Scripture geography ; or, A companion to the Bible : being a geographical and historical account of the places mentioned in the Holy Scriptures ... Intended for the use of families and schools

Part I. Geographical And Historical I Extending From The Creation Of The World To The Final Settlement ♦

OF THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN.

Part II. A Geographical Dictionary Of The Bible I Contain Ing, In Alphabetical Order, A Description Of The

PLACES MENTIONED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

ACCOMPANIED BY THREE MAPS.

I. Eastern countries, as mentioned by Moses. — II. Judea, or the Holy Land.— III. Countries mentioned in the New Testament. — And embellished with nearly one hundred engravings, illustrative of the heathen deities, of nations and countries mentioned in Scripture, and of the subsequent history and present state of those countries.

INTENDED FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS,

- .

BY THOMAS T. SMILEY, A. M., M. D.

,( Go through the land and describe it:— and the men went through the land, and described it by cities, in a book." — Josh, xviii. 8, 9,

PHILADELPHIA. 1837.

Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 2831, by Thomas T. Smiley, in the clerk's office of the district court for the eastern district of Pennsylvania.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

From Roberts Faux, Esq., President of the Pennsylvania Education Society

It affords me pleasure, whilst I regard it a duty, to confess how much I feel indebted to Dr. Smiley for his compendious " Scripture Geography," a volume, the composition of which is the result of great research into vari oiis and rare authorities in this department of knowledge, that are acces sible to very few persons. The Holy Scriptures will be rendered more intelligible and interesting after the perusal of this work, the whole scope of which seems to me to be eminently calculated, to give " energy to virtue, and confidence to truth" Every class of readers may derive instruction from its pages, and it will be especially valuable in all sehools for the right education of youth.

ROBERTS VAUX.

From the Christian Index, edited by the Rev. Dr. Brantly.

" The prof essions of the title-page are ably sustained, in the subsequent pages of the work. The matter is abundant, judiciously arranged, and clearly set forth. The Scripture Geography should be at once introduced into all families, and schools, and its contents well digested by young and old. Any book containing Geographical allusions cannot be understood without a knowledge of the places referred to. Dr. Smiley is already well known as the author of a most useful general Geography.

The following are among the numerous subscribers to the work.

Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, D.D. Philada.

Stephen H. Tyng, D.D.

Michael Hurley, D.D.

- John Hughes,

H. Bibighaus,

T. J. Kitts,

T. Dasilva,

Joseph H. Kennard,

William Bryant,

Keiley,

S. G. Winchester,

George Boyd,

Charles Pitman,

William Berrian,D.D. N. York

James Milnor, D.D.

Thomas Dewitt,

J. L. Broadhead, D.D.

Samuel H. Cox, D.D.

William Creighton, D.D.

E. W. Baldwin,

D. E. Lansing, D.D.

J. M. Forbes,

D. Dunbar,

John Knox,

William Parkinson,

P. Williams,

C. T. Demarest,

Rev. J. Harrison, N. York.

Mr. Johnson, "

L. P. Bayard,

F. W. Geisenhaimer, "

John Middleton,

Albert Smedes,

James Hayborn,

William George Miller, "

William Tappan,

William A. Van Vleck, "

J. A. Schueller,

H. H. Taylor, "

B. Piteher, "

Jonathan Power, D.D. "

Heman Norton, "

Robert M'Cartee, D.D. "

Michael Lacoste, u

E. W. Griswold,

C. G. Sommers, "

W. C. Brownlee, "

R. T. Studdart,

C. Baldwin,

F. M. Kip,

James A. Yard, Trenton, N.J.

Thos. J. Thompson, " "

R. M. Greenbank, Centerville,

Maryland.

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Preface

The importance of a proper acquaintance with the geogra phy of countries and places mentioned in the Holy Bible, must be apparent to all who have " diligently searched the Scriptures," with a view to a thorough and proper understanding of them. It is believed that many have neglected the sacred volume, and have never attained a necessary knowledge of its contents, not because they are infidels, or that they are abandoned to vice, nor indeed that they have any specific objection, but because the Scriptures appear unintelligible. They read of Moab and Edom, of Canaan and Mesopotamia, of Cush and Mizraim ; they search their geographies for information, but find nothing to satisfy their inquiries. They are unable to associate the historical record of events with time and place, and thus their interest in the Bible history is lost, as well as that sensible conviction of its veracity impaired, which in a great measure depends upon a familiar acquaintance with the geography of the countries where those events occurred. It is not strange, therefore, that to such readers the sacred history should become dull or tedious. Not only the interest and pleasure of the reader, but also his confidence is increased, by learning the character and situation of the places of which he reads. It may also be remarked, that in describing the ancient and modern state of many of these places, the most exact fulfilment of prophecy is spontaneously apparent. The present state of Tyre, of Babylon, of Jerusalem, and many others of which we have prophecies recorded, offers sufficient proof of the sublime truths of divine revelation, to overthrow the objections of the sceptic, and abundantly to confirm tho faith of the believer.

A2

Vi PREFACE.

The plan and arrangement of the work may appear somewhat novel, but it is that which has been chosen after mature deliberation, as best adapted to the nature of the subject. In Part I. the chain of Scripture history is pursued until the final settlement of the Israelites in the promised land ; with such geographical notice of the places mentioned, as was thought necessary to the full understanding of the subject. Particular care has been taken to describe the different settlements of the immediate posterity of Noah, as this was deemed important, in order to elucidate many circumstances relating to the names and early history of different countries. It will be found, upon examination, that most countries and cities in the early ages of the world, were named from the families or persons by whom they were first peopled or founded ; and also that colonies settled in remote regions, frequently retained the name of the parent state. A want of attention to these general facts has caused much obscurity and confusion in ancient geography. These considerations have induced us to give the introductory part of this work its historical form, and it is believed that the attentive and judicious reader will be sensible of its advantages.

In Part II. will be found, in alphabetical order, as full an account of the places mentioned in Scripture as the limits of our work would admit ; and, in addition to the geographical description, such events in their history have been given, as were thought necessary to a more full and complete understanding of the sacred volume.

The engravings which are given in the work, of ancient coins, medals, and sculptures, we consider of great importance in confirmation of many passages in Scripture history. These will be found a source of information almost wholly new, but capable of the greatest services. They are the oldest, most genuine, and often the most extensive memoranda extant ; and may generally be relied on as having been composed while events were fresh, and having suffered nothing by the errors of transcription, to which all written records are liable, while these unimpeachable witnesses have been preserved to us

PREFACE. VU

unchanged, notwithstanding the lapse 01 nearly two thousand years.

Some may not immediately perceive the force and cogency of the proofs aflbrded by these medallic illustrations, from the want of proper examination, or understanding of the subject. But when they find the "goddess of the Sidonians" of Scripture, represented on the medals of Sidon; and the Ashtaroth of the Scriptures, who was doubtless the Astarte or Venus of the Greeks, on those of many towns in the Holy Land, they will find that by these antiquities they will obtain more correct notions of the deities of the ancient nations, and the objects of their worship. We find also Anammelech, " the king of clouds" of the Sepharvaites in Persia ; also the most undeniable proof of the propriety of Daniel's representation of the kingdoms of Persia and Macedonia, by the figures of a ram and a single-horned goat, which were actually the national symbols of those kingdoms. Many others will be found of equal importance, and it is confidently believed that those who will give the subject due attention, will perceive the force of these illustrations, and acknowledge their value. If the reader find in the goat of Macedonia, or the ram of Persia, that determinate illustration of the prophecies of Daniel, which he never before received ; if he perceive in the medals of Jerusalem a proof of the idolatry practised in the holy places, the history of its destruction by Titus, and the fulfilment of our Saviour's prophecies concerning it, fully confirmed, he will doubtless acknowledge that these proofs have their advantages, and that an acquaintance with them is proper for those who understand the duty of being able to support, by a ready answer, the hope that is in them.

Another remark may be made of these coins and medals, of no small importance to the Christian. A sufficient number is given of those belonging to the cities in and near Judea, all of which bear Greek inscriptions, to prove that at the time when the New Testament was written, Greek was the prevailing language throughout the country. For it is not to be supposed that these cities would have adopted Greek inscrip-

VIII PREFACE.

tions on their coins unless they understood them, and unless the language had been current, and even prevalent. This justifies the gospel writers in communicating their information in a language generally understood.

It yet remains to say something respecting the sources from which the materials of this work have been derived. To the Sacred Geography of Dr. Wells we are largely indebted ; and the works of the learned Calmet have afforded valuable aid. Much authentic information has also been derived from the work of Eusebius, entitled, Onomasticon Urbium et Locorum Sacra Scripturce, tyc. written in Greek in the fourth century, and afterwards translated into Latin and improved by St. Jerom. The best Scripture gazetteers have been consulted, among which is the invaluable work of Mansford, recently published in England. We have also drawn from the most authentic commentators, and from such Geographies and Travels as afforded useful information upon our subject. Lempriere, D' Anville, and many other writers, have been carefully examined, and no labour of investigation has been spared to collect the best authorities and the most authentic information.

The author cannot conclude without the expression of his warmest acknowledgments to such of his friends as have kindly afforded him the use of rare and expensive works, from which important information has been derived. But his thanks are more especially due to his friend Charles B. Trego, Esq. for much valuable assistance in compiling this work, the plan of which was laid several years ago, and as much progress made in it from time to time, as intervals of comparative leisure from more pressing pursuits would permit ; though, without the aid of his highly important services, a much longer period must have elapsed before it could have been presented to the public.

Philadelphia, June, 1834.

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^ART I.

Geographical and Historical : extending from the Creation of the World to the final settlement of the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

Chapter I. Antediluvian Geography

Our knowledge of the antediluvian world is limited to very narrow bounds, owing to the extreme brevity of Scripture in relating the events which occurred before the deluge. This conciseness in the history has prevented any extended geographical account of the places where those events occurred ; there being no mention of any excepting the Garden of Eden, with the Rivers which determine its situation ; the Land of Nod, and the city of Enoch, which Cain built therein. With regard to the situation of these places, we must in the beginning acknowledge that considerable uncertainty exists ; and that, though many pious and learned men have examined, with great diligence and attention, all the existing sources of information, yet their opinions and conclusions are various, and even sometimes contradictory. In such cases we shall consider it our duty to designate that which we conceive to be the most satisfactory decision, and leave the reader to form his own opinion from proper investigation of the subject.

1. The situation of the Garden of Eden.

The name Eden, in Hebrew, signifies bliss, pleasure, or delight ; and as this place was remarkable as the residence of our first parents, in their state of innocence and happiness, its

10 SCRIPTURE GEOGRAPH

situation is particularly denoted by the sacred historian as lying eastward, and having a river going out of il, which from thence was parted and became into four heads. By the term eastward, Moses probably means that it was situated eastward from the place where he then wrote, i. e. from the Land of Canaan or its vicinity. But this is very general and indefinite ; for it may apply to any of the countries east of the Land of Canaan. It is then to the rivers that we must look for data upon which to found a conclusion respecting the location of Eden. These rivers were four, namely, the Pison, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, and the Euphrates.

I. The Pison, we are told, "compasses the whole land of Chavila, or Havilah, where there is gold ; and the gold of that land is good : there is bdellium and the onyx-stone." Some have supposed this land of Chavila to be the present Cabul, a country between Persia and Hindostan ; and the Pison to be one of the rivers falling into the Indus from the west, as gold and precious stones are known to exist in that region. The Gihon they suppose to be the western branch of the Oxus, now called Jihon : and the Hiddekel the eastern branch of the samej both of which unite near Balk, a city in the eastern part of the Persian dominions. The Euphrates, written in Hebrew Phralh or Perath, they suppose to be the Hirmend, or Hindmend. According to this theory, then, Eden must have been situated somewhere in the eastern part of the Persian empire, or in the country now called Cabulistan, between Persia and Hindostan.

II. The learned Huetius and others suppose Eden to have been placed in the southern part of Babylonia, not far from the Persian Gulf, where they conjecture that the Tigris and Euphrates joined, and afterwards separated; consequently there were two rivers above and two below that junction, making the four mentioned by Moses. But this certainly does not well answer the description given in Scripture, and this conjecture is also liable to other objections.

III. The most probable idea concerning the situation of Eden, we conceive to be, that it was placed in or near Armenia ; because,

1. We have the name of a river which flowed from Eden, Euphrates, which name has continued almost unchanged to the present day. This river has its source in the mountains of Armenia, near lake Arsissa. There are two streams at first flowing westward, but after their junction near Mount

SITUATION OF THE GARDEN Of EDEN. 11

Taurus, turning to the south-west, the river receives a smaller stream, and flows towards the Mediterranean; but coming near the Caucasian mountains, it is turned to the south-east, and at length joining the Tigris, it empties into the Persian Gulf by several mouths.

2. The Hiddekel is generally agreed by historians to be the Tigris. The prophet Daniel also says he had a vision "in Babylonia, by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel." Now by the " great river," he must mean the Tigris, as it was the only great river in Babylonia, except the Euphrates. The Tigris rises near the head of the Euphrates, and pursuing a south-easterly direction, divides Assyria from Mesopotamia. And we are told (Gen. ii. 14, margin) that the Hiddekel goeth eastward to Assyria. Therefore, we consider there can be little doubt as to the identity of the two rivers.

3. The Pison is more difficult to determine, but has been generally taken to be the Phasis, or Absarus of the ancients, now called Batoum, which empties into the Euxine or Black Sea. The Havilah, which was encompassed by this river, was probably Colchis, between the Euxine and the Caspian. This region was celebrated among the ancients for the abundance and excellence of its gold. It must, however, be borne in mind, that there was another Havilah, in Arabia, different from this country, and of which we shall speak in another place.

4. The Gihon, which is said to have compassed the whole land of Ethiopia. The Hebrew word, here translated Ethiopia, is Cush, which was a term used to designate several regions in Asia, and one in Africa. (See Cush, Part II. of this work.) Now, as the Cush here mentioned could be neither in Africa nor Arabia, we must suppose it was either in Assyria west of the Caspian, or in Bactria east of the Oxus or Jihon, both of which countries were settled by the descendants of Cush. According to the first supposition, the Gihon may be the river Kerah, called by the Greeks Gyndus, which is possibly a corruption of the name Gihon. But it is more generally believed that the Gihon was the Oxus, yet called in that country Jihon.

All reasoning upon the subject of the situation of Eden must, however, be vague, and all conclusions naturally appear unsatisfactory, when we reflect that as the surface of the earth must have been convulsed and broken up by the universal deluge, so the course of the rivers must have been, in many instances, greatly, if not entirely, altered; and that many other changes in the face of the country would be the natural and obvious consequence of the general desolation produced by that awful visitation of the Deity upon a guilty world. It is also possible that God chose to blot out this beautiful spot from his creation, after the expulsion of our first parents from the garden, and so destroy both the scene and the memorial of man's transgression.

II. The Land of Nod, and the City of Enoch.

The land of Nod, in which Cain is said to have dwelt after he had been cursed for the murder of Abel, if it mean a country, was situated on the east of Eden ; or as some translators render it, before or over-against Eden ; meaning that Cain removed no further from Eden than he was compelled, and that he remained not far from it. There is, however, a strong presumption that the original meaning of this term was not any particular country, but merely descriptive of the state of Cain after his exile. The expression of the Samaritan version of the Old Testament is Nad, a vagabond or trembler in the land, and the Hebrew word in our Bible will bear the same meaning, as may be seen by reference to the margin in Gen. iv. 16. And even if taken as the name of a region of country, Nod imports wandering, exile, wildness, or the wilds, in allusion to the unsettled and wandering state of the unhappy fugitive.

With regard to the situation of the city of Enoch, which Cain built, nothing is known with any degree of certainty

Chapter II

FROM THE DELUGE TO THE BUILDING OP BABEL, AND THE CONFUSION OF TONGUES.

I. The Country and Mountains of Ararat.

There is no mention in Scripture of any particular place during the continuance of the flood ; we are only told of the general prevalence of the waters, their depth on the mountains, and of their gradual subsiding, until the Ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Gen. viii. 4.

The country of Ararat has been generally admitted to be in Persian Armenia, west of the Caspian Sea, in which re-

THE LAND OF SHINAR. 13

is situated the city now called Erivan, In the north-east part of Armenia are lofty mountains, and upon one of these, called Mount Masis, and by the Turks Agridah, it is supposed the Ark rested. It has two peaks, distinguished by the names Greater and Lesser Ararat The height of this mountain is said to be not less than 15,000 feet : it is covered with snow and ice, and may be distinguished at a distance of nearly 200 miles. It has been visited by modern travellers, but its summit has proved inaccessible. Some years ago, a large reward was offered by the Turkish governor of Beyazid to any one who should reach the top; but though many of the natives who lived at the foot of the mountain have made the attempt, they have always failed to reach the summit, which it is probable has never been visited by a human being since the days of Noah.

There is, however, an expression in Scripture which seems to lead to a ^contrary conclusion from that which places the mountains of Ararat in Armenia. We read (Gen. xi. 2.) that as mankind journeyed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Now Armenia is not east, but very far north of Shinar, and indeed somewhat to the west, so that this journey could not have been from the direction of Armenia. Inquiries have therefore been made to discover the mountains of Ararat in some country to the east of Shinar; and some, relying on ancient traditions, have placed Ararat in the mountainous region between India and Persia, not far from the sources of the Indus, on whose banks the traditions and sacred books of the Hindoos affirm that Noah lived for some time after the flood. The mountain Aryavarta or Aryawart certainly has some affinity in name to the Hebrew Araraut, and these mountains were far east from the plain of Shinar, as the expression in Genesis would seem to imply. Still we think it most probable that, after all, Ararat was in Armenia; and that when the posterity of Noah, or a part of them, left Armenia, they first went eastward towards the Caspian Sea, then south-eastward, and finally westward to Shinar.

II. The Land of Shinar, and the Cities built there.

We are now naturally led to inquire into the situation of the land of Shinar, where the famous tower of Babel was begun ; where the language of mankind was confounded, and

B from whence they were scattered abroad upon the face of alJ the earth.

The land of Shinar, or Singar, was certainly the same afterwards called Babylonia or Chaldea, being a considerable extent of level country through which flow the Tigris and the Euphrates, and probably extending so far north as to include a part of Mesopotamia. In the northern part of this great plain or valley, in Mesopotamia near the Tigris, a city is mentioned by ancient writers called Singara, and a mountain called Singaras, which agree very nearly with the Hebrew Singar or Shinar. Babel and Erech both lay in the land of Shinar : Babel we know to be the same as Babylon, and Erech was on the east of the Tigris ; hence it is manifest that Shinar extended on both sides of the Tigris.

1. The City and Tower of Babel— -The tower of Babel was begun probably in the very place, or at least in the immediate neighbourhood, where the city of Babylon afterwards stood, i. e. on the Euphrates at some distance above its junction with the Tigris. It is not likely that Noah, or his sons Shem and Japhet, and possibly Ham, were concerned in building the tower, but probably opposed it ; so that those who undertook it had withdrawn themselves and chose a place at some distance from the seat of Noah and the patriarchs.

The design of this mighty edifice seems to have been to make themselves a name, or render themselves famous to posterity. Gen. xi. 4. They seem also to have foreseen that they would have to separate and scatter abroad upon the earth, and possibly might therefore have intended the tower as a memorial of their union, or a rallying point after their separation. But Divine Providence chose this very occasion to separate and scatter them, which was done by confounding their language, so that they could no longer understand or communicate their thoughts to one another.

For an account of the city of Babel, afterwards called Babylon, founded by Nimrod in the land of Shinar, probably upon the ruins of the tower of Babel, the reader is referred to Part II. Article Babylon.

2. Erech, Accad, and Calneh. — Erech was another of the cities which made the foundation of the kingdom of Nimrod in the land of Shinar. It was called by the Greeks Erecca, or Arecca, and according to Ptolemy, the Greek geographer, was situated at the most southern bend of the common chan-

ii of the Tigris and Euphrates. The Archevites, of when!

SETTLEMENT OF THE EARTH. 15

we read in Ezra iv. 9. are supposed to have been inhabitants of this place, brought by the king of Assyria to colonize Samaria.

But little is known concerning the situation of Accad. The name is sometimes written Arehad, which probably gave name to the river Argades, mentioned by some Greek writers as being near Sittace, on the east of the Tigris. A region is also spoken of by Strabo, called Artaeene, lying about Arbela, which might also probably derive its name from Arehad, A ruin is also found not far from Bagdad, called Akar-kouff, which is supposed by some to mark the place where Achad formerly stood.

Calneh is the last mentioned of the cities in the land of Shinar, belonging to the kingdom of Nimrod. This place is also called Calno (Isa. x. 9.) and Canneh (Ezek. xxvii. 23.) It seems to have been a considerable place in the time of the prophet Amos, as he compares it with other places of some note ; as does also Isaiah, as above. Calneh was situated upon the Tigris, and was called Ctesiphon by the Greeks; the country about it being called Chalonitis, evidently derived from Chalneh, Chalno, or Chalone. It is said that Pacorus, a king of the Parthians, changed the name of the city to Ctesiphon.

Of Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah and Resen, cities built by Asshur, or by Nimrod, in Assyria, we shall speak in their proper places in Part IL of this work.

CHAPTER IH.

SETTLEMENT OP THE EARTH BY THE SONS OP NOAH AND THEIR POSTERITY.

It is evident from the words of the sacred historian, that when the earth was repeopled after the flood, the first settlements were made after a regular manner. He says, after enumerating the sons of Japhet, ** by these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations." (Gen. xv.) In the same manner he concludes his account of the sons of Ham, and of Shem. Thus we see they were ranged, first according to their nations, and next every nation was ranged by its families ; so that every nation had its separate allotment, and in every nation the families dwelt and had their separate allotments. This we think is the meaning of the text, " according to their families, in their lands, in their nations."

Though the order in which the sons of Noah are mentioned, Gen. v. 32, and in other passages of Scripture, k Shem, Ham* and Japhet, yet it is evident from Gen. ix. 22. 24. that Ham was the youngest son of Noah, and it also appears (Gen. x» 21.) that Japhet was the eldest. In the Seripture account, however, of these patriarchs and their families, Japhet is first mentioned, next Ham, and lastly Shem.

We shall now proceed to give an account of the division of the earth among the posterity of Noah, It should be recollected that in these, primitive times, countries were generally named from their first settlers, and nations from their founder, or the head of the family from which they de^ scended.

L. Descendants of Japhet.

The sons of Japhet were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Java**, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. Of these seven nations, only the families of two are mentioned, viz. those of Gomer and Javan. The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah : the sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kitting and Dodanim.

I. Settlements of Gomer and Ms family.

The nation of Gomer appears to have been established in the northern part of Lesser Asia. Josephus says that the Galatians, who lived about the southern shore of the Euxine or Black Sea, were called Gomerites. From this name also is probably derived that of the Kimmerii, or Cimmerii, who dwelt about these parts, and of Cimmeris, a town in Phrygia. From this region Gomer is believed to have spread abroad into Europe, peopling the countries along the Danube, and thence westward into Germany, France, &c.

1. Ashkenaz, the son of Gomer, was seated in the western part of the nation of Gomer, which was the north-west of Asia Minor. In Troas, or Lesser Phrygia, was both a city and province anciently called Ascania> and the islands along the coast were called Ascanian isles ; also in Bithynia is a bay, a river, and a lake, called likewise Ascanian, which name is very probably derived from Ashkenaz. The learned Bochart conjectures that the Black Sea, formerly and sometimes yet called the Euxine, was in early ages called the sea of Ashkenaz, from the settlement of that family on its coast