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familiar intercourse with the natives, so extensive a corruption in religion and manners spread through their ranks, that 24,000, through a divinely commissioned plague, perished in one day.* A dam, against Jericho,' where the waters of Jordan'stood and rose up upon an heap.'+ Aroer, which was divided by the Arnon into two parts, one of its sections standing on the bank of that river, while the other was situated on an insulated eminence formed by its windings, and hence called the city in the midst of the river.'‡ Bethabara, or simply Bethbarah, i.e. the house of passage,' situated on a part of the river, where there was a ford, and a khan for the entertainment of travellers in their passage to and from the countries which the Jordan separated. At this place, Gideon stationed the Ephraimites to interrupt the flight of the Midianites, whose princes Oreb and Zeeb were overtaken here; and, at the same point, John the Baptist baptized the crowds who flocked to his ministry.§ Bezer, or Bozrah, situated in a barren district of country, whence it is called 'Bezer in the wilderness,' || long continued in the possession of the Reubenites, but in the latter period of Israel's history, it was surprised and taken, first by the Moabites, and afterwards ravaged by the Chaldeans. It rose to considerable strength and importance in the reign of Trajan, who, after repairing and beautifying it, gave it the name of Philippopolis.¶ Heshbon, the ancient metropolis of the Amorites, and, consequently, the head quarters of the court of Sihon, whose haughty defiance in refusing to the Israelites a passage through his dominions, was severely punished by the loss of his capital, and several other cities, which surrendered to Moses, and were by him assigned to the Reubenites.** Heshbon, however, seems at a sub

* Numb. xxv.; xxxiii.

Josh. xiii. 16; Deut. iv. 48.
Joshua xx. 8.

+ Joshua iii. 16.

§ Judges vii. 24; John i. 28,
Jeremiah xlviii. 24.

** Numbers xxi. 21; xxxii.; Joshua xiii. 17.

sequent period to have partly belonged to the tribe of Gad.* In the later times of Israel, the Moabites seized it, and made it a tributary appendage of their kingdom; hence, it is frequently introduced into the prophetic denunciations of divine vengeance against that people. This city suffered dreadfully during the Chaldean invasion of the Holy Land; nevertheless, it rose from its ashes, and seems to have been a flourishing and populous place in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, both of whom mention it under the name of Esbus. Nothing, either of the natural or artificial beauties of this city are mentioned in Scripture, except its fish pools. Jahaz, or Jahaza, the first town of the Amorites on crossing the frontiers of Moab, and where, consequently, Sihon posted his army of resistance against the march of the Israelites.§ Kedemoth, on the eastern border of this tribe, the place whence Moses despatched an embassy to Sihon at Heshbon, requesting his permission of a free passage.|| Kirjathaim, one of the towns which Moses took and assigned to the Reubenites. Medeba, the south-east extremity of the province.** Nebo, which stood at the foot of the mountain of the same name, fell subsequently into the power of the Moabites, and at a still later period was rendered almost a ruin by the ravages of the Assyrian invaders.++ Sibmah, near Heshbon, stood in a district which was celebrated for its vines, and the great quan... tity of wine sent from it through all the neighbouring country. Like the last mentioned city, it fell latterly into the hands of the Moabites, and, like it too, suffered dreadfully from the Assyrians.

[Gad, the tribe of, was bounded on the north by the eastern half tribe of Manasseh, on the east by the territories of Ammon, on the south by Reuben, and on the

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west by the Jordan, and it comprised a district extending forty-four miles from east to west, and varying at different points between thirty to fourteen from north to south. Before they entered on their settlements, this tribe numbered 40,500, and they were highly favoured in obtaining as their portion a rich and beautifully diversified tract of land, whose natural fertility was greatly aided by the Jabbok and its numerous tributaries, while abundance of pasturage was at all times supplied on the sides of Gilead, which extended in a continuous range through the whole province from north to south. The chief cities of Gad were Aroer on the banks of the Arnon.* Bether, which was probably the same as Bithron, so called from a word signifying divisions, as this place, to use the words of Dr Gill, was parted or divided from Judea by the Jordan.† Debir, or as it is occasionally called Lodebar, where Mephibosheth was brought up in early years in the house of Machir, a devoted adherent of the house of Saul. Dibon, on the frontiers of Gad, originally assigned to the Reubenites, but by them exchanged for some other place with their northern brethren.§ In later times it fell into the hands of the Moabites, and was annihilated in the Assyrian invasion. Jazer,|| near the southern boundary of the province, on a • sea' or lake of the same name, which flows by a small outlet at its western corner into the Jordan. Jogbehah, ¶ famous as the place where Gideon surprised and completely routed the Midianitish army. Mahanaim, on the banks of the Jabbok, which derived its name from Jacob, who there saw two camps of angels, which he called God's host.' During the short reign

of Ishbosheth, that prince established his court in the town; David also sought refuge here, and from the

* Joshua xiii. 16; Deut. iv. 48; Judges xi. 33.

† 2 Sam. ii. 29.

Joshua xiii. 26; 2 Sam. ix. 4.

§ Joshua xiii. 9; Numbers xxxii. 34; Jer. xlviii. 18. Jer. xlviii. 32.

Num. xxxii. 35; Judges viii. 11.

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windows of the castle looked out with intense anxiety for tidings of the issue of the battle between the royalist troops and those of Absalom.* Minnith, celebrated for its wheat. Mizpeh, likewise on the Jabbok, had this name given to it in commemoration of the amicable compact entered into by Jacob and Laban, and hence the whole region from this town as far north as Hermon, was called the land of Mizpeh.' Here Jephthah resided, and mustered his troops against the Ammonites. Here Saul was proclaimed king. Here, long after, David provided an asylum for his parents, while he himself was outlawed by Saul, and all his relations were in jeopardy on his account.‡ Peniel, or Penuel, received this designation from Jacob, who wrestled here with the angel, and prevailed; and when on this solitary and uninhabited spot a city afterwards rose, the name was continued in memory of that remarkable event. It was afterwards fortified by the erection of a town, which, as a place of considerable strength, became the pride of its inhabitants; till, in consequence of their refusal to provide any refreshment to the exhausted troops of Gideon, that renowned leader, on his return from the pursuit, laid the citadel in ruins. From whatever cause, this town had been greatly reduced, until the active mind of Jeroboam caused it to be rebuilt.§ Ramoth-Gilead, having been surprised and captured by the Syrians, was invested by Ahab king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah,-an alliance which provoked the divine displeasure; and it was in a sally of the besieged, that Ahab, who had disguised himself, was mortally wounded. This city suffered on account of the obstinate idolatry of its inhabitants. It was here that Jehu was anointed king.|| Succoth,

* Gen. xxxii. 2; 2 Sam. ii. 8; xvii.; xviii.

† Ezek. xxvii. 17.

Genesis xxxi. 49; Judges xi. 11; 1 Samuel x. 17; xxii. 3. § Genesis xxxii. 30; Judges viii. 17; 1 Kings xii. 25.

1 2 Chron. xviii. 3; Hosea vi. 8; xii. 11; 2 Kings ix. 1-10.

the name given to the place where Jacob, on his return from Mesopotamia, pitched his succoth or tents, and which was perpetuated in the city that was afterwards built on that site. The elders of this town were subjected to horrible tortures by Gideon, in revenge for their inhospitable treatment of his exhausted troops. This city stood in a valley, in which Hiram cast the huge brazen vessels that were designed for Solomon's temple.*

[Manasseh, east half tribe of, possessed a territory, bounded on the north by Syria, on the east by Arabia, on the south by Gad, and on the west by the Jordan and the lake of Gennesareth, and extending about fifty miles in length. The rich pasture-lands of Bashan and Gilead were included within these limits; and the whole province, except a few bleak and rocky spots, consisted of strong and fertile soil. Its chief cities were, Argob, the capital of a district in Bashan of the same name, which, together with other fifty-nine cities in the same province, originally belonged to Og, and were conspicuous for their lofty and fortified walls.t Ashtaroth-carnaim, situated also in Bashan, was the ancient residence of Og, and so called from Astarte, or Ashtaroth, the tutelary goddess of the Syrians, who, like the Egyptian Isis, was represented with two horns on her forehead, like a crescent; whence the epithet carnaim, which signifies horns.‡ Camon,§ Edrei,|| Golan, or Gaulan, which gave the name of Gaulonitis to a large district, in the lower part of which are the celebrated ruins of Gamala and Julias. Geshur, the original inhabitants of which having not been extirpated, were brought into subjection by the energy of Jair. For a long time, however, it was ruled by native princes, one of whom, Talmai, was father-in-law to David, and grandfather of Absalom, at whose court

* Genesis xxxiii. 17; Judges viii. 16; Psalm lx. 6; 1 Kings vii. 46. + Deut. iii. 4, 14: see also 1 Kings iv. 13.

Deut. i. 4.

+

§ Judges x. 5.

Num. xxi. 33,

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