of Enon. Some suppose it was the same with Shalem or Sychem, but that is not placed near Enon by any geographers. Probably Melchizedec was king of one of these places, and not of Jerusalem, as some have maintained.

SODOM, GOMORRAH, ADMAH, ZEBOIM and ZoAR were five cities of the Canaanites. In the days of Abraham they had each a king. The Dead Sea now covers the site of these cities.(Jude 7.) The Scripture account of the overthrow of these cities is corroborated by the accounts of Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, Tacitus, Solinus, &c.

SIDON, a great commercial city, and the capital of the Phoenicians. It was built soon after the flood, by Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan. Tyre, 25 miles south of it, was built by a colony from this city. Both cities lay within the lot of Asher; but that tribe never expelled the people. Indeed, at one time the Sidonians overcame all İsrael; and in the days of Ahaz they drove a great commerce in exporting the Jews for slaves. (Joel iii. 4.) The gospel was at the first proclaimed here, and flourishing churches continued for many ages. After being lost and won in the crusades, the Saracens finally made themselves masters of it, A. D. 1289. Some Christians are yet found here. It now contains 16,000 inhabitants,

and is called Saide.

SAREPTA, (Luke iv. 26,) or Zarephath, (1 Kings xvii. 9.) A Gentile town, lying on the shores of the Mediterranean, between Tyre and Sidon, and belonging to the latter. Its modern name is Zarpha, or Zarphant. Though there were many widows in Israel, distressed with the prevailing famine, Elijah was not sent to them, but to a Zidonian widow in Sarepta. Messrs. Fisk and King passed the place in the summer of 1823.

TADMOR, a noble city in the north of Canaan. Its immediate vicinity was exceedingly fertile, though at a little distance all was a sandy desert. It was probably built by Solomon, to facilitate his commerce with the East. It submitted to Rome, A. D. 130. About 150 years afterward, the Saracens took it. Here lived Longinus. It is now famous, but only for its ruins. About 30 poor families constitute its population. The modern name of the town is Palmyra.

TIMNATH, (Gen. xxxviii. 12,) or Timnah, (2 Chron. xxviii. 18,) situated on the northern border of Judah, was one of the oldest towns of Canaan. In Samson's time it belonged to the Philistines, and he obtained his wife. there.

ZEMARITES, descendants of Canaan, by Zemar, his tenth son. (Gen. x. 18.)

ZOAR. (Gen. xiv. 2.) A small city, originally called Bela, at the southern extremity of the Dead Sea, whose king, with four others, rebelled against Chedorlaomer, and was conquered. It was afterwards threatened with the same destruction as Sodom, but spared at Lot's request, who fled to it for safety from the storm of divine wrath.(Gen. xix. 20, 22.)

THE TOWNS AND CITIES OF JORDAN.

ABEL-MEHOLAH. (Judg. vii. 22; 1 Kings xix. 16.) A. town in the plain of Jordan, about 10 miles south of Bethshean, and between that and Shechem — distinguished as the birth-place of Elisha, and as the refuge of the Midianites, when pursued by Gideon.

BETHABARA. (John i. 28.) A town on the east bank of Jordan, where there was a ford across the river; whence the name, ["house of passage."] At this place John baptized; and here, too, it is supposed, the Israelites crossed the Jordan, under the conduct of Joshua. It lay about 30 miles north-east of Jerusalem, and is probably the same with Beth-barah. (Judg. vii. 24.)

ENON. (John iii. 23. A town on the west side of Jordan, eight or ten miles south of Bethshean, abounding in water, and distinguished as a place where John baptized.

NIMRIM, a city east of Jordan. (Isa. xv. 6.) It is thought to be the same which St. Jerome calls Nemra.

The wilderness of PARAN, (Gen. xxi. 21,) was situated south of Jordan, and extended to the peninsula of Sinai, and from the Dead Sea to the desert of Egypt; so that, in its largest sense, it included the deserts of Kadesh and Zin. It was in this wilderness that Hagar dwelt with Ishmael, and to this place David retired, after the

death of Samuel. (1 Sam. xxv. 1.) Nearly all the wanderings of the children of Israel were in the great and terrible wilderness of Paran. (Deut. i. 19. Comp. Num. x. 12, and xii. 16.) It is now a dreary expanse of calcareous soil, covered with black flints.

ZARETAN, (Josh. iii. 16,) or Zartanah, (1 Kings iv. 12,) or Zarthan, (1 Kings vii. 46,) or Zereda, (1 Kings xi. 26,) or Zeredatha, (2 Chron. iv. 17,) or Zererath, (Judg. vii. 22, are all supposed to denote one and the same place, viz. a town on the west bank of Jordan, at the place where the Israelites crossed, when the waters were gathered into a heap on either side. It was near Bethshean, and opposite to Succoth.

MIDIAN, (Ex. ii. 15,) or Madian. (Acts vii. 29.) A country lying around the eastern branch of the Red Sea, and supposed to have been settled by the posterity of Midian, fourth son of Abraham and Keturah. Midian was celebrated for its camels, (Judg. vii. 12,) and the descendants of Ephah, who were the posterity of Midian, were rich in camels and dromedaries. (Isa. lx. 6.) Hither Moses fled, and here he married Zipporah, an Ethiopian woman, the daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian. (Ex. ii. 21; iii. 1; Num. xii. 1.) Jethro is also called Raguel, (Numb. x. 29,) and Reuel, (Ex. ii. 18,) and was probably known by either name. It is highly probable, too, that he was a descendant of Abraham, (Gen. xxv. 2,) but what was the nature of his office as priest, [or prince, as some say it should be rendered,] we know not.-(Num. xii. 1.)

It is supposed that another country called Midian was situated on the Dead Sea, in Arabia Petrea, adjoining Moab; but very learned geographers describe but one land of Midian, and this embraces both sides of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, extending southwardly near to Mt. Sinai. Perhaps they might have been distinguished as Northern and Southern Midian.

There are three distinct countries mentioned in the Bible, it is believed, peopled by Cush, (Gen. x. 6—8,) the son of Ham, and father of Nimrod; and one of them was probably the same with Midian. (Comp. Ex. ii. 16, 21.)

THE CITIES OF THE PHILISTINES, AND PALESTINE. THE Philistines and the Caphtorim descended from Casluhim, the son of Mizraim, who peopled Egypt; and their country is perhaps called the isle or country of Caphtor.(Jer. xlvii. 4.) Their territory was allotted to the Hebrews; but they neglecting to take possession of it, the Philistines were made a severe and lasting scourge to them. — (Josh. xiii. 2, 3; xv. 45—47; Judg. iii. 1-3.) The country lying along the Mediterranean coast, between Joppa and Gaza, was inhabited by the Philistines, and was hence called Palestina; but in Ex. xv. 14, and in Isa. xiv. 29-31, it seems to denote the whole of Judea, as the word Palestine does in its modern acceptation.

ASHDOD, a fortified city of the Philistines, lying in the lot of Judah, and called by the Greeks, and known in the New Testament, by the name of Azotus.- (Acts viii. 40.) It was situated on the Mediterranean, between Askelon and Ekron, 15 or 20 miles north of Gaza. Here was the temple of Dagon, in which the Philistines placed the ark. The city was more than once captured. — (2 Chron. xxvi. 6; Isa. xx. 1.)

APHEK. (1 Sam. iv. 1—11.) A city on the borders of Judah and Benjamin, east of Jerusalem, where the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, and the ark taken from them. This place is supposed to be the same which is elsewhere called Aphekah. (Josh. xv. 53.) ASKELON. (2 Sam. i. 20.) One of the "fenced cities" of the Philistines. It was situated on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, 12 miles south of Gaza. It was a noble seaport, and was the birth-place of Herod the Great. After the death of Joshua, it fell into the hands of the tribe of Judah. —(Judg. i. 18.) At a short distance to the north is a small village called Scalona, evidently a corruption of the ancient name.

EKRON. (Josh. xv. 45.) A city of the Philistines, lying north west of Gath and north of Ashdod, assigned by Joshua originally to the tribe of Judah, (Judg. i. 18,) but afterwards said to belong to the tribe of Dan. (Josh. xix. 43.) Neither tribe seems to have been in actual possession of the place. (Judg. i. 34, 35; 1 Sam.

v. 10; vi. 17; 2 Kings i. 2; Jer. xxv. 20; Amos i. 8 Zeph. ii. 4; Zech. ix. 5, 7.)

GAZA. (Gen. x. 19.) A city, and one of the five prin cipalities of the Philistines. It was situated on the coas of the Mediterranean, at the southern extremity of Ca naan, within the tribe of Judah, (Judg. i. 18; 1 Sam. vi 17,) and about 60 miles south-west of Jerusalem. Ir the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz it recovered its indepen dence, but was again subdued by Hezekiah. — (2 Kings xviii. 8.) It was afterwards subject to the Persians and Chaldeans, and was captured by Alexander the Great, about 300 B. C. In the time of Eusebius it was a flourishing city, but has been often reduced since that day, and now consists of three small villages, with from 3,000 to 5,000 inhabitants. Messrs. King and Fisk, American missionaries, spent a Sabbath there in 1823. They tell us that the city stands on an elevation; the houses are built of stone. The scenery around is beautiful.

They found several Greeks there, and a Greek priest, who said the church there had been built twelve centuries.

GERAR, (Gen. x. 18,) a capital city of the Philistines, was situated south-west of Gaza, between Kadesh and Shur.-(Gen. xx. 1.) It is remarkable that both Abraham and Isaac retired to this place during the prevalence of a famine, and were both guilty of deceiving Abimelech, the king of the place, respecting their wives.(Gen. xx. 1; xxvi. 1.) The Valley of Gerar, (Gen. xxvi. 17,) was the residence of Isaac, and probably in the vicinity of the city above described.

GATH. (Josh. xi. 22.) An acient city in the territory of Dan, celebrated as the birth-place of Goliath.—(1 Sam. xvii. 4.) It was situated about 32 miles west from Jerusalem. In the days of David, it was in the possession of the Philistines, and Achish was its king.-(1 Sam. xxi. 10-15; xxvii. 1-7.) David afterwards captured it.-(2 Sam. xv. 18; 1 Chr. xviii. 1.) It was afterwards subject to frequent revolutions. (1 Kings ii. 39; 2 Kings xii. 17; xiii. 25; 2 Chron. xi. 8; xxvi. 6.) The inhabitants of Gath are called Gittites, (Josh. xiii. 3,) and the place Gittah-hepher. (Josh. xix. 13.)

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JABNEEL, (Josh. xv. 11,) or Jabneh, (2 Chron. xxvi.