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seed throughout. From one side of this extensive plain, the round eminence of Mount Tabor rises abruptly, near the foot of which, towards the south, are the springs of Ain-el-Sherrar, which send a perceptible stream through the centre of the plain, and form the brook Kishon of antiquity.*

3. The Region round about Jordan (Matt. iii. 5.), comprised the level country on each side of that river, from the lake of Gennesareth to the Dead Sea. Of this district the Plain of Jericho, celebrated for its fertility and the intense heat which prevails there during the hot season, forms a part. From the observations of recent travellers it appears that this plain has been accurately described by the Jewish historian.

In speaking of Jericho, he says, "It is situate in a plain; but a naked and barren mountain, of a very great length, hangs over it, which extends itself to the land about Scythopolis northward; but as far as the country of Sodom, and the utmost limits of the Lake Asphaltitis, southward. This mountain is all of it very uneven, and uninhabited by reason of its barrenness. There is an opposite mountain, that is situate over against it, on the other side of Jordan. This last begins at Julias, and the northern quarters, and extends itself southward as far as Somorrhon, which is the bounds of Petra, in Arabia. In this ridge of mountains there is one called the Iron Mountain, that runs in length as far as Moab. Now the region that lies in the middle, between these ridges of Mountain, is called the Great Plain. It reaches from the village Ginnabus, as far as the Lake Asphaltitis. Its length is two hundred and thirty furlongs, and its breadth an hundred and twenty; and it is divided in the midst by Jordan. It hath two lakes in it; that of Asphaltitis, and that of Tiberias, whose natures are opposite to each other. For the former is salt and unfruitful; but that of Tiberias is sweet and fruitful. This plain is much burnt up in summer-time; and by reason of the extraordinary heat, contains very unwholesome air. It is all destitute of water, excepting the river Jordan; which water of Jordan is the occasion why

Buckingham, p. 108. 4to.

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London Publ by W. Booth Duke St Manchester Sq 1823

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those plantations of palm-trees, that are near its banks, are more flourishing, and much more fruitful; as are those that are remote from it not so flourishing or fruitful."*

II. Deserts or wildernesses, are frequently mentioned in the sacred writings; by which is to be understood, not only desolate places, equally void of cities and inhabitants, but those parts of the land, likewise, where cities and towns were at a distance from each other. The Hebrews gave the name of desert or wilderness to all places that were not cultivated,† but chiefly appropriated to the feeding of cattle. The most remarkable mentioned in the scriptures are the following:

1. The Wilderness of Judæa, which commences from Tekoah in the tribe of Judah, and extends through Arabia Petræa to the Persian Gulph. Here John the Baptist abode until the day of his showing unto Israel (Luke i. 80); and here he first taught his countrymen. (Matt. iii. 1.) 2. The Wilderness of Shur, which lay towards the north-eastern point of the Red Sea. Here Hagar wandered, when driven from Abraham's house by the jealousy of Sarah (Gen. xvi. 7.); and through it the Israelites marched after they had miraculously crossed the Red Sea. (Exod. xv. 22.) This was also called the Wilderness of Etham. (Compare Exod. xv. 22, with Numb. xxxiii. 8.) 3. The Wilderness of Ziph, which was contiguous to a town or village of the same name, where David concealed himself for some time from the pursuit of Saul. (1 Sam. xxiii. 14, 15.)

Forests. Although modern travellers do not mention the existence of many woods or forests, or indeed any considerable number of trees, yet it is certain that, formerly, the Holy Land was well covered with wood. Of the forests the most considerable were:

1. The Forest of Cedars, on Mount Lebanon. These noble and beautiful trees have furnished the inspired writers with many exquisite similitudes.

2. The Forest of Oaks, on the mountains of Bashan. From

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gave rise to the prophet's simile, Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan, against the habitation of the strong." (Jer. xlix. 19, and 1. 44.) The overflowing is said to have been in the first month, which corresponds to our March, as in the enumeration of the armies that came to David at Hebron, those are spoken of who went over Jordan in the first month, when he had overflowed all his banks. (1 Chron. xii. 15.) In the description of the passage of the priests with the ark, while the waters were divided and stood in a heap, as in the passage of the Red Sea, it is said too, that Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,' (Josh. iii. 15.) which would be both in the autunın and in the spring, as there are two harvests here, one succeeding the early, and the other the latter rains."* Maundrell says, the water of the Jordan is too rapid to be swam against. Its breadth is about twenty yards, and its depth far exceeded his height.

If the reader compare these accounts of the Jordan, with the history of the Israelites' passage through it under the conduct of Joshua, and especially if he attend to the circumstance mentioned above, that they passed at the time the river overflowed all his banks, he will form a proper idea of the greatness of the miracle which God wrought for their passage, stopping. the current of so vast and rapid a river, when so full of water.

Dr. Macmichael says, the Jordan is annually frequented by many thousand pilgrims, chiefly of the Greek church, under the protection of the Moosillim, or Turkish governor of Jerusalem, and a strong military escort.†

The other remarkable streams or rivulets of Palestine, are the following:-1. The Arnon, which descends from the mountains bearing the same name, and discharges itself in the Dead Sea:-2. The Sihor (or Belus of ancient geographers), which has its source about four miles to the east of the heads of the

* Travels in Palestine, pp. 313, 314. 4to.

+ Travels from Moscow to Constantinople, pp. 191, 192.

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