fragrant and refreshing shade, as well as for its delicious fruit. (Sol. Song ii. 3. where it is mis-translated apple tree.) The sycamore, which partakes of the nature of the fig and the mulberry, also abounded formerly in the plain of Jericho, where it is still to be seen. Its sweetish, watery, but somewhat aromatic and not disagreeable fruit, comes to maturity several times in the year, without observing any certain seasons. It frequently attains to a considerable height, and affords a very grateful shade. From its fruit the Arabs extract an oil, which they sell to travellers, who keep it among their other holy things and pretend that it possesses a singular virtue in curing wounds, for which reason they call it the oil of Zacchæus, attributing its virtue to the stay which Zaccheus made upon the tree! (Luke xix. 4.) Fig trees are very common in Palestine, and flourish in a dry and sandy soil: although in our climate they are little more than shrubs, yet in the East they attain a considerable height, and some of them are capable of affording shelter to a considerable number of horsemen. The shade of the fig tree is very pleasant; and to sit under it is an emblem of security and peace. (Mic. iv. 4.) Fig trees begin to sprout at the time of the vernal equinox. (Luke xxi. 29, 30. Matt. xxiv. 32.) The fruit makes its appearance before the leaves and flowers, and the foliage expands about the end of March. The fig trees of Palestine are of three kinds: 1. The Untimely fig, which puts forth at the vernal equinox, and before it is ripe is called the green fig, but when it is ripe the untimely fig. (Sol. Song ii. 13. Jer. xxiv. 2. Hos. ix. 3.) It comes to maturity towards the end of June (Matt. xxi. 19. Mark xi. 13.), and in flavour surpasses the other kinds.-2. The Summer or dry fig: it appears about the middle of June and is ripe in August.-3. The Winter fig, which germinates in August, and does not ripen until about the end of November: it is longer and of a browner colour than the others. All figs, when ripe, but especially the untimely, fall spontaneously. (Nahum iii. 12.) The early figs are eaten, but some are dried in the sun, and preserved in masses which are called cakes of figs in 1 Sam. xxv. 18. XXX. 12. 1 Chron. xii. 40. It is well known that the fruit of these prolific trees always precedes the leaves: consequently, when Jesus Christ saw one of them in full vigour having leaves (Mark xi. 13.) he might, according to the common course of nature, very justly look for fruit, and haply find some boccores or early figs, if not some winter figs likewise upon it. The parable in Luke xiii. 6—9. is founded on the oriental mode of gardening; and the method of improving the palm (whose barrenness may be remedied in the way there mentioned,) is transferred to the fig tree. Besides the palm trees above noticed, Jericho was celebrated for its fragrant balsam, mentioned in the Scriptures under the name of the balm of Gilead. (Jer. viii. 22. xlvi. 11. li. 8.) This balsam was mentioned by Strabo; and two plantations of it existed during the 1 Lib. xvi. vol. ii. P. 1085. last war of the Jews with the Romans, for which both parties fought desperately, the Jews that they might destroy them ;-the Romans, that they might prevent them from destruction. Since the country has been under the government of the Turks, the balm of Gilead has ceased to be cultivated in Palestine, though it is found in different parts of Arabia and Egypt.1 But the Holy Land was eminently distinguished for its abundance of cattle, to the management and rearing of which the inhabitants chiefly applied themselves. The hilly country not only afforded them variety and plenty of pasture, but also of water, which descending thence, carried fertility into the low lands and vallies. The most celebrated pasture grounds were on each side of the river Jordan, besides those of Sharon, the plains of Lydda, Jamnia, and some others of less note. The breed of cattle reared in Bashan, and on the mountains of Gilead and Carmel, were remarkable for their size, their strength, and fatness, to which there are frequent allusions in the Scriptures. The cattle of the Israelites comprised every sort of animal that afforded either food or clothing, or was applicable to other useful purposes, as sheep, oxen, goats, camels, and asses. The lastmentioned animals were of a more handsome form than are seen in our colder climate; hence they were chiefly used in travelling in this hilly country, even by persons of rank. Horses do not appear to have been in use, until after the establishment of the monarchy. The various rivers, especially the Jordan, the Lake of Tiberias, and the Mediterranean Sea, afforded great variety and plenty of fish, vast quantities of which were carried to Jerusalem, and according to Jerome, one of the gates of that city was from this circumstance denominated the Fish-gate. The Dead Sea furnished abundance of salt for curing their fish, for which purpose it was said to be superior to every other kind of salt. Although we have no evidence that the Jews wrought any mines of iron or copper; yet the researches of modern travellers have ascertained that the mountains of Palestine contain iron-mines, particularly those whose summits and sides are occupied by the industrious Druses. Report says, that there was antiently a copper-mine at Aleppo, which (M. Volney is of opinion) must have long since been abandoned. These facts, however, substantiate the accuracy of Moses in his description of the Promised Land,-as a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains thou mayest dig copper 1 For a particular account of the vegetable productions of the Holy Land, the reader is referred to the Hiero-Botanicon of Celsius (Upsala, 1745-1747, in two parts or vols. 8vo.); and for its zoology to the Hierozoicon of Bochart (folio, Lug. Bat. 1714, or in three vols. 4to. Lipsia, 1793 and following years). The reader, who may not be able to consult these elaborate works, will find much useful information concerning the plants and animals of the Holy Land, in Professor Paxton's Illustrations of Scripture, vol. i. part ii. pp 231-623. 2 "The whole of the scenery, (says Dr. Richardson,) since we entered Palestine, amply confirms the language of Scripture, that this is a land flowing with milk and honey, a land for flocks, and herds, and bees, and fitted for the residence of men, whose trade, like the patriarchs of old, was in cattle. Travels along the Mediterranean, &c., vol. ii. p. 374 (Deut. viii. 9.), as the Hebrew ought to be rendered, there being no such thing in nature, as a brass-mine. In perusing the Scripture accounts of this highly-favoured country, it ought to be considered that it was then inhabited by an industrious people, who knew how to improve every inch of their land, and by their good husbandry, had made even the most desert and barren places to yield some kind of production, so that the very rocks, which now appear quite naked, then yielded either corn, pulse or pasture. Every man had his own land to improve and when, in addition to these facts, it is considered that a warm country will support more people than a cold one, the people in southern climates being satisfied with less food than in northern; and that the dominions of David and Solomon comprised a greater extent of territory than many apprehended; we can be at no loss to account for the vast multitude of inhabitants, which the Scriptures assert that Palestine antiently supported, especially when their statements of its fertility and population are confirmed by the testimonies of profane historians. Thus, Tacitus describes the climate as dry and sultry; the natives as strong and patient of labour; the soil, as fruitful, exuberant in its produce, like that of Italy, and yielding the palm and balm tree. Libanus or Lebanon, is stated to be the loftiest mountain in the country, and to rise to a great height, affording a grateful shade under its verdant groves, and even in the ardent heat of that sultry region as being covered at the top with perpetual snow. Justin confirms the account of Tacitus, respecting the exuberant produce of Palestine, its beautiful climate, its palm and fragrant balsam trees.3 The palms of Judæa are celebrated by the elder Pliny ; and Ammianus Marcellinus commends the beauty of the country, and is large and handsome cities. But the most memorable testimony is that of Josephus the Jewish historian, which appears in various parts of his writings. Not to multiply unnecessary examples, we may state briefly, that after describing the boundaries of the regions of Upper and Lower Galilee, of Peræa and Samaria, he speaks of their fertility and produce in the following terms. The two Galilees have always been able to make a strong resistance on all occasions of war: for the Galileans are inured to war from their infancy, and have always been very numerous. Their soil is universally rich, and fruitful, and full of plantations of all sorts of trees; so that its fertility invites the most slothful to take pains in its cultivation. Accordingly, the whole of it is cultivated by its inhabitants, and no part of it lies idle. Although the greater part of Peræa, he continues, is desert, and rough, and much less disposed for the production of the milder sorts of fruits, yet in other parts it has a moist soil, and produces all kinds of fruits. Its plains 1 On the population of the Holy Land, see Michaelis's Commentaries on the Laws of Moses, vol. i. pp. 98-110. 2 Taciti Historia. lib. v. c. 6. 4 Hist. Nat. lib. xiii. c. 6. 3 Justin. Hist. Philipp. lib. xxxvi. c. 3. are planted with trees of all sorts; the olive tree, the vine, and the palm trees are principally cultivated there. It is also sufficiently watered with torrents, that issue from the mountains, and with springs which never fail to run, even when the torrents fail them, as they do in the dog-days. Samaria is entirely of the same nature with Judæa. Both countries are composed of hills and vallies; they are moist enough for agriculture, and are very fertile. They have abundance of trees, and are full of autumnal fruit, both of that which grows wild, and also of that which is the effect of cultivation. They are not naturally watered by many rivers, but derive their chief moisture from rain water, of which they have no want. The waters of such rivers as they have, are exceedingly sweet; and in consequence of the excellence of their grass, the cattle reared in these countries yield more milk than do those of other places.1 On the division of the land of Canaan, we are informed (Josh. xv. 20-62.) that not fewer than one hundred and twelve walled cities fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah. Many centuries afterwards, Josephus states that the regions of Samaria and Judæa were very full of people, which he notices as the greatest sign of their excellency; that in the two Galilees the villages were extremely numerous and thickly inhabited; and that there also were great numbers of the larger cities, the smallest of which contained a population of fifteen thousand souls.3 From the two small provinces of Upper and Lower Galilee alone, Josephus collected an army of more than one hundred thousand men. These statements abundantly confirm the narratives of the sacred historians relative to the fertility and vast population of the Holy Land. Compare Numb. xi. 21. Judg. xx. 17. 1 Sam. xv. 4. 1 Chron. xxvii. 4. 2 Sam. xxiv. 9. and 2 Chron. xvii. 14-19. Nor are the testimonies less satisfactory, which have been given by Maundrell, Shaw, Hasselquist, and other modern travellers,5 who have visited this country, and especially by Dr. Clarke, who thus describes its appearance between Napolose or Sichem and Jerusalem :-"The road," says he, "was mountainous, rocky, and full of loose stones; yet the cultivation was every where marvellous: it afforded one of the most striking pictures of human industry which it is possible to behold. The limestone rocks and vallies of Judæa were entirely covered with plantations of figs, vines, and olive trees; not a single spot seemed to be neglected. The hills from their bases to their upmost summits, were entirely covered with gardens: all of these were free from weeds, and in the highest state of agricultural perfection. Even the sides of the most barren mountains had been rendered fertile by being divided into terraces, like steps rising one 1 Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. iii. c. 3. § 2, 3, 4. 3 Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. iii. c. 3. §2. 2 Ibid. lib. iii. c. 3. §4. 4 Ibid. lib. ii. c. 20. § 6. 5 The most important facts relative to the fertility of Palestine, recorded by Maundrell and Dr. Shaw, are collected by Dr. Macknight in discourses vi. and vii. prefixed to the first volume of his Harmony, and the testimonies of Hasselquist and others, are collected by Mr. Harmer. (Observations, vol. i. pp. 243-250.) 6 Travels, vol. iv. pp. 283-285, above another, whereon soil had been accumulated with astonishing labour. Under a wise and beneficial government, the produce of the Holy Land would exceed all calculation. Its perennial harvest; the salubrity of its air; its limpid springs; its rivers, lakes, and matchless plains; its hills and vales, all these, added to the serenity of its climate, prove this land to be indeed a field which the Lord hath blessed (Gen. xxvii. 28.): God hath given it of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine.”1 Such being the state of the Holy Land, at least of that part of it which is properly cultivated, we can readily account for the vast population it antiently supported: and although this country, generally speaking, by no means corresponds with the statements we have of its former exuberant fertility and population, yet this is no contradiction to the narrative of the sacred writers. The devastations of the Holy Land by the Assyrians, Chaldees, Syrians, Romans, Saracens, the European crusaders, and Turks,-together with the oppressions of the inhabitants by the Turks in our own time (who not only do not encourage agricultural industry, but also extort to the uttermost from the husbandmen),2-to which are to be added the depredations of robbers, and the predatory incursions of the Arabs,-all concur satisfactorily to account for the present state of this country: and, so far is it from contradicting the assertions of the sacred writings, that it confirms their authority; for, in the event of the Israelites proving unfaithful to their covenant engagements with Jehovah, all these judgments were predicted and denounced against them (Lev. xxvi. 32. Deut. xxix. 22. et seq.); and the exact accomplishment of these prophecies affords a permanent comment on the declaration of the royal psalmist, that God turneth a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. (Psal. cvii. 34.) X. Yet, lovely as Palestine confessedly was, its beauty and the comforts it afforded were not unalloyed: among the calamities of various kinds, which at different times visited the inhabitants, the pestilence, earthquakes, whirlwinds, the devastations of locusts, famines, volcanoes, and the pestilential Simoom, demand to be distinctly noticed. 1. Palestine is now, as it antiently was, often afflicted with the Plague; which makes its entrance from Egypt and the neighbouring countries. This tremendous scourge is frequently mentioned in the sacred writings. From the insidious manner in which it is 1 "In the north of Palestine," says a recent traveller, "there are many beautiful and fertile spots, but not so in Judæa. The breath of Jehovah's wrath seems in a peculiar manner, to have blasted and withered the territory of the daughter of Zion. What a change has been wrought in the land, once flowing with milk and honey!"-See the Journal of the Rev. J. Connor, (who was in Palestine in the spring of the year 1820,) in the Appendix to the Rev. Mr. Jowett's Christian Researches in the Mediterranean, p. 441. (London, 1822, 8vo.) 2 Volney has given some painfully interesting details on the oppression of the agricultural inhabitants of Palestine, by their barbarous masters, the Turks. Travels in Egypt, &c. vol. ii. pp. 341–347. |