CAPERNAUM
101
CAPE TOWN
Khaa MinTeh. The fbantain Caphammnm, which Jo- •ephos mentioiis CWar^ iii, 10, 8) in « rery emphfttic Bunner as a chief source of the water of the plain of Gennesaieth and as abounding with fish, would, how- ever, certainly answer better to the ** Round Fountain'* than to a spring so doee to the shore and so near one end of the district as is 'Ain et-Tin. The claim of Khan Minyeh is also strongly opposed by a later traveller (Bonar, p. 437-41), as also by Van de Velde (^Memoir, p. 301, S02) and Thomson (^Land and Book, i, 642 sq.). Another objection to the site of Khan Mioyeh is that the ancient town of Ciniiereth appears to hare lain north of Capernaum, and in this same plain of Genne- ssreth [see Cinsereth] ; from which it is most natu- re! to infer that (Capernaum lay at the southern end of the plain (at 'Ain el Mudauwarah), and Cinnereth at the northem CAin et-Thi). In that case, the approach of Christ and his disciples to Capernaum through the plah of Gennesareth (Matt, xir, 84) was from the north, the direction most lilcely in coming from theur last point on the nortli-eastem shore of the lake ; fw then the disciples would have fallen short of their des- tmation, owing to the head wind, and, after landing, first traversed the plain. The site of Abu Shusheh, however, is in some respects more likely to have given name to the plain, If that of the ancient Cinnereth, which will thus be distinguished ftt>m the localities of Capernaum and Chorazin. See Bbthsaida.
2. Three miles north of Khan Minyeh is the other dsimant, Tell Bvm, containing ruins (very extensive, according to Bonar, p. 415 sq.) of walls and founda- tions covering a space of half a mile long by a quar- ter wide, on a point of the shore projecting into the lake, and backed by very gently rising ground. The shapeless remains are piled up in confusion all along the shore, and are much more striking than those of any otlaer city on this part of the lake. With two ex- ceptions, the houses were all built of basalt, quite Uack and very compact, but rudely cut. The stones of the temple, synagogue, or churdi, whatever it may have been, are of beautiftil marble, cut from the moun- tahis to the north-west (Thomson, i, 540). The ruins are described by Bobinson (JResearchet, iii, 297 sq.). Rather more than three mQes fiuther north is the point at which the Jordan enters the north of the lake. The arguments in favor of Tell Hum date from about 1675. The principal one is the name, which is maintained to be a relic of the Hebrew original — **Caphar" havhig g^ven place to " Tell.** Dr. Wilson also ranges Joee- pbus on this side (Jxmda of the Bible, U, 189-149). See also Bitter (JBrdk. xv, 885-848), who supports the same kwality, as do also Van de Velde, Bonar, and Thom- ion. Against Tell Hum, on the other hand, the fol- lowing arguments seem almost conclusive : (1) It is not near the boundary-line between Zebulon and Napbtali, as appears to be required by Matt, iv, 18. (2) It is not likely to have been on the highway to Damascus (see above), for the mountains are so near the shore as to preclude this, while a thoroughfare still exists {faroogh the plain at the south. (8) It is rather too near the bead of the lake fbr the scriptural notices, and apparently in the wrong direction fh>m the plain ^Gennesareth. (4) It does not by any means so well nrit the indications in Josephus of the position of the ipring of Caphamaum and village of Cephamome : (br [1] the latter was near a swampy ground (evident- ly, f^om the numerous springs, in the loamy plain), and at no great distance fh)m Tiberias (or, at farthest, TWichsa) ; [2] the fountain was a prominent feature M the plain of Gennesareth, which extended along the lake fbr three mUea, apparently midway. To these ar- ganients it may again be replied : (a) The language of tbe Evangelist respecting the proximity of the bound- sy-line is not to be taken so strictly, since none of the places in qnestioa were really situated on the border. (h) There is room enough for a road along the shore \ff Tdl Hftm, fbr the shortest route to the head of the
lake actually lies through it (c) The Scripture no- tices most in question relate to the miracle of the feed- ing of the five thousand, the scene of which may have been on the shore south-east of Bethesda, beyond Jor- dan, and in that case Christ^s return to Capernaum may have been from the south through the plain of Genneeanth. (d) The misadventure of Josephus may have happened at the mouth of the Upper Jordan, and the place into which he was borne was a "village" merely, not a large city like Capernaum, although the name of the latter may naturally have included adjacent localities, as we know it was extended to the entire plain.
On the whole, therefore, it seems best to decide in favor of Tell Hihn as the site of Capernaum, in view of the similarity of name, and the existence of exten- sive ruins there ; and this conclusion is greatly con- firmed by the almost certain position of Chorazin at Bir-Kerazeh, a littie to the N.W. (See Journal Sac, Zi^.Oct.l854,p.l62sq.; July, 1855, p. 854 sq. ; 5<W. Sacra, April, 1855, p. 268 sq. ; Lond. Atkencnnn, Feb. 24, March31,1866; i9<tt<2.tt.Jrr»^.1867,iv). SeeCHORAZUi.