In the second geographical passage we find Galilee divided into three parts (Shebiith, ix, 2), namely, Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee, and the Valley. The first was the region above Caphar Hananiah (Kefr' Anân), the second was south of this limit, the third was the country of Tiberias on the shores of the Lake. Judea was also, according to this passage, divided into the Mountain, the Shephelah, and the Valley. The Shephelah included Lydda and the hills to the south. Bethhoron was the limit of the "King's Mountain," or Jerusalem range. Perea was also apparently divided into mountain, hill, and valley, though the limits are not stated.
It will be convenient to notice the places mentioned in Syria and Palestine in alphabetic order, and the majority are either well known or have been identified by aid of the Survey, though a few are doubtful.
Accho was in the Holy Land, yet contained a statue of Aphrodite in its bath (Abodah Zara, iii, 5). It was the last city in Palestine, and it was doubtful if tombs to its east were pure (Oheloth, xviii, 9), being close to the frontiers {see Nedarim, iii, 5; Gittin, i, 1; vii, 7).
Ahab's Well (Parah, viii, 10) was impure, being in Samaria. It is perhaps the "Fountain in Jezreel" (1 Sam., xxix, 1), and may be the great spring 'Ain Jalûd below that city.
Akrabah was a day's journey north of Jerusalem (Maaser Sheni, v, 2), and the limit of the "square vineyard," so that it appears to have been on the Samaritan border—the present 'Akrabeh.
Amanus was the northern Lebanon (Shebiith, vi, 1).
Antipatris was also on the Samaritan border (Gittin, vii, 7), but on the Judean side of the line—now Ras el 'Ain.
Ascalon appears to have been regarded as the south-western frontier (Gittin, i, 1); the belts and the crooks of the Ascalon people are noticed (Kelim, xiii, 7; xxiii, 2).
Bethel (Taanith, iv, 6) was the famous city where Barcochebas and Rabbi Akiba resisted Hadrian. It is said to have fallen on the 9th of Ab. There is no practical doubt that the site is the present Bittir, southwest of Jerusalem. It is mentioned with Tekoa (Khalah, iv, 10).[1]
- ↑ Bether, says Dr. Neubauer, is probably Bitri, where David took refuge (T. B. Sanhedrin, 95a). It was the seat of the Sanhedrin {17b). It was 40 miles from the sea (T. Jer. Taanith, iv, 8). It was near Jerusalem (Eusebius, II. E., iv, 2). It is therefore impossible that it could be the Betarus, in the plain of Sharon, south of Cæsarea; nor could it be in Galilee, as others have argued on insufficient grounds. The fugitives from Bether are said (Midrash Ekha, ii, 2) to have been caught at Hamthan (Emmaus), Beth Likitia (Beit Likia) and Bethel (Beitîn), which points to a position in Judea. Bittir is certainly the site of an ancient stronghold (Memoirs, iii, p. 20) and the ruin near it is called "Ruin of the Jews." The identification of Bether is due to Dr. Williams (Holy City, ii, p. 210). Dr. Robinson was not in favour of Dr. Williams's views as a rule, but all he can say against this identification is the weak argument that Bether may be Bethel. In "Murray's Handbook"
could not be cultivated. Herod caused seed to be sent to Syria and a large number of persons to reap the harvest there.
