158 THE PLAINS OF THE JORDAN.
readily levelled with the ground. They denote the populous character of the region, when a strong government restrained the plundering Ishmaelite, and protected instead of robbed the people. The tells are more indicative of a large popula- tion than the remains of such a " splendid " and " noble " city as Beisan, when it was either Jewish L Beth Shan, or heathen Scythopolis, with its dominating citadel, temples, hippo- drome, theatre, baths, monuments, and bridge.*
At the southern end of the plain, are the ruins near 'Ain es Sakut, which Mons. Guerin identifies with Succoth of 1 Kings vii, 46, and 2 Chron. iv, 17. But he carefully distinguishes this site from the Succoth of Jacob in Genesis xxxiii, 17, and of Gideon, Judges viii, which is identified with the town of that name, given to Gad, on the east of Jordan, Josh, xiii, 27.f
This eastern Succoth is called Tarela, or Tarala, in the Jerusalem Talmud. J Jacob sojourned there on his way from Haran in Syria to Shalem of Shechem, passing the Eiver Jabbok. Gen. xxii, xxiii. Where the Jabbok emerges from Mount Gilead on to the plain of the Ghor, here broad and ample, the mound of Deir Ula, Darala or Tarala, commands the plain. Its discovery is ascribed by Lieutenant Conder to the Kev. Selah Merrill. But the site was mapped by Lieu- tenant Warren, and catalogued in his report of October 19th, 1868, which was published in the papers of the Fund at the time. It was inserted in the map of the Holy Land, in Dr. Smith's Ancient Atlas, from Lieutenant Warren's sketch.
At the foot of Mount Gilboa, and three miles south-west of Beisan, is the ruin called Khurbet el Mujedda, which has been adopted by Lieutenant Conder, as the site of Megiddo, in preference to the position on the Mukutt'a, near Lejjun.|| Besides the objection to this proposition, derived from the
- Kobinson, iii, 329-332. Guerin, " Samarie," i, 285-298.
t Guerin, " Samarie," i, 269.
J Neubauer, " Geographic du Talmud," 248.
Conder's " Handbook to the Bible," 253.
ii " Tent Work," i, 128, ii, 68.
