Judah, to the neighborhood of _Maon_, 7 miles south of Hebron. (See
above, Nos. 10, 11. The likeness of the account in the two visits, has
suggested that but one event may be related in both.) Here the
narrow-minded Nabal was saved from David's wrath by the wisdom and
generosity of his wife, Abigail, who, after Nabal's death, became
David's wife. (1 Sam. 25.) About this time, and while David was in or
near this locality, occurred David's act of mercy in sparing Saul's life
a second time, when by moonlight he penetrated to the very centre of
Saul's camp. (1 Sam. 26.)
14. Despairing of safety in Saul's realm during his reign, David finally
took refuge in _Gath_ (_Tell es Safieh_), on the Shefelah, the capital
of the Philistines. Here he was more kindly received than before (see
No. 5), as his relations with Saul were better understood, and he was
able to obtain from Achish, the king of Gath, the grant of a city as his
home. (1 Sam. 27:1-4.)
15. The place allotted to David, was _Ziklag_, on the south of Judah,
which was at that time recognized as a possession of the Philistines.
Its location is unknown, but we have followed Conder in placing it at
_Zuheilikah_, 11 miles south of east from Gaza. Here David remained
during the closing years of Saul's reign. He accompanied the
Philistines as far as Aphek, in Mount Ephraim, but was sent back, from a
fear lest he might desert to the Israelites. Returning, he found his
home plundered by a roving band of Amalekites, pursued them, rescued his
family and possessions, and also took a great quantity of booty, which
he judiciously used in making presents to the leading people of various
places in Judah, after the death of Saul. (1 Sam. 27, 29, 30.) These
places are located upon the map as far as they are known.
16. From Ziklag David went up into the mountain region at _Hebron_, soon
after the death of Saul. Here he was made king, first of the tribe of
Judah, and afterward of all Israel. (2 Sam. 2:1-3.)
IV. =Saul's Death.= This took place B.C. 1010, when Saul had reigned 40
years. We have noticed two wars with the Philistines as prominent in the
history of Saul's reign. We call the last campaign of Saul the _third_
Philistine war, as no others are related, though their existence may be
inferred. This marked the flood tide of Philistine power; for it left
them at Saul's death in command not only of the Plain of Esdraelon and
the Jordan Valley, but of all the centre of the country. Their armies
met at Aphek, in the tribe of Benjamin (their old rallying place, 1 Sam.
4:1), and thence marched northward to the Plain of Esdraelon, at the
foot of Mount Gilboa, on which the Israelites were encamped. Saul, full
of fear, went around the Philistine camp to the village of Endor, where
he sought the counsel of a "woman having a familiar spirit," and met the
spirit of Samuel, which gave him warning that on the morrow he should
die. The battle was fought on the next day. Saul and three of his sons,
including the princely Jonathan, were slain; and Israel experienced the
heaviest defeat thus far in its history. All the middle section of the
land of Palestine was conquered by the Philistines, cutting the tribes
in sunder in each direction, from north to south and from east to west.
At such a low ebb were the fortunes of the Chosen People, when David
ascended the throne. Saul's body was fastened up on the wall of the
Canaanite city of Beth-shean, but was rescued by the warriors of
Jabesh-gilead, in grateful remembrance of Saul's brave deed in behalf of
their city, early in his reign. (1 Sam. 31.)
Upon the map the following are indicated: 1. The portions of the land
under Philistine and Canaanite control are given in yellow, while the
territory governed by Saul is shown in pink. The mountain region was
held by Israel, and the lowlands, both by the sea and the Jordan, by the
Philistines. 2. The names of Philistine cities are printed in red. Some
of these were their own hereditary possessions; others (as Aphek, Geba
and Bethel) were fortresses in the mountain region, garrisoned to hold
Israel in subjection. 3. The battle-fields and wars of Saul are
indicated by flags, and numbered. (1.) Jabesh-gilead, over the
Ammonites. (1 Sam. 11.) (2.) Michmash, over the Philistines. (1 Sam.
14.) (3.) In Moab, at some unknown place. (1 Sam. 14:47.) (4.) In Edom,
at a place also unknown. (1 Sam. 14:47.) (5.) Over the Syrians of Zobah.
(1 Sam. 14:47.) This we have indicated as taking place in the half tribe
of Manasseh, East; but its precise location is unknown. (6.) "A city of
Amalek," place unknown. (1 Sam. 15:5.) (7.) Valley of Elah, over the
Philistines. (1 Sam. 17:2.) (8.) Mount Gilboa. (1 Sam. 31.) 4. The
various places named in Saul's pursuit of David are shown upon the map,
with their most probable identifications. These places are: (1.) Gibeah.
(2.) Ramah. (3.) Gibeah. (4.) Nob. (5.) Gath. (6.) Adullam. (7.) Mizpeh
of Moab. (8.) Hareth. (9.) Keilah. (10.) Ziph. (11.) Maon. (12.)
En-gedi. (13.) Maon. (14.) Gath. (15.) Ziklag. (16.) Hebron.
OUTLINE FOR REVIEW.
I. _Saul's Appointment._ Ramah, Gibeah, Gilgal, Shalisha, Zuph.
II. _Wars of Saul._ 1. Ammonite. (Jabesh-gilead, Bezek.) 2. First
Philistine. (Geba, Michmash.) 3. Moabite. 4. Edomite. 5. Syrian. 6.
Amalekite. (Telaim, Gilgal.) 7. Second Philistine. (Valley of Elah.)
III. _Pursuit of David._ 1. Gibeah. 2. Ramah. 3. Gibeah. 4. Nob. 5.
Gath. 6. Adullam. 7. Mizpeh of Moab. 8. Hareth. 9. Keilah. 10. Ziph. 11.
Maon. 12. En-gedi. 13. Maon. 14. Gath. 15. Ziklag. 16. Hebron.
IV. _Saul's Death._ Aphek, Gilboa, Beth-shean, Jabesh-gilead.
[Illustration: JERICHO.]
[Illustration: THE EMPIRE OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.]
THE EMPIRE OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.
[Illustration: TOWER OF DAVID.]
THE greatness of David may be shown by a comparison of our last map with
the present one, keeping in mind the difference of scale between them.
David succeeded to the throne of Israel when it represented about 6,000
square miles of territory, more or less, under control; he left to his
successor, Solomon, an empire embracing an area of 60,000 square miles.
See the comparative diagram on page 70. The map now before us being upon
a scale greatly reduced from that of Saul's kingdom, it will be
impossible to represent upon it all the localities mentioned in the
history of David and Solomon. Those in the neighborhood of Jerusalem
will be found on the map of the Environs of Jerusalem, page 83, and
those of minor importance in the land of Israel may be found on the map
of Palestine Among the Tribes, page 58.
We present the events and localities under the following outline: 1.
David's Reign over Judah. 2. The Union of Palestine. 3. David's Foreign
Conquests. 4. David's Calamities. 5. The Closing Events. 6. The Reign of
Solomon.
I. =David's Reign over Judah.= (2 Sam. 1-4.) After the death of Saul,
David went from Ziklag to Hebron, and was there accepted as king over
the tribe of Judah. His reign lasted for seven years, from 1010 to 1003
B.C. During a part of this time, Ishbosheth, the only remaining son of
Saul, was also nominally reigning over a large part of the land, the
real power being held by Abner, Saul's general, and the ablest man of
his time. War naturally arose, and many battles were doubtless fought,
of which but one, at Gibeon, is related. At last, Abner and Ishbosheth
were both murdered, though not by David's desire nor with his
approbation; and, with one consent, David was accepted as king over all
the Twelve Tribes.
II. =The Union of Palestine.= (2 Sam. 5-7.) David was now ruler over the
mountain region only, as Saul had been before him, and in various places
were garrisons of the Philistines, and cities held by the Canaanite
races. He began by a siege of Jebus, or Jebusi, a fortress of the
Jebusites, on the border of Judah and Benjamin. Though deemed
impregnable by the natives, it was taken by storm, and, under its new
name, JERUSALEM, became the capital of the kingdom. The Philistines had
been friendly with David in the past, and were perhaps recognized as the
"lords paramount" during his reign over Judah; but now they were jealous
of his growing power, and, as of old, entered the mountain region with
their armies. But in David they met an enemy of a different character
from either Samson or Saul. Two battles were fought, both near
Jerusalem, at a place called "the Valley [or plain] of the Rephaim"; and
in each the Philistines were utterly routed.
David followed up his advantage, after the second victory, by marching
down upon the Shefelah and the plain. He took Gath (called Methegammah,
"the bridle of the metropolis," in 2 Sam. 8:1), and subjugated the
entire Philistine confederacy so completely that thenceforward they
ceased to trouble Israel for centuries.
The land was now united, and David turned his attention to the religious
reformation of the people, brought the ark from Baale, or
Kirjath-jearim, to Jerusalem, planned for the Temple to be built by his
successor, and organized the worship on a magnificent scale. (2 Sam. 6,
7.)
III. =David's Foreign Conquests.= These were not altogether inspired by
ambition, but were necessary for the safety of Israel, and to keep its
people from the contamination of the idolatry of the surrounding
nations. These conquests are indicated by flags on the map, though the
precise locations of the battles are not known in all cases. The lands
conquered by David were as follows:
1. _Moab._ (2 Sam. 8:2.) It is stated by Josephus, that the cruel
treatment of the Moabites (though fully in accord with the customs of
Oriental war in that day) was in revenge for the slaughter of David's
parents by the king of Moab, an event not mentioned in the Bible.
2. _Zobah_ (2 Sam. 8:3, 4), at that time the principal state between
Damascus and the Euphrates.
3. _Damascus_ (2 Sam. 8:5-12), in alliance with Zobah, and the largest
city in Syria.
4. _Edom_ (2 Sam. 8:13, 14), south of the Dead Sea. The word "Syrians,"
in verse 13, should undoubtedly be "Edomites." The battle was fought at
the "valley of salt," an unknown place, but probably near Sela, or
Petra, the capital of Edom.
5. _Ammon._ (2 Sam. 10-13.) This was the longest of David's wars, and
was waged not against the Ammonites only, but against the allied forces
of several small Syrian kingdoms, as Zobah (already conquered, but not
subjugated), Maachah, Rehob and Tob, districts on the north and east of
Israel. Three great battles were fought; the first near Medeba; the
second at Helam, an uncertain locality (if it be the name of a place,
which is questioned, as the word means "host," or "army"); and the
third, the siege and capture of Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites,
which ended the war. During this war occurred the crime of David with
Bathsheba, and the murder of Uriah. (2 Sam. 11.) This completed the
series of conquests, and made the throne of David supreme from the Red
Sea to the Euphrates. One fact which made these conquests possible was
that the tribes around Israel were not united into strong nations, as
afterward in the cases of Syria and Assyria, but were independent
principalities, easily overcome in turn by the trained warriors of
David.
As a result of these wars the kingdom of David, which he transmitted to
his son Solomon, was the largest in the Oriental world at that time. The
Assyrian empire had not arisen, the great kings of Egypt had passed
away, and the East was broken up into small principalities, among which
Israel easily rose to power.
COMPARATIVE AREA OF PALESTINE
AT DIFFERENT PERIODS.
+------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| Solomon, | +-------+
+-------+ | | +-------+ |
| | | B.C. 1000, +-------+Judah |Macca- | Herod |
|Joshua,+------+ | Ten | B.C. | bees, | the |
| B.C. |Saul, | 60,000 Sq. M. |Tribes,| 975, | B.C. | Great,|
| 1443, |B.C. | | B.C. +------+ 100, |B.C. 6,|
| |1095, | | 975, | | | |
|11,000 |6,000 | | 9,400 |3,400 |11,000 |12,000 |
|Sq. M. |Sq. M.| |Sq. M. |Sq. M.|Sq. M. |Sq. M. |
+-------+------+------------------+-------+------+-------+-------+
[Illustration: THE ORIENTAL WORLD IN THE TIME OF DAVID.]
IV. =The Calamities of David's Reign.= (2 Sam. 12-20, 24.) Three great
troubles befell David and his kingdom as the result of his sins.
1. The first and greatest was the _Rebellion of Absalom_. We can only
mention the places referred to in the history, not relate its events.
Geshur, where Absalom was in exile, was a small kingdom under the rule
of Absalom's maternal grandfather. Tekoa, whence came the "wise woman,"
was near Bethlehem. The places near Jerusalem named in David's flight,
may be seen on the map of the Environs of Jerusalem, page 83. David's
resting place was at Mahanaim, east of the Jordan, and south of the
Hieromax. Absalom was defeated and killed at "the wood of Ephraim," a
locality not in the tribe of that name, but east of the Jordan, perhaps
where the Ephraimites sustained a great defeat from Jephthah. (Judges
12.)
2. The second calamity was the _Rebellion of Sheba_, following soon
after Absalom's, and arising from the same disaffection. It was ended at
Abel-beth-maachah, in the extreme north, by the death of Sheba. (2 Sam.
20.)
3. The third calamity was the _Pestilence_, after the numbering of the
people, an enumeration with a view either to heavy levies of assessment,
or to foreign conquest; either of which was contrary to the spirit of
the Hebrew constitution. (2 Sam. 24.) The places named will be found
upon the map, except the inexplicable Tahtim-hodshi, which may mean "the
land newly inhabited," but whose location is unknown. The sacrifice of
David at Araunah's threshing-floor gave the location to the great altar
of the Temple, probably the rude rock which now rises from the floor of
the Mosque of Omar, in Jerusalem.
V. =The Close of David's Reign= (1 Kings 1, 2; 1 Chron. 22-29) was
occupied in the organization of his empire, and in preparation for the
building of the Temple. There are but few localities named with this
period, and they may be easily found upon the maps, those near Jerusalem
being upon the map of its Environs.
VI. =The Reign of Solomon= was a period of peace, with few incidents to
mark its even tenor. Its principal event was the building of the Temple.
We insert here a plan of Solomon's Temple, largely conjectural, as
neither of the descriptions is sufficiently exact for a complete
knowledge. The Temple, as it afterward stood in the time of Christ, may
be found described on page 139.
[Illustration: PLAN OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.]
Upon the map are noted most of the battle-fields, which may be
enumerated as follows: 1. At Gibeon, the victory over Abner and the
adherents of Ishbosheth. 2. At Jerusalem, its capture from the
Jebusites. 3, 4. Near Jerusalem, not indicated upon the map; two
decisive victories over the Philistines. 5. Gath, the capture of the
Philistine capital. 6. The victory over the Moabites, probably near Ar.
7. The conquest of Zobah, north of Damascus. 8. The conquest of Damascus
and its dependent places. 9. The conquest of Edom, near Sela. 10. The
victory at Medeba, over the Ammonites. 11. The victory at Helam, near
the Euphrates, over the Syrian allies of the Ammonites. 12. The siege
and capture of Rabbah. 13. The defeat of Absalom's army in the wood of
Ephraim, east of the Jordan.
OUTLINE FOR TEACHING AND REVIEW.
I. Draw a rough map of the country from the Red Sea to the Euphrates, as
in the map of the kingdom of David and Solomon, and locate upon it the
land of Israel proper, showing the dominion of Saul.
II. Draw the boundary line to show the kingdom of David at Hebron, and
that of Ishbosheth at Mahanaim; mention and locate the battle of Gibeon.
III. Show in order the conquests of David, writing upon the board the
names of the lands conquered in order, and indicating the battles by
flags.
IV. Show the dimensions of David's kingdom, by another map of the
Oriental World in the time of David. Locate and drill upon the leading
lands and capitals.
V. Give an account of the calamities in David's reign, show the flight
of David, and locate the battle with Absalom.
[Illustration: CHURCH OF NATIVITY, BETHLEHEM.]
[Illustration: ANCIENT JERUSALEM, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD.]
ANCIENT JERUSALEM.
I. =Names.= The city of Jerusalem has been known by a different name
during each of the most important periods of its varied history. 1. In
the patriarchal age it was the seat of Melchizedek's priestly kingdom,
and was known as SALEM, properly pronounced _Shalem_. (Gen. 14:18; Psa.
76:2.) 2. During the Jebusite period it was known as JEBUS. (Judges
19:10.) Probably at this time the full name was _Jebus-shalem_. 3. After
the capture by David it received the name JERUSALEM, properly
_Jeru-shalaim_. The earliest instance of this name is in Judges 1:7, 8,
where it may have been used by anticipation; or there may have been a
change, for euphony, from Jebus-shalem to _Jeru-shalem_. The word means
"possession of peace." The Greek form of this word is Hierosolyma. 4. It
is called by the prophets by the poetical name of ARIEL, "the lion of
God." (Isa. 29:1.) 5. More than once in the Bible it is called "the holy
city." (Matt. 4:5; 27:53.) 6. After its destruction by Titus, it was
rebuilt by the emperor Ælius Hadrianus, A.D. 135, and named ÆLIA, or, in
full, ÆLIA CAPITOLINA, a name that it held until the year 536 A.D.,
when the ancient name Jerusalem again became prevalent. 7. It is now
known to the Arabs as EL KHUDS, "the holy."
[Illustration: DAVID'S TOMB.]
II. =Location.= The city of Jerusalem stands in latitude 31° 46´ 45´´
north, and longitude 35° 13´ 25´´ east of Greenwich, the observations
being taken from the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This may
have been outside the ancient wall, but was certainly near it. The city
is 32 miles from the Mediterranean, 18 from the Dead Sea, 20 from
Hebron, and 36 from Samaria; and its general elevation is about 2,500
feet above the level of the ocean.
III. =Geologic Formation.= "The vicinity of Jerusalem consists of strata
of the Eocene and chalk formations, having a general dip down the
watershed of about 10° east-southeast. The action of denudation has left
patches of the various strata; but, generally speaking, the oldest are
on the west. The upper part of the Olivet chain consists of a soft white
limestone, with fossils and flint bands belonging to the Upper Chalk;
beneath this are, first, a hard silicious chalk, with flint bands;
second, a soft white limestone, much used in the ancient buildings of
the city; third, a hard chalk, often pink and white in color, and then
known as Santa Croce marble. The underlying beds belonging to the period
of the Greensand are not visible, the lowest strata in the Kedron
precipices belonging to the Lower Chalk epoch." (_Encyclo. Britan._)
IV. =Valleys.= The peculiar natural features of Jerusalem, and much of
its history, are due to the arrangement of its three valleys. These
unite near the southeastern corner of the city. 1. _The Valley of the
Kedron_, called also "the Valley of Jehoshaphat" (perhaps referred to in
Joel 3:2, 12); and "the king's dale" (Gen. 14:17; 2 Sam. 18:18). This
lies on the east of the city, between Mount Moriah and the Mount of
Olives. During the summer it is dry; but in the rainy season it is the
bed of a brook, from which it receives its name. 2. _The Valley of the
Tyropoeon_ (a word supposed to mean "cheesemongers," though the meaning
and derivation are questioned) branches from the Kedron Valley at the
southern end of Mount Moriah, and extends in a northwesterly direction.
The principal ravine curves in crescent form around Mount Zion, but a
shallower and less noticeable branch extends further to the north. This
valley is now almost obliterated by the accumulation of debris, but its
ancient course has been established by recent soundings. 3. _The Valley
of Hinnom_, called also, "the valley of the son of Hinnom" (Josh. 15:8),
forms the western and southern border of the city, and unites with the
Kedron Valley near its junction with the Tyropoeon. Its lower portion,
near the Kedron, was called Tophet, or "place of fire" (Jer. 7:31), and
Gehenna (Ge-Hinnom). It was at one time the seat of idolatrous worship
to Molech, and afterward became a cesspool, and place where the offal of
the city was burned. Gihon (1 Kings 1:33) is located by most in the
upper portion of this valley; but, by Conder and a few others, in the
lower portion of the Kedron Valley, at the spring en Rogel.
V. =Mountains.= Jerusalem is and has ever been emphatically a place of
mountains; as it stood anciently upon four distinct hills, with others
around its walls on every side. The names of these hills are well known,
but the identification of them is neither easy nor unanimous among
investigators. We name the locations as given by the largest number of
leading scholars.
1. _Mount Zion_ is the largest and highest of the four hills within the
city. It lies on the southwestern section, between the Valleys of the
Tyropoeon on the east and north, and Hinnom on the south and west. Its
crown is 2,540 feet high. Upon it, probably, stood the Jebusite fortress
which so long defied the Israelites, but was finally taken by David.
2. _Acra_ is a little east of north from Zion, and is an irregularly
shaped eminence, now 2,490 feet high, but anciently higher, as its crest
was cut down by the Maccabean princes, in order to bring it nearer to
the level of the Temple-hill. It is surrounded upon the south, east and
north by the two arms of the Tyropoeon Valley. On this may have stood
the castle, or Millo. (2 Sam. 5:9.)
3. On the eastern side of the city is _Mount Moriah_, the place once
occupied by the Temple, and now by the Dome of the Rock, mistakenly
called the Mosque of Omar. It lies between the two valleys of the Kedron
on the east and the Tyropoeon on the west, and is 2,432 feet high. Its
southern end is a steep declivity, called Ophel (in Josephus, Ophlas),
running southward to the junction of the valleys.
4. _Bezetha_ is a little west of north from Mount Moriah, and separated
from it by a slight depression. It lies between the Kedron Valley and
the northern branch of the Tyropoeon. Only in the later age of New
Testament history was it within the walls of the city. Its height is a
little over 2,500 feet.
These four mountains are all that are named as within the ancient walls.
Calvary was not a mountain, but merely a place outside the city where
the crucifixion of Jesus took place; so that it is not to be counted in
the list. But we must notice, in addition, the most important of the
"mountains round about Jerusalem."
5. _The Mount of Olives_ lies east of the Kedron Valley, and is a range
of hills having several summits, which are a little under 3,000 feet in
height. (1.) The northern peak, called _Scopus_, lies northeast of the
wall, and is supposed to be the point from which Titus obtained his
first view of the doomed city. (2.) The second is called _Viri Galilæi_,
"men of Galilee," from a tradition that the angels, at the time of
Christ's ascension, appeared upon it. (Acts 1:11.) (3.) The central
summit is the _Mount of Ascension_, 2,665 feet high, and directly east
of the Temple. It is probable that the true place of the ascension is to
be found on the eastern slope of this hill, near Bethany, and not in
sight of Jerusalem. (4.) The next peak southward is called "_The
Prophets_," from a tradition that some of the prophets were buried upon
its side near the Kedron. (5.) The southern peak is called the _Mount of
Offense_, from the idol worship which Solomon established upon it. (1
Kings 11:7.)
6. South of the Valley of Hinnom, and directly opposite to Mount Zion,
is an eminence known as the _Hill of Evil Counsel_, where Judas is said
to have bargained for the betrayal of his Lord. Upon the slope of this
hill is the traditional Aceldama, "the field of blood." (Matt. 27:7, 8.)