"Country of Syria," Hosea xii. 12.

(Compare Gen. xxxi. 4.)

"Field of Zoan," Psalm lxxviii. 12, 43.
"Country of the inheritance of Israel," Judges xx. 6.

If the above explanation of the word be the correct one, the "vale of Siddim," (y), Gen. xiv. 3, 8, is the valley of well cultivated fields' in the oasis of the five cities. (See, however, a different meaning in Gesenius, p. 1321). LXX ἡ φαραγξ ἡ ἁλυκή. Aquila, ἡ κοιλάς τῶν περιπεδίνων. Theod. and Symm., Twv λowy. Jerome, Vallis Silvestris.

In Ruth iv. 3, the word occurs twice, each time differently rendered "Naomi that is come out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was," &c.

By the LXX Sadeh is oftenest rendered ȧypós; but also Tedíov and y, as well as γεώργιον, δρυμός, χόρτος, κτῆμα, &c. [all]

$ 16.

SHEDEMOTH, i, 'fields:' from D, to enclose. "The fields of Gomorrah," Deut. xxxii. 32: of Kidron, 2 Kings xxiii. 4; Jer. xxxi. 40; of Heshbon, Isa. xvi. 8; see also Hab. iii. 17. From its connection with the vine and olives in the first and two last of these passages, Shedemoth would seem to be used for highly cultivated ground. LXX τὰ πεδία, and literally σαδημωθ.

§ 17.

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ABEL,, a meadow :' from ", " to be wet, like moist grass: " hence applied to places deriving their names from adjacent trees or water; as

1. Abel, Abel-beth-maachah, or Abel-maim, ('the meadow of waters,') 2 Sam. xx. 14, 15, 18; 1 Kings xv. 20; 2 Kings xv. 29; 2 Chron. xvi. 4.

2. Abel-meholah, ('the meadow of dancing,') Jud. vii. 22; 1 Kings iv. 12; xix. 16. 3. The plain of the vineyards," (Abel-ceramim,) Jud. xi. 33.

4. Abel-ha-Shittim, ('the meadow of the acacias,') Numb. xxxiii. 49.

None of these sites have been precisely identified, but they must have all more or less been under the circumstances involved in the derivation. Thus Abel-maim must have been in the marshy valley of the Lake of Merom: (see Chap. XI. p. 388). Abel-meholah-being named with Zartan, or Zererath, and Bethshean-must have been close to the Jordan: and Abel-shittim was "by Jordan," and as its name shows, under the shade of acacia groves. Abel-mizraim, according to the explanation in the text, (Gen. 1. 11,) has its name from 'mourning'-and was so called from the weeping of the Egyptians. "The great [stone of] Abel" (it will be perceived that "stone of" is supplied by the translators) in 1 Sam. vi. 18, appears by comparison with verse 15, and with the Targum, and the LXX, ènì Toû xíðov Toû μeyáλov, to be a corruption for Eben, a stone (compare vii. 12.) Our translators, as was their frequent custom, here followed the Vulgate, which has ad abel

magnum.

For Abil or Abila, the capital of Abilene, see Chap. XII., p. 405. [all]

§ 18.

The word translated in Gen. xli. 2, 18, "meadow," is

ACHU,, a word of Egyptian derivation (see Gesenius, p. 67, s. voce) probably signifying the rushes or flags which grew in the marshy ground along

the Nile. In the LXX it is literally rendered Tax, Aqu. and Symm. ἕλος. It is only met with once again, in Job. viii. 11, where the LXX has it Boúroμov, Auth. Vers. "flag." Philo in his version of Gen. xli. has παρὰ τὰς ὀχθάς.

·

§ 19.

MAAREH,, an open field,' from, to be bare: occurs only in Judg. xx. 33, the "meadows of Gibeah" (Geba). The word has, however, been considered by some interpreters as the cave of G.;' by others, as 10, from the west of G.' And so the LXX Alex, àrd dvoμŵv τŷs yaßaa.

As a proper name, it is found in Maarath, a town of Judah; Josh. xv. 59.

§ 20.

?,

CHELKAH, ♫♫, 'a plot of ground;' strictly, a smooth piece (comp. Gen. xxvii. 16, "smooth"): from p, to be smooth. It is used with Sadeh, (§ 16) in

The word is frequently used in the poetical books, as is also the kindred p, chelek, mostly rendered "portion," LXX, pepis.

As a proper name, Chelkah is found in Chelkath hat-tzurim, 2 Sam. ii. 16. "The mount Chalak," (margin, 'the smooth mountain,') occurs Josh. xi. 17; xii. 7.

$ 21.

NAPHATH, Л?, a word used only in connexion with Dor, the ancient Phonician city on the maritime plain on the south of Carmel. (See Chap. VI.) It is translated by Symmachus 'n rapaxía Awp, 'the sea coast of Dor'-a signification which seems more correct than Gesenius' explanation of it (Thesaurus, p. 866) as promontory or "high tract," since Dor (the modern Tantura) is dis

tinctly apart from Carmel and the hilly country on its southern flanks. The word only occurs three times: in

In Joshua xvii. 11,-with a different pointing, n, the word is applied to the whole district of the plains at the foot of Carmel, both on its north and south sides—“ the inhabitants of En-Dor2 and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her townsthree countries," or, more strictly, the triple district' (as Decapolis).

From this, Naphath would appear to be a local word applied to the plains at the foot of Carmel, much as Ciccar (§ 12) and Geliloth (§ 13) were to the Jordan valley. [all]

§ 22.

CHEBEL,, land measured out, or allotted, by a rope, - a tract or 'district.' The district of Argob in Bashan, is uniformly distinguished by the use of this word, rendered in the A. V. "region" and " country." See Deut. iii. 4, 13, 14, and 1 Kings iv. 13. Chebel is used in a general topographical sense in Josh. xvii. 5, 14; xix. 9, (all "portion"); and Josh. xix. 29; Zeph. ii. 5, 6, 7, (all "coast"). The LXX seem to have rendered it indifferently περίχωρα, ἡ περίχωρος, and, retaining its original meaning, σχοίνισμα. Symm. TEрiμeтpov. Jerome: regio; funiculus.

II.-MOUNTAINS AND RISING GROUND.

§ 23.

HAR,, and HOR, or in (compare the Greek pos and the Slavonic gora), a 'mountain,' as distinguished from Gibeah, a low mountain or hill.

Har is employed both for single mountains-as Sinai, Gerizim, Zion, or Olivet-and for ranges, as Lebanon. It is also applied to a mountainous country or district, as in Josh. xi. 16, where "the mountain of Israel" is the highland of Palestine, as opposed to the "valley and the plain:" and in Josh. xi. 21, xx. 7, where "the mountains of Judah" (incorrectly rendered plural) is the same as "the hill country" (7) in xxi. 11. Similarly, Mount Ephraim (Hor Ephraim) is the mountainous district occupied by that tribe, which is evident from the fact that the Mount Gaash (Josh. xxiv. 30), Mount Zemaraim (2 Chron. xiii. 4), the hill of Phinehas (Josh. xxiv. 33), and the towns of Shechem, Shamir (Judges x. 1), Timnath-Serach (Josh. xix. 50), besides other cities (2 Chron. xv. 8), were all situated upon it.

Compare also, "the mountain of the Amorites," which apparently is the elevated country east of the Dead Sea and Jordan (Deut. i. 7, 19, 20) --and "Mount Naphtali," (Josh. xx. 7.)

The name of Mount Hor (, i. e. the mountain Kar' oxy) is borne (1) by that close to Petra, on which Aaron died (LXX 2p Tò opos); and

1 All plainly mere corruptions of a literal rendering of the original.

2 By comparison with the parallel list of Manasseh's cities in Judges i. 27, it would

appear that En-Dor in the above passage is probably an interpolation for Dor. The LXX in Josh. xvii. 11, have τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Δωρ.

(2) by a member of the Lebanon range, named in Num. xxxiv. 7, 8, as one of the marks of the northern boundary of Palestine (LXX Tò opos Tò opos, Vulg. ad montem altissimum), which is explained in the Talmud (Gittin viii.) to be the mountain Amana, Cant. iv. 8. (See Fuerst's Hand W.Buch, p. 336.)

The various mountains or districts to which the word Har is applied in the Old Testament are as follows:

Abarim, Amana (Cant. iv. 8); Ararat: Baalah; Baal-Hermon (Judg. iii. 3; compare Josh. xiii. 5); Bethel; Bether (Cant. ii. 17); Carmel; Ebal; Emek (Josh. xiii. 19), translated "the mount of the valley," after the Vulgate monte convallis, but probably Emek (valley) was its name; LXX v T opei 'Eván,3 Zunz, auf dem Thalberg); Ephron (Josh. xv. 9); Gaash; Gerizim; Gilboa; Gilead; Halak (the smooth mountain, Josh. xi. 17); Heres (Judg. i. 35); Hermon; Hor (2); Horeb; Jearim (Josh. xv. 10); Olivet, or of Olives (Zech. xiv. 4; in 2 Sam, xv. 30, the expression is, David went up "by the ascent (maaleh) of the Olives,' not of Mount Olivet"); Mizar' (Ps. xlii. 6); Moriah; Nebo; Paran (Deut. xxxiii. 2); Perazim (Isai. xxviii. 21); Samaria (1 Kings xvi. 24, "the hill Samaria," accurately the mountain Shomeron'); Seir; Sephar ( Gen. x. 30); Sinai; Sion, Sirion, or Shenir (all names for Hermon, Deut. iii. 9; iv. 48); Shapher ( Numb. xxxiii. 23); Tabor; Zalmon (Jud. ix. 48); Zemaraim (2 Chron. xiii. 4); Zion.

There are also, the mountain of the Amorites; of the Amalekites (Judg. xii. 15); of Ephraim; of Esau; of Israel; of Judah; of Naphtali; and of Bashan (Ps. lxviii. 15).

Har is rendered in the English version by "mountain," "mount," and "hill;" in the LXX, with a few exceptions, opos and open.

Mention has been made of the frequent occurrence throughout the Scriptures of personification of the great features of the country.

The following are, it is believed, all the words used with this object in relation to mountains or hills:

(a) HEAD, N, Rosh. Gen. viii. 5; Exod. xix. 20; Deut. xxxiv. 1; 1 Kings xviii. 42; (E. V. top). Of a hill (gibeah), Exod. xvii. 9, 10.

(b) EARS, i, Az'noth. Aznoth-Tabor, Josh. xix. 34; possibly in allusion to some projection on the top of the mountain.

(c) SHOULDER, A, Cataph. Deut. xxxiii. 12; Josh. xv. 8, and xviii. 16 ("side"); all referring to the hills on which Jerusalem is placed. (See Chapter IV., p. 195.) Josh. xv. 10, "the side of Mount Jearim."

(d) SIDE, T, Tzad. (See the word for the side of a man in 2 Sam. ii. 16, Ezek. iv. 4. &c.) Used in reference to a mountain in 1 Sam. xxiii. 26, 2 Sam. xiii. 34. (e) LOINS or FLANKS, rib, Cis'loth. Cisloth-Tabor, Josh. xix. 12; and occurs also in the name of a village, probably situated on this part of the mountain, Ha-Cesulloth, nipp, i.e. the 'loins.' Josh. xix. 18.

(ƒ) RIB,, Tzelah. Only used once, in speaking of the Mount of Olives, 2 Sam. xvi. 13, and there translated "side,” è τλυрâs Toû ŏpovs.

(9) BACK,, Sh'cem. Probably the root of the name of the town Shechem, which may be derived from its situation, as it were on the back of Gerizim.

Compare the same collocation in the name of the well-known mountain Lang-dale Pikes, in Cumberland.

2 Compare the same reading by the LXX in Jer. xlvii. 5, xlix. 4. See § 1.

3 The use of the word Har shows that the Prayer Book version "the little hill of Hermon is erroneous: Mizar is small,' perhaps by comparison with the main Peak of Hermon, though a large mountain in itself.

(h) ELBOW,, Ammah. The same word as that for cubit. It occurs in
2 Sam. ii. 24, as the name of a hill near Gibeon. LXX, ews Toù Bovvoû 'Aμμáv.
(2) THIGH, 7, Jar'cah. (See the word for the thigh of a man in Jud. iii.
16, 21.) Of Mount Ephraim, Judges xix. 1, 18 of Lebanon, 2 Kings xix.
23; Isai. xxxvii. 24. Used also for the "sides" of a cave, 1 Sam. xxiv. 3.
(k) The word translated "covert" in 1 Sam. xxv. 20 (LXX, èv σkétη тoû opous) is
no, Sether from, to hide (the same root as that from which Mistor,
§ 90, is derived), and probably refers to the shrubbery or thicket through
which Abigail's path lay. In this passage "hill" should be 'mountain.'

$24.

PISGAH, or more strictly HA-PISGAH,, 'the height:' a range of hills on the east of Jordan opposite Jericho, remarkable as having been the scene of Moses' view of the Promised Land: Nebo, from which Moses looked, was (Deut. xxxiv. 1') a peak of the range. Pisgah itself had, at least in places (see Numb. xxiii. 14), a flat surface on its top, and even cultivated land-"the field of Zophim," (comp. Sadeh, § 15). In the time of Eusebius this district on the east of the Jordan retained the name of φασγώ (Onom. s. υ. ̓Αβαρείμ).

2

Ha-Pisgah occurs as follows: Numb. xxi. 20; xxiii. 14; Deut. iii. 27; xxxiv. 1. By the LXX it is rendered & λeλağevuevos, the quarried,' in every case but the last: in that, paayá, The Sam. Vers. has uniformly Ed, specula, a watch-tower.

For Ashdoth-Pisgah, the "roots" or "springs" of Pisgah, sec § 48.

§ 25.

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GIB'AH,, 'a hill,' (as distinguished from Har, a mountain): from 12, 153, a hump, or curve; (compare the Latin gibbus, and German gipfel.) The distinction is not always so strictly observed, but that of two eminences, not far from each other, the lower may not be called 'hor' and the higher gibeah': e. g. Gibeon (El Jib), and Gibeah (Jeba), are both higher than the Hor or Mount of Olives. But the word Gibeah is never applied to a high or extended mountain like Lebanon or Sinai, while from its root it is particularly applicable to the humped or rounded hills of Palestine. On the distinction between Hor and Gibeah depends an important argument in deciding the claims of Mount Serbal and Gebel Mousa to be the Sinai of the Exodus: see Chap. I. p. 41.

In modern Arabic, the word Gebel is applied to all eminences; as, for example, to the rock of Tarik,-Gebel-tarik, or Gibraltar.

There were several places of this name in Palestine.

1. "Gibeah of Benjamin," Judg. xix. 14; 1 Sam. xiii. 2, 15; or-from Saul's residence there" of Saul," 1 Sam. xi. 4; xv. 34; 2 Sam. xxi. 6; Isai. x. 29. Apparently the first mention of it is in the list of the cities of Benjamin in Josh. xviii. 28, where it is called Gibeath; and it occurs simply as Gibeah in Judg. xix. 12; 1 Sam. x. 26, and many other places.

Note.-Gibeah, in 2 Sam. vi. 3, 4, has the article, and should be rendered, as indeed it is in 1 Sam. vii. 1, 'the Hill,' that is, a hill close to Kirjath-jearim. 2. Gibeah, a city in the mountains of Judah, Josh. xv. 57, only.

3. Geba, or Gaba; a city of Benjamin, Josh. xviii. 24; 1 Sam. xiii. 3; 2 Kings xxiii. 8. A distinct place from Gibeah (1), though evidently (Isai. x. 29) in close proximity to it. That the two names were interchangeable is apparent from the fact that in Judg. xx. 10, and in 1 Sam. xiii. 16, Gibeah of Benjamin is, in the Hebrew, "Geba

1 Accurately, the Mount Nebo, head of the Pisgah.'

See Ritter, Syrien, p. 1192.