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three years these ships completed a voyage, and brought home their merchandise. Hence, it is inferred, the place with which they traded must have been distant from Judea.

The vessels given by Hiram to Solomon, and those built by Jehoshaphat, to go to Tarshish, were all launched at Eziongeber, at the northern extremity of the eastern gulf of the Red Sea, now called the gulf of Ahaba. (2 Chron. xx. 36.) The name of Tarshish was from one of the sons of Javan. (Gen. x. 4.)

PHUT, (Gen. x. 6,) or Put, (Nah. iii. 9,) was the third son of Ham; and his descendants, sometimes called Libyans, are supposed to be the Mauritanians, or Moors of modern times. They served the Egyptians and Tyrians as soldiers. (Jer. xlvi. 9; Ezek. xxvii. 10; xxx. 5; xxxviii. 5.)

PUL. A district in Africa, thought by Bochart to be an island in the Nile, not far from Syene. (Isa. lxvi. 19.) SEBA. (Isa. xliii. 3.) A peninsular district of Afri can Ethiopia, deriving its name from the eldest son of Cush, (Gen. x. 7.) who is supposed to have been the progenitor of the Ethiopians. It is called Seba by the Hebrews.

CITIES OF ARABIA.'

ARABIA, a large country of Asia, lying partly on the east, but chiefly southward of Canaan. Its greatest length from east to west is about 1620 miles; and its greatest breadth from north to south about 1350. It has the Indian Ocean on the south, the Red Sea and Isthmus of Suez on the west, Canaan and Syria on the northwest and north, the mountains of Chaldea and the Persian Gulf on the east. It is ordinarily divided into three parts.

ARABIA PETREA, or the rocky, on the north-west, and which is now called Hejiaz. This division contained the land of Cushan, Barnea, Paran, and Midian. The Edomites and the Amalekites also dwelt here, and a very powerful and independent tribe of Ishmaelites. It was a land of shepherds, and the scene of some of the

most interesting events in the history of man. Horeb and Sinai were within its bounds. In the south-western part of it now stand the famed cities of Mecca and Medina, so much visited by Mahometan pilgrims. The people of this part are called "Men of the east." (Ġen. xxv. 6; Judg. vi. 3.)

ARABIA DESERTA, which lay eastward of Canaan, and comprehended the land of Uz, of Ammon, Moab, Midian, with the country of the Itureans, Hagarenes, &c. The inhabitants have in all ages dwelt in tents, and led a wandering life. It was an exceedingly fruitful land. They claim their descent from Shem. This was also the country of the Ishmaelites, and is now inhabited by the modern Bedouins.

Arabia Felix, or the happy, on the south of the two former, between the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Scarce ly any part of Arabia is well watered, but Arabia Felix is the most so, and is famed for its opium, myrrh, and other drugs, as well as for fine spices and fruits.

The Arabians are, in general, the descendants of Ishmael. The descendants of Abraham by Keturah, as well as those of Lot and Esau, dwelt also in this land.

AGAR, or Hagar. (Gal. iv. 25.) The history or condition of Hagar is used allegorically in this passage to illustrate the nature of the dispensation from Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is called Agar by the Arabians.

DUMAH, a country somewhere near or in Arabia Petræa, so called from a son of Ishmael. (Isa. xxi. 11.

DEDAN. (Jer. xxv. 23; xlix. 8; Ezek. xxv. 13.) A district of Arabia Petræa, south of Idumea, or Edom, settled by the descendants of Dedan, son of Jokshan, son of Abraham and Keturah. (Gen. xxv. 3.)

EZION-GEBER, or GABER. (Num. xxxiii. 35; 1 Kings ix. 26.) A city of Arabia, at the head of the eastern or Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea, adjoining Elath. It was here that Solomon's vessels were built, which were intended to trade with Ophir and Tarshish. It derives its name [Ezion-Geber, or the back bone of a man,] from a reef of rocks at the entrance of the harbor resembling that part of the human frame.

KEDAR. (Gen. xxv. 13.) A son of Ishmael, whose descendants settled in the southern part of Arabia.

Probably Kedar's posterity were the most numerous and powerful of the family of Ishmael; whence the whole of that country is sometimes called Kedar, (Isa. xxi. 16, 17; lx. 7; Jer. xlix. 28;) and the Ishmaelites generally are called the men of Kedar. They dwelt ordinarily in tents, but sometimes in villages, and their glory and wealth chiefly consisted in flocks and herds. (Isa. xlii. 11; and xxi. 16, 17.)

NEBAIOTH, (Isa. lx. 7,) or NEBAJOTH. (Gen. xxv. 13.) A son of Ishmael, whose descendants are supposed to have settled in Arabia, and to have been the Nabatheans of Greek and Roman history. They were probably rich in flocks and herds; whence the beautiful figure of the prophet above cited, respecting the gathering of the Gentile nations to the sceptre of the Messiah.

PARAN formed a part of Arabia Petræa. (Deut. xxxiii. 2.)

RAAMAH. (Ezek. xxvii. 22.) A country or district of Arabia, trading with Tyre in spices, stones and gold; and is supposed to have been settled by the descendants of Raamah, grandson of Ham. (Gen. x. 7.)

SINAI, the mountain in Arabia, on which Jehovah appeared to Moses, and gave the law. The Hebrews came to this place in the third month of their pilgrimage. The law was given, it is thought, just fifty days after their exodus from Egypt; and hence the Pentecost was observed on the 50th day after the Passover. This mount stands in Arabia Petræa, and is called by the Arabs, Jibbil Mousa, or the mountain of Moses, and sometimes El Tor, or the Mount. It has two summits, Horeb and Sinai; which last is much higher, and is called the Mount of God. The ascent is very steep, and is effected by steps, which the Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, caused to be cut in the rock. These are now so much worn and decayed, as to make the ascent tedious and difficult. At the top of Sinai, there is an uneven and rugged place, sufficient to hold 60 persons. Here stands a chapel, and near to it is a fountain of fresh water.

SHEBA, or Seba. There were several of this name. 1. The son of Cush, who gave the name to a country in Arabia. 2. The grandson of Cush. 3. The son of Jok

tan. 4. The grandson of Abraham. All these seem to have taken up their residence in Arabia, and perhaps most of them in the south part of it. 5. The son of Bichri, a Jew who headed a revolt in the reign of David. 6. The name of a famous well, sometimes called Sheba, and sometimes Beer-sheba. (Gen. x., xxv., xxvi.)

SHEBA, (1 Kings x. 1.) or the Saba of profane history. A province in the northern part of Arabia, between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It was probably settled by Sheba, a descendant of Cush, and the inhabitants are called Sabeans. (Job i. 15.) The queen of Sheba may well be supposed to have some traditional knowledge of true religion; and in the commercial intercourse of her country with that of the Hebrews, might have heard much of the wisdom and piety of Solomon, the wisest man, and one of the greatest kings that ever lived on the earth. To see and converse with him, she undertook a journey from what was then regarded as the uttermost parts of the earth. (Matt. xii. 42.) Of this journey the present Ethiopians or Abyssines, who are Christians of the Greek Church, have very ancient traditions. Among the princely presents she made to Solomon, were gold, ivory, and spices; and the Sabeans were celebrated, on account of their important commerce in these very products, among the Greeks. (Ps. lxxii. 10, 15; Isa. lx. 6; Jer. vi. 20.)

SELA, called by the Jews, Jokteel, is probably the place called Kerek in Burckhardt's travels. In Greek authors, it is called Petra, and was the celebrated capital of Arabia Petræa. (2 Kings xiv. 7.)

Uz. (Lam. iv. 21.) A district of Arabia, which was probably settled by the posterity of Uz, or Huz, a descendant of Shem, and distinguished as the dwellingplace of Job, whose estate was like that of a modern Bedouin sheikh. It was probably an extensive district, and perhaps subject to Idumea.

THE CITIES OF EDOM.

ESAU, (Gen. xxv. 25,) or Edom. (Gen. xxxvi. 1.) Son of Isaac and Rebecca, and twin brother of Jacob.

The most important events of his life are so intimately connected with the life of Jacob, that they will be considered under that article. His family settled on mount Seir, east of Jordan, which was hence called Edom, and his descendants were the Edomites, one of the most powerful and formidable nations of that age.

EDOMITES. Descendants of Edom, who was called Esau, because he was hairy, and his complexion red. He was born A. M. 2173, and sold his birthright for a mess of red pottage.

JOKTHEEL. (2 Kings xiv. 7.) The name given by Amaziah to Selah, or the modern Petra. It was the capital of Idumea, and one of the most magnificent of the ancient cities. It was situated near the base of mount Hor, about three day's journey from Jericho, and the same distance from mount Sinai; and must be regarded as the most singular spot in all Arabia, perhaps in the whole eastern world.

The RED SEA is that arm of the Indian Ocean which runs along the southwest side of Arabia, and the east of Ethiopia and Egypt, to the length of 1200 miles, now called the Arabian Gulf. As the Edomites had long the property and use of it for their shipping, it came to be called the Sea of Edom, which the Greeks translated into the Red Sea Edom signifying red. Hence, originated the mistake, that its water, or its bottom, was reddish.

THE AMALEKITES.

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AMALEK. (Gen. xxxvi. 16.) He was the son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau. Some have supposed him to be the father of the Amalekites, but they are tioned as a powerful people, long before the birth of Amalek. (Gen. xiv. 7.) The Arabians have a tradition that he was the son of Ham.

AMALEKITES. (1 Sam. xv. 6.) A powerful people, dwelling between the Red and Dead Seas. This nation inhabited the southern part of Canaan, and is called (Num. xxiv. 20) the first of all the nations. About A. M. 2091, Chedorlaomer ravaged their country, at which

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