chief cities of Maachah was Abel-maachah, or Abel-bethmaachah, or simply Abel. Abel-maim is regarded as the same place. It is probably the Abela of a later day, or Abilene of the New Testament. Abel was an ancient and important town, called "a mother in Israel." 2 Sam. xiii. 38, 39; xx. 14, 15, 18, 19; 1 K. xv. 20; 1 Chron. ii. 23. Karkor, Nobah, Jogbehah. Jud. viii. 10, 11.

Rogelim was a town of Gilead, and belonged to Gad or Manasseh; but it is not certain which. It was the residence of Barzillai, the steadfast friend of David, even when the latter was in distress. 2 Sam. xix. 31.

Cherith was a river that emptied into the Jordan on the east, a little below Bethshan. 1 K. xvii. 3, 5. Baal-hermon takes its name from its location near mount Hermon, north of the tribes east of the Jordan. Jud. iii. 3; 1 Chron. v. 23. Ed is the name of a_heap_of stones, east of the Jordan, but near its banks. The name is supplied by the translators, but the sense seems to require it. Jos. xxii. 34.

We will now notice the tribes on the west of the Jordan. Here, as usual, the tribe of Judah is first on the list, and has the largest share of the country.

SECTION IV.

-THE LOCALITIES IN THE TRIBE of Judah.

These are given in Jos. xv. the boundaries of the tribe being first, and afterwards the towns, cities, etc. On the south were Edom and the wilderness of Zin. The localities that lay along that line, commencing at the Salt Sea on the east, were Maaleh-akrabbim, or ascent of Akrabbim, Kadesh-barnea, Hezron, Adar, Karkaa and Azmon. This brings the line to the river of Egypt, or eastern branch of the Nile, and to the Mediterranean Sea. The eastern border was the Salt or Dead Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan, that is, where the Jordan empties into that body of water.

The localities that are mentioned as lying along the northern border, across the entire country from the Jor

dan to the Mediterranean, are Beth-hoglah, Beth-arabah, the stone of Bohan, Debir, valley of Achor, Gilgal, Adummim, En-shemesh, En-rogel, valley of Hinnom, valley of giants, otherwise called Rephaim, fountain of Nephtoah, mount Ephron, Baalah or Kirjath-jearim, mount Seir, mount Jearim or Chesalon, Beth-shemesh, Timnah, Ekron, Shicron, mount Baalah and Jabneel. The last of these places was on or near the Sea. See more about this boundary in our comments the passage. Jos. xv. 1- 1.1.

on the

The towns and cities of Judah are given in clusters, according to the part of the territory they occupied. We will notice them in the same way.

1. Those that were near the borders of Edom. These are Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, Hazor, Hadattah, Kerioth, Hezron, Amam, Shema, Moladah, Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-palet, Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Bizjothjah, Baalah, Iim, Azem, Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon. Jos. xv. 21-32.

Most of these we know nothing about, except that they belonged to the tribe of Judah, and were located in the southern part of the tribe, near the borders of Edom.

Kedesh is the same as Kadesh-barnea, on the southern border. Moses and the Israelites spent considerable time here on their way to Canaan. It was from this place that spies were sent to examine the country. From the same place Moses sent messengers to Edom, and to Moab, requesting a passage through their land. This being denied, he was obliged to make a vast cir cuit round the country occupied by these tribes, as he was not permitted to contend with them in battle. There is another Kedesh in Naphtali.

Telem is no doubt the same as Telaim found in another place. 1 Sam. xv. 4. Hezron was on the southern border of Judah. Jos. xv. 3.

Beer-sheba was a very ancient town; belonging to the

time of Abraham, though it may then have been only a well. It was on the southern border of Judah, and that was the southern border of Canaan. Being on the border of the land in one direction, and Dan being on the border in the opposite direction, the circumstance gave rise to the expression "from Dan to Beersheba." Gen. xxi. 33; xxii. 19; xxvi. 23; Jos. xv. 28; xix. 2; Jud. xx. 1; 1 Sam. iii. 20; viii. 2; 2 Sam. iii. 10; 1 K. iv. 25; 2 Chron. xxx. 5. These references will give the reader much information, if he consult them, which our limits will not permit us to put upon our pages.

Hormah is mentioned as being taken by Joshua, in his first campaign. It is probably the same that Moses destroyed, but was now restored. It was called also Zephath. It was one of the places to which David sent presents; and probably he had received favors of the people, during his wanderings in that part of the country. It was near the southern border of the land, and therefore as far as David could get from his adversary, unless he went out of the country. Jos. xii. 14; xv. 30; 1 Sam. xxx. 30.

Ziklag was once under the Philistines, but was given to David and his followers, by Achish king of Gath; and ever after it was reckoned as belonging to Judah. 1 Sam. xxvii. 6.

The portion of the tribe of Judah, that was occupied by the foregoing cities, was afterwards given to Simeon; and hence we shall find many of the names repeated on his list.

2. Cities and towns in the valley. The part of Judah called the Shefelah, or valley, was the western or southwestern portion, in the vicinity of the Philistines. But the tract, so designated, seems to have extended some distance into the hilly or mountainous region. The name valley was given it from the general character only; for some of the places on the list belong to the "hill country."

The names here given are Eshtaol, Zoreah, Ashnah,

Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim. Jos. xv. 33-36.

Some of these cities were afterwards given to Dan, and are noticed more particularly in connection with that tribe. It was between Eshtaol and Zoreah that the Danites had a camp, at which Samson became aware of his great strength. His residence was near, and that was the place of his burial. Jud. xiii. 2, 25; xvi. 31.

Enam occurs in the account of Judah and Tamar, but is not translated. Instead of it, we have "an open place. It is easy to see, from the narrative, that it was a city or village. Gen. xxxviii. 14. Jarmuth is located by Jerome, ten miles from Eleutheropolis (from which he always estimates) toward Jerusalem. Adullam was the name of a cave, as well as a city. It was one of the places of David's resort, while hiding from the infuriated Saul. 1 Sam. xxii. 1; 2 Sam. xxiii. 13. See Jos. xii. 15: 2 Chron. xi. 7; 2 Maccabees xii. 38.

Socoh, Sochoh, Shochoh was near the place where David killed Goliath. At a little distance was Azekah. Both occupied high ground, with the valley of Ephesdammim, or Pas-dammim, between them. Near this was Elah, another valley. There was another place called Sochoh, in the "mountains" of Judah. 1 Sam. xvii. 1; 2 Chron. xxviii. 18.

Sharaim appears to be referred to as the limit to which the Israelites pursued the Philistines, after the death of Goliath. But the translation is doubtful. See comments on 1 Sam. xvii. 52.

3. The next list of names is not located, and may reasonably be referred to the "valley" with the foregoing. They are Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, Cabbon, Lahmam, Kithlish, Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah and Makkedah. Jos. xv. 37-41.

Lachish and Eglon, as well as Jarmuth on the preceding list, were among the cities destroyed by Joshua. xii.

11, 12. Lachish was rebuilt and fortified by Rehoboam. Sennacherib besieged it, but did not take it. Jos. x. 23; 2 Chron. xi. 9; 2 K. xix. 8.

Gederoth was not far from Shocoh on the former list; and near it were Timnah, Ajalon and Beth-shemesh. 2 Chron. xxviii. 18.

Beth-dagon may be named from Dagon the god, or from dagon, grain. Makkedah was destroyed by Joshua. Near by was the cave where the kings of Canaan hid, and where they were thrown after being slain. Jos. x. 16, 22, 27, 28.

Mizpeh in Judah was where Samuel called the people together, preparatory to fighting the Philistines. It is one of the places where he held his courts. 1 Sam. vii. 5, 6, 16. There were several other places of this name. 4. The next list is given thus:-Libnah, Ether, Ashan, Jiphtah, Ashnah, Ñezib, Keilah, Achzib, Mareshah. xv. 42 - 44.

Libnah was destroyed in the first campaign of Joshua. Keilah was delivered from the Philistines by David; but he was obliged to flee away, to keep from being delivered up to Saul, by those whom he had befriended. It was between Eleutheropolis and Hebron, nearer the latter place. 1 Sam. xxiii. 1-13. A great battle was fought at Mareshah, and Asa king of Judah defeated. It was only two miles from Eleutheropolis. Later, with several other towns of southern Judah, it belonged to Idumea. 2 Chron. xi. 8; xiv. 9, 10. Zephathah was the name of the valley where the battle took place.

5. Ekron, Ashdod and Gaza xv. 45-47. These were Philistine cities, and were never entirely subdued, till the time of David or Solomon. They are reckoned to Judah, because they were situated in the territory allotted to that tribe; and it was the right of the men of the tribe to subdue them, if they could.

Ekron was the northern city of the Philistines. Baalzebub was the god of Ekron. It was on the line between Judah and Dan, when the latter tribe had its portion