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more into the land, toward the south-west, is Bethulia, seated on a very high hill, and of great strength, famous by the story of Holofernes and Judith, such as it is. Near which standeth Bethlehem of Zabulon: and adjoining unto it Capharath, fortified by a Josephus against the Romans; and Japha, an exceeding strong place, afterward forced by Titus; who in the entrance, and afterward in fury, slew b 15,000 of the citizens, and carried away above 2000 prisoners.

On the south side are the cities of Cartha of the Levites, and Gabara, of which Josephus in his own Life; then Jafie, according to Adrichomius, (of which Josh. xix. 12.) for he thinks that it is not that Japha of which we spake but now out of Josephus: Jideala, of which Josh. xix. 15. Jerome calls it Jadela; under it, westward, Legio (afterwards a bishop's seat) and the city Belma, in ancient times exceeding strong, remembered Judith vii. 3. otherwise Chelma. Between Legio and Nazeret is the city Saffa, or Saffra, the birth city of Zebedæus, Alphæus, James, and John; then Sephoris, or Sephora, according to Josephus; Sephorum, according to Brochard; which afterwards, saith Hegesippus and Jerome, was called Diocæsarea, the city of Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Virgin Mary; it was walled by Herod the tetrarch, and by him, as Josephus speaks, made the head and defence of Galilee; in another place he saith, Urbium Galilæarum maximæ Sephoris et Tiberias. This Sephoris greatly vexed Vespasian ere he won it. Herod Antipas, when he made it the regal seat of the nether Galilee, and surrounded it with a strong wall, called it Autocratorida, which is as much to say as imperial, saith Josephus; and it is now but a castle called Zaphet.

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To the south-west of this Sephoris, or Diocæsarea, was that blessed place of Nazareth, the city of Mary the mother of Christ, in which he himself was conceived; it standeth

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between mount Tabor and the Mediterranean sea. In this city he abode chiefly twenty-four years, and was therefore called a Nazarite, as the Christians afterwards were for many years. It was erected into an archbishopric in the following age. Near unto it are the cities Buria, afterwards well defended against the Turks, and Nahalal, of which Josh. xix. 15. and Judg. i. 30. where it is called Nahalol; and Josh. xxi. 35. where it is a city of the Levites, near the sea; adjoining to the river of Chison is Sarid, noted in Joshua for the uttermost of Zabulon.

In this territory of Zabulon there are divers small mountains, but Tabor is the most renowned, by the apparition of Moses and Elias, and by the transfiguration of Christ, in the presence of Peter, James, and John, unto whom Moses and Elias appeared; in memory whereof, on the top of the mountain, the empress Helen built a sumptuous chapel.

The chief river of Zabulon is Chison; which, rising out of Tabor, runneth with one stream eastward to the sea of Galilee, and with another stream westward into the great sea. This river of Chison, where it riseth, and so far as it runneth southward, is called Chedumim, or Cadumim; and, for mine own opinion, I take it to be the same which Ptolomy calleth Chorseus, though others distinguish them, and set Chorseus by Cæsarea Palestina. There is a second torrent or brook, that riseth in the hills of Bethulia, and falleth into the sea of Galilee by Magdalum; and the third is a branch of a river rising out of the fountains of Capernaum, which falleth also into the same sea, and near fMagdalum; which torrent they call Dotham, from the name of the city from which it passeth eastward to Bethsaida, and so joining with Jordanis Parvus, which runneth from the valley of Jephthael, which Joshua reckoneth in the bounds of Zabulon, it endeth in the sea of Galilee.

SECT. VI.

The tribe of Issachar.

THE next adjoining territory to Zabulon, to the south f See Laicstan's map in Ortelius.

8 Josh. xix. 14.

and south-west, was Issachar, who inhabited a part of the nether Galilee, within Jordan; of whom there were increased in Egypt, as appeared by their musters at mount Sinai, 54,400 able and warlike men, who leaving their bodies with the rest in the deserts, there entered the Holy Land 64,300.

The first city of this tribe, near the sea of Galilee, was h Tarichea, distant from Tiberias eight English miles, or somewhat more, a city wherein the Jews (by the practice of a certain mutinous upstart, John the son of Levi) took. arms against Josephus the historian, then governor of both Galilees. This city was first taken by Cassius, and 3000 Jews carried thence captive; and afterwards with great difficulty by Vespasian, who entered it by the sea-side, having first beaten the Jews in a sea-fight upon the lake or sea of Galilee; he put to the sword all sorts of people, and of all ages, saving that his fury being quenched with the rivers of blood running through every street, he reserved the remainder for slaves and bondmen.

Next to Tarichea is placed iCession, or Cishion, of the Levites, and then Issachar, remembered in 1 Kings iv. 17. then Abes, or Ebets, Josh. xix. 20. and Remeth, of which Josh. xix. 21. otherwise Ramoth, 1 Chron. vi. 73. or Jarmuth, Josh. xxi. 29. this also was a city of the Levites, from whose territory the mountains of Gilboa take beginning, and range themselves to the Mediterranean sea, and towards the west as far as the city of Jezrael; between which and Ramoth are the cities of Bethpheses, or Bethpasses, according to Ziegler, and Enadda, or Hen-chadda, near which Saul slew himself; under those k Aphec, or Apheca, which Adrichomius placeth in Issachar; between which and Suna he saith that the Philistines encamped against Israel, and afterwards against Saul; a land thirsty of blood; for herein also, saith he, the Syrians, with thirty-two reguli assisting Benhadad,

h Tarichea in Sueton.

i Josh. xxi. 28. Kishion, which 1 Chron. vi. 72. is called Kedesh.

k Josh. xix. 1 Sam. iy. 1. 1 Kings xx. 26. In the latter two places Ju

nius makes Aphek in Asher, according to Josh. xix. 30. In the first he placeth it in Juda, out of Joshua xv. 53. 1 Kings xx.

encountered Achab, and were overthrown and slaughtered: to whom the king of Israel made a most memorable answer, when Benhadad vaunted before the victory; which was, Tell Benhadad, Let not him that girdeth his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off; meaning, that glory followed after victory, but ought not to precede it. In the year following, in the fields, as they say, adjoining to this city, was the same vainglorious Syrian utterly broken and discomfited by Achab, and 100,000 footmen of the Aramites, or Syrians, slain: before which overthrow, the servants and counsellors of Benhadad (in derision of the God of Israel) told him, That the gods of Israel were gods of the mountains; and therefore if they fought with them in the plains, they should overcome them.

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Under Aphec, towards the sea, they set the city of Esdrelon, in the plains of Galilee, called also the great field of Esdrelon and Maggedo; in the border whereof are the ruins of Aphec to be seen, saith Brochard and Breidenbach. After these are the cities of m-Casaloth, of which 1 Macc. ix. 2. Anem, or Hen-Gannim, of the Levites; and Seesima, or Shahatsima, the west border of Issachar, of which Josh. xix. 22. From hence, ranging the sea-coast, there is found the Castle of Pilgrims; a strong castle, environed with the sea, sometime the storehouse and magazine of the Christians, and built by the earl of St. Giles, or Tolouse.

From the Castle of Pilgrims, the sea maketh a great bay towards the north, and the furthermost shore beginneth mount Carmel, not far from the river Chison, where Elijah assembled all the prophets and priests of Baal, and prayed king Achab, and the people assembled, to make trial, whether the God of Israel or the idol of Baal were to be worshipped, by laying a sacrifice without fire on the altar; which done, the priests of Baal prayed, and cut their own flesh after their manner, but the fire kindled not; while Elijah in derision told them, that their god was either in pursuit of his enemies,not at leisure, or perchance asleep, &c.

1 I Kings xx. 23.

in Judith i. 8. and vii. 3. 1 Chron. vi. 73. Josh. xxi. 29.

But at the prayer of Elijah his fire kindled, notwithstanding that he had caused the people to cast many vessels of water thereon, by which miracle the people incensed slew all those idolaters on the banks of Chison adjoining.

At the foot of this mountain, to the north, standeth Caiphas, built, as they say, by Caiphas the high priest. It is also known by the name of Porsina and Porphyria, sometime a suffragan bishop's seat. Returning again from the sea-coast, towards Tiberias, by the banks of Chison, there are found the city of Hapharaim, or Aphraim, and the castles of Mesra and Saba, of which Brochard and Breidenbach; and then Naim on the river Chison, a beautiful city while it stood, in the gates whereof Christ n raised from death the widow's only son.

Then Seon, or Shion, named Josh. xix. between the two hills of Hermon, in Issachar; beyond it standeth Endor, famous by reason of the enchantress that undertook to raise up the body of Samuel at the instigation of Saul.

Beyond it stands Anaharath and Rabbith, named Josh. xix. 19, 20. Then Dabarath, as it is named Josh. xxi. 28. or Dobratha, as it is named 1 Chron. vi. 72. This city (which stretcheth itself over Chison) was a city of refuge belonging to the Levites.

Next to Dabarath is Arbela situate, near the caves of those two thieves which so greatly molested Galilee in Herod's time. It joineth on one side to the mountain of Issachar or Hermon, and on the other to the valley of Jezreel; which valley continueth itself from Bethsan, or Scythopolis, the east border of Issachar, even to the Mediterranean sea; two parts whereof are enclosed by the mountains of Gilboa on the south, and by Hermon and the river Chison on the north. In these plains • Gideon overthrew the Madianites, and herein, they think, Saul fought against the Philistines, Achab against the Syrians, and the Tartars against the Saracens.

n Luke vii.

• Called Campus Magnus, 1 Maccab. xii. 49. and Harbathæ for Hara

bath. 1 Macc. v. 23. and ix. 2. Judg. vi. 1 Sam. xxxi. 1 Kings xx.

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