gathering of the people be." He immediately repeated 
 the passage, pronouncing the word Tf?""^, not Shiloh, 
 according to the Jewish pronunciation, but Slialah ; and 
 said, on my further questioning him, that it referred to 
 
 even unknown to liim. It is used, Hashah ? But liow to account for 
 
 however, repeatedly in their letters Aniram's ignorance of the word I 
 
 to theirsupposed brethren in Europe, am at a loss to know, because he 
 
 as well as to De Sacy. It may be could not have misunderstood me, 
 
 that Jlashah is only used in inter- as I put the question to him more 
 
 course with those not of their own than once. 
 
 community, and Taehak the pecu- * Juynboll (Chron. Samar. p. 52) 
 liar name amongst themselves. And and others assert that it is Moses 
 this seems very i)robable, as Shal- who is expected to come again; and 
 mah, in one of his letters to his give to the name Ilashah the mean- 
 supposed brethren, asks them, as a ing of " he who returns." But this, 
 proof of their true Samaritan origin, according to Ami'am's exposition, is 
 by what name did they know the a mistake.
 
 Ch.II.] the modern SAMARITANS. 217 
 
 Solomon. David, said lie, had the wish to build a 
 temple in Jerusalem, and to transfer the tabernacle of 
 the Lord from Mount Gerizim, where it then stood, to 
 that city, but feared to commit such a daring outrage. 
 Solomon, however, the most wicked of princes — the 
 consequence of his vile intercourse with idolatrous 
 nations — braved all the divine commands, and carried 
 out his father's desire. Up to that time the nation was 
 one in sentiment and practice ; but this deed of Solomon 
 made a rent in Israel, and ever after Ephraim and Judah 
 became antagonistic ; the former adhering to the Mo- 
 saic will, but the latter introducing numberless inno- 
 vations. He further observed that the prophecy only 
 meant unity, and not authority ; the word should not 
 be " foot " (b:n), but " banner" or " standard " ('?J1).* I 
 endeavoured to explain to him how his criticisms did 
 not assist me to comprehend the justness of his com- 
 ment ; but all discussion was useless : the prophecy 
 referred to Solomon, who, through his wicked alliances 
 with the Gentiles had prospered so greatly ; and in him 
 it was fulfilled. 
 
 I may further remark that the Tachah or Al Miidy 
 is to be a son of Joseph, of the tribe of Ephraim. 
 This they found upon the words of Moses : — "And for 
 the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, 
 and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush : let 
 the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon 
 
 * I was not aware at tlie moment but on referring to the Samaritan 
 that any dispute existed with re- copy I found it to be the actual 
 gard to this difl'erence of reading, reading.
 
 218 NABLITS AND [Part II. 
 
 the top of tlie head of him that was separated from 
 his hrethren " (Deut. xxxiii. 16). I once put the ques- 
 tion to him whether they had any idea when the Al 
 Mudy would come ? was there any appointed time for 
 his appearance ? To which he replied, there was no 
 certainty on the matter ; but, according to their best 
 authorities, they expected him in the year 1910 of the 
 Christian era. 
 
 There will be peculiar signs of his coming, but what 
 these may be I was unable to learn ; they are kept a 
 secret amongst themselves, not to be divulged to the 
 unbelievers. 
 
 During his ministration, the law and religion of 
 Moses will be restored to all their glory, and the sanctity 
 of Mount Gerizim will be established. He will also 
 discover the ancient tabernacle, vsdth all its sacred fur- 
 niture, including the holy ark, with the two tables of 
 the law ; when the tabernacle and its service will be 
 re-established on their sacred mount, the house of God. 
 
 The Taebah, however, will not be immortal ; he also, 
 like all mankind, must die. How long he may live is 
 uncertain ; but he will die somewhere in the neighbour- 
 hood of Mount Gerizim, and be buried by the side of 
 his father Joseph. 
 
 A future state. — They firmly believe in a future 
 state. They hold that the human soul is an undy- 
 ing spirit, which, at the hour of death, leaves the 
 body, and enters into another world, and a different 
 state of existence. The life of the body is dependent 
 upon its unity with the soul ; but the soul has life in
 
 Cn. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 219 
 
 itself. Therefore the human spirit cannot die, but 
 remains a living being after death. 
 
 When the priest had given me this explanation of 
 their views, I felt no little interest to know upon what 
 passage or passages in the law they founded such a 
 doctrine ; and, to my great surprise, he immediately 
 quoted Exod. iii. 6 : " I am the God of thy father, the 
 God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of 
 Jacob ; " the very passage quoted by our Saviour (Mark 
 xii. 26) ; and commented upon it almost in the very 
 same words. The Almighty is not a God of the dead ; 
 therefore the patriarchs were alive with God in the time 
 of Moses, and are still alive with him. 
 
 Resurrection. — They believe in the resurrection of the 
 dead as firmly as they do in a future state. The very 
 same body which belonged to the soul before death will 
 yet arise, and be united with it as formerly. This will 
 take place some time after the death of the whole human 
 race. The time and manner are wholly dependent upon 
 the will of God, and will be efiected by his power only. 
 ** The fact, however," said our commentator, " is re- 
 vealed in the law ; " and he quoted Gen. ix. 5 : — " And 
 surely your blood of your lives "will I require ; at the hand 
 of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man ; 
 at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life 
 of man." 
 
 Other passages were quoted, as " See now that I, even 
 I, am he, and there is no god with me : I Idll, and I 
 make alive ; I wound, and I heal : neither is there any 
 that can deliver out of my hand " (Deut. xxxii. 39).
 
 220 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 I felt curious to know tlieir ideas with regard to the 
 nature and duration of the Hfe in the future world, and 
 especially after the resurrection. The reply Amram gave 
 was that it is quite uncertain whether it will be ever- 
 lasting or not ; their theology, he said, did not settle that 
 point. It would depend entirely on the will of God. 
 I quoted that passage from Paul's Second Epistle to 
 Timothy, where he speaks of the advent of our Saviour, 
 "who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and 
 immortality to light through the gospel." * This idea 
 was new to him, and he seemed to be pleased with it ; 
 but the authority had no influence with him. 
 
 Future misery and hapinncss. — They believe that in 
 the future world there are two abodes, one the seat of 
 happiness, the other the seat of misery. The former is 
 the abode of God ; the latter the abode of the devil. 
 All those who are good on earth go after their death to 
 this place of felicity ; but all who are wicked go to the 
 place of torment. According to Amram' s idea, the place 
 of torment is a little below this earth, and the place of 
 happiness much above it. 
 
 Forgiveness of sins. — Amram admitted that the 
 Samaritans were not all good. I partly knew his 
 opinion with regard to other creeds — all who rejected the 
 law of Moses were, of course, of the wicked. But how 
 could the wicked of the Samaritans.be made good, and 
 the sins of those who were not perfect be forgiven ? 
 
 *2Tim. i. 10: " Who hath over- tlirough the gospel." — Dr. Twrn- 
 come death, and hath brouglit into IjidVs translation. 
 the light an imperishable life
 
 Cji. II.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 221 
 
 According to their theology, all those who strove to do 
 the will of God as revealed in the law were good, and 
 their failings God would forgive. There is no atone- 
 ment for sin but by repentance and prayer. The sacri- 
 fices were not in themselves an atonement ; but being 
 appointed by the Almighty, the only value in offering 
 them was the compliance with the divine will. And yet 
 there was value of some kind, even in the sight of God, 
 in a sacrifice, because it was the offering of life. On no 
 point did my expounder appear so confused as on this. 
 
 One day he came to me in hot haste with a question. 
 *' Suppose," said he, "if a man, a great sinner — say a 
 thief — were by some accident disabled from follo'^ing 
 his wicked way, and then to ask pardon of God, would 
 He forgive him ? " I endeavoured to explain to him the 
 Christian idea of the necessity of repentance and change 
 of heart in order to be forgiven — together with the 
 Almighty's plan of dispensing forgiveness. He seemed 
 to comprehend what I had said, and to acquiesce in 
 part to the doctrine ; but the system of mediation and 
 atonement he could not appreciate. 
 
 And yet to them there is a doctrine of merits — not 
 only the merits of their ovra good deeds, but also those 
 of others. I noticed in their prayers and in their serious 
 conversation frequent reference to the merits of their 
 ancestors, especially Moses, as a land of substitutional 
 merit. They look upon him as the greatest of all 
 the prophets, and as the most faithful of all God's 
 servants ; and as such they invoke the divine clemency 
 for the sake of his great merit.
 
 222 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE STNAOOGTIE AND ITS SEKTICE. 
 
 TTTE here adopt the better known name of synagogue 
 ' * for their place of worship, although the Samari- 
 tans themselves never use it. In their wi-itings, and in 
 their conversation, they frequently call it the House of 
 God {Bit Allah) ; but the common appellation is 
 Khisha {TW^p), or place of assembly.* 
 
 The present building is not ancient ; but the previous 
 one had its date anterior to the Christian era, and was, 
 we were told, of very superior workmanship. About 
 470 years ago it was wrested from the Samaritans by 
 the Mohammedans, who converted it into a mosque, 
 when the present building was given them instead. 
 It is a very common and mean structure, with nothing to 
 recommend it except its privacy. It is situate in the midst 
 of the Samaritan quarter, standing in the corner of a 
 garden which is surrounded by a high stone wall, and 
 entered by a double flight of steps : the synagogue itself 
 being secluded by another entrance into its own court. 
 It is of a very irregular construction, and can hardly be 
 
 * Like the Ilebrew Beth Ilaccncsclh, and equivalent to tlic Greek Synayoge.
 
 Cn. III.] 
 
 THE MODEEN SAMARITANS. 
 
 223 
 
 correctly described ; but from the accompanying ground- 
 plan the reader may form a tolerable conception of it. 
 
 The extreme length of the body of the sjnagogue 
 measures 37 feet 5 inches in length, the floor of the 
 
 se: 
 
 north-western (right-hand) division being raised about 
 a foot higher. On the south-eastern side is a square 
 recess of some 4 feet 3 inches. 
 
 The walls are whitewashed ; at least, they have been. 
 The ceiling is a vaulted one, from which hang two 
 very primitive chandeHers and a small oil-lamp. In the 
 roof there is a circular domelike window, to admit light 
 and air, the only opening beside the door.
 
 224 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 The recess in the south-eastern side they call mushah, 
 or altar. It answers in part to the Jemsh heichel, hut 
 differs also in part. The Samaritan idea is this : — 
 During the time of their temple, the sacrifices were slain 
 at the mushah; hut now in the synagogue, since the 
 temple is no more, the mushah is the place of prayer, 
 w^hich is offered up to the Almighty instead of sacri- 
 fice, inasmuch as sacrifice would he unlawful ^^dthout 
 a temple. The mushah is therefore constructed, as 
 I was informed by Amram, according to the measure- 
 ment of the Mosaic altar,* and fronting the spot where 
 their temple stood ; the worshippers looking towards it 
 during the service, in order that their faces may be 
 turned to Mount Gerizim. In front of the mushah, a 
 large square veil hangs continually, to screen the sacred 
 recess from the gaze of the congregation ; and no one 
 enters behind it except the two officials. The veil most 
 commonly used is made of white damask linen, orna- 
 nented with pieces of blue, green, and red linen, sewn 
 on it into a very handsome pattern. The veil, however, 
 is changed according to circumstances — some being 
 kept for certain Sabbaths, and others for difierent feasts ; 
 the most costly for the most sacred occasions. 
 
 It is in the mushah the torah, or the law of Moses, 
 is kept. I hardly need say that the law implies the 
 whole of the five books of Moses. The law being the 
 only book admitted by the Samaritans to be divine, it 
 
 * According to tlie command, present mushah does not exactly 
 the altar was to measure five cubits tally with it. 
 square (Exod. xxvii 1) ; but the
 
 Ch. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 225 
 
 is deposited in this sacred recess, just as the original 
 copy was deposited in the ark of the covenant (Deut. 
 xxxi. 26). We shall describe the sacred scroll in another 
 chapter, merely observing here that with the Jews it is 
 an all-important rule to read the law publicly in syna- 
 gogue only from an unpointed written roll. The Samari- 
 tans having no printed books of their own, need no pre- 
 caution with regard to a written copy being read ; and 
 if they had, on this point they would perfectly agree 
 with the Jews. Their synagogue copies are all un- 
 pointed written rolls. 
 
 When a European witnesses their service for the 
 first time, several things strike him as new and 
 singular. In the first place, he will observe that every 
 one who enters the synagogue takes off his shoes, and 
 leaves them at the door outside in the court. We 
 have already seen, in another chapter, that the manner 
 in which the natives of all creeds show respect, is by 
 taking off the shoes ; and the Samaritans, who have 
 transmitted to us the most ancient customs of the 
 country, of course observe the same. But here they 
 attach a higher and more sacred import to the custom 
 — an obedience to the voice that commanded Moses, 
 "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place 
 whereon thou standest is holy ground " (Exod. iii. 5). 
 
 2. Having entered the sjoiagogue, we observed that 
 all the congregation, both priest and people, put on an 
 additional garment — their religious dress, a kind of 
 white calico gown or surplice. This they generally 
 keep in the synagogue, and carefully put on before 
 
 Q
 
 226 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 joining in the service, and take it off again before 
 retiring. The sight is imposing. It is a sign of 
 purity, and a reHc of an ancient religious costume 
 (Kev. vi. 11 ; vii. 9). 
 
 3. During the service their general posture is that of 
 sitting on the floor — a kind of squatting. This, how- 
 ever, is their common manner of sitting. The native 
 Christians stand during the divine service, except the 
 few Protestants, who, when they meet, conduct them- 
 selves like the Samaritans. During some parts of the 
 service they all stand ; and at certain other portions 
 they all fall upon their hands and knees with their 
 faces almost touching the ground, prostrating them- 
 selves towards the mushah. And here it may he re- 
 marked that the Jews never thus prostrate themselves 
 except on the Day of Atonement ; but the Samaritans 
 observe it in their common service as well as on their 
 festivals. 
 
 4. At certain parts of the service they stroke down 
 their faces and beards with the right hand : this being 
 done by all at the same moment, has a very sin- 
 gular appearance. And it seemed to me the more 
 so, that neither Jews nor Christians do it ; but I was 
 told that the Mohammedans observe the same custom! 
 It is done at the repetition of certain words and 
 phrases, and is a sign of blessing. It may be a sub- 
 stitute for the Jewish custom of touching the fringes. 
 
 5. Another peculiarity at once noticeable by the 
 European is the absence of all females. This custom, 
 however, is not peculiar to the Samaritans, but is
 
 Ch. III.] THE MODERN SMIARITANS. 227 
 
 common to the natives of all creeds. European Jews 
 have their galleries, where their females may attend 
 and listen to the service ; hut in the East there are no 
 such galleries, nor is any other part of the sjTiagogue 
 assigned to them. If they wish to attend at all, they 
 are at liberty to assemble outside in the court and 
 listen to what is going on, but no more. And in this 
 the Samaritans agree with the Jews — they have no 
 female gallery, nor are the females considered a part of 
 the congregation. 
 
 6. All wear their head-dress. We have already seen 
 that they take off their shoes, as a mark of honour and 
 respect, just as we take off our hats. They, however, 
 keep their head-dress on ; and as, in their estima- 
 tion, an uncovered head betokens disrespect, they do 
 not, willingly, allow any stranger who may happen to 
 visit them to take off his hat during service. In this, 
 also, they agree with the Jews, as well as with all the 
 natives. 
 
 With regard to the idea of a congregation, however, 
 the Samaritans differ from the Jews. With the latter 
 there must be a minyan, i.e. ten males of full age, 
 before a congregation can be formed ; but with the 
 Samaritans there is no definite number necessary, as 
 they have the Christian idea that two or three met to- 
 gether for the purpose of worship is a lawful congrega- 
 tion. 
 
 Their public service may be divided into two kinds — • 
 the weekly and the annual. We shall speak of the 
 latter when we come to discuss their calendar. 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Their weeldy public worship is confined to the Sab- 
 hath. In this they differ from the Jews. According to 
 Judaism, pubHc prayers must be said at the synagogue 
 daily, and the rule is that all the members ought to 
 join ; but this being generally impracticable, absentees 
 are allowed to repeat them at home or elsewhere in 
 private. With the Samaritans, however, there is no 
 such rule — every one says his prayers during the week- 
 days at his own house, or wherever he may be ; but 
 they never meet at the synagogue. 
 
 On the Sabbath day they have three services. The 
 first is a short one at sunset on Friday, at which time, 
 as with the Jews, their Sabbath commences. The 
 second is early on Saturday morning : this is the most 
 important and the longest. The last is on Saturday 
 afternoon, some time before sunset. The ser\'ice con- 
 sists of set prayers interspersed with portions of the 
 Pentateuch, which are arranged into one liturgy. But 
 the service is never read : the minister, having the 
 whole perfectly by heart, only repeats it. The mem- 
 bers, when they join in repeating portions of the law, 
 generally open their written books, and read. For this 
 purpose they have small square wooden stools, about a 
 foot high, upon which they place the sacred volume, so 
 that it may be lifted sufliciently high from the floor. 
 The law is largely introduced, so that the whole is read 
 through once a year ; and those portions which refer to 
 the Sabbath arc introduced weeldy. In addition to 
 which, Amram told mc that he made it a rule to read 
 the law through once a month privately.
 
 Ch. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 229 
 
 An important part in the Sabbath service is the 
 exhibition of the Liw. The minister takes it out of 
 the musbah, removes its covering, opens the silver-gilt 
 case in which it is deposited, and exhibits to the con- 
 gi-egation that column of the roll which contains 
 Aaron's blessing (Num. vi. 24—27), when, generally, 
 they step forward to Idss the sacred scroll. 
 
 The language of the service is all Hebrew. But 
 this being a dead language, the people understand the 
 service but very imperfectly, the officers and one or two 
 others excepted. 
 
 The character of the service is very peculiar. Upon 
 the whole, it is more decorous than that of other 
 natives, whether Mohammedans, Jews, or Christians, 
 with the exception of the few Protestants. I never saw 
 among them the wild, violent, and barbarous scenes 
 which I witnessed in other places of worship ; and I 
 have heard Amram, more than once, rebuke his people 
 publicly for irregular conduct, such as talking or inat- 
 tention during the service. The style of their worship, 
 however, is anything but pleasant. The officiating min- 
 ister, whether he be Amram or Yacub, stands in front 
 of the mashah, repeats the ser\'ice in a loud and violent 
 manner — sometimes in plain reading, and sometimes 
 in a kind of chant or singing, and always with an into- 
 nation and style of voice which one cannot describe by 
 words, peculiar to them as a people. During those 
 parts of the service where much emphasis is required 
 he makes a kind of jerk forward with his head, accom- 
 panied with a peculiar barking voice, as if attempting
 
 230 NABLUS AND [Fart II. 
 
 to bite something in front of liim. Every now and 
 then the congregation join in with him in the same 
 style. I have seen them on some particular occasions, 
 happening to keep good time, uttering the syllables in 
 one united but harsh voice — just like a succession of 
 staccato musical notes, on the same degi-ee : then the 
 noise became really stunning. In addition to all this, 
 the whole service is gone through with great rapidity, as 
 if the grand object were to finish it. And no wonder ; 
 being in an uukno'wn tongue, it cannot arrest the 
 thoughts nor interest the understanding. I suggested 
 once to Amram that a slower reading and quieter style 
 would be more profitable ; to which he replied, that the 
 congregation, having been accustomed to this manner, 
 would not be pleased with any other. 
 
 We have already mentioned that the Samaritans 
 chant or sing a part of their service ; we shall now add 
 a few words on that subject. 
 
 Those Europeans who have any tolerable idea of 
 music, and have passed through the country, must have 
 been struck by the peculiar character of the Arab 
 songs. They dififer from ours in their versification as 
 well as in their music. With the former we have 
 nothing to do at present, and we can but touch upon 
 the latter ; for to attempt a full explanation would 
 require a very lengthy essay, incompatible with the 
 object of these pages. Suffice it to say that the 
 Arab music is formed on a scale essentially difierent 
 from our own. According to our European scale, the 
 octave, or succession of eight sounds, consists of two
 
 Ch. III.] 
 
 THE JIODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 231 
 
 semitones and six whole tones. In the major mode tlie 
 Jemitones fall in between the third and the fourth, and 
 lietween the seventh and the eighth, from the key-note ; 
 md in the minor mode between the second and third, 
 aid between the fifth and sixth. The semitones thus 
 filling in, impart a certain character to European music ; 
 according to which the European voice and ear are 
 trained. It is not so, however, with Arab music — their 
 octave is altogether different ; hence the essential dif- 
 ference in the character of the two styles. I only 
 noticed one melody throughout the country having a 
 marked European resemblance. It was at Jerusalem. 
 It was in the minor mode, and had a very pleasing 
 effect. At midnight, during the month of Ramadan, 
 the garrison struck it up, the stillness of the" night 
 heightening its charm. The second night after my 
 arrival I was awakened by the music ; and being very 
 much pleased with the melody, I struck a light and 
 wrote it down : — 
 
 I heard them play it repeatedly afterwards with an
 
 232 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 attempt at harmony, but it was a most wretched affair. 
 I made several inquiries regarding the nationality of 
 the melody, but could obtain no information. But, 
 as already remarked, the Arab melodies, generally., 
 have nothing in common with those of Europe. Anj 
 musical European may satisfy himself on this point ir 
 two ways. In the first place, let him try to write theii 
 music according to our notation, and he will find it 
 impossible to express it correctly. Their arrangement 
 of the octave makes it incompatible with our mode of 
 writing musical sounds ; and it imparts to their 
 melodies a colouring which our notation cannot convey. 
 Or let him, secondly, go to a native singer, and let 
 them sing together some European melody, or the 
 octave,' either in the major or the minor mode ; and he 
 will find it to be the greatest difficulty, in fact an 
 impossibility, without immense training, to get him to 
 sing the intervals according to our scale. My attention 
 was first called to this fact whilst giving lessons to a 
 native, who was anxious to learn our music. Nor can 
 the Europeans sing their melodies without infinite 
 practice, the progression being so different to our own. 
 Perhaps our cultivation of harmony disqualifies our 
 ears from rightly appreciating their melodious passages, 
 as well as our voices from executing them. 
 
 The Samaritan music differs essentially from the 
 Arab, and has evidently a source of its own. It is 
 much more sedate, not having those wild passages, nor 
 so much of the enharmonic progressions which belong 
 to the latter. Any one accustomed to music cannot fail
 
 Ch. III.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 233 
 
 to notice the difierence. Upon the whole, it moves 
 within a limited scale ; containing but few notes above 
 or below the key-note, and moving principally upon the 
 fourth, or some other principal note. To this simple 
 movement, however, flourishes are now and then added, 
 not essential to the melody, which are sometimes most 
 unmusical. As an example, we shall attempt to reduce 
 one of them into common notation. It is one most 
 commonly used on the Sabbath and the festivals ; and 
 consists of a wave-like movement on the tonic and 
 dominant. 
 
 The essential notes, so far as they can be repre- 
 sented, would stand nearly thus : — 
 
 Da Capo. 
 
 
 r 
 
 But the E flat was introduced by grace notes that 
 cannot be written, and the lower a ending the phrase 
 was reached by a succession of chromatic or rather 
 enharmonic grace notes, which gave a most pecuhar 
 colouring to the whole movement. After two or three 
 repetitions, a cadence far more peculiar was introduced 
 — a kind of rapid wild shout, ending in a high note, 
 but baffling all attempt at notation. 
 
 There are seventy such melodies, composed, accord- 
 ing to the Samaritan tradition, by the seventy elders of 
 Israel in the time of Moses. These elders, we are told, 
 were all musicians, and each one composed a melody 
 which has been preserved by the nation to this time.
 
 234 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 They are all set to certain portions of the ritual, and are 
 introduced in their proper places on Sabbath days, and 
 the festivals. I could not discover upon what principle 
 this adaptation was made, or whether there was any 
 principle at all in the matter. The Oriental idea that 
 music has medicinal effects — that the various melodies 
 had each its peculiar influence in removing bodily and 
 mental disorders — led the ancients to classify them 
 according to those qualities. Whether this notion had 
 anything to do with the arrangement of the Samaritan 
 melodies I could not make out. 
 
 They have no musical instrument of any kind, nor 
 are they given to practise the art of music in any way 
 except in their worship. On all other occasions they 
 engage the Mohammedans to sing, play, and dance for 
 them. I need hardly add that the Samaritans have 
 no kind of musical notation, and preserve their 
 melodies only by tradition. In this they differ from 
 the Jews, who have used their accents as musical signs 
 in the cantilation of the law.
 
 Oh. IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 235 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 THE SABBATH AND NEW MOON. 
 
 THE Samaritans, like the Jews, reckon their days, 
 not as we cTo, from midnight to midnight, but from 
 sunset to sunset, according to the expression in Genesis, 
 " And the evening and the morning were the first day," 
 &c. Their Sabbath, therefore, commences at sunset on 
 Friday, and ends at sunset on Saturday. We have 
 ah-eady seen how the Sabbath is spent in the sjiiagogue, 
 and what service is performed there ; let us now see 
 how it is generally observed in their houses ; because 
 they never leave them on the Sabbath but to go to the 
 synagogue. 
 
 By them it is kept most strictly as a day of rest — 
 that is, a day upon which no manner of work is to be 
 done. They adhere literally to the words of the law, 
 " Eemember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days 
 shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh 
 day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou 
 shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
 daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor 
 thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates"
 
 236 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 (Exod. XX. 8-10). From this rule tliere is no deviation. 
 Let us note a few things. 
 
 In the first place, they never engage servants or 
 assistants of another faith to do any prohibited work 
 for them. They have no goim, like the Jews, to light 
 their fire or snuff their candles; but hold it to be a 
 sacred duty that all within their gates should keep the 
 Sabbath alike. The consequence is, they never have 
 any fire on the Sabbath, according to the command, 
 " Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations 
 upon the sabbath day " (Exod. xxxv. 3). Nor do they 
 even burn a lamp or candle in their houses or in the 
 synagogue — holding that this is equally implied in the 
 commandment. When the Sabbath comes in on the 
 Friday evening, they finish the service for the evening 
 without light; and remain in then- houses, repeating 
 parts of their service, or holding conversation, in entire 
 darkness, until they retire. This is especially the case 
 in the winter season, when the day is shortest. They 
 have, therefore, no cause for discussion, with the 
 Mishnic authors, as to what kind of "svick the lamps 
 may be lighted with on the Sabl)ath. 
 
 Again, they have no code of rabbinical laws, such as 
 the Jewish ngeruvim, by which the rigour of the Torah 
 can be alleviated ; but they accept all the laws of Moses 
 in their simple and literal meaning, and so obey them. 
 Consequently, they not only avoid all kinds of labour, 
 but also the least manipulation. As an example, I 
 may mention that one Sabbath I received letters from 
 friends in Jerusalem, inclosing one to Amram, and
 
 Cn. lY.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 237 
 
 hancled it to him at the close of the morning service. 
 He, however, could not open it, because it was Sab- 
 bath ; but when opened, there was no objection to his 
 reading it. 
 
 This leads us to remark further, that the law does 
 not prescribe limits to their conversation — in fact, it has 
 nothing at all to do with it. None of the command- 
 ments, we were told, refer to thoughts or words, only to 
 deeds. They have no idea that the law of God refers 
 to the spirit — that the Sabbath regards the inward, as 
 well as the outward man. To them, the language of 
 the prophet has as little meaning as it has authority : 
 " If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from 
 doing thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the 
 sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; 
 and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor 
 finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own 
 words," &c. (Isa. Iviii. 13). But, before or after the 
 semce, whether in the synagogue or out of it, they 
 all feel, from the priest down to the commonest, at 
 full liberty to speak on any topic whatever. They 
 abstain from buying and selling, because that would 
 involve the idea of action. The great idea of keeping 
 holy the Sabbath with them, is to remain quiet — never 
 to go out of their dwellings, except to the synagogue.* 
 And this the Samaritan obeys, and must obey, whatever 
 
 • Tlie Sabbatli clay's journey — fication of the law as set forth in 
 
 traSParov oSi; (Acts i. 12) — they the Mishna (Erubin), which they 
 
 ignore as an innovation ; and seem to know, 
 heartily deride the rabbinic modi-
 
 238 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 may be the consequence. Were his flock stolen away 
 by thieves, or were his house on fire, or even were his 
 life in danger, he dare not and would not act in any 
 way to defend himself or his property. 
 
 There is one other way in which they are careful to 
 observe the Sabbath — namely, the table department. 
 They feel it a duty to live more generously on the Sab- 
 bath than on ordinary days. This they do in honour of 
 the day. I could not learn that they had any peculiar 
 Sabbath dish ; only the table is better provided than on 
 week-days. The cooldng is done on Friday morning ; 
 but no means are adopted to keep the food warm till the 
 morrow. 
 
 The Jewish ceremonies of Kldiish, at the coming in 
 of the Sabbath, and of Hahdallah, at its going out, are 
 not observed by the Samaritans. 
 
 Next to the Sabbath observance comes that of the 
 new moon in frequency, but not in importance. This 
 they call Reosh Hadesh. 
 
 As soon as the new moon makes its appearance, 
 which is sacredly watched, the following afternoon, 
 about half-past four, they assemble in the synagogue to 
 perform the appointed service. It consists of certain 
 prayers, composed for the occasion, intermixed with 
 portions of the law, especially those referring to the 
 beginnings of the months (Num. x. 10; xxviii. 11—14). 
 These are read, or rather recited, by the minister, who, 
 during the service, exhibits one of the roll copies of 
 the law to the congregation. The whole service lasts 
 about two hours. This monthly service is performed,
 
 Ch. IV.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 239 
 
 we were told, not in honour of the moon, either in 
 itself or as a representation of the Deity, but simply 
 as a season appointed by divine command for the 
 worship of God as the author of all things. I re- 
 marked that no outdoor ceremonies were observed on 
 the occasion, such as the Jews have ; and Amram as- 
 sured me that the Samaritans never perform any.
 
 240 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN YEAR. 
 
 The Samaritan year, like the Jewish, consists of 
 twelve lunar months, each having twenty-nine or 
 thirty days. The commencement of the month is 
 determined by the conjunction of the sun and moon. 
 If the conjunction happens during the night, or before 
 the midday following, that day is reckoned the first of 
 the month ; but if it happens about midday, or later, 
 the first of the month begins on the morrow. If the 
 conjunction be lunar, the month has only twenty-nine 
 days ; but if solar, it has thirty days. It is well 
 known that the difference between the lunar and solar 
 mouths would occasion, in a cycle of nineteen years, 
 a complete reversal of . the months of the year. To 
 prevent this, the Samaritans, like the Jews, introduce 
 during that period an intercalary month seven times, 
 and thus make each of these intercalary years to 
 consist of thirteen months. They fix and regulate 
 the year by the Greek calendar. Thus, if the con- 
 junction takes place during the eleventh day of the 
 month Adar, or sooner than that day, the year is an
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 241 
 
 intercalenclared one, and has thirteen months; then 
 the mouth that follows that is the beginning of the 
 new 3'ear. But if it takes place on the twelfth day of 
 Adar, or later, that month is the beginning of the new 
 year, and the closing year is a common one of twelve 
 months. The point, therefore, that regulates the 
 Samaritan year, is the conjunction that takes place during 
 the month Adar, which partly answers to our April. 
 
 It appears very evident that the arrangement of the 
 year must have been substantially the same in ancient 
 times, because the Jewish year was an agrarian year, 
 corresponding to the productions of the land, and their 
 feasts were celebrated in accordance therewith. There- 
 fore, an intercalary month must have been introduced 
 for the purpose of making the year answer to the 
 seasons ; * otherwise, the Feast of Pentecost {Shavun- 
 gotk), for example, ordained to be kept at harvest-time, 
 would, in a few years, have receded into the winter 
 months. 
 
 The ancient mode of determining the beginning of 
 the months, and consequently of arranging the year, 
 was by watching the first appearance of the new moon. 
 For this purpose witnesses were stationed in diffe- 
 rent parts of the country, to report to the Sanhedrin, 
 and that body decided accordingly.! The same mode 
 of fixing the months and year was followed by the 
 Samaritans. 
 
 * The first dii-ect mention of an second century of tlie Christian era. 
 
 tercalary month as a second Adar — Meffillah, i. 4. 
 
 in the Mishnah, compiled in the + Mishnah, Rosh Ilashanah. 
 
 R
 
 242 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 This mode, however, eventually gave way to astrono- 
 mical calculations. Rab Ada, the Babylonian, about 
 the end of the second century, made most careful 
 calculations, by which, ever since, the Jews have been 
 principally guided. The Samaritans, also, have had 
 their astronomers, and have followed, at different times, 
 more than one authority. The latest that wrote upon 
 the subject was Abraham Elaiah, during the last 
 century ; but the calculations they follow are those 
 of Phineas the astronomer : from his tables the 
 calendar is annually fixed. In former years, when the 
 Samaritans were dwelling in different parts of Syria 
 and Egy]^)t, a table every six months (in Tishri and 
 Nisan) was prepared by the priest at Nablus, and sent 
 to the different communities,* in order that they 
 might know the exact time for keeping the Sabbath, 
 the New Moon, and festivals ; but now, as they all 
 dwell together at Nablus, no such table is necessary. 
 The last of such tables ever wi-itten was sent by 
 Shalmah, father of the present priest, in the year 1820, 
 to his supposed brethren in Europe, for their instruction 
 and guidance. It is in itself curious and interesting 
 as a specimen of Samaritan calculation ; and as it is, 
 most probably, the last document of its kind that ever 
 will be drawn up by a Samaritan priest, I shall here 
 subjoin it. 
 
 * We learn from the Mishnah in the months of Tishri and Nisan, 
 
 that the same practice was observed to the distant comnumities in Syria, 
 
 by the Jews before astronomical to inform them of the regulation of 
 
 calculations were adopted. Mes- the festivals. — liosh Hashanah, 
 
 sengers were sent by the Sanheih-in, i. 4.
 
 Ch. Y.] the modern SAMARITANS. 243 
 
 A Table of the New Moons. 
 
 Conjunction of the seventh month at 16 -| h. of 
 the Sunday : that is to say, the Monday,* the 8th of 
 the Greek Elul.f The day of the great fast : on it is 
 the echp'se of the moon. 
 
 Conjunction of Muharram,! of the Arah (Moham- 
 medan) year 1235, at 9| h. of the evening of Tuesday, 
 the 6th of Tishrin, the 1st of the Greeks. 
 
 Conjunction of Saphar at 11 J h, of Wednesday: 
 that is, Thursday, the 6th of Tishrin, the 2nd of the 
 Greeks. 
 
 Conjunction of Eabia the 1st, at llih. of the 
 evening of Friday, the 1st of Canun the 1st. 
 
 Conjunction of Eabia the 2nd, at 11 1 h. of Satur- 
 day : that is, the Sunday before the 4th of Canun the 
 2nd. 
 
 * It must be borne in mind, in 
 order to follow the calculation, that 
 the Samaritans, like the Jews, 
 reckon each day from even to even, 
 so that the Sunday night would be, 
 in reality, a part of Monday. 
 
 + The Samaritans regulate their 
 year by the Greek year. The 
 governing point is the Passover, by 
 which the other feasts are fixed, 
 and it is never celebrated till the 
 first of the Greek Nisan is come. 
 So the Passover never takes place 
 before the 1st of the Greek April. 
 Tliis is the reason why it is so 
 much later sometimes than at other 
 
 times. The Gi 
 
 •eek months are as 
 
 follow : 
 
 
 Elul 
 
 =: September. 
 
 Tishrin 1 
 
 = October. 
 
 Tishrin 2 
 
 = November. 
 
 Canun 1 
 
 = December. 
 
 Canun 2 
 
 = Januaij. 
 
 Shebat 
 
 = Februai-y. 
 
 Adar 
 
 = March. 
 
 Nisan 
 
 = April. 
 
 lyar 
 
 = May. 
 
 Haziram 
 
 = June. 
 
 Tammuz 
 
 = July. 
 
 Ab 
 
 = August. 
 
 X The Mohammedan months, as 
 
 is seen, ai-e used. 
 
 
 R 2
 
 244 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Conjunction of Djumacia the 1st, at 8|- h. of the 
 evening of Monday, before the 2nd of Shebat. 
 
 Conjunction of Djumada the 2nd, at 8h. of the 
 Tuesday before the 3rd of Adar, that is to say, the 
 solar Adar. On that day there will be an eclipse of 
 the moon at 17 h. of the night. 
 
 Conjunction of Redjeb at 4i h. of the evening of 
 Thursday, before the 1st of Nisan, solar. The Feast 
 of the Passover will take place this month. On 
 Thursday night, at midnight, we will eat the victim on 
 Mount Gerizim. 
 
 Conjunction of Schaban at 3 h. on Friday before the 
 30th of Nisan, a month which commences on Thurs- 
 day. In this month will be the immolation of the 
 second paschal sacrifice, for those who for valid reasons 
 could not celebrate it at the ordinary time. 
 
 Conjunction of Kamadan at 2 h. less -g- the night of 
 Sunday, the morning of which answers to the Sabbath 
 of Amalek, before the 30th of lyar. 
 
 Conjunction of Schawal at 2-j^q- h. of Monday, 27th of 
 Haziram, which commences on Tuesday, and has thirty 
 days. 
 
 Conjunction of Dhulkaada at 3 h. of the evening of 
 "Wednesday, before the 28th of Tammuz, which com- 
 mences on Thursday, and has thirty-one days. 
 
 Conjunction of Dhulhiddja at 7f h. of Thursday, 
 before the 27th of Ab, which commences on Sunday, 
 and has thirty-one days. 
 
 Conjunction of Muharram, of the Arab year 1236,
 
 Ch. v.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 245 
 
 at Iyo ^* of Saturday, before the 25tli of Elul. In this 
 month is the great fast, the Feast of all the Blessings, 
 the Feast of the Retreat ; and the 1st of this month 
 is the Feast of the Commemoration of Trumpets. 
 
 Conjunction of Saphar, at 5J h. of the evening of 
 Monday, before the 22nd of Tishri the 1st, which com- 
 mences on Friday, and has thirty-one days. 
 
 Conjunction of Rebia the 1st, at 10 1 h. of Tuesday, 
 that is to say, Wednesday, before the 24th of Tishri 
 2nd. 
 
 Conjunction of Eebia the 2nd, at J h. of Thursday, 
 before the 23rd of Cauun the 1st. 
 
 Conjunction of Djumada 1st, at 1^ h. and yo °^ 
 the evening of Saturday, before the 22nd of Canun 
 2nd. 
 
 Conjunction of Djumada 2nd, at 11 h. on the evening 
 of Sunday before the 20th of Shebat, of which the first 
 day is Tuesday, and which has twenty-eight days. 
 
 Conjunction of Redjeb, at 9| h. on Monday, that is 
 to say, the Tuesday before the 22nd of Adar, of which 
 the first day is Tuesday, and which has thirty-one days. 
 In this month is the Feast of Easter, and the immola- 
 tion of the victims on Mount Gerizim, which is the 
 house of God. 
 
 Conjunction of Schaban, at 4| h. of the evening of 
 Wednesday, before the 10th of Nisan. 
 
 Conjunction of Ramadan, at l|h. of Tuesday the 
 19th of lyar. 
 
 Conjunction of Schawal, at 10 1 h. of Friday, that is
 
 246 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 to say, of Saturday, called the Saturday of Amalek, 
 before the 27th of Haziran. 
 
 Conjunction of Dhulkaada, at S^h. of Sunday 
 evening, before the 18th of Tammuz, of which the first 
 day is Friday, and which has thirty-one days. 
 
 Conjunction of Muharram, of the Arab year 1237, at 
 Iyo h. of Tuesday, before the 14th of Elul. In this 
 month is the great fast, the fast on which they ask 
 pardon for shameful sins, those of the Commemoration 
 of Trumpets, and of the Pilgrimage. 
 
 It is necessary here to bear in mind that the 
 Samaritans, like the Jews, have two kinds of years, 
 one civil, the other ecclesiastical, the former . com- 
 mencing with the month Tishri, and the latter with 
 the month Nisan. All chronological dates and events, 
 together with the common matters of life, are re- 
 gulated by the civil year ; but religious observances are 
 according to the ecclesiastical year. 
 
 The Samaritan months do not correspond with ours, 
 and moreover, being lunar, they vary continually. The 
 subjoined table, however, will give the reader a general 
 idea of the Samaritan year as compared with our own. 
 The names of the months common to Jews and Sa- 
 maritans, I have given in the Hebrew letters, but have 
 written according to the Samaritan orthography, which 
 differs from that of the Jews in some of the names, as 
 will be seen. I have also added the Samaritan pro- 
 nunciation.
 
 Ch. v.] 
 
 1. ^^u;n ' 
 
 Tisliri . . 
 
 2. pt:;n-)D 
 
 Maresliban . 
 
 3. D>bDD . 
 
 Kislim , 
 
 4. ji2^Za • 
 
 Tibat . . 
 
 5. ^2V • 
 
 Sliabat . . 
 
 6. -^-^ri . . 
 
 Adar . . 
 
 7. p--:) . . 
 
 Nisan . . 
 
 8. -ij^M . . 
 
 Aiar . . 
 
 9. p>D • • 
 
 Siban . . 
 
 10. nan • • 
 
 Tamuth . . 
 
 11. n^*• • • 
 
 Ab . . . 
 
 12. b-b'i^ . 
 
 Ailul . . 
 
 THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 corresponding witli parts of 
 
 247 
 
 October 
 
 November. 
 
 November 
 
 December. 
 
 December 
 
 January. 
 
 January 
 
 February. 
 
 February 
 
 March. 
 ( March 
 I April. 
 { April 
 I May. 
 
 May 
 
 June. 
 { June 
 ( July. 
 (July 
 { August. 
 
 August 
 
 September. 
 
 ! September 
 October.
 
 248 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SAMARITAN FEASTS — THE PASSOVER, ETC. 
 
 rPHE most important feast in the Samaritan calendar 
 -■- is the Passover, Karahan Aiilisali. It is the me- 
 morial of their great national deliverance from Egi^'pt 
 and its bondage, and of the mercy of the Eternal to 
 their firstborn, when the destroying angel 'passed hy 
 the houses that had the blood of the paschal lamb 
 on the two side-posts and lintel (Exod. xii.). These 
 sacred associations impart to this feast, beyond all 
 others, a charm as well as a significance to those who 
 feel themselves to be the only people of God worthy to 
 celebrate it. 
 
 The time of its celebration is the fifteenth day of 
 the month Nisan, in the evening of the day, i. e. 
 according to their mode of calculating. But should 
 that day happen to bo a Sabbath, the feast is held on 
 the previous day. 
 
 The place where it should be kept is Mount Gerizim. 
 To keep it there they hold to be of great importance, 
 partly because the first sacrifice of the redeemed 
 people was intended to be made in the wilderness
 
 Ch. YL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. . 249 
 
 (Exocl. iii. 18) ; but especially to conform with the com- 
 mand, " Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within 
 any of thy gates, which the Lokd thy God giveth thee : 
 but at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to 
 place his name in " (Deut. xvi. 5, 6), which they believe 
 to be Mount Gerizim. This they were prevented from 
 doing by the Mohammedans for about forty years, having 
 to celebrate it in their own quarter in the city ; but 
 now for twenty years or more their right of going up 
 to the top of the mountain has been restored to them, 
 chiefly, I believe, through the influence of Mr. Finn, 
 the English consul at Jerusalem. 
 
 On the tenth day of the month the sacrificial lambs 
 are bought. These may be either kids of goats or 
 lambs ; the latter being generally, if not at all times, 
 chosen. They must be a year old, males, and " with- 
 out blemish." The number must be according to the 
 number of persons who are likely to be able to keep 
 the feast. At present they are five or six, as the case 
 may be. During the following days, which are days of 
 preparation, these are carefully kept, and cleanly washed 
 — a kind of purification to fit them for the paschal 
 service ; a rite, in all probability, always observed in 
 connection with the temple service (John v. 1). 
 
 Early on the morning of the fourteenth day, the 
 whole community, with few exceptions, close their 
 dwellings in the city, and clamber up Mount Gerizim ; 
 and on the top of this their most sacred mountain, 
 pitch their tents in a circular form, there to celebrate 
 the most national of all their solemnities.
 
 250 . NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 During my stay at Nablus in the beginning of 1860, 
 I was invited by Amram to spend the days of the 
 coming feast with him in his own tent, which I was 
 partly able to accept. After I had witnessed the 
 Christian ceremonies during the Easter week in 
 Jerusalem, I returned to Nablus in time to witness the 
 Samaritan Passover, and I cannot do better (to explain 
 the whole feast) than relate simply and briefly what I 
 then saw ; merely premising that the fifteenth of the 
 month happened to fall that year on Saturday, the 
 Samaritan Sabbath ; consequently, the Passover had to 
 be held on the pre\'ious day (Friday, May 4), which 
 caused the proceedings to be gone through at an 
 earlier hour than usual, so that the celebration might 
 be finished before the Sabbath came in. 
 
 I and the friends who had joined me at Jerusalem, 
 had pitched our tent in the valley, at the foot of 
 Gerizim ; and on the morning of the 4th of May we 
 clambered up the mountain. On reaching the encamp- 
 ment friendly voices greeted us from several tents, and 
 having visited those best known to us, we rested for 
 awhile with our friend Amram. Presently we took a 
 stroll up to the temple ruins, and from thence had a 
 perfect view of the interesting scene. 
 
 I had arranged with the Rev. W. M. Jones, of 
 America, then at Jerusalem, to come with his photo- 
 graphic apparatus, and take a photograph of the scene, 
 but he was unfortunately prevented. The tents, ten in 
 number, Avere arranged in a kind of circle, to face the 
 highest point of the mountain, where their ancient
 
 Ch. YL] 
 
 THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 251 
 
 temple stood, but now lying in ruins. Within a radius 
 of a few hundred yards from the place where I stood, 
 clustered all the spots which make Gerizim to them the 
 
 
 
 2 55 "^^ 
 
 s 
 
 1 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 «» 
 
 
 
 SL 
 
 ;^ 
 
 IV 
 
 ' a >■ 
 
 I. Temple riiius, page IS. 
 II. Holy rock, page 21. 
 
 III. Joshua stones, page 23. 
 
 IV. Place of the Passover. 
 
 1. Place where the lambs are eaten, 
 
 2. Hole where the water is boiled. 
 
 3. Oven where the lambs are roasted. 
 
 4. Place where the tents are pitched. 
 
 most sacred mountain, the house of God. Under my 
 feet was the ruined wall of their famous temple ; a 
 little on my left, to the south, were the seven steps of 
 Adam out of Paradise ; still a little farther southward, 
 was the place of the offering of Isaac ; close by it.
 
 252 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 westward, was the rock of the Holy Place ; and just hy 
 the wall upon which I stood, north-westward, were 
 the celebrated Joshua stones. A few hundred yards 
 westward was their encampment, in front of which 
 stood the platform for the celebration of their Holy 
 Feast, and which many ages of solemnization has 
 rendered to them most sacred. 
 
 About half-past ten, the officials went forth to kindle 
 the fire to roast the lambs. For this purpose, a cir- 
 cular pit is sunk in the earth, about six feet deep and 
 three feet in diameter, and built around with loose 
 stones. In this a fire, made of dry heather, and 
 briars, &c., was kindled, during which time Yacub 
 stood upon a large stone, and offered up a prayer suited 
 for the occasion. Another fire was then kindled in a 
 kind of sunken trough, close by the platform where the 
 service was to be performed. Over this, two caldrons 
 full of water were placed, and a short prayer offered. 
 
 Returning to Amram's tent for a short time to regale 
 ourselves with lemonade, about half an hour before 
 midday the whole male population assembled to com- 
 mence the regular service. There were forty-eight 
 adults, besides women and children ; the women and 
 the little ones remaining in the tents. The con- 
 gregation were in their ordinary dress, with the ex- 
 ception of the two officers and two or three of the 
 elders, who were dressed in their white robes, as in 
 the synagogue. A carpet was laid on the ground near 
 the boiling caldrons, where Yacub stood to read the ser- 
 vice, assisted by some of the elders — all turning their
 
 Ch. VI.] 
 
 THE MODERN SAAIARITANS. 
 
 253 
 
 faces towards the site of the temple. Six himbs now 
 made their appearance, in the custody of iive young 
 men who drove them. These young men were dressed 
 in blue robes * of unbleached calico, having their loins 
 girded. Yacub, whilst repeating the service, stood on 
 a large stone in front of the people, with his face 
 towards them. This part of the service was chanted, 
 it being a repetition of the words on the fifth and sixth 
 of the key, after their peculiar intonation : — 
 
 !^ 
 
 N^B^E£ 
 
 ±=b: 
 
 l= E B 
 
 -^— ■ 
 
 At midday, the service had reached the place where 
 the account of the paschal sacrifice is introduced : 
 " And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel 
 shall kill it in the evening " (Exod. xii. 6) ; when, in 
 an instant, one of the lambs was thrown on its back by 
 the blue-clad young men, and the skochet, one of their 
 number, with his flashing knife, did the murderous 
 work with rapidity. I stood close by on purpose to see 
 whether he would conform to the rabbinical rules ; but 
 the work was done so quicldy that I could observe 
 nothing more than that he made two cuts. The other 
 lambs were despatched in the same manner. Whilst 
 the six were thus Ijdng together, with their blood 
 
 •When Dr. Stanley \\'itnessecl ivhite rohes. — App. to " Sermons in 
 the ceremony in 1862 tliey had the East," p. 176.
 
 254 NABLTJS AND [Part II. 
 
 streaming from them, and in their last convulsive 
 struggles, the young shochetim dipped their fingers 
 in the blood, and marked a spot on the foreheads 
 and noses of the children. The same was done to 
 some of the females ; hut to none of the male adults. 
 The whole male congregation now came up close to 
 the reader ; they embraced and Idssed one another, in 
 congratulation that the lambs of their redemption had 
 been slain. 
 
 Next came the fleecing of the lambs — the service still 
 continuing. The young men now carefully poured the 
 boiling water over them, and plucked off their fleeces. 
 Each lamb was then lifted up, with its head downwards, 
 to drain off the remaining blood. The right fore-legs, 
 which belonged to the priest, were removed, and placed 
 on the wood, already laid for the purpose, together with 
 the entrails, and salt added, and then burnt ; but the 
 liver was carefully replaced. The inside being sprinlded 
 with salt, and the hamstrings carefully removed, the 
 next process was that of spitting. For this purpose, 
 they had a long pole, which was thrust through from 
 head to tail, near the bottom of which was a trans- 
 verse peg, to prevent the body from'"' slipping off.* 
 
 The lambs were now carried to the oven, which 
 
 * It is curious to observe that were attached. — Dial, cum Tryj)h. 
 Ju.stin Martyi-, a native of Nablus, c. 40. He undoubtedly had wit- 
 in the second century, says, that nessed the ceremony, and relates 
 they then roasted the lambs on a what he had seen. In modem 
 spit in the form of a cross — one times, however, the fore feet are not 
 spit thrust, as above nan-ated, from thus attached ; and the spit has 
 head to tail, and another through lost that peculiar resemblance to a 
 the breast, to wliich the fore feet cross which it then had. It is
 
 Cn. YL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 255 
 
 was by this time well heated. Into this they were 
 carefully lowered, so that the sacrifices might not be 
 defiled by coming into contact with the oven itself. 
 This accomplished, a hurdle, prepared for the purpose, 
 was placed over the mouth of the oven, well covered 
 with moistened earth, to prevent any of the heat escap- 
 ing. By this time, it was about two o'clock, and this 
 part of the service was ended. 
 
 At sunset, the service was recommenced. All the 
 male population, with the lads, assembled around the 
 oven. A large copper dish, filled with unleavened 
 cakes and bitter herbs rolled up together, was held 
 by Phineas Ben Isaac, nephew of the priest ; when, 
 presently, all being assembled, he distributed them 
 among the congi-egation.* The hurdle was then re- 
 moved, and the lambs drawn up one by one ; but, 
 unfortunately, one fell off the spit, and was taken up 
 with difficulty. Their appearance was anything but 
 inviting, they being burnt as black as ebony. Carpets 
 were spread ready to receive them ; they were then 
 removed to the platform where the service was read. 
 Being strewn over with bitter herbs, the congregation 
 stood in two files, the lambs being in a line between 
 them. Most of the adults had now a kind of rope 
 
 nevertlieless a fair representation it on an iron spit, or on a grid- 
 
 of what the ancient custom was iron, was unlaNvful (Pesachim, vii. 
 
 amongst the Jews as well as Sama- 1, 2). 
 
 ritans ; for, in the Mishnah, we are * " With unleavened bread and 
 
 told — 1. That the spit was to be bitter herbs shall they eat it " 
 
 made of the wood of the pome- (Exod. xii, 8). 
 
 granate-tree ; and 2, that to roast
 
 256 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 around the waist, and staves in their hands, and all had 
 their shoes on. " Tljus shall ye eat it ; with your loins 
 girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your 
 hand" (Exod. xii. 11). The service was now performed 
 by Amram, which continued for about fifteen minutes ; 
 and when he had repeated the blessing, the congre- 
 gation at once stooped,* and, as if in haste and hunger, 
 tore away the blackened masses piecemeal with their 
 fingers, carrying portions to the females and little 
 ones in the tents. In less than ten minutes the 
 whole, with the exception of a few fragments, had 
 disappeared. These were gathered and placed on the 
 hurdle, and the area carefully examined, every crumb 
 picked up, together with the bones, and all burnt over 
 a fire Idndled for the purpose in a trough, where the 
 water had been boiled. " And ye shall let nothing of 
 it remain until the morning ; and that which re- 
 maineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with 
 fire" (Exod. xii. 10). Whilst the flames were blazing 
 and consuming the remnant of the paschal lambs, the 
 people returned cheerfully to their tents. 
 
 Those of the community who, from illness or from 
 any other cause (as females in their months), are un- 
 able to observe the Passover in its proper season, may 
 do so on the same day of the following month, that is, 
 in the month lyar.f The second Passover is not now 
 celebrated on Mount Gerizim. 
 
 * When Dr. Stanley witnessed the ancient Jews. — Mishnah (Pesa- 
 the ceremony, they all sat to eat. chim, vii. 6). 
 
 t The same rule was observed by
 
 Ch. YL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 257 
 
 Connected with the Passover, and second to it only 
 in importance, is their Moed Aplisa, or the Feast of 
 Unleavened Bread. These, strictly speaking, are two 
 distinct solemnities — the Passover commemorating the 
 protection granted to them when the firstborn of the 
 Eg}'ptians were slain ; and the Unleavened Bread 
 commemorating the beginning of their march out of 
 Eg'j'pt. But being so intimately connected in time 
 and circumstances, both are generally looked upon as 
 one feast — the Feast of the Passover. 
 
 On the eve of the thirteenth day of the month, each 
 family has to remove all leavened bread out of its 
 dwelling, and the most careful search is made, so that 
 the smallest fragment may not remain. Consequently, 
 by the evening of the fourteenth day leavened bread 
 and fermented drink are laid aside, and unleavened 
 bread only must be used during the seven following 
 days. " On the fourteenth day of the month at even, 
 ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and 
 twentieth day of the month at even. Seven days shall 
 there be no leaven found in your houses : ibr who- 
 soever cateth that which is leavened, even that soul 
 shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether 
 he be a stranger, or born in the land. Ye shall eat 
 nothing leavened ; in all j^our habitations shall ye eat 
 unleavened bread" (Exod. xii. 18—20). 
 
 The bread used for the feast they call masat, the 
 Samaritan pronunciation of the Hebrew matsuth ; and 
 this bread is exactly the same as the Jewish matsoth, 
 except that it is a little larger. I must therefore 
 
 s
 
 258 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 refer the reader for a full account of it to my " British 
 Jews." The Samaritans, like the strict Jews, hang up 
 some of the cakes in their houses till the next Passover. 
 They act, we were told, as a charm, warding off evils, 
 and drawing many hlessings upon the family. 
 
 The first and last days of the feast are kept holy, 
 when no work is done nor any business transacted. 
 "And in the first day there shall be an holy convoca- 
 tion, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy 
 convocation to you ; no manner of work shall be done in 
 them, save that which every man must eat, that only 
 may be done of you " (Exod. xii. 16). The seventh day, 
 however, is the greater of the two. Early in the morn- 
 ing of that day, they form themselves into a procession 
 and clamber up Mount Gerizim, in honour of the 
 Almighty. Having reached the sacred spot, the priest 
 then recites the service for the day, which consists of 
 lengthy portions of the law, interspersed with prayers 
 and songs. Much importance is attached to the re- 
 cital of the blessing of Jacob to his son Joseph. " The 
 blessings of thy father have prevailed above the bless- 
 ings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the 
 everlasting hills : they shall be on the head of Joseph, 
 and on the crown of the head of him that was separate 
 from his brethren " (Gen. xlix. 2G). These everlasting 
 hills, of course, are Mount Gerizim with its heights ; 
 and they, being the children of Joseph, receive from the 
 mouth of the priest the assurance of the rich blessings. 
 
 On the third day of the month lyar, a feast is held 
 to commemorate the giving of the law on Mount
 
 Ch.VI.] the modern SAMARITANS. 259 
 
 Sinai. It is considered, however, an inferior celebration, 
 and not of divine institution, and it demands no further 
 notice here. 
 
 On the sixth day of the month Sivan, they keep the 
 feast Hliamsin, or Pentecost, which means " the fiftieth." 
 It is thus called because it falls upon the fiftieth day 
 after the morrow of the Sabbath of the Unleavened 
 Bread. And here we must observe that the Samaritans 
 differ from the Jews in calculating these days. The 
 latter begin to number them from the second day of the 
 Unleavened Bread, on whatever day of the week it may 
 happen ; but the Samaritans commence on the morrow 
 of the Sabbath which falls Tvithin the days of that feast, 
 and quote, as their authority, the words of the law, " Ye 
 shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, 
 from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave 
 offering ; seven sabbaths shall be complete : even unto 
 the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number 
 fifty days" (Lev. xxiii. 15, 16). 
 
 The day is kept with a view to the harvest — a day to 
 " rejoice before the Lord their God," on account of 
 the bounties of his providence, and the liberty to enjoy 
 them in their own promised land. It is therefore en- 
 joined upon the whole community, " Thou, and thy son, 
 and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maid- 
 servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the 
 stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are 
 among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath 
 chosen to place his name there " (Deut. x\4. 11). This 
 place, in Samaritan estimation, is Mount Gerizim. 
 
 s 2
 
 260 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 The day is kept as a holy convocation, when no 
 manner of work is done. During the day they proceed 
 up Gerizim in procession, " in honour of God," where 
 the priest repeats the service for the day, which is, as 
 usual, a lengthy one, and contains all the references 
 made in the law to the harvest, as well as prayers and 
 songs. Much prominence is given in this service to the 
 reading of the decalogue, when candles are lighted and 
 held near the priest during the reading. 
 
 The seventh month, Tishri, is with the Samaritans, 
 as with the Jews, the commencement of the civil year. 
 The first day of the month they keep as a feast, as 
 commanded : "In the seventh month, in the first day of 
 the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blow- 
 ing of trumpets, an holy convocation" (Lev. xxiii. 24). 
 With them, however, the sound of the trumpet {sho- 
 'pliar) is not heard in the synagogue as with the Jews, 
 but the day has a peculiar reference to that month which 
 is called " the Month of Expiation." It is a day of re- 
 pose in which no servile work is done. They all attend 
 synagogue, as on Sabbath, to join in a scr\dce prepared 
 for the day, and which lasts for about six hours. 
 
 On the tenth day of this month is celebrated the great 
 day of atonement, as commanded in the law : "On 
 the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day 
 of atonement : it shall be an holy convocation unto 
 you ; and ye shall afilict your souls, and offer an offer- 
 ing made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no 
 work in that same day : for it is a day of atonement, 
 to make an atonement for you before the Lord your
 
 Ch.VI.] the modern SAMARITANS. 261 
 
 God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be 
 afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from 
 among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that 
 doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I 
 destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no man- 
 ner of work : it shall be a statute for ever throughout 
 your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be 
 unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your 
 souls : in the ninth day of the month at even, from even 
 unto even, shall ye rest" (Lev. xxiii. 27—32, marg.). 
 
 In a strictly religious point of view, this is the most 
 important day in the Samaritan calendar. But here 
 let it be understood that they offer no sacrifice of any 
 kind, either in public or in private, except prayer. So 
 I was assured by Amram. 
 
 On the ninth day, just two hours before sunset, all 
 the community, both male and female, purify them- 
 selves by the free application of clean running water ; 
 after which they partake of the last meal before the 
 great fast. This must be finished at least half an hour 
 before sunset. Having finished the meal, the most 
 rigid fast is observed until half an hour after sunset on 
 the following day ; making altogether, a fast of twenty- 
 five hours. During this time, neither man, nor woman, 
 nor child — not even the sick or suclding — is permitted 
 to taste either a bit of bread or a drop of water. No in- 
 dulgence, however trifling it may be, is thought of; but 
 the whole fast is observed with such rigour that even 
 medicine would on no account be administered. The 
 day is therefore looked to with no little anxiety.
 
 262 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 About half an hour before sunset they assemble at 
 the synagogue, when the service for the day commences, 
 and is kept up uninterruptedly, in solemn darkness, all 
 night. This service consists of the reading of the Pen- 
 tateuch, together with prayers and supplications adapted 
 for the occasion. These are repeated by the priest 
 Amram and his nephew alternately, and occasionally by 
 one of the congregation. And here we may observe 
 that these two officers are so well versed in their ritual 
 that they are able to repeat any portion or the whole 
 of the law, as well as their other service books, with 
 the greatest ease and readiness, and are never at a loss 
 for the right word. The greater portion of the service 
 is simply read, but many parts are sung to their ancient 
 airs. 
 
 The following morning they form themselves in a 
 procession, and visit the tombs of some of their pro- 
 phets — as hereafter described — where they repeat a part 
 of the service. On their return about noon, the service 
 is resumed in the synagogue as before. 
 
 As the service draws to a close, the great ceremony 
 of the day takes place — the exhibition of the law : the 
 ancient roll believed by them to be written by Abishua, 
 the great-grandson of Aaron. Just as the Jew feels 
 the greatest anxiety to hear the blowing of the sliophar, 
 so does the Samaritan to witness this greatly revered 
 copy of the law. The two officers withdraw from the 
 congregation behind the veil, and, having dressed 
 themselves in green robes, they bring out the ancient 
 copy, with another second to it in point of veneration.
 
 Ch.VL] 
 
 THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 263 
 
 These they place on a high stand in front of the mns- 
 bah ; and, after repeating certain passages of the 
 law, &c., referring to the Torah, the officers withdraw 
 again, and dress themselves in their usual holy garments 
 — white flowing gowns. They now reappear in the 
 character of priests, with their heads and bodies enve- 
 loped in white. The two rolls are then uncovered and 
 taken out of their cases, w^hen the priests, turning 
 their backs to the congregation and their faces to the 
 mushah, lift up the rolls over their heads, so that the 
 congregation may have a fair sight of them ; and 
 deliver the Aaronic blessings contained in the column 
 of the scroll exposed to view. All are now anxious to 
 kiss or touch the sacred roll,* such an opportunity only 
 occurring once a year. 
 
 • Mr. Grove was fortunate 
 enough to witness tlie observance 
 of this solemn day, and has given a 
 most interesting account of the 
 proceedings, to which I refer the 
 reader. I cannot forbear, however, 
 from quoting the following : — 
 "When at length the two great 
 songs, with which Deuteronomy 
 concludes, had been reached, there 
 was a general stir, and a movement 
 towards the front of the sanctuary. 
 The priests came forth from behind 
 the red veil, clad in dresses of very 
 light green satin down to the feet, 
 and the recitations proceeded with 
 greater clamour and impetuosity 
 than ever. Then the two great rolls, 
 which, according to the Samari- 
 tans themselves, have stood to them 
 in place of the ancient gloi'ies of 
 
 their temple since its destruction, 
 and have certainly been the desire 
 and the despair of European 
 scholars since Scaliger's time, wei-e 
 brought forth enveloped in cover- 
 ings of light blue velvet, and placed 
 on the sloping stand in the centre 
 of the recess. At last the law was 
 ended amidst a perfect tumult, by 
 the reiteration of one syllable — ak 
 or lah — at least thirty times. Then 
 the two priests again emerged from 
 behind the curtain, this time with 
 a white cloth or shawl covering the 
 head, and reaching nearly to the 
 knees ; they put off the velvet 
 coverings and exposed the cases of 
 the rolls to view. That to the 
 right was bright silver, and 
 evidently of modern make ; the 
 other puzzled me more. It was too
 
 264 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 The sacred treasures being replaced, the service con- 
 
 distant for me to see any of its 
 details, but the whole effect struck 
 me as that of Veneto-oriental work, 
 of the time of those fine silver and 
 silver-gilt articles which have been 
 lately reproduced by Elkington. 
 The sequel will show what it really 
 is. This was the signal for prostra- 
 tions, fresh prayers, and fresh re- 
 sponses, which lasted at least a 
 quarter of an hour. And now came 
 the great event of the day — nay, of 
 the year. The priests opened the 
 cases so as to expose their contents 
 to view ; and then, with their backs 
 to the congregation and their faces 
 towards the Holy Place on Gerizim, 
 held them up over their heads, with 
 the sacred parchments full in view 
 of the whole synagogue. Every one 
 prostrated himself, and that not 
 once, but repeatedly, and for a 
 length of time. Then the devout 
 pressed forward to kiss, to stroke 
 fondly, to touch, or if none of 
 these were possible, to gaze on the 
 precious treasures. Several children 
 were allowed to kiss. It was past 
 five ; and now commenced, if 
 indeed they can ever be said to have 
 ceased, a succession of prayers and 
 catechisms between priest and con- 
 gregation ; he intoning, and they 
 vociferating after him, with him, 
 before him, apparently in the wild- 
 est confusion. His chant had a 
 strong resemblance to the ordinary 
 plain song in the Roman Church, 
 and was tunable enough, with the 
 exception of a sort of jerk or 
 hiccup which occasionally occurred, 
 
 and which threw an individual 
 and quite a savage character into 
 it. Their part I can compare to 
 nothing but the psalms for the day 
 as performed at St. George's-in-the 
 East during the riots, when a 
 majority said and a minority sang 
 them ; and even that wanted the 
 force and energy which here lent 
 such a di-eadful life to the discord. 
 These responses — which, I was after- 
 wards told, were avowals of their 
 belief in Jehovah and in Moses — 
 were accompanied by constant 
 sudden prostrations, the effect of 
 which was most remarkable, and 
 by frequently rubbing down the 
 whole face and beard with the right 
 hand, a gesture which I had not 
 noticed tiU now. At intervals 
 during this time, the kissing and 
 stroking the rolls, as they lay in 
 state on the sloping stand, was 
 going to an extent which must 
 seriously injure them, and would be 
 fatal if it happened oftener. The 
 one in the old case was the 
 favourite. Had I not been present 
 this day, I doubt if, even with 
 Jacob's influence, I should have seen 
 it ; for it is brought out with great 
 reluctance, and all kinds of subter- 
 fuges are resorted to, to avoid show- 
 ing it to travellers. One little 
 episode of this part of the iiroceed- 
 ings struck me. There was a youth, 
 whom I caught sight of, timidly 
 hovering behind the bolder spirits, 
 who pressed round the rolls, as if 
 anxious yet afraid to come for- 
 ward —
 
 Cii.VI.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 2G5 
 
 tinues till a little after sunset, when the anxious and 
 tedious duties of Kihhiirim* are finished. 
 
 We need only add here, that in addition to the pos- 
 tures they assume in their usual ser\dce, as exjilained 
 elsewhere, they occasionally lean on a kind of crutches, 
 for the sake of resting themselves. The Oriental Chris- 
 tians do the same. 
 
 On the fifteenth day of the same month, they begin 
 the Feast of Secut (the Hebrew Sukkoth), or Taber- 
 nacles, as commanded in the law : *' The fifteenth day 
 of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for 
 seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be an 
 holy convocation : ye shall do no servile work therein. 
 Seven days ye shall ofi"er an offering made by fire unto 
 the Lord : on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation 
 unto you ; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto 
 the Lord : it is a solemn assembly, and ye shall do no 
 servile work therein " (Lev. xxiii. 34-36). And again ; 
 " Ye shall dwell in booths seven days, all that are 
 Israelites born shall dwell in booths : that your genera- 
 tions may know that I made the children of Israel to 
 
 ' Still pressing, longing to be right, have a worthier object for its 
 
 Yet fearing to be wrong.' exercise. It was a pretty little 
 
 "Poor fellow ! after all, he missed incident, and was one of the few 
 
 his opportunity, and only succeeded touches of human feeling, which 
 
 in summoning his courage when the softened the harshness of tliis most 
 
 roll was shut, and it was too late to singular service." — " Vacation 
 
 do more than touch the silver case. Tourists," 1861, p. 349. 
 
 I pitied him from my heart, and * The pronimciation given by the 
 
 longed that such modest Christian Samaritans, 
 diffidence in sacred things, might
 
 266 NABLITS AND [Part II. 
 
 dwell in booths, Tvlien I brought them out of the land of 
 Egypt : I am the Lord your God " (Lev. xxiii. 42, 43). 
 
 On the eleventh day, the morrow of the day of atone- 
 ment, they begin to erect the booths, which must be 
 ready by the morning of the fourteenth day. They 
 must be erected also in the open air, for which purpose 
 their courts are selected. I did not learn in what man- 
 ner they construct them, nor in what manner they use 
 the four kinds of branches : *' And ye shall take you 
 on the first day the fruit of the tree hadar, and branches 
 of palm-trees, and a bough of the tree aboth, and wil- 
 lows of the brook : and ye shall rejoice before the Eter- 
 nal your God seven days " (Lev. xxiii. 40).* 
 
 On each of these seven days service is held in the 
 synagogue morning and evening ; and in course of the 
 day, they go up in procession to Mount Gerizim, " in 
 honour of the Eternal." No servile work is done 
 during these days, nor any business transacted. The 
 eighth day is kept strictly as a day of rest' — a peculiarly 
 sacred day, when they go to synagogue, and the service- 
 book, adapted for the feast, is repeated by the priest. 
 
 In the month of Shabat they hold the Feast of Purim. 
 Among the Jews this feast is held in the month Adar, 
 on the fourteenth day of the month, to commemorate 
 the wonderful deliverance of her nation effected by 
 Queen Esther, as recorded in the ninth chapter of her 
 book — the word "Purim" signif;ying "portion" or 
 "lots." 
 
 * Dr. Beniscli's translation.
 
 Ch. VI.J THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 267 
 
 But the Samaritans hold it in the previous month, 
 on the three last sahhaths in the month, to commemo- 
 rate, not the deliverance of the Jews by Esther, but the 
 mission of Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Eg}^t. 
 They have a particular service for the day, which lasts 
 for about six hours, comprising the history of the event 
 as recorded in the law, with prayers, and blessings, and 
 songs interspersed. The object of the feast is to bear 
 a lively record and remembrance of Moses' gracious 
 mission, and the circumstances connected therewith. 
 There is no authority in the law, as the priest observed, 
 for holding this feast. 
 
 In reply to my objections to the name of the feast, 
 Amram would have it that the signification of " Purim " 
 was not "lots " nor "portions," but " rejoicings."
 
 268 NABLUS AND [Part 11. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 MOUNT GERIZIM AND THE HOLY PLACES. 
 
 ^HE religious rites of Palestine, whether performed 
 -*- in honour of the true God or that of idols, were 
 celebrated, from the earliest ages, on the tops of the 
 highest mountains. Unlike the grotto mysteries of 
 Greece and Rome, whose priests shrouded themselves 
 in thick darkness, the old worshippers in Palestine 
 bent their Imees, and offered up their sacrifices " in 
 the face of the sun and the eye of day." This fact 
 was so universally known, and its influence so deeply 
 felt, that the great lawgiver in Israel thought it his 
 duty to forewarn the conquerors of its influence, and for 
 their future guidance enacted, " Ye shall utterly destroy 
 all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall 
 possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, 
 and upon the hills, and under every green tree : and 
 ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, 
 and burn their groves with fire ; and ye shall hew down 
 the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names 
 of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto 
 the Lord your God. But unto the place which the 
 Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to
 
 Ch.VII.] the modern SAMARITANS. 269 
 
 put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye 
 seek, and thither thou shalt come" (Deut. xii. 2-5). 
 And up to the period when Jerusalem was chosen, and 
 a house of God had been erected there, the people 
 sacrificed *' in high places " (1 Kings iii. 2). And even 
 then, when sacrifice had become established at the 
 Temple and forbidden elsewhere, we find, after many 
 ages, the high places were not forsaken : " Howbeit the 
 high places were not taken away : as yet the people 
 did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places " 
 (2 Kings xiv. 4). So deeply, indeed, was the high- 
 place worship impressed upon the religious feeling of the 
 people, that it proved a snare to them through all their 
 subsequent history. On the other hand, the inferiority 
 of the Temple mount in regard to elevation could hardly 
 fail to detract, in the mind of the mass of the people, 
 from the importance of the Temple worship. How 
 humble it appeared when compared with many in 
 Palestine itself, and how insignificant when compared 
 with the heights of Bashan ! Hence the Psalmist's 
 triumph — in spite of its inferiority, God had chosen 
 it for his residence, and his Temple palace gave it 
 dignity :— 
 
 " The mountain of God is tlie mountain, Bashan ! 
 The mountain of heights, mountain of Bashan ! " 
 
 " Wherefore, ye mountains of heights, do ye regard with 
 envy the mountain which God desireth to dwell in, yea, 
 wherein Jehovah will dwell for ever ? " (Ps. Ixviii, 
 15, 16.) 
 It is these early and deep sympathies that have
 
 270 NABLUS AND ' [Part II. 
 
 rendered Mount Gerizim so sacred to the children of 
 Ephraim ever since the first conquest. Long before 
 the woman of Samaria said to our Saviour, " Our 
 fathers worshipped in this mountain," it had become 
 to them the most holy place. In the same spirit have 
 the Samaritans regarded it through all ages, and so 
 even to this day. To them it is the great and only 
 kihla of the world. Just as the Jew in all parts of 
 the world turns his face in prayer towards the Temple 
 mount in Jerusalem, so does the Samaritan to Gerizim, 
 his temple mount. Nothing, perhaps, can give a better 
 idea of the extravagant estimation in which the Sama- 
 ritans hold the sacred hill than the various names by 
 which they call it, and the notions upon which these 
 names are founded. These are thirteen in number. I 
 shall give them just as Amram gave them to me, with 
 this difference only, that I have given them in the 
 common letters, and not in the Samaritan, but have re- 
 tained Amram' s orthography. 
 
 Bitel {bi^ . no), the house of God. — "And he called 
 the name of that place Beth-el " (Gen. xxviii. 19).* 
 Amram interpreted it also strong-house. 
 
 Bitelwem [WPhl^ ■ D'^2), house of Jehovah. — " But 
 unto the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out 
 of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his 
 habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come " 
 (Deut. xii. 5). 
 
 Ar t Akkcdcm (DlpH . ")n), the old mountain. — " And 
 
 * According to Siunaritan tratli- f ^ ?• is the Samaritan pronuncia- 
 
 tion, Bethel stood on Mount Gerizim. tion of liar, mountain.
 
 Cir. VII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 271 
 
 their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto 
 Sephar a mount of the east " (Gen. x. 30). Here 
 Amram rendered Har Hakkedem, not " a mountain of 
 the east," but " the old mountain," meaning Gerizim. 
 Of the geography of the passage he knew or cared but 
 little. 
 
 Ai- Garizim (DTIH • in), commandments. — " And it 
 shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath 
 brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to 
 possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount 
 Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal " (Deut. 
 xi. 29). 
 
 Here it will be seen that, according to the Samaritan 
 interpretation, Gerizim signifies " commandments." 
 
 Ar Anala (n'^TOn . in), my mountain, i.e. God's 
 mountain. — " Thou shalt bring them in, and plant 
 them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, 
 Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in 
 the Sanctuary, Lord, which thy hands have esta- 
 blished " (Exod. XV. 17). 
 
 Gabat Olam (D^iy • D^lJl), mountain of the world, 
 i. e. the highest and principal mountain in Palestine ; 
 therefore, to them, the principal in the world. — " The 
 blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings 
 of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the ever- 
 lasting hills " (Gen. xlix, 26) ; rendering iigolam 
 " world," and not " everlasting." 
 
 Lnza (n'7), Luz. — " But the name of that city was 
 called Luz at the first" (Gen. xxviii. 19). We have
 
 272 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 already seen that, according to the Samaritan tradition, 
 Luz or Bethel stood on Mount Gerizim. 
 
 Elwem Yerch {n^y.UThi^), Jehovah will see.* — 
 " And Ahraham called the name of that place Jehovah- 
 jireh, the Lord will see " (Gen. xxii. 14, marg.). 
 
 Makdas (tt^lpD), sanctuary. — •" The Sanctuary, 
 Lord, which thy hands have established " (Exod. xv. 17). 
 
 Ad Atrm (D""")!!!! . ITIH.), the one mountain, i. c. the 
 principal or most important mountain. — *' And offer 
 him there for a burnt offering upon one of the moun- 
 tains which I will tell thee of" (Gen. xxii. 2) ; rendering 
 achad hcharim, not " one of the mountains," but " the 
 one mountain." 
 
 Amakom umeher ("iniQIl • DlpDH), the chosen place. 
 — " But at the place which the Lord thy God shall 
 choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice 
 the passover " (Deut. xvi. 6). 
 
 At Ashekinah {TlT^^il • "IH), mountain of the 
 j)resence. — " For ye are not as yet come to the rest 
 and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth 
 you " (Deut. xii. 9). It is curious to observe how 
 Amram here substitutes for Mcnucliah the Chaldee She- 
 chinah, the very word used in the Jewish Targumim 
 for the divine presence in the tabernacle. /- 
 
 Ar Amanuah (m^Dn.in), mountain of gitt. — " For 
 
 * Here it will be observed that the pronunciation they give to the 
 Amram refrained from writing the most sacred name. But, as else- 
 original word Jehovah, liut substi- where observed, they frequently use 
 tuted Elohim instead, according to the oi'iginal word.
 
 Ch. VII.] THE MODERN SAMA.IIITANS. 273 
 
 ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inhe- 
 ritance which the Lord your God giveth you " (Deut. 
 xii. 9). 
 
 Such is the list of names by which these people call 
 their favoured mountain, of hallowed associations ; and 
 however wrongly applied any of them may be, they 
 serve to show with what spirit of veneration the Sama- 
 ritans still regard their sacred Gerizim. Seldom do 
 they name or write the word mthout adding, *' the 
 house of God." It was in the same spirit the woman 
 of Samaria expressed herself with such an air of pride 
 to our Saviour: "Our fathers worshipped in this 
 mountain " (John iv. 20). 
 
 In addition to the sacred mountain, Samaritanism, 
 like the other religions of Palestine, has also its holy 
 places. These are the tombs of the prophets, i. e. the 
 prophets of the first period. They comprise those of 
 Joseph, Eleazer, Ithamar, Phineas, Joshua, Caleb, to- 
 gether with the seventy elders, as well as Eldad and 
 Medad. They are all, according to Samaritan tradition, 
 buried in the neighbourhood of Shechem ; and their 
 reputed tombs are esteemed as holy spots. The most 
 beloved, of course, is that of Joseph Ben Phorat, as 
 they call him ; * which they frequently visit, where they 
 read portions of the law and repeat prayers. They also, 
 on certain occasions, \dsit the other tombs, especially 
 
 * Thus is he designated in the the authorized version, "fruitful 
 benedictions of his father Jacob hough." 
 (Gen. xlix. 22), rendered, in 
 
 T
 
 274 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 those of Pliineas and Eleazer, for the purpose of per- 
 forming their devotions. According to Amram's state- 
 ment, these spots are thus visited merely to do honour 
 to the memory of their great and good dead ; and for 
 no other purpose whatsoever. I had no opportunity of 
 witnessing any of these pilgrimages, so that I might 
 judge for myself. Amram may he right. But I had 
 visited, with few exceptions, all the sacred Jewish 
 tombs, and had made myself acquainted with the 
 worship performed there ; and I have my misgivings 
 that the Samaritan tomb service, on most occasions, is 
 not much better.
 
 Ch. YIIL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 275 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SOCIAL CONDITION. 
 
 TTTE have already seen that the natives of Nahlu s are 
 
 * ^ the most fanatic and wicked of all the Mussulmans 
 of Palestine ; and the local government, instead of exer- 
 cising an ameliorating influence over its people, has, 
 for ages past, only made bad worse. The immoral 
 state of things, both in high and low places, together 
 with the constant conflicts between parties that have dis- 
 turbed the town and neighbourhood for ages, have inured 
 both the people and their officers to deeds of rapine and 
 violence. 
 
 To understand the political state of the people we 
 must bear in mind that Djebel Nablus — comprising the 
 town and the surrounding towTis and villages — has a 
 local government of its own, subject to the Porte. The 
 governor, till lately, has always been an Arab.* There 
 are four Arab families f who, from time to time, for 
 some generations past, have contested the governorship, 
 
 * The first foreigner — a Turk, about a year. 
 
 I believe— was appointed by the f These are the Hady, the Jerrar, 
 
 Porte in 1828, but only remained the Rayan, and the Tokan families. 
 
 T 2
 
 276 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 with varying success ; and have thus kept up a spirit 
 of rivah-y, of war, and of bloodshed among the people. 
 These families, with their partizans and dependants, 
 are very powerful. Two of these — the Jerrar and the 
 Hady — in addition to their numerical strength, live in 
 villages strongly walled and fortified. They continually 
 intrigue against each other ; and the foulest means have 
 been frequently resorted to for the purpose of deposing 
 a rival. This was generally done by bribing the high 
 ofl&cials and the pasha, accompanied with accusations, 
 true or false, against the then governor. When this 
 plan happened to fail, more unscrupulous means were 
 frequently resorted to. In this manner, Djebel Nablus 
 has been kept like a boiling pot for generations. For 
 example, between the years 1805 and 1842, no fewer 
 than thirteen changes of governors were made. Such a 
 state of things must have been most detrimental to 
 the welfare of the inhabitants. And, moreover, every 
 change being accompanied with heavy bribes, the first 
 concern of the new governor would be, of course, to 
 reimburse himself, and hasten, by every possible means, 
 the replenishment of his coffers. 
 
 No section of the population has sufi"ered more 
 severely than the Samaritans. The cause would some- 
 times be political. Members of that community have 
 frequently been in ofiice, and almost as frequently 
 accused, rightly or wrongly, of abusing their trust; 
 and then would follow a terrible retaliation, not only 
 upon the alleged offenders, but also frequently upon the 
 whole community. But, in addition to these outrages,
 
 Ch. VIII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 277 
 
 the Samaritans have frequently suffered persecution on 
 account of their reHgion. The Mohammedans, ever 
 ready to fall upon unbelievers, have "UTeaked their 
 fanaticism upon the feeble and unprotected Samaritans 
 times without number. Attempts have even been made 
 from time to time to extirpate the whole community. 
 One of these happened in 1841, when they were saved 
 by a declaration of the Jewish Chief Rabbi in Jeru- 
 salem. I shall give the whole story in the words of one 
 of their own people : — 
 
 ** A little pre\ious to this, a Samaritan widow had been 
 decoyed by some influential Moslem, and embraced the 
 faith of Mohammed. She had a sou and daughter, who 
 remained with us ; but the Ulemas decreed that they 
 must follow the religion of their mother : the governor 
 Mohammed, however, would not consent to this com- 
 pulsion, and strenuously opposed them. The Ulemas, 
 enraged at an act which to them appeared in direct 
 opposition to the dictates of their religion, induced 
 Mahmoud Abdul Hady (the governor's uncle) to repair 
 to Damascus, where, by means of bribery and misrepre- 
 sentation, he obtained the governorship for himself, his 
 nephew being displaced. 
 
 " Upon the triumphant arrival of Mahmoud in 
 Nablus, the Ulemas assembled and told him that if he 
 wanted their favour he must endeavour to purify and 
 thoroughly cleanse the city from the Samaritan religion ; 
 but, first of all, must oblige the son and daughter of 
 the Samaritan widow immediately to embrace the ' reli- 
 gion of resignation ' {Deen el Islam). This he pro-
 
 278 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 mised, and sought to make the children suhmit. The 
 boy was about fourteen years old ; and after a fortnight's 
 imprisonment, with threats and frequent lashes, he 
 embraced the Mohammedan religion ; but the girl died 
 from fear of the dreadful torture to which she was about 
 to be subjected. The boy's name was Isaac, and he is 
 now known throughout Djebel Nablus under the newly 
 adopted Mohammedan name of Asaad. After the sub- 
 mission of this youth, the Ulemas assembled, and con- 
 spired to murder the whole Samaritan people, unless 
 they would embrace the Moslem faith. There happened 
 to be present a Samaritan named M'Barak, who, 
 alarmed at what he heard, and being threatened, at 
 once confessed faith in Mohammed. He was carried in 
 triumph through the city on horseback, whilst his former 
 co-religionists were being sought for. These, however, 
 had obtained information of the scheme on foot, and 
 some of them fled, whilst others concealed themselves. 
 The plea upon which the Mohammedan Ulemas acted 
 thus was, that the Samaritans had no religion at all, 
 not even believing in any one of the five inspired books, 
 which are : — 1. The Torah, or Law of Moses ; 2. The 
 Angeel, or New Testament ; 3. The Zaboor, or Psalms ; 
 4. The Anbeeyah, or Prophets ; and 5. The Koran 
 of Mohammed. A sect which acknowledges the inspi- 
 ration of any one of these five books, is legally tolerated 
 by the Mohammedans. This being known to the 
 Samaritans, they endeavoured to prove their belief in 
 the Pentateuch ; but the Mohammedans, not being 
 acquainted with the holy tongue, disbelieved them.
 
 Cn. VIIL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 279 
 
 They then applied to the Chief Rabhi of the Jews iu 
 Jerusalem (a recognized representative and head of the 
 Jewish faith), who immediately gave them a written 
 declaration, certifying ' That the Samaritan people is 
 a branch of the children of Israel, who acknowledge the 
 truth of the Torah.' This document, backed by pecu- 
 niary presents, appeased the fury of the fanatics." * 
 
 Some forty years previous, they were nearly crushed 
 through the barbarity of Abdul Hady and Moosa Bek, 
 After those outrages, they repeatedly sought the pro- 
 tection of France, and also of England, Her Britannic 
 Majesty's Consul at Jerusalem was instructed by Lord 
 Clarendon to use his influence to protect them. His 
 lordship also instructed Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, then 
 the British Ambassador at Constantinople, to use his 
 good offices on their behalf with the Government of the 
 Sublime Porte. But, notwithstanding the land and 
 liberal spirit of Mr. Finn, the then British Consul at 
 Jerusalem, he was able to render but little assistance to 
 them. In consequence of the quarrels and the shedding 
 of blood that took place there in 1855, the rival families 
 have been humbled, and a governor foreign to the 
 country appointed by the Porte, which has, to some 
 extent, improved the condition of the Samaritans. 
 
 In a manuscript copy of Futuki Medineti-cl Bchnesa, 
 in the possession of Dr. Lee, there is a note in the fly- 
 leaf at the end, on the Samaritans, which I shall now 
 introduce, as a fit addendum to the above account. It 
 
 1 1 * Jacob Esli Shelaby, iu his " Notices of the Modem Samaritans."
 
 280 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 gives US a graphic view of their social position at the 
 time. It was written in the year 1772, by one 
 Achmed Effencli, but does not state where. The laws 
 which he lays down, in way of answers to questions, 
 for the proper regulation of the Samaritans, are as 
 follow : — 
 
 "1, They are to be distinguished (from the Mo- 
 hammedans) by dress. Their turbans must be made of 
 coarse stujBf, and of a black colour. They must also not 
 be allowed to wear any garment that becomes men of 
 education or men of high rank. None of their apparel 
 may be made of valuable stuffs, such as silk, fine cloth, 
 or even fine cotton. 
 
 " 2. They are to be distinguished in riding. They 
 are not allowed upon any account to ride upon horses ; 
 only upon asses. They must not use saddles, but 
 pack-saddles. But let it be noticed that they are not 
 allowed to ride even upon asses, except urgent business 
 call them out of the city. Whenever they pass by a 
 mosque, they must alight, and walk in the same path 
 as the beast. Old shoes are to be suspended over their 
 shoulders, with bells attached. 
 
 " 3. They are not allowed to sit near where the 
 Mohammedan governor may be ; and should any one 
 be elevated above a Mohammedan, the governor must 
 punish him. 
 
 "4. They arc not allowed to build their houses high, 
 nor too near a Moslem house. 
 
 " Thus, they are not to enjoy the privileges (of
 
 Ch. VIIL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 281 
 
 Mohammedans) unless they profess that God is the only 
 God, and Mohammed is his prophet." 
 
 I have only to add here, with regard to their avoca- 
 tions, that a few of them follow certain handicrafts, hut 
 the majority are traders in various wares, and are, as a 
 community, comparatively poor, as well as oppressed.
 
 282 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 nPHE Samaritans, in a certain sense, are a trilingual 
 -^ people, having to use, in their social and religious 
 duties, the Arabic, the Samaritan, and the Sacred (or 
 Hebrew) languages. 
 
 Their spoken language is the Arabic — the common 
 speech of the country. This, soon after the Mussul- 
 man conquest of Palestine, wholly supplanted their old 
 vernacular. Very few at present of the males, and none 
 of the females, understand any but the Arabic. There- 
 fore, most of their books, although originally written in 
 the sacred language, are translated into Arabic. 
 
 With regard to their own original language — the 
 Samaritan — European scholars have widely differed in 
 their estimation of it, almost on all points. The 
 scantiness of its literature, and the generally superficial 
 knowledge which is possessed of it by Europeans, 
 would, to some extent, account for this. But our object 
 in this chapter is not to drag our reader through a long
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 283 
 
 discussion on this subject, but merely to state a few 
 points as briefly as possible. 
 
 "We find from the sacred narrative that the Ephraim- 
 ites had, from an early date, contracted a dialectic pecu- 
 liarity,* which undoubtedly grew more and more in sub- 
 sequent ages. After the captivity of the Ten Tribes, the 
 nationalities sent by the King of Assyria to colonize 
 the cities of Samaria (2 Kings xvii.) brought with 
 them their own dialects. But after the return from 
 captivity, the Hebrew language as well as religion 
 eventually became dominant. Now, however, it was 
 no longer spoken in its former purity, but with a large 
 admixture of foreign elements. This fusion, having 
 the Hebrew for its basis, formed the Samaritan lan- 
 guage. Its framework is thoroughly Semitic ; but the 
 superstructure contains many anomalies, some of which 
 are harsh and foreign, though by no means in siifiicient 
 number to destroy its general character. Its general 
 construction is uncommonly simple, and not unfre- 
 quently it is very lucid and forcible. There is no foun- 
 dation for the assertion made by Ccllarius and others 
 that it is more rude and uncouth than its neighbours. 
 
 It has been alleged that there is a deficiency in 
 its orthography. Benjamin of Tudela asserted in his 
 " Itinerary " that the Samaritans do not possess the 
 three letters He, CJietJi, and Ayin, and draws from the 
 supposed fact the following conclusion : — " The He, 
 of the name of our father Abraham, and they have no 
 
 * It was tlie pronouncing Shin as Samech (Judges xii. 6).
 
 284 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 glory ; the Citeth of the name of our father Isaac (Heb. 
 Itschak), in consequence of which they are devoid of 
 piety ; and Ayin of the name of Jacob, for they want 
 humility. Instead of these letters, they always put an 
 Aleph, by which you may know that they are not of Jew- 
 ish origin, for they know the law of Moses except these 
 three letters." * Others have followed the rabbi ; f but 
 in this they are mistaken : the Samaritans have retained 
 the alphabet, not only in its original fulness, but also 
 in its original form, as we shall presently see. Nor is 
 there any foundation for the assertion made by Hot- 
 tinger and others, that their pronunciation is rough 
 and harsh; on the contrary, it is softer than that 
 of the Jews and Ai-abs. As, for example, the ChetJi 
 they call It, and treat it as a semi-vowel ; consequently, 
 while the Jews would say Uachel, the Samaritans would 
 say lidel. Where two or more consonants come toge- 
 ther, they uniformly add the vowels in reading. As, 
 for example, the word for king, written with Mem, 
 Lamed, Caph, they pronounce malek. The vowel letters 
 — Aleph, He, Vau, Yod — they treat as quiescents. For 
 example, the Yod they sometimes sound as short a, as 
 in kadish — holy ; and sometimes as short i, as in yum- 
 mim — days. More on the vowels anon. 
 
 The Samaritan language, after the Mohammedan 
 
 * Kapaport is of opinion that the ed. vol. ii. p. 87. 
 
 above paragi-aph was not originally f Isaac Halo added Aleph to the 
 
 in the " Itinerary," but is an inter- list, and thus made them to be four 
 
 polation of later date by some (" Itinerary," A. D. 1334). 
 cabalistic copyist. — Vid. Asher's
 
 Cii. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 285 
 
 conquest of Palestine, gradually dwindled into a dead 
 language. The only literature now remaining in it is 
 a translation of the Pentateuch, a brief description of 
 which is given in our chapter on the Pentateuch. 
 
 It is a well-known fact that the Samaritan characters 
 are essentially different from those that have been in 
 use among the Jews now for many ages, and known as 
 Hebrew. The most generally adopted opinion (follow- 
 ing the Talmud) is, that the Jews, during their captivity 
 in Babylon, disused their original characters, and 
 adopted the Chaldee instead ; consequently, that the 
 present Hebrew alphabet is of Chaldee origin ; but that 
 the original characters in use among the Hebrews 
 before the captivity are those still retained by the 
 Samaritans. Others are of opinion that the present 
 Hebrew characters are not of Chaldee origin, but only 
 the result of a gradual change and modification of their 
 original, or Samaritan. And here let it be observed 
 that the printed or monumental Samaritan characters 
 differ from the written as much as the Hebrew differ 
 from the monumental. But, before we make any 
 further remarks, let us arrange the three alphabets in 
 juxtaposition.
 
 286 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Name. 
 
 Alaph 
 
 Bit 
 
 Geman 
 
 Delat 
 
 I 
 
 Ba 
 
 Zen 
 
 It 
 
 Tit 
 
 Yut 
 
 Kiapli 
 
 Lebat 
 
 Min 
 
 Nun 
 
 Sinciat 
 
 In 
 
 Phi 
 
 Sadi 
 
 Kupt 
 
 Rish 
 
 Shan 
 
 Taff /^ A ^ 
 
 NABLUS 
 
 AND 
 
 
 Samaritan MS. 
 
 Monumental. 
 
 Hebre 
 
 /^ 
 
 J^ 
 
 K 
 
 A 
 
 a 
 
 n 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 ^ 
 
 *=$ 
 
 •7 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 n 
 
 /< 
 
 t 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 r 
 
 -^ 
 
 •^ 
 
 n 
 
 « 
 
 ^ 
 
 ZQ 
 
 ^ 
 
 m 
 
 > 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 D 
 
 A 
 
 z 
 
 «? 
 
 ir 
 
 ja 
 
 D 
 
 ^ 
 
 % 
 
 J 
 
 -^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 D 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 ;^ 
 
 yj 
 
 ;a 
 
 5 
 
 >m 
 
 m 
 
 2t 
 
 ^ 
 
 ? 
 
 p 
 
 A 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■) 
 
 **< 
 
 ASJU 
 
 i:r
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITAXS. 287 
 
 In the first column I have given the names of the 
 letters as pronounced by the Samaritans as near as can 
 be expressed in English ; and if the reader will bear 
 in mind that the circumflex accent is used merely to 
 denote length of sound, and that the a has the sound 
 of a in fat, the i as in pin, the e as in met, and the 
 u as in full, he will be able to enunciate them as cor- 
 rectly as can be desired. 
 
 In the second column is the original Samaritan 
 alphabet. It is a facsimile of one given me expressly 
 by the priest. These are the only characters used 
 by them in their sacred and other writings ; and there 
 is no doubt in my own mind that they are the identical 
 ones in which the Tor ah, or law, was originally written 
 by Moses. 
 
 The third column comprises the alphabet commonly 
 known in Europe as the Samaritan, and in which are 
 printed the Samaritan Pentateuch and its version in 
 the European polyglot Bibles. 
 
 The fourth column contains the common Hebrew 
 alphabet. 
 
 Now, it is not my intention to discuss the origin and 
 history of these alphabets ; such a discussion would em- 
 brace a wdde range of literature, and the attempt would 
 be unfitted to these pages. But I cannot pass over the 
 subject Tsithout maldng a few remarks. 
 
 And, firstly, with regard to the Hebrew characters. 
 The old and common notion, that they are of Chal- 
 dee origin, has now become quite untenable. The 
 valuable and interesting discoveries lately made in
 
 288 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Assyi'ia and Babylon remove all doubt upon this 
 head. We know now to a certainty that the Chal- 
 deans had characters of their own, essentially different 
 from the present Hebrew ; and in no single instance, 
 among the vast number of inscriptions found, does 
 the least similarity between them exist. In the 
 earliest specimens of Chaldean writing and the later 
 Assyrian — between which considerable modification 
 was effected — the great characteristic element is the 
 wedge form, with which the present Hebrew has no 
 affinity. We are compelled, therefore, to look else- 
 where for its source. 
 
 With regard to the written Samaritan, it would be 
 vain to speculate upon its origin. Much has been said 
 in modern times to show that, together with all the 
 Syro- Arabian characters, it is derived from the Phoeni- 
 cian ; and that a resemblance exists between them, in 
 many instances, is very evident.* But the oldest known 
 Phoenician monuments are comparatively of modern 
 date, as they are all, with one or two excejitions, pos- 
 terior to the time of Alexander ; and if it could be 
 satisfactorily shown that they fairly represent what the 
 Phoenician alphabet really was in the earliest ages, the 
 resemblance between them and the Samaritan alphabet 
 would not establish the fact that the Samaritan is 
 
 * The reader may examine the alphabets are given, and the general 
 
 subject for himself by consulting subject of paleography ably dis- 
 
 Kopp^s Bilder unci Schriften der cussed, but including, as I con- 
 
 Vorzeii, and Gesenius' Scripturm ceive erroneously, the Samaritan 
 
 Linguceque Phoenicice Monumenta, among those derived from the 
 
 where complete tabular views of Phoenician.
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 289 
 
 deriyed from the Phoenician, but rather the reverse.* 
 Some resemblances between the Samaritan and the 
 hieretic and demotic characters of Eg^-pt are traceable ; 
 but these are too few and too faint to establish a rela- 
 tion between them, and moreover, the Egyptian writings 
 were not phonetic. The style, however, far more 
 resembles the wedge form of Chaldea than that of 
 Phoenicia or Eg}iit, but differs from it in being a per- 
 fectly phonetic alphabet. The linguistic knowledge 
 already obtained from the Assyrian monuments dis- 
 covers important grammatical analogies between both 
 languages ; which, by a further examination, will un- 
 **'doubtedly be rendered more complete.! At present, 
 however, whether we \'iew the question with regard to 
 Phoenicia and Egypt on the one hand, or to Assyria 
 on the other, the only fair and legitimate conclusion 
 seems to be that the Samaritan alphabet was given 
 by Moses — either modij&ed from characters previously 
 existing, but now lost to the world, or independently 
 formed by him under divine influence. I 
 
 * It seems to me that a fair com- The expression, ' ' By the finger of 
 parLson can only lead to the con- God," certainly implies that the 
 clu.sion that the Phoenician is merely thing done was a proof of divinity ; 
 a modification of the Samaritan, and here I cannot helj) thinking 
 though earlier than the common or that it refers to the expression 
 monumental Samaritan. of words in phonetic characters. 
 
 \ See Rawlinson's " Five Great Moses, who was learned in all the 
 Monarchies," vol. i. Second Mo- wisdom of Egypt, well knew the 
 narchy, chap. v. modes of writing, not only of that 
 
 J In the record of that event we country but other countries also ; 
 read, "And he gave unto Moses, and yet the manner in which the 
 when he had made an end of com- Commamlments were wi-itten was 
 muning with him upon Mount not only new, but also so superior 
 Sinai, two tables of testimony, to all previous modes as to be 
 tables of stone, ^\Titten with the thought worthy of divine origin, 
 finger of God " (Exod. xxxi. 18).
 
 290 NABLUS AND [Part IL 
 
 With regard to the common or monumental Sama- 
 ritan, given in om- second cohimn, it is first met with 
 on the Asmonean coins, and used in modern times to 
 print Samaritan Hterature. It is from this alphabet 
 that modern critics have drawn their conclusions re- 
 garding the antiquity of the Samaritan characters. To 
 call it Samaritan, however, is rather gratuitous, as the 
 Samaritans themselves, so far as I know, have never 
 used it, either in manuscripts or on monuments. 
 All the remains of their writings are in one and the 
 same character, namely, that which stands in our first 
 column. The most ancient of their writings yet dis- 
 covered (the celebrated scroll excepted) is a tablet now" 
 inserted in the wall of a minaret. It belonged to a 
 synagogue, taken from them by the Mohammedans some 
 four centuries ago ; but the synagogue itself, according 
 to Samaritan tradition, dated before the Christian era. 
 The inscriptions consist of sentences taken from the 
 law, written in the Samaritan character. Others of more 
 modern date have been discovered, but all bearing the 
 same characters. But this monumental alphabet seems 
 to be of Jewish origin, and to have been used prin- 
 cipally, if not exclusively, by the Jews. Alphabets, as 
 well as the living languages they represent, are con- 
 tinually modified and altered : so has the one under no- 
 tice been ; but not to an extent sufficient to disguise its 
 origin. ]3ut it seems to me that the true Samaritan is 
 an exception. Being the one in which the great law- 
 giver wrote the sacred document, so tenaciously preserved 
 by the Samaritans in all its original characteristics, there 
 seems to me to be hardly a doubt upon the subject.
 
 Ch. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 291 
 
 It appears evident, too, that the alphabets have but 
 one and the same source — that the two latter are de- 
 rived from the former. Let the reader examine them 
 carefully, and mark the outline of each letter, and we 
 feel con\-inced that he cannot arrive at any other con- 
 clusion than this^— that the first column is the original, 
 from which the second, as a monumental alphabet, is a 
 modification ; and that the third, the common Hebrew, 
 is, again, a modification of the second. Our arrange- 
 ment of them, therefore, as above, in juxtaposition, is 
 a correct exhibition of their chronological order. And 
 this is further proved by documentary evidence so far 
 as is yet known. But further than this we cannot 
 follow the subject at present. 
 
 How far the Samaritans retained the Hebrew lan- 
 guage in its purer forms we have no means of ascertain- 
 ing. There is every reason, however, to suppose 
 that their officials would have done so. Just as the 
 modern Jews are taught it from their infancy — and 
 as it is still, to a certain extent, a vernacular among 
 their rabbins — so would the Samaritan Priests and 
 Levites, at least, acquire it in ancient times. Even 
 now their officials are familiar with it, and are capable 
 of speaking and ■s^Titing it with ease, although not 
 with grammatical accuracy. The Hebrew, however, has 
 always been their sacred language. In this the Holy 
 Law, and all their other valued writings, are ^vTitten. 
 It is emphatically the language of their literature as 
 well as of their religious service ; but, as already ob- 
 served, the Samaritan people generally are ignorant of 
 its meaning. 
 
 u 2
 
 292 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Some Oriental scholars have concluded that the 
 Samaritan pronunciation must he harsh, from the fact 
 that no vowels nor vowel points are used. This argu- 
 ment, however, has no force, inasmuch as all the 
 Semitic languages are written in the same manner. 
 Whether we hold the whole alphabet, jvith the punctist, 
 to consist of consonants only, the vowels to he added 
 in reading, or, with the anti-punctist, that, in ancient 
 times, the aleph, he, vau, and yod were real vowels, 
 it matters not at present ; one thing is undeniable, 
 namely, that the modern Samaritans read and speak the 
 language with a much fuller vowel sound than their 
 neighbours do the sister language. We have already 
 remarked how they soften down some of the harsher 
 elements of the language ; and to this we may attri- 
 bute their liberal use of vowels. Whether their vowel 
 system has any grammatical basis, or is merely tradi- 
 tional, it is not for us now to discuss. The vowel 
 sounds which they use are the following : — 
 a, as in fat 
 
 e, , 
 
 , met 
 
 i, 
 
 , pin 
 
 0, 
 
 , no 
 
 u, 
 
 „ full 
 
 y, 
 
 ,, myrrh. 
 
 To each of these a long and a short sound is given, 
 excepting y, which is always short. This system 
 exactly corresponds with the Hebrew, as established by 
 the Jewish grammarians of the Middle Ages, with the 
 exception of y, which, nevertheless, would answer to
 
 Cn. IX.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 293 
 
 their shcva. The probahility is that these vowel sounds 
 l^reserve, upon the whole, the pronunciation given to 
 the Hebrew by the ancient Jews and Samaritans of 
 Palestine.* 
 
 * It is curious to obsei-ve that face ; I, as e in me ; 0, as o in host ; 
 
 the ancient Assyrians, so far as can U, as u in rude." — Rawlinson's 
 
 he yet learnt from the inscriptions, "Five Great Monarchies," vol. i. 
 
 used similar vowel sounds. "Theii- p. 338, note. 
 A sounded as ct in vast ; E, as a in
 
 294 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH. 
 
 SEVERAL of the Christian fathers have mentioned 
 a Samaritan Pentateuch as existing apart from 
 that of the Jews. The last who refers to it, so far as 
 I am aware, is Jerome. After him it was lost sight 
 of; and when it had lain concealed for upwards of a 
 thousand years, its very existence began to be doubted. 
 At length Pietro Delia Valle, an eminent Italian travel- 
 ler, procured a complete copy during his travels in the 
 East, in the year 1616. M. de Sancy, who was then 
 the French ambassador at Constantinople, obtained this 
 copy and sent it to the library of the Oratoire at Paris, 
 in 1623. It was first examined and described by 
 Morin, and subsequently printed in the Paris Poly- 
 glott Bible. Jerome Alexander writes in 1638, that a 
 copy of the Samaritan Pentateuch had existed in the 
 Vatican for some time. This copy was procured by 
 Cardinal Scipio, the library keeper, for three hundred 
 
 * I have confined myself in this detail, in an Introduction to my edi- 
 chapter to a sumuiaiy of the ques- tion of the Samaritan Pentateuch, 
 tion, as I intend entering more into now preparing for the press.
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMAEITANS. 295 
 
 crowns, but it remained without any particular atten- 
 tion being paid to it. Not long after this, Arch- 
 bishop Ussher procured six copies from the East ; and 
 in 1657, Bishop Walton printed the text in his famous 
 Polygiott Bible. Several more copies were procured 
 from the East, and Dr. Kennicott had no fewer than 
 sixteen for the edition of his Hebrew Bible in 
 1776-80.* 
 
 With regard to the origin of this Pentateuch, 
 learned men have entertained various opinions. The 
 most unfounded of all was the one advocated by 
 Ussher. He would have it that it was the produc- 
 tion of one Dositheus, a Samaritan sectarian, who, it 
 is alleged, pretended to be the Messiah, and founded 
 a sect of his own among his people. It was supposed 
 that Dositheus made use of the Hebrew text and the 
 version of the LXX. ; and comparing these, sometimes 
 adding, other times expunging, and again altering as 
 he deemed fit, produced a Pentateuch of his own.f 
 Nothing, however, could be more unfounded than 
 such a hj-pothesis. This heresiarch could have had 
 no object whatever in compiling a new Pentateuch, 
 unless for the sake of tampering with those passages 
 which are considered as referring to the Messiah. 
 None of these, however, have been corrupted; as all 
 
 * Most of tlie above copies are amongst other objections : and 
 
 only portions or fragments of the therefore I refer the reader to that 
 
 Pentateuch: there are only two or excellent author. Sec his Canon, 
 
 three complete copies in Europe. Script., book i, ch. 5. s. 2. Ken- 
 
 \ The leai"ned and judicious Du nicott. 
 Pin has satisfactorily confuted this,
 
 296 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 the passages of this class agree in the Samaritan and 
 Hebrew texts. And, moreover, it is ^yell known that 
 the Alexandrian Samaritans were thoroughly opposed 
 to Dositheus, and it is not likely that they would 
 have received a Pentateuch compiled by him. 
 
 Another hypothesis, held in our own country by 
 Prideaux, and on the Continent by Hottinger and 
 others, is that Manasseh took with him from Jeru- 
 salem one of Ezra's corrected copies, and transcribed 
 it into the old characters to which they were accus- 
 tomed. This h}^3othesis rests upon the assumption 
 that the variations in the Samaritan from the Hebrew 
 are such as were occasioned in the transcription, by 
 mistaldng letters similar in Hebrew, but unlike in the 
 Samaritan. This, however, is a mistake, and there is 
 no foundation for such a supposition. 
 
 Le Clerc, and others after him, advocated an older 
 origin for the copy. He held that it was made by the 
 priest who was sent by the King of Assyria to instruct 
 the new inhabitants in the religion of the country, as 
 narrated in 2 Kings xvii. But I need not point out 
 that such a hypothesis is not only unsupported by his- 
 torical testimony, but is also contrary to the tenor of 
 the whole narrative. The business of the priest was not 
 to compile a code of instruction, but simply to instruct 
 the people out of the code as it then existed. 
 
 It is evident that there is but one rational and con- 
 sistent account of its origin. Copies of the Pentateuch 
 must have been multiplied among Israel, as well as 
 among Judah, and preserved by the one as carefully as
 
 Cn. X.] 
 
 THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 
 
 297 
 
 b}^ the other. Nor is it probable that the people, when 
 carried captive into Assyria, took with them all the 
 copies of the law ; that not one remained among the 
 remnant left behind : and had such been the case, 
 the priest, himself, as a matter of course, would have 
 possessed a copy. 
 
 This copy became the religious textbook of the Sa- 
 maritans, and has ever since remained among them ; 
 separate on the one hand from the Jews,* and on the 
 other hand from the Gentiles. Such was the theory 
 first and ably advanced by Morin, and subsequently 
 adopted by Houbigant, Cappellus, Michaelis, Kenni- 
 cott, Stuart, and a host of others. In fact, sound criti- 
 cism is bound up in it. The Samaritan copy, there- 
 fore, as well as the Jewish, flowed from the autograph 
 of Moses, and the two are only different recensions of 
 the same original copy. 
 
 * There is one passage in 
 Joseplius, to wliicli I cannot help 
 referring here, as evident j)roof of 
 this (Ant., xiii. 3. 4). He tells us 
 that a dispute arose between the 
 Jews of Alexandria and the Samari- 
 tans, concerning the temples on 
 Mount Gerizim and in Jerusalem. 
 The parties agreed to discuss the 
 rival claims of both places, in the 
 presence of the king, Ptolemy 
 Soter ; and to prove their case from 
 the law of Moses. The Samari- 
 tan disputants, conscious of the fact 
 that Moses, according to the read- 
 ing in their copy of the law, had 
 pointed out Gerizim as the place of 
 worship (Deut. xxvii. 4), allowed 
 
 their opponents to speat first. The 
 Jews, on the other hand, we are told, 
 were in gi-eat concern about their 
 advocates, knowing well that there 
 is nothing in the law sanctioning a 
 temple at Jerusalem. The only ar- 
 gument that could be drawn from 
 Moses was a diflerent reading of 
 the above passage to annul the 
 Samaritan claim, if such a different 
 reading did then exist, as most 
 likely it did. We have nothing 
 now to do with the unfair disputa- 
 tion, nor the unjust decision of the 
 king ; but merely to point out the 
 fact that the Samaritans had then a 
 copy of the law, distinct from that 
 of the Jews.
 
 298 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 Such, briefly, is the non- Samaritan account of the 
 copy. They, themselves, however, give a very different 
 version, as we shall presently see. 
 
 During my stay amongst them in 1860, a copy of 
 their Pentateuch was kindly lent me by the priest — 
 the first, I believe, that was ever given out of their 
 community with official sanction, with the exception 
 of one sent, to their supposed brethren, by the hands 
 of Huntington. It is written on Oriental paper, in a 
 book form, and, for the sake of convenience, divided 
 into two volumes ; the first containing Genesis and 
 Exodus, and the second containing Leviticus, Num- 
 bers, and Deuteronomy. In a foot-note at the end of 
 the first volume, I find that the writer was a servant 
 of Tobiah Ben Itschak, a priest of the Most High, 
 at Shechem. He does not mention the date ; but I 
 was told by Amram that it was written in the four- 
 teenth century, and had been preserved in the priest's 
 family ever since. 
 
 I shall now briefly describe it ; and in doing so, I 
 shall, in the first place, point out its peculiar charac- 
 teristics as a writing. 
 
 1. The first is tlie characters in which it is written. 
 These are essentially different from those called He- 
 brew, as we have already seen. They are the only 
 letters used by the Samaritans themselves in their 
 sacred writings. Nor are they acquainted with the 
 monumental t^n^ye any further than as learnt from 
 Walton's Polyglott, a copy of which, on the Penta- 
 teuch, they possess. I took with me specimens of the
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 299 
 
 alphabet adopted by Scaliger, and the letters which 
 Castel affirms are especially used in MS. ; but they 
 were unknown to the priest. 
 
 The subjoined specimen is a facsimile of the copy 
 under notice, comprising Gen. i. 1-5. 
 
 Specimen. 
 
 2. Again, it is written icWiout vowel ijo'inis. I have 
 abeady mentioned that all the Semitic languages, 
 like the present Arabic, were written without any 
 marks to exhibit the vowel sounds of the language. 
 Whether this system was of the same nature as the 
 modern systems of shorthand -vNTiting, where the 
 consonants only are written, and the vowels to be 
 supplemented, or whether it contained the essential
 
 300 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 vowels, is not for me now to discuss. The singular 
 system of the Masorites was elaborated professedly 
 to retain the traditional pronunciation of the Hebrew 
 language ; but their vowel signs were never introduced 
 into the synagogue roll. In this the Samaritan and 
 Jewish rolls agree. 
 
 The Samaritans, therefore, like the Jews, in reading 
 the law, have retained two things not expressed in 
 the writing — the vowel sounds, and the intonation, as 
 already explained. 
 
 The manuscript, however, is not void of all kind of 
 marks ; there are a few diacritical signs, if I may so 
 call them. The most common is a dot which is placed 
 after every word, and which is never omitted, except at 
 the end of a line. Another is a small stroke placed 
 over letters, and which has more than one signification. 
 Sometimes it implies that an ambiguous word is not 
 to be taken in its most common acceptation ; as, for 
 example, ^i^ means to or at, but ^i^ means God. At 
 other times the stroke is a sign of apocope, j-|i^ for 
 T}n}i- Sometimes two points are placed thus : after a 
 word, and answer pretty much to our colon. The ends 
 of sections arc distinguished by various signs. The 
 most common is one consisting of two double dots, 
 having a line between, thus : /- '• There is apparently 
 no rule in the choice of these signs, but they depend 
 upon the fancy of the writer, as we find them dificring 
 in difierent manuscripts. There arc other marks, but 
 we need not notice them here. 
 
 3. Another characteristic, peculiar to the Samaritan
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 301 
 
 manuscript, I believe, is the manner of commencement. 
 I hardly need mention that the Samaritan, like all 
 the Semitic languages, reads from right to left ; and, 
 consequently, that a hook begins with them, where 
 in Western languages it v^'ould end. But the peculiarity 
 always observed by the Samaritans, is to commence the 
 manuscripts on the inside page, and by no means on 
 the outside. To this rule they adhere most scrupu- 
 lously, and it would be observed as rigidly in printed 
 copies, if it were in their power to have them printed. 
 When I expressed my intention to have the present 
 copy printed, the priest called my attention to this 
 rule over and over again, as a most important one. 
 The idea is to imitate the sacred roll, which is writ- 
 ten only on the inside ; and, consequently, none of 
 the text is exposed but that open for the purpose of 
 being read. 
 
 4. The last characteristic in the writing, is the 
 detached state of the words. I have already stated 
 that every word is separately marked by a point — a 
 rule which is never neglected. Thus the Samaritans 
 separate each word, not only by a space, but also by a 
 point, as did the ancient Greeks and Romans. On 
 the other hand, no word, whether short or long, is ever 
 divided. When it happens that the space at the end of 
 a line is too small to admit of the word being inserted, 
 they never write a part of the word and carry the other 
 part to the following line, but carry the last letter of 
 the previous word to the end of the line. In this 
 manner no blank is left at the end of any line, but
 
 302 NABLUS AND [Part IL 
 
 near the end, if necessary, that the idea of complete- 
 ness may be retained. 
 
 I shall now mention the divisions. The copy is 
 divided into two volumes ; the first comprising Genesis 
 and Exodus, and the second comprising the three 
 remaining hooks. This division is, of course, only an 
 accidental one, for the convenience of using the manu- 
 script. Its essential divisions are as follow : — 
 
 Firstly, it is divided into five separate books. In 
 this, however, it differs from the original manuscript, 
 and all the other Samaritan scrolls, as well as the 
 Jewish, which are written in one continuous document. 
 This division into five hooks seems to have originated 
 with the Alexandrian critics, who applied, for the first 
 time, the term Pentateuch to the sacred document. 
 And this division has been followed by Jews and 
 Samaritans in their private copies, for the sake of con- 
 venience of reference, but never in their public scr-olls. 
 In the Jewish Bible the several books take their names 
 from the first word or words in each book, as Bere- 
 ."iliith in Genesis ; but in the Samaritan copy, they 
 are all called First Book, Second Book, and so on. 
 But it is of importance that we should bear in mind 
 that the original and true idea of the writing is, that 
 it is one book only, one document ; hence its name, 
 ^^"'•I^l', the Law-. Nor has it any existence in the 
 Samaritan mind as five separate books, but only as one 
 divine law. 
 
 Secondly, each book has been divided into sections 
 (Ketsin) ; and the number of sections stated at the
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 303 
 
 end of each book. The first contains 250 ; the 
 second 200 ; the third 134 ; the fourth 218 ; the fifth 
 160 ; or 9G2 in all. Here it will he borne in mind 
 that the Jewish division of the law into fifty-four 
 Sedroth, and each Sederah again into seven Parshioth, 
 differs essentially from the Samaritan. The Samaritan 
 Ketsin and the J e-wish. .Parsliwth coincide in a great 
 number of places, but differ in others — they were 
 evidently made independent of Jewish sections as 
 well as of Alexandrian critics. Some of them end and 
 begin in the middle of our verses. For example, in 
 Gen. viii. 21, we have the first clause, " And the 
 Lord smelled a sweet savour," punctuated in the 
 Hebrew -with a ser/ol; and in the Septuagint, as well 
 as modern versions generally, with a semicolon ; but 
 in the Samaritan this clause ends a section, and the 
 following section commences Avith the second clause, 
 " And the Lord said in his heart," &c. All these 
 divisions into sections, however, as well as into books, 
 both in the Samaritan and Hebrew copies, are post- 
 biblical — there is no historical foundation for believing 
 that they existed till after the Septuagint translation. 
 I may add, that the sections in this Samaritan copy 
 are distinguished, not only by space, but also by 
 peculiar signs, generally varying ; I have not been able 
 as yet to make out whether these figures have any 
 signification, or are merely rude ornaments. 
 
 Thirdly, there is one other division, not an arbi- 
 trary and post-biblical one, but one which is co-ex- 
 istent with, and an essential part of, the law itself —
 
 304 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 the division into prose and poetry. I shall not dwell 
 at present upon this point, although a most important 
 one, inasmuch as it belongs both to the Jewish and to 
 the Samaritan Pentateuch. 
 
 Let us now look for a moment at its documentary- 
 character. I need not mention that it has been 
 differently estimated by different critics ; but with the 
 work before us, and all the historical facts connected 
 therewith, we need not be led astray by any vague and 
 reckless speculations. A family of manuscripts which 
 can be traced back seven centuries before the Christian 
 era, and manuscripts that have been written with no 
 common accuracy and care, speak for themselves re- 
 garding their value in Biblical criticism. This leads 
 me to mention the variations that exist between the 
 Samaritan and Jewish copies. Apart from a few verbal 
 discrepancies, and the great number of variations in the 
 mere letters, the principal differences are contained in 
 the history of the plagues of Eg}i3t. The utterances 
 of the Almighty against Pharaoh are uniformly re- 
 corded twice in the Samaritan text ; firstly, when 
 delivered by the Almighty to Moses, and again when 
 repeated by Moses in the presence of Pharaoh. But 
 in the Hebrew text they are only given once ; generally, 
 at the time when delivered by the Eternal. Now one 
 of two things is obvious, either the Samaritans have 
 wilfully inserted these repetitions into the text, or else 
 the Jewish scribes have omitted them as unnecessary. 
 I shall not enter into this subject at present, but 
 merely say that to me it ajipears more evident that
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 305 
 
 the latter is tlie fact. A careful reading will discover, 
 that in ^the present Hebrew text there are abrupt tran- 
 sitions from one subject to another, leaving chasms in 
 the narrative, and thus making plain that something 
 has been left out of the original history. But not so 
 in the Samaritan text — here we find the narrative full 
 and connected. 
 
 Among the vast number of smaller additions, there 
 are some most interesting and important, which bring 
 to light the consistency and beauty of the sacred text, 
 not otherwise discoverable. 
 
 I cannot dismiss this subject without adverting to 
 Gesenius, who, as is well known, in 1815, published 
 an essay on the Samaritan Pentateuch ; ' and a more un- 
 founded and reckless performance has seldom issued from 
 the press. This celebrated lexicographer has arranged 
 all the readings which differ from the Hebrew text into 
 eight different classes. I shall not folloAv him in de- 
 tail, but confine myself to a single example. Let us 
 take one from the seventh class — a most important 
 one — where the critic asserts that the ancient pure 
 Hebraism of the Pentateuch has been conformed to 
 their own idiom by the Samaritan scribes. As a proof 
 of this, among many similar ones, he brings forward 
 the feminine pronoun thou, in Genesis xii, 11 ; 
 xxiv. 23 ; xxxix. 9. Here he finds the Hebrew pronoun 
 in the short form i^^?, but the Samaritan in the long 
 form "^P^^ ; he therefore jumps at the conclusion that 
 the Samaritan scribes have altered the word to conform 
 it to their own idiom. But what Hebrew scholar doe:i 
 
 X
 
 306 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 not know that the longer form is the more ancient of 
 the two ? And no one laiew this better than Gesenius 
 himself. Indeed, in his lexicon, where he had no 
 object in view but grammatical truth, he gives us this 
 explanation. These are his words : " ''i^^?. Although 
 this form is rare in the Old Testament" (and then he 
 quotes several passages), " yet there can be no doubt 
 that it is genuine, and it is even jirimary, and a more 
 ancient form, which afterwards the more negligent 
 pronunciation of the common people shortened into 
 ^^." * Such is the explanation of Gesenius in his 
 Hebrew lexicon; yet, when criticising the Samaritan 
 Pentateuch, for the sake of damaging its character, he 
 will have us to believe that this form of the pronoun 
 is not the ancient and pure Hebrew, but a modification 
 made by the Samaritan scribes to conform it to their 
 own idiom. I might thus follow Gesenius through all 
 his sections, and show how utterly groundless are his 
 charges against the Samaritan scribes, and how very 
 unfairly and dishonestly he treats their sacred volume : 
 but this specimen shall suffice. 
 
 And yet biblical scholars have received such preju- 
 diced productions for real criticism, and have very gene- 
 rally abided by its decisions. It only shows how 
 biblical scholars, as do scholars in other departments 
 
 * It is very singular to observe arc left out of the Hebrew text 
 
 tbat most of tbe variations in the after the adojjtion of the Masoretic 
 
 Samaritan text, charged by Gesenius system of punctuation, and even 
 
 to the wilful corruiJtion of the when the Keri readings agree with 
 
 scribes, are simply the retention the Samaritan ! 
 of the Ahevi lettoj-s (""ini^)) which
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 307 
 
 of learning, follow certain leaders without examining 
 for themselves. 
 
 "We should bear in mind, that in more than two 
 thousand instances where the Samaritan differs from 
 the Hebrew, the Septuagint agrees with the former ; a 
 fact that speaks for itself with regard to the documen- 
 tary and critical value of the Samaritan text. 
 
 I shall conclude these remarks in the words of one, 
 than whom few biblical critics could be thought better 
 qualified to pronounce upon the subject. "It is by no 
 means here intended to recommend the adoption of the 
 Samaritan, in the place of the Hebrew Pentateuch ; or 
 so to establish the pretensions of the former, as to 
 exclude the latter. One ancient copy has been received 
 from the Jews, and we are truly thankful for it. 
 Another ancient copy is offered by the Samaritans ; let 
 us thankfully accept that likewise. Both have been 
 often transcribed ; both therefore may contain errors. 
 They differ in many instances ; therefore the errors 
 must be many. Let the two parties be heard without 
 prejudice ; let their evidences be weighed with im- 
 partiality ; and let the genuine words of IMoses be 
 ascertained by their joint assistance. Let the varia- 
 tions of all the MSS. on each side be carefully col- 
 lected, and then critically examined by the context and 
 the ancient versions. If the Samaritan copy shall be 
 found in some places to correct the Hebrew, yet will 
 the Hebrew copy in other places correct the Samaritan. 
 Each copy, therefore, is invaluable. Each copy, there- 
 fore, demands our pious veneration and attentive study. 
 
 X 2
 
 308 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 And I am firmly persuaded that the Pentateuch will 
 never be understood perfectly, till we admit the authority 
 
 of BOTH," * 
 
 We have seen above, what, briefly, is the non- 
 Samaritan account of this Pentateuch. They them- 
 selves, however, assert that not only has their Penta- 
 teuch proceeded from the original work of Moses ; 
 but also that they have now in their possession a 
 copy written by Abishua, the great-grandson of Aaron. 
 The tradition is, that Abishua w^rote it at the door of 
 the tabernacle, in the thirteenth year of the establish- 
 ment of the children of Israel in the Holy Land. 
 This they keep most sacredly. It is never exhibited, 
 even to their own people, but once a year, on the day 
 of atonement. I, like most travellers who visit Nablus, 
 felt an intense desire to see this old copy, and if pos- 
 sible, to examine it, and as the time for my leaving the 
 place drew nigh, this desire grew almost into a fever. 
 Amram had now left for Jerusalem to procure a new 
 cover for this roll. We had spoken of having it done 
 in England, and I had expected that he would have 
 entrusted me with the old one for that purpose ; but 
 upon further consideration he thought it safest, I 
 suppose, to have it done under his own inspection : 
 and for this purpose he had gone a few days before to 
 Jerusalem. Yacub, his nephew, however, was still with 
 me, and I felt as much confidence in him as in his 
 uncle. Two days before I had to leave I was delighted 
 with the ijromise of seeing the renowned roll. I was 
 * Kennicott, State of the Hebrew Text, Dis. II. p- 164.
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 309 
 
 to meet him early at the synagogue, when the sacred 
 treasure would be exposed to my inspection. I need 
 not say that I was punctual to the appointment. 
 Yacub, after some few ceremonies, entered the ad- 
 joining room, and brought out a copy of the law, 
 carefully wi-apped up in a silk covering : but it was 
 in a book-form. I made no remark till I had fully 
 examined it. It was written on parchment, in large 
 and beautiful letters, and was in excellent preservation. 
 The columns measured seven inches by six, wdth a 
 margin of two and a half inches at the top and front, 
 and three inches at the bottom. It was altogether a 
 most handsome volume. I forget the scribe's name and 
 the date ; but it was written, as Yacub informed me, on 
 Mount Gerizim. Another similar copy was taken out, 
 also carefully wi'apped in a silk covering. When we 
 had turned over the leaves of these interesting volumes 
 to our satisfaction, I told Yacub I was much pleased 
 with the sight, but that my great wish was to see the old 
 copy. He was not a little annoyed by my remark. I 
 knew that some eminent travellers had been imposed 
 upon in the same manner ; but I also Imew that the 
 ancient copy, being a sjTiagogue copy, must have been a 
 roU. I had seen their other roll-copies in 1855, as well 
 as during the present visit, and had been told by a 
 Samaritan friend, that the genuine copy would not be 
 shown me. After some further conversation, Yacub 
 confessed the whole matter, but added with no little 
 emphasis that I should see it. He was not that 
 morning in a fit state to handle it, but on the following
 
 310 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 morning lie would prepare himself by ablution : and I 
 was again to meet him at the same hour. The morrow 
 came, and I was punctual to time. We entered the 
 synagogue, Yohannah with us, and locked the door. 
 The celebrated scroll was then taken out of a chest in 
 the mushah, and brought to the middle of the syna- 
 gogue. 
 
 Having removed its red satin cover, which was 
 ornamented with Samaritan inscriptions embroidered 
 in golden letters, I found it was kept in a cylindrical 
 silver case, which opened on two sets of hinges, made 
 so as to expose a whole column of reading. This case 
 was ornamented with relievo work, descriptive of the 
 sacred contents of the tabernacle.* 
 
 Just as we had uncovered it, and begun to feast our 
 eyes upon the column which is exposed to view on their 
 days of atonement, a violent shake was given to the 
 door, and a voice announced that a party of travellers 
 wanted to come in. Yacub, in great haste, removed 
 the sacred roll beyond the curtain into the mushah, and 
 then opened the door. The dragoman — an impudent 
 and haughty Mussulman — entered, with seven or eight 
 travellers following, two ladies included. He began 
 
 * Mr. Grove made rubbings of plan of the Tabernacle, showing 
 
 parts of it, which have unfortu- every post, tenon, veil, piece of 
 
 nately been lost. He says, " It is furniture, vessel, &c., with a legend 
 
 a beautiful and curious piece of attached to each— all in raised 
 
 ■work ; a cylinder of about two work. The other half is covered 
 
 feet six inches long, and ten or -with ornament only, also raised, 
 
 twelve inches diameter, opening It is silver, and I think — but the 
 
 down the middle. One of the light was very imperfect — parcel 
 
 halves is engraved with a ground gilt." — " Vacation Tourists," 1 861.
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 311 
 
 to throw aside tlie floor-matting, and demanded a sight 
 of the ancient Pentateuch. Yacub looked rather vexed 
 and cowed. I stepped forward, and tokl him that the 
 place was a place of worship, and that he must behave 
 himself, or go out at once. Such a repulse he hardly 
 expected ; but feeling that it was said in earnest, he 
 replaced the matting, and conducted himself decently. 
 Yacub brought out the common roll, and exposed it. 
 From the few questions and answers made amongst 
 themselves, I concluded that to see the roll was more 
 a matter of curiosity than any deep interest in biblical 
 literature. One of the gentlemen came up to me and 
 asked did I think that that was the old copy. I told 
 him that it certainly was the one they generally ex- 
 hibited to travellers as such. One of the ladies asked, 
 with great emphasis, " Is this the celebrated old book ? " 
 "Oh, yes, ma'am," was the dragoman's reply : and all 
 then withdrew, apparently satisfied. Yacub followed 
 after them for hacksheesh, which he had a right to 
 expect. He was but ill requited ; and I felt vexed he 
 did not make a demand for a small sum before he 
 allowed them to enter the sjniagogue. The travellers, 
 most probably, as others un"\\isely do, entrusted the 
 matter to their dragoman, who put ofi" poor Yacub with 
 a mere trifle, and kept to himself the lion's share. 
 
 When Yacub had returned, we recommenced handling 
 the old scroll. But before we had looked over the un- 
 rolled column, anbther shake was given to the door. 
 A second party of travellers wanted to enter. Yacub 
 had to hurry the scroll again into the iimshah, and
 
 312 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 the door was opened. This party was from New York 
 — a middle-aged gentleman, and two young men. They 
 entered the little synagogue with much sobriety and de- 
 corum, a perfect contrast to the former company. Their 
 wish also was to see the old copy, if possible ; if not, any 
 copy would do ; their great desire was to see a copy of 
 the Samaritan law, and to hear a passage read. I told 
 the gentleman that in that case he would not be disap- 
 pointed. Yacub brought the roll which he had exhibited 
 to the former party, and read a few passages, to the 
 gi-eat satisfaction of our visitors. 
 
 The synagogue being left once more to ourselves, we 
 began again to look over the old scroll. The exposed 
 column was much effaced by being kissed by successive 
 generations. I requested Yacub to allow me to unroll 
 it, which he granted ; and, after a brief examination, we 
 made a hasty facsimile of the first passage in Genesis, 
 which is hardly worth reproducing. Whilst the vene- 
 rable scroll lay open before us, I made a few notes, the 
 substance of which is as follows : — 
 
 The roll itself is of what we should call parchment, but 
 of a material much older than that, ^vritten in columns 
 thirteen inches deep, and seven and a half inches wide. 
 The writing is in a fair hand ; but not nearly so large 
 or beautiful as the book-copies which I had previously 
 examined. The wiiting being rather small, each column 
 contains from seventy to seventy-two lines, and the 
 whole roll contains a hundred and ten columns. The 
 name of the scribe is written in a kind of acrostic, and 
 forms part of the text, running through three columns,
 
 On. X.] THE MODERN SAIMARITANS. 313 
 
 and is found in the Book of Deuteronomy.* Wliether 
 it be the real work of the great-grandson of Aaron, as 
 indicated in the writing, I leave the reader to judge ; the 
 roll, at all events, has the appearance of a very high 
 antiquity ; and is wonderfully well preserved considering 
 its venerable age. It is worn out and torn in many 
 places and patched with re-written parchment ; in many 
 other places, where not torn, the writing is unreadable. 
 But it seemed to me that about two-thirds of the original 
 is still readable. The sldns of which the roll is com- 
 posed are of equal size, and measure each twenty-five 
 inches long and fifteen inches wide. 
 
 We had hardly finished our hasty examination before 
 we were again disturbed by a violent shake of the door. 
 Some of the Samaritans had susj)ected what was going 
 on, and Phineas, Yacub's cousin, was sent to put a stop 
 to our proceedings ; and Yacub felt it to be prudent to 
 replace the sacred scroll as quickly as possible. 
 
 Here I may as well mention the versions made from 
 this text. 
 
 1. The first and most important is that in the Samari- 
 tan language. To the common people the language of 
 the original was a dead language ; therefore, just as the 
 Jews of Palestine made a version of the Old Testament 
 in Chaldee for the use of their people, who were unable 
 to understand the original, so did the Samaritans make 
 
 * This stivteincnt I give upon the months after, on examining it, 
 
 authority of Yacub, as we had not found, they say, that it actually 
 
 sufficient time to examine that fact. exists. 
 Mr. Levisolm and Mr. Kraus, a few
 
 314 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 a version of the Pentateucli in their own language for 
 the benefit of their jDeople. When and by whom this 
 version was made is unlmown. It was evidently done 
 from the Samaritan codex, which, upon the whole, it 
 closely follows, rendering word for word. Critics have, 
 of course, variously speculated upon its merits, some 
 holding that its translator followed the Targum of 
 Onkelos, whilst others deny it ; but it may, perhaps, be 
 fairly said that not sufficient attention has as yet been 
 paid to it, and that the paucity of MSS. in Europe ren- 
 ders it impossible to do it full justice. I may safely say, 
 however, that it seems to be as faithful a translation as 
 any of the ancient ones ; and with regard to age, stands, 
 most probably, at the head of them all. This version 
 has been printed in the Paris and London Polyglotts. 
 
 2. The second is a Greek version — To '^afiapelriKov — 
 but of this only a few fragments now exist. Whether 
 these fragments are the remnants of a full trans- 
 lation of the Pentateuch, or only a number of scholia 
 translated from the Samaritan version, is a matter of 
 dispute among critics ; but there can hardly be a doubt 
 that the Samaritans of Egypt would prepare a trans- 
 lation of their sacred book for the use of their own 
 people, who understood but Greek, just as the Jews did 
 with the whole of the Old Testament. I believe Het- 
 tinger * to be right in contending for such a version., 
 and in assigning to it as high an age as that of the 
 Septuagint. Hettinger, Morin, and others have col- 
 lected these fragments. 
 
 * Exer. Ante-Morin. p. 28.
 
 Ch. X.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 815 
 
 3. There is another version in Arabic, made hy Abu 
 Said in Egj^^t, about the year 1000. It is extant in 
 MS. copies in several European libraries ; * but, so 
 far as I know, has not yet been printed, nor fully 
 examined. 
 
 * A very beautiful and complete Library, by Dr. Joseph Taylor, in 
 copy was i^resented to the Bodleian 1663.
 
 316 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 LITERATURE. 
 
 QAMARITAN literature, in its palmiest clays, could 
 ^ never be compared witli that of the Jews, the Sama- 
 ritans being, comparatively, a small community, and 
 not so much given to literary pursuits. Their singular 
 attachment, however, to the law of Moses would, of 
 itself, draw forth a certain amount of mental activity ; 
 and the religious antagonism of the two peoples would 
 still further stimulate the energies of the weaker sect. 
 But independently of these considerations, the Sama- 
 ritans became open to the influence of Greek lite- 
 rature, especially as developed in Alexandria. Their 
 schools multiplied and flourished, and could boast 
 of their teachers and authors in all the walks of 
 science and literature, as well as theology. But in 
 the persecutions they suffered, during the first cen- 
 turies of the Christian era, and especially under the 
 licentious and cruel Commodus, most of their books 
 were destroyed. The Mohammedan domination in 
 Palestine and tho surrounding countries, only added to 
 the destruction. Nor did they ever regain their former 
 activity. But few authors rose amongst them, and 
 those not of equal abilities to their more ancient sages.
 
 Cb. XL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 317 
 
 Nearly all the works that have come down to us, with 
 the exception of their liturgies, are of this period. 
 The whole collection, both ancient and modern, is very 
 small, and, probably, not very valuable, with the ex- 
 ception of the MSS. of the law. This, however, can- 
 not be pronounced upon until their contents be care- 
 fully and impartially examined. Some time, I fear, will 
 elapse before this can be accomplished, as most of their 
 books are kept with religious jealousy from the hands 
 of the uncircumcised. The priest Amram allowed me 
 on several occasions to look over some of them, which 
 encouraged me to request the favour of his drawing up 
 a list of all those in their possession, with which, to 
 my great satisfaction, he complied. He instructed his 
 nephew Yacub to make it, and in a day or two the 
 document was in my hands. I had requested, that, in 
 every instance, five things should be noted — the name, 
 the author, the language, the date, and the subject ; and 
 these were carefully attended to. I shall now subjoin 
 list, in the order in which it was written. 
 
 El Amir. — The author of this work was Maraka, 
 who flourished about fifty years before the Christian 
 era. The work consists of an exposition of parts of 
 the sacred law. It is written in Hebrew, with an 
 Arabic translation. 
 
 El Kaffi. — This is a work discussing the doctrines 
 contained in the law, written by Juseph el Askari, in 
 the seventh century of the Christian era. The original 
 language is Hebrew, with a kind of free translation 
 into Arabic.
 
 318 ■ NABLUS ANi) [rART II. 
 
 El Tahahh. — A work on the Jews, recounting the 
 judgments that had befallen them; written in Hebrew, 
 with an Arabic translation. The author — Abu Hassan 
 es Suri — flourished in the twelfth century. 
 
 Masaecl Cheelajji. — A discussion on the differences 
 between the Jews and Samaritans ; written in Hebrew, 
 but accompanied by an Arabic translation. The author 
 was Munadji Naphees ed Deen, who lived in the 
 twelfth century. 
 
 El jSlulhalal Phi en NikaJii. — An explanation of 
 marriage, describing what is lawful, and what is unlaw- 
 ful. It was written in Hebrew, but is also translated 
 into Arabic. The author — Abul '1 Barakat — lived in 
 the twelfth century. 
 
 Kltah el Meerath. — This work is by the same author 
 as the pre\"ious one, comprising laAvs and regulations 
 concerning wills and testaments. It was written in 
 Hebrew, but has an Arabic translation. 
 
 Kitah es Sateer. — A compendium of history, from 
 Adam to the time of Moses. No author is named, 
 only that it was written by the command and under 
 the authority of Moses. This is in Hebrew onlj. 
 
 El Chuhs. — A work written under the direction of 
 Adam. It is a Idnd of astronomical work, applied 
 to the regulation of the first month of the year, and an 
 explanation of the sun and moon. This also exists 
 only in Hebrew. 
 
 Reesalat. — This is a kind of practical exposition 
 on the former work, written by several authors, but 
 without date. The work is in Hebrew and Arabic.
 
 Cn. XL] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 319 
 
 Reesalat Ahhhor Israeel. — An explanation of the 
 feasts, tlieir object and ceremonies. The author was 
 Eleazer the priest, who flourished in the fifth century 
 after the conquest of Palestine. This also is in Hebrew 
 and Arabic. 
 
 Reesalat el Arsliad. — A work on the days of the 
 month upon which the feasts were to be held. The 
 author — Ibrahim il Ahi — lived during the last century ; 
 and wrote his work in Hebrew and Arabic. 
 
 Sharechli. — A book explaining certain blessings, was 
 the verbal explanation given to me (the writing could 
 not be deciphered), but, I believe, containing curses 
 upon their adversaries. The author was Ibrahim el 
 Kaisi, who lived in the sixteenth century. The work 
 is in Hebrew and Arabic. 
 
 Shareehh. — This is an exposition on the Book of 
 Exodus, by Ghazal ed Duik, who flourished in the thu-- 
 teenth century. This also is in Hebrew and Arabic. 
 
 Sharechli. — An exposition on Genesis, from the be- 
 ginning to the twenty-eighth chapter. The author is 
 unknown, but dates from the second century. It is 
 in Hebrew and Arabic. 
 
 Sharechli. — An exposition on the whole Book of 
 Genesis, written by Musalem el Murjam, in the eigh- 
 teenth century. This was wi-itten in Hebrew with an 
 Arabic translation. 
 
 Sharechli. — An exposition on the books of Le\'iticus 
 and Numbers, by Ghazal el Matari ; written in Hebrew, 
 with a land of paraphrase in Arabic. The author 
 lived in the last century.
 
 320 NABLUS AND [Pakt II. 
 
 Shareelih. — An exposition on the Book of Exodus, 
 by various authors ; has no date, but is ancient. It is 
 in Hebrew and Arabic. 
 
 Shareelih. — An exposition on the law, how the an- 
 cients observed it. It was written by El Hhabr Yacub, 
 in the twelfth century. The work is in Hebrew only. 
 
 Kitah en Nasld. — This is a work on the birth of 
 Moses, the great lawgiver, by Ishmael Reihh, who 
 flourished in the sixteenth century. It is written in 
 Hebrew, with an Arabic paraphrase. 
 
 Tartcel Salairat, dc. — A compilation of prayers, 
 hymns, &c., by different authors, to be used in the 
 public service. The compiler is unknown, and the 
 book, therefore, has no date. It is all in Hebrew, and 
 has no Arabic translation. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the Passover compiled from 
 different authors, in Hebrew only. It has no date, but 
 is ancient. 
 
 Tarteel. — Another compilation for the same feast, 
 characterized as the former. 
 
 Tarteel. — A compilation of prayers to be used 
 during the fifty days following the Passover. The 
 authors of the prayers are unknown, but ancient. The 
 work is only in Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel. — The book of service for the feast of Pen- 
 tecost, with no date, but ancient ; and only in Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel. — Containing the prayers for the first day of 
 the month Tishri, compiled from different authors. It 
 has no date, but ancient ; and is only in Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the great fast, the day of
 
 Ch. XI.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 321 
 
 atonement. This is an ancient compilation, in Hebrew 
 only. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the feast of Tabernacles 
 — characterized as the former, and existing only in 
 Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the last day of the year. 
 This is also an ancient compilation, and only existing 
 in Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the feast of Unleavened 
 Bread — distinguished from the one for Passover. It is 
 an ancient compilation, and in Hebrew only. 
 
 Tarteel. — The service for the first day of the year, in 
 Hebrew only ; and of ancient date. 
 
 Tarteel. — ^A book containing the service for the two 
 Sabbaths preceding the Passover. This is also of 
 ancient date, and only exists in Hebrew. 
 
 Tarteel Col Daffter. — The service for all the common 
 Sabbaths throughout the year, and also for the evening 
 of the first day of every month. This was compiled, 
 arranged, and prescribed by Marka and his associates, 
 who flourished about forty years before the Christian 
 era. 
 
 Tareekh. — The history of the children of Israel 
 (Samaritans), their state, and what has happened to 
 them, from their commencement till now. 
 
 Such is the list given me by the priest. It may be 
 that it only includes the works mostly esteemed by 
 them. I am led to think so from the fact that the 
 catechism lent me, already referred to, is not entered, 
 and other minor works may have also been omitted. It 
 
 Y
 
 322 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 is curious to observe, accepting their own dates, that all 
 the liturgical works are ancient : five are dated anterior 
 to the Christian era, two are without date, thirteen 
 since the rise of Moslemism, and two during the first 
 five centuries of the Christian era. 
 
 Yacub closed the list with the following addendum : — 
 These are the books which are existing at present 
 with us in the city of Nablus. The number is thirty- 
 three, and the works consist of histories, expositions, 
 observances and ceremonies of feasts. These are all 
 that I have found, which God (praised be his name !) 
 well knows. This manuscript has been written through- 
 out by the hand of the low, the despised and unworthy 
 Yacub, Ibn Aaron, Ibn Shalmah, Ibn Ghazal Hac- 
 cohen — may God spare him and forgive him ! also his 
 parents, and his teachers ! and also those who have 
 bestowed and will bestow favour upon him and upon 
 the whole house of Israel (Samaritans) ! Amen ! 
 Written on the 6 of Shaban, 1276 A.H.
 
 Ch. XII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 323 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ANTAGONISM OF SAMARITANS AND JEWS. 
 
 ^HE spirit of antagonism between the Samaritans 
 -* and Jews, which has so deeply characterized their 
 history through all ages, was not commenced at the 
 amalgamation of those nationalities with the remnants 
 of the Ten Tribes, as related in 2 Kings xvii. ; but was 
 rather a continuation of what had previously existed 
 for ages. The careful student of the Bible cannot fail 
 to observe that a spirit of rivalry had evinced itself 
 between the tribes of Ephraim and Judah ever since 
 their departure from Egypt. Ephraim, the aristocracy 
 of the nation, however, remained dominant whilst pos- 
 sessing the Ark and Tabernacle, with the whole sacerdotal 
 establishment, within the very centre of its territory, as 
 a rallying point of union to all the tribes. It was not 
 till Judah gave a king to the nation, that the balance 
 of power began to turn in favour of that great rival 
 tribe; and when David had selected Jerusalem for his 
 metropolis, and the temple on Mount Zion had taken 
 the place of the tabernacle, Ephraim could tolerate it 
 no longer. During the reign of King Solomon, cir- 
 
 Y 2
 
 324 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 cumstances prevented disunion ; but on the death of 
 that monarch, the Ten Tribes, under the influence of 
 Ephraim, separated themselves from the house of David, 
 and formed themselves into a distinct and rival king- 
 dom. The old spirit of rivalry between the two tribes 
 became now more intensified than ever, and spread itself 
 throughout the two kingdoms. Shechem, the chief 
 city of Ephraim, became for a time the metropolis of 
 the new kingdom, and when the seat of government 
 was finally removed to Samaria, it was still within the 
 territory of Ephraim. This gave the tribe a predo- 
 minance in the councils of Israel. So manifest does 
 this appear through all its subsequent history, that 
 the whole kingdom is frequently called after its name. 
 Thus were Ephraim and Judah completely severed, and 
 the future spirit of the two kingdoms had no tendency 
 to heal the breach, but rather to widen it. 
 
 Nor did the Captivity effect a change. On the return 
 from Babylon we find the same deep-seated animosity 
 still existing between Jerusalem and Samaria. The 
 dwellers in Samaria — now a mixed people — seemed to 
 be inclined to unite with the house of Judah, and 
 desired to be allowed to participate in the rebuilding of 
 the temple in Jerusalem, but were refused (Ezra iv. 
 1-3). It is worthy of notice that they were refused 
 not because they were idolaters or of the uncircumcised 
 — no such accusation is preferred against them — but 
 merely, as it seems, on the ground of nationality or 
 tribal sympathy. The event, however, revived all 
 the bad feelings that had previously existed, though
 
 Ch. XII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 325 
 
 they now arose more from religious than political 
 motives. It was not confined to the inhabitants of 
 these two districts, but whenever the two people came 
 into contact, this sectarian enmity always revealed 
 itself. Even the colonists in Egj'pt seemed to lack 
 none of the bitterness and violence that existed in the 
 mother country (Joseph., Ant., xiii. 11. 4). And the 
 dictum of the son of Sirach may be, and probably is, a 
 fair index to the traditional hatred in which the Jews 
 generally held the Samaritans, for he, at least, abhorred 
 the foolish people that dwelt in Shechem (Ecclus. 1. 26). 
 In the New Testament we find traces of the same 
 spirit existing, especially among the Jews. The Sama- 
 ritan woman was surprised at our Saviour asking water 
 of her to drink, because the Jews had no dealings 
 with the Samaritans (John iv. 9). The most bitter 
 reproach that the infuriated Jews could hurl at the 
 Saviour was, " Thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil " 
 (John viii. 48). So universal and deep-rooted was this 
 feeling in the Jewish mind that even the disciples of 
 our Lord, on one occasion, when inhospitably treated by 
 the inhabitants of a Samaritan village, thought it not 
 too great a punishment to invoke fire from heaven to 
 consume them (Luke ix. 54). *'Ye laiow not what 
 manner of spirit ye are of," was the mild and gener- 
 ous rebuke. Indeed the Saviour not only carefully 
 abstained from speaking disparagingly of the Samari- 
 tans, but rather represented the Samaritan character in 
 favourable terms. It is true that when He sends forth 
 his disciples on a certain mission, He for certain reasons
 
 326 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 forbids their entering into any of the cities of the 
 Samaritans (Matt. x. 5), and elsewhere, according to the 
 general use of the word, calls them strangers (Luke 
 xvii. 18 *) ; still he depicts the Samaritan character in 
 a more favourable light than that of his own people. 
 Mark his parable of the traveller passing from Jenisa- 
 lem to Jericho, how the priest and Levite pass their 
 maltreated brother unmindful of his misery, but how 
 the Samaritan has compassion upon him (Luke x. 30— 
 36). And again his miracles upon the ten lepers — 
 nine of whom were Jews. The ten were cleansed, but 
 one only turned back to glorify God ; and he fell down 
 at the Saviour's feet, giving him thanks — " and he was a 
 Samaritan " (Luke xvii. 11—19). The Samaritans had, 
 too, a better appreciation of the mission of the Messiah, 
 which probably accounts for the reception given by them 
 to the teaching of Christ. Of Samaritan animosity there 
 is an instance on record which is referred to in the 
 Mishna.f It was the custom of the Jews to communi- 
 cate to their brethren still in the country of the capti- 
 vity the exact time of the appearance of the paschal moon 
 by beacon fires lit from Mount Olives to Beth Baltin, 
 upon which every Jew went on the roof of his house 
 waving a torch, until the whole country was ablaze, by 
 
 * I ain inclined to believe tliat i)eruse the whole passage and judge 
 the Saviour used this expression for himself (Luke xvii. 11-19). 
 {a^Aoyivr,;), according to the Jews' One thing is certain, that the 
 common design.ation of the Saniari- Saviour did not class the Samari- 
 tans, more in way of rebuking the tans with the Gentiles, but made a 
 ingratitude of the nine Jews who marked distinction between them 
 were cleansed, than of exact ethno- (Matt. x. 5). 
 logical description. Let the reader f Rosh. Hoshanali, Ch. II.
 
 Ch. XII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 827 
 
 which the right time to celebrate the Passover was 
 made known to the Jews. But for the purpose of mis- 
 leading them the Samaritans lighted firebrands at wrong 
 times, wliich led the Jews to ordain that messengers 
 should be sent out. These public outrages, however, 
 were probably done by certain fanatics, and we may 
 suppose that a better spirit presided in the councils of 
 both people. When Josephus tells us of certain Sama- 
 ritans who entered early into the temple area on the 
 Passover and scattered dead men's bones to defile the 
 sanctuai-y, he adds that until then Samaritans were 
 admitted on such festivals like the Jews (Ant., xviii. 
 2. 2). Again, when he speaks of Galilean Jews being 
 maltreated on their way to Jerusalem by the inhabitants 
 of the Samaritan village of Genea (Ant., xx. vi. 1), it is 
 evident that it was an exceptional case ; were it otherwise 
 our author, whose hatred of the Samaritan people was 
 most sincere, would most certainly have mentioned it. 
 
 The fact that the Galilean Jews passed through the 
 country without frequent quarrellings implies that they 
 were not in great danger from the Samaritans. And if 
 one village showed an inhospitable spirit to Christ and 
 his disciples (Luke ix. 53, 56), other villages received 
 and kindly entertained them (John iv. 40). A full 
 catalogue of the ill-treatment of Jews by Samaritans, so 
 far as it is known to us, is not great ; and the bad spirit 
 that existed between them was probably much modified 
 in the more intelligent portion of the community. 
 
 The same may, doubtless, be said of the Jews too. 
 It is, indeed, said, on the authority of Rabbi Tanchum,
 
 328 NABLUS AND [PaetII. 
 
 that the Jews, under the leadership of Ezra and his 
 colleagues, were collected in the temple for the purpose 
 of publicly cursing the Samaritans by the sacred name 
 of God, and by the glorious writing of the tables, and 
 by the curse of the upper and lower house of judgment 
 — that no Israelite eat of anything that is Samaritan — 
 nor that any Samaritan be proselytized to Israel, nor have 
 any part in the resurrection : and that this curse was sent 
 to Israel in Babylonia ; and, adding thereto curse upon 
 curse, it was to remain an everlasting curse. The story, 
 however, is very doubtful ; for we find, ages after this, 
 that the Jewish authorities conducted themselves very 
 differently. The Mishnic authors have regarded the 
 Samaritan as a brother; nor did the Talmudists all 
 agree in his condemnation — whilst some looked upon 
 him as a heathen, others treated him in every respect 
 as an Israelite. During many ages all kinds of food pre- 
 pared by the Samaritans were deemed Cosher : and no 
 wonder — it was well known that they adhered most 
 scrupulously to the Mosaic law. To eat, therefore, with 
 Samaritans was lawful (compare John iv. 8). And, still 
 more singular, circumcision performed by a Samaritan 
 was held to be valid. 
 
 But these concessions did not remove the antipathy of 
 the two peoples : the Jews continued to hate the Samari- 
 tans, and the Samaritans were not slow to repay them 
 in the same coin with interest. On the one hand, the 
 Jews accused the Samaritans of worshipping the idols 
 buried under the oak at Shechem (Gen. xxxv. 4) ; and 
 also of worshipping a dove as a representation of Nergal,
 
 Ce. XII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 329 
 
 a Cuthean idol (Cbulin 6. a), which is still believed 
 among the Jews to this day. The Samaritans, on the 
 other hand, taunt the Jews for not having a regular 
 priesthood, and reproach them with having destroyed 
 the law, with irregular circumcision, with eating food not 
 better than carrion, and with evading the commands of 
 Moses : they are also most prodigal of their curses upon 
 their Cuthite enemies. Time after time was I told by 
 the present priest, who is free from all personal vin- 
 dictive spirit, that the Jews were accursed since the 
 days of Eli, who was their chief — that it is unlawful to 
 intermarry, or to eat, or to have any unnecessary dealing 
 with them, for they are accursed.
 
 830 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 CHAPTER XII I. 
 
 SAMARITAN CHRONOLOGY. 
 
 It is well known that the chronology of the Sama- 
 ritan Pentateuch differs from that of the Jewish and 
 Septuagiut texts. It is not my ohject in this place to 
 discuss the question ; but having requested the priest 
 to draw up a chronological table, and this being com- 
 plied with, I here present the same without note or com- 
 ment. It is not so full as I hoped it would have been ; 
 still it cannot fail, I trust, to be acceptable to those of 
 my readers who take an interest in these matters. 
 
 B.C. 
 
 1 This year the woi'ld and Adam were created. 
 
 2 Cain born. 
 
 3 Abel born. 
 
 29 The death of Abel. 
 
 30 Adam's eyes opened — reflecting upon, and repenting 
 
 of, what he had done. 
 
 130 The birth of Setli — being after the repentance. 
 
 135 The birth of Enos. 
 
 325 The birth of Cainan. 
 
 395 The birth of Mahalaleel. 
 
 460 The bh-th of Jared. 
 
 522 The birth of Enoch. 
 
 587 The birth of Methuselah. 
 
 654 The bh'th of Lamech.
 
 Ch. XIII.] THE MODEEN SAMAEITANS. 331 
 
 B.C. 
 
 707 The birth of Noah. 
 
 887 The removal of Enoch. 
 
 930 The death of Adam. 
 
 1042 The death of Seth. 
 
 1140 The death of Enos. 
 
 1227 The bu-th of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
 
 1230 The death of Cainan. 
 
 1290 The death of Mahalaleel. 
 
 1307 Death of Jared — ]\Iethusaleh — Lamech ; the deluge. 
 
 1309 The birth of Arphaxad. 
 
 1444 The bii-th of Salah. 
 
 1574 The bii'th of Eber. 
 
 1657 The death of Noah. 
 
 1708 The bii-th of Peleg. 
 
 1721 Building- of the Tower of Babel ; and the confusion 
 
 of tongues. 
 
 1722 Beginning of the kingdom of Ninirod. 
 1747 The death of Arphaxad. 
 
 1807 The death of Shem. 
 
 1838 The birth of Mary (P). 
 
 1877 The death of Salah. 
 
 1947 The death of Peleg. 
 
 1970 The bh-th of Sarug. 
 
 1978 The birth of Eber. 
 
 2077 Removal of Reu to the friend (?). 
 
 2100 The birth of Nahui-. 
 
 2179 The bh-th of Terah. 
 
 2200 The death of Sarug. 
 
 2249 The birth of om- honoured Lord Abraham — ^may 
 
 Grod grant him peace ! 
 
 2259 The birth of our Lady Sai-ah. 
 
 2324 The removal of our Lord Abraham to the land of 
 
 Canaan. 
 
 2325 ") Commencement of the 430 years of the sojourning 
 
 2326 ) of the childi-cn of Israel and their father Abraham. 
 2333 The covenant with Abraham.
 
 332 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 B.C. 
 
 2334 Abraham marries Agar, 
 
 2347 Abraham's name changed from Abram to Abraham. 
 
 2348 The covenant of cu"cumcision. 
 
 2349 The birth of our Lord Isaac, after the removal to 
 
 Beersheba. 
 2386 The death of onr Lady Sarah. 
 2389 MaiTiage of our Lord Isaac to Rebecca. 
 2391 Marriage of om' Lord Abraham to Keturah. 
 2409 Bh^th of otir Lord Jacob and Esau. 
 2411 Removal of our Lord Isaac into Gerar; and the 
 
 covenant made with him. 
 2424 Removal of our Lord Abraham to the 'mercy of 
 
 God — praised be his name ! 
 2486 The flight of our Lord Jacob to his uncle Laban. 
 
 2494 The bh-th of Reuben. 
 
 2495 The bh-th of Simeon. 
 
 2496 The birth of Levi— peace be upon him ! 
 
 2497 The birth of Judah. 
 
 2500 The birth of our Lord Joseph — peace be upon him ! 
 
 2506 Departure of our Lord Jacob from his uncle Laban. 
 
 2516 The selling of our Lord Joseph, and his departure 
 to Egypt. 
 
 2527 The imprisonment of our Lord Joseph, being ac- 
 cused by his mistress. 
 
 2529 The death of our Lord Isaac — peace be upon him ! 
 
 2530 Our Lord Joseph elevated to the throne of Egypt, 
 
 2531 The bh-th of Manasseh. 
 
 2532 The birth of Ephraim. 
 
 2539 The going down of our Lord Jacob and children to 
 
 Egypt. 
 2548 The birth of Cohath. 
 2556 The death of our Lord Jacob — removed to the 
 
 mercy of God — peace be ixpon him ! 
 2619 The birth of Lord Amram. 
 2633 The death of Lord Levi. 
 2671 The bu-th of Aaron.
 
 Ch. XIIL] the modern SAMARITANS. 333 
 
 B.C. 
 
 2673 The bii'th of Lord and Apostle Moses — peace be 
 
 upon him ! 
 2681 The death of Cohath. 
 2753 The departure of the children of Israel out of 
 
 Egypt. 
 2755 The death of Lord Amram. 
 2794 Consecration of Eleazer to the priesthood ; and the 
 
 entrance into the land of Canaan. 
 
 2801 The fii'st year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan. 
 
 2802 The birth of Abishua. 
 
 2813 In this year Abishua wrote the Holy Book (Penta- 
 teuch). 
 
 2844 The consecration of Phineas to the priesthood. 
 
 2904 The consecration of Abishua, the writer of the 
 Holy Book, to the priesthood. 
 
 2944 The consecration of Shishi. 
 
 2994 Consecration of Behhaki (Bukki). 
 
 3025 Consecration of Uzzi. 
 
 3054 The missing of the Tabernacle ; and the commence- 
 
 ment of the going astray. 
 
 3055 The consecration of Shishi II. 
 3094 The consecration of Behliaki II. 
 3117 The consecration of Shasbat. 
 3145 The consecration of Shalom. 
 3170 The consecration of Hezekiah. 
 3187 The consecration of Yeholatan. 
 3218 The consecration of Eyar. 
 3240 The consecration of Zedekiah. 
 3268 The consecration of Ahhbad. 
 3288 The consecration of Mahher. 
 3309 The consecration of Usadik. 
 
 3391 The commencement of the kingdom of David, son 
 
 of Jesse. 
 3423 The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon, 
 
 sou of David. 
 3488 Commencement of the kingdom of Nebuchadnezer.
 
 334 NABLUS AND [Part II. 
 
 The end of the kingdom of Nebuchadnezer. 
 
 The founding of Alexandina. 
 
 The death of Alexander. 
 
 The Greek rule after Alexander, 
 
 The beginning of the Christian era. 
 
 The capture of Jerusalem from the hands of 
 the Jews. 
 
 The building of Constantinople. 
 
 The consecration of Eleazer. 
 
 The rising of the cursed one (Mohammed). 
 
 The flight of the cursed one. 
 
 The consecration of Nathaneel. 
 
 The era of Tazardjan, the Persian. 
 
 The consecration of Eleazer. 
 
 The consecration of Ahkboon. 
 
 The consecration of Eleazer. 
 
 The conquest of Shalmanezer over the land 
 of Israel, 
 
 The consecration of Abkoon. 
 
 The consecration of Simon. 
 
 The consecration of Levi. 
 
 The consecration of Phineas. 
 
 The consecration of Nathaneel. 
 
 The consecration of Baba. 
 
 The consecration of Eleazer. 
 
 The consecration of Nathaneel. 
 
 The consecration of Eleazer. 
 
 The consecration of Phineas. 
 
 The consecration of Nathaneel. 
 
 The capture of Jerusalem by the Moham- 
 medans. 
 
 The consecration of Tahhzi. 
 
 The consecration of Phineas. This was the 
 father of Abishua, the great poet. 
 j815 1377 The captare of Constantiaople by Sultan 
 Mahmud. 
 
 B.C. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 3877 
 
 
 4100 
 
 
 4105 
 
 
 4110 
 
 
 4438 
 
 1 
 
 4508 
 
 70 
 
 4761 
 
 323 
 
 5046 
 
 603 
 
 5047 
 
 609 
 
 5062 
 
 624 
 
 6070 
 
 632 
 
 5071 
 
 633 
 
 6089 
 
 651 
 
 5106 
 
 668 
 
 5135 
 
 697 
 
 5148 
 
 710 
 
 5150 
 
 712 
 
 5170 
 
 732 
 
 6186 
 
 748 
 
 5216 
 
 778 
 
 5227 
 
 789 
 
 6229 
 
 791 
 
 6240 
 
 802 
 
 6249 
 
 811 
 
 5268 
 
 830 
 
 5276 
 
 837 
 
 6283 
 
 845 
 
 5506 
 
 1067 
 
 6706 
 
 1268 
 
 6746 
 
 1308
 
 Ch. XIII.] THE MODERN SAMARITANS. 335 
 
 B.C. A.D. 
 
 5820 1382 Discovery of gunpowder. 
 
 5881 1443 Discovery of the art of printing. 
 
 5927 1489 Discovery of America. 
 
 5951 1517 The conquest of Egypt by the Mohammedans. 
 
 6062 1624 The end of the priesthood by the house of 
 
 Phineas. 
 
 6063 1625 Commencement of the consecration of Le- 
 
 vites — Zadock. 
 Rule of the Turks over the land of Babylon. 
 Consecration of Israel the Levite. 
 The consecration of Abraham the Levite. 
 Captm-e of Jerusalem by the Arabs. 
 Bu'th of Ghazal Hakkoen, the writer's 
 
 grandfather. 
 The consecration of Levi. 
 The consecration of the writer's grandfather. 
 The bu'th of Shalmah Hakkoen, the ^vriter's 
 
 grandfather. 
 6225 1787 Death of the writer's grandfather, Ghazal — 
 
 God have mercy upon him ! 
 6238 1800 The consecration of Shalmah, the -wi'iter's 
 
 grandfather. 
 
 6241 1803 Conquest of the Wahabi over the Moham- 
 
 medans. 
 
 6242 1804 The French in Africa. 
 
 6247 1809 The birth of our uncle Amram, Hakkoen. 
 
 6265 1827 The consecration of our uncle Amram. 
 
 6277 1839 Abdul Medjidj Sultan. 
 
 6279 1841 The birth of the writer, the humble Yacub, 
 Hakkoen. 
 
 6296 1857 The death of the wi-iter's grandfather, Shal- 
 mah ibn Ghazal — may God have mercy 
 upon him ! 
 
 6076 
 
 1638 
 
 6089 
 
 1651 
 
 6133 
 
 1695 
 
 6156 
 
 1718 
 
 6170 
 
 1732 
 
 6172 
 
 1734 
 
 6191 
 
 1753 
 
 6221 
 
 1783 
 
 Woodfall and Kinder, I'rinters, Milford Lane, Strand, London, W.C.
 
 §g % same ^utljor. 
 
 THE BRITISH JEWS: 
 
 BEING 
 
 A FULL DIGEST OF THE DOMESTIC HABITS, 
 
 RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE 
 
 JEWS IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 " The author — a liberal-minded Christian — has evidently for years 
 observed the Jews in the various conditions of life, and now faithfully 
 chronicles what he has seen ; and his most interesting volume has all the 
 freshness and accuracy attaching to an account given by one who does not 
 tamely copy others, but describes what he has witnessed himself ; and we 
 can assure our readers that we have never seen a more faithful daguerreo- 
 type of Jewish life than that pourtrayed by the Rev. Mr. Mills." — Hebrew 
 Observer. 
 
 "There is a vein of liberality throughout the whole." — Jewish 
 Chronicle. 
 
 " Had some Mande^^Ile fallen in with such a people, his accounts of 
 them would scarcely have helped to sustain his reputation as a truth- 
 teller ; had a Stephens found them clustered round some ancient temple 
 in Mexico, scientific and literary missions would have been sent out to 
 .study their manners and mode of life. Yet the London Hebrew, the 
 living riddle of the world, was until now a being all but unknown to the 
 other dwellers of the great city. Mr. Mills, the writer of the able and 
 interesting work before us, says that there are 30,000 Jews in the United 
 
 Kingdom : of these 20,000 dwell in London and its suburbs 
 
 Farther than this we may not follow our expositor of Hebrew man- 
 ners and customs ; but we will not close our notice of a book from 
 which we have gained instruction without warmly recommending it to the 
 reader's attention. " — A thenaniin. 
 
 "Whether for the purposes of bil)lical illustration, or as a magazine of 
 historical and statistical facts, the work is a valuable contribution to the 
 literature of the day." — Literary Gazette. 
 
 "The work, therefore, supplies what has been felt as a desideratum 
 by exact inquii'ers, and relieves them from the danger of making any 
 mistakes on general authorities respecting the practices of the Jewish 
 portion of our fellow-citizens." — Kino's Journal of Sacred Literature. 
 
 " The book deserves the heartiest commendation as an excellent compend 
 
 Z
 
 of the domestic habits of the Jews, the religion of the Jews, the social 
 condition of the Jews, and all that these general and comprehensive 
 terms indicate." — British Banner. 
 
 " It is, indeed, a valuable contribution to the national literature of the 
 day ; and we doubt not it will obtain a very extensive circulation." — • 
 Evanrjelical Marjazine. 
 
 "Every division of this most acceptable volume contains novel i)articulars 
 or coiTected information, which would suj)ply interesting extracts by 
 
 columns The last section of the work also, on the social 
 
 condition, charities, educational institutions, and traits of character of the 
 British Jews, is highly deserving of attention. We thank Mr. Mills for 
 his able compilation, and emphatically commend it to our readers." — 
 Nonconformist. 
 
 " Tliere is much information in this book, and of a kind which it is 
 not easy to obtain elsewhere." — Church of England Magazine. 
 
 "Mr. Mills has, by long intercourse with British Jews, obtained an 
 intimacy and knowledge of their character and customs which probably 
 no Gentile ever possessed ; and in a most unobtrusive, unbookmaking-like 
 style, he has communicated his information to the public. We most cor- 
 dially recommend this book to all our readers." — United Preshi/teriau 
 Magazine. 
 
 " An ex;ceedingly interesting volume Mr. Mills has done 
 
 well to jog us into a little rational curiosity upon the subject. He is 
 evidently well informed about the condition of the British Jews ; and we 
 know of no book that gives so full and complete an account of them 
 as the present." — Critic. 
 
 "While, therefore, not uninteresting to the general reader, it is positively 
 essential to every library, and especially to the libraries of biblical stu- 
 dents." — Patriot. 
 
 " We take this opportunity of recommending it, as by far the most 
 complete account we possess of the religious and social peculiarities of 
 contemporary British Judaism. It is a work amusing enough for the 
 superficial, and suggesting not a few serious thoughts to the philosophical 
 inquirer. " — Churchman's Magazine. 
 
 "This is a work replete with authentic information relating to the 
 domestic, social, and religious condition of the Jews in this country, and 
 supplies an important desideratum in our national literature." — Watchman. 
 
 "Until the publication of this volume, the English people have been 
 almost as ignorant of the belief and customs of the British Jews, as if 
 they dwelt in some remote and inaccessible portion of the world." — 
 Jewish Herald. 
 
 ' ' Until we read Mr. Mills' book, we had no idea how little is popularly 
 known of this curious people domiciled among us." — The New Quarterlij 
 Review. (^ f<_ y-fy 7>-^
 
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