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standing isolated in a vast and level desert, extending from thence to the Euphrates, burst upon the travellers' sight in awful grandeur. "So numerous are these," it has been said, "that the spectator is at a loss to connect or arrange them in any order or symmetry, or to conceive what purpose or design they could have answered."

No. VII.

THE KINGDOMS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL.

ON the death of Solomon, B.C. 991, his son Rehoboam ascended the throne; but he did not long retain the kingdom entire, as bequeathed to him by his father. Ten of the tribes, who had long meditated a revolt, erected themselves into a separate kingdom, which was distinguished as the kingdom of Israel; while the tribes of Judah and Benjamin formed the kingdom of Judah. The former of these kingdoms contained all the middle and northern parts of the land, with the country beyond Jordan, and all the tributary nations eastward to the Euphrates. Its capital was Samaria, in the tribe of Ephraim. The latter kingdom contained all the southern parts of the land, consisting of the allotments of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and so much of the territories of Dan and Simeon as were intermixed with these allotments. Its capital was Judah, in the tribe of Benjamin, 1 Kings xi. 12, 13, 32, 35, 36; 2 Kings xvii. 18. It was in this portion of the Holy Land that so many of the transactions recorded in the earlier portions of Scriptural history— to which the memory of the Christian will recur, and some of which will hereafter fall under brief notice-took place.

During the period to which this Map refers, Damascus, the capital of Syria, appears to have obtained an importance unknown before. This city was founded in the patriarchal ages, Gen. xiv. 15, and it has preserved a considerable share of importance, even to the present day. It is now one of the largest towns of Syria. The district in which it is situated is one of peculiar beauty, being one continued scene of well watered gardens and fruitful orchards. The river Pharpar, (Barrada,) which waters these gardens, was one of those streams which Naaman valued, in his pride, above all the waters of Israel, 2 Kings v. 12; and one of its principal streams was probably the other.

No. VIII.

CANAAN AT THE PERIOD OF THE CAPTIVITIES. THE kingdoms of Judah and Israel continued as described in the preceding article till the days of Ahaz, king of Judah. In this monarch's reign, (B.C. 739,) Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin, king of Syria, entered into a confederacy against him, designing to dethrone the house of David, and make the son of Tabeal king in his stead, Isa. vii. 5, 6. To avert this calamity, Ahaz, rejecting a gracious sign of deliverance from the Lord, made known to him and the house of David by Isaiah, (vii. 11, 12,) called upon the king of Assyria, Tiglath-pileser, to come to his aid, bribing him with an offer of the spoils of the temple and the promise of vassalage. This monarch, glad of a pretext for attacking the Syrians and Israelites, "hearkened to him," and invaded them in the second year of his reign. He took Damascus, slew Rezin, and carried the inhabitants captive to Kir, or Assyria Proper, 2 Kings

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xvi. 7-9. At the same time he carried the transjordanite tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, captives to Media, where he planted them in Halah, Habor, Hara, and on the river Gozan, 1 Chron. v. 26; and also the other half of Manasseh in Galilee, 2 Kings xv. 29. But the king of Judah had little cause to congratulate himself on this result. The sacred writer says of the rapacious king of Assyria, that "he helped him not," 2 Chron. xxviii. 21; and Prideaux remarks, " Instead of two petty princes, whom he had afore for his neighbours, and with either of which he was well able to cope, he had now this mighty king for his neighbour, against whom no power of the land was sufficient to make any resistance, and the ill effect whereof both Israel and Judah did afterwards sufficiently feel." This was the first captivity; which may be looked upon as the precursor of a second far more complete and disastrous to the kingdom of Israel, which it subverted. This event took place under Salmanezer, who, in Hos. x. 14, is called simply Shalman. This prince, who was the successor of Tiglath-pileser, and whose reign extended, according to Dr. Hales, from 726 to 714 B.C., invaded the kingdom of Israel, besieged Samaria, and took it in the third year of the siege, and the sixth of Hezekiah's reign, 2 Kings xviii. 9, 10, and transplanted the seven remaining western tribes of Israel into Media likewise, in the same stations with their brethren, 2 Kings xvii. 3—6; xviii. 9—11; thereby fulfilling many predictions relating to this event. See Isa. vii. 8, 9; viii. 6, 7. But still the kingdom of Judah remained. The tribes which composed this kingdom were not, however, to remain unscathed. Their iniquities had likewise marked them out for destruction, and the sure word of prophecy had gone forth also against them. See Jer. xxxiv. ; xxxvii. 1-10; Ezek. xxi. 1-27; xxiv. 1, 14. Accordingly, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, (586 B.C.,) about 400 years after the establishment of the two kingdoms, the Chaldeans, after a siege of eighteen months, stormed Jerusalem about midnight, and put the inhabitants, young and old, to the sword, 2 Kings xxv. 2-4; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17-19; Jer. xxxix. 1-7. Zedekiah, and his army, and his sons, were carried prisoners to the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, at Riblah, in Colo-Syria. Four years after, in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuzaradan entered again into the land of Judea, and carried off the miserable remnant of the inhabitants from Jerusalem. See 2 Kings xxiv., xxv.; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 7-21; Jer. lii. 15. See also Levit. xxvi. 33, 34; Jer. xxiv. 1-5; Isa. i. 25; which contain predictions of the event, and explanations why it was ordained. Nebuchadnezzar left Gedaliah governor of the land, who was slain by Ishmael and some confederates, who, fearing the resentment of the Chaldeans for this massacre, voluntarily banished themselves to Egypt, carrying with them the prophet Jeremiah. The year after the conquest of Judea, Nebuchadnezzar subjugated and desolated the nations of the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Arabians; the Sidonians, Tyrians, and Philistines; the Egyptians and Abyssinians, and others. See Jer. xxxvii. 7; Ezek. xxv. 1-3; xxvi. 1-14; which events were foretold in general terms by Isaiah, (xxiii. 15,) and Jeremiah, (xxv. 11; xxvii. 7.)

No. IX.

PALESTINE IN THE TIME OF OUR SAVIOUR. DURING the period of the New Testament history, the Romans were in possession of Palestine; there were several great divisions of the land. These divisions were,

1. JUDEA, which was the most southern, and comprehended the original portion of

the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan. Josephus, who has given a description of the extent and magnitude of each province, thus describes this portion:-"The southern parts, if they be measured lengthwise, are bounded by a village adjoining the confines of Arabia, called by the Jews who dwell there, Jordan; and its northern limit, where it joins Samaria, is the village Annath, also called Borceos: its breadth, however, is extended from the river Jordan to Joppa, on the shore of the Mediterranean. The city of Jerusalem is situated in the very middle, on which account some have, with sagacity enough, called that city the navel of the country. Nor is Judea destitute of such delicacies as come from the sea, since its maritime places extend as far as Ptolemais. It was divided into eleven portions, of which the royal city of Jerusalem was the chief; and ruled over the neighbouring country, as the head over the body. As for the other cities which were inferior to it, they presided over their several toparchies. Gophna was the second of them; Acrabatta the next; after them, Thamna, Lydda, Emmaus, Palla, Idumea, Engedi, Herodium, and Jericho; and after these came Jamnia and Joppa, as presiding over the neighbouring people." From the Mishna, it appears that this division was considered under four aspects; namely, the western, which lay along the Mediterranean; the mountainous, or pastoral district; the plain, which lay farther east, and inclined towards Jordan; and the vale, or flat, which bordered on the banks of that river. The whole of this province was often denominated the south country, because it lay southwards of Samaria.

2. SAMARIA. This province comprehended the original possessions of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and was the middle division of the country on this side Jordan. Josephus describes it in the following terms :-" It is entirely of the same nature as Judea, for both countries are made up of hills and vallies, are moist enough for agriculture, and are very fertile. They have abundance of trees, and are full of autumnal fruit, both that which grows wild, and that which is the result of cultivation. They are naturally watered by many streams, but derive their chief moisture from rain water, preserved in reservoirs during the dry season, of which they have no want; and as for those streams which they have, their waters are exceeding sweet. By reason also of the excellent grass which they have, their cattle yield more milk than those in other places; and, what is the greatest sign of excellency and abundance, they each of them are very full of people." From the life of this author it appears, that the length of Samaria was three days' journey from north to south. He says-" It is absolutely necessary for those who would go quickly to Jerusalem," (from Galilee,) "to pass through that country; for, in that road, they might, in three days' time, go from Galilee to Jerusalem." Hence there was a natural, as well as moral reason, that our Saviour "must needs go through Samaria" to Jerusalem, as recorded John iv. 4.

3. GALILEE.-This was the most northerly division of Palestine, and contained the original portions of Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, Asher, and parts of the tribe of Dan and the eastern half tribe of Manasseh. It was the most extensive province of the Holy Land, and is divided by Josephus into Upper and Lower Galilee, the former of which divisions abounded in mountains, and was understood by the term, "Galilee of the Gentiles;" as the mountainous nature of the country enabled those to possess the fastnesses to defend themselves against invaders. The limits of the entire Galilee have been thus defined by Josephus :-" It is terminated west by Ptolemais and Carmel, which do not belong to Galilee; on the south, by the country of Samaria and Scythopolis, on the river Jordan; on the east, by the cantons of

Hippos, Gadara, and Gaulan; on the north, by the confines of the Tyrians." Lower Galilee contained the plain of Esdrelon, which is nearly fifty miles in length, and twenty in breadth. Dr. Wells remarks of this province, that it was most honoured with our Saviour's presence. Here his miraculous birth was announced to his mother; hither Joseph and Mary returned with him, then a child, out of Egypt; it was here he settled and lived with his reputed father and the blessed Virgin, his mother, till he began to be about thirty years of age, and was baptized of John. It was hither he returned after his baptism, and temptation by the devil, and after his entrance upon his public ministry, though he frequently visited the other provinces, yet it was here that his dwelling place was, whence he was called a Galilean. And, lastly, it was here our Lord made his first appearance to the eleven chosen disciples, or apostles, after his resurrection. To all which may be added, that the most considerable part, if not all, of his apostles, were of this country; whence they are all styled by the angels, "men of Galilee," Acts i. 11.

Such were the principal divisions of Palestine to the west of Jordan; the eastern districts on the other side of that river, which were inhabited by the two tribes and a half, were divided into Perea on the north, and Idumea on the south.

1. PEREA.-This division had its limits east at Philadelphia; west, at the Jordan; south, at Machærus; and north, at Pella. Under this appellation, however, sometimes is included the whole country east of the Jordan, comprising the cantons of Perea on the south; Batanea and Gaulon in the middle; and Iturea, Trachonites, and Auranites, on the north. This district abounded with pines, olive trees, palm trees, and other rare plants, and was well watered with springs and torrents from the mountains. At the present day, though the country is desolated, travellers speak of this district with expressions of delight.

2. IDUMEA, or EDOM.-This province comprised the extreme southern part of the land, and also a small part of Arabia. During the captivity of Babylon it appears to have been possessed by the neighbouring Idumeans, who, in after ages, being conquered by the victorious army of the Maccabees, embraced Judaism, and became incorporated into the body of the Hebrew nation. The tract of land inhabited by them not only retained the name of Idumea during the time of the New Testament history, Mark iii. 8, but also till later ages.

It may also be observed, that in this Map are defined many places of deep interest to the Christian reader. Palestine, indeed, at all times interesting, seems at this period to be peculiarly so. Almost every spot is hallowed ground; for there the feet of the Redeemer of mankind walked while performing his mission of mercy. These remarks apply more emphatically to the province of Judea, some of the most important features of which will be noticed in the succeeding article.

No. X.

JERUSALEM, WITH THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY.

JERUSALEM, which is frequently styled in Scripture the "Holy City," is generally supposed to owe its origin to Melchizedek, king of Salem, who was also "priest of the most high God,” Gen. xiv. 18. Dr. Hales considers that Melchizedek was a Jebusite, for in 1 Chron. xi. 4, Jerusalem is called Jebus. It was inhabited by Jebusites till the reign of David, who expelled them, and made it the capital of his kingdom, under the name of Jebus-salem, or, for the sake of euphony, Jerusalem.

The city was built on four hills, called Zion, Acra, Moriah, and Bezetha. The whole foundation was, indeed, a high rock, formerly called Moriah, or "vision," because it could be seen afar off, especially on the south, Gen. xxii. 2, 4. Josephus is the highest authority we possess for ascertaining the form and limits of the Jewish capital, and therefore we present his account to the reader. He says-" The city was built on two hills, which are opposite to each other, having a valley to divide them asunder; at which valley the corresponding rows of houses on both hills terminate. Of these hills, that which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length more direct. Accordingly, it was called 'the citadel,' by king David: he was the father of that Solomon who built this temple at the first; but it is by us called 'the upper market-place.' But the other hill, which is called 'Acra,' and sustains the lower city, is of the shape of the moon when she is horned; over against this there was a third hill, but naturally lower than Acra, and parted, formerly, from the other by a broad valley. In the time when the Asmoneans reigned, they filled up that valley with earth, and had a mind to join the city to the temple. They then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it to a less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be superior to it. Now, the valley of the Cheesemongers,' as it was called, was that which distinguished the hill of the upper city from that of the lower, and extended as far as Siloam; for that is the name of a fountain which hath sweet water in it, and this in great plenty also. But on the outsides these hills are surrounded by deep valleys, and, by reason of the precipices belonging to them on both sides, are every where impassable. . . . . As the city grew more populous, it gradually crept beyond its old limits; and those parts of it that stood northward of the temple, and joined that hill to the city, made it considerably larger, and occasioned that hill, which is in number the fourth, and is called Bezetha, to be inhabited also. It lies over against the tower Antonia, but is divided from it by a deep valley, which was dug on purpose. This new built part of the city was called 'Bezetha' in our language, which if interpreted in the Grecian language, may be called the new city.'"

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When Jerusalem became the capital of the kingdom, and the chosen place for the worship of Jehovah, every means was used to render it impregnable, by high walls, massy gates, and towers. We have, however, no particulars recorded of these fortifications till after the captivity, when Nehemiah describes the portions which the several individuals engaged in the work repaired, under his superintendance. To this description (Neh. iii.) the reader is referred, as being interesting and illustrative of the Map under consideration.

On the east of the city, and stretching from north to south, stands the Mount of Olives, facing the spot formerly occupied by the temple, of which it commanded a noble prospect. This mount has three tops, on the middle and highest of which stands the little Chapel of Ascension, marking the spot, according to the pious poet Sandys, of our Lord's ascension, which was "a sabbath day's journey," or about a mile, from the city, in the district of the interesting little village of Bethany. Between the Mount of Olives and the city lay the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which was about five furlongs wide in the broadest part. Through this valley, southwards, flowed the brook Kedron, which is a mere winter torrent, little more than a yard in breadth, and dry during the summer season. The Valley of Jehoshaphat was anciently called Shaveh, or King's Dale, and it was here that Melchizedek enter. tained Abraham, Gen. xiv. 17-24; and that Absalom reared for himself a pillar, or obelisk, 2 Sam. xviii. 18; a relic of antiquity still shown to travellers. On the

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