A Descriptive Geography and brief historical sketch of Palestine ... translated [from the Hebrew] by I. Leeser

Front matter

DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE. |BB_____HHM__HH__B__r w.-' ■-;. < ',;«»■_-_______________ J)y-^Z'nyrZ' /tct^M' na££d_re ony stone- Sy d'&duLgfcr m mm_ Jiiira mmmi From J er x. s alej_L . A DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY AND BEIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH or PALESTINE. BY RABBI JOSEPH SCHWARZ, FOR SIXTEEN YEARS A RESIDENT IN THE HOLY LAND. TRANSLATED BY ISAAC LEESER, ONE OF THE EDITORS OF TIIE NEW EDITION OF THE HEBREW DIDLE, ETC. ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. "For the stones thereof are dear to thy servants, and its dust they kindly cherish." Psalm cii. 16. PHILADELPHIA PUBLISHED BY A. LATE CAKEY AND HART. 5610-1850. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, BY A. HART, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. PHILADELPHIA: C. SHERMAN, PRINTER.

In sending this new publication out to the world, I have but little to say, farther than that I have endeavoured to render the author's ideas as faithfully as was in my power. I had before me, for a great portion of the work, a printed Hebrew copy and a German translation in MS., the latter by various persons, and in part by the learned author, who, however, revised the whole before it was put into my hands. Notwithstanding the abun dance of aid thus afforded me in my task, it was very difficult to do it full justice; as the great diversity of style naturally resulting from the co operation of at least three persons must leave a translator often greatly perplexed. At the same time the German not rarely differed materially from the original, which also is composed not in pure Hebrew, but in the mixed dialect so usual among modern Jews ; which, from the little op portunity I have had, is not so familiar to me as it is to those who have been thoroughly conversant with our modern literature by a constant pe rusal of the later authors of our people, and by a personal intercourse with the writers themselves.

None but those who make the attempt to be their own teachers in any branch of science can know the difficulty one has to surmount, if a competent guide is not to be obtained occasion ally to help the student forward. It is, therefore, highly probable, that VI translator's preface. others might have done the author more justice ; but it is also not un likely that they would have lacked some other qualification which was requisite to execute the task now before the reader. Whenever possible, I verified the author's references, and I thus gave the spelling of the names with all attainable accuracy ; in other instances I was not so fortunate; and hence it is not unlikely that some little errors may be discovered here and there, which were unavoidable, as the temporary residence of the author in New York prevented me from consulting him on all occasions in person, even where his advice may have been needed ; and those familiar with literary labours can easily imagine that epistolary intercourse would have been too tedious for the elucidation of any difficulty which at the moment might have presented itself.

Preface

. An uncommon degree of interest has been excited in modern times towards Palestine, to an extent scarcely ever before attained. It issues forth, as it were, out of its devastation of more than eighteen centuries standing; and people seek to reanimate it through their investigations and discoveries. The learned contend for the prize of contributing the most to its elucidation by discovering and tracing out the vestiges of an tiquity which it offers ; and it is therefore constantly visited and travelled over by the well-informed of all nations. How much more ardently, then, must the erudite man belonging to the house of Israel feel on the sub ject ! For should not Israel march in the advance, and serve in this matter as an example to other nations ? or shall it, to whose ancestor God said (Gen. xiii. 15), " For the whole land which thou seest I will give unto thee and thy seed for ever," receive an account of its posses sions — for its property the land remains, long as the time may be that its claim is not acknowledged, and its rights usurped by the hand of power — from the mouth of others ?

As I now happened to live in contentment in the Holy City, this thought became the more active in me, since I had the opportunity to furnish much, more indeed than any other in this respect ; because I was constantly on the spot, and had a knowledge of the languages which are necessary to carry on the discoveries and investigations, and was tolera bly familiar with Hebrew literature, the most extensive and reliable source in this field of inquiry ; and I was thus in a position which pro mised me much assistance in my labours. I call Hebrew literature the most extensive and reliable source ; and, author's preface. XII in truth, it is this in every respect ; and whoever cannot draw his information out of it in his investigations, must remain unacquainted with much, even the most interesting* matter, and will therefore fail in his ' O 7 discoveries.

It hence results, that, despite the sagacity of so many travellers, much has remained unknown ; for instance, no one could hitherto indicate where to look for the Mount Hor, in Northern Palestine ; Riblah, Kadesh-Barnea, Azmon, Katath, Nahallal, Shimron, Rakkath, &c. ; since all the learned were unacquainted with the circumstance, that all these names were changed at a later period, as we see mentioned in Talmud Yerushalmi, and since the names into which they were changed are existing to this day. In this way, therefore, being able to draw from the source indicated, I have been permitted to discover nearly a hundred names which had hitherto remained unknown. It farther struck me, that we had no manual which could aid us in elucidating the book of Joshua, either in reading or teaching it ; so that several chapters are almost left unread, and not explained in instructing.

Farthermore, I found that several passages are incorrectly translated ; and how, in good faith, can one expect from the learned of the West a correct explanation of the nature of the Orient ? and who should feel more interested in the matter than one belonging to the house of Israel ? I therefore applied myself to compose a new geography, and I can freely flatter myself that this work does not resemble the many modern jour nals of the constantly augmenting visits to Palestine, in which are re peated, again and again, the old and already known facts, which are only dressed up with a somewhat changed fashion ; but rarely do you find a new discovery, only some entertaining particulars, which have no value to the scholar ; and all the author exhibits to the world is, that he too has travelled through the Holy Land.

This work, however, is at the same time instructive, and may be viewed as a commentary on the geographical passages of the Bible, and by no means as a description of a journey of three or four months' duration, — but as the result of investigations and discoveries continued for many years with the greatest care, with many sacrifices, and not rarely with much personal danger. I have likewise not lost sight of the labours of all precedino* scholars; since I am acquainted with nearly all the works concernino* author's preface. XIII Palestine, from Flavius Josephus to the books of the most modern times ; especially the celebrated work of R .land, who cites accurately the description of Palestine by Eusebius and Hieronymus. I have also derived much information from the Arabic version of the celebrated Saadiah Gaon, edited at Constantinople in 5306 (1546), and the Persian version of Rabbi Jacob bar Joseph Tawas; likewise from an other unknown edition of Saadiah of the whole Bible canon, all of which enabled me to elucidate several geographical names.

I may say the same of the very rare work, Caphtore Vapherach, of Astori Pharchi, in which he give's a description of Palestine. Having now undertaken to describe the geography of the Holy Land, it struck me that it might be advisable to give a brief account of the physical nature and history of the country, as also my studies with regard to many names beyond Palestine occurring in the Bible and Talmud, many of which are quite unknown, whilst others are shrouded in a great deal of obscurity; and I trust that I have rendered some little service in this department. In conclusion, I cannot avoid blaming my fellow-Israelites for their neglect of this beautiful science, since they display so little interest in our country, even in a scientific point of view; and whilst they are so careful to instruct their children so accurately in the situation and nature of strange and distant lands, for instance Siberia, Australia, South Africa, &c, they appear ashamed to impart to them any information concerning Palestine and Jerusalem.

But God has said: "I will heal thee again, and cure thy wounds, because they called thee the forsaken, and it is Zion for which no one careth." (Jeremiah xxx. 17.) I, therefore, hope that my laborious efforts may attain their aim, by exciting interest and love for the Holy Land and its inhabitants, in the hearts of my brothers. Jerusalem, in the month of Sivan, 5605. ERRATA Page 17, 8th line from top, after "again," add "in Deut. xi. 24." " for "*_.n_ "HO 'J'X" read " .j ._ ,n TS." " for "sol. 40, a," read "sol. 8, a." " 20, 13th " 24, 20th " " 29, 5th " 32, 9th " 34, 2d " 34, 15th " " 36, 4th " 36, 1st " for " (King's spring)" read " (salt spring)." bottom, for " Belad al Shem," read "al Sham." " and other places, for "Dantura," read "Tantura.' " for " Persashath," read "Perashath." " for " Herds," read "Merdj."

" and page 37, 3d line from top, for "Tukrath,' read " Jukrath." " 42, 9th " for " the Great Sea," read " the Sea of Chams.' " for " Keifa," read " Cheifa." " 49, 1st, and 5th " 51, 1st " top, and elsewhere, for " Ladschinin," read "Djinin." " for " Al Pacha," read " Al Phacha." " 51, 12th " " 55, 17th " bottom, for "Nakhara," read " Nakhura." " for " Keber Mosheh," read "Musa." " 64, 7th " 64, 9th top, for "Kaplar Saba," read " Kephar Saba." bottom, for "of Chamas," read "Chamam." top, for "Wady Saria," read "Sheria." bottom, for " Mahmash," read "Maresha." " 65, 15th " " 78, 6th " 86, 9th " " 95, 7th " " for "Beth Chanin," read "Beth Chanina." " for "of Zaba," read "of Zuba." " 96, 15th " " 97, 14th " " for " Kirzi or," read " Kiry. a." " for "east of the," read "south of the." " for "Zaara," read " Zareah."

" 97, 4th " 97, 12th " for ",._-p," read "nrp*" bottom, for "Muladah," read " Milh." top, for "Zamea," read "Zanua." bottom, for " Rashia," read "Rachia." " 99, 11th " " 100, 15th " " 102, 5th " 116, 12th " " 116, 7th top, for " Kefar Sephuri," read " village of Suaphir." " for "chap. 61," read "chap. 67." " 117, 11th " " 131, 3d bottom, for "Beth Naba," read "Beth Nuba." " for "Kama," read " Karua." " 136, 16th " " 151, 8th " " for "Salin," read "Salem." " for "Pretha," read "Phretha." " 151, 11th " " 157, 3d " and next page, for " Adjar," read "Askar.' bottom, for "Al Sanin," read "Al Sania." " 158, 8th " " for "Bir Namar," read " Bin Namr." " for " Athlot," read " Athlit." " for " Un al," read " Um al." " 160, 16th " " 162, 2d " 168, 13th " ERRATA. Page 169, 3d line from top, for " B. Shirian," read " Shiriin."

" 172, 10th " bottom, for " Kellah al," read " Kullat al." "172,12th " " for " Simmiada," read " Simmaniada." " 174, 6th " top, for " Feralthi," read "Ferathi." " 177, 5th " " for " Jorephah," read " Jurpath." " 178, 2d " " and elsewhere, for " Feradi," read "Ferathi. "179,10th " " for "p-i .n." read "p: ,n*" " 179, 8th " bottom, for "rDTOK WPt.. ," read "n3nt?K tonal." "183,9th " " for "Kudes," read " Kedes." "189,10th " " for "of Mezobaia," read "of Zobaia." 189,1st " top, for ".-UTD," read "..__,." "189,11th " " for "Vayichbach," read " Vayishlach.' "194,11th " bottom, for " d'ON." read " _'!_.." "196,10th " " for "rnaxa," read "naisb-" " 197, 15th " top, for " R. Adimi," read "Abdimi." "200,7th " bottom. The section beginning, "But it," &c, belongs to the next word, " Mazi." " 205, 7th " " for " north of Jerusalem," read " south of J." "212,17th " " for "Djab," read " Dehab." n 215, 2d " " for "En Masrak," read "Mafrak."

"230,4th " " for " pyn," read " pn;>." "230,15th " " for " -|_j}\" read " -|;jr." " 235, 16th " top, for "of Armon," read "Admon." " 236, 1st " bottom, for "-|_o_," read "■)_□_." " 248, 4th " " for " -711," read " -in*" " 269, 3d " " for " . m_ '_ V nil;" read " «_.Tj?Dn .sllD*' " 274, 15th " top, for " Snjn," read "SvO-" "288,7th " " for "Akra," read "Akko." "289,19th " " for "Konpud," read " Kanfut." " 291, 6th " bottom, for " Zbe," read "Zaaba." " 298, 1st " top, for " Fawas," read " Tawas." "298,3d " " for "of Malacca," read "Malabar." "304,11th " " for " Al Riman," read "Rimun." "305,10th " bottom, for " Balul," read " Balut." "311,16th " top, for "Djillan," read "Djilban." " 311,5th " bottom, for " Kafar," read " Kapar." " 312, 10th " " for " Hindiv," read " Hindib." "312,19th " top, for "Kulwasi," read " Kalwasi." •' 313, 7th " bottom, for "Kalaf," read "Kataf."

"313,5th " " for " Sartab," read " Sarnub." " 314, 12th " top, for "Assar," read "Asfar." "315,4th " " for "Pua," read "Phua." " 315, 12th " bottom, for " Akul," read " Akub." " 348, 13th " top, for "of the Mameluks," read "of the Greeks. "348,19th " " for "Zoar," read "Zoan." " 369, 8th " bottom, for " 5071," read " 5171." "391,1st " top, for "1817," read " 1819." "439,15th " " for " Mushnem," read " Mushnun." CONTENTS.

Part I. Chapter

I. THE BOUNDARIES OF PALESTINE. PAGE Explanation of the Boundaries, . . . . .20 The Boundary of Palestine after the Exile under Ezra and Nehemiah, . . . . . . .33

Chapter II. Explanation Op The Seas, Rivers, Mountains, And Valleys Of Palestine

Lakes — Dead Sea, . . . ■ • . .41 Sea of Chinnereth, ..... 45 Waters of Merom, . • • ■ ■ .47 Rivers — Jordan, . . . • . . .48 Kishon, . . . • • . 49 Kanah, . . . . • • .50 Cherith, Shichor-Libnath, . . . . 51 Besor ; Kidron and Siloah ; Geena, . . . .52 CONTENTS. XVIII Rivers to the East of the Jordan — Jabbok, .... . . 52 Araon, Zered, Yarmuch, Anianah, ... 53 Pharpar, . . • • ■ • .54 The Principal Mountains of Palestine — Lebanon, . . • • • • .55 Hermon, ...... 56 The Principal Rivers of the Lebanon — AlAzy, 57 Wady Chasmeia, Nahr Abraim, the Aleud, the Kelb, . 58 The Tamur (Al Kadi), the Zabirani, ... 59 The Principal Places and Districts of Lebanon, . ■ 59 The Mountains of Galilee, .... 68 The Land of Galilee (Upper and Lower Galilee), . • 69 The Mount Tabor, . . . . . 71 The Plain of Jezreel, . . . . .72 The Mount of Ephraim, ..... 73 Mount Carmel, . . . . . .74 The Mountains of Judah, .... 75 The Plains on the Shore of the Mediterranean — The Plain of Akko, ..... 76 The Plain of Carmel to Gazza, . . . .77 The Plain of the Jordan, .... 78

Chapter III

A DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVISION OF PALESTINE ACCORDING TO THE TERRITORIES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES, AS GIVEN IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA. The Thirty-one Kings (Joshua xii.), . . . .83 The Possessions of the Tribes in General, ... 92 Judah, ........ 93 Tlie Towns in the Portion of Judah, ... 99 The Towns of the Southern part, . . . .99 CONTENTS. XIX The Lowland, or the Valley, .... 101 The Towns in the Mountains, .... 104 The Towns in the Desert, .... 108 The Towns mentioned in the Talmudio Writings, . . 116 The Towns mentioned in the Book of the Maccabees, . 119 The Towns in the Land of the Philistines, . . . 120 Simeon, ....... 123 Benjamin, ....... 124 Cities of Benjamin, ..... 125 Dan, . . . . . . . 138 The Sons of Joseph, ..... 145 Menasseh ....... 148 Names of the Towns of the Sons of Joseph, . . 149 Ramah in the Mountain of Ephraim, Raraathaim Zophim, 152 Other Towns, ...... 158 A brief Review of the Possession of Menasseh, and of the Sons of Joseph in general, .... 163 Issachar, . . . . . . .164 Names of Places in the Portion of Issachar occurring in the Talmudic Writings, ..... 168 Zebulun, 170 Naphtali, 180 Asher, . . i 190 The Position of the Territories of Naphtali and Asher, . 204

Chapter IV. Palestine Beyond Jordan

Nature of the Country in general, .... 207 Edom, 208 Itinerary of the Israelites, ..... 211 Moab, 216 Ammon, ....... XX CONTENTS. Midian, Kenites, Amalek, . . . . . 218 Bashan, ....... 219 Possessions of the Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh, 224 Gilead, .224 Reuben, 225 Gad, .230 The Position of the Possessions of Gad and Menasseh, . 235 Menasseh, ....... 236 Addendum, ...... 237

Chapter V. Jerusalem

Its Former and Present Condition — Situation, ...... 238 The Gates, ....... 241 Walls, ....... 248 Moriah (Mekom Hamikdash), . . . .259 Mount of Olives, ..... 263 The Spring of Siloah, ..... 265 The Spring of Etam or Nephtoach, . . . 268 Pools, ....... 271 The Fort Kallai, •• ... 273 Inhabitants, . . . . , 273 Some Account of Synagogues and Schools, . . 274 The Synagogue of the Ashkenazim, . . . 277 Postscript to the Synagogue of the Sephardim, . 283 The length of days in Palestine, .... CONTENTS. XXI

Part III

A SHORT HISTORY OF PALESTINE. Introduction, ....... 332 A short Review of the different Governments in Palestine, . 333 Period I. From the Destruction of Jerusalem to the Mahomedan Era, .... 334 II. From the Accession of the Mahomedans to that of the Europeans, .... 345 III. From the Reign of the Europeans to Sultan Seliman, ..... 354 IV. From the Reign of Seliman to the Present Time, 370 A short Description of Hebron, .... 396 Zefad, . . . . .401 Tiberiah, .... 408 Appendix to the Historical Part, .... 412 Appendix, explaining many names of Countries, Nations, Towns out of Palestine, which occur in the Holy Scriptures and in the Talmudic Writings, ...... 448 The Rechabites, ...... 493 Latest Account of the Ten Tribes, .... ILLUSTRATIONS. Author's Portrait, ..... Frontispiece. Map of Palestine, .... .17 Boundary Map of Palestine, . . . . .32 Ruins of Palmyra or Thadmor in the Desert, ... 64 Ruins of Baal-bek, . . . . .64 Jerusalem, ....... 85 The Grave of Rachel, . . . . . .109 Bethlehem, ....... 109 Rama Nebi Smuel or Mizpeh, ..... 126 Mount Tabor, ...... 126 Mount Sinai, . . . . . . .211 Train of an Arabian Caravan, .... 211 Zion, from the north — the Burial-place of the Kings of the House of David, ...... 239 Zion, from the south, ...... 239 Grave of Zechariah, . . . . . .264 Grave of Jehoshaphat, . . . . . . 264 Tomb of Absalom (from the west), .... 265 Selivan, on the Mount of Olives, ..... 265 Kallai, taken outside of the City, .... 273 Kallai, taken within the City, ..... 273 Portrait of Mehemed Ali, Pacha of Egypt, . . . 277 The Old German (Ashkenazim) Synagogue, . . .277 Chotel Maarbi, or West Wall, . . . .337 Inscription on a Stone in the South Wall, .... 337 The Graves of the Patriarchs (Mearath Hamachpelah) at Hebron, A DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE.