[CHAPTER VIII.]

En Route for Hebron.—​Travelers.—​Beautiful Scenery.—​Ancient Travelers.—​Evening.—​Gray’s Elegy.—​Search for Lodgings.—​Hebron.—​Its Name.—​Origin.—​Home of Abraham.—​History.—​Location of the City and its Environs.—​Pools.—​Cave of Machpelah.—​The Mosque over it.—​Tombs of the Patriarchs and their Wives.—​Prince of Wales.—​Isaac still Lives.—​Identity of the Cave.—​Evidence.—​United in Death.—​Beersheba.—​Its ancient Wells.—​Events of the Past.—​Changeless Customs.—​Abraham and the Angels.—​Dining with an Arab Sheikh.—​Grapes of Eshcol.—​Abraham’s Oak.—​Ruins.—​Pool of Solomon.—​His Aqueduct.—​Plains of Rephaim.

[CHAPTER IX.]

Land of the Philistines.—​Its Limits.—​Fell to the Lot of Simeon and Dan.—​Origin of the Philistines.—​The meaning of the Name.—​Their royal Cities.—​Their God and Goddess.—​Journey thither.—​Valley of Roses.—​Baptism of the Eunuch.—​Home of John the Baptist.—​Slaughter of the Jews in the City of Bether.—​Site of Bethshemesh.—​Home of Samson.—​Village of Zorah.—​Field where the Angel appeared.—​Town of Timnath.—​Lair of the Lion.—​Home of Delilah.—​Oriental Weddings.—​Valley of Shochoh.—​Scene of the Conflict between David and Goliath.—​Correspondence between Scripture and the natural Features of the Place.—​The Valley.—​The Brook.—​The smooth Stones.—​The Sling.—​The Mountains.—​The Champions.—​The Victory.—​Home of Goliath.—​Gath.—​David’s feigned Insanity.—​Road to Eleutheropolis.—​Its Location.—​Great Caves.—​Site of Lachish.—​Its great Battle-field.—​Sennacherib and Hezekiah.—​Byron’s Hebrew Melody.—​Gaza.—​Palm-groves.—​Direction of the Road.—​Site of the City.—​Modern City.—​Ancient Ruins.—​Christian Church.—​Home of Giants.—​Gates that Samson carried away.—​His Prison.—​The great Feast.—​Samson called.—​His Presence alarms the Multitude.—​Feats of Strength.—​Death Scene.—​He is a Failure.—​Alexander the Great wounded at Gaza.—​A Moslem City.—​Ascalon.—​Route thither.—​Stood near the Sea.—​Ruins.—​Desolation.—​History.—​Adorned by Herod.—​Captured by the Crusaders.—​Road to Ashdod.—​Beautiful Gardens.—​No Ruins.—​Dagon and the Ark.—​Road to Joppa.—​Villages.—​Joppa on the Sea.—​Its Antiquity.—​Floats of Pine and Cedar.—​House of Simon.—​Substantial Structure.—​Peter’s Vision.—​Appearance of the Town.—​Gate of the City.—​Population.—​Jews.—​Nubian Magician.—​Magnificent Orange-groves.—​Ramleh.—​Franciscans.—​Traditions.—​Antiquities.—​Tower.—​View.—​Ludd.—​Eneas cured of Palsy.—​Church of St. George.—​Beautiful Ruin.—​Nether Bethhoron.—​Wretchedness.—​Upper Bethhoron.—​Battle-field of Gibeon.—​The Battle.—​Wonderful Correspondence.—​Testimony of the Rocks.—​Ajalon.—​Sun and Moon stand still.—​City of Gibeon.—​Modern Town.—​Gibeonites.—​History.—​Death of the Gladiators.—​Pool of Gibeon.—​Murder of Amasa.—​Solomon’s Dream.—​“The Look-out.”—​Mizpeh.—​National Rendezvous.—​Ebenezer Stone.—​Saul chosen King.—​Minaret.—​Vast and magnificent Prospect.

[CHAPTER X.]

Northern Palestine.—​Gibeah.—​Birthplace of King Saul.—​Historical Events.—​Thrilling Story of Rizpah watching her Dead Sons.—​Identityof the City.—​Field of the Arrow.—​Parting of David and Jonathan.—​Nob.—​Massacre of the Priests.—​The View.—​Birthplace of Jeremiah.—​Geba.—​Pottage.—​Benighted.—​Yusef Shang, of Beeroth.—​A Night of strange Experience.—​Town of Beeroth.—​Ancient Bethel.—​Its Desolation. Site of the City.—​Abraham’s Altar.—​Parting of Abraham and Lot.—​The Fountain.—​Jacob’s Flight and Dream.—​Idolatry.—​Prophecy fulfilled.—​Route to Shiloh.—​Romantic Scenery.—​Robbers’ Fountain.—​Wild Glen.—​Robbers.—​Their Dance.—​Sinjil.—​Shiloh.—​Remains.—​Site discovered in 1838.—​Tower.—​Damsels of Shiloh carried off.—​Death of Eli.—​Approach of the Robbers.—​An Attack.—​Resistance.—​Again assailed.—​Again resist.—​Revolvers drawn.—​Escape.—​Overtaken.—​Third Attack.—​Revolvers in demand.—​Sixteen against Four.—​Serious Moment.—​One of the Party whipped.—​Narrow Escape.—​Lebonah.—​Ride to Nablous.—​Grand View.—​Evening on the Plain of Mukhrah.—​Antiquity of Nablous.—​History.—​Its beautiful Situation.—​Population.—​Inside View of the Town.—​Character of the People.—​Christian School.—​Origin of the Samaritans.—​Remnant of the Nation.—​Their Creed.—​Their religious Peculiarities.—​Their High-priest.—​Their sacred Writings.—​Vale of Shechem.—​Its Length and Beauty.—​Cursings and Blessings of the Law.—​The Scene.—​Great Congregation.—​Twin Mountains.—​Jacob’s Well.—​History.—​Sweet Water.—​Evidence of its Antiquity.—​Jesus at the Well.—​Woman of Samaria.—​Accuracy of its evangelical History.—​Well Sold.—​Tomb of Joseph.—​Symbol of his Life.—​Ascent of Mount Ebal.—​Twenty Lepers.—​Ascent of Mount Gerizim.—​Almond-groves.—​Ruins on the Summit.—​Holy of Holies of the Samaritans.—​Traditions.—​Not the Scene of the Offering of Isaac.—​Samaritan Passover.—​Impressive Moment.—​Lambs slain.—​The Feast.

[CHAPTER XI.]

A Price for Politeness.—​Escort.—​Picturesque Scenery.—​Samaria.—​Its Founder.—​Its Vicissitudes.—​Residence of Elisha.—​Famine.—​City beautified by Herod.—​Its Location.—​Hill of Omri.—​Grand Ruins.—​Tomb of John the Baptist.—​Temple of Augustus.—​Prediction fulfilled.—​Departure for Cæsarea.—​Night on the Plain of Sharon.—​The Sick brought out.—​Plain of Sharon.—​The Lost Lake.—​Cæsarea uninhabited.—​Dangers.—​History.—​Imperial City under Herod the Great.—​Grand Ruins.—​St. Paul a Prisoner.—​Death of Herod Agrippa.—​Athlit.—​Mount Carmel.—​Scene of the Sacrifice.—​Great Event.—​Abode of Elisha.

[CHAPTER XII.]

Plains of Palestine.—​No Farm-houses.—​Great Plain of Esdraelon.—​Its Fertility.—​Topography.—​River Kishon.—​World’s Battle-field.—​Waters of Megiddo.—​Deborah and her Victory.—​Jeneen.—​Bethshean.—​Encampment.—​Modern Sheikhs and ancient Patriarchs.—​City of Ruins.—​Jabesh Gilead.—​Pella.—​Gideon’s Fountain.—​Mount Gilboa.—​Battles.—​Jezreel.—​Napoleon and the Turks.—​Shunem.—​Nain.—​Endor.—​Witch’s Cave.—​Saul and Samuel.—​Witches.—​Mount Tabor.—​Its Form.—​Woods.—​View.—​Misnomer.—​Transfiguration.—​It occurred at Night.—​Argument.—​Benighted Party.