+ Robinson, BRP 2 i. 2148.
t Cf. v. Kasteren, ZDPV xiii. 95 ff. : 4
§ Ramah is the modern e7-Rdm; Gibeah in all probability is Tulél el-Fil, somewhat to the south of it.
a
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Jerusalem, for he passed the night at Gophna, then at Gabath-Saul, i.c. Gibeah, and came finally to Scopus, from which he descried Jerusalem with its magnificent temple.* On the other hand, Isaiah (10%) makes the Assyrian conqueror ad- vance against Jerusalem by another road further to the north-east—a circumstance which at least suggests that in olden times armies coming from the north approached Jerusalem by this road, and not by the one first named. As a matter of fact, the two roads unite further to the north, but it is strange all the same that considerable armies should have preferred the very difficult passage by the Swweintt gorge (cf. 18 144). The road named by the prophet, which can be reached either by way of ‘Anathoth or by the present road to the south of Tulél el-Ful, runs past Hizma and Geba‘ to the Suweintt gorge, north of which Michmash is reached. At all events Michmash was, as 18 138 shows, an important meeting- point, from which roads ran in all directions. Towards the south one could go to ‘Ai and ‘Ophrah. A road running west connected Michmash with Beth- lioron and the Maritime Plain. And, lastly, there was a fourth road going in a south-eastern direction to the Valley of Zeboim, by which we should no doubt understand the great Wady el- Kelt, from the northern edge of which an ancient road leads down to Jericho.+ It is very probable that it was this route that the Israelites followed when they moved into the country to the west of the Jordan; so that here again we have to do with a road of extreme historical interest.t Since there is a direct course from Michmash to ‘Ai, every- thing is in favour of the latter city having been the first to be attacked by the Israelites ; and by the same road they could always retire upon their fixed camp in the Jordan Valley (cf. Jos 9°).
(6) The continuation of the road leaving Jeru- salem for the north leads to Samaria, namely by way of Bethel to Shechem (cf. Jg. 21), a passage which shows that the ancient road, like the modern one, ran to the west of Shiloh).§ The scene of Jos 4° is the spot where this road bends to the west and leads into the Vale of Shechem. The different roads leading from Shechem are re- ferred to generally in Jg 9”, and in v.*” there is special mention of the way that came from ‘the Soothsayers’ Oak.’ But several of these roads were of special importance, and the scanty allu- sions to them in the OT must be explained on the ground that detailed narratives are so seldom connected with this district. As the well-watered and fertile Wddy Sha‘tr, running west from Shechem, opens a connexion with the Maritime Plain, so does the Wady el-Fdri‘a, which runs east, provide an approach from the Jordan Valley. Neither of these roads is mentioned in the OT, except in the narrative of Jacob’s immigration (Gn 33"); but in later times we read of Ves- pasian coming from Emmaus and descending by way of Shechem to Kore, z.c. the beautiful oasis Kurdwa at the mouth of the Wady el-Fdari‘a.| The story of Abimelech’s march from Shechem to Thebez (Jg 9°°) introduces us to another main road leading out from Shechem, namely that which runs in a north-eastern direction by way of T'débds
* Jos. BJ v. ii. 1ff. From Gibeah a road led to Gibeon, if Budde’s very attractive emendation in Jg 2031 is correct. In any case such a road exists, and in all probability it was followed by the legion which came from Emmaus to join Titus at Gibeah.
t The name Wddy Abu Dabd'’, recalling the name Zébo'im, is still attached to a branch of the Wddy el-Kelt.
t Cf. G. A. Smith, HGHL 264. ;
§In Dt 110 it is usual to discover a reference to the main road which passes to the east of Shechem, but perhaps Steuer- ragel is right in questioning the correctness of the text in this passage.
|) Jos. BU ty. viii. 1.
ROADS AND TRAVEL (IN OT)
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to Bethshean, and thus connects Shechem with the trans-Jordanic region and Damascus.—Lastly, there is a road to the north, running from Shechem to Jenin, where opens one of the approaches that lead from the Plain of Jezreel into the hills of Samaria. Here we are at the starting-point of the great road which led from the Plain and from Galilee past Shechem to Jerusalem and to the south of the country.* Hence we find king Ahaziah of Judah at this spot when he sought to flee to his home before Jehu—an attempt, however, which’ failed because his wounds com- pelled him to hasten to Megiddo, westward from Jenin (2K 9). At Jenin we encounter also those Galileans who in their pilgrimage to the temple passed through Samaria (cf. the story of the murder of Galilaans perpetrated here by the Samaritans, Jos. Ant. XX. vi. 1; BJ I. xi. 3). Special importance attached to this Jenin road for the further reason that it formed the approach from the north to the capital, Samaria, the great Jenin-Shechem road throwing off two side-roads to Sebastiyeh. One of these branches off at the beautifully situated village of Jebna, the other at the more southerly Beit Imrim.+ Here then we have the route followed, for instance, by Jehu when he drove from Jezreel to Samaria (2 K 10"8-), and probably also by an enemy advancing from the Jordan against the capital (7/*).