Dead sea, the lake of Tiberias, || one of the various tribes which or sea of Galilee, and the lake Merom. The soil of Canaan was of the richest description; a fine mould, without stones, and almost without a pebble. Dr. Shaw informs us, that it rarely requires more than one pair of beeves to plough it. Moses speaks of Canaan as of the finest country in the world|| a land flowing with milk and honey. Profane authors also speak of it much in the same manner. But at the present day it lies almost desolate; and large tracts, which require only tillage to become exceedingly fertile, now exhibit only the appearance of sterility. See JUDEA and HEBREWS. CANAANITES, the descendants of Canaan. Their first habitation was in the land of Canaan, where they multiplied extremely, and by trade and war acquired great riches, and settled colonies over almost all the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean. When the measure of their idolatries and abominations was completed, God delivered their country into the hands of the Israelites, who conquered it under Joshua. The following are the principal tribes mentioned. were included under this general name, inhabited partly the plains on the west side of the Jordan, and partly the plains on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. Hence they are divided into the Canaanites by the sea and by the coast of Jordan, Num. 13:29, and into those of the east and of the west. Josh. 11:3. 3. The Girgashites dwelt between the Canaanites and the Jebusites; as may be inferred from the order in which they are mentioned in Josh. 24:11. 4. The Jebusites had possession of the hill country around Jerusalem, and of that city itself, of which the ancient name was Jebus. Josh. 15:8,63. 18:28. The Benjamites, to whom this region was allotted, did not drive out the Jebusites. Judg. 1:21. David first captured the citadel of Jebus. 2 Sam. 5:6, &c. 5. The Amorites inhabited, in Abraham's time, the region south of Jerusalem, on the western side of the Dead sea. Gen. 14:7. At a later period, they spread themselves out over the mountainous country which forms the southern part of Canaan, between the Dead sea and the Mediterranean, and which was called from them the "mountain 1. The Hivites dwelt in the of the Amorites," and afterwards northern part of the country, at the "mountain of Judah." Deut. the foot of mount Hermon, or 1:19,20. Num. 13:29. Josh. Anti-lebanon, according to Josh. 11:3. On the east side of the 11:3, where it is related that they, Jordan, also, they had, before along with the united forces of the time of Moses, founded two northern Canaan, were defeated kingdoms, that of Bashan on the by Joshua. They were not, how-north, and the other, bounded at ever, entirely driven out of their first by the Jabbok, on the south. possessions; for, according to But under Sihon they crossed the Judg. 3:3, they still dwelt upon Jabbok, and took from the Amthe mountains of Lebanon, from orites and Moabites all the counBaal-Hermon to Hamath. try between the Jabbok and the Arnon; so that this latter stream now became the southern boun 2. The Canaanites, in a stricter sense, in so far as they constituted Of the two following figures, one represents the celebrated Nadir Shah of Persia, seated on a sort of couch or movable throne; and the other is a likeness of the grand seignior, sultan Achmet. CAPERNAUM, a city on the western shore of the sea of Galilee, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, and in which our Saviour principally dwelt during the three years of his public ministry. Matt. 4:13. Mark 2:1. John 6:17. Burckhardt, and other writers, believe it to have been the place now called Talhhewn or Tel Hoom, which is upon the edge of the sea, from nine to twelve miles N. N. E. of Tiberias, and where there are ruins indicative of a considerable place at some former period. CAPHTOR is supposed by most commentators to be the island of Crete. Others think it to be Cappadocia. Deut. 2:23. CAPPADOCIA, a region of Asia, adjoining Pontus, Armenia, Phrygia and Galatia, Acts 2:9. 1 Pet. 1:1, between the Halys, the Euphrates, and the Euxine. Ptolemy mentions the Cappadocians, and derives their name from a river, Cappadox. They were formerly called Leuco-Syri, or" White Syrians," in opposition to those who lived south of the mountains, and more exposed to the sun. Such was their character for dulness and vice, that various epigrams were written upon them. Cappadocia was also placed first in the proverb which cautioned against the three K's-Kappadocia, Kilicia and CAPTIVITY. God generally punished the sins of the Jews by captivities or servitudes. The first captivity, however, from which Moses delivered them, should be considered rather as a permission of Providence, than as a punishment for sin. There were six captivities, or rather subjugations, during the government by judges. But the most remarkable captivities of the Hebrews were those of Israel and Judah, under the regal government. Israel was first carried away in part |