the rock (as we render μνημειον ὁ ελατόμησεν Ιωσηφ εν τη πέτρα, Matt. xxvii. 60. and μ. rounμsvov ex æstgas, Mark xv. 46. and μ. λužsurov, Luke xxiii. 53.) but that these words absolutely denote a sepulchre built with hewn square polished stones, or, in his words, Monumentum lapide caso, polito et quadrato structum. Whereas the verb Arous can, by no means, be confined to such a construction; not signifying properly to build or to raise an edifice with stones, but only preparatory thereto (as runas Aidas kusus te osxodounrai osxov rw Oiw, 1 Chron. xxii. 2.) to cut stone, or to hew in stone; whether such stones were ord, single and moveable, or whether they were fixed and immoveable, such asy or g, always rendered a rock, may be supposed to be. And therefore, if we are to explain one Scripture phrase by another, λατομείν εκ της πέτρας, Οι εν τη πέτρα το μνημείον, cannot be rendered building a sepulchre with square moveable stones, as is here pretended, but cutting or hewing it out of the ,, or immoveable rock; as the house (Matt. vii. 24.) is said to be built Trg. For had this structure been made with hewn square polished stones, the term of art would have been different. It would not have been rou, but οικοδομείν, ποιειν, Οι λαξεύειν το μνημείον εκ λίθων, Οι λίθοις, as might be illustrated from various authorities. The sepulchre likewise of Lazarus, according to the same author, (ibid.) was of the like fashion and workmanship. But the evangelist John, xi. 38. in describing it to be a cave, seems to contradict his opinion; for a cave, on, or spelunca, is ge nerally, nerally, and perhaps always, taken for some hollow place under ground, either naturally such, or made so artificially; not by building it with adventitious stones, but by scouping away the natural rock, as in the sepulchre of our Saviour, and in the several caves, cryptæ, or grottos already taken notice of The sepulchres likewise of the prophets, as they are now called, with many other caves that we meet with upon the Mount of Olives, in the very neighbourhood of that we are now speaking of, might all of them have either served, or have been originally designed for burying places, having their proper stones, or opercula, to lay upon them, or to shut them up. Here the dead bodies, especially of those of better fashion, after they were bound up in linen clothes, with spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury, were to be laid, and the sepulchre to be shut up; as we find it was actually done to Lazarus, John xi. 38. 44. and would have been done to our Saviour, was he to have been left in his sepulchre, and to have seen corruption. But, to proceed in our geographical inquiries, the greatest part of the country betwixt Latikea and Jebilee, is stony and mountainous; after which, we enter upon a most delightful plain, formerly the northern limit of the district of the Aradians *. At the mouth of the river Melleck, six miles from Jebilee, along this plain, the sea forms itself into a small bay, where we have the ruins * Ειτ' (sc. a Gabala) ηδη ή των Αραδίων παλαια (παραλια, Boch. Phal. 1. iv. c. 36.) &c. Strab. I. xvi. p. 1093. ruins of the ancient city, Paltus; and a little to the E.N. E. there is a large subterraneous conduit, with a number of lesser ones detached from it; which, spreading themselves for several furlongs through a low marshy ground, might have been some ancient drain, to render this place more fit for tillage. Not far from the Melleck, are the ruins of Balanea, or Baneas, or Пaves, where the author of the Jerusalem Itinerary, and Hierocles in his Synecdemus, place the boundary betwixt Cœle-Syria and Phoenice. Seven leagues further, a little to the northward of Tortosa, are the traces of a cothon, with a small pottery by it. Here we are to look for the ancient Carne, as the cothon itself might be the V, or the dock that *Strabo tells us belonged to the Aradians. Betwixt the pottery and Tortosa, are the cryptæ that were mentioned above. Tortosa has been generally mistaken for Orthosia, which lay a great way further to the southward, upon the confines of Syria and Phoenice. And though indeed Orthosia may seem to have an easy transition into Tortosa, yet considering there was formerly a large convent, and two very magnificent Christian churches at this place, Tortosa is rather to be received as a corruption of Deirdouse, i. e. the place of a church, or convent, as the inhabitants interpret it. And in no small conformity to this circumstance, we VOL. II. C are Καράνος το επίνειον της Αραδα, λιμένιον έχον. Strab. lib. xvi p. 1093. are acquainted, that the first church erected to the honour of the blessed Virgin was at Tortosa *. However, as it lies at no more than half a league's distance over against the ancient Aradus, there is no doubt but it must be the Antaradus of the old geography. This is confirmed by Phocas, in his Description of Syria, (apud L. Allatii Eva) Ανταραδα ητοι ή Ταρτησα; and likewise by Willerm, of Tyret. Antaradus, says he, quæ vulgari appellatione Tortosa vocatur. In the fourth century, (viz. about A. D. cccxxx.) it continued to be known by its old name, as appears from the Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum; which, with its other name Constantia ‡, given to it by its restorer Constantius, were disused some centuries afterwards, in, or perhaps before, the time of the Croisades. For thus we have it related by a poet of these times. Non procul urbs aberat, ripæ vicina marinæ, Nomine quæ celebris ipso Tortosa vocatur. Guil. Paris. Exp. Hier. The island Aradus, the Arpad of the Scriptures, the seat of the Arvadite or Aradite, is called at present Rou-wadde; which, with El Hammah, the ancient Hamath, the seat of the Hamathite, lying *In Tortosa fuit prima ecclesia quæ in honorem B. Virginis ædificata fuit. Vid. Willebr. ab Oldenburg. Itinerarium apud L. Allatii Evisa. p. 130. Itiner. 1. vii. c. 17. Constantius Antaradum instauratum suo nomine donavit. Theoph. Chronogr. p. 31. lying over against it, Ezek. xlvii. 29. ten leagues to the eastward, are the most northern settlements of the sons of Canaan. Mr Bedford, in his Chronology, has an ingenious conjecture, espoused by the Lord Bishop of Clogher (Chronol. p. 90.) that Ham, in the dispersion of mankind after the flood, entered the land of Canaan (as it was afterwards called) at the latter of these places; and from thence we find it so frequently called in Scripture the entering in of Hamath, non. This learned prelate supposes further, that Abraham likewise came into the same country, north about, as Canaan or Ham himself did before, by the entering in of Hamath. From the situation indeed either of Shinar or Haran, with respect to the land of Canaan, Ham, Canaan and Abraham might have taken this road as well as any other, or the more open one which Jacob took by Gilead and the Jordan, Gen xxxi. 21. and xxxii. 10.; yet there seems not to be the least authority for it from the original word (or with the præfix) which signifies no more than barely the going to, or until thou arrive or come at; or the entering in or into such or such a place, without the least regard to what might have been transacted there by one or other of those patriarchs. As Hamath likewise lies about fifty Thus, is as frequently joined in Scripture with c. as with& צדדה אפרתה מצרים עיל פרבלה non; and may be presumed to have the same signification; viz. the entering in, &c. of Egypt, Ephrata, Adad, as among many others, Jer. xli. 17. Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, as thou goest to enter into Egypt. |