Page:Light and truth.djvu/69

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ancient cities and kingdoms.
67

the Sea of Tiberias, where Christ wrought miracles; but its precise location is not known.

Damascus, once a most noble city, and one of the most ancient on the earth.—(Gen. xiv. 15.) It was about 50 miles in circumference, situated in a large plain, and is surrounded by several considerable villages. The plain is covered with gardens of chestnut, olive, and fig trees, apricots and vines. According to the best information, Damascus contains about 150,000 souls, about 10,000 of whom are Christians. It is computed that 50,000 Mahometan pilgrims annually pass through this city, from the north, on their way to Mecca.

Dor. (Judg. i. 27.) This is now a small town on the Mediterranean coast, about nine miles north of Cæsarea. Its present name is Tortura. It is close upon the beach, and contains about 500 inhabitants. It was formerly a royal city, or capital of a district of Canaan, (Josh. xii. 23,) and was assigned to the half tribe of Manasseh.

Debir, or Kirjath-Sepher, (Judg. i. 11,) or Kirjath-Sannah, (Josh. xv. 49.) A stronghold of the sons of Anak, which was conquered by Joshua, (Josh. x. 38, 39,) and assigned to the tribe of Judah. It was afterwards recaptured by the Canaanites, and again subdued by the Israelites under Othniel.—(Josh. xv. 15 — 17.) It afterwards became a city of the Levites.—(Josh. xxi. 15.) There was another town of this name among the possessions of Gad, east of the Jordan, (Josh. xiii. 26,) and a third on the border of Judah and Benjamin.— (Comp. Josh. viii. 26, and xv. 7.)

Emims. (Deut. ii. 10.) A numerous and warlike people of gigantic size, who dwelt on the eastern borders of Canaan, and who were supplanted by the Moabites.

Gezer. (Josh. xvi. 3.) A town of Ephraim on the border of Benjamin, north-west of Jerusalem. It remained in the possession of the Canaanites, (Josh. x. 33; xvi. 10; Judg. i. 29,) till the king of Egypt subdued it, and gave it to his daughter, the wife of Solomon.

Girgasite, (Gen. x. 16,) or Girgashites, (Gen. xv. 21.) A tribe of the Canaanites, who are supposed to have inhabited a section of the country east of the Sea of Galilee, from whom the name of the city of Gergesa was derived.