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Saladine defaced, Richard, king of England, while he made war in the Holy Land, gave it a new wall, and many buildings: Ejus muros cum Saladinus diruisset, Richardus Anglorum rex instauravit, saith Adrichomius.

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In David's time it was one of the most renowned cities of the Philistines; for he nameth Gath and Ascalon only, when he lamenteth the death of Saul and Jonathan, not speaking of the other three; s Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: it is now called Scalone. Gabinius restored it, as he did Azotus and Gaza.

Next to Ascalon stood Gaza, or Gazera, which the Hebrews call Hazza; the Syrians Azon, of Azonus, as they say, the son of Hercules. Other profane writers affirm that it was built by Jupiter. Pomponius Mela gives the building thereof to Cambyses the Persian, because belike he rebuilt it; and Gaza, in the Persian tongue, is as much to say as treasure. This Gaza was the first of the five satrapies of the Philistines, and the south bound of the land of Canaan towards Egypt. But this city was far more ancient than Cambyses, as it is proved by many scriptures. It was once taken by Caleb, but the strength of the Anakims put him from it. At such time as " Alexander Macedon invaded the empire of Persia, it received a garrison for Darius: in despite whereof, it was by the Macedonians, after a long siege, demolished; and was called Gaza of the Desert.

* Alexander Janneus, king of the Jews, surprised it, and slew 500 senators in the temple of Apollo, which fled thither for sanctuary; but this Gaza was not set up in the same place again, to wit, on the foundations which Alexander Macedon had overturned, but somewhat nearer the sea-side; though the other was but two miles off. It was a town of great account in the time of the Maccabees, and gave many wounds to the Jews, till it was forced by Simon: of which he made so great account, as he purposed to reside therein himself; and in his absence left John his son and

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successor to be governor. In y Brochard's time it was still a goodly city, and known by the name of Gazara.

At the very outlet of the river of Bezor standeth Majoma, the port of Gaza; to which the privilege of a city was given by the great Constantine, and the place called Constance after the name of the emperor's son. But Julian the apostate, soon after favouring the Gazeans, made it subject unto them, and commanded it to be called Gaza Maritima.

On the other side of a Besor standeth Anthedon, defaced by Alexander Janneus, restored by Herod, and called Agrippias, after the name of Agrippa, the favourite of Augustus.

Then Raphia, where Philopater overthrew the great Antiochus; and beyond it Rhinocura, whose torrent is known in the scriptures by the name of the torrent of Egypt, till the Septuagint converted it by Rinocura, to difference it, Isaiah xxvii. 12. giving the name of the city to the torrent that watereth it.

Pliny calls it Rhinocolura, and Josephus Rhinocorura.

d Epiphanius reports it as a tradition, that at this place the world was divided by lots between the three sons of Noah.

Within the land, and upon the river of Besor, they place Gerar; which the scripture placeth between Kadesh and Shur, Gen. xx. 1. That it was near to the wilderness of Beersheba, it appears, Gen. xxi. 31. and therefore no marvel that as elsewhere Beersheba, so sometimes Gerar, be made the south bound of Canaan. It was of old a distinct kingdom from the Philistine satrapies, the kings by one common name were called Abimelechs; St. Jerome saith, that afterwards it was called Regio salutaris; "the healthy county:" so that it was no marvel that Abraham and

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y 1 Macc. i. 15. Broch. Itin. 7. Hist. trip. 1. 6. c. 4. Niceph. 10. Hist. c. 4.

a

Joseph. 13. Ant. 19. 21.

b Joseph. 13. Ant. 19. 21. 24. &c. Junius calls it Vallis Egypti,

the name of the stream seems to be Shichor. See in Asser, c. 7. sect. 3. §. 8. in the margin.

d Epiph. tom. 2. in refut. Manich. et in Ancorato. Gen. x. 19.

Isaac lived much in these parts. Of king Asa's conquest of the cities about Gerar, see 2 Chron, xiv. 14.

More within the land was Siceleg, or Tsiglak, which was burnt by the Amalekites, when David, in his flying from Saul to the Philistines, had left his carriages there; but David followed them over the river of Besor, and put them to the slaughter, and recovered the prey.

Next fDabir, sometime Cariath-Sepher, the city of letters, the university, as they say, or academy of old Palestine. In St. Jerome's time it seems it had the name of Daema; Joshua xv. 49. it is called Urbs Sannæ, from the name, as it seems, of some of the Anakims, as Hebron was called Urbs Arbahi. For even hence also were these giants expelled. It was taken chiefly by 5 Othoniel, encouraged by Caleb's promise of his daughter in marriage; but that Joshua and the host of Israel were at the surprise, it appears Joshua x. 39. This city, Josh. xxi. 15. is named among those which, out of Simeon and Juda, were given to the Levites. And hence it seems they attribute it to this tribe.

Besides these, there are many others in the tribe of Simeon, but of less fame; as Haijn, of which Joshua xix. 7. which also Joshua xxi. 16. is reckoned for one of the cities of the Levites, given out of the portion of Juda and Simeon, (for which Junius thinks Hasham is named, 1 Chron. vi. 59. though in the place of Joshua these two are distinguished,) also Tholad so named, 1 Chron. iv. 29. for which Josh. xix. 4. we have Eltholad. Chatzar-Susa, so named, Josh. xix. 5. for which Josh. xv. we have Chatzar-Gadda, both names agreeing in signification; for Gadda is Turma, and Susa, Equitatus.

In the same places of Joshua and of the Chronicles Chorma is named; which they think to be the same with that of which Numb. xiv. 45. to which the Amalekites and Canaanites pursued the Israelites. But that Chorma cannot be in Simeon, nor within the mountains of Edumaa.

• 1 Sam. xxx.

f Joseph. 10, 11, 12.

8 Josh. xi. 21.

h And also 1 Chron. iv. 32.

For Israel fled not that way, but back again to the camp, which lay to the south of Edumaa, in the desert.

k

The same places also name Beersheba in this tribe; so called of the oath between Abraham and Abimelech; near unto which Hagar wandered with her son Ishmael.

It was also called the city of Isaac, because he dwelt long there.

While the Christians held the Holy Land, they laboured much to strengthen this place, standing on the border of the Arabian desert, and in the south bound of Canaan. It hath now the name of Gibelin.

The other cities of Simeon, which are named in the places of Joshua and of the Chronicles above noted, because they help us nothing in story, I omit them.

In the time of Ezekiah king of Juda, certain of this tribe being straitened in their own territories, passed to 'Gedor, as it is 1 Chron. iv. 39. (the same place which Josh. xv. 36. is called Gedera and Gederothaima,) which at that time was inhabited by the issue of Cham, where they seated themselves; as also 500 others of this tribe destroyed the relics of Amalek in the mountains of Edom, and dwelt in their places.

The mountains within this tribe are few, and that of Samson the chiefest; unto which he carried the gate-post of Gaza. The rivers are Besor and the torrent of Egypt called Shichar, as is noted in Asser.

SECT. III.

The tribe of Juda.

OF Juda, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah, there were multiplied in Egypt 74,600; all which (Caleb excepted) perished in the deserts. And of their sons, their entered the land of Canaan 76,500 bearing arms. Agreeable to the greatness of this number was the greatest territory given, called afterwards Judæa; within the bounds whereof were the portions allotted to Dan and Simeon included.

i Deut. i.

* Gen. xxi. 31.

1 As it seems in the land of Juda.

See in the first paragraph of this chapter, in the cities of Dan. Judg. xvi. 3.

And many cities named in these tribes did first, as they say, belong unto the children of Juda, who had a kind of sovereignty over them; as Succoth, Cariathiarim, Lachis, Bethsemes, Tsiglag, Beersheba, and others.

The multitude of people within this small province (if it be meted by that ground given to this tribe only) were uncredible, if the witness of the scriptures had not warranted the report. For when David numbered the people, they were found 500,000 fighting men.

The cities of Juda were many: but I will remember the chiefest of them, beginning with Arad, or Horma, which standeth in the entrance of Judæa from Idumæa; whose king first surprised the Israelites, as they passed by the border of m Canaan towards Moab, and took from them some spoils and many prisoners; who being afterwards overthrown by the Israelites, the sons of Keni, the kinsmen of Moses, obtained a possession in that territory; who before the coming of the Israelites dwelt between Madian and Amalek.

Following this frontier towards Idumæa and the south, nAscensus Scorpionis or Acrabbim is placed, the next to Arad; so called because of scorpions, which are said to be in that place from which name of Acrabbim, Jerome thinks that the name of the toparchy, called Acrabathena, was denominated; of which we have spoken in Manasses.

On the south side also of Judæa they place the cities of Jagur, Dimona, Adada, Cedes, Ashna, Jethnam, and Asor, or Chatsor, most of them frontier towns.

And then Ziph, of which there are two places so called; one besides this in the body of Juda, of which the desert and forest adjoining took name, where David hid himself from Saul.

After these are the cities of Esron, Adar, Karkah, and Asemona, or Hatsmon, of no great fame.

Turning now from Idumæa towards the north we find the cities of Danna, Shemah, Amam, the other Asor, or Chatsor, Behaloth, and the two Sochoes; of all which, see

m Numb. xxi. 3. Josh. xii. 14. Judg. i. 16.

n Numb. xxxiv. 3. Deut. viii. 15.

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