Palestine was bounded on the fouth by Idumæa (a), the country of the Amalekites and the wildernefs of Seir; on the east by Arabia, the Nabathæans(b), Kedarenians (c), Moabites (d), Midianites (e), and Ammonites (f); on the north by Phoenicia and Syria; and on the west by the Great or Mediterranean fea. Paleftine may be divided into four parts; viz. Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, on this fide Jordan; and Perza on the other fide, which contained Gaulonitis, Batanæa, Ituræa, and Trachonitis.

Judea had on the fouth, Idumæa; the river Jordan on the east; Judea. Galilee on the north; and on the weft, Samaria, with part of the Mediterranean fea. The metropolis of it, as is well known, was Jerufalem. One of the most remarkable places in Judea, was undoubtedly Bethlehem (*), and that upon account of our Saviour's being born there. This city, formerly called Ephrata (†), was diftant but fix miles from Jerufalem to the fouth-welt.

It is named in the facred writings Bethlehem-Judah, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem belonging to the tribe of Zebulun (g). The Jews feldom mention the first: we read however in the Gemara of Jerufalem (1), and fome Rabbins, that the Meffiah was to be born at Bethlehem. Two miles from this city, on the road to Jerufalem, ftood, as is commonly fuppofed, Rachel's tomb (h). Which ferves to explain Matth. ii. 18. After the emperor Adrian had made a thorough conquest of Judea, he forbid the Jews to dwell in the neighbouring parts of Jerufalem, and particularly at Bethlehem. From whence Tertullian (i) draws a very good argument against them; namely, that fince the Meffiah was to be born out of the tribe of Judah, and in Bethlehem, they could not have any manner of ground for expecting him, fince no Jew was permitted to live in that city. From that time till Conftantine the Great, who caufed a temple to be built there, it became extremely polluted with idolatry. We learn from St. Jerom (k), that an idol of Adonis was fet up in the place where JESUS CHRIST was born. The bill-country of Judea, where Mary went, after the angel had declared to her the fhould be the mother of the Son of God, was likewise on the fouth

(a) So named from Edom, one of the names of Efau; Seir from one of the defcendants of Efau, of the fame name; Amalekites from Amalek, the grandfon of Efau. Gen. xxxvi.

(b) The Nabathæans from Nebaioth the fon of Ifhmael. Gen. xxv. 13. (c) The Kedarenians, from Kedar the fon of Ifhmael. Gen. xxv. 13. (d) The Moabites from Moab, the incestuous offspring of Lot with his eldest daughter. Gen. xix. 37.

(e) The Midianites from Midian the fon of Abraham by Keturah.

XXV. 2.

(f) The Ammonites from Ammon, or Ben-ammi, Lot's fon.

Gen.

(*) Bethlehem fignifies the house of bread, and was fo named becaufe of the fruitfulness of the foil round it.

(†) Gen. xlviii. 7. Micah v. 2.

(g) Judg. xvii. 7, 8.

(i) Tertull. adv. Jud.

(1) Gem. Hierofol. Berac. fol. 5. I. Echa. Rabbathi. fol. 72. I. ap. Lightfoot T. ii. p. 208. & Reland Pal. Sac. p. 644. (b) Gen. xlviii. 7. Itin. Hierof. (k) Hieron. ad Paulin.

fouth fide of Jerufalem. In this country lay Hebron (1), one of the cities alloted to the priests, where, as is commonly fuppofed, lived Zacharias, John the Baptift's father. In the remoteft parts of Judea towards the fouth, there was another confiderable city, called Beersheba. We read in the second book of Samuel (m) that the land of Ifrael reached from Dan to Beersheba. After the fchifm of the ten tribes, the bounds of the kingdom of Judah were defcribed by these words, from Beersheba to mount Ephraim (n).. Beersheba belonged to the tribe of Simeon (o). It is no where mentioned in the gospels.

On the fouth-eaft fide of Jerufalem lies the lake Afphaltites (p), that is of Bitumen, otherwife called the Dead fea (9), because no fith can live in it (*); as alfo the Salt fea, becaute its waters are falter than those of other feas (+); and lastly, the fea of Sodom, because in that place formerly ftood Sodom and Gomorrah, with three other cities, that were confumed by fire from heaven. In this lake the river Jordan discharges itself. There ftood on the eastern parts of Jerufalem feveral cities, as Gilgal, Engaddi, &c. but the moit confiderable of all was Jericho, where our Saviour was often wont to go, and where he converted Zacchæus (r). It is well known in what a miraculous manner this city was deftroyed by Jofhua (s). This great leader of the Ifraelites, pronounced a curfe upon the person that thould lay the foundations of it again. Notwithstanding which, we find that it was afterwards rebuilt, as we read in the first book of Kings (t), but the restorer of it was feverely punished. Jericho was fituated in a bottom (*), in that vaft plain that was named the great plain, at the diftance of 150 furlongs from Jerufalem (†). Between this capital of the holy-land, and Jericho, there was a deadful wilderness, which was a receptacle for thieves and murderers (1)

(1) Otherwife called Kirjath-arba: Gen. xxiii. 2.

(m) 2 Sam. xvii. 11.

(0) Jofh. xv. 28. xix. 2.

(n) 2 Chron. xix. 4.

The

waters

(p) The breadth of this lake is 150 furlongs, and the length 580. Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. 1. v. c. 5. It is faid to be 24 leagues long, and fix or feven broad. Mr. Maundrell, Journey from Aleppo to Jerufalem, Oxon. 1721. p. 84.

(7) It hath been before obferved that the Jews give the name of fea to any confiderable collection of waters, whether fweet or falt. Porphiry then was in the wrong to find fault with the Evangelifts for calling the lake of Gennefareth a fea, as St. Jerom hath obferved. Quæit. Hebr. I.

(*) This report (faith Mr. Maundrell, p. 84. of edit. 1721.) I have fome reafon to fufpect as falfe, having obferved among the pebbles on the shore, two or three fhells of fith refembling oyster-fhelis.

(†) Not only falt to the higheit degree, but also extreme bitter and naufeous. Id. ibid.

(~) Matth. xx. 20. Luke xviii. 35. xix. 1.

(s) Joh. vi. 20. Hebr. xi. 30.

(4) Kings xvi. 34. Jof. Aatiq. Jud. 1. v. c. 1. The length of this plain was 230 furlongs; the breadth 120. Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. l. v. c. 4.

(*) Hence this expreffion, to go down from Jerufalem to Jericho. Luke x. 30. (4) About 19 miles.

(4) St. Jerom tells us that this place was called Adamim, i. e. Blood, upon account of the frequent murders committed there. This in all likelihood

waters of Jericho are famous upon account of the miraculous alteration which Elifha caufed in them, by rendering them wholefome, they having been very bad before (u). This city was a bishop's fee at the time of the council of Nice.

The most remarkable places on the north of Jerufalem, were, 1. Ephraim, a pretty large city, eight miles from Jerufalem, near a defert of the fame name, where JESUS CHRIST retired after he had raised Lazarus from the dead (x). 2. Rama (y), that is, a high or lofty place, is placed by the facred writers in this neighbourhood. This town, which lies fix miles from Jerufalem, is in the road that leads from the kingdom of Judah to that of Ifrael. Through this place the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin paffed, when they were carried away captive to Babylon (z). Which occafioned the faying of the Jews, That there are two places of tears, Rama and Babel, applying to this captivity the 15th verfe of the xxxift chapter of Jeremiah. There were feveral towns of this name in Judea, but all more remote from Bethlehem than Rama of Benjamin, which was likewife at a confiderable distance, fince people were obliged to pass through Jerufalem, in order to go from Rama to Bethlehem (a). This diftance hath induced fome authors, after St. Jerom, to render the words that have by St. Matthew been applied to the maffacre at Bethlehem, in the following manner, in a high place was lamentation heard (b), instead of rendering them thus, in Ramah was lamentation beard, as the paffage of Jeremiah (c), which St. Matthew alludes to, hath been tranflated by the feventy, whofe verfion the Evangelift follows. By this high place these writers have understood the hillcountry of Judea near Bethlehem. But as Jeremiah fpeaks of the town Ramah, it is much more natural to put the fame fenfe upon it in St. Matthew, because Rachel's fepulchre was between Rama, and Bethlehem. This laft opinion we have followed in our note on that place. Beyond Ramah ftood Gibeah, noted for the fhameful violence offered by fome of it's inhabitants to a Levite's wife (d). This was one of the Levitical cities. Shiloh and Bethel are alfo on the north of Jerufalem, near the borders of the tribes of Benjamin, and Ephraim. They are no where mentioned in the gofpels, but are both famous in the Old Testament, the former upon account of the tabernacle being set up therein (e), and the latter for the vifion of the patriarch Jacob, who gave it the name of the houfe of God (f), and afterwards for an altar that was erected there by Jeroboam (g). Upon this laft account it was called Beth-aven, that is,

the

gave our blefied Lord an occafion to inftance in this part of the country, in his parable concerning the man that fell among thieves. See Luke x. 30. Well's Geogr. of the N. T. Part. 1. P. 121.

(u) 2 Kings ii. 20, 21, &c.

(y) Josh, xviii. 25. Judg. iv. 5. xix. 13.

(x) John xi. 54.

(x) Jerem. xl. I.

(d) Judg. xix.

(a) This is what may be inferred from Judg. xix. 11.

(e) Jofh. xviii, 1. Jerem. vii. 12.

(f) Bethel. It was before called Luz. Gen. xxviii. 19.
(g) Kings xii. 29. Amos iii. 14.

the houfe of iniquity (h).

the east of Bethel.

There was however another Beth-aven (1) on

The most remarkable place weft of Jerufalem was Joppa (*), Joppa. remarkable upon feveral accounts, and particularly for the hif

tory of Jonab, and its convenient harbour. It was fituated in a most delicious plain, close by the Mediterranean fea. Through this place king Hiram conveyed cedar-trees from Libanus to Solomon, for building the temple. Strabo tells us (k) that Jerufalem could be feen from Joppa, though they were forty miles diftant one from another. According to the defcriptions given of this city by historians, there are few places in the world that enjoyed a better fituation. It appears from the Acts of the Apostles (1), that the gospel was received in this place foon after Chrift's afcenfion; for here St. Peter reftored Dorcas to life. In the way from Joppa to Jerufalem was Lydda, or Diofpolis, famous for the cure of Eneas (m). Between Joppa and Lydda, lay Arimathæa, to which Jofeph belonged, who begged the body of JESUS from Pilate (n). Below Lydda ftood Azotus or Afhdod, between Gaza, and Jamnia, or Jaf nia, which was a sea-port town, as well as Azotus. In this laft was Philip found, when he was carried away by the spirit, after his baptizing the eunuch. This Apoftle preached the gospel in the neighbouring parts. Azotus was a bishop's fee at the time of the first general council. Though Afkelon be not mentioned in the New Teftament, yet it is fo famous, that we cannot pass it over in filence. This city lies indeed in the tribe of Judah near the fea-coast, but we do not find that it ever belonged to that tribe. It was inhabited partly by Jews, and partly by Philiftines; and was also a bishop's fee at the time of the first council just before mentioned. Gaza may be reckoned among the cities of Judah that are on the weft of Jerufalem, though it be nearer the fouth. This was one of the five cities of the Philiftines, which fell by lot to the tribe of Judah (); but we learn from Jofephus (p), that the Ifraelites could not make themselves masters of it, nor of Acaron. The fame hiftorian tells us, that Hezekiah added to his own territories all the cities of the Philistines, from Gath to Gaza (q). It was taken by Alexander the Great (r); and afterwards by Ptolemy Lathurus king of Egypt (s); but Alexander Jamnæus king of the Jews took it again foon after (t). The procunful Gabinius having had it repaired with feveral other cities of Judea (x), it remained in the poffeffion of the Romans, till Auguftus gave it Herod (x). Jofephus ranks Gaza among the Grecian cities, and fays that it was not annexed to the jurifdiction of Archelaus (y). This city is mentioned but once in the New Testament, and that in the Acts,

(b) Hofea iv. 15. v. 8. x. 5.

(i) Josh. vii. 2.

(*) The Hebrew word Joppa fignifies beauty; it is the ancient Japhos: it is

now called Jaffa.

(k) Strab. 1. xvi.

(0) Josh, xv. 47.
(7) Id. l. ix. c. 13.

(r) Id. I. xi. c. 8.

(1) Id. 1. xvi. c. 10.

(t) Id. Ibid.

(5) But was by Auguftus annexed to Syria. Jofeph. Ant. 1. xvii. c. 13

(s) Id. 1. xiii. 21.

(x) Id. l. xv. c. 11.

Acts, where it is called defert (z). The word defert may be referred to the road that led thither, as we have done in our note on that place. If it be applied to the city, then it must be faid that it retained this appellation from the time it was laid waste; for we learn from Jofephus that it was defert, when Gabinius caufed it to be rebuilt. The bishop of Gaza was prefent at the council of Nice. This city was notwithstanding partly inhabited by heathens for a long time, fince, as is fuppofed, there were in the 4th century, eight temples therein, dedicated to falle deities (a).

Having taken a furvey of the feveral parts of Judea, we must now enter into Samaria. But as we have already had an occafion of fpeaking of the country, and city of that name, and of its feveral inhabitants, we have but little more to fay about it. Samaria was fituated between Judea and Galilee, fo that the Galileans were forced to pass through it in their way to Jerufalem, when they would fhorten their journey. Jolephus tells us (b), that Galilee was three days journey from Jerufalem. What the bounds of Samaria were, may be feen in the fame hiftorian (c). Its chief cities were Samaria, otherwife Sebafte, and Sichem, now called Na; loufe. Antipatris may likewife be reckoned among the cities of Samaria, fince it lay in the road from Judea to Galilee. Through E this place the foldiers carried St. Paul, when they were going along with him to Cæfarea (d). It was built by Herod, who gave it the name of Antipatris, in memory of his father Antipater. One of its bishops was at the council of Chalcedon in the fifth century. Some famous ancient and modern geographers have ranked Cæfarea of Paleftine (*) among the cities of Samaria, though Jofephus places it in Phoenicia. It was formerly called Turris Stratonis, or Strato's tower, from the name of its founder. Herod having adorned it with abundance of magnificent buildings, and particularly with feveral temples, and a most noble harbour, he named it Cæfarea, in honour of Cæfar Auguftus (e) This city was for the most part inhabited by heathens, who were frequently troubling and vexing the Jews. For an inftance of which, Jofephus gives an account of a maffacre of the Jews at Cæfarea, which was occafioned by a Greek that had a houfe adjoining to their fynagogue, and which they would have purchased, that they might not be difturbed in their divine fervice (f). The fame hiftorian relates, that

there

(¿) Jofeph. Vit.

(2) Ats viii. 26. (a) A&t. San&t. T. V. p. 655. (c) Id. de Bell. Jud. 1. iii. c. 2. (d) Acts xxiii. 31. (*) It was otherwife called Cæfarea Maritima, to diftinguish it from another Cæfarea, of which we fhall fpeak hereafter.

(e) Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. I. i. c. 16. & Antiq. 1. xiv. c. 8.

(f) He not only refused to let them have it, though they offered much more than it was worth; but, out of pure croflnefs, he blocked the way in a manner quite up, by crouding fo many little fhops into the paffage, that there was hardly any room left for one fingle body to get into the fynagogue. The next day, being the fabbath, when the people were all together in the fynagogue, a Cæfarean fet an earthen veffel just before the door with a facrifice of birds upon it. This contemptuous mockery put the Jews out of all patience,whereupon they went to blows. Jof. de Bell. Jud. 1. ii.

C. 14.