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miles, says Calmet, south-east of Jericho. Of the other localities, here named, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon, Zareth-shahar, we know nothing.

The territory of Reuben was the most southern of the lots east of the Jordan. North and east of it was that belonging to Gad, and north of Gad was Manasseh. The river Arnon separated Reuben from the country of Moab on the south. That river entered the Dead Sea about half the distance between the north and south ends. There are a few places that are mentioned in other parts of this history, that were included in the territory of Reuben, but they are not on the foregoing list. Bezer was a city of the Levites and a city of refuge. The site can not be ascertained. Jos. xx. 8; xxi. 36. Nebo was built by Reuben. This name applies to a city and a mountain. The one was named from the other. Num. xxxii. 3, 38; Deut. xxxii. 49; 1 Chron. v. 8. Abel-shittim or Shittim was the place where the Israelites had their camp, before crossing the Jordan. It was opposite to Jericho, and appears to have been in the tribe of Reuben. Jos. ii. 1; iii. 1. The country may once have been noted for that kind of timber, called Shittim wood, out of which the frame of the tabernacle was made. SECTION II.-TOWNS, CITIES AND OTHER LOCALITIES, IN THE TRIBE OF GAD.

These are the following: Jazer, probably the same as Jahaza on the preceding list, being on the border and in some sense belonging to both tribes. Aroer is repeated for the same reason, and so is Heshbon; and from Heshbon the author tells us, the territory of Gad extended to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to Debir. Then mention is made of the valley of Betharam and Beth-nimrah and Succoth and Zaphon. The sea of Chinnereth was on the border- a well-known body of water, afterwards called the sea of Tiberias or sea of Galilee. Jos. xiii. 24-28.

Ramath-mizpah signifies the high place of Mizpah, and

is doubtless the same as that ancient Mizpah where Jacob and Laban had their interview. It was in the mountain range of Gilead, and was the residence of the renowned Jephthah. Gen. xxxi. 49; Jud. xi. 11, 29, 34. There are several other places that have the same name. Betonim bordered on Manasseh. Jos. xiii. 26.

Mahanaim was an ancient city, having received its name from a vision of angels, seen by Jacob on his return from Padan-aram. It was a city of the Levites. Here Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, established himself, and made it his head quarters, while he operated against David. At a later period David made it his place of retreat, during the rebellion of Absalom. Jos. xiii. 26, 30; xxi. 38; 1 Chron. vi. 80; 2 Sam. ii. 8, 29; xvii. 27; 1 K. ii. 8.

Succoth is another city, to be attributed to the return of Jacob from Syria. He spent some time here, and built booths for his cattle; and this gave the name to the place. It was near the Jordan; and not far from this place the vessels for the temple service were cast. Its location cannot now be ascertained. Gen. xxxiii. 17; 1 K. vii. 46.

Lake Chinnereth, that bounded Gad on the west, was about sixteen_miles long, from north to south, and six broad. The Jordan ran through the center lengthwise, and is said to mingle with the waters of the lake very little, showing a perceptible current all the way.

Debir, Beth-aram, Beth-nimrah and Zaphon, we know nothing about.

There are some places belonging to Gad that are not on the foregoing list. Ramoth-Gilead is one of these, and probably the most important. It is doubtless the same as the Ramath-mizpah, just noticed. It was a city of the Levites, and a city of refuge. In Ramoth-Gilead, Jehu was anointed king over Israel, by the order of Elisha, the prophet. Here Joram, king of Israel, was wounded in battle with Hazael, king of Syria. It has not been located with certainty; but the more probable

opinion is that of Seetzen and Van de Velde, which places it a few miles north of el Salt, the latter being fifteen miles west of Rabbah or Philadelphia, and five miles east of the Jordan, that is, five miles east of the place where the Jabbok enters into that river. Jos. xx. 8; xxi. 38; 1 Chron. vi. 80; 2 K. ix. 1, 14; 2 Chron. xviii. 3, 5, 11, 14; xxii. 5; 2 K. viii. 28, 29.

Peniel or Penuel was an ancient city, taking its name from a vision of Jacob, wherein he thought he saw the face of God, as the name indicates. It was fortified by Jeroboam, king of Israel. Gen. xxxii. 30; 1 K. xii. 25.

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- PLACES IN THE HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH, EAST OF THE JORDAN.

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These are found in Jos. xiii. 29-31. But the general limits of the territory are given, rather than the names of towns and cities. Mention is made of "all Bashan and "all the kingdom of Og iu Bashan," and "all the towns of Jair, three score cities. Also "half Gilead, and "Ashtaroth and Edrei, cities in Bashan."

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Bashan included the district of Argob. It lay north of the river Jabbok, and south of Mount Hermon. The mountains of Gilead were on the east, and the Jordan on the west. It was one of the most fruitful countries in the world. Half of Gilead, meaning the northern half, was given to Manasseh, the rest was assigned to Gad. The river Jabbok separated the two portions. That river emptied into the Jordan about half way between lake Chinnereth and the Dead Sea, which were sixty miles apart. Num. xxi. 33; xxxii. 33; 1 Chron. v. 16; Deut. iii. 13; 1 K. iv. 13.

Edrei was the scene of an important battle, between Og the king of Bashan, and the Israelites under Moses. There was another town of this name in Naphtali. Jos. xii. 4; Num. xxi. 33. Ashtaroth was a city of the Levites. It was probably the same as the Ashteroth-karnaim, mentioned in Genesis. It was named from the goddess Astarte, represented with horns, for that is what

Ashteroth-karnaim signifies. It was six miles from Edrei. Gen. xiv. v; Jos. ix. 10; xii. 4; xiii. 12; 1 Chron. vi. 71.

Golan belonged to Manasseh. It was a city of refuge. Jos. xx. 8. Jabesh-Gilead was in the same tribe. It was from this place that a partial supply of virgins was obtained, for the surviving men of Benjamin, after the war that nearly annihilated the tribe. The men of Jabesh were slain, because they did not come to the war. When the Ammonites had besieged Jabesh, and were likely to prevail against it, Saul, who had just been made king of Israel, gathered an army-went against the Ammonites-raised the siege- and routed the hosts of the enemy. Therefore, when it was known at Jabesh, that Saul had been slain, and his body, and that of his son Jonathan had been hung up in the streets of Bethshan, the brave men of that city went and took the bodies, and brought them away; and having burned the flesh, buried the bones under a tree in Jabesh, and mourned seven days. Jud. xxi. 8-12; 1 Sam. xxxi. 1-13. Camon, Jud. x. 5.

Lo-debar was the residence of Machir of the tribe of Manasseh. The lame son of David's friend, Jonathan, resided there with Machir, till David sent for him, to reside at the palace and eat at his table. And when David was in distress, on account of his son Absalom, Machir of Lo-debar sent him the things he needed for himself and his attendants. 2 Sam. ix. 5; xvii. 27 – 29.

Argob was in Bashan, and of course in the tribe of Manasseh. It was one of the most fruitful lands east of the Jordan. There were sixty towns in this district, together called Havoth-jair, being so named after one Jair who lived in the days of Moses- not the judge Jair, of more recent times. 1 K. iv. 13. In the district of Argob there was a city, having the same name. Eusebius places it fifteen miles west of Gerasa. It is probably the same as Ragab, mentioned by Josephus. Ant. B. xiii. cap. 23.

Aram. 1 Chron. ii. 23. Kenath. Jud. viii. 11; Num. xxxii. 42; Havoth-jair. Jud. x. 4; 1 Chron. ii. 23. It denotes a collection of cities. Beesh-terah was a city of the Levites in Manasseh. Jos. xxi. 27.

The account of the towns and cities, which is given in Numbers and Deuteronomy, contains some names that are not on the foregoing lists. But it is not certain that they are different places, as it is expressly said that the Israelites changed the names of these towns. See Num. xxxii. 3, 34-42; Deut. iii. 8-17.

Some localities are mentioned east of the Jordan, without any certain information as to the tribe to which they belonged. And they may have been located a lit tle out of the limits of the tribes. Rabbah was one of these. It was the capital of Ammon, and was conquered by David, at the time his faithful officer Uriah was slain. It was afterwards called Philadelphia; so named from Ptolemy Philadelphus one of the kings of Egypt, Its ruins are extensive. They are 22 miles east of the Jordan, in the valley of the Jabbok. It was 14 miles. south-east of Heshbon, and 20 miles south of Jerash. A stream of water had its source in the town, which gave to the lower part of it the name of "city of waters. 2 Sam. xi. 1; xii. 26; xvii. 27; 1 Chron. xx. 1. Salcah was the name of a town that lay on the borders of Manasseh. Deut. iii. 10; Jos. xii. 5; xiii. 11; 1 Chron. v. 11. Its modern name is Sulkud. It is mentioned in the middle ages. It is at the northern extremity of Argob. The town is three miles in circumference. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible.

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Abel-carmim is a proper name in the original; but in our version the rendering is "the plain of the vineyards." Near that place was Ninnith. Jud. xi. 33.

Geshur or Gesher and Maachah are spoken of as on the borders of the land. Talmai was king of Geshur, whose daughter was a wife of David, and mother of Absalom. Absalom spent three years with his grandfather, to avoid the displeasure of David. One of the

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