Etsin Benjaminin ja juudan rajan
Zelzahin ( Auringon Varjon , tai Kirkkaan Varjon) ) kohtaa, Raakelin haudan lähikohtaa, jonka näin I samulein kirjasta.
http://www.jewish-history.com/palestine/desert.html Tässä yheydessä havaitsin,että Itävallassa Kärnten - alueella on sen niminen paikka ja lisäksi Zelzach on sukunimi jossain päin maailmaa. 23.10.2014
Descriptive Geography and Brief Historical Sketch of Palestine
By Rabbi Joseph Schwarz, 1850
The Towns in the Palestinian Desert.
Under this name are understood all the towns of that desert
which commences on the western shore of the Dead Sea, and extends up to
Zin.
This district is briefly called "the Desert;" whilst those situated in
the "South" of Judah are but small, and take their names from the towns
nearest
to them; for example, the Desert of Maon (1 Sam. 23:24); the Desert of
Ziph
(ibid. 24:12); the Desert of Jeruel (2 Chron. 20:10),
&c.
Beth-Arabah בית
הערבה. See above,
The Divisions of
Judah.
Ir-Hammelach (the City of Salt,
עיר
המלח). See
Zoar.
En-Gedi עין גדי.
Almost due east from Hebron, but a little to the south, and at a distance of 12
English miles, hard upon the shore of the Dead Sea, is a spot which the Arabs
call En-Djedi, unquestionably the ancient En-Gedi, which was also called Hazezon
Thamar
חצצן
תמר (Chron. 20:2). Two English miles north of this
spot there is a valley or Wady, which the Arabs call Wady al Huzazan, which I
conceive to be so named from the ancient Hazezon (Thamar).
The
other cities of Judah mentioned elsewhere are--
Eloneh
Mamreh אלוני
ממרה (Gen. 14:13). North of Chebron, and sideward
from Chalchul, is a plain about 2½ English miles in length, which the Arabs
call
Elon, no doubt the ancient dwelling place of Abraham in question.
Gerar
גרר (ibid. 20:1). This town,
which was still in existence in the time of Hieronymus, was situated, as he
reports, 25 mill south of Eleutheropolis (Beth Djibrin); consequently between
Beersheba and Gaza, for which reason the environs of Beersheba were called in
the time of the Romans "the District of Gerar." In the Talmudic writings
this district is termed Gerarki. (See Yerushalmi Shebiith, chap. vi.; and
Bereshith Rabbah, chap. 64.) At present, however, no trace whatever of this town
can be discovered.
Ephrath
אפרת which is also
called Beth-Lechem, (Gen. 35:19), is even at the present day a large village, 3
English miles south of Jerusalem.
The
Grave of Rachel קבורת
רחל. Four English miles south-southwest of Jerusalem,
about 1 English mile northwest of Beth-Lehem, on the road from the former to
Hebron, is found this ancient and famous monument; it is a small, low, square
chapel, with a cupola, which is somewhat pointed. In the middle of the same,
running east and west, is a monument, composed of several large stones, about 7
feet in length, 4 broad, and 5 in height. It was always believed that this stood
over the grave of the beloved wife of Jacob. But about twenty-five years ago,
when the structure needed some repairs, they were compelled to dig down at the
foot of this monument; and it was then found that it was not erected over the
cavity in which the grave of Rachel actually is; but at a little distance from
the monument there was discovered an uncommonly deep cavern, the opening and
direction of which was not precisely under the superstructure in question.
In
the year 5601 (1841), Sir Moses Montefiore, of London, caused the same to be
entirely renovated, furnished it with a cupola, and an entrance hall, so that at
present it is quite a handsome building. I think it advisable to speak somewhat
more at large about this monument, since we find in the Scriptures several
passages which almost seem to place it in another position than where it is. Let
us first investigate the measure of distance employed in Gen. 26:16, "Kibrath
Eretz"
כברת
ארץ between the grave and Beth-Lehem, so that thereby
we may be able to ascertain the true position. The Arabic version of Saadiah has
mill, a mile; the Persian translation gives it with Fersh, i. e. the length of a
field, an acre; Ben Seruk explains
כברת
as derived from
כביר
"a great length;" Rashi alleges it to be a Parsah, or 3 English miles;
Nachmanides (Ramban) expounds it as derived from
בר
Bar, "a very little, insignificant," as
ברי
בר in Prov. 31:2 ; and in point of fact the latter
explanation does appear as the most correct, since the distance from the
monument to Beth-Lehem is quite small, scarcely an English mile, and wherefore
also we may take for granted that the building actually marks the grave of
Rachel.
Still there is one passage which offers us some difficulty; I refer to 1
Sam. 10:2, where Samuel tells Saul, "When thou departest this day from me,
thou wilt meet two men near the grave of Rachel, on the boundary of Benjamin in
Zelzach." This then places the sepulchre on the border of Benjamin; and still
we do not find this line to be within 4 English miles north thereof. I would ask
farther, since Saul travelled at the time from Ramah (Ramathaim Zophim), to his
home Gibeath Saul (Kirjath-Jearim), and as Beth-Lehem and the monument are near
10 English miles southeast of Gibeah, and consequently entirely out of his way:
how should he happen to meet the two men at the grave of Rachel on his return
journey? In Bereshith Rabbali to Section Vayishlach, the difficulty of the grave
of Rachel being on the boundary of Benjamin, is indeed touched upon, and
explained in two different ways; the solution is nevertheless obscure and
unsatisfactory. But in Midrash Samuel to the passage cited, there is a more
correct elucidation, as follows: "When thou departest (already) this day from
me, thou wilt meet (to-morrow) at the boundary of Benjamin, at Zelzach, two men,
(who will quit to-morrow) the grave of Rachel;" that is to say, he was going
one way and they were coming from another direction, and would thus meet on the
boundary line.* If Saul and the pilgrims had both commenced their journey at the
same time, it would have been impossible for them to meet at Zelzach, because
the distance from there to Ramah is far greater than to the grave of Rachel; but
it was probable that they should so meet if Saul set out on the day he was
speaking with Samuel, and the others set out only the day following. From all
this, it appears that not the grave of Rachel but Zelzach must be sought for on
the border of Benjamin; whence, therefore, the three words
עם
קבורת רחל or "by the
grave of Rachel," must be taken as an explanation, giving the whereabout of
the two men at the time Samuel was speaking, of whom it is said
ומצאת
שני אנשים
בגבול בנימין
בצלצח "And thou shalt find these men at
the border of Benjamin at Zelzach."
*
See also farther art. Zelzach, which is said to be, according to the same
Midrash, no other than Jerusalem; and I suppose that a trace of the name may be
found in that of the village Tsellsia.
There is also a difficult passage in
Sifri to Deut. 33:3, where it says that
Rachel died in the land of her son (Benjamin), and still her grave is in the
land of Judah. But I would explain this, that the
Sifri neither said nor meant
that her grave is in Benjamin's portion, but that she died whilst Jacob was on
his journey from Beth-El to Bethlehem, consequently whilst traversing the
territory of Benjamin, and perhaps they were still in it when Rachel was taken
dangerously ill, and being near death, she might be considered dead already
before they reached the land of Judah. The explanation of Nachmanides to Genesis
48:7, "that she did not die on the journey, but in Ramah, a city of Benjamin,
and that she was buried there," is extremely surprising. It appears that this
very learned man wrote this before he lived in the Holy Land, and before he had
the opportunity of convincing himself of the actual condition of the things, and
the locality of the various places in question. (See also
Mechiltha, chap. I.)
Upon the whole, it is my conviction that the monument marks correctly the grave
of Rachel, although others have without sufficient reason placed the sepulchre
in another spot.
Migdal-Eder
מגדל עדר
(Gen. 35:21), was situated, according to a well-known tradition, 2½ English
miles southwest of BethLehem, on a hill near the aqueduct from the spring Etam
(2 Chron. 11:6). See article EnEtam.
In
the conquests of David (I Sam. 30.), are mentioned Beth-El, Aroer, the
cities of the Kenites, and Athach.
Beth-El*
בית אל
(I Sam. 30:27), also called Kesil (Joshua 15: 30), and Bethul (1
Chron. iv. 30), was situated 17 English miles southwest of Eleutheropolis; and
to this day there are discoverable in this position, on a high hill, some ruins
of a fort, which, as I learned from records, are called Bethulia. Near these
ruins is the village Kesi (Kesil). It appears, therefore, that this Bethulia and
Kesi are the Beth-El, Bethul, and Kesil of Samuel.
*
In Echah Rabbethi to chap. 1:16, there is spoken of a Beth-El in Judah, which
means that there was yet another, I presume the Beth-El in the land of the
Philistines.
Aroer
ערער (ibid. 5:28),.
probably the modern village Arar, situated 2½ English miles south of Moladah.
The
cities of the Kenites ערי
הקיני. In the Greek translation of the
Septuagint, there are added to these cities Zaphet, probably Zephath or Chormah
of Joshua 15:30 ; next Karmilos, i. e. Karmel near Ziph;* but Haleis is unknown
to me.
*
This is in accordance with Josephus, who represents Ziph as a town situated in
the land of the Kenites.
Athach
עתך (ibid. 5:30). There is at
this day a valley called Athacha, north of Mount Madura. Without doubt the town
of Athach must have been situated there.
Geshurites,
Gezrites גשורי
גרזי (I Sam. 27:8). The first name is
discoverable in the modern village Adshur, which
is situated 1 English mile from Dir-Dibon, on the road leading to Migdal. The
latter name is to be met with in that of the village Beth-Djirsi, which lies
near the Wady Simsum.
The
hill
Chachilah גבעת
החכילה (ibid. 23:19). Two and a half
English miles west of Hebron, on the road to Beth Djibrin, is the village
Beth-Chachal, which has derived its name, in all probability, from this hill.
Adoraim
אדורים (II
Chron. 11:9), is at present a village called Dura, situated 4 English miles west
of Hebron. It is the seat of the sheich of the district Abd Rachman, whose
territory extends to Egypt.
Etam
עיטם (ibid. 11:6), is
at present a little fort, called Al Burak, and distant 2½ English miles south
of the grave of Rachel. For more particulars, see farther, in art. En Etam.
Tekoa
תקוע (ibid.) Five
English miles south of Beth-Lehem, there are still some ruins called Thakua. Two
and a half miles northeast of this place there is a separately situated mount,
called Djebl Fridis, also, the Franks' Mount,* because the Franks, i. e. the
European Christians, maintained themselves for some time in a fort which once
stood on this mount, after they had been driven out of Jerusalem and other
cities of Palestine by the rulers of Egypt. This Herod's Mount, as Josephus
calls it, has the shape of a long apple, and the ruins of the ancient
fortification are still visible on its summit. Some are of opinion that this
mount is the BethHakkerem (the vineyard-house), which is mentioned in connexion
with Tekoa, in Jer. 6:1, since to this day there are visible terraces suitable
for the cultivation of the vine. Perhaps Solomon alludes to this mount in his
Song 1:14, when referring to his vineyard at En-Gedi; since they are not far
apart. Northwest from this mount is the cave Al Mama, 60 feet long and 6 high;
and I suppose that this it was which Saul entered, when pursuing David in the
desert of En-Gedi (1 Sam. 24:4). West from the ruins of Thakuah are found many
caverns in the depths of the mountains; they are called Al Kreitun (Labyrinth),
and served the inhabitants of Tekoa as places of refuge when they had to fly
before the pursuing Arabic hordes, in the year 4898 (1138).†
*
Although it is not my purpose to discuss and censure erroneous and false views
of the learned of modern and the latest times, I nevertheless cannot avoid
calling the reader's attention to a gross mistake made in several modern
Hebrew descriptions of Palestine, in respect to the name of this mount. I do
this merely to prove that all these works are but copies of ancient writings,
which, however, were not correctly understood. Now the modern learned men call
this Franks' Mount הר חפשי "The Mount of Freedom"
(Exod. 21:2, because they understood the name of Franks to signify the idea of
freedom, franco; whereas the real meaning is "the mount of the Franks," or the strangers who came from Frankland (France), wherefore they
ought to have translated it הר
עם פראנקא
or הר בני ארץ
פראנקיא
†
This town belonged to the portion of Judah, as appears distinctly from the
passage cited (2 Chron 11:6). The more surprising, therefore, appears the
opinion of the celebrated David Kimchi to 2 Sam. 14:2, and Amos 7:10, that it
belonged to Asher. This hypothesis is based, however, on a misunderstanding of a
passage in Talmud Menachoth, fol. 85b, which says that Tekoa produced
the best oil; and whereas the land of Asher produced much oil, so that it was
said (Deut 33:24), "He (Asher) dips his foot in oil," this learned
commentator concluded that Tekoa must have belonged to Asher. But Tekoa, as will
appear from Mishna, Menachoth chap. 8 § 3, furnished merely the finest oil, but
by no means in great abundance. But the place where it was produced in such
uncommonly large quantities was Gush-Chalab גוש
חלב, as is told as an historical fact in the
above-cited passage from Talmud Menachoth, fol. 85; and this town actually
belonged to Asher, as we read in Judges 1:31: "Asher did not drive out the
inhabitants of Achlab," i.e. those of the present Gush-Chalab. The error of
Kimchi now arises from his mistaking Tekoa for Gush-Chalab, and placing the
first in Asher, which is wrong.
Raphiach
רפיח. Onkelos
paraphrases Deut. 2:23, "And the Avites who dwell in open places
(Chazerim)
unto Gaza," with, "in Raphiach unto Gaza." To this day are some ruins on
the shore of the Mediterranean between Gaza and the village Al Arish, which are
called Rapha; another proof that the Avites had extended their settlements up to
that place, and in the southern portion of Palestine. (See Hezron.)
Bor-Hassirah
בור
הסירה "the fenced in pit" (2 Sam.
3:26), was, according to Josephus, called Besera, and was 20 riss (2½ English
miles) distant from Hebron. Perhaps we may discover a trace of the name in the
modern Siar (see Zior), since it is precisely that distance from Hebron.
Lechi
לחי (Judges 15:9). Josephus
reports that this place was called by the Greeks Siaron (identical with the
Hebrew Lechi "jawbone"). Since, however, there was a spring formerly near
Eleutheropolis, called Siaron, it proves to a certainty that Lechi was near
Beth-Djibrin (Eleutheropolis).
Shaphir
שפיר (Micha 1:2), no
doubt the village Suaphir as yet existing, situated 5 English miles southeast
from Ashdod; and is perhaps identical with the Kefar Sephuria of
Yerushalmi
Kiddushin, chap. iii., and the Beth-Shuphrin of
Vayikra Rabbah, chap. 22.
Charsha
חרשא (Ezra 2:52),
probably identical with the ruins, called by the Arabs Charsha, situated south
of Wady Zarr, and at some distance from the ruins of Gadar.
Barkos
ברקוס (ibid. 53),
the modern village Barkusia, 6 English miles northwest of Beth-Djibrin.
Jeshua
ישוע (Nehem. 11:26),
the village Yesué, near the village Chulda, situated to the east of Ekron, at a
distance of about 5 English miles. Here commences the so-called Lowland or plain,
on this side.
Dibon
דיבון (ibid. 25),
the village Dir-Dibon, 5 English miles north of Beth-Djibrin.
Ir-Nachash
עיר נחש (I
Chron. 4:12), the village Dir Nachas, 1 mile east of Beth-Djibrin.
Rechah
רכה (ibid.), the village
Rashia, 3 English miles south of Hebron.
Zobebah
צבבה (ibid. 8), the
village Beth Zaphapha, 2½ English miles south of Jerusalem.
I
will now mention the following places, noticed in the Talmudic writings as
belonging to the tribe of Judah:
Beth-Gubrin*
בית
גוברין. This formerly very large and
celebrated free city, called in the times of the Greeks and Romans
Eleutheropolis, from Eleutheros "free," and polis "a city,"† is
situated 17 English miles west-northwest of Hebron, and has remarkable buildings
and ruins, together with a very large and wide subterranean cave, in which there
are several Christian chapels, which date from the time when Christian princes
bore rule in Palestine. In the year 4557 (797), the city was destroyed by the
Saracens, and it is at present but a large village, called Beth-Djibrin. This
city has been almost constantly in the hands of non-Israelites, wherefore
it could hardly be regarded as Jewish property; which circumstance will explain
the meaning of Bereshith Rabbah, chap. 61, which comments, "And of the dew of
heaven from above (Gen. 27:39), means Beth-Gubrin," by which blessing this
city was assigned by the patriarch Isaac to his son Esau. (See ibid. chap. 60;
Shir Hashirim Rabbah, fol. 2
a;
Koheleth Rabbah, fol. 102
b;
Bereshith Rabbethi, chap. 10.)
*
Literally "the city of the mighty," because in its vicinity lived formerly
very strong and gigantic men. Jonathan translates Hebron (Gen. 23:2) with קרית
דגוברא "the city of heroes."
†
Compare with Bereshith Rabbah, chap. 42, which says, "And the Chori (Gen.
14:6), is Elitheropolis."
Barur
Chayil ברור חיל; this is the
manner in which the name is given in Sanhedrin, fol. 32
a, and
Tosephtah
Maaseroth, beginning of chap. 2; but in
Megillah 18
a, it is given as
גבור
חיל Gibbor Chayil, and in
Yerushalmi Demai, beginning
of chap. 3, as
בלי חיל
Blee Chayil, which, however, appears to be a mistake of the transcriber. I
presume to discover in this name some historical allusion. Josephus relates in
his Jewish War that the Emperor Vespasian sent a colony composed of the
dismissed and meritorious veterans of his army to Emaus, 60 stadia (7½ English
miles) from Jerusalem. I now consider that
Barur Chayil refers "to the
chosen men from the army," selected to occupy it, and that we find for the
same reason
Gibbor Chayil "the heroes of the army," and that it is
the same with the town of Emaus. South of Saris (which see), about 7½ English
miles from Jerusalem, are met with some ruins, which the Arabs call Baburaia, probably
corrupted from Barureia, i. e. Barur Chayil, and that
it marks the site of the military colony of Vespasian as given by Josephus.
Amus
or
Emius, עימאוס
אמאוס formerly Nicopolis, "the City of
Victory," is now the village Ameius, near which is a good spring. It is 7½
English miles east of Ekron, and south of Kabab. It is, however, not to be taken
for the town just mentioned; as there were two places of similar names.
Beth-Deli בית דלי
mentioned at the end of
Yebamoth, is the village Beth-Dulia, or corrupted into
Beth-Ulia, 7½ English miles from Hebron, on the road to Jaffa.
Beth-Garem
בית גרם
(
Erubin 19
a, and perhaps the
הגרמי
of 1 Chron. 4:19). One and a half day's journey east from Gaza was, according
to Astori, the author of
Caphtor Vapherach, the village Mansul Garem; but it is
now unknown.
Malchaya
מלחיא of
Vayikra Rabbah 26, is the village Malcha, 4 English miles west-southwest from Jerusalem;
it has an excellent spring, the water of which is light and wholesome. Here are
also found a large quantity of roses.
Abus
כפר אבוס
of
Yerushalmi Sanhedrin, chap. ii., is, according to my opinion,
the same with Abis, mentioned in Josephus, Bell. Jud. 8:5, and which he
places in Upper Judea;
it was probably near the ruins of Gadar in the Wady Zarr. To this
circumstance
it is no doubt owing that the spring found there is called "the Spring
of Abis."
(See also above in the northern boundary of Judah.)
Imra
כפר
אימרא of
Yerushalmi Thanith, chap. iv., is
the village Beth-Imra, 2½ English miles south-southwest of Hebron.
Aryeh
כפר אריה of
Yerushalmi Kelayim, chap. i.,
is, according to ancient records, a village near Eleutheropolis.
Barkah
כפר
ברקא of Talmud
Cheritoth (end) was, according to
Eusebius, not far from Ashdod, but is at present unknown.
Darum
כפר דרום
of Sota 20
b, was the village Darum, 5 English miles southeast from
Gaza, as reported by Astori; it is at present unknown.
Shachra
כפר שחרא
of Tosephtah, end Yebamoth, is probably the village Beth-Sachur, 2½ English
miles northeast from Bethlehem, in the district of Tekoa. It may, perhaps, be
the same as Achchur, comp. 1 Chron. 2:24, "Achchur, the father of Tekoa."
Jos. Bell. Jud. i. 1, called it Beth-Zacharias.
Atim
כפר עיטם of
Yebamoth, end of chap. 12, for which see article En-Etam.
Kedron
קדרון, I book,
15:39, 3 English miles west of Ekron, now the large village called Qadrun. It is
remarkable that several learned men in their geographical descriptions of
Palestine, have alleged, that despite of laborious investigation, they had not
been able to find this place, and that there must have occurred a mistake in the
transcriber by putting Kedron instead of Gedar. But it is undoubted, and easily
capable of demonstration, that the author of the books of the Maccabees meant no
other place than the present Qadrun, situated in the vicinity of the land of the
Philistines.
Chamma
חאממא, I book
3:40, is the village Chamameh, 2½ English miles south of Migdal, and is
situated in the Lowland, as is stated in the book cited.
