(2.) No less important than these eminences are the torrent beds and ravines by which the upper country breaks down into the deep tracts on each side of it. They formed then, as they do still, the only mode of access from either the plains of Philistia and of Sharon on the west, or the deep valley of the Jordan on the east — the latter 6teep and precipitous in the extreme, the former more gradual in their declivity. Up these western passes swarmed the Philistines on their incur- sions during the time of Samuel and of Saul, driving the first king of Israel right over the higher district of his own tribe, to Gilgal, in the hot recesses of the Arabah, and establishing themselves over the face of the country from Michmash to Ajalon. Down these same defiles they were driven by Saul after Jonathan's victorious exploit, just as in earlier times Joshua had chased the Canaanites down the long hill of Beth- horon, and as, centuries after, the forces of Syria were chased by Judas Maccabams (1 Mace, iii, 16-24). It is perhaps hardly fanciful to ask if we may not account in this way for the curious prevalence among the names of the towns of Benjamin of the titles of fribfs. Ha-Avvim, the Avites; Zemaraim, the Zemarites; ha- Ophni, the Ophnitc ; Chephar ha-Ammonai, the village of the Ammonites ; ha-Jebusi, the Jebusite, are all among the names of places in Benjamin ; and we can hardly doubt that in these names is preserved the memory of many an ascent of the wild tribes of the desert from the sultry and open plains of the low level to the fresh air and secure fastnesses of the upper dis- trict.
The passes on the eastern side are of a much more difficult and intricate character than those on the west- ern. The principal one, which, now unfrequented, was doubtless in ancient times the main ascent to the in- terior, leaves the Ghor behind the site of Jericho, and, breaking through the barren hills with many a wild bend and steep slope, extends to and indeed be- yond the very central ridg;c of the table-land of Ben- jamin, to the foot of the eminence on which stand the ruins of the ancient Beeroth. At its lower part this valley bears the name of Wady J'/'i/nlr, but for the
BENJAMIN
753
BENJAMIN
greater part of its length it is called Wady Suweinit. It is the main access, and from its central ravine branch out side valleys, conducting to Bethel, Michmash, Gib- eah, Anatlioth, and other towns. After the fall of Jericho this ravine must have stood open to the victo- rious Israelites, as their natural inlet to the country. At its lower end must have taken place the repulse and subsequent victory of Ai, with the conviction and stoning of Achan, and through it Joshua doubtless hastened to the relief of the Gibeonites, and to his memorable pursuit of the Canaanites down the pass of Beth-horon, on the other side of the territory of Benjamin. Another of these passes is that which since the time of our Saviour has been the regular road be- tween Jericho and Jerusalem, the scene of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Others lie farther north, by the mountain which bears the traditional name of Quarantania ; first up the face of the cliff, afterward less steep, and finally leading to Bethel or Taiyibeh, the ancient Ophrah. These intricate ravines may well have harbored the wild beasts which, if the derivation of the names of several places in this locality are to he trusted, originally haunted the district — zeboim, hyamas (1 Sam. xiii, 18), shual and skaalb.'m, foxes or jackals (Judg. i, 35; 1 Sam. xiii, 17), ajalon, gazelles. (See Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, ch. iv.)
Such were the limits and such the character of the possession of Benjamin as fixed by those who origi- nally divided the land. But it could not have been long before they extended their limits, since in the early lists of 1 Chron. viii we find mention made of Benjamites who built Lod and Ono, and of others who were founders of Aijalon (12, 13), all which towns were beyond the spot named above as the westernmost point in their boundary. These places, too, were in their possession after the return from the captivity (Neh. xi, 35). — Smith, s. v.
The following is a list of all the Scriptural localities in the tribe of Benjamin, with their probable modern representatives, except those connected with the to- pography of Jerusalem (q. v.).
See RF.Tii-noGLAn. Tel el-Hajar.
[W.ofWadySidr]?
Alrriit.
See BAAT.-TAMAr..
[Spring N.E. of el-Jib]?
livil-llanhia? A nata.
See Betii-abac.aii. hing-iloor. Si e Acfi.-mizraim. See I5f.tu-avex. See Ai. [Hizmeh'] ? See Hazc-3. [Jebcl A hj] ? [Krkah] :
J)rir is-Sidt
El-Bireh.
IKuir-najlc]?
Bltrj-Beitint
See Azmavf.tii. See EBENEZEB. Beitin.
A in llajln.
In Wady Suweinit.
lAin-Yebruct]?
Kefir.
Wady Kelt ?
IKhurbet el-Bistum?
IBtddtql
See Betiiet,.
[Katanum]?
El-Kubeibeht
Birel-Khott
SeeOrmJAii;
See Gf.i-.a.
IKhurbet HaiyeJn?
Jib,,,
[Kl-lsaitii/rh]? Sor Cm.cai..
[Bir-Xebalcq*
Tuleil el-Ful
El- Jib.
[N.E. <>f Michmash] ?
Moharfert
See Ai.
Abel-mizraim.
Village.
Ai.
Town.
Ajephim.
Village.
Alemeth'.
Town.
Allon-bachuth.
Oak.
Amman.
Hill.
Ananiah.
Town.
Anatlioth.
do.
Arabah.
do.
Atad.
Threshin
Aven.
Town.
Avim.
do.
Azmaveth.
do.
Baal-hazor.
do.
Baal-perazim.
inn.
Baal-tamar.
Town.
Bahurim.
do.
Beeroth.
do.
Beth-arabah.
do.
Beth-aven.
do.
Beth-azmaveth.