432 THE HOLY LAND. 
exposed. It followed, and in part accompanied, 
the dreadful ravages caused by the march of 
the French army: from the accounts we re- 
ceived, it seemed as if the exterminating hand 
of Providence had been exercised in sweeping 
from this territory every trace of animal exist- 
ence. " In Rama ' was there a voice heard, 
lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning ; 
Rachel weeping for her children, and would not 
be comforted, because they are not." 
History of The YiistoY J o^ Ramd is more interesting than 
'^' the neglect shewn to it by travellers would 
induce us to believe. Its origin has been 
ascribed to the Moslems, under Soliman, son of 
(l) This prophecy of Jeremiah ("xxxi. 15.), applied, by St. Matthew, 
(ii. 17.) to the murder of the innocents by Herod, is not believed to 
refer to the place now mentioned, but to another Rama, noticed by 
EusEBius. " Meminit Eusehius Ramce ^ipi rm Bn^Xtif/., de qua dictum 
sit, (Matt h. u. 18. Jerem. x\\]. 11.) Vox in Rama audita est. Sed 
quum vicum aut nrbem earn non appellet, nee aliquid addat, Sfc" {Rel. 
PalcEst. tom. 11. p. 964. Utrecht, 1714.) Rama was a name common 
to many places in the Holy Land: and the learned Reader is re- 
quested to determine, whether the modern village of Bethoor and the 
modern Rama do not appear to be the places menti'-ned in the follow- 
ing passage cited in a former Note from St.Jerom : " Rama et Bethmon 
at reliqua: urhes nobiles a Salomone constructs parvi liculi demon- 
slrantur." Rama was a village in the time of Jerom; and the situation 
of Bethoor is distinctly marked in the Apocrypha, with reference to 
the Plain of Rama : Ev xarcifidei Bxi^wpuv jw; rev ■^t^Uv. (1 Moceah, iii. 
16. 24.) 
