of Gilboa in which Saul perished (p. 273). In the Authorised Version it should be noted that Geba is written Gibeah; it is not so in the original.

The traveller will now descend into a valley, the Wady Suweinit, and then into the narrow gorge which is the Pass of Michmash referred to in 1 Sam. xiv. 4, 13 (see above). On a hill to the north-east will be seen the deserted village of Michmash (Mukhmâs), celebrated chiefly as being the scene of Jonathan's exploit, as recorded above. It is referred to in 1 Mac. xi. 73, as the residence of Jonathan Maccabeus. In the neighbourhood there are foundations of stones and a few columns, as well as caverns and cisterns. On the high plateau are some ruins, supposed to be identical with the ancient Migron (Isa. x. 28), which, like Michmash and Geba, lay in the route of the Assyrian army as it marched to Jerusalem.

Passing now westward, and descending to the valley, the next place of interest is the large village of Deir Diwan, situated on a high hill, and near here the dragoman will point out the site of Ai. The most remarkable circumstance connected with Ai was its siege by Joshua. Jericho had already fallen before the Israelites, under his command, and now, flushed with conquest, "Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night." Stratagem was used to accomplish the victory. Liers in wait were placed in ambush; and when "Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness," then arose the ambush, and entered the deserted city, which was speedily destroyed, and all the inhabitants perished at the edge of the sword. "And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day." The whole story is recorded in

Joshua vii. and viii., and the traveller will have a vivid picture of the battle before him as he reads it here.

"Without any reasonable doubt, this is the site of Ai. It corresponds exactly to the description, when we know the site of Bethel and the site of Abraham's encampment, where he built an altar, for we read that he pitched his camp, having Bethel in the north and Hai in the east. There is a valley behind the ruined heap, where Joshua placed his ambush. There is the spot opposite, across the intervening valley, where Joshua stood to give the preconcerted signal; and there is the plain or ridge, down which the men of Ai hurried in pursuit of the retreating Israelites, so that the men in ambush rose and captured the city, and made it a 'heap' or tell' for ever. Mr. George Williams has pointed out that the word which is translated 'heap' in our version exactly corresponds to the Arab rendering tell.'"-(Our Work in Palestine.)

From Ai to Bethel (p. 244) is a journey of a little less than three-quarters of an hour, by a lofty and pleasant plain sacred with associations connected with patriarchal history, as it was traversed by Abram-who reared his altar between "Bethel and Ai"-and Lot and Jacob.

[From Ai, a pleasant journey may be made to Rimmon (Rammûn), where the last of the Benjamites dwelt (Judges xx., xxi.), and to Ophrah, a position held by the Philistines (1 Sam. xiii. 17). Some have sought to identify it with the city of Ephraim, to which our Lord retired after the raising of Lazarus. 66 'Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples" (John xi. 54). From Ophrah to Bethel is a journey of about an hour and three-quarters.]

Bethel (p. 244).

FROM JERUSALEM TO SAMARIA.

Leaving Jerusalem by the Jaffa Gate, and passing round by the Russian Quarter to the Damascus Gate, or leaving Jerusalem by the Damascus Gate, the route leads by the Tombs of the Kings (p. 179) and the hill Scopus (p. 175). Looking back from this point, the view of Jerusalem is remarkably fine, and usually-as it is most frequently the traveller's last view of the Holy City-leaves an indelible impression on the mind. Nearly every traveller has described his emotions on leaving Jerusalem, and in the vast majority of instances his last view has been obtained from this spot. Here Crusaders, pilgrims of all ages, devotees of all phases of religion, have experienced emotion; and the place has therefore a sacredness of its own. If it be possible, every traveller should get his first view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, as you come from Bethany, and the last view from this hill of Scopus.

Passing over a broad plain, and taking a northerly direction, we see, on the left, the village of Shâfat, with part of a ruined church or tower, and cisterns hewn in the rock. There are fine views from the hill of Tuleil-el-Fûl, a short distance further on. Shâfât is identified by Mr. Porter as the site of the ancient Nob, a priestly city of Benjamin, the place where the Tabernacle and Ark were stationed in the time of Saul, to which David fled (1 Sam. xxi. 4). Abimelech the priest, having received Saul as a refugee, was informed against by Doeg the Edomite, and Nob was smitten with the edge of the sword in consequence (1 Sam. xxii. 9—19).

Tuliel-el-Ful (the Little Hill of Beans) is, without doubt, the Gibeah of Saul, the native place of the first King of Israel, and the seat of government during the greater part

of his reign (1 Sam. x. 26, xiv. 2). This is the place where the seven descendants of Saul were hanged by the Amorites, and the scene of one of the most touching stories of motherly love on record. Two of her sons were amongst those who were thus slain, and they "were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days in the beginning of barley harvest. And Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night" (2 Sam. xxi. 10). Thus, for six months, and those the hottest of the year, the sorrowing woman watched the bodies of her sons, and proved the truth of the saying, "love is stronger than death." The site of the city is now a dreary and desolate waste, and the ruins are not of importance.

The next site of any interest on the road is a hill on the right, where is the village of El-Râm, identical with Ramah of Benjamin-from whence there is a fine view. It was between Gibeon and Beeroth (Joshua xviii. 25). Here was the scene of that terrible story of the Levite (Judges xix.) which brought about the great war with the Benjamites. It is not improbable that here was fulfilled the prophecy, “A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation and bitter weeping (Jer. xxxi. 15; Matt. ii. 17, 18). It requires a little special pleading to make this a proven site, as Ramah simply means a highplace, or height.

Proceeding on our journey, we pass a ruined village on the ridge of a hill, supposed to be the site of Ataroth-addar, on the borders of Benjamin and Ephraim (Joshua xvi. 5). In a little more than half an hour we reach El-Bîreh, a village with about 800 inhabitants, an excellent spring of water, ruins of reservoirs, and of an old khân .

On a piece of high ground are the remains of a church. Tradition has fixed on El-Bîreh as the place where the Holy Family stopped at the close of the first day after leaving Jerusalem, and turned back to the city, when they discovered that the child Jesus was not with them. No great historical value can be attached to the tradition, although it is interesting in this respect, that parties travelling northward from Jerusalem are accustomed to spend the first night here; and in all probability it has been the resting-place of caravans on that journey from time immemorial. The church was built by the Crusaders, and the tradition dates only from the sixteenth century. El-Bîreh is identified with the ancient Beeroth (wells)—one of the four Hivite or Gibeonite cities that made the league with Joshua (Joshua ix. 17). It was allotted to Benjamin (Joshua xviii. 25), and is mentioned as the birth-place of one of David's mighty men, "Naharai, the Beerothite (2 Sam. xxiii. 37).

In about ten minutes after leaving El-Bîreh, the road divides; that on the left leads to Jifna, that on the right to Bethel and Ain Yebrûd (p. 247).

The journey from El-Bîreh to Bethel occupies only about half an hour, and the principal things to be noted on the way are a reservoir in a cavern, and a fountain, 'Ain-el-Akabah. Then, in five minutes,

BETHEL, OR BEITÎN.

Bethel is now but a poor village on a hill, with wretched huts, and about 500 inhabitants. Everywhere round about may be seen traces of ancient materials, even to the building of the hovels of the people. There are the remains of a tower in the highest part of the village, and near these the walls of a church.

An old cistern, constructed of solid masonry, is in a