character was to remove the obstacles to men's fleeing to him as their asylum, and obtaining the salvation of God.1 It is remarkable that all the sacerdotal cities lay within the southern tribes, eight belonging to Judah and four to Benjamin, and only one to Simeon, which is supposed to have been situated on the frontier of Judah, and to have remained under the controul of the latter tribe. This was wisely and providentially designed to guard against the evils of schism between the southern and northern tribes. For by this arrangement all the sacerdotal cities (except one) lay in the faithful tribes of Judah and Benjamin, to maintain the national worship in them, in opposition to the apostacy of the other tribes. Otherwise the kingdom of Judah might have experienced a scarcity of priests, or have been burthened with the maintenance of those who fled from the kingdom of Israel (2 Chron. xi. 13, 14.), when the base and wicked policy of Jeroboam made priests of the lowest of the people to officiate in their room. Of the country beyond Jordan, which was given by Moses to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh (Deut. iii. 12-17. Josh. xii. 1-6. xiii.), the tribe of REUBEN obtained the southern part, which was bounded on the south from Midian by the river Arnon; on the north, by another small river; on the east, by the Ammonites and Moabites; and on the west by the river Jordan. Its principal cities were Ashdod-Pizgah, Bethabara, Beth-peor, Bezer, Heshbon, Jahaz, Kedemoth, Medeba, Mephaath, and Midian. The territory of the tribe of GAD was bounded by the river Jordan on the west, by the canton of the half tribe of Manasseh on the north, by the Ammonites on the east, and by the tribe of Reuben on the south. Its chief cities were Betharan (afterwards called Julias), Debir, Jazer, Mahanaim, Mizpeh, Penuel, Rabbah, or Rabboth, (afterwards called Philadelphia,) Succoth, and Tishbeh. The region allotted to the HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH on the eastern side of the Jordan, was bounded on the south by the territory of the tribe of Gad; by the sea of Cinnereth (afterwards called the lake of Gennesareth and the sea of Galilee), and the course of the river Jordan from its source towards that sea, on the west; by Mount Lebanon, or more properly Mount Hermon, on the north and north-east; and by Mount Gilead on the east. Its principal cities were Ashtaroth-Carnaim, Auran, Beesh-terah, Bethsaida, Gadara, Gerasa, Geshur, and Jabesh-Gilead. This tribe was greatly indebted to the bravery of Jair, who took threescore cities, besides several small towns or villages, which he called Havoth-Jair, or the Dwellings of Jair. (1 Chron. ii. 23. Numb. xxxii. 41.) 5. 1 Godwin's Moses and Aaron, p. 78. Jenning's Jewish Antiquities, book ii, ch. 295. Edinb. 1808. As this sketch of the historical geography of the Holy Land is designed chiefly to give the reader an idea of the several divisions which obtained at different times, the reader is referred to the Geographical Index at the end of this volume, for an account of the principal places mentioned in the sacred writings, particu➡ larly in the New Testament. The remaining nine tribes and a half were settled on the western side of the Jordan. The canton of the tribe of JUDAH was bounded on the east by the Dead Sea, and on the west by the tribes of Dan and Simeon, both of which lay between it and the Mediterranean Sea. Judah was reckoned to be the largest and most populous of all the twelve tribes; and its inhabitants were the most valiant; it was also the chief and roval tribe, from which, in subsequent times, the whole kingdom was denominated. The most remarkable places or cities in this tribe were Adam Arekah, Bethlehem, Bethzor, Debir, or Kiriathseover, Ennaus, Engedi, Kiriath-arba or Hebron, Libnah, Makkedi, New, Massaca, Tekoah, and Ziph. The mercance of the tribes of DAN and of SIMEON was within De inderance of ne tribe of Judah, or was taken out of the portion is uleted v ne cer. The boundaries of these two tribes are M MESA Baned; though they are placed by geographers DE NOTD UM Suth-west of the canton of Judah, and consequently Avaru a ne Metterranean Sea. The principal cities in the To avere Auen. Dun or Leshem, Eltekeh, Eshtaol, GathGiven Ershemesh Joppa. Modin, Timnath, and The chef ores the tribe of Simeon, were Ain, BeerSormal, an A omar aloese we were of BENJAMIN lay between the kid in kwa congous to Samaria on the north, to such me ve Dea on the west, which last parted it leem ie not contain many cities and towns, ARAY PIN BRINČe soled by its possessing the most Uh, an the nerepots of a the city of Jerusalem. The a wow is ze were Anathoth, Beth-el, Gibeah, 20% da Vzel. Oporsh, and Jericho. With a the cantan of Benjamin lay that allotted to the $ me that of the other HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH. A PER ME ANTEts cannot be ascertained with prenaces in Betrain, were Bethhoron the Nether 1209, Monnast, Naoth, Samaria, Shechem, Aber the schism of the ten tribes, singan af berei beung in Ephraim, this tribe is senin the whole ngom. The chief places in mda kanset, were Adel-meblath, Bethabara; Bethahamas cakey Setpoils, Benek, Endor, Enon, GathTeen Nam Cntrah, aně Tirzah more aurtenties to the north-east of the half kanal, dn the canton of issue, which was bordered sus a jera, me is northern boundary was es make this be to extend to the or this bathesis there is no foundation. - Anbos, Beth-shemesh, Dothan, Num » Xan Samoth, ani Shume. On the north and west of Issachar resided the tribe of ZEBulun. Its chief places were Bethlehem, Cinnereth or Chinnereth, Gathhepher, Jokneam, Remmon-Methoar, and Shimroncheron. The tribe of ASHER was stationed in the district to the north of the half tribe of Manasseh, and west of Zebulun: consequently it was a maritime country. Hence it was said (Judg. v. 17.) that Asher continued on the sea-shore, and abode in his creeks. Its northern boundary was mount Libanus or Lebanon; and on the south it was bounded by mount Carmel, and the canton of Issachar. Its principal cities were Abdon, Achshaph, Helkath, Mishal, and Rehob. This tribe never possessed the whole extent of district assigned to it, which was to reach to Libanus, to Syria, and Phenicia, and included the celebrated cities of Tyre and Sidon. Lastly, the tribe of NAPHTALI or Nephtali occupied that district in the northern part of the land of Canaan, which lay between mount Lebanon to the north, and the sea of Cinnereth (or Gennesareth) to the south, and between Asher to the west, and the river Jordan to the east. Its chief places were Abel or Abel-Beth-Maachah, Hamoth-dor, Harosheth of the Gentiles, Kedesh, and Kiriathairn. V. The next remarkable division was made by king Solomon, who divided his kingdom into twelve provinces or districts, each under a peculiar officer. These districts, together with the names of their respective presidents, are enumerated in 1 Kings iv. 7—19. From the produce of these districts every one of these officers was to supply the king with provisions for his household, in his turn, that is, each for one month in the year. The dominions of Solomon extended from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. (2 Kings iv. 21.) Hence it appears that the Hebrew monarch reigned over all the provinces from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the frontiers of Egypt. The Euphrates was the eastern boundary of his dominions; the Philistines were westward, on the Mediterranean sea; and Egypt was on the south. Solomon therefore had, as his tributaries, the kingdoms of Syria, Damascus, Moab, and Ammon; and thus he appears to have possessed all the land which God had covenanted with Abraham to give to his posterity. VI. Under this division the Holy land continued till after the death of Solomon, when ten tribes revolted from his son Rehoboam, and erected themselves into a separate kingdom under Jeroboam, called the Kingdom of Israel. The other two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, continuing faithful to Rehoboam, formed the Kingdom of Judah. This kingdom comprised all the southern parts of the land, consisting of the allotments of those two tribes, together with so much of the territories of Dan and Simeon as were intermixed with that of Judah: its royal city or metropolis was Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. The kingdom of Israel included all the northern and middle parts of the land, occupied by the other ten tribes; and its capital was Samaria, in the tribe of Ephraim, situated about thirty The remaining nine tribes and a half were settled on the western side of the Jordan. The canton of the tribe of JUDAH was bounded on the east by the Dead Sea, and on the west by the tribes of Dan and Simeon, both of which lay between it and the Mediterranean Sea. Judah was reckoned to be the largest and most populous of all the twelve tribes; and its inhabitants were the most valiant; it was also the chief and royal tribe, from which, in subsequent times, the whole kingdom was denominated. The most remarkable places or cities in this tribe were Adullam, Azekah, Bethlehem, Bethzor, Debir, or Kiriathsepher, Emmaus, Engedi, Kiriath-arba or Hebron, Libnah, Makkedah, Maon, Massada, Tekoah, and Ziph. The inheritance of the tribes of DAN and of SIMEON was within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, or was taken out of the portion at first allotted to the latter. The boundaries of these two tribes are not precisely ascertained; though they are placed by geographers to the north and south-west of the canton of Judah, and consequently bordered on the Mediterranean Sea. The principal cities in the tribe of Dan were Ajalon, Dan or Leshem, Eltekeh, Eshtaol, Gathrimmon, Gibbethon, Hirshemesh, Joppa, Modin, Timnath, and Zorah. The chief cities in the tribe of Simeon, were Ain, Beersheba, Hormah, and Ziklag. The canton allotted to the tribe of BENJAMIN lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph, contiguous to Samaria on the north, to Judah on the south, and to Dan on the west, which last parted it from the Mediterranean. It did not contain many cities and towns, but this defect was abundantly supplied by its possessing the most considerable, and the metropolis of all, the city of Jerusalem. The other places of note in this tribe were Anathoth, Beth-el, Gibeah, Gibeon, Gilgal, Hai, Mizpeh, Ophrah, and Jericho. To the north of the canton of Benjamin lay that allotted to the tribe of EPHRAIM, and that of the other HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH. The boundaries of these two districts cannot be ascertained with precision. The chief places in Ephraim, were Bethhoron the Nether and Upper, Gezer, Lydda, Michmash, Naioth, Samaria, Shechem, Shiloh, and Timnath-Serah. After the schism of the ten tribes, the seat of the kingdom of Israel being in Ephraim, this tribe is frequently used to signify the whole kingdom. The chief places in the half tribe of Manasseh, were Abel-meholath, Bethabara; Bethshan (afterwards called Scythopolis), Bezek, Endor, Enon, Gathrimmon, Megiddo, Salim, Ophrah, and Tirzah. To the north, and more particularly to the north-east of the half tribe of Manasseh, lay the canton of ISSACHAR, which was bordered by the celebrated plain of Jezreel, and its northern boundary was Mount Tabor. Some writers make this tribe to extend to the Mediterranean Sea; but for this hypothesis there is no foundation. The chief cities of Issachar, were Aphek, Beth-shemesh, Dothan, Kishon, Jezreel, Naim or Nain, Ramoth, and Shunem. On the north and west of Issachar resided the tribe of Zebulun. Its chief places were Bethlehem, Cinnereth or Chinnereth, Gathhepher, Jokneam, Remmon-Methoar, and Shimroncheron. The tribe of ASHER was stationed in the district to the north of the half tribe of Manasseh, and west of Zebulun: consequently it was a maritime country. Hence it was said (Judg. v. 17.) that Asher continued on the sea-shore, and abode in his creeks. Its northern boundary was mount Libanus or Lebanon; and on the south it was bounded by mount Carmel, and the canton of Issachar. Its principal cities were Abdon, Achshaph, Helkath, Mishal, and Rehob. This tribe never possessed the whole extent of district assigned to it, which was to reach to Libanus, to Syria, and Phenicia, and included the celebrated cities of Tyre and Sidon. Lastly, the tribe of NAPHTALI or Nephtali occupied that district in the northern part of the land of Canaan, which lay between mount Lebanon to the north, and the sea of Cinnereth (or Gennesareth) to the south, and between Asher to the west, and the river Jordan to the east. Its chief places were Abel or Abel-Beth-Maachah, Hamoth-dor, Harosheth of the Gentiles, Kedesh, and Kiriathaim. V. The next remarkable division was made by king Solomon, who divided his kingdom into twelve provinces or districts, each under a peculiar officer. These districts, together with the names of their respective presidents, are enumerated in 1 Kings iv. 7-19. From the produce of these districts every one of these officers was to supply the king with provisions for his household, in his turn, that is, each for one month in the year. The dominions of Solomon extended from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life. (2 Kings iv. 21.) Hence it appears that the Hebrew monarch reigned over all the provinces from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the frontiers of Egypt. Euphrates was the castern boundary of his dominions; the Philistines were westward, on the Mediterranean sea; and Egypt was on the south. Solomon therefore had, as his tributaries, the kingdoms of Syria, Damascus, Moab, and Ammon; and thus he appears to have possessed all the land which God had covenanted with Abraham to give to his posterity. The VI. Under this division the Holy land continued till after the death of Solomon, when ten tribes revolted from his son Rehoboam, and erected themselves into a separate kingdom under Jeroboam, called the Kingdom of Israel. The other two tribes of Benjamin and Judah, continuing faithful to Rehoboam, formed the Kingdom of Judah. This kingdom comprised all the southern parts of the land, consisting of the allotments of those two tribes, together with so much of the territories of Dan and Simeon as were intermixed with that of Judah: its royal city or metropolis was Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. The kingdom of Israel included all the northern and middle parts of the land, occupied by the other ten tribes; and its capital was Samaria, in the tribe of Ephraim, situated about thirty |