SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 



PALESTINE, the land of Israel, the kingdom of David and Solo- 

 mon, the most favored and the most guilty country under heaven ; 

 during between two and three thousand years, the only section of 

 the earth where the worship of the true God was perpetuated, 



' Over whose acres walked those blessed feet 

 Which eighteen hundred years ago were nailed, 

 For our advantage, to the bitter cross ' 



this most interesting of countries is a small canton of Syria, inclu- 

 ded within the limits of the Turkish empire, and governed by the 

 pashas of Acre and Damascus. In the map, it presents the appear- 

 ance of a narrow slip of country, extending along the eastern coast 

 of the Mediterranean ; from which, to the river Jordan, the utmost 

 width does not exceed fifty miles. This river was the eastern boun- 

 dary of the land of Canaan, or Palestine, properly so called, which 

 derived its name from the Philistines or Palestines originally in- 

 habiting the coast. To three of the twelve tribes, however, Keuben, 

 Gad, and Manasseh, portions of territory were assigned on the east- 

 ern side of the river, which were afterwards extended by the sub- 

 jugation of the neighboring nations. The territory of Tyre and 

 Sidon was its ancient border on the north-west: the range of the 

 Libanus and Antilibanus forms a natural boundary on the north 

 and north-east; while in the south it is pressed upon by the Syri- 

 an and Arabian deserts. Within this circumscribed district, such 

 were the physical advantages of the soil and climate, there existed, 

 in the happiest period of the Jewish nation, an immense popula- 

 tion. The men able to bear arms in the time of Moses, somewhat 

 exceeded 600,000 ; which computation, when the Levites (20,000) 

 and women and children are added, will give nearly two millions 

 and a half as the amount of the population as large as that of 

 Sweden. The kingdom of David and Solomon, however, extend- 

 ed far beyond these narrow limits. In a north-eastern direction, it 

 was bounded only by the river Euphrates, and included a consider- 

 able part of Syria. 



At the time of the Christian era, Palestine was divided into five 

 provinces ; Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Perea, and Idumea. On the 

 death of Herod, Archelaus, his eldest son, succeeded to the govern- 



