west, the Ammonites on the east, and the ha tribe of Manasseh on the north. This tract o country, like the former, was famed for its rich pastures and exuberant productions. The portion allotted to the half tribe of Manasseh was bounded on the south by that of Gad; on the west by the Jordan and Samachonite lake; on the east by the hills of Bashan and Hermon ; and on the north by a part of Lebanon. Its extent was almost equal to the other two, and it was afterwards more properly called Upper Galilee, or the Galilee of the Gentiles. On this side of the Jordan, and on the furthest northern verge of Judea, lay the province of Lower Galilee, occupied by the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar. It produced an abund¦ance of corn, oil, wine, and fruits of various sorts; and was, in its flourishing condition, so full of towns and villages, that Josephus observes, the least of them contained fifteen thousand inhabitants. The tribe of Asher was seated on the northwest corner of the province, having the Mediterranean on the west, Zebulun on the south, and Naphtali on the east. Its fecundity, and the excellence of its productions, fully answered the blessing which dying Jacob gave it :" that the bread of it should be fat, and that it should yield royal dainties." * Naphtali possessed a tract of country between that of Asher and the river Jordan. It was exceedingly fertile, and extended along the western bank of the river from Mount Lebanon to the sea of Tiberias. To the south of Asher and Naphtali was seated the tribe of Zebulun, having the Mediterranean on on the west, the sea of Galilee on the east, the river Jepthael on the north, and that of Kishon on the south, and by its vicinity to the sea, its numerous ports, and extensive commerce, it perfectly verified the blessings given to Zebulun both by Jacob and Moses. The possessions of Issachar were bounded by the Jordan on the east, by Zebulun on the north, by the Mediterranean on the west, and by the other half of Manasseh on the south. Its most remarkable places were the Mounts Carmel and Gilboa, the valley of Jezreel, and the great plain of Megiddo. On the south of Zebulun lay the other half tribe of Manasseh, and south of this was the territory of Ephraim, distinguished in later times by the name of Samaria. These tracts of country, though contiguous to each other, varied considerably, some parts being mountainous, rocky, and steril, while others were pleasant, fertile, and populous. That portion which appertained to Manasseh was bordered on the north and south by Issachar and Ephraim, and on the east and west by the Jordan and the Mediterranean. It was agreeably diversified with mountains, plains, and valleys, and contained a considerable number of stately cities. The tribe of Ephraim occupied the south side of Samaria, and extended, like that of Manasseh, from the Mediterranean to the river Jordan. The low lands were extremely rich and luxuriant; the hills afforded excellent pasture, and even the rocks were prettily feathered with trees. The towns and cities were numerous, and the population considerable. Judea, properly so called, was situated on the most most southern side of the whole, having Samaria on the north, the Mediterranean on the west, Egypt and Idumea on the south, and the Jordan and Dead sea on the east. The climate was warm, but well refreshed with cooling winds; and the face of the country exhibited the most beautiful assemblage of verdant mountains, irriguous plains, fruitful hills, enamelled valleys, and crystal rivulets; while a rich profusion of corn, wine, and oil, evinced the natural fecundity of the soil. This canton was inhabited by the tribes of Benjamin, Judah, Dan, and Simeon: the first of which lay contiguous to Judah on the south, to Samaria on the north, and to Dan on the west. It contained but few towns and cities; but this want was amply compensated by the possession of the city of Jerusalem, the centre of the Jewishworship, the seat of the monarchs and pontiffs, and the great metropolis of the Holy Land. Jerusalem was formerly divided into four parts, each enclosed with separate walls, viz. The old ity of Jebus, situated on Mount Zion, where David and his successors resided; the lower city, embellished with some magnificent palaces and tadels, by Solomon, Antiochus, and Herod; the new city, chiefly inhabited by merchants, tradesmen, and artificers; and Mount Moriah, which Supported the sumptuous temple of Solomon, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt by the Jews on their return from the Babylonish captity, and afterwards renewed, adorned, and enched by Herod. For a satisfactory description of this incomparable building, are the vi and vii chapters of the First Book of Kings. This This once rich and stately metropolis is at présent reduced to a thinly inhabited town, of about three miles in circumference. It stands in 31 deg. 48 min. of north latitude, and 35 deg. 34 min, of east longitude, on a rocky eminence, surrounded on all sides, except the north, with steep ascents and deep valleys below; and these again environed with other hills at a distance. The soil in some places produces corn, wine, and oil; but the greater part, for want of cultivation, is become stony, sandy, and barren. Subsequent to its total destruction by Vespasian, the emperor Adrian built a new city almost upon the site of the old town, and adorned it with several noble edifices, but in the time of Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, it was found in so ruinous and forlorn a condition as raised her pity into a noble zeal of restoring it to its ancient grandeur. With this design she caused all the rubbish to be removed from Mount Calvary, and ordered a magnificent church to be built there, to comprehend as many of the scenes of our Redeemer's sufferings as could be conveniently enclosed withir one edifice. The walls are of stone, and the roof o cedar: the east end includes Mount Calvary, and the west contains the holy sepulchre. The former is covered with a handsome cupola, supporte by sixteen massive columns, formerly incruste with marble. The centre is open on the top just over the sepulchre; and above the high altar, a the east end, is another stately dome. The nav of the church forms the choir, and in the interier aisles are the places where the most remarkable circumstances of our Saviour's passion were transacted; together with the tombs of Godfrey an Baldwin, the first two Christian kings of Jerusa lem. lem. An ascent of twenty-two steps leads to a chapel, where that part of Calvary is shown on which the Messiah was crucified. The altar is adorned with three crosses, and other costly embellishments, among which are forty-six silver lamps that are kept constantly burning. Contiguous to this is another small chapel fronting the body of the church. At the west end is the chapel of the sepulchre, hewn out of the solid rock, and ornamented with pillars of porphyry. The cloister round the sepulchre is divided into several chapels for the use of the different Christian sects who re-ide there; and on the north-west are the apartments of the Latins, who have the care of the church. It may be proper to mention here an edifice erected on Mount Moriah, called Solomon's temple, though it is not easy to guess when or by whom it was built. The entrance is at the east end, under an octagon, adorned with a cupola and lantern; and towards the west is a straight aisle like that of a church, the whole surrounded with a spacious court, and walled on every side. In the midst of it is erected a Turkish mosque, remarkable neither for its structure nor magnitude, but which makes a stately figure by its advantageous situation. Dr. Pococke, who took a particular view of the edifice, has highly extolled the beauty of the prospect, as well as the materials and workimanship. The colonnades are said to be of the Corinthian order, with arches turned over them; being, in all probability, the porticoes leading to the interior of the building: but the place is held in such veneration by the Turks, that a stranger cannot approach it without danger of torteiting his life or religion. E VOL. II. T |