The Holy Land and the Bible. A book of Scripture illustrations gathered in Palestine, etc

Front matter

THE HOLY LAND AND THE BIBLE "WORKS BY THE Rev. CUNNINGHAM GEIKIE, D.D. Hours with the Bible : Old Testament Series. Vol. I.— From the CREATION to MOSES. Vol. II.— From MOSES to the JUDGES. Vol. III.— From SAMSON to SOLOMON. Vol. IV.— From EEHOBOAM to HEZEKIAH. \ witll the Vol. V.— From MANASSEH to ZEDEKIAH. Vol. VI— From the EXILE to MALACHI. J Pi-oi>liet_. With Seventy-Jive Illustrations. Each Volume sold separately, price Gs. The Life and Words of Christ. Illustrated Edition. "With Forty Full-page Plates. Two Vols., 30s, Presentation Edition. Two Vols., large 8vo, cloth, 30s. Student's Edition. Two Vols., 16s. Cheap Edition. One Vol., 7s. 6d. The Holt Land and the Bible. Two Vols., 24s. Entering on Life. A Book for Young- Men. 3s. 6d, The Precious Promises. 2s. 6d. The English Reformation. 5s. Old Testament Characters. 6s. Cassell dt Company, Limited, Ludgate Hill, London.

FROM THE MOST RECENT SURVEYS rMw-Weller.itfi London.; Cassell i Company, Limited THE Holy Land and the Bible. A BOOK OF SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS GATHERED IN PALESTINE. r.v CUNNINGHAM GEIKIE, D.D., Vicar of St. Martin's at Palace, Norwicft.<~ WITH A MAP OF PALESTINE. Vol. I. CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited: LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK 4 MELBOURNE. 1887. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

Preface

. I must urge it in explanation of my adding to the already copious literature treating, from one aspect or another, of the Holy Land, that the aim I have had in view in writing this hook has been different from that of nearly every other work on Palestine, and that, if I have been able to carry it out successfully, the result should unquestionably prove very useful. I visited Palestine with the intention of gathering. illustrations of the sacred writings from its hills and valleys, its rivers and lakes, its plains and uplands, its plants and animals, its skies, its soil, and, above all, from the pictures of ancient times still presented on every side in the daily life of its people. Nothing is more instruc tive or can be more charming, when reading Scripture, than the illumination of its texts from such sources, throwing light upon its constantly recurring Oriental imagery and local allusions, and revealing the exact meaning of words and phrases which otherwise could not be adequately understood.

Its simple narratives, its divine poetry, its prophetic visions, its varied teachings, alike catch additional vividness and force when read with the aid of such knowledge. The Land is, in fact, a

PREFACE.

. VI natural commentary on the sacred writings which it has given to us, and we study them as it were amidst the life, the scenery, and the local peculiarities which sur rounded those to whom the Scriptures were first addressed. While describing the various districts of the Holy Land and while noting their ancient sites, their past history, and their present state, I have sought to gather at every step contributions towards the illustration of the inspired text from every local source. A glance at the Table of Contents will show that all the country is brought before the reader in successive portions, from the extreme south to its northern limits : that is, from Beersheba to Damascus, Baalbek, and Beirout — an area including the whole Palestine of the Old and New Testaments. The numerous Scripture passages quoted have been taken, as seemed most advantageous for the reader, from the Authorised or the Revised Versions, or from the Greek or Hebrew texts ; and variations from the ordinary renderings have been made where, in order to express the full meaning of the original, such a course seemed necessary. C. G. CONTENTS.

Jerusalem (continued) 512