on the western side of the Orontes, and had a stream and 
double moat with bridges.* There is still a lake near Emesa 
(Homs) called Bahr-el-Kades, through which the Orontes 
flows, and on this it appears the stronghold stood. The other, 
taken by Seti I. in his war against the Khita, is especially dis- 
tinguished as Kadesh in the land of Amaor. The fortified 
place has no moat, but is on a hill in a cultivated country, 
and has a pool with plants growing on its sides. It appears 
to be Kadesh Barnea, and the situation would agree well 
enough with that of ; Ain Gadis, described by Professor 
Palmer in the P. F. F. statement for June, 1871, allowing 
for the ancient cultivation, of which he found abundant traces. 
97. The sons of Kheth gave their name to the ruling power 
of the Canaanite league, which came into collision with Egypt 
on the one hand, and Assyria on the other, in so memorable 
a manner for centuries. In fact, they became woven into the 
destiny of Egypt, and impressed themselves in secular and 
I’eligious matters on its history. 
98. Their king Khitasar speaks of his “ thousand gods,” as 
also of the “ thousand gods ” of Egypt ; but the dominant 
cultus was that of Sut or Sutekli (Baal), and Astarata (Asto- 
reth), who are prominently invoked in the celebrated treaty 
between Rameses II. and Khitasar, the grandson of Seplul, 
who had made peace with Rameses I. This is the identical 
corrupt worship which seduced the Israelites from the days 
of the Judges to the Captivities, and it is expressly identified 
in Holy Scripture with the idolatry of the Amorites f in refer- 
ring to Ahab, whose abominations were derived from the 
Phoenicians. 
99. This, then, was the type of false religion which encom- 
passed Abram in the land of Canaan. 
100. “The gods of the Amorites ” are distinguished in the 
book of Joshua J from “ the gods which your fathers served 
on the other side of the flood ” ; and the distinction is fully 
confirmed by research. The gods of Ur were not identical 
with the gods of Canaan, whatever analogies and links of con- 
nection there are between the religions of Canaan and Baby- 
lonia on the one hand, and on the other Egypt. But I must 
not linger in these fields. M. Lenormant thus characterizes 
the religion of the Canaanites : — 
No other people ever rivalled them in the mixture of bloodshed and 
* Wilkinson, Anc. Eg., i. 410, 
+ 1 Kings xxi. 26, 
X xxv. 15. 
