The Jordan is the one true river in Palestine. The name occurs frequently in the Gospels, but only once connected with 'river' (Mk 1^). See Jordan.
The 'stream' (Lk 6^^) or 'flood' (Mt 1^) is evi- dently the rushing torrent raised by wintry rains. From Rev 12^^- ^^ we gather that iroTafj.6s may signify any great volume of water rolling over the land. St. Paul's 'perils of rivers' (1 Co IP*) were doubtless such as the Eastern traveller has per- petually to face in fording bridgeless streams in times of rain and melting snow.
To one reared in Palestine, where only water is required to turn the wilderness into a garden, a river, with its beautifying and fertilizing power, might well seem an apt .symbol of life (Rev 22^- ").
W. EWING.
ROADS. — Roads imply a certain amount of civilization. In primitive times it was only near the great centres that regularly built roads were to be found, and even there they Avere poor and few. In the days of the Empire it was different. The Romans knew the value of good roads, and spared no pains on them. The remains that have come down to us would do credit to modern engineers. They Avere well bottomed and well laid, and from ten to fourteen feet wide, generally broadest when the cutting was through solid rock. The foundations were of stone, and when allowed to fall into disrepair were rough and slippery, and very trying to the nerves of travellers. In the provinces the roads were under the care of the
elsewhere they were under the charge of special officers — frequently of high rank. Along the great military highways were stations, or guard-houses, where the soldiers had not only to see to the preservation of peace and the safety of travellers, but had also to attend to the mainten- ance of the roads themselves. There the tolls were levied. It was probably at one of these places that Matthew was sitting at the receipt of custom when Jesus called him (Mt 9^). As the highways be- tween the East and the West passed through the land of the Israelites, making its geographical position unique, it may be well to indicate one or two of these. Cf. map of Palestine in vol. i.
1. The most northerly, and in some respects the most important, was that connecting the Mediter- ranean Sea and the Euphrates Valley. Starting at Acco (Ptolemais), it ran, according to Ramsay, till it came to Karn 5attin near to Cana, and then almost due east to Tiberias. Skirting the shores of the Sea of Galilee, it crossed the Jordan near Bethsaida, and went over a spur of the Anti- Libanus, and then east by north to Damascus. This road is said to have been a rich source of revenue to the Romans. In the time of the Cru- sades it was known as the Via Maris.
2. From Damascus there came another road, a little to the east of the former, which reached almost to the Sea of Galilee, and then, bending southward on the east side of Jordan, passed beyond the Dead Sea. This Avas probably the way that the Syrian and Assyrian armies took in their advance on Israel (2 K 8^8 9" lO^^, 1 Ch 5^6).
3. There was also the road along the Mediter- ranean ; and this, both in peace and war, was of the first importance. It ran through Acco, Csesarea, Joppa, Ashdod, and Gaza into Egypt. Along this road St. Paul was sent to Caesarea (Ac 23^^-^^).
4. P'rom Jerusalem roads branched out to north, south, east, and west, (a) There was one through Samaria connecting Judaea and Galilee. Although the direct road from Jerusalem to Galilee, it was seldom used by the devout Jews, on account of the hatred that existed between them and the Samaritans. It Avas by this road that Jesus jour- neyed when He spoke to the Avonian of Samaria (Jn 4"*). (h) In ordinary circumstances the JeA\'s preferred to avoid intercourse Avith the Samaritans, hence in going nortliAvard they took the road lead- ing doAvn by Jericho, over the Jordan, and up through Persea. (c) To the west, another road ran from Jerusalem to Jafl'a, passing Gibeah, Beth- horon, and Lydda ; Avhile (d) to the .south the road Avent through Bethlehem to Hebron, where it split in tAvo : one going through the wilderness by way of Beersheba, and the other going Avest to the coast and passing through Gaza. The latter is supposed to be the Avay taken by Philip (Ac 8^**), because tradition has it that the eunuch was baptized in the vicinity of ^ebron.
These roads played an important part in the dittusion of the gospel. The people Avho live on the main avenues of traffic are usually of a freer spirit and more open mind than those Avho dAvell in the quiet and cultured towns ; and for this reason Jesus got a better hearing in Galilee than in the more polished south. By folloAving the main routes of travel and traffic, St. Paul Avas led to the chief cities of his day, and found there acceptance for his message, which Avas carried thence by traders and others into the remote corners of the Empire. The roads Avere not, even in the days of the Romans, free from danger ; Avitness Lk 10^" ; but neither brigandage nor violence was common upon them.