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of asses and mules; and is sold for a trifle, for drinking, to those who prefer it to rain-water.

"The same causes which led the inhabitants of Judea to excavate cisterns, induced them also to build, in and around most of their cities, large open reservoirs for more public use. Such tanks are found at Hebron, Bethel, Gibeon, Bîreh, and various other places; sometimes still in use, as at Hebron, but more commonly in ruins. They are built up mostly of massive stones; and are situated chiefly in valleys where the rains of winter could be easily conducted into them. These reservoirs we learned to consider as one of the least doubtful vestiges of antiquity in all Palestine; for among the present race of inhabitants such works are utterly unknown. With such reservoirs Jerusalem was abundantly supplied; to say nothing of the immense Pools of Solomon beyond Bethlehem, which no doubt were constructed for the benefit of the Holy City. In describing these tanks or pools, I begin with those lying without the walls on the west side of the city. Here are two very large reservoirs, one some distance below the other in the valley of Gihon, or Hin om, and both unquestionably of high antiquity. Now, as the prophet Isaiah speaks of an upper and lower Pool, the former of which at least lay apparently on this side of the city, I venture to apply these names to the two reservoirs in question."

UPPER POOL."This is commonly called by the monks, Gihon. It lies in the basin forming the head of the valley of Hinnom, or Gihon." On his first visit to it, Mr. Robinson observes,-"The tank was now dry, but in the rainy season it becomes full; and its waters are then conducted by a small rude aqueduct, or channel, to the vicinity of the Yâfa gate, and so to the pool of Hezekiah within the city. The tract around this tank is occupied as a Muslem cemetery, the largest around the city. The tombs are scattered and old; some of the larger ones, indeed, have the appearance

of great antiquity. . . . The sides of the tank are built up with hewn stones laid in cement, with steps at the corners by which to descend into it. The bottom is level. . . . It would seem to be filled in the rainy season by the waters which flow from the higher ground round about: or, rather, such is its present state of disrepair, that it probably never becomes full; and the small quantity of water which it at first retains, soon runs off and leaves it dry."

"The Upper Pool of the Old Testament was situated near the highway of the fuller's field,' and had a trench, or conduit. . . . We are also told that there was an upper out-flow of the waters of Gihon' on the west of the city.1

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Taking these two circumstances together, the Upper Pool and the upper out-flow, or watercourse, of Gihon, it seems most probable that this reservoir is intended, and that it anciently had some connexion with the fountain of Gihon in the neighbourhood. . . . Nowhere else in or around Jerusalem are there traces of other ancient reservoirs, to which the names of the Upper and Lower Pool can be applied with any like degree of probability." LOWER POOL. "This name is mentioned only by Isaiah; and without any hint of its locality. I venture to give it to the large pool lower down on the west side of the city. The probable identity of this pool with the Lower Pool of Isaiah, rests upon its relative position in respect of the Upper Pool just described; and upon the fact, that no other reservoir is anywhere to be found, to which this Scriptural name can so well be applied."

"This reservoir is situated in the valley of Hinnom, or Gihon, southward from the Yâfa gate. . . The pool was formed by throwing strong walls across the bottom of the valley; between which the earth was wholly removed; so that the rocky sides of the valley are left

1 2 Chr. xxxii. 30. The Hebrew is followed here, which the English version does not fully express.

shelving down irregularly, and form a narrow channel along the middle. . . . A road crosses on the causeway at the southern end; along which are fountains erected by the Muslems, and once fed by the aqueduct which passes very near. They were now dry.

It

"This reservoir was probably filled from the rains, and from the superfluous waters of the Upper Pool. lies directly in the natural channel by which the latter would flow off; but is now in ruins."- -ROBINSON'S Researches, vol. i. pp. 352, 481–486.

ANECDOTE.

'Wherefore dost 'Nay, wherefore dost 'I weep,' replied the

"Two rabbis, approaching Jerusalem, observed a fox running upon the Hill of Zion, and Rabbi Joshua wept, but Rabbi Eliezer laughed. thou laugh?' said he who wept. thou weep?' demanded Eliezer. Rabbi Joshua, 'because I see what is written in the Lamentations fulfilled; because of the Mount of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.' 'And therefore,' said Rabbi Eliezer, 'do I laugh; for when I see with mine own eyes that God has fulfilled his threatenings to the very letter, I have thereby a pledge that not one of his promises shall fail, for He is ever more ready to show mercy than judgment.""-Warburton's Crescent and Cross, vol. ii. p. 181.

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BETHANYANATHOTH -GIBEAH OF SAUL MICHMASH -GIBEONEPHRATH, OR BETHLEHEM-RACHEL'S TOMB-WELL OF BETHLEHEM -SOLOMON'S POOLS.

BETHANY.

SCRIPTURE NOTICES.

"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha."

:

"Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs (i. e. about two miles) off and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother."-John xi. 1, 18, 19. (See whole chapter.)

1 "Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at meat."-Matt. xxvi. 6. (Mark xiv. 3.)

"And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you; and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him and bring him. . . And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments in the way, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way, and they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry; and seeing a figtree afar off, having leaves, he came if haply he might find anything thereon."-Mark xi. 1-15. (Matt. xxi. 18.)

"Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."-John xii. 1-3.

"And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased... And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there." Matt. xxi. 15-17.

And he

"And he led them out as far as to Bethany. lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy."Luke xxiv. 50-52.

1 For the evidences that the three Evangelists are recording the same event, see "TOWNSEND on the New Testament," vol. i. p. 387, &c.

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