the Lord; and also, that the people were without CHAP.III. number, that came with Shishak out of Egypt ; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. As for the Lubims, it is generally agreed by the learned, that thereby are meant the Libyans, adjoining to Egypt. And not only the affinity of the names confirms this opinion, but also the signification of the Hebrew word, it being derived from a root or primitive word, which denotes to thirst, or thirst; and so a very proper word to denote the inhabitants of Libya or Africa, as being a very thirsty, i. e. dry or sandy country. The Hebrew word Sukkiims is derived from a word, which denotes either a tent (whence the name of Succoth is given to the place where Jacob pitched his tents, when he came out of Mesopotamia, Gen. xxxiii. 17.) or else a cave. Hence the learned are not agreed, whether by the Sukkiims here mentioned are to be understood the Troglodyta, a people in the parts of Libya or Africk adjoining on to Egypt southwards, and so called by the Greeks as living in caves; or else the Scenitæ, a people in Arabia Petræa, or the parts of Arabia adjoining next to Egypt, and so called by the Greeks as living in tents, and otherwise better known to these parts of the world by the name of Saracens. The last people mentioned in this place, and called by our translation, in conformity to the Septuagint, Ethiopians, are denoted in the Hebrew text by the name of Cushim, as being descendants of Cush; and therefore thereby are most probably denoted the inhabitants of Arabia, namely, of the other parts of Arabia, besides that inhabited by the Sukkiims, if thereby were denoted the Scenitæ or Saracens.That by the Cushim here mentioned cannot with any probability be understood the Ethiopians living in Africk and beyond Egypt, is confirmed by their being related, chap. xiv. ver. 9—15. to have invaded Judah in the days of Asa, under Zerah their king or leader. At which time the Lord smote the Cushim; and Asa, and the people that.

PART III. were with him, pursued them unto Gerar; and the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they (i. e. Asa and his people) smote all the cities round about Gerar, &c.-Whence it plainly follows, that the Cushim here mentioned were such as inhabited the parts adjoining to Gerar, and consequently not any part of the African Ethiopia, but Arabia.

12.

In chap. xv. ver. 16-22. of this first Book of Of Ramah, Kings we read, that Baasha King of Israel went Ijon, Abelbeth-maa- up against Judah, ond built Ramah, that he might chah, &c. not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa King of Judah. Whereupon Asa by great presents prevailed upon Benhadad King of Syria, to invade the kingdom of Israel; and the Syrian army smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphthali, Whereupon Baasha left off building of Ramah; and King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah, and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, and King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. The cir cumstances here mentioned make it almost unquestionable, that the Ramah here spoken of is to be understood of the Ramah near Jerusalem, lying in the tribe of Benjamin. By Baasha's building it, is probably to be understood his fortifying it, and perhaps, to that end, building a tower or citadel therein; the materials whereof were carried away by the men of Judah to build, i. e. to fortify, Geba and Mizpah, two other cities of Benjamin. The design of Baasha in building or fortifying Ramah, in order that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa King of Judah, probably alludes to what is related 2 Chron. xv. 8, 9. where we learn, that Asa had taken some cities that were in mount Ephraim, and that the people came over to him out of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Simeon, in abundance. The cities Ijon and Abel-bethmaachah, being mentioned with Dan, and the country of Cinneroth, and the land of Naphthali, it is not to be doubted, but that they lay in those

northern parts of the kingdom of Israel, though CHAP.III. their situation cannot be more particularly assigned from any thing said in Scripture of them.

13.

At ver. 27. of this chap. xv. we read, that when Baasha smote Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, this Of Gibbelatter was lying siege to Gibbethon, which belonged thon. to the Philistines. This city is expressly reckoned, Josh. xix. 44. among the cities allotted to the tribe of Dan, and also it was assigned as a Levitical city in that tribe. Wherefore, either the Israelites had never hitherto expelled the Philistines out of it, or else the Philistines had again recovered it. It seems to have been a strong place; forasmuch as the siege seems to have been carried on from before the death of Nadab, all along the reign of Baasha, till the death of his son Elah, by Zimri, and the setting up of Omri for King against Zimri. For the text tells us, that the people were encamped at Gibbethon; and the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired and slain the King: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain, of the host, King over Israel that day in the camp.. Chap. xvi. ver. 15, 16.

Omri, being made King, goes up from Gib14. bethon, and besieges Tirzah, and takes it, and Of Samareigns there six years. After which he removes ria, the ca-pital of the his regal seat to Samaria, a city which he new kingdom of built from the ground, on an hill bought of one Israel. Shemer, from whom he called the city by the name of Samaria, as has been above observed. This city from thenceforth continued to be the regal or capital city of the kingdom of Israel, till a period was put to the said kingdom. And hence the word Samaria is often used by the sacred writers of the Old Testament, to denote the whole kingdom of Israel. It was first besieged by Benhadad King of Syria, and reduced to so great extremity, that the head of an ass was sold for eighty shekels of silver, which is computed by some to be about ten pounds sterling but however, the city was then miraculously delivered according to the prediction of the prophet Elisha. It was afterwards taken by Sal

PART III. manassar King of Assyria, after a siege of three years. This prince took away the Israelites or ten tribes captive, and instead of them sent a new colony of diverse nations, who patched up a religion out of the Jewish religion and their own heathenish and superstitious rites. In the time of the Maccabees, this city was taken by one of the Maccabean family, and wholly ruined. Herod the Great, being pleased with the situation of it, again rebuilt it in a more stately manner than before, beautifying it with fine marble pillars, and other carved stones, which are in great abundance found amongst the rubbish. He inclosed it also with a strong wall, and beautified it with a temple; and, in honour of Augustus Cæsar, he named it Sebaste, the Greek word Sebastos being used in that language to answer to the Latin Augustus. Herod Agrippa obtained this city of the Roman Emperor Caligula, and siding with the Romans against the Jews under Vespasian, they then avoided the public calamity of that country. But afterwards, taking other measures, they were, together with the rest of the Jews, extirpated out of Palestine by the Emperor Adrian, and the city has since gone to decay. It is conjectured by Brechard, who traced the ruins of it, to have been bigger than Jerusalem. John the Baptist is said to be buried here. It was in the time of the Christian Emperors an archbishop's see; but now there are only a few cottages, and convents inhabited by Greek monks.

15.

Of the

brook Cherith.

The following part of the first Book of Kings (viz. from chap. xvi. ver. 28. to chap. xxii. ver. 40.) is taken up with the history of Ahab, son of Omri, and King of Israel, intermingled with the history of the famous prophet Elijah. And the first place that occurs here, and has not yet been spoken of, is the brook Cherith, which is said, chap. xvii. ver. 3. to be before Jordan. From which nothing else can be well inferred, but that this brook ran into Jordan. Whether it lay on the east or west side of Jordan is not agreed on. Eusebius, or at least Jerom, places it beyond Jordan, and so on

the east side of it: but others generally agree in CHAP. III. placing it rather on the west of Jordan; because it is said ver. 3. by God to Elijah: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. Where the expression turn thee eastward, seems to imply, that Elijah was on the west side of Jordan: for had he been on the east side, then to have gone to a river that ran on that side into Jordan, would have been to have turned westward. The particular situation of this brook is assigned by Adrichomius in the confines of Ephraim and Benjamin.

16.

As for Zarephath, (chap. xvii. ver. 9.) which belonged to Zidon, it is in the New Testament (Luke Of Zarephath. iv. 26.) called Sarepta; and under that name I have spoken of it in Part I. chap. iv. sect. 6. of my Geography of the New Testament. And in like manner, mount Carmel, the river Kishon, and all the other places mentioned in the remaining part of this first Book of Kings, have been before spoken. of in my Geography of the Old Testament.

CHAPTER IV.

Places mentioned in the second Book of Kings, and not spoken of before.

THE second Book of Kings begins with giving us an account, how Moab, that was before tributary to the King of Israel, rebelled against Israel; i. e. cast off their subjection to the King of Israel, after the death of Ahab; and how Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, sent to enquire of Baalzebub, the God of Ekron, concerning his recovery from the disease he then lay under; and what was thereupon done